Seasonal Healing and the Winter Solstice

 

Good Morning!

Seasonal Healing and the Winter Solstice

In the northern hemisphere, the Winter solstice is the day of the
year (this year it is December 21) when the Sun is farthest south.
The winter solstice marks the first day of the winter season. The
declination of the Sun on the (northern) winter solstice is known as
the tropic of Capricorn (-23° 27').

Winter is the time for rest and to replenish. As an expression in nature, The
Winter Solstice is the time to reflect on the power of our spiritual beliefs and
the belief in the power of ourselves! As we look forward to the beginning of a
New Year, we look at ways to resolve issues and create resolutions that will
manifest change for the better, in ourselves.

Winter is the time to take a good look at our health and our
lifestyle. Start by looking at the life around you. Are you living in
chaos? Is your home in a shambles? Is there clutter everywhere? You
may want to consider starting with a good packing and storing
session. Feng Shui, the ancient art of placement, can help you to
find order in your life.

The temple, our physical bodies, are the only thing we have to carry
the soul. When our physical bodies are not in proper working order,
everything around us ultimately suffers. Our good health is all we
have that stands between us and the aging process. The longer you
keep your physical body in optimum health, the longer you have your
temple to keep your soul on this plane. Detoxification is the best
way to keep the body at its most ultimate working level.

By enjoying a healthy, nutritional diet, getting good quality sleep
and moderate exercise this can keep our physical form at it's best,
always. Take the opportunities that are offered. Make the
opportunities that are not. Find your priorities of life and give
them merit. This is the best season to do this. This is the time when
we have the greatest energy to utilize the power we are given!

Celebrations of the Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is the time of the longest night and the shortest
day. As the darkness peaks the Solstice is a turning point. This is
the point of the highest Yin (cooling) energy as the nights grow
shorter and the days grow longer into Yang (warming) energy. The
cycle of dark wanes as the power of the Sun waxes.

Customs most associated with the Winter Solstice are festivals such
as Chinese New Year, St Lucy's Day, Saturnalia, the birth of the
Christ child, Hanukkah, New Years and the Twelfth Night. Stories all
deriving from the conflict between dark and light.

A Ritual of Light

On the longest, darkest day of the year, a ritual of light is an ever present
reminder of the conflict, struggle and duality (yin/yang) of our lives. Using
candles as therapy has been around for thousands of years, and has been
practiced by nearly every religion. Candle therapy can be used to unite the
powers of mind, body, and spirit. From ancient times to the present, Candles
have lit our way through every transition! From celebrations and ceremonies to
proclamations and processions! The candle's flame has always been a metaphor for
the soul! It possesses a tranquil and almost hypnotic atmosphere to those who
allow its power to take them to a very special place.

A candle acts as a "self object". A self object is an object that is a
reflection of our self, a reflection upon which we can act. The candle reflects
the spiritual and ethical changes we would like to bring about in ourselves. It
burns as a reminder and symbol of our desires. Sometimes we have to hand our
dreams over to a force more powerful than we are.


Working With Candle Energy

When working with candles, you can be as simplistic or as complicated as you
would like to make it. I suggest that you always charge your candle before
lighting it.

Sit in a quiet place hold the candle in your hands at heart level and visualize
the area in your life you want charged (changed). This will personalize your
connections with the candle and allow the needed energy to come to you in a more
direct way. Begin by using a positive affirmation based on your specific
situation.

You get as much out of a candle (or anything) as you put into it. You must
create your own reality through the use of your energy, emotions and
visualizations. What you wish to create may come immediately or it may take some
time. Experience shows that results are only realized at the appropriate time
(the Universal time, not your own)! This allows us a great lesson.

1. Any time you light a candle, always state your true intention and end with a
positive affirmation.

2. Burn a candle based on the color you need.

3. Use the seven colors of the Chakra and light these candles to release the
color into the room. The rainbow colors have an amazing healing power when lit
all together.

4. Burn a candle for meditation. Sit in front of the candle and concentrate on
the light.

5. Burn a candle that is made from herbs and essential oils. The power of herbs
and scent are blended with the power of light to manifest a positive action.

6. Burn a candle to bring about clear change and affirmative thought. Transform
your intentions into reality.

7. Different geometric shapes will alter and enhance the effects of color and
scent. It involves understanding what particular geometric patterns can do by
using that particular layout around an individual to heal. Meditating within the
center of these configurations (a circle, square, triangle, for example) can
heighten the entire experience! Place candles in one of these sacred shapes.
Place them on a table or alter to burn or place them on the floor or in your
meditation space and sit inside the configuration. meditate on or within the
geometric shape.

Candles can create any mood based on color and good intention. Utilize the power
of light and wax OR create your own special winter solstice ritual to usher in
the change of the season and reflect what this means to you.

Recipes: Reindeer Paws and Noses

 

Good Morning!

Recipes: Reindeer Paws and Noses

Looking for a holiday treat to fill Christmas goody tins, bags or boxes? This Rolo® candy treat is easy-to-make in

large quantities; give these as gifts to neighbors and friends near and far!

Ingredients

•Mini Twist Pretzels

•Rolos Candies

•Chocolate Candy Coated Peanut Candies

•PecansInstructions

1.Preheat the oven to warm.

2.On a cookie sheet, place a single later of mini twist pretzels.

3.Unwrap the Rolos and place one on top of each pretzel.

4.Place into the oven until the Rolo is just melted (3-5minutes depending on the temperature of the oven)

5.Remove from oven and immediately place a pecan for paws or a chocolate candy coated peanut candy onto the

melted Rolo and gently press. Allow to set.

Food for Thought: Eating for Summer

 

Good Morning!

Food for Thought: Eating for Summer

When eating along with the seasons, there are two elements that should be taken into account. The "nature" of the food and the "flavor" of the food. The nature of the food refers to the foods innate temperature ie: cold, hot, warm, cool or neutral.  According to Chinese Medicine, eating a moderate amount of all flavors including sweet, salty, pungent, bitter and sour, can help to keep your body balanced and regulated.

Summer is actually divided into two categories. The first category is the early part of the summer, which is the transition from Spring to the Summer Solstice. The second category is classified as Late Summer. This is when summer wanes into the real "dog days" or the hottest days of the season..

In general, eating light and easily digestible foods are most important. Fruits and vegetables are at their greatest peak, giving us an abundance of choices for eating the right way.

It is particularly important to avoid overeating, especially as the summer moves on. Therefore, heavy, greasy fried foods should be avoided as they tax the heart, small intestines, stomach, and spleen. Foods that are cooling in nature are what the body craves.

Although the temptation for ice cold drinks, ice cream, and other frozen treats seem to be appropriate, moderation is very important. Eating too much cold or raw foods can injure the spleen and stomach, cause headaches, upset digestion, and slow metabolism.

In Chinese Medicine, a bitter taste is attributed to the heart and small intestine while sweet taste attunes to the spleen and stomach. Therefore, adding some bitter foods in your diet during early summer and more sweet tasting foods in late summer, can improve the body's function. 

Consider watermelons, honeydew, and cantaloupe. These fruits, in particular, have a tendency to clear summer heat, cool inflammation and benefit the stomach. 

Juice therapy is a great way to take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables and helps your daily nutrition. You might also consider drinking mint, chamomile, and chrysanthemum teas.

Food as Medicine

Written in 203 AD, the Taisho Tripitaka contains a Buddhist sutra called "The Sutra Containing Pronouncements of Buddha on Buddhist Medicine" (adapted from Paul Unschuld's "Medicine in China: A History of Ideas")

Buddha says: "There are nine causes for the premature, unexpected end to human life." The first five of these are related to how we choose to eat and are listed here. The others are related to proper conduct:

1. It is not recommended eating foods which are out of season or improper for you as an individual. 

2. It is not necessary to eat beyond your comfort zone or more than you should.

3. You should avoid eating at inappropriate times (other than breakfast, lunch, dinner) and eating a large number of foods your body is not yet used to consuming. 

4. It is not advised to eat again before you have finished digesting your previous meal, as well as eating when you are not hungry. 

5. It is not advised to suppress elimination and defecation.

Consider eating these foods for Summer:

1. Foods for summer are cool or cold in temperature and should be eaten in moderate amounts. Foods that are more cooling in nature are bamboo shoot, banana, bitter gourd, clams, crab, grapefruit, lettuce, persimmon, salt, seaweed, star fruit, sugar cane, water chestnut, watermelon, lotus root, cucumber, barley, bean curd, chicken egg whites, marjoram, oysters, pear, peppermint, radish, strawberry, tangerine, yogurt, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, pineapple, turmeric.

2. Grilling is a big part of summer eating yet, grilling often dries out the natural juices in food. If you grilled or fry meats in summer, serve them with cooling, moisturizing fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple, squash, and tomatoes. These fruits and vegetables can be lightly grilled or marinated in a side salad or side dish as they complement the drying effects of grilled meats.

3. Keep food out of the sun. Direct sunlight causes the immediate loss of vital essences or vitamins and can spoil food. Consider keeping foods refrigerated until they are ready to be served, especially foods containing mayonnaise, oils, vinegar or sauces.

4. Enjoy vegetables such as bamboo, sprouts, bok choy, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, corn, cucumbers, mushrooms, snow peas, spinach, summer squash, water crest, seaweeds, potatoes, and mung beans.

5. Eat spices, condiments, olive oil and herbs such as cilantro, mint, and dill.

The Goddess Experience

 

Good Morning!

The Goddess Experience

Every woman deserves to experience all the joys which bring self-fulfillment, self-love, and self-respect. This "experience of the Goddess" must be something you "choose" to manifest every day.  I believe the greatest gift we've been given, is the ability to make choices. The honorable goddess should feel her fire rising, with irresistible desire and allure.

She should want to wake each morning, embodying her lust for life, her intoxicating passion for "that which makes her heart wealthy" and to recognize the overwhelming sense of magic she wields. The honorable goddess IS the sacred feminine and embellishes all the fertile traits of mother earth. She is rich in nurturing milk and honey and holds the key to life and the lifeblood of the family. Her sovereignty is the source of power and respect.

May, in particular, is the month most associated with the Goddess. Honored by the most fragrant and colorful burst of nature's blessings, flowers explode into full bloom, while trees willingly extend their branches with green offerings to share. The shift from a stifling winter's perpetual sleep awakens the desire of Spring to unfold.

The 7 Day Goddess Experience

Now is the time to honor who you are, accept where you are in your life right now, and take steps each day to honor what you've been given, as you make haste for what you still desire.

Day 1: Today, give thanks in a morning meditation, prayer or positive affirmation.  Like a new moon, today you can set an intention or wish to come true. Fill your day with objects or ideas that are beautiful and bright. Buy yourself flowers, a special treat or something to make your home look pretty and comforting. Seek balance through self-care today. End your day with humble thanks for what you have received and look forward to the possibility of tomorrow.

Eostre or Ostara of Spring is a goddess in Germanic and Celtic tradition who is the namesake of the festival of Easter. In her various forms, she is a spring-like fertility goddess associated with the dawn. Also associated with Eostre is the Norse Goddess, Freyja. Her focus is on balance and the equilibrium between night and day at the Spring Equinox. With this period of the Maiden, it is a time for new beginnings, for planting seeds that will bear much fruit, and for celebrating the rebirth of the soil, the land, and oneself. On the eve of May 1st, the Celtic holiday of Beltane is recognized.  Halfway between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice, it symbolizes the start of summer or the "light half of the year."  This time was recognized by the Festival of Flora, the Roman Goddess of Flowers.

Day 2: Upon waking, move, stretch or exercise to get the blood circulating and the creative juices flowing.  Today is the day of letting go and letting things flow.  Whatever difficulties come your way, allow them to roll off you. Be as fluid as the waters that represent your emotions. Recognize them, then let them pass. You have the incredible ability to choose how to deal with things. Choose to detach from those situations that worry, aggravate or irritate your sense of well-being. End your day with a soothing bath. Light a few candles, add some crystals to your bath water or incorporate some soothing essential oils such as lavender, clary sage, or rose.

Ganga Dussehra, is a Hindu festival celebrating the descent of the Ganges. It is believed by Hindus that the Holy river Ganges descended from heaven to earth on this day. Ganga Dussehra takes place on Dashami (the 10th day) of the waxing moon of the Hindu calendar month. Devotees gather at the banks of the Ganges and perform a ritual in which they offer up a floating lamp to the river. Taking a dip in the river on this day is believed to bring one to a state of purification.

Day 3: Upon waking, remind yourself "who you are" today. Remember how you kept your household together, built a life that's been admired, and appreciate the little things you've done for yourself and others. Those things that we often take for granted, others are praying for. Honor these accomplishments.  At the end of the day, light a candle or say a prayer for your mother. If you are a mother, please know how much you have been appreciated over the years, even though you may not hear about it as much as you'd like. You are the personification of the greatest archetype in this world or any other!

Appropriately, Mother's Day is celebrated in the second week of May. This is the turn of the season that transitions from the days of the Maiden archetype to the months of the Mother archetype. Mother is one of the most significant "archetypes" in history. The "Great Mother" is the personification of the feminine and represents the fertile womb out of which all life comes and eventually returns (as with Mother Nature). Its fundamental attribute is the capacity to nourish, as we cannot survive without a nurturer. If we do not have a nurturing mother, we seek one and project this archetype upon another..

Day 4: Upon waking, choose to make your day about growth. Expand your thought processes. Take aim at a self-improvement task today. Work on your money management. Get a healthy walk, cardio run or weight training in today. Be generous, invite luck in, and use the power of music to motivate you.  At the end of the day, eat a fulfilling meal, do a stress-reducing meditation or do something you enjoy, such as reading a book or dancing to your favorite song.

May is the Greek celebration of the twins, Apollo, God of sun, light, oracles, knowledge, healing, music, poetry, song, and dance and his twin sister, Artemis the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, the moon, and chastity. To the Romans, she was the goddess, Diana. This is the pairing of the Yin and Yang qualities in all of us. The duality of male/female, sun/moon, god/goddess within our psyche. It is a reminder of how we can look at a situation from two sides when we are in tune and conscious of our ability to do so..

Day 5: Upon waking, try doing some deep belly breathing. Expand your lungs after a long night's sleep and greet the day by taking in long breaths of promise (inhale) and sustained releases of letting go (exhale).  Make today a favorable day for any activities that stimulate your creative genius, empowers your artistry and embrace companionship. Today is a day of sensitive female energy. Enjoy a day trip, take in the theater, and/or have a romantic date or enjoy the companionship of friends. At the end of the day, reflect upon your adventures. Perhaps you would like to journal about them or record them in your diary.

Inanna, Ishtar, and Aphrodite are the same name for the Roman goddess, Venus. Her functions encompassed love, beauty, desire, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory. She was the epitome of desire and love.. The Romans saw their goddess as the yielding, watery female on a half shell, essential to the balance of life. Her male counterparts were the active and fiery Mars and Vulcan. Venus could absorb and temper the male essence, uniting the opposites of male and female in mutual affection.

Day 6: Upon waking, make a list of your essential tasks. Today is for tying up loose ends. It is a day to get things done. What have you left on the back burner?  Did you not forgive someone you should? Did you leave a relationship untidy or in shambles?  How about your obligations to others? These are promises you have made, yet have not completed. Learning to follow your intuition is essential to understanding what is at the root of all action.  Find three ideas, when interpreting your insight, that can become stepping stones to the next level!  What are they?

The month of May was named for the Greek Goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman goddess of fertility, Bona Dea..  In ancient Greek, Maia was one of the oldest of the seven Pleiades. Her name was related to the crone, a term for older women, which honors the wisdom and sage-like qualities she has gained. Maia also means "midwife" in Greek. In ancient Roman lore, Maia embodied the concept of growth, as her name was thought to be related to the comparative adjective, "maius", meaning "larger, or greater."

Day 7: Upon waking this day, consider a day of peace, quiet and reflection. We do not often take the time for introspection. This can be a wonderful experience when choosing joyful memories that you have been given throughout your life. Take a little time to write about your own perceptions and insights. Consider writing a paragraph or so about how you feel emotionally key thoughts or phrases, or anything unusual or unique that might have happened to you during this time. At the end of the day, rest peacefully, knowing the transition through your "goddess experience" will be a journey of ups and downs and roads you'd never thought you would find yourself on.

The Virgin Mary (the ultimate mother), is celebrated as The Queen of Heaven in the month of May. This event commemorates with the Feast of the Visitation on May 31, at the end of the Marian month. The Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May) is a month-long festival to the Virgin Mary in the Philippines. The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima is celebrated May 13th. Floral imagery from scripture and nature provide the tradition for the subsequent naming of hundreds of flowers for Mary's life, mysteries, virtues, excellence, and divine prerogatives. The practice of honoring Mary with flowers originated among monasteries and convents in medieval Europe.

With your 7 day Goddess experience at hand along with some inspiration from world-renowned icons throughout history, I hope you realize how special you are!  The secret to a successful journey starts by staying in your present moment. Follow the path, making adjustments along the way. You will find your overall experience to be the one you've ultimately wished for.