Life Challenges and Yoga Challenges

Today I will have completed my first challenge. My first challenge of ANY kind! 20 yoga classes in 30 days! Everyone who finishes the challenge will be entered into a drawing for prizes but to be honest (and this sounds cheesy), the reward is in deepening my practice, bonding with new people, and unexpected lifestyle changes.

I love to eat fat greasy burgers, nachos, fried chicken, soda, and anything sweet. Without even realizing it, I'm suddenly bringing veggies to work for lunch, opting for vegetarian courses at restaurants, and drinking a lot more water. This has been gradual, I didn't wake up one day with an epiphany and shout to the world - "I'm changing my diet!" I simply noticed that the heavier foods dampened my energy that I worked so hard to build during class that day. I also noticed that caffeine was playing a big role in my anxiety and so I am gradually cutting down caffeine! No doubt that any diet changes are a challenge in itself, but the reward is to FEEL BETTER. Not to mention, a better body and mind!

I used to be a night person and have a hard time waking up in the mornings. I would hit snooze 5 times before moving my body - what reason do I have to get out of bed besides work? Now, although I do still drag a bit getting out of bed, I am able to wake up at 4:30 and go to yoga class. Crazy? Maybe. But the yoga challenge has made me remember commitment, dedication, and most of all - I know going to class will wake me up gently and I get to see the sun rise while meditating to soothing music in a serene space. When I get home I even have time to walk my dog. Remember: the very hardest part about yoga is getting to the studio. Once you are there, that space on the mat is all yours to decompress, to detoxify, to lighten, to awaken, to breathe, to be however you are, whoever you want to be.

These are only a few major benefits (and challenges!) I have noticed in the 2 months of a regular 3-5 day a week practice.

I only re-started yoga as a tool to condition for snowboarding season. One key thing for me to continue was that I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the studio, the friendliness of the staff, and the non-intimidation factor. When I started at this studio, I was unexpectedly given a free month of classes due to an unfortunate circumstance of the teacher not showing up for her 6am class. I saw this as a sign and so I continued through the month. However, snowboarding season was approaching and I didn't want to spend the money for another month - but there was this challenge! And all these workshops! How fun! I had to participate. So I bought an unlimited monthly membership and haven't regretted one bit of it.

So here I am, practicing yoga 4+ times a week, journaling after every practice, making new friends, and improving my lifestyle in unexpected and welcomed ways. Challenging yourself in any way takes courage and you must trust yourself that you are capable. Reward yourself for completing any challenge big or small. Maybe the challenge is to not hit the snooze button. Maybe it is not reaching for that candy bar when you're hungry. Maybe your challenge is to just get through the day. Look for space in your life where you can breathe and soften, and put something in front of you that you know you can conquer - and always reward yourself for acheiving that goal no matter the size. Keep going, keep practicing, keep challenging yourself and your life will be full.

How to Make Rosewater (Hydrosol)

After yoga tonight, I decided to destroy my beautiful pink roses and tear them apart to create a lovely thing called rose water or rose hydrosol. A hydrosol is a plant product that has been steam distilled and extracts the water soluble components from the plant. The result is like an essential oil but far less concentrated.

There are many uses for rose water, in both cooking and for cosmetics. I decided to create a very small test batch to try out the kitchen-distillation process, and to test out some skin toner recipes. This small batch process is a bit tedious but the result is like the sweetest perfume or body spray you have ever tried. Here we are extracting the water components rather than the oil components.

Rose water has properties such as:

• Reducing inflammation is key - it can reduce broken capillaries and other skin inflammation conditions such as eczema
• Balancing the pH of your skin and purifying it
• Preventing pimples and acne by removing oil and grime
• It is used after facials to close open pores. Applying rose water after a steamy shower will tighten pores and capillaries
• It can heal sunburns and wounds
• You can use it on your hair as a scalp and hair conditioner
• For tired and fatigued eyes
• Some say it helps bad breath 
• The aroma is soothing - great for stress and anxiety

You can also use it for cooking, fixing makeup, and creating your own fragrances.

On to the tutorial!

What you'll need:

• Fresh roses (pesticide/chemical free)
• Large pot with lid
• Small heat safe glass or ceramic bowl/jar
• Distilled Water
• Ice cubes
• Container to store the product in

I have used chemical and pesticide free pink roses I picked up at Whole Foods for about 15 dollars. I recommend that you grow your own if you plan on making a lot of this stuff (I was tempted to steal some of the neighbors roses from their rose bushes!).

I did not have large enough bowls and lids, so I created my rose water in small batches over several hours. I do not recommend this - next time I will be using much larger pots and bowls to increase efficiency. A dozen roses gave me about 1.5 cups of rose water, although I was impatient and did not wait 2 hours for each batch. However, the process is the same if you choose a larger setup.

Remember to ALWAYS first sterilize your equipment and storage containers by either pouring boiling water on the tool or bottle, or by using rubbing alcohol.

1. Fresh roses are best, especially when they are picked from a dewy garden. Take apart the rose petals but discard the rest.
2. Place a heat safe glass dish in the pot, one small enough to fit completely inside the pot but wide enough to catch the water.

3. Arrange the flower petals around the glass container, but do not over fill so as the petals are below the edge of the glass dish.

4. Cover the petals using distilled water. Press the petals into the water so they do not float too much. You could probably use filtered water, but the purest water available is best.
5. Place the lid of the pot upside down so that the handle faces into or towards the glass bowl.

6. Gently simmer the water for 1-2 hours on low heat. Once the water begins simmering, place a handful of ice cubes on to the glass lid to condense the steam into water on the lid. The water will travel to the center of the lid to the handle and drip down into the glass container. You may need to do this several times.

7. After you are finished distilling the water , your rose petals will look bleached and any remaining water will be a darker color. This is likely the rose oil and other compounds from the roses. I had a lot of extra water because I simply ran out of time.

8. After simmering 1 to 2 hours, you should have collected enough water to funnel into a glass bottle. I like the hermetic seal bottles. I got mine at The Container Store for around 9 dollars, as well as this cute stainless steel funnel. The bottle was a bit large, but they are available in different sizes.

9. When all the water has been collected, it is best to store the water in a cool, dry location. The fridge is the best place to store this for up to one month. I do not personally keep my toners in the fridge, but I want to keep my raw batch as fresh as possible.

Use your rose water for cooking, baking, fragrances, lotions or toners. I am planning to make a rosewater-kombucha toner to start, and then I will try a rosewater-cucumber-aloe toner, and also a pure spritzer to fix makeup with or to spritz for a refreshing dewy glow.

If I receive good feedback from the rose water toners, I will consider getting a distillation system made out of copper, and make other hydrosols such as cucumber, calendula, and lavender!

Morning Update: I created a rosewater-kombucha toner! I tried it on my face last night and the results were a bit surprising! More to come.

Thanks for reading and enjoy your rose water!

Welcome to the Mountain Apothecary

My name is Jillian and I am a beginner in herbalism and natural sciences. A geologist by training, I know that all things that come out of the Earth have value and meaning, and can provide us with healing - whether that be medicinal, physical, or spiritual. The Earth is a unique place with organic and non-organic pieces that somehow fit and provide our home. I am currently exploring how to utilize my fascination for the properties that plants and minerals give us in our life. 

This blog is not going to teach you how to become an herbalist (because I am not one...yet), but it will teach you my trials and tribulations, trainings that I attend, highlight specific herbs and their uses,  certain minerals and their significance, and how to incorporate these natural ways of healing into your everyday life - at the office, at home, at the gym, in your backyard, and on travel. You don't need to be 'hippie' or a 'new age wacko'  in order to understand how you can improve your life naturally.

Right now, I have been toying with concocting a selection of potions, salves, cosmetics, lotions, hydrosols, scrubs, and other body nuturing items along with household crafts such as purifying beeswax candles made from local beeswax from sustainable hives. Eventually I am going to learn how to create textiles by spinning, dying and weaving. I will be taking my first sewing class come Monday, and my first herbalism class Thursday, so please join me on my journey to sustainable living!

My dad once had a stone that he rubbed thin because it relieved stress and helped him think (often referred to as a 'worry stone') - this stone had significance to him and he never went home without it. We can heal ourselves. We can educate ourselves through imagination and reflection or meditation.

Join me in blissful transformation away from our processed and synthetic world, and into the natural energy the Earth and the Self can provide.