For those of you following my posts this year, you will have noticed a theme. I embarked this year on expanding my awareness of healthy lifestyle choices that result in feeling more energized, happy and physically strong. This inner pull was motivated by new hormonal shifts taking place in my body that created a feeling of not being in control. I felt exhausted, my digestion was sensitive, I got light heart palpitations at night and my natural exuberance for life was hard to connect to. This menopausal feeling mimicked my early months of pregnancy when I felt exhausted, nauseous and overly sensitive to food and smells. What I knew was – it wasn’t a happy place!
Our world was shaken up in a good way this past long weekend with the arrival of our new puppy Sadie. How one little bundle of love and joy requires an immediate shift in patterns is quite remarkable. We have had 3 dogs over our 30 year marriage though it’s been 1.5 years since we said good-bye to Tess, our lovely Bouvier. I always missed having a four-legged companion but as the family is grown and we have busy lives, it just didn’t seem like the right time. I would often find myself browsing websites of different non-shedding breeds like Bouviers, Portuguese Water dogs and Schnauzers to see what was available. And of course I would often dream about having one.
It’s something we take completely for granted – our breath; and yet it is one of the most powerful medicines we can utilize for so many benefits. And, best of all, it’s FREE! Being conscious of how we breathe can have many health benefits while, on the other hand, not being mindful of our breathing can affect us both physically and emotionally.
We don’t see the world as it is – we see the world as we are! Therefore our perceptions create our reality. This is one of the statements I use when introducing the powerful personality system I work with called the Enneagram. The Enneagram brings ancient wisdom together with modern psychology to reveal 9 patterns of being in the world. Though we all share a bit of each of the 9 types within us, one is deeply part of our personality from womb to tomb.
We have just gone through a deep freeze here in southern Ontario with a low Sunday of -26C. What a time to step outside of my comfort zone and choose to incorporate cold showers into my morning routine!
It all started last March when I was reminded by a wise naturopathic doctor how healthy it is to finish a hot shower with a few minutes in a cold splash! Finishing a shower with a cold blast is also great for rinsing your hair after washing it. I began to do this regularly for quite some time and then somehow dropped the practice.
Happy 2016! Though every moment is a new beginning, there is heightened awareness of this as we enter a New Year. A fresh opportunity to welcome new adventures, new acquaintances, new thoughts and magical moments! I am reminded by this quote that balance is also important and that we will also be letting go of […]
A couple of years ago I shared my own New Year’s tradition with you and it has been a popular topic so I am ready to update it for 2016. You see instead of making resolutions or goals, I take some time to tune into what I am feeling the energy of the New Year is bringing forth in me. I then pick 3 or 4 words that capture the essence of that energy to be my Intention Words for the coming year.
Colours have long been used for their energetic and psychological properties in healing, functionality, design as well as in marketing. Here are a few of my thoughts on the combination of red and green for this time of year.
This Friday, The Green Connections Network will be hosting the documentary film entitled “Tapped ” at a local venue which reviews the bottled water industry. See here for details: We know that healthy water is linked to healthy bodies and yet the ability to sort through the studies and claims of current water products and technologies is daunting. Opportunities to come together to discuss can help answer some questions.
Butter LONDON advised the Environmental Working Group (EWG) that it removed TPHP from its products last year so make sure you read labels carefully to ensure you have the new formulation. The good news is we have an alternative. No nail polish is completely natural, but the most important thing to look for are brands that are “3-free,” meaning they don’t use toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or formaldehyde, which are all known carcinogens. Some brands also describe themselves as “5-free” when they don’t use formaldehyde resin or camphor in addition. Some of the brands to look for:
