Has the past year flown by for you? It has for me. It seems like just last week that I was setting goals and inspirations for the "new" year of 2011. And what a year this has been!

In 2011, I have seen growth in both the colon cleansing and healing segments of my practice in Gaithersburg, Maryland. We held a series of "open houses" to introduce colon cleansing, held our first group cleansing support program, and introduced our first workshop on Stress & Digestion, called "Stuck Digestion = Stuck Emotions". I learned a lot from each one of these ventures, and I'm eager to use all that I've learned to enhance these offerings in the coming year. It is with gratitude that I celebrate these successes!

This is a great reminder to take time to be present with all that has transpired over the past year - the ventures, successes, lessons learned and questions raised. Being present helps us to settle in to where we are. It helps us to determine the nutrient levels of our own internal soil. Seasonally, winter is the time when farmers plant cover crops. Cover crops and natural fertilizers replenish and affix nutrients into the soil to nourish the crops that will be planted in the spring.

Where have you been nourished and where have you been depleted? What do you need to replenish the nutrients of your own internal soil, to make you more grounded and stabilized for the coming seasons?

This is also a good time to reflect on the flowers that have blossomed over the past year, and to allow the sun to shine upon and illuminate for you the seeds within you that are waiting to sprout.

I am grateful to each of you who has participated in any way in my programs and services, including receiving and reading the newsletters or visiting the website. I have been given so much along my journey, and I want to share what I've been given in hopes that you may in some way benefit from the many gifts I've received. I'm grateful for what I've learned and received from each of you as well.

So before we begin setting our goals for 2012, let's take time to reflect on where we've been in 2011. What successes did you realize in 2011? What lessons did you learn? Take time to celebrate your successes, recognize where you are now, be with "what is" in this moment and receive the nourishment to fertilize your internal soil. It's imperative to a bountiful future harvest.

Happy Holidays to you all!

Special Offer:

Need a last minute Christmas gift? Gift Certificates are available for purchase online at JoyfullyLiving.com. Use the coupon code HollyJolly2011 at checkout and receive 15% off!

Warriors of the Sun:

I am excited to begin carrying Sun Warrior products. I used these products while training to run a half marathon this past summer, and I found them EXCEPTIONAL, so much so that I want to share them with everyone! Products are raw, vegan, organic, sprouted superfoods, including powdered proteins, activated barley (a slow-burning carb), supergreens, a special Warrior Blend and more! You can get more information and order directly from the website: www.SunWarrior.com, or come on in to Relaxing Alternatives to pick them up in person (call or email me first for availability).

Detox Coaching Program:

I'm also very excited to be starting an 8-month training program to become a certified detox coach! I will be learning a multi-factorial approach to detoxing the physical, energetic and spiritual toxins that build up by living in our modern world which may prevent us from healing. How is this different from cleansing and healing therapies currently offered? I hope to be better equipped to help you understand the functional root causes of current health challenges and explore tools we can use to develop a more comprehensive therapeutic detox program. Stay tuned - more to come!

NEW website under development!

I'm working diligently to put together a new online learning center website. This will bring you more than just information. It will bring you educational programs, tools and support you need to develop better self-care and self-healing habits for a better understanding of and connection with the needs of your own particular body, mind, heart and spirit.
ATTENTION: Are you interested in being a member of the site test team? I will expect a commitment and timely feedback. If you are interested, contact me by email. Either way, stay tuned for more info!

The Nutrients of our Internal Soil

Farmers know that certain crops need certain nutrients in order to grow successfully. As mentioned above, winter is the time when cover crops are planted. Different cover crops and fertilizers provide different nutrients for the soil. Often combinations of crops and fertilizers are used to affix a complement of nutrients into the soil where the spring crops will be planted. A good soil farmer knows this is imperative to a bountiful harvest for the coming seasons.

• So what are the nutrients of our internal soil?
• How do we know which nutrients are needed to return a bountiful harvest for our upcoming seasons?
• And how do we replenish our nutrients?

The Nutrients of our Internal Soil
Just as the soil requires basic nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, our internal soil needs basic nutrients such as love, compassion, beauty, justice and true internal freedom. These qualities are the basic spiritual-energetic minerals that we are made of.

These qualities lie at the core of our beings, far beneath emotions that we may associate with the same names. At our cores, we perceive these qualities more experientially, often with a sense of euphoria and without attachment. These qualities make up the spiritual life-force energy that connects all living things, both seen and unseen. Our perception of them can be more like a sensation of floating on the energetic plain, or a washing of the energy through our bodies.

One of the foundational beliefs of the healing work that I offer is that we come into this world with knowledge of the qualities (spiritual nutrients) that we carry, our connection to the spiritual life-force energy that connects all things, and our purposes for our journeys. In reality, these nutrients are never depleted from our internal soil, but we are at times less able to consciously access them.

To continue reading this article, please visit the www.JoyfullingLiving.com/blog

'Tis the season to be jolly, gassy and bloated, with the occasional acid indigestion! Unfortunately, the gassy, bloated and indigestion can make it hard to keep up the jolly. Here's a simple home remedy that can serve to neutralize stomach acid. Try a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water, preferably in the morning on an empty stomach. I like it in warm water, sipped like a relaxing cup of tea. You might think of apple cider vinegar as acidic, but it actually contains alkaline minerals which have a neutralizing effect on stomach acids. Make sure you use organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Common brands found in most stores that carry some organic products include Braggs and Spectrum. Happy, Jolly Holidays!

DEC 22, 2011

STAY CONNECTED WITH DEBRA

NEED A GIFT FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL?

Purchase a gift certificate online now!

RAW
VEGAN
ORGANIC
SPROUTED
SUPERFOODS!

AVAILABLE
ONLINE
NOW!

Find World Class Products
in the
World Wellness Store

Need help planning menus for
special diets?

Express Your Passion
for Living Joyfully!