Category Archives: Health

The Gypsy is Back

March 9, 2012

All of my life, I have been “different.” Free spirited, adventurous, wild, crazy, fun, magical, and difficult too. My mom and grandmother always called me a Cigana, Portuguese for gypsy. And in several ways, for most of my life, that was true. I was always up for an adventure. I was never afraid to take a chance and move somewhere, try something, learn something, I just followed my heart. If i wanted to do something, I did it. With no fear. And that is how I lived for many years. I craved movement. I craved new experiences. I saw myself as powerful and capable of making my dreams come true.

There are thousands of lives within a single life.

I have stories!!!!!!!

But then, after a traumatic relationship, something shifted in me. The spark died. I lost that adventure. I lost the confidence. There was no more fortune-telling. The Gypsy vanished. Deep down, I felt melancholy most of the time, and confused about what to do. And I became fearful of taking chances. I had no idea how to make things better. I treaded water to stay afloat, and my constant inner dialogue went like this: ”What do I do? I don’t know! What do I do? I don’t know. ” That was the conversation I had with myself for a very long time. Yoga helped me recognize that it is okay to be depressed sometimes.. Yoga helped me accept things as they were. Nothing is permanent. Love of friends and family helped give me strength and hope. Time helped me process and heal. Slowly, I began to see glimpses of my old self. But it was definitely –one step forward and two steps back. Booo…..Ha!

As I mentioned in a previous post, this really is a year of drastic change. I feel it so strongly, there is no denying it. But what kind of change??? I thought of possibilities. Nothing seemed right. I was confused. A voice told me, “Tiff, listen to the wisdom inside of you”. And then I heard the message, it was very clear, “You need to go to the Azores!” Another thought quickly followed ”Yeah right! It is far, expensive, you don’t speak portuguese, and you are a single mom. Keep dreaming, it’s never gonna happen!!”

With that sense of change in the air for all of us, the Gypsy in me came back, strong and determined. And I am happy to say, my son and I are going! For three months! YEAH!!!!!!!!!! This a dream come true! We bought the tickets. Seriously. I have 5 dollars left.. But I don’t care!!! I know everything will work out. I know this is something I am supposed to do. I know I am going to learn, grow, and heal. I am ready. I am excited. I need to save some money. I NEED TO LEARN PORTUGUESE! ………………..GULP!

The Azores

Most of my friends have asked… “Where are the Azores?” Or my favorite question was ”Why do you want to go to the Ozarks?” HA! Well, The Azores are 9 little islands in the Atlantic ocean, far away from the freeways and gunshots we have here in South Florida. My Mom grew up in the Azores which makes the connection strong. My Dad, is an American who was stationed there, they met, fell in love, moved to The United States, and had kids. I have never been. But, I have dreamed of it several times.. There is one house in particular I have dreamed of a number of times. I think it is real…. But we will see. I recently dreamed of my Portuguese grandmother, I know her spirit will help guide me. :)

Three Genertaions of Tough Portuguese Women...Alvarina, Rosa, and me. I miss you Grandma.

There is family,beauty, history, and witchcraft in the Azores. There is wine and Fado music. I am excited beyond words.

Anyways, there are still a couple months to prepare for the trip. I am studying portuguese, and taking care of things with the house, the dog and the chicken. Don’t worry, Rui and Sadie will be left in good hands! Thanks to Eryn, The Animal Witch!

I will blog about my adventure, it has already begun.

Make each step magical

2012, Bring it on!

Free (Portuguese) Spirits!

xo~The Gypsy

Posted by Yogini Tiff in Health, Magick, Stories, Travel, Uncategorized

1 comment

Little Miracles-Divine Kale Avocado Salad

March 4, 2012

This year has already proven to be a year of change. Many of my closest Mama friends have made big moves, Costa Rica, Indonesia, South Carolina, and Gainesville. All left the city and moved to farm communities. All striving to live healthier, more connected lives. I miss my dear friends, but I am excited for their new adventures(And, I am excited to have more places to go visit! Ha!) There are changes in the air for me too. I plan on taking a big trip this summer, to a magical land (not telling you where yet!). I will share my plan and journey with you soon. Stay Tuned….

Anyways, 2012 really is a year of change for all of us. One of the commitments I made to myself was better self-care. And that includes, rest, nutrition, exercise, meditation, and de-cluttering my house and life. I started homeschooling and I started spending more time working on my blog (writing is very therapeutic for me-Gemini). I am taking long walks and long baths.. and eating lots of vegetables.

You are what you eat!

Food is Medicine. I have mentioned before, that my son had a bad fall out of a tree, a couple months ago. His left arm was badly broken and he is left-handed. Boo. His break required surgery and two long rods. It was stressful, to say the least. And healing has been slow. To aid my son’s healing, and my own, I decided I needed to add more leafy greens to our diet. Unfortunately, organic, good quality fresh greens, can be hard to come by and expensive. I was still determined.

Almost as if I had manifested a miracle, a friend of mine, an organic farmer, moved back to town. He called me up out of the blue, and asked if I wanted some fresh vegetables.So now, every week, my friend, a young urban farmer, has been bringing me mountains of vegetables. I consider these veggies a miracle. I am full of gratitude.

The healing light is shining down on me. HA! Mmmm Eggplant!

Every week, the veggies are different. I am experimenting and learning many different ways to prepare all this healing food. I really feel a difference. I can see a difference in my skin. Today I made the most delicious salad. So delicious, that I have to share it.

Divine Kale avocado Salad

Step one: Prepare a marinade. 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon raw honey, fresh minced garlic, and fresh thyme, to desired taste.

Step two: Cut the kale into small strips, I use scissors, it is quick

Step three: Pour marinade over Kale and chill for one hour

Step Four: Add fresh avocado (the more the better)

Step 5: Eat and feel good.

Try it, you will like it. (Sorry I didn’t take a picture of the salad, but make it anyways, it is good!)

Give thanks to farmers. Give thanks to our food.

Here’s to our Health! Be well. ~Tiff

Hooray for Fresh Veggies!

Posted by Yogini Tiff in Diet, Energy Healing, Food, Health, Magick, Mother Earth, Stories

1 comment

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 Yogini Tiff in Energy Healing, Health, mental health, Restorative yoga, yoga

1 comment

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 Yogini Tiff in Food, Health, Stories

9 comments

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 Yogini Tiff in Diet, Food, Health

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 Yogini Tiff in Food, Health, Magick, Mother Earth, Stories, Uncategorized

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 Yogini Tiff in Food, Health, Magick

1 comment

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 Yogini Tiff in Camping, Health, Mother Earth, Stories

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 Yogini Tiff 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 Yogini Tiff in beekeeping, Diet, Food, Health, Mother Earth, Photos, Stories, Yoga Reviews

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yoga, kale, and sticky sweet honey

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Donate to Yogini Tiff!! If I can start making a little bit of money writing, I can commit to writing more posts!! And it will help me have the time, money and confidence to really sit down write my book! If you can, please donate to my site, any donations are helpful. Thank you. ;)

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