Orchil and time

When I set about creating my newest collection I wanted it to touch upon one of the greatest mysteries of our lives…TIME.

As humans we crave and need ritual and structure. The sun setting, the moon rising, the tides going in and out and thus there is a push and pull to life. I’ve always loved and felt immense gratitude for this cyclical and gentle way of transitioning through our world.

Every night I read one of my spiritual books and one of them is by RJ Stewart, Power within the Land, and I came across this poem:

ORCHIL

I dreamed of Orchil, the dim goddess who is under the brown earth, 
in a vast cavern, where she weaves at two looms. 
With one hand she weaves life upward through the grass; 
with the other she weaves death downward through the mould; 
and the sound of the weaving is Eternity, 
and the name of it in the green world is Time. 
And, through all, Orchil weaves the weft of Eternal Beauty, 
that passeth not, though its soul is Change. 
This is my comfort, O Beauty that art of Time, 
who am faint and hopeless in the strong sound 
of that other weaving, where Orchil, the dim goddess, 
sits dreaming at her loom under the brown earth.

-William Sharp as Fiona McLeod

I was struck by the imagery that came to mind and how much coral resembles webs and the interconnectedness of our world. And also the incredible lessons we learn from Mother Earth and her dark mysteries. There is incredible knowledge and wisdom right below our feet that we don’t tap into.

So I sought to meld the two ideas together, the coral, shark teeth and transparency and depth of water and the mythology of Orchil.

Kyanite was a perfect stone to set in the large shark tooth my friend found scuba diving. Kyanite is healing and a beautiful stone to cleanse and align your chakras plus that blue is gorgeous set with sterling silver and yummy golden bronze.

All these jewels DROP tomorrow , Friday, April 15th….I really came up quick with these jewels and the incredible photoshoot I did with my friend Ashleigh Bowden.

So what do ya’ll think? Are you happy I returned to some seashell jewels and coral? Tell me your thoughts and sign up for my emails so you get the scoop on jewelry drops & events!

I'm Launching a podcast ...yes I wrote that

This project has been in the works for quite some time, I truly love podcasts. They are what got me thru working from home and being a stay at home mom. I kid you not, podcasts are my teachers and coworkers. So it is no surprise that I decided to launch my own podcast.

My favorite type of podcast is a mix of motivational/funny/real/applicable to real life. Nourished Intentions is my way of giving back to you what I’ve learned over my lifetime. Here on the blog I experimented with offerings, meditations, advice and so much more. On the podcast I’ll be offering you some of the ways to bring INTENTION into your life. Now more than ever we are in a place of rebirth, we’re discovering we don’t have to be part of the ‘system’ when it comes to our personal time. How can we truly value every moment? How can you maximize your time efficiently and with ease & comfort.

My favorite episode is the interview I did with Erin Harker of The Magick Makers. We chatted about being small business owners and witches in this new world. Erin is so knowledgeable, funny and creative we really vibed on chatting business and magick!

I offer you a guided turtle meditation along with a detailed guide of my patronus pantheon.

The premiere of my podcast is next week on Tuesday, August 31st. You can listen to all of my new episodes and subscribe to stay informed of new ones.

Thank you as always for stopping by, reading about my new podcast AND signing up to learn more about how to live an intentional life!

Empowering Yourself Through Ritual

I have been stuck lately, for all my posts of goals and intentions, staying consistent can be hard. Especially when there is uncertainty and a global pandemic. But one thing that brings me back to the present, and out of my anxiety is ritual.

We humans are hard wired for routines and consistent actions, just think about it, when your routine gets thrown off or around the holidays we get excited for hanging up decorations there is a beautiful ritual that marks the beginning of a season.

Ritual also grounds us in the present and allows our brain to associate an action with a feeling. So how does ritual empower you? Ritual brings awareness to our action. I have a ritual, as do most parents, of reading a book to our children before bed. What does this do, this brings calm and a way for children to settle down from a long day and it empowers children to feel safe & secure.

My ritual of writing out my plans for the day empowers me to feel a sense of control and direction. We need this especially right now, where so much is out of our control.

Take some time now to think about the rituals you do daily, and consider new rituals that will empower you to achieve balance, sanity and focus.

My all time favorite ritual is my morning routine, I move my body for about 15 minutes, I thank my body and then I move on to meditation, prayer, mirror work (hyping myself up for the day) and then I journal and read a tarot card.

And look, there are days when I just want to lay in my bed longer, however this one simple routine/ritual has had immense ripple effects in my life. I’m much more calm, full of gratitude AND more importantly I feel empowered.

If you’d like to stay in touch and learn more methods for bringing intention, curiosity and joy in your life, follow along and join the Eilisain list. Click the link below my dears, and thank you as always for reading!

The Moon Phases and Learning to Work with Them

Where to begin, with this journey I’ve had with the moon lately. Somehow it all started to happen at once, the social media accounts the people I listen to on podcasts all of it started to have a theme…a lunar theme.

And then bam I became just like every other spiritual person on instagram, posting about the moon and the cycles. What really blew me away was this interesting and enlightening fact I learned from Kate Northrup, that the day and yearly cycles are geared toward a more masculine/yang way of doing things. The average business day matches a men’s cycle, they are energized in the morning through midday and then hit a lull in the afternoon, whereas a woman’s cycle matches the lunar cycle meaning there are peak times of the month usually the full moon when we are at our best energetic self and then towards the crescent and waning moons we slow down and reflect aka 3pm. And when I really thought about it and how it does match my mood and that there are times of the month when I’m ready to burst with ideas and then towards my period I begin to slow down.

Okay so how can we work with the moon cycles? Journaling and really just paying attention to phases of the moon and how they match our own sense of feeling and intentions. For example, you could plan intense projects and goals for when you are most energized and at your peak potential which would be during the full Moon. During the New Moon you will want to set intentions and plan for your month. In this way you are working with the rhythm of your cycle and the moons.

I keep a super beautiful piece of artwork by artist Jess Weymouth by my bedroom and I love glancing at it as I walk through to the kitchen.

How gorgeous is this drawing?!! By jess Weymouth.

Confession, I don’t work with the moon phases all the time, but what I’ve noticed is that if I’m having big emotions or if I’m feel super energized I will pause and look at the moon cycle we’re in and see how it corresponds. I also look at my own menstrual cycle to see how it matches with the moon cycle.

Write down and journal your thoughts or if that isn’t your style, dictate into your phone so that you have a recording. There are so many apps for this, honestly that I don’t know of but I know they’re out there that can help you with taking notes (aka evernote).

Small actions, small rituals help to ground us and also bring centeredness and peace. In my morning ritual I write several pages in my journal and I like to note what phase of the moon we’re in, tracking my own mood and phase of the cycle. For example right now (aka March 25th) we are in the New Moon in Aries and this is a time of goal setting and working with the zodiac sign of Aries (pure fire and action) to move into this phase.

Full Moon pendant reminds us that we are wild, we can be untamed every once in awhile, like during the full moon.

It’s so fascinating to me that right now in our history and cultural zeitgeist tracking and connecting with the Moon has become very popular. It is no wonder, as our world is in the thick of the yang energy and we crave and need the feminine, the yin.

So take some time this month and the next to watch the phases of the moon and your own feeling and energies and you will see that you can use the phase of the moon to sync and ground yourself.

OH and it may be nice to have some moon themed jewelry on too…

Winter Reading List

Sometimes I’ll pile all these pillows and just lay and read all afternoon, it’s the best!

Let’s be real, I am a voracious reader so I don’t need a season to read however there are certain books that I thoroughly enjoy more around in the wintertime. Plus, I’ve accumulated a stack of books that I’m slowly reading and that just makes my bookworm soul happy. So I wanted to share with you my current reading list!

1. The Witches are Coming by Lindy West - This was a surprise find at my library and I gotta say it was the perfect quick and very inspiring book. Not inspiring like, feel good but one that inspires me to be more vocal to continue the fight against the patriarchy and the apathy spreading like a damn virus. READ THIS BOOK!

2. Great Goddesses by Nikita Gill - Another surprise find that caught my eye as I was chasing my daughter around Barnes & Noble. I have been a fan of Nikita for awhile now and when I saw this paperback like a white angel on the shelf I had to grab it. Nikita dedicates a poem and then conversation to our most revered Greek Goddesses and gods. This is perfect couch reading and it’s a great companion to Circe.

3. Women who Run with Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes - This is practically a bible for any feminist and headstrong independent woman in your life. It’s filled with so many rich, cultural and strong female stories and not just that, tales throughout history of women going to the deep shadow self to retrieve their inner teacher and spirit guide.

4. Circe by Madeline Miller - Okay this book came out a year ago but it’s become an annual reading for me now, our protagonist and Greek demigoddess is one that we can all relate to. She’s the outcast of the family, she gives a good lesson to men that need it and she also totally messes up several times and then redeems herself. Plus I get to learn more about herbs and Greek mythology.

5. The Garden Awakening by Mary Reynolds - A dear friend gifted me this book and I’m so very happy she did. As a budding and novice gardener I had wanted a book that would help me gain a better understanding of working with the earth and plants. Mary includes great illustrations and graphics of various ways to arrange your garden and to have a relationship with it. I still have yet to finish this dense yet fascinating book but I highly recommend it for any of you that want to create a spiritual connection to your gardening practice.

6. Awaken Clairvoyant Energy by Cyndi Dale - I randomly picked up Cyndi’s book at my local pagan/herb shop Sojo and I’m so very happy I did. I’ve always held a deep fascination with clairvoyant topics and I’d secretly been yearning to learn more. Cyndi’s book is a super easy read and she has step by step guides on how to understand your own abilities and intuition.

So there you have it my winter reading list, you could actually read any of these books at any time of the year which I will most likely do. I secretly harbor a deep dream to have a personal library of the likes of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I love books, they provide doorways into other worlds. I hope you enjoyed this list and please sign up for my email list below ,if you aren’t already on it so that I can continue to share with you my personal recommendations.

As always, thank you for popping by my blog!!

La Luna Gift Box

Yes BOX gifts are all the rage and I can honestly say I understand why, because you get a fun box full of tiny treasures that you can keep for yourself AND gift some of the box treasures.

Several years ago I purchased a gift box from my fellow maker, Priya Means Love, and it contained wonderful creams and lotions. It made the perfect gift for my close friend.

And so as I was brainstorming gift ideas for you, a giant LIGHTBULB appeared above my head. A Moon inspired gift box. Because as you know I’ve been connecting with the moon phases and this box celebrates the intention and tranquility of syncing ourselves with the moon.

In this gift box are magical tools:

• A round luminous moonstone orb, large enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

• Herkimer earring studs, these will help open your third eye chakra

• A rose sage and lavender cleansing bundle that will last you months

• A silver polishing cloth, to maintain all your favorite Eilisain Jewels

Also a suggestion here, you can use this gift box to cover small gifts for your friends and family, give the sage and lavender wand to that one friend that needs some calm and clarity, or the earrings to gift your mom, they may not be real diamonds, but herkimers are the next BEST thing, and keep the polishing cloth for yourself then use the magical moonstone orb as a touchstone for when you want to open up your crown chakra.

I wanted this gift box to reflect complete intention and sacredness to your life.

How My New Morning Ritual Has Improved My Mindset

Lighting my sage and lavender bundle marks the beginning of my meditation.

I’ve written on here before about meditation and several methods and ways to meditate but on this post I wanted to share some of my newest methods and also the immense benefits of a meditation practice.

I’ve created a new ritual in my life and it’s having massive impacts on my mental and physical health. I wake up about an hour before my daughter Tallulah wakes up, sometimes this varies, like I’ll have a half hour and some days I struggle but on average I get a lil chunk of time in the morning to set myself up for the day.

Here’s how my routine begins: I wake up around 5-530am and I head to our kitchen and pour myself a glass of lemon and basil or rosemary water (I’ve heard and read that it’s a great way to cleanse and hydrate your body), then I head upstairs to my meditation room. I light some candles and sage and then I sit at my altar for about 10 minutes for mediation and prayer. I’d eventually like to increase this to 20 or 30 minutes but for now it’s ten. After I’ve meditated and prayed I go through a 10 minute yoga routine. I absolutely love how the stretching and yoga poses work out kinks in my back, arms and neck. After my yoga I sit in my comfy grandma chair and journal, I also do a short tarot reading, usually it’s a three card spread. This act of journaling does two things: it cleanses my mind of the clutter, thoughts and dreams I’ve had AND it gives me time to reflect.

I love this sacred pace so so much.

Ya’ll, this ritual really has changed how I behave throughout the day, I just feel centered and reprogrammed for intention. I’ve become more focused in my goals, felt energized throughout the day and I just feel so much more connected to my ancestors, spirit guides and most importantly my inner teacher. In addition I’ve noticed how my perspective on my life and reaction to situations has become calm and centered. When my daughter has a meltdown or something sudden and perhaps typically stressful would happen I breathe and allow myself to let it go.

No surprise here, Tallulah loves playing with all my ritual objects.

Maybe some of you are thinking, well I just can’t get up at 5am to do all that. I’m not suggesting you do, although I honestly believe you’ll get used to it and come it enjoy it. What perhaps I’m hinting at for you is that carving out anytime, maybe during your lunch break or in the evening setting aside anytime to journal, go for a quiet walk with no phones, or maybe playing Frisbee outside - ANY kind of act that allows you to be still is incredibly helpful to your mental health.

“We need to listen to ourselves FIRST before anyone else, what do YOU need to feel happy and whole. Often times we get up and go, look at our phones or flip on the tv but we don’t give ourselves the time and space to LISTEN.”

— Lisette Fee

You are so worthy, worthy of your time to BE.

Back in my mid-twenties when I began meditating and praying and when I look back at how that time I had gave me space to dream about this time right now, HERE, I know that it was well spent. I dreamed of being a jeweler, of being the weird, nerdy and jewelry obsessed person that I am today.

So my dear friends, take back your time away from the distractions and noise and just BE.

If you want to continue to read more of these blog posts and shop some of my newest one of a kind jewels please sign up for my email list and I will keep you in the loop. Thank you as always for reading!!

Summer Rituals and Habits

Being half Spanish I have inherent comfort level with heat and warm temperatures. I love being warm, baking in the sun by a pool. And despite some of the oppressive temperatures lately, I still love summertime.

So here are some of my favorite rituals and things to do this time of year.

1. Enjoy the sunsets! I try to get outside in the early morning and in the late evening. Even if there is a warm drizzle, being outside with my daughter is so fun in the late summer nights. She enjoys a popsicle while I sip on rosemary seltzer water and we soak in the natural beauty.

2. The Uptown Umbrella market and all farmer markets - Ripe red tomatoes, local honey, shaved ice and live music, it’s free and we get to see our friends! And if I’m lucky we go to my favorite farm to table restaurant Starlight Cafe.

3. Outdoor concerts and movies - another fun and FREE activity. Now that our daughter is running around and has all the energy it makes sense to take her to a musical outdoor event. It’s another excuse to be outside enjoying the late nights.

4. Harvesting - For our garden summertime explodes with green and purple peppers, Japenese eggplant, mint, basil and cherry tomatoes. It’s so gratifying to go in our backyard and pluck fresh vegetables.

5. Stay inside and paint - Yes I love warm weather but I also enjoy the cool temps inside. I’ve taken to setting up a paint station for my daughter and we get totally creative. It’s also a meditative activity. You don’t think, you just paint and allow your mind to empty!
   

Every season has it’s extremes, fun and drudgey but overall, I try to enjoy each season for the wonderful offerings and ways to move with time.

Thanks as always for reading, stay in touch with me via my email list and I’ll send you more rituals and ways to celebrate a more present life.

Tarot and Why I Love It

Tarot is experiencing a widespread popularity and resurgence and I’m so incredibly happy because it’s such an amazing spiritual tool and method for inner growth and manifestation.

I started reading my tarot cards about 18 years ago - dang I feel old! My first deck was the Rider-waite (the most popular deck to begin with). At first it felt overwhelming to shuffle through and try to understand but over the years I’ve become so much more familiar and adept at using them.

Tarot is a divination tool and a very ancient one.

“The word tarot can have several associations, some may liken it to the Hebrew word, Torah; the latin rota, meaning “wheel” or the Arabic Tarah or turuq which refer to “four ways”. However most point to the connection between the Italian Tarocchi or Tarocco which refers to the original renditions of the play-card games that appeared in Europe sometime during the 15th century.”

— Danielle Noel auther of The Book of Tarot

Over the years tarot went through several renditions and new designs but the ultimately the tarot deck that has endured over time is the Rider Wait-Smith tarot designed and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith. Both were occultists and practitioners of Kabbalism and they added a whole new mystical symbology to the deck.

An excerpt from one of my favorite Tarot guidebooks, Modern Tarot by Michelle Tea has a fantastic description of tarot:

“The Tarot is an ancient story system, a pack of cards that tell a multitude of tales depending on the ways in which they’re placed alongside one another. Pull the High Priestess, the Page of Coins, and the World, and it tells a story of an individual seeking higher purpose through the material world, someone who isj ust beginning a path of knowledge but whose deep inspiration and devotion will take her very far....The trick to being able to deduce this is to know the cards well and allow yourself to link their stories together and — and this is really important — trusting that you are reading the cards clearly. It could, if you’re nervous to look at that last spread of cards and then say, “Oh, um, actually, it could also mean that walking away from this situation might bring the Tower down and ruin your life. I”m not sure! Thanks for coming!” Tarot speaks to your intuition, to our guts. More and more scientific research points to the right-on power of our “guts” to make quick, intuitive , and correct decisions.”

— Michelle Tea

Here’s the thing to understand about tarot and all forms of divination; it’s a tool which means it isn’t going to predict your future, what tarot does is provide a visual aid of delving deeper into what you’re experiencing. Tarot is akin to a telescope allowing you to see much closer into your life.

My daughter and I looking through the cards

Tarot is just one of the divination tools I use.

I want to be clear that tarot is for anyone, of any faith. And you don’t need years of experience to read your own cards. Because here’s a secret friends, you know the answers. Deep down you are your greatest teacher and that is how you understand the cards.

Here’s a list of my favorite decks:

The Fountain tarot deck - I feel as if I’m deep within my unconscious when i look at these cards. It’s as if entering a dream world.

The Moonchild deck - Another otherworldly deck, I love the collage effect of these images. Danielle creates a beautiful and sumptous world with her images AND the booklet for the deck is full of juicy information and ways to attune yourself to the moon.

The Arthurian Tarot deck - This was the second deck I acquired and one of my most cherished. Caitlin and John Matthews are complete scholars of Celtic and Arthurian lore and legend. This deck delves into the myth and stories and provide fantastic illustrations that really get you thinking what the symbols mean.

Anima Mundi deck - My daughter loves this deck for all the dark and fantastical images of the animals. I also enjoy this deck for totem spiritual work. What is a lovely surprise about this deck are some of the animals are associated with characteristics that I normally wouldn’t have.

Threads of Fate oracle deck - My newest deck and one that isn’t tarot but oracle, somewhat the same but doesn’t follow the traditional minor arcana and major. Brit June and Blair Porter have created a beautiful deck with gold inlay and the illustrations touch upon larger themes like Soul Work and Speak Truth. Some cards feature healers, sages and spiritual practitioners with a lil bio in the booklet.

Some tips for newbie Tarot nerds:

• pull one card a day to get famililar with your deck

• Keep a journal to record your thoughts and feelings towards the card

• Before you pull a card, sit with the deck and allow your mind to cleanse the cards and connect with them.

• Take your deck with you whereever you go, so that you can sit and play with them or share with a friend.

I hope you enjoyed this post and especially learning more about tarot. I promise that time with a tarot deck is never wasted and is so cleansing for the spirit.

If you’d like to learn more about divination, meditation and how to combine jewelry with those two, sign up for my email list below. I email weekly about my jewelry, up coming craft shows, mindfulness and more.

As always thanks for reading - stay badass and fierce friends!

Life is a Labyrinth

When I began researching the theme of labyrinth it began to crystallize how timely and appropriate this concept is. The labyrinth is a very ancient image, painted on cavern walls and spans countries and timelines.

I chose this image and card to depict the PATIENCE it takes to go through life’s ups and downs, twists and turns. Just like the labyrinth.

Now, we are all familiar with the infamous Labyrinth movie and why not, as it’s such a classic fantasy movie but it also demonstrates the power of the journey and lessons we learn on a labyrinth walk. As you walk through one you learn valuable lessons and how to navigate the trials of life.

For this collection I used several design elements to reference a labyrinth. One of my all time favorite stones, the dragon vein agate has gorgeous lines and colors that resemble a labyrinth. In addition I used malachite for the gorgeous deep green and also the lines and swirling patterns. The color green is perfect as labyrinths are made on the flat earth, sometimes in a garden design or by using stones or sand.

This is DRAGON VEIN. Isn’t it stunning?

In Celtic culture and beliefs the circular patterns the ancient Celts and inhabitants of those regions considered the circle and labyrinth design leading to the navel of the earth. Mother earth if you will and the abundance that the earth provides just as a mother does.

In my early twenties I became obessed with the Celtic culture and beliefs, I still am. There is something old and very familiar of the art, myths and pantheon. And thus with the Labyrinth collection I wanted to go back to that fascination and allure of the ancient designs and colors.

This photo was taken from one of my many Celtic books.

ISo how can a labyrinth and the walking of one aid you in your life, or even how can this jewelry do the same? Well, whenever I learn a new concept or idea I look at it thru the lens of my own life. Some days I’ll be sitting or walking or making jewelry and I think about my past and the times I struggled so hard and came thru wiser and stronger or even in my present moment.

Granted, I’m still working on it but I feel a strange sense of purpose and confidence that I can. Walking a labyrinth in my mind, I’m doing that now. I came up on a situation and turned it around in my hand many, many times until I found the way to make it work.

“For the past two years I’ve been grappling with how to juggle my momlife with my bossbabe life. And for a time I kept telling myself the same story - that it was hard and that I couldn’t do all the things I want to do because of being a mom. But FINALLY I flipped the narrative and decided that regardless of me being at home doing the SAME ROUTINE with my daughter I was going to get shit done and be effective at doing it. ”

— Lisette Fee, owner and creator of Eilisain Jewelry

The bone of a flying fish. How amazing is that texture and design?

Another element of the Labyrinth Collection is the bone of a flying fish that my friend gave me. The intricate textures and design on the bone are incredible. They could be a labyrinth, the lines go all over the place. And I felt that this was essential to including it in the collection.

I’m going to continue posting about the collection and also provide you with more tools to aid you in your life journey.

PS - World Labyrinth Day is May 4th. Five thousand people are scheduled to walk Labyrinths in the name of peace.

5 Super Easy Ways to Celebrate Earth Day - EVERY DAY

What they said is wrong, being green is easy. Seriously, in our convenience led world we don’t need to be wasteful. Our beautiful planet needs us to be protectors of her abundance and generosity.

Life is cyclical right? We can not take something without giving. And the same goes for all that we consume on a daily basis. So here are five super easy ways to be less wasteful, recycle, reuse and especially REDUCE.

1. Take your own water bottle or coffee mug when you step out of the house. As a matter of fact, stash a to go container, a reusable water bottle and coffee mug in your canvas shopping bag.

2. Reuse any of your plastic bags. And clean and drop off any plastic film and bags at your local Food Lion or grocery store. It’s SO convenient.

3. Unplug and turn off any cellular charging stations or lights that you aren’t using. This will not only save energy for the planet BUT it also SAVES YOU MONEY!

4. SHOP second hand and Salvation Army. You guys, this one is fun - you can find the best treasures at thrift stores.

5. Grow a garden, plant trees and pick up trash where you see it. It all begins in your community. the more we time we spend outside in nature and the wilderness the more we appreciate and love our world.

I hope that you take this time of year to venerate and give gratitude for all the our mother earth provides for us. I know I sound all hippy dippy but trust me when I say that what YOU receive in return for your gratitude is so much more.

If you enjoyed my tips and want to learn more, sign up for my email list below and you’ll get more advice AND ways to improve your life.

Color Therapy and How It Can Change Your Life

Years ago, when I worked a desk job, I had a supervisor that I was struggling to connect with and demonstrate that I was confident to perform my job. One day, I summoned confidence and courage with the color red. I wore my carved red dragon pendant and red lipstick. Does this sound silly? Maybe but it worked, subtly I channeled a side of me to own my presence and talent.

There’s a reason houses sell more quickly with a red door, it stands out. It’s striking and vibrant. There are so many different ways to use color to improve your life and well being.

“Color therapy, also known as chromotherapy, is a non-invasive energy medicine (vibrational healing) modality. Color is simply a form of visible light, of electromagnetic energy. All the primary colors reflected in the rainbow carry their own unique healing properties.

The concept of color therapy is premised on the idea that on the surface of our skin, physical and energy systems of the body interface through the color vibrations found and utilized in the visible light spectrum. 12 vibrating fields of colors generate electrical and magnetic fields of energy that are prime activators of biochemical and hormonal processes, and also stimulate or sedate activities within the body that are necessary to balance every system and organ of the body.”

— -Innovative Medicine

This is essentially the chakra system, an Eastern spiritual tradition that associates seven centers on the body with color and universal properties.

I’m a firm believer that we should trust ourselves more, our inner guide and teacher. Utilizing color and examining how you can change your mood, energy and mind through different therapies such as aromatherapy, color therapy, meditation is incredibly empowering. Now I’m not saying this is a cure-all, please consult your family doctor before you try any of this. However there are small things you can do that can simply improve your mood and mindset.

Light some sage OR burn an oil diffuser. I probably light my sage 2-3 times daily. I love the earthy scent.

The color GREEN is everywhere now, with Spring coming into full effect we NOT  can escape this rich and calming color.  But want to know a secret?

Bringing the color green into your home and life can bring YOU abundance and wealth. 
Color therapy is a fantastic way to call upon energies and manifests qualities we seek.  This is one of the reasons I'm using green stones such as malachite, agates and more in my upcoming collection.

I have yet to give it an official name or set date but stay tuned. 
You are going to LOVE this collection.

In the meantime, as you anxiously await these jewels to be listed.  I'm giving you some thoughts and ideas on how to use color therapy.

Green = abundance, wealth and vitality
Yellow = empowerment, increased well being and positivity
Red = energize, transformation and rebirth
Purple = spirituality, confidence and clarity
Blue = Relaxation, introspection and soothing vibes.

You can bring these colors and qualities into your life in so many ways.  By the what you wear, the jewelry you wear, your living space and office. 

Give it a try this week.  If you need some positive vibes, place yellow flowers at your desk.  If you need to chill out, look at water images on Pinterest. 

Subtle ways of infusing color therapy into your everyday life can have major impacts on your psyche and energy.

Embracing Your Shadow Self

I have a confession, I just learned what this meaning was recently, the shadow self.  And this discovery of the word makes complete sense.  Not only do I feel that it is extremely beneficial for our well being to address the shadow self and work with it but also to accept it as an asset.  Think about it as the Star Wars saga - you see a hero that works with his inner teacher but faces the darkness.  It's the yin and yang of who we are. 

I'll be the first to admit that there is a secret side to myself that can be conceited and self rightous. WE all have an inner struggle with what we know can be mean, ugly, jealous, and so forth however our good angel, the one that knows and understands what is morally good. 
"Carl Jung stated the shadow to be the unknown dark side of the personality. According to Jung, the shadow, in being instinctive and irrational, is prone to psychological projection, in which a perceived personal inferiority is recognized as a perceived moral deficiency in someone else."

Being  my sassy self. 

So what can we do to work with our shadow self and harness that side of us that is nasty and dark? Turn it into something tangible like art or change that energy and thought.  I tell people all the time that the jewelry I create, the aggressive talons, the large and possessed pieces reflect the badass part of me - the side of me that is unhindered. 

I once read the performer and singer, Marilyn Manson say that his music channeled his aggression and violent thoughts however it didn't mean he went out and tried to do any violence to others.  And I felt that it resonates so much with why it is so important to release certain energies and thoughts into good action. 

thus - make art, dig in the dirt, go for a thrill seeking bike ride through your neighborhood, go to a ropes course with a friend, do some yoga, meditate, climb a tree, go swimming in the ocean - physical movement or activity stimulates some of the same chemicals in our brains as those found in certain drugs. 

I hope this gave you some insight and thoughts about the shadow self and learning from all the aspects of yourself.  The good and the bad.

Practicing Self Love

You may think to yourself, well yes I do that all the time.  But do we really? I'm not talking about having a glass of wine or going to the beach.  I'm talking about the act of giving yourself love daily.  I've been pondering more and more on this, that our daily habits and our work and life patterns truly effect our mental and physical well being.    But the big takeaway that I've discovered is that when you love yourself you also share that love with others and this essentially makes the world happier. 

Just laying outside can lower your blood pressure. 

So what can you do to practice self care/love daily? Even if it's just for thirty minutes or fifteen minutes.  Now these are self care suggestions that aren't the indulgent ones but ones that speak to your spirit and soul.   Studies have shown that when we're content and feeling good about ourselves, other people notice and feel that vibration.  Here are some suggestions for you to practice self care and love:

• Go for a walk or bike ride, anything physical. Endorphins (happy hormones) are released in your body when you move.

• Call your bestie and catch up

• Grab a blanket and lay outside and look at the clouds

• Take a soothing bath

• Play with your cat, dog or pet or someone elses

• Work on your garden

• Do an activity that gave you joy and happiness when you were a child, like coloring or playing with legos.

It's funny how we've lost some of these activities the more technology that comes into our life however taking time to do an activity that uses your hands and mind has big benefits and impacts for not only your happiness but the longevity of your brain.  Many studies have shown that working with your hands and playing games can prevent Alzheimers and dementia.

So even when it's a crazy busy day and your stressed, which is when you need self care the most.  Stop, breath and go for a walk or do whatever gives you joy!