Simplicity MAGAZINE
Autumn 2018
What’s Inside:
Letting Go of Expectations by Marina Shapiro-Elbert
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Letting go of expectations is a continuous process, a path that can lead you to recognizing and healing your patterns and replacing the inner projector which feeds and replays the feelings of a hurt child within you.
Soul Contract Change by Grace Niu
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Before we incarnate, our souls tend to map out the relationships, family ties and other scenarios based on the lessons we wish to learn in human form. This is called a Sacred Contract or Soul Contract.
Chinese Face Reading by Remee Gemo
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Face reading or physiognomy is an ancient Chinese method of using various aspects of the face to determine one’s health status, personality traits, one’s abilities and talents, possible areas of stuck energy or unresolved emotions and even how one gets along with certain people.
Wisdom of the Tao by Aleksandra Olejnik It is the uncomfortable feeling of being lost that allows to feel grateful for the little things. For empty beaches during the winter time, empty streets on early spring evenings, lonely mountain walk and marvellous top views.
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Editor’s Note As the Fall sets its foot in the door and we cozy up in plaid scarves with a hot cup of apple cider or pumpkin spice latte, it is a perfect time to reflect on what is ready to be released from our inner and outer worlds - be it an unfulfilled wish, a pair of jeans one size too small or a relationship that keeps failing you no matter how hard you tried to make it work. Transitions are a natural part of life’s cycle, yet at times we may find ourselves struggling to embrace the change as we’re holding onto “the way things used to be” or holding onto what we have a hard time letting go of. In our Autumn issue, we are offering you simple ways to weather the seasonal change and tips on letting go, accompanied by soul nurturing recipes and colorful inspiration. Enjoy! Sincerely, ~ Anna & Marina
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Our Contributors
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Marina Shapiro-Elbert
Anna Tharrington
Remee Gemo
SIMPLICITY MAGAZINE EDITOR
SIMPLICITY MAGAZINE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Marina is a metaphysical artist, healer and a spiritual counselor. Her mission is to create a loving space, which provides support and guidance on your life path, nurturing your self-healing abilities, promoting your wellness and personal growth. In addition to her healing practice, Marina is a blogger on welllness, spirituality and self-care. Her work has been featured in the online publication of nationally acclaimed “Aspire” Magazine and can be viewed on her website: www.colorsfromwithin.com
Anna is a freelance photographer for travel catalogs, an artist, styler and a blogger. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including Richmond Magazine, and has won the hearts of many. Her love for beauty combined with exquisite taste brings the essence of life in every moment captured. Anna’s work can be viewed on: Website: www.annatharrington.zenfolio.com
Remee L. Gemo, L.Ac., MSAOM, MFR is one of a select few certified Ming Golden Path Master Face readers in the world, an apprentice to the famous Lillian Chen Bridges featured on Dr. Oz. Remee is also an Acupuncturist, owner of Empress Acupuncture and co-owner of Acupuncture Center of Richmond where she utilizes facial analysis as a skilled diagnostician and healer. Her practice has earned first place in Style Weekly’s “Best of Richmond” as well as “Best in Central Virginia” according to Virginia Living Magazine. teaches face reading, five element theory, crystal therapy, energy tracking, energy medicine, anti-aging techniques, intuition development, acupressure, aura balancing, chakra classes, medical intuition and Reiki. In her free time Remee is an artist in mainly encaustic and watercolor. Facebook: @empressacupuncture Instagram: @facereaderremee Website: www.empressacupuncture.com
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Our Contributors
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Grace Niu
Aleksandra Olejnik
The Cook and Him
Grace is an intuitive destiny coach, qualified Feng Shui consultant, speaker and business mentor. She helps aspiring soul-centred women to live truthfully by discovering their authentic innermost power. Through Destiny Profiling, Feng Shui Alignment and her Business Alchemy Coaching Programs, Grace helps to connect with the infinite source of the Heaven and Earth energy flow, so you can feel empowered and awaken the inner power and a reconnection with the light-filled soul already present in each and every one of us. Website: http://fengshuiserenity.com.au/ Facebook: @fengshuiserenity Instagram: @fengshuiserenity
My name is Aleksandra, Polish living in Spain, mum to one girl and one cat. I spent years studying to become a teacher but then have fallen in love with photography. I’m the happiest in nature or somewhere close to the kitchen table. Obsessed with flowers and all things handmade. Discovering yoga, spirituality, and simple way of living. Striving to make positive change in the world around me; quit bottled water, started making my own cosmetics, eat organic (but hey, doughnuts are welcome too, it’s all about balance!). Pictures are doors to another world to me. I help brands, places and individuals to shine their own beauty translated trough the camera. English isn’t my first language and I shy away when it comes to public speaking. I figured that when I smile a lot people tend to pretend they understand what I’m saying I overuse word “lovely” and occasionally write on Simple Life Project. Instagram: @asimplelifeproject
Sam is a full time Recipe developer, food blogger and food photographer for “The Cook & Him”. When she’s not doing this she can be found making a fuss of our dog “Meg”, watching tennis or a boxed set or two! Phil is a full time Business Analyst for Rolls-Royce and part time managing the website and business side of “The Cook & Him”, in his spare time he is usually in the gym working off his role as chief taste tester. They are passionate about anyone transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan way of life and have many veggie recipes on the website to help anyone looking to transition. Sam loves experimenting with vegan and free-from baking, Phil especially loves it when the first (and sometimes second) batch doesn’t come out quite right as he is usually the chief taste tester. Website: http://www.thecookandhim.com Facebook: @The Cook and Him Instagram: @thecookandhim
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Letting Go of Expectations WORDS BY MARINA SHAPIRO-ELBERT
Our mind is trained to build expectations. We’re constantly in a state of expecting (positive and negative), trying to subconsciously control the future according to our ideas of how things should be. We expect our spouses, children, parents, friends, co-workers and even strangers to behave based on our own perceptions of right and wrong, or situations to turn out according to what fits our personal desires. And, when they don’t – we end up feeling disappointed and frustrated. Expectations always lead to disappointments. Often, we are so zoomed in on the pictures in our head of how we want things to be, how we want people in our lives to act that we can’t cope with the outcome when it differs from our ideals, whether it exceeded our presumptions or failed to match them. The pictures we carry and build our expectations upon are a sophisticated mechanism of our ego, protecting us from what might hurt us, essentially guiding us to avoid pain at all cost. These pictures are almost always based on our childhood experiences, those moments we encountered lack of love and internalized the belief that we are not worthy of love. Through those experiences we feel loss of power and give birth to voices and ideas in our mind that will perpetuate and play out situations to confirm that belief throughout our entire life. These voices often find an expression through a sense of entitlement, self-importance, pride and arrogance, where you feel that others somehow are obligated to delivering that love to you in whichever form you demand or expect. Our relationships are a perfect ground to trigger these voices and pictures that come from a place of hurt inside, constantly feeding situations in which we re-live the disappointments and feel worthless and unloved. It may seem as minor as expecting your partner to take out trash when it fills up and getting upset when they don’t do it time after time or expecting friends to say “thank you” for things you do for them, expecting your child to be polite or a parent to do a good job, and so on. As long as we feed the pattern, we will experience hurt and disappointment, because the pictures we form in our mind can’t find realization in people and events in our life. Letting go of expectations is a continuous process, a path that can lead you to recognizing and healing your patterns and replacing the inner projector which feeds and replays the feelings of a hurt child within you. This change cannot happen unless you’re willing to go a few layers deeper than the mind. As Albert Einstein said: “You cannot solve a problem from the consciousness that created it. You must learn to see the world anew”. So is the mind cannot heal itself, only the heart can bring love into it. This truly requires courage and willingness to look inside the pain you carry, bringing unconditional love and forgiveness to the parts of your psyche that are hiding behind the need to prepare yourself for the worst and build expectations from that fearful place. The practice of letting go is truly the practice of surrender and acceptance. By surrendering your fears and the need to be in control of life, you’re opening the door to the realm of love, where miracles and serendipity are in charge of the best possible outcomes in your life.
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“Sometimes You ha of what y and le
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ave to let go of the picture you thought it would be like earn to find joy in the story you are actually living� Rachel Marie Martin S I M P LICITY
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Soul Contract Change WORDS BY GRACE NIU
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For many of you, during the period of April - August, it has been an intense time of challenges, lessons and some steep learning curves, especially those of you who are travelling at high speed. As we are letting go of the old identity and still feeling a bit wobbly about the new version of ourselves, there is a strong theme emerging for many of you, it is the Changing Guard of the Soul Contract. Before we incarnate, our souls tend to map out the relationships, family ties and other scenarios based on the lessons we wish to learn in human form. This is called a Sacred Contract or Soul Contract. Once the contract is complete and the healing or learning is done, you are called to move on from a person, a position or a place in order to shift into your new identity. This can be quiet uncomfortable for many of us, because it signifies ‘ending’, ‘dissolving’, ‘closure of one chapter in your life’, it can also means ‘saying goodbye to certain people’. For some of you, it can manifest outwardly in your physical body as dizziness, old pains in your body reoccurring with vengeance and burst of strong emotions. This is because our human body is going through a ‘shock wave’. We are finishing the Shedding phase (metal season) and entering the “Adjust, Adapt and Reset’ phase during October - December. You are stabilising with this new stream of energy and allowing it to find ground. Whatever the emotions or physical pains you are going through, the good news is, the fire of those pains and uncomfortableness will only burn for a short while before it become integrated with the new life force energy if you are open to changes. Be patient and tread gently. It is only when you resist this inescapable change at the fundamental level, you become sick or stuck energetically. ASK YOURSELF BELOW QUESTIONS: • • •
What part of yourself that is so precious that you will fully lose it if you move forward? What relationship in your life, past or present, you are afraid to change for fear of who you might become if you step forward? Is this fear rational? Am I feeling through things or Am I thinking through things?
October can be explosive times for enormous identity shift and your usual awareness of feeling can be very different. During this time, we are called to shift out our old patterns, life long habits so we can rise into the new energy. Below practices can support you during this contracted state: •
Release judgement. It is natural to hold onto what you know with your dear life. Instead, pay attention to where the energy wants to flow and move with it with love , at the same time heighten your awareness in those areas that feels restricted.
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Know that you do not need to get rid of everything in your life in order to change. You simply allow those areas that need to be adapted transform and trust the process.
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Be willing to surrender yourself to the higher guidance on daily basis. When the confusion kicks up, you can overcome this recoil from life by asking the higher force to assist you through invocation so you can re-connect with life.
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“these mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.” Najwa Zebian
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Autumn Tunes.... Photography by Aleksandra Olejnik
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Cozy Up in Color WORDS BY MARINA SHAPIRO ELBERT
Fall season is officially here! As the pumpkin spice aroma fills the crisp October air and the taste of apple cider calls for cozy gatherings, so is our wardrobe ready to be spiced up with vibrant colors and finetuned for colder temperatures and seasonal transition. There is a multitude of colors to choose from this Fall whether you’re looking to brighten up your mood during the rainy days or keep you calm and soothed during the busy holiday season. Here are a few of our favorites for this season: Magenta is the color of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life. A combination of red and violet, magenta contains the passion, power and energy of red, restrained by the introspection and quiet energy of violet. It influences our whole personal development and strengthens our intuition while assisting us to rise above the everyday dramas of life to experience a greater level of awareness and knowledge. Wearing Magenta can be uplifting when you experience moments of frustration, anger or unhappiness. In the meaning of colors, magenta represents universal love at its highest level. It promotes compassion, kindness and cooperation and encourages a sense of self-respect and contentment. Next on our list is Gold. Optimistic and positive, gold adds richness and warmth to everything with which it is associated - it illuminates and enhances other things around it. It is a warm color that can be shiny, glistening and happy as well as dull, muted and traditional. The brighter shades of gold catch the eye with their brilliance while the darker muted shades are deep, warm and intense. The color gold is the color of success, achievement and triumph. Associated with abundance and prosperity, luxury and quality, prestige and sophistication, value and elegance, the psychology of this color implies affluence, material wealth and extravagance. Dare to wear gold this season to attract abundance of opportunities and growth! Last but not least is Olive Green - a sophisticated color which is generally quiet, and can often evoke a sense of peace and calm. Although it is the traditional color for peace, ‘offering an olive branch’, it also signifies a strength of character. Wearing Olive green can help overcome adversity and to develop an understanding and caring of the feelings of others. Choosing the colors that speak to you is the key to understanding your own cycles and moods better and making the seasonal transition easier and much smoother. Choose your colors wisely!
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“every l eaf sp eak s blis s to me, f lu t teri n g f r om t he autum t r e e ...” EM IL Y B R ON T E
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Chinese Face Reading WORDS BY REMEE GEMO
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Face reading or physiognomy is an ancient Chinese method of using various aspects of the face to determine one’s health status, personality traits, one’s abilities and talents, possible areas of stuck energy or unresolved emotions and even how one gets along with certain people. In my practice I rely heavily on face reading to diagnose my patients. Often on their initial visit they are surprised at how their medical problem is inquired about even before they disclose what disorder they have come to have treated. Facial reading is so accurate that one can determine the quadrant of the uterus an embryo has implanted in within a few weeks of pregnancy. 31
As the above examples show, face reading is a practical option for health diagnostics. It is especially useful to those with diseases of unknown etiology or mystery illnesses. In the least, face reading will give clues as to which body system merits further testing and investigation. Face reading is reliable for finding hormonal imbalances, metabolic disorders, origins of disease, immune system problems, digestive issues, assessing reproductive soundness and organ weaknesses among many other issues. Chinese face reading is beneficial in preventative care, where the weaknesses in a system can be discovered and addressed before diseases appear, sometimes even thwarting the illness. Several years ago I had a patient that came in for a general health reading. I saw some tooth and bone issues from certain characteristics of her face and when I inquired about any tooth or bone problems she said that those issues had never been problematic for her. Unfortunately, she called back two weeks later to report that two of her molars had broken and when the dentist investigated further it was due to a severe weakness in her jaw bone that resulted in not just replacing the broken teeth but also a series of surgeries to graft new bone into her jaw. Another application of Chinese face reading is identifying one’s personality traits. It is possible to identify unique preferences, defining attitudes, individual mannerisms, tendencies and personal characteristics. Just a few of the many personality traits that might be gleaned from physiognomy are: introversion versus extroversion, one’s decision making methods, practicality versus emotionality, and talents such as being artistic, mechanically inclined or being a athletic.
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In face reading it is also possible to discover talents that may be known as well as unknown. Abilities passed down from previous generations or inherent to one’s family line can be uncovered to encourage further growth in areas in which one may not realize they have life enhancing gifts.A face reading that readily exemplifies this was a woman whose talents according to her face seem to lay in two completely contrasting areas, mathematics and dance. I inquired as to her involvement in either and she said that she was an accountant by trade and had been dancing ballroom for decades. Matchmaking and interpersonal relationships are other arenas in which face reading can be employed. In ancient China face reading was an excellent tool in assessing a good marital match. In modern days face reading can be used to trouble-shoot problems such as differing communication styles, expectations, as well as perspectives that may cause friction in a relationship. For those that are single, advice about the most auspicious facial features to look for in a mate can be extrapolated from an analysis of your own face to pare down potential candidates. In business applications face reading can bring light to possible areas of friction in workgroup dynamics and can provide valuable insight into the hiring or firing of employees. An additional application of Chinese face reading is to identify old emotional traumas. Many imbalances and health issues are rooted in unprocessed or stuck emotional energy and childhood trauma. This may help add clarity to the origin of current mental, emotional or physical states thereby aiding in the resolution or remedy of those imbalances. Career counseling is a point of inquiry that face reading easily addresses. Different features on a face help determine one’s calling by identifying one’s strengths and weaknesses. This can be used by those that are feeling unfulfilled in their work to sleuth out what options would be a more satisfying occupation. I had read a young man who had strong facial features for an engineer with notable but less profuse characteristics of a creative. He disclosed that he had recently switched his art major to engineering because although he enjoyed art, the problem-solving aspect of engineering fascinated him more. Finally, forecasting the decades of our lives to come and interpreting years that have passed is possible with face reading. Evaluating certain ages, poignant aspects of our past that may strongly influence our future and being able to prepare for future years that may be difficult is an advantage of face reading.
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oH DARLING, Oh LET’S BE ADVENTURERS...OH, DARLIG, LET’S BE ADVENTURE
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Oh darling, let’s be adventurers...
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Wisdom of the Tao WORDS BY ALEKSANDRA OLEJNIK PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEKSANDRA OLEJNIK
The Way. Tired in crowded spaces. Restless in traffic jams. Beach walk becomes a challenge. People everywhere. Today’s teaching: The usefulness of what is depends on what is not. It is the silence between the notes that makes music. It is the uncomfortable feeling of being lost that allows to feel grateful for the little things. For empty beaches during the winter time, empty streets on early spring evenings, lonely mountain walk and marvellous top views. The way of the Tao is to allow not to try. Let the world unfold without always attempting to figure it all out. Judge less and listen more.
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Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
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Bilbao, Spain
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Declutter Guide WORDS BY GRACE NIU
In Feng Shui, each sector of your home represents a major aspect in your life, such as money, relationships, careers etc. Use below guide to help you spot the key areas that need to be cleared, so you can remove those stagnant energies and create some space. Remember, in order to change your life circumstances, you need to change your energy field around you first.
LOVE ROMANCE & RELATIONSHIPS Clear out the SOUTHWEST corner of your home, bedroom, living room, and office. Clutter here can manifest as marriage issues, problem of finding a parter. It can also create stomach & spleen or digestive system related health issues. Females are likely to have problem with regards to belly & womb. MONEY & WEALTH Clear out the SOUTHEAST corner of your home, bedroom, lliving room, and office. Clutter here can create issue with wealth accumulation or any kinds of financial difficulties. It can also create problems in the hips, legs and knees as well as liver.
FRIENDS, FAME & REPUTATION Clear out the SOUTH corner of your home, bedroom, living room, and office. Clutter here can create problems with friends, social contacts, as well as health problems with vision and heart. Brighten and lighten this area up and create open space.
HEALTH & FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS Clear out the EAST corner of your home, bedroom, living room, and office. Problems here result in difficulties with family members, tension in the house. Health wise, you are likely to have liver problems or issues with your foot. You might also feel stuck and lack motivation to move forward.
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CAREER & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Clear out the NORTH corner of your home, bedroom, living room, desk and office. Clutter in this area creates problems with kidneys, reproductive organs and ears. An open space helps to create flow for the water energy here that brings career and business opportunities.
CHILDREN, CREATIVITY, PROJECTS TO FLOURISH Clear out the WEST corner of your home, bedroom, living room, and office to watch projects come to fruition. When you home is cluttered in this area, it can create problems with children, lung, or issues around the mouth and teeth.
KNOWLEDGE, PERSONAL GROWTH & SPIRITUALITY Clear out the NORTHEAST corner of your home, bedroom, living room, and office. When this part of your home is clutter, it is hard for you to gain clarity on your path, make sound decisions. It can also affect your hands, your digestive systems as well as stomach & spleen.
TRAVEL, MENTORS, HELPFUL PEOPLE Clear out the NORTHWEST corner of your home, bedroom, living room, and office. Clutter in this area creates problems with men or the ‘male of the house’. It also prevent the opportunity of ‘helpful people and mentors from entering into your life. Health wise, you might encounter issues with the lung s or colon as well as head-related issues, such as headaches.
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INSTA Inspiration
@linaskukauske @thissimplespace Keep it simple. Collect moments not things. I have been simplifying everything. Decluttering, again. Letting go of crap I don’t need (include emotional mental baggage and attachments). @mariekondo is the master when it comes to tidying up so thanks for the image and the inspiration ✨✨. Read her book! The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (Not sponsored, just like neatness *not OCD* *maybe*)
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We always want to add more: get more stuff, do more, be more , because we think it’s going to make us happy. After lots of inner work I realized that what we need to be happy is actually quite the opposite- for the biggest shifts we neeed to let go. Without the trauma, negative emotions and limiting beliefs we’re a;ready happy, we come to this life happy and wonderfl, but we just gather all that emotional baggage overtime which blocks us from our natural state of flow. And no amount of stuff or achievements will bring us happiness if subconsciously we’re running programs like Ï’m not loveable”, “the world is a dangerous place”, Ï’m stupid”etc. Without those though-building the life we love and taking actions comes easy, not from lack but from inspiration and overflow of good emotions.”
@simplelivingfolks
@anandayogahub
I had no idea how refreshing it would feel to walk into a bathroom with no mirror until I made my way into this restaurant bathroom, opened the door, and literally stopped in my tracks upon seeing this. “That. Is awesome.” I blurted out loud and oddly felt... liberated? not being confronted with my appearance. Not because I don’t like my face, but because I was given the freedom to not have to *focus* on it. Yes. Less mirrors, more affirmations, please.
Close some doors today. Not because of pride, incapacity or disdain but simply because they lead you nowhere. Let go of beliefs that no longer serve you. Some may just have stories that are holding you back, from what you really need. Don’t let thoughts stop you from reaching your own happiness. Create your space, grow, explore, discover
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@brianaarlene
@samielcarolina
Arcadia State Park, Oregon. I wander the shoreline with an eye towards the sand, carefully inspecting what the tide has left behind. It’s nearly dusk, but who could tell? Velvety gray clouds crowd in close overhead like a gathering of old friends. A man in a black hoodie does yoga on the beach. Wheel pose.Why not? Another makes a driftwood fire in the shadows of a rocky alcove. A gray-haired woman collects large oceanworn stones and clangs them together. Crack-a-tat. Crack-a-tat. Crack-a-tat. I wonder if each has found what they needed to experience on this day. I certainly have.
“The way you close a cycle is the way you open the next one.� This may be the greatest teaching I received on my Mayan path, and life has confirmed again and again. Sharing it with you today as I felt is relevant for these times . Alchemy for the Soul!
@thefengshuispace
@laura.priev We are overworked, overconnected and overstressed, and we compete over how busy, important and sleep-deprived we are. But we don’t have to.’ I’ve just finished reading a simple đ&#x;“– by @brookemcalary from @slowhomepod who got me inspired of her idea about slower life from inside out.
The truth is you can’t try to let go. Trying is the opposite of letting go. To let go is to relinquish trying. To let go is much more like to let be. -Adyashanti .
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Embracing Boredom WORDS BY MARINA SHAPIRO-ELBE RT
In our 24/7 culture, being idle or finding yourself “non-doing” is often stigmatized as being lazy or even worse, depressed. We’ve become masters in distracting ourselves from our feelings and our daily anxieties by filling up our schedules and overstimulating our children with activities. We’ve learned to perceive the word “bored” as a signal to fill up a hole, an empty space with noise, distraction or another activity. When our schedules are not full, we feel guilty and pressured “to do”. There is unspoken competition to see how busy one can be, this frantic impulse to flee from any hint of unfilled time that might lead to actually feeling something. Just think of the last time you picked up your phone, went online, sent a text message, or stuffed something in your mouth when you felt bored, or felt some deeper feelings that emerged when you had a moment of spare time. While an idle state of mind is neutral, the manner in which we respond to it determines whether it becomes a positive or a negative influence in our lives. We may either feel frustrated at our inability to be productive and attempt to lose ourselves in self-destructive habits, or let boredom be an invitation to learn, explore, experiment, and hone the boundless creative energy within. This may seem like an outrageous concept, but creativity is born from idle time. Overscheduled kids don’t have the opportunity or energy to delve as fully into what they are doing. They are often playing by the rules of coaches and teachers and being told what to do, as opposed to making up their own games and build social skills as they negotiate the ever-changing rules of those games. In ancient traditions, boredom is perceived as a pathway to self-awareness. When we are troubled by boredom, it is not that there is nothing to do but rather that we are not stimulated by the choices before us. A bored mind can be the canvas upon which innovation is painted and the force that presses you to strive for opportunities you thought were beyond your reach. Embrace boredom and let the empty space be an opportunity for creative self-expression and endeavors that expand your soul and nurture your inner gifts!
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RECIPES BY THE COOK AND HIM PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE COOK AND HIM
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SPICE ROASTED AUTUMN VEGGIES Serves 2 INGREDIENTS: 1 carrot - peeled or washed 1/4 butternut squash - peeled 1 parsnip - peeled 1 red onion - peeled 1 sweet potato - peeled 6-8 brussels sprouts - tough outer leaves removed 1/4 cup pecans 1 Braeburn apple 1 tblsp olive oil 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp coconut sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 Fan / 220 C / 425 F / Gas 7 2. Once you’ve peeled/washed all your veg cut them all into bite sized pieces. I halved the sprouts so that they cook quicker. Don’t forget to cut round the ‘core’ of the parsnip as it can be quite tough even when cooked. 3. Cut round the core of the apple and dice the flesh also into bite sized chunks. 4. Place all the veg, the apple and the pecans in a large bowl. 5. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic powder and coconut sugar then pour over the veg, stir well to coat everything. 6. Tip onto a large roasting tray then pop in the oven for 35 minutes, stirring half way through the cooking time. 7. Serve immediately!
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RED PEPPER AND TOMATO SOUP WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER Serves 4 INGREDIENTS: Roasted Cauliflower: 1 small cauliflower 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp dried rosemary 1 tsp garlic powder 2 tblsp nutritional yeast Soup: 10 large salad tomatoes 3 large cloves garlic 1 red onion 1 red pepper 1/3 cup goji berries 2 tblsp tomato puree 2 cups / 500 ml vegetable stock Olive oil Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Start by roasting the cauliflower - preheat your oven to 180 Fan / 200 C / 400 F / Gas 6 and line a medium tray with parchment or a silicon mat. Break the cauliflower into florets - not too large, you want bite sized pieces - and put in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, the thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, yeast and a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir or toss everything together then tip onto your tray and roast for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp. While that’s cooking, make the soup! Remove the core from the tomatoes and put into a large saucepan. Peel and roughly chop both the garlic and onion and add that to the pan. Remove the core and seeds from the red pepper, roughly dice the flesh and add that too along with the goji berries and a drizzle of olive oil. SautÊ for 5 minutes over a medium heat, stirring frequently then add the tomato puree, stir, then add the veg stock and bubble for 15 minutes, giving an occasional stir until the tomatoes are just starting to go mushy. Either ladle into a blender cup and blitz till smooth or use a stick blender and pulse until all the veg is well pureed. Taste and season. Pour into your bowl and drop in a few florets of cauliflower.
NOTES: Serve with hunks of crusty bread.
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RECIPES BY THE COOK AND HIM PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE COOK AND HIM S I MPLICITY
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SAUTEED VEGGIES ON VEGAN CHEESE TOAST Serves 2
INGREDIENTS: 1 cup (100g) baby carrots 1 red onion 2-3 cloves garlic drizzle of olive oi 40g (a small bunch) asparagus couple of handfuls of broccoli florets 1 cup (60g) button chestnut mushrooms 1/2 red pepper - stalk and seeds removed then roughly sliced or diced 1/4 cup (60ml) veg stock salt and pepper 60g New Roots Vegan Goat’s Cheese with Thyme and Lavender 4 slices thickly cut crusty bread
RECIPES BY THE COOK AND HIM PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE COOK AND HIM
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Wash and remove any tough stalk from the baby carrots, put into a saucepan with boiling water and cook for 5 minutes until softened slightly. Drain and set aside. Peel the onion and finely dice. Peel the garlic and crush then put into a large saute pan with the diced onion and a drizzle of olive oil. Gently saute the onion and garlic, stirring frequently, for 1 minute then add the par-cooked carrots, the asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, pepper and veg stock. Cover the pan with a lid and gently bubble over a medium heat for a further 5 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the heat up and bubble rapidly for just a minute to evaporate any excess liquid. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper and stir. Turn the heat off and put the lid back on. Toast your slices of bread, generously smear each piece with the goats cheese then top with the sautĂŠed veggies. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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CARAMEL CHOCOLATE PROTEIN BITES Makes 15 bars/ 20 balls INGREDIENTS: 1 + 1/2 cups (150g) rolled oats 1/2 cup (55g) ground almonds 1/2 cup (100g) dairy free dark chocolate chips 1/2 cup (55g) goji berries 2 tblsp (25g) chia seeds 2 tblsp (25g) flax seeds 4 dates - stone removed 1/4 cup (35g) shelled pistachio nuts 1/4 cup (35g) shelled macadamia nuts 2 tblsp (40g) Sweet Freedom Choc Shake - Caramel 1/2 cup (125g) nut butter (peanut or almond) 1/3 cup (80g) unsweetened almond milk
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RECIPES BY THE COOK AND HIM PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE COOK AND HIM
Put 1 cup (100g) of oats into a food processor and whizz to a quite fine powder. Tip into a large bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup (50g) of un-ground oats, the ground almonds, the chocolate chips, flax seeds, chia seeds and goji berries. Don’t wash up your food processor bowl yet! Tip in the dates and both nuts and whizz until quite finely chopped. Squeeze in the Sweet Freedom Chocolate Shake and add the nut butter and whizz again until incorporated. Add the almond milk and give a final whizz to mix it through. Tip this into your bowl of dry ingredients and stir until well combined. If you’re making bars tip the mixture into a 7 x 9 inch tray lined with parchment or cling-film, spreading and flattening into the corners then put in the fridge for a couple of hours to set before cutting into bars. If you’re making the mixture into balls take out small pieces and shape with your hands - the size of the ball is up to you. Store both bars and balls in a lidded container in the fridge.
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“The Beauty you see in m is a reflection of 74
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f You.“ Rumi S I M PLICITY
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Take Good Care Finding the time to take proper care of yourself can be hard. But if you don’t, it won’t be long before you’re run down with exhaustion and operating in a mental fog where it’s hard to care about anything or anyone. The tendency to stay focused on goals, achievements, and meeting the excessive expectations you have of yourself can come at the expense of your life balance and overall wellness. Here are a few simple ways for self-care this Fall: • Take care of yourself by scheduling time alone (whether for rest, exercise, fun, etc.) • Have a daily mini-meditation routine spend one minute of your time on awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations; one minute of focused attention on breathing; and one minute of awareness of the body as a whole. • Do one thing a day that makes you really happy. • Walk for a few minutes a day (or go up and down the stairs a few times) • Choose who you spend your time with today. Hang out with those who emit positivity, and not those whose negativity robs you of energy.
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Simplicity Recommends
-book (n.) portable sunctuary.
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SOULFUL SIMPLICITY BY COURTNEY CARVER This is hands down one of the best books to read this Fall. The book is full of love and definitely stands out amongst the many decluttering books not for the “how” of simplifying our lives, but for the “why”. As Courtney Carver says: ”I’m not opposed to owning things, but looking back, I see that everything I owned, owned me back.” In this book, she offers ways to declutter, but most importantly brings insights into the emotional side of letting go, which can often be the hardest part. Clearing out our clutter and slowing downour schedules is much more about re-training your heart to know what it really needs rather than just saying no or filling a trash can. Simplicity and most big changes are a matter of the heart.
BECOMING WHOLE: A HEALING COMPANION TO EASE EMOTIONAL PAIN AND FIND SELF-LOVE BY BRUCE ALAN KEHR This is a an insightful, powerful and revealing read that can be a life companion in easing emotional distress that just won’t go away, improving intimate love relations and helping parents with children, adolescents and young adults in crisis. The book is illustrating 12͞sessions’ which are stories of patients in treatment--and for the first time unveiling what goes on inside the heart and mind of the therapist as they heal a patient’s tangled heart. Becoming Whole is filled with warmth, empathy, and hope, and teaches you how to ease emotional pain in your life and in the lives of those you care about. THE POWER OF VULNERABILITY: TEACHINGS OF AUTHENTICITY, CONNECTIONS AND COURAGE BY BRENE BROWN “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.” This is one of the top reads on our list. In this profoundly life-changing book (available in audio) Brené Brown tackles one of the most challenging and taboo subjects –addressing the issues of shame and vulnerability in an empathetic way, with disarming honesty and offering specific ideas on how to harness the power of vulnerability, and wield it to effect change in our lives, our relationships, and our communities. Definitely a gateway piece to wholeheartedness and the acceptance of vulnerability.
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Here at Simplicity we love to discover user-friendly apps that make our lives easier, helping to simplify everyday loads and stay balanced in all aspect of our lives. These are just a few of our recommendations to prompt self-care, elevate your mood and stay on top of your schedules:
365 Gratitude App
It is not always easy to be happy. But we believe that somewhere deep inside, it is always possible to be grateful. We can choose to be consistently grateful to just be here at all, to be alive in this wonderful world. This gratitude journal app offers a variety of ways to track your mood daily, to keep reminding you of all the things to be grateful for in your life and helps bring more joy and peace into your life! Definitely one of our favorites.
Time Off Tracker is a very practical and use-
ful app to have if you wish to stay on top of your vacation, sick days and personal time off requests. It is precise and easy to use. This app is a must have for employees looking to achieve work-life balance. For employers--and especially small business owners--this app is all you need to handle employee availability and time off scheduling with style.
Accupressure: Heal Yourself
Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body’s natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body’s life force to aid healing. Pressure points are a great way to release nerve endings and ease tension in the body for all over physical and emotional comfort. You can also use self-massage of points to relieve anxiety and to help you get to sleep at night. This easy to use app contains over 90 points combinations to be used in different situations e.g. to relief the headache, to give up smoking, to reduce high blood pressure etc. with illustrated instructions how to make point massage (can be used completely offline)
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Simplicity Recommends
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