A Special Treat!

This is more than a treat…

Having access to this is more like a blessing!

Colostrum. Nature’s First Food. I like to refer to it as, “White Gold”. Others know it as the “immune milk”.

(Image to the left is clickable!) Colostrum is the milk that is produced by a mother mammal, in the first 24 hours before and after, giving birth. Every mammal produces it, to the best of my knowledge. It is milk, but a special kind of milk. A milk that reformats your entire system. Colostrum is made twelve hours before the mother gives birth, and another twelve after birth. Once the baby is born, it must drink it’s mothers colostrum immediately because of the small window of time to ingest it, and it is what provides the nutrients, immune factors, and growth hormones, to format the child’s system.

There is always an excess of colostrum produced by the mother mammal; More than the baby can consume, itself. This extra colostrum is then free to be consumed by whoever is lucky enough to get their hands on this white gold! That the the ethical and sustainable way of harvesting colostrum. It would be wrong to harvest any of the colostrum before the baby gets its share, for that would effect its health patterns for the rest of its life. Farmers are aware of the necessity of colostrum, and know better than to harvest it early.

It contains 97 immune factors and 87 growth factors. This is why it is commonly referred to as “immune milk”, because it charges our immune system big time! Consider how a new born child needs its immune system to be in optimal condition, being born into a rough society in vulnerable condition. Of course its mothers first milk is going to be charged with these nutrients! It is our first food. I have witnessed these immune factors at work in my own body, upon consuming colostrum. When the momma cows at the local farm I visit have babies, I always pick up some fresh colostrum. Synchronistically, one day when I felt a sore throat/cold coming on, my farmer called me saying that a calf had been born and there was extra colostrum, if I wanted any. I drove right over and picked some up, chugging a half quart of it down immediately. By the end of the evening, the ill symptoms I was having were nonexistent. Talk about a powerful food! Thank you momma cows!

Colostrum is adaptogenic, meaning that it adapts to the bodies needs, regenerating and strengthening your cells and systems. The high levels of growth factors in colostrum have a profound affect on increased lean body mass, while burning fat. For me, after an extended period without animal fats, losing weight and muscle, colostrum was the first animal product I reincorporated into my diet. I saw immediate changes in my muscle mass, in that it grew rapidly and my energy levels began to sky rocket. I felt more grounded in my exercise routines and recovered from my exercise very quickly, with little soreness.

I can easily say that Colostrum is my favorite food, ever. It is nourishing, supportive, regenerative, and rebuilding. Not to mention ~ It tastes amazing! Occasionally, local farms will have fresh Colostrum around times when calves are being birthed, but the most common way to use Colostrum is freeze-dried. I get my freeze-dried Colostrum from the company SurThrival. In my opinion, they have the highest quality Colostrum on the market and are a company of trusted integrity. Their product tastes the best and I have felt the greatest changes and nourishment through the use of their Colostrum. I like to eat it by the spoonfuls (yes, it is that good!) or I make what I call, a “mash-up” with the Colostrum and some organic, local grass-fed raw butter.

The image link below leads to SurThrival’s website, where you can learn more and purchase some Colostrum of your own!

Here the recipe for my Colostrum mash-ups: I call this one “Cookies and Cream”

4-8 heaping tbsp. of Colostrum (as much as you want, really..)

2-6 tbsp. of Organic, Raw Grass-Fed Butter

1 tsp. of Vanilla

2 Chaga Mushroom Capsules from SurThrival

1 tsp. of Stevia (sweeten with whatever sweetener you prefer, to taste)

2-4 tbsp. of liquid ~ Chaga tea, Raw Cream, Raw Milk, Yogurt, etc.

Add all of the above to a bowl, grab a strong spoon, and mash everything up together! This will create a smooth, creamy substance that is spread-like. The addition of the liquid aids in the mashing up of the ingredients.

I highly suggest you add Colostrum, this supremely amazing food to your health strategy as soon as possible!

Body Patterns

Currently, I am in the final week of my training in massage therapy. Yes, I am totally stoked! The culmination of the years work is extremely gratifying, and I am excited to embark on adventures and in projects I have had waiting to greet me upon my completion of the training.

One of the main pieces of knowledge I have taken away from the program, is how strongly emotions manifest as physical ailments within our bodies. Of course, there are the times when there is an actual physical accident that takes place, leaving someone damaged ~ However, even then, our bodies identify emotions to that pain and attach to it. What emotions surfaced during that accident? How did your life change and how did it make you feel? Those feelings saturate themselves into those tissues in pain and we become immune to the equilibrium that we once maintained in that area. What I am really talking about here, is the tension we carry ~ And we all have it. Life isn’t constantly flowing perfectly, and negative emotions do come up, at times. Not only that, but we all have our own stories. Of course, plenty of beautiful stories, but also stories of pain. Painful history can contribute to uncomfortable body patterns. Where do they manifest for you?

Where we feel tightness, tension, pain ~ An emotion is related to that area of sensitivity. Many carry stress in their shoulders, with the abundance of computer usage in society’s workplace, today. Perhaps, someone may have a broken heart, or feel emotionally vulnerable ~ So, their shoulders might hunch over in a subconscious attempt to protect their heart, leading to upper back and shoulder pain.

The stress we carry in our physical bodies is more obvious for some than for others. When someone is tuned into the function of their body, and know when it is most balanced ~ That person will notice when something is awry in their physicality at a more rapid pace, whereas someone who is not in touch with their being may easily slip into an uncomfortable pattern, identify with it, and allow it to encompass them without even really noticing it.

It is great to have a trained bodyworker facilitate the healing of tension in your body for you, but you can read into the area of aggravation to a certain extent on your own. Where is a place that you carry stress? Tension? Sensitivity? Massage the area that is in pain, or feels tight. How do you feel when that area is touched? What emotions come up for you? Anger, grief, vulnerability, sickness? What story or emotional pattern in your life can you correlate with that emotion? Maybe that story has something to do with the tension pattern that has generated within you.

Bodyworkers are intuitively trained to map out these areas of tension in a persons body, so we are excellent resources of support in this process of healing. We work to release the tension with our massage techniques, and hold the space for potential emotions to spill out and evaporate into the cosmos. Those emotions are not always negative, either. Sometimes, a whole roller coaster of emotions can be stored in one area ~ Happiness, laughter, tears, sadness, joy ~ All at once.

For me, a history of emotions have been stored in my wrist in the manifestation of a (ganglion) cyst. A cyst is a calcification filled with synovial fluid (joint fluid) on a joint, and looks like a little marble under your skin. I have had this for six years, and it wasn’t until recently that I began to uncover the emotions that are attached to the pain ~ And let me tell you, it is freaking loaded with emotion. The pain became debilitating at times this year, beginning to affect my work as a massage therapist, my practice of yoga, heavy lifting, and much more. The pain frustrates me. Thus, I have embarked on a journey of healing this area of tension, slowing peeling back the layers of emotion through tears, sickness, laughter, anger, sadness (yes all of those emotions have come up in my process of healing it) ~ With each layer, learning more of the story behind it and more about my personal story. I look forward to the day I am fully healed ~ I know there will be huge revelation when that day comes.

I share this not to imply negativity, but to bring awareness to what happens in our physical bodies in relation to our emotional bodies. They is much more interconnected within us than some are conscious of. I share this information to assist in your healing process. The ability to identify your emotions with a physical body pattern is worth millions. It gets you a step ahead in the healing process every time, knowing that the pain may be emotions that have been chronically unattended to. It is a process. We all have our own baggage to work with ~ Learning how to lighten our load each day, with each connection, realization, and manifestation. Use this information toward your personal being and tap into what is going on for you. Each healing experience takes us a step forward in life ~ Bringing greater health, happiness, success, and abundance.

You are your own greatest healer.

The Four Kingdoms of Food

I wanted to share this great interview that my wonderful partner, Daniel Vitalis, did this past week on Patrick Timpone’s radio show, One Radio Network. Daniel’s teachings revolve around the Elements ~ Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. In this interview with Patrick, he shares information about the Four Kingdoms of Food ~ Animals, Plants, Fungi, and Bacteria ~ How those categories apply to our health and vitality. Daniel goes in depth with information, and strategies to implement into your personal diet to heal and thrive. This is a must listen, for sure!

Follow this link and scroll down, to find the button leading to this amazing interview with D! www.oneradionetwork.com

Visit Daniel at his personal site, www.danielvitalis.com

Fishy Goodness!

This weekend I am up in Maine visiting a few of my close friends, one of whom is a superb traditional style chef. Spring and summer up here means fresh, wild fish from right off the coast, which I am so excited about! This weekend we are going to visit a fisherman down the road to purchase some local fish, who sells fresh fish out of the back of his truck everyday! In my opinion, wild harvested fish are the most nutritionally saturated and stable of fish. Farm raised fish, such as salmon from farms in Canada, are hybridized and unnatural species. I think it is important to consume animals as close to their natural species as possible. Not to mention, it is excellent being able to purchase fish from a local source, rather than fish from the health food store that has been shipped across the U.S. or overseas.

Wild fish are a great source for omega-3 essential fats – Particularly DHA and EPA, the fats that our brain thrive on, use to stabilize and increase function for that matter. Wild fish are full of protein, vitamin A & C, calcium, and iron. The nutritional properties of fish help in protection from all sorts of degenerative diseases, help to treat inflammation, autoimmune disorders, high blood pressure, and arthritis. Not to mention, pretty much all fish are totally delicious! NICE!

Below is a video of my friend Franky, “Chef Franky G”, sharing a simple and delicious crusted wild salmon recipe! Wild salmon are one of my favorite types of fish, and foods in general! Find Franky on youtube for more wonderful video recipes which he posts almost daily, or on his website www.frankgiglio.com

Journeying

Here I am, back in motion with reality… Grounded into home life after a epically transformational journey.

I just returned from Arizona, where I worked and played at a retreat hosted by a few of my Sisters, out in the desert on magickal land. The retreat is known as Epic Eden Hot Springs (www.epicedenhotsprings.com) Side note: Get to the next Epic Eden retreat if you know what is best for yourself! The next retreat is being held October 6-10, 2010. It is held on powerful land and is guaranteed to be a transformational experience. My visit to Eden was a potent one: Yes, transformational, for lack of a better word. I have been processing the experience, attempting to summarize it verbally, but continue to be at a loss for words in fully encompassing how amazing this experience was. Every moment on the land, surrounded by the beautiful community was pure magick.

If I tried to write a entry going through the whole trip, I would be writing for eternity. I spent ten days on the land of Eden connecting with my long awaited Spirit family, soaking in geothermal hot springs, harvesting wild plant medicine and salt, eating fresh goji berries, sungazing, dancing, celebrating, laughing, crying, and feeling Gaia in all her embrace. Learning more about myself in each passing moment. Eden changed me.

Now I am back, integrating my experience into my reality. There is one experience that I am choosing to share, which stood out for me in particular. While on the land, I spent some time communing with the local medicine. I chose to journey with one medicine, on a special evening accompanied by some family, gathered at the Source of the hot springs. All of the six geothermal hot springs stem off from the same initial source, up on the hill of Eden. Below is a photo of the Divine Source, taken by my friend Sean Stuchen – A phenomenal photographer, he is (www.seanstuchen.com)

Gathered around the Source, we chose to honor it – The element of water, in our ceremony. We gave a focus to the Source, but we also honored all of the elements – Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Ether – Accompanied by the Seven Directions – North, East, South, West, Father Sky Above, Mother Earth Below, and Within. Thanks were given. The space was sacred. Completion of our ceremony led into our journeying. A journey I will never forget.

I was blessed with a vision. A special vision, that correlates deeply with my life. Yes, we went DEEP. My vision represented the six senses, embodied by the Eye of Horus, from Ancient Egyptian Symbology. The Eye of Horus, also known as the Eye of Ra (Sun), is the Ancient Egyptian Symbol for protection and royal power. It is personified by the Goddess Wadjet: The risen one. The Eye of Horus and Wadjet herself, were known to ward off evil. The symbol was used frequently by the Ancient Egyptians in hieroglyphs and painted on various things they wanted to protect. In the Ancient Egyptian measurement system, the Eye Of Horus defined Old Kingdom number one (1) = 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 + 1/32 + 1/64. These numbers are the divination of the senses, all encompassed within the Eye of Horus. It is a fractional quantification system to measure parts of a whole.

Above, is a representation of the Eye of Horus itself. I will now explain how the Eye is broken into pieces and the numbers it is associated with. The Eye is its whole, is measured at 1, whole. The piece below the corner of the eye is 1/64, and is associated with the touch. Individually, it represents planting a stick into the ground; A stalk that will take root, deep into the Earth. Earth is touch. The planting is physical contact and touch.

The swirl below the pupil is 1/32, and is taste. It reminds me of a tongue. The swirl is the sprouting of the wheat or grain from the planted stalk, mentioned previously. We eat the planted food, thus… Taste. Touch + Shape = Taste.

The left corner of the eye, the triangular shape on the left side of the pupil is 1/16, representing the ear and hearing and points toward the ear. Sound requires touch and taste; A combination of the lower senses.

The line above the eye, the eyebrow, is 1/8 and is associated with thought. We use our eyebrows to animate our though processes. Eyebrows are close to our third-eye where our consciousness is held. Touch + Taste + Hearing = Thought

The pupil of the eye is 1/4 – You guessed it, it represents sight.

The right corner of the eye, the triangular shape on the right side of the pupil is 1/2. It points to the nose, and represents smell.

How cool, eh? I never enjoyed arithmetic growing up, but this blows my mind because there is so much more being presented with that image that math! Not to mention, it is a totally gorgeous image too!

So, why was the Eye of Horus the center of my vision? Why has it stayed with me, ingrained in my memory bank? Why do I feel totally drawn and connected to the image? It could be the Goddess history that is associated with it, and I am fully into Goddess worship and studies. Perhaps it was calling in of the elements and directions that brought awareness to the senses. We need our senses to connect to the elements and directions. Maybe it was the reminder of interconnectedness that proved clear through my journey in that sensitive state – So very sensitive to all of the senses, I was. The Eye of Horus is an interconnected representation of our sensory function in life. It feels completely inter-dimensional to me – Like some kind of catalyst, or conduit into my Higher Self.

Now, I am feeling totally drawn to studies of the Ancient Egyptians and travel to Egypt. I am interested to see how the Eye of Horus presents itself more in my lifetime; What other interconnected relations surface with that image – What it teaches me.

Eden taught me. She taught me about my being, my relationships, my voice, my passion, my love. She crocheted me deeper into the ever present, deeply weaved community of life which I am forever grateful for. She shared love. That is all it really is anyway, right? It’s all-ways all love