Mercury Retrograde Is Coming. Are You Ready?
Mercury retrograde has a reputation.
Mixed-up plans. Missed messages. Technology acting strangely. That email you definitely sent… except apparently you didn’t.
From October 24 through November 13, Mercury will appear to move backward through the sky. In astrology, Mercury rules communication, travel, technology, and the way we process information—which is why retrograde gets blamed when those areas feel a little less predictable.
But maybe retrograde doesn’t have to be something we dread.
Maybe it can be a reminder to slow down, double-check, breathe, and respond instead of react.
A Little Black Tourmaline Never Hurts
Our Mercury necklace features Black Tourmaline, a stone traditionally associated with grounding and protection.
No, a gemstone can't keep your laptop from crashing or stop you from accidentally texting the wrong person. 😉
But it can be something you touch when you need to remember:
Pause. Ground. Begin again.
And sometimes that's exactly what we need when life gets a little chaotic.
Get Ready for Retrograde
Mercury retrograde begins October 24, but its pre-retrograde shadow begins October 4—so consider this your advance warning.
Check the calendar. Back up the computer. Read the email twice.
And maybe put on a little Black Tourmaline.
Blame Mercury if you want.
Wear Black Tourmaline just in case. ☿
Mercury Necklace | Black Tourmaline | $28
Jewelry for the moments that matter.
What is your Amae moment?
Get Ready for Retrograde ☿
Mercury retrograde is coming, so we’re getting ready early.
Enjoy 15% off the Mercury Necklace through October 23.
Use code RETROGRADE15 at checkout.
OCTOBER GUIDANCE ✨
You don't have to stay the same.
October is a month of visible change.
The trees don't hold tightly to what they're ready to release. The light shifts. The air cools. Nature begins to turn inward.
And maybe there's something in that for us.
We spend so much time trying to stay consistent—to keep our energy up, maintain the same pace, follow the plan, keep everything together.
But life doesn't really work that way.
There are seasons when we're meant to move forward boldly. Seasons when we're figuring things out. Seasons for beginning again. And seasons when the practice is simply letting go of what no longer fits.
Yoga teaches us this too.
The practice isn't about arriving at a perfect pose and staying there. Every time we step onto the mat, something is different. Our bodies are different. Our energy is different. What we need is different.
The practice is noticing—and responding to what is actually here.
Your October practice
Before automatically adding something new this month, ask yourself:
What am I ready to put down?
Maybe it's an expectation.
A habit.
A commitment that doesn't feel right anymore.
A version of yourself you've outgrown.
Or maybe it's simply the belief that you have to do everything at the same pace you always have.
You don't need a dramatic transformation.
Sometimes growth looks like making a little more room.
A reminder to wear
If you want something tangible to carry into October, choose a gemstone or message based on what you need—not what you're “supposed” to need.
Strength when change feels hard.
Peace when you need more space.
Courage when it's time to move forward.
Love when the practice is being gentler with yourself.
Beginnings when you're ready for what's next.
Your reminder doesn't have to change your life.
It just has to bring you back to yourself.
Jewelry for the practice of life.
What is your Amae moment?
What I Hope You Feel When You Wear Amae
Jewelry for the practice of life.
A small reminder to support you, ground you, and bring you back to what matters.
That will make this image feel intentional rather than just decorative.
I make jewelry, but I don’t really think I’m selling jewelry.
Yoga has taught me that so much of life is a practice.
Courage is a practice. Letting go is a practice. Beginning again is a practice. Loving ourselves, trusting ourselves, finding our way back to what matters—all of it takes practice.
That’s where Amae comes from.
When you choose a piece for yourself, I hope it’s because something about it speaks to where you are right now.
Maybe you need courage. Maybe you’re beginning again. Maybe you need a reminder of your strength. Or maybe something wonderful is happening and you want to carry that feeling with you.
And when someone chooses an Amae piece for you, I hope it feels like more than simply opening a gift.
I hope you see the words, the gemstone and the meaning behind it and think:
They thought about me.
They saw something in you—something you’re going through, something you’ve accomplished, something they love about you, or perhaps something they want you to remember about yourself.
That’s why the meaning matters so much to me.
The jewelry itself is small. Delicate. Something you can wear every day.
But what it represents can be much bigger.
A little encouragement on a hard day.
A celebration of how far you’ve come.
A reminder of someone who loves you.
Permission to say yes to what’s next.
A reminder to come back to yourself.
And just like yoga, the practice isn’t about getting it right every day.
Sometimes we simply need something that brings us back.
I hope eventually you stop thinking about the jewelry at all. You just reach up and touch it sometimes—
and remember.
That’s what I hope you get from Amae.
Not just something beautiful to wear.
Something that supports you. A small reminder you can carry with you.
Jewelry for the practice of life.
Love, Traci
www.amaejewelry.com
Coming Full Circle: Why I’m Returning to Hiking Yoga
Sometimes life has a funny way of bringing us back to where we started.
My yoga journey began outdoors. On trails. Moving through the woods, stopping to breathe, practice yoga, notice what was around me and simply be outside.
That became WalkAbout Yoga.
Over the years, my path took me in different directions. I taught in studios, built communities, trained teachers and explored many different parts of this practice.
But I missed the trails.
I missed walking beneath the trees. I missed practicing without walls around me. I missed that simple combination of movement, breath, yoga and nature that made me fall in love with this practice in the first place.
And now, somehow, life has brought me back.
Why Hiking Yoga?
Hiking yoga is really pretty simple.
We walk. We breathe. We stop along the trail to stretch, move and practice yoga. We notice the ground beneath our feet, the air, the trees and the sounds around us.
There’s something about being outside that naturally invites us to slow down and pay attention. Add movement, yoga and breath, and the trail becomes part of the practice.
You don't need to be an experienced hiker. You don't need to be “good” at yoga. You don't even need a yoga mat.
Just comfortable shoes, water and a willingness to come outside.
Coming Full Circle
Maybe that's why returning to hiking yoga feels so right to me now.
I'm not returning to exactly where I started. I've changed. Life has changed. My practice has changed.
Maybe that's what coming full circle really is—not going backward, but returning with everything we've learned along the way.
And I'm very happy to be back. 🌿
Come Hike With Me
WalkAbout Yoga is returning to its roots with hiking yoga, beach yoga and retreats.
Our next hike is Saturday, October 4 at 10:30 AM at Solomon Woods in Milford.
View the schedule and reserve your spot at www.walkaboutyogact.com
See you on the trail. 🌿
The Niyamas: The Practice We Bring Home
This is my Favorite:)
Yoga doesn’t end when we roll up the mat.
The poses are only one part of the practice. Yoga also asks us to notice how we live, how we care for ourselves, what we give our attention to, and how we move through the ordinary—and sometimes messy—parts of life.
In the Eight Limbs of Yoga, the Yamas guide how we relate to the world around us. The Niyamas turn our attention inward.
I’ve always called them the “Me Yamas.”
It’s my simple way of remembering the difference: the Yamas are about how we move through the world; the Niyamas are about how we tend to ourselves.
Not the official Sanskrit translation, of course—but it works for me.
There are five Niyamas, and each gives us something we can actually practice in everyday life.
Saucha — Purity & Clarity
Saucha is often translated as cleanliness or purity, but it goes much deeper than keeping our physical space tidy.
What are we allowing into our minds? What are we carrying that we no longer need? Where could we create a little more space—in our homes, our thoughts, our schedules or our lives?
Saucha is about clearing some of the noise so we can hear ourselves again.
Santosha — Contentment
Santosha is the practice of finding enoughness in this moment.
Not when everything is perfect. Not when we finally accomplish the next thing, have more, look different or get life completely figured out.
Here.
It doesn’t mean we stop growing or wanting things. It means we don't have to postpone our peace until we get them.
Tapas — Discipline & Inner Fire
Tapas is the fire that keeps us moving.
It’s showing up when motivation isn’t there. Taking the walk. Having the conversation. Trying again. Choosing the thing we know matters even when the easier choice is sitting right beside it.
Transformation isn't always one big dramatic moment. More often, it’s built through small acts of courage and consistency.
Svadhyaya — Self-Study
Svadhyaya asks us to get curious about ourselves.
Why did that bother me?
Why do I keep repeating this pattern?
What do I actually want?
What am I ready to let go of?
Yoga gives us a place to observe ourselves without immediately trying to fix everything we find.
Sometimes simply noticing is where change begins.
Ishvara Pranidhana — Surrender
And then comes perhaps the hardest practice of all.
Letting go.
We can make the plans, do the work, show up wholeheartedly—and still not control the outcome.
Ishvara Pranidhana asks us to loosen our grip a little and trust something larger than ourselves.
Sometimes the practice isn't pushing harder.
Sometimes the practice is surrender.
Bringing the “Me Yamas” Into Everyday Life
The Niyamas aren't rules we need to master. They're practices we can return to again and again.
Some days we need contentment.
Other days we need discipline.
Sometimes we need clarity, self-reflection or the reminder that we simply cannot control everything.
That idea became the inspiration behind the Amae Niyamas Collection. Each piece pairs one of these ancient practices with a gemstone chosen as a small, wearable reminder of its meaning.
Because the real practice doesn't happen only on the mat.
It happens in our relationships. Our choices. Our work. Our challenges. Our beginnings and endings.
It happens right in the middle of our beautifully imperfect lives.
Jewelry for the practice of life.
Explore the Niyamas Collection at www.amaejewelry.com
What is your Amae moment?
I Came to Yoga for the Poses. The Rest Found Me Later.
I found yoga when I was 12 years old.
Or maybe it’s more accurate to say yoga found me.
Somehow, a copy of Richard Hittleman’s Yoga: 28 Day Exercise Plan came into my life. I don’t remember exactly where I found it or how I got it. I just remember opening it, following the instructions, and doing the poses.
I still have that book today.
At 12, the poses were all I knew. I didn’t know about yoga philosophy. I didn’t know about the Yamas or the Niyamas. I certainly couldn’t have known how important yoga would become in my life.
Looking back, I believe that little book may have saved my life.
The philosophy found me later.
And when it did, yoga became so much more than the poses.
The Yamas: Yoga Beyond the Mat
The Yamas are five principles that guide how we move through the world and how we relate to others—and ourselves.
Ahimsa — Non-harming
Choosing kindness and compassion, including toward ourselves.
Satya — Truthfulness
Living and speaking from what is true.
Asteya — Non-stealing
Trusting that there is enough and noticing the ways comparison can steal our contentment.
Brahmacharya — Wise use of energy
Being intentional about where—and with whom—we spend our energy.
Aparigraha — Non-attachment
Learning to loosen our grip and let go of what we no longer need to carry.
Simple ideas. Not always simple to live.
I wish I could say that after all these years of yoga, I have them figured out.
I don’t.
And maybe that’s the point.
We call yoga a practice because we keep practicing. I return to these teachings again and again, especially when life gets messy. They remind me that yoga isn’t just what happens during the hour we spend on our mats.
It’s how we treat people.
How we treat ourselves.
What we hold onto.
What we let go of.
Where we put our energy.
And how we choose to show up.
Wear the Practice
That idea is also behind the Amae Yamas Collection.
I created five necklaces, one for each Yama, as small wearable reminders of these teachings.
Not because any of us practices them perfectly.
Because sometimes we need a reminder to come back.
Jewelry for the practice of life.
And if you’d like to explore these teachings more deeply, I’ll be teaching a Yamas & Niyamas Workshop, where we’ll talk about what these ancient principles can actually look like in our very modern, very imperfect lives.
I came to yoga for the poses.
But maybe yoga came looking for me.
A Labor of Love
Have you ever noticed that you can feel when something was made with love?
There’s an energy to it.
Maybe it’s a meal someone made for you, a garden someone tends, a class someone teaches, or something made by hand. It isn’t only the finished product we experience. Somehow, a little of the person who created it comes through, too.
I was reminded of this recently while reading Journey to the Heart by Melody Beattie. Her September 1 reflection is called “Make It a Labor of Love,” and the idea stayed with me: we get to choose the energy we bring to the things we do.
I love that.
Because I think we sometimes forget that work can be more than something we have to finish.
It can be an offering.
When I sit down at my table to make jewelry, there are stones and cards and cord everywhere. I choose each stone. I thread each piece. I make it, sometimes take it apart, and make it again.
And while my hands are doing the work, there is always an intention behind it.
Courage. Love. Grace. Protection. Becoming.
I don’t know who will eventually wear the piece I’m holding. I don’t know what she’s going through or why a particular word might speak to her.
But I love knowing that something I made with my own hands may eventually become part of her story.
That’s the energy I want Amae Jewelry to carry.
And maybe that’s something worth thinking about this Labor Day weekend.
Whatever our work happens to be—raising a family, teaching a class, running a business, caring for someone, making something, growing something, or simply doing the ordinary tasks that make up a life—we get to decide what we put into it.
Not every day will feel inspired. Not every task will be something we love.
But whenever we can, perhaps we can bring a little more of ourselves to what we do.
A little more intention. A little more care. A little more love.
Because the things we put our hearts into have a way of carrying that love forward.
Make it a labor of love.
Love,
Traci
They Were Supposed to Be Fosters…
My two angels
The story behind Who Rescued Who?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve brought home strays.
Dogs. Cats. Squirrels. Birds. Pretty much anything that looked like it needed somewhere safe to land.
When I was a kid, I’d try to hide them from my mother — in the basement, the garage, wherever I thought she wouldn’t find them right away.
She always did.
And apparently, that instinct extended beyond animals. I’ve brought home a few stray humans over the years, too. 😂
Some things about us are just there from the beginning.
So when I eventually started fostering dogs, it didn’t feel like something new. It felt like something I’d been doing my whole life.
And then these two showed up.
They were supposed to be fosters.
That was the plan, anyway. ❤️
They came into my life through All About the Dogs Rescue. I was supposed to give them a safe place to land until they found their forever homes.
Turns out, they already had.
Mine.
If you’ve ever loved an animal, you know how quickly the line between rescuing and being rescued starts to blur.
We give them a home. We feed them. Walk them. Worry about them. Rearrange our lives around them. Clean up after them. Spend ridiculous amounts of money on them.
And somehow, they give us even more in return.
Companionship. Joy. Loyalty. Comfort. Laughter.
They sit beside us through the hard days. They celebrate the good ones. And somehow, they always seem to know when we need them most.
Somewhere along the way, you start to wonder:
Who rescued who?
That question became the inspiration for my newest Amae piece.
I chose Dalmatian Jasper for the necklace because its traditional meanings — joy, loyalty, protection, grounding and playfulness — felt so perfectly connected to the animals we love.
Three simple Dalmatian Jasper gemstones sit on nylon cord.
And at the back of every necklace, tucked quietly near the clasp, is a tiny charm with one word:
FOREVER.
Because that’s what they became.
Family. Forever.
But I wanted this necklace to do more than celebrate the animals who have already found their people.
15% of every Who Rescued Who? purchase supports All About the Dogs Rescue — the same rescue that brought these two into my life — helping them continue their work and helping more animals find their way home.
Today is National Dog Day.
But if you know me, you know I’ve never needed a special day to celebrate animals.
Apparently, I’ve been doing that since I was a kid hiding stray dogs, cats, squirrels and birds from my mother in the basement. 😂❤️🐾
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL ABOUT THE DOGS RESCUE
What is your Amae moment?
What If You Said Yes Before You Felt Ready?
Do you see yourself in her? Maybe you're standing at the edge of your own next chapter, wondering if you're ready to say yes.
How many times have you told yourself:
I’ll do it when I’m ready.
When I have more time.
When I know more.
When I’m less afraid.
When I’m sure it will work.
When the timing is better.
I know I have.
But lately I’ve been wondering…
What if ready never comes?
Looking back, some of the things that have mattered most in my life began with a yes I wasn’t completely ready to give.
Teaching yoga. Starting something new. Traveling somewhere unfamiliar. Putting an idea out into the world before I knew exactly where it would lead.
I could have waited until I felt certain.
I might still be waiting.
Sometimes “I’m not ready” really means “I’m afraid.”
Of course, there are times when no is exactly the right answer.
We need boundaries. We need to trust ourselves. We don’t have to say yes to everything.
But when I find myself backing away from something I actually want, I’ve learned to ask myself:
Am I saying no because this isn’t right for me—or because I’m afraid?
Those are two very different things.
We tend to think courage comes first.
First we become brave. Then we take the leap.
But I’m not sure that’s how it works.
Sometimes we say yes with shaky hands.
Sometimes we take the first step without knowing what step five looks like.
Sometimes we do it scared.
Sometimes the yes comes first. And the courage catches up.
Your yes doesn’t have to be enormous.
Maybe your yes isn’t quitting your job or moving across the country.
Maybe it’s taking the class.
Booking the trip.
Having the conversation you’ve been avoiding.
Trying again.
Opening your heart.
Doing something by yourself.
Choosing yourself.
Letting go.
Beginning.
Becoming.
Sometimes the smallest yes quietly changes everything.
So, what are you ready to say yes to?
That question became the inspiration behind our Say Yes Collection.
Because “yes” looks different for each of us—and sometimes we need a little reminder of the one we chose.
Say Yes to Love.
Open your heart—to someone else, to yourself, or simply to more of what makes you feel alive.
Say Yes to Adventure.
Go somewhere new—even if “somewhere new” is simply outside your comfort zone.
Say Yes to Becoming.
Give yourself permission to change, grow, and become whoever comes next.
Say Yes to Possibility.
Leave a little room for the unexpected. You don’t have to know where something will lead to be curious enough to begin.
Say Yes to Beginnings.
Start before everything is figured out. A beginning doesn’t require certainty—just the willingness to take the first step.
Say Yes to Courage.
Do the thing even when you’re scared. Because courage doesn’t always come before the yes.
Sometimes, it catches up.
Wear your yes.
The jewelry isn’t there to make the decision for you.
It’s there to remind you of the decision you made.
That’s what I love about meaningful jewelry.
A necklace can become more than something we put on in the morning. It can hold a memory, an intention, a promise we made to ourselves—or a reminder of the person we’re becoming.
And on the days when doubt creeps back in, you can reach for it and remember:
I said yes to this.
Keep going.
Maybe you don’t need to feel ready.
Maybe you just need to pay attention to the thing inside you that keeps whispering yes.
You don’t need to know exactly how it will turn out.
You don’t need everyone else to understand.
And you definitely don’t have to wait until you’re fearless.
Sometimes the yes comes first. And the courage catches up.
So tell me…
What are you ready to say yes to?
Explore the Say Yes Collection →
Wear a reminder. Honor your journey.
5 Ways to Choose a Meaningful Gemstone Necklace That You Will Actually Wear
5 ways to choose the perfect gemstone.
Have you ever picked up a piece of jewelry and thought, "This just feels like me"?
I believe that's because the most meaningful jewelry isn't chosen for how it looks—it's chosen for how it makes us feel.
Over the years, I've watched people choose necklaces to celebrate new beginnings, remember someone they love, find courage during difficult seasons, or simply remind themselves to keep moving forward.
If you're wondering how to choose the right gemstone necklace, here are five ideas that might help.
1. Think about what you need most right now.
Instead of asking, "What's my favorite color?"
Ask yourself:
"What do I need more of in my life?"
More courage?
More peace?
More joy?
More hope?
More confidence?
Your answer is often the best place to begin.
2. Choose a stone with meaning.
For centuries, gemstones have carried symbolic meanings. While they aren't meant to solve our problems, they can become beautiful reminders of the qualities we want to invite into our lives.
A few favorites:
• Labradorite – Transformation and trusting your path
• Moonstone – New beginnings and intuition
• Sunstone – Joy and optimism
• Garnet – Courage and strength
• Amazonite – Speaking your truth
Sometimes it's not about believing in the stone itself—it's about believing in what it reminds you to practice every day.
3. Let your intuition guide you.
Have you ever been drawn to a piece without knowing why?
Trust that feeling.
The necklace you keep coming back to often has something to teach you.
Sometimes our hearts know before our minds catch up.
4. Think about the story you want to carry.
The jewelry we wear often becomes part of our story.
Maybe it reminds you of:
• A difficult season you survived.
• Someone you love.
• A promise you made to yourself.
• The courage to begin again.
Years from now, you'll remember why you chose it.
That's what makes it meaningful.
5. Wear it often.
A meaningful necklace isn't meant to stay in a jewelry box.
Wear it on ordinary Tuesdays.
Wear it to important meetings.
Wear it to doctor's appointments.
Wear it when life feels wonderful.
Wear it when life feels hard.
The more often you see it, the more powerful the reminder becomes.
More Than Jewelry
When I design a necklace, I'm not just thinking about gemstones or colors.
I'm thinking about the moment someone puts it on.
Maybe it's the day they decide to believe in themselves.
Maybe it's the day they say yes to something new.
Maybe it's simply the reminder they needed to keep going.
That's the kind of jewelry I hope to create.
Because the most meaningful necklace isn't the most expensive one.
It's the one that reminds you who you are.
Looking for a necklace that reflects your journey? Explore the Amae Jewelry collections and find the reminder that's right for you.
Why Yoga? Why Jewelry?
Yoga transforms the moment. Meaningful jewelry helps you carry that feeling into everyday life. Here's why I believe they belong together.
Now, there’s a question I’m asked all the time.
"How did you go from teaching yoga to making jewelry?"
The truth is... I never really did.
For me, they've always been part of the same journey.
For more than a decade, I've had the privilege of guiding people through yoga. I've watched people arrive carrying stress, uncertainty, grief, excitement, or hope—and leave standing a little taller, breathing a little deeper, feeling more like themselves.
Those moments are why I teach.
But then something always happened.
Life would continue.
The worries would come back. The doctor's appointment would arrive. The difficult conversation would happen. The celebration would finally come. A new chapter would begin.
I wanted people to have something they could take with them.
Not just another thing.
A reminder.
That's how Amae Jewelry was born.
Every necklace begins with an intention. Every gemstone is thoughtfully chosen for its meaning, and every design is created to remind you of something you already know but sometimes forget—that you are stronger than you think, braver than you feel, and capable of finding your way forward.
Yoga helps us create the moment.
Jewelry helps us carry that moment into everyday life.
Maybe it's a necklace you wear before a job interview.
Maybe it's the stone you reach for before surgery.
Maybe it's the reminder to follow your heart, trust yourself, celebrate a new beginning, or simply take one deep breath.
Whatever your story is, my hope is the same.
That when your fingers find that necklace, you'll remember how you felt when you chose it.
Grounded.
Hopeful.
Strong.
Supported.
Because sometimes the smallest reminders make the biggest difference.
Whether we meet through yoga, a meaningful conversation, or a piece of jewelry, my mission has always been the same:
To help you feel supported through the moments that matter most.
With love,
Traci
What moment are you in right now?
Whether you're celebrating a new beginning, finding your courage, healing from something difficult, or simply looking for a reminder to trust yourself, there's a piece of jewelry created with your journey in mind.
Explore the collection and find the necklace that speaks to your heart.
Or, if you're not sure where to begin, take the Goddess Quiz to discover the gemstone and necklace that best supports the season you're in right now.