by natalia | Sep 29, 2007 | Uncategorized
You can look at the world in two ways: as falling to ruin under war, greed, materialism, and disease, or as awakening to the divine purpose and limitless potential of humanity. If you subscribe to the same old, negative mindset—that we must toil endlessly to reap “just rewards,” or prove our superiority over others—you cannot hope for a better world. But these days, more and more of you are embracing a whole new world of possibility.
With a bit of simple, pure knowledge we can prevent disease, aging, deprivation, loneliness and fear. Is it madness to say such a thing? Let’s take a closer and then decide which perspective is “madness” and which “sanity.” Consider the fact that it is socially acceptable to…
• be chronically depressed and exhausted;
• spend mindless hours in front of the TV;
• rely on the media for all of our knowledge;
• raise children to be addicted to soda, unfit foods, television, and video games;
• seek expensive products and plastic surgery to make up for poor self-care;
• knock back a heap of meds and toxic substances;
• and generally follow a misguided herd.
Is this madness or sanity?
I recently found myself in the cosmetic department of Bergdorf Goodman (for those of you who may not be familiar with this ultra-high-end department store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, it is a hub for hobnobbing socialites and Manolo-heeled debutantes of all ages). As I made my way through the cosmetic aisles, I marveled not over the sea impeccably coiffed and attired women (no, that was expected), but rather that all of their faces appeared so gray and lifeless despite access to the most expensive products, spa treatments, and dermatological expertise.
It was not just the over-forty crowd either: girls in their twenties appeared to be suffering from the same condition. Please note, I’m not saying any of this to be catty. In fact, I want all women of our great sisterhood to glow with sexy youth. But there they are, the most privileged women, day after day, spending, applying, washing, priming, plumping, injecting, and who knows what else—and guess what? They still look tired, sick and lifeless! What’s more, there is not a genuine smile or trace of inner joy to be found among them. And yet, they keep returning to the shiny cosmetic counters, drug stores, and doctor’s offices, shelling out vast quantities of money for the elusive “hope in a bottle” or miracle treatment that will never deliver real results.
This same phenomenon applies to every area of the modern world—whether it’s working ourselves to the bone for decades without pausing to appreciate the finer things in life; or raising a family but sacrificing closeness with our all-consuming focus on paying bills and sticking to a crazy schedule; or getting married merely to play the prescribed roles of husband and wife instead of cultivating deep feelings and unity.
Now, some of us lead a different kind of life: we juice fresh greens daily, eat only foods fit for human consumption, place unity with our higher-selves at the top of our daily agenda, and believe in the unlimited potential of humankind. I am the first to admit that my own commitment to this lifestyle places me well off the beaten track and thus appears “mad” to conventional folks—but I propose that it’s whole new level of sanity.
Going back to the ladies at Bergdorf’s… as I peered at all the ladies, so desperate to leave the store with something that would make them look and feel beautiful at any price, I considered madness driving them. I considered that, without all that I have learned, I too would have been caught up in more of the same madness with each passing year. My heart went out to these women, and to the desperate woman I might easily have become were it not for my own awakening.
We do not need to pile on anti-aging creams, get liposuction, face lifts, and take pharmaceutical drugs. A clean-celled body does not have cellulite or sagging skin, suffer from depression, repressed anger, diabetes, or thyroid problems. To mistreat the body and then, when things go wrong, address the symptoms with more objectionable substances and treatments—that </em>is the madness.
It’s never easy to be a minority voice and say, “Our ideas need to evolve.” Historically, such announcements do not elicit public applause. But, it’s no longer scary or lonely to live this way because hundreds of people around the world are awakening to it and will never turn back. The knowledge is all here for the taking, and with it a whole new world of possibility. Madness or sanity?
Today, I celebrate my 32nd birthday with overflowing delight as I count all of my blessings—my family, teachers, students, friends, and opportunities like this one to share what I have learned. My blessings have all come from what the stagnated “old world” might deem “madness,” but turns out to be the only sane option in a world gone mad.
I cannot think of a better way to celebrate this day than to express my endless gratitude for the magnificent guidance I have been given, and to say that I will walk in truth every moment of every day, whether it is seen as madness or sanity. I hope you will join me!
Your devoted friend,
Natalia
by natalia | Sep 22, 2007 | Uncategorized
Hello Friends!
I have just returned from a whirlwind trip to Paris and London, followed by a surprise visit to San Francisco—all to celebrate my 10th-year wedding anniversary (and to watch the South African Spring Boks neuter the English in the World Cup Rugby—Go BOKS!). I hadn’t been to Europe for ages so it was a refreshing change of view.
Sticking to the detox program while traveling is one of the most common concerns frequent travelers have when they embark on this diet-lifestyle. This latest trip confirmed for me yet again that all it requires is a little bit of thoughtful organizing. I managed to move about fully energized and pleasured by my meals—from planes to restaurants, hotels, and night clubs. The small preparations I made enabled me to enjoy the entire trip without a single compromise.
All hail to my bag of tricks—well, two actually. My first bag of tricks was designed to provide everything I could possibly want post-flight over the course of the following days. This bag is to be checked on the plane with my luggage.
Bag of tricks #1 contained:
• 5 frozen 16-ounce Green Lemonades (I made the juices the night before leaving and froze them overnight. Just before leaving home, I placed them in cooler bags and then in a hard, small suitcase with the other items below); • 4 blocks of frozen goat cheese (Alta Dena—my favorite);
• my cheese slicer (what can I say, I’m a food snob);
• some yummy beets I’d baked the night before;
• a head of cabbage;
• 3 bags of baby carrots;
• my favorite Dijon mustard (Westbrae); and
• countless 70% chocolate bars (Rapunzel Dark is my latest favorite).
Note: I placed them in a separate bag just in case anything burst or spilled (cooked beets all over my wardrobe would have been most unwelcome upon arrival).
When I arrived in Paris everything was still fresh and cool. Upon settling in, I simply placed the items in the hotel mini-bar after taking all the mini-bar items out. Okay, you might say that I am a tad extreme and not everyone would bring their own “traveling kitchen” to Europe for a few days. I accept that I do fall to one extreme (as does my vitality), but this is just to give you some ideas.
While many of you are just beginning to undertake this diet-lifestyle, some of you have become very discerning about what you put into your body, getting your green juice and simply not wanting to be caught short without your yummy favorites. Traveling needn’t be nearly as constipating or exhausting as it used to be! Now, here’s what I packed to carry on the plane with me…
Bag of tricks #2 contained:
• several varieties of crudité (carrots, sliced beets, cabbage);
• a baggie full of baby romaine (a makeshift salad);
• goat cheese; and
• chocolate (of course)!
I enjoyed all of this with some lovely wine en route. Restaurants were delightfully easy. After my green juices, I was able to order beautiful veggie salads and cooked veggies. If I still ate fish, that would have been an easy option as well. The most delicious buffalo mozzarella on my salads and a little ice cream for dessert (two things that I do not eat regularly, but now and again when I desire them) made me wonder how anyone could feel deprived on this diet!
If your hotel has a sauna on the premises, take advantage of that ideal way of flushing the skin of waste residue from the trip. I also like to practice inversions after traveling (I prefer headstands) to remove the gas pressure from the flight. I find these two rituals to be key to eliminating the jet-lag and re-harmonizing the flow of chi (aka Life Force Energy). It was deeply satisfying to enjoy all that culture, beauty, and fun without compromising my energy levels and internal cleanliness. In the past, I can remember feeling so thick with meals and dehydration when I traveled. But during the last ten years and innumerable international adventures, it has been all pleasure and no pain!
Some Thoughts about Business Travel
It was during the second leg of my travels which took me to San Francisco that it dawned on me: the “challenging travel award” should go to the average business traveler. Luxurious destinations aside, the American business traveler has to endure a distinctly Life Force Energy-leaching environment. Unsuspecting travelers who are not sensitive to their environment, the air they breathe, and the food they eat might not even notice how damaging life in transit can be. But to one who has antennae up for these things, the inharmonious elements of common business travel flash like a neon sign.
Every day, business travelers around the country compound their already low Life Force Energy habits with the poorest energetic environments. Getting a glimpse of their surroundings over the course of several days made me realize just how disruptive such trips are to a person.
Imagine, if you will, the scene: hotel windows that don’t open; stuffy, sealed-off conference rooms; convention halls where travelers spend 8 to 10 hours at a time; constant offerings of coffee, stale sandwiches and cheap cookies; noise pollution from announcements, televisions, computers and cell phones; and of course all the stagnation of the flights themselves. Every room we entered had the news channels blaring; even the cab drivers had the local news programs chirping unimportant information. The business hotel rooms themselves are heartless and cold—one simply cannot move through them, much less sleep in them, without some kind of ill effect.
I am newly sympathetic to those of you who must travel frequently and place yourselves in these environments. Please, do what you can to protect yourselves by drinking your veggie juices, eating pure foods, and seizing any opportunity for fresh air between flights and conferences.
An excellent diet is important, but maintaining free-flowing Life Force Energy is key, and for that we need healthy, fresh spaces. Find hotels with windows that open; do a guided meditation in your room between meetings to re-center yourself; make the effort to take your frozen green juice with you, and treat the food and beverage offerings at these places like the plague; ask the hotel to prepare for you a healthy salad to go. You can survive your trips no worse for wear if you know what to watch for and how to protect yourself!
Remember to Check the <a href=”/events.php”>Events Page</a>
Before we left for Europe, my husband and I and a few of my clients and friends attended the long-awaited weekend seminar with Lee Harris and Story Waters. I think they would all agree with me when I say that the growth we all underwent was nothing short of transformational. Lee and Story gifted us with insights into ourselves that lifted each of us to the next level of our evolution.
We all spent this remarkable time together in an energy field that gave us real tools that we could use both consciously and sub/super-consciously to consistently evolve our cells, energy field, and consciousness for an expanded, more powerful, and fulfilling walk through our lives. All this profound growth was summoned with so much good humor, eloquence, and entertainment—well done Lee and Story!! We would like to bring them back for an encore soon, so look out for their next appearance in NYC on the events page of this site.
In addition, Gil Jacobs and I are considering offering a one-day lecture/workshop the first Saturday in November, also to be posted shortly on the events page.
For both events, it would be great to get a sense of how many of you are interested in attending so we can secure the most comfortable spaces for each group. Kindly let me know as soon as possible if you are interested in either, or both!
That’s all for now. Enjoy the transition to fall, and its fantastic gift of healthy air and negative ions!
I send my love, support, and enthusiasm for your walk in truth always,
Natalia
