Hugging trees is a meditation and a union. Today is a beautiful day to hug a tree 🙂 Honor the tree with touch, wrap your arms around it, and take a few deep breaths. Just feel the energy coming from the tree. Notice that the tree is alive just like you and me! It is resilient and enduring. It is fruitful, abundant, and always evolving.
“I have always felt very very drawn to trees! I just love them..it’s like they speak to me in a very special way. This is me hugging a redwood along the ‘Avenue of Giants’ last year. I am a proud tree hugger!”Angela Ramos
“Hug a tree today. It will make your soul happy.” Gay Cooper, TreeHugger
Paying careful attention to product ingredient labels is important, but it can be confusing at times. It’s important that ingredients in skin care and cosmetics are non-toxic, free from parabens, petroleum, mineral oil, artificial scents, and gluten. All these ingredients can cause inflammation and clogged pores.
The products you put on your skin are equally as important as the types of food you eat. In order to keep the skin healthy and maintain lasting results, use quality ingredients that are rich in antioxidants, extracts from plants, and use aquatic based preservatives. Healthy ingredients will help to promote your skins own healing process, build up the tissue, and give you the lasting results that you need without causing injury, and keeping your skin beautiful.
There are ingredients in your cupboard that are beneficial to your health and healing to your skin, such as Green tea which is anti-inflammatory and has polyphenols that fight against the oxidation of the skin cells. Honey, when applied topically, helps heal irritations and hydrates the skin. Ground almonds, used as a base, can make homemade exfoliants. These are just a few of many examples.
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 3 large handfuls lacinato kale, torn into shreds
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350°. Combine salt, smoked paprika, and garlic in a small bowl.
Wash and rinse kale leaves and then put them in a salad spinner to dry. After removing from the spinner, dry kale even more with paper towels (leaves should be bone dry). Put kale in a large bowl, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and massage the leaves.
Arrange the soon-to-be kale chips onto a baking sheet lined with foil, slide into the oven, and bake until leaves are crisp to the touch, but still a dark green (when they turn brown, they turn bitter). Check at the 12-minute mark, to be sure. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the garlic smoked paprika salt.
We will be putting together a series of WellBEing Gatherings in the latter half of 2013 and would love to know what YOU would like to see, learn, and be part of.
• Are you interested in self growth, increased self esteem, knowing of life purpose, abundance (or all of the above)?
• Are you interested in learning more about business?
• Are you interested in simply meeting and connecting with others that have similar interests?
On New Years Day I visited Rise Yoga in the Greenhaven Pocket area of Sacramento, CA for an “Inspired Intention” yoga class, in which through meditation and asana (yoga postures), we set personal intentions from our most heartfelt desire. The yoga teacher and studio owner Ann guided us into an “I Am” statement and suggested we let it come from the heart (not the head).
What came up for me during my New Years Day class was “I Am Love” and it evolved into “I Am In Love”. Through the class I discovered my core, and was reminded of my deepest desires and to be true to myself.
This can be a practice we can do each day, or any other time, during yoga practice, meditation, or even just lying in bed (morning or night). As we breath and state “I Am… I Am… I Am…”, allowing moments between each “I Am” and allowing your head/mind to stay silent, while your heart fills in the rest of the statement. Practicing patience with a knowing that what’s true will arise.
(Jan. 2 Morning Follow up: So inspired by my New Year’s Day Yoga class, I am continuing the month with an “I AM” Kundalini Yoga and meditations series with Sukhbir {Monday and Wednesday mornings starting at 5am during January at The Yoga Seed} to ignite the fire of the THIRD CHAKRA and overcome inertia! This course is geared to help us strengthen our will, discipline and commitment so that we are able to set goals and have the staying power to achieve them.)
(Jan. 2 Evening Follow up: I desired more yoga after a long day… And, now, I am learning to respect my desires… So this evening, I visited It’s All Yoga and took a Level 1 Yoga Class with the lovely Michelle Marlahan ~ the class had emphasis on breath, alignment, and strong focus on the presence… the here and now. I left feeling joyful and calm).
Gain new inspiration and a new perspective in life ~ Try something new! Something new, even if just a new perspective, can be the spice of life! Check out this 3 1/2 minute video for more info and email me what you’re trying new:
Recipe & Instructions for Baked Kale Chips:
On New Years Day I visited 