Category: Holidays

Choose Love.

by Kali Bliss, posted in Healing, Holidays, Inspiration, Seasonal

unconditionalloveAmericans are funny, in that most consider Christmas & the holiday season to be based around Santa, getting, giving, and presents or parties. While that is a nice thing to celebrate at the end of the year, December is really about reflecting and allowing yourself to slow down, wind down, and pave a new way for the Winter season & upcoming new year. December, to be, is a celebration of Love, of light, and a peaceful ending to whatever has been.

The holidays stress us all out and create disharmony. That’s normal. Choose love this year. If you are single, without your family, or busy working during the season, reconnect to your faith and cherish yourself for who you have become. This is the season of Love and when it is important to also do a cheers for you, what you have accomplished, and who you have become. It’s not about being accepted, having the decorations, or even having a partner to kiss under the mistletoe… those all come in time.

The end of the year is a deep period of transition. Your body is probably feeling it, perhaps you are even feeling the urge to stay in, be within yourself, or seek out some quiet time. That’s because Winter is coming and it’s the season to hibernate and relax. Choose you this Christmas, and choose Love. Everyone is having moments, emotions, frustrations, sadness, and what I call ‘episodes’. Let them be, let it be. Come back to your love, your heart, and fill yourself with gratitude for wherever you are at. Be happy for what you DO have. Be grateful for friends you have met this year, people who have helped you, old friendships, and be good around your family. 

Choose love in everyone who crosses your path, with whatever the Universe yields you, and whoever comes your way. There will be much expected surprises the next two weeks. Choose love always.

When you love yourself, you know yourself, and you know your intention, who you are, and what you stand for. People can think otherwise, as they choose. I’ve let go of people, I’ve had friends move away, and in this year, I celebrate ME this December. I’ve learned that the world will never be perfect. It’s human nature to serve your ego, until you do the work to stop it. Even Yogis, claiming to be all Zen have their moments, and just because they ‘teach’ does not always mean they care or are consciously connected to the light in the heart always. We all fall out of balance and alignment, it’s part of being human. We all forget that Love is always the answer. Come back to your heart this Christmas/Holiday, and serve you. Share love with others, remind them, and help people remember Love is all we all are looking for. End this year well, with love. Say sorry to those you hurt, make up with people who have parted, acknowledge souls that have brought kindness to your life, and do something fun for You. Remember your greatness, share a smile, and do something nice for a special friend. Love is all you need ❤

H20 Purify & Hydrate

by Kali Bliss, posted in Food, Health, Holidays

HYDRATE:

  • any compound that contains water of crystallization
  • supply water or liquid to in order to maintain a healthy balance; “the bicyclists must be hydrated frequently”
  • become hydrated and combine with water

Water droplet with the earth in it.Your body is an amazing vessels that can naturally heal itself if given the opportunity. After a holiday weekend dedicated to celebration life, liberty, freedom, and more, how do you feel? Did you use the holiday to ‘let loose’ by indulging in chips, guacamole, BBQ, & many beers while being outside in the Cali sunshine? How is you body feeling today?

How do you get back on track and feel good again? You Hydrate. Drink water. Refuel your sanctuary and cleanse out the toxins you indulged in over the weekend. Our food supply has changed drastically and so many Americans load up on packaged, processed, and junk that does not satisfy our cells. I believe most of how American’s choose to live is with the ‘quick fix’ – drinking, partying, loading up on fats and animal products, consuming sugar and ingesting endless quantities to have some kind of satisfaction – whether that be a buzz, a high, a sweet taste delight, or a filing a void that people think is ‘hunger’. We load up, we eat, and we love to consume and do the ‘American’ thing of BBQing, eating, and consuming foods that internally just deteriorate our health and more importantly, inhibit your body to heal and perform optimally.

 Recover from your weekend. Let yourself forgive and move forward. Make better choices now. Does that mean going to the gym every day, running five extra miles to burn those calories, or taking a torching yoga class to physically look good? Not quite. It’s funny how people believe we need to ‘work hard’ and ‘train’ in order to look good. It begins with your body, it starts with your soul and remembering that self care begins by being aware.

 Hydrate. Purify your cells and internal organs with Nature’s greatest gift – Water!

Water makes up 71% of our planet and we are so blessed to have so many forms of water on the planet – lakes, rivers, oceans, streams, etc. I believe water is the most healing form of anything. How good does it feel when you jump in the Ocean? My body becomes alive and restored. The same thing happens inside your body – water cleanses and clears and helps your body upshift and heal so you can feel better. (Also why you often crave water when you wake up with a hangover). It’s a miracle elixir! Water is vital to access consciousness and liberate your cells and anything and everything that perhaps has gotten trapped inside. We need water. Our filtering systems are not the same, and much tap water is actually incredibly harmful to your health since it is full of nasty toxins, like Flouride, that actually harm your body. If you’re not yet consuming PURE water, make an effort to get the your local Water store and fill up. It’s worth the extra money and time and is critical for your health.

 

Water purifies because it carries the element hydrogen. Hydrogen is considered the hydrating element (h20), thus water is simply hydrogen with oxygen. Hydrogen is found throughout our body in the lymph, brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, muscles, and more. It helps regulate the body’s temperature by moving oxygen through your system and moistens your lungs so you can breathe and cool your system down. Isn’t that amazing? Hence why breathing, yoga, and learning to tame your breath is so critical for health and wellness. Without hydrogen, and with shallow breathing, blood cannot optimally flow through your body and remove toxins and filter out waste. Breathing is essential to live. Water is essential for your body to continue to operate. Thus hydrogen, and water, aid in the process of digestion and elimination. If you are loading up on crap without anything pure and real, your body is going to feel it and become stagnant. That’s how disease forms. After a weekend of fun in the sun and more, please give back to your body – breathe and hydrate. Bring your body back to a balanced state with filtered pure water. Maybe even try on a day of fasting and only drinking water. You may be surprised how much more your body will love you when you relax, stop eating, working hard, and give it time to heal and come back to a vibrant state.water

 

Signs of excess hydrogen – bloating, puffiness, swelling, puffy hands, stiff neck, low energy, usually constipated or does not eliminate daily.

Signs of hydrogen deficiency- similar to dehydration, irritated, inflammation, cramps, salty food cravings, dry or wrinkled skin, overly heated. Lack of hydrogen really messes up your internal machine and can result in affecting your brain to the point that your brain begins to shut down. This is why we need water to survive.

            Often if you loose over 1% of your body weight while sweating, your body goes into dehydration mode, and if your body continues to loose water (about 9-12% of your body weight) you can die.

 

Best Moisture Containing & Water Based Foods:

Citrus, oranges, vegetable juices, apricots, asparagus, blackberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery juice, chard, cherries, pineapples, blueberries, prunes, sauerkraut, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, watermelon…

 

Water Tips:

  • Buy yourself a nice glad waterbottle & keep it with you at your desk. Continue to drink water throughout your day and create deadlines for yourself (like drink my water bottle before 11am)
  • Your body needs WATER, not FOOD first thing. Keep a glass of water by your bed and drink it first thing when you wake up. Continue to hydrate in the AM with lemons to get awaken your body and break your sleep fast.
  • Get in touch with water. Take a walk on the beach, put your feet in the ocean, or swim in the waves! Do something to immerse yourself in water. You will be surprised at the energetic shifts and the healing powers of water. The ocean and natural fresh stream water is obviously best, however a pool works to.
  • When you choose to drink alcohol, enjoy a cup of water in between cocktails and beers.
  • Flavor up your water with lemons, cucumbers, berries, etc
  • Drink water at room temperature. The colder the water the more energy it takes the body to use it and affects your digestion
  • Hydrate before and after meals. When you are eating, don’t chug water with your food.
  • Drink when you are thirsty, and sip even when you are not

 

Happiness & Gratitude

by Kali Bliss, posted in Friendship, Holidays, Rise Above, Seasonal, Thoughts

I sat down to begin writing my Holiday cards. Who do I write to? Those who have inspired me this year. Some I may have barely chatted with. Others, may not even know my name. I made a list with those special souls who have touched my heart this year and changed me. Those people that I need to thank, not because they are ‘family’ or because I knew them in college, or because someone told me I had to give and do something for them. I chose the people who have helped me become happier this year. It’s for that, I want to express my thanks, and give this holiday season…

 

Does it resonate with you?

 

Flu Season

by Kali Bliss, posted in Health, Holidays, Seasonal

There is something in the air. Do you feel it? Ever since the full moon last Monday, and since Halloween has passed something mystical has been circulating. Or at least I feel something magical.  I felt the full moon energies tremendously and so much happened leading up to it and after it, I’m still a bit in ah. It’s November. One of my least favorite months of the year. I just don’t like it. Never really have. The weather gets colder, but it’s not cold enough to snow. We edge closer to family and holiday celebrations, which usually resonates to family drama. Don’t even get me started about Thanksgiving, a holiday I personally thing is really dumb and way to commercial. Not to mention, all the food just puts us more stuck. I just think November and have a natural tendency to want to curl up in my bed all day long with a book and blanket. Is that weird? Probably.

It’s the time of year when we are well into the Fall and practically navigating into the Winter. Halloween is symbolic in many religions and countries and the mid mark foe the year. A time when there is more darkness all around, and less lightness. I agree.  This is also the time of year where my body acts up, it gets uncomfortable with all the changes, my allergies get loose with the weather patterns, and I consciously really have to focus to try to keep my body in balance to avoid getting (if I dare to say it) — sick.

It’s flu season. So how do you cope? I will not be rushing to the doctor to get one of those magical flu shots that will cure me of the common cold. No, not this year. I’ve noticed so so so many people getting ‘sick’ in the last week. Even super healthy people, yogis,  who have come down with something. What is in the air? Energetically I believe we are at a pivotal shifting point. A time when we are reaching closer to what the Mayans believe to be the end of the year (Dec 21, 2012)….it’s 2012 afterall! I’ve been talking about change as the theme for the Fall season, but this year it’s even more significant. I believe it’s time to shift out of old ways of being. To start with this season, to plant your own seeds of passion and inspiration and start to feel rooted to who you are and your own being now. To shed off those layers, to detach from what was, be thankful for what is, and focus on what is coming. It’s time to stepback and evaluate your life. Keep people around who have meaning, who bring you joy, and who you enjoy talking to and being around. And let those other relationships dwindle away as they need to. People are changing, lives are shifting, the planet as we know it I believe is transforming.  If the people are uninspiring, toxic, negative, mean, it’s time to cut those ties. Or maybe you’re in a relationship with someone where you feel no passion or lust, and you sometimes wonder why you’re together. Maybe it’s time to free yourself and move on. It’s liberating and you’ll have more time to focus on the people you value and truly care about. By creating room, for more genuine people like that to flow in. Some may be more in tune with you, others may not understand it. That is fine, that is life. Begin your journey with confidence though. Use this month of November and December to come to terms with who you are and what you want. It’s not easy, but begin to find some clarity and allow your feelings to guide you, then you will know what feels nice.

Do you during this month: Relax. Sleep more, go to bed at a reasonable hour before 10pm, maybe try less rigorous exercise and try slowing it down instead. Eat smaller, lighter, warmer meals. Keep you tea cup filled. Wear socks. Wear scarves. Speak your truth, don’t hold anything back. Sleep more. Breathe deeply. Try yin yoga. Avoid heavy, fried, meaty foods. Add cinnamon for warming. Drink water. Close your eyes breathe. Wash your hands with soap. Clean your body. Get a massage. Stay hydrated. Get moving to move your your bowels. Vitamin D to make up for lost sunshine. Sleep. Drink clean water. Do what feels right for you. Relax.

This time of year is when we get stuck. Physically in the body, mentally in the mind, and confused in the heart. As we try to keep up with our routine, go about our quick paced days, and fill our calendar with holiday events, we forget to take time for ourselves. It’s time to pause, look into your life at the things you value, and begin to appreciate the good things and people you have. When you notice people, jobs, events, circumstances that don’t serve you, decide to let them pass, allow them to go in their direction, and be okay when people stop asking about what you’re doing. You’re on your own path for your own success, and when you follow what feels right, you can never turn down the wrong road. Emotionally this time of year we feel scattered, all over the place, maybe a bit overwhelmed with the new changes and decisions coming upon us all. Our bodies have trouble adapting to the changes in season, the transition into cooler weather and less heat, and out immunity starts to take a downward spiral. Nature shifts, our own mental chatter starts to bog us down, we get fogged in the mind, unstable, insecure, and then it shows up in the body. Take a deep breathe, there is health and vitality available to us all.

The first step to feeling good and keeping your immune system strong is digestion. Yes, that. It may uncomfortable, you may not want to think about it, I’ve been there, but it’s important. You need to rid you’d body of waste and not let the toxins accumulate. If you’re not going once a day you have problems, especially if you’re eating a lot of large meals.

Tips for Digestion:

–       Start your day off with lemon tea: hot water and lemon

–       Maybe drink some natural laxative tea before bed like Smooth Move

–       Eat more veggies, a natural source of fiber

–       Drink more tea….all kinds. Ginger and peppermint are especially beneficial for the tummy

Digestion is different for everyone, so notice what works for you. Notice what foods you are more sensitive to. It’s important to stay consistent around this time of year with how you eat. Take time to slow down, turn off the noise of cell phones, TVs, and instead take a half hour to sit and fully enjoy your meals without distractions. Be present, chew each bite, savor it, and enjoy.

Choose: garlic to warm the body, ginger, peppermint, dates to help the bowels, lemons (in water, tea, everything), more warm veggies, etc

Feeling off? About to catch the cold? Try these first~~~

If you begin to start to feel imbalance, probably in your throat, head, nasal area, and lungs, you can also pick up a natural wellness formula and Echinacea support. Start with your belly though, be conscious of what you’re feeling when you’re eating, what you’re eating, and how you are eating. Notice if you feel stuck or uncomfortable in your gut. And try to eliminate those negativities out of your system completely. Deep breathing, relaxation, tummy massages, yoga, and mediation are fabulous for that. As always, stay hydrated. As things shift internally and externally we need to keep the water flowing through to help flush.

 

 

 

 

Irish Coffee

by Kali Bliss, posted in Holidays

I’m not a green beer drinker, a Jamison shot taker, or a fan of cabbage. But I love St Patty’s day, celebrating the Irish, and having a national green day. What a pick me up for your week or maybe a hangover remedy from your Irish celebration? In honor of the Irish ~ try Irish coffee!

Irish Coffee

1 cup of coffee

Mix in about  1-1.5 oz Whiskey

Add some [heavy] cream

Option to add a teaspoon of brown sugar for sweetness

The heavy cream can be whipped into whip cream, then put in fridge to chill. Brew the coffee and combine with the whiskey and sugar. Mix well and allow sugar to dissolve. Top off the coffee mixture with some whipped cream. Use the back of a warm spoon to help drop the whipped cream perfectly on the surface of the coffee, without breaking into the mixture (this may take some time to master).  Enjoy your nice drink to help wake you up!

You can also add Mint Liquor, instead or in addition to the Whiskey. This will also transform it into a festive green drink. If the Whiskey taste rubs you the wrong way, or perhaps is too potent for a morning pick up, try Bailey’s and Coffee. One of my favorites! Sometimes my weekend treat is walking along the beach with a cup of coffee in hand and topped off with some Baileys. Search around, mix it up, and find your perfect Irish cocktail.

Baileys & Coffee

Fresh brewed coffee

About 1 oz of Baileys

Option to add: sugar and/or whipped cream

Stir and mix and enjoy! 

I had my first real experience with irish coffee in San Francisco at The Buena Vista.  If you are ever in the area you must go see this hidden and historical gem. Located near fisherman’s Warf, next to the Powell-Hyde Cable Cars, it’s a great place to stop in or meet up with a friend. It has been in the same spot since 1975 and is still always bustling with customers and tourist. Known for their Irish Coffee recipe created in 1952 by the owner of the Buena Vista and a travel writer who dared to mock recipe from the Shannon airport in Ireland , the pub has mastered the concoction after spending nights mixing and even flying over to Irish land.

“Success was theirs! With the recipe now mastered, a sparkling clear, six-ounce, heat-treated goblet was chosen as a suitable chalice.” Read more about famed Irish Coffee drink and how to recreate.

 I have not been to Ireland yet, so I cannot attest to having a real Irish Coffee in Ireland, but this is delightful and surprisingly tasty. I recommend it to any SF tourist, native, or local. Spend your afternoon at The Buena Vista!