Like so many, I'm a huge fan of essential oils and their benefits. I've shared in previous posts that I like to incorporate them into my meditation and yoga. I also wear them in place of perfume when I'm in need of emotional or physical comfort before I start my day.
I normally apply my oils topically on pulse points - wrists and temples - and on my chest, over my heart. I then inhale from the bottle a few times, passing the bottle back and forth beneath my nose. Although this routine is wonderful and very beneficial to me, I was looking for a way to make the benefits of the oils last all day long. This is where essential oil pendants come in! Joel and I happened upon an Artist Holiday Pop-Up Shop in Cedar Falls at The Space where I found my first pendant. It is made of lava stone, which absorbs the essential oil, and a quartz crystal, which is a healing stone for a large number of things. I love the combination of the two. Unfortunately, I don't have the artist's information, but here's a lava stone/quartz crystal option from Etsy! I also found that lava stones have been used for centuries to help reduce anxiety and calm emotions. (AMEN!) Lava stones are a critical element for grounding and stabilizing the root Chakra as well. So when you combine your essential oils with lava stones, you are combining two powerful natural compounds that increase the effectiveness of each other! The second pendant I have was a gift. A very thoughtful gift because this person didn't know I wanted a clay essential oil pendant option! The pendant I received is from Essential Pendants, LLC. There are so many beautiful options! When you have your pendant and are ready to use it, you only need to apply one to two drops of your chosen essential oil. The scent from just a couple of drops can last up to three or more days! Wait for the oil to absorb before you put it on, especially if it will rub on your clothing. When you're ready to change oils, wait for the scent of the previous oil to diffuse completely. If your pendant starts to absorb oils slowly, this just means it needs to dry out. Lay the pendant in the sun for two to four days and that should do it! Are you an essential oil lover, too? Tell me about your favorite oils and how you use them!
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With a world full of causes, sometimes it's hard to determine who or what to support. Joel and I have many causes that are close to our hearts, with the Salvation Army being near the top.
This year will be our fourth year ringing bells for their Red Kettle Campaign. We commit at least one night every year during the holidays to do this. It has become an annual tradition that we both look forward to. It's always freezing cold, but we're together, doing good, smiling, using the bells to play Christmas tunes, and feeling the warmth of peoples' generosity as they drop money into the kettle. The Salvation Army itself does SO MANY wonderful things for our community every single day. Here's just a few of the ways they help those in need:
How awesome is this?! I think it's just wonderful. And is why I always drop something in a red kettle, even if it's a few pennies, because each donation counts. If you're interested in ringing bells, it's really easy to sign up. You can go through the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley when the campaign is running. I've found signing up through them is the easiest and fastest way because you are put in touch with a local coordinator. They have lots of dates, times, and locations to choose from. If you can't donate time, donate your loose change, because like I said before, each donation truly counts and your dollars help make a huge impact in your local community! Merry Christmas - 'tis the season of giving! I've been intrigued by Jim Carrey as of late. He has received mixed reviews (and left some wondering about his mental stability) following recent interviews. His answers to basic questions are "out of the norm" and most would think he's acting a little kooky - even for Jim Carrey. He has a background in Transcendental Meditation and I really feel like his answers are reflective of this practice. Thinking beyond the here and now. To me, he appears to be on his way to enlightenment, but that's because I understand the many stages of meditation and the places it can take you. So to me, he doesn't seem kooky - he seems to "get it." My feelings towards him only became more positive after watching the documentary "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond." The documentary follows Carrey has he portrays Andy Kaufman in the movie "Man on the Moon." He dives so deeply into the character of Andy that Carrey himself disappears completely.
Throughout the movie, there are interview clips with Carrey that were filmed recently. The thoughts he shared were inspiring and reflect many of my thoughts about the human experience. He also opened my mind to several things I hadn't thought about. I didn't watch this because of the Andy Kaufman content as much as I watched it for the Carrey content. It's a wonderful reflection of his psyche. Very honest. No concern for what others will think. Extremely thought provoking. I hope many walked away having their minds blown in a good way that will stick with them, but I assume more people walked away thinking this guy has completely lost his grip on reality. There's something really genius in his "madness" that spoke to me. I'll probably watch it again just for the Carrey interviews. I'd recommend this movie to anyone who is into spirituality, meditation, what exists beyond us, and/or has concerns with conforming to social norms. Or of course, if you are a fan of Andy Kaufman! “No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness.” - Aristotle |
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