Spread Some Happy Today!

You are aligned with God's Perfect Plan for You. It's the navigation system called GPPY.

Follow the Good Feeling - FGF. It may feel unnatural at first, but you'll get used to it.

Trusting God means Trusting Yourself - TGTY.  Believe in yourself.

Feel good. Be happy and if nothing else - SMILE! :)

Know When To Say No

Sounds harsh doesn't it? It comes natural to a two year old and my five year old knows how to spell it. Why do we spend a lifetime trying to ignore it?

It's suppose to sound harsh. Energetically, it draws a hard line with the other party which says, "This is where your request ends with me. Time to look elsewhere." So often we feel No is a rejection and we don't want to hurt the other person's feelings, we want to help, be of service, do God's Will.

You've heard it before- God's Will and trusting God means trusting yourself and how you feel. No ifs, ands or buts about it. If you are not feeling it, don't force it. So often I find myself turning experiences around in my head, trying to see the good in it, second guessing how I feel when really all I have to do is understand it doesn't feel right and find a way to say No. No is the voice of God speaking to me - telling me, "It is not your place. This is not your job."

The trick has been quieting the guilt that goes along with saying No. So often one can feel as if they are the only one who can do the work, organize the group and that they are needed above anyone else. I've got news for you - you are needed and the No you are feeling is God telling you to pay attention to the priorities in your life. The No is saving you from distraction, stress and regret. When you say Yes, but really want to say No, you are taking the space that is meant for someone else to fill. Although you have been asked or invited to participate, you have to discern if it is the right experience for you and the No feeling is saying, quite clearly, "I'm not the person for this job."

How to say No nicely.
1. "I'm over committed and can't give (you, the project) the time it deserves. It's better to let someone else handle it."
2. "Can I get back to you on that?" This one requires a follow up with a clear No.
3. "That is not part of my skill set, you'll be better off with someone else."
4. "No thank you". (with a smile)

What does no feel like?
1. If you are ruminating over and over in your mind about a person, place or situation it may be a signal to get out of it and step back.
2. Are you complaining, feeling victimized or grumpy? These are all ways the body is communicating No to you.
3. Sometimes it's a pit in the stomach feeling.
4. The body can tense up or you can hear the No in your head.
5."I don't know" usually means No. Hey, what if it really is saying, "I don't no."?

What if you've said yes, but really feel like a No? Better to say something sooner rather than later. So many times, we want to help. Don't help! Helping is enabling. Enabling is dis-empowering others. Dis-empowering others keeps them in a role of victimization. When one is in the paradigm of victimization, they are in a vicious downward spiral. This is not a sustainable situation for you or the other party. It's the hand out vs. hand up; giving fish or teaching others to fish approach.

No puts the responsibility right back where it belongs and releases you to allow the abundance of God, the Universe to flow.

Allow Universal Abundance with a simple No.

Secrets Revealed... Building Immunity

We already had our first cold of the school season! Woo hoo!

It went exactly according to plan. You know the plan - the one where you plan not to get sick and publish to the whole world how to stay healthy and then your kid is one of the first to catch a cold plan?

Well, I never said you wouldn't get sick and I didn't expect my kids would never get sick. What I was hoping for, though, was a kid that could shake off any virus pretty easily. And, he did. This is what a strong immune system does. Even if you do get sick, it doesn't shut you down or turn into something worse.

Here are a few more tips and tricks to keep building up your immune system muscle.

Avoid / reduce:
· Dairy products – milk, ice cream, soy, casein, cheese
· White flour products
· White sugar, refined sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, fructose, corn syrup, pasteurized honey
· Alcohol- beer, wine, sweetened fruit juice
· Artificial sweeteners, preservatives, hydrogenated & trans fats
· Anything termed “Enriched” including flours & vitamin drinks
· Avoid or reduce Coffee, sodas, juice boxes, vitamin drinks, etc.

These 'foods', and I use the term lightly, all create an acidic environment within the body. Yeasts, viruses, fungi and bacteria can only live in an acidic environment. When immunity is compromised, the average cold turns into an ear infection, bronchitis or strep. Give yourself and your kids a fighting chance by reducing these items from the daily diet.

It's one small step toward a little more sleep and a lot more peace.

10 Years

You all remember where you were and how you heard the news. The memory of that day will live with us for the rest of our lives. It's part of the collective conscious of this society and although we may not have known even one person related to the events of that day, we knew every soul intimately... every single soul.

We knew the souls in the towers, on the planes, in NY, in PA, and DC. And, believe it or not, we also knew the desperate souls of those who hijacked the planes. In one day, our lives were forever changed.

Hero or victim - which perspective do you see? These souls came into and left the physical form for the benefit of all. The role they played honors us. Everything stopped, but the world kept turning... Babies were born, communities were brought together, families ended feuding, a country was united and a new story came to be.

That day was one lesson in our lifetime. What did you learn? How will you honor your life and the lives of those around you?

Lessons or blessings - they are one in the same. God always delivers blessings...

Secrets to a Healthy Winter

Every Fall, when the kids head back to school, they start taking this invaluable immunity tonic. Last year they had perfect attendance at school. Of course, they did catch a few colds and had one puking virus, but overall they had a great winter! For the first time in their short lives, they had a normal response to these incidences. There were no trips to the ER for IVs nor constant antibiotics and calls to the doctor.

As you look forward to the coming months, one of the best things you can do, is cut back on sugar, preservatives and artificial ingredients. These ingredients create acidity in the body which translates into the perfect environment for dis-ease to thrive. The combination of cutting back on junk and taking the tonic is how we managed last winter. It's our 'secret' family recipe.

Immune Tonic Recipe
4oz. organic grape juice (Lakewood Organic brand)
1 tsp. fish oil (Nordic Naturals or Carlson brands)
1 tsp. elderberry syrup (Sambucol brand)
1 probiotic capsule (Jarrow brand) 

Directions:
Take 5 mornings a week with 2 days off. Cut the quantities in half for kids 4 and under except for the probiotic. Lately, we've added 2 drops of oregeno oil to the mixture.

The better we all feel, the stronger our immunity and the less we even think about dis-ease. Look for more tips and information in the coming weeks! 

Dent Relief

I've had a dent in the back of my car for the past 7 years. Nothing serious. It just defined who I was.

After receiving the news about my father's sudden death at my in-laws house in Ohio, my father-in-law found the first flight back home so I could be with my mom.  My husband, on the other hand, drove from Ohio to Connecticut with two little boys. At the time they were four and two. It took him 2 days and plenty of Heavenly guidance, but he made it. He pulled into the driveway at my mother's house and my mom took the kids into the house immediately. My husband was still sitting in the car. When he finally got out, he just hugged me and cried. Yes, my father had died, but his friend had died as well. A man he looked up to, respected and who understood him even better than his own family did.  He was gone. Or so we thought...

After composing himself, my husband went into the house and I was left to unpack the car. To make it easier, I decided to back it into the driveway and unload into the garage. As I backed up, I hit something. We were all out of our minds as it was and here I was backing into something in the black of the night in the middle of winter.  It was my father's stump grinder. If you don't know by now, he was a lumberjack. All of his equipment was still in the driveway and the garage. Still fresh with hydraulic oil and wood chips. Brand new car, brand new dead dad and brand new dent... life has a way of happening and we get to make sense of it. It can be fantastically ironic sometimes.

That dent was a gift from my father. It was a reminder to me how quickly life can change - How things, people come and go, but feelings last forever. It marked me like a scar after a cut. And, this cut was deep. In good conscious, I could not get it fixed. Sure, I got plenty of quotes and talked about it, but did nothing until now. It was a scar I wore with pride for 7 years. Everyone needed to see it. I needed to see it. It screamed, "This happened in my life and I survived." It said, "This is who I am."

It was time. I don't have any logical reason for why, I just knew it was time to fix it.  I kept looking at the dent and how I defined myself, not wanting to let go of that moment in time. It was as if I had a piece of my Dad with me in that dent. Just like bumper stickers on the back of cars that convey how the driver feels about life, abortion, teams or schools ... I used the dent in the same way. But now, that sticker, that dent is inside me. It is part of my cellular structure. I've meditated upon it for the past 7 years without realizing it. That meditation has become a part of who I am.

How odd it is to define ourselves and unconsciously label or limit who we are. How odd it is to have to keep something like a dent for so long and then one day wake up and it's gone. What dents are you wearing? Is it time to smooth them out? The Buddha teaches that "Nothing ever goes away, until it has taught us what we need to know." The struggle of dark and light, good and bad has disappeared. What is left? Love.

My husband hammered it out this week. It's a smooth back-end again and I feel good about it. To the human eye, the dent is gone. That's OK, because it is forever engraved in my heart.

Power Breakfast: Gluten Free Pancakes

The challenge: Make a great tasting, whole grain, gluten-free pancake.
Why?: Because.

Cornstarch. That's the real reason. It lacks any real nutritional value, is a high glycemic food, has no fiber, no protein, and is highly inflammatory. It is also one of the main ingredients in most gluten-free foods.

Many of you know spelt is my go-to grain for most everything. And, although it is a low-gluten food, it still has gluten. I wanted to make a true, whole grain pancake without gluten, but also without cornstarch - something that had more nutritional value. Thankfully, my kids are pancake connoisseurs and I can experiment with them. Sometimes the feedback is good, sometimes not - but they still eat it.

As is true to form with my shopping habits during the summer, we had run out of our standard spelt flour for the usual pancake breakfast. Keeping up with feeding the kids during the summer months is a challenge in itself.  I swear they make up for the other nine months of the year when they are in school by eating constantly all summer. So, that morning, after surveying the pantry, I found some brown rice flour, corn meal and xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is a natural food product that thickens food. It acts like a glue when gluten based flour is not available. It's also used widely in gluten-free foods, but not the main ingredient. Usually 1/2 to 1 tsp. is all that is needed.

School is fast approaching, and you can amp up these pancake to make a complete meal. We added more fiber and protein by using flax seed and raw, organic, vegan brown rice protein powder. You'll also see oatmeal in the recipe below. Oatmeal is gluten free, however, it is not always processed in a facility that uses gluten specific machinery. Therefore, it can be considered a 'contaminated' food. If you have true celiac disease, make sure you purchase oatmeal processed in a gluten free facility.

Now we can have our cake and eat it too - gluten free!

Gluten Free Pantry Pancakes:
1 cup goat milk (can substitute almond or rice milk)
1 cage free egg
1/2 tsp. organic sea salt
1/2 tsp. aluminum free baking soda
1/2 tsp. free-trade vanilla
2 tbsp. whole cane sugar
1 tbsp. cold-processed, unrefined, sesame oil
1 & 1/4 cup organic brown rice flour
1/2 cup organic corn meal
1/2 cup organic oatmeal
1 tsp. xanthan gum
Optional: 2 tbsp flax seed meal and/or 1 scoop of Garden of Life Raw Protein.

Mix ingredients together and spoon onto a hot pan. Add a few chocolate chips or blueberries. Flip over and cook both sides.

To top them off, try Grade B Maple Syrup, almond butter & jelly or raw honey. The door is wide open to try all kinds of whole grain, gluten free flours - coconut, almond, quinoa, and millet.  Why don't you experiment a little? Let me know how your pancakes turn out.

By the way, I have been known to run out of sandwich bread and send pancake or waffle sandwiches to school. Just food for thought as you start planning those school lunches...

Mix it up and have some fun!

Crappy to Happy in 3 Bloody Minutes

We were in a huge funk at the beginning of the week. Whatever you call it, cabin fever, vacation recovery, too much togetherness - it was just ugly. The kids and I were not in harmony. July feels, to me, like the middle of winter. I feel like a hamster stuck in a cage because of the weather restrictions. Man, I just feel restricted!

Then came the bloody nose. Big brother gave little brother too rough a tackle. The third kid really does take a beating.Wake up call! God has a way of getting my attention through blood/injury and money. These get my attention and spark immediate action. Unintentional or not, mommy gets ugly when blood is drawn. It was not a pretty sight. At this point we were all feeling really crappy. So, I asked for help and said, "I am aligned with Source." The crappy feeling continued until something magical happened...

A commitment for Wednesday night canceled. All of a sudden my week was completely free and I felt better. There was literally a shift within my body that could be felt and registered in my brain - things had turned in the right direction. A total transformation within 3 minutes and I was a different person! I had another commitment Monday afternoon and canceled it. A client rescheduled due to vacation. The weight of the world lifted off my shoulders. I canceled a extra checking account the bank had talked me into and a gym membership I haven't used in a year. Wow, this feels great! The laundry is caught up and folded. The school supplies are bought and organized. The school uniforms and shoes are purchased. The kids are getting along and the little one recovered quickly.  So I ask you. . .  How can you open yourself up for transformation?

What can you cancel today that will lift some weight off your shoulders? 
What can you throw out? 
What can you do just for yourself and no one else?

Sometimes what we need is less, not more, to feel better. The Universe has a way of focusing our direction. The signs are obvious. Ease is the path to joy. All we have to do is pay attention and reach for the better feeling. Sometimes blood is involved, but that's just a part of life.

I am...

Ohhhh, we are back from Grandma's house. We need a vacation to recover from the vacation! You've had plenty of time to meditate now on what you like, what you are good at and what you love. These lists are designed to give you a clearer sense of self. To be consciously aware of who you are. Now, on to the Passion Test....

The test begins with another list. Imagine that?! Except this list begins with the statement, "When my life is ideal, I am (experiencing, having, feeling, being, loving....)__________________." Make a list of the top ten (or more) things that would give you a life of joy. You don't have to be experiencing them now, but want to be. The previous exercises I gave you were designed to help you really look at what is happening right now in your life, what you like and what you don't. Now, you have the opportunity to design what you'd like your life to look like. Close your eyes and visualize your life. Where are you? Who's with you? What are you doing? How do you feel? Let yourself loose and write it down!

Once you have your Ideal Life List written, put the list in order of importance. The goal is to get the most important in the top 5 of the list. When I first did this, I couldn't limit myself to the top 5 because I didn't realize my passions can change or that they might be a subsection under a larger heading. For instance, You might say you're life is ideal when you have flexible work hours and you're life is ideal when you are enjoying every minute of the day. Can you see how "Enjoying every minute of the day" could be the passion and "flexible work hours" can fall under it as a condition that facilitates "Enjoying every minute of the day"?  It's this kind of refinement we are asked to do in the book so that we can really look at our desires and allow our lives to sing.

Don't over think things, though. Go with your first instinct in making the list and let it sit for a bit. I know I had to come back to mine. The writers recommend that we take the test at least every 6 months. It's a good way to really refine and become clear about what we truly love.


The clearer you become about what you truly love and desire, the stronger your conscious intention becomes, and this helps the rest of your brain respond in an organized way. The Passion Test. p.34.

Of course, this is just the beginning, but it's where I end for now.  Have a GLORIOUS day!

Task 3 - List of Love

This is the final task for the first lesson. After this step, you're ready for the test...

You've made a list of what you like, what you are good at and now - make a list of what/who you love. This is different from the like scenario. This is the stuff that strikes a deep nerve if things go wrong or makes your heart overflow with gratitude when things go well. For example, I love my husband, I love my kids, I love my dog, my cat, my family, a cushion of cash in the bank... You get the idea. The feeling of love triumphs over the feeling of like. It's the do or die stuff. I like well mannered people, but my world won't turn upside down if a person is rude. If something is off with the family though, that gets my attention. See the difference?

There are two more steps to the assignment today. The second, once you have your love list, put all three lists together and look for overlaps, correlations - anywhere there is a conjunction.

The third step is to prioritize the lists and identify the top 5 on each. 

Meditate on them for a while. Keep the lists handy and read them in the morning and/or at night. Revise them if needed.

I found these steps to be invaluable before taking the test. Why? Well, how can one identify your passions if you don't know who you are? It is critical to have a conscious basic knowledge of what makes you tick. By participating in these exercises, you've developed a starting point to articulating, with clarity, what is important to you.

As an aside, three friends called this week to tell me they feel funky, grumpy, vulnerable or just plain off. This too will pass and is actually quite predictable every July. The seasons seem to be about 2 weeks quicker than last year. There is always a contraction before an expansion. Just take it easy, remember to exercise, eat foods from nature and do what feels good. It sounds like a good time for a vacation. Off to Grandma's house tomorrow!

Task 2 - Making Lists

The Honey-to-Do list has taken on a new meaning!

Yesterday, you made a list of everything you like. Today, make a list of everything you are good at. I'm good at organizing and directing. I'm good at yelling at the kids. I'm good at gardening. I'm good at...

You get the idea.We will get to the actual Test soon enough. These exercises are needed before one actually takes the test. By nature, so many of us are not clear. Most of society is stuck in what they don't like and that can be easier to identify  than what one likes sometimes. If that is where you are, let that be your starting point. If it is easier for you to identify what it is you are bad at, again, let that be where you begin. Make the lists and then turn it around - choose the opposite.For example, I do not like a dirty house but I do like a clean house.

When you are able to identify what you like and what you are good at, you are more than half way to identifying your passions. The things you excel at in life. Your purpose, your desires, the things or circumstances that make your heart sing.

The achievement of anything that you desire must be considered success, whether it is a trophy or money or relationships or things. But if you will let your standard of success be your achievement of joy—everything else will fall easily into place. For in the finding of joy, you are finding vibrational alignment with the resources of the Universe. - Abraham Hicks


Joy is the good feeling. Joy is feeling happy, content, and peaceful. Joy is alignment with God's perfect plan for you. The exercises I've given you are designed to help you feel good before you take the test. They are designed to get you clear on what brings your soul satisfaction. We all have wants and desires, but we need to find the 'happy place or alignment' first.

Make your lists and put them on the fridge, in the car, or on your calendar. Pin them to your shirt if you have to! Look at them often and feel good. You are a child of God and when you feel good, you see yourself the way God sees you - completely unique and wonderful.

The Passion Test - Lesson 1

What's my passion? 
What's my purpose in life? 
What am I here to do? 
Who am I and where do I fit? 

If any of you are like me, you may have hit a wall at some point in life and reached out for more. Not quite knowing where to go and how to get it, but more. More understanding, more peace, more joy.

When I first asked these same questions all those years ago, the Universe delivered a book to me from a prayer partner named Sandra. I didn't know her very well, but she was more than willing to be God's voice and tell me about this book. I started reading it over 2 years ago and I'm reading it again now. I'm inspired to share some of it's insight with you.

It's called The Passion Test. It promises to help you define what your passion is and create the platform from which you move towards it. If you know the law of attraction and read any of Abraham Hicks work, this will make total sense to you. Even if you don't, it's written as a down to earth, common sense approach to always making the higher choice. The premise - any choice  must be in favor of your passions.

One of the best attributes of this book is its simplicity and practical approach. There is nothing to figure out or wrap your head around. What I find most interesting is that I didn't quite get it the first time around and that was over 2 years ago. It was a great starting place then and even better to read now.

The first lesson - "When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life, and only to the extent that you are clear."  (p.24, The Passion Test, Janet & Chris Attwood)

This is so true! But before you start beating yourself for not being clear, let me make an observation. Many of us are NOT clear on what we want. Many of us are aware of what we don't like. This is where you start. Define what you don't like and then choose the opposite. Move in that direction. This experience, called life, is a vehicle for us to experience Joy - the ultimate good feeling there is! What is the easiest way to find your way to what you really want? Always choose in favor of the good feeling. Not the superficial good feeling, but the way down deep in your soul good feeling. The good feeling that helps you sleep at night.

The Universe, God, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, Buddha - all of Creation is here to support YOU! Whether you are clear or not, you are supported and loved. We are co-creators with the Ultimate Creator. Our only  job is to choose the good feeling.

So let's start with creating the good feeling. Today's work - Make a list of everything you like and hang it on the fridge. I like the color red, I like when the kids get along, I like getting my toenails painted, I like low gas prices, I like smart people, I like kind people... you get the idea. Just make a list of everything you like. Lesson 2 will bring the next task.  For now, let the list make you feel good!

Kid Insight

Yikes, it's almost the end of the month and I've fallen behind on my posts! Summer is here and the kids are home. My attention has shifted a bit!

These little, tapped in, humans have been saying some really insightful statements as they make observations on their own lives. As a result, I'm sharing some of their simple, but highly effective words...

Do your best and forget the rest.
Sin is not feeling goodness.
If I don't love it, I don't do it.
Some people just don't know any better.
That makes no sense at all.
You don't want any part of that mess, just walk away.

Do any of these apply to your life? 

Thoughts...

Today is going to be a great day. Today IS a GREAT day.
I am safe in the Universe. The Universe loves and supports me.
Thank you for providing, protecting and guiding me.
Thank you for inspiring me to be the best version of myself.

When you can catch your first thoughts in the morning and the last ones before bed, you set yourself up for all good things. By programming the subconscious in a very simple way, you can help all the wonder of the Universe unfold as is promised today.

Peace and joy are just a thought away.
Heaven is my choice for the mind today.

It's that simple. Just choose a thought that feels good.

Grass you can drink

As promised, here is my first installment on the benefits of grass.

Yes, you can drink grass and one of the most powerful, healing and nutritive is wheat grass. Often sold frozen in freshly pressed cubes or powdered, it has been a mainstay in holistic health and natural remedies for years.

It became popular due to Dr. Ann Wigmore, founder and educator of the Hippocrates Health Institute in Boston although it was first discovered in the 1930s by Charles Schnabel. Dr. Wigmore reported that "wheat grass therapy along with a diet rich in "living foods" helped eliminate cancerous growths along with many other disorders. Wheat grass is rich in chlorophyll.  The molecular structure of chlorophyll is similar to hemoglobin which is the oxygen-carrying protein of red blood cells." Because of the similarity, the body easily recognizes and absorbs it readily. The only difference between human hemoglobin and wheat grass juice is that hemoglobin has iron at the middle of its molecule while wheat grass has magnesium. Several small pilot studies have taken place and the efficacy of wheat grass is proving to be worth more research to the clinical community. You can read more about some of this work through the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

I've been drinking 'green water' for years. That's what my four year old calls it and I can tell you first hand, that it improves my mood, my digestion and increases my energy. Chlorophyll, an important component of wheat grass is liquid sunlight and oxygen just waiting to nourish your body.  It is definitely a vibration raising food.

Nature has a cure for most anything an "illusional"  mind can manifest. I say illusional, because it connotes that one has bought into the illusion that this reality is the only truth. Dis-illusion would be separation from the illusion of what many of us call reality. Dis-illusion may just be a glimpse of pure Faith. Trust that all is good and that the answers can be as simple as we choose.

Well, enough contemplation for now. Get some green water, drink it up and feel good!

(PS; I'm reading an awesome book called The Passion Test. I hope to share insight on it soon!)

Resources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheatgrass; Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A Balch

Image courtesy of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wheatgrass.jpg#filehistory

Licensed work under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0

Greener Grass

As I mentioned in my newsletter, green is the theme this month. I've been called to explore those laws of the Universe which we've taken for granted. The simple proverbs we heard growing up, "What goes around comes around; What goes up, must come down; The grass is always greener on the other side; The early bird catches the worm." Jesus and Buddha gave us more. One that comes to mind is, "As a man thinks, so he is."  These are simple truths to the guiding laws of the Universe.

The grass is always greener on the other side. The other side of what - a fence, a road? The idea is that we are looking away from ourselves thinking that what we have is substandard to what the other has. Everything we could possibly want is already within our grasp. What if there is no other side? What if the "Grass is always greener" is enough? Meaning it only gets better and better right where you are and the fence or the road is only your limiting belief system in the way of experiencing greater joy in life, right now?!
Something to contemplate.

I'll be writing about cereal grasses next week.  Grass you can actually eat that make life greener right where your standing!

Coffee with Tom

The house is full of relatives! My mother, aunt and cousin. More are on the way for the coming weekend. I've never had so many family in town all at the same time! It's great! They have many things in common, but the most obvious and consistent are coffee and wine. You can be giving birth or dying, running a 5K or sleeping all day, alone or with friends - the time is always right for either of these beverages. At least that's how it is in my family!

Today,  mom sent me out for a coffee. She wants to cut it out of her diet, but the more she pushes, the more the craving pushes back. So, what did I do? I'm a good daughter, I bought her the coffee at the local coffee shop up the street. This crazy thing happened as I walked through the door. I saw a man I thought I knew. I walked right up to him and said, "Tom?" He said, "Hello". It was not the Tom I knew. I apologized profusely, then he said, "My name is Tom. Nice to meet you." Something... someone was at work through me in that five minutes of embarrassment. I bought the coffee for mom, told Tom to have a great day and decided Tom must have needed a Hello that morning. The Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways. Even through coffee. It seems obvious now, anytime is the right time for whatever is happening at that exact moment.

Just like life, coffee has it's ups and it's downs. I love the smell, but can't touch the stuff. My brother, a RN, swears by it. Here are a few Pros and Cons to help you decide if it's time to cut back, try it out or banish it all together. By the way, next time you see Tom, say "Hi" for me.

Perks:
1. Alertness: Even in relatively low doses of 100 milligrams (the amount in about 8 ounces of ordinary brewed coffee), caffeine makes people more alert.
2. Mood: At 200 milligrams people report an improved sense of well-being, happiness, energy, alertness and sociability.
3. Concentration: Studies suggest that caffeine can help you perform a variety of cognitive tasks, such as recognizing visual patterns, more quickly.
4. Performance: Research shows if 3-9 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight is consumed one hour prior to exercise it increases endurance.
5. Reduce muscle pain: Stanley Segall, Ph.D., has found that caffeine might stimulate the release of B-endorphins and hormones that depress the sensation of pain or discomfort.

Quirks:
1. Cardiovascular Problems: Caffeine increases heart rate, elevates blood pressure and can contribute to the development of heart disease. Drinking both decaf and regular coffee may increase cholesterol and homocysteine, the biochemical that science has linked to increased risk for heart attack. Caffeine is also linked to coronary vasospasms. Coronary vasospasms cause 20% of all fatal heart attacks that kill otherwise perfectly healthy people.
2. Stress: Caffeine stimulates the excretion of stress hormones, which can produce increased levels of anxiety, irritability, muscular tension and pain, indigestion, insomnia and decreased immunity. Increased levels of stress can keep you from making healthy responses to normal daily stress.
3. Emotional Disturbances: Anxiety and irritability are hallmark mood disturbances associated with caffeine consumption, but equally important are depression and attention disorders. Depression may occur as part of the letdown after the stimulant effects of caffeine wear off. It may also appear during the recovery period after quitting caffeine while the brain's chemistry is readjusted. Rather than increasing mental activity, caffeine actually decreases blood flow to the brain by as much as 30% and negatively affects memory and mental performance.
4. Gastrointestinal Problems: Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid, which leads to an increased risk for ulcers. Coffee, including decaf, reduces pressure on the valve between the esophagus and the stomach so that the highly acidic contents of the stomach pass up to the esophagus, which can lead to heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux disease.
5. Adrenal Exhaustion: Caffeine consumption leads to eventual adrenal exhaustion, which can leave you vulnerable to a variety of health disorders related to inflammation and fatigue.

Resources: 
Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug by Stephen Cherniske.
Integrative Nutrition, 2009

Broken Bone Broth

Most of you know by now I have three boys. They all sleep in the same room. This means, of course, bunk beds. Things have been fine for over a year and when you look at the bunk beds and the guards that surround them, it would seem impossible anyone could fall out while sleeping. Guess again...

My four year old fell out in the middle of the night while sleeping. There is a little entrance over the ladder, about 15" wide and apparently he was able to move down to this opening and fall out in the middle of a sound sleep.What seems impossible actually is possible. I should know that by now.

For the next four days, he was tender with his arm, but could still use his hand. There was no swelling, no complaining and he was bumping it all over the place with no issue. It looked just like a bad sprain. Then comes Tuesday; he knocked it just right and fell apart crying. I called the doctor. Even the doctor, when examining him, didn't think there was a break, but sent him for an x-ray just to be safe. Imagine both of our reactions when we saw both bones in the arm were broken! So now, the four year old has a lime green cast and is more annoyed now than he was when he was walking around without one. This means no mud puddles, limited sand play and difficulty drawing tanks. All these things make life worth living to a four year old boy!

His annoyance has motivated me to assist the speed in the healing process. Prayer, Reiki and of course, nutrition. What food heals bones? Bone soup, of course!  Now, bone soup isn't just for broken bones. Everything about it is nourishing to the body and alkalizing to the blood. The ingredients are high in minerals which build bone and aid in digestion. It is extremely healing to the body in many ways - digestion, skin, illness, bones, colds - you name it.  Everyone can drink this broth and benefit.

This recipe is a compilation of  three recipes. Remember, my goal is to heal it as fast as possible.You can simplify and make just kombu, chicken, beef or fish broth on its own.  In this case, I'm making a power broth with both plant and animal sources of minerals. The concept of" like heals like" is being used through the use of the animal bone. One broken bone heals another. Nature is fascinating, isn't it?

Broken Bone Broth:
6 cups unfiltered water
Animal bones - a chicken carcass or beef bone (optional)
1 (4") square of Kombu seaweed
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 of an onion
3 chopped carrots
2 celery sticks

Directions:
Add all ingredients to water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 4 to 8 hours in crock pot or on the stove. Strain vegetables out to have a clear broth or eat as a soup. The kombu is tough to eat, so just put it aside to dry for use again later.

In the beginning, there were Sprouts...

We've been cleaning the yard for the past month. I swear, raking leaves in the South is what shoveling snow is to the North. I've lived in both places and can attest! Any way, I digress. Part of cleaning the yard includes getting the planting beds ready. This week my 4yr old and I dumped some dirt into the garden beds and what did we find? Sprouts!

There growing amidst the rocks and dirt were some actual plants we did not intentionally plant! We have been throwing our plant based food scraps in it all winter as a way of composting. Something sprouted. It's a little early to tell what it is, exactly, but we are guessing some type of squash or potato.

Sprouts of all varieties contain the building blocks of life in the form of vitamins, enzymes, amino acids and simple sugars. In their early growth state, sprouts are very easy to digest, allowing our bodies to access many wonderful nutrients. Recent research by the American Cancer Society has backed what holistic nutrition has known for years: that sprouts contain anti-cancer properties, high levels of active antioxidants, concentrated amounts of phytochemicals and significant amounts of vitamins A, C and D.

In their raw form, sprouts have a cooling effect on the body, and therefore are best consumed in warm weather or by robust, warm body types. Those who tend to feel cool can try steaming spouts or adding them to warm dishes such as stir-fries and soups, to reduce the cooling effect. There is a wide variety of edible and delicious sprouts, each with a different texture and flavor: alfalfa, mung bean, lentil, radish, clover, sunflower, broccoli, garbanzo and adzuki.

You can serve up sprouts by:
· Adding them to salads.
· Combining with other vegetables in wraps, roll-ups or stir-fries.
· Using as garnish on top of soups, stews, omelets or scrambled eggs.
· Adding them to rice or whole-grain dishes.
· Using in sandwiches instead of lettuce.

I'm reminded of the natural order of life and how what seems inconsequential, really does have a ripple affect. Nature knows what to do with scraps of food thrown in the dirt. God has designed all of this perfectly. It's fascinating to see how we've become a part of the food chain, the natural circle of life - all right here in suburbia!

The End

As I was driving home from a preschool prayer service, it became clear to me.  The priest said you get back 10 times what you give out. So simple. That's the law of attraction.  If it doesn't feel good or gives you anxiety, chances are you don't belong there - aka:" It's not part of your path".  Choose to think about the next logical step that feels good to you and that is your path.

It's time to let go. To hear the voice of God is to hear your own voice.  To honor God is to trust and follow your feelings.

I'm 16 days into His 40 days in the desert and I think my early mid-life crisis has come to an end. I feel myself taking another leap of faith, unsure of where He is leading me, but knowing it is better than I could imagine. I trust that what comes is only good and I'm excited for it!

I know who I am. I am complete.

So are you.

Be Real: Once Upon a Time...

Once upon a time there was a prince who loved a princess. The prince could fix and build all things mechanical, especially vehicles. The princess loved this aspect of him and decided although he may not ride a white horse, he could certainly build one and would keep her safe forever. They lived happily ever after.

Until, the prince called her from work one day and said, "You've got to stop giving me those vitamins. They are making me throw up." To which she replied, "You threw up? How many times and how often does this happen?" He answered, "Just today after lunch."  "So, where did you eat?" she asked. "I had tacos. That doesn't matter, it's the vitamins." he said.  "Really? You've been taking these vitamins for months without a problem, and you decide that today they make you sick. I give you the vitamins because you've been eating like crap and I'm keeping you alive." she answered in an innocently sarcastic tone. "Just stop giving them to me," he stated.  As she tried to control her laughter, she said, "Fine" and they hung up.

All seemed to be well in the kingdom for a while. The prince did not throw up again. The princess stopped giving him anything remotely healthy like vitamins and left it all up to him. She thought, "It's his body, he knows better than anyone else what's good or bad. Who am I to judge."  She made peace with it and gave up the need to control the situation. If any of you know the princess, you also know what a huge accomplishment that was!

Two weeks had passed and the princess was making breakfast for the three little princes before school. She sent the eldest upstairs to wake their father for work. When he returned he spoke, "Father is not attending work this day because he says he feels ill."  The princess ran upstairs to inquire as to how she could assist, "What do you mean you are not going to work? What did you do? What's the matter?"  Then, she saw it.  It was beautiful, shiny and glaringly obvious. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds? No, it was black as life - it was his eye. "WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT?!" she inquired gently as she patted him firmly on the buttocks. (aka - Smacked him you know where.) He replied, "A ratchet drill lodged, backed up and hit my eye. I'm taking the day off. I don't feel good. My throat is scratchy."

So, the prince took the day off to recouperate. He seemed to be improving, especially at lunch time and he suggested going out to dine. Of course we had to celebrate his improved health! He really celebrated. He enjoyed two of the biggest cookies known to man from a French bakery in town. All seemed to go well and the princess expected he would go to work the next day and be fine. The next day came and he was not fine. He was worse. "That's it!" she thought, "I've kept my opinions to myself for far too long. He had to learn the hard way, but now he's metaphysically throwing up and dragging us into it."  As gently as she could, she approached him after the children were off to school. These matters are delicate, especially with a prince of his stature and she wanted to be sure to pay him the respect he was due.

This is what she said, "Have you had enough yet? This is bullsh*t! You call me from work two weeks agoa and tell me the healthy stuff I give you is making you sick while you eat crap. You come home with a black eye and celebrate the next day with cookies and eating out. Today you are worse off that you were before! Have you learned anything yet? Am I the only one who sees what's going on?! You are dragging us down and I won't have any of it. For the love of your kids, make some healthy choices right now!" She later thought that perhaps tact would have been helpful along with a gentle delivery. Ah, but what is done is done. She was in control now and ran with it. He abdicated to her will because of his weakened condition. And, in doing so, he healed himself within 24 hours.

How, do you ask did he heal? She juiced every sort of green vegetable she could find and made him drink it all day. She used kale, zucchini, celery, apples, lemons and ginger. She used the dreaded vitamins on him. All matter of mystical was used as well. He succomed to this thing she calls Reiki.

The story has a happy ending. He went to work the next day and showed off his black eye with great enthusiasm and continues to drink green juice every morning with little complaint. His boss is sending him to Las Vegas for a business trip. He has new life, vigor and renewed passion for all. His attitude has improved dramatically and he feels good. In fact, he suggested they renovate the kitchen.

Miracles do happen. The princess is looking a granite...

Be Real: Stop Searching

I think we are all at a point now that we understand we are what we eat. We are what we watch on TV, read in a book, sport we participate in - all of it.  God made us so perfect we couldn't see ourselves, so the gift of projection was given.  We see ourselves everywhere around us.  It's pretty cool, that is until you see something you don't like. 

I'm continually amazed at the power of food and how it can change a person's perception in life. The most basic, elemental building blocks of life begin with what we put in our mouths. Feel crappy? Look at what you're eating.  It's projecting how you are feeling right back at you. Feel good?  Make a note of it because it is likely in harmony with who you really are. God, or Source Energy, can speak to us in many ways including through others, through our feelings and through our food. 

In my experience, there are three basic requirements for good health - eat, sleep and move.  It's pretty simple, really.  If any one of these is deficient, you'll feel out of alignment or disconnected or just plain ol' bad.  The triangle is the strongest shape in existence. There is power in 3's. An old friend once told me you can have anything you want in this world and it can be good, fast or cheap, but you can only have two of them at a time. It can be good and fast, but it won't be cheap. It can be fast and cheap, but it won't be good. You get the picture. That may hold true for this world, but what about Spirit?  The same premise translates into eat, sleep and move. Yet, there are three items you can have AT THE SAME TIME. You MUST have all three at the same time to experience balance. A deficiency in any one area will leave the triangle weak. If you're feeling crappy, look at one of those areas and determine what you can shore up. The magical part here is that you don't have to look to anyone or circumstances around you to do this.  All you have to do, is look at yourself. ( Hmmm, here's a quick observation - when you can have three things at the same time, does that mean it is in alignment?  I think of the trinity, signs coming in three's and the fact that my friend's statement holds true for this world, not the other.  Just a thought.)

So often we fall into defining ourselves by the projections in our lives. By looking outside of ourselves.  If others respond positively to us and our actions, then we are 'good'.  If not, then, we are 'bad'.  How about the law of attraction?  If we attract what we define as 'good' then we are in alignment. But if we attract what we define as 'bad', then we are out of alignment. What if you were able to look into yourself using the triad mentioned above to determine yourself what is good or bad based on how you FEEL?  What if you could look inside for your own projections and not to the people or circumstances around you?  Check in with your own thoughts; how they feel is an indication of where they originate.

If you feel good, the Universe will deliver more for you to feel good about because your perceptions are clear. If you feel bad, and choose to perpetuate it, the Universe will deliver confirmation that life is bad. Here's the kicker, you ARE the Universe. Your perception is the Universe. Use the eat, sleep, move triad as a tool to shift your interpretation of life, to understand it or to just feel better . 

Here's a story called "Little Fish" by Anthony de Mello:
    "Excuse me," said an ocean fish. "You are older than I, so can you tell me where to find this thing they call the ocean?"
    "The ocean," said the older fish, "is the thing you are in now."
    "Oh, this? But this is water. What I'm seeking is the ocean," said the disappointed fish as he swam away to search elsewhere.

The message is this, "Stop searching, little fish. There isn't anything to look for.  All you have to do is look."

Eat Real: Cascade of Chocolate Chips

I've been partaking of chocolate chips.  Not just a few here and there, but a few here, here and here and there, there and there... and there.  I asked myself, "Why?"  What exactly has prompted me to loose self control?  Why chocolate chips?  Hmmm... there definitely is a pattern here. That's why you haven't heard from me for 2 weeks. I've been investigating the reason behind the chocolate chips. They sure are cute little bits of love, aren't they?

Logically, I know that sugar elicits a dopamine response in the brain. A feel good chemical. I also know that a chocolate craving is a nutritional cry for magnesium, a relaxing mineral. So, why do I need to feel good and relax? It's not like I have an extremely stressful life. However, the fight or flight response was definitely taking place, yet at a very subtle level.  It was occurring at the THOUGHT level. My thoughts were paranoid, uneasy, upsetting and generally just making me feel bad. As I thought of certain people and situations, my whole body would tense up. I tried over and over again to justify the thoughts, understand them and look at the situation and circumstances with 'rose colored' glasses. The fact of the matter is, the situation I've been in just didn't feel good and my thoughts were telling me so. I ignored the thoughts, which filtered down into my body and this body of mine was looking for alignment, hence the chocolate chips. The body always tells the truth. After a while the habitual process of feeling bad begins to feel normal. Without the external signs of these chocolate chips and the numbers on the scale moving up, I might have been able to go on operating at this new baseline removed from alignment from Source. I might have been able to justify that I really felt fine, when in fact I didn't.

You can tell from my posts of late that I've been in a learning opportunity. Well, finally, I've recognized that I've learned all I need to know about these people and the circumstances. I've learned that it's not so much about saying good-bye to them as it is being firm with the boundaries of my position. God has asked me to do one thing and one thing only, yet I let others add to my general job description. Initially, I felt good. I was 'helping' and making a difference. The initial feelings of fame and glory because of the approval of others wore off quickly and I was left feeling 'bad'. My perception shifted from alignment of ease to alignment with dis-ease. Why?  Because this was what the ego, the mind would have me do, not GOD.  I firmly believe that when Jesus went into the desert for 40 days, he was not grappling with the figure of the devil as much as he was grappling with the trappings of the mind. The figure of the devil is easy to identify. Although, it is just a thought form generated by the mind. The struggle was just as much internal as external. Would we subscribe to the opinions of others for approval, an external sign that we are in alignment, or would we subscribe to how we feel?

If someone or something feels bad in any way shape or form, the test is not to ignore it, justify it or force the perception to be rose colored, but to RECOGNIZE it, accept it, and RELEASE it. This means that you feel the 'badness', you accept that it is what it is and then you can choose to 'read the sign' from the Universe that you don't belong here and release it. You can look at the truth of the situation or person and decide how you want to play in this scene. You can do what I did and allow the mind to be the master of my existence and play along in the sickness until I lost myself. When one's boundaries are weak, when the lines seem fuzzy, it is easy to loose oneself. Or, you can see it/them for what they are or what it is and just choose not to step in the sh*t. My mind had me believing I was 'saving everyone' when in fact, all I can do is save myself.  That's all anyone can do. One could say, "Oh, Roberta! It's just your perspective that is wrong. Change your perspective and change your life." True, so true. That was me talking to myself. I tried that and guess what, it still didn't work. My compassion grew, my love and understanding grew and so did my affinity for chocolate chips!  It wasn't until I stepped away and disentagled myself was I able to view it all with compassion.  Again, a sign of where I need to be.

It's been months since I've experienced any kind of back pain and this week I felt it.  There it was, my old friend yelling at me to wake up and pay attention!  My boundaries had become fuzzy. I had taken on responsibilities that were not mine. All of a sudden, exercise took a back seat.  There wasn't enough time to make a good meal, so I grabbed what was available. There wasn't enough time to talk to my kids because I had an important phone call or email to answer.  The back pain, my old friend, was there to remind me how far off center I had come. 

A dear friend gave me a CD called "Getting into the Vortex".  The meditation, over and over again states that you are aligned with Source. It brought me back to myself. It showed me I was under the illusion of the mind and not led by the heart. The heart is the master and when the heart leads, it feels good. Life is filled with joy and unconditional love. When the mind leads, it can feel good initially, but becomes empty very quickly and the body seeks the 'feel good' in any way it can.  In my case - chocolate chips were the answer.

Now, I wonder... How many of us are sick, in pain or overweight because we are trying to do and be something we are not, all to appease the mind's empty promises of fame and fortune?  How many of us feel 'bad' because we are doing what others would have us do instead of what God would ask of us?  How many of us are looking for the feel good, the alignment, the love and finding it in all the wrong places? I love fame and fortune, but not at the expense of my health. You see, when you are in alignment with God's Will for you, you can have it all without the expense of anything. If there is expense, there is mis-alignment. 

Last night I raked leaves and pulled weeds in the light of the full moon and felt totally aligned with Source.  I felt REALLY GOOD.  There were no clever emails, strategies or designs. There was no occasion to dress up and be seen. There's no fame and fortune in weeds and leaves, but the feeling of alignment was worth more than all the money in the world. Peace, pure peace. And, I didn't eat one chocolate chip!

Be Real: Holy, Holey, Wholey

I remember taking a philosophy class in college and contemplating man's existence.  I remember a high school teacher making us read Jean Paul Sartre and studying Existentialism. I remember my dad living everyday as if it were his last.  We would joke that he did everything to get into Heaven.  Something you might attribute to  a Saint.  Today I am reading about the Saints and how we are all called to be one.

There has been this idea that being Holy is completely out of reach and only for a chosen few.  St. Ignatius has been teaching me that this is a misunderstood concept.  He teaches that to be Holy is to be Whole.  To practice Spirituality in the everyday moments of life.  In this way, you see God, or Divinity in all that you do.  You become One with the Universe. One with Creation. You are Whole.

Have you ever stopped to really read the lives of any of the Saints?  From a practical perspective, they were really messed up individuals!  Think about it.  There is St. Ignatius who was rich and gave up the cushy life to live simply.  How about Saint Joan of Arc, a teenager who led an army into battle because St. Catherine (who was already dead) told her to.  Saint Francis would be considered crazy because he spoke to animals.  With this track record, who would want to be called a Saint?  I think this is where it gets interesting.

Every Saint I've read about has had Holes in their Holiness and in their lives, which would lead one to believe they were not Whole at all.  Nothing about them makes any sense or gives one any indication of being a totally balanced individual.  In this way, we are all Saints.  We are all called to plug the Holes with God, yet because of our humanity, that is near impossible.  We are taught that Jesus and Buddha did it.  I'm sure there is a list of Masters that have done it.  And, then, there is us.  What if these Masters are Masters because they saw their own holes, their own humanity and made peace with it?

What if crazy is the criteria for Sainthood?  For salvation? We are spending so much time following the rules, the norms, the expectations of others... What if to be a Saint means doing what you want, what you think, saying it, living it and knowing it's God?

What if we are Holy because of our Holes?  Our humanity.  What if Whole means to be a Hole in which All of Creation fills you?  

Are you WHoley?

Be Real: Stop Holding On!

It just hit me today after a call with a friend. I've been holding on way to tight to a situation and letting the people and the circumstances define me.  My ego had fallen into the all important trap of being 'needed', of being 'important'.  Oh, it's so subtle how the infection spreads.  It's viral.

The small quiet voice of "This isn't right" kept coming up.  I felt uncomfortable and couldn't justify it.  I saw myself slipping into thought processes that were extremely negative.  The wake up call came when I stopped being in the place of observation and started taking things personally. The dis-ease of  the group consciousness had infiltrated.  Feelings of disappointment, disgust, anger, frustration and isolation were taking hold.  I was feeling victimized and judging another for their 'power trip'.  Now I see, I don't have to participate.  It's simple - just give it up and let it go.  I don't need to define myself this way. 

Those feelings are all SIGNS.  Are they my typically way of existing? No. In order for me to stay within integrity and honor my value system, it means saying good-bye to the less than honorable system I've been a part of.  If your intention is not in alignment with the intention of the leaders to which you follow, or group you are in, you may view them and their motives as 'bad'.  I recognize that my values do not match theirs and therefore it would be better to let it go so that I can allow Creation in.  It may mean saying good-bye to the institution itself, but that still remains to be seen.  For now, the delicate removal of entanglement with dis-ease has begun. 

For the past two days, I kept hearing, "Let it go."  But, being ever so slightly dense these past two weeks, I didn't get it.  Now I KNOW.  It's time for ME to let go, to stop holding on. What, you ask, am I letting go of?  I'm letting go of the head trip I've been in,  the definition of myself through a clouded, unhealthy, fearful projection of  peers; worry, anxiety, the perceived need to be a part of this group and drama.  Oh God, am I letting go of drama!  I'm letting go of depriving myself of the joy that is right in front of me.  Does any of this sound familiar to you?  When looking in the mirror, I almost didn't recognize myself.  The changes have been so subtle and delicate that it would be easy to let it all take hold.

When I check in with myself, I can see that this is not what I signed up for.  Although, it's been a great learning experience, it's time for me to honor the actual limits of my position and release what is not mine.  How often do we start to feel responsible for others?  We want the inside scoop to feel the power of the secrets we hold.  This incessant need to be needed, to be defined, to feel important - when all of those definitions keep us separate from joy.  As the process of disentanglement has begun and I can feel the cords of attachment slipping away.  I can feel the peace of my true self rising to the surface.

I read recently that, "You are not the Messiah. It's not your job to save anyone."  It's true.  People are going to do what they do and think what they think.  All I can do - any of us can do is be true to ourselves.  TRUST that it's all good and it will all work out. 

After letting go, I feel about 20lbs lighter.. Wonder if the scale will agree with me!

Be Real: Schooling...

I know the blog is titled Eat Real - be Real and I know most of the posts as of late have nothing to do with food that actually goes in our mouths. If you can't already tell, I'm definitely in a place of contemplation, addressing the spiritual nourishment of the human. Discerning what actually feeds my soul and what doesn't. Permit me this contemplative meditation...

The great spiritual teachers have said, "If you want to see how spiritually enlightened you are, visit your family!" I'd like to one up them - "If you want to see how spiritually enlightened you are, become part of the PTO at your kids school." PTO stands for parent teacher organization. When I was asked to join, I had no idea the 'schooling' I would get into the psyche of  group consciousness or the truth of who I really am. What a freaking, wild ride!

I've learned so many truths that have given me the opportunity to grow in compassion, practice neutrality or indifference, and become exceptionally clear about who I am and what my value system is.  I've learned to love without judgment and have grown in compassion because of it.  We all want the truth, right?  And the truth is, most of us can't handle the truth.  Cliche, I know.  Truth is not pretty and, it changes moment to moment.  Sometimes the truth is in the silence and sometimes the noise. Truth and honesty are often skewed by ones own perceptions.  And, depending on the mental and physical health of the individual, those perceptions can be unhealthy.  And, yet, as a cog in the wheel of an organization, one can feel as if they are dangling out there alone.  I know at times, I've felt that way. Do I follow popular opinion, blindly?  It sure would be the easy thing to do. Or, do I allow myself to really see the truth and honor my integrity? There are no victims and no reason to choose sides.

All I can do is decide what aligns with my value system and focus my attention on that.  Honoring my value system, my perspective and my truth means being in alignment with God.  Here's the kicker, the people who I don't agree with may also be honoring these exact same things!  Which means they are in total alignment with God also!  And, yet, how can that be?!  They are wrong and I am right. Right?  No. Again, to accept the wrong/right argument means slipping into unconsciousness.  There is no wrong or right.  There are no sides to choose. The only path to choose is being in alignment with my own value system.  My own integrity.  And, of course, to trust God to deliver the best and highest good.

If we feel the wrong/right scenario, it only means that the individuals in question are not in alignment with each other.  There is resistance.  Resistance has the potential to create problems.  Problems have the potential to create drama.  Drama has the potential to elicit emotional reactions instead of conscious response or a learning opportunity.  Ever hear the saying? "You can't find the solution at the level of the problem. You must rise above the problem in order to offer a solution."  Problems are perceptions of right/wrong, resistance is observation of non-aligned value systems.  So what is one to do?  The only answer I've found is to respond in a conscious state.  Avoid reaction.  And, in order to do this, one must be indifferent to the outcome.  One must be neutral.  This means, you are not seeking approval, inclusion, or acceptance.  You are not judging, but discerning with detachment.  You are really O.K. with the worst case scenario your beautiful ego can come up with and are able to dismiss that vision of fear easily.  You are without emotional attachment.  Tall order, huh?  This, my guess would be, is true Christ consciousness.  

Here is a quote from one of my favorite teachers:
Our Varied Behavior Adds to the Planet's Well-Being... When you remember that nothing can come into your experience without your Vibrational invitation of it, then you do the simple work of paying attention to your own Vibrational offering, and you save yourself the enormous and impossible task of controlling the behavior of others. When you remember that the varied behavior of others adds to the balance and the Well-Being of your planet even if they offer behavior that you do not approve of; and that you do not have to participate in the unwanted behavior, and will not - unless you give your attention to it - you become more willing to allow others to live as they choose. Abraham Hicks

We are all works in progress at different places on the scale of consciousness, if such a thing exists.  What have I learned in all of this?
1. You don't need approval from others to justify your own value system.  You may be the minority and that's ok.
2. Recognize your place in the 'play' and act humbly.  Be who you are as you are.
3. Constantly question and check in with your value system.  Does this feel right or is there a small, quiet thread of consciousness trying to peek through?  Question conformity in any form, whether it seems dignified or not.  Group consciousness has many forms.
4. When part of an organization, it is very easy to get swept up in the tide of popular mentality or the consciousness of the group. Choose carefully. Refer to #3.
5. Don't take things personally.  When you do, you are taking on the dis-ease of others and internalizing it as your own.
6. You can be JOYFUL at anytime regardless of people or circumstances.  So, do it!!
7. Sing really loud in the car. I like singing "On top of Spaghetti...".  Something about that meatball is so freeing. :)

And, as I leave you to begin breakfast for the kids, my father's words are speaking in my head..."Do what you want and screw the rest."  Eloquent, no.  Incredibly honest and simple, yes. 

Thank you PTO. Dare I say it, but I've found my voice. The voice of God. 

Be Real: In the Moment

As I was enjoying a 'snow day' with the kids and coloring with my 4 year old at the kitchen table, it came to me - how to be in the moment. 

I watched him become one with the crayon and put his whole heart and soul into coloring the picture on the page.  His only concern was coloring.  The child was not thinking about what has past or what was to come, he was completely immersed in the moment.  Occasionally, he told me we would switch pages and I would color with him.  I could be folding laundry, doing dishes, vacuuming, but no, I'm coloring.

Here I am, holding the crayon and actually staying inside the lines and something amazing happened.  I came into the moment.  Nothing behind me, nothing ahead of me, just right now.  It brought me to a Zen moment and the feeling that all really is O.K. 

It's been a month of letting go.  Watching people die, watching friendships end, watching institutions adjust.  Don't mean to sound depressing here, but in all honesty, it has been a bit too much at times.  As I watch all of this happen and pray for God to have me serve in the best way possible, it's come to me that maybe all I am to do is watch.  It seemed the more I push to help or pray for salvation, the more the Universe seems to push back.  The more I justify, try to understand or create explanations, the more I hurt.  So, in that moment of coloring, I decided to let it all go - to bless it all and release it to the Holy Spirit.  None of it is mine to fix or solve.  None of it is mine and yet I am a part of it. For what reason, has yet to be revealed, or perhaps I will never know.  Everything is as it should be.  It is in Divine Order.  Trust.

The test and yes, it has felt like a test, has been to continue to allow Unconditional Love to flow through me regardless of what I see, feel or hear without defense, without the need to participate or feel I have to disengage or separate from the people or the situations.  The challenge has been not to perceive any of it as a challenge, yet use it to gain clarity into what I choose for my life.  What I let in and what I let go. Just like choosing which page to color in the book, which color to choose for the picture and how much pressure to exert on the crayon - all of these experiences have been like coloring a picture.

Choosing involves letting go of what doesn't serve anymore.  Choosing involves moving towards what gives energy or and joy.  A deep 'let go' is happening.  Letting go of what is done and letting go of what is to come next.  The intentions is always for health, wealth, joy, peace and wisdom.  Whatever the next page looks like, I know that it will include each of those five qualities.

Trust that the picture will be a beautiful page to color and let go of what is done.

Be Real: Having All the Answers

It's become glaringly obvious to me as of late that we each hold the answers to all of our questions within ourselves. 

The only thing that seems to stop us from listening to the truth, we each hold within, is fear.  I've done a number of intuitive readings as of late and they don't fit the typical, "Here's what I see and what They have to tell you" format.  It's been more questions and guidance in allowing the client to reveal their own answers to themselves. 

For example, if you keep saying your frustrated, angry or upset in a certain situation, it probably means the situation is draining your rather than feeding you.  This doesn't mean giving up, it means changing perspective. Ask yourself - What do you have to gain in this relationship, What are the boundaries you set up around it, Does it bring you joy or Is it a means to an end, Do you have a savior complex, Do you want approval?  Detached discernment or on-judgment is all that is needed.  First, look at the facts, then, see how you feel and make a decision that is both logical and feeling based. Can you see the picture or the vision of the outcome? 

If you can still yourself for 15 minutes and pay attention to your body, you can feel almost immediately what situations feed you and what doesn't.  You might feel tense or tight, you may be ruminating over and over again in your head about whether you should or shouldn't do something.  So many of us have been conditioned to second guess ourselves, doubt our own intuitive nature or succumb to someone else's authority. What if you were the only authority?  What if what you thought was the right course of action?  What if you were the only one who saw the truth and everyone else around you was still in the grip of fear?  You can still trust yourself.  Check in with your body.  You don't have to know why you know what you know, you can just feel it and trust it.

I'm always amazed at my husband's ability to just make a decision.  He doesn't go round and round about anything.  He just says no or yes.  He doesn't explain himself either.  As his wife, this can be incredibly frustrating!  He doesn't get emotionally caught up in any decision or any action others take.  He only does what he wants and what feels right to him without the NEED to explain it to himself or others.  As I've grown to understand myself more over the past 3 years, I've come to see this is where we all aspire to be.  To be completely confident in who and what we are, without excuses. to be our TRUTH, our authentic self.  It really doesn't matter if we are dead wrong, the fact that we hold fast to our value system and stay within our integrity is all that does matter.  The Ten Commandments keep us honest - Thou shalt not steal, kill, etc...

Ever notice that people gravitate to the most confident person in the room?  That energy, that belief in oneself regardless of 'better judgment' is what we are attracted to.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to trust our better judgment without explaining it?  Wouldn't it be wonderful to just create a story, a stance, a perspective and stick to it?  Wouldn't it be wonderful to follow the feeling of joy rather than feeling we have to learn lessons the hard way?

We are, after all, the witness of our experience.  We do not have to define ourselves through how others see us, but how we choose to see ourselves.   Pay attention to what the Universe has to show you, where it leads you and the energy you feel within yourself. 

The signs are all around us, all the time!  Pay attention, watch and trust yourself.

Eat Real: Bee Pollen

Happy New Year!

You've read enough of my posts to know that my parents, particularly my dad, could be a little eccentric. One of his favorite hobbies was bee keeping. He had become obsessed with the art of keeping bees, making honey and all the other excitement that comes with keeping bees in the backyard. He actually believed, or perhaps he had proof, that a bee sting can help arthritis. I have no proof to corroborate his belief, but it worked for him. I grew up hearing that bee pollen was good for you, although we never ate it. I grew up hearing a lot about folk foods. Now, I have the chance to try them for myself and bee pollen has been at the top of the list. With the kids on break, we've had time to experiment. Yes, my family, my body - all of it is an experiment. We've tried bee propolis, raw honey and now pollen. (This is tame compared to what we've tried out!)

It can take one bee working eight hours a day for one month to gather 1 teaspoon of pollen pellets. This teaspoon contains over 2.5 billion grains of flower pollen full of micronutrients, trace elements, minerals and antioxidants. The pollen is for the young bees and is almost 40 percent protein. The pellets we humans eat, are actually crumbs that fall to the bottom of the tray in a hive. Almost half of its protein is in the form of free amino acids, which means easy assimilation at the cellular level. This highly available protein can contribute significantly to the body’s demand for protein.

Numerous studies have been done through out the years proving the clinical effectiveness of bee pollen in treating infection, cancer, cholesterol and longevity. Time after time, the control group who was taking the pollen ALWAYS improved!

A few benefits of bee pollen are:
Pollen is made up of  96 known nutrients.
It is a rich dietary source of zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron.
Provides increased intellectual capacity.
More amino acids than beef, eggs or cheese of equal weight.
Skin rejuvenation.
Weight regulation for your normal level. Bee pollen quickens metabolic responses. It accelerates thermogenesis (calorie-burning activity).

Here are a few notable quotes:
“Honeybee pollen is the richest source of vitamins found in Nature in a single food. Even if bee pollen had none of its other vital ingredients, it’s content of rutin alone would justify taking at least a teaspoon daily, if for no other reason than strengthening the capillaries. Pollen is extremely rich in rutin and may have the highest content of any source, plus it provides a high content of the nucleics RNA [ribonucleic acid] and DNA [deoxyribonucleic acid].” - Institute of Apiculture, Taranov, Russia

"Bee pollen contains an active anticancer element that has the power to slow the development of mammary tumors. Tumor growth increased in subjects in the control group not given it.” - Dr. William Robinson

“Bee pollen provides an increased resistance to infection. It is a giant germ killer in whose presence bacteria simply cannot exist.” - British scientist Dr. G.J. Binding

Many cultures around the world use bee pollen for extending life, increasing longevity, improving endurance,  intestinal strength and building new blood. There is continued research that indicates the effectiveness of bee food and, for that matter, all of nature's food as the best medicine available.

As of April, 2010 the world's bee population has declined steadily since 2006. The world needs pollinators to produce our human food supply. Without the bees, plants don't pollinate and food doesn't grow. The main culprit seems to be use of pesticides. The article that explains this reasoning in detail is located here.

The more in touch we become with nature, the closer we come to understanding the truth of our existence.