12.22.2008

Green.... breakfast shakes!

I have been wanting to get more fresh, nutritious goods into my girls. I do think we eat pretty healthy but we lack a bit in the fresh fruit/veggie area at times. I can only stuff in so many baby carrots and cutie oranges before I get resistance. hehe So I've been looking for ideas.

A family member has been juicing a lot which I'm sure is good but tossing all the pulp and "leftovers" of the juicing process just seems... like a waste to me. A few weeks ago the alternative health forum I visit started to have a weekly fasting day. One of them mentioned blending up fresh fruit to have on that day.

A little light bulb shown brightly... this would be a great way to incorporate more fresh stuff in our diet! I set out to find great recipes but didn't find much. I did come across this little book you can buy in download format called Superfood Smoothies. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for but it did point me in the right direction and give me some good ideas. I also remembered a blog post from one of my favorite musicians, Jason Mraz, which gave me some ideas too. (Caution~ half naked man with a big knife in that blog post! lol)

With a few ideas in mind I headed to the store to browse the produce section with a new mission. We tried some out and the girls LOVE it! Breakfast shakes are what they ask for if breakfast is even mentioned. They do look a bit.. interesting.. but they really are good! Here is a list of the things I have added at one time or another:
bananas (this one is essential)
spinach (this has been in all of them)
carrots (this has also been in all of them)
cutie oranges
blueberries
cranberries
mango
pineapple
kiwi
walnuts or any nuts (gives a yummy hearty texture)
agave nectar (for a touch of sweetness if using tart ingredients)

I got a cucumber to add but chickened out and didn't try it. I plan on trying some other greens and powdered "super greens" sometime. It's fun to experiment and see what different things will taste like. If it doesn't have banana, it does taste a little off. Too much cranberry makes it too tart. Somewhere I saw to add a pinch of salt if it tastes flat... do not add too much or it will be nasty! I have also been adding some Grapefruit Seed Extract to boost immune system. Here is a pic of one which is my favorite (includes carrots, spinach, banana, cutie oranges, cranberries, walnuts)

Seriously, it tastes good! And its good for you! Try it! :)

11.20.2008

Reiki and my girlies.


It is so fun to me to see the effects of Reiki! I need to incorporate it more into my daily life because I truly think it has the potential to wonderful things! My scattered mind just doesn't always remember to do it.

The other day, Sunshine came running down the hallway right before bed time and accidentally plowed into Clover, knocking her flat on the floor. Clover was very upset about being plowed down and seemed to have some whiplash. Her neck was hurting and she was crying. By this time, my sensitive Sunshine was distraught over having hurt her little sis. I did a little massage on Clover's neck and decided to try some Reiki too. As soon as I started it, she stopped and looked at me with a slightly surprised look, got very still and just relaxed. After a short while I stopped. She looked happy and said it felt better.

So I tried to get them into bed but Sunshine was still upset for hurting her sister even tho it all was fine. So I cuddled up with her. She seemed to be inconsolable. So I tried Reiki on her too. To my amazement, she settled right down. After a little while she did start crying again so I repeated it but after the second time she felt much better and went to sleep. Her compassion for others is such a beautiful thing!

Sunshine and Clover have seen me doing Reiki on J. Now if I am rubbing his back, they will come put their hands on him and say "I'm healing daddy's back!" What little sweeties!

11.16.2008

quotes.1

I love to take positive quotes and turn them into tiny pieces of art. What better place to share some than right here. :)





11.05.2008

The power of thought and action

I found this while I was surfing around MySpace and thought it was quite interesting. Something to keep in mind as we go through out days. The power of the mind!


"As I have mentioned so many times before your words, thoughts, emotions have such an impact in your life which is why you must be conscious of what you are saying, thinking and feeling. Your emotions have a strong vibratory effect in life. If you are a singer or actor you must always find a balance. Have you ever heard of any artist or actor that is living out in their personal lives what they sing about or a role from their films? Well I have, some examples are Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Christian Bale, Will Smith, Heather O'Rourke, Heath Ledger, Kane West, Steve Irwin, Gloria Trevi, Amy Poehler, Jennifer Lopez.


Let me explain, Tupac and Biggie sang about violence and they both died violently. Christian Bale was in trouble with the authorities in his film and then it happened in his personal life. Heather O'Rourke acted in films about being taken to the other side, she passed away at a very tender age. Heath Ledger played a very dark role in his last film, he ended in a very dark place at the end of his life. Steve Irwin according to his wife in an interview with Larry King would state after every new experience in the wild something to the fact of "I can die and go to heaven I have experienced it all now". Steven Irwin died doing what he loved best, exploring the wild. Gloria Trevi had a popular Cd called "What am I doing here" with a hit single called Dr. Psiquiatra. Years later she mirrored some of what she sang in this particular album in her life. Will Smith and Kane West sing songs about money, fame and success, they have attained it. Amy Poeler played a woman who pretended to be pregnant and then was surprised to become pregnant in the film "Baby Mama". By the time the film was released Amy was pregnant (last spring) and recently gave birth to a baby boy. Jennifer Lopez played a role of a singer and shortly after the film "Selena" she crossed over from actress to singer. And the example goes on and on.


It is amazing how our surroundings have an impact in our lives as well.

This past summer I visited a friend one afternoon. We were chatting and she mentioned how she has been alone without a partner for many years and could not understand why. As I looked up at all the beautiful frames and figurines in her living room I noticed they were all of women by themselves. There was not one picture of a couple or of a man. I suggested to her that she needed to have a balance in her home and more pics and figurines of men and couples together. She was shocked because she never noticed that or realized how there would be a connection between what she was going through and her décor. Once she made some minor changes in her home she told me that a couple of men flirted with her which is something that she had never experienced in her life.

You must always have a balance because if you do not it will have an impact in your life. There are certain life events you must go through and there are others that you can create for yourself. Whether you realize it or not everyday you are creating an experience in your life so try to make it a good and harmonious one.

Remember to Reset your Mindset and Believe!" -http://www.myspace.com/claritybringsserenity

11.02.2008

Representation of me

I belong to a small alternative healing community. The owner posted a "getting to know you" thread. She posted 15-18 unique photos and asked "Which of the photos posted shows you to yourself and why."

This is what I picked and why:

He is in the process of transformation. He is in a dark, dirty room but he is barefoot which tells me he is comfortable here. He is looking out the window to bright new possibilities waiting for him and finally has taken that first step to go beyond the familiar and find what his heart is really desiring. He is wearing a cross necklace, showing he has ties to Christianity but he is progressing beyond that into life full of freedom (like the butterfly) and light energy! I would love to look out that window and see where he (I) is headed... I suspect it is beautiful!

**This photo, "Butterfly Effect" by Owel, can be found here.**

9.18.2008

My Reiki beginnings



I love how just the right things happen to be available at just the right time or certain things happen just when they need to! Some call it coincidence but I sincerely believe it is much more than that. It is more of a Divine guidance and I am learning to trust it more and more!

I mentioned that my draw to Reiki is strong and I was in the process of finding a teacher to take a class and receive an attunement. I did find a teacher here in my small town and was overjoyed that she has had others interested in a class and plans to do one some time in October.

Even though October is only next month, it still felt a lifetime away. I decided to keep learning as much as I could about Reiki and continue to practice on myself and my husband. I have felt a small amount of energy while doing this. I believe Reiki is a part of us from birth and it's full potential just needs unlocked so it is natural that a small amount of energy would flow.

Something I was reading sparked my interest in self attunements. I looked over at the Google ads displayed on the site, something I hadn't payed much attention to at all up until then. In that list of ads, there were not one, not two, but three links to information about self attunements! I found one of them to be more of what I was looking for- it had alot of good information but was also selling a Reiki class/self attunement package. I decided to wait because it didn't seem right to purchase it at the time. I went back a few times to look at the package but the program never really felt like the path for me at the time.

I had joined a Reiki manual yahoo group so I went to see if there was any self attunement information. I was delighted to find some and saved them. Yesterday afternoon finally felt like the right time to try out the attunement written by a lady named Sheree!

It was quiet in the house and I put on some soft relaxing music. I did the symbol in the air in front of me and in my palms as instructed and read the first part of the attunement. I then sat back and relaxed to let the energy flow. At first I didn't really feel anything but then realized a bit of pressure in my Crown chakra. It almost felt as if the energy was opening up and softly stretching the chakra. The energy started making it's way down through my other chakras stopping at each one to open and stretch them one by one. It spent a bit more time at the Heart chakra but seemed to skip over the Sacral chakra completely. Then ending with a stronger energy feeling at the Root chakra and slowly fading away. I finished reading the rest of the attunement and ended by drawing the symbols again in front of me and in my palms.

I then went to relax and take in the moment. As I closed my eyes I saw a square come by me from the right and lay down just a little ways in the distance. I perceived it to be some kind of map that I will be able to see in the future- I look forward to that time! I slowly drifted off for a short nap. In those moments before I really woke up, I saw lots and lots of symbols quickly flying by- I couldn't tell what they were but knew they were symbols. That evening I tried Reiki on my husband. There was a definite increase in the energy that I felt! I am excited about this new step of my Reiki journey.

I do still plan on attending the class in town to make some connections and new friends! :)

A little about Reiki and energy

I have had people ask me what Reiki is. Reiki definitions seem to be a bit different from person to person. I think it is dependent on where that person is in their beliefs, background, and path of life. Simply put, Reiki is energy.

Everything has energy. Everything is made of tiny little microscopic atoms. These are constantly, ever so slightly moving and creating energy. Everything, every living thing, every human, flower, tree, even rocks, and metal is made of these ever moving atoms so everything gives off its own energy or vibration. Different things give off different levels of this vibration- some things have a high vibration rate and some low. Reiki is a high vibrational energy that has the power to heal.

Humans have 7 main energy centers in their body (called chakras) and many small energy points throughout the body (this is how acupuncture and acupressure work.) The 7 major chakras are each associated with different physical and emotional aspects in our body.


After these chakras are open and the body is attuned, you are then ready to preform Reiki. To preform Reiki, I would place my hands on someone with the intent that Reiki flow to them for healing and love. Reiki energy would then flow from God (whoever that may be for you), into me through my crown chakra, down through my heart chakra, down through my arms, out my palms (which are an energy center too) and into the person I am healing. So in a sense, I am just a vessel through which the energy flows. The energy knows where in the body it needs to go, but I would move my hands around, paying attention to positions of the chakras and my own intuition.

Everyone (giving or receiving) feels the energy in different ways. J rarely feels the energy when I am giving him a treatment, yet I almost always feel a sensation of water running on my palms or warmth while giving. There are many many stories with awesome healing results. One of the most simple is a feeling of relaxation, up to clinically documented healings of cancer!

8.25.2008

I have been set free!

Not too long ago, my whole world was sent spinning. Once it finally slowed and I regained my balance, I realized that I had been set free!

You see, I grew up in a very conservative Christian church. There were many many do's and don'ts and you had to follow them just right or surely you were not on the right path. I was very conscientious to try my hardest to follow that "right path." As I was growing up, there were a few things that just didn't set right in the back of my mind but I learned to push those aside for the sake of following that "right path." A friend would at times express doubt and I would also push that aside. If you have doubt, that clearly means you just don't have enough faith. Or is that really what doubts and those little things in the back of your mind are all about?

Looking back, I now know it wasn't that I didn't have enough faith, I was not following that little voice that is there to lead and guide us. This was a slow process for me to learn but thankfully God is patient and will send just the right things at the right time for our growth process!

It started with a trusted family member acting on his own small doubts. After careful study, he was convinced that a very significant doctrine of the church, about the very nature of God, was flawed. He was excited about this new revelation and shared with not only the rest of the family but also started sharing with other church members. Our family embraced this wonderful new information. This was one of the same things that had been bothering me in the back of my mind from the beginning, so I too embraced it. The rest of the church however, did not. In fact, they did not appreciate anyone that spoke of such things. Most of my family was asked to leave the church. This was the first step God took in setting me free!

Slowly other aspects of the church I grew up in faded away. Surly I was on the straight path that led right to the gates of hell! I had an almost constant pressure of guilt baring down on me- I wasn't studying the Bible like I "knew I should" have been doing. All those do's and don'ts came back to haunt me often.

There were some things that I had secretly been curious about but were considered to be straight from the devil himself. Psychic powers, any form of alternative healing beyond herbal remedies, gems and crystals, etc. All these were definite off limit subjects. These off-limit subjects were pushed aside like the other doubts until I was fully set free.

The same friend that had expressed doubts in the past, sent my husband and I a link to a set of videos on YouTube. I scoffed at the title: "Religion Comes From Ancient Astrology and Sun Worship." Throughout all my doubts, I was very sure that Christianity and the Bible were truth, but somehow God had opened my heart just enough to be open to what these videos had to say. I was amazed at how open I was to these videos as they are what completely shook me and sent my world spinning. They talked about how the origin of the Bible and Christianity are deeply rooted in ancient astrology. It made complete sense.

Yet I felt like everything I had ever believed was yanked right out from beneath me. What is truth and how do I know where to find it?? Through all this I knew for sure that there was a God, a Higher Power. He/She/(whatever the nature of the true God is) has taken care of me and led me in the past and I knew that was still there no matter what. I talked a lot with my husband and we seemed to be mostly headed in the same direction. That Christianity was just not the path for us. Like so many people, I had previously believed that only Christians could be spiritual, God believing, good people but I was finding that was FAR from the truth!

I even ventured to talk to my mother and found that she and an aunt of mine were on the very same path and had been for quite some time. She steadied my spinning and assured me that God is still in control. To just listen to that voice inside and it would direct me. Wow, what a revelation! Exactly what I should have been doing all along- listening to that voice, following my heart. I was set free!



In our conversations, my mom mentioned that we as humans use only a small part of our brains and just imagine what we could do if we used just a small portion more. She also talked about her interest in ancient healing methods. Both of these rekindled that secret interest in those "forbidden" subjects.

I had always been interested in rocks as a child so that is where I stared. I searched the internet for anything to do with healing properties of gems and crystals. It was so interesting to me. I went to the library to see what I might find there. I wasn't really finding what I thought I was looking for but just as I was about to leave, one book just stood right out to me. Essential Reiki by Diane Stein. I had remembered seeing the word Reiki in some of my searches online so I grabbed the book and left. It sat on the end table for a few days as it wasn't what I had set out to find.

My husband and I were talking one day about superpowers and if we could pick a superpower to have what would it be. Telekinesis, teleportation, clairvoyance, telepathy, superhuman strength/speed, etc. I thought about this and although many of those would be awesome to have, the superpower I would pick would be to be able to heal people. Imagine the good you could do with that! Around this same time, I ran across a quiz online. I can't even remember where I found it or completely what it was about other than it had to do with supernatural gifts. My supernatural gift? Healer.

I did finally pick up the library book and instantly I was drawn in. I'm not usually a big book reader but I sat and read and read and read. This was a whole new world to me and I was very excited to have found it! Reiki could very well bring that healing "superpower" into being! And the best part of this? The power comes straight from the God I was learning to trust! I again scoured the internet for more information. I read story upon story of the awesome healing power that Reiki is. My draw to Reiki is very strong so I am excited to explore it and other natural, alternative healing methods!

I look forward to what God (He/She/Other) has in store for me in the future as I learn to trust and rely on that small Voice inside!