All posts filed under: Spirituality

Easter Bathing: Slovak Easter Traditions To Help You Stay Healthy All Year

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In Slovakia, Easter signals a lot more than the resurrection of Jesus. It is a day that symbolizes re-birth, fertility, and the welcoming of spring with health in mind. As is the case with a lot of Catholic holidays, Easter is a mix of christian and pagan traditions. Looking at the Slovak tradition of bathing in cold water and whipping/or spanking of women with branches on Easter, one cannot help but think of these rituals as something nature-worshipping celts and pagans might have done. It is these traditions that make Slovakia and Czech Republic special. I know what you are thinking. Whipping? Bathing? Allow me to explain. Here is how Slovaks and Czechs celebrate Easter. While Good Friday and Easter Sunday says Easter to most of the world, in Slovakia the celebration continues on Monday. Monday after Easter Sunday is a national holiday, and it is purely reserved for eating and socializing. Artisanal eggs get displayed on trees, in vases, and around the home. Carefully arranged plates of cheeses, sandwiches, ham, sweets, and more, await …

Quarantine-Inspired 2020 Holiday Gift Guide For the Most Hated Year

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The 2020 holiday season might look different, but is is more important than ever to show how much we care. Choose your gifts carefully and with their health in mind. The year might have sucked, but the gifts don’t have to. Lola’s Apothecary For extra special holiday splendor give them the gift of at-home spa. Lola’s Apothecary is an English brand that puts a ridiculous amount of attention into each product. If your loved one likes to indulge in a luxury bath or take extra special care of their skin, Lola’s Apothecary has you covered. Plus, they can share their love of beautiful skin with their partner or family through massage oils, candle aromatherapy and shower oils. The brand has created special packaging just for the holidays so go ahead and get shopping. Sanara If your gift receiver enjoys the at-home spa experience, and supporting Latin brands, Sanara should be your go-to. Sanara has tapped into botanical ingredients that make very effective body care, especially for those who suffer from dry skin, eczema, or psoriasis. …

Full Moon Beauty For Your Inner Moon Child

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Do you own a telescope? Do you ask questions like: “Why are we here?”, “What possible mysterious can we find in the universe?” and “How can I get an even closer shot of the moon?”, then you might be a moon child. If you are drawn to the moon and its natural power then you most likely pay close attention to the lunar calendar. Tonight’s Harvest Moon, started Friday the 13th however it reaches peak fullness this weekend. So look up! Whether you are gazing at the moon or plan on practicing self-care, the magnificent sight of the full moon teaches us to stop and pay attention to the beauty of our universe. That’s mindfulness. Enjoy this moon inspired round-up of out of this world beauty products to accompany you in your quest to be present. No one can argue that clinical and spa beauty provides the best results of ultimate skincare glow and health. Farmhouse Fresh Moon Dip Back To Youth Body Mousse smells and feels so luscious that I hope I never reach …

Health & The City: Best Places to Find Wellness & Community

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Editor Note: For many, the New Year means making resolutions. My mantra is to take it easy on myself and not make promises I might not keep. You should always try your hardest to accomplish what you wish for but be kind to yourself in the process.  If you are looking towards a healthier and happier year, I highly recommend you find a wellness community.  It’s a good starting point. I myself had to accept that in order to begin on a path of wellness I had to be trusting and accept support from others. As a spa and beauty editor, my wellness adventures bring me to places you might not even know exist. The right place and healers could be right under your nose.  Wellness & The City (New York City that is) In the city that never sleeps you can order takeout in the middle of the night, have most things delivered at a snap of your finger, find a speakeasy in the most unusual of places and a “secret” garden might be …

Cultivating Beauty & At-Home Spa, Part II

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The saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup” rings true to every kind and empathetic care-taker. This is especially true during the holiday season. It is time for decorating, parties, lots of errands and being there for others. The holidays are ideal for showing those you love how much you care about them. This does not mean you should neglect YOU. If you do not take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others. Create a space of serenity and solitude just for yourself. Self-care is essential. If you happened to miss part 1 of cultivating an at-home spa, read it here. Cultivating an at-home spa lifestyle continues. Bath Soak This is the big one. Stress can be an unavoidable part of life, however melting it away is up to you. A hot bath is an old remedy that will soothe sore muscles and your nerves, however it can do so much more than that. Your time in the tub can help you feel tranquil while increasing circulation, work as a sleep aid …

3 Products for Practicing Divine Rituals

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In the past lives of our ancestors, mindfulness was a way of life. It was not labeled or made into a trend. This was a time when humans took special care of their possessions, single-use products did not exit, there was no need to document every other moment of their lives and leisure was sacred, therefore taken seriously. Even though self-care is very much needed and has become a popular buzzword, the constant distractions of technology and stress around us makes it easier said than done. Turning self-care into a ceremony is one way to ensure that you get the most out of your “me time”. Unplug. That is your first step towards slowing down. Put your gadgets out of your mind. Doing this will allow you to check in with yourself and take inventory of how you are feeling. Savoring the moment is slow living. There are times we rush through our lives and use our daily products and tools out of habit. Then there are times when we know we have something special …

Cultivating An At-Home Spa, Part I

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2018 has been a year focusing on personal wellness. There has been a shift in the way we take care of ourselves. More and more people are going from overlooking their mental and physical health to putting more emphasis on self-care. In this ugly political climate and uneasy news, a stress-free home is the respite we all need. In this part of the world, living a spa lifestyle is expensive. It is still considered a luxury, instead of a normal part of your lifestyle routine that is accessible to all. Take a time-out from your worries, because cultivating an at-home spa is easier than you think. In fact, there are so many ways to incorporating the spa lifestyle into your home that I am separating it into three parts. Let’s begin. START IN THE BATHROOM  Starting with what products to use seems like a sales pitch, but trust me when I tell you that I do my research. Although I don’t always use all chemical-free brands, I am doing my best to switch to all …

Let’s have the “Wellness” and “Self-Care” Conversation

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As the last weeks of summer slow down and so do our lives, I wanted to reflect and have the wellness and self-care conversation. For those who have always been a part of the wellness and healing community, this past year has been an interesting one to watch. While visiting with a number of beauty brands and accomplished artisans, holistic health sanctuaries and spas, the wellness and self-care conversation has always come up. When I am asked to have these conversations, my mind automatically goes back to my childhood and appreciation for all things green, natural and slower paced. Being a lifestyle blogger and beauty editor since 2006 and someone who grew up a part of my childhood in central Europe, living the wellness lifestyle has always been a given for me. Growing up in the mountains, hiking amongst untouched nature, watching my mother make healing salves and my father garden, makes me feel fortunate. It has showed me that wellness and self-care matters. This natural way of living did not need labeling. So why is …

Step Into The Salt Room

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Not all himalayan salt rooms are alike. Modrn Sanctuary, located in the Normad area of New York City, created a Salt Room with attention to detail and practicality. Modrn Sanctuary could be best described as a tranquil and healing space resembling a WeWork concept. Before the salt room was made into reality, I interviewed the owner, hypnotherapist and life coach, Alexandra Janelli, for Insider’s Guide to Spas. Taking your shoes off and stepping into Modrn Sanctuary’s luxurious Salt Room is exciting. It gave me the chance to dip my toes in sand and escape the city madness. Once I started reading up on the benefits of Halotherapy and experienced the effects myself, I knew having that himalayan salt lamp in my bedroom was a good idea. Salt therapy is a holistic relief from migraines, allergies, sluggishness, eczema and more. This Salt Room is where you can leave your worries behind for 30 to 45 minutes a session. The soothing energy and light emanating from the salt lamps, along with comfortable chairs for your lounging pleasure, make …

Quarterly: Letter From The Editor “Kindness is My Religion”

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BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER BUT DON’T FORGET TO BE GENTLE AND KIND WITH YOURSELF One of the many reasons I started writing and created this website destination is kindness and urgency. Writing and creating has been a part of me since I was a little girl. I even art directed and wrote my own magazine when I was 11. My sisters were my only subscribers. The arts are important, especially for someone like me. I create to survive: it is my outlet for righting a wrong, for highlighting the beauty around us, for my own well-being and to put something out there that is genuine and has integrity. For these reasons and more, I choose to write about brands and subjects that make people feel good. I research brands, not always for their products, but also for the way they treat their employees and customers. If a brand builds its empire by mistreating others, I do not want any part of it. Of course, no one is perfect and people make mistakes, but I …

Finding Solace at The Osthoff Resort’s Aspira Spa

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This article was originally published on and written for Insider’s Guide to Spas. It seemed like a perpetual summer, and Elkhart Lake was my liberator. There are some getaways you just know will stay with you forever, and for me getting to experience Elkhart Lake was one of them. I’ll start at the very beginning: Back in the spring I found a lump in my breast. As you can imagine worry set in, but worry took a back seat to the frustration of attempting to find accessible care for women under 40. I can tell you now, that is no easy feat. Someone out there was looking out for me because I did find help, in the form of an organization called PROJECT RENEWAL . Their mammogram Scan Van was parked right in front of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, a patron saint of poets. The universe was speaking in signs, but this did not ease my worry. An elderly woman in the waiting area noticed my nervousness and held my hand while I waited. She touched …

A Healing Bath From Mama Medicine

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This story was originally written for Insider’s Guide to Spas. I believe in the great power of nature, creativity, taking time out to work on yourself, being a good and kind person, but mostly I believe in healing with spas and spirituality—which is why I was drawn to Deborah Hanekamp. A self-described “seeress” and owner of Space by Mama Medicine, a wellness center in New York City, Deborah was recently recognized by VOGUE as one of the fashion set’s favorite healers. I first got to know her through her Instagram (yes, social media can have a positive impact), where her commitment to spiritual health and wellness shines through. To me, those special individuals who help others with coaching and healing are the gentlest and most interesting people—and Deborah is one of them. She is living and facilitating spiritual healing and wellness to the many different types of people who seek her out. She provides one-on-one readings in New York, and medicine ceremonies throughout the world. Get ready for some cheesy gushing because I believe that Deborah is the …