eco-lovely

Go to amazing destinations without leaving the house

I often find myself day dreaming about traveling to far away places. I love to travel. But schedules and life often interfere. I often find myself feeling unlucky or a sense of lack over not being able to travel the world. I overheard a conversation about a woman who was getting ready to travel to Iguazu Falls. As I listened I felt envious. But it quickly passed and I realized everything I need is within me. I don't have to spend a dime, or travel by plane to be inspired and awe-struck. I possess every ounce of that beauty and magnificence within me. We are all one after all. All connected.  I can close my eyes and transport myself anywhere I need to go to create that same feeling. I don't need anything outside myself to create happiness. I simply choose happiness.

Spiritual lessons from my garden and the importance of deadheading

Most flowers benefit from having their spent flowers removed. This is called deadheading. Flowers that repeat bloom will often do so only if the old, dying flowers are removed. If they remain on the plant they will goto seed and stop producing beautiful flowers. Applying these principals to our lives is an important part of spiritual growth. 

It is counterproductive for plants to extend energy sending nutrients to blooms that have already died. But don't we do that in our everyday lives all the time? How often do you say yes, when you really want to say no? How often do we do something even though we can feel it in our hearts down to our toes- that we would rather not? By being authentically yourself and truly honest in your word & action, you will make room and direct your energy to the stuff in your life that serves you. Sometimes we keep doing the things that we know are temporary, and would rather not do it at all. Just biding our time until the kids are grown, or you win the lottery, or you pay off a debt.  We do it because we are scared to take a risk, or be seen.  But that keeps us stuck and closed off to the energy that we need to hear the call, or notice the synchronicity. That is how we are lead to the next step. If your feeding all this vital energy to the negative or the merely bearable, it means your not in alignment. Your just stuck on that hamster wheel... Just like the flowers, if the dead blooms are removed, the plant will have no other choice but to direct its energy elsewhere. And the result...the most colorful abundance of sweet smelling flowers. I don't know about you, but that's the paralell I'm shooting for.

We want to direct that energy in healthy and positive ways. Lately I have been spending most of my free time getting immersed in the EFT & and Energy Psychology community. I have seen so many positive changes in my life as a result.  I joined the group coaching calls & forums over at Thrivingnow.com and can very clearly see my life blooming in beautiful ways. They talk a lot about feeling the energy and emotions in your body and using that to help you make decisions. I now totally trust when something is a "YES" for me.  And now when it's a "NO".  I feel it immediately.  It takes a bit of fine tuning and honesty to tell the difference between a "NO" and fear.  That can be a little tricky. But you can totally feel the difference between fear and "NO".  All from trusting my body and my own divine guidance.

We often find ourselves surrounded by things, habits, and even people that no longer serve us. Whether they met a need that we no longer have or they should never have been there in the first place, we are always changing. As we evolve, our needs, our desires, our interests, and our passions change. Making sure that our outward and inward lives align with our spiritual values and intentions is an important part of spiritual growth and maturity.

Spiritual deadheading is about letting go. It is not an event; it is a process. It is not always easy, but it is crucial to living an authentic life of purpose and passion. Just as it works in our gardens, letting go of the things (and sometimes people) that are spiritually dead in our lives gives us renewed vitality, time, and focus. In other words, letting go enables us to expend every bit of physical, emotional, and spiritual energy we have on the things that really matter. 

 

So if you close one door another will open....true story.

A new Chapter....

Well folks, it's been a long while since I've been here. A lot has happened in my absence. But we have plenty of time to catch up. I will be gracing you all with my presence on a regular basis. So get a cup of tea, and put on some comfy clothes...

In the recent months during my constant search for the meaning of life, my life primarily.... I stumbled upon EFT. I love to listen to podcasts. When I drive long distances...I listen and listen. To me learning about what makes me tick, and about other peoples experiences, is the new music... I happened upon a podcast with two lovely ladies, Cindy & Linda at the Art of joyful living.  I thoroughly enjoy the show and they have millions of great interviews in the archives at itunes for free. Keeps me entertained and enlightened during my frequent trips to New Jersey. I think the first interview I heard of the subject of EFT, was with an interview with Carol Look. She is one of the original practitioners of EFT. I know I heard people talk about it, and saw it in articles before. But it's amazing how timing really is everything. I was so ready for this right now.

So here it is in a technical nutshell...

EFT is a form of psychological acupressure that uses a gentle tapping technique instead of needles to stimulate traditional Chinese acupuncture points.  The tapping on the designated points on the face and body is combined with verbalizing the identified problem followed by a general affirmation phrase.

Combining these ingredients of the EFT technique balances the energy system and appears to relieve psychological stress and physical pain.  Restoring the balance of the energy system allows the body and mind to resume their natural healing abilities.  EFT is safe, easy to apply, and is non-invasive.

It makes perfect sense to me. Energy is either flowing or stuck. In yoga my teachers have always said that we store a lot of emotions in our hips. When we stretch those areas it gets it flowing again and it could dislodge emotions and memories. I look at EFT the same way. Tapping on the meridian points shakes the energy loose and gets it flowing again. You know the feeling of fear and all of the emotions that stem from fear. It feels paralyzing, stuck. Tapping through the points while stating the emotion gets it moving, and helps disburse the stuck energy, so you can uncover the root cause of the negative emotion. Like peeling an emotional onion. 

I find it revolutionary, and an important energy tool for anyone focused on self growth. It has made a major difference in my life and has opened a whole new world for me. The people involved in this movement are pioneers and trail blazers. I'm so happy I stumbled across it. Thank you, The art of joyful living!

I especially enjoyed the Tapping Summit. This was a 10 day summit with two presentations per day. Absolutely free! With some of the best practitioners in the world of tapping. It is organized by the creator and producer of The documentary The Tapping solution, Nick Ortner. And his sister & Producer of the film, Jessica Ortner. It was phenomenal and I was so sad when it ended...

Tonight was my first group coaching call with Rick Wilkes and Cathy Vartuli at Thriving Now. They offer lots of great stuff on the site and there is truly something for everyone there. I  hope to do some one on one with them as well. I look forward to being active in the forum with the other members. It's so exciting. I can talk about this stuff all day.

Watch this truly amazing video about how they are using EFT to heal the trauma of genocide in Rwanda.

 

  

Get those moon stones out....full moon is June 15th!

It is said if you give your lover a moonstone necklace when the moon is full you will always have passion with each other. Moonstone is a highly valued gemstone for these reasons:

• Brings good fortune
• Assists in foretelling the future
• Enhances intuition
• Promotes inspiration
• Brings success in love as well as business matters
• Offers protection on land and at sea

 

The moonstone is associated with the moon and was the stone of the goddess Diana. The most powerful time to use the moonstone is in a full moon.

It has been worn as an amulet to bring good emotions to the wearer, while protecting those of a sensitive nature. It can reunite lovers who have quarreled. Moonstone is also considered a good luck stone.

Moonstone is a very personal stone. It is a reflection of the person who owns it. It does not add or detract, only shows how it is. This is why the moonstone is said to perceive that which "is". Moonstone is an excellent stone to use in meditation to understand oneself. Placing it in the moonlight of a moon reaching its fullness, not a full or waning moon, can revitalize it. This is a particularly good gemstone for women. It is a good stone for young women or teenagers.

Healing properties of Moonstone

Moonstone is used by healers to stimulate the functioning of the pineal gland and balance internal hormone cycles with nature's rhythms. Moonstone is a stone of inner growth and strength. Though often considered to be a woman's stone, it can be beneficial to men in opening the emotional self. 

 

Mila- Chia Seeds!

The most amazing Raw whole food on the planet!

Raw until dinner with Natalia Rose

After a wild weekend in Austin Texas with my very best friend from Cali, I ventured into a new way of eating. My friend recommended a book called The Raw Food Detox by Natalia Rose. I went on Amazon and purchased that one as well as Detox 4 women. She talks about different levels of the raw diet, and how you should go slow at first. 

I implemented the "Green Lemonade" and fruit only all morning. Except I still had a cup of coffee.  I then had a BIG salad for lunch with either avocado or goat cheese. Then I would have a Lara Bar, because I was definitely feeling crazed without any protein.  Or I would have some celery with Raw Almond butter. Then for dinner another big raw veggie salad and fish with steamed veggies, a slice of sprouted bread with a little butter. For desert a few squares of Green & Blacks 70% cocoa/chocolate . Very satisfying....very filling.

The trick is to eat the raw salad for lunch and dinner before anything else. It fills you up and you do not need to over eat the things that proceed. That alone has helped immensely.I made pasta the other night and after my big salad I only needed a small helping of the pasta. I felt satisfied because I didn't want to eat more pasta. Before, I would have tried to eat a small helping and would most likely go in for seconds. But it's totally different when you feel satisfied and don't want it. Something about "dieting" and feeling deprived. It's so painful.

She also goes into food combining and digestive info on improperly combined foods. It's no wonder there are so many products for digestive health on the  market.

It is basically broken down into two groups: Fast exit foods and slow exit foods. Slow exit foods take a long time to digest. They sit in your intestines and body so long they begin to ferment. I think of the term "stick to your ribs" when I think of this type of meal. These foods are obvious. Meat, white flour anything, processed food...

Fast exit food is the quickest food to digest; veggies, fruit etc... This is the best way to eat for good health for so many reasons. Slow exit foods cause weight gain as well. Fast exit cleans all the gunk out. The quicker it exits the less accumulates as fat.

I also came across a very interesting movie called "Raw for thirty days".It is a documentary about a group of people with Diabetes who go on a retreat and go raw for thirty days. I have not seen it yet but the trailer is intriguing.

For me, it's not that I want to go totally raw. But I have really improved my diet by adding all these wonderful raw foods. I have always strived to incorporate "live foods" in our diet. Now it has increased immensely and I do not crave the bad foods I used to. I always considered myself an accidental vegetarian. So it seems this is the next obvious step on my path.

Bottom line, if you could add two raw salads as the first course of lunch and dinner, drank fresh green juice each morning, at the very least never eat fruit after any meal and always wait 30 minutes after eating fruit to eat anything else, omit pasteurized dairy products and all white flour & sugar, and all processed foods. We'll be good to go! Sounds easy right?

I highly recommend her books! Very informative and great for the beginner raw foodist!

 

Raw honey is like manna from heaven...

Well, it's that time of year. Time to brew some tea. I drink so much tea when the chill sets in. Specially Chai- it's my numero uno. I am on the hunt for the perfect Chai Tea. So far, the Black Chai from Yogi teas is my favorite. I did smell some at the Green festival that seemed to be right up my taste bud's alley. I need to find out that company's name and order some. Any Chai faves out there? Let me know!

When I think of the perfect cup of Chai, I think of the sweetness of honey. Some people say raw honey is more potent than processed. In my experience, I find raw to be less sweet. And I find that the processed is sweeter, but not in a good way. It has added sugar.

My only gripe is that raw honey is so pricey. I am on a quest to find a local bee keeper. The prices are more reasonable. I will keep you posted. Until then I will continue to pay the premium for my golden manna.

There are so many health benefits to honey; it truly is nature’s super food. You might be surprised to learn that it is a natural antimicrobial and antioxidant. In terms of antioxidants, darker is better when it comes to honey. Processed honey is heated and filtered, robbing it of natural nutrients and enzymes. I wonder if your body even knows the difference between that and corn syrup? Yes, these are the things that keep me awake at night.

Honey is a powerful booster to the immune system. Raw honey contains 27 minerals, 22 amino acids and 5,000 live enzymes. It keeps you healthy by fighting disease and boosting the digestive system. One daily spoonful in your tea or spread on your toast is all that is needed to reap these benefits. I am always happy to add another weapon in my arsenal during flu season. Especially this year!

There are very few foods in the world that can rival honey as an all natural health aid. It is antibacterial, antiviral and will keep your immune system strong. Used on cuts and burns it will promote healing and deter scarring. Honey is also an age old beauty product that will keep you looking young and beautiful. It never expires and can be found in every grocery store.

Here are a few home remedies with honey:

2 tsp. honey with carrot juice regularly to improve eyesight and helpful for people working on computers for long hours

for colds, coughs & congestion mix 2 tsp. honey with equal ginger juice.

a mix of black pepper powder, honey, ginger equal parts, when consumed thrice daily helps relieve asthma.

regular use of one tsp. garlic juice w/ 2 tsp. honey to control blood pressure.

warm water with lemon & honey in the A.M. reduces fat and purifies blood

consume one spoon of honey daily to lead a long, healthy life!