"Only love makes me remember, it alone stirs my heart.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci
Hello and welcome to another installment of the ‘Consciousness of One’…
This week I would like us to think a little more about what we do for a living. What we do takes up such a huge portion of our daily lives that it is important we enjoy every moment of it… but how many of us can honestly say that we do? And perhaps more importantly how does what we do measure up with who we are?
Many of us have also invested money getting degrees and qualifications… spent hours getting experience… building up a name… creating a whole identity based on this chosen career path… it has become a part of who we are… even if we are not consciously aware of it.
As consciousness speeds up… ethical and moral principles will start to form an even greater part of who we are and for many of us these defined boundaries may come into direct conflict with our chosen career path.
In my opinion there are whole systems and industries that are based on morally corrupt methods… to name just a few: farming (poisoning the land and the air)… mining (tearing open the veins of the earth and bleeding her dry)… banking (keeping the people in debt and therefore chained to the morally corrupt system they have to work within in order to pay off their debt)… education system (which dumb’s down of our children)… pharmaceutical industries (coming up to new ways to drug the population).
Our entire society is built around doing “meaningless” (and often harmful) things where in fact the “doing” merely distracts us from “BEing”… from being in harmony with all that is… experiencing everything from the point of now… this moment ~ for many of us “work” is just another one of these “meaningless things”.
If you look outward to the billions and billions of people across the world… working in industries that do not correspond to the natural laws of being (do no harm)… it is a seemingly insurmountable barrier to the “new world” that we want to co-create. But whenever things seem insurmountable and hopeless that is when we need to look within ourselves… for that is where the change will be made. For what is healed within is then reflected without. Remember “Be the change”. Remember that the corrupt cannot live in the “Light” so the more Light that is created the quicker the World will change.
As consciousness expands we will become more and more aware of our actions and the ramifications of those actions… the more we hold onto these un-harmonious ways the more we will struggle with life. Fear is the only thing holding everyone back… fear of the unknown… fear of having to re-define yourself of who you are without all the prestige and money that comes with the job… fear of asking the hard questions… fear of discovering all that you can be… of discovering your own unlimited potential.
If any of this resonates with you… just take a moment to think about what you do… does it fit in with your own moral code… who you are now or does it form part of the “old” you? Career paths we took years ago may now seem irrelevant to us and perhaps we even dread going to work… but with so much invested in this path how easy it is to change? Be gentle with yourself. Use your own inner guidance.
For me ~ since leaving the advertising world three years ago ~ it has been a wonderful journey of self discovery… it has been challenging at times particularly financially but that is normal for all new things ~ confidence is built as things grow and bloom… and as you begin to see your own unlimited potential. To me “work” is an organic process of creative output that is merged with love. The creative output can be anything from a painting a picture to cooking a meal. It is made up of each word that is lovingly placed on the page. It is expressed when I create a space of love for healing energies to be channeled through so that healing can take place. It is an outward expression of who I am… and I am love ~ not a cook… nor artist… nor a healer… I am simply love :)
So many of the “law of attraction” guru’s drone on and on about how to bring “more” into your life by “feeling” the way you would if you already had everything you wanted ~ i.e. happy… and yes happiness is just a state of mind that you can choose to be in… but happiness comes from feeling truly content and loved within yourself… and loving yourself is easier when you walk your truth… when your moral code is upheld… when you do good things. A conflicted person will not be a happy person… no matter how many times you tell yourself that you are. To make it easier to love yourself… do things that make you proud of yourself.
Blessings, love and light, Tracy xxx
“For neither birth, nor wealth, nor honours… can awaken in the minds of men the principles which should guide those who from their youth aspire to an honourable and excellent life, as love awakens them.” ~ Plato
~ The Energies for August ~
Fasten your seat belts because it is going to get bumpy for the first 3 weeks of August as it begins with the T-square astrologers have been talking about… Saturn and Mars are going to team up against Jupiter on one side and Pluto on the other. Get ready for fights, arrests, bad-luck, stupidity, and criminal behaviour throughout the next 3 weeks.
Things will be especially bad on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th days of the month. People may be asking too much of us, and it is definitely not a good time for any major changes. Watch out for tempers exploding and impulsive spending.
Venus, the planet of beauty and love, will begin having problems on the weekend of August 7th, and this will continue until the first day of Ramadan, August 11th. There could be sudden break-ups in relationships, and people could be unrealistic and judgmental. Venus also rules money, so there could also be more lay-offs. Some of us may also have to deal with an unexpected expense. Think before you spend!
As we approach the weekend of August 14th, people should be more polite and cooperative. But the outer planets, Saturn, Jupiter, and Pluto, will still be fighting their battle. We could be sensing an underlying tension, or we may notice that our doubts and fears are creeping up in our thoughts.
Things should begin to improve on August 17th as the Moon enters optimistic Sagittarius, but it will only be a temporary reprieve. By Thursday, August 19th, we should be reaching the final climax of the outer planet rebellion. There could be some very dangerous circumstances. Use caution with everything you do. Mercury will also be turning retrograde on August 20th.
For the weekend of August 21st expect the unexpected ~ use extra caution driving, and think like a boy scout, and try to be prepared for whatever life may bring you.
The Sun will enter Virgo on August 23rd, and we will finally be able to relax. We may need to spend the next few days recovering from all the chaos and the Pisces Full Moon on August 24th could be an excellent time for some spiritual cleansing. We should be feeling renewed and refreshed by Wednesday, Augusts 25th, and ready to make some new changes in our life.
The rest of August should be smooth sailing and those calm waters should continue though much of September. It will a time for rebuilding and revisiting the past.
By Janet (Sparrow) Moon
What to do: Try to ride out the emotional storm by standing in the "eye" ~ in the centre all is calm and peaceful ~ this space can be created by doing grounding and protection exercises. Work with your guardian angels ~ asking them to help raise your energies and thoughts so that you don’t get sucked into the conflicts around you ~ Archangel Michael is brilliant with this.
Positive prayers, affirmations and meditations will help you to maintain a centred and calm inner world. These shifts herald the coming of a new vision for those who have committed to transformation and change ~ hold onto your vision in your minds eye. Rituals of clearing, purification and humble appreciation will manifest rewards.
Remember that everything happens for a reason… these “upheavals” allow us to face the inner “demons”… many of which we are unconscious of.
When in doubt… just breathe! ~ Tracy xx
“We never know how high we are till we are called to rise; and then, if we are true to plan, our statures touch the skies.” ~ Emily Dickinson
~ How to stop absorbing other people’s negative emotions ~
by Judith Orloff
Since emotions such as fear, anger, and frustration are energies, you can potentially “catch” them from people without realizing it. If you tend to be an emotional sponge, it’s vital to know how to avoid taking on an individual’s negative emotions or the free-floating kind in crowds.
Here are some strategies from Emotional Freedom to practice. They will help you to stop absorbing other people’s emotions.
• First, ask yourself: Is the feeling mine or someone else’s? It could be both. If the emotion such as fear or anger is yours, gently confront what’s causing it on your own or with professional help. If not, try to pinpoint the obvious generator. For instance, if you’ve just watched a comedy, yet you came home from the movie theatre feeling blue, you may have incorporated the depression of the people sitting beside you; in close proximity, energy fields overlap. The same is true with going to a mall or a packed concert.
• When possible, distance yourself from the suspected source. Move at least 20 feet away; see if you feel relief. Don’t err on the side of not wanting to offend strangers. In a public place, don’t hesitate to change seats if you feel a sense of depression imposing on you.
• For a few minutes, center yourself by concentrating on your breath: This connects you to your essence. Keep exhaling negativity, inhaling calm. This helps to ground yourself and purify fear or other difficult emotions. Visualize negativity as gray fog lifting from your body, and hope as golden light entering. This can yield quick results.
• Negative emotions such as fear frequently lodge in your emotional center at the solar plexus. Place your palm there as you keep sending loving-kindness to that area to flush stress out. For long-standing depression or anxiety, use this method daily to strengthen this center. It’s comforting and builds a sense of safety and optimism.
• Shield yourself. A handy form of protection many people use, including healers with trying patients, involves visualizing an envelope of white light (or any colour you feel imparts power) around your entire body. Think of it as a shield that blocks out negativity or physical discomfort but allows what’s positive to filter in.
• Look for positive people and situations. Call a friend who sees the good in others. Spend time with a colleague who affirms the bright side of things. Listen to hopeful people. Hear the faith they have in themselves and others. Also relish hopeful words, songs, and art forms. Hope is contagious and it will lift your mood.
Keep practicing these strategies. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time you’re on emotional overload. With strategies to cope, you can have quicker retorts to stressful situations, feel safer, and your sensitivities can blossom.
“Let go of your worries and be completely clear-hearted, like the face of a mirror that contains no images. If you want a clear mirror, behold yourself and see the shameless truth, which the mirror reflects. If metal can be polished to a mirror-like finish, what polishing might the mirror of the heart require? Between the mirror and the heart is this single difference: the heart conceals secrets, while the mirror does not.” ~ Rumi
Art by: Gerhard Nesvabda
~ Stop giving your power away ~
“One of the major obstacles you must overcome is to take back the power you have given to others. Also, consciously releasing the energy everyone else has placed in your auric field or attached to your Solar Plexus over the many past ages is a primary phase of reclaiming your sovereignty, which is required in order to once more become a master of Self.” ~ Archangel Michael (channelled by Ronna Herman)
This passage really jumped out at me because it is so relevant today… when everyone looks outward and blames another for what is going on around them.
When we blame another, we give our power away because we’re placing the responsibility for our feelings on someone else. People in our lives may behave in ways that trigger uncomfortable responses in us. However, they didn’t get into our minds and create the buttons that have been pushed. Taking responsibility for our own feelings and reactions is mastering our “ability to respond.” In other words, we learn to consciously choose rather than simply react.
We can’t talk about resentment without also talking about forgiveness. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean that we condone their behaviour. The act of forgiveness takes place in our own mind. It really has nothing to do with the other person. The reality of true forgiveness lies in setting ourselves free from holding on to the pain. It’s simply an act of releasing ourselves from the negative energy.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean allowing the painful behaviours or actions of another to continue in your life. Sometimes, forgiveness means letting go. You forgive them and release them. Taking a stand and setting healthy boundaries are often the most loving things you can do—not only for yourself, but for the other person as well.
I truly believe that there are no mistakes. When our hearts are closed and we feel resentment and anger and sadness, it’s hard to see anything good. Yet when our hearts are open, it’s as if so much of that negativity disappears and we’re able to release these old thoughts and reawaken to joy. For each of us, there’s always joy inside. And we need to know how very perfect we are as we are.
“No matter how much chaos may be going on around us, no matter how many things may be going wrong or not the way we want them to, no matter what our bodies may be doing at the moment—we can love and accept ourselves. For the truth of us—the very truth of our being—is that we’re eternal. We have always been and we always will be. And that part of ourselves goes on forever. Rejoice that this is so. As we love and accept ourselves exactly as we are, it makes it easier to go through the so-called difficult times. We’re no longer fighting ourselves. We’re accepting. We’re becoming tender. We’re cherishing ourselves. We’re comforting ourselves and making it easier for ourselves.”
“See yourself standing in front of a mirror looking into your own eyes and saying, I love and accept you exactly as you are. And breathe. Just let yourself feel what you’re feeling. You don’t have to be perfect. You’re already perfect as you are: You are you. You’re exactly what you’ve chosen to be in this lifetime. Of all the bodies and all the personalities that were available, you chose to be who you are—to experience this world, this lifetime, through your body, through your personality. So love your choice, for it is part of your spiritual evolution.” ~ Louise L. Hay
“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” ~ John Lennon
~ Walking Meditation By Neale Donald Walsch ~
There are many people who find it extremely difficult to sit in silent meditation. For them, it may seem as if the "art of meditation" is something that is lost to them. I felt this way for a long time, because I am an impatient person by nature, and sitting in silent meditation was not a thing I tolerated well. Then someone introduced me to Walking Meditation, and everything changed for me around the idea of "meditation." Suddenly, it was something I could do.
The first thing that happened when I learned about Walking Meditation is that my whole idea about what meditation IS completely vanished, to be replaced by a much more clear and concise picture of what was going on. For me, meditation always meant "clearing the mind of everything," leaving the space for "the emptiness" to appear, so that I could move in consciousness into "the nothingness that is The All...", or something like that.
What I was supposed to be trying to do, I thought, was "empty my mind." I was supposed to try to sit in one place, close my eyes, and "think of nothing." This made me crazy, because my mind never turns off! It is always thinking, thinking, thinking of something. So I was never very good at sitting with my legs crossed, closing my eyes, and concentrating on The Nothing. Frustrated, I hardly ever meditated-and envied those who said they did (although I secretly wondered whether they really did, or simply went through the motions, doing no better than I was able to do).
Then a master teacher in my life told me that I had entirely the wrong idea of what meditation was about. Meditation, she said, was not about emptiness, it was about focus. Instead of trying to sit still and think about nothing, she suggested that I do a "walking meditation," and move about, stopping to focus on specific things that my eyes would light upon.
"Consider a blade of grass," she would say. "Consider it. Look at it closely. Regard it intently. Consider every aspect of it. What does it look like? What are its specific characteristics? What does it feel like? What is its fragrance? What is its size, compared to you? Look at it closely. What does it tell you about Life?"
Then, she said, "Experience the grass in its Completeness. Take off your shoes and socks and walk on the grass in your bare feet. Think of nothing else but your feet. Focus your attention on the bottom of your feet and consider immensely exactly what you are feeling there. Tell your mind to feel nothing else, just for that moment. Ignore all other incoming data except the data coming from the bottom of your feet. Close your eyes, if this helps.
"Walk slowly and deliberately, allowing each slow and gentle step to tell you about the grass. Then open your eyes and look at all of the grass around you. Ignore all other incoming data except the data about the grass, coming from your eyes and feet.
"Now focus on your sense of smell, and see if you can smell the grass. Ignore all other incoming data except the data about the grass coming from your nose, your eyes, and your feet. See if you can focus your attention in this way. If you can, you will experience the grass as you may never have experienced it before. You will know more about grass than you ever knew before, at a deeper level. You will never experience it in the same way again. You will realize that you have been ignoring the grass your whole life."
Then, my master teacher said, do the same thing with a flower. "Consider it. Look at it closely. Regard it intently. Consider every aspect of it. What does it look like? What are its specific characteristics? What does it feel like? What is its fragrance? What is its size, compared to you? Look at it closely. What does it tell you about Life?"
Then, she said, "Experience the flower in its Completeness. Bring it to your nose and smell it once more. Think of nothing else but your nose. Focus your attention on your nose and consider immensely exactly what you are experiencing there. Tell your mind to experience nothing else, just for that moment. Ignore all other incoming data except the data coming from your nose. Close your eyes, if this helps.
"Now focus on your sense of touch, and touch the flower carefully. Touch the flower at the same time as you smell the flower. Ignore all other incoming data except the data about the flower coming from your fingertips and your nose. Now, open your eyes and look closely at the flower. See if you can still smell the flower, now that it is far enough away for you to look at it and touch it. See if you can focus your attention in this way. If you can, you will experience the flower as you may never have experienced it before. You will know more about the flower than you ever knew before, at a deeper level. You will never experience it in the same way again. You will realize that you have been ignoring the flowers your whole life."
Then, she said, do the same thing with a tree. Walk over to a tree and consider it. "Look at it closely. Regard it intently. Consider every aspect of it. What does it look like? What are its specific characteristics? What does it feel like? What is its fragrance? What is its size, compared to you? Look at it closely. What does it tell you about Life?"
And she said, "Experience the tree in its Completeness. Place you hands upon it and feel it totally. Think of nothing else but your hands. Focus your attention on your hands and consider immensely exactly what you are experiencing there. Tell your mind to experience nothing else, just for that moment. Ignore all other incoming data except the data coming from your hands. Close your eyes, if this helps.
"Now focus on your sense of smell, and smell the tree. Continue touching the tree at the same time as you smell the tree. Ignore all other incoming data except the data about the tree coming from your fingertips and your nose. Now, open your eyes and look closely at the tree. Look up at it, and see if you can climb in consciousness to its top. See if you can still smell the tree, now that it is far enough away for you to look at it. Keep touching it. See if you can focus your attention in this way. If you can, you will experience the tree as you may never have experienced it before. You will know more about the tree than you ever knew before, at a deeper level. You will never experience it in the same way again. You will realize that you have been ignoring the trees your whole life."
"Now, step away from the tree and lose all physical contact with it. See if you can bring to your mind the experience of the tree as you stand and look at it from father away. Experience it completely. Do not be surprised if you can smell the tree, even from a distance. Do not be surprised if you can, in a sense, even `feel' the tree from where you are. What has happened is that you have opened yourself to the vibration of the tree. You are `catching the vibe.' See how far back you can step from the tree and still retain `contact.' When you lose touch with the experience of the tree, move closer in, move back to it. See if this helps you regain contact.
"This exercise will help you develop your ability to focus your attention on whatever you want to experience at a heightened level."
"Now, walk. Walk wherever you live. In the country, in the city, it does not matter. Walk slowly, but deliberately. And look around you. Let your eyes fall where they may. As your eyes find something, focus the fullness of your attention upon it. It can be anything. A garbage truck. A stop sign. A crack in the sidewalk, a pebble by the road. Look at it closely, right from where you are. Regard it intently. Consider every aspect of it. What does it look like? What are its specific characteristics? What does it feel like, from where you are? What is its fragrance? Can you sense that from where you are? What is its size, compared to you? Look at it closely. What does it tell you about Life?"
"Continue your walk. Pick out three things on your walk to consider in this way. This walk should take you at least a half hour. You cannot consider three things fully in less time, at first. Later, you will be able to consider something fully in just a moment, in a nanosecond. But now, you are just practicing.
"This is Walking Meditation, and what you are doing is training your mind to stop ignoring everything you are experiencing. You are training your mind to focus on a particular aspect of your experience, so that you may experience it completely."
Practice Walking Meditation in this way for three weeks, my master teacher told me, and "you will never experience life the same way again." Then, take the final step in Walking Meditation. Walk outside-or inside, for that matter. You can actually walk anywhere. From the bedroom to the kitchen will do. There is plenty to see, plenty to touch, plenty to experience. You can spend three hours with the carpet alone-and "this time do not pick out any particular part of what you are seeing or encountering. Try to encounter all of it. Seek to embrace all of it. Attempt to focus on all of it at the same time.
"Take in the Big Picture. Close your eyes at first, if this helps. Smell what you are smelling, hear what you are hearing, feel whatever you are `feeling' of the space around you. Then open your eyes and add sight. See everything you are seeing, and nothing in particular. See All Of It. Smell All Of It. Feel All Of It. If this begins to overwhelm you, refocus on a Part Of It, so that you do not lose your psychic balance.
"With enough practice, you will soon be able to walk into any space or place and begin to experience All Of It at some level. You have heightened your Awareness. You are raised your consciousness. You have expanded your ability to be Present, fully, in the Moment.
"Now, do this with your eyes closed and while you are sitting down, and you have Silent Mediation. Boom. It is as simple as that."
© 2010 ReCreation Foundation - http://www.cwg.org - Neale Donald Walsch is a modern day spiritual messenger whose words continue to touch the world in profound ways. His With God series of books has been translated into 27 languages, touching millions of lives and inspiring important changes in their day-to-day lives.
“True masters are those who've chosen to make a life rather than a living.”
~ Neale Donald Walsch
"May the long time sun shine upon you. All love surround you. And the light within you guide your way on." ~ Irish ballad
~ Flu vaccine push already underway; first batch causes seizures in children ~
This is a really good article on vaccinations stories that have been in the news lately…
http://www.naturalnews.com/029334_flu_vaccines_seizures.htmlYou decide what you want to put in your body but personally I would rather pop a few Vitamin C (about 2 or 3 x 1000 IU's every 4 hours) at the first sign of flu... take it for a couple of days and the flu is gone... it always works for me! There is also new research to say that Vitamin D is far more effective in fighting flu viruses that the vaccination ~ see the following link:
http://www.naturalnews.com/029760_vitamin_D_influenza.html "Love what you do, do what you love." ~ Zen Proverb
~ Special Children in Every Way ~
Children with special needs don't have an illness, so there is no cure needed and it's not contagious. They want what we all want - to be accepted. It's special education week so this is just a gentle reminder for us all to honor all children… to try and understand and accept them as they are… they are truly unique individuals (just like we all are).
“If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It's very important to be aware of them every time they come up.” ~ Deepak Chopra
~ Angelic Message ~
The angels urge us to cleanse and detoxify our bodies over the next few days or weeks (whatever you can commit too and manage). Your bodies are precious and sensitive and they deal with so much… daily stress… bad eating and drinking habits.
Take this time to fully let go of any worries and concerns… start walking in nature daily if you can ~ getting out into the fresh air and breathing deeply. Drinking lots of water… herbal cleansing teas… boost your body with vitamins and minerals… eat and drink healthily. Love and accept yourself exactly as you are!
“Our lack of compassion stems from our inability to see deeply into the nature of things.”
~ Lama Surya Das
~ Herb or Medicinal Plant of the Week ~
Common names: Coriander (Cilantro) ~ Coriandrum sativum
Origin: Eurasia ~ now plentiful throughout the world
This is a hardy annual which will seed itself once established (provided you leave some seeds on the plant). This is a fabulous herb for the kitchen and goes brilliantly with dhal (lentils and peas) dishes and curries. The seeds can be used for pickling and curries… and is a common ingredient of garam masala. You can practically use the whole plant (harvest the seeds when they are ripe and dry and the young leaves throughout summer. The tiny seedlings come up around this time, if self seeded, particularly in warmer areas. Likes well drained soil and direct sun. If you find a sunny sheltered corner you will have coriander there year after year.
This wonderful herb has been cultivated for centuries and was even found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. Coriander contains antioxidants which can delay or prevent the spoilage of food seasoned with this spice. A study found both the leaves and seed to contain antioxidants, but the leaves were found to have a stronger effect. Chemicals derived from the leaves were found to have antibacterial activity against Salmonella choleresuis, and this activity was found to be caused in part by these chemicals acting as non-ionic surfactants.
Coriander has been used as a fold medicine for the relief of anxiety and insomnia in Iran. The seeds are a diuretic ~ by boiling equal amounts of coriander seeds and cumin seeds in water, then cooling and consuming the resulting liquid. In holistic and traditional medicine, it is used as a carminative and a digestive aid. Chewing coriander freshens the breath and settles the stomach.
Coriander has been documented as a traditional treatment for diabetes ~ has both an insulin-releasing and insulin-like activity. May produce an allergic reaction in some people. Attracts bees and butterflies and repels aphids.
Magical Properties: Love, Health, Healing. Apparently it is an aphrodisiac ~ add the powdered seeds to warm wine. Protects gardeners and all in their households. Gather at harvest and hang in the home for protection. The seeds promote peace between people who are unable to get along. Use it in drinks or crushed in incense. Helps one find romance and is an excellent herb to add to an elixir when the Great Rite is celebrated. Throw instead of rice at hand-fastings or add to the hand-fasting cake.
Plant wisdom: Protection of home, peace, good in ritual drinks, incenses for longevity and love, security.
“At the centre of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” ~ Lao Tzu
~ Staying Calm ~
By “worry management expert” Denise Marek
A list of tips and tricks to help us wiggle our way out of the jaws of worry ~ Here are some of my favourites:
1. Stop the “What Ifs” ~ The outcome of your mistakes is not as bad as you think; it’s the “What if?” that causes unnecessary worry.
2. Ditch All That Stuff ~ When your home (or workplace) is a mess, it causes mental clutter and anxious thoughts. De-clutter and only keep items that you need, use or love.
3. Just the Facts, Ma’am ~ Challenge your assumptions. They are often wrong, and negative assumptions are unfounded if you don’t have all the facts.
4. Make More Mistakes ~ If you’re not making enough mistakes, you’re not taking enough risks!
5. Get a Second Opinion ~ Talk to someone else for an unbiased view of the situation, but don’t get your second opinion from a negative person.
6. Rock Your Worries Away ~ The motion of swaying back and forth can calm your body and mind when you’re stressed. So let’s get rockin’!
7. The Truth and Nothing But… ~ When you’ve had a breach of integrity, acknowledge it and make amends; don’t let it erode your inner peace.
8. It’s Okay to Look Foolish ~ Stop obsessing over what others think; no one ever died from embarrassment. Really!
9. Don’t Give Up ~ Never judge your success by your first effort. You need to make a last three attempts.
10. Be a Warrior, Not a Worrier ~ The next time a worry comes up, ask yourself: Will it really matter 12 months from now? Move on!
Imagine spending the next week not worrying about looking foolish, making mistakes, or spending excess time on matters that won’t mean squat a year from now. Doesn’t that make you feel CALM already?
“You can only see in someone else what you see in yourself.” ~ Alan Cohen
~ How to make my ‘Dinners with Love’ Lentil Roast ~
This Lentil Roast is one of my absolute favourite dishes… and it comes out like a meat loaf type thing obviously without the meat. I generally make two loaves and put one straight into the freezer once cooled as it freezes brilliantly (if you do make two you need to double up the recipe).
Please make sure your ingredients are organic where possible… home grown (organically) would be even better. When you work with each ingredient thank the plant or animal that it came from… send them your love… and bless the food as well as the plant or animal. This simple ritual makes you think a little about the origins of what you are eating… and it makes the food taste great… it really is the secret ingredient ;)
Use about half a pack of red lentils (roughly 250g) ~ cook in 450mls of veggie stock. Simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed.
Make some fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs in the oven (you need about 90grams in total).
Grease /Butter a loaf tin and sprinkle with some dried breadcrumbs (about 2 tbsp).
Sauté a finely chopped leek and about 250g button or you can use about 200g black mushrooms (it makes the loaf a little darker and the taste is a little earthier) in a little butter ~ make sure its all cooked through and then set aside.
Grate 225g of mature cheddar and add it to the leek and mushroom mixture. Add to that the rest of the bread crumbs 85grams.
Chop up a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley (or any herbs you prefer… thyme is also nice… a little rosemary). Add this to the cheese and leek mixture. Add in the lentils and mix well. Bind with lemon juice (1 tbsp) and a beaten egg. Add a tbsp or two of tahini paste. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon mixture into the prepared loaf tin… making sure you get it into the corners. Smooth the top and bake in a preheated oven for about an hour to an hour and a half at 180°C ~ the top must be browned nicely and quite firm without being too dry.
Take out and cool for a good few minutes before you slice up the loaf and serve (otherwise it crumbles too much when just out of the oven). Serve with roasted veggies (Mediterranean veggies).
“People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
Until next time… be blessed!
Love and light,
Tracy xx
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