Nia Brings Smiles & Community

Pay It Forward Nia Jam - Sep 13, 2012
organized by Instructors Rachel Duvall & Jayne Mielo
(I'm in the middle with berry colored top)

Just look at these smiles!  On September 13, I attended a Pay it Forward Nia Jam benefiting the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation @ Reflections Yoga Studio in New York City.  I co-taught a song along with the other Nia teachers and students.  It was a blast, especially when we opened up the curtains to display our Nia moves to the pedestrians along 49th Street in Times Square!!

But more importantly, Nia is not only a great workout, fun, expressive, healing, joyful and a mindful practice, it is also community oriented, inspiring a family of friendships and community involvement and support.  That's a total win/win for me and I'm sure it is for you.

If you have never taken a Nia class, I welcome you to drop into one of my classes currently held in Westchester County, NY.  Check out my current schedule and related workshops or adventures involving Nia under Calendar of Events at www.SoulisticAdventures.com.  

Feel free to visit the Nia corporate website at www.nianow.com to learn more and to find a local teacher in your area of the world.  You can locate my classes as well under my Nia profile at http://www.nianow.com/lcparker.

So, get out their and shake your booty!  Step into a Nia class and receive more than a workout and guaranteed smiles!!!

To the adventure,

Take a Nia class with me!   Check out where by clicking here.  To find out more about Soulistic Adventures, a multi-sensory platform of experiences for the body, mind and spirit, visit:  www.SoulisticAdventures.com

 

Got A Plan?

I don't know about you, but I can't stand when politicians repeatedly say "I got a plan", or "We got a plan".  To me, they are just flapping the jaw without really taking action; just saying what it takes to get re-elected and it ticks me off.  I seem to recall the old saying "actions speak louder than words"... so show me the action!

As hard as it may be, when I decide to turn my attitude around and take a look at how this applies to my life, I ask myself:  "Do I have a plan?" 

1. Am I all lofty in my thoughts, dreamy and being too idealist to the point where I might be kidding myself that I actually do have My Plan to move myself forward in whatever area of my life needs it?

2. When I say I have a plan, do my actions, words and thoughts match up with My Plan?

3. When I start losing focus, do I reassess, adjust and continue on My Plan?

4.  Have I committed to My Plan in mind, body and soul?

Just thoughts to ask yourself as you get bombarded by life all around you.  What is truly in your heart and soul?  What matters to you most and do you take the steps to maintain you own plan for your life and well-being?

Forget about outside influences and if they truly have a plan.  What's more important is your plan for your own life and then taking action that is in alignment with what means most to you.

If we could all follow our hearts and take action with integrity, together, we can create a beautiful world that is available to all.   I think that is a good plan.

What's your plan? 

To the adventure,





Need help creating Your Plan for your life?  Visit my coaching page at www.SoulisticAdventures.com and let's start a conversation.

Got Baggage?

Who likes to pack for a trip?   Not me.  I love to travel no matter what time of year to see knew places and to explore new adventures.....BUT, the packing part is for some reason a real drag for me.  I always leave it for the last minute - delaying the torturous task as long as I can, then staying up for hours deciding on what I think I may need to wear!! Silly....but ugh! 

Weighed down by emotional/mental"baggage"

Well, how about that other baggage?  The kind you would not be upset if lost, in fact, you would LOVE to have it lost.  You know, the baggage that is invisible to the eye, but weighs you down mentally and emotionally and ever so heavy on the soul.   The kind that puts a cramp in your style, keeps you pointing fingers at others, makes you stay in pain choosing the same patterns of behaviour so you can't move forward, endlessly stuck in the sludge of being the victim either knowingly or not.  Anyone out there know what I mean?

Well, I was a part of the "I Got Baggage Club" for a long time.  I didn't always realize that was what was holding me back or getting in my way of moving towards the things I wanted.  However, as time moved on and through consistent and persistent searching and seeking to understand the patterns, the source, the reasons, the awareness, and the help to heal and move myself forward, I let that baggage go!  It is lost, and I never want to claim it back.   Instead, I choose to fill my body, mind and spirit with compassion, love and understanding realizing that at every single moment, I have control over my own BEing.   I can't control what comes AT me, but I can control the way I choose to maneuver in my life and THIS is what is freeing and very powerful for any individual.  

I'm baggage free!!!!!

Once you get in tune and honor your self in all ways - taking responsibility as to how you nourish your body, mind and soul - then you are able to set the baggage burden free and truly live with much more happiness and joy and open yourself up more freely to contribute and enjoy the world we live in and share with others.   You can participate with and contribute to the world on another level - adding an element of positive value rather than contributing to more pain, anger and hurt and frustration.  You are important.

Is this a perfect practice?  What's perfect?   Do you slip and get that unwelcomed knock on the door with the airport security guard dropping off the baggage you thought they lost?  "Dag nabbit! (ha)", you say.  "I thought I was done with that."  Yes, baggage can come back a-knockin, but the more you become aware and take responsibility, learn the lessons you need to learn and heal within, the less time the baggage has a hold on you and the more quickly you are able to move forward.

Got baggage?  

Then I suggest get moving and start doing the work it takes to LET IT GO!  Shake it off, cut those strings, lose it some where and be done with it.  Life is meant to be lived fully - NO BAGGAGE REQUIRED (who needs those extra fees anyways!!!)

To the adventure,




Need help to get "baggage free"?   Sign up for a FREE coaching consultation and let's get the process started.    For more fun and mindful body, mind and spirit programs to let go of baggage and get "in tune" with YOU, visit www.SoulisticAdventures.com. 

  

Keep on Truckin

Remember this?

Love this old tag line '"Keep on Truckin".  Saw it everywhere in the 70s, but I still use it today.  Especially when I put myself out there - really stepping into some old personal fears.  For a long time, I would gather information, keep getting more education, create many wonderful ideas in my head for no one to see but myself, or take courses here and there, but would shy away from "stepping out" and sharing it or giving it... simply because, it was scary or I never felt I was good enough or knew enough yet..... yet....yet......but....but... but...  Ya get the picture?

Well, I'm stepping out now!  Is it uncomfortable at times? Do I feel vulnerable? Do I feel like I'm being judged?  Do I judge myself?  Do I not get the feedback I was hoping for?  Do I wonder if I did it right?  Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.  But ya know what.... I  keep on truckin.

There are days when I look like this

beat up & exhausted

            or this....

what did I do or how do I do this?

But I figure, there is a lesson in everything I do.  Basically, in every moment.   I struggle with my internal voices at times, doubting myself and my efforts.

hmmmm...doubting.....

pondering

I pause at moments, I re-think, ponder, brainstorm, and take note to assess and decipher feelings from reality.

contemplating

I contemplate.

asking for guidance

But honestly, I feel deep down that I believe in what I'm doing and that I truly want to make a living doing what I love and love what I do... and when I connect with "up above"....    

....I feel in my heart that the joy and purposeful living I strive for and want to pass on to others is the ultimate win/win.



So, to snap out of it, I make a few phone calls to get moving again.  This helps me get out of my head and reconnected - keeping the energy flowing.  Before you know it, I'm back in action with new ideas, new connections, new plans, new goals and new strategies. 

 So, afraid I taught my Nia class too fast, too slow or forgot my moves? heard crickets when teaching a Laughter Yoga class as I realized I was the only one truly engaging in the exercises? gave a free health consultation and the person was not ready to commit to moving forward?  made a great alliance contact and then they don't follow through?.... DO I THROW UP MY ARMS AND SAY FUGHETTABOUTIT!

peace!

Naaawwww.   I remind myself to take a chill and peace out.  All is good.  Rome was not built over night, right?!   Perseverance, hard work and following my heart is my voyage.   So, yes, KEEP ON TRUCKIN....believe in yourself, your abilities, your heart and go for it!   (and invest in a good pair of shoes)

HAHAHA!

How about you?  What has your experience been with stepping out and building your dream?

on my way - being true to my heart

To the adventure,






Want to "Keep On Truckin"?  Then get your shoes and let's go!  Check out our body, mind and spirit programs at www.SoulisticAdventures.com and be on your way!

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On a Wing and a Prayer

Birds of Prey Event at Brewster, NY - June 3, 2012

Just what exactly does the phrase mean "on a wing and a prayer"?  It means that you’re in a desperate situation and you’re relying on hope to see you through.

Aha! And research has showed me that it actually comes from a famous American World War Two patriotic song, with words by Harold Adamson and music by Jimmy McHugh. It tells the tale of a plane struggling home after a bombing raid.

Well, I'm not here to write about war; I'd rather focus on hope and celebrate life.  That is why our many birds of prey come to mind - or shall we say "birds of pray".   For some time now, I have been a big fan of these fabulous winged creatures.  They are so magnificant.  They may be predators, but only to survive, taking what they need, not anything more, keeping the natural balance of life in harmony.

They are strategic, they are wise, they are strong and very observant before they attack.  They fly high in the sky with such freedom, gaining clarity with incredible vision.  They are full of mystery and they project a sense of confidence that is admirable.

I recently went to a Birds of Prey Day at Green Chimneys in Brewster, New York to learn more about these fabulous creatures and to see them up close. What a fantastic day that was.

Hawk - Brewster, NY

Not only do I admire their beauty and skill, but I am curious about their innate capabilities.  The fact that they also have spiritual symbolism attached to them is also intriguing and entices me even more to understand them or to take notice.  In fact, since ancient times, because of the Birds connection to the sky, they have been thought of as a supernatural link between the heavens and the earth. 

In my own life, I can say that birds have showed up on a couple of occasions during the passing of a soul.  When my first cat, Dexter, passed on, a group of birds (if I recall correctly they weren't pigeons but more like sparrows) showed up on my New York apartment window sill the morning he passed.  Never before or after, did a group of birds like that flutter at my window sill peering in - just a single bird or two only minding his or her own business.  On another occasion, when my father passed, I saw two large owls hooting high in the trees down in Florida just a day or two before and then afterwards, was astutely keen of birds (especially his favorites including the blue jay) and butterflies (many monarchs - I know not a bird of prey, but still symbolic) appearing everywhere for several months afterwards in abundance or in not so common places or situations.  Coincidence? Maybe - maybe not.  

Middle Eastern and Asian cultures often speak of birds as symbols of immortality. In East Indian myth, every bird in the world represents a departed soul, and in Christian art, birds often appear as saved souls.  I personally think it is a beautiful thought and tickled at the possibilities of this being true.  Some of my favorite birds of prey include eagles, falcons, hawks and owls.

Eagle - Birds of Prey
Event in Brewster, NY

EAGLES have always been connected to the sun and heaven; a powerful symbol, it signifies resurrection and rebirth.  The Eagle is said to have the ability to soar, until it is lost to the sun, and, according to Aristotle, it can gaze into the blazing midday sun, without going blind. For this reason, it has come to symbolize Christ and those who are just; or stand for the virtues of courage, faith, and contemplation. It is also from this symbolic interpretation, that the lectern, from which the Gospels are read, is often given the form of a Winged Eagle. 

The Bible identifies the Eagle as a sign of God's power over the wicked.  Eagles are associated with far-sighted vision, ambition realized and desire fulfilled. It is also associated with lightening storms and thunderbolts.  In Greek and Roman times, the Eagle was referred to as a God or "The King of Birds". In Roman art, the flight of the Eagle, was described as the soul ascending toward heaven.

Falcon @ Birds of Prey Day
Brewster, NY

FALCONS have always been a favorite companion of the hunter because it was thought never to close its eyes in sleep. Therefore, in some cultures, the Falcon became a protective guardian. 

Egyptians associated the Falcon with the Eye of Horus. Horus himself was believed to appear in the form of Pharaoh's falcon or as a "falcon-headed god". He could see everything at once because one of his eyes was the sun and the other was the moon. As the embodiment of Horus, the falcon wears a double crown.

When he represents the Egyptian God, Ra, he wears a disk on his head. A human-headed falcon is a symbol of the human soul.  In Asia, the Eagle hunted and killed demons.  In Christianity, the Falcon came to symbolize the Holy Spirit and represented a pagan who was converted to Christianity.

Hawk - Redhawk Council Indian Pow Wow
Sep 2011

HAWKS are revered by many cultures around the globe for it skills and prowess as a bird of prey. Regarded by many as a sacred messenger, said to aid 'clarity of thought'. Hawk is said to offer powerful protection. This bird also has links to the belief systems of Ancient Egypt, Norse and Celtic Mythology.

Owls - Birds of Prey Day - Brewster, NY

OWLS are remarkable hunters.  These birds are said to offer us 'silent wisdom' and help us to connect with our "hidden talents and knowledge that is otherwise not obvious to us". Owl energy can offer us the ability to understand the signs and signals around us. Not all cultures regard this bird as a "good omen", some regard them as "harbingers of doom and symbols of death'"

COOL, RIGHT?!

So, next time you look up high in the sky and see a winged creature soaring gracefully in flow with the wind or camouflaged within the tree limbs, instead of panicking and relying on hope that it doesn't swoop down at you, take a moment to revel in their beauty, think of their innate wisdom and skill and how it parallels to you or decipher the meaning or lesson to learn from them.  Do I need to be more careful with how I am treating myself?  Do I need to look more carefully and change a bad habit that doesn't serve me?  Do I need to let go of emotional garbage to move on and soar to new heights?  Do I need more faith or a belief system to understand my purpose or to be happy?  Do I need NOT be afraid?

Maybe you did not cross paths by accident at all! 

Just notice.

YA GOT THAT!
(ha!  this is a teeny tiny screetch owl - as big as a large man's hand)
Birds of Prey Day, Brewster, NY

To all animals we share our world with and to the adventure, 

To discover more BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT ADVENTURE programs, visit:  www.SoulisticAdventures.com

For the Love of Artichokes

ARTICHOKES- a mindful choice, but what is it?

LOVE LOVE LOVE

In early Summer, spending more time in the outdoors when air is saturated with increased oxygen from recent plant growth, and the sun provides us with a healthy dose of Vitamin D, it does the body, mind and spirit good. So does eating foods that are in season.

Eating seasonal foods increases not only the highest nutritional value from food, but it also aligns with our bodies' seasonal needs to receive optimum health benefits. Mother Nature is no fool.... vending machines.?...another story!

In early Summer, there are several high quality seasonal foods, but one of my favorites is the (drum roll)...

Artichokes are funny looking things, and at first glance they certainly do not look edible; especially with those thorny leaves, but they are fun to eat and quite tastey.

ARTICHOKE!

Not only that, but they are loaded with many health benefits including:

FOLATE:   B vitamin, promotes new cell growth, supports and maintains healthy cell growth, boosts immune system, protects DNA

MAGNESIUM:   Mineral, boosts energy production, increases calcium absorption, supports healthy nerves, aids detoxification

FIBER:   Aids and supports healthy digestion and assimilation of nutrients

Is an artichoke a fruit or a vegetable? - Good question!
Per The Phytophactor, The artichoke is an immature (at the stage we eat it) thistle. It's name artichoke is derived from the Turkish word for thistle. When it flowers, it is a nice big purple thistle. However to call it a flower or flower bud is not correct either. Like all the other members of the Aster or Sunflower family, the artichoke clusters a lot of small flowers together into a head, an inflorescence, that has the appearance of a single flower, a nice way for small flowers to have a big visual impact and attract more pollinators.

You can see the ovaries (little oval-shaped things) of each flower lining the cup-like receptacle, and each of these will make a single-seeded fruit called an achene. The sunflower "seeds" are actually one-seeded fruits where we discard the dry fruit and eat the seed. But thistle "seeds" are too small for any human benefit.Fruits are flowers at the stage of seed dispersal, after pollination, and after development of the fruit (from the ovary) and the seeds. Some fruits are eaten at an immature stage (bush beans, okra, cucumbers) and others are eaten when the seeds are mature (tomato, apple).

So if we use pollination as the dividing line, then pre-pollination flowers (broccoli) would be vegetables. But even then the flowers of artichokes aren't eaten. The part of the artichoke that is consumed is the fleshy receptacle and the fleshy bases (both sort of cream colored) of the bracts (modified leaves) that surround the flowers. And like broccoli, most of what is eaten in the artichoke are these vegetative parts associated with the flowers.

So basically, the answer is......an artichokes is a vegetable.

 For a quick and easy basic recipe, click here.

ENJOY!!

To the adventure,

For more adventures for the body, mind and spirit, visit www.SoulisticAdventures.com
Need a coach to get you back on track with your life, sign up for a FREE consultation.

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GET YOUR BUNS OUTSIDE!

Get Your Buns Outdoors - And Off that Grill!

Lakeside areas great for swimming, frisbee, canoeing, jogging.

On June 20, Summer officially begins, but don't wait till then to get your buns outdoors, enjoying nature and moving that body!

June is designated as the Great Outdoors Month!   In 1988, then-President Clinton began the recognition of Great Outdoors Week. Since 2004, Presidential proclamation of Great Outdoors Month has been recognized annually, celebrating a variety of important events and actions that occur during the month. Great Outdoors Month highlights the benefits of active fun outdoors and our magnificent shared resources of forests, parks, refuges, and other public lands and waters. For more information, check out: www.greatoutdoorsmonth.org.

Personally, I love the outdoors and especially exercising outside. It is so enjoyable and rewarding for so many reasons such as (and these are just a few):

1. Fresh air (at least more fresh than recirculated air inside a building)
2. Invigorating scenery - lots of sights, sounds, smells - it's "sense"-ational
3. Sustainable workouts - workouts can be sustained longer since it is a more enjoyable & pleasurable experience
4. Unexpected surprises - you may run into an old friend, meet someone new, or find a new trail to explore
5. Promotes creativity - allows your mind to wander; maybe resolve some lingering problem or get stimulated to start a project you've been delaying, all the while doing something really great for your body
6. Sense of Freedom - with so much space to move around, it is quite freeing

In the near future, Soulistic Adventures will be offering outdoor programs for the body, mind and spirit which you can read more about under Soul Play & Soul Excursion Adventures.  In the meantime, I encourage you to be adventurous now!  Seek out and "explore" what outdoor resources are available to you - in your local area and start incorporating fun outdoor activities that engage your body, mind and spirit!

Inhale and breath in the great outdoors!!!  aaaahhhhhh!!!

Oh! If you haven't figured out what to do yet for Summer vacation, you may want to consider visiting one of our great National Parks located throughout the United States. My husband and I have gone to many over the years, and they have been some of our greatest vacations. Being in nature and seeing the great outdoors brings a new appreciation to our lives; a sense of balance, value, purpose, happiness, respect, awe and a reminder that we are connected to our world, a higher source and to each other. To explore our National Parks, go to: http://www.nps.gov/index.htm.

Enjoy dear friends and get your buns outdoors - and leave those bread buns behind unless you want a bigger behind!!!   ha ha!

To the adventure,





For more body, mind & spirit adventures, visit:  www.SoulisticAdventures.com.

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