wheel of life/2010 vision board

for those of you that have been reading my blog for a while you probably recall my 2009 vision board, if you are new or need a refresher, click here.

for the last few weeks i've been playing around with making a visual wheel of life. while it isn't exactly in a "wheel" shape, you get the idea. if you are not sure what the "wheel of life" exercise is, you can check out a few variations & explanations here, here & here.

i decided to make an artist's date out of my visual wheel of life. i had magazines, construction paper, scissors, a glue stick, water with a slice of organic lemon (i am on a lemon kick recently), and the drive to make something beautiful and creative.

now for a little closer look into each of the categories...

finances
relationships
health
home environment
self-care
spirituality
creativity
career
(sorry for all of the glare from the glossies)

have you tried the wheel of life exercise or a vision board? why not combine both into one.

simple joys

this friday was a delicious treat. i had the morning off and had planned on going to class this afternoon but due to a scheduling mix up at school i ended up getting the entire day off! this was a welcome surprise as it's the first friday i've had off in months & months and it's the first day i've had off in over 3 weeks.

today i enjoyed:

*sleeping in
*watching the beautiful snow that fell all day (i know a lot of people are upset about more snow but not moi, i love it!)
*a huge nap
*watching a little food network (food network & the travel channels are my favs)
*looking through my newest cookbook "eat taste heal: an ayurvedic guidebook and cookbook for modern living"
*enjoying h2o with a slice of organic lemon
*writing with my new sakura souffle 3-d opaque puffy ink pens (thanks for the recommendation stephanie)
*snuggling with my kitties and pup
*relaxing around the house not worrying about the to-dos (they will be there tomorrow)
*noshing on some tagalongs (girl scout cookie time!)
*observing the ongoing kitteh antics....

dooty snuggled up on the couch

intruder alert

sanjay always wanting to be near his brother

good thing dooty is so accepting

tranquil tuesday gratitude

today i am thankful for:

*it being tranquil tuesday

*knocking out a lot of to-do's
*snuggling with my cuddly kitties
*being interviewed on life breathing
*hot tea on a cold & rainy day
*connecting with all of you

image credit ici

monday moment of zen

"each of us has a gift, a special purpose that we alone can give to the world. this is our individual dharma. we are meant to discover and share this unique gift. when we do, you have achieved our true purpose in life."
~deepak chopra

what is your gift, your special purpose? namaste

image credit ici

pink & purple tresses

i got my hair freshened up this evening. i've been rocking pink in my hair (a la inspiration - kimberly wilson) since june. i decided to try something different this evening. i got pink & purple added in!! i've been calling it my rainbow brite hair or my easter egg hair. ;)

dooty enjoying some lap and face time

green beauty

i love coconuts, love the smell, love the taste, love everything about them. i am really loving barleans coconut oil. i picked this up at the morgantown coop. it's cold pressed, extra virgin and 100% organic. it's perfect for cooking, a hair conditioner, in lieu of lotion, and for massaging. what's not to love?!

tell me, how do you love your coconuts?

monday moment of zen

“better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one.”

~ancient chinese proverb

take the time today to sit and sip your mug of tea, savor every drop. namaste

image credit ici

salt scrub

ah the joys of massage therapy schooling. during a stress management class we made salt scrubs. we each brought in our own salt (or sugar), essential oils and of course we used our massage oil. we each made a scent that resonated with us. i did a combination of lavender (my fav!) and geranium. it was divine!!

to make your own salt or sugar scrub, find a container with a lid and add:

- some salt (preferably sea salt)
- add to that oil (any oil will do but you want an oil without any scent - olive oil will do nicely)
- an essential oil (or oils) of your choosing

depending on how dry your skin is is how oily you want your scrub to be. there is no right or wrong way to do this so just eyeball it and go with what you think is best for you. since my skin tends to dry out in the winter i made my scrub a little on the oily side. add to the salt and oil mixture drops of essential oil. depending on how much scrub you made will determine how many drops of essential oil to use. you can usually determine this by smell. you don't want it too strong.

- take your salt scrub to the bath tub. while standing in the shower rub the salt scrub all over the body. let it set for just a bit and then rinse off. don't wash off as you will defeat the purpose. after you towel off your skin will be soft and smooth and you will smell wonderful. enjoy!!

gussying up my planner pad & some news

i spent part of this snowy weekend gussying up my planner pad. after hearing kimberly wilson rave about the planner pad i knew i had to try it out. this is my second year with the planner pad and i don't see myself buying any other planner. i am a changed woman ;)

it's too bad that you can't get planner pads in colors, however, you can gussy it up any way you'd like. here's what i did:

front cover
inside front cover
inside back cover
back cover

now for the news... you'll notice on the inside front cover of my planner pad is related to all things buddhism and zen. a while back i asked if anyone had any input as far as a business name. i thought & thought & thought about it and finally come up with "zen from within." i think it's pretty fitting, don't you?!

although i haven't done anything with it, i've registered the domain. since owning my own business is a 5-10 year goal of mine i figured i'd snag the domain for safe keeping. i'm excited!! :)

monday moment of zen

No hawk hangs over in this air:
The urgent snow is everywhere.
The wing adroiter than a sail
Must lean away from such a gale,
Abandoning its straight intent,
Or else expose tough ligament
And tender flesh to what before
Meant dampened feathers, nothing more.
Forceless upon our backs there fall
Infrequent flakes hexagonal,
Devised in many a curious style
To charm our safety for a while,
Where close to earth like mice we go
Under the horizontal snow.

~ The Snow Storm by Edna St. Vincent Millay

chances are some of you got pummeled with snow this weekend. chances are that some of you were stuck at home and couldn't get out. sometimes mother nature has a way of making us slow down. take the time to slow down and enjoy the beauty that mother nature has bestowed upon us. namaste

if you look closely cadyn is at the end of the path

cadyn and dooty staying on the path

monday moment of zen

"let the beauty of what you love, be what you do."
~ rumi

life is too short to be unhappy. take an hour, few hours, or even a whole day to consider what it is that makes you happy and what it is that you love. it may not come to you quickly since we have a tendency to love lots of very different things (or at least i do). once you hone in on what it is that you love see what steps you can make to make what you love what you do. you will be so much happier that you did. every day will be a new adventure and you won't regret it! namaste

image credit ici

thank you

i wanted to thank each and every one of you for commenting (here, on twitter and facebook) on my last post. for anyone out there that has lost a pet my heart truly goes out to you. it's absolutely heart breaking.

what scares me the most is the thought of loosing my own little fur bebes. which, i know it will happen but i just hope that day never comes. of course, when it does i won't be able to get out of the bed for at least a week. it saddens me just to think about it.

thank you all again for your loving outpouring affection you have shown to me and to my family. we are all very grateful.

popcorn 1999-2010

i got some bad news this evening. my parents dog (my doggy sister as i am an only child) had to be put down yesterday. she was only 10 but had been having some recent problems with fluid around her heart and having seizures.

it's always really hard loosing a pet. they are our kids, our sisters/brothers, our friends - they are family.

popcorn happy to meet one of her own kind (she was full blooded chihuahua)

the last picture i took of popcorn over christmas

popcorn you will be always be in my heart and will be greatly missed.

dress down day

from left to right: melissa, lisa, julie, shanin, and moi

my massage therapy classmates and i got to enjoy a rare occasion at morgantown beauty college a recently - dress down day. for most people that mean jeans and a sweater or hoodie. not me of course, i rocked my tranquilit from top to bottom! it was so nice that we got to enjoy a day out of our scrubs.

gifts from far away

my sweet darling brazilian friend bela went to amsterdam, belgium, paris and back home to brazil over the holidays. she asked me what i wanted from paris. well, being the tea fanatic that i am of course i asked for mariage freres tea. and just look at the load of tea she brought me back from all over!! plus i got a fantastic scarf her god mother made for me. i love it!!

she got me mariage freres earl grey french blue tea and it is fantastic!! she also got me teas from brazil and belgium. there is some melitta coffee in there as well. she said it is popular in brazil. of course it is, it's melitta ;)

and for ryan's drinking pleasure there is a bottle of cachaca which we will enjoy plenty of caipirinhas!!

monday moment of zen

"the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
~ eleanor roosevelt

what are your dreams? no matter how grandiose our dreams may seem we can take one step a day towards achieving those dreams. what small step can you make towards your dreams today?

image credit ici

green beauty

my dear friend lela makes beauty products with all natural ingredients. in fact, it couldn't be anything but naturally lela!

my favorite product right now is her "peach fuzz and ginger buzz" lip balm. she has a wide array of lip balms to choose from: sunshine, mystical mint, berry embellished, perfectly plain, mint chocolate lips, nouveau espresso, berry mocha and vanilla chai. all are reasonably priced between $3 - $4. she has more green beauty products on her website and more are being concocted all the time. i highly recommend everything she makes!

you can check her fabulous products at naturally lela's online store or if you are local you can purchase her products at bliss bliss bliss. be sure to become a fan on her facebook page as well.

raindrop therapy

hour and a half massage + reiki + raindrop therapy = total bliss

that is what i experienced yesterday at bliss bliss bliss. for those of you curious to what exactly raindrop therapy is bliss bliss bliss describes it as this:

"Raindrop Therapy is a gentle massage employing 9 highly therapeutic essential oils. The oils are massaged into the back, legs and feet. These oils are anti-viral, anti-bacterial and are said to stimulate the immune system. The heat of hot stones is used to help the oils penetrate deep into the muscles. Raindrops & Stones is a beautiful meditative massage treatment that brings a warm spa like bliss."
if you've never experienced a raindrop therapy session i highly recommend it. elizabeth, massage therapist and owner of bliss bliss bliss said she gets her raindrop essential oils from young living. they offer tons of other essential oils, skin care, thieves products and more. you can see more here.

if you would like to experience your own raindrop therapy treatment you can contact elizabeth through her email elizabeth.blissblissbliss@gmail.com or call 304-685-9942.

if you are local and would like to stay current on all yoga & massage events, you can follow bliss bliss bliss on twitter or become a fan their facebook page.

image credit ici

monday moment of zen

"for fast acting relief, try slowing down."
~ lily tomlin

we know this but somehow we always need a gentle reminder to slow down, especially on a monday morning. this is my gentle reminder to you. before things get hectic at the office, before you see the piles of paperwork that need to be taken care of by lunchtime, before your co-workers start complaining about what a lousy weekend they had... slow down, take 1o deep breaths and center yourself so you can manage your monday with zen.

have a mindful monday and a wonderful week. namaste

image credit ici

green beauty

i am always on the look out for a good mascara. i recently came across the physicians formula organic wear 100% natural origin mascara and i am loving it!

according to their website it is:

- 100% free of harsh chemicals, synthetic preservatives, parabens, clumping, smudging, flaking, fibers & dyes

- 100% recyclable eco-brush defines each lash with ultra-soft plastic bristles.

if you are looking for a more green, eco-friendly, and awesome mascara i highly recommend this one!

monday moment of zen

"sometimes when our life falls apart it is because it is not held together with consciousness, it is held together by illusion, and so it crumbles, and what is left is actually a clearer vision of what is real and of value. so many have found their life path only after what they had formerly perceived as their life crumbles to dust. in other words, it is the illusion of our life which crumbles, leaving reality in its place."
~ max strom

this has happened to us all at some point or another. sometimes it is really hard to do but the best thing you can do is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward. in fact, it's the only thing you can do. sure we can take time to pity ourselves but we mustn't linger here long because nothing good can come out of it. at the end of the day will you be proud of yourself that you kept your head held high and pushed forward or will you feel ashamed because you wasted your day feeling sorry for yourself? life is too short to spend our time moping around. take whatever reality you've been served and make something great out of it! namaste

image credit ici

goodies in my mail box

i got something in the mail today that totally made me smile. i got a beautiful new year's card from the adorable chelsea b from pencil skirts & pearls. she was thanking me for the holiday blogger gift exchange present that i sent her.

along with the card was an adorable peace coin. i love it! thank you so much for being so thoughtful chelsea b. hugs!!

tulips & tea interview

i was absolutely filled with glee to come home and find that the darling and adorable analiese from tulips & tea featured moi on her "blogging with heart" series.

the blogging with heart series in analiese's words "is a series of interviews with bloggers whose voices resonate with authenticity, sparkle, and soul." she has features absolute blogging gems such as the adventurous kaileen elise and the heart warming soul lauren of everyday revelry. i am absolutely honored to be among these fabulous ladies.

read my interview, check out previous interviews and be completely inspired by analiese's tulips & tea blog.

if you know of any "bloggers with heart" be sure to nominate them by sending analiese an email ambendorf(at)gmail(dot)com.

thank you SO much analiese, you made my week!! much love & hugs to you sweetie!!

image credit ici

monday moment of zen

“in the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”
~ deepak chopra

most of you are putting your nose back to the grind after a your holiday vacations. remember when things get hectic (and you know they will) just to take a minute to sit quietly and do nothing but breath. that stack of papers and those deadlines will still be there. have a mindful monday. namaste

image credit ici

masala chai

after being out and about for 4 hours running errands and indulging in a mani/pedi, i was pretty much frozen. after all, it was only 16 degrees out there! i was bound and determined to have some hot tea when i got home.

as you are all aware, i am crazy about tea. i especially love a good cup of masala chai yet i've never made it from scratch at home. today i remedied that situation and let me tell you, it is fantastic.

masala chai recipe
(serves 4)

4 whole cloves
1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom (or 1 cardamom pod)
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

crush (or break as in case of cinnamon stick) above ingredients and put into a saucepan
add 3 cups water
bring to a boil - remove from heat - let steep for 5 minutes
add 1 cup milk
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar (or more if you like your tea sweeter)
bring to a boil -remove from heat
add 3 bags of black tea (i used darjeeling but can substitute ceylon) - cover and let steep for 3 minutes
stir - strain - enjoy!!

i ground my fresh black pepper from my beautiful new pylones russian girl pepper mill (isn't she adorable?! ok, so she's my new favorite kitchen gadget!