2017 – This year is already zooming by SO fast! Here is what they look like and how I maintain them + my body… Plus a products list. Enjoy!

May 2017: My Semi-Freeform 2nd Set Locs – 3 years 8 months

As my readers here at Holistic Locs know, I like to approach my locs in a spiritual and holistic way… So this post is not just about a loc update, but it is also a life and health update on how I am doing my best to practice Self love through this journey! 💛

On A SOUL & MIND Level…

We always hear the term Mind-Body-Soul… I prefer to say Soul-Mind-Body. This reminds me that beauty and Self love is an inner job, before anything else. I try and do my best to work with as many tools as possible to keep in touch with what is going on within. And 2017 has been HUGE (for many of us)!

🌟 Numerology – Number 1 Year… Have you been starting or releasing things in your life that really no longer serve you on your life path right now? This is the year where we start the foundations of the next 9 year cycle, so you may be feeling it. We are all going through shifts – on a personal, social, economic, political etc level. This is why, more than ever, it’s vital to get tuned inwards. I won’t go into too much details on this here – but it’s worth finding out more and seeing how this relates to you in your life – Click here. Also, we hit a change in North nodes which will help you work on your progress for the next 1.5 years – Click Here

I teach Kundalini yoga, meditation and practice energy therapies (like Reiki & Chakra healing). On a SOUL level, I feel like I have been given an opportunity to start again… to be a student and really integrate the practices in my own life on a deeper level. I try to keep it simple and practical because we all lead busy lifestyles and integrating positive routines into real life is a great challenge to explore!

My Top 3 SOUL-MIND routines:

Getting clear on what my Soul purpose is:  More than ever, this has been something that I am really connecting to this year – I do this by asking my Self what really matters and how I can be manifesting it in my daily routines. As we change and evolve, so does our needs and what we connect to (people, places, work, home etc).

One way I try to do this is by starting the day by consciously holding space for my intuition to be open. I might add a reflection question too if it is something more specific. This allows me to “switch on” my energy in the right way, so I’m in a good frame of mind for whatever the day ahead brings.

---

🌟 Morning awareness exercise: Before I start anything in the morning, I will take a few minutes to connect with my breath, close my eyes (taking my inner gaze to the point between my eyebrows 3rd eye Chakra for guidance) and say this affirmation – “I allow my intuition to guide me today”.  That’s it! Then I go about my usual daily routines and see what comes up…. and being in the neutral mind gives  us so much more clarity on how to act/react to daily life, no matter how stressful it can be!

---

🌟 Journal writing for keeping track, reflection and release: I honestly don’t know where I would be without my journal. This is the space where you can privately open up to your Self, get it all out in a healthy way and keep track of any challenges/progress along the way.

I will use my journal:

• After a yoga or meditation session
• To release by just free-flowing my thoughts on paper, even if the words make no sense (especially when I am having a bad day and feel like just letting it ALL go in a healthy private way!). Then I keep it, read it after a day and see if I can learn any lessons from it. If it feels like I need to release it, i will then throw it away.
• To bullet journal with simple lists of things that I need to do each day/week.

---

🌟 Keeping my social media news feeds positive: Most of us are connected to some form of social media like Facebook, Twitter etc. Think of each news feed post as a form of energy – Ask your Self: Are you feeding your own energy with positive and inspiring energy sources? Or are you tapping into negative/challenging/draining energy sources? 

Making a change and consciously allowing only inspiring people, organisations and news feed sources on my regular has made a HUGE difference. In those moments when I just feel like strolling through endless Facebook updates, I see things that make me feel happy and connected to what I feel passionate about (like vegan food, travel etc). YES, all the people and pages that constantly uploaded gossip, negative comments and generally felt dense had to go! I am not wasting any time on them, I release them with love lol 😘

On A BODY (PHYSICAL) Level…

On a physical level, these are 3 things I actively do almost every day:

🌟 Vegan diet: Eating with the seasons, shopping at local famers shops and eating as much raw foods along with my cooked meals.

🌟 Yoga & Meditation: As well as teaching it, I am constantly reminded that even just 3 minutes of conscious breathing makes all the difference. The key thing I value is awareness and how to use this as a tool.

🌟 Yoga hiking (read blog post on this): Where I currently live (Barcelona), the only way i get around is on foot. I walk everywhere! Since moving here and doing this, my body has felt so much more grounded. Adding to this, I like to hike in the green spots with my yoga mat and find spots where I can take my personal practice outdoors, in all weathers.

My Current Loc Care Routine

Freeforming or semi-freeforming is a super minimalist way of keeping our hair healthy and natural. To be honest, there isn’t much to say about what I do.

I often like to do my routines to sync up with moon cycles: I will always wash my locs on a New moon or Full moon to connect with the energy. (Read more about moon cycles). The energy of these times of the month are perfect to do inner work, like meditation and yoga. Adding loc care routines like this is an extension to my healing work.

🌟 At the moment, I semi-freeform: I go with the flow with my roots…  Most of the time, I let them be after a wash. When I do choose to work on my root hair, I usually randomly twirl loose hairs to the nearest loc base or twist… nothing to systematic, just working on the areas that feel like they have the most root hairs.

🌟 Once a week – I wash my locs: Now that they are longer, I usually spend Sundays as a Self care day for washing my locs and giving them time to air dry fully. After each wash, I check to see if locs are joining at the base and gently separate them if they are.

🌟 Once a month – I clarify my locs: I will do an Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking soda rinse/massage before shampooing my locs. I will use a counter organic shampoo for clarifying too if I feel I need something much stronger.

🌟 Every day – I like to spritz and brush my locs: For this, I will get my glass spritz bottle (with a mix of water, a few drops of sweet almond oil and lemongrass essential oil), shake well and spritz my locs from roots to tip. I then gently brush my locs (read blog post on this topic). I find that it keeps my locs soft, moisturised and free from lint. I might add in a gentle self-massage on my scalp to release stress.

🌟 Every night – I cover my locs: I have a cap made from satin or I will also use a pair of tights that have been knotted into a cap. I like to spritz and brush my locs at night too, so I add the cap afterwards before bed.

My Favourite Products

🌟 My products list is simple: There isn’t much I do need except to keep my locs clean and moisturised. Here are a list of what I have been using for the last couple of years… I hope you enjoyed my update, check out the product links below for full details on the product and where to buy 💛

Click the links of the products to see more details on my favourite brands…

Sweet Almond Oil

Lemongrass Essential Oil

Organic Aloe Vera Gel

Natural Bristle Brush

Organic Clarifying Shampoo

Traditional African Black Soap