Spend more time upside down - Reverse Aging!

The queen of all yoga postures...The sarvanga-asana is considered\to be the most beneficial of all yoga postures.

When performed in the morning it relieves fatigue caused by sleeping too much or too little and when practiced in the evening it helps to promote deep, restful sleep. It strengthens the back and helps to relieve lower back pain.

The increased blood flow to the head and upper body helps to heal many disorders such as headaches, nasal congestion and sore throats. The entire endocrine, digestive, nervous, and venous systems of the body are stimulated in ways that no form of diet or conventional exercise can perform.

A rich supply of oxygenated blood is sent to the organs and glands in the upper part of the body, such as the brain, thyroid and pituitary, and heart thereby stimulating them. Pressure is relieved from the lower body extremities relieving pain and/or swelling of the feet and legs. The sarvanga-asana also provides great benefit to the abdominal organs helping to relieve gas and constipation and stimulate digestion. Regular practice of this posture invigorates the mind and helps to calm the nervous system.

Because you are inverting the gravitational pull, you are in fact reversing the effects of againg (the sagging and pulling downwards that upright living succumbs to).

Yes...these dishes are raw !

24x20" acrylic

Sunlight drifting through the waves, gentle bubbles trickle through seaweed.

Latin passion. Tiny acrylic painting.

more reasons for going raw

People, its not just a diet. Its not a fad! Before humans discovered fire, what do you think they were eating? Exactly! This is our natural pristine origins we're talking about here. Sure our intestinal tracts have evolved to take in bland nutrient devoid food spruced up with spices, salt, sugar and condiments...but our body still craves the original, the flavorful, the raw.

Things to consider about cooked food:
a) its pale unattractive colours and textures
b) the original rich flavours of raw seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables disappear almost completely after being heated
c) the taste of it is determined by condiments (condiments have a permanent taste)
d)when making it, following a recipe is most important
e)its time consuming, and usually makes a greasy, saucy, sticky mess on pots pans and dishes

Karen (raw food coach) says "on the raw food journey every cell, every thought, every feeling and every intuition or insight can become stronger, cleaner, brighter and more aligned with perfection - when done correctly, of course."

Eating 80% fruits and vegetables are inarguably what our bodies are naturally made to do, so when we co-operate, our bodies are happy and they thank us! Animals thank us! The universe thanks us! Try this (way of eating) out, and just witness how you become more in tune with yourself. You will not only feel physically energized, but a new kind of clarity arises. You begin to make the right decisions, easily, you become organized, spontaneous, spiritual, understanding, confident... Its all up to you. Raw food eating only unlocks your personal and amazing potential.

More words from Karen: "As the raw energy starts to move through you, an ever-increasing sense of strength, power and vitality starts to become perceptible. It may start small at first, with just a few weird “feelings” but if you’re eating the right way then you’ll definitely begin to notice some inner shifts for the better quite quickly. It’s at this critical time that you MUST allow the energy to flow in whatever way it wants and needs to. For some this may mean taking exercise for the first time in years; for others it may mean starting to consider moving jobs or changing any other aspect of their lives that isn’t working; for others it may mean tackling underlying emotional issues first before progressing to the more uplifting stuff. But whatever it is, let it be. Those who don’t allow this natural movement to let things “be” tend to struggle continually until they either drop “the diet” or allow their own truth to unfold (slowly if need be) and give themselves full permission to truly follow their heart and “blueprint”."

In the haze. Another small acrylic inspired by nature's beautifully chaotic - yet perfect - designs.

Underwater painting. Acrylic. Approximately 10"x10". Flow, float, dream don't drown.

message belts

Luxurious. Hand Embroidered. 100% Silk Belts. Can wear casual or totally dress it up fancy. Reversible (embroidered design on one side and pattern on the other).

Pics show all of them from the front, then all from the back.
The brown one says "grassroots"
The blue one says "your soul takes flight"
The green one says "nourish a plant, it will nourish you"

we can all be jesus

I am by no means Christian, or follow any other religious direction. But what I mean when I say we can all be Jesus is that we can send out our love and heal the world. Does that sound crazy to you? People are always getting depressed thinking about all the suffering in the world - famines, wars, natural disasters, cruelty humans and animals, environmental destruction, you name it. Are we heading for apocolypse or something? You can't help but wonder. We had our first tornado in this area - and yeah that kinda freaks me out! Where's the next one gonna hit? And when?....you never know.

But when I look at my daughter...my friends, my family, my environment, everything is so beautiful and light. You are what you manifest....don't you know the Secret? Don't waste your time wondering when this chaos is gonna end, just live each moment and enjoy the love as it comes in waves! You can produce love, you don't have to wait for someone else to send it your way. But you are lucky, because I am sending it your way. I love you! Yes you, who is reading this. I hope you have the best day of your life!

Jesus was a man who only gave love, he was only trying to help - and despite all the havoc wreaked in his name, some people clearly got his message of love and compassion and a lot of good has been done in his name too. Look around you, do you have somewhere to live? Good food to eat, friends and hydro? Youre lucky, because youre in the world's richest 3%, so take advantage of it! Send out love instead of fear. Send it out mentally, to the universe, or physically, emotionally to those around you. I guarantee there will be no harm done, only good. You get what you give! xoxoxox

free flow woman

My new bag! 100% hand crafted, start to finish. Its long and skinny, very sturdy. Perfectly fits two wine bottles (or one large one). Made of cotton as thick as canvas but softer. The front is a hand embroidered picture (in wool) of the "free flow woman"...a pregnant maiden with string for arms. The feel is very cozy, soft and woolen, perfect for the upcoming season.

Let me know what you feel about it...will bargain. This is one of a series of embroidered totes and bags - so more to come!

going raw for beginners

Recently some friends of mine asked for some advice with their health. They were interested in my raw diet, seeing that I had lost all my pregnancy weight and was full of energy carrying around my baby. I gave them advice advice about eating raw foods....it honestly turned my life around. Eating raw gives you such mental clarity, increased energy, detox, optimizes digestion, lets you sleep well, eliminates excess body fat (the kind that weighs you down and prevents you from doing cartwheels), gives you a body buzz or what they call a "natural high", restores your immune system, helps with all kinds of disease, and the list goes on....

I think its the optimal way of eating, and the natural flavours of live and raw foods are fun to explore! Of course i might not reccomend eating 100% raw, especially cold turkey - unless you want a total detox of your system. I probably eat about 80% raw, since limiting yourself or forbidding foods can lead to hang ups. Also, you really have to feel youre body out and do whats good for it. Some peopel eat raw, and continue eating meat, some are vegan, some eat sour dairy (kefir, plain yogurt), some keep grains in their diet - like me. It depends on your body type.

When I started I was pregnant, and my body natural urged me to eat lots of raw veggies and (for the first time ever) fruits. Cooked food made me vomit in the first trimester, and nauseous/constipated/bloated in the third trimester. By the time I was nursing, it was the best option because it involved no preparation and was the most convenient thing to grab in my minutes of spare time or with Deva in my arms. Salad is probably on of the most time consuming things I make!

You could start by incorporating lots of greens. Foods that are super packed with calcium include: basil, thyme, dillweed, parsley, kale, beet greens, kale (try to avoid light coloured crispy lettuce as a green). Iron is also vital when going raw, so I include plently of carrots, beets, and nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazlenuts, brazil nuts, nut butter...whatever floats your boat. Nuts are my fave because you can grab a few handfuls on the run and its like a full meal, you'll be energized and satiated for hours. Try to avoid peanuts and peanut butter because they are actually legumes - not technically nuts, and they contain a long molecule which is hard to digest (also the worldwide peanut crop is contaminated with a mould - ugh!) Sprouts are packed with enzymes, moreso than raw, becasue they are a "dormant" stage until they are sprouted. You can learn how to make your own sprouts from seeds, nuts, and grains by soaking them, and it can save a ton of money!

For sweets eat lots of fruits (banana for starch, mango, kiwi, orange, plum). Avacodo is sensational. Berries when in season, and melons (and pineapple) should always be eaten separate from other foods as they cleanse the system and can cause lots of gas otherwise. Try to avoid refined sugars. I go for natural sweetners like raw honey, agave nectar and stevia. Hint: honey dates and figs are very sugary and satisfy those sugar cravings...also try dried fruit.

If you leave cooked food in your diet, always eat it separately from raw food, you won't get the full nutritional benefit of raw foods and their enzymes in combination. For instance eat raw in the morning and for lunch, and have a cooked dinner. The best to leave in your diet are whole grains (brown rice, barley, quinoa, oat, millet, rye), and lean organic meats for those die hard carnivores (on the rare side). I stress organic, organic, organic! You don't want pesticides to build up in your body. Things that don't have to be organic are bananas, avocados, and carrots - they ar ethe least tainted with pesticides. Strawberries, bell peppers, and cherries are some of the worst. Save money - grow your own garden! Even if its in pots on the windowsill in your apartment!