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How to Maintain Your Yoga Practice & More Without Childcare During Quarantine

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I was talking to a fellow yoga teacher and mama friend the other day and she asked me, “How do you do things with your little one at home since you can’t use help?”

I immediately thought of  my yoga practice and how much it has shifted and changed over the years since the birth of my daughter, and yet, I continue to practice daily, despite the perceived interruptions.  And that is the thing, they are only interruptions when I perceived them to be.  The truth is there is nothing other than this moment, and non-dualistic perspective gives us the opportunity to see all things as moving parts of our SELF.

So, she had a great question.

How do you continue to do things without the help that you might be used to?

For the last 4 years I have raised my daughter as a solo mom for the majority of our experiences and I have traveled the world, run international yoga retreats, ran several different facets of wellness businesses, AND she has been right there, the whole entire time.  When she was younger, I strapped her to me and I practiced yoga wearing her!  I did a lot of things wearing her.  That’s just one thing that you can do.  It’s great core work and great for baby!

I have hired help and used the help of the daycare centers at gyms when I taught abroad and locally. For the majority of the time I am alone with my daughter and I love it.  But, when this pandemic first hit and gyms were shut down, all of the sudden those few hours where I could get acupuncture or take a sauna were gone.  It DID take a few weeks to adjust to for both of us!!  My daughter missed playtime with kids her age.  We still prevailed.  We found new things to do together, which I am forever grateful for.  After those few weeks passed and I started to really relish in the fact that I was working less and had more time to be present with her.  We are in a groove now.  One that I am seriously grateful for.

So, we adapt.  We have this insatiable ability as humans to adapt to new situations and environments over time.  We can choose to make the best of it or not.  I suggest taking the high road here.  This takes mental diligence.

It has not always been easy to let go of the way that I think things should be done, or that hour long “Uninterrupted,” yoga practice, but when I surrender to the beauty of this sacred DANCE of life that I get to participate in, I get to do all of the things that I enjoy + household chores with a sense of joy and ease.

I set the intention every single day to co-create a day that not only nurtures our minds and bodies, but also, our souls.

I pray every morning to Divine to please keep me open to the miracles He/She has in store for me today.

When I do this,  I am blown away by the little things.  My daughter’s smile.  The leaves rustling in the breeze. The smell of fresh air.  The sun shine or the rain.  It’s all incredible.

I also whole heartedly believe that when I ask God for guidance in the way that I see my day, I am always given the opportunity to see the ease through out it all.   Divine gives us the opportunity to see Heaven on Earth all of the time.  The question is, do you want to see it?

Takeaways on “How to do things with your little ones at home & no help.” 

  • Remaining flexible and open to a new kind of day.
  • Staying open to the beautiful new ways of being.
  • Integrating my children with my day.
  • Remaining in witness to the miracles in each moment.
  • Remembering that we are human.
  • If your children take naps, use that time to do something for yourself.
  • When your children go to bed at night, take an hour to do self-care.
  • Take a deep breath.
  • Ask Divine to show you the reality of this moment.
  • Smile more.
  • They are only this age once.
  • You can do this.
  • Talk to other parents who might be in the same boat!  Connecting has this incredible ability to help us feel not so alone in our experiences, which can be very cathartic!!  Community, even if it’s remote, is so important.
  • Things are always changing so how can you adapt and raise up your vibration to meet this excellent new change?
  • Stay grounded in LOVE and be buoyed by the Divine Spirit.
  • Don’t forget to laugh… at yourself, at each other.  It’s most important.

Just as the certainty that life is always changing, our yoga practice will, too!  Remaining open to the change is what’s key here.  If we become attached to some facet of our practice, we may become distressed.  Yoga is meant to help you let GO of what was and welcome what IS.  You may be pleasantly surprised to find that what IS is just as incredible as what was, because the core of Divine is in each moment as it is and THAT is the only thing that never changes.  Are you willing to remain open to that JOY within this moment as it is?

 

In love and light,

Alana Roach

Founder of Explorations of Self

Wish Granted, Now What?

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Your wish is granted.

You are incredibly loved and adored.

You are abundant and experience abundance in all forms.

You are radiance like sunshine.

You are remarkably talented and easily express your unique creative genius.

You are effervescent like the lunar glow.

You are incredibly intelligent and wise beyond measure.

You are JOY embodied.

Now what?

Where do you go from here?

You have been whole your entire existence.

Now that you realize this, what do you choose to spend your time on? What are you dwelling on? Who do you spend time with? What do you think about when you are alone? What expression do you wear on your avatar? Who’s life do you touch? What words do you speak.

What wishes are you granting?

Divine One,

You are the one you have been waiting for.

You are what you seek.

Rejoice in your brilliance.

Be present with your Creator.

The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you
Don’t go back to sleep! ~Rumi

Author:

Alana Roach , Founder of Explorations of Self

Loving mother, entrepreneur, yoga teacher, meditation teacher, international wellness retreats, writer, surf enthusiast

 

8 Holistic Ways to Manage Grief During The Holidays

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Sometimes the holidays can be a reminder that someone we have loved dearly is not with us in the physical any longer, or that a new chapter in our life is beginning, which means another chapter, for better or for worse, is ending. Grief is grief. Anytime you go through a big transition, you will inevitably experience some sort of grief.  If that is the case for you, I am deeply sorry for your loss. I recently lost my step-father & his presence is definitely missed by my family.  With all that being so, I am feeling particularly grateful to be at home with my family during this holiday. Losing someone close can really put life into perspective. You realize what is truly important in life and that can make all of the difference in what you prioritize.

Here are 8 Holistic Ways to Help You Manage Grief During The Holidays:

  1. Gratitude: Expressing gratitude is one of this quickest ways to access your inner peace.  List what you are gratitude for and WHY. For instance, “I am grateful for my sight because it allows me to see all of the beauty surrounding me,” or, “I am grateful for the ability to take a deep breath because it helps to calm me down.”
  2. Surround yourself with good people: Stick with people who remind you of the good in life, uplift you, and that it’s also ok to be exactly where you are in the moment. Surround yourself with people who manage their own emotions in healthy ways.
  3. Meditate & Move: Meditation and movement will help to activate your para-sympathetic nervous system and actively get you out of your fight or flight response. This is a great meditation for Grief.  If you are looking for some easy, at home movement, here is a short Qi-Gong routine and a Yoga Sequence for Grief.
  4. Journal: Journaling has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and boost your mood. In addition to this, according to Cambridge.org, “Writing about traumatic, stressful or emotional events has been found to result in improvements in both physical and psychological health, in non-clinical and clinical populations. In the expressive writing paradigm, participants are asked to write about such events for 15–20 minutes on 3–5 occasions. Those who do so generally have significantly better physical and psychological outcomes compared with those who write about neutral topics. Here we present an overview of the expressive writing paradigm, outline populations for which it has been found to be beneficial and discuss possible mechanisms underlying the observed health benefits. In addition, we suggest how expressive writing can be used as a therapeutic tool for survivors of trauma and in psychiatric settings.”
  5. Ask someone else how they are doing today. The quickest way to get out of your head is to ask someone else how they are doing, and if they are not doing well,  be the Light for them. Remind them that it’s ok to feel what they are feeling and remind them of HOPE. At the end of our life we are remembered by our loved ones for how we impacted their lives. It’s not typically how hard we worked or what accolades we acquired. It’s how hard we loved and who we directed that love towards.
  6. Good nutrition: We have all been there. Emotional eating. When we feel stressed it’s easy to reach for the unhealthy carbohydrates. The more we lean towards healing our gut and improving our digestion + decreasing inflammation, our mood and energy levels will increase. Email me at Explorationsofself@Gmail.com to receive $50 towards your Superfoods Transformation.
  7. CBD: While more clinical trials still need to be done, there are rave reviews for the efficacy of this incredibly plant medicine. Consult your doctor before adding CBD to your regime to see if it’s right for you. If you would like 20% on your first CBD order through Explorations of Self, contact me at Explorationsofself@gmail.com.
  8. Prioritize Self-Care: Make sure that you are taking the time to tend to your self-care first and foremost. Take a bubble bath, treat yourself to a spa day, go to your favorite fitness class, read a great book, or take a nap. We can feel especially run down when we go through Grief. That is our body wisdom screaming at us to slow down and take care of ourselves. Be sure to listen.

If you are dealing with grief during this Holiday Season, I am praying for you. I pray that you are surrounded by love. I pray that you feel the nearness of your Creator. If you feel cut off or alone, please here me. You are not alone. There are communities around the world that want to support you. This is just one. Please reach out to someone and allow yourself to receive support. This is one of the best gifts you can give someone. When we allow others to be of service, we are being of service to them. Acts of service are what this life is all about. Learning to give and receive love unconditionally is so important in life because it is what connects us to one another. 

 

 

With much love and respect for your journey,

 

Alana Roach

CNS, E-RYT, Author

Yoga, Nutrition, and Wellness

Founder of Explorations of Self

 

You Will Question Everything You Know When Aligning With Your Soul Purpose

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In the process of Becoming the most Divinely ALIGNED version of yourself, you will question everything you know.⁣
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I am in process during this time in my life. I barely recognize the person I was emotionally a year ago. I have been stretched through spiritual and emotional growth so much this year, it’s unreal.⁣

& then I look back to 2 years ago….. & then 3, 4, 5…

I have grown mind/body/Spirit substantially every 6-12 months ever since I chose to embark on the Spiritual Path of unpacking old traumas, stale beliefs, learned and unconscious destructive patterns over 10 years ago.

I choose to believe with every fiber of my being that every single experience and relationship that I have had, completely & totally has been there for MY BENEFIT.

I choose to do the work with my Creator to heal facets of myself so that I can fly like the Phoenix and rise out of the ashes to newer Heights.

It’s not easy. The ego… everything that makes us HUMAN, loves to keep us comfortable, and yet, it’s much more challenging to stay stagnant in your Spiritual growth. Your most Spiritually Aligned Self is beckoning you to be liberated. In yoga we call this, “Mukti,” and in Hinduism & Jainism it is know as, “Moksha.” I quite like the definition of Moksha found in the Merriam Encyclopedia:

Definition of moksha

Hinduism & Jainism
: release from samsara and liberation from karma together with the attainment of Nirvana for the Hindu or kaivalya for the Jain : salvation from the bondage of finite existence

 

I don’t know about you, but YES, absolutely YES, PLEASE.

What a gift Self-Awareness & Self-Work is because it reminds us to continually empty ourselves of anger, resentment, and fear. It reminds us to look at the places within ourselves that scare us and give those places a name. In Tantric philosophy, The Tantric Goddesses started out as fearful beings, who reaped havoc as they were living in a constant state of fear. As soon as these beings were face to face with their own destructive habits, they were shown the illusion of what they were doing and gave each habit or Samskara a NAME. From that very simple, not EASY, but simple act, they began to surrender to the TRUTH or Satya. From that TRUTH they were shown compassion and thus became transformed into Mothers. They in essence began to Mother their own inner child…. these Mothers turned into Goddesses… Fully embodied in their Truth of Love and Light..

When you call out the underlying emotion, memory, or root of why you are experiencing a so called negative emotion or habitual pattern, you are shedding light on WHY. When we shed light on why and what disrupts or blocks us from inner PEACE, we can start to understand where this belief came from. Understanding is the root to all compassion. This becomes mothering. You begin to give your inner child the mothering it always desired and once you start to do this, you will begin to shine brighter than ever because your inner child will feel safe and supported. You will stop self-sabotaging and you will begin to self-heal. Healing will attune your mind, body, and Spirit to the vibration of gratitude and JOY.
⁣

“To be fully alive, fully human and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest. To live fully is to be always in no-man’s land, to experience each moment as completely new and fresh. To live is to be willing to die over and over again.” ~Pema Chodrun

I’m so grateful.⁣
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Shedding the skin of who you once were to become the person you were always meant the BE takes time… be patient and loving with yourself. Roll with the tides of your evolution & TRUST that ⁣

Everything is happening in Divine timing… ⁣
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✨Stay in the moment.⁣
✨Keep returning to your breath.⁣
✨Keep taking action daily toward your Soul centered visions.⁣
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What are you releasing to create space for the new YOU? Write it down, share it with someone you trust. Begin surrounding yourself with positive and loving community if you haven’t already. If you need support, I offer 1 on 1 Lifestyle Coaching, and do not hesitate to reach out: Explorationsofself@Gmail.com

Much love with deep honor for your Soul Aligned Path and Purpose on this beautiful planet,

Alana

 

Alana is the Founder of Explorations of Self, single mama, international yoga and dance teacher, surf and yoga retreats, happy digital nomad entrepreneur, lover of LIFE.

You Already Have The Answers You Seek!

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The truth is within. It’s not in opinions. You can’t find it through someone else’s filter, nor will you find it through your own fears. Creating time to BE with your Creator is essential to finding the answers you seek. Only you know what they are, and first, you must become still enough to hear.

🙏🏽☺️

I am navigating my own feelings around big transitions during my life right now. Sometimes I look back on what I’ve accomplished over the last ten years despite the challenges of the emotional heart that I have faced, and say to myself, “Good God, woman, look at you. I am so proud of you. You are STRONG & courageous. You must really TRUST your Creator.” Our life Path is not linear. I believe God is a Thee Wild Artist & if we choose to listen and trust God’s guidance, we will be taken on a fun, miraculous, delicious, delightful, not always easy, but worth it ADVENTURE.

🦋You are a masterpiece. Your life is an exquisite & unique expression of your DIVINE PURPOSE. It takes a lot of guts to do what you do and be what you came here to BE. Be proud of yourself. You, even in your lowest moments, are perfect & loved beyond what you could possibly even imagine👌
You got to where you are because of every moment that led to who you are right now.
“It couldn’t have happened any other way,” Joe Zumbo

🙏🏽🦋
Cheers to new chapters. Are you entering a new chapter in your life right now? What are some emotions you are experiencing around this? I would love to be your guide during this transition. DM me for more info on Integrative Lifestyle Coaching 🥰🙏🏽💫

 

Love,

 

Alana, Founder of Explorations of Self

There’s No One to Blame or Shame

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I think what bothers me the most about him is that he regularly forgets about me, us, we.

The moments of really seeing me are irregular; a foreign act that often surprises me. He’s a criminal. Someone who often steals my sanctity, and who else is the one to blame but me.

But there is no blame or shame here, dear One. You are a child of God. There are Lessons to be learned from your Guides above. 

You’ll Bury your worries and set aside your fears, for just one more dose of longing, and one more helping of tears. Is it really worth it? Is HE really worth it?

No, child, but YOU are Worth it. Worthy of all that is Good and Right and Justice in the world. She is your biggest Fan and you are your biggest Hope. Cast aside your shadows, and lean into longing for what you long for is Spirit, and what you die for is a lie.

There’s really no difference between you and your shadow, it’s all to be your Guide.

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Alana Roach, Founder of Explorations of Self, International Yoga and Surf Retreat Leader  & Teacher, Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Expert, writer, poet, mindful eating & living coach, lifestyle guru, mother, martial arts/bjj/qi gong/tai chi, artist, singer, Law of Attraction, lover of life

Harness Your Inner Strength, Truth, & Sensitivities with This Full Moon in Taurus Ritual!

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This full moon’s theme:

Gravitate towards the things, people, and places in life that make you feel good, nourished, happy, & supported.
Shed the things, people, and places in your life that do the opposite.

For me, one of the places that offers nourishment and respite is nature. During today’s full moon in Taurus, the Earth element is beckoning to us to harness our inner STRENGTH, truth, and sensitivities.

 

Your full moon ritual today:

Alana Roach, Found of Explorations of Self Photo by: James Trudeau

Get outside. Even if it’s for a few minutes. Ground yourself in the beauty of nature, and as you do, journal on what lights you up inside! Ask yourself, “What makes me feel good, nourished, happy, supported?”

Write your heart out, don’t stop until you’re really done.

This is your full moon ritual. Tonight, go back outside with your piece of paper, and burn it under the full moon light with a silent prayer of, “Thank you,” to the Universe as you watch the smoke carry your full moon intentions away, reflect on the aspects of your ego that you would like to release… let them go with the smoke as well.

When you free yourself of the past, the present moment is an opportunity to lean into your best self more than you ever have before.

Remember, anything is possible, and you are a co-creator with the Great Spirit that made the stars, sky, Earth, cosmos.

Belief is everything.

Re-direct your intentions to the positive, always, always, always.

Much love,


Founder of Explorations of Self

The Launch of The Enhanced & Enlightened www.Explorationsofself.com

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2018 is the year of the butterfly.

“This is the year to dream a heaven on earth both personally and collectively,” Soul Matrix

I am happy to announce the launch of my enhanced and enlightened version of www.Explorationsofself.com !!

Explorations of Self, aka EOS, is a community of believers, seekers, dreamers, and visionaries. We come together through our common curiosity of bettering our lives with health, nutrition, mindfulness, nature, travel, and over all well-being.

A little background on EOS’s caterpillar to Butterly journey.

I first launched EOS’s website while living in India during 2010. It was there that I found out what my life was supposed to be about, which was everything I was passionate about. My purpose: To help others live passionately and joyfully in every area of their lives. I had to ask myself, “What am I truly passionate about? What really lights me up?” My answer: Helping others. Yoga. Writing. Travel. So, Explorationsofself.com started as a travel and wellness blog. I started creating content, even though I was terrified of publishing my work. I didn’t want to be judged for what I wrote. I had fears about being judged by the public eye, but because I knew that this was part of my purpose here on this Earth, and that this was a medium that God would use through me to teach His/Her children. I pushed through. My first 10 blogs weren’t even edited. I would write them, hold my breath, and then post them. That is was got me comfortable with writing! I love that part of my journey. Eventually I developed the courage to go over what I wrote, so that I could put on finishing touches. I love this process now. Writing is such an incredible journey, both inner and outer. With that being said, no matter how long you have been blogging, if you are a passionate writer, feel free to send me your wellness content! EOS would love to share your inspiration with our growing community!

I re-launched EOS’s website in 2012 as a travel, yoga, and blog business. This is when I moved to Costa Rica, and taught my first yoga-retreats. This site in particular holds a very special place in my heart. This is when the pieces of my life’s purpose puzzle started to really come together. I was putting my visions into fruition. I wasn’t just thinking about living my purpose and passion, I was living it. I am tearing up right now even reflecting on this period of my life. Do you understand how exhilarating this was? I was a brand new teacher who had been teaching a lot since receiving her E-RYT 200 in 2011, but to start a yoga retreat business?! I just knew I had to. I had WIND at my back. For those of you who are living to serve others, you get this. I filled that retreat on my own, with the help of Spirit of course, but that just goes to show you how powerful FAITH and TRUST are. My yoga retreat business has been steadily growing ever since. I have been running annual retreats in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Peru since this launch of that site. I have testimonials upon testimonials for EOS retreat go-ers who have had their lives vastly improved and positively changed from these week long explorations. God is so good, you guys.

So today, EOS grows again, because the community has, and so have I. I have been very, very blessed and fortunate to have furthered my wellness education so that I can serve you even more. I have been very, very blessed to have the support of my beloved co-retreat leaders, artists, web designers, accountants, mentors, guest blog writers, interns, and more. I have been VERY, very blessed to have a supportive group of family and friends who believe in my wild dreams, even when I, at times, would become discouraged. Thank you so much. EOS would not be what is without you. Seriously. The impact that you, I, WE are making on this planet is so profound and important for the betterment of Mother Earth and her inhabitants… it’s unreal.

So, I welcome you to explore the new and improved www.explorationsofself.com , the home to:

?‍♀️Life Coaching with Alana Roach
?‍♂️Integrative Nutrition Coaching with Alana Roach
?‍♀️Shamanic Healings with Alana Roach
?‍♂️Spiritual Hygiene training with Alana Roach
?‍♀️International Yoga Retreats with Alana Roach, Kate Grove, & Angelique Karditzas (More incredible co-retreat leaders will be announced very soon, signing contracts as we speak!! Stay tuned!)
?‍♂️A much easier Shopify retreat payment system (Per your request ??.)
?‍♀️The best CBD out there
EOS apparel (For infants & toddlers, too! You know I love family yoga and travel!! Yes!!)
?‍♂️A bigger and better blog, featuring subjects like: #travel #mindfulliving#nutritious #moveyourbody #integrativehealth #lifestyle #sustainability#parenting #fashionandbeauty

So, my Facebook tribe! Dig in to your new online wellness home, and feel free to share it with people whom you believe it would help! www.explorationsofself.com

So much and gratitude,

Alana Roach
Founder of Explorations of Self, LLC.