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If you need help with chakra balancing, you will benefit from this chakra cleanse ritual.

Chakras are the energy centers of the soul. Are your chakras open or blocked? There are many reasons for the blocking of a chakra, including trauma, bad habits, and injury. If you handle the stress in your life in an improper manner, you could have a blocked chakra, resulting in physical and emotional health issues.

A person who is balanced is in touch with their physical needs and takes good care of their body, feeding their mind, spirit and body, healthy thoughts, emotions and nourishment. They are peaceful and serene; they are healthy and active. they are conscious of their feelings and the feelings of those around them, and they can facilitate their own processing of feelings as well as determine how to handle the feelings of the people in their sphere of influence. They are spiritually minded and feels that they are one with the universe. They speak their truth honestly and without hindrance, and they are able to listen to the needs and desires of others as well. They are creative and solution-oriented.

If your chakras are imbalanced, you can balance your chakras through a combination of yoga, meditation, color therapy and the use of stones.

Choose one stone from each of the following categories so you will have one stone for every chakra:

First Chakra – Black, Red or Brown Stone
Black Tourmaline – Good for when you feel your ability to survive is threatened
Hematite – Protects your emotional space if others feel invasive
Tiger’s Eye – Physical security

Second Chakra – Red or Orange Stone
Bloodstone – Energy
Carnelian – Sexual energy or creativity
Red Jasper – Flowing energy of earth
Ruby – Passion

Third Chakra – Yellow, Coral, Yellow-Green Stone
Argonite – Calming
Citrine – Manifest abundance
Golden Calcite – Personal empowerment
Malachite – Creativity, solar plexus

Fourth Chakra – Pink or Green Stone
Aventurine – Heart health
Emerald – Love
Green Tourmaline – Opens the creative aspect of the heart
Lepidolite – Calms the heart, relieves stress
Pink Calcite – Release emotional pain, learn to love again
Rose Quartz – Self Love

Fifth Chakra – Blue Stones
Aquamarine – Serenity while communicating
Blue Topaz – Fearless communication
Chrysocolla – Confidence in self expression
Larimar – Deep, vulnerable, honest communication

Sixth Chakra – Dark Blue or Purple Stones
Amethyst – Tranquility
Azurite – Release old beliefs and form new ones
Charoite – Overcome fear
Kyanite – Sense of Purpose

Seventh Chakra – White or Clear Stones
Clear Calcite – Spiritual perspective
Danburite – Serenity when life is difficult; eternal perspective
Herkimer Quartz – Dissolves chakra blockages

The one crystal you will really want to have for a chakra cleansing ritual is Herkimer quartz – this stone clears all chakra blockages.

You can either wear the stones or perform a ritual where you place the appropriate stone on the appropriate chakra and meditate. Follow this ritual with a regular yoga practice, ask your yoga instructor to teach you how to perform poses that will open and balance your chakras.

About the author: Amanda Tradwick is a grant researcher and writer for CollegeGrants.org. She has a Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Delaware, and has recently finished research on grants for graduate students and free federal education grants.

Wardrobe by the always awesome Ava Adorn!

But I’m not beating myself up about it. I work in wellness and I feel strongly about practicing what I preach around work-life balance because it really does matter.  If I’m tired or unfocused I won’t do a good job anyway. Rather than freak out and stress out (neither of which are good for my health or my sanity), I’m setting boundaries. The work day starts at 8am and ends at 5pm.  If that’s not enough time for all the important things I need to get done, I’ll set aside a few hours in the evening or early morning to catch up, but I won’t give away my whole life. I make realistic (this is important) to-do lists each morning of priorities and focus on those for the day, and I make sure to schedule in breaks and time for personal stuff after business hours.  I try and remember that others’ stress is not a reaction to me but to a situation, and find solutions rather than freak out about why some things don’t go as planned.

I love the field I’m in, just not always the day-to-day, so I try and step back and see the big picture when I’m feeling stressed. Life is too short not to spend time with people you love doing things you love. If your job isn’t exactly your idea of heaven, find ways to make it manageable while you work on the big picture. As one of my wise bosses always said, “Don’t let anyone take away your joy!”

It’s 7:59 here on the West Coast. Time to work! Here’s to a productive and healthy 2012, y’all!

I love the fresh feeling and opportunity to reset each new year brings and I’m spending time today writing my affirmations for 2012.  Some I’ll share, some are more personal, but they’ll all be documented so I can check-in from time to time.

I hope personal wellness is near the top of your goals for the year (without it, what do you have?!), and I look forward to sharing more tips, experiences and anything else you request!

Wishing you health, happiness and love in 2012 from Balancing Wellness (and puggle brothers Lincoln & Winston)!

Solastalgia –  Zero 7

Desh Nayad Feat. Lital Gabai (feat. Lital Gabai) – EarthRise SoundSystem

The Girl From Ipanema – Amy Winehouse

Dancing On My Own – Robyn

 Dead And Gone – The Black Keys

 We Could Forever  - Bonobo

 We Walk – The Ting Tings

Right As Rain – Adele

Punching In A Dream – The Naked And Famous

Erase – Beats Antique

Overstand – Thievery Corporation

Teardrops – The xx

Shake It Out (Acoustic) – Florence + The Machine

Hypnotica –  Afro Celt Sound System

Breathe Me – Sia

Inütil Paisagem –  Antonio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina

 Yasul – Gifutu-Chekku

Buddhi Session DEC 17, 2011

Join yourBuddhi‘s Amanda and Carolina for a two hour master Yoga class at the Mansion in La Jolla

Saturday, December 17 from 3:30—5:30PM.

+ DJ Serhat Sergin spices up your asana
+ LIVE Savansana music by Jeni Oh

+ FREE drawing to win a private session
+ Champagne and Bija Dark Chocolate
+ $20 per person and limited to the first 25 sign ups.

 Join on FB and send an RSVP email to receive admission and location details.

Register For a Chance to Win

Download any yourBuddhi.com online YOGA classes and automatically be entered for a chance to win a free private teaching session with Amanda or Carolina. Winner announced January 15, 2012 and will receive private training session, champagne & Bija Dark Chocolates.  

Choose your class, download and be entered for a chance to win.

At times it seems like there’s a war going on between nutrition and taste. One day you need an excuse to eat the delicious meals because they’re prepared with high-fat ingredients. The next day you try to justify making the super healthy meal that’s going to take hours to cook. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to make delicious and easy healthy meals if you follow these tips first.

Plan, plan, plan

In a typical week, you probably plan out most of your time. You have to figure out when you can work out or get in a yoga session, along with all the regular stuff like work and after school activities if you have kids. If you make a plan for all of that, why wouldn’t you also plan your meals the same way? You’ll be able to maximize your nutrition and time, if you have a good plan beforehand. Consider mixing things up by including a vegetarian day once a week (or more!) to work in low-calorie, nutrient-rich foods on a regular basis.

Concentrate on health and nutrition

These days, you’ll see all kinds of ways to “eat healthy,” and some of them aren’t very specific. Some of the worst offenders tell people to eat an organic or vegan diet because it’s healthier, but don’t give any additional pointers. I can eat a bunch of fried organic mushrooms dipped in a nice creamy sauce, but it isn’t going to help my health much. Likewise, I can enjoy a nice vegan meal, but it won’t do me any good if I overeat and eat three servings instead of one. The reality is that you are the only one who can make sure your diet is up to snuff.  Using nutrient-dense foods like fresh fruits and vegetables is a good start, but you also need to keep track of the other things you eat.  Don’t be fooled into thinking that things like organic foods are going to be good for you. Do your homework, check the labels, and remember that (most) everything in moderation is a good thing.

Making a plan and sticking to it, along with incorporating healthy ingredient choices, will make it much easier to keep your nutrition where you want it to be.

Carolyn writes about food for the Blog Content Guild.

I quickly snagged tickets and have been watching the youtube promo vid on repeat ever since.  I always said I would choreograph a modern ballet to Radiohead if no one did it before me, and I’m so excited to experience this! Pretty amazing!