Over the past couple of years I have been putting bits and pieces together of a book that I can hopefully get published someday. A book filled with all my knowledge of health, wellness, and a few other things. Compiling, researching, and writing. Although I don’t have much of a following or large enough platform as of now, it feels good to try and plant seeds. Seeds of growth, seeds of change, and maybe even seeds of success.
Here is a little snippet of one of the wellness plans that I offer. Feel free to incorporate these tips and this outline into your current lifestyle. It is a great addition for self improvement in any lifestyle that you are currently leading. Sometimes we want to live a certain lifestyle, yet feel we do not have the resources to “make it happen”. It takes massive courage to take that first step for the life that is desired. I know that a few years ago I felt broken and beaten up by life. The Lakshmi Wellness Plan is one of the tools I used to get me back on track to what was important to me. It started with getting back into a routine earning decent income, then, moving on into refining my food choices again, and finally, once I felt better with my diet, getting back to my yoga practice. These stepping stones were the slingshot to then, doing more activities, repairing relationships that had broken down etc. Most importantly forgiveness, gratefulness, and graciousness…annnd some red lipstick ;) This wellness plan turned everything around 180 degrees. I know it will for you as well if you take it seriously, sticking to these tips.
For the full Lakshmi Wellness Plan, or your choice of a few other Wellness Plans I put together (depending on your goals), you can sign-up for The Personal Luxury Retreat, The Weight-loss and Well-being Program, or The Vegan/Vegetarian Transition Course. All of these services include a Wellness plan of your choice whether your goal is Beauty, more Athletic Muscle Building, or ready for a Super Detox Weight-loss Plan. A new future, a refined lifestyle, desires fulfilled is only a click away. I’m ready to get you started.
Please enjoy sweet friends,
Love,
Merissa
The Lakshmi Wellness Plan
Lakshmi is known as the deity that embodies health, wealth, prosperity, and fertility in Eastern Indian culture. Mantras and song sung to Lakshmi is said to invoke a stronger hold of her presence within’ and around you, permeating your aura. The more devoted one is to invoking this essence of her presence overtime, it is proven, more abundance will bestow itself upon you…from my experience. Lakshmi travels on a pink lotus flower with the element of water all around, emanating the fragrance of good fortune.
Following this wellness plan will help to enhance your presence with this beauty that flows from the inside out. For to really be one with Lakshmi, we must purify our hearts first with kind thoughts, words, and deeds. This of course is only one aspect of ourselves. There are many other aspects of ourselves, tools in which we use to get to where we need to go. This plan is potent in developing the presence of Lakshmi. But we also must remember that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Behold yourself as beautiful every moment, and you will be. Even if, clearly, you need a shower…
Follow this plan for one month, 5 days a week if possible, to build a habitual knowledge of pattern so that eating, lifestyle environment, and behavior of The Lakshmi Wellness Plan becomes second nature. This way, if you do get off track, or would then like to loosen this plan up a bit, it will be easier to come back to it again and again if need be. Here is a general outline.
Food Lifestyle:
Breakfast - Medium
Lunch - Large
Dinner - Small
Snack only when necessary
Drink mostly tea. Coffee only a couple of times a week (only when absolutely necessary)
Vegan/Plant-based meals to practice loving kindness to animals and our planet. This helps our planet, those who do not have access to fresh water and food, and softens the stress factor when done properly. (I do have other plans for vegetarians and those that eat meat as well. I didn’t leave you out!).
Learn how to feel your food. Cook with feeling not a recipe. Learn to use your intuition of alchemy as to what right amounts make the recipe work.
Desserts are okay in moderation
Wine/Beer okay in moderation. Think 4 to 5 glasses a week.
Add Ayurveda tips (My favorite book for this is Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom by Acharya Shunya)
Take CBD or do acupuncture regularly for chronic stress.
All organic as much as possible. (Try not to get fanatical about it. Do what you can)
Gluten Free as much as possible. (Again, don’t get in a rage over it :)
Lots of wholefoods: fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, smoothies, salads, nuts, vegan cheeses, vegan amino acids, vitamin B12, chia seeds, organic multi-vitamin. Get all your macro and micro nutrients.
Drink lots of water with minerals in it. Not all water that is purified or filtered is good drinking water. Make sure it has good minerality content or that you are getting minerals from other sources.
1/3 your body weight of protein. Sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more depending on activities or if you are pregnant.
Beauty Activities
Get a haircut and color you love
Mani/Peti/waxes or shave appropriately
Sunless spray tans
Pick out clothes that make you feel good about yourself. If you don’t have any, go to the thrift store. There were times when that is what I had to do. Some of the best pieces in my wardrobe, that I receive the most compliments on, are in fact, from goodwill. THERE, I said it!
Facial masks once or twice a week. Acure is my favorite brand for just about everything.
Neti pot (occasionally)/dry brushing everyday/apply body lotion everyday
3 step facial routine: face cleanse, toner, and day lotion
Light make-up or make-up for the occasion
Light appropriate jewelry
Do your hair so that it looks washed and tamed, unless it’s like a grunge day
Take baths with sea salts, essential oils, and flowers. Listen to some romantic music like Josh Groban.
I like to spray my body with Rose water after towel drying off. Then you can leave it at that or add a complimentary lotion.
Put a little essential oil at your touch points behind the ears, heart chakra, wrists etc
Remember, most importantly, to be okay if things are not perfect, exactly to your liking or anyone elses liking. We can get stressed by trying too hard to be beautiful. Relax and have fun with it.
Face each challenge or fear with discernment.
Activities
Yoga
Dance
Pilates
Mantra/Prayer/Meditation
Reading Scripture
Reading on things that bring you joy
Hiking or getting out into nature
playing an instrument
Practicing forgiveness in meditation, letting your mind deeply connect with all of your senses to that in which it is drawn to…
Going to the theater
Cleaning
Surfing
Gardening
Painting
Conversations with friends and family. Light-hearted and deeply meaningful. Laugh often.
Doing something unexpected for a friend or lover or family member (get creative. Do something that you know THEY would love. Generosity)
Volunteer within’ your community to help those less fortunate.
Find strong, healthy support systems that will be there for you through thick and through thin.
Practice the Yamas and Niyamas of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, but with discernment… and try not to get caught up in the perfection trap.
Learn to use your instinctual intuition as opposed to what others would like to dictate to you. It is a dance between control and surrender to have the ability to meet your desires and follow your path with grace. Be patient as all is coming.
Sample Day Plan
6:30am - Shower
7 am - Meditation - Om shri Maha-Lakshmyai Namah. Translation by Jivamukti Chant Book (Lakshmi is the bountiful provider. She is beauty. All wealth, prosperity and good fortune comes from her. She is Shakti of Narayan. Her arms are always open and generous.) Sing or chant 20 times a day.
7:30am - 60min. to 90min. yoga/fitness/exercise class
9 am - Medium Breakfast (Tofu Scramble or Avo. toast or chia seed oatmeal with fruit)
10 am - Rinse off, get dressed, ready for the day
Work, activities on the list, attending to your children etc.
1pm - Large Lunch (healthy sandwich with lots of veggies or veggie beyond burger with fries or salad or Large salad with tofu or pasta like pesto).
2pm - Go for a walk or take a light nap or power nap if needed.
3pm - Snack (Handful of nuts and a piece of fruit or an energy/protein bar or smoothie or fresh organic juice)
3:30pm - Work, activities on the list, attending to children.
6:00pm - Light Dinner (Salad with tofu, soup, capprese salad, brown rice and veggie bowl, Ramen and veggies, tacos)
7pm - Meditation
7:30pm - Watch a movie or read a book or take a bath. A cup of warm almond milk with cardamom or herbal tea with a little almond or soy milk aids in digestion. You can also sip it while in meditation. Find a clean, quiet, place where you can just be still and be. No children at this time…
10pm - 11pm Lights out. Sleepy time. Get a good nights rest. There is AWAKE with stress, there is AWAKE in a yoga nidra dream like relaxation state, and then there is a deep, deep sleep with source. It’s good to have a combination of both of the last two. Dreaming is good to detox abstract thoughts that anchor within the body/mind complex. No beta waves. Mostly theta and delta waves.
This is just a general sample of timing. You can adjust to work with your schedule. With regular work hours, kids, play dates and such, this is probably a day plan for a day off, however, you can incorporate Lakshmi Wellness tips into your normal work schedule. Do what you can with what you got. Most importantly, be GRATEFUL for everything that you may have. It keeps the heart and soul young, filled with vitality!