How on earth did I get there: captivated by a room full of people slowly and mindfully eating raisins? This is what I thought when I first attempted the practice of mindfulness. I would never have guessed that slowly squishing a raisin around in my mouth, becoming aware of the texture and mindful of the flavors, would yield all that much. At the time, my initial response was, “You have got to be kidding! What a waste of time. We all know what raisins taste like.” But something at a deeper level resonated with me and so I stayed. Very soon I realized that, in all of my busyness in life, I … [Read more...]
Mindfulness: A Key to Making Lasting Positive Changes
It takes more than knowing "the right" things to do to make lasting positive changes in your life? Knowing what is health promoting doesn’t always translate into doing what is health promoting. For example, we all know that smoking and eating too much sugar is unhealthy. We know that exercise is good for us. We know that we need adequate sleep each night. We know that we need more whole foods and less processed foods and we know that we should drink at least 8 ounces of water a day. This isn’t new news. To actually put a change into effect in our lives it takes more than just knowing … [Read more...]
A Recipe For Joy
It is that time of year again… the time to gather together with our family and friends and give thanks. For Thanksgiving this year in my home, we are hosting a small gathering of friends and family. If all goes well, the turkey will be moist, the sweet potatoes soft, the cranberries with just the right amount of tartness, and the salad crisp. But I have decided to add a new recipe to our celebration this year: a recipe for intentionally creating joy. … [Read more...]
Listen To Your Body
Your body knows something. Can you listen to what it is trying to tell you? Often we are too busy thinking, too busy talking, and just plain too busy to listen. We aren't trained to listen to our bodies. Instead, we are taught how to tune out, numb, push through, and ignore. Have a headache? Take a Tylenol. Tired? Drink some coffee. Stomachache? Pop an antacid. We treat the symptoms and bypass the opportunity to listen more deeply to what our bodies are trying to communicate. … [Read more...]
Eating with Peace
The foods we eat can either facilitate healing or contribute to illness and inflammation. But, it is not just what we eat that matters, how we eat is also essential for the cultivation health. Are you hurried when you eat? Are you angry? Anxious? Resentful? Sad? Feeling worthless? What is your state of mind when you eat, and why does it matter? … [Read more...]