Take a brisk walk in nature while contemplating what next step you can take.

A full two months has passed since my last blog post and I want to apologize for the hiatus. A lot of wonderful opportunities have come into my life over the past two months, one of which brought me to travel unexpectedly and others of which have caused me to reprioritize. Each of these opportunities were eagerly welcomed though, since they were all invited into my life by me earlier this year in my goal and intention setting.

Speaking of which, I wanted to reinvigorate each of you to connect to your original goals and intentions set forth for 2010 and to evaluate any breakthroughs or obstacles you’ve already experienced. What better day to embark on this than March 4th. Why March 4th you might ask? Well, one of my favorite days happens to be March 4th because within its very title it has the essence of powerful, deliberate action…get it?…March Forth!

March Forth has been one of my favorite little celebrations for several years now. I don’t recall where I first put “two and two together” but for a while now I’ve been using it as a perfect time to reconnect with the goals I set for myself two months prior on New Year’s, to beckon the energy of Spring closer (now only about two weeks away) and to ramp up my motivation, ambition and initiative. I remember leading a yoga class a couple of years ago on March fourth in which I instructed powerful poses like Warrior II and III as ways to embody the March Forth energy.

Whether doing strengthening yoga poses, courageously confronting an issue, or expectantly visualizing the change you desire, I encourage all of you to enjoy the energy of March 4th and to March Forth confidently in the direction of your dreams!

In Balance,
Jenica

Happy New Year! What new experiences do you want to have in 2010?

Today is not only the start of a new year but also a new decade and one that fell on a full blue moon eclipse, so it seems like a particularly powerful and auspicious time to think about the life you want to create in the next one to 10 years.  One of the best ways to do this is by listing your goals – the one’s closest to your heart so I’ve provided some tips to help you do just that:

Goals work best when they are SMART.

SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. You won’t be able to chart your achievement if your goal is too vague, too big for you to believe is possible, or has no timeline attached to it. For more information on setting SMART goals visit the online goal setting guide.

Goals can be more tangible when they are made visible.

Many people are visual learners and it is known that the most predominant sense used by humans is the sense of sight. It follows that when setting goals it can help to provide a visual representation of what you are hoping to accomplish. One very effective way is by creating a vision board, whereby you take cuttings from magazines, postcards, and other visual print, that correspond with specific goals you have (like a picture of a light airy kitchen that looks like the one you want to create in your renovation, or a picture of a person painting if you hope to take up the art). Visit selfgrowth.com for more information.

Goals and affirmations work hand in hand.

Affirmations are proven to assist in bringing about change when used consistently and with conviction. As you create your list of goals consider creating corresponding affirmations that you can say to yourself to help you move towards them as the year progresses. Or try creating a more general affirmation that can encompass several goals into one. In the case of the person with the vision board above they might say “I appreciate and love myself, my surrounding environment and my loved ones. I let my creativity shine. I love my life.” Whatever you decide on, repeat it to yourself daily at a prescribed time and anytime anxieties and doubts overshadow your belief momentarily.

Wishing you a healthy, joyous and prosperous 2010!

Jenica

Balance your emotions naturally this holiday with flower essences.

Just as the holidays can be a time of fun and festivity they can also make us feel overwhelmed or even melancholy on occasion. The Bach Flower Remedies (a system of 38 flower essences that have been used in over 65 countries for 60 years) can help balance the emotions naturally and fend off feelings such as sadness, anxiety, confusion and fatigue. They can be used by people of all ages, as well as animals, and have no contraindications. They can be purchased at health food stores and taken directly on the tongue or in a glass of water or tea. Read on for some suggestions on which remedies might be particularly helpful for yourself, family or friends this holiday season.

Elm – For Feelings of Overwhelm

Elm is particularly helpful when you feel overwhelmed by responsibility. You’ve got a holiday dinner to serve and you’re running an hour late, you want to make it to your child’s recital but also have a holiday promo to write for work, or you have three term papers due before you leave for holiday break.  If these scenarios sound familiar you could really use some Elm!

Olive – For Feelings of Exhaustion or Fatigue

Olive can be useful whether you’ve been pulling all-nighters for a month or for today only you had to wake up at 3 am to pick your sister up from the airport and couldn’t fit in a nap. The Bach Flower Remedy Olive is a great energizing alternative to coffee or tea, which often cause energy levels to jolt and then crash which can put a strain on your adrenals.

Beech – For Feelings of Intolerance or Annoyance

The holidays are a time we typically see more of our extended family than usual which can present a challenge! Often family members trigger things for us which can be unnerving.  If you know you’ll be connecting with folks that have mannerisms or attributes that grate on you, but for whom you want to respond to compassionately, try Beech.

Honeysuckle – For Feelings of Nostalgia

If you or a loved one has recently moved, lost someone, or just won’t be with family or friends this holiday season, Honeysuckle may be a helpful remedy. Honeysuckle is indicated for those that aren’t fully present because they are constantly reflecting back to other places and people from times gone past.  This may happen by default during a viewing of It’s a Wonderful Life. 

Rescue Remedy – The Old Standby

Rescue Remedy is the only blend of flower remedies in the system.  It was created by Dr. Bach, the founder, to provide relief during times of emergency, which is open for interpretation and can be anything from being on a plane preparing for takeoff, to getting a crown worked on, to overdrawing the checking account. For our furry friends an emergency can be getting left with a pet sitter or even going to the groomers.

If you’d like more specific information on the remedies or are interested in a custom blend send me an email and we’ll chat.

Wishing a very happy holiday to you and yours!

In balance,

Jenica

Sometimes a practice can benefit from instruction or collaboration.

A practice is generally referred to as “habit or custom” as well as “a repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency.” While a practice can be a craft, skill, trade or profession it can also be considered a meditation, a discipline, or a commitment. In all cases, it involves continuous time and energy, as well as focus and patience which, with all the distractions of modern life, it seems that nearly everybody could benefit from. For these reasons I believe that “having a practice” of any variety, is a worthwhile pursuit for anyone.

Practicing something, whether it’s gardening or guitar, enables an individual to exercise not only their focus and patience but also their need for self-acceptance. Perhaps most important of all, it provides people with powerful evidence of progress which can lead to stronger self-worth. At the same time having a practice can take people within for solitary reflection and at other times can benefit greatly from collaboration with others. I’ve seen this in a recent recommitment I’ve made to yoga; one of the key practices in my life.

As a registered yoga teacher I’ve received many hours of yoga training and have provided yoga instruction for individuals ranging in age from 18 to 90. So recently when I joined the local YMCA in order to attend yoga classes, rather than teach them, I pondered why I was seeking instruction for something I already knew how to do. As I thought about it I discovered that I wanted yoga to be even more of a habit in my life than it currently was, which attending frequent classes would accomplish, but I also had the goal of acquiring a greater proficiency, which I hoped would come from quality instruction by other teachers.

In only two weeks, I have seen my yoga practice evolve to the next level, simply by joining my energies with those of others engaged in the practice, as well as being open to learning alternative styles and techniques from my instructors. For me personally, I realized that what my practice needed most at this time was the incorporation of the collaborative experience. At other times in my life, I’ve found the greatest rewards in personal practices in which I was my own best teacher.

Whatever the case for you at this juncture, I encourage you to practice, practice, practice.

In balance,
Jenica

Have you ever noticed how similar the cross section of a carrot looks to the very part of our body that we know carrots help; the human eye?

By now most everyone has grown accustomed to hearing about the Law of Attraction. A great many folks associated with the new age movement have been teaching about it and many have adopted it as an idea that resonates.  Recently I was talking with a homeopath in my area and he was telling me about one of the tenets of homeopathy; the Law of Similars. It struck me how similar (forgive the pun) the Law of Attraction is to the Law of Similars. Both strongly contend that like attracts like.  In fact, Esther and Jerry Hicks, authors of The Law of Attraction even purport that our clichés, such as “Birds of a feather flock together,” hint at our innate understanding of the idea of like attracts like.

Homeopathy’s founder Samuel Hahnemann, proposed that substances that cause a certain effect in the body, can be used to treat that very effect when used in minute quantities.  For example, the homeopathic remedy influenzinum contains minute quantities of influenza (the flu virus) and is believed to assist the body in overcoming the symptoms of flu. If you think about it, this is much like allopathic medicine’s vaccine. The Materia Medica, homeopathy’s reference guide,  is filled with homeopathic remedies that are used to treat ailments you would think they would cause. The substance used in the remedy is like the ailment the remedy is for.

As a flower essence therapist I am accustomed to this idea because Bach, the originator of the essences, was greatly influenced by the work of Samuel Hahnemann.  As Bach formulated his own system of healing, which addressed mental and emotional issues, he quite intuitively looked at the characteristics of plants and knew the similar characteristics in people, that they would treat.  The Bach flower remedy Holly is used for anger and aggression, something we all feel from time to time.  This prickly disposition is treated with a plant that is covered in prickly, jagged edges; the Holly bush. We can also take the example of Wild Oat, a tall, pliable plant that waves every which way in the wind.  From the standpoint of Bach Flower Therapy, it is used to treat an individual who can’t choose a course and instead waves in and out of many pursuits. Interesting that we also have the cliché “Sow your wild oats” for when someone can’t commit.

The Law of Similars can also be seen in food and its benefits for the human body. Walnuts, which have two sides that resemble the two hemispheres of the brain are known to have good oils that help with cognition.  Kidney beans are tonifying to the kidney, carrots – which resemble the retina- help the eyes, and bright red tomato sauce and paste help the heart.  In foods, flower essences and homeopathy there are many, many more examples of this law in action.  The Law of Attraction takes this understanding and extends it to the energetic sphere  of thought and emotion, which is much harder to see and even harder to prove, but is still as easy to act on as eating a carrot.  Next time you are grappling with an issue, be it physical, mental or emotional, consider The Law of Similars and how it might inform your course of action.

In Balance,

Jenica

Watch for patterns to emerge as you look back at jobs you've held.

While it’s risky to step out and attempt a new career, or pursue a hobby as a source of money, it’s equally if not more dicey, to expect security from an employer.  In addition, the ability to use your unique skills and follow your true interests typically challenges and satisfies so much more than following directives, especially one’s you don’t believe in. The key is determining which of your many interests and talents to pursue.

One technique I’ve found helpful is to write down all the jobs you’ve ever held and look for a motif to emerge.  Next, jot down roles or duties you may not have initially been hired for, but you ended up doing once your employer knew your strengths.  Look for patterns both in the job position as well as those extra tasks you were given.

Once you’ve begun to see one or two key strengths that you’ve put to use before and you’d like to use again, begin to think about creating a new

role for yourself in which you offer these skills to your community and/or the world. Be inventive, be authentic and be aware that you may create a brand new role (service), or perhaps you’ll be led to a traditional role that is new in the sense that you’ve never attempted it.  Either way, you’ll have a jumping off point from which to research possibilities.

Even if you’re feeling fulfilled in your work it can be helpful to connect with skills and talents you’ve always had (but never fully pursued), because they may make good sources for alternate streams of income or perhaps they could lead you to create a product which could lead to passive income. It seems that everyone could use a bit of that! Another added benefit could be a more balanced life, particularly if your career requires that you work mostly on the computer, and your side interest might take you out of the office and engaging in the world more physically or socially.

Doing what you love is an important factor in living a healthy, balanced and joyful life on an individual level but I also see it as a vital element in contributing to the healing of our world.  Entrepreneurs and small businesses often have an important function in building community, something I feel will be of increasing significance in times to come.  As big business folds more and more and we are able to reclaim our ecology, small town economies, and political system, self-employment – whether part or full-time  – will be an instrumental piece in building a new, more balanced, sustainable and equitable world.

In balance,

Jenica

Gear up for cold weather by making kindling bundles.

Go for an autumn walk and collect pine cones, pine needles and crisp autumn leaves.  Wrap your finds in newspaper or used tissue paper and tie the ends with twine. If you’re so inclined, write wishes or affirmations on the paper before wrapping the bundles and focus on these goals when you burn them.

Pumpkins and squash are delicious, healthy and in abundance this time of year.

Eat up the orange and red.

Pumpkins, butternut squash, apples and other fall crops are high in fiber and nutrient dense.  Try mixing them in a pureed soup with curry, coconut milk and veggie or chicken broth.  Or steam and combine them in a pie seasoned with cinnamon and topped with candied walnuts. Mmmm…

Clear clutter as you shift your wardrobe.

It’s time to move scarves, coats and hats to the forefront and move summer attire to the back. Why not take a couple hours to toss anything you didn’t wear this summer in a pile that you can then donate to a local shelter or sell at a consignment clothing store.  Even more fun would be to organize a clothing exchange with your friends.

Make an immune boosting tea to keep colds and flu at bay.

Astragalus is my favorite immune-enhancing herb and works wonders in keeping me healthy during the fall and winter seasons.  Consider making a tea of your favorite herbs that aid the immune system (Echinacea, Goldenseal, Rose Hips) and mix with rooiboos or green tea.  (It’s important to talk to a trusted health professional before taking herbs or supplements).

Attend a cider pressing or mull some store-bought.

If you live in an area where there’s an apple harvest see if there’s a cider pressing you can take part in.  If there aren’t apples in your neck of the woods, purchase some good store bought cider and some mulling spices and let them simmer stovetop to fill your home with a sweet, spicy aroma. A few sips is sure to take a cold edge off.

Enjoy this harvest season,

Jenica

Physical exercise can be a healthy and effective means for releasing negative feelings.

Conflict and confrontation can be two of the biggest balance busters, but having some coping mechanisms in your toolbox can go a long way toward helping you keep your cool and maintain your health and well being during a difficult difference of opinion.  Regardless of whether a dispute is with a spouse, friend or business associate the following methods can be employed to help you stay balanced.

1)       Get clear about how you feel.  Are you feeling frustrated, disappointed, slighted or confused? If it’s hard to determine what you’re feeling, try using a feeling chart.  Knowing how you feel is the first step in allowing your needs and desires to be effectively understood and communicated.

2)      Move the energy.  Energy is powerful, and negative energy has the power to make you sick if you don’t release it from the body.  Try doing something physical that corresponds with the emotion you’re feeling, for example; a vigorous walk for frustration, restorative Yoga for sadness, hitting a punching bag for anger, or core-strengthening Pilates for feelings of victimization.

3)      Express yourself. Once you’ve taken the time to get clear and get centered it should be less challenging to express your feelings in a constructive way. Staying focused on the needs of yours that are not being met (and how to ask that they be considered) is key, according to communication expert Marshall Goldberg.  Consult his landmark text Nonviolent Communication for excellent guidance on empathic and effective communication.

4)     Take extra care of yourself. During and after a challenging conflict or confrontation remember to do the things that keep your mind calm and your immune system bolstered. For natural ways to promote calm try taking a bath with lavender essential oil, listening to a soothing CD, meditating or taking Rescue Remedy, a natural remedy effective in promoting relaxation and sleep which, along with good nutrition and taking a high quality multi-vitamin, assists in strengthening the body’s defenses.

5)      Envision the best outcome.  Focusing on and intending your desired outcome is one of the best approaches to conflict resolution.  Thinking about the best outcome creates positive chemical responses in the body and mind and sets the wheels in motion for aligning your words and actions with that outcome.  When visualizing a resolution consider the question “what outcome would be for the highest good?”

In Balance, Jenica

Organic yogurt is abundant with probiotics.

Given the origins of their name (Pro-Latin for “in favor of”-and biotic-Greek for “pertaining to life”) we can deduce that these organisms are advocates of vitality.  Indeed, probiotics are our body’s tiny yet tremendously powerful balance boosters. For centuries probiotics were simply consumed by way of cultured foods.  The book Nourishing Traditions provides a thorough account of how foods such as yogurt, kefir, tempeh, kimchi and  sauerkraut were eaten regularly in their respective regions and thus supplied highly helpful bacteria to their consumers.

However with the advent of refrigeration fewer foods were cultured, and with pasteurization and processing of much of our food supply many good cultures were removed (along with vitamins and minerals). At the same time our foods have more sugar (according to the FDA the average American ingests 20 tsp of added sugar everyday) and less fiber (which is stripped from grains such as white flour and white rice). In addition, the consumption of antibiotics, both intentionally for infection, and inadvertently through our food supply (which is laced with antibiotics found in conventionally raised meat and dairy products), kills off good bacteria.

Probiotics are natural aids to the digestive tract.

Enter yeast. Yeast and other pathogens thrive in an environment of excess sugar, including sugars found in alcohol and fruit, and thus easily flourish in the Standard American Diet (aptly abbreviated SAD). Without probiotics-yeast’s natural foe-yeast is allowed to thrive in our bodies and in doing so wreak all kinds of havoc. Yeast and good bacteria both vie for space in the host body, particularly in the intestinal tract; yeast consuming sugars and emitting toxins into the bloodstream and probiotics breaking down foods and enabling more thorough digestion, assimilation and elimination.

When I discovered probiotics I was absolutely amazed at the instantaneous relief I got from an array of ailments that were all rooted in my imbalanced intestinal environment.  After one week I had clearer skin, less bloating and greatly improved digestion and elimination.  Once I became educated I began consuming probiotics daily in an effort to obtain yeast/probiotic equilibrium and looked into ways to include more good bacteria into my diet by consuming cultured yogurt, cottage cheese and other foods.  I am not a proponent of daily supplementation use for life so I now weigh my consumption of whole and cultured foods with that of sugary foods and alcohol and take probiotics when I know the scales to be off kilter.

There is abundant literature on clinical trials which have shown probiotics to help all sorts of ailments such as Crohn’s, IBS, Vaginitis/Yeast Infections, Thrush, colic in babies, weakened immune systems and more, and the World Health Organization agrees that probiotics “confer a health benefit on the host..” If you think you may benefit from the use of probiotics talk to your doctor or naturopath.  Be sure to look for probiotics that are high in the billions per serving and ideally are refrigerated.  New Chapter, Ethical Nutrients and Bio K all offer high quality options.

In Balance,

Jenica

A pot of garbanzo beans fresh from the solar oven

Solar cooking (harnessing the heat of the sun to cook food in a solar or sun oven) is a triple treat for me because it enables me to conserve energy, enjoy the outdoors more and cook delicious food all at once!  If you haven’t yet tried solar cooking (or have never even heard of it) read on for tips on why and how to get started.

Aside from the obvious benefits; saving energy and therefore money, solar cooking has many other added incentives.  It enables you to:

1) save time by letting food cook while you do something else

2) cook and pasteurize water wherever you are (on the beach, at the park, camping)

3) cook with less water and fat since the sun cooking method draws out the natural liquids (and flavors!) of foods,

4) feel empowered and keep cooking should you have brownouts or blackouts

5) be kinder to the environment, and

6) have fun in the sun!

My sun oven collecting rays

Perhaps the easiest way to get started is to purchase a solar oven from a sun oven manufacturer.  Some of the most well known manufacturers and sun oven proponents are The Solar Oven Society and Solar Cookers International.  They offer different models, all very affordable, and they use some of their profits in humanitarian efforts bringing solar cooking to developing countries where need is great.  Without the need to cook over a fire, women are freed up from traveling miles to gather firewood and they no longer suffer from respiratory issues related to cooking over a fire in closed in spaces such as huts of caves.  126 countries and counting have benefited.

If you’re excited about trying solar cooking, but don’t want to purchase a ready made oven there are ways to make them out of simple supplies that you may be able to find around your house such as cardboard, tin foil, glue and document clips.  A thorough discussion on various sun ovens that can be built at home, along with diagrams and instructions can be found in the book Cooking with Sunshine which is also a rich source of recipes.

Speaking of recipes, the ones that you can make in a sun oven include recipes for meat dishes (yep, with practice omnivores can make everything from a quick fish fillet to a slow cooked pulled pork), breads, cakes, cookies and all sorts of vegetable and grain dishes.  Virtually anything you can imagine cooking in your oven and many things you cook on your stove top (rice pilaf, sauteed green beans, thai curry) can be cooked in a sun oven.

That being said, my suggestion once you’ve made or purchased an oven, is to start with a simple pot of beans.  Beans are a long, slow cooking food and as such lend themselves well to solar cooking, particularly if you want to cook for several hours without checking up on them.  Try following these tips and you’ll be amazed at the outcome.

1) Soak your chosen bean (garbanzo, black, pinto, navy) overnight in cold water.

A thermometer in your sun oven is crucial

2) In the morning set your sun oven out to preheat (facing directly into the sun).

3) Meanwhile, rinse the beans with cold water and add them to a preferably black enamel or clear glass pot (white and metal reflect heat away).

4) Add enough water so that there’s about an inch of water over the top.  If you’d like, add some sea salt and a digestion enhancer such as a piece kombu, a bay leaf, or cumin.

5) When your sun oven has reached 150 degrees, place your pot of beans into the preheated sun oven to cook . Let cook for several hours and, if

possible, go out every half hour to an hour to rotate your oven  to face the moving sun, thereby helping your beans to cooking faster and more efficiently.  If you are not going to be home for several hours, position your oven at the best possible angle for catching the most sun, particularly at zenith. (You just want to ensure that your beans stay at 150 degrees or above until you are able to remove them).

6) Remove your pot of beans when it appears done, which is usually accomplished in about 2-3 hours in a commercial sun oven, and more like 4-5 in a home built sun oven.

7) Guestimate, have fun, and enjoy cooking with sunshine!