Surrender to Be Alive
You can be alive as you want to be through a process known as surrender. This is the next step in conquering death. Surrender is the act of erasing the line between life and death entirely. Surrender is ..
Full attention
Appreciation of life’s richness
Opening yourself to what is in front of you
Nonjudgment
Absence of ego
Humility
Being receptive to all possibilities
Allowing love
–Adapted from The Book of Secrets, by Deepak Chopra

Coming Home?
I was away for a week at the ocean and when I returned to the driveway of my rural home my senses were alive in a way that was noticeably different from when I left. I was drawn to the mottled green light under the forest canopy. I connected to it, felt it, and sensed the peace there. That night I noticed the sound of the wind in the trees. I now hear the crickets, those amazing insects who chirp the perfect fifth together, what Lau Tzu referred to as the perfect balance of yin and yang, and universal harmony. I hear the sound of my feet on the dirt driveway.

In the face of work and information overload, how long will this sense of connection, of being One with my surroundings, last? How long do I have before the line between my mind and my surroundings hardens?

By Annie Bond, author of Home Enlightenment

Peaches are rich in skin softening enzymes, and cream is a natural alpha-hydroxy acid that is ideal for sloughing dead skin cells off the body.

Peaces and Cream Mask
2 peaches, peeled and mashed
1/2 teaspoon almond oil
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mash with a vegetable masher. Scoop onto a clean washcloth and scrub onto your body. Let set for 15 or 20 minutes before taking a shower to rinse thoroughly, using a natural shower gel if needed.

Variation: Cucumbers and Cream: Substitute 2-3 cucumbers for the peaches. Cucumber has the same pH as skin, and is thus

Adapted from Better Basics for the Home, by Annie B. Bond (Three Rivers, 1999).

I had my first taste of authentic Mussaman curry in Phuket, Thailand, looking out at the Andaman Sea. The experience was sublime, and I fell in love with the light but flavorful curry and exotic landscape.

Original to southern Thailand, Mussaman curry is frequently served with sweet potatoes, as mine was. It is easy to make a vegetarian Mussaman curry using sweet potatoes, coconut milk, vegetables, and tofu. This recipe is just for the actual curry.

I was happy to find this recipe in Easy Thai Cookbook, because the canned version I can find in health food stores just didn’t hold a candle to the freshly made.

Mussaman Curry Paste
Red Curry Paste Ingredients
10 red chilies, seeded and sliced
1/4 pound red onions or shallots, sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
3 lemongrass stems, lower stems only, sliced and bruised
1/2-inch piece galangal (or kha), peeled and sliced (or ginger, if you can’t find galangal)
4 cilantro stems, stalks and roots only
1-2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 teaspoon grated magrut (lime leaves)
1/2-inch cube prepared kapi (fermented shrimp and salt); optional
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
8-10 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt

For Mussaman:
6 cardamon pods
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Sautee the chilies, onions, garlic, lemongrass, and kha in a small amount of oil, stirring for 3 minutes.
2. Blend the ingredients you have sauteed and add the cilantro stalks, magrut, and kapi (if desired).
3. Sautee the cardamom pods, salt, coriander and cumin in a dry skillet. Remove seeds from the pod and pound them and the peppercorns to a powder using a mortar and pestle.
4. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, including the cloves and cinnamon, and blend until smooth.

Adapted from Easy Thai Cookbook, by Sallie Morris (2007, Metro Books, NY).

For adults, decor in the bedroom should focus on pairs; solitary items and images promote independence, rather than harmonious relationships. If you keep one teddy bear on the bed, keep two instead. If you have artwork that depicts living beings on the bedroom walls, the beings should be in pairs, including pairs of people.

Pairs of birds–especially ducks, geese, peacocks, phoenixes, and swans–carved from precious stones, such as adventurine, jasper, rose quartz, and tourmaline, are especially beneficial feng shui.

Two geese flying high is a symbol of togetherness for those already in a relationship; a pair of mandarin ducks attracts new love for those desiring a relationship; a pair of mandarin ducks attracts new love for those desiring a relationship. If you are looking for a heterosexual relationship, make sure your figurines are of the opposite sex–don’t use two male peacocks, for example, unless that’s what you’re looking for.

For good fortune in marriage, keep an image representing the Moon in your bedroom.

If you decorate your home solely as if it were a goddess sanctuary, you shouldnt’ wonder why it only appeals to women. To attract a relationship with a man, at least one-third of the imagery in your bedroom should represent the masculine. Strong masculine images that I keep in my home include Jesus, Pan, Buddha, Shiva, Merlin, and the Beatles.

Likewise, to attract a woman, a small amount of feminine imagery should be featured rather than a plethora of sports posters. For relationship harmony, honor the divine feminine and masculine. Angels work in pairs.

If the bedroom is small, hang wind chimes or a multifaceted or heart-shaped crystal in its center to increase the flow of chi. The symbol of water promotes the healthy flow of chi in many areas of the home, but it is not recommended in the bedroom where it might encourage infidelity. Remove fountains, photographs or paintings of water, and all other water symbols, including sheets with water motifs, from the bedroom.

When you open your eyes in the morning, your first sight should be of beauty. Place a beautiful object in the room in the line of vision that you most often wake up to, so that your days begin with truth, beauty, and goodness.

Do not keep photos of relatives overlooking the bed. Also, remove mementos of previous relationships, which can crate negative energy in a new relationship.

Windows
Weather permitting, open windows during the day to allow the angels of light and air to dance inside and bring fresh chi into the bedroom. Hang crystals in the windows to bring rainbows of delight into the boudoir.

Color Therapy
Color in the bedroom can have a powerful effect on the psyche and the flow of chi. The most arousing colors are reds, ambers, oranges, and purples. Generally, men find red to be more erotic; women seem to prefer violet. Red, pink, and peach are the best colors for the early years of a relationship. Red symbolizes passion. Pink is the combination of the passion of red muted with the purity of white. Peach blends the passion of red with the wisdom of yellow. However, excess red (such as a room painted red) may be overstimulating and could cause arguments. Blue, yellow, and white are more friendly than sexual.

Lighting
Soft lighting is necessary for romantic occasions. Natural candles work well. Another option is soft pink lightbulbs, which flatter the body and are easy on the eyes. Keep one of these bulbs available for a bedside light. Also consider stringing holiday lights in your bedroom for a joyous illuminating effect.

Different colors can be added to the bedroom in moderation in the form of candles, fresh flowers, pillows, luxurious fabrics, and wall or ceiling hangings.

Adapted from The Sexual Herbal, Prescriptions for Enhancing Love and Passion, by Brigitte Mars, A.H.G.

Purify Your Shadow Energy
Everyone has a shadow because of the natural contrast between darkness and the light. Negativity assumes its overwhelming power from the fact that it feeds off all these qualities at once: A secret, dark, primitive, irrational, dangerous, mythical evil is much less convincing if you break it down into one quality at a time. No matter how evil your impulse is, it can be broken down into steps to resolve it. Darkness is dealt with by bringing it into the light. The shadow is subtly involved in everyday life. It is never so hidden that you cannot bring it to light.
–Adapted from The Book of Secrets, by Deepak Chopra

Purify Your Environment
There are deep, overarching markers that can clarify the whole picture of pollution in our environments. The central markers are the eternal elements earth, fire, water, and air. It is these elements that we, as an industrial society, have tried to transform into synthetic materials, and the result has been disastrous.

Work with the elements rather than against them. Step by step. When the elements are true, it is most likely that the environment is in harmony and balance. For example, the pure elements in natural fiber clothing make us feel better and more comfortable. In contrast, the elements in synthetic clothing don’t function in a healthy way.
-Adapted from Home Enlightenment,by Annie Bond

Achieving clarity involves seeing the larger picture, a longer time frame, a bigger perspective. The larger your view, the clearer you can be. The ability of a great master to know the purpose of a soul in this lifetime brings clarity of vision and advice. How can you develop this kind of clarity in your own life?

Most of you are in a time frame that involves thinking of weeks and days, rather than years, rather than looking from the perspective of your entire life span, of your time here on earth. If you are willing to look at yourself as a whole, you can begin to find different levels of clarity around the present moment.

It does not mean you need to know the form or where you are going. It means that the larger the picture you hold of who you are, the clearer you can be. If you were to go into the future and look back at today, you could gain a new perspective of who you are, for clarity is brought about by the changing of perspective. Most of you have certain ways you think certain habits and patterns. Every time you break free and find a new way of thinking, you increase clarity.

Clarity is not something that you reach and have from then on. It is an ongoing refinement of your picture. Imagine a boat trying to find a place to land near the shore. There is heavy fog, and the people in the boat cannot see anything, so they do not leave the boat nor do they take any action. As the fog lifts and they continue to look, they begin to see the fuzzy outline of the horizon and the shore. But still, they do not know what is there, so they do not take any action.

Pretty soon, as the fog begins to dissolve, the picture becomes clear. They now know what lies ahead, and so they prepare for action. It is the same process with clarity. At first, ideas seem vague and foggy, for that is the way essence becomes form. As the perceptual process begins, a new idea or a new way of looking at things emerges, vague in form.

Often it is only a sense that something you have now is not right. It may start as an uncomfortable feeling, for the process of gaining clarity is also the process of letting go of confusion. Things do not usually suddenly become clear, as there is an ongoing process to clarity.

Your life purpose is the most important thing you can get clear on. Clarity of purpose will direct clear energy into every other area of your life. You may say, “What is life purpose, in essence?” It is that deepest desire within you, that which gives you the most joy, that which you think of, fantasize about all the time. It is that deep soul-level urge, that motivation; it is the dream that you hold within you.

The next level of clarity after the level of life purpose is clarity of intent. How do you intend to carry out your life purpose? Even more importantly, do you intend to do it? Clarity of intent is the picture, the vision you are creating. When you intend to do something, you may or may not have a clear picture of the end-product of the goal. Clarity of intent in one sense is a picture of where you are going or the process you want to experience in getting there. You may simply want to create a happy life, or to be clear in your intent to get something done.

After clarity of intent comes clarity of motivation. What is your motivation for doing something? Whatever action you take, you will want to be clear on why you are doing it. What do you see as the gain? What do you want out of it? A lack of clarity is often perceived after an action is taken, and what is gained is not what is expected.

Other levels of clarity are clarity of agreements and of communication with others. Many of you start with clarity of action, and yet it is clarity of purpose that is the starting point. When you are clear on your purpose, intent, motivation, agreements, and communications, clear action can flow.

Light Play: Clarity
If you want more clarity about your life purpose, or about any personal situation, use the process below.

1. Start by thinking of the area about which you would like clarity and vision.

2 Imagine you are going upward into your soul and spirit. Picture it as fine, light energy.

3. Ask your soul to assist you in having clarity of vision in this area.

4. Picture the light of your soul flowing through to your mind, literally cleaning house, rearranging your thoughts into a pattern that allows you to create a light and joyful future.

5. Feel the energy coming all the way down through your body until all of your bodies – mental, emotional, and physical – are aligned.

6. Imagine your soul dissolving any fog so that you have clear vision in this area.

7. Close your eyes and let a symbol emerge that represents the highest resolution of this problem.

8. Imagine you are placing this symbol upon your heart; ask for clarity, understanding and vision. Pay attention and listen to any inner messages.

A. What insights are you receiving about how to act or think?

B. What beliefs do you have about the outcome? Do these need to be changed to a higher, more positive view?

C. What choices do you have? Think of at least three.

D. What do you intend to do?

Book excerpt adapted from Living with Joy, by Sanaya Roman.

To help make dining out a positive experience, we have extensively researched restaurants and natural food stores that offer vegetarian, vegan, local, sustainable, and organic dining options. Here are six tips for when you hit the road:

1. Do your homework (How not to get stuck at the last minute)
If you know where you are headed, with a guide like Healthy Highways in hand (or your glove compartment), you can plan meal stops ahead where you are likely to find suitable choices. Another useful resource, especially for on-the-spot decisions, is the Yellow Pages under “health food stores,” “vegetarian,” or for ethnic restaurants. A third tactic is to ask locally (bookstores and gift shops are a good place to start your query) about where you can find a suitable locale.

2. The “waiting game” (How to avoid eating a meal’s worth of calories before the food arrives)
While you wait for your meal, rather than eating an entire bread basket or bowl of chips and salsa, order sparkling water with a wedge of lemon to keep you occupied. Other tips: order salad right away; put the bread out of easy reach to avoid reflexive munching; eat a small snack beforehand to keep from getting too hungry.

3. Have it your way (How to ask for what you want and get what you expect)
It is quite common to think you are ordering a healthy meal, only to be surprised by what actually arrives at the table. If a menu item is unfamiliar, ask how it is prepared to be sure it meets your needs. If it matters, find out if the soup is made with a meat broth. Ask for salad dressing or, where appropriate, sauces on the side so your vegetables aren’t drenched in fat. Don’t want French fries? Ask for a salad or baked potato instead. There is nothing wrong with making reasonable requests beforehand (but remember to do it politely, with a smile, and to show your appreciation).

4. Save by Sharing (How to cut costs and calories)
People have become increasingly comfortable about sharing an entrée and ordering an extra salad or appetizer. Another strategy is to order an appetizer or soup plus salad, instead of a full dinner.

5. Quit the “Clean-plate Club” (How to face down mega-size meals)
If you eat in places that serve large portions and lots of “free” extras, (and let’s face it, many restaurants serve a day’s ration of calories in just one meal), decide how much to eat when your order arrives. If you lack willpower, consider wrapping up part before you dig in. An easy way to do this without drawing attention is to bring your own take-out container and pack it right away. If you travel with a cooler, it is easy to preserve these leftovers (or “set asides”) for a second meal. Many motels and hotels have small refrigerators in the room, an option the Goldbecks always ask for when they’re on the road.

6. Practice visualization (How to cope with “portion distortion”)
Not so long ago, a standard bagel weighed 2 ounces (what the U.S. government and nutrition experts consider 2 servings of bread). Today, bagels have more than doubled in size, so just one can equal five or six servings at one shot. To get a sense of recommended (and sensible) portions sizes, the Goldbecks offer the following visual guidelines (and you can find more in Healthy Highways).
2 servings pasta == 1 cup = size of half grapefruit
1 serving fish = 3 ounces = size of checkbook
1 serving legumes = 1 cup cooked = size of baseball
1 serving cheese = 1½ ounces = size of 3 dominoes
1 serving potato = 1 medium = size of computer mouse

Nikki and David Goldbeck are well known for their pioneering books. They began in the 1970s with the best selling Supermarket Handbook, their seminal guide to finding healthy foods in the supermarket. They followed this with American Wholefoods Cuisine, touted by numerous reviewers as the “vegetarian Joy of Cooking”. Authors of eleven books on food, nutrition and environmental issues, in Healthy Highways the Goldbecks guide readers to 2,800 health-oriented places to dine-in or pick up food throughout the U.S. You can learn more about them at www.HealthyHighways.com.

Deepak: By listening to your body and responding to it with awareness, you tap into the field of infinite possibility, where the natural experience is peace, harmony, and joy.

Your first and most reliable guide to happiness is your body. The body is designed to support the mind, and working together they create the state known as happiness. When you’re deciding whether or not to act, ask your body, “How do you feel about this?” If your body sends back a signal of physical or emotional distress, reconsider the action. If your body sends a signal of comfort and eagerness, proceed. Together, mind and body form a single field. It is artificial to separate them as we usually do. Every experience has a physical component…. You cannot have a single thought, sensation, or feeling without your body responding.
–The Ultimate Happiness Prescription, by Deepak Chopra

Annie: Healing the natural world around you offers a life of transformation and renewal in many more ways than just having a healthier body. The healing works deeply for body, mind, and spirit. You feel fully at home.

Our sixth sense, or intuition, is keenly aware of when we are in balance with our surroundings. We know when we are breathing wonderfully clean air, when we drink water that is as sweet as sugar, and when our surroundings feel healing. We know deep down inside what feels right and true—something sings inside of us.

It is your intuitive weathervane that will help you understand how to heal your environment. Even as you learn and research the chemical basis of materials, your intuition is your everyday guide.

Over time, I’ve realized that there are always markers present in a polluted environment and home. Your senses will react—you hear something different, you smell an off-putting odor, you taste metal in your mouth, or you’re repelled by what you touch. Conversely, your spirits are lifted when sixth sense recognizes clean air, beautiful aromas, and harmonious sounds.

–Home Enlightenment, by Annie Bond

- Anonymous

In your book “Better Basics for the Home” you mention that citrus peel extract is effective in fighting flea’s. The only place I’ve been able to find it are places like iherb.com and it comes in soft gel capsules. I’m not sure this is what you meant. Could you please tell me where I can purchase it?

Thank you,

Steve

Hi Steve,
Yes, you are right about d-limonene, the extract from citrus peels. It kills all stages of the flea and is a fabulous alternative to flea bombs. It is fantastic for that. (Two caveats, however, are that cats are sensitive to it, so avoid if you have them, and even if natural, it is a volatile organic chemical and can aggravate asthma.) I use Citra Solve, or something similar. I add 1/4 cup to a gallon of water.

Best,
Annie