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Mind Body Soul Food

Sunspiration #80: Beauty is Inspirational

4/24/2018

Why are we so enthralled with nature, fine art and exquisite architecture? It's because these natural and man-made created things are beautiful.

Beauty is inspirational. And inspiration leads people to better places in their life. Today, it is apparent of the man-made constructs that are trying to destroy things that are beautiful.

Compare Miley Cyrus to Marilyn Monroe. Both are not perfect human beings but their presence, behavior or representation in the world greatly differs. I believe that the "people" running the show are promoting ugliness and well, social media and the internet has brought out the beasts within us.

Everyone views life through a different lens and we all have different opinions, that is just how life works. The more we degrade each other the more ugliness we produce inside and out.

Have you ever seen something or heard something so beautiful it made you cry? That is because beauty has a way of speaking to our souls in ways that we cannot explain.

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.

Vegan Creamy Chive Potatoes

4/17/2018

Potatoes are one of nature's most amazing foods. They have a bad rap in America, partly due to French fries and being a starchy vegetable, but most Americans don't realize its not the potato, it's how you cook the potato.

When I lived and traveled in Europe, I noticed the deep connection between our ancestors and the potato. It's a hearty vegetable that nourished our ancestors for generations.

Could you imagine farming the land while fueled solely on kale salads with carrot tahini dressing?

Our European friends cook simply and the "peasant-friendly" meals use potatoes. Sure, most of them are meat and potato consumers, but from boiled potatoes to potato pancakes, the potato is part of our history's dietary past. The Irish, Germans, Hungarians and Eastern "block" countries are still to this day potato connoisseurs.

Post Europe, I've made decisions to avoid food waste and grocery shop from my cabinets and refrigerator. I had chives and didn't know exactly what to do with them.

Mashed potatoes with chives sounded delicious, but my body doesn't crave that while the spring flowers blossom outside. The Seattle air filled with an aromatic floral scent and fluffy white petals flowing with the wind, I decided to try something creamy, rich and different.

With a mix of butter and soy milk, here is an affordable and peasant-friendly side dish inspired by nature. I eat like a bird so sometimes I find the heartiness fills me up as a main dish alongside a side salad. Enjoy!

Vegan Creamy Chive Potatoes
Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 russet potato
3 large golden potatoes (or use russet)
1 cup soymilk** (see note)
3 tbsp vegan butter
1/2 cup chives
salt to taste

Directions:
Prep the potatoes and chives. Melt the three tablespoons of butter on medium heat in a large skillet. Add, mix and cook potatoes for 1-2 minutes on medium to low heat. Add the milk, chives and salt and cook until the potatoes are edible. It is normal for the soy milk to thicken. Stir frequently.

**Note: I recommend soy milk because of its properties, it has a higher tolerance for heat and will not coagulate.

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Sunspiration #79: Life is About the Development of the Soul

4/16/2018

Today, so many people are confused about life. Some people go through life without a question or care in the world where others constantly question everything. Spiritually grounded individuals know we are here to develop the soul.

Life on planet earth is not easy, but that's the purpose and the point of soul development. The soul must struggle, suffer and experience hardship in order to grow. Similar to the formation of a diamond in nature, the carbon material must undergo high pressure and high temperatures in order to metamorphose into a carbon atom, which bonds with other carbon atoms under duress to create the diamond's renowned strength - as the world's hardest substance. The creation occurs deep into the earth's crust and diamonds reach the surface of earth via violent volcanic eruptions.

If we want to be a diamond, we must develop our mind, body and soul. Sadly, the social engineering concepts of today root us to all things depressing, obese, poor and addicted. In order to reach the surface of the psyche one must undergo their own weathering from within.

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.

Sunspiration #78: Which Wolf Do You Feed Inside Your Head? The Light or the Dark?

4/8/2018

My recent blog post, "Heaven and Hell Exists in Every One of Us," stirred additional thoughts about this topic. You cannot believe in heaven and not hell. And you cannot think that hell exists without a heaven.

Life is a constant battle between the light, the dark and the temptations. And what happens in the outer world are the same events that occur in our head.

There are two wolves that live inside each and every one of us. A white wolf and a black wolf. A wolf from the light. And a wolf from the dark. Which one of these wolves do you want to feed?

One wolf derives from love, empathy and compassion. And the other evolves from fear, negativity and scarcity. The light is our higher mind, our soul. The dark is our lower mind, the seat of the ego and weaknesses in the flesh.

Keep bringing the light.

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.

Why Logical People Commonly Misunderstand Spiritual People

4/5/2018

Heaven & Hell Exists in Every One of Us

4/4/2018

The mind is a beautiful tool. But it can also be a destructive device too. Similar to a computer, we continuously upload and download information in our minds throughout the day. And similar to a tape recorder, what we fill and record in our minds vastly affects our thoughts, behaviors and actions in life.

No matter what religion or spiritual belief – even atheism – lightness and darkness exists in the real world and within our individual souls. If you don’t believe than take a look outside at noon and then midnight. The yin-yang symbol is the perfect example of the dualities between masculine and feminine, lightness and darkness and hot and cold.

It is no secret that there is a psychological epidemic today. I believe social media and the internet contributes to this problem. Our brains, and souls, have not yet evolved to process this much information.

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..”
― John Milton, Paradise Lost

Within each and every one of us is the option of choice. We can choose to find heaven in our minds or we can sink our minds to the depths of hell. Spiritually, some people do believe that good and evil spirits contribute to our thoughts and wellbeing. Logically, we have the choice to focus on the positive or dwell in the negative.
I believe in balance and I don’t think we should view life through rose-colored glasses. It is important to be realistic about life but accept our thoughts, behaviors and actions. And trust me, I can speak on experience.

I view stages of life, or mindsets, as seasons. My mind dwelled on certain topics of life, which meant in some areas of life I was stuck in winter, dreading basically everything. Thankfully, I’ve transitioned out of winter into spring and hopefully soon, summer. Everything, even our thoughts, die, rebirth and evolve.

If it happens in nature, it happens to us.

Whether or not you want to believe it, heaven and hell (the light and the dark) exists in each and every one of us.

What is heaven?
Heaven activates our higher mind. It’s our soul and our intuition. And its the place where we view things from a higher perspective to see the whole story. It understands cause and effect and brings wisdom to chaos. The higher mind empowers you with knowledge and brings a better perspective than the lower mind.
The higher mind differs from the lower mind, the seat of logic, and tends to accept the flow of life. Heaven is our higher consciousness and is also idealistic and artistic. It’s the place of our ideal manifestations and the place we want to see ourselves going. Some forms of spirituality note this as, “self-realization.”

Within heaven, we can also create hell through fear, sabotage, building walls or blocking receptivity. I also feel “hell” exists when a person is in the flow but creates problems due to their psyche or past wounds. Freak outs, crisis’s and chronically living in fear results in the evolution of hell amidst your heavenly state. Some spiritual beliefs/religions believe that “demons” are behind this, confusing the mind and steering people off track of God’s will or a godly life. Even if you do not believe in this, something stirs internal chaos to initiate negative thoughts and behaviors.

When this happens, keep reaching for the light. The higher mind speaks through the voice of our intuition and pulls us to live a better life. Heaven, as some say is paradise, is what we need to tap into our mind. Our bodies are a temple and the mind is the gateway to what we want to experience, manifest and be within ourselves.

“All you may know of heaven or hell is within your own self.”
-Edgar Cayce

What is hell?
Hell exists in the lower mind. The lower mind is not always hell, but when in overdrive it leads us to the deepest and darkest areas of our mind.

The lower mind is the seat of logic and the headquarters to our ego and egoism. The lower mind focuses on reality using facts, reason and logic. The lower mind, when in overdrive, is critical, analytical, irrational, skeptical and linear.

Some claim that the lower mind is the representation of our wounded ego and deceives our higher mind by focusing on the limitations or things we lack in life and love. When triggered, the lower mind focuses on negative emotions and leads us to actions that do not serve our higher purpose; thus, igniting hell in our mind, body and spirit.

Most people live in the lower mind, and keeps in the mundane patterns of life and our choices, like a hamster in the wheel, re-running through the same karmic patterns. The lower mind is the gateway to fear, doubts and uncertainty.

Have you ever wondered why most corporations, hospitals, government and financial agencies, school systems and various religious center seem to never change? It’s because they function “souly” in lower mind thinking. Everything is linear and the only way to “reach” and satisfy the masses. Marketing and mass media tap into our lower mind, the reptilian part of our brain. Like a snake, these techniques instill fear, dissatisfaction and ignites the fiery depths of hell within us.

Those who are depressed, suicidal or struggle with mental health need to tap into heaven (their higher mind) to trump the hell that exists inside. Others who are “healthy minded” ignite hell into their mind through sabotage or being lured into the dark side of life.

It is very difficult to heal, or progress in life while solely looking at life through the lower mind. When here, the mind gets stuck in hell as it refuses to believe in faith, God or something higher than him or her. Eventually, the ego starts to circle in though and could lead to narcissism, selfish or self-centered behaviors.

Life is best served in balance. Extremism leads to no where and this includes the thoughts that are within. Even in heaven, it doesn’t mean one should block or repress emotions. Hitting rock bottom, crying or being sad can be healthy if we learn from those lessons and strive to become better people. When in hell, reach for the light. When in heaven, stay balanced and allow the light to continue to pour in.

Stay tuned next week for my blog post regarding how to balance the higher and lower mind.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts below.

Sunspiration #77: An Easter Message - Resurrection & Rebirth

4/1/2018

Regardless of your beliefs, spring and Easter symbolize resurrection and rebirth. The astrological calendar resets with Aries, a bold, daring and forward-moving energy to assist in the rebirthing process.

Just like nature, now is the time to re-identify, reevaluate or maybe rejoice over the blessings in your life. No matter what "brand" of Christianity you (don't) accept, the story and teachings of Christ are powerful. And his resurrection clearly identifies that when things "die" it is not necessarily the end of the journey.

So whether your heart has been broken, a loved one has past, or maybe you lost a job, keep healing and shedding that old skin as a new you, opportunity or life is waiting just ahead.

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.

Why You Should Treat Your Body as a Temple

3/26/2018

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.

Why are humans attracted to spiritual structures like a church, temple or sacred site?

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?

Treat your body like a temple…not a woodshed or a garage.

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.

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

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?

Sunspiration #76 - Life is Growth & a Never-Ending Learning Lesson

3/25/2018

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.

Dairy Free Mediterranean Pasta with Explore Cuisine's Organic Red Lentil Penne

3/21/2018

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.

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