“The True Meaning of Thanksgiving” - November 22, 2009

I haven't posted in a few days so I thought I would share this with you.  I've been helping a friend with a new blog, and his Thanksgiving Article was so good I decided I couldn't have said it better myself!  He addresses all aspects of our being:  Mind, Body & Spirit.  Interestingly, Stewart generally writes on topics concerning finance and estate planning.  He's pretty smart and insightful for a "financial guy".  

The Real Meaning of Thanksgiving by Stewart H. Welch, III
"Thanksgiving Day is coming…a time for families to get together and share turkey dinner. It’s a tradition that goes back to the founding of our country. Consider the true meaning of Thanksgiving: ‘To give thanks’. This Thanksgiving, take a moment to give thanks for all of your blessings: all the things you have; all the people that you care about and that care about you; that you live in a country that embraces freedom and allows everyone the opportunity to turn their dreams into reality…to achieve their highest potential.

Here’s my prescription for leading a life that you can be truly thankful for:

Feed your mind. A positive attitude can be a powerful antidote for the many challenges we face today. The mind’s natural state dwells in protectionism. Like the sentry on the ship, it screams, “Iceberg!” at just about every situation it encounters. Take control over your mind and train it to react with ‘possibilities’ and ‘learnings (from mistakes)’ versus fear and avoidance. We all have a certain ‘comfort zone’ that we live within. All personal growth is a result of pushing through fear into our ‘uncomfort’ zone. Train yourself to constantly challenge your comfort zone. For once you’ve broken through it, it is expanded forever.
Feed your body. Our bodies are truly amazing. Literally trillions of cells operate both independently and in harmony with each other. These bundles of energy require constant fuel in order to operate and we get to choose whether that fuel is high octane or low grade. Based on the obesity epidemic in America, it’s clear most of us are choosing low grade. Use Thanksgiving Day as a new beginning. Stop at one helping from the buffet line and focus more on the foods that support a healthy body. Commit to getting physical exercise every day, even if it’s just a short walk after dinner. Advancing medical science is dramatically extending life expectancy. If you want your retirement years to be active and healthy, adopt a healthy lifestyle starting now.
Feed your spirit. You are your ‘input’. What you read, watch, think about and talk about on a daily basis becomes who you are. Think of your mind as a computer with a massive hard drive. Your ‘computer’ is nothing more than the sum total of the data you have programmed into it. Make sure that you spend time feeding your mind subject matter that will support your mental growth. It has been said that you are the ‘average’ of the five people you spend the most time with. Who are those five people in your life? Are they a positive influence or is it time to ‘upgrade’?
Feed the Universe. In my experience, the deepest happiness comes from helping others. Ultimately, the purpose of life is to become the best person you can be so that you can help others become the best they can be. This requires that you become a person of action. Don’t just think about it, do something about it! This Thanksgiving, reach out and help someone less fortunate than you. Take dinner to a needy family; serve at one of the many food shelters; make a donation to a charity." You can read Stewart's Weekly Articles and follow him on his blog at www.StewartWelchArticles.com 

Carry on Bag Only!

My friend Katie Gilbert who travels the world asked me to share how I recently managed to pack for a 10 day trip with only a carry on bag.  Hmmm ... strategy:  Pick a basic color, black - Black pants, skirt, dress, yoga pants, tights and stockings.  All of my (10) tops, plus two cammies were lightweight & I chose fabrics that don't wrinkle and I rolled everything rather than folding. All my toiletries were the small size and fit into a quart bag for passing security, and I only needed a small make up bag.  I packed my flat iron, but left my blow dryer at home, packed black boots and one blazer. I even had room for a pair of pajama pants and a tank top to sleep in, and I took 3 scarves.  Part of my strategy was what I wore on the plane ... jeans, a top and a black leather blazer --- all more bulky, but great items for mix & match.  And here was my insurance policy ... that SECOND carry on you are allowed to take.  I put my computer, and normal event purse (large enough for the computer and notebook) inside a larger duffle bag so if I had extra items on my way back, I had room.  I made certain that it would fit under the seat in front of me.  Katie, I took MOST all the "equipment" you like to take ... Computer, back up hard drive, Cannon Camera ... a small one ... and my Flip Camera.  The major difference is that I don't have that LARGE camera that you like to use (and would like to have one, too!).  Did I forget anything?  YES!  I forgot my business cards!  Solution?  I went to  Staples online to choose, design and have 200 printed at a nearby store.  It took only 4 hours and I had cards for the event.  Problem solved, quickly and easily ... You can follow my friend Katie and her adventures on HER blog at www.LivingAdventuresoftheHeart.blogspot.com.  

I'm stuck in traffic crossing the Hoover Dam! Trip across the desert this afternoon had been awesome!

Food Inc. 2 of 2

For those of you who watched Food Inc. 1 of 1 a few days ago, here is part 2.  I hope you will all take time to watch, learn, take the actions you can as an individual to make better choices when you purchase your foods, and then share this video with others.  One person and one purchase at a time we can make a difference in our health, the quality of our food, our communities and our planet.

Important Video: Food Inc. 1 of 2

I hope you will all take the time to watch this video, Food, Inc. 1 of 2.  It will change the way you eat; it will change the way you shop.  Remember, everytime you spend your dollar at the grocery store you are casting a vote.  Your choices are not just about what you are putting in your own body and how it will affect your health.  Your choices affect our community and our planet.  Remember, we are all connected.

Reincarnation - Part 2

Reincarnation Story …

The one that opened the door to the idea
that Reincarnation may be true

The experience I write about here is true.  It is the experience that opened the door for me with regard to considering the idea of reincarnation. Prior to this, I had no real thoughts on the matter one way or the other.

My maiden name is Katherine Duncan Hendrick. I was named after my great grandmother, Katherine Duncan Miller. Grandma Kate, as she was called in our family, died when my grandfather was only two years old. As the story goes, she found herself pregnant with a fourth child. This happened around the time of the Great Depression and times were hard. Not wanting to burden the family with another mouth to feed she tried to abort the pregnancy. Complications resulted in her early death and left her three children without a mother.

When my Great-Aunt Frances passed away, my grandfather asked her daughter (his niece) for a ring that had once belonged to Grandma Kate, saying he would like to have the ring repaired and give it to me since I was her name sake. I was thrilled with the beautiful little antique garnet and pearl ring. Not only did I like the ring, it was the first time I’d been given a family heirloom and I was genuinely appreciative. For a while, I wore the ring all of the time. Gradually, I became “uncomfortable” with it. I couldn’t explain it, but I took it off. Then I’d put it back on again. Gradually, the feeling became so strong that I could only wear it a few hours at a time. It eventually found a home in my jewelry box and I quit wearing it entirely.

I had never been to a psychic before, but one of my friends had heard of one here in the Atlanta Area and wanted to go. This was not too long after I’d moved to Atlanta, so it would have been more than 25 years ago, about 1983. Four of us made appointments and went to see this woman. I took the ring with me, and well into my session I brought out the ring and asked the lady about it. I told her I had inherited the ring, the person whom it had belonged to had died at an early age and therefore no one in the family knew her very well. I asked her if she could tell me anything about the ring or its former owner. She held the ring for a few moments and then began talking. Some of what she told me I could confirm was correct, some I couldn’t correlate with what I knew. She new the number of children she had, that the woman was from Virginia, a teacher ... then she suddenly stopped and I could tell she had a piece of information she wasn’t sure whether to tell me. I remember thinking … “This is it; she knows whatever it is that causes me to feel uncomfortable about this ring!” I looked her dead in the eyes and told her, “I can see that you are hesitating to tell me something, but whatever it is, I want you to tell me.” She asked me if I was open to the idea of reincarnation. I told her that I didn’t know, that I’d never given it consideration, but I was open to listening to what she had to say. She then told me, “I think you WERE this woman.”  It was only at that point that I shared with her that the ring had belonged to my great grandmother whom I’d been named for, and that I had become uncomfortable wearing the ring. She suggested two books on reincarnation for me to read, which I did follow through and read soon after. She also explained to me she thought the reason the ring made me feel uncomfortable was that on some level, I recognized the ring, but since I didn’t understand it, I was uncomfortable with the feeling. Interesting, stuff, huh? Well, you would think the story ends there, but it does not.

Months later when I was visiting my Mother and Grandfather, I told them about my visit to the psychic (bad idea). Being more traditional, and not nearly as open minded as I am, not only did they find my story uninteresting, but they were down right offended and angry. The idea or suggestion that I might be a reincarnation of my Great Grandmother went over like fingernails on a chalk board. Therefore, I quickly dropped it, planning never to bring it up again. Years later I got a phone call from my mother. She asked me if I remembered telling her the story about the psychic telling me I was a reincarnation of Grandma Kate, and how angry she had become. “Yes, I remember”, I replied. Her answer, “I have been doing some genealogy research and have come across a piece of information that I must tell you about. I never had any idea of this before, but I just found the date of Grandma Kate and your great-grandfather’s wedding anniversary. It is December 16th, the same as your birthday. I thought you should know.”

If you read books on reincarnation, they do agree on some ideas. Souls tend to gravitate to one another through many lifetimes, though the relationships may change. It is not thought to be an unusual phenomenon for a soul to have the same, or a similar name, through more than one lifetime. Therefore, the woman who did my reading was not surprised when I told her that I was the namesake of my Great-Grandma Kate, instead it only confirmed to her that her reading was accurate. For me, it opened a door of exploration since I had no strong feelings about reincarnation one way or the other. The coincidences seemed to uncanny to ignore.

Reincarnation - Part 1

     Brian Weiss, author of "Many Lives Many Masters", was in Atlanta this past weekend and several of my friends went to see him.  Thus, reincarnation seems to be a topic of current interest and conversation in my circle. Several years ago a friend asked me why I believe reincarnation is real. When I met this person there was a very deep and instant connection that I could explain in no other way than if we had known each other in many other lifetimes. My new/old friend acknowledged the unusual and immediate sense of familiarity; the instant feeling that we'd known each other for many years.  He had never considered reincarnation and it was not a part of his belief system. Thus the writing down of my thoughts and experiences on the subject.
     Is reincarnation real? First, let’s clarify that people do not reincarnate, souls do. So, the first question you must ask yourself is “What is a Soul”? Generally, most people identify themselves so strongly with their physical bodies, their minds (or thoughts), and egos (the “I” former, which identifies itself with our positions and possessions) they are really not very connected to the core essence of their being, or their soul.
     So what is a soul? Deepak says the soul is non-local, acausal, quantum mechanical, interrelatedness. In more understandable words this means the soul resides outside of space and time, has no particular location, there is no cause and effect, things are non-linear, and everything is instantly correlated, and inseparably connected and correlated with everything else on this level.
     How do we connect to our soul? One of the best ways to connect with our soul is through meditation. During meditation we occasionally slip into a place, sometimes referred to as “the gap”, where we glimpse our soul. When you slip into “the gap” you transcend space, time and causality. What happens when you begin experiencing this state of consciousness? You start realizing there is more to reality than we experience in the first three States of Consciousness (deep sleep, dreaming, waking). You will notice you have more intuition, you inner world and your outer world establish some connection. You will notice your senses become enhanced or refined, your relationships improve and toxic habits fall away.

     What do we know about different states of consciousness? We know that knowledge is different in different states of consciousness, reality is different in each state, and our biology is different in different states of consciousness. Our brain waves are different in each state of consciousness. Our physiology also changes with regard to heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, perspiration, release of stress hormone, etc.

     I do believe that our souls reincarnate, and some souls may even have a choice about whether to reincarnate, but people and personalities do not. Just as we play out a variety of roles during a lifetime, our souls play out a variety of roles in each incarnation. They find themselves in a different body, which changes throughout a lifetime, different roles, which also change throughout a lifetime, with different personalities and situations.

     Though the belief of reincarnation has been around for thousands of years, modern day Christianity does not generally accept reincarnation as part of its doctrine, and some even consider it heresy. However, I have discovered that deeply hidden within its history, especially the writings of Mystic Christianity, reincarnation was part of that belief system. I found a tidbit of history confirming that reincarnation was originally a Christian tenent but was rejected at the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 CE. Reincarnation is a part of both the Hindu and Budhist beliefs, as well as others.

What Kind of Yoga Should I Do?

 Today I received an email asking:  "Can you advise me as to the type of yoga I should begin? I have wandered from my path of spiritual health and am finding my way back. (I have a tendency to neglect myself in my care for others)."
     These are questions and challenges I am often asked about. Any yoga, in my opinion, is good yoga! Yoga dates back more than 5,000 years and at that time there were not all the different styles of yoga we have today. Now we have so many choices! Find a style and instructor that fits your needs and that you feel comfortable with. This is an ideal time to try different styles, classes and instructors and find out what you enjoy the most. Embrace trying new things.
     It seems so easy, and is common, for us to neglect ourselves in favor of taking care of those around us. However, in order to be our best and have the most to offer those around us, it is essential that we take time for ourselves. You must take time to nourish yourself in order to be able to provide the greatest value and nourish those around you. When your keep this in mind you will realize that taking time for yourself is, in reality, the most generous and giving thing you can do not only for yourself but for those around you!
     As you know yoga will help you re-connect with that part of yourself that you indicate that you feel you have lost touch with. Yoga has been used for thousands of years to enhance all types of spiritual practices and connect us with our essential selves. Meditation is another practice that helps us to remember who we really are at the core of our being.
     The Law of Giving & Receiving from the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra reminds us "I am the Nourisher of the Universe and the Universe Nourishes Me."  We are always in dynamic exchage with our environment and everyone around us.  Take time to nourish yourself, and remember the following affirmation:  "I always make the most positive choice to nurture my mind, body and spirit."

Is Yoga a Religion?

Earlier this year I spent several days at a Trappist Monastery just outside of Atlanta. During my visit I had the pleasure of speaking with Father Tom Fransis on several philosophical and theological topics. Now a spry young man in his 80’s, he has practiced yoga for decades. He has also written about centering prayer in his books.  Centering prayer is also known as contemplative prayer or meditation. When I met Fr. Tom he asked me, “Do you teach Christian Yoga or Hindu Yoga?” I thought that was a strange question coming from such a spiritual and well read man! I am often asked, “Is Yoga a Religion?”

Yoga has its roots in the ancient wisdom teachings of India which date back more than 5,000 years. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root, “YUJ”, which literally translated means “unity” or “to yoke”. Yoga has always been used as a way to purify the physiology and quiet the mind. In recent years there is a renewed interest in Yoga to enhance fitness and to reduce stress. If the only reason you practice Yoga is for the physical benefits, that alone would provide ample rewards. However, the essential purpose of yoga is to integrate all aspects of our being – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual (Mind, Body & Spirit). Yoga offers a tool to not only release stress but to help us remain calm amidst the chaos of life.

So is yoga a religion? No, yoga is a philosophy and a way of life. Yoga can enhance your spiritual practice regardless of your religious beliefs. There should never be any conflict between the practice of yoga and your belief system. Yoga was around before Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, or the other religions we think of today. Yoga integrates all aspects of our being by purifying our physiology and quieting our minds. When that happens we have the tools to not only stay calm amidst the turbulence of life, but to access the silence within us. It is in that silence that we have the opportunity to connect with our essential selves, our creativity, our spiritual nature, and to the Divine.

Whatever your reason for trying a yoga class, it is a great reason. Whether your goal is to enhance flexibility, improve strength, or to reduce stress, it is a great reason to come to a yoga class. Yoga does however have some hidden and perhaps unexpected gifts. If you are open to them you will find them. You don’t have to go digging, just practice; they will find you. I know I found those gifts, and that is why I teach yoga today.

*The Monastery of the Holy Spirit is located in Conyers, Georgia. It is a Catholic Monastery of the Cistercian Order. Cistercian Monks, commonly known as “Trappists”, live a contemplative life (mostly in silence). If you are interested in visiting the monastery, I will be taking a group there soon, date TBA! Contact me and let me know of your interest.

"Lotus Reflection" by Paul Heussenstamm. 
http://www.mandalas.com/

I just discovered PING! http://ping.fm/ , a service to
update ALL of my sites at once! This is so cool!

Kay Rice, M.Ed., C.N.
Chopra Center Certified Instructor & Vedic Master
Yoga Alliance E-RYT 200
Licensed Corporate Wellness Coach
http://www.kayrice.com/

Chai Tea

As promised I am posting my Chai Tea Recipe.  I learned to make this from a lady named Louise who I stayed with during my last visit to The Chopra Center in Carlsbad, California.  Each morning instead of coffee we all waited in anticipation for Chai Tea.  She started the tea the night before by soaking the spices in the pot of water .... here's the recipe:

Indian Chai Tea

It makes 12-16 servings, so use about that amount of liquid in a dutch oven or large pot.

3/4 parts water (9-12 cups)
1/4 part milk     (3-4 cups)

Fresh Ginger Root, peeled - a piece about the size of your thumb
10-12 whole Cloves
12-15 Peppercorns
24 pods Cardamom
1-1 1/2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
Honey, to taste (we used Canadian Honey)
Black tea leaves* - to taste.  We used about 1/3 Cup in a large tea strainer

*Indian tea leaves can be purchased at the Indian store, and they are rolled and feel much like granules; if you do not have these you can use regular black tea.

Put the spices in the water the night before you want to have Chai Tea.  In the morning, bring the water and spices to a boil and then add the milk.  Bring the water, spices and milk to a second boil then turn off the heat. Add the honey & tea leaves (use a tea strainer for the tea leaves).  Let it steep for a few minutes, then strain the entire batch of tea to remove the spices and serve!

You will see recipe is not exact.  It is not measured but made, both literally and figuratively, by heart.
Enjoy!

You Are What You Metabolize

You are what you metabolize from all five of your senses. When my children were toddlers they watched the children's show, Barney. I remember that big purple dinosaur saying, "You are what you eat from your head to your feet!" He was encouraging children to make good food choices. Indeed making healthy choices in what we eat is important, but we are so much more than just what we eat. We metabolize every single experience we take in from all five of our senses! Therefore, the quality of our experiences and our ability to metabolize them determine the quality of our health and the state of our wellbeing. In addition, our mind and our physiology do not distinguish which experiences are "real" from those that are "unreal".

Recently I had the opportunity to speak at one of Loral Langemeier's Big Table Events. Several of the audience members expressed that the idea we must metabolize our experiences from all five of our senses was a completely new concept to them, but it made sense. Deepak Chopra says, "If you want to know why your body is the way it is today, look at the quality of your experiences over the past 10 years; If you want to know what your body will look like 10 years from now, look at the quality of the experiences you are having today." I was asked if I could tell them more and give them some examples of how this concept might be affecting their state of health and wellbeing.

First, our minds do not distinguish the "real" from the "unreal". Close your eyes and imagine you have a plump, juicy, yellow lemon in your hand. Feel the texture; observe the smell. Imagine yourself cutting the lemon into several wedges and see the juices being released. Now imagine taking one of the wedges you have cut and bite into it. What would it taste like? Mmmmm! Did your mouth water or salivate? Most likely it did, but where was the lemon? There was no lemon, but you still had a physiological response to the imaginary lemon.

I often ask students in my yoga class to become aware of unmetabolized experiences they may be carrying by doing the following exercise. At the beginning of class we sit quietly and observe our breath. As we observe the inflow and outflow of the breath our bodies and our minds begin to settle down. I will then ask them to give their body a scan and just see what they notice. They may notice an area of tightness somewhere, perhaps in their shoulders or back; there may be tension in those muscles. This tension may be from experiences they had in their day or week that they are still "carrying," and now they are "holding onto" those experiences in their body. Once there is awareness of this tension, the breath can be sent to that place and we can have the intention to release whatever we are holding on to.

The first step in learning to metabolize all of our experience is awareness. Once we become aware that we must metabolize all of our experiences we will naturally make more conscious choices about how we live our lives and the experiences we choose. In addition, we will be more aware of how our experiences affect us and learn how to metabolize or let go of things that are unhealthy or that do not serve us.

Affirmation: "I always make the most nourishing choice to nurture myself and to support the daily renewal of my mind, body and spirit."