Being a Vegan Is A Radical Act

It has been 10 days since my last post.  I am still moving forward with my plans, still working on web design, on becoming my witchy goddess wild wise woman self, and my Soulful Women Certificate Course starts next Wednesday.  And I have been dealing with the fear and self-sabotage that has caused.  It has not been too bad, but it is still frustrating.   I was indulging in something that has been detrimental to my overall health and energy levels....I have since stopped.  But I am still dealing with the fear....which I know is just a fear of the unknown, but it paralyzes my mind, makes it harder for me to think clearly, to take action.....but I will push through it....or just use mind aikido on it, which to me means, working with it.  Using it to move forward.  My diet is no longer 100% raw, but it is high raw.  Once you have done this long enough,  it is the new norm, and cooked foods slowly drop away.  There are many foods now that I used to eat that I just can no longer eat.  I eat meat rarely now, and hope to stop completely.  I don't remember what it was that prompted me to get this book from the library, but I checked out and read the book by Howard Lyman, who was on the Oprah Winfrey show back a while ago, "Mad Cowboy, Plain Truth From the Cattle Rancher Who Won't Eat Meat."  From what I can tell he is now not just vegetarian, but vegan.  And after reading his book, and getting info from many other sources, I find myself more and more inclined to be one as well.  Our planet is over populated with humans, but it is more overpopulated with cattle, pigs and even sheep and chickens.  But especially with cattle and pigs.  And the devastation caused by the raising of cattle alone is doing more harm than almost anything else on the planet.  When global warming and carbon dioxide emissions are discussed, you almost never hear that the main contributor of green house gases are cows.  If you read his book you will get a real awakening.....as not only are cattle raised in an extremely unhealthy manner, they are consuming most of the grain grown in the world, most arable land is used to grow food for them, food which isn't even healthy for them.  Cows are fed a "meal" made from dead animals.  It used to be all dead animals including other dead cows, but they took out the cows (supposedly) and now they just eat all other dead animals, cooked down and separated and dried.  They also eat a ton of grain and antibiotics.  Cows are designed to eat grass, not grain.  Grain gives them rectal and vaginal prolapses meaning these body parts fall out of the cow, and have to be pushed back inside and the tear in their flesh that occurs when this happens, needs to be sewn up.  And it happens all of the time.  There is so much information in his book, and none of it is good.  But all of it is true.  If you gave a copy of his book to everyone on the planet, many would read it and be appalled and many would throw it away and not read it because they prefer to live in denial, don't care to know, for some it is how they make their livelihood, and they don't want to think about how they are ruining the planet with their greed. He also addresses water issues, pesticide and herbicides, bovine growth hormone, desertification of the planet...I saw in the news today that Oklahoma had a huge, terrible dust storm, which I can only think is caused by overgrazing of cattle on the land.  I live near open space, land that is left unused, except ranchers can graze cattle on it.  Cattle grazed this land over 2 years ago.  It is now a waste land.  The only thing growing on it is bindweed.  After 2 years, only bindweed.  And they have done nothing to restore it.  From what else I see happening on it, I fear fracking is coming next.  If that happens I don't know what I will do.

So all of that information in his book is more than enough reason to not eat meat, but another reason, is Monsanto and ConAgra etc.  The only way to fight back against these giant corporations that are trying to take over our food supply, is to not eat what they produce.  Being a vegan is a radical act.

And then there is all of the evidence that meat eating contributes majorly to cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and pretty much every disease that ails us.  The cure for all diseases?  Stop eating animals and animal products.  Meat and milk.  Cheese, eggs, butter, etc.  Then you will have the best chance of being healthy and not coming down with these diseases.  You can workout and get as much physical exercise as you like, but if you keep meat and animal products in your diet you will still get heart disease, cancer, etc. 

Love Yourself, Live Life Fully



Love Yourself, Live Life Fully


“Looking fabulous at any age means loving your age,loving who you are, growing into yourself, having a healthy self esteem, looking awesome from the inside out, having a great soul, giving, loving, being selfless. Having a positive attitude, living your best possible life, giving your best to everyone around you. Being present and authentic. Doing what you love. If you have all these, you will look fabulous at any age.”
Nancy Hauschildt, www.yoursouladvice.com



“Being authentic along with with being loyal and honest to yourself imparts grace and contentment to one’s personality .This inner charm never fades away and keeps one always young.” – Vandana Kumar Seth



“Laughter, love, creative expression, and gratitude are my “daily beauty ritual”. Joy Holland, Facets of Joy


“Be happy” – Jana Dawson

What do my choices say about me?



What do my choices say about me?  My choice of a job, my choice of a husband, my choice of books?  The way I choose to spend my time?  My choice of food?  What do my choices say about me?  To be further explored................very soon!

From looking at the wall next to my desk, it is obvious that nature is very important to me, color, design, my boys,......and there is an apple and my red starbucks mug with a dried inner coating of green smoothie......

Untying the Strong Woman 2


okay.  I don't know what you thought, but I thought yesterday's post about untying the strong woman really should have been called  Untying the Crazy Woman, the crazy mad shopper.  I don't go shopping all that often but when I do.........there is something about this time of year that brings out the desire to indulge....in food, in gifts, in soaps and clothes and presents....I bought a new wallet for L....would like to wait until Christmas to give it to him...I think his old one will hold out...he won't buy one before then....and I bought myself lots of new clothes as I need nicer newer clothes to wear to work. 

But enough on that subject as I really would like to address Untying my Strong Woman.  The Strong Woman is a survivor, she is  wild wise natural and free...which means I need to spend more time out in nature...at the very least I need to take a walk along the creek path if not ride my bike during this most lovely fall weather....my skirt is a long one today, not so sure it'd be good to ride a bike in.  Fall is such a heady time of year.  October is my favorite month. 

And I need to spend more time thinking about my life, envisioning it, planning it, doing it being it creating it.  So far, I have signed up for a web design class, the Soulful Women Certificate Program, the Keys to the Feminine Power webinar series, I have an altar/table space in my bedroom, my husband moved out his bureau so I could have that there, since having it in the room that is his office wasn't going to work (so very nice of him to do this) so now the bedroom is mostly mine....I mean we do still sleep in the same bed and he still has clothes in the closet but it just feels more like my room.  I am putting up more pictures and burning incense daily and keep the window open even if it's only a little bit, must have some fresh air in the room...and I need to sit with this, but first I must go out.  Right now.  Take a break. 
I have signed up for a free webinar first one is this Saturday Oct. 13th.  The title is "The Keys to Feminine Power: Awakening the Three Power Bases of the New, Co-Creative Feminine".
 I am now registered with the Feminine Power Global Community.  Whoever that is.....I never remember who I get these kind of things from...however I am looking forward to it.

But back to the here and now.  I am not doing the Miracle Morning.....I am trying to spend more time outside...think I will go take a break right now, and another one this afternoon.....

And I need to exercise more, eat 100% raw or at least 100% vegan nonprocessed foods, so I have to plan my big extravaganza meal for this week....and whats up with buying all of these avocados and then not eating them?  Letting them sit and get too ripe.  A waste of money is what it is....money right down the drain.

I was going to work on my website today but dangit I left the password in a little black book in a different bag which I left at home....not sure I can get in it.

so....then what do I do?  I have been working on Devaa & Elaine's questionnaire.......dang really don't like trying to answer these things.....but will have to put in the effort....get this brain to actually do some work.
Focus.

This morning has been good food wise......have a yummy quart of green smoothie and some plums and 2 bananas.  Did eat too many chocolates....5 of them...really need to get some of the regular dark chocolate....it doesn't seem to be as sweet or something.

Something has changed here....I am not so carefree.....I am not embracing my future with abandon, but with an element of fear............but at least I am not letting the fear win....but I want to go back to enjoying my life and planning my life with joyful abandon!

Here is to living a full life!

Untying the Strong Woman My Declaration of Commitment to All Women, My Declaration of Commitment to Myself!"

The Presentation of the  Declaration of Commitment to Indigenous Peoples  A great thing indeed but I am here to make a presentation of "My Declaration of Commitment to All Women, My Declaration of Commitment to Myself!"  .

Oh my, so what does that mean?  To me it means actively learning to love myself, actively working outside my comfort zone in my quest to become...to be.....a witch, a wild wise woman a priestess a goddess my authentic self.  Discovering who that is and going forward and just dissolving the fear that always comes.  I will not let fear deter me...especially since it is just fear of nothing.

 I was out and about today, this beautiful fall day, I picked all of the ripe and anywhere near ripe and even quite green tomatoes (everything except the squishy ones....) and I brought them in, it was nice spending some time out of doors.....and then I went shopping, I only meant to be gone 2 hours but it was closer to 3 or 4 even...a long long time....because, I went to the Sports Authority and got Naiche's Sports Wash deodorizing liquid and then I looked at clothes and brought some home..spent a bit of money on that....then I went to Marshall's and spent quite alot of money on clothes, soaps, sauces, vanilla extract, a cool cube to sit on in front of my table.......and I was at Target and King Soopers, Alfalfa's, WF and Vit Cot...and so all in all today I spent a shitload of money....sorry for that word but that pretty much describes it.....I have to see if I can't return some of it...quite a bit of it actually or....just fudge it?  Ooooh I hate to fudge it esp as the cat needs to go to the vet I think....sigh........what to do...wish Dr. Schulze was here but he'd still make me do it........but at least he'd be here to tell me what to do....and I have to work....could I actually heal my cat???? ooooh

Not sure I should have indulged with Mark & Ray, especially since I indulged earlier today....but oh well, what's done is done....I am watching what I eat, not eating honey and sweets, though I want some....I am hoping that will help me to look better....not tired...I may have to give it up for a bit now.. I really should anyways.....

So, I bought lots of groceries too.......and came home and made hamburgers and chili, the burger is grassfed beef and I got the 85%lean mixed with at least half if not a bit more of the 95%lean, all for the 85% price...again.....thank you goddess.....universe...........shopping angels.................but on another subject, I've got to say, I won't name any names but I was at the house of a famous in certain circles person, whose house was filled with like dollhouse stuff, fairy doll house stuff and she herself was dressed in fairy clothes, but it just didn't feel real to me, it felt like pretending or something, not real.....and her new roommate....aiya! that woman was just icky....I did not care for her in the least little bit....and I didn't really think much of the food that was brought.....flavor was lacking, so they were a bit bland and boring......but there was a  yummy desert of which I had my share and I liked what I brought, it was yummy and was fairly well eaten......this one woman was touting herself as a raw chef but I found her creation lacking and the accompanying sauce....was greenish but if you hadn't said it was a wasabi sauce I never would have guessed....as no flavor of wasabi was detectable....anyhoo...a little lemon juice or something on the nori roll thingys, something....would have helped.....enough of this though.....got a great hug from someone I honestly don't know all that well but I know I like her after receiving such an awesome hug from her.............I need more of those in my life....don't know enough awesome huggers.

Can't wait for tomorrow night...hopefully the hubby will go out and play his music and come home late and I will have lots of time home alone (sort of , of course there will be 2 boys at home and the cat)....to look at my loot and decide what I really must keep and what I really must return......and how the hell this is all going to work.....all of this spending of money.....it can only lead to good...it feels good to indulge myself...I am going to keep on indulging myself and watch the love come pouring in...............

So....off to other adventures such as reading my Clarissa Pinkola Estes book and day dreaming of the 'morrow..

Tomb of Ancient Mayan Warrior Queen Discovered



All hail Lady Snake Lord -- at least what's left of her. Archeologists believe they have discovered the tomb of the great Mayan warrior queen in Guatemala, according to National Geographic. Her Snake-ness ruled the Wak kingdom for her family, the Kan or "Snake" dynasty, between A.D. 672 and 692, National Geographic wrote. She reigned as one of the most powerful rulers of the Classic Maya civilization. Her formal name was "Lady Ka'bel" but her serpentine moniker was far more colorful, Newser points out. The dig at El Peru-Waka's main pyramid temple produced a critical clue to the decayed bones' identity: a stone alabaster jar in the tomb that has the carved head of an old woman poking out of it. The lined, stern face matches historical accounts of the queen, and the carved hieroglyphics on the other side of the jar list her known nicknames, including Lady Snake Lord, NBC News reported. "It's as close as to a smoking gun as we can get in archeology," said expedition co-director David Freidel, an archeologist from Washington University in St. Louis. Other ceramic vessels discovered in the tomb and stone carvings on the outside also suggest the skeletal remains belong to Lady Snake Lord. However, there is the possibility that she handed down the jar as an heirloom to another royal who was ascending to the great beyond, Freidel told the university's website. David Stuart, a professor of Mesoamerican art and writing at the University of Texas at Austin, told National Geographic there was a "fair chance" it was Lady Snake Lord. In any case, Lady Snake Lord was one commanding potentate -- even at home, Freidel added. Her husband was king, but she alone carried the title of "Supreme Warrior," meaning she ruled over him, too.
By Mike McDonald


GUATEMALA CITY
Thu Oct 4, 2012 5:28am EDT

(Reuters) - Archaeologists in Guatemala have discovered the tomb of an ancient Mayan warrior queen packed with jade jewels and other artefacts that shed light on the long-vanished civilization, experts said on Wednesday.

Researchers from Guatemala and the United States uncovered the remains of Queen Kalomt'e K'abel, who reigned in the seventh century, at the Peru-Waka dig site in the sweltering Peten jungle region in northern Guatemala.

Inside the tomb, the team found a hoard of glistening jade jewels and a small alabaster vase decorated with the image of an older woman's face and inscribed with the queen's name, providing identification of the long-dead ruler.

"To discover something of this importance is very unusual," lead archaeologist David Freidel told Reuters. "She was the supreme warlord of her kingdom."

The remains were discovered in June but it has taken until now for experts to verify the identity of the queen.

The Central American nation is studded with pyramids and ruins from the ancient Mayan civilization, which thrived between AD 250 and 900 and extended from modern day Honduras to central Mexico.

Queen K'abel's portrait has appeared on Mayan plaques that associate her with the year 692 during the Mayan classic period, when her husband, king Wak K'inich Bahlam II, ruled.

Historians believe that K'abel reigned over Calakmul, a Mayan community which often battled the powerful king 'El Zotz' and his kingdom Tikal - just south of the border with present-day Mexico - where well-preserved ruins are a popular draw for tourists.

Deciphering the identities of ancient Mayan leaders from dig sites often proves a challenge. While rulers' tombs are often covered with ancient hieroglyphics and pictures, determining precise names is difficult, researchers said.

"We had made a lot of discoveries of objects making reference to this queen and now to complete it with her remains is very important," said Guatemalan archaeologist Griselda Perez. (Editing Tim Gaynor and Mohammad Zargham)



A team of US and Guatemalan experts led by anthropologist David Freidel found a stone jar at a burial chamber in the royal Maya city of El Peru-Waka that led them to believe it is the burial site of Lady K'abel, considered to be the military governor of an ancient Maya city during the 7th century.

Hieroglyphs on the back of the alabaster jar denote the names Lady Snake Lord and Lady Water Lily.

As well as the jar, which was carved in the shape of a conch shell with the shape of an old woman protruding from the front, the team found other evidence, such as ceramic vessels, jade jewellery, thousands of obsidian blades and a large stone with carvings referring to Lady K'abel. The items were buried with the body – presumably as offerings.

"Lady K'abel was buried 11 meters down from the surface in a temple near a stairway," Mr Freidel said. "K'abel was not a regular person. To put her in that location means that it was important; it means that people continued to worship her after the fall of the dynasty."

"The royal tomb shows that women have been leaders in the past and we must now assume and exercise political participation to strengthen the role of women in the new era," Rosa Maria Chan, deputy minister for cultural and natural heritage, said in the statement.



K'abel, considered the greatest ruler of the Late Classic period, ruled with her husband, K'inich Bahlam, for at least 20 years in the 7th century, Mr Freidel said. She was the military governor of the Waka kingdom for her family, the imperial house of the Snake King, and she carried the title "Kaloomte" – translated as "Supreme Warrior," higher in authority than her husband, the king.

Mr Freidel, who is from Washington University in St Louis, said the findings at the ruins of El Peru-Waka were "serendipitous."

"In retrospect, it makes a lot of sense that the people of Waka buried her in this particularly prominent place in their city," Mr Freidel said.

For Marcello A. Canuto, director of the Research Center of Central Tulane University in Louisiana, the alabaster identifies the tomb as that of the "Lady of Kaan" and noted there is a stela erected in her honour at the archaeological site.

"She has been given all the honours a male king would have been given," Canuto said. "It's not the first such tomb discovered, but it gives an idea of the important role women played in forging dynastic alliances, and the status they enjoyed."

Traci Ardren, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Miami and a Mayan archaeologist specialising in gender relations, said the traditional belief that Maya men occupied a more important place than women has to do with the amount of images in Mayan art that show men in positions of authority.

"People like Lady K'abel show there were examples of extraordinary women that were able to position themselves in powerful roles, were incredibly successful and were accepted by society," Ardren said

Clarissa Pinkola Estes

What an awesome name, what an awesome woman, writer, creature...........here are a few video tributes (oh and she has a new book out....."Blessed Mother's Immaculate Love for the Wild Soul  UNTIE the STRONG WOMAN".......I put it on hold at the library and started reading it today....) double click on videos and they will go to full screen

du Chat Noir

As a Tigress, I have a dark side that I affectionately refer to as le Chat Noir.  And yesterday, le Chat Noir came to visit.  I like le Chat Noir sometimes, but yesterday, le Chat was a real brat.  Went into a panic because things are changing.............and just ate and ate all day............sweets and dark chocolate and fruit and corn pudding and guacamole and carrot cake.....lots of it........and the belly grew  but there is hope as the scale only showed a half pound gain.  Today, even though I went into the fog again (even as I'd just said I wasn't going to) today is very different.  I recognized that yesterday I was all emotionally discombobulated, panicking, and I knew why, and I just let it be.  And when I woke up again I was fine....more than fine......oh.  There was a large sky of blue outside my windows but now, its a blanket of soft fuzzy gray with snow on the trees green and golden leaves.....it's a gorgeous scene.  I have to go and take a look at the mountains....see what's happening over there......I love it that we have such awesome views from our windows...........ah, just a thick low hanging blanket of clouds.....and I just realized that now that the wall between the two offices across the way,  has been taken down, with the door open and the shades up, (ie whenever the room is not in use) I have a marvelous view of the foothills and flatirons.  Yippee!

And yippee, the kitchen in our office is going to be painted a lovely shade of lavender, lilac, light purple with a hint of blue....it is going to be very pretty.  I wanted the wall by my desk to be painted that same color, but it just wouldn't look right....unless they painted all the walls up front that color which I know they wouldn't want to do......I would though.....

Okay, so we have a real autumn day here, we got about a half inch of snow maybe an inch, overnight, but since everything was warm, very little of it stuck to the ground, and now I think it's all melted....but the sky is overcast, and it's chilly and damp out, we turned our furnace on....a good day to have a hot cup of tea, bowl of soup, sit and read or write.....just a nice day.

So........what is on my action list....what do I need to work on my rawtigress website some more...no pressure there kid....as the rmpjc website is being moved....nothing you can do there right now anyways....once it's moved I can change the theme.............but for now, I just need to become familiar with website design.  So that's the next step, plus I need to get Dakota to help me download/copy the Spanish cd/dvd's........this weekend....and take a nice long walk outside, and stretch and do yoga, and make lentil vegetable soup....and we have to go to the Farmer's Market and pick up our newly sharpened chef's knife
and I need to send a list of my favorite raw websites, stories, films etc. to Nick.

So au revoir, Chat Noir....I leave you for now.

Becoming My Greater Than Imagined Self

All ready I am feeling differently in my skin....as I prepare to embark on this soulful journey with Devaa & Elayne.  I have had awesome moments of feeling overwhelming love, from within and without, and today after visioning myself as an earth witch, a hedge witch, I feel so much more in my own skin.  I am a witch. Hedge witch is a term that I have encountered and that works for me....I am so excited about my life now....such a wonderful change.....but I really want to throw my husband out of his study...I want to space all for myself...I need my own space.

hmmm maybe I can rent a small studio space???

A real witch.....

I just realized that it is possible I know the ancient ways through a priestesshood, as that feels right, but what also feels right and what I am most strongly drawn to though it's rather a tie between do I want to see myself as a priestess....all lightness love and compassion or do I want to be a wild wise woman witch?  I think I opt for the latter and I do it joyfully, gleefully....and I am my own sort of witch, not bound by any traditions that don't feel right to me......and I aspire to be these things (for starters........I have much to dis-cover....: ) 

A real witch eats raw garlic every day
A real witch uses sacred and healing oils daily as offerings in rituals, as aromatherapy, as medicine, as food
A real witch is knowledgeable about the properties and uses of medicinal healing herbs, and goes out and gathers them and uses them daily, in teas and tonics and for all sorts of things
A real witch loves a rainy day.............especially the misty cloudy days one can walk out and about in.............
A real witch craves a wild open meadow full of wild flowers and plants, and all sorts of creatures from large to small
A real witch lives wild and free
A real witch howls at the moon and lives where she can see the Milky Way.
A real witch is aware of the phases of the moon, knows where it is, if it's waxing or waning....
A real witch loves to go out and about in the dark of night, full moons favored.....dark moons are used for dark purposes of which a good witch is knowledgeable but not practiced in.
A real witch does not have a television or a microwave,  but she sometimes has a computer and a cellphone.
A real witch cooks with fire.
A real witch wears real clothing made from organic cotton, flax, wool and fibers such as silk and rayon.  Most of which are hand-made, always interesting and practical. (Except for the wild fun fancy clothes for the many moods and celebrations)
A real witch eats fruits and vegetables that are organic and local, cultivated and wild, in season....eats meat and sweets in moderation.
A real witch celebrates full moons, eclipses, changing of the seasons, bounty of the earth, equinoxes, and all natural events of note.
A real witch smells of woodsmoke, garlic, earth, sweat, jasmine and sandalwood, sage and rosemary, mugwort and raspberry.....
A real witch has a garden, wild and wooly and full of surprises
A real witch knows how to birth a baby
A real witch loves candles, and pens and ink and paper, loves being creative in many ways
A real witch fully inhabits her sexuality
A real witch is highly in tune with her surroundings, the universe, inner and outer, is keenly perceptive to the point of clairvoyance
A real witch is definitely out of the norm

A real witch is me.

Alessandra


 

Integrating Change

So now that I have added all of these things to my life, (I signed up for the Soulful Women Certificate Program last night), I need to integrate them all.  I do find it a bit overwhelming, my brain is going in to freeze mode a bit, but that is exactly what I have to overcome.  Letting things that are unknown, outside of my comfort zone, overwhelm me and throw me off track.

I am a bit off track with being 100% raw, in that I haven't been for a couple of days now.  I have been eating decently, but some cooked foods.  It doesn't help that yesterday morning I drank a bit of juice I'd had in the fridge (and out) for a few days and made myself feel awful.  No upset stomach or bowels...just felt really bad.  It got better once I'd eaten some other foods...which were cooked, not raw.  Today I had some whole wheat saltine crackers, and a few Back to Nature wheat thin type crackers...and some dark chocolate nuggets and a banana, and apple, some raw almonds, a great salad with mixed greens, red bell pepper and grape tomatoes (my usual)...and a greens plus chia bar.  I need to drink up the green smoothie I brought...it's not even a full quart...just half...that my loving hubby shared with me as I was still feeling very tired this morning and overslept a bit.

Tomorrow is going to be 100% raw and so on moving forward.  Tomorrow I also go to a RawLuck...a raw potluck and it is at the house of Brigitte Mars.  How wonderful!  I got some of the last sweetcorn of the season (even picked it myself!!!) and made these yummy raw corn tamales which I am bringing.( tamales have become "corn pudding" as the corn husks were most inflexible and the mixture too moist..but it is so very yummy. ..and I went out in the dark last night with my cell phone for a flashlight and picked the oh so few tomatillos that grew (bushes are huge, fruit is few and far between) and some green tomatoes to make a raw salsa verde.  If I am feeling extrememly ambitious I will also make a raw sour cream with young coconut and lemons/limes.  No raw sour cream but the salsa verde turned out very well, if I do say so myself!

And....I have to start listening to my spanish cd's, schedule a colonic, do some yoga, and take another look at my action plan...oh, and take advantage of my website course, and of course Aine Beltons Intuition Zone course, and work full time, fix dinner, run kids around, spend quality time with my husband and yes....need to figure out the first order of business....and attend to it.  At least I have the RMPJC website on track for being transferred over to a new webhost.....now I don't need to feel so guilty about that and can update the theme and content once that's been settled.

So phew!  Lots to do!