This month is all about spring awakening and fresh starts. The relationship you have with yourself needs time and care, too! This week’s topic is self-care, crystals and meditation that can aid you in finding peace of mind, body, and spirit. Take these tips as the first step in a balanced, self-loving life!

Self-compassion practice is a way to relate to ourselves in a more kind and caring way. It allows us to recognize the power we all have within us to soothe and comfort ourselves in times of perceived failure, shame, or disappointment rather than rely on external sources of reassurance and acceptance. Self-compassion is an antidote to the cycle of self-criticism and shame we so often find ourselves playing over and over in our minds.

Crystals all carry different energies to provide healing to different chakras. Meditating with crystals or just placing them in the area of the chakra that needs healing is said to help with healing and banishing negative energy from that chakra. Placing crystals in areas where they can absorb sunlight is said to help them charge their healing properties, as well as letting the crystals sit out during certain moon phases. People use crystals directly on their body, in intention mantras, and many other ways such as carrying them around daily for good luck.
What crystals are best for you? Click here for a full guide.

Meditation is a great way to find peace of mind and body. Meditation can be as simple as spending 5-10 minutes practicing deep breathing in a quiet space. Find a place you feel comfortable and begin pacing your breathing. A good way to “clear your mind” while doing this is to internally say “breathe in, breathe out” and allowing oxygen to pass in through your nose and out through your mouth. This way of mindfulness is the first step to a relaxing meditation. For more tips on how to begin meditation as a beginning, click the following link: MindWorks.org.

Self care and self love can be easier and closer than you think. Directly across the hall from KiSSandMaKeUp is YogaPerk! YOGAPERK welcomes you to be part of our supportive yoga community to grow and progress your practice and become a healthier you in mind, body and soul.

At YOGAPERK they focus on personal growth, progression, alignment and breath in the asanas (poses) as well as yoga teachings to create a fun and nurturing practice. Gentle, beginners, all levels, power and advanced yoga classes are taught in a warm, industrial style studio by experienced and knowledgeable instructors who teach in their own unique style.

An event specifically related to crystals is taught by Gina and it is called Pranayama & Crystal Healing. It is a three part series where Gina teaches you about the benefits of different types of crystals and how they can be used in meditation. Pranayama is the yoga practice of controlling your breath, which is the source of prana, or life force. Also connect deeper to ourselves through yoga nidra, where your body becomes completely relaxed. If you’re curious about crystals, would like to slow down and relax, or connect with yourself on a deeper level I highly recommend this class.