From an over-abundance of plastic bottles, to multiple products that do the same thing, our showers can collect a lot of clutter.  Often times, we can feel overwhelmed by the products that surround us during times that should be relaxing and renewing.  We are constantly being sold more and more options for our personal care, many that we just don't need, or even want, but feel pressured to have.  I'm here to tell you, it doesn't have to be this way!  Decluttering your shower not only makes it visually a more relaxing place to be (and, let's face it, beyond just getting clean, that's what showers and baths do best!), it also brings awareness to the idea that great personal care products can be used on more than one body part, create less expense and less waste, and allow us to fully enjoy each item to the last drop, rather than creating half-empty bottles we've lost interest in, but "feel bad" getting rid of before they're gone.  We recently took the opportunity to help a few of our customers find healthy, low-waste options to go from "too much going on", to a minimalist's shower dream!

"Her Shower" Before + After
Looking at the "before" shower above, we can see this person has collected many products from body wash and shampoo, to soaps and cleansers, and the amount of bottles is extensive.  There is a lot of plastic, including plastic loofah sponges, that have no end life...except to exist in a landfill for the next 500 years.  The two built-in shelves aren't enough to contain the clutter, so an additional hanging shelf had to be purchased to house the products, most of which aren't getting used because they didn't perform the way they promised.  That's a lot of trips to the store, a lot of money spent, and a lot of waste created unnecessarily.  Working with customers to find a product that's both effective and healthy is what we love to do!  This experience was most rewarding to educate our customers that many of our products can be applied for multiple uses.  Did you know, shampoo and body washes, when made with natural, plant based ingredients, are basically the same thing?  While some ingredients are touted for their great head care abilities, these same ingredients are great for skin and other hairy parts. 


​We swapped multiple bottles of body wash and shampoo for one multi-use option.  One bottle of liquid and a jar of conditioner, and even those don't need to be tossed because of our unique refill option. 

We were able to get rid of the plastic sponges and additional soap by swapping the two with our natural luffa embedded body scrub.  Natural luffas are not only biodegradable, they can also be used for household cleaning, in crafts, and more after the soap is gone.  They are machine washable and one of our favorite ways to store our bar products between uses.  When they've given all they can, they can be safely tossed outside to decompose or used as a firestarter.  

We swapped multiple bottles of cleansers and exfoliators for various body parts with our beautiful face whip, a lovely, gently exfoliating formula that can be used everyday.  Because we removed so much additional clutter, we even had room to make way for a shower steamer, bringing even more of a spa-like experience to this precious me-time routine.

Most men work with want to keep their self-care simple, yet they still get bombarded with options for even the most modest needs.  We took this customer from bottles to bars, without giving up any of the results they seek.  Replacing bottles of shampoo and conditioner with bars is extremely economical and adds a level of ease to daily washing up.  The shampoo bar can easily double as a body wash, and so can shaving soap!  I often use shaving soap for my whole person because I love the silky feel of clay.  Clay in shaving soap helps the razor slip comfortable across the skin, but it also helps to draw out toxins from the body, making it the perfect product for cleansing and shaving.  Gone, again, is the extra wire shelving, and we welcome luffas to prop up our bars to dry and extend their use.

Shared showers bring unique challenges when it comes to having the right amount of product.  With family members of multiple genders, ages, and skincare needs, the amount of product in the shower can add up quickly!  I was excited to introduce this family to products that can be used in multiple ways by multiple family members.  Where originally bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and bubble bath once sat, we offered the option of our combination shampoo + body wash (which can also be used as bubble bath!) for the liquid lovers and a shampoo bar for those who prefer to keep it package-free.  A refillable jar of hair conditioner that can be used on any hair type in a fragrance everyone loved replaced multiple conditioner bottles.  Bar soaps fun enough for kids and strong enough for teens reduced the plastic of even more body wash, and a tub of shaving butter that can also be used as a facial cleanser can be used by multiple family members.  Taking away a bag of bath salts and replacing it with a refillable jar reduces clutter and waste, yet again!  Plenty of luffas make it easy to scrub and store bar products with no landfill footprint (and scraps are always free at YB Urban?!).  

Are you ready to take the leap and make your shower a place to relax and renew rather than a source of anxiety and stress?  Pop into the shop or send me a message to find out how our expertise can ease the burden of constant product disappointment, overspending, and waste.  

One of my favorite things about aromatherapy is the way it supports us as a whole; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  If you've ever watched a loved one go in and out of the hospital for various ailments to their physical body, you may have noticed the way modern medicine focuses on an issue, just one part of the whole, which, at times, will seek to damage other parts of the person.  I respect modern medicine, emergency care, and the ability of prescription drugs to help with specific issues, but I am even more in awe of the plant world, and how plant oils interact with our bodies on a holistic level, addressing all the issues that come with being human.  The way that humans have figured out how to blend different plant attributes to achieve powerful healing methods is at the foundation of aromatherapy and herbalist studies.  How we have been able to break down the science of plants, see on a molecular level what their components can do, and use them to our benefit blows my mind!  I am both grateful and humbled by the opportunity to continue to grow, harvest, and use these miracles of nature.  In my own "healing garden" last summer I was able to grow 2 of the 3 plants that make up the amazing "Trauma Oil" (the 3rd I purchased from a reliable source) and take them along the process of creating a powerhouse carrier oil that can benefit us in times of healing from head to toe.

St. John's Wort
​I started my journey growing St John's Wort 2 years ago.  St. John's Wort is a bushy plant that produces cute yellow flowers.  It's these flowers that have so many benefits to us, from relieving soreness and pain in muscles, to mood enhancement that relieves anxiety, allowing us to feel optimistic and hopeful.  On our farm, my healing garden is situated very close to our beehives, and the bees flock to these flowers when in bloom.  In my research, I have found the best time to harvest these little flowers is when they are barely opening and have retained the optimal amount of their therapeutic elements.  Once harvested they are left to dry for 24 hours and then immersed in fresh-pressed, organic extra virgin olive oil.  I place the jar of oil and blooms in the sun to sit for 30 days, and the result is a beautiful reddish oil with all of the wonderful attributes of St. John's Wort.

 Calendula
Very different than the 2 years it took for my St, John's wort to product enough to actually do an infusion, my calendula has taken off since year one!  It's a wonderful perennial that comes back in abundance year after year, and I can harvest it for many months, collecting more than enough to make an oil infusion, and have plenty more for extracts and tea.  Because calendula can be extracted fresh or dry, I used some of my sun-dried blossoms in organic olive oil and let it sit in my east-facing shop window for several weeks.  The result is a dark yellow oil with some amazing skin benefits.  Calendula oil can calm redness, comfort ongoing skin irritations, and be used in first-aid for purification and healing of injury sites.  On it's own calendula oil is safe to use on open wounds.

Arnica
The third oil infusion that makes up our Trauma Oil blend is Arnica.  Funny story, we purchased arnica seeds about 2 years ago, started them in pots, and then transplanted them outside.  The first year we got a few pretty red and yellow flowers, but not enough to be useful.  The next year, our St. John's Wort took off so much, we moved the arnica to a different area so both could have plenty of space to spread.  Being perennials, they continue to expand their botanical footprint from year to year, producing more and more of these amazing ingredients, much to my delight.  Last year we had enough arnica blossoms to make an infusion, but, as I was researching the best way to do it I discovered that what we had wasn't arnica at all, it was a flower with the common name "Blanket Flower".  I believe the mix up from the seed company came from the fact that blanket flower has the word "arnica" in the botanical name, but arnica flowers are yellow, not red and yellow.  I also was a bit disappointed that after 2 years cultivating this crop I couldn't find even one therapeutic use for blanket flower.  The uses of arnica range from soothing bumps and bruises, to promoting circulation, and reducing the appearance of scars.  We were able to source organic arnica infused olive oil from a trusted supplier, and have ordered new seeds this year to start the process again.  Because arnica oil stimulates blood flow, it is not advisable to use on open wounds, but can do wonders for stiff joints and pain from poor circulation.

After combining my two infusions with the arnica oil, I am very happy with the resulting Trauma Oil.  I have used it as a massage oil with a beautiful blend of essential oils I call "Calm Connections" (Siberian fir needle, Frankincense, Myrhh, Sweet orange, Roman chamomile, and Helichrysum essential oils) that has reduced the pain and help to heal a persistent tendon injury in my elbow, and some of my practitioner friends in the massage and acupuncture fields are currently using it on their clients, as well.  There is something very powerful about infusing oil with plants and finding all the ways they support our whole body wellness through injury, trauma, and healing.

The Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is a time of great darkness, with the promise of the light to come.  The natural world takes a break, animals slow down for great rest, trees and plants go dormant, yet, somehow, us humans just keep hustling and bustling, as if our busyness is what defines us.  We stack up our plates with projects, shopping, planning, and last minute activities, expecting these things to bring meaning to our lives.  The truth is, our lives already have meaning, we don't have to seek it.  Simply being a part of all that exists gives us oneness with all of creation.  During a moment of intense clarity in my daily meditation, I was given this phrase "I aspire to nothing", and all of my holographic, self-induced goals evaporated and I was left with a great sense of calmness, a connection to the present moment.  As I sat with this phrase, I wrote these words, so that I might better understand how this seemingly counter-intuitive thought process might better serve me than the busyness so many of us have become accustomed to.

I Aspire to Nothing- A Winter Solstice Meditation

Find a quiet space and ease into a comfortable position.  Close your eyes and let your focus come to your breath.  Spend a few moments with the sounds and feelings of the present moment.  Release your calendar, to-do lists, past reflection, and future goals.  Simply use this time to be.

As we come to this moment of darkness, this passing of a season and the promise of light, we often find ourselves looking towards the future, planning, focusing, easing our way forward.  While setting goals appears to others as intelligent, thoughtful, and motivated, it is still just looking forward to the future, or reflecting on the past, taking us out of the present moment.  Say this softly to yourself

"I aspire to nothing"

Let this phrase sit with you for a moment.  Repeat it.  Let it massage you.  Release every aspiration for your future and relax into the moment.  Breathe. Let go.  With each breath sink more deeply into your self, with the understanding that you and the universe are not separate.  While time shifts around us, we are a part of the creation that brought us here.  Our futures do not require planning.  They do not require achievement.  They do not require us to worry, fear, or doubt how our journey unfolds.  It will unfold as a series of moments we can simply be present for.

"I aspire to nothing"

Kindness lies within our hearts.  We do not need to seek it, prove it, or consciously engage it.  It lives there every moment.  We do not need to try and be "better", we can simply just be.  Every life is equal parts joy and sorrow, hope and sadness, pleasure and pain.  We are not different than all that is in balance with God, we do not require forward motion to experience all the wonders of being human, they already exist for us.

"I aspire to nothing"

We practice for the sake of practice, work for the service of work, socialize for the joy of interaction, and rest often, both body and mind.  We do not need to force ourselves to evolve, we are always evolving.  These things we seek are on our path, we do not need to reach for them.  Our egos seek to be recognized by others, but our True Self is recognized by all, without the desire for attention or pride, it is simply one with everything that exists.

"I aspire to nothing"

Can we trust the moment?  If we become mindful of our aspirations and let them go, we are able to continue on life's journey with a content heart, a love of self and others, and a sense of peace every moment.  You already have this gift.  Open it.  Share it.  Awaken it.

A few years ago a client asked if I had anything to help her ward off the bad energy left behind when a toxic co-worker left the office.  Although, at the time I didn't, I knew exactly what she meant about left behind energy.  Sometimes negative energy is so thick, no matter what you do to try and move on from it, or how far away the source of it is, you continue to feel the way it affects your life.  Poor sleep, fidgeting and restlessness, anxiety or depression, and obsessive thinking are all signs that you may be experiencing stagnant negative energy in your space.  Staying calm, taking a walk, or meditating are all ways we can reduce the physical impacts of unwanted negative energy on our body.  Cleaning and decluttering our space is also helpful if the negative energy is happening in our homes or offices.  Recognizing and staying away from toxic people is advisable whenever possible. Finding separation, whether it's in real life or in a digital space, is key to ensuring our own mental health.  One of my personal go-to's when I am feeling a build up of negativity in my thoughts and environment is to engage in the Art of Smudging. 

What is Smudging?
Traditional smudging involving the burning of sacred herbs or resins and has been practiced for centuries by indigenous cultures.  I remember attending Catholic church as a child.  Towards the end of mass, the priest would sometimes come around wafting the smoke of burning frankincense resin throughout the room as a way to atone the sins of the congregation.  In the same way, many cultures burn different kinds of plants, herbs, and resins in ritual ceremonies to cleanse the energy of the participants.  While there is scientific evidence that smoke and heat can sanitize the air and repel bugs, the art of smudging is done as a form of spiritual purification, and should always include the setting of mindful intentions.   

What Should I Use?
Any herb or burnable plant that has spiritual value to you can be used.  Although white sage, palo santo, and cedar leaves are both common and a few of my personal favorites, there are a few other things to consider when choosing your smudging application.  In the US, white sage has become a commodity that has led to over harvesting in unsustainable ways.  Consider purchasing pre-bundled sticks from local growers in your own community rather than buying them from stores offering mass-produced bundles.  Consider the plants in your area.  Just like eating local honey offers the best defenses from local allergens, burning local plants can have a positive effect on our bodies and we naturally have a deeper connection with them on a spiritual level.  I grew 2 varieties of sage in our garden this year, white sage and garden sage, and incorporated both into bundles along with home grown botanicals like calendula and lavender, and herbs like thyme and fennel.  Not only did these make beautiful bundles (as seen in the cover photo), but they also diversify the scent of the smoke.  All those things considered make me happy, which is the ultimate goal of smudging.

Besides leaves and stems, natural resins are also fantastic alternatives to commercial incense for burning.  Frankincense, myrrh, and opopanax resin can all be burned using charcoal tabs as a catalyst for the smoke.  I like the natural smell better than incense sticks or cones which seem too artificially fragranced for me.  If that isn't the case for you, burning incense in any form can also be used as a way to cleanse your space and bring about a more positive experience.

If smoke is too intense or lighting a fire isn't an option, using a smudge spray may be a better way to go.  Some people experience headaches or have respiratory issues that make burning plants undesirable.  A spray option that has been intentionally created with plant-based oils and natural ingredients is an excellent alternative, and can be used most anywhere, including on the body, clothing, bedsheets, and furniture.  Certain essential oils, like lavender, are great at moving stagnant energy around.  Many oils have uplifting, calming, and restorative aromatic qualities that can help with restoring energy to a positive state.  I created a line of chakra essential oils to help with moving blocked energy through the 7 major chakras in the body.  Created with the intention of energy flow in mind, these oil blends make excellent smudging sprays that can help us connect our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual natures for overall wellness.

Things to Consider
Because smoke attaches itself to the negative energy we seek to get rid of, smudging with the windows open not only helps with de-intensifying the smoke so it doesn't get overwhelming, but it also allows the energy an "escape" from the room.  Be careful not to inhale too much smoke, as this could lead to respiratory issues.  Be considerate of people around you with allergies, asthma, or respiratory illnesses.  Move the smudging stick around your body or space with intention, even speaking out loud the purpose for the cleansing.   Carry a small heat-proof bowl or shell with you, placing it under the burning bundle to catch any ashes or smoldering plant material.  Before you discard your bundle or leave the room, make sure it has ceased burning...safety first!

Want to purchase one of my homegrown white sage or botanical bundles?  Click here!
Interested in a smoke-free chakra smudge spray?  Click here!
I'd love to hear about your smudging adventures!  Contact me here!

UPDATE:  Exciting News!  I was recently featured as a contributor on the Redfin blog with many other aromatherapy experts sharing their thoughts and ideas for cleansing unwanted negative energy.  Be sure to check it out for SO many more ideas!  Here's a snippet...

“Smudging Your Home: Experts Reveal
How to Achieve Positive Energy”

If you’re feeling uninspired, drained, or downright miserable, your home may
be to blame. Smudging, the ancient ceremonial practice of burning herbs to
banish negative energies can help purify the environment around you and
invite positive energy back into your home.
But how do you cleanse your home using the smudging ritual? Whether you’re
looking to cleanse your new home in Minneapolis, MN, or have been living in
your Tucson, AZ condo for years but remain in a funk, smudging your home
can combat the negative energy, release positive energy, and help you start a
clean slate. Redfin asked us, along with other experts to share how smudging
your home can achieve positive energy. Read on to see what we had to say!

Smudging Your Home: Experts Reveal How to Achieve Positive Energy