AQUARIUS NEW MOON - JANUARY 23

          This New Moon will feel like a breath of fresh air for everyone.  Sometimes there is a confusion around Aquarius, it’s an air sign, but called the Water Bearer, because Aquarius is always bringing  new, universal ideas and asking us to swim in the new universal consciousness being offered us.  Aquarius is always reminding us of our need to step into our own future, and to open, expand, and progress your own picture of what a wonderful life means to you. The qualities of this New Moon are: Independence, Aspirations, Expansion, Group Endeavors, Activated Vision, and the Social Collective.  Write ten intentions around those words, write about embracing your personal, all the way through your universal aspirations.  Think about how much resonance you can generate by knowing the we  are creating, moment by moment, our own tomorrow.  That means stop living in the past, and with this dynamic New Moon, really stepping into the future. 

            Mars, the planet of action, turns retrograde on Jan. 23, at 23° Virgo; it stations direct on April 12 at 4° Virgo and again reaches 23° on June 19^th.   Mars usually is in a sign for about two months, but Mars will be here in Virgo for almost eight months, it moved into Virgo in Nov. of 2011, and will move on into Libra on July 3 of this year!  Mars is focusing on us taking this extra time to not only know what isn’t in harmony in our lives, but what actions are we willing to take to change that. 

            And, since Uranus is the modern ruler of Aquarius, and as we know, Uranus is in Aries for these next six years, there will be no marginally agreeing to a maybe.  This New Moon really is asking us to see the world in a new light.  Look at this New Moon and remember:  “ . . . Dream the impossible dream and the world will no grind you under, it will lift you up.  This is the trick . . . This is how magic is done.  By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering it’s a feather bed.”  (Terrence McKenna)

by Nancy Ogren

www.nancymillerogren.com

Non Toxic Living

There are hundreds of toxins we are exposed to everyday in our environment. Toxins are in what we eat, wear, the mattresses we sleep on, the soap we use, household chemicals for cleaning and gardening, not to mention the air we breathe.  These toxins have to be broken down by our liver, which can get overwhelmed and the toxins can end up being stored in the fatty tissues in the body. Some toxins mimic hormones or can cause inflammatory disorders and cancer. There are safer alternatives to our everyday household products and making small changes in your environment can make big differences in your body.

Most common household cleaners that you can get at your supermarket, contain toxic, caustic and non-biodegradable chemicals.  It has been shown that it takes 26 seconds after exposure for these chemicals to show up in your body.  Some people have reactions to this exposure, such as burning, itchy, watery eyes, trouble breathing or burning in the throat and lungs, gagging, nausea, migraines, headaches, and achy joints. Reactions are the body’s signal of overload and really telling you to “get away!”  To prevent disease the body must manage the burden by eliminating the toxin.    If the load is excessive, symptoms occur as a response to the disturbance of the body’s immune and detoxification functions. Everyone varies on the amount their body can handle based on overall health and genetics.  

We humans have created a toxic world, but awareness can make a big difference.  It is the accumulation of toxins over time that leads to an overwhelmed and toxic body.  Studies have shown asthma rates in children have increased 118% from 1980 to 1993, as well as lung cancer in adults.  Since World War II over 75,000 new synthetic chemicals have been developed and released into the environment; fewer than half have been tested for their potential toxicity on humans and even less have been tested for their toxicity on children.  However times are changing, the American Environmental Health Foundation has published research and is educating physicians, politicians and others about these issues and we are learning just how crucial it is to take care of our environment and make the changes to protect our health.

There are some steps you can take to decrease your body’s exposure to unnecessary toxins. 

1. Do not use herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers.  Pesticides are neurotoxins, which mean the effect the central nervous system. Pesticides do not know the difference between the pest and you.  Neurotoxins can cause short-term memory loss, loss of circulation, imbalance, and flu like symptoms, depression, and changes in mood, fatigue.  A healthy alternative to those pests would be diatomatious earth, boric acid, and nematodes.  You can get these at health food stores.
2. Eat organic foods.  These foods are grown without any use of pesticides etc.  Avoid processed foods (foods with colors and dyes, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup).  Avoid aspartame.  Aspartame breaks down in the body as formic acid and methanol.
3. Avoid storing food in plastic or drinking water from plastic bottles.  Use glass jars/bottles.  In 2002 the FDA named plastics “indirect food additives”, chemicals in the plastic do infiltrate food.  It is hard to completely avoid all plastics, since most food comes packaged in plastic.  The key here is to cut down.
4. Use natural, biodegradable cleaning products. Get rid of those toxic chemicals sitting under your kitchen sink.  The best thing to do is to find out the safe and proper disposal of these products and get them out of your home.  There are many eco-friendly products at health food stores and even now at most grocery stores.  White vinegar and water or dissolved baking soda makes a great alternative to ammonia-based cleansers. Baking soda or Bon Ami on a damp cloth is an effective abrasive cleaner that is good for you and the environment.  60ml of baking soda and 125 ml of vinegar mixed together makes an effective drain cleaner. For finished wood polish use 3 parts olive oil to one part white vinegar.  Mineral oil works great for unfinished wood.
5. Same goes for natural, nontoxic personal care products.  Cosmetics are full of chemicals.  Avoid parabens, urea, sodium laurel sulfate, propylene glycol and fragrance.  “Avalon Organics” is a brand that makes shampoo, lotion, soaps etc. It is inexpensive and safe to use.
6. Open your windows as much as possible.  Even in the most polluted cities, the air outside has been found less toxic than indoor air.
7. Certain houseplants have been found to detoxify the air.  Philodendrons, spider plants, aloe Vera, English ivy, golden pothos. Plant mint around your house to keep mosquitoes away.
8. Use safe cookware.  Avoid Teflon; it is made out of chemicals.  The best alternatives are glass, stainless steel or cast iron.
9. Limit installation of new carpets, plywood, wallboard and adhesives.  All contain chemicals that will gas out in your home for a long period of time.
10. Participate in guided detoxification for your body at least once a year.  The simplest way to detoxify is to do an elimination diet.  It only requires eliminating common food allergens (such as wheat, dairy, corn, sugar and processed food) that allows the body to get out of its inflammatory state and release stored toxins. Exercise, sweating, drinking plenty of pure water, and getting good nutritional support assists your body in detoxifying.

 Take care! In love and light, Namaste.

Oil Pulling Day 1

I have heard about this old Ayurvedic practice called Oil Pulling.  Oil pulling traditionally uses sunflower or sesame oil, which you put a teaspoon in your mouth and swish it around in there for about 20 minutes each morning.  The benefits have shown to detoxify your mouth.  Pulling and cleaning bacteria, making gums healthier and pinker and whitening teeth.  But a healthy mouth effect the entire health of our bodies from our digestive system to inflammation in the body.

I was drawn to oil pulling primarily for the health of my teeth and gums.  I have a receding gum line and especially on my right side upper teeth it feels like the root is very close to being exposed.  When I use a toothpick high up on that area it is sensitive to the touch.  The gum line above that same tooth seems  little "rougher" texture then the other areas of my gums.  I have discoloring to my teeth and they feel like they move around and shift a lot easier these days.  So I am going to experiment with oil pulling.

Today was day 1.  I took a teaspoon of coconut oil straight from the jar and put it in my mouth.  I was careful not to take too much, I didn't want to have a big glob of oil in my mouth at once.  I began trying to swish it around and through my teeth but found it kind of hard.  So I googled oil pulling and found a website that explained pull gently with the oil really if it hurts your jaw you are trying to hard. Just move the oil slowly from side to side use your tongue and gentle through your cheeks.  That helped.

Me! Day 1. Yay Health! 

The first thing I noticed is, it wasn't that bad of a taste.  I used Garden of Life Organic Coconut Oil which tastes pretty good.  I swished for 10 minutes.  During the first 10 minutes, I notice that my sinsus started to drain which was hard not to pull the phelem into my mouth (gross I know)  so after that I spit it out.  I tried another teaspoon for another 10 minutes and the same thing happened.  But before that became a big problem, I was able to get the oil to be milky and a bit thicker consistency, which is what they say happens when you are done pulling for that round. So then, I spit it out, rinsed my mouth with water and gently brushed my teeth with all natural tom's toothpaste.  So to be continued. Can't wait to see if my gum and teeth change.  To be continued...

For more information and specific directions about oil pulling I found this one

http://oilpulling.com/index.htm

My Journey to a Yoga Practice

I was drawn to yoga as a college student 13 years ago.  I was in a transitional time in my life and yoga offered some sort of refuge from the stress of the unknown.   On the floor of my dorm I perched a yoga book against the bed and began exploring yoga poses and what was exactly happening to me as I held each pose.  Sometimes in the simplicity of a pose I would find my mind wondering or bored.  Harder poses where I lacked strength or flexibility I would give up on or hold back on challenging my body.  But somewhere in between the limitations of my body and the chaos of my mind I found myself coming back to the practice especially when I felt “stressed”.  In the beginning just the act of shutting off the TV, turning on relaxing music, lighting a candle and maybe doing a handful of poses until I got bored or tired began to restore my mind and in turn relaxed my body.  Of course I judged this effort in not being enough.  I thought I “should” be doing an hour practice, I should go to more yoga classes, I should be more flexible, stronger, and whatever other “should” I come up with. 

But today I realize that what I did do was nurture the seed that I planted to begin a journey towards a yoga practice that would take me deeper physically, mentally and spiritually.  You have to start somewhere, and where I started didn’t have to look perfect, it didn’t have to be all or nothing.  If I could continue to commit to showing up even in the simplest way everyday, I would invest in myself and I would grow. 

Yoga continues to teach me to surrender my mind and body to be in the moment, to allow myself, with all of my limitations to be present, to hold the space for growth at my own pace. And just maybe today I will push past those limitations, maybe in micro movements or maybe in leaps, but all in the safety of acceptance of myself, of others and with the inner eye of awareness.   Today, that is the intention of my practice and as a teacher I honor and nurture that for my students.

As we enter into the New Year, spending time with family and friends and begin to prepare for all those new beginnings, it becomes ever so important to make the effort and the time for a yoga practice.  To quiet my mind of all my judgments of all the “shoulds"  in life, and connect with awareness, peace, acceptance, compassion, balance, strength, and all of the themes that a yoga practice connects me to on the mat,  so that I continue to carry that out to my life off of the mat. 

What draws you to a Yoga practice today?  What drew you to Yoga initially?  What does your practice give you?  I'd love to hear

Nov 10 Full Moon

We find ourselves at an serious juncture in the great scheme of things. We are all conscious of the dynamic of 11/11/11, and how important this date is, along with the Mayan calendar shifts, we are truly at a place of a new commitment to ourselves, and the life we are meant to live. . Double-digit numbers like, 11, 22, 33, 44, are known as “master” numbers, which relate to dimensions beyond the physical plane. The number 1 is similar to the first sign of Aries in that it symbolizes the beginning of self-consciousness; the number 11 represents its higher octave, the emergence of enlightened or Christ consciousness. Thus, 11/11/11 represents a spiritual initiation and gateway, offering extraordinary support for profoundly transformative meditations, group prayers, and mass awakenings.

In Taurus, we discover what really matters, what is worth our time, energy, and money. In Scorpio, we learn to face and feel everything, and realize that everything changes. Taurus, the earth sign, is concerned with building a balanced relationship to the physical plane: being in touch with our bodies and with Nature, possessing a healthy sense of self-worth, and sustainably supporting ourselves. Scorpio, a water sign, dives into the alchemical cauldron of relationship, discovering the power of emotions, fear, and the unconscious and how to align our feelings with our actions. Full Moons also highlight the shadow side of each sign as well as its spiritual tasks.

As we release ourselves from the ideas of struggle and scarcity, we instead embrace the idea of new and important focus and purpose will take you a quantum leap into what’s now being offered through unity, rather than duality.

Use the Solar and galactic tailwinds of these extraordinary times to take a giant step forward on your path, and remember:

“We don’t come with a dream without the tools to make it manifest.” (NMO)

 Enjoy this wonderful Full Moon, Taurus wants you to know how substantial, valuable and important you are, and how you make a difference!

Nancy O.

www.NancyOgrenMiller.com 

11/11/11 Yoga Celebration

One numerological interpretation of the number 11 is that it marks the beginning of new cycles, increased spiritual leanings and compassion. It is considered as one of the master numbers, those few that are not reduced by the addition of the constituent numbers. Some believe on this date, there will be a shift based on the alignment of energy on our planet. That at this time, even more the importance of being in our hearts light and allowing our higher purpose to manifest. 
It is a wonderful day to gather and set our intentions for a new cycle in our lives.

11:00 - 12:30 All Levels Yoga Class & Manifesting Meditation 
12:30 Group Manifesting Ceremony fruit, snacks and tea provided.
Love Offering $20

11/11/11 Evening Celebration

Lots of energy to kick off the new energies we are bring in for 11/11/11. We will be attempting 108 Sun Salutations! Don’t know what a Sun Salutation is? Don’t think you can do 108 of them? Don’t worry we will be there to get you started and keep you going! And all 108 can be done in smaller sets or just show up and surprise yourself in what you can do! Music, food & fun! To celebrate our lives, our spirits and our earth~
Donation based class $20 Love Offering. Join us! Space is limited so sign up to reserve your spot.

*For more info contact Jennifer at jennifer@bodyspiritwisdom.com
**For more info about Sun Salutations Yoga Journal has some great info http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/813

My Energetic Bank Account

Sometimes making the time for self care can be hard. There is always an excuse to leave it for later.  But I'm realizing that it is a commitment that I must make for myself so I don't loose my mind. It is so true that first we must take care of ourselves so we than can give to others, our family and then community.  Too often we are doing everything for our kids, our kids schools, our work, our neighbors, our spouses.  And we wonder why we are tired.

Today I heard from one of my many favorite clients a great way to make it more of a conscious effort to take care of myself. She suggested to take an empty check book register and start writing down things I do for myself, "deposits" and things that I do for others "withdraws". It is not even important to write down dates or anything too specific just making sure to balance my energetic bank account and even better always have 1 more deposit activity than withdraw activity to ensure the dreaded bankrupt account!  I thought that was a great suggestion and a way to be mindful to make the time for myself.  It doesn't always have to be big deposits that even the smallest effort can yield big rewards.