Minimalism, to what end?

Packing your life into a suitcase to move to a new city, what an adventure. Letting go of all the past baggage to start afresh. Creating a new identity for yourself so you can be who you want to be. Avoiding past mistakes. Sounds great...on paper. No one tells you what that really entails.

It's that time in my life again where I have to pack up what I have to start anew. Five years goes by way too fast. The opportunity came faster than my fiance and I had anticipated. But we knew it was the right time.

Sometimes it's hard to let go of good things: relationships, people, your home, and your stuff. I believe that you have to constantly let go in order to go with the flow. If you didn't how could you ever progress. You need to let go of the old in order to make space for the new.  As one of my favourite YouTubers, Lilly Singh always says, "live outside of your comfort zone." This is definitely not easy.

Now, the whole point of this post. Minimalism. It's trending right now. I've consistently tried to downsize my things during the past year. I thought packing was going to be a no biggie. Boy, was I wrong.

You never know how much you have until you try to stuff it into a suit case. I was appalled at how much I had. How embarrassing. I really had to sit and think about what was meaningful and useful for me to have. This was incredibly difficult, I felt like I had failed at minimalism. We had to store a bunch of things at his mom's place. All the furniture had to be given away.

I know that I still need to drastically downsize. Having so much stuff to the point of worry of where to store it is a telltale sign you've got way too much. How terrible. Our time and energy is precious and I don't want to waste it on things that truly don't matter anymore. 

I want to surround myself with things that add value to my life. Art is something that brightens and sparks my creative spirit. Rest assured that my inspirational goddesses from thisthatandthese and breathtakingly beautiful paintings from Mo'ology ended up in my suitcase! 

I look forward to starting my next chapter in our new town. We have visions of a nice, clear home. A peaceful sanctuary to rest, as it should be. I want to let go of all the necessary things holding me back in life. So that I may let all that truly matters in. I can't wait to consistently go back into my spiritual practice. Meditation will help me fill my empty void.

Let the journey to minimalism start: the unburdening of the mind, body, and soul.

What does minimalism mean to you?

Crystal Bar: Essential Chakra Kit Review

Crystal Bar is a vegan company started by Kat, an amazing Aquarius. Not only is she the CEO, she also takes part of every aspect of her business. Now that's a lady of power! Recently she's been posting on instagram about what it's like to be a small business owner. I'm learning a lot from these posts. 

Today I will be reviewing one of her top sellers, the Essential Chakra Kit. There is a soap for each of the 7 major chakras.

"These vegan and handmade soaps have been combined to create our Essential Chakra Kit. Each soap is unique and inspired by one of the 7 chakras, each bar was created to enhance the energy and experience of the stone within." - Essential Chakra Kit

Each set is housed in a beautiful box and includes a detailed product card for each soap.

I am no stranger to Crystal Bar soap. I first tried the Enchanting Love soap from my Goddess Provisions October box. I instantly fell in love with how special and magical it was. I've made a couple of orders since and have expanded my collection. The customer service has always been lovely.

Once you have finished your soap, there is a crystal inside for you to keep! I love using the soaps to wash my hands with. Washing with the intention of the crystal as well as love and light has truly uplifted me.

My set was missing the product card for the sacral chakra soap, so I decided to take a picture of it. You can see the shimmer and golden glow in this bar. Look at those layers! They are even more gorgeous in person.

Overall, these soaps get an A+ from me! I wouldn't change anything about them. They have fantastic concepts, look beautifully magical, and each soap is so unique. They are handcut and made with love. Every kind of soap has a different crystal, smell, colour and design.

They make fantastic gifts. I tried a bathbomb from them before and it was just a lovely experience. Spoiler: they also have crystals inside as well!

So what are you waiting for? Check out Crystal Bar.

Edgar Cayce's Apple Detox: My Experience

"Edgar Cayce (pronounced Kay-Cee, 1877-1945) has been called the "sleeping prophet," the "father of holistic medicine," and the most documented psychic of the 20th century. For more than 40 years of his adult life, Cayce gave psychic "readings" to thousands of seekers while in an unconscious state, diagnosing illnesses and revealing lives lived in the past and prophecies yet to come."

Cayce's Apple Detox Diet. I couldn't find any in-depth personal experiences of this. Challenge accepted. Join me as I take you through my apple cleanse journey.

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Minimum of 6 apples per day. Drink lots of water to flush of the toxins. Olive Oil to finish it. Sounds simple, right?

My experience was one to remember. Three days of eating nothing but apples and drinking lots of water. I learned a lot about myself. It was a struggle. 

First of all, I do not like raw apples. Actually, Cayce says that raw apples are poison to your body unless you eat them alone. Combining them with other foods will greatly upset your body. I don't fare well with acidic foods: they make me sick. These apples made me feel very ill indeed.

Day 1 wasn't too bad because I was at work. I'm used to not eating much on busy days. Luckily I was on vacation after that. It wasn't bad other than having to eat nothing but apples. The cravings started. I wanted pizza: something fatty, salty, and comforting.

Day 2 was the most difficult. The cravings kicked in hard. I wanted SALT. I kept daydreaming about french fries. I was a little delirious. I peed like crazy too. My energy dropped a lot. I was maddened by my cravings so much that at times I thought I was going to crack.

Day 3 was much easier. I think I was kind of used to it. I went out and did some errands. That distracted me for a good chunk of the day. I also did a lot of spiritual things. It was the easiest day by far. My near pitfall was an image of french fries came out of nowhere to tempt me! My mind has issues!

Finally, on the third night, it was time to drink the olive oil. Completion at last, yes! But first...ew. The first 2 teaspoons were fine, the 3rd almost made me gag. BUT I DID IT! Had I not done it with a few comrades, I'm not sure I would have made it through. We all completed the apple detox together! Success!

Now what you have been waiting for: the results. I peed...a lot. More than ever. My body felt lighter. My appetite decreased. I felt more spiritual and strangely energized. I also lost a few pounds.

I ate exactly 8 apples per day. I couldn't do more than that. But because I was crazed at times, I allowed myself black coffee and tea. It kept me sane. I made sure my coffee and tea were low acidity and drank lots of water afterwards. What also helped me out was distraction. My favourite was watching movies. It makes time fly!

I recommend doing this diet if you are not working or doing much for a few days. It requires rest. Expect your energy to drop. Cayce suggests doing this a few times a year as a "spring cleaning" for the body. Excellent in aiding the removal of accumulated toxins from your vessel.

What was the first thing that I ate after the detox? You can bet your bottom dollar that it included some great homemade fries ;) However, one must note that it is not wise to retox after doing such an extensive detox. I am just weak.

"You have to have a sound relationship with your mind and your body. You have to develop your health." - Marshall Vian Summers

Etsy Focus: Mo'Ology Art

For as long as I have remembered, looking up at the stars has always brought me great joy. To connect with the universe and its grand beauty is a love I can not describe in words alone.

Today will be a very special post about a very special person. The spotlight is on my favourite artist at the moment, Michelle a.k.a. Mo'Ology.

Michelle is a Galactic Artist on Etsy. She paints so many different kinds of things in that realm. I would say her painted galaxy stones would be one of the most popular!

Her pieces speak so deeply to me that I can't help but feel amazed and speechless at times. To gaze into her wonders is to be breathless because you can feel a part of her; that's a special connection.

I purchased a galaxy necklace from her awhile ago. When I first saw it in person, I couldn't believe how much it touched me. I wear that piece with gratitude and will always cherish it.

Recently I saw her making grids on Instagram. Every so often when she's working on something, she'll ask people if they want to adopt her pieces before they're finished and customizes them for you. There was one that called to me. It's very hard to get them because of the demand. I jumped on it and was so lucky to get it! The personal meaning it has for me is unexplainable. I will have it for many years to come.

I thank Michelle for her work and the joy that she puts out in the world by her personal expression. She makes the world a much more beautiful place through her loving and magical touch.

Please do check her out on her website and instagram.

Thank you Michelle! Many blessings to you! Keep shining your light! 

Much love!

Inner Reflection

"I think there's a terrible price to be paid 

when your exterior life is not an honest reflection of 

your interior life." - Gene Robinson

"To understand your deeper premonitions and the urgings of your heart, you must begin to listen. Listen within yourself. Listen to the world without judgement and condemnation. Listen for the signs of what is coming. Listen to how you must respond.

Listen to who to be with and who not to be with." - Marshall Vian Summers

Some days you need to take a step back and take a good look at yourself. See who you are, who you are with, and what you are doing in life. 

Self-reflection is an amazing tool to help ourselves feel grounded and gives great clarity.

It's a reminder that you are still present in an ever changing world. 

To face yourself takes great courage.

Realizing that sometimes thoughts and feelings may not be yours at all can be empowering.

Awareness is key to many things. It is useful to help you navigate throughout life.

To compassionately accept and forgive yourself would be one of your ultimate gifts to yourself.

You give power to those 

who you allow to dictate your life. Be free. 

Follow what you know is right. 

Let go of what isn't.