AUGUST 1, 2021
©
EVERYTHING IS ENERGI
THE POWER OF STRENGTH WHAT IS OIL PULLING?
www.energimagazine.love
VULNERABILITY IS THE NEW STRENGTH
HEALING WITH BLACK OBSIDIAN
It's your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.
Rumi
Table of Contents Editor's Letter
4
The Power of Strength
5
Affirmations
6
Black Obsidian
9
August Reading with Intuitive Goddess Priya
12
Vulnerability is the New Strength
14-15
Moving into the Adventure Called Life
16-17
Yoga to Strengthen the Mind, Body & Spirit
20-21
Building Strong Family Bonds
24-25
Oil Pulling
28-29
Strengthening Your Home
32-33
FROM THE EDITOR
Dear Readers, Welcome to August. We are elated to be sharing our 12th issue of Energi Magazine with you. Over the past year, our team at Energi Magazine has worked hard to create content to help boost, brighten and balance your energy. We are so thankful to be a part of this community and for all of the support that has been shown to us by all of you. This month we are focusing on strength and self empowerment. For as long as I can remember, I have been amazed with the way each of us makes our way through our journey. Each person you meet is another character in your story, every place you go is a new setting and every moment is a new addition to the plot. Like all stories, there are highs and lows, moments of crisis and unforgettable happiness, all woven together through the way we each choose to handle and experience every situation. As you read through this issue, I encourage you to look at the main character of your story, YOU! Think about your journey thus far, and consider the ways you have demonstrated strength and power to get where you are today. With that being said, remember that strength and power don’t necessarily mean your ability to always be ok. It can also mean your ability to address and understand your low moments. It is the way you handle the low moments that is important. In addition, use your strength to help uplift others. Be kind and patient as those around you are finding and continuing to learn about their strength and power. It is true what they say; we are stronger together. With love and light, Aria de Lima
Alternative practices and suggestions within Energi Magazine should not be used as a substitution to medical advisory. If you are struggling with physical or mental health issues, please consult a medical professional.
The Power of Strength Strength is power. The power to start over and do it again despite distractions, despite depression. The power of having a new idea and choosing to master it even when restrictions present themselves. Strength is power because even when you have defenses and defeat you use your inner strength and start to progress and have a new beginning that brings growth, which brings harmony and protection. The power of strength that resides in you comes forth and saves you and that is worth celebrating. The power of strength is within you. Written by Chelsey.L.Stailing
Affirmations Strength and Empowerment
I have the ability to connect to my inner power
The strength I require is within me
True empowerment comes from me
Tapping into my inner strength and power is always a choice
It is safe for me to fully embrace the power within me
I have the courage to be my true self
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BLACK OBSIDIAN By: Andrea Sipcic
One of the ever-popular stones, Obsidian, comes in several different colours (as most crystals and rocks do) and is actually a stone formed by cooled volcanic lava, which is hard and brittle and originally used for tools. One of the most commonly known types of Obsidian is Black Obsidian. It is prized for being a stone of protection and grounding, but also contains strengthening and empowering abilities. Black Obsidian is an extremely powerful stone to work with, and many who are sensitive to the energies are able to feel its intensity even on a physical level. This in itself speaks to the stone’s ability to aid in the fostering of our own inner strength and power. Being that it is born out of rapidly cooling lava that flows from a volcano, this helps to explain why it has such potent energies, combining the elements of water, fire and earth. Its deeply penetrating energy helps to reach some of our deeply rooted beliefs, fears, traumas and messaging. When this powerful energy is met with the intention
and willingness to face these, some very powerful transformations can take place in our lives. Facing these shadows from within ourselves that many often keep hidden and in the dark is definitely a sign of strength and is extremely empowering. This is why a stone like Black Obsidian can be such a valuable tool for this journey and can bring on such transformational shifts for us. The key part to remember, which comes from within, is the intention and willingness. We must also be ready to face these “deep, dark” parts of ourselves in order to move in the direction we desire. Our own truths and facing them is extremely empowering in itself and requires courage. If you are prepared to face the “mysteries” of you, the deep, even dark “secrets” of you and the world around you, the Black Obsidian can provide great strength in doing so. In addition, it helps you to be honest with yourself, keeps you in line, especially if you start to go astray and helps to keep any nonsense at bay.
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U
The Universe
Thank you for connecting with the Universe I am ready to put my desire out to you Universe What is your desire? I am ready for you to bring me my soulmate Hello! Are you there? Read
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turned it into a completely new meal? It’s the same idea. The Discovery card comes to prompt you to approach discovering new perspectives and facets of your life and relationships through joy and eagerness as opposed to a mindset of manipulating change to achieve a particular result. For some of you, the message comes from the Guides observing you trying to recapture or reconnect to the past. They wish to advise you that it would be in your best interest to let go of this mission as it will lead you to settle for something less than you deserve.
AUGUST READING WITH INTUITIVE GODDESS PRIYA Card: Discovery The message from the Guides comes during a time where you will benefit from letting go of the past and creating something new. This can relate to a “new you”, a new job, a new relationship or a new living space. The Guides wish to offer you the awareness that creating something new does not always have to mean that you get rid of someone or something. It is entirely possible to create something new from something that already exists. Has there ever been a time where you or someone you know has taken leftovers from yesterday and
For some of you, the message from the Guides comes from their sense that you desire for or have started on your way to a new venture or adventure. They encourage you to do some planning and discover how to be prepared in order to maximize the joy and benefits you will receive. For all of us, it is a time where we are encouraged to make shifts and take steps to adjust to our ever changing world. The methods, visions and concepts of the past are what brought us to today, but we need to recognize and embrace continuous evolution and change which will lead us to growth. In love and appreciation, Intuitive Goddess Priya
Card Deck: Chakra Wisdom Oracle Author: Tori Hartman Illustrated by: Gretchen Raisch-Baskin Publisher: Watkins Media Limited
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Vulnerability is the New Strength
By : Priya Ali
Emotional vulnerability is putting yourself out there, intentionally or unintentionally. Showing a part of yourself that you may feel sensitive about; exposing something that makes you feel seen by others. For years, I have always been told how strong I am by others. It created mixed feelings for me because while it was a compliment, I’m never sure I fully identified with it. I would ask myself, what makes others view me as strong? In my life, it seemed that strength was defined by having the ability to persevere through adversity. Reflecting back on my life now, adversity always had a presence and was actually more the norm than anything else. When I think back to being a young child of immigrant parents back in the 70’s, I faced racism as early as age four. At that time, I believe my emotional vulnerability was unintentional, coming from the innocence of a child. I was taught and instructed to ignore it, avoid it if possible, but other than that there were no other alternatives. This led me to conclude that I just had to keep going and do my best not to let it happen, and if it did, not to let it bother me because nobody felt they could or would do anything about it. I think this led to me developing my strength from not knowing any other type of life. I imagine it would be similar to a woman or couple birthing multiple children as their first experience at parenthood. You don’t know what it’s like to just have one and there is no way of knowing the difference, so having multiples becomes your normal. People look at you and think or ask, “How do you manage?" It almost feels like an ignorant question because it’s like saying, “Wow, you put your pants on. How did you do it so well?” I want to reply, “It’s the only way I know how to do it; I don’t know any other way.” As life continued, adversity continued, and my strength continued. The thing with life is that as you
grow upwards and onwards, the number of things you face, the number of relationships you are involved in, the number of responsibilities you have, also grow. We don’t always recognize the toll it takes or the weight it bears upon us. It’s kind of like when I come home from the grocery store and think I can bring all ten bags in with one trip. As I add each one onto my wrists, it doesn’t feel that heavy until I have them all on and begin to carry them. There are times between the car trunk and the kitchen where I feel like I need to put them down, but no, not me, I will take them all. It is until I put them down or maybe later that day or the next when I feel an ache in my arms or wrists, that I realize the price I paid for that strength. While making the one trip may exhibit great strength in the short term, what are the consequences in the long term? Vulnerability may cause us to have to pause and pay attention to our feelings, our limitations at different times and in different situations. It may lead us to ask for help or admit something to ourselves or to others. In recent days, we had an Olympic athlete express her vulnerability and remove herself from competing. She was met with both praise and criticism. With the consistent rise of people experiencing mental health challenges globally, it’s high time we teach the strength of vulnerability and remind each other that as human beings we are born vulnerable. We cannot do anything for ourselves; we use our emotions to express and communicate our physical and emotional needs. When I learned to acknowledge, accept and tend to my vulnerabilities, that is when I felt strong. When I learned to express and communicate my ideas, feelings and thoughts and receive praise and comfort or criticism and neglect, without it speaking to my value as a person, that is when I felt strong. Allow yourself to put yourself out there and be seen. Show up as yourself, each day, as you are, and notice the strength you derive from doing so.
MOVING INTO THE ADVENTURE CALLED YOUR LIFE BY: TANYA MOULAND Here you are, in your mid-20’s. You’ve completed university or college and you may have found yourself living back at home. You yearn for your independence. You long for your life to get ‘started.’ Where is your life journey taking you? Are you moving into the life you want to create for yourself or the one you are ‘supposed to’ create? Are you stuck, unable to move or are you journeying confidently? I was asked if brain-body connections had anything to do with what prevents some young adults from moving into the life they want, or even to begin planning for it. The answer is: Yes! Young adults today are living in such a different world than 10, 20 years ago. Okay, even 2 years ago! External situations are unpredictable and many times beyond our control. Yet, the internal requirements remain the same for moving into your life journey. The brain-body system connections don’t magically appear at this time in your life to allow you the ability to set goals and get into action. We begin building these internal resources during our first years of life.
Setting goals and getting into action: Watch a baby when she sees her favourite toy (goal) and works out how to get to it, reach for it and bring it in to herself. There’s no over-thinking. There is doing. The body figures out what to do and there is movement to reach the goal. Moving out into the world: Little ones figure out how to get themselves standing. They pull themselves upright, find their balance and begin the slow, uncoordinated process of moving forward on two feet. Babies fall down. They pause and stand up again. Eventually with practice, more and more steps are taken confidently. The ability to move more independently on their own journey of exploring their little world grows daily. In your 20’s, you are doing the same, although mostly metaphorically! You have goals in mind. You begin mapping out your journey. You visualize your journey. You write down your goals. Then you have
to figure out what you have to do (physical movement) to attain them. You are re-learning to stand on your own two feet. You may feel wobbly; you may fall down, and like the little one, you pause, re-organize and pull yourself up again. Or do you? Is all this goal setting and planning causing you to freeze, flee, give up? Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you feel in or out of control? Sometimes the goals are big. They cause us to catch our breath, not sure where to begin. The best thing to do is clarify your goals by breaking them down into digestible accomplishments. Still feeling stuck or unsure? Consider this… As a baby, you may not have had the opportunities to create and strengthen all the required internal resources. This creates blocks in the brain-body system. This creates challenges on getting started or continuing on your life journey. It can be demotivating and frustrating. Guess what? You can build the brain-body connections at any age, remove the blocks and increase those internal resources by tapping into your body’s innate wisdom. Your body is communicating with you 24/7. Use self-awareness skills to use this communication and identify where the blocks are. When you are ready to remove blocks or get clarity on a goal, increase motivation, get organized, improve your focus, etc., use the 3-step exercise below. The exercise allows you to create and strengthen the brain-body system’s connections and build in those internal resources to get you into action and moving forward on your path.
A Brain Gym mini-balance: 1. You’ve got your goal. Step into it by actually role playing the goal. Notice: What happens to your breathing? What area(s) of the body has too much tension, or have muscles gone mushy? Does your energy level drop, or get you motivated? What words are you using to describe the situation? Does the potential excite you or increase your stress level? 2. Move to create new brain-body connections and remove blocks. Notice what movement the body would like to do. Allow your body to guide the movement. It can be anything from a yoga pose, to cardio, to dancing, to crawling or rolling across the floor. There is no wrong movement. No thinking, just do! 3. Revisit the goal. Step into it and role play again. Notice what’s different. Review the questions in step 1. Approach your life journey as a baby would approach a new skill – with curiosity and playfulness. Take the time and give yourself the opportunity to pause when required. Listen to the gentle whispers of the heart, respond to and move with the innate wisdom of your body, and allow your brain to plan and organize to keep you on your Journey. Happy Adventuring!
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With regard to strength and empowerment, Yoga offers the possibility of many benefits to match varied needs. If one is looking toward strengthening the body, then they can simply access the multitude of resources available online, in bookstores and in-person for asana and pranayama instruction and practice. If the focus is on strengthening the mind, cultivate a daily practice of mantra and/or meditation. When it comes to spirit, however, how do we know whether or not it is ‘strong’ or ‘weak’? The first time that I came to that question personally was in my early pre-teens when it felt as though I was in a low period in life. Things felt dark, heavy and slow. Many of us have at times felt a similar way or as though they were in some sort of spiritual crisis and not sure how to either identify it as such or to find a method to manage being in this state.
YOGA TO STRENGTHEN THE BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT By: Premadasa Gangadeen For me in terms of the gunas or aspects of nature, it was more about being in a tamasic state and out of balance with the other states of rajas and sattva. These states of sattva, rajas and tamas are referenced in numerous ways across Yoga, Ayurveda and within the inspiration of the great Hindu scripture and yogic treatise, the Bhagavad Gita. In short, we strive to be in a balanced, harmonious or sattvic state where great ease is realized within the body, breath, mind, intellect and spirit. This is the state where
one simultaneously feels happy, healthy and holy. We rely on the state of action or rajas to initiate movement, heat and transformation to help propel us toward sattva, and we likewise rely on the state of tamas or the qualities of inertia/slow-movement, coolness and heaviness to allow for deep rest, growth, introspection and foundational support toward the same. Sattva exists when we realize a state of balance and equipoise within the total self. As a young flower begins to grow up and into a full blossom due to the many influences of its surrounding nature, the study and practice of Ashtanga Yoga philosophy as espoused in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali produces the same effect on the individual or yogin on their journey of eight. In both cases of the Gita and the Yoga Sutras, there are many references,
commentaries and translations and it is encouraged to explore as many as you can come across as it has been my experience that once one initiates a quick or cursory glance into any of these texts, it assists them on their soul journey toward Self-Realization; the realization of Oneness. No matter how often I refer to these texts or how a random passage may have entered into my day, the depth, newness, or its seemingly perfectly timed application of its wisdom continues to astound me as I experience greater awareness, love and expansion. Many have shared similar sentiments with me over my years of study, practice and teachings. Commit to the following simple practice to demonstrate using Yoga to strengthen the body, mind and spirit as a 7-day challenge and have fun!
Body: Sun Salutation (10 Minutes) Check out this link for some guidance when practicing Sun Salutations.
Mind (10 minutes): Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Breathe in through the nose comfortably into the belly and lower and upper rib cage. Breathe out through the nose, releasing the upper and lower rib cage and then the belly as the navel falls in toward the spine. Count up from zero on the inhalation and down to zero on the exhalation. Gradually increase your timing with ease. Remain established in the breath awareness above for 2-3 minutes. On the next inhalation mentally intone the sound SO. On the exhalation mentally intone the
sound HUM. Pause gently between the inhalations to exhalation and vice-versa. Continue for 7 minutes and then externally chant AUM 3 times to close. Spirit: Cultivate a daily practice of either reading a passage or a few from the above texts or any text which offers you any degree of inspiration, insight, or inner-peace and then practice the body and mind outlined above. Afterwards journal any thoughts, processes and/or releases that may have come up. Upon completion of the 7-day challenge, read the journal again and meditate on it for an additional 10 minutes. On the morning of the 8th day read it again and then safely burn it somewhere outside and allow the ashes to blow away. Offer gratitude and meditate at the site for 10 minutes in a comfortable position. AUM
P ro duc h e lp t s t o ra is e the next gen e ra t io n g lo b of al c it iz ens
Are you interested in ways to decrease the impact of stress on your body and life? As a parent, are you looking for resources to support your child's development? Contact Tanya today for your free 15 minute consultation to learn more about strategies to enhance physical vitality, improve neuro-connections, and optimize being present.
www.thesportoflife.ca @thesportoflife 416-708-8714 tanya@thesportoflife.ca
BUILDING STRONG FAMILY BONDS By Lisa Brenner
One of the most important relationships in a child’s life is the one that is established at birth with their parents. In Yoga philosophy it is said that the Mother is the child’s first Guru. A Guru is a spiritual guide that takes the student from darkness to light, from ignorance to understanding, from misconception to illumination. Guru literally translates as “gu” - darkness and “ru” - light. While it may feel a bit daunting to think of yourself as your child’s Guru, don’t fret! You already possess the strength within to guide, care for and nurture your child as they explore and discover the world. While parents are tasked with the responsibility to ensure their child's well
being on all levels - physical, emotional, spiritual and educational, the most important aspect of your role as a parent is that of being present.
comfortable to explore will help to build and sustain your relationship and allow your child to blossom into their true selves. Bonding with your baby
There are many simple and practical ways to build or strengthen the bond you have with your child. While bonding may look a little different as your child ages, the foundation you set will carry you through all of the ups and downs of parenting at every stage. Children look to their parents to determine whether or not they are safe, secure and loved. Being in the moment, spending quality time together and creating an environment where they feel
Connecting with your little one is easily the most pleasurable aspect of infant care. You may be exhausted and your house may be a mess, but holding your baby and gazing at their sweet face is the most important thing you can do at this stage. Here are a few ways you can bond with your infant: Skin-to-skin - have Baby in only a diaper and hold them against your bare chest
Massage Read to Baby Eye gazing during feedings Learn Baby’s cues and respond to crying Hugs and kisses Say “I love you” often Talk to Baby about everything you are doing during your day Make changing time fun - sing a song! Bonding with your toddler As your baby begins walking and talking you’ve entered the toddler stage! This can be a fun yet challenging phase to move through. You can continue to build on the bonding techniques you used during infancy as well as adding in some new ones. Try adding the following into your days: Reading books and making up your own stories Responding to their needs Set up a daily routine and talk to them about what’s happening as you move through the day Singing songs Playing games together Doing crafts
Listen and empathize Establish a bedtime routine - bath, story, cuddle time to talk about the day
time into your routine doing activities your child loves to build long-lasting memories. The teenage years
Bonding with your schoolaged child Once your child begins school you will be spending less time with them so it is important to make space for connection when you are together. Children are often tired after a long day at school of following the rules and being on their best behaviour and will tend to let it all out when they get home. While this can be very frustrating, it is a good thing! It means they feel safe to express themselves with you and trust that you will help them navigate all of their big feelings. Having a little quiet time cuddling with a story is a good way to make the transition into the evening routine. Keep utilizing all of the techniques mentioned so far to continue building on the bond you have created with your child. Above all, having your undivided attention is everything. Build in some quality uninterrupted
I remember when I was pregnant with my first child and thinking that I could handle every stage but felt fearful of the dreaded teenage years. Now that I am in the thick of it I am loving this phase! Having put in the effort to build and maintain a loving connection with my daughter has rewarded us both with a fun and easy relationship. We enjoy spending time together and she feels comfortable talking to me about what she is experiencing as she learns to navigate all of the shifts that occur in this stage of life. To help your child through this phase, do your best to keep calm, listen with an open mind, spend quality time with them by engaging in activities they love and support them with whatever they need. It won’t be long before they are off on their own and you will miss having them around every day!
www.wiserootstherapies.com @wiserootstherapies Postnatal Yoga Classes with Lisa Tuesday evenings 7:30 - 8:30 EST via Zoom. Book your class today!
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OIL PULLING By: Andrea Sipcic
What is it and how does it work?
oil pulling has returned. With the benefits of
Oil pulling is a traditional Ayurvedic remedy
this practice becoming more well known, oil
that involves swishing oil in the mouth as you
pulling is becoming more and more popular.
would a mouthwash. The bacteria and toxins
As most of us have always been conditioned
get “pulled” away as a result of the swishing
to just brush, try to floss every night and see
and dissolved in the oil.
the dentist regularly, I thought that was as good as it got. I was urged by others years
What are some of the benefits? Reduces the amount of harmful bacteria in
ago to oil pull and have been doing so ever since.
the mouth Thoroughly cleans the mouth
Commonly, it is said that pretty much any
Reduces plaque
oil will do. However, coconut and sesame
Can prevent bad breath, gingivitis, cavities
seem to be the most common. Personally, I
and gum inflammation
prefer to use coconut oil. I also like to
Can help to whiten teeth
consider the properties and qualities of the
Can help heal bleeding gums
different oils. Coconut and sesame are amazing, so I wouldn’t stray from those. You
The Experience
can even mix them so you have the best of
As with so many amazing ancient remedies,
both worlds.
Speaking of mixing, if you like to experiment
company called Living Libations, where they
and add an extra oomph to your cleansing,
have a few products specifically for the mouth
there are a few options to try out. With so
and gums. (My favourite is Happy Gum Drops.)
many people (especially natural healthcare
If adding your own essential oils, be mindful of
practitioners) realizing the benefits to oil
using ones that are safe for oral usage, as some
pulling, there are now plenty of concoctions
essential oils are very potent and not suitable
available with essential oils mixed into the
for this.
carrier oil/s (coconut and/or sesame), such as peppermint, neem, clove and cinnamon. I like
It is common to hear that you need to swish
the added taste and benefits they provide,
for 15-20 minutes, and while this is ideal, if you
making the experience more enjoyable. You
are doing this daily (as is also recommended)
can definitely make your own as well,
and sometimes only have a few minutes, then a
especially if you know which oils you like and
few minutes is good enough and better than
suit you best. I recommend using
not doing it at all. It is also standard to hear 1
fractionated coconut oil and you can even
tbsp as the ideal amount needed. I have
mix in some sesame oil if desired. I prefer to
personally found that amount to be a little too
use essential oils if I’m going to add anything
much for me at once. It’s always best to try it
to it. I actually really like some of the
and feel out the amount that works for you. It
essential oil concoctions from a lovely
is recommended to oil pull first thing in the morning, before you eat anything. Keep in mind, if you’re sensitive like me, it is possible for oil pulling to trigger your gagging reflexes. If this happens and you can’t get over it, oil pulling at another time of day like evening or night works as well. Be sure to spit out the oil when complete, into the garbage as opposed to down the drain to prevent any clogging over time. Since oil pulling, I have found my teeth to be, feel and stay cleaner for longer, with little to no plaque. I used to feel that I needed to floss every night in order for my teeth to be clean, and although I don’t necessarily recommend substituting flossing for oil pulling, I do find that on the nights I don’t get to flossing and just oil pull, my teeth and mouth feel nice and clean.
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STRENGTHENING YOUR HOME By: Anja Lavigne Living in our full high vibrating being includes the importance of strengthening the physical body, the mental mind and our spiritual soul. A home gym and wellness zone have become more and more common, especially due to the pandemic. While some gyms and yoga studios are opening up, many are putting in some extra thought into taking care of the physical body at home and staying away from sharing equipment and being in close proximity to others when working out. As the body has somewhat been dormant and become over-friendly with a couple of extra bags of chips and one too many glasses of wine, the mind, body and soul have been somewhat forgotten. Looking at ourselves either in the mirror or on social media pics, we might not like what we look like and feel it’s time to make a change. Before purchasing workout equipment, look into what physical activities you will want to partake in. Research the type of equipment you need and don’t need, then search around your home for the best real estate space. Some spaces can be found in some homes, such as a spare room, a spot in the basement, or a zone in the garage. Incorporating a workout/wellness zone in the home is doable even if you don’t have the opportunity to designate a whole room to your personal gym. There is also sharing the activities in existing rooms and using them as double duty, such as the home office, a small corner of the living
room, hallway, etc. It’s important to create a space at home where we can meditate, practice yoga, workout and take care of all our physical and soul wellness needs. If you are still needing/craving that personal trainer, smart fitness technology helps with the idea of being at the gym but you are at home with on-demand classes right in the comfort of your space, while still keeping yourself accountable. There is a lot of new equipment complementing this and with very little space required with space saving exercise equipment becoming more available. There are full weight toning machines that are truly compact. They can even be attached to a wall in your living room or hallway and allow your workout to be digital. No weights, no metal plates, no dumbbells; just two giant arms that extend outward from the sides of the screen at the push of a button, plus a built-in coach on its touch screen. Then there is the smart exercise bike. It also ensures you always have access to your favourite digital fitness connection, with an instructor or your workout music selection. When integrating the bike in your space, instead of trying to hide the obvious incorporated in the room by giving it it’s own zone, place the bike against the wall, leaving some space between the wall and the side of the bike. Have it sit on a vertical carpet runner. Usually the bike is in a black colour, so maybe introduce something earthy, such as a green runner, depending on your decor. In front of the bike add a collection of plants in varied levels; odd numbers like three are great in front of the bike. You can also add some artwork or hang a plant from the wall. Another great space saving equipment is a mirror that has a built-in LCD screen, allowing
you to watch instructor-led, live and ondemand fitness classes. Since this is an actual mirror it can be part of the room decor. However, one might need to move some furniture around. If you have simple exercise equipment such as an ab roller wheel, stretch bands, free weights, or a yoga mat, stylish baskets are always perfect for keeping everything in one place. Whatever the purpose of your workout/wellness space, let the form follow the function. For Yoga one needs a place for a mat and when journaling, a soft cushion or comfortable chair. Make the space functional for you and your lifestyle. Surrounding the space with natural plants allows for decor that evokes nature, feels soothing and purifies the air. For wall art, a landscaper photo or botanical print continues to create that calm focused energy. The best lighting for a home gym is also natural light let in through windows. If this is not possible, mimic natural light by installing daylight temperature bulbs and provide a bright energetic space to train. Using a diffuser while working out or meditating stimulates the senses. Oils such as peppermint are good for pre and post workout, eucalyptus for inflammation and lemon for a boost of energy and combating post workout exhaustion. Lavender is great for journaling and meditation. You may also consider adding a water fountain or speakers to listen to music or meditations. Providing your body, mind and soul with these activities in your home is part of self care, forming a wellness habit to establish a happy, healthy YOU.
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