Food for the Soul

I often notice that whenever someone I care about is suffering self-care has fallen by the wayside. I notice that getting a good night's sleep, some kind of exercise or body movement, making healthy choices in food and doing something that they enjoy and brings them pleasure are not even considered. I also notice that these are the very same things that people lose sight of when they become too busy.

We live in a society that is success driven. We are often seeking happiness. Almost any conversation can lead to beauty or health. And yet, we don't seem to understand the connection, or perhaps it is the disconnect, of nurturing the body, mind and soul.

Years ago, I had a professor who shared with me his belief that in order for someone to truly feel whole, to experience well being and to obtain happiness they needed to tend to the needs of the body, mind and the soul, not just one or two, but all three together. Leaving any one of these unattended would prevent fulfillment and one would always feel something was lacking.

You don't have to look to far to find ways to nurture your body. There are plenty of resources that will enlighten you to what your body needs to obtain the just right weight, activity and rest. Additionally, there are so many options one can chose to help bring rest to the mind, positivity to the thoughts, challenges to expand and keep alive the brain and distraction to relieve stressful thoughts.

But often we struggle with finding what it is we need to feed our soul. What satisfies it? What delights it? What gives it pause to rest? How do we engage with it on a daily basis and tend to its needs? For each of us there are different answers to these questions. But, just asking the questions is part of the honoring. Be assured the answers will come in time.

There are some "tools" that I have found that help me uncover my soul's needs. Nature is the perfect environment. There is something about taking a hike or sitting beneath a tree or swinging in a hammock that unlocks the door the conversation with the Universe. Here I am able to entertain the ideas that bubble up of what I need or long for, what delights me and how can I find ways to invite this into my day.

Writing in a journal often gives my soul voice. Slowly the words come together to explore the possibilities of what I could do with my free time or what my spiritual practice desires. Within the lines of my journal I begin to see a pattern forming and the solution to my situation presents itself and I am able to manifest something of value.

Taking the time to nurture our soul is as equally important as the time we spend taking care of our body's needs and our mind's thoughts. This time spent will enrich our day and our spiritual practice. It will help us feel more and more whole, happy and full. The balance becomes complete and the world responds in kind with more and more possibilities for us to embrace to maintain our well being.

Blessings, Lisa

In The Arms Of The Mother

Unfortunately, much of my work keeps me indoors. But I make it a point to step outside each day and be embraced by the arms of the Mother. It is good for me on so many levels. I think too many people today rush from home, to work and then back home again without noting the beauty that surrounds them. Our modern lives keeps us so busy that many feel that they have no time to be outside; this has somehow become a luxury or a choice that can’t be made do to the circumstances of our busy lives.

If I were to choose this way, I would become very disconnected from the earth. I committed to making this a “have to” in my day. And, within a very short period of time, I discovered it became a “want to” and then a “need to”. When I step outside I connect with the energies of most of the elements. Earth grounds me, Air breathes new life into me and awakens me, the Fire of the Sun warms me and sparks my passions alive, and if there is rain or even Water nearby, I am reminded to go with the flow. I connect with all the other living beings around me. I listen to the birds, follow the squirrel as she moves about her day and delight in the dragonfly that flits from branch to branch in iridescent wonder. I celebrate that I am a part of this vast universe and all the energies of it.

I believe I am so powerfully drawn to be out in Nature because I am meant to be in it regularly. I find time to pause and remember all these parts of myself. I seek the beauty and the energies held there to heal me, to restore my balance and to delight me. All of my senses engage with the gifts of the Mother and I need Her medicine to be whole, vibrant and awake.

My soul seeks nourishment from my time spent in Nature. It finds its natural rhythm. It revives itself. It taps into creative energies that surround it. When I do this I feel my perspective shifts. When I go outside I find my energy level becomes exactly what I need at the time. Sometimes it helps me to release negativity that is only dragging me down. Sometimes it invigorates me and energizes me on a whole new level. And then there are the times it calms me and grounds me to stillness and presence.

Take some time today to bring your body outdoors. Try to be mindful of what you are experiencing. Breathe in the energies. Awaken your senses. Allow your soul to delight. You won’t be disappointed, but instead you will be brought to a beautiful place of wonder and recharge.

Blessings, Lisa

Sacred Kitchen Alchemy

How do you honor your body temple? How do you listen to your body's messages? In what ways do you bring your spirituality into your kitchen? Do you prepare your foods thinking about the energies that they will bring to your body, mind and soul? Perhaps it is time to bring sacred kitchen alchemy into your home.

What is sacred kitchen alchemy? It is a way of recognizing that every item of food we eat contains essential energies. Understanding these energies and how they can serve us is the everyday magic we have access to. Understanding that eating mindfully is about far more than counting calories. It is about choosing foods that serve our body well. It is about intention setting. It is about recognizing that eating seasonally insures we are getting the most nutrition that food item can offer us. As we learn to listen to our body and soul's needs, we then can respond accordingly.

Sacred kitchen alchemy is also about bringing some of your spiritual practices into your kitchen. Ritual is a part of our day already. We celebrate with food during holidays and on special occasions. But making the "ordinary" days special with ritual brings a mindfulness to our meals. We can honor ancestors, celebrate the season, invoke certain energies, awaken our senses with different plant spirit energies through spices and vibrant produce and more.

Color magic is an important aspect of sacred kitchen alchemy as well. Every color offers us its own unique energies. Knowing what these are, we can make food choices to generate these energies within and we can decorate our tables in specific colors to create that energy as well. There are so many possibilities.

The season and the phases of the moon can be celebrated and explored  in sacred kitchen alchemy. Recognizing these and incorporating their celebrations brings a new awareness to our food preparation and meal choices. Each moon honors a new cycle, each season an new phase and our bodies respond in harmony.

We often find ourselves in a rut when it comes to mealtime. Or in our busy lives we find we make poor choices when it come to honoring our body through food. Bringing an awareness to our meals, our food preparation and our body, mind and soul's needs creates a relationship with the sacred and cooking. Delight, honor, intention and wonder can be a part of what is often looked at as ordinary and mundane.

To learn more about Sacred Kitchen Alchemy and to join in an upcoming 4 week program, beginning March 8th, visit http://www.womenwithinsight.com/sacred-kitchen-alchemy/

Blessings, Lisa

The Power of a Talisman

Throughout time people have turned to symbols and tools, body adornment and decoration to help them embody power and energies. We have learned that by placing significance and intention into these objects and symbols we are reminded of our own power within. Over time and with practice and experience we incorporated crystals and stones, natural artifacts, colors, and more to these items to bring even more energies to them.

So what turns a pocket treasure or a pretty piece of jewelry into a powerful talisman? What sets it apart from a much loved piece to a spiritual reminder? Once again it comes down to the intention and the ritual or practice that we apply it to. By definition a talisman is any item that is imbued with specific power by its owner to serve a specific intention. They help ground that intention in our physical realm and on a soul level as well.

A talisman can intend protection, empowerment, attract abundance and more. The more one works with the talisman the more personal it becomes. Whether it be gems, wood, metal, plant, animal or even written word, a talisman can be tremendously powerful to the owner. More often than not the size of the talisman makes it easy to tuck away in a pocket, to be worn or to be carried throughout the day.

Markings that is often inscribed somewhere on the talisman can be in the forms of actual words or in symbols that are universal or specific to the owner. There is no one way for someone to create their talisman. Not only can it then serve in attracting what it is you intend, but it also serves as a reminder of your soul's calling and work.

When you want to create your own personal talisman there are many aspects of it to think about. The intention and planning of its creation is a big part of the power it is bringing. What element is it going to be made from? What energies does that element have? What color would you choose? If there is a symbol or some words that you want to include what will they be?

Once the talisman is created it needs to be cleansed and then charged with your personal energies. Some ways the cleansing can happen are by either smudging or placing the item in the sun or moonlight. The charging can happen by placing it on a personal altar and holding it during your spiritual time or by sitting with it and focusing deeply on what your specific intention is for it to represent. See in your mind's eye the outcome of using this talisman.

Nearly any item that you own can be used as a talisman whether it is a family heirloom or a newly purchased item or something hand crafted. It can be worn as "jewelry" or carried with you throughout the day. What is most important is the cleansing of it to remove any unwanted energies and then the charging of it with the bearer's intentions and energies. Many have found that using a talisman becomes a beautiful affirming representation of their goals and intentions and serves as a personal reminder of their connection to source.

Blessings, Lisa