Articles in the Zen Category

I’ve blogged about yoga before. It complements raw living so well in my life. I honestly feel like it is wholesome for me, like it grounds me, and brings me full circle from deep within. It’s still amazing to me how many differences there are when I compare the times I’m practicing yoga, and when I am not.

Doesn’t the gal in this photo look so at peace? Of course, there were lots of other cool yoga photos I could’ve chosen for this post, but I thought the hay was the best fit – considering I’m in Amish country.

I’m going to share the pros and cons of yoga vs no yoga in my life later (below) but first, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite go-to yoga resources.

YogaisYummy.net – I came across this gem a while back. I immediately loved Polly’s bright, sunny, positive attitude and her fun yoga videos. I continue to use her videos – especially if I’m short on time (her videos are each 10 minutes in length).

Stacy McCarthy’s Yoga Body Lean & Defined Total Body Workout DVD – I loooooooooooooooooooove this DVD. Seriously, y’all. I think it’s fantabulous! Stacy’s voice is so reassuring and one thing she says that really resonated with me the first time I ever played it, was this:

“Be slow to judge and quick to acknowledge your efforts toward a healthy life.”

That’s a difficult thing to do, but so rewarding!

The Bolder Mat Company – I love this company! They’re passionate about the environment and they make beautiful mats that are not only inspiring to practice yoga on, but they’re actually sticky mats that are good quality and serve a purpose. They’re cushy, too!

Ali MacGraw – Yoga Mind & Body DVD – This was a gift from a reader. Mika sent me her very own (treasured!) copy and I was so honored that she blessed me with that gift! By the time I get to shavasana with this DVD, I feel like I’ve died and gone to Heaven! (I blogged about Mika’s gift here.)

Where the Lemon Water Comes In

A lot of you have asked why I love drinking warm lemon water first thing in the morning (on an empty stomach). I shared my answer on the FAQ page but I’ll paste it here for your convenience.

Lemons are loaded with goodies your bodies need such as Vitamin C and heart- and cancer-fighting compounds like limonin and limolene. I love them. I have been drinking warm lemon water each morning before breakfast for a long time now. My Mom is a HUGE advocate of lemons and we have been having them in our iced tea for oodles of years. The warm lemon water (drank on an empty stomach) helps alkalize the body, jumpstarts your liver and bowel and flushes your kidneys and bladder. It’s very cleansing to your body. Lemons boost your immune system, lower histamine levels, and help give your skin an overall healthy glow. I definitely feel less energetic and have less “umph” on days I don’t get my lemon!

Hope that helps you understand my obsession with warm lemon water.

Warm Lemon Water Recipe

Ingredients:

• a slice of lemon (you can use up to a half of a lemon)
• a cup of hot water
• a drizzle of (raw) honey or organic stevia (optional – I drink mine plain, without sweetener)

Directions:

1. Add some water to your tea kettle.
2. Heat the water (don’t let it boil).
3. Squeeze the lemon slice/wedge into your cup.
4. Pour hot water in to cup (about 3/4 full).
5. Sip and enjoy.

Tip: Don’t chug this down. Slip it slowly. I eat about half an hour (sometimes up to 45 minutes) after I’ve drank all my warm lemon water.

Back to Yoga

So, when I’m not practicing yoga and drinking warm lemon water every morning, I feel:

• stagnant
• stiff
• lethargic
• moody
• out of balance
• hungrier
• sleepy
• blocked on my writing/blogging
• etc.

When I am practicing yoga and drinking warm lemon water every morning, I feel:

• stronger
• happier
• more grounded
• more alert
• healthier
• less hungry
• more radiant
• more confident
• like I’m bursting at the seams with words to write
• and much more

I sleep better, too, when yoga and lemon water make their way into my day!

What about you? What grounds you and makes you feel more centered and just healthier and better? Is it yoga? Raw foods? Smoothies? Running? Please share!

Photo Credits:

jhoc (yoga)

spakattacks (lemon)

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Raw Reality

More and more as I reflect on my raw reality , I realize that for a while now my body has been crying out for a juice fast. Life can be so loud sometimes that we don’t hear the faint calls our body makes. Often, we don’t hear those calls until they’re so loud that our health is in jeopardy. Thankfully, I’ve learned to listen to my body and am willing to jump on the juicing wagon when my body needs me to.

Seeking Serenity

Some of you may think that a juice fast (especially a longer one) would be torturous. In ways, I suppose that could be true. I mean, it isn’t like you can gobble up chocolate cake if you’re at a party like everyone else. Instead, you’d either have to sip water or wag along your raw juice. It isn’t as bad as it sounds–I’ve been there.

Juice fasting definitely has it’s pros and cons. I tend to lean toward the positive aspect of a juicing journey. One thing that always astounds me is the sense of serenity I achieve on longer juice fasts. It’s such a blessing to zone into yourself spiritually and reach that still place that lays dormant inside, just waiting to be resurrected and enjoyed.

Signs and Signals

It seems like so many articles and blog posts–and even conversations–I’ve come across lately have been about green juices and smoothies. Lo and behold, I happened to stop by Choosing Raw today and Gena had answered one of her readers’ questions: Question of the Week: To Blend or To Juice?

There are times that your body–and the universe–screams at you to do something. I know this is one of those times. I’ve been craving a long juice fast for a while now. I’m listening. And, I’m starting that long juice fast. I know I need it–body, mind, and soul.

Stay tuned….

What about you? Do you hear the call? Would you answer it if you did? Have you ever juice fasted? How long was your longest juice fast? Would you do it again? Why or why not? Jump right on in the comments and tell us all about it!

Contest Alert!

Contest Alert 1: June, over at An Apple A Day, is hosting a contest for Once Again omega-3 peanut butter. June says: “12 winners will be selected on June 21st, 2009!”

Contest Alert 2: Don’t forget to enter the Navitas Naturals contest! You have until Monday, June 15th, at 9 p.m. (Central Time) to get your SIX entries in!

Coming Soon

• more contests and reviews
• photos and details about a pioneer festival I recently attended (including getting to meet an Editor and an Editor-In-Chief) Eeek!
• and updates from the Amish farm

Photo Credit: Grantsviews