The simple way to true happiness.

Life is simple. Our minds like to complicate matters and tell us otherwise; but here it is, we choose what we presently have in our lives. We do have complete control over our lives; though most of us would like to not take responsibility. Happiness is not some magic force that just appears for a few lucky people; it is a conscious decision that we can make each day. Want happiness; then do the things that make you happy, surround yourself with others who are happy and who make you feel good. It really is that simple. If your mind tells you otherwise, or you come up with a million excuses then perhaps you don't love yourself enough to choose happiness.
Are you bored? Well then, you must be a boring person. Want fun? Do something fun! Hang out with someone who you have fun with, do things that make you laugh. Choose fun. It really is that simple.
Angry? Figure out a solution to your problem and/ or let it go. Then do something you love to make yourself happy. Choose happy.
Sad? Likely you are dwelling on sadness; there are exceptions of course so if necessary take the time to heal then choose happy. And while your healing look for the goodness in things, see the beauty. Choose happy, even if its little bits at a time.

Really the key to life is doing the things you love and being with people who you love. People who bring fun and laughter into your life. Don't settle for anything less. Love yourself enough to do so.

And remember that there is a lot of joy in life's simple pleasures and its your choice to enjoy them.

 I found great joy out of watching this tree full of baby squirrels, they were so quick I could only get two in one picture but there must have been about 5 of them!

Some call them weeds.... A closer look at the Dandelion

Some might call this beautiful specimen a weed but others are in the know, it packs a punch as an herb.... more to come soon!
Every part of the dandelion has healing properties. On a whole it is known for its benefits of the liver and kidneys. Dandelions have a high concentration of vitamins and minerals; both the leaf and root are also considered a restorative and an adaptogen that helps the body build and reserve energy.
The root is a powerful liver detoxifier and also benefits the female reproductive system as it helps to regulate and balance hormone production.
The leaf is very alkalizing, a great diuretic and excellent for kidney and urinary issues. It is one of the best remedies for these issues as it is high in potassium and a rich source of vitamin A and C, iron and calcium. It is also a mild liver tonic and great for cleaning the blood and lymphatic system.
Lesser known benefits include those found in the flowers which can provide relief of mild pain. The Sap found in the stem is antibacterial and antifungal. It can be useful on scar tissue and acne and has even helped to get rid of warts.
And last but not least the seeds are antibacterial for the lungs.
This is just a brief overview of the benefits of using a holistic dandelion remedy. I feel that it is more beneficial to your body to use a remedy that uses all of the parts as nature creates everything in balance. Even if you only require certain components it is important to note that your body will much more readily absorb its healing qualities and find balance more quickly if the remedy is in balance.  I also feel that using the entirety of the plant gives it higher vibrational and energetic quality.

From the Ashram

As you can tell by my slow speech the Ashram had a very calming affect on me :)

India!

Follow your heart! Follow your dreams and allow the flow of beauty and abundance to stream through your life guiding you. Right now my heart is guiding me to India, in fact I'm at the airport now. Where is your heat guiding you?

Manifest on the New Moon.... or any other time!

Where I have been and how I got there

Finding Stillness and Being in the Moment

You Are Amazing Part 1

Raising Your Vibration with Water

The Importance of Connecting to Nature

Connecting to Nature is so important, here I share how I realized this and how you can get a little closer to nature.

Signs

Owls have always been quite illusive to me. I have only seen them 3 times, the most recent being last week. But let me start with the first time. 

The first time I ever saw an owl was with one of my best friends Jonathan, we were driving; as we had spent so much time doing together, and I remember thinking about how cool it was, yes this may sound kind of lame but I live in the mountains and it wasn't until I was 22 years of age that I saw my very first owl. I will never forget this, it was perched in a tree and I only saw it for a second or two but it seemed like a mini milestone moment. 

The second time I saw an owl was 12 days after Jonathan had passed away. This time I got a much better view, I was in the passenger side of Jonathan's car once again. I was traveling with his wife and daughter and we were on our way to the beach, it was a cool spring day and we all needed to take a break and decided to convoy with some friends to a beach about an hour away. We were driving along a road that has only recently been paved and is still primarily used for logging and is usually quite deserted. We were traveling along a long straight stretch and this huge bird which I recongised by its very flat face to be an owl dive bombed the car. I could have reached out the window and touched it and its noble eyes looked straight into the vehicle. To any one else it would have looked as though this wise creature were trying to commit suicide but to both Chelsea and I we knew this was merely Jonathan saying hello - and scaring the hell out of us!

The third time was last week, I drove into work and realized that I had forgotten my lap top at home which is 45 minutes away. Furthermore I was also nearly out of gas and had noticed that the only gas station in between was closed. Now at this point I had to make a decision: do I go into the next town to fill up, likely adding about 20 minutes to my journey or do I chance it on the next town that is more 'on my way' and was about 20 minutes away. I decided to chance it. I had two bars left on my gas meter, well as soon as I turned onto the highway towards home, the 'no turning back point' it dropped to one bar - now why is it that the first half of the gas tank seems to last so much longer then the last, this I always wonder, and as that second to last bar disappeared my stomach dropped. I have already realized that if I run out of gas this will likely take about an hour out of my trip rather then the 20 minutes that I had previously been concerned with and as I thought my most positive thoughts and said 'come on baby - you can make it' to my car this owl swooped down right across the road in front of me. And once again it scared the hell out of me, while at the same time providing me with the comfort to know that I was going to make it. Though let me tell you when I was still 10 minutes away and that last bar disappeared I became slightly desperate, I still knew that this must be Jono telling me that I was going to make it.
A sign. 
And I did, by the skin of my teeth I am sure but I did.

Being a part of the Food Chain

I live in a small town, this town in located on a big lake and most everyone either lives on the waterfront or else on the mountainside. I live on the mountainside so not only is the town surrounded by the forest but where my back yard ends the forest begins... or it is all overlapping really. I grew up here but left to find work in the city for quite a few years. I have always loved this community that I never stopped calling home and I moved back a little less then a year ago. I was immediately happy when I moved back but wanted to take some time before I wrote about it. I wanted to make sure that my feelings were long lasting, I wanted to get out of the 'honeymoon' phase and give myself some time to process - but I feel the same. I feel like my life is so much more rich with what is truly important.
I feel so much more deeply connected to the rest of the planet.

It is amazing how quickly the city can disconnect you from nature and therefore disconnect you from a much bigger picture. It is so easy in the city to get lost in the hustle and bustle, not only that but to forget what lies beyond the confines of concrete. I mean sure you can watch a documentary about birds, or sharks but to step into their world you truly realize that we are living amongst these amazing creatures. Last night as I was driving home from work there was a herd of Elk on the road, I stopped - well of course I did they're friggin' huge! I watched them for quite some time, they were in a big grassy yard just on the side of the road, I saw 2 bulls fighting, I saw Mama Cows standing aside with their calves, and the rest of the herd which I counted out to be 22 in total grazing away on the cool grass. When you witness such an event it really makes you feel rather insignificant. Like you are a small part of something much bigger, a much bigger picture which is truly amazing.

In the city you are the strongest link on the food chain, but when you walk through the woods and see these huge creatures, or when you go outside and there is a huge bear in your yard, or you catch a glimpse of the ever illusive cougar you realize that you are rather low on the food chain and it really brings everything in perspective. You realize that you aren't the 'something' you are only a part of something. (And if you have ever been into a bar in the city you will see that there are many people who have not learned this lesson - lol!)

This knowledge is not only truly humbling but also I find it rather comforting. There is a certain feeling that you get when walking along a stream, when you realize that this stream is connected to a river and that river flows to the Ocean creating an amazing network that connects all of the worlds water, it makes you feel connected to this amazing planet in a way that nothing else can.
I am so glad that I have this connection to nature, and I encourage you all to find a deeper connection that you may already have.

What do I love so much about fish?

Their simplicity and freedom.

Relax and feed the fish!

Feel free to take a minute out of your busy day to relax and feed these frenzied fish!
Studies as done as far back as the 80s reveal that watching fish swim has been proven to reduce stress, blood pressure and even insomnia. They have even proven that in cases where hypnosis has been used vs. aquarium therapy (watching the fishies) the aquarium therapy proved most effective. In the studies seniors blood pressure was decreased, patients with Alzheimer's in the dining area required fewer supplements, in dental offices patients required less pain medication, and in children hyper-activity was reduced to a more calm level. So go on and feed the fish, its good for you!

Click your mouse in the tank and food will appear.