One of my favourite self-care activities is to take a long shower or bath, and lather my body with nourishing body cream after. And a few years ago I started experimenting with making my own skincare products using all natural oils, essential oils and really what I happened to have in my kitchen.

I love to create a little ritual around making it too, because although it doesn't take long, the act of making something for myself with love, makes if feel even more luxurious while using it. (Also a lot of shelf bought creams can be full of toxins and unhealthy ingredients, so by making it ourselves, we know exactly what it contains). 

So today I want to share a really simple recipe for body cream with you. And if you don't have all the ingredients, get creative and use what you instinctively feel your body may need. 

Ingredients:

- 1 dl organic coconut oil

- 1 tbs organic liquid honey

- for a heavenly scent use 6 drops of lavender essential oil and 4 drops of sandalwood, or bergamot essential oil. (If you don't have essential oils leave them out, or use any other you love the smell of). 

Mix all the ingredients in a bow and whisk until creamy white and smooth. Then scoop the cream into a glass or metal container with a lid, and keep in a cool place away from sunlight for up to two months. 

After having a lovely shower, scoop the cream out with a spoon and massage a thin layer of cream all over your body. Allow to absorb for a few minutes before dressing or jumping in to bed! 

I hope you love this easy yet nourishing self-care tip as much as I do.

Love Tori 

In an increasingly hectic everyday life where most of the things we do are by habit and often subconscious, taking some time to create our own rituals can be a lovely way to slow down, tune-in and care for ourselves. 

A simple everyday thing we do like drinking a cup of coffee, doing some stretching, taking a bath or putting on a face-mask, can be something that we just do out of habit and because we like it, we know it helps our body and it can give us a nice glow... For some taking time for self-care may even feel a bit indulgent, superficial or selfish. But the moment we add intention to what we are doing and slow down enough to do it with presence, it can change not only how we feel within ourselves but it can also help us to be more mindful in our everyday life.

Rituals and ceremonies have been practiced for hundreds of years and although for some it is connected to religion, it is actually a natural and for some a spiritual practice. Making and drinking tea in Japan is a sacred tea ritual where a great deal of time, presence and love is poured into it. Self-care practices using clay masks, baths and beauty products have been important rituals for women through centuries as a way to celebrate the feminine energy, and to take time to be thankful for and give back to our body's that do so much for us. 

A ritual, however big or small, can be about simply taking some time for yourself to nourish, nurture, love and care for yourself.

Having been fascinated by rituals and read a lot about why they can be beneficial to our well-being, I have learnt that rituals can help us to connect inward and access, honour and strengthen our own confidence and identity. It can make something ordinary feel meaningful, creating a sense of purpose and belonging. It can help us tune in to our needs and keep us focused on our goals. It can allow time and space to do something meaningful and to practice gratitude. And it can be a much needed break from all the business of life and simply be with yourself. 

I personally created a morning routine a few years ago that has adapted and evolved, and now become a sacred time for myself. I create a ritual where I start by moving and stretching my body to connect inwards. Then I light some Palo Santo to cleanse my energy and use essential oils to centre and calm myself, helping me to tune in to myself with meditation. Crystals are known to hold energy and so I love to them in different ways to strengthen my intention. Throughout the day I keep them with me as reminders to take a breath, release stress and tension, or simply to have something to hold and rest my eyes on when I need a moment of calm. 

By taking this time to myself I notice how much more aware I am of my own energy throughout the day, making it easier to check in more often, connect with my breathing and not do too much (leaving more energised in the evening rather than depleted). I notice how by taking the time to be grateful for and enjoy even the most simple everyday things, it makes me enjoy them so much more and I feel it helps to increase my overall health and well-being. 

Everyone is different so your needs might naturally differ from mine, which is why creating rituals is very personal. A few ways to help them become a natural part of your life is to;

- Take something you do everyday and incorporate more presence and love into doing it.

- When creating a new ritual like incorporating meditation into your day, try doing it at the same time every day and in the same place.

- Involve your senses by adding smells such as essential oils, something to hold and touch to help you connect with your body, and sight - something to rest your eyes on to help you stay present.

- "Open and close" your ritual. If you want to journal, opening your ritual could be clearing your table and making some tea, preparing you for what you're about to do. Closing it could be putting it back in its place and being grateful for having spent that time journaling. I personally love to meditate and so I open my ritual by burning Palo Santo, and close it by thinking of all that I am grateful for and putting everything neatly away in its place. 

I believe in these moments so deeply that when deciding to launch an online shop, I wanted to include a ritual kit that would contain what I personally use and find to be so helpful in my rituals. The YinMama Calm & Care Ritual Kit is perfect for creating your own self-care and meditation ritual to help you take moments out of your busy day to calm and care for your mind and body. It contains;

A beautiful essential oil roller with lavender, ylang ylang, sandalwood and frankincense essential oils in a base of organic coconut oil, infused with rose quartz crystals. It smells heavenly and can instantly help us feel more calm and grounded, with clear mind and increased sense of wellbeing.

3 palo santo sticks to cleanse and bless your space and yourself.

6 ethically sourced crystals;
〰 Selenite
〰 raw Amethyst
〰 Rose Quartz
〰 Smokey Quartz
〰 Black Tourmaline
〰 Blue lace agate

It comes beautifully wrapped in a re-usable box, with a "how to" card and a white linen pouch for your crystals.

It will be available next week and I'm so excited to share it with you! 

Wishing you a wonderful day, love

Closing for self-care and spiritual maintenance because I practice what I preech

I always talk about Yin and Yang and how there needs to be a balance between the two. And the past few weeks I have been hustling and working hard to prepare launching the YinMama shop and a new exciting project starting in august. Now I LOVE working on my buisness (and i’m pretty sure that I didn’t know better or have my son, I would work non-stop), but after a period of being very much in yang energy, my body needs Yin now. My family is taking a 4 week holiday and I want to disconnect completely and really be present. I want to rest and care for my mind and body so that I can truly ENJOY the next chapter come august!! 

So i’m taking a break from social media and from the blog to rest, spend time with family, be out in nature, practice yoga and self-care, and just fill my own cup. I know deep down that by doing this - i will have so much more energy and creativity for whats to come. Have a wonderful summer and see you again soon!

Love 

How we feel is greatly affected by the energy and environment around us, and our home should be a space where we can feel relaxed and re-charge our batteries. So today I want to share 5 lovely ways to up the good vibes in our home!

1. Most of us thrive in a tidy and simplistic environment (this can immediately put our brain waves into alpha waves - a resting state where we feel relaxed, in the here and now, and more open to creative thinking and learning). But with a three year old at home, our house can look and feel a bit chaotic throughout the day. So instead I aim to make areas relaxing and pleasing to the eye. We have plenty of green plants all around the house, a space where I always do my morning stretches and yoga, and keep a few vases with flowers, coffee table books and candles on our kitchen table. These are little things to rest my eyes on and can help me to feel calm throughout the day.

2. Take a few minutes in the morning to make the bed and open curtains and windows to let the fresh air and light flood in. This can immediately make our environment feel lighter and happier.  

3. It is no secret that I love crystals. I like to place them around the house and little ones in my pockets as reminders to breathe and relax. (I also believe they radiate positive vibes and help to transform or keep negative energy away...)

4. Smell is a powerful way to enhance any mood, so I like to use scented candles or essential oils to uplift during the day, and wind down in the evening (or when I need a moment of calm). I love the candles by North & Lights as they are hand-poured in Norway by the sweetest girl Christine. Not only do I like to support small businesses that are passionate about what they do, these candle have such a beautiful scent and are 100% natural made from rapeseed wax and phtalate free fragrances (containing no harmful toxins so they are safe and healthy to use!). This candle is called Daydream and is sponsored, but I have purchased several myself prior to this post so I highly recommend them. You can check them our here.   

5. Before we come in to the house, we are very aware of what things and what energy we ourselves are bringing in. As a family we want our space to be a little haven, so making sure we let go of stuff that isn't really serving us, helps us feel lighter and more relaxed at home. 

What things do you do for yourself that help you stay calm and energised at home? Hope you found these tips useful and have a wonderful day x

Love 

 This post contains sponsored items/ advertisement.

Gua sha is an ancient self-care practice that has been used in Chinese medicine for over 2000 years. This sweet and simple tool can help to increase blood circulation, aid lymphatic drainage, rejuvenate-, tone and smooth skin, boost collagen, combat pigmentation as well as dark circles and puffy eyes, define your jawline, reduce wrinkles and give you a healthy looking glow! Em yes please.

I love to use mine in the morning - especially if my face is feeling or looking puffy. With clean hands and face, i apply cram or oil and gently massage my face using the Gua sha tool with gentle strokes from the centre of my face, outwards and upwards. 

If you haven't got one, I would absolutely recommend them! Not only is it easy to incorporate into a self-care routine, it is a lovely way to spend a few minutes loving and caring for yourself while taking a few deep breaths. There are many types and shapes on the market, most of them are made of crystal (like jade or rose quartz) which gives not only a wonderful cooling effect, but also the good vibes that crystals hold. When purchasing one, avoid the cheapest types as they are often made of synthetic materials that could irritate your skin. 

Hope you're have a wonderful evening and happy massaging! 

Love

P.S. If you're wondering where to buy one, hint hint you may be able to buy one here at YinMama pretty soon ;)

In a world that is so busy going, being doing and achieving (yang) - taking moments to rest, nurture, love and care for yourself is an act of courage. I call these moments of yin. Time for you to be. to tune in. to connect with yourself, with those you love and what you love to do. Our society isn't really built to allow for these moments so we need to create space for them ourselves.

Sometimes it takes a little planning, other times it is just about being present in the moment. Looking up at the sky. Listening to the birds. Putting your phone away and simply looking into the eyes of those you care about. Making the space around you beautiful. Taking a few deep belly breaths. 

When I read the beautiful book Pihl I hjertet by Camilla Pihl, a Norwegian blogger, model and designer, I was in awe of how beautifully she describes how it isn't really about finding the one quick fix thing you need to do, but rather about taking small moments throughout your day that will lead to healing and joy.

Jeg testet ut alle tenkelige behandlingsmetoder. Jeg leste alt jeg kom over av selv-hjelps bøker. Jeg prøvde alt mellom himmel og jord, på jakt etter en enkel of effektiv løsning. En hestekur. Men jeg fant den ikke. Det sies at det ikke er de store traumene som tar knekken på oss mennesker, men at det som setter oss ut av spill er de mange små tingene. Den jevne strømmen av hverdags motstand. Plastposen hvor håndtaket ryker på vei hjem fra butikken. Mobilen som ringer, men som du ikke klarer å finne i vesken. De fire røde lysene på rad. 

Etter mange måneder med prøving og feiling, innså jeg at om der var de små banale øyeblikkene av motstand som tok knekken på oss. Kanskje også løsningen lå der? Kanskje det ikke fantes noe enkelt svar, eller èn vidunderkur. Kanskje løsningen lå i de enkle o banale øyeblikkene. At det var bittesmå daglige endringer som skulle til, istedenfor en enkel stor? Små ting, som ga en jevn strøm av små gleder. Blaff av lykke, oppi alt stresset og kaoset.

- Pihl i Hjertet, Camilla Pihl

A beautiful book I really recommend you read (if you speak Norwegian). Let this be a reminder to take moments throughout your day, because that is where the true healing and joy can take place. 

Love

These days I am all about taking plenty of time for self-care and today I want to share one of my favourite acupressure points known as the Glow Point. It is located in the centre of- and below your cheekbones

This acupressure point is said to relieve tension in the face, gently lift the skin, boost circulation and give you a healthy glow! Yes please...

So tonight while your taking your makeup off, give yourself a lovely little face massage and add some gentle pressure with your knuckles to the glow point.

Have a wonderful weekend, love

One of my favourite ways to start my morning on a Saturday (which also happens to be the day where I get to sleep in as Christoffer gets up with M), is to have a long shower and scrub my body with this super easy, homemade coffee scrub. Such a refreshing start to the day. To make it, simply mix:

- grounded coffee

- coconut oil

- a few drops of essential oil. I used wild orange

Put in in a cup or jar and leave in the bathroom ready for your next shower! 

Love 

Hi beautiful you.

I hope you're enjoying a wonderful last day of easter and I apologies for this blog post being a few days late this week. I took my own advice and spent quite a few days simply being present with my family. Our days have been filled with baking, drawing, painting, walks in the forrest, watching movies, snuggling and simply just being together. I have also made sure to get some me-time and self-care in (yoga , meditation and long baths being a must) to prevent me from going stir crazy! (Pictures below pretty much sums it up)

But today I really wanted to drop in and share with you 5 little reminders and things that I believe that we can all do to embrace this strange time that we are in. So here goes. 

1. Embrace the stillness. the unknowing. the Yin. 

On many levels I think that we all needed this. Not the actual virus of course! But being forced to slow down. To actually be present and with the people closest to us. See in Chinese medicine we talk about yin and yang and how there must always be a balance between the two. Yang is the active, going, doing, pushing and achieving. Yin is the opposite - the calm, quiet, slowing down, appreciating, reflecting and tuning in. The way our society is built, there isn't time or space for yin. 

"In a world that is busy, achieving, moving and accomplishing, rest is an act of courage" -Tory Eletto

And so I believe that this is mother natures way of creating balance and forcing us to slow down and tune in. We need more Yin (which is why I named my blog YinMama) in order to have balance within ourselves, in nature and in life. So let us try to embrace the not knowing and try to appreciate the time of yin that we are in right now. 

2. Ask yourself; what and how can I heal during this?  

See I believe that in any circumstance, we have a choice in how we allow it to affect us. We can give in to the collective fear, excessively monitor the news and stress about buying enough toilet rolls (which is ok too). Or we can choose to be curious and challenge ourselves to look out our own fears and insecurities (which may be related to the virus or perhaps something different entirely). We can sit in the uncertainty of not really knowing, and choose to actively release the fear and find the calm within ourselves. Sure we want to numb out sometimes and avoid actually feeling all the uncomfortableness, but if we dare to look at it with curiosity, without allowing the fear to swallow us, I believe this time can be a great time of healing for many of us. 

It has perhaps taken me until yesterday to realise that the past few weeks have been very healing for me as it has in a way given me a "second chance" to stay home with my son. See I loved becoming a mother but honestly, I also really struggled the first year (the colic and severe sleep deprivation was rough...). But spending this time together without really knowing how for how long, has given me so much room to reflect and heal the past, to connect and find so much joy in the present moment, and so I find myself feeling so grateful. Which brings me to reminder number 3...

3. Practice gratitude 

It is ok to feel: Frustrated, Happy, Sad, Grateful, Anxious, Calm, Confused, Relieved, Tired, Energised or (Insert any other emotion here...). Accept the strangeness of the situation and allow yourself to feel it all.. but choose to always circle back to gratitude. See choosing to focus on the positive in our life and showing appreciation for all that we are and have, is possibly the fastest, simplest and most powerful way of improving our own well-being and happiness.

Research suggests that feeling grateful can help reduce stress, improve our mental and physical health, increase empathy, ease depression, improve our relationships and foster long-term happiness. All pretty good reasons for making it a part of our daily lives! So take a moment in the morning and evening to think about or write down all that you are grateful for. 

"When you trade you're expectations for appreciation, you're whole world changes in an instant" - Tony Robbins

4. Make time for me-time and self-care

So Important. Do more of what brings you joy and calm. (Here is a little list of ideas taken from my instagram, but the social one needs to be adjusted a bit):

5. Be kind and notice the little things

This is a strange time for all of us and having watched way too many romantic comedies and Disney films myself, i can't help but quote Cinderella; Have courage and be kind. Remember to be kind to yourself and others. Focus on the things you can control and choose to do things that light you up and bring you joy and calm. Look up at the sky and breathe the fresh air. Listen to the birds and try to embrace the stillness of not being able to do much.. (such a contrast to our usual busy lives..). Be present and mindful, take care of yourself and loved ones, and embrace this much needed time of yin. 

I hope you have a wonderful day and week, sending so much love

English:

There is something so cleansing and relaxing about taking a bath (or foot bath if you don't own a bathtub). This is my favourite way to de-stress at the moment after a long day at home... I like to take my time and create a little ritual around it 

Deborah Hanekamp, author of the brand new book Ritual Baths, talks about how you can use something so simple as a bath filled with ingredients you have in your house, to be your own healer. It is a lovely book that i would absolutely recommend! 

So today I want to share this lovely relaxing and loving self-care bath recipe that i have been using recently. To the bathwater, add:

- 1 cup of milk (any kind, i alternate between almond and coconut)

- 1tbs honey

- rose quartz crystal (or any type of stones you have that help you feel calm)

- chamomile essential oil (or brew some calming tea if you dont have essential oil and pour it in the bath!)

- A handful of himalaya salt (or any type of salt)

I also like to use sage or palo Santo to cleanse the room before getting in the bath to remove any stagnant or negativ energy. 

If you don't have the ingredients above or you're not in to the woo woo stuff, no worries! Get creative and add whatever you feel like and happen to have at home. Things like green tea, spices like rosemary and cinnamon, different types of salt, flowers... can all make lovely baths.

Make a little ritual around it by lighting some candles, putting on some music, setting an intention and spending some time simply relaxing in the magic you have created for yourself

Norsk:

I dag ønsker jeg å dele mitt favoritt selvpleie tips for tiden - å ta et deilig bad (eller fot bad hvis du ikke har badekar) om kvelden. Det føles så rensende og avslappende etter en lang dag hjemme... Jeg liker å ta meg god tid og skaper et lite ritual rundt det.

Deborah Hanekamp, forfatteren av boken Bath Rituals forteller at man kan bruke bad sammen med ingredienser man ofte finner hjemme, til å skape mer balanse og "be your own healer". Nydelig bok som anbefales!

Min favoritt bath ritual oppskrift for tiden er; 

- En kopp med melk (hvilken som helst type, jeg bruker mandel eller kokos melk)

- honning

- rosen kvarts krystall (eller hvilke som helst stener du tiltrekkes mot)

- kamomille eteriske oilje (Har du ikke eterisk olje, så lag gjerne te og hell oppi badevannet!)

- En håndfull himalaya salt

Jeg liker også å rense rommet med palo santo eller salvie for å fjerne negativ eller stagnert energi fra rommet. 

Hvis du ikke har ingrediensene over eller hvis det blir for alternativt for deg, så gjør det som passer deg! Vær kreativ og bruk det du har hjemme som du føler for. Blomster, grønn te, tørket salvie eller kanel, vanlig salt, etc funker flott. Skap et lite ritual rundt det der du demper lyset, tenner lys, setter på deilig musikk og setter en intensjon for hva du vil oppnå med badet. Hell oppi alle ingrediensene, slapp av og nyt.

Love