Let Us Love You.....Until You Love Yourself

Say "I Love You" to yourself. I know it sounds woo-woo and new-agey, but close your eyes and just say it.

Then notice how you feel in your body as you say it. Is the statement true - or are you lying to yourself?

There are two kinds of love. Ego-filled love and Universal love. Ego-filled love is based in perceptions, facades, ideas in our heads. The more beautiful, handsome, talented, wealthy, exciting, sexy or special our ego perceives ourselves to be, the more we seem to fill a hole inside of us.

Universal love is the result of a different functioning of the mind. Our body, our mind, our thoughts are filled with pure warmth, oneness, and non-judgmental acceptance. Universal love will feel safe because it is not dependent on anything that can change.

Children are born with a deep sense of their own OK-ness. They know at birth that they are loved. Most of us lose this wonderful sense of peace and self-acceptance somewhere along the line.

Self-love doesn't happen by luck or the grace of God. You have to create it:

• Honor yourself and who you really are. Love is your birthright. We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience
• Tell the highest truth: which is that we are powerful beings capable of creating joy and success or pain and suffering in our lives. We are not destined to be victims. We have the power to choose, and this power is both the greatest responsibility we have and the greatest opportunity
• Honor who you are becoming. Self-love involves recognizing that you are constantly evolving and growing to become a more powerful and more loving being
• Honor your feelings and responding to those feelings. Remember, feelings are important signals, and even the so-called negative feelings of anger and fear serve the important purpose of alerting us to the obstacles in our life

Imagine a large group of content, happy people surrounding you. They don’t need to have faces or names, just imagine your fellow humans from all walks of life, all ages, focusing on you in a circle of love. They say to you: “Let us love you until you love yourself”
Now sit with that feeling and let it wash over you knowing what it feels like to loved completely just as you are.

“You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha

Five Weird Things To Try For Better Health

1. ENHANCE CIRCULATION: Most of us shower every day, so why not turn those 10-mintues into something that will help you power up circulation and enhance detoxification? Use alternating hot and cold water and repeat it about four times. Your skin is your largest organ and using hot and cold water contracts and dilates the blood vessels on the surface of the skin giving your circulation a boost.

2.BREATH EASY: Clean out your sinuses. Use a neti pot filled with warm distilled water and salt (nonidozed)to rinse the pollen, dust and other irritants that accumulate in your sinus cavity. You'll not only notice you are breathing better after using a neti pot, but if you use it repeatedly, you won't get colds anymore.

3.SOOTHE THE TUMMY: Drink two tablespoons of olive oil before bed at night. Sounds crazy, right? I agree, but doing this will lubricate your intestines, kill germs, provide anti-inflammatory fats, and stimulate the gall bladder and liver to clear the system and promote hormone balance.I have to admit, this one is hard for me. I recommend having a slice of lemon to suck on afterward, as the after taste is pretty knarly.

4.GET LONG: Notice your posture. Even as you sit reading this, do a posture check. Are you sitting up straight so that you head is balanced over your shoulders, your shoulders balanced over your hips? Try to press the top of your head towards the ceiling and lengthen your spine. Slouching puts strain on your back and neck, which over time can lead to chronic pain. I catch myself slouching in my car frequently, so check in with yourself and see what you can do to improve your spinal alignment.

5.URINE CLUES: Test your pee with pH strips. I know, I know, this sounds weird too. But here's the deal: it's a basic diagnostic tool that will give you great feedback about what's going on inside your body. You can buy a small roll of the paper strips at a natural foods store. You'll have instant results and be able to use the included chart to see if you are acid (time to increase your fruit veggie intake) or alkaline (good health).

What NOT to do in Yoga Class

I've taught hundreds of yoga classes since I first began teaching back in 2001 and have seen all forms of human behavior played out in class. Coming from a place of compassion and non judgement I know that not everyone is tuned into the silent rules of etiquette in class. So whether you're new to yoga or a seasoned student, here are some simple guidelines to follow next time you step onto the mat,

1. Remove your shoes and socks. We practice barefoot in yoga so we don't slip and so we can feel how our feet connect with the ground beneath us.

2. Give yourself space. Many yoga poses require your arms outstretched or a leg lifted to the side, so make sure you place your mat far enough away from your neighbor.

3. Keep your mumbles, grumbles and frustrations to yourself. When a pose is especially challenging, people will unconsciously begin a stream of rants against themselves followed by audible sighs and sometimes even a curse word or two. But instead of calling attention to yourself try making your frustration part of your practice. What happens if you change your response to the difficult pose and make it something playful and fun instead of difficult and unattainable?

4. For the sake of everyone's olfactory sense, please don't wear perfumes, body sprays or scented lotions. We breath deeply and often in yoga class and nobody wants a lungful of manufactured smell.

5. Don't disrupt the final pose. I use the last ten minutes of class for Shavasana, or Corpse Pose where you lie down on your back. Doing this pose at the end of class puts the body into a total state of relaxation and allows the brain to switch over into the slower Alpha brain wave mode. Lying in Shavasana also makes people feel vulnerable, so if you make any noise it's startling and adrenaline-producing for everyone in class. If you need to leave early, please go before we begin the final pose.

6. Leave the Blackberry in the car. Give yourself the gift of no ringing, beeping, chiming or chirping for one hour. Make yoga class a time where you are unplugging and getting in tune with your body and mind. The smartphones we all use today can create a mind that's constantly scattered, a nervous system that's jumpy and a body that's bound up and tight in the weirdest places (i.e. carpel tunnel from texting too much).

7. Save the chit-chat for after class. I'm all for catching up with a girlfriend or bonding with my spouse. But when you talk your way through class, even if you're in the back it's highly distracting for everyone in class.

How To Live-Dali Lami Advice

Eat More Kale

My friend Stephanie saw this on a bumper sticker and we had a good laugh about it. We thought it took a lot of huevos to order people to eat a leafy green vegetable. But then we starting asking ourselves "why don't people eat more kale?" It's one of the nutrition packed superfoods you're always hearing about. And while all leafy green foods are good for you, Kale is King. Yes, it's bitter and tastes pretty nasty raw. BUT all that aside, what if more people DID eat kale? Here's what they'd get in return....

-lowered cholesterol
-the best source of beta carotene (healthy skin, boosted immune system, good vision)
-heart disease kept at bay
-prevention of five types of cancer (breast, colon, bladder, ovary and prostate)
-comprehensive "all hands on deck" support for the body's detox system
-antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits for the entire body
-a natural source of: vitamin C, folic acid, B6, potassium, and vitamin A
-bone protection from the large amounts of calcium

Kale is usually too bitter for me when it's raw. So I remove the stems, chop it into ribbons and throw into soups. I also will make a salad out of it after I've let it macerate in some lemon juice (the acids help break down the bitterness and soften the leaves). I also use kale when I use my juicer. When juiced with some carrots and apples you'll barely taste it but still be able to reap the myriad of benefits from this incomparable edible.

Portobello & Basil Lentil Stew

It's starting to get chilly outside now that Fall is in full swing. And my large soup pot is calling to me. I've been making this Lentil Stew for years and everyone that tries it always asks for the recipe. The mushrooms give the stew a meatiness that's satisfying, while the basil makes it fresh and bright.

Lentils are packed with fiber and protein while the portobello mushrooms offer an excellent source of selenium (an important mineral for optimal antioxidant activity) and they are loaded with potassium and B vitamins.




Serve this stew with a crusty, whole grain loaf of bread on the side and enjoy!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups diced portabella mushrooms
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
6 cups stock
6 ounces tomato paste
1 1/2 cups red lentils
1 bunch basil
1/3 cup dry sherry

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large soup pot and saute onion, garlic, mushrooms, green pepper,salt and white pepper together until mushrooms are tender (about 5 min).

2. Add stock and tomato paste. Mix until tomato paste is completely blended into stock. Stir in lentils and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add basil and simmer, with pot covered, 15 minutes longer. Add extra salt and pepper to taste. Serve in individual bowls and float one tablespoon of dry sherry on top of each bowl. Garnish with remaining basil leaves.

What Type of Yoga Is Right For Me?

Anusara--A relatively new approach to yoga founded in 1997, Anusara litteraly means "to open to your heart or flow with nature and grace." Precise aliment underlies this practice, which is also filled with a large dose of Hindu spiritual concepts that are absent from most other forms of yoga.

Ashtanga--This invigorating workout is best for athletic types who want to build strength, stamina and flexibility. The classes follow the same prescribed order of poses, so each class will be the same. You'll do everything from back bends, headstands, balances and twists. Some people find even the beginner classes very difficult.

Bikram--Also reffered to as "hot yoga", Birkram is a sweat-fest, with the room heated to around 105-degrees. The benefit of Bikram is that your muscles and joints will loosen up, but you can easily become dehydrated so bring a big water bottle. There are 26 poses in the series and you'll do it twice.

Hatha--Good for people who are starting out and new the world of yoga. Usually a slower paced class that includes basic poses, breathing techniques and ways to transition. If you're looking for a more relaxing style yoga, this would be a good fit. If it's too mellow for you, look for another style.

Iyengar--You won't be working up a sweat in an Iyengar class. But you will be holding the poses for up to two minutes. You'll also be using the various yoga props: belts, straps, blocks, blankets and bolsters. This type of yoga focuses on precise alignment.

Vinyasa--Often called "flow" yoga, these classes will move from one pose to the next fluidly. The teachers will help you focus on breathing with each movement. These classes can also be a good place to start if you're new to yoga. The teachers will often play hip music and the poses will have colliqual names (i.e. Mountain, Down Dog) instead of Sanskrit ones (like Tadasana, Bodikonasana).