“Slowing Down=Power” Playlist

I am looking out my window at wet leaves glistening and swaying as a storm sweeps through and feeling a shift in the room.  The air cools and all my previous cursing of this blazing sticky hot Kentucky day changes to gratitude.  Time stops for a while.

It seems like the perfect moment to share a playlist.  If you haven’t heard, I am a huge fan of mixing fashion with spirituality (and music!).  Part of my vision is to pair mantras with clothing.

My favorite definition of spirituality is “management of the mind,” (from Amma the hugging saint!)  Mantras are a great tool to do that.

The mantra I’ve been reflecting on so much lately is ‘go slow.’  It has dawned on me in recent months that slowing down= power.  In celebration of that here is a playlist I made that’s full of songs that remind one to slow down.  Enjoy!

Read more about my thoughts on slowing down.

 

Fall Items

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Mantra Made’s First Photoshoot!

Hi.  In case you’re ever wondering what the behind-the-scenes of a handmade/ upcycled clothing photoshoot is like, here ya go!   It’s basically in your back yard, with friends and neighbors, random objects you find like a rickety ladder, a blanket, and whatever else the imagination can come up with.

When the sun started going down the weather felt like fall, and the sky was filled with small white puffy clouds- it was gorgeous!  I can’t wait to see the photographer’s pics. Thanks for taking a peek at this and stay tuned for the launch of official Mantra Made!

Slowing Down

There is a theme I’ve been contemplating all month.  It’s a mantra that whispers to me in the middle of a busy work day to take a deep breath.  When I’m about to rush into the next activity it says “relax and sit in meditation first.”   It tells me it’s ok to cancel plans when my body needs rest. The mantra is slow down.

Have you ever considered there is great power in slowing down?  I think in our culture it is mistakenly thought that power comes from forging ahead, speeding up, rushing to the finish line.  But the problem with rushing is you skip over what’s important in the process- you.  And in that regard you probably don’t enjoy the process much at all.  On the other hand, great empowerment comes from spending time with you, getting to know you, loving you.

Slowing down has become so important to me that I have started changing my schedule, creating space in my life for slower things.  Some of my favorite ways of slowing down are:

• Taking time to cook for myself and plan meals.
• Catching myself in moments of road rage and letting it go.
• Giving myself a foot soak after work.
• Spending more time on my meditation cushion, even if just to sit and listen to the sound of birds chirping outside my window before work.
• Taking slow walks in the evening or late afternoon.
• Leaving my phone on the charger to hang out with my roommates, have discussions that last over an hour, or be immersed in sewing with a friend and music on in the background.
• Reading books- real, actual books!  I’m currently reading the biography of Queen Elizabeth I.

Slowing down is powerful.  That’s why I’m introducing “slow down” as the theme for Mantra Made’s first collection.  

A little preview of fall’s ‘slow down’ collection!

Mantra beads sewn into the clothes remind you of the mantra ‘slow down’!  

My hope is that these clothes can serve as a reminder of slowing down, and be sort of a ‘wearable mantra,’ a piece that you can take out into the world with you not only physically but also mentally by keeping the mantra that comes with it close.

What do you do to slow down in a hurried world? Have you ever experienced slowing down as more powerful than going fast?

 

What is Mantra?

It occurred to me that the word mantra might sound a bit vague to anyone checking out this site, so today let’s delve a little bit into what ‘mantra’ means.  Basically, a mantra is a chant, prayer, or affirmation. You can even think of it as slogan or phrase that you repeat to yourself because it gives you peace, clarity, or inner confidence.

The Sanskrit root man means ‘to think’ and is related to manas, or ‘mind’.  Tra means ‘instrument’ or ‘tool’.  So, mantra in its most ancient and literal sense is ‘an instrument of thought,’ or ‘a tool of the mind.’

How cool that this tool is available to all!  You don’t have to go to India or Tibet, or even a yoga studio to get the benefits.  You can simply go online and find mantras, read about them and chant them in the comfort of your own home, or silently repeat them in your mind.

One thing I’ve realized is it really helps to have physical items that serve as little tokens or reminders of the mantras you’re working on.  Here are some examples of what I use daily:

Incense to remind me of ‘om nama shivaya’ (peace/ clarity mantra)

Mantra beads to feel, move through my fingers, or count to the syllables of whatever mantra I’m using.

 

This bracelet that my sister bought me that has one of the most powerful mantras: You Are Enough.  Wearing it has a subtle effect, even if I’m not consciously looking at it/ thinking about it.  I just feel more confident and tapped into self-love when I have it on.

Flower essences from my friend Katie’s company Lotus Wei.  Each essence has its own ‘mantra’ or uplifting theme.  When I use it in my water or by the dropperful my mind instantly gets thinking about it …and the flower essences work their magic through my meridians at the same time- pretty sweet!

These Mantra Made scarves (which will be available for sale on this site very soon!)…each of these little beauties has been infused w/ purifying incense and mantra repeated over them so they have a spirit of abundance and inner wealth (Lakshmi) in them!

This monthly kirtan at my local yoga studio that I play drums at.  Truly an amazing experience to be a part of- to get to absorb a room full of loving peace activists changing the world with ancient sacred chanting and bringing community to Louisville.  What a blessing!

 

Thanks for reading!  Stay tuned for some wearable items that will be posted soon and made available for purchase via this site.

Namaste 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launching a Creative Business “Mantra Made”

Hi!  Today I wanted to let you in on a special secret.  Over the past few months I’ve been taking tiny steps to start a creative business and am getting closer each day to releasing it out of its cocoon(!)  The name is Mantra Made and the product is chic, bohemian, or quirky upcycled clothes made with mantra magic!   You can read more about it here.  Join me on this journey!

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Thanks so much for checking this out.  Stay tuned…