Flowing With Yogini Tiff
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Monthly Archives: February 2012

My Aura Gets Dirty Too

February 28, 2012

All of us, experience the ups and downs of life, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Food, thoughts, experiences, sight and sounds, all get translated and processed into our bodies. Sometimes we feel depressed, dull, or lifeless (tamas).    Other times we are  excited, irritable, manic, obsessive, destructive (rajas).   And other times, we are peaceful, calm, content, and loving (sattvas). These are different states of being. They affect all of us at varying degrees.   In yogic philosophy and ayurveda, the different states of being are called Gunas.    The three different states of being, or Gunas,  are  Tamas (darkness), Rajas(activity), Sattvas (beingness).  

Sometimes I feel like this.... Beautiful, Compassionate, Magical, Divine

Everything is always changing.  Emotions are like waves. Sometimes the waves are angry rough and stormy.  Sometimes the waves are little, playful and fun. And sometimes the waves are  magical, and healing. But again, always changing. 

Sometimes I feel like this

   Being a yogi helps us remember that nothing is permanent. We have the power to calm the mind, let the waves settle, connect to our higher selves and feel peace.    Being a yogi doesn’t mean we are free from external drama and pain. We just  learn ways to cope.

 Sometimes I suffer from anxiety.  I tend to worry.  Alot. Sometimes the worry takes control and I panic. Through yoga and other healing practices, I have learned to deal with my anxiety. I close my eyes and and take deep rhythmic breaths through the nose. Try taking a deep inhale for 7 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds, and then exhale for 7 seconds. Do it three times. It works wonders. Breath has a direct impact on the nervous system. Breath has a direct impact on everything.  The panic begins to fade.

Depression? Yeah, I get that too. (Who doesn’t?) But again, through yoga,  we connect to a spiritual wisdom that begins to transform us.  There are several books that help me grow and learn and heal. Inspired Thoughts, by Swami Rama, is one of them. Amazing from beginning to end.   

Being a yogi, you still have the waves, but you learn how to tame the waves and you learn how to surf.

Hang Loose.  Shaka Brah. ~T

**The photos were taken by my awesome son.**

Posted by in Energy Healing, Health, mental health, Restorative yoga, yoga

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Chocolate Kidney Bean Cake with Christian The CakeMan

February 26, 2012
I have incredible friends.  Creative, fun, and weird.  My friends are a lot like me!  Ha! Anyways, I am friends with a wonderful wacky guy named Christian. 
 Christian and I originally connected while taking a tango class with a group of our mutual friends.  He is friends with many in our community,  and friends with many folks around the world. Christian is dedicating this year to traveling around, baking cakes, building community, and being awesome. He bakes a cake every single day! Mmmmm cake.

He makes all types of cakes and has cake pans of all shapes and sizes, including a fairy and a butterfly shaped cake pan.  We discussed our many options for a gluten free cake, and he mentioned a cake I just coudn’t refuse:

A flourless chocolate cake made with kidney beans. Weird? Maybe. Delicious? Absolutely!

Enjoying our cake

Ingredients

1 can organic kidney beans

1 cup organic sugar

5 organic cage free eggs or use egg replacer equivelent (I usually use EnerG brand, but there are many different options)

6 tablespoons dark chocolate powder

1 tablespoon strong coffee

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vanilla

5 tablespoons  organic butter

The process: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put everything in a blender or  food processor.. BLEND.

Blend until smooth

Pour mixture into a well greased cake pan.

Bake for 35-45 mins…

Delicious Flourless Chocolate Kidney Bean Cake!

Mmmmmmm cake! Eat your cake and get your protein too. Woohoo.

So Yummy

We shared our delicious cake with our friends and family, with sliced strawberries on top, and had a great time.  We didn’t tell them about the Kidney Beans until after they ate it. All loved it! My son kept asking for more!

Many thanks to Christian the Cake Man.  He is back on the road again and I wish him the best. :)   Happy Baking!

Posted by in Food, Health, Stories

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Heavenly Quinoa For Breakfast (Or Dessert)

February 23, 2012

 I love sweets. I really LOVE SWEETS!!!!! And I never deprive myself.  Through experimenting, reading, and learning to listen to my body;  I’ve learned how to get the sweet fix my body craves, plus the nutrition my body needs.    I eat nutrient rich foods  ..  MMMMMMM.

 I have mentioned before that, yoga increases awareness.  Yoga helps us tune in. Yoga helps us discover what works for our bodies, and what doesn’t. We can learn to feel what food helps and what food harms. Food can be medicine or poison. Find out what your body needs.

For me, a hearty breakfast,  is essential. But also essential, is eating food that will give me a steady stream of energy, and eating food that tastes good. My favorite breakfast, Heavenly Quinoa, is both rich in calories and nutrients. It is  delicious, and it makes me feel good.  You should try it.

different colors of quinoa, in my kitchen...

Quinoa comes in a few different varieties, white, red, and black.  It can be prepared many ways. Most often it is prepared and eaten like rice is… but it can also be made into a porridge(my favorite) or pudding. Or sprouted. Or you can grind and use as  flour!  The possibilities are endless!  It is has a yummy nutty flavor.

Quinoa is a super food known to have many health benefits.  It is considered a grain but actually, it’s more closely related to Swiss Chard and Spinich. Go leafy greens!  Vegetarians, shout from the rooftops. Hooray! Quinoa is high in protein. And complete protein. All 9 amino acids!  Woohoo.  It is also high in magnesium, manganese,  fiber,  lysine, vitamin B2,and high in antioxidants, to name a few. Talk about power food! Do some research, try it. Your body will thank you.  

HEAVENLY QUINOA

 Quinoa

Almond milk

Almond Butter

Bananas

Honey

Cook  quinoa 20-25 mins(1 part quinoa, two parts water).  Allow Quinoa to cool to desired temperature. Add almond milk, a heaping spoonful (or more) of almond butter, some sliced bananas and then drizzle with honey.

Heavenly Quinoa

Another delicious variation is to use coconut milk and coconut flakes, honey, and sprinkle with almond slivers.

Mmmm.  Eat for breakfast, or chill and serve as dessert. 

Get your sweet fix, and feel good. :)

Hooray for Quinoa!

By the way,  Happy Mayan New Year!    Today is the beginning of the last year in the fifth Sun. December 21 2012 is the end of this new year. This is an awesome year full of wisdom, new beginnings, positive thinking and ways (like diet).  Last night we went to a traditional Mayan Ceremony and were blessed by Mayan Elders.  We were cleansed, purified, walked around the fire, and took part in some chanting. Truly a beautiful experience. Happy New Year!  Now go make some quinoa! Ha! ~T

Posted by in Diet, Food, Health

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Phil Ochs, The Tears Were Falling

February 22, 2012

 I woke up, expecting to have a not so exciting day. I had to work.  I did my morning meditation,hung out with my son, our dog and our chicken (who magically showed up two years ago ), and then got ready for work.

In addition to teaching yoga,I teach musical theatre at the Boys and Girls Club,I homeschool (since the broken arm), I write this fabulous blog (ha!) , I play ukulele, create healthy food, perform, garden, and  many other things. Typical Gemini!    Being a single mom, and all the tasks required, can really take it’s toll. I am exhausted alot.  Anyways, I  have another job too (of course I do). I work at the Lake Worth Playhouse in the box office. The Playhouse has been an amazing blessing in both my life and my son’s…. as it is for many.   The Playhouse, is family.  But I’ll write more about that later.

Anyways, I sometimes work on the weekend, if we have a show. We had a show this weekend.  The Songs of Phil Ochs, a tribute concert.

The songs of Phil Ochs

 I had heard of Phil Ochs, of course.  My friend Emilie loves the song, “Love me I’m A Liberal”… so much she has sung the whole song for me on at least two different occasions. She says “This song is so badass.”   And  It is. :) So,  I knew of Phil Ochs. I knew he was a folk singer.  I knew he was a political activist.  I didn’t know he suffered from manic depression.  And I didn’t know he had commited suicide.

Anyways, back to the show-I was helping people to their seats when the first song began. I noticed Phil’s sister, Sonny Ochs, sitting on stage, and i was suddenly overcome with intense emotion. It is both a blessing and a curse to be an empath.  I started crying. A confusing kind of crying… I wondered “Why am I crying?  Am I sad or happy? Where is this coming from?”   I had no idea at the time…But I think it was the combination of both beauty and pain that radiates through his music and his memory.  

If you have ever loved anyone who suffers from manic depression (Bipolar), it can be heartbreaking. I have known lovers and dear friends who are  tormented by the disease.  When you love someone with any sort of severe mental illness, you are on the ride and you have no idea where it will go. It is very painful and confusing. Scary and totally consuming. You are helpless. Deeply scarred.

Seeing Sonny Ochs on stage singing along to her brothers songs, really struck a chord with me.  I was overcome with emotion, and I wasn’t getting my period!  Phil Ochs created brilliant, funny, and heartbreaking songs.  Songs written by someone who cared deeply.  Songs that are being kept alive through love.   Through pain and tragedy, our life often leads us down paths we never intended, but beautiful paths nonetheless.

The show was special.  It was part concert, part history lesson. His songs are deep. His songs are still relevant today. Changes, is one of my favorite songs. I am learning to play it on the ukulele.

 There was a reception between performances. I  felt compelled to talk to Sonny.   I had intended to merely thank her and leave, but I just kept talking. Gemini! We spoke of Phil’s music, then she asked about my son’s broken arm. We talked about mental illness. We talked about the awesome creativity, the deep dark depression, and  the psychosis, that comes with severe mental illness.  We spoke about how it had affected our loved ones. I cried again.  Damn emotions.

Me, my son, Sonny Ochs, and Joyce Brown

There is a documentary called Phil Ochs-There But For Fortune, available online on PBS. Amazing. It is a brilliant documentary and history lesson. The footage is incredible.

 Here is the link. Watch it. You will be glad you did.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/phil-ochs-there-but-for-fortune/watch-the-full-documentary/1962/

Thanks for the music Phil. And thanks to Sonny for keeping his music alive and sharing some time with me. :)  And of course thanks to everyone for making the event come to life! :)

 ~T

Posted by in mental illness and mental health, Stories

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I Have A Chicken, Yes I Do….

February 22, 2012

 I have a chicken, how about you?? 

Today I’m sharing my story about my chicken, a chicken that I love dearly. A sweet little chicken named Rui.

Rui, my sweet little Chicken

Two years ago, I went into my backyard closed my eyes,  did some deep  breathing,  said a little prayer, and offered our home as a sanctuary for any animals who might need a home. I was thinking a stray cat might arrive, or maybe a squirrel…. I was not prepared for what was about to show up!   :)

The next morning, my son’s friend came over, and announced “You have two baby chicks in your front yard.”  I went outside and sure enough, there were two young chicks, eating bugs in the yard.  The kids thought it was great fun, and they followed the chickens as they left the yard, walked down the sidewalk, turned the corner, and disappeared.  We were all kind of sad when they left.  Hmm. Weird. End of story…..or so I thought.

Anyways, the next day, I went to the backyard to hang laundry on the clothesline, and those two young chickens were in the backyard! Seriously.  And they decided they were staying.   They started sleeping in one of the trees in the yard, pooping all over the place, and tearing up the yard.  I fed them birdseed occasionally…BUT, I kept reminding myself that these were stray chickens, they were not my responsibility! 

I have lived on property with chickens before.  Some negatives, They wake up early, they are loud, they tear up the yard, they fight, , and sometimes, they go through periods where they don’t lay eggs.  I don’t even eat eggs, so why would I want chickens??

Nest in the lemongrass

Anyways, here were these two chickens. They would leave sometimes, but they always came back.

Time passed, and my heart slowly began to warm.We named the chickens, Ricky and Rui. And I began to spend my mornings with them.  Drinking my coffee in the backyard, they would  come over sit down and hang out with me. Our dog even began to love the chickens, they would all lay around in the sun together. 

happy dog (chicken in background)

Sometimes  though, the chickens still annoyed me.  They would poop all over the patio and tear up the garden.  Grrr.  They even started coming inside the house through the dog door. I love coming home from work and having a chicken in the house. And Chicken poop on the floor.  By the way, chicken poop smells nasty. Especially on a warm day. And chickens like to poo. They really do. EWWW.

Since I don’t eat eggs,  the dog gets to eat them.. So her health has improved, her coat is shiny,  and I  spend less money on  dog food. :)

So there are definitely advantages to having chickens (especially if you eat eggs!), I think everyone should have their own chickens if space allows……. it just makes sense. Seriously, the life of a backyard chicken, is far better than one who is raised in a chicken factory.  Do some research.. although let me warn you, the images may shock you. There are many people (myself included), advocating for backyard chickens in cities and towns.  Lets take back  control of our food. Our Health. Our lives. Our Earth.

Back to my chickens. I started feeling attached.   But, I didn’t realize that I actually loved the chickens until I came home from work one day, opened the backdoor, and saw a hawk standing on the patio, two feet from the door.  There were feathers everywhere. I froze.  My heart was pounding.  The hawk stared at me, but didn’t move. I stared at the hawk, flushed with heat and emotion. Oh no! My poor chickens! I angrily charged forward at the hawk, trying to scare it.  It hesitated and then flew a few feet away and landed on  my clothesline.  It stared at me with angry eyes. I had interrupted lunch.

Angry Hawk

Still shocked, I surveyed the scene.  I  saw a bloody body of a headless pigeon.  Then I saw the chickens! Alive!  They were huddled under our orange tree, terrified.  I was so relieved to see them safe.  I told the chickens I loved them.  And then I watched the hawk  swoop back down, pick up the body of Mr. Pigeon,  and fly away. 

I certainly wasn’t expecting that! HA!

I am sad to say that a few weeks later, Ricky, the bigger chicken, died.  I think a racoon or a opossom climbed into the tree and killed her.  I found her dead  in the yard.  We had a funeral and buried her. We were all sad.

The funeral was about a year ago.    Rui went through a mourning period for a solid month.  Rain or shine, she wouldn’t move. But time heals and I am happy to say that Rui is still around and happy again. Rui has become part of our family.  I love her more than I can express. Regardless of all the chicken poop!

I love Rui!

Be careful what you wish for!  ;) HA!

Take care. ~t

Posted by in Food, Health, Magick, Mother Earth, Stories, Uncategorized

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Kitchen Magick: Kombucha, Herbal Teas, and Tinctures

February 18, 2012

I am definitely part “kitchen” witch.  I love making herbal tea blends and tinctures, and I love making kombucha.

My sister, who has an awesome website called fortycakes.com, just wrote recently about her addiction to kombucha.She is not alone, many of us love the way kombucha tastes and the way it makes us feel.  I love it too. I really do!   But I make my own.  And sister, I have a scoby baby for you.  Make your own too.  It is really easy to do.

Kitchen Magic Corner, Sister, this Scoby is for you! It's true!

I have been making my own komucha, for several years now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the occasional bottle from the store! ….mmmm  I do!!!  Divine Grape from Synergy  is good.  And High Country’s Wild Root Kombucha is delicious too.  But, when you make your own, you add your personal magic to it.    You can experiment and come up with your own unique blends and tastes. You get amazing health benefits, and save alot of money.  Kombucha is healthy and fun to make.

Best way to get a scoby and get started:  BECOME FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE WHO BREWS KOMBUCHA! :)

Second Best Way: Purchase one online or through someone in your community. And read.

Kombucha is a culture (called a scoby) that reproduces, so unless you want to have jars of fermenting komucha everywhere, share! Some people call it a mushroom, but it isn’t.Every scoby I have ever had was given to me, and I have given many too. Heal and grow. Pass it on.

Nice Healthy Scoby

I currently am brewing a big batch of  kombucha with ginger, that is a favorite of mine.   After kombucha is ready to drink, you can add juice to it, or drink it straight.   I like it straight. Or I like to add grape juice.  I don’t recommend orange juice and kombucha. Eww.   But seriously, experiment.

There are several sites that provide instructions on brewing Kombucha,  but here are my not so detailed instructions:

1. Obtain a Kombucha Culture (make sure it is floating  in at least one or two cups of kombucha tea, you will need it!)

2. Boil a big pot of  strong black tea  (green tea also works), and then add 2 cups of sugar.  I prefer loose tea, but if you use tea bags 6 to 8 bags is probably a good amount. Use about 1 gallon of water

3. Allow black tea to cool to room temperature (important!), and then pour into big glass jar.

4. Add the Kombucha culture

5. Cover with cheesecloth, or coffee filters, or light cloth, secure with a rubber band or string (keep bugs out, but allow air in!)

6. Allow to ferment, undisturbed for about 2 weeks.

7. After two weeks, you will have Kombucha tea, a mother culture and a baby. Simply seperate the two by gently peeling them apart, get another jar, and start the process again! Now you are on your way to having a kitchen full of kombucha! HA!

Special note!  Because I don’t really measure anything anymore,  my measurements are guesses and may be off slightly.. experiment, or find a detailed website! :)  

 

Herbal Medicine

As for herbs, obviously if you can grow them, you should, but buying them is an option too. I have a small herb garden in my backyard. But most of my herbs, I buy.  I buy many of my herbs online through Mountain Rose Herbal Company. I have been getting herbs through Mountain Rose for years,  they sell high quality herbs and really strive to be a good company. There is also a  little health food store in Palm Beach Gardens called NutritionWorld that has a fairly good selection of bulk herbs, I go there too.

There is a great book called “The New Age Herbalist” that I have grown to love and rely on.  It has information on cultivating herbs, identification and wild harvesting, instructions on different herbal preparations, information on the human body, and much more. I love it!

Amazing book!

Teas

Herbal teas are medicinal and can be very strong, so I suggest that you do your research, and always use herbs that compliment eachother.   My favorite herbs that I always try to have around  are, oatstraw, stinging nettle (also called nettles), horsetail, passionflower, skullcap ( scullcap), valerian, licorice root, danedlion leaf and root,  ginger, and lavender.

Over the holidays, I made my friends and family an herbal tea blend.  I call it Lovely Tea, and it really does make you feel amazing. Lavender, oatstraw, passionflower, and skullcap. Seriously. These herbs are known to help anxiety melt away.  Relax and feel Lovely tea. It was such a hit in fact, that I recently had someone place an order!  Whoa.

Tinctures

I also really enjoy making herbal tinctures. Tinctures are strong herbal extracts that usually don’t taste delicious. But they are very potent! I bought mine for years and still do buy some, but making tinctures, is relatively easy to do and cheap! Herbs, grain alcohol, dark bottles, and time.

A Ginger Root Tincture

 I have so much fun making teas, tinctures and potions. Start slow.  Read and learn. Listen to your body.   Become  a kitchen witch too, or at least be friends with one. :)

 Cheers~Tiff

Posted by in Food, Health, Magick

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Fisheating Creek Camping Trip

February 16, 2012

I love camping.  I love nature. I love spontaneous camping trips.

I complain all the time about living Florida. It is flat.   It is crowded. South Florida is totally overdeveloped with golf courses,  gated communities, shopping centers,  and plastic surgery offices.  A commonly seen bumper sticker reads “Leaving Florida? Take a developer!”  Seriously. It is like every patch of wildspace down here was seen only as potential profit, and then  flattened.  “Why?” you may ask.  ”Because we need another store.”  Grrr.   

So, I complain about Florida. It’s true.  I do.  But I shouldn’t.     I should share the beautiful spots I know of, so others can experience the magic for themselves.  

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” ~ Chief Seattle

Beautiful, magical Florida

I woke up Saturday morning and got a text from a friend “room in the car if you want to go on a last minute camping trip.”    ”Umm duh”. I thought. I wrote back   “Yes. of course!!!!”  So in less than thirty minutes, we were packed and heading out the door.  To a place called Fisheating Creek. 

Fisheating Creek

Interestingly, The last time I went to Fisheating Creek was exactly a year before, on another spontaneous camping trip. That was a big EarthFirst! campout. Which was inspiring and fun.  Tons of workshops and people,  music and laughter.  But this time there were only a few of us.  This time was about being quiet, feeling nature, and healing.

our campsite

We arrived and set up our tents. My son and a friend went to collect firewood.  So, I was alone.  I decided to go explore.  I walked slowly through an oak forest.  I saw the most beautiful tree. Without even thinking, I floated towards the tree, sat down and began to meditate.

Healing under an oak tree

 There was magic happening.

I thanked the tree with a hug and a kiss and went back to our campsite.  A little while later we all went exploring.  We waded across the shallow part of the creek and picked a few wild oranges. They were super sour but fun to eat.

Magical Mother Tree

 We saw so many beautiful cypress trees.

The Giving Tree

 Cypress trees are beyond words.  But “Healer” is one word that comes to mind.

The night was crisp.  We had a big fire and ate our cans of beans “”hobo” style.   We talked and told stories.  Including a “ not so spooky” ghost story. There were speechless moments as we stared up at the night sky.  We stayed warm by the fire. And listened to the song of the coyotes nearby.

As the fire slowly burnt out and our eye lids grew heavy, we made our way to our tents. It was cold.  I shivered until sleep arrived.  The next morning I woke early, built another fire (to defrost), did some restorative yoga and explored the woods.  Then we all had breakfast,  got in the canoe and paddled down the creek.

Everyone was having fun!

There were shallow areas where one person (thanks Cara!) had to get out and pull us into deeper water. 

We're Stuck! Hahaha.

 It was a peaceful adventure. We saw hawks, osprey, egrets, and a few turtles. We saw deer tracks, panther tracks too.  But it was too cold for the Alligators… :)  

Explore, breathe, heal

 Florida,  I really do love you, the real you.  Always.

Posted by in Camping, Health, Mother Earth, Stories

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A SNAKE IN THE BATHTUB

February 13, 2012

Shedding Snake in the Bathtub

As I mentioned before, I have incredible friends.  Creative, loving, weird, and brilliant.  And just like me, most of them are choosing to take the road less traveled.

One of them is my amazing friend Eryn, the animal queen.

Get a little closer

Eryn and I also met through yoga about 3 years ago.  I taught yoga at this place called the Soma Center (RIP) in Downtown Lake Worth. It was a yoga studio/cafe.  She worked in the cafe portion.  I instantly was intrigued by her.  How could you not be?  Anyways, Eryn is known in our community as Eryn the animal witch. Seriously. Animals find her.  And she talks to them.  She heals them.  They love her. I have never seen anything like it.  She is an activist, healer, grad student, researcher, artist, author, ukulele playing, bad ass version of Dr. Dolittle.

Just a normal night at Eryn's...

At any given time, you will find animals with Eryn. Currently, she only has a few animals in her little studio apartment.  A Parrot, a ball python, a tiny old dog, a retired lab frog, some weird looking fish, and some crazy beetles. I have been there when there were multiple dogs, cats, rats, birds, snakes, etc.  It is like a scene from a wacko movie each time I walk into Eryn’s house.  The animals all hang out and party.. They all seem to get along.  Seriously. They find her, or she gets called, but Eryn will not turn them away. 

Rescue bird

She has a huge soft spot for the injured, the old, and the unwanted. I think that explains why she loves me so much! HA!

Eryn and Marlin nursing injured bird back to health

 

Anyways, we had hang out and natural science night at Eryn’s.  We learned alot about Ball Pythons, science, and had a singing session with Lala, the Amazon parrot.

Learning to speak parselmouth

And of course we played our Ukuleles. Which for some reason would not stay in tune. Boo. Eryn and I are a two piece ukulele playing country/folk/funny band.  We are amazing. And funny.  Maybe I will post a video clip of our magic soon. :)

Eryn wrote and illustrated an incredible children’s book called Armidillovely.  She gave us a copy. Every page is beautiful. But this one is my favorite.  Thanks Eryn, you are the best.

Armidillovely, best book ever!

We had lots of fun with Eryn the Animal Witch and  her animals too (as always). We are going with her to FAU for more Science fun soon.  Sooooo…. stay tuned.  The fun continues and the learning too.

Homeschooling is awesome.

~t

Posted by in Magick, Mother Earth, Stories

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Morocco, Humphrey Bogart, Karma, and a Surprise Package

February 9, 2012

Since my son’s accident, he is now being homeschooled.  There is a long story behind it, and it involves his charter school and crappy principal. We were kind of forced into it.  The school put him in a ”homebound” program which  just wasn’t working for us.  So, I made the decision to pull him out of school entirely.  Everything seems to work out (at least eventually..ha!), and deep down, homeschooling my son has been a dream of mine.  I taught high school in Palm Beach County for three years, so I have an insiders view.  I am totally concerned about the current public education system! F-CAT?? Yuck!  Not a fan.

Anyways, it has taken some adjustment for both of us but ultimately we are both happy. Through friends and family, my son now has a wildlife and geogrpahy teacher, an art teacher, he has a science teacher, a beekeeping teacher, a musical theatre teacher, and I obviously oversee everything and manage his portfolio.   We really do have an amazing number of wonderful and creative people surrounding us.  One of them is my friend Resa.  Resa, my son, and I decided that we should dedicate one night every two weeks to a particular country, the food, etc. and make a night of it. This week we chose Morocco. My son was responsible for learning about Morocco, it’s history, and customs. 

Enjoying our food and evening… mmmmm

So fun! Moroccan presentation, Moroccan food, followed by sweet Moroccan Mint tea and the movie Casablanca.  The presenation was amazing..The food was amazing… the movie of course was amazing.  I am in love with Humphrey Bogart.  Sorry Bing Crosby. I found a new love.

Our Morocco meal with extra greens.. healthy and delicious

My friend Resa was the host of the evening and she made delicious Tagine. A blend of tomatos, potatoes, chick peas, dried fruit, cashews, and more.  The trick is to cook it with tomatos placed on bottom.  Potatoes on top.   shhhhh…don’t tell. Tagine is a traditional Moroccan dish that is both delicious and nutritious.

Resa, working her magic.. Tagine is prepared in orange ceramic dish (called Tagine)

  Resa and I met a few years ago, through yoga.  Resa is very spiritual,  creative, and just really fun to be around. She recently started up a  business called Karma Calendar.  She sells beautiful handmade Malas and Karma Advent Calendars.  She gave my son and I an Advent calendar, which we are really enjoying.  Along with the leftover food. Ha! Mmmmmm.

So the Calender works like this, each day you open up your day and get a bead and a deed ( task). You are asked to do various kind things that are beneficial to both you and others.  You take the bead and put it on your string, and at the end of your 27 days, you have a wrist Mala. A wrist Mala infused with positive thoughts and actions. My son and I both got the Prajna Malas or Malas for Transcendental Wisdom. Bring it on, I feel the wisdom coming….it’s rollin’ round the bend.. Ha.

So Pretty, Karma Advent Calendar. Love it!

The Karma Calendar Website is below if interested. Seriously it is a  great gift.  My son and I are having so much fun on our 27 day Journey.

http://www.karmacalendar.com/

Today my task was to encourage someone with kindness. I taught yoga, and then came into work, where I was happily surprised to find a package waiting for me. The package was from ”EH”, who I quickly realized was my old director (and friend) from  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

The Tango- Those Canaan Days
 
 

Joseph was really an amazing show.  My son and I were both in it, which made it even more special.  The director made the show magical. He encouraged all of us to get up there and shine.And we did :) 

The whole cast and crew and Director too

Anyways, back to the package!  It was a book called The Science of Yoga, and  it totally made my day.    My task was to encourage someone with kindness, and in turn, an old friend encouraged me with kindness. Yeah.  Thank you so much Eddy Henn!

Yeah lovely surprise…

 Practice random acts of kindness. Learn and heal. Be kind… and watch old movies.  :)

 ”Here’s looking at you, kid.”

~tiff

Posted by in Food, Health, Stories, Uncategorized

1 comment

yoga, kale, and sticky sweet honey

February 6, 2012

It is amazing how quickly emotions shift and energy changes. The only constant, is change.

I had a very stressful week, with family feuds,  work stress, and being a single mom. On top of that my son recently broke his left arm severely, and he is left-handed. Ugh. He was in the hospital for two days and has had two surgeries.  Things are settling now, but the whole experience was overwhelming and exhausting. Even now, when I recall the memory of his accident and how horrifying his arm looked, I become very emotional. Talk about depleted.   Anyways, as stress piles on, it is hard to come to a place of stillness. My mind became so agitated and my body so tense that I instinctively knew my cure could only come from  a strong practice.  A strong spiritual practice. At times like these, I turn to Kundalini yoga. Amazing for cleaning and recharging. Amazing for accepting and forgiving.  Amazing for letting go and learning to trust.

So I started my sunday morning with a cup of tea and a Kundalini practice. I really enjoy Sarah Klines 50 minute Kundalini yoga practice on youtube.  Exactly what I needed. Feeling recharged, I dedicated my day to restoring and healing. And cleaning my messy house.

A friend of mine who is an organic farmer, stopped by in the morning and brought me two grocery bags full of organic produce from his garden.   I was so happy. Fresh delicious produce. Talk about food as medicine!  I made Kale chips in the oven and fresh veggie burgers with my food processor.. the veggie burgers are a favorite of my son’s. :)

fresh orgranic produce/ingredients for healthy nature burger

I make up my own recipes and never measure anything—Be adventurous!  Experiment!

Kale Chips

Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees or 250 max!

Wash kale and tear leaves off from the stem - medium size pieces

Prepare a mixture of olive oil and Braggs, Tamari or salt to taste, and a little cayenne pepper

Massage mixture into the kale.

place on cookie sheet

 cook  until crisp.  Usually about 1 to 2 hours

mmm delicious, nutritious and quick.

The veggie patties

Ingredients: Tomato,red pepper,garlic,kale,sunflower seeds,uncooked oats ,salt and spices to taste

Puree everything in food processor,   add in more whole oats  and stir.  Form into patties….cook with butter, coconut, or olive oil

I put the leftovers in  freezer for a quick meal or snack. mmm. Delicious and nutritious.

organic veggie patties

The day gets sweet and sticky

Pockets full of honey

Anyways, after my cooking adventure, I was motivated to clean….but I got an offer I just couldn’t refuse.  “Come Harvest honey!”

BEEBOY

My good friends called to see if my son and  I wanted to come play with the bees and help harvest honey. So we spent the majority of our day building bee boxes, scraping off old wax and propolis, playing with  bees, harvesting honey,  spinning the honey, melting down wax, and laughing with good friends.

lots of bees, lots of honey

Covered in honey,  I couldn’t stop smiling. Sticky and sweet, we drank and licked massive amounts of honey , and ate delicious pollen.  I love bees.

straining the honey

This was not my first time being around bees, but it can be really scary when they begin to get upset. When I feel myself becoming overwhlemed with fear, I close my eyes and take slow deep breaths. The bees seem to relax when we relax. A good lesson, anytime we are overwhelmed with fear or anxiety, remember to breathe.  Yoga and beekeeping. Yoga and life.

honey spinner extracting the honey....

My son was always a little nervous around bees, especially when we had a hive in our backyard.   BUT, through bee education and experiencing the process,  he now  wants to be a beekeeper too.  He had a blast.  :)

My friend gave me a  honey bee education program for kids full of information,  lesson plans, diagrams,  and vocabulary. Perfect for my son’s homeschool portfolio.

The day was seriously amazing.

We came home with a nice  jar of honey, sticky sweet clothes, and shiny happy eyes . I had a cup of tea with a good friend, and gave thanks for the day.

Full of gratitude.  And full of yoga, kale, and honey.  :)

~tiff

Posted by in beekeeping, Diet, Food, Health, Mother Earth, Photos, Stories, Yoga Reviews

9 comments

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