Yoga for Entrepreneurs: My Gift to You

Yoga For Entrepreneurs

Being an entrepreneur creates some special circumstances. We make our own hours, which is a blessing for some and a curse for others. Discipline is required for us to get things. We set goals and we complete them (most of the time). We need to know when to ask for help and when we just have to do it ourselves. We have to manage our money, our space, our peeps and the rest of our lives. As I’m writing this, I’m amazed that we get it done.

Over the last couple of decades yoga has been my saving grace through changing careers, loss, love, having children, and every other experience I have lived. Yoga is one of the best forms of exercise for the body, the mind and the spirit.

You can do yoga anywhere and without any equipment. Comfortable clothing and guidance are the only things needed. Yoga is low impact. Anyone, no matter what your ability, can perform yoga.  The results from a daily yoga practice created by a trained instructor are unmatched if practiced correctly and consistently. A new movement for your body may feel awkward, yet yoga should NEVER hurt!

I challenge you to do this simple practice that I have created for you each morning for 21 days. Research tells us that we need 21 consecutive days of a behavior to make something a new habit. It’s best to do the practice at the same time and in the same place each day as possible. You might add this new habit to an existing one. Do your yoga practice after you brush your teeth or when you’re taking your morning break.

I suggest keeping a log or journal if you are so inclined to note the changes as they occur. Each day, notice how you feel and observe what you accomplish.

The intention of this practice is to increase your energy, stretch your muscles, and focus your attention.  Be sure to maintain an even breath as you move through the practice.

I’d love to hear how the practice changes your life.

Look forward to my next post, which focuses on the Mind.

How to Celebrate the Winter Solstice

kidsworld.com

The shortest day of the year, winter solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere has been celebrated since ancient times. Pagans, Christians and other religious and Earth-loving groups have celebrated in various ways.

My favorite way to celebrate is with my moon sisters around a fire, chanting, sharing stories, and drinking hot tea. When that not a possibility, I create my own ritual that intuitively comes to me. 

Many of my ideas have been shared or passed down. Most are inexpensive. Choose 1 or more from the list below and celebrate. 

HOW?

Moon Salutation

• share a meal with family and/or friends
• light a candle, or a candle for each person there
• remember the year and what you are grateful for
• share stories from the year 
• have a small fire and burn some dried herbs (depending on Air Quality)
• make an offering to the Earth 
• write a poem
• paint a picture
• sing or chant alone or with friends (ॐ सोमाय नमः om somaya namah) loosely translated-I surrender to the power of the moon.
• spend time in nature
• plant a seed indoors
• do some moon salutations
• meditate contemplating the New Moon (darkest moon)
• observe how you are feeling
• offer small, homemade gifts to neighbors, family or friends

WHY CELEBRATE?

Because you're happy to be alive. Because winter is on it's way. Because it's tradition. Because it's a way to honor Mother Earth. Because you can.

I'd love to hear about how and if you choose to celebrate the Solstice.

#wintersolstice

To BE Present or THE Present -- which makes us happier?

Be Present or The Present

"When asked what gift he wanted for his birthday, the yogi replied, "I wish no gifts, only presence." Unknown

We all know how commercialized all of our holidays have become around the world. What is it that is truly important to each of us? Which makes us happier--presents or presence?

I have 2 boys who both have December birthdays. Now that they're in their teens, they have more input about their gifts. Learning to make choices, serve the community (they volunteer at the local food bank with their dad), and work towards what they want has been key. I have to put a shout out to my family for instilling these values in me so that I could pass them on. Thanks Mom, Dad and Step-Dad. 

I'm not saying that we don't get sucked into buying more than we need. We do.

Being present to what is in front of us IS more important than giving or receiving a gift, BUT gifts are not bad. I love to give little (and big) gifts and I love to receive them. The key is that I need to feel it's a choice and not a requirement. I also need to feel that the gifts I give are useful or needed. A beautiful trinket, a day at the spa, a new set of skis, a great book, all have their place. I think of the yama, aparigraha. We don't want to grasp for more than we need. 

Let's remember to BE present in our gift giving and even more importantly, let's BE present with each other. Ultimately, we'll be happier for a longer time and feel better about ourselves for our presence.

If you live in Salt Lake, each year I offer a Yoga Renewal in my home studio. A day-long reprieve from the holidays where you can let go of any baggage of the year and shift your energy towards being open to possibilities in the new year. I hope to see some of you.

Being Present makes us and those around happier and feel more connected. Here's an interesting infographic on being present.

Please share your experiences of being present below. May you all have a healthy, joyous and peaceful holiday.

"Yoga exists in the world because everything is linked." TKV Desikachar
#bepresent #holidaytradition #yogarenewal

Inhale Love...

I was feeling overwhelmed and a friend of mine sent me this beautiful pic. I wanted to share it with all of you because this authentic gesture changed my day. I wanted to feel differently, but the change wasn't happening fast enough. Do some yoga. Breathe. You know move a muscle, change a thought.

This was one of those acts of kindness that takes little time or expense yet packs a powerful punch. Sometimes we become callous about sweet sayings because they are all over social media. Used in a timely way though, I find they offer a special connection.


Take a deep breath in...Inhale Love
Breathe out...Exhale Gratitude

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Share an act of kindness done to you or one that you received. It's the little things in life that can make the biggest difference.
#randomactsofkindness

Why BE Grateful?

Jacqueline at age 2

"If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily."Gerald Good

Why BE Grateful?

Eating chocolate is still one of my favorite treats. I was grateful then and I'm grateful now for chocolate. Why? I tastes good; I feel energized and fulfilled when I eat it.

But really why be grateful?

Research tells us that when we are grateful, we are happier. 

People who are grateful have more energy, enthusiasm and are more likely to help others; they also have lower incidents of depression and stress. 

So here are some of the things I'm grateful for today:

• My boys because they keep me laughing and on my toes.
• My family and friends because they keep me connected. 
• My health, which has challenged me a bit this year, but has allowed me to do all I want to do.
• My abilities that spark my creative genius and keep my life very interesting.
• My students and readers who give me an opportunity to share what I've learned and synthesized. 
• and finally my past, which made me who I am.

pyrite touchstone

Each night before sleep I have a little ritual I perform. I keep a rock on my nightstand, a touchstone. I pick it up before I switch off the light. It's smooth so I run my fingers over it and say what I am grateful for and why.

What are you grateful for and why? Tell me.

#grateful

4 Steps to Avoid the Winter Blues

Ethan #snowboarding #Brighton

The cold has come early this year bringing with it snow and shorter and darker days.
Some of us are more affected by others during this seasons. Yet, each of us has our moments.

Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy, happy and sane this winter.

1. Keeping moving. Enjoy the winter weather with outdoor sports skiing, snowshoeing, etc. Also exercise regularly-- yoga, walking, lifting weights--even when curling up in front of that warm fire with a book might sound more inviting. Be sure to get lots of sunlight or use an artificial happy light.
2. Eat well. Although our options for fruit and vegetables change in the winter, and our caloric needs shift, it's important to continue to eat balanced, warm and healthy meals in winter. Hearty vegetable soups, warm drinks, and baked roots are great places to start. Get plenty of Vitamin D3 or supplement.
3. Spend time with family and friends.You may have desire to hibernate, yet it's important to spend time with others in community. Exercise together, do a group service project like shoveling others driveways, or cook a wonderful meal.
4. Spruce up your routines. Continue with routines that support your wellness. If you don't have any, check out this post on daily routines(dinacharya). Make sure to incorporate abhyanga (self massage), nasya (oiling your nostrils), and routine. Even though winter is a time for some of us to get stuck, we still need some routine.

If you'd like to learn more about fighting off the winter blues, stop by my workshop at Mindful Yoga this Saturday. I look forward to continuing to offer tips and practices to help you through the winter and being the healthiest you can be.

#avoidingwinterblue #wintersports

DIY Cleaning Products that WORK

DIY Cleaning Product Ingredients 

You might be wondering why a yogini is talking about Do-It-Yourself cleaning products. Well, I have found myself more and more unable to deal physically with all the unnatural chemicals in products--for my nourishment, my skin, my makeup (which I love), and for cleaning.

When I woke up looking like I'd been in a fight because my eyelids were so swollen, I knew I had to do something. Nothing had changed except that I had a new cleaning person with new-to-me products.

Bottom line is that I want to be mindful of what I put inside, outside and around my body and on the planet.

I began doing research through books, people and the internet. I thought my students and readers might like to hear about some of my findings. For those of you who live locally, I am doing a free presentation at REAL Foods Sugarhouse, in Salt Lake City, Wednesday, November 19th at 6:30 pm. You'll take home some ideas, recipes and easy-to-make holiday gifts that people will love and use.

Some of you already know that I spent many years as a Health and Science teacher dealing with all sorts of chemicals and experiments so making products and conducting experiments is right up my alley. I love trying out people's recipes and seeing what works and trying different things to make them more effective.

I decided to start with some of the more toxic cleaners.

Oven Cleaner

One of the easiest and lest toxic ways to clean the bottom of your oven is to use baking soda. Yep, that's it. Wipe down your oven with a wet sponge or rag (I an old t-shirt because it gets pretty dirty). Sprinkle baking soda, leaving a thick coat. Spray some more water to moisten all of the baking soda. Let sit for an hour or so. Wipe clean with warm water. You'll need to rinse your rag and change your water a few times. Depending on the severity of your oven, you may need to repeat. After my initial cleaning, I clean it monthly when I'm using my oven regularly and I only have to do it once. 

Toilet Cleaner

Believe it or not, my son Aaron makes these incredible bath bomb fizzies. People of all ages love them! It turns out that they are great toilet bowl cleaners as well. You know the toilet is a smaller body of water fairly close to the tub; let's see what happens kind of story that only kids can make happen.

For this recipe I suggest safety glasses and plastic gloves for protection as you are preparing it. 
Mix 2 c of baking soda with 2/3 c citric acid (we buy ours in bulk from the local Gygi Store). Using a spray bottle of plain water. Lightly spray the mixture and stir until it is the consistency of wet sand. Add essential oils of your choice. We like lemon and lavender mixed (15 drops of each). Press into candy mold or mini muffin dishes. Dry. In Utah this happens pretty quickly (4-8 hours). 

These are great for baths, toilet bowl cleaning and gifts. Store in an air tight container-zip lock baggie or a little glass jar.

For more simple, natural cleansers, stay tuned or stop by REAL Foods Sugarhouse next Wednesday, November 19th at 6:30 pm.  

I'd love to hear any of your ideas, recipes or success stories with natural cleansers.
#REALFoodsMarket #DIY

How Do You WANT to Feel?

Let’s talk about your life.

Do you feel free? Joyful? Connected?

Most importantly, does your life feel the way you want it to feel?

When I read The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte for the first time, my life was not feeling the way I wanted it to. I had just left my school teaching job and was unsure where teaching yoga was going to bring me. The Desire Map was the catalyst for the change I needed.

This book isn’t just intellectual theory. It actually walks you through the process of practically (+ soulfully) creating a life that you actually want to live, connected to people, experiences and things that you actually want to be connected to.

It seems so obvious, right? Of course! My life should feel good!

But the thing is, so many of us aren’t living that way. We’re fixated on what others think we should do. We’re pushing ourselves to meet someone else’s expectations of The Great Mom, The Successful Businesswoman, The Patient Wife or The Forgiving Friend.

And in all that striving to meet other people’s expectations, a lot of us have lost ourselves. 

For a while, I did.

The Desire Map snapped me out of it and got me back on my own life track, moving towards a future that feels right for me.

And because of the profound impact desire mapping has had on my life, I want to sing about this work from the rooftops. I want you to have this opportunity to reclaim your life too, which is why...When I heard that Danielle was creating a Licensing program so that people could teach this material, I was one of the first people waving my arms at the front of the line.

And now... I am thrilled to announce that I’m an official Desire Map Licensee (cue the confetti!).

I’m preparing to host my first in-person workshop in Salt Lake City, January 17-18, 2015.

If you’d like to join me, click here for more details and to register.

It’s never too late to live a life that feels good. A life that you consciously choose and design, based on your own core desired feelings.

I’d like to help you uncover those feelings so you can start building a life that helps you generate them.

Love, Jacqueline

PS- I will be offering a virtual workshop starting at the end of January. You can contact me to get on the update list.

50 Reasons to Meditate

Relationship-building: from a student

1. increase self-awareness
2. stress reduction
3. increases serotonin
4. decreases cortisol levels
5. decreases heart rate
6. lowers respiration
7. increase red blood cell production
8. improves relationships 
9. feel better
10. be happier
11. feel calm
12. decrease blood pressure
13. lower hypertension
14. lower blood sugar
15. increase immunity
16. sleep more deeply
17. reduce anxiety
18. increase energy                                  Click the link below.
19. increase productivity                          Join me. Develop a Personal Mediation Practice.
20. develop your intuition
21. know how to handle situations that used to baffle you
22. enhances healing
23. improve performance (mental and physical)        

    

    Meditation reduces stress

24. heal faster
25. control weight
26. increase creativity
27. reduce aging
28. thinking more clearly
29. decrease anger and aggressiveness
30. promotes wellness and well being
31. helps with addictions
32. improves attitude
33. changes perspective
34. build confidence
35. ability to visualize more easily
36. feel more comfortable with who you are and your situation in life
37. increases ability to deal with all situations
38. reduces fear and overwhelm
39. requires no materials
40. once you learn how to mediate, it's free
41. reduce pain levels
42. increased focus
43. increased ability to concentrate
44. builds compassion for yourself and others
45. greater job satisfaction
46. relax more easily
47. feel a greater connection to the planet and the beings on the planet
48. transform your life
49. transform your body
50. transform your relationships

Don't believe me? Try it for yourself. Join me. Develop a Personal Mediation Practice. In 28 days I guarantee you will feel better and be on your way to achieving many of the benefits above.

How to Boost your Immunity: Meditation and other remedies

Aaron Meditating in Capital Reef

Meditation is a simple and lost cost (free) way to boost your immunity. In recent research studies, meditation was shown to lower levels of cortisol (stress hormone), increase antibodies (a large part of our immune response) and stimulate connections in the brain, which helps with our thinking process, creativity and our level of happiness. WOW! If you've wanted to know how to meditate or build a home practice, click here to register for my 28-days to a personal meditation practice. 

Some other ways to boost your immunity as change seasons are to take:

Turmeric Honey

• 1/4 c local, raw honey

• 1 t freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 t ground turmeric

• 2 T raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg's with the Muther)

• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Mix turmeric and black pepper in a mortal and pestle to create a fine powder. Then add in the honey, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Stir until smooth. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can use this in your tea (1-2 t) or take it straight from a spoon every day.

Immunity Tea Recipe 

• 1 part nettle

• 1 part astragalus

• 1 part licorice root

• 1 part echinacea

• 1/2 part ginger root

• 1/2 part ginseng powder

• 1/2 part peppermint leaf

Mix dried herbs and store in airtight container. Use 1 T mixed herbs per cup of boiling water. I like to boil water in a pot and place herbs in to steep. You can reuse the herbs 2-3 times.

Neti Pot- with 1/8 t sea salt (How to Neti)

Abhyanga self massage 

Oil ears- simmer 2 T olive oil with a pressed clove of garlic for 30 minutes. Place 2-3 drops in each ear as needed (after the mixture has cooled). 

Add a dash of horseradish, chili peppers or hot mustard to your food — all act as natural, temporary decongestants. 

Avoid foods that you’re slightly allergic to--some common ones--dairy, wheat, eggs.

There are many ways to naturally boost our immunity. I've listed just a few. Give some of them a try and let me know how it goes.

How to Fall Asleep: Mantra

Sleeping Like a Teenager

There are 2 things my main things my students ask, no beg, for help with. I'm going to talk about the first one today--sleep. In our busy, electronic age, it's getting harder and harder for people to unwind and sleep deeply for the required amount of time their bodies need. 

I've listed tips in a previous post, Trouble sleeping--look no further. Here I'd like to offer you another useful tool, mantra. Besides not using electronics before sleep, mantra with focused breathing has been the most effective tool for myself and many of my students.

I have used mantra for many years in my yoga, chanting and meditation practice. Traditionally, a mantra is a sound or phrase given to you by your teacher. You repeat it and feel the qualities of the sounds in your body; your mind is also able to focus on the sound alone. I like using Sanskrit mantras, but you can use any sound or word as long as it doesn't contain any negative connotation for you.

Mantra is also a useful tool for falling asleep or going back to sleep if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night.  When choosing a mantra for sleep, it's important that the sound not raise your energy, trigger emotion or cause you to think. I like using single syllables like, ॐ Om or short phrases such as सोहुं so hum--inhaling so exhaling hum; it's similar to saying, "I am." You might also choose a word in your native language that means Peace, Calm, or Tranquil. 

Repeat the word silently as you exhale over and over again. Don't give up too soon. Remember that it takes time for your body and mind to get used to a new practice.

For more on meditation, join me for, "28 days to Inner Peace-Develop a Home Practice: an online mediation course."

Happy ZZZZ...Let me know if it works for you!

One-pointed focus: Meditation

quiet space

"Yoga is the practice of quieting the mind." Patanjali

We are so busy that many of us cannot fathom stopping to "just do nothing." Yet, what we need most is peace and quiet to nourish our deepest selves. 

When did we move so far away from being into doing? I don't know. I spent a lot of time with my brothers and cousins outside, in nature, pretending, looking at stars and fireflies. Now there is fear attached to not being busy. Are we afraid of our potential?

“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.” ~Marianne Williamson

I invite you to join me in 5 minutes of quieting your mind by focusing on your breath. If you like this, you might want more with my 28-day online meditation course and challenge to build a home practice, "Spark your Creative Genius."

Enjoy! I'd love to hear about your experience; any questions you have about meditation or more that you'd like to see.

How to Use Sankalpa Mudra

Anjali mudra

I first heard the word sankalpa when I was practicing yoga nidra (a deep meditation practice similar to sleep) in a group. The teacher told us to set an intention, make a commitment to change something, or a resolve.  The statement is set in present tense in the form of a positive affirmation. i.e. I move through life with joy and ease.

I may have heard the word prior to this, but I don't recall. It wasn't until many years later that I realized I had been setting a resolve in all my practices when I set my intention.

A mudra [a gesture or seal made with the body, i.e. anjali mudra (prayer hands)] can be used along with our resolve. 

Sankalpa mudra
www.arunachala-ramana.org

Using a mudra enhances our vow because energy stored in our body is released when the seal is placed.
 
Do you need to use mudra? No. Does it help? Absolutely. 

Why? In sankalpa mudra the left hand crosses the midline (heart energy center) and rests palm open (receptive mode) on the right thigh. The right hand goes over the left with the right palm facing down in a grounding mode.

When we bring our hands together with the palms facing one another, it connects both hemispheres of the brain. All aspects of us--body, mind and spirit hear the commitment and can work together to make our resolve happen.

When? We can use sankalpa mudra whenever we are making a commitment to bring something into our lives or to let some thing go. It's not to be used lightly on a whim or for every little thing we want.

Does it mean that everything we want will come to fruition? Not at all. The Universe is not Santa Claus and there are many things that come into play when we are manifesting and releasing--so much so that for centuries books have been written about it. People spend their lives attempting to manifest.

I typically use sankalpa mudra when doing a seated-meditation practice.

I will share a meditation practice with you next week so you can see where we use the sankalpa mudra. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or any information to add.
 

How to Build Better Relationships with Everybody

Bee n Flower, Costa Rica

"The flower doesn’t dream of the bee. It blossoms and the bee comes." Mark Nepo

 Relationships are the touchstone of human interaction. Patanjali

Relationships have been the highlight of my life--my partner, kids, family, friends, students--as well as the biggest stress possible. It's one of the main parts of our lives that we don't get training for. 

In nature, there are 3 types of relationships: mutualism (win-win) like in my pic of the bee and flower, commensalism (one party wins and the other party is along for the ride i.e.a spider building a web in a plant so the spider has shelter but the plant just has visitor),

www.hdwallpapersinn.com

Mitchy with a pretend flea-I just wanted to show him off.

and finally there's parasitism (one party wins and the other party is harmed i.e. dog with a flea).

Why the Bio lesson? I would suggest that most of us want win-win relationships although we might choose a commensalistic relationship if we are in need of help or want to support another. Even though parasitic relationships exist with humans, most of us don't strive for them. 

So, how do we develop healthy relationships?

Well, I learned many things from my birth family about being in relationship-some good and helpful like honesty, love and integrity-some not so helpful sarcasm and  fear.

Many wise people say that to have a healthy relationship with someone else, we need to start with ourselves. I agree.

"How?" you ask. With Meditation.

You will find a short, guided meditation on my website homepage. Be careful. I hear it puts people to sleep.

How can meditation help us with relationships?
1. When we meditate regularly, we know what we want and need more clearly.
2. We are more centered and peaceful.
3. We are less stressed and less anxious.
4. We are better able to understand other people through our understanding of ourselves.
5. The brain develops differently when we meditate. The gap between feeling and thinking fills in.
6. We are generally more present and able to be in the moment.
7. Meditation increases our connection to our creativity-helping with problem solving amongst other things.
8. Meditators are more comfortable with themselves.
9. Meditation helps us to sleep better.
10.Meditation lowers blood pressure, increases your immunity and boosts your thinking ability.
With all of those changes, you are better able to interact with others.

If you are interested in developing a personal meditation practice, I am offering an online course that begin November 1st. The course is for beginners who have never meditated and intermediates who want to create time, space and technique to meditate regularly with guidance and support. Click here for more information.

Let me know if you have any questions below. Stay tuned for more information and tips on meditation. 

Tips for Developing a Meditation Pracitce

Peaceful Meditation

"To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solution." --Deepak Chopra

Where do we begin to find the time, the space, the motivation to be alone and to be quiet? I have found the easiest way to create a new habit is to attach it to an existing one i.e. I use my tongue scraper after I brush my teeth; I do my evening practice after I brush my teeth at night.

I sit in the same spot each morning and evening to do my practice. I repeat the same practice over and over until I know it by heart. 

 TIPS:

·      connect your meditation time to an existing habit

·      sit in the same place and at the same time if possible

·      repeat the same practice for at least a week (start with 5 minutes)

Students some times tell me after a week that they are bored with doing the same practice. I tell them that I too felt the same way before I had faith that my teacher knew more than I. She said, "Trust me, do this practice for 90 days and then we'll talk about it." I did. What happened? The benefits of discipline, peace and clarity started to enter my life. Instead of feeling bored, I looked for new ways to be mindful during my practice. I felt safe and a level of comfort in the repetition.

I also found it necessary to have a teacher. I tried for a long time to sit on my own. It wasn't until I started to accept guidance and sit with others that my experience moved to a deeper level.

I agree with Deepak that it is scary to sit in quiet. We have so many amazing distractions available to us. The thing is the consequence of not spending time with yourself, is that you won't really ever know your true self.

I am offering an online opportunity for you to practice meditation on your own yet in the safety of a group. Click here for more information. 

Over the next few weeks, I will continue to offer helpful tips on meditating. Stay tuned and let me know if you try any of them and how they work.

5 Simple Steps to Change Your Relationship with Food

Tropical Fruit

I've been talking a lot about food lately and one of the most powerful tools we have to deal with how we eat is our mind.
We all know willpower is not an innate trait. Can we train our mind to relate to food in a different more positive way? Absolutely!
How you ask? Mindfulness. What is mindfulness you ask? It is simply becoming aware of what we are doing. In this case, eating.
Here are five simple steps that will begin to change your relationship to food:

1. Sit for a moment before you eat with your eyes closed (even if it's a snack.)
2. Open your eyes and look at the food in front of you.
3. Think about the nourishment you are about to consume. (If you don't like what you see on your plate, don't eat it.)
4. Eat slowly; chewing your food and tasting each bite. If it doesn't taste fulfilling, stop eating.
5. When you are partly through your meal, check in with yourself. Complete your meal when you are 2/3 full.

Try this exercise with each and every meal. I know time is limited. It will literally take a few moments. And yes, those moments can rock your world. Note the thoughts that occur while you go through this experience.

Some things you might consider:

• How and who prepares your food?
• Where does your food come from? 
• How are the people treated your harvest your food?
• Make sure you are in a safe place when you eat, with people you enjoy. 
• Avoid arguments, electronics (i.e. TV, phone), and negativity during meals. 
• Set up your eating experience to feel warm, safe, comfortable. 
• Prepare your food thoughtfully. I like to chant when I'm cooking. Some people enjoy music.

I can hear the distention already-"TIME", "I can't control who makes my food or where it comes from", "NO TIME." If you've stayed with me thus far, thank you.

I know you are busy. We are all busy and it seems as time passes, we are getting busier. I am of the mindset that we need to change our level of busy-ness. Some things need to be fast--like our internet connection, but some things were meant to be slow--like building relationships and eating.

The next few weeks I'll be taking a look at easy ways to slow down and build a mindfulness practice. 

You might even consider building a meditation practice if you don't already have one. I am offering a month-long program to build a meditation practice in November. Click here for details.

I would love, love, love to hear about your experiences with this eating mindfulness exercise. Please share below!

Cleansing Karma: 10 Healthy Fall Foods

Butternut squash soup with Roasted Eggplant

As we move into and through Fall cleansing season, know that cleansing is a nourishing process not a depleting one.

Some abundant Fall foods if you're in North America (maybe those of you who read from around the globe can share others) are:

• Pumpkin, butternut squash, winter squashes, served cooked alone or in yummy soup (add a little coconut milk)
• Beets, carrots (raw, juiced, cooked, roasted in a salad)
• Potatoes-sweet, white- rutabagas, turnipsroasted, mashed, baked
• Zucchini-raw or cooked, I add it to just about anything
• Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, roasted, in sauces, soups
• Apples, pears, raw, cooked, juiced
• Arugula, kale, chard, spinach, raw, juiced, cooked,in soups, salads
• Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kolrabi
• Fennel, celery-I love these raw, juiced and in soups and salads
• Onions, leeks, shallots, scallions, in everything...almost

So I cheated by grouping some together, and it wasn't the scientist in me doing the grouping so go easy on the criticisms. Fall is one of the best times of the year to get healthy and delicious. It's good for you with amazing nutrients, easy to prepare, and affordable especially when you buy from locals or grow your own.
PS-I'm throwing in my new favorite recipe  altered from Yummy Tummy

Fast and Easy Potato Tomato Curry

Potato Tomato Curry

Olive Oil - 1 T
Onion - 1 large sliced thinly
Green Chilli - 2 slit
Turmeric - 1 t
Salt to taste
Tomatoes – 2 c 3 chopped
Chilli Powder - 1 t
Potatoes - 4 c cubed
Water 1-2 c as needed

Curry powder- 1 t
Cilantro for garnishing

Boil potatoes till they are tender. Strain. Heat oil. Saute onions for a min. Add in salt, turmeric, chili and curry powders and cook till they are golden. Now add in tomatoes and green chilli. Cook this for 6 mins till they turn mushy. Pour in water and mix well. Bring this to a boil. Now add in the potatoes and simmer for 5 mins. Throw in a handful of chopped cilantro.

Feel Free to share any other recipes, fall foods tips, etc. Enjoy!!