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6 ways to QUICKLY reduce stress, anxiety, and pain and increase your mana.

By on July 26, 2022 in Healthy Living, Kauai and Spa News, Self Care

Stress triggers our flight and fight response

When we lose our job; have an emergency such as we have all been through, or there are large and unknown changes in our life our nervous system can interpret this as stress. Even in our daily life we are exposed to many types and amounts of stress, which then trigger our fight or flight response AKA sympathetic nervous system, including the release of stress hormones.

Did you know that almost every TV show nowadays triggers our fight or flight response with gory visuals, abrupt automobile accidents, and shocking scenes?

Did you know that our unconscious mind cannot differentiate between real and imagined stressors? In addition, frequent stressors of schedules, deadlines, relationship conflict, even a mild disagreement can cause internal strife. Being in traffic, loud and numerous layered sounds in the environment, even caffeine, and slight alterations in routines can all release stress hormones.

We have actually grown numb to the negative visual impressions we receive.

What happens is that we are exposed to so much stimulation in our daily lives that our nervous system becomes hyperactive. We don’t even notice it! Then, over time, this compounds and ages us, as a result, it takes a serious toll on our mental, emotional, and physical health… Read on to find out how to reverse this.

Studies show that stress actually shrinks the brain!

Bruce McEwen, a neuroscientist at Rockefeller University in New York says that “Stress causes neurons (brain cells) to shrink,” he goes on to say that “The wear and tear on the body from lots of stress changes the nervous system.” Moreover, “particularly worrying in the developing brain, which appears to be programmed by early stressful experience”.

What can we do?

Don’t worry, because remember, worrying shrinks your brain. There is a lot that we can do to help our bodies be at their optimum! A regular routine with daily exercise, adequate sleep, nourishing and healthy meals can all go a long way towards providing a healthy foundation, and more, read on…

Connection decreases stress.

In addition, we can easily self-regulate our nervous system.

AND we can also co-regulate with another human being (which is actually easier.) I provide suggestions for both below

In fact, I provide helpful information on being your best in all the emails I send.

The following activities significantly decrease stress:

  • hugging
  • receiving massage
  • touch
  • talking with a friend
  • holding a baby or a pet
  • singing
  • even looking at beautiful, or cute pictures
  • That’s why I put pictures of one of my favorite people

If you are by yourself

When we are feeling out of sorts, or if other people are not available to talk to, or give us a hug, the best course of action is to turn inward instead. Most people learn how to soothe themselves as infants. However, many of us forget to practice in our daily lives. Or, sometimes we are hard on ourselves or need to feel self-love when we feel anxiety or fear. These are the times to increase our self-love.

I was on a water slide with the kids recently, it was steep. As I took the plunge onto the slide, I felt afraid, and noticed my belly, probably my whole body tightened up. I didn’t even make a conscious decision to soothe myself, it just happened.

I said reassuring words to myself such as: “I am safe, this is OK, just flow with it in the same way I flow with life.” After that, I immediately relaxed and had fun! Oh, and the kids were proud of me too, in fact, they cheered when I splashed into the pool from the slide. Self-regulation is important and easy to do. Take some time to cultivate self- love with this easy practice. Try this self-soothing, cultivating self- love exercise for a few breaths.

 

6 ways to QUICKLY reduce stress, anxiety, and pain and increase your mana.

Did you know that looking at cute pictures, is calming?

We want to be proficient at preventing stress, in addition, to quickly eliminating stress before it accumulates! These practices will help you do just that!

  1. Do this “I am Calm Meditation” with me. 
  2. 8-12 Hugs a day keeps the doctor away! Giving and receiving hugs reduces stress, chances of illness, increases feel-good hormone oxytocin? As a matter of fact family therapist Virginia Satir once said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance, and 12 hugs a day for growth.”
  3. Massage and spa treatments are a great way to reduce stress, anxiety, and pain. Can’t go to a spa? That’s fine, even giving and receiving massage with loved ones helps too! Start with something simple, like a foot or shoulder massage.
  4. Don’t let little things build up in your relationships. Periodically take time to clear the air; try this Couple’s Communication Ritual with me.
  5. Try this advanced meditation practice “Meditation”
  6. Consider a 3-5 day Reset Retreat with us. Folks usually do a Reset Retreats during a life transition, or when they lose their “center.” The retreat begins with a consultation to determine specific needs. Then, participants receive 2-3 hours of treatments daily, and guidance for self-guided practices such as meditation, a Sugar & Gluten Cleanse. After that, they get other rejuvenation and stress management practices. Begin here with this consultation to assess your needs.

As we have seen, stress comes in many forms and can be cumulative, however, there are solutions!

Another key point is that it took a little while to accumulate, yet with just a little time, you can reduce your stress hormones and significantly increase your feel-good hormones thereby supporting your overall well-being. Remember, I am here for you.

Thank you for visiting us, reading this, and taking the time and sweet attention to nourishing yourself! Please let me know how you are doing. I am looking forward to seeing you on your next in-person visit or online health consultation. With warm aloha, Darci Frankel

In the very next (and upcoming) issues:

  • I share some of my best health secrets, gained over my 27 years of practicing Ayurvedic Medicine
  • Talk about some of my favorite insider Kauai beach activities
  • Look for my BIG giveaway soon.
  • How toxins might be making you SICK, FAT and TIRED
  • Special VIP invitation to an upcoming webinar “The Secrets of Cleansing“
  • What kinds of heavy metals are HIDING in your bones, your fat or worse, your BRAIN?!
  • I also share one of my secret weapons in detecting heavy metal toxicity.

 

Darci Frankel has had a lifelong involvement in the healing arts. She is an experienced practitioner of Ayurvedic Medicine (the science of healing from India) a cleansing and rejuvenation specialist, a long-time massage therapist, and a yoga teacher. Darci began her Ayurvedic study in 1992 and then interned with America’s foremost expert of Ayurveda, Dr. Vasant Lad, at the Ayurvedic Institute in New Mexico. She has been practicing Ayurvedic Medicine and providing cleansing and rejuvenation programs since 1994.

Darci was invited to head up the Ayurveda Department of Complementary Medicine at Miami’s prestigious Mt. Sinai Hospital. She also served as an advisor for High-Health, Inc. Darci Frankel has been the managing owner of Hanalei Day Spa on Kauai for 16 years. Offering spa services, cleansing and rejuvenation retreats, (Pancha Karma), and a spa consultant. Some of her notable clients have included; Gloria Estefan, John Oats, Mickey Rourke, Dr. Brad Blanton, and Pierce Brosnan.

“Darci has a strong commitment to healing and transformation which she expresses through her wisdom in Ayurveda.”
~ Deepak Chopra

My 5 Tips To Stay Healthy (and sane) this Holiday Season

By on December 21, 2021 in Healthy Living, Kauai and Spa News, Self Care

My 5 Tips To Stay Healthy (and sane) this Holiday Season

Aloha this is Darci Frankel coming to you from Hanalei Day Spa here on Kauai. I hope this finds you well and surrounded by good company this holiday season.

Holidays can be a wonderful time for many, and a challenge for others, and for some, both! It may bring up grief, conflict, loneliness, anger, or any other range of human emotions. I’ve experienced it all and have 5 tips to fall back on this holiday season as emotions arise. Remember we can choose health at every moment (even right after we have a huge dessert).

My 5 Tips for Healthy Holidays:

  • Meditate. The holidays can bring up all sorts of emotions. I encourage you to stay grounded and balanced during the holiday season. Check out my “Be Calm Meditation.” I recorded this meditation while Kauai was in the direct path of a hurricane to support (myself) people in being calm. Instead of freaking out since a hurricane was on its way, I’m mostly joking. But this meditation uses time tested technology to help anyone stay calm and cool.  Check that out HERE
  • Start your new year off well.  Consider doing my Cleanse
    This cleanse will help you to learn about the toxins that may be at the root cause of your symptoms, cleanse those toxins from your body, track your progress and prevent them from getting in your body in the first place. [Who better to help you cleanse, than your spa owner, who has been helping people cleanse (and practicing Ayurvedic Medicine) for almost 30 years.]
  • Gratitude I am sure you have heard this one numerous times. But what does this actually mean? How do we just become grateful? Start with anything – the ability to breathe, to walk, to reach out and connect with another human, the fact that we have a body, etc. Make a list of what you feel grateful for and let it really sink in. (It starts with the little things.) This way, next time you feel grumpy, or upset, you can look at your gratitude list and uplift yourself. Let me know how it goes.
  • Communication with my own body.  I check in daily with my body, and multiple times a day when situations arise that may either excite me or stress me out. It is important to listen for cues and adjust accordingly – day by day.
  • If/when you get upset, how do you communicate that? Do you squirrel it away until you explode? Are you conflict avoidant? Do you pretend everything is ok when it isnt? In this short video I help distinguish “Clean Anger Vs Toxic Anger Which Do You Do?” Because inevitably our family pushes our buttons! Enjoy the holidays without bypassing important communications. Do a self assessment with this short video HERE

What emotions do the Holidays typically bring up for you? What are your New Year’s Intentions or goals? Reply to this email and let me know. I want to help you reach the health goals of your dreams.

We would love to see you on Kauai at Hanalei Day Spa in 2022. We have a team of highly experienced massage therapists waiting to pamper you.

Can’t make it to the island? We have got you covered.
I teach self-care. Learn more HERE
The past two years have been rough, and I want your 2022 to be fantastic.
Be in touch as much or as little as you’d like.
With Aloha,
Darci Frankel

 

 

Couple’s Communication Ritual

By on February 11, 2021 in Healthy Living, Self Care

Being in a relationship, any relationship can be blissful and grounding at best.
Let’s be honest, when we hit a bump in the relationship road, it can ruin our day or more…

It is not IF we will have issues come up it is WHEN they arise and and HOW we navigate this sensitive terrain.

To celebrate love and couples everywhere, I decided to share this Couples Clearing ritual with you.

This Couples Clearing ritual can help foster deeper communication and intimacy and help you celebrate being a happy and healthy couple.

John Gottman, who could predict if a couple will stay together or divorce with an eerie accuracy says

“The secret to love is just kindness.”

Below are six questions to ask your partner.
Ask the question, then listen. Then switch.

Remember to be generous and kind.
It may feel a little formulaic, but this isn’t the time to actually respond, just take in the information and thank them then switch.

1. Is there anything that I have said or done this week that has created trust between us?
Then listen…
after your partner shares what they have to say, thank them and switch.

2. Is there anything that I have said or done this week, that has created distrust or distance between us?
after your partner shares what they have to say, thank them and switch.

3. Give (and receive) appreciations, this is where we share our appreciations for each other.
“I appreciate you for_______”
after your partner shares what they have to say, thank them and switch.

4. I’d like to be appreciated for_____
after your partner shares what they have to say, thank them and switch.

5. Is there something that you would like more of from me?
Thank them then switch.
6. Is there something that you would like less of from me?
Thank them then switch.

When you are finished, thank each other.
Let me know how the ritual was for you and your partner.

I walk you through the process in the video below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may also like:

 

 

Clear your head, Reduce brain fog!

By on October 16, 2018 in Healthy Living, Self Care

Have you ever had brain fog when your
sinuses and nose are congested?

  Jala Neti is an ancient Ayurvedic (and yogic) self-care practice of washing the sinuses with warm salt water. This cleanses & flushes out mucus and debris from the nose and sinuses.

Neti is one of the ways that we cleanse the sense organs,
so that we may percieve the world around us with more clarity.

At first, it may seem a little different, but after you get used to it you will feel the benefits, especially if you have suffered from; colds, flu, respiratory disorders, sinus problems, stuffy nose or allergies. Doing neti will definitely improve your sinus health and your overall health too!
neti

When to Neti:

  • First thing in the morning
  • After cleaning out a moldy, musty or dusty closet.  
  • Before and after air travel.
  • Daily if you are in an area dense with pollution, or dust.
  • Daily during spring
  • Before, during and after a cold or flu.
  • After dental work

How to Neti:  

  1. fill up your neti pot with warm water and add 3/4 tsp of good quality salt
  2. put the nozzle into one nostril
  3. tilt your head forward and chin down over the sink
  4. for beginners, it helps if you gently exhale a little bit through your nose to start the flow
  5. You will breathe gently from your mouth 
  6. cleanse the next nostril
  7. gently blow out from both nostrils to clear all the salt water when you are finished.

Avoid Neti:

  • Immediately before or after a meal
  • Not during your menstrual cycle   

You may also enjoy:

  1. Cleansing Through Breathing Video
  2. An Ayurveda Consultation with me, HealthConsultant808@gmail.com

Prevent Disease, 4 steps to prepare for fall

By on October 11, 2018 in Self Care

diseases arise at the junctions of the seasons
Rtusandhishu vyadhayoh jayante

In my last article, Promptly Eliminate the heat of Summer, so it doesn’t cause damage, I touched on the topic of how the time between seasons is a sensitive time. We are still there, in this delicate time, in that, the fall has just begun, the energy is just beginning to cool and contract. With the warmth of summer, our interior channels expand and dilate, and with the cold of fall and winter, these channels contract. 

Similarly, as we are part of nature,
our internal channels are beginning to contract…

Our internal mana/prana/life force is beginning to recede from the surface as it descends deeper into our bodies until the springtime when that sweet incubated vitality emerges into the new life, new growth. By the way, we use this exact, deep wisdom-action of nature, to; dilate, lubricate and expand the tissues, (so that we can then pluck toxins out) in Ayurveda’s cornerstone cleansing and rejuvenation programs called Pancha Karma.

We want to be mindful of this energetic shift because
“If we are not properly prepared our bodies will not be able to
adequately adapt, which can lead to internal disharmony”
~ Dr. Robert Svoboda

Just like it helps us to eliminate the excess from the previous season, Ayurveda helps us to prepare for the transition of the seasons with suggested Dina-charya or daily routines, in this way we are cyclically (daily & seasonally) aligning our internal prana with the earth’s prana. Daily routines provide us with immediate value by calming our nervous system and mind, cleansing of impurities, and nourishing the body. In this way, we can grow in health, and Ayurveda shows us how!

If our goal is to be Seriously Healthy and prevent disease, Dina-charya or daily routines,
help us ease into transitions.

If our goal is to be Seriously Healthy, Dinacharya suggests we begin the day with certain practices.
The whole reason we do daily routine is to clean, lubricate & hydrate our sense organs so they can perceive clearly and that our life force circulates well within our organism. Then, and only then, we can interact clearly with nature and be able to adapt. When our 5 pranas are balanced, we have good digestion and the wastes are eliminated … Only when we are in balance can we be truly healthy.

4 practices that ‘clean’ the sense organs, prevent disease & help us perceive better.

Dinacharya to clean the sense organs:

  1. brush teeth, clean the tongue and do neti
  2. drink a glass of warm or hot water & have your morning bowel movement
  3. do an oil massage, the short version is: apply a small amount of oil to the skin.
  4. then sit, meditate for 5-30 minutes and regulate your breath/prana, here is a practice to help do just that.

The morning is also the best time to do exercise, yoga practice etc.

Attitude is everything

While you do these practices, see how you can do them with kindness and reverence toward yourself, and pay attention… pay loving attention to yourself, listen to your organism, that’s the point. (the point is the process of loving and nourishing yourself with the correct activities) To help you listen to your true nature. What is your organism saying?

In conclusion, these practices help us to regulate our sense of calm, ergo our prana for the day, and a lifetime, when we are consistent, we will have consistent health.

I care about you, let me know about your process, in your life, and with your daily routine.!
With warm alohas,

You may also enjoy:

  1. DIY Day Spa
  2. Video, clearing the body’s prana
  3. An Ayurveda Consultation with me, HealthConsultant808@gmail.com
  4. Cleansing Toxins Through Breathing Video

Create optimal health during the transition of seasons

By on September 27, 2018 in Healthy Living, Self Care

Everyone loves summer, with the long days, lots of outdoor time and communing with nature. As we bid farewell to the high heat of summer, we begin to mindfully transition to Autumn. We mentally and emotionally prepare ourselves for the more internal reflective state of mind that the eventual winter will bring with the change of seasons and the gentle turning of the earth.  Ayurveda teaches us how to create optimal health and take special care of our bodies during the transition of the seasons.

The cool fall air was nectar…
~Stephen Connella

This is because these transitions are delicate and unstable times, we are neither here nor there. We are no longer at the place we were, nor are we established in the new situation. This is called sandhi, the junction, the joint/the in-between place. In the same way, the joints of our body are more delicate than the long bones.  If we don’t promptly eliminate the excess that the previous season brought to us, (in this case, excess heat) this excess will cause problems, the root causes of disease…
In this way, Ayurveda teaches us to live in harmony with nature, working hand in hand.

“We have our part in the preservation of our health,
the prevention of disease, we can promote longevity
and Ayurveda shows us how!”

The high heat of the summer subjects us to an accumulation of heat in our bodies (even though we naturally tend to favor cooling foods in the summer, such as watermelon, juices, and salads.) Ayurveda texts teach us how to eliminate these excess ‘doshas’ or heat and stay out of the doctor’s office. Symptoms of excess heat can be; irritability, prickly heat rash is common, loose stools, rashes, irritability, anything with an ‘itis’ indicates inflammation, acid indigestion, and acid reflux to name a few. Which is why the end of each season is the best time eliminate the build-up from the previous season and to receive Pancha Karma if we can. Ultimately we want to promptly eliminate the ‘heat of summer’ so it doesn’t cause damage.

Create optimal health during the transition of seasons…

I will give you two lists, the first list contains a few simple, easy things you can do to eliminate some minor excess heat, the second is more of the warrior path, it’s not for everyone, but those who are really motivated, really need it or are superheroes of their own health and well being.

Simple (armchair want to be healthy) tips to eliminate excess heat, prevent that Summer heat from lodging into your system:

(Do these only for the next 2 weeks during this transition)

  1. Drink celery juice over the course of 3 days, celery juice is extremely anti-inflammation and pulls extra heat out of the liver and intestines. you can mix it with apple which is also cooling, and dilute a bit too.
  2. Add cilantro, or juice it! Cilantro is supercooling to the system!
  3. Have a few raw salads (at lunch) with organic coconut oil, nothing spicy for a few days.

Superhero, warrior, protector of your health, tips:

Do this for 5 days ASAP
Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet or doing the salt water cleanse.

  1. Use the power of routine. The ayurvedic routine is an influential tool in itself – and allows you to harness the power of daily cycles of Nature. Wake up before 6 AM, eat your main meal at midday, go to bed before 10 PM – all are very important points for balancing the three fundamental mind-body principles of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
  2. Kitchery Mono diet
  3. Daily Abhyanga
  4. On day 4 do a salt water cleanse, email me for instructions.

If you need more specific help or guidance, I have a few spaces available for consultations in the next 2 weeks.

I care about your well being, let me know how this goes for you!
With warm aloha,

 

 

 

You may also enjoy:

  1. Clear your Head! Neti reduces brain fog!
  2. An Ayurveda Consultation with me, HealthConsultant808@gmail.com
  3. Cleansing Toxins Through Breathing Video

DIY Hanalei Day Spa… At your home!

By on September 26, 2018 in Healthy Living, Self Care
Here’s a way to bring the spa home with you while you exfoliate those
dead skin cells this week with DIY Day Spa at home!
This scrub leaves your skin clean, fresh and moisturized!

Supplies needed:

1/8 – 1/4 cup of salt
1/4 cup of Coconut oil

Optional a few drops of essential oil

It is nice to get a body scrub at the spa, but you can also give yourself one at home!  The purpose of an at-home body scrub is to exfoliate the outermost layers of dead skin cells, revealing softer, younger cells just below.

Doing a body scrub at home is different in that you have all your creature comforts at home, but it might not feel as luxurious (or pampered) as a spa treatment might feel. DIY definitely has it’s benefits though! It is a lot less expensive, and you can give yourself one any time! You can make your own or pick up a body scrub or even use exfoliating mitts!

Personally, I like to use more oil than salt in my body scrub.

How To Give Yourself A DIY Body Scrub At Home

  • It is always nice to soak in a nice hot tub first. Try adding lavender essential oil, ylang-ylang, or geranium-rose to make it more relaxing. Dry off.
  • I sometimes just sit in the tub. Put a little bit of the scrub in your hands then start with long or circular strokes on your lower legs.
  • Spend 5 minutes on your whole body, more than that, you might get irritated.
  • When you stand up to do your backside, make sure you dont slip.
  • With your back reach under your arm to get the mid-back, use the back of your hand to get between shoulder blades, then for the upper shoulder use the opposite hand. A side benefit is that doing this home scrub will keep you flexible too!
  • When you’re done, take a shower, you may want to use a washcloth to pull some extra oil off.

  DIY Scrub Tips

  • Weekly body scrubs are a great way to keep your skin clean and exfoliated.
  • If your skin looks irritated at any point, stop.
  • Smaller grain salt is gentler than the large salt. At Hanalei Day Spa, we finely grind our Hawaiian Sea salt with a vita mix.
  • You can also use the exfoliating mitts.
  • Soothing aromatherapy; lavender, rose, geranium
  • Avoid using on the face, it can be too harsh.

Therapeutic Body Scrub Tips, Ayurveda Kitchen Medicine

  • If you’ve had a cold or flu, you can make your scrub more healing add 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
  • 3 drops of eucalyptus, lemon, or orange oil
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp coffee grounds to increase circulation
  • add 1/2 tsp charcoal to absorb toxins. (see our serious cleanse body mask for a more effective treatment)

You may also enjoy:

  1. Clear your Head! Neti reduces brain fog!
  2. An Ayurveda Consultation with me, HealthConsultant808@gmail.com
  3. Cleansing Toxins Through Breathing Video

Please take a moment to let me know how I can help you with this brief survey

You are the BEST VERSION of yourself that you can possibly can be right now

By on September 24, 2018 in Healthy Living, Self Care

In a recent newsletter, I mentioned observing our self-talk and how we talk to ourselves. Are you kind to yourself? Do you get frustrated, or angry quickly with yourself and or others? How we think of ourselves is really important.

In his work, Dr. Emoto and his team taped typed words to different glasses of water from the same source of pure distilled water. Samples of each were then flash frozen, and the crystals were photographed with a dark-field microscope.  Consistently, the water exposed to positive, loving words or images of beauty produced brilliant, complex and colorful snowflake crystals. Conversely, the water exposed to negative, dis-empowering words or sad, ugly images consistently produced fractured crystals or distorted, discolored blobs with no crystalline structure at all, much like water from stagnate or polluted sources of water.

His work powerfully and eloquently shows us how our thoughts, words, and intentions have a literal and direct effect on our physical world and our overall state of health and well-being!

Similarly, our whole being hears everything we say!

I recently met a woman in her 20’s, we were on a line and started talking. We were talking about health, spirituality and working out.  (it’s amazing the depth that we can get to while waiting for the bathroom!) I’m a little bit of an intuitive savant and I said something that touched and surprised us both. I said, “You are the BEST VERSION of yourself that you can possibly be right now, I hope you can realize that and relax into yourself and life.” She took a deep breath, teared up and thanked me.

I hope we can all realize this.
What are we striving for?
What are we running from?

You are the BEST VERSION of yourself that you possibly can be right now.
The next time you find yourself beating up on yourself or being hard on yourself, take a breath and relax into that truth for a moment.

I found these water blessing labels on a trip to Topanga canyon many years ago. We offer water in them at Hanalei Day Spa.
Each one has a special word a blessing for you. You may have noticed.
https://thespiritofwater.com/water 

 

Please take a moment to let me know how I can help you with this brief survey

Think kindly of yourself.
Warmly,

Darci Frankel

 

 

Image of Dr. Emoto water experiments, can you tell the difference between the ones that were loved?

Learn to let go

By on August 8, 2018 in Healthy Living, Self Care
Graciously letting go,
when life requires,
is a good skill!
Sometimes we don’t get what we want, we have an agenda or we are holding on to our preference, or we think, life should be different. When we are caught up in all this mind activity, we aren’t able to be present with what is.

Consider that letting go isn’t giving up, it is simply choosing what we have!

3 signs that it is time to let go:

  1. White knuckles..resistance to life or something/someone is an indication that we are holding on.
  2. When we notice that we justify and defend our point.
  3. During times where something, someone or a circumstance is ‘going’ anyway.

CONTEMPLATION:

  • Consider that letting go isn’t giving up, it is simply choosing what we have!
  • What is a life skill that you possess and are proud of?
In this 5 minute video, I teach a yoga practice, called a pranayama, to let go. Please leave a comment as to how you felt and what are you letting go of?

Please leave a comment as to how you felt and what are you letting go of?

Helping people to be healthy, happy, efficient and vibrant!

“Darci has a strong commitment to healing and transformation which she expresses through her wisdom in Ayurveda.”
Deepak Chopra M.D., Author

Darci Frankel, Day Spa Consultant/owner of Hanalei Day Spa, shares her expertise in the area of Ayurvedic medicine, health and well being. Helping folks increase their levels of health, learn about self-care, heal from diseases and reach levels of enlightenment with meditation practices.

Email for a free 15-minute consultation to see how Darci Frankel can help you
up-level your health!

DaySpaOwner@gmail.com
I have 2 Youtube channels: DarciAyur and Hanalei Day Spa
https://www.facebook.com/darciayur

HanaleiDaySpa.com
PanchaKarma.net
SeriousCleanse.com
https://www.facebook.com/Hanalei-Day-Spa-137041923008558/
Hanalei Day Spa and The Ayurveda Center of Hawaii, on Kauai

How to make healing Bone Broth, that tastes great!

By on August 1, 2018 in Healthy Living, Self Care

Bone Broth, the superfood

 

Bone broth is a nutritional supplement, a superfood packed with potent nutrition!
The way that I make bone broth is quite unique.
I have a long background in Ayurvedic Medicine. In Ayurveda, we prepare herbalized oils, potent medicinal teas, and other medicine. For instance, one way we do this, is to cook cups of herbs in gallons of water for 3 days, strain, then add oil and cook the oil out. This infuses the oil with the potent tea. In this way (and many ways), my Ayurveda background has informed my broth preparation.

Similarly, bone broth also has a rich history in traditional Chinese medicine. It is highly regarded as a helps support the digestive system, is a great tonic, builds the blood, supports the kidneys, offers incredible minerals, which most of us are depleted with,  supports the gut, Bone broth improves skin, bone and joint health and is anti-inflammatory. It can single-highhandedly help someone heal from the leaky gut syndrome.

Above all, these are some of the reasons I love Bone broth.
We drink it in our family and recommend it to the those who need it when they come to me for Ayurveda Consultation.

INGREDIENTS:

3.5-4 gallons of water (depending on the size of your crockpot)
Bones; turkey, chicken, beef or bison
Whole Black peppercorns, fenugreek, ginger, thyme, fresh Rosemary
Apple Cider Vinegar which pulls the minerals out of the bones into the broth.
2 LG Onions, 2 Lg. tomatoes, celery, and 1 lemon

Lemongrass, fenugreek, galangal are a nice addition, especially during cold and flu season.

HOW TO MAKE:

add bones, water, veggies, and herbs, cook on low for 24-48 hours

WHO BENEFITS FROM BONE BROTH:

Athletes, New mothers, anyone who is sick; convalescing, weak, elderly, anyone needing more strength.

OVERVIEW;

Cook for 3 days, daily add veg if you’d like, add more water.
After that, let it cool.
Then strain it and throw bones away. (you can puree vegetables and use as a base of a soup)
Pour bone broth into containers, however make sure to leave ½ inch when freezing PACKAGING IT

WATCH VIDEO HERE:

More information, you might enjoy:

10 Keys to BEING seriously healthy


https://hanaleidayspa.com/blog/introduction-ayurvedic-medicine-self-care/

https://hanaleidayspa.com/blog/introduction-ayurvedic-medicine-self-care/

Are Fabric Softener & laundry detergent Toxic? (Hell Yes!)

By on February 16, 2018 in Healthy Living, Self Care

In doing research for my Serious Cleanse protocol, I came across many studies including these.
In the name of well being, I feel strongly compelled to share it with you.

Do you know that women who clean at home or work,
face increased lung function decline.
Summary:

Women who work as cleaners or regularly use cleaning sprays or other cleaning products at home appear to experience a greater decline in lung function over time than women who do not clean, according to new research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180216084912.htm

Are Fabric Softener & laundry detergent Toxic? (Hell Yes!)

http://www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/is-fabric-softener-toxic-hell-yes-it-is.html

7 TOXIC CHEMICALS FOUND IN “CLEAN” LAUNDRY https://www.annmariegianni.com/toxic-chemicals-in-laundry-detergents/

Summary:
Laundry detergent & fabric softener are toxic

Alternatives:

At Hanalei Day Spa and in my home, we use products which have zero negative impact on the environment and individual’s health.
We use:

  • a solution of water and vinegar for cleaning windows and the floor,
  • Try real brightening: A little baking soda added to the wash cycle will naturally brighten colors, without the clingy chemicals to irritate your skin.
  • Skip the fabric softener: A half-cup of vinegar added in the rinse cycle will produce the same results without the toxic chemicals.
  • Bon Ami, a natural, non toxic slightly abrasive cleaner,
  • Home-Biotic, a pro-biotic for home/office, which is an enzyme formula that eats mold and toxins
  • Organic body products such as; organic coconut oil for massage, natural lotions, and organic essential oils, facial formula, body mud and body mask and teas with all natural and organic ingredients.

Healthy holidays, Hanalei Day Spa style

By on December 13, 2017 in Healthy Living, Self Care

Healthy Holidays, Hanalei Day Spa Style

Health is not merely the absence of disease. When we are truly healthy, we feel a certain way.
We feel open, flexible and almost buoyant in our bodies, we feel emotionally clear, and mentally resourceful. In order to have health like this we need to take care of our physical, mental and emotional wellness, and not let things build up. Things that build up include; physical toxins, our to do list, sleep deprivation, undelivered communications, unfelt emotions, grief, resentments even unexpressed appreciations can build up and can all affect our health.

The basic pillars of health
Make sure there is; circulation, enough exercise, (not too much, not to little), same with food, and elimination. Are you sleeping and resting enough? Are you sleeping too much?

The gift of nourishing connections
In the same way we nourish ourselves, we want to nourish our relationships. Instead of giving an arbitrary gift (that someone may not want or need), try asking your loved one’s what they want. Give extra appreciation to your loved ones. Ask them if they have any requests. Take time to do a clearing ritual, to clear the air periodically.

Fun questions that nourish connection:
“Do you have something that you want from me?”
“Is there something you’d like me to not do?”
“Is there anything else I can do to make you happy?”
“What can I do for you?”
“How is our quality time? Would you like more, or less time together?”
“Would you like a certain type of touch, a back massage, a foot massage?”
“Is there something you’d like to be appreciated for?”
“Do you have any appreciations for me?”
If you like these questions, you may want to attend one of our upcoming couple’s retreats.

Self care, quality over quantity
To feel your best, avoid over eating, stop eating before you feel full, it actually causes some damage when we overeat. In addition, quality over quantity. Choose high quality organic, GMO free foods, good fats the same way we nourish ourselves, we want to nourish our relationships. Instead of giving arbitrary gifts that someone may not want or need, try asking your beloveds what they want? Give extra appreciation to your loved ones. Ask them if they have any requests, something like “Is there anything else I can do to make you happy? What can I do for you? Or, is there something you would like me to not do? Do we spend enough quality time together?  Take time to do a clearing ritual, to clear the air periodically.

Avoid mental, physical and emotional indigestion
Take note to see when you are full. Do you frequently feel overwhelmed, that would be a signal that you are mentally ‘full’, and need a break. Studies have shown that taking some time after one activity and before another activity can help mental focus and acuity. In a conversation, if you feel like you cannot track, it is ok to take a few minutes break, then revisit the conversation.

Overall, we want to take extra care during the holiday time for many reasons which include; people can tend to be more sensitive, missing their departed family members, having nostalgic memories of holidays past, interacting with family members can frequently bring up old unhealed wounds.

Happy holidays from all of us at Hanalei Day Spa on Kauai!

How to be Healthy Using Self-Care Routines.

By on February 6, 2017 in Self Care

Ayurvedic medicine teaches us about self-care using healthy routines as a way to create and sustain a healthy body and mind. Pronounced (eye-your-Veda) – Ayurveda is the ancient science of life from India. “Ayur” means “life” and “Veda” translates to “science, knowledge or wisdom.” Ayurveda is a 7,000-year old science of life. It is ancient, yet its principles are as applicable today as they were in so many years ago.

Contents:

  • About Ayurveda a brief description
  • Creating health using Ayurveda’s healing modalities.
  • How to be healthy through the Seasons
  • Daily routine, Dina Charia
  • How to give Abhyanga, self-oil massage.

The 3 goals of Ayurveda are:

  1. To prevent disease.
  2. Preserve health.
  3. Promote longevity.

These goals are achieved by applying these
four healing modalities: 

  1. Mindful eating: Your diet is one of the most common ways to implement Ayurvedic principles for self-healing, an easy way to introduce the beneficial qualities of healing foods into your system since we all tend to eat two to three times per day. * Click here to view or print out Food guidelines for the three constitutional types.
  2. Pancha Karma.  This is a very quick way to eliminate toxins and create balance in the body and mind.
  3. Ayurveda body treatments. Treatments help to balance the bodily humors/doshas, open the body, and they eliminate pain and energetic blockages.
  4. Yoga: Yoga practice is an important aspect of how Ayurveda helps people in creating health.  In ancient times, people were taught yoga on a one-to-one basis in order to address their individual needs.  Group classes are beneficial, and it’s always a good idea to get an Ayurvedic assessment of both your current yoga practice and your needs according to Ayurveda. When you have a practice that serves your precise needs (which tend to change over time), you will feel your best.  Classes cater to all skill levels as they feature a Hatha flow style with an Ayurvedic overview. Private customized yoga classes at Hanalei Day Spa are available by appointment, year round.

Understanding Ayurveda’s how the elements affect you and your body/mind types help you determine the best path for your self-care. Ayurveda recognizes that there are 5 basic elements that comprise everything we know. They are, in order from subtle to gross: space, air, fire, water, and earth. Each one of us is a combination of these 5 elements.

There are 3 general body/mind types. 

They are Vata (wind), which governs movement, Pitta (bile), which governs transformation, and Kapha (phlegm/mucus), which governs structure. Like a grand cosmic recipe, we are all a combination of each general body/mind type. Traditionally Pancha Karma, a cleansing and rejuvenation program, is very effective in eliminating excesses of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha

Our basic, original body/mind type remains unaltered throughout our life and is called “prakruti.” Pronounced  “pra-krooti,” it is determined the moment the father’s sperm meets the mother’s egg. After that point, we acquire “vikruti” — disorder or departure from order. Vikruti frequently occurs in the junction between seasons or during stressful times.

Each season we can grow in health and Ayurveda teaches us how. For instance:

Winter: During the winter months, Kapha (phlegm) accumulates as a result of the cold, damp, cloudy and heavy qualities of the weather. As we move into spring and the temperature rises, Kapha begins to liquefy and becomes increased at the main Kapha sites, which are; the stomach, chest, sinuses, and nose. This explains the predictable yearly spring allergies, colds and flu that many people are afflicted with during the season. Click here for more seasonal tips.

Spring: As a result of the excess Kapha, the digestive fire “agni” is reduced. This is why during the spring (and if you know that your Kapha is prone to increase) it is important to make Kapha pacifying food and lifestyle choices. This would include foods that are lighter in both quality and quantity, drier, warmer and rougher. Click here for more seasonal tips.

Summer: In the heat of the summer, Pitta (bile) is increased so you may see common symptoms such as inflammation, diarrhea and skin rashes. People with Pitta constitution should follow a Pitta pacifying food routine during the summertime. Click here for more seasonal tips.

Fall: Fall is the season that Vata (wind) increases which means dryness and movement in the body also increase. The seat or home of Vata is the pelvis. If you experience tightness here, it is an indication that the qualities of Vata have lodged there. Click here for more seasonal tips.

Your lifestyle choices may change based on these self-care routines. seasonal routines. Therefore, you may want to make food choices appropriate for the climate, season and body/ mind type; change the times you choose to eat and sleep; there are even seasons where it is advised that sex is practiced more or less. Other suggestions involve herbs, color, and yoga. Ask us about it during your retreat at The Ayurvedic Center of Hawaii.

Daily Self- Care Routine

Keeping a daily routine is a discipline, yet it creates such stability in an ever-changing world, enhances a healthy body/mind, balancing your rhythms along with nature’s rhythms, and prevents disease.

An ideal daily routine might look like this:

  • Arise before or at sunrise.
  • Move your bowels and bladder — fluid intake helps this via the gastro-colic reflex.
  • Use abyanga oil massage, nasal administration (optional).
  • Exercise (some will consider this more appropriate after meditation, but still before breakfast).
  • Shower and personal hygiene like cleaning tongue, clipping nails, brushing teeth.
  • Practice yoga asanas, yogic breathing, and meditation.
  • Eat a light breakfast (optional).
  • The main activity of day — giving emphasis to the most physical aspects when possible.
  • Eat your main meal at noon.
  • Take a short walk.
  • Continue day’s activity with emphasis on mental rather than physical aspects.
  • Eat a lighter and smaller evening meal.
  • Take a short walk.
  • Wind down, choose an activity, which is soothing and calming such as reading and family discussions or other bonding activities.  Generally, watching TV is sometimes too dynamic and stimulating for evening viewing.
  • In bed before 10 PM.
Abhyanga, Self Oil Massage, Exquisite Self Care

click here to view and print out Abhyanga, self-oil massage handout

How can a ritual so luxuriously relaxing, so blissfully comforting as a full-body warm oil massage rev up your body and mind, gearing them up for peak performance? There is an explanation for the seeming contradiction. Accumulated stress and toxins in the mind and body dissolve during the daily massage. A daily full-body warm oil massage, therefore, acts as a powerful recharger and rejuvenator of mind and body.

“Abhyanga” — the ayurvedic oil massage — is an integral part of the daily routine recommended by this healing system for overall health and well-being. Traditional ayurvedic texts wax eloquent on the benefits. Here’s what one says — “Give yourself a full body oil massage on a daily basis. It is nourishing, pacifies the doshas, relieves fatigue, provides stamina, pleasure, and perfect sleep, enhances the complexion and the luster of the skin, promotes longevity and nourishes all parts of the body”.

Here are some of the benefits traditionally associated with the regular performance of this pleasant daily ritual:
  • Increased circulation, especially to nerve endings
  • Toning of the muscles and the whole physiology
  • Calming for the nerves
  • Lubrication of the joints
  • Increased mental alertness
  • Improved elimination of impurities from the body
  • Softer, smoother skin
  • Increased levels of stamina through the day
  • Better, deeper sleep at night

Abhyanga provides the means for transdermal absorption of the healing qualities of the material used in the massage, and it helps the skin, which is the largest organ in the body, perform its diverse functions efficiently, whether it is allowing toxins to be released from the body or nourishment to be absorbed by the tissues. It is like oiling the engine of your car — if you do it regularly, your engine will be in peak condition and give you years and years of trouble-free performance.

The ayurvedic massage is traditionally performed in the morning, before your bath or shower, to facilitate the release of toxins that may have accumulated during the previous night. You can use cured sesame oil, an herbalized massage oil, or an aroma massage oil.

So how is the ayurvedic abhyanga done?

Use comfortably warm massage oil. (Store your massage oil in a plastic flip-top and warm it by holding the container under running hot water for a few minutes) Dip your fingertips into the warm oil and apply it lightly to the entire body. Wait for 4-5 minutes to let some of the oil be absorbed by your skin. Then massage the entire body, applying even pressure with the whole hand — palm and fingers.

Apply light pressure on sensitive areas such as the abdomen or the heart. Use more oil and spend more time where nerve endings are concentrated, such as the soles of the feet, palms of the hands and along the base of the fingernails. Circular motions over rounded areas such as your head or joints, and straight strokes on straight areas such as your arms and legs, work best.

After you’re done, relax for 10-15 minutes, letting the oil and the massage do their magic. The longer the oil is on, the deeper it penetrates. During this time you can read something relaxing or uplifting, rest, or shave, cut nails, and get ready for the day. Dab excess oil off with paper towels if you like, then follow with a relaxing warm bath or shower. If your schedule doesn’t allow for a daily massage, try and squeeze it in at least three or four times a week. You’ll find it’s worth it!

You may also like:

Listening to Our Body
Hacking travel, self-Care while traveling
10 Keys to BEING seriously healthy

Hanalei Day Spa Newsletter Archives

Happy Holidays & Tips to get rid of a cold FAST!
Clear Brain Fog & Prevent disease in 4 steps & More!
Will Hanalei Pier Beach be open soon?- DIY Home Spa!
Do this 5-minute desk workout with me! Learn about Longevity & Kauai Flood Repair News
Hurricane Lane and Self Care Checkup
Move more, live longer!
Aloha, Mana, Pono, and Ohana
Eclipse happening now, learn how to stay calm
Hau’ Oli La Aloha Hawaiian for ‘Happy Day of Love’
Aloha Nui Loa

Most popular Youtube videos

What’s in MY Emergency Kit?
TIPS to GET OVER A COLD FAST!
Move your Lymph & GET UNSTUCK in your LIFE!
Managing Stress QUICKLY!
Spa Owner Secrets, Oil Cleansing the face
Do you have emotions like a Mammal or a REPTILE?
Cultivating Emotional intelligence
Giving Good ‘no’

Hacking Travel, self care during travel

By on February 5, 2017 in Healthy Living, Self Care

not all who wander are lost-2It is possible to maintain, and even ‘up level’ our self-care while we travel!

With a little planning, you can have your vacation uplevel your self-care on your vacation and propel you towards greater wellness! Most people do not understand that the problem is that air travel is extremely dehydrating, the dry air wicks important liquid from our bodies, this is why our main goal inflight is hydration. Our body and brain do not function well when dehydrated. A lot of people I know who have traveled frequently through their lives develop more negative effects of travel the older they get. Here, I outline some simple steps, to minimize the negative impact of travel.

Prepare in advance:

  1. Hydrate well for several days before you travel. 1 gallon of pure (filtered or artesian water) daily.
  2. Give yourself an oil massage the day of or the day before you fly.
    Self-massage Instructions here
  3. Prevent travel constipation by stabilizing your bowel movement cycle. You can do this by drinking 1 cup of warm water or tea immediately upon rising to stimulate peristaltic movement.  Peristaltic movement is the wavelike movement of the intestines and colon which moves waste out. Avoid colon weakening laxatives like cascara sagrada. Do ‘pose of the child’ AKA balasana, for several minutes upon arising.
  4. The best food choices at this time are warm, cooked, easy to digest, soupy foods that are easy to digest and in simple combinations with some extra grass fed butter, coconut oil or ghee, adding the oils supports hydration. *Warm foods are grounding and calming and counteract the dryness. According to Ayurvedic Medicine, we heal using the influence of opposites. For instance, if someone has dry skin, we recommend oil massage.
  5. Bring a home cooked meal on the plane. Right before your trip, make some cooked foods, basmati rice, fish, with your favorite veggies and add 2 tbs of ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil.
    * Use the container as you travel and for a meal when you return.

The opposite of what we need is what we are served on an airplane.
Inflight food is usually; cold, processed foods; pretzels (dry, light, rough). We need warming, grounding, unctuous, easy to digest foods.

During the flight:

  1. They allow you to bring a quart sized zip lock baggie with your liquids in it. I bring 2 ounces of coconut oil (for food) and another container of some herbal massage oil, essential oils and some tinctures that I might need during my trip, such as rescue remedy etc.
  2. Sip warm or hot water so you can stay hydrated.
  3. Self-massage, to hydrate/lubricate skin, and rejuvenation. I go to the bathroom after people have already used it. This way, I can take a few extra minutes in there without feeling the pressure of knowing that people are waiting. If it is cold, I cover the air vent, then wipe off the basin and fill it with hot water, so I can put my oil bottle in there to warm up. While that is heating, I take a few drops of essential oils in my palms and breathe deep. I like to start off with thieves, which kills airborne pathogens, or other simple essential oils such as Lavender, lemon, orange etc. Then, I use the warmed oil and give myself a modified ‘Abhyanga’. I rub some oil on my arms, chest, back, and legs. If it is a long flight, this will be completely absorbed by the time I arrive, and I will have deeply hydrated tissues!
  4. I wear compression socks and take several stretch brakes to increase circulation.

When you arrive:
* When going anywhere, I leave some spring water in a glass container, in my car for my return. There is nothing like spring water from where I live!

  1. Drink a lot of water, from a stainless steel or glass bottle, not plastic. I am sure by now you have heard about the DNA altering plastics and chemicals.
  2. Take a hot shower as soon as you can.
  3. On Kauai, we like to go to the ocean to wash off the plane and the mainland.
  4. Get a nice warm meal and add, avocado, grass-fed butter or coconut oil.
  5. If you watch the sunset and sunrise, this helps your body regulate to the current time zone. Enjoy!

Travel according to Ayurvedic Medicine:

Ayurveda is the ancient “Science of Life’ from India dating back 7,000 years.

The three goals of Ayurveda are to prevent disease, preserve health and promote longevity. From the outside, it may appear that Ayurveda is simply a diet, using herbs, massage, and body typing, however it truly is a lifestyle. Ayurveda is a health-giving, longevity creating, increasing quality of life, daily practice. Yoga and meditation are part of Ayurveda and common ‘prescriptions’.

According to the Ancient science of healing, Ayurveda, there are 3 specific energies that must be balanced in order for optimal health to prevail. When one of the three becomes depleted or excessive, the ending result is a disease. What is not common knowledge is that people who travel frequently for work or, for pleasure can easily increase the energy of movement. Then, this imbalance or excess of Vata, if not counteracted will begin to take root in the body, then continue to grow through the stages of disease. The root cause of disease is excess doshas, also Known as Vata/movement, Pitta/transformation, and Kapha/structure.

Traveling increases ‘movement’ and is called Vata in Sanskrit. The qualities of Vata are cold, dry, light and rough. When these qualities are increased in the environment or diet they affect our organism. If we want to remain calm and balanced we will counteract these with warm, oily, smooth and heavier substances.

Symptoms of high Vata:

Dry; skin, nails, hair, mouth and eyes, constipation, insomnia, forgetfulness, anxiety, nervousness, weight loss, shooting pain, traveling pain etc.

You may also like:

Listening to Our Body
Hacking travel, self-Care while traveling
10 Keys to BEING seriously healthy

Hanalei Day Spa Newsletter Archives

Happy Holidays & Tips to get rid of a cold FAST!
Clear Brain Fog & Prevent disease in 4 steps & More!
Will Hanalei Pier Beach be open soon?- DIY Home Spa!
Do this 5-minute desk workout with me! Learn about Longevity & Kauai Flood Repair News
Hurricane Lane and Self Care Checkup
Move more, live longer!
Aloha, Mana, Pono, and Ohana
Eclipse happening now, learn how to stay calm
Hau’ Oli La Aloha Hawaiian for ‘Happy Day of Love’
Aloha Nui Loa

Most popular Youtube videos

What’s in MY Emergency Kit?
TIPS to GET OVER A COLD FAST!
Move your Lymph & GET UNSTUCK in your LIFE!
Managing Stress QUICKLY!
Spa Owner Secrets, Oil Cleansing the face
Do you have emotions like a Mammal or a REPTILE?
Cultivating Emotional intelligence
Giving Good ‘no’

Take some time during your vacation to Cleanse & Rejuvenate

By on July 18, 2016 in Self Care

Take some time during your vacation to cleanse and rejuvenate.
We all have busy lives these days, juggling our family, children and our job, sometimes we neglect our self.

Cleanse and rejuv

There is so much we can accomplish when we turn our attention inward.  Many of us are not taught self care, so we neglect our body, we neglect our emotional selves. It is important to take time periodically catch up with our inner lives.  Take advantage of this new package as a step toward your own self care. Perhaps carve out some time for a beach walk or journaling either before or after.

Announcing our Cleanse & Rejuvenate package!

Receive a 50 minute Lomi Lomi massage, I am Glowing body polish full body exfoliation, and a Body Wrap with a deep conditioning treatment for the hair & scalp. 135 minutes of bliss.
For one $285

Mercury retrograde, what is it good for?

By on April 27, 2016 in Self Care

 

MERCURY-2

An ‘upaya’ for mercury retrograde
In the spirit of ho-o-pono pono

Definition:

upaya (ooh-pie-yuh) Is a Sanskrit word for planetary ‘remedy’, as is a puja, offering prayers, foods, flowers, wearing certain gemstones or colors in honor of a planet. An upaya is a remedial measure in this context for mercury retrograde. An upaya is a vehicle in which to create a direct relationship with a planet, to align with the specific planetary energy (in now time, in the direction it is moving).

ho-o-pon- pono Hawaiian, to make ‘right’, to make amends, ultimately to be in ‘right relationship’.

Why:

One of the best times to learn about communication is when mercury is retrograde. When a planet is in retrograde motion, the energy of the planet is not moving outward, it is moving centripetally, inward. That is the time to reflect on the specific energy of the planet, the lessons contained there within. Ergo, contrary to popular belief, Mercury is not the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong during this time. In fact, we can make great strides in our inner world as Mercury asks us to reflect and internalize the important lessons. One theme in Ayurvedic medicine and Vedic Astrology is to align ourselves with the ‘energy’, moving in the same direction. Here, on Kauai surfers do the same thing.

Simply by attending you are declaring your willingness to learn, practice and self reflect, thus aligning yourself with beneficial Mercury energies.

 

The practice:

The practice is learning and practicing Communication skills. To learn and practice, the art of noticing, distinguishing and liberating certain habitual ways of communication. When we come together, our sankalpa (sacred intention) is a commitment to be practice partners, in the way we listen and speak, even for just one class, or the several. A social meditation where the container is the crucible for us to ruminate on our modus communication.

  1. Listen: Practice listening to what someone says, and interpreting how they might feel. This is where we put ourselves in the other person’s felt experience and do our best to understand how they feel the way they feel. We avoid spending time formulating what we are going to say, we truly take in what they say. Then pause and take a conscious breath after they finish. Let there be space.
  2. Practice active listening; recapitulate what they told you, and ask if that is correct.
  3. Say, tell me more, then listen.

In conclusion, Mercury wants clear communication, articulation, and flexible thinking. He governs: education, language, writing, logic, and understanding. He represents modes of communication, which is why people blame all sorts of communication breakdowns on him. The best use of mercury retrograde is to be involved in those activities or activities, which involve using those inner faculties just mentioned. In my humble opinion, I think it is a perfect time to: journal, catch up on your inner work, learn, practice and teach communication skills (like I am doing here), learn a new language, teach something, do your mantra, articulate your messages clearly, enunciate your words, etc. Mercury is not our scapegoat. Mercury retrograde is an opportunity to learn and grow.
I’d love to hear how it goes for you!
With warm aloha,
Darci

Keep yer cool in summer.

By on July 3, 2015 in Healthy Living, Self Care

This short video offers some quick tips how to eliminate heat in the body. Not an exhaustive list by any means, but it is a good start and I include special cooling yogic breathing techniques. If you post comments or questions, I will answer as my time allows. If it is an in depth question, you may want to enroll for an ayurveda consultation. I offer a limited number of these per month. Take care and enjoy!

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