The Cocoon Phase

Images from Sugarboo Designs. 150 Love Notes booklet.  So lovely!

I just looked at my last blog post and it's been one month since I have had the inspiration to write. Whoa! That is the longest that I have gone without a post since I started this blog, just over a year ago. Hmmmmm...red flag?

This actually confirms something huge for me: that I was feeling uninspired which means that I was living a relatively uninspired period of my life. How sad is that? Can anyone out there relate to that feeling?  Yeah, pretty much everyone? Which brings me to the topic of this post... Why aren't we all living and speaking our passions and feeling alive and inspired every single day of this short gift called life? You can try to make up a million and one excuses, but do yourself a favor and don't bother. I will have a comeback ready for all of them. There is no good excuse...just our own fears getting in the way of our happiness.

I recently realized that the job that I was  working for only four short months was not getting me any closer to living my passions. Like most "jobs", it was a great way to meet new people, make a wage and keep myself busy- because that's what we all seem to think we are supposed to do. Don't get me wrong. I loved all of the people that I worked with and the connections with customers and sharing laughs and teaching and learning. And helping people. Helping people to love and empower themselves. That's what I really love to do. This may not come as a surprise to you.

The pieces of the puzzle have been showing up for me for several years but it has taken me until now to realize what they all mean.  I feel like I should have realized this a year ago when I began blogging to help myself and others to live a more authentic life. Or maybe I could have clued in when I opened a used clothing store and everyday, for several years, dozens of people came in to talk, not to shop. Well it's never too late to start living your passions. 

So. This is me announcing that I will be embarking on a journey to help others to love and empower themselves and live their passions. I know this has already been happening to some degree. Now I am making it my main focus. It's what I love to do. It makes me happy to see others improving their lives and giving themselves the love that we all deserve. I'm still not totally clear on how this will all come together, but I know for certain that it's happening piece by piece. 

I have been working with a book called The Passion Test. It has really helped me to differentiate my passions from my hobbies and goals. I now have a clear list of my top passions as of today. Passions change. Life is full of change. So make sure you aren't stuck in that life that you wanted 10 years ago, but that isn't suiting you today. It happens too often. 

The last month has been part of my cocoon phase. I have had at least 3 or 4 other cocoon phases in my life so far. It's what happens when something big happens in life that forces me to stop and look at the bigger picture.

 I stop doing the things that aren't moving me closer to peace and happiness. I sift out the people who aren't enriching my life. I make more time to do the things that I love. The things that make me ME. All of these things combined creates a cocoon-like state where I can be and know myself. Unadulterated. Uninfluenced. Unwaivered. Each time, I have emerged as a brighter and happier version of myself. A butterfly. Try it. I dare you.

PS. PLEASE contact me if you are seeking some soul guidance. Even if you are across the globe, I will be happy to help you to live your soul's passions. 

Alongthehearttrail@gmail.com

What are YOU eating???

This weekend, I participated in my second March Against Monsanto event, this time on Vancouver Island. According to the founder of MAM, on Saturday, at least 366 official events took place in 43 countries around the globe. Wow. The people are not happy, Monsanto. 

In case you aren't familiar, Monsanto is the chemical company that developed DDT (the insecticidal chemical that was used to kill mosquitoes during WWII and then sprayed freely as an agricultural insecticide in the 60's and 70's and caused massive environmental devastation), PCB's (toxic, organic chemical compounds used in electrical equipment and in coolants until the 1970's), RGBH (bovine growth hormone), Agent Orange, a carcinogenic defoliant used in the Vietnam War, and Roundup, the readily-available friendly,  neighborhood herbicide that has been highly controversial over the last number of years. (Info confirmation Resources: Wikipedia)

Over the last few decades, these clever folks have mostly sold off their chemical side to multiple outsiders, and have now focused on seeds and animals, playing around with the genetic material of various plants and animals to great new species of living organisms that look prettier, decompose more slowly, glow in the dark, are more convenient to slaughter, survive despite heavy pesticide/herbicide application, look like a tomato but taste and smell like a lemon (Why??!) etc, etc, etc.  Voila! GMO's. 

Back to the march...

The event was exhilarating, and it was uplifting to shout out loud how I feel about a global corporation playing "GOD" with nature's creations that feed our world. I also felt deep sadness and anger that our fellow desensitized and money-hungry human beings are behind this madness. I have a really hard time wrapping my mind around the idea that profit and "economic growth" can seem more important to some than human lives and the health of our only home!!!

Monsanto isn't the only problem that humanity faces, but they are at the mast of the corporate ship that is headed straight for a massive iceberg, of which the destruction of the global food system is just the tip. 

It was heartwarming to see the variety of people who spent their Saturday marching the city streets, waving their lovely homemade signs and trying to wake up those who are not yet aware of the frankenfoods that they are consuming on a daily basis. It's pretty safe to say that if you purchased it from a run-of-the-mill restarant/fast food joint, it's full of GMO's. If it's not labeled as Organic certified or GMO FREE, and you bought it in a regular grocery store, it likely contains GMO's. YES. IT is TRUE. They are in pretty much everything that contains a (non-organic) corn product and many more ingredients. 

Here is a list of the most common GMO ingredients you will find in your food:

10. Sugar beets

  9. Potatoes

  8. Corn

  7. Tomatoes

  6. Squash

  5. Golden rice

  4. Soybeans

  3. Cooking oils

  2. Animal feeds

  1. Salmon

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity/topics/10-genetically-modified-food-products.htm

And the list goes on and on...and keeps growing. So. Think twice before you eat that stuff we used to think was food. Read food labels and ingredient lists. 

What's the solution? The same as most solutions that I suggest: educate yourself. Grow a garden using organic seeds and heirloom varieties that have not been messed with by greedy corporate hands. Shop at farmers' markets or join an organic CSA. Buy organic food. "But it's soooo expensive!", you might argue. 

And here is my rebuttal:

Our food is our nourishment, Our lifeblood. Without it we perish. Without our health, we truly have nothing. Our bodies need clean, fresh food to thrive. I can't think of anything that trumps healthy eating on my list of basic needs. Think you need that daily latte, new outfit, car or fancy phone? Think again.

Personal challenge: Track all of your spending for one month. You might be surprised at how much you spend on frivolous things. Instead of having the latest and greatest STUFF, shift your focus to cutting unnecessary costs and making healthy (NON-GMO/organic) food your top priority. Your body and the planet will thank you.

To close, this awesome poem was written a few years ago by actor, Woody Harrelson and I couldn't have said it any better myself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVNpzT4Y38s&sns=em

Whoever painted this, it's awesome. Nice work

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It Starts with ONE

A revolution begins when one person stands up for what they believe is right and true, then others join in to stand up together for change.  There has been a major revolution happening over the last few decades and it's growing exponentially.  It's called....permaculture. 

"Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted and thoughtful observation rather than protracted and thoughtless labor; and of looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single production system." - Bill Mollison

The green thumbs are joining forces to save the world, one garden at a time. I took my permaculture design course (PDC) in 2009, on Orcas Island, Washington, when some good friends were more or less reborn after learning the permaculture ways. I wanted to know what all the excitement was about. For a whole month, I was immersed in permaculture living, breathing, speaking and eating. My way of existing in everyday life was changed forever. In a very good way.

I recently completed the book The One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka. It was written in the 1970's in Japan. This man was way ahead (some might arguably say behind) of the times. I believe that Mr. Fukuoka was the father of the permaculture movement, before it was even called permaculture.  His philosophy was simple: Do less to nature and it will take care of itself. He believed that once humans disturb nature to try to control its functions, it starts a cycle of destruction that is very difficult to repair. 

My favorite parts of this book were the philosophies that he had on life in general, not just the parts about growing food. I closed the book feeling refreshed and inspired and more aware. I want to share a few of my favorite excerpts instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, so to speak.

"The path that leads to right awareness involves living each day straightforwardly and growing and eating wholesome, natural food."

"Produce grown in an unnatural way satisfies people's fleeting desires but weakens the human body and alters the body chemistry so that it is dependant upon such foods. When this happens, vitamin supplements and medicines become necessary. This situation only creates hardships for the farmer and suffering for the consumer."

"Human life is not sustained by its own power. Nature gives birth to human beings and keeps them alive. This is the relation in which people stand to nature. Food is a gift from Heaven. People do not create foods from nature; Heaven bestows them."

"When it is understood that one loses joy and happiness in the attempt to possess them, the essence of natural farming will be realized. The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings."

"If economic growth rises from 5% to 10%, is happiness going to double? What's wrong with a growth rate of 0%? Isn't this a rather stable kind of economics? Could there be anything better than living simply and taking it easy?"

"Originally human beings had no purpose. Now, dreaming up some purpose or other, they struggle away trying to find the meaning of life. It is a one-man wrestling match....From the time they enter nursery school, people's sorrows begin. The human being was a happy creature, but he created a hard world and now struggles trying to break out of it."

"Other animals fight but do not make war. If you say that making war, which depends upon ideas of strong and weak, is humanity's special "privilege," then life is a farce. Not knowing this farce to be a farce- there lies the human tragedy."

"Let us say that the key to peace lies close to the earth." - Masanobu Fukuoka 1913-2008

Let's. Get. Real. (Please.)

I don't know if other people think about this or not because no one really talks about it...so I will take the liberty of doing so, boldly and openly. As I often do. 

I will also prelude this blog post with saying: please don't assume that I dwell on negative things. Because I don't. There is a big difference between being a pessimist and being a realist. I mostly write about the positive side of things to help others (and myself) to feel uplifted and optimistic. Sometimes, however, I have to mix it up and talk about what deeply concerns me.

Tonight, after another week of work and "life stuff", we sat down on our sofa and pondered and analyzed life and our world. 

Why has humanity agreed to continue to perpetuate the old cyclical patterns of past generations? These old ways are clearly failing us as a species. Wars, famine, destruction, disease, environmental disasters, racism, class separation, toxic food...and the list keeps going.

We asked ourselves how many other people were sitting down on this fine Friday evening asking themselves the same questions. Surely we can't be the only two people on earth who feel like slaves to a completely mad global system?! 

We tallied our expenses for the month of April and were amazed at where our hard-earned dollars went. We had quite a few extraneous expenses for various things, including vehicle repairs, and various wellness expenses. But still, wow! It's amazing what the cost of life is. Why do we all play along with "the financial system"? How did we get to the point where we all agree to inherit the debts of our parents and grandparents and generations before them? The average (but not all) North American's life looks like this model: Birth, Schooling, Debt, Slavery (aka "a job"), "Retirement", End Scene. Repeat. Sound familiar?

Is there anyone reading this who wants to see us all paint a different collective picture? I find it sooo interesting that this blog has over 400 views each month, yet virtually no one is brave enough to engage in conversation about the topics that I write about. (To the very few who do engage, kudos for stepping outside of your cozy box.) Why the complacency, readers? What are you afraid will happen? Will your friends or family think you are weird for thinking outside the box? Oh no. Not that! If it makes others uncomfortable, then that's their choice. Sheesh! I have lost touch with a few friends/acquaintances who thought my blogging was too crazy or weird or extreme. And yet, here I am. Still writing. It's what feels right for me.

One of the reasons that I severely limited my browsing of social media sites was because so many people are engaging in meaningless, mind-numbing, time-wasting nonsense. (I know, I know. There's also a lot of positive stuff going around too.) As a society, we think that when we post tidbits about stuff, that it's productive in some trivial way.  It's the new TV of the 21st century. It sucks you in so that reality is a distant memory. Even if just for 10 minutes.

Funny but true. 

Here's another thing that is so bizarre to me:

Someone gets a shiny new car or a new funky hairstyle and their fabbed-up photo gets 65 likes and 22 comments. Soooo awesome!!! On the other hand, when someone (like me) shakes things up and says "hello world! This stuff is all just created to keep the carefully designed financial (and global government) systems flowing smoothly. Wake up everyone! Let's all change our reality!"…............................................. No likes. No comments. So uncomfortable for people. Let's pretend she didn't just say that thing that I know in my heart to be true. Phew. It's so much easier to pretend everything is just fine. Insert head in sand. Business as usual. Back to the grind.

I would like you to ask yourself a few questions and I would also like you to be 150% honest with yourself when you answer them. You don't have to share your answers with anyone. So don't worry what anyone else might think.

1.  Are you currently fulfilling your personal legend? My what? Exactly. Read The Alchemist for more info.

2. Do you wake up every morning feeling excited about the day ahead of you? If you do, I would like to hear about how you have achieved this! Maybe you could blog about it!

3. Do you work more than you want to and feel like you don't have enough time to enjoy your passions, friends and family?

4. Why are you reading this blog? No, really. What are you getting out of these posts? I would like to know.

5. Are you willing to step into your highest calling as a human being at this moment in time and help shift yourself and others toward a more loving and conscious planet?

Sounds pretty big, doesn't it? Yeah, well it is. If you are perfectly happy with your life then ignore all of this...and probably all of my other blog posts. 

If you aren't content with the state of your existence, then change it. No one else is going to hold your hand and help you to live your truth. That, my friends, is your mission. And that, my friends, is also my mission. Let's compare notes. 

That's what this blog is for!

The bottom left is one of my favorites. :)

A Step in the Right Direction

Throughout the 8 years that I was a "step-mom", I pretty much always felt inadequate. So, to think that I would eventually put this into writing to assist others would have been absurd to me back then. However, I have recently been sharing these memoirs, mistakes and tips with several people who have been struggling with being a "step-parent". So I will share a few things that I learned after my relationship with a great man and his two amazing kids failed terribly. It was a team effort, but I can now so clearly see where I, and no one else, went wrong...when it comes to step-parenting...

When I first met my future step-sons, they were 6 months old and 3 years old. They were adorable. I was a young and naive 21 year old girl. The idea of being the fun step-mom was appealing. How hard can this be? Pretty damn hard.

Little did I know that in a few short years, their biological mother would pass away from brain cancer and leave me with parting words that still echo in my ears "You are their new mom now. Please take very good care of them."

Panic set in. I suddenly felt even more under the microscope than before. As a family, for another 4 years, we struggled and grew and learned a whole lot from each other. Including how to grieve together. 

A few things that I learned that just might help new step-parents...especially those who do not have their own biological children (yet?):

1.  Every single person needs tons of love. Especially kids. Put them first. No matter what. Your self-centered ego can wait.

PS. Allow them to love you back. Super important.

2.  Kids are messy. They just are. Let go of the need for a show-stoppingly clean home (and car). Fun should trump cleanliness every time. 

3.  Show emotion and vulnerability to kids. This goes for everyone. Don't try to fit the role of "perfect parent" by society's standards. It is an unachievable fallacy. There is no perfect parenting. Be real. Relax. Let your guard down. Give up the control a bit.

4. Being honest with children is more important than being right. Allow them to humble you. It's inevitable.

5. All parents should work as a team. If this isn't happening, it's like trying to cross the ocean in a raft with a hole in it. You'll never make it.

6. Teach your kids (and partner) how to communicate their needs with you and vice versa. Take out the guess work. It will save everyone precious time and energy.

I am certain that I could write a large book on this topic. A book full of mistakes that I made...repeatedly, and how I wish I had a mentor, someone who I could have related to, to help me through those difficult years and be a better parent. But I didn't. So now I feel fortunate that I can share what I know with others. 

The same book would, in addition, include a section of precious memories, hilarious stories, and life milestones for all of us. 

I am so grateful for those experiences as a step-mom. After all, I wouldn't have grown and evolved into who I am today without them. 

Do you have stories to share? Any additional tips for step-parents out there? We can all stand to learn something from others with experience. 

Healthy Body, Happy Planet

I feel like I have used this image of Joel before, but if I was better at any of the photo-editing apps I would cross out the word food and replace it with body care products for this blog. Although organic food is pretty important too!!!

Someone suggested that I write about my favorite natural body care products. Whoever it was, thank you for this great idea. If you are not already aware, most of the "normal" body care products that are found in grocery and drug stores are full of toxic chemicals, and are detrimental to both your health and the health of the earth. Many are also lab tested on animals.

I have tried many variations of organic and natural products and some were awesome and others were downright terrible and didn't do what they claimed to do. Some are expensive too. However, I have found quite a few products that I enjoy using and find fairly affordable...and I feel good about the ingredients and manufacturing ethics too!

So I did a mini photo shoot of some of them and I'll tell you why I love them. (You may have to do a little research to see if these products are available in your country or if they can be shipped to you.)

Want a super natural smile? I thought that I had found the best natural toothpaste 6 years ago. I used the same one for a loooong time. Then when we were on our roadtrip to the USA in the fall, we ran out of our toothpaste in the final week, so we had to choose a new one. Wow! The Auromere Ayurvedic herbal toothpastes have blown the old one out of the water! We have tried the minty and mint-free (more like a licorice flavor) versions and both are awesome. The base is natural chalk, which is mildly abrasive and leaves your teeth squeaky clean! Available at many health food stores in USA and Canada.

http://www.auromere.com/Dental_Care-Toothpaste.html

How about natural shampoo and conditioner? I have tried a crazy number of these. Always looking for the one that will keep my hair healthiest. (And it's fun to try new scents too.) Well there is a man named Patrick Curelle in Vancouver who created this unscented line of hair care that is super natural. I use their unscented body lotion too. I was once told by a store clerk that I could eat it because it's so natural. But he didn't think I should try. The fun thing about this unscented line is that I use essential oils to add the aromas that I love. Patchouli-orange lotion! Mmmmm. (Couldn't find a website for this.)

What about wounds?

We bought our first jar of "magic green cream" at a Rocky Mountain music festival two summers ago. Cloud 9 Naturally is a super cool small company based in Red Deer, Alberta that invented this super-salve. We have used their Organic Comfort salve on sunburn, burns, acne, cuts, scrapes, mosquito bites, rashes, chafing, blisters and more. (I also heard that it's awesome for diaper rash.) It has some kind of magical healing properties in its herbal blend. One jar goes a long way!!! (But we always keep a backup.)

 Order straight from their new improved website:

http://www.cloud9naturally.com

Fresh armpits. We all want them. Well, I have done my fair share of research when it comes to pit sticks. Anything with aluminum-based ingredients (read your labels!) is a recipe for high levels of toxicity in your body. Throw those sticks away today!!!  Do your body a huge favor and opt to use natural deodorants. Anti-perspirants are also not good. We are designed to sweat. It's one of the ways that our bodies rid themselves of toxins. Our skin is our largest organ. Let's not stop it from doing its job. So. No surprise. I have tried many of the natural deodorants out there and many of them are useless. We then discovered Herban Cowboy natural body care products. They have quite an array of choices for women and awesome ones for men! We love the Blossom scent for ladies and the Fire scent for men. Ps. They are vegan certified too!

http://www.herbancowboy.com/

Put your best face forward. 

I personally go with the motto "less is more" when it comes to body care. Especially on my face. When my eyes feel a bit tired or puffy, I dab on a tiny spot of rich, blue Azulene Eye Cream by Earth Science, and a light swipe of the fragrance-free Almond-Aloe Moisturizer on the rest of my face (by the same company). It's light and available scented or unscented. So fresh. 

http://earthsciencenaturals.com/

An Essential Oil. 

Tea tree oil is a miracle ingredient for any medicine cabinet. I remember when my mom was part of the melaleuca products craze of the 90's.  (It's in the Latin name for tea tree.) So I developed a slight aversion to the tea tree aroma after every product in our home smelled like it. I have had to retrain myself to love it. Ok, tolerate it. There are many brands and most of them are great.

I use a dab of tea tree oil on acne when it's first showing itself. It acts as an antibacterial (which also makes it great to add to cleaning products) and also dries up the area to help it heal more quickly. 

Last year, we both contracted a bizarre rash from what we are guessing was either a swimming pool or a hot tub. After visiting a doctor, we were told it was Molluscum Contagiosum. He said there is no known cure. It looked like tiny fluid-filled blisters on our abdomen areas. As we learned, it can spread very quickly! The doctor told us to google it. ???  He also said that he could freeze them off with liquid nitrogen or we could buy a do-it-yourself skin-tag removal kit from a drug store and burn them off ourselves. We tried that. Don't try that. So painful and leaves scarring. We decided to take matters into our own hands with our knowledge of essential oils. If left unchecked, this rash can spread over most of your body and cause itch and discomfort (not to mention embarrassment).  We read that it could take up to two years to heal on its own. Yikes!!! So we used a sterile needle and slowly and patiently we pierced the bubbles (being super careful not to spread or touch the fluid inside!) and immediately applied a generous amount of tea tree oil to each spot with a cotton swab. We did this for weeks until there were no signs of them left. Yes, it takes patience and perseverance. It worked like a charm. If you or anyone you know has this rash, please share this knowledge. It will save them time and suffering. 

Have anxiety about something?

It happens to everyone sometimes. I remember the day that I first tried Bach Rescue Remedy for air travel. It made me feel at ease after just a few minutes. I felt my body and mind relax enough so that the uncomfortable idea of air travel wasn't such a big deal. A groomer also used it on my cat so she would calm down enough to shave her matted fur patches off. It made her so calm and limp as a noodle. I have also seen it work well to help restless adults and children to get a better night's sleep. It's a unique blend of flower essences and it comes in a spray, liquid dropper, cream and in gummy pastilles. It's so great. 

http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-information/

Ok. I think that's enough to fill everyone's brains for today. Check your local health food stores and if they don't carry these super products, you could nicely request that they carry some of them. 

Here is a link to a source for some of these products and it appears that they ship to much of the planet. That being said, it's always best to try to find things locally first.   :)

http://www.finlandiapharmacyonline.com