Resistance is Futile

“Resistance is futile” - Carl Jung


I absolutely love this quote. In my life I have seen so many times and situations where I have chosen to resist. Resist learning the lesson. Resist hearing what I was given to hear. Resist what was right in front of my eyes to see. Lessons upon lessons that my higher power, or the universe was gifting to me. These things were going to be there for me to learn when I was ready. So, over and over, lessons would repeat in my life because they were lessons I needed to learn to move forward . I believe life’s lessons are opportunities in our life to learn in the exact areas where we need growth and change and more importantly, to learn our given purpose.

One of the things that my yoga practice began to work on in my life almost immediately, was my ability to listen. I’m not just referring to the act of listening to someone talking to me, but truly seeking out the deeper meanings in everything that I was coming into contact with in my life.

One of my first yoga teachers and mentors, taught me pranayama. In a Yogic point of view, proper breathing is to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control Prana or the vital life energy. Pranayama Yoga also goes hand in hand with the Asanas. The union of these two Yogic Principles is considered as the highest form of purification and self-discipline, covering both mind and body. I felt immediately that I both wanted and needed self discipline and he worked with me everyday with this practice of pranayama. After about 3 days, I began to see my whole life change. I began to gain new insights into my life every single day. I began to feel that I was more calm. I began to hear what people were saying to me. I came to him one day and told him that I thought I was a telepath because I felt ultra sensitive. I felt I could feel how others felt without them telling me. I started to feel people just by being in their presence. I always knew that this sensitivity existed within me, but I never accessed it like this before. He laughed and said “you are sweeping the mind of clutter and now you have stillness.” I knew that this was my gift. We have to be very present in our lives everyday to receive all the gifts, signs and symbols that are presenting valuable information to us.

The greatest benefit I began to see, hear and learn was that it was my purpose to teach and to teach, I knew that I had to do this work on my self everyday. The mind is very powerful, and the discipline of all the limbs of yoga give us the tools to tame the mind on a daily basis. I have accepted that to gain the benefits of yoga, I must practice everyday. I need to experience stillness and presence of mind everyday. I don’t want to waste time resisting my purpose and what it is I am supposed to be seeing, feeling and learning. Why would I resist such an incredible gift?

What is your purpose? What is your gift? Are you listening or are you resisting? Start on the mat. Just breathe. Just listen to the dialogue that the teacher is giving you and allow all the mind’s chatter to fade to black. You will see as you discipline yourself to this practice, your purpose will appear. Invite it in, welcome it like a long lost friend. It will be your greatest gift and you will have endless gifts to give others for simply seeing it.

Selfless Service

I went to an event last night that focused on healing ourselves through food. I have spent the past 8 years actively engaged in alternative forms of healing as well as reading about the body and how we can heal ourselves through food, so I was right in my element. As i gazed around the room, everyone was overweight and almost all people who spoke shared that they were on not just one medication but a few medications for different things. People shared about spending thousands of dollars taking different tests at the doctors office to find out what was wrong with their thryroid, what they were allergic to, having blood taken and on and on.

But, the most exciting thing was that everyone single one of them was open to looking at other alternatives and that is why they were there. I spoke of Living Foods and Yoga and how each of these things is crucial in reconnecting with the body. I shared about my own time that i spent disconnected from my body and how this affected every other area of my life. In fact, my journey to health and wellness was all about reconnecting to my self and then to others.. It has all been about being available to selfless service and realizing every single day that the more I can be doing selfless service, the more that I am in the place where i am supposed to be. I truly believe that if we all heal ourselves then it becomes clear what we are supposed to be doing in our lives. Everyone has a different purpose but I believe that everyone's purpose includes service.

Living From My Inner Voice

When I think about all the time that I have spent in my life looking at other people to imitate or to guide me in the direction of how to live my life, it is amazing to me. As I progressed on this path further and woke up one day feeling completely lost, I knew something needed to give. Shortly after, I found myself in a room of people sharing my pain, confusion, anger and resentment and although I felt so bad, I was relieved that they were MY feelings and that I had a voice.

In all this time of looking out, what I was really doing was looking for something to identify with, something to help me better understand myself, something that could keep me from having to go within, yet within was where I needed to go to find what I was looking for.

Now that I spend more time looking inside for my inner voice, I am so relieved because that is where the truth really is and the best guidance comes from within. The best part, is that I get to share this voice with others and support them to go within as well. In revealing my deepest self, I help others to unleash their true self....

When I make a genuine attempt to describe where I am in my life and what I have experienced, I open my heart to meaningful communication and support. It's so empowering and brings me so much happiness and strength to connect with others on this level.

No need to be Extreme: Cleansing Can Be Very Simple

Cleansing the system can be as simple as taking one thing out and adding one thing into the diet. Top things to consider taking out for 30 days: dairy products, animal products of any kind, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, processed foods of any kind, sodas, white flour and any white products.

The best cleansing foods to choose are; fresh raw fruits and vegetables, some lightly steamed veggies, nuts and seeds and whole grains only. Incorporate lots of herbal teas as they are hydrating and help flush the body, water, lemon water and fresh juices.

If you eat grains, use only whole grains such as quinoa, wild or basmati rice, and some whole grain sprouted breads like ezekiel and no pasta. Keep in mind that even though they contain some fiber, all grains will slow your cleansing process, so the more you eat, the slower you'll cleanse. This is because they don’t have the enzymes of the raw fruits and veggies and they take longer for you body to digest and break down.

Follow these simple rules and remember to eat no or extremely small amounts of processed food to make your cleanse. If you want to speed up the process of cleansing, many products can help; here are a list: cracked cell chlorella, Wheatgrass, Aloe Vera Gel or Juice, carrot juice, greens rich in chlorophyll. You can find these at www.rawblisssuperfoods.com. Call me for any questions. If you are interested in the Spring Cleanse , let me know. Have fun and you will feel great!

Spiritual Growth through Engaging in Healthy Eating

I can remember years where I used food to numb out. I walked around feeling tired, unable to look people in the eyes, irritable and overall, very lost. I didn't feel passionate about anything because I didn't FEEL. I covered up all my feelings by starving myself or binging on toxic foods so that I didn't have to feel the things that were coming up for me in my life. After I sought support and learned about my eating disorder, I learned about what I was trying to cover up. I began eating a clean and healthy diet and practicing yoga. Instead of covering up how I felt, I learned to release my emotions and seek support. Most importantly, I learned how to get outside of my self centeredness and help others. What a concept!! In moments where I was having a hard time, I reached out and started doing things for others in need. Immediately, I felt better.....every time! Because I was no longer disgusted with myself, I could engage and connect with other people. My growth showed up in every area of my life and I felt more alive.

I know for a fact, in my own experience, that I feel the benefits of eating a plant based diet in that I feel alive and full of energy. Our bodies take in the light from the plants that are stored from the sunlight in their leaves and the nutrients from depths of the earth. Over a period of time, we can truly get that feeling of being "grounded" and "light" through the plant based foods we consume.

Today, I am grateful for my life and all it has to offer. Through my willingness to grow spiritually and consume a diet that is high in Living plant based foods, I am providing my body with what it needs to stay connected to the universe and my purpose. I show up and I share what I have learned through the adversity I experienced and I allow others to heal themselves through these teachings.

What an incredible gift!