Here's a little gift for all my readers, supporters, friends, family and loved ones...that's you!!! It's from my
soon-to-be-completed book, "Ecstatic Eating!" The tools are from a talk I used to give each year during this time. I hope you enjoy them and that they help you in eating ecstatically and feeling amazing now, into the New Year and beyond!
With Immense Gratitude to Each of You for Being in My life,
Hope
10 Tools to Take You Through the Holidays
1. Take a Breath; Pause between bites:
Notice how much more important the food has become than the connection and conversation.
Know you can have more to eat, and take a breath to engage in conversation.
Introduce yourself to someone you may not know or connect with a dear relative without the clutter of food thoughts taking up space in your brain.
If you are by yourself, take five minutes to do some deep inhales and exhales before going back for more food.
2. Balance your holiday meals with your typical way of eating.
Have at least one meal a day that supports your body with balancing and energizing foods. Have this meal be a meal like the one you would normally eat the other three hundred and sixty four days of the year. If possible, sit quietly by yourself when eating this meal, and really tap into yourself. If you are with others, chew your food slowly and engage in an "active meditation."
3. Surround and honor yourself with some of your Core Foods.
If you are going away for the holidays, bring along a cooler with a few of your "balancing" foods. If you normally eat steel cut oats for breakfast, bring a bag with you. Go to the market the first day you are there, and pick up a few foods that support your normal way of eating.
This does not set you apart from others; in fact, by taking really good care of yourself, it allows for you to truly appreciate the holiday foods that you eat and know they are cooked with love; so eat them and enjoy.
Others may see you eating leafy greens and want to try; let them into your world, too, but don‟t have expectations. This is about taking good care of you.
4. Never skip a meal.
Meals are usually skipped because we are "punishing" ourselves for being "bad" with food; now we must deprive ourselves to pay the piper.
Deprivation promotes unhealthy eating, and ultimately, weight gain and mood imbalance. We want to stay consistent in our eating during this time of year; consistency creates balance.
We are never "bad." We just make choices each day. Honor that whatever food choice you make is the right choice and enjoy your next meal without guilt.
If you are too full to eat your next meal, take a break or eat a smaller portion.
5. Drink water each day.
Increase the amount now. It will both help satiate your hunger and move all the holiday foods through your digestive system.
Notice the difference it makes in your level of energy versus fatigue.
Notice any other changes with mood, desire to eat less and becoming full more quickly. Make a note of these differences in your holiday journal.
6. Engage in one calming, relaxing, balancing practice each day.
Yoga, meditation and deep breathing are a few options. Taking a run, journaling or getting a massage is great, too. Even if you are very busy with holiday shopping, cooking and entertaining, take five to ten minutes early in the morning or at night before bed to just "be" with you.
Do a breathwork/meditation, with some nice, deep inhales and exhales. Get in touch with how your body feels when you allow it to slow down and get "core connected." Notice the rise and fall of your belly as you breathe in deeply; then let it all go. Visualize your favorite place of relaxation; the perfect beach where you vacationed; the top of a mountain or maybe just a special room in your home. Picture yourself standing, sitting or laying down with complete peace in this place. Breathe in and out as you see the image.
You can take this "feeling" and bring it into the rest of your day or night.
The more you give yourself the gift of breath and meditation, the more you will have the energy and focus for the rest of your day.
7. Exercise for thirty minutes each day.
Our bodies were not designed to be sedentary; this is why we have legs!
Exercise this time of year is even more valuable in its ability to balance the mood, as we get our heart rates up and endorphins are released. It facilitates healthy digestion and elimination and balances the new foods
we might be eating. And, it feels good! We are taking care of ourselves and accomplishing something in the process.
If you have an exercise you do regularly, continue with it. If you are out of town and not near your gym, see if you can use a family member‟s guest pass.
Try some winter holiday exercises, like ice skating, snow shoeing or taking a run or cross country ski with someone you haven‟t seen in awhile. If you are in warm climate, go over to the beach and walk or swim, hike in the early morning or tuck a jump rope in your suitcase and do twenty jumps outside.
When you start to hesitate about getting out for your workout and turn to head for the kitchen, put your fleece and sneakers on and head out the door!
8. Make a list of things you‟ve accomplished this year.
As the year closes, we tend to look to resolutions for the New Year. These are all about what we feel we haven‟t done well and want to alter.
Why not stop to see all the wonderful, powerful ways in which we have made forward movement in our lives?
Run through the past year in your mind; what actions, conversations and decisions brought you even a little bit closer to your goals and dreams? Write them down.
Where did you make a difference in another person‟s life?
What did you let go of that allowed you to move forward?
Where did you walk through your fear and venture ahead?
Write down even the smallest of actions…they count just as much!
9. Make a Gratitude list.
What are you grateful for this year?
Who are you grateful for this year?
How has that helped shape your life?
Sometimes even acknowledging a special sunrise or the movement of the trees outside your window can connect you to being present.
10. Language your thoughts positively. I cannot say enough about how our self-talk creates our world.
We are so quick to speak and think negatively about ourselves; this affects how we process our lives and our ability to move forward and move through obstacles.
Instead of saying, "I am bad. I am wrong." try saying, "I made this choice."
Believe it or not, even a simple change in how we speak or think about ourselves can alter the way we feel.
When we say, "I am ugly. I am fat," we are telling our body to process who we are as ugly and fat. The body responds accordingly.
When we allow ourselves to speak with self-love about ourselves and our bodies, we now create a space for change.
Find something you love about your body and say it out loud to yourself.
Remember: There is no "good or bad"; there is only the choice you make at this moment. You can make another one next time.
Bonus Holiday Tools: 11. Get together with one person who knows you, „gets you‟ and appreciates your magnificence!
Have a "sharing" time where you say everything going on for you and hold nothing back, and allow them to do the same. Let yourselves cry, laugh and connect deeply with one another. If you cannot do this in person, call this person on the phone (once a day, if you need to) and let it all out. Then ask them to remind you who you are. A support system is vital. When holiday time thrusts us into a-typical relationship environments, having someone who knows you completely, honors your greatness, loves you without judgment and is your champion for growth and well being is a powerful "grounding" tool for remembering who you are in the rest of your life.
12. Lighten your expectations of others.
This is harder said than done, but is the root of much unneeded suffering throughout the holidays.
If we can "meet people where they are at," we can be present to the quality of spending time with them.
Holiday time is not the time to bring up or "work through" old wounds and deep-rooted conflicts with a family member or friend. It is a time to stay as centered and grounded as possible so that you can feel the gift of connection rather than the painful alienation of emotional separation.
Emotions run high this time of year for everyone. There is plenty of time the rest of the year to engage in those tender familial conversations. If you are struggling, choose someone else close to you to listen and save the deep processing conversations for after the holidays.
Notice how you feel with whatever comes up, and just allow yourself to observe it. Journal on it or share it with your friend. Once you have some distance, you can address it from response, rather than reaction.
Holidays are also a time to be present to love, gratitude and joy. If you can meet your mother, brother or friend "where they are" right now, it will allow you to receive the connection of just being with them.
Remember: They are still who they are; don‟t expect them to be otherwise. It is you who is evolving, which is a gift.
13. Ask for what you need.
This might be a hug, some quiet time, the space to cook one meal of your choosing or anything else that doesn‟t leave you wanting. As Esther and Jerry Hicks say through Abraham, "Ask and it is Given." The more we stuff down our needs, the more the body responds accordingly with food, weight and ill-health.
14. Honor your choices.
Choose powerfully for yourself. Feel joyous about whatever you choose.
Any choice that will leave you tired and depleted, or filled with shame, sadness or anger is not a healthy choice, so choose from your core and with self-love.
Then embrace whatever you choose, and know that it is exactly the right choice at this moment!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Let the Sun Shine In!
Exercise: 2.2 mile morning run with ecstatic sunshine
Breakfast:
1/2 cantelope chunked with unsweetened shredded coconut sprinkled on it
Lunch:
Manna Fruit and Nut Bread sliced with raw almond butter "schmeared."
32 ounces of water
Do you want to know one secret to staying warmer in the wintertime? Go running outside!
This might sounds completely implausable, but is sort of similar to the homeopathic concept: Give your body an essence of the thing it typically responds to with aversion and it will thrive.
The last couple of years, having gone back to running outside all winter long, my body heat has really stepped up to warming and protecting me from the elements.
Dressed in light layers topped with fleece, I run every day, usually in the early morning. Lately, I've done some 5:30 AM runs under the stars, which is an extraordinary experience. I get to view the constellations pre-dawn as they light up the night sky with twinkles and streaks. Today my run was at the civilized hour of 9:00 AM; yesterday at noon. It all depends on my schedule, but I do what I need to in order to run, because my entire day shifts mentally and physically from this ritual.
I am always filled with energy and vibrance after my run and throughout the day. I can feel the cells in my body waking up, stretching and shining. My mood lifts upward, and most importantly, I am not cold later in the day, even if the temperature drops.
I've built a "relationship" with the cold air; I honor it by breathing it in and it honors my body by becoming my friend.
You don't have to be fast (I'm not) and you don't have to be an expert. You only need to have a desire to be happier in winter and a willingness to try a new approach. If you've ever listened to runners talk about running and wondered what it would be like to try, I say, it's your time to run! If you are just starting out, run slowly (sometimes called jogging!) for 15 minutes with intermittent walking. Increase your time or distance by ten percent each week. Eventually, you will build up to 45 minutes outside.
The vitamin D we get from those 45 minutes outside (and even the 15 minutes) is enough to feed your body and soul with sunshine. The reason we need to take so many vitamin D supplements is because we've developed a fearful relationship with the sun. It's ok to have protection in the strong sun of Summer, but start to build up your body's natural immune system by integrating sunshine. The winter sun is a great place to begin, as the sun's relation to the earth has shifted, and it's perfect for letting the sun caress your face without sunscreen. When I run and it's dark out, I still believe that I get "starshine" on my face. I'm illuminating my body with the sky's healing powers.
In the cold, I have a face mask, which covers my whole head and neck, leaving an opening for my face. In very cold days, I can pull the mask up over my nose and face; in warmer weather, I expose my whole face while keeping the extremities warm. When we cover our hands, head and feet well, we insulate our bodies from the cold.
Some other wonderful outdoor exercise for winter is snow shoeing. You step your hiking boots right into your snow shoes, which have "crampon spikes" on the bottom, and you can walk into feet of snow and ice. It is quite beautiful, as you become part of the winter wonderland; a truly magical world.
Even if you think this sounds really impossible, try it for one week; just one week. I used to be cold from the end of August until April, never getting my body to be able to quite warm up. Compounded with underactive thyroid, I was freezing! Not only that, I was a candidate for SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder) spectrum lighting, because my whole mood would lower during the winter. Now I no longer have hypothyroidism because of the food and lifestyle changes I made throughout the years. I consider winter an extraordinary time of contemplation, hibernation and introspection. At the end of last year's snowy winter, when I heard people saying, "No, not one more snowstorm," I found myself thinking, "this isn't so bad. I could go for another month of Winter!"
Write in and let me know how this experiment goes...I welcome your comments and personal stories.
Warmly :)
Hope and The Holistic Empire
Breakfast:
1/2 cantelope chunked with unsweetened shredded coconut sprinkled on it
Lunch:
Manna Fruit and Nut Bread sliced with raw almond butter "schmeared."
32 ounces of water
Do you want to know one secret to staying warmer in the wintertime? Go running outside!
This might sounds completely implausable, but is sort of similar to the homeopathic concept: Give your body an essence of the thing it typically responds to with aversion and it will thrive.
The last couple of years, having gone back to running outside all winter long, my body heat has really stepped up to warming and protecting me from the elements.
Dressed in light layers topped with fleece, I run every day, usually in the early morning. Lately, I've done some 5:30 AM runs under the stars, which is an extraordinary experience. I get to view the constellations pre-dawn as they light up the night sky with twinkles and streaks. Today my run was at the civilized hour of 9:00 AM; yesterday at noon. It all depends on my schedule, but I do what I need to in order to run, because my entire day shifts mentally and physically from this ritual.
I am always filled with energy and vibrance after my run and throughout the day. I can feel the cells in my body waking up, stretching and shining. My mood lifts upward, and most importantly, I am not cold later in the day, even if the temperature drops.
I've built a "relationship" with the cold air; I honor it by breathing it in and it honors my body by becoming my friend.
You don't have to be fast (I'm not) and you don't have to be an expert. You only need to have a desire to be happier in winter and a willingness to try a new approach. If you've ever listened to runners talk about running and wondered what it would be like to try, I say, it's your time to run! If you are just starting out, run slowly (sometimes called jogging!) for 15 minutes with intermittent walking. Increase your time or distance by ten percent each week. Eventually, you will build up to 45 minutes outside.
The vitamin D we get from those 45 minutes outside (and even the 15 minutes) is enough to feed your body and soul with sunshine. The reason we need to take so many vitamin D supplements is because we've developed a fearful relationship with the sun. It's ok to have protection in the strong sun of Summer, but start to build up your body's natural immune system by integrating sunshine. The winter sun is a great place to begin, as the sun's relation to the earth has shifted, and it's perfect for letting the sun caress your face without sunscreen. When I run and it's dark out, I still believe that I get "starshine" on my face. I'm illuminating my body with the sky's healing powers.
In the cold, I have a face mask, which covers my whole head and neck, leaving an opening for my face. In very cold days, I can pull the mask up over my nose and face; in warmer weather, I expose my whole face while keeping the extremities warm. When we cover our hands, head and feet well, we insulate our bodies from the cold.
Some other wonderful outdoor exercise for winter is snow shoeing. You step your hiking boots right into your snow shoes, which have "crampon spikes" on the bottom, and you can walk into feet of snow and ice. It is quite beautiful, as you become part of the winter wonderland; a truly magical world.
Even if you think this sounds really impossible, try it for one week; just one week. I used to be cold from the end of August until April, never getting my body to be able to quite warm up. Compounded with underactive thyroid, I was freezing! Not only that, I was a candidate for SAD (Seasonal Affect Disorder) spectrum lighting, because my whole mood would lower during the winter. Now I no longer have hypothyroidism because of the food and lifestyle changes I made throughout the years. I consider winter an extraordinary time of contemplation, hibernation and introspection. At the end of last year's snowy winter, when I heard people saying, "No, not one more snowstorm," I found myself thinking, "this isn't so bad. I could go for another month of Winter!"
Write in and let me know how this experiment goes...I welcome your comments and personal stories.
Warmly :)
Hope and The Holistic Empire
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Step out of the Closet
Exercise: None! I let the rainy day pull me into taking a break from my daily runs. Mmmm, it felt good to listen to the calling of my body to rest
Breakfast:
2 slices Mestemacher Sunflower Seed Bread smeared with 1/2 avocado, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Himalayan Sea Salt
Lunch:
A banana and a bowl of organic Flame raisins and raw almonds
32 ounces water
Dinner:
Salad with organic mescalin greens, radish, carrot, Sproutman Alfalfa sprouts, purple cabbage, grape tomatoes; with herbs, olive oil and sea salt
Morbier raw French cow cheese with vegetable ash and goat gouda
32 ounces water
A couple of weeks ago, I had dinner with my dear friends at their home. We frequently eat together, as they love the foods I do and it's always meaningful to share food and explore conversation.
I suggested: "Let's play a game," and they said ok.
I posed this question to each of them and myself as well: "If you didn't do what you do in life, what would you like to be doing?"
He, an art teacher at a private school and a very talented potter said: "I'd be a pilot."
She, a gifted healer, reflexologist and counselor said, "I'd be a lawyer."
I, the holistic health counselor said, "I'd be a modern dancer."
We each shared the original longings and desires we had, sometime in the past, that had us imagine these vastly different choices than those we had made.
It was an expansive conversation, tapping each of us into a part we pushed away. I observed my friends' expressions as they shared the reasons behind their answers. Their eyes lit up with desire and imagination; their mouths turned upward with joy.
Each of them is already present and powerfully connected to happiness in their lives, and the choices they did make, and the ones I made, have each of us loving what we do every day.
But the experiment of this conversation was valuable on a whole other level.
What parts of ourselves do we put away in the linen closet of our lives, all neatly folded and in piles?
What do we stick away that we stop longing for?
I am ecstatic to counsel people every day; the sheer gift of it permeates every cell of my body.
But what if I took the towel of modern dancer out of the closet every once in awhile and cloaked my body it it? What if I went through one day a month breathing in the energy of modern dancer?
David Deida, in his brilliant book, "Dear Lover," speaks about walking, talking, sitting and standing as if we are making love with ourselves each day, regardless of whether we are in a relationship or not, and regardless of whether that relationship offers us that level of intimacy and sexual satisfaction.
It is from cultivating it inside of ourselves that it is born; not from waiting for others to fulfill it in us.
There is definitely a pilot inside of my friend; there truly is a lawyer inside of his wife, my dear friend. There is a dancer inside of me, who dances across the stage of Lincoln Center like Martha Graham, moving with complete freedom and abandon; my body soaring across the stage like an eagle.
I encourage you to tap into those parts of yourself; take a towel out of your life's "linen closet" and wrap yourself in it for a day.
Please write in and share how that feels.....
In Dance,
Hope & The Holistic Empire
Breakfast:
2 slices Mestemacher Sunflower Seed Bread smeared with 1/2 avocado, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with Himalayan Sea Salt
Lunch:
A banana and a bowl of organic Flame raisins and raw almonds
32 ounces water
Dinner:
Salad with organic mescalin greens, radish, carrot, Sproutman Alfalfa sprouts, purple cabbage, grape tomatoes; with herbs, olive oil and sea salt
Morbier raw French cow cheese with vegetable ash and goat gouda
32 ounces water
A couple of weeks ago, I had dinner with my dear friends at their home. We frequently eat together, as they love the foods I do and it's always meaningful to share food and explore conversation.
I suggested: "Let's play a game," and they said ok.
I posed this question to each of them and myself as well: "If you didn't do what you do in life, what would you like to be doing?"
He, an art teacher at a private school and a very talented potter said: "I'd be a pilot."
She, a gifted healer, reflexologist and counselor said, "I'd be a lawyer."
I, the holistic health counselor said, "I'd be a modern dancer."
We each shared the original longings and desires we had, sometime in the past, that had us imagine these vastly different choices than those we had made.
It was an expansive conversation, tapping each of us into a part we pushed away. I observed my friends' expressions as they shared the reasons behind their answers. Their eyes lit up with desire and imagination; their mouths turned upward with joy.
Each of them is already present and powerfully connected to happiness in their lives, and the choices they did make, and the ones I made, have each of us loving what we do every day.
But the experiment of this conversation was valuable on a whole other level.
What parts of ourselves do we put away in the linen closet of our lives, all neatly folded and in piles?
What do we stick away that we stop longing for?
I am ecstatic to counsel people every day; the sheer gift of it permeates every cell of my body.
But what if I took the towel of modern dancer out of the closet every once in awhile and cloaked my body it it? What if I went through one day a month breathing in the energy of modern dancer?
David Deida, in his brilliant book, "Dear Lover," speaks about walking, talking, sitting and standing as if we are making love with ourselves each day, regardless of whether we are in a relationship or not, and regardless of whether that relationship offers us that level of intimacy and sexual satisfaction.
It is from cultivating it inside of ourselves that it is born; not from waiting for others to fulfill it in us.
There is definitely a pilot inside of my friend; there truly is a lawyer inside of his wife, my dear friend. There is a dancer inside of me, who dances across the stage of Lincoln Center like Martha Graham, moving with complete freedom and abandon; my body soaring across the stage like an eagle.
I encourage you to tap into those parts of yourself; take a towel out of your life's "linen closet" and wrap yourself in it for a day.
Please write in and share how that feels.....
In Dance,
Hope & The Holistic Empire
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
It's OK to Increase Your Fats!
Yesterday:
Exercise:
Great 2.2 mile run in the Autumn weather
Breakfast:
Steel Cut Oats and chopped walnuts, soaked in water overnight, with a sliced banana and Forbes Wild Foods Pure Maple Syrup #3 Dark (Canadian)
32 moz. mason jar of water
Dinner:
salad of mixed mescalin greens, Sproutman Alfalfa sprouts, carrot, purple cabbage, grape tomatoes with olive oil and Himalayan sea salt
Morbier French raw cheese and goat gouda
Treat: Cocoa covered almonds
32 oz. mason jar of water
Today:
Exercise:
5:00 AM 2.2 mile run under the stars
Breakfast:
2 pieces Mestemacher German Sunflower Seed Bread with raw almond butter and sliced banana
32. oz. mason jar of water
It's that time of year again, where I talk about Eating with the Seasons. All Summer long I was happy to have big chunks of watermelon in the morning; now my body craves almond butter. In the warm weather, a fruit and greens' smoothie was filling; now I soak steel cut oats to ground and warm me as the temperature cools. Add to that a little maple syrup, some nuts and a banana and I'm filled.
My body is getting ready for hibernation; it's loading up on more fats and carbs to protect it from the cold elements.
Let yourself increase your fats. We are really quite similar to the animals. Every winter my body weight and body fat increase a little and every spring they naturally decrease; no diet necessary. Keep your exercise moving and you'll be fine.
Some great fats to add are: hemp or olive oil, 1/2 avocado, some raw goat cheese, soaked nuts or seeds, nut butters, tahini
Some complex carbs for fuel: Millet, quinoa, barley, steel cut oats, chia seeds (which are a protein and must be soaked in water to expand), brown rice pasta or soba noodles.
Before I went raw, this used to be my favorite breakfast:
1/2 cup cooked millet, drizzled with organic olive oil and Herbamare seasoning
Steamed Swiss chard, beets and carrots drizzled with Bragg's Amino Acids and tahini.
This breakfast offers both grounding (calming) and sprouting (revitalizing) energy; Yin and Yang. It also supports balanced blood sugar levels.
Embrace the change in seasons and let your food reflect it.
Write in and share what new food choices you've made this week....
In Health,
Hope
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
It Is Time To Come Together
Today's Beautiful Nourishment:
Exercise: 2.2 mile early morning run
Breakfast:
Chatham Sheep Yogurt with raw almonds, bee pollen, Healthforce Nutritionals Dark Mint Maca, Pure Planet Spirulina, mixed berries (Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries), Pure New Hampshire Maple Syrup, shredded coconut
Lunch:
Sottocenere Cheese with Truffles from Italy
Herbed olives
G.T. Dave Guava Kombucha
Dinner:
The Best Farm Greens Ever!!! From my Spring farm CSA share and picked yesterday morning; Red Clover Farms in Windsor, CT: Kale, collards, chard, spinach, thyme, rosemary, beets with wild rice tempeh; all steamed and "drizzled" with olive oil, tahini and sea salt; WOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! These truly are the most flavorful, robust and delicious fresh farm greens I have ever tasted.
redcloverblossom.com
http://redcloverfarms.blogspot.com/
Dessert:
Organic Nectars Cherry Chocolate Swirl raw ice cream
Just to say something about the sheep yogurt mix from breakfast: I add a heaping tablespoon of this dark green spirulina and the whole mix turns deep forest green, but the flavor is madly delicious, as the spirulina is the best I have ever tasted and blends into all the other ingredients, boosting the body with oxygen and chlorophyl. It's a wonderful way to get the dense green nutrients with flavor.
Last week was the 24th "anniversary" of the nuclear meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Russia.
I spent many earlier years being an advocate for the closing of Indian Point Nuclear Plant in Buchanan, NY, to no avail; it is still running, though there was a "small" meltdown in the 1970's and it continues to leak Strontium 90 into the Hudson River.
As a friend of mine said to me recently, "If we don't have the capacity to handle a nuclear meltdown, we shouldn't be playing with nuclear power plants." It's that simple.
Indian Point is exactly the same plant as the Fukoshima plant in Japan, as are others around the country and world.
I encourage and urge you to take the time to listen to the 24 minute news piece on the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl and it ramifications today. I do want to make you aware that there is a scene of today's children in those areas of Russia where there was leakage from that and another nuclear reactor, that could be hard for some to view, as it shows the physical long-term effects of this disaster.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/4/26/chernobyl_catastrophe_25th_anniversary_of_worlds
I will be blogging more about this, but I know I am being called to say, "No More" to the continued proliferation of nuclear power plants and imminent danger in which they place each living being's life and health. As the earth is shifting geologically and with weather with such speed these days, we are not equipped to handle the responses of nature triggering the reactions of these power plants, which is exactly what happened in Japan. It is time to stand up, come together in numbers and say, "We must put an end to this irresponsibility and begin to save the lives of our children."
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
In Health & With Love,
Hope
Exercise: 2.2 mile early morning run
Breakfast:
Chatham Sheep Yogurt with raw almonds, bee pollen, Healthforce Nutritionals Dark Mint Maca, Pure Planet Spirulina, mixed berries (Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries), Pure New Hampshire Maple Syrup, shredded coconut
Lunch:
Sottocenere Cheese with Truffles from Italy
Herbed olives
G.T. Dave Guava Kombucha
Dinner:
The Best Farm Greens Ever!!! From my Spring farm CSA share and picked yesterday morning; Red Clover Farms in Windsor, CT: Kale, collards, chard, spinach, thyme, rosemary, beets with wild rice tempeh; all steamed and "drizzled" with olive oil, tahini and sea salt; WOWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! These truly are the most flavorful, robust and delicious fresh farm greens I have ever tasted.
redcloverblossom.com
http://redcloverfarms.blogspot.com/
Dessert:
Organic Nectars Cherry Chocolate Swirl raw ice cream
Just to say something about the sheep yogurt mix from breakfast: I add a heaping tablespoon of this dark green spirulina and the whole mix turns deep forest green, but the flavor is madly delicious, as the spirulina is the best I have ever tasted and blends into all the other ingredients, boosting the body with oxygen and chlorophyl. It's a wonderful way to get the dense green nutrients with flavor.
Last week was the 24th "anniversary" of the nuclear meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Russia.
I spent many earlier years being an advocate for the closing of Indian Point Nuclear Plant in Buchanan, NY, to no avail; it is still running, though there was a "small" meltdown in the 1970's and it continues to leak Strontium 90 into the Hudson River.
As a friend of mine said to me recently, "If we don't have the capacity to handle a nuclear meltdown, we shouldn't be playing with nuclear power plants." It's that simple.
Indian Point is exactly the same plant as the Fukoshima plant in Japan, as are others around the country and world.
I encourage and urge you to take the time to listen to the 24 minute news piece on the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl and it ramifications today. I do want to make you aware that there is a scene of today's children in those areas of Russia where there was leakage from that and another nuclear reactor, that could be hard for some to view, as it shows the physical long-term effects of this disaster.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/4/26/chernobyl_catastrophe_25th_anniversary_of_worlds
I will be blogging more about this, but I know I am being called to say, "No More" to the continued proliferation of nuclear power plants and imminent danger in which they place each living being's life and health. As the earth is shifting geologically and with weather with such speed these days, we are not equipped to handle the responses of nature triggering the reactions of these power plants, which is exactly what happened in Japan. It is time to stand up, come together in numbers and say, "We must put an end to this irresponsibility and begin to save the lives of our children."
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
In Health & With Love,
Hope
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
That Which Does Not Kill You Makes You Stronger
Breakfast:
Old Chatham Sheepherding Company Sheep's Milk Plain Yogurt with: A few raw almonds, a 'shake' of Go Raw Raw Chocolate "Granola", a 'shake' of bee pollen from Sedona, Healthforce Nutritionals Vitamineral Green, Fruits of the Earth and Vanilla Spice Maca superfood powders, 4 large strawberries, 1 teaspoon Dawes Hill Pure Raw Grade A Clover Honey and a splash of agave
Lunch:
1 chunk of Raw Goat Cheese
3 Kalamata olives
Salad with: Baby spinach leaves, purple cabbage, Monterey Farms Spicy ArtiHearts, 1/2 avocado, 1/4 red pepper, 1 carrot and some alfalfa sprouts
Dressing:
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini, splash of olive oil, fresh lemon juice and see salt; mixed and poured
Decadent Snack:
gohunza.com Raw Pecan Pie!
This is one color of the red rocks out in the Moab desert in Utah and in Sedona, Arizona.
This is another.
And yet some more.
Even when I post all my pictures from this monumental and life-affirming adventure, I will never capture the energy of standing under "Balanced Rock" in Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, or being in the side belly of the rock shared by ancient civilizations in Boynton Canyon in Sedona.
I had seen pictures and was awed enough to sign up for 'The Adventure Rabbi's' 'Passover in the Moab Desert'. For three or four years in a row, I had gotten an email with photos of the exquisitely large burnt red rock arches in this part of our land and of the participants hiking, camping and rejoicing by the banks of the Colorado River.
Finally, as my birthday present to me this year, I combined the Passover trip with a visit to my friend Julie in Sedona.
My seven day adventure consisted of alot of extraordinary hiking, about a thousand miles of driving solo and observance of the spiritual rituals of Passover, both high on the peak of a hike under Corona Arch, where we told the story of the Jews exodus from Egypt and through the dersert to liberation, as well as our ritual seder meal eaten spread out like Bedouins on the sand of our campsite next to the river.
I felt small compared to the enormity of civilizations and life forces before me and in front of me. I was awed by the energy and could picture the heart of life beginning under water with all of the juiciest minerals and plant life at one time beneath the sea. I felt my lifetimes and those way before me; I felt the presence of God holding me precious; I felt darkness and light both. I felt creation, evolution and the journey of every being who came before me.
I felt elated; I felt terrified at times.
Driving the thousand miles, much of which was from Sedona to Moab and back, culled up all the remaining buried dark spots in my body and psyche; all those still waiting to be excavated, released and transformed. To the left, right, front and back of me was land; land was all around and nothing else, save for a small house or shack and maybe a truck or two. Native American land splayed out for hundreds of miles without anything to break up its appearance; just two lanes of driving road. Driving myself sixty or seventy five miles and hour (the speed limit is higher there) made me question myself, my strength and perseverance and my trust and knowing.
I thought about what we'd stolen from the Native Americans; how I only saw these meger homes and no thriving life force. Then I thought about how everything I think is my own story and that really, I know nothing; only my personal perception. I was stripped down to the bone and risen up again.
How did the Jews or any race or tribe of people survive with only the land to reply upon?? The land has magical powers, and if we can get to the point of trust, it might welome us in and keep us safe. Trust is a deep word with many layers and old stories.
I stood with my group on a rock and asked to let go of any old and new fear which was keeping me from being who I am meant to be.
I stood by myself as a woman who made this journey as a testament to her life; to reaffirming my personal belief system; to knowing I can trust in myself.
And I am here to blog about it; moved to the core; shaken to my soul; but with my sweet soul singing its true song.
Oh, and by the way, I camped all raw and remembered how much I love that. While others were cooking their yummy meals, I had kelp noodles with spinach hummus, raw red Peruvain olives, raw goat cheese, almond pate, hemp seed butter with sprouted bread and of course, some raw maca chocolate.
I also got to eat at the infamous "Chocolate Tree" cafe in Sedona, and I have to say, it was everything and beyond in its quality of raw deliciousness. They were voted Best of Raw in chocolate, I believe; at least I think Jeffrey, one of their supreme raw chocolatiers was.
So, go where you have to go; do what you need to do; and trust in the truth of your process.
With Much Joy and Love to Each of You for a Significant Passover, Easter or Any Other Symbols of Your Choosing,
Hope & The Holistic Empire
Old Chatham Sheepherding Company Sheep's Milk Plain Yogurt with: A few raw almonds, a 'shake' of Go Raw Raw Chocolate "Granola", a 'shake' of bee pollen from Sedona, Healthforce Nutritionals Vitamineral Green, Fruits of the Earth and Vanilla Spice Maca superfood powders, 4 large strawberries, 1 teaspoon Dawes Hill Pure Raw Grade A Clover Honey and a splash of agave
Lunch:
1 chunk of Raw Goat Cheese
3 Kalamata olives
Salad with: Baby spinach leaves, purple cabbage, Monterey Farms Spicy ArtiHearts, 1/2 avocado, 1/4 red pepper, 1 carrot and some alfalfa sprouts
Dressing:
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini, splash of olive oil, fresh lemon juice and see salt; mixed and poured
Decadent Snack:
gohunza.com Raw Pecan Pie!
This is one color of the red rocks out in the Moab desert in Utah and in Sedona, Arizona.
This is another.
And yet some more.
Even when I post all my pictures from this monumental and life-affirming adventure, I will never capture the energy of standing under "Balanced Rock" in Arches National Park, Moab, Utah, or being in the side belly of the rock shared by ancient civilizations in Boynton Canyon in Sedona.
I had seen pictures and was awed enough to sign up for 'The Adventure Rabbi's' 'Passover in the Moab Desert'. For three or four years in a row, I had gotten an email with photos of the exquisitely large burnt red rock arches in this part of our land and of the participants hiking, camping and rejoicing by the banks of the Colorado River.
Finally, as my birthday present to me this year, I combined the Passover trip with a visit to my friend Julie in Sedona.
My seven day adventure consisted of alot of extraordinary hiking, about a thousand miles of driving solo and observance of the spiritual rituals of Passover, both high on the peak of a hike under Corona Arch, where we told the story of the Jews exodus from Egypt and through the dersert to liberation, as well as our ritual seder meal eaten spread out like Bedouins on the sand of our campsite next to the river.
I felt small compared to the enormity of civilizations and life forces before me and in front of me. I was awed by the energy and could picture the heart of life beginning under water with all of the juiciest minerals and plant life at one time beneath the sea. I felt my lifetimes and those way before me; I felt the presence of God holding me precious; I felt darkness and light both. I felt creation, evolution and the journey of every being who came before me.
I felt elated; I felt terrified at times.
Driving the thousand miles, much of which was from Sedona to Moab and back, culled up all the remaining buried dark spots in my body and psyche; all those still waiting to be excavated, released and transformed. To the left, right, front and back of me was land; land was all around and nothing else, save for a small house or shack and maybe a truck or two. Native American land splayed out for hundreds of miles without anything to break up its appearance; just two lanes of driving road. Driving myself sixty or seventy five miles and hour (the speed limit is higher there) made me question myself, my strength and perseverance and my trust and knowing.
I thought about what we'd stolen from the Native Americans; how I only saw these meger homes and no thriving life force. Then I thought about how everything I think is my own story and that really, I know nothing; only my personal perception. I was stripped down to the bone and risen up again.
How did the Jews or any race or tribe of people survive with only the land to reply upon?? The land has magical powers, and if we can get to the point of trust, it might welome us in and keep us safe. Trust is a deep word with many layers and old stories.
I stood with my group on a rock and asked to let go of any old and new fear which was keeping me from being who I am meant to be.
I stood by myself as a woman who made this journey as a testament to her life; to reaffirming my personal belief system; to knowing I can trust in myself.
And I am here to blog about it; moved to the core; shaken to my soul; but with my sweet soul singing its true song.
Oh, and by the way, I camped all raw and remembered how much I love that. While others were cooking their yummy meals, I had kelp noodles with spinach hummus, raw red Peruvain olives, raw goat cheese, almond pate, hemp seed butter with sprouted bread and of course, some raw maca chocolate.
I also got to eat at the infamous "Chocolate Tree" cafe in Sedona, and I have to say, it was everything and beyond in its quality of raw deliciousness. They were voted Best of Raw in chocolate, I believe; at least I think Jeffrey, one of their supreme raw chocolatiers was.
So, go where you have to go; do what you need to do; and trust in the truth of your process.
With Much Joy and Love to Each of You for a Significant Passover, Easter or Any Other Symbols of Your Choosing,
Hope & The Holistic Empire
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Artichokes Like You Never Tasted Before!
Last Night's Dinner: 1 bowl of spinach avocado soup: If you want to make a batch of it, fill your Vitamix or highspeed blender halfway with water. This time, I used 1 large 11 oz. container of organic baby spinach. Add spinach to the Vitamix in batches that can process easily, using between 3/4 and the entire 11 oz. container, depending on personal taste, until it all blends. Add 1 large avocado, a couple of heaping teaspoons of miso - I used South River Azuki Bean miso this time, but have also used chickpea miso; you can experiment - some fresh lemon and sea salt to taste. The flavor should really "pop," so add more salt in increments until it does. Chill down and serve. 1 bowl mix of Caldwell Bio Fermentation Canada Radis Noir (Fermented Black Radish), Deep Root Organic Coop Raw Cultured Beets (also Caldwell) and Monterey Farms ArtiHearts. A couple of slices of Manna Millet Bread smeared with Vivapura raw Wild Jungle Peanut Butter. Breakfast Today: 1 juicy mango Lunch: Manna Millet Bread smeared with Vivapura raw Wild Jungle Peanut Butter.
OK, so let's talk about these artichoke hearts!!! I discovered them one day in the produce section of Whole Foods. They come in a sealed plastic bag, and are made on the Monterey Peninsula in California, where artichokes thrive. I very quickly became seriously addicted to these "chokes" marinated only in lemon and garlic. I just get the simple ones, but there are also herbed and grilled and a few more varieties. You might want to taste them all! Having grown up with a mother who frequently served artichokes on Friday nights, along with a dipping sauce of warm butter and garlic, I have been a fan my whole life. Actually, though my mom cared (and still does) about eating healthfully, we grew up in a Kosher home, so for the Friday night meat meal my mom had to use margarine, rather than butter. When I started making them, I translated that to olive oil, garlic and sea salt for dipping. Getting through the leaves to the choke, which I would methodically scrape out and discard, had me salivating for the tender, buttery heart in the center. This, to me, even at a young age, was like eating the most luscious chocolate cake; it melted in my mouth. ArtiHearts affect me the same way. They are not the oily hearts you find in bottles in the supermarket. They taste so fresh and so rich in flavor and actually use the whole artichoke in the process. ArtiHearts make an excellent snack or addition to any dish. Warning: You will not be able to stop until you finish the bag! Great for children, too, as an after school snack. Jane MacDonald is the President of Monterey Farms. I called her to find out all about her ArtiHearts and thank her for creating them. She really has a commitment to take freshly grown artichoke hearts and keep them tasting that way.
http://www.montereyfarmsartichokes.com/products.htm
tel: 831. 393.1328
From The Epicurean Table www.epicureantable.com : "Since ancient times, the artichoke has been used for liver and gallbladder conditions, 'cleaning' the blood, as well as the bladder. The Egyptians highly prized it as a health and diet food and Plinius described it as the 'food for the rich' because of the health problems contributed to a 'rich' life style - excessive in rich foods, fats and wine that led to liver illnesses (such as cirrhosis), gout and a general run down condition.Today we know that the artichoke is very high in fibre, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and other trace elements important for a balanced system. It is known to positively help poor liver function (thus helping to lower the blood cholesterol), arteriosclerosis, gout, supports the treatment of hepatitis and improves the gall secretions. It can slightly lower the blood sugar, improve the appetite and digestion, is diuretic and may help some migraine conditions (most especially those caused by toxins in the blood). As it helps the body rid itself of excess water and moves toxins it also has the added side effect of an improved skin luminosity. In a poor diet of excessive drinking (most especially strong alcoholic drinks), high red meat and fat consumption, the artichoke can boost the liver's ability to regenerate its cells. Obviously, nothing can help advanced cirrhosis of the liver. Most liver problems by the way, are self-inflicted." Oh, and by the way, I also read that the artichoke is an aphrodisiac :) Enjoy!
OK, so let's talk about these artichoke hearts!!! I discovered them one day in the produce section of Whole Foods. They come in a sealed plastic bag, and are made on the Monterey Peninsula in California, where artichokes thrive. I very quickly became seriously addicted to these "chokes" marinated only in lemon and garlic. I just get the simple ones, but there are also herbed and grilled and a few more varieties. You might want to taste them all! Having grown up with a mother who frequently served artichokes on Friday nights, along with a dipping sauce of warm butter and garlic, I have been a fan my whole life. Actually, though my mom cared (and still does) about eating healthfully, we grew up in a Kosher home, so for the Friday night meat meal my mom had to use margarine, rather than butter. When I started making them, I translated that to olive oil, garlic and sea salt for dipping. Getting through the leaves to the choke, which I would methodically scrape out and discard, had me salivating for the tender, buttery heart in the center. This, to me, even at a young age, was like eating the most luscious chocolate cake; it melted in my mouth. ArtiHearts affect me the same way. They are not the oily hearts you find in bottles in the supermarket. They taste so fresh and so rich in flavor and actually use the whole artichoke in the process. ArtiHearts make an excellent snack or addition to any dish. Warning: You will not be able to stop until you finish the bag! Great for children, too, as an after school snack. Jane MacDonald is the President of Monterey Farms. I called her to find out all about her ArtiHearts and thank her for creating them. She really has a commitment to take freshly grown artichoke hearts and keep them tasting that way.
http://www.montereyfarmsartichokes.com/products.htm
tel: 831. 393.1328
From The Epicurean Table www.epicureantable.com : "Since ancient times, the artichoke has been used for liver and gallbladder conditions, 'cleaning' the blood, as well as the bladder. The Egyptians highly prized it as a health and diet food and Plinius described it as the 'food for the rich' because of the health problems contributed to a 'rich' life style - excessive in rich foods, fats and wine that led to liver illnesses (such as cirrhosis), gout and a general run down condition.Today we know that the artichoke is very high in fibre, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and other trace elements important for a balanced system. It is known to positively help poor liver function (thus helping to lower the blood cholesterol), arteriosclerosis, gout, supports the treatment of hepatitis and improves the gall secretions. It can slightly lower the blood sugar, improve the appetite and digestion, is diuretic and may help some migraine conditions (most especially those caused by toxins in the blood). As it helps the body rid itself of excess water and moves toxins it also has the added side effect of an improved skin luminosity. In a poor diet of excessive drinking (most especially strong alcoholic drinks), high red meat and fat consumption, the artichoke can boost the liver's ability to regenerate its cells. Obviously, nothing can help advanced cirrhosis of the liver. Most liver problems by the way, are self-inflicted." Oh, and by the way, I also read that the artichoke is an aphrodisiac :) Enjoy!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Important Info. About Protection From Nuclear Fallout
Today's Edibles:
Breakfast:
16 oz. ( of 40 oz.) Green Smoothie containing water, 2 juicing oranges, 6 strawberries, 1 handful of parsley, 1 heaping teaspoon Pure Planet 100% Hawaiian Spirulina, 1 large scoop Warrior Foodtm Vanilla Enhanced Protein Supplement, 1 scoop locally wildcrafted mesquite powder from Rinzai's Market in Sedona, AZ, 2 teaspoons raw honey
Snack:
1 apple, cut up
Lunch:
From The Stand, in Norwalk, CT (Thanks, Carissa!):
Backyard Salad with mixed greens, sunflower sprouts, shredded beets, dried cranberries, a couple of grape tomatoes, 1/2 sliced avocado, 1/2 chunked apple, with raw creamy cashew garlic dressing
1 container raw almond hummus
3 mini Go Raw Live Chocolate cookies
Dinner:
3 slices of Manna sprouted Millet bread
1 small sample-size of Justin's Maple Almond butter - wicked yummy!
1/2 red grapefruit
I am devastated for the people of Japan by their tri-fold disaster; the earthquake, the resulting tsunami and the most destructive of all, the severe injuries to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and ensuing radioactive fallout.
My heart goes out to every woman, man, child, animal and being over there. I feel deep anguish for each of you and send you prayers of healing light, warming sun, healthy, clean water, clear skies, pure air to breathe and extraordinary health permeating every cell of your body. I send an intention for complete and total healing of your country and all of your people.
Here is the link to Len Foley interviewing David Wolfe on Radiation Protection from Nuclear Fallout. This 25 minute interview is the best and most comprehensive piece I've heard on what effects radiation can have on the body and which specific supplements we can take to address the various aspects of radioactive fallout. I recommend listening to it and taking some notes, as I did, so that you can then follow through on whatever measures you choose. Thank you, David, for taking the time to do this.
http://www.thebestdayever.com/news/podcast/podcast-63-dave-wolfe-on-radiation-protection/
In Health,
Hope
Breakfast:
16 oz. ( of 40 oz.) Green Smoothie containing water, 2 juicing oranges, 6 strawberries, 1 handful of parsley, 1 heaping teaspoon Pure Planet 100% Hawaiian Spirulina, 1 large scoop Warrior Foodtm Vanilla Enhanced Protein Supplement, 1 scoop locally wildcrafted mesquite powder from Rinzai's Market in Sedona, AZ, 2 teaspoons raw honey
Snack:
1 apple, cut up
Lunch:
From The Stand, in Norwalk, CT (Thanks, Carissa!):
Backyard Salad with mixed greens, sunflower sprouts, shredded beets, dried cranberries, a couple of grape tomatoes, 1/2 sliced avocado, 1/2 chunked apple, with raw creamy cashew garlic dressing
1 container raw almond hummus
3 mini Go Raw Live Chocolate cookies
Dinner:
3 slices of Manna sprouted Millet bread
1 small sample-size of Justin's Maple Almond butter - wicked yummy!
1/2 red grapefruit
I am devastated for the people of Japan by their tri-fold disaster; the earthquake, the resulting tsunami and the most destructive of all, the severe injuries to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and ensuing radioactive fallout.
My heart goes out to every woman, man, child, animal and being over there. I feel deep anguish for each of you and send you prayers of healing light, warming sun, healthy, clean water, clear skies, pure air to breathe and extraordinary health permeating every cell of your body. I send an intention for complete and total healing of your country and all of your people.
Here is the link to Len Foley interviewing David Wolfe on Radiation Protection from Nuclear Fallout. This 25 minute interview is the best and most comprehensive piece I've heard on what effects radiation can have on the body and which specific supplements we can take to address the various aspects of radioactive fallout. I recommend listening to it and taking some notes, as I did, so that you can then follow through on whatever measures you choose. Thank you, David, for taking the time to do this.
http://www.thebestdayever.com/news/podcast/podcast-63-dave-wolfe-on-radiation-protection/
In Health,
Hope
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Raw Food on a Budget; An Amazing Offer
Today's Food:
Breakfast:
16 oz. Morning Wake-up Smoothie with 1 orange, 6 large strawberries, 1 kiwi and water; blended and chilled down
Exercise: 15 fast minutes on the Needak rebounder
Lunch:
1 large mango
2 stalks of celery with dulse shake
Snacks:
1/2 large red pepper and 1/2 large carrot with a little Bragg's and stone ground mustard dip
1 apple
1 small box Thompson raisins
Dinner:
Another amazing batch of spinach pate with 1/2 large bunch of flat leaf spinach, 1 teaspoon Red River chickpea miso, 1 teaspoon stone ground mustard, a large sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt
Manna sprouted rye bread - a few slices
Salad with red leaf lettuce, red pepper, alfalfa sprouts, fennel, carrot; with Deep Root Organic Raw Uncultured Beets and Sauerkraut
Jinjee Talifero's post today on "The Daily Raw Inspiration" connects her readers to this upcoming program and its details. After reading Jinjee's "daily" (which I do daily),
-Here is the link to sign up for Jinjee's "Daily" Newsletter, which is a quick read and super inspiring shot of health every day: http://thegardendiet.com/?page_id=11
I so liked what Brandi Rollins, author of "Raw Foods on a Budget", and "Confessions of an East Coast Raw Vegan" is offering...a FREE 2 - 3 month program on how to eat raw on a budget! I also want to pass this on to my readers as well. You can find out all the details to register and also read why Brandi is making this extremely generous offer by clicking on this link below:
http://www.rawfoodsonabudget.com/?page_id=1550
I hope this inspires some of you to step into raw!
In Health,
Hope
Breakfast:
16 oz. Morning Wake-up Smoothie with 1 orange, 6 large strawberries, 1 kiwi and water; blended and chilled down
Exercise: 15 fast minutes on the Needak rebounder
Lunch:
1 large mango
2 stalks of celery with dulse shake
Snacks:
1/2 large red pepper and 1/2 large carrot with a little Bragg's and stone ground mustard dip
1 apple
1 small box Thompson raisins
Dinner:
Another amazing batch of spinach pate with 1/2 large bunch of flat leaf spinach, 1 teaspoon Red River chickpea miso, 1 teaspoon stone ground mustard, a large sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt
Manna sprouted rye bread - a few slices
Salad with red leaf lettuce, red pepper, alfalfa sprouts, fennel, carrot; with Deep Root Organic Raw Uncultured Beets and Sauerkraut
Jinjee Talifero's post today on "The Daily Raw Inspiration" connects her readers to this upcoming program and its details. After reading Jinjee's "daily" (which I do daily),
-Here is the link to sign up for Jinjee's "Daily" Newsletter, which is a quick read and super inspiring shot of health every day: http://thegardendiet.com/?page_id=11
I so liked what Brandi Rollins, author of "Raw Foods on a Budget", and "Confessions of an East Coast Raw Vegan" is offering...a FREE 2 - 3 month program on how to eat raw on a budget! I also want to pass this on to my readers as well. You can find out all the details to register and also read why Brandi is making this extremely generous offer by clicking on this link below:
http://www.rawfoodsonabudget.com/?page_id=1550
I hope this inspires some of you to step into raw!
In Health,
Hope
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
It's Time to Eat From The Farm!
Yesterday's Dinner:
1 small avocado mushed up with large scoops of Deep Root Organic Raw Cultured Beets and Raw Cultured Sauerkraut, with a healthy sprinkling of Dulse seaweed shake - SO YUMMY!
3 Medjool dates
Today:
Exercise:
My own personal triumph - it's been two months that I've been nursing a broken pinky toe. As a result, all my Winter running, which I love dearly, went out the window as I focused my attention on healing my toe.
Today, I ran outside for the first time in two months! It was a beautiful run; slow, breathing deeply the smell of the Long Island Sound, which was to the right of me; being loving to my toe and running gently....but just perfect!
Breakfast/Lunch:
1 luscious mango
2 stalks celery with dulse seaweed shake
Mid-afternoon:
16 oz. Sublime Smoothie with 6 strawberries, 1 orange, 1 kiwi and a handful of parsley; with 2 teaspoons of mesquite powder and 1 teaspoon of Healthforce Nutrition Dark Mint maca (plus water)
More of the smoothie might follow in the later afternoon
Dinner to come:
New recipe that I made up:
1/2 a large bunch of flat leaf spinach (you can use the whole bunch if you like)
1 teaspoon Red River chickpea miso
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
Put it all in a food processor with the "S" chopping blade and process till smooth.
I will have this for dinner on thin slices of Manna sprouted rye bread.
Salad with red leaf lettuce, fennel, carrot and red pepper with lime and a little Himalayan sea salt
As many of my readers know, when we purchase our vegetables, even if they are organic, they have been shipped hundreds to thousands of miles, days and weeks (or months) from when they were picked, handled by many people and creating a large carbon footprint toward global warming by all the steps and miles it takes to get them to market.
Ultimately, growing our own produce that we pick the same day will bring us the highest nutrients while helping to heal the planet.
If that is not possible, I recommend becoming part of a CSA. I've been involved in supporting the local farming process for years, and am a huge advocate of supporting local farmers and eating close to home, both personally and as a wonderful way to connect children to their food source.
Have you ever tasted the difference between a head of organic lettuce from the market vs. one just picked that morning at the farm? not to mention the extended shelf life of fresh picked.
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You become part of the farming community by taking a CSA share for the season. You pay a fee that supports the entire farming cycle. The fees usually ranges between $200 and $600 for a 1o or 12 week season. Each week, the farm delivers the shares to a local drop-off point, where the members pick up. Their are still a number of local, organic farms all over the country; typically, they are up from the city areas in the more rural spots.
Sometimes, two people split a share, if they are not a large family.
We eat from the crop cycle; if this Spring is not a good season for carrots, we don't get carrots. We thrive on what makes the farm thrive each season.
Often the farms offer special events' dinners or gatherings.
Below I offer three links. The first is to the farm with whom I will have my CSA this year; Red Clover Farms in Seymour, CT. This will give you an example of how it all runs. The second is a link the Kim Dulka's blog; she is the owner of Red Clover, a generational family farm. There are some great photos that illustrate what goes on at the farm.
The final link is to Connecticut NOFA; North East Farming Association, which lists all the local farms that offer CSA's. Wherever you are in the country or world, you can google and tap into or hear by word-of-mouth about your own local farms and CSA's.
Some farms allow you to volunteer on the farm and get a feel for local farming.
This year, I will be investing in a Spring CSA, and then a Summer CSA with a fruit add-on, all from Red Clover.
I encourage each of you to tap into the energy and nutrients of local produce and support our organic farmers.
http://redcloverblossom.com/csa.html
http://redcloverfarms.blogspot.com/
http://ctnofa.org/CSAs.htm
In Health,
Hope
1 small avocado mushed up with large scoops of Deep Root Organic Raw Cultured Beets and Raw Cultured Sauerkraut, with a healthy sprinkling of Dulse seaweed shake - SO YUMMY!
3 Medjool dates
Today:
Exercise:
My own personal triumph - it's been two months that I've been nursing a broken pinky toe. As a result, all my Winter running, which I love dearly, went out the window as I focused my attention on healing my toe.
Today, I ran outside for the first time in two months! It was a beautiful run; slow, breathing deeply the smell of the Long Island Sound, which was to the right of me; being loving to my toe and running gently....but just perfect!
Breakfast/Lunch:
1 luscious mango
2 stalks celery with dulse seaweed shake
Mid-afternoon:
16 oz. Sublime Smoothie with 6 strawberries, 1 orange, 1 kiwi and a handful of parsley; with 2 teaspoons of mesquite powder and 1 teaspoon of Healthforce Nutrition Dark Mint maca (plus water)
More of the smoothie might follow in the later afternoon
Dinner to come:
New recipe that I made up:
1/2 a large bunch of flat leaf spinach (you can use the whole bunch if you like)
1 teaspoon Red River chickpea miso
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
Put it all in a food processor with the "S" chopping blade and process till smooth.
I will have this for dinner on thin slices of Manna sprouted rye bread.
Salad with red leaf lettuce, fennel, carrot and red pepper with lime and a little Himalayan sea salt
As many of my readers know, when we purchase our vegetables, even if they are organic, they have been shipped hundreds to thousands of miles, days and weeks (or months) from when they were picked, handled by many people and creating a large carbon footprint toward global warming by all the steps and miles it takes to get them to market.
Ultimately, growing our own produce that we pick the same day will bring us the highest nutrients while helping to heal the planet.
If that is not possible, I recommend becoming part of a CSA. I've been involved in supporting the local farming process for years, and am a huge advocate of supporting local farmers and eating close to home, both personally and as a wonderful way to connect children to their food source.
Have you ever tasted the difference between a head of organic lettuce from the market vs. one just picked that morning at the farm? not to mention the extended shelf life of fresh picked.
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You become part of the farming community by taking a CSA share for the season. You pay a fee that supports the entire farming cycle. The fees usually ranges between $200 and $600 for a 1o or 12 week season. Each week, the farm delivers the shares to a local drop-off point, where the members pick up. Their are still a number of local, organic farms all over the country; typically, they are up from the city areas in the more rural spots.
Sometimes, two people split a share, if they are not a large family.
We eat from the crop cycle; if this Spring is not a good season for carrots, we don't get carrots. We thrive on what makes the farm thrive each season.
Often the farms offer special events' dinners or gatherings.
Below I offer three links. The first is to the farm with whom I will have my CSA this year; Red Clover Farms in Seymour, CT. This will give you an example of how it all runs. The second is a link the Kim Dulka's blog; she is the owner of Red Clover, a generational family farm. There are some great photos that illustrate what goes on at the farm.
The final link is to Connecticut NOFA; North East Farming Association, which lists all the local farms that offer CSA's. Wherever you are in the country or world, you can google and tap into or hear by word-of-mouth about your own local farms and CSA's.
Some farms allow you to volunteer on the farm and get a feel for local farming.
This year, I will be investing in a Spring CSA, and then a Summer CSA with a fruit add-on, all from Red Clover.
I encourage each of you to tap into the energy and nutrients of local produce and support our organic farmers.
http://redcloverblossom.com/csa.html
http://redcloverfarms.blogspot.com/
http://ctnofa.org/CSAs.htm
In Health,
Hope
Monday, March 7, 2011
Get Passionate About What You Believe!
Yesterday's Springtime Elixirs:
Exercise:
15 minutes on the Needak rebounder mini-trampoline: This exercise is the one fully detoxifying form of exercise. It clears out the lymph, blood and organ system.
Breakfast/Lunch:
Smoothie with 2 oranges, 1 kiwi, 6 strawberries and 3 stalks of celery (and water)!
Dinner:
salad with Lacinato kale, red leaf lettuce, fennel, carrot, red pepper, broccoli and alfalfa sprouts
dressing of 1 tablespoon tahini, a little Red River chickpea miso, 1 teaspoon stone ground mustard and some apple cider vinegar
5 Black Sphinx Dates, Mount Grove, Arcadia - from the Phoenix-Sedona area: These dates were recommended and sent to me by my friend (and colleague) Julie out in Sedona. They are small and melt in your mouth like caramel. Julie uses them as the center stuffing of caramel when she makes raw chocolate turtles; YUM!
Today's Menu:
Breakfast:
16 oz. of Springtime Wake up! with 2 apples and a large jumbo handful of spinach (and water)
Exercise:
Fabulous Anusara Yoga Class
Lunch:
32 oz. of Springtime Stay Awake! (same as breakfast)
1 large, luscious mango
I have to share this video with my readers. If you are sad, if you are blue, just watch this video of Storm Talifero speaking about junk food. It's my new tool to make me laugh every day. I just love it, and cannot watch it without saying something out loud. I agree with every word Storm says and love the way he says it all in just over one minute.
If any of you remember the TV show "Sanford & Son," this might make you think of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqRJz0uAV9Y
The thing is, though, what Storm is speaking passionately about is painfully true; make sure you listen to when he talks about the shining light directing Ritalin to children.
"Storm Talifero has been a raw-vegan for over 38 years. He is the author of “The Garden Diet” and producer of “Breakthrough” a raw vegan documentary. He currently lives in the Los Padres National forest north of Los Angeles, where he is working on his next film and still driving to Santa Barbara twice a week to shop at the farmer’s market so he can keep his family supplied with the best raw organic fresh fruits and vegetables available."
Storm and his wife Jinjee, another raw warrior, have a fabulous raw retreat center in California.
http://rawveganwarrior.com/
In health,
Hope
Exercise:
15 minutes on the Needak rebounder mini-trampoline: This exercise is the one fully detoxifying form of exercise. It clears out the lymph, blood and organ system.
Breakfast/Lunch:
Smoothie with 2 oranges, 1 kiwi, 6 strawberries and 3 stalks of celery (and water)!
Dinner:
salad with Lacinato kale, red leaf lettuce, fennel, carrot, red pepper, broccoli and alfalfa sprouts
dressing of 1 tablespoon tahini, a little Red River chickpea miso, 1 teaspoon stone ground mustard and some apple cider vinegar
5 Black Sphinx Dates, Mount Grove, Arcadia - from the Phoenix-Sedona area: These dates were recommended and sent to me by my friend (and colleague) Julie out in Sedona. They are small and melt in your mouth like caramel. Julie uses them as the center stuffing of caramel when she makes raw chocolate turtles; YUM!
Today's Menu:
Breakfast:
16 oz. of Springtime Wake up! with 2 apples and a large jumbo handful of spinach (and water)
Exercise:
Fabulous Anusara Yoga Class
Lunch:
32 oz. of Springtime Stay Awake! (same as breakfast)
1 large, luscious mango
I have to share this video with my readers. If you are sad, if you are blue, just watch this video of Storm Talifero speaking about junk food. It's my new tool to make me laugh every day. I just love it, and cannot watch it without saying something out loud. I agree with every word Storm says and love the way he says it all in just over one minute.
If any of you remember the TV show "Sanford & Son," this might make you think of it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqRJz0uAV9Y
The thing is, though, what Storm is speaking passionately about is painfully true; make sure you listen to when he talks about the shining light directing Ritalin to children.
"Storm Talifero has been a raw-vegan for over 38 years. He is the author of “The Garden Diet” and producer of “Breakthrough” a raw vegan documentary. He currently lives in the Los Padres National forest north of Los Angeles, where he is working on his next film and still driving to Santa Barbara twice a week to shop at the farmer’s market so he can keep his family supplied with the best raw organic fresh fruits and vegetables available."
Storm and his wife Jinjee, another raw warrior, have a fabulous raw retreat center in California.
http://rawveganwarrior.com/
In health,
Hope
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
A Tribute to One of My Heroes
Today's Glorious Food:
Breakfast:
Some Raw Jungle Peanuts
Drink: G.T. Dave's Organic Raw Kombucha Botanic No 9
Snack:
A ring of dried apple
Dinner:
Matt Monarch's cucumber yum pot! I couldn't remember his exact concoction, but it looked so yummy on his Utube. I took: 1 large cuke, peeled and 1 avocado, scooped and food prcoessed them together.
Then I put some pieces of dulse seaweed in the bottom of a bowl, poured the mix on top and mixed the dulse through it all.
It was delicious!
Small salad with red leaf, sunchokes, 1/2 tomato, alfalfa sprouts, carrot and nutritional yeast; with olive oil and Bragg's
Dessert:
small bowl of Artisana raw pecan butter (YUM; I love this stuff!) with shredded coconut and a small splash of agave
I want to pay tribute to one of my heroes who just passed away at 96; Jack LaLanne.
I remember, as a child, seeing him on tv in the mornings, along with his white German Shepherd. He was reaching people with his message of movement; that exercise each day was vital to our life force.
I've always held a soft spot of adoration for him. This morning, when reading his obituary on line, I saw that what influenced him and steered him in the direction of health was meeting Paul Bragg. Yes, readers, that is the same Bragg as Bragg's Aminos. Paul was an early advocate in the field of healthy eating of whole foods and waylaying disease in the body. I had no idea that Jack LaLanne met him and that this changed his life. This is when he lost weight and started exercising, subsequently changing the course of exercise with his personal philosophy and brilliant methodology and bringing weight training even to women in those days.
During different decades of his life, Jack undertook outrageous feats of skill, determination and stength, like having his hands and feet shackled and swimming across Alakatraz.
He was always sending a message to the world about what was possible if you took care of your body, mind and spirit.
I feel that his energy was not filled with ego at all; rather, he was passionately committed to reaching people with his message of health and letting them know that anyone could do it.
He was a true advocate for the health of humanity.
A few years ago, I read a great interview with him. As it turns out, he was basically eating all raw food; possibly some meat (I can't remember) but mostly all raw vegetables and fruit and no dairy, sugar or white flour.
He was still, at about 92, working out four hours a day.
I was just blown away by his consistent commitment; his powerful and gentle energy and his understanding of whole health.
He also had a beautiful marriage of 51 years.
His message was so simple, and if I close my eyes, I can hear it coming through the tv set of my childhood, knowing my mother was watching it.
Now she is in her 80's and still working out at the gym and with a trainer every week.
Thank you, Jack LaLanne, for giving life and health to so many people! You will be deeply missed, and I miss you already.
Breakfast:
Some Raw Jungle Peanuts
Drink: G.T. Dave's Organic Raw Kombucha Botanic No 9
Snack:
A ring of dried apple
Dinner:
Matt Monarch's cucumber yum pot! I couldn't remember his exact concoction, but it looked so yummy on his Utube. I took: 1 large cuke, peeled and 1 avocado, scooped and food prcoessed them together.
Then I put some pieces of dulse seaweed in the bottom of a bowl, poured the mix on top and mixed the dulse through it all.
It was delicious!
Small salad with red leaf, sunchokes, 1/2 tomato, alfalfa sprouts, carrot and nutritional yeast; with olive oil and Bragg's
Dessert:
small bowl of Artisana raw pecan butter (YUM; I love this stuff!) with shredded coconut and a small splash of agave
I want to pay tribute to one of my heroes who just passed away at 96; Jack LaLanne.
I remember, as a child, seeing him on tv in the mornings, along with his white German Shepherd. He was reaching people with his message of movement; that exercise each day was vital to our life force.
I've always held a soft spot of adoration for him. This morning, when reading his obituary on line, I saw that what influenced him and steered him in the direction of health was meeting Paul Bragg. Yes, readers, that is the same Bragg as Bragg's Aminos. Paul was an early advocate in the field of healthy eating of whole foods and waylaying disease in the body. I had no idea that Jack LaLanne met him and that this changed his life. This is when he lost weight and started exercising, subsequently changing the course of exercise with his personal philosophy and brilliant methodology and bringing weight training even to women in those days.
During different decades of his life, Jack undertook outrageous feats of skill, determination and stength, like having his hands and feet shackled and swimming across Alakatraz.
He was always sending a message to the world about what was possible if you took care of your body, mind and spirit.
I feel that his energy was not filled with ego at all; rather, he was passionately committed to reaching people with his message of health and letting them know that anyone could do it.
He was a true advocate for the health of humanity.
A few years ago, I read a great interview with him. As it turns out, he was basically eating all raw food; possibly some meat (I can't remember) but mostly all raw vegetables and fruit and no dairy, sugar or white flour.
He was still, at about 92, working out four hours a day.
I was just blown away by his consistent commitment; his powerful and gentle energy and his understanding of whole health.
He also had a beautiful marriage of 51 years.
His message was so simple, and if I close my eyes, I can hear it coming through the tv set of my childhood, knowing my mother was watching it.
Now she is in her 80's and still working out at the gym and with a trainer every week.
Thank you, Jack LaLanne, for giving life and health to so many people! You will be deeply missed, and I miss you already.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Even the Torturous Moments become Embraceable
I wrote the first part of this post on Friday:
Today's Beautiful Food:
Breakfast:
Couldn't resist; warm pieces of my Raw Pecan Sundried Tomato Pies
Rockin' smoothie 32 oz. with fresh young Thai coconut with frozen banana, cacao, shijalit, Rok Caldwell's Green Powder and Vanilla Mint Maca
Exercise:
Deep yoga with Donna & Bruce of Elements Yoga in Darien
Bruce and Donna own Elements, an Anusara-based stuio, and Bruce is the master soundsmith. Today the music included a cut from Cat Stevens, Tea for the Tillerman, Jackson Browne, live version of The Pretender (circa 1978), James Taylor live, ending with Imagine. When I focus on the music, I go deeper in my poses and even the torturous moments become embraceable
Lunch:
3-4 pieces of Raw Pecan Sundried Tomato Pie
I could not get enough of this!!!
it was originally inspired by Zakhah's book, The Joy of Living Live; A Raw Food Journey. I had modified the recipe years ago when I was teaching classes.
Now I changed it again, taking it from loaf pans into Pyrex pie dishes, and dehydrating it overnight. The taste is beyond the beyond. Here's the recipe:
Pecan Loaf with Sundried Tomato Sauce
A hearty main course for Winter meals; great for the holidays, too!
4 cups pecans, soaked overnight or for a few hours
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
½ large red onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked till plump and moist, drained and chopped
3 tablespoons cumin powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups Sundried Tomato Sauce (see below)
Grind pecans in a food processor until fine. In a bowl, mix the pecans with the veges, spices and 1 cup of the Sundried Tomato Sauce. Shape into loaf and spread remaining sauce on top. Decorate with fresh parsley, celery leaves, sliced olives or pecan halves.
Serves 8 raw foodists!
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Sundried Tomato Sauce
2 cups sundried tomatoes, soaked; reserve water to use later
4 Roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 dash sage powder
Blend ingredients with 1 cup of water from soaked tomatoes. Let sauce sit for 30 minutes to allow water to drain from it. You can sit sauce over colander. (water may be saved and used for flavoring other recipes, like a stock for soup).
Makes 3 cups
Adapted from the Joy of Living Live; A Raw Food Journey, By Zakhah
1/2 ruby red grapefruit
Dinner:
Oooo, la la! Let me not forget anything we ate at my friends', Glen Colello and Lisa Storch's four course raw gourmet dinner called, 'A Taste of Asia.' This was held at their raw cafe, Catch a Healthy Habit, in Fairfield, CT, and was cheffed by Frank Giglio, inspired by the two months he recently spent in Bali immersed in its culinary arts.
Today's Beautiful Food:
Breakfast:
Couldn't resist; warm pieces of my Raw Pecan Sundried Tomato Pies
Rockin' smoothie 32 oz. with fresh young Thai coconut with frozen banana, cacao, shijalit, Rok Caldwell's Green Powder and Vanilla Mint Maca
Exercise:
Deep yoga with Donna & Bruce of Elements Yoga in Darien
Bruce and Donna own Elements, an Anusara-based stuio, and Bruce is the master soundsmith. Today the music included a cut from Cat Stevens, Tea for the Tillerman, Jackson Browne, live version of The Pretender (circa 1978), James Taylor live, ending with Imagine. When I focus on the music, I go deeper in my poses and even the torturous moments become embraceable
Lunch:
3-4 pieces of Raw Pecan Sundried Tomato Pie
I could not get enough of this!!!
it was originally inspired by Zakhah's book, The Joy of Living Live; A Raw Food Journey. I had modified the recipe years ago when I was teaching classes.
Now I changed it again, taking it from loaf pans into Pyrex pie dishes, and dehydrating it overnight. The taste is beyond the beyond. Here's the recipe:
Pecan Loaf with Sundried Tomato Sauce
A hearty main course for Winter meals; great for the holidays, too!
4 cups pecans, soaked overnight or for a few hours
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
½ large red onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked till plump and moist, drained and chopped
3 tablespoons cumin powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups Sundried Tomato Sauce (see below)
Grind pecans in a food processor until fine. In a bowl, mix the pecans with the veges, spices and 1 cup of the Sundried Tomato Sauce. Shape into loaf and spread remaining sauce on top. Decorate with fresh parsley, celery leaves, sliced olives or pecan halves.
Serves 8 raw foodists!
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Sundried Tomato Sauce
2 cups sundried tomatoes, soaked; reserve water to use later
4 Roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 dash sage powder
Blend ingredients with 1 cup of water from soaked tomatoes. Let sauce sit for 30 minutes to allow water to drain from it. You can sit sauce over colander. (water may be saved and used for flavoring other recipes, like a stock for soup).
Makes 3 cups
Adapted from the Joy of Living Live; A Raw Food Journey, By Zakhah
1/2 ruby red grapefruit
Dinner:
Oooo, la la! Let me not forget anything we ate at my friends', Glen Colello and Lisa Storch's four course raw gourmet dinner called, 'A Taste of Asia.' This was held at their raw cafe, Catch a Healthy Habit, in Fairfield, CT, and was cheffed by Frank Giglio, inspired by the two months he recently spent in Bali immersed in its culinary arts.
We started with what I will call an 'Amuse Bouche' (amusement for the mouth - a little pre-app tasting served in fine restaurants) of mini vege sushi rolls with a delicious, creamy dressing
Appetizer: Fantastic! kelp noodles in lettuce pouches with a thai "peanut" almond butter sauce - just delicious!!
Entrees: The first was a nut meat creation wrapped in a rice paper pouch that was so yummy in itself, tied with a piece of grass. It was floating in a foamy creme broth made from Chaga and Shitake and reishi mushrooms (all healing mushrooms), some from Frankie's home area of Maine.
The second was an array of shredded vegetables in delicate piles, with mushrooms and sea veges piled up in the center - just gorgeous - on top of sweet parsnip rice
Dessert: This was to-die-for:
We have renamed it Molten Lava (thank you, John), as opposed to Molten Lava Cake, it was just the darkest cacao (my guess directly from the bean) oozing it's chocolate lava, topped by raw ice cream with mandarin infusion and little chips of a caramel-like wafer scattered. This rivaled and topped any version in the best 5-star restaurant!
I may not be getting all of the ingredients correct, because it's been a couple of days since I started this post, but you get the general picture; MAGNIFICENCE!
Oh, and all accompanied by fresh spring water and green tea
Since this is my first post of the New Year, I want to speak about an understanding I came to during the month of December. "Even the Torturous Moments Become Embraceable" is the title of this post. Let me go right to the question we all ask ourselves from time to time; "Why am I Here?" It was many years ago that I understood that we each have a purpose here; mine is to to offer people, through counseling, a new way of being with themselves; to heal their bodies, minds and spirits joyfully. I am clear that is why I was born during this time. But I recently understood the other reason why we exist at all. This reason is directly opposite to how we are taught to deal with the "downs" of the "ups and downs" of life. I believe that we are here to profoundly Be with every moment of our lives; all aspects and all events, in order to witness our own personal evolution and heal our most wounded places. If you believe in lives before this one, that would inclide our karmic wounds from those times as well. We have a profound opportunity to transform the torturous into the embraceable. The mantra "out there" is that life is unfair. Cries of, "Why me?", or, "It's so unfair? Why did this have to happen?" abound. We have lost the point entirely, and our communities of government and religion and healthcare miss the true teachings. Even though you may hear a friend or family member say that something bad that happened to them was really a gift, in general, we expect that life will throw us blows and that those moments cannot compete with the good times. I think we miss the opportunity in being fully present to our own transformations, when we view one moment as less than another. Consider this: Maybe we are here for ALL of it, and it's the ALL that allows for our highest evolution.
I know this may read as very controversial, as some really crappy things happen in our worlds, including death and destitution, but you already know we are not high enough to understand some of those "Why's." Consider that the point may be all of it; maybe it's all related equally to our existence and evolution on this earth.
December was a month for me of healing some of my deepest and oldest emotional wounds of identity and sense of self as intimately related to others. I went down into the mud and rose up again. It hurt so much I felt it in my body. Would I do it again? Definitely, as the enlightenment that has come from the depths of pain has me clear about why I am here, and I shine brightly from having healed an element of my past in my evolution as a human. It's that simple.
Just some food for thought for the day. I would love to hear from you with your own take on it...
With Love & Respect,
Hope & The Holistic Empire
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