“What the world needs more than anything is active servants of peace clothed in the armor of perseverance, dedicated to the spreading of wisdom into all reaches of our experience… working to transform their minds and actions and those of others, working tirelessly in the certain knowledge of the support of the buddhas and enlightened beings, for the preservation of our world, and for a more merciful future. As Teilhard de Chardin said: “Some day, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity… we shall harness… the energies of love. Then for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.””
-from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche
“Perhaps it is only those who understand just how fragile life is who know how precious it is. Taking life seriously does not mean spending our whole lives meditating as if we were living in the mountains in the Himalayas or in the old days in Tibet. In the modern world, we have to work and earn a living, but we should not get entangled in the nine-to-five existence, where we live without any view of the deeper meaning of life. Our task is to strike a balance, to find a middle way, to learn not to overstretch ourselves with extraneous activities and preoccupations, but to simplify our lives more and more. In Buddhism this is what is really meant by discipline.”
-from ‘The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’ by Sogyal Rinpoche
“Just as when the waves lash at the shore, the rocks suffer no damage but are sculpted and eroded into beautiful shapes, so our characters can be molded and our rough edges worn smooth by changes. Through weathering changes we can learn how to develop a gentle but unshakable composure. Our confidence in ourselves grows, and becomes so much greater that goodness and compassion begin naturally to radiate out from us and bring joy to others. That goodness is what survives death, a fundamental goodness that is in every one of us. The whole of our life is a teaching of how to uncover that strong goodness, and a training toward realizing it.”
-from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche
This week marks the 19th anniversary of my first yoga practice. Looking back to that time, I was a strung-out-alcohol-soaked-snowboard-bum-artist in my senior year of college in Bozeman, Montana. My life looked fun, and in many ways it was, but my body was wrecked, my mental state was shot. Constantly on GO, I was mindless and wild. I was the classic case of “she had no idea how much pain she was in until she sat still for a few seconds”. This was the lesson learned in that first savasana. I was unaware then how profoundly the experience affected me or that henceforth I had embarked on the path of a seeker… for life.
That night on the mat, I remember experiencing an expansion of body, mind, and breath like never before. I felt light, clear, centered, confident, completely supported, full of purpose, and mindful. I was hooked… married to yoga from that moment.
My yoga and my life-context have always existed in parallel relationship. My 20’s and early 30’s needed the discipline of practice and intense application of alignment that Iyengar Yoga provided. It literally saved my life. Over the course of several years of uninterrupted daily practice, I became a perfectionist on the mat, which eventually evolved into a constantly forced practice causing me physical pain, anxiety, fatigue, and dullness. I justified my continuation of such strict practice by attaching some kind of personal merit to it. Let’s just say, it did not make me a better person or a better yogi.
In my later 30’s as my practice veered away from balance, I became more and more disconnected from my Self. I was conscious of wanting to live a more authentic, integrated life fueled by my heart’s true calling… which, in reality, I was nowhere near. I now realize that I was using my practice and long hours on the mat as a way to escape and ignore the scary choices I needed to face for personal growth and happiness to occur. My (mis)interpretation and embodiment of yoga was contributing to my ‘stuck-ness’ and oppression.
One of the first Sanskrit words I ever learned was ‘kaivalya’… which translates as liberation. The other day, in conversation with a friend, it surfaced that for as long as I can remember I have been trying to free myself from one prison or another… destructive behaviors, bad habits, poor choices, body pain, mental agony, unhealthy relationships, over-consumption, etc. … I never imagined that my yoga practice would need a serious overhaul in liberation. But alas, it did.
Kaivalya interceded, and saved me from myself again. At a certain point at the end of 2012 I simply surrendered to my body’s call for mercy and my heart’s call to go out and enjoy people, places, food, dancing, culture, and the world. It’s been two years since I closed my beloved little Yoga Birds studio in Fairhope, AL and set out on adventures off the mat landing me back in New Orleans. Since then my practice has taken on an entirely new ‘look’ and not so surprisingly so have I. Family members tease me saying that I have emerged from my ‘yoga cave’. I have indeed mellowed out. I am enjoying life and work. I feel lighter. I laugh more.
I do still hook up with my mat regularly. But it is more casual and fun, although no less important and vital. I have let myself off the hook for a ‘never-miss-a-day’ pursuit of perfectionism in posture. My practice has expanded into a sloshy, rich gumbo of Iyengar, Astanga, Therapeutic, and Pilates methodologies, mixed with harmonium playing, seated meditation, and best of all… long daily walks with the dogs.
My teacher Leslie Kaminoff says that yoga is a perpetual process of patterning and re-patterning behaviors. He is so right. What was good for me at 24 needed to shift to be good for me at 40. Apropos to any 19 year old, I have given my yoga practice space to become what it is meant to be for me now, at this stage of my life. We have grown up together. And we will grow old together…. gracefully.
A friend for life, yoga practice continues to support my awakening to the reality of the present moment, being content with what is, and coming into compassion for all sentient beings. All the while when practicing with honesty and integrity, yoga never fails to arrive bearing the gifts of peace of mind, peace of body, peace of spirit, and ultimately liberation.
Uggggghhhh. I woke up feeling a scratch in my throat and pressure in my chest. NO!!!
It is NEVER a good time to get ‘the crud’ as my family calls it.Today I have a long day of teaching RomneyRide classes, ending with teaching my first ever Pilates Reformer class (more on that in a future blog post). So it’s kind of a big day. I want to be 100% on my game.
First thought…. Get thee to Thieves Oil. Literally one minute after rising I put several drops of Thieves in my diffuser. And because it’s a therapeutic, food-grade product, I dropped some under my tongue. Yes it tastes like medicine. Yes I made a funny face. But it has worked for me before and I need it to work today.
I took an extra steamy shower using Eucalyptus and Thieves. I mixed a healthy smoothie to take to work. I also packed my Thieves oil and small Thieves spritzer spay. Before my first class at the fitness center I dropped another bit of oil under my tongue and I sprayed down the instructor bike and surrounding area.
By the end of the first class…. no more scratchy throat and no more chest pressure. It worked again!
I am so grateful for this stuff! Thieves has so many more uses. It is definitely the one product that got me hooked on Young Living Oils. Check out the cool graphic from Dolf Cheng that shows more ways to use and enjoy Thieves oil.
Friends, BE WELL and BE PREPARED. There’s LOTS of crud out there 🙂
Several folks have contacted me inquiring how and where to purchase the oils. If you’re interested in buying oils please see the post from Day 4: How To Purchase Young Living Essential Oils. You can also reach out to me via email at melanie@yogabirds.com.
In Peace, Health and Scented Bliss,
Melanie Buffett
Wholesale Member #1572095
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I’m just sharing my experiences for entertainment purposes! As always, do what you feel is best for yourself and your family.
It’s Day 6 of my blog series Young Living Essential Oils. If you’re just tuning in, welcome! Please have a look at the previous posts if you’d like to get caught up.
Today I want to talk about Joy. Literally and figuratively.
Yesterday was one of those days where, from the moment I rose from sleep I was consumed by work and life details and stress and admittedly…anxiety. Don’t get me wrong, it was a very good and productive day. I taught three great RomneyRide classes. I completed task after task after task. I made more lists and lists of lists. I set goals, I wrapped up some old projects. But, I ran myself ragged into a state of exhaustion and adrenal fatigue (more on that subject in a later blog post).
I had an epiphany by nightfall that I had worked so hard all day at checking things off the list and making things ‘perfect’ that I forgot to enJOY even a granule of the fruits of my labors.
Instead of lamenting or telling myself that I would ‘do better tomorrow’, I remembered the little bottle of Joy Essential Oil blend that came in my Everyday Essential Oils pack. I pulled it out of my kit poured three drops in my palm and applied behind my ears and on my wrists. Immediately I felt transported to a new state of emotional balance. I remembered to breathe. I remembered to play some pretty music on the radio. I began thinking happy thoughts. I did not feel so tired. And there was my Joy!
Image courtesy of Dolf Cheng
Joy is a blend of Bergamot, Ylang Ylang, Geranium, Rosewood, Lemon, Mandarin, Jasmine, Roman Chamomile, Palmrosa, and Rose oils. Joy Oil can help to open the adrenal glands which is helpful when feeling overwhelmed and depleted.
Today is laundry day…well, everyday is laundry day… but today I am putting two drops of Joy oil onto a wet cloth and putting it in the dryer with my clothes. I want to carry the Joy with me in every way possible!
Several folks have contacted me inquiring how and where to purchase the oils. If you’re interested in buying oils please see the post from Day 4: How To Purchase Young Living Essential Oils. You can also reach out to me via email at melanie@yogabirds.com.
In Peace, Health and Scented Bliss,
Melanie Buffett
Wholesale Member #1572095
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I’m just sharing my experiences! As always, do what you feel is best for yourself and your family.
Hey friends and aromatherapy enthusiasts! It’s Day 5 of the series 40 Days of Young Living Essential Oils. If you’re just hopping on board, have a look at the prior posts at www.yogabirds.com. I admit it, I DID skip yesterday, but it was Sunday and I rested. And technically there are 47 days in Lent, so I have a few ‘off days’ for keeping my Lenten commitment.
Mondays are my day to workout. I teach yoga, indoor cycling (and starting this week, Pilates—YAY—another blog post on that soon to come) almost every day of the week. I cherish my personal workout times. Part of my ritual is going into the steam room afterwards. I love the high level of sweating and detoxifying the steam gives as well as the head clearing effects of breathing in the steam. Adding the therapeutic grade eucalyptus oil to the experience enhances it and takes it to a whole new level of physical head and nasal clarity and transformation. I can not believe how cleansed I feel and how well I can breathe afterwards! If you don’t have access to a steam room, you can also get the same effects of using the oil in a very steamy shower.
Several folks contacted me over the weekend inquiring where to purchase the oils. If you’re interested in buying oils please see the post from Day 4: How To Purchase Young Living Essential Oils. You can also reach out to me via email at melanie@yogabirds.com.
In Peace, Health and Scented Bliss,
Melanie Buffett
Member #1572095
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I’m just sharing my experiences! As always, do what you feel is best for yourself and your family.
For Day 4 I had planned on writing about Thieves Oil since it is one of Young Living’s signature products. But, in the last 24 hours, two people have inquired how and where to purchase the oils. Then today I received my most recent order of a box of goodies from Young Living… it is my most favorite and super happy mail day!!!
Today’s package includes three purse-sized Thieves spritzers, Thieves toothpaste, Morning Start Shower Gel, Eucalyptus Radiata, and Orange Essential Oils. Ready for Springtime aromatherapy!! Oh but I have digressed.
Back to the subject at hand….. So how do you purchase from Young Living?
You can sign up to be a Retail Customer.
What is a customer? As a customer, you are simply signing up to purchase oils directly from Young Living. There is no obligation to ever buy more or to sell anything. When purchasing oils as a customer, you will be paying retail price, and will receive no discounts or rewards, just lots of wholesome delicious smelling products. However, if you are currently a customer, and would like to begin receiving the 24% discount a wholesale member account offers you, you have the option to upgrade your account.
You can sign up to be Wholesale Member. Wholesale Members receive wholesale pricing (24% discount from retail), options for Essential Rewards, and the opportunity to build a business.
If you want to receive wholesale pricing, but do not want to sell anything, that is absolutely cool. There is never any obligation to sell these oils – EVER. If you do change your mind (like I did) and want to sell (be a distributor of) the oils, already having a wholesale account makes it easy to start if you chose to do so.
These are the steps to join Young Living as a Wholesale Member or Customer:
2. Select Wholesale Member so you can get the wholesale discount, or Retail Customer to pay retail.
3. My member number is: 1572095. This number should already be filled in the Sponsor ID and Enroller ID boxes. If it is not filled in, please fill in my number so that I can get credit for signing you up. (Many Thanks!!)
4. Fill out your name, billing address, shipping address, and contact info. (The reason you are asked to list your social security number is for tax purposes. If you make over $600/year selling Young Living products, you will receive a 1099 form in the mail, as is required by law. Young Living will never share this info with anyone.)
5. Create your password and pin which you will use to log in to your account and order your oils. If you chose Retail Customer you can skip to step 8.
6. If you chose the Wholesale Member option you must now purchase the Starter Kit of your choice to activate your membership. This is where you can specify which starter kit you would like (see below for an explanation and description of the Starter Kits) – they range in price from $40 on up. You only need to spend $40 to get the 24% discount. Note – you must sign up with one of these kits to become a wholesale member. This is mandatory. To maintain your 24% discount going forward, you only need to spend $50 worth each subsequent year with Young Living on any product in their store. That’s it! You can also purchase other items at this time if you wish.
7. If you chose the Wholesale Member option, you may also now set up your *optional* Essential Rewards Program (ER).Don’t be confused by this next step (like I was). Buying one of the Essential Rewards kits is not a requirement to sign up as a wholesale member! This is a (COMPLETELY OPTIONAL) rewards program you can opt into to start earning money back to help pay for your oils. If you do not want to set up an Essential Rewards Program, at this point, you can skip this step by selecting: ‘No, thank you. I plan on enrolling in the Essential Rewards Program later’. If, however, one of the Essential Rewards kits looks valuable to you then by all means get one in addition to your starter kit but please understand that you cannot buy an Essential Rewards kit in lieu of a starter kit. The Essential Rewards program is the most economical way to purchase your oils and other products. I choose to purchase my products through the Essential Rewards Program, but please note that it requires making a monthly minimum purchase. If you’re not interested or ready to join the Essential Rewards program now, you can always opt-in at a later time.
8. AGREE to Terms & Conditions
9. CONFIRM YOUR ORDER. I have had many folks miss this step and end up not fully checking out. Make sure to confirm. The tool will log you in and it will show you your order again and you will be prompted to enter in your payment information again. If you don’t confirm, your order won’t process and you will not receive your oils. And that’s no fun!
10. CONGRATULATIONS! That’s it!! After you set up your account and place your initial order, send an email to me. I will send you some additional materials and resources to help you navigate the wonderful world of Young Living. As well as introduce you to the Joyful Healing Oils Team that introduced me to the oils. Your oils should arrive on your doorstep in one week!
What is this Starter Kit? And why do I have to purchase it to be a Wholesale Member?
Basically, there are four starter kits of differing price and value offered to new sign-ups. Each kit includes your lifetime membership fee, which is why the purchase of a kit is required. For $40 you will receive the Basic Starter Kit, $75 for the Basic Plus Starter Kit, and for $150 you may choose either the Premium Starter Kit with an oil diffuser or the Premium Starter Kit featuring NingXiaNitro. I fully realize it’s a lot to shell out at one time, but the Premium Starter Kits get you the most bang for your buck because they come with the collection of 10 Everyday Oils in addition to the bonus Stress Away Oil. That’s 11 oils to play with right off the bat.
The four Starter Kit options are:
THE BASIC STARTER KIT / $40 ……. When you purchase the Basic Starter Kit, you will receive 10 YL oil samples {2 each of Lavender, Lemon, Peace & Calming, Peppermint, and Thieves}, a 5 ml bottle of Stress Away essential oil blend, 2 NingXia Red samples, AromaGlide roller fitment, and information about Young Living’s essential oils. This is all you need to get started as a distributor with Young Living.
THE BASIC PLUS STARTER KIT / $75……. Another option is to purchase the Basic Plus Starter Kit, which saves you 35%, as compared to purchasing the Basic Kit. This kit comes with everything in the Basic Kit, plus a FREE home diffuser!
***THE PREMIUM STARTER KIT / $150 …… The third option is the Premium Starter Kit, which gives you a 37% discount, and is the kit with the best value for the oil enthusiast and is the kit I chose to start with. This kit comes with everything in the Basic Kit, the free home diffuser, AND the Everyday Oils Kit. In this kit you will receive 10 of Young Living’s most popular essential oils which have a multitude of uses: Lemon, Lavender, Peppermint, Frankincense, Thieves, Valor, PanAway, Purification, Peace & Calming, and Joy. Each bottle contains 85-100 drops of oil so this collection gets you around 900 drops. A typical application is 1-4 drops so they will last you awhile.
THE PREMIUM STARTER KIT featuring NingXia Nitro / $150 …… The fourth option is new at Young Living and is perfect for those who are serious about transforming their lives. This kit has everything the Premium Starter Kit has but instead of the free home diffuser, you will receive two 14-packs of NingXia Nitro.
I realize this is a lot of info. Simply put, there is a minimum $40 start-up fee to become a wholesale member, and you only need to spend $50pv per year to keep the 24% wholesale discount.And that’s all folks!
If you have any questions, or need more information on how to purchase, please email me at melanie@yogabirds.com or call me at 251-508-7099.
In Peace, Health and Scented Bliss,
Melanie Buffett
Member #1572095
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I’m just sharing my experiences! As always, do what you feel is best for yourself and your family.
Well it’s Friday and Day 3 of my Lenten blog series 40 Days of Young Living Essential Oils. If this is your first day tuning in please read the intro to the series.
Today I am highlighting one of my favorites, Purification Oil. Two years ago when I went to India, a friend gave me a small sample bottle of Purification Oil to take with me. We slept in different and very foreign places every night for a month. I applied the oil on my temples before bed at night which gave me emotional balance in the midst of the intense (and wonderful) travel experience. It’s been a staple in my daily wellness regime ever since. Purification Oil is a blend of Citronella, Lemongrass, Lavandin, Rosemary, Melaleuca, and Myrtle essential oils. This blend has been found to be especially helpful in neutralizing odors, as well as, being effective on mold and mildew. It is fantastic for cleansing and disinfecting the air. And for many other uses.
10 Ways I Use Purification Oil
As a deodorizing, and germ-fighting spritzer at the fitness center where I teach classes
On mosquito bites
To freshen up stinky sneakers, place a drop of Purification on a cotton ball and place inside of shoes
In a diffuser to freshen up at home
A few drops in the washing machine for super fresh laundry
In a spritzer to freshen up the dog beds
In a car diffuser to make my car rides extra pleasant
Inhale straight out of the bottle in the steam room at the gym
A few drops in a hot bath of a refreshing and detoxifying soak
To stay emotionally and physically balanced when traveling
Are you using Purification Oil in your daily home/health regime? Please share in the comments section below. Also, please ‘Like’ the Yoga Birds Facebook Page and Follow Yoga Birds on Twitter. I love being in touch with you all!
Until tomorrow….
Peace, Health, and Scented Bliss,
Melanie Buffett
Young Living Distributor #1572095
If you would like to become a Young Living Retail Customer or Wholesale Member under my (Yoga Birds) sponsorship please CLICK HERE or go to www.youngliving.com/yogabirds and chose ‘Sign Up Here’ from the menu. My member number should be pre-filled into the online form. If it is not, please fill in my number (#1572095). THANK YOU!! Send me an email if you sign up so that I can help you navigate the wonderful aromatic universe of Young Living. xoxo Mel
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I’m just sharing my experiences! As always, do what you feel is best for yourself and your family.
And, yes, I am counting yesterday’s intro as Day 1. Today I am highlighting Basil Oil which I use everyday in a shower spritzer that I make. The scent immediately sends a message to my brain to wake up. It has become a ritual that I look forward to every morning upon rising. The spritzer is a mix of distilled water and YLEO Basil Oil.
A Few Interesting Bits About Basil Oil:
In old folklore tales, basil was considered by the ancient Greeks as the ‘king of plants’ and was used to anoint kings.
It is also said to have aphrodisiac qualities and was used by Italian women to attract possible suitors—well who knew?!? 🙂
Historically basil oil has been used for respiratory problems, digestive and kidney ailments, insect and snake bites, fevers, and malaria.
My first experience with basil oil was in a yoga class 10 years ago. The teacher came around in final relaxation pose with the scented oil on her hands and gave me a very nice and gentle head and neck adjustment. The aroma opened up a whole new dimension to my breath and my practice giving a heightened sense of clarity. At first I thought the oil was exotic but when I discovered it was basil, I was surprised because it is so common in kitchens and gardens. I have been interested in the many properties and uses for basil oil ever since then.
Ways I Have Used Basil Oil:
in a diffuser with success for help alleviating migraine headaches.
inhaling the scent to ‘wake up’ and motivate to teach fitness classes when I feel mentally fatigued.
one drop in my favorite smoothie recipe: pineapple, banana, spinach and almond milk.
one drop in scrambled eggs. It totally adds another dimension to the flavor and aroma of these quick meals.
For me, YLEO Basil Oil is a ‘must-have’ oil. My most recent experiments with using the oil in cooking is super exciting. I might actually be a foodie after all!
I will keep you posted on other ways I use the oil. If you are using Basil Oil in your daily routine or in your house, please share your experiences in the comment section below. Also, please ‘Like’ the Yoga Birds Facebook Page and Follow Yoga Birds on Twitter. I love being in touch with you all!
Until tomorrow….
Peace, Health, and Scented Bliss,
Melanie Buffett
Young Living Distributor #1572095
If you would like to become a Young Living Retail Customer or Wholesale Member under my (Yoga Birds) sponsorship please CLICK HERE or go to www.youngliving.com/yogabirds and chose ‘Sign Up Here’ from the menu. My member number should be pre-filled into the online form. If it is not, please fill in my number (#1572095). THANK YOU!! Send me an email if you sign up so that I can help you navigate the wonderful aromatic universe of Young Living. xoxo Mel
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. I’m just sharing my experiences! As always, do what you feel is best for yourself and your family.
“What the world needs more than anything is active servants of peace clothed in the armor of perseverance, dedicated to the spreading of wisdom into all reaches of our experience… working to transform their minds and actions and those of others, working tirelessly in the certain knowledge of the support of the buddhas and enlightened beings, for the preservation of our world, and for a more merciful future. As Teilhard de Chardin said: “Some day, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity… we shall harness… the energies of love. Then for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.””
