Sunday, November 14, 2010

some basic meditation techniques

There is a gateway within each of, a miraculous door through which can pass to us health and self-healing, unconditional love, non-judgment, joy and bliss. A door through which we can pass at any moment of our day into a place of non-judgment, unconditional love, health and self-healing, joy and bliss. This door is always open, we have only to turn towards it. That door is meditation.

What exactly is meditation? What it is not is relaxation, although relaxation is one of the results of meditating. It is not prayer, although once in a meditative state prayer becomes much more powerful and effective. Prayer is asking, meditating is listening. Listening to what? To your conscience, your higher self, the universe, God. Each of which have a tough time getting through to us because of the continual 'static' and 'noise' of our lives and our thoughts.

The object is to move beyond our thoughts and thinking process into a state of non-judgmental awareness -- into true beingness, where we find ourselves existing absolutely in the present moment -- the Holy Instant.

This occurs when our breath becomes calm and focused, when the sensations of the body begin to melt away and when the left and right hemispheres of the brain move closer into synchronization. And then the gateway opens into the Divine realm where our health is perfect, love unconditional and fear nonexistent.

Remember, meditating is not about relaxing, so once you start, if you find yourself nodding off, then stop and get some rest. You need to be alert.

For the same reason, you probably shouldn't meditate while lying down. If you are currently confined to bed, then try to keep your pillows propped up, or have someone guide you through the meditation. You also need to try and keep the spine straight to allow an open channel of energy flow. If you are in a chair, keep your feet flat on the floor. But always make sure you feel comfortable; if meditating doesn't feel good physically, you won't want to continue.

Dress comfortably and warmly.

Make the practice of meditating something special in your life, even sacred; you will have a more powerful experience. If you can, create a special place to meditate which is only for that purpose and away from where you find frustrations in your life. Turn off the phone and hide the ticking clocks.

Prepare to not be disturbed for at least fifteen minutes. You can work your way up to a half hour later. If you only get five minutes in the meditation that you feel 'connected' -- that's a lot! Give yourself this gift. We have twenty-three and three quarter hours in the day to be tense and nervous; surely we can find ten or fifteen or twenty minutes for our own physical and spiritual healing?

Another way to begin the practice is to first balance your breathing. With your eyes closed, take the thumb of your right hand and close off your right nostril, exhale through your left nostril, then inhale through the same nostril. With your index finger of your same hand, now pinch off the left nostril and exhale through the right nostril, then inhale through the right nostril and pinch it off with your thumb. Repeat for five minutes, breathing deeply and gently as you try and follow your breath, listening to it, visualizing it flowing in and out of you. Enjoy it. (Breath, by the way, in Latin, means soul).

Another method to begin your practice, and which is very helpful if you find your thoughts constantly interrupting your meditation, is to fully engage all your senses. In effect, you're entering the meditative state through the back door.

Listen for everything you can hear; listen for the sounds within the sounds; the truck outside, its engine, its wheels moving against the pavement, are there four wheels or eight?; listen to the lawn mover, the conversation next door; listen to your breathing; to the ringing in your ears; everything. Then feel the clothes against your skin, the carpet under your feet, the bones and muscles, and the blood moving through you; feel your skin and hair and teeth; feel air blowing over your skin; feel heat rising off you; feel the unconscious vibration of sub-atomic elements moving through you. Smell the air and taste your mouth. 'See' with your eyes closed, the colors, the patterns -- the universe (your optic nerve can actually register the flow of individual atomic photons).

Another technique is to simply follow your breathing. Counting your breaths is a way of engaging your logical mind while freeing your subconscious. Try to match your breathing with your pulse beats and count until you reach a full breath. Five to seven beats is average. Hold your breath for half that number. Exhale to the same pulse beats. Hold your breath out for half that number. Repeat. This is actually the natural way to breathe, the way we were born to breathe. As it is, we only use about 30% of our lung capacity. This helps make the blood alkaline. And disease cannot grow in the presence of a full oxygen content in an alkaline environment.

You can repeat your name as a mantra, a mantra being any word or phrase which is repeated over and over, silently or vocally. Repeat any word or phrase which has meaning to you such as "I am at peace" or "Love. Truth. Joy." or "I am One" or "I desire money (success, love, etc.)". Again, repeating a mantra engages the logical brain.

It can be very effective to stare at a symbol or picture while speaking a mantra, this works to balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Another idea is to say -- vocally or silently -- on an inhalation the word "I" and exhale the word "AM"; repeat.

A very powerful method is to intone the mantra of "O-m" or "A-u-m" The vibrational tone of the word "Om", in ancient belief, is considered to be the first sound of creation, the first 'breath', if you will, of the Divine. It is believed to link you directly with the Unity Consciousness Of All That Is/God/Spirit.

To use the "A-U-M" version, think of the "A" as the sound of the inbreath, continue that sound as you begin to exhale, then gently make the "U" sound, which gradually becomes the "M" sound at the end of the exhalation. Begin with the "A" again and repeat.

Try using the inexpensive, foam ear plugs you can buy at any pharmacy. They help you move into your inner silence and focus on your breath, your heartbeat, your very essence.

These are just a few suggestions. Use them as a springboard to create your own and you will have a much more enjoyable experience.

Try to meditate at least once a day.

It will change your life.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

"Risk" by Anais Nin

sunset by georgia o'keefe
And then the day came,
when the risk
to remain tight
in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took
to Blossom.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

a prayer

 

Prayer
by An Unknown Confederate Soldier


I asked God for strength, that I might achieve, I was
made weak, that I might humbly obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things, I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.


I asked for riches, that I might be happy, I was given poverty,

that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men, I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.


I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life, I was given life,

that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I had hoped for.


Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am among all men, most richly blessed.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Greetings from Home: Inner Beauty


(from www.lightworker.com)

Beauty An Anchor of Light

Home is now changing because of what you are doing here on this planet. Each and every one of you has brought a very special segment of Home to planet Earth to carry with you. This part of Home is not only your message, internal guidance, and spark of light, but it is something that you refer to on your planet as beauty. There is much that will be coming as humans evolve to carry more of their spirit in the physical being. Many of your changes have been emotional and energetic, yet they are starting to occur on a physical level as well. It is easy to see where this is going. We will share with you what will be helpful to know as you experience these changes and this transformation. We wish to tell you about the one anchor, the piece that will hold your energy in all situations during all these growth experiences. We know this is difficult for most of you to hear or understand and especially to feel. But we will ask you to take this information into your mental body first then simply filter it down, for you are carrying the beauty of Home within your being right now.
Many of you have come in with a strong heart connection. As a child you had to learn how to tone that down and pull in your energy to try and fit into a world you did not seem to fit in. That became very problematic, yet you learned how to hold your energy field in to give you the illusion of being separate. Now you are starting to understand that you are connected, and you always have been. You are starting to let go of that restriction, of that energy field that you have compacted so tightly around you. Now that you are starting to return to who you truly are, and there is something that will happen to almost each and every one of you. You will feel a loss of your own grounding process, and when this happens the first thing you begin to do is to doubt yourself. It is very common on this planet right now that as you look at things you have been doing for a very long time, you start to wonder if you are doing them right. You are beginning to doubt yourself in many ways, but we do not even think that is such a negative. Instead, it is simply an opportunity for you to re-evaluate everything.  So, as we start to lose this restriction, we begin to connect to different energy fields and feel other people like you have before. You are starting to feel your own connection with everyone else around you. Because that is unusual, it makes you lose your autonomy and your separateness, the illusion of who you think you are.
Inner Beauty
That is why you are starting to work with harmonizing techniques and learning how you can send your energy safely out into the universe. If we told you that you could send a stream of your beauty and energy out into the universe and it could be felt by everyone, very few of you would do it because you think that your energy is not perfect. You would doubt yourself so much that you would block and restrict your own beauty. Because you are on the planet of Free Choice, it has become a continual cycle for all humans to do that.  It is part of the process you have of bringing in your energy field and pretending to be separate from the whole. Now it is changing, as you start to release these boundaries which you have worked so hard on during your incarnations on Earth. The first thing you see is that you are part of the whole. What we are telling you is that you are part of a puzzle that cannot exist without you. You hold a unique beauty, a part of Home that can only be seen through your smile, your words and your vibration. Your first and most important responsibility is to find your own inner beauty, for that part of the puzzle is needed now. This will be scary for most of you. It is easy to find beauty in someone or something else, and yet it is difficult for you to see your own. It is part of the veil which you have described, that you actually created at the beginning of the game of planet Earth. It is a part of the veil that you designed that keeps one from seeing who they truly are. Now that veil is starting to disintegrate. A slow but steady degradation of the veil is well underway. The veil is starting to diminish and you are starting to feel things that you have never felt before.
Do Something!
You are beginning to become aware that you hold a responsibility in the universe to play a role in the process. Deep inside you are aware of a feeling that you are supposed to do something big in your life. We concur and predict that soon you will have a chance to bring your own part of beauty from Home to create Heaven on Earth. Every one of you has been working on this, for it is a grand puzzle piece that cannot exist until all the parts are in place. You hold one of those pieces. Your passion, your excitement, those things that light up your spirit will take you to your beauty. They will take you to the most incredible ideas, and please understand the way you have defined beauty on this planet is very strange. It is interesting to see how each one defines beauty, because it is a part of Home seen from many views. It is a remembrance of a part that you know. When you find yourself watching a sunrise over a pristine pasture and you see that energy coming in and say, “Oh, this is beautiful!” you are remembering Home. You are remembering that same feeling you have every single moment at Home. At this time it will be very helpful to spend time each day renewing your idea of beauty, to appreciate and  practice expressing this beauty. It is time to dare to let people see you and to let them in to release this restricting boundary that you have worked so hard to hold on to. It is time to start letting go. 
These are the pieces that each and every one of you is starting to walk through. It is not easy, and we know that. Although we have never incarnated on Earth and played the game of pretending to be human, we are here to help you re-member your true nature for we are part of you on a much larger level. We are here to help you re-member that you are a spirit first, and a human second. We are here to help you re-member that you are a grand family, that you are sons and daughters of the king. You are special beyond your belief and you have a light from Home that is needed on this planet now more than ever before. We know that it is scary for you. We know that you doubt yourself, it is part of the human condition and yet we applaud you. When you feel the wind at your back, it is our wings brushing against each other as we applaud each and every one of you as you step out of that little comfort zone that you have nurtured for so long to be your safety zone. Now you will find that it will restrict you. It will frustrate you, it will make you doubt yourself and that is why each and every one of you can start releasing and become the energy field that you always were. For the first time it is possible to hold that energy in one of your physical bodies. It is new and there are new forms of communication that are coming as a result. Humans currently spend hours talking to each other using words to communicate with little success. Then when the vibrations are in sync it only takes a split second to make your point. You will be able to very quickly go through and hit those levels of what we have called Deep Contact. It is part of your natural form as you start releasing much of what you have built to protect you.
The Backwash of Doubt
This is a time to let you know that it is okay to feel as if you do not have it all. It is okay to feel frail, because everybody else on the planet is feeling the same way even if they are not saying so. It is part of the human condition that humans are going through right now in preparation for what is coming. We have mentioned the waves that have come through Earth and have talked about them for many years. The energy waves began on 01-01-01 and 02-02-02. It is very simple to say that if you catch the crest of this wave, it can simply push you forward very easily. Your own energy field has changed, as you have done and are doing your work. You are changing yourself consciously; the outside world is changing. It is more acceptable for you to be who you are. With all your beautiful attributes and frailties, you must understand our view of you. You are the perfect imperfection of god, for everything on this side of the veil must have a bit of imperfection within it in order to exist. Therefore, god became imperfect and played a game to pretend to be imperfect. That is you. Now you are awakening from the dream. Now you are starting to find that you have powers beyond your understanding. You are finding that you are not separate from each other and, in fact, you have connections even if you are not ready for them. So the one piece we will ask you to start looking at is to dare to see your own beauty. It is very difficult, for you are trained otherwise. When each and every one of you looks in the mirror, you immediately see your imperfections that you have been striving constantly to be perfect. Now we are going to ask you to stop striving and own who you are. Own all of it…what you call imperfections are the pieces that fit in perfectly.
It was a while ago, dear ones, that mankind learned to make a substance very similar to diamonds. In fact, this caused diamond manufacturers to inscribe their diamonds because they cannot tell the difference between manmade and natural diamonds. Most of the diamonds being made today are for industrial use, but we find it interesting and the reason is very simple. There are no imperfections in the manmade diamonds, therefore, they are not valuable. Is that not interesting? They are too perfect. It is actually the inclusions inside—the way the diamond reflects the light and sparkles that makes it beautiful. That is you. We are now looking at the overall part of the diamond—the overall part of you. Instead of looking at the imperfections, we are going to focus on the imperfections and find a way to use them positively. The imperfections are part of the inclusions in your diamond that make your diamond a unique beauty from Home. It is not easy, for it means owning your mastery and owning who you are. The difficult part is your egos, because your egos always have to be in balance. You are aware of this.
Making Space for the Other Gods:
The Art of Empowerment
Many of you watch too closely and are so concerned about being in the ego that you never stand up and speak your peace. You never share the part of beauty that you brought from Home. So, it is about balancing all of that, yet you want the check and the way to check your ego and expressing your own true beauty, is very simple. Are you making space for the other gods in the universe? We tell you right now that the grandest secret that we could ever tell you is that you are god. You are that which you have been searching for. Searching on the outside has led you inward. You are that one piece that holds it all, and yet the veil keeps you from re-membering it. The veil keeps you from your connection to Home. So once you start removing the veil, you start feeling this power and connection, then the first thing you do is run against the brick wall because you forgot that you are not the only god. We are going to help you re-member and experience the changes that all humans are beginning to right now.  The way we will work with you on this, dear ones, is to hold you up to the highest light that we can. We are here to empower you in any way we can. We hope you take that message and empower somebody else, because true empowerment is only activated when you are surrounded by empowered people. You have created an empowered society in a moment’s notice and it will happen. You can now hold that energy in your energy field.  You can now hold more of your connection to Home in your physical body because of the changes and evolution every one of you are experiencing. Fear, loneliness and feeling unworthy are the human emotions that each and every one of you will have going through these levels of evolution. The challenge is when you truly doubt yourself, when you truly believe that you are not worthy or you have nothing to give. We tell you that if that were the case, you would not be on planet Earth.
This is not an easy planet to be on; it is not a vacation spot. Although it is the garden of the universe, it is a very difficult energy to be in as far as planetary energies go. We are here to help you re-member your true nature, your strengths, and your own energy. We are not here to tell you that you must go this way or that way, for that is entirely up to you. These are your choices, because you are on the planet of free choice. Do not judge yourself for the choices, simply make them even if they are what you consider to be wrong. If you make the choice, you can go back and change it. If you do not make the choice, you fall into a rut of default.  This is where many challenges come in, for you are no longer in control of your life. These are the times you are starting to take charge.   Even though you may not know exactly the direction or what that feels or looks like, you may know that where you are does not hold the energy for you. So moving in any direction will put you on the path of making choices and creating your own environment, even if it is not the perfect environment you want. It will lead you to make those choices and to openly find that piece.
The Field Used as a Resonance Chamber
Dear ones, the energy field has been expanding around your body. For a very long time it was only about two inches away from your body, and now for many of you it has extended 6 to8 feet, and for others  10 feet. This has taken a lot of work. It has also taken a lot of restrictions and effort on your part. However, it has paid off quite well because now as each and every one of you evolve, you will use this energy field that you had around your body as your resonant chamber. As your base energy from which you will now broadcast, your energy field will now expand and will no longer be restricted by the boundaries. There will be a lot of misuse of this energy in the beginning.  There will be a lot of people trying to use it for their own purposes, as more becomes known. There will be a lot of the typical things that humans do when they learn something new. Yet, it is one of the biggest keys that is going to help you take these steps.  We talked about being at the crest of the wave simply to give you a ride, to give you a little bit more of your energy instead of having to fight for every part of it. What we have not told you is that before every wave that comes onto the shore, there is a backwash of energy that feels like it is going in the other direction. The water must come back out to build the wave to come back in. You are in that backwash right now. This is why some of you are panicking or feeling stuck, overreacting to your surrounding environment. This is why many have very raw emotions, and feel as if you are right on the edge of your world. Do not fear what we are telling you. It is helpful to know that you are not alone, but it is also helpful to know that this is an evolutionary process that all human beings are going through. To get from Point A to Point B where you can carry more of your own spirit in your physical body, it is necessary to go through some of these changes.  The same effect will be felt with 111111 and 121212.
So, this is the backwash. It is the time when you feel all of the energy being sucked from you instead of filling you up. But we will have you keep your eye on the bigger picture, because as strong as that backwash is and as lost as some of you may feel right now, you know what is coming. You know that this first wave of energy entering over the next three years is bringing a new form of humanity, a new empowered environment that you have never had the opportunity to exist in before. These are not easy transitions for humans resist change. It is one of your safety mechanisms to not change. Now you will find you will release more freely. You will welcome it and even though you have been building this energy field and this safety zone for so long, as you start to feel it move, get excited. Look at all the possibilities. Look at what is happening to you, and look at what effect you have on people around you that you have never thought you had. Do this and you will start to feel your inner beauty. This is a time to take the next step consciously and to begin to work with this energy on a daily basis and to fear not. Play with it. Play, pretending to be the new human. Play putting the most beauty out there that you can dare to see. We are not talking about physical beauty, but about passion and the things that make your spirit light up. It will almost always show in a physical form, but you must re-member that physical beauty is not defined on our planet because it means something different to each and every one of you. There is always someone who will see your beauty if you let it out. All that is necessary is to know that you are on the right path, to be able to see your effect and be able to take those steps. This backwash that you are in right now is in preparation.
This is the final clearing as the first wave settles in. Many people on this planet will be off center, because this first wave of energy you will be standing in all the murk and mire and all the confusion, you will be standing perfectly still as a beacon of light that others will come up to and say, “What is going on? What is happening? What are you feeling? What do you have to offer about this?” These are the times when you start to find your own true beauty and own it. It is time, dear ones, to start to own your mastery. Own who you are. Not just in this lifetime, but in all the incarnations that you have had here. Draw on that strength. Draw on that energy from your ancestors, bring it in. It is all there for you right now. Above all, enjoy this ride.
It is with the greatest of honor that we leave you these words and leave you with three little reminders. Treat each other with the greatest respect for that is the way of an empowered society. Nurture everyone at every chance you get and re-member it is a beautiful game and play well together.Espavo.
 


The group

"Let Me Paint For You A Hand"

(photo: Doris Ulmann)
(excerpt from an upcoming book project)

Let me make for you a painting. Let me paint for you a hand.
Weathered like rock. Brown as the soil. 
Powerful when clenched, gentle when open. 
Skin like worn leather. 
Fingers red from strong tobacco. 
If there was a color for the smell of sweat, the painting of this hand would dazzle. 
Thick veins, blue as the poorest ear of corn entangle it. 
Let me shadow this hand with motion -- a hawk, an eagle, a dove. 
Let me reveal to you the cracked and dirty nails, a laborer's fingers. 
Let me show to you the scar from a fight, from a hundred fights, from a lifetime of fighting. I will paint for you this scare with pride. 
Black for the ash, yellow for the sulfur within the ash across the palm. And now you see it as a factory hand. 
From the hand extends the arm into the shadows of the man...I can not paint the rest clearly for who can say what a man looks like? 
But the hand. 
The hand is enough. 
With each final brush stroke it, it breathes. It speaks. Of tribal legends. Of magic. Of glorious dreams. Of sadness of life beyond the dreams. Betrayals -- Of the mountain peaks. The sun. The water -- Of the factory whistle. The smokestack. The dying blackness...
A sad hand, grasping...
Let me make for you a painting. 
Let me paint for you a hand.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Amazing Throat Singer Matthew Kocel


This is from a dear, wonderful friend's website:

Matthew Kocel is a man dedicated to the global awakening of humanity, and healing the Earth through sacred sound.

An internationally renowned throat singer and sound healer, he has performed for audiences across North America for over 12 years.

Hundreds of people have reported experiencing deep meditative states, waves of healing energy, even profound visions while listening to his music.

Matthew's vocal sound is a unique blend of Tibetan/Tuvan throat singing and  Euro-American overtone chant - creating multiple overtones that seem to rise up from the depths of the Earth, taking you on a journey back to Source.

Listening to his sound healing meditation music, feels like you have lifted the veil and entered a realm beyond  time and space.

http://www.omshaman.com

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Healthy Priorities

Welcome!

This is the place to come for good information on making your health a priority. And after all, why would it be anything less?

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Today’s Bite

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons. ~ Alfred E. Newman

Take 5

Try 5 new and different breakfast ideas, and let us know what your favorites are!

Who Knew?!

Did you know that there is a lot more Vitamin C in both kiwis and strawberries than there is in an orange? Per 100 grams of fruit, an orange has 53.2 mg, strawberries contain 89.4 mg, and the kiwi wins with a whopping 92.7 mg!

Tid Bits

Have you ever paid attention to the PLU Number that is on the stickers you find on your produce? The four digit PLU numbers (PLU stands for Produce Look-Up.... really!) identifies the specific type of produce it is. If you see a five-digit number, look carefully. If the first number is a 9, that means its organic. If the first number is an 8, that means it is a genetically-modified item. So when you grab your next bunch of bananas, pay attention to that sticker to make sure you are getting exactly what you want.

Next Meeting

Meetings are held the last Tuesday of the month. Looking forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday, September 28th, at 6:30.

Hot Topics

Info

Are You Making These Fitness Mistakes?

Filed under :Activities | Events, Activities | Events, Fitness Information, Move It Or Lose It, Stay Young
This is a great article about some of the biggest mistakes we all make in our fitness routine – click here to read, and learn how to get the best results possible when you spend all your time and energy working out.

Gluten-Free The Easy Way!

Filed under :Free From Gluten
FOUR STEPS TO TRANSFORMING YOUR HEALTH
So, you receive test results or you’re having a conversation with your health care provider, and you hear the words “gluten-free”.  At first, it doesn’t mean much to you, but then you start reading a bit, or listening to your doctor, and all of a sudden the reality of what a “gluten-free” lifestyle really means starts setting in.
Before you start panicking about not ever eating your favorite pizza again, take a breath, and realize that you are incredibly lucky.  Yes, lucky.  Right now, there are so many resources available that makes changing to gluten-free eating pretty painless.  This website is one of them – we’re here to help!
I’ve been eating gluten-free for about 30 years now, and I’ve learned a lot, that is for sure.  Here is what I tell everyone who comes to me with that deer in the headlight look (or worse) when they have no idea how to eat anymore.
1.  INFORMATION
Get educated!  We are continually finding new special diet cookbooks, websites, articles, and products.  You are not alone.  Many people have these same dietary challenges and that means better resources for all of us, and the number of people who are eating gluten-free is skyrocketing, which only helps all of us.  Go to the library, the bookstores, search online, read magazines, ask questions, share information and visit us often for updates.  Learn what it takes to keep your body healthy and become your own expert.
2. PREPARATION
Don’t wait until you are hungry to figure out what to eat.  Meal planning, careful shopping, food preparation and restaurant research will all help you to maintain a healthy eating plan.  Be sure to stock your pantry with your special ingredients, make meals and snacks in advance.  Know which restaurants serve meals that are safe for you and always have a healthy snack in your purse, glove box, and desk drawer – just in case.
3.  DEDICATION
Eating gluten-free is not a diet.  It is the new and healthier way you will be eating for the rest of your life.  It can be a bit challenging in the beginning, as all new things can be.  Soon it will become just a way of life and your dedication will be rewarded with feeling better, having a healthier body, and a better quality of life.
4.  CELEBRATION
Chances are, you need a new eating plan because your body, mind, and/or emotional  state made it clear that the way you had been eating was not right for you.  Eating food that you have an intolerance or sensitivity to can create huge challenges by way of serious disease, chronic conditions, and a diminishing quality of life.  Being able to help, and perhaps even eliminate, these conditions simply by changing the food you eat…..well, that is, indeed, cause for celebration!
The first step is the hardest.  Just take the leap, get started, and you’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel!

Cauliflower Rice – It’s Great!

Filed under :Food, Free From Gluten, Free From Grains, Group Recipes, Quickies, Recipes, Recipes, Veggies

Nope, not snow.
It’s really cauliflower and it’s one of my favorite new “go to” foods.  I like cauliflower anyway, so it’s not unusual for me to sit down to a big bowl of steamed cauliflower with a little butter and salt – yum!  But this technique takes it to a whole new level and makes it much more versatile.
Clean the cauliflower and cut into manageable chunks.  Using a shredding attachment for your food processor,  shove the cauliflower chunks through so that they end up looking like the picture above – little shreds of cauliflower.  At this point, you can saute it on the stovetop, throw it into stir-frys or soups, or use my favorite technique which is steaming.  I have an electric steamer but you could use a stovetop steamer as well.  I steam mine for about 20 minutes, and it comes out kind of plump, very mild (less cauliflower flavor), and really light.
Cauliflower rice makes a perfect substitute for rice in most dishes.  I love it under Chicken Mushroom Fricassee or anything that has any kind of a sauce.  You think you’re eating rice, but you are trading all those carbs for all kinds of great nutrients.  Cauliflower is a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, manganese and many more.  Click here for lots of great info on this typically overlooked vegetable.  Now that I can make “rice” out of it, cauliflower has become a staple in my  menu planning.  And if you need a video to show you how to make it, click here.

No Excuse Healthy Meal Ideas

Filed under :Food, Food, Meals, Products we love, Quickies
Look what I found at Trader Joe’s!
No more excuses for making a healthy meal!  These are great assortments of veggies that are already prepped for you and ready to go.  You can use them in stir-frys, soups, sautes, salad, all kinds of things.  Find them in the refrigerated veggie section and make something heathy (and easy!) today.

Organicfest in Asheville

Filed under :Education and Resources, Food, Health Websites, News, Nurture Self, Places to go, Products we love, Quickies, Stay Young, Wellness
I just saw a notice for Organicfest – Celebrate Everything Organic – which will be held on September 11th at Pack Square in Asheville.  Click here for more info.  Sounds like fun!

Live Dynamite

Filed under :Be Inspired, Fun, Health, Making a Difference, Quickies
One of our Healthy Priorities stars, Heather, was kind enough to share this website with me.  It is a great site, full of really positive and uplifting messages.  When you go on the site, look for the section that says “Get Good at Living.  Weekly Tips.”  (on the left column).  You can sign up there to receive emails once a week that are really fun.  Inspirational and positive and helpful ( this weeks message was a gentle reminder of the advantages of sleep).  It’s so nice to receive little messages every once in awhile to help us live a healthier life!  Please check it out here - it’s a really great, well organized and fun site.

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Filed under :Free From Gluten, Free From Grains, Meals, Quickies, Recipes, Recipes
At a recent meeting of our Art Group, we were all enjoying a cool and tasty Tarragon Chicken Salad to go along with the fabulous array of garden salad and veggies Tawny prepared for us.  As much as I’d like to take credit for the Chicken Salad recipe, I have to instead simply direct everyone that wants the recipe to click here, and thank Chef Emeril Lagasse for his inspiration.  It’s a great meal for these dog days of summer.

Dr. Sara Rose – A New “Healthy” Friend

Filed under :Health, Health Websites, Nurture Self, Quickies, Things To Do, Wellness
I recently met Dr. Sara Rose who is an author and specialist in the field of Divorce Support and Relationship Counseling.  I think we all know how imperative it is to have healthy relationships in our lives, not just for our emotional and spiritual health, but for our physical health as well.  I urge you to check out Dr. Rose’s website (click here) and her book, Reaching for Your New Life – Healthy Recovery from Divorce.
Don’t you just love the title?  Instead of thinking of the end of a relationship as a failure, I really like the idea of putting energy towards “reaching for your new life”.

Possible Contamination of Gluten-Free Foods

Filed under :Free From Gluten
Just when you think you know what is safe to eat, here is a study stating that there is a lot of cross-contamination happening in the grain world.  Note that this is not talking about products specifically labeled as gluten-free, but in natural products that should be gluten-free.  Click here to read the whole article and be more aware of what you’re eating and how you feel after eating it.  Your body will tell you when you aren’t feeding it the right thing.  It’s our job to learn how to listen!

Friendship = Health

Filed under :Education and Resources, Health, News, Nurture Self, Quickies, Stay Young, Things To Do, Wellness
I can personally attest to the truth in this article.  I could never survive the ups and downs of my life without my “chosen family”, all the people in my life with whom I have the most intimate relationships.  Here is an interesting article that talks about just how important our relationships are to our overall health.  So the next time you want to do something healthy, read this article (click here) and then phone a friend!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

the human family

This is a link to a friend's video log about the human family and other beautiful ideas, which I wanted to support. peace.



the human family

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMJHRAHOJ0A