Ali poses with her new hair clip created by Rhiannon. 
Visit my store to see more or contact me for special requests.

You've started recycling, making your own compost, and replacing your energy sapping appliances, but have you noticed leaving your eco-friendly mind at home when traveling? These habits should be practiced wherever we go. 

Here are 10 easy ways to get started.
1. Find a Green hotel
Maybe you're a jet-setting business executive, or you've decided on Maui instead of snow--it doesn't matter. These hotels are popping up all over. Search for your favorite on Travelocity or "Green" Hotels Association.
 
2. Skip the the hotel altogether! Go camping and visit a national park or take a small RV on a road trip. In comparison, an RV does less harm than a 747 and less electricity will be used than in a hotel. 
  

3. Go paperless. If flying is the best option, do all of your ticketing online. 

4. If you are going to drive, a few minor maintanence tasks are in order. Make sure your tires are balanced and rotated to increases gas mileage. Waxing your car also decreases some of the wind resistance from your ride. An oil change will help the fuel economy as well.

5. Make your destination a green one. Cities all over the world are becoming more eco-conscious than ever, so show your support by exploring the changes yourself. According to Popular Science, America's Top Ten Green Cities are

Portland, OR

San Francisco, CA

Boston, MA

Oakland, CA

Eugene, OR

Cambridge, MA

Berkeley, CA

Seattle, WA

Chicago, IL

Austin, TX

6. Travel really begins in the home, so before you leave, remember to unplug appliances and set your AC on the lowest setting.

7. Instead of buying your favorite products in travel size, buy in bulk and use reusable containers. Or buy once in travel size and reuse. 
  
8. Pack your water bottle in your carry-on. You may not be able to carry a filled bottle onto the plane, but you can drink from it while you wait and at your final destination. Money saved! 
 
9. Pack a few reusable bags for dirty clothes, or if you're traveling during the holidays, gifts and extra purchases. 
  
10. Plan ahead and try two or three new tips for every trip. There are some marvelous green travel sites that focus primarily on reducing your carbon footprint while on the move. Go Green Travel Green: Green Travel Tips for Savvy Travelers, is a great resource. 

A BIT ABOUT RHI: I have practiced aromatherapy for about 12 years. I say after giving it time-I believe it works. I use Lavender for relieving headaches and menstrual cramps, Eucalyptus for chest colds, Orange for the awakening scent to boost creativity and a dab of Rosemary behind my ear to help with ear aches. I recently added more oils to my collection such as Geranium and Jasmine. Oh the smell of Jasmine reminds me of my Summer in Italy - may dab on the neck some as a natural perfume. 

Tip: Guys try a drop or two of sandalwood oil on the neck or use sandalwood soap- it's a turn on (aphrodisiac), works for me. ; )

BENEFITS OF AROMATHERAPHY:
To better understand aromatherapy benefits, it helps to know how your body processes smells. The sense of smell is pretty powerful. In fact, the body can distinguish around 10,000 different scents! Amazing, isn’t it? Aromatherapy also works by absorbing essential oils into the skin and blood stream. One of the advantages to topical application of diluted essential oils is that they can go directly to the spot where you need them the most. 

As scents are inhaled, the smell travels across the olfactory nerves located inside the nose and then up into the part of the brain that controls our moods, our memories and our ability to learn. This area is called the Limbic System and when stimulated it releases endorphins, neurotransmitters and other 'feel-good' chemicals. Wow! That’s pretty scientific stuff… not to worry, in a nutshell, what all of that means is that smells have a subtle way of effecting your mind and emotions.

Just think of the way you feel when you sniff the scent from a fresh bouquet of flowers versus your reaction when you smell something not so fresh like garbage or burnt toast. A big difference right? 

There are numerous resources on aromatherapy, here is a start www.essentials-of-aromatherapy.com

A BIT ABOUT RHI: To rock me to sleep I chant (quietly in my mind) 'Nam-myoho-renge-kyo,' meaning 'Devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra'. My friend, Ariana taught me this chant 8 yrs ago and out of many chants, this has stuck to me. Pick a mantra you resonates with and say it out loud or to yourself when you feel called to do so. It can be part of your daily routine to start off your morning, while waiting in a traffic jam, or before you go to sleep. You can make up a chant or search for a chant in any religion/language that has a meaning for you. The shorter it is the easier it is to repeatedly say it. 

CHANTING HAS MANY BENEFITS: 
Reduces Anxiety/Depression, Releases Neuroses, It's Soothing, Engenders Compassion, Boosts Immunity, Opens Intuition and more. Go ahead and try it, don't worry if you mess up with the pronunciation, it is the intent behind the mantra that matters.

For more information about this chant visit: http://www.sgi.org/buddhism/sgis-buddhist-practice/nam-myoho-renge-kyo.html

A BIT ABOUT RHI: This photo is my 'playbook'. inspired by author SARK. I've used it since 2002. Holds my goals, as well as goals I've accomplished to remind me anything is possible, inspirational images/words and I use as a visualizing tool to help manifest wishes. I keep my bucket list- things I want to do, be, and/or see. I also use it as a 'mindmap' tool to help get what is inside of me out on paper - integrating the left and right hemispheres. 

I encourage you to find a journal comfortable to use, with lines or blank, spiral or not and a pen that motivates you to write. I like a good black rolling ink pen. It is your playbook to doodle, write what amuses you, collect images of cats if you want, ha but use it and make it one of your best friends. Decide when is best for you to use your book. It can serve as an altar because the I believe the more you visualize the desire, feel it, and think about it- it charges with more energy to manifest. However, be sure to revisit the book each season to see what needs updated, what needs focused, and what needs to be omitted. Sometimes goals no longer serve a need and may be in the subconscious and needs to be informed it is no longer wanted or it may manifest. So be careful for what you ask for, anything is possible.

So start today, visit my store to schedule a Life Mapping skype session.

There is a lot of talk about going green. Thankfully governments, businesses and individuals around the world are beginning to take actions to back up that talk. From opting for alternative energies to switching to lower emission transportation options, from growing their own food to putting reduce, recycle, reuse and even precycle plans into place. If you look at it, making life more environmentally-friendly simply makes sense.

http://biofriendly.com/blog/environment/50-ways-to-make-your-life-more-environmentally-friendly/

copied from biofriendly.com

A friend framed one of my nude drawings and hung in her home. I consider that to be one of the biggest compliments an artist can receive. Here the discussion is on facebook and they tease her for her love of butt cracks. So I'm sure I have art for your every liking or can at least create it.

If you purchase my artwork, traveling altars, or hairclips, please take a picture and email to me to be featured here.

An interesting article on this site. I had no idea there was a term for it- Polymaths.

The Wikipedia List of people who have been called “polymaths” has a fascinating variety of names throughout history, including, of course Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) – “the prototype of the universal genius, the ‘Renaissance man’… a prodigious polymath.”

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/creative-mind/2011/06/i-want-to-do-it-all-creative-polymathy/

ECO-SHAMANISM  (NEW CLASS!)
We have entered a time prophesied by many cultures for shapeshifting into higher consciousness. Due to the rapidly increasing changes of the Earth, the focus will be of the group's collective visions to shift Earth and humans to a healthier state. Rhiannon is a trained Shaman Shapeshifter under John Perkins and Llyn Roberts. We will use the groups power doing a combination of shaman shape-shifting journeying, collaging our vision, and shamanic healing. Includes steps on taking action to creating an eco friendly home/office. Weather permitting we will use outside as part of the course. Make the profound discovery that all life is energy and that new forms become possible by altering energy patterns.  You will leave feeling empowered with a refined connection to community and nature.

Fee:  $49
Dates:  Mon. & Wed., 9/19/11 & 9/21/11
Times:  6:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Location:  Workforce Development Resource Center, Room 1144
Course Code:  CEW 112-50

LIFE MAPPING (RETURNS TO LLCC)
Take your desired goals and set them into action by journaling, strategic thinking, dream building using a collage method. Followed by discussions of how to empower yourself as the co-creator of your life.  You will also leave feeling gratitude for your past and unrealized accomplishments.

Fee:  $49
Dates:  Tues. & Thurs., 9/20/11 & 9/22/11
Time:  6:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Location:  Workforce Development Resource Center, Room 1144
Course Code:  CEW 112-51

To register by August go here:  http://www.llcc.edu/commed/CommunityLearning/RegistrationInformation/tabid/5480/Default.aspx

Please let me know if wanting to take a class but are unable- we can set up one-on-one visit during Sept. 9-17.