MuditaMagazineSummer2021DIGITAL

How does Your Super
directly impact the
community?
After several years in the
superfoods industry they
learned that there are a lot
of dirty secrets. Many things
that they will never agree
with and they couldn’t wrap
their heads around how
common these practices
are! For example it’s normal
to add random oils to
superfoods during the
production process to make
filling easier and reduce fly-
off. What’s worse is that
these extra ingredients don’t
have to be mentioned in
ingredients lists on the label. Additionally, most wholesalers don’t
want to share anything about their sourcing and refuse to do lab
testing which would ensure that the ingredients are free of
pesticides and are truly organic. These ingredients could be from
anywhere! Wheatgrass and many other superfoods sourced from
China are 90% cheaper than those sourced from e.g. Germany. You
can literally see the difference in quality with your eyes!
These practices were and will always be unacceptable to Kristel and
Michael. When they found these things out they were shocked, but
their determination to do things right is a driving force behind
everything they do every single day and here’s how:

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1.) Transparent Sourcing: Your Super believes that you should be
able to know where every (super) food comes from. Therefore, we
created a 100% transparent supply chain where you can get to
know the Your Super Heroes: the people who grow these powerful
and nutritious superfoods. We do not buy from large wholesalers,
the ingredients are instead sourced from local farmers. They are
grown in a 100% organic certified and GMO-free way, and
harvested sustainably with love. Ingredients are then tested right
away for pesticides and microbiology. Next they are either
naturally dried or freeze dried to preserve the most nutrients and
the ingredients are milled softly into powders before they are sent
to Your Super. They are then tested by a 3rd party lab to ensure
we are 100% happy with the quality. Lastly, the powders are mixed
together and filled into our recyclable cans.
2.) No Bullshit: We give you the Your Super guarantee that
everything is: USDA Certified Organic, NON-GMO verified, 100%
plant-based and free from gluten, soy, dairy, sweeteners, fillers,
additives, preservatives, flavouring, and glyphosate. You will never
find any stevia, sweeteners, fillers, thickeners, natural or artificial
flavouring, or gmo’s in our mixes. We only use naturally dried,
nutrient-dense whole food powders (maximum 6 per mix) that will
truly benefit your health!
As a certified B Corp, Your Super is dedicated to making the world
a healthier place. Through Your Super’s partnerships with non-
profit organizations like Action Against Hunger and People
Concern, we’re focusing on giving back to win the fight against
world hunger. 1,572,121 million life-saving food bars have been
donated to malnourished children and pregnant and lactating
women across the world including Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, South
Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia. $100,000 has also been donated to
support malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women
in Uganda through a mushroom production project. This project
will specifically help 1,250 households from refugee resettlements.

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This year, Your Super donated over $290k Your Super packets to
support the health of nurses during COVID in the United States
and Europe. Additionally 6,350 meals and over 9,000 Your Super
products were donated to support the nutrition of homeless
people in LA with our partner People Concern in LA. In its lifetime,
Your Super has donated $728,000 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) and
309,000 Your Super products so far and are committed to
donating a total of $1,000,000 in 2020! ▪

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Rasa: A New Coffee
Alternative

with Dalia Selman

For those that currently enjoy a daily cup of coffee or miss that
coveted routine, Rasa provides a coffee alternative for anybody
regardless of your dietary restrictions, without the side effects of a
caffeinated brew.
There are many individuals, including myself, who are unable to
drink coffee anymore. What makes Rasa so amazing and a
wonderful coffee alternative?
Yes, that’s a good question! As great as coffee is, it’s not a
constitutional match for everyone. We have many former coffee
addicts in our community, as Rasa has helped them quit coffee for
good! There’s a few things that make Rasa an incredible coffee
substitute:
-For one, Rasa was designed to evoke that beloved morning coffee
ritual; the aromatic grounds, brewing with a French press, and the
rich, roasty taste that pairs delightfully with a creamy indulgence.
When it comes to taste and feel, Rasa has been said to be the most
coffee-like coffee substitute by our customers, many of which have
scoured the market!
-Now, let's talk energy. People love coffee because of how it
energizes them, but as you may know, there’s usually a come down
from that energetic-high. Rasa does not energize with caffeine.
Instead, Rasa is formulated by our in-house Clinical Herbalist with
adaptogens, a class of herbs known to help the body adapt to stress
and regain balance; including energetic balance. When you’re less
stressed, you have more energy. These herbs are nourishing,
energizing and calming, all at the same time!
-Rasa was formulated to be a gentle and nourishing daily tonic, it’s
delicious, safe and highly functional. So, if you’re looking to break-
up with coffee but NOT your morning ritual, roasty brew and daily
energy, Rasa is for you!
We also have different blends for different needs, the main ones
being: sleep, sex, stress, mood, and high performance. If quitting

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coffee isn’t your thing, but you still crave a beverage alternative (say, in
the afternoons or evenings) that’s going to taste amazing and deliver
effective benefits, there’s a variety of blends to choose from.
How did Rasa begin and why is your mission so important to the
wellness community?
Rasa began with Lopa, our Founder & CEO, in 2018 during a time of
extreme stress in her personal life. Think quitting a cult, a fall out with
her family, a big move across the country, 2 emergency surgeries, and
an emergency c-section with her first child….all in one year.

Lopa knew coffee wasn’t serving her and only adding to her irritability,
yet there were no coffee substitutes on the market that fulfilled her
needs or standards for quality. She decided to take matters into her
own hands and dreamed up Rasa; a delicious, all organic, nourishing
and energizing daily tonic! Informed by her decade long studies in
Ayurveda, and with the help of her most trusted herbal experts and
Chinese medicine practitioners, Lopa began blending herbs in her
kitchen. Fast forward to today and we’ve doubled our team just this

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year, and finally moved out of Lopa’s garage just a few short months
ago! The beautiful thing about it is that adaptogens, the powerhouse
herbs of Rasa, actually grow in climates of high environmental stress,
that’s literally why they have the medicinal constituents they do. So, to
think about how Lopa dreamed up Rasa at a time of high stress, it
really comes full circle. There is an echo of the plant wisdom of
adaptogens in our birth story as a company. And as they say,
breakdowns lead to breakthroughs. That’s what’s at the heart of our
mission. We’re not just a coffee substitute. We want to re-define how
people relate to energy.
It’s no secret that our modern lifestyles have people supplementing
everything; nutrients, energy, sleep. It makes for a very artificial
experience, one that is out of sync with the natural rhythms of our
bodies. The reality is that energy is deeply rhythmic. Being energized
is largely dependent on our circadian rhythms, which can be affected
by many environmental factors. To us, caffeine is only a band-aid
solution for the need for nourishing energy. We want people to get in
touch with themselves and their own innate, deep and sustainable
energy. The kind that comes from internal balance, alignment, and
nourishment.
Can you tell us about the herbs/adaptogens that make up your
delicious brews?
Yes, our favorite topic! We actually source 48 different herbs across all
our blends! Most of our products are based on our signature 12-herb
formula of: roasted chicory, burdock, & dandelion roots; shatavari,
codonopsis, cured he shou wu, eleuthero, Ceylon cinnamon,
ashwagandha, rhodiola, chaga mycelium, and reishi extract. Each herb
plays a different role in the formula! Adaptogens are a unique class of
herbs that have been scientifically proven to help the body adapt to
stress of all kinds, physical, emotional and environmental. They both
enhance the body’s response to stress and minimize the damage
caused by stress. How does this translate to how you feel? When your
body is less taxed with fighting stress, you feel more energized. Our
incredible plant friends aren’t like other herbs. To be a true adaptogen
there are strict criteria that need to be met. We like to call them the 4
N’s of adaptogens:

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1. Non-toxic - they must have no ill effects at normal therapeutic

doses

2. Non-specific - they must work holistically in the body
3. Normalizing - they must have a normalizing effect on the body

— helps the body regain homeostasis and reach balance

4. Neuroendocrine - they must have an influence on our

neuroendocrine system, specifically either the HPA or SAS (the
two stress response systems of the body.)
Keep in mind that while you'll feel some adaptogens the first time you
take them, these herbs have a cumulative effect – the longer you take
them the better. Sometimes it takes several weeks to really notice a
shift.
What would you recommend or tell someone interested in starting
to explore Rasa?
Good question, we have poured our hearts into formulating a variety
of delightful blends with unique flavor profiles and benefits, so if
you’re not sure where to start, we got you! The tried and true best
way to get started with Rasa is with our Rasa Taster Pack; complete
with five of our most popular blends. It’s an amazing way to get a feel
for Rasa without committing to just one blend off the bat.
Rasa mentions being sustainable in all aspects of the company. Can
you elaborate?
We love to talk all-things sustainability because we’re proud of our
sustainable and ethical sourcing practices! Rasa is committed to
buying certified organic ingredients. Organic is one of the most
effective ways food companies and consumers can act to protect
animals, fragile ecosystems, and the planet as a whole. Pesticides from
conventional agriculture are now being detected in Arctic ice caps!
Almost half of our herbs are wildcrafted, and we’re committed to
protecting these plants and understanding the bioregions they come
from. One in five wild plants is threatened with extinction, mainly due
to land conversion for agriculture and resource extraction, and

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monitoring the status of our wild plants is part of our
sustainability mandate. An example of this in action: We
stopped buying wildcrafted chaga and switched to cultivated
chaga when concerns about its sustainability began circulating
among experts. In addition, we buy Fair Trade or Direct Trade
whenever possible, going out of our way to support small
farmers. By supporting smaller organic farmers we play a role
in shifting the story of commercial agriculture from one of
dependence on expensive chemicals to one of economic
independence and ecological sustainability. We also strive for
sustainability in fulfillment, and have put into place various
practices that are aligned with our sustainability goals as a
company.
Tell us about your new brew Calm?
Oh boy, Calm is something special. We wanted to create an
evening blend that tastes like an indulgent treat and feels like
an act of self-care. Calm is a pre-bedtime blend formulated to
evoke a deep and rejuvenating night's rest, because the quality
of your energy is inevitably rooted in the quality of your sleep.
People use all sorts of beverages to usher in their evening and
set the mood for relaxation; a beer, glass of wine, you name it.
But we wanted to flip the script and craft a blend that actually
embodies that same presence, rest and repose. Calm is
formulated with nourishing and traditionally sacred herbs like
blue lotus, blue vervain, ashwagandha and jujube. In fact, each
serving of Calm has a clinical dose of ashwagandha, one of the
most famed adaptogens and esteemed for its positive impact
on sleep!
We definitely recommend giving Rasa a try for your next coffee
alternative. Not only are they woman-owned and sustainable,
their products are a flavorful way to enjoy your
morning ritual. ▪

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Recipes

Green Gazpacho Smoothie

from the kitchen of Patty Stark of Vytal Health

If you want to reduce inflammation and
rev up your body’s detox power, this is a
sure ticket! We are all used to sweet
smoothies, right? But our palettes can
and will adjust to savory smoothies with
zero sugar if we just give them the
chance! *This recipe was adapted from Tess

Masters’ recipe in her book, “The Blender Girl” It
makes two 16 ounce smoothies

Ingredients: Directions:
1 red, yellow, or orange bell chopped 1. Throw everything into your
⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper blender (including any boosters) and
1 tbsp finely chopped red onion blast on high for 30 to 60 seconds
½ English cucumber chopped until smooth and creamy. Tweak
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (or sub cilantro, onion, pepper, and pepper
½ c parsley for a great detox flakes to taste.
substitute-keep the stems, too)
2 medium tomatoes chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
½ c spicy tomato juice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 medium avocado
½ c ice cubes
1 garlic clove

Optional Boosters: 2. If you like a thinner smoothie, add
1 tsp finely chopped jalapeño chile an extra ½ cup of tomato juice and
¼ tsp finely grated lime zest use less avocado, cutting it in half.
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

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Buddha Bowl Basics With Carrot-Ginger Dressing

from the kitchen of Patty Stark of Vytal Health

Carrot-Ginger Dressing:
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp peeled & chopped ginger
1 ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
⅓ c extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey
2 tbsp lime juice
⅓ c rice vinegar
¼ tsp salt

Ingredients: Directions:
1 ¼ c short/long-grain brown 1. Bring a large pot of water to boil (4
rice, rinsed quarts), add the rice and boil for 25
1 ½ c organic shelled edamame minutes. Add the edamame and
1-2 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari cook for 3 minutes. Add the snap
or soy sauce peas and cook for 2 more minutes.
1 ½ c chopped snap peas or thinly 2. Drain well, and return the rice
sliced broccoli florets and veggies to the pot. Season to
2 avocados, thinly sliced into taste with 1-2 tablespoons of tamari
long strips or soy sauce.
4 c chopped red cabbage, 3. Divide the rice/veggie mixture
spinach, romaine, or kale (ribs and raw veggies into 4 bowls.
removed) Arrange cucumber slices along the
Grape tomatoes edge of the bowl. Drizzle lightly with
the blended carrot ginger dressing
Essential garnishes: and top with sliced green onion.
Thinly sliced green onion, Place a lime wedge in each bowl.
cucumber, watermelon radishes 4. Divide the avocado into the bowls.
Toasted sesame oil & seeds Lightly drizzle sesame oil over the
Flaky sea salt avocado followed by a generous
Lime wedges sprinkle of sesame seeds and flaky
sea salt. Wait to slice the avocado to
Optional Protein Punches: prevent it from browning until just
Cashews, peanuts, or pecans before serving. Leftover bowls keep
Sauteed tofu well for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

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Summer Caprese Salad With Almond Ricotta

from the kitchen of Melanie Manuel of Celesta
photography by Melanie Manuel

Almond Ricotta Ingredients:
1 c raw almonds (soaked if you don't
have a high speed blender)
⅓ c water (plus more if necessary)
1 tbsp refined coconut oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp salt

Directions: Directions:
1. Add water, lemon juice, refined 1. Salt the tomato slices and put
coconut oil, olive oil, and salt to a them in a colander for 30
blender. minutes. The salt will help drain
2. Add the almonds to the liquid in the water from the tomatoes.
the blender and blend the mixture 2. Once the tomatoes have
until it is completely smooth. The drained, arrange them on a
texture should be light and fluffy. serving plate with the basil
3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to leaves. Drizzle with the olive oil,
set. Almond ricotta will keep in the vinegar, pepper and the
fridge for a week. optional flaky sea salt. Top the
tomatoes with spoonfuls of
Salad Ingredients: almond ricotta and serve!
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp cracked pepper
1 tsp fine grain salt
1 tsp flaky sea salt
fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp olive oil

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Superfood Citrus Elixir

from the kitchen of Stephanie Krubsack

Ingredients:
¼ c fresh grapefruit juice
¼ tsp rose hips powder
¼ tsp beet root powder
¼ tsp baobab powder
¼ tsp almond extract
¼ tsp maca powder
½ tbsp agave syrup
¼ c water

Ingredients (Step 2):
½ c sparkling water
½ dropper citrus CBD
(or 25 MG of your favorite
CBD)
Ice

Directions:
1. Mix the juice, powders,
extract, syrup and water
until frothy.
2. Add the sparkling water,
CBD, and pour over ice.
Serve and enjoy!

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Banana Cookies

from the kitchen of Cindy Poiesz of Supernola
photography by Supernola

S: ugar Cookie Dough Ingredients:
¼ c unsweetened applesauce
¾ c organic shortening
1 ½ c all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla
⅓ c sugar
½ tsp salt

Cookie Coating:
3 bags of Supernola Banana Nut Crunch

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Crush up the clusters of Supernola into tiny pieces and
set to the side.
3. For the dough, mix together the flour, salt, and baking
powder. With a mixer, beat the oil and applesauce with
the sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the
lemon juice. Stir in the dry ingredients until dough starts
to form. If it is too crumbly, add another tablespoon of
lemon juice.
4. You can chill the dough for an hour to make it easier to
work with. Line an insulated cookie sheet with parchment
paper and spray lightly with baking spray.

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Take a small amount of dough, about the size of a tennis ball and roll it
into a ball. Roll dough ball into crushed up Supernola to coat all over
the ball. Set on a baking sheet at least 1" apart from each other.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until just barely starting to brown. Allow
baked cookies to chill thoroughly on wire racks. The recipe makes
about a dozen large cookies. ▪

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How To Create A Lifelong Yoga
Practice With Bhakti Yoga

by Molly Sommerhalder, Swan and the Lotus Yoga and Wellness;
photography by Rusty Malkemes

What is Bhakti Yoga and how can it help create a lifelong yoga
practice? Bhakti is spiritual practice or spiritual path in the Hindu and
yoga tradition. Its focus is the loving devotion towards a personal
deity, God, Universe, Divine, or anything we connect to on a spiritual
level. This path is used to reach Moksha (release from the cycle of
rebirth impelled by the law of karma) and can be practiced in many
ways.
The most traditional practice of Bhakti yoga is Kirtan and this is the
devotional chanting of the names of God. Other methods can be
prayer, Japa (repetition of mantra), and devotion to the Divine - in
society, in nature, in ourselves, and in all of creation.
The practice of prayer or japa can also be used during your asana yoga
practice by repeating a mantra, affirmation, or prayer as you breathe,
move, and pause. You can also focus on a poem, story, or deity.
As you move your body, it can seal in the spiritual practice and spark
devotion into your heart. Bhakti yoga takes us beyond the body and
mind to create a space to discover our inner self and our connection
to the Spirit or Divine.
As we practice yoga over time, it can feel stagnant or we might even
pause or give up the practice. By adding in a spiritual practice like
Bhakti, we start to fill the void that the soul needs to continue on life’s
path and provides us the support we need to remember to be of
service to the world.
Next time you come to your mat, try including a bhakti or spiritual
focus to unlock the power of the spiritual path of yoga.
Learn more about Bhakti-Infused Yoga classes, mantra, and more with
Molly Sommerhalder at slwellness.info. ▪

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photographed by Jonathan Borba

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Reconnecting With
The Earth Meditation

by Emily Porter; artwork by Hanna Flachs

Our bodies have been collecting stress from this bizarre and
devastating year and it is time to reconnect and celebrate
our survival. As we enter into a new season, take the time to
listen to your body and reconnect with nature. As the heat
begins to rise, welcome the song of the birds returning, buds
blooming, and seeing the faces of peers and smiles once
covered.
*Sit outside connected to the Earth or by a window where
you can feel the breeze
*Step onto the Earth barefoot, feel the dirt & grass between
your toes
*Sit outside, allow yourself to close your eyes and hear the
sounds around you, maybe the song of a nearby bird, the
skitter of a squirrel, the wind blowing through the trees
*Bring the palms to the heart center and focus on your
pranayama to connect with the sounds, the textures and the
breath within
*Learn something new every week to keep that spark a
flame ▪

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The Benefits of Mindful
Self-Pleasure

by Mathilde Le Cam

I never had any problem accepting the idea that masturbation
was normal, even healthy. What I came to discover later, is
that self-pleasure is also a powerful way to meet and honor my
deepest self.
For many years, I used to masturbate quickly, shamefully,
rarely, and with the help of external stimulation. While this
combo led to a high probability of getting turned-on and
climax, somehow, it could have felt more pleasurable. I even
came to realize that I would mostly masturbate for two main
goals: a quick stress release or to put myself to sleep. And it
worked! Was it pleasurable? Yes. Was it fulfilling, nourishing
and blissful? Not exactly.
About 5 years ago, I started to question my sexuality. Was
there more to what I knew? I heard about tantra, multi-
orgasms, spiritual awakening through sexuality and I got very
curious and hopeful. I started reading and taking courses
around women's sexuality and I spent a lot of time getting to

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know my anatomy and exploring new ways to please my body.
After many hours of training I was still not able to reach an
orgasm, but what I did find on my way there ended up being
extremely valuable.
Craving For Love & Connection
Even though the quality of my self-pleasure practices was
increasing, I couldn't get rid of the idea that somehow the
purpose of this sexual training was to help me achieve more
pleasurable and mind blowing orgasms with a partner. What I
was craving most was being held, touched, cared for, and
desired. The question was, how could I give that to myself? To
understand that, I had to connect with my deepest desires. I laid
down in my bed, took a few breaths and asked my heart : « What
do you really desire? » and the answer I got was « love ». My
brain jumped in : « You’re single, sorry there’s no love around ».
But I asked my heart again: « How can I give you the love you
need? » And it said : « Love is like sunlight, it’s everywhere, just
allow it in, just breathe it in », and though I was really unsure
that I could actually do that, I tried. I intentionally breathed in
love, and while I was exhaling I imagined it filling up every part
of my body. I did that for a few minutes and it felt so good, so
gentle, and so deeply nourishing.
If I could do that for myself, what else was actually possible? I
asked my body: « How can I show myself even more love?» and I
started having visions that would bring a smile to my face. Here’s
how I started creating self-pleasure rituals:
1. Taking The Time
I started dedicating time in my schedule just for that for at least
1 hour once a week, around sunset. I love the energy of the
sunset because I’m usually not exhausted yet but the day is over.
It also somehow felt more « romantic », like a date with myself

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and I loved that. Of course any time can work, as the only
important thing is to turn off the phone and make sure nobody
will interrupt your ritual.
2. Set An Intention & Create The Atmosphere.
Self-pleasure can be a celebration: very sexy, very playful, very
innovative, very self-care oriented, etc. It is your moment, what
you want. I like candles and incense, body friendly oils like
coconut oil or sweet almond oil, a dedicated playlist that fits
my mood and desires at the moment, and my toys handy, to
make sure the bed is welcoming. I like to cover mine with my
favorite sarong, and I always make sure I have everything I
need to feel comfortable in case it gets too hot or too cold. I
also have a glass of water or hot tea and sometimes a delicious
fruit or chocolate nearby, because at that point, nothing is too
good for me.

3. Dancing To Land In My Body

When my space is set, I usually undress and start dancing in my
underwear. I close my eyes and feel what movements my body
wants to do, no matter how it looks. Sometimes I gently stretch
my arms, feeling the center of my chest opening, I move my
hips in circles and really connect with my breath.
Sometimes I dance while looking at myself in the mirror and I
give myself compliments while stroking my hair, sometimes I
dance with my shadow on the wall imagining that the
silhouette I see is my inner goddess… and I dance with her, for
her. Sometimes I hold myself in my own arms while dancing
slowly, like I would do with a partner, to feel into the energy of
my Inner lover. There is no limit to my intuition or my
creativity. I just follow what is there for me in the moment and
remind myself at all times that this is my space, my intention,
my moment, my body, my pleasure.

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4. Slow & Mindful Touch
Even the days when I already feel relaxed and turned-on as I start
my ritual, I would still lie down and focus on my breath and my body
sensations for a moment to keep dropping in, connecting to my
body. Then I start with a very gentle, slow, mindful touch.
If you desire a partner who will be patient and take time with you,
even when you feel quickly turned-on and ready to be touched in a
sexual way, I invite you to take your time. It’s very powerful to
intentionally offer yourself the presence you desire from a lover.
Give it to yourself first. As within, so without.
5. Self-Pleasure As A Healing Practice
Sometimes, as we connect with our body and our sensations in a
very deep authentic way, we might tap into a softer, more
vulnerable part of ourselves and experience intense emotions
related to heartbreak or sexual trauma and this is very normal.
Think of it as clearing, removing your blocks to pleasure and to
thrive sexually. Sometimes sadness is there. Sometimes we
encounter guilt and shame, sometimes anger or fear shows up.
When intense emotions arise, breathe deeply, and welcome
everything. Observe without trying to judge or analyze. Locate the
emotion in your body. Breath into the discomfort. As you keep
breathing, hold yourself in your arms or put one hand or your belly
and one hand on your heart and let yourself soften. Take all the
time you need and when you feel the emotion is released, you can
let your whole being be overflowed with pleasure. If you had an
intense healing experience, take a few minutes to rest in stillness
and thank yourself.
The Benefits of Self-Pleasure
For me, longer periods of celibacy are not a punishment anymore,
on the contrary, I am finding freedom as I am not hopelessly waiting

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for someone else to fulfill my sexual and affective needs anymore.
From that space it became much easier to say no to unwanted
attention and no to sexual experiences I didn’t want, and yes to
quality partnership. I value myself more. By knowing my body better
and honoring its rhythm, it also became much easier to know what
kind of touch I liked and to guide lovers or partners.
I feel empowered, as I can stay sexually alive with or without a
partner, which is good for my health, my creativity, my joy and my
energy. Allowing myself time and space to connect with my body
and feel everything has truly become my most radical act of self-
love. ▪

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Don't Believe Everything
You Think: Red Flags Anger
Is Influencing Your
Thought Process

by Danielle Ford; photography by Carson Masterson

How do we stay in alignment with our values, even when we are
triggered?

Humans are thinking machines. I used to joke that if we could think
our way to enlightenment, I would’ve been enlightened by the age
of 14. I grew up in an overly intellectual, emotionally oblivious
family, and majored in Philosophy in college, a thinking-heavy
program. There I learned the foundation of Western philosophy as
well as Western culture: “If something is true, it can be proven with
reason.” Sounds reasonable enough.

We then take it a step further: “If I can prove something via
reasoning, it is true.” Also sounds ok, right? Except that turns into,
“if I can show how reasonable my decision was, then my friend is
wrong for being mad at me,” and, “if I can show that my boyfriend
was wrong, then I’m justified in not talking to him unless he
apologizes.”

This type of thinking made me good at being “right,” but it did not
make me good at relationships.

It turned out that being “reasonable” is not a reliable indicator that
something I want to say or do is helpful, or even in line with who I
want to be. Our anger wants to attack, and our thoughts find
reasons why it’s ok for us to lash out even though we know it can
be destructive. We feel hurt and afraid, and our thoughts “jump in”
to support our desire to withdraw and blame, rather than doing the
hard and vulnerable work of communicating. These thoughts are
seductive - they are reasonable, after all! But when we believe
them, the results can be disastrous for the relationships we care
about, whether it’s saying hurtful things, ending things on an
impulse, refusing to make amends, or feeling insecure about our
decisions.
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So, how can we have the wisdom to tell when our thoughts should
not be trusted? How do we recognize when we can communicate
about an upsetting situation effectively, and when we are mentally
justifying something we’ll later regret? Here are a few strategies I
use when facing these questions.
A few years ago I started meditating, which has helped me
become more aware of my thoughts. Over time, I’ve noticed some
phrases that are red flags that an “angry” or “judgmental” mind is
in charge:
1. Indignation/personalizing the actions of others
1a. “I don’t deserve (whatever is happening that I don’t like)…”
1b. “I did (list of stuff I’ve done for them), they should be grateful/
should let (whatever issue) go….”
2. Power struggle/controlling
2a. Worrying about letting them “get away” with “disrespecting
me”
2b. “I don’t trust them/they have to prove their trustworthiness”

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2c. “I can’t let them think/believe (whatever they did that I don’t
like) is ok” (must change their mind/teach them)
2d. “I’d be enabling bad behavior if I give them what they want
and/or show kindness after they did…”
2e. “Deserve” (a key word that should be cause for pause)
3. Entitlement
3a. “I shouldn’t have to…” (take the effort to be kind/
respectful/initiate relationship repair)
3b. “They’re the one who did something wrong, they should be
the one to reach out and apologize”
4. Secret contracts/entitlement
4a. “I’ve tolerated (list of behaviors I didn’t like but never said
anything about), so they should be willing to….”
5. Superiority Complex
5a. Cognitively understating their perspective but judging it as
inferior to mine and having no empathy for it
5b. “I’m right,” “they’re wrong,” “I understand their view, and it’s
wrong”
5c. Believing I see their flaws very clearly and that these flaws
make them/their judgment inferior to mine
5d. “Anyone who would do x is a bad/unreasonable person…”
5e. Sense of “I know better and if they listen/see things my way
they’ll be a better person”
6. Case making
6a. Any sort of long rants in my head proving I’m right/they are
wrong
7. Diagnosing
7a. Labelling someone “crazy,” “toxic,” or a “narcissist”7b. Or
otherwise analyzing and diagnosing their “flaws” and “issues"
So, what do we do when we’ve noticed some of these red flags?

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1. Damage Control
The first priority is to avoid causing harm. Pause. Take a long
pause. Say nothing (at least nothing on this topic) until you feel
you can trust your judgment again, whether that is in hours,
days, or months. Perhaps let the other person know you need
some time to process, but this topic is important to you (but
only if you can trust yourself not to throw any jabs in there).
For me, the self-restraint extends to not bringing up the topic
to mutual friends unless I know they are able to stay neutral.
Venting can be self-care. However, if you are venting to people
who encourage your self-righteousness (ie, “you’re right, that
person is wrong and deserves to be told off”), that will only
increase the likelihood you act out in the ways you are trying to
avoid. If I am venting, I look for listeners who I know will focus
on empathizing with me while avoiding judgment of the person
I’m struggling with. I also avoid venting to mutual friends if I
think they might be someone who will pass on my unfiltered,
judgmental vents to the person in question, as hearing criticism
from a third person is a universal shame trigger and will
negatively escalate the situation.
2. Acceptance & Self-Compassion
It can be easy to judge ourselves if we notice some of these
thoughts - after all, I want to be a kind person, and kind people
don’t lash out in anger! These thoughts aren’t signals we aren’t
good people, but rather that there is unresolved pain
underneath. If you notice self-judgment or shame for these
thoughts, practice acceptance and self-compassion. A somatic
(body-based) practice may be imagining the feeling of warmth
and compassion and sending that feeling to those thoughts. A
cognitive-based practice can be as simple as saying to yourself
phrases such as: “I can see this feels bad,” “I’m sorry you’re
hurting/angry,” “of course you feel bad in this situation,
anybody would feel bad, too.”
3. Emotional Processing
Sometimes, just taking space until I calm down is enough to get

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into a better headspace. Oftentimes, especially if the situation
dredges up painful situations from the past, a little more emotional
work is required. My go-to tools are somatic self-compassion
meditation, Internal Family Systems (IFS) inner parts work, and the
Nonviolent Communication self-empathy framework. Other great
tools are mindfulness inquiry practices, formal self-compassion
practices, journaling, working with a therapist, Byron Katie’s “The
Work” questions, and many others.
If you’re not familiar with somatic meditation, it’s a great fit for
intense emotional situations that spawn lots of thinking. To practice
somatic meditation, locate what you’re feeling, such as anger, in your
body, and then sit with those feelings. For me, anger shows up as a
tightness and heat in my chest. Often, breathing with and feeling the
physical sensations allows things to shift, where watching thoughts
just leads to hours of unpleasant ruminating. Peter Levine’s book
“Waking the Tiger” is a great place to start if you want to learn more
about somatic meditation.
4. Clarify Your Perspective
Even if you don’t end up saying the message you come up with,
exploring what communication about this situation can look like
using a structured framework can help you gain clarity on what you
are feeling and needing without getting lost in blame. Many great
frameworks exist; I have spent the most time learning “Nonviolent
Communication” (NVC). In NVC, the framework is: 1. Observation
(describe the situation objectively - no judgment or evaluation), 2.
Your feelings, 3. Your unmet needs, 4. Your request around what
happened or is happening. If you want to learn more about NVC,
check out the book “Nonviolent Communication” by Marshall
Rosenberg.
5. Reconnect With Your Values
When I am strongly convinced the other person is a jerk who doesn’t
deserve kindness or empathy, connecting with my values for
relationships can help shift my perspective. If you haven’t ever
thought about those values for yourself, now is a great time! Some of
my values around relationships include: assume others have good

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intentions, be willing to own my part and apologize first, and a
belief that damaged connections cause suffering and that
amends (with appropriate boundaries) benefit everyone. I may
also read works by people who model these values for me, like
author Brené Brown, Marshall Rosenberg (founder of
Nonviolent Communication), or meditation teachers such as
Donald Rothberg, Oren Jay Sofer, and Jack Kornfield.
Perhaps the most important strategy I use to check in with my
values is to try to remember positive moments with that
particular person. If it’s someone I’m close to, these may be
particularly meaningful moments or moments that built trust, if
it’s someone like a coworker, I may just try to remember times
they were helpful. When we are angry, hurt, or upset, our brain
tends to focus on the negative (to build its case for why “they
are wrong and I am right”). Remembering positive and even
neutral memories can help our brain reevaluate the situation
with a more neutral perspective, and potentially help remind us
how much we value the relationship and believe it is worth the
effort and courage it takes to try to make amends.
The popularity of mindfulness in recent years has given us a
wonderful tool to support us in being the person we want to be
in challenging situations. Our minds are experts at reasoning,
but unfortunately, reasoning can’t always be trusted, even when
we’re definitely right, and the other person is being completely
unreasonable. By building awareness of our thoughts, we can
learn our individual signs that we’re not in the best mindstate
and take care of our anger rather than acting out of it. ▪

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Wellness for every body

by Joanna Cowart of Downward Cow;
artwork by Hanna Flachs

Joanna Cowart is the Founder of Downward Cow, a yoga health
education business that meets you where you are. What started
as a personal Instagram diary quickly flourished into a
community and space for yoga inclusivity and education. For
much of her life, Joanna felt excluded in most “movement
spaces”, including the yoga space, where teachers and other
students didn’t look like her, nor could she do half the poses
everyone else could. Finding a community of people who also
felt the lack of body representation and inclusivity is what
eventually pushed the Instagram diary into a small business.
Downward Cow is on a mission to make yoga accessible and
relatable for every BODY, and to include education in every
step, all from the comfort of home. It’s a small piece of the yoga
world, but one that promises to welcome, accept and empower
any and all “uncommon yoga students” by exploring
modifications, freedom in movement, and moving past the
aesthetic to get back to the roots of yoga.
Have you ever felt excluded in the wellness space? I’d bet your
answer is yes in one way or another. “Wellness” has such an
incredibly vague definition, and to dive into what’s wrong with
the inclusivity (or lack thereof) in the entire “wellness” space
would literally be exhausting. So let’s narrow it down to just the
yoga space. Have you ever felt excluded in yoga? Maybe you
couldn’t afford a studio membership, or fancy props, or
Lululemon attire. Maybe you walked into a class and were met
with judging eyes, being the only one in a bigger body. Maybe
you couldn’t keep up with the pace of class, or couldn’t do most
of the cued sequencing, or maybe you’re just sick and tired of
hearing “to take the fullest expression of this pose...” *eye roll*
I’ve been there. I lived in the “feeling-excluded-in-any-form-of-
movement” space for most of my life; being bullied for being fat,
or judged because my mile time in gym class was too high, left

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me feeling completely ashamed of myself, my body and my
abilities. I felt intimidated and unwelcome by the health and
wellness community, causing me to push it away
altogether,thinking, “Clearly my body can’t, so I just won’t.” A sad
story, yes, but merely one in a million just like it, which is not
surprising in the slightest. We live in a culture that puts skinny,
white, rich people on a pedestal while everyone else is left
feeling unworthy of the very resources that could dramatically
improve their health. Sigh... a public health conversation for
another day.
Today we’re here to talk about yoga, and while it’s a story that
might have begun with exclusion, it thankfully doesn’t end that
way.
Here’s the truth. I believe there are two fundamental pieces of
information that you need to know about yoga. First, yoga is so
much more than just the physical. What do I mean? Let me ask
you: What do you know about yoga? Take a second and think. If
all you recall is that “yoga is where you do yoga poses” then you
are 1/8th correct. Did you know there are eight limbs of yoga?
Think of the limbs as branches of a tree. Our Western society
has mainly defined yoga as a fitness/exercise-based movement,
but in reality, only one of the eight limbs of yoga are these
physical poses that we know and practice. So then you might be
thinking, what are the other ones? Without going into detail, and
since it can be difficult to explain in a brief paragraph, just know
that the rest are all non-physical. Meditation is one limb. Breath
practice is another. You can be a fully immersed yoga student
and actually never step foot on a yoga mat. So if you’ve ever
doubted your abilities as a yoga practitioner in relation to your
physical practice, realize you are only judging 1/8th of it.
Second, when you do practice the limb of yoga that is the
physical poses (called Asanas), know that there is literally no
right or wrong way to practice. You do not need to know how to

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photographed by Le Miinh Phuong

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do a handstand, or be able to do the splits, in order to be a good
student. You don’t even need to be able to touch your toes.
When I learned this, and finally accepted it as fact, my world
completely changed. For the first time I finally felt like my
physical abilities were being accepted rather than judged. I was
able to find enjoyable movement in my body, rather than
hurtfully comparing myself to others. What a dream!

Of course, while it’s very possible to be inclusive and to feel
accepted, the communities can feel few and far between, which
again is very sad. Somewhere along the thousands of years since
humans began to practice yoga, the message got muddled. A
beautiful practice fell into the hands of a society that did not
cherish it, but rather made a majority of individuals feel
unworthy, just like so many other pieces of the wellness space.

But here’s the good news. There is light in what might feel like
darkness. While it can feel like yoga is only for a select group of
elite humans, and unfortunately social media has contributed to
that narrative tenfold, there is still a growing community of
teachers and yoga businesses that openly squash all of the
above. Ones who actually provide helpful tips on how to make
this practice accessible for you. Ones who show you that there’s
more to yoga than the aesthetic; who will lift you up, not tear
you down. Ones that make you truly feel welcomed and
supported in this yoga space, who make you think, “Hey, here
are some people like me. Maybe I can do this.” (Spoiler alert -
you absolutely can!)

It’s incredibly beautiful to find acceptance in a culture that
benefits from your self-doubt. This practice of yoga has been
spun around and valued in the wrong way - but we’re taking it
back. So go find your people, your community. The ones who
look like you, think like you, and accept you. The ones who teach
classes with music you love, provide body cues you can
understand and actually do, and reference the use of props as a
strength, not a weakness. The ones who teach you that yoga is
so much more than the physical, and provide relevant ways to
bring yogic wisdom off the mat and into your life.

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Leave with this important fact: You absolutely can do yoga. You
absolutely can enjoy healthy movement. You can, and deserve,
the resources you want/need. Whoever you are, whatever you
look like, whatever your abilities are - know that your body is
magic. Your practice is beautiful. You are worthy. You are ready...
and your community awaits. ▪

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Self-Stigma and the
Trap of Feeling Bad
for Feeling Bad

by Geoff Bruce; artwork by Rida Fatima

There are plenty of stigmas about mental health in the world. Sure, I
honestly believe that society has generally gotten better at
acknowledging these issues as legitimate problems, but there are
still many situations in which mental health is dismissed or
marginalized. The funny thing is that, while I think most people are
starting to become more adept at acknowledging these issues as
real, there is still a significant lack of regard that can be seen in
simple ways. For example, many healthcare plans provide for
regular physicals (the very name of these appointments almost
literally proves a point), but do not allocate any resources or relief
for therapy or mental health services. Regardless, that's not really
what I'm here to talk about. I suppose we all know that stigmas still
exist about mental health, but I'd like to discuss one particularly
harmful type of stigma: The stigma that we place on ourselves.
So, a little bit more about me. I am a 30-year-old South Korean man
who was adopted as an infant by white parents, grew up in
Shorewood, and has spent most of his adult life living on the east
side of Milwaukee. I have a decent job, a wonderful fiancée, and a
supportive family. Life has been comfortable and fair, even
privileged at times. Yet, for years I've struggled with depression...
and suicidal thoughts. These issues reached an extreme trough in
the early morning hours of July 21, 2018 when I walked to the bridge
where Holton becomes Van Buren; the one that runs above the tire
swing park and near Lakefront Brewery. I squeezed over and
between the segments of fencing, looked far below at the river, and
stood. For about an hour, I just stayed there. I knew what I had gone
there to do, but once I was actually there, I started to doubt my

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intentions. The city looks quite beautiful from up there. Its lights
twinkled with the auras created by my misty eyes. And after what
felt like a very long time - far longer than the hour that it actually
was - I squeezed back through the fencing, hopped down, and

went home.

Since that night, I've been battling every day to keep from finding
myself back there. And at this point, I honestly think that I've
found my way back. Certain thoughts still creep in, but rarely do
they threaten to fully take over. Along this journey, I've learned a
lot of things. A lot of these things may only apply to me, but I
honestly believe that they are issues that plague many of us. This
world still has many people who say that mental health isn't
important, that we should just "get over it”; that those who
struggle are weak. There are enough of those voices out there,
don't let yourself be one of them.
As I noted earlier, I come from a perfectly happy background. I
grew up in a comfortable suburb in a middle-class family. Life has
treated me just fine. And yet, there I was up on that bridge. Here I
am now, still often struggling. That voice in the back of my mind
used to be so relentless. If others in similar, or less privileged
situations aren't struggling, what right do you have to do so?
Something was wrong with me. Something was broken inside of
me.
But, what I've come to realize over the years is that we are usually
our own worst critic. The best advice I've ever heard is to try to
talk to yourself the same way you talk to your loved ones. If a
close friend, or a family member, confessed to us that they were
struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, our response
would likely be sympathetic, concerned, and immediate. And yet,
when thinking about our own issues, many of us immediately
become so negative. We might think of ourselves as weak,
unworthy, or pathetic. The trap of feeling guilty about mental
health issues; of feeling bad for feeling bad, is a cyclical menace
that can be utterly destructive.

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When trying to cope with, or come back from mental health
struggles, one of the most important things, at least for me, has
been to stop putting myself down for my existing issues. Doing so
merely serves to exacerbate the problem. Of course, it's impossible
to simply flip a switch and say "Well, I'm going to stop being hard
on myself about my mental health anymore." If we could just control
how our internal dialogue worked, everything would probably have
gotten a lot easier before it even got serious. At least for me it

would have.

It's all incremental, and it's all relative. Be kinder to yourself, and be
patient with yourself. Remind yourself that it's okay to not be okay.
And if you find your inner voice still putting yourself down, reach
out. Because as my aforementioned friend told me, we are often so
much kinder and more patient when speaking to others than we are
thinking to ourselves. If you have trouble giving yourself a break, it's
okay to look for somebody else to grant you that support.
In the end, every mental health battle is fought on its own terms
and on its own field. None of us have brains that work the same way
as anybody else's. I can't tell you how to overcome your issues, but

I'm happy to share what has worked-or at least is working-for me.

There are already enough stigmas about mental health in the world.
I know it's hard. It might be the hardest thing you've ever done. But
try your damnedest not to create yet another one for yourself.
Because no matter who you are, or where you come from, no one
has the right to tell you that you don't deserve to need help.
Especially yourself. ▪

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Soundwave Wellness:
Tuning Forks for Healing

by Danielle Crampsie

If you haven’t heard of tuning forks for healing yet, you are not
alone. They are newcomers to the wellness scene, and
although their popularity is on the rise, their many unique
qualities and characteristics still remain unknown.
You might have had the pleasure of experiencing one in a yoga
class, or at the end of a sound bath session, but these powerful
little wands of sound magic definitely deserve their own
spotlight. Unlike gongs and singing bowls, tuning forks are
very portable sound tools which are accessible and easy to
use. Their beneficial qualities can be felt immediately, making
them the perfect tool for sound healing self-care.
So, what exactly are tuning forks and how can they improve
your life? Tuning forks are vibratory acoustic instruments
traditionally used to tune musical instruments, however they
can also be used to tune the vibrations of the human body.
When you strike a tuning fork it creates a vibration and
therefore a sound. The tip of a vibrating tuning fork can be
placed on the body, their sound can be listened to next to the
ears or they can be used to balance the energy in your
magnetic field. Their sound and vibration have an immediate
calming effect on the body.

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Physics has taught us that we are vibratory beings constantly in a
state of motion. Spiritually, we know that our true nature is a state
of ease, but our current lifestyle doesn’t always promote this state.
I think we can all relate to the feeling of stress, anxiety and fear as
a vibration that is far from ease. In sound healing circles we refer
to this as a state of dis-ease. While moments of dis-ease can be
helpful for our evolution, problems can occur when we experience
them too often. This can throw our system off balance.
We all know how helpful it is to have practices and tools which
remind the body to relax, calm our racing minds and return to a
state of balanced awareness. However, it’s not always practical to
unroll our yoga mats, chant a Sanskrit mantra and retreat to child’s
pose. This is where a tuning fork can help!
Specialized tuning forks for healing purposes are tuned to
frequencies that have a balancing and healing effect on the body.
Their pure frequencies, as well as their overtones resonate with
the body’s natural state of ease.
Tuning forks interact with your body's personal vibrations helping
to balance any underlying edginess. They use the principle of
resonance to entrain the body's vibrations transforming any
dissonant vibrations into coherent energy. Our body recognizes
this as a calming force and our system begins to relax with the help
of their soothing harmonic vibrations.
Just think about how your favourite song makes you feel or the
comforting sound of your lover’s voice. Now imagine you can
achieve that state of ease and comfort in just 30 seconds, at your
own convenience with just the strike of a tuning fork. You can use
them any time, anywhere, and they take less than a minute to work
and fit nicely in your bag!
Of course if your self-care involves not lifting a finger then you
need to try a personal tuning fork session. A personal tuning fork
treatment is like a vibratory massage for your cells that comes
complete with balancing of your energy. During a personal tuning
fork session tuning forks can be applied to energy centres and

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acupressure points on the body. The use of tuning forks on
acupressure points allows you to access the healing power of
acupuncture without the needles, a bonus for those who don’t like
to be punctured.
Tuning forks can also be applied to pain points as well. The
pressure and vibration help soothe pain, release fluid in the area,
relax tension in the muscles and bring new blood flow into the
area. So, if your elderly father finds all this energy healing a little
too woo-woo you can introduce him to tuning forks to help with
that old shoulder injury.
If you suffer from headaches, migraines and/or chronic sinus
infections, tuning forks can be particularly effective. They are great
at relieving pressure, draining the sinus and getting built up fluid in
the lymph nodes moving.
Tuning fork treatments can also be done as an energy healing
technique at a distance. Distance healing works mostly in your
magnetic field and helps to balance out areas of dissonance in your

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field, releasing any stuck energy and getting those good vibes
flowing again.
Results from distance sessions can include more clarity, a
feeling of becoming ‘unstuck’, less emotional pain and even a
decrease in physical pain. People report a feeling of freedom
and lightness and the ability to tackle overwhelming tasks, like
cleaning out that storage unit you’ve been avoiding for the last
5 years.
Tuning forks are a fast and easy way to shift the nervous
system from your fight and flight mode, where your anxiety,
fear and pain lives, to rest and digest mode. This allows your
body's natural intelligence to kick in and do the healing for you
so you can feel calm and relaxed and ready to face the
challenging world with focus and ease.
Just like musical instruments, sometimes our body's vibrations
can use a little tune-up. Tuning forks are the perfect solution!
They are portable, easy to use and their healing effects can be
experienced in just seconds.
If you are interested in purchasing your own tuning fork for
self-care, are curious about personal treatments or would like
to learn more about our practitioners training course please
get in touch with Danielle Crampsie of Soundwave Wellness at
[email protected] or soundwavewellness.com.
Soundwave Wellness teaches people obtainable self care
techniques which helps tune the nervous system to keep cells
vibrating on a positive level, release stress, let go of tension,
relieve pain and restore balance and harmony in their bodies. ▪

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