my life, spirituality, travels and more
Rewilding the skin: a 30 day journey to balancing the microbiome
*Commercial collaboration with Esse Skincare
Rewilding the skin - a 30 day journey to balancing the microbiome of my skin
Confession: I’ve never been diligent or good at taking care of my skin (or hair) for that matter as I’ve been quite lucky with having healthy skin. However, after moving back to Finland about three years ago, I noticed my skin did not like the shift from a tropical climate to a dry and cold environment. I slowly started to become aware of how this change took a toll on my skin, as it started getting dry and dull, not to mention the impurities and zits that would surface. I realized I needed to do something about it.
Pic: Johanna Keto Photography
Another confession: I’ve only been to a facial three times in my life. Once in Mexico and twice to Jolie Spa in Helsinki. I booked these spa visits in hope of a quick fix for my skin problems. Spoiler alert: turns out there’s no quick fix. That being said, I truly loved the way my skin felt after the visits, which was also the reason I went back. During these visits I learned that the line they use for their facials is called Esse Skincare. It’s worthwhile to mention that Esse Skincare is only sold by cosmetologists. Fast forward a couple months after my second spa visit, and I receive an inquiry about collaborating with Esse Skincare. At this point I was already familiar with some of their products as I used their cleanser and toner, but I still mixed them with other conventional beauty products. But this challenge was to to only use Esse Skincare products for 30 days and report back about my experience. The universe always has a funny way of creating these synchronicities when we are open to receiving. So of course I said yes. I was also excited to commit to a skin care regimen, as I sometimes (like mentioned) can be a bit sloppy with stuff like this.
About the line
The Esse Skincare line is inspired by nature and the idea with this challenge is to rewild the skin (hence the name of the challenge), which simply means that it’s all about bringing back the natural pH of the skin and rebuilding it with the help of probiotics. Interestingly it has been noted how we only have certain skin issues in Western cultures (results from poor diet, stress, pollution, disconnection from nature, hormonal issues, but also from toxic beauty products and too many “deep cleanses”). Skin deceases like acne or eczema are almost non-existent in hunter-gatherer communities. It’s also fascinating how for years, the industrial beauty standard has suggested that we get “healthy glowing skin” by deep cleansing and by applying synthetic chemicals to “treat” any problems. The problem with this solution however is how it strips our skin from all its natural oils.
The 30 day challenge gives your skin enough time to recreate harmony and to restore that symbiotic state between microbes and the skin. Microbes are often associated with the gut, but they also live on your skin. Your microbiome is actually a crucial part of your health, as it protects you from pathogens and is essential for healthy-looking skin. The line is 100% certified organic (by Ecocert) and infused with prebiotic nutrients to create an intervention of microbes that balance the ecology of the skin. All products hold a pH at 5.
The products I used in the 30 day challenge:
Esse Sensitive Cleanser - an ultra-gentle cleanser designed for sensitive skin that uses probiotic extracts
Esse Sensitive Toner - made for sensitive skin, this toner uses probiotic extracts and prebiotic nutrients to support a state of equilibrium in the skin’s microbiome
Esse Sensitive Nourish Moisturiser - a moisturiser that combines probiotic extracts and prebiotic nutrients to boost barrier function for sensitive skin.
Esse Sensitive Resurrect Serum - an anti-ageing hydrating and plumping serum for sensitive skin
Esse Sensitive Protect Oil - an oil that shields sensitive skin, offering it all round protection from environmental stresses
My experience
Day 1
Thoughts: Okay, I am ready to embark on this journey of taking care of my skin and being more systematic. I start my day by washing my face with cold water, by adding the toner, serum and moisturiser and some natural concealer to conceal my impurities. I only cleanse my face at night before adding the resurrect serum. I also decided to limit my makeup to only use organic cosmetics during this time to avoid any extra “stress” on my skin. My starting point was that my skin felt dry (especially the forehead), tired and tight and that I had lots of zits and impurities on my cheeks.
Day 10
Alright, 10 days of only using Esse Skincare and I can tell that the skin on my forehead is not feeling as “tight” anymore. Even if I still have impurities and pimples I feel that my skin is starting to get deeply nourished (it’s almost as if this feeling of quenching a thirst you’ve had for a long time). I notice that I appreciate this new softness and find myself adding moisturiser even twice a day. It’s funny how I used to avoid oil based skincare as I thought it would create more impurities or clog my pores. That’s not the case with this protection oil at all and it leaves a very “light feeling” on my skin.
Day 20
It’s interesting what you notice when you become acutely aware of your skin. I can see some improvement in my impurities but the biggest difference is in the change of how my skin feels more hydrated. Using these products at this time of the journey has become a natural part of my day and almost like a ritual.
Pic: Johanna Keto Photography
Day 30
30 days went by quick, I guess it’s not hard to commit to a new program after all. Now I am very used to using all these products and I wouldn’t trade them for something else. The biggest change I can tell visually is that the skin looks healthier and not only feels but looks less “tired”. There are also less impurities which is amazing. The biggest difference I can is the level of moist that my skin now holds and it feels like the moist is not just on the surface, but deeper if that makes sense. I feel like when I used to cleanse my skin before it would always end up feeling dry and “thirsty”, this sensation is long gone and I can feel an actual texture change in my skin. I obviously. intend to keep going with this regimen.
Are you familiar with this line?
Whatever your skin concerns are I recommend starting with the 30 day kit, it’s an easy way to change your skin care regimen in one go.
Health is your greatest wealth - my experience with Susa's Deli (home delivered healthy meal plan service)
*In collaboration with Susa’s Deli
New Year - New me? - A cliche worth committing to!
Well hello hello hello and happy new year everyone!
Each year, there is a desire in each one of us to do a little better than we did the previous year, and in particular when it comes to taking care of our bodies and our overall health. With infection rates on the rise and new variants appearing from right and left, there’s even a deeper emphasis on health this year. Boosting the immune system is not only good for you, but actually provides protection against disease by creating a barrier that stops those nasty invaders (antigens) from entering the body. Perhaps this profound significance of staying healthy will also aid us all to not only making, but actually sticking to our new years resolutions of a “new healthier me” this year?
Many people may think that new year’s resolutions are nothing but silly cliches that people create to make themselves feel better. Personally however, I find that new years are magical. Energetically they offer us a fresh start a clean slate and therefor an opportunity to start anew and create better healthier habits. I actually once turned a new year’s resolution of becoming vegetarian into a 12 year lifestyle commitment (until I noticed I was low on iron).
You can check out their different meal plans here.
What makes the first week of January even a little more special for me, is that both mine and my boyfriend’s birthdays happen to fall on that very first week of the year. This year we were lucky to kick it off and celebrate all these festivities with a collaboration with a small family run meal delivery business, Susa’s Deli.
Susa’s Deli is a prepared meal home delivery service that currently offers three different plans: 7 days, 30 days and for two weeks. You can choose between a vegetarian or mixed meal plan. You’ll get three meals per day, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. All meals are made with healthy and nutritious ingredients, using fresh local produce and you set up the drop off times according to your schedule.
If you’ve followed me for a while (or read some of my previous blog posts), you may also know that I am really into subtle energy, and that I also emphasise Albert Einstein’s quote of “everything is energy”. The food you eat, the thoughts you think and the actions you take. Since food is a huge source of energy and an actual component of what makes you into you (a.k.a. you are what you eat) it is extremely crucial for your overall health and wellbeing to eat healthy. When we eat nutritious rich food, not only do we feel better, but we vibrate on a higher frequency, and therefor have more energy, feel better and actually think clearer.
One of the beautiful things about Susa’s is, that all their meals are home made using local produce and Finnish ingredients. You can check out their list of the producers they use here. I enjoyed all the meals, but my personal favourites were the green smoothie (pictured), veggie soup, chicken curry, mozzarella wraps, sweet potato patty pasta, quinoa salad and fish soup. Another aspect that I enjoyed about this service, is the easiness and convenience of it. Instead of spending time (money and energy) on thinking about what to cook and what to buy from the store, you have these lovely ready made meals that you only need to heat up. It also made me think how this service would be very suitable and helpful for busy people or families alike.
Another thing that felt great about this collaboration was connecting and working with another small business. When I received the first delivery, I was touched by the hand written note explaining each meal, which made it feel very personal.
Interestingly, there was a strong synchronicity of me landing this collaboration. Just a couple weeks before being contacted by Susa’s, I had connected with a customer at my Pop Up Shop who spoke very highly about Susan (one of the founders of the company) and her other services as a channeller. As it also happens, I’ve actually once had a session with her many many years ago, even before my years moving to Mexico. This made it all feel very aligned and like a collaboration meant to happen. As I am a strong believer in synchronicities (instead of coincides), perhaps there’s also reason you’re also reading this blog post… perhaps you've decided that the coming year is dedicated to changing your habits and start living a healthier life? If so, I truly recommend this service. Not only is is all of the above, but it’s quite affordable in my opinion! You can check out their website here and the different meal plans here and give them a follow on their instagram here. We all know covid-19 has been tough on small businesses, so let’s choose wisely the ones we support and buy from!
Cheers to a happy healthy 2022!
Xx,
Eva
"Why am I so tired"... sound familiar? Sometimes rest is not enough! + GIVEAWAY
In collaboration with puhti.fi
I guess it’s safe to say this year has been heavy in many ways. The world is faced with a pandemic that is causing us distress, worry, fear and anxiety both health wise, economically and socially, not to mention the polarization on how we handle and view these exceptional times. Even if we might fall into the group that’s not “that affected”, or are not in the so called “risk group”, the continuous collective worry, media overload and fact that the pandemic is wreaking havoc worldwide can be devastating for the nervous system. No wonder we might feel a little tired, overwhelmed or even depressed.
To be frank, even if I give out a quite positive image of myself on my social media feed, this spring, summer and fall have been pretty heavy for me as well. As you might know, I recently launched my very own yoga clothing line made out of ocean waste, called Moonah Wear (check it out!), which has obviously been so so exciting, but simultaneously super scary. I’ve invested not just a big chunk of my savings into this new company, but also so much time and energy.
It has also felt (and still feels) scary to be starting a new venture during these very unusual times with a downward spiraling economy. If you’ve just found my blog or social, you might not know that in addition to running my yoga clothing line, I teach yoga as my profession, which obviously also has been compromised during the pandemic. Even so, I still consider myself to be very privileged, lucky and blessed to be working with what I love and quite well off compared to many many others that have lost their jobs or even worse. But what I do want to highlight instead, and what I am here to openly share about are my feels in a very real and vulnerable way. So, as much as it’s been super exciting to be working with this passion project, it’s definitely also been a lot.
Even so, sometimes feeling tired is not just a symptom from being overworked, overwhelmed or having an overstimulated nervous system. Sometimes you might actually be lacking important minerals that are crucial for your overall health. And at times, it’s the sum of all of the above. Yet, making sure your body has all it needs to function properly is key 🔑.
I first started feeling tired as the days started getting shorter and the weather started cooling off. I figured it must be the decrease of sunlight (which it actually also is), but I didn’t really think that much of it. Slowly and surely it would get worse and I had some mornings when I actually struggled to get out of bed 😞. It made me think, this can’t just be from “being tired” or “overworked”.
Luckily, I was able to team up with Puhti , which is a company that offers a variety of packages to scan your blood to give you an idea of your overall health. They offer laboratory tests (without a doctor’s referral) and help with interpreting the results.
Nature is medicine, yet sometimes nature & sleep is not all we need.
Shot by Jonna Monola. Halti sleeping bag.
The results come in super quick and I actually got most of my results already on the same day. Oh, and by the way I am scared shitless of needles, but their lab staff is super friendly and understanding and they actually offered me a juice box as I started feeling a little nauseous during the blood test 😊.
Before I share my results I’ll just drop the symptoms of both ferritin and Vit D deficiency here below, let me know if you can relate 😅:
Signs and symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency might include:
Fatigue.
Bone pain.
Muscle weakness, muscle aches, or muscle cramps.
Mood changes, like depression.
Signs and symptoms of low ferritin levels might include:
unexplained fatigue.
dizziness.
chronic headaches.
unexplained weakness.
ringing in your ears.
irritability.
leg pains.
shortness of breath.
Vitamin D is important for health. Some of its roles in the body include:
helping with the absorption of calcium
maintaining healthy bones
regulating genes and cell growth
preventing osteoporosis
modulating the immune system (via Medicalnewstoday)
Ferritin isn’t the same thing as iron in your body. Instead, ferritin is a protein that stores iron, releasing it when your body needs it. (via Healthline.com)
I had never before had any similar tests taken, so for me it was super interesting to see “my health on paper” so to speak. It made me emphasize with people that have hypochondria, as it was actually super fascinating having all this new information to dwell upon now on “paper”.
And waddaya know, I was deficient in both Vit D & ferritin.
Days are getting shorter, weather is getting colder. Shot by Jonna Monola.
As you can see below on the first chart (text in Finnish) my result for D vitamin falls into the red zone, meaning I am D vitamin deficient.
I am also low on ferritin, as it falls into the “alert zone” just before the red zone. Please note: I’ve been on a vegetarian diet for 10+ years.
Luckily, both of these deficiencies can be reversed with supplements. If you live in a sunny place, you should get enough Vit D from spending at least 20 min outside, but if you reside on the Northern Hemisphere and have long, dark winters 😱🥶 you’re most likely going to be needing some extra Vit D. (PS. I highly recommend checking out Puhdas + and my discount code EVA25 for any purchases).
So, the lesson here is: if you’re suspecting you might be lacking in any vitamins or minerals or having any of the above mentioned symptoms: check yourself!! Health is the greatest wealth, fo reals! Sometimes sleeping more, or resting more, or taking “you time” is simply not enough, especially if you might be deficient in some super important minerals/irons. I truly and highly recommend getting yourself checked, especially now as we are moving towards darker times. Puhti is giving away one free blood screening, so make sure to comment on my blog post, as one of the commentators will WIN A FREE blood scan (participant must be in Finland). Winner will be announced in a week from now, on Sunday, Nov 1st. Yay!
Stay healthy,
xx
Eva
Easy VEGAN carrot cake 🥕
My favourite carrot cake recipe, that also happens to be vegan
The following recipe is probably one of my favourite desserts on planet earth: CARROT CAKE 😋The cool thing about this easy recipe is, that it’s 100% vegan and completely cruelty free, meaning it contains zero animal products in it. Extra bonus: It’s also gluten free and made without refined sugar. It’s crazy how delicious desserts you can make without any milk, butter or - wheat. This carrot cake is fluffy and quite moist and delish.
What you need (crust):
5 cups of shredded carrots
2 cups of oat milk
5 cups of buckwheat
2 1/2 cups coconut sugar
1 1/2 cups of coconut oil
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Frosting:
100 grams of unflavoured cream cheese
1/2 cup vegan butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 - 4 cups sifted organic powdered sugar (you can use less)
How to:
➡️Peel & shred carrots. Heat oven to 175 Celsius.
➡️To a large mixing bowl, add oat milk, coconut oil, sugar, cinnamon, salt, cardamom and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix buckwheat with baking soda and baking powder. Then, combine these two bowls and mix thoroughly, however avoid making the batter too runny. Add shredded carrots.
➡️Add batter into a pan that you’ve oiled with coconut oil and bake for 45 minutes
➡️Let the cake cool down for at least 30 minute before adding frosting.
➡️To make frosting, simply whisk everything in a bowl and spread on top of the cake. Decorate with walnuts or shredded carrots.
TIPS to consider 👩🏻🍳:
💡Tip: so if you prefer a less moist version, you can simply reduce the amount of carrots and leave it for a little bit longer in the oven.
💡Tip: If you don’t want to use any sugar, supplement it with honey or maple syrup!
💡Tip: Do not use packaged pre-shredded carrots because they are hard and dry.
💡If you melt the coconut oil, make sure all of the other cake batter ingredients (carrots included) are room temperature.
Let me know what you think 😋
ENJOY!
XX
Eva
ESSENTIAL OILS 101: Essential oils to balance your 7 chakras
In collaboration with Puhdas+ use code EVA25 to get -25% off
ESSENTIAL OILS 101: Essential oils to balance your 7 chakras
If you’re into natural wellness, surely at this point you must have stumbled upon essential oils. The world of essential oils is vast and can feel somewhat overwhelming with so many different oils and usages. I decided to create a guide, that can help you navigate through the world of essential oils, using the chakras (energy centers of the subtle body) as your map.
Before me dive into these, let’s cover the basics first. An essential oil is a concentrated liquid made from parts of certain plants like leaves, herbs, barks, roots, seeds and rinds into a concentrated oil through extraction. The idea is to capture the flavors, scents, and overall beneficial properties from the plants into potent oils than can be used topically.
You can use essential oils, well, for a variety of things including; aromatherapy, treating skin conditions, soothing muscle inflammation, headaches and so much more. Another lovely way to use essential oils is using a diffuser. I use the Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser from Puhdas+ and absolutely love it, as it acts both as a diffuser and a humidifier, and is perfect drier climates (such as Finland).
The easiest form of usage, is to simply apply a few drops of the oil in your hands, rub your hands together and then inhale the scent. Even though I root for natural products, please note that even natural substances can be irritating or cause allergic reactions. Like anything else you put on your skin, my recommendation is to test a little bit on a small area and see how your skin responds.
Some of my favourites from Puhdas+
Certain oils, such as rose, ylang ylang, lavender (my absolute favourite 😍) help you relax and are good to use before going to bed when you want to wind down. Peppermint oil is great for treating headaches and migraine attacks, whereas ginger oil can help ease discomforts of the stomach and bowel. Lemongrass oil serves as a natural repellent for mosquitos and insects. Essential oils can also be used to freshen up things like laundry. Like I mentioned in the beginning, there’s a myriad of ways you can use essential oils and to cover them all would probably take a book or two 😅, for that reason, I decided to approach the subject through the Chakra System. Below you will find my favourite oils and which chakra they relate to.
Root Chakra
This chakra governs stability, security, your primal needs and feeling grounded and connected to Mother Earth.
Color: Red
Location: base of the spine
Physical manifestation: kidneys, adrenals
Essential oils to activate/balance: cinnamon (my top pick), myrrh, patchouli, cedarwood
Sacral Chakra
This chakra is related to your emotions, sexuality, pleasure and sensuality.
Color: orange
Location: just below the belly button (by the reproductive organs)
Physical manifestation: reproductive organs
Essential oils to activate/balance: sweet orange, ginger, jasmine, ylang ylang, clary sage
Solar Plexus Chakra
This chakra is about our personal power, will and courage.
Color: yellow
Location: stomach
Physical manifestations: stomach (digestion), gallbladder, liver
Essential oils to activate/balance: lemon, peppermint, rosemary, lemongrass
Heart Chakra
This chakra is the expression of love, compassion and joy.
Color: green (or a rosy pink)
Location: chest
Physical manifestations: heart, arms, hands
Essential oils to activate/balance: rose, lavender, bergamot, thyme
Throat Chakra
This chakra is governs our expression, truth, speaking up but also our ability to listen to others.
Color: blue
Location: throat
Physical manifestations: lungs, respiratory system
Essential oils to activate/balance: eucalyptus, palmarosa, camomile ginger, lemon
Third Eye Chakra
This chakra is our wisdom center, connecting to the unseen, our psychic abilities and intuition.
Color: indigo
Location: between eyebrows
Physical manifestations: eyes, head, lower brain, pituitary gland
Essential oils to activate/balance: clary sage, bay, peppermint
Crown Chakra
This chakra is about our connection to the divine (source), unity, giving us access to higher states of consciousness.
Color: white
Location: crown of the head (above the head)
Physical manifestations: brain, pineal gland
Essential oils to activate/balance: lavender, sandalwood, frankincense
Make sure to take advantage of this generous discount code from Puhdas+ use code EVA25 to get -25% off your purchase!
That’s all for now,
Best,
Eva
Pictures by Jonna Monola
10 ways to whiten your teeth naturally and my review of Blackwood by Splat 🖤🌲
Sponsored blog post by Splat
10 ways to whiten your teeth naturally and my review of Blackwood by Splat 🖤🌲
Ever since I was a little girl, I remember looking up to all the beautiful Hollywood stars with their gorgeous, perfect white smiles, thinking to myself; “geez, I want that too”. Having a radiant smile is contagious and I truly love these following quotes and find them to be true; “a smile is the prettiest thing you can wear” and “a smile is the most beautiful curve on a woman’s body”.
However, if you’re feeling insecure about your smile, smiling can even become a struggle, which is sad, since smiling actually boosts your immune system, because your whole body relaxes when you smile. Many feel hesitant to undergo laser treatments, which is understandable, but luckily there are ways to whiten and brighten your teeth naturally, without synthetic measures.
When I was asked to collaborate with Splat, I was very excited, since not only have I always aimed for a whiter smile, but I also love to choose natural, sustainable products and I try to be eco-conscious about my choices. This toothpaste happens to be made out of natural ingredients (up to 96% ), including activated charcoal from Karelian birch trees (which whitens effectively), natural menthol that refreshes your breath, and juniper extract (great for keeping your gums healthy). Oh, not to mention the product is completely cruelty-free and sustainable (happy dance 🕺).
Below, you will find my 10 top tips for whitening your teeth naturally, including my product review of the Blackwood toothpaste by Splat.
Blackwood by Splat 🌱🖤(including activated charcoal from Karelian birch trees): I’ve been using Blackwood by Splat for a couple weeks now, and in all honesty, even if I was excited to try it out, I was also a little suspicious in the beginning. The reason is that even if I do prefer natural products, not all of them work as well as conventional ones. Let’s take natural deodorants as an example 🙈 (side note, if you’ve found one that works, please holler at me).
Luckily, I was positively surprised with Blackwood. So, when I first started using the toothpaste, I was a little wary as the toothpaste is completely black. That being said, I was also intrigued and it felt very different from what I’m used and almost counter intuitive (who knew it would take the blackest toothpaste to make the whitest teeth). As soon as I started brushing my teeth, I was pleasantly surprised, as I immediately noticed the fresh scent and refreshing taste. I instantly liked the product and was happy and quite relieved actually (imagine to write a review for something you wouldn’t like 😅).
Probably the best thing about it was, that already after one single week, I started noticing a difference and felt that my smile was looking brighter. The more noticeable difference was after two weeks, when I felt that my teeth had actually turned brighter. In a nutshell: I absolutely recommend this product, because not only is it natural, sustainable and cruelty free- it actually does whiten your teeth when used consistently.
Practice oil pulling: Every morning for 20 minutes, swirl coconut oil in your mouth.
Brush with baking soda: Mix a tsp of baking soda with water and use it as toothpaste-let it sit on your teeth for 1-2 minutes.
Use hydrogen peroxide: Mix equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide & water and swish this mixture around your mouth for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Use apple cider vinegar: Mix a ½ spoonful of vinegar with one glass of water. Rub your teeth with the mixture.
Eat fruits and vegetables.
Flossing (no, not the dance 😂).
Cleansing your tongue with a tongue scraper 👅: This will remove bacteria from your mouth, and help you maintain better overall hygiene in your mouth.
Strawberries 🍓: Crush the strawberry to a pulp, then mix it with the baking soda. Spread the mixture onto your teeth and leave on for 5 minutes, then brush thoroughly.
Last but not least, the obvious way: reduce 🚫: coffee ☕, tea, red wine 🍷, liquorice, and other foods that easily stain the teeth.
So, having a white smile, I think we can all agree upon, is something many of us strive after. And when you feel confident about your smile, voila, more reasons to smile! Make sure to check out my instagram post for a video review and follow Splat on instagram. Oh, and STAY TUNED as I will be hosting a giveaway soon where you can win a batch of the toothpaste (8 packages) a long with a YOGA MAT for you to practice home, so that you can take care of your body in a holistic way. Yay!
how it works:
🖤 Activated charcoal, the element that gives its black colour, naturally whitens, adsorbs odours, and removes stains, leaving your teeth spotless and perfectly clean.
🌱Juniper tree extract, a natural antibacterial ingredient, leaves you with fresh breath for a long time after toothbrushing.
My instagram: @evaestlander
Splat: @splat_nordics
If you live in Finland, you can find the toothpaste at your local S-markets & Prismas (incl. their web shop).
With a bright smile 💚,
Evita
xx
Simply the best & (easiest) VEGAN blueberry pie
Easy vegan blueberry pie
It’s your Gordon Ramsey here again, hi 👩🏼🍳! Today I’m sharing with you the easiest, quickest and most delicious dessert ever 😋: vegan blueberry pie. What’s even better with this blueberry pie, is that it’s made with blueberries I’ve picked myself just by our summer house and it is completely cruelty free, meaning it is vegan and contains no animal products whatsoever. It’s also gluten free and made without refined sugar. So, with that many perks, you’d think the taste would be compromised - but it’s not, it’s divine. Yum. So without further ado:
What you need (crust):
2,5 dl buckwheat flour
1 cup of coconut oil
1 cup of coconut sugar
1 tsp baking powder
half a cup of oat milk or any other dairy free milk
Even if the weather was not the best, this pie gave us joy.
What to do:
➡️Mix flour & baking powder in one bowl. Mix sugar with coconut oil in another bowl. Add everything together in one bowl and carefully the oat milk while mixing the batter. Add batter into a pan.
➡️Prebake the crust for about 7 minutes in 200 Celsius.
➡️If you’re using frozen blueberries, add the blueberries on top of crust (you can add a little coconut sugar with the blueberries) and bake the whole thing for another 25 minutes. And voila, you’re done✨
Quick & Easy & Healthy
💡Tip: Pre bake crust if you’re using frozen blueberries!
💡Tip: If you don’t want to use any sugar, supplement it with honey or maple syrup!
💡Tip: You can add other berries in the mix as well, such as lingonberries, strawberries, raspberries… use your imagination!
You can serve it with oat milk ice cream or perhaps vegan vanilla sauce 😋
ENJOY!
XX
Eva
10 things you can do right now to feel better + learn the energetics of the situation
10 things you can do right now to feel better + learn the energetics of the situation
Did you know the word ‘Corona’ translates to Crown?
The seven chakras of our energetic body.
The crown of your head is the highest part of your physical body, but the same applies to energy. If you’re unfamiliar with the subtle body, it consists of 7 primary chakras, or energy fields (the word ‘chakra’ translates to wheel and refers to how the energy moves and spins in the energy center).
These chakras are all connected to different areas and aspects of ourselves, our physical bodies and our lives. All of these correspond to functions of different organs. The chakra system runs along the spine and is connected to our nervous system. The first primary chakra is located at the base of our spine and is connected to our sense of survival, our home, our finances and everything we need in our lives in order to feel stable, grounded and supported. The second energy center, located by the reproductive organs, is connected to creation, creativity, sensuality and sexuality. The third energy center is linked to our ego, our core, our sense of self and sits in our solar plexus. The fourth is the heart center, our center for love. The fifth energy center i connected to expression, communication and truth, located at the throat. The sixth sits between our eyebrows and is connected to vision, intuition and wisdom. And the seventh and last one is our sense of unity, belonging, connection. The seventh and last chakra is considered to be the highest chakra representing higher consciousness and unity. You can think of it more as WE energy instead of a ME mindset. It’s what brings us all together and connects us all into one. Interestingly enough, this virus also carries its name.
For a long time already, humanity has been dormant and in darkness. Blindsided to our own greed, actions and choices, we’ve reached a point where our planet is hurting. Here’s the thing, everything is energy and everything has its tipping point. The energy we all hold individually also gathers and forms together into what is called a collective consciousness. This collective consciousness holds our shared beliefs, thoughts and ideas. This collective consciousness has been napping, for well, quite some time now. But now, we’re being told to wake the *insert whatever strong word of your liking* up in a very real way, that surely affects us all in some way or form. The coronavirus is on everyone's lips and minds right now. We’re all talking about the myriad of ways of how it’s touching our lives and worry for our health, finances and the insecure future. As horrible as the situation might feel, this is also an opportunity for change and to become united.
When you think of the virus from an energetic point of view, one could say it pierces through our heart center, both through how it actually affects the people who get sick and also through causing anxiety (that is often felt in the chest through heart palpations or pressure) for many others. In a more Western view we know that the virus attacks the lungs. We know that the virus spreads through touch and physical closeness. These are also aspects of the heart chakra. The heart chakra is connected to the element of air, our lungs and breathing. The sense that is connected to the heart chakra is our sense of touch and the virus also spreads through both the air and through our biggest organ, our skin, again, both connected to the heart center. Emotions that are connected to the heart chakra are; grief, sadness, compassion, love, joy and balance.
And clearly we’ve been living out of balance for a long time already. When this energy enters our hearts it drops down to the root chakra, where many of us might feel compromised currently. We feel a rush of fear take over, as our root chakra is connected to our adrenal glands and to our sense of survival. It’s interesting when you think of people’s reactions and how their primal instinct is to hoard toilet paper and groceries, which are all very basic needs. A primitive reaction, but very understandable when you think at it from an energetic point of view.
In yogic philosophy we are taught how the Kundalini energy sits at the base of our spine and by rising it up to the crown chakra we can become united. In order to reach samadhi or higher consciousness (lift the energy to the crown chakra), our lower chakras need to be in balance and harmony, so that the higher chakras can also open. In order for us to balance this, we need to take care of ourselves, our mutual home, our planet, and each other, and now more than ever so. We need to start building the energy from the bottom up, so that we can feel united and lift the energy up to the crown chakra, our last and seventh chakra and become united. We need to start with the basics.
We’ve clearly been exploiting mama earth and too focused on the material plane (first chakra), which is why now we are being shaken to the core in this energy center. This overcompensation and exploitation of natural resources has no reached a point, where we have an opportunity for change, to become more united. Interestingly enough, from an energetic point of view, when you think about the origin of where the virus stems from, it’s from a food market with animal products. And this is part of the problem and key causes of global warming: animal agriculture. We’ve been consuming and using meat and animal products that are not necessary for all to live and particularly in the amounts that many are consuming. The heavy and toxic energy from dead animals transforms to energy too, which is something we’ve been carrying in our fields of energy.
Now, we are asked to to wake up, think about our choices when it comes to consumerism, our diet and health. But without being too hard on ourselves. Surely there’s a bigger picture here at play and a call for a collective wake up. That doesn’t mean you need to stop being human. We are all in this together and we need to come together and support each other, but we also need to take care of ourselves and our health. Fear lowers the immune system, which is why it’s even more important than ever to stay connected to ourselves through self-care, a healthy diet and exercise (did someone say yoga?). You know what else helps; HUMOR. I think just like with everything in life, balance is key. Don’t be hard on yourself for enjoying your Ben & Jerry’s or binge watching your favorite Netflix show, while everyone else is posting their workout videos. Because self-help can mean a lot of different things and this is also a time to rejuvenate, relax and destress. Take this time to do you. And if you’ve had a breakdown or two, that’s okay too (🙋🏼♀️). This is the human experience. I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster during this time too and just because I am analysing the energetics of the situation, doesn’t mean I have it figured out. But I try to remind myself that, the only constant is change, and this too shall pass and luckily there are ways to work things out.
Here are 10 tips for the handling the situation:
Buy a voucher from a struggling local business.
Boost your immune system & get your vitamins! Tip: If you live in Helsinki, I highly recommend ordering a berry snack in form of a Quarantine package from Bär Bar
Stay connected to your body. Practice yoga & meditate! Tip: You can check out our online community on Facebook with a local studio here in Helsinki. I had a class yesterday for stabilising the Root Chakra
Make sure to maintain healthy diet and get your exercise going! Tip: Check out my fave PT Kanerva Ahonala and her e-course Paremmille Tavoille (Improve your Ways), which is an e-course for making healthier choices with your diet. Only in Finnish tho.
TURN OFF THE NEWS. You don’t need to read every single news there is - instead you can use this energy into something else. read book or listen to ebooks. Tip: If you’re into spirituality or want to learn more, join me and Jonna Monola for our online course Sacred Ceremony with two guided meditations, and ebook and two yoga practices.
Get your creative juices flowing or start a new project/course/hobby: paint, draw, sing, dance. Tip: Here’s a playlist I made to calm down your nervous system. Or sign up for an online class! I just signed up for Yale’s most popular class for free: How to be happier in your daily life
Nature. As long as we are still allowed outside, take a walk or go out for o run. Enjoy the sunshine. I promise you’ll feel better afterwards.
Gratitude. We are privileged. At the end of the day, we are told to stay home, not to go to war. That being said, you’re allowed to feel your feelings so don’t be hard on yourself if you do feel confused, sad, worried or fearful. It’s human, when you feel those lows try to direct your attention to the good stuff you already have.
Call your friends and loved ones. Tip: There’s a bunch of great apps such as Whereby and Houseparty, where you can talk to a group of friends simultaneously and host virtual wine parties/coffee chats or whatnots.
Laughter. There’s a reason they say laughter is the best medicine and I’ve seen some of the best memes ever during this time. A special shoutout to my meme sender and good friend, Eder, who always keeps me supplied with the funniest stuff. Please feel free to share your favorites with me too! Either by commenting or DM on instagram. Here’s a couple of my faves this far:
Quick and easy banana bread recipe + 10 reasons to eat more bananas
You know bananas are super healthy for ya right? 🍌
Well, newsflash! They are. Here are 10 reasons to eat more bananas:
1. Lots of potassium - yup, one of the highest sources of potassium is bananas. Eating just 1 -2 bananas a day can maintain proper heart function, offsetting the effect sodium and salt have in raising your blood pressure.
2. Energy boost- Bananas give you a slow but stable energy release to the body, which is why athletes often eat bananas before working out.
3. Digestion enhancer- Fiber improves the flow of food through the digestive tract and promotes healthy bowel movements. Bananas contain loooots of fiber.
4. Vitamin B6 - B6 helps your body produce more antibodies for a stronger, more robust, more reliable immune response.
5. Prevents heartburn and stomach ulcers -Bananas do this by enhancing the protective mucus layer, which relieves pain and helps food to move faster through the digestive tract.
6. May fight cancer - There are studies that relay that entirely ripe bananas (the ones you’ll use for banana bread!), contain a compound that increases the white blood cell number and enhances immunity.
7. Stress reduction - Bananas have high levels of an amino acid called tryptophan, and the human body converts tryptophan to serotonin. Serotonin makes you feel good and relieves stress.
8. Boosts antioxidants -Bananas are an excellent source of several natural antioxidants, Specifically dopamine and catechins.
9. More Minerals + Vitamins - One medium banana contains the recommended daily intake of magnesium, copper, vitamin C, manganese and good carbohydrates.
10. Skin - you can use the peel of the skin and especially the inside part to treat various skin conditions such as psoriasis and acne as the fat of the peel has a soothing effect.
EASY BANANA BREAD RECIPE
Now if you happen to be a person who doesn’t particularly enjoy bananas just as they are, you can make a delicious and easy banana bread recipe in no time.
First and foremost I want to say that I truly admire people who know how to cook and all the creative beautiful recipes they come up with. But let’s set up one thing straight right away, I am no master chef, so I am not going to pretend to be one. This is my first recipe I am ever sharing and if you happen to be like me, not a Gordon Ramsey, worry not, I will only ever share VERY easy recipes, pinky swear.
That being said, I do enjoy baking once in a blue moon and what I enjoy even more, is eating the goodies (I’m a carbie girl). So the recipe I am sharing today is simple and quick and something my friend Emilia shared with me during our new years trip to Lapland. I decided to add my own touch to it by including some super yummie Barebells protein Milkshake to it for some extra flavour and protein. Let’s go.
What you need:
3-4 ripe bananas, mashed (the darker, the better)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cups oats (or flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
cinnamon or cardamom
Barebells Vanilla Protein Milkshake (1/2 cup)
I also love banana nut bread, so you can easily add walnuts or pecans to your liking. Another option is to add chocolate chips.
EASEY PEASY:
Preheat oven to 165 degrees C. Grease your bowl/pan.
Combine mashed bananas, and butter together in a bowl. Mix oats/ flour and baking soda together in a separate bowl; stir into banana mixture until batter is just mixed. Stir salt into batter. Pour batter into the buttered pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, about 1 hour.
Serve with honey or butter and enjoy with a cup of tea and go bananas (sorry, I had to say that)!
I sprinkled coconut flakes on top.
5 x 5: My Top Lists of gift ideas this Holiday season, my current favorite instagram accounts, beauty products and more...
5 x 5: My Top Lists of gift ideas this Holiday season, my current favorite instagram accounts, beauty products and more...
Everyone loves lists! Lists are a quick and easy way for our brains to gather information and make sense of things. Whenever we encounter new information, our brains immediately try to grasp wether or not this new piece of information is relevant for us. Just like you are currently assessing these lines that you’re reading. The process is instantaneous and we don’t even understand that we are constantly evaluating what we are seeing or reading. As we are continuously bombarded with images, headlines, news and texts, our attention span is nowadays extremely short and there’s something in numbers that make them pop out more than just the ‘normal’ headlines. Lists tap into our preferred way of receiving and arranging information at a subconscious level; they hit our attentional sweet spot. Cool, so now that you’re on board with lists, I’ve gathered a few for you to enjoy; everything from silly favorite beauty products to my favorite podcasts at the moment and so forth.
5 ideas for gift giving this Christmas that doesn’t involve buying more stuff (aka zero waste!):
Give a staycation: pick a nice hotel in the city and plan for a romantic getaway in your own home town/city (this gift idea is only for your partner duh)!
Give a massage session or session to a chiropractor or any other healing/bodywork or pampering gift!
Give a wine tasting course… I mean who wouldn’t benefit from a little extra knowledge other than always ordering that same ole Sauvingnon Blanc or Malbec…. 🙋🏼♀️
Give a yoga private/course or a one month yoga pass to their favorite yoga studio!
Give a floating experience!
My five fave podcasts at the moment:
The Goop podcast by Gwyneth Paltrow - from doctors to creatives, CEOs to spiritual healers, this is a good mix of it all.
Expanded by Lacy Phillips - Get your manifestation to the next level, no more unicorns, puppies and “only positive thinking”.
The Influencer podcast by Julie Solomon - If you’re in the marketing biz, there’s some useful tips and interesting convos.
Auta Antti! by Antti Holma (in Finnish) - In this hilarious and brilliant podcast the Finnish NY based actor answers to his listeners questions and the answers are not just funny, but actually very very wise. I almost pee myself as I laugh so hard.
Under the skin with Russell Brand - In this podcast Russel explores what's beneath the surface - of people we admire, of the ideas that define our time, of the history we are told.
5 tips for surviving winter in Helsinki
Embrace the season. It’s crazy how in our society things tend to speed up during Christmas with the year coming to an end, people run around like crazy. The problem is that at the same time people are tired, exhausted and stressed AF as naturally we feel like hibernating and sleeping in for longer. The reason is simple: we are not living in alignment with the season. Winter should be a time to slow down, cuddle up and get cozy with your woollen socks. This is literally the opposite of our modern society. So my very first tip is to cut out the unnecessary commitments. Make space for nothingness.
Yoga. Not a shocker here, but self-care goes a long way and especially during the darkest time of the year. If you’re not into yogi, then do your thing, whatever it might be (crossfit?). But exercising will give you well needed boost of feel good hormones (serotonin).
Get a sun lamp. Some people argue that this is going against the natural rhythm and season (and even my first tip). HOWEVER, some people get truly affected and depressed of the lack of day light and if you happen to be one of those people, there are luckily methods to counteract the darkness blues. I use mine in the mornings so that I have an easier time getting out of bed.
Pretend that you’re a tourist. Helsinki is a really nice city and there’s lots to do even in the winter time, so put your jacket on and go on a city stroll to Tuomaan marrkinat (market) and walk around and voila you’ll start to feel all jolly and fuzzy inside.
Decorate your home during the holiday. I swear, when we got a christmas tree last weekend everything felt a little better.
Being a tourist in my own home city is kind of nice.
5 Interesting & different instagram accounts worth following:
@connecting_consciousness : Mysticism, kind of out there, might be too much for the science loving instagrammer.
@chaninicholas : Astrology as its finest. Chani started learning about astrology at a very young age of 12 years and shares her wisdom on her feed.
@emotionalclub : Depression isn't funny, but dark humor sure is. This account is all about embracing the humor in everything, even depression.
@tobemagnetic : Lacy gets it. Her instagram is straight on and she cuts through the New Age ‘just think of something positive and you’ll attract it into your life’ BS.
@wat.ki : This feel good account follows the life of tho adorable dogs: Watson and Kiko along with their other animal friends.
My five favorite beauty regimens/products I am obsessed with right now:
Hydrating nutrient mist from Mad Hippie - I received this hydrating mist as a gift a long time ago on a retreat that I was co-hosting together with SurfYogaBeer and I just recently started using it. Now I use it every day and it really makes my skin glow like no other serum, cream or anything else I’ve tried in a loooong time.
Skinperfect primer by Dermalogica - I love the velvet texture and it smoothes out the fine little lines and uneven spots on my face.
My Simply Natural - hairbrush. I have hair is fine and gets easily super tangled, so this baby has helped a lot. Especially now with my long extended curls.
Oil pulling with coconut oil - this simple technique of swishing oil in your mouth improves not just your oral health, but your overall health as according to Ayurveda, all disease start in your mouth. I try to do this at least 3-5 times a week in the morning for about 15-20 minutes (which is annoyingly long), but it leaves my mouth feeling fresh and on top of all bleaches your teeth in a non harmful way.
My amethyst jade roller from Embrose - There’s been so much hype in the beauty world about face rolling and gua sha, I had toto try this out and I have to say, I do notice a different. My skin gets more plump and soft whenever I use the roller.
I’d love to hear some of your favorite podcasts or any other input you might have to my lists!
Happy Holidays!
xx
Eva
PS. Make sure to check out my upcoming events if you feel like you could benefit from some strechin’
Tuomaan markkinat by Senate Square in Helsinki. Image: Jonna Monola
SUMMER UPDATE: What I've been up to lately + how to listen to your body
Dear reader, thanks for circling back to my blog even after this mini break that I’ve taken. The reason for the little pause is very simple: I’ve needed time to recharge, reset and relax. I definitely still believe in the practice of commitment and consistency with blogging, but what’s even more important than that (or more valuable than SEO optimising), is to truly learn to wind down when you need to. And I feel like this is something many of us can relate to. People (we) need to stop glorifying being busy and make room for, well, nothingness. Can’t we just please start a new trend where doing nothing is the coolest thing on planet earth 😅!? No but, jokes aside I feel that especially as a yoga teacher and someone who teaches people to unwind and tune in with themselves, I also need to practice it, not just preach it. And that’s exactly what I am doing right now, sitting in my summer cabin overlooking the Baltic Sea and simply taking it super chill without any schedule nor plans. Thanks to taking this time for myself I’ve now finally felt inspired and energized again to start writing and I started to reflect over how much I’ve actually needed this, to just be still without the hustle and bustle of the city life.
Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time here at our summer cabin, which is just an hour outside of Helsinki. We are in the midst of remodelling a small cute summer cabin (the sauna house) and making it into a space for me and my boyfriend. It’s been a bigger project than we first anticipated but I won’t go too much into detail right now as I am dedicating a full blog post to it very soon (with before and after pics, so stay tuned!!). In addition to spending time here, I’ve also been to a friends summer cabin celebrating midsummer and then enjoyed a fun and wild weekend in Hankoo (the most southern city in Finland) with an amazing group of friends. I’ve also taught a few yoga classes, gone to an amusement park (Linnanmäki), but other than that it’s been down time and laying low. And lemme tell ya, it’s been very needed. I feel like I am still digesting my new life of living back in Finland and trying to rejuvenate from the heavy winter and the busyness of it all (my day job as an event planner can be pretty hectic). Luckily, I am planning to escape this winter for at least parts of it.
At Linnanmäki, pic by Jonna Monola. Pants Vimma Company.
So how do we make sure to stay energized, healthy and balanced without burning out or over exhausting ourselves? What it all comes down to is learning to listen to your body and knowing when to slow down. I wanted to share some practical tips I’ve found to be useful as I’ve learned that my body is often way smarter than my head let alone my silly ego. The thing with your body versus your mind is that the body is continuously giving you cues and subtle messages on what is good for you and what isn’t, the problem is just that we a) ignore them or b) don’t see these messages in the first place. The mind loves to come up with excuses, distractions and falsities. Listening to your body or yourself is applicable to not just your health, but any other area of your life as well. If you just learn to tune into your intuition and gut feeling more than staying in your head, you’ll start noticing how things unfold in a very different way.
But what if you don’t know how to listen or you don’t know what actually works for your body, then a phrase like “listen to your body” can feel like nagging or plain useless. The truth is we are all different. Not only through our unique lives, patterns, relationships, circumstances, jobs, living situations, rhythms, eating & sleeping habits, we also differ in what our idea of health is. So where does one start? I made a few key notes that I feel that can be helpful on this journey towards becoming more self aware.
Pic: Chiara Hammerer Watch: Aarni Woods
Every day make sure to have a quiet moment just for yourself where you ask yourself these three questions: What am I feeling, physically? What am I feeling, emotionally? What am I thinking? Pay attention to what comes up. Just like with any new skill, this will be a process and some days you’ll get answers right away when at times you’ll think about your neighbours dead cat. Lol.
Journal first thing in the morning for 30 days straight. Commit to this practice and write two pages each morning before anything else. You’ll be astonished at how much will come up.
If you feel like you need to learn to listen to your body more think about the why’s. Why do you want to listen to your body. What is it, that is not working for you? Do you perhaps already have some physical symptoms such as tiredness, headaches, bloating, insomnia, lack of energy, a disoriented body image, relationship issues, lack of drive or direction. Or anything else that does not sit right with you. Think about your goals. What are you hoping to achieve? Is there a specific goal you want to reach, such as a more balanced relationship with food or better stress-reduction habits? Why is this important to you? Any goal is most successful when grounded in purpose.
Meditation, yoga or any other practice, exercise or hobby that helps you connect with yourself.
SLOW DOWN. Your health is your greatest wealth and priority. If you don’t know where to start or everything else sounds like gibberish, this one is pretty simply. Just clear your calendar, baby steps.
Pic: Chiara Hammerer
Towards a healthier, happier mind body connection y’all.
Happy trails and summer smiles!
Con amor,
Evita
PS. I will be posting more often from now on now that I am feeling energized again, pinky swear!
Friends with businesses / badass women: Meet the Boss lady of Bär Bar
Friends with businesses / badass women: Meet the Boss lady of Bär Bar
When I first started blogging back in the day, I used to have a category called “Friends with Businesses”. As the name kind of gives it away, I will trust your judgement on what the topic entails 🤓. Now, after having relocated back to my beloved motherland, I decided to resume this category (along with blogging) and today I will introduce you guys to no other, than the badass boss lady, founder of the berry snack selling, superwoman and former study friend of mine; Jasmiina Ojala. I will from here on also initiate a new category called Badass women and this post will definitely be filed under that. Why? Well, the media (and even blog posts) play a powerful part in how we see ourselves, what we think we can achieve, and what limitations we put on ourselves as well. The more women are properly portrayed, the more women will rise up in leadership and business.
Let me tell you a couple things about Jasmiina. First of all, she is extremely friendly and smart and has a cutting edge sense of sarcasm. Not only did she graduate from the Swedish School of Economics, but she also holds a Master’s degree in Law. Oh, and in addition to being the empress of her own company, BärBar, she also is Head of Marketing for St1 and what’s even more exciting, is that she just made her biggest merger agreement yet (side note: this is her joke, not mine) and got engaged 💍! Woop woop! AND, top off that, she now carries a growing berry bundle in her belly. So, to say that things are up for Jasmiina is not an understatement. Congrats on all four things!
With that much on one’s plate and with such success, you might expect someone to play superior or perhaps be pompous. Nah, not Jasmiina. She is humble, grounded and laid back. I decided to pick her brain a little bit and present this amazing human to my fellow internet scrolling audience. Before we head over to the Q&A, you might wonder what BärBar is. Simply put, it’s a health snack bar selling takeaway smoothies made out of Finnish berries. They currently have one location in the heart of Helsinki on Fredrikinkatu 30, so make sure to go check them out. There was recently actually an article in Helsingin Sanomat about the benefits of incorporating berries and lingonberries into your diet and this is Jasmiina’s mission as well. My Q&A is written in both English and Finnish, voila:
Q: Who are you? (a weird one I know, it’s just interesting to see what comes up first)
A: I am a 33 year old mama to be for a little baby girl and I live in Helsinki.
Mama to be, superwoman Jasmiina Ojala and me.
Q: What do you do for a living?
A: My day job is working with marketing for the energy company St1. I started my career as a business lawyer but decided to swop careers to marketing, which feels more like my thing.
Q: What do you do in your spare time?
A: In addition to running my own company, I exercise a lot, go to the gym and run. As a matter of fact, I’ve actually ran 5 marathons and hopefully several more 🙂. I also love reading.
Q: What is BärBar?
A: Bär Bar is a snack bar that sells healthy and delicious snacks made out of Finnish superfoods. We make wonderful smoothie bowls (Bär Bowls), fresh porridge and smoothies made out of Finnish berries. We’ve recently added vegan oat and pulled outs sandwiches to our offerings (made out of Finnnish oats of course). Our mission is to bring Finnish superfoods into the daily lives of our customers in a fun and easy way.
Q: Where does the name BärBar come from?
A: Well, the name involved the word berry (in Swedish) and bar. In Swedish the word ‘bärbar’ means something to takeaway or carry with you. This encapsulated our idea, as we love Finnish berries and we want to provide them into the lives of everyone in an easy takeaway snack form.
Q: Is there enough time for the mom to be to work with two jobs?
A: Yes, or at least still yes. The company is co-led by me and my partner and we work on it on the side to our daytime jobs. We have a team of four lovely girls working in the shop, so we don’t spend too much time there ourselves. That being said, our aim is to grow our business and our dream would be to one day be able to employ ourselves full time.
Q: When did you decide to start your own business?
A: We made the decision together with my partner and we first started talking about it in May 2017. The first BärBar openend its doors in January 2018.
Q: What has surprised you the most becoming and being an entrepreneur?
A: It requires perseverance and that you don’t give up. It also requires being innovative and having a lot of courage way beyond what I had expected. It’s extremely challenging to find good employees and when you finally do, hold on to them as tightly as you can.
Q: Any tips to new entrepreneurs?
A: Nothing comes easy and there’s no quick fixes. If you want to become an entrepreneur, you definitely have to be more of a doer than a dreamer.
Q: Would you change anything in hindsight?
A: I would’ve been more picky with our first location (we moved from Itäkeskus to Fredrikinkatu).
Q: What have you learned?
A: SO MUCH! I’ve learned so much about brand development and marketing. I’ve also learned about customer behaviour, the logic of retail business, how to increase customer visits, the significance of location and how to grow your business and the importance of being efficient and dynamic. I’ve also learned how challenging it might be to find good employees and the value of them.
Q: Where do you see BärBar in 5 years?
A: We’ve definitely grown and have more locations than just one (including abroad) and our brand is well known and our customer experience is rock solid.
Q: What message is it that you want to convey through BärBar?
Enjoying a berry good smoothie.
A: Finnish people need to cherish and appreciate more the wonderful, clean superfoods that we have here. We think it’s irrational to bring a bunch of superfoods such as goji berries, acai berries and exotic fruit, when our own forests are filled with the cleanest and most nutritious berries in the world! Globally speaking, our forests in Finland are extremely clean and the berries growing in them are off the charts! Also from a carbon footprint point of view, it’s insanity that we keep importing exotic berries and fruit pumped with a bunch of preservatives, when we instead could just benefit from our own local fresh ingredients.
Q: What’s your favorite berry?
A: I’d have to go with blueberry. I eat blueberries almost daily and I can honestly say, that I am nearly never sick and I feel healthy. This is something that has been more highlighted during my pregnancy. Many pregnancy symptoms such as vitamin deficiency and constipation are things that can be avoided by eating blueberries.
Q: What’s you’r favorite BärBar product?
A: One More Straw and the Tender Sea-Buckthorn smoothie. They are incredibly delish!
Q: Why should people eat more berries?
A: Because of their health! Berries are filled with good vitamins, fiber and dietary minerals. I guarantee that if you eat one cup of blueberries each day (all our products contain at least 2 cups of berries!) you will notice how your digestion will improve and how flues will stay away.
Q: Are there any more BärBar and Yoga events coming up? (STAY TUNED, GIVEAWAY NEXT MON)
A: YES! And perhaps even something for new mamas.
Q: What inspires you?
A: Positive feedback and the amount of loyal repeat customers that we have. People seem to like and appreciate our concept and our products and it makes me extremely content. I hope we can make people happy. It’s an important part of our concept.
Q: Favorite Instagram accounts?
A: @myberryforest - Not only is Tiina a lovely being, but she is amazingly talented in crafting tasty, vegan dishes made out of Finnish berries. Her pictures are also pretty. She’s designed many of our products and I hope we can keep working together in the future as well. Other than that, there’s not really any other favorites, I guess it’s nice to see what my friends are up to and admire beautiful nature photos.
Q: Life slogan?
A: This is a tough one. But if we have to dig a little deeper, I guess I’d had to pick one that entails the fact that dreams don’t work unless you do. The legendary Just do it from Nike is pretty good. And then perhaps one that encourages you to not to follow the mainstream, such as why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary.
Q: Share something weird about yourself?
A: I am afraid of water fountains and I like cold liver casserole (with raisins of course).
Thank you lovely Jasmiina!
Make sure to follow BärBar on instagram here. STAY TUNED, as we are hosting a GIVEAWAY next Monday for our upcoming YOGA & BärBar event later this spring in Pranama Kallio!
XX,
Eva
K: Kuka olet?
V: Helsingissä asuva 33-vuotias, tuleva pienen tyttövauvan äiti.
K: Mitä teet työksesi?
V: Teen päivätyökseni markkinointia energiayhtö St1:ssä. Aloitin urani itse asiassa liikejuristina, mutta vaihdoin muutaman vuoden päästä alaa markkinointiin, mikä tuntui itselleni luontaisemmalta alalta.
K: Mitä teet vapaa-ajalla?
V: Oman yritystoimintamme lisäksi harrastan paljon liikuntaa, ulkona lenkkeilyä ja salia. Olenkin juossut tähän mennessä 5 maratonia ja toivottavasti vielä monta lisää :). Rakastan myös lukemista.
K: Mikä on BärBar?
V: Bär Bar on välipalabaari joka tekee terveellisiä ja herkullisia välipaloja suomalaisesta superfoodista. Teemme ihania Bär Bowleja (smoothiekulhoja), tuorepuuroja ja smoothieita suomalaisista marjoista. Nykyään meillä on myös vegaanisia nyhtökaura- ja kaurapalaleipiä - kotimaisesta kaurasta tottakai. Bär Barin missiona on tuoda suomalainen superfood helposti ja hauskasti ihmisten arkeen.
K: Mistä nimi BärBar tuli?
V: No nimi piti sisällään hauskasti niin sanan marja, baari kuin mukaan otettava/kannettava (bärbar on ruotsia ja tarkoittaa kannettavaa), mikä kiteytti ideamme, eli rakastamme suomalaisia marjoja ja haluamme tarjota niitä ihmisten elämään helposti mukaanotettavan välipalan muodossa.
K: Riittääkö tulevalla mamalla aikaa kahdelle työlle?
V: Riittää ainakin vielä, yritys on minun ja avopuolisoni ja teemme sitä yhdessä molempien päivätöiden ohella. Itse baarissa työskentelee 4 aivan mahtavaa mimmiä, eli emme itse ole siellä päivisin töissä. Toki tavoitteenamme on kasvattaa liiketoimintaa koko ajan ja unelmissa on se että joku päivä pystymme työllistämään itsemmekin yrityksessä.
K: Koska teit päätöksen perustaa yrityksen?
V: Teimme sen yhdessä mieheni kanssa, rupesimme puhumaan yrityksestä toukokuussa 2017. Ensimmäinen Bär Bar avautui tammikuussa 2018.
K: Mikä on ollut yllättävintä yrittäjänä?
V: Se vaatii vielä enemmän pitkäjänteisyyttä periksiantamattomuutta, kekseliäisyyttä ja reippautta/pokkaa kuin olin ajatellut. Hyvien työntekijöiden löytäminen on todella haastavaa ja kun niitä löytyy niin kannattaa pitää heistä kiinni.
K: Mitä sanoisit aloitteleville yrittäjillle?
V: Mikään ei tule helpolla eikä lottovoittoja oikeastaan ole. Jos haluat yrittäjäksi niin pitää olla ehdottomasti enemmän tekijä kuin unelmoija.
K: Tekisitkö jotakin erilailla näin jälkikäteen?
V: Olisin ollut vielä tarkempi ensimmäisen pisteen lokaation kanssa (Fredan pisteeseen muutimme ensimmäisen jälkeen).
K: Mitä olet oppinut?
V: TODELLA PALJON! Markkinoinnista ja brändin luomisesta olen oppinut älyttömästi. Samoin siitä miten kuluttajat käyttäytyy ja retail busineksen logiikasta, kuten asiakaskäyntien kasvattamisesta, lokaation merkityksestä, keskiostoksen kasvattamisesta
ja operaativisesta tehokkuudesta. Myös se miten tärkeää hyvät työntekijät on ja miten vaikeeta sellaisia on löytää.
K: Missä näet BärBarin 5 vuoden päästä?
V: Meillä on auki selkeästi enemmän pisteitä kuin yksi (myös ulkomailla) ja brändimme ja asiakaskokemuksemme on timanttinen ja tunnettu.
K: Mitä sanomaa haluat välittää/levittää BärBarin avulla?
V: Sitä että suomalaisten pitää arvostaa ja fiilistellä enemmän oman maan puhtaita superraaka-aineita. Meidän mielestä on älytöntä että raahaamme maailman toiselta puolelta tänne kaikenlaisia eksoottisia ns superfood tuotteita kuten gojimarjoja, acaimarjoja, eksoottisia hedemiä jne kun omat metsämme ovat täynnä maailman puhtaimpia ja ravintorikkaimpia marjoja! Suomen luonto on kansainvälisesti niin puhdasta, että siellä kasvavat marjat ovat aivan omaa luokkaansa. Samoin on CO2-päästöjen kannalta outoa, että rahtaamme lento- ja laivaliikenteellä tänne säilöntäaineilla pumpattuna eksoottisia marjoja ja hedelmiä kun voisimme sen sijaan hyödyntää läheltä löytyviä puhtaita raaka-aineita.
K: Mikä on lempimarjasi?
V: Kyllä se on mustikka. Syön mustikoita melkein päivittäin ja voin kyllä rehellisesti sanoa, että en ole melkein koskaan kipeä ja kaikki arvoni ja terveyteni on huippukunnossa. Tämä on korostunut erityisesti nyt ollessani raskaana! Esim monet raskausoireet kuten ummetus ja vitamiinipuutos on sellaisia joita mustikoita syömällä olen pystynyt välttämään täysin.
K: Entä lempituotteesi BärBarilla?
V: One More Straw ja Tender Tyrni smoothiet. Ne on aivan älyttömän hyvän makuisia!
K: Miksi ihmisten tulisi syödä enemmän marjoja?
V: Oman hyvinvointinsa takia! Marjoista saa älyttömästi hyviä vitamiineja, kuituja ja hivenaineita. Takaan että jos syöt vaikka 1dl mustikoita joka päivä (kaikki tuotteemme sisältävät ainakin 2 dl marjoja!) niin huomaat eron siinä miten ruoansulatus toimii ja flunssat pysyy poissa.
K: Onko BärBarilla tulossa enemmän tapahtumia (vink vink), kuulemma oli suosittu Chakra Tune Up meikäläisen kanssa?
V: On! Ainakin joogajuttuja toukokuussa ja kenties jotain tuleville äideille ;)
K: Mikä motivoi sinua/inspiroi?
V: Se miten positiivista palautetta saamme asiakkailtamme ja miten paljon kanta-asiakkaita meillä on! Ihmiset ovat tykänneet konseptistamme ja tuotteistamme ja se tekee minut aivan älyttömän iloiseksi. Toivon että pystymme tekemään
ihmiset iloiseksi. Se oli meille tosi tärkeä osa tätä konseptia.
K: Lempi ig tilit?
V: @myberryforest - Tiina on paitsi ihmisenä ihana myös aivan älyttömän taitava loihtimaan maistuvia vegaanisia tuotteita suomalaisista marjoista. Hänen kuvansa ovat myös aivan super hienoja. Hän onkin suunnitellut meille monta tuotetta ja toivon että voimme jatkaa yhteistyötä vielä tulevaisuudessa. Muuten minulla ei oikein ole mitään selkeitä suosikkeja, on vaan kiva seurata ystävien meininkiä ja ihastella vaikkapa kauniita luontokuvia.
K: Life slogan?
V: Hmmm, tämä on paha. Mutta jos vähän syvempää haetaan niin varmaankin joku mikä korostaa sitä että pitää tehdä eikä vain unelmoida. Niken legendaarinen, Just do it ? Ja sitten joku mikä korostaa sitä, ettei kannata seurata laumassa muita, mm why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary
K: Kerro jotain outoa itsestäsi (jotain mitä kukaan ei tiedä)?
V: Pelkään suihkulähteitä ja sprinklereitä. Ja tykkään kylmästä maksalaatikosta (rusinoilla tottakai!).
Kiitos ihana Jassu!
10 ways to use tech for your wellbeing
Greetings dear reader,
Nice that you found your way here, if you’re a frequent reader, I am glad that I didn’t scare you off 😂😱 with my most recent blog text, which certainly was written from a place of fire. I think it’s fair to say I have some frustration around being judged for sharing my love for yoga and it showed in my latest post. Perhaps it should go on my own list of “things to work on” and what can I say, I’m simply a passionate opinionated yogini and sometimes I let the sharpness pour into my writing and my blog is a way to funnel it. Either way, no matter if you’re a new or old reader, I am glad that you’re reading my scribbles and today’s post definitely has a softer tone 💛, think unicorns, cotton candy, daisies and marshmallows 🦄🌸 🍭 (sorry I took it too far there).
Okay dokay, well today I want to touch on a topic that might interest our tech and gadget loving humans: how to use tech for your wellbeing. The digital revolution is here and as it seems, it’s here to stay. Every industry is getting digitalized and unless you’re jumping on the bandwagon, you’re basically gonna struggle, or worse, not make it. This is also true for the wellness industry and there’s already a bunch of apps and gadgets out there that you can use to improve, measure and enhance your overall wellness. YAY. It’s also true for us yoga teachers as many of us use for instance the gram, blogging and vlogging as a way to reach more people.
I personally think it’s pretty dang nice that there’s a bunch of trinkets out there we can now use to actually measure and get data from. One of the coolest aspects about even the wellness industry getting digitalized is that now that there’s actually data and proof that displays the benefits, it makes more sense to invest in your wellbeing. And this again means, that the digitalization of wellness can serve a gateway to reach people who perhaps normally wouldn’t be interested in mindfulness, yoga or wellbeing in a holistic way. All around ah-mazing.
Alrighty then, so there’s a broad range of variety out there in terms of what you can actually measure, use and do for your wellness, but I decided to gather some of the most well known tools and apps and then also a few random ones that I know of. I personally use the Apple Watch and let’s just say I’m more or less in love with it. It gives me data on my workout goals, reminds me to breathe (I mean deep breaths and breaks) and is awesome for switching music during yoga classes (I don’t have to use my phone). Here we go:
The Apple Watch
Like I mentioned above, I use the Apple Watch for reaching my workout goals, reminders to take breaks to breathe, to measure how many steps I’ve taken per day, to change and adjust music during yoga classes and so much more more. Oh, and it’s also eye pleasing with its sleek black amazingness.
The Garmin Smart Watches
Similarly to the Apple Watch, Garmin has also launched a line of their own smart watches that you can use for comparable purposes as the Apple Watch. These smart little devices are also eye pleasing and they help you track your activity, then save, plan and share your progress with others.
Yogaia App & Website
Live and interactive yoga classes from anywhere. They have over 100 classes every week and a broad range of teachers and different classes. The cool thing is that you can actually turn your camera on and get live tips, feedback and cues from the teacher in real time.
Yogobe
Take your practice with you anywhere at any time. This useful app and website enables you to basically practice anywhere at any time. All you need is your app and a connection to the world wide web. One of my teachers, Satu Tuomela, whom I did my first Yoga TT with has several of her classes on this site.
Neurosonic therapy lounge divan
This is a new stress relief method developed in Finland that works through low frequency vibrations. There are three different programs you can choose from: recovery, relaxation and activation. It works kind of like a massage chair, but through vibrations, which are directed throughout the whole body. It has proven to be an astonishingly efficient method of recovery and there’s data on its efficiency. We happen to have one at our office, and it’s pretty damn stellar!!!
Yoga 15
Yoga 15 is an rad app thats message is pretty simple: EVERYONE has time to do a 15 min workout or stretching session every damn day! I met the beautiful founder and yogini Abi when I lived in Mexico and I remember how passionate she was about her work and app. She’s definitely gone along way and continues to share the love for the ancient practice in a modern way reaching both men, women, yogis, cyclers, runners and other sportsmen and -women! You go girl! PS. She also happens to have a gorgeous instagram feed.
Headspace
Unless you’ve lived under a rock, surely you’ve heard of headspace!? I’m KIDDING, no, but this app is pretty darn fantastic and so wonderful for taking up meditation as a practice. They have hundreds of themed sessions on everything from stress and sleep to focus and anxiety My good amiga Lucy (who normally perhaps isn’t that into yoga or the wellness hype) swears on this lovely app. Love you mama.
Period Trackers: Flo, M. Cycles or Clue
YESSSS and yes yes yes. These apps are making life so much easier! Now you can use an app to track your “safe days”, ovulation and expected period. The apps will also give you insights throughout the month about how your body is working at specific times. It’s particularly good for those looking to be able to plan around their periods, perhaps if they're booking a holiday and would prefer not to be on, or for those looking to get pregnant. If you’re already expecting, there’s also an excellent app to track the pregnancy throughout its different stages.
Strava
This one is for the ones who love to run and cycle! Strava is already one of the most popular activity-tracking smartphone apps out there and I use this as well. You can also use it on your Apple Watch, that adds to the convenience of recording movement from your wrist, so you can leave you phone at home.
The Moon
This one goes out for moonchildren out there. This app is great for checking the moon phases as you can view the current phase of the moon, see the moon on the day you were born, share the moon with your friends, get notifications for upcoming moon events.
In addition to these, there’s actually an app that can track your dirty mouth and scold you for cussing and help you stop swearing. Obviously there’s ALOT of apps, tools and widgets out there and another topic I didn’t touch on is wellness related podcasts and inspiring instagram accounts to follow (later in life) but if you know of any other cool or useful ones, I’d love to learn more so please, do feel free to comment below.
An Apple Watch, Buddha, Zafiro jewelry, singing bowls and candles. What else do you need?
Alrighty then, let’s all now be tech-savvy wellbeing badasses and have a happy EASTER 🐣!!!
That’s all for now. Go eat them chocolate eggs.
Con amor,
Evita
20 things I've learned in the past 10 years
20 thing’s I’ve learned about life in the past 10 years
A couple of days ago I drank a cup of Yogi tea and got the quote “Experience will give you the power and confidence to be you”. Instead of just tossing the cute little tea bag wisdom quote away, I saved it and gave it some thought. And ta-da, this blog post was born.
One of the cool things about this mysterious thing we call life is that we are continuously learning new things. When I think back about how I used to be in my early twenties (or even my later twenties, or actually even last year) versus the person I am today, boy, have I changed. And this change is a result of experience and life lessons (read: pain, devastation and lots of tears).
I mean when you think about it, through eons of time people have always respected the elderly for their wisdom. So I guess there is some kind of truth that wisdom comes with age, and no, I am NOT comparing myself to an elderly person. I’m no Yoda and I am still young (I keep telling myself that) but I simply am sharing what I’ve gathered this far.
Okay, so I’m not 20 no more, but neither am I am middle aged. I’d say I am a young woman, not completely lost anymore, with some wisdom under my belt and with a few life lessons in my back pocket. I think moving to the other side of the world in my early twenties, starting a couple businesses and getting my heart broken has helped me grow. Add a line of bad decisions and falling one my face a couple times and voila this was my recipe to learn. Some of us learn these lessons at an early stage in life and have a lot more to deal with from an early start. I do consider myself lucky because my life has been somewhat sheltered, at least growing up in Finland. Everyones path is different and even though we often learn through experience and wisdom is something we gather through time, age is not always the measurement of wisdom or knowledge.
The list consists of a number of realizations that I’ve gained through the ups and downs, curves and cut backs of life and perhaps things I did’t know in my early twenties. I guess what I am trying to say is, if you’re in your early twenties the odds are you’re going through the fire and trying to figure shit out, or at least I did. … so here ya go a list or a roadmap to life hacking. Oh and as a side note, even though I’ve learned all of the points listed below, doesn’t necessarily mean that I comply (insert emoji with hands to the sides). So on with the list:
Trees are considered wise.
“Be like a tree.
Stay grounded.
Connect with your roots.
Turn over a new leaf.
Bend before you break.
Enjoy your unique natural beauty.
Keep growing.”
-Joanne Raptis
1. The most important thing in life is your health
When I say health I don’t mean you not being sick, I mean your wellbeing, your mental health, your physical health, your emotional health, your mind and your body from a holistic perspective. Everything else is trivial. You might argue, “no, but my family is number one for me”. Well, homie, if you’re sick AF you can’t be there for your family can you now. So this is the foundation of your life. YOU. Take care of yourself and treat yourself and your body nicely. Make yourself happy and spend time with just YOU. The most important relationship you’ll ever have in your life, is the one you have with yourself. Work on it. Constantly. Do things for yourself. Whatever it is you like, do it. Sleep enough, eat enough, exercise, travel, go out to nature, do whatever ticks you. Do YOU and take care of yourself. Also remember that you have to communicate your limits when it comes to work and relationships, if you don’t then your health is at stake.
2. Learn to say sorry
You’re human. Unless you’re a unicorn or an alien (it’s possible some might argue) you make mistakes. And like I’ve said in a previous blog post the odds are you aren’t an enlightened being, so admit your mistakes, take responsibility where you know you’ve fucked up and say “I am sorry”. These three little words mean a lot and build bridges instead of burning them. That being said, only say these words if you truly mean it. If you, however honestly feel like you did nada wrong then stand your ground (next point) and take no BS.
3. Kindness is gangster but take no SHIT
There are a lot of assholes out there and many ways to deal with them. Kindness is gangster and you can try to kill them with kindness, but frankly sometimes you just gotta stand up for yourself and tell them off. People that are rude just to be rude or people that put other people down to feel good about themselves aren’t clearly happy in life. Their behavior towards you is a reflection of that. It might be hard to remember this when someone is being offensive and often we either attack back or just sit quiet. I can’t say that I’ve fully mastered this lesson just yet, it’s more of a work in progress. I also sometimes struggle with boundaries, but I do recognize the importance of learning to say NO and defending yourself. Just like you practice anything else you can start practicing this skill. Next time someone is rude AF to you, you can actually reply in a nice way that that’s unacceptable and that you don’t put up with that kind of shit.
4. Travel is the best investment
It is. Try it yourself. I don’t regret any trips I’ve ever made in my life but I do regret spending too much money on fast fashion or stupid shit. A trip can be a life long memory where as a cute dress is just that, a cute dress.
5. Don’t react right away, there’s a reason they say sleep on it
Yup, it’s true. Sometimes when you get triggered you tend to want to just get your opinion thrown out right back at at whatever it is. This however is not always the best idea as you’ll probably say shit you don’t mean and adding some calmness and stepping back will always give you a better perspective and a smarter answer.
6. You are the author, producer and master of your life, make shit happen
You are the master of your life and you’re responsible for making yourself happy. If you hate your job or if you are in an unhappy situation or relationship, you’re the only one that can change that. I am not telling you to quit your job and to just lye on a tropical beach and soak in the sun (or I mean, actually you can), but to start by deciding what kind of life you would like to have and start working towards it step by step. Rome wasn’t build in a day and neither is your dream life (in most cases). Commit to your vision, commit to your goals and learn the difference between a dream and a goal (read number 19).
7. We are all unique and different
Yup, we all hold our own pair of goggles through which we look at life. We all have our own perspective and view things differently. We differ in personalities and are built differently from different value systems to different interests, hobbies, issues, insecurities, paths, pasts, ways of communicating, joking or even kissing. We also have different ways of showing love and love languages. Learn yours and learn your partners, if you’re unfamiliar with the concept expect to be mindblown.
8. Everything in Moderation, even moderation
This quote I learned from a dear friend of mine and he learned it from Laird Hamilton, a big wave surfer. I mean if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Everything in moderation, even moderation. Everyone can’t be on their top game 100% of the time or be super healthy all the time, sometimes you need to eat that cupcake, sometimes you just need to chill on your couch and do absolutely NOTHING. And sometimes you need to stop moderating everything and go crazy. Yup, there you have it, one of the best quotes I’ve ever heard. If you have another good one, feel free to drop it in the comment section.
9. When there is a will, there is a way
Sure is true. If you truly want something, I mean if you TRULY want something, you will find a way to make that work wether it is something you have to do yourself or it involves other people. I also love the saying “The squeaky wheel gets the grease”, which falls somewhat in the same category as it has to do with PERSISTENCY, but I guess this variation is more about complaining about something and getting a result that way. Either way, you will make anything (yet not everything) happen if you truly want it.
10.TRUST YOUR GUT, Everything is ENERGY, trust the vibes you get
Very true. If something feels off, it most likely is. Trust the vibes you get around certain people. Trust that hunch feeling, that little whisper inside of your head, because you already know the answer when you become quiet enough it’ll be loud and clear.
11. No one knows your body better than you
When someone says “you need to exercise at least X times a week” or “you should avoid coffee at all costs” might be true for them, but not for you. Learn to know your body, learn to know what your needs are when it comes to sleep, rest, exercise, diet, chill time and even socializing. Like I mentioned in number 7, we are all unique and you’re the boss for your body, so if you don’t already, learn no know yours cuz no one knows better than you what works for you.
12. Comparison is the thief of joy
No further comments. It truly is. And social media is a good channel for just posting the pretty pictures, but god dammit, they’re just pictures. Do not compare yourself to someone else’s gallery.
13. Learn to laugh at your own mistakes
Because it makes it more light and is a great practice for self acceptance. We all make mistakes and learning to laugh at them will make life so much lighter.
14. Forgiveness is for yourself
This one has been a big one. Forgiveness is hard especially when someone has hurt you so so deeply. However, holding anger and resentment towards another person will not bring you the peace that you deserve. Forgiveness is simply that, letting go of the negative feelings so that you can feel free. This does not mean you have to accept the wrongdoings towards you, just release them. Everyone has their own personal karmic energy and will at some point experience a result from their actions. You cannot control their actions or their decisions, but what you can control is your feelings.
15.What you resist, persists
Life will hurt. The odds are you’ll get hurt, one way or another. You’ll deal with betrayal, grief, loss, pain or disappointment. Some of them will be big and others small, minor curveballs. Whilst dealing with your issues can be pretty upsetting, as human beings we’re really good at amplifying them and getting stuck in the injustice of it all. Unfortunately, we tend to draw out on our own suffering, rather than being able to move on. By accepting the inevitable pain, struggles and unwanted events that at some point will unfold in our lives, we actually choose acceptance.
16. Courage does not include no fear
Courage is feeling the fear and doing it anyway.
17. The more you feel gratitude, the more it will expand
Energy flows where intention goes. The more you focus on something the larger it will grow and expand. The more gratitude you feel, the more you’ll attract other things to be grateful for.
18. distance means nothing when someone means so much
You might grow apart or you might move to the other side of the world. But if you’re lucky, you’ll get to keep a handful of the really special ones even if you don’t see each other as often as you’d like. Also, sometimes distance means nothing, when someone means so much. I miss many of my friends so so much and even if I won’t see them in a while, I know that with some of them it doesn’t matter at all. We ‘ll pick up right where we left it.
19. A dream is just a dream, a goal is a dream with a plan
So you know that dream you’ve had in the back of your head for a while now. Start working towards it. Make an action plan and with baby steps you can start today. Even if you’re busy with life or your current job, you can still start. So do it, because this life is meant to be lived.
20. Love is the answer
It is the solution in this random and harsh world. Express it freely. Show it to the ones you love. It is the reason for our existence.
Your yoga teacher is not your guru
Your yoga teacher is not your guru
If you haven’t watched Kumaré yet, it’s about time. This is hands down one of the best documentaries of our time.
There is a number of reasons for people to go to yoga classes. Some do it to exercise, some to get a good stretch, some for the spiritual benefits, others to reduce stress, some to feel part of a community and some possibly for all of those reasons. The list goes on. I love meeting new people and I also love my dedicated students, so wether you’re coming to my classes, workshops or retreats, I am honored and grateful to have you share your time with me and I am thrilled I can share some of my knowledge with you.
In my bio I state that one must always stay a student and I truly emphasize this. Unless you’re Gandhi, the odds are you’re not an enlightened being just yet. That being said, the fact that you are practicing yoga and the fact that you want to become more connected with yourself and your surrounding world is an amazing first step towards the right direction and something worth celebrating. What is key to understand though is that yoga teachers don’t have it all figured out (hell nah!!). Sometimes actually they might even have more issues than the average Joe and this is what perhaps initially led them to yoga (take this with a grain of salt). So to fully lean on them with your problems and expect them to have solutions is not the best idea. I guess this must be why now they don’t really allow the terminology of “Yoga Therapy”. See, we yoga teachers are just as messed up as you. We get down on ourselves, fuck up and get lost in life. I guess the big difference from the average non yogi is that even though we also fuck up, we MIGHT (caps lock here) be more aware of it and we more importantly might be working on changing that behavior. And yoga can be an excellent tool to become more aware, awake and in tune with yourself. I can truly say that thanks to the world of yoga and its broad field of teachings, I am becoming more aware of my own patterns and issues. And recognition is a hella good first step in this long journey towards a better version of me. Cuz at the end, that’s what a lot of us want, to grow, to learn and to connect.
We can learn from each other. Pic of me and Abi.
Unfortunately we live in a time where people are getting sick. Sick and tired of being sick and tired. Sick from working too much, sick from stress and unrealistic expectations. This sickness and tiredness leads to us feeling stuck and unaccomplished and very often lost. Are we on our right paths? Are we doing what we are supposed to be doing? Perhaps we feel like we need a change but are just too tired, too exhausted and blocked from finding the solutions ourselves. Add some relationship issues or a broken marriage and bam! You’re open AF to having someone else steer your ship and take control. This is of course is okay if that person is a) your therapist or b) actually knows what the best solutions for you are and c) truly has your best interest in mind and works from the goodness of their heart and not for a financial gain. Don’t get me wrong, guidance and mentoring is not wrong and even in yogic philosophy we are taught that once the student is ready, the master will come. But the thing is, you are the master and you will always be your own guru. You hold all the answers to all your problems and what a teacher or a guide can do is, to aid you to see that, but at the end of the day, YOU are the guru. And this is super important to assimilate. The same thing goes for your asana practice on your mat. If something does not feel good in your body but the teacher is telling you to do it, hell nah! Get outta that pose! You know the best what feels food and what works for your god given temple, never forget that. And as a teacher I am only here to give you ideas and suggestions on how to move. If it does not feel good for you, if it doesn’t relate to you, you are more than welcome to skip.
To close the circle I want to say that you can learn a lot from your yoga teacher and they can serve as an excellent guide on your journey, but always remember that you are the captain and you navigate the ship, even if your teacher can sometimes work as the compass on giving you some direction on where to go. I am blessed and grateful to be sharing my teachings and what I’ve learned, but boy, I am still and I will always remain a student.
Namaste,
Eva
Vision boarding and the Law of Attraction
VISION BOARDING AND THE LAW OF ATTRACTION
I want to write about something that is very close to my heart and about a practice I do using the universal laws and this is creating a vision board. Law of attraction is real and for those of you who has experienced it, know exactly what I mean. Like attracts like and thoughts become things. Where you put your focus will appear in front of you. Energy flows where intention goes.
Think about it the other way around too, imagine you’re having one of those sucky days where everything simply goes south. One thing after the other, it’s almost like a joke and at the end of the day you’re not even surprised when something else shitty happens to you. This too, is the result of the universal law of like attracts like. When you constantly focus on the negative, guess what you’re attracting more of: more negativity. So this luckily works both ways. When you focus on the good stuff guess what you’re drawing to you, yup, more good stuff. And this universal law is the key that works with creating a vision Wether you believe in the law of attraction it is constantly working. Every thought, action and word has a frequency and is sent out to the universe. The universe will then respond by matching your thoughts, intentions, words, affirmations or actions. The thing is, time is a tricky one to understand, so there might not be an immediate result, but at some point that energy you put out will come back to you in a way or another.
So what is a vision board. A vision board is first and foremost a tool you can use to your benefit that uses this universal law. It is a collection of images, words and phrases that you feel drawn to or that somehow represent what you want to bring forth in your life. I’ve made several vision boards in my life and I am always surprised at how the universe will find interesting ways on how it brings forth these things in my life. It’s a magical feeling when you notice that something you’ve put in your board suddenly presents in your life. What do you have to loose really? Give it a try!
So how do you make a vision board? If you didn’t join me and Jonna Monola for our vision board workshop, worry not, I will spill the beans and share this magical little practice with you. All it takes is a little bit of time, some dedication, a pair of scissors, glue and a big pile of magazines. Before you start your little arts and crafts extravaganza I recommend getting quiet, putting on some relaxing music, meditating so that you can get clear on your hearts deepest desires and what is it that you want to bring forth in your life. Ask yourself; “If I had a magic wand, what would my life look like”? Other questions might be; what would your days look like, how would you feel, what would your living situation be, what would your home look like, what about your relationship, your body? Then I recommend writing these things down and then lastly start browsing through your magazines and looking for images and phrases that speak to you or that somehow match what you want to manifest. When going through the magazines you’ll very often even find more images and words that you want to include. Let this part be fun and intuitive. Once you feel like you’ve gathered enough material you can start gluing them on to a piece of cardboard. Once you feel ready with your board I recommend placing it somewhere you can see it as often as possible. The more visible it is to your brain, the more you’re sending these signals to your brain subconsciously and consciously and of course to the universe and somehow these creating magical situations and things of your dreams start becoming reality. What are you waiting for? Start now.
A vision board example, not mine.
Go make yours now!
Con amor,
Evita
Chakra 101 (Chakras for Dummies) and an infographic
CHAKRA 101 (CHAKRAS FOR DUMMIES) AND AN INFOGRAPHIC
Everything is Energy ✨ The thoughts you think, the words you speak, the actions you take, the food you eat...
Your physical body is just one layer, but beneath this 3D dimensional domain, lies a subtle body and a complex system of energetic centers, lines and sheaths.
I have always been curious about the unseen and into the energetic realm of things, which is why I am so passionate about the Chakra System. Energy does not lie and vibes speak louder than words. Think about it...Ever felt certain vibes of someone? Yup, that’s when you pick up their ”vibe”, I’m sure you’ve had moments you’ve for example felt someones bad mood, even if they didn’t express it in words.
Many are still clueless about what chakras are, how they function and what they govern. So, I decided to make an infographic (take it with a grain of salt and humor) and wrote this simple guide for you to get a basic idea and understanding.
Perhaps you’ve heard the term chakra but are still quite unfamiliar with the concept of it or don’t know what it does, how it functions, where it is (or where they are). Let’s dive in:
Let’s start with the actual word ‘chakra’. Chakra literally means wheel or circle and is a word from the Sanskrit language. What that refers to is the wheel like movement of the chakra.
So what is a chakra? A chakra is an energy center, a vortex and the focal point of subtle energy in your energetic body. Like i mentioned in the beginning: Everything is energy. How that energy presents itself in this physical realm, is what we call matter. But when we look at the body from an energetic perspective, there are certain ways the energy flows and certain places where that energy gathers and these are your Chakras.
You have seven primary chakras in your body. Each Chakra is connected to certain aspects of your life and certain areas or glands and organs of your body. Each Chakra is associated with a specific color, an element, a tone, a frequency and so forth. Below is a list of the seven primary Chakras and their elements, color and functions.
1. The Root Chakra (Muladhara)
Muladhara (“root support”) is located at the base of your spine. It is often depicted as a red four-petaled lotus, and it governs what are considered the four primal urges: food, sleep, sex, and self-preservation, but also money. It is the foundation of your being. Its energetic function is to help us maintain a sense of groundedness and inner stability.
Element: Earth
Color: Red
Affirmation: “I am here.”
Tone: LAM
2. The Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana)
Svadhisthana (“her own abode”) is located at the pelvis by your reproductive organs. It is often depicted as an orange lotus with six petals, and it’s associated with creativity, sensuality, pleasure, fluidity, adaptability, emotions, sexual energy, and the unconscious. The second chakra’s energetic function is to help us regulate our emotions and desires, so as not to be driven by them.
Element: Water
Color: Orange
Affirmation: “I am a creative.”
Tone: VAM
3. The Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
Manipura (“city of jewels”) is located at the navel center. It is commonly depicted as a downward or upward-facing yellow triangle. This energy center is your personal power, your ego and it’s function is to navigate our lives with strength and determination.
Element: Fire
Color: Yellow
Affirmation: “I am strong”
Tone: RAM
4. The Heart Chakra (Anahata)
Anahata (“unstruck”) is located at the heart center. Anahata is typically depicted as a green six-pointed star surrounded by 12 lotus petals. On a spiritual level, it’s said to be the home of the higher “unstruck” or indestructible self. Anahata governs our joy, love (not just romantic love, more importantly self-love), compassion and openness. Energetically, anahata helps us tap into unconditional love.
Element: Air
Color: Green
Affirmation: “I am loving”
Tone: YAM
5. The Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
Vishuddha (“to purify”) is located in your throat. It is often depicted as a blue downward-facing triangle inside a lotus with 16 purple petals. This energy center is associated with speaking one’s truth. Its energetic function is to help us find authentic self-expression and honesty.
Element: Ether or space
Color: Blue
Affirmation: “I am honest.”
Tone: HAM
6. The Third-Eye Chakra (Ajna)
Ajna (“command center”) is located between the eyebrows and is.represented by a transparent lotus with two white petals. It is your wisdom center and the seat of the mind, your conscious and unconscious awareness. It is not associated with any element, as this chakra is considered beyond the physical elements. This is the center for intuition, vision, imagination, inner knowing, and self-assurance. The energetic function of ajna chakra is to help us learn to know ourselves on a spiritual level.
No element
Color: Purple
Affirmation: “I am seeing.”
Tone: OM
7. The Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
Sahasrara (“thousand-petaled lotus”) is located just above the crown of the head. This is the doorway into pure consciousness, it is often depicted as a thousand-petaled lotus with a pinkish aura, and in a similar way to the third eye chakra, nor is this chakra associated with a physical element. This chakra serves as a way of connecting to divine energy and is associated with our highest self. Sahasrara helps us function in a more enlightened way, cultivate self-mastery, and find a sense of connection with all.
No element
Color: White
Affirmation “I am connected”
Tone: MMM
Now that you have a basic idea of these energy centers, it’s key to understand that this energy is constantly changing. Energy flows in and out of these centers all the time and your chakras can either be balanced, unbalanced, over active, under active or even blocked (oh nooo!!). Luckily there are various methods to unblock, align and balance your chakras and these include nutrition, yoga, healing, rest, various activities, crystals, colors and so forth. This all depends on which of the chakras it is that is not in harmony. So how do you know if a chakra is inactive or blocked you might ask? Well, usually after getting an understanding of the chakras you might already have an idea in your mind. Perhaps you’ve gone through heart ache lately (maybe there’s a blocakge in your heart chakra) or did you just lose your job (first chakra) or maybe you never speak your truth and always hold your opinions to yourself, even if you should speak up (throat). But if you’re still completely clueless, there are ways to test your chakras and one method is using a pendulum or a dowser. The dowser is simply placed above your chakra and if the pendulum is spinning in a circular way, the chakra is in harmony, if it’s not moving at all or if it’s going back and forth, there’s a blockage or it’s under active, if it’s making a crazy big circle, yup you guessed it: it’s over active. Below a list of feelings that might be present if a chakra is overactive or under active.
Root Chakra
Overactive
Fearful, nervous, insecure, not feeling grounded; materialistic or greedy, resisting change
Underactive
Lacking a sense of being at home or safe anywhere, codependent, unable to get into one’s body, fearful of abandonment
Sacral Chakra
Overactive
Overemotional, very quick to attach and invest in others, attracted to drama, moody, lacking personal boundaries
Underactive
Stiff, unemotional, closed off to others, lacking self-esteem or self-worth, possibly in an abusive relationship
Solar Plexus Chakra
Overactive
Dominating, aggressive, angry, perfectionistic or overly critical of oneself or others
Underactive
Passive, indecisive, shy, lacking self-control
Heart Chakra
Overactive
Loving in a clingy, suffocating way; lacking a sense of self in a relationship; willing to say yes to everything; no sense of boundaries, letting everyone in
Underactive
Cold, distant, lonely, unable or unwilling to open up to others, grudgeful
Throat Chakra
Overactive
Overly talkative, unable to listen, highly critical, verbally abusive, condescending
Underactive
Introverted, shy, having difficulty speaking the truth, unable to express needs
Third Eye Chakra
Overactive
Out of touch with reality, lacking good judgment, unable to focus, prone to hallucinations
Underactive
Rigid in thinking, closed off to new ideas, too reliant on authority, disconnected or distrustful of inner voice, anxious, clinging to the past and fearful of the future
Crown Chakra
Overactive
Addicted to spirituality, lack of bodily needs, having difficulty controlling emotions
Underactive
Not very open to spirituality, unable to set or maintain goals, lacking direction
So, no that you have a basic idea about the chakras you can learn to work with these subtle energies and become more aware of your energetic body. If you want to study more, I highly recommend picking up the book “The Anatomy of The Spirit” by Caroline Myss.
You feeling aligned AF yet? ;)
Con amor,
Evita
The magic of a good playlist (sharing is caring)
THE MAGIC OF A GOOD PLAYLIST (SHARING IS CARING)
Music is magic. Simply put.
I mean think about it. What is music? One could say that music is an artful arrangement of different sounds creating a vibration that’ll change your mood, frequency, trigger a memory, create feelings of joy, sadness, grief, love, longing, you name it, the list goes on and on. Music is said to be the language of emotions. Studies have shown that listening to music releases dopamine. So why not combine music with yoga? Bulletproof. Duh.
I spend hours and hours discovering new artists and new music on Spotify. Playing an amazing playlist during yoga class is the shit. It gives me energy and inspires me and simultaneously I can see how that energy amplifies when the students get into the flow with some good tunes. I play music on my way to work, on my way home and always when I’m driving. My friends know that I won’t start the car if I don’t have a good tune on, no matter if we’re late.
Anyways, when I first started practicing yoga I started with Ashtanga, which I guess some people would argue to be quite ascetic. It’s rigorous, always with the same movements and no music. Oh, with the exception of the Ashtanga mantra in the beginning, if that counts. I remember back in the day when I would religiously practice mysore style with my good friend Elisa that we were even quite serious about the mantra. Lolz. How times have changed. And please ashtangi yogis, don’t get me wrong I still enjoy Ashtanga, BUT I love vinyasa flow and one of the reasons is: you can add music to your classes. And that adds an extra dimension of joy, so why not.
So to circle back to the magic of music I wanted to share with you guys what my students often ask me post yoga class, which is some of my favorite yoga playlists for you to enjoy.
These are my top 3 playlists currently (I made them public on my Spotify Account):
Con Amor,
Evita
2019, a year to manifest your dreams
2019, A YEAR TO MANIFEST YOUR DREAMS
It’s been forever and ever since I last updated my blog and A LOT has happened since. First and foremost, happy New Year (a little late as we are almost thru Jan)!!! I think I had almost given up on this fun little side thing I used to do, but oh well, here I find myself typing yet again. Happy that you found your way here too and are reading my scribbles.
In a nutshell 2018 was a crazy year. It’s hard to even recap everything that happened and honestly a lot of it is very private & sensitive information and not to share with the world wide web. That being said, with great growth comes some growth pain and what I can say is holy shit I’ve grown this last year. In some circles people refer to the years 2016-2018 as a metamorphosis and explain how the year 2016 was the cocoon year, 2017 the caterpillar year and finally 2018 the butterfly year. When I think about my own past it makes a lot of sense as last year was when I finally spread my wings and flew. Not just figuratively speaking, but I actually flew away from Mexico that’s been my home for the last 6 and a half years. This was a tough transition and something I’m still struggling with. Even if Finland is a great country, holy shit, lack of light is a bitch, I’ll tell you that much. Also, moving from the other side of the world to a new location, even if it’s your old home country, is challenging, on many levels. I feel like I am not the same person I used to be before and I don’t perhaps fully fit in. Yet.
Mexico holds a huge place in my heart and I will always keep going back. And perhaps this is just a lil breather, I mean who knows. Life tends to surprise us in many unexpected ways. Either way I feel that I am where I should be right now and that I’ve made some really smart and healthy changes. That being said, there’s still many things to conquer, manifest and master. BUT I’ve decided that this will finally be the year I step outside my comfort zone and actually make shit happen. If not now, then when!? I guess each January we get a spurt of inspiration and feel more driven, for me especially being a Capricorn and having my bday just a few days after New Year’s it truly feels like I’ve turned a new page in my life. And today I took the first step. I understand all of this might seem a little cryptic as I am not revealing what it is, but I promise you, if you stay tuned, eventually I will reveal and show you guys my new project.
To come back to the metamorphosis I’d say that 2016 was a brutal year in many ways. It felt like I was dragging myself forward and everything around me was collapsing. If some of you understand Tarot cards I’d compare the year to the Tower card in the deck. I guess the year 2016 was only preparing me for the the following year, which was even worse. All this while living in a beautiful paradise surrounded by warmth, the sun and happy people. I guess it’s true what they say that paradise is a state of mind and not a location. The following year, which is now last year, was when I finally made some changes. But the changes didn’t come smoothly. I guess they never do. I remember a teacher of mine always referred to the process of a seed sprouting and how violent the actual transition is as it breaks thru and that this comparison also goes with real life growth.
All in all life is full of mystery and I find that this time of the year it’s a good moment to pause, assess the last year (or perhaps even last couple of years), get clear about what it is you wish to manifest for the new year and do some goal setting. I am a huge fan of vision boards and truly believe in their manifestation power, if you’re unfamiliar with the concept a quick google will do the trick even here. I also love writing things down and journaling about what I wish to accomplish and again highly recommend this practice too. So finally, what I wish to say to you is, let’s truly go after those dreams, cuz if we don’t they’ll come and bite us in the butt on our death beds.
That’s all for now. Go get em tiger.
Con amor,
Evita
Beach yoga sesh with Vuokko Salo Photography
I wanted to share these stunning images Vuokko Salo captured during her stay here in Sayulita. Vuokko Salo is not just an amazing, talented photographer who's got an extremely good eye, but she is also a beautiful mama of two adorable kids, a loving wife and has a heart big as a whale. I am lucky to call her a friend and to work with her! Without further ado, enjoy these gorgeous shots we recently took. Make sure to give her a follow on IG @vuokkosalo
PS. The beautiful mat is by Yoga Design lab and pants by Solo Sol
