"Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique â such as mindfulness, or focuses the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity â to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state." (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation)Â
The conversation is going on: âOh, you mean the meditation when you sit quietly in the most uncomfortable position with closed eyes and are not allowed to move?! And what about active meditations or dancing, painting, knitting, drawing, singing, walking in nature, fishing, swimming, yoga, qigong, taking a relaxing bath, even sitting outside and quietly watching the world go by (watching Netflix is actually not counting, otherwise weâre all enlightened by now đ)?!" I guess we all have our own perfect idea how and when meditation should be done, and probably more ideas how it shouldnât be done. Guess what, throw these ideas away from your head, and start enjoying your personal meditation here and now! (For my hubby the meditation is hand washing dishes! Lucky me, no more dirty dishes at home đ).Â
After quite a time of sharing our experiences about this topic, we've come to the conclusion. We're all unique and each of us need our own way of technique/practice to reach an emotionally calm and stable state, even for a few seconds/minutes per day. And probably the most important itâs how present you're while doing any of the activities you love or feel good about.Â
Share with us in the comments below, what brings you to a meditative state of being in your daily life.Â
With love and respect,Â
Shakti (Katia) â¤ď¸
]]>Be sure you fill in all important forms online preor traveling - 24 hours before the flight (check websites for updated information of COVID tests etc.). It'll save you time at the airport. I always travel with a huge bag of healthy snacks for kids and thermos food jars with pasta (only one time I didn't take it, and my kids almost ate me alive!). Bottles of water aren't allowed for kids above 2 years, it was a big surprise for me. Another important item for my traveling is a small blanket, pair of socks to take out shoes and relax, maybe a neck pillow - works great for kids napping on the plane.
Don't forget some kids books, maybe UNO cards, coloring books or any other fun toys to play with. And if you're planning to watch a movie or play games, don't forget your own headset/earpods (otherwise youâll pay 3-5CAD on the plan).Â
My kids aren't good swimmers, I always bring my own floaty arms or a swimming belt with arm bands, goggles and UV hats. You can always buy these items at your destination but quality could not be the best and overpriced.Â
One of the essential items when you travel with kids can be the first aid kit with a few bandages, allergy or fever medication, some essential oils, mosquito non toxic spray, UV lip balm, after bite cream etc.Â
Don't overdo the sun, especially on your first day, drink a lot of water, have a nap inside, not in the sun! Enjoy the sea, sand, sun and soak up every moment of playful kids energy. Believe me vacation with kids is tiring but worth it, all these joyful faces and the unforgettable memoriesđâ¨đ
Share with us in the comments below your essential tips of traveling with kids.Â
With love and respect,
Katia (Shakti), mom of two strong-willed girls đ
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]]>â¤ď¸Meditation
â¤ď¸Books for self-growing Â
â¤ď¸Daily affirmations
â¤ď¸Gratitude journaling
â¤ď¸Group therapy/gatherings
â¤ď¸Motivational podcasts
â¤ď¸Moving body: walking in nature, biking, jogging, dancing, swimming, workoutÂ
â¤ď¸Nourishing home foodÂ
â¤ď¸Time alone
â¤ď¸Appreciating myself by acknowledging small wins everydayÂ
â¤ď¸Treating myself with kindness (turn off the judgmental voice inside my head)
â¤ď¸Vacation with sun, sand, seaÂ
â¤ď¸Painting or drawing
â¤ď¸Good sleep
â¤ď¸Prioritizing my needsÂ
â¤ď¸Believing in myself and having my back every time! Â
Here are some simple and powerful affirmations. You can choose one (or more) which resonates with your-state-of-being now. Write it on post-notes and keep them around in visible places (to remind who already you're!):
Are you willing to find 10-20 minutes for your-precious-one and only-self? Let's explore together the variety of morning rituals! Some of them you're probably doing already and some will be new to explore.Â
Day #1: Meditation, journaling, have your phone off at least for the first 30 minutes and enjoy a nourishing breakfast.Â
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Day #2: Workout, shower with music or you can sing along, essential oil diffuser will help you to boost your mood, and a healthy smoothie to start your day!Â
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Day #3: Stretching your body while listening to relaxing/inspiring/lifting up music, slowly sipping a cup of tea while reading your favorite book.Â
Day #4: Yoga, slow enjoyment of your nourishing breakfast, self-care/makeup/making hair while listening to an inspiring podcast.
Day #5: Nature walk, preparation of food with gratitude and love, a cup of coffee while writing down all things and people you're grateful for.Â
Day #6: Biking indoors/outdoors, fruit salad with a glass of lemon water, singing your favorite songs while dressing up.
Day #7: Walking with a dog/neighbour/friend/alone, dancing like nobody's watching, relaxing bath with candles, painting or drawing whatever you feel like.
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Leave us a comment below what is your morning ritual, what helps you to feel good and connected?
With love and respect,
Katia (Shakti) â¤ď¸
]]>As they say every situation can be turned to your favor or otherwiseâŚit depends on how you take it. So, while many people have had a tough time coping up with the situation, some people have turned this tough situation in their favor by adopting a better lifestyle, a more holistic lifestyle.
A holistic lifestyle can greatly help attain a better mental balance and healthy body. Letâs understand holistic lifestyle into a bit more detail and why it is relevant for all of us in these times?
Understanding Holistic Living
Firstly, what does holistic living mean? Holistic Living refers to a lifestyle to create a stress-free mind, a disease free and healthy-vibrant body. Holistic Living involves adopting and incorporating the right diet, yoga and mindfulness practices into our daily life. With a holistic lifestyle, every individual can create a happy state of the mind & healthy disease-free body. Â
Holistic Living improves both, physical and mental balance and thus giving your body & mind much-needed relief.
How to Start Living a Holistic Life?
Now when you know the meaning of holistic living, letâs know how do you live a holistic life?
Live in the Moment: Not worrying about the past or future, and just focusing on the present is the most important aspect of living a holistic life.
Practicing mindfulness not only helps you to stay focused on your present but also gives your mind relief from the unnecessary stress of the past & future. Thus, the first rule of living a holistic life; live in the moment. And this can be achieved with mindfulness or meditation practices.
Eat Clean & Healthy Food: Those burgers and fries might be tempting you now, but they are bringing a bundle of calories/diseases and an unhealthy lifestyle alongside them. Make eating clean a habit by switching to a Whole Food Plant Based Diet. Try to eat fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts & seeds. Avoid animal products like milk, cheese, yogurt, meat etc. Restrict processed & canned food, packed foods which are loaded with preservatives. Homemade food beats the outside food any day and any time. Eating clean & healthy food will keep the body healthy. And with a healthy body, the mind remains calm & centered. Get delicious plant-based recipes - https://holisticplantbasedrecipes.com/
Identify & Appreciate the Powers of your Body: Most people have sedentary lifestyles so it becomes very important to exercise regularly to keep the body fit. Incorporating Yoga and walking in nature are the best ways to keep the body fit. Also taking sun & air baths are equally important to keep the body fit & working optimally.
Learn to Forgive & Move On: Having differences in opinions is not uncommon at all. But, itâs essential that you donât allow these differences to take a toll on your mind. Apologizing is the hardest thing to do. If someone is apologizing to you for his/her mistake, learn to forgive it in one go and move on. After all, why would you give your brain an unnecessary exercise by getting stuck on one thing? If you feel that someone shouldnât be a part of your life anymore, just move on from that person. The world is full of good people. Keeping negative energy and vibes around you will only make things difficult for you.
Love your Life & Respect Everyone: Life is a roller-coaster ride. One day amazing things happen to you, and the other day bad luck follows you. Either way, ensure that no matter what, you keep on loving your life.
Respect & Love people around you. Everyone is going through something. A little bit of your kindness can give them hope and add some sparkle to their life.
Take Some Time to Grow: People have a tendency to worry about multiple things at once. However, this practice is not beneficial for our mental health at all. To live a Holistic life, you need to change yourself a bit. Give yourself time and room to grow. Ensure that you focus on one thing at a time rather than keeping too many items on your plate. Dealing with many things only works to increase stress and compromises the quality of your life.
Meditate Everyday: Meditation comes with an amazing ability to enhance your life quality to a considerable extent. You can practice meditation for 30-40 minutes a day. To meditate, just sit down, and watch your breath or use sounds for e.g. do OM chanting or humming. This will help relax your mind. If this sounds difficult for you, go for 10 min. jog, exhaust the body a bit and then meditate. Click here to join meditation session - https://holisticlivingprem.com/
Keep Body Active: Itâs necessary to keep your body moving. Even if your job demands you to sit at a place, try to make frequent movements and keep your body active. Try going for a morning walk to ensure that you start your day on a positive note. Your morning walk will also allow you to focus more on your work, another major benefit. If time permits, also go for a short evening walk so you can vent out your mind a bit.
Importance of Holistic Living
Without a holistic lifestyle, it is difficult to avoid stress & diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol etc. in our life. A Holistic Life comes with an amazing ability to heal even some of the most serious & chronic diseases. Not just that! A holistic lifestyle helps create a happy state of the mind & a joyful & more fulfilling life.
Thus, if you are looking to boost your physical & mental health, and give your life an upgrade, turn to holistic living. Watch videos - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBxKTZyDuLaO_WhNBpXnzMw/featuredÂ
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Written by Shraddha Patel, the founder of @holisticplantbasedrecipes.