My name is: Caroline Rasmussen.

I’m known as: Founder of mind wellness company, Antara. 

My expertise is in: Herbal and meditative therapies for the brain and mind. 

I stay physically healthy with: Right now, I’m really loving celery juice. Since I got pregnant earlier this year, many of the normal detox methods I rely on—like infrared sauna, certain herbs, fasting and colonics—have been off-limits, so celery juice has been so helpful in keeping my system clean. Sometimes I’ll add kale, mint or pineapple juice into it to mix it up. I also take my anti-inflammatory supplement, Amrita Anti-Aging Brain Food, every day. Again, since I can’t bring my full arsenal of anti-inflammatory methods to bear right now, it’s especially important to me to know that I’m using something clinically proven to reduce inflammation in my body and my brain.

I keep my emotions balanced with: Sleep, leisure time and meditation. A perfect day involves all three, but, if I don't have at least one of those per day, it’s a lot easier to get swept up in stress or negativity.  

I’m intellectually stimulated by: What scientists are learning about the quantum nature of reality. I’m not a math person by any stretch, but, once you get deep into energy work, meditation and mind-body medicine, it’s unavoidable. You’ll inevitably want to explore it to better understand the effects that you're seeing. It's so fascinating to me how the old tantric masters developed mindscience theories thousands of years ago that are being borne out by modern work in unified and quantum physics. Right now, I'm reading the Cosmic Code by Heinz Pagels, Tantra Illuminated by Christopher Wallis and Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm by Stephen Buhner. I love seeing the threads intersect across these three different perspectives that are based in quantum mechanics, spirituality and nature.

I was recently transformed by: My babymoon in Ibiza. I chose the island because I had heard it has a special energy and, while everyone is attracted to what’s right for them, I really did feel a sense of sense of magic and simplicity there. One evening, my husband and I went to Sa Pedrera de Cala d’Hort, the best place to see the sun set over Es Vedra, an uninhabited island off Ibiza's western coast, said to be one of the most magnetic places on Earth. It was an amazing sunset, but what also struck me was that, even though this is a well-known spot, there were no stands hawking souvenirs or any other commercial activity. When the sun finally dipped below the horizon, everyone stood up to clap and cheer for the beauty of nature. That respect for nature and appreciation of the simple pleasures of life was so refreshing to experience. Against the backdrop of the Spanish culture of ease and slow living, it really was an enchanted way to end the summer and take our last pre-baby trip. I’m already plotting how to go back and if Ibiza can be the first destination for Antara wellness retreats.

In the last six months, the ritual that has become so important for me is: My meditation practice has become even more important to me in the last six months. Within that time, I’ve become pregnant and launched my own business, so sleep and leisure time have become scarce. Meditation is even more essential. 

Here’s how you can do it too: If you can, try to meditate in the morning. Not only will it set you up for the rest of your day, but, in the morning, we’ve been less exposed to stimulation and it’s easier to wind our brain waves down into alpha (rest) and theta (meditation) states. I use Bios Apothecary’s Third Eye Chakra Balancing Oil as an olfactory cue to relax. Especially if I’m coming to meditation grumpy or tired, I like to do a little inspirational reading before I start to ease into a more contemplative and less judgmental state of mind.

Whenever you sit, doing it around the same time each day and preferably in the same place helps establish it as a non-negotiable part of your day, which is essential to developing your practice to the point where it isn't something that you have to do, but rather something you enjoy. Regularity is way more important than length, in the beginning. See if you can get some insight out of each session—it doesn't have to be a clear vision or emotional breakthrough, simply noticing that a certain category of thoughts keeps recurring or having a little ego check are just as valuable. In terms of actual technique, everyone responds to different things and your practice will definitely evolve as it grows, but, for many people, Transcendental Meditation can be the easiest gateway into mindfulness, the technique that finally clicks them into their first experience of the observing mind. 

It helps me live my process because: Our modern culture wants us to hurry up and achieve, to make something of ourselves. Meditation is my antidote to that mentality of always doing and the insidious belief that I must always have more. It reminds me of how much I have now and the beauty of just being.

Take a “Moment” to learn more about Caroline Rasmussen’s journey here.

Photograph Alexis Christodoulou