Soul Fire Holistics: Recent Episodes
Ivy Donovan
This podcast explores social and emotional wellness through yoga therapy practices. Hosted by Ivy Donovan, MA, C-IAYT, RYT500, Yoga Therapist and Behavior Consultant.
Let this guided meditation help you open and strengthen the heart by honoring the breath, tapping in to the heart's internal wisdom, welcoming your emotions, and remembering how loved and cherished you are. May this practice be a tool in your healing journey.
Settle in for a five minute reset as you welcome in all of the possibilities of a new season. Awakening to new life, new potential, new possibilities. What do you wish to cultivate as you transition to this new season? How are you nourishing these desires?
Consider moving to your journal after this meditation and write down or speak aloud what comes up.
Have you ever wondered why people chant the word Aum or why it's regarded as a sacred sound? This episode will dive into the enchanting sound "Aum" (also spelled "Om"), and uncover its mystical relationship with the intricate web of our human nervous system.
8/8 marks a cosmic holiday, known as Lion’s Gate Portal.
During this time, the sun is in the astrological sign of the Leo (The Lion- a symbol of the sun) and is associated with the heart chakra.
The star Sirius, also called the spiritual sun (the brightest star we can see at twice the size of our sun and 26 times brighter) aligns to appear closer to us.
The eighth day of the eighth month highlights the powerhouse of infinite possibility.
Today is believed to be a super charged time of light activation and positive energy.
May you take time today to bask in the warmth of light activation, feel it move through your cells, listen to intuitive nudges, surround yourself in loving energy, and focus on your personal growth and manifestations.
May you be guided by the pure light that vibrates within you.
How will you put loving energy into the world today?
Derived from Lisa Sanfilippo, transpersonal psychotherapist and sleep specialist, this meditation practice can help get to the root cause of emotion. When we learn to sit with and move through emotion, rather than resisting or ignoring it, we gain greater control of emotional regulation and in turn, release emotional baggage that may be keeping us from quality sleep. This practice is strengthened over time. Perhaps try this body awareness practice when you feel alert and in a calm state of focus. I encourage you to be consistent with the practice and notice how it evolves over time.
If you would like to take a deeper dive into yoga therapy for insomnia and sleep recovery, contact Ivy Donovan, MA, C-IAYT, RYT Yoga Therapist and Behavior Consultant for more information. www.SoulFireHolistics.org
I invite you turn off all other electronics, turn your lights down as much as you can, turn the heat down or cool air up, and climb into bed. This meditation can be a good resource for falling asleep at the beginning of night or helping you get back to sleep if you wake in the middle of the night. If you are interested in diving deeper into slumber, yoga therapy can show you how to approach sleep on a physical, energetic, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. I can teach you how to release tension through Yogic and Ayurvedic approaches that draw on neuroscience and target your unique set of needs. Learn more at www.soulfireholistics.org
The Solar Plexus chakra spins energy in your abdomen just above your belly button all the way to your sternum. Also known as the Manipura Chakra, it is the color yellow or gold and is associated with fire. It provides your source of personal power, self esteem, transformation, and warrior energy.
When not in balance you may feel stomach pain, digestive issues, weight gain (especially in the stomach area), experience anxiety or be quick to anger. You may be indecisive or feel unworthy.
Ways to balance this energy:
Raise your body temperature with more vigorous exercise:
Sun Salutations connect with fiery energy
Warrior poses give your strength
Boat pose targets your core
Learn how to Strengthen Your Digestive Fire (Your Agni)
Get really clear on your goals and desires. What are the details for achieving them?
Chant the sound “RAM”, which vibrates deep into the awakening of this chakra.
Responsibly Burn incense and ethically sourced sage or other herbs. Try a fire ceremony!
If you’re into crystals, pull out your biggest Tiger’s Eye and bring it along with you today.
Say to yourself “I stand in my personal power. I am strong, powerful, and confident. I am aligned with my purpose. I am worthy just as I am.”
On this Self Care Sunday, I invite you to channel your inner fire, connect with your “gut feeling,” and feel empowered by your own fierceness.
Fun Fact: This chakra inspired the name of my business.
Somatic yoga therapy can help move the flow of energy into balance for overall physical and emotional well being. Let’s nurture our inner fire (Fire Emoji) for greater confidence and self worth! #SolarPlexus #ManipuraChakra #FireChakra #PittaDosha #yogatherapy #SomaticHealing #SelfCare #Empowerment #SelfWorth #Confidence #PersonalPower
The Sacral Chakra, also known as Svadhisthana Chakra, is located in the lower abdomen and is associated with the color orange. It governs creativity, pleasure, and emotional balance. When this chakra is balanced, we feel passionate, creative, and able to express ourselves authentically. However, if this chakra is blocked, we may experience a lack of inspiration, difficulty expressing our emotions, or even physical issues such as lower back pain or reproductive problems.To keep our sacral chakra balanced, we can engage in activities that ignite our creativity, such as dancing, painting, or writing. We can also practice self-care and take time to tune into our emotions and express them in healthy ways.There are many activities that can help balance and activate the sacral chakra. Here are some examples:Connect with the water element: Relax in a body of water (ocean, lake, river, shower)HydrateListen to the sounds of water (waves crashing, waterfalls, rain, water fountain)Creative pursuits: Activities like painting, drawing, writing, or playing music can help you tap into your creative energy and express yourself.Yoga Asana: Certain yoga poses like hip openers, such as pigeon pose, can help to open and balance the sacral chakra.Sensual experiences: Engaging in pleasurable experiences like a warm bath, enjoying a delicious meal, or spending time in nature can help you connect with your senses and your ability to experience pleasure.Emotional expression: Expressing your emotions in a healthy way, such as talking to a trusted friend or journaling, can help you process your feelings and release any emotional blocks.Meditation: Practicing mindfulness meditation can help you connect with your body and emotions, and cultivate a sense of inner peace and balance.Somatic yoga therapy can help move the flow of your energy into balance for overall physical and emotional well-being.Let's take care of ourselves and nurture our sacral chakra! 🔥🙌 #sacralchakra #chakrabalance #selfcare #somatic healing #yogatherapy
Meditation and mindfulness help pull the mind away from distractions. Consistent practices such as this one can help the brain strengthen neural pathways for greater alertness and concentration. Join me in a guided practice that brings you into a state of present awareness as we improve alertness and tune out distracting thoughts.
Feelings and emotions live in our physical body. Attuning to these felt sensations helps us know what resources we need to pull out of our toolbox. Join me in a meditative journey to discover what emotions are hiding beneath the surface of your thoughts.
The root chakra, also known as the Muladhara chakra, is located at the base of the spine and is associated with the color red. It is the first chakra in the body's energy system and is often referred to as the foundation or root of the energy system. It is associated with the physical body, survival, safety, and grounding.
To work with the root chakra, you can try the following techniques:
*Practice grounding exercises, such as walking barefoot on the earth or visualizing roots growing from your feet into the ground.
*Engage in physical activities that bring you into your body, such as yoga or dance.
*Eat root vegetables, such as carrots or beets, to nourish the physical body and connect with the earth element.
*Meditate on the color red and visualize it filling your body and energizing your root chakra.
*Affirmations or mantras that focus on feelings of safety, security, and stability can also be beneficial for the root chakra.
*Somatic yoga therapy can help move your nervous system back to a state of connection, groundedness, and a felt sense of safety. Learn more at www.SoulFireHolistics.org
MuladharaChakra #Rooted #Connected #YogaTherapy #HealingThroughTheChakras
Join me in a guided meditation practice to wrap yourself in a protective bubble. High school can be a time of stress and anxiety. Let’s explore ways to calm the mind and use visualization to induce a feeling of safety and protection.
This experiential practice can help shift the attention to the present moment, in turn letting go of ruminating thought patterns of worry or anxiety. The practice can be as long or short as you need it to be and can be done anywhere.
I invite you to use this visualization the next time you take a shower. Perhaps, use it as a daily ritual to establish your mindset for the day ahead.
Either listen along as you climb into the shower, or listen now and guide yourself through this visualization the next time you climb into the shower.
If you are showering at the onset of your day, this can be a powerful tool to set your intention for the day.
If you are showering before bed, this can be a powerful tool to wash away the stress from the day.
Metta Meditation is a Buddhist practice that can help us move into a state of self love and compassion, for both ourselves and others. Remembering that we can not pour from an empty cup, this practice helps us invite in loving compassion for ourselves so that we can have genuine love and compassion toward others with whom we are in relation. At 17 minutes, this is a lengthier practice, so before you begin, please find a space free from distraction, where you can allow yourself to be fully present. If you do not make it all the way through, it's okay. Perhaps you revisit this one over and over again.
Adapted from "Yoga for Grief and Loss" Karla Helbert
Join me for a Winter Solstice Celebration honoring the shortest day and longest night of the year. Grab items from nature, find a comfortable, quiet space, and settle in for a few moments to honor the darkness of winter and return of the sun.
In this meditation, we will explore our relationship with each of the elements within us, earth, air, water, and fire. As you move through your day, how do you stay connected to each of these elements?
Turn out the lights, silence your electronics, and passively allow this meditation to drift in and out of your awareness as you ride along the countryside in a steady sleepy train.
This meditation encourages the mind to focus, through intentional breaths and a body scan awareness, on believing in yourself.
Yoga therapist, Ivy Donovan, specializes in yoga therapy for social and emotional well-being.
https://soulfireholistics.org
This time of year lends itself to reflection and finding things in which we are grateful. Practices in gratitude are so beneficial for healing and finding ease. But when we are experiencing grief, anger, or despair, forcing ourselves to be grateful can be inauthentic and ineffective. We can, instead, work on honoring the grief that lives in the body AND making space for gratitude. There is room for both.
Option to sit with this recording while you journal. Feel free to hit pause for as long as necessary. Perhaps you revisit this meditation again....and again, as you build "muscle memory" for carving out new neural pathways in the brain.
In this 4:33 guided visualization, reflect on things that are most important in your life and imagine yourself building your life with those qualities.
In this 5:09 minute long guided visualization, imagine breathing in the color of calm, and exhaling out the color of anger. Say to yourself, "I control my response to anger."
In this 5:44 minute visualization, connect with the people who love and support you the most. Take this time to feel your community, send them thoughts of love and kindness, and feel loving kindness come back to you.
In this short, 2 minute guided visualization, you will be invited to "sweep away" any distractions, leaving you ready to receive new information.