Dainichi Nyorai, The Cosmic Buddha.

February 7, 2010 in Art, Essential Oils, Promotion, Reiki, Young Living, healing | Tags: , , , | 1 comment

…on things to come…

Talking with Nancy Stenn about an upcoming project. Meditation on Dainichi Nyorai, the concept of No-Time-No-Space. Details to come, stay tuned.

Scott

DAINICHI – Various English Translations

  • Cosmic Buddha, Buddha of Cosmic Life
  • Great Illuminating One, Great Universally Illuminating One
  • All-Encompassing Buddha, All-Encompassing Lord of the Cosmos
  • Life Force That Illuminates the Universe
  • Spreader of Light in All Directions
  • Great Solar Buddha of Light and Truth
  • Great Sun Buddha, Resplendent One
  • Radiant Preacher, Luminous One
  • Identified with Birushana Buddha (Skt. Vairocana). Indeed, Dainichi is the translation of Vairocana, while Birushana 昆盧遮那 is the transliteration of Vairocana. The direct translation of DAINICHI BUDDHA is “Great Sun Buddha.” The Sanskrit term Vairocana means “luminous one” or “embodiment of light” or “belonging to or coming from the sun.” Vairocana represents the essential spiritual body of Buddha-truth (akin to light pervading everywhere).
  • Especially important to Japan’s Shingon Sect of Esoteric Buddhism
  • Central deity among the Five Tathagata (Jp. = Godai Nyorai); these five appear frequently in Japanese mandalas, with Dainichi positioned in the center, surrounded by the other four, with each representing one of the cardinal directions.
  • Dainichi’s messengers are the Myo-o; also see Fudo page
  • Guardian of People Born in the Zodiac Year of the Sheep and the Monkey.
  • Who is Your Patron Deity? Click Here to Find Out.

via Dainichi Nyorai, The Cosmic Buddha, Japanese Buddhism Photo Gallery.

Article: David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D.: 20 New Anticancer Rules

February 5, 2010 in Food & Recipes, Reiki, Story, commentary, healing | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

I know it says AntiCancer rules but as I read through the 20 points I couldn’t help but think, “we should all be eating this way!”, unless of course a condition prevents it.

I’m no perfect Pescetarian, I’m still learning. It’s been years since I shifted from abstinence based food mentality, thinking of what I can and cannot eat and into something that more resembles healthy and balanced. Even when I was a “Vegetarian” I had problems reading labels, identifying gross chemicals… even now, learning about companies,  the corn and meat industry (Food, Inc. / One Healthy Girl) and in the last few years, the true evil of Fast Food.

Yes. Ahem. Well lately it’s more of a shift from “What should I eat?”, to an integrated “this is what I eat because it’s good for me”.

I am still learning but what sticks out to me is that our thoughts about our food are really comparable to our thoughts about anything, and they can really create or destroy parts of our lives.

This is true with Reiki and healing. Even more, it is true about Magick, co-creation, manifesting. What we think, how we feel about what we think, and then what we do (consciously or unconsciously) because of these thoughts and feelings directs our creation-actions.

Anyway.  The article, I like. Numbered points are helpful. :)

((EXCERPT))

Michael Pollan’s recent little gem of a book “Food Rules” inspired me to compile my own “rules” about what I’d like every person to know about how they can help avoid cancer – or slow it down if they have it.

FOOD RULES

1. Go retro: Your main course should be 80 percent vegetables, 20 percent animal protein, like it was pre-World War II. Opt for the opposite of the quarter pounder topped with a token leaf of iceberg lettuce and an anemic tomato slice. Meat should be used sparingly for taste, as in the old days when it was scarce, and should not be the focus of the meal.

2. Mix and match your vegetables: Vary the vegetables you eat from one meal to the next, or mix them together — broccoli is an effective anticancer food, and is even more effective when combined with tomato sauce, onions or garlic. Get in the habit of adding onions, garlic or leeks to all your dishes as you cook.

3. Go organic: Choose organic foods whenever possible, but remember it’s always better to eat broccoli that’s been exposed to pesticide than to not eat broccoli at all (the same applies to any other anticancer vegetable).

4. Spice it up: Add turmeric (with black pepper) when cooking (delicious in salad dressings!). This yellow spice is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent. Remember to add Mediterranean herbs to your food: thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, marjoram, mint, etc. They don’t just add flavor, they can also help reduce the growth of cancer cells.

5. Skip the potato: Potatoes raise blood sugar, which can feed inflammation and cancer growth. They also contain high levels of pesticide residue (to the point that most potato farmers I know don’t eat their own grown potatoes).

via David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D.: 20 New Anticancer Rules.

Anderson Cooper 360: Blog Archive – Jobs and population: Mother Earth actually has the capacity to feed her people « – Blogs from CNN.com

February 4, 2010 in Food & Recipes, Story, news, vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

A very compelling article.

Scott

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What if they consume grain at the same rate as we do here?

Today, the U.S. consumes 14.8 percent of the world’s grain supply, but has only 4.6 percent of the world’s population. In this case, though, the U.S. produces more grain than virtually any other country. The United States produces 364 million metric tons of grain cereal per year.

Only China produces more, at 426 million metric tons. India is in third place, producing 233 million metric tons. Most other countries produce only about 10 percent of the big three’s average output.

All that brought me back to the same question I asked about energy. What if China and India consumed grain at the rate we do?

On a per capita basis, every man, woman, and child in the United States consumes almost a metric ton of grain each year.

What if more and more Chinese and Indian citizens enter the middle class, and what if they consume grain at the same rate as we do here in the U.S.?

If everyone in China consumed grain at the same rate we do here, China would consume 1.16 billion metric tons of grain per year, or 60 percent of the world’s total output. And if every one of India’s 1.2 billion people were able to not only have enough food to be above the starvation level, but consume grain at the same rate we do here, they’d consume an additional 1 billion metric tons of grain, or 52% of the world’s total supply.

Once again, the implications are profound.

via Anderson Cooper 360: Blog Archive – Jobs and population: Mother Earth actually has the capacity to feed her people « – Blogs from CNN.com.

We adopted: Trixie Octavia.

February 4, 2010 in Community Spotlight, Story, downtown la | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Yes I’ve fallen into the mad, this-puppies-so-cute-you-want-to-punch-me-because-can’t-stop-talking-about-my-new-dog world. Through this great little group called Bark Avenue and the Fur Babies, we now have a new edition to the family. Trixie.

Trixia Octavia Smith

Trixie came out of Kern County with her mother and two brothers. We’re told she is a Pomeranian and Maltese Mix, but Im’ thinking she’s got to have some Chihuahua in her. The original paperwork did says Chihuahua but I’m not sure what the process is for identifying the breeds within a mix breed dog.

I can tell you she is the lickity-lickinest-funniest puppy I’ve had in a long time. Right now she’s sleeping to my left, in her little “dog whisperer” crate with the sweater she came home in.

Seriously, this dog is cute.

I worked from home yesterday to spend the majority of my time with Trix. I can’t bring her outdoors yet so I had to be creative when she was awake.

I about doubled over in laughing tears when she got into the running and chasing my feet thing. We ran back and forth for about 20 minutes in the loft -I wish I could have been looking outside in- and her little legs were just pumping away, ears flapping, tail wagging, sliding around corners. You know, I can’t remember the last time I laughed that purely. I can see how a dog changes everything and how owning a pet can extend your lifespan. Anything that can bring this much joy and laughter could only accomplish that.

Bark Avenue is an awesome resource in Downtown LA. It is through their Fur Baby Program that we were able to adopt Trixie.

The Fur Baby Program is a really great resource for rescue dogs, and cats. For a fee we were able to take Trixie home, her shot days have been scheduled and included. At the time she is to be neutered, the adoption fee covers that cost including Rabies shots, and micro-chipping at the time- and will get us a lifetime 20% discount at their Bark Avenue LA day care and spa.

I’ve yet to take her to a standard vet but it’s only been a few days.

If you are considering adopting a new family member, don’t choose an in-bred dog. There are THOUSANDS of animals in Southern California alone, that are in desperate need of a home. At Fur Baby your fee covers many essentials at the kennel: food, medicine, rescue, and more.

I’m really, tremendously, happy that we got to help an animal in  need. Not just a click, not just a call, but to actually bring a puppy home. She’s only been on the planet for 6 weeks but she’s already made my life better in two days. :) I really, truly say thank you to the caring people at Fur Baby and Bark Avenue, specifically Steven, Dawn, Mercy and Jason, who’s been on me to adopt for some time.

You can also make a donation through the the Bark Avenue website. Every contribution counts!

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Bark Avenue

3030 South Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90007-3823
(213) 748-7485
www.barkavela.com

Fur Baby
3030 S. Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Phone: (213) 840-0153
Dawn@FurBabyForYou.com

Office Hours:
Monday – Saturday 8:30AM to 5:30PM
http://www.furbabyforyou.com/Contact.html

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Sitting at the office with a sleeping pup.

–
- – -
Scott K Smith

http://lifencompass.com

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Palak Daal Recipe – 101 Cookbooks

January 31, 2010 in Food & Recipes, recipes, vegetarian | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

New blog find~! 101 Cookbooks!

I’m hooked!

Here is one of the MANY great recipes, and photos, from the site.

Enjoy.

Scott

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Palak Daal

Spinach can be particularly muddy this time of year it seems. I fill the large bowl from my salad spinner with cold water, place the spinach in the basket the place it into the bowl of water. Swish the leaves around a bit to loosen any dirt. Drain and repeat. This usually does the trick. I use the same approach with kale and leeks as well. As far as peppers go, I used serrano chile peppers here, and used a pure red chile powder made from a mildly spicy red pepper, not cayenne in this case, I suspect that would be a bit on the too spicy side…but if that is all you have, adjust to what tastes good to you. I skipped the asafetida, but if you have it on hand, use 1/2 teaspoon. Leftevers were delicious reheated with a generous splash of coconut milk. And lastly, if you are having trouble tracking down white urid daal / ivory lentils, feel free to experiment with other types of lentils.

1 cup / 6.5 oz / 185 g white urid or urad daal, picked over and rinsed

6 cups / 1.5 liters water, plus more if necessary

1/2 pound spinach, washed and finely chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 medium green chile peppers, minced

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon pure red chile powder

a pinch of asafetida, optional

more salt to taste

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

In a large pot over medium-high heat combine the daal and water. Bring to a boil, then add the spinach, ginger, turmeric, 3/4 of the green chiles, and all of the tomatoes. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the lentils are extremely soft. You may need to add a bit more water during the cooking process to keep the lentils soupy. After an hour and a half, stir in the salt.

In a separate pan, heat the butter and cumin and fry until the cumin seeds start to pop. Now add the red chile powder (and asafetida if you’re using it) and fry for another 30 seconds. Taste and add more asafetida if you like. Add this butter mixture to the lentils and allow to cook for another five minutes. Taste, and season with more salt if needed. I also enjoyed a touch of lemon juice added at this point. Serve topped with the cilantro and the remaining green chiles.

Serves 4-6 with rice or roti.

via Palak Daal Recipe – 101 Cookbooks.

Article: Brace yourself for St Brigid – The Irish Times – Fri, Jan 29, 2010

January 31, 2010 in Story | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

This Monday is Imbolc, St. Brigid’s Day.

I’ll be cleansing the house and bringing light into all spaces.

Scott

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She’s our female patron saint yet St Patrick gets all the parades, but with her name coming back into favour maybe it’s time for St Brigid to shine, writes FIONA McCANN

GATHER YE rushes where you may, as February 1st is nearly upon us, a date otherwise known as St Brigid’s Day. That’s right, Brigid, aka Bridget or Brid, one of the country’s patron saints, though the lack of parades and a national holiday might lead you to believe otherwise.

The low-key reception St Brigid gets these days is perhaps down to her gender, as some suggest, or maybe the complicated mythology surrounding her origins – her stories are often conflated with those of a pagan goddess of poetry and healing, whose feast day she also inherited and after whom she was allegedly named. She was once, by most accounts, one of the most powerful women in the country, a formidable founder of abbeys and convents, and a woman of an unusually high profile in the male-dominated hierarchy of the early Christian church.

The daughter of an Irish chieftain and a slave from his court, legend and lore link St Brigid to St Patrick, though her personal achievements include founding the famed convent of Cill Dara, which went on to become a renowned centre for learning. In many ways, she was a woman ahead of her time, standing up to the patriarchy and refusing at least one arranged marriage while instead devoting her life to founding convents all over Ireland, as well as a school of art, and in the process ensuring an education for young women uninspired by the child-bearing alternative.

via Brace yourself for St Brigid – The Irish Times – Fri, Jan 29, 2010.

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IMBOLC

Author: Witchvox Central
Posted: January 27th. 1997
Times Viewed: 236,531

(February 1st or 2nd)
also known as: Candlemas, Imbolg, Imbolgc brigantia, Lupercus, Disting

IMBOLC: The earliest whisperings of Springtide are heard now as the Goddess nurtures Her Young Son. As a time of the year associated with beginning growth, Imbolc is an initiatory period for many. Here we plant the “seeds” of our hopes and dreams for the coming summer months.

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Blending Oils. Making sprays with EO’s.

January 30, 2010 in Essential Oils, Promotion, healing | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Naturally we play a lot with the Young Living Essential Oils. Finding ways to stretch their use, and experimenting with the effects. I love Thieves not only for its smell but for its naturally antibacterial, antiseptic, and antifungal properties. At home and at the office I have little bottles that I use to spray phones, handles, and other high traffic surfaces.

I think I found a new and wonderful combination. For the last two weeks I’ve been using a mixture: Believe, Joy, and Peace & Calming. Use a small spray bottle, we have an 8 oz spray bottle and add 4 drops of Joy, 4 drops of Believe, and 4 drops of Peace & Calming. Slowly pour in some medium hot water, being careful not to overfill and lose the oils, cap, shake vigorously, and spray.

It smells fantastic.

What I’ve noticed, aside from the welcoming smell that the blend creates, is that our vibe lifts. These three oils in combination create a stabilizing, uplifting and “exciting” reaction. Over the last few weeks I’ve seen and felt the effects of this combination, at home and at work. As I’ve noted before Peace & Calming has the desired effect.

“Peace & Calming® is a gentle, fragrant blend. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. When massaged on the bottoms of the feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night’s rest.”

Joy and Believe, one of my new favorite blends, together create an essential optimism. The two together are “Light” in a tangible way.

I’m so excited for the blend I’m thinking of launching a little charged batch of the bunch! (Stay tuned).

About the Essential oils

Peace & Calming
Tangerine (Citrus nobilis), orange (Citrus aurantium), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), patchouli (Pogostemon cablin) and blue tansy (Tanacetum annuum).

Peace & Calming® is a gentle, fragrant blend. When diffused, it helps calm tensions and uplift the spirit, promoting relaxation and a deep sense of peace. When massaged on the bottoms of the feet, it can be a wonderful prelude to a peaceful night’s rest. Peace & Calming may be especially calming and comforting to young children after an overactive and stressful day.

Joy

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia), ylang ylang (Cananga odorata), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora), lemon (Citrus limon), mandarin (Citrus reticulata), jasmine (Jasminum officinale), Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii), and rose (Rosa damascena).

Joy™ is a luxuriously exotic blend with uplifting overtones that creates magnetic energy and brings joy to the heart. When worn as cologne or perfume, Joy exudes an alluring and irresistible fragrance that inspires romance and togetherness. When diffused, it can be refreshing and uplifting.

Believe

Idaho Balsam Fir (Abies grandis), rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora) and frankincense (Boswellia carteri).

Believe™ is an uplifting blend of essential oils that has a steadying, balancing effect on emotions, helping you to overcome feelings of despair and move beyond them to a higher level of awareness. It helps release the unlimited potential everyone possesses, making it possible to experience health, happiness, and vitality more fully. Believe can also provide feelings of strength and faith.

And I’m thinking, after a Lunar-Charge on the Altar, this might be a lovely thing to produce… Limited batches, but good none-the-less.

If you are interested in more information about Essential Oils or ordering from Young Living, see my Aromatherapy page.

See ya soon!

–
- – -
Scott K Smith

http://lifencompass.com

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Subscribe via RSS. Leave a comment, those are always appreciated. Submit something for posting, topics and ideas are welcome.

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Article: Comfort Rather Than Be Comforted: A 12-Step Buddhist Perspective

January 30, 2010 in Story, healing, news | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

This one goes out to Jamie. Thank you for taking the time to respond so thoughtfully to my blog on the spirit in the house. That was the third bit of information that I needed in revelation.

I found this article on the Huffington Post and I get it. I get Tonglen…

Scott

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[EXCERPT]

For example, when people attack or otherwise harm us, instead of taking actions to relieve our own suffering at their expense, we may opt to practice Tonglen, where we meditate on taking on their suffering and offering them the comforts that we normally covet for ourselves. See His Holiness Dalai Lama for over 50 years of examples. One such story of compassion from Paul Ekman’s “Emotional Awareness: a Conversation Between Paul Ekman and the Dalai Lama,” is of a Tibetan monk who, after escaping from Chinese prison, was asked about his experience. The monk said that the worst thing for him was that at one point during his torture he feared he might lose compassion for his captors.

via Darren Littlejohn: Comfort Rather Than Be Comforted: A 12-Step Buddhist Perspective.

Article: Cutting Salt In Food Would Save Thousands Of Lives – Shots – Health News Blog : NPR

January 29, 2010 in Food & Recipes, Story, news | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

I’m sure you’ve all ready heard about it, but if not, did you see this crazy article on salt???

Scott

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How bad is all that salt in the food you eat?

Getting the salt out could save a lot of lives. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Let’s put it this way, if everyone in the country ate just a half-teaspoon less salt each day, it would save the lives of between 44,000 and 92,000 people a year. The prediction comes from an analysis just published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Eating a lot of salt raises the risks for high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Sodium one of two elements that make up table salt is the bad actor.

Americans consume far more than they need. The government recommends limiting salt intake to 5.8 grams a day, or about 1 1/2 teaspoons. But the average American gets about 10.4 grams of salt a day; women consume about 7.3 grams a day.

Even if you want to cut back on salt, it’s hard to do. Most of the stuff–75 percent to 80 percent– finds its way into your body through processed foods, not the shaker on the table. That’s sparked proposals to get the food industry to dial back how much salt is put into food.

Read the whole story via Cutting Salt In Food Would Save Thousands Of Lives – Shots – Health News Blog : NPR.

What’s In That Fish Stick? Give It A DNA Test : NPR

January 29, 2010 in Food & Recipes, Story, news | Tags: , | Leave a comment

What’s In That Fish Stick? Give It A DNA Test

Brenda Tan and Matt Cost, high school seniors from Trinity School in New York City, used a technique called DNA barcoding to find out what species were present in over 200 animal products. Their results suggest buyers should beware! Watch video.

via What’s In That Fish Stick? Give It A DNA Test : NPR.

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Be well,

Scott K Smith

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