Caring for myself #4 July/August 2017 $2.99 www.masterofsimplicity.com
Direction and Edition: Fรกtima Teixeira Supervision: Giovani Goulart Marketing: GGO Master of Simplicity Contact: masterofsimplicity@gmail.com Website: www.masterofsimplicity.com /magazine Facebook: www.facebook.com/ masterofsimplicitymagazine Translation: Cรกtia Nogueira
Editor's Note: The articles are originally written in Brazilian or Portuguese, giving each author the freedom to express themselves accordingly. Icons created by Madebyoliver de Flaticon Licence by Creative Commons by 3.0
Caring for Myself… was born. Why A year ago this month, my daughter coming a mother am I confessing this? Because, be tines. I haven’t changed all my priorities, and rou ugh it may seem forgotten to care for myself, even tho s, each day is a like it from time to time. Nonetheles ntures, and the surprise, with unexpected adve ifted…. sentiment of novelty. My priorities sh ge was taking During this time, the biggest challen t my body and my care of myself. It seemed easier. Bu e to the sleepless mind fight every now and then, one du s not accepted its nights, the other because it still ha ed a conviction: I limitations. At this standstill, I reach g care of me is can not give what I don’t have. Takin mandatory, always! inspirations to On this edition enjoy several tips and ul. Delight on the take care of your body, mind, and so out the magazine, exclusive quotes scattered through complished actor and appreciate the interview of the ac Gandhi to us. João Signorelli, who brings a hint of New articles, suggestions and advice. Feel cherished with this edition of Master of Simplicity. Good readings! by the director and creator of the magazine, Fátima Teixeira
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by the director, Fรกtima Teixeira
MINIMALISM
WELLNESS
07 CAPSULE WARDROBE
14 WRITING AS SELF-CARE
Fรกtima Teixeira
Juliana Prata
26 LETTING GO OF WHAT NO LONGER SERVES YOU
16 SOUND AND HEALTH
Rita Carvalho
Giovani Goulart
48 WHAT IS MEDITATION? Sutra Prem
SIMPLICITY
52 ...AND OUR ESSENCE? Kathlen Mendes
28 TAKING CARE OF ME IS LOVING MYSELF!
54 NURTURING YOUR HAIR WITH NATURAL OILS
Fรกtima Teixeira
Melanie Colaรงo
3 CREATING MEMORIES... Catarina Agostinho
34 GANDHI, THE INSPIRATIONAL ETHIC
ORGANIZATION 18 ORGANIZATION, CHANGES AND CHOICES...
INTERVIEW 40 JOร O SIGNORELLI
Rosangela Aggio
RECIPE 56 CREATE YOUR OWN MAKEUP
SHARING
Karine Rodrigues
12 SUGGESTIONS Application, Documentary, and Book
68 TRILHA JARDIM
SUSTAINABILITY 60 SAPATO VERDE IN LISBON Alexandra Pardal
"Keeping your environment tidy will put your mind at ease and make you more productive".
Donna LeBlanc Best Selling Author of The Passion Principle
Master of Simplicity Magazine exclusive
MINIMALISM
Capsule Wardrobe have you tried it?
Have you ever felt like you had nothing to wear despite having a wardrobe full of clothing? Took too long to figure out what to wear? Bought new clothing and kept wearing only the ones you already had?
If your answer was yes to any of this questions, a capsule wardrobe may be the ideal solution. This system consists on a small, and intentional collection of clothes, that you love to wear and are easily paired together, to use on a set period of time or season. For Susie Faux, the pioneer of the concept, a capsule wardrobe must consist of essential and atemporal items. Nonetheless, there are no
specific rules, despite many people keeping a neutral color palette (white, black, and grey), not going over 37 items (including pants, skirts, dresses, shirts, jackets, and shoes; and excluding pajamas, underwear, bags, accessories, and jewelry), and a period of time of three months (or a season). A capsule wardrobe should be adapted to your own interpretation, style, needs and taste.
Picture kindly provided by Caroline Joy
The benefits of using this system are diverse and they impact not only your well-being but the world’s, through the sustainability, and the conscient consume this method introduces. This system requires you to analyze your personal style and the items that you already have, and/or the ones that you will need. This knowledge will allow for an improved well-being, and help you save time while shopping, specially, since the items will be long lasting due to the preference of good materials.
Reducing the number of items on your wardrobe will make choosing what to wear simpler, and easier, making time for what is really important in your life. Also, your wardrobe will, consequently, have more space, which will, in turn, help keep it organized. Moreover, if you travel often, this system will show its practicality while packing, since its items are easily paired together.
"The capsule wardrobe it’s a method that aims for a bigger selfunderstanding, and, consequently, less consumerism.." Gabi Barbosa, Teoria Criativa blog
"The capsule wardrobe has made my life much easier. It has allowed me to discover what I really enjoy wearing, use my favorite clothing items every day, and, above all, no longer wasting hours deciding what to wear" Ana Milhazes Martins, Ana Go Slowly blog
"After one year of using a capsule wardrobe, I realised that I am much happier, confident, and joyful than ever before" Caroline Joy, Unfancy blog
Assemble your own 1) Analyse Start by analyzing the style you want to achieve, the colors that look better on you, and the activities you do, including work, going out with friends or family, sports, etc. Don’t rely only on your imagination, and, if needed, look for some inspiration online.
2) Selection Gather all your clothing items and group them accordingly: The ones you love, those you haven’t worn in years, the ones you wear every now and then, those you think may be useful, etc. At this stage, remove the items that you don’t wear, and the ones that don’t fit within the first point.
History The concept of “capsule wardrobe” isn’t recent. Susie Faux, the founder of the Wardrobe Boutique in London, developed this concept during the 70’s, and created the name in 1980 according to her website. Five years later, the concept grew popular in the U.S.A through the american designer Donna Karan. In recent years, the number of people using this method has increased, mostly due to bloggers, and Pinterest. Several people share their experiences with a capsule wardrobe on their personal pages, blogs, and social media as a form of inspiration. Others create similar challenges, like the 333 (thirty three, three) project by Courtney Carver, in which she suggests wearing a collection of 33 items (including clothing, jewelry, accessories, and shoes) for a period of 3 months, as an incentive for wearing your favorite items every day.
capsule wardrobe 3) Study Of all the pieces left, verify the quality, state, and the versatility of the different possible pairings and outfits. Make sure you have enough clothing to match your necessities, and avoid having too many “party” outfits if you ,mostly, frequent a professional environment. Additionally, ensure that no key items for the season are missing; for example, a good coat, that is easy to pair, warm, and waterproof.
4) Final Considerations If you intend to invest on new pieces for your capsule wardrobe, don’t forget to make a list of what you are missing and what you intend to substitute. After all, you are creating your own style. For the MOS Magazine, the most important isn’t the number of pieces on your wardrobe, but the their practicality and functionality. Feel good and confident! Challenge yourself! Make your own rules! Good luck!
Tips *Try keeping it neutral or within a specific color palette. *Don’t ignore the study of the types of clothing that can best fit your body shape. *Opt for higher quality items, comfortability, and pieces that can go in the washing machine and don’t need to be ironed.
by the director, Fátima Teixeira
SHARING
Suggestions Cladwell Cladwell Inc. Application
Cladwell is an app that functions as a personal fashion assistant, and it’s purpose is also related with sustainability. First, you would select images of clothing items similar to the ones you own, making it easier since you don’t have to photograph them yourself. At this stage, you will also be asked the frequency and the type of activities you usually do. After the initial setup, the app will notify you daily, with an outfit suggestion based on the weather. Accordingly to the clothing items you use and select on the app, it will automatically select those you wear the most, helping you to know what items you don’t use. Available for smartphone or tablet. "There are plenty of people helping you put clothes in your closet. But no one is helping you wear them." (Christina Lambert)
More images of this application on the previous page.
Human A film by Yann Arthus Bertrand Documentary
A documentary filled with real and impactful
statements;
emotional
examples
excellent of
civility,
and and
conduct, that make us reflect on ourselves, and refine our way of seeing the Human being, and life.
Ecologia Emocional (The Emocional Ecology) By Jaume Soler e Maria MercĂŞ Conangla Book
This is our bibliographic suggestion that, intelligently, creates a parallel between the minimalism we use to manage our personal items, spaces, and well-being, and our essence, defying us to recycle feelings and emotions.
WELLNESS
Writing In the past articles, “Identifying the Essential in Studies” and “Organizing your readings”, we talked about a certain type of writing, and organization focused on ourselves, and what is best for us. We talked, about priorities and the focus that we can have, in order to make more conscious and cohesive choices in life. Today's article is following the same topics. Writing can be an act of therapy, self care and even healing. Writing your personal goals, objectives and ideas can be the first step for them to become reality. I have been involved in professional writing for a long time, and I see the great power that arranging your thoughts through writing, on paper or a screen, has in the development of a personal or professional project. Writing about your memories is also a specific way of writing, where the perceptions of the facts make us relive good and bad emotions. When we revisit those emotions, we bring those moments to the present time, and confirm our memories, adding up more love, be it sustained by the same perspective, or by reprogramming the same memory with more kindness to others or to yourself. Escrever um diário, um caderno da gratidão, um planner, um journaling, uma agenda, um caderno de metas, de finanças, pode trazer experiências
as self-care Writing a journal, a notebook of gratitude, a planner, an agenda, or even a notepad of personal goals and finances, can bring very good experiences to your self development. Even scientific or academic writing leads to a feeling of success when it’s done. It means the end of a cycle, a moment in life, an expansion of your own references. Writing is exposing, composing and reinventing yourself. Try it. Write about your day. Write about yourself. Finish that story or paper that has been robbing you of your peace. Finish it. Show yourself. Hide yourself. Writing can be therapeutic, instructive, intuitive, technical, but in every line on the paper there will always be something unique: YOU. Like Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós once said “Writing is dividing yourself. Every word unveils an horizon, every sentence announces another season”. Write. by the University Teacher Juliana Prata
WELLNESS
Sound and Health In the present world, we often have the need to take care of our health, or to seek improvement in our well being. Among the vast amount of strategies and health products offered, there is one alternative that is proving to be very effective, but less acknowledged by the population; it’s called music therapy, and, in this specific method, some variations identify and treat distinct areas of health.
Treatment through sound is prehistoric but only in 1944 was the first university course created, at Michigan State University. Music therapy has the purpose of developing and/or restoring one’s functions, so he can achieve a better life condition. This treatment may be administered individually or in a group, and promotes thera-peutic goals such as communi-cation, relationships, learning, expression,
and organization. Music therapy is a therapeutic clinical treatment, and should not be misunderstood with the superficial use of music for relaxation purposes or pleasure, because in each case, different strategies are used, and clinically, the intended relaxation is not the same obtained by an healthy person, but a total abstraction from a psychological point of view.
This specialty attends to several areas of health, such as physical, mental, sensorial, geriatric, and social disabilities. The patient doesn’t need to have any kind of musical training or knowledge, because by simply submitting him to a melody, music, or frequency played by the therapeut, is enough for him to experience the amazing effects and pain or tension abstraction. This way of treatment is noninvasive, chemical, or painful, and is also not a costly therapy method, even so, the effect and efficiency of this therapy is irrefutable, making this specialty to be considered one of the greatest treatments of alternative medicine. The effects not only benefit the central nervous system, but also
greatly increase one’s humor, quality of sleep, muscle relaxation, and self confidence. Such stimulus enhance the cognitive and emotional capabilities, and help develop focus, socialization, and motor coordination. Lastly, we can confirm that, in a superficial analysis, music is, and has always been, an excellent and healthy alternative treatment for the present day, and is available to everyone, but, the most important is knowing that, in order to improve our life quality, we always have different options, without costs and limitations.
by the Musical Director Giovani Goulart
ORGANIZATION
Organization, changes and choices... If you could change something in your life, what would you change? I think most people would change their financial situation, some would change their house or buy a new car, others might change professions, but what we all really need to change is the way we live.
BEFORE
To change your financial situation, it is not necessary to work strenuously. It can be changed by organizing your finances, spending less, and buying only what you need. In this way, you save money, and can, in addition to living better, make your dreams a reality.
Changing your profession, as long as
AFTER
you don’t commit all of your time, can bring you benefits. But, instead of having more, we could be satisfied with what we have. This way, we would spend more time with family and friends, we would have a better quality of life, and would be happier. Maybe moving housed or buying a new car wouldn’t make you as happy as living in harmony with your family would. Unfortunately this consumerist culture has influenced us negatively. We need to return to reality, pursue what really has value and can fill our lives since stress and anxiety have taken a hold of the population. Living in a more organized way generates benefits: the more organized we become, the longer is the available time we have to devote to activities that bring us pleasure, and we get less stress; as a result we get physical, emotional, and financial benefits.
AFTER
BEFORE
BEFORE
AFTER
The profession of Personal Organizer originated on the United States and, as incredible as it may seem, people are not, and do not strive to be organized. Although the houses have covered garages for cars, those end up outside, because of the excess of clutter stored in said garage; they turn it into a storage room. I live in Brazil, but I am currently in Florida (U.S.A.). In here, there is no life without a car. Public transport, independently of how good it may be, it takes a long time, so everyone has
a car. People do not relate to each other. Children do not play on the streets, and have an abundance of toys, video games, and cell phones. Due to the ease in acquiring something, the population is consumerist and accumulating. People are totally disorganized. There are clothes, shoes, and objects thrown all over the house. Most of the closets are wired and all the clothes get mixed and wrinkled.
BEFORE
AFTER
"They’ve become hostages to the mess" BEFORE
AFTER
Garage of a client in the U.S.A.
By offering my services as an organizer, I realized that they are afraid of organization. If we take anything from the place it is at in order to organize, they are not able to find their belongings. In my opinion, they’ve become hostages to the mess. I was asked to organize a garage: the famous "American storage room". The client had a good intention, knew of the unnecessary belongings, of the need to select everything and make a proper disposal, send whatever was necessary to repair, and make some donations, but the attachment she felt towards all of the clutter did not allow it. There was an excuse for every item, a feeling for every object; the most I could do was
tidy up. It is depressing to live in a disorganized way; it generates anxiety and takes away some of our quality of life. In conclusion, we must live a life defined by actions and not by good intentions. Organizing and decluttering is a necessity! by the Personal Organizer Rosangela Aggio Pictures kindly provided by the author of this article
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"I find taking a long walk in the park nearby to be very restorative and inspiring. While walking, I listen to the birds chirping and singing in the trees. I look for deer or any kind of unusual animal activity. I take time out of my day to connect with the sunshine, the wind, breathe in the scent of pine trees. Taking time to connect with nature is a way I care for myself." Renee Blue O'Connell Singer e Songwriter
Master of Simplicity Magazine exclusive
Letting go of what no longer serves you
MINIMALISM
It’s common, for a human being, to create repetitive situations in its life, due to the mental attachments to their life experiences. As time goes by, the overload of experiences, mainly the negative ones, create an array of mental limitations, that make it impossible for one to see a different side, to the one that we programmed our mind to see, as a certainty and absolute truth! But now, you are able to change this scenario, by only opening yourself to change. Several scientific studies throughout time, have shown the power that the mind has over the life, and results of human beings; the way you see, and interpret situations and opinions in your day-to-day life, are particularly influenced by the quality of thought. Anything you perceive as truth, will be ,and anything you perceive as right, will be! That way, everything that appears on our lives it’s a result of our mind and thoughts. Identifying, and controlling the ways we “programmed” our mind over time, creating beliefs that limit you, is the first step towards transforming the way you deal with your thoughts. “You are the way you are because that’s the way you want to be. If you really wanted to be any different, you would be in the process of changing right now.” Fred Smith Since our mind doesn’t have a reset button, creating new ways of thinking, and reacting to life, will allow for letting go of what you no longer serves you. By doing that, you will be open to change, with your new interpretation of reality, a new, softer way of looking at life, and rearrangement of the mind. What makes this a possibility, is what connects the human being and the situations he is or has been in: our thoughts, who generate emotions and feelings. “We need to learn how to manage our intelligence, how to administer the power plant of emotions that is produced in our soul, and how to regain control of ourselves while facing stressful moments. Then we can change the main scripts of our lives.” Augusto Cury Start to let go of what no longer serves you today, and receive the “new” that will give you an abundant life!
by the Behavioral Performance Coach Rita Carvalho
SIMPLICITY
Try the following exercise: Say, with sincerity, in front of a mirror: "I love myself!". Can you do it?
Taking care of me is loving myself! It’s incredible how easy it is to place our own person on the background when we try to juggle our personal life with our work, family, friends, etc. It’s also easy, even if unintentional, to completely forget ourselves. It’s true that there is nothing better than being able to give and show love when we feel it. Just imagine your involvement when you are in love and overflowing with feelings. Now, compare that moment with the one where you feel neglected… Nothing is impossible, is a very old saying. Self-caring is very simple, especially when we make space for a few details… Pause; it’s the best you can do. The mind needs to rest every now and then, so it can get back to those thoughts that are crashed by the fast pace of the day. In this scenario, to stop is to survive; silence is hearing everything; saying no is a synonym of yes to what we want. Also, be grateful. Doing so is the first step to bring peace into our homes. There is no peace without appreciation, because the hate, and resentfulness we allow into ourselves will build up. It’s impossible to feel good without inner peace. Many times we need to ignore reason, to be able to choose peace. The decisions we force on ourselves aren’t always the best ones, and, because of it, sometimes, life doesn’t go as we want nor as we are willing to accept. But life is in constant change. Believe. Embrace yourself. Love yourself. by the diretor, Fátima Teixeira
SIMPLICITY
Creating memories! We are given the option of choosing what we want for ourselves in life! I choose to live the present. I choose to love and accept. I rather be than have, and always choose to be thankful! I believe that love and happiness reside within the details, and that is why I choose to give them so much importance!
1
1) Being thankful every day 2) Setting a beautiful table, even if it’s just for me 3) Caring for my diet opting for healthy foods 4) Taking care of every little corner in my house 5) Feeling the smell of freshly made cake through the house Fotografias gentilmente cedidas pela autora deste artigo
6) Surrounding myself with greenery 7) Harvesting from my own garden
by the Blogger Catarina Agostinho
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3
4
5
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SIMPLICITY
Gandhi,
the inspirational ethic
This monolog, that would be present only as an opening to an event in 2003, became a big success and is still being performed to this day. In “Gandhi, the inspirational ethic”, the actor João Signorelli plays the character of Mahatma Gandhi, the pacifist leader, sharing with us his life an and philosophy.
Synopsis of the Show Gandhi announces the beginning of another fast to awaken the consciousness of the leaders of the West and the East, so that they inspire an ethical and continuous conduct. The fast that he proposes is that people stop feeding on unbalanced thoughts, prejudices and dark feelings. It invites the audience to make a long and sensitive reflection on leadership, nonviolence, and introduces ethical and philosophical principles in human relations, talking about leadership, integration, cooperativism and love. In simple and direct language, he tells stories of his personal life, his relationship with his wife, and, at the end, he talks about his path as a leader, about the importance of one's conduct, and invokes faith. For the Mahatma there was no difference between people: ALL are human (and spiritual) beings, seeking earthly experiences to attain new consciousness and evolve more quickly.
The strength of this character reveals the growing movement, not only in the corporate environment, but in society in general, for the introduction of ethical and philosophical principles in human relations. In companies, this demand translates into profound paradigm shifts. When it comes to leadership, the central theme of that meeting and one of the most debated issues in the areas of administration and marketing, one can also gradually perceive change. Before, organizations saw only tangible results, independently of what had to be done to achieve them. Gradually, they are paying attention to the quality of the "human resources" involved, knowing that the results will inevitably come. Gandhi materializes this new consciousness. His leadership was never based on authority or coercion. He believed that he could only ask people for what he himself could do. He knew that his leadership would come from example and service. And the results just happened. The strength and intensity of his biography led the project to follow other directions, going past the corporate boundaries. The script needed some adjustments in order to emphasize other themes such as love, faith, unique conduct, firmness of purpose, and always trying to show how small attitudes can build an extraordinary human being. After all, Gandhi impresses not only by his great deeds, but mainly by his humanity.
Credits Authors: Miguel Filliage e Bene Catanante Direction: Miguel Filliage Set Decoration and Costume Creation: Leticia Pirmez Production: JoĂŁo Signorelli
Contact JoĂŁo Signorelli joaosignorelli@uol.com.br +55 11 3283 1341 / +55 11 99816 0504
INTERVIEW
JoĂŁo Signorelli Born in 1955, JoĂŁo has a degree in journalism and has been working as an actor for more than 25 years. He has acted in dozens of soap operas, mini-series, plays, and movies. He is also a television host, interviewer, radio announcer, and event host. As the latter he has worked with James Hunter (The Servant) throughout Brazil, and with Dalai Lama on his last visit to the country.
MASTER OF SIMPLICITY: As an actor, who mainly stars in soap operas, what made you interested in playing Gandhi on this play? JOÃO SIGNORELLI: I was invited by the director of the play, Miguel Filliage, to make a theatrical performance, for the opening of a forum about Human Resources, for the corporative world. As the theme of the forum was Serving Leadership, Miguel thought about Gandhi as a great example, and finding me similiar to him, called me, and I accepted the role. It was supposed to be a single presentation, but the beauty of the play made me continue; its been 14 years since. Today I perform the monolog for companies, universities, middle schools, hospitals, theatrical seasons, yoga schools,... it's a play broad audiences.
J.S.: Well, Gandhi was like a tsunami in my life (laughs). It took the bad habits away, for example: partying through the night, thinking more about having fun than being productive, and all the other “benefits” a television actor has (laughs). It also brought new habits: eating meat once a week, meditating more often, spending more time at home, having a more stable romantic relationship, avoiding social lies, and trying to keep my promises. M.O.S.: What impact did your travel to India, and being on the house and places where Gandhi lived, had on your life? J.S.: It was a very positive experience! It was an amazing feeling to see the colors he saw, breathing and walking on his country, and watching the people walking the streets and
"(...) love makes life possible" M.O.S.: What sentence of the monolog touched you the most? J.S.: When Gandhi says “love heals, love unifies, love pulses, love educates, love moves, love creates, love mobilizes, love motivates, love makes life possible”. M.O.S.: In which way has your life changed by playing Gandhi?
understanding the love he had for them. Being on the house where he lived his last 144 days of life was very emotional; I was able to watch some documentaries about him that made me change the way I walked on stage, and was capable of mastering the assertiveness he spoke with. I improved plenty on my character interpretation.
Simplicity is... accepting both the good and the bad in life.
I wish... to be consciously awake.
I am happy when... I understand and practice my purpose in life.
Live... in truth, love, and respect.
M.O.S.: Of what you know today about Gandhi, what is the relation between his life philosophy, and simplicity? J.S.: His life philosophy, and simplicity, were one and the same. The most important to him was the truth, non-violence, the respect for all living beings, and the unconditional love for humanity. M.O.S.: What was the best compliment to the monolog that you have ever heard from the public? J.S.: It was the day after I performed at the Female Penitentiary in SĂŁo Paulo; the director of the Penitentiary
called me, and said a prisoner had told her, during breakfast, that, after she watched the play, for the first time in her life, she didn't feel alone. That touched me a lot. M.O.S.: What suggestion do you leave our reader that aspire to have a simple and happy life? J.S.: A guru that I admire and follow is Sri Prem Baba. He shared the four pillars he judged ideal for a good life: interior silence through meditation, being conscious of your life purpose, self-responsibility, and compassion.
Follow JoĂŁo Signorelli:
Pictures kindly provided by the interviewee
"I have been making healthier choices when it comes to food and exercise, but what makes the biggest difference is the way I've been thinking and acting. I am making an effort to evolve as a person, to end those limiting thoughts, and to focus on achieving my goals."
Izabelle Azevedo Life Design Coach
Master of Simplicity Magazine exclusive
Checklist for:
July and August Creating the 7 memories shown on the pages 30-34 Writing (inspiration on the pages 14-15) Making my own make up (pages 56-57) Meditating (inspiration on the pages 48-51)
Your suggestions:
WELLNESS
What is meditation? The practice of meditation is increasing its popularity in diverse sectors and there are numerous techniques. They say it transforms lives and performs miracles in one’s health, but along come there are some doubts like: what exactly is it for? How to do it? How can those with a busy routine do it? What exactly is meditation? Meditating is utilizing, consciously, diverse techniques to enter a state of mind where your focus remains in harmony by eliminating all the unnecessary agitation of the mind. Let’s clarify some of the most common questions and learn a basic practical routine so you can start meditating.
What is the best way to meditate? With so much evolution and people with different levels of consciousness, routines and ways of acting, it would be inevitable for new ways of meditating to be born. With that in mind, the best way is the one that benefits you the most and helps you achieve your meditation goals!
Benefits of meditation: *Slows aging; *Fights and eliminate insomnia; *Improves the immunologic system; *Potentiates intelligence and creativity; *Eliminates anxiety, stress and nervousness; *Reduces physical pain, especially headaches; *Boosts self esteem and personal development; *And much more‌
Try to maintain the habit of this exercise everyday for a month. After, you can begin to slowly increase the time always in the most comfortable way for yourself. You can even begin deeper practices of meditation. I'm sure that the benefits of meditating will be clearly felt in your life.
6 Steps to start meditating! 1
Find a place where no one can interrupt you for 10 minutes;
2 Sit in a chair or pillow where
you can stay with your back straight so your body’s energy flows better;
4 Focus your attention in the
details of sounds, trying to differentiate each detail in both ears;
6 You can set an alarm on your
3 You can use the internet to find
relaxing musics with nature sounds, preferably with 432Hz to potentiate the mental process, and use earphones;
5 Keep focused on the sensations
of this moment for at least 10 minutes;
device and when it’s time to end, slowly start moving your body and at finally open your eyes.
by the Public Speaker and Holistic Therapeut, Sutra Prem
WELLNESS
.... and our
Essence? Makeup, accessories, clothing, cosmetics, and various photo filters to make us look flawless. It is a fact that we all want to look more beautiful and well dressed, and the usage of those tools can be a great artifice for both men and women. Be it on special occasions like a wedding, a graduation or everyday occasions like work or meetings with friends. We know that the door for many situations in the present day is our image and, therefore, to take care of it is fundamental. However, it is also well known that there are excesses in the beauty standards shown by social media, and what should be a care becomes an annulment of the self in the attempt to achieve something previously established. The question I ask is, where is our essence? Yes, the essence of each individual person, which defines the characteristics, manner, personality, details that make up a body, a subject. For each moment of our life, what constitutes us is what is present all the time and if it is changed it tends to get lost in relationships.
Disguising weight and height, hiding sun spots and scars, constantly changing physical aspects, are not methods of becoming more attractive, but rather ways to annihilate yourself, and since it is not authentic, it can certainly influence how you interact with others.. When we change physical aspects, we are also changing our personality, because what you do is not always practical, easy or consistent with your own principles and values, so you will not be comfortable during your day to day life. It is necessary to grow aware of your potentialities and own characteristics in order to assume them for yourself, regardless of any external influence. Understand that each is an unique and different being, which does not mean inferior. Our unique ways, characteristic traits and small peculiar differences are that constitute us and make of us a special individual; only after this movement of acceptance will we attain our true essence.
by the Clinical Psychologist and Gestalt Therapist Kathlen Mendes
WELLNESS
Nurturing your hair with natural oils
Every year, new industrialized hair products pop up on the supermarket shelves, inviting us to buy them. In a society where consumption has become compulsory, reflecting on the ingredients of certain products and even the ethical conduct of the companies themselves, isn’t a part of our shopping decisions. In addition, the prices charged are usually captivating, precisely to persuade and attract more consumers, adding the idea of indispensability to the financial accessibility. One of the most positive aspects when embracing minimalism is that we can drop the disposable, focusing on what is truly essential. We learn that we do not need half of what is imposed on us to buy, without it affecting our needs.
Having a beautiful and healthy hair is one of them, easily achieved with what nature so kindly offers us: vegetable oils, perfect substitutes for various products full of chemicals and with short term effects. The most known is coconut oil: everyone has heard of its versatility, which serves both to cook and to complete other beauty care, including hair care. One advantage of coconut oil is that it penetrates the hair fiber, as opposed to others that only coat the surface. It can be applied 15 to 60 minutes before washing the hair or for the whole night, keeping the hair on a cap. The result is shiny, light and quite soft hair with no traces of split ends. Speaking of split ends, another effective oil in combating them is sweet almond oil. Its ultra-
sweet almond oil. Its ultramoisturizing properties, which also make it an ally against dry skin, soften dry and damaged hair and manage to help fix split ends. Castor oil is important for the health of the hair, which will be reflected in its beauty. You apply it on the scalp, through circular massage with the knuckles; it helps to strengthen and prevent hair loss, making it more robust and dense. Its antimicrobial and antibacterial
properties also block the onset of dandruff and, like coconut oil, hydrates the hair by penetrating it completely, coating them with a protective layer. Anyway, taking care of our hair can be more accessible and simple than what we are used to. by the Blogger Melanie Colaรงo
RECIPE
Create your own makeup With natural ingredients that treat, and truly nurture your skin, through two simple and easy homemade recipes.
* Utensils (for both recipes): 1 medium sized canister, 1 spoon or spatula, 1 pot to storage the final product Opt for glass, ceramic, silicon, stainless steel, or bamboo accessories.
Lip balm Ingredients: 2 spoons of a non refined pure vegetable oil of your choice. Suggestions: argan, sweetbriar rose, grape grain, almonds, sunflower, coconut. 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder (preferably 100%)
Directions: 1) Mix the ingredients until they homogenize. If necessary, heat them in a bain-marie. 2) Keep it in a pot of your choice that you can use in a daily basis.
If you wish to have a more solid texture, add pure vegetal wax, preferably carnauba or candelilla wax. Melt in a bain-marie and mix everything until it’s homogenized. Deposit in a pot of your preference while it’s still hot. After hardening, it’s ready to use.
Facial Powder Ingredients: 1 spoon of cornstarch, or arrowroot powder. 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder (preferably 100%) Optional: 1 drop of essential oil from either lavender, geranium or cypress.
Directions: 1) Mix well until it gets uniform. 2) Add the essential oil of your choice and mix it again. If necessary, use an egg whisk to mix it, and sift the mixture. 3) Keep it in a pot of your choice, to use on a daily basis. You can add more cocoa powder to achieve a the tone of your skin.
This facial powder has a translucid and velvety effect. It’s ideal to use to finish your makeup or to reduce the oiliness. I’ve used this recipe for over two years and with much satisfaction. I never had to use store bought products again. by the Naturologist and Cosmetologist Karine Rodrigues
About the author: Karine Rodrigues is the idealizer of the Natural Institute of Cocoa. Organizes training courses of Cosmetology, Natural Makeup and Vegan Culinary. Pictures in this article by Junior Santos
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""We must have our trio (mind, body and spirit) balanced. There are different ways to take care of yourself: The mind with affirmations and readings that inspire. he body with exercise. The spiritual with gratitude. meditation and prayer." Pedro Garcia Motivational Coach
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SUSTAINABILITY
Sapato Verde in Lisbon After the opening of Sapato Verde in Cascais, the store continued to grow well beyond footwear. In partnership with Green Beans, a vegan grocery store, a new project stems from the concern about the current state of the planet, and the major environmental problems that threaten it.
Last May, a new store opened doors in the historic center of Lisbon. Extending not only its size but also the products available, this new space includes an area of footwear, clothing, household products, accessories and cosmetics, as well as a grocery store area. Focused on publicizing veganism
and marketing ecological products, the project seeks to offer ethical alternatives, supporting brands that share these same ideals of sustainable production and preservation of the environment. by the Sapato Verde CEO Alexandra Pardal
Fotografias gentilmente cedidas pela autora deste artigo
A new concept of Eco Vegan Store was created, offering the consumer an ethical and conscious alternative
SHARING
Trilha Jardim Zezinho Santos, a plastic artist, traded the city life for a simpler one, and moved to this ecological paradise he built. With 79 acres in the middle of nature, Trilha Jardim is located in Santa Maria, on the 7th District of Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This natural space offers beautiful walks on their thematic trails; routes of african inspiration, Buddhism inspiration, or the zen path. All of those spaces were carefully made by the artist, and they offer different activity programs that can be customized according to the visitor interests. The way Zezinho interacts with nature and art, is a reflexion of his life and work philosophy, which combines peace, simplicity, essence, and mysticism. On this cultural space, other activities, such as workshops, seminars, expositions, astral surgeries, and spiritual retreats are organized.
"Seeking means " questioning", abandoning rigid postures, becoming flexible, inwardly open to welcome new, and unusual ideas, without preconception".
"Trilha Jardim offers you the opportunity to access your activities, studies and research, to reflect, to reorganize your life, and to add to the environment in which you are inserted, the necessary elements that provide a fuller and more conscious way of living"
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