3 Anxiety Reducing Tips for the Holidays or Post Election

Do you sense it? That palpable feeling of uncertainty, anger, and anxiety in the air?

I intended to share this blog post closer to the holidays, but hey, I think we might all need it now and the holidays really aren’t too far away!

If you’ve been sitting in a combination of befuddlement, anger, and anxiety over the last few days, like me, you might be getting to the point where you’re asking yourself, “what now?”

Well, I might not have the big answers for you but I do have 3 quick tips for reducing your anxiety, which will hopefully give you the tools you need to answer, “what now?”, for yourself.

Not only can lingering feelings of anger and anxiety make it hard to move forward, but they can also seep out onto others and wreak havoc within your body. Here are 3 of my favorite go-to’s to help heal mind, body, and soul during intense times of anger and anxiety.

Golden Milk Latte

Turmeric is the main ingredient in golden milk (I could write a whole post just about the health benefits of turmeric alone) but I’ll save that for another day! Studies have shown turmeric to help with inflammation, depression, and anxiety.

This recipe has quickly become my favorite anxiety soothing beverage. Bonus, it’s delicious. Move out of the way pumpkin spice!

Golden Milk Latte Recipe

• 1 tsp of golden milk powder

• 2 cups of coconut milk or your favorite milk substitute

• Honey to taste

• Heat your milk substitute on the stove, whisk in your golden milk powder, and add honeyto taste.

Gold milk powder ingredients will vary, though my favorite blends include ashwagandha root. Ashwagandha root is an adaptogenic herb that is also helpful with combating anxiety. If you’re live in Phoenix, I purchase my gold milk powder locally from Strawberry Hedgehog Soap shop (available in her store only) but you can also purchase it here.

Have turmeric at home and want your soothing beverage now? Not a problem, add 1 tsp. of turmeric to your milk substitute then blend in some cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, to taste.

Earthing: Get Grounded

Have you had a hamster wheel of thoughts and emotions cycling through your head over the last few days? It’s to be expected, anger and anxiety often come with a whirling array of constant thoughts that can be hard to silence.

Getting a big dose of grounding energy is a great way to help silence the mental chatter and may even lower your cortisol (stress hormone) levels.

There are countless ways to invite grounding energy in, but sometimes the simplest are the most healing. Have you heard of Earthing before? It’s the idea that you can be healed from the Earth and there’s actually some science behind it too. A recent study indicates that skin contact with the earth can actually lower cortisol levels.

When I was dealing with the anger and sadness of the loss of my Grandma and Father last year, I had a strong desire to lean on trees and lie on the ground. It was strange and I didn’t know why it was happening, but I went with it. After learning more about Earthing it makes sense, and now I listen to those gut instincts and get in some grounding time when I need it.

I know it might be getting cold where you are, and sometimes it’s too hot here in the desert. My second grounding go-to is an earthy essential oil, it’s not quite the same but it can help in a pinch!

Anxiety Tea Bath

The power of a bath is often overlooked but your skin is your largest organ! Can you think of a more relaxing way to get in your favorite calming herbs? With open pores from warm water, your body can soak up the healing powers of herbs quickly.

Think of this as making a giant cup of tea for your body. Many herbalists actually prefer this method for administering herbs. Here’s one of my favorite recipes from Rosemary Gladstar’s book Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health.

Mix these herbs into a muslin cloth bag or a cotton cloth that you can tie a knot in one end. Tie or wrap the bag of herbs around your faucet so the running water runs through the herbs.

• 2 parts chamomile

• 2 parts lavender

• 2 parts roses

• 1 part comfrey leaf

• I love to add in some Epsom salt and essential oils to the mix for the ultimate calming bath.

Will any of these tips heal the world? Nope. I simply want to offer you some of my favorite tools when sometimes taking any action to move forward seems difficult. There is much work to be done here on this Earth plane, and I don’t want you or me to be a ball of angry anxiety as we embark on it!

Have a favorite de-stressing tip? I’d love to hear it, feel free to send me a DM!

3 Unexpected & Healing Uses for Himalayan Salt

Did you know that the Himalayan salt “crystal” is an up and coming contender not only in the kitchen but also in the medicine cabinet?

What you put in fuels your temple. I know that you need your ingredients to pack a punch. Actually, you need salt to survive. It keeps hormones and nutrients in balance and maintains fluids. Since your body doesn't produce salt, it's counting on you to give it the purest option out there. Table salt isn't going to cut it.

Let me start though, by answering your first question…

Is it really that different from table salt?

What you might not know about Himalayan salt is that it is mined from ancient sea beds in Pakistan. Ancient. Meaning, before pollution. This pure pink salt is free from toxins that appear in other sea salts. Because it has housed itself in such a clean environment it doesn't need to be cleaned, and therefore stripped of any of its 83 trace minerals. The same can't be said of table salt. After it's been cleaned, you’re left with sodium chloride and maybe even some additives to keep it from clumping.

So, how can you incorporate this magical salt crystal into your day? Here are 3 easy and healing uses for Himalayan salt.

Salt Inhaler

When I first stumbled upon the uses of Himalayan salt, I saw that it helps with respiratory and sinus function. There's actually such a thing as a salt inhaler! For us allergy sufferers, I'm not sure a more steadfast way exists to test out this crystal’s effectiveness.

Can't wait to find out if this crystal will work its magic on your wicked allergies? I couldn't either. I got a portable inhaler to take on the go here, but you can also purchase larger ones here.

While I was surprised by this awesome gadget, using salt to treat breathing ailments dates back to the ancient Greeks who coined the term, “Halotherapy.” Other forms of Halotherapy include salt caves and even Neti pots! Benefits of Himalayan salt for breathing conditions include:

• cleanses the nasal passages of irritants and pollutants

• reduces swelling

• relaxes airways

• natural expectorant to reduce mucus

Salt Sole

An obvious way to enjoy the healing effects of Himalayan salt is to ingest it, so...I'm going to give you ZO’s recipe for Himalayan salt rock candy. It'll be a hit at your next family party...no, no, just kidding!! The best way to get a full dose of Himalayan salt is by making sole (so-lay).

Sole is a super-concentrated saltwater solution that can be made with a glass jar and a non-metal lid.

To Make Sole

Fill your jar ¼ of the way with Himalayan salt. Then add filtered water, seal with a lid, shake, and allow the mixture to sit overnight so that the salt can dissolve. If you notice that all of the salt has dissolved, add more salt until the water cannot hold anymore and is therefore fully saturated.

To Use Sole

Add a tsp to a glass of water every morning and take on an empty stomach. This is also a great concoction to add to your homemade electrolyte drinks! The benefits include:

• antibacterial components detox the body

• stimulates the digestive system and aids in healthy weight loss

• increased hydration

• caffeine-free energy

• trace minerals contribute to bone health, healthy veins, skin, hair, and nails

• lowers blood pressure

Salt Lamp

Himalayan salt has your allergies in the bag! But more important than clearing your nasal passages, it can also improve the air quality and give your mood an overhaul!

You are made up of negatively charged cells. So, like a magnet, you attract things with a positive charge...such as pet dander...dust...oh, and ions from electronics like microwaves, cell phones, and TVs. Himalayan salt lamps can combat these positive ions by emitting negative ions. Use a salt lamp by your bedside to emit negative ions for these benefits:

• increased oxygen flow to the brain for better sleep and more energy

• neutralizes electric smog

• lowers blood pressure

• decreases feelings of anxiety

I've done the research on the salt inhaler, and I have a salt lamp on my bedside table. Now, I'm looking forward to adding a Sole salt flush to my morning routine! Let me know about some of your other favorite ways to use this pretty pink crystal!

DIY Birth Chart in 10 Steps & Printable Birth Chart

Have you ever wished that you had a roadmap for your life? But does the thought of making another adult decision cause you a little sadness inside? I’m right there with you.

I will teach you how to create your own astrological birth chart, and you might be surprised by how telling this chart is! While you can easily find birth charts online, making your own serves a valuable purpose. Making your own birth chart helps you learn the anatomy of your birth chart and better understand how to read it. If you learn best from doing, I highly recommend creating your own birth chart.

Bonus, find a printable birth chart to make yours frame-worthy. Get it along with my other magical printables here.

What is a Birth Chart?

A birth chart, also called a natal chart, is a chart that shows where all of the planets were at the moment you were born. A few factors play into your birth chart, the time and day you were born and the location you were born. With just this bit of information, the heavens can reveal truths about your personality, your life path, and how to get the most out of this lifetime.

Making Your Birth Chart

The free birth charts online are great for gathering information, and that’s exactly what we will use them for, but if you want to gift a birth chart or hang one on your wall, making your own is the way to go!

You can even get some extra practice and create natal charts for your loved ones as gifts. Plus, making your own is a great way to learn all these terms.

Need to get some of the astrology basics down? Check out this post to learn basic astrology lingo.

Step 1

Click here to receive your free printable birth chart. 

Step 2

Gather your supplies. You’ll need:

• Birth chart printable

• Pen or pencil

• Straight edge

• Colored pencils for decorating! (optional)

• Birth Date, time, and location

Step 3

Get a free birth chart report here as a reference for your DIY chart. Simply plug in your info, submit, then scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to the circular chart, that’s what we’ll be using.

Step 4

Look at your online chart to see where the zodiac signs fall on the outer wheel. Draw them in on your chart.

Step 5

Write your name and birthdate on the chart.

Step 6

Draw in your sun and moon sign in the sun and moon pictures underneath the wheel. To figure out your sun and moon signs, look at your online chart. Find the moon symbol and see what zodiac sign it is in, and then find the sun symbol (a circle with a smaller circle inside) and see what zodiac sign it is in.

Step 7

Now we’ll draw in your ascendant and descendent line. On your online chart, there’s an arrow that’s pointing to a degree mark on the left side of the chart, this is your ascendant sign. You can also see it notated in the key below it with the number location it is in. Make a small dot on the inner circle of tick marks on your printable of where it will go, then make a dot on the opposite side of the chart, that is where your ascendant sign is. Use your ruler to connect these dots.

Step 8

Next, we’ll draw in your houses. Looking at your online chart, make a little mark on your printable where each house starts and ends. The houses are the numbered areas 1-12 or AS-XII on your online chart. Once you’ve marked each one, use your straightedge to create a dashed line to separate the houses. Starting at the house right below your ascendant sign draw in numbers or roman numerals 1-12  going counterclockwise around the wheel.

Step 9

My favorite part! Draw in where your planets fall on your chart. Look at your online chart to see where they are and draw them in roughly the same area on your printable chart. You can reference the key below the chart again to see the degree that each planet is at, and then make a tick mark at each one on your printable so you know exactly where to draw your planets in, or you can eyeball it. You can decide to draw the line that points to the degree mark it’s at or not, it’s up to you.

Step 10

The final step, draw your aspects, all those crazy zig-zag lines around the chart. Remember this chart is more for show and doesn’t have to be perfect so don’t stress over this step! The easiest way to complete this step is to make a little dot in the middle ring each place there is a planet, about an inch away from the planet you drew. Then, using your straight edge, and referencing your online chart, connect the dots, in the same order that they’re connected on the online version.

Now you can decorate your chart however you’d like or leave it as is. Learn more about decoding your birth chart here.

Astrology Basics

Have you ever wondered which of your personality traits might be holding you back? Maybe you are curious to know more about the qualities in yourself that make you a good friend...or maybe you want to understand more about the type of person who would make a good life partner for you. These are all questions that astrology can help answer!

Looking up into the infinite night’s sky may leave you with the realization that you’re part of something much, much bigger. That’s how the night sky makes me feel. The night sky, constellations, and astrology will forever be a part of me and I’m sure you have your own reasons for being attracted to astrology.

Modern astrology is more than your daily horoscope and zodiac sign. It’s a deep and rich spiritual practice that I want to share with you in a long, serious post. Today, I’m going to go over some basic terms, next week I’ll walk you through creating your own birth chart (there may be a free printable involved too)!

Astrology & Its Beginnings

First a little history! Astrology is the practice of using the study of the sky to associate meaning with life and events on Earth. Evidence of stargazing can be found as early as 25,000 years ago with lunar markings on cave walls and bones! Our attraction to the heavens really is ingrained in the fiber of our beings.

Civilizations during the 3rd millennium BC used astrology to determine how to align their temples and sacred spaces. Studies can be found in the 2nd millennium BC from Babylon when astrology was used to format our calendar and understand the seasonal shifts. Now a pseudoscience, the study of the heavens was long respected as a science that we can trace through cultures and their use of it in literature, medicine, and art.

Modern Astrology

Did you know that your zodiac sign is simply your sun sign? Your sun sign is one of many aspects that make up your personality, life experiences, and challenges.

Many things can be taken into account when you take a close look at your sign. One of the most basic things is understanding your birth chart. A birth chart takes into account several different astrological factors to give a complete look at you, your personality, and who you’re most compatible with.

Let’s jump into some basic terms so creating your birth chart will make more sense.

Astrology Terms

This chart to help make sense of where these terms will show up on a birth chart. Keep in mind on a real birth chart the locations of the planets and zodiac signs will vary, but the houses and Ascendant will always be in the same place.

Birth Chart

This is an astrological chart that is specific to your birth date, time and location. It is very specific! A birth chart will give you a detailed look at your personality and astrological traits. The following terms are in relation to how they’re used on a birth chart.

Planets

This term refers to not only the planets but also the sun and the moon. The planets represent different experiences we may encounter in this lifetime. The experiences your personality may come across are indicated by the position of the planets at your time of birth.

Zodiac

The zodiac is divided into 12 sections and are the signs that everyone is most familiar with, like Sagittarius and Cancer, for example. Your zodiac signs help determine your characteristics. Your sun sign is the most common of the zodiac signs and is determined by the placement of the sun at the time of your birth.

Houses

There are 12 houses situated on the wheel of a birth chart. Houses show the areas of the sky at the time you were born and represent areas of life that you will embark on in this lifetime.

Aspects

Aspects are the degrees of separation between planets. These can either be major aspects (planets separated by a degree of 0, 60, 90, 120, or 180), or minor aspects (all other degrees of separation) the aspect of a planet will determine whether it's energy is being presented in your life in a positive or negative way.

Rising Sign

Your rising sign, or ascendant sign, marks the zodiac sign that was rising on the Eastern horizon at the time of your birth. You’ll need an accurate time and place of birth in order to determine your rising sign. It’s often the traits of your ascendant sign that will show up first in your personality!

The Four Elements

The four elements are earth, water, fire, and air. Each zodiac sign falls into a category of one of these four elements. You can see which signs are which element by the chart above. You’ll be able to identify which elements are stronger for you by where your planets fall on your birth chart.

Understanding all of these terms can be a little tricky at first glance, if you want to reinforce these terms I found this thorough and helpful video on YouTube.

Did you know that in ancient times, birth charts were reserved for royalty? Lucky for you, you ARE royalty here in the ZO family! Check back next week and I'll help you to construct your very own birth chart!

Animal Guides // Are you missing out on an animal connection?

Have you ever had an experience with an animal that immediately brought you into the present moment? Maybe you’ve experienced the buzz of a hummingbird whizzing right by your head, or have made unexpected eye contact with a wild animal in nature, or maybe you’re visited in your dreams by a specific animal.

You might be thinking animal guides are a little too woo woo for you. I was definitely in the, “not for me” category, but then I had a couple experiences that changed my mind and it has been totally worth it.

So, what’s in it for you? Why do the work to connect with an animal and cultivate a relationship with it?

Here are a few reasons why connecting with an animal guide is a tool you don’t want to miss out on! An animal guide can:

• Provide you with a much-needed message or warning during a time of need

• Usher you along your path as you change your life’s course

• Remind you of your inner power and strength during difficult times

• Teach you lessons in areas of your life that need improvement to help you achieve positive changes

Why I’m not calling this a Spirit Animal

Mini PSA here. I got sucked into an internet black hole while researching this topic. Thank goodness I did, because the truth is, I’ve been using the term Spirit Animal, casually and seriously, for a long time.

Sadly, the term spirit Animal has been culturally appropriated and misused in hurtful ways, for example: so-and-so celebrity is my Spirit Animal. For people practicing the very sacred practice of Spirit Animals, this can be offensive, and perpetuate the oppression of Native American people.

I know that’s a lot to take in, but I felt obligated to share a different perspective. Take it or leave it, and share your thoughts in the comments if you’d like.

Why I started paying more attention to animals

Just like you, I’ve had some experiences with animals that have made me stop and wonder if something more than coincidence was at play. The day my grandmother left this plain, who spent more money feeding her birds than feeding herself, there was a small bird that spent the entire day on our back porch. Our feathered visitor had no friends with it and we had no bird food on the back porch. My husband even noticed and made reference to it. I knew that was the day I’d get the call that Grandma moved on.

After the passing of my Grandma and my Father last year I worked with a spiritual healer that specialized in finding animal guides for her clients. During her vision journey, she not only found my father represented as a bear but found an animal that wanted to help me through the grieving process, a playful monkey. The experience was a powerful one and the symbol of the bear and the monkey have been an integral part of my healing process.

Animals made by Emily Rose Thomson

Many believe that animal guides are provided to you for a reason, so you cannot choose which one you receive. Here are some ways that you can connect with an animal guide:

• Let your subconscious mind do the work. Intentional meditation and dreams allow you to keep your heart and mind open for your animal to reveal itself to you. Take note of the animal or animals that show up while your mind is at rest.

• Stay observant of your interactions with nature and animals. If you find you have multiple similar interactions with the same animal or felt connected to a certain animal as a child, chances are this is your guide.

• Be assigned one by a Shaman or spiritual guide.

• Connect your animal guide through a divination tool like oracle cards. I like this Secret Language of Animals oracle card deck.

4 ways to continually connect with your animal guide:

1. Learn more about the animal and the species. List all the characteristics you can think of that are associated with the animal. Be aware of which characteristics you identify with.

2. Wear a symbol of the animal on you as a wearable reminder, whether it be through a piece of clothing or a sacred piece of jewelry.

3. Decorate your space with symbols of the animal. I love the shop Periwinkle Nuthatch on Etsy. Emily can custom-make animals for you and they’re perfect for altars!

4. Be an advocate for protection of the environment your animal exists in. If your animal totem lives in the ocean, support organizations that are working to protect ocean life.

I hope you found some takeaway in this lengthy post! If you’ve got something you’d like to share in relation to animal guides I’d love to hear about it, please feel free to contact us.