Be Real: Fast & Furious

So, I had this post all planned. It was going to be on the benefits of peaches. But then I sat down to write and something else came through. So, as I write this post, know that I'm going by the seat of my pants...

Today, I ran a 5K with a dear friend. I watched her give birth - to herself. She is the mother of 4 and is reclaiming her identity. Two months ago, she started training to run 3 miles. A mutual friend in our community who runs marathons offered to coach her and would have run with her today if she could. This same coach showed me how to run 3 years ago. And, today, God gave me an opportunity to give back to both of them by supporting the new runner by running with her in this race . I felt the beauty of karma.

My friend is going through a transformation. She is learning how to surrender to the Universe (God) and to push herself into uncertain territory. Is it uncomfortable? Yes. Is it scary? Yes. But she did it and now she can say she ran a 5K. There is growth in uncertainty. We are taught by the Law of Attraction to follow the good feeling, but what if you don't feel a good feeling, but are stuck between "feeling stuck and unhappy" and being scared? The good feeling is not obvious. You choose the scared even if it does not feel good because it lifts you closer to the good feeling on the scale of emotions. If you've ever given birth, you know it hurts. She hurt today. I remember that same hurt. She doubted her ability. I remember that doubt. It's an old friend to many of us. And, when she finished, she cried with relief. The tears of love and joy, are from a heart which surrendered to God a little more today.

Two weeks ago when she asked me to run with her and said yes, I thought, "OK God, let's do it." I haven't run in some time, and thought maybe I should see if I still could. That day I ran 3 miles in 28 minutes. The only reason I can fathom the ability to make that time is because I asked the Angels to be with me and lift me up. It was God showing me to give it over to Him. I was literally carried. He showed me how easy it is when you just trust and are open to allowing.

Here's the fast and furious part. It's been a busy two weeks with school starting and adjusting to the schedule. My soul communicated through my body, to me, in the language of a light cold. The message - SLOW DOWN! OK, but don't you get everything that needs to get done!? I'm running a race, for Pete's sake! The reply was congestion and a cough. Ha! Concern set in - would I still be able to run? Was God's plan different than I thought? Today, the static in my head was quieted when I heard Him tell me all would be well.

Let me tell you - I didn't blow my nose once. My breathing was completely clear, not a cough and we finished in 45 minutes. The course was beautiful and hilly. My friend was scared and excited. It didn't matter how fast we finished, just that we did finish. That was the goal. Knowing time did not matter allowed me to enjoy the moment and forget myself. I felt completely surrendered to the flow of the Universe. It wasn't me running with her, it was Him. God took over my body. There were Angels around us. In fact, I could hardly even feel my body. I was even singing. My friend gave birth to herself today, I died to myself in order to live for His Greater Purpose.

So, I challenge you - Where is your comfort zone? How can you move past it to attain a goal you've been dreaming about? How can you give birth to yourself? How can you give of yourself in order to live for God's Will? Or, to say it another way - How can you surrender to the flow of the Universe and just be in this moment?

Be Real: Right Now

"The past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift - that's why they call it the present. So cherish every minute of it." - Elvis Stojiko

My brother and I were talking this month. We have the same disease. It's the disease of "what's next". We are both addicted to education, certification, tests, you name it - if it has to do with higher education and knowledge, we are the first ones in line. You might think, that's odd, but you've come to know that I just might be a little odd and I'm OK with that. I know you love me! This is childhood programming at it's height. My parents, especially my father would drill into us the importance of education. Guess it stuck. I'm 40 now and still love school.

My brother has a BS in public health, a MPH in international public health, a BA in nursing and is a registered RN with Yale-New Haven Hospital. Most recently, he's been promoted to manager on the floor. We are so happy for him! I was talking to him about how this year of school for me is ending and how I've been looking at what's next - Master Herbalist, ND, MDiv, PhD. We came to the conclusion that it's fun to look at what's next, but that we should not define ourselves by it. Right now, this moment is all that matters and instead of 'looking' for what's next, we will allow 'what's next' to find us. This allows him and me to stay focused in the present. My kids encourage me to be present - thank God!

I offer this to you for use in your own life. We can make ourselves crazy looking for what's next whether that is a problem we are preparing for, a mountain we want to climb, a run we want to train for or we can just focus on what is happening right now and allow the opportunities to find us. Still set your goals, still dream big, yet keep fine tuning your craft for the next right step is right now. You, me, he is an expert in this moment.

After talking with him, I've decided a process was needed so that I can live in the moment yet still continue to set and meet goals. Yes, I know a process for living in the moment. How OCD can you get? Got a few hours?! Ha!

Living in the Moment Process (the short version) :
1. Make a list. A list of what you'd like to do, be, experience, have.
2. Break that list down into today - what's most important to accomplish today.
3. Divide the list in two - one side for you, one side for God.
4. Give your side completely to God. (menu exercise from Abraham Hicks Law of Attraction)
5. Look at your list for today, this week, this month and prioritize it by what's practical and what is really desired.
6. Start at #1 on your list and pick a time during the day to do it. Or, if you're like me with 3 kids home - pray that God and the Angels will line up that time during the day to do it!

Or you can take the 'screw it' method... don't think, just do and leave the rest to God. Pretty simple.

Our natural state of being is joy. Lists can take the pressure off and get the noise out of the mind so that we can be in the moment and experience the joy.

Be the best you can be right now as you are, where you are, with those around you. Now, you're an expert.

Eat Real: Ocean Vegetables

Ocean vegetables - what's that? Vegetables grow in the sea and we call it seaweed. I can hear you now. "Is she actually suggesting I eat seaweed?" Yes, I am. This is one of nature's purest and most potent foods. If Westerners could grasp the idea that food created in nature actually serves a purpose in our body, the rates of heart disease, diabetes and a whole host of other conditions would cease to exist.

Seaweed has long been used in Asian traditions as a staple food. The people of Okinawa have had the longest, healthiest life spans of anyone on this Earth. In addition to a diet low in animal protein, their diet is high in sea vegetables. Now, if they can only stave off the affects of the West, which are infiltrating their society, they could maintain that level of health far into the future. However, fast food, processed and refined food in shiny packages is like a bad virus our culture is spreading throughout the world. I'll save that topic for another day!

The many benefits of seaweed include:
A high mineral content, including iodine which is essential for proper endocrine function. In some cases, it's been shown to contain sufficient amounts of all minerals including calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc in addition to iodine.

Includes many trace elements and vitamins including vitamin A as beta-carotene, B1, B2, B6, niacin, vitamin C, panthothenic acid, folic acid and trace amounts of B12.

Seaweed cleanses the body of toxins. The varieties high in alginic acid bind with heavy metals and eliminate them from the body. Arame, hijiki, kombu and wakame are the best varieties for this type of cleansing.

All varieties are capable of promoting healthy skin, warming the body and enriching the blood.

It is an effective food for killing yeast in the body.

Eating it on a regular basis contributes to an overall feeling of contentment. (I can testify to this!)

Hijiki Salad
1 cup hijiki
5 cups water
1 yellow or red chopped pepper
4 chopped scallions
1 chopped carrot
1/2 cup fresh corn kernals
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. umeboshi vinegar
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tbsp. fresh ginger juice

Directions:
Soak hijiki in water for 20 min. Whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic and ginger juice. Rinse hijiki and add to chopped vegetables. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve. Serves 4. Arame also works beautifully with this recipe.

Be Real: 40

So, I had a birthday this summer. Got me to thinking about the number and it's significance. Turns out 40 is quite a popular number. Here are a few references:

1. A time of testing, a period of renewal
2. Completeness
3. Preparation, penance, purification
4. Forty measures of water purify a person
5. Forty days of rain purified the world
6. Moses was purified during 40 days on Mount Sinai
7. Jesus walked the desert and fasted for 40 days
8. It's a symbol of birth, rebirth and change
9. According to the Talmud, it is said that 40 days after conception the soul enters the body
10. Neural activity begins at 40 days for a fetus

This is offered as an opportunity for us all to look at age as a marker, an opportunity of what lies ahead, not what is left behind. Not what's ending, but what's beginning. It feels like a wake up call. There is a certain peace and understanding that comes with reaching this number that I recall experiencing at 20 and 30. With each decade, more understanding, more life is under my belt. I still feel young, like there is so much more to learn.

I wonder if, after 40 years, my soul is completely in my body. There is a feeling of completeness and contentment - not that I'm done living, but that I have everything I need to move forward fully in life.

My goal is to live to be at least 200 years old. And to be vibrant and healthy to serve God's Will the whole time. So, if I'm only 40 - that's still young compared to 200!

It's all perspective baby.