Mercury Retrograde, Portals and the Holidays!!

If you feel like memories and ghosts of Christmas past are visiting you, well they really are!! 

 

The Holidays are typically a time for remembering previous years, loved ones, friends, gatherings and experiences.  This year, the memories are much more present with us, and will be well into the New Year.  We are in the midst of a Mercury retrograde...the 4th one of 2010, which began mid-December and will not be completely finished until mid-January in the New Year 2011. Mercury is the planet of mental clarity and affects every capability and extension of our minds.  Retrogrades of Mercury are energetically bothersome any time of the year...snarling communications, clouding our own thinking, causing misunderstandings with others, glitches with phones, internet/computers and control systems for things such as subways, buses, trains, airplanes.  To have a Mercury retrograde during the Holiday season can REALLY disrupt us as we become less focused and more introspective.

 

We are also experiencing major portals throughout, 12/12, 1/1/11, and 1/11/11.  What does this mean??  Portals are openings/gateways to higher thinking and enlightenment on certain dates with numerologic repetitions, for example 1/1/11, all 'ones.'  When this alignment of numbers occurs throughout the calendar year(s), great energies of the Universe are available for higher thinking and spiritual connection.  

 

To have the portal openings allowing great possibilities of the mind, and the Mercury Retrograde occurring at the same time clouding our minds is very contradictory in and of itself.  BUT we also have the Holiday Season! This is an intense emotionally challenging time for us, as we are flooded with memories about the holiday season, the closing of 2010, the beginning of 2011,  and yet the greatest challenges in life bring the greatest rewards. 

 

What to do? First of all, slow down and pay attention to the messages that come your way.  Be kind to yourself and others.  Listen carefully and patiently, as messages may be easily misunderstood.  Remember all with great love and gratitude. The point of reviewing, revisiting, and remembering is to gain clarity for the future.  Plan for the New Year, but wait until mid-January to act, sign contracts, make agreements or take any new actions.  Mental clarity will return and be amazing once we all get through this period.  All is as it should be, can be and will be.

 

Blessings to you all for a magical Holiday Season!

Present on the Journey? Yes!

As I go thru my day, I pause periodically reminding myself to pay attention! 'Jean, notice the fragrance, texture, taste, sound... or feeling. Are you really being present in this moment?' 

Many of us perform daily tasks routinely.  We've had a lot of practice and are very good in the automatic mode.  Showers, baths, washing our faces, brushing our teeth, walking or driving to work, preparing and eating meals, etc.  Not only are we very good just doing it all without serious concentration, we are great at multi-tasking!  So while we shower, we are making lists in our head, planning, doing something else in our mind.  We learn to multi-task to accomplish more with our time, and it can be wonderfully productive!  However, do we really feel the water in the shower, with pure pleasure how cleansing AND soothing the water is?  Do we notice the subtle fragrances as we cook, or savor flavors as we chew and eat?  Do we actually take time to eat and relax with friends or family, or are we eating while working, walking or watching television?? Oh how this modern idea of super productivity interferes with our joy and health! 

 

As you make your way everyday, notice the complete sensory experience with each thing you do.  Feel the wind on your face.  Notice the morning dew or frost.  Feel the temperature. Notice the natural fragrances in the air, from trees, bushes, foods cooking, soaps for washing.  Smell the towels. Taste the water. Eat slowly and deliberately to taste all of the flavors, spices, herbs, textures, temperatures in your food. If you catch yourself thinking about one thing while doing something else, pause and re-focus.  Re-align your thought to match your activity to reap the most healthful benefits.  Devote full attention to your daily life and be fully present in each moment. This is your life journey and you don't want to miss out on the great things!

 

An easy treat for you to savor and enjoy...

Broiled Apples

Yield

4 servings, with leftovers (Great for mixing into oatmeal or plain yogurt for breakfast!)

Ingredients

• 3 sweet, firm apples, such as Rome Beauties or Empires-peeled, cored, and cut into 8 to 10 wedges
• 1/4  cup  fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons  organic butter, melted
• 1/3  cup  organic sugar
• dash of cinnamon/nutmeg if desired
• 1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup (darker, richer and more nutrients than Grade A)
• 1  pint vanilla ice cream or dairy substitute, crème fraîche or yogurt

Preparation

To make it...
Turn on broiler. Toss the apples with the lemon juice, butter, spice/s and all but 2 tablespoons of the sugar.   Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Broil the apples about 8 inches from the heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with the remaining 1-2 tablespoon of sugar and broil until melted. Meanwhile, heat the maple syrup in a small saucepan over low heat. Serve the apples warm with quality vanilla ice cream or dairy substitute.  Drizzle with the warm syrup.

Mindfulness for the Holidays!

'Tis the season...We are quickly approaching the holidays, Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Soltice.  It is a very magical time of year for us as we gather to celebrate, feast, share gifts and memories. Activities of preparation such as shopping, decorating, baking, cooking and traveling can be time so consuming and a distraction from our own true purpose. Determination keeps driving us onward, ignoring aches, pains, fatigue. Weather can be cold and yucky, so bundled up we go about our 'duties.'  Too many people get sick, have travel woes and finally lose patience!  Is this what we call 'Holiday Spirit?'  Why do we do this?? Certainly doesn't sound very relaxing or joyful! 

Our bodies reflect directly what is happening in the mind.  Fatigue means too much going on mentally and physically, so rest.  Get more sleep each night, and nourish the body with breakfast, lunch and dinner! Headaches mean so much stress there is sensory overload and the nervous system is urging withdrawal to a quiet, calm place with a cup of hot tea.  Aches and Pains mean the body is struggling and so stubborn, causing a fight of sorts between the mind (determined) and body (exhausted). Listen to the aches and sit down a bit...think about how the situation could be handled better.

The list of things to do can become easier and more fun if we can avoid the crash point!  So how do we do that?

Find some alone time 

It doesn't need to be for very long - even 15-20 minutes is enough.  Take some time in solitude to reflect and renew.  Close your eyes and be mindfully aware of yourself in the moment.

HUM!

Humming boosts the natural Nitric Oxide (NO) levels in our sinuses and nasal passages that is then absorbed into our bodies and calms us, lowering blood pressure and enhancing serotonin production. 

Keep your lips closed, air and sound flowing through the sinuses.  We can hum any melody, anywhere, while we are doing just about anything. Hmmmmm..... 
Practice Gratitude
Be grateful for all that you are, all that you have and all who love you. Be grateful for all of your experiences in life and everything on this Earth and in this Universe.
Enjoy the Feast
Taste everything you love to eat, savoring each bite and the meanings of foods present for you.  They are foods of tradition, love and fun!  Think about the significance of your family traditions and mindfully, blend all of your knowledge and sensations, finding peace and joy as you nurture yourself.
Arsenal for Health
Anyone who knows me realizes that any arsenal I recommend does not include medicines and antibiotics!  So make sure you have herbs, Thieves essential oil, raw honey, and elderberry juice or syrup in your cabinet.  If a bug threatens you, use a drop of Thieves oil right on the tongue 3 times per day, take a tablespoon of elderberry every day and drink herb tea with a spoon of raw honey.

COLD RX TEA-- Put 1 bay leaf, 1 whole clove bud, 1 cinnamon stick and a couple whole sage leaves in a tea pot of boiling water.  Steep 5 minutes, strain and drink. Add raw honey to taste.  This is great for sore throats, stuffy noses and sinus problems.

'Tis the season of history and family traditions, repeating every year, reinforcing beliefs, initiating and educating the younger generations into the way of the family, the way of a culture, sharing memories of the past, creating new ones for the future. Mindfully, embrace this wonderful season to let it be a joyful loving time for you as well as family and friends.

Finally Starting this Blog...with Gratitude!!

Here we begin the long overdue blog of Jean F and Nurture's Path!  So many have said to me, 'you need to do a blog...about food, nutrition, health!'  Grateful for my experiences, I think of many friends and clients as I sit here typing.  All of life is a journey, so onward... learning, giving and receiving, and blogging!

 

This being Thanksgiving weekend, the subject of Thanks and Gratitude seems appropriate and timely.  As I cooked for the holiday, I found myself thanking Creator/Source for all that I am and have... a loving husband, healthy safe children, a beautiful bright granddaughter, sweet kitties, healing clients, busy office, many friends dear to my heart, the sun in the daytime, the moon shining down at night, a million stars in the clear night skies, a roof over my head, a warm place to sleep... This is only my perspective on life.  Each of you have your own list of things to acknowledge in your lives to give thanks for.

 

Gratitude is a practice we are reminded of with holidays, but it should be a part of our lives every single day!  Gratitude is about raising our vibrational energies.  There is a constant flow of energy both ways with everything and everyone we come into contact with. When we focus with positive loving thoughts on ourselves, loved ones and possessions, we attract more of the same--love to give and receive ourselves, with others and the Universe.   Giving out love and goodness, we will receive love and goodness.  

 

So what if something is wrong and there is stress, anxiety, anger, hurt or pain? This Earth School can be challenging at times...the most difficult experiences teach us the greatest lessons, and for those, we are also very grateful.  It is how we make better choices as we move on with our lives, a true gift.  No matter what happens, we can be thankful for the experience and thankful for the chance to experience. 

 

I am grateful for this opportunity to share with you and hope you too, will practice Thanks and Gratitude in your daily life for enrichment and enlightenment. 

 

Jean