As someone who’s lived abroad four times and backpacked various developing nations, there is one thing most travelers admire – the architecture. Travelers visited places of worship regardless of their spiritual affiliation because these places of worship has something special about them.  

Because these architectural wonders are beautiful from the inside and the outside. They’ve been handcrafted to perfection with precision, ingenuity and care. There is something attractive, magnetic and yet admirable about one’s time spent in these structures. It’s almost as if heaven on earth exists, and these places of worship reflect eternal beauty.
 
The outer world (collective) mirrors much of our inner world (individual).

Your body is literally a temple, a reflection of the fusion of your inner and outer worlds. 

Your inner world is a composition of many digestive factors. What you eat, how you think and ho w you digest your emotions greatly affects your inner world. And your emotional mindset while eating affects the digestion and assimilation process of the nutrients that you absorb.
 
And your inner world seeps into your outer world. The skin is the largest organ in the body. Some people are not blessed with great skin, but how many times during stressful time periods, spiritual crisis’s or with a poor diet, the skin breaks out with something. Your inner world also reflects the outer world. Your personality, how you present yourself, how you treat people and how you react in situations is your outer world that is exposed.
 
Though many people present a confident or a strong outer world, their inner world is suffering and crying inside. A goal is to balance both.
 
So why should you treat your body like a temple? 

What you ingest on an energetic level has the same effects as the type of food you choose to consume. In reality, we reap what we sow. And the law of attraction plays a factor in what you attract. 

Energy In vs. Energy Out - this concept goes beyond what we eat, but refers to the energy we take in on all levels. 

A temple is selective on what it consumes physically, emotionally, mentally and sexually. It understands the sacredness of energy and appreciates the “light from God.” It sounds like high standards but treating your body like a temple increases one’s frequency and vibratory field.  It doesn’t mean one must live a boring, stifled life, but chooses to consume light, love and beauty. And beauty is inspirational.
 
Why do you think so many people appreciate fine art, the ballet or symphony music? Because it’s beautiful and inspires something, whether its creativity or a moment of happiness.
 
A woodshed or a garage is an open invitation to pretty much anything. It’s a dumping ground for a bunch of random shit – cars, tools, soil, gasoline cans – and letting too much from the outer world in may not always benefit the inner world. Although a garage has the borders of four walls, it’s an endless dumping ground, and also contains many cobwebs and doesn’t get cleaned out too much.

Do you want to be an energetic open door to other people’s garbage? The intermingling of auras and energetic bodies from darker acts in life, long term, catches up. It’s like the snow ball effect. Most people who are addicts in some area of life are usually not internally happy.
 
As much as pleasures of the flesh are fun and exciting, the soul usually suffers after long-term abuse of negativity, violence, substance abuse and sexual partners.  

Most people have to walk in darkness in order to find the light. At some point, we want more in our life. A better partner. A healthier body. A sound mind. A controlled emotional state. A balanced job.
 
And this is where becoming the temple is important. I personally do not believe we can have it all. We can’t have our cake and eat it too as once the cake is gone, its gone. We will constantly be searching for the next cake, or spend countless hours baking.
 
Obtaining purity of the mind, body, heart and soul takes time. And if you believe in God, he is the ultimate surveillance camera. He knows what is going on in your mind heart. He will send people, situations, circumstances or experiences to help you become your own temple.

The more of a temple we become, we shine brighter with light, love, confidence and positive energy. If you look at a street light, it attracts the bugs. Why? Because darkness needs to feed off the light in order to survive but it is up to us to become bright as a light but have the capability to shield ourselves from things that no longer serve us.

We all need help along the way but it’s up to us to decide what route we want to take in life. In my opinion, becoming a temple sets us free from the many things that make our souls cry. 

What do you think? Do you think we should treat our body like a temple? 

Everything on this planet and in the universe is in motion. From the flow of the sea to the movement of the planet around the sun, life is constantly changing, growing and flowing. Stagnation has little to relevance in nature (with the exception of a swamp or puddle - and how does that energy feel?). 

Spring is the time of the reawakening of ourselves and the little critters on this planet. It's the perfect time to reengerize our souls with something new - an art class, walks in nature - really anything to blossom our inner and outer worlds. 

Now is the time to "drain your swamp" and make a change in your life. The more we develop our minds, bodies and souls, we increase our vibrational frequency and raise the planet's consciousness. 
​
As always, inspired by the sun, 
Elizabeth

Join Mind Body Soul Food Every Sunday for some inspiration, or Sunspiration, where we analyze quotes and sweet nothings in 150 words or less. Get inspired everyday with our Instagram account, sunspiration_everyday with inspirational quotes, motivational messages & sweet nothings.

My soul yearns for the Mediterranean life; an experience that integrates good food, historical culture and a fun in the sun lifestyle. Here in the Pacific Northwest, the sun is shining and spring is more beautiful than ever. The cherry blossoms are in bloom and the salty sea mist from the Puget Sound whafs in the air.

The inspiration from nature ignites a craving for something light, airy, healthy and fresh. And with a box of Explore Cuisine Organic Red Lentil Penne, something Mediterranean, and fun under the sun, would be on the menu. 

Explore Cuisine is a brand that inspires the world to consume more plants. As one of the leaders in producing plant-based pastas, they transform legumes, beans, rice and peas into a hearty pasta packed with fiber and protein. 

And the best part is, their pasta is naturally gluten-free and vegan. 

Protein is an obsession in the diet industry. Thanks to our understanding of the interconnection between man and plants, we now know, and have sophisticated cooking methods, to use plants as the main source of protein fuel. 

Packed with 11 grams of protein per serving, this pasta contains a healthy balance of the macronutrients. The pasta contains hearty servings of protein and carbohydrates where the olive oil contains the healthy fats. 

As a personal trainer and a health coach, I believe in eating healthy on a budget and in a timely manner. This six-ingredient pasta is something that even busy moms have time for during the work week. 

Inspired by nature and the brand, never stop exploring yourself and your cooking skills in the kitchen. Each time you cook, your intuition guides your palate and opens you up to a whole new world of understanding your mind, body and soul. Enjoy! And don't forget to check out Explore Cuisine's Instagram page!. And how about mine too? 

Dairy Free Mediterranean Pasta with Explore Cuisine's Organic Red Lentil Penne
​Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients: 
​1 box Explore Cuisine Organic Red Lentil Pasta
1 cup sugar plum tomatoes, quartered and deseeded
1/2 cup packed basil, chopped
1/3 cup purple onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil + more
Pinch of salt + Italian (or Greek) spice
optional: squeeze of lemon or fresh parsley (this drastically changes the flavor)

Directions:
Cook the noodles according to the package. Drain and rinse lightly when complete. 

In a pan, cook the onion, garlic, salt and Italian spices for 2-3 minutes on low heat. Next, add the tomatoes and basil and cook for one minute. Add the pasta and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add additional olive oil if necessary or readjust spices to please your palate. 

If you use the lemon juice and parsley (parsley decreases the taste of basil) stir it in at the end. Serve warm. 

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*Note: Explore Cuisine provided product for this post but no compensation. All opinions are my own. 

Are you looking for an internal spring clean? If so, fresh juice aides our digestion and cleanse of the intestinal tract. Juice is quick and easy to digest since it is broken down from its whole food state. Thanks to its fiber, juice "hits the system" quicker resulting in detoxifying affects. 

Spring is the season of rebirth. Internally, we need cleansed on a physical, emotional and mental level.

And fresh juice helps that process. 

Foods from nature are high vibrational foods. Natural foods are a gift from the heavens. And the more we consume these foods the higher our spirits ascend. What we take in emotionally also affects us. Emotional digestion is just as important as our physical digestion. Packaged and processed foods keep us in the lower vibrational state - slow, sluggish and craving more salt and sugar. 

Cheers to spring, the flowers, longer days and the beautiful rebirth of nature and all of it's magic. 

Apple Fennel Pear Juice
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 large Anjou Pear
3 small-medium apples (used extra-fancy)* see note below
1 3-4 inch stalk of the fennel

Directions:
Wash, cut and place the produce through the juicer. *Note: Using 3 apples gives this a strong apple flavor. Using 2 apples balances out the flavor of apple, pear and fennel. 

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The spring equinox arrives in a couple days. In last week's Sunspiration post, I discussed planting the seeds for rebirth. With spring arriving while the planet moves into Aries (the start of the zodiac sign) now is the time to assert energy and an action plan for the rebirth you seek. 

What part of you seeks change? Is it a new hobby? Is it your attitude? Is it your love life? Life presents us opportunities everyday and we have the choice to do something about our life or not. The choice is yours. Put action toward the change you seek and desire. 

In order to recreate yourself, you the old and what no longer serves you must be let go and be destructed.  
​
As always, inspired by the sun, 
Elizabeth

Join Mind Body Soul Food Every Sunday for some inspiration, or Sunspiration, where we analyze quotes and sweet nothings in 150 words or less. Get inspired everyday with our Instagram account, sunspiration_everyday with inspirational quotes, motivational messages & sweet nothings.

Who doesn't love peanut butter? Peanut butter is a classic American staple food. 

From PBJ to peanut butter cream pies, peanut butter is one of the most versatile baking foods. But, no two peanut butter brands are the same. And thanks to the IDEA blog fest, I established a friendly relationship with those "down under" folks from Pic's Peanut Butter. 

Pic's Peanut Butter roots lay in the lovely land of New Zealand, a place that forever affected my mind, heart and soul. For those of you who don't know, I have lived abroad four times. I moved to Australia in 2005 to study abroad. And though the beaches were my playground, the mountains of New Zealand were my sanctuary. 

It's a magical place with vast landscapes, unadulterated by development and industrialization. New Zealand is a place that proves heaven on earth exists. 

And that is exactly how I feel about Pic's Peanut Butter.

But what makes Pic's different than the rest? 

Located in Nelson, New Zealand, Pic's uses hi-oleic nuts from Australia, one of the purest and highest quality peanuts around. Hi oleic nuts feature an enhanced nutritional value of polyunsaturate oils, antioxidants and resveratrol, a biologically important stilbenoid. The Australian nuts contain a higher content of oleic acid compared to regular nuts (a 75% : 55% ratio). Pic's peanut butter is nutritionally special. Discover more at this Pic's blog post that identifies the lovely benefits of Pic's.  

Life, and apparently Pic's peanuts, are full of fun surprises. For me, I enjoy Pic's straight out of the jar. Spoon and jar. That's all I need, but sometimes I also require pancakes to fuel my long days as a trainer and a coach. 

These pancakes balance the macronutrients of healthy carbohydrates, protein and fat as well as fiber! 

Thanks to Pic's, this dairy-free recipe is quick, easy and eager to please your brunch guests. I concocted this to balance all three favors; however, if you prefer more of one ingredient, you'll have to adjust the recipe slightly. Let your creativity and intuitive juices guide your palate. 

The hardest part of this pancake journey is whether or not to use crunchy or smooth. And don't worry if someone has a peanut allergy, swap PB for Pic's almond or cashew butter. 

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Pancakes using Pics Peanut Butter
​Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 15 pancakes

​Ingredients: 
1 flax egg (mix 1 tbsp flax meal + 3 tbsp water)
1 3/4 cup rolled oats
1 banana
1.5 cup non-dairy milk (almond)
1/4 cup Pic's Peanut Butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
​1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt + cinnamon
2-3 tbsp chocolate, either chips or cut from a bar

Directions: 
Place all of the ingredients, except for the chocolate, into a blender. Blend until smooth. Next, stir in the chocolate chips. 

Heat a non-stick skillet, using either cooking spray, coconut oil or vegan butter for cooking. 

Once hot, use a ladle and pour the batter onto the skillet in a clockwise manner. Allow the pancake to cook and once bubbles form on top, use a spatula to flip the pancake and cook until the pancake slides a bit on the skillet. 

The following pancakes cook quicker because the skillet is hot. Reapply spray / oil / or butter and repeat the series. 

Have you tried these pancakes? Let us know! 

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Spring is the season of rebirth. Everyday little critters are born and each day a tree buds a new blossom. Its the time to reawaken the spirit that is within. 

What are you hoping for this 2018? Plant seeds of intention and place action on that thought. The action doesn't have to be anything grandiose, but baby steps toward the goal. For example, if you want to write a book, obviously you need to write but step one is to do your research on how to publish a book. Do you want to do the traditional route? Or the self-publish route?

Each and every step (and intention) we make puts us closer to the life we want.  Many people think of rebirth as this cathartic experience where we transform from larvae to butterfly. That can happen, but reality is that each and every step in our path is what makes us a butterfly. 

As always, inspired by the sun, 
Elizabeth

Join Mind Body Soul Food Every Sunday for some inspiration, or Sunspiration, where we analyze quotes and sweet nothings in 150 words or less. Get inspired everyday with our Instagram account, sunspiration_everyday with inspirational quotes, motivational messages & sweet nothings.

Are we losing our minds when it comes to matters of the heart? Divorce rates continue to rise. Pornography sites continue to grow in hits. Tinder is the new one-night stand. And many people are in the belief that polyamory is the future because they can’t get all their needs met through one person. 

The hyper connectivity of people, specifically good-looking socially engineered / edited pictures, demonstrates that not only is the internet a land of false fantasies, but it is a make-believe landscape of superficiality that goes against the natural process of love. Now this doesn’t mean that true love can’t exist over the internet, but when judging and selecting people based on a profile, most people choose dates based on lustful feelings. She’s beautiful. He’s handsome. He’s got a nice job. She wears nice clothes. Why not get together?

As a counselor and coach, I have been fortunate to understand life from a different perspective. Many clients trust me with their deepest, darkest secrets. Many people don't have "bad" intentions, but are blinded by lust coupled with selfishness to fulfill their desires or fantasies (if not consensual for all parties involved). 

People getting involved in other people’s marriages, married couples inviting other people into the bedroom, “single” women praising about their three boyfriends, we should ask ourselves, 

"Where are we going?"

It seems as if confusion pollutes the mind everyday to go against true, pure, authentic and Godly love. Whatever people want to do is fine, but those who’s soul is suffering, one must question if what they are doing is healthy? 

The reality is that we reap what we sew. It is very rare to find true love in a nightclub or through a one-night stand. The seeds you plant eventually grow and harvest.

Infatuation is not a new concept to humans. The Romans were the “original” spin doctors and were not shy about sex, brothels and beautiful women. And I believe the Roman empire is repeating itself. 

In this Information Age, people have unlimited access to other people around the globe and the ultra-abundance of corporate money gives people the freedom to experience anything they want in life. Without wisdom, inner strength and a well-defined spirit, people can fall into temptation and corruption. 

This type of lifestyle inspires many to the dark side of love (which is lust). Most don’t get what they need from their partner so they go and discover it with another person. But what you sew you will reap

Love is more spiritual where lust is physical. Love fulfills the mind, body and soul where lust satisfies our animal instincts and desires. Lust is intoxicating and can blind us to the truth. 

Although the money, sex and conversations maybe nice, most people ignore their soul crying inside because lust has become the drug that's consumed all rational and logical decisions.

Ask yourself, "Am I in love with this person? Or am I in lust?" 

True love is Godly. 

God is love. And He wants the best for every person on this planet. Now for that lustful red devil, he wants to keep y'all hooked on drugs, sex and rock-n-roll to trap you from the truth - a soulful, deep connection between two people.  

What are your thoughts on this topic?

Let's Connect!