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happy mother’s day

There are books written encouraging people to get in touch with the pain and suffering remembered from childhood now manifesting as anger in their adult lives. And there are books written encouraging people to take responsibility for where they are and, if they’re not satisfied, change.

Most women are doing the best they can in caring for children. No one has said that this is a perfect world. It seems easier to recount misery than happiness when remembering childhood experiences – it could be from habit. If we take time to review our childhoods, and attempt to remember the good, along with the not so good, we might realize there was somewhat of a balance. We were loved, and fun and happiness happened too. There’s no denying that some people had miserable childhoods, and because of it they’re now allowing anger to reign supreme in their adult lives. It’s important to know, however, that the option to put one’s big girl/boy pants on, and find a way to dissolve anger in order to create a wise and wonderful, (or wacky if you like) life, is there for the taking.

That said, I want to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to women the world over who are loving and caring for children. May you all find the experience exhilerating some of the time. May you be up to the challenge most of the time. May you all have fun. and have some ridiculously humorous moments. May love envelop your entire household whether there be two or ten living together. May you all grow together. May you ask for forgiveness, and teach forgiveness, when it’s needed. May you enjoy the wonderful experience of raising children. May you not be too hard on yourselves or “them.” May you control only the things that are in your power to control, Ha Ha May you keep it simple, and realize that in the blink of an eye, those little ones will be adults. And to women of adult children, smile – for there are many reasons to smile, and you know what they are.

To all women who love and care for children, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY.

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edgar cayce

Every so often I read a book about the fascinating life of Edgar Cayce. Fascinating is an understatement because there is no one word that’s useful in describing how he was able to do what he did – tapping into the akashic records, his readings and healings, the founding of A.R.E, etcetera. Writers of books about him simply say, “he had developed a gift in former lifetimes.” (from THE OIL THAT HEALS by William A. McGarey, M.D.) It makes you think, doesn’t it? If you believe in reincarnation, and, it appears that many of us do, then living a life that adds in some way to a better world, and a better self, is the way to go.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akashic_records
www.edgarcayce.org

What a beautiful day it is. Are you enjoying it?

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let the buyer beware

There’s a gem of a natural foods store in Brooklyn called Back to the Land. The choices are excellent, and the vegetables and fruits are always fresh. There are magazines on health and spiritual matters, and pamphlets on upcoming workshop events, are there for the taking. I want to bring this store back to Philadelphia with me.

The last time I was in Back to the Land, I picked up the Better Nutrition April 2008 issue, and saw the article Best of beauty awards WINNERS 2008 on page 58. In the article Barbara Close, the founder of Naturopathica www.naturopathica.com/barbstory.html, and the author of PURE SKIN: Organic Beauty Basics, said companies have started to remove “questionable ingredients” from their products, and “urges customers to steer clear whenever possible” of the following list of chemicals:

*Diethanolamine (DEA)
*Momoethanolamine (MEA)
*FD&C color pigments
*Imidazolidinyl urea and DMDM
hydantoin
*Petrochemicals
*Parabens
*Polyethylene glycol
*Propylene glycol
Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and
sodium laureth sulfate

Back in Philly I was at Whole Foods and bought a BWC product. There were the words:   “botanical formula,” extra gentle” and “100% vegetarian” on the package – soothing words, right? Then I read the list of ingredients, and saw that the “beauty without cruelty” BWC eye make-up remover had that word parabens. Uh-oh. Caveat emptor.

The next time I was at WF, I asked, “Why is Whole Foods selling products containing parabens? And the answer was . . . “Companies have two years to get toxic chemicals out of their products.” and . . . “You can get your money back.”

Meanwhile at the check-out counter, a small tube of Tom’s of Maine toothpaste was offered free. Tom’s . . . “The secret to a naturally healthy, fresh feeling mouth starts right here.” Nothing was mentioned of the one other ingredient listed on the tube, sodium lauryl sulfate.

Toxic chemicals . . .  it’s a challenge to find ways to lessen their impact. We don’t want fear to enter the picture because the power of the mind is too precious to waste on fear, better to use it to come up with solutions for a cleaner world. I like Ode Magazine because their articles are about solutions to problems. And in the April issue are a few articles relating  to the ways individuals from all walks of life around the world, each in their own way, are contributing to a cleaner and better world. We can all do that; we just need to get started. We tend to forget that we human beings are amazingly resilient, much stronger, and have more power than we can ever imagine.
www.odemagazine.co

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I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.
-Louisa May Alcott

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philadelphia

Last night I got up from a warm cozy bed because I couldn’t sleep. Does that happen to you? I broke my reading rule to not read anything before bed that stirs the mind in different directions. I’m glad I had a very old Hitchcock movie, RICH AND STRANGE, to watch. The actors’ exaggerated expressions, whether the movie is comedy or drama, leads to laughter. www.hitchcock100.com

I’ve been noticing that Philadelphia’s numerous museums are waiting for tourist buses to bring the people. Hallelujah, tourists are back. Winter has said its last goodbye, and the city’s looking alive again. People are walking, observing, and asking for directions. The meat and potato eaters will notice and delight in the many restaurants catering to their tastes. The music playing from churches will reach the ears of tourists passing by, perhaps giving their legs a sweet boost.

Lovely Rittenhouse Square Park is soaking up the activity. People are relaxing on the benches and on the grass, painters are painting, observers of life are sitting and simply watching, readers are reclining and smiling over a passage perhaps from a favorite book, snackers are enjoying munching under a blue sky. There’s a sense of dusting off the cold, and savoring the new season.
www.HelloPhiladelphia.com
www.gophila.com
www.philadelphia.com

The lesson learned late last night is perfectly clear – time to forget reading for a while – it’s the weekend, and the wonders of life are calling.

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imagine

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– Mark Twain
www.twainquotes.com
www.marktwainhouse.org

The above quote can be used for almost anything we want to accomplish in our lives, whether it be changing jobs, changing profession, dropping out of school, returning to school, marrying, deciding not to marry, having children, adopting, deciding not to have children, staying together, deciding to divorce, losing weight, living abroad, founding an organization, buying an apartment or house, letting go of grief, investing in our health, changing beliefs, – it can be a very, very long list. And that’s a very good thing. People who have been at the crossroads of transition, help us to believe and trust that we can all do what they’ve done.

“You can have, be, and do whatever you will or desire. The only thing stopping you is the accumulation of negative thoughts and feelings which you are subconsciously holding. Remove those, and you remove the blocks to your accomplishing whatever you wish in life.

Remove those, and you will find happiness, satisfaction, and joy beyond your wildest dreams.

Remove those, and you are free.” – Lester Levenson

“Too often people set their lives by the calendar. It takes all the fun out of life.”
– John Glenn

“Security is not the meaning of my life. Great opportunities are worth the risk.”
– Shirley Hufstedler

“Walk down as many roads as possible.”
– Phil Cousineau
www.philcousineau.net

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better and better

Many people are in agreement that a healthier way of life is what they want. And because so much information is available in abundance in the marketplace, e.g., such as in the form of information humorously communicated in the easy to read book SKINNY BITCH by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, it’s highly possible that our health will get better and better when we start taking control of it. And in our exhilarating quest for health, let’s not forget the importance of a healthy mind. Reading a SETH BOOK THE NATURE OF PERSONAL REALITY by Jane Roberts, or a similar one, brings us to the realization that many of our beliefs are not benefiting us (that’s putting it very mildly), and that we can change them, and allow for a healthier way to be in this life. Sounds good?

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chinese pie

Often when I prepare Chinese Pie I think of my mother, and I smile because she left me with an incredibly simple way of preparing a meal many people have enjoyed for as long as I’ve been serving it. When people first hear the name, they question it to the point where conversation about it continues on into quite a few mouthfuls. I tell people that I think the name originated in Canada since the recipe was in the hands of quite a few French Canadians of my mother’s generation who could turn two items – ground beef and potatoes – into a variety of delectable meals using different spices, vegetables, shapes and cooking methods.

The recipe is foolproof, time after time, guests praise it, and on their return, request it. The request part is the all-important part because without it, you’re left wondering, did they really like it? So, the next time you’re laboring over the what’s for dinner question, perhaps you’ll think Chinese Pie.

This is the recipe, quantity of ingredients can easily be added or subtracted, without interferring with its original taste. Don’t be concerned by the simple ingredients – once you’ve prepared it, and enjoyed it, you’ll be fine. Of course, your vegan and raw foodist friends will not be happy. Another time we’ll attend to their palates. ha ha

Shop for:
1 1/2 lbs of organic ground beef
1 large organic onion, chopped
2 organic garlic cloves, diced
1 frozen package of organic corn
1 can creamed corn
4 large organic potatoes – I usually add more because most people can’t seem to get enough of mashed potatoes
1 pyrex dish for a comfortable fit of ingredients

cooking:
saute onion for a few minutes before adding the chopped garlic, continue sauteeing til onion is lightly browned
set onion and garlic aside, and saute the organic ground beef, drain
mix the packaged corn with the canned creamed corn
cook potatoes (Optional: add as many unpeeled garlic cloves as you want to the water – this is a new addition) When cooked, mash potatoes and peeled garlic with Celtic salt and pepper, using either milk or the water potatoes and garlic were cooked in to make it a creamy consistency
preheat oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

preparation:
thoroughly mix the sauteed onion and garlic with the sauteed ground beef and place in the bottom of the pyrex dish
put the thoroughly mixed corn on top
top and lightly spread with the mashed potatoes and garlic
put into preheated oven for about 40 minutes, depending on whether you’ve added or substracted from the ingredients. When juices are gently bubbling and potatoes are fairly hot, not crusty, the Chinese Pie is ready.

A beautifully-made organic salad and warm crusty, not doughy, French or Italian bread are a scrumptious addition.

Prepare with lots of love and enjoy.

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something of interest?

I’ve a small list of websites. They are not in any particular order. Please have fun clicking and anticipating, perhaps they’ll be something new, soothing, helpful, interesting, fun, informative, and/or inspiring for your body mind spirit. Maybe you’ll find just what you want. That would be wonderful.

www.enamore.co.uk
www.orionmagazine.org
www.slowtrav.com
www.theslowhome.com
www.whygoodthingshappen.com
www.insightprisonproject.org
www.patchadams.org
www.neads.org
www.acaciacatalog.com
www.edbegley.com
www.tomkenyon.com
www.gaialovegraffiti.com

Have a lovely day.

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illicit, moises naim

When I watched the PBS documentary called ILLICIT I became increasingly saddened. And I wondered why so many people are using all kinds of methods to fill their pockets with millions and millions, at times billions, of dollars at the expense of human beings and our planet? I watched an hour’s worth of talk on money laundering, copied goods transported around the world (including medicines), killings for profit, people used as slaves with no apparent means of freeing themselves, And I thought “the truth hurts” can be applied here. Then I got really antsy as I saw all the confiscated stuff being destroyed, and began wondering about the earth with all the destroyed confiscated stuff being thrown at it. So much was going on in this PBS documentary that it started to become difficult to watch.

The documentary was based on Moises Naim’s book ILLICIT which was named “One of the Best Books of 2005” by the Washington Post. www.moisesnaim.com .

It’s been said many times that the BIG rule of life is to not violate ourselves or others. And though some think that lining their pockets with money gotten by illicit means is okay, it would seem that the Intelligence of the Universe will one day catch up with them. It’s amazing that some think the whole purpose of life is to satisfy their needs with ludicrous amounts of consumption. If they were to look around and see the earth and its beauty, and the way the Energy that created and guides it does so in harmony, tranquility, peace, joy, and if they were to go off by themselves for a time, and recapture the other part of themselves, maybe they’d understand that “conspicuous consumption” is a substandard way of living, and one day they just might have to pay the piper.

The simple truth is that more and more is not the answer. If our hearts are empty, and we don’t allow the beauty of the world, and its people to enter, then no amount of stuff will help.

It’s true that, on a small scale, many of us are guilty of using, or purchasing, copied goods. We think it’s only a small offense, or, it’s so easy, we don’t think about it at all. But . . . “One illicit . . . transaction always leads to another.” -Burke

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rev. michael bernard beckwith and rickie byars beckwith

Spending a day in a workshop with Rev. Michael Beckwith and Ricky Beckwith on Friday was a day with lots of sunshine, even though it was cloudy and misty outside. Being Fearless was the name of the 11,12,13 April event sponsored by Omega at the Sheraton Hotel in Manhattan. And on Friday, Sumi, Emi and I attended the Pre-Conference Intensive with Michael Beckwick who nourished our souls as we listened, meditated, prayed, sang, asked questions, heard the answers and left singing. And we listened to composer and singer Ricky Beckwith’s beautiful songs and voice, heard her utterly contagious laugh, enjoyed her ability to elicit more from the topic being discussed, and were tickled pink by her humor.

Spending a day with Michael Beckwith who lives from a spiritual center quickly opens one’s heart. The questions asked by participants and the answers that unfolded allowed for those aha moments which usually don’t come so easily when we’re on our own to ask and answer.

The Keynote speakers for the weekend were: Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith, Rickie Byars Beckwith, Mia Farrow, Zev Kedem, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Anne Lamott, Caroline Myss, Valerie Plame Wilson, Noah benShea, Tara Brach, PhD, Seane Corn, Debbie Ford, Erica Ariel Fox, Carla Goldstein, JD, Andrew Harvey, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Gurushabd Singh Khalsa, Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD, Douglas Stone, Rev. Claude AnShin Thomas, James Van Praagh, Iyanla Vanzant.

If days were freer and unscheduled, and the above-mentioned people available for longer stretches of time, attending all the workshops would add greatly to the way one perceives life. Oh yes, methinks so.

Sumi, thank you!