Drop The Ice Cream Habit - Switch To Sorbet

Our household has been eliminating dairy from our diet for
quite awhile now...my husband the last holdout...
but all of that changed this summer when he discovered the wonderful world
of sorbet.  I think he has made about every flavor imaginable at this point, but
so far the hands down winner is definitely blueberry.

Yes, sorbet has sugar in it, but we do know enough 
about health and nutrition to not ever let an
artificial sweetener of any kind past our lips.
We organic sugar when we need it for the occasional sweet.

Anyway, the recipe is delicious and even if you don't have an ice cream maker
there are plenty of sorbet recipes online that do not
require one.

So whether you need to drop your cholesterol, or just get tired of
that congested "yuck" feeling that you have after
 you eat ice cream (which was his case),
I suggest you try sorbet! 

enjoy!

3 cups (1 1/2 pints) fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained 

(can use frozen unsweetened)

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a blender or food processor puree the blueberries with the water until smooth.

  Pour mixture into a large bowl.  Add the sugar and lemon juice.  Whisk to blend.

Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.  Whisk the mixture to blend and pour 

into the canister of an ice cream maker.  Freeze according to directions.  

Transfer to covered container and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour.

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Top 10 Reasons to Avoid and Label GMO's

A big thanks to Cory Trusty and the ECOEtsy Team for sharing this article with us.  Although there is a vote coming up in California, this is an important issue that we all need to become more educated and vocal about.  It directly effects our health and well being.  Chances are if you are not currently feeling the effects of eating GMO food (increased allergies etc), you most likely will in the future... or your kids will ~

 Vote Yes on Prop 37 T-shirt by EmanateVitality on Etsy

Proposition 37, a Mandatory Labeling of Genetically Engineered Food Initiative, is on the November 6, 2012 ballot in California.  The EcoEtsy team is in favor of GMO labeling and we hope you will support this initiative.  Before I tell you why, do you know what GMOs are?

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism, and GE stands for Genetically Engineered.  This is not the same as hybrid creation by normal cross breeding means.  GMOs are created in a lab by combining DNA from completely different organism.  For example, BT corn is corn that has been created with the addition of a bacterial gene which encodes for the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin.  This toxin is then made in every cell of the corn.  GMO foods have been on the market in the US for the last 20 years.  Some of the most common GMO foods include corn, soy, safflower, Canola, Hawaiian Papaya, sugar beet, Aspartamate, milk from rBGH treated cows, yellow crookneck squash, and zucchini.

Top 10 reasons to label and avoid GMOs

1) We have a right to know what is in our foods, so we have the freedom to choose what to eat and what kind of agriculture practices we support.  Without labeling we don’t know what is in our food, though it is estimated that 80% of processed foods contain GMO.

2) The US falls short in best accepted policies for GMO labeling.  50 countries now label genetically engineered foods including Australia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, the European Union and China.

3) Serious health issues are linked with GMOs in humans and animals including: cancer, infertility, allergies, and irritable bowels.  We do not have assurance of safety.  The Food and Drug Administration does not test GMOs despite warnings from it’s own scientists.  GMO manufacturers suppress independent safety testing with patenting of seeds.

4) Herbicides and Pesticides used in GMO farming are highly dangerous to farmers health.

5) GMO farming increases use of toxic herbicides creating superweeds.  These superweeds lead to more pesticide  use.

6) GMOs contaminate the natural and Organic seed supply through pollination between GMO and Non-GMO crops.

7) GMOs do not improve crop yields.  This is particularly important in the context of climate change and drought.  Organic crops have shown to consistently produce better under drought conditions.

8) GMOs are dangerous to the livelihood of farmers.  Unlike traditional crops farmers are not allowed to save seed to replant for future sowing.  Farmers face expensive court battles, including Monsanto versus Vernon Hugh Bowman whose case will be heard in the Supreme Court.

9) GMOs promote seed slavery.  A seed is not an invention. That is why patents on seeds are illegitimate. Even in a genetically engineered crop, the original seed come from farmers. Patents on seed are based on biopiracy… Patents on seed allow corporations to prevent farmers from saving and exchanging seed. Thus patent violates farmers’ right to save, use, reuse, breed and exchange seed as their commons.

10) Labeling will offer more options for the consumer at no extra cost, because they will have the opportunity to vote with their dollars.  Opponents of Prop 37 suggest that labeling GMOs will result in increased food prices.  However there is no evidence that  food prices have increased in the many countries that have implemented GMO labeling.

Photo by Soul Role

Nancy of Soul Role is an EcoEtsy team member living in Hawaii.  She echoes these concerns as a consumer and farmer and summarizes as follows:
"As a consumer it is very important to me to know WHAT is in everything I eat and feed my family.  I have read studies with US government data showing GE crops have produced an overall increase, not decrease, in pesticide use compared to conventional crops. I am working hard in my life to limit my families exposure to pesticides and chemicals and anything that requires the use of more known carcinogens is not ok in my opinion.  From what I have learned there has been very little long term testing on the effects of GMOs on the human body which is another huge reason why I do not trust them.  As a farming family, we do not support GMO seeds, because plants grown from  them will not produce their own seeds which makes the farmer a slave to the GMO seed companies.  There are many more reasons why we want to see all products using GMOs to be labeled accordingly."
Need more evidence about the dangers of GMOs?  Watch the full length film Genetic Roulette now through November 6th

Californians, will you vote yes next month to label GMOs?  Everyone else, will you ask you friends in Califonia to vote yes on prop 37?  You can also volunteer by making phone calls.  Spread the word and feel free to repost this top 10 list to your blog or website.





This post was written by...

aquarianbath – has written 3 awesome posts on Eco Etsy.
Cory is the owner of AquarianBath.com She is an Etsy Bath and Body product seller, soap maker, community herbalist, organic gardener, and homeschooling mom. Her background is in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Biology. Cory and her family live in Daytona Beach, which is USDA growing zone 9a. Follow her blog for more articles.

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Mind Body Spirit Odyssey Book Review: Fantastic Voyage - Live Long Enough to Live Forever

"Live Long Enough to Live Forever."  That's a bold declaration - perhaps even the indictment - of the book by Dr. Terry Grossman and Ray Kurzweil.  Readers will no doubt recognize Kurzweil's name from his famous text, The age of Spiritual Machines, and Dr. Grossman is the founder and director of the Grossman Wellness Center (formally the Frontier Medical Institute) and is widely considered an expert on nutrition and anti-aging therapies.  The text was a joint effort between the two scholars, and addresses numerous concerns regarding both our spiritual and our physical aging process as human beings.

 The text gives an overview int the radical, life-changing modalities of modern science addressing anti-aging and life extension - an emerging field that some consider to be on the fringe of Western medicine.  The authors, however, intend to change all that.  In this compendium of health data, introductory scientific definitions,  and even preventive tips, Kurzweil and Grossman provide both layman and advanced students with a definitive guide on how to practically apply every day life extension techniques to enhance current daily living and achieve greater longevity.

The reader may be skeptical, perhaps even overly cautious with the text at first.  With only a glance, its pages can seem full of daunting details and definitions of such things as RNA and protein blockers, starch inhibitors and fibrinogen, just to name a few.  A closer evaluation, however, will reveal sections that provide tips on how to make smart, healthy eating choices in younger and middle years to prepare and perhaps even prevent the entropy associated with the cellular decay of old age.  Some parts of the text actually give lists of foods and/or supplements that might be beneficial for those looking to enhance their current health, as well as prepare for the future.

The book also gives an overview about the importance of spiritual health and its essential role in the preparation for longevity.  One section delineates an array of precise techniques for meditation, and describes the role that meditation can play in the alignment of the spiritual and the physical.  The authors maintain that spiritual health is every bit as essential for balanced living and longevity as is proper nutrition and exercise.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in the study of anti-aging and life extension, but should not be undertaken lightly.  Its pages are chock full of important information, lists and techniques that - when applied with care - can no doubt render the desired benefits of longevity.  Furthermore, every reader concerned with health and wellness overall should undertake this read - it is indeed a fantastic voyage.
 
"Fantastic Voyage - Live Long Enough to Live Forever"
By Ray Kurzweil and Terry Grossman, M.D. Publisher:
Plume (September 27, 2005)

Reviewed by:  Christina Dudley

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World Tai Chi and Qigong Day

Hong Kong, China

In case you are out and about on Saturday morning and see groups of people in the parks practicing some Martial Arts forms, April 30th is World Tai Chi and Qigong Day.  It is an annual event that is held the last Saturday of April each year to help promote the related disciplines of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Qigong.  It is held in over 60 countries and has been going strong since 1999.

This multinational effort is ongoing and it's purpose is to expose people to the growing body of medical research related to Traditional Chinese Medicine and to help them fine resources and teachers in their own towns and areas.  Our class in Montclair, New Jersey will be at Verona Park this year and among other forms will be doing the Circle Walk Practice of Ba Gua Zhang which we have been studying for the last few months.

Ireland

World Tai Chi and Qigong Day's stated goals are to:

 1) Educate the world about emerging medical research revealing health benefits that Tai Chi Chuan and qigong offer.

2) Educate about the increasing use of these ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine modalities in business, education, penal and drug rehabilitation.

3) Provide a global vision of cooperation for health and healing purposes across geopolitical boundaries, and also an appeal to people worldwide to embrace wisdom from all the cultures of the world.

New Jersey, USA

If you are suffering with medical issues, emotional difficulties or if you simply want to learn how to use Qigong, Tai Chi and Traditional Chinese Medicine to cultivate better health, prevent illness; while also embracing, enhancing, and celebrating your spiritual connection to heaven and earth...seek out classes where you live.   

~ diane fergurson

You may also enjoy reading:
From Jing to Qi to Shen: An Interview with Healer Darren Orr
Eating with the Qi Diagram
Qigong: An Interview with Joanne Kornoelje

photos courtesy of Wikipedia and the Mir-Yam School of Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Meditation

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Going Vegan – Embarking On a New Path for Better Health

In January my husband and I were discussing which diet we should follow. We tended to eat fairly well already, with lots of vegetables and fruits, and whole grains and natural foods, but like many others we got a bit lazy in our choices, especially through the holiday season. We wanted to do what most Americans want to do right after the new year – lose a few pounds, but more importantly, we just wanted to recommit to good health, which for my husband also meant recommitting to keeping his blood sugar numbers in control, as he has type 2 diabetes.

Our bookshelves include many alternative health books – on energy healing, meditation, yoga, reflexology, herbalism, and healthy diets. Those books on healthy diets include South Beach and YOU: On a Diet, as well as macrobiotic and ayurvedic titles, and even French Women Don’t Get Fat. It’s quite a variety, so we had many to choose from! One night after talking about some options, we sat down and turned on the TV – and caught a program on PBS that gave us our answer:  going vegan.

 The program was Taking Control of Diabetes with Dr. Neal Barnard. Being vegetarian wasn’t new to us, nor was giving up dairy – when we were macrobiotic many years ago, neither of us ate meat or dairy of any kind (though back then we didn’t think of it in terms of being vegan). What was new, was the information Barnard was sharing about how following a low fat, plant-based diet could greatly change one’s experience of diabetes, and in some people, actually reverse the condition.

The program’s message was inspiring and we decided we’d give it a try. Many of the foods significant in a plant-based diet were familiar to us already, but the next day we added a few vegan substitutes for common foods – cheese and milk, for example – to our pantry, and my husband, who once cooked for a health food restaurant, set about learning to make a great seitan from scratch.

He went vegan right away. For the first few weeks I greatly reduced dairy in my diet but continued to use milk in my tea, half and half in my coffee, and feta on my salads. It wasn’t long before I decided to entirely cut out dairy as well, so we are both now following a vegan diet. The effects on my husband’s diabetes have been truly remarkable. He has eliminated his need to take insulin, reduced his oral meds by more than half, and the continued hypoglycemic episodes have him regularly adjusting downward.  We are both enjoying the changes, not suffering any unbearable cravings, and feeling better in many ways. We both also love eating this way! Unlike how “diets” typically make one feel, we don’t feel impatient to move to the next phase or to begin to add unpermitted foods back in, and we don’t feel like we are missing out. Making these changes has been a lot easier than we would have thought. Doing it together makes it easier, keeping it delicious and healthy creates momentum, and seeing immediate health benefits gives us motivation.

I’m honestly not sure where this will lead – I can’t say that I will never again eat a salad topped with feta, or enjoy a slice of traditional cheese pizza. Also, we do need to watch numbers and track the progress of specific health issues. This is our first step, and we are just beginning; I want our expectations to be reasonable. That being said, we are both excited about continuing this indefinitely – we look forward to it, not as a “diet,” but simply as a lifestyle choice. I hope to share here my experience going vegan, any adjustments I make along the way, as well as resources, recipes, and research. If you’re interested in a plant-based diet, I’d highly encourage you to look into it and give it a try – it’s easier than you think. Also, if you’ve already adopted a plant-based diet, I’d love to hear about your experience!

~ Nellie Levine

Creamy Canellini Sauce

This sauce (as pictured in the above photo) is something my husband whipped up from scratch. It's great over rice or pasta, with veggies that are steamed, sauteed, or roasted, making it really versatile. It is creamy and full flavored.

1 onion, thinly sliced
3-6 cloves garlic
+/- 1 cup warm water

2 cups cooked or 1 can of canellini beans, warmed
2 tablespoons tamari or Bragg's liquid aminos
2 tablespoons rice wine or white wine
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon Italian herb blend

Roast onion and garlic at 450 until browned (stir occasionally).

In food processor, process onion, then slowly add small amount of water, until smooth. Add beans, then slowly add small amount of water, until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, then slowly add water until preferred consistency - sauce will thicken when heated so make it a bit thinner than you would finally prefer. Add salt and more wine to taste. Heat in saucepan or microwave.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 - 3 cups.

* I’d like to recommend two books that my husband and I have recently bought:

Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes, by Neal D. Barnard, MD – This book is straightforward and easy to follow. In addition to explaining in further detail the PBS program my husband and I watched, it also details the scientific research that proves diabetes can be greatly benefited by a low fat, plant-based diet. For those with type 2 that might mean reversal, for those with type 1, better control of blood sugar numbers and better prevention of complications.

The Vegan Table, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau – We have plenty of vegetarian cookbooks in our house, but many of them include dairy in their recipes, and we also wanted a little bit of new inspiration. The Vegan Table is a beautiful cookbook that I’d enjoy using even if we weren’t omitting animal products from our diets. The book focuses on entertaining – serving delicious meals to family and friends, but it is a great family cookbook as well.

Supporting article on vegan diet for diabetes: http://blogs.webmd.com/life-with-diabetes-2/2010/05/low-fat-vegan-diet-for-reversing-diabetes.html

One more note: if you’re going to go vegan, you do need to make sure you get enough vitamin B12, which we are unable to get through plant sources so a daily multivitamin is a good idea. Otherwise, a solid, well-planned plant-based diet should provide all the nutrients you need (and will provide much more than you would get on the standard American diet). There are many effective plant-based sources of calcium, protein, and iron. Still, it is wise to check with your doctor before making major dietary changes and especially important to do so if you are on any medications for diabetes, heart disease, or blood pressure, or if you have any food sensitivities that would create a difficulty in following a vegan diet.

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You May Also Enjoy:
Baby Carrots- Do You Know What You Are Eating?
Eating with the Tai-Chi Diagram

photo by Nellie Levine

Shedding our Acquired Life Roles and Medical Qigong

Conversations with Healer and Medical Qigong practitioner Darren Orr always prove to be an enlightening and informative experience.  The following discussion focuses on our acquired "life roles", our ability or inability to shed them, and how Medical Qigong can help in the healing process.
                                                                                                    ~ diane fergurson


MBS:  I've been reading recently about how sometimes people, deep down, don't really want to move completely forward after a death or unhappy life experience.  They resist the healing process because they have, in many cases, taken on a "life role" that they would find hard to give up.  For example, they embrace the role as the "survivor", the "widow", the "sick person". That's how other people identify them. That's what they talk about socially. They build their life and activities around that persona and really don't want to give it up 100% because then they would have to change who they are. Will you speak to that? 

Butterfly in Barely Blue by Nellie Levine

Darren:  Yes, the fear of changing that which they believe they are.  But what are we?  We cling to these identities or life roles so dearly. Why? We defend our positions, create lines in the sand causing strife, separation, division and dissension. We always want to be right and never wrong. Always want to feel pleasure, never pain. Always want to gain and never experience loss, only wanting the highs and never the lows. Never realizing and considering that the Divine flow of life is perpetuated by duality and dichotomy.
On the deepest level though duality merges into unity. We categorize, segregate, name, define, confine, dichotomize everything in our lives in order to try and understand it but in trying to understand it you lose the essence of simply experiencing the unity flow and harmony of each passing moment.

In the Dao de Jing Lao tzu talks about this saying the " the mind is like a knife always chipping away at the Dao trying to render it graspable and manageable, yet that which is formless is ungraspable and unmanageable. Nature is the best example of this and is why the Daoist's revered the harmony of nature as being the best expression of the Dao. The fundamental question of life is Who Am I? With that question comes a spiritual awakening and a rekindling of a fire that has lied dormant since childhood.

Who Am I? Sages from India and China, Christians, mystics, sufi muslims, indigenous religions throughout the world all use this form of self-enquiry to release the acquired mind/ego/false self and in doing so commune with the Source of life.

It is very true that people take on a "life role" that they find hard to give up whether that be survivor, widow, sick person or on a deeper level believing themselves to be the body. Everybody builds their life and activities around a persona whatever that may be, that is called the ego/false self/acquired mind. We all have it, all of us.

That is the essential point of self cultivation and Medical Qigong:

to refine the acquired aspects of your being in order see clearly your true nature. All the acquired negative, habitual habits, behaviors, thought patterns, attitudes and excessive mental/emotional templates that we all have gathered and carry around with us from birth onwards through living on Earth must be purged and purified through a form of self-cultivation before death. That is our real job in life, not what makes us money.

The idea of heaven on earth in the Christian tradition is talking about the same thing that the Chinese, Hindu, Native American and indigenous cultures are all saying: that when this acquired garbage is cleared heaven exists within ourselves.  If we clear out our story lines, identities, diseases, addictions, attachments, aversions, negative habits emotions and behaviors via Medical Qigong purgation exercises you can live from the heavenly bliss and happiness that has always resided within you while living on Earth.

The reason people have a hard time moving forward after death is because they believe themselves and the deceased to be the finite, temporal body/mind trapped in space and time of 3 dimensions. Yes very true, people sometimes don't want to move completely forward after a death or disease and thus resist the healing process because they have taken on a life role. People resist the healing process all the time due to subconscious issues about how we perceive ourselves vs others and the outside world. What we fail to realize is that the outside is a reflection of the inside which affects our perceptions, choices and decisions determining how we look at and feel about our experiences.

Then what often occurs is we judge, label and condemn ourselves for how we think and feel about our experiences. It's a vicious cycle.

It all really comes down to Mind. That is what we work with most in Medical Qigong is the person's Mind. I utilize Qi and Shen to allow the clients mind the ability to see the unlimited possibilities, shifting and moving them out of the stasis of there "life role, sickness or affliction". This then helps them to see the root of the problem, disease or affliction, why certain patterns emerged and then giving them the tools to cut those roots thereby freeing their life-force energy and vitality allowing them to return back to homeostasis, balance and health.

The main message I would like to convey about death is that you do not die. I'll repeat that YOU DO NOT DIE. Your body and brain drop off like a discarded garment but your spirit is eternal. We all are an invisible indivisible eternal spiritual energy.

Like a butterfly breaking through a cocoon. At the moment of death we simply break free of cocoon of the body/mind and return to the spiritual essence and energy that we truly are. We are not our bodies, not our minds, we are not confined to space and time. We are not our thoughts, feelings emotions or information. We are not our name, what we look like or dress like, where we live, life role, social status, fame, wealth or power. Our spirit is limitless, beginingless and endless, a formless harmony of unity and oneness.

Most who walk the Earth live in ignorance of this principle which sustains and maintains them until they are at their deathbed. You can realize and actualize your spirit while still in the physical form full of health and vitality, but you must begin the inner self cultivation necessary to distill the divine elixir that lies within. That is the essence of my job as Medical Qigong therapist, to assist, shift and uplift those who come to me via affinity. Most often its for healing but deeper it is to give them the tools to dig deep inside and find, understand and manifest their destiny-which is always spiritual in nature.

You must delve deep into the depths of your being searching and yearning for the answer to the question Who Am I?  It doesn't really matter what label you place on the life role. Find out who the "I" is you are talking about when you say "I" went, "I" came, "I" did or "I" am such and such.

The idea of ever having security and being able to resist change is only going to exhaust yourself in vain.

Life is change. Buddhists talk about groundlessness, the Daoists about Chaos. Do you ever really have control over your life? You may think you do and it could go on that way for a very long time but sooner or later somewhere, something is going to flip your world upside down and knock you on your ass. The question then becomes are you going to just sit there and stagnate or get up and move? The idea is to not get trapped in stasis, not get bogged down in the negative mind chatter of judging and berating yourself that stems from the ego/acquired mind. Most people when faced with a trauma, death or life-changing event don't know how to deal with it. They don't know how flow with it, most people's first reaction is to resist which eventually leads to stasis.

We as a people need to learn how to let go of our mental/emotional baggage that we all carry behind us like a ball and chain. Medical qigong therapy is unsurpassed at showing us tools to get out of stasis and clear, release and let go of this acquired mental/emotional baggage so we can hear the silent song of our spirit and live it while embodied.

When you ride the tide in the Dao of now you flow effortlessly in harmony with the unity of life.


MBS:  Thank you Darren
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Butterfly in Barely Blue by Nellie Levine is available for purchase on Cargoh 

 Darren Orr is a Reiki master and teacher, a nationally certified massage therapist and a Medical Qigong therapist and teacher.  He specializations are in Oncology, chronic pain, stress management, life-altering illness and palliative care for the terminally ill. Darren recently completed his 2nd year of a 3 year Medical Qigong Program, a Graduate Degree of over 2,000 hours.
You can email him at: Bodhichitta8@hotmail.com
Last year we conducted an amazing 3 part interview with Darren on our blog:
"From Jing to Qi to Shen: An Interview with Healer Darren Orr".
If you missed it, make sure to check it out!

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Spiritual Walking

Shady Grove by Karen Casey Smith

We had a break in the winter weather the last few days and like many people I found myself out for a walk.  Where I live in the New York Metro area, walking, like everything else, seems to have be for a specific purpose or reason in order for people to engage themselves.  Usually a walk means someone has to catch the train or bus, squeeze in some exercise time (because it's "good" for you) or in our neighborhood take the kids to the park.   I occasionally meet someone just out for enjoyment, but not too often.  That said, people here "do" walk.  They are out and about all the time.

I was thinking about all this recently and I remembered an article I read last year in Llewellyn's 2010 Magical Almanac, "Walking with Spirit" by Harmony Usher. In the article, Usher maintains that walking is both a physical and symbolic activity that connects our bodies and spirits with moving forward.  When we move the body, we quiet the mind.  Our circulatory system gets going, we change our scenery and our spirit blossoms.  We are able to view life from a different perspective.

What I enjoyed about reading "Walking with Spirit" was Usher's discussion of seven different types of spiritual walking in which she describes the purpose of each and their intent.  Some of these can be combined with others, but it's still an interesting list to read and think about.  Below is Usher's spiritual walking list.  Some of the descriptions were derived from her article, others are from my own observations and research. 

1.  Walkabouts.  The walking spiritual tradition that native Australians have been practicing for centuries.   During a solitary period in the desert the walker enters into a meditative state during which they connect deeply to the land and their individual spirit guide, who eventually leads them home.  The walker communes with nature and connects with the spiritual realm.

2.  The Pilgrimage, in which the seeker travels by foot to reach a specific place.  In these journeys, once again, it is not only the physical expedition that is of importance, but inner spiritual voyage as well.  A good example of a Pilgrimage in the United States is the yearly Easter Pilgrimage to Chimayo in Northern New Mexico.  Thousands of people participate in this event.  Some leaving their homes and walking as far as 90 miles during Holy Week to reach the Sacred Chapel of Chimayo.

3.  While pilgrimages and walkabouts require time and physical energy, Buddhists around the world undertake a practice called Walking Meditation where the walker pays attention to the walking process.
Walking Meditation develops balance and accuracy of awareness as well as durability of concentration.
The focus of a Walking Meditation is not fitness, but the act of breaking down the walking process into individual smaller movements that allows the consciousness to expand.

BC Memorial Labyrinth

4.  Labyrinth walking has skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years through healing centers, spas and retreats as means to relieve stress.  Walking the Labyrinth is the practice of journeying to and then returning from the center.  A Labyrinth has a clearly marked path to follow ascending towards salvation or enlightenment for meditation, prayer, relaxation.  Popular in the Middle Ages, Labyrinths were often created in Churches but the symbol has appeared in a variety of ancient cultures from around the world.  In Celtic tradition they have been found etched in the entrances and chambers of ancient Neolithic tombs.  A Labyrinth is continuous and always begins where it ends.  While a maze has many turns and blind alleys, a Labyrinth always traces a single path, in and out of the center.  They are associated with rebirth and the afterlife.

5.  In Mindful Walking one opens up their senses and engages themselves in the present moment.  You become conscious of where you are, what you are doing, how you feel, how your senses feel and what is around you.  What you do not do is have a conversation with your brain about it.  You hear what is around you, you see what is around you...you experience.  Mindful Walking is a bridge between being in a meditative state and being present in the physical moment.  This is probably my favorite type of spiritual walking.

6.  Ritualistic Walkers engage in some kind of predetermined custom or tradition when they walk.  It may be something as simple as walking at the same time everyday, in the same place, for a certain amount of time.  Some ritual walkers infuse meaning into their practice, such as beginning their day with a walk at sunrise to usher in positive beginnings.  There are also more extreme forms of Ritualistic Walking such as Firewalking in the Indian Culture, associated with the mystical powers of fakirs.

7.  And finally there are Gratitude Walks which help us open our hearts to the abundance of the Universe.  We give thanks for who we are and all that we have by acknowledging the simple pleasures and beauty in our life.  This is something we should all make a regular practice of doing.

Whatever kind of walking you engage in... for fitness, renewal of spirit or enjoyment, just take the time to get out of the house and do it.  You will arrive back home with refreshed eyes and a revived spirit that will not only benefit you but those around you as well.

~ diane fergurson

You can find the beautiful Shady Grove by photographer Karen Casey Smith in her Etsy Shop.
BC Memorial Labyrinth is from Wiki Commons

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Eating With The Tai Chi Diagram Part 3

A Strong Foundation of Common Sense

 “Eating with the Tai Chi Diagram I” concentrated on your starting point, acceptance, contemplating the Tai Chi Diagram, and creating small changes. “Eating with the Tai Chi Diagram II” presented the problematic nature of the market solutions, and suggested adopting the Tai Chi Diagram as a lifetime study with you as the master teacher.

I will now discuss some of the thoughts and actions I find helpful.

We hear a lot about “good” and “bad” foods yet the diagram is made of Yin and Yang, White fish, and Golden (or Black) Fish. Make a shift in consciousness from good/bad to yin/yang.

In the world of good and bad you look for information mostly outside of you. In the world of yin and yang you look for information mostly inside of you.

In the beginning you may want to find a teacher that can guide and help you in this transition,

Follow the law of nature:

 Follow the law of nature. Follow common sense. For example, here are three simple, common sense ideas:

1) Eat when you are hungry

2) Eat till you’re 80% full

3) Pay close attention to how food affects you. If a certain food feels not right for your body or mind, don’t eat it for a while

In most cases if you follow these three guidelines your weight will go down, your health will improve, and you will be happier. For some it is that simple, but if you find following the guidelines hard to do you are not alone. For some of us staying sane, healthy and happy is hard work.

It’s all in the mind:

It is all in the mind and that is why the mind is a good place to start. Examine your views, attitudes and habits about and around food and eating. For example guideline 1 tells you to eat when you are hungry. Do you know when you are physically hungry? Have you ever been physically hungry? Can you tell the difference between physical hunger, and emotional hunger? Or habit hunger? Do you eat for recreation? Comfort?  Company? Instead of sleeping? To suppress sexuality? Because you’re angry, and lashing out is not an option? Because you’re sad, and crying is not aloud? The answer is simple: Eat only when your body needs food. Applying this principle to your daily life may take time and work. Contemplating it will lead to developing the awareness in your body, which will give you answers. Then you will need to go back to your mind where you will build acceptance, followed by creating and implementing small changes. The word “gong” (as in Qigong) means achieving/cultivating and it implies time accumulation. Take the time, do the work, don’t over do.

Of course the same line of thought follows for guidelines two and three: Can you sense how full you are while you are eating? Can you sense it after you’re done eating? How do you find 80% fullness in your stomach? What qualifies as discomfort? How do you know if that discomfort came from something you ate? And what was that something? Remember: Small changes! Rome was not built in a day; neither were your habits. Pick something that you can relate or connect to and slowly experiment with incorporating it into your life. Be creative, and be well.

~ Miriam Moran Shankman

Article Part 1
Article Part 2

Mir-Yam School of Tai Chi, Qigong, and meditation, offers:

• Weekly classes in Tai Chi, Qigong, Meditation: practice, theory, and applications
• Medical Qigong sessions
• Guidance in “Eating with the Tai Chi Diagram”
• Workshops and presentations

To contact Miriam, www.mir-yam.com, miriam@mir-yam.com

Also by Miriam:
Slow Down We Move Too Fast:  A Prelude to the Holiday Season


"Butterfly Summer" Photo Art Print is by artist Karen Casey Smith and available in her Etsy Shop.

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Eating With The Tai Chi Diagram Part 2

ASK YOURSELF

I once read an article that stated that each one of us has his or her own reason for seeking, and sticking with Tai Chi, at the time I was not aware of my reason. For two years I contemplated going to a Tai Chi school. I stepped it to my first Tai Chi class six month after I became aware that my food consumption was hurting me.

I wanted a solution to my problems NOW, and the market had always been willing to provide me with quick and short-lived options. Tai Chi never claimed it would help. Looking back, the best way I can describe what happened is that with consistent practice, over time, Tai Chi taught me how to take good care of myself. It made me sensitive to what was going on in my body, mind, and spirit, and guided me to healthy solutions.

You may say, OK, that’s a nice story, but “How do you eat with the tai chi diagram?”

The story goes that a man passing by a master’s school asked a student exiting a weekly tai chi class: “Have you finished doing tai chi?” “You do not ‘do’ Tai Chi,” answered the student, “You live Tai Chi.” The man looked at him and said: “It’s not possible to live once a week.”

I am changing into living Tai chi. it takes time, practice, and hard work. It is an adventure. Here are a few notes from my journey so far in the hope that they may be of help:

If you are searching high and low for the “right” diet, food combination, book, nutritionist, or secret that once and for all will eliminate your struggle, please consider Jou Tsung Hwa famous saying: “There is no secret, only hard work.” Take a chance, make a 180 degree turn from the society you are living in and come to believe that work may become your salvation. (Please note that the hard work I discuss here is not busy work but the work that needs to be done within you. Many times that will be exactly the work you rather not do. That is what makes it hard!)

Also from Jou Tsung Hwa: “Don’t ask the teacher, ask yourself.”  And: “You don’t need a teacher, only common sense.” You know what is right for you. If you do not know, it may be because you have learned to hide the truth from yourself. Over time Tai Chi will help you uncover what you already know, and become yourself. In the meantime, “Do your best, don’t overdo,” ask for help, and spend time looking, contemplating, meditating on the Tai Chi diagram. The lack of balance and sanity in your food and/or life may be a reflection of something in need of balance within you.

~ Miriam Shankman

End of Part 2
__________________________________


You can read Part 1 of this article here
You can read Part 3 here


Photo courtsey of Creative Commons

Miriam Shankman  is a practitioner and instructor of Tai Chi and Chi Kung in the New York, Tri-State area.  If you would like to contact her, you can visit her website at:  http://www.mir-yam.com
or drop her an email at:  miriam@mir-yam.com

You may also enjoy reading this post by Mirian:
Slow Down We Move Too Fast:  A Prelude to the Holiday Season

Eating With The Tai Chi Diagram Part 1

We're pleased to have Miriam Shankman back, sharing with us a wonderful three part series to help in our cultivation of new thoughts and healthy habits for the new year!

EATING WITH THE TAI CHI DIAGRAM I

 START WHERE YOU ARE

By: Miriam Moran Shankman

Consider where you come from

To know where you are it is advisable to consider where you started. Culture plays a major role in one’s life, and food is part of culture. I found I have a mixed bag: I am of Eastern European heritage, but I was born and raised in the Middle East, and I lived my adult life on the US East Coast, studying the Taoists’ and Buddhists’ ways.

You may ask: “For example, what did you eat today?” I shall be honest in answering that, and tell you I had yogurt with fruit and nuts for breakfast. Through the morning, I drank two cups of my favorite green tea, and for lunch I enjoyed two shortbread cookies with three chocolate shells (the little ones that come from Belgium), and an apple. Great work Miriam! Big fat chance that any health conscious magazine editor is going to publish this one! Well, I hope someone will give me points for honesty, and as for that “naughty” lunch, maybe it will make more sense at the end of this page…

Tai Chi philosophy shows me that each one of us can seek and find his or her own balance, his or her own common sense.

Start Where You Are (I learned it the hard way)

No matter how old you are, where you come from, how many degrees you’ve earned or how much money and/or friends you have, you’ve got to start where you are: check it out. Fess up. Write it down. Tuck it under your pillow.

Back to me…I start with some positive tendencies: A total love affair with fresh veggies, fruit, and low fat, white dairy (I give the credit to the place and culture in which I was born and raised, the Middle East). But I also start with a sweet tooth that includes a great love for the delicate and intricate pastries one can find in my Eastern European heritage. And last, I start with a willingness to skip any consumption of animals flesh. I am not sure where that came from. Maybe it is a combination of growing up on a farm, and loving animals. Left to my own “girl on the town” and “let’s have a life full of fun” I would be dinning on great big vegetable salads and stir-fries, and wonderful pastries of all kinds, shapes, textures and colors along with fresh fruit and frozen yogurt…Putting it that way, it sounds wonderful (your cravings maybe different but the principal still apply) and, in any case, it is where I start.

Accept Your Limitations (I learned that the hard way too!)

That last sentence: “It is where I start” needed time to mature and surface, and I needed time to grow out of the above party menu. I like to call myself a recovering vegetarian. Rarely do I crave meat, and my common sense told me: “Great. I can be animal friendly at no cost to me.” Then came Tai Chi…and taught me to listen to and hear my body. Not my mind. Not my stomach. Not my ancestors. Not my girlfriends. This body I live in told me it needs and wants some animal flesh (please remember this does not mean it is necessarily true for you. You will have to conduct your own research on your own body.) It was painful and humbling to accept that my body would compel me to eat animals. I was once told: “You may have to give up exactly the thing you are least willing to give up.”

No Big Changes

Once in a conversation seeking direction from my doctor, she said to me: “No big changes.” There is a world of wisdom in those three words. Stick with small. Keep in mind that sometimes you may have a set back. Use that set back as opportunity to study your habits and patterns. Make a plan for a small change, and gently put it into action. You may discover that what you thought was a set back has actually become a part of your progress. Think of the Tai Chi Diagram. Imagine it. Draw it. Look at it. See your set back in it. Plan tomorrow accordingly.

Tai Chi seeks balance. Life seeks balance. You are seeking balance (I know because you’ve read this far). The culture we live in…not exactly seeking balance. Go within. Ask your body. But please, at first, do not believe everything your body tells you. It takes time to know “who is talking” and “who to listen too.” With time and practice Tai Chi will guide you.

 Make a small Change

In the meantime make a small change. For example: This afternoon I stopped at “Starbucks.” I had it in my mind to order a tall cappuccino. Why did I want a tall cappuccino? 1) To warm up a bit. 2) To have some milk. 3) To get a treat. 4) To get an energy boost. Then I remembered that in the past, most cappuccinos have actually drained my energy and that took reason 4 away. So I made a small change and ordered tall steamed milk! The lady at the counter asked to make sure I knew what I was saying, and looked down to see what child I must have been ordering this for. No child. Just me. Making a small change. The hot milk was real good. (Don’t forget to ask for foam!) 

End of Part 1

Part 2 can be read here
Part 3 can be read here


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Miriam Shankman  is a practitioner and instructor of Tai Chi and Chi Kung in the New York, Tri-State area.  If you would like to contact her, you can visit her website at:  http://www.mir-yam.com
or drop her an email at:  miriam@mir-yam.com

Our photo "Big Blessing Bowl" comes from Patty Mara's Sacred Heart Cafe which you can visit on Etsy.




You may also enjoy reading an additional post by Miriam:
"Slow Down, We Move Too Fast:  A Prelude to the Holiday Season"

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Slow Down We Move Too Fast- A Prelude to the Holiday Season

by Miriam Moran Shankman

I caught myself one morning rushing while brushing.

I thought: What’s the use? Rushing while brushing, that is no fun, that is no good, that is not what I want, if I could change it, I would!

In the late 80’s and early 90’s the word on the street was that computers, the Internet (back then called the “Information Super Highway”) and other technological developments would do much of our work and allow us (the people) more free time. I don’t know about you, but almost 20 years later I am not really feeling it. Instead of more free time, it seems we are moving at the kind of speed you see when fast forwarding a movie. And as hectic as life is for some of us here in the Tri-state area, experience tells me that once again, like every year, the speed will increase to new levels with the “opening games” of the Holidays season.

It was in 1994 when I first realized that the official opening date of the holiday games is October 31st. And the opening ceremony involves consuming large amounts of the Halloween candy we’ve bought for the tricksters.

For some of us this opening is followed by a slow yet steady build up of planning, shopping, food preparation, and family expectation, like the sounds of an orchestra tuning and warming up in our heads, growing louder every passing day as we perform the hectic holiday dance, fueled by a constant stream of sugar consumption until, finally, we crash on the first morning of the New Year.

I was not so happy to find myself rushing while brushing. I made a note of that. I also made a note about the “opening games” of the holiday season, and made a choice to add some time to my daily practice.

I reminded myself that I would like to spend as many moments as I can LIVING IN THE MOMENT, JOYOUS AND FREE.  I wrote it in big letters.
What is it that brings me to the moment? What is it that takes me away from it?

~~~~~~~~~~~

We are extremely happy to be adding Miriam Moran Shankman to our group of Mind Body Spirit Odyssey blog writers. Miriam is a practitioner and instructor of Tai Chi and Chi Kung in the New York, Tri-State area.
I have also had the great pleasure of being a student in her classes.
If you would like to contact Miriam, you can visit her website at:  http://www.mir-yam.com
or drop her an email at:  miriam@mir-yam.com




The painting that we used to accompany this piece; "Blue Moon Tea-Orange Tabby Cat with Teapot" is by California artist Laura Milnor Iverson.  It is available in her shop ZenBreeze Art Gallery on Etsy.

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"The Magic of Color Vibration" an Interview with Jovita Wallace, Part 3

Question #4:

What about black and white?

I think we need to change our concepts and feelings around the Black vibration and put it into a different light.
Black is magical and sacred.

Black, to Native Americans, is a color of power and only to be feared if misused. The intention for using black must be from the light.

Raven is associated with black, symbolizing the Void. The Void is creation- all that is possible. It is the mystery of that which is not yet formed. Ravens are symbolic of the Black Hole in space, which draws in all energies toward itself and releases it in new forms. The iridescent blue and green in the glossy feathers of the Raven represents the constant change of forms and shapes that emerge from the vast blackness of the void.

Raven is one of my totems and a kindred spirit. We work together as advocates for people and animals in need of healing. Raven’s element is air, and he is a messenger spirit who I can shamanically use to project the raven magic over near and great distances.

I consider black a sacred color in healing work. It is also used to help bring a person into a state of grace, to help them reach silence to experience peace from the source.

We see that may artists wear black. The creative inspiration of the visual artist, musician, and writer brings light into the void. Color, shape, and form are channeled through the artist to be experienced as a piece of work, and this is the magic of creation. Of course, the creative process is not just limited to this group of artisans or shamanic healers. Everyone is capable every day of inspiration and creativity in all that we do.

Inspiration - an idea - is symbolized as a light in a bulb. When the light bulb goes on, the energies of the void are activated. Dark seeks light.

In illuminated color, black is the absence of light. But it is just the opposite in pigmented color where black represents the presence of all colors.

Society hasn’t been that generous when assigning the attributes of black. It has been associated with witches and demons and the black arts, and negative experiences in general. We need to change our concepts about the color black. Black can be used effectively and positively. It signifies dignity, sophistication, refinement, power, believability, and authority.

Black works for cars, but not for airplanes. We want white or silver to fly. It is right for the CEO’s suit (authority), but not the junior executive’s. We can use black to shield and to go inward, as in grief. Black appears further away. It absorbs light.

If you tend to be stubborn, rebellious and often reckless, the color black describes the energy of your personality. Conventional thinking bores you, and the word “can’t” is not in your vocabulary. This description is based on the time-honored Luscher Color Test developed by Swiss psychologist, Max Luscher, Ph.D. He tested over 30,000 people using eight different colors to develop a test that defines different color personalities.

White seems to be the opposite of black. Black and white – the great duality.

You see white and you think purity. Why is this so? White light, carrying all the colors of the rainbow, balances all the chakras raising the energy field to a higher vibration – a state of pure balance and energy flow. It purifies the body on the highest level.


Try this meditation practice: Visualize a white beam of light over your head and slowly, breathing in and out, bring the light into the crown chakra, continue to visualize the light and breathe the white light into each of the chakras, moving from crown to root chakra.

In illuminated color white is the presence of all color, and in pigmented color white is the absence of all color.  Purity, cleanliness, and innocence are associated with white. In Western culture brides wear white, symbolizing the virgin. In the East, however, it is the color for mourning and funerals. White does create a sense of space and reflects light. White light is a spirit vibration like ghosts and angels.

The neutral beiges, ivory, and cream colors carry the same attributes as white, but are more subdued, less brilliant. The white spectrum harmonizes with all other colors. Maximum whiteness does not compete or diminish the vibration of other colors when combined. The walls of art galleries are painted white to best display artwork.

White might also feel cold, bland, and sterile. This is because, as a pigment, it contains no color. Color stimulates specific emotional responses. White elicits no emotion and is felt as a non-experience.

Use white in your life when you are starting new beginnings and for the development of a new direction. You can use it to clear blocks from your path. The cold quality of white provides clarity since its energy is complete. You can also work with white to clear clutter and obstacles. To purify your intentions, your thoughts, and your actions use white.

Black and white equally represent the spiritual dynamics of cosmic energy. They represent the duality and power of the Universe.

************


Thank you Jo for taking the time for sharing your valuable insight and expertise with us!   Your comments about black are probably the best I've read on that subject in a long time.
I hope you will be back with us soon!
You can contact Jovita Wallace at:   jovitabinb@yahoo.com 


Karen Casey-Smith's stunning Mandalas accompanied all three parts of this interview.
Thank you Karen! 
Karen's work is available for purchase in her Etsy Shop.

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~ diane