Category: Friday Five

How about some random (as he calls them) observations on life by a teen for today’s Friday Five? Today’s Friday Five guest writer is Satvik. In his own words, “My name is Satvik Mojnidar and I am a freshman in Basis Independent Silicon Valley. One of my favorite subjects in school is Literature. I enjoy making other people laugh and my style of writing is more of a satire. My favorite go to sport is basketball and my favorite team is Oklahoma Thunders. I also like to play GTA on my PS3 and listen to music in my free time.”

Seemingly random, Satvik’s observations carry a singular encouragement to listen to the heart. His Five are just as enjoyable to read as they are astonishingly insightful. Hope that you will give this 15 year old cool dude a read.

Life has Procedures

Today”s Friday Five guest writer is Archana Verma. A food educator, chef extraordinaire, classical music student and practitioner,  Archana is an astonishingly kind, loving and enthusiastic person and we are all in for a treat today. Her stream of consciousness is poignant, courageous, reflective, introspective and delicious. It will make you cry, wonder, engage in a deep conversation with yourself and want to, become a better person. It will also make you want to run to your kitchen and cook, as she has generously shared two wholesome and wonderful recipes here. Thank you so much, Archana!

Remember (Holding On; Letting Go)

A small voice from somewhere inside of me has been asking me this since the start of this year. Lately, I have been making frequent conversations with it. For 43 years, I had paid only occasional attention to this voice. I had the liberty to ignore this constant companion of mine. I had my younger sister for all my conversation needs – in times of joy, sorrow, despair, curiosity, celebration, anxiety, family gossip and anything else. Then, in 2014, she was gone. Just like that. 48 hours after I had spoken to her. Without warning. The muscle memory of picking up the phone while unloading the dishwasher had to be let go. The memory of our goofy, hysterical laughs had to be held on to. I grieved without knowing how to. I stayed stoic, without trying to. I thanked her for a wonderful soul friendship while being mad at her for suddenly deserting me. I cleaned her closet rejoicing in the memory of our shopping sprees together; I scolded her for forgetting to tell me when she had bought the beautiful red and black dress. I packed her beautiful clothes away in a suitcase for her 10 year old daughter to use them in future perhaps; I wanted to have all those clothes for myself as the last tangible memory and smells of her. How does one learn what to hold on to and what to let go? I want to hold on to the denial that death hasn’t visited my family seven months ago. I want to let go of the stark reality of its certainty.

And then, Time steps in. Patiently, relentlessly. Time makes a day turn into a week then into a month. Time loosens my grip on the denial and hands me the reins of memories to hold on to. Instead of picking up the phone I walk up to a picture frame. And I am taking tentative steps towards this new friend inside of me who says to me every day with wonder, ““yeh kahaan aa gaye hum, yunhi saath saath chalte”(How far have we come, just walking side by side). Waiting for me to let go and hold on.

Reevaluate (Responsibility; Rescue)

I want to help. I want to be useful. I mediate conflicts between adults. I cook feasts for family, friends, fundraisers and the homeless. I donate money to every cause that I am made aware of. I volunteer for hours every week. I spend large sums of money travelling across oceans to visit family. I even donate an organ or two at a mere hint of suggestion. Why do I do that? Is it responsibility or is my fear driven ego trying to rescue the world? Why do I feel responsible to respond to every call for help? Do I feel guilty of my abundance or am I afraid to feel value-less? Am I responsible or am I stoking my ego by becoming a self appointed rescuer? Am I shying away from the responsibility towards myself by losing myself in rescuing the world. After all, my rescue or ruin can be tangible and possibly quantifiable but whether or not I rescue the world can neither be quantified nor has to be tangible. Am I taking the easy route out? I panic. I take responsibility for myself. I try to rescue myself. I take meditation and yoga classes. I go on silence retreats. I seek healers and I read about spirituality like a thirsty traveler in the desert. I take music lessons. Everything brings relief; many times tears of relief and gratitude. Then the dementers return. I am always running scared that time is running out and I have failed. I binge watch Downton Abbey. I binge watch every romantic chick flick on Netflix. I love the numbness of a still mind while watching something on a screen. I also love the numbness of a still mind too busy in frantically catching up with the looming deadline of every volunteering responsibility I have taken on. I call for truce. I am told all I need to do is learn to breathe. Just breathe.

Can I rescue myself by taking the responsibility of just breathing for 30 minutes a day just for myself ?

References (Connecting people; Connecting the dots)

One day I woke up and a little voice said to me, “you are a switchboard operator”. I love people. I remember everyone’s birthday. I hang out with people from all walks of life. Humans attract me with their warmth, their achievements, their beauty, their wit, their generosity; their confidence; their vulnerability; proximity of their kids’ ages to my kids’ ages; online slots their love for food; their quest for spirituality; their book club; their creative gifts; their desire to make the world a better place. Someone asks me a question about something. A bulb lights up inside me shining on the name of a person who can answer their question. I connect the two. Someone needs a packet of medicine from India, a bulb lights up inside me shining on the name of the person who is about to travel from India to USA two days later. Someone is trying to move to USA and is looking for a job. The switchboard gets lit up. I contact someone in Nordstrom, someone in a school district, someone in Microsoft, someone in Starbucks. The resume is forwarded to a dozen places. A young family moves into my city. They are looking for good schools for their kids. I get a call on my switchboard. Someone has connected them to me. I am repeating – for the two hundredth time – list of all the good schools in the greater Seattle area. Someone gives me a cold call from Singapore and tell me they found my name and phone number online. That they are moving with their young family to Seattle and they are nervous. I receive them at the airport with a meal and take them to their apartment.

Is this my vocation? To operate the switchboard of humanity? Is that why I am collecting all the data I can on every possible human experience as fast as I can? Is that why I keep jumping from experience to experience? Experiences of exceling, failing, parenting; getting depressed, coming out of depression; learning yoga; Learning to meditate; going out partying; traveling the world; reading like a parched person drinking water; watching TED talks; getting lost in Facebook; sharing every heartwarming and heart wrenching story. I am collecting dots of knowledge and experience. I am collecting people in my life. Is it enough vocation to connect people and connect the dots I have collected?

Replenish (Seva , Sadhana, Satsang – Service, Spiritual practice, uplifting company)

Seva , Sadhana and Satsang are the three pillars cited for a fulfilling and joyful life. Seva replenishes the community. Sadhana replenishes the self and Satsang replenishes both the self and the community. These three have a few things in common. They all require building muscle memory. Each one of these is a choice. Each one has to be owned and practiced by oneself. It cannot be done for someone else or by someone else. The Universe constantly does our seva by providing us with incredible resources. We all know that there is no free lunch. So it is safe to say that there is no free seva. If the Universe is doing seva for us then we probably owe some seva too. Seva can be offered through body, spirit and money. Just like our neighbor cannot eat our food for us, or brush our teeth for us, our neighbor cannot do seva for us. Each one of us is capable of seva via a kind word, donation of physical time, talents and donation of money. We don’t owe seva to anyone. We owe seva to ourselves. Just like our neighbor owes seva to themselves. And neither of us can pass on the buck to the other. A compelling treatise on one kind of seva(donation of money) can be found in the book , The Life You Can Save by Peter Singer.

A spiritual practice can be of any form of connecting to the self beyond the physical existence and bodily functions. Yoga and meditation are two of the most commonly cited modes of doing daily Sadhana. There is a saying about meditation. It goes like this. Meditate every day for 30 minutes. On the days you are very busy, meditate for an hour. This counterintuitive truism holds true not just for a person but for the whole community. We have to focus on replenishing both ourselves and our community regularly. We all understand that a car cannot drive without fuel no matter how much the driver wills it to move. But we constantly forget this truth about our bodies as well as the natural and manmade resources. It is fascinating that no matter how fussy a toddler is, their parent insists on feeding them some bare minimum food because a body cannot stay hungry. But the same parent, keeps insisting that they cannot meditate; won’t meditate. Even when they have heard that meditation is essential for their wellbeing. They forget that feeding a child daily(no matter how unsuccessfully) builds the muscle memory of eating at regular intervals. Good eating habits don’t build instantly. Meditation is no different. One doesn’t become a meditator in one day. One doesn’t run a 5K or a half marathon in one try. One has to commit to training slowly, steadily, regularly. The muscle memory and endurance builds up slowly and then a 5K or a marathon seems effortless. Meditation is no different. The only difference between mediation and any physical endeavor is that in a physical endeavor one has to have a goal, one has to do something and one has to exert oneself physically. On the other hand the key to successful mediation is to remind oneself of three things: I want nothing. I do nothing. I am nothing. Just these three reminders and then just let oneself exist like a tree or a leaf or a flower. Just be. Just for a few minutes every day.

Satsang( uplifting company) is perhaps the hardest of these three endeavors. What company and family one interacts with are often dictated by circumstances beyond one’s physical control. One has to make an effort to glance in the rear view mirror of life and make a decision on whether the company they keep is uplifting them or not. My personal path to finding satsang was windy and foggy. At first the winds were exhilarating and the fog was alluring. Till the chill set in, freezing my voice and the feet – from repeatedly going into my mouth – became too painful. Now the winds don”t chill me  because I have cocooned myself with a jacket of observing. My litmus test for satsang is how I feel after being in company. If there is no urge for postmortem, no evaluation and berating of self or others after being in company then that was satsang. If I am  joyous and loud and a full participant in satsang and dont feel guilty or nervous or get  knots in my stomach afterwards, then I am in satsang.

Recipes (learning, sharing, improvising)

There is one thing that replenishes me and resonates with me every day. That one thing is food. Thoughts of food; dreams of food; reading about food; planning for food. I read cookbooks as novels. I am overjoyed at the prospect of visiting a favorite restaurant. I feel like I go into meditation when I cook for others. I feel I am extremely lucky to have been born in India that has incredible depth and breadth of culinary creations and then to have moved to US where food from all over the world is available in abundance. Food was my savior when I quit an unfulfilling but very lucrative career. A career for which I had worked very hard for more than 17 years from Kindergarten through Master’s degree. Once I quit working, I plunged headlong into cooking. I spent years recreating all the foods of my food rich childhood. Cooking saved me on my darkest days. And some of my most creative outlets have been through reverse engineering and envisioning recipes. I will share here two recipes that came to me unbidden. Taste of a food that I love is the closest I have been to Nirvana. And having tasted that, I want more of Nirvana, all the time.

Paneer Tikka

• 1 lb paneer cut into cubes or 2 inch rectangles
• 2 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Tandoori Masala*
• 2 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preheat oven to 450F In a medium size mixing bowl, make a marinade of all the ingredients except Paneer. Mix well. Then add paneer and gently all paneer pieces with the marinade. Let sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes. Take out the paneer and serve hot immediately. Or make Paneer Kathi Roll by spreading spicy cilantro-mint chutney on a flatbread, adding a few pieces of paneer tikka, sliced onions, sliced bell pepper and folding into a roll. (*In absence of Tandoori Masala – mix 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon garam masala(or curry powder), 1 teaspoon smoked paprika)

Roasted Chickpeas, Almonds and Cranberries Party Mix

• 1 can garbanzo beans(chickpeas) rinsed and drained in a colander
• 3 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon any brand commercial chana masala
• 1 teaspoon mango powder
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika( or to spice tolerance)
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup cranberries (or raisins)

Preheat oven to 250F Place chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with oil. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, till chickpeas are mostly dry. Take out the tray, sprinkle the chickpeas with 2 tablespoon oil, cumin, chana masala, mango powder, salt, sugar and cayenne/paprika. Increase the oven temperature to 350F. Place the chickpeas back in the oven. Heat for 25-30 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a saucepan, heat the remaining one tablespoon oil. Roast slivered almonds till they turn very light brown. Remove from heat and add to the chickpeas. Stir everything together to coat the spices evenly throughout the chickpea-almond mixture. Add in the cranberries. Serve as an appetizer party mix or nutritious, high protein, high fiber afternoon snack.

Image Credit: Freedigitalimages.net

How about some link love for today’s Friday Five? Today’s Five are short and sweet and I’m linking you to five pieces around the Internet that got my attention. Read about how paying attention to your attention can help you focus more, how to get more out of your mornings even if you are not a morning person, the importance of knowing your lovely gut bacteria a.k.a your microbiome, a sweet little children’s book that will bring you back to yourself, and an easy to make Valentine’s Day menu that is as delicious as it is wholesome!

Attentional Plasticity

Want to become more productive and focus better? New research from Princeton University published in journal Nature Neuroscience suggests that our brains are capable of ‘attentional plasticity’. What does attentional plasticity mean? It is the brain’s ability to pay attention and stay focused, when checked on. It is a kind of meta-attentive state, if you will. Sounds like a paradox but periodically checking on the state of your attention, will bring back your attention and focus on the task at hand. Read how real time feedback about the state of one’s own brain helped the participants of the study maintain focus.

How to Cultivate a Morning Routine

Mark of Mark’s Daily Apple makes a case for having a morning routine. He writes, “You’ll be more invested in making healthier choices throughout the day if you’re already on a roll with an a.m. workout, meditation time and/or other positive behaviors.” Mornings  have a fresh and pure energy and bring promises of new beginnings. Most of us have night-time rituals, but it seems like most mornings, especially week day mornings, just creep up on us. Whether or not you are a morning person, the write-up has plenty of inspiration for either establishing or further examining a morning routine.

Your Microbiome and Why it is Important

Herman Hesse said, “I have been and still am a seeker, but I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me.”

Let’s change the blood in this quote to microbiome, and it turns out that our gut bacteria have plenty to teach us about our health and wellbeing, and it is time that we started listening. Our bodies are made up more of bacteria than human cells and the gut, is home of most of these microorganisms. Imbalances in gut flora result in chronic physical and psychological conditions, many of which can be corrected by bringing balance back to gut flora. Check out this infographic to get to know your microbiome a little better.

The Missing Piece

A beloved children’s book, The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein, contains a gentle yet powerful message for adults as well. I adore the book, it makes an excellent gift for kids all ages, but I also love the lovely reflections about the book in this Brainpickings essay. Click here to read how the missing piece in you, may just be you. 

Valentine’s Day Menu

And finally, what is Valentine’s Day without some delicious food? Here is a simple, wholesome menu for Valentine’s Day or any day, really.

Image Credit: Graphics Fairy

Today”s Friday Five guest writer is Nikita Taniparti. Nikita is a young woman of extraordinary light and love. A recent graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Nikita lives in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu and works for a  a Development Economics research organization that is based out of Harvard. In her own words, ““Nikita loves eating and writing and yoga, among many other things. She believes that there has to be a balance: of mind, body, and spirit. It is advisable to keep a balance in your life, to acknowledge the great powers around us and in us, and to live out this balance in all our endeavors. You can reach her at [email protected]” 

Here are Nikita”s Five that have lots of love, lots of beauty, lots of delight and boundless heart. I hope that you are as moved by her Friday Five as I was.

“How is your heart?”

Ask this of the next person you meet, and notice what their reaction is. They might pause in confusion, they might tilt their head ever so slightly as they process this innocent question, and they might even raise a suspicious eyebrow at you.

Most of us are familiar with the ubiquitous “Hi, how are you?” that is a sign that you acknowledge another person. And we usually proffer and expect a standard response: “I’m fine, thanks. How are you?”

But what about the fact that you might actually care about their response. You really want to know how they are, at this very moment. You want to tell them that their heart and their state of being are of importance. You want them to take this moment, and make it theirs. This moment is for them to reflect on how they feel, how they want to feel, and how they think you feel. How they feel is up to them to decide and express; this is their opportunity and moment to do so. You are there to listen and to accept, you are them for them.

We often fall victim to “too much busy-ness”, too much normalcy, and perhaps too much disengaged interaction. To step back from all the chaos, I ask people this powerful question when I want them to remember that they matter, that I genuinely want them to reflect on…themselves, and that I would be grateful if they felt comfortable sharing their heart.

Enlivening Silence

Sometimes silence is imposed upon us – the “silent game” is quickly becoming my favorite game to play with my little cousins. Sometimes we meditate on our desire to “learn to keep silent” in certain situations – there have been countless instances where if I could just have not said anything…sigh. Sometimes, silence is the only appropriate response to an uncalled-for remark, a somber and muted occasion, or an expression of disbelief at something ridiculous.

Whatever the reason and whatever the outcome, “being silent and not being silent are both ways of being human in this world.” Silence is as essential to being a social creature as is its absence. I practice silence when I am trying to be more aware, I regret silence when I should have done something, and I am humbled by its tacit influence over any group of people.

The next time you are silent, immerse yourself in this silence. Even if you are (like me) an an out-and-proud extrovert, you too will be surprised at how this hint of introspection and stillness can refresh your perspective, can satisfy your curiosity, and eliminate any rashness.

Incandescent Compliments

Of course Oprah has something to say about compliments: “How you make others feel about themselves, says a lot about you”. This theory that you project parts of yourself unto others when you either compliment or criticize them is not a new one. This is important because I firmly believe that people’s moods and feelings are extremely contagious – we project an image of ourselves unto others every time we relate to someone else. We all know those people who light up any room they enter; those people whose positive energy radiates all around them and affects everyone else to the highest empyrean of vivacity. I call this the “feel-good-about-life” effect. This person somehow makes everyone they come across feel perfectly okay with being exactly casino online who they are. And feeling that comfortable with yourself – that, is a priceless sense of elation. Sincerity can go a long way, and simple and honest compliments are good for the soul, whether you’re on the giving or receiving end.

Relish the Gush

They tell you to live in the moment, they say to take your pleasures seriously, and they tell you that you should be happy for this moment, for this moment is your life. “They” might have missed a few points in between. Why is it that we seek out moments of joy and laughter and love? How are these often disjointed and ephemeral instances of happiness connected? We gush about the times we enjoy ourselves, and we gush about relationships we treasure.

Someone once said, “life is but the accumulation of memories to live on and live by”. Our memories are nothing but the aggregation of life’s nostalgic moments. In the pursuit of “making each moment count”, it is the little things that matter. “They” also say that we should “enjoy the little things in life, because one day, you’ll look back and realize that they were the big things”. The little things can be anything: from the heady giddiness of a great dinner with friends, to the hour spent tending to the herbs in your garden, to the pleasure of pampering yourself with essential oils after a shower. How do they become the big things?

It’s the moments that cause us joy that we hold on to and remember, and it’s the collection of these moments that add up to a great day, or a great month…a great few years even. So relish these moments, seemingly innocent and trivial though they might seem; its more than likely that they are the precious memories you will relive so fondly later on.

Stretch every which Way

I know you know that it is important to stretch your muscles. I know you might stretch both before and after a workout. I know you stretch when you roll around on the bed wishing you didn’t have to get out of it. I also know that you feel really good whenever you do stretch your body (which of course, you do all the time, right?!)

Even if you get 0 minutes of exercise, please stretch. Even if you did eat 2 extra helpings of dinner and then indulged in a decadently rich chocolate dessert, please stretch. Stretch in the morning to kick-start your day and get your blood pumping, stretch in the afternoon when I know nap time sounds like the best idea ever, stretch in the evenings when you want to feel more Zen. It works wonders for your body and health.

However, stretch yourself emotionally too. Just like your muscles consistently need pampering and conditioning, so do your emotions. Our emotional reactions are dynamic over time and space, and to stretch your emotions entails many things. Accept your emotions as and when they come, reflect on your emotions as you experience then, and push yourself to broaden your emotional capacity to relate to other people and situations. When you’re young (and naïve) and learning, relish this opportunity to take emotional risks; when you’re older (and wiser), use your acquired emotional strength to be more discerning and choose to cherish the things you value most. Above all, young or old, stretch yourself to an emotional capacity that is new and challenging – it will be a challenge worth rising to.

 

Life — a Celebration! 

Yes, according to me, the very fact that I am alive, breathing, walking , talking, able to think , makes me feel so fortunate and grateful. I believe, life is the best gift one could ever have and its very important to be happy and grateful for everything while you LIVE.

Recently, there was a little challenge making rounds in a social networking site called ” Pay it forward” and I found it very very interesting and unconditional and hence took part in it :)

Read more about it here. So, ultimately what matters most to me is, to be happy :)

Today”s Friday Five guest writer is my daughter, Aditi Iyer. Aditi is 10 years old and cares deeply about the world around her. She is a fourth grader at Bellevue Children”s Academy and her favorite subject in school is English. Aditi takes a kinesthetic approach to make sense of the world around her, and so doing anything crafty like making jewelry, knitting (a passion these days), cutting, glueing, pasting, drawing, painting, helping me with cooking, repotting plants that don”t need to be repotted :-), pretty much rock her world. When she is not messing around with materials of different textures, she either has her nose buried in a book or is found singing or dancing to her beloved pet fish.

Knitting

I enjoy knitting these days. My school offered a knitting class as a part of their after-school program and I signed up immediately as I have always wanted to learn how to make scarves and sweaters, etc. I”m so glad that I joined the class. Here are four reasons that I like knitting.

• You can make different patterns and things, not just scarves and sweaters, but purses, hats, hair ties, the list is endless!
• It has a certain rhythm, knitting calms me down.
• It feels wonderful to wear something made by you.
• It doesn’t take too long, I have already made a few coasters and a scarf that I wear very often.

Books by Rick Riordan

After reading the Harry Potter series, I was looking for similar books and that is when I discovered books by Rick Riordan. After reading his Percy Jackson and the Olympians fiction series, I am reading The Heroes of Olympus series. I am immersed in reading the fifth book in the series, The Blood of Olympus. The books I have read so far have introduced me to Greek and Roman mythology. I love these books because the characters who are demigods face all kinds of challenges. I find the characters realistic and often I feel like, I am feeling what they are feeling. It is fun to get to know their personalities. I”m looking forward to reading The Kane Chronicles, which is based on Egyptian mythology after I”m done with this series.

Music Class

I enjoy my music class, on Saturday mornings very much! I learn Hindustani classical music from Shahana Akka. She is an excellent teacher, is really nice and explains everything really well! I love singing as it makes me feel free. I feel very good inside after my Saturday class. The melody of the music is beautiful and it makes me happy. I also like to understand the meaning of the lyrics of the songs I am learning.

Dance Class

Tuesday evenings are lovely because of my dance classes. I learn a dance form called Bharatanatyam, which is an Indian classical dance. My teacher Joyce maasi is an awesome teacher and she helps me understand stuff well and makes me feel good. Although dancing sometimes tires my arms and legs, it is fun. I like dancing because it looks so beautiful! It also exercises my body.

My Pet Fish

I love my pet fish! I have four pet fish and their names are Moonlight, Cuddles, Giggles and Chuckles. I”m going to give you four specific reasons why I love them so much!

• I like having something to take care of.
• My fish make me happy, very happy!
• They calm me. I could look at them for hours!
• They are awfully cute!

I hope that you found my Friday Five fun to read. Bye!

Friday Five is just a tad different today. Instead of a guest post or a personal exploration on what is currently working for me, I am offering you five approaches/trends/advice and encouragement from the wellness blogosphere that are striking a chord with me. Getting a glimpse of someone else’s carefully thought out health space is not just an exciting experience, but also a perspective widening one. I plan to try all of these ideas (I have already tried one) sometime in the near future. Clicking on the topic headings will link you with the respective posts. I hope that you find inspiration in these ideas too.

The Werewolf Way of Eating

If you are a moon enthusiast, for whatever reason, spirituality or plain old curiosity, you will resonate with this idea. Madonna and Demi Moore follow it and the lunar ‘diet’ claims to help you lose two to six pounds of weight in a single 24 hour period. Followers of this method use it not just to lose weight, but also for weight maintenance. The premise of the method is that, “the moon exerts the same influence on the water in your body as it does on the oceans and tides.” So by fasting or following a liquid only diet during the New Moon and Full Moon phases, you flush out more toxins and water from your body than you would on other days. I have an unwavering faith in the energy of the moon and I align with the idea of taking periodic breaks from solid food, and so I’m going to try the Werewolf Way for a few months and report back.

Go Ahead, Take a Selfie

Do you take selfies? I do and have often wondered if it is narcissistic to take them. Although I don’t take them often,  there have been moments of personal joy and celebration where I can’t help but take one. I love what Tara Stiles has to say about them, “When you are radiating so much light that it’s blinding, don’t be afraid to take a selfie and share that light with the world.” Selfies, when taken mindfully, are a form of practicing self-love and there is absolutely no room for guilt in taking or sharing them.

Natural Lipstick Roundup

Kris Carr (wellness activist and cancer thriver) and the Environmental Working Group teamed up to bring us a list of the best natural lipsticks in the market. I like this list because it not only has those famous EWG hazard ratings, but also has the price and a description of the color and finish of each lipstick. If you believe in ‘primping at leisure and putting on lipstick’ (thanks Audrey Hepburn) without chemicals, this is a handy-dandy list for you.

Child’s Pose

We often connect the mind-body benefits of yoga with postures like the shoulder-stand and the head-stand, but I have always found great peace in the repose of the child’s pose. I was delighted to see Dr. Andrew Weil make a case for the Child’s Pose this morning on his blog. He says, “The Child’s Pose, as the name suggests, can help you release the tension and cares of adult life. I use it to relax and regain my composure between yoga poses.” Immediately after reading his post, I pulled out my yoga mat and went into child’s pose. In the pose, I found that I could connect to my inner child and find answers to some of my pressing problems, from that child’s perspective. Always the least egocentric perspective, in my opinion.

An Ancient Ayurvedic Morning Ritual 

Many in my family gaze at their hands as soon as they wake up in the morning while reciting this Sanskrit prayer.

karAgre vasate lakShmI, kara-madhye saraswatI |

kara-moole sthitA gaurI, mangalaM kara-darshanaM ||

The Sanskrit words mean,  “Goddess Lakshmi resides in the finger tips, Saraswati on the palm. Shakti is situated in the wrist, It is auspicious to see the hands.”

A MindBodyGreen post this morning reminded me of this ritual, “ When we mindfully gaze at our hands each morning, we’re empowered to bless our own hands to act in ways that can most optimally benefit ourselves and others.”  I plan to incorporate this beautiful practice that reminds us that the divine rests in our own hands, starting tomorrow.

Sources:

• Moon Connection; The Werewolf Diet
• MindBodyGreen; 3 Ancient Ayurvedic Rituals to Rock your Mornings
• Practical Sanskrit; The Force is in Your Hands
• Tara Stiles; Selfie and Self Love
• Kris Carr; The Ultimate Crazy Sexy Lipstick Roundup
• Andrew Weil; Child’s Pose
• Image Credit; Universe Today

After 6 weeks of wonderful and insightful guest Friday Five posts, today”s Friday Five post is by me. Here are five thoughts/things/ideas that are currently bringing serendipity, courage, fragrance, sweetness and inspiration into my life. I hope that these five spark an idea and bring inspiration for you too. As always, thanks for reading.

A Serendipity Journal 

I gave myself this journal, as a gift for the holidays, to jot down all the “happy accidents” and “it must be a sign” moments in 2015. It has only been 9 days and I already have 5 entries in the journal! By recording all the serendipitous moments I encounter, I hope to invite, delight and marvel in more of them in 2015. Elizabeth Berg, author of The Year of Pleasures” said, “Sometimes serendipity is just intention unmasked.” I can’t wait to see all the events that unfold and how they relate to my intentions this year.

Life doesn’t Frighten me at All

This poem written for children by Maya Angelou is offering a new lense through which I see courage these days. It is a potent reminder of the innate courage that resides in all of us.

“I”ve got a magic charm

That I keep up my sleeve

I can walk the ocean floor

And never have to breathe. 

Life doesn”t frighten me at all

Not at all

Not at all.

Life doesn”t frighten me at all.”

Listen to the entire poem, read by Angelou herself here.

Frankincense Essential Oil

An ancient fragrance, Frankincense is often associated with religious ceremonies. Frankincense (along with gold and myrrh), in casino online resin form, was one of the original gifts given by the Magi to young Jesus, according to the Bible. Early texts from Yemen tell that the resin was used widely for warding off ‘evil’ forces, as an anti-anxiety agent, as chewing-gum to freshen the breath, and as an omnipotent anti-inflammatory medicine, for curing everything from arthritis to gingivitis. Modern studies report that the resin is useful in treating inflammatory bowel disease and has an ability to suppress cancer cells.

I’m researching frankincense in earnest and will write a full-length post about it soon. Although I don’t yet use the resin in oral form, I have been enjoying this ancient herb/spice/resin as an essential oil. Most scents, even essential oils, especially floral ones, give me headaches, but not this one. It is pleasant, calming and soul soothing. It smells like an illuminated church or a temple brimming with peace and love. I have been using a drop behind my ears.

Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Somewhere along the path of  becoming gluten free, I started eating too many nuts. My stomach went nutty (pun intended) and protested. Although nuts are great for you in moderation, they are heavy and hard to digest, if you eat too many of them. I have been looking for alternatives to almond flour (the ubiquitous favorite for gluten-free baking) and was excited when I came across this recipe for a single serve buckwheat-chocolate chip cookie on the Detoxinista website. Easy and quick to make, I only make four cookies at a time for dessert. It is delicious with a cup of tea or milk (whatever kind you prefer)! Here is the recipe.

4 Tablespoons of buckwheat flour

2 Tablespoons of coconut palm sugar

4 Teaspoons of coconut oil

A little water to form the dough

A splash of vanilla extract

Semi-sweet chocolate Chips

Bake for 8 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 F on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Friday Five on Design–Milk 

I love browsing and reading Friday Five lists, all over the Internet, particularly on Design-Milk. Every Friday a designer shares five objects they love or thoughts that inspire them. Whether you are a design enthusiast or not, you will find an abundance of ideas and inspiration in this column. Here is a link to their best Friday Fives of 2014.

Sources:

• The New York Times; Frankincense Fit for a King (One, Anyway)
• PubMed; Frankincense
• Detoxinista; Single Serving Buckwheat Cookie
• Goodreads; Elizabeth Berg
• Design- Milk; Friday Five

Today”s Friday Five guest post is by Dr. Indu Srinivasan Partha. Indu is an avid reader, writer and a clinician. For me, though, Indu has a certain “Indu-ness” that has inspired me many times over, “the ability to show  up and get to work” (thanks Chuck Close), no matter what the distractions or the circumstances are. Whether it is a discussion about a Bollywood flick or a blog post, she not only shows up, but also is completely present and gives it her all. Hope that you enjoy her Friday Five.

Let it Go 

Believe it or not, I am not referring to the song from “Frozen.” In fact, I am probably one of the few people who have never seen the movie! I am talking about letting go of baggage, both physical and psychological, that are weighing me down. Clothes are being purged and donated. Piles of clutter are being sorted and tossed. I am trying to learn how to let go of my need to be in control of everything (and unfortunately, everyone) around me. I have realized that control is overrated; more likely than not, the need for control will drive a wedge between two people and lead to an ongoing feeling of discontent when reality doesn’t meet expectations. I’ve made progress, but have a long way to go yet. I’ll keep fighting the good fight.

First Loves

No worries. No plans to leave my hubby! During my break from work, I have been fortunate to have some opportunities to rediscover my first love: writing. The time off between two jobs has been unexpectedly longer than anticipated. At first casino online I freaked out (see above: need for control). And then I saw it as a blessing. As a clinician, I don’t have many chances to write for work or for pleasure (charting doesn’t count, surely), so I have jumped at chances that have come my way to write as a guest blogger for family and friends. It is so important for all of us to remember who we once were, and what we once loved, before being burdened with the myriad of responsibilities that come with adulthood. I hope to keep up with my writing practice in the 2015, whether it be as a blogger, in a journal, or even writing letters to my daughter in college.

Making a Statement

I’ll admit it. I’m getting older. I realize that youth is no longer on my side when it comes to appearance. I love finding quick and easy ways to amp up my look, allowing me to be youthfully age-appropriate, if there is such a thing. Appearance is not the most important thing in life, but I daresay we all have a little more spring to our step when we know we are presenting our best self. My current go to moves for looking a bit more “together?” A great red lipstick (currently loving Maybelline Sensational “Very Cherry”), statement necklaces (J. Crew Factory on sale items), scarves, and knee high boots.

Be Firm

Exercise. I know I need to do it. I’ve never been a fan. I have more time on my hands now, and therefore, fewer excuses to be inactive. I have really been enjoying my classes at my local Pure Barre Studio. I’ve discovered muscle groups I didn’t know existed, and have enjoyed seeing the changes in my body slowly emerge. I now really understand the reasoning behind cross training. Walking and hiking alone were not enough to transform my body. I have benefitted from the resistance training in these classes, and love knowing that I am stronger than I have been before.

Seeing is Believing

Ready for the least profound favorite? It’s my discovery of NETFLIX. Yes, you read that right! I am not addicted, but let’s say that I enjoyed some wonderfully peaceful and pleasurable moments during my “Hart of Dixie” marathon, and that there is nothing like a Bollywood flick to help while away the time on the treadmill. A harmless, mindless, but totally rejuvenating use of time. In moderation, of course.

Image Credit; Fanpop