Iskiate & brain health

Recently my son-in law sent a text asking where I get my Chia seeds? . . . I replied our health food store carries them - over in the seeds for sprouting section. When I was at their house a few days later, I noticed a recipe for Iskiate posted on the fridge, & when I got home I made a batch - yum!

• 8 oz water
  
• 2 T whole chia seeds
• 1-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1-2 tsp sugar (maple syrup, honey...)

Mix together & let sit 5-10 minutes. You can experiment with the liquid; coconut milk, sun tea, water kefir . . .

Matt's a runner, & recently hired as the Assistant Track Coach for the HS (he also manages the local Starbucks) - sounds like he'd been seeking a more 'natural' high electrolyte recharge drink - this is a great one! Inexpensive & easy to make it yourself.

Another friend recently mentioned the book Born To Run, about the Tarahumara Indians 'a Meixcan group of super-athletes,' & how they run barefoot. They also drank Chia Fresca or Iskiate; which has been making the 'circuit' in the running world since the book's publication. Today I picked up some Grade B Maple Syrup to use instead of sugar (I've also used a bit of honey or agave nectar) & here's another 'take' on the recipe.
I sometimes use ~ 1/4 C of my water kefir in the mix, I tend to drink more of my coconut milk kefir, so it's nice to find a new use for the water kefir! Already tart, & with herbs added in a second 'culture,' the water kefir is also high in probiotics. Chia seeds are high-fiber, omega-3, high-protein, antioxidant, & anti-diabetic. Myelin, the 'white matter' of the brain, is the insulation that surrounds the brain & nerve axions. Omega 3 oils support the recovery & regrowth (re-myelination) of the myelin!

This week I was invited to a talk on keeping our brains healthy as we age, by Roger Anunsen. I felt lucky to get a 'booster shot' from this expert on keeping our brains flexible & alert. This was an hour long overview of 'what's new' & a refresher on the info he presented last year. Roger is working on web casts, as he constantly seeks new info on optimizing brain health! He comments that he & a few others are working on translating the research into 'plain English' so more of us can access & utilize the info! The 'cogwheels' that support brain health are:

• Pysical exercise
• Mental exercise
• Socialization
  
• Stress Management
• Nutrition & healthy diet (inc. plenty of antioxidents & Omega-3 fats)
  
• Adequate sleep, including naps (ideal naps are: 23 min, 45 min, 0r 90 minutes)
  

I was tickled that dance provides the first 4! & calling square dance is a particularly good form of mental stimulation & social activity! He commented that some 'stress' is good - & encourages taking on the challange of learning something new fairly regularly.

Another 'brain health' expert, in his talk on 'Movement is Medicine' commented that ballroom dance has an Altzheimer's Risk REDUCTION factor of ~ 75%! He & his wife began taking ballroom lessons shortly after learning about the mental health benefits! His formula for "Optimal aging" includes: life satisfaction, social participation, self reliance, coping ability, setting new goals.
& a reminder for anyone who hasn't heard how great coconut milk & oil are for enhancing brain health, check out Mary & Steve Newport's story of reversing Steve's early onset Altzheimer's with the help of coconut & MCT oil!! Steve's last MRI (April 2010) "was reported as "stable" compared to the previous study." (June of 2008, about the time they began using coconut oil!) I use coconut oil for all my cooking, mixed with olive oil in salad dressing, & drink ~ 10 ox of coconut milk in the form of kefir daily.

I love this summer season of abundant fruit & fresh veggies - though with our longs cool spring, home crops are a bit limited. I am also thinking of how to 'revamp' my back yard - want to make some new raised beds, & clear more of the tall grass! I currently have apples, pears & a loaded fig tree! I dried some of the figs, as I couldn't eat that many fresh, & the grandkids who LOVE them are 2 hours away.

In good health!

Healing Rays, Grounding, Aura Clearing . . .

Returned this week from a lovely 4 day 'stint' at Breitenbush' - ah, Breitenbush, your river dreams a dream, you mountains sing, & your people, we grow strong' (from the Breitenbush tape 'concert for the Trees)
- You can just see a tiny corner of the roof of my tiny second Breitenbush home (92-93) on the left in this photo - it was 9'x19' with a loft bed!! (think of that when you're feeling your living space is 'tiny!')
The shared kitchen at that time was about half that size - now replaced with the lovely structure in the mid-left - two industrial size stoves & two sinks, plus a lovely large fridge. My garden plot was just beyond the tall motherwort in the right of the photo.

While staying in 'North Wind' - my next home (fall of '93- fall of '94), I enjoyed the evening air through the open window of the loft, & skimming several books on 'Telos' Mount Shasta, & Lemuria. Sweet.
In the late 90s, my friend Margo & I went to Mt Shasta for a fall equinox gathering, & fell in love with that mountain! Leaving the area, Margo saw Mother Mary's face on the mountain, & I saw a white dove fly across in front of us! Ascension teachings indeed! (My daughter & I had seen a white dove on our way down from Breitenbush a few days before this excursion - the symbol of ascension, or embodyment of our divinity)

As I read, the sections on daily preparations & Rays stood out. Daily practices can be so powerful, & serve as basic reminders that we are indeed fragments of Divinity, exploring human incarnations! Does it matter what the practices are? I think not, as long as they raise your energy & make you more available for this life journey!

Here are a few suggestions :
AM: Ground yourself - connect to the center of the earth (* instructions below for those new to this concept) Invite your angels, guides, Higher Self & Masters to support you as you release any old thoughts & habits that no longer serve you. Invite a new perspective - the unknowing mind, the knowing heart. Invite the lessons/experiences of this day to be easy, gracious 'mirrors' to awaken consciousness.

Throughout the day: Pay attention! Invite the energies of trust, love, faith, compassion, grace, & gratitude to flood your cells & your DNA with the purest vibrations & to build your energy. Do some Qigong, Tai Chi, Yoga; take a walk through a park, breathing in the Air & admiring the beauty. Even if you just take a couple of minutes for 'conscious movement' it will help build your energy!
Do the 'Land Clearing' for your property/public areas close by, any other areas you feel OK about clearing. 'Cleanse, Clear, Rebalance, Illuminate!' is the 'quick phrase, after you've done it awhile :)

PM: Receive & embrace in profound honor all the day has brought you, & set your intention of integrating it into your heart. Feel your cells & DNA expand to the new Vibration. Express gratitude for whatever abundance or insights have come your way.
Before sleep: Thank your guides, angels & Ascended Masters for their blessing & assistance this day. If you wish, ask travel to 'dream school' in a lovely, Green Jade temple (in Telos, under Mt Shasta, or another favorite healing/learning space with which you resonate.)

Here are some practices to explore: grounding, shower of light, aura shield, & harmonizing your interactions with others.
I recommend beginning with grounding, & if you're often 'spacey,' try grounding daily for a couple of weeks, & see if it makes a difference! One of my teachers comments that healers esp are often 'ungrounded,' perhaps because we work with that unearthly healing energy!

* Grounding Basics (inspired by Erica Ginnis, Berkeley Psychic Institute & my personal practices)

• Sit comfortably & take a few breaths into your belly ).
• Allow a cord of energy to flow downward from your belly or a bit below(first chakra): Through the chair you are sitting in.
  
• Through the floor and down through the building you are in.
  
• Through the foundation and into the deep earth beneath.
  
• Allow your grounding to flow down into the earth past all the rocks and layers of the planet, past the water, deep deep into the earth, into the heart of the Mother. Until it reaches the fiery center of the earth.

Sit with that image for a few minutes, breathe, relax, & allow any emotions or energies you feel 'done' with to sink into the fire in the Earth's Heart. You may feel emotional release, a bit of sadness, joy, just allow the feelings to gently drain away, & within a couple of minutes, you are likely to feel peaceful & centered.
* imagine anything you release being burned in the core or feeding the Earth as 'compost.'

Play with the images you use, & see how they feel:

• Imagine a waterfall, flowing and cascading from your first chakra down through all of physical reality to the center of the earth.

• Next change your grounding into a supple and strong root of a tree, allowing it to grow from your first chakra to the center of the earth. (note how this feels, breathe, enjoy)

• Now shift your grounding so that it is a laser beam of light, shining though everything straight down to the center of the earth. (again, sit with it awhile)
  

• Play with colours, choose one or two favorites, & let your grounding 'root' or light shift colours. Breathe it in, send it down.

• Throughout the day, whenever you think of it, take a minute to let the old cord 'dissolve' & create a new one. This is a great time to play with colours, & see what 'fits' for you.
  

• Some folks find it's important to feel themselves 'anchored' between earth & heaven, & you may find you wish to send your spent energy to the sun or angels to dissolve. Do what feels best for you!

• When you enter a new space, take a moment to ground yourself, then imagine a green thread going from your feet to each corner of the room. Imagine a gold thread above your head, going to each corner of the ceiling. You are now anchored in the space. Many folks can be anchored in the same space - try it next time you're in a class or at a party! Absorb the cords or let them sink into the earth when you're done.
  

Shower of Light

• Standing - Ground yourself & imagine a a channel passing from the crown of your head down through your backbone, belly, & continuing to the earth
• Imagine a cosmic 'showerhead' a few feet above your crown, & invite it to shower you with vibrant golden light, which washes over your body, & through the central channel
• Let the shower run for a minute or two, washing away sadness, fears, anger, doubts
• Switch the shower to violet, & let it run for another minute, transmuting all of these outdated emotions & feelings into the highest good for you & all that you touch.
• Turn the shower 'off,' & move a bit to integrate the energy - shake, dance, wiggle

Aura & Roses:

• Standing - Ground yourself & imagine a a channel passing from the crown of your head down through your backbone, belly, & continuing to the earth
  
• Imagine your 'bubble' or aura shield, about arms length around, above & below you.
• Sweet aura colours:
  
• Celestial gold (your body's own 'self affinity' colour - this colour helps you maintain your highest integrity) this is the basic, other colours are layered over gold. Turn a circle with your arms outstretched to 'define' your aura egg. Imagine it the same distance above your head, & into the earth below your feet.
  
• You may wish to experiment with Silver, & see if that 'fits' better - or platinum :)
  
• True Blue - (over gold or silver) give your aura a light coat of true blue when you venture into public places, & when you wish to speak your truth.
  
• Violet - St Germain's transmuting violet flame - this protects you from negative energies of others, & keeps your energy 'to yourself' when you're out of sorts. Great to remember to put on the violet when you go to the mall, or into the city!
• Rainbow - think of the irridescence of oil on water, or a soap bubble! This is fun to play with when you're in nature, on a walk, hanging out with girlfriends.
• The colour of the Ray for the day (see below) - again, begin with gold or silver, then layer with yellow, or pure white, or emerald green . . .
  

• After you've got your 'aura colours' in place, imagine 4 beautiful roses, in your favorite colour(s) - one in front, one on either side, & one behind you, just outside your aura. These assist in absorbing energies that are out of balance throughout the day. Place a 5th rose above your head, perhaps a rose bud, poised to bring in insights & blessings throughout the day.
• At the end of the day, thank the roses & allow them to dissolve. If you have a stressful experience, let the roses dissolve & melt into the earth or pass them to an angel, & imagine a fresh bouquet surrounding you! You may wish to imagine a rose above you at night, or at the entrance(s) to your room.
  
• In the morning, after renewing your aura 'sheath,' start with new roses.
  

Ideas for harmonizing interactions

• If you have an intense experience of any kind, take a few minutes to reset your grounding cord (you can let the old one dissolve into the earth), then check your aura & place new roses.
• When you find yourself in conversation with someone who has similar issues to yourself, place an extra rose between you & them, inviting it to 'catch & dissolve' any 'matching pictures' of the issues that you share!
  
• Before you encounter that person again, or when you go for a job interview, etc, imagine yourself & the 'other' as tall as trees, & invite your high self to 'visit' with theirs, setting your intentions for the meeting - that it be aligned with the highest good for each of you, that the outcome be positive, beyond any expectations! As my friend Peter Moore said "whenever I remember to do that, things always turn out better!"

& finally, the idea I began this, connecting with one of seven 'healing rays/flames' on each day of the week!
Sunday - Yellow Ray/Wisdom/ Divine Mind
True wisdom arises from the higher perspective of consciousness - merge Divine Mind with personal mind to bring more congruency
Monday: Royal Blue Ray / Divine WILL .
Focus on Divine will, align with Divine Will to experience Divine Harmony. Bathe Mind, body & Soul with Divine Energy daily - & Invite the Blue essence into the second chamber of your heart.
Tuesday: Rose Pink Ray/ Divine Love
Divine transformation of love dissolves limits, heals & harmonizes all things. Breathe in & merge with the rose pink divine flame of love. Multiplies all you desire & deserve.
Wednesday: Emerald green Ray/ Divine flame of Healing precipitation & abundance
Focus on energies of divine Healing in all aspects of life. Balance & soothing for all the disruptions you have created. Invoke & Visualize radiant Green Liquid healing light transforming & uplifting all areas, bringing balance, peace, joy. This green light also energizes abundance & manifestation.
Thursday: Golden Ray of Resurrection/restoration of Divinity
A day to remember we are Divine beings, experiencing Human Life & learning from it!
Invoke & merge with purple & gold energies of Resurrection/ remembrance of all gifts & abilities of that Divinity.
Friday: Pure Dazzling White Ray of Purity & Ascension
Alchemical Union of Human & Divine Essence of purification. This ray purifies all miss-qualifcations of Divine Energy, clears negativity, false beliefs, poor attitudes & habits that distract you from your Spiritual Mastery. Fill Auric field & every cell of your physical, emotional & etheric bodies with pure dazzling white ascension flame.
Saturday: Violet Ray of Divine Transmutation & Freedom from Illusion
Violet flame of change, alchemy, freedom from limits, royalty, diplomacy. Fill your auric field & heart with the violet flame, invite the frequency of violet flame to clear all obstacles, & karmic blocks to manifesting your purpose.

• You can add the 'ray of the day' into your shower of light - on Friday, bathe in the Violet flame a bit longer. Violet can be draining if you're not used to it, so gradually add a bit more time, as you feel ready!
• Loving your body as a Divine Repository of Spirit is important to loving the totality of your spirit.
• "I AM a being of Light & joy, reflecting perfection to all beings.
• Fountain of Youth: become a fountain of pure light. Visualize light pouring out from you, ever being filled by the eternal fountain.
  
• Monitor your thoughts: "How would a Master View This? What action would a Master take in these circumstances?"
• When in doubt: Sit with It! don't take action yet; ground, bathe your aura, connect with the ray/light of the day, invite insights & ENJOY!!!

Blessings