Allow me to re-introduce myself

My name is Ashley, and I am the founder of Blyss Brand. I stand for social justice, human rights and yoga. It’s been a while since I last published a blog entry. That’s because I wanted to take a minute and meditate on what makes Blyss who we are and communicate that authentically. We are a yoga clothing line, but our main goal is not to move product. It’s to move people. Each aspect of our business is designed to inspire women to give and receive positive energy to others. If you haven’t looked at our website, I invite you to take a...

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Earl Grey Lemon Bars

Crust Ingredients: Cooking spray 5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups) 5.6 1/3 cup powdered sugar 2 Earl Grey tea bags, divided 1/8 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces Filling Ingredients: 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 3 large eggs 1 tablespoon powdered sugar Preparation Preheat oven to 350°. Crust: Line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with foil that extends just over the...

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8 Tips to a More Mindful Day

1. Set your intention for the day as soon as you wake up. Decide to be in a good mood. It actually is that easy. Waking up on the wrong side of the bed can be a symptom of a bad night’s sleep, or looking ahead to a hectic day. Every day I take a moment to be in the present and make the conscious choice to have a happy and productive day. 2. Do something good for your body, whether it’s trying a new healthy recipe, going for a walk or doing yoga. Show appreciation for all your body does for you- because you are...

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Chocolate Cherry Oat Cookies

Ingredients: 1.5 ounces (1/3 cup) flour 1.5 oz (1/3 cup) whole-wheat flour 1.5 cups rolled oats 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1 cup dried cherries 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 large egg, lightly beaten (go cage free!) 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate chopped Cooking spray Instructions Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flours, oats, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add...

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Grateful for the Yoga Community

Over the past couple of weeks we have talked about kundalini yoga, and concrete elements of the practice such as gong and chanting. This week, feeling a little warm and fuzzy, and I wanted to take a moment to meditate on and be grateful for the yoga community. Yoga has an infinite number of benefits, but I have found one to be meeting like-minded people and sharing more than a practice, but a lifestyle. As yoga is not a religion, yogis come from many faith backgrounds and all walks of life. But I think it’s safe to say that a typical,...

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Honey Lavendar Nectarines

Ingredients: 4 cups water 3/4 cup honey 3/4 cups sugar 2 teaspoons dried lavender buds 6 cups vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt Fresh lavender sprigs (optional) Instructions: Bring water, honey and sugar to boil while stirring so the sugar dissolves. Use a Dutch Oven if you have one. Stir in lavender buds and then the nectarines. Reduce the heat and simmer 8 minutes or until nectarines are just tender. Make sure not to overcook. Remove the nectarines from the pan with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid in...

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The Boomerang Effect

Article by Raquel Deluccia Last night my heart was opened. Not on a surgical table with medical tools, but by yoga, by breath and by the sound of the gong. This occurred during a kundalini gong mediation. In its simplest terms, Kundalini is an ancient form of yoga that incorporates kriya: a series of asana (postures), breath, mantra (sound) and mudra (hand movement). At the end of this practice you lay in stillness and meditate as the sound of a gong vibrates through your entire body, to be described as nothing short of magical. The focus of...

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Blackberry Merlot Granita

Ingredients: 4 cups blackberries 3/4 cups water 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup merot 1 tablespoon lemon juice (1) 3-inch cinnamon stick 1. Bring all ingredients to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes. 2. Finely strain the mixture over a bowl. Pour liquid into an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover and freeze until partially frozen (about 2 hours). 3. Scrape the mixture with a fork and crush any lumps. Freeze for 3 hours until totally frozen, scraping with a fork every hour. Remove from the...

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Spotlight on Kundalini Yoga

Last week we discussed the gong and its use in yoga, particularly Kunalini. I decided to delve a little more deeply into what Kundalini is, as it has been so beneficial to me, and to learn a little more about its roots myself. The concept was brought to the West in 1969 by Yogi Bhajan, who kept the practice secret until he felt the time was right to use his knowledge to prepare humanity for the transition from the Piscean to the Aquarian Age. Kundalini can be defined the “latent spiritual energy within every person that can be awakened...

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Finding Meaning in the Gong

When I first heard the gong played during yoga, I felt- unsettled. That’s the best word I can use to describe it. The longer I listened though, the deeper I went inside myself. I always wondered if my experience was unique, and why I initially felt so strange. When I looked into this unique instrument, I learned that there is an actual scientific reason for my unease. A note played on most instruments peaks and declines. The gong reaches a peak, declines, and then peaks again, creating an unpredictable experience that the human brain...