spring
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Haven't really had any time to write lately! Its funny, but when life is going well, I tend not to write, so I guess its been a really great few weeks. For one thing, I have been permanently hired on with NYR, and that feels good. I was struggling when I first accepted the management position, largely because I felt so resentful that this was very much NOT the professional singer job I had been dreaming of and working towards for most of my adult life. I felt frustrated and low about it until I was at one point actually threatened with losing this job, and I realised that I had to make a decision to work at it 100% or drop it. Ever since I decided to commit fully to it, I have felt so much better about the work and about myself in general.
The company is really committed to training, which I love. Yesterday I took a company-run day course on aromatherapy.
We were given samples to smell (note quality is everything with essential oils and source organic when ever possible), and we were not to guess the name of the oil but to discern the scent layers of the oil. Each oil has top, middle and bottom 'notes'. It suddenly became like wine tasting and more, because each oil not only smells differently, but also evokes a whole range of emotions. I was amazed at how powerfully I was affected by rose, not surprising as it is all about love, forgiveness, comfort, gentleness. Did you know that rose is also fantastic for skin, especially dry, red hot skin? It is also a hormone balancer for men (infertility) and women (menopause). When I smelt lemon oil I actually felt 'uplifted', I was suddenly smiling and my mouth was watering - it is a known appetite stimulant (it acts on the bile duct), it is a great insect repellent, can be applied neat to treat acne and warts and it helps stop the spread of spider veins and varicose veins (as it tones the capillary wall), it is a circulatory/detox tonic, and a fantastic antiviral, the first oil to use for colds and flu. In Australia it was used in hospitals and they cut the incidence of MRSA by 75%...
My other favorite oils were:
Bergamont - excellent for driven, angry, hot (chinese medicine) liver&adrenal male energy, and cooling (hence Earl Grey tea is excellent in the summer).
Geranium - balancing, sweet, calming, great for anxiousness, restlessness, waking up hot at night (like menopause), children's fevers, sunburn&dry heat.
Frankinsense - an oil with depth, first sharp and bitter then rich and complex, meditative, rooted. it is about letting go, being in the moment, regenerating the spirit.
Posted byKarma at Wednesday, April 20, 2005 0 comments
Labels: wellness
spring clean
Wednesday, April 6, 2005
I have started an anti-candidia diet based on Erica White's Beat Candidia book. It means cutting out all yeast and sugar, including fructose, so no fruit (except lemons), lactose (except live yogurt, cottage cheese and butter),no bread made with yeast (obviously), no white rice or pasta, no prepackaged soy products like sausages/burgers (basically nothing prepackaged), no vinegar, packaged dressings or condiments, but I can eat tofu and organic chicken, fish, ryvita, brown rice, quinoa, any vegetable, etc...
It takes months but it really works and really helps anything from chronic fatigue to fibroids (my friend Deb) and ibs and obviously chronic candidia/bladder problems (which is what I have had). According to Erica candidia is epidemic in western society (which makes sense thinking of the typical western diet combined with steroidal drugs like ibuprofen and the pill and long term antibiotic use).
I will stick to it until our New York trip in June.
I actually dont have to cut out much of what I normally eat, just the odd glass of wine and occasional desserts. One challenge is probably cutting fruit out of my breakfast! When I first tried it a month or so I cut out bread and I don't really miss that too much.
The biggest challenge is eating in restaurants. We have a friend's birthday party on Saturday, and I am wondering if I can get away with the couscous, do they put vinegar or some sort of sauce on it?? I had prawns on tuesday and I could feel the vinegar the next day (I am that sensitive now, which is both cool and sometimes frustrating...).
It is helpful that my colleague at work is on it now and has done it before so can advise me on supplements, and we can think of interesting alternatives to salad!
Posted byKarma at Wednesday, April 06, 2005 0 comments
Labels: wellness
sun!
Sunday, April 3, 2005
I had a great day. It felt like I was living in the moment, without judging myself or anyone or trying to be anything. We did stocktake at work, which was actually fun, listening to classical radio and joking around with Al, Deb and Bel. And when I left at 3pm, the weather was gorgeous. Sunny and warm, and I walked though the park, sitting at the top of the hill for a bit before coming home and then laying out in the garden.
There is nothing like sun in Britain, it feels so magic because it is such a change to the often grey and rainy weather. Not only does it lift my spirits, I feel grateful for good weather! Funny coming from a native Californian. Which gets me thinking, it is really about attitude here, because some things aren't as 'nice' or 'warm' or 'rich country' as the USA, but I have a choice in how I can view that. I can moan about it the whole time, which I have done a lot (it is very difficult not to moan about British rail and the tube as it really is a farce), or I can appreciate the difference and be thankful for small things (and big things too) that happen now. Like today being sunny and me getting off work early enough to enjoy it. And feeling really good and connected on an energetic level singing today, which felt like I was discovering a nurturing way of practicing.
I am going to curl up with a book and bed soon even though it is only 10:30! Quite the opposite of my dear insomniac friend, who is the inspiration for and designer of this blog! Thanks again Steph, I really like it!
Posted byKarma at Sunday, April 03, 2005 2 comments
Labels: life
