Conscious Eating

Vegetables over Soba noodles

 I was inspired after watching the documentary movie FORKS OVER KNIVES to compose this post about what I am calling CONSCIOUS EATING.

According to Webster’s Dictionary:

Conscious: “perceiving, apprehending, or noticing with a degree of controlled thought or observation”.

Eating: “to take in through the mouth as food”.

Placed together, Conscious Eating, would be defined as:

Taking into consideration what we are putting into our bodies as food.

If asked what one image from this film has stayed with me, I would have to say that of a clogged artery being removed during surgery. How does an artery get to be so clogged? That is what this film addresses. If you care about your health or that of your children, read on.

The following is a synopsis of Forks Over Knives:

“What has happened to us? Despite the most advanced medical technology in the world, we are sicker than ever by nearly every measure.

Two out of every three of us are overweight. Cases of diabetes are exploding, especially amongst our younger population. About half of us are taking at least one prescription drug. Major medical operations have become routine, helping to drive health care costs to astronomical levels. Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the country’s three leading causes of death, even though billions are spent each year to "battle" these very conditions. Millions suffer from a host of other degenerative diseases.

Could it be there’s a single solution to all of these problems? A solution so comprehensive but so straightforward, that it’s mind-boggling that more of us haven’t taken it seriously?

FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn”.

Anyone reading my post can google the film title and read the synopsis in its entirety. Better yet, rent or buy this film. Then when done, pass it on to your family & friends. Share the information you learn from the film. Start a dialogue w/others.

Losing weight is a by-product of learning to eat healthier and make better food choices. How many of us read the package labels to know what’s in our processed food? If you knew, would you care? Would you make changes to your diet if it meant better health?

SKYSCRAPERS TO PALM TREES

Top: Michelle & Lynne 2011    Bottom 2: Moorea, Tahiti

I was recently writing a message on Facebook to a friend I made on a vacation to an island in the South Pacific 3 decades ago and have not seen since. At the time we met, L.A. was her hometown. I was from NYC, living in Manhattan.

 

It takes 24 hours to arrive on the island of Moorea, in Tahiti, from Manhattan, door to door. Being young and single and needing a break from city life, Club Med Vacations offered a nice getaway. A cab, two jets, a 4-hour layover, a small plane, and a bus ride later, there I was about to spend the next 2 weeks in an exotic location not knowing a soul. Needless to say, I was a bit tired when I finally arrived on this very tiny island, Moorea.

I remember getting off the bus so excited though, to be finally there. It was at that point I noticed Michelle standing there. I went up to her and asked quite directly, do you smoke cigarettes? She gave me the answer I was hoping for. She said no. I said, well great, neither do I, want to be roommates?

She said ok. And with that, I was ready to head down to the beach and jump right into the crystal clear water.

We became good pals right from the beginning, exploring the island outside of Club Med. Though activities and food were all inclusive, we thought it was more fun to see the island from another perspective. I remember there was only one road around the whole island. We found a couple of bicycles and rode for miles. A man standing at a tree getting mangos down handed us one. When we asked how much, he said, no money. It’s free. We rode up to a house with a big window in front. A man and woman were sitting inside and once we realized they could speak English, we chatted. We learned they had moved here from Paris, as did many other transplanted city dwellers. It was a great week for both of us. She had only signed up for a week so at the end of 7 days, we said goodbye. We promised to keep in touch. I stayed on for another week. I painted with watercolors that second week and kept busy meeting vacationers from New Zealand.

Once I returned to Manhattan, ( Miche) Michelle kept her promise. We wrote back and forth for a while. Then she wrote that she was moving to Northern California with a great guy who was now her boyfriend. I was happy for her and excited she was starting a new chapter. We soon lost touch, as they say, life gets in the way. There was no Facebook in those days.

I finally left NYC after 15 years in the Big Apple. I started my own new chapter 21 years ago when I bought a one-way ticket and moved to LA. I wanted a change of lifestyle. I was tired of looking at concrete. I would measure time at first by saying I was living in L.A. 2 months. Then it became 2 years. Then 20. Wow, does time fly. I have discovered that writing down one’s thoughts helps to process one’s life. After all, each of us has a story to tell.

Recently I was rummaging through an old box of stuff, you know the kind, where memories are kept. I came upon a picture postcard I had received so long ago. It was that famous photo of John Lennon in a NYC T-shirt. It was from my pal Michelle while she still lived in L.A. I re-read what she wrote picturing this 21 year old in my head. She made guys heads turn, like no other, when she walked down the street. At some point, having remembered her full name, I thought I might find her on Facebook. Luckily there was only one person with her name on the site. Though 30 years have passed, I could tell in the photo, it was she. I wrote a short message and sent it off.  Then I had to forget about it because I didn’t hear back right away. Then what felt like out of the blue, it was a month later, I got a reply. She too was excited that I had reached out and found her on Facebook. The reason for the delay was that she’d been working non-stop at her job and had little time for much else. She and I spoke briefly on the phone during her break and plan to see each other as soon as schedules permit. It was in my last email message to her that I explained my reason for moving out WEST. Simply put, I needed a change of lifestyle. I coined the phrase “Skyscrapers to Palm Trees” in that very moment.  

Practicing What I Preach on a Daily Basis

Hand Carved Pumpkins by Four Unique Individuals

I am a firm believer in paying attention to who and what shows up in our daily life. If I am meeting a new person and they talk about a book they are reading they absolutely love, I consider the possibility I am meant to be aware of this title for current or future reading. I take notes. If plans with someone don’t materialize I go with the flow. I consider that I was not meant to spend that day with them. Our ability to apply the spiritual laws or lessons to our daily lives grows over time if we are on that path of self-awareness.

It’s so much nicer not to be in a state of mental suffering in our daily lives. When a friend shares with me a situation in which they are having trouble letting go of that, I suggest what has been suggested to me. Change the dialogue. Yes, we all have a voice inside our head. Our thoughts are constantly flowing in our heads and that is why I believe we benefit from meditating. Just like anything else, it’s a skill we practice. It’s also a gift we give ourselves. Just living is stressful enough so allowing ourselves to sit quietly with no distraction for 30 minutes or more can be very healing. We possess the ability to heal ourselves but we need to be connected within. Wayne Dyer has a wonderful way of explaining the connection we all have by virtue of being born into this world. The POWER OF INTENTION was a book he wrote while applying the spiritual laws that were coming into his awareness. The book he admits, wrote itself.

What unrealized gift may you be holding within that you can release as a result of practicing connecting within. You choose the way but the end result is a sense of well being and joy.

Recommended Reading:

Hot Chocolate For The Mystical Soul

By Arielle Ford

101 True Stories of Angels, Miracles, and Healings

More on Wayne Dyer & The Power of Intention

Rose Quartz & Crystal Ankle Bracelet w/Heart accent

 

 

 

 

The phone rang at 5:30 pm. It was a friend calling to see if I was available for a hike. I was not but the friend’s call triggered a memory. She had told me earlier that morning her Mom was grateful to me for sending some Wayne Dyer wisdom over the net a while back. Her mom awoke feeling depressed that very morning and hearing Wayne Dyer helped her. I realized after hanging up I had not gotten around to listening to all the Wayne Dyer material that had easily come into my possession some months ago. I wanted to listen to it now.

“All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together.”

“We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter.”  Quoted from Max Planck, Nobel Prize 1918/ Physics/Father of Quantum Theory

“Intention is not something you do but something you connect to”. “Cleanse the connecting link between you & the Source of all creation and you’ll be more in harmony with this field of intention to create miracles in your life. *Wayne Dyer

Like brushing your teeth to keep them clean, the connecting link to Source must be cleansed on a daily basis. Meditation & Yoga can be among the tools to cleanse the connecting link. Keep the link “corrosion free”. Wayne Dyer poses an excellent question. How “ready” are you to keep the link, corrosion free? Once you determine readiness, then he’ll ask how “willing” are you to keep the link, corrosion free? Each of us determines our own experience by how we answer those two questions.

Scientific research has led to the discovery of Serotonin, a hormone manufactured in the brain. It’s been recognized by the medical establishment that a lack of serotonin is linked to depression.

As a natural hormone it helps maintain a "happy feeling," and seems to help keep our moods under control by helping with sleep, calming anxiety, and relieving depression.

Wayne Dyer believes that levels of serotonin, also linked to boosting our immune system, can be raised when we are kind to someone else, or when we witness kindness by others. Changing the dialogue within our own heads from negative to positive is also a way to potentially produce more serotonin. Being of service to others is an act of kindness & gives us purpose. To the extent we are kind to ourselves we can extend kindness to others. To the extent we can connect within we can connect to others. To the extent we show love to ourselves we can show love to others.

I do believe we possess the ability to heal ourselves when we are aligned with Source and our connecting link is clean and clear.

Getting Back to Wayne Dyer

Quartz & Crystal Anklet

 

I had started the book “THE POWER OF INTENTION: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way” by Wayne Dyer a number of months ago. Before finishing, other titles were showing up in my life. Conversations with friends were one way they’d make it into my awareness. I do believe in paying attention to what shows up at any given time. So I took a break from reading Dyer to start several others, trusting in the idea that there was good reason these other books were calling out to be read at that moment. Five books later, I am ready to resume. 

Today was the day I picked up The Power of Intention. I opened to where I had left my bookmark. I started the chapter and realized only a few sentences in that this was exactly what I needed to read now. I then went to the very last chapter, which he asks the reader to start with. It’s called A PORTRAIT OF A PERSON CONNECTED TO THE FIELD OF INTENTION.

“A person who lives in a state of unity with the Source of all life doesn’t look any different from ordinary folks. These people don’t wear a halo or dress in special garments that announce their godlike qualities. But when you notice that they go through life as the lucky ones who seem to get all the breaks, and when you begin to talk to them, you realize how distinctive they are compared to people living at ordinary levels of awareness.” “These people, whom I call “connectors” to signify their harmonious connection with the field of intention, are individuals who have made themselves available for success.” “They’ve made themselves available for success, and they know and trust in an invisible force that’s all providing. They’re so well connected to the all-providing Source that it’s as if they have a natural aura preventing anything from getting through that might weaken their connection to the creative energy of the power of intention.” “To connectors, it all seems so simple. Keep your thoughts on what you intend to create. Stay consistently matched up with the field of intention, and then watch for the clues that what you’re summoning from the all-creative Source is arriving in your life. To a connector, there are simply no accidents. Everything that shows up in their lives is there because the power of intention intended it there. So they’re always in a state of gratitude. They feel thankful for everything, even things that might seem to be obstacles. They have the ability and desire to see a temporary illness as a blessing, and they know in their heart that somewhere an opportunity exists in the setback, and that is what they look for in everything that shows up in their life.”

 Again, thank you Dr. Wayne Dyer for sharing your wisdom with us so we may lift the veil to realize our essence as a spiritual being having a human experience.

Spiral Happy Art Cards on You Tube HD Widescreen

 Spiral Happy Art Cards, designed by Lynne Dee, set to "Pennies from Heaven", sung by Cynthia Speer and time lapse photography by M.T. Workman, will lift your spirits high as you enjoy the collaborative efforts of these 3 artists.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkxkNNxyZx8

Be Heard!

Be Heard!  Art Card by Lynne Dee

 I am not one who regularly calls the offices of politicians or writes to journalists but I feel it is my duty to get involved when I see a wrongdoing affect so many, including me.

The letter arrived in the mail recently. Before I even opened the envelope I knew it couldn’t be good news. The sender was Anthem, my health insurance carrier. Anthem inherited me a few years ago when they took over Blue Cross of California.

With trepidation I opened the letter. It was worse than I ever imagined. Not that two increases within a 7-month period were bad enough, but this notice of change was yet even worse. I was being notified, along with thousands of others, that Anthem would no longer be providing automatic credit card payments for premiums. But do not stop there. They decided, after careful consideration, that if you still insisted on paying for premiums with a credit card, you could only do so by calling their number, waiting to be connected to a live person, which is no easy feat, and then be charged an additional $15.00 which they graciously are calling a “convenience” fee.

What a slap in the face!

I should include here that Anthem went on to say that they welcome you to go to their web site and sign up for electronic debit from your checking account monthly. How kind of them.

I re-read the letter several times to absorb this. Something didn’t feel right about this “convenience” fee. I knew from years ago when I tried to pay a dentist visit with my then American Express card, the office told me that if I used my AE card, I would have to pay an added fee. I didn’t want that. I gave them my Visa card instead. That they said would not incur an extra fee from them. But I did call A.E. after that. I explained what I was told by the Dentist office. They explained that it is not allowed. When a merchant signs up with them, they agree not to charge a surcharge of any kind. This dentist was breaking the agreement. I fired this dentist by never going back for their services.

So here I am in a similar situation. The only difference is that unlike the dentist, they don’t want to accept any credit cards and are discouraging that use by slapping on a surcharge of $15. I also cannot change health carriers as easy as changing dentists. And they know it.

In David Lazarus’ June 14^th LA Times Business section article about Anthem’s decision to charge a convenience fee when a credit card is used to pay for premiums, he reported that Anthem denies it is breaking the “surcharge rule”.  For those who don’t know, California Civil Code 1748.1 states “no retailer in any sales, service or lease transaction with a consumer may impose a surcharge on a cardholder who elects to use a credit card in lieu of payment by cash, check or similar means”. I recommend googling CA Civil Code 1748 for more info.

So there it is. Anthem thinks that they can just re-name the “fee” that is being added on to the premium and this will fool everyone. I hope our State Attorney is not fooled. According to Lazarus, the California Attorney General’s office is looking into whether Anthem may be violating state law.

We only have until August 1 when then the new payment system kicks in. For now, I am not signing up at their web site per their invitation. Thank you but no thank you.

FYI: The CA State Assembly House has passed the bill AB52. The California Senate will be voting on the bill AB52 in the upcoming weeks that would give our CA Health Insurance Commissioner some power to regulate the unfair increases in rates on our premiums. Yes, let’s not forget that battle is still on.

Why Meditate?

"Gold Leaf & Flowers" Card by Lynne Dee

I have always heard that meditation is a really good thing to do for oneself. It became one of those things on my LIST TO DO, but I just never seemed disciplined enough, in that way, to actually practice sitting still and being quiet with my eyes closed for say, 30 minutes. That always seemed like an awfully long time not to be doing anything.

Well, I have changed my mind on that. One needs direct experience of regular practice of meditation to understand the benefits of this journey. It is a process.

It’s like trying to explain the benefits of yoga to someone who has never tried it. You just have to give it a try yourself. Direct experience is the best gift to give oneself.

I was at a friend’s place two weeks ago when I picked up a book sitting on a small side table.  The title: Learn to Meditate by David Fontana. I opened up to a random page. I saw this paragraph under the headline: Levels of Thought

“…it is helpful to identify four levels of thinking. The first and lowest level is negative thought, which includes feelings of anger, fear, sadness, regret, and unease. Negative thought makes us egotistical and lazy. The second level is wasteful thought, when we waste our time worrying about things that might not happen, or about things that are outside our control. The third level is necessary thought, such as, “I must not forget to pay the electricity bill,” or  “I must remember to send a birthday card.” The highest level is positive thought, which encourages peace, harmony, creativity, love and happiness. In meditation we can free our minds from negative and wasteful thoughts and elevate them to the highest level”. 

I was intrigued. That was all I got to read on that day but it stuck in my mind that I would have to read that whole book someday. Today I borrowed the book and began to read from page one.

Over the last two weeks I have meditated in the park with a group of fellow yogis. I have discovered that my perception of time has undergone a change. Right now we are sitting still for 30 minutes, up from 15. When I began I thought 30 sounded like a long time. There are people who meditate for an hour or longer and I suppose at some point I too will feel like doing that. The combination of meditating and yoga is fantastic. There’s a calmness that comes over one. Mindfulness sets in. According to the author, mindfulness means putting the mind fully into the present, so that we are engaged with what we are doing. Mindfulness can therefore be thought of as a process of self-monitoring. It should flow continuously throughout our waking life, so that meditation is not confined to our sessions of sitting, but rather becomes a way of being.

For now we are, as a group, meditating in nature. What I love about being in a park is that there’s always the sound of birds chirping away to recall us to the present moment or perhaps an occasional breeze. Staying present can be very challenging. There are so many distractions in life, especially our own thoughts, which keep us from the present moment. Hooray for the park and nature as a backdrop for group meditation. It’s such a wonderful journey when each of us can challenge ourselves with doing something new or different outside of our comfort zone. Growth occurs there.

Back in March of 1996 I read Deepak Chopra’s book called “Ageless Body, Timeless Mind”.

I copied from his book into my journal back then: “The very act of paying conscious attention to bodily functions, instead of leaving them on automatic pilot, will change how you age.

By inserting an intention into your thought processes, such as, “I want to improve in energy and vigor everyday” your intention not to age is triggered and the body carries it out. It’s the mind body connection at work, and the power of your intention”.

In India, the flow of intelligence is called Prana. The ability to contact and use prana is within all of us. In place of the belief that your body decays with time, nurture the belief that your body is new at every moment.

There is much to learn from Deepak Chopra as well as other spiritual teachers and the Eastern philosophies regarding health and mind/ body/spirit connections. WE are lucky in the West to have such wise people share their wisdom with us and have the access to books and other materials to aid us in this journey of self-awareness.

Father’s Day 2011 is coming up on the 19th of June.

Father's Day Card by Lynne Dee

Who has been the most influential person in your life?

My answer to that question really surprises me. Before listening to a recorded LIVE Event seminar of Wayne Dyer’s recently, I would not have thought to say “my father”. After hearing Dr. Dyer share the story of how his life began, I started to shift my thinking quite a bit. I doubt anyone who knows about Wayne Dyer would disagree that he is a successful author, lecturer and spiritual guide. He’s been writing books and public speaking since he received a doctorate back in 1970. The man, when he speaks to audiences, makes a lot of sense. His words resonate with me. So what exactly did he say that made me shift my thinking about a father I would not hesitate to admit had a lot of flaws when it came to communication and understanding.

He explained that ten days after he was born, his own father abruptly left his mom and two older brothers, never to return home again. No phone calls, no financial support, nothing over the span of the next 15 years. Wayne never had the opportunity to meet his biological father. Only after the man was dead and buried in a pauper’s grave for ten years somewhere in another state, did he come upon a realization at the foot of this grave, that could add some perspective to his view of this man he hated all his life.

After he cursed and vented his anger for three hours standing at the grave, he settled down and a sense of peace came over him. He realized this man was the most influential person in his life. He realized that his father gave him a great gift. Learn to be self-sufficient. And he did. In foster care until his mother could reclaim him and his brothers, he learned how to rely on just himself. As an adult, Wayne reflected on the conversation his Dad might have had right before his incarnation into this life. “God, give me a situation in this life, whereby, I teach someone else forgiveness. If it means becoming an alcoholic who treats women badly, so be it. Forgiveness and compassion are important virtues and I want to be that instrument for teaching that to even just one person in my life”. So there it was. Wayne Dyer thanked his father for giving him the path to forgiveness and compassion. A lightness came over him. He never again would have to feel hatred and anger towards this man. Instead he knew that this gift was what enabled him to be this successful person who could help others see the wisdom where once none was to be seen.

As I listened to Dr. Wayne Dyer speak, I too came upon a realization. I pictured my father saying to God just before his incarnation, “let me help even just one person to learn the importance of sharing through communication. Even if it means I have to refrain from talking to my own child for three months at a time over the course of many years”. 

And so it goes. I was given this gift of understanding the power of connecting through sharing and communicating.

I wish all the Dads around the world, including my Dad up in heaven, a Happy Father’s Day 2011.

Why the Blog?

Lynne Dee

On February 28^th, 2011, I started this blog on the suggestion of a good friend, Marla Martenson. I started by picking the name Spiral Happy. The explanation for that title is found in the page I call “Why the Spiral”?

Originally the intention was to showcase my unique art cards & jewelry. Though it does give me a way to display my creations, it’s been a wonderful exercise in organizing my thoughts on a topic to share with readers. Through sharing, even with strangers, we find a way to connect.

Writing has always been an activity I enjoy and respect. It’s challenging to develop this skill and it gives opportunity to go outside one’s comfort zone and two steps beyond.

The technology of the Internet allows us all to have a voice.

Who knows where the road leads us?

That’s exciting!!

One of my favorite quotations goes like this: “When you've come to the edge of all the light you know

And are ready to step into the darkness of the unknown.

Faith is knowing one of two things will happen.

There will be something solid to stand on

Or you will be taught how to fly”.

Lots of love to you the reader!

Happiness is an inside job.

Have faith in where you are at this very moment.

MY APPOINTMENT with a PSYCHIC specializing in FOOD

Greeting Card by Lynne Dee

 It was right after the New Year began in 1996. I had been saving the name and phone number since 1990 when I first came upon the existence of a British woman living here in Los Angeles, who through word of mouth, had a nutrition practice. Unlike others in her field, she may not have had any formal training or even a credential to her name. But when a friend went to her, instead of to a doctor, to treat her Candida and was helped, I made a mental note that she was special.

It was January 1996 when I made an appointment to see Ms. Poole at her home office in Brentwood, California. I was told I would spend one hour with her. The hour would cost $175 and it would be audio taped. I would get to keep the cassette. I had never been to a nutritionist or a psychic before but in moving to California from New York it was my intention to remain open to new ideas. I had a good feeling about this woman.  As I drove up and parked at her home, I took notice of the beautiful surrounding area. She had a wonderful view. She was enveloped in trees and lots of nature. I felt good as I rang the bell. I had brought with me a list of health concerns I wanted her to know about. The list helped me to organize what I needed addressing. I was concerned with at least half a dozen conditions known to be inherited by members of the same family. Included were arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and allergies to animals. I had included my recent bout with tendonitis, a ganglion cyst and periodontal disease. At the very bottom was written; perhaps lose a few pounds too. I had moved out from NYC carrying an extra 15 pounds on my small frame that always made me self-conscious. Food and weight had been an issue for me since my college days. That was two decades earlier.

Ms. Poole walked in the room and sat down and took my hand. She never asked me what I ate. Instead she told me. Back then I was eating a lot of chicken. Chicken in every way it was processed and sold. I remember thinking that it was a good form of protein and affordable.  I had no idea at the time this was not a good diet. She looked at me and said I had too much sugar and salt in my system as well. I could not disagree. So what diet would she put me on I thought to myself. The answer came. She pulled out a sheet of paper with food by categories and began checking off foods. She explained as she did this, that when she first began seeing clients, she checked off which foods they had to avoid. She soon realized this was a negative way to approach things. Instead why not check off the foods to include, and if the food didn’t have a check, then avoid it for the first 6-12 weeks. This was not forever, she explained. Eventually foods would be introduced back into the plan but for now, it had to be strictly followed. Have a problem, call her. She was available to all her clients on the phone.

So what had she checked off?

She had a category called GREEN & LOW STARCH VEGETABLES. There were 42 items with only 9 check marks. It was okay for me to eat artichoke, asparagus, bok choy, green beans, parsley, summer squash, yellow squash, zucchini, and Swiss chard.  I didn’t even know what Swiss chard was. Though it wasn’t checked off, I had never even heard of kale, leek, mustard greens, to name a few.  Her next category of foods was called VEGETABLE STARCH. Who knew that those two words were related? Not me. She had not checked off one food item in that category. She wrote AVOID FOR THIS TIME next to that list. FRUITS was the next category. She had 35 fruits listed and 4 checked off. I was to bake the apple or pear before eating those and not to have more than 2/3 cup daily.  Nothing was checked under MILK PRODUCTS.  Never before in my life had I gone without some form of dairy. This was going to be an adventure for sure. She got around to PROTEINS and looked at me. I remember her saying.. You will be surprised when I tell you what you are to eat in the way of protein. I had not shared with her that I had been diagnosed with anemia in my past. She checked off organic beef. Fish and lamb but sparingly. Next came GRAINS. I was to avoid all wheat and yeast. She checked off kamut and a few other grains. I had never heard of the kamut grain before. Under FATS she had written: use sparingly.

So there it was. What seemed like a very limited diet to me was what she wanted me to follow for 6-12 weeks.  I decided that if I was going to pay her fee, which for me was no small amount, I was going to follow it exactly. And I did. I lost weight and changed my shape through regular exercise. I got healthier. I came to believe in the importance of what we eat or don’t eat is crucial to our quality of life.

As I look back on that experience, I can say that it was only the beginning of my education into food and healing. I am still evolving in my awareness of what a healthy lifestyle is made up of.  Whereas once I tried to use food to fill a void but to no avail, I have enjoyed the pleasures of eating without that feeling of guilt or worry for over 15 years. It’s liberating. Learning about healthier foods and lifestyles is a life long process. There’s much to learn.

Love fills the void I once felt could only be filled with food. I have come to understand that the more you give love and kindness to yourself, the more you can love and be kind to others.

The Journey of Spiritual Transformation

Greeting Card by Lynne Dee

We are all connected to all other living things. We all come from the same Source.  We are all energy in physical form.

Energy is defined in the dictionary as: the capacity for doing work or being active. Vibration and frequency are terms associated with energy.  I believe we are also responsible for own vibration, the high or low level energy states we find ourselves in. When we raise our vibration, we seem to attract what we want or need into our lives.  Therefore, when things don’t seem to be working out, wouldn't it stand to reason our vibration is low? This is a good time to look within ourselves. It is here we may find negative thoughts and negative thoughts are typically rooted in fear. Fear lowers our vibration. When our vibration is low it is hard to connect to the source, the power of intention that allows us to attract what we want to bring about more joy in our lives. I guess my point is that we limit ourselves often through our own devices.

While we are in our bodies in physical form, we get to experience life through our senses. We also get to experience a connection to our higher selves if we are tuned in and look within while staying present, in the moment.

I do believe we are spiritual beings having a human experience and not the other way around, which is to say a human being having a spiritual experience. Though when I connect to another human being through communication, which is different from talking, I love to hear how they are applying what they learn about themselves and others in their growing spiritual awareness and in any spiritual transformation taking place. Though we may have stopped going to school years ago, our learning and growing as spiritual beings can continue for as long as we want. Attracting new people into our lives and reading books relating to spiritual transformation are just 2 ways to enhance growth.

Seek and thee shall find.  

Just one of many quotes I like to repeat.

Mother’s Day 2011 is coming up on the 8th of May

Mom with her Mom & Aunts

Mother’s Day means different things to different people.

I would like to share my own personal story of this particular holiday.

The year was 1989.  In February of that year my Mom was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. Within three months of that diagnosis she was in the hospital spending what would be the last week of her life. Both my sister and I were told that the end was near so we got on a plane to be at her side. We had previously taken turns going down to visit her but this time we were both there.

With Mother’s Day approaching as we arrived to be at her side, I had a card for her that I wanted to be able to give her. I knew that this would be my last Mother’s Day card for her. Little did I know then that my Mom had saved many of the cards I had made for her over the years. Some went as far back as 6 years old.  I now have those cards in my possession and I treasure them. After our loved ones pass on, cards and photos are reminders of our time shared on this earth.

If Mom were alive today she’d get a kick out of the fact that I continue to make Greeting Cards as a way to express myself. I love that others want to give the special people in their lives an art card that I have made.  I get to learn something about the person giving, as well as the person receiving, that card. When I learn enough to add that special something to the card, there’s a great feeling.

I wish all the mothers around the world a very Happy Mother’s Day.

Tourist for a Day

Wax figure of my right hand

I admit it. I did a touristy thing in my own backyard recently. I had help though. I bought a groupon aka discount ticket, to Madame Tussauds Hollywood so I could check out just how good or bad the wax figures were of all those famous people we have come to recognize so easily.

Upon approaching the entrance, one is greeted by none other than Nicholas Cage. Who knew that he would be in the news as of late, not for starring in a new movie but for charges of domestic violence. Well they say any publicity for actors is better than none, so OK.

I tried asking Nick for his side of the story but all I got was a cool stare from him. At least I got my photo op with him.

There are three levels to explore on one’s own inside the wax museum. There are worse ways to spend an hour and a half I suppose. I was amazed at how good a handful of figures are. Some looked very real. Others, not so real.

With a hundred photos in my camera, I was ready to have my right hand preserved in wax. Did I mention that the groupon included a complimentary wax figure of one’s hand? I stood in line waiting my turn for that. The little boy ahead of me started crying uncontrollably when they lowered his hand into the tank of water filled with ice cubes to set the wax. It’s the longest 30 seconds. For a moment I had to ask myself if I really needed this waxy souvenir to bring home.

But then I saw how wonderful the finished product looks. One can be very creative. You choose the color of the wax and the way the fingers are held. As an artist I could not resist the opportunity to create. So when it was my turn, I gave up my hand to the young man, trusting that he’d do right by me.  And yes. The little boy was right. That water was very cold. Fortunately numbness sets in pretty quickly.

The Blue Eye Amulet

Blue Eye Amulet Choker/Necklace by Lynne Dee for Spiral Happy

I got curious about the blue eye amulet.

I have to admit I didn’t know that much about it before googling the term. 

Here are some excerpts from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The evil eye is a look that is believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck for the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike. The term also refers to the “power” attributed to certain persons of inflicting injury or bad luck by such an envious or ill-wishing look.

The idea expressed by the term causes many cultures to pursue protective measures against it. The concept and its significance vary widely among different cultures, primarily the Middle East. The idea appears several times in translations (of the Old Testament). It was a widely extended belief between many Mediterranean tribes and cultures: It started in Classical Greece and later passed to ancient Rome.

Attempts to ward off the curse of the evil eye have resulted in a number of talismans in many cultures. As a class, they are called "apotropaic" (Greek for "prophylactic" or "protective," literally: "turns away") talismans, meaning that they turn away or turn back harm.

Disks or balls, consisting of concentric blue and white circles (usually, from inside to outside, dark blue, light blue, white, dark blue) representing an evil eye are common apotropaic talismans in the Middle East, found on the prows of Mediterranean boats and elsewhere; in some forms of the folklore, the staring eyes are supposed to bend the malicious gaze back to the sorcerer.

A blue eye can also be found on some forms of the hamsa hand, an apotropaic hand-shaped talisman against the evil eye found in the Middle East. The word hamsa, also spelled khamsa and hamesh, means "five" referring to the fingers of the hand. In Jewish culture, the hamsa is called the Hand of Miriam; in some Muslim populated cultures, the Hand of Fatima. However, it is considered a superstition to practicing or religious Muslims that any symbol or object protects against the evil eye. In Islam, only God can protect against the evil eye.

In Brazil, the equivalent for the evil eye is called olho gordo or "mau olhado" (loosely translated as "fat eye"). It is said that, when a person compliments something that someone else has, the owner should be cautious about who the other person is. That means, if the compliment is sincere, there's no harm done; if it's not, then the other person intends that thing to be either theirs or gone. Usually, it is believed that a future damage to the thing complimented comes from the envious person who complimented it.

In closing,

May all your compliments, given and received, be sincere. (-:

Earn Your Growth

What do you do when you come upon a wall also known as fear? Do you retreat or do you climb it to get to the other side?  To be human is to have fears. But fears serve a purpose.  They are there to allow us to make a choice. Face them and you realize they are no longer a fear. Instead you have done something you didn’t know you could do and you feel more confident. But if you choose to retreat and not climb that wall you will miss out on an experience.

Becoming aware of the wall is really the first step in challenging yourself to grow.  Fears come in all sizes. Sometimes they are masked as something else. Procrastination and laziness may be the mask. Whatever stops us from leaping into unknown waters can be fear lurking its head.

Ask yourself this question. What did I do today I was not sure I could do? And remember that when things are too familiar, we don’t challenge ourselves.

Challenge yourself and you will grow!

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

Wearing the earrings I eventually lost from one ear

              If asked the question, who would I like to have dinner with, I would probably say Wayne Dyer. I am currently reading his book “THE POWER OF INTENTION: Learning to Co-create Your World Your Way.” From the moment I opened this book I was hooked. No one told me to read it but once I got the book and started telling others about it I got the same response. “Oh, I read it.”  Considering how many books are out there in the world I am awestruck once again as to the way this book found its way into my hands. This is my story.

              I read in the newspaper that Border Books was closing many storefronts here in California and filing for bankruptcy.  I had a store credit I knew had to be used soon so I decided to visit the Glendale location. When I walked in I knew this would be my first and last time here. This was a large store.  Many shelves were already emptied. I went immediately to the second floor to browse. I went through the aisles and found a couple of books maybe I might like to own and held on to them. Then I made my way to the ground floor and felt drawn to a stack of books not far from the stairs I had used to go up and down. Why these books were not on a shelf on the second floor I do not know. But when I looked down I saw THE POWER OF INTENTION. I saw lots of color blue on the cover and in the pages. I had heard of Wayne Dyer but never read his books. Recently I had been thinking that I would like to know more about setting an intention so when I realized here was a book on the subject it was like winning a lottery. I wanted this book and one of the two from upstairs. Now I was ready to go to the cashier.  My credit covered both books and a couple of Sharpie pens. I owed a penny. As the cashier handed me my receipt, he said, there couldn’t be any returns on this purchase.  It is FINAL. I smiled back at him. Fortunately I have no desire to return my lucky finds that day. This is one book I can read and re-read.

DRIVING IN L.A.

USA Forever Postage Stamp w/floral accents CARD by Lynne Dee

One Motorist Story: Justice Denied

I have been driving in L.A. for the last 20 years.

On Saturday January 16^th of 2010, I was stopped and pulled over in my car at 8:30 in the morning by an LAPD traffic cop on a motorcycle. I had one passenger in the car. What I didn’t know then but came to learn was that an undercover LAPD traffic operation sting was being carried out on W. Washington Blvd. at the intersection of Lovelace on that early morning in January. But that’s getting ahead of the story.

On that day, I had just turned onto Washington Blvd. off of Vermont to travel the straight mile and a half to Broadway. As soon as I turned onto Washington Blvd. the road was all torn up and gravelly. All lanes and crosswalks were gone. It appeared that the road was undergoing a prepping for re-paving. I would observe later that some time would pass before the road would be re-paved. Here I was on this January morning worrying that I might blow a tire. I slowed down to less than 25 mph. But there was another problem. Dust from other cars also made driving hazardous. Had I been more familiar with the area I might have turned off the road completely but I had only my directions for where I was going using Washington Blvd, to arrive at Broadway.  I noted a police car to my left traveling in the same direction. When we got the green light, the dust created by that police car to my left made me want to slow down a bit more so as to get a bit more distance between us. The torn up road and the dust together made it such a challenge to drive on this very early Saturday morning.  I had a green light at the point a motorcycle cop stopped me.  Was anyone concerned for driver safety and think to block off this part of Washington or was it only the agenda of the LAPD to “catch” drivers putting pedestrians at risk by not stopping as they crossed? In a culture whereby the LAPD must be questioned on their agenda vs. safety, I want to draw attention to what I feel may be more of an agenda than safety concerns by the LAPD.

Contemplate this: the LAPD, and I don’t know who or at what level, authorized this sting and at that “exact” location on Washington Blvd at Lovelace… to catch drivers not yielding to plain clothes cops. So let’s get this straight… We have a torn up road that poses a danger to drivers and then have at the very first crosswalk after the gravel ends, along w/the dust, undercover cops pretending to be pedestrians crossing the street.

When I asked what I was being cited for I honestly had no idea. When he said failure to yield to peds I was in shock. There were no pedestrians. My passenger said she saw no pedestrians. In hindsight I have to question if the plainclothes cops were on a break… and the cops in uniform were on a roll just to make the quota for JANUARY PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MONTH. It took 11 months from the time I got the ticket to face my accuser and a judge. Never having gotten a moving violation before I was new to the procedure in court. But I did have a timeline and some photos for the judge, as I pled NOT GUILTY. Once there we were told to find the cop who ticketed us and show him our defense. That was when I first learned about the sting and the phony peds. What I realized at that point, and I think this is crucial, is that if this was a sting, why weren’t there videos or at least photos of the pedestrians in the crosswalk. How about bringing in the cops who pretended to be peds and have them under oath. Here is an ideal situation where a video would be proof and yet there was none. I asked the cop, well, do you have some proof for me that a sting was ordered. He said no. When I asked where exactly these peds were, he claimed they were in the middle of the crosswalk. I asked him, “so if a car was traveling at the slow speed I was going, they would see these peds clearly and that 2 people in the car would see them” and he said yes. I knew at this point he was telling a lie. The judge doesn’t seem to connect the dots that this sting was conveniently set up so close to a torn up road that these variables would favor the LAPD in their sting. I never had a chance at justice.

I wrote down the name of the judge or at least the name on the plaque on the judge’s bench. Turns out this wasn’t even the right name of the judge. My judge was a light skinned black man. The judge on the plaque, when goggled, was a white man.

The entire experience of traffic court smells rotten. I know I am not alone in my observation. In closing, I have to ask these two questions. 

Why do we tolerate such unfairness in a court of law? Who, if anyone, will care?

ALL ABOUT THE MOON

Greeting Card by Lynne Dee for Spiral Happy

     In honor of the SUPER MOON that occurred on Saturday, March 19^th, 2011, it is a good time to reflect upon what the phases of the moon can mean to us here on Earth. The following information is just an overview. I suggest, for those interested in knowing more, to do some research on their own. Over the years I have kept a journal to include topics I have an interest in and have often included what other people have written as well. The following is from my journal.

The FULL MOON enhances intuition and psychic vision. It is a time of revelation. It is known as the best time for Divination, 3 days before (waxing) and 3 days after (waning) for a total of 7 days. This is a good time to ask about family, love, motivation of others, competition, money, fitness and health, decisions, and self-improvement. Issues are often clear at this time, sometimes painfully so. Dreams of a prophetic nature tend to occur here.

The WAXING MOON is on its way to FULL from NEW MOON. Energy & Strength increase.

The WANING MOON is on its way from FULL MOON to NEW MOON. It starts the 4^th day after the Full Moon and continues for 7 days. It is not the best time for divination.

The NEW MOON is also a good time for divination, 3 days before and 3 days after, for a total of 7 days. It is considered the beginning of a new cycle. It is a good time to begin new endeavors or make changes to existing ones. Questions about relationships or projects recently started or just ending are perfect subjects to bring up at this time. Questions focused on health, beauty, creative endeavors, money, legal matters, jobs, love and romance can be raised at this time. Analyze the significance of certain dreams you have at this time as well. Feel free to read an earlier post entitled “WHY WRITE DOWN YOUR DREAMS?” for some guidance on dreams.

In ending, I want to leave you with this last thought.

Many religions have used the phases of the Moon to determine a “holy day” aka holiday. 

Can you name any?