Happy Chinese New Year
On February 19th we enter the year of the sheep (or any horned-ruminant mountain animal). These animals embody a Yin energy, a symbol of peace, harmonious coexistence and tranquility. The sheep is the symbol of the Arts. It is an ideal time to get in touch with the place of peace that lives in our hearts, and bring that into the world. Success will follow.
We are having a lot of spring-like days and once again dark green leafy veggies are the ideal food to support the liver.
Sprouts offer some of the highest levels of nutrition available, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes. During a plants initial growth nutrients are more concentrated. For great sources of protein try sunflower seed and pea sprouts. For more information about sprouting your own seeds you can visit: http://sproutpeople.org/growing-sprouts/sprouting-basics/
One of the most remarkable sprouts is actually Matcha Green Tea. Matcha is harvested from the first tiny buds of the tea plant. It is ground by hand into a fine powder and drunk whole. Amongst its many benefits, matcha is packed with antioxidants including the powerful EGCg. It boosts metabolism and burns calories, detoxifies effectively and naturally, and contains L-Theanine (which calms and relaxes). It is 10 times more powerful than regular green tree.
Matcha is a fresh food and it is recommended that once it is harvested that it gets used within the first six months. Unfortunately most of this tea on store shelves is not dated and has not been stored to preserve all the nutrients. I am exploring purchasing it directly from the grower, to be assured of the highest quality product. If you are interested in purchasing some of this tea, please feel free to call my office at 303 442-0306.
People with illness and pain often ask me in one way or another, “What did I do wrong.” In some ways this selfexamination binds us to the past and perpetuates conditions. Albert Einstein said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” This creates a conundrum for someone with a chronic illness or even with minor ailments. How do I change my consciousness when I live in my body every day?
In fact what looks solid and real is actually made of light and is interpreted through the senses. We all have access to healing. We carry it with us. It can be felt in the heart.
Not the heart that beats and pumps blood, nor from an emotional place. It is a place of wisdom and knowing. To access this place drop down into the heart space. There are many avenues to the heart space. Some people use music, art, nature or meditation.
A useful visualization to access this space begins by closing the eyes, imagining an elevator door and a push button. You push the button, the doors open, you enter and press the button going down. When the doors open again you enter in the heart space. Discover for yourself how it feels. It is your space to find.
From the heart space it is interesting to ask open ended questions like, “If I know I am loved, what would I see.”
Another simple and wonderful tool is to remember being a small child. Think about toys or books that delighted you at that age. Read Good Night Moon or Charlotte’s Web and let the words transport you to a time when it was okay to play and imagine.
“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
~ Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit
I have exciting news. My mother, Annemarie Mahler is starring in a documentary about her life. It is called, Whatever Comes Next. The movie tells the story of her life using her art and writing. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I look forward to viewing it with her on April 26th in Bloomington, Indiana.
The information in this newsletter is not intended to replace the relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge from research and experience of B. Mahler, LAc.
Barbara A. Mahler, LAc has practiced
Traditional Oriental Medicine and
Nutrition since 1987 and happily continues today.
For information go to barbaraamahler.com.