It’s October and that means we see pumpkins everywhere. They’re piled in a heap outside our groceries stores, inside storefront windows, people’s front porches and let’s not forget, our local Pumpkin Patch. Kids love to see pumpkins. They can’t get enough of them because they’ve connected the pumpkin to the ultimate fun night – CANDY NIGHT! (aka Halloween)
While a pumpkin can create feelings of excitement, anticipation and possibly fear in children (some are really scary-looking!), did you know how truly wonderful they really are? Both the flesh and seeds of pumpkins are chock-full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Before I go into all the many health-boosting nutrients the pumpkin has to offer, let me first introduce to you a few facts I came across that you might also find interesting.
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash and is native to North America. Seeds from related plants have been found in Mexico dating back over 7000 years to 5500 BC. Today, they are grown all around the world for a variety of reasons and of the seven continents; only Antarctica is unable to produce them. The biggest international producers include the United States, Mexico, India and China. As one of the most popular crops in the US, this country produces 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins each year. Wow, that’s a lot of pumpkins! All great information if ever you are playing Trivial Pursuit, right?
But wait! Here’s the really good stuff about pumpkins…
Pumpkins are low in fat and calories and rich in disease-fighting nutrients such as:
- Alpha-carotene
- Beta-carotene
- Fiber
- Vitamins C and E
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Pantothenic acid
The alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are potent antioxidants found in pumpkin and are pro-vitamin A carotenoids, meaning the body converts them to vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes healthy vision and ensures proper immune function. The beta-carotene in pumpkin may also reverse skin damage caused by the sun and act as an anti-inflammatory. Alpha-carotene is thought to slow the aging process and also reduce the risk of developing cataracts and prevent tumor growth. Carotenoids also boost immunity and lessen the risk of heart disease.
Eating the pumpkin, its seeds or using the seed oil on your skin (or products that contain pumpkin seed oil as in our new organic Clean Baby Soap) is super good for you. So don’t just carve those pumpkins, eat them! Or at the very least, roast the seeds and indulge in a yummy nutritious snack.
Here’s a recipe from the latest issue of Sunset Magazine that I tried and is one of the most delicious meals I’ve eaten. It’s so good that my picky eight year old said while eating it: “mommy this is delicious!”. Delicious AND nutritious, give it a go.
Let this be the beginning of an (extended) lifelong love affair with pumpkins. Enjoy!
Pouring Soap into the Mold
Whenever I have a table at various boutique fairs I often get asked: “How do you make soap?” Most people haven’t a clue about what’s involved in making soap. Well, for those of you who are curious I’m happy to enlighten you.
The soap I make is called Cold Process Soap not Melt and Pour which is what anyone who has access to a Michael’s craft store can make. CP soap is a lot more labor intensive, much more creative and a whole lot of fun. And did I mention rewarding?
So let me give you the low down on what exactly is involved in making that bar you have in the shower (well at least if it’s a handmade soap that is). The first thing I do is think about what kind of soap I want to make: the scent I would like it to be; if I want to add color to it and if so what color would match the scent; and finally do I want to do anything fancy to it (adding herbs, exfolianting ingredients, swirling, layering, etc.). For me the most important is how do I want it to smell and feel on the skin. Once I’ve decided on whether it will be citrus, earthy or floral, I go into my cupboard of essential oils and start playing around with different concoctions until I’ve come up with something I love. This isn’t always easy because everyone has their own idea of what smells good to them. I often rely on my family and friends to tell me which one they like best.
Now on to the actual soap making…
In one big pot I measure out all the base oils. I typically use olive, coconut, palm and shea butter but will deviate from that list if the soap requires me too (adding mango butter or cocoa butter for example). In a different container I measure out the sodium hydroxide (aka: lye) and water. Soap cannot be soap without the lye component. I use the high quality food-grade lye. Did you know olives are cured in a lye solution? Precise measurements of oils, lye and water are crucial in soap making. I melt the oils on the stove because the coconut oil, palm oil and shea butter are in solid form and I need them to be a certain temperature. I add the lye to the water and stir. Now I wait for the lye/water and oils to come down to the appropriate temperature (below 120 degrees Fahrenheit); this normally takes a minimum of two hours. Once the temperatures are correct I add the lye/water solution to the pot of oils. I use a stick blender to mix well. Once it reaches “trace” (if you take the stick blender out of the oils and the soap leaves an impression on top of the oils rather than blend right back with the oils) that means a chemical reaction has occurred called “saponification”. Once the lye/water and oils have saponified it is now soap. At trace I can now add the essential oils for scenting the soap and any colorant. I always use only natural colorants such as tumeric and paprika to get the orange color in my Orange Mango soap. This entire step can take up to 4 hours from start to finish. I then pour the saponified oils into the soap mold. It is still liquid when I pour it into the mold (see above photo). I cover the soap with a lid and a blanket and leave it undisturbed for up to 48 hours. During this time it still “cooks” so it’s important to keep it warm.
When my soap has been in it’s mold for up to 48 hours, it has turned into a solid form. I take it out of the mold and slice it into logs, then bars. I put the bars on a drying rack and they are left there to “cure” for up to 6 weeks. Technically you are able to use it right away but the longer you cure the soap, the harder the bar will be. The curing process allows the soap to dry otherwise you’d have a goopy mess in the shower using the soft soap.
Once the soap has cured, I wrap it and now it’s ready to sell, use and enjoy. I thoroughly enjoy the creative process and the reward of using it when it’s done. I could never use commercially made soap again. Handcrafted soap is so moisturizing and never leaves a soapy film on your skin. I hope you enjoy using it as much as I enjoy making it for you.
It’s winter season, and we all deal with dry-chapped lips. Recently, a very popular e-newsletter wrote an article about the “Best Lip Balms For Winter”. I took interest because I make my very own fabulous lip balm. Listed in their article were 10 different lip balms from various companies. As I scanned through them, I discarded the not-so-natural ones and focused on the ones that were all natural or at least claimed to be.
Although I’m sure they all feel great on your lips, I couldn’t help but take issue with a one thing: why are they charging so much? I am amazed to see people pay $26 for a 1 oz. stick of lip balm. Granted that one claims you can also use it anywhere that requires moisturizing (knees, elbows and even feet!). Technically you could use JK Naturals Lip Balm to moisturizer those places too, but who wants to use lip balm on their lips once it’s used elsewhere? So now you need two of them at $26 each. Better still, another company offers their .32 oz lip balm (that’s not even 1 oz.!) for a whopping $45.
The truth of the matter is, we really don’t need to be spending exorbitant amounts of money on skin care and beauty products, especially if the products you want to use are all natural and plant-based. You can make your own lip balm, or if you don’t have the time, try the JK Naturals Soothing Peppermint Lip Balm. It’s simple yet very effective and here is what’s in it: jojoba oil, beeswax, honey, pure essential oils of tea tree and peppermint. Here are a few reasons why we picked those ingredients:
Jojoba oil
* Closely resembles the sebum of the skin and is rich in Vitamin E (similar in composition to skin’s natural oils)
* It has excellent skin care properties
* It has an indefinite shelf life so it won’t go rancid
* Non-allergenic
* Gentle enough for newborn babies
* Soothes and restores elasticity to any dry skin area
Beeswax
* Provides body and stiffness in formulations and acts as an emulsifier
* Seals in hydration
Honey
* Known as a natural humectant, means it has the ability to attract moisture and hold it.
* It keeps skin moist without oiliness
* It maintains skin suppleness and elasticity
* It’s famous for its natural anti-oxidant properties and for many centuries it has been used to heal wounds
Tea Tree essential oil
* Known as a very powerful immune stimulant
* It can help to fight all three categories of infectious organisms (bacteria, fungi and viruses)
* Combats cold sores
Peppermint essential oil
* It has a cooling effect by constricting capillaries
* It tastes great! (flavoring agent)
* It contains numerous minerals and nutrients including manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, folate, potassium and copper. Also contains omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin A & Vitamin C
That’s it, and the best part is that it’s just $2.95 and it’s one of our customers’ favorite products. So next time you pick up that ridiculously-priced lip balm or lotion, remember you can either make your own fresh or you can buy from a company that offers high quality products at a reasonable, down-to-earth price.
We’d like to know, how much do you pay for your lip balm and why?
If you’ve been with us all month, attempting some or all of the tips provided in our special daily series – congratulations! We hope you found the tips and the support of our community helpful.
If you made your list on the first day of all the things you want to detoxify from you life and you practiced the tips, you are further ahead than most people who have waited until tonight to think about it. You’ve given yourself some warm-ups. Change can be scary even when we know it’s what’s best for us. Instead of focusing on what you may have to give up to get what you want, try focusing on how you will benefit (i.e. better health, closer relationship with your children/partner or a sense of purpose).
As Emonne mentioned on Day 7, “It’s so easy to fall into the negativity trap. If you find yourself drinking water over sugary soda, resting when you are tired, or simply taking a little ‘me time’, give yourself a pat on the back. Feeling good about ourselves is something we often forget to do, and when it comes to being healthy, more positive thought brings more positive outcomes.”
The best part about starting a new year is that it’s a clean slate, a fresh start to do and be the best you. If it helps, feel free to go back and redo many or all of the tips again and again to get you back on track. Or look at the answers you wrote down to yesterday’s questions and keep working at it. Learn to accept the occasional setback and celebrate your successes along the journey.
For me this project has been my way of preparing for the year ahead. I’m very excited about the New Year and all the adventures and challenges it will bring. Thank you for taking the time to participate. I wish you all, the best of luck and much success. I’d also like to thank our contributors from our community:
Islena Faircrest ___Dr. Bobritskiy ___Emonne Abedini ___Julie Liskey
Tony Faustini ___Shawn Seufert ___Rebecca Klippenes ___Gloria Reyes
Finally, I would like to thank Ariana Faustini for working so hard at making the blog look so great and for her many insightful contributions. I am so grateful she is part of the JK Naturals team.
Happy New Year!
All the best,
Kathryn of JK Naturals
Feel free to try any and all of the tips below in the new year. They aren’t meant just for December and they are designed to be easy for you.
Day 1: Motivation
Day 2: Just Breathe
Day 3: Back to Basics with Your Health
Day 4: Giving is Receiving
Day 5: Planning One Day at a Time
Day 6: Just A Spoonful of Sugar
Day 7: Positive Thoughts, Positive Outcomes
Day 8: Filter That Water
Day 9: Yoga At Your Computer
Day 10: Look Your Best, Feel Your Best, Be Your Best
Day 11: Be Alert and Stay Safe
Day 12: Giving Back To The Community Starts At Home
Day 13: Reach For That Pomegranate
Day 14: Breathing and Posture
Day 15: Detox Your Finances
Day 16: Take Time For Entertainment
Day 17: Detox Your Skin
Day 18: Laugh It Up
Day 19: Live In The Moment
Day 20: Mind Your Chin
Day 21: De-clutter Your Life
Day 22: Detox Your Social Circle
Day 23: Blowing The Budget
Day 24: Balancing Work And Family
Day 25: Merry Christmas!
Day 26: Meditate And Get Results
Day 27: Detox The Earth, Detox Your Life
Day 28: Get Back Into Nature
Day 29: Caring Gives You Purpose
Day 30: Write It Down
Only two more days to our detox left, and if you’re wondering what 2011 has in store, you need to take charge and decide for yourself on what you want it to be for you. That means you need to put some thought into it and then write it down (today, preferably).
It seems more things come true for us when we write it down. I don’t know why that is. Maybe the universe takes us more seriously once we’ve written it down. Who knows? I don’t question it. I’ve just heard too many stories, including some of my own, where a person wrote an amount of a check for himself or herself or a date on a calendar of when something will happen and by some crazy coincidence, it manifests itself into reality. Even if you don’t believe that this is literally true, write your life plan down anyway. If nothing else, it will allow you to think and visualize what you want. By writing out your goals, ideas and intentions you will be more focused.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you get started. There’s no need to answer every question, just select what speaks to you and your wants. Write the answers down and be specific!
Try beginning your sentence with: “In 2011 in I will…”
1. What will I do to improve my health?
2. How can I incorporate physical activity/fitness into my daily or weekly schedule? And, what activity will I be doing?
3. Where will I decide to volunteer my time in order to give back? How many hours a day/week/month can I allow myself to do this?
4. What will I do to improve the relationship with my children/partner/coworker/neighbor/family? How many hours a day/week/month will I dedicate to doing this? What activities can we do together?
5. What will I do to reconnect with myself? What time of day/week/month will I dedicate to doing this?
6. What will I do each day/week to help sustain our environment?
7. What will I do to change my financial situation for the better? How much can I put aside each day/week/month to pay off credit card debt and put towards savings?
8. What will I do to be more organized and what does organized look like to me?
9. What will I do to bring more positivity into my life?
10. What ways can I become more grateful in my life?
Hopefully if you are in the resolution mood, the above practice will help you with your resolve. If not, check out any of our previous 29 posts for some ideas.
Want to read more?
Day 1: Motivation
Day 2: Just Breathe
Day 3: Back to Basics with Your Health
Day 4: Giving is Receiving
Day 5: Planning One Day at a Time
Day 6: Just A Spoonful of Sugar
Day 7: Positive Thoughts, Positive Outcomes
Day 8: Filter That Water
Day 9: Yoga At Your Computer
Day 10: Look Your Best, Feel Your Best, Be Your Best
Day 11: Be Alert and Stay Safe
Day 12: Giving Back To The Community Starts At Home
Day 13: Reach For That Pomegranate
Day 14: Breathing and Posture
Day 15: Detox Your Finances
Day 16: Take Time For Entertainment
Day 17: Detox Your Skin
Day 18: Laugh It Up
Day 19: Live In The Moment
Day 20: Mind Your Chin
Day 21: De-clutter Your Life
Day 22: Detox Your Social Circle
Day 23: Blowing The Budget
Day 24: Balancing Work And Family
Day 25: Merry Christmas!
Day 26: Meditate And Get Results
Day 27: Detox The Earth, Detox Your Life
Day 28: Get Back Into Nature
Day 29: Caring Gives You Purpose
Once the Holiday season comes to an end and we take down the tree and all the Christmas ornaments the house tends to look a little less festive and empty. Well, here’s a tip to keep up your spirits:
Tip #1: Fill your empty space with some color and some greens.
We’re talking live plants and flowers. Palms are a good choice because they fill up space and they’re easy to care for, or if you love to cook, there are plenty of herbs that grow well indoors. Building a custom herb planter for your kitchen is a great craft for you and the kids for those trailing empty vacation days. You can use a cardboard egg carton to start the seedlings, and once they’ve sprouted, it’s easy to cut the carton sections and transplant right into the planter (the cardboard will break down in the soil on its own).
Plants are beneficial to our well being in so many ways. Besides making a room more inviting by adding living energy and color, plants can have a positive effect on our health. Plants absorb carbon dioxide and other household toxins while producing oxygen, providing cleaner air to breathe. People who have plants in their home have been known to experience fewer headaches. Indoor plants make people calmer. The green color of the plants relaxes the mind. Incorporating flowers and plants in our home just makes us feel better. It is an easy and beautiful way to enhance beneficial energy in our lives.
Tip #2: Consider devoting your care to an animal in need.
Although an animal is a much bigger commitment than a plant, caring for any living thing can impart a feeling of purpose, promoting good mental health. If you live in a pet-friendly environment and you are able (physically and financially), why not consider making room in your life for an animal in need of a loving home? Taking a dog for a walk exercises you as well as the dog. A pet can also provide other avenues for making new friends. Also, studies have been done that prove that pet owners tend to feel less lonely. Most pet owners talk to their pets and after all, pets do not criticize or judge. They are expert listeners in fact!
If you are considering adding a pet to your home, please make sure to do your homework and choose one that is compatible to your lifestyle. Also, consider adopting at a local shelter. There are plenty of loving cats and dogs waiting for a good and loving family. If you live in the East Bay area, try going to www.eastbayspca.org or www.tvar.org where you can get information on volunteering or adopting.
Want to read more?
Day 1: Motivation
Day 2: Just Breathe
Day 3: Back to Basics with Your Health
Day 4: Giving is Receiving
Day 5: Planning One Day at a Time
Day 6: Just A Spoonful of Sugar
Day 7: Positive Thoughts, Positive Outcomes
Day 8: Filter That Water
Day 9: Yoga At Your Computer
Day 10: Look Your Best, Feel Your Best, Be Your Best
Day 11: Be Alert and Stay Safe
Day 12: Giving Back To The Community Starts At Home
Day 13: Reach For That Pomegranate
Day 14: Breathing and Posture
Day 15: Detox Your Finances
Day 16: Take Time For Entertainment
Day 17: Detox Your Skin
Day 18: Laugh It Up
Day 19: Live In The Moment
Day 20: Mind Your Chin
Day 21: De-clutter Your Life
Day 22: Detox Your Social Circle
Day 23: Blowing The Budget
Day 24: Balancing Work And Family
Day 25: Merry Christmas!
Day 26: Meditate And Get Results
Day 27: Detox The Earth, Detox Your Life
Day 28: Get Back Into Nature
That's me, enjoying Napa Valley.
I was fortunate enough to spend the last two days in Napa Valley with my husband and no kids (thank you Aunt Maria & Uncle Rob!). Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids and I love hanging out with them. But, as every parent knows, it’s good to get a break once in a while and just be a couple again. As we were driving away from our usual crazy-busy life, getting further and further from home, I couldn’t help but feel like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. As we entered into wine country, I felt a sense of calm come over me despite the rain pouring down. Actually, I think the rain might have contributed to it as there’s nothing like the meditative sound of rain drops on the roof of your car in perfect harmony with the swish of the windshield wipers and not having to be anywhere in a hurry.
The beauty of the vineyards with green rolling hills as its backdrop is certainly a sight to behold. It reminded me of how I always feel great whenever I’m surrounded by nature and its beauty. I’m certain I’m not alone feeling that way. So it just made sense to include this in our blog series. One of the best, no-money fun things to do is to go out into nature and be part of it. So the tip for today is to go out into nature and feel how you begin to unwind. Use the opportunity to clear your head of any stressful thoughts if you’re alone or reconnect with a family member or friend by going with someone who is special to you.
Here are a few places off the top of my head that always create a sense of calm in me and hopefully will do the same for you.
Remember to leave your cluttered mind at home.
1. There’s nothing like hiking through a redwood forest and taking in all its quiet and mightiness. Actually any forest will do but redwoods are so majestic it’s practically impossible not to be impressed and awed by the wonders of nature while you’re among them.
2. Sit on a rock by a still lake, skimming stones or near a rugged coast, taking in the motion and sound of the waves crashing to the shore.
3. If there is snow where you are, consider taking a walk at night especially if it’s snowing outside. There’s something about being outside at night in the middle of winter that’s very calming if you can quiet your mind and take in the stillness of the night.
4. Find yourself a place, away from city lights at night and gaze at the stars. The sheer wonderment of the universe will put the minor stresses of life into perspective.
If for some reason you are unable to do any of these things but have something equally effective, please share with the group. Something unrelated to nature but equally awe-inspiring is to read to a child. Most children love to be read to and as a result you will also experience the joy.
Want to read more?
Day 1: Motivation
Day 2: Just Breathe
Day 3: Back to Basics with Your Health
Day 4: Giving is Receiving
Day 5: Planning One Day at a Time
Day 6: Just A Spoonful of Sugar
Day 7: Positive Thoughts, Positive Outcomes
Day 8: Filter That Water
Day 9: Yoga At Your Computer
Day 10: Look Your Best, Feel Your Best, Be Your Best
Day 11: Be Alert and Stay Safe
Day 12: Giving Back To The Community Starts At Home
Day 13: Reach For That Pomegranate
Day 14: Breathing and Posture
Day 15: Detox Your Finances
Day 16: Take Time For Entertainment
Day 17: Detox Your Skin
Day 18: Laugh It Up
Day 19: Live In The Moment
Day 20: Mind Your Chin
Day 21: De-clutter Your Life
Day 22: Detox Your Social Circle
Day 23: Blowing The Budget
Day 24: Balancing Work And Family
Day 25: Merry Christmas!
Day 26: Meditate And Get Results
Day 27: Detox The Earth, Detox Your Life
No matter how much good you do for yourself, it will not amount to much if you don’t also look around and try to help your environment in the process. We are all connected within this universe and what we do or don’t do has an impact on the soil, oceans, forests, all living creatures and ourselves. We depend on each other to survive. We need good clean water to drink and food that is free from toxins to sustain us.
I believe for the most part that people are good and kind. Given a choice, I think we will almost always choose to do the right thing. Sometimes however, I don’t think we are aware of the things we do and once we become aware, we’re not really sure what the better way is. Because this blog series is all about community involvement and sharing, I would like to invite everyone to offer a tip on how to make a simple, yet positive change for our environment. This simple tip should be something we can all do fairly easily every day. To get this started, I’d like to offer my tip (actually I have two if that’s ok).
Tip #1: Get rid of that plastic bag.
First, I’d like for us all to really make an effort to eliminate the use of “single-use plastic”. That means, we need to bring our own reusable grocery bags to the stores every time and on the occasion we may forget them, fill up the trunk of your car directly from the grocery cart (we all do this when we go to Costco) or at the very least, ask for paper bags. The same is true for other store purchases as well. If you forget your bag, ask for paper. See this cool music video dedicated to the elimination of single-use plastic bags.
Tip #2: Reusable lunch bags/tins.
If your child brings a lunch to school or if you bring lunch to work, please consider a stainless steel reusable container like those found at www.to-goware.com or www.ecolunchboxes.com. Both are local businesses working hard to save our planet. I personally own a couple of these and my son has been bringing his lunch to school everyday using the same one for almost two years and it’s still in excellent condition. No plastic wrap is required to keep food fresh and this keeps excess waste from landfills.
Please share your tips with all of us. Together, we can make a difference!
Here’s a tip from Ariana, our webmaster:
It’s post-holiday clean up time. What to do with all that wrapping paper? Here’s a tip: Don’t throw it away!!!
There are a ton of crafts you can create with the kids using wrapping paper. From origami to dressing up paper dolls, that wrapping paper is great for some extra playtime fun. If you got gift boxes, even better. Set these two very useful post-holiday items aside in some fun craft boxes for the summer when the kids have “nothing to do”. They’ll find wonderful ways to recycle that holiday paper with a little creative playtime.
Want to read more?
Day 1: Motivation
Day 2: Just Breathe
Day 3: Back to Basics with Your Health
Day 4: Giving is Receiving
Day 5: Planning One Day at a Time
Day 6: Just A Spoonful of Sugar
Day 7: Positive Thoughts, Positive Outcomes
Day 8: Filter That Water
Day 9: Yoga At Your Computer
Day 10: Look Your Best, Feel Your Best, Be Your Best
Day 11: Be Alert and Stay Safe
Day 12: Giving Back To The Community Starts At Home
Day 13: Reach For That Pomegranate
Day 14: Breathing and Posture
Day 15: Detox Your Finances
Day 16: Take Time For Entertainment
Day 17: Detox Your Skin
Day 18: Laugh It Up
Day 19: Live In The Moment
Day 20: Mind Your Chin
Day 21: De-clutter Your Life
Day 22: Detox Your Social Circle
Day 23: Blowing The Budget
Day 24: Balancing Work And Family
Day 25: Merry Christmas!
Day 26: Meditate and Get Results
There are many of the tips that have been provided in this blog series by others and us that in some way or another all seem to relate back to our inner selves and relieving stress. The reason is that our hectic lives and the stress it can create can cause ill affects on our health and well-being. Some tips such as simple breathing, practicing yoga and Pilates, drinking plenty of good filtered water, eating whole foods as well as supplementing nutrition and getting a good night’s sleep all contribute to provide a better, healthier you.
The outside world seems to be getting busier and we’re working harder to keep up. It is extremely important to learn how to be centered and grounded and to be in touch with our inner selves in order to become more calm and relaxed. Believe it or not, it doesn’t require a lot of time and almost no effort (well at least physically that is) and we can practice it almost anywhere especially once we get good at it. By practicing meditation on a regular basis we become calmer throughout the day and as a result we sleep better at night. This can have a profound positive effect on how we react to people and situations that would normally cause us stress.
Meditation need not take more than 10 – 15 minutes each day. It’s usually best to practice meditation when you first wake up in order to start the day off right. Also, if we practiced at night, we may tend to drift off to sleep which is not really meditating.
Here are some tips to help you get started:
1. Designate a space in your home that is quiet and comfortable (when you become a pro at meditation, it’ll be easy to practice even in a noisy train station!).
2. Find a position that is comfortable such as sitting on a pillow with your back supported by a wall or couch.
3. In the beginning, you may find it helpful to purchase or download some guided meditations to get you started. These are extremely helpful and highly recommended in the beginning to help keep you focused. In addition you can choose ones that are appropriate for the time frame you want (i.e. 5, 10 or 20 minutes). There are plenty from which to choose online, here’s a site to get you started.
If you’d like to start right now without the help of a guided meditation, sit quiet and still and empty your mind. This is much more difficult than one would think. It may be helpful to just focus your attention on your breathing. Notice how you’re abdomen rises and your chest expands as you breathe in. Then notice how it deflates as you exhale. Just repeat this simple exercise for at least 5 – 10 minutes. If this doesn’t work for you, try a simple “Om” chant (Om is the sanskrit mantra representing God as the cosmic vibration inherent throughout creation). Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, quietly chant the word “Om” for the entire exhalation and repeat this for 5 – 10 minutes.
Remember that it is completely normal for your mind to wander. The mind likes to chatter and so it takes much skill and practice to calm it. Even if you can only meditate for a few minutes to begin with, you will still see a positive difference in yourself almost immediately. It’s important to practice often, daily is best. Once you are able to make a habit of it, you will notice a difference on the days when you don’t meditate (the old you returning!). Good luck and please feel free to share your experiences with all of us.
Want to read more?
Day 1: Motivation
Day 2: Just Breathe
Day 3: Back to Basics with Your Health
Day 4: Giving is Receiving
Day 5: Planning One Day at a Time
Day 6: Just A Spoonful of Sugar
Day 7: Positive Thoughts, Positive Outcomes
Day 8: Filter That Water
Day 9: Yoga At Your Computer
Day 10: Look Your Best, Feel Your Best, Be Your Best
Day 11: Be Alert and Stay Safe
Day 12: Giving Back To The Community Starts At Home
Day 13: Reach For That Pomegranate
Day 14: Breathing and Posture
Day 15: Detox Your Finances
Day 16: Take Time For Entertainment
Day 17: Detox Your Skin
Day 18: Laugh It Up
Day 19: Live In The Moment
Day 20: Mind Your Chin
Day 21: De-clutter Your Life
Day 22: Detox Your Social Circle
Day 23: Blowing The Budget
Day 24: Balancing Work And Family
Day 25: Merry Christmas!
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