Inexpensive Food Face Regimen.

Use Milled Flaxseed for scrub. Rinse with warm water.

Yogurt face mask: Plain yogurt and Tumeric (spice) 10 minutes.

Benefits of Tumeric!!

TEN COMMANDMENTS OF YOGA

Within these “Ten Commandments of Yoga”, there is no right or wrong, no heaven or hell… simply a path to states of happiness and away from suffering and difficulty.

the yamas, or RESTRAINTS recommended actions to avoid.

• ahimsa: nonharming
• satya: truthfulness
• asteya: nonstealing
• brahmacharya: energy moderation
• aparigraha: nongrasping

the niyamas,  OBSERVANCES recommendations to strive for.

• saucha: purity
• santosha: contentment
• tapas: right effort
• svadhyaya: self-study
• Ishvara pranidhana: dedication to the highest

“The yamas are really about restraining behaviors that are motivated by grasping, aversion, hatred and delusion. The niyamas are concepts designed to create well-being for ourselves and others,” says Stephen Cope The Wisdom Yoga.

The yamas and niyamas are not steps to be followed… instead they’re merely tools. When you build a garden for instance, there are no rules to follow, it is an experiment.

Perhaps, happiness is too.

To read more on the yamas and niyamas read Yoga’s Ten Commandments below.

“The yamas are really about restraining behaviors that are motivated by grasping, aversion, hatred and delusion. The niyamas are concepts designed to create well-being for ourselves and others,” says Stephen Cope The Wisdom Yoga.

“The path of practice [of ashtanga yoga] begins with understanding the different dimensions of who you are, and it unfolds progressively, not all at once” says Gary Kraftsow a Yoga Sutra scholar. “The whole goal of yoga is Self-realization, which can be called freedom.” The yamas and the niyamas give you infinite opportunities to truly transform your life.”

The key lies in aligning your life with the yamas and niyamas. This will lead you to: peace, truth, abundance, purity, self acceptance, love, and a meaningful connection to the Divine– or Happiness.

the yamas, or RESTRAINTS recommended actions to avoid.

• ahimsa: nonharming
• satya: truthfulness
• asteya: nonstealing
• brahmacharya: energy moderation
• aparigraha: nongrasping

the niyamas,  OBSERVANCES recommendations to strive for.

• saucha: purity
• santosha: contentment
• tapas: right effort
• svadhyaya: self-study
• Ishvara pranidhana: dedication to the highest

To read more in depth about the Yamas and the Niyamas visit “Path To Happiness” on Yoga Journal.com

Namaste.

Break the “GoodJob!” Reflex!

“”What to Do Instead of Saying “Good Job!”

from codenamemama’s blog: http://m.blogher.com/7-alternatives-telling-your-child-good-job

 But even when we know the consequences of mindless praise, it’s easy to fall back on “good job!” when we’re not sure what else to say. We want to express something – pleasure, happiness, pride – but we’re not sure how. Here are a few ideas:

1. Thank You: it’s true – often we say “good job!” when our kids do something to make our lives easier. So why not just say that? “Thank you for picking up your toys. It really helps mama when you clean up your things.” “Thank you for wiping up that spill. Now I can start dinner on a clean counter.” “Thank you for playing quietly while I was on the phone. I could hear the other person clearly and was able to get off the phone quickly.”
2. Observe Rather than Evaluate: look at your child’s accomplishments as a chance to have a conversation with him. “Your tower has more red blocks than blue blocks.” Maybe your child will tell you why or will share that her favorite color is red. “You used markers and chalk in that drawing.” Maybe your child will tell you what the drawing is about.
3. Keep Playing: so your three year old just built a tall tower out of blocks. Instead of good job’ing her, ask her what she’s going to do with the tower. “That’s a tall tower, who lives there?” Or start building a tower of your own, maybe she will engage you in creative play. Playtime is a great way to connect on your child’s terms, so follow her lead – don’t just use it as an opportunity to praise her, that may stifle whatever she was trying to do with her playtime.
4. Nurture Empathy: instead of “I like the way you shared with Tim!” or “Good job for giving Katie a hug!,” use positive social interactions as an opportunity to nurture your child’s empathy skills. “[G]ently draw his attention to the effect of his action on the other person: ‘Look at Abigail’s face! She seems pretty happy now that you gave her some of your snack.’ This is completely different from praise, where the emphasis is on how you feel about her sharing.” (3) Empathy is the foundation for many vital skills and positive attitudes. It is necessary for healthy social interactions and relationships, it leads to creativity, it increases academic achievement, it reduces prejudice, and it is the root of a strong sense of environmentalism. (4)
5. Focus on the Action: instead of focusing on the result, talk about the action without adding any judgment. Simply make an observation! “You’ve been working very hard on that painting.” “You really practiced a lot on that song!”
6. Ask Questions: take an active interest in whatever your child is doing by asking them about it. “How many blocks did you use to build that tower?” “What do you want to build next?” “Why did you decide to paint his beard purple?”
7. Stay silent: Remember that it’s often the case that we want to praise, our kids don’t really need to hear it. Your child does not expect to be praised all the time – our urge to praise has been hammered into our brains. You might be amazed when your child keeps on building block towers even when you sit back and say nothing at all.

It can be tough to break the “good job!” habit – I know, I was a preschool teacher who used it all the time. But the rewards are worth it.

Do you have any tips for breaking the “good job!” habit? What do you do instead of mindlessly praising your children?””

How I cured a plugged duct and subsequent milk blister…

So there is a lot of advice out there for this type of thing… and trust me (as you may or may not already know) you will go running to Google or the nearest LC for it if and when this happens.

 

So, yeah, I knew not to wear tight shirts but I went ahead and did it… over night… bad idea. I forgot to pull back down the shirt and it proceeded to squeeze my breast for about an hour until my brain alerted me via a bizarre dream about breastfeeding Elijah and I corrected the problem by feeding E and pulling my shirt down.

Anyways, I woke up the next morning with the bottom half of my right breast full of milk and knotty! Talk about pain, and Fear! What if my baby couldn’t get milk!?!?

So here is what I did.

The Plugged Duct

1. Called the Lactation Consultant.

2. Searched the internet.

3. Nursed Elijah all I could

4. Pumped to remove blockage (Don’t do this! I unknowingly pumped away the milk from the good functioning top half.

5. Nursed Elijah again.

6. Took a hot bath and hand expressed blocked breast in the water.

7. Drank some Mother’s Milk tea and Ate a healthy meal. ( I read it is important to keep eating and drinking… I was afraid at first to do this because the pressure was enormous, however, it is good because you need the pressure to clear the blockage.)

8. Went to the LC- she told me to nurse a lot (every 2 hours) and to take some ibuprofen or acetaminophen to reduce swelling. This was great! advice I didn’t find anywhere on any of the blogs or websites.

9. Bought some organic cabbage at Mama Jean’s. (THIS IS IMPORTANT) this is a good demonstration of how to apply the cabbage! Throughout this whole time apply fresh cabbage in your bra. IT WORKS!

10. Applied heat and massaged the breast! Both a heating pack and a hot shower works here.

Eventually (about 12 hours later), there emerged at the nipple a white pimple like head. This was the clog clearing itself! Finally, during a shower, I was able to pop it and clear the duct. 

The Milk Blister aka Milk Bleb 

When I woke up, I found though the duct had cleared, there was still a white area on the nipple. Milk was coming out and Elijah had successfully drained the breast a couple times, but I was worried about this white leftover area.

SO, I called and visited the LC again. Found it was a milk blister (bleb) and went home to google.

The BEST thing to do is:

1. Clean area with a wet wipe or tea tree oil scrub. Wash hands first!

2. Apply olive oil, coconut oil or lanolin (super doper diaper doo works well)

3. Then apply cabbage. It makes a sort of poltice.

4. Keep nursing throughout!

 

Good luck and health to you.

~Ashli

‘Y-O-G-A’ is more than poses and deep breathing! Ommmm

You are familiar with the postures (asanas) of yoga, such as downward dog and the forward fold.

In your average ‘yoga’ class it is likely you also learned the importance of (pranayama) or focused and controlled breathing and meditation or (dhyana) of ashtanga however, the term yoga has been watered down by America’s instant gratification seeking masses.

Where am I in life- where am I going? Am I happy? If I’m not, how do I get happy?

…. Droves are turning to yoga for answers, buying mats and the latest in yogi fashion… but, are they missing something? Are you?

I’ll wager a guess that when you first heard the word yoga your mind immediately flew to images of tight spandex and twists and bends… Yoga, as it was originally intended, is about balancing not just your body, but your mind and spirit as well.

The great sage Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is a sort of ancient manual brimming with essential advice to guide you on your path to transformation. It is code of morals meant to bring mental and emotional balance. He described the path to enlightenment as ‘8 Fold’ and as a way of examining one’s self.

Ready to Go Deeper?

The 8 Fold Path of Classical Yoga

• YAMAS a program of restraints or abstentions
• (niyamas) lifestyle observances
• ASANAS postures
• (pranayama) breath control
• PRATYAHARA withdrawal of the senses
• (dharana) concentration
• DHYANA meditation
• absorption into the Divine (samadhi).

It may surprise you to learn that at the heart of ‘yoga’ are a code of ethics, sometimes referred to as the ten commandments… the yamas and the niyamas.

“These ethical values, of yoga, are meant to be practiced before you do your very first Sun Salutation.” Hillari Dowdle, YogaJournal.com

Within these “Ten Commandments of Yoga”, there is no right or wrong, no heaven or hell… simply a path to states of happiness and away from suffering and difficulty.

the yamas, or RESTRAINTS recommended actions to avoid.

• ahimsa: nonharming
• satya: truthfulness
• asteya: nonstealing
• brahmacharya: energy moderation
• aparigraha: nongrasping

the niyamas,  OBSERVANCES recommendations to strive for.

• saucha: purity
• santosha: contentment
• tapas: right effort
• svadhyaya: self-study
• Ishvara pranidhana: dedication to the highest

“The yamas are really about restraining behaviors that are motivated by grasping, aversion, hatred and delusion. The niyamas are concepts designed to create well-being for ourselves and others,” says Stephen Cope The Wisdom Yoga.

The yamas and niyamas are not steps to be followed… instead they’re merely tools. When you build a garden for instance, there are no rules to follow, it is an experiment.

Perhaps, happiness is too.

To read more on the yamas and niyamas read Yoga’s Ten Commandments below.

“The yamas are really about restraining behaviors that are motivated by grasping, aversion, hatred and delusion. The niyamas are concepts designed to create well-being for ourselves and others,” says Stephen Cope The Wisdom Yoga.

“The path of practice [of ashtanga yoga] begins with understanding the different dimensions of who you are, and it unfolds progressively, not all at once” says Gary Kraftsow a Yoga Sutra scholar. “The whole goal of yoga is Self-realization, which can be called freedom.” The yamas and the niyamas give you infinite opportunities to truly transform your life.”

The key lies in aligning your life with the yamas and niyamas. This will lead you to: peace, truth, abundance, purity, self acceptance, love, and a meaningful connection to the Divine– or Happiness.

the yamas, or RESTRAINTS recommended actions to avoid.

• ahimsa: nonharming
• satya: truthfulness
• asteya: nonstealing
• brahmacharya: energy moderation
• aparigraha: nongrasping

the niyamas,  OBSERVANCES recommendations to strive for.

• saucha: purity
• santosha: contentment
• tapas: right effort
• svadhyaya: self-study
• Ishvara pranidhana: dedication to the highest

To read more in depth about the Yamas and the Niyamas visit “Path To Happiness” on Yoga Journal.com

Namaste.

Kale Chip Recipe (from yogajournal magazine)

1 bunch of kale, washed and stemmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic or red win vinegar

1 TEASPOON miso

sea salt, to taste

• Chop the kale into 3 inch peices
• In a large bowl, mix oil, vinegar and miso. Toss the kale with the dressing until leaves are evenly coated.
• Line baking sheet with cooking parchment. Spread the leave in a single layer and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Place in a low-heat (175 degree) oven until dry and crips. 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

** Kale provides rich nutrition ingredients that offer protection from vitamin A deficiency, osteoporosis, iron-deficiency anemia, and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases and colon and prostate cancers.

Anxious Much? Here’s food for thought….

Have the guts to feel your anxiety

The first step in quieting your anxiety is to first realize you are anxious!

This goes hand and hand with living a more mindful life. Are there certain times that you tend to be anxious, such as in the morning when you are about to start your day or perhaps before bed?

Take this time to take 4 minutes of quiet.

Stop and Feel It

In my experiences, I have found that anxiety is triggered by many things.

Could be something as simple as a disagreement with a friend or a laundry list of things to accomplish. Whatever the reason, recognize it! Knowing is half the battle right?

Once you’ve become aware of the fact that you are anxious, make an effort to correct the feeling in the moment.

Stop whatever it is you are doing.

Take a few calm, slow deep breaths.

 Now, Grab a pen and paper.

Go find a quiet place, could be in your bedroom at the kitchen table, or- my favorite place- on the porch.

Sit quietly with your hands resting on your lap. Slowly close your eyes and let your mind drift for a moment. Imagine you are outside of yourself and are observing yourself. How do you look? How is your posture? How is your breathing? Take 3 slow deep breathes and Smile.

Time is not your jailor

You are in control of all that you do and that you are lovingly guided by the Universe. No problem is too great for you to overcome.

Take a mindful Deep Breath through your nose. Notice the breath as it enters your nose and then expands your lungs. Let your belly pooch out as much as it needs to. Then exhale through your nose. Notice the breath now as it leaves your nostrils. Slowly flex your stomach in removing as much air from your abdomen as possible.

Slowly open your eyes. The world around you seems refreshed and clearer.

 Now that you are relaxed, try to identify the root of your anxiety- remembering that you have every resource at your disposal to solve any problem. Quickly and without thinking, write down the problem. Then right down one practical thing you can do to remedy the problem and thus empower yourself.

 Say aloud: I lovingly ask the Universe to guide me, I accept and trust its Guidance.

 

 

 

 

From “The Seven Spirtual Laws of Success” by Depak Chopra

Thursday: The Law of Intention and Desire

“Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment . . . intention and desire in the field of pure potentiality have infinite organizing power. And when we introduce an intention in the fertile ground of pure potentiality, we put this infinite organizing power to work for us.

I will put the Law of Intention and Desire into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:

1. I will make a list of all my desires. I will carry this list with me wherever I go. I will look at this list before I go into my silence and meditation. I will look at it before I go to sleep at night. I will look at it when I wake up in the morning.

2. I will release this list of my desires and surrender it to the womb of creation, trusting that when things don’t seem to go my way, there is a reason, and that the cosmic plan has designs for me much grander than even those I have conceived.

3. I will remind myself to practice present-moment awareness in all my actions. I will refuse to allow obstacles to consume and dissipate the quality of my attention in the present moment. I will accept the present as it is, and manifest the future through my deepest, most cherished intentions and desires.”

Borrowed from The Chopra Center’s OnLine Library

namaste

Nirvana

I wish to swim in the ocean of my dreams _
to soar above the mountains of my regrets _
to drink the chemicals of my youth _
and to walk the path back to my innocence…
But more than that _
I’d like to be _
Within the flow_
For all Eternity _

~lunamariem