When it comes to your skin, we’re your number one fan and rooting for you. Body oil and face oil have hit the market hard, providing numerous healthy skin benefits. Although many claim to be organic, that does not necesarily mean you are getting oil from a reliable source.
We chatted with Samuel James Queen, founder of Fam Botanicals to explore the depth of quality body oil. Below is our juicy conversation with Queen where we talk about biodynamic farming, the importance of colorless oil, the best healing herbs, and more. Let’s get into it!
What Makes A Quality Body Oil with Samuel James Queen of Fam Botanicals
It was so nice to have the pleasure of speaking with Samuel James Queen of the luxury body oil brand Fam Botanicals. Our first question is…
Q: “What inspired you to create Fam Botanicals?”
“‘Fam’ is short for ‘Family’ and was born out of the desire to reconnect people with our plant relatives in a sweet, nourishing, and accessible way. I fell in love with face & body oils as a medium for connecting with the richness of plants while simultaneously providing a beautifully gentle and supportive self-care practice. It also provided me with the opportunity to create a line of products that I would truly enjoy using – products full of fresh, whole ingredients!”
Q: “Can you explain biodynamic farming and what it has to do with your oils?”
“Biodynamic farming is essentially organic farming on a whole nother levellll. In addition to not using pesticides (the primary requirement for organic farming), biodynamic farming requires a high level of biodiversity on farms including multiple species of plants and animals. This biodiverse approach creates more resilient, more productive, and higher quality crops, stronger ecosystems that provide habitat for many species, and a much smaller carbon footprint.
This is the way of the future and I source as many ingredients as possible from farmers who abide by biodynamic farming practices. The quality of plants grown in biodynamic settings is next level and this quality translates into the final Fam Botanicals products“.
Q: “Which is better colorless skincare or colorful skincare?”
“I am actually a huge proponent of ColorFUL skincare. When a skincare product is colorless, it has most likely been refined to the point that many beneficial nutrients have been removed. Color is often a sign of nutrient density and antioxidant power. It’s the same with the ingredients we put IN our bodies.
If given the option between a colorless strawberry and a colorful strawberry, I would choose the colorful strawberry in a heartbeat. Fam Botanicals products are the colorful strawberries.
Q: “Natural healthy products are trending. How can you tell if a product is 100% natural?”
“First and foremost, read the ingredients! If you can picture each of those ingredients growing in nature, that shit is natural. Now of course, there is a spectrum. For example, glycerin is a common ingredient in skincare and sounds unnatural af. Turns out, it’s often made from soybeans by breaking down fatty acids into their smaller components. Is that natural? Is that not natural? That’s up to each person and each brand to decide for themselves.
For Fam, we love the whole ingredients that we can picture growing in nature. Nothing against the full spectrum of ingredients! We just enjoy fresh, whole ingredients.”
Q: “What do you think are the most powerful healing herbs?”
“The most powerful healing herbs are the ones you enjoy working with and have access to! There’s an old adage in herbalism that the best medicine is the one you take. The botanical world is truly overflowing with healing plants. Each plant has a different personality and a different toolkit of badass healing properties. The key is identifying plants that have an affinity for you and then developing a relationship with them.
I, for example, adore Chamomile. I grow Chamomile in my community garden, I source Chamomile from amazing farmers around the country, I drink chamomile tea, take chamomile baths, and, of course, make a Chamomile oil which is beyond divine.”
Q: “Let’s talk skin health. What herbs are the best for repairing skin health?”
“There are many, many herbs that are excellent for skin health. So many, in fact, that it can be hard to choose which ones to work with! Two superstars of the skin herbs are Calendula and Chamomile.
Calendula has powerfully antioxidant carotenoid constituents, which give it its orange color, and help speed the healing of skin, prevent & reverse uv damage, and stimulate collagen synthesis. Chamomile soothes inflammation and is a wonderfully supportive herb to turn to for a wide variety of skin conditions as well as for general support.”
Q: “Why should we be careful with which oils we choose to invest in?”
“Everyone wants the best quality products they can afford. Unfortunately there is a dire lack of transparency with ingredients and processing of products and so it can actually be quite difficult to tell which products are the best just from looking at them on a computer screen. If you have the time, I always recommend reaching out to the brands that you are interested in and ask them direct, pointed questions about the ingredients and how they are processed.
It can be a very revealing and rewarding exercise. Generally, brands that are straightforward have nothing to hide. The ones that do a lot of waffling and passing you off to other people in the company almost always turn out to be the companies that are doing weird shit with their products.”
Q: “Is there a difference between essential oils and the oils in Fam Botanicals?”
“Essential oils are a narrow fraction of a plant’s healing constituents. They are essentially the perfumey constituents. These constituents are great but there are a ton of other rad healing constituents in plants that aren’t perfumey.
Fam Botanicals products are made by infusing the whole medicinal plant into oil, which includes a broad spectrum of healing constituents. Most products are just carrier oils with a few drops of essential oils added. That’s cool, just not nearly as rich as whole-plant infusions.”
Q: “Can you explain the power of plants in our healing journey?”
“Humans and plants have evolved side-by-side since the beginning of time as we know it. Humans have helped plants survive by propagating and tending to them and plants have helped humans survive by healing our wounds and nourishing our bodies.
It is a beautifully symbiotic relationship and both humans and plants are better off by being in connection with one another.”
Q: “What is one piece of advice you wish you could tell the world?”
“Make a friend with a plant in your neighborhood. Observe it. Nurture it. Propagate it. Eat it. Bathe in it. And slather it all over your body. This is a deeply beautiful way to be present with the gifts that surround you.”
Picture this: you’re mid-conversation and this phrase comes up…”Oh babe, it was written in the stars“. Ever heard this phrase? Well fun fact, its true and quite frankly more than just an old saying. We had the opportunity to talk to certified Human Design expert Graciela Rasor. In our conversations, Rasor tells us about how Human Design plays a role in our lives.
The system of Human Design is a relatively new practice of self-discovery. This new system derives from astrology, Kabbalah, the Chinese I Ching, and the chakra system. Incorporating this new system can bring clarity to your purpose and sense of Self. We asked Rasor how she got into the subject considering it is a relatively new concept.
Discovering Human Design
“I found Human Design, like so many do, when I was feeling burnt out and a little lost. I recognized it as a system that could help me find out who I really was at my core, under all the BS that I’d picked up in the world. It didn’t let me down. As I continued to study it and fall more in love with the way it called for a full expression of self, I decided that I could no longer keep Human Design to myself and dove into the process of becoming a reader”.
“Opening up to my spiritual side was the gateway to strengthening my connection with my intuition and Spirit, working with clients and going deeper into transformational energy healing work”.
“I recognized it as a system that could help me find out who I really was at my core, under all the BS that I’d picked up in the world”.
This strong passion for helping others utilize their energetic makeup led Rasor to develop her own Human Design reading business. Check it out here. In our discussion with our Human Design expert, we find out everything we need to know about self-discovery and your overall wellness.
Why is human design so important?
“Knowing your Human Design will help you find the courage to show up as the fully embodied and expressed version of you that you were always meant to be. We all experience conditioning growing up – whether that’s from loving parents, well-meaning teachers or society – that governs how we show up in the world”.
“Sometimes that conditioning tells us that we’re too much or that we shouldn’t be so sensitive or that we’re flaky, and then we adjust accordingly to find acceptance from our peers. The problem is that, when we contort our souls in that way, we rob the world of seeing our innate gifts and qualities and we rob ourselves of sharing them. Learning your Human Design is the first step to getting back to you and starting to shed all that conditioning“.
“It’s not an exaggeration to say that knowing my Human Design has changed my life”.
Graciela Rasor
“Human Design has given me permission to be and express all that I am, and acceptance of the ways that I operate outside of societal norms. I love giving this permission slip to the clients I read for too — but the secret is that they’re really giving it to themselves!
Is there a misconception behind wellness?
“Unfortunately, Instagram has gotten in my head and the first things I see when I think of wellness are green juices, white sand beaches, perfect tans, and workout videos (all things I love BTW!). But when I go deeper and tune into my heart, I know that wellness isn’t about an aesthetic — it’s about how you feel.”.
“We as a culture love a quick fix, and sometimes we fall into the trap of assuming wellness can be a quick fix too. We think that ONE juice cleanse will get our gut health back on track, ONE reiki session will balance our chakras forever, ONE class will change our lives. And while it’s possible to have a profoundly transformative experience in a very short amount of time using these teachings and healing modalities, it’s called a “practice” for a reason. Committing to your health and wellness practice means showing up for it as often as you can even when it feels less than glamorous. That’s where you see the real transformation happens”.
Any tips you have for balancing overall wellness through Human Design?
“Choose what feels right for you in every moment. In Human Design, we make aligned decisions using our Strategy and Authority, which you can find highlighted in your chart. Even if you don’t know those specific elements of yourself, you can still tune into the inner voice that you have and ask it what feels right — not what feels right from a ‘should’ perspective, but what feels right in your core”.
“The key is that we all need to get out of our heads more and start tuning into the wisdom of our own bodies to make these choices”.
It is important for the harmony between mind, body, and spirit to be flowing and functioning. How do you recommend protecting your energy?
“You have to start putting you first. It’s not being selfish, it’s recognizing that your energy is precious and limited”. It requires being vigilant about where you’re spending your energy and choosing to spend it doing the things that feel good as often as you can.”
Some questions you can ask yourself:
1.) What can you say no to that would feel like a weight being lifted off your shoulders?
2.) What’s something you said yes to that’s dragging you down and feeling really icky in your body?
“Living like that requires a lot of kind and conscious “no’s.” Make no your favorite word!”
When you find your energy low, or feel overwhelmed, what is the first step you do to combat that?
“The first step is to lighten my load — I ask myself what tasks and projects can be deprioritized so that I can take time to sit with my own thoughts and feelings. The funny thing about feelings is that, when you actually let yourself feel them, they tend to pass pretty quickly.”
“If I’m still feeling funky, I’ll do some energy work on myself while listening to something relaxing (this playlist is a great one). Also, NATURE. We can never underestimate the power of nature to put us in a good mood, even if that’s just standing in a little patch of sun outside your office like I used to do in the concrete jungle of NYC”.
To sum things up, Human Design is a relatively new form of self-discovery that can aid in your spiritual growth. If you are interested in learning more about applying this practice in your life, you can visit Rasor’s website and explore her services.
Visit Graciela’s Rasor’s website
We asked Rasor one final question before we wrapped our juicy wellness talk up.
Is there anything you have learned on your journey that you wish you could go back and tell your old self?
“That fruit loop flavored vodka and 5 inch stilettos are never a good mix! But seriously, what wouldn’t I tell my younger self? I’d tell her that it’s cool to take time alone to curl up with a good book. That life is meant to be lived in a way that feels good and makes you feel good about yourself, and that looks different for everyone.
That creativity is pure joy and something to prioritize. That romance takes work, other women are allies not enemies, showing up matters more than anything else, boss lady pantsuits are overrated. And that magic is real and part of every single one of us.
Wellness means having the freedom to live your life in a way that feels good to your body, mind and soul. It can be as simple or as esoteric and wild as you want it to be, because it’s all about YOU.
With wellness on the rise and the pandemic of 2020, the number of soap providers has skyrocketed. Storefronts now more than ever are catering to society’s needs…clean hands! The soap industry for online and store-front suppliers is rapidly expanding. But the real question is are your soaps harming or helping your health?
Organic and natural soap is the way to go. With no chemicals or parabens, it is the best choice for your skin and health.
Are the Soaps You Purchase Harming or Helping Your Health?
First off, the skin is the largest organ in the body, therefore what we put on it is essential to our internal health.
Chemicals, toxins, and parabens just won’t cut it. Think more on the side of soothing natural clays and essential oils. Your skin will be way happier with you, trust us.
What Makes a Soap Truly Organic?
To start off the debunking of true organic soap, we must first get away from the idea that all store-bought soaps are safe. After having some conversations with Lily Ellison, CEO, and Founder of Handmade Soap Club our perspective on the relationship with soap did a complete 360.
Some store-bought soaps are issued by the FDA as detergents. These soaps are not even real soap. Filled with drying chemicals such as parabens, fragrance, triclosan, dioxanes, mineral oil, sodium laurel sulfate, sodium benzoate or phosphates, these soaps will definitely end up harming you rather than helping.
Truly natural and organic soap, on the other hand, contains zero added chemicals and is made with 100% natural ingredients.
“I only use organic and non-gmo ingredients and distilled water.
Typical fats used are tallow, shea butter as well as olive, castor, coconut, canola and unrefined, sustainable palm oil. My specialty bars use neem, turmeric, activated charcoal and many other amazing, natural additives to nourish the skin.”
Lily Ellison
We’ve Got You Covered in the Safe Soap Department
Safe soap equals happy skin. Don’t you want to be absolutely in love with what you are putting on your body? Our favorite soap company has and will always be Handmade Soap Club. They are now the number one largest online supplier for soaps.
From natural soaps to fun collections such as the Get Naked collection, Handmade Soap Club has got your wellness covered. This natural soap will leave your skin feeling smooth and nourished. The best part is, this soap is absolutely beautiful and adds a unique clean feel to any space.
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We find it hard to actually use our soap…can I just sit and stare at it in awe for a little longer? These soaps last for months and are 100% more sustainable than store-bought soap. After you use your soap…no waste! Just nourished skin.
“Every bar is safe enough to eat, as confirmed by the classic tongue-test established by crazy chemists ages ago.”
Lily Ellison
Are Natural Soaps Still Antibiotic and Antiviral?
Every bar of Handmade Soap Club soap is still antibiotic and antiviral. One of the most common chemicals in liquid soaps is Triclosan. This is the chemical responsible for germ-killing properties. Along with germ-killing properties, Triclosan has also been proven to harm your hormones. No triclosan in your Handmade Soap Club soap or many other organic handmade soap suppliers.
First developed as a pesticide in the ’60s, it has unfortunately found its way to self-care products. Thankfully, many states and countries are working towards prohibiting the sale of soaps containing triclosan.
Have you ever been stuck in a funk? Played small? Underestimated your worth? Maybe you know you are meant for more, but not sure where to start. If any of these situations ring a bell, you are not alone. Stepping into self-sovereignty is one of the most difficult yet liberating things to do. Spirituality is a major catalyst while stepping into your unapologetic self.
We’re here with Empowerment and Self-Sovereignty Coach Jessica Soares to discuss the importance of spirituality when it comes to feeling your best.
In our discussion with Soares, she tells us her interest for wellness originally stemmed from a curiosity for the metaphysical (at a very young age we might add). Soares says she was curious about “the nature of the universe and that which we cannot see”.
This metaphysical fascination led her to get deep into the exploration of Tarot. Through her understanding of the divination system of Tarot, Soares started up her own Tarot business. Through Tarot, she gives people an insight into their inherent power and connection to the Universe.
Learn more about Jessica Soares’s Tarot business here
“I’ve worked with Tarot for a long long time and when I began to see how much peace and affirmation others got from their readings, I began to explore all the other activities and practices that we have available to us that bring us peace and fulfillment and joy.”
Jessica Soares
During our interview with Soares, we explore the connection of spirituality and stepping into your self-sovereignty to your well-being.
Visit Jessica Soares’s empowerment and self-sovereignty website here.
How does self-confidence play a role in your overall wellness?
“It’s EVERYTHING! I am an empowerment and self-sovereignty coach, and if I didn’t believe that it is truly what is necessary, the foundation for all wellness, I wouldn’t be preaching this message. You must first have the confidence in your own inner voice, in your own self-knowledge to trust and know when you are well.
Because capitalism will keep trying to tell you that you aren’t. People will keep selling you things. And there is nothing wrong with buying the tools or paying for support (I do), but ultimately you must trust in your own capacity to heal. Self-confidence is self-trust in my book. And self-trust is everything. Trust that you are worth feeling your very best.”
So when you start to feel down, or in a state of lack, what is the first thing you do to combat that?
“I know it has been said time and time again, but gratitude. The cure for scarcity and lack mindset is shifting into an abundance mindset. When I start to feel down, firstly I let myself feel down. I don’t try to fix it or ignore it. I sit with the feelings and investigate what they are trying to tell me. And then, I remember all the good that there is in my life. My morning coffee overlooking the ocean, the TV show Insecure, rose in the summertime, Zoom game nights, travel memories. I remember all that the universe has given me.
Also, a 5-minute living room dance party. If you can do it naked, even better. This is a guaranteed upper.”
What is your number one suggestion for maintaining an empowered state of well-being?
“Trust. Trust that you are enough. Trust that you are worthy. Trust that you have value. Trust that you have something to say. Trust that your story is the key to someone else’s freedom.
To be truly empowered, you must be ok with being the black sheep, or the castaway, or misunderstood. Your path is not meant to look like anyone else’s. Don’t try to be the same, just be yourself. And more importantly, extend others the same grace.”
When you feel your best, what does that look like?
“Personally, it looks like not second-guessing myself. Trusting that my next step is correct for me even if it looks questionable to others. It looks like feeling safe, flexible, strong, free, and connected in my body. It looks like speaking up and being unafraid to set my boundaries. It looks like letting myself laugh until my cheeks hurt and cry until my tears run dry. It looks like accepting that I am an imperfect being who will go through cycles.
Practically, it involves a lot of water, a lot of rest, and a lot of questioning my internalized beliefs.”
Regarding spirituality, how do you incorporate the concept into your own well-being?
“My spiritual practice is inextricable from my wellness practice. I believe that to be truly well, encompassing the mind, body, heart, and spirit. I have a long-standing relationship with the Tarot and I honor the cycles of the moon and seasons as best I can.
The biggest way spirituality shows up in my well-being is choosing to co-create with the universe. I choose to trust that the gods and goddesses are on my team and want for my best and highest. Sometimes that looks like not getting what I want, but being gifted with what I need. I love me a good moon circle, casting spells by the ocean, and keeping my crystals, rosary, mala beads, and angels close.”
What does wellness truly mean to you and why?
“Wellness to me means the alignment of mind, body, heart, and spirit. It is about feeling good and whole and healthy. This looks different for every single person, it is about trusting your internal compass to know what is in your best and highest.”
What imagery comes to your head when you think of people’s wellness?
“Smiles. Exhales. Nature. Hiking through the trees. Dunking under waves. Laughing. Crying. Speaking truthfully. Dancing. Hugging. Water. Fresh food. Ice Cream (yes, ice cream is part of my wellness routine). “
The health and wellness industry is rapidly expanding. What do you think is a common misconception about these two terms?
“That it’s only for those with means. Health and wellness is for all of us and every single being on this planet has the right to feel good in their body. You do not need the 70 dollar yoga pants and the collection of 50 crystals. You do not need the 150 dollar Zabuton of the in-home infrared sauna. The most crucial things to our well being are free or easily accessible.
Water. Fresh, real food. Rest. Sunshine. Time in nature. Time with loved ones. Body movement. Your breath. Your awareness. Capitalism has commodified everything and convinced us that what we have is not enough and that is complete bullshit. Everything you need to be your best and highest is available to you right now. And no one knows you better than you know you. No yoga teacher, spiritual guide, or nutritionist. Your intuition is your most powerful arsenal at your disposal. Trust it.”
Is there anything you have learned on your wellness journey that you wish you could go back and tell your old self?
“You gotta let people do it on your own. You can’t fix, cajole, coax, anyone into doing something they are not. Do not over-give as a way of maintaining control. Walk alongside the people you love, there’s no such thing as being ahead of anyone.”
Out of the nine realms of wellness, the importance of social wellness tends to be overlooked. Thankfully we had the opportunity to talk to social wellness guru Natalie Levy. Responding to her want for a community of like minded women, Levy founded the event-based series Babes Who Brunch Club. This series creates a community for women in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle to come together.
Through our interview with Levy, we discuss the importance of human relations, community, and support on your social wellness. Levy is also a life coach who coaches women who want to launch service-based businesses in 90 days. Through her love of human connection and helping others heal, we get all the juicy deets on the roots of social wellness.
In our chat with Levy, she reveals her original interest in wellness stemmed from 11 years of depression and disordered eating. From bursting into tears at random times to having an unhealthy relationship with her body, Levy finally decided she needed to make a change in her lifestyle.
After her wellness suffered for years, Levy came to the conclusion that helping others through their mental challenges made her feel her best. She then decided to follow her passion and attain her Masters in Applied Pyschology. Levy knew that in order to help others she needed to heal herself first. This sparked the dawn of her wellness journey. Years later and she is now a life coach and created an event-based series for women in the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.
In our interview with Levy, she talks us through all the main aspects of applying social wellness to your life.
Why is it so important to your social wellness to have a supportive community?
“There’s tons of research on human connection and how strong relationships improve long-term health. I mean, just hugging on a daily basis drastically improves your immune system! Basically, we are social beings with the need for physical and emotional connection. I believe that then we have a community of like-minded people, it impacts our self-esteem and makes us feel safer to be ourselves.
However, this is not always readily available to people. Sometimes healthy relationships aren’t modeled in the home, or someone’s larger than life personality is too big for their small town, or maybe someone has an alternative lifestyle that not many people can relate to. Yet, the truth is that there’s someone out there for everyone. I believe community can be found easier than ever thanks to the internet. So if anyone is reading this and doesn’t feel like they have a community, do some research and find a virtual group to hang out with!”
Is there anything you have learned from creating Babes Who Brunch Club regarding the importance of community, social wellness, and human connection?
“I once heard Gary Vee say something to the effect of, ‘If you’re not invited to the party, throw your own’. The way I interpreted that is, to build your own platform so you can create the experiences you want to participate in, with the people you want to connect with. That’s what I did with Babes Who Brunch Club. I didn’t quite see the types of networking events I loved, so I cultivated my own.
I think community building is something many people want to do, but they don’t know how. I’m not going to simply say ‘build it and they will come’. There’s a method to enrolling people into your vision and creating experiences that will inspire people to connect and come back. But, I will say that if you really want to build a community and find like minded people, and you haven’t found a community that you want to join, be proactive and create your own.”
So what exactly does wellness mean to you and why?
Wellness is such a loaded word now that it’s become such a huge industry! Personally, wellness is about enjoying myself as much as I can for however long I’m here. You can have the most expensive face masks, and a luxurious robe, and a million dollars in the bank and not be ‘well’.
To me, wellness is eating a mostly plant-based diet, moving my body, building strong and loving relationships, exploring new places, learning something new daily, advocating for things I believe in, speaking to myself nicely, and focusing on building financial wellness through my business. I love face masks and robes too! But those are nice-to-haves and not necessities when it comes to feeling good.”
What imagery comes to your head when you think of people’s social wellness?
“I think of people gathering in a community. While my primary business is coaching, I also founded the event series Babes Who Brunch Club because I believe that community is a form of wellness. I can contribute a lot of my confidence and well-being to the relationships I’ve nurtured throughout the years. I wanted to create a container where bonds are created, important conversations are had, and wellness related activities are affordable and accessible.”
What do you think is a common misconception about health and wellness?
“I think that because the term ‘health and wellness’ has been hijacked to represent an industry, we’ve come to believe in the commoditization of wellness, when in reality wellness is available to us at all times. You don’t need to get acupuncture and then reiki, after sitting for an hour in an infrared sauna and standing on your head while touching your nose, in order to be ‘well’. You can simply have a really grounding morning routine (free), practice breath work (free), journal (free), spend time in nature (free), move your body in some way that feels good to you (free), and laugh a lot (also free).
My point is that health and wellness looks different for everyone, and it certainly doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive. Just to reiterate, I love reiki (I’m reiki certified I & II), and I love infrared saunas, and acupuncture, and juices, and health food stores. But in many places and for many people, those are luxuries. Everything you really need to be well is at your disposal at all times.”
What initially made you interested in improving your own health and wellness?
My initial interest in improving my health came from my experience with depression and disordered eating. After losing my mom in early adolescence, I fell into a depression of varying degrees for about 11 years. Depression doesn’t always look like lethargy, or sleeping all day in a dark room, or losing interest in everything. I was still a high achiever, with a social life, and extracurriculars. But I would also cry myself to sleep, burst into tears at random, had a fraught relationship with family, started drinking at a young age, and had a very unhealthy relationship with my body (to name just a few experiences).
When I was around 15 years old, I realized that I felt my best when I was supporting others through their mental health issues and decided I would become a clinical psychologist. Long story short, I obtained my Master’s in Applied Psychology but ultimately decided against getting my PhD. Still, in my early 20’s, I acknowledged that if I wanted to help people heal, I had to heal myself. I started on what some may call a spiritual journey and repaired my relationship with my body, and now here I am!”
Do you have any tips for anyone going through a tough or challenging time in their social wellness?
“This is tricky, because there’s no one size fits all, and every type of difficulty will require a different response. However, if I were to give one universal tip, it’s to move your body and find a somatic release. We store a lot of tension, hurt, disappointment, and trauma in our bodies, some of it ancestral. Movement, especially intentional movement, can help us release a lot of what doesn’t serve us. Ecstatic dance, breathwork, EFT tapping, Kundalini yoga, or just dancing around your bedroom naked to Beyonce, are all things I do to keep my energy flowing and feeling good.
Another small suggestion is to find wonder again. When we’re going through a tough time, the smallest things can seem like grievances. So this may be easier said than done, but I’ve asked my clients to take a walk and start to look at everything as if it’s the very first time they’ve seen it— flowers, trees, grass, butterflies, the road, the house next door. We go through our lives so preoccupied and taking everything for granted. We kind of have to in order to be productive in modern-day society. But I guarantee that if you took a walk today down your street and made it a point to find wonder and awe in the little things, your world would seem a little bit brighter and more exciting.”
When you start to lose confidence or participate in self-doubt what is the first thing you do to combat that?
“I make an effort to observe my thoughts. I ask myself questions about where my self-doubt is stemming from, what triggered it, what’s true about it, what’s not true about it, etc. I don’t necessarily always come up with answers right away, and sometimes I just allow myself to feel the things! But finding answers isn’t the point.
The point is to treat my thoughts and subsequent feelings as experiences instead of as truth or defining characteristics. All of who we are is literally a compilation of stories and narratives. My whole thing is to pick and choose the narratives that I like and that work for me. While that doesn’t make me impermeable to dips in self-esteem or mood (I still have my fair share of depressive episodes), it allows me to bounce back a whole lot quicker.”
When we feel down, our environment plays a key role in healing. What is your #1 suggestion for maintaining a sacred space to heal in?
“Everything and every space are sacred with intention. Of course, it’s nice to have tools like Palo Santo. It’s nice to create an altar with crystals and trinkets. But, none of it is actually necessary because healing happens within.
If you want to create a sacred space, my suggestion is to witness your innate sacredness. Connect with your guides. Connect with your ancestors. Write prayers. Dance naked. Bless your space with your own words. Take care of your body. Say nice things to it. Feed it nourishing food. Sit in stillness and quiet often. Basically, create your own rituals. That’s all you really need.”
Is there anything you have learned on your wellness/self-healing journey that you wish you could go back and tell your old self?
“That I am being divinely guided in all that I do. Nothing is an accident. Everything ends up making sense at some juncture in my life. And I am protected and loved, period. Also, that my sadness didn’t define me. That my body, my weight and my appearance doesn’t define me. And that one day, I would look in the mirror and love myself, because that’s not something I thought was possible for me when I was a teenager.”
When it comes to applying wellness to your life, it is definitely more than working out and eating healthy. Taking responsibility for your health and your decisions play a huge role in wellness. In our interview with Swan Dances With Breeze Diaz, we get to discover wellness in the eyes of an Ayurveda specialist.
Also being an herbalist, alchemist, and licensed Holistic Aesthetic Practitioner, Diaz has years of experience when it comes to health and wellness. Dealing with skin conditions in her early years led her to develop Natural Passion 4 Wellness, a line of natural self-care products.
Wellness in the Eyes of Swan Dances With Breeze Diaz
In our chat with Diaz, we reveal what she has discovered wellness means through the years of her own personal experience and journey.
What is a common misconception about a person’s health and wellness?
“I feel a common misconception is that a person has to be perfect at it and requires a lot of time. Although with practice, improvement comes”.
What does wellness mean to you and why?
“Wellness to me means having a daily mind, body, & spirit connection. Wellness is also progress, not perfection”.
What initially made you interested in improving your own health and wellness?
“I became more interested due to my skin challenges”.
What type of imagery comes to your head when you think of people’s wellness?
“The yoga pose Sarvangasana. Benefits of Sarvangasana include blood circulation regulation, healthy thyroid gland, curing constipation, reduces hair loss, lower stress levels, improved sleep quality, weight management, promotes healthy hormonal balance, reduces varicose veins, and many other benefits”.
There’s lots of talk about the mind-body connection. How would you explain this concept to someone?
“On my journey, I’ve learned a mind-body connection means slowing down, taking time for Self every morning and evening. Even if it’s just 5 minutes. We all have 5 minutes to pray, chant, meditate, stretch, journal, or whatever allows you to sit with Self. We need to learn how to be our best friends first! When we slow down, we can connect with Self and hear our spirit guides”.
Food is a major component of holistic health. How does what you consume connect to your approach of well-being?
“Just like the simple saying, ‘we are what we eat’, but complex. And to take the saying a little deeper, we become what we invest our energy into”.
Tips for Optimized Wellness
In order to take responsibility for our own health and well-being, we asked Diaz for some helpful tips to get started. In our conversation, she answers many common questions that present themselves in people starting off their wellness journey.
Any tips you have for balancing overall wellness via foods?
“Shop at your local farmers market as much as possible for your produce. First, this will support your local community, and second, it allows you to consume the freshest non-GMO ingredients. We should be eating foods that are in season. That way you receive the nutrients to keep us healthy seasonally. Lastly, you can check out my Facebook page ‘Taste My Love‘ for more intentional tips”.
Your home is an important part of your well-being. How would you recommend making sure your home space is benefitting your wellness?
“It’s quite difficult to pick one suggestion. One of the many tips I’d share is to become familiar with Feng shui. Feng shui can help guide you to be more intentional with how to set up your space for creating balance for healing in your home”.
When you feel your body getting ill what is the first step you take to heal?
“I rarely get ill, but a mindful perspective I’d like to share is if ever I feel ill there are several mindful components to consider. Some of these include what am I consuming (food or energy exchange with people), daily body movement, water consumption, daily intentional spiritual practice, limiting EMFs, connecting with nature, breath-work, etc.
When I go through my intentional checklist I’m usually able to pin-point what needs more attention. The onset of illness is the body, mind, and spirit communicating to us that it needs our attention to be more mindful [of] our choices”.
Is there anything you have learned on your wellness journey that you wish you could go back and tell your old self?
“I would tell myself I always have 5 minutes day and night for my mind, body, and spirit practice. I’d also tell my younger self to grow my own food and peace comes from within.
‘Your vibe attracts your tribe’ meaning if you have a healthy or unhealthy relationship with yourself, your relationship choices will reflect that…so choose wisely”.
