Saturday, August 27, 2011

"You've got a lot of choices....."

"You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice." Steven D. Woodhull

Some of us live in the human tendency of getting so entrenched in our daily grind; the mechanism which we have placed our creative beings in, that we forget the meaning of the word "Live". One definition explains this all encompassing word as, "to show the characteristics of life." So now we must ask ourselves what are these characteristics? Some may argue that life is simply the mechanism of our functions, functioning per say. I would venture to say that would be simply "existing," living implies much more. One definition describes the act of living as "containing unspent energy or power." If it is unspent then it is come to reason that it is a personal choice and in this act of choosing, the deed of "living" is revealed. With this knowledge it is hard to comprehend why most of us live our lives as if we are only existing. Some of us abide in the fear that our choices are very limited if we believe in their existence at all.

Where did this disconnect come from? Maybe it is due to our inherent insecurities in the nature of our being. One might find this deficit comes from our inability to reckon with the word "failure." Living in the shadow of this word limits ourselves as human beings greatly. Most of us do not trust in our untapped abilities; we trust in the result of "success" or "failure." Doesn't it stand to reason that if we embrace failure as another form of growth, we have the possibility of experiencing the reward of accomplishment and joy unimagined? Somehow in this restrictive pattern we expect our souls to possess the capability to stretch out and flourish. This is a disillusionment and if we are to find our purpose we must rid ourselves of this careless ideology.

Have you given yourself the permission to create a life that makes you happy? Have you excepted a plan for your life that was not born in your heart? Our experience here is precious and fleeting. We owe it to the world and to ourselves to live out our lives with the most sincere efforts and intentions. We must make uncomfortable choices so that we can evolve, we cannot live our lives in excruciating comfort if we expect to experience fulfillment of the acutest kind. Rid yourself of the fear of "failure;" it doesn't exist. It is a word created when we have accepted defeat. All that exists for you is progress and wisdom, all that you have gone through, all you have learned has made you who you are. Do not be afraid to step out and create life within and around you. Realize and harness the potential of personal cultivation through the form of "failure" it is a matter of perspective. Come see us at The Wellness Kitchen and let us aid you on your path to personal progress. And as always this is Sarah encouraging you to "fail" often and eat peacefully...

Thursday, August 11, 2011

"I make the most of all that comes....."

"I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes."
Sara Teasdale

Have you ever sat at the metaphorical window of your life and all that is beautiful and living is taking place just inches away, with only a thin sheet of glass standing between you and an abundant and fruitful life? That glass representing whatever pain or unhealthy memory you may be holding onto. Have you ever wanted with every fiber of your being to let go of the hurt you hold onto? The disarray from the person or circumstance that you allowed to make you feel less than, but feel powerless to it? Does that anguish feel like an iron ceiling above your heart? There is freedom that you will find when you stand up within yourself and let go of the pain. There is joy through the clouds of your life, if you would only choose to see it.

We must accept that things will happen to us that we have little to no control over. There will be sadness and pain, but there will also be growth and healing if we allow it. "I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes." Simple words but how do we comprehend this truth, and how does one apply it? If we are to make the least of all that goes, we stand in the respect of our being that whatever left did not deserve us anymore, or quite possibly never did. That whatever found its way out of our lives was ultimately supposed to, whether that be a friendship, spouse or any other intimate relationship. We can choose to glance out that window and let go of what is keeping us locked up inside. We have the opportunity through the realization of our invaluable worth to the world, to be empowered by the lessons life has taught us. We have the choice to rise up opposed to shrinking under the pressure of our sorrows and challenges...

"Never miss an opportunity to make others happy, even if you have to leave them alone in order to do it." -Author unknown. Most of us spend our lives trying to alter everyone around us, and we forget we are the only ones we can change. We also attempt to understand why people treated us poorly or what we "did wrong." Let us instead give our energy toward living in health and truth. Let us release the pain that was never ours in the first place, let us have the wisdom and foresight to look past the hurt and regain our worth again. This is the path to freedom, one that requires a daily discipline of the mind and a diligence of the spirit.

Here at The Wellness Kitchen we take steps toward wellness everyday, we start from where we are and we move towards freedom through the choices we make. Join us and find your strength on your path to wellness. As always this is Sarah encouraging you to let go often and eat peacefully....

Monday, August 1, 2011

"Anyone can carry his burdon, however hard, until nightfall......"

"Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his (or her) work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And this is all life really means." ---Robert Louis Stevenson

This bit of truth coming from a long suffering man such as Robert Louis Stevenson rings true. Most people's knowledge of Stevenson encapsulates a famous poet and author; little know that most of his childhood was spent in extensively poor health. At times he would spend weeks in bed, longing to play as the other children did outside his window. Here we have an inside look at where he gathered his strength from, we can see from this quote that his inner resolve came from a healthy mental outlook. This was his way of reckoning with his circumstance, what a fortuitous point of view to apply to oneself. If we were to awaken each morning with this thought resonating in our minds, our lives would prove to be much less overwhelming. This viewpoint if embraced can grant us the opportunity to see life for the daily gift it is.

We all have the provision and freedom to make daily choices, most of us take advantage of this and are lackadaisical with our mental liberation. It is important to note here that the choice I am referring to is our mental attitude, as there are many times we have little to no control over our circumstance. This all important decision we consciously or unconsciously make, will decide what kind of hour, day and ultimately the kind of life we will lead. The decision we have to make is found in the form of what perspective we are choosing to abide in each day. Is our viewpoint one of helplessness, hopelessness or negativity? Or is it one of empowerment, positive affirmations and hope? Our lives are simply a compilation of moments. When we undergo a specific struggle or simply daily challenges, we tend to glance too far into the future and inadvertently overwhelm ourselves. If we tackle each day as an opportunity for growth, we have much greater chances of having a healthy mind body and spirit.

"And this is all life really means." If we possess the wherewithal to embrace this statement, life becomes much easier to eminently enjoy. In all actuality none of us know the day or hour we will transcend, we are only in possession of the "now." When looking at what you must endure I would encourage you to embrace this ideal. Rather than overwhelming yourself with the grandness of your challenges, it would be more advantageous to think more in daily terms. Can you persevere today, can you find a reason to smile today, can you put all your passion into your life and the lives of others today? For right now is all we truly have. What a beautiful life it is and what opportunity we have with each morning to live it as such. The fact that we even woke up is a blessing to count...

Here at The Wellness Kitchen we understand the importance of the moments we have right in front of us. We are committed to doing our best to spread knowledge, health and wellness to all who find their ways through these doors. Remember to take each day as a new opportunity for the enjoyment of your life, and as always this is Sarah encouraging you to eat peacefully....

Monday, July 25, 2011

I stay my haste, I make delays, For what avails this eager pace?

"I stay my haste, I make delays,
For what evails this eager pace?
I stand amid the eternal ways,
And what is mine shall know my face."- John Burroughs

We are born into a mechanical world of man-made systems of both a physical and mental nature. And at countless junctures of our lives we feebly attempt to mold ourselves into these mechanisms. Some are favorable to our being; but most, I would venture to say, are of poor quality and have undesired effects on our lives. One of the most well known traps we fall into that leads to our degradation, is the concept of a face paced, high production, industrialized life. Everything must be accelerated, bigger, more efficient. This idea coupled with greed and a warped form of capitalism can lead to grossly deficient lives. This misconception finds its way into our food system, through the industrialization of our livestock and the debasement of our earth. This ideology finds its way into our living rooms through our televisions, through the distraction of our minds. The list is endless and I would encourage you to examine what is stealing your energy, your joy and rid yourself of it. Discard it as you would a rotting banana peel.

Have you ever wondered what your truly rushing for, where you are rushing too and what is the ramification of all this rushing? At some point it is of high importance for us to investigate our lives, every aspect of our existence and ask ourselves a question. Are we living life at the pace and with the passion and purpose that we were created to? Or have we bought into a way of living that leads to sickness? Through the depravity of our bodies and minds and the earth we live in, through a twisted conceptualization of production? What good is production if it produces dis' ease?

"I stay my haste, I make delays." Have you given yourself that freedom, have you given yourself the permission to make delays? "For what evails this eager pace?" What will we truly gain from all of this heedless rushing? Are we listening to our bodies, to our families, to our spirit? "I stand amid the eternal ways, And what is mine shall know my face." Are you holding onto to ancient truths, proven ways of living that create health and happiness? Are you giving your love and your energy to what is truly yours, and who honestly deserves it?

Take a moment....Take a deep cleansing breath. Esteem yourself and the importance of your life, give yourself the permission to live at a pace that suits your soul. In the act of ridding our lives of unnecessary things, we will find what is left is us. Our true self, our true being and our true purpose. If you are searching for this kind of life it will only avail itself through the habit of mental perseverance and spiritual diligence. It is a constant daily journey, yet the prize is happiness and fulfillment. There is no need to rush...We will all meet the end of our lives someday, the question is will we be able to look back over our experience here with harmony? With the gratification that we refused a society's idea of what our lives should be?

Come see us at The Wellness Kitchen. Make delays on our veranda with a cup of Healing Tea. Awaken your senses with the smell of sweet roses and the sound of water flowing in our gardens. Find your truth and hold onto it. And as always this is Sarah encouraging you to eat peacefully...

Monday, July 4, 2011

"Enjoy what you can......."

"Enjoy what you can, and endure what you must." Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

I hold near to my heart the saying "Take the good, with the bad." If we are to lead lives worth living, this truism is a lesson we must learn while navigating our personal journey. This one gem will shade all the colors of our existence here. If we are able to live in this reality, our lives will grant us more opportunities for happiness than we could have previously envisioned. I've said it repetitively through my messages here for it is an unvarnished truth that I hold dear to my soul, life is a great deal about perspective. And perspective is completely in our care, it is something we have absolute and utter control over. Even though most of us do not realize the power it holds over our lives.

This quote at first glance I would venture to say is a common truth, something we ascertain simply by living. We are all acutely aware that life will present certain discomforts and struggles, perhaps daily. But have we stopped to ponder if these struggles are worth their weight in gold? "Endure what you must"...why must we endure? We endure because it is in our best interest. It is in the prospect and probability of the growth of our character that we endure. In retrospect I can say there are many things that have happened to me throughout my life, the meaning and purpose of which I cannot comprehend. But in truth in the absence of these struggles, would I be the person I am today? Would I be as grateful and careful about preserving my health if at one point I didn't possess it? Would I live in the reality of the gift of life if I hadn't almost lost it? Would I comprehend fully (as if anyone ever could) the gift of love if I hadn't been through trying relationships? I have resolved to be grateful for these experiences, because they have given me the opportunity to choose a healthy and advantageous outlook. Perspective when molded and crafted carefully by the resolve of our minds, can lead to an immensely fulfilling life.

Samuel Johnson stated, "What a strange narrowness of mind now is that, to think the things we have not known are better than the things we have known." Who's to say our beautiful struggle isn't within itself of great worth? Who's to say what we have been through hasn't made our lives far better than they would have been without these difficulties? This is the truth we must accept in our minds and in this accepting all things become more beautiful. Let us be grateful for what we have known, so that we can move towards what we will know with the sagaciousness to enjoy life in all its splendor.

Wherever you are today at this moment count your blessings, live in the gift of gratefulness. Come see us at The Wellness Kitchen, let us be a part of your journey a part of your personal path to wellness. On all our paths we must see the gifts that have been hidden in struggle and in joy. And as always this is Sarah encouraging you to eat peacefully....

Monday, June 27, 2011

"When you come to the end of your rope......

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
-Franklin D. Roosevelt

What a lucid image. Haven't we all at one point or another felt this way? That we had nothing left, that our inner reserves had been completely depleted? That an ant could push us over. What a blessing it is that we are all in this together, that we share in the similar struggles and experiences, that none of us are truly alone. It is at these moments, these edifices of our lives that we have the opportunity to experience the greatest internal growth. If we choose to stand firm in the opportunity of these moments and the resource for growth they grant us, we may benefit greatly. By navigating these struggles properly we will gain a richness in character and spirit that lead to an abundant life.

Throughout my personal history it seems I have either grown better or grown bitter from each life experience. The remarkable truth about this is it is completely and utterly my choice! Why do we forget this, why do we live in confusion about this law? We unbeknownst make crucial life altering choices daily by the way we react to our circumstance. Either we shrink or grow under the weight that life has placed on our shoulders. Our mental "muscles" either increase in stamina and strength as we ascertain new ways to overcome, or we allow the new and unexpected afflictions to atrophy our resolve.

Take a moment and visualize the greatest struggle you are currently facing. The giant you must overcome, identify it. Now envision lifting it from your shoulders and throwing it off. Put all your strength into it, dig your feet deep into the soil and thrust it off. In the act of "throwing off" the hardship that fear has placed in our hearts, we are able to then face our challenges clear headed. How do we do this? How do we throw off the weights? We live in hope and abandon fear. We let go of the question "why" and we embrace the question "how." How can I gain from this experience, how may I grow stronger for it? How will I live in hope, and have a grip on the reality of what it must take to prevail? These are the questions worthy of your invaluable time and energy. What afflicts you does not hold a candle to who you are, the stuff you are made of.

If you feel there is no strength left in you, it's alright. If you find it to difficult to hope, it is ok. Come see us at The Wellness Kitchen we have real answers, applicable tools that can assist you and guide you towards wellness. Find beauty and hope around you and let it permeate to your soul. Meditate, pray, be silent. And as always this is Sarah encouraging you to hope often and eat peacefully....

Monday, June 13, 2011

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet......"

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition aspired, and success achieved." Helen Keller

Most of us would glance at this quote and concur that is a true statement. I would venture to say most of us would consider this quote to be common sense. Now whether or not we have the wherewithal to grasp this concept while in the throws of our most challenging trials, is a matter of a completely different sort. While undergoing these growing pains of life, it is at times of great difficulty to have the insight to see the future benefits our current situation may grant us. But there is always truth in pain; a hidden lesson, an advantageous character trait we have the opportunity to develop, if we so choose. In every situation we possess the option to benefit from it in the form of personal growth.

A Mexican Proverb that I cherish states, "It is not enough for a person to know how to ride; they must know how to fall." While in the "thick-of-it" it's an expected response for us to feel victimized or perhaps hopeless. But I am convinced the only way we truly fail is if we stay in that mental state. The particular thoughts associated with the previous stated emotion very often lead to resentment, bitterness and the stunting of personal growth. This path leads to the altercation of our true being in leiu of how we have allowed our challenge to mold us. I say allowed because whether we feel like it or not we always have a choice. We may have no control of what happens to us but we do have a choice of how we will let it effect us. There is another path. One that is less traveled yet yields great rewards. This is the path to wellness, self-restoration and healing. The path that leads to the building up of our character, the path that leads to peace and freedom. The first path may appear to be in the spirit of self-preservation, when in truth it is only in the act of letting go that we preserve ourselves. By releasing our pain we also inadvertently release ourselves from the bondage that was never ours in the first place.

My blog as of late has reflected much about this need to "release our pain." It has been a vital truth to my own personal storm... What good can you take from your current situation? What life lesson can you acquire that will strengthen you and build your character? How can you walk away from this situation better for having experienced it? The element that will carry us sucessfully through our struggles, is found in the act of renewing our souls. We must be certain that in this growth we are moving towards happiness, peace and prosperity. This takes a conscious effort and is well worth it to our well-being.

Come visit us at The Wellness Kitchen and let us aid you on your path to wellness. Let go often of all that burdens you and seize the opportunity for growth through the right mental attitude toward your current condition. And as always this is sarah encouraging you to eat peacefully....