Monday, January 26, 2009

Beautiful Soup!

Beautiful Soup

"Beautiful soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Beau--ootiful Soo--oop! Beau--ootiful Soo--oop!
Soo--oop of the e--e--evening, Beautiful, beautiful Soup!

I love Soup!!!
We eat a lot of soup and this is by far, a favorite. This recipe comes from the Adventure Cuisine Cookbook, from the Red Mountain Spa in Southern Utah.
The Adventure Chefs at Red Mountain Spa have put together a great guide for the kitchen. This recipe is easy, simple and delicious. Give this one a try; I don’t think you will be disappointed. Enjoy!

Creamy Broccoli Soup
Ingredients:
1TBsp Olive Oil
4 oz Sliced Onion
3 oz Diced Celery
1TBsp Minced Garlic

1Cup Chopped Broccoli
1/2Tbsp Crumbled Bay Leaves
1LB Sliced Potatoes
1QT Spinach
1QT Vegetable Stock
1Tsp Pepper
Directions:
* Sautee Onion, Celery and Garlic in Olive Oil just until flavor is released
* Simmer all ingredients until volume is reduced by approximately one-third
* Blend in a food processor
* Season
Serves 8, yields about 1Qt

"Little is nobler than presiding over a kettle of homemade soup."
-Marty Martindale

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Inner Smile Organ Meditation

This meditation provides us with the opportunity to cleanse, rebalance, and recharge the energy of five major internal organs. Just as we take steps to clean our bodies and brush our teeth, this exercise gives us an opportunity to wash away any residual stress, tension or emotions we may be holding on to. Espoused by Mantak Chia, a Qi Gong Master, this meditation may be done daily, and with practice can be completed within 5-10 minutes at the beginning or end of your day. According to Five Element Theory and Taoist philosophy, 5 major organs are each associated with a sound, color and other specific qualities like emotions.

If you have attended one of our workshops you may have experienced this meditation in part or in its entirety. Based on popular request, the following is one of our favorite and most often practiced meditations. Enjoy and may the chi be with you!

Beginning at the lungs:
Place your hands on your lungs while standing or sitting at the edge of your seat. Begin to rock from side to side on your sits bones (ischial tuberosities) and allow your gaze to follow the same side-to-side movement with your eyes closed. Imagine your eyes are like giant erasers sweeping across your lungs erasing any grief, sadness or depression. Once that feels complete take a deep breath in and create the sound SSSS as you exhale out 3X. After your 3rd exhalation hold the breath out and stretch open your chest as you tapote your lungs until you can’t hold your breath any longer. Raise your hands above your head as you suck the breath back in. And then press your palms down in front of you while breathing out the SSSS sound. On your next inhale float your hands back to the lungs and visualize the lungs filling up with white light. Continue to fill your lungs with courage, strength, and right action. Finally, smile (a gentle Mona Lisa smile) into your lungs.

*For each of the remaining 4 organs, repeat this sequence: 1. Hold over each organ releasing associated negative emotions or memories 2. Exhale the “sound” of each organ three times 3. Tapote all over the organ while holding the breath out 4. Raise the arms up on a strong inhalation and lower them in front of you with the sound of “Sssss” 5. Hold over the organ while visualizing the “color”, restoring positive qualities, and a gentle smile into the organ.

Lungs
Release sadness, depression and grief
The sound is SSSS (tongue behind the teeth
The color is white
Restore courage, strength and right action

Kidneys
Release fear and anxiety
The sound is Choo (as when blowing out a candle: lips form an 'o')
The color is blue
Restore calm, stillness and gentleness

Liver
Release anger, jealousy and frustration
The sound is SHHH
The color is green
Restore forgiveness, acceptance and kindness

Heart
Release hastiness, cruelty and arrogance
The sound is HAW (mouth is wide open)
The color is red
Restore gratitude, patience, joy, love and sincerity

Spleen
Release doubt, worry and negative speak about self and others
The sound is WHOO (from the throat, guttural)
The color is yellow
Restore trust, fairness and openness

Once you finish the healing sound for all five major organs, ground, center and assimilate the benefits of this meditation by making the sound of the Triple Warmer. Inhale and raise your palms up, and then exhale the sound Heeee while pressing the hands down in front of you from your head towards your feet. Repeat this two more times to complete the Smiling Organ Mediation.

You can find this meditation in greater detail in Mantak Chia’s book, Awaken Light of the Tao. You may also find more about Mantak Chia at his website