Lori Painter is Inspire 2 Act

Join me at My New Site: LifebyLori.com

2011-11-24T15:01:00.000-08:00

Ahhh....I have been bustling away on my new site for the past 4 months and I am happy to say I am posting my blogs over there. I'd love to have you join me. Check out the pic below! You can see a little bit of what the new site is transforming into over the next couple weeks.

Exciting times for a fresh 2012!!

Looking forward to connecting with you soon!

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED!!!

2011-09-15T20:36:00.001-07:00

Hey all you lovely peeps!

My new website is officially up and I am now over at : www.LifebyLori.com

I have been up to lots of good healthy stuff & have been posting it on my blog!

Come & join me there!

#12 Bikini Body Challenge Update: 115 lbs.

2011-06-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

Look, it's no secret that I struggled with weight loss. I've been there done that, and I blasted my journey on the Internet & I have done it all. I have sabotaged myself, overwhelmed myself, procrastinated, overate, ate junk food, got distracted, and didn't always follow through. I did it on my own and it took me over 2 years to get here!

I don't want that for you. Now that I have rocked out my bikini body I want to help you get your body rocking too! I have created a program that I WISH existed when I was trying to lose weight. I want to provide you with a structure and a coach so you get there fast and have a blast doing it!

If you want to learn more about how you can get your bikini body...check out my bikini body program!

Yoga Poses for Low Back Support & Tight Hips

2011-05-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

#2 Ethical Entrepreneur- Building Relationships & Your Tribe

2011-05-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to RHHB School I can't wait to get my NERD on! I hope to see you there too!

Bikini Body Challenge Update: 117.5 lbs.

2011-05-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

I am back!!!! Yes.... in my bikini! Here is another update and links to my journey along the way if you are new to my blog. I hope you enjoy and this inspires you to take immaculate care of your body!

My Old Bikini Body
Starting a Bikini Body Challenge: 133.6

Bikini Body Challenge Update: 131.8
Bikini Body Challenge Update: 129.2
Bikini Body Challenge Update: 127.2
Bikini Body Challenge Realizations
Bikini Body Challenge Update: 124.5

And now..... my latest bikini body update......

Yoga Pose: Pigeon (Advanced Variation)

2011-03-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

Fast Food Salad On The Go

2011-03-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

Health Tip: Prepping Greens for the Week

2011-03-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

Sun Salutations-Part 2 Getting Hot (Literally)

2011-02-24T12:39:00.000-08:00

Raw Food Recipe: Caesar Salad Dressing

2011-02-22T13:44:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy that this is dairy free and yet still gives you a creamy rich texture that you would find in dairy based dressings. I like to add different ingredients such as red pepper flakes and salsa make this into a mexican style dressing. I have also used this as a "cheese" by adding nutritional yeast.

Here is another way we use this dressing with Green Tacos. I call it green because the filling is leafy greens. It's pretty simple.

We like to slow cook kale and tomatoes seasoned with sea salt, garlic and onion powder, roll it up in a corn tortilla and top it with sauerkraut and this dressing. It sounds strange, but it is OH SOOOO GOOOOD! BTW, you can always use a collard wrap, brown rice tortilla or any other gluten free wrap.

Enjoy,

Lori

Becoming an Ethical Entrepreneur

2011-02-16T10:16:00.001-08:00

The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy." - Malcolm S. Forbes

Enjoy,

Lori

Relationship Rehab: Forgiving the Relationship Screw Up

2011-02-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

I had no idea that THIS would be the video I posted on Valentines Day. However, perhaps there are people today thinking about their relationships and love life and are feeling a bit depleted.

My intention is that this video brings some peace and encouragement to those who are feeling like their relationship is not going down the way they envisioned. This is to provide some perspective and a space to move forward.

"Love is Forgiving and Love is For Giving"

Enjoy,

Lori

Chocolate Blueberry Banana Smoothie Recipe

2011-02-13T06:43:00.000-08:00

Nutritional Facts for Entire Recipe
Calories: 842
Carbohydrates: 174 grams
Protein: 31 grams
Fat: 9 grams

Makes 4 servings

Nutritional Facts Per Serving Size

Calories: 210

Protein: 7 g

Carbohydrates: 43 g

Fat: 2 g

Ratio: 77/14/9 (for 80/10/10'ers)

Links:

Life Time Life's Basics Chocolate Powder

Powder used in the smoothie recipe

CRON-O-Meter

A free program to figure your nutritional specifications, a for food & exercise logs

Health Update - February 2011

2011-02-10T11:03:00.000-08:00

Check out the links from this video:

Getting a Biophotonic Scan

Clean Review

Yoga Challenge

Yoga Challenge: Sun Salutations Part 1

2011-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

I love to workout by playing around, dancing, yoga, wrestling with Dhrumil, snowboarding, surfing, functional training equipment, etc. My fitness goal is to be a lean green clean machine! My challenge is to make exercise a daily practice for 30 minutes minimum a day. I'd love to create some accountablity here on my blog or on this resource site: StickK

So enough about me, I'd love your feedback too! Tell me.....

What is your favorite way to workout?

What are your fitness goals?

What is your 30 day fitness challenge?

How are you going to stay accountable?

How to Master: Anything!

2011-02-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

How to Overcome Fears and Come Alive

2011-01-12T14:37:00.000-08:00

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman

There have been times in my life where I felt on top of the world, intentional, and on fire. I felt beaming with energy. I felt all the things I wanted in my life came easily and it felt effortless and a joy. I loved being alive, I loved who I was and I loved what I was doing. Somewhere along the way I no longer felt that way anymore. I noticed life felt like a struggle and I didn't feel good about myself or anything. I felt stuck, burdened, and alone. In reflection I wondered what the heck happened? How did I go from a state of bliss into a state of paralysis?

The Biggest Buzz Kill= Fears
One way to zap the passion is to feel fear, insecurities, doubt, and expectations. Who cares what people think of us. We don't have to live up to anyone else's exceptions or even our own. We just gotta let ourselves do what we enjoy most! When we are fired up, creativity flows through us, it is almost as if we are just channeling it. It feels effortless, it feels as though time collapses. It rejuvenates us. It inspires us, fulfills us.

What happens when we aren't alive?
We become stressed, frustrated, feel drained, blah, complacent, angry, irritable, annoyed, (especially with happy people). We want to drown out life or find some other source to give up pleasure rather than create the things that give us an internal sense of pleasure and satisfaction. We feel empty and alone, then we resort to outside sources to try to fill the void w/ things such as junk food, overeating, sleeping, pills, drugs, alcohol, sex/pornography, TV. Sometimes we start trying to please other people rather than ourselves as a way to awaken, but that seems to only perpetuate the situation. We are looking on the outside for things to make us feel good on the inside. The above are all symptoms of a starving soul.

There are tons of creative ways to get in touch with what makes us come alive. The fun part is finding our own way. Here are a series of exercises you can do to awaken and rejuvenate yourself that bring you back in touch with your spirit.

EXERCISE 1- Find Your Passions
Passions never fade, they usually are very similar to the interests you had as a child and see what comes up. Brainstorm all the things you have loved doing in your life. Here is a list of things that came up for me.

I loved to do gymnastics. I went from beginners to advanced in am matter of a months because I couldn't get enough of it. As an adult, although I do not do gymnastics, I do power yoga, which to me is gymnastics in slow-motion without the plyometrics.

I loved playing with natural beauty remedies. You could find me chilling out in my room at the age of 10 with oatmeal on my face and egg whites around my eyes! Later in life, I expressed that passion again through opening a day spa.

I love love love to read. As a little girl I would sit in a tree, sit in a corner or on my bed and read for hours. Sometimes I would read the same book several times, as I did with Charlottes Web in the first grade. As an adult and over the course of years I have read hundreds of books on self help, health, beauty, fitness. I experimented with all sorts of detoxes, workouts, exercises, diets, and health regimes.

I love love love LEARNING & TEACHING. As a matter of fact I would go to summer school just for fun. I would also ask for extra left over worksheets at the end of the school year and have my little brothers sit down and play teacher as I taught them how to do the work. As an adult, I attended fun classes on massage, holistic health, personal training, nutrition, injury rehab, yoga, herbal therapy, and so forth. Never did it feel like work. I know health is a passion of mine because I could spend all day studying and practicing. In 2002 I turned this passion into a career that evolved from a massage therapist, yoga instructor, personal trainer, group fitness instructor, spa director, nutrition & detox coach.
I love to journal. I have been doing this since the second grade. I loved going out in my backyard as a kid, climbing up in our old olive tree and writing. To this day I still journal and write. It is reflected in my blog posts. This blog is just an extension of my personal journal..... Dear Diary.... lol! Ok, but seriously... a journal is the best friend ever, it just listens quietly and lets you discover your own way. Welcome to my journey! ;)
I love tinkering in the garden and kitchen. I would try to grow plants and I loved spending time in my grandfathers backyard that was filled with edible plants. I spent summers eating berries all day long (while I was supposed to be pulling weeds). To this day those are some of my fondest summer memories. I would also take peaches we grew in our backyard and look in the index of recipe books and find all the recipes that had peaches in them. Think Forrest Gump here with all his Shrimp recipe ideas! Just turn that into peaches and you would see me! When I bought my first home I started growing gardens again. I am far from a pro, but I really love growing and harvesting my own food. I have lots of reasons why, but the main reason is to observe nature and enjoy the cycle of life. I am currently in a home where I cannot put anything in the ground, but I do want to start this back up again.

I loved playing dress up in my moms clothes, makeup and heels. It was fun to get all fancy and to feel beautiful.

I loved going out and dancing as a teen and young adult. I could dance for hours many days a week and just get lost in the music. I love that exercise feels fun and effortless. I love the body confidence. I love the sensuality. I love celebrating my body. I just love dancing! I don't care what type it is. I think I live vicariously through watching shows like "Dancing with the Stars". The costumes are amazing and I love how graceful the body can move. This is definitely a side of me that I would love to start expressing again.

Throughout school, I loved PE and Science. I love the scientific explanation and understanding of what is unfolding. I especially enjoy it in regards to nature, quantum physics, and the human body. I love to play around and do cool little experiments to see what happens. BTW, have you ever seen the rice experiment? My kids and I have done that and LOVE it!

I love music and want it playing in the home all the time. It uplifts me and creates a mood/vibration.

I love turning bland into beautiful. I guess this is where makeovers in general come in. I love transformation whether it is with interior design, edible landscaping, food & meals, personal growth, weight loss and beauty makeovers. Stories of people who go from ordinary to extraordinary. It's the transformation. It's the growth that excites me. I suppose that is why I am so drawn to all things that grow and evolve whether it is personal growth, health, beauty, gardening, raising children. Observing the journey is so beautiful!

I love singing all around the house, in the car, whenever, wherever.

EXERCISE 2- Identify Blockages & Why You Stopped (Excuses)
Now that you have remembered all the things you have loved in the past, did you feel a swell of enthusiasm build as you were remembering the things that brought you joy? Did just writing it out excite you all over again. Now why in the world would you ever stop? Write out all the reasons that you stopped doing what you love!

In writing this list I realized there are a lot of things that I loved to do that I am not doing now. It led me to inquire as to why I ever stopped doing them in the first place.

I felt I didn't have the time or money to pursue those interests (like go to dance lessons or singing lessons).
I felt I wasn't good enough at it to make anything of it, I might as well drop it and get on with the skills that I do have.
I became distracted with what I didn't want to do and focused on what I felt I had to do.
Fear and negative beliefs got in the way.
I forgot my intention and why I am here in the first place.
I disconnected from my spirit.
I became out of balance.
Life no longer felt fun. It felt like struggle and WORK.

Blockages are just excuses you have told yourself to mask fear.

EXERCISE 3- Start Dreaming

Play the Wouldn't it be Nice Game in "Ask & It is Given" by Esther & Jerry Hicks. Here is what came up for me.

Wouldn't it be nice if....

I could sing beautifully
I would dance beautifully and gracefully
I was an amazing communicator and loved speaking in front of a large audience
I could focus
I was consistent
I created a business that felt like a fun game and not work
I felt passionate, alive, & beaming with energy
I had a beautiful body
I did do what I wish I had the balls to do
I felt beautiful just the way I am
I believed in myself and felt connected to my spirit
I had unlimited resources
I was an incredible friend
I was a billionaire
I could walk outside and pick my meal from the garden that was full of nutrient dense biophotons and pure energy.

Follow up your dreams with a reason why. Here are my reasons why it would be nice. They correlate in order to the dreams listed above.

It would be nice because....

I would belt out a song whenever I wanted to and wouldn't feel self conscious. I wouldn't care what anyone thought of my voice. I would just enjoy it!
I would get down and DANCE. I wouldn't hold back! I would let go, get into it and have fun!
I wouldn't care if anyone made fun of me or thought I sucked
I would share what my heart is calling me to do & I would know people understand me.
I would finish all the inspiring things I start
I would really make progress and master my passions
I would look forward to creating, it would feel easy & effortless instead of overwhelming
I would feel satisfied with life everyday
I wouldn't let insecurities keep me from getting out and JUST DOING IT!
I would feel uninhibited & free I would enjoy my beautiful body rather than criticizing it
I wouldn't care if other people were judging me, I would just do my thing
I'd love my haters
I'd conquer my fears, my prison, my world!
I'd feel good about the way I conducted myself in relationships
I could make a difference in the world, help people by investing in them just as others have invested in me
I would be beaming with energy

Exercise 4- List Your Fears
What did you find is holding you back? Here is my list of fears that I allowed to paralyze me from living the life I want and enjoy.

I am afraid of....

being judged
negative opinions
criticism
not being good enough, inadequate
being misunderstood
succeeding and getting what I want
too many responsibilities, juggling too much
being overwhelmed
open up and be vulnerable
rejection

Free your Mind & JUST DO IT = Inspire 2 Act!
It's time to let the hamster in your mind get off it's wheel and stop running the same cycle. Give it a rest. Stop with the incessant mental chatter. Let the creative inspiration come to you when you are in a state of relaxation and go with it. Do not allow the mind to work against you and talk yourself out of your dreams and passions with fears and doubts. Let your mind be a tool to take you where your heart desires.

Exercise 5- Pleasure, Silence & Relaxation

Give yourself the gift of pleasure, silence and relaxation. Stop squeezing the pleasure out of your life and allow yourself to come alive. Feel life flow through you. I am practicing this daily as part of my "New Day Resolutions". I know when I do the things that bring me joy that life feels effortless. I also allow time to reflect, appreciate, and listen to my inner guidance. The inspiration just gets louder and the days soon are no longer just an hour of pleasure, but you'll feel it all day long. Start stretching out the bliss in your days.

How would I feel if I did it anyway?
Regardless of fears, limitations, doubts, and insecurities how would you feel if you did it anyway? Maybe a little scared and a little turned on? According to my friend, Steve Pavlina if it turns you on and scares you a little bit then ya gotta do it.

I'd feel alive, free, relaxed, in celebration, & empowered. How do I know? Just check out my video "Skeletons in my Closet". That was soooo scary for me to do, but after it was over I was embraced with love, support and encouragement. I was welcomed into the world.I was FREED just by sharing it publicly.

Liberate yourself from your fears & do it anyway! Here are 2 of my favorite quotes that help me from out of fear and into a state of inspiration that calls me to action.

Our Deepest Fear
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson

Anyway
"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have,and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis,it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway."
-Mother Teresa

What Do You Want?
As for me, I want to master of my life & feel freedom, passion, joy, and empowerment. By liberating myself and sharing with you my inner vulnerable world and fears I am creating space to let go and live my life. I am dropping the fears and going for it. How about you?

Tell me, what is it you love? What is it you want to explore? What makes you come alive? Why did you stop doing the things you love? Tell me what you are afraid of and why. Let's liberate each other and Just Do It! We owe it to the world to do what we love. Let's master the art of living well!

Additional Resources:
Being in Balance by Wayne Dyer
Ask & It Is Given by Esther & Jerry Hicks

2011 New DAY Resolutions

2011-01-06T09:07:00.000-08:00

Here we are another year later. We are optimistic and enthusiastic about all the goals we have created. However, deep down there is a small pit of doubt in our stomach. We find ourselves asking, "Am I really going to do it this year? Am I really going to accomplish all these goals or am I going to give up on them in 3 months?" I don't know about you, but this has definitely been the case for most of my life for New Years Resolutions. Don't believe me? Just check out my Bikini Body Challenge I posted on my blog in 2009. When it comes to making changes, the ones I have kept were never because of New Years, but they were decisions I made just because I wanted to do it. There was no expectation that I HAD to do anything. Somehow, New Years can bring a sense of overwhelm that we MUST do something. We generate these amazing goals with a big gusto and before we know it that goal has somehow vaporized into thin air! Well, I don't know about you, but I am done with that cycle. After all, the definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over expecting different results. This year I have opted to do something else.

What am I doing different?

I have gone simple. I took time to gain clarity on my intention. Then I created daily FEEL GOOD habits. You know, the ones that make you feel good when you do them. It is my goal to create daily disciplines that feel attainable. They require effort, but they don't burn me out.

My Intention

This is not just about this year, but it's about how I want to feel and experience life today and everyday.... for 2011 & for LIFE. That intention is to FEEL GOOD & BE HAPPY. That's it! I want to enjoy & celebrate life, to feel in love with myself & my life, and pay it forward. My intention is on creating and living a lifestyle I want to live now. To start practicing becoming the person I want to be & do the activities I love. I want to live as if I died today that I would be satisfied with the way I conducted myself in my life. If I knew my time on Earth was limited (which we all know it is) I would choose happiness no matter what. I would KNOW I can do anything. I would see my beauty, focus on progress & not perfection, open up & be vulnerable. I would drop fears and just do it! I would allow that creative expression to flow through me and into my life. I would feel a deep connection to my spirit and operate on high vibrations.

My Daily FEEL GOOD Habits (aka NEW DAY RESOLUTIONS)

I recently watched a video from Brian & Alexandra Jaye Johnson and I heard him refer to daily disciplines as daily Blissaplines. I fell in love with it immediately because it shifted the feeling of strictness into blissness. My goal for today and everyday is to be consistent with the following feel good habits:

Rise w/ the sun - don't let the sun catch me in bed :)

Contemplate & Silence (ask & see what shows up)

Hydrate- yummy tea

Exercise- get sweaty

Savor slowly: Green, Clean, & Lean Foods (after elimination)

Gratitude Journal

Create & Fulfill Goals

Allow (eliminate resistance/fears)

Study, Practice, & Share

Express My Creativity

Practice Impeccability

Choose happiness

Be a good friend to those around me

The Cool Thing About This Approach

When you are focused on just on doing things that feel good then you just let the outcomes take care of themselves. Perhaps, life will show you results that you may never have imagined. Living this way automatically reduces stress and brings a sense of peace and balance. You will feel yourself taking daily steps that close the gap from where you am to where you want to be. A new day resolution doesn't give you time to put things off. Procrastination ends and living now begins.

Where Things Go Wrong

We forget our intention, We disconnect from spirit by getting so mentally cluttered that we forget what is most important. The best way I am finding to stay connected to my intention is to take time daily to collaborate with God. You know, contemplate (it's on my list of daily feel good habits), be silent and give the mind time to detox from incessant thoughts that distract us from what we really want. We all need reminders and this one seems to do the trick! You realize that there is nothing you HAVE to do. These are all things you GET to do.

What You Don't Want

If you are anything like me you don't want to put off life. You are done with overwhelming and defeating yourself before you even get started. You are done with frustration and stress. There is no way you can keep going and living with regret. So cheers to turning your life around, one day, one habit at a time. Let life flow through you and enjoy the ride!

Now that I have shared a little bit about my new day resolutions, I'd love to hear yours!

Cheers to LIFE!

Lori

Romance in the Raw # 6: The Start of My Love Story

2010-12-26T21:35:00.000-08:00

I have known Dhrumil Purohit through WeLikeItRaw.com for a couple of years. I really respected and admired him. I liked the way he conducted himself and I dug the content he shared on his websites and Facebook. I enjoyed our friendship even though it was rather light and we had never even met in person.

In January 2010, I had the opportunity to meet when a group of great people got together for dinner at Au Lac. Debbie Young actually wrote up a blog post on it. You can check out her photos at That's the Way Au Lac It. When we finally met, he was everything I thought he would be based on his online presence. It was a nice chance to get to hang out & get to know him in person. I knew I had a little crush on him, but of course we were both in relationships so nothing went down.

Several months later, Dhru (pronounced like DREW) had mentioned he was going to be in LA for an Indian wedding and was going to get a group together for dinner again. Of course I was down to meet up for dinner, but I was WAY more fascinated with the Indian wedding. So, somehow I blurted how cool that was & before I knew it he invited me to join along. I was BEYOND excited. I love going to events that are out of my norm and that sure fit the bill for me.

As the wedding approached, I knew that my feelings toward him had grown (even though I had never told him that I liked him). I had even tried to convince myself, my friends and everyone who asked that I DID NOT have an interest. Furthermore, I would go into detail as to how it would never work out even if he did like me. Afterall, I am 6 years older, live on the West Coast and he lived on the East Coast. I had 2 children, been divorced, etc. In addition, I didn't even think he would be interested in me since he never flirted with me. He gave no indication that he was interested and he also mentioned how women had mistaken his generosity for romance in the past. I was careful not to assume anything!

The weekend of the wedding arrived and I was beyond nervous, not so much to be hanging out, but more so because I thought I would be so obvious and give it away that I liked him. I didn't want to make him feel awkward and ruin our friendship. I made it through lunch, although eye contact was difficult for me. Garba was another story, I felt tingles with just the slightest physical contact, whether he was leaning in to tell me something in my ear because the room was loud or when our knees touched while we were sitting down. It was crazy, I felt like a school girl all over again!

On the drive back to my car, Dhrumil started asking me about lessons I had learned from past relationships. He even asked me why I wasn't dating now. I freaked out and said that there was no one I was interested in. My inner voice was SHOUTING out, "LIAR! Tell him you like him... THIS your golden opportunity!" The conversation continued, but I still didn't have the guts to admit it. Finally, I remembered the tweet I had posted earlier that morning. I knew I HAD to say something now. Finally, after several chicken hesitations I blurted out, "OK, so you know when you asked if there was anyone I would like to date? Well, I lied. If there was anyone I would like to date it would be you, but I am sure you are not interested because you deserve to date a nice young girl, get married, have lots of babies, and all that good stuff. Plus, I am 6 years older, divorced with 2 kids that are already 12 and 14. We live on opposite coasts and I don't even know if you are attracted to me." I blurted that out so fast I am not even sure if he comprehended what I had said.

He paused, it was silent. I was freaking out and preparing for rejection. I even had to turn my head and look out the window. I was sure he was put in an awkward situation, but I knew I had to get that off my chest. After the pause that felt like an ETERNITY, he responded by THANKING ME!!!! Can you believe it? I was geared up for "Thank you, but NO THANK YOU!" However, to my surprise, he said he didn't have all the answers to my questions right then and there, but he couldn't be happier. I was stunned..... SAY WHAAAA....??????

The next day, between the wedding ceremony and reception Dhru opened up to me and told me that he was not interested in dating. My heart dropped. What? As he continued, he expressed that he was not looking for something casual, but rather he wanted to build a life with someone. I wondered to myself, "Did he change his mind about dating me or is he saying he wants to just go for it?" To my pleasure it was the later. I can't even begin to tell you how that intention set the tone for relationship. Pretty powerful stuff.

Back at the wedding ceremony & reception, we felt a little silly because we had already announced the night before at Garba that we were just friends. So, we just played it cool. However, I could tell some of the other guests at the reception were onto us. I didn't know how respond due to the newness of it all.

After the wedding festivities were over, Dhrumil decided to stay in LA another day. We went for a drive and talked about all the major issues that could be potential roadblocks for us. We opened up about fears, life dreams, goals, marriage, children, career, spirituality, money, and so forth. It seemed a bit strange to be so bold about typically touchy subjects, however in reflection this is exactly how I would want things to go down BEFORE getting too emotionally wrapped up and romantically entangled in a relationship that didn't share the same views or life vision. It was such an objective interview. This was SOOOOO REFRESHING! Being bold and direct is definitely the way to go!

By the end of the day, we began to say our goodbye's. I felt such a calm sense about everything that was unfolding. I knew that everything was a bit new, but it didn't feel that way on a deeper level. I felt like I was re-connecting with someone I had known for a lifetime. As we hugged and said goodbye, I said "I would like to tell you one word that sums up everything that I am feeling about our connection.....SOUL MATES." We gazed into each others eyes. It was a beautiful close to the start of a beautiful relationship. I drove home feeling as though I had been in a dream!

Here is a quick shy candid video that we took on the fly...not thinking I would actually post it, but it is just so darn precious I GOTTA let him say hello to you!

Here are some photos from the Indian wedding. I had sooo much fun wearing these awesome clothes!

This is what I wore to Garba

Playing it cool

Rocking a sari for the first time

The lovely ladies that dressed me

Dhru & I blissed out

Diggin' the get up!

2010 Update

2010-12-21T21:12:00.000-08:00

Just sharing a quick update of this past year! What's been the highlight of this past year? What are your New Years Resolutions?

How Getting "CLEAN" Helped Me to Get My INSPIRED Groove Back

2010-08-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

In my last post, I mentioned that I had shifted my priorities. However, I completely neglected other aspects of my life such as my nutrition and fitness regime. I was becoming pretty frustrated with the way I looked and felt. The more I focused on my frustration the less I was inspired to eat right and workout, so the phase went on for a couple months leading me to gain weight. I avoided social events because I was embarrassed with the way I was letting myself go and my confidence went downhill.

Inspiration
I knew I needed something to look forward to that would make me want to make a change and to start taking care of my body. When I am excited about something it turns chores into pleasures. If I have a REASON then working out and eating right turns into something I call Effortless Effort. This is when you are so excited for the end result that you become proactive and committed. The effort is something you look forward to doing rather than dreading.

Action
I also knew I needed to reset the tone of my eating habits. I can't think of a better way than to do a detox. Luckily, I had the opportunity to do the 21 day Detox Kit from The Clean Program which consisted of a shake for breakfast and dinner and a healthy lunch (according to the dietary guidelines). Upon opening the package, I was impressed by the simplicity of the program. I didn't have to go buying all sorts of different items. Everything I needed came in one kit. I immediately got started on the detox and took notes along the way.

My Results

*Weight Loss: I lost a total of 10 lbs from the start of the pre-cleanse all the way to the end of the 21 day kit. 5 lbs came off before I even began the shakes, which was probably water retention. Then throughout the 21 day program I continued to lose another 5 lbs.

*Improved Appearance: Puffiness left my face and under my eyes, and much to my surprise the hyperpigmentation on my face started to diminish. I have heard that it was possible during a cleanse, but this was the first time I really noticed the dark patches on my face begin to fade away. This was extremely exciting because I would go through great measures to cover it with makeup, so it is an amazing feeling to feel like I look just as good with less makeup. Woo hoo!

*Improved Workout Recovery: I actually kicked up my workout regime during my detox, which normally is not recommended, but I felt so much energy that I wanted to maximize the results. I noticed I would get sore after some intense workouts, but it didn't last long. It felt like my body was so fluid that there was no space for the stagnation of lactic acid. In addition, I felt that any microtearing of the tissues healed very rapidly due to the energy being freed up by the detox. My body was able to go heal the places it needed to recover quickly, which allowed me to complete 2 hours a daily exercise on this program.

*Stamina & Energy: I definitely noticed I was sleeping much less and lighter at the same time. I felt like tackling projects that I had been procrastinating on. Plus, in the gym when I would normally start to hit a plateau during my workout, I felt a burst of energy that allowed me to go further with my workout. I was really seeing rapid results in my workout stamina.

*Quieting of the Mind/ Sense of Peace/ Focus: I tend to have a mind that runs like a hampster running in a wheel which can be very distracting, but during the cleansing process I noticed a significant decrease in mental chatter. I am not too sure what it is about a cleanse that does this, but it feels like the mind went on vacation or to the spa. I just felt a sense of peace and the ability to focus.

*Appreciation for my body and for healthy food: I gained an appreciation for my body during the program. I felt gratitude to have a strong able body that is free of disease and pain. I also gained an appreciation for the flavors and textures of food. When you complete a cleanse, it really heightens your taste buds and even very simple dishes seem to have much more depth to them.

My Modifications

Bigger Shakes: I made my shakes with either frozen blueberries or raspberries, water, 2 packets of stevia, along with the formulas MOVE and NOURISH. Since I worked out most days I noticed I wouldn't feel quite a satiated as I would normally feel if I wasn't working out so intensely. To curb the appetite a bit I would drink a glass of water beforehand and I would add more frozen berries and powder to the shake so that it felt more dense. This really seemed to do the trick so I wasn't tempted to break from the plan. I wouldn't suggest others to do this, but this is something I did so that I could maintain a workout regime.

Lunch Suggestion: Make your lunch the night before or while you are sipping on your shake. If you wait until you are hungry to eat lunch and still have to take the time to prepare the meal, chances are you may make a poor choice.

Side Notes

Pre- Cleanse Diet: For 4 days, I basically followed a very simple eating regime of just plain fruits and veggies in their raw state. Nothing fancy. I thought I might struggle with the cleanse so to prepare for it I went as basic as I could with the diet.

Menstrual Cycle Revelation: Normally, I will experience an increase in appetite and cravings, a decrease in energy, and some bloating. On the rare occassion I would get some cramping as well as low back pain. However, my cycle came and went without much notice. I am really feeling that if we cleansed during our pre-cycle and even during our cycle that suffering women would be relieved from PMS and cramps. I am going to experiement a bit more with this myself and I encourage you to do the same. That is if you are a woman reading this post. ;)

Who This Is Best Suited For

Perhaps by this point you may be wondering if this is something that you would benefit from. Here are a few "types" of people who may really dig The Clean Program.

* Newbies: People who are new to the detoxification experience. Some programs can be pretty intense for the average person. If detoxification happens too fast a person can feel like they are weak, tired, or coming down with flu-like symptoms. This cleanse is very gentle and because food is allowed on this cleanse it makes the process very doable. This program will provide enough fuel to keep going with your normal activities and still get great results of a cleanse.

*Fast Paced Peeps: Some people are have pretty complicated schedules and the last thing they need is a detox that requires a lot of prep work. This program comes with everything you need and requires VERY little to perform on a daily basis. The work is all done for you so that you are not slowed down or boggled with a plethora of steps and a rigid schedule.

*Schlumpers: These are people who are in a rut (mentally, emotionally and/or physically), who are feeling a lack of passion, motivation or inspiration in their lives and they just need some sort of jump start to get them back on track. Since burdens are being removed from the body, it frees up energy within. The mind, body, and spirit are all intertwined. The changes in the body affects everything. The mind becomes clearer and we begin to view the world and our capabilities on a whole new level. It's the catalyst that starts the road back to inspiration.

*In need of Healing: Detoxification is really great for people who are recovering from injuries or trying to get a handle on health ailments. The best way to heal the body is to give it a rest so that it can do it's job of healing itself. When the body is not busy digesting complicated meals, the energy is freed up and goes to work where it is needed. Injuries or post surgeries often recover much faster when a detox is in place.

*Chunky Monkies: I have to giggle when I write this because I was in this category a bit. These peeps are in need of shedding some poundage. Water retention and sludge that is weighing the body and digestive track down is whisked out of the body with a great detox. This program really resets the appetite, taste buds and heightens the appreciation for healthy food. The 21 days really gives momentum to break bad habits and you can become a more refreshed version of yourself.

Conclusion

Truth be told, I didn't follow the plan to perfection, I didn't always have a shake for dinner and sometimes I would snack in between, but I still experienced great results. I feel like I am out of my slump. I feel like I have awakened. I feel passionate, excited, and the momentum to keep going on my health journey has been reinforced. I feel inspired about my life and have the desire to improve the quality of the lives around me. I feel like I've got my groove back and that to me is PRICELESS!

Summer Update

2010-08-01T09:49:00.001-07:00

Many of you have noticed I have not posted a video or blog in some time and have expressed concern and wanted to know what I have been up to. First of all, I would like to thank you for coming to my blog and taking an interest in me and my video or blog posts. My blog started as an online journal for myself, then evolved into a way I can share my perspective, thoughts, and inspiration. Thank you for being a part of that.

My Online Absence
Although I absolutely love and adore the Internet and all the wonderful people I have connected with, I found that gradually I was spending more time online and less time being present in my physical environment and the relationships right in front of me. I enjoyed all the feedback on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and here on my blog. I felt like I needed to respond to everyone and I just couldn't keep up with all that and manage my physical life. I became very behind in corresponding to comments, emails, messages, and questions. The more behind I became the more of a burden my online presence became for me. It shifted from fun and exciting to an obligation. Needless to say, this is hardly an "inspired" state.

An Internal Struggle
In addition to taking a break from blogging, I had to take a break from romance and dating. I had the pleasure of dating men however, it seemed things moved faster and more intense than I was wanting so instead of slowing things down I went MIA. I struggle with the idea of romance and where that fits in my life. I had to do some soul searching and really figure things out before I stepped back out in the social world.

Health
This is an area that directly relates to my internal state. In the beginning of the year I was clocking in about 60 hours of exercise a month & eating very high raw. However, when I freaked out and went MIA with dating I dropped down to a very minimal amount of exercise and kept eating the same amount if not MORE food. NOT A GOOD IDEA! Weight crept back on and I felt ashamed of myself. However I felt I was justified going MIA because I was beginning to look bloated and feeling uncomfortable being social. However, we are far more transparent than we think we are and situations like this just show me that I was experiencing an internal struggle. I have found through food a way to dampen the rawness of emotions I was experiencing.

Romance
I love romance and I am a sucker for a beautiful love story. However, when it comes my way I really haven't mastered that aspect of my life. It seems when I crave romance the options and opportunities flow into my life, yet when it becomes so serious so quick I tend to get cold feet and back off. I have a few ideas that could be the source:

Overall, I am content being single. I no longer have the idea that I have to be married or be in a romantic relationship to be complete. However at times I do crave the experience(or it could be hormones). I just want it to happen more slowly and balanced rather than a big surge that happens too fast. I don't feel a need to hurry or put a label on it, and when I date someone who seems to come on quick I tend to run and hide. To me it appeared a bit desperate and co-dependant....which is what I used to be and I am afraid of being that again.

With that in mind, I came to the conclusion that I was being given the opportunity to see if I had overcome some of my past relationship bad habits. I used to be the girl that fell head over heels fast. I overly romanticized the person and the experience and lived in a fantasy in my head. I wasn't present and had expectations.

Another factor that presented itself was how it affected my relationship with my kids. When I was a teen and my newly divorced parents started dating I felt like I was second rate, competing for their affection and time. From my view, my parents were more interested in romance than being a parent. I had some resentments and I lashed out towards my parents and their romantic interests. I felt my teen years went from being "normal" to being a stay at home mom for my younger brothers while I saw my parents out dating. I carry that memory today. Perhaps I am hyper-sensitive to my children and would never want them to feel like I preferred the company of a man over theirs. At the same time, I realize that this may just be my own limiting belief that romance would pull me away from my kids. I just never wanted my kids to feel second rate. In conversations with my kids, they have expressed that they are happy with the idea of me dating and would enjoy meeting the people I bring into my life. It just seemed to be a fear that I would get too wrapped up in my romance that I compromised my relationship with my kids as well as other aspects of my life.

Family Life
With all that in mind I went off the dating scene and started spending more time with my children (which inspired my blog in May "10 Wise Lessons for my Children"). Being a mother is a priority and a pleasure and I know my time with them is precious. They are growing up so fast. I want to make the most of it. So, we went camping in Yosemite and Idyllwild. We have been spending so much time outdoors, at the beach, hiking, biking, swimming and playing.

Alex is training for football, which I think is NUTS, because of his frame and body type. I really feel his strengths are with speed and agility. However, I must step aside and let my son make decisions for himself. We both feel that this may very well be his last opportunity to play this sport on a team. We plan to make the most of it and perhaps move on to soccer or baseball when the season ends.

At the same time, Mehgan is in cheer leading. It makes life so much easier having practices and games at the same location and time as football. Although Meg prefers to be in independent activities I encouraged her to give this sport a shot. This also plays up her gymnastics background as well as learning to work on a team. I felt it was a nice transition while building new friendships since many of her friends moved this summer. Meg also had the opportunity to model for Anchor Blue in a Back to School Fashion Show at a local mall. She loved it and it's right up her alley since she says she wants to create her own fashion line and model it herself one day.

School Changes
I also made the decision with my kids that this was the last year of homeschooling for us. My son is starting high school and the kids were expressing a desire to do something different. Alex and Mehgan are now enrolled to attend a charter school and we all look forward to the new experience. I am so thankful that I took the past 3 years with my kids and home schooled them. I really felt the experience allowed us to grow together in a common direction. Our bond is so close and I will forever cherish the memories we had. My family life wouldn't be what it is today if we didn't take that time.

Garden
I didn't put alot of effort into gardening or any home improvements. However, scattered seeds sprouted up on their own and I have been enjoying the ease of letting the plants do their thing rather than babying them. I also just became curious and would stick things in the ground just to see how they grew for example a sprouting potato or onion. I have been more of an observer of plant cycles than anything else. I do love gardens, but if I continue with growing an edible landscape I seriously need a landscape designer that could help me make it look more aesthetic.

Career
Obviously, once the kids start school that opens up time for me to recommit to an online presence and contribute more to the community. I enjoy sharing my journey. I enjoy having a voice. I enjoy feeling inspired and on purpose.

In Conclusion
Overall, I feel I have been looking to balance my life. I went up and I went down and now I am leveling out. I may have over compensated in some ways, but I really am just relaxing with where I am now and I am making sure I get a little taste of everything rather than bingeing on one thing. I am happy to say I feel that I am getting back on track.

10 Wise Life Lessons for My Children

2010-05-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

Being a mother is an honor. Even though motherhood came sooner than I expected, the impact of being a mother has forever changed my life. However, if I were to die today and no longer be around for my children, there are things I feel strongly that I would want my children to remember and know about life. As life unfolds we tend to forget and become distracted. Here are the principles I would want to remind my children of and stay connected to.

You are a Spiritual Being in Physical World
Honor your intuition
Have integrity
You are here to enjoy and appreciate this life
You are a genius
You deserve the best that life has to offer
The opposite of fear is love inspired by Marianne Williamson
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Give with Love and Gratitude
Feel good no matter what
Never put your happiness in something outside of yourself
See the good in everything and learn from your life lessons
Show compassion and the world will be compassionate towards you
This world is a reflection- give away what you want and it will come back tenfold

Don’t Listen to Outside Influences
Marketing : commercials, ads, etc. that distract you from your inner voice
Advice from the good opinions of others
Think your own thoughts
Be the solution not the problem

You are Your Own Leader & Lead With Your Heart
Let your passion guide you
Have a Vision
Stay committed and focused on what you want
Share your perspective publicly
You will advance further in this life when you focus on being kind rather than right
Do it Anyway inspired by Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Employ and Invest in Yourself
Be in charge of your life and career.
Let it be the thing you most love and are most passionate about sharing and would do for free just because you love it.
Never choose anything you clock in and out from. Do what is built into you to do that never turns off after 40 hours.
"The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy." - Malcolm Forbes

Take Care of Your Body, it is Your Transmitter to the Divine
Rest
Get sun
Breathe fresh clean air
Exercise and sweat
Stay properly hydrated and drink pure water from natural springs and produce
Nourish your body with plenty of dark leafy greens and fresh fruit
Be your own preventative health doctor, do not expect someone else to care more for your body than you do.

Choose a Sustainable Living Environment
Locate your home in a place that sustains life without the need of human intervention. The more you do this the less you will need from outside resources. This will encourage freedom for it will provide fresh natural resources such as clean air, plenty of water or rain, sunshine, temperate climate. Honor this place and leave it in better condition than when you came.

Your Home is Your Private Sanctuary
Be Prepared
Grow your own food for quality and purity, for love and variety, for freshness and nutrient density, for preparedness and health, for freedom and a healthy planet
Prepare your home for Natural Disasters with medical aid, water and food supply and alternative shelter and protection from heat and chill
Know how to treat emergency situations: first aid, CPR, etc..

Live Lightly and Simply
Let greed be for the fools

Experience True Wealth
Money is not true wealth, but love, time, health, pleasure, wisdom, and peace are!

Alex and Mehgan this is written for and dedicated to you. I am so thankful to be your mother and may your life be filled with true wealth. If you are a mother, please take the time to make sure your children know what is important, leave them your legacy now. Do not wait until it is too late. Who knows, maybe you'll start blogging and leave that as your legacy for your children. Pay your wisdom forward.

What is Your Plan B? A Self Reliance Challenge

2010-04-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

What would you do if you experienced a natural disaster today? Would you be prepared? Could you tend to medical emergencies? We have seen the life threatening effects from hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, and floods yet I don't see very many people taking action to prepare themselves in case of an emergency.... including myself.

Recently, I needed to get something out of my first aid kit for my son and I noticed how depleted of medical supplies my kit has become. I went into a mini panic. I started to think, "What if I was in a life threatening situation right now? I would be screwed!" That feeling gave me a sick pit in my stomach that hasn't really left. As a matter of fact, I keep experiencing things that are reminding me that I need to be more prepared. I need to be able to take care of myself and my kids in times of a natural disaster or medical emergency.

I started taking a look around my home. Questions began to overwhelm me like:

Water
How much fresh water do I have and how long would it last if the water was shut off right now? Where would I get water if stores were closed and roads were closed?

Food
What about food supply? How much do I have and how long will it last?

Medical Aid
If my kids or myself were bit by a rattlesnake or black widow spider (very common where I live) would I be able to treat it? What about a gash or CPR?

Questions kept flowing in reminding me of how foolish I have been and how ill prepared I am to provide for myself and my children in times of an emergency despite current events and disasters that have devastated many.

But these extreme situations are not the only thoughts I have been having. I also recently watched a program on the indigenous tribes of the Amazon and how over the past 15 years they have gone from being self reliant to totally dependant on outside sources to provide for their families. I was saddened to put it mildly. I went on a rant explaining how weak of a species we have become. Many of us ignore our human instincts and our innate ability to be self reliant.

We have got to stop expecting outside sources to take care of us and learn how to be self reliant. It seems we are a society full of co-dependant people and what we really need is interdependence (people who can take care of themselves and can contribute). People need to be able to take care of themselves and their families and sadly we are moving further and further away from that. Overall, we are no longer able to provide the basic needs if our life depended on it.

This post is a wake up call. A reminder to get back in touch with life sustaining methods, to be prepared (not paranoid, or frightened) in any situation. There is such a sense of peace and freedom when you can take matters into your own hands.

I want the peace of mind that if anything was to happen I could handle the situation well. I could experience it the hard and unprepared way or I can take the proper actions to where it really doesn't devastate my family because I am not dependant on outside sources and I am self reliant. Here is what I am working on right now:

Teaching my children protocols for natural disasters (such as earthquakes and fires)
Obtaining plenty fresh water to store at my home that will last about a week (about 30 gallons)
Learning about the native wild foods in my area
Creating a diverse seed bank and swap seeds
Learning where to obtain fresh water by bike (findaspring.com)
Eating a diet that is not dependant on cooking (Thank you Raw Food Diet!)
Growing an edible landscape that would provide year round food and medicine for my family that could grow even without watering for a month (lots of fruit and nut trees and avocados)
Refreshing CPR and First Aid skills
Restocking the first aid kit with the following:
Burn kit
Poisonous bites and stings
Rashes, hives, and allergies
Cuts, Scrapes, Deep Gashes
Inflammation, bruising, sprains, strains, broken bones, dislocations
Food poisoning
Heat stroke, shock
Eye, ear, throat, & nasal canal care
Fever and cold kit
Camping kit
A quick evacuation kit in a backpack for everyone in my home that would sustain us for 3 days

A goal I have for my family is to be as self reliant as possible. We have decided to start making the proper actions and prepare for a self reliance challenge. Rather than wait for a disaster to force us to live without outside sources I think it would be fun and reassuring to see how a trial run would go. So here is brief rundown of the self reliance challenge:

Self Reliance Challenge
How long and well could you live if you:
Shut off gas, water, electricity to your home
Did not use trash service, sewage, heating, cooling
Were unable to use your car, cell phone, Internet
What if outside help was unavailable such as: police, fire, paramedics, overcrowded emergency rooms/hospitals, grocery stores, etc
What if you were unable to access your money and banks were closed?
How would you feed yourself and your family?
How would you bathe?

What about you? What if you needed to evacuate your home in 10 minutes? Would the important supplies be available quickly? What if you were forced out of your home due to flood, or fire? Where would you live? How would you stay warm or cool? I know it can sound silly to some, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and there is wisdom in learning from those who have experienced such hardships.

So, what about you.....tell me your plan B! How long can you go on the self reliance challenge?

10 Simple Yet Powerful Ways to Heal the Planet

2010-04-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

By now, most people know how destructive our actions have been to this planet. If you need a refresher, please check out this blog I wrote a while back, Learning to Live With Less . There is a video from National Geographic that will really give you a graphic image of what's really going on. Watching that video totally changed my life. I am happy to share with you some simple ways that make a HUGE difference and it starts in your own body and home. I think of my own body and home environment as eco-systems in themselves and to heal them as well. The tips I share below will improve your body ecology, the hygiene of your home and the planet. Here are my top 10 favorite and most powerful ways to heal the planet.

Consume Less
People are in the automatic habit of just buying what they want right then and there without any thought of how their mindless actions are affecting the state of our planets health, not to mention our financial health (see this funny SNL skit). Watch this video on "The Story of Stuff" before you make another purchase. Find out if the items you are wanting are available for rent or can be bought used before you make a new purchase. Of course, make sure this is something you really need and will use and won’t and up in the back of a closet or garage somewhere. Most of the time, if I see something I want to buy I don't impulse buy it. I will go home and if I really want it I will go back another day and get it. However, I find that 90% of the things I thought I wanted were not really necessary or I didn't passionately want the item. My home is my haven, I only want the best in it so I will keep space for things I love. I also find that owning less gives me more free time and I feel a sense of peace.

Reduce or Eliminate Disposables
Stop purchasing plasticware like water bottles, bags, plastic wrap. Don't forget paper products like plates, napkins, newspapers, get removed from the junk mail listings. This is all unnecessary waste. If you use these items then wash and reuse them. I prefer to re-use glass in my home, but I do have a few plastic items I reuse for example, my compost container.

Recycle
Aim to have more in your recycle bin than in your trash bin. Know what is able to be recycled and what is not. Try to only use your recycle bin and not your trash bin and see how long you can go before needing trash service. My kids and I are doing an experiment to see how long we can go without using trash service and see how little we are dumping into the planet. It's exciting to see where we once had our trash bins full each week for trash service and now we are able to miss a couple of weeks and still not be overflowing with trash. Maybe I could start some sort of challenge to see how long a family household can go without needing trash service because they simply aren't wasting. Hmmm.....

Change Your Diet- Go Raw Vegan
If you have been following me for some time now this just seems like a no brainer. However, if you are new to my blogs PLEASE research how destructive consuming commercially raised animal products is to our planet! It is appauling what the practice of consuming these foods are doing! It is the NUMBER ONE way to really make a difference in the healing of our planet! If you are going to eat meat, find a local farmer who raises grass fed livestock and will sell to you. However, I just bypass that step all together! If you are a MAJOR RAWK STAR then take the next step and say NO to packages, boxes, & cans and say YES to fresh produce! Your body will be cleaner, your home will not need harsh chemicals to clean it after using animal products and your planet will thank you.

Compost
This is so easy to do and you’ll have lots of scraps if you are eating raw. It drives me nuts to see people tossing fruit and veggie scraps into the trash! I have 2 growing kids and we go through a lot of produce everyday. I use a simple large storage container with a lid that I keep in my kitchen to collect scraps. At the end of the day I take it out to the compost bin outside at night and wash out the container. The lid eliminates gnats or smells. If you don't have space for a compost bin in your yard, blend and bury the kitchen scraps... the worms will thank you!

Grow Your Own Edible Landscape
Check out the video "The Future of Food". This will inspire you to grow your own food. Put your water to good use rather than watering a toxic lawn. Great role models are the Dervae's in Pasadena, CA. I really enjoy GrowingYourGreens channel on YouTube. Not only will you get higher quality foods, you'll enjoy many varieties never found in grocery stores. I have found edible landscaping to be the ultimate for food connoisseurs.

Use Non-Toxic Gardening & Landscape Methods
Ditch the miracle grow and round up products!
Instead of round up use mulch to keep weeds down
Use compost instead of synthetic fertilizers
Ditch the toxic pest control and....
Use orange essential oils to deter ants
Use spearmint essential oils to deter flies

Use Non- Toxic Cleaning Supplies
For dishes and laundry I use Seventh Generation products.I also like to clean my produce with food grade H202. For an all purpose cleaner I use GSE & essential oils mixed with water and use a microfiber cloth. I polish wood with coconut oil.

Use Non- Toxic Hygiene Products
Instead of toxic toothpaste, make your own like shown in this video HERE
Instead of toxic mouthwash use, rinse with diluted food grade H202 and follow up with mint essential oils
Skin: FRICTION is the BEST cleanser! Use a skin brush, shower gloves and a microfiber cloth.
Instead of typical body wash, use Dr Bronner's Castile Soap or Tate's Miracle Wash.
Instead of typical lotion, use coconut oil or Shea butter.
Instead of perfume, use essential oils.
Instead of toxic deodorant, use salt deodorant.
Shampoo less and "dry poo" more with corn starch & good ol' friction again.

Reconnect & Spend More Time in Nature
This will give you a healthy respect for our planet and remind you to make honorable decisions
Go on nature walks & pick up trash.
Ride Your Bike-especially if the weather is nice and you are only traveling a short distance. Take eco-vacations and volunteer to preserve a beautiful location or organic farm with WWOOF.

I really hope you take the time to watch the video links and really see what we can do to make a difference. I am thrilled and honored to say that I am living very green. However, it seems I can always find more ways to go greener. So, please post a comment down below and share how you care for our planet.

Simple Ways to Improve Your Financial Life

2010-04-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

Last year I wrote a blog titled, "Financial Slavery and Financial Freedom". Then, in my last blog post I shared with you that I had been doing a "Life Detox". One thing I did not mention was my financial life. In February I experienced a little taste of financial freedom when I paid my last car payment. That feeling of wanting MORE financial freedom inspired me to delve into my finances and see where I could make more improvements......and I did!

I pulled out my cell phone bill, my car insurance, home phone, cable, Internet connection and my last 2 remaining credit cards and went into research mode. Not only did I find errors, I was able to make corrections that will save me almost $5000 this year! This was shocking, and I got an adrenalin rush. How many other people are depleting their funds unnecessarily? When I realized it was about $5000 I began to realize how the pennies that were slipping through my bank account could add up to pay for a simple family vacation in Hawaii. Imagine receiving a family trip to Hawaii just for doing a little personal research on your finances...would you do it?

Here is where my $5000 was hidden.

Car Insurance
First I called my car insurance company. Since I now owned my car I wanted to change my policy from full coverage to liability, but in the process I had asked if they showed any driving violations on my driving record. I was glad I asked that simple question because they were charging me according to having 2 traffic violations on my record. So, they did a little research and found that I did not have any violations and that I had over paid by $620. By switching from full coverage to liability I would save another $427 a year. That comes out to $1047 just from my car insurance company.

Cell Phone
I looked into my plan and found that there was an error on my bill here too! I was being charged $50 more a month. It seems that someone entered things wrong in their computer system and they would have never corrected it if I hadn't called. By checking in and reviewing my plan I am saving $600 a month on my cell phone bill.

Internet, Cable, Home Phone
Originally I was calling on my home phone because I needed to change my long distance plan. Then the operator informed me of a promotion they were running to bundle my Internet, cable and home phone into one package deal. I have been paying for Internet and cable in one bill and my home phone on another. I currently was paying $110 for cable and Internet and $65 for my home phone. The bundle is a 2 year contract, but it comes out to $124 a month. This saves me $51 a month which in one year is $612.

Credit Card Interest Rates
I decided I had gone this far in researching my expenses, I might as well see what interest rates I was paying and if I could decrease the rate. Of course somewhere along the road my interest rate of 9% had been increased to 20%. I was paying almost $120 in finance charges on one account alone. This was very frustrating to realize. I'd much rather have that money in my pocket than just spent on my poor financial decisions and now in finance charges. I asked my credit card company if they would reduce the interest rate and they said very kindly, "NO". So, I looked into a balance transfer that offered a better interest rate. I found an offer for 10% that not only would I be saving $2367, but all the other saved money from the above accounts would allow me to pay off both credit cards (that total about $10,000) in one year as opposed to the typical 3 years one might pay off a credit card.

All these inquiries led up to a savings of $4626 over one year. All it took was a few phone calls and some curiosity. The scent of financial freedom has me hungry for more. I am now going back to a financial habit that I once was very dedicated with which was to write down my spending everyday. I always find that the pennies here and there add up and I tend to sacrifice the things I really want because I am blowing my money little by little on things that don't even benefit my life in a great way.

I really hope this blog post inspires you to take a look at your expenses and to check for errors and find ways that you can improve your financial life. Who knows, maybe one day we will meet on the beaches of Hawaii and toast to the mantra, "A penny saved is a penny earned."

Detox Your Life

2010-04-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that I have not posted a blog in over 8 weeks. Trust me, I did go through withdrawals and there were times I had things I really wanted to share with you. I apologize for the silence and I am happy to check in with you now.

My absence has been intentional. I have been going through what I call a "Life Detox". It is something I like to do at least once a year. I take time to re-evaluate EVERY aspect of my life. It helps me address and eliminate the things in my life that are distracting me from my life direction. In my last post I talked about conquering low self esteem. When I am feeling less than stellar over a period of time I know it is time to clear the slate and get a fresh perspective. I do that with a Life Detox.

From my last post, the main reason my self esteem dropped was because I was not doing what I know to be right. This is the fastest way to crush ones self image. In addition, I was not being intentional and I was filling my time with distraction and procrastination. That combo will get your spirit screaming and leaving you feeling frustrated. Think of it as a neglected baby who won't stop crying until you give them some love and attention. I really feel that anger and frustration are just symptoms of a neglected spirit. Denying your spirit is the fastest way to crush your soul.

When you ignore your truths...prepare to feel a slump. When you don't act according to what you feel is right then you have just denied yourself. We dull our light and want to hide in shadows. Shadows are OK because they give us the contrast in our life and we all go through times of ignoring our inner voice. However, you cannot sustain hiding and still feel amazing about this gift of life.

We Are Transparent
As much as we'd like to believe that we can fool others and hide how we really feel, we are only fooling ourselves. Everything in your physical environment is a mirror of your internal state. If you look around and see a cluttered car, home, room, garage, closet, kitchen, bathroom, etc., it is a good indicator that you are mentally cluttered and distracting yourself from your life calling. If you are shopping and buying unnecessary items or eating excessively, it is an indicator that you are stuffing your emotions. If we are complaining about someone else we are really just affirming how we feel about ourselves inside. We really are far more transparent than we think we are. With a quick observation of ones living environment, listening to the words spoken, the way one presents themselves, cares for their health, home, relationships or career is a huge indicator of ones self esteem and how much they are connected to their spirit.

I know this can sound like a blow, it is the truth. I have lived this myself. When you recognize you are off track and disconnected it is easy to do a Life Detox. This is a great way to steer your life into the direction you want to go without as many obstacles to remind you of who you were, so you can see who you truly are. We are all spiritual beings having a human experience. Our spirit is so powerful and yet when we ignore our spirit we start behaving like a crying baby.

A Neglected Spirit is like a Crying Baby
The fastest way I know how to "get the baby to stop crying" is to give some love and attention. I have to acknowledge "the crying baby" and in this case the crying baby is my spirit. Once you acknowledge your spirit, see yourself as you truly are, and what you deserve your behaviors follow in alignment. I reviewed my post "Walking Into Knowingness"

Align Your Behaviors with Truth
If you try to change your or behaviors without the shift in your paradigm you may see your behaviors as torture rather than TLC. For example, the raw food diet. When I tell people I am into raw foods they freak out and think I am missing out on all the "good stuff" and start naming their favorite junk foods. At times I would forget why I ate raw (which is to fuel my body with the foods that are species specific for optimal life performance) and would eat something that not only left me feeling digestively upset, but emotionally upset as well. It wasn't that I had a "weak" moment. It was merely that I forgot my intention and who I was. Once I saw myself as a magnificent human being here to do great things then I only desired to give myself the best of life. For me, eating raw feels like a feast for royalty rather than a form of torture.

Who We Are
The best way for me to shift my paradigm to remind myself of who I am is to read "Our Deepest Fear" by Marianne Williamson (which I refer to often). It really puts me back into perspective. I have shared it before, but because I feel this is a theme for so many of us I will share it again (and again). :)

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

With that in mind, how could we not see ourselves as brilliant and create an environment that allows us freedom to shine?

People tend to feel a false sense of security with holding their belongings, but truthfully, the more you own the more you must manage and that can be a time zapper and you can end up feeling like a slave to your stuff.

Over the past 6 weeks, I went though all my cobwebs and cleaned them out. I happily eliminated over 50% of my belongings and donated them to charity. I involved my children and taught them how much fun it is to give your unused things to someone who will love . I feel so much lighter without excess baggage to hold me down. I freed myself, my time, and my environment to that I could re-evaluate, prioritize, and re-connect with my spirit.

How to Do A Life Detox
Go through every nook and cranny of every thing you own, activities and actions you do, and relationships you have. Either remove or repair anything uninspiring, and address anything needing physical or emotional mending. Sometimes, just going through and detoxing your home spurs emotional healing.

Qualify Your Stuff
To determine what stays, put each item through a qualification process, much like one goes through to qualify for a home or car. However, instead of qualifying yourself, you are qualifying the item, relationship or experience.

Does it Reflect the Best Version of Yourself?
Most of the stuff we have does not reflect the highest version of ourselves. It's just the trail of our past experiences. It's time to thank those things in our lives for the purpose it served us at that time. It is now time to offer those things to someone else who will use them.

How Do You Feel When You See It?
Do you look at old clothes you once fit and feel frustrated?
Do you have a negative or painful past memory associated with it?
If you look at any item you own you must feel thrilled and honored to own it. If you do not, say goodbye. If you don't LOVE it, then it has got to go. You may start to feel like you won't have anything if you follow these guidelines. Know that you are creating space for a temple or private retreat and only the best can come into your space.

Kitchen Pantry, Refrigerator, and Freezer
Eliminate anything that do not fuel your body in the most honorable way.

Dining Room
Kitchen disposables such as, Paper plates, napkins, utensils. Start using reusable goods that inspire you to only eat foods that are worthy of you.

Bathroom & Cleaning Supplies
Eliminate toxic cleaning supplies and hygiene products. Start using items that are good for the health of your body, home and planet.

Media/Living room
Eliminate any music, books, magazine subscriptions, video games or movies portraying violence or any negative behaviors. Discontinue from watching TV shows that dampen your spirit. These things harden your spirit and distract you from seeing the beauty in life.

Electronic & Paper Clutter
Go through and clear out your paperwork, email, and voicemail.

Body Detox
Clear your body of anything that is holding onto unnecessary baggage with sweating, colonics, & fasting.

Activities/ Time Management
If you don't love it, don't do it. I am talking END RESULT here. Sometimes we confuse this, but we have to think about the end result of the activity.

Relationships
If you feel like any relationship is burdensome or depleting you rather than fueling you, you may want to reevaluate the people you surround yourself with. You are the average sum of the 5 people you spend most of your time with. This includes your weight, diet, religious views, income, etc. If you don't like what you see you may want to find people that inspire you to make the most of yourself.

Once you clear your life you can take a good self examination and see where you can improve your life. I promise you will feel a sense of relief and feel a renewed sense of purpose from honoring your life and your spirit.

Stay on Track with Silence & Stillness
Without sounding too much like Yoda or Confucius, it is true that in order to go forward...do nothing. In order to do more....do less, especially when it comes to mental chatter and environmental noise. When was the last time you were in silence? What about not talking, turning off the Internet, TV, music, movies, books, etc. When was the last time you did nothing?

Doing a day of silence on a weekly basis is so nourishing. It was amazing what inspiration flows in when noise and distraction is eliminated. Remember our spirit whispers secrets. :) If an entire day seems like a leap, start with an hour of silence a day. Spend your time alone with yourself, start by journaling your rampages of appreciation, write out any concerns or roadblocks you feel you are experiencing. reading, resting, sunbathing, contemplating, cleaning, gardening, walking, doing yoga. In time you will be able to increase the silence. Soon you'll really look forward this time to listen to your inner genius awakening

Use Holidays as Reminders to Renew
Sometimes we can find ourselves back into old patterns and holidays can help us
refocus and remind us of what is important.

The Sunrise & New Year's Day
It's an opportunity to refresh and refocus on what we really want. I prefer happy new day when the sun rises rather than waiting for a new year! It's such a smaller bite to take and we should feel that EVERYDAY is a celebration! Are you waking up and feeling thankful that you have another day on this Earth to experience life? To live with meaning and love. To appreciate what we have. To appreciate the day as an opportunity.

Valentines Day
A reminder to show your love, appreciation, & admiration to those in your life.

Easter/ Spring
New life new beginnings, renewal, forgiveness

Independence Day
A reminder to release ourselves of our burdens and experience freedom in all forms including emotional and financial freedom.

Thanksgiving
An opportunity to share your gratitude

Christmas
A reminder to give, share your gifts, shine your light with the world & contribute to the betterment of life.

May this inspire you to take time to align your life with what really matters and to create an environment that brings out the best in you. Cheers to Life!

Conquering Low Self Esteem

2010-02-15T15:50:00.000-08:00

My Story
Recently, I was romantically involved with a man I enjoyed immensely. Little by little, I began to fear FEELING GOOD. I started to wonder, "This relationship feels amazing, what will I do when this ends?" So, as a way to control the issue I found a way that I would self sabotage the experience by rejecting him before he could reject me. He would tell me that he was falling in love with me and I would just blow it off and say to myself, "He can't be serious, this is just something he is saying to play me. Once I let my guard down and believe him then I will be vulnerable and he can hurt me. So, it's better that I just keep a little emotional distance so it won't hurt as much when it happens."

Later, in one of our conversations I told him that I was intentionally blocking myself from feeling his love and he was saddened. See, I have NO problem attracting a man into my life, but I have not yet sustained a healthy relationship. Shortly after, we had a discussion on self worth. He happens to be one of the most well read and practiced people in psychology. Once he realised that I was suffering from low self esteem he gave me a protocol to follow. It was funny, he was so matter of factly it reminded me of how a doctor would prescribe medication.

My Homework
Do the following exercises daily:

Morning and night I am to write out and complete the following with 10 replies to each:
"If I trusted myself 5% more..."
"If I accepted myself 5% more..."

In addition, I am to attend The Landmark Forum and read The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem: The Definitive Work on Self-Esteem by the Leading Pioneer in the Field by Nathaniel Branden.

I wasn't more than a page or so into the book before I started taking notes for my journal. By page 13 I was in tears. This book is EXACTLY what I needed. My self worth has been the ELEPHANT in the room that I was ignoring. I knew I was having issues with self esteem but I didn't realize how clearly I was sabotaging my efforts in health, career advancements, and romantic relationships.

The fact that I had an automatic expectation of rejection in my romantic endeavors is a huge red flag of self esteem.

Immediately, I identified with many of the signs of low self esteem such as:

Health

ignoring my intuition, and rationalizing poor habits
being extreme and being hard on myself
having a hard time admitting
as soon as I made progress I would stop and act against the thing I know to be true

Romance

having an automatic expectation of rejection
seeing people as a source of approval or disapproval
finding ways to end the relationship before my partner could reject me

Career

giving up, not following through to completion
getting distracted or frustrated
telling myself I didn't need to put out any content (value) since others were already doing it and talking about it. Who am I to do this? I am not inventing anything new, the information is out there for those who want it.

I am still in the early phases of reading this book and doing the exercises. However, I can already feel the enthusiasm bubbling within me because I KNOW that this is my obstacle to tackle. This is what is keeping me from attaining what I know deep down I deserve to have. This is what I need within me to have quality of life.

I look forward to giving a full review of The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem: The Definitive Work on Self-Esteem by the Leading Pioneer in the Field and the Landmark Forum in the near future (before May) as well as sharing my results. If you have already attended the Landmark Forum or read this book I would love to hear how it has impacted you! In the meantime, I wanted to give you a heads up if you identified with anything I have mentioned above. No one deserves to feel this way, not even me! I would feel terrible if I withheld any information that empowered me in my life to anyone of my readers. We all deserve to feel good now and realize our dreams. I suggest that if you are not getting the results in your life that your truly want that you check out this book or follow the protocol that I currently am following.

I love you guys! :)

Macrobiotic Restaurant Review: M Cafe

2010-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Dhrumil, myself, Anita, and Ben all enjoyed our experience at M Cafe in Culver City, CA.

Restaurant: M Cafe
Type of Cuisine: Macrobiotic w/ vegan options
Location: 9343 Culver Blvd. Culver City, CA (map)
Contact: (310) 838-4300
Hours: Sun- Thur: 9am - 9pm, Fri & Sat: 9am- 10pm

Parking
There is parking available behind the building as well as metered parking on the street. I parked across the street with a strip of metered parking which was not required to pay parking after 6pm.

Ambiance
This was a bright, open, clean cafe where you walk up to the counter and place your order. Some of the dishes are already prepared and displayed in the front. You can choose to eat indoors or outdoors. We sat at the big picnic style table indoors since it was drizzly and cold outside.

Menu
There is not really a raw selection minus the salads which need to be special ordered to make totally raw. In the winter months I will eat more cooked food and if I am going to eat it this place was the right place to enjoy it. This menu is not vegan since fish is served, but there are several vegan dishes.

Service/Staffing
The staff behind the counter was very friendly. They even took our photo pictured above. The server joked about posing for the prom which we did, but there was no way I was going to post it! We stayed beyond the cafe hours, and the staff was really cool about it.

Our Order
Chai Mate Latte (w/ rice milk)
This was an interesting beverage, especially since I love chai, but it tasted far too dilluted for my tastes. I would have preferred a stronger chai flavor, but I love the mate latte concept. If I have it again I will definitely ask for more chai.

Scarlet Quinoa
The quinoa is red because of beet juice. It came out family style and we all took turns scooping a spoonful of the quinoa and then dipping it into the butternut squash soup. I tend to stay away from grains for the most part, but on occassion I will have them. This was a great way to have quinoa. I liked the veggies in it as well.

Spiced Butternut Bisque
I am really glad we had the soup considering butternut is my all time favorite soup. It was delicious, creamy and warm. It was served with pumpkin seeds on the top which gave a nice crunch, and as I mentioned before we all liked mixing this with the quinoa.

M Chopped Salad
This was suggested by the staff. It was made with organic hearts of romaine & mixed greens, avocado, cucumber, chickpeas herb-baked tofu, scallions, ume-pickled radishes, carrots, beets, tamari-roasted almonds, crumbled tempeh “bacon” , tofu-peppercorn ranch. I made some modifications to my salad. I changed the dressing to an avocado lemon viniagrette and passed on the tofu to make it a bit more appropriate for my needs since I prefer no soy.

Portions
The salad was huge and very filling. I could have easily shared it with someone. The large quinoa was enough for 4 people to share. The soup was an average sized portion.

Price
Um, it is bad I really didn't pay much attention to this detail? BTW, thanks again Dhru for your generosity.

Overall
This is a place I would go to on a cold day or if I was with non raw friends. There are several vegan dishes so it helps keep things healthy without weirding out the raw-phobic people.

Family Memories on Ice

2010-02-02T00:52:00.001-08:00

Raw Restaurant Review: Euphoria Loves RAWvolution

2010-01-31T00:04:00.000-08:00

Restaurant: Euphoria Loves Rawvolution

Type of cuisine served: raw vegan

Location: 2301 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA (map)

This place is located right down the street from the Farmers Market. Main street is a busy little strip with lots of cool little shops to check out. You'll find lots of people walking and riding their bikes around.

Contact: (310) 392-9501

Hours: 11:00am-2:30pm, 5:00pm-8:30pm.

Ambiance

In the morning this is a place where you walk up to the counter, place your order, seat yourself and they will bring your food out to you. It is very casual. There are books and products conveniently placed for you to check out. It has lots of private seating and communal areas to mingle. In the evening, you are seated by a host and the lighting is dim and sexy. I sat on a couch that reminded me of a comfy day bed that had a coffee table in front of it next to an open window. It was set up in a way that invited people to come, sit nearby and strike up a conversation which is exactly what happened.

Parking
This can be a bit of a pain if you are not familiar with where to park. Make sure you know all the parking rules. Some places in Santa Monica on Sundays you can park for free, but evidently this was not one of those places. Keep your change on hand if you want to park nearby. While I was inside the restaurant I enjoyed sitting and looking out the window, however not so much when I saw someone giving me a parking ticket...yikes! Better believe I won't make that mistake again.

Staffing/Service

The restaurant had just opened a few minutes before I arrived since I went just after yoga class and I was looking for a new yummy healthy breakfast spot. I was greeted as soon as I walked in by a young woman who was straightening up the books and retail items. I asked her what to order since it was my first visit. She was friendly and took the time to share her favorites on the menu. I then walked up to the counter where another lovely woman took my order. I was a little confused by the set up since there was a jar for tipping on the counter, but then they brought my food to me. What am I supposed to do? Do I leave a tip in the jar or on the table? I guess it doesn't matter as long as you just tip.

Menu

The menu was very simple, black and white. I didn't look over it much since I merely asked what was good. I like trying the popular dishes recommended by the staff whenever I am new to a place.

My Order

Reishi- Shilajit Ormus Tea

I tried the tea according the the recommendations of the two girls working. The tea was served in an over sized mug and had a strong healing flavor, not very sweet at all which is just what you would expect from a medicinal drink. I was fascinated by the tea and went home to look up more information about it's health benefits, especially with ormus in it. Here is what I found about Reishi-Shilajit Ormus Tea. I like knowing why I am drinking or eating a particular meal and what kind of effect will it have on me.

Buckwheat Granola with Tangy Probiotic Coconut Yogurt
Tangy is right, and oh-so creamy. I have never had coconut yogurt and I am inspired to make some at home one of these days. It seemed like a richer version of a dairy based yogurt, or maybe my memory of it since it has been years since I have had dairy based yogurt. I loved the crunchy buckwheat granola, chewy bits of sweet raisins and freshly sliced strawberries which was just enough to slightly sweeten this dish. I probably would have preferred it sweeter, but I enjoyed it tremendously. I even wondered what it would taste like if I had taken miracle fruit beforehand since miracle fruit blocks our sour taste bud sensors temporarily. Just for fun I'll have to go and try it again after sucking on miracle fruit. I bet it would taste like the sweetest yogurt ever.

Portion
This was just enough to satisfy my hunger, yet not enough to share.

Price
My order was under $15

Recommendation

I would totally suggest people check this place out and have the items I ordered. I loved that I was getting a healthy dose of probiotics in my yogurt since it is not something I have regularly, nor do I have tea like this. This meal definitely had the intention of health. It was filling without having a sluggish effect on me. I noticed that my digestion was not irritated by the meal which is one of the things I am paying attention to these days. The cleaner my diet becomes I want foods that do not leave me feeling weird afterwards. I like feeling good after I eat and this place definitely did the trick. Again, this is another place I am going to love becoming familiar with as I try all the items on the menu.

Support

I feel good knowing that I am supporting great places that have ethics and health behind it. I prefer to dine in places that are not large chain restaurants that have a ton of ingredients and preservatives that are not focused on feeding me optimal fuel for my body. When you find places that have your best interest and health in mind it is worth supporting them.

Raw Food Restaurant Review: Cru

2010-01-14T21:38:00.000-08:00

Restaurant: Cru

Type of cuisine served: organic, raw & cooked gluten free vegan (menu)

Location: 1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA (map)

Contact: 323-667-1551

Hours:

Mon-Sat open for lunch 11am-4pm, and dinner 5:30pm-10pm

Sunday brunch 11am-2:30pm, and dinner 5:30pm-10pm.

Ambiance

Cru is a casual restaurant with a nice intimate low key vibe. It's decorated with warm cozy colors and a stained polished concrete floor. The lighting is dim, soft, warm and inviting which had me feeling very comfortable. The seating was simple with a long cushioned bench along the wall with simple sleek chairs across the tables. Each table had a candle votive and simple vase with charming Gerber daisies that my friend couldn't resist putting behind his ear! The restaurant was fresh, clean, and well maintained. Even the bathroom was clean, which always gives me creepy vibes if I go into a restaurant bathroom and it is a wreck. It always leaves me wondering how the kitchen must look behind closed doors. It can be very unsettling, but in this case I was happy to see it was tidy and clean.

Service/Staff
We were greeted and seated right away. There are some raw restaurants where the service is less than stellar or the restaurant seems understaffed. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the attentiveness as well as the prompt service. Not only was the food served in a timely manner, but the servers were very approachable and friendly. They really took the time to go over any questions that we had. It was so refreshing.

Menu

While overlooking the menu I enjoyed a warm cup of chamomile tea. The menu was easy to read without having too many complicated choices. They keep their menu simple and sweet. My friend and I weren't really hungry at the time, but since we were in the area we decided to get the order to go. We shared the following:

Kale Apple Lime Juice

This approx 12 oz. nourishing juice was very refreshing with a nice subtle sweet, crisp, clean flavor. The ingredient ratios were perfect, not too strong, not too sweet, not too tart, just right.

Deep Green Salad (pictured above)

We ordered the large to share which was a very generous & filling portion. The salad consisted of kale, tomato, avocado, sprouts and sunflower seeds. The chili lime dressing was outstanding. The menu showed that this dish came with sunflower seeds, however ours came with pine nuts which I prefer anyway. I loved the different textures and all the flavors mixed well together.

Asian Noodle Bowl

Kelp noodles topped with sprouts, chopped almonds, radishes, cucumbers and drizzled in the prefect amount of almond, chili sauce. This dish was so good! I really like spicy food so I might have asked for a side of minced jalapeno or some more chili, but to the regular guest it was perfect as it is. I will definitely be back to have this one again and again. No joke I am still thinking about this dish days later!

Pesto Ravioli

I wish I had a photo of this dish, it was truly beautiful. The wrap was made of white, thinly sliced root veggie (I wish I knew what it was, perhaps jicama) stuffed with herbed cashew cheese and topped with a pumpkin seed pesto sauce. It was wonderfully accompanied with a spicy arugula salad. I really savored the flavors in this dish. I suggest you eat this dish really slowly to get the full effect of the herbed cashew cheese!

Portions
The portions were so generous that we were able to share all the dishes and even save half of it to enjoy the next day. All the dishes were very filling.

Price

Organic raw food is always going to be a bit pricier than a standard cooked restaurant considering the labor and quality that goes into the food, however the value matched the prices.

Overall
One thing this restaurant seems to do well is to let the flavors merry together so that the dishes are full of flavor without seeming like the dishes were rushed. You could tell each dish was made with love and care and isn't that what you want when you go out to eat? BTW, I tend to eat very simple fare (mostly mono foods) most of the time and my tummy can get a bit upset with all the complicated food combinations however I did not experience any "weirdness" with the combinations. Perhaps because we passed on the desserts.

Recommendation

I highly recommend checking Cru out. The only drawback I experienced was parking. We had to walk a short distance to the restaurant, passing a small pack of gated in yapping Chiwawas. ;) but I know that I will definitely be back to try other menu selections. I will definitely have to munch on those amazing Asian noodles again too! This is a place that you can bring raw curious people to as well especially since there are gluten free cooked dishes on the menu as well.

Breaking from Co-Dependence into True Love

2010-01-12T16:13:00.000-08:00

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Raw Food Recipe: Broccoli Coleslaw Salad w/ Raspberry Vinaigrette

2010-01-08T07:40:00.000-08:00

I spent the day recently at Glen Ivy Hot Springs and while I was in the steam room the conversation got onto raw food. (gee, imagine that...) As the group was talking about their different experiences or lack of knowledge on the subject completely, someone shared one of their favorite raw recipes. It was so simple I didn't even need to write it down. I decided to make it and see how I liked it. It was a broccoli salad. Now, I am not a huge fan of raw broccoli, but I knew I had a ton of it in my fridge from last weeks share from my wholesale organic produce buying club. It turned out pretty good so I thought I'd pay it forward. I have no idea what the ratios were so I will post my approximates, and feel free to modify it to your liking.

BTW, I am not a culinary artist or a great photographer, but I thought you'd like to get an idea of what this looks like.

Broccoli Salad
Broccoli (chopped small or food processed) -I used 1 bunch
Dried cranberries -I used one handful
Sunflower seeds- I used 1 handful of walnuts since I was out of sunflower seeds
Apple (chopped or food processed)- I used 2 small apples (one granny smith, one fuji)

Toss with the following dressing

Raspberry Vinaigrette
A couple handfuls of raspberries (mine were frozen from late summer)
2 T lemon juice (I prefer to use lemon or lime rather than vinegar)
1/2 C water
A handful of walnuts (I prefer to use whole foods rather than oil for my fat in dressings)

Blend in the Vita-mix till smooth, toss all ingredients together.

This recipe has a holiday vibe to it with the walnuts, apples, and cranberries. It's crisp, sweet, tart, crunchy and creamy. Plus the broccoli is in season right now so this makes a perfect winter broccoli coleslaw salad.

This recipe is also in alignment with the 80/10/10 diet if you keep your nuts down to a very small quantity, but there is no salt or vinegar or spices that 811'ers tend to steer clear from.

BTW, this keeps really well in a glass storage container if you are traveling, out working or running errands. There is no mixing or messing with putting things together, just a fork and voila!

If you have any variations of this recipe or if you try it, please let me know how you enjoyed it.

Are You Living in Your Own Private Prison?

2010-01-06T06:26:00.000-08:00

Do you find yourself interacting in fake or pretentious ways?
Do you lie to others?
Do you find yourself being highly criticized and judged?
Are you wrapped up in how others perceive you?
If a camera was running on you 24/7 would you be terrified by what others witnessed in your life?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you are living in your own private hell. A place of emotional baggage, filled with lies, fear, paranoia, and so forth. One way to gain some insight is to play the mirror game. Meaning what you accuse others of you are guilty of yourself.

Are you judgmental of others?
Judgmental people are afraid of being judged themselves so they deflect the attention off themselves by trying to project it onto others.

Do you have expectations for others to live up to?
People don't let us down, we let ourselves down when we handed our power to something outside of ourselves.

Take Responsibility
We create our own private hell and we are the only ones who can get ourselves out of it. Stop deflecting, dig down into your own murkiness. Once you do, you realize even in your murkiness it is still OK. You are beautiful just as you are, even with body odor and bed head you are still loved and accepted. The true you transcends that, and by being comfortable with your "human-ness" (skankiness and all...LOL) you realize it doesn't take away your value. After all, once you embrace who you really are all the murkiness begins to fall away. Stop giving power to the social paradigm that you are not living up to. No one really does anyway. Take your power back, take responsibility for who you are.

See Your Value
Those layers of thoughts & habits are not who we really are and as we let them go we can shine. We are all divine sparks of God. We are here to do good and how can we shine when we are always hiding? We have a calling to greatness and our spirit is so big that we cannot be held down with such trivial baggage. As we become loving and accepting people, we become a magnet for more love. Imagine living freely, doing exactly what you wanted to do, when you wanted to do it, free of guilt. Imagine that no one would criticize you or judge you. Nothing you could do or say would cause anyone to flee from your life. If you knew no matter what you would be loved, you would be honest. You would feel safe.

Liberate Yourself
There is no need to stress and become uptight, for once we do the mind and body become so tense that we cannot transmit data from the divine and we are literally squeezing the magic out of our experience. RELAX and see the real you. Let go and just be free. Let yourself out of the prison you have been confining yourself to.

Be the Example
If you want openness and honesty from others, you must be that yourself. Once others feel safety in your openness their walls will go down too. As Gandhi said, "You must be the change you want to see in the world." Be free, be liberated. Do not look to others to change first, it starts with you. Do not tell others how to be, be an example of what you know to be true and people will flock to you for your insight and guidance. Give them the freedom to be themselves.

Liberate Others
As Marianne Williamson said so beautifully,” As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others." The best way to give back to others is to allow them to be who they are, just how they are. Love them anyway. When you are free, others will be freed in your presence. People will open and share details with you because they know there will be no judgment. None of the silly stuff matters anyway, I remember this quote, "Forever trust in who we are, and nothing else matters". Who knew a little Metallica could be so profound? This song has been running through my head. These lyrics are the real deal. Enjoy!

Share Your Journey
Let your skeletons out of your closet. I did over a year ago when I posted a video called Skeletons in My Closet. I remember being scared to post it. I had no idea what would come of it. Surprisingly, I was greeted with support and compassion. People resonated with my pain and soon the fears and insecurities that once held me down liberated me. I am so thankful I had the courage to do it. It is my desire to be free. As I let go of my silly trivial human-ness may it inspire you to do the same. I wrote out my human-ness in the blog Walking Into Knowingness. It is time to admit, "This is me now, and it is OK. I have a heart of gold and I am working on becoming a better version of myself." It is my dream that by sharing my life publicly that it liberates you to live your life more fully. As Gandhi said, "My life is my message." Let your life be your message as well. Be the spark that you are and shine above all this nonsense. After all, if not you, then who? If not now, then when?

Is Raw Food a Deal Breaker in Relationships?

2010-01-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Q:
I am getting into raw eating as a lifestyle, however my boyfriend and maybe soon to be fiance eats nothing but processed food, meat, fast-food. He wants nothing to do with my healthy eating because he is not willing to give up his favorite foods. He is a kind christian man that I adore very much, but could this be a deal breaker down the road? You would think he ate healthy since he is very good looking and in shape, but his hygiene is a different story! I just am scared about getting married and having our views on nutrition completely opposite. What do you think? Thanks, love your videos..just found you today. :)

A:
Thanks for reaching out. Congrats on going raw. You have some valid questions about your BF, but there are two things I'd like to mention. First, is to be the person you want to be, eat how you know you should & want to. You are the shining example. As you own it others will be inspired by you. Second, love people as they are not how you think they will be someday. Keep remembering WHY you are with him and all the things you love & the relationship will flourish. The moment you find lack is when things go wrong. Let people remove themselves from you. You don't need to end the relationship, he will leave if he doesn't resonate with who you are. That's a good thing too, because the real people who love you will stay and embrace your growth, it won't threaten them or the relationship.

Finding Self Worth to Break Old Patterns

2010-01-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

Isn't it funny how many times we do something we know we shouldn't be doing, but we do it anyway? Let me give you an example. We know intellectually that a soy chai latte from the Coffee Bean is not the best fuel to put into our bodies, however we drink it anyway. Sometimes we justify drinking it by saying, "Oh.... well...I haven't had one in a really long time." Or even worse we say we deserve it as a treat. How can we say putting something in our bodies with no nutritional value and that depletes us is ever a treat? Ultimately, we know we shouldn't be consuming it, so why do we do it?

As I pondered this I realize it all comes down to realizing our self worth. We will only give ourselves exactly what we feel we deserve. If we hold ourselves in low regard then it is easy to say that it is OK to accept anything less than the best. On the other side, if we hold ourselves in high regard we would only want ourselves to have the best that life has to offer. We wouldn't see something that is less than the best as a treat. We would see it just the opposite way.

Wouldn't it be so nice that one day you wake up and you only crave and desire the things in your life that really fulfill you? Imagine that anything less than the best no longer has any appeal at all. Imagine if someone was right next to you drinking a soy chai latte that it wouldn't even phase you. You wouldn't feel deprived, actually you felt empowered and free that something no longer had an effect on you. You knew that if you wanted it, you could have it, but you just don't. The problem is so simple. All our bad habits and cravings would fall away because they wouldn't be in alignment with how we felt.

If the problem is so simple, then is the solution just as easy? YES! We start seeing ourselves as who we really are underneath all those layers of habits and thoughts. We see the essence and we begin to feel love for all that we are and all that is around us. We give gratitude and love our habits and thoughts for they have taught us and given us contrast for us to grow. We see ourselves as unique aspects of God, and doesn't God deserve the best? God doesn't settle or rationalize. God knows what is best and you do too. You know you are capable of so much. Stop dimming yourself, it is time to shine by doing the things that we know we are deserving and capable of.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fears, our presence automatically liberates others." - Marianne Williamson

I couldn't have said it any more beautifully!

Walking Into Knowingness

2009-12-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

In honor of the upcoming new year I have been contemplating my life intention, direction, and challenges/opportunities. This morning I realized I am at a crossroad in my life. It is time to love the person I have been and time to embrace a higher version of myself.

I used a simple method of looking at my complaints and compliments that I expressed about others. In this indirect way I was able to see myself being objective and thorough. I know that I am all that I see in others whether I am complaining or complimenting.

Here is what I found I was complaining about in others. Then I changed their names to "I am..."

a very sexually attractive person who feels a false sense of reassurance and self worth through displaying self in a sexy/ flirtatious manner.
experiencing periods of attachment & insecurity
frozen in fear & not taking action
not claiming the life I know I deserve (self worth)
inefficient use of time & talents
wavering focus & direction
too stuck in the head that I get locked in intelligence/reason mode that is squeezing the magic out from happening or allowing
unlimited potential and the world unfolding before me, realizing I could have a commanding presence & really impact lives if I owned it.
wavering on taking responsibility on where I am at.
experiencing minor glimpses of lower levels of consciousness, yet highly evolved getting glimpses of a higher truth/ reality.
understanding freedom & enlightenment
passionate about growing, sharing and teaching as I learn
a person with a huge heart
a person with a desire to make a positive difference in people's lives on a large scale

I then thought about the people in my life that I admire. I took off the names of others and changed it again to "I am...."

present, conscious, self assured
understanding & remembering my life direction
knowing my presence is my gift
a leader
serving by holding my level of awareness. In doing so people find clarity in their own lives and raise their own consciousness so that they see solutions & change their own lives.
the very best thing I can do is maintain this state of knowing consciousness & live in that truth.

This is my direction to master! I am reminded of the last phrase in Mother Teresa's poem "Anyway" where it states:

"In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."

I see myself very clearly right now and I am so thankful that through observing and enjoying my interactions with everything around me and that I am able to see the truth in my reality.

The people I am complaining about are opportunities to see if I am really done with that level of life. Have I really let go from the old to walk into new realms? How assured am I?

The people I admire are opportunities to see if I am really standing present and owning it simply, quietly, consciously with a knowing and freedom.

Am I ready to take the torch from my lower self and stand tall with a higher level of living. Can I incorporate it and saturate myself with such a presence that it emanates from every pore & action of my being?

Are you ready to stand in your knowingness or do you need to dabble in the "old familiar". Are you ready to let go to move forward?

What more of a resolution do you need than to walk in your own truth? Enjoy your new year!

#10 Bikini Body Challenge Update 124.5 Weigh In

2009-12-15T13:53:00.000-08:00

My Weekly Grocery Shopping Experience

2009-12-13T21:33:00.000-08:00

If it wasn't for the IEOPBC I doubt I would be consuming as much organic produce as I do. Even better I get it wholesale. I co-organize this group & I strongly feel that in order to stay on a healthy lifestyle you need to put yourself in situations where you are accountable. In my situation people count on me so I can't exactly let them down. It's a win win situation for me.

This produce is enough to feed myself, Alex & Mehgan who also eat the same foods I prepare.

Groceries
30 red potatoes
3-4 bunches of kale
3-4 heads of red leaf lettuce
3-4 heads of celery
3-4 fennel bulbs
3-4 bunches of carrots
3-4 bunches of golden beets
6+ zucchini
3 bags of mixed peppers
3 bags of spinach PLUS a half case which is 12 bunches
5 lbs of tomatoes ( forgot to video tape them)
12 golden delicious apples
12 persimmons
16 lbs of grapes
40-50 Fuji apples ( I know I said Gala in the video, but I meant to say Fuji)
20 bananas (normally I get about 50, but I had many left over from last week)
12 cloves of garlic ( this will last much longer than this week)
2 pineapples
3 pkgs of sunflower spouts

This total cost was approx: $100 Now tell me where you are going to beat that price?

This week's menu

(some of the ingredients I still had in my fridge from last week)

Breakfast

Green Juice
Romaine (1 head), cucumber (1), spinach (1 head), ginger (thumb sized chunk), apple (2), cilantro ( 1 bunch), parsley (1 bunch), & celery (3-5 stalks). I plan on juicing the greens to the carrot tops and beet tops also.

This is taking up 80% of my daily dietary intake for this week. I am drinking at least 48 oz if not more daily. I just feel like I need more re-mineralization for healing emotionally as well as physically. Juice usually clears my mind and creates a sense of calm and focus. I can totally use more of that these days! If I make too much in one sitting my kids help me drink it. I try to consume it within 15 minutes of juicing.

Green Smoothie
Banana and greens ( this week I have romaine, red leaf, spinach, & kale) I may throw in pears, mango, or pineapple as well, but sometimes it's just leafy greens with banana.

Snacks
Apples, persimmons, bananas, and grapes (my kids like almond butter w/ the apples & bananas) Guacamole or zucchini hummus w/ carrots

Lunches & Dinners
Steamed Red Potatoes & Broccoli (left over from last week)
Massaged greens w/ sprouts, grated beets and zucchini hummus
Warm Veggie Soup- carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, fennel, and garlic

Live Your Life

2009-12-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

“Live, so you do not have to look back and say: 'God, how I have wasted my life.' ”
-Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Welcome Kevin Talley & Juicing

2009-12-09T02:34:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick video of Kevin & I talking about how he has been feeling as a result of cleaning up his diet and experimenting with juicing. Raw food is a new concept to Kevin and I am amazed by his openness and willingness. Since Kevin is very interested in raising consciousness I shared with him some information about the energetic value of food. He was fascinated to learn how diet affects his vibration. I look forward to sharing more videos on his transition and journey.

Living a Transparent Life

2009-12-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

Raw Food Goodness w/ Steve & Lori

2009-11-28T21:47:00.001-08:00

Meg Making Green Veggie Juice

2009-11-28T12:59:00.000-08:00

Here is Alex's favorite snack: green apples with almond butter. He actually made this plate himself. How cute...will he be a future Matthew Kenney in the works? ;)

Green Juice Fasting On The Go

2009-11-28T10:05:00.000-08:00

A Visit to Glen Ivy Hot Springs

2009-11-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

I have been going to Glen Ivy Hot Springs for almost 10 years and it always seems to bliss me out. I don't know if it is due to the immense amount of detoxification from the sauna, steam room, or mud. Perhaps it's just a good healthy dose of sunshine, water and lush greenery. I almost feel like I have a nature deficiency if I am not around plants.

Anyhow, I have been making it a point to keep myself in a heightened state and to keep allowing my life to unfold in beautiful and magical ways. This is just one of the ways that I enjoy spending my time. I read, I write, I dream, I savor, I celebrate. I just feel fantastic every single time I go here and I ALWAYS meet the coolest people in the mineral bath. The vibes are just rocking. I leave with the softest skin, a golden glow, and an open heart and mind!

Ways to Eat Your Greens

2009-11-03T13:37:00.001-08:00

I am always recommending that people consume 2 bunches of leafy greens (about 2 lbs.) a day and the most common responses I receive are, "Why are greens so important?"Followed by, "How do I prepare them?" I decided to prepare a list of ideas and recipes for you to get you started. Once you get the hang of it I am sure you'll be creating awesome recipes yourself.

If you don't know the importance of eating greens I recommend the book Green for Life . I just watched Greens Can Save Your Life and it has so much valuable information. It's incredibly important to vary your greens. Here is a list of common leafy greens that you can use in the following recipes. The cool thing about adding two bunches of leafy greens to your diet is that it gradually squeezes out the "junk" that we shouldn't be eating. Instead of just eliminating foods and wondering what to eat I like to start by ADDING to your current diet and then after fitting in your quota of greens see how much room is left for the other "stuff".

Juices/Liquid

Wheatgrass Orange Juice
Green Lemonade or a fast version I use is: 2 T lemon juice, 1 packet of stevia, 2 T of juiced greens & 8 oz water.
Check out Mehgan chugging down this green drink version with TONS of Vitamineral Green. WOW!
Kale & jicama juice: juice 1 bunch kale w/ 1 jicama (peeled) This tastes much like an unripe banana. Don't ask how, but it does!
Green Juice: 1 bunch spinach, 1 head celery, and 1 cucumber ( this is a common juice prepared at Tree of Life)
RawModel's Spicy Green MSM Tonic

Smoothies

Chocolate green smoothie ( kale, bananas, ice or water, cacao or carob powder blended in a Vita- Mix)
Here is a video of one of our first green smoothies

Savory Green Energy Soups (Benefits)

Ann Wigmore's Energy Soup

Salads

Alexis's Massaged Green Salad ( mash it together with your hands)

1/2 (or more) bunch kale chopped
1 ripe mango chopped
1/2 ripe avo chopped
1 small, ripe lemon juiced
1 jalapeno diced
1 green onion chopped
Check out this video w/ my kids preparing a Massaged Greens Salad
Prepare Zucchini Hummus ( minus lemon, cumin, paprika & added red bell pepper, & cayenne pepper ) and massage it into a green of your choice. I like spinach myself.
Courtney's Spirulina Salad

Snacks

Shake a bag of lettuce with a squeeze of lemon or lime in a bag and eat them fresh like chips.
Kale Chips

Dessert

Leija's Chocolate Pudding

If you have a favorite green recipe, don't hesitate to share it in the comments below!

Happy Halloween 2009

2009-10-30T22:17:00.000-07:00

Me, April, Amanda

Alex, Me, & Mehgan

Princess Leia Slave Costume

How to Get Out of a Traffic Ticket

2009-10-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

This is just another example of how things are going when I am in alignment with higher consciousness. It's a place of trust and listening to that inner voice that guides you in the direction you want to be in.

I have been riding a blissed out state lately. I have made the decision to live in the magic of life and honestly, it is proving it to me. If only everyone remembered this what a wonderful world this would be. However, my world has been rocking out so I know I am making a difference just by changing my own conscious state.

So, when was the last time you worked out your soul? C'mon now, I dare you to give it a shot. Start strengthening your higher self by just remembering who you are and knowing it is all here for you. Let it happen!

So, how do you get out of a traffic ticket: INTEND IT! Ask and it is Given! It's granted as soon as you ask, so just let it play out (aka allow it)!

International Alchemy Conference

2009-10-28T19:11:00.000-07:00

To be honest when I received tickets to attend an International Alchemy Conference I didn't really know what to expect. I really didn't even know exactly what "alchemy" meant. However, after seeing that Dr. Masaru Emoto and Don Miguel Ruiz would be speaking I knew it had to be a good thing. Upon arrival to the event someone stopped me and mentioned that I did not "look" like someone who was into alchemy. What does an alchemist look like anyway? Once I walked into the conference everyone looked normal to me & I didn't feel out of place at all.

I was thrilled with the opportunity to hear Dr. Emoto speak. The room was packed, but somehow I was able to get a front row seat. He spoke in Japanese and had a translator, but his jokes and charm were not diluted in the translation. I felt goosebumps throughout his entire speech. According to Dr. Emoto goosebumps are messages from our DNA that deciphers consciousness. I couldn't agree more. I usually know something is powerful by my goosebumps.

I first learned about him from the film "What the Bleep Do We Know" with Hidden Messages in Water. That was so powerful that I did the rice experiment in 2007. I even posted a blog on water earlier this year. I was blown away by the results and have forever been changed. As Dr. Emoto explained, water is consciousness and within it is our message from God.

Dr. Emoto shared his journeys of healing water around the world and found that within a short time after a ceremony a rainbow would appear. Some of them were double rainbows that were not common to the area at all. He explained that a rainbow is a symbol for peace. Suddenly I was taken back to a memory of when I lived on the North Shore of Hawaii. Everyday I would smell a light scent of pineapples and see a rainbow right in my backyard. Most of the time it would be a double rainbow too! What a beautiful thing to experience!

Dr. Emoto shared the Law of Vibration. He demonstrated resonance and how a perfect pyramid magnified and extended the vibration. AMAZING demo! He shared that music is vibration and water loves beautiful vibration. He feels strongly that music is medicine. I couldn't agree more. He expressed that even more important than listening to beautiful music was to sing. Our bodies, like water love music and we can feel the vibration emanating from us. He said the person who invented karaoke should have won a Nobel Prize. I agree! In spirit of that, we sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" paying close attention to the lyrics. The IZ version happens to be one of my most favorite songs ever. I actually felt inspired to sing more knowing that I was healing my body. I am making a point to sing everyday!

We enjoyed his photos of water's response to different environments from placing water on a photo, exposing it to beautiful music and words. Speaking negative words has a negative effect on the water and of course, since our bodies are at least 75% water we must be aware that it also affects our bodies negatively. Positive words create beautiful sound. Dr. Emoto called our bodies "Little Universe".This inspired me to speak more positively. I'd love to only speak eloquently and beautifully especially since I know it not only affects my body, but consciousness itself. Dr Emoto explained that consciousness is information from God and it is locked in our DNA. We can unlock DNA from water. He shared that water is the connection between God and Man.

The most beautiful crystal formations came from the words "Love and Gratitude". He broke down the yin & yang balance of these words:

Love - Gratitude
Fire - Water
Oxygen - Hydrogen
Live - Death
Active energy - H2O- Passive energy

His message was to have love and gratitude with every sip of water we consume. In his ceremonies he says to water, "Water we are sorry. Water we love you. Water we respect you. Water we thank you."

In addition to Dr. Emoto, I enjoyed listening to Don Miguel Ruiz speak. He is the author of Mastery of Love which is one of my top 10 favorite books. I loved bumping into a fellow raw foodist, Courtney Pool who works at Tree of Life. She was beaming with beauty and light. I was thrilled to see many raw foodists & yogis at this event. I was in heaven with the Om Gym. This looks so fun. It is like having yoga poses and various stretches with an assistant to get you deeper into the pose. Range of motion is crucial to our bodies. I find it interesting that the most flexible people tend to have very open minds too. Another mind body connection, eh? An open body = open mind? Hmmm..

10 Steps to Starting an Organic Produce Buying Club

2009-10-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

I receive lots of questions on how people can start up their own wholesale organic produce buying club in their area. Even though our area has well over 800 members, this system can work with as little as 10 members. As a raw foodist I can tell you this service is ABSOLUTELY a dream come true to have! I get produce from local farmers and BEFORE it goes to the stores. So it's fresher, cheaper, and more convenient. I have participated in the IEOPBC since 2008 and wouldn't be as successful with the raw food diet if it wasn't for this service.

Here are a couple videos I have made showing what happens at our meetup:
A Quick Tour of the Co-op
Almost ready to Start Distribution
An Example of a Share

Here are 10 Steps on Starting An Organic Produce Buying Club

1. Select Organizers This is a service that does not make a profit. We do this as a community service. An organizers incentive is a complimentary member share and a volunteer share. It really isn't much as far as materialistic benefits, but here is an organizers perspective on Is it Worth it? Here is an example of different organizer roles and duties:

Organizer 1 handles THE BOOKS, maintains receipts, deposits, financial records, licenses, insurance, etc. (we are incorporated as a business who just never profits rather than a non- profit), and tracks members who have paid and how many shares we need to purchase for.

Organizer 2 handles THE WEBSITE updates w/ photos, polls, answers members emails/questions, etc. This person keeps everything up to date online, sends out messages, emails, etc and keeps everyone informed. Posts produce share photos online.

Organizer 3 handles THE PRODUCE by placing the produce order, inspects, and makes sure we are getting what we paid for, and picks it up.

Organizer 4 handles THE SET UP, DISTRIBUTION & CLEAN UP Manages volunteers, distribution & volunteer duties. This person makes sure the place is left looking better than when we arrived and that all materials are put away.

All organizers are present when the meetup takes place to usher shares to members, to accept payment for future shares, write receipts, check names off the list and see that all things run smoothly.

2. Find local farmers who are willing to sell to your group at wholesale. In addition, find a local organic distributor who can sell you produce that local farmers do not carry if there is not enough supply per demand. We place our orders on Thursday mornings to be picked up for that following Saturday. We also accept donated produce from members who have excess from their gardens. Often we receive rosemary, basil, oregano, and mint.

3. Decide how much you are going to spend per basket & set up a payment system. We currently charge $22 for a basket. $20 goes to produce and $2 is for delivery costs or other items like baskets, gloves, brooms, etc. We also charge a $10 annual membership fee that covers our legal fees. We accept cash only or pay pal payments. No checks. We collect cash only payment for the following week(s) at the time of distribution of shares. We do accept pay pal payments until Wednesday evening at 7 PM.

4. Get your delivery system in check. Find out if you are paying to have someone deliver the produce to you or if you are going to pick it up yourself. We currently rent a U-haul trailer and pick up our produce from various local organic farms. Whatever we need to keep the basket balanced we pick up from Better Life Organics in Los Angeles. If you decide to have it delivered hopefully you can receive it just before distribution otherwise you need to plan for refrigeration.

5. Find a location to distribute produce (restaurants w/ outdoor covered patio, parks w/ covered area, etc.). Decide on a time and place that is always the same. We do every Saturday at 10 AM at Farm Artisan Foods. We are consistent in our time and location and that I feel has made this very successful. If you chose a park location be sure that you do not have more than 50 members on site at a time otherwise you are subject to a permit.

6. Get supplies to run the show like baskets (we got ours at a local 99 cent store), brooms, dustpan, gloves, trashcan, rags, cash box, etc. We like members to bring their own ice chest, basket to swap out, or canvas tote. We do reserve some of the produce boxes for people who forgot to bring something to take their produce home in.

7. Set up volunteer opportunities. We allow 10 volunteers to come and help with picking up produce from local farmers and bringing it to our meetup, to help with set up, distribution, and clean up. This process starts at 9 AM with setting up & distributing produce to baskets. From 10- 10:45 members pay for next week(s) share and/or pick up their produce. At 10:45 we begin clean up at 10:45 and finish at 11:00. Volunteer receive a volunteer basket. This is the produce that we are not able to distribute evenly amongst all the members. We also donate a basket to the owners of the restaurant in thanks for allowing us to use their site before the restaurant opens for business.

8. Contact Local Food Banks, storehouses, halfway homes, shelters, etc to donate any extra produce that was not claimed by a member. If produce is not picked up by 10:45 the member forfeits their basket and it is donated to a charity. Sometimes someone who forgot to buy a basket shows up and can buy the persons share and that first member will be refunded their money or it will be used for a future share.

9. Set up an online presence page on meetup to keep all your members informed, connected with other members, to receive reminders and updates.

10. Get license and insurance to be safe. We did not start this way, but after we experienced so much growth we decided it was the best way to go. Even though we never make a profit we are incorporated just in case someone falls ill, slips on the site or for whatever reason we may need this protection. We found that being incorporated was easier to do that establishing ourselves as a non-profit. We do charge a $10 annual membership fee that covers our license, insurance and other legal costs as well as miscellaneous costs.

Once you are up and running you can always contact local papers and get written up like this article. Here is a review by one of our members on Local Harvest. If you haven't already, feel free to check out our website for more info.

Do You Love Your Body?

2009-10-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

Isn't funny how quickly things can change when you shift your perspective from "I am not good enough so I MUST lose weight" to "I love myself so much that I want to treat my body with love and respect"? It's an empowering shift moving from a state of forcing your body to be a particular way to allowing your best body to come forth.

I remember losing 10 pounds EFFORTLESSLY in 2007. I didn't stick to any strict menu or have a set workout routine. I just focused on feeling good. I found that I was preoccupied with living and not the number on my scale. I did make it a point to sweat everyday, but that was as simple as cranking up the music and dancing while mopping my floors. Besides that my focus was just to stay happy. It wasn't long and everyone asked me how I went from 118 to 108. I felt sort of guilty because I didn't make that my primary focus. I didn't even try, it was just a by product of feeling good. I have decided to go back to that method after realizing that the egocentric way I have been TRYING this year so far hasn't given me the results I wanted. I remember that quote "Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over, and expecting different results."

I needed to shift into the heart. I have started looking at myself in a loving way. I have been focusing on what I do have and what I am thankful for. I am also paying more attention to what my body is able to do rather than how it looks.

Here are a few things I have been feeling lately:

I am so happy that my body is free of pain.
I am so thankful my body has healed from several injuries.
I am thankful this body has given birth to two amazing children.
I am thankful for my energy, youth, and vitality.
I am grateful that I can pick up sports with ease and participate in all sorts of recreational activities.
I am thankful for my feminine curves.
I am thankful I have found raw foods.
I am thankful I love being healthy.
I am thankful I love yoga and all forms of exercise.

I love my body and look forward to showing it how much I love it through giving it a little daily love and attention. Here is a great quote from my favorite yoga instructor, Bryan Kest "The integrity of the web is dependant on the resiliency of every strand".

Remember to take time to honor your body in more ways than the ones that affect you aesthetically.

Here are 2 other related articles/blog posts about self acceptace and loving your body:
9 Days to Bikini- Ready: Self Acceptance & Loving Your Body is Listening to Your Body

A Special thanks to Lenette Nakauchi who sent two videos that go along with this message:
Abraham on Weight & Abraham on Natural Weight Loss

How to Eat Simple & Healthy

2009-10-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

Q: Lori, I'd love to see a sample of your food menu (breakfast, lunch, dinner) for a week! I am really trying to eat raw food but have the hardest time finding new (and somewhat easy) things to make.

A: As the months become colder I find it less appealing to drink cold smoothies. Instead, I find veggie juices easier to drink since they aren't cold. I also do not eat 100% raw in the cooler months, but I am still eating lots of veggies and fruits. Sometimes, it will be as simple to eat just fresh fruit like bananas, steamed veggies or even veggie soup for breakfast. I am also known to drink lots of hot herbal tea throughout the day to stay warm. However, just to give you an idea of what I am eating around this time of year here is a sample for the cooler months. I keep it pretty simple since I don't care to spend my day in the kitchen. Every now & then I get a culinary itch, but for the most part my cooler months are looking like this:

Day 1
1- Coconut water, 4 bananas
2- 2 steamed yams w/ sea salt, cinnamon, & coconut oil
3- 2 apples
4- Homemade Veggie Soup: carrot, celery, onion, tomatoes, potato, Swiss chard, peas, corn, zucchini, etc
5- 2 bananas

Day 2
1- 3 apples + coconut water
2- 3 cups of steamed peas w/ coconut oil & sea salt
3- 3 pears
4- steamed butternut squash w/ coconut oil & sea salt
5 - 2 bananas

Day 3
1- 24 oz veggie juice- celery, spinach, cucumber
2 – steel cut oats w/ cinnamon, dates/honey, sea salt, bit of coconut oil
3- celery, cucumber, red bell pepper, & baby carrots w/ red pepper zucchini hummus
4- trail mix- raisins, walnuts, cranberries, cashews, pistachios, almonds, currants

Day 4
1- 24 oz green smoothie (pineapple, strawberries, kale, banana). Check out this video of our first green smoothie.
2- 2 bananas w/ almond butter, coconut water
3- sautéed kale, mushrooms, onion w/ coconut oil & sea salt
4- steamed spaghetti squash w/ raw marinara

Day 5
1- 24 oz romaine, celery, cucumber juice
2- pineapple chunks, coconut water
3- sauteed kale, Swiss Chard, Collards, & spinach w/ onions, coconut oil & sea salt
4- homemade veggie soup, 2 bananas

I recently bought some black rice to add to soups, or to make w/ peas, carrots, mushrooms, celery & onion. I even thought I would blend the meat of a thai coconut and make a creamy mushroom sauce for a richer meal.

Day 6
24 hour fast
Sometimes I will drink water, herbal tea plain, veggie juice or coconut water, other times I just drink water.

Day 7
1- Fresh fruit like bananas for breakfast (if any)
2- Splurge on a raw restaurant -for example if I go to:
Au Lac-I like the Song Salad & Raw Taco
Juliano's Planet Raw- I have something diferent everytime, last time I had raw lasagna & some pumpkin dessert
I normally won't eat anything for the rest of the day since I feel pretty heavy afterwards.

My Goal
Drink veggie juice everyday

I eat very simply and stick mostly to what is in season. The fruit and veggies vary on the time of year. I know that since I am not eating 100% raw at this time I need to kick the greens and veggie juice into high gear. However, on warmer days I find myself eating 100% raw like veggies w/ zucchini hummus, green smoothies, fresh fruit, trail mix, and simple garden salad w/a diluted guacamole as a dressing.

When I am on the go I pack the following:
zucchini hummus or guacamole w/ veggies (tomatoes, celery, carrots, mushrooms, cucumber, red bell pepper, etc)
Fresh fruit: apples, bananas, pears
Trail mix
Water

How to Break the Pattern of Bad Relationships

2009-10-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Q:
Hey Lori,
I got a chance to check out your website and I really resonated with it since you have been through plenty of bad relationships yourself. I was wondering if you could help me heal from all the baggage it left. I just don't want to be the old me anymore and want to stop living in my story. It seems whenever someone gets close to me it starts getting ugly hence the reason why I have been staying to myself lately, but I do like being social and eventually want a healthy sound relationship. Every time I try it seems like I am stuck talking about my ex's big no no. I don't know how to gain closure over all this mess.

This led me to the raw food lifestyle and have been embracing it well, but then I splurge every now and then and don't like being addicted to cooked foods anymore either. I feel like a complete mess and need to get it all together so I can take my board exam for medical school soon. Yikes!! today I just heard my past reiterated from a male who was trying to get to know me and well it led to an emotionally messy me and then I went back down the spiral not eating well and not being able to sleep. Can you help?

A:
When the going gets tough, you fall off your raw food regimen. This is a situation where you are emotionally shutting out what you are experiencing through food. Raw foods actually clear pathways and what you feel is more intense. When you are raw you are alert and clear headed. Emotional eating tells me you are holding back from healing. Your heart wants to heal, but your head is stuck on the past rather than the vision you hold for yourself. The past has no power so stop giving your power to it.

Talking about your ex's "big no no" tells me that you are BLAMING others and you haven't gotten over it. Take the pain you experienced in relationships and turn it inward so that you could learn to make finer distinctions in your relationships. Take full RESPONSIBILITY for where you are and what happened because YOU allowed it to happen. Nobody can do anything to you, playing the victim role only harms you and does not serve you.

I can tell a lot about a person by what they choose to talk about. If they are complaining to me about someone else I know they are deflecting the energy from their inner core and trying to project it elsewhere. They are looking outside of themselves. What they want is validation. You do not need the world to say, "Oh, look at you...you poor thing. How could anybody do this to you?" That is not what you really want.

If there is anyway I can help you heal from your baggage and gain closure it is to FORGIVE yourself. You are here to grow and learn. We are supposed to make mistakes because with each one we get a bit better. ALLOW yourself to explore and grow. You need to feel your VALUE as a person.

In this life we are faced with reflections of our internal state by our relationships, our finances, our career, our home. How do those look to you? If they look a mess it's probably because you feel a mess internally. Remember that everything in life you are complaining about you are guilty of yourself. When you want to complain go inward and take actions to improve yourself. Start acting like the person you wish to be and soon you will be that person. Treat yourself the way you wished others treated you and soon your self RESPECT will flourish and you will find yourself around others who respect you as well. How do you expect anyone to truly love and respect you if you can't even love, respect, and accept yourself?

You serve no one in beating yourself up. If you want to be loved...love yourself. Do all the things you want someone else to do for you and do them for yourself. Your love will illuminate and you will have that spark within you. Soon you'll be surrounded with people who love you because the outer physical world is just a mere reflection of your internal state. I commend you on your raw food journey! You are on track! Keep eating raw foods as you go through this sticky "mess". Feel it, experience it, grow from it, and move forward into that "new you" you say you want to be.

Recommendations
Book: The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship: A Toltec Wisdom Book
Blog Article: You are Worthy of Love

Embracing My Beauty & Sexual Energy

2009-10-08T18:51:00.000-07:00

"Our Deepest Fear... is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God/Divine Spirit. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
- Marianne Williamson

My Conscious Growth Workshop Experience

2009-10-07T16:58:00.003-07:00

I have been a bit in a stir since returning back home after the Conscious Growth Workshop. This event was truly a life shifting experience. It shed light on things that I didn't even realize were effecting me so deeply. It offered plenty of challenges, actions, and solutions to obstacles I have been facing. It challenged me to step up to the game of life and stop being a coward on things that I know my heart has been calling me to do just because it's safe.

In addition, the energy shift in the group was insane. I started Day 1 feeling a bit shy and out of my element. The exercises were challenging at first, but I gained confidence with each one. I realized how much in my head I have become and it is a nice shift to walk into this world with an open heart and a desire to give and share with others. At the end of Day 3 I was surrounded with love and support. I felt like I made a new family. People really opened up and shared themselves. Barriers and walls came down and people felt safe to be themselves. It was amazing to see the courage and willingness people expressed to grow in a way that brings fulfillment into their lives as well as contribute good to the world.

I am honored to have shared this experience with so many beautiful people and I look forward to seeing the growth that comes from being in alignment with Truth, Love and Power. Here are some of the realizations I had at the workshop and some practical actions I am applying into my life.

Realization 1
I have a limited social life offline.

Inspiration
I want to expand and interact with growth oriented people on a consistent basis.

Action
Attend weekly social gatherings that support conscious growth.

Realization 2
I have given my power away by making excuses for why I am not engaging in a romantic relationship.

Inspiration
To enjoy an intimate physical relationship with a conscious man who challenges me and nurtures me as well.

Action
Accept dating invitations.
Approach men that I am attracted to rather than shy away.

Realization 3
I feel very insecure about my body.

Inspiration
To feel like an empowered goddess and shine in the realization of who I am and the gifts that I have to share with others.

Action
Compliment myself daily in the mirror for what I love rather than where I lack.
Honor my body with daily exercise.
To love foods that love me back (high green raw food diet)!

Realization 4
I waste time and feel scattered.

Inspiration
To make the most of my time, feel effective, & intentional.

Action
Log my time for 24 hours
Do a 30 day trial to wake up by 6 AM & make the first hour of my day the most effective.

Realization 5
I feel comfortable yet complacent in my home life, but I am afraid to move.

Inspiration
To live in a more inspiring environment.

Action
Set the intention and attract a better living environment.

Realization 6
Money does not dictate what my actions are. I refuse to allow the belief that I am limited by money.

Inspiration
I would like to attract financial abundance into my life. Live my life according to my intuition and not by my bank account balance.

Action
Act on financial growth opportunities

Realization 7
I have been shying away from taking the next step with my career.
I fear public speaking.

Inspiration
To feel passionate and make a positive contribution.
To inspire people on a larger scale & do more public speaking on personal empowerment.

Action
Engage in public speaking opportunities.
Share my life publicly and authentically.

I feel a stronger passion to live my truth and a desire with action steps that take me in the direction of my dreams. I encourage you to open yourself up to the life you deserve to live. I will be sharing my experiences along the way. I know that no one is perfect, but it's not about the end result but the journey along the way. It's about becoming more genuine and really connecting with people and taking actions that are worthy of me.

I am inspired to act! ;)

Magic Mountain & Steve Pavlina

2009-10-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

While Steve was in So Cal he invited me and my kids to go to Magic Mountain. My kids had never been & I thought it would be fun. The plan was to have Emily (Steve's daughter) with us. Unfortunately she came down with a fever the night before and was unable to go & Erin & Kyle don't particularly like roller coasters.

My kids did OK, but honestly Meg was still pretty freaked out by them. Especially since our first ride was X2. WHOA! That ride really whips ya around! So, I think that it freaked Meg out so much she was leery of all the other rides. I was able to coax her onto a few more rides. She loved all the water rides. I didn't show how soaked I was in the video, but let me tell you I was SOAKED!

We hit up all the rides: X2, Terminator, DeJaVu, Riddler, Batman, Ninja, Tatsu, Jet Stream, Log Jammer, Roaring Rapids, Goliath, Scream, Colossus, Viper, & Revolution.

I had not been to an amusement park in a long time, but I didn't take into consideration my car accident in 2005 where I experienced vertigo. So, unfortunately I did get a little queasy and my head got whacked around a bit. I have been dealing with some nausea and dizziness since the trip so I plan on getting this vertigo treatment. It worked in the past so I am sure it will work.

Unfortunately, we were told that vegan burgers were sold at the amusement park, but that was false. We even searched high and low for fruits and veggies, but only found roasted corn. It's too bad they search you down and won't let you bring in outside food. We ended up eating fries which put my son into french fry coma. He wasn't feeling very good, but it eventually wore off. So, if I go again I am definitely packing my own food. I'll go to my car and eat...that's fine, but Magic Mountain is definitely not raw or vegan friendly.

This weekend I am attending Steve's Conscious Growth Workshop in Las Vegas. I can't wait to report back to you what I experience. I know it will be a blast! So stay tuned for more info!

BTW, I have apologized for being so bratty to Steve..... So Pavlina fans.....don't go after me at the workshop! ;)

Getting a BioPhotonic Scan

2009-09-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

I first found out about a biophotonic scan in 2004 at a Spa Convention. I was already working in the health & beauty field, but my diet was not nearly as good as it is now. In 2004, my score was 46,000. I was retested in 2005 and my score improved to 52,000. I was happy to see the increase. However, after listening to Dr. Gabriel Cousens about biophotonic energy in his Rawkathon Interview w/ Kevin Gianni, I knew I could do even better. A live foodist would be in the 80,000 range. I have work to do. ;) Dr. Cousens explained biophotons as sub-atomic particles from which all creation is made. It is our line of communication into the energy field and our luminosity. Here are scores of people and how their diet affected their biophotonic score.

Junk food- 1000 units
Organic Cooked Food- 20,000 units
Newborn Baby- 40,000 units
Live foodist- 83,000 units
Fasting w/ herbs- 118,000 units

Apparently, organic wild crafted foods are 2x higher in biophotonic energy than organic cultivated food, & organic has 5x more biophotonic energy than commercially grown food, and cooked/irradiated food has none.

It is sad to think that most of the world is eating food without any biophotons. It makes sense that our ability to make clear decisions would be affected since the energy field is jumbled and depleted. Think of us operating our life on dial up versus the fastest internet service.

We also want to shine in this world. We aren't much different from the food that we eat. Here you see Kirlian images of food. Imagine a Kirlian image was taken of you. What would it look like?? Would it shine and radiate or would it be dim?

In addition, Dr Gabriel Cousens explained that the higher the biophotons, the better the communication of the cells in the body. Illness occurs when chaos is in the field. We need order and energy to heal and have well being. You find you become more spiritually in tune when the communication field is enhanced. This is probably why I felt so high during my fasts. I also felt such spiritual awakening. Who knew it could be measured in a scientific way?

See where you can get yourself a biophotonic scan with this locator. Prices may vary from complimentary to $20. My session was $10. Hardly anything when you think about the perspective it gives you. Check out my family experience below.

30 Day Fitness Challenge Results Summary

2009-09-07T18:10:00.000-07:00

Workout Tally

Week 1

21 miles of walking, 2- 90 min yoga sessions, and 1 circuit training session

Week 2
20 miles- Walk/Run, 2- 90 min Yoga Sessions, 1- pool cardio exercise class, 1- 45 min easy stretch yoga, 96 oz H20 daily!

Week 3
23 mles total run/walk, 1 - 90 min power yoga session, 3 hour acro-yoga workshop, I messed up on water tracking and I ate past 6 most days of the week.

Week 4
Walk- 32 miles WOW! That's 12 miles more than I planned on getting in! I felt that I had to add more walking to make up for the fact that I wasn't running this week. Yoga-3 1/2 hours, H20- 96 0z everyday! I felt best when I had 48 oz before I even had breakfast, maybe that will be a new goal soon. No food past 6 pm every day.

Last 2 Days

Day 29
2 mile walk- I took it easy w/ all the fires that are going on right now, the air is pretty smoky. I still wanted to honor my challenge and did a simple walk. This is the day of the co-op, which means I am up at 5 AM to pick up organic produce for our members,so it's nice to take it easy on Saturdays.
96 oz H20
No food past 6 pm- I was in the mood for something sweet, salty, and fattening. I realize I get like this about once a month for 2-3 days. Ladies, I know you can understand. ;) I would love to go through a cycle and not feel hungrier than normal. In addition, I feel like resting more too. If I give in to cravings it usually takes me a week to recover from the damage. I have to remember it's not worth it. How's that saying go, "A moment on the lips, forever on the hips"

Day 30
I hit up Power Yoga again. It felt much easier today, not as intense, but still pretty darn good! I took at little stroll to the trail that overlooks the ocean, then had Juliano's Planet RAW again. I shared a No Chickpea Falafel Burrito & A Bacon Double Western w/ Fries with my yoga buddy. We shared dessert which was a cinnamon roll and again that amazing strawberry parfait! I don't know how the heck these recipes are made, but it would make it very easy for anyone to transition into raw with this menu.
Completed 5 miles of walking
96 oz H20
No food past 6 pm! YAY! This is really becoming easier. It just takes a few days to get the feel for it.

GRAND TOTAL AFTER 30 DAYS
Completed 103 Miles walking or running (53 miles over goal)
Completed 14 hours & 45 min of yoga (2 hours and 45 min over), plus I added in 1 circuit training & pool cardio workout
96 oz H20- I may have missed 1 or 2 days since I forgot to log it a couple times, but besides that I did it. I don't think I need to drink that much water, but it is summer time here and the weather is really hot and dry so I went with it.
No food past 6 pm for 15 days- I completed 10 days

Side Benefits
Low back pain is GONE!!!
I am feeling more muscle tone & less spongy!
I lost 4.75 inches!
I lost 4.5 lbs!
(technically I lost 8 because I weighed in @ 137.6 on Aug 1 & the fit test was done in July)
I gained confidence to keep going!

What's next?
I am going to continue daily exercise. I would love to think that fitness will just naturally always be a part of my daily routine just like brushing my teeth, but honestly I have lapsed so many times in my life that I just don't want to assume that I'll keep going, I have to make it a priority to keep it happening. Someday I dream of it being such a habit that I don't even need to put much effort into making it happen.

A new 30 day challenge: Nutrition & Purification!
Stay tuned for my next post for more details!

30 Days of Fitness- Week 4 Update

2009-08-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the goal to refrain from eating past 6 pm. I had a really hard time with it and most of the days I did eat past 6. I decided to ease up on myself and just do whatever felt best. As soon as I let myself "off the hook" I suddenly lost the desire to eat past 6. Go figure! I think it has something to do with the mindset of "I MUST" versus "I CHOOSE". Heck, even I get confused by my mind. I can sympathize with the men on the weird workings of a woman's mind. :)

My Goals
Wk 1: walk 5 miles + 2 90 min yoga sessions
Wk 2: walk 10 miles + 90 min yoga sessions + drink 96 oz H20
Wk 3: walk 15 miles + 2 90 min yoga sessions+ no food past 6 pm
Wk 4: walk 20 miles + 2 90 min yoga sessions + try again on no food past 6 pm

Day 22
Completed a 4 mile walk
No food past 6 pm
96 oz H20

Day 23- Got my A$$ kicked in Power Yoga
2 mile walk
Completed 2 hours of power yoga - holy smokes I was drenched in sweat along w/ my mat & hand towel. I practically looked like I got out of the shower and put on my wet clothes straight out of the washing machine. Although this may sound gross to some of you, it felt like bliss. I was literally stoned on oxygen. I haven't been to my favorite Sunday class in ages and man, I was worked so intensely that I was seriously blissed out. I don't think anything could have upset me. I had no energy for it. Angry or frustrated peeps- give power yoga a shot. It'll take the fight right out of ya! ;)
96 oz H20
No food past 6 pm- I went to Raw by Juliano in Santa Monica. I haven't been in about 6 months. I shared a shake (dunno which one) which was really good, the Ariel salad (made w/ seaweeds and spirulina along w/ other greens (tasted fantastic), spring rolls (a fav of mine), and of course my all time fave: Strawberry Mousse (practically orgasmic!) I always get great raw food there!

Day 24- Feeling a bit sore from yoga
4 mile walk- I haven't been running lately because my knees have been a bit sore.
96 oz H20
No food past 6

Day 25- My friend told me my butt was looking perkier!
6 mile walk
96 oz H20
No food past 6

Day 26- A bit of fat held my appetite today
90 min yoga
4 mile walk
96 oz H20
No food past 6 - I actually ate a bit more fat this day and my last meal was at 1:15 pm. I made these yummy raw vegan "brownie bites" w/ my kids. The base was nut & I think it held my appetite longer. I had about 3 Tablespoons worth. Every now and then a little fat in the diet feels good as long as it's my last meal of the day. Plus I made a pesto (more fat) w/ beet noodles and marinara w/ zucchini noodles & then just mixed them together. Yum! I won't let too much fat be a regular part of my diet, just here and there.

Day 27- My tummy is looking flatter (prob because no food past 6 )
Walk- 6 miles
96 oz H20
No food past 6- I really wanted to eat late because I found that I am sleeping about 2 hours less a night by not consuming food past 6 pm. I just feel light and alert even into the late hours. I found it hard to sleep this night. I never felt like I really slept, just rested. Reminded me of how I felt on extended fasts and I slept very little perhaps 2-3 hours a night.

Day 28- I made it another week! Feeling like a champ right now.
Walk- 6 miles - My knees are still achey, either from adapting to all the walking or the fact that I am walking and was running on concrete.
96 oz H20
No food past 6 pm- Woo hoo! I made it a week without eating past 6. I have to say this does have a profound affect on my appetite, my energy, my metal clarity, and really aids in weight loss. This is definitely something that is crucial in my weight loss journey.

Completed Goals
Walk- 32 miles WOW! That's 12 miles more than I planned on getting in. I felt that I had to add more walking to make up for the fact that I wasn't running this week.
Yoga- 2 1/2 hours in 2 sessions
H20- 96 0z everyday! I felt best when I had 48 oz before I even had breakfast.
No food past 6 pm every day. This really made a difference in my gut health. I felt that this kept my appetite in control. Perhaps it allowed more time for my tummy to shrink. I am known to be able to eat major quantities of food, which is why 80/10/10 seems to work well when I adhere to it.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrom Relief- Self Help

2009-08-27T20:38:00.001-07:00

30 Days of Fitness- Week 3 Update

2009-08-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

This 30 Day Challenge was to get me to workout everyday for 30 days even if it was just a short walk everyday. I found that each week just inspired me to take one more step and to add another goal. Here is what I have added so far.

Week 1 Goal: walk 5 miles & do 2 90 min yoga sessions
Week 2: same as week 1, plus 5 miles & drink 96 oz H20
Week 3: same as week 2, plus 5 miles & no food past 6pm

Week 3 Goals
15 miles total run/walk
2- 90 min yoga sessions
96 oz H20 daily
No food past 6

Day 15
5 Mile walk/run in 53:50 WOO HOO!
(getting better everytime, but boy does it kick my booty!)
drank 96 oz H20
did not eat after 6- woo hoo!

Day 16
3 hour Acro Yoga Workshop
(SOOOO fun! Met 2 other girls there that live local & are raw foodists!)
drank 96 oz H2O
I ate a bowl of veggie soup around 7:30- oops! So much for no food past 6

Day 17
4 mile easy walk (not timed)
I didn't get all my water in for the day ( I think I had about 50 oz)
I ate past 6 again, darn it! This time it was social eating. I need to keep social activities ACTIVE and not revolving around food. Maybe tea would be a better way to sit and chat. :)

Day 18
5 mile run/walk: 54:35
Ate past six again & didn't drink all my water either

Day 19
90 min power yoga class
96 oz H20
I ate after 6 again. ;( I think this is a reason my weight isn't where I want it to be. I didn't know I ate after 6 so many times in the week.

Day 20
3 mile walk
2 mile run
Forgot to track water intake today
No food past 6 pm! WOO HOO!

Day 21
4 mile walk
Forgot to track water intake again...DOH!
I ate after 6 pm ...a weight gain culprit has been discovered.

Completed
23 mles total run/walk
1 - 90 min power yoga session
3 hour acro-yoga workshop
Messed up on water tracking
I ate past 6 most days of the week so I will be working on that again this week.

I am thrilled I have exercised 21 days consecutively! My cardio is improving faster than I expected. I know I didn't meet the goal of not eating past 6, but that's OK. I'll just be more aware of it this upcoming week. I'll evetually get there. ;)

Financial Slavery & Financial Freedom

2009-08-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

Freedom
Being born just an hour from Independence Day, I'd like to think I have a strong drive to live a free life. Going to school we were taught the horrid truth of slavery between nations. I would think to myself, "WOW, I am so glad I didn't have to live through that!" Then the thought years later occurred to me. I AM A SLAVE. I walked into the perfect trap set up by the system that runs our country. There are many forms of slavery and in this situation it is financial slavery.

Here is the Typical Trap
We go to school to get good grades to go to a great college to get a great career. Along the way, we find that we "need" a car and get ourselves a lovely little car payment. Then we get our school loans, but that's OK because we have 5 years before we have to start paying on them and we are sure we'll be rolling in the dough by that time. Some of us even decide that we aren't going to work so we can really focus on school. That's OK because we can just roll those expenses into the school loan. Somewhere along the road we find ourselves in love. We want a big white wedding. Uh oh....the parents aren't fronting the bill? That's OK, we can charge some of the items. Now it's time for a home with a cute little mortgage and how 'bout starting a family in a few years? That'll do the trick. Then how about a few vacations to "get away from it all". Or perhaps we feel so trapped or depressed we end up spending more money just trying to feel good. So, with this typical plan we find ourself with an auto loan, a couple credit cards, a mortgage, some student loans and heaven forbid we have any medical bills. It can take a lifetime to pay it off and ya know, that's exactly what they want you to do. ;)

Debt = Slavery
I was financially dumb. I learned the hard way. I definitely won't put my kids in that state of ignorance. Why is it that personal finance is not mandatory in our public school system? Simply because there is too much money to be made from people who are financially ignorant. It's time to take our finances into our own hands, because credit card debt is another form of slavery. Ignorance is not bliss, never has been, never will be.

My Story With Debt
I have personally experienced financial distress. I started feeling "grown up" with my very first credit card at 18 when I started college. My first year, I received 2 credit cards and a car loan. Over the next few years I had accumulated over 13 credit cards and 2 private loans. At the time I was an exotic dancer and felt that I could pay off each card at any time. Well, not much later I was pregnant and no longer able to continue dancing. So I went from about $13,ooo (over 12 years ago) a month to NOTHING. If I was smart I really could have put that money to good use rather than blowing it on who knows what. I stopped paying on all my credit cards and boy was I in a mess for about 10 years. Now I am out of the bad credit zone, but have accumulated some debt. It's amazing how just a small amount of debt can wear at one. It's like a little itch that you just can't get rid of.

Debt & Spirituality
As Wayne Dyer says,"Debt is decidedly unspiritual" and I couldn't agree more. It blocks the connection to spirit. Perhaps it has something to do with tension and tightening the DNA (as discussed in a previous blog: Science of Miracles) which closes us off to miracles.

Here is a documentary on financial slavery called "Maxed Out". Hope you enjoy it.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Now if you are still thinking about credit card debt. Read this article that I just received today.

New Credit Card Laws = Consumers getting screwed (again)!
Americans with the best credit may be hurt the most as the first phase of a credit-card reform bill takes effect tomorrow. Lenders are raising rates across the board, The market has changed so much in the past six months that many consumers shopping around for new cards will have trouble finding a better deal,. You may be better off holding onto your cards until the market settles down.
Rates are about 20 percent higher than in December with the lowest median rate at 11.99% now, compared with 9.99% in December. Another stab in the consumers back is that those who choose to reject a rate increase within 45 days will have two options at the banks discretion -- to pay off the balance in five years, or double the current minimum payment!
Banks have been raising rates on consumers at the same time that their own borrowing costs are decreasing, giving them bigger marginal lending rates and more profits, is all this part of that "spreading the wealth around"?
Credit will continue to be less available, borrowing limits will be lower and consumers will pay more. In addition, there will be more annual fees, higher fees for balance transfers and cash advances, and pared- back rewards programs. They (the credit card companies) are lowering limits and closing accounts to reduce their long-term risks.
Banks have already implemented parts of the credit card law and some of the major lenders have dropped "universal default", the practice of raising interest rates based on a missed payment with another company and have stopped double-cycle billing where lenders calculate finance charges based on more than one billing cycle.
So I guess we all need to keep a weary eye on our statements and perhaps the only way to get even is to stop doing business with those companies that are the worst. Even at the cost of lowering our credit scores!
Sad affair is it not?

A Great Solution by Dave Ramsey

I was directed to Dave Ramsey by my friend, Dhrumil. He has so much information out there about debt and living on cash only! Listen to this great call.

Can You Scream, "I AM DEBT FREE!"?
I can't right now, but I am getting close. I have until January until my car is fully paid off. I have made the commitment that I would keep my car until I could pay cash for a new one. Aside from that I have one credit card with a balance just over $9200. Earlier this year I had 3 credit cards, but this was the highest balance. I also sold my home. My children's father was looking to buy a home and I was looking to sell mine. It just seemed that the timing was right. The cool thing is that my kids get to stay in the same home that they have lived in the past 4 1/2 years. So it was a super simple transition. Little by little I am chipping away at my debt. Pretty soon I will be looking at accumulating wealth through multiple streams of passive income. I'll post more on that another time.

For me this is about getting myself out of all the little traps that I have created and walked into. Whether it is my health, my finances, my relationships, my career or so forth. It's about breaking free and living a life without boundaries and limits. It's about discovering and living true freedom. I think I am done breastfeeding off the system if you know what I mean. ;)

Until then... cheers to all forms of freedom!

30 Days of Fitness- Week 2 Update

2009-08-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

Week 2 Workout Wrap Up
I added another goal of consuming 96 oz. of water daily. It's summertime and with all the extra working out I really feel hydration is key. Normally I go for 1/2 my body weight in ounces, but find sometimes I stay out of the fridge more if I am drinking more water. :)

Goal
10 miles of walking/running
2- 90 min yoga sessions
Drink 96 oz water daily (weekly total: 5.25 gallons)

Completed Weekly Total
20 miles- Walk/Run
2- 90 min Yoga Sessions
1- pool cardio exercises,
1- 45 min easy stretch yoga
5.25 gallons of water

Day 8
3 mile walk
96 oz H2O

Day 9
5 mile run/walk in 60:05
96 oz H2O

Day 10
90 min yoga session
3 mile walk/run
96 oz H2O

Day 11
4 mile walk
96 H2O

Day 12
5 mile run/walk: 55:50
96 oz H2O

Day 13
90 min yoga session
96 oz H2O

Day 14
30 min pool workout
45 min easy yoga stretch class

Science of Miracles

2009-08-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3
ct>
Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

I watched this today and felt compelled to share this with you. I know sometimes we don't feel we have the time to sit and watch something like this, but I encourage you to find the time. It will be well spent.

Yesterday I was given two gifts from friends. One was called a "prayer box" necklace and another was a framed quote saying "All we need is love". The timing couldn't be more perfect to watch this film. I had my children watch it with me because I feel it is important for them to understand their own power in their lives.

For many of my growing up years of my life I felt unempowered. I felt if only circumstances were different then I could have the life I had dreamed of. Why was it I was given the hard knock life and others seems to be living it up? I would have thoughts like, " Oh, if I was just prettier" or "If I had more money", or "If I lived in a better community then I would have more opportunities in life". I felt like the power to live my dreams and life were beyond me and sent like a wish in a prayer.

Now, many years later I have been fortunate enough (or blessed) to stumble upon information that left me feeling empowered. Some of these resources are:
Power vs Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior
Being In Balance: 9 Principles for Creating Habits to Match Your Desires
Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires
The Secret
What the Bleep Do We Know!?
The 8th Habit Personal Workbook: Strategies to Take You from Effectiveness to Greatness
The Science of Getting Rich: The Original Guide to Manifesting Wealth Through the Secret Law of Attraction
The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship: A Toltec Wisdom Book

I feel like these resources gave me to tools to apply in my life and feel empowered. It has nothing to do with race, gender, age, appearance, money, status, or location. It is all within and that sensation is priceless.

August 2009 Challenge 30 Days of Fitness

2009-08-11T18:34:00.000-07:00

Week One Wrap Up

Weekly Goal
5 miles of walking
2- 90 min yoga sessions

Day 1
2 mile walk & circuit training: tricep dips off couch, 3 way partner ab/oblique exercise (where one person lies down & holds onto the ankles and raises up their legs while the standing partner pushes the feet down), modified push ups, & jumping jacks.

Day 2
Easy 6 mile walk over a 2 hour period (chat time)

Day 3
90 minutes of Sunrise Yoga Sweat
4 mile walk in 60 minutes

Day 4
5 mile walk

Day 5
2 mile walk

Day 6
90 minutes of Sunset Yoga

Day 7
2 mile walk

Total Completed
21 miles of walking
2- 90 min yoga sessions
1 circuit training session

How about you? Comment below your workout wrap up!

July 09 Fitness Analysis

2009-08-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

In July, I tweeted that I did a Fitness Analysis. This is something I learned as part of my personal training education. You can learn how to perform your own fitness analysis by going to this link. It's great because it gives you a general idea of your fitness level. When you see my results below you'll see I added in a few extra elements to the test just to get a clearer picture of where I was.

I wasn't exactly thrilled with the results, but everyone needs to know their starting point. Isn't there a quote out there somewhere that says what gets measured improves? I have been more sedentary since I have been working online more so here are my humble results.

After reviewing my results, I was bummed that I relapsed and lost most of my efforts I was making on my bikini body challenge. My sedentary lifestyle is eating away my physical abilities and I really needed to step up my game. There is no reason that I shouldn't be in the top 95%ile in all areas. Obviously, I need to work on my upper body strength and cardiovascular ability. I decided it's time to get back on track & make some goals, create a support system and accountability.

Goals
Run an 8 minute mile. It isn't a fantastic time, but it is a big improvement to my current time.
Complete 40 consecutive modified push-ups and 20 consecutive full push ups
Reduce my BMI to 18

Plan of Action
August I started a 30 day challenge. The goal is to complete a workout everyday for 30 days.

Cardio Plan
Complete 1 mile 5x on week 1= Total 5 miles
Complete 2 miles 5x on week 2= Total 10 miles
Complete 3 miles 5x on week 3= Total 15 miles
Complete 4 miles 5x on week 4= Total 20 miles

Strength, Flexibility, Balance Plan
Perform Yoga 2x a week- 90 minutes each session adding in lots of push ups or chaturangas for upper body strength.

Support System & Accountability
I created a yoga bikini body boot camp group for women. I love helping others by solving my own problem! Together we are supporting each other to improve our levels of fitness. Another way to stay accountable is by posting blogs on my weekly workout wrap ups. So check in weekly to see if I am still going strong.

I have already completed 10 days this month. I haven't missed a day of doing some exercise everyday! Even better, my sister decided to join in on the 30 days of fitness challenge and has been walking 4 miles everyday! I love it!

Comment below and share with me your current weekly workout!

Raw Spaghetti w/ "Sausage"

2009-08-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I bought a spirooli. I knew I was going to be growing zucchini so I wanted to be prepared to make one of my favorite raw dishes: spaghetti (it is not in accordance w/ 80/10/10 due to salt & seasonings, but still a nice dish). I have a mandolin and sometimes make noodles with that too, but I really like how long and thin this makes them. Even a grater works (see in the video below).

Click HERE to see how it works!

Here is what my noodles look like after I use the spirooli. I like them somewhat short since after the first time using it I realized I was making 5 ft long noodles! DOH! I sweat the noodles by adding salt and letting them sit for about 30 min. then drain the liquid.

I haven't made this recipe in about a year, so my memory is somewhat failing me, but here are the basics. It's super easy & practically impossible to mess up.

For the marinara I use this base from the Raw Body Twins. Then I add more spices inspired by the marinara sauce from"Raw Food Real World" by Matthew Kenney. It's a flexible thing and you can change it to meet your preferences. However, the marinara in the video above is fine just as it is.

"Rawsage"
1 C walnuts
2 Medjool dates, pitted
in the food processor and added
1/2 dried fennel
pinch of crush ground red pepper
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 salt

Process walnuts in the food processor til chopped. Add everything else, including dates, & process until it comes together but still has texture.

You'll be blown away. It looks & tastes similar to cooked ground sausage. Crumble this over the top of the marinara & noodles.

This recipe is even better the next day after all the flavors have had a chance to mingle in the fridge!

Water

2009-07-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

You've seen Daniel Vitalis talking about it. You've seen Kevin Gianni (Renegade Health Show), Anthony Anderson (Raw Model), Philip McCluskey (Loving Raw), & Dhrumil Purohit (We Like It Raw) doing it. It's about time I do it!

What you ask? Collect my own spring water!

I used this resource to locate a spring near me and I have found a few options. I am lucky to live less than an hour away from all of them. If you live in So Cal here are the links for Big Bear Lake
Palm Springs, & Bay Tree Spring- Idyllwild (This one is closest to me and I just found out as of July 10th it is closed! To support the reopening of this spring.) check out theses sites: http://www.friendsofbaytreespring.org/ & www.myspace.com/savingbaytreespring

However, remembering to put my intention of love into the water is probably the most important. Love is the most powerful tool we have in healing water, relationships, our bodies, and the planet.

I did the rice experiement with my kids as a science project back in 2007 and it was a powerful tool to set the intention of love into my home. It truly changed the vibes of my home.

I had the jars sitting on front of my kitchen sink to constantly remind the kids and me to impress our intention. One was labeled "I love you" another "I hate you" and another was left blank.

We saw changes immediately. The water in the jar labeled "I love you" became pristine clear water and the grain (I didn't have white rice so I used cooked quinoa and it worked just the same) stayed vibrant and floated to the top as if it was uplifted by love. Even after several months it looked as though it was just prepared.

The water in the jar that was labeled "I hate you" became murky and grey. The grains began to cluster together and rot. It looked like a tumor. It really looked disgusting. It was hard for us to keep saying, "I hate you" to the jar daily because we knew this was affecting our cells as well.

The water in the jar that was unlabeled we were instructed to ignore. It turned yellow, but the grains did not rot.

I highly recommend you try this out. I promise it will change you!

Love your water, your life, yourself, the people in your life.

Hiking Devil's Slide

2009-07-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

Took a nice break from the heat and went hiking to Devil's Slide. We didn't complete the full hike considering we started just before noon and after an hour into the hike we came across boy scouts who started the hike at 6:30 am. They suggested it would be too strenuous and hot especially if we didn't have about a gallon of water each on hand (which we didn't). Plus we needed to be back down the trail by 4pm. So we continued a while longer, then called it a day.

The background rock is the end of the hike.

Kickin' it before we get hiking.

Christie, Alex, Mehgan, Alex

Mehgan taking a little water break

I hope to be able to do this hike again and go all the way to the top. Mehgan kept commenting on how peaceful she felt being in nature. She said to me, "Mom, why do I feel so calm here?" Nature is so healing. Kids are so perceptive!

Late July 09 Garden Update

2009-07-28T17:04:00.000-07:00

Look what happened in just 3 weeks in my garden!

July 7th

July 28th

I can't believe how fast things are taking off! Look what importing 5 yards of organic compost, rock dust, seaweed, and other organic goodies can do!

Days have been hot & dry (high 90's or low 100's). I had been hand watering like crazy! I have come home to find very wilted plants. I almost feel like I can't be gone from home very long. I am lucky enough to have a friend who is going to install drip irrigation to these beds. I'll be taking notes :)

A watermelon flower

A newly polinated watermelon

Isn't this just the cutest thing ever? Now I sound like a new mom bragging about her babies....sorry. Can't help it. ;)

As a novice gardener I realized I have underestimated these plants. I just found out that one watermelon can take up 100 sq ft! OH NO! I planted about 14 of them. It's gonna be a scary jungle here soon.

Raspberries are growing. I never knew when raspberries were in season. I am guessing sometime in late summer.

Butternut Squash (volunteer)
OMG, I just LOVE butternut squash! It is one of my favorites. I love it as a soup, roasted, steamed, sauteed, you name it. I need to learn more raw recipes for this amazing food! If you know any post them in my comments box below.

Look what Alex discovered! I had a green preying mantis in my garden a couple months ago, but seeing this guy just threw me for a loop. I didn't know there were different colors! However, he was hidden behind some rocks and he blended right in!

I think these guys (grasshoppers) are bad for a garden. Not sure. Anyone know? He was kickin' it on my cherry tomato volunteers.

I have also been enjoying the abundance of bees! I would guess there are over 50 bees or so out in the morning. It feels so good, especially after Mehgan and I watched a program recently on the problem with bees. No bees = no food! Mehgan really wants to raise bees, but I am concerned since my property is rather small. I wouldn't want neighbors to be trying to kill them. I dunno. Anyone know about this? My lot is just about 8000 sq ft.

Patty Pan on the Vine

I harvested this one. I think this was about the right size before harvesting for best flavor, etc. Again, not sure. Tasted fantastic though.

Yellow Squash (volunteer)

I ate this straight from the garden just minutes after picking. It was so sweet! I can get used to this! ;)

Zucchini
My first one of the season. It's got a weird shape to it!

A new cantaloupe

Cantaloupe (volunteer) amongst cherry tomato volunteers
Almost ready! Again, I have like 14 of these plants. I am not a big fan of cantaloupe, but Mehgan is. She can easily eat 2 a day!

Lemon Cucumber
I recently trained this up at trellis after it had become a big mess. It sort of shocked the plant I think, but it is doing better. Here is a young cucumber.

I think this is when it is harvesting time. I was told that if it was creamy colored and no longer green then it was ready to go. These are so good. I went to a raw food potluck where there were raw pickled cucumbers with lemon juice, dill, and salt that marinated over a period of several days. Who knew you could enjoy raw pickles? I am always amazed.

Here is a little clip of my compost! I have always had troubles doing it right. I never had crumbly dark soil. Either it would get stinky and too wet at the bottom and attract flies or it would be too dry and never break down. I think in this video it is a bit dry, however it is the best it has ever been. I bet I'll just keep getting better from here!

Playing Around w/ B Series Partner Yoga

2009-07-24T21:47:00.000-07:00

Real Living

2009-07-22T23:54:00.001-07:00

Sustainable Relationships
Loving my life unconditionally
Loving the people in my life unconditionally
Loving myself unconditionally

Sustainable Health
Living clean & lean on raw foods
Rocking an able & athletic body

Sustainable Service
Getting turned on- being passionate
Making love all day long- doing what you love with intention & focus
Sharing my voice

Sustainable Income
Generating multiple streams of passive income through providing genuine value
Casting a vote on the world I want through how I spend my money

Sustainable Home Life
Living in paradise: clean fresh air, plenty of rain, warm year round weather
Growing my own food however simple or exotic
Caring for the Earth as I do my body

Sustainable Growth
Learning, exploring, dreaming, doing, defying limitations, laughing, loving, celebration, and gratitude, having fun

July 09 Garden Update

2009-07-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

I have a long way to go before I have a fully running edible landscape. However, I am thankful for what I have so far. I am not an expert at gardening, but I am learning as I go. A great book that is helping me is called Desert Gardening since I live off the coast and closer towards Palm Springs. It seems that July & August just scorches my entire garden and Jan gets frost. So, it seems in Southern California I have a few short seasons to work with although I can grow year round. I have so much to learn.

I need to be diligent with watering since missing one day can wipe out all my hard work (which has happened a few times). I did get straw to mulch and that seems to be helping. However, it blows all over the place (as seen in the video). I still have more beds to mulch now that the plants are larger.

Here is a list of what I have so far:

Trees
fig (Black Mission), plum (Santa Rosa)

Bushes
2 blueberry varieties (O'neil & Misty)

Vine
grape (red flame) and kiwi (about dead by the sun)

Berries
blackberry, raspberry, boysenberry, strawberries (again near scorched)

Herbs
oregano, basil, chamomile, aloe

All raised beds have wire to keep underground gophers from getting into the goods. My dog, Hailee has been keeping all the birds from landing and mice, possums and gophers from having a party in my yard. The compost seems to draw in the critters. Which is why it is in a trash can with holes so I can put potting soil over the clippings and put a lid on it.

Annuals
corn- sweet, white, & bi color
Anaheim chili's
tomato (a few varieties)
watermelon
cantaloupe
pumpkin
spaghetti squash
zucchini
patty pan
cucumber- 2 varieties
tomatillo

Volunteers
cantaloupe
yellow summer squash
butternut squash
cherry tomatoes
pumpkin (I think)
beets

To do
finish nylon netting for vertical growing
front yard flowerbed along the wall needs to be re planted (most everything there is a volunteer and I didn't have the heart to rip them out.)
install an irrigation system
finish the side area of the front yard next to the small raised beds. BTW, I double dug under all those and amended soil about 1 foot down. I don't have wire to block gophers though. I hope it isn't a problem in the future, but from what everyone tells me it will be an issue.

After it cools a bit
I hope to plant trees in September like citrus and stone fruit. As well as putting all the plants that are still on pots in the ground. I need to be careful since the soil I have is clay and very tough to work with. I know it will be a while before I have awesome soil.

Home Schooling

2009-07-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

I receive many questions from mothers who want to home school their children but don't know where to start. I would recommend moms to find other mothers in their community that are homeschooling. I would consider myself to still be somewhat of a novice even though I have completed 3 years of homeschooling with my kids.

Selection
I belong to a charter school. The kids receive their funds from public schooling and we have vendors that we are able to select programs, books and so forth from.

Accountability
We meet with an Educational Specialist every month. This is when I turn in work samples, lesson plans, attendance and grades. I also consult with her to find more resources and options that could better suit our needs.

Testing
My children are still required to complete the same testing as public school children do. In California it is STAR testing. The children meet every spring at a public location and the tests are set up the same as traditional school. In addition, my children are accessed at the beginning and end of the school year with an online test called Scantron just to see their starting point and their growth at the end of the year.

Special Services
My son has always needed the assistance of speech therapy. So he is receiving that through the school as a free service. I am also enrolling in LARP (Language Arts and Reading Program) for parents to learn more effective ways of working with their children's learning styles.

1st Year Curriculum ( 3rd and 5th grade)
Our first year of homeschooling, the kids attended half day enrichment classes two days a week just for social interaction and to be a bridge between public school and home school. I had no clue how to home school so I did a box kit curriculum with Varsity books. Basically it was set up as a normal teacher teaching public school. I downloaded the class lessons and conducted class just like a normal school setting. It was quite a challenge considering I was teaching two different grades. I was separating my son and daughters curriculum and doubling up on the work load. Honestly, the first year was really tough and we struggled to maintain a system that was generic and didn't meet our lifestyle.

2nd & 3rd year Curriculum (4th & 6th grade)
I kept the language arts and math curriculum separate, but combined all the other subjects like science, history, life skills, art and PE. My children selected their own special interest. This system was much simpler and we found ourselves enjoying the learning process together whereas before we struggled to do everything "by the book". Along the way, I found it much easier to start writing our own lesson plans based on our lifestyle. Here is what we did last year:

Language Arts
READ a book that they enjoyed (I would pull books from the required reading of public schools for their grade level, but found the kids took more interest in the books they selected themselves)
WRITE a page a day especially in their journals (encouraging gratitude, creating) or stories
Spelling & vocabulary- Latin based- Red Hot Root Words
Grammar- Daily Grams

History
Story of the World series

Science
Life Science (7th grade)
Kits- Solar Science, Edible Landscaping, Square Foot Gardening, Human Body

Math
Teaching Textbooks

PE
Gymnastics

Life Skills
computer skills, typing (roller typing program), blogging
personal & family responsibilities
raw food recipes

Special Interest
guitar lessons, horseback riding lessons
art- painting, drawing

Now I am approaching our 4th year of home school and I feel like it is time for another change. My kids are a bit older and are expressing career directions. I observe what they do during their independent time and I am looking to nurture their interests and habits. It seems that we are less and less concerned with standardized testing and learning skills that are not applicable to them at this time. I am not too sure how this is going to be received by our wonderful ES, but I am sure she will show us how to incorporate it all into the typical subjects.

I feel as a mother it is important to honor their direction and support them. I need to remember that learning is supposed to be fun. It is pointless to waste their time if the brain is not activated. I watch to see their natural inclinations and curiosity. I do not act like I know all the answers, since I know I don't, but rather just express a love for learning all through life.

Priorities
Knowing & supporting their end result
Nurture their nature & passion
Have fun & keep their minds curious
Prepare them to be self reliant

My kids are entering 6th and 8th grade next month. Here is what I have set up so far.

Language Arts
Reading- whatever they enjoy (Alex enjoys reading the Harry Potter series, Eragon series, Twilight series)
Write- in their gratitude & create journals & writing projects pertaining to other subjects
Spelling/Vocab- Latin
Grammar- Daily Grams book

History
Story of the World
However, public school focuses on US history for my kids grades. However, I much prefer a chronological global view.

Math
Money generation and management
Teaching Textbooks (typical class)

Science
Sustainable Living: health & environment
Earth Science (typical class)

Life skills
computer skills, typing, blogging, social media
Entrepreneurship
Self Reliance

PE
wrestling
horse vaulting (gymnastics on a horse)

Special Interest
Alex expresses a desire to excel in sports (currently in wrestling) and music(taking guitar) , computers. I would love to find a course he could take to learn about programming and just overall computer knowledge.

Mehgan expresses an artistic desire to be in the fashion world of modeling, creating her own clothing and jewelry line, singing and performing arts. She loves interacting with animals. She is working on selling her jewelry online from her blog and Etsys. I need to enroll her into a performing arts program.

Finding What Works
Everyone has their own approach. I am not even sure that I am doing things right. All I know is that most of the stuff I learned in school is information that I do not apply in my life. I want to make sure that what they are learning and doing they are enjoying. I want them to retain and apply their knowledge versus memorizing and regurgitating.

To Date or Not To Date...That IS the Question

2009-07-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I spent alot of time with family. I have two sisters Amanda who is 5 years older than me and April who is 12 years younger than me. We had our girly chats and got to talking about dating.

Watching my older sister (who is also a single mom) get calls from her "potential" guy had me thinking about my romantic life. Or perhaps the lack thereof. I don't know what is up with me. Most of the time I don't even think about it. Now, I know I put out a couple of videos about dating as a single mother, but I just haven't felt driven to date since the last 2 videos.

Is there something wrong with me? Am I too comfortable? Am I too independent? Am I just in a rut? Why isn't romance really on my brain? Have I waited too long and lost the memories of what it feels like to be in love? Am I going to be single forever? Do I have a vision of a romantic partner?

My sister was asking me why I didn't date. I replied that I felt good focusing on my kids and raising them. I also expressed that I really wanted to create and generate multiple streams of passive income and have a wonderful financial system in place. Besides that, I do have some insecurities with my body. I know it is ridiculous, but it is something that I allow to keep me from saying yes to a date.

So, now I am at a point. Should I just keep doing my thing and work on my business and kids and leave dating out until I am more established? I really don't crave romance, or at least as much as I see others going for it. I feel like it is there whenever I want it, but do I feel worthy of it? Do I feel complete as I am? Or maybe I just haven't met the right guy? I dunno, but I definitely see a lack of romantic drive. Of course, every now and then it sounds good, but those thoughts are not predominant.

My sister seems to think that at this rate I'll be single forever. I don't like the sound of that. I am not sure if that is just social conditioning that makes me think there is something wrong with staying single or if it is a true deep down yearning for companionship.

I don't feel lonely. In fact I feel quite satisfied, but watching others go nuts over romance has me wondering if I am out of the loop. I am not yearning for connection. I feel like I enjoy lots of intimate and satisfying relationships.

What is my deal? Will the craving arise after my kids are grown, I rock my bikini body and I have a very secure financial life? Am I afraid and finding excuses to hide behind? Or have I just come to feel secure in who I am and the relationships that I have already that I feel complete? Or have I not fully accepted myself and until I do that no one will walk into my world?

Hmmm...... so I am at the point....to date or not to date? Why do I bounce between the both of them? Maybe nothing will happen until I make up my mind.

Just sharing some random thoughts. Share yours if you feel inclined. :)

Being Hit by a Drunk Driver was One of the Best Things that Ever Happened to Me

2009-07-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

It was January 2005, I just closed escrow on my first home. I was happy to get the keys and move in. I had taken the day off work to start the moving process. However, a client called me very early that morning needing my assistance. I normally took the kids to school, but I made arragements to have my long term boyfriend take them so I could go see this client and then get started on moving in.

However, on my way I was involved in a hit and run by a drunk driver that could have ended my life. I was sitting at a red light waiting for it to turn green when I was hit full force. I don't remember being hit. I was knocked unconscious, but I remember coming out of it being surrounded by a group of people, not knowing where I was or what had happened. Luckily, people saw the accident happen and chased the person who hit me and fled the scene.

The back end of my little 4 door Honda Civic had been smashed all the way to where the back seat was almost touching the back of the drivers seat. I had my massage table in the trunk of my car at the time. The impact propelled the table through the back seat and over my head to the front windshield.

I was laid up in bed for 3 months to heal from head trauma, vertigo, neck and back injuries in addition to some left sided injuries to my shoulder, elbow and knees. The vertigo (severe dizziness and nausea)was so severe that I felt like I got off a really fast merry-go-round. I couldn't see straight, everything was moving, at the slightest movement I felt like I would throw up. If you have ever been drunk and closed your eyes and felt the whole world spinning, that's how I felt 24/7. I couldn't hold up my head. I couldn't think clearly. I couldn't take pain pills because my body rejected them. I spent time in the ER dealing with a bad reaction to Vicodin. I was throwing up non stop and heaving into exhaustion. I felt like I had no quality of life. I couldn't even function: physically or mentally.

During the healing phases, I would get flash images of the accident reoccuring in my head. I was brought to tears when I realized I would normally take my kids to school that morning. Thoughts went through my mind of my children no longer being in my life. I was shaken! My kids are such a huge part of my life, but at that time I was working, my kids were in public school. I taught evening fitness classes and time with my kids was somewhat limited.

Thoughts went through my mind, "Was this a life that mattered?", "If I died today, did I give my kids the skills they needed in life?", "Did I make a positive impact on my kids?" I thought about that being my last day to live and questioned the way I had been living. Did I live a life that I could die a happy person feeling totally confident that I had done all I could do in my life? Did I spend my time in ways that mattered most? Did my kids know how much I loved them? Did I savor them or take them for granted?

I wanted to hug them, cuddle them, kiss them, tell them how much I loved them. I wanted to laugh with them, to grow with them, to watch them experience life. I wanted to support them and share this gift of life we had. Even if it was only one more day.

This was the beginning of a major life shift for me. I felt gratitude for the accident, because it made me reevaluate my life. I started shifting my life immediately. I did not return to work full time. I only saw clients when my kids were in school and in the fall of 2005, I enrolled my kids in a charter school. I began a homeschooling program. I really didn't know how to homeschool or anything about it at all. However, I repeatedly had the intuition and inspiration to do it,so I trusted that guidance.

Other changes evolved as well. I ended a 5 year relationship that seemed to no longer be syngergistic. I discovered raw foods. I decided to take my career into my own hands and become self employed. Freedom in all life aspects became very important.

I was given another chance to live. And ya know, we don't have to wait until something like this happens to start a new life. Every morning the sun rises we are given another lease on life. What are you going to do with it?