"Chinese Lunar New Year, one of the largest holiday celebrations in the world, occurs two lunar months after the winter solstice. Festivities begin on the darkest night of the month on the new moon and last until the 15th day of the lunar month when the moon is the brightest, serving as both a reminder and a celebration of the return of spring.
"The New Year celebrations often include parades, fireworks (the louder the luckier), red lanterns and other red decorations because the color red represents happiness and life. Red isn’t a color often seen in winter so its use in this holiday is a nod to the spring and the year ahead.
"Legend has it that in ancient times Buddha asked all the animals of the earth to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each and pronounced that people born in each animal’s year would have some of that animal’s personality traits.
"February 8th, 2016 marked the beginning of the year of the monkey. People born in a monkey year are said to be inquisitive, energetic, gregarious and mischievous. And much like an actual monkey, the monkey year should be fast paced and marked by flux, as if the year itself has a short attention span. For those who prefer a steady pace with slow transitions, this year may challenge you to roll with change and may frustrate you if you find that you cannot.
"The year of the monkey is considered a time that favors innovation, creativity and breakthroughs; monkey years are said to produce unconventional solutions to long-standing problems. This is a time to embrace the inventive and run with new ideas or even an idea you’ve been mulling a while that has seemed a little out of reach; dare to be different!
"This year will be the ideal year to start a meditation, prayer or relaxation practice. The energy of the monkey year is said to jump quickly from project to project, from topic to topic with frenetic energy and can create an unsettled or scattered mind in any of us."
Good Luck in the New Year!
Reprinted from my colleague, Christi DeLarco, L.Ac., Newsletter of Stillpoint Acupuncture, Greensboro, NC.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Why Do Acupuncturists Love Bone Broth So Much?
One of my colleagues, Cara Frank of the Six Fishes Clinic in Philadelphia, wrote a wonderful article that I am re-printing here. Thanks, Cara!!
Why Do Acupuncturists Love Bone Broth So Much?
Cara O. Frank, L.OM.
Bone Broth is having its moment. What used to be bouillon, stock, consommé and soup now has a new moniker: Bone Broth. In NYC, there’s even a bone broth shop!
There are numerous reasons to be enthusiastic about bone broth as a health building food. When bones are simmered for an extended period of time, the gelatin and collagen in the connective tissue breaks down and is infused into the broth. This creates a soothing, protein and mineral-rich medium that is not only delicious, but is also deeply healing and restorative to the body. Bone broths form a foundational pillar for many dietary protocols, such as the GAPS diet.
Chinese medicine uses several different gelatins as part of their materia medica; notably ass hide gelatin ē jiāo 阿胶, deer antler gelatin lù jiǎo jiāo 鹿角胶 and tortoise plastron gelatin guī bǎn jiāo 龟版胶. The first tonifies the blood, the second tonifies the yang and the last nourishes the yin, yet all of them overlap in their actions to a certain degree. The word jiāo translates as glue, or gelatin. We include them in formulas when patients need deeper “flesh and blood” tonification than plant materials can provide.
Bone broth builds the foundation for good health: In Chinese medicine, we are always treating the Yin and Yang and the Qi (energy) and Blood. Yin refers to a more cooling and moist energy. Yang is warmer and dryer. Yin is further subdivided into thin and thick yin. Water might nourish the thin yin fluids of the body, while bone broth, rich with gelatin, nourishes the thick yin or the deeper moisture of the body. This deep hydration can be visualized by remembering the old fashioned remedy of using gelatin to treat arthritis. Or the use of Synvisc injections for bone on bone joint degeneration.
Gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means it’s a solid liquid. The liquid suspension nourishes the thick yin. Because it is so nourishing, we can also say that it nourishes our qi and because it is warming, it can also nourish the yang. Because many bones contain marrow, which becomes part of the broth, it also nourishes the blood. Therefore, bone broths can be thought of as a medicinal food. My teacher Huang Huang taught us that cooking a pig’s foot with dates, licorice and ginger was equivalent to using ē jiāo. Because these gelatins have a viscous nature, we use them when we need to add a rich, unctuous dimension to an herb formula. So, in relation to infertility, we might use these when there is a thin endometrium, or when there is recurrent miscarriage.
Making bone broth is easy, especially if you have a slow cooker:
Basic Bone Broth Recipe:
1.5-2 lb of Grass-fed Beef Bones, Organically Fed Pork Bones, or Organically Raised Pasture Raised Chicken Bones, or organically handled fish bones (make sure to include the fish head) Boutique butchers and farmers markets are great sources for these products.
A Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic, with the “Mother” material)
COLD Water to cover (warm water will make the broth cloudy)
Herbs (optional)
Veggie Scraps. Optional, but it really makes it taste better. Don’t use cruciferous vegetables. They don’t taste good.
Aromatics: 2 bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns
If using beef or pork bones, consider roasting them on a sheet pan at 375 degrees until well browned. Drain the fat.
Place your bones in a slow-cooker, or large saucepan on the stove, and splash with vinegar. Add fresh herbs or vegetable scraps if you like, or a few peppercorns, a bay leaf, etc, to taste.
Fill pot with water.
If in crock-pot: set on “low” and let run for at 10-24 hours or run it for two 10 hour cycles
If on stovetop: simmer on low for 20-24 hours
Remove bones and fat in one of two ways:
While hot: Skim off fat and any material from the fat floating on the top, and pour through a strainer to remove all bones.
While cool: let pot cool & then put in refrigerator overnight. Scrape solidified fat off of the top, and remove bones (gloves recommended during this process)
Drink daily as recommended
Super Charge Your Bone Broth!
Add Seaweeds:
We feel that a many of our patients facing infertility can improve ovarian reserve and improve sperm count by eating a whole foods, nutrient dense diet. Please read Brianna Eardley-Pryor’s blog on this topic. One of our favorite ways to add deep mineral nutrition is to add seaweeds, such as kelp, or Kombu to the broth. It adds a deep flavor and is a natural source of iodine, which nourishes the thyroid.
Add Mushrooms:
All mushrooms, but especially shitake, maitake, and turkey tail contain immune boosting polysaccharides. Dried mushrooms add deep umami deliciousness.
Why Do Acupuncturists Love Bone Broth So Much?
Cara O. Frank, L.OM.
Bone Broth is having its moment. What used to be bouillon, stock, consommé and soup now has a new moniker: Bone Broth. In NYC, there’s even a bone broth shop!
There are numerous reasons to be enthusiastic about bone broth as a health building food. When bones are simmered for an extended period of time, the gelatin and collagen in the connective tissue breaks down and is infused into the broth. This creates a soothing, protein and mineral-rich medium that is not only delicious, but is also deeply healing and restorative to the body. Bone broths form a foundational pillar for many dietary protocols, such as the GAPS diet.
Chinese medicine uses several different gelatins as part of their materia medica; notably ass hide gelatin ē jiāo 阿胶, deer antler gelatin lù jiǎo jiāo 鹿角胶 and tortoise plastron gelatin guī bǎn jiāo 龟版胶. The first tonifies the blood, the second tonifies the yang and the last nourishes the yin, yet all of them overlap in their actions to a certain degree. The word jiāo translates as glue, or gelatin. We include them in formulas when patients need deeper “flesh and blood” tonification than plant materials can provide.
Bone broth builds the foundation for good health: In Chinese medicine, we are always treating the Yin and Yang and the Qi (energy) and Blood. Yin refers to a more cooling and moist energy. Yang is warmer and dryer. Yin is further subdivided into thin and thick yin. Water might nourish the thin yin fluids of the body, while bone broth, rich with gelatin, nourishes the thick yin or the deeper moisture of the body. This deep hydration can be visualized by remembering the old fashioned remedy of using gelatin to treat arthritis. Or the use of Synvisc injections for bone on bone joint degeneration.
Gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means it’s a solid liquid. The liquid suspension nourishes the thick yin. Because it is so nourishing, we can also say that it nourishes our qi and because it is warming, it can also nourish the yang. Because many bones contain marrow, which becomes part of the broth, it also nourishes the blood. Therefore, bone broths can be thought of as a medicinal food. My teacher Huang Huang taught us that cooking a pig’s foot with dates, licorice and ginger was equivalent to using ē jiāo. Because these gelatins have a viscous nature, we use them when we need to add a rich, unctuous dimension to an herb formula. So, in relation to infertility, we might use these when there is a thin endometrium, or when there is recurrent miscarriage.
Making bone broth is easy, especially if you have a slow cooker:
Basic Bone Broth Recipe:
1.5-2 lb of Grass-fed Beef Bones, Organically Fed Pork Bones, or Organically Raised Pasture Raised Chicken Bones, or organically handled fish bones (make sure to include the fish head) Boutique butchers and farmers markets are great sources for these products.
A Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar (Organic, with the “Mother” material)
COLD Water to cover (warm water will make the broth cloudy)
Herbs (optional)
Veggie Scraps. Optional, but it really makes it taste better. Don’t use cruciferous vegetables. They don’t taste good.
Aromatics: 2 bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns
If using beef or pork bones, consider roasting them on a sheet pan at 375 degrees until well browned. Drain the fat.
Place your bones in a slow-cooker, or large saucepan on the stove, and splash with vinegar. Add fresh herbs or vegetable scraps if you like, or a few peppercorns, a bay leaf, etc, to taste.
Fill pot with water.
If in crock-pot: set on “low” and let run for at 10-24 hours or run it for two 10 hour cycles
If on stovetop: simmer on low for 20-24 hours
Remove bones and fat in one of two ways:
While hot: Skim off fat and any material from the fat floating on the top, and pour through a strainer to remove all bones.
While cool: let pot cool & then put in refrigerator overnight. Scrape solidified fat off of the top, and remove bones (gloves recommended during this process)
Drink daily as recommended
Super Charge Your Bone Broth!
Add Seaweeds:
We feel that a many of our patients facing infertility can improve ovarian reserve and improve sperm count by eating a whole foods, nutrient dense diet. Please read Brianna Eardley-Pryor’s blog on this topic. One of our favorite ways to add deep mineral nutrition is to add seaweeds, such as kelp, or Kombu to the broth. It adds a deep flavor and is a natural source of iodine, which nourishes the thyroid.
Add Mushrooms:
All mushrooms, but especially shitake, maitake, and turkey tail contain immune boosting polysaccharides. Dried mushrooms add deep umami deliciousness.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
The Value Of Taking A Break
Sometimes, a colleague says it better than I can. I am re-posting a lovely article by Heather McIver, of Stillpoint Acupuncture in Greensboro, NC.
The Value of Taking a Break…
More and more I see people who are overwhelmed, overworked, stressed out and exhausted. I know this feeling very well. In 2013, circumstances required me to work very, very hard. Even though these circumstances were temporary, and even though I was really having fun during the excitement of it all, by 2014 I was completely exhausted. The enthusiasm I carried for my work was gone. My curiosity was dulled. My thinking became unclear. That is when I knew I needed a break. Fortunately, I was in a position that allowed me to take six months off. During that time I slept (a lot!), read, meditated, played with my kids and studied. As a result, I came back to work invigorated and with a new sense of purpose. Because I had been able to take a step back, I now see things more clearly than before. I think more creatively, and work with more confidence.
Often, I see people in this same situation. Because our culture tends to view needing a break as weakness, they are looking for a treatment or a pill or a diet that will allow them to keep moving forward. It’s as if they are frantically trying to keep up with a speeding train, and there is no station in sight. Typically, these folks know exactly what they need. They might need some time away, help with a project, some quality time with a friend or a spouse–maybe even to find work more suited to their strengths and interests.
This is lesson number one: “You know what you need.”
If you stop long enough to look deeply, if you can cut through the social conditioning and work ethic and delve into your own mind-body wisdom, the solution is there.
Unfortunately, even once we recognize these solutions, we don’t often perceive them as available to us. I was in the same boat–since I was the only practitioner in one of my offices, I thought it would be impossible to take time off without closing that office completely. This thought–which I held to be ultimate truth–prevented me from looking for solutions. Then one day, it occurred to me that my health was at stake.
I remembered a story a friend had told me about the busiest period of her life. She had three young children, she worked as a nurse, she volunteered, she was busy all the time. She said, “I was just nonstop. Until one day I went nonstop through a stop sign and plowed into another car.” That accident landed her in the hospital for 5 months.
So as soon as I decided that time off wasn’t a choice, I opened my mind to possible solutions. I made a few phone calls, sent a few emails, and within 24 hrs had work coverage for the next 6 months.
Which leads me to lesson number two: taking a break makes you more productive.
One of the main excuses I hear from folks who are working too hard is “I just need to get through_____, and then I can slow down a little.” We know that the more likely scenario is that another more important or more compelling situation will present itself as soon as the current one is over. Or we know that even though we say we will take a break once this busy time is over, we probably won’t. And the myth is that if we stop to smell the roses, we will lose our momentum and therefore our productivity. This is simply untrue. I say, stop the train before the train stops you.
One of my teachers used to say, “Giving 100% is killing you.” Another famous acupuncturist who is known for getting pain relief immediately once needles are placed says, “when you get 80% improvement–STOP! Otherwise you’ll screw it all up.” His point is that after that 80% threshold, the amount of work we put in produces fewer and poorer quality results. Many productivity experts recommend working about 50 minutes of every hour, and then getting up to take a walk or otherwise get some distance from whatever you were working on. This applies to both mental and physical work. If you work at a computer, stop and walk around for a bit or maybe close your eyes and listen to music. If you are doing physical work, stop and rest or read some poetry. In other words, Let your brain re-fuel.
It is common practice in academia to take a sabbatical, and this concept is becoming more accepted across disciplines. Designer Stefan Sagmeister takes one year off every seven years in order to step back from his design work and reinvigorate his creativity. In his wonderful TED talk, he says something like “we in the West plan for about 40 years of work and 15 years of retirement, so I just decided to cut off 5 of those retirement years and intersperse them throughout my work years. This way the energy generated flows back into the business and to society at large. And at the same time, I have more fun.”
There was a great article in the Harvard Business Review back in 2007 which talked about increasing productivity, creativity and innovation by encouraging employees to take care of themselves. It’s called “Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time.” The article talks about top-down workplace change, but also points out that “individuals need to recognize the costs of energy-depleting behaviors and then take responsibility for changing them, regardless of the circumstances they are facing.” In other words, whether you are the CEO or the line worker, there will be small and large things you can do to take a break and restore your energy.
For inspiration, look to nature. Waves surge and then withdraw. Storms rage and then the sun shines. Birds work hard to climb away from earth, and then glide on the wind. Bees have an incredible and difficult work schedule, but then spend the winter huddling together inside, resting and staying warm. Plants create beautiful flowers and berries and leaves at an incredible pace, but during winter they rest deeply. These are natural cycles of productivity and recuperation. When we ignore these cycles, not only does our health and vitality suffer–but our WORK and CREATIVITY suffer.
“What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.”
Lao Tzu
Don’t exhaust your caterpillar before the butterfly has a chance to emerge! Listen to the signals indicating a break is needed:
becoming more easily distracted
tasks take longer to do than they used to
things that used to be fun aren’t anymore
feeling fatigued
re-reading the same sentence
becoming easily irritable
feeling something is missing in life
feeling overwhelmed
losing interest in things
reaching for the coffee or energy drinks as a way to “get through”
increased alcohol consumption
memory problems
In order to begin to recover your energy, you could make drastic moves like quitting your job, but that may just add more stress in the long run. So you could start by trying out small changes. The possibilities are endless, and here are just a few suggestions:
Hourly (pick one or two)
Set a timer for 50 min and spend the last 10 min of every hour taking a walk or even a nap.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply for 30 seconds.
Go outside. It’s amazing how this can change your perspective.
Chat with a friend or coworker and not about work.
Write down the one most important thing to accomplish in the next hour.
Read poetry.
Listen to music.
Stand up and stretch.
Read an inspirational quote.
Admire a piece of art.
Stare into space or out the window.
Doodle
Daily (do as many as you can)
Spend a little time writing / meditating / or staring into space
Exercise a little — enough to feel your heart pumping, but not so much that it’s like a second job.
Eat meals without working at the same time.
Answer emails only twice a day.
Notice your propensity to complain about things and begin to change that. Complain only to people who have the power to change things or to people who can truly help you see a way to change things.
Turn your phone off for at least one hour, or while you are working on a task that requires focus.
Do your best to sleep well.
Be diligent about negative self-talk. Change the story.
Weekly
Plan at least some time reserved for “whatever the heck I feel like doing.” Put in on your calendar. Make it mandatory.
Spend time outdoors.
Do something silly–dance in your pajamas.
Do something that makes you feel connected to God, the universe, the world around you.
Be completely present with your kids or a good friend.
Yearly
Plan at least one vacation…even if you just plan to stay at home but not work. If you can, plan some time off every quarter. Even if each break is shorter, they may prove more rejuvenating, and you’ll have more to look forward to.
Spend a week tracking how you spend your time. How does this reflect what is important to you?
Spend some time in self-examination. Take the strength-finders test or some other personality test. Quit trying to fix your perceived flaws and instead develop your innate talents.
Spend a week or even a day “disconnected.” What is it like to not have your thoughts interrupted six times an hour?
Better yet, turn off the power in your house for a day. Live by sunlight and candle-light. Enjoy the silence.
Go for a hike, go camping, go sailing or fishing.
Sleep for a whole day.
Go on a retreat — this could be a formal structured retreat or just some time away by yourself.
Review your accomplishments. For one moment, forget all that there is left to do. Forget all that didn’t go the way you had planned. Forget the failures. Make a list of everything you accomplished from work projects completed to an exercise program in place to overcoming some negative behavior or thought pattern. Then just be with the success of that.
Take a scenic train ride…just for fun. Make sure it’s a leisurely one!
–Heather McIver, L.Ac.
The Value of Taking a Break…
More and more I see people who are overwhelmed, overworked, stressed out and exhausted. I know this feeling very well. In 2013, circumstances required me to work very, very hard. Even though these circumstances were temporary, and even though I was really having fun during the excitement of it all, by 2014 I was completely exhausted. The enthusiasm I carried for my work was gone. My curiosity was dulled. My thinking became unclear. That is when I knew I needed a break. Fortunately, I was in a position that allowed me to take six months off. During that time I slept (a lot!), read, meditated, played with my kids and studied. As a result, I came back to work invigorated and with a new sense of purpose. Because I had been able to take a step back, I now see things more clearly than before. I think more creatively, and work with more confidence.
Often, I see people in this same situation. Because our culture tends to view needing a break as weakness, they are looking for a treatment or a pill or a diet that will allow them to keep moving forward. It’s as if they are frantically trying to keep up with a speeding train, and there is no station in sight. Typically, these folks know exactly what they need. They might need some time away, help with a project, some quality time with a friend or a spouse–maybe even to find work more suited to their strengths and interests.
This is lesson number one: “You know what you need.”
If you stop long enough to look deeply, if you can cut through the social conditioning and work ethic and delve into your own mind-body wisdom, the solution is there.
Unfortunately, even once we recognize these solutions, we don’t often perceive them as available to us. I was in the same boat–since I was the only practitioner in one of my offices, I thought it would be impossible to take time off without closing that office completely. This thought–which I held to be ultimate truth–prevented me from looking for solutions. Then one day, it occurred to me that my health was at stake.
I remembered a story a friend had told me about the busiest period of her life. She had three young children, she worked as a nurse, she volunteered, she was busy all the time. She said, “I was just nonstop. Until one day I went nonstop through a stop sign and plowed into another car.” That accident landed her in the hospital for 5 months.
So as soon as I decided that time off wasn’t a choice, I opened my mind to possible solutions. I made a few phone calls, sent a few emails, and within 24 hrs had work coverage for the next 6 months.
Which leads me to lesson number two: taking a break makes you more productive.
One of the main excuses I hear from folks who are working too hard is “I just need to get through_____, and then I can slow down a little.” We know that the more likely scenario is that another more important or more compelling situation will present itself as soon as the current one is over. Or we know that even though we say we will take a break once this busy time is over, we probably won’t. And the myth is that if we stop to smell the roses, we will lose our momentum and therefore our productivity. This is simply untrue. I say, stop the train before the train stops you.
One of my teachers used to say, “Giving 100% is killing you.” Another famous acupuncturist who is known for getting pain relief immediately once needles are placed says, “when you get 80% improvement–STOP! Otherwise you’ll screw it all up.” His point is that after that 80% threshold, the amount of work we put in produces fewer and poorer quality results. Many productivity experts recommend working about 50 minutes of every hour, and then getting up to take a walk or otherwise get some distance from whatever you were working on. This applies to both mental and physical work. If you work at a computer, stop and walk around for a bit or maybe close your eyes and listen to music. If you are doing physical work, stop and rest or read some poetry. In other words, Let your brain re-fuel.
It is common practice in academia to take a sabbatical, and this concept is becoming more accepted across disciplines. Designer Stefan Sagmeister takes one year off every seven years in order to step back from his design work and reinvigorate his creativity. In his wonderful TED talk, he says something like “we in the West plan for about 40 years of work and 15 years of retirement, so I just decided to cut off 5 of those retirement years and intersperse them throughout my work years. This way the energy generated flows back into the business and to society at large. And at the same time, I have more fun.”
There was a great article in the Harvard Business Review back in 2007 which talked about increasing productivity, creativity and innovation by encouraging employees to take care of themselves. It’s called “Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time.” The article talks about top-down workplace change, but also points out that “individuals need to recognize the costs of energy-depleting behaviors and then take responsibility for changing them, regardless of the circumstances they are facing.” In other words, whether you are the CEO or the line worker, there will be small and large things you can do to take a break and restore your energy.
For inspiration, look to nature. Waves surge and then withdraw. Storms rage and then the sun shines. Birds work hard to climb away from earth, and then glide on the wind. Bees have an incredible and difficult work schedule, but then spend the winter huddling together inside, resting and staying warm. Plants create beautiful flowers and berries and leaves at an incredible pace, but during winter they rest deeply. These are natural cycles of productivity and recuperation. When we ignore these cycles, not only does our health and vitality suffer–but our WORK and CREATIVITY suffer.
“What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.”
Lao Tzu
Don’t exhaust your caterpillar before the butterfly has a chance to emerge! Listen to the signals indicating a break is needed:
becoming more easily distracted
tasks take longer to do than they used to
things that used to be fun aren’t anymore
feeling fatigued
re-reading the same sentence
becoming easily irritable
feeling something is missing in life
feeling overwhelmed
losing interest in things
reaching for the coffee or energy drinks as a way to “get through”
increased alcohol consumption
memory problems
In order to begin to recover your energy, you could make drastic moves like quitting your job, but that may just add more stress in the long run. So you could start by trying out small changes. The possibilities are endless, and here are just a few suggestions:
Hourly (pick one or two)
Set a timer for 50 min and spend the last 10 min of every hour taking a walk or even a nap.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply for 30 seconds.
Go outside. It’s amazing how this can change your perspective.
Chat with a friend or coworker and not about work.
Write down the one most important thing to accomplish in the next hour.
Read poetry.
Listen to music.
Stand up and stretch.
Read an inspirational quote.
Admire a piece of art.
Stare into space or out the window.
Doodle
Daily (do as many as you can)
Spend a little time writing / meditating / or staring into space
Exercise a little — enough to feel your heart pumping, but not so much that it’s like a second job.
Eat meals without working at the same time.
Answer emails only twice a day.
Notice your propensity to complain about things and begin to change that. Complain only to people who have the power to change things or to people who can truly help you see a way to change things.
Turn your phone off for at least one hour, or while you are working on a task that requires focus.
Do your best to sleep well.
Be diligent about negative self-talk. Change the story.
Weekly
Plan at least some time reserved for “whatever the heck I feel like doing.” Put in on your calendar. Make it mandatory.
Spend time outdoors.
Do something silly–dance in your pajamas.
Do something that makes you feel connected to God, the universe, the world around you.
Be completely present with your kids or a good friend.
Yearly
Plan at least one vacation…even if you just plan to stay at home but not work. If you can, plan some time off every quarter. Even if each break is shorter, they may prove more rejuvenating, and you’ll have more to look forward to.
Spend a week tracking how you spend your time. How does this reflect what is important to you?
Spend some time in self-examination. Take the strength-finders test or some other personality test. Quit trying to fix your perceived flaws and instead develop your innate talents.
Spend a week or even a day “disconnected.” What is it like to not have your thoughts interrupted six times an hour?
Better yet, turn off the power in your house for a day. Live by sunlight and candle-light. Enjoy the silence.
Go for a hike, go camping, go sailing or fishing.
Sleep for a whole day.
Go on a retreat — this could be a formal structured retreat or just some time away by yourself.
Review your accomplishments. For one moment, forget all that there is left to do. Forget all that didn’t go the way you had planned. Forget the failures. Make a list of everything you accomplished from work projects completed to an exercise program in place to overcoming some negative behavior or thought pattern. Then just be with the success of that.
Take a scenic train ride…just for fun. Make sure it’s a leisurely one!
–Heather McIver, L.Ac.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
For The New Year, Do Something Better Than a Resolution
Reprinted from an article by Dr. Deepak Chopra, on Chopra Centered Lifestyle.
The custom of starting the New Year with a resolution has good intentions behind it. With a little self-reflection, we all see areas of our life we’d like to improve and bad habits we’d like to break. But for most people, perhaps as many as 90 percent, good intentions don’t get very far. They forget their New Year’s resolution as the force of habit and conditioning take hold again.
There is a better way, and it’s based on a simple yet powerful kind of reinforcement. By offering the universe an intention and repeating it every day, you can accomplish two things. First, you will train your brain to adapt to a new way of thinking. Second, you will begin to identify with a higher vision of your life. A spiritual life should contain skills that lead to practical changes, and using the power of intention is one of the most valuable skills you can master.
There are countless things a person can want, but being consistent for a whole year with four basic intentions gives you a greater chance for success, because these intentions don’t run into inner obstacles—they fit every lifestyle, belief system, personality, and individual situation.
The Four Intentions
I want a joyful, energetic body.
I want a loving, compassionate heart.
I want a restful, alert mind.
I want lightness of being.
As you can see, these intentions move from body, emotions, and mind to spirit. These are the domains of consciousness where pure awareness takes form as sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. There is a flow that is natural to everyone’s life, and what you are intending here is to replace resistance, disorder, effort, and struggle with an easier way of living.
To use the power of intention requires a new way of approaching body, emotions, mind, and spirit as a single stream of being. This is easily accomplished by a small shift in your daily routine.
Step 1: Take a few moments in the morning to sit quietly before moving into the day’s activity. This is your time for setting the inner agenda for the day, in a state of quiet attention. If you already meditate or pursue your own inner practice, you can add the four intentions at the end of your session.
Step 2: When your mind is settled, follow your breath, easily and effortlessly, for five minutes. At the end of the time (or at the end of your regular meditation), place your attention on your heart.
Step 3: Repeat the four intentions, taking a pause between each one to let the intention find its place inside you. The mind-body connection is fluid, so intentions go to different places every day, giving rise to a new response. Be easy with any response that comes, and return your attention to your heart before saying the next intention.
For example, silently say the first intention: I want a joyful, energetic body. Wait a moment to let your attention go to any sensation, image, feeling, or thought that arises. Notice the response, then put your attention back on your heart and silently say the second intention: I want a loving, compassionate heart.
Don’t judge your response or try to change it. It’s fine to have any response, even if you might label it negative. The purpose here is to get your attention to loosen up and go where the mind naturally wants to go. If you find that any response feels too strong or causes distress, open your eyes, take a few deep breaths until you feel centered again, then go back to the next intention. Don’t force anything.
Step 4: When you have finished the four intentions, sit quietly in a settled state for a few minutes. Then get up and go about your day.
Following Up on the 4 Intentions
Simply by stating your intentions and allowing them to enter the inner domain, you are affecting more change than you could through a resolution that you try to enforce with willpower. The first step is always the most important. There is also a follow-up program that will greatly enhance your intentions. Feel free to adapt any or all of the following practices:
1. Reminders: If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t know what to do or how to feel, take a moment and remind yourself of the intention that is most appropriate. For example, if you are tempted by a rich dessert even though you are already feeling full at lunch, repeat to yourself, “I want a joyful, energetic body.” That’s all. Go ahead and make any choice you want, whether to order dessert or not, without judgment. Reminding yourself of your intention is a value-neutral step that over time aligns you with your highest intention without stress or strain.
2. Stress: The opposite of flow is stress. If you find yourself being stressed, the first thing to do is to get out of the stressful situation as quickly as you reasonably can. Find a quiet place, center yourself, and repeat your intentions, especially “I want lightness of being.” You are telling your higher self that you don’t want to align yourself with stress but with peace and calm.
3. Reinforcement: The best reinforcement is being aware of your path, day by day. In the late afternoon or evening, when you have a quiet moment, write down the positive things that happened during the day in regards to any intention that is starting to come true. It can be something as simple as enjoying a walk, appreciating natural beauty, feeling grateful for your children, or being inspired by a poem or scriptural passage. These are moments where flow replaced struggle. Acknowledge them and they will increase.
4. Regrouping: You do many things during a single day, and your attention has many demands placed upon it. Once you have expended your energy for the day, going to sleep allows your brain to reset for the coming day. As you lie in bed, in those moments before sleep comes, be aware of the four intentions. Review body, emotions, mind, and spirit. You can repeat the intentions or simply let your attention go to these four areas in a positive, optimistic mood.
What I’ve outlined is a simple, practical program that will serve you much better than making a resolution. Aligning yourself with the flow of life is a supreme goal, because it unites body, mind, and spirit seamlessly. This state of unity is what every aspect of the self deeply desires.
- This is an article written by Deepak Chopra. Thanks to Dr. Chopra for his mindful reminders and willingness to share. See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/for-the-new-year-do-something-better-than-a-resolution#sthash.bR3YkDNm.qEqE0aME.dpuf
The custom of starting the New Year with a resolution has good intentions behind it. With a little self-reflection, we all see areas of our life we’d like to improve and bad habits we’d like to break. But for most people, perhaps as many as 90 percent, good intentions don’t get very far. They forget their New Year’s resolution as the force of habit and conditioning take hold again.
There is a better way, and it’s based on a simple yet powerful kind of reinforcement. By offering the universe an intention and repeating it every day, you can accomplish two things. First, you will train your brain to adapt to a new way of thinking. Second, you will begin to identify with a higher vision of your life. A spiritual life should contain skills that lead to practical changes, and using the power of intention is one of the most valuable skills you can master.
There are countless things a person can want, but being consistent for a whole year with four basic intentions gives you a greater chance for success, because these intentions don’t run into inner obstacles—they fit every lifestyle, belief system, personality, and individual situation.
The Four Intentions
I want a joyful, energetic body.
I want a loving, compassionate heart.
I want a restful, alert mind.
I want lightness of being.
As you can see, these intentions move from body, emotions, and mind to spirit. These are the domains of consciousness where pure awareness takes form as sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts. There is a flow that is natural to everyone’s life, and what you are intending here is to replace resistance, disorder, effort, and struggle with an easier way of living.
To use the power of intention requires a new way of approaching body, emotions, mind, and spirit as a single stream of being. This is easily accomplished by a small shift in your daily routine.
Step 1: Take a few moments in the morning to sit quietly before moving into the day’s activity. This is your time for setting the inner agenda for the day, in a state of quiet attention. If you already meditate or pursue your own inner practice, you can add the four intentions at the end of your session.
Step 2: When your mind is settled, follow your breath, easily and effortlessly, for five minutes. At the end of the time (or at the end of your regular meditation), place your attention on your heart.
Step 3: Repeat the four intentions, taking a pause between each one to let the intention find its place inside you. The mind-body connection is fluid, so intentions go to different places every day, giving rise to a new response. Be easy with any response that comes, and return your attention to your heart before saying the next intention.
For example, silently say the first intention: I want a joyful, energetic body. Wait a moment to let your attention go to any sensation, image, feeling, or thought that arises. Notice the response, then put your attention back on your heart and silently say the second intention: I want a loving, compassionate heart.
Don’t judge your response or try to change it. It’s fine to have any response, even if you might label it negative. The purpose here is to get your attention to loosen up and go where the mind naturally wants to go. If you find that any response feels too strong or causes distress, open your eyes, take a few deep breaths until you feel centered again, then go back to the next intention. Don’t force anything.
Step 4: When you have finished the four intentions, sit quietly in a settled state for a few minutes. Then get up and go about your day.
Following Up on the 4 Intentions
Simply by stating your intentions and allowing them to enter the inner domain, you are affecting more change than you could through a resolution that you try to enforce with willpower. The first step is always the most important. There is also a follow-up program that will greatly enhance your intentions. Feel free to adapt any or all of the following practices:
1. Reminders: If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t know what to do or how to feel, take a moment and remind yourself of the intention that is most appropriate. For example, if you are tempted by a rich dessert even though you are already feeling full at lunch, repeat to yourself, “I want a joyful, energetic body.” That’s all. Go ahead and make any choice you want, whether to order dessert or not, without judgment. Reminding yourself of your intention is a value-neutral step that over time aligns you with your highest intention without stress or strain.
2. Stress: The opposite of flow is stress. If you find yourself being stressed, the first thing to do is to get out of the stressful situation as quickly as you reasonably can. Find a quiet place, center yourself, and repeat your intentions, especially “I want lightness of being.” You are telling your higher self that you don’t want to align yourself with stress but with peace and calm.
3. Reinforcement: The best reinforcement is being aware of your path, day by day. In the late afternoon or evening, when you have a quiet moment, write down the positive things that happened during the day in regards to any intention that is starting to come true. It can be something as simple as enjoying a walk, appreciating natural beauty, feeling grateful for your children, or being inspired by a poem or scriptural passage. These are moments where flow replaced struggle. Acknowledge them and they will increase.
4. Regrouping: You do many things during a single day, and your attention has many demands placed upon it. Once you have expended your energy for the day, going to sleep allows your brain to reset for the coming day. As you lie in bed, in those moments before sleep comes, be aware of the four intentions. Review body, emotions, mind, and spirit. You can repeat the intentions or simply let your attention go to these four areas in a positive, optimistic mood.
What I’ve outlined is a simple, practical program that will serve you much better than making a resolution. Aligning yourself with the flow of life is a supreme goal, because it unites body, mind, and spirit seamlessly. This state of unity is what every aspect of the self deeply desires.
- This is an article written by Deepak Chopra. Thanks to Dr. Chopra for his mindful reminders and willingness to share. See more at: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/for-the-new-year-do-something-better-than-a-resolution#sthash.bR3YkDNm.qEqE0aME.dpuf
Kitchen Wisdom for Cold and Flu Season
Chinese medicine doesn’t make a big difference between a cold and the flu, and they are treated much the same. The robust person reacts to the invasion of a respiratory pathogen by getting "wind-heat" and a weaker person reacted to the invasion by getting "wind-cold." (A person who can mount a wind-heat response to an invasion is not generally depleted.) In ancient times (2500 years ago) there was a simple remedy that was used to address the first signs of cold and flu for someone who developed "wind-cold." It was called Green onion and Ginger Decoction. The contents are still available today at your local grocery store:
For Wind-Cold: (symptoms of clear drippy mucous, very slight fever if any, fatigue, achy joints)
Take 2-3 slices of fresh ginger and 2-3 scallions (green onions) and put them in 1 gallon of water that you have brought to a boil on the stove. Reduce the “soup” heat to a simmer, and simmer for about 30 minutes, covered. Then dispense with the “solids” in the soup, and put the liquid into a thermos to keep it hot. Sip on the hot ginger and scallion soup over about 3 hours.
After doing this you may start to sweat. Make sure you climb into bed, keeping warm, don’t sit in a draft, and make sure that you keep yourself in dry clothing. This will do what your grandmother called “sweating the devil out of you.” The worst of the cold/flu should be gone within 24 hours.
If you would like to address the chills, you can cut a few more slices of ginger and boil them up, throwing the boiled water into a hot bath, where you will sit and soak in the ginger bath until the water starts to cool. Make sure you dress warmly when you get out, and get into bed and pile on the blankets. Remember you want to sweat it out. Do not uncover yourself if you start to feel hot. The point is to….did you miss it?...sweat!
In addition to these strategies for wind-cold, consider some dietary advice: eat warming foods such as soups, and spicy foods that will help open your nasal passages. Eating dairy will create more phlegm and will increase respiratory congestion, so don't do it.
For Wind-Heat: (symptoms include higher fever, mucous that is thicker, technicolor, achy joints, bigger chills)
The strategy here is to cool yourself off a little, but not to expose yourself to wind in the form of drafts (like open windows) or vented air. Cooling should take place internally with things like (hot) peppermint tea or chrysanthemum tea. Also, it is important to refrain from eating foods that will make you "hotter" such as sugar, very spicy food, caffeine or alcohol; all these will make you feel worse. Eating dairy will make the phlegm you are experiencing thicker, greener, and more difficult to get out.
There are also Chinese herbal products that help with both wind-heat and wind-cold, so ask your friendly neighborhood acupuncturist to help you select the right product for an immune enhancing strategy that prevents the invasion of pathogens, as well as the products that can help once symptoms begin.
Whether you are experiencing wind-cold or wind-heat, please do yourself and everyone else around you a favor: stay home and don't spread your illness to friends and colleagues. So stay home and take the time to rest and get well before heading out to infect the rest of us.
For Wind-Cold: (symptoms of clear drippy mucous, very slight fever if any, fatigue, achy joints)
Take 2-3 slices of fresh ginger and 2-3 scallions (green onions) and put them in 1 gallon of water that you have brought to a boil on the stove. Reduce the “soup” heat to a simmer, and simmer for about 30 minutes, covered. Then dispense with the “solids” in the soup, and put the liquid into a thermos to keep it hot. Sip on the hot ginger and scallion soup over about 3 hours.
After doing this you may start to sweat. Make sure you climb into bed, keeping warm, don’t sit in a draft, and make sure that you keep yourself in dry clothing. This will do what your grandmother called “sweating the devil out of you.” The worst of the cold/flu should be gone within 24 hours.
If you would like to address the chills, you can cut a few more slices of ginger and boil them up, throwing the boiled water into a hot bath, where you will sit and soak in the ginger bath until the water starts to cool. Make sure you dress warmly when you get out, and get into bed and pile on the blankets. Remember you want to sweat it out. Do not uncover yourself if you start to feel hot. The point is to….did you miss it?...sweat!
In addition to these strategies for wind-cold, consider some dietary advice: eat warming foods such as soups, and spicy foods that will help open your nasal passages. Eating dairy will create more phlegm and will increase respiratory congestion, so don't do it.
For Wind-Heat: (symptoms include higher fever, mucous that is thicker, technicolor, achy joints, bigger chills)
The strategy here is to cool yourself off a little, but not to expose yourself to wind in the form of drafts (like open windows) or vented air. Cooling should take place internally with things like (hot) peppermint tea or chrysanthemum tea. Also, it is important to refrain from eating foods that will make you "hotter" such as sugar, very spicy food, caffeine or alcohol; all these will make you feel worse. Eating dairy will make the phlegm you are experiencing thicker, greener, and more difficult to get out.
There are also Chinese herbal products that help with both wind-heat and wind-cold, so ask your friendly neighborhood acupuncturist to help you select the right product for an immune enhancing strategy that prevents the invasion of pathogens, as well as the products that can help once symptoms begin.
Whether you are experiencing wind-cold or wind-heat, please do yourself and everyone else around you a favor: stay home and don't spread your illness to friends and colleagues. So stay home and take the time to rest and get well before heading out to infect the rest of us.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Who Can Catch the Bubble?
We are well into SUMMER, and we should be pulling out the stops!!! Summer is a time of joyousness, expansion, passion, and mirth. Go to bed late and get up early (the longest of days!!) Those longer days are not for the purpose of simply packing in more work, but for taking a big chunk of your day to PLAY. The time spend outdoors—sweating, being active, getting sun—will serve you well in the winter. So cut loose and go for it. June 21 is the Solstice, so these next couple of weeks are nature’s way of putting us in great expansion. After that, the summer contracts (it will be half over!). Don’t lose time. Enjoy yourself.
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Living Wisely In Summer Bodes Well for Fall
“In the old days the sages treated disease by preventing illness before it began, just as a good government or emperor was able to take the necessary steps to avert war. Treating an illness after it has begun is like suppressing revolt after it has broken out. If someone digs a well only when thirsty, or forges weapons only after becoming engaged in battle, one cannot help but ask: Aren’t these actions too late?” (The Nei Jing Su Wen -The Chinese Classic of Internal Medicine)
Behaving with seasonal correctness was addressed in the Nei Jing. The advice for Summer went like this:
“In the months of Summer there is an abundance of sunshine and rain. The Heavenly energy
descends, (eg: warmth and light descend from above) and the Earthly energy rises (eg: things grow). When these energies merge there is an intimate connection between Heaven and Earth. As a result, plants mature and animals, flowers and fruit appear abundantly…. One may retire somewhat later at this time of year, while still arising early. One should refrain from anger and stay physically active to keep the skin breathing and to prevent the qi (energy) from stagnating. One can indulge a bit more than in other seasons, but should not overindulge. Emotionally, it is important to be happy and easygoing and not hold grudges, so that the energy can flow freely and communicate between the external (the environment and other people) and internal (you). In this way, illness may be averted in the Fall. Problems in the Summer will cause injury to the Heart and will manifest in the Fall.
What does this mean for US? Get up early, stay up late, party and socialize, don't get into interpersonal drama, get tipsy on occasion (if you wish), but don't overdo. Soak up some sun, play games, sweat, and don't take life ultra-seriously. Summer is the time of "fling." Enjoy it. Getting all that "internal and external warmth" will last well into the fall and winter.
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