Once every 28 days nature supplies us with an intense yin energy that comes with the full moon.  It is especially good to practice qigong, meditate, and let go of what no longer supports our health and happiness during the full moon.  This natural rhythm helps to maintain a healthy balance for our mind, body, and spirit.

Seasonal Eating

One of the best things you can do for your health is to eat foods that are fresh and in season. Summer is the perfect time to eat fresh berries, watermelon, cherries, tropical fruits, and herbs such as cilantro, mint, or basil. Red fruits are particularly beneficial; the color red helps us to stay balanced in the hot summer months. Try these summer food ideas: Add a handful of red fruits such as raspberries or strawberries to your morning breakfast. Check out a new recipe for summer salsa. Experiment with avocado and mango. Get creative when making a "beat the heat" summer drink - add mint and watermelon for a natural cooling sensation.

Beat the Heat

Watermelon, mint, and cucumber are the best foods to help you cool down without creating a digestive imbalance. Get creative and try some new recipes using these foods. If you find a recipe you like post for all to share.

Watermelon Salad

4 cups cut-up seedless watermelon (about 1 pound)

1/2 cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced

1/4 cup fresh mint

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 teaspoon local honey

sea salt and black pepper


Toss the watermelon, cucumber, mint, lime juice, oil, honey, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.

Serve room temp. Enjoy!

Summer is the season of the Joy

Look closely at the events around you. Everywhere, you can see summer vacations, swimming with friends and family, and backyard parties. Summertime is a great time of year to focus on the areas in your life where you would like more joy. This time of year nature most readily supports us to have more fun and play. The energy of summer exists all around you as well as inside of you. Where can you find more fun and play in your life?

Best Cranberry Orange Cookies

Here is a link to the best cookies. These are my very favorite!!! Enjoy :) http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-orange-cookies/

Time to let go...

If you are unhappy, that simply means that you have learned tricks for being unhappy, and nothing else. The world is absolutely neutral. It has thorns, it has roses, it has nights, it has days... Now it depends on you as to what to choose. If you have decided to choose only the wrong, you will live in a wrong kind of world, because you will live in your own chosen world. Once you have learned this happy frame of mind, this positive vision of life, you will be surprised that the whole existence starts functioning in a totally different way. It starts mothering you. It starts helping you in every possible way, it becomes a great friend... translation from Osho

Spaghetti Squash With Almonds

1 

3-pound spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

3 

tablespoons 

olive oil

1/4 

cup 

sliced almonds

2 

tablespoons 

fresh lime juice

1 

tablespoon 

honey

1/2 

teaspoon 

ground chili powder

sea salt and black pepper

4 

scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oven to 400° F. Place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the cut sides with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and turn cut-side down. Roast until tender, 40 to 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in oven, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together the lime juice, honey, chili powder, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

With a fork, gently scrape the strands of squash flesh into the bowl and toss with the lime juice mixture. Sprinkle with the almonds and scallions.

Enjoy!

Winter Support

We know that experiences of settling into your being will be only momentary in the beginning. One moment you will find yourself relaxed into your being, another moment it will be gone... One moment all is fragrance, and the next moment you are searching for it and you cannot find it, where it has gone. Only glimpses will happen in the beginning. Slowly, slowly, they become more and more solid, they abide more and more. Slowly slowly, slowly slowly, they settle forever. Before that, you cannot be allowed to take it for granted: that will be a mistake. Between sessions, use the method. Drop the method when you are in meditation. But this will happen only for moments in the beginning. For a moment the clouds had separated and you had seen the sun. Now the clouds are there again; it is all dark and the sun has disappeared. It is so incredible, it looks so impossible, that it could have happened to YOU. With all this stupidity in the mind, with all these clouds and darkness, it had happened to you: you saw the sun for a moment. It doesn't look probable - you must have imagined it, maybe you had fallen into a dream and seen it. Between sessions start again, be in the boat, use the boat again. ...translated from Osho Have a peaceful winter. Take the time to be gentle with your with yourself. Some days naturally feel better than others. Take the time to relax into your qigong practice, to relax into the life of your dreams.

Happy New Year!!

I hope that you are already finding happiness in 2012.   It's a good time to get a fresh start on those projects that you have been dreaming about.  In the New Year remember to be flexible and gentle with your self and your schedule. 

The Year of the Water Dragon enters on January 23rd. The Water element lends balance and a sense of calm to the energy of the Dragon.  In the Chinese zodiac the dragon is related to good luck and healing power. Let's hope that you can capture these qualities in your daily life.  We look forward to practicing and growing with you in this special year. 

Note:  The energy of each year only repeats every 60 years.  So, the next time we will be in the Year of the Water Dragon will be in 2072.  Take the opportunity now to love, laugh, and practice!!

Fall Tea

Tangerine Peel Tea

This tea is really effective for a cold, a cough, or anytime there is excess mucous in the lungs. It's even helpful for a sinus headache. If you have a cold, take a hot bath, drink a cup of this tea, and go to bed. Be sure to wrap yourself up in a warm blanket so you can sweat the cold out. If you have a scratchy throat, add a little peppermint to the tea.

Ingredients

2 dried tangerine rinds, broken into pieces

4 scallions, each cut into three or four pieces

1 chunk of ginger, leave the skin on and smash it whole

A few almonds

1 1/2 cups of water

A teaspoon or so of brown sugar or honey to sweeten

Directions

Put all the ingredients into a small pot containing the water and bring to a boil, allowing the mixture to boil for only 2 to 4 minutes. Add the brown sugar or honey and stir thoroughly. Drink the tea while it is hot!

THANKS, Richard at American Healing

Daily Problems!!

If you have a problem, be grateful.  Problems begin at the higher level of spirit.  They then flow down and are manifested in our daily lives.  Our spirit is always communicating with us.  What we see as problems are really communications from our spirit.  Spirit never lies to us and is always redirecting us towards love.  Problems are a positive sign of a life full of spirit.  The mind always lies to us and creates distractions that take us away from joy.  The secret is to love yourself, acknowledge your challenges, and change your beliefs.  Life is about love and happiness.

BOTH LIGHT AND SHADOW ARE NECESSARY

Unless we have an understanding and acceptance of pain, we will have no way to transcend that pain. Throughout our lives we are struggling. We struggle because, in our being, we feel we are what we are and cannot change. We are constantly anxious. Why? Goodness knows! Only because we have basic goodness, or innate wholesomeness, in us can we feel the counterpart of that, the pain of discomfort, anxiety, and confusion. In order to take a photograph, not only light but shadow is necessary.

I love this qoute from Ocean of Dharma - Thanks!

Winter Transition Recipe

Bone Soup

You can be creative with this recipe and use any vegetables that you are craving, such as carrots, celery, mushrooms, string beans, or onions. This recipe can also be made in a crockpot.

  

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of bones*

5 small- to medium-sized potatoes, cut into cubes

8 to 12 cherry or small plum tomatoes, cut into pieces

1/2 to 1 medium-sized fennel bulb, chopped

Oil to saute the vegetables (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) 

5 to 6 cups of water

Approximately 1/2 cup of cooking wine

A pinch or two of cinnamon

Salt to taste 

Directions 

Rinse the bones and set them aside. In a 5-quart stockpot, saute the potatoes, tomatoes and fennel (and any other vegetables you are adding to the soup) in the oil. Add the bones, water, wine and spices. Bring the soup to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for several hours, stirring occassionally. Remove the bones from the pot (you can scoop out any remaining marrow in the bones and add it back to the soup). Serve the soup hot.

* Supermarkets often sell packages of bones for soup, but your best bet is to go to your local butcher shop and ask for bones. They sometimes even give them away! The thighbones are preferable because they contain the most marrow. A whole thighbone (of beef) yields about six pounds of bone. You can request only a few pounds or have them cut the entire bone into sections and freeze the extra amount for future use. Have the butcher cut the bone into four-inch sections so the pieces fit easily into the pot; this also exposes more of the marrow.

Thanks to Rich at American Healing!!

Just Do It

Underlying intelligence is always there. As long as we relate with our underlying primordial intelligence and as long as we push ourselves a little, by jumping into the middle of situations, then intelligence arises automatically. When you're in the middle of a situation, you automatically pick up on what is needed. It's not a question of how to do it—you just do it. And you find yourself doing it perfectly, even surprising yourself.

From “The Myth of Happiness”.

Winter Recipe

Baked marinated salmon with scallions

This is great and easy to make.  The recipe utilizes salmon which enhances Kidney Qi and scallions benefit the Liver. Preheat the oven to 425º and then bake the fish with this rule in mind: For each inch of thickness of the fish (measuring at its thickest part), bake it for 10 minutes.  

Ingredients

Oil for baking (canola or corn oil works well)
4 or 5 scallions, washed and trimmed, then cut in half lengthwise
Marinade (see recipe below)
Salmon (about 1 pound) marinated overnight

Directions

1.    Cover the bottom of a baking dish with oil. (For an 8-inch by 12-inch baking dish use about 5 tablespoons of oil.)

2.    Line the bottom of the oiled dish with about ¾ of the scallions and spoon about ½ of the marinade over the scallions.

3.    Place the fish in the center of the dish on the bed of scallions already covered with marinade.

4.    Spoon the remaining marinade over the fish and toss the remaining scallions over the marinade.

5.    Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate, allowing the fish to marinate overnight (if you are really pressed for time, this step can be several hours, however, the flavor is best when more time is allowed).

6.    Remove dish from refrigerator and bake uncovered at 425º until fish is fully cooked. Serve hot.

  

The Marinade

This recipe makes about 5 to 6 tablespoons of marinade, which is enough for approximately 1 pound of fish. The various sauces used in this marinade can be found at your local Asian food market.

 Ingredients

2 tablespoons of hoy sin sauce
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
2 tablespoons of soy sauce (try mushroom-flavored soy sauce for a treat)
½ teaspoon of fish sauce
2 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger root

Directions

Combine all ingredients thoroughly in a small mixing bowl.



A big thanks to American Healing Technologies, Inc. for the recipe!!!!

Present in the Moment with a Grin

There is no need in life to be continually just pushing along, drudging along.  If you are awake and open in living situations, it is possible for them and you to be creative, beautiful, humorous, and delightful.  This natural openness is right effort as opposed to any old effort.  Right effort is seeing a situation precisely as it is at that very moment, being fully present, with delight, with a grin.

From "The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation"

Hey Everyone - I love this excerpt!!  What a great way to look at the challenging days that we all face.  Make a copy and put it somewhere so you can remind yourself of the importance of enjoying the present moment!

How to Look at Fear

When fear occurs in your life, you should examine the nature of fear.
This is not based on asking logical questions about fear: "Why am I
afraid?" "What is the cause of my fear?" It is simply looking at the
state of fear or panic that is taking place in you. Just look at it. We
can always find good reasons to be afraid. But in this case, rather than
taking an analytical approach to fear, you should just look at your fear
directly.
From: Smile at Fear: Awakening the True Heart of Bravery, Pema Chodron

A word on confidence...

I love this expert.  Imagining that our confidence is like the sun rising in the morning.  This is a great way to lessen all those judgements about confidence and get in touch with our natural talents.

"Developing confidence is like watching the sun rise. First it seems very feeble and one wonders whether it will make it. Then it shines and shines. Confidence is not about arrogance or pride. It is a natural unfolding process. It's not a question of needing confidence or not needing it. It's naturally there. In fact, we actually don't have to develop confidence. It's more that we have to acknowledge the confidence that already exists."


From: Smile at Fear: Awakening the True Heart of Bravery

Fall Recipes

Share your ideas for fall recipes.  Try to challenge your creativity and include some different ingredients.

Here is a great fall hot tea recipe (good for the lungs and sinuses):

2 Tangerine peels
4 Scallions
Sliced Ginger (to taste)
5 Almonds
Boil 4 minutes and strain
Add Honey (to taste)