I LOVE spiritual stores! You know the kind. You walk in and smell peony incense mixed with a moon witch candle flickering in the window. Cases of crystals and bowls of multi colored stones, books on chakra clearing and 12 ways to find peace with your spirit guide. Walls of hemp clothing and purses, and natural ways to bathe without using actual soap. I love it all. I have  been visiting these stores since I can remember, and each and every time I'm there I feel at home. I feel like saying "Ok! Ive been out in the dark cruel world of chemicals, processed food and bad mojo, I'm home! Clear my chakra and refill my energy stores with some Dragons blood Zen and lavender!" Yup, I truly feel like saying that.

So when I made my way over to Spirit Wise in Denver last week looking for something to clear things up, I felt my energy instantly lift! Two lovely ladies greeted me, by name (wait how did they know that?) Ha! I called and asked where they were, my GPS was acting up. I said I was looking for a stone, a specific stone to clear the air in a manner of speaking. They showed me where their stones where and in the meantime I wanted to take a peak around. The smell of Sai Nag Champa made me feel right at home as did the very large black cat named Sampson who rubbed against my leg eliminating all the bad mojo from the outside world.

After coveting everything in the store, I finally made my way to the case of stones. They were all beautiful, each one carrying with it an energy all their own. But, there it was. Almost as though it knew I was coming. A gorgeous rose quartz, the stone of emotional health, body healing, and abundance. I asked to hold it and then I knew. That's how you pick out a stone,  you know. Wait for one to speak to you and then hold it. When you purchase it, make sure you either soak it in salt water to remove the energy from whomever made the piece or spray it with Lavender oil.

After I got mine home, I held if for a little while and since then, I haven't taken it off. I feel like it gives me peace and good energy. I believe in the power of stones and know that when I find the stone I need at that time of need, it seems to work for me. Whats your stone? I think its time you look for one. Oh and, I found this website, if you don't have a spirit store near you, that sells tons of awesome amazing holistic items! Love it so much!
 

Good Luck in finding yours!!!
Cheers!!!

I have had so many people over the last few months ask me what I think of cleanses ad if they are worth all the work. The fasting, the non-stop bathroom visits, spending your day dreaming of food, downing gallons of water, herbs and teas that taste like the inside of an old shoe, ingesting more fruits and veggies in the week than the average vegetarian does in a year, yeah you know the drill. Is it worth it?
I myself have done cleanses. Many in fact, and I can tell you that yes some do in fact work. And some don't. I would say, if you are thinking about doing a cleanse, make sure you do your research, a lot of research. Many offer things from weight loss, to better gut health to improved digestion, to clearer thinking and longevity.
There are so many different kinds that its guaranteed to make you pretty confused. If you're not used to fasting, that can be a huge endeavor. Depriving your body of food for the first time ever, your body will rebel in the form of fatigue, moodiness, cravings, and really the list goes on. Cleanses can be tough.  And you have to be careful which you decide to go with, because some can do more harm than good.
So speaking of cleanses, this week I'm doing one. One that, in my opinion from someone who has done several over the last few years, is pretty challenging. Its a kidney cleanse created by Dr. Schultze, to help eliminate toxins from your kidneys. Things like old medications, environmental toxins, refined sugars, crystals, and basically anything that may slow down your kidney function. Granted I don't take medications, but really anything that passes through your kidneys will and does get eliminated.
Its an intense regimen that requires discipline, but really anyone can do it if you're in the market for a great lethal body altering cleanse! By the third day, zero food. Were talking nothing except liquids. Now yes, I don't completely cut out all nutrition because that teas and juices give the body nutrients for those few days, but nothing, not even salads. Yikes!
So I will let you know how things go, what the outcome is by the end of the week and if I survive! I just started today so I'm still pretty chipper, since I had steak over the weekend and a good meal last night. My body hasn't come to grips with the no food aspect of things yet, and it's still pretty happy.
Enjoy your week, enjoy eating (wish I could..) and I'll touch base next week with the results!
Cheers!!

This last weekend we got a lot of snow here in Colorado. Not thrilled about it, but it wasn’t one of those snows where it’s hard to drive cuz the roads are a disaster and you freeze to death just running to the store for eggs. It was actually really pretty, although it was a bit heavy and broke some branches off trees that were trying to blossom. Weird weather. But here in CO, anything is possible. You can go from 80 degrees one day and snowing the next and sometimes in the same day!

The weekend before I had pulled a muscle in my neck and WOW, it was a good one! I seem to carry a lot of my stress in my neck and across my shoulders (other people carry theirs in their low back, middle back, maybe in their head where they get headaches), mine always in  my neck. And its also from writing, where yeah, I don’t have my lap top level and in a good spot where my neck wont strain (yes my chiro lectures me all the time..). So, there it was, one beautiful knot in my neck that put pressure on my vertebrae, oh what fun! I did everything I could think of when it first happened, to alleviate the pain. Ice. Heat, massages, but to no avail. Then I broke out the heavy guns, arnica, pressure, a visit to the Chiro, and my daughter made me a heat pack made with rice in a sock. Wow! That made a huge difference!! After a few days the pain subsided and I was better. It still took about a week to really feel a lot better, and in that time I continued with the arnica and heat pack. By Friday, all was well.
 
I can see why people reach for pain meds and anti inflammatories  to help with the pain right away, but you know, in the long run, it makes things much worse and puts a lot of un wanted pressure on your body to repair itself from the side effects of those. So if you can, the next time you’re in pain, either from an injury or from a lingering problem, try some other more natural methods. Drink more raw shakes, take more natural pain remedies, and take care of yourself by relaxing and taking it easy. That’s probably the biggest factor, take care of you!
 
Enjoy your week and Namaste!!!