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Self Care Celebration!
with Lea Houston, MA
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Greetings!
Happy February! I've just come in from a delicious, meandering walk in the woods. The snows have newly melted, the moss is richly green and dripping with icy water, tree buds are growing plump and the first wildflowers of the year are up! Here in the foothills of western Oregon, the grouse flowers - tiny, brave, purple-ish blue blossoms - pop up weeks ahead of any other flowers. Each year, I am delighted and excited by these first flowers, which reassure me that spring is on its way. This week, in the northern hemisphere, we are halfway between winter solstice and spring equinox. The buds are swelling; the earth is quickening. Energy that has been dormant in the earth and resting deep inside the plants begins flowing and expressing itself.
Sensing the earth's cycles, reflected in nature and in my own rhythms, is a vital part of my self care practice.
In this issue I invite you to discover your self care practices by noticing what habits and practices help you say, "Yes!" to your life. And I share a book, a radio show and a new-to-me food that supports health and beauty.
I'd love to hear from you. Please e-mail me with musings, experiences, questions and suggestions. lea@leahouston.com
Wishing you abundant love, health and happiness,
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Say, "Yes!" To Your Life!
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How do you say "Yes!" to your Life? What are the things you do -or perhaps long to do more of - that help you feel good, stay in balance and enjoy your life?
- Start my morning with a vigorous walk in the woods.
- Mix up a berry smoothie for breakfast.
- Breathe in, with all my senses, the medicine of birdsong, tree green, wind texture and a friend's hug.
- Take time to rest, breathe, roll around on the floor, stretch, shake, laugh, play and imagine.
- Cook and eat delicious, gorgeous, fresh, locally grown food with people I love.
Regularly doing these things I love helps me create health and vitality in my life. In these ways I say, "Yes!" to my particular life - in this body - on this piece of earth - right now.
Saying, "Yes!" to life through your daily habits and regular practices is powerful and transformational Self Care.
- It is an approach to health that will help you create a life of ongoing well-being that is always appropriate because it is based on what you need at any given time.
- Saying, "yes" to life, by taking care of yourself your way, feels so good it really is a celebration.
- It is an approach to health that is responsive, adaptable and tunes you into your inner knowing.
- The more you say, " Yes!" to what is right for you, the more quickly and easily the "negative " habits will fall away.
Somehow in our modern culture it is easy to forget how fabulous it feels to take good care of ourselves. With our amazing medical advances and barrage of media messages, we often think of health care as something someone else does to us and of well-being and beauty as coming from outside of ourselves. It is so tempting to respect so-called "authorities" on diet and exercise above our own body wisdom.
But when you connect to your body's wisdom, when you tune into and trust your soul-in-the-body-knowing, you will be guided to the daily practices and habits that you need for health and healing.
So, now, take a few easy, softening breaths and ask yourself the following questions. As you do, listen to your body wisdom. Sense for a response from your own deep soul-in-the-body-knowing.
- What helps your body feel its best?
- What makes you feel more alive, more energized, more relaxed and more happy?
- What ways of moving, eating, playing, resting, creating and interacting are your ways to say Yes! to your particular life, in your body, just as you are?
- What brings you home to yourself?
- How many of these things are you doing each day?
- What one or two things could you start doing today that would make a difference for you?
Begin today to find more ways to say "Yes!" to Your Life!
With daily habits and practices that feel great to you, you are feeding your body and soul strong life-affirming messages.
"Yes! I want this life and I will create it with joy and awareness."
"Yes! To feeling as good as possible in this body."
"Yes! To celebrating this time we have with dear friends and family."
"Yes! To this precious Earth on loan to us."
It's your life. You get to live it and enjoy it your way! Please email me and let me know what you discover. I am always inspired by hearing of others' Self Care explorations. Although we each have a unique path to healing, we thrive in community. Community helps us find our way back to our balance and back to our own wisdom.
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WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, CLASS OR WEBSITE? Great! Just use the whole article and include this complete tag with it: Lea Houston, MA, transformational wellness coach, energy healer and inspirational speaker, publishes the Self Care Celebration! e-zine twice a month. If you're ready to create a life of vibrant health, wellbeing, ease and vitality, get your free report and sign up for the e-zine at www.SelfCareCelebration.com Contact Lea for coaching and speaking: lea@leahouston.com
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Celebrating Great Food: The Splendid Table ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Splendid Table, The Radio Show for People Who Love to Eat, hosted by Lynn Rosetto Kasper on National Public Radio, is my favorite media half hour of the week. Lynn shares her expertise and earthy love of food and cooking, offers recipes, cooking tips, fascinating food-related stories and answers callers' questions with a zestful, inquisitive, humorous and embracing style. It is broadcast here in Corvallis at 6:30 Sunday evening. I usually time my Sunday dinner preparations to enjoy Lynne right there in the kitchen with me, laughing, learning and sharing in the delight of food. The Splendid Table supports me in celebrating the goodness of life through the daily acts of eating and cooking.
Also check out Lynne's fabulous free weekly e-zine, Weeknight Kitchen, with delicious, easy, seasonal and wholesome recipes. To sign up and/or to get broadcast times go to:
http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/about/about.html |
Celebrating Great Books: The Tuth About Beauty
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The Truth About Beauty by Kat James.
I have been waiting for a year for the new edition of this book and it is fabulous! Kat James has reclaimed her own life, health and beauty from years of disordered eating and dieting and helps people find a lifelong approach to beauty that is wholesome and joyful. She gives practical suggestions to nourish the body from a deep cellular level so cravings and destructive habits disappear and health and beauty radiate naturally. Trying just a few of Kat's suggestions (see one below) has increased my energy, and relieved some of the weight/ blood sugar/skin issues I've noticed since entering my 50's.
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Celebrating Your Natural Beauty: Pure Coconut Oil
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Pure Coconut Oil! I am in love with coconut oil! It makes my whole being purr with contentment. The past two weeks, I've been experimenting with pure coconut oil--in my smoothie, on my skin and in cooking--and I love it! For years I've heard about the benefits of coconut oil. Finally, after reading about it in The Truth About Beauty, I decided to give it a try. The first day I followed Kat James' recommendation and added two tablespoons to my morning berry smoothie. By the very next morning, my skin, which has been dry this winter, was smoother and softer. Since then I've enjoyed it every morning in my smoothie, used it exclusively as a skin moisturizer on my face and body and for stir-frying vegetables. My energy is stronger and more stable and I'm sleeping better. I love the delicate, sweet and non-perfumey fragrance and the way it quickly absorbs into my skin.
My body says, "Yes!" to coconut oil and senses that it offers nourishment I have been needing. Many books and websites are filled with information about the benefits of coconut oil. It is thought to offer immune support, improve sleep, help regulate blood sugar levels, weight and thyroid function, promote heart health and beautify skin and hair.
I'm keeping one jar in my kitchen cabinet and one in my bathroom cabinet, for health and beauty from the inside and the outside. I'll let you know about my continued personal experiment with this.
If you feel drawn to try it, be sure to use organic virgin coconut oil, so that it is in its most natural state. And let me know what you discover!
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Resources:
Relaxation Remedy CD for Pain Relief, Stress Reduction and Inner Replenishment
Settle back for a unique and tranquil journey. Lea's soothing voice and guided meditations flow with the enchanting music to take you to your place of inner healing and deep relaxation.
"Lea's beautiful voice is like a soft blanket and a warm friend, guiding me, helping me find some moments of much needed respite. My pains are eased, my heart is comforted." Linda Fire, artist and teacher
Order your Relaxation Remedy CD at
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