Hope Floats

Martin Luther King's birthday just passed and I mused on how close to the new year it falls. When I think of Mr. King, the word "hope" always filters to the top. Hope permeates the air in January like the scent of my blossoming tangelo in springtime. After all, New Year's resolutions need a good sprinkling of hope to manifest themselves. So I am pondering the word hope. When we anchor hope onto our dreams, expectations or accomplishments, it not only gives them a sense of lightness or buoyancy but density as well. When we hope for a better life situation in the new year, it adds a weighty quality to our desire. There is a responsibility to take practical steps towards that goal, not just a wistful desire that our future improve. Turning hope into reality is an intense proposition. In my view, hope carries a lot of weight, yet is light to carry. It is that airy, souffle-like quality that I am focusing on this year. How can I lighten the load or burden of procuring myself a better life and not feel as if the weight of the world is on my shoulders? Every morning prior to meditation, I now ask myself what brought me happiness yesterday: a peaceful hike with my Australian Shepherd, the deep tissue massage I scheduled in the afternoon (a Christmas gift from my hubby). Then I ask what will bring me happiness that day, and think of at least one joyful experience yet to come. It may be as simple as watching a movie with my husband or enjoying a good meal with friends that coming evening. Remembering how important joy is in our daily lives keeps hope afloat within our hearts. Here is a fun question I asked my yoga students: If hope were a food, what food would it be for you? I visualize a light, airy chocolate mousse, with an intensely pure cocoa taste. Something so light on the tongue, yet exploding with flavor on the palate. I received some unexpected responses, from spinach to alfalfa sprouts, even bananas! There is no right or wrong food choice, I just felt dessert was way more fun! Share your choice in the comments section, I'd love to know. Hope props us up and helps carry us above the challenges placed before us. May your burdens be light and your joys many this upcoming year.

New Raw Juicing Recipe

Not finding decent celery stalks at Sprouts this week, especially as they were asking $1.19/each, I bought the largest jicama I could wrap my hand around instead. This recipe made 64oz. of juice, enough for 4 days. No, I don't juice every day, and yes, I really think it's OK to refrigerate juice up to 4 days.
6 cucumbers, 2 lbs. carrots, 1 very large jicama (peeled) and 1 lemon (peeled). Divide veggies equally into 2 piles and juice. Jicama is very mild in taste and delivers a lot of liquid. I used high power mode to run it through.
I've been juicing for about 2 years now, so if you have any questions on this raw food drink or want to share any delicious recipes, let me know!

Ring In, Toss Out.

This new year is the year I look towards what I want, not back on what I don't want. Say what, you ask? Instead of focusing my energy on negative patterns I want to change, zero in on the positive trends I'm starting. One of my favorite films is from the 1970's titled "The Gumball Rally" starring a young, handsome Raul Julia as an Italian race car driver. The story is about a handful of car enthusiasts and their yearly illegal race across the country. As Raul Julias' character steps into his Alfa Romeo, he grabs a hold of the rear view mirror and states: (insert Italian accent here)"What is behind us is not important!" and yanks the mirror off, tossing it into the backseat. Fabuloso! In life, what is in our past should stay there. Notice it become smaller as you move forward down the superhighway of life. Travel light carrying only what you need. The new year is as good a time as any to assess our needs, wants, desires and hopes. The more "needs", the more luggage you haul. One of my New Year's intentions is about conquering fear, fear of the future, of failing, of not achieving my full potential as a human being, fear of falling (on my head, that is, in pincha mayurasana-forearm stand). Tall order. And yet, my path towards less fear is by heading straight into it. Forgetting about past failed attempts at the above entreaties, tossing out the rear view mirror, and heading down the road pedal to the metal no speed limit in sight. I realize the only obstacle in my path is myself, I'm the one with invisible constraints on my future. How to bypass that? Distinguish between true fear and imprinted fear. True fear is flying at 120mph well beyond my driving skills, imprinted fear is speeding up to 30mph beyond my comfortable driving speed. A bit frightful, adrenaline going, but not really dangerous. And without a rear view mirror I won't steal glimpses at it for those dreaded flashing red and blue lights. I'll just keep moving ahead until I reach the finish line. With a new year comes new beginnings, renewed hopes. May yours be guided by an open heart and an open mind as you reach for your goals.

Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!

I love the Peanuts gang. It's just not the holidays without seeing Snoopy rock out on his electric guitar! I break out in a funky dance as soon as the "Lucy and Linus" theme chimes in. What is it about Charlie Brown that makes him and his friends so timeless?

Charlie Brown brings out the child in each of us, transporting us back to simpler times and carefree lives. He helps us recapture, even if for a short time, the joy of our inner child, that sense of wonder and boundless happiness. This Christmas I chose to uncomplicate my obligations and focus on the true meaning of this Christian holiday. Although I don't personally belong to an organized religion, the true meaning applies to all human kind. Goodwill, charity, understanding, peace, empathy, selflessness should be a part of us all year round, not just around the holidays when it's fashionable.

The sad, little tree that needs a home is pretty obvious in the Peanuts version. Showing compassion for others, even a tree, is much easier than turning that compassion within and directing it inward. Our inner child needs nurturing and love as well. There is a well known Buddhist meditation titled "Loving Kindness". This meditation is about compassion, compassion for ourselves first, then toward those we know, and finally to all sentient beings. Like the emergency oxygen mask we strap on prior to assisting others, being merciful to our inner self is like oxygen for our soul. We can't adequately help others if we don't attend to our spiritual child first.

Although Snoopy is my favorite Peanuts character (who doesn't want a dog like Snoopy??), Charlie Brown carries our inner child on his sleeve labeled as insecurity, angst and simplicity. Yet it is in simplicity that the divine qualities of our inner child shine. Open hearted, good and kindly are the traits we should carry on our sleeve every day, just like Charles.

My Christmas wish to you all is to find your inner child and give it a reason to smile. Feel the warmth of that smile radiate through your soul and fill you with compassion and joy.