Happy December! In this season of giving and abundance, we hope that you can find the practice of Santosha, or contentment. “Santosha is the second of five Niyamas in Yogic philosophy and is all about being present, grateful, and content with all that is in life. It is the opposite of feeling that you constantly need to gain or become more than what the present moment is and create a greater sense of gratification. When we let go of the constant need to become, we can more easily just be.”
Allison is ecstatic to announce a new lunchtime yoga class in Kent, Ohio at Shine Yoga & Integrated Wellness. The class is on Mondays at noon and is a perfect way to get some time for yourself in the middle of the work day.
This Month’s Resources
Nectar of the Gods
Honey! It has been used as a food and as a medicine for as long as can be traced back in time. We love it for its sweet taste, antibacterial properties, nutritional value, digestion, gut health, immune health, skin health, and more!
When buying honey, be sure to get local and raw! This is where you find all the beneficial properties of honey. “Pasteurized honey is the sort of honey you will generally find in your major supermarkets. This is the kind of honey that is nice and clear liquid and does not crystalize. It is usually heated to a very high temperature, which helps to prevent the honey crystalizing but this also kills off the good bacterial enzymes. It is also passed through a fine filter to remove any impurities or particles from the honey, leaving a clear golden liquid that does not crystalize. It may look good…but a lot of what is beneficial in the honey has been removed.” To learn more about the benefits of honey and the different kinds of honey, click here!
Red Night Lights
Remember is last months email that talked a lot on red light? Or August’s email that talked about the toxicity of blue light? The Optimal Wellness team has been diving deep into light and recently got some red nightlights that we love and wanted to share! “The soft red glow will allow you to see in the dark without disrupting your night vision or melatonin.” This red night light allows for natural melatonin production, preserves night vision, and does not have any disruptive blue or green light. We put ours in the bathrooms, in the hallway leading up the stairs, and in the kitchen.
Upcoming Retreats
