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Nearly Enlightened
Join Nearly Enlightened's host Giana Giarrusso and discover the body, mind and spirit connection! The Nearly Enlightened Podcast is for the soul-centered seeker who is on the path of personal growth and spiritual development. This podcast takes a light-hearted approach exploring topics rooted in themes of mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
Nearly Enlightened
Kundalini & Canines with Mikayla Geraci
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Imagine transforming your life through the power of breath, mantras, and purposeful movement. Join me and my soul sister Mikayla Geraci, the brilliant mind behind Root Paws Wellness, as she recounts her life changing six-day Kundalini yoga retreat in Portugal. We discuss the transformative benefits she experienced and how dedicating time to this unique practice can truly elevate your well-being beyond the ordinary vinyasa flow.
Ever wondered how literature and travel can deepen your yoga practice and personal growth? We dive into compelling books like "How Yoga Works" and "Yoga and the Quest for the True Self," bringing their transformative insights to life. Michaela and I reflect on our meaningful travel experiences in Portugal, from the mystical healing well to the rich local culture. These stories underscore the importance of immersing oneself in diverse environments to gain a more profound understanding of yoga and life.
But that's not all—our conversation takes an intriguing turn as we explore the energetic connections between humans and animals. Michaela shares her expertise on holistic pet wellness, incorporating practices like sound bowls and Reiki. We wrap up with a heartfelt discussion on nourishing our pets with real food and the importance of maintaining strong connections with family, friends, and community. This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom, personal stories, and practical tips that promise to inspire and enlighten.
Book Recommendations:
How Yoga Works
Connect with Mikayla:
rootpawswellness.com
@rootpawswellness on Instagram
Nearly Enlightened Podcast
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Let's grow together: @nearlyenlightened | Nearly Enlightened
Welcome to the Nearly Enlightened Podcast. I am your host, Gianna Giroux, so if you're listening again, welcome back. I'm so happy you're here again and if you're new, welcome Welcome to the tribe. I am so excited today I have one of my very best friends and soul sisters coming on, Michaela welcome. She is a visionary and entrepreneur behind Root Paws Wellness, an herbal and energetic wellness business catered towards canines and their fur parents. The creation of this business is the culmination of her passion, projects, hobbies and various trainings that have spanned many years. Michaela obtained her master's degree in food and agriculture law and policy from Vermont Law School. She has completed a 200-hour herbal apprentice training with the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism and she is a certified level two animal Reiki practitioner. She offers Reiki and sound therapy wellness sessions for pets and for parents, and she develops and crafts herbally infused wellness products for dogs to make the offering of herbal support easy and manageable for the average person and pet. Mikayla welcome, I have been waiting for this moment since I started this podcast. You have.
Speaker 2:I am an avid listener. I love your show, so I'm both very nervous and very excited to be starring as a guest.
Speaker 1:My gosh, don't be, we'll start. So Michaela just got back from this epic yoga retreat. So part of I would say I don't want to speak for you, but I would say both of our healing journeys, it really stems through like yogic principle. That was kind of like the gateway.
Speaker 2:Totally agree. Yep, go ahead Just saying like being in an immersive environment like that, where you're doing it nonstop and you're around people who are doing something nonstop, is definitely transformative for your individual journey.
Speaker 1:Yes, so Michaela was just on a how many day retreat. It was six days. Six day retreat in Portugal, kundalini yoga retreat Tell us about it.
Speaker 2:It was hopefully what I'm going to call my Kundalini awakening. I think people can possibly have those at different times in their lives and I should have pushed either someone like you or someone like my mom a little harder to come with me, because I also think you would have gotten a lot out of it. There was a handful of yoga teachers there that weren't, you know, part of running the retreat, so I definitely felt almost like a little bit of an outcast in that sense. Oh no, well, before I went, I couldn't really tell you what the structure of what a kundalini class is, and so many people would be like, oh, do you have a kundalini practice? And I'm like, no, I barely know the definition.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, I love that. So you just like dove right in yeah so it was.
Speaker 2:I didn't know what to expect. And then, of course, I'm in a 90 minute kundalini class every morning and it's like breathwork and mantra. And then it's breathwork and a sequence of asanas, asanas whatever you want to say and then it's more mantras at the end. So it's like super slow but purposeful breathwork and movement and I was thinking, oh, I'm going to be like constantly doing yoga flows and sequences like vinyasas. So it actually ended up being the perfect thing for me to go to, because I certainly, towards the season shift here, have been feeling like I've had really stagnant energy this summer. So it was six days leading right up to the fall equinox and it was just perfect. The fall equinox, and it was just perfect, like seasonally, energetically, like all those things.
Speaker 1:Yes, and I love. I love that you're bringing this up, because something that I've been talking a lot about in my classes, because I do teach a lot of just like power, vinyasa, power flow.
Speaker 2:Is that?
Speaker 1:exactly that's what I was thinking I was going into is that those classes have been watered down so much that we're only talking about really one or maybe two of the eight limbs of a true yogic practice in a 60 minute vinyasa class. But when you try these other modalities, like Kundalini, it brings in multiple limbs of of the yoga practice and there is so much more than the asana practice, the physical movement like really it's learning about the physiology of, like energy systems, which are basically organ systems, you know, and their movement.
Speaker 2:It's like it's so scientific.
Speaker 1:Yes, and we, I mean we are frequency, we are, you have to turn that compressed energy.
Speaker 2:That needs to be tuned for sure.
Speaker 1:So what was it like immersing yourself in that? Because most of us aren't even. I mean, when we first started yoga, uh yeah, like you really couldn't find anything less than a 90 minute class. But now, um, here, if you're going to in-person yoga, or even if you're streaming online, like if you're streaming online those classes are only like 15 to 30 minutes, but practice for 90 minutes. What's that?
Speaker 2:like every day every day it was wake up, 8 am, practice, 90 minutes of kundalini and then in the early evening we had 75 minutes of a yin class which was also teaching us about qigong. So every day I'm in like two and a half hours of yoga and I think you have to structure that into something like a retreat, because people that your average person isn't going to go to the studio for over two hours a day, you know like if you're doing like two back to back 90 minute classes or something right. So just like being at the place, immersing in eating meals with these people and sharing your mat next to these people, I think that that's super powerful because everybody's coming from so many different backgrounds, there's so many stories you could tell about each individual, but then you're all on the mat, you're learning a mantra and you're chanting it together. It's like you, you are, you learned about I am. It's like you are that consciousness, you are that love, because there's 30 of us in a room, 29.
Speaker 1:Um, so I'm getting the tingles and the chills as you're talking.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I I cried saying goodbye to people, and not because I felt like I, you know, had made a best friend that I was going to miss. I was the youngest and so I did feel a little bit like you know, the closest person to me was probably really late thirties, if not early forties, and I'm 32. So I almost felt a little bit like, oh, this isn't my group or community, but it was because I don't have any other group or community in my life that I just did that with. So it just makes you feel for me like just so incredibly intrigued by the practice and it's like why wouldn't you keep that momentum going? And what is it about the individual collecting with everybody as a whole that is so powerful? And then you get little tastes of it in a retreat setting and you're like dang, I should have been doing this for years.
Speaker 1:Yes, but I think like letting go of that that should could, like you were brought to it at exactly the right time and the right space, and like everything happens in perfect timing and sometimes we don't always see that way because, yeah, it's easy to look back in hindsight and be like, oh, I see where this could have helped me in my life and xyz at this time. But like you found it at the right time and now, moving forward, you're using it to who knows, like you said, like a whole new awakening or a whole new chapter, and I totally agree.
Speaker 2:It's like that saying when you're like you can lead a horse to water but you can't make a drink. It's like you know me, we have similar interests. Like I know there's things I should be doing throughout the day or week that could strengthen my life force, and it's not. It's not until you're ready to do it, or receive it, that you're going to possibly build a practice upon it.
Speaker 1:Yes, us air sign, air sign problems.
Speaker 2:Literally like in my head. I'm living a perfect practice every day, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but sometimes that's like all it takes. You know, you, there are like yoga has been passed down through story, through it's basically yes, text, but it has been from teacher to student. That's how, um, yoga has been passed down for 5 000 years. And one of like the stories that I've heard going through through trainings and and working with different teachers I've I've heard this many times is sometimes, like you know, we go through these, heard, going through through trainings and and working with different teachers I've I've heard this many times is sometimes like you know, we go through these periods of time where we get injured, we get hurt for whatever reason, and we can't do the physical practice of yoga. But even imagining yourself doing the physical practice of yoga, eventually, like, your body heals, you become stronger, and she said that in kundalini she's like if you can't do the pose, imagine yourself doing the pose.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's just as powerful yes, like, oh my gosh, harnessing the power of the mind. It's like it's so. It's so important to watch those thoughts and watch where they go, and I think that's a huge chunk of the practice. I mean, I talk about this in my vinyasa classes all the time, especially, I teach at one studio. It's infrared heat. It's 100 degrees. It is like anywhere between 40 and 60% humidity. As soon as you step through that door, you're sweating, you're uncomfortable. The whole point of the physical practice of yoga is designed to make you uncomfortable. It's designed to bring you to those deep dark places of your mind, to allow yourself to learn the practice of observing those deep dark spaces without assigning attachment, emotion, meaning or whatever to those thoughts, and knowing that those thoughts don't have any power over you.
Speaker 1:So to repattern and change those thoughts when you notice it come up. You know like I think about this all the time. My teacher I'd be the same thing Infrared heat, very hot. He would like have a simmer in goddess pose, seriously, not even kidding Five minutes Like sometimes it was two whole songs and he taught a very power vinyasa class like most of the time we were moving very fast but he would slow us down and make us uncomfortable, like five minutes in goddess pose. That is your mind, will.
Speaker 2:it wants you to fail oh yeah, when you're doing we're holding boat pose and trying to do breath of fire for like a minute and a half I'm like there's no way physically that I will accomplish this task, your mind goes to those deep, dark places.
Speaker 1:It's designed, oh yeah, it's the practices coming back and overcoming and then eventually, like you know, it might not be today or tomorrow, it might be 10 years from now, but eventually, like you, get there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think the consistency building a practice. Consistency is so key because you know I'll do something for a week or two and then it'll be seasonally, I'll do it for a week or two every few months and it's like that's really not building a strong practice.
Speaker 1:And it's really the practice of discipline, the practice of showing up, because, like I said, asana, that's one out of the eight limbs, like yep, and a lot of it.
Speaker 2:Discipline is time management in our society and it's like if you really want it, you can make time for it.
Speaker 1:Oof. That brings up like a hot take I have, because you know it's like this, teaching classes and even little things in my own life, like when you're consistently showing up late, it's like okay, one or two times you get stuck behind the bus, or like, whatever happens, your cat throws up as you're walking out the door, like whatever. The story is like every once in a while, like, yes, it's thing, shit happens.
Speaker 2:But if you are one of those people that's consistently coming into class 10 minutes late, like it's time to look in the mirror, like do you just need to show up for work consistently 15 to 25 minutes late every single day for the last four years and and I know I'm like I really should get to work earlier and it's a whole thing and you know it's so funny that's. That's one thing that always kind of is a pet peeve of our wonderful mutual friend, your cousin.
Speaker 2:He was late to everything the running joke was the joke, he'll be late to his own funeral and I was always like, oh, that really bothers me. And now I'm the exact fucking same way.
Speaker 1:You spent too much time and I have to undo that pattern, yeah, so it's like it really matters who you spend your time around. And it's funny because there is a part of me that's like I'm as a human made thing, it's a human construct, like it's fake, like blah, blah, blah, but it's like okay, but it's still a thing that we have to deal with as human beings. It's part of the human experience. So, like, let's reel it in a practice of mine too. But you know, like if I'm teaching a class and I'm committed to that, like I I'm there, I'm, I'm starting class on time. You know, a lot of my students laugh because I'm like this bus, this train, it leaves on time. There is no, we will not wait for you. And, um, I think like we have watered down the practice a little bit. Like it's really hard. In Rhode Island, I don't think you can find a class that's longer than 60 minutes anymore and that's bad, I know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the whole what I just came from. It was a lot of. I just remember our key Qigong teacher being like this is far East practices and like the difference between now, like especially modern day, like US yoga practices, versus the entire week I just had. It's not the same thing at all, but you have to meet people halfway, which is what's available to the masses, which is this 60 minute, you know hot flow, yeah, and it really is a gateway. It is a gateway and I think it's really important to have exceptionally well-read and well-trained professionals like you in the yoga sphere who are able to, at the beginning of class or at the end of class, bring in a mantra or just bring in some sort of educational sentence or two that get people further along the path, to say this isn't just an exercise, this is an embodiment practice.
Speaker 1:Yes, there is a book. I'm going to recommend this book highly to you and to literally everyone listening. It's called how Yoga Works. I'll link it in the show notes.
Speaker 1:I'm not sure who the author is off the top of my head but it was one of the most life changing books that I read, because it really did. It's a story, it's a, it's a fiction story, um, but it's meaning is so deep and it really hits on all the limbs of yoga in such a tangible, digestible way for someone who, just like loves fiction, like you, don't even have to be into yoga to really get a lot out of this book, like I have. I seriously it's like a four or 500 page book, but I probably have like 70 tabs in there. It was so powerful and it talks about planting the seed. Like the person might even not be ready, like we've said, everything happens at the right time and place, but sometimes those seeds need to be planted so that further down the path it's like you know that seed was already planted, so now it's being nurtured, now you're getting the signs and it comes more and more. So even just talking about this planting the seed in those 60 minute classes, like yes, that's going to further along people's practice, definitely so.
Speaker 1:The book is called how yoga works. Definitely read it. I'll link it in the show notes, for sure.
Speaker 2:I just got another book given to me. It's called yoga and the quest for the true self. Have you heard of that?
Speaker 1:No, um, you'll have to send it to me too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I will. I haven't like read it yet, but, um, I guess the author is a psychotherapist, so, um, he he's like exploring you know, what they call contemporary psychology of Eastern traditions? Oh, very cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you probably love it. I think that we have. You know, we've compartmentalized and segmented every part and facet of life, and part of doing yoga or practicing yogic philosophy is like learning to come back together as one, like it's all connected.
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:So where in Portugal were you? Where was this retreat space?
Speaker 2:So where in Portugal were you? Where was this retreat space? So, for anyone who has reference points, I was in the southwest part of the country and I think a popular hotspot right now is what they call the Algarve region. So I was just above that, minutes from a coastline. We did go into a beach town one day, but I was in like a deep hilly countryside of Portugal. Um, what was interesting about the property where I was is that there's some you know local lore that the place has been. People have been going there since like the 12th century. Um, because this woman who they call the lady of Arata uh, I was at a retreat center called Monte da Arata. Um, apparently she had a healing well on her property, so people would go there for specific healing reasons and they would like bathe in her well. So it was super interesting background of the property. Well, so it was super interesting background of the property. No less, I'm there for a Kundalini retreat, so it was like this whole kind of like magnificent orb over the place.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, I got the goosebumps again. That sounds absolutely incredible.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So I'm pretty sure I saw that well, and it's just so interesting to be somewhere and like I'm, like I'm trying to imagine so hard people coming on like foot and by horseback, you know, through this makeshift trail and just like pouring Now you wouldn't go in the well, it's like murky and disgusting, but just you know being like wow, I'm in this place and then trying to feel or just envision. It's definitely an interesting activity for the mind.
Speaker 1:I mean, retreats are so powerful because there's something powerful about doing yoga or whatever you're doing at that retreat every day.
Speaker 2:Yeah well, it's the collective energy which is what they're teaching you is the only true consciousness form and traveling like.
Speaker 1:there's something about traveling that really just like shifts your energy, shifts your perspective. And if you're privileged enough to be able to travel like, yeah, travel far, travel wide, like, immerse yourself in the culture.
Speaker 2:Truly, I was even so impressed going through the airports because the workers who you know, I'm assuming they live in Portugal, they are speaking English, they're speaking Portuguese, they're speaking Italian, french, like they're so, like, immersed in culture and, granted, europe has an easier time being bilingual than Americans, but I was just like, oh, I'm so monocultured.
Speaker 1:I know, and I think it's because, like I mean, this is like a total projection and just like a theory that's popping in my head right now. But like right now, america is the melting pot of the world, or was at one point, was is um, but it's like.
Speaker 1:I live in a rural spot um, but it's like I live in a rural spot. True, there's so many cultures here that I think, like, like you said, we just it kind of all. Just you realize it's really one like I talk about this. I come from an Italian background. We are very, um, as traditional as Italians can be in America. I think, um, we still definitely. I mean, yeah, you, you know, um Sunday dinner every single week, and like, moving across the country, I just realized that there are a lot of cultures that do the same thing and and that's beautiful. So, like, yeah, we're all more alike than we are different, coming back together as one, and nothing makes you realize that more than travel together as one and nothing makes you realize that more than travel, travel, yep, and or even, I think, just culture and language.
Speaker 2:So, with my business, I'm at our local farmers markets and I actually met a dog recently who. The dog was born in Italy and she came over to the US through a rescue organization, so the people who had her, um, her commands, were in Italian, basically. So they're, they don't speak Italian and they just had to, like, speak to this dog. They're like manja, like for a snack, and it just goes to show you like the dog is perfectly functioning like any other dog. But it's just like the difference of language can really make such a like, a unique on an individual, just like how you understand things and how you perceive things. It's like I feel like it was the same, for you know, watching that dog interaction with the human and realizing, just because it has Italian commands, doesn't mean it's not the same as my dog, and it's like you think about that, with language and people, we think we're so different, but really it's all the same.
Speaker 1:Yes, I know, and I think that that's a really important message to just like hammer home coming through these next few weeks where, like, it's the agenda to make us divided.
Speaker 2:Yes, how, how, how loving and beautiful it would be if we were all like oh yeah, we are freaking interconnected and one it's like I'm sorry, and one with a capital, capital O.
Speaker 1:Realize your oneness. It's just like it's crazy and I talk about this a lot too there's 108 beads in mala beads. There's 108 beads in rosary beads. It's like there's no fucking coincidence there, right?
Speaker 2:Right, and with all these different practices I've, you know, just seen, like with the Kundalini and even with the Qigong practice and even with reiki, which I'm trained in, it's like they're all talking about energy centers and initially they're all a little bit different, but it's like a main channel or it's like the main kind of areas of the body and it's like there's why else would these different ancient cultures come up with the same freaking idea of how the body is supposed to function?
Speaker 1:um well, it must be true yeah, yeah, because they knew something that we didn't. They were, I think they were way more connected to, like body, mind, spirit. I come back to that all the time. I mean it's the, it's the root of yoga, the joining of body, mind and spirit, and I think that when those channels are open and your channels are open and clear, like you can really tap into these concepts on another level. It's like we have probably forgotten so much knowledge. I mean, there's no coincidence that the ancient Egyptians believed that humans had like five or 600 different senses, and we believe we have. What taste, smell?
Speaker 2:Oh, interesting, and I bet some of those were energy senses.
Speaker 1:Right, Exactly Like.
Speaker 2:I mean in Kundalini they say you have like an orb around your body for so many inches or feet, you know, and it's like how does that interact with other people's like energy orbs?
Speaker 1:Yes, and I mean that's our magnetic fields, like you, Right, the trees have the same thing. Yes, yeah, magnetic fields. Like you right, the trees have the same thing.
Speaker 2:yes, yeah, oh, and animals do too, right, so that's kind of where I'm.
Speaker 2:I'm, I'm intrigued now, you know, learning about kundalini energy and the human body. It's like how do I pioneer some sort of research field looking at kundalini energy or some other definition of it in a canine's body, because I have had trainings in animal Reiki and they deal with a chakra system. But then when you learn about Reiki, it's like it initially didn't even operate from a chakra system. It was just the haras, which are the head, the heart and the belly. So you could just assume that if you're working with an animal for energy healing, you're maybe just going to deal with the head, the heart and the belly, you know. But then you learn about the Reiki system of the dog and their most important one is called the brachial chakra, which humans don't even have, and that's like their connection point with humans, which is so important, and most dogs on the planet don't have a strong brachial connection because they don't have a good human connection. So it's just like the interaction of energy is so important, I think, for individuals and then interactions with others.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so talk more about like what your session looks like when you do one of your pet and pet parent sessions.
Speaker 2:And I actually started using sound bowls. So I'll offer Reiki with the human and then I'll actually play sound bowls and then I go into my Reiki offering with the dog, and with each one I'm obviously going down, whether you call it a main channel or chakra systems. I'm finding those major areas in each body and just hovering over it. And for me this summer I've been so busy with the farmer's markets that I haven't offered grounding sessions because my energy hasn't been there.
Speaker 2:I think what's so important with Reiki is like you learn. You have to cultivate the energy from, like, your sacral center. You have to bring fire to the energy you have in your own body and then you need to connect with it. So that's like when practitioners bring their hands together, you're like connecting to it, and then you need to be strong enough in your own practice that not only have you connected to it, you're now sharing it with the individual in front of you or you're offering it too.
Speaker 2:So I've been so busy recently that this retreat was such a good reset like a nervous system reset and just an energy reset to be able to go into the fall and winter, when I'm busier with these sessions, to really be able to offer a strong energy because you're just sharing your energy. It's been super interesting. At first I just wanted to work with dogs and then I realized there's such an inter personal relationship obviously between dogs and humans, yeah that you can't treat a dog for high anxiety or trauma when the humans running around like a chicken with their head cut off, like you need to be able to treat both. But you can't always tell people hey, maybe you should go to yoga and your dog would be more calm.
Speaker 1:So I tried to create this session where they could both come and just be and relax for a little bit together. Oh I love that. And then that creates more connection and trust through animal and human.
Speaker 1:Exactly, it strengthens the brachial chakra that I was talking about before that I was talking about before and I think a lot of you know, many of us now where we've chosen adoption for our choice of how to get an animal, like breeding is something we're looking at and it happens and there's a safe way to do it and not whatever your opinion is on that but like if a dog is adopted, like sometimes you don't know the situation they're coming from, like you know it's always terrible.
Speaker 2:I mean there's trauma from either before they're born or immediately after they're born, if they're really coming from a true adoption right and that organization like you said, if they're traveling they're, they're weaned from their mom, probably too early, or moms, you know.
Speaker 2:They just don't get that bonding with the mother, so they don't really have this like foundation of trust and love to begin with. So I think Reiki is with animal work. It's really helping to pull off the, the lampshades that individuals gather of of fear and diminishing their light of darkness. So Reiki helps to sort of like unpeel the layers of of that darkness, because you're trying to share the light.
Speaker 1:Right, and animals are so much more sensitive and tapped into energies than we are because we've shut it off for so long.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think, like what you were saying with senses, like they obviously have more senses than we do and they're certainly energetic fields. Yes, my two trainings for animal Reiki in particular was at horse farms and it was absolutely incredible Horses I'm not around them ever, so they're just like huge creatures and to actually see one after we started offering Reiki, like laid down on its side as if a dog, would you know, it was like whoa.
Speaker 1:That's pretty cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's a lot of people. I'm sorry not people, but there is a lot of research with horses, in particular for like healing.
Speaker 1:Yes, so one of my first retreats was actually to stow, and it was a yoga retreat that also had horse yoga and that was like one of the equine therapy. And we literally did yoga on horseback. It was the craziest experience of my life and it was so cool, huge Clydesdale horse, like she was massive.
Speaker 2:That's so beautiful and it's like horses too, once you kind of learn a little bit about them. They're similar to dogs in the sense that you know they don't always live in the best environment and they're super traumatized in some way. And you know a lot of them are show horses, so they're just yeah, if they don't do well, they're probably not living well, and then they get arthritis young and they're shipped off from their owner when they're done racing. It's the same thing as a dog that doesn't have a permanent home.
Speaker 1:Oh, it just makes me want to save all the animals.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's terrible. I mean, that's where I really I'm so impressionable and whether it's an energy boundary I need to continue to set for myself or just learn how to work with it, like I'll learn about something and I'll be so down and I'm like there's no way, you know, I'll never, I'll never give all the horses a great life. I'll never give all the dogs a great life, and I get overwhelmed by how negative and disappointing most life is for, for individuals or beings rather. But then you have to, I have to flip that mindset into a positive, like I can only do what I can and and look what I'm doing, you know yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1:And this summer, like I feel like the farmer's market's just watching your social media, it's just, it's growing and growing. And Noah, um my, my nephew, my dog nephew, he approves of the burdock bites Definitely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the farmer's market has been certainly a fantastic way to spread education. For me, I need to balance between, like wanting to have a cohesive sales pitch and but also educating owners, because your average owner isn't well informed of herbal, herbal like remedies or not even remedies, but just herbal supports. So you know they're like, if it didn't come from my veterinarian, I'm gonna have to, I'm gonna have to ask my veterinarian or I need to do my own research and it's like, hey, I'm standing in front of you and I've done the research, like I wouldn't be offering this if, if I thought it could harm your dog in some way. So, yeah, the farmer's market.
Speaker 2:For those of you who don't follow Root Paws Wellness yet, we do herbal infused, mostly ingestible products, but I have a couple external products that just use really basic herbal wellness. I mean everything that I work with, the biggest one being burdock root, but then plantain leaf, yarrow and calendula flower. It all grows in my area, so it's not like it's a rare herb that I'm working with. They're all very common and they're also supportive of certain systems of the body, which goes back to all of certain breathing types that you're doing in yoga classes, because you're expanding, like the lung, the breath, work of the body which is beneficial to support the individual as a whole. So I think herbs and yoga do have a space for wellness, you know, for humans and of course, dogs aren't going to do yoga, although you could do yoga with dogs finding ways, finding ways like the grounding session to also work with them on, like a bioenergetic path, just to support their body as a whole. It's what I'm super interested in and what's what I'm trying to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that. I love that I'm. This is something that speaks to my heart. To like. You know, I think you might know our childhood dog passed away when he was seven because he was like riddled with cancer and it was like a completely healthy, fairly young dog and all of a sudden not, and it could be genetics or whatever. But like also we need to look at like not that regulation matters, because we know that America's food is trash and we allow way more chemicals and, um yeah, in the food system and they have such better regulations over there, and then which makes you think, is their dog food better?
Speaker 1:right, exactly because you look at dog food or cat food and these companies don't have any regulations at all. So like, really truly, what the fuck are we feeding our animals? And that's a hard for people.
Speaker 2:Most, most people we know love their dog or their animal, but it's a hard truth that food is convenient and it's possibly, definitely most likely not not energetically the best or even on a cellular level the best thing that you can be feeding them. But convenience is really. It's a killer, it's a silent killer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know it goes back to like what I was talking about bread. Like bread is so easy to make, it's stupid. And like how have we gotten to the point where we don't know how to make bread? It's so complicated. But all the bread that you buy at the store has like 700 ingredients in it, when you can make it at home with five.
Speaker 2:Right, humans have been eating bread since like the dawn of time and now, all of a sudden, people are like I have celiac and it's like I think we should. Yeah, I think we should look at the glyphosate that we're, you know, spraying during a life cycle for these crops and like how is that affecting your body versus what you make a sourdough? And like how is that affecting your body versus?
Speaker 1:you know what you make a sourdough Right, I mean even the flour that we buy here, even buying organic flour, but I think I you know it is easy to get pulled down these rabbit holes of like the dark thoughts, but also like going the other way.
Speaker 2:What can you?
Speaker 1:do? You can make bread at home. You vote with your dollars every single day. So, yeah, organic in this country might not be like the best, most organic, but you're making a choice to vote with your dollars and the more that there's a demand. I eat all the dollars.
Speaker 2:And it's the same thing with dogs. Like you know, people aren't going to make their homemade dog food every week, but you can augment or you can cut down the amount of kibble you feed and and bring in bone broth, yogurt, squashes, ground beef like. Bring in fresh food that's not compact and dried and sprayed with chemicals and you're making a huge difference.
Speaker 1:Yes, my animals actually eat like a lot of of real food and, like you said, it doesn't have to be hard. Like my brother, he makes big batches of like what we call like Noah stew and it has like two different types of fish in it. It has like some animal organs in it and basically, like we use, all of the vegetable scraps go to him and so like you're also making your food last longer and then he just freezes it in big giant batches You're pairing that with dry food right Right.
Speaker 1:And he also he freezes it in big giant batches so it's easy. When he needs a new one he just pulls it out. So he's making them once every couple of weeks. And yeah, I mean, I don't know the dog is, I think he's going to be six, so like we'll see how that goes. But same thing with my cats. They're 10 and a half and they've always had supplements of fish, of egg yolks, of like pretty much whatever meat I was eating. It's funny, my black cat she actually is a diva and she will eat like smoked salmon, but she won't eat animal organs. You won't eat that. But my gray cat loves her some chicken liver, I think that fish or seafood.
Speaker 2:You know they say the blue zones for people living the longest, they're always Mediterranean zones and they're eating a lot of fish and the oldest dog that they have on record was like over 30 years old and he was actually from Portugal Bodie, I believe, was his name, and they're like so to the owner what did you feed him? And he's like the dog basically ate what we ate, just like without heavy seasoning, and they ate a lot of freaking fish. Yeah, my dog gets sardines and, honestly, last night I was celebrating an anniversary by myself because my fiance is away, and so I made myself scallops and I saved two for the dog, so I actually just simmered hers in water instead of mine, I sauteed it in ghee and I gave her scallops with her dinner and they were the first thing she ate. She like smelled her food and she was like chomp, chomp. It's like they, they want it. You know if they're doing that, they're like yes, I'm being satiated.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I mean, yeah, I mean, would you want to eat dry kibble every day? No, I wouldn't.
Speaker 2:And like dry cereal.
Speaker 1:That's like imagine if you were like you're gonna get dry cereal in the morning, at night, for the rest of your life and nothing else.
Speaker 2:That's what I have to politely say to people at the farmer's market. Like, even before we switched, we do make our homemade dog food, but that you know I understand that I do go above and beyond. Just, it's mostly operating from a place of anxiety, but I do make homemade dog food. But if you're not, before she was when she was still on kibble we were even just adding like goat's milk to that and it looked like cereal or, like you know, milk and cereal.
Speaker 2:Because I tell people when I'm explaining burdock root in particular, which is what my treats are made with you, with wellness and with the functioning of your cells you want to keep them moist and you want to keep them flowing. The functioning of your cells you want to keep them moist and you want to keep them flowing. So, thinking about eating something dry every day, you're like taking away constantly a moist environment for the cells and it's getting drier and drier because they're just breaking down dry food. But if you're feeding food that's moist, wet, it's been baked, whatever, then you're kind of mirroring that cell environment that it likes. Like people say, melons, you don't need to really break down a melon because it just assimilates, like the energy into the cell, because it's, you know, your cell is like, watery fluid is what it lives in, and melons, you know, you break it down into like watery fluid. So you need to kind of match that over time with feeding, I would say, yourself, or with a dog.
Speaker 1:Yes, because we start to. If you look at like Eastern philosophy is like, as we start to age, the systems get drier.
Speaker 2:Well, it's just dehydration really. I mean, look at wrinkles people. You know I went down a rabbit hole of of the raw food movement and you can find people who thrive in meat eating movements as well as people who thrive being like raw vegans and when they look good as they age, it's because they're moist, like it doesn't matter if it's coming from raw beef liver because that moist, or if it's coming from watermelons, right. I mean people will argue it does matter the source, but overall, you know they're not eating. They're not eating, like you said, cheerios and having that be like the best prototype for a human.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, I can't even picture buying that stuff in the grocery store anymore.
Speaker 2:Well and it's just. You know, like you go back to the yoga like as a collective whole, when the masses are eating crap and we're just sick all the time, we're not doing energy work. I mean, we are just defending victims rather than creating our environment in our life. When we're just, we don't have a lot of money so we're not buying good food and you know, nobody's going to rise up into collective consciousness when reading McDonald's.
Speaker 1:Right, and it's almost as if it was by design.
Speaker 2:It's so bad. I try so hard to put the tinfoil hat away because, again, I think I have very high functioning anxiety and I'm like, damn, I can't put on another tinfoil hat. But you're like, it's so true, they don't want us like chanting OM in the morning.
Speaker 1:I wonder why Too hard to control when people are happy and healthy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and taking care of one another, like. I think you know you'll laugh because there's this Armin Van Buren song alone, and I probably know it. I have played it in probably like countless yoga classes because the lyrics to it just hit so hard. I'm gonna have to listen to it today.
Speaker 1:The dawn of the internet has made us like so connected so easily and, like I've said before on this podcast, it's a beautiful thing because you're in Vermont, I'm in Rhode Island and we are still able to podcast. I have podcasted with people literally all over the country at this point and so, yes, technology is a beautiful thing, but it has also like ruined our connection. Like we've lost touch with like who is neighbor. Like neighbor is me yep, you look at that in so many different cultures and philosophies and religions and it's all like take care of your neighbor, but we've really lost that. Like so many of us are just walking around with our heads in our phones and like when's the last time you like smiled at somebody you walked by or like I don't know, just like made a connection in person with someone?
Speaker 2:I totally agree. It's like the wrong. The wrong way to cultivate community is online, but right now it's the best way to keep you sane, sometimes like even just having a community. But you know, we're we're supposed to thrive in small communities.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes. So having that connectedness, it's so important and it's something that I was definitely brought up with. Like I am insanely close to some of my cousins. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't talk to them and we're pretty much together every single weekend, like I said, sunday dinner, weekday dinner. I have such a close family connection and I really am sad for people who don't have that in friends or family, because we're lucky enough to have that in family friends too, that have become family, and I think it's so important to be a healthy, well-rounded person.
Speaker 1:And if you don't have that, create it. Like you said, we are creators of our own world. So if you, you know, it's like, if you're a great example of this, like you could be downtrodden by the food in this country, the animal products, like we're literally poisoning our animals with pharmaceuticals, just like we're doing to ourselves, and you can get thrust into that where you're just like only thinking about the bad. Or like you decided to stand up and go to these farmers markets, educate, work with pets and their pet parents and really make a difference Because, like I said, you're planting that seed to that one person. But like that one person is especially if you help them, that one person is going to tell countless people and you just are the ripple effect that you want to see.
Speaker 2:Exactly Be the change that you wish to see.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it sounds cliche and stupid, but like it is the way. It's the only way, yep.
Speaker 2:When the individual is taking steps to better the whole. I mean, that's what all these Eastern practices are teaching anyways. With you know, just going within and finding the best version of yourself, you're, you're helping the collective consciousness right and showing up as that person.
Speaker 1:And then you inspire people to do the same you give them. You're the permission slip. That's like, hey, I am my best authentic self. I'm like gonna continue to be on these practices and to continue to discover like you give people permission to do the same thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think just a lot of people say which is? Transparency is not the right word, but being able to see somebody else doing something like representation is important, whether it's a certain way that you feel or just something that you want to do. If somebody else is being that or doing that, then it's easier to take the steps to align yourself on that trajectory.
Speaker 1:Yes, and it's so courageous, like you could go and be another cog in the wheel, but you've like, tried and you've stepped out and you like I think you're I say this all the time Everyone who comes on this podcast they're not only talking the talk, but they're walking the walk, and you're definitely one of those people Like. It started with your own internal healing where you were just like going to yoga for fitness, maybe like a body mind thing, and then it like really leads you on this path of like further self-discovery.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and just what's going to make you happier, what's going to make your light shine? At first, I just want to go to yoga, to uh, I don't know, because I run and I've got tight hips. And then three years later I'm like know, because I run and I've got tight hips.
Speaker 1:And then three years later I'm like let's continue to make my light shine in this certain way and I think you know going back to what we said before about talking about these yogic principles and realizing that there there's more than the asana to the practice, and I keep going back to this in my classes there are eight limbs of yoga. I keep going back to this in my classes. There are eight limbs of yoga. The first two have nothing to do with anything in the asana. Before you even get to asana, there are a list of observances and practices that really like yes, it has something to do with the physical, like hygiene, like taking care of yourself, but also there is a heavy emphasis on just being a good person nonviolence, non-stealing you know what's?
Speaker 2:interesting. I went to the market yesterday and I didn't have a list of what I needed. I just walked around and grabbed some stuff and my receipt the amount of money I needed to pay, was $66 and 66 cents. And the guy who was at the checkout counter, he's like, wow, like great numbers, like happy equinox. He's actually an astrologer, so he was like and I told him oh, I hope that's good, ha ha ha. Like I know 369 are universal numbers, but six kind of has a negative connotation, and he started laughing. He's like, actually, in a repetition like this, it's about like nurturing self care and like you're on the road to like nurturing that. And I was like, oh, that's so fabulous, because I just drenched my scalp in oil, like, as you know, like an Ayurvedic practice to like oil yourself.
Speaker 1:And like you just got back from this retreat and like what a message and a sign from the universe. Like you were saying, outputting so much energy over the summer, and like now starting to feel like you're retreating, you're going back to like get that little message of like oh yeah, hey, by the way, you're on the right path.
Speaker 2:I know, honestly, I I really hyper fixate on things and I was like, damn, I needed number one, the retreat, like it was such a reset, and two, for you know my angel numbers yesterday to be like 6666. And it's like, oh, like great job You're doing. You're doing great sweetie.
Speaker 1:Not only that, but to have somebody in line that was sent as like a little angel, to be a confirmation, to be like hey, this is, I'm an astrologer and this is actually what this means. Yes, exactly, that is.
Speaker 2:And he was like oh, it's the Equinox to to you know. And so we were just like wow, all the the powerful numerology was hitting, like your guides could not have been sending you a signier sign. It's like hey, I bought, like everything that I did. Hey, you're on the right path and it's so important I, you know, I feel like we, we think there's such a timeline to find the right path, but there, really isn't like.
Speaker 1:That's why all of life is the path, the journey is the destination, and you get so caught up.
Speaker 2:You're like you know, do I go to? Do I go to undergrad? Do I go to grad school? Should I be married by this age? Should I have kids? And it's like the entire existence is what do they say? The destination is the journey. Like it's you really can't compare. And yeah, everybody just needs to be on their journey. Like it's you really can't compare. And yeah, everybody just needs to be on their own path because it's. It's happening as it should, with a little bit of effort and recognition on your part.
Speaker 1:Yes, and just honoring those ups and downs and all arounds and like this is the human experience. We came here to sign up for this, to like the human experience. We came here to sign up for this, to like know what this is like and even what. Go ahead Sorry. No, it's okay, you go.
Speaker 2:I was just going to say I don't I don't tap too much into like, what numerology represents in a hardcore way, but there is this one woman on the retreat and she was also a Kundalini teacher and she was definitely like 70 perhaps, and she was just like, oh, I don't even know what the pre context of the sentence was, but she was like, yeah, this is my final lifetime, this is my eighth life, basically, and she's like I am so ready and it was so interesting like for someone to be like this is my eighth lifetime. Like she said, she's, all of her numerology has, like, pointed her to that statement. Oh, that's funny. Yeah, it was. When you get 28 individuals from around five different countries, like the people were extraordinary.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's amazing to be influenced and to honor, like I said, other people like you guys are coming from vastly different places, experiences, life, upbringings, and you were all brought to this place at exactly the same time.
Speaker 2:Yep, and you know, also talking about a group setting, it was interesting to hear at least four or maybe more women out of 28 that I met all had cancer journeys that they shared. And so it's like, you know, going back to the whole food thing or lifestyle, it's like the rate of cancer for humans, and even for dogs it's actually higher than humans. It's like one in three or one in two instead of one in four, like for humans, let's say, and it's like there's not that much to question why. Why your cells are unhappy, you know Right.
Speaker 1:Like. The answer is actually quite obvious. It's literally right in front of us.
Speaker 2:Cultivating these important ancient practices that move stagnation in the body and and just creating an awareness of how you're feeding the body. It again seems so simple, but it's so contrasting and people are so polarized. And yes, and we've been.
Speaker 1:Oh well, the government says it's safe, so it must be safe.
Speaker 2:The science says it's true, so it must be true, it's incredible and they're like get a free burger voucher if you get this medicine injected into you, and I'm like what is happening.
Speaker 1:Is that brain melting, cellular wellness? But it's so important to have these conversations and to also realize like, yeah, there is another end of the spectrum and we have to honor our differences in knowing that we're all way more similar and the and the people who have are strongly opinionated against somebody else's opinion.
Speaker 2:It's like you have the most work to be doing, you know. Unless somebody else's opinion, it's like you have the most work to be doing, you know. Unless somebody else's opinion is like gruesomely harming a being, like you have to be able to meet somebody halfway or agree to disagree like that. That is the cohesiveness, harmony that you learn and, like all these yoga practices and even some religions, it's like treat others the way you would treat yourself.
Speaker 2:Yes, but that's a whole other story for maybe another podcast, because some of us aren't treating ourselves very nicely at all, right, you wake up, you're pounding stimulants, you know you're, you're not moving, and again it's, it's you're going to this job you hate, or like, yeah, that's why I'm late. All the time I don't want to be there anyway, so I'm going to show up late, but it's a, it's a stepping stone for me to hopefully get where I want to be.
Speaker 1:I really, I see amazing things, like I already have seen, like your energy just expand and grow over this last summer and, honestly, looking at all of your posts from the farmer's markets, like I'm extremely proud to have a friend like you.
Speaker 2:Thank you. It certainly has been, again a lot of energy output, which is why going to this retreat was so such a good soaking in, like encouraging an energy increase in my body because I felt I felt depleted. But I'm super excited and I actually hired a business coach and she was like what's it called Constructive criticism. She's like it seems like the farmers markets are a waste of your time like financially, because it's a long day and you know versus the sales and prepping for them. She's like you might be better off going to stores like pet food stores and trying to get like your biscuits in the pet food store stores like pet food stores, and trying to get like your biscuits in the pet food store. And I was like I see where you're coming from, but having the interaction that I get to have with number one dogs and the number two people who care and love about their dogs is so rewarding.
Speaker 1:Yes, and, like you said, for even the people who might be like on the fence about it, you're planting a seed.
Speaker 2:Oh, for sure they're even skeptical. They say, oh, thanks for the info. I got to talk to my vet. Or they just kind of like, look at me and keep walking, Even, even they might be like. You know, I can check the analytics of my website and see like it's spiked nine times after a market because somebody is checking me out afterwards.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, and you know, so like I'll give some constructive criticism to even what your, your business coach said. Maybe it's finding the balance between both, you know, from one projector to another we talked about that on our last podcast about you being a projector.
Speaker 2:you Nikki me Well and it's especially just getting yourself out there. I need to waste time talking because I need to. Just you know, I need to create the awareness.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean you definitely have. For me it's things I already have known. Like I was using like flea and tick stuff on my cats, who are indoor cats, and finally I got to the point where it's like why am I putting this on them? Like, first of all, it's toxic to them, it's fucking toxic to me.
Speaker 2:I have such a hard time. Again back to my self-diagnosed high functioning anxiety. I have a hard time with tick stuff in particular because I live in an endemic area and so.
Speaker 2:I just it's like you have to. People need to be comfortable with what they're doing or with what they're not doing. I think each of them have pros and cons and just finding what works for you and your pet, while also a hundred percent being aware that, yeah, oral flea and tick medication is a microtoxin, like a neurotoxin. It's like I haven't listened to your face yoga episode yet, but I'm sure you talk about Botox as a neurotoxin.
Speaker 2:We do yeah Same thing as if I'm given like Simparica trio. Hello, why do you think that tick is dying If it's sucking blood like?
Speaker 1:I never even thought of it that way. That is crazy.
Speaker 2:Well, and then it just, you know, over many years it does. It must pile up in the body, especially if you're not treating with herbal support. You know, with that lymphatic system, like burdock root would be a great thing for a dog who is on traditional flea and tick medication, because it's moving the lymph system and it's supporting the cell lining of the gut, and so it's like there needs to be a way for all these toolkits that people have for wellness to be cohesive, and that's why a space like your podcast that's like shining light on all of these toolkits that people have it's so important to have a library of this stuff and then figure out which of these books work for you.
Speaker 1:Yes, that's my goal. That is like why I'm here, that's what I want to keep putting out, and actually that's a great segue to talk about, like what's coming next. I actually have this little secret project that I'm working on. So, stay tuned on nearly enlightenedcom. It's under construction right now but, like in the next couple weeks you should have, there should be a new, actually like several new things coming.
Speaker 2:I'll be staying tuned. Like I said, I am your target audience, so being on your podcast was nerve wracking because I'm like, oh, I listen to episodes and I'm like I look up the person and I schedule a session with them. Or I'm like, oh, this is so relevant to me, so it's just hoping that wellness, of course it's relevant to people, but like dog stuff, yoga stuff, like how do you? How?
Speaker 1:do you politely share your journey with someone so that they'll think it's interesting? Well, you definitely did that, and I can't wait for you to come back on and you did great for your first podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm so happy, thank you. I listen to so many podcasts.
Speaker 1:I'm so happy you finally decided to come on and I hope you so many podcasts. I'm so happy you finally decided to come on and I hope you come on again.
Speaker 2:I would love that and before we wrap up, I did have like, since you facilitate asking people questions, I do have a very important question for you.
Speaker 1:I love that Okay.
Speaker 2:It's so important I'm nervous. It's so important I'm nervous, so you can get back to me not on the podcast, if you like momentarily think that that would be better, but your listeners may have picked up on. I said fiance at one point. It's so funny, like going from boyfriend to like, oh, this is my fiance. So I'm getting married for sure next September and I would love if you would consider being in my bridal squad.
Speaker 1:But I don't have to think about that at all. Absolutely 100%. Yes, oh my God, I so appreciate you.
Speaker 2:And I, yeah, I just I really like with the whole path thing and paths lead you places. I think like me being involved with you, know family members of yours, and then, on the other side, getting a relationship with you. It's it's been so enriching for me and really important in my journey, so I would love if you were a part of my bridal squad.
Speaker 1:Would love to be. It would be my honor. I am seriously emotional. I don't know if you notice it. I know my eyes are tearing.
Speaker 2:I'm absolutely We'll have to change the episode name now.
Speaker 1:I just want to say you are one of my soul sisters and very best friends and I'm so happy you came on this podcast and that you've been supporting me literally for like close to a decade now. I just I love you. I don't know what I would do without you and I'm honored to be part of your day.
Speaker 2:Yay, honored to be part of your day and, uh yep, your podcast. And I'm staying tuned Like when you do have a retreat someday, I'll be there, so keep going.
Speaker 1:Um, if somebody wants to work with you, where can they find you?
Speaker 2:I am the most active on my Instagram account, which is at root pause wellness. Um, you can also visit my website, root pause wellnesscom, and if you want to email me or fill out my contact form, just to stay in touch. Right now I'm not shipping products online, but I do hope to come into that in the future, so if you are ever in Vermont, look me up. Grounded sessions are conducted in person and markets throughout the year.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for coming on, mick, thank you, thank you Great way to start a Monday. Great way to start a Monday. Never miss a Monday. Never miss a Monday. Thank you for listening to the Nearly Enlightened podcast. Thank you for listening, subscribing, sharing and doing all of the things. If you haven't yet, please do that. Sharing is caring. I literally put my heart and soul into this, so every time that I see any kind of interaction, it really just makes my day. We'll see you next time.