Tag Archive for: Spirituality

Feng Shui Your Home for Better Sleep and Good Relationships

The concept of clearing clutter, minimization or tidying up for success is nothing new. Feng Shui is an ancient practice of keeping order in one’s life and enjoying good energy flow as a result. Find out how you can adopt a few Feng Shui techniques, practice minimalism and see how your life can actually improve as a result. It’s pretty amazing stuff, especially because it works!

Feng Shui Your Bedroom for Better Sleep

The importance of Feng Shui in the bedroom is second to none in terms of getting a restful sleep.

To start, correct placement of mirrors is essential. Don’t place any mirrors behind, next to or even above the bed. This will drain your energy all night long, and leave you feeling depleted with lack of focus in the morning. Do place mirrors behind a door or in the closet/dressing area for good Feng Shui.

Next, check your sheets, pillows, blankets and comforters. For the best Feng Shui in the bedroom, all linens should be either white or skin tone in color; that is, any shade of tan or brown. Choose plain fabrics with minimalistic designs and avoid loud patterns. You don’t want bright colors or mismatching patterns, all of which create energetic “noise.”  I recommend to use only a high quality (300 count or more) 100% cotton sheets and avoid polyester blends. When you get into bed, it should feel like the most comfortable place on earth.

Take time every morning to make your bed consciously, with attention and intention to take care of your sleeping space. The worse thing you can do is throw pillows haphazardly, unconsciously or while filled with stressful thoughts. You will only keep that energy there waiting for you when you get back at night!

If you suffer from insomnia, turn on an essential oil diffuser with organic lavender oil in the bedroom for about an hour each night. Either use a timer function or turn it off manually before going to bed.

The bedroom decor should be simple and zen-like. Use warm woods and avoid too much metal or sharp-edged furniture. Don’t allow clutter in the bedroom, especially if your mind tends to race and wander before falling asleep. (You may need to detox your bedroom, which is not a bad thing!)

Minimize electronics in the bedroom, especially ones that are right next to the bed. Placing a large amethyst crystal cluster in the bedroom can help to relax the mind and promote a deeper, more restful sleep.

Top Feng Shui Tips for Your Bedroom:

  • No mirrors behind, above or on the side of the bed
  • Linens and sheets in white or skin tone colors
  • Simple decor with minimal clutter
  • No electronics next to the bed
  • Amethyst crystal cluster to relax the mind

A simple and clean bedroom has the perfect energy for a good night’s sleep

Feng Shui Your Home for a Good Relationship

Perhaps you never thought about what type of energy you have in your home for harboring good relationships, but in terms of Feng Shui, it’s very important! If you are single, there are things you can do to attract a partner in your life. And if you have a partner and you want to continue in a successful union, there are some Feng Shui decorating points that can actually help keep a loving relationship.

To find a partner, don’t worry about how to meet them. Instead, get your Feng Shui in order…and the universe will bring that person to you! Good Feng Shui for love starts with the images in your home. What you want is art, posters or paintings or 2 animals in nature, such as 2 elephants walking, 2 fish swimming or 2 birds flying. The worst Feng Shui is to have a single woman sitting alone on a beach, or a single animal alone in a painting. If you want to stay single, that’s ok! But otherwise, get rid of it.

To keep a partner, bring in the powerful symbol in Feng Shui for love and marriage, sometimes called the “double happiness” symbol. This is a symbol you can hang in your bedroom, and for the best Feng Shui, you want this symbol in the southwest (SW) corner of the room.

For good relationship Feng Shui, you want to have a bedside table and a lamp on both sides of the bed, with easy access to both sides of the bed. The worst Feng Shui that will keep you in forever singledom is when you have one side of the bed directly against wall with only one side of the bed accessible for entry and exit. The bedroom should be clear of clutter and simple in design to keep drama and discord out of the relationship.

Top Feng Shui Tips for a Good Relationship:

  • Artwork showing animals in pairs
  • Bedside tables on both sides of the bed
  • Double Happiness symbol in the SW corner

Feng Shui Your Office for Creativity & Concentration

The energy in your office should ideally help to strengthen your ability to focus, complete tasks and maximize productivity. In terms of Feng Shui, your office should always be neat and orderly. A chaotic or untidy space leads to monkey mind and scattered thoughts. Keep your desk free of clutter, and only have essential items on display. Simplicity is best.

Add a nice green plant, and keep wood or bamboo elements in your office space for good Feng Shui.

Finally, locate the southeast (SE) area of your office, otherwise known as the Wealth and Money corner. In that area, you can add a gold dragon, a three-legged frog, an image of a bat, a gold elephant, or a turtle, all considered to be powerful Feng Shui elements for abundance and success.

Top Feng Shui Tips for Your Office:

  • Neat and tidy work space, clear of clutter
  • Green plant or bamboo
  • Lucky talismans in the Wealth and Money Corner

Feng Shui Tips to Create a Peaceful Retreat at Home

The energy in your home starts from the moment you walk in the door, and that’s where a lot of important Feng Shui happens.

Don’t put a mirror directly in front of the entrance, and don’t have a bathroom directly in front of the entrance – both of these are definitely bad for Feng Shui. A mirror in front of the door sends all the good energy out of the home. You can have a mirror next to the door or in a hallway, but not facing the entrance door.

Do invite clean energy into your home by placing a clear quartz cluster in the entranceway. A quartz cluster is used to clean an energy space, with all the crystal points sending good energy in all different directions. This helps to leave worries and stress at the door, not allowing it to enter the home.

Do protect yourself and your home from bad energy by hanging or placing talismans in your entryway. A Buddha statue should be facing the door and set on a table against a flat wall. Never place a Buddha statue in a corner and never place a Buddha directly on the floor. For obvious reasons, you don’t want to ever put a Buddha statue in a bathroom either.  Other talismans for good energetic protection include a Hamsa, the blue Evil Eye or a Quan Yin statue.

Top Feng Shui Tips for a Peaceful Home:

  • No mirror facing the entrance door
  • Clear quartz cluster in the entry to invite clean energy
  • Buddha statue or Hamsa for protection

Buddha statues, Himalayan salt lamps, crystals and Quan Yin in the entryway for good Feng Shui

What is Feng Shui

Feng shui is a centuries-old practice that incorporates the arrangement of items around you with energy flow. When you practice the system of Feng Shui, it is believed to bring more “good chi,” including better health, good relationships and success. Feng shui can unlock you from a rut and jump start your motivation again, simply by improving the energy flow around you. It can improve your spiritual health and well-being. What awaits you is a life filled with harmony and comfort—and it’s literally at your doorstep.

More on Spiritual Health:

Feng Shui Your Home for Better Sleep and Good Relationships

The concept of clearing clutter, minimization or tidying up for success is nothing new. Feng Shui is an ancient practice of keeping order in one’s life and enjoying good energy flow as a result. Find out how you can adopt a few Feng Shui techniques, practice minimalism and see how your life can actually improve as a result. It’s pretty amazing stuff, especially because it works!

Feng Shui Your Bedroom for Better Sleep

The importance of Feng Shui in the bedroom is second to none in terms of getting a restful sleep.

To start, correct placement of mirrors is essential. Don’t place any mirrors behind, next to or even above the bed. This will drain your energy all night long, and leave you feeling depleted with lack of focus in the morning. Do place mirrors behind a door or in the closet/dressing area for good Feng Shui.

Next, check your sheets, pillows, blankets and comforters. For the best Feng Shui in the bedroom, all linens should be either white or skin tone in color; that is, any shade of tan or brown. Choose plain fabrics with minimalistic designs and avoid loud patterns. You don’t want bright colors or mismatching patterns, all of which create energetic “noise.”  I recommend to use only a high quality (300 count or more) 100% cotton sheets and avoid polyester blends. When you get into bed, it should feel like the most comfortable place on earth.

Take time every morning to make your bed consciously, with attention and intention to take care of your sleeping space. The worse thing you can do is throw pillows haphazardly, unconsciously or while filled with stressful thoughts. You will only keep that energy there waiting for you when you get back at night!

If you suffer from insomnia, turn on an essential oil diffuser with organic lavender oil in the bedroom for about an hour each night. Either use a timer function or turn it off manually before going to bed.

The bedroom decor should be simple and zen-like. Use warm woods and avoid too much metal or sharp-edged furniture. Don’t allow clutter in the bedroom, especially if your mind tends to race and wander before falling asleep. (You may need to detox your bedroom, which is not a bad thing!)

Minimize electronics in the bedroom, especially ones that are right next to the bed. Placing a large amethyst crystal cluster in the bedroom can help to relax the mind and promote a deeper, more restful sleep.

Top Feng Shui Tips for Your Bedroom:

  • No mirrors behind, above or on the side of the bed
  • Linens and sheets in white or skin tone colors
  • Simple decor with minimal clutter
  • No electronics next to the bed
  • Amethyst crystal cluster to relax the mind

A simple and clean bedroom has the perfect energy for a good night’s sleep

Feng Shui Your Home for a Good Relationship

Perhaps you never thought about what type of energy you have in your home for harboring good relationships, but in terms of Feng Shui, it’s very important! If you are single, there are things you can do to attract a partner in your life. And if you have a partner and you want to continue in a successful union, there are some Feng Shui decorating points that can actually help keep a loving relationship.

To find a partner, don’t worry about how to meet them. Instead, get your Feng Shui in order…and the universe will bring that person to you! Good Feng Shui for love starts with the images in your home. What you want is art, posters or paintings or 2 animals in nature, such as 2 elephants walking, 2 fish swimming or 2 birds flying. The worst Feng Shui is to have a single woman sitting alone on a beach, or a single animal alone in a painting. If you want to stay single, that’s ok! But otherwise, get rid of it.

To keep a partner, bring in the powerful symbol in Feng Shui for love and marriage, sometimes called the “double happiness” symbol. This is a symbol you can hang in your bedroom, and for the best Feng Shui, you want this symbol in the southwest (SW) corner of the room.

For good relationship Feng Shui, you want to have a bedside table and a lamp on both sides of the bed, with easy access to both sides of the bed. The worst Feng Shui that will keep you in forever singledom is when you have one side of the bed directly against wall with only one side of the bed accessible for entry and exit. The bedroom should be clear of clutter and simple in design to keep drama and discord out of the relationship.

Top Feng Shui Tips for a Good Relationship:

  • Artwork showing animals in pairs
  • Bedside tables on both sides of the bed
  • Double Happiness symbol in the SW corner

Feng Shui Your Office for Creativity & Concentration

The energy in your office should ideally help to strengthen your ability to focus, complete tasks and maximize productivity. In terms of Feng Shui, your office should always be neat and orderly. A chaotic or untidy space leads to monkey mind and scattered thoughts. Keep your desk free of clutter, and only have essential items on display. Simplicity is best.

Add a nice green plant, and keep wood or bamboo elements in your office space for good Feng Shui.

Finally, locate the southeast (SE) area of your office, otherwise known as the Wealth and Money corner. In that area, you can add a gold dragon, a three-legged frog, an image of a bat, a gold elephant, or a turtle, all considered to be powerful Feng Shui elements for abundance and success.

Top Feng Shui Tips for Your Office:

  • Neat and tidy work space, clear of clutter
  • Green plant or bamboo
  • Lucky talismans in the Wealth and Money Corner

Feng Shui Tips to Create a Peaceful Retreat at Home

The energy in your home starts from the moment you walk in the door, and that’s where a lot of important Feng Shui happens.

Don’t put a mirror directly in front of the entrance, and don’t have a bathroom directly in front of the entrance – both of these are definitely bad for Feng Shui. A mirror in front of the door sends all the good energy out of the home. You can have a mirror next to the door or in a hallway, but not facing the entrance door.

Do invite clean energy into your home by placing a clear quartz cluster in the entranceway. A quartz cluster is used to clean an energy space, with all the crystal points sending good energy in all different directions. This helps to leave worries and stress at the door, not allowing it to enter the home.

Do protect yourself and your home from bad energy by hanging or placing talismans in your entryway. A Buddha statue should be facing the door and set on a table against a flat wall. Never place a Buddha statue in a corner and never place a Buddha directly on the floor. For obvious reasons, you don’t want to ever put a Buddha statue in a bathroom either.  Other talismans for good energetic protection include a Hamsa, the blue Evil Eye or a Quan Yin statue.

Top Feng Shui Tips for a Peaceful Home:

  • No mirror facing the entrance door
  • Clear quartz cluster in the entry to invite clean energy
  • Buddha statue or Hamsa for protection

Buddha statues, Himalayan salt lamps, crystals and Quan Yin in the entryway for good Feng Shui

What is Feng Shui

Feng shui is a centuries-old practice that incorporates the arrangement of items around you with energy flow. When you practice the system of Feng Shui, it is believed to bring more “good chi,” including better health, good relationships and success. Feng shui can unlock you from a rut and jump start your motivation again, simply by improving the energy flow around you. It can improve your spiritual health and well-being. What awaits you is a life filled with harmony and comfort—and it’s literally at your doorstep.

More on Spiritual Health:

Motivational Health Quotes from Paul Bragg

Paul Bragg in Hawaii (photo from bragg.com)

Paul Bragg is known as the “Father of the Health Movement in America.” Born in 1895, he was crippled as a teenager with Tuberculosis (TB) and managed to cure himself through eating organic foods, water fasting and juice fasting, exercising and practicing breathing techniques. From there, he went on to spread the word about nutrition and health, and become a health advisor to Hollywood Stars and Olympics athletes.

He is known for opening the first Health Food Store in America, being the first person to introduce pineapple juice and tomato juice to America, and the first to introduce and distribute honey and date sugar nationwide. His books Miracle of Fasting, Bragg’s Healthy Lifestyle and Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Health System have all been inspirational books for me in my health journey. The Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and Nutritional Yeast are 2 items I always have in my kitchen, and I use the Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids occasionally (although it is high in salt and should be used sparingly).

One thing I love about Paul Bragg’s books is that they are full of great motivational health quotes. These quotes are all from his book Awaken Health and Happiness published in 1937, and yes, you can see how all of it still applies perfectly today!

Motivational Health Quotes from Paul Bragg

Quotes from Paul Bragg, the Father of the Health Movement in America

“I have the power to know what my body will do, of what my mind is capa­ble, the gen­eros­ity of my heart, and the great­ness of my soul. I will make this known in its true light to all the world.”

“I care not what oth­ers may think, except in so far as I can help them to make their thoughts beautiful.”

“I seek my true self. I know that within me lie dor­mant pow­ers that I have never before real­ized.”

“I know not the mean­ing of sick­ness or ill feel­ing. The life force within me has healed me and made me whole.”

“I feel this clean blood of youth cours­ing through my veins. It is more joy­ous than any glad­ness of youth I have ever before expe­ri­enced.”

“The life force within me is feed­ing my strength- strength of body, soul, and mind.”

“My enthu­si­asm cre­ates new vis­tas, new thoughts, new ideals. It is reawak­en­ing my entire body and mind.”

“I feel that true hap­pi­ness of spirit that radi­ates from the pure soul.”

“My soul is express­ing itself in the cre­ation of new beauty and of hap­pi­ness for oth­ers.”

“I am intent upon the progress of my soul and will go for­ward.”

“I would no more adul­ter­ate my soul with mean­ness that I would my body with poi­so­nous foods. I strive for ulti­mate purity.”

“I purge my soul of weak­ness, for in strength only can I find peace and unity with the Divine Mind.”

“I will not yield to anx­i­ety, because my strength of char­ac­ter pre­cludes doubt and worry. I am in har­mony with the Divine law.”

“I feel a kind­li­ness toward my fellow-man that is all-embracing. It com­pletes the har­mony of my being.”

“Jeal­ousy shall be put away. It is incom­pat­i­ble with any part of my being.”

Beau­ti­ful life is revealed to me, because I have gained strength through beauty of moral pur­pose.”

“This day I purge myself of anger. I will acknowl­edge no weak­ness. My body is strong enough to sus­tain my poise in any crisis.”

“No accom­plish­ment is too great for me to mas­ter, for I am com­pletely bal­anced and at one with all things.”

“I will think right. A malig­nant thought has the same rela­tion to the char­ac­ter as does as does a malig­nant growth to the body.”

“I will use my suc­cess for the great good of myself and all mankind.”

“I know the power of peace. I have achieved deep contentment.”

“My body is free from the shack­les of pain and illness.”

“I do not have to wait for inspi­ra­tion to accom­plish my plans. Inspi­ra­tion is within me and I have the power to bring it forth.”

“My under­stand­ing brings me knowl­edge of things ignored by other men. I will use them for my ben­e­fit and for the ben­e­fit of all mankind.”

“I know that my under­stand­ing of love can sus­tain me in all my rela­tions with my fellow-man.”

“I will not be sat­is­fied to rise one step only. My life will become a con­stant pro­gression of power.”

There is some controversy over Bragg’s claim of being 95 years old at the time of his death in 1976 because his birth records indicate he was actually 81 at the time. This, in my opinion, does not take away all the beauty and value of what he created and how he transformed the lives of so many with his wisdom and knowledge about health. I mean, come on, how many people still lie about their age? It’s not for me to judge, and I know that I have benefited from understanding the healing power of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar thanks to Paul Bragg, so I thank him for all of his great work!

More on Manifestation and Motivation:

After Your Detox: How to Eat, What to Do

Keep Your Results After Your Detox

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

How are the stress levels lately? Pretty bad, huh? Have the post-fast fruit platters been replaced with too many fast food fixes and late night binging? Are you secretly dreaming of going back for another detox, fast & cleanse, a chance to rest, recharge, reset and renew? Well you are not alone! If you’ve been to one of my Healthy Habits Detox talks in Koh Samui, you’ll remember my story and know that I have been down that path before myself. Long-term, the real challenge lies in making long-term positive change to your daily habits outside of the fasting times. You don’t have to wait until you can make it back to Thailand, or after the friend’s party, work project, holiday weekend, or after New Year’s to start. Remember, your health is your biggest asset! If you don’t spend money on your food, you will spend it on a doctor! You deserve only the very best in life, so start giving your body the very best too! You can start to make positive change today. Imagine starting your next detox, cleanse or fast being more healthy than when you left last time – you can do it! I believe in me, and I believe in you too!

Remember, the real work starts after your detox. Knowing what to eat and how to continue detoxing will ensure you keep the weight off and stay healthy. Going back to what you did before will only get you back to how you felt before: tired, bloated and toxic. You will have to implement some long-term changes to make sure your post cleanse results stay around for the long-term.

Here are 4 Healthy Habits you can Start Today:

Fresh fruit day, More raw foods

 

1. One day a week fruit day

Remember my recommendation to make Mondays your ‘Fruitday’? Just by eating one day a week of only fresh fruits, you can give all of your organs a rest and a cleanse, clean out the bowel, have a mini-detox, high-boost on vitamins and re-calibrate your mind for healthy food choices for the week.

If you do one day a week of fruit only for 7 years, you will have eaten a 100% fruit only diet for one full year of your life! Don’t underestimate the power of a one-day cleanse! If you are more advanced, you can consider doing a one day a week juice feast. I recommend green juices, such as cucumber, lemon, ginger, apple, parsley and celery.

2. Eat more raw foods

You don’t have to go 100% raw food vegan in order to reap the benefits of fresh, live, high-enzyme, nutritious raw foods. Try to eat one raw food meal a day, whether it be a yummy fruit salad for breakfast, a delicious salad for lunch or a Green Smoothie for dinner. Watch as your energy levels naturally increase. See how your skin clears, your eyes brighten and you begin to emit a nice, healthy glow. Feel your clothes loosen and enjoy receiving compliments from others who notice the positive difference in you!

3. Forgive, Love & Let Go

Yes, we have to go there too! The spirit needs healing just as much as the physical body. You can eat a perfect 100% raw food, organic diet and still manifest dis-ease if you do not start forgiving, loving and letting go in life! Always remember, nothing can hurt you unless you give it your consent! Happiness has to start within. We cannot depend on others for our happiness. The search for a happy man’s shirt found a happy man who did not own a shirt! Do you get it?? Start loving today! Smile!

4. Live More Natural, Whole & Pure!

This one is easy. What kind of deodorant are you using? Get an aluminum-free version that works. Replace your cleaning products with vinegar and sodium bicarbonate. Buy local and organic when possible. Save money and make your own fresh delicious sprouts and nut milks at home with reusable cotton sprout and nut milk bags! Replace your chemical makeup with healthy, natural, organic alternatives! A good website for chemical-free makeup is earthsbeauty.com.

Replace any old toxic body products with fluoride-free toothpaste, all natural soap and virgin organic coconut oil (a great moisturizer for the skin). I buy all that stuff online. Making better choices for your body products gives you better overall health. When you reduce the amount of ‘retox,’ you can keep the benefits of your detox!

More on Motivation:

Finding Peace after Honey Boo Boo

Spending the last 2 months in the USA has made me realize how much people need to create peace within the borders of their own country. Being out of the US for 11 years has been a wonderful blessing because I’ve had the fortune to live a simple, clean, healthy life. After just a few weeks here, I felt over-stimulated with drug advertisements, fear mongering news and materialistic reality shows. When ‘Honey Boo Boo’ is the No. 1 show watched in the US and over 5 million iphones are sold in 3 days, we are clearly in need of serious spiritual re-alignment.

According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, peace within the body is the first level of awareness. From the Essene of the Gospel of the Peace, Book 4:

“First Shall the Son of Man seek Peace with his own body,
for his body is a mountain pond that
reflects the sun when it is still and clear;
but when it is full of mud and stones, it reflects nothing.”

Broadcast Mental Waves of Bliss

With the end of 2012 nearing, it is now more important than ever to develop and maintain a spiritual practice, focusing on love, health and peace. Early morning is a good time to take advantage of the stillness of your mind. Say to yourself, “I am healthy. I am happy. I am grateful. I live in a peaceful world full of healthy and happy people. I send joy and spiritual waves of health and peace to every living being on this planet.” Keep your thoughts positive and imagine the world that you want to live in, a world without gossip, bullying, violence or hate.

As much as you possibly can, avoid mindless television. Set a limit for how much tv you will watch every week, and stay committed to it. Try to post only positive, uplifting information on Facebook and Twitter. Go to your local library and get health and spiritual books. Dedicate 30 minutes every day to developing your mental state into that still and clear mountain pond. Use the time to read, listen to a spirtual CD, watch a health DVD, join a Reiki group, or simply spend time watching a sunset or being with your loved ones. Don’t let this time slip away. Every day is a gift and your health is the greatest gift of all.

I’ve been saying this for awhile now: Our role as pioneers of health, raw food and detox is to become a beacon of love, to help the world transition into a new age. Imagine millions of beacons of love around the globe, staying grounded and focused during these turbulent times, using the most powerful force know in this universe- love, to guide the way. The ancient Essenes taught us to seek Peace within ourselves first. Now, more than ever, is the time to do so.

<strong>More on Motivation:</strong>

How to Improve Your Detox: Top 5 Detox Tips

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Taking the time to do a detox is a commitment to health. The money spent is an investment in your future. Energies used to travel are well worth the effort.

Finally, you have the opportunity to recharge, rebuild, cleanse and heal.

With a ‘reboot,’ moving forward, you can continue with positive change in all areas of your life. With all things considered, don’t you want to get the most out of your detox?

A few simple tips can help you maximize your results.

Eliminate Salt for 1-week before

Don’t forget to do your work at home. It doesn’t matter how mant fasts you’ve done; everyone needs to prepare correctly for a detox just the same.

For at least 7 days before the start of your program, eliminate all salt from the diet. Keep in mind that most salt is hidden in foods and not actually added. Look out for restaurant food, airplane food, sauces, salad dressings, curries, pickled foods and packaged snacks.

Having no salt in the diet allows the body to start loosening built-up plaque and toxins in the colon. A no-salt diet for 14 days as a pre-cleanse is ideal, but at a minimum, try to commit to 7 days. By doing so, you will maximize your results during the detox.

Bring Herbal Teas

Most detox programs offer various fresh juices in addition to herbs and detox drinks. They also allow for herbal teas using fresh or dried herbs, but often charge more for tea or may not mention that organic herbal teas are permitted. Herbal teas support the organs during the cleansing process, and even better, they provide a nice flavor to enjoy while fasting!

Be sure to buy organic and bring a variety of flavors to choose from. Peppermint or ginger tea are great for nausea. Turmeric tea is very cleansing for the liver and tastes delicious! Parsley or uva ursi tea help to support the kidneys. Juniper berry tea is excellent for the heart and circulation. Coriander tea supports heavy metal detoxification. All can be bought as dried tea bags at any local health food store.

Avoid Gossip, Drama & Violence

Many people successfully achieve the physical act of detox, but leave behind the emotional and spiritual sides. I can’t even count how many nights over the years that I’ve seen a tv room packed with fasters, all eyes fixed on a horror flick or violent drama. How can the body let go and heal when the mind is being distracted with such images?

Be careful, especially when doing a detox, to avoid negative talk, images, news and events. The body is so sensitive while cleansing. The more you surround yourself with positive energy, motivational stories, happy people and inspiring thoughts, the more your body, mind and spirit will benefit.

Negative energies can attach to toxins in the body. The more you let go of those thoughts, the deeper you can go in your cleansing. It’s true! For more information on the science of this, I recommend Bruce Lipton’s Biology of Belief of Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life.

Get Adequate Rest

Most detox programs offer a full day of activities to choose from, including meditation, yoga, group walks, tai chi, chi gung, pilates, water therapy, massage, colonics, nutrition talks and more. It’s easy to get quickly overwhelmed with all the choices, and you may actually find yourself feeling stressed, trying to run from one program to the next.

Be sure to listen to your body and make time for yourself, even if that means skipping a few activities. The more you rest during your detox, the more the body can internalize its energy and go deeper into healing. As Daniel Reid says in the book Tao of Detox, ‘Save you breath.’

Try to spend at least one hour a day on your own, reading a book or listening to music, without talking to or engaging with others. Getting back in touch with yourself is one of the great benefits of doing a cleanse.

Powerful Affirmations

You can easily optimize your cleanse with your choice of thoughts and words. Be sure to spend a few minutes each day focusing on what you want to achieve as a result of doing the detox. Visualize yourself at home in a continued state of excellent health, high energy and balanced spirit.

Affirmations really help in training the mind to think positive thoughts. On the first day of your retreat, write 10 affirmations of things, people or feelings that you would like to have in your life. You can write them in the form, “I am…” or “I have…” Every day, spend 5-10 minutes alone, repeating your affirmations to yourself. You are creating an energy of success that the physical body will have to follow!

Some examples include: “I am healthy, balanced and strong.” “I attract positive, loving people and relationships into my life.” “I make the best choices for my health and my body every day in every way.” “I love myself and others love and support me too.”

‘Fasting helps reverse the ageing process
for a healthier and longer life.’

-James Balch, M.D., Co-Author

More on Liver Cleansing:

True Story of Faith & Healing with John of God in Brazil

An inspiring read!

If you’re looking for an uplifting, inspiring story about spiritual healing, Divine connection and the power of believing, then I’ve got the book for you. Newly released by Cash Peters, ‘A Little Book About Believing: The Transformative Healing Power of Faith, Love and Surrender,’ is a personal account of the author’s visit to the Casa de Dom Inacio in Brazil, where the extraordinary faith healer John of God freely offers his healing services to thousands of visitors every year. Even Oprah did a show on this guy!

The book is quite funny because initially, Cash is a non-believing, cake-eating, over-worked, unhappy-with-his-job kind-of regular guy who happens to be open for adventure and new experiences. So he goes into this Brazilian village full of people from all over the world with an open mind, and when he leaves…well, you will see for yourself when you read the book!

This book resonated with me on many levels, especially thanks to references from Bruce Lipton, Carolyn Myss, Esther Hicks and T. Colin Campbell. It brought a lot of ideas together which reinforce the power of positive thinking and the importance of detox and a plant-based diet for long-term health and healing.

Some great quotes include:

‘How was I to know, as a mere layman, that, for many surgeons, whipping out gallbladders is their bread and butter?? Half a million gallbladders are removed every year, oftentimes unnecessarily, when really all that may have been required was a change of diet perhaps, or a thinning of the bile, or a simple flush of the system. No mention, however, was ever made to me about viable alternatives.’

‘Trust yourself. Trust life. Embrace uncertainty. Dive fearlessly in, holding nothing back. Expect a positive outcome always, and marvel at how things turn out. Remember: the unknown is where all the fun happens.’

‘All the success, wealth, power, influence, status, stockholdings, wives and homes in the world aren’t worth a red cent if you’re too sick to enjoy them.’

‘It’s not what happen to you that’s important; it’s what you do with it. Just because something seems bad, or because people tell you it’s bad – or incurable or unstoppable – doesn’t mean it is. We can, if we choose, be the architects of our own destiny.’

‘There was no cancer in ancient Egyptian times – did you know that? Scientists have run tests on mummies. Cancer is a modern plague. A sign of our times. It’s something we’re doing to ourselves. It’s environmental, it’s a lifestyle thing, it’s what we’re putting into our mouths.’

‘Life is not a competition. If you really must compete, compete with yourself. Work at being better, kinder, more loving, more grateful, more mindful, more forgiving and more generous.’

‘Your body is like an exquisite temple. It will stand firm and strong for the longest time if you look after it. Neglect it, though, and the roof caves in.’

‘Healthcare companies are in the profit business, not the people-helping business, the way their name suggests.’

‘For years I thought, ‘If only I could change him, make him understand…,’ when really it was I who needed to change and understand.’

‘Even when drug companies and medical practice do come under scrutiny, it’s always done in a deftly political way in the name of ‘balance,’ when really they’re just dodging the issues. To that end, an ‘expert’ doctor will usually be hauled in, paid to attack anything remotely alternative or groundbreaking.’

‘Fear tears down the spirit. Anger chews away at the body. You could eat all the organic fruits and vegetables in the world, and do everything else right, but if you’re anxious, angry, resentful, fearful or bitter the whole time, you are still paving a road to disease.’

‘Refuse to give (your disease) a label. Starve it of attention. Instead, refocus. Align yourself with divine consciousness, which knows only of perfect health. Let your reaction to your condition be only high-vibration thoughts.’

More on Motivation:

Stop Premature Aging: Take this Anti-Aging Quiz and Mirror Test Now!

Go to your mirror nude now & take this Mirror Test:

The Real Anti-Aging Test

  • Are you happy with what you see?
  • Do you look old and tired?
  • Does you body sag?
  • Do you have poor skin and muscle tone?
  • How’s your hair?
  • How’s your posture?
  • Are your eyes dull and lifeless?
  • Do you have a sallow complexion?
  • Are you trim and fit?

 

After making a careful examination of your body, how would you describe it? Youthful? Aging?

No one can answer these questions more honestly than you. You are the one that can take charge of your life!

 

Let’s go farther than mere looks.

  • How did you really feel today?
  • Are you bursting with energy and vitality or do you have bothersome aches and pains?
  • What about your joints?
  • Are you stiff and sore?
  • Does your lower back plague you with pain?
  • How did you sleep last night?
  • Did you get up fresh and feeling alive?
  • Did you go to bed tired, yet unable to sleep?
  • Did you face the new day feeling energy-less, as if you had all the energy drained away?
  • How is your appetite?
  • Do you relish every mouthful of food you eat?
  • Do you have gas pains after meals?
  • What about your elimination? Is it perfect or are your bowels clogged?
  • Above all things, were you happy today? Yesterday?
  • Or are you depressed and blue?

Do you feel that you are ageing rapidly? Is life passing you by?
Can you honestly say, “I am getting younger as I live longer”?
Or will you have to admit that the longer you live, the older you feel?
Take this quiz monthly.

-from Paul C. Bragg

Healthy Glow Keeps You Looking Young

I love this anti-ageing test. It’s a great way to check in with yourself and be 100% honest with where you’re at. People often say to me that they are healthy and they eat really well, but once we talk further, their list of ailments starts to unfold. I often wonder, do they even know what healthy feels like?

Aches, pains, poor digestion, troubled sleep and unhappiness do not make for a healthy, youthful ageless glow.

You might experience temporary results with fillers, implants or botox, but these are short-term fixes to a long-term problem: toxicity and imbalance inside the body. An anti-ageing doctor should only be focusing on the foods you eat, your lifestyle and detox plan, not on outside creams or ‘magic cures.’

The compliments that I receive the most are always relating to my beautiful skin and bright, clear engaging eyes. 10 years ago on a SAD diet, no one noticed those traits in me, because my skin was dull and my eyes were puffy! What gave me a new-found youth was regular detox and a chemical-free, natural, whole food, plant-based raw food diet. Over time, my diet has improved even more, reducing olive oil and other oils to a minimum, continuing to refine as I learn more on my journey.

Are you older or younger than you feel?

Let Your Food be Thy Medicine

The secret to looking young and feeling young lies in the quality and types of food you eat. It’s that simple. Schedule your detox to give yourself a good ‘reboot.’ Make a plan for improving the diet and lifestyle after. The skin will improve, energy levels will increase and excess weight will be lost, once and for all! Be gentle and patient with yourself. Focus on love, joy, acceptance and on the all good in your life. Watch, and people will notice the positive change in you!

More on Superfoods:

Gain Control of Overeating

It’s easy to get into the habit of overeating, especially in a busy world full of instant accessibility to food. Everyone has a different weak point when it comes to overeating. Over time, overeating can lead to weight gain and also trigger feelings of guilt and remorse, certainly not healthy energies for healing!

Take Control!

I recently read a book about this very topic called ‘The End of Overeating’ by David Kessler. A lot of the book outlines how the food industry creates foods which are addictive by nature, then puts them into packaging with alluring and tempting labels and markets them with intentional advertising geared at selling ‘happiness’ and ‘fun’ through the consumption of their food. It’s definitely all about making profit, and innocent consumer is the victim for sure.

The interesting part of the book is when the author speaks about how to stop the habit of overeating. Below is a summary of his key points to remember.

Stop Emotional Eating

Stop Emotional Eating!

It can be easy to turn to food when emotional tensions are running high. Our conditioned response to stress is to eat. Next time you are faced with this situation, ask yourself, ‘Will eating truly help me deal with this feeling?’ Be prepared with a plan for something else to do besides eat. Call a friend, goo for a walk or practice some stress reduction exercises.

Have a list of alternative responses ready, so that when strong emotions kick in and steer you towards food, you can quickly choose to do something different.

Deal with Temptation

If your guard is down at the first sign if an urge, it can be tempting to respond. That lapse opens the door to an internal dialogue in which you begin to justify giving in to the temptation.

Deal With Temptation

A bad day at work, a child’s misbehaving, even a disappointing step on the scale can become your justification.

Soon you’re inventing excuses for pursuing reward. ‘I’m entitled to this….It will cheer me up….I’ve been good this week….I can eat just a little.’ Eventually, your determination to say no buckles.

Accept the reality that you will be challenged with these moments. It’s not about being strong enough to beat the temptation of eating stimulating food, but about being smart enough to deal with it.

“Eat Food. Mostly Plants. Not too much.” -Michael Pollan

 

Visualize the Right Choices

Visualize success!

Visualize yourself deciding not to reach for bread when it is passed around the table. Imagine choosing all healthy foods when you shop. See yourself creating wonderful salads and delicious satisfying meals that are serving your body and your health.

Elite athletes spend hours anticipating every move of their performance in advance. When the moment comes, they are completely focused on the routine that had been practiced over and over again in their mind.

Mental rehearsal helps solidify your commitment to controlled eating by helping you focus your intentions and maintain control over your thoughts.

-From the Book ‘The End of Overeating’ by David Kessler

As you practice these steps, over time you will start to see for yourself that you can indeed break the habit of overeating and make room for a new healthy, balanced way of living.

More on Raw Food:

Green Juice Fast with Gabriel Cousens at Tree of Life

Recently I went to Israel to participate in a 7-day Green Juice Fast with Gabriel Cousens. His program involves: 4 green juices per day, supplements recommended by Tree of Life (optional), 1 enema daily, guided meditation twice daily, yoga by Shanti and a daily morning and evening Kabbalah talk with Gabriel. The fast was hosted in a kibbutz in the north of Israel called Yehiam. All of the classes were taught in English.

Shanti and Gabriel Cousens

Gabriel has some interesting theories on fat metabolism vs. sugar (carbohydrate) metabolism. If you are drinking a lot of fruit, coconut, carrot, or beetroot juice during your fast and you are not losing weight, it is very possible that your body is still in a sugar metabolism. According to Gabriel, you need to get into the fat metabolism for the fast to really kick in.

He would recommend grapefruit juice and greens juices instead. ‘If you want your juices sweeter, you are compromsing your own progress. Too much sugar in juice will trigger a craving for more sugar.’

Sugar levels are also connected to one’s ability to meditate according to Gabriel. ‘If your sugar levels go up and down, the mind also goes up and down and it becomes difficult to stay focused,’ he says.

Gabriel has one secret for success when coming off the fast: Do not eat too much!! He says, ‘Drink your food and chew your juices.’ He also recommends to eat in silece so you are conscious and connected to the food. ‘Eat your food first, them sit around, digest and talk.’

Inspired with lots of great info!

Especially after fasting, Gabriel recommended 2 Tbsp. of ground flax seed in every meal to keep the fiber content high. I tried it for one week after the fast and all I can say is wow, epic!!

This detox program is usually hosted twice yearly in Israel, every May and November. Fasting programs are available year-round at the Tree of Life Center in Arizona.

If you can’t away to join his guided detox, then you can learn from Gabriel’s wisdom through some great books – Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens and Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine by Gabriel Cousens. Great additions to any health library!

For more about this green juice fast program, watch my daily updates, interviews with other fasters and interview with Gabriel and Shanti on my youtube channel at www.youtube.com/findyourhealthybliss.

More on Traveling Raw:

The Happiness Factor: Eat well but don’t forget to have fun & enjoy life too!

Being healthy is fun. Having energy to enjoy life is what it’s all about. Yes, being healthy is the best part of being alive!

Joy is also Bliss!

So what exactly does being healthy mean? I spend a lot of time working with people to get their physical body back into alignment – strengthening organs, detoxing, rebuilding mineral and vitamin reserve and teaching clean and natural living.

But, there is another very important element in the overall health equation, and that is The Happiness Factor.

Everything in life is always about balance. Yes, we need to respect our body as the physical temple to our soul and give it only the best foods from Mother Earth. And we also need to give it the best thoughts too!

What I would like to say to everyone is this: Have some fun on your healing journey!

How you have fun is up to you, but I can tell you that being sober and healthy is actually more enjoyable than the alternative. It’s a wonderful feeling to be confident in your natural self, to engage deeply with others on a soul-spirit level, to laugh from the center of your core, and to wake up feeling clear, fresh and alive, ready to start another day!

Having fun is essential for good health!

‘Fun’ does not always have to be centered around drugs or alcohol. You can have amazing fun playing in nature, going hiking, camping, or skiing, swimming, reading a great book, watching a funny movie or just having a laugh with friends. Think about trying something new for yourself this year – find a way to have fun that is healthy for your body, mind and spirit!

Can you imagine how wonderful it would feel to be happy in your heart and also in your stomach, when you are giving yourself the best thoughts, feelings and foods?

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Especially if you are over-worked, too stressed, suffering from depression or anxiety or just generally not feeling joyous in your life anymore, it’s time to look at making some lifestyle change. Fun, love and laughter are all healing energies for the body!

Plan a day for yourself this month, a day just for you, a healthy day on every level of consciousness, where you also do something you have never done before, something challenging, new and fun!! You may get interested in a new hobby for life and make new friends along the way too!

More on Motivation:

Setting Goals & Intentions: Creating Positive Manifestations

Sit in a quiet and safe space and take a moment to feel the gratitude of abundance for everything which you already have in life, then allow yourself to fully feel all the love you are currently receiving and giving in life.

With those vibrations gently running through your body, you are in the perfect position to begin the process of manifesting what you really want.

Visualize everything you desire as if you already have it, thanking your Divine Source for all the wondrous abundance and love you are receiving.

Every day take a moment to visualize yourself in that place. Watch in awe how you will begin to attract the people you need to meet and be offered the opportunities you desire in order to make everything you wish for a reality!

Think about getting a Manifestation Crystal to amplify your requests for life and positive change and help bring about very quick manifestations. It should be a special crystal which has a high energy charge, which is particularly effective in releasing energy blockages.

More on Spiritual Health:

What do you mean by ‘inner noise’? Love, Gratitude, Calm

Calming the mind

The sign that a human being is really evolved, is that he is aware of belonging to a whole which is far greater than his own person, and that he takes care not to disturb the harmony of the whole by his own activity, thoughts, feelings and inner noise.

Perhaps you will say, “What do you mean by inner noise?” All noise is a result of discord, and the noise within us, which is the result of our inner torments and revolt, disturbs the psychic atmosphere.

He who makes a lot of inner noise does not realize that it is very harmful even for himself, and that sooner or later it will manifest in his organism in the form of a physical or psychic illness.

Love Your Food

When you are eating, remember to love your food: only then will it open up and give you all its treasures.

You must have noticed how flowers react to the sun: when the sun is there to warm them they open their petals and when it disappears they close up again. And food reacts in the same way. If you don’t love it, it will give you practically nothing: it will lock up its treasures.

But if you love it, if you eat with love, then it will open, pour forth its perfumes and give you all its etheric particles. You are used to eating mechanically, without love, simply in order to fill yourselves. But try to eat with love and you’ll see what a wonderful state of mind it produces in you.

Gratitude

Focus on the Positive!

Even if you are completely snowed under with work, you must never allow it to be a pretext for failing to develop your spiritual life.

Every day, three times a day, at least, you have a golden opportunity to tune into your Divine Source, for every day, three times a day, you have to eat.

Everyone has to eat. Nobody has time to pray, read or meditate, all right. But you have to take a few minutes every day for your meals.

Then why not make the most of those few minutes and use them to work on your own perfection, to tune into the divine energies of gratitude and love?

Calm

When your nerves are on edge, let your meals be an occasion for learning to calm yourself: chew your food slowly, pay careful attention to your gestures, and you will find that after only a few minutes you will feel quite calm again.

If you start the day in a state of agitation and begin working or talking without doing anything about it, the whole day will be restless and agitated and your energy will all evaporate. Instead, pause for a moment in what you’re doing, don’t say anything, don’t move, and then, start all over again in a different rhythm and with a different orientation.

It’s that easy!

from The Yoga of Nutrition by Omraam Mikael Aivanhov

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