The mythical Phoenix symbolizes rebirth. It might represent the sun which dies every night and is reborn the next morning. Among classical writers, it may represent those existing in paradise and enjoying eternal youth. Among Christians, it can represent rebirth after death. To me the Phoenix  represents a new beginning, that no matter how bad things may get you will get back up on your feet, resilient and renewed -just as are the cancer survivors it represents and the organization, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and the Rise Above with Love ™  campaign, whose mission is to empower all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life. As a volunteer for the Look Good Feel Better ™ organization, I was privileged to helps cancer patients cope with the appearance-related side effects of their disease and to get to know some of these courageous woman and hear their amazing stories and the everyday reality that touches so many lives. Inspired I made a commitment with Fábula to support and partner with companies of integrity who share our philosophy of an all-natural approach to skincare and wellness. We are committed to organic, cruelty-free products, free of artificial preservatives and fragrance, sodium laurel sulfate, coloring and added parabens only using products and  ingredients that honor our clients health.

Jane Iredale Mineral Make-Up has partnered with these organizations and through promotions has raised more than $ 75,000 dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness. There latest promotion  is a brand new version of the popular Sugar&Butter Lip Exfoliator/Plumper naming it the Phoenix.  This soft, scrumptious pink plumper is paired with an organic brown sugar exfoliator to evoke the joy and daily pleasures of femininity.

• Exfoliator and lip plumper duo restores moisture to dry, chapped lips for a smooth and moist finish.
• Packaged in a dual-ended tube and is easy to apply.
• Made with organic brown sugar and leaves lips feeling soft and light.
• Lip plumper is formulated with peptides to hydrate the lips and stimulate collagen synthesis.
• The combination of cool mint and ginger soothes and revitalizes lips, leaving them with a luscious tint of pink.
• Cruelty Free
• Paraben-Free

Jane Iredale for a full year from September 2010-September 2011 will donate $2 from the sale of each Phoenix to Living Beyond Breast Cancer a not-for-profit in support of all women who have risen above breast cancer and those who love them.

In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer ~Albert Camus

Claudia~

Tea Plucker in Munnar~ Photo by yours truly

In India Tea is much more than a drink: it is an experience steeped in history, rich with tradition and filled with health benefits. “Tea Time” is serious business right from starting the day by making our own Masala Chai tea (infused with spices, fresh ginger, cardamom, milk and sugar) to “afternoon tea” which allows us that “much needed” break to take it slow – similar to a siesta in many other countries. The first part of my Indian journey, Mumbai, involved a lot of eating and shopping – see EAT PRAY SHOP! After having my senses assaulted it was lovely to go back to a cozy bed to nap and awaken to sweet aromas and flavors. Then, on to sharing the stories of the day while enjoying a nice cup of tea with others was an incredibly pleasant experience.

The pace of life in the 21st Century is one of fast food, fast travel, fast work, fast style – all impacted by advanced technology. The slowed down lifestyle has been damaged by our fast paced culture and this fast paced culture does not seem to make us more productive or happy. Did you know there is a whole movement on being slow? A slow life philosophy promoted by slowmovement.com stands for sustainable, local, organic ,wholesome and is inspired by fun and life experiences.

Finally, the end of my journey took me through Kerala, a Southwest Indian State known as “God’s Own Country.” Kerala is a gorgeous tropical area renowned for its backwaters, white sandy beaches, lush vegetation, abundant coconut palms, and the availability of Ayurvedic healing therapies. The sweet people of Kerala, known as Keralites, have a lifestyle that is uncomplicated and they seem happy and content with the simple pleasures of life and a slow pace. I enjoyed a day trip to Munnar, which was quite a unique experience. One of the most popular hill stations in India, Munnar, is breathtakingly beautiful – a haven of peace and tranquility. Visiting Munnar, I now understand why they call Kerala “God’s own country”. There are sprawling tea plantations, picture-book towns, winding lanes, and rolling hills of lush greenery. Munnar is essentially a tea town. The tea plantations have now been taken over by the Tata Tea Company. As a visitor you are greeted with miles and miles of unending tea plantations upon entry into Munnar and the aroma is heavenly.

Spending time in India, enjoying the simple pleasures such as sipping tea, hiking and seeing beautiful landscapes was an amazing life experience that I will always cherish. Living life, rather than rushing through it, and being in the moment are my lessons to remember.

I would love for you to share a comment on a simple pleasure that has inspired you recently!

Here’s a yummy recipe for your drinking pleasure taken from my friend Laura Silverman’s Blog Glutton For Life

Love, Light & Happy Tea Time

Claudia~

This was my experience every day for one week at The Sivananda Ashram YogaRetreat. It was a true sanctuary of peace and natural beauty located on a paradise-like island with crystal clear water and pure white sand just across the bay from Nassau.

My adventure began on a Saturday morning as I arrived on the island of Nassau earlier than expected. I gathered my luggage and took a 20 minute taxi ride to a dock. As I waited patiently for the boat to whisk me away to paradise, I encountered two lovely ladies and we made our introductions. Both women had traveled quite a distance to get to the Ashram. Anna came from Germany, Katie from Nova Scotia, and both were now part of the Teacher Training Course (TTC). They would be living and working on the ashram for one month. The TTC is based on “Karma Yoga”, also known as Buddha Yoga or the “discipline of action” and is based on the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita, a sacred Sanskrit scripture of Hinduism. Of the four paths to realization, Karma Yoga is the science of achieving perfection in action. Karma Yoga is an intrinsic part of many derivative types of yoga.

Shortly after our introductions, the boat arrived and we were on our way – well not quite! First we had to lug bags and boxes of HEAVY produce onto the boat. I thought to myself, “You have to be kidding me. I’m on vacation! My poor back!” However, I actually didn’t mind at all. We all pitched in, and I reminded myself, “This is “Karma Yoga!”, although I noticed the two men on the boat were not practicing “Karma Yoga” – they were barely helping at all! Plus, the tiny walkway between the dock and the boat was making me plenty nervous that one of us was going to end up in the water! Needless to say, we all made it to the island in one piece and received some fruit for our effort. Thankfully, I caught on pretty quickly and adapted fast because the Ashram was not very organized and almost too laid back when it came to answering my pretty straight forward questions, such as, where is my room, and other basic questions one might ask upon arrival. Being resourceful, I went traipsing around the place and gave myself the unguided tour and finally found my room: “Hallelujah!” I thought to myself. “I’d best get to the beach fast and do some meditating before I lose it.” However, by the evening I figured out how it all worked and whatever I still didn’t know I would just learn as I went with the flow.

The Ashram is built around a semi-closed, outdoor meditation temple. There are spacious exercise platforms facing the warm blue-green waters of the Caribbean Sea, the bay and the gardens. I opted to stay in one of the private wooden cabins. The room had basic sleeping quarters, both rustic and unembellished, which worked fine for me. The other option was to pitch a tent in one of the quiet garden areas or coconut groves.

Daily Schedule:

The energizing program of the ashram is based on Swami Vishnudevananda’s (who is a disciple of Swami Sivananda the founder of the Ashram) five points for holistic evolution of body, mind, and soul:

• Proper Exercise

• Proper Breathing

• Proper Relaxation

• Proper Diet

• Positive Thinking and Meditation

My days would begin at 5:30 am when I would awaken to the sounds of the ocean, the palm trees rustling in the wind, the birds chirping and a light bell ringing every 10 minutes until 6am when the serenity of early morning meditation would commence. At the ashram they believe the clear sea air helps restore the rested mind to focus and the body to be still. Half an hour of silent meditation is followed by joyful chanting, a spiritual talk or reading, and closing prayers. Next, at 8am, came a 2 hour session of asanas (yogic postures) and pranayama (yogic breathing techniques to invigorate the body and mind). After these rituals, we would have a wonderful vegetarian breakfast/ brunch at 10am, where we all lined up just outside the kitchen with our trays to get our nourishment. I would quickly gather my food and head for the best seat in the house, right on the sand in front of the beautiful clear waters. There is time which you are free to study, to attend a special workshop, to swim, relax on the beach, or go snorkeling. At 4pm is the second asana/pranayama class of the day. Your body achieves maximum stretch at this time and great progress can be made. Dinner is at 6pm, and satsang (meditation, chanting and talk) is at 8pm which completes the day. During the evening satsang there would usually be a talk by one of the special speakers, a concert, or a performance. Lights-out was always around 10pm. All guests were required to attend both satsangs and asana classes but I have never been one to follow the rules. By the 4th day my body felt a bit achy from 4 hours of yoga per day and the long walks on the beach. I chose to sleep in a few days and practiced either the morning or afternoon yoga class instead of both. Most of the day I spent on the beach reading and writing and indulging in some wonderful and intellectual conversations with my new found friends. I found plenty of time for body work; I treated myself to a daily massage and an Aruyvedic body treatment all of which were amazing! I was lucky enough to be there for the Easter holiday and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise ceremony full of joyful praise to the Lord. I am not a religious person but this ceremony was lovely and uplifting and made me realize just how special it is to connect with Faith.

The food was delicious however, but by the last day of my stay I was tired of the same food and the temptation of going across to Nassau or to Atlantis (which was on the other side of the beach) was sounding great for a farewell dinner. My new friend Kathy and I decided to have our final dinner at NOBU. I had no desire to see Atlantis but some of the guests at the Ashram kept talking about it and I didn’t realize until after a few days that it was it was literally in plain sight. I walked through one day on my own to go see the Aquarium everyone was raving about. It was interesting to see the dynamic of the guests at The Atlantis resort compared to the Ashram. It was certainly like walking through Disneyland. After leaving the aquarium I couldn’t wait to get back to the tranquility of the ashram. How ironic that these two different worlds can be physically so close yet spiritually so distant!

Lastly, my yoga adventure confirmed the importance of simplicity, balance, and community. The journey helped restore my faith, strengthened my yoga practice, enhanced my mind and purified my soul. It was a dynamic voyage that I look forward to taking again and again. I enjoyed the warm companionship and the connection with like-minded people from all around the world, which included sharing food, life stories, beliefs, and dreams. It was a truly holistic, revitalizing experience that left me recharged physically, mentally and spiritually!

Until next time

Claudia~

Today is my canine beauty Maya’s 1st birthday, a Black Labrador German Short-Haired Pointer mix. I thought this would be a perfect time to post under the category of holistic pet care! Last May when we picked her up from the foster home, I could not have imagined how much she would enrich our lives. Since then the bond between us has just blossomed and strengthened over time.

Maya’s companionship is the most universal thing that she gives my husband and me – but companionship is only the beginning. Scientific evidence proves that many health benefits come along with being a pet owner. Our dogs help us relax, lower our blood pressure, keep us active and show us unconditional love. I believe we can preserve and strengthen the bond not only by the companionship but by providing a healthy stable home. This stability includes love, attention, proper grooming, training, and exercise for the pets. More importantly a healthful diet and proper nutrition will benefit the well-being of both you and your dog and maintain everyone on the path to wellness.

I have always been an animal lover and taken great care of my pets but it was not until a feline named “Miss Kitty” – who happened to adopt me – came into my life, did I learn and come to understand about the importance of a proper diet. Miss Kitty was a very sensitive little darling but she ailed from digestive issues, scaly coat, skiddish manifestations of abuse, neglect and poor nutrition. I took care of her issues the best way I knew how at the time. It wasn’t until one day when I was at a yoga seminar in New York City roughly 15 years ago when I came across a book entitled “Dogs and Cats are People Too.” It caught my eye, and I went on to read about the horror stories of the pet food industry: rendering plants and cruelty that animals go through. The meat contained in most commercial pet foods is most often from diseased, condemned animals and the nutrition value of these foods is questionable. And cats, like dogs, do not have any dietary requirement for carbohydrates therefore grain-based foods are much less than optimal for them. In my opinion, a raw diet made with fresh, approved meats and bones provides them with healthy, natural nutrition. Remember the wide-scale pet food recalls? Those recalls left me feeling relieved that I didn’t have to be concerned for my pets. I was also hopeful it would start a movement that more pet owners would be conscious and open themselves up to looking for healthier food options.

Well after my yoga seminar, I immediately went home and threw away my supermarket brand canned pet food and never looked back. I thought to myself this all makes sense, I am also on my path to well-being and changing to a non-processed, vegetarian, organic diet. Why shouldn’t my cat’s diet be as good? Proper nutrition is fundamental for keeping all of us healthy be it human or animal. Diet directly affects your pet’s skin, coat, weight, energy level, and gastrointestinal function – just like as it would yours. If a problem occurs in one of these areas, it may be linked to improper diet. I took the advice of the book and tried some higher quality pet foods until I could research more about the best balanced diet for her unique situation. The change in her coat, ears, eyes and energy was like night and day. I went on to learn more about raw diets, supplementation, holistic care and homeopathy. Miss Kitty and all my animals since thrive rather than survive because of these changes and lifestyle approach.

Why Raw?

I feed Maya and my other two felines Rocco and Cosmo a strictly raw diet because dogs and cats are meat eaters by nature. This is why raw, fresh meat is the most instinctive diet for your pet. It is low in carbohydrates just the way our pet’s ancestors (their wild cousins, wolves and the big cats) have eaten in the outdoors for thousands of years. A diet consisting primarily of raw meat, organs, bone, and fat reflects what your pet would eat in his natural habitat. This returns our pets to this more natural primal form of nutrition, as if they had hunted and caught their “perfect” dinner. With natural proportions of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, and amino acids, raw diets provide wholesome nutrition. In addition, many pets have found relief from grain-related allergies with a grain-free diet. A highly digestible grain-free diet will also lead to less cleanup on your walk and litter box.

Most of your vets may disagree greatly with all this information but the fact remains that vets just like regular medical doctors receive very little worthwhile training in nutrition. There exists a lack of training in the use of raw whole foods and a biased approach to our understanding of commercially produced pet food. Most of these commercial pet brands are marketed to vets. It is relevant to ask what many veterinarians really know about pet foods. Unfortunately – not very much.

Regrettably, a lack of knowledge concerning nutrition has become the basis for recommending processed pet food!  They continue to give terrible nutritional advice or guidance. If your pet’s health and weight are suffering I urge you to research some of the things I’m suggesting and work with a doctor who is open to all these different options for the sake of your pet and your wallet.

Until next time

Love & Light

Claudia~

Resources:

Holistic Pet Stores in NY: Whiskers, Anitra Frazier, Natural Health Care Cat Expert and Author of  “The New Natural Cat ” she can be contacted at 212 663 0122

Holistic Pet Stores in NJ: Paradise Pet,Wholistic Paws

On this gray, wet Sunday sitting here seeing the heartbreaking images of children, elderly and animals trapped/torn by the massive earthquake, I’m sad to know the world is still feeling the tragic impact from last Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti, which caused a horrific loss of life and widespread devastation.  So many of us have  opened our hearts donating even though some can barely afford to put food on their own plates with the terrible economic conditions  here in the US. It’s always amazing to see when tragedy hits how we unite as ONE.  It’s unfortunate that it takes a tragedy to remind us of how short and precious life is and not to be taken for granted!  I leave you until next time with a beautiful quote and some resources to support this disaster.

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.” Ashley Smith~

Support:

The American Red Cross is responding to the earthquake in Haiti with financial assistance-make a doantion online or  send a $10 donation by texting ‘Haiti’ to 90999. The relief efforts  continue and with many survivors having sustained serious injuries, including traumatic wounds and crushed limbs, medical support has been identified as an immediate need, along with food, water and shelter.

In response to this disaster the  American Humane Association has joined the Animal Relief Coalition
for Haiti (ARCH), a group of professional animal welfare organizations working together to achieve the best possible outcome for animals in the region. The coalition is led by the World Society for the Protection of Animals and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. In addition to the American Humane Association, ARCH consists of a number of animal welfare groups including the ASPCA, Best Friends, The Humane Society of the United States, Kinship Circle and Humane Society International.

If you’ve asked yourself what you can do as an animal advocate,
please consider a donation to their Red Star Animal Emergency
ServicesTM team.

A team of animal responders is staging in the Dominican Republic awaiting access to Haiti to begin work. ARCH plans to deploy a mobile clinic with vaccines, antibiotics, bandages, food, and other supplies in anticipation of bringing direct aid to animals. There are an estimated 5 million head of livestock in Haiti, mostly goats, as well as a large stray dog population, an untold number of companion animals, and native wildlife– all affected by the earthquake. Animal emergency responders do not yet have access to Haiti, as the priority remains on meeting basic human needs. However, livestock vital to Haiti’s recovery, as well as homeless and hurting pets, are in dire need of assistance. Urgent planning is currently under way to help.

Together we can support this crucial effort and the contributions will  grow!

One Love,

Claudia~