How To Raise Your Vibration: Emotional Clearing

How To Raise Your Vibration: Emotional Clearing: We experience feelings yet we generate emotions. Feelings are passive; emotions are reactive. E-motions are “energy in motion.” Feelings are...

Heart Is Home. ~ Brittany Jade Trubridge

Heart Is Home. ~ Brittany Jade Trubridge

25 New Year Resolutions for 2012

25 New Year Resolutions for 2012

25 New Year Resolutions for 2012Frank LipmanDecember 27

More Real Food, Less Food-like Substances
More Fruit and Vegetables, Less Sugar, Gluten and Dairy
More Plant Foods, Less Animal products
More Organic, Less Chemicals
More Clean Products, Less Toxic Products
More Chewing, Less Eating
More Water, Less Alcohol
More Walking, Less Driving
More Exercising, Less Sitting at the Computer
More Music, Less Noise
More Recycling, Less Waste
More Outdoors, Less Indoors
More Meditation, Less Worry
More Slow, Less Hurry
More Smiles, Less Anger
More Love, Less Hatred
More Fun, Less Serious
More Letting Go, Less Holding On
More Being, Less Doing
More Presence, Less Absence
More Generosity, Less Greed
More Forgiving, Less Blaming
More Ubuntu, Less Me
More Inclusion, Less Exclusion
More Health Care, Less Disease Care

Our health should be a human right but is being undermined by powerful economic and political forces. From the processed food industry and agribusiness to pharmaceuticals, there are well-funded interests making money by keeping us unhealthy. We cannot be passive anymore. We need to take responsibility for our own health, the health of our families and the world at large.

Let 2012 be the year when the Wellness Revolution really kicks in.

I’m not like you. I’m something like you. I’m nothing but you.

I’m not like you. I’m something like you.
I’m nothing but you.

~ D.Brks

http://rajanaka.com/

 http://shiversupthespine.blogspot.com/

Embrace the Feminine

by Mijanou Montealegre Mystic, artist, mother, founder of MYSTICMAMMA.COM


As the archetypal energy of the mother, it embodies the qualities of love, compassion, intuition, receptiveness, openness and vulnerability. It also represents the darkness from where all things emerge, the emotional depths of the soul and the rivers of passions that yield creative expression and render inhibition.

There is a palpable power in the feminine that is so amazingly strong that it has been feared and persecuted for ages. We are now on the brink of a resurgence of this feminine energy coming forth.

Culturally we have all been living under a patriarchy, directed to value the material world above all else. Since the beginning of the industrial age, when the glorification of reason and the intellect became paramount, anything having to do with the emotions and the intangible realms was viewed as not only inferior, but also as infantile foolishness left over from the dark ages. Reason became touted as the mark of evolution for mankind, and most sought to disassociate themselves from the merits of the emotions or any beliefs in an animate universe. Anything that was not accounted for within the world of appearances was nonexistent. We have been living with this mentality for ages, and now we finally have the opportunity to shift it.

Reason can no longer stand alone as the sole basis for our reality. It is time to integrate our gifts of reason and the intellect with our gifts of intuition and the path of the heart. There have been great minds, scientists and pioneers who have contributed much in the intellectual realms and have also acknowledged the power of the feminine, of intuition in their works. Albert Einstein, being one of them, once said, "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."

We are moving away from a solely mind-based reality into coexisting with a heart-based one. As we begin to expand our thinking and shift our planet into a greater awareness, both individually and collectively we must yield to this energy of the feminine rising within each and every one of us. It can no longer be silenced and repressed for it is exactly what is needed in our time to balance the imbalances of our planet. Each of us is being called to yield to this force as it seeks expression in our lives. It is no longer about thinking our way through life any more, but we must open up to the feminine and allow our intuitive-feeling powers to guide us.

Opening up to the feminine principle can take many forms and expressions. Perhaps it's in freeing our emotions, in allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, in opening our hearts with compassion for others, in finding our service, in becoming more receptive, intuitive and creative. Perhaps we can let go of our inhibitions, and free ourselves from the mental constructs of who we can or cannot be. This force is powerful, beautiful and healing. Allowing it to flow opens us to our connection to source, to the ever-flowing stream of "mother energy" in the universe. We have been cut off from the mother and disconnected from our source, but she is calling us, waiting for us to experience her magic.

As more women begin to feel and embrace their magnificent inner beauty and the innate powers that they posses as direct expressions of the feminine, and as men begin to allow their receptive, intuitive natures to also emerge, we will open up to a more expanded reality ignited by a deep sense of reverence for our planet earth and each other. For the return of the feminine is not only a yielding to the stream of love that flows through us, but it is also a return to living life in a sacred manner, in a way that brings harmony and healing to all.

Tune in to what's happening in the cosmos, get inspired and empowered... visit www.MYSTICMAMMA.COM

Everything in Your Body Is Interconnected

Everything in Your Body Is InterconnectedBy MindBodyGreen"The thing to realize about the systems of the body is that they sing to one another. From the smallest cell to the largest organ, the systems of the body are wonderful, even magical, in the way that they work together in an interconnected synchronicity. Learn to listen to these vibrations and their signals."


~ Vianna Stibal in ThetaHealing Diseases and Disorders

Welcome 2012

In order to be, you must do. All great things start from that one adventure. That one dream. That one idea. That one step. To adventure is to find yourself whole. To adventure is to have a story at the end of all this. The places you see, the things you make and the people you meet will fuel you forever. Choose to see beauty where others see none. And strive for greatness, always. Do more. Be more! Feel good lost, and explore.

Relationships

Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment, are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution.

~ Deepak Chopra

Could you be protein deficient? Here are the hidden signs.

Could you be protein deficient? Here are the hidden signs.

Apricot Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

- 2 cups dried apricots
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup walnuts
- 3-4 cups 5 grain oatmeal (not instant)
- 1 cup almond flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 cup kefir (or yogurt)
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- chai masala (can substitute for cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves mixture)
- vanilla
- pinch of baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup water or can use almond milk

Soak apricots and raisins in hot water
Crush walnuts into small pieces

Soak flax seeds in 1 cup of hot water. Flax seeds will turn a little jelly-like and will serve as an egg substitute.
Cut apricots into small pieces

Mix gel-like flax seeds, soaked raisins, apricots bits, walnuts, kefir, vanilla, and coconut oil together. Separately combine oats, flour, baking soda and baking powder, and spices. Then combine both wet and dry ingredients.

The dough should be slightly glue-ey, not too liquid and not too dry. If too dry, add some water. If too liquid, add some more oat flakes.

Optional: add some sesame seeds

Pre-heat the oven to 275 F and grease the parchment paper. Make flat round patties about 2″ in diameter and place then on parchment paper. Bake for 25-35 min.

Hemp Hummus

Ceamy dip, goes well with crackers, raw vegetables, used as a spread in sandwiches and wraps.  This superfood version boasts an extra special nutritious addition: hemp seeds.  Including hemp not adds a boost of protein, essential fatty acids, iron and other minerals.

Ingredients (Makes about 2 cups)
1½ cups garbanzo beans (freshly sprouted or cooked [unsalted])
2 tablespoons tahini
¼ cup hemp seeds
1 tablespoon hemp oil
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and serve. Will keep for 1 week, refrigerated.

Acai bERRY jAM

1/2 cup apple juice
2 tbs chia
2 tbs acai berry powder
2 tbs maple syrup
1 tbs lemmon juice

soak chia for 30 mins to gell in apple juice first, acai last
keeps 2 to 3 weeks

Be An Architect for Change

Design by Love

Move Fluidly

Snap-All/Rivet Setter Set



Tandy Craftool Deluxe Snap-All/Rivet Setter Set
Item #8105-00

This is the best universal snap and rivet setter offered anywhere. Sets Multi Purpose Segma Type Fasteners #1250, Line 20 Fasteners #1261, Line 24 Fasteners #1263, Rapid Rivets and Double Cap Rivets.

Leather holepunch and mallet also required

And then there are Grommets.......

Health is derived from daily life... + Gratitude

Experience Embodiment
Feel pleasure
Occupy Creativity
... Enjoy Social Connection
Care for Another
Love Yourself Through Fantastic Nutrition
Fully explore Exertion
Fully explore Relaxation
Love and Receive Love

Every Day

Gratitude Unlocks the Fullness of Life

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

~ Melody Beattie

Live Creatively

Via, Mystic Mamma

“Imagination is the force that pulls your physical, emotional, and mental energies into dynamic harmony, giving wings to your soul. When your imaginative life is rich and generative, you’re in vital touch with the rhythms and messages of your body, heart and mind. You’re no longer saying ‘yes,’ feeling ‘no’ and acting ‘maybe.’ You’re making art of your life, and the radiance of this creative living attracts others who want to live soulfully as well. We all have the capacity for creative integrity, whether we are shoemakers or ballerinas. You just have to determine to settle for nothing less than being fully alive—to show up, be who you are, and share your gifts…”

“Imagination involves giving your intuitions form. Playing out hunches. Making your visions happen. Enriching your world, putting your mark on it. The way you dress, the way you cook and eat, the way you arrange and furnish your home, the way you speak, write and think, all add up to your personal contribution. And it is your sacred task to express your true self with flare and authenticity, your gift to give the world.”

~Gabrielle Roth from Maps to Ecstacy

Piriformis – A real pain in the …

Piriformis – A real pain in the …

muscles? The buttock muscles can be divided into two layers: the more superficial one is the gluteus maximus, which, when well developed, forms the rounded shape of the buttocks. It originates on the sacrum at the base of the spine and nearby pelvis, and then runs diagonally down and across the buttocks to insert on the outer upper femur (thighbone). When it contracts, it extends the hip, which pulls the femur into line with the torso. For example, the gluteus maximus contracts when you stand up.


In yoga, the gluteus maximus helps perform a similar job in partnership with the hamstrings when you move from a standing forward bend to standing upright. The gluteus maximus is also a strong external rotator of the hip, which, when you're standing, turns the knees outward.

The second and deeper layer of buttock muscles is made up of the six deep rotators. The piriformis is the best known, but this group also includes the internal and external obturators, the superior and inferior gemelli, and the quadratus femoris. They originate on the sacrum and the ischial tuberosities (sitting bones), and then run diagonally in a fan shape across the deep buttocks to insert on the back of the upper femur on the greater trochanter.

Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the World.

Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the World.

Psoas Resources

Psoas Resources

The Power of Forgiveness

via MindBodyGreen

"When we harbor negative emotions toward others or toward ourselves, or when we intentionally create pain for others, we poison our own physical and spiritual systems. By far the strongest poison to the human spirit is the inability to forgive oneself or another person. It disables a person's emotional resources. The challenge is to refine our capacity to love others as well as ourselves and to develop the power of forgiveness."


~ Caroline Myss

Setting Intentions, Celebrating the Winter Solstice & My 30th Birthday!!

~ Ever since a child, I've lived in awe of the moon, the sun, the seasons, and nature in general and how it affects what is going on in us and around us

~ Winter solstice, which takes place on December 22nd this year, is the first day of winter and shortest day/longest night of the year - Tonight we honor the Solstice. In the darkest of Kali night, the greatest potential for new light pulsates

~ To summarize, this is the day that the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator and shines directly on the tropic of Capricorn. To us, the sun will appear at its lowest point in the sky, marking the beginning of the winter season

~ Across the world, most cultures see this day as a symbol of rebirth since from this day forward we will be observing more sunlight and less darkness. Long ago, people considered this day an important one because they believed if the sun were to keep sinking lower and lower soon all would be dark and life would end. On this date the sun would climb back into the sky and therefore was a time of great celebration

~ In yoga, I have heard that people do everything from a restorative Yin practice to 108 Sun Salutations in celebration of the solstice. Others may not practice at all

~ Regardless of what you decide to do, I think it is a nice “holiday” to take for yourself in this extremely busy time of year to reflect on what yoga has brought you so far and where you will take your practice in 2012. Acknowledge where you were at this time last year and set some goals to reach by a year from now

~ What type of practice for December 22nd, I would like to do something to challenge myself and push my limits to set the stage for my next 365 days. The symbolism is so clear. If you set your intention on the winter solstice, every day after that, with the extending daylight, seek to move closer and closer to your goal. Maybe you will surpass your expectations and reach heights that you didn’t even think were possible

~ The Winter Solstice is the shortest day, and longest night of the year, and is the traditional time to celebrate the truly important things in life: your family, your children, your home and looking forward to a wonderful year to come

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 “ When we approach the Winter Solstice, the days are the shortest (more Yin than Yang energy) and there is least amount of light in the day. This represents a phase of introspection and going inside our Sacred Sanctuary to be still to receive from Life. We are given much to contemplate and integrate now as our energy is drawn inwards. It is a phase of consolidating and gathering before the Spring-time.


We can set the intention to tune into the energies at least three days before the actual Solstice point. It is best to create time for beingness and stillness. The Sun enters Capricorn at 0 degrees on December 22, 12:30 A.M. EST timezone (check for your local time). The Sun symbolizes vitality, individual expression and style as well as conscious awareness. It brings “light” into life, as the Sun shines we see with clarity. We feel the warmth and life-giving energy from the Sun’s rays.”

Dipali Desai via Mystic Mamma

Living to Live

"Most people are living to die. The path of the Rajanaka doesn't deny death, but we are living to live." --Dr. Gopala Aiyar Sundaramoorthy

Via Douglas Brooks @ Srividyalaya

The gap, the seam is a place of union or in Rajanaka Tantra terms, a place of remembrance. The gap is a portal, a doorway into seeing that the extraordinary is here in the everyday. The difference is in RECOGNITION. To recognize, to remember, is the key that unlocks our awareness into experiencing our ultimate freedom.

When it's cold and raining ♥ You are more beautiful.

When it's cold and raining,
You are more beautiful.
And the snow brings me even closer to your lips.
The inner secret, that which was never born,
you are that freshness, and I am with you now.
I can't explain the goings, or the comings.
You enter suddenly, and I am
nowhere again. Inside the majesty.

♥♥Rumi♥♥

Vitamin D, I Heart Thee

Vitamin D, I Heart Thee.
on Dec 8, 2011

Hey Bat,

Have you been hanging too much in your cave lately? Sweet vampire, have you been too afraid of the light?
If so, lean over, I’ve got a Dirty secret.

Amazing D
If the Sun and your Skin had a lovechild, it would have to be Vitamin D. It occurs naturally in the body when sunlight touches you gently with those bright fingers.

It has enormous benefits for your health. It is the single most powerful medicine that your body produces naturally and best of all, it’s free.

It is one of your strongest bodyguards against cancer because it slows down wild cell mutation. It prevents osteoporosis and other kinds of demineralization by helping your intestines absorb a greater quantity of calcium and other vital minerals.

Without vitamin D, you need not bother taking calcium or other vitamin supplements because your body just won’t get the idea.

Vitamin D also helps prevent and reverse diabetes and obesity. It strengthens your immune system, protects you from psoriasis, hypertension, rickets (children alert) and other bone and immune related maladies.

The not-so-D
You know your D-deposits are low when you experience sensitivity to light. Your eyes should be happy to greet the sunlight, not blink in terror or cry like they’ve never been outside before.

Thank God you’re not a celebrity so you don’t have to wear those thick, dark sunglasses that separate you from the rest of mortals and impede the vital D from entering your body. And if you are, thank God you still have the ability to take them off.

You also know that your D-love is cooling when your muscles and bones start to mysteriously hurt. What hit me yesterday and why can’t I remember? Acne and depression are other two little monsters that may show up in D’s absence.

Those of you with darker skin; who work or spend a lot of time indoors; and/or suffer from obesity are at a higher risk for D-deficiency. Watch the videos below to find out why.

To check your D-deposits, go take a D-test.

The Ways of D
So if you’re low on D (which is most likely), should you drug yourself daily with a supplement in order not to have to worry about, you know, being so hot into the Light?

Should you fill your toilet – as some clever experts love to remark — with “expensive urine”?

The first and most natural answer is No. Your number one lover is the Sun. Love him back and you’ll be half way there.

Of course, it would also help if we didn’t live in cities; or far from the equator; or spent most of our days inside a building in order to make a living; or if our D-affair weren’t constantly betrayed by so many dark, 21st century troubles.

Consequently, the second answer would have to be Yes. Because in every great, human love story, there’s obstacles between the Sun and You.

Most of the time you are not getting all the vit-D you need, unless you’re reading this from your hammock in Ecuador and sipping coconut water by the beach (you lucky B).

Some nutrition authorities affirm that vitamin D can also be obtained from animal products. They are right to a certain extent, but in no way can you absorb enough D from flesh or body fluids and not nearly as much as from its Number One source, the Sun.

As a non-psycho-vegan, I’m fine with animal-D as long as it stays in the animal. Not so fine, of course, with all the other problems coming from animal products: cruelty, antibiotics, cholesterol, demineralization, heart disease, pollution, cancer, environmental damage, etc.

So, considering the importance of this vitamin and how difficult it is to obtain it naturally on a daily basis for vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike, I’d rather take a supplement – not to substitute my sun exposure, but to make up for what falls short of my ideal D.

They say: Dear Life, give me money, love and health. The way I see it, being sick is much worse than being poor or single, and though I’d trade money for freedom and coupleship for a good cause (but only if I had to), health is untradeable.

Health is the one thing that helps you live through and fully experience everything else. In health, I’d rather be safe than sorry. I’d rather pee the extra D than have my body pee on me.

There is no need to go to the other extreme either: from zero D to wild, every-meal kind of D. It really depends on your circumstances and your levels.

You can take one dosage every other day. Or anytime when, for any reason, you’re low on Sunny Honey. Your body may not assimilate all the D you’re swallowing, but it will assimilate something.

And that something may not be a lot but it is definitely better than nothing.

A bite of D
The best way to take “fake” vitamin D is with a fatty meal. And by “fatty” I don’t mean the Cholesterol Trio of Death: Trans, Hydrogenated and/or Evil-Saturated; but healthier fatties (Omegas, Polyunsaturated and Happily-Saturated).

There are plenty: avocadoes, olives, nuts, cold-pressed vegetable oils, seeds – and Fish Oils for non-vegans though I don’t want to get kicked out of Veganism for mentioning this…

The recommended amounts vary depending on what side of the story you’re listening to: the Government’s version or the Health Warriors’ version.

To know just how much D you need, you’d have to take into consideration your current levels, as well as the recommended amounts.

Government says ‘little to nothing’ (200-400 IU – International Units a day), Health Revolution says ‘the more the better’ (2000-4000 IU a day). I’m with the Revolution.

As for the Sun’s version of D, let there be no interference. Do you touch other people through a screen or make love with your clothes on? Well, even if you do, know that D doesn’t penetrate through glass, walls or sunscreen. Get naked.

D friends & enemies
Like any hero, D has opponents. Mr. Gluten (my ex), is one of the main D inhibitors. Even if you don’t have Celiac disease, you might be allergic to gluten or not digest it properly and not be aware of it.

On the other hand, Mr. Magnesium (my current vita-love) helps pave D’s way into the body. Most people who are low on the D are also, coincidentally, low on Magnesium. So you might want to put the M next to the D, in that green smoothie of yours.

D-mindful resources
Here are some trustworthy resources to get your D-liciousness back on:
Whether you like Dr. Ozz or not, the man is usually on healthy fire and at least half of what he says is crazy-true (six minutes, it won’t kill you):


And if you have six more, another conspiracy (but interesting enough) take on D:

More D-juice for the pale vampire:
You can download a copy of the D-report from Natural News here: http://www.naturalnews.com/rr-sunlight.html

Dr. Andrew Weil’s recommendations. Wise Man Alert: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02812/vitamin-d
Vitamin D is so cool it even has a Council: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Dr. Mercola may be controversial at times and may even exploit any chance to make you subscribe to every breath he takes, but he is also great at what he does and has a lot of useful information on the D-dilemma. Check out his D-story here (and of course, subscribe, for God’s sake):

http://www.mercola.com/article/vitamin-d-resources.htm / And don’t tell him I said this but you can also watch his Vit-D sermon here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlXdegk2icA. I highly recommend this talk.

One final D…
If you’re a recent convert to D-ism and need a little push to welcome D into your daily ritual, post this Note to Self on the bathroom mirror so it’s the first thing you see when you get up:

It’s D-day, Sunshine. Ditch the cave. Load on some Sunlight. Misbehave.

You can even add a jazzy tune to it and do an improv in the shower (not that I do it). But if jazzing it is too much, just say it out loud a few times and I guarantee you that at least some sort of ridiculous blood will slowly start coming back to your lifeless cheeks.

Courage, Hope, Gratitude, Love

"In times of challenge, may we listen with courage and sing with hope. In times of ease, may we listen with gratitude and sing with love."

~ A blessing from Ross Rayburn, given at the end of his first public class at Bhavana Yoga Center in Athens, Greece


Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.

~ Lionel Hampton

Food Combining and Digestion

Paraphrased from Tips from Nadya Andreeva @ Spinach and Yoga

The simpler the dish, the less energy it requires to digest. Simplicity is a key in many effective concepts. Digestion is not different.

You don’t necessarily need to eliminate entire food groups to keep your belly happy. Going gluten free or vegan doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have to look into food combining, especially if you want to increase your energy levels.

Food combining can be applied to any diet to reduce postmeal digestive un-ease, improve elimination, resolve skin issues, and to increase energy levels.

A little on the energy and food connection...

Caffeine aside, we have a finite amount of energy for any given day. There are several major things that go into energy equation: sleep, emotions, movement, mental activity, and of course food.

• Sleep gives us energy

• Movement can be energizing due to increase in blood circulation and oxygen but in the end it requires energy. Different types of exercise can also be broken down into depleting and nourishing but more on it later

• Emotions have a very strong connection to energy levels. Positive emotions like joy are energizing while negative emotions can deplete energy reserves

• Mental activity requires quite a bit of energy. Clarity and creativity are not very common mental states in exhausted people

• Food is a double-edge sword. Easy-to-digest food will provide energy, hard to digest or nutrient poor food will require more energy to break down. Some food combinations will even have a negative net gain of energy. Eg: white bagel with cream cheese requires a lot of energy to digest, probably way more than it will provide to the body. Berries on the other hand is a certain quick energy gain

One of the ways to make sure that you get a positive net gain of energy from food is to eat nutrient-dense foods. Another way is to make sure that those nutrients can be easily absorbed into your body by keeping food combinations simple.

Food combination theories can be quite complicated to understand, and almost impossible to remember right away. However, there is one key rule that will save you a lot of memorizing: SIMPLICITY. The fewer ingredients the less different enzymes you need to digest food and the less likely the food will get stuck in our body fermenting. Simple meals are easier because they require less resources to break down and turn them into nutrients.

Another rule is to keep portions manageable. If you know that you will be eating a complicated meal consisting of hard-to-digest products, keep the amount small. It is easier to deal with a small problem rather than a large one.

Here are top 10 rules of food combining to experiment with:

1. The simpler, the better

2. Drink a little bit of hot water or herbal tea before a meal, a little bit during, and nothing after for at least 30 min. It prevents gastric juices from diluting and allows for better digestion

3. No fruits after a meal for 2-3 hours. Fruits require a lot less time to digest but if there is something in your stomach, they will sit there and ferment. It will give you an uncomfortable bloated feeling

4. Soak nuts overnight. It makes them less dry and easier to break down, they become a lot less heavy by nature. Ayurveda highly recommends soaking all nuts

5. Do not combine different types of protein in one meal. No fish and chicken, no nuts and dairy, or beans and meat. A meal of combined proteins will take 10-12 hours to digest if you have a strong digestion. Why would you want to voluntarily sign up for 12 hours of non-stop work?

6. Always add greens when having fats with proteins or starches. When fats are eaten with green vegetables the inhibiting effect of fats on gastric secretion is counteracted and digestion proceeds quite normally. Greens combine well with pretty much everything. Can’t go wrong with them! Leafy greens are your best friends

7. Let you body rest a few times a week by eating monomeals

8. Experiment mindfully! When in doubt about a certain food combination, try and pay attention to your body’s feedback. Your body knows better than any nutritionist

9. If having dairy milk, do not combine it with anything. Definitely no fruity milk shakes unless you are craving mucousy cuddled milk in your stomach

10. Keep it light, warm, and simple if tired or stressed. Healing and restoring requires energy, so does digestion. Be smart about how you use your energy resources


3 Ayurvedic Tips for Healthy Digestion
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-1216/3-Ayurvedic-Tips-for-Healthy-Digestion.html

According to Ayurveda, healthy digestion is a cornerstone of good health. Efficient digestion nourishes the body and provides energy, while a sluggish heavy feeling in your stomach will make you dread your own existence. Unfortunately, many of us city dwellers suffer from digestion problems. Probiotics, antacids, heartburn pills, detox packs? every pharmacy and health food store has shelves upon shelves of digestive supplements.

Approximately 75 to 100 million Americans suffer from some sort of digestive troubles. According to The Consumer's Guide to Probiotics, Americans spend $725 million on laxatives each year and $200 million on probiotics. All this money could be spent on something a lot more enjoyable and fun if only our belly was healthy enough to do its job!

Ayurveda, an ancient science of health, offers some simple, time-proven tips on improving your digestive health and re-invigorating internal organs responsible for detoxification mechanisms.

1. Proper Food Combining - We all know that eating healthy foods will make us feel better, but proper foods in the wrong combination still form toxins, gases, and won?t digest well because different classes of food require their own specific digestive enzymes. When we consume different types of foods at a single meal we place a demand on our digestive glands to manufacture and secrete different digestive enzymes simultaneously. Many traditional American meals do this and it's not a good thing. For example, eating bananas with milk can diminish digestive fire, change the intestinal flora, produce toxins, and cause sinus congestion. This causes confusion in our system and results in serious imbalances.

The good news is that you can still eat great food! Here are some basic food guidelines to follow:

• Avoid mixing milk or yogurt with sour or citrus fruits. And, yes, it means that yogurt with fruit would not be considered a healthy breakfast choice by an ayurvedic practitioner!

• Melons should be eaten alone or left alone

• Try to eat fruits separately to get the most nutrients

• Avoid eating cooked and raw foods together

• Do not eat meat protein and milk protein together

• Do not mix fresh milk with other milk products. The action of hydrochloric acid in the stomach causes the milk to curdle. For this reason Ayurveda advises against taking milk with sour fruits, yogurt, sour cream, cheese, and fish

2. Add Some Lemon Juice (from a real lemon, not a plastic container!) - Lemon is one of the richest sources of Vitamin C on the planet and it also contains nutrients like Vitamin B, riboflavin, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium. Lemon juice with warm water can also help eliminate waste in your system and serve as a Liver tonic. Daily intake of lemon water has several health benefits: It keeps your stomach healthy; acts as cure for nausea, heartburn, indigestion, high blood pressure, stress, and depression. It gets better: you'll benefit from lemon?s anti-aging properties and heart friendly potassium. Use lemon in this yummy dressing or just add it to water or tea throughout the day.

3. Spice It Up with Ginger - Ginger is a must! Ginger is known as ?the universal medicine? for its versatility and healing properties. It increases agni (digestive fire), neutralizes toxins, and helps digestion, and absorption of food. Ginger brings a ton of spicy and sweet flavor to any dish, such as teas, soups, stews, and even appetizers. I can?t start my day without a cup of green tea with a handful of sliced fresh ginger and lemon -- it makes my belly very happy and keeps me full of energy the entire day!

10 Common Food Combinations That Wreak Havoc on Your Health
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3615/10-Common-Food-Combinations-That-Wreak-Havoc-on-Your-Health.html

10 food combinations that are considered bad by Ayurveda, modern hygenists, and physiologists. Basically, no one in there right mind would ever think of eating these foods together if they knew what would happen in our digestive system. Some of the immediate consequences of bad food combinations are digestive un-ease, gas, bloating, stomach ache, nausea, fatigue, and problems with elimination. While short-term effects can clear up within a day or two, long-term food combining can lead to more severe problems like bad breath, dry skin, rashes, chronic inflammation, poor sleep, low energy, and chronic digestion issues. Most people feel a surge of energy and naturally lose weight once they start following several simple food combining rules.

Here are some popular items on the average American menu that present a big challenge to our body and can wreak havoc on your health:

1. Fruit after a meal. Natural Hygienists have known for a long time that fruit doesn’t combine well with other foods. The reason is that fruit contains simple sugars that require no digestion. Thus, they will not stay for a long time in the stomach. Other foods, such as foods rich in fat, protein and starch, will stay in the stomach for a longer period of time because they require more digestion. So if you eat fruit after a meal, the fruit sugar will stay for too long in the stomach and ferment

2. Lasagna or Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Protein-starch combos inhibit salivary digestion of starch. Protein and starches need different enzymes and different levels of acidity to be digested. When eaten together, your body is forced to make a choice to digest protein but not starches. According to Dr Herbert Shelton, the champion of original Natural hygiene ideas, undigested starchy food undergoes fermentation and decomposition and overtime leads to poisonous end-products. Supposedly, adding greens to hard-to-digest cheesy dishes makes them easier for the stomach. Arugula salad, please!

3. Cheese and meat omelet. In general protein/protein combinations are not recommended. One single concentrated protein per meal is easier to digest and won’t require as much energy. Go for veggie omelet instead

4. Tomato and cheese pasta sauce. Tomatoes are considered acidic and are not advised to be mixed with starchy carbs such as pasta. Food combining theory recommends to avoid mixing carbohydrates with acids. Adding dairy to this already difficult combo turns it into a recipe for digestive problems and after-meal fatigue since your body will require a ton of energy to digest this meal. Have pasta with pesto and grilled veggies instead!

5. Cereal or oatmeal with milk and orange juice. Acids in orange juice or any acid fruits destroy the enzyme that is responsible for digesting starches present in cereal. Also, acidic fruits or juices can curdle milk and turn it into a heavy mucus-forming substance. To keep your breakfast healthy, try having fruit or orange juice 30 min before the oatmeal

6. Beans and cheese. Dairy protein and beans is a common combo in any Mexican restaurant. Eaten with a hearty serving of guacamole and hot sauce, it is almost guaranteed to lead to gas and bloating. It is not the beans on their own that cause it, but the combination as a whole. Try skipping cheese and tomatoes if you have a weak digestion or working on detoxifying your body

7. Melon and Prosciutto. Melons should be eaten alone or left alone. The same rule goes for all high sugar fruits. In general, it is preferred to eat fruits separately from proteins or starches, especially if you are looking for a quick energy boost from a fruit

8. Bananas and milk. Ayurveda lists this combination as one of the heaviest and toxin-forming. It is said to create heaviness in the body and slow down the mind. If you are a fan of milk-based banana smoothies make sure that banana is very ripe and add cardamom and nutmeg to stimulate digestion

9. Yogurt with fruit. Ayurveda and food combining theory, don’t advise mixing any sour fruits with dairy as it can diminish digestive fire, change the intestinal flora, produce toxins and cause sinus congestion, cold, cough and allergies. Ayurveda suggests avoiding congestive and digestive fire dampening foods like cold yogurt mixed with fruits. However, if you can’t resist the temptation of a yogurt parfait, there are ways to make it more digestion friendly. First of all, go for a room temperature natural unflavored yogurt. Secondly, mix a little bit of honey, cinnamon, and raisins instead of sour berries

10. Lemon Dressing on Cucumber and Tomato Salad - Nightshades such as potatoes, chillies, eggplant, and tomatoes are not supposed to be combined with cucumbers. While lemon does not go well with either

Of course, everyone has a different body and will experience various levels of sensitivity to bad food combinations. Many people attribute digestive problems and allergies to particular foods while in reality it is the combination of foods that is to blame. Also, many of us are so used to digestive discomfort that we don't know what it feels like not to experience it. Everything becomes clear in comparison. If you follow simple food combination rules for 2 weeks and let your digestive system rest, your digestion will be a lot more efficient and stronger. Cravings will subside, there will be more energy.

Heart - John Lennon





Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one

~ Imagine lyrics

Love is real, real is love
Love is feeling, feeling love
Love is wanting to be loved

Love is touch, touch is love
Love is reaching, reaching love
Love is asking to be loved

Love is you
You and me
Love is knowing
We can be

Love is free, free is love
Love is living, living love
Love is needing to be loved

~ John Lennon - Love lyrics

50 Reasons Why You Are Absolutely Beautiful. ~ Linnea Jensen-Stewart

50 Reasons Why You Are Absolutely Beautiful. ~ Linnea Jensen-Stewart

Beauty is this word that is often thrown around conditionally. It’s another category that can sometimes feel esoteric. To me, beauty is a celebration of everything in our lives- even the stuff that we shove deep down in hopes of never seeing that “ugliness” again- it’s the organic substance that fuels our gorgeous smile, and breathtaking laugh. Beauty in its rawness can’t be faked.

1. You are beautiful when you are afraid to do something, and you do it anyway.

2. If you have been to hell and back, your resilience is beautiful.

3. Beauty is a daring action. One that is built on your authentic intention instead of being attached to the outcome.

4. Asking questions—especially “why?”—is always beautiful. Why? Because curiosity is beautiful.

5. If you can string words together into a sentence, and you’re brave enough to let someone else read it, that’s beautiful.

6. Flat stomachs are beautiful, absolutely, but big, soft bellies are beautiful, too.

7. It is beautiful to speak another language. It is beautiful to try.

8. Beauty is putting paint on canvas, or strumming a guitar, or capturing a stunning moment in a picture, or dancing with your eyes closed.

9. Creating is always beautiful.

10. Your eyes are beautiful. Nobody else has eyes like yours. They are deep and authentic and instantly recognizable.

11. Beauty is being brave enough to embrace your feelings- the good, the bad, and the ugly. To open yourself to the possibility that there is something magnificent there.

12. Remember the time your best friend called you crying? Because only your voice could calm her down? That was beautiful.

13. Beauty is laughing so hard your stomach hurts and you’re yelling, “Stop! Seriously, I’m peeing!” Yes. Peeing your pants can be beautiful.

14. Beauty is not letting ignorance be mistaken for truth. Even if you’re the one in the dark.

15. Beauty is calling someone out for saying something hurtful, even if you weren’t the one getting hurt.

16. Your legs are beautiful. No, really. They are. Admire the curve of your calves, the muscles in your thighs, the peaks and valleys of your knee.

17. Letting go of a toxic relationship? Ah, what a beautiful relief!

18. You are beautiful when you rock out so hard at a concert that your neck is sore the next day.

19. Intelligence is beautiful.

20. Humor. There is nothing more beautiful than laughter.

21. Compassion is very, very beautiful.

22. Beauty is wearing an outfit so fierce that when people compliment you on it you say, “I know, right?” and then, “Oh, I mean, thank you.”

23. Strong opinions are beautiful.

24. Respecting other people’s strong opinions is beautiful too.

25. Beauty is your hometown, whether you love it or hate it, because it helped shape you who you are.

26. Beauty is telling a joke only you think is funny and laughing so hard nobody can hear the punchline.

27. Walking away from a relationship –Platonic or romantic because you know its the only way to truly love them is to stop trying to change them, and let them be who they are. That is most beautiful.

28. Deep breaths are beautiful.

29. Listening is beautiful. Choosing to respond instead of react- even if you don’t want to hear it- trusting that there is always something valuable in someone else’s words.

30. Your bare face in the morning is beautiful. Ask the people that love you. It’s true.

31. The way our bodies tell the truth—we blush when we are attracted to someone, we blink twice when we lie, we get sick when we’re pushing our mental limits—is beautiful.

32. Having faith in someone else’s word, because we know we’ve been true to our own. That is beautiful.

33. Beauty is being comfortable enough with someone else to be silent. As the character Sherry Anne in the movie Best In Show put it, “We could talk or not talk forever and still find things to not talk about.”

34. Beauty is being able to walk gracefully in high heels.

35. Beauty is digging your bare feet into the sand.

36. Beauty is sitting very still with your thoughts.

37. It is beautiful to find the strength to ask for help when you need it. No matter how successful you are. We all feel like we’re drowning sometimes, and we would all be glad to pull you from the rapids.

38. Beauty is loving your pet as much as they love you.

39. Beauty is a fresh flower in your hair.

40. The physical remnants of our life experiences—stretch marks, scars, wrinkles, and sun spots—are beautiful.

41. Wisdom is beautiful.

42. Humility is beautiful.

43. Beauty is the sweaty satisfaction of a hard workout- moving your body in the way it was meant to.

44. It is beautiful to finally tell someone your secret.

45. It is beautiful to turn the worst night into the funniest story- the ability to see the humor in the darker, sometimes neglected parts of our life.

46. Beauty is being able to truly enjoy the food you eat.

47. It is beautiful to be grateful to all the strong people who came before you: the ones who raised you, the ones who fought for your rights, the ones who were burned at the stake because they were too powerful.

48. Giving birth is beautiful. (Messy, but beautiful.) Rebirth- as many times as necessary- is also beautiful.

49. Freedom is beautiful. You are free to fill your life with the things that make you happy. You have a choice.

50. Happiness is beautiful. Never be ashamed of being happy.

A little dark, but necessary...

"Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness." ~ Melvin Morse, M.D


“It all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.”


“I have never interviewed anyone who had a near-death experience who told me that they came back to make more money or to spend more time at their jobs away from their families… Instead, they become convinced that they need to be more loving and kind. They react to their experience by living life to its fullest. They believe their lives have a purpose, even if that purpose is obscure to them. Invariably it involves concepts such as love of family or service to others. They seem to know that the love they create while living will be reflected and radiated back to them when they die.”


– Melvin Morse, M.D., from his book, Parting Visions


REGRETS OF THE DYING
By Bronnie Ware

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.

People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:
……..
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.
…….

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
…….

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
…….

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
…….

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.
………………

Based on this article, Bronnie has now released a full-length book, titled The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.