Zen and Japanese Home and Garden

February is the month of love and highlighted by the celebration of Valentines’ day. As we begin to think of all the people in our lives whom we wish to show our love and appreciation, there is one person you shouldn’t forget – You!
Self love is the most important relationship you can have and is also the foundation on which all other relationships are formed. It is accepting yourself just as you are, right now and acknowledging your values and boundaries and honoring them consistently. It is being able to say no without guilt, and saying yes to you. The benefits of self love are numerous. Inner peace, confidence and the ability to make healthier decisions in every area of your life are enabled. When you outwardly love yourself, others learn how to treat you by example. When your internal reservoir of love is filled, you can be more loving to others and of greater service to your community.

There is a lot of scientific research available regarding the importance of self-love and how it can also have a positive impact on the immune system. Our bodies carry millions of cells that perform an organized and systematic exchange of information to other cells, organs, tissues and glands to function efficiently while slow functioning cells are quickly eliminated serving to maintain our optimal health.

When our bodies do not recognize these slow functioning cells, they can send the wrong information to our organs, eventually causing the immune system to malfunction. This may cause susceptibility to fatigue, lack of sleep, proper diet and illness resulting in a visit to the doctor.

Everything in our universe is made of energy. Each person, plant and animal has their own unique energy and frequency. Everything works in a universal and synergistic dance, acting and reacting with each encounter. The movement of energy within the body is important to healing and our emotions play a critical role in the movement and transfer of that energy.

Medical research has shown the dramatic effect of a simple hug. The act of embracing someone raises the hemoglobin level in the body. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to our organs resulting in improved function, hormone regulation and healthy cell growth, thus supporting the immune system. When we are self-critical, our sympathetic nervous system elevates the stress hormones in our bodies. When this fight or flight reaction takes over, we can experience difficulty learning, problem solving or discovering the underlying reason why we find ourselves in difficult situations.

The holistic approach of energy medicine teaches that emotions are stored in our body. Emotions are picked up and received through the body’s seven main energy centers known as Chakras. These rotating vortexes receive and transfer the life force energy to more than three thousand smaller chakra centers while simultaneously removing stagnant energy no longer needed. This intricate web of energy centers is in a constant state of flux, responding to every thought, action and feeling we have. The third chakra known as the solar plexus is thought to be the command center of self-love. Located just above the navel, it directs energy to the gall bladder, spleen, stomach, liver, pancreas, and small intestine. It also provides energy to the adrenal glands, thyroid, prostate, pituitary, hypothalamus, ovaries and testes. These glands release hormones into the body which regulate your organs and contribute to the overall health of your immune system.

The thoughts and feelings we have about ourselves along with the challenges and stress of daily life play a notable role in the health of our immune system. Self-loving thoughts and feelings can work to improve the health of the immune system. When we become disappointed in ourselves or react emotionally to negative things that we experience, we can weaken our immune system and hold onto toxins.

The immune system’s intelligence is constantly monitoring the feelings we have about ourselves and it is thought that embracing authentic feelings of self love can improve its function. As they say, talk is cheap and the act of just thinking kind thoughts cannot move enough energy alone to promote a healthy immune system. It requires a sincere and mindful loving emotion for one’s self.

The first step to self-love is to become mindful of your thoughts. We often think unkindly of ourselves several times a day without even realizing it. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, put up a bright red stop sign in your mind and replace it with a kind and nurturing thought. Take a few moments to envelop that thought and then put it into a feeling and fully embrace the emotion. Correcting and replacing the unconstructive thoughts we have is perhaps the biggest step you can take to maintain a healthy immune system.

If you are asking where to start, try this exercise. Sit comfortably in a quiet space and close your eyes. Take a few slow, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth clearing your mind. Feel your body begin to relax from your head to your toes. Next, think about a person, a special place you love to go or a pet you cherish that brings about feelings of unconditional love.
Fully visualize how much you love this person, pet or place, and let the feelings grow. Tap into the emotions you are feeling and allow those to expand, as if you were holding all this warmth and love in your hands. When you let yourself feel this unconditional love, you will find that very little can hold you back from the intense, profound emotions that stem from it.

Take all those feelings and let them move into your body. Allow yourself to open and completely absorb those emotions applying them directly to you. Affirm that you are as wonderful as the person, place or pet to which you direct your love. You are special!

Take a few minutes each day to experience these emotions of love that are all about you and just for you. Experiencing even a small amount of self-love every day can open wonderful channels of energy and opportunities that will extend to a healthier immune system. It will also improve your own self perspective, your life and your relationships with others. Embrace yourself today for a healthier tomorrow!

If we had a choice and could build our own office, most of us would surround ourselves with rich textures, fabulous woods and organic furnishings all day.  It’s unfortunate that the environment in so many offices is so drab and uninspiring.  Not only are we flooded with fluorescent lighting and the electromagnetic fields emitted from a room full of computers, we often sit in drab, colorless cubicles surrounded by inorganic fibers, metal and plastic – not exactly the recipe for job satisfaction.  The sad part about it is that our attempts to “jazz up the space” are usually limited a few family pictures and wall calendar.  Wouldn’t it be nice to add some practical and fun office accessories too?

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Authenticity is to hold to one’s core beliefs and for 2013, we want to share nine steps that may help you have the best year of your life so far!

1. Define What is Important to You – and stand by your decisions. When you begin to worry about how others perceive you, you have abandoned authenticity.

2. Own Your Decisions – When you have made a decision that feels good to you, embrace it. If it faces opposition from others and you can’t own it, then it’s time to re-think what you are doing.

3. Learn to Say Yes – Be spontaneous and accept impromptu offers to have fun or try something new. These are often the times we have the most enjoyable experiences.

4. Acknowledge your Body’s messages – If you are feeling tired, stressed or impatient, take a time out. Do what you need to feel better whether it’s a walk, a nap or just some quiet reflective time.

5. Money Matters – Spending beyond your means is really pretending to be someone you aren’t. Impulse buys will lead to regret down the road.

6. Take a Break From Being Busy – Allow yourself time each day to breathe, empty the mind and relax, it’s good for the body, it’s great for the soul and one of the kindness things you can do for yourself.

7. Treat Yourself -Honor your own needs each day. It may just be 30 minutes of alone time from the house and kids, going to a movie or getting a massage. You will find when you have time to yourself, you will have more of yourself to give to others.

8. Be Realistic – Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Establish small, easy steps to reach your goals. As you accomplish each one, you will build confidence and attain those long held desires.

9. Love Yourself – If you can’t say I love you to yourself, you can’t fully love others in your life.

I’ve been hearing the word “Karma” a lot these days. It seems to be on everyone’s mind and in the air, perhaps because it’s a new year and a time for
setting resolutions. The whole concept of Karma got me to thinking and posed a lot more questions than answers. Does karma actually play out in our daily lives and how does it work? How do you get good karma and avoid bad karma? Can we escape karma altogether? To answer these questions required delving into Eastern
religions, philosophic teachings and ancient mysticism.

There are actually twelve Karmic Laws but the one most frequently referred to is the first law known as the universal Law of Cause and Effect. To put it simply – all actions have consequences. Whatever you do, good or bad, will come back to you, often multiplied. It is the embodiment of the principle of reciprocity. Our attitudes and actions impact the world around us. This karmic law has been coined into popular axioms over the centuries that are often bandied about “you reap what you sow” or “what goes around comes around” and “you get what you deserve”.

The karmic Law of Patience and Reward says anything worth having requires patience, dedication and the right motivations. Those who focus only on the rewards of personal gratification will find themselves wanting while those who focus on their spiritual priorities in life will be rewarded.

To what degree karmic law is embodied by a person depends on how strong their view of kindness and justice in the world is. Most of us feel we deserve to be treated with such, although it is the sum of our actions that show us the responses we receive from others. From this viewpoint, karma is not seated in fate. Because we act upon free will creating our own destiny, karma is an ever fluid process of learning and was never intended to be construed as a
punishment. Although often misunderstood as one, it is really all about actions and consequences. The Law of Responsibility, or the Law of Mirrors explains that while it is easy to blame others when things go awry, determining where the blame lies is to look into a mirror and ask yourself, are you part of the problem or the solution? The answer lies in where we place the blame.

Hinduism and Buddhism believe in reincarnation. Every karmic action and consequence from past lives on a physical, emotional and spiritual level is stored in the essence of our souls known as the Akashic Records. When an experience triggers something from a past life, it is activated in our present life. Think about the times you met someone and felt an immediate connection as if you had known them all your life. This is a person from a past life brought into your life now because further karmic lessons are needed. In a positive
relationship, they often work for the greatest benefit of everyone involved. The same is true of the opposite experience. We have all met people who strike a strong negative cord within us and we don’t really understand why. These people often leave us feeling emotionally depleted and present difficult life challenges brought to us as a way to deal with past unresolved karmic consequences.

Our stored karma from the past is thought to help us learn lessons, right the course from a past life experience and ultimately find release. The challenge lies in the path we take. Gaining new karma is not found in the path of least resistance, but likely on a path that requires great effort and diligence. The Law of Synchronicity or Law of Ultimate Connection says because everything in the universe is connected, no action is inconsequential and in the grand karmic
scheme, it may actually be very important. Learning a sense of purpose and fulfillment in all actions we undertake is necessary. Wayne Dyer says, “How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours”.

Can we avoid karma? The answer is no. Opting to procrastinate or avoid action is just as powerful in creating karma as taking action, good or bad and it may prolong difficult situations until the lesson is learned. Sometimes, it requires making a change within ourselves. In our desire to find greater happiness, we look to alter our external circumstances, but the reality is that inner peace comes from within. When we change, everything else comes into alignment with our
higher purpose.

To grow and ascend the karmic ladder can span several lifetimes. The Law of Change says history will continue to repeat itself until we learn to make the necessary changes to transform our karma. Change is always present however, our karma is exempt. It is only change within us that will change our destiny. Acts of goodwill are thought to have a transformational effect on past karma, but
only if served in the truest motivation on every level. The Law of Focus, or the Law of Direction and Motives says actions require a singleness of spiritual purpose. Hidden agendas and motives are not conducive to spiritual freedom.

To answer the last question posed, there is no escaping! It is believed that when one lives and abides within the universal karmic laws, only then can the ripples of karmic consequences be transformed. The desire to live harmoniously takes more than empty words and half-hearted gestures to move out of one’s circumstances. The old adage, “practice what you preach” defines the Law of Willingness. To believe in something, one must demonstrate it through personal investment and service.

As we create our circumstances and our destiny by the paths we choose, our life ultimately becomes our true inner nature. This brings us to the Law of Here and Now. Revisiting the past to learn from it is important as long as we don’t stay there. We have all felt stuck occasionally and perhaps that is because we are dwelling in “what was” instead of focusing our attention on “what is” which
prevents us from moving forward. Everything we do, think and say ultimately goes back to the universal law of cause and effect. The act of reciprocity – what you put in comes back to you, Karma.

People often go out in search of a memory foam mattress or bed, but for some reason they pay little attention to the most important sleeping accessory – their pillow!  Well, there’s a new trend in pillows that is gaining traction in the United States.

The coconut memory foam pillow and cloud coconut gel pillow, both made by Chili Technologies, have already revolutionized the sleeping experience for many early adopters.  Thousands of converts swear by the cooling comfort of these coconut-infused memory foam and gel pillows.

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In the second part of our series on the health benefits of certain foods, we are devoting December to Orange, the color of the second chakra.

All things in nature; people, plants, animals and even inanimate objects have a unique vibration or energy pattern. The same is true for our energy system, known as the seven chakras. The frequency of a vibration reflects a distinct color that carries specific characteristics which can contribute to our well being.

What foods come to mind when you think orange? Oranges are probably the most common, and there are also mangos, cantaloupes, carrots, pumpkins, peppers and apricots. The peak season for oranges starts in December and you will see many varieties appear in your local markets. Pick one up and hold it in your hand, and smell the fruit. What thoughts and feelings transpire? Much of the structure and formation of an orange can be attributed to how it relates to the energy and characteristics of the second or sacral chakra.

The skin of the orange is firm, thick and dimpled; qualities often compared to having a healthy emotional detachment. Think about the saying, having a thick skin when it comes to dealing with life’s daily challenges. Underneath the rind, the white fibrous pith holds the fruit segments securely in place. This symbolizes the multiplicity and abundance organized within the wholeness of one. Each orange segment contains seeds which represents the innate creativity within us. Oranges are grown by grafting a seed with a rootstock to create the specific variety desired. Just as the strength and stability of the graft must take hold to be productive, so must the root chakra be strong and healthy to support the sacral chakra for creativity to be realized.

Sacral chakra energy is bold and determined. It is oriented in survival instincts and balanced with resilience and creative energy. When open and balanced, the energy center helps us work through all types of life challenges. The second chakra oversees our ability to make good choices for ourselves over less desirable ones. A person with a balanced energy center will be eager to experience life, adapting easily to change as it occurs and feeling safe in the process. They will have a hobby or job that promotes and fulfills their creative desires and are often seen as entrepreneurial.

The mango by comparison, has a rich and firm flesh with a thin skin that can be difficult to separate. This correlates to the characteristic of a creative person who has a high degree of sensitivity and a deep connection to their emotions.

Mango trees can live for hundreds of years and have a deep root system representing a healthy, grounded stability within our own energy system. The flowers of the mango tree are prolific, growing in large bunches. With only the strong surviving to become fruit, mangos grow close to one another, yet develop individually. Similar in characteristics, the primary purpose of the sacral chakra involves emotional control, relationship development and creative expression. The key components are the evolution from the “roots” of your group and family identity (the root chakra) into your own identity and being able to provide for yourself. People who are highly creative often entertain several ideas at once, but only select a few for development, similar to how mango flowers mature into fruit.

Both creative and procreative energy housed in the sacral chakra are vital to our overall health and sense of well being. Uninhibited creative energy allows us to carve out our own identity, distinguishing us as unique, productive members of society. It fosters success in building friendships and allows us to raise and nurture our children. We are able to fully express our emotions, feel confident in who we are and happy in our life choices.

Oranges and mangos have qualities of abundance and are good foods to eat to support your sacral chakra. If you are feeling depleted emotionally, eat an orange and note its thick skin. This may help you to feel strong and emotionally stable. If you are feeling vulnerable and emotionally sensitive, the thin skinned mango is not the fruit to consume at this time. Mangos are a good choice when you have a balanced emotional state and need support to strengthen desires for creativity and abundance.

All energy flows upward from the root chakra. When compromised, other chakras may become unbalanced due to the restriction of energy flow. If the second chakra is unbalanced, a person may feel that life has become a daily grind without pleasure or joy. There is no spontaneity or desire to pursue a creative project and decision making becomes difficult. There is often an inability to express thoughts and feelings. There may be a tendency towards poor decisions including addictions.

Carrots and orange peppers can be beneficial for supporting energy, both possessing centering and grounding characteristics. Think about how carrots grow, deep underground, safe, secure and supported by the earth. They grow straight and tall and have a firm and crisp flesh. Orange peppers have a firm but flexible structure. The inside has white fibrous ribs supporting the clusters of seeds. They are waiting to be filled much like someone who is grounded but desiring change; but not yet making room in their life for the new pattern to emerge. These qualities can be absorbed into the body through their vibrational energy when eaten in their natural state.

Intuitively, your body knows what it needs at any given time. The next time you crave a fruit or vegetable, take time to think about the physical characteristics the item has, and how they may relate to physical, emotional or spiritual issues you may be experiencing.

We offer a large selection of books and CDs to help you learn more about the Chakra energy system, how to balance and maintain your energy, and living your life to its fullest potential.

Click on any picture to see additional product information.

If you’re like many Americans, you might associate Japanese Lanterns with those little plastic colored lights your parents bought for the backyard in the 70s.  While these cheap lanterns were a nice way to decorate for a party, they weren’t the same hanging lights used in Japan.  Paper lanterns are the most common Japanese decorations for a party, wedding, or special occasion, and they are made in a variety of shapes and sizes.

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