Just Sit

Anyone can meditate. Everyone should meditate. But what IS Meditation?

• continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature; "the habit of meditation is the ...(religion) contemplation of spiritual matters (usually on religious or philosophical subjects)
• wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• Buddhist meditation encompasses a variety of meditation techniques that develop mindfulness, concentration, tranquility and insight. Core meditation techniques are preserved in ancient Buddhist texts and have proliferated and diversified through the millennia of teacher-student transmissions.
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation_(Buddhism)

Well, there you have the LITERAL definitions. But I 'aint no LITERAL blogger-writer OR teacher (former). I am just a little bit different, just a little more REAL as I would like to put it. As a Yoga and meditation instructor, I tend to be really laid back. I hear ya all you serious sages, teachers and monks out there, but that is not how I, personally, pass along the goods.

I will teach you the intense forms. I will teach you the simple forms. And then I will tell you to use your gut and do what feels right to you. If it feels like you need to follow the strict and severe guidelines of a very established and ancient art taught to you by your most favorite swami or guru of all time, then by all means, do that! But do not do it because someone told you it was the only way, no other way, you will be wrong if you deviate. Psh. Whatever. Learn all you can. Then make the decision to meditate how you see fit with the information you have been blessed with. It is better to meditate and/or practice Yoga with little to no confidence and accuracy than to not do so at all, says I. I know some seasoned teachers out there are probably gasping at me saying that. But! I had a very wise Yoga instructor tell me once, that sometimes rather than correcting a student's improper form (within the realm of safety and preventing serious injury), you just have to have faith in the student's inner voice and dialog to KNOW when a knee, ankle or breath does not feel right, and let them correct themselves. This was invaluable advice. After many Trikonasanas (Triangle poses) in a Yoga practice, eventually one day the beginning student will feel something they need to adjust and teach themselves to unfold into their divine perfect alignment. It is different for each, but we, as teachers, should have faith in the student. Of course teachers are necessary. Of course correction and adjustments are valued and important. But there is something beautiful about having blind faith in the beginner and letting them go and believing they will feel the magic that you know is imminent. That is called believing in the Divinity that connects us all. Well to all you beginners or novice meditators, meditation is the essence of this, I have to tell you. You have to do a great deal of work on your own.

I will include my favorite meditation books, DVDs and authors at the end of this blog. But really the best way to get good at meditating is not in an Ashram, Yoga studio, Buddhist temple, on a cold-scary-mountain-top-miles-from-the-park-rangers or in church. No, the best way is regularly practicing, often and in your own, current environment-right where you find yourself living this very day. I have meditated while holding onto Egyptian Healing Rods and with everyone from the most famous Yoga instructors to a meditation-expert Swami from India in the hopes that I would feel a seeping of their good juju come into me or I might absorb meditation tricks from their very presence. Well, maybe this works for some people, but it did not for me. I have heard stories where people feel like they can go into a deep meditative state just from being in a certain location or part of a certain group. I do not doubt that! Good for y'all! And I do believe in feeling shared energy and it can be a beautiful thing. But the best way to get good at meditating and to slip into a deep, miraculous meditation in a really peaceful way, is to practice daily, all by yourself, alone in a typical setting for you. I do like to steer clear of printers, computers, copy machines, electromagnetic static-y things, just for the sake of peace and clarity. But if you live next door to a fire house with regular alarms or in a busy city with honking and banging construction, or near a loud and bustling coffee house or whatever, still meditate!!! Right there. Right in that home of yours filled with dishes or dirty laundry. If you feel the need to set up an altar or sacred space of some kind, that is great. More power to you. But with my lifestyle and house, it is not really an option for me. I let that idea hold me back for many years. "But I don't have a beach, or privacy, or a sacred space in my home, or a favorite Yoga studio in this town, or a great teacher, or whatever......so I just wont do it for now"....I would think. When, the whole time, I just should have been meditating....anywhere and everywhere. And that is what I do now. As I travel, as I move constantly, as I put off cleaning for yet another day....now, I ALWAYS meditate.

Why? Well anyone can google the benefits of meditation but, for me:

-It gives me patience where I lack patience, which is pretty much in all areas that one could acquire patience in one's life.

-It keeps my temper down (and you don't want to see the potential of my temper, it AINT a purty thang)
-It makes me a better Mom

-It prevents anxiety

-It improves my Yoga practice

-It gives me problem solving skills and better mental clarity

-It prevents the stomach ulcers I am sensitive to

-It keeps my weight down

-It improves circulation

-It helps me sleep better at night

-It keeps the wrinkles at bay and keeps my face looking young

-It calms and slows my nervous system

-It helps bring oxygen to my blood and brain preventing depression and varicose veins, etc.

-It inspires me and brings me great ideas for art and compassion

-The benefits list is endless, really

Many years ago, my sister had her neighbor and a friend over to her home and they asked me about meditation. One of the girls asked me, "what does it feel like when you are in a meditative state?" So I felt it in my mind and tried to explain it in terms easiest to understand. I explained, when I finally get into a deep state, I feel like my limbs, arms, legs, neck and head are really far away. For me it really feels like you are all heart, or only heart. Sometimes the only sensation or thing I can feel is my center, my gut, stomach and heart area. Other times, I feel like I am just about to disappear completely. But this is not in a negative way, not like I am becoming a void or floating into nothing-ness. Rather, I feel like I am becoming a part of everything. Dissolving into unity and becoming a part of the magic that is this world.

To quote a famous and favorite teacher of mine Paul Grilley (who quoted his favorite teachers), he speaks about the fact that no one, no doctor or scientist to this day can explain why muscle that is ripped, regenerates. No one so far can explain why a piece of connective tissue or muscle in the human body that either gets injured with a tear or ripped at the gym not only heals itself over a short amount of time, but gets stronger in the process. What is the source of this power? Paul believes this is Chi. In India they call it Prana. In Japan they call it Ki. In China they call it Chi. We have no name for it in American medicine. This is the life force energy that is all around us and within us. It is the Yin/Yang of nature. The reason for Thunderstorms, rainbows and blades of grass that break through concrete to reach the sun light. It can be felt and controlled, if only we open up to it. Meditating gives me a chance to have a conversation with Chi. And this improves my life.

The other day I was meditating. I was reflecting on one of the exercises my Yoga instructor who certified me, taught me. He taught us several kinds of meditation techniques. The one I speak of now is the simplest, most ancient way to meditate. It is known by many as the oldest practice of meditation. It is a technique called: 'Just Sit.' How lovely. You mean I don't need to pay bills, buy groceries, wipe poop off butts, mow the lawn, go to work or sit in a traffic jam right now? Nope. All you need to do right now is JUST SIT. So there are many mantras or scripted sayings, prayers or songs that can help people clear their mind when going to sit for a meditation. This one, 'just sit,' is the most simple and eloquent of all. While you go to meditate, inevitably THINGS start coming up. Many have called it "the monkey mind." Your grocery list, who you have not sent thank you cards to, the exam you need to study for, the apology you never said, all the THINGS in your life you have sort of pushed or filed away, yea! they inevitably come right on up when you go to meditate, so be ready for that. And meditation is the art of DISTRACTION AND RETURN, DISTRACTION AND RETURN, DISTRACTION AND RETURN, DISTRACTION AND...you get the drift. So each time a distraction comes up, you repeat your simple mantra over and over and over: just sit.......just sit....just sit.........and so on. So the other day I was ....just sitting, and a beautiful realization came into my brain.

There is a book called Be Here Now, by, Ram Dass, my main squeeze. I love this man. He rocks. I got this book of his at my Yoga certification. It is a crazy book! It is filled with drawings and blurbs and mantras and whatnot that Ram Dass had come up with while studying alongside his guru in India some 40 years ago. Be Here Now was one of his first published books. He was one of the first Americans to bring mindful meditation to this country and Yoga, etc. On the cover if this book is a curious illustration and I never knew what it meant. It might seem obvious to some, but it always baffled me. It is a picture of a chair and a mystic diagram behind it. I always thought it was some mysterious symbol I would never really know the true meaning of, heck half of the book seems that way to me as well! This simple kitchen chair, I always wrote it off and ignored it really. And in my meditation the other day, it hit me. Just sit. That is ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW! Meditation. A simple chair, it unlocks the key to the Universe. It really is the key to a happy life! When nothing else is there, we always have our minds. Even when a person is paralyzed from the neck down, they are still HERE. Their mind is here, so their presence and energy is very much still here. They, along with each one of us has the power to do anything, as long as we properly use our minds. So we must take care of our minds. And how? I will tell you: with a regular meditation practice.

Where to start? Sure, classes and instructors are good. Yoga is great. But you need not seek anywhere outside to get going immediately. All you need is 3-5 minutes per day to yourself to begin. And remember, the breath and your focus on it, sets you free, it is the only tool you need. The breath sets you free when you are monkey-brained, trying and frustrated in meditation, or when you feel fear or loss, and the like. The breath is our involuntary gift of life, of rhythm, of patience and flow. Follow it, it is a tool that costs nothing.

I could write 2,000 blogs on meditation techniques, but this one is just to get you going. Some teachers say you need to sit on the floor, cross legged, and DO NOT MOVE. Do not move even if a mosquito lands on your cheek or a hurricane comes to your window. DO NOT MOVE while you are practicing. And while there is a huge power in that stillness and discipline, it is not a great way for a beginner to get started, in my opinion. Sit in a comfy chair, couch or on the floor with or without a bolster or pillow under your hips, legs crossed or straight (for some people it is not possible to sit with crossed legs and that is perfectly OK). Crossed legs are good, only if possible, as they lock you into stillness. The practice of Yoga (it is thought) was created for blood circulation aid, just so monks could stay in meditative positions for longer without their legs falling asleep. Any way you sit, make sure to be with your spine straight, shoulders down and as relaxed as possible around this posture. Relax your entire face and head. Relax your belly. Have your arms rather straight and hands resting on thighs, palms face down to ground you, or palms face up to receive stillness and peace, whichever feels best for you that day, that moment. Then close your eyes. There are open eyed meditation techniques, shoot, there are moving meditation techniques, but this is not discussed here. So! Eyes lightly closed and turn your mind inward and do (with patience and ease to yourself) try to stay as still as possible. Follow your involuntary (NOT controlled or forced) breathing. In, and out. Up, and down. Out and in. Expand, and shallow. Breathe peace in. Breathe out tension and release out anything that you wish to let go of and offer to the air outside of and around you. Start there. As simple as that.

3-5 minutes a day. It CAN and WILL change your life. Promise ;)

To build from there, add time on each day, slowly. Buy books, DVDs, learn deeper, longer techniques. Unfold in the the amazing kaleidoscope of magic this practice will bring. I had about a 3-round (friendly) argument one day, with one of my Yoga teachers about; if you can meditate while laying down, or not. Jury is still out in my opinion. BUT, It is best to be sitting, more alert, but DO WHAT WORKS for you NOW. Get started. Feel better, no matter what. Imagine your self as you dream to be, meditate on that image. It will become your reality. Remember that frustrations definitely will arise. Just look at those obstacles as gifts to bring you into a deeper, more evolved state of peace and well being. And as always, there is more info to come on this subject, so check back often :)

In loving honor of all my readers and students,

humbly, Bec

Suggested meditation references:

Meditation Books by, Ram Dass

http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Awakening-Meditators-Ram-Dass/dp/0553285726

http://www.ramdasstapes.org/awake%20book.htm

http://www.ramdasstapes.org/

http://www.amazon.com/Be-Here-Now-Ram-Dass/dp/B001KM6O5W

Meditation DVD by, Paul Grilley

http://www.paulgrilley.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26&Itemid=16

Meditaiton DVD by, Rodney Yee

http://rodneyyeeyogastore.com/120-1316.html

I love Hawaii and this is why.....

In Japan, I have found and forged a new, happy and very healthy life path for myself. But it was in Hawaii that it really started to all come together. I recently have been researching, within my own life experience, how to live a happy and successful life. How to live a life filled with abundance in comfort, peace, finances, feeling good/health, harmony in my marriage and with parenting.

One thing I learned on my recent vacation in Hawaii, is the deep importance of staying positive. I have always known this. Everyone knows it is good to keep a positive mental attitude (PMA as Zig Ziglar calls it). It is common sense! If you approach a project, a business, a relationship, the start of your day with a crappy attitude, it 'aint no secret that you might not get stellar results. But if you hold a positive, motivated and spirited approach it logically is much easier to win that gold medal or earn that big bonus, things seem to just unfold in your favor, opportunities fall in your lap. This is nowadays almost everyone's common sense. (It still takes SOME people a little longer to learn this than others, but hey gotta love each person's path!) But the drama of this whole idea, for me, now lies in the most tiny, simple aspects of life to the most huge and dramatic experiences. Example: it really sunk in for me that having a PMA in a teencie weencie, nonchalant conversation or avoiding that small roll of the eyes while in bad traffic, and not indulging people who you may come into contact with when they start to complain, insult others, or point out negative things about .....anything or everything! More detailed example: I spoke with many military wives while being in Hawaii. My husband and I might get the chance to live in Oahu some day, I wanted to get the dirt of what kind of experience it was to live there. And even in a place who many call paradise, I got the same response as anywhere else you might live in the world from Toledo, Ohio to Maui......good and bad things. And so I realized, even in Hawaii (a place that holds claim to perfect temperatures, beaches, palm trees and amazing fruits and flowers, among other niceties) I was told a resounding, this sucks, that sucks, crime here, bad schools there, locals hate visitors, these people hate the military presence here, etc. etc. Hate, hate, danger, violence, bad traffic, locals, tourists, hippies, haters, labelers, etc. etc! I realized after talking to a VERY positive, refreshing and lovely young lady one day on a park bench that even in Hawaii, the location where one finds oneself is: what YOU MAKE OF IT. Sure, I would much prefer the weather and beaches of Hawaii than being stationed at an Army base in say, Alaska, Kansas or upstate New York. BUT I know I would find the positive no matter where I go.

And in talking with people, I have found, there is almost ZERO need to point out anything negative ever again, really! It is not JUST in your money situations or health, the really big issues that you need to exercise PMA alone. It is more so in the tiny, slight, regular, all day long experiences and conversations about nothing that it is most important to be graceful, pleasant, positive, happy and kind. Then those bigger hurdles will all of a sudden be much easier to accomplish! Yay! Sure, if my daughter is sick, I am going to mention it if my Mom asks me "how are you doing today?" But I am not going to drone on and on and facebook and tweet about it to everyone I know! If you do not complain about that bad traffic, you might just get an opportunity to get off at an easier exit or a more pleasant road or pathway will find its way to you. But if you worry incessantly about the traffic, the people around you, what they are thinking, the schedules, the money, the health concerns, the appearance of your body, the mess in your home, whatever, you can bet yourself that you are going to have an exhausting and annoying, rather sad life in every aspect.

So I appreciate each and every person I spoke with and conversation I had while in Hawaii. It made me decide to be a better, more positive Army wife (after much contemplation and complaining on my part, I will admit it) and a better, more positive person to be around! You are welcome, world! One less "misery loves company" complainer to listen to!!

I also stopped by this enchanting little art and local goods stand on the side of the road. If you go to Oahu, it was on the main road that travels through the north shore, Kam Highway. I had been shopping around and pricing some traditional Hawaiian masks. I saw some way, way over priced ones, though beautifully crafted, just not what I wanted exactly and I saw some cheesy, poor quality ones as well. And as my Mother-in-law was driving me and my daughter around showing us her former home territory, I saw this stand. I yelled, "stop! I wanna get my mask!" She kindly pulled over, and I talked with my awesome mask carver artist about the wood he uses and the meanings of the different masks. I came home with my personalized Hawaiian mask representing safety for the family and the home...I thought this was a smart choice seeing as how my husband is in the Armed Forces, we travel a ton and what not. I love my mask. But I think even more than my mask, I loved talking with the two beautiful ladies at their booth next to the man who made the masks.

As the mask artist Pila was carving my name and his into my mask, I got to talk to Ilaise and Ana Tekiata. I had an intuition that people would want to know how to find these ladies and the mask maker and acquire the great local stuff for themselves as well, all that I was lucky enough to be given this day. And I was right! I already have many friends asking me for their necklaces and masks. I am so glad we swapped information. I will have their contact info at the bottom of this blog and you can find them through their address, e-mail or phone numbers. These ladies were so kind to pose for pictures for me, talk with me and then they gave me free gifts of their awesome goods and work! I got a rose bouquet woven by their own hands, a necklace and a sea turtle key chain. These gifts were really meaningful to me. My Mom had mentioned the luck sea turtles bring and I wanted to get her one, and they gave me a Hawaiian sea turtle key chain for her. They gave me these things! I promised to promote them.

Every thing at this stand was beautiful, from my masks and the carved wood, to the necklace that my daughter loved and mostly the conversation and connection!! I am focusing on the positive I found in Hawaii. It all came together for me there. That's why I love travel. Stepping away from your day to day, usual life always teaches you something and offers a fresh perspective.

ILAISE & ANA TEKIATA

ouaaa@aol.com

55-170 Kam Hwy

Laie, HI 96762

(808)294-0356

(808)699-9424 Mobile

Savvy Business, Buying and Selling and All With Hot Pink Toes

So my weight, health and wellness took a back seat to recently learning about my daughter's learning skills. I had more than one conversation with some folks who think she might need to be tested for a learning disability, possibly ADHD. While, I have had those suspicions about her high spirit and concentrating skills within the last year, I always wrote them off due to our big, international home move along with the fact that she is two and half. But my suspicions slaughtered my usual laughter and smiles and became replaced with tons of tears and fear. I know I can handle anything, I am super strong. But I would hate for my daughter to go through life struggling in some way. And then I realized.....every body struggles with something, sometime! This is nothing we cannot see as a gift. The plain truth is, she is amazing and that is all I am focusing on and that is how I must teach her to think as well. Though our recent 5-10 experiences in a class or group-type setting have hinted to the fact that she is slightly different than her peers, does not mean I am running to the local testing office to find out what might be "wrong" with her. We will talk to her pediatrician in good time and for now we are enjoying Mirabelle being colorful Mirabelle and finding bliss in her lively energy. I am eager to put her into a toddler educational English-Japanese program very soon and we will take it all from there. One step at a time.

I was recently looking only at how to lose weight, be at my best for my daughter and stay at my optimal health while this all sprung up. I hit a plateau with my weight loss. It taught me that stress is, in fact, controllable and very much effects your weight, fight or flight chemicals and sleep. Why do we do this stress-freak-out-thing over and over if we know it is bad for us? I will tell you why: so that we can perfect how to live in peace. We need practice for this! So I am welcoming all challenges and seeing them as gifts now. I am being patient with my fitness and breathing through my typhoon-tsunami-earthquake of a life right now! (literally!) Peace will all come to me in a balanced full circle like a reliable tide with patience, diligence, NOT giving up and constantly remembering what my goals are.

And what are my goals? My main goal right now is to enjoy life with my family, along with my fitness and growing my business back up, now that we have moved to Japan. I recently sold some couches and bought some new ones. I find that being laid back, steady, patient, honest and super kind is the very best way to do business. Seems simple enough!? But I started my own business a few years ago in the states. It has here and there gone: o-k. I have struggled from time to time with the massive growth that I saw others around me, within my company gaining while, my growth stayed slow, stagnant and sometimes even shrunk. I know I have the skills, knowledge and power to make my business shine, be huge, dramatically financially lucrative and abundant and most importantly: to help other people in my network achieve the same for themselves! I have two passions in life; 1-Health and wellness/feeling good and 2-Helping people. My business embraces both of these passions. I adore the health and wellness products that my company produces, they are the finest of their kind and save lives, I hear the testimonies daily. And my business, with them, helps people achieve their health, financial and time freedom goals. I have everything I need and doing everything I am passionate about. So where is the problem?

....It seems a bit silly, I really do it for fun, but it is scary how accurate this next piece is.....Today I got this message from a digital horoscope/tarot card that is sent to me daily:

You have work to do now, but your biggest hurdle may be the limitations that you place upon yourself. Your current struggle may not be apparent to anyone else, because you can keep your insecurities well hidden if you don't want to talk about your worries. Just make sure that your unwillingness to share your concerns doesn't turn into a deeper level of denial. Acknowledging your apprehension is the first step to overcoming it.

The Queen of Wands
An intelligent and savvy businesswoman who commands loyalty and intelligence in those around her. A woman who will not be fooled. Female enterprise. Confident and generous woman. Sensual and passionate female energy. Lover of life and those willing to explore it with her. A feminine leader able to lead the masses. A woman able to see big picture and delegate accordingly.

And that first bit, that horoscope is dead on right! I have always been a big believer of "fake it 'til you make it." And while I always believed in my "some day" success, I was stuck in the reality of the fact that I was NOT THERE YET. So instead, I am now adopting a more truthful attitude. Here are the facts: I am on a team with the top people in my company and I am proud to say I am closely connected to them, learning from them and they are (for real) my business partners. I have abundance all around me. But also it is true, currently my business is not where I want it to be. Maybe it is because I have never been really, really honest -like my horoscope said...both to myself and others! But on this same astrological day, I received the tarot message, just below that horoscope. I celebrate that too! I know I am a powerful leader and business woman. I know I have what it takes to achieve the goals within my business that I dream of. It is not a matter of IF, it is a matter of WHEN. And so I am taking the advice of the horoscope. I am being honest. NO, I am not where I totally want to be with financial and career success. But YES, I do have others around me, training me, helping me who ARE where I want to be and I see the path unfolding to lead me there. I can envision my goals through their reality and then I will continually help my recruits do the same for themselves as we grow together. I am celebrating this acknowledgement. I love what I do and this happiness will turn into fruitfulness. The "beginner" is behind me, the "novice" is my current place and the "leader" is my future. I have abandoned the limitations I have placed upon myself. This is all making me a better teacher to help others.

So with the first hot pink toe nails of the year (yay for coming warmth and Spring!!), I am going out to dinner tonight with my new found self respect and new found girlfriends on Okinawa. I am sitting within the ease of love for my daughter and for our world being just as it is, smart business and embracing humble success and truth in process. I am happy where I am, even though there are still some pounds to lose, muscle to gain, classes to take, money to earn and couches to move. For now it is onto my high heels.......

http://rebeccas.club100k.com/

The Best Company in The World!

Please visit me at:

http://rebeccas.club100k.com/

It is my new link to our Life Force International business. My business partner, David Mclaughlin, is the one speaking on the home page video. (Be patient it takes a minute to load :)

If you know me, you know HOW MUCH I LOVE the health and wellness products of Life Force. Been in business with them since 2007. And I have been an adoring consumer of the liquid nutrition products since 2001. I love my life and vitality while consuming these liquid whole foods and I love working with the company to boot.

If you are interested in feeling amazing and at your maximum potential or wish to earn more money in an honest, no-pressure way, check out: http://lifeforce.net/ and surf and learn about the products. The main product the company sells is called Body Balance. This is the BEST STUFF ON EARTH!!! Please take a look at the information of my associates covering the products and the stability and quality of the business here: http://presentation.lifeforce.net/

I have to shout it out to the entire world how great I feel to be back in business (since our big, international move)!!! I love Life Force International!

Health and wellness to all!!!!

Becca

Juicing! -It 'aint no biggy!

Juicing can be easy, enjoyable and far less energy than you think. And what do you get from it? MORE energy!! So the energy you might have not wanted to put forth, when you have thought of juicing in the past....let that go. If you consume fresh juice made by you, you will have an inner and outer glow that no other food or Yoga can create. Don't get me wrong, I love food and I certainly love Yoga, but....I found an exciting shift in wellness when I was lucky enough to have a sister who rocks that much to buy me a juicer as a 30th birthday gift. Go Lisa, you have just changed and lengthened your sister's life.

So Lisa, my oh so wise big sis, had seen Doctor Oz talking about nutrients and juicing on his or Oprah's show a while back. He talked about juicing and talked about all the juicers in the world. He went through them all and suggested the best one for the lowest price. And that was the one Lisa gave me for my birthday. It is a Hamilton Beach brand, called the Big Mouth Juice Extractor and it retails from $40-60.00 depending on where you buy it and the size you get. I love it. Also I have heard big things about a product called the Vitamix 5200 which runs about $500.00. So you can spend what you want. My Hamilton Beach juicer is amazing though, if you are looking to just get started with juices, it is a great, great, GREAT buy!!

I will attach a couple recipes in near future blogs but I am telling you, it is so simple. You do not need a book full of different recipes. Just remember a few simple things:

-As far as fruits and veggies, just buy what is in season, or whatever looks good that day.

-Get as many leafy greens as you can into your bod, such as spinach or kale. (The greener and fluffier the plant, the better) One way to test out good juicing greens is to take a little bite of the leaf and see how bitter it tastes, the more bitter, the yuckier in juice. But kale is like the best thing ever for you so find it and consume it! Stuff a TON of greens into each juice you make.

-Oranges and kiwi are ESSENTIAL to making good juice, they totally cover up the sometimes bitter veggie taste, so you don't feel like you are just drinking a spring salad. Drinking a fresh squeezed/juiced orange is SO, SO, SO much better for you than chugging the OJ you buy off the shelf...no additives!

-Try and find whole aloe leaves or aloe juice (usually health food stores sell this, sometimes you have to ask around but it is there!). This stuff is magic for your insides, fights sickness, helps digestion and gives you pep in your step.

-I usually buy (for my juicing):

-zucchinis

-squash

-whole carrots (never, ever buy baby carrots)

-kale, spinach

-kiwis

-oranges

-apples

-aloe

-pears

-bananas

-berries (all kinds, for antioxidants)

-pineapples

There are so many recipes out there, but this is how I get my good iron and vitamins most often. I usually put 2-5 ingredients per juice (mostly veg) and like I said, add half an orange or a kiwi and they totally override any harsh veggie tastes. Promise! You can drink the mixtures right away and store the remains in the fridge and in an air tight container. Remember to drink each juice you make within 48 hours for the enzymes to stay fresh and good. You can even make soups and almond and rice milks with these juicers! I am attaching pics below of how I fillet the fresh aloe leaves and then chop to put in the juicer. But my juicer has you barely even cutting! You only have to make sure the veggies and fruits are clean and maybe cut in half the larger items and then, just toss um in, stem and all! Seriously, you do not even need to skin the kiwi! The brown part is an excellent source of fiber. This is the point of an extractor, they extract the stuff you don't need! AND the pulpy stuff that is extracted/the left overs can be used very well in compost, if you do composting at your home. So here is a cheers to your glowing health, vitality and detoxifying!!!!! YAY! Feel free to message me with questions!

Skinned aloe leaf.

This is my buddy doin' his thang.

VEG

Kale, the wonder god of veg.

Always gotta stir the juice often before consuming.

The goodness of aloe.

One leaf will last you FOREVER and this is how I store it in my fridgidare.

PEACE! LOVE! HEALTH! JUICE!!!!!!

My Beginning Secrets and Success To Having a Balanced, Good Looking, Healthy Body & Peaceful Mind

“We all need to be healed in the highest sense by making ourselves perfect in mind, body and spirit.

The first step is to realize that this is even possible.”

-Deepak Chopra

We cannot just sit around and eat and drink whatever we want, even if we think it is healthy, there has to be some attention paid to what we consume and it is different for each of us. I am not sure if it was turning 30, having a baby or simply enduring a high stress year being a military wife, rich with 3 big moves (one international) while trying to adjust a toddler as well as myself and my marriage to this new life, etc? BUT something indeed, has sparked my newly found passion with nutrition and diet. I have always exercised. There have been very few times in my life when I felt like exercise was not worth it and each of those times, I quickly snapped back and KNEW in my intuition and bones, that exercise is for sure worth it, it is essential. Why would any of us want to be weak, frail or fat? It is only recently in my life that I have found the patience to sit down and actually read, and complete a novel. Never before did I have the mere discipline, interest or patience. With this new found calm I began my path toward my healthiest mind-body experience ever.

“To create health, you need a new kind of knowledge, based on a deeper concept of life.” -Deepak Chopra

I know what it feels like to be a food addict, smoker or drug addict, what ever kind of addict there could be....how one cannot ideally rationalize why they are addicted to something. We all know there are choices in this life. Why do some people choose to take that pill, smoke that cigarette, eat that doughnut knowing full well it is detrimental to our inward self? Sometimes I wish we could see each of our inner bodies all the time. As though all of humanity were walking around completely see-through. It would be so much easier! If a pill addict could see what that drug were doing to their organs, if that heroin addict could see what that needle filled with toxins were doing to their brain, if that smoker were seeing what those cigarettes were doing to their pancreas, if that diabetic could see what those sugars were doing to their blood flow, I think we all might think twice before choosing our vices. It would be so much easier to not get hooked on something! And I think we all DO have a vice here and there, from time to time, in different ways. We are all the same, essentially. Sometimes though, it is not the bad choice of ingesting something like alcohol. Sometimes people become power drunk, money hungry, sex addicts, shop-aholics, even being anorexic or the feeling of denying our bodies of food or calories is a strong imbalance and/or addiction. We all must learn how to be, how to cope with life and stress and how to be our best at that. Some people do not care to try their best. I do care. And this is the journey I have begun.

“Health is not just the absence of a disease. It's an inner joyfulness that should be ours all the time-a state of positive well-being.” -Deepak Chopra

Quickly, I would like to touch more on addictions and why they happen, in my opinion. My opinion, however, has only been formed by reading the opinions and studies of other great doctors, psychologists, physicists and healers. To sum up addiction to me, it is feeling helpless almost a subconscious need to repeat some negative habit we blindly cater to, to keep ourselves from feeling any kind of discomfort or realism in our life and it completely prevents us from totally experiencing colossal, heavenly joy which is our nature and birth right. Seems simple enough, but it is so much more complex. Eckhart Tolle thinks of addictions as something in our body that is an energy or entity all its own, as though it is something our ego has created and is trying to actually take our rational and peaceful minds over. I believe we go almost insane in America trying to do it all and be it all. My favorite Doctor of all time, Christiane Northrup, M.D. said in her fabulous book called Women's Bodies Women's Wisdom, “A dead giveaway that you are overextending, rather than stretching yourself, is the inability to nurture yourself or rest without a drink, a smoke or overeating.” And most people, in one way or another, are addicts, like Anne Wilson Schaef says, “our society itself functions as an addict.” We constantly advertise and buy ways to “take the edge off, keep us busy with our fixes and keep us slightly numbed out and zombie-like.” In a fantastic book, mostly about how to teach meditation, called A Path With Heart (a great source for all teachers and instructors of any kind) by, Jack Kornfield, he writes, “Like Gandhi, we cannot easily change ourselves for the better through an act of will. This is like wanting the mind to get rid of itself or pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps. Remember how short-lived are most New Year's resolutions? When we struggle to change ourselves, we, in fact, only continue the patterns of self judgment and aggression. We keep the war against ourselves alive. Such acts of will usually backfire, and in the end often strengthen the addiction or denial we intend to change.” I dropped the book at this point and realized. Yup! That it explains it all perfectly. People go in circles, spirals, have the snowball effect when they try to treat themselves well, achieve their fitness or diet goals and ultimately end up within the same bad habits and sadness and in their unhealthy world once again. Me included. Until now.

Now this next statement is thick and so I will type it, standing alone...but if you are like me, you may need to read it a few times, copy it down and try to understand it well over time. This, from my favorite author of all time, anywhere:

“The tension between your efforts to disregard the signals your energy system provides you and the continual flow of these signals to you is the origin of every compulsion, obsession, fixation and addiction.” -Gary Zukav

Gary also says In the book, The Heart Of The Soul, regarding addiction, “Your attraction to food and reliance upon it for relief of painful emotions, is an attempt to create the meaningful and satisfying life you were born to create but without doing the necessary work. It is an illusory shortcut that leads to physical dysfunction. It delays the inner work that needs to be done, but does not remove the need to do it.” Tell it like it is, Mr. Zukav! He is so gentle and kind. He explains so well how we all mess up! And gives us a good reason why we do. Now for the work part........fixing allla DAT!!!

“In a serious or life-threatening illness, there can be many layers of imbalance concealing the depths where healing exists.” -Deepak Chopra

-Having a baby saved my life. I believe, although it was not a planned pregnancy, that my higher self, my wise third eye, my subconscious chose that path and I excitedly followed it. It was not even a choice for me, while pregnant, I took better care of myself than I ever had in my personal history. After having the baby, I fell off the healthy wagon a few times but now, I am fully back on and have never been healthier or happier. So having that gem of a baby, and also looking in the mirror this past winter at my 191 pound body really pushed me toward feeling the golden light of pure health and my best wellness. I said to myself, this is it. I am fed up. No more. I have to figure out why I look this fat, feel this bad and am tired all the time. So after having Doctors tell me to cut carbs, hired a personal trainer, and not seeing much for results within the past 6

months to a year, I started to study nutrition. It is a big world and I have much, much more to learn. But I had to blog about my progress now, so far. Every time I find good information that works for me, this struggling soul, I need to share the good news!!!!!!!!! So after all that working out I was doing, burning my body at the gym 4 days a week or more. Countless hours on the elliptical, thousands and thousands of lunges, crunches, squats and weights and then coming home and still not being able to put on and zip up my fattest of fat pants, I knew it was NOT exercise, alone that was the answer. Now.....do NOT get me wrong, I still go work out. But hardly. I now try for 3-4 hours a week of mild and gentle, ENJOYABLE exercise. Calm Yoga, walking, jogging and light gym workouts, tossing them all up so as to not get too tired, burnt out or bored with any one thing. This is just great for endorphins, keeping synnovial fluid moving, preventing arthritis, the list goes on...but it is NOT about burning calories.

The two books on Nutrition that have literally changed my life (and my sister's) are: Master Your Metabolism by, Jillian Michaels (yes, the chick from Biggest Loser, but it is so not like the show). And The Abs Diet For Women by, David Zinczenko (he is the editor in chief for Men's Health Magazine and his book about this subject for Men was such a smash hit he researched and wrote one for women). I wont drone on about why these books are key and so good, but the reason they are is because they both include ground-breaking NEW research on nutrition and why all the diets you could ever do in the world never work and why people stay fat. Between these two books, I have learned how to eat so much better and burn calories while SITTING STILL. I have learned to reset my metabolism by eating, eating, eating but in gooood ways. I mean, great ways! I am never hungry. I feel better than ever. My eye prescription did not change (for the worse) this year for the first time in 24 years at my most recent yearly eye exam. My skin looks better. My hair looks better. My sleep is better. And so far, I have lost twelve pounds in the first 3 weeks of changing the way I approach food. I am in the 170's for the first time since I had a baby. I was 165 pre-baby (which felt fat to me then) and have never gotten back to that since. Now, I know having a baby changes your body forever, which I celebrate. But having a baby who is now 2 and a half years old and I cannot keep up with her? Now that is some crap! I am only 30 years old, a former Yoga Instructor, happy and have never had any serious medical conditions. BUT I was addicted to chocolate chip cookies and such when we had our last big home move and I was throwing back a few too many cocktails or wine at night to ease all that stress as well.

“To have a renewed body, you must be willing to have new perceptions that give rise to new solutions”

-Deepak Chopra

I am providing "before and after" pictures for those who wish to share this weight loss and happy lifestyle journey with me. But not until I get more toward my goal weight, which is: 140 pounds. For a woman of 5'8”, I do not think this is a drastically low weight.....but it is a drastic lifestyle change for me to have to lose 50 pounds. Join me wont you? Becoming conscious about nutrition, addictions, weakness, complete mental peace, diet, exercise, and overall glow of happiness is what I am all about forever. And this is what I have recently learned and some of how I have started (for those of you who wish to know):

-I got a juicer and started to quadruple the amount of nutrients into my body (a juicing-made-cheap and easy-blog will immediately follow this blog)-more, nutrients, healthier insides, better equipt to lose weight.

-Drink aloe with juice. Just think of how healing it is for us externally, even better internally.

-Found a good meditation practice that I was not struggling with, and stuck to it.

-I started counting calories....and eat what is exactly appropriate for my current weight, not too low, not too high...no body going into starvation mode and getting fatter, yay!

-Forgot about cutting all carbs and sugar, your brain needs both of these to function well.

-Drastically cut back the amount of wine I consumed (limited to 2-3 glasses at a time MAX, and NOT every day) and cut off liquor and beer (it 'ain't that hard peeps, and I will still have a very rare cocktail here and there, so its not the end of the world)

-Don't smoke, it literally kills your pancreas and will to live, and I stopped hanging around, or giving too much energy to anyone who does (not totally cutting them off or judging their journey, just completely understanding my priorities in life now)

-Gave up coffee and switched to Green Tea or Chai, cold and hot, EACH and every time I want a snack, I first reach for a tall glass of water or ice tea and down it and then 9 times out of 10 my snack craving goes away and I then feel more energy and happiness. I still will have a rare cup of coffee (cuz I love it) every now and then if it has been a few weeks or whatever, I just completely stopped the serious addiction I had to it.)

-I gave up sugar in my tea, cereal and oatmeal for honey or agave nectar.

-Buy only organic & free range meats and eggs, syrup, cereal and whatever else I can find.

-Do not buy anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup or MSG they wreak havoc on your brain and digestion, why make life harder? READ LABELS! Usually you only have to read labels once and then you remember what you like to buy.

-Bananas, don't throw away when they go brown, peel and freeze them. (what I learned from working in gelato is that they are better to freeze once they are almost, but not yet, bad) And then put them in smoothies and juices you make at home.

-If you want unhealthy food, limit it to one meal, one day a week as a cheat meal...and enjoy.

-If you want cookies, ice cream, cake or a dessert, make it at home and control what goes in the recipe and therefore your body.

-Buy whey protein and learn how to use it well to burn calories while resting.

-Drink a lot of water....c'mon just force yourself.

-Sleep as much as you can, melatonin can help with this occasionally.

-Exercise a little but regularly.

-Get a massage once month (if you cannot afford it, there are millions of ways to barter with a

therapist)

-Enjoy life.

I could go on and on why these things are all so essential, especially meditation. Shoot me a comment if you have a question, doubt or frustration, believe me, I have been there, done that, tried everything. Oh there is so much more to come people!!! God wants us to be abundant and happy....so start doing that with yourself if you are not already. Manifest your dreams, no one else will. And I will see you all in a bikini this summer and every summer after that. YEA!!!!!!

“Enchantment is our natural state. This day cannot last without you to keep it alive. Will you give it a chance?” -Deepak Chopra

Quote from Elizabeth Gilbert

I have a fantastic blog coming up very soon about juicing and additionally healthy diet and weight management. But until then... I am being quiet. I have an over-articulated life at the present. While I love and adore all people, love meeting new people regularly and all those who I am honored to stay in touch with, I need some time of quiet and respite from writing. I never profess to be a professional writer. But, I have taken the words and presentations I used for nearly a decade as a Yoga instructor and formed them into my blog. Listen, I cannot stay quiet for long. I love sharing what I have learned, to help me along life's path, with others, with the whole world! But I have felt compelled tonight to simply an excerpt from a new author/book I am loving. The much acclaimed book Eat, Pray, Love has fallen into my lap. And it spoke to me, it helped me and has made me start to feel a little more free. Chapter 60, a bit from it. See below. Maybe it will help you, should you have had some sort of a similar experience in your life: having trouble getting over something, feeling guilt from, letting go of or coming to terms with.

Tonight I was blessed to enjoy the words of Elizabeth Gilbert and I thank her....

"60~

He had typed:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR FREEDOM

1. Life's metaphors are God's instructions.

2. You have just climbed up and above the roof. There is nothing between you and the infinite. Now, let go.

3. The day is ending. It's time for something that was beautiful to turn into something else that is beautiful. Now, let go.

4. Your wish for resolution was a prayer. Your being here is God's response. Let go, and watch the stars come out-on the outside and on the inside.

5. With all your heart, ask for grace, and let go.

6. With all your heart, forgive him, FORGIVE YOURSELF, and let him go

7. Let your intention be freedom from useless suffering. Then, let go.

8. Watch the heat of day pass into the cool night. Let go.

9. When the karma of a relationship is done, only love remains. It's safe. Let go

10. When the past has passed from you at last, let go. Then climb down and begin the rest of your life. With great joy.

......Then I shut my eyes and said, 'Dear Lord, please show me everything I need to understand about forgiveness and surrender.'

......I thought of how many people go to their graves unforgiven and unforgiving. I thought of how many people have had siblings or friends or children or lovers disappear from their lives before precious words of clemency or absolution could be passed along. How do the survivors of terminated relationships ever endure the pain of unfinished business? From that place of meditation, I found the answer-you can finish the business yourself. It's not only possible, it's essential."

With love, Becca

Namaste