Today’s exercise is a contribution from nutritional counselor and healer, Sharon Rosen.

Eat.

Now you get to love your body by eating — yay! But it’s not about gorging or indulging or “treating” yourself. It is about feasting in a very specific way on one individual piece of food, so you can enter into a true relationship with it on every level.

How often do you fully experience every nuance of what you are eating as you are eating it?

Your task:   While you can bring mindful awareness to any meal, for this exercise you’re going to do it with a single piece of fruit.

• First, take the fruit you have chosen and hold it in your hand. Feel the weight of it, the texture of the skin, the shape of its contours.

• Then look at this piece of fruit; really see the gradations of color and size, examining the stem end that was once connected to a tree.

• Next bring it to your nose and inhale its fragrance.

• Is it a fruit you can simply bite into or does it need to be peeled? When you take that first bite, bring all of your awareness to the activity and stop at one.

• Feel the texture of what has just come into your mouth — let the juiciness and flavor play on your tongue and palate. Chew slowly and thoroughly, until the texture becomes something different. Wait until you have gotten all you can from that one bite before swallowing and moving on to the next.

• Take each bite as if it is the first…breathe and enjoy engaging fully with this ripe, delicious, life-giving piece of fruit. Experience it as it goes from your mouth down your esophagus and into your stomach. Envision it sending vitality and nourishment to all of your cells. Enjoy every delicious nuance!

Step it up:  If you already do this exercise every day, call me!  If you really enjoy it try it again.  Bring mindful awareness to other meals throughout the day.

What was this like for you?  Which fruit did you smell/taste/experience?  What did you notice?

xo

Go on over to deepeningwisdom.com to sign up!

Here’s how it will work. 

• You’ll be assigned a daily prompt (Monday through Friday) with a brief exercise that touches on one of the many aspects of self-care.
• The weekends will be a time for special challenges that require a bit more thoughtful attention.
• Prompts will be posted the night before so you have plenty of time to prepare.
• You’ll get the first one Sunday evening, January 1st, 2012 and will go through the 31st.

Don’t wait!  Click here to sign up now! xoxo

• On high heat, saute diced onions and leeks in heavy stock pot with olive oil.
• Add chicken and sofrito (you can substitute with adobo or granulated garlic for flavor).
• Reduce heat and cook until browned (10 minutes).  Stir the ingredients occasionally.
• Add chopped turnips and carrots.  Keep stirring so ingredients don’t stick.
• Add 8 cups of water.
• Add slices of celery root, two whole cloves of garlic and 4 more cups of water.
• On high heat, bring soup to a boil.
• Add pearled barley. (If you want a really thick soup use 2 cups barley).
• Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 30-40 minutes.
• Check soup and that barley is fully cooked. Add up to two more cups of water, if needed.
• Add 1 tsp sea salt or adobo (not both– most adobo blends have a high salt content)
• Add chopped escarole and turn off heat. Greens will wilt in the hot soup– no need to overcook.

Enjoy!

xo Eloiza

• We are mammals and are bodies are built to push our babies out
• Being healthy (eating nutritious foods) and fit (regularly exercising) help prepare your body to give birth
• Knowledge is power- a good childbirth education class is key
• Women need support- a doula and midwife or supportive OB

Natural Ways to Induce Labor

walking
sex
evening primrose oil
red raspberry tea
nipple stimulation
** acupuncture (my favorite)
castor oil

These are just the methods I used.  You should certainly do your own research and get the advice of professionals.  Best of luck to you!

xo Eloiza

** Special thanks to my skillful and knowledgable doula Bonu Decaries

So how about you?

Are you allowing yourself to enter into the energy and vitality of this season?

What is lying dormant that’s ready to spring forth?

What wisdom is wanting to emerge in the world?

What color are you blooming?

What shape are the petals?

How deep are the roots?

Are you twisty like a vine, reaching ever upwards?

Thorny with a tough bark with vibrant petals?

**********

Let me be clear, it’s not about more striving or making a better plan.

It’s not about self-improvement.

It’s about pausing, going deeper, listening to what’s being called forth.

What’s asking for attention?  What would really make you happy(er)?  What helps you feel alive?

Have no idea?  That’s good!  Even more of an indication that checking in with the wisdom of your heart, your body, your spirit, your higher self is what’s necessary.

Loosen the hard earth, water the roots,  tend to the saplings, remove the weeds, examine the richness of the soil…

It is scary stuff and  infinitely more satisfying than going forward blindly, unconsciously or asleep, I promise.

***********

Need some support transitioning into this season of growth, expansion and blossoming?

I am offering a special coaching package for the month of May.  Your first session is complimentary.  The next three sessions (one per week) you pay what you choose.  Seriously, anything between $1 and $500 a session.

Why flexible fees?  I am so passionate about this work and sharing the gifts of greater authenticity and connection.  And money should not be an obstacle to growth and healing.  I want to connect with women who are needing support in  uncovering more beauty, passion, aliveness, laughter, hope, and action in their lives…  xo

CLICK HERE to get started.

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 7,200 times in 2010. That’s about 17 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 24 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 50 posts. There were 216 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 200mb. That’s about 4 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was October 19th with 71 views. The most popular post that day was Delicious Black Bean Recipe.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were forums2.gardenweb.com, facebook.com, holisticfamilia.com, wombtobloom.com, and mail.live.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for beans, black bean, ginger root, black beans, and queso frito.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

Delicious Black Bean Recipe November 2008
4 comments

Homemade Gripe Iced Tea May 2009
2 comments

Queso Frito (fried cheese) March 2010
2 comments

Dr. Randolph Stone’s Liver Flush And Purifying Diet January 2009
2 comments

Sofrito! February 2009
7 comments

What you need:

2 bunches of greens (collards, kale, mustard greens)

1 leek

salt

1/4 c. olive oil

1/8 c. balsamic vinegar

Chop the leek and saute in bottom of large pan on medium-high heat.

Chop greens v e r y thinly, using a large sharp knife.

Add chopped greens to leeks.

** The trick is to keep turning greens over so that they get cooked but are not just simmering in the pan. Your goal is to coat the greens in the oil/leek mixture and cook greens just long enough until tender but NOT so long they lose their precious color and nutrients…

You’re done.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3-4 lb chicken

2-3 medium sized potatoes

1 medium turnip or rutabaga

2-3 large carrots

1 small acorn squash

1-2  medium yams

1 medium onion

2 tsps adobo seasoning (or salt, pepper and garlic powder, paprika)

olive oil

2 cups water

The last time I made this I simply added what I had leftover from our last CSA delivery.  This included a purple potatoes, a rutabaga and 2-3 smallish kohlrabi.  This recipe is really foolproof.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop all the veggies in to bite-sized pieces (except for the acorn squash which can be quartered).

Place about half of the chopped veggies in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with 1 tsp of adobo.

Rinse the bird and then sprinkle with seasonings. Place the chicken in the center of the pan.

Add the rest of the veggies to the pan.  Place the squash in the corners of the pan.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Add 1-2 cups of water to the bottom of the pan.

Cover with foil and place into the oven. Cook for 1 hour.  Remove the foil and roast until chicken browns.

All you need is a side of a green vegetable and you have an entire meal!

Shh, don’t tell anyone it’s made without any sugar!  This yummy recipe is made with maple syrup and honey instead.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Start  with 7 – 10 apples (I substituted two Bosc pears for two apples).

Chop into bite-sized pieces and layer in a 9×13 casserole dish.

Sprinkle 1/2 tsp ground ginger,  1/2 tsp cinammon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg plus 1/4 – 1/2 cup maple syrup (use at least 1/2 cup of liquid, add water if you use less maple syrup). Mix well and set aside.

Melt 1/2 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup almond butter in small saucepan.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix 1 cup flour and 1 1/2 cups rolled oats.  Add 1/2 tsp ground ginger,  1/2 tsp cinammon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg to dry mixture.

Pour melted ingredients over the dry ones and add 1 tbs vanilla and 1/2 cup honey. Mix well.

Evenly spread oatmeal mixture on top of apples.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Enjoy!