I instantly admired this gem, after listening to her on the Him and Her Podcast a while back. After learning about all the benefits of sunning where the sun doesn't shine, I was very very intrigued and had to discover more of these golden secrets. I love the openness, knowledge, and energy of this one. Which you can even captivate through the screen because that is how radiant her spirit is. From her podcast, book, skincare line, and even to hanging on instagram, everything she shares is total wealth for your mind, body, and spirit. A warm golden welcome to Jesse Golden!
photo by @sarahorbanicphotos
+ introduce yourself:
Hi loves, here is a little backstory about me. I am a devoted mother, wife, holistic health practitioner, yoga teacher, author, and creator of The Golden Secrets- a holistic, sustainable skincare + wellness line.
I grew up as a ballerina in Chicago, Il. My mom owned a dance studio so dance was my entire childhood. I left home when I was 17 years young. I went to Florida on spring break and never came home- true story! This was when I started modeling for a living. Even though I had dabbled in modeling as a child, I always hated it. I had a love/hate relationship with it, as it gave me the freedom and independence I craved but I hated the superficial part of being judged solely on how I looked and the shallowness of what many people in the industry deemed important.
Around this same time, I discovered yoga and as I've said a million times, yoga has saved my life over and over again. I eventually became a certified yoga teacher in 2008, not really with the idea to teach but I was just so in love with the practice that I wanted to learn everything I could.
When I was 25 years young, I unexpectedly got pregnant with my now 17-year-old son, Kaleo. It was the greatest surprise blessing of my life. I always say that I came into my own when I became a mother. It was the first time in my life that I really started learning about the power of self-love, holistic health, and my passion for empowering women.
I chose to give birth at home naturally, in water the Khalsa Way- a Kundalini prenatal yoga practice. It was the most beautiful, primal experience I have ever had. I continued to do everything naturally- I ate my placenta, breastfed till my son was 4 years young, and raised him in a style of parenting called attachment parenting. The only challenging part of becoming a mother for me was having to do it alone. Despite my son's dad being excited about becoming a father, I don't think he realized all that is actually entailed and I ended up having to do it alone. This became a very hard time for me. Looking back I realize that I was living in survival mode. Trying my best to be the best mom I could, while being able to provide and care for my son solo, ended up taking a toll on my body.
After 4 years of living in this survival mode, my body eventually shut down. Up to that point, I really felt bulletproof. My M.O. was to just keep pushing harder to get through to the other side but my body just wasn't having it. I knew something was off but I didn't know what it was. After months of going from doctor to doctor, I was finally diagnosed with the disheartening diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
I went through quite the healing journey from completely allopathic to holistic and everything far and in between. Being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis was what inspired me to become a holistic health practitioner and was the inspiration behind me writing my book- The Golden Secrets to Optimal Health. Having experienced firsthand what chronic dis-ease can do to you and all that is needed to thrive despite it, I started gathering tools that worked for me. People started reaching out to me and asking me how I was able to thrive with such a debilitating disease. At the time, I was very much in the public eye. I had to take about a year break as I didn't walk for almost a year but after I initially went into remission, I built my body back up from the ground up and better than ever before. My modeling career exploded with the help of all the new yoga companies being launched and for one of the first times in my life, I loved my job. I was able to share my story and my yoga practice for just about every yoga/athletic company there was.
I felt the need to share my story. I saw so many people hurting and stuck, especially those living with autoimmune disease, chronic illness, and even single moms. I felt inspired to share all my "golden secrets" to help others. I figured if I could do it, then anyone could. Me being able to share my story and help people made all that I had gone through, not be in vain. It became my passion to share. To especially share unconventional, ancient tools, modalities, and spiritual practices that were not talked about. This was when I started my blog called, The Golden Secrets. There are still hundreds of articles on there from everything to natural childbirth, self-love, manifestation, empathy, parenting, and more. Eventually, I started sharing my natural oil blends that I had been making- some since high school! I never anticipated being a skincare owner but it all organically unfolded just as it should. Not only are my products based on ancient formulas, mother nature, and organic beauty- they encourage time to do the work. Each product comes with specific affirmations to recite while applying to further enhance the benefits. My products become the tool to practice rituals of self-love and through the years, I have realized that self-love is the foundation for everything and I truly believe it will help heal the world.
Today, I am married to the love of my life. We are raising our son and we have two dogs. My daily job is running my skincare line, The Golden Secrets.
+ how did The Golden Secrets begin?
The Golden Secrets all started over 28 years ago when I was first introduced to essential oils. I loved learning about the different qualities and effects that they had on my state of mind, skin, and overall well-being. I was constantly making unique blends to help me with daily issues when one formula stuck out from the rest. It seemed to have a special magic about it that I had never experienced before, and people always asked what I was wearing! This went on for decades! Over a decade ago, I started a blog called The Golden Secrets, where I shared my love of health, fitness, and spirituality and continue to this day. As a yoga teacher, Holistic health practitioner, single mother, model, and woman living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, I had collected a lot of insight on the importance of organic, holistic health and a positive mindset. I loved sharing all the tools that had helped me overcome and thrive. At this same time, a friend of mine, who I really admired in business and who had always complimented me on my Golden Secrets said, why don't you bottle that stuff and put it on your website...so I did. I made 100 bottles and put them on my website and it took off! After personally handcrafting over 25,000 bottles, we are now in a 100% solar-powered manufacturing facility- allowing us to grow & expand and change even more lives. From seed to skin, my goal every step of the way has been to be climate positive- leaving you and the planet even better than before."This little bottle of oil has helped me so much in my life, I just wanted to share it with the world."
photo by @nikkijonesmedia
+ what made you get into the wellness, health, and beauty space?
I suppose I have just always been. There was never a moment where I decided. I kind of grew up in it with my mom being a dancer and very health conscious then I too was a ballerina, then a model for a living and eventually a yogi so its always just been a part of my life.
+ what's your wake up call look like?
I’m not sure if you mean wake up call in life or daily? Haha Big wake up call for me in life was when I unexpectedly found out I was pregant with my now 17 year old son. Its like all of a sudden I came into my own and my life had purpose. It changed the trajectory of my entire life for the better. My son is still every day the reason what I do everything.
Daily wake up call:I wake u around 8 am and get out in the sun as soon as I can. I am a coffee drinker so I soak up the suns rays while I sip my coffee and plan my day. I am most productive in the morning so this is when I tend to exercise and work most. My schedule is not fixed as I like to listen to my bodies needs. Some days I’ll wake up with the sun and then go back to bed and meditate while I do my red light or listen to some inspirational audible.
+ give us all the golden secrets?!
There’s way to many to list here but I am excited to announce that I just created a separate website to share all my golden secrets outside of my own Golden Secrets skincare products. You can find all of them here jessegolden.com My book- The Golden Secrets to Optimal Health is always my favorite resource to send people as well.
+ tips to raise your vibration?
I actually wrote and ebook called High Vibrational Activation Guide, which is filled with hundreds of resources to keep your vibe high but one simple but powerful one that I can share here is to have gratitude. Gratitude brings us to the present moment and its one of the highest states to draw in high vibrations. In any given moment, or especially when your mind starts to wander towards the negative or a lower frequency, be mindful of that, acknowledge it, let it go and replace it with 3 things that you are grateful for. Repeat.
+ what are your go to's for nervous system love?
Yoga, meditation, Tapping, Earthing. 4-7-8 breathing: inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8 all through the nose. Be where your feet are. Simply look down at your feet to get into your body & into the present moment.
+ oh boy hormones... what are the best ways to help balance your hormones?
Get some blood work done so you can actually see what is off balance. Otherwise its just a guessing game. Then you can come up with an action plan. I find that unless you have a known diagnosis that is affecting your hormones in some way or if you are taking birth control. Hormones can balance themselves out by simply making some lifestyle changes and listening to what your body needs.
+ how can we connect more with our feminine side?
By simply being more feminie in the physical. Wear more feminine clothes like skirts and dresses. Dance, sing, play. Mingle with other women. Honor your moon cycle as a time of celebration instead of dread. Be open to receive and learn to go with the ebbs and flows of life.
+ best anti-aging workouts or movements?
Getting upside down every day except when you are on your moon cycle. Anytime you place your heart below your head you are positively influencing your body. Specifically, your cardiovascular, lymphatic, nervous, endocrine, and immune system. Getting upside down or inversions also help you defy the negative effects of gravity on your face and skin. Can also promote hair growth and help calm a worried mind.
+ we hear a lot about face gua sha… but what about body gua sha? What are the best tips for that?
I share a 40-page ebook and two video tutorials when you purchase The Golden Secrets Sculpting Stone Gua Sha Body Tool. I feel there is a lot of misconceptions about body gua sha- the most common one is people thinking it is to be performed like dry brushing. I follow the traditional, ancient way of “body scraping.” The face is an extension of the entire body so if you are just working the face and not the body, the results will most likely be temporary.
Blocked blood flow throughout the body greatly effects how and when we begin showing signs of aging. If blood flow is blocked, the skin loses its luster, firmness and radiance causing it to age prematurely. The state of our face is a direct reflection of how well our circulating energy life force “qi” or blood flow is. No matter what you do, if you do not take care of the blood flow system, you cannot make permanent changes to your face. The face is an extension of the whole body and reflects not only what's happening on your face but what is happening in your body & mind. Treating the entire system is key for maximum results.
+ do you have a fav mantra?
My current mantra is, everything meant for me will effortlessly comes to me with grace and ease.
+ do you have any tips for helping with pain?
Pain can be your greatest teacher if you allow it to be. Instead of resisting the pain or masking it with prescription drugs, use it. Feel it, listen to it. What is it there to teach you. Surrender to it and let it guide you to what you should eat, what activities you should do and what spiritual work needs to be had. Pain is one of our bodies greatest bio feedbacks and it is trying to tell us something so listen to it.
+ any tips to enhance our natural beauty?
+ an ingredient from mother nature you can't live without?
Sunshine!
+ your fav skin tips and tricks?
Less is more. Make oil your bestfriend. Start oil cleansing. Invest in high quality, organic, non-toxic products and stick with them. Consistency is key.
+ wellness tools you can’t live without?
My Golden Secrets Sorceress and Sculpting Stones
+ what are your favorite healing foods or skin foods?
Bone broth, collagen, fresh orange juice, raw/organic butter.
+ grounding tips and tricks?
But a rock or crystal in your pocket.
photo by @nikkijones.studio
You can find JESSE here:
@jessegolden | www.thegoldensecrets.com
~ If you'd like to experience The Golden Secrets, please enjoy 10% off any TGS goodies with code THESALTYVOGUE ~