Category: Wellness

Chakras and Crystals

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Last weekend I dedicated time to education and empowerment. I signed up for a Chakras and Crystal workshop at my yoga center (which has sadly closed down…I shall find a new home soon enough). Though I have practiced yoga for quite sometime I am not fully familiar with the chakras and how their blockages or even being overly open influence the body. I do know that these incredible energy centers help us in yogic practice to become more balanced, aligned and wholesome beings.

“The chakra is a doorway. These are doorways that lead you into other dimensions. But you have to focus on them to the exclusion of everything else.”- RamaQuotes.com

Though I am open to a lot I am also a skeptic about many things. I have moments where I question everything and really wonder what the rational explanation is for it. I made the conscious decision to be open to the experience especially since I was feeling exceptionally drawn to the workshop. I am in the process of trusting the universe and opening up to receiving the messages my intuition provides. Interesting, right?

“Each of the seven chakras references different dimensional planes. It is a turnstile that leads us into different dimensions. As the kundalini rises, the knowledge and powers of those dimensions will begin to come to you.”- RamaQuotes.com

So this class was not only filled with an immense positive and healing energy, it was doused in the energy of willingness to learn. I walked in and instantly felt empowered. I have always been interested in crystals. I have so many in my room with NO idea what they are for or what they could do.

I volunteered to have stones laid upon my chakras and found out areas I need to work on. How cool is that? Having these stones placed upon my body sent this cooling sensation from my toes to the crown of my head. I felt calm, safe and surrounded by love and healing. I left the workshop feeling more aware of my body than I was before. I have always know that I am sensitive to energy but now this is clearer than ever.

I am promising myself to be true to my intuition, to listen to my body and to check in with myself to find out what exactly I need.

“When your mind is clear and your third eye is open, you can see and know things that are taking place thousands of miles away from you.”- RamaQuotes.com

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Peace, love, light and No beef.

Guramrit 

Vegan & Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins

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I don’t know about you but I’m obsessed with pumpkin. Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin candles. I know…crazy. My obsession is real. I have had a craving for pumpkin spice muffins (not that I have ever had one…aside from the one from the farmers market that I had a couple weeks ago, thank you to Las Delicias). I wanted something that was sweet, healthy and a cinch to make.

Check out my adapted version of this recipe from Peta.org. I made it gluten free and excluded most of the sugar for the sake of my stomach and health.

Pumpkin Muffins

What you need: 
2 cups brown rice flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 1/4 cups puréed pumpkin (or 1 can)
1/2 cup nondairy milk (I use almond milk)
1/3 cup coconut oil
5 Tbsp maple syrup
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

How to make it: 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a muffin pan. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, nondairy milk, oil, and molasses or maple syrup. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix.

3. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup to the top.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. Remove muffins from the oven. When they’ve cooled to room temperature, frost them (optional) and devour!

Variation: Add a cup of chopped nuts, dried fruit, or vegan chocolate chips to the batter.

Makes 12 muffins

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

What you need: 

1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

How you make it: 

1. Place the vegan margarine and cream cheese into a bowl and combine with a handheld mixer.

2. Slowly add the sugar in 1/2-cup batches. When the mixture is smooth and creamy, add the vanilla.

3. Keep the frosting tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

Enjoy my pumpkin spice lovers! 

Peace, love and no beef (just more pumpkin),

Guramrit 

November: A Month of Change and Challenge

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Welcome to November! I cannot believe how ridiculously fast this year has flown right on by. I feel like I JUST started my job, just celebrated my 24th birthday and now I’m already thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas (and secretly planning my 25th birthday, but sssh our little secret). 

As I have already mentioned in my previous posts, I haven’t really given myself an opportunity to really indulge in self care. I have neglected myself, become so absorbed in my work life and in my household responsibilities that I have let myself become stale. I have been craving some sort of creative outlet in any sense to help me nurture myself and to express myself in a productive way. Seriously, not expressing myself makes me feel like a looney. 

This past Friday I decided I was going to participate in a 30-day yoga challenge (yay me). I’ve been practicing yoga with clear intention and more dedication for the past 4-5 months. I have always done yoga but we have had an on-and-off relationship. By participating in this challenge (it’s actually 2 challenges, for a little variety), I am devoting myself to my practice and opening up my practice to be shared with others. This is incredibly humbling for me and brings me great joy, peace and clarity. I’m incredibly grateful for my new found practice. 

This weekend I took a painting class with a dear friend of mine from college, it was phenomenal. I felt so liberated and free. I always thought that my only really creative talent was writing or singing but now I feel connected with the arts. It is something I definitely envision myself continuing. It is so important to find a creative outlet to express yourself. I cannot believe I didn’t try this earlier. My life is such a blessing and I am grateful for the ability to share my creative gifts with the world. 

I see November as a time of change and challenge. It is the perfect time to set clear intentions to better myself and to really take care of myself as this cold weather makes it way into our lives. It is also a great time to really start thinking about gratitude. Finding something to be grateful for even among the murky and dreary is eye opening and blissful. 

What are you doing to better yourself this month? What are you grateful for? 

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