“If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place. As soon as you honor the present moment, unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love – even the most simple action.”— Eckhart Tolle [Source: Weekly Present Moment Reminders]
My blog posts are usually scheduled ahead, but today I feel the need to step in and comment on world events. My heart is heavy with all the major outbreaks of violence and war in the world right now.
So what can we do? How should we react?
First we must remember that war does not create peace.
To have peace we mustbe peace.
To put a stop to the war and violence in the world we must put a stop to the war and violence in our own countries, cities, towns, neighborhoods and families, but first and foremost in our own hearts.
Violence and war in our world comes from fear so we must work to keep fear in check.
In a world that seems so dark we are desperately needed to shine the light of God. As small as your light may seem, let it shine. When we all shine the light together the world will be flooded with light.
Finally please join me in saying the prayer for protection over all (including innocent civilians and children) who are currently in harms way due to war and other forms of violence.
The light of God surrounds us; The love of God enfolds us; The power of God protects us; The presence of God watches over us; Wherever we are, God is!
“Every time you don’t follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness. ” — Shakti Gawain [Source: quotationspage.com]
“Pretending is not just play. Pretending is imagined possibility. Pretending, or acting is a very valuable like skill and we do it all the time.”— Meryl Streep, Barnard Commencement Speech 2010 [Source: Quotationspage.com]
This makes a thick, creamy chocolate smoothie that tastes like a milk shake. I add flax seed meal for a nutritional boost. We think this is plenty sweet, but you may add a little Stevia if you think you need it.
But how healthy are these ingredients?
Almond milk is low in calories but high in vitamins and calcium. [Source: Nutritional Benefits of Almond Milk http://www.livestrong.com]
Cocoa powder contains flavonoids linked to decreased blood pressure, improved blood vessel health, and improvement in cholesterol levels. Dark cocoa is best.
Bananas are high in potassium and fat and cholesterol free and a good source of energy due to being high in carbohydrates.
Flaxseed meal is a good source of Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids, Lignans and Fiber. [Source: Web MD http://www.webmd.com]
Natural peanut butter is a very good source of monounsaturated fats, the type of fat emphasized for heart health and is a good source of vitamin E, niacin, folate, protein and manganese. In addition, peanuts provide resveratrol, I am talking about peanut butter made from only ground peanuts with no added oils and sugars. [Source: The World’s Healthiest Foods www.whfoods.com]
Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
1 banana
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons flax seed meal
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 packet Stevia sweetener (optional)
2 Tablespoons peanut butter (optional)
Ice cubes as needed
Instructions
1. Combine milk and banana in blender container. Blend until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients and continue blending until smooth.
3. Add ice cubes one at a time until the smoothie reaches your desired thickness.
If you use frozen bananas you will need less ice. We like ours really thick (like ice cream) so I use frozen bananas and lots of ice. Makes two large servings.
This recipe is part of a summer series on smoothies. Enter “smoothies” in the search box at the top of the right column to find the others.
“You are the sum total of the people you meet and interact with in the world. Whether it’s your family, peers, or co-workers, the opportunities you have and the things that you learn all come through doors that other people open for you.
― Tanner Colby, Some of My Best Friends Are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America
“True listening is another way of bringing stillness into the relationship. When you truly listen to someone, the dimension of stillness arises and becomes an essential part of the relationship. — Eckhart Tolle [Source: Weekly Present Moment Reminders]
“Don’t knock the weather: nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while.” — Kin Hubbard
I don’t usually comment on quotes, but today I couldn’t resist. When I first read it I laughed. It is funny. It is also true.
But as far as I am concerned there is absolutely nothing wrong in talking about the weather. It establishes a connection. No matter how brief or trivial it may seem, it opens doors.
Have you even been walking by a someone and said, “lovely weather isn’t it?” Did they smile? Did they respond? Did a conversation begin? You may never know what the brief exchange meant to the other person.
We live in a time when we desperately need to talk to each other. The weather is just as good a place to start as any.
espirational.com