What nice feelings and realizations at the end of yoga class today!

At the end of yoga class today with Camille Monro at Room to Breathe Yoga in HoHoKus, NJ, we were asked to assume the savasana, or corpse pose, which is lying on your back, keeping eyes closed, staying quiet and still, and breathing gently. Camille covered us up with cozy blankets and asked us to receive. Today's reception was a bit busy. Camille asked us to invite our deceased loved ones in, and my mother, Jeanne, and Grandmother, Bunny immediately popped into my mind and heart, very close. They were both there to assure me that loved ones who are very sick are already being cared for by them. Then I focused in on those two ill loved ones and sure enough, they are open and are receiving from Jeanne and Bunny. Sometimes the gap between life and death can take time, so we never really know when we are going to leave our body, but it was comforting to me to become aware of these particular transitions, even if they are only in my own mind and heart.

My suggestion to help those who are very ill is simple. Send them as much love as you can muster, whether near or remotely. They will feel it. How do I know? I know and I can feel the love of those who have passed, or who are alive but no longer in my life. They are alive in my heart. I feel it.

This does not negate missing those who have passed, nor does it negate the despair or sadness about loved ones who are very ill, but it does give us something positive to focus on. As we send love, we receive love, and it helps ease the pain.

Ultimately, regular quiet time can be helpful to each of us. Gentle, guided practice can gently ease your own pain and serve the needs of others. For those reading this, please know that I am not trying to tell you I know how you feel. I am not discounting the size of your pain, but know that I am sending you my unconditional love and hope for your strength and healing.

What is real freedom?

Many of us struggle with being free. What is real freedom? Is it freedom to make your own decisions without input from others? Is it financial freedom? Freedom from having to work at a 9 to 5 job every day? Freedom to create? Freedom from personal demons? Living free in a free land? Is freedom the space to believe in whatever you want and say it out loud without fear of retribution or judgement? Is it knowing that others can also be free, or having the freedom to help others? Is freedom pursuing education, becoming educated, having the resources or support to pursue education?  Does freedom change as you achieve it? Is it elusive?

What is your dream of freedom? Close your eyes and imagine what life would feel like, look like, be like with this freedom achieved. If you are an artist, draw it or compose it. If you are a writer, describe it. Say it. More than anything, feel it, in your heart and imagine it in your mind. Believe it can happen.

Happy Easter! What are your family Easter food traditions?

My family of origin is of Polish descent. My husband's family is Greek and Italian, but the food traditions are Greek. So every Easter it is Greek lamb and Polish, well, everything else. Desserts are not really a big deal, so we can have fun there. But the lamb is deadly serious. Here is my mother in law, Kay's, recipe for lamb, in the Cordapatis tradition.

Kay's Greek Lamb

Preheat oven to 325o

1 leg of lamb, bone in or out, approx 5-7 lb
Olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
6-7 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon oregano
1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley (the curly parsley is fine too)
Juice of 2-3 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
Salt
Pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or a little more if you want

Roasting pan and grate for lamb to sit on. If you don't have the grate, it can sit right in the pan.

Put lamb in roasting pan. Rub lamb with oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a little of the oregano and garlic, if you want. Put lamb into the preheated oven, uncovered. Time for about 25min a pound. (Internal temp should be about 140oF or warmer if you like it more brown than pink inside)

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onions and sauté on med low heat until translucent. Add rest of garlic and cook till fragrant (1 min or so). Add parsley and rest of oregano. When parsley is a bit cooked, add lemon and warm through.

Baste lamb with onion mixture several times in last hour of cooking.

Save pan drippings and make gravy. I usually serve with mashed potatoes and whatever side dishes you like. Traditionally, there should be hard boiled eggs died red.

Secondhand Smoke

A little anecdotal information about secondhand smoke - just in case it can help someone.  My Dad is a cigar smoker.  (Info on the dangers of cigar smoking here.)  Usually, my exposure to secondhand smoke is limited, but while vacationing together, I have been the recipient of quite a bit of secondhand smoke.  It is hard for me to believe this, but after just a few days I have a scratchy throat, dizziness, a bad headache, a heaviness in my chest and nauseousness.  This is just after a few days.   I am bringing this up not to get anyone to feel sorry for me!  I just want to let smokers know that their smoking can profoundly affect others, even if the exposure is limited.  The research on the effects of smoking are profound, as are the effects on others who are exposed to secondhand smoke. 

The bedroom I am staying in is upstairs above the TV room, and I have a fan going and the windows open, and a towel under the door, but the smoke still makes it in.  For those parents who think they are protecting their kids with the same types of precautions, think again.  Smoke rises, smoke is a vapor that can permeate smaller spaces than we can, so the logical things we might do to block smoke may not be good enough.

Ready to quit smoking?  Call me (201-394-2319 - I am an hypnotherapist/psychotherapist who specializes in smoking cessation) or get this book or enroll in Allen Carr's Easy Way.

Do it now.

PS - I finally got up the nerve to tell my Dad about how the cigar smoke is making me feel and he apologized and put it out! I should have told him before!!

Sunny Florida

Enjoying a few days in warm Florida with some of my family members.  We have had some nice times and a good visit! 

look left

look down

look right

At the ballpark

 

Abandoning Embarrassment - Crosspost from Neale Donald Walsch

On this day of your life, I believe God wants you to know...

...that embarrassment is a pointless experience.

You have permission to abandon it.

Replace it with self love and love of all others--and

love of the imperfections you imagine you see in both.

In truth, both are perfect in their 'imperfection,' for

'imperfection' merely means 'incompletion.'

So do not be embarrassed if you haven't (insert your own embarrassment here) yet. 

Rather, look forward to the

adventure of doing it.

Love, Your Friend....

Neale Donald Walsch, author of Conversations With God

10 Powerful Phrases from Gandhi - Crosspost from Collective Evolution

I don't know author Joe Martino, his philosophies or that of the group Collective Evolution, but I loved this post!  The original link follows the post.  Blessings for a wonderful Sunday!

"Mahatma Gandhi was a man that left man powerful messages to humanity before his time here was complete. Here is a list of 10 powerful phrases of wisdom he left to us all. One thing I wanted to add to this to help make it very practical is that for each one, try to see how it may relate to a certain instance or aspect of your life so you can truly begin incorporating this into your life. It is great to know quotes and phrases like these, but putting them into action is a big step to begin taking. Be sure to reflect on each one and see how you can make them a part of your life. Of course, share this list with others so they can do the same

1. Be the change you wish to see in the world

2. What you think, you become

3. Where there is love, there is life

4. Learn as if you’ll live forever

5. Your health is your true wealth

6. Have a sense of humor

7. Your life is your message

8. Action expresses priorities

9. Our greatness is being able to remake ourselves

10. Find yourself in the service of others

Some powerful words Gandhi left for us in his time. The important thing to remember is the very first phrase on here “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” If we are to truly make change here it is not about simply knowing or memorizing these phrases, we must truly live them and add them into our lives. Otherwise they are just words."

 http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/01/09/10-powerful-phrases-of-wisdom-from-gandhi/