Entry #8 Super Blood Moon

Thirty-three years ago the world witnessed a rare lunar eclipse in 1982. On Sunday, September 27 at 7:11 PM, Phoenix will be able to witness a Super Moon, Lunar Eclipse.

Many cultures have a moon creature or deity to honor the moon and its powers. In Greek mythology, Artemis, the goddess of the Amazon women tribe was a moon goddess and protector of nature and women. The mermaid is a creature of the ocean, controlled by the moon, therefore a goddess of the moon. Let's not forget the werewolf that transforms when the moon is at its fullest; becoming uncontrollable with rage and destruction of anything that gets in its way. Even the word "lunatic" comes from the Latin meaning of "moon struck".

In the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi, the practice suggests that everything has a balance of Yin and Yang. Yin is the moon and feminine energy, Yang is the sun and masculine energy. In Yoga, we are also taught this practice. Astrology suggests the moon is the ruler of our emotions. In Yoga, the second chakra, Svadhisthana, is associated with the yin and feminine energy of self and directly associated with our emotions. Are you staring to see a connection?

Before digital technology our ancestors relied on the sun and moon for time and space. The moon was revered as just as important to human survival as the sun. Natural and humanity needs the night to regenerate. As we have evolved with technology, humans have become disconnected from nature and the glorious cosmos in the sky.

Science proves that the moon's gravitational pull controls the waters of the earth. Humans are made up of about 60% water. Would we be so bold to ignore that the moon affects everything on this earth EXCEPT humans? Is there something to the word, "lunatic"? 

Since I am a lover of nature, I revere the moon as a time to evaluate and express myself. I use the
new moon to write down goals that I wish to accomplish by the full moon. This is a great way to stay accountable to self. This gigantic celestial body that hangs in the sky makes me want to howl, dance and move fluidly.  It brings me back to nature and reminds me that I am just a spec on this earth and the trivial things of life such as television, microwaves, and other modern conveniences do not matter in the scheme of things. The only thing that matters is life and nature.

"Super" comes from the moon appearing 14% larger to the naked eye. The description "blood" comes from the color of the moon as the sun casts its light from behind the earth making it appear red like blood. In ancient times, a blood moon was feared as a sign of the aplocalypse.

Since we are all still here, I encourage you to step outside your door and witness this 12 minute lunar eclipse and all of its glory because your next opportunity will not be until the year 2033.

As for me, I will be howling at the moon on my yoga mat outside with all my lunatic friends! Click here if you would like to join us: https://www.facebook.com/events/1628796184069952/ 

Entry #7 Fresh

Having been a vegan from the age of 14 - 22 for religious reasons, I found this movie bringing me back to my core reasons for changing back to this lifestyle. 

Honestly, I knew a lot of what this documentary had to say about industrialized farming over 20 years ago. This vegetarian/vegan lifestyle was not popular like it is today. In fact, I was teased and ridiculed by family members, friends and strangers. I would spend much of my time researching animal cruelty and the deterioration of American soil to have educated arguments with people who opposed my veganism.

So what changed for me? First, I no longer subscribed to organized religion and I became a busy mom with a full time job. Preparing for healthy food became less important. I told myself that I didn't have time. I slowly started eating dairy, then, fish and chicken, then beef and finally...pork. By the time I was 30 nothing was off limits any more. When I read or saw videos of animals being abused in these industrialized farming pens, I would turn off the images immediately and try to forget them.

Since my life changed a few years ago when I found yoga, my guilt of eating diseased animals and chemically treated foods began to get the best of me. In yoga we are taught to lead by example with this chant:

LOKAH SAMASTAH SUKHINO BHAVANTHU

In sanskrit, this translates to: "May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all."

Ironically before watching this movie this week, my family decided to change our nutritional lifestyle a few weeks ago to vegetarian. We desired to eat more healthfully by consuming as much organic, locally grown food as possible. We also made the conscience decision to lesson our meat consumption by not purchasing any for the home and only consuming meat that we were confident the mean came from a farm that treated the animals in a more respectful, loving way (like the farmers on Fresh). As of today, I do not wish to eat any meat.

Admittedly, this movie pissed me off. At first I was upset that Chris did not give me the choice in watching this movie. If I had the choice, I would not have watched it because I already knew the realities and choose to ignore them. I hated seeing the baby chicks thrown out of trays on to the ground like "things". It made me sick to my stomach that these farmers were motivated by their own financial well-being. Facing the images made me uncomfortable in that I had to see what I have participated in for so many years.I have purchased industrialized foods because they were easy and cheap. I have shut off my consciousness by purchasing meats from farms I know do not treat their animals humanely.  I am part of the problem solution. 

This movie could not have come at a better time for me. It reinforced several things for my family: 

1. Our family made an excellent choice in our health.
2. I need to practice what I preach when it comes to all lives being important.
3. I do make a difference. This movement starts with just one person deciding to make a change.
4. Yes, I love the taste of bacon but could I really look into the eyes of a cute little pig and kill it myself without feeling like a terrible human being for doing so? No, I cannot. There are so many other choices in protein, do I really need to hurt another animal again? 

This is a very important topic. One I wish to share like my new found religion. Facing what I didn't want to see helped me see clearer. I hope to share this video and information in hopes of becoming a voice and advocate for awareness and consciousness for a better world. We are connected like a web whether or not we choose to acknowledge it. With technology today, I see no reason why we cannot change the world, one plate at a time. 

For more information visit: http://www.freshthemovie.com/

Entry #6: Power of the Pumpkin

With the Fall season only one week away, Americans will be undoubtedly flooded with marketing messages of pumpkin this and pumpkin that. Growing up an Arizona girl in the 80's, folks would purchase their pumpkins the week before Halloween to carve it and toss it on November 1. Beyond that, the next time I saw or tasted pumpkin was at Thanksgiving in the version of a pie. Pumpkin times have changed...

So what chain-ged since my childhood days of the random jack-o-lanterns? Starbucks!  The retail coffee-chain leader introduced the Pumpkin Spiced Latte (PSL) in 2003 and hasn't looked back. Ever since this break-thru pumpkin-flavored product, Starbucks set the bar for other industries to cash in on this, now $360 million dollar pumpkin industry. Traditionally, pumpkin products were only seen during the month of October. Because of the demand for pumpkin products sooner, Starbucks was strong-armed by its consumers to launch the PSL this year on September 8, 2015 (after Labor Day). This domino affect catapults other industries to release their version of pumpkin products in September as well; flooding images of products using this orange, round gourd in their every day life until the day after Thanksgiving when the peppermint and cranberry season begins.

Since Starbucks raised pumpkin awareness in 2003, consumers became more aware of knock-offs...which ultimately kicked Starbucks right in the rear. For nearly 12 years, Starbucks didn't actually use REAL pumpkin in the PSL, rather, caramel color and complementary pumpkin spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Because of the pressure to keep up with REAL pumpkin products, Starbucks changed their recipe in 2015 using real pumpkin in its product.

The numbers don't lie, Nielsen Holdings reported pumpkin-flavored products are up 80% this year
from 2011; a jaw-dropping growth for any. Farmers increased from 11 million pounds of pumpkin in 2011 to 12.4 million pounds in 2012! Ironically, the purchase of fresh pumpkins has declined from 2011-2014.

An insider for Trader Joe's shared with me that last year they sold $75 million with just 70 pumpkin-flavored SKUs during the season. Trader Joe's takes popular-selling products such as beer, adds pumpkin and/or pumpkin flavor and WHAH-LA...boot in sales for the season. By the way, pumpkin beer happens to account for 25% of a $19.8 billion industry!

Other popular pumpkin products from Trader Joe's include:

dog treats, cheese cake, waffles, corn bread, body butter, scone cookies, bread, soup, jam, cream cheese, danish,  bagels, coffee, ice cream (a big seller), bread pudding, cereal, and so much more!

While snacking on my Pumpkin Snaps from Sprouts Grocery, I found this topic so incredibly fascinating that Starbucks launched a product in 2003 that did not even contain actual pumpkin in it. By this, they single handily transformed an entire industry with clever marketing strategies. Even though I feel like a pawn in a marketing game, I feel pretty darn good about buying into this industry that IS delicious and gets me in the mood for cooler weather and my favorite holiday, Halloween.

Enjoy your pumpkin season!

Entry #5: Wall-E

Buy and Large, sound familiar? 

The American culture today is all about buying and consuming whatever the clever marketing professionals have told us to buy. We are unable to escape the "prison" of the screen: tv, phone, and computer. These devices have been weaved into our daily life (unless you live under a rock). I found it ironic that the messages were coming form B&L (Buy and Large).

The most obvious connection I made with this video to today's society is the obesity of all the characters glued to their chair watching the screen. According to the American Journal of American Medicine, "More than 34.9% of U.S. adults are obese." This is a staggering number compared to 1-2% in India (World Obesity Federation). I believe this epidemic is directly related to our lifestyle of eating processed foods and leading a sedentary life (i.e sitting in a chair staring at a screen). Ads on tv, the internet and our phones flash messages of fast food; it is nearly impossible to escape them. One of the characters in this clip is so overweight that he falls out of his chair and can't get himself up. Yet another message that we are prisoners of marketing in that we cannot seem to survive without subscribing to their world.

Another message I found amusing was, "try blue, it is the new red". Instantly the character said, "ohhhhh" and clicked a button to instantly wear the new blue fashion (that looked just like the red one). Isn't it true in the world today, when the new fashion trends come out we "HAVE to buy it" or we are "out of style"? In reality the ones telling us it is out of style are the very ones who said it was "IN style" 6 month prior. Yet, fashion is a billion dollar industry that most of us buy into one way or another. Why do we feel we have to buy a new pair of jeans with wider legs because the fashion industry said skinny jeans were out? I don't care, my skinny jeans are still in excellent condition and I refuse to throw them out about because a magazine said they were "out".

The entire clip was reminiscent of today's society. From the fast food cup and ads, the overweight characters, the disconnected people existing in the same space yet only interacting online, the fast pace, and instant gratification. Although it was a cartoon, every aspect of this clip was revealing how our world interacts. Thank goodness Wall-E was there as the voice of reason. He observed and attempted to break through the invisible handcuffs the people appeared to be imprisoned by. He demonstrated these invisible cuffs were a choice. What choice will you make in today's society?

Entry #4 Creativity and Spirituality

"Creativity comes through you, but not from you. Though it is with you it belongs not to you" 

Paraphrased by Kahlil Bibran, "On Children"

Have you ever created something and not known how you did it, just that you did? Some call this creative process their "god" or higher power. Others say it comes from within. I can only speak from my experience, but I believe my creativity stems from surrendering myself to the energy of the universe.

When I decided to change careers and teach dance fitness and yoga I was excited, happy and grateful. Mostly because I was doing something I dreamed about in my lonely, gray cubicle for years. After I took this step to teaching full-time, I heard time and time again how much students loved taking my class because of my creative choreography and style. I also found I had the ability to connect with each person in the room. I was humbled. I did not have an answer as to why I was able to do this, I just did. I was able to walk into a room and feel the energy of my students, surrendered to them and let the music guide me to teach. Sometimes I didn't even know what I had done, just that I had done it and people were smiling and felt better.

I began to explore this energy I felt and found the answers for me was in my spiritual connection to "the universe". Others may call this energy "God". I choose the word "universe" because I do not subscribe to an organized religion but feel there is something I am connected to that is bigger than just little ol' me (just look into the sky to see what I am talking about.) I found that when I allowed the energy to flow through me without controlling it, I was connected to my students so much more than if I tried to control it with ego. I can actually feel the difference on an energetic level.

I would never admit this to a colleague, so don't tell them I said so...I never plan my yoga

sequences for class....ever. I always wait until the majority of the students walk in, then let it happen. When I hear, "I love your classes and sequences", I humbly say, "thank you, but it is not me. I am just a facilitator in the process". Nothing comes from me.

I truly believe my purpose on this earth is to teach movement to people to help them feel better. In order to do this, I have to be open to the creative process and energy that is available to do this. I believe that if I was honored with this gift to help others and did not use it, the creativity and energy would leave. I believe I would feel empty. In addition, if I was conceited about where the gift came from it would not have the same impact it does not. I believe humility is the key to creativity.

Maybe you are stuck in the creative process now? What is your gift? How do you allow the creative process to flow through you? Do you believe creativity comes from you or from somewhere else? I invite you to explore these questions about the things you love to do.  Maybe you were meant to teach guitar to a shy person, or sing bedside at a hospice unit, or maybe paint with children affected by trauma. Whatever it is, I invite you to discover your gift and allow creativity to flow through you to excel to heights you never thought possible.

Entry #3 Media Quest

With everything on this earth, there is a balance. Some call it Yin and Yang, others say Light and Dark, Good and Bad, Feminine and Masculine, and so on. This is true regarding technology. Some say technology is destroying our humanity, others say it is evolving humans.

I invite you to take a moment to watch this thought-provoking video from Jason Silva, Technology Made Us Human before reading on.

Jason Silva's take on Keven Kelly's ideas that "technology is the real skin of our species" may get the wheels of your mind turning. We are human, so that which we create is a part of our humanity. If it was not natural, it would not be so. Right?

Jason goes on to say, "the moment fire was invented it freed up cognitive real estate necessary for the emergence of culture, religion and arts."  WOW! This got me thinking about myself and how technology has evolved MY mind. A great example of freeing cognitive real estate would be not having to remember phone numbers, birthdays or appointments anymore. Technology has made it easy for me to store a phone number on my smartphone and forget about it until I actually need it; leaving that real estate available for me to us for something else entirely (like creating a beautiful piece of art.)

Think about it, making life easier with technology makes us available to create virtually anything we can dream up. The down fall could be that humans do not harnessed that real estate to create, but rather to become disconnected. lazy and dependent.

In 1999, a thought-provoking Sci-Fi movie was released called the Matrix. This movie was on the opposite spectrum of Jason Silva's ideas in that humans becam slaves to the technology they invented. The main character played by Keanu Reeves, Neo, is a computer hacker who is "enlightened" about his true humanity. A group of human rebels began disconnecting their fellow humans who were being used as batteries to power computers/technology now in control of the earth.

Through this matrix between reality and the world each human created with their own mind, it was revealed some humans enjoyed being connected to the technology so they did not have to think for themselves. The other humans fought for their freedom and humanity. It was an epic war. As a matter of fact, three movies epic. If you haven't watched the series, rent it immediately!

Depending on who you speak to about technology, they will tell you they believe it is destroying humanity or evolving it. I believe it is a fine balance between the two. With technology, the possibilities of our human capacity is endless. Technology can be a tool to create or destroy depending on how you choose to use it.

I invite each of you to think about the technology you use in your life. How does it improve your life? What do you do with the time you save with technology? Do you sit on the couch and watch mindless tv or do you watch a documentary to learn something? Do you use technology to keep in touch with your friends and family who are far away; yet, unable to put the phone down to spend time with the people who are in front? We have a choice, which side are you on?

Entry #2 Lethal Sitting Disease in America

Take a look at your favorite seat...does it have an imprint of your bottom on it? 

If so, you may be sitting too much and be at risk for "Lethal Sitting Disease". This, according to Dr. J. Levine's book, "Get up!: Why your chair Is killing you and what you can do about it".

86% of Americans sit all day at work.
68% hate it!
70% of our awake time is sitting.

Grab a pen and pencil, let's calculate how many hours you are sitting a day:

How long do you ...

1. commute to and from school/work each way?
2. sit at school/work each day?
3. sit to eat your meals?
4. sit to decompress by surfing the internet, playing video games, etc?

What is your calculation? If you sitting for a minimum of 13 hours a day, you are the average American AND you are at risk of Lethal Sitting Disease. 

What is Lethal Sitting Disease?

Endocrinologist, J. Lavine says Lethal Sitting Disease could lead to increased death from cardiovascular disease and cancer. In fact, "your risk is increased by 125% of events associated with cardiovascular disease such as chest pain (angina) or heart attack." Other harmful affects of sitting are: 

Change Your Position?

Get up! In fact, as you are reading this, stand up and move around (keep reading though). "Two hours and 15 minutes less sitting can reverse the negative effects without changing your job description". In addition to lowering your risks of disease, moving and exercise has positive effects on your life other than fitting in your clothes better. 

Did you know 20 minutes of exercise can increase your brain activity by 20%.* Have you ever been studying for a test that required you to memorize formulas, dates, words etc.? The next time this happens, rather than stressing yourself by cramming, then getting more stressed out, try getting up to take a 20 minute walk. Resume your studying and see how you feel? Does the science back up your experience? 

Hippocrates said, "If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk...If you're still in a bad mood, go for another walk".

Here are a few ideas you may want to try out before finding comfort in the ol' comfy sofa or molded chair:

• Park your car far away. Enjoy the walk.
• Instead of hitting up a drive thru window for lunch, hop on a treadmill or elliptical machine in the GCC Fitness Center. Bring your lunch instead.
• Get up and move 5-10 minutes every hour.
• Stretch and learn some yoga moves to alleviate back pain and increase blood flow.
• Stand at your desk rather than sit.
• Take a dance break. Yep, plug the headphones in and dance like nobody is watching. Better yet, grab your friends and make them dance with you.

Just get up, move. Encourage your fellow coworkers and classmates to move too. Increase your brain activity and become more efficient, creative, productive and happy. Don't be stingy, share this information with people you love so they can also feel the benefits of moving, making us all happier, healthier Be-ings.

Sources:

Levine, J. (2014). Get up!: Why your chair is killing you and what you can do about it. Palgrave Macmillan.

Mayo Clinic, J. Lavine M.D. Ph.D. 

*Dr. Chuck Hillman University of Illinois

Entry #1 Sifting Through the Blog-BS

Millions of blogs exist on the internet today; covering every imaginable topic like: parenting, politics, fitness, sex, food, do it yourself and so much more. So what exactly is a blog? The word “blog” comes from shortening of the original term, “Web log” (Dictionary.com). A blog is just that, a log of ideas, thoughts, experiences and opinions. You know what they say about opinions….well…everyone has one. So how do you sift through all the blogger bs and get to the meat of what YOU are interested in?

In my research of what blogs are available, I got lost for more time than I care to share. Cross-eyed, I followed a few links likeBloggies, "Best ____ Blog" ”.  I found some of these links to be too general or did not serve a positive energy to MY daily flow. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time for anything in my life that doesn’t contribute something positive to my day-to-day life. I wanted to find blogs I could actually connect with and would be useful to me and my family. So, I narrowed my search with words like cooking, self-help, DIY (do it yourself) and found the process still too lengthy.

Narrowing the Search

Narrowing the search for a blog that fit like Goldie Locks required more specific words like, my favorite authors "Byron Katie", "local food blogs", "DIY hacks on a budget", etc. This helped narrow down my search to blogs and information that fit nicely with my life. Here are four tips on how to find a blog that might help narrow down your search:

1. Was the content easy to find on the blog? If it isn’t easily organized by topic, I leave. For example,  I want to easily move through the navigation menu to find what I am looking for quickly. AZfoodieblog.com has a drop down menu that helps me find posts based on breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, etc.

http://www.azfoodieblog.com/

2. Is the layout easy on MY eyes? If it looks like the blog is not balanced with photos, white space and copy it can make the page difficult to read. Take a look at ideakhackers.net, below. Just like their furniture directions ARE NOT, this blog has an eye-pleasing layout with a well balanced use of color and graphics.

http://www.ikeahackers.net/

3. Simplicity. Is this blog easy to read? Does the post get-to-the-point quickly? Is the information organized in a way that it will not take me too long to read through?  ByronKatie.com is a great example of how I like to find my information. She has a mix of articles, memes, videos and articles that help me judge a blog post by it's cover, click on it, and soak up all the positive messages I want and need.

http://www.byronkatie.com/

4. Does the page have too many ads? I don’t mind a few ads, I realize we all have to earn an income, but some blogs were too obnoxious with ad placement. In some cases the ads actually slowed down my scrolling through posts. You don't have to look far, these blogs are everywhere. 

In YOUR search for the perfect blog, I encourage you to be patient, give the author a chance to win you over before judging too hastily. Sift through other reader comments and decide if that blog is the right community for you. I invite you to ask yourself if it makes a positive footprint on your life, if not, step over the blogger bs and keep searching.