Today's episode is a bit lofty. With this wellness series, I feel like a number of what we talk about is things we strive to do and to be as humans, and maybe you disagree with me, maybe your wellness routine and your wellness practices are on point.
For me, a healthy wellness routine is something I struggle with and when I recorded this the first time, I sounded completely unapproachable because I took on a lofty air to match the lofty subject matter. So, I had to re-record this episode... outside in nature :) Hope you enjoy!
Have you ever wandered through a forest and felt it breathing? Heard the language of trees as wind rustled their branches and shimmered their leaves?
A wellness series wouldn't be complete without talking about the role of nature in your well being. Every living being, whether plant or animal, has a vital life force.
In Hindu, this life force is called Prana. In Taoism, Chi. The concept is so interwoven into culture and religions that it's hidden in plain sight in the Christian Bible.
Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead by acting as a conduit for life force received directly from the source of life force, the Creator. I've often wondered how different our world would look if we hadn't lost sight of this major detail.
Western medicine might just be unnecessary in such a world.
The presence of life force extends beyond living plants and animals. Many of these sciences, philosophies, and religions hold that all natural things have life force including the elements of the earth, salt and crystals.
Where does this life force come from? Ultimately, the Cosmic Divine, the Creator. Here on Earth, matter receives life force from the sun and the moon. The light vibrations from these celestial beings does more than just provide the energy plants need for photosynthesis.
The vibrant, living energy from these heavenly bodies is sequestered and stored by plants growing in sunlight, by herds of cattle basking in sunlight, by flocks of chickens hunting & pecking in sunlight, by schools of fish swimming in the oceans bathed by sunlight.
When we eat our food, we absorb the pranic energy from these beings, be that the greens in our salad, the milk in our glass, the eggs we have for breakfast, and so our bodies are nourished in a way that cannot be replicated by supplements made in a laboratory.
No amount of synthetic simulation can create prana. No artificially made vitamins can ever replace what are made naturally because they lack the intelligence of the life force.
Ayurvedic practitioners believe prana can be lost through extensive manipulation of the natural being. For example, when water bathed in sunlight is treated with chlorine, prana is lost. When milk is homogenized and pasteurized, prana is lost. When plants are harvested carelessly, prana is lost.
Intention is key to maintain prana.
And, prana goes beyond the food on your plate. You are capable of building your prana through breathwork, mindful eating, loving relationships, and yes, spending time in nature.
In Japan, forest bathing became popularized in the 1980s. Shinrin-yoku offered an eco-retreat to burnt out techies and also inspired the Japanese population to protect their forests. Now, even the physiological benefits of forest bathing are being studied (it's been shown to reduce blood pressure) along with the mental health benefits (as forest bathing has been shown time and again to elevate mood).
You can even see the effects of prana on a garden and on crops.
Have you ever wondered why plants look more healthy and vital after a rain than after irrigation? Rain may be the best visual evidence of prana. It restores and nourishes in a way that water alone cannot.
And, this is why rain is part of Rain Organica's brand name. One of the underlying currents navigating the brand is an attempt to bottle prana. To be so intentional about ingredient selection and sourcing and so deliberate in the small batch process so as to retain as much prana as possible and impart prana into the finished product through each pair of hands that touches the ingredient, from the farmer planting the seed all the way to the one preparing your order for shipment.
This idea of bottling prana is why cold pressed oils are so important for Rain Organica's products, and why dead sea mud and plant hydrosols find their way into the final formulations.
In all fairness, Rain Organica's products are not determined by the idea of prana alone. The second current which guides the brand is founded in a Western approach... in solid scientific research supporting the other ingredients you find in these products, like stabilized vitamin C & skin supporting peptides.
Why couple two seemingly different philosophies and perspectives? Each offers a unique strength, and in the power of these two, wellness resides.
Last week, you heard Sarah Lopes share her daily approach to living with intention. Next week, Crystal Vilkaitis shares how she's aligned with her soul's desires and her calling. We talk about two concepts, overcoming procrastination and building confidence, before diving into alignment.
Join me next week for that conversation.
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About the Author
Brandy's a formulation scientist and self-proclaimed health geek who loves hiking, gardening, bird-watching, and body boarding.
Her struggle with acne during her teens and 20s led to a holistic and healthy approach to skincare, embracing skin as an organ to be loved and cared for rather than a canvas to wage war on.
Since 2008, she's been developing all-in-one products for a simple routine at home, & Rain Organica started when her backpacking friends asked for a portable skincare routine to keep their skin healthy & happy on and off the trails.
You can try Rain Organica for yourself with The Essentials Kit, a complete skincare routine in just 3 steps.
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