Need to supercharge your focus ? Deepen your meditation or to get that report written in a jiffy ? Hakini Mudra can help ! What is Hakini mudra? What does this mudra mean ? Who is Goddess Hakini?
Hakini Mudra for memory and concentration
Hakini Mudra is a 2-hand mudra done by connecting the left fingertips and thumb to the right fingertips and thumb.
By connecting both hands, we are also connecting both hemispheres of the brain. Why is that important? Because many sensory receptors on the right hand send signals to the left side of the brain. And in the same way, many of the left hand’s sensory receptors send signals to the brain ‘s right hemisphere.
In this great criss-crossing of signals, receptors and transmitters, Hakini Mudra is kind of like flipping the brain’s switch on.
This is why it is a useful mudra when memorizing information or when you need to sharpening your focus. It helps improve concentration before or during meditation for example. But this mudra is also a great everyday tool at that weekly office meeting. Have you ever joined your fingers tips when you listen or speak to someone? You have very likely done Hakini Mudra without even realizing it, unconsciously asking the brain to wake up! -coffee optional!
How to do Hakini Mudra ?
Place the fingertips and tip of the thumb of one hand to the fingertips and tip of the thumb of the other hand.
Keep the fingers tips facing upwards.
Leave the wrists free, without touching each other. Let your fingertips kiss!
Breathe smoothly and deeply in Hakini Mudra. Keep the hands in front of the heart or navel, or hold the mudra over the head..
Another option is to hold this mudra in front of the 3rd eye. Goddess Hakini is said to reside here in the 3rd eye chakra. Yep, here comes a goddess!
Let your fingertips kiss in Hakini Mudra
Who is Goddess Hakini ?
Goddess Hakini resides in Ajña or the 3rd eye Chakra. She is often depicted with many arms –like all divinities in Hinduism- and with 6 pale-colored faces, like 6 moons.
Hakini is an aspect of Shakti, the feminine energy principle, or primordial energy. Shakti is often considered in the duo Shiva-Shakti. Here, Shakti is Shiva’s consort, and Shiva the masculine aspect of energy, and god of Transformation.
The 3rd eye is the chakra of vision, clairvoyance and intuition. In this chakra, we are in the realms of wisdom, imagination and psychic capacities. Working here, in the seat of goddess Hakini with the mudra that honors her can open us to the limitless power of the mind! Be ready for supreme meditations !
When I’m not on the yoga mat, meditation cushion or in my flamenco shoes… When I’m not shaking a shamanic rattle and drumming till the devas come home… Or when I’m not Reiki-ing myself, my crystals or other people… I write and draw!
And today, I am delighted, honored, dancing, smiling, giggling and sooo happy to present Dancing Devas!
(well, OK, I also hold classes, am an entrepreneur in organic beauty, and I care for my family -and I occasionally cook dinner for the clan…)
More about my author-illustrator work inFisso’s World
Dancing Devas, my new Children’s Picture Book
Dancing Devasis my 3rd book, after Wandering Angkor and Fisso’s World in Cambodia cartoons. I sold over 3000 copies of my first 2 books!
Dancing Devas is a Children’s Picture Book that tells the story of Vida, and intrepid girl who discovers a magical forest with her 6-legged side-kick, Zazu.
When Vida chases her cheeky grasshopper friend Zazu out of her yard into the forest, they find themselves transported to a surprising jungle world.
They stumble upon mysterious ruins when suddenly… SWISH! SHOVE! THUD! All around them, stone ruins and carvings start coming to life!
Will Vida and Zazu escape the fierce Giants and dodge the hissing mythical Serpents? How will they gatecrash the Apsara Fairy Queen’s rambunctious dance party? Dancing Devas is a lively and whimsical children’s picture book, where Southeast Asian myths, art and architecture come to life.
Dancing Devas – 34 pages – Full color
Behind Dancing Devas
Dancing Devas is a labor of love that bridges so many worlds and times.
A bridge over the Pacific Ocean:
I started creating this Children’s Picture Book in San Francisco, scribbling when the kids were busy and I was not teaching yoga. I had a little table in the corner of a bright room where I’d play with acrylic paints and inks. My computer had dozens of sketches scotched to the wall behind it. Then the book was left aside, and kind of steeped in its own magical tea. Or should I say, fermented into bubbly kombucha!
I picked it up again in Singapore, tweaked the start and the end to make it resonate best with the kids and adults that will read it. I went back to my drawing board and computer with a new vision. And I turned words over and over, upside-down and right-side up in my head, over my tongue and through the countless proof and edit readings. (Many many thanks to my beta readers).
A cultural bridge:
As a child of mixed heritage, with unruly hair and visibly brown skin, I grew up loving stories… but not recognizing myself in them. Why did the princesses (nearly always) have light hair or fair skin? Why were all the books we read in school set in Europe or North America? I mean, even the stories I wrote and drew as a child featured light colored characters with long smooth hair…
Then one day when I was in Elementary school, a neighbor gifted me the Children’s novel she had written. The neighbor was Minfong Ho, and her book was Sing to the Dawn (which I love). What a revelation : a book in English for kids about kids in Thailand! Books about brown kids was possible! I now had books in my shelf that reflected my bi-racial and multicultural background.
Fast forward to where I stand today: creating stories where cultures and skin colors mix.
A bridge between the worlds:
Dancing Devas is firstly an adventure picture book. Vida and Zazu stumble upon a magic forest where, to their surprise, ancient sculptures come to life. They meet supernatural creatures such as the Giants, and Nagas (mythical serpents), and they party with the Apsara fairies (celestial dancers).
Beyond a journey into the myths, art and architecture of South and Southeast Asia, Dancing Devas is also told like a meditative journey. Vida and Zazu travel together from their ordinary everyday reality into the dream-like reality where anything is possible, even ancient stone statues dancing to life!
I loved walking these bridges in my creation process. And now my wish is that Dancing Devas flies out into the world and delights you and all the children you know. As an independent author-illustrator, I need you to help make it fly!
It is available in paperback on Amazon(.com, as well as all others) and can be ordered at your brick-and-mortar bookshop. Dancing Devas is also widely available on ebook platforms all over the world.
Shamanism: If you follow me or take my classes, you most certainly have heard the word “shamanism”. But what is shamanism? Who is a shaman? Is there a difference between a shaman and a shamanic practitioner?
What is Shamanism?
We say that Shamanism is one of Humankind’s oldest practices. Ancient traces of death and burial rituals can be found all around the world. Prehistoric cave art also shows the very strong link between Man and nature.
A tribe’s survival at the time depended heavily on their relationship with their environment. Where was the best place to set up camp and sleep? To hunt? Which plants were edible? When was the best time to plant, harvest, move the tribe to another location?
Our ancestors didn’t have Google Maps nor weather alerts!
Their survival was very closely intertwined with their ability to live in harmony with Nature and the unseen forces. It was crucial to be able to understand and communicate with these forces.
Who is a shaman?
Long ago, a medicine man or a woman often took the role of intermediary between the group and the world of forces that are greater than us.
This medicine man or woman would have been the group’s doctor, therapist, perhaps also the ceremony holder, artist, musician, sometimes tribal leader… What we also call Shaman. And the more clearly the Shaman could understand and communicate with Nature, the more his or her tribe was assured of surviving and thriving. Think finding food, shelter, birthing babies, healing from injuries or illnesses…
Origin of the word “Shaman”
The word “Shaman” itself comes from a Tungus word, the language of a shamanic people in Siberia.
This word is often translated as “He/She who sees”. The Shaman is the one who sees in the dark, who sees with the 3rd eye, or with the heart. The Shaman is also the one who communicates with all the worlds we do not see, who understands Nature’s signs, and holds ceremonies to get answers, help and healings.
What is the difference between a shaman and a shamanic practitioner?
Nowadays, both the words and “shaman” and “shamanic practitioner” are common.
Often, we consider the shaman to be the traditional shaman, and the shamanic practitioner to be the one who practices shamanism in a more “modern, urbanized” context. But of course you will find both terms, used with or without differentiation, depending on who you talk to.
The traditional shaman and the shamanic practitioner, however, share a family of practices.
Both go on Shamanic Journeys to the other worlds, to ask questions and make requests. They journey to the sound of percussion (to the beat of a drum, clicking sticks for example), via songs or though the ingestion of ceremonial plants.
Along with journeying to the Unseen Worlds, shamanism’s key practice is the great reverence of Nature. This reverence may be to the land and the plants and animals that live there, the cycles of Nature, the elements (Water, Fire, Earth etc).
How to be a shaman?
I am often asked if we are born a shaman or become one.
My perception is that we are all born with the ability to perceive non-ordinary worlds. Maybe you remember having animal, plant or spirit friends as a child. Or maybe you remember you could feel the energies in a space. We might lose some of these abilities as we grow up, but the door never completely closes.
As a student and a teacher, I have met very few people who cannot journey in a shamanic way. Sometimes it takes several tries, but I don’t remember anyone who did not succeed after persevering. Also, just like many practices: you may choose to cultivate and deepen the practice, or not. Life sometimes nudges us in ways that “force” us to cultivate it – “Do the work…. Or else!”
Another key aspect of shamanic work is the relationship we have with our Power Animals and Spirit helpers and guides. These relationships are truly the ones that fuel the power and magic of work – and the ability of a shaman to get results. The more we deepen these relationships, the more powerful the work becomes.
And finally, we often say that we are named Shaman not by ourselves, but by our community. It’s kinda like a 5-star rating for achieving results!
Ready to experience shamanism?
Come to the next shamanic circle – we journey to the beat of a drum. Each circle has a different theme.
Or learn shamanic practices like drum journeying and Power Animal Retrieval in the 1-on-1 Spirit Animal, Power Animal training
Or book a session just for you! We work on you and your needs over one or several sessions.
The Gayatri Mantra is one of the most well-known and chanted mantras in the Vedic tradition. It is most often invoked at sunrise or sunset, in honor of the Sun and light. What does the Gayatri Mantra mean? Why do we chant it in yoga and meditation classes?
My very first long mantra
The Gayatri Mantra is one of the first “long” mantras I learned – that is, a mantra with more than a couple of syllables! – along with the invocation to Patanjali at the opening of Iyengar yoga classes.
I was captivated by the mantra’s rhythm and accessibility. There are no long tongue-twisting Sanskrit words in her 4 short verses . And also, the literal meaning – a prayer to the divine and to the light – seemed within my reach.
Today, decades later (yes, a drop in the ocean on the scale of this mantra!), the Gayatri Mantra remains one of my favorites. Maybe for the same reasons. And maybe also because the more I sit with her, the more I fall in love.
So, let’s dive into the Gayatri, and maybe by the end you’ll be chanting this mantra as much as I did while writing!
Meet the Gayatri Mantra
Let’s start with… the mantra herself! Beyond the meaning, just the vibrations of Sanskrit syllables are the best introduction.
The Gayatri Mantra
Here is help for the pronounciation:
om bhoor bhoova svaha
tat saveetoor vareyniyam
bhargo deyvasiya dhimahee
deeyo yo na prachodayat
There are many ways to invoke this mantra: by chanting, by repeating at different rhythms, in song. And you’ll hear different versions whether you are at the temple in different parts of India, Bali or the West, in yoga classes, at kirtans, in music…
Here are two recordings (by moi), the second is more chanted than the first. Enjoy!
Gayatri Mantra Invocation
Gayatri Mantra Chant
The Gayatri Mantra, the mother of all mantras
The Gayatri Mantra appears for the first time in the Rig Veda, one of the oldest texts dating back to the Vedic period in India (from -1500 to -500). The mantra is so important that she is considered a goddess: the goddess Gayatri or Gayatri Devi!
The Gayatri contains 24 bija syllables – the seed syllables. Just as plant seeds contain all the genetic information and energy to start their lives, these seed syllables are the essence of all creation.
The 24 syllables do not include the first line “Om Bhur Bhuva Svaha”. This verse is an opening, introduced by Om (= the primordial sound, the Universe), and an invocation to the 3 vyahrtis, or planesof existence:
Bhur = Earth (physical life), existence, past
Bhuva = Space, consciousness, the present
Svaha = Heaven, Beatitude, the Future
Then comes the mantra herself.
The meaning of the Gayatri Mantra
There are many translations of this mantra.
All of them sing the glory of the Sun, the Creation, the One. And all of them also invite her light to cover us with blessings.
Here is the first translation I learned in Sivananda yoga class:
Om, Let us meditate on Isvara (or Savitri) and His Glory who has created the Universe, who is fit to be worshipped, who is the remover of all sins and ignorance. May he enlighten our intellect.
Swami Sivananda
I learned this version during my initial 200H yoga teacher training:
Om, Earth, Mid-heaven, Heaven,
Let us meditate on that most
Excellent light of divine Sun,
That it may illuminate our minds.
YogaWorks
And here is my own version (mixed myself so definitely non-literal!) that speaks to me personally:
Om, Earth, Ether, Heaven,
Let us meditate on the light of the Sun, the divine Force that gives life,
May her radiance bless us.
A mantra in honor of the sun
The Gayatri Mantra is also called Savitri Mantra, in honor of Savitri, the Sun god, found in the word “Savitur”.
The Sun, creative force, giver or mother of all life.
To be more precise, Savitri is the Sun at dawn, hence the power of this mantra invoked at sunrise. The rest of the day, the Sun is Surya! Surya as in the Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutations.
How to use the Gayatri Mantra in yoga practice?
Traditionally, this mantra is invoked at dawn.
Some will suggest you get up at 4 a.m. to sing the glory of the Sun! Others suggest invoking the mantra at daybreak. It is a very powerful practice! I invite you to try, even just for a day.
Of course such timings may not work for everyone. So here are a few great options to make the Gayatri Mantra part of your daily practice: when you wake up, when you see the sun for the first time, at noon, or at sunset.
Or simply when you sit in the sun!
You can chant it out loud or repeat it internally. How many times should you repeat the Gayatri Mantra? Once, a couple of time, a dozen or even 108 times with a mala! The only invitation is to chant with all your heart.
The Gayatri Mantra connects us to the light, to the energy at the source of life. She reminds us that day always comes back after night. And She invites us to honor the light within and around us.
That is it for this introduction to the magic of the Gayatri Mantra!
May it invite you to which dive into your practice with curiosity and devotion!
Om Om Om!
Translations of the words of the Gayatri Mantra:
Here are simple translations of the words. Again, my notions of Sanskrit are limited to my yoga practice, mantras and related text readings. If you are a Sanskrit specialist, and if you think a translation deserves more details, let me know!
Om = primordial sound.
Bhur = Earth (physical life), existence, past
Bhuva = Space, consciousness, the present
Svaha = Heaven, Bliss, the Future
Tat = this, the Supreme Divine Being
Savitur = the Sun God or Protector
Varenyam = most loved
Bhargo = bright, luminous
Devasya = deity
Dimahi = meditate
Dhiyoh = the spirit
Yo nah = realization of unity
Prachodhayat = to be enlightened.
The Gayatri Mantra
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Grasshopper Pose opens the hips, twists the spine and strengthens the core. Get your hopper on – with grace and elegance! Here’s how to, step by step.
Benefits of Grasshopper: an all-in-one pose!
Grasshopper Pose
Grasshopper Pose is called Parsva Bhuja Dandasana in Sanskrit, which means “Side staff on the arms”. It is also known as Maksikanagasana, Dragonfly Pose.
With legs up in the air, one bent and the other stretched far out to the side, the shape of the pose truly looks a grasshopper ready to jump! That is probably why Grasshopper is the most often used name.
(Note: Dragonfly Pose is also the name for other poses, such as Upavistha Konasana, Seated Wide Angle Pose)
Let’s look at this pose’s many actions:
Hip opening
Spinal twist
Forward fold
Strength in the arms and core
Balance -yep, on your hands
And willpower and patience!
Prepare for Grasshopper Pose
It often takes willpower and patience to practice the this pose. There’s no rushing into this pose but gradual warming and opening of the body with:
Sun Salutations to create heat and wake the body up,
Adho Mukha Svanasana or inversions to lengthen the spine
Twists,
Hamstring opening with forward folds like Uttanasana or Pascimottanasana or Janu Sirsasana,
Hip openers like Malasana, Marichyasana series, or Pigeon, Lotus or Butterfly pose.
And then set off to meet the Grasshopper Mother (or Daddy Hopper) in all her splendor!
How to do Grasshopper Pose?
Ready to channel the Queen or the King of Hops?
From the Mountain Pose,
Start with Ardha Utkatasana, Half Chair Pose (or “Funky Chair”): bend the left knee and cross the ankle on the right thigh, while releasing the hips towards the ground and bending the right knee, into Chair Pose
Bring the palms of the hands together in front of the heart
Half Chair Pose – Funky Chair
And on an exhale, turn the torso and place your elbow or (better) the upper left arm on the sole of the left foot for Parsva Ardha Utkatasana: Half Twisting Chair Pose
Short break here if you want – breathe!
Half Chair Pose Twist
Then exhale and release the hands to the floor, shoulder width apart, elbows close to the body
Start transferring your weight from the right foot to the arms: come on the tip of the right foot, find a solid contact between your left foot and the upper left arm, raise your hips
Set up for Grasshopper Pose
Then lift the right foot, activate the core, keep the elbows close to the torso, and straighten the leg!
There you are, Grasshopper! Breathe!
To get out of the pose, put your foot back on the ground, and gradually untangle your torso and legs to return to center. Do the other side!
Grasshopper Pose!
Tips for Grasshopper Pose
Warm up!
Place the foot as high as possible on the arm / on the triceps: this helps balance the weight between the torso and the legs
Raise the hips to lift the lower body, and lean forward: this also helps balance of the torso / leg weight
And if it’s not for today: practice Chaturanga, Crow / Crane Pose as well as side Crane and hip-openers to prepare.
Contraindications to Grasshopper Pose
Always practice listening to your body – Grasshopper has very sharp hearing and invites us to listen intently:
This posture may not be appropriate in the case of hip, wrist, back or shoulder issues.
Grasshopper Pose combines many actions: deep hip opening, strength in the arms and torso, forward bending and twisting of the spine. So listen carefully if your body tells you it doesn’t want to go too deep into asana today.
Go for Baby Grasshopper or Crow / Crane Pose instead, as you build up to full Grasshopper!
Hop, hop hop!
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“Reiki” comes from 2 Japanese words “Rei” and “Ki”. “Rei” means “mysterious, sacred” and “Ki” is the vital or universal energy.
Reiki is “sacred or mysterious energy“. So what really is Reiki? And how can we connect to it?
Ki, Chi or Prana
In yoga, meditation and all forms of energy work, everything is energy. The body is energy, the space we are in is energy, and so is everything around us. Call it Ki, Chi, or Prana, in Japanese, Chinese, or Indian traditions, it is all the same thing: the vital, universal energy that carries life.
Energies move in different ways, and sometimes they stagnate. Just like the flow of traffic! In the body, when energy stagnates, blocks can form along the energy channels or in the chakras. As we work to get those energies moving again, the body returns to harmony.
How do we get energy to move?
1- Get the body moving! Running, dancing, swimming, any physical activity will get the general energy flowing. Practices such as yoga, qi gong, tai chi or somatic movement, dance therapy will get you moving with the idea of balancing the body and mind.
2- If movement is not an option, or just not your thing right now : receive Reiki! Reiki helps get to move and balance energy as you quietly lie down. Delightful! What is more, it is not just any type of Ki, it is sacred Ki, the Ki of light. Get your fill of bright, sparkly, positive energy!
How does Reiki work?
The practitioner is a channel for Reiki, the universal energy of light. It flows through him/her/them.
To start, a practitioner opens the session by intentionally creating a sacred space for both giver and receiver. Then, he calls in Reiki, and directs the flow onto the receiver by laying of hands on the body of the recipient (excluding intimate areas and always fully clothed!). Sometimes the practitioner keeps his hands about ten centimeters / ½ a foot from the body, remaining in the receiver’s subtle body energy, without touching.
Some practitioners feel the body’s energy blocks through the hands. Others sense the blocks intuitively. They then lay their hands on these places. Others follow a sequence, placing their hands in specific places in a set order.
Many practitioners mix both techniques, and some also introduce other healing modalities into their Reiki practice. Use of crystals placed on the body, tarot cards, shamanic practices, coaching questions, sound healing with singing bowls or gongs or mantra… the list is endless and so rich!
Why is Reiki channeled through the hands?
Our body has energy centers called Chakras. We are usually familiar with the 7 main in-body chakras that align along the spine. But there are also plenty of secondary chakras in the body.
The palms of the hands are one example of secondary chakras! The palms is where Reiki flows out from the giver. This is why the practitioner places his hands on the receiver.
Rainbow Reiki hands!
How does Reiki feel?
Each person has their own sensitivity. And all ways are fine!
You may feel heat coming from the practitioner’s hands. Or you may feel coolness. Your body and mind may completely relax, or experience an inner upheaval. Visualizations may happen, you may see colors, shapes, or perceive entire inner landscapes. You may also fall asleep, or not feel anything at all!
Everything is great. Reiki is light energy, and only flows with the best intentions for the receiver’s higher good. There is no “right” way to experience it.
Often as well, the effects of a session can be felt hours, days, even months later. This is because a session can set an energetic realignment in motion, the effects of which we do not feel until later. Each session lets us plant Reiki light seeds!
Does Reiki have a placebo effect or is it energy medicine?
Let us look at the question this way. In Traditional Chinese Medicine the meridians are a network of channels that carry Chi, vital energy around the body. But the meridians mostly do not have a physical support: they do not follow the blood circulation system, for example. And yet in the Western world today, and without physical evidence of these energetic meridians, Traditional Chinese Medicine practices such as acupuncture – and Ayurveda’s Marma points therapy- are widely recognized as effective.
It looks like the energy channels, where Chi, Ki or Prana circulates, must have something to do with it.
Reiki and modern medicine
Of course, Reiki is not a substitute for modern medical treatment. It’s not about skipping a chemotherapy appointment because you’re receiving Reiki sessions.
On the other hand, Reiki has no contraindications! I think it can at the very least help the receiver relax, release anxiety and feel more at home in their body. In this way, Reiki is a great complement to classic treatments. And hey, if you are willing to try, the worst that can happen is a placebo effect!
Where I live now in California, Reiki is offered in several hospitals, as complementary care to major procedures (for cancer, HIV, infertility…). Some of my Reiki friends work with palliative care or post-traumatic stress reduction programs. Others offer Reiki to animals in shelters, or front-line workers during California’s forest fires. In Switzerland, certain health insurances include Reiki as a modality they pay for. Maybe Reiki is already mainstream where you live -yay! And if not, let’s get Reiki soon to a hospital near you!
Whether you “believe” in the Chakra system, or that energy can be channeled and transmitted by touch, or in the existence of a luminous, positive energy called Reiki, it’s all up to you!
The best may be to try Reiki for yourself and see!
See my post here for an easy way to feel your own Ki.
To learn more about the chakras, here are some posts:
What plants are burned for energy cleansing?Where do these sacred plants come from? Some of these plants and their habitats are under threat. How can we use the plants responsibly and with respect for them, their ecosystems and the communities that live with them?
In the post “Why burn plants for energy cleansing?” we dive into why humans have been burning sacred plants throughout history. We also take a look at the different ways of burning sacred plants, and how to make responsible and ethical choices when choosing ritual plants today.
Many plants commonly used today for energy cleansing are sacred for cultures around the world. What is more, histories of cultural persecution surround some of these plants. It is therefore important today to make authentic choices when it comes to burning sacred plants.
In this article “6 sacred plants for energy cleansing”, we’ll look at 6 plants in more detail. Where do they grow? How to use them? Are these plants at risk and is it OK to use them in our spiritual practices?
Here is my list of the most common plants for energy and space cleansing. There are plenty of others; if you would like to see other plants featured here, please let me know!
White Sage is a plant endemic to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Native American tribes in this region use this plant for purification and ceremonies, as well as for its medicinal properties.
Dried sage leaves are usually tied up in a bundle, sometimes with other plants such as Cedar.
Burning white sage drives away heavy or stagnant energies, and thus helps to cleanse space, objects and people’s energy. As an infusion, White sage can also help treat digestive or menstrual issues.
Is White Sage vulnerable?
I think it’s important to know that white sage is currently at risk of being over-harvested in the wild. Herbalist groups such as United Plant Savers in the United States, recommend buying sustainably cultivated sage – instead of wild sage. Even better : buying sage that is cultivated sustainably AND in a way that is respectful of the traditions of the tribes that use it.
Desert Sage (Artemisia tridentata)
Artemisia tridentata / Desert Sage
Desert Sage is endemic to arid western / northwestern parts of North America, basically in desert areas from Canada to northern Mexico.
Just like White Sage, Native American tribes in these regions use Desert Sage as a medicinal and cleansing herb. Look out for it in bundles of dried stems and leaves.
Is Desert Sage vulnerable?
It is not currently considered at risk, and thus presents an alternative to White Sage – as long as it is not over-harvested! Like for White Sage, look out for Desert Sage grown in a sustainable manner and respectful of the communities to which the plant is sacred.
Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens)
From Central and South American dry season forests comes Palo Santo
“Palo Santo” means “sacred wood”.
The Palo Santo tree is endemic to Central and South America. It grows in dry season forests.
It often comes in the form of wood sticks, cut from trees that have fallen to the ground (in the best case). The medicine people and shamans in the region burn Palo Santo to uplift energy, attract positive vibes and prepare for ceremonies. The use of the Palo Santo is said to go back all the way to the Incas!
Today, the growing interest in traditional spiritual practices around the world means that many shops sell Palo Santo, sometimes very far from the forests of South America! (All the way to Singapore, where I have seen packs of Palo Santo sticks, much to my surprise).
Is the Palo Santo tree vulnerable?
It is important, I believe, to ask questions about sourcing before buying Palo Santo and Palo Santo essential oil. The tree itself is not considered in danger of extinction. However, deforestation in South America is a real problem that we do not want to feed.
We want to know, for example, if the wood comes from a dead tree that has fallen to the ground, or if the tree was cut down to harvest the wood. If the wood comes from a living tree, you may want to ask if the wood comes from the secondary branches instead of the trunk. The tree in this case will live on. Also look out for ethical sources and farms that support local communities and tree planting.
All these questions are even more important when buying Palo Santo essential oil. Indeed, as for all essential oils, obtaining a product highly concentrated in active ingredients requires a significant amount of Palo Santo to make a few milliliters of essential oil.
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
Artemisia vulgaris / Mugwort
Mugwort is endemic to southern Europe, North Africa and temperate Asia. This plant spreads easily, and is often even considered a weed! (No worries of at-risk plants here!)
Traditional Medicine, Chinese, but also European and Native American, has used Mugwort for a very long time. For moxibustion in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the practitionner burns dried mugwort to stimulate acupuncture points and move stagnant energy. In Europe and Asia, Mugwort is the portal to relaxation and lucid dreams.
It comes either in dried fragments or in small bundled bundles (which are more convenient for burning).
Frankinsense (Boswellia sp.)
Resin from the Boswellia tree / Frankinsense
Frankinsense is a resin that comes from trees from the Boswellia family. These trees are endemic to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Frankinsense has been central to sacred rites and space cleansing for millennia. Its scent alone is a journey along the Silk Roads, desert caravans and Thousand and One Nights! Frankinsense was also a gift to baby Jesus from the three wise men (along with gold and myrrh, another sacred resin).
Traditional medicine, from the Middle East to China, widely use Frankinsense. Today, it is also a precious ingredient in the perfumery and cosmetics industry.
Frankinsense comes most often in the form of small resin balls, burned on a piece of hot charcoal.
Are the trees that give Frankinsense resin vulnerable?
The forests that produce Frankinsense are currently under pressure. Threats include deforestation and resin harvesting methods that damage the trees. Sometimes too, animals feed on young plants, thus preventing natural forest regeneration. Not forgetting that, often, the men and women who depend on it for a living do not always work in fair conditions.
The best thing to buy this magically scented resin is therefore to make sure it comes from a sustainable and fair trade plantation.
Another suggestion: use scented resins from non-endangered species. Depending on where you live, pine tree resins are great alternatives.
Sandalwood
Fragments from the Sandalwood tree before grinding
Sandalwood comes from trees called Santalum. (Many other trees are also called “Sandalwood”, but we will talk mainly about the Santalum genus here). Wood from these trees retain their delightful earthy fragrance for a long time.
There are different species of Santalum. They are at home in many places: in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Australia and the Pacific Islands. What a big international family!
Many cultures around the world highly prize Sandalwood. Not only for its solid and durable timber, but also for its therapeutic effects and use in religious rituals.
The wood chips are ground into powder. With added water, it makes a paste. The paste is used as is in rituals or with other ingredients (such as saffron). It can also be rolled with other ingredients to make incense sticks. The paste and incense are used to cleanse the body and soul before devotional or meditative rituals. It is also a key ingredient in Ayurvedic treatments as well as in perfumery.
Does sandalwood come from a threatened tree species?
Many species are under pressure and their numbers are declining, especially Indian Sandalwood, Santalum album. Indeed, the wood is very expensive, and logging is not always sustainable.
However, some species, including the one cultivated in Australia, Santalum spicatum, are not endangered.
It is therefore worth checking the origin of sandalwood products before purchasing them.
That’s it for today! Thank you for checking out the 6 sacred plants used to cleanse space and energy.
Since the dawn of time, humans have lived in close relationship with plants. Plants provide food, medicine and cosmetics. They are central to many spiritual practices and simply make life more beautiful every day, in a garden planter, a field of wild flowers or a vase.
Humans and plants weave great stories together (and lots of little stories). So let’s keep this beautiful love story going, and choose to burn sacred plants to raise energy vibrations with the most profound respect for plants, their ecosystems and communities, and traditional practices. Earn credit for your karma!
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Stagnant energy? Need a mojo uplift? Reach for the Plant! Burning dried plants or incense is a way to cleanse energy that is not only beautiful, but also connects us to the Earth and our human ancestral practices.
A perfumed journey
Some would say it’s my enchantress vibe (did you say “witch”?), my yoga vibe, or my Crazy Plant Lady vibe (I’m also a landscape architect).
Whatever vibe I’m coming from, scents and plants have always been a magical journey for me. That’s why, as soon as I moved in with myself, my space filled up with essential oils, incense, papier d’Arménie, scented candles and plants of all shapes and sizes. And with them, came the fascinating smells, swirls of smoke and magical atmospheres.
So what could be more exciting for me to write about plants, perfumes, and energy?
Join me on an enchanted dive into fire, plants and magical scents.
Why burn plants for space cleansing?
Humans have a very special relationship with plants. We use plants as food, medicine, for beauty, as well as for space clearing and cleansing. Burning dried plants (also called fumigation) was useful (and still is) to ward off unwanted animals and insects.
Fumigation, called smudging in Native American cultures, also energetically clears space by uplifting the vibes of people and places. By the simple and sacred act of burning, the plant’s medicine is activated and transferred into the air. And the dancing smoke diffuses its molecules of magic!
Smoke as a messenger between worlds
Smoke is a messenger between worlds. Watch it rise up in the sky, bringing your prayers to the celestial realms. Smoke or scent also fills a space with its energetic signature – even long after the candle has gone out or the perfumed person has left.
Plants are medicine, and burning them is a way to communicate with the invisible worlds. When plant and fire meet, magic happens!
How to burn plants for energy cleansing?
Plants are burned under many forms : dried leaves, dried flowers, wood or resin. Sometimes plants are transformed into powders or pastes and then into incense sticks or cones.
Using essential oils is another great way to benefit from the plants’ active compounds. Diffuse them hot –in a container heated by a candle for example- or cold –with a nebulizer, and bask in their medicine!
What are the best sacred plants to burn for energy cleansing?
Here is my list of plants to burn for energy cleansing that I most often meet. Along with the plant, I have included their vulnerability status (or non-vulnerability status) according to the IUCN Red List (IUCN = the International Union for Conservation of Nature) and United Plant Savers.
Some of these species are endangered or at risk of being over-harvested. If you use certain of these plants, I think it is worth making sure you are getting them from a sustainable and responsible source. After all, spiritual practice is not here to damage the planet.
White Sage (Salvia Apiana)
At risk of being over-harvested from the wild, certain ecosystems are under pressure. The good news for sage lovers: this plant can be fairly easily cultivated. Look out for cultivated sage instead of wild-harvested sage :
Bundle of White Sage
Desert Sage (Artemisia tridentata)
Not currently at risk of over-harvesting:
Bundle of Desert Sage
Palo Santo (Bursera graveolens)
Cultivated in often vulnerable or at risk forests:
Palo Santo sticks
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
Not considered at risk:
Dried mugwort
Frankinsense (Boswellia sp.)
Cultivated in vulnerable ecosystems:
Frankinsense resin
Sandalwood (various species)
At risk of non-sustainable cultivation / often grows in ecosystems that are under pressure from human exploitation and climate change:
Insence sticks
For more information about these 6 plants such as where they grow, more details about their at-risk status and how they are used for energy cleansing: “6 plants for energy cleansing”
Sacred plants and world cultural heritage
Plants for energy cleansing and historic persecution
Burning plants for energy cleansing that are sustainably cultivated and fair-trade is better for the planet and for the communities that harvest them for a living. The higher the demand for responsible products, the more this encourages such supply chains.
But just as important, and not always mentioned, is burning sacred plants with respect for the people who traditionally use them in rituals and ceremonies. Indeed, tribes in North and South America, as well as many peoples in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Pacific have long been persecuted for their traditional practices. Their spiritual ceremonies were often prohibited or discouraged and along with them, the use of sacred plants for energy cleansing.
When choosing plants to burn for energy cleansing, I think it’s important to be informed about such historic persecutions and the plants’ rich cultural backgrounds. This is especially important when we are not from the cultures that traditionally use them.
This does not mean that you should refrain from burning plants for ritual cleansing (this is my opinion, and others would tell you otherwise). After all, plant burning is a tradition in MANY cultures around the world, and certainly one of yours. Rather, it is about respectfully using the plants that might have a history in a culture that is not ours.
Explore the world of plants with curiosity and humility
Each culture has its own sacred plants. Just looking at your own cultures and getting to know the plants that particularly resonate with you is a tremendously enriching experience.
These plants may have been used by the ancestors of your lineages, for example. Or could be plants commonly used where you now live, in your adoptive lands, or by peoples with whom you share a genuine connection.
My invitation is to explore and use the plants that resonate the most with you. Find out what plants your grandmothers used, what plants thrive in your local area, or even perhaps in your garden!
For example, I really like Palo Santo and lavender (which grew in my garden) for energy cleansing (I like Sage too). They crossed my path when I was living in California, and never left! I also like certain Indian and Japanese incense that wafted into my life during my travels. But I also love what grows on my balcony now in the tropics! It’s not uncommon for me to burn my little urban garden crops to clear the energy in my home.
Happy plant discoveries!
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“Does yoga help for weight loss?” That’s a great question I get asked every now and then. We’ll have a look at calories burned, but also at how yoga helps manage stress, change your relationship with your body and even sleep better. And how yoga – even the more gentle styles – can help shed the pounds AND keep them off.
Yoga as a low impact sport
From a purely physical perspective, yoga is considered a low to medium impact activity. Of course, some yoga styles burn more calories than others: 2 hours of vigorous Astanga Yoga will burn more calories than a short Yin Yoga practice.
But overall, if we are just counting calories, you’ll burn approximately the same amount of calories in a one-hour all-level yoga class as brisk walking for an hour (about 150-200 calories for an adult). So, I totally understand if most people do not naturally reach for the yoga mat to lose weight and slim down.
However, weight loss is not only about how many calories you burn while exercising. It is also about what we eat, calories-wise and quality-wise (we all know that eating a 100-calorie cookie is not the same 100 calories as a bowl of feta and olive salad –also about 100 calories).
Staying in shape is also about mental well-being and stress levels. The more stressed we are, the more we likely we are to make choices that do not really serve us: eat a tub of ice-cream, have the 4th coffee of the day, snack on a bag of chips… Similarly, if we are chronically sleep-deprived, we also tend to gain weight.
And this is precisely how yoga can help for weight loss. And for keeping the extra pounds off!
How yoga helps in weight loss -and keeping it off-
Yoga helps you eat better
Yoga increases your awareness: the more you practice, the more in-tune you are with your body and mind. It can change how you perceive yourself, your body, and your life!
This may not happen overnight, but in the long run, this is what will give you the power to change your eating habits. Being more mindful means we can tell more clearly when we are hungry, or if we are eating to fill an emotional need. Overall, yoga makes us more mindful. This in turn helps us listen and respond better to our body’s needs.
Need some chocolate? A glass of water? Or maybe just to talk to a friend?
Yoga can help you eat better
Yoga helps you make lifestyle changes
Being in tune with your body and mind can not only help you change your eating habits, but also help you make lifestyle changes, for the better! Yoga teaches us to be more mindful and better listen to our body.
Over time, it becomes easier and easier to understand when the body tells us it needs more rest, or when it craves a peaceful or more energizing environment. Or more loving and supportive company.
Basically, the takeaway is this: yoga can help you make better choices for yourself, whether this concerns food, people, activities or habits. And often, the benefits of your choices and changes will ripple out and touch your loved ones, your community and even the planet.
Yoga helps relieve stress (and lose weight)
Is it the mindful breathing, meditative moments, final Savasana, the teacher’s or the group’s feel-good vibes, or the thousand-year old movements done by generations of yogis before us? Well, maybe all of the above!
Yoga helps the body lower its cortisol its levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone. It is totally natural and essential to the body. Cortisol regulates blood pressure, blood sugar, sleep cycles, the use and storage of fats, carbohydrates and proteins… A great synergy.
The problem is when we are permanently in a state of stress. The body produces more cortisol, and this disrupts the functions that depend on the hormone. As a result, blood pressure and blood sugar levels rise, sleep cycles get disrupted, and the… body stores more fat!
Yoga helps relieve stress, and thus, lowers the body’s cortisol levels. That’s why less stress has a direct impact on your health, on the quality of your sleep, and yep… that’s how yoga can help on weight loss (or rather, fat-loss)!
Restorative Yoga and Savasana help to manage stress
Yoga tones the body
Hold a yoga pose long enough and you’ll feel your muscles working. Yoga poses very often involve different muscle groups at the same time. For example the quadriceps, glutes, torso muscles (and even arm muscles) are all working in Warrior 2, Virabhadrasana 2.
In yoga, we’re not using weights to build muscle, just the weight of our own body. That may seem pretty accessible in Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) or even in Plank pose. However, carrying your own weight gets harder in Crow Pose (Bakasana), or whole-body inversions such as the Handstand or Pincha Mayurasana, the Feather of the Peacock Pose (see below!).
As we journey through many of yoga’s weight-bearing poses, we’re toning the body, AND learning to love it more.
Feather of a Peacock Pose, Pincha Mayurasana – here at Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Side effect alert: Yoga’s weight loss side-effects!
Yoga does not necessarily make you lose weight if you only look at the number of calories burned.
But staying in shape is more than numbers!
What also helps shed pounds and keep them off? Becoming more aware of your relationship with your body, with food, your well-being. And also being less stressed-out and sleeping better.
All these are yoga’s side-effects and perhaps the secret to having –and keeping- the weight that’s the most adapted to you.
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Garbha Pindasana, Embryo in the Womb Pose, is one of those funny-looking yoga poses that make you go mmmmh?!
Yep, you heard it right: Embryo in the Womb Pose. Do baby yogis sit in Lotus Pose (and hold their ears) while in-utero? I don’t know (and definitely not my babies, from what I saw on the ultrascans!), but hey, that won’t prevent us from having fun with this kinda crazy yoga posture.
What is the Embryo in the Womb Pose?
Garbha Pindasana comes from the Sanskrit “Garbha”, uterus or womb, and “Pinda”, embryo. It is a variation of Lotus Pose, Padmasana, or Kukkutasana, Rooster Pose. Basically, Embryo in the Womb Pose is a buttock-balancing Padmasana, with arms going into the (very) small space behind the knees, and the hands coming out in front.
I think a picture here is worth a thousand words:
Garbha Pindasana, Embryo in the Womb Pose
Why do Embryo in the Womb Pose?
Wondering what are the benefits of compacting your body into an itty-bitty ball – like an embryo in the womb – AND trying to balance on your butt while trying to hold on to your ears? Sounds pretty crazy.
Well here goes: the benefits of Garbha Pindasana:
Garbha Pindasana is a deep forward fold, which also requires enough hip opening to do Lotus Pose.
It also works the deep abdominals (to stay in a compact ball).
And Embryo in the Womb Posealso works your sense of humor, because honestly, when you’re trying to get into Garbha Pindasana (or its simpler variations that I’ll post about shortly) in yoga class – or right in front of a mirror, it’s hard not to laugh out loud! Crazy Yogis!
How to do Garbha Pindasana?
Start in Padmasana, Lotus Pose.
If Padmasana isn’t part of your practice yet, you can do a half lotus pose – one leg in lotus, or cross your legs in Sukhasana, with your feet as close as possible just below the knees.
(Important note: don’t force on your knees to get into Padmasana. Work on hip opening instead with postures such as Half Lotus, Marichyasana, Janu Sirsasana, Baddha Konasana, Supine Figure 4 Pose (Thread the Needle), Fire Log Pose…)
Embryo in the Womb Pose Step 1 : Padmasana
From Padmasana, thread your arms through the (tight!) space between the lower legs and the thighs, as if coming into Kukkutasana. Go all the way until the elbow! Sometimes it helps to go sideways, rather than straight. Some yogis also wet their forearms (to help slide). And if you’re a bracelet-wearing yogi like me, take them off!
Garbha Pindasana Step 2 : Thread your arms!
From there, bend your elbows and grab your ears with your hands! I haven’t found my ears yet in Garbha Pindasana, so I put my hands in prayer or gyan mudra!
Then, to come out of Garbha Pindasana, put your hands on the ground and pull your arms out from your Lotus. OR, stay in the pose, curl up into a tighter ball, and roll back and forth on your yoga mat. You can also roll in a circle – usually done clockwise in the Astanga Yoga first series. It’s a super nice back massage and a very energizing movement!
Who’s a Happy Embryo after rolling around in Garbha Pindasana?
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