As healing arts go, Feng Shui (pronounced Fung Shway) is about as organic as you can get.

The ancient Chinese system literally means “wind and water” (in Chinese culture, wind and water are associated with good health), but an easier interpretation is that Feng Shui is the art of placement.

Feng Shui helps us align and arrange our “universe” into more manageable units (i.e., our homes, property, offices, living rooms, bedrooms, and more) that help ease the way for energy flow. We may not be able to control the Feng Shui of the world at large, but Feng Shui can certainly help us to design our personal environment according to the same universal principles of energy flow by which planets spin in their orbits and galaxies propel through space.

We experience organic beauty and wellness when pure, vibrating energy—also called chi, ki, prana, ruah—can flow effortlessly through us and around us. When this energy is disrupted, or blocked in any way, inner and outer balance may be compromised, and that is when mis- fortune, discomfort, or dis-ease may set in. True well-being—wholeness in mind, body, spirit and environment—exists when this life force energy is optimized, creating the sacred space for balance, harmony, growth, and success to flourish.

SPRING CLEANING WITH FENG SHUI

Have you ever experienced a heightened lightness and bright- ness, a joie de vivre, if you will, after spring cleaning? Or perhaps life seemed to “flow” a bit better after rearranging certain design elements within your home or work space. There’s also the intui- tive aspect of sensing the impact of your environment on the way you feel. For example, when you walk into a house with a long, dark hallway as the entryway, you may feel a little bit claustro- phobic or anxious? For every situation that suppresses energy in some way, there are Feng Shui enhancements or ways to update your space through color, furniture, accessories, etc., that will remedy the “afflicted” area and create movement or “flow.”

DECORATING TIPS FOR FENG SHUI

In order to create good Feng Shui in your home or office, here are a few things you can do:

• Clear out clutter It makes no sense to decorate a cluttered home, does it?

• Optimize lighting Full or natural spectrum lighting, candles and light-reflecting surfaces like mirrors or light-refracting items like cut-lead crystals will all activate Chi. When mirrors are placed properly, they can shift the flow of energy in any space dramati- cally. Mirrors can also bring a sense of expansiveness and calm.

• Choose color Color is powerful, as it is an expression of light. The colors you choose should be meaningful to you. In China, yel- low is the color for longevity, red is a most auspicious color, and green is a cleansing color that symbolizes renewal and growth.

• Optimize air quality To move good energy through a space, make certain air is pure and pollutant free. Consider an air-filtration system.

• Be aware of sound Sounds can greatly influence the Chi within a space. This includes music, whether soothing or stimulating. Wind chimes will “cure” negative energy, and move positive energy through a space via their melodic sound.

• Integrate texture Decorate with soft surfaces (drapery, upholstery, carpeting) that absorb noise. Install baffles if needed to modulate loud or toxic sound. Pillars, beams, or sharp-edged corners can interrupt energy flow. Wrap these in broad swaths of soft fabric, surround with mirrors, place plants, wind chimes or crystals to move energy around these “obstructions.”

• Floral arrangements and plants Plants and flowers bring vibrant Chi or energy into any space. Bamboo, considered lucky, is one of the most popular Feng Shui “cures” and a beautiful addition to any home. Bamboo reminds us to be flexible and hollow (open) on the inside, so that the spirit can freely flow and heal our being and our space.

• Consider water Moving water ionizes the air, accentuating its health-boosting quality. Water gardens, fountains or falls, Feng Shui favorites, all bring in the soothing water energy and create a peaceful and sweet energy.

• Art works The use of art can considerably improve the energy of any space. Create the energy and mood you’re looking for through an artistic style or colors (i.e., soothing and sensual in the bedroom or active and vibrant in the kitchen or office).

For more tips on Feng Shui, visit our blog at
blog.organicspamagazine.com

LEARN FROM THE EXPERT: JAYME BARRETT

Jayme Barrett, best-selling author of Feng Shui Your Life (Sterling Publishing), has a simple philosophy. When you display symbols of beauty, abundance, success and love within your home and work environment, it creates a manifestation of the life you want to live: a blue- print for your destiny.

In her book, Barrett takes us on a personal tour of homes with exceptional Feng Shui, and explains the techniques she uses to create “positive space.” Room by room, she illustrates the deeper purpose of every aspect of design,

demonstrating how the simplest adjustment— placing a plant in the right corner—can make a world of difference in your daily mood and, ultimately, your life. “Feng Shui,” says Barrett, “is not just about the spaces we occupy. It is a philosophy and way of life that begins with our mental, emotional and spiritual enhancement.” Lush photography and hundreds of tips and sug- gestions–from her own experience and gleaned from the wisdom of the ages–take us ever closer to the revitalization of home, health and spirit. jaymebarrett.com

Who doesn’t feel energized, happy and calm near a still lake, a magnificent waterfall, the ocean’s crashing waves or a retreat to the bath? Since ancient times, bathing has been seen as a ritual synonymous with purifying and calming. We deeply honor ourselves when we “take the waters” with scented oils from botanicals and herbs. We intertwine with nature. In our holy, enchanting sanctuary of aroma and water, we can breathe, rejoice and feel the wholeness of life.

Whether taking a shower, bath or enjoying a whirlpool (truly a non-prescription muscle relaxer), bathing is liquid tranquility. Water relaxes tight muscles, rejuvenates sore joints and stimulates the release of endorphins, all while lulling you into a better physical, mental and emotional state. Cultures and spas around the world know it—from the Japanese onsen or bath soak, to the sulphur springs in the mountains of Taiwan; from the clayladen hot springs in the Ecuadorian Andes to Europe’s venerable spas, with freshwater mineral baths or coastal locations offering heated seawater ones. In the Middle East and North Africa, there is the wonderful Turkish bath. Russia enjoys soaks, steams and mud baths. And Scandinavia has the sauna—one of life’s simple luxuries.

These influences are now all available stateside. Personally, I’ve enjoyed everything from hot mineral springs and waterfalls in our national parks, to the chakra hydro-massage to chromatherapy (color therapy in a water jet tub), to the tented steam bath of the Himalayan Rejuvenation Treatment at the Chopra Center for Well-Being, accompanied by Shirodara (warm herbal oil dropped continuously onto the third eye area). There’s also Santa Fe’s Ten Thousand Waves hot spring onsen experience. I’m fortunate to be near the renowned Kohler Waters Spa in the Chicago area. With additional locations in Kohler, Wisconsin and St. Andrews, Scotland, Kohlers’ is all about water. The Water Experiential Area offers a waterfall, whirlpool, several different types of showers, and more—heavenly!

The bath (along with the shower) helps to nurture, balance and release energy. Metaphorically, bathing washes away the pressures of daily life, while rejuvenating our well-being. A cleansing ritual is a deeply meditative experience of purification and renewal. Awaken and/or calm the senses in the bath with aromatherapy, music, a lit candle and, dare I say, a glass of organic pinot noir and chocolate truffle, along with a good novel! It may involve closing your eyes and moving into a deep inner silence. For others, an energizing shower with alternating hot and cold water will stimulate blood circulation and tone the skin.

I feel amazing.

I just completed Karyn Calabrese’s renowned 28-day cleanse/detox, and it has been cathartic for my body, mind and soul. This cleanse truly is like peeling away onion layers or metamorphosing from a caterpillar into a butterfly. My energy levels are through the roof, and my body is leaner, meaner and noticeably more flexible (as is my mind).

Calabrese, known as the Goddess of Raw and Guru of Detox, has built a holistic health and raw/vegan empire, including acclaimed restaurants; the Inner Beauty Spa, a store with high-quality organic food, nutritional supplements and personal care and houesehold cleaning products; educational classes; and a bestselling book, Soak Your Nuts: Cleansing with Karyn: Secrets for Inner Healing and Outer Beauty.

Doing a 28-day cleanse during a Chicago winter seemed daunting at first. Calabrese’s cleanse involves eating an organic raw/vegan diet for three weeks and fasting for one week, with the intensive use of targeted nutritional supplements and colon therapy (enemas/colonics). During her 35 years in the healing arts, Calabrese has developed what she calls Nature’s Healing System to relieve everything from obesity to hormonal disorders. At its heart, Calabrese’s carefully calibrated cleansing program combines
a raw/vegan diet, fasting, supplementation and—importantly—contemplation to rebalance the body, remove years of accumulated toxins and restore flagging life-force energy.

Through a course at Inner Bliss in Chicago, I met with Calabrese for two hour sessions over a four-week period. (If you can’t attend one of her four yearly on-site programs, Soak Your Nuts outlines the protocol in detail or you can find Calabrese’s teachings on YouTube.) About a third of the class were alumni, and many shared stories about healing chronic and acute disease through cleansing.

“You’re going to redesign your inner being,” Calabrese told us. She emphasized that the body can react to cleansing with pain, headaches, fatigue, chills, nausea, runny nose, diarrhea, fever and more. She encouraged everyone to partner with someone in the class for support and to prep juices, foods and supplements a day ahead so we would have plenty of raw/vegan snacks to nosh on. She helped us with affirmations and intentions.

“I don’t miss a day without my meditation and prayer–listening and talking to God,” Calabrese told us. In addition to helping us understand what the cleanse was doing to our bodies, she shared how meditation and journaling could help us through the mental and spiritual catharsis and open us up to infinite possibility.

On a typical day, I would wake up and take probiotics, fenugreek capsules and digestive enzymes with my green food smoothie and chlorella before I meditated, walked the dogs, practiced yoga and did a bit of journaling. Then I would be out the door for the day with my bag of supplements, kamut and other green juices, oxygenated drink and raw food snacks. (Calabrese’s granola bar, carrot muffin and kale chips are delicious!)

We become the food we eat. As Dr. Ann Wigmore, one of Calabrese’s primary mentors, has said, “The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” Calabrese’s 28-day cleanse is a great way to reboot your food habits to improve your health and quality of life. Once you experience this vitalized well-being, there’s no turning back. I’ll continue to take many of the vital foodstuffs and supplements that I discovered during my cleanse until I can participate again.

Calabrese is fond of saying, “If you don’t take good care of your body, where will you live?” So true. karynraw.com/detox

Green food smoothies and juices are important in Karyn Calabrese’s 28-day cleanse.

The annual Earth Day celebration on April 22 is the perfect day to revisit our commitment to nurture Mother Earth and, by extension, ourselves. It’s a day for re-connecting with our wholeness in mind, body, spirit and environment. By raising your spiritual footprint, you’ll auto-magically lower your eco-footprint.

“Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it,” Chief Seattle said in 1854. “What we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” Any action that disrupts the earth’s balance ultimately affects us, because nature is our extended body. The planet’s circadian, lunar, tidal and seasonal rhythms are within every one of us.

“Green” living begins with our lifestyle choices, starting from a place of fervent intention to travel the green, sustainable, organic pathway. Energy follows intention, and the phrase “think globally, act locally” has never rung more true. When you mindfully and authentically re-think, reduce, recycle, reuse and repurpose in your own microcosm, you affect the macrocosm, or the greater good. Leaving Mother Earth healthier, richly diverse and more vibrant becomes your legacy.

Let us focus on exquisitely raising our consciousness toward ecologically sound living though meditation and ritual. Embracing mindfulness every day allows deep transformation to take place. Yoga, which means “weaving” or “yoking” together mind, body, spirit and environment, can help nurture and support your inner self. As yogis learn to be cool, compassionate and connected, the world reflects this collective divinity. (Check out greenyoga.org for more inspiration about spiritual activism for the planet.)

Green is the color of the heart chakra–our energetic center of love and compassion. “Green” love to all on Earth Day and every day. Please go to organicspamagazine.com to continue this conversation.

MARY BETH JANSSEN is a certified mind-body health educator for the Chopra Center for Well Being and author of five books.

Earth Day Inquiries
Ask yourself these questions, based on yogic principles.
1. Did you hurt anyone today? Yourself? The Earth? Are you wasting water, fuel, food or other resources? Do you buy local? Focusing on what you really need can help counteract messages to hyper-consume.
2. Do your actions benefit others? This question reminds us to respect everyone’s right to a clean environment.

Whether at work or play, I make essential oils an integral part of every day. I use aromatherapy clinically with patients, in spa settings with staff and guests, and with my yoga students. At the beginning of every yoga or wellness session, I pass out an organic cotton ball moistened with a couple drops of essential oil to set the mood. Whatever the activity, therapeutic-grade organic essential oils can make a difference, enhancing mind-body awareness and releasing tension.

Yoga and aromatherapy have traditionally been linked through the holistic medical system Ayurveda. In India, attars —plant-based perfumes in a sandalwood base—were an elemental part of yoga practice, used to massage muscles before and help calm the mind during asana practice. Many lovely attars are still available today.

Aromatherapy, like yoga, works on the whole person: body, mind and pure consciousness or spirit. Aromas trigger instincts, emotions and memory. Yoga weaves neuromuscular memory into our cells. Combining the two, we can condition ourselves to feel yoga’s deep calming relaxation off the mat just by smelling the scent that accompanied our asanas.

Every week I distribute cotton balls with different mood-enhancing oils to my students, who breathe in their scent during our upfront pranayama. They place the cotton ball on the corner of their mats and get whiffs during our asana practice.

Using essential oils to clean your mat is another great way to get aromatherapy’s benefits while sanitizing and deodorizing. To energize your practice, mix several drops of anti-microbial and antibacterial essential oils such as tea tree, rosemary, eucalyptus, cedarwood, or lemon into a spray bottle of purified water. White vinegar can enhance the disinfection quotient.

OPEN YOUR NOSE
If a cold, sinusitis or allergies has messed with your sense of smell, add eucalyptus, juniper or tea tree essential oil to a diffuser or vaporizer or try this Ayurvedic remedy.

Nasya is simply applying a few drops of organic olive, sweet almond or sesame oil infused with a small amount of camphor, eucalyptus or menthol oil to the inside of your nostrils with your little finger. The Chopra Center’s Ayurnas Ayurvedic Sinus Support Nasya Oil provides cold and allergy relief and also helps with insomnia, muscle tension, neck pain, snoring, hoarseness, stress and fatigue.
1 ounce, $20; store.chopra.com

Scent Your Asanas
Rose absolute oil: enhances heart-opening effects of bridge and backbends
Sandalwood: reduces anxiety for grounded warrior and standing poses
Lavender: promotes calm surrender during standing and seated forward bends
Peppermint: quickly energizes prana flow for downward dog and inversions
Clary sage: soothes tension, inspires creativity and renews vigor during twists
Frankincense: inspires deep focus during restorative poses

My Favorite Essential Oils
Ananda Apothecary anandaapothecary.com
Aromadina aromandina.com
Aura Cacia auracacia.com
Aveda aveda.com
Floracopeia floracopeia.com
Intelligent Nutrients intelligentnutrients.com
Lotus Wei lotuswei.com
Natural Patches of Vermont naturopatch.com
Young Living youngliving.com

To learn more about aromatherapy, check out Mary Beth Janssen’s article “Aromatherapy 101” at
organicspamagazine.com/2011/09/aromatherapy-101/.

Beauty and wellness educator MARY BETH JANSSEN is a certified mind-body health educator for the Chopra Center for Well Being and the author of five books.

Traipsing from one festive gala to the next? Enjoying the abundance of the season? Perhaps you’ve even tipped the scales toward over- abundance? If yes, chances are that you may be suffering from toxic overload…

Ask yourself: Do you find it hard to get motivated?  Do you still feel tired after a full eight hours of sleep? Are you stressed out, with a tendency to fly off the handle with the slightest provocation? Do you suffer from gastrointestinal upsets, insomnia, headaches or body aches…?

With the new year just around the corner, perhaps we all could benefit from stepping up our detox efforts and strive to be lighter in every sense. Isn’t that what January 1st inspires in us all, ”out with the old, in with the new?”

Detox is more than having a squeaky-clean colon and clear, radiant skin (although an important part of it!). It’s also about simplifying, decluttering and clearing away the complexities in our lives, as much as possible.

It’s the intention that we set in the morning for how we’re going to create our day—our connection to others, the thoughts we have, the activities we engage in, the food we eat, the products we use. As we become fully present in making the most life-affirming choices possible, we lessen our toxic load and infuse our life with vibrant energy and joy.

This, my friends, can amount to the very best health insurance possible.

There are two facets to detox. Detoxification may be seen as a programmed ritual enacted once or twice a year whether at home, at a wellness center or spa. Many spas now offer detox programs, treatments and products. These can include fasting, herbs, saunas, special diets, mineral mud baths, hot rock massages and colonic irrigation—to name but a few. Detox can also be seen as a perfectly natural and ongoing process for each one of us. If we’re honoring the process, that is. Our body has these incredible built-in systems for detox—the lymphatic, respiratory, urinary, gastrointestinal and the skin. Naturally, the key is not to overtax them.

Mary Beth Janssen is a highly respected beauty and wellness educator, certified mind-body health educator for the Chopra Center for Well-Being, and the author of six books. To send her your questions, write to Marybeth@organicspamagazine.com.

It never fails to amaze me what a miraculous, diversely vibrant world we live in, pulsating with all forms of energetic life. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is but one of these astonishing discoveries especially for the beauty and wellness realms. This remedy—indigenous to the high mountainous regions of the Himalayans and Siberia—has made its way to North America, emerging as the latest trendy ingredient in cutting-edge beauty and health products. Why, in some quarters, sea buckthorn (sbt) has been called the Swiss Army knife (multi-faceted, multi-usage ) of plants, with well over 200 products being manufactured from it including facial serums, body oils, creams, hair conditioners, and “ingestibles” like teas, juice, tinctures, capsules, and jams (crazy about my tangy sbt jam! —www.mondoberry.com).

Like schisandra, ginko biloba, and the many other Eastern European and Asian ingredients now widely used in Western cosmetics, sbt has over a 1,000-year history of use. Talk about empirical knowledge! First records date back to the classical Tibetan medical book Sibu Yidian in which it was recommended for tonifying ying and strengthening yang. It’s said that the ancient Greeks fed it to their race horses, thus the botanical name Hippophae (“shiny horse”). And likely one indication of its benefits for hair!

In the 1990s, I experienced sbt berry juice along with the intoxicating high-commerce sights, sounds and smells of the tented backstreets of Hong Kong (like a James Bond movie!). The old Chinese woman who gave it to me, said, “Drink—you live long time.” Fast forward to 2003, and I was intimately involved in the development of an organic personal-care brand with a progressive chemist who included sbt berry oil in all of our skin and hair formulas. Yes, powerful inner and outer beauty benefits abound in sbt.

The juice from the bright orange berries, extremely high in vitamin C (16 times as much as kiwi fruit), has long been used for building one’s immunity against infection. Also a known source of cholesterol-lowering compounds, a highly regarded heart tonic, and possible protective agent against cancer, diabetes and liver disease, sbt berries have officially joined the same class of antioxidant fruits as pomegranate, guarana, mangosteen, noni berries, goji berries, and blueberries. They’re being touted as an efficacious natural preservative for foodstuffs and cosmetics alike given their powerful antioxidant and anti-microbial properties.

Sbt berries and leaves are über-rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, flavonoids, phytosterols, essential fatty acids (including omega 3, 6 and 7) and much more. Of note, Sbt is filled with the powerful antioxidant proanthocyanidin, which has strong body- and skin-protective qualities against free-radical attacks, including ionizing radiation, thus a measure of protection against skin cancer. Proanthocyanidins can also help preserve collagen and elastin, the building blocks of skin, and reduce puffiness or swelling, especially after surgery. All a strong case for sbt in your skin and sun protection products. The bright orange fruits derive their color from the 15-plus carotenoids they contain, including beta-carotene, lycopene, and zeaxanthin. The carotenoids—especially ingestibles like lycopene—have been proven to dramatically increase sun protection and retard aging of the skin. This research taps into one of the newest trends in nutritional foods—the “beauty from within” segment, also being called nutri-cosmetics, predicted to become a strong niche over the next few years. Yes, sbt berry oil is showing up in all forms of skin, hair, and nail care treatment, and with good reason.

Sea buckthorn’s nourishing, revitalizing, and rejuvenative powerhouse constituents make it a very effective anti-aging agent, greatly reducing dryness and the appearance of wrinkles. It preserves your skin’s moisture, and softens and lubricates your skin, keeping it smooth and clear. Its free-radical scavengering properties, as well as extraordinary anti-inflammatory activity—for healing and treating everything from skin wounds to burns, eruptions to rosacea—along with its many other skin-health-promoting functions, make this a real winner. Even yours truly is noticing and enjoying the benefits with the USDA certified organic sbt anti-aging serum that I’m indulging in (formulated by my physician, Dr. Joseph Mercola).

Certainly Google organic sea buckthorn berry oil to delve more deeply into this amazing plant and its multi-usages for inner and outer beauty, but also do visit www.sibubeauty.com, www.aubreyorganics.com, www.mercola.com, and www.weleda.com for organic personal care products, as well as for beauty and wellness ingestibles. Check out the natural medicines database www.naturaldatabase.com and www.taoofherbs.com for more fascinating background information on this astonishing plant.

Mary Beth Janssen is a highly respected beauty and wellness educator who teaches mind-body health and organic lifestyle seminars worldwide. She is a certified mind-body health educator for Deepak Chopra’s Chopra Center for Well-Being, as well as a massage therapist, aromatherapist, herbalist, and yoga teacher. She has authored five books, including Radiant Beauty: Your Healthy and Organic Guide to Total Body Well-Being and Rejuvenation: Spa Secrets for Menopause. Her newest is Pleasure Healing: Mindful Practices and Sacred Spa Rituals for Self Nurturing.

I’m pleased to take this question, as I’ve been practicing and teaching Ayurveda since becoming a mind-body health educator for the Chopra Center for Well-Being in 1997.

Ayurveda (Sanskrit for “science of life”) is recognized by the World Health Organization as an effective medical science and has undergone extensive research at the National Institutes of Health. Many studies suggest that Ayurvedic therapies may reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors, as well as prevent or treat certain cancers, infectious diseases, immune system deficiencies, neurological disorders, and hormonal problems.

Practiced in India for over 5,000 years, this natural system of healing draws on elements of meditation, yoga, pranayama, nutrition/herbalism, along with sensory modulation techniques, including massage, aroma, color, and sound/music therapies.

Ayurveda focuses on the mind-body connection and teaches that our experiences—including perceptions and lifestyle choices—are metabolized into molecules in our bodies.

At its heart and soul, Ayurveda guides us in determining our unique mind-body type (called “doshas”). We can then strive for a harmonious balance between these three doshas, or mind-body energies—Vata (air), Pitta (fire), and Kapha (earth)—that make up our constitution. This mind-body network influences our physical appearance—body frame, eyes, complexion, hair—along with the way we typically think, act, move, eat, and sleep. All three energies are in us—with one generally predominant, while another often sub-dominant.

With its spiritual underpinnings, Ayurveda recognizes there is this magnificent life force energy that flows through us and around us—creating wholeness in mind, body, spirit, and environment. When we disrupt this energy (read: uncontrolled stress!), patterns of dis-ease may set in, and can manifest both externally and internally. Naturally, the items we use as we engage in Ayurvedic practices require our discernment in making the organic choice.

Following is a brief snapshot of the doshas.

Vata represents movement—that of the body, thoughts, food, blood, and more. Vata energy is light, cold, dry, irregular, and highly active. Predominant Vata types are naturally creative, lively, and stimulating. Imbalance or excessive “airiness” may come through as anxiety or restlessness, loss of skin tone, dry skin and hair, irregular digestion, constipation, insomnia, aching joints, and more. To balance, these individuals should reduce overstimulation and integrate more routine into their daily lives making certain to get ample sleep, gentle exercise, a regular, healthful, and warming diet (including fluids), and avoid becoming anxious. Nourishing plant and essential oils nurture the skin.

Pitta represents chemical transformation and light. It’s hot, intense and illuminating. Think metabolism. Pitta metabolizes food, ideas, emotions, and more. Those with predominant Pitta have a sharp intellect, strong passion, and focused ambition. When imbalanced, one is prone to inflammatory conditions like anger, heartburn, skin inflammation, hair thinning or premature graying, and other maladies. To balance, any cooling and soothing approach will be beneficial. All things in moderation, balance of activity and rest, and avoid being overly competitive (it stokes the flames!). Decrease exposure to sun, hot or spicy foods, hot drinks, and alcohol. Quell the heat however you can. Cooling herbs and plant/essential oils soothe the skin.

Kapha represents structure, stability, and lubrication. It’s cold, heavy, slow, and cohesive. Kapha modulates building of tissues, organs, and bones, and can optimize fluids in the body. Predominant Kapha types should remain true to their loyal, down-to-earth, and easygoing self. Imbalanced, there’s a tendency toward lethargy, depression, physical congestion, and weight gain. This can manifest in lowered metabolism, slow digestion, fluid retention, sinus problems, oily skin, and more. Regular physical activity, stimulating activities—and a variety of experiences serve to motivate. Warmth and dryness are comforting. Use sensory modulation techniques that enliven and stimulate, whether music, aroma, or massage.

If you’re interested in learning more, as always, Google Ayurveda or Organic, Ayurvedic Skin Care for resources and more in-depth study of this exquisite and time-honored system for beauty and wellness. And if inclined, visit these sites that I recommend: www.chopra.com (Take the dosha quiz found here. Quite enlightening!), www.doshacare.com, www.auromere.com, www.redcherrygroup.com (for their lovely Amrit organic brand), www.banyanbotanicals.com, www.esutras.com, and www.bodybistro.com.

Mary Beth Janssen is a highly respected beauty and wellness educator and a certified mind-body health educator for Deepak Chopra’s Chopra Center for Well-Being. She has authored five books, including Radiant Beauty: Your Healthy and Organic Guide to Total Body Well-Being and Rejuvenation: Spa Secrets for Menopause. Her newest is Pleasure Healing: Mindful Practices and Sacred Spa Rituals for Self Nurturing.

Becoming a loving person is such an integral part of living organically. This includes loving the earth, your neighbors, your significant other, and yourself. What’s more, love in the organic sense reaches beyond the traditional meaning of intimacy. Compassion, enchantment, sensuality, commitment, joy, and many other emotions come into play.

Naturally, an important facet of love is our sexuality—the libidinal type—and how we express it. However a number of saboteurs can take us away from our most loving self. “Feeling the love” takes a commitment on our part. It’s easy in today’s stressful and time starved world to let sexual satisfaction fall by the wayside. Some of you reading this may want to renew this wonderful relationship with your sensual, sexual self. Since our body’s central organ of sexual response is the brain—imbibing in “organic” brain food can include blissful aromas, luscious tastes, enlivening colors, mesmerizing music, warm baths, sensual massage, fragrant flowers, candlelight, the feel of silk on bare skin, feathers, reading erotica, skinny dipping, moonlight… you get the idea!

In filling that gift basket, I would say, let the Tantric approach be your guide. In Tantra yoga, pursuit of sexual pleasure has long been a form of sacrament, considered as essential to nurturing life as food and water. Perhaps include the ultimate manual on Tantra lovemaking, the Kama Sutra—written by Vatsyayana 2,000 years ago, about the same time as the Bible’s book of Revelation. Deepak Chopra has done a lovely updated version of this sacred ancient text.

A mélange of worship, meditation, ritual, and mysticism, this tradition teaches that sacred love leads to a direct experience with God. To the yogic practitioner, Tantric worship transforms orgiastic energy into a spiritual force that delivers the worshipper to the divine. Whether loving yourself or your beloved, lovemaking includes exquisite consciousness and modulation of every sensation felt in concert with the breath. In other words, the true pleasure of sex doesn’t come from orgasm but rather in recognizing, receiving, and satisfying our lover.

Tantra yoga assigns a central role to the senses in the quest for holy enlightenment. Loving touch, ritual bathing, sacred soundscapes, ecstatic dance, sensuous fabrics, herbs, aromatic oils, body paint, along with edibles, such as dried and fresh fruits, healthy nuts, champagne and chocolates (chocolate-dipped strawberries and dried apricots, yum!), are kept close at hand to titillate the tongue and refresh the senses. I encourage further study of the Kama Sutra—a comprehensive prescription for pleasurable living incorporating aspects of mythology and astrology. And of course, there are the 64 enlightening “art of sex” passages. A big reason for the Kama Sutra’s lasting fame and centuries of devoted practitioners is that it equally emphasizes our spiritual desires and sexual satisfaction, considering our human need to feel appreciated and emotionally connected.

There’s also a magnificent book written by one of the most sensual and green wise women on the planet, Diana De Luca. It’s called Botanica Erotica: Arousing Body, Mind and Spirit (Healing Arts Press). This playful and provocative guide to the aphrodisiac foods, herbs and behaviors that arouse us will provide the ingredients for a lifelong exploration of sensual pleasure. You’ll find recipes in the book that you may want to make (organic ingredients, of course!) and include in your gift basket—like candied edible flowers, chocolate spiced butter, Tantric trail mix, Damiana (Turnera aphrodisiaca) cordial, and much more. By the way, many high profile spas offer workshops on sacred loving—of note is the eco-organic Miraval Tucson resort and spa in Catalina, Arizona.

So many marvelous companies offer organic lotions, oils, lubricants, and “love” toys that I will leave it to your own resourcefulness to research these further on the Internet, however I would be remiss if I didn’t make mention of my friend Wendy Strgar’s company Good Clean Love at www.goodcleanlove.com. I so appreciate reading Wendy’s blog “Making Love Sustainable.” And her organic “love” products are simply divine!

Mary Beth Janssen,a highly respected beauty and wellness educator and a certified mind-body health educator for Deepak Chopra’s Chopra Center for Well-Being, pens “Ask the Organic Beauty Expert” for Organic Spa Magazine.  She has authored five books, including Pleasure Healing: Mindful Practices and Sacred Spa Rituals for Self Nurturing. 

It’s said the longer we keep our natural teeth, the longer our life span. Holding onto your original issue depends fiercely on gum health. Whether bad breath, cavities, heart disease, and even oral cancers—they can all have one thing in common—bad bacteria that comes from the mouth. Genetics aside, teeth and gum problems are often rooted in oral hygiene. Regular brushing and flossing is the best preventative for gum disease, which allows oral bacteria to enter your bloodstream along with the inherent risk for your heart. So love your heart by brushing and flossing at least twice a day and visit your dentist once a year, twice is even better. This is organic dental care at its best!

Strive to brush after eating for clean teeth, fresh breath, and to nip tartar build-up in the bud. Use small circular motions, spending two to three minutes on your full set of choppers. Be gentle! Aggressive brushing injures and creates receding gums. And yes, use natural, organic, herbal toothpaste or powder and mouthwash.

• For fresh breath, try chewing on fennel seeds, parsley, or natural mints, or use a natural breath spray. Products containing cinnamon, Echinacea, tea tree oil, and peppermint control bacteria while freshening the breath.

• Scraping your tongue in the morning reduces bad breath and plaque by eradicating bacteria build-up. Tongue scrapers are now widely available.

• A cleansing flow of saliva is important for oral health, because a dry mouth promotes decay. If your saliva flow is negligible, you’re undergoing radiation treatments, or using drugs that dry out your mouth, speak to your doctor. One of the best natural solutions is to sip water throughout the day, swishing it around in your mouth to rehydrate.

• Chewing gum made with parsley seed oil, sunflower oil, spearmint oil, and/or the natural sweetener xylitol (also controls plaque!) keeps saliva flow healthy. Chewing these natural gums as well as using natural lozenges or mints after meals can help flush away cavity-causing bacteria, sugars, and acids. Some natural mints even come with probiotics in them to coat the inner mouth and throat with good bacteria!

• And don’t forget the massage! Every day, place a bit of organic plant (sesame, olive, sweet almond) oil on the pad of your finger and gently massage gum surfaces to stimulate healthy blood flow to the gums. An organic, unrefined diet with plenty of raw foods and roughage literally helps massage the gums as you chew. Think of how cleansed your mouth feels after topping your lunch with that crisp apple. You can also activate blood and lymph circulation to mouth and face muscles by exercising your face. A few good ways:

• Remember Bewitched? Twitch your nose back and forth like Samantha.

• Puff your cheeks out and then breathe deeply through your nose 10 times. Release and relax your cheeks.

• Do yoga’s Lion Pose. Stretch your mouth wide open, open your eyes wide looking upward and stick out your tongue as far as it’ll go while giving a nice loud roar. Release and relax. And looking in the mirror tunes you into the silliness of the pose, eliciting laughter!

Many marvelous natural, organic dental products are now readily available. Check with your local health or Whole Foods market. Some are 100 percent naturally sourced from organic and wild-harvested plant materials like Natura, founded by ethnobotanical research scientist Dr. Mary Rodio (www.naturarx.com). Also check out www.ourtatefamily.com for their organic and natural “miracle” toothpaste. At www.dentist.net you’ll find the cream of the crop in organic and natural products from Desert Essence to Weleda, Eco Dent to Peelu, and so much more. Also Google natural and organic dental products and natural teeth-whitening alternatives for a cornucopia of additional choices.

Mary Beth Janssen is a highly respected beauty and wellness educator and a certified mind-body health educator for Deepak Chopra’s Chopra Center for Well-Being. She has authored five books, including Pleasure Healing: Mindful Practices and Sacred Spa Rituals for Self-Nurturing. To send her your questions, write to Marybeth@organicspamagazine.com.