Living in Mindfulness

The Yoga Ni-Yamas: Santosa and Svadhyaya

2012-02-09T08:11:00.000-08:00

This week for my yoga training we have been assigned to choose one of the five niyamas in yoga, or internal practices of observation/ethical practices of guidance.

I had a hard time choosing just one, so I've chosen two. The first is Santosa, contentment. I think it is often difficult to feel true contentment. We are often inundated with distractions, pressures, desires, etc that push us to want more things, keep our calendars packed with activities and succumb to instant gratification. I am definitely guilty! Santosa reminds us that not only should we be content with the joyous and beautiful parts of our lives but also with the difficulties we face as they are an integral part. There is constant change in our lives, even if we somehow maintain a facade of keeping everything the same, it's really constantly changing! And often times these changes can be challenging. These difficult things that come into our lives are lessons of some sort. Something that we need to look at and ask, what do I need to learn from this? It could be a lesson about ourselves, about our relationship, about our job, about our home or any number of things. In the end, if we are clear of mind we can see from more than one perspective and can learn and evolve from our life events, remaining content. Then we are practicing Santosa.

The second one that I have chosen is Svadhyaya, study of one's self. I saw this interpreted on a couple of sites as not only study of one's self but study of spiritual texts. I'd like to focus on the study of one's self. I think this goes in line with the yama I discussed last time on truth, Satya. I think in order to be truthful, we must study ourselves or look deeply at ourselves, our thoughts, words, actions and behaviors. If we can understand ourselves, then we can begin to see the world and reality around us clearly. I have recently had a difficult time looking at the core of my feelings and understanding where they're coming and why. Of course, as I have shared before, I feel meditation is as a method for looking at ourselves deeply but I think that we can also do this all day long as we apply mindfulness to our daily lives. Taking a few seconds to check in with ourselves throughout the day or when eventful things happen and then setting aside a longer time to reflect on things we've thought, felt, done or seen. And the key when we reflect is to set aside all judgement, it is pure observation. We can decide that there are some things we'd like to try to understand more deeply that perhaps we would like to change, but the goal isn't change so much as it is understanding ourselves. I think that if we can see what's going on inside, then we can understand it and through understanding, any change needed should happen freely and easily...

Be content. Be Inquisitive. See Deeply. Love. Breathe!

The photo for this post is from Michelle Meiklejohn's portfolio on Free Digital Photo's.

Universal Principles of Yoga: The Yama Satya

2012-01-24T08:23:00.000-08:00

I recently started a yoga teacher training and we had an assignment to choose one of the Five Universal Principles of Yoga, the Yamas, to research and talk about at our next training weekend. You can find a link to all five of them here, but I chose the second Yoga Yama, Satya - which many of you may know is also my father's first name!

I chose the Yoga Yama Satya because for many of the early years of my life I struggled with being truthful to myself and to others. As a young child and adolescent, I found myself lying in order to avoid conflict or admitting mistakes (something I saw modeled in my early life). I also just didn’t have any healthy tools for expressing negative emotions and thoughts or when I was angered by a friend. My technique was to stuff it all in until I either exploded at someone or literally walked away from the friendship. This happened far more often than I would like to admit. I was extremely unskillful in the Yama Satya, truthfulness also referred to as Loving Speech. I saw a video on another blog that said that The Yama Satya must be paired with the first Yoga Yama, Ahimsa - Non-violence/compassion - so that our truthfulness (Satya) embodies compassion (Ahimsa) and therefore does not cause and pain or hurt in those receiving it.

I can remember friends asking me if something was the matter, if I was upset and the truthful answer was “Yes, my feeling are hurt!” But I always answered, “No, I’m fine.” To this day, my instinct is to answer with the same denial, but the strength of the Yama Satya is so much stronger in me now and I know it is my duty to be truthful to prevent future explosions of anger.

It wasn’t until my twenties that I started peeling away my lack of the Yama Satya and started to attempt to live by it. Of course at the time I didn’t know that the truthfulness I was trying to live by was part of the Yoga Universal Principles, I just wanted to live with integrity and take responsibility for my thoughts, words and actions. I had become aware of how I’d hurt people in the past and how I’d been hurt by non-truthfulness so I vowed to do my absolute best to be honest with myself and share my truth with those around me in the most mindful, loving, ahimsa way possible.

Below is a not-all-inclusive list/outline of the different aspect of how I see the Yama Satya being embodied and engaged by each of us. You may see future posts going into more detail of these, but here is my outline sketched for my assignment!

Personal Internal truth

Being honest with ourself in terms of boundaries, limitations, life path, life goals, energy, ability, skill, etc...
Acknowledge our thoughts and see where there is truth and where there isn’t and do our best to change our habitual non-truthful thoughts

Truth in Observation

Being mindful and truly present in each moment to sharpen our sense of observation so that we may see the truth of our own reality and that of those around us
Engaging in Mindful Interactive Truth (see below) with others when we observe a truth that may not be apparent to the other. This involves the first Yoga Yama, ahimsa (non-violence/compassion) so that we can communicate any negative information or observation as truthfully and compassionately as possible.

Interactive Truth

Being mindful of the words we choose when speaking with others.

Before you speak, ask yourself these 3 questions:

Is what I am about to say the truth?
Is it necessary?
Will it cause harm?

Allowing the others involved in our Interactive Truth time to hear, process and respond to our Interactive Truth.
Respecting when others do not like the truth we have shared with them and honoring their feelings.

Multiple Truths/Accepting Other’s Truths

There are an infinite number of paths for each of us to follow, we each have our own karmic lessons we must learn so that we may deepen our personal truths and transform ourselves in the perfect way we are supposed to in this life. So long as our truth/path is not hurting another person or group of people and we are aware of how we affect each other and the world and that our truth is for the ultimate highest good, then we should allow ourselves and others to follow our own truth, even if we don’t like some of them.

Higher Power Truth

This follows up with the Multiple Truths idea as it relates to God, The Divine, The Creator, The Universe, Religion, Spirituality, etc. Everyone has a choice for which, if any, path they choose to follow!

Breathe. Smile. Be Truthful. Be Mindful. Love!

The picture for this post is from Simon Howden's portfolio on Free Digital Photos.

Unsticking When We Get Stuck

2012-01-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

Feeling stuck can be due to stretching ourselves too thin, poor diet, lack of sleep, fear of change, difficulty transitioning from one season to another or difficulty transitioning from one life "season" to another... the list goes on and on and on.

I feel defeated when I find myself feeling stuck. I often have this feeling when I'm craving making a big change or doing something new or different and I feel a little intimidated or unsure of which way I want to go. At the core, my stuck feeling is created from an over attachment to a desired outcome combined with a lack of trust in the universe and my path.

I find I can often unstick myself if I just let go a little and remember to connect back to the trust I have in myself and the universe. Letting go doesn't mean I don't move forward or make that tricky decision, it just means that I try not to have a specific, detailed expectation for how things should go every little step of the way. When I let go of the tiny details, I unstick a little. That heavy weight of fear or indecision lightens and I can wiggle out and see more clearly what is in front of me. I will make the necessary plans and decisions, but perhaps they don't happen this week, but next. Or it manifests through someone I will meet at a future event.

Trusting the universe is a big one. For some people this is like the faith they have in their religion and God but for me it's about energy. I believe very deeply that our intentions, the energy we pour into our dreams, needs and pure wants, is very powerful. I have taken the time to either write or create a vision board, putting the energy towards a certain goal and then releasing my attachment to it and letting it go to the universe. This doesn't mean that we just sit on the couch and wait for it to happen. Our energy must be transformed into the actions that will bring us to our dreams. And then the magic can happen. You might meet someone when you go to a workshop that will lead to another opportunity and then ultimately to your vision...

Years ago I wanted to have an opportunity to create and lead a Spanish language workshop. I asked the universe and then let it go. A few days later, my sister was visiting and an old family friend came over to see her. I got to talking with this family friend and as it turned out she was looking for someone to create a Spanish language workshop for the employers in her company. Coincidence? Some might say that's all it was. I would say intention and the universe had something to do with it...

I will do my best to unstick my mind and body when I find myself in the stuck zone!

Breathe. Smile. Unstick. Invision. Let Go!

The image for this post is from Dan's Profile on Free Digital Photos.

Preparing For Our Breaking Point

2011-12-30T11:32:00.000-08:00

When I reach my breaking point, sometimes I don't feel like there is any valid "reason" for it. I just feel plain terrible and have this feeling in me that nobody should feel happy if I'm feeling so miserable. Or I feel an irrational sense of control towards those around me. Wednesday, December 28th, those who crossed my path were innocent victims to the seething anger I was feeling. I had lost control of this emotion and despite all my attempts to be mindful, I felt such an overwhelming sense of frustration that I couldn't hear my own mindfulness bell. There is a feeling I get when I know I should make another choice, when I know I should let go and change my current course but on Wednesday, I wasn't listening to it and pushed it aside, clinging to my hurt and frustration. I even left the house and tried to calm myself in nature. This helped a little but there was something in me that was rigid, firm, unbending and unwilling to compromise. It wasn't until after raising my voice at my sweet little girl and seeing the fear in her eyes that I began to soften. I remember having that same fear and disappointment when I was yelled at as a child and it had such a severe affect on me. I vowed I would never do it to my own child. And here I was, again. It has been very few times but they are there. My highest self may be present when I have these outbursts but she's not in the driver's seat. It felt more like the child in me who needed to be heard and listened to was behind the wheel, making all the decisions. The biggest problem is that I am not a child anymore and must find it within me to be the adult, functioning from my highest self.

I do believe that repair is critical after moments like the one I had on the 28th but I don't think it's enough. Or we could walk around treating people terribly and then apologize and think that's ok to do over and over again. I am determined to work on myself and look into my core to see what it is that is brewing inside of me so I can have a deeper understanding and make the changes I need to. This might be through therapy, healing on a physical level or noting if lunar-menstrual cycles have anything to do with it and plan accordingly... awareness of self, mindfulness of self. Preparing myself for the moments when I am unable to hear the mindfulness bell.

I have been repairing with my daughter for the last few days, being kind and attentive but not giving in to our regular rules. Trying to be more understanding when she acts out, who knows, maybe she's imitating my own behavior. She is a vivid mirror. I am trying to breathe into the sensations I have within me to see where they are coming from and how I can move forward so that I can minimize and ultimately eliminate these breakdowns in mindfulness. It doesn't mean I won't get angry or have these feelings again, but I don't want to inflict pain on those I love.

I remind myself of my imperfection. I take responsibility for my actions. I breathe into my core being and promise to do my best.

Breathe. Smile. Understand Yourself. Have Patience.

The photo for this post if from Graur Codrin's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Learn to Stop

2011-12-21T12:54:00.000-08:00

"In daily life, there is so much to do and so little time. You may feel pressure to run. Learn to stop! Touch the present moment and you will touch peace and joy" - Thich Nhat Hanh

I know for a fact I have blogged about this quote before but it seems quite apropos right now with the bustling of friends and family and presents and parties... which I LOVE! I love being with the people I love, friends and family. I love planning activities, menus - especially the sweet treats involved, though I often make the healthy, gluten free, low glycemic version. But what I always forget is how exhausting it can be too, especially if we don't take time to recharge - also something that I've written about many times.

Now, right now, during the holidays it may seem impossible to slow down, especially if there are multiple young children involved in the festivities but I am trying to do two things. When I'm in a social gathering to relieve myself of any pressures (self-imposed or otherwise) to do too much or go beyond my capacity. And it takes being fully present in the moment, the second thing I'm trying to do, to stay aware of any self-imposed pressures to do too much, or to be aware of when I've reached my limit and to know when, where and how to STOP and let go. Even if for a short moment, so that I can release the pressure that been building up, unwind even just a little, and recharge for the rest of the holiday festivities!

Whatever holiday you are or are not celebrating these last few days of 2011, I wish you peace, joy and a beautiful present moment!

Breathe. Smile. Stop. Laugh. Wink. Exhale. Enjoy!

The photo in this post is from Chris Sharp's portfolio on Free Digital Photos.

Humble Request

2011-12-17T12:51:00.000-08:00

We are busy, busy getting ready for family to come in town but had a simple request to those of you who already follow via email if you feel so inclined. I just upgraded my blog to allow for people to follow it more easily so, please "follow" the blog by going to the follow box on the right sidebar of the blog... and to anyone stopping by and checking the blog out, it would be GREAT to have new readers!!!

Breathe. Smile. Celebrate. Love.

The photo for this post is by Topstep07's profile in free digital photos.

Imperfection is perfect

2011-12-13T13:06:00.000-08:00

I am often surprised by the tone in my voice especially when I've reached my limit. Maybe surprised isn't quite the word, more like embarrassed or ashamed. Often I may say words that would normally convey a kind or neutral message but the tone in my voice carries with it annoyance, frustration, anger or some other emotion. Yet I want to be able to temporarily mask my real feelings until a later time when I can feel more 'in control' so that I might spare my loved ones from further pain or discomfort. The worst time to express myself is when I am engulfed in strong feelings of anger.

But what do we do then, when we have to interact with those involved in the moment? I'm not sure I have THE answer, nor do I think there is any one answer. And it is in this circumstance that I find my tone gets curt and just not so nice. It is in the moment(s) immediately following the stimulus and before our reaction that we make a critical decision about how we want to play out the scene. Those moments are what Elisha Goldstein calls the "space" between stimuli and reactions. It is in that space that we 'should' try to calmly inform our loved ones that we are feeling frustrated and need some time before we can talk about it. And this is my dilemma, is it ok to have a curt tone of voice? I often struggle with the tone and energy I exude even if the words out of my mouth are not mean. I have a lot of judgement towards myself for the moments I speak with a curt tone with my family. When I'm with my daughter, I often cannot take time "out" to cool off or rather it's not the most practical thing to do, like when we are in the same room, at a friends house or in the car together.

I suppose that a terse, low tone is better than all out screaming (which I have done for brief moments). I think the issue really for me can be that of dealing with the negative emotion and feelings swirling inside me and then accepting my imperfections and that I will not always say the right thing at the right time.

Recognizing the mistakes I make and rectifying them seems to be far more important than trying to not make them at all. And as I write all this, it seems so clear and simple. Ideas I've read elsewhere and have heard over and over. Yet here I am still trying to understand the nature of human interactions, my own internal workings and how the drama of life plays out. I am determined to slow down, especially in the space between stimuli and reactions!

Breathing. Feeling. Swirling. Smiling.

The photo for this post is from Evgeni Dinev's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Loving Speech: A Deeper Look

2011-12-08T12:43:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked by a friend and reader of this blog to write on honesty and doing so even when what we have to say may not be easy for the other person to hear. This has also sparked a great idea to incorporate YOUR ideas, meaning you who read this blog, into my idea pool. I would love for you to write in with topic ideas as it helps me get inspired! So send me your topics and I will try to feature one reader suggestion a month!

I touched on the topic of Loving Speech in a previous post. I think the term loving speech explains itself but I myself often struggle with determining what loving speech looks like in practice. I have determined that there is no step-by-step procedure that we can plug into every circumstance but there are some things I have tried to do in the past that have been successful and hope they can assist some of you in your loving speech endeavors.

If I am the person who has some feeling or truth that I need to share with a friend or loved one and I sense it may be difficult for that person to hear it, I will first look VERY deeply at what it is I am feeling, thinking, needing. One of the best ways to do this is to journal about the "issue" I have so that I can clearly understand my feelings around it, clearly see the most important parts of it, especially those that will need to be communicated, and look at the part of my being that is involved with this issue. When I say 'part of my being' I mean, is this issue related to the child in me, the adolescent or the adult. This can often help us see who inside of us is in the "driver's seat" as it relates to the issue because let's face it, sometimes it's that little girl or boy who's making those snap reactive decisions or that feisty teenager who was so rebellious is the one who yells at our loved one today.

Doing this kind of writing can also help us prepare for speaking with our loved one. In the past and even still I have had to share my difficult feelings with my loved ones first in writing, for several reasons. When I am in the moment talking, I often forget things that I need to say so writing them down helps remind me and having my loved one read about it first helps ease the tension I have around the issue and around any fears I have about talking. Also, I often forget my mindfulness when I am speaking, especially when the discussion is fresh or raw, so writing keeps me mindful as I can do my best to ensure that the message is delivered mindfully and lovingly. So I think that writing a letter is a more than acceptable first step to engaging in Loving Speech with our loved ones.

After the letter has been read or instead of a letter, we should always schedule a time to actually discuss the issue. It is crucial that we speak when we are not heated with anger and that we inform our loved one that we are having a hard time and that we would benefit from having a Loving Speech conversation about an issue. I cannot stress enough that we cannot speak when we are heated with anger as our perspective will be tainted and we will likely say something we regret, I've done it and it doesn't feel good for anyone involved.

I find that speaking from the point of view of how I feel vs telling the person what he or she is doing wrong also helps bring to light the issue in a lovingly way. So I might say one of the following:

"I feel very frustrated when...."
"I find that I have a difficult time when..."
"I notice that I don't understand..."
"From my perspective it seems like you're...."
"When you said, 'XYZ,' it made me feel...."
"Can you help me understand why you..."
"It would help me if you could...."
"Is there something one your mind..?"

These statements reinforce that it is MY perspective or feelings and that I am trying to find out more about the situation or my loved ones perspective so that we can try to come up with a solution.

Along with Loving Speech also comes Deep Listening. So, even though I may be the one that has a frustration with my loved one, I must do my best, my very, very best (this can be very difficult) to listen deeply to what my loved one says and ask questions when I don't understand or explain myself even more in reaction to what he/she says but we must also let our loved ones speak fully too!

Finally, we should always try to have Loving Speech conversations about positive things too, on a regular basis, so that we are not always sitting down to focus on the negative. Something Rishi and I have done in the past, which I think as a result of this post we may need to start up again, is to sit down with each other a least a couple of times a week and share things that we are grateful for about each other and note the things that we each did that helped us or that made us happy so that when we have to sit down and discuss our grievances we can feel strong and secure in the positive foundation that rests on all the things that we love about each other and that we are grateful for.

I think that this way of speaking is pertinent to almost all relationships and can really help us clear the space and energy. Something I often struggle with is determining for myself what issues are serious enough to share and with whom. Do I do this with an acquaintance, unlikely, but possible. Coworker, should but may not. Friend, more likely to but it might not always happen. Husband/Wife/Partner, definitely. Child, absolutely. Do I tell them every single annoyance and frustration, probably not unless it's frequent, reoccurring or turning into resentment/anger. So I am NOT perfect with this. These are things I have tried to do but do not necessarily do to perfection, but hopefully this can give guidance and ideas for the next time you need to discuss something difficult with another person. Clear, positive, compassionate communication can enhance any relationship!

Breathe. Speak. Love. Listen. Communicate!

The photo in this post is from Prozac1's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Being Wrong Can Be Right

2011-12-05T11:15:00.001-08:00

So my family has an "I'm right" gene where we really stand this ground til the bitter end. I carry this gene too. I have in the past been so stuck on being right, perhaps to prove my intelligence or worthiness but it was years before I realized how tremendously frustrating this trait can be. I can remember 3 people in my family hurrying through the door into my house to verify who was right about a piece of information they had been arguing about during the entire ride over and what struck me the most was the energy that I sensed about it not being so much about finding the true answer but about someone being right and the others being wrong. So, I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't search and discover the truth, or point out huge fallacies such as racist based wrong doings because that is indeed very important BUT I'd like to take a deeper look into the attitude and energy behind being right, especially on the one-on-one personal level.

When I think I'm right whether it's about a fact, belief, opinion or philosophy and so does the other person in the conversation, one of us is very likely not right and possibly even both of us may be wrong or we may both be right, all depending on the topic and circumstances. When I make every possible attempt to show you how right I am it means I'm showing you how wrong you are, which doesn't necessarily make you feel very good. I noticed that this can even happen when my showing my rightness is meant to relieve someone from discomfort.

We had my uncle and his girlfriend in town and they were over for our 2nd Indian take-out dinner with my mom and sister and niece. Most of the group have a hard time with spice so we ordered raita, a yogurt based side dish that can help ease the pains of spiciness. Well, after everyone was sweating from the fire in their mouths and even the raita wasn't helping, I remembered that sometimes restaurants have been known to spice their raita. I tasted it by itself and it did indeed seem spiced. I had my sister and husband try too to make sure I wasn't sensing the spice from another dish. Then I began spreading the news, so the really sensitive mouths might spare themselves from further burning. My mother insisted the other bowl of raita next to her wasn't spicy but tears were streaming down her face due to the fire burning in her mouth. So, we did another 3 party taste test and that raita was indeed spicy.

But in the process of proving my rightness, even though it was to be for the benefit of all those in the room, I proved my mother wrong which based on her reaction didn't make her feel better - even if it was going to put the fire in her mouth out. She still had a sense of irritation by my needing to prove my rightness. But you may be thinking, "But you were right!" Well, I was right but that doesn't mean I needed to loudly and brashly prove my mother was wrong (a beautiful mother daughter tradition ;-) This is a dangerously slippery slope that doesn't have the same approach each time.

In my 20-20 hindsight, I think next time I may simply say, "Maybe I'm wrong. It seems spicy to me but it's possible that I'm wrong." Or I could have said, with a sincere tone, "I'm sorry for offending you, I really was only trying to spare you further discomfort." In other circumstances we could also say, "I think this is right, but I'm not 100% sure. Shall we look into it together?" or "I may be wrong." Even if we feel like we are 100% right, the attitude can really make a difference in how we make others feel. There is a certain level of humility that we attain when we realize we are not always right. I have learned to admit being wrong as well as reduce the need to prove my rightness, though I'm not perfect so it does happen. But I do notice I feel better when I'm not out to prove myself right and admit that I can make mistakes! Allowing others to have some rightness and accepting our wrongness can actually have an amazing affect on our relationships...

Breathe. Be Right and Wrong. Be Wonderful.

There's an interesting TedTalks by Kathryn Schultz on this and Richard Carlson's Chapter 12 on pg 33 of his "Don't Sweat the small stuff" book also has a great perspective too!

The photo for this post is from Exsodus's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Judgement

2011-12-01T11:35:00.001-08:00

I am often amazed at the little voice in my head and how negative and surprisingly judgemental it can be. That little voice is our self talk, that which we are often not even fully aware of and even less in control of. Many, if not most, of us are engaging in frequent negative self talk that often involves judging ourselves based on millions of preconceived ideas we have for how we are supposed to be.

During one of those 70 degree November days we had a few weeks back, I decided not to sit at my computer during Anjali's nap but rather to go out and clear our vegetable garden of the falling leaves. And it took me the majority of the time that I was out there to finally stop pointing out in my head all the things that weren't good enough about the garden, the way I planted the seeds, how it was growing, how I could be tending to it better. And then I looked around our back yard, and the judgement went on and on... and instead of simply noticing all these things, for example that there were millions of leaves everywhere that needed to be cleaned up or that I could take better care of the rest of the yard, make it look nicer. Instead of simply being aware of these things, there was a negative, judgemental gremlin attached to every thought I had and everything I noticed. The lack of landscaping, the weeds that have taken over the yard, the toys strune about. Those of you who know us, know that our yard, especially the back yard, tends to be pretty low on our list of priorities. Long story short, the things that I noticed were not really the "problem" but the judgement carried with it could become one. We have chosen to focus our time, attention and energy on other things and we do not want to use chemicals to kill weeds, so our yard doesn't look nearly as nice as others. But the birds come and hunt their worms, the squirrels eat our acorns and the chipmunks scurry about too! But I still judge myself!

Luckily, after getting my hands in the dirt and really giving the plants lots of love, the clutches of negativity and judgement began to soften and finally release and I really began to relax and be present with all the beautiful life that surrounded me. The lovely green plants that we cultivated and have allowed to thrive. I noticed the beautiful blue sky and soft clouds floating by... all things I wouldn't have noticed if I'd kept myself locking in my negative self talk.

Positive affirmations are key to reversing any negative self talk. Meditation helps us to become aware of it. Love, Nature, Kindness also help!

Breathe. Affirm. Soften. Let go!

The photo for this post is from africa's profile on Free Digital Photos.

In Gratitude

2011-11-23T12:28:00.001-08:00

Giving Thanks - a beautiful practice. A practice that can bring us closer to the abundance in our life, closer to our loved ones, closer to our true selves. I have tried in the past to practice giving thanks everyday. Even Rishi and I have taken the time to express gratitude each day to each other, though, as busy as life gets, it tapers off and isn't done as often. I think that we should take more than just one day out of the year to stop and express our deep gratitude for what we have in our lives and those loved ones we have to share it with.

At the same time, though there is much that I am grateful for, I struggle deeply with the holiday that is before us - Thanksgiving! I love gatherings of people that I love and even more so when there is great food involved. But just as I believe that we must look deeply at our own personal pain and suffering, I believe the same is needed to look deeply at the pain and suffering that exists in the history of this country. Over the past decade and a half, as I've learned the stories that make up the beginning of this nation, stories of it's formation that are the foundation of all the systems, processes and deeply held attitudes and beliefs, I see tragedy, betrayal, lies, deep suffering and much much more. We must acknowledge that this holiday, even though it presently embodies family togetherness, deep gratitude, warm connections and sharing and love, and wonderful food, it is based on a dark, greed filled tragedy and masacre of the native people who were living here when the founders of this country arrived. If we do not embrace the true nature of this holiday, we cannot embrace ourselves wholly. I will link to a few other blogs and articles that explain in much more detail, not for the faint of heart, so that we can face and embrace the truth that lies beneath the sugar coated holiday we all know about.

I do NOT mean that we cannot enjoy being with our loved ones, enjoy delicious food (in mindful moderation!) and create fabulous memories on Thanksgiving. BUT, I think a great practice, even if it's just our own personal practice is to take a few moments of silence or in meditation, giving deep thanks to the millions of souls that lost their lives tragically as part of the formation of this country. I also plan on expressing hope for the souls in the present day who are currently forming this country into what it will become to find deep mindfulness. Ultimately, I think having conversations with our families and others about the true history of Thanksgiving will lead to a transformation of consciousness that could ultimately lead to a transformation in how we honor our past.

I am grateful for everyone who takes the time to read this blog! For my amazing husband and daughter! My parents and sisters. The family that I gained through my wonderful marriage! My extended family! I have so much gratitude for our house, my husbands employment, the food on our table and the love in our hearts! I give thanks for the universe and all the gifts I have received!

Breathe. Remember. Embrace. Love. Give Thanks!

In Gratitude, to the native people of this land who lost their lives, their land and part of their heritage and spirit as it was stolen. In Gratitude to the African slaves torn from their homeland forced to work to build this country from the ground up.

This is one of the best articles I found that express and explain what I am referring to in this post: http://www.serendipity.li/hr/cohen.htm

You could also check out Howard Zen's A People's History of the United States.

The image for this post is from Michelle Meiklejohn's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Peace, remaining calm in your heart!

2011-11-21T12:02:00.001-08:00

"Peace is not the absence of chaos or conflict, but rather finding yourself in the midst of that chaos and remaining calm in your heart," Mr. John Mroz.

I have read this quote a few times and it keeps coming back to my mind, especially when I cannot find the calm in my heart, like when Anjali slaps me three times in a row for not letting her play in the car, or when there's crazy traffic and I'm running super late... I think living this quote wholeheartedly is what I am striving to do in this life but it might be this entire lifetime that I need to learn to practice this.

I suppose I shouldn't be so hard on myself, I can remain calm a lot of the time but there are certain things, triggers, that just push my buttons so hard that a switch is flipped and the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde syndrome is activated, turning me into an evil villain.. or at least that's how I feel on the inside and many times how I act on the outside. Of course, we all have a little Mr. Hyde (the 'evil' one) in us... perhaps evil is not the most mindful of terms, but that part of us that isn't as skillful in loving kindness and compassion.

Often it's the little hurt girl/boy inside of us that didn't get heard or it's because we are not living our lives to their fullest potential, or we just haven't taken the time to really cultivate deep mindfulness, loving kindness and compassion! Or it's all three or more reasons. Whatever the reason, we have a part of us that has a knee jerk reaction that isn't always the kindest. And this part of us may be the part that rules our behavior the majority of the time. Or just part of the time. Regardless, that part is there, perhaps just a seed, or perhaps a fully sprouted plant in our consciousness! Meditation is one of the most powerful tools that we have at our disposal to quiet that side of our beings down so that the loving kindness can flourish!

I know that I have tried to pretend that part of me doesn't exist off and on over the years but it's during those times that it seems to gain more power and control.... I have also tried to avoid conflict, pain, discomforts, anger, etc because wow, how hard are those things to face!!! VERY! And we usually feel about as chaotic as those feelings themselves! or the situation! Facing conflict and pain means facing our darkest side and that same side in those around us, even in our closest loved ones. And this is definitely uncomfortable, perhaps even shakes up our reality in a way that disturbs us. Mindfulness comes into action so that we don't behave with that knee jerk reactive part of ourselves but that we are able to take an objective perspective. See what role I am playing in creating the situation and to come up with a solution.**See disclaimer below. And mindfulness also lets us see that we are not the only ones that feel this way, that darker side of ourselves and our lives isn't bad, it just is. It's there and ignoring it just makes it a monster. Confronting it helps us to realize that it's just as scared as we are!

Mindfulness is the tool to remaining calm when in the middle of a hurricane, giving us the awareness to approach the conflict peacefully so that we can share in the solution without guilt, shame, fear or any other negative emotion or if those emotions arise, we are more equipped to manage them! And meditation is the technique that is very effective in attaining high levels of mindfulness!

Breathe. Look Deeply. Smile. See the Dark. Breathe in the Light!

(**Disclaimer - this is NOT possible if there is any form of abuse going on, verbal, emotional or physical! People who are abused do NOT play a part in their abuse, even if they have done something to anger the abuser, the fact that the abuser cannot control him/herself is not their fault!)

The photo in this post is from a staff member from Free Digital Photos.

Self Care: Make the Time!

2011-11-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

I was reminded by a great friend of mine recently the precious value there is in self-care and I've touched on this topic in at least one or two earlier posts. I've been running around trying to get my mom settled in her new apartment and offering my moral support to another family member who is going through a really hard time... and of course, I am happy to do so and usually have the energy and time too, when my faithful babysitters are free, but taking care of others does utilize our own energy so it's crucial that we take the time to rejuvenate ourselves! I definitely want to be clear that we can take care of ourselves AND support those around us as long as doing so doesn't hurt anyone else or ourselves!

I was remembering when I worked in San Diego for a non-profit law office taking in the stories of immigrant women survivors of domestic violence - literally translating their stories of abuse as part of their legal case to get their immigration papers in order without the help of their citizen abuser husbands and it weighed terribly on my heart. So I had to take a permanent reprieve from working day in and day out with that sort of trauma. It is very easy to make other people's stories and stress feel like our own, especially when we care deeply for them. There is a way to keep our energy from being drained - self-care! We also can work on grounding ourselves through deep breathing, meditation and imagining a protective energy around us when we know we are going to be interacting with people going through a very hard time or for those people who work with trama survivors or who are in very difficult situations.

There is always going to be something to do, someone to help or somewhere to go - and we should do it as our lives and time permits. Supporting those around us and in our community can serve us at a deep, core level where our heart, mind and souls meet. BUT, if we are running on empty, then we are no good to anyone.

Please, please, please let us vow to take time to calm our minds, release all heavy energy from our heart, focus on some simple beauties in life like the sunset, a beautiful flower, an autumn breeze, relax in our own way and refuel ourselves so that we can continue on our life path and be support for those around us!

Breathe. Smile. Release. Rejoice. Rejuvenate!

The photo for this post if from Elwood W McCay's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Setting Boundaries: Kind but Firm

2011-11-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

I remember when someone suggested years ago that I didn't have healthy boundaries set up with a particular relationship. I didn't even really know what that meant - and through my cultural studies over the years, I learned that it can mean very different things in different cultures! Even to this day, I struggle with creating healthy boundaries within my family, friends, acquaintances and colleagues. Theoretically, I think I have it all figured out. In practice, that is a much different story! I can remember thinking as a child that if I avoided all conflict and never made my own needs more important than those around me than all would be well. That notion right there may give some insight to the environment that was my childhood home. (**Disclaimer - I LOVE my parents, but as with all humans, they are not without their faults, as I am not either, and thus have given me many opportunities for reflection, growth and to see how I might try to do things differently)

Well, I have definitely realized that being the kind of "yes-woman" I thought I should be is NOT the way to go as it leads to passive aggressiveness, untruthfulness, unresolved feelings, etc. And luckily, it never got me into too much trouble - though my husband would beg to differ on that as it relates to my high school days!

So, then, how do we set boundaries without pushing people away, being mean/rude, or without seeming like selfish, ego-mongering jerk? Well, I don't have one nice, neat answer but here are some ideas worth sharing...

Something Rishi and I learned in our parenting class can be a GREAT guide in setting boundaries - Kindess with Firmness or Firmness with Kindness. When interacting with my 2 year old, this sounds like, "I hear you that you want to play for one more minute, but it's nap time. I love you but we are all done." I can guarantee I do not always get kindness back in return but I actually do sometimes. (I also get angry screams and loud "NOs" too, as she sometimes gets from me when I'm not on top of my game!)

We should also check in with ourselves and make sure we are taking care of ourselves and to make sure that our commitments, relationships, responsibilities, etc are nourishing us in some way for the better/in a positive way! Now this is the tricky part, especially as it relates to our families. I am known for not always being so kind with my words and tone when it comes to speaking with my own mother. But I have also been known to toggle between giving and giving to her and having to back off big time to get some reprieve. I have found that I feel the best when I can control my tone and keep it kind but be clear on my boundaries for what I can do and then offer some suggestions for how she can figure out the things that I either can't do or am not willing to do at that time. Of course there is guilt involved for not wanting to do everything for my own mother, but I truly believe that if we do everything for another person - both people ultimately lose out because one is exhausted and the other hasn't learned his/her own lesson is self care and personal responsibility. When I've told my mom that I can't do something - she often does it herself, hmmm and probably earned a rewarding feeling of accomplishment too!

I do think there comes a point when we can give so much to others that we have to be sure to take care of ourselves and it is up to each of us to figure out what that limit is and what it is we can do to feel taken care of. I firmly believe that TRUE nourishment and self care comes from a non-commercial, natural source. Buying a new pair of $200 boots, not the best nourishing self care, but definitely not the worst. Getting into nature, getting a massage, spending time with a nourishing friend, these are some great, non-commercial, natural ways to take care of ourselves!

Breathe. Smile. Take care. Be Firm with Kindness. Love!

The image in this post if from prozac1's profile in Free Digital Photos.

Trusting Intuition

2011-10-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, I have been working on re-igniting my long time passions for health and wellness that I've had now for the past 13 years - which up until now had only been a personal journey but now my intent and vision is for it to become a professional one as well. This blog has been part of the foundation for the new flame I am igniting to help the passion grow! Reiki has been another part of the foundation. I am able to receive the benefits of the reiki energy for my own healing from when I went through my attunements and whenever I practice on others.

Reiki at the simplest level is an amazing relaxation and stress reduction technique but at it's most complex, well, I'm not even sure if I know all of what it is at it's most complex, but at a deeper level, it is an energetic healing modality that helps balance the subtle energies of our body. The healing can be physical, emotional, spiritual, ancestral and karmic. The subtle energies that Reiki helps to balance include our chakras, our aura and our own ki or chi. And indeed these energies are very subtle, which can make it difficult for us to grasp them and to grasp reiki.

There is science behind it - all matter is energy, energy is also all around us in forms that we can't even perceive, and since we are made up of different forms of energy too - why wouldn't we be able to use the inherently positive energy from the universe to help rebalance our energies? This is actually deeply connected to Quantum Physics - much of which I intuitively understand but have not studied at any great lengths therefore will not go into that aspect of it, yet anyway!

The intuitive part is the part that doesn't fit into hard science and can easily be discredited by the scientific, pragmatic left brain side. Intuition is that gut feeling you have that tells you "yes, go forward!" or "Nope, run away dear, run fast!" Many of us second guess this part of our being or we are so disassociated from it that we don't even feel it. Often our socialization, our families, our experiences or trauma have created an even further divide between our conscious mind and our intuitive body.

I know I'm always preaching about meditation- but it is a wonderful way to start to reconnect to our intuition. Also, when we are faced with decisions, we can do a "decision meditation" where we sit and get into a meditative state and then bring the decision into our conscious mind and see what our "gut" feeling is. That feeling may be in our gut or it may be in another part of our body, but often it is more of a feeling, the less rational side of things. That "gut" feeling may contradict everything you know and believe but it is your intuition telling you something from a more expansive place. If you find yourself thinking too much or being overly cerebral about it, then you're probably not intuiting.

An example of how my intuition works best is my people meter. There have been now several occasions when I met a friend of a friend (different friends) and had a bad feeling in my gut and sure enough, usually within a short period of time, that person did something pretty bad to the friend. I often second guess the feeling, afraid that I'm being judgemental or not giving them a chance but each time it's been confirmed by actual behaviors. I have also had personal experiences where I just didn't listen to my intuition several times until I finally started to feel badly about a situation. It was only once feeling bad that I realized I kind of knew all along this wasn't going to work out. So there is merit to listening to your intuition and it can save you from unnecessary discomfort!

Intuition can also inform you about some of the goodness in your life or what that goodness is. Listening to intuiton can help us figure out our life passion, what we need to focus in in the present moment for our own wellbeing or the wellbeing of our loved ones! When we have that feeling of inspiration, that is our intuition telling us, "YES!" Whatever has inspired you, your intuition is letting you know that it is for your highest good!!!

**Disclaimer** There is of course a great difference between an adrenalin rush and inspiration. There are some experiences, foods or substances that may give us an adrenalin rush or stimulate us but they may not be good for us... food addiction, smoking, drama, gossip, etc... try to pay attention to the difference!

I really urge anyone I talk with to start to connect with their intuition and use it as part of their decision making information. Don't base an entire decision solely on intuition, especially major ones, but use it in addition to your pros/cons list and the other things you do to make decisions!

Breathe! Smile! Intuite! Trust!

The image for this post is from Simon Howden's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Invitation: Guided Meditation and Boost Your Immune System

2011-10-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

I would like to invite you to participate in a teleconference I will be participating in with a colleague of mine, Sonali Sadequee. It will be Tuesday the 25th (today for those of you reading this from your email) from 7-8pm, EDT. See below for details. Please, please, please email me at jyotikaneria@yahoo.com, immediately, if you plan on participating!

Free Health & Wellness Teleconference - October 25 at 7-8pm

Join Sonali Sadequee, Nutrition and Wellness Coach and Jyoti Kaneria, Reiki Master and Meditation Coach for this informational and inspiring teleconference:

To join this conference call:

1. Please join my meeting, Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at 7:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

https://www3.gotomeeting.com/join/613962566

2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) - a headset is recommended. Or, call in using your telephone.

Dial +1 (636) 277-0136

Access Code: 613-962-566

Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting

Meeting Password: prevention

Meeting ID: 613-962-566

GoToMeeting®

Online Meetings Made Easy™

Part I. Stress Reduction Meditation with Jyoti Kaneria

Are you stressed out? Not sleeping well? Unable to Concentrate? Do you get sick frequently & recover

slowly?

Participate in a guided meditation
Take home practical skills for starting your own Meditation Practice
Learn how meditation improves your immune system, decreases stress and thereby your health

Studies show that people who meditated regularly for six weeks showed less activation of their immune systems and less emotional distress when they were put in a stressful situation.

Part II. Flu/Cold Prevention - with Sonali Sadequee

Do you suffer from:

Annual cold/flu symptoms and discomfort
Lack of energy/fatigue
Excessive mucus production
Nasal congestion
Headaches
Slow recovery from sickness/wounds/injuries

To understand how to stay well this winter, you must know that flu is not caused by a flu virus…as popular belief has us thinking. Flu is CAUSED by a suppressed immune system and TRIGGEREDby a virus.

Therefore, in the teleconference, we will share with you how to support your immune system in being strong and resilient! So your immune system can do what it is designed to do…fight of illnesses and infections.

You will learn about easy and practical methods to preventing cold/flu this season. We will discuss:

what foods boost the immune system
which lifestyle practices help us prevent exposure to virus

There are lots of actions we can take before actually succumbing to chemical treatments that often times have negative side effects. Sonali brings you grounded information based on science and nature so that you can make your own decision from an educated and well informed place.

The Art of Apologizing

2011-10-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

Today we were supposed to move my mom's stuff into her new apartment in an amazing retirement community but the person we hired to move her got sick, so all the planning, organizing and preparations were shaken up and had to be shifted to another day. When I got the call, I was really irritated and felt myself freeze up into Mrs. Inflexible! I caught myself hardening my tone with my mother, as I do far too often, raising and tensing my voice as I do when I'm frustrated. "No, I can't do Thursday!" I said, knowing that I probably could do it with a few texts to babysitters but just feeling down right childish and wanting someone else to feel how frustrated I felt. And really, what did it matter! It's not even me moving. I may have coordinated a good portion of this move, but at the end of the day, I wasn't even planning on lifting any boxes and at the last minute, even I got sick and wasn't going to be there for the first part of the day. But I wasn't in control anymore and things weren't going as I had so delicately planned!!! Finally, after a few calls, my mom and I rescheduled everything for Thursday, the day that the freight elevator was available at the apartments.

I still felt myself wanting to be inflexible, digging my heels in and pouting because all my hard work was ruined... as if rescheduling to a different day really ruined anything. As a matter of fact, because of the rescheduling of things, I actually ended up having practically the whole day to myself. I was feeling better from the stomach bug I'd had the day before, Rishi had planned a big morning out with Anjali, since I was supposed to be moving my mom and then now, I didn't even have to do that anymore!! What was I gaining by staying so irritated at this whole situation and at my mom? As I was driving to a coffee shop to get some work done, I realized what a jerk I'd been to my mom, again! Those of you who know me, and most of you do, know that I've got some issues with being nice to my mom. I'm fully aware of them, but completely out of control with them.

One thing I've learned over the years is how excruciatingly significant and utterly beautiful apologizing can be, not only for the person who received the wrong doing but especially for the person who's done the wrong doing. I think I learned to apologize at a much older age than most people and still sometimes find it to be one of the most difficult things to do but when I do it, and I try to do every time I 'should,' I remember how simple it really is and then that magical sensation of calmness comes from having humbled myself away from the arrogant, inflexible person that desires to brood in her corner and into a person who takes responsibility for what she's done and recognizes when she's done it and then let's the other person know. I have been the victim of having someone very close to me, in the past, who would lash out and almost never apologize. Being treated this way is no fun and can make one feel a little alienated and crazy. The apology definitely doesn't excuse the "undesirable" behavior, but it does help heal the hurt it has caused! And both "sides" are hurt, so both sides get to heal when those simple words pass from one's mouth. I know it helped me today and I hope it helped my mom.

Breathe. Smile. Apologize. Recognize. Energize!

The picture for this post is from Juan Gnecco's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Our Teachers Are All Around Us

2011-10-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was wiped out, primarily because of my lunar cycle starting and just feeling down right exhausted from it. I felt heavy, tired, inexplicably sad, scattered and unmotivated to do much of anything. On Saturday, I napped when Anjali did and woke up feeling a little better but not completely. Rishi unexpectedly had to meet someone to show his mom's car that they're trying to sell, which meant a heavy, tired, inexplicably sad, scattered, unmotivated me alone with a well rested Anjali. Not that I don't do that every single day of the week, I just usually feel a bit stronger and I expect to have Rishi there to buffer on the weekends. So, needless to say, I felt the brooding Jyoti coming on. Laid it on thick with Rishi when he was leaving and then tried to get Anjali distracted with something so I could continue to zone out. But I remembered I hadn't watered the garden yet.

So, I told Anjali that we were going to water the garden but that we couldn't get too wet, we just had to get the water in the garden and that was it. Yeah, right! She loves water and loves watering herself as well as the garden. But I was irritated, didn't want to have to take her clothes off, dry her off and get her dressed in dry clothes, upstairs! I just wanted her to stop playing in the water. Stop being a kid. A kid in love with water. I snapped at her. Threatened to turn the water off. Moved it away from her every time she got near. Finally, still brooding, I gave up fighting her and just got lost in my own thoughts as she literally soaked herself from head to toe.

As I was lost in thought, I started to fear that my negative energy was going to go into the seeds, never mind the kid, and they wouldn't start to sprout. Then, I pulled focus with my eyes from the water and saw Anjali in a state of complete bliss, dripping from every place possible, laughing and just wholeheartedly loving the moment. I started to break from my brood of a moment. I felt myself lighten up, loosen up and relax. I smiled, even though I had to fight myself to let myself smile. I giggled at this wild child who felt so satisfied with herself and the moment despite the crisp temperature and her drenched state. She started to laugh and then I started to laugh and then I let go completely and allowed myself to play with her with the water, splashing her, moving it and then getting her again. All the while intensifying the bliss of the moment for both of us. Our eyes caught one another and we just cackled away.

Then I pulled focus again, back to the garden that I was supposed to be watering and saw a speck of green. I thought it was a leaf that had fallen but then I stood up and walked closer and looked again... it was a sprout, a collard green sprouted! And there were several of them. And some kale sprouts too! My heart just melted! My Anjali sprout and my collard sprout both having a joyous afternoon in the water and love. She was so excited too, once I got her to see the tiny plant! Ahhhh, what a beautiful moment. And what amazing teachers, my two little sprouts, to help remind me of what is truly important! Don't forget, we are NOT perfect, just seeking those perfect moments that constantly surround us!

Brood just for a moment, it's ok. But then pull your focus and try to see what perfection surrounds you!

Love. Smile. Water. Drench. Sprout. Breathe.

The photo for this post is from Danilo Rizzuti's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Humbled. Thank you!

2011-10-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

Before delving into ideas that I have for my next post, I have to say that I am deeply humbled and moved by the thoughtful, personal and positive feedback I have gotten about this blog. Many of you who read this regularly have contacted me directly and shared your response to several posts. It may sound cliche to say "You are what keep me going..." But it is SOOO true. Otherwise, I get bored when I feel like I'm just talking to myself here. I'd probably keep doing it as this is my space for keeping my own self focused on what is inspiring, moving and important. But I have to say hearing from you and how my words, thoughts, ideas and experiences have touched you or helped you gives me such a deep level of inspiration.

Thank you!

Breathe. Smile. Inspire. Love. Give Thanks!

The picture for this post is from Arvind Balaraman's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Anger, Control and Letting Go

2011-10-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Anjali and I have had some moments over the past week or so... Moments that have REALLY tested my ability to handle getting really angry. Wow, it wasn't always pretty and man did I feel pretty lousy by my reactive response to our moments. Many of these moments happened during our "Anjali plays with water in the sink and Mommy brushes her hair and teeth" process in the mornings. And I noticed how stuck with that particular process I was, even though she was continually acting out during it, screaming "No, it's MY turn to brush my teeth" when it was my turn or vigorously splashing water out of the sink. You may be saying, that's what kids do. And yes, you're right, but she hadn't been doing that. She would play so calmly and nicely in the water and then let me brush her teeth after having her own turn to do it. So finally, in a bit more of stern way than I would have like, I ended the process, quickly turning the water off and telling her in a pretty stern voice, "Ok, we're done. We're done here." And then I moved her to the other room whilst she screamed, "No mommy, no!"

The whole point of this background is to show where I was stuck with my need to control situations and not wanting to change and therefore letting the whole situation get worse and worse until I was kind of crazed with anger. I could only see that process as the only way I could get her hair done and brush her teeth. I was also so stuck and controlling to have her hair done precisely in the way I could do it when she was standing at the sink. After moving her, she was pretty pissed with me so was then on a "No!" rampage for everything we had left to do in our morning routine. Pushing me even deeper in to my need for things to get done and to be done in a certain way. And to top it off, we had a time limit - needed to meet someone or had to be at a class by a certain time. Which for me send me into a bit of panic mode... which meant more stern voices and more "No Mommy!!!!"

With all types of scenarios that exist out there in our routines, our behaviors even our attitudes and beliefs - we can get stuck in them or in a cycle of control for how things should be or should go. When I am in this kind of place I can become incredibly angered and if I don't have enough control, it is in these moments of anger that I can say or do things that I will either immediately or ultimately regret. I ALWAYS regret the not-so-nice things I say to Anjali, usually immediately but always ultimately. But I'd love to get to a place where I could communicate more calmly or recognize sooner when it's time for me to let go! The longest I've gone with staying angry with her has been a couple of hours. But, like I always do after I've reacted way more reactively than I prefer, I sit down with her once we've both calmed down and explained to her why I chose to do what I did, or apologize for what I'd done that was a "mistake" as we call it in our house, and I give her a big hug and a kiss! I feel this is better than not doing it but not nearly as good as handling the situation more calmly. I would still have moved her, but if I'd had more control over my anger and less control over how I thought things should go, then I probably could have changed the scenario without hurting her feelings and without having to felt the rage that built up in me.

As I look back on these moments that she and I have had over the past week-ish, I realize how much of my anger could have been prevented if I had just let go of my preconceived notion of how things should go or be. And if I had recognized that it was time for our process to change or be modified in some way. Letting go is oh so much more difficult to actually do in the heat of an angry moment than when looking back at a situation with 20-20 hindsight, but I have to say, when I meditate, make sure my blood sugar levels are stable and get enough rest, it's so much easier than when even one of those factors aren't present. My goal for this next week is to do my best to recognize when I could be more flexible, how I can change a situation when it is clearly not working and to try to do it all with a calmer, softer voice... we'll see!

Let Go. Let Change.

The picture for this post was from anankkl's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Loving Speech

2011-09-16T12:32:00.000-07:00

The people closest to me have probably at one time or another either witnessed or been victim of my temper - which can manifest as a stern voice, a muted, non-emoting tone, a quick snap, a passive aggressive action and on a rare occasion even a scream or yell. I have a pretty hot temper, which may surprise some but will make others nod their heads in agreement. Becoming aware of ourselves is similar to the process of an addict admitting their addiction. When we become aware of our traits, characteristics, habits, we are admitting to ourselves that this is who we are in the present moment. This is the first step to our being able to evolve and transform into the best possible version of ourselves.

Here is Buddhism's 4th Precept: Deep Listening and Loving Speech that has inspired this post. There is so much to learn and discover in this precept.

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I vow to cultivate loving speech and deep listening in order to bring joy and happiness to others and relieve others of their suffering. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I vow to learn to speak truthfully, with words that inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which I am not sure. I will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord, or that can cause the family or the community to break. I will make all efforts to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

Loving Speech sounds easy, as do a lot of these practices, but I have found that when I am even the slightest bit stressed out, burnt out, stretched thin or just not feeling myself, this is one of the first things to go, especially towards those closest to me. Again, another reason why meditating is so crucial because it helps keep us from getting so mentally fatigued from all the goings-on in life that we can maintain our Loving Speech.

This isn't to say that we shouldn't address serious or negative issues in our lives or relationships, it merely means that we shouldn't use knee-jerk reaction speech when we feel frustrated or angry. Now, just last week I probably raised my voice and/or spoke in a "not-so-nice" tone towards my daughter, my husband and my mother. Have I failed at being able to engage in Loving Speech - not entirely. After each instance, I took a deep breath, apologized and acknowledged my wrong doing. Do I always do that? Not always, but I am ruthless for making sure I take responsibility for my feelings, actions and words. So, the second step - making sure we let those around us know we are sorry for our mistakes and letting them know how we feel without blame or lack of responsibility.

In Thay's practice he speaks on "Beginning a New." Every morning, when the sunrises, we have another 24 hours to start over, try to do things differently, reflect on what's going well, what's not, how we can make things "right" and then try it again when we make mistakes. I suffer greatly from perfectionism in terms of trying to evolve into my highest potential but I am humbled by my mistakes into remembering my humanity. Even though there have been some ugly times when I would be excrutiatingly ashamed to have anyone there to witness, I am deeply moved when at night, after saying "I love you" as I close the door to my daughters room, she says to me, "Thanks, Mom!" Or when she spontaneously says, "I love you my mommy."

Speak Lovingly. Listen Deeply. Breathe. We are alive.

The photo for this post is from pal2iyawit's Profile on Free Digital Photos.

Our Nourishment and The 5 Contemplations

2011-09-11T07:59:00.000-07:00

My quest for healthy living began years ago when I struggled with sinus infections and the regular antibiotic "remedy" prescribed by 'western,' allopathic doctors wasn't getting to the root of the problem. At the same time I worked in a health food store. I quickly learned how directly related what we eat is to our health and wellbeing. This is practically basic common sense nowadays - or is it? I'd say it is, but even those who know it may still have a hard time practicing mindful, healthy eating, even if in their mind they really want to.

Of course, there are many who still don't believe the common knowledge of "we are what we eat" and continue to poison themselves with processed or fast foods. But those who have come to really understand the importance of what we eat may still be having a hard time actually putting it into practice. Well, this might be because we really have to search high and far for healthy food and there can often be a higher price for it.

One the other hand, some of us may have a hard time putting our desires to eat healthier into practice due to what Thich Nhat Hanh calls our habit energies. These are things we do, by habit, pretty obvious huh. But the key is that when we don't apply mindfulness to even our eating habit energies, we end up eating what we're used to eating, which may not be all that healthy. And it takes a lot of energy, focus and mindfulness to not only be become aware of what we eat but to also do the work to change the not so healthy habit food energy into healthier choices.

There are also lots and lots of resources out there now for finding out what would be the best choices for you and your body type. A word of caution though, there are many different "schools of thought" out there and if you do the research it can become very confusing. You'll find info on veganism, vegetarianism, paleo-dieting, high protein, low carb, ayurvedic, macrobiotic, candida cleansing etc... The list goes on and on. I do not promote one over the other but have personally been drawn to some due to what has helped me feel my best.

Below, I'm going to list some books that have helped me but it is always important to find what you connect with the most. Then there is always the importance of seeking out someone who's trained in one or many of the different schools of thoughts out there. See below for links to books and trained professionals that I know of in the area.

Mindfulness is KEY for becoming aware of our bodies and to note when we're getting hungry. If we wait until we're starving to find something to eat, then we usually make poor choices for food. So, it's key to use your mindfulness practice to be aware of when you eat or don't eat, when you get hungry and the choices you make so that you can start to plan ahead and begin to improve the quality of the food you choose to put into your body.

Another key practice that can help improve our eating habits is maintaining mindfulness when we actually sit down to eat our meals. In Thich Nhat Hanh's practice, we practice reciting The 5 Contemplations and eating in silence (which I haven't done in forever) so that we can be aware of our attitude towards our food and how well we chew and allow the food to nourish our bodies. I have been talking about reciting these contemplations for years but only periodically bring them out to read. My goal for writing this post is to memorize them one by one so that I can say them every day during at least one meal a day. I've gotta start practicing what I preach! So, you want to know what the 5 contemplations are? Of course, here there are!

The Five Food Contemplations to be recited before eating.

Contemplation 1:
This food is the gift of the whole universe: the earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much hard, loving work.

Contemplation 2:
May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive it.

Contemplation 3:
May we recognize and transform our unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation.

Contemplation 4:
May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that we reduce the suffering of living beings, preserve our planet, and reverse the process of global warming.

Contemplation 5:
We accept this food so that we may nurture our sisterhood and brotherhood, strengthen our community and nourish our ideal of serving all living beings.

After almost 15 years of exploring different diets and deepening my own self-improvement path, I have really come to believe that our attitude towards life and food is more important than the actual food we ingest. Now, this might seem to contradict everything I said above. Let me clarify. I do not think a person can eat fast or processed food all day everyday and maintain a great attitude and not suffer some kind of physical consequence. But on the contrary, if someone eats the healthiest diet in the world but has an anxious, nervous or fearful attitude towards their health or isn't fulfilling their passions or life purpose, then this person will also likely have some physical or emotional consequences. Hence, the extreme importance of applying our mindfulness towards our mind and body. Identifying and "consuming" our primary food, that which inspires and motivates us, our purpose(s) in life and then ingesting healthy secondary food - the actual items that we put into our bodies. In harmony and with mindfulness, we can create a healthy balance within our mind, body and spirit so that we can achieve our highest potential.

Breathe. Eat. Purpose. Inspiration. Contemplate. Smile! :-)

Some books I've found helpful are listed below though I do a lot of my research online. I currently eat a non-vegetarian diet, low in carbs but I do eat them and they are 95% of the time whole grain carbs (brown rice, quinoa, etc) and tons and tons of veggies and fruit and nuts!

Eat Right For Your Blood Type

Ayurveda: They Science of Self-Healing

Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing

Two local practitioners that I would recommend:

Sonali Sadequee is a holistic health and lifestyle counselor. Check out her site here.

Caroline Friedlander is a natrapathic Doctor. Check her out here.

The photo for this post was from Nathan Greenwood's profile on Free Digital Photos.

Looking Within

2011-09-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

Those of you who know me well know that I tend to have a lot of energy, love running all over the place and have a hard time sitting still. When I lived in California, my roommate, Karla, and I had an outdated Thich Nhat Hanh calendar with 12 of his precious quotes next to beautiful nature scenes. We decided to put them up around our apartment. She selected one in particular that she thought needed to go in my room, by my bed, so I could read it multiple times a day. It is as follows:

"In daily life, there is so much to do and so little time. You may feel pressured to run. Learn to stop! Touch the present moment and you will touch peace and joy."

I can't tell you how true this is for me and for most of us! But especially those of us with even a little bit of extrovert in us or with a super strong social bug or those of us with children to look after.

I felt inspired today to discuss looking within because here in Atlanta we're having a nice rainy holiday that lends itself to staying in and slowing down. There are so many ways we can do this. We can make a cup of tea and practice tea meditation which essentially means applying deep mindfulness to every step of making and drinking the tea. Noticing and appreciating all the smells, sounds and tastes associated with the process. We could also tend to areas of our house that need our attention but doing so not with the end goal of cleaning it or getting it organized but with the goal of focusing on the process, our own personal process for doing things, becoming aware of how we approach a task and simultaneously applying mindfulness to it. We could also take time to journal about pertinent topics/issues/feelings in our life that we may need to understand more deeply to understand how we can resolve them. And of course, there is always good ole regular sitting meditation in a quiet space where you can hear the rain (if you're in the Atlanta area) or just hear the natural sounds around you. There are an endless number of ways we can look within, these are just a few ideas that came to me. I'm feeling inspired to think of more!

I mentioned in an earlier post how it's especially important to stay in and look within when we are having a rough day or dealing with a particularly difficult issue. This is very true and I think some of the above mentioned ideas for assisting us to look within can very much help us to calm our minds so we can see our feelings or issue more clearly. It is when we have calmed our mind and body that we can see the most clearly, understand our role in a situation or understand how we can make things better. Even when we do our best, we will make mistakes but we can always come back to our process for calming so that we can pick ourselves back up and try again.

I also believe that looking within is a very important "tool" for regular practice, even when things are going wonderfully. Perhaps even more important to practice when things are going well so that we can remember the positive, have it embed itself more deeply into the core of our existence. It is with this focus on the positive that we begin to water the seeds that we wish to have flourish so we have a beautiful garden growing within us. With a well nourished inner garden we can feel that inner beauty and joy we all seek to find... Don't forget, we need not seek that beauty and joy from anywhere else but within. We all have the capacity for joy and happiness and peace - we just need to care for it, nourish it, love it and trust it and it will grow into the most beautiful garden giving us the opportunity to be the person we most desire to be, so each day our presence is like giving the people around us a bouquet of flowers! :-)

Breath. Look. Smile. Understand. Process. Within.

The photo for this post is from the Prozac1 profile on free digital photos.

On Suffering - Cultivating Our Inner Garden

2011-08-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

It often seems so easy to focus on our suffering, our anger, our hurt feelings, our sadness, our frustrations, etc. And in my reading of Thich Nhat Hanh's books and attending his retreats I have heard him speak on the importance of acknowledging our suffering and looking deeply at it, it's origins and how it manifests in our mind, body and behaviors. As I mentioned in a previous post, Thay suggests that it's good to cradle our suffering as we would a sad or hurt child, offer it our love and a warm smile so that it can be heard and understood. Then I like to imagine symbolically giving my suffering what it needs to be release from within me. This may be thinking of an image or lighting a candle or writing a simple message and then burning the paper so the request can be released into the universe. In this way, we can learn to let go of our attachment to our suffering. Of course, for severe depression, I think these techniques can support formal counseling but shouldn't be used in the place of professional counseling.

If we ignore our suffering, then it can grow and feed on our lack of looking deeply and take the "control" seat in our minds and it can influence our behaviors, thoughts, perceptions, attitudes and words. Then we can start to feel as if we are, at our core, our suffering, we are anger, we are sadness, we are jealousy. That is is who we intrinsically are as a being. But we are not our suffering. We may have feelings related to our suffering but they are impermanent feelings - even if they seem like they are around us all the time, if we look deeply, they come and go. We can laugh and smile and feel moments of happiness even during sad times. My father-in-law passed away recently and during the days following his death, there were moments my husband and I would catch ourselves laughing about something and for those moments we were outside of the suffering that we felt from our loss and in a moment of joy.

Thay has a quote, "The seed of suffering in you may be great but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy." For me, this reiterates the idea that suffering is impermanent, coming and going and that in between those moments of suffering, whatever the type of suffering we may have, are moments of true joy that we often don't notice. If we look deeply enough at the causes of our suffering, we can see that they lie more in our perceptions and beliefs about how we think things "should" be as opposed to seeing things for how they truly are. There may be days when we feel terrible and our normal reaction may be to call someone and wallow in our suffering or to go out and maybe make others feel our suffering too or to just distract ourselves from our suffering so that we can try to ignore it but Thay suggests that this is the perfect time to stay in, look deeply within ourselves to understand the nature of our suffering, where it has come from and what it needs so that we can calm the energy of our suffering and begin to allow those moments of "non-suffering" to stay with us in a more true and everlasting way.

Thay talks about these seeds that are in our "store consciousness" which basically are the potential for any kind of behavior, feeling, attitude, perception, etc that lies within what we call our subconscious. We all have seeds of anger, sadness, jealousy, greed, confusion etc within us but we also have the seeds for joy, happiness, peace, love, clarity etc and it is up to us to decide which of these seeds we want to water and nourish into beautiful flowers for the garden of our conscious mind. Meditation is one of the greatest ways open our awareness and water the seeds of joy.

I love Thay's analogy of a compost pile. We must meditate to help transform our internal garbage into rich fertile soil where we can grow the most beautiful garden.

Breathe. Smile. Compost. Tend to your garden. Be Patient. Love.

Photo for this post is from Nuttakit's portfolio on Free Digital Images.

The Changing of the Seasons

2011-08-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

The changing of seasons is underway, even though if you're in the Atlanta area there's been barely any change in the temperature since about mid-June: a near constant low to mid-90's. So you may think I'm mad to talk about the seasons changing. But what inspired this post was that I have noticed how the days are just a little bit shorter which means the sun is sitting just ever so slightly lower in the sky. If you open your awareness you can sense the subtle changes in the angle of the light, the shadows and where the sun sits in the sky. I believe wholeheartedly in the significance of honoring the change of seasons, eating according to seasons (even though I may not do it all the time), and allowing the change in the rhythms of the earth to guide our own biorhythms. It's easy with electricity and heat/ac, being indoors the majority of the time, etc, to become extremely disconnected from the earth and her cycles but when I do remember to open my senses to them I feel a great peace.

The upcoming fall season is probably my all time favorite of the seasons. I get such a strong sense of inspiration from the change in the sun's position, the stronger gusts of wind, the crisp mornings and evenings with still warm days and of course the ever magnificent colors the leaves become. There's an energy that is ignited that is just spectacular. It the season that I connect to the most.

I recently had a consultation with an ayurvedic doctor during which she determined my body constitutions or "doshas." For those of you who are not familiar with Ayurveda, each person's body is comprised of 3 dosha: pitta (heat/fire), vata (air) and kapha (earth) - this is a VERY simplified explanation of an unbelievably complex and amazing system of health that is from India. We are all dominant in at least one of these 3 doshas and some of us have 2 dominant and on some occasions there are people with all 3 having an equal amount of presence. I was found to be a vata/kapha dominant with pitta just behind almost making me tri-doshic. That being said, we all have all 3 doshas within us, it's just a matter of how strong or dominant each one is. In addition, any of these doshas can become 'aggravated' causing us to have different imbalances based on the dosha that's been aggravated. So, after a hellaciously hot summer like ours in Atlanta, most of us that have spent anytime outdoors probably have a pitta aggravation so we may not only feel overheated, we may have had some increased frustrations/anger/short-temperedness rise up and we may also have encountered skin rashes. Some quick off the top of my head suggestions for calming pitta are eating cucumbers, watermelon, cilantro and pears. I just recently learned that adding a tsp of rosewater to an 8oz glass of water and sipping on it during the day can calm a pitta aggravation too. When balanced, pitta is the energy that drives us to complete our tasks and get things done.

So, now that we prepare for autumn, my beloved season, we run the risk of aggravating vata. When vata is aggravated, we can feel spaced out, ungrounded, anxious or worried and feel very cold to our bones. So, as the temps begin to cool off, we can start to make and eat yummy soups, stews and other warm, soft, well-cooked, heavy and slightly more oily foods and dishes. Enjoying a cup of your favorite herbal tea is also really nice. Vata is the element that is connected to creativity and speech. To keep from it becoming aggravated, it is also important to have a more regular daily routine and eating habits and to get plenty of sleep.

At the end of winter beginning of spring is when kapha begins to become aggravated and it's right about then that we've all been hibernating in our homes during the coldest time of year and things have been damp, heavy, cloudy and of course cold. This is when we might feel extreme sluggishness or be getting over a cold or sinus infection. With this type of aggravation it's important to continue some kind of exercise routine, to vary your daily routine some, and eat lighter less fatty/oily foods. Kapha energy is grounding, and has the energy of structure in Ayurveda.

All that being said, enjoy the end of this incredibly hot summer but more importantly, start thinking of all the fun and joyous activities to do this fall as the weather turns to amazing autumn.

Breathe. Run. Jump. Sweat. Smile. Take Care. Observe. Breathe. :-)

The photo for this post is from Evgeni Dinev's portfolio on Free Digital Photos.

I got some of the info on the dosha's and their qualities from the Blue Lotus Ayurveda site.

Our Appointment with Life by Thich Nhat Hanh

2011-08-22T12:11:00.001-07:00

I just finished reading, well almost finished reading, a short but really powerful book by Thich Nhat Hanh - Our Appointment with Life. It is one of his more Buddhist text books rather than his mindfulness books as it does discuss some of the sutras or religious text from the Buddha's time.

But it really sums up so much good stuff that I would LOVE to share with you: Letting go (no attachment), Present Moment, Internal Formations, Community.

Letting go (I have chosen the words letting go) in this book is described as living alone, but not in the sense of the word as we know it- we must learn to not let our attachments to things, our obsessive negative feelings, our thoughts even ideas overwhelm us and keep us from being present in the moment. So I had a hard time with the idea of not being attached because I thought, when I first learned of the practice of no attachment, that it was a perfect excuse for people to not care for others around them. But this is completely NOT what it means. Think of your favorite something that you have. Let's say car or an expensive electronic device. Sure, we should do our best to take care of it so that it continues to work and help us get to work or do our work. But the moment that we feel so attached to it that we constantly worry that someone will steal it or how terrible it will be if it gets dinged up or scratched then we are overwhelmed by our attachment to it. Our attachments are considered one of the "Internal Formations" - desire, hatred, pride, ignorance, stubborn views, attachment, doubt, jealousy and selfishness. If we are distracted by our thoughts, emotions, beliefs surrounding these "Formations," then we are not able to be clear in the present moment. So, then we are living with them, therefore not living "alone," in the sense of the word according to Buddha. So living alone really meant being mindful of our Internal Formations, their influence on us, so we can be present in the moment. So the next great point of the book, The Present Moment.

Our life only exists in the present moment. This is not to say that we should forget the past or never plan for the future. If we forget our past, then we can never learn from our mistakes. But we shouldn't dwell on it or beat ourselves up and not take action or responsibility for our past actions. We can try to look back at the past, the good and the bad, for purposes of learning, healing and improving. Thay (Thich Nhat Hanh) says that the ghosts of the past that we allow to follow us into the present are then also part of the present. But if we can observe them deeply and understand them clearly we can transform them and ourselves.

As for the future, Thay says we must of course make plans, but not to get lost in daydreams that steal us away from the present. We must stay clear and grounded in the present as we plan for the future. If we are unhappy in the present, for whatever reason, our minds, thoughts and feelings can get lost into the future daydream we have that helps us run from the present moment discomfort, pain or suffering. It's soooo important for us to recognize our suffering and to look deeply at it. Thay often says to take your fear, sadness or whatever negative feeling that you have that burdens you and hold it, recognize it and soothe it so that it can calm down and no longer drag you along on its rampage or destructive thought pattern. Our feelings are valid but getting lost in them and letting them take control only leads to more suffering. Thay has a beautiful metaphor where he draws up an image of a lotus flower that grows out of the mud in a pond - the mud is our suffering and out of it, if cultivated properly, grows a most beautiful lotus flower. We cannot have true happiness without looking deeply at our suffering, understanding it and transforming it into our own lotus flower.

When talking about not getting lost in the future, this doesn't mean that we shouldn't care about what happens in the future but that we should focus much of our attention on the manner in which we live in the present moment as it will soon become the future. And if we use any regret we have of the past to heal the present moment, then our remembrance of the past has served a positive purpose. Mindfulness can help us see deeply that which causes us suffering and help us to heal it in a conscious, positive and transformative way.

Finally, this living alone idea doesn't really mean to live alone - but to live free of our "formations" while also engaging in our community. It is so much easier to stay strong when we have a community that supports us. And we can feel so much stronger when we give back to our communities AND when we can receive support from our community. I think community is a very fluid being and can manifest in different ways for different people. The most important thing I have found is to stay connected in the way that makes sense for me while trying to be there for others in the way that is positive for everyone.

Long post today - thanks to Anjali sleeping for 2 hours... :-)

Breathe. Stay Present. Breathe. Smile. :-)

picture is ZenbyDan - http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Nature_g38.html

Reiki, the next step?

2011-08-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

I have had a long time passion for health and wellness starting in 1998 when I worked part-time as a cashier in a health food store in Greensboro, NC. I had just officially become a vegetarian (and continued as one for the next 11 years...) I had also been suffering from chronic sinus infections for a very long time and western, allopathic doctors just kept giving me antibiotics that weren't curing the source of the problem. I found the natural remedies to finally help me get to the root of the problem!

I spent a good part of the next decade learning about herbal remedies, dietary influences and the mind-body connection to how my body was able to heal itself and be healthy, physically and emotionally. I began eating organic food and finally tasting, I mean really tasting, apples and tomatoes as they should be - full of flavor! I also started dancing, doing yoga and meditating regularly and could finally take charge of my life and health in a way that I never had felt before.

In 2003, I decided to move back to Georgia after living in California for 3 year and when I left I was planning to study Ayurveda but got derailed at the core because of fear but also because I decided to focus on other important areas of my life after meeting my husband...

I had heard of reiki and was always intrigued. I got attuned to the first level when I was first back in Atlanta. I used it mostly for self healing on and off for the next several years. This past November I started to feel that strong push towards making a career in health in wellness again. I have now made some short-term plans and long term plans to finally be able help others begin their path of healing their bodies, minds and spirits. The short-term plan: Reiki! I became a reiki master June of this year. The long-term plans, TBD... acupuncture? Life Coach? Not sure! There are so many different modalities and exercises that can assist us in living to our fullest potential and heal ourselves at a deep core level.

Ok, so finally, to the primary focus of this post: Reiki. It is one of the most beautiful, subtle yet powerful, modalities I have encountered. It can be beneficial for soooo many things it's unbelievable, on the physical, emotional and spiritual level. My personal experience has been mostly emotional and spiritual healing but I've heard of many testimonies of the physical benefits as well.

Reiki is simply spiritually guided life energy or channeled cosmic energy from the universe for the purpose of balancing the subtle energies within our bodies. "Rei" is universal, spiritual consciousness and "Ki" is life energy or universal life force. We all carry within us some level of reiki in the sense that when we get hurt we might rub our wound, or a mother will kiss her child's injury. The different levels of reiki attunements essentially open up the reiki practitioner's chakras to allow for a stronger flow of the energy and there are symbols that also help boost the level of energy or focus the energy for more specific purposes.

A person receiving reiki will usually be lying on a massage type table fully clothed. The reiki practitioner will clarify if the client wants to be touched or not and will then place her hands on or just above the 7 major chakra energy centers of the body, as well as some smaller ones on the legs and arms. The receiver may or may not feel the energy flowing out of the practitioners hands and may have other sensations or may not have any physical sensation at all during the treatment. There may be more of an emotional cleansing with the resurfacing of old memories, emotions or experiences that need to be looked at or processed in either a conscious or unconscious way in order to release, grow, evolve and heal so that he/she can move forward.

There is soooo much more to reiki but this is a brief introduction. I am also still learning as I delve into the beginning of what I hope will be a long journey of bringing healing into my life and those who want to share it with me..... So, I currently can see clients in a Marietta, GA or at a client's home in the metro Atlanta area.

Breathe, Smile, Laugh.

Meditation? When? Where? Yeah right!

2011-08-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

So, I was recently asked about meditation techniques and felt a little hypocritical giving them since it's been a super long time since I've actually meditated on a regular basis. Being home with a 2 year old who thinks I've turned into a jungle gym when I lay down on the floor to do some stretches makes any calming, meditative exercise a bit of a challenge. Actually, Anjali has really gotten into trying to do some of the yoga as well but she still loves to jump on her mama when I lie down...

Meditation - just the word can turn some people off, interest others or intimidate or sound extremely "boring." Well, I really like Thich Nhat Hanh's notion of mindfulness and the process of becoming mindful of our every action, thought and feeling. I also really believe that meditation in itself is very important but much more simple and attainable than many think. So, we can practice being mindful (or deeply aware) of our thoughts, feelings and actions when we sit to meditate and then little by little we will begin to carry that mindfulness and the mental calm and clarity with us through out our day to day.

Ok, ok, sounds great but how do I do it? Very simple but hard to find that jump-start motivation to just stop doing anything. We just want to do and do and do. Even now, I feel so excited to sit and do this post while Anjali is sleeping when I could be meditating... the right time will come.

When I am as out of practice as I am right now, I find it best to meditate in a quiet room with the symbols and objects that I connect to on a spiritual level. But there can be meditation without any spiritual connotations, if that isn't something you want or need. Even 5 minutes a day is a great practice of meditating. Make sure when you sit, you are comfortable. You can sit on the floor with a cushion designed for meditation, in a chair or up against a wall. Just be comfortable.

When you sit down, you may want to light a candle or some incense but this may also be distracting or if you have allergies could be bothersome. I will sometimes light a candle as most incense irritates my sinuses these days. Now, here comes the good news. Meditation is NOT about eliminating all thought from the mind. It is more about calming the mind and not getting swept away by all the hundreds of thoughts flowing around in our minds. I can't remember which book I read this from but think of your thoughts as a river current and that normally we are all just being swept away but this current of thoughts. Well, meditation is a process that allows us to swim to the side of the river and sit on the banks and watch the thoughts go by. We notice them, recognize them, deal with them appropriately and then let them float on by. Usually as I am meditating, I try to become aware of the random sounds I hear and tell myself what they are: "I hear a bird." "I hear the air turning on." To help me from being swept away by the "Oh, I've gotta get laundry detergent when I go to the store today, oh, I can't forget to put in on the list when I'm done meditating, and oh yeah, there's a load of laundry in the washer that I forgot to put in the dryer and I need to get some new sweaters because it'll be fall soon and......." The thoughts go on and on and on don't they? It's like a chain of events that are being played out in our minds. So, if that happens when I'm meditating, as soon as I become mindful of the fact that I've just been swept away by the thought current, I stop, swim to the side of the river and say, thanks thoughts for the ride, but I'm just going to sit here and breathe in and out and I'll attend to you when I'm done. So, we're not going to ignore the things we need to do but we don't want the thoughts of them to carry us away on a nervous current of "oh my I have so much to do."

Be patient with yourself but continue to push yourself to face challenges, whatever they may be.

Be mindful, breathe in, breathe out. Smile. :-)

My Postpartum health story

2011-06-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

Having Anjali was one of the most amazing and difficult things I have ever done - and boy were we in awe and exhausted for a long time. At some point, she began sleeping through the night but I was still waking up 1-3 times per night and often unable to go back to sleep. I was also still feeling extremely exhausted, short-tempered and just not feeling like myself at all. I actually consulted 3 different practitioners who all gave me extremely similar "diagnoses" but it wasn't until the third that I finally was able to really hear it and do something about it. Long story short, my adrenal system was extremely fatigued and probably had been from even when I was pregnant. Actually, I've heard that having a baby can lead to adrenal fatigue and serious thyroid conditions that may "test" normal according western/allopathic medicine but in eastern/alternative modalities, there can be slight abnormalities that can be the precursors to disease if not rebalance. I also had a few other things going on that were explained in the context of Chinese and Ayurvedic Medicine systems.

So here's the long story if you desire to stick around and read it. I first consulted an MD who is also trained in Dr. Andrew Weil's Alternative Healing, then I saw a natropath who also does acupuncture. (I didn't know that schooling for Natropaths at accredited schools is equivalent to medical school). Finally I consulted an MD who is also trained in Ayurveda, traditional medicine from India. All of them noted the adrenal fatigue but it wasn't until the 3rd diagnosis that I began taking several different herbs and adjusted my diet to help manage the issues going on. The Ayurvedic "diagnosis" was extremely comprehensive in that I was also given specific dietary modifications based on my body constitution and certain aggravations and was advised to perform pacifying self massage. The acupuncturist also does Mayan massage which is an amazing adominal massage that helps to realign the uterus for women. The Mayan believe that if a woman's uterus is out of alignment, she is out of alignment. I 100% recommend ALL women to seek out a Mayan Massage practitioner...

I have felt more like myself since I started taking the herbs and following all the other advice than I have in eons! This all said, I would definitely recommend anyone who has "inexplicable" fatigue/anxiety or other "not feeling like myself" symptoms to consider consulting someone outside of the western/allopathic world as it can help detect issues that may not seem critical but that could develop into serious disease down the road. If you're in the ATL, I have a couple of practitioners that I recommend and then there's the Ayurvedic MD who's in Colorado.

In the ATL:

Caroline Friedlander at Morningside Acupuncture - http://www.morningsideacu.com
Dr. Bhatia, http://www.atlantaholisticmedicine.com

In CO: Dr Nita Desai - http://www.nitadesaimd.com

Be healthy, be calm, breathe deeply... peace.

Three Years Later...

2011-06-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

Well, most of you, if not all of you, who chose to subscribe to this blog know me personally so you know that about 2 months after my last post, circa July 2008, I found out I was pregnant and I am currently the proud mother of an amazing, brilliant, beautiful, sweet, traviesa, silly, "i wanna do it" almost 2 year old... So, needless to say, my attention has been focused on silly faces, giggles, twinkle-twinkle little star and "please don't throw food on the floor again!" It has been an amazing journey so far with plenty of highs accompanied by the inevitable lows. I'm not 100% sure on the direction of this blog - oh, but looking back at what I wrote in my first ever post, it will likely continue to stay within what I wrote since it basically means I can talk about pretty much anything, "Living in Mindfulness is a space that I've created where I will share ideas, insights into life, health tips, recipes, books, authors, quotes, ideas - personal and borrowed - for all to learn and grow from."

and I'm sure there will be some additional info and articles that relate a bit more to motherhood, toddlers and other things too... or maybe not, perhaps I'll start a blog specifically for that. I just know that if I wait for figuring it all out before writing, there will be no writing! And who knows, maybe this is just a brief, fleeting flash of motivation inspiring me to write one random "catching you up" kind of post and then I will disappear again. I hope not, but there's my disclaimer anyway.

I do hope to give some updates on some of the health related experiences I've had over the last 3 years - as my perspective has changed some. These updates will likely take the form of individual posts, but a key update is that about 3 months into my pregnancy, so around December 2008/January 2009 I returned to my carnivorous roots, yes that's right, I started eating meat again after 12 years of vegetarianism. And I have to say, I don't think I'll be going back the veggie side. That being said, I still adore vegetables and firmly believe in and will preach about the benefits of eating them and eating lots of them. But I truly do enjoy clean, toxin free, organic, hormone/antibiotic free meat.

That's all for now. Be well, breathe deeply, give thanks continuously, find a favorite exercise and do it, and find a healthy balance between eating to live and living to eat... random thoughts!

The Essentials of Oils

2008-07-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

When I was younger, I always wanted to have a signature scent. One that everyone would know as mine. I asked for a then popular perfume as a birthday gift and when received, I put it on daily, spraying my wrists and clothes. I was content; I had found a scent for my own. Shortly after, I started getting headaches. One day when sitting in class, with my chin propped in the heels of my hands, I became acutely aware of the smell of my perfume and thought to myself that perhaps the headaches were related to the perfume. I did an experiment and stopped wearing my new found scent for a few days. Sure enough, the headaches disappeared. Hmm, allergic to my signature scent! How could this be? Needless to say, I was very disappointed.

It wasn't until years later after working in a health food store in North Carolina and learning from good friends that I was taught about essential oils, their wonderful signature scents as well as their aromatherapeutic properties! I also learned that many people have very strong reactions to the alcohol in perfumes or the large amounts of chemicals in other lotions and fragrances.

Basically, there are numerous essential oils that have amazing fragrances and can be mixed with a base and used just like perfume - and they don't cause me headaches! There are also blends of them already pre-made, just check out your local health food store.

I also learned about the benefit of using body oil instead of lotion. I used to think all body oil was like baby oil - and if you've ever put that on your body, you know how slimy and oily it makes you feel. I really didn't want that but I wanted something that was going to hydrate my skin in a way that lotion just wasn't. Many people will use Almond, Olive, Sesame or Sunflower Oil as the base for creating their own scented body oil - instead of buying a $30 bottle from some of those "Body Shops." Making these oils are easy and fun and you can create one just for your own needs.

A massage-therapist friend of mine likes to use sunflower oil for her personal body oil as it dries most quickly so there is less possibility of it getting on clothes. I used to use almond oil but just recently switched to sunflower oil and have found that I also prefer it. I buy Spectrum brand refined, organic Sunflower Oil from the cooking oil section of any health food store.

Below is a recipe I use for creating. I STRONGLY recommend that you read up on the properties of any and all essential oils you opt to put into your concoction so that you know what you're getting into (see links at the end of this post and do your own research!). Also, my motto is less is more; first try out a smaller quantity of an essential oil and then increase if you do not smell it once mixed with your base oil.

My favorites:
Lavender Oil *- Relaxing, Calming
Grapefruit Oil *- Uplifting
Peppermint Oil *- Stimulating
Eucalyptus Oil *- Refreshing

Jyoti's Oil Recipe:

What's in it:

12 - 15 ounces base oil (Organic Sunflower Oil)
8 - 12 drops Lavender Oil
5 - 12 drips Grapefruit Oil
4 ounces lotion of your choice (I like Kiss My Face Lavender or Mountain Ocean Skin Trip Coconut Lotion)
You can add peppermint (2-4 drops) or Eucalyptus (2-4 drops) but bear in mind that they will add a cooling and stimulating effect. I have decided to not use them much in my whole body oils but have made separate oils with them for my feet only and use sparingly.

How's it done:

Pour your base oil into either a pump bottle or a leak proof squeeze bottle of your choice. It is recommended to use a dark, glass bottle if you can.
Add the number of drops of the oils of your choice.
Add the number of ounces of the lotion of your choice (optional)
Shake the concoction up and lube yourself up!

Enjoy creating your own scents tailored to your own wants and needs, just be sure to thoroughly read up on the properties for each oil before using. I actually began to find peppermint to be too cooling and stimulating for me to use after using it for a long time. Have fun!

I also found the following sites helpful and informative:

Information on oil properties:

Recipes and general information:

http://www.essential-oil-recipes.com/index.html

Properties and general information:

http://www.aromaweb.com/essentialoils/default.asp

*The links in this post are not intended to urge readers to purchase these particular brands or from these specific sites but are more for reference and informational purposes.

Hemp Seeds and Oil

2008-06-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

I was recently re-introduced to the wonderful benefits of hemp seeds and hemp oil. Most people these days have heard of Flax seeds and flax oil. Well, hemp seeds and oil offer very similar benefits as Flax yet according to some, hemp is the better choice. At the core of both hemp and flax is the buzz around "Essential Fatty Acids" or EFAs.

Basically, our bodies don't create these EFAs, but they are "essential" for our health and vitality (we'd have to speak to my sisters the doctor and PA to really understand the "how/why" behind the essentialness of these EFAs). But the basics are that they're good for us.

According to one site I visited, hemp seeds and oil have the best ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs, that being 3:1. According to this same site, "EFAs help to prevent or relieve inflammation problems, arthritis, asthma, osteoporosis, cardio-vascular disease and hormonal disturbances linked to menopause, These substances play a role in preventing autoimmune diseases, overweight and cancer."

In addition to providing EFAs, hemp seeds provide a wonderful amount of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A and Vitamin E. I like to put both the seeds and oil into my morning smoothies. You can also add either the seeds or oil to soups, salads or any other food item that sounds good to you.

In my own experience, hemp seeds and oil have a much better flavor than flax. I've always found flax to taste rather fishy, not suspicious but actually like fish. - and I never really liked most fish when I did eat meat. I still incorporate both into my diet, but if there's ever a possibility that the taste will shine through, I opt for hemp. So, you don't have to choose one over the other; you can use both or alternate one from the other.

Enjoy!

I found these other sites to be helpful in understanding the difference between hemp and flax:
http://nutiva.com/graphics/hempandflax.pdf
http://www.hempseed.ca/hemp-vs-flax.ihtml

Sathya's Saag

2008-01-28T16:34:00.000-08:00

The following is another of my father's yummy renditions of a popular Indian dish. It is most commonly found in "North Indian" restaurants and with cubes of paneer - Indian Cheese and therefore called Saag Paneer or Palak Paneer. Some good friends of mine always ask for me to make this one. Enjoy!

What's in it:

2-3 tbsp organic canola oil
1-2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 big handful of cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
1 inch of peeled fresh organic ginger
2 cloves organic garlic
10 curry leaves
2-4 tsp cumin
2-4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 - 1 tsp turmeric
lime to taste
salt to taste
2-3 bunches of fresh spinach or 2 packages chopped, frozen organic spinach
1 big organic onion

How it's done:

Chop onion into small cubes
Wash cilantro and chop leafy part (discard the stems)
Wash and dry curry leaves
Chop or press garlic
Grate or puree ginger
Heat the oil in a pan (you can eliminate this step for a healthier saag)
Add mustard seeds (these can be dry roasted, without the oil)
Mustard seeds will heat and eventually start popping
Add onion, ginger and garlic when mustard seeds start to pop
Let the onion cook until it starts to turn clear
Add cumin, coriander, turmeric and garam masala.
Allow spices to cook with onion until the onion is completely cooked (completely clear)
Add spinach

If using fresh spinach, allow to cook until tender
If using frozen, allow to defrost and heat up

Once spinach is cooked, add cilantro

You can blend this mixture in a food processor to make smooth or keep it as is

Add lime and salt to taste

This goes well with a nice organic brown rice seasoned with cumin seeds or a nice spelt tortilla in place of a chapati.

Idlies

2007-12-12T16:52:00.001-08:00

To go with Sathya's Sambar:

I have never made idlies from scratch and therefore don't have a 'from scratch' recipe to share. But, I have used the boxed packages that you can easily get from any local Indian/South Asian grocery store. One of the most common brands is Gits. You will have to get an Idli Maker, but that too can be found at a local India/South Asian store. You just put it inside any large pot you have. Idlies are steamed to cook.

The most important thing when mixing up the contents of the box with the water is to NOT over stir as this can cause the idlies to be more dense/flat. But the trick is to stir enough so you don't have too many big clumps of doughy idly mix.

Serve Idlies with hot sambar (see Sathya's Sambar recipe) or just eat with melted butter, non-hydrogenated butter substitute (I like Earth Balance) or the 'sinful' but delightful ghee!

Idlies

Idli Maker

The wonderful benefits of Peppermint

2007-12-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

For those who know me, you know I love peppermint tea! This fresh and invigorating herb is not only one of the most delightful to drink as a tea but it also has wonderful medicinal properties. The most prominent medicinal use is to help reduce nausea or upset stomach. Some have found drinking peppermint tea to reduce gas or ease irritable bowel syndrome. I found some interesting information at womens-health-symmetry.com. I also find peppermint helps increase my energy if I'm feeling low.

If you have a cold or sinus infection, peppermint oil is also a great remedy. You can boil a small amount of water in a pot and add a few drops of peppermint oil. Cover your head with a towel, putting it over the pot and take several deep breaths. You should not only feel the stimulating effects of the peppermint, but your congestion should also be relieved.

Sathya's Sambar

2007-12-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

This is my dad's rendition of the scrumptious south Indian dish. All the spices can be found at your local Indian grocery - many can even be found at a local health food store as well. Enjoy!

What's in it:

organic canola oil
3 medium organic onions
2 large organic eggplants
2 big organic green peppers
1 cup cooked masur dhal
1 pre-cooked potato
10-15 washed and dried curry leaves
1 to 1 1/2 mustard seeds
1 tbsp Tamcon
1 heaping tsp sambar powder
7 - 10 tbsp coriander powder
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup water
salt to taste

How it's done:

Boil 1 cup of masur dhal in 2 cups of water, set aside
Steam 1 potato, set aside
Chop the onion into big cubes
Chop the eggplant and green pepper into big pieces
Put vegetable into a big pot
Mix the tamcon with approximately 1/2 cup of warm water and mix until dissolved
Add dissolved tamcon to veggies
Add sambar powder
Put the pot of veggies on the stove on high until boiling then turn down to med-low
Add the potato, cut into chunks
While the veggies cook down

roast the coriander and cinnamon in a small cast iron pan (if you have it, if not any pan will work) on a low heat

Make sure to keep the heat low, so you don't burn the spices

add the roasted coriander and cinnamon to the veggie

Add the cup of pre-cooked dhal.
Let mixture simmer
Clean your pan and heat 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil

Add mustard seeds and let heat until they pop

Add curry leaves

Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves to the pot.
Add salt to taste.
Let simmer until all the veggies are soft.
You can use a masher to mash the veggies to your desired consistency.

Pour this tasty south India soup over hot, fresh idlies (see Idlies)

Glorious Greens

2007-12-06T10:04:00.000-08:00

Kale, Collards, Mustard Greens, Spinach and Chard (see images below)- I'm sure there are others I'm leaving out. These amazing leafy greens are packed full of unbelievable vitamins and minerals as well as powerful anti-cancerous properties.

You can basically prepare each of these greens in the same ways - or use in any recipe where you normally use spinach, try one of the others. Some of my favorites are

Simply steam the washed and chopped greens briefly (5 -7 minutes, the less the better to maintain all the nutrients) and you favorite salad dressing. I really like Annie's Goddess Dressing Steaming the greens is a nice alternative to salads in the winter - for those who like warm food
Add washed and chopped greens to soups - you don't need to cook these greens very long and can even add them after you've take the pot off the heat.
Juice washed greens with apples, cucumbers, ginger or any other of your favorite juice-able fruits and veggies
Stir fry the greens with other veggies (zucchini, yellow summer squash, snow peas, carrots) and season with grated ginger, pressed garlic, bragg's liquid aminos/tamari sauce

Mustard Greens

Swiss Chard

Kale

Tomato - Basil Supremo

2007-12-04T13:27:00.000-08:00

I have concocted a delightful recipe for those tomato-basil lovers - not an original by any means, but tasty nonetheless. My husband, Rishi, loves this one! It's basically a nice homemade pasta sauce, but you can also put it on some yummy garlic bread (wheat free for those avoiding gluten/wheat) or eat it as a side. There are also some really great wheat/gluten free pastas out there now-a-days; VitaSpelt is my favorite brand.

Total Prep and Assembly time - 30-35 minutes

What's in it:

2-4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 bunches of Fresh Organic Basil
3-5 Fresh Organic Tomatoes
1/2 - 1 cup of Frozen Organic Corn
1 medium Organic Onion
6-12 Cloves of Organic Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cayenne (optional)

How it's done:

Chop the Onion into "cubed" pieces or into strips - whatever your preference
Mince the garlic or puree in a food processor
Wash and Cut the tomatoes into quarters (you can also just halve them if you want)
Wash the Basil and pick the leaves off of the stems (I usually do the picking off part right before adding into the mix)
Sautee the Onion and Garlic in the olive oil on a Medium heat until the Onion turns clear
Add the Tomatoes and let simmer until the tomatoes cook down into a saucey consistency.
Add the Basil and let simmer for approximately 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally
Once the mixture has a nice Basil taste and aroma, add the Frozen Corn.
Remove from heat once corn is heated to desired temp (i.e. not frozen anymore)
Add salt and pepper to taste.
If you like it spicy, add some Cayenne
Enjoy!

Insights on Communication

2007-12-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

Communication can be slippery, messy, unpredictable and often times difficult, especially when dealing with conflict, differences of opinion or our own feelings and vulnerability. And when different cultures come into contact with one another communication can be even more difficult.

It can be very scary when interacting with someone whose style of communication is so different from our own that we literally may feel like running away, shutting down internally or just not wanting to deal, and very understandably so. But something I try to remind myself is that there are cycles in all aspects of our lives, including how we process our feelings and how we communicate; if we slowly allow ourselves to learn, pay attention to and try to understand our own style of communication as well as the other's (whether from a different culture or not) then we can slowly begin to find some peace within ourselves. The important thing is to not shut down entirely and as a result not communicate but rather to try to communicate gently.

Thich Nhat Hanh has beautiful ideas of communicating with our loved ones. He suggests to communicate once the intense negative feelings inside us have passed, to speak from a point of view of how we feel in reaction to how someone has acted or what someone has said. Instead of saying, "You made me feel stupid," say "I felt stupid when you said...." I believe that by in engaging in dialog we should be able to come to a deeper understanding of why someone did or said something and it can give them an opportunity to see how they've affected us and hopefully explain themselves. Of course we're human and we make mistakes. Or we just not going to like everyone all the time nor are we 'perfect' so we have to remember that we can sometimes hurt others just as they've hurt us.

And it may take time for us to be ready to admit we've done wrong (I know I have my sometimes long process) but the important thing is to recognize within ourselves our process so that we can begin to be mindful of our own feelings and how we affect others instead of ignoring or pushing these things away.I see even in my own family the intense impact of how different personal and cultural communication styles can create conflict, cause confusion and fuel other unresolved personal dynamics. I've been guilty of being the cause to some of this but I have also felt the impact of these dynamics. I have had to turn inward and not communicate because of extremely intense feeling I've had towards friends and family until I could internally calm myself - but I know that I mustn't ignore the feelings or pretend their gone - that communicating with the other is an important step. But I also recognize the importance of not wallowing in my feelings to the point that I won't let them go. Again, we have to become completely familiar with our own process and accept our own process, but we MUST process our feelings. A lack of process, is not a process.

So, back to cultural influences. I found the excerpt below interesting, informative and insightful. It's by Michelle LeBaron and if you like what she has to say you can read more at http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/culture_conflict/

Culture is an essential part of conflict and conflict resolution. Cultures are like underground rivers that run through our lives and relationships, giving us messages that shape our perceptions, attributions, judgments, and ideas of self and other. Though cultures are powerful, they are often unconscious, influencing conflict and attempts to resolve conflict in imperceptible ways.

Cultures are more than language, dress, and food customs. Cultural groups may share race, ethnicity, or nationality, but they also arise from cleavages of generation, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, ability and disability, political and religious affiliation, language, and gender -- to name only a few.

Two things are essential to remember about cultures: they are always changing, and they relate to the symbolic dimension of life. The symbolic dimension is the place where we are constantly making meaning and enacting our identities. Cultural messages from the groups we belong to give us information about what is meaningful or important, and who we are in the world and in relation to others -- our identities.

Cultural messages, simply, are what everyone in a group knows that outsiders do not know. They are the water fish swim in, unaware of its effect on their vision. They are a series of lenses that shape what we see and don't see, how we perceive and interpret, and where we draw boundaries. In shaping our values, cultures contain starting points and currencies[1]. Starting points are those places it is natural to begin, whether with individual or group concerns, with the big picture or particularities. Currencies are those things we care about that influence and shape our interactions with others.

Soaking Almonds

2007-11-30T21:33:00.000-08:00

Soaking almonds in filtered water is said to improve the digest-ability of the almonds so that our bodies can readily absorb all the wonderful vitamins and minerals found in these sacred morsels. One site I found says "Almonds are loaded with vitamin E, magnesium and potassium and are a good source of manganese, copper and vitamin B2 (riboflavin). They are also high in fiber and a small serving has more protein than an egg." Click the following for more info on Almonds: Almond-1, Almond-2.

How to Soak Almonds:

Place a small handful of raw, organic almonds (10-15) in a glass or stainless steal bowl/container. Cover with water. Let soak for 12-24 hours; If you decided to soak for 24 hours, change the water after 12 hours. Once finished soaking, drain, rinse and use. If you want to store the almonds, store them drained in the refrigerator.

Some Uses:
Add soaked almonds to smoothies/shakes
Eat as snack (add a little Bragg's Liquid Aminos or other flavoring of your choice)
Add to salads
Add to cereal

Heavenly Chocolate Shake

2007-11-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

All of the following ingredients (pictured below in the order listed) can be found at your local natural food coop or health food store. If you're in the Atlanta area, you can get most of these ingredients at the DeKalb Farmers Market, Rainbow Grocery, Life Groceries Coop or Sevananda Coop

What's in it:

1-3 Tablespoons Organic Raw Cacao Powder
Organic Fruit of Choice

(I like bananas, strawberries and blueberries)

Small Handful of pre-soaked almonds (See post on soaking almonds)
1-2 Dates (optional)
1-2 Tablespoons Agave Nectar (optional)
2-4 Cups Water (depends on how thin/thick you like your shakes)
1 Tablespoon Flax Oil
1 Tablespoon Hemp Oil
1 Tablespoon Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
1-2 Teaspoons Spirulina (optional)

How it's done:

Put 1-2 Bananas, 5-10 Strawberries and 1/2 Cup of Blueberries in your blender.
Add approximately 2 cups of water (you can add more later if it's too thick)
Add pre-soaked almonds
Add the dates if you opt to use them
Start blender on a lower setting and then increase speed to highest to really puree the mix
While the fruit and nuts are blending, add in the Chocolate, Oils, Agave and Spirulina (optional)
Let blend until smooth.
Taste shake and determine if you want more of anything.
Pour and Enjoy!

Note: Spirulina has a very distinct flavor so you may want to mix all other ingredients first, pour out 1/2 and then add the spirulina, to drink this portion separately until you grow love the flavor.

Note: You can use just Flax or only Hemp Oil - just put in two tablespoons of which ever one you use. If you're just going to use one, I'd suggest the hemp oil.

Note: I really like Sunfood Nutritions Raw Organic Cocao Powder, a bit pricey but worth it!

Note: You can use frozen organic fruit.

The Beginning

2007-11-30T14:35:00.000-08:00

Living in Mindfulness is a space that I've created where I will share ideas, insights into life, health tips, recipes, books, authors, quotes, ideas - personal and borrowed - for all to learn and grow from.

I have spent the last 9 years of my life exploring different cultures, ways of life, spiritual practices, traditional medicines, eating habits and exercise choices in an attempt to create a holistically mindful life for myself. By holistically mindful I refer to my intent to be fully aware of how I eat, speak, work, and exercise and to do all these tasks in a way that does not harm myself, my family, my community, or the environment. I also I believe it to be my responsibility to make the changes I wish to see in the world in my own life and share my insights for those would like to hear.

I also know that I sill have much to learn and practice in this life. What I've discovered through my explorations is just the tip of a much greater iceberg of knowledge, experience and practice. I draw great inspiration from Thich Nhat Hanh, Lauren Hill, Sri Swamini Mayatitananda, Khalil Gibran, Stephen Levine, Bob Marley, Hafiz, Rumi, Dr. Vasant Lad among others. I welcome any and all comments and ideas.