Fun & Gluten Free

Ever have an National Public Radio moment -- where you stop what you are doing to really listen to what is being shared?   I became engrossed in a Fresh Air interview this week.  Terry Gross interviewed 2 editors of the new America's Test Kitchen - How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook.  The science of cooking is amazing.

Hear the interview and see some fun gluten free recipes at:

http://www.npr.org/2014/03/20/291873792/test-kitchen-have-your-gluten-free-cake-and-love-eating-it-too

Over Stuffed

Stuff creeps into our lives and multiples.

Where did that pile of clothes, books or rocks come from?

How did the desk, kitchen table or counter become so cluttered? 

Our homes overflow with:

• Pantries filled with enough food to feed a family for 6 months
• Tools we don't use or that don’t work
• Toys – drawers, shelves, boxes overflowing with toys
• Supplies for projects gathering dust
• Clothes we have not fit into for a long time
• Multiples of reading glasses, scissors, nail clippers.... yet where is one when needed? 

An over abundance of stuff zaps our energy, clutters our space and confuses our thinking.  Yet we struggle to let stuff go.  Even the stuff we no longer use or like -- can cling to us.

Instead of letting things go we tend to stuff our stuff into drawers, closets, and storage sheds.  We purchase plastic containers and pretty boxes for keeping stuff, not because we use it, but because we are not ready to let it go. 

We know what to do.  Some of us have:

• Worked with a professional, friend or family member to help us organize
• Read books to re-organize home or office spaces.
• Read articles in magazines and on the web to support de-cluttering
• Watched Clean Sweep, Clean House and Hoarders on TV

We may know what to do and yet struggle to do it, even when we see our stuff robbing us of:

 time, productivity, creativity, connection with others and peace of mind. 

Can we learn to let go of what no longer severs us with ease? 

This is the goal of a 4 – part Clearing Clutter Workshop,  I am piloting at Oro Valley Public Library. 

Part 1:  Clutter: Awareness Tuesday March 25th 9:30 – 11:00am Part 2:  Clutter: Acceptance

    Tuesday April 1^st 9:30 – 11:00am

Part 3:  Clutter: Adjustments and Actions Tuesday April 8th 9:30 – 11:00am Part 4:  Clutter: Invisible Clutter

    Tuesday April 15^th  9:30 – 11:00am

Yoga With A Dentist

Glancing at the clock, very aware this root cannel procedure is taking longer than the 90 minutes appointment.  Thinking:   Can an open mouth be an asana?   How long can I hold this edge?  Translating the words “we are almost done” to the voice of my yoga teacher saying, “take three more deep breaths” while holding plank.

Fast forward to this morning and reading a short section from Attitudes of Gratitude:  How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life by M. J. Ryan:  

“Is the world a wonderful place or a hellhole?  All of us know the answer to that depends on our attitude on any give day.  Has the world changed?  Most likely our thinking about it has.   When we consciously cultivate positive attitudes such as love, joy and gratitude, we “remake” the world. “

Yesterday in the dental chair, breathing through my nose, I practiced gratitude. 

Grateful for:

• Clear sinuses
• Amazing technology to find and fix a root infection
• Gentle hands of a very young desist
• The new assistances desire to learn
• Time for a nap after the appointment
• Dental insurance

Life coaching teaches: 

What We Focus On Expands

Kripalu yoga teaches:

Practice Curiosity and Compassion 

Life is good when I remember to ride the waves of life just noticing and letting go of judgments.  

There is power and peace in focusing on gratitude.