Chocolate Covered Coconut Macaroons

How about making a fun treat for yourself?  If you like coconut, you should definitely try this out.  Living fully digging deeper http://www.taprootmag.com/ (The recipe was part of an article titled "Feeling Your Way Around the Kitchen" and that's exactly what you will do with this recipe.)  I found this experience, as I do many others that I'm mindful about, to be very meditative, as I used my hands to work the ingredients into something special.

The author's take in this article is that touching our food has countless advantages.  From learning theories that boast superiority through sensory learning (Waldorf and Montessori), to nerve ending relaxation, writer Cynthia Lair shares a few recipes that allow the chef to use his or her hands as processing tools.

I got excited about the macaroon recipe.  The pictures made them look so appetizing, the ingredients' list sparked my interest, and the idea of making something fun while getting my hands messy- well, it just seemed like I should dive into this adventure.

I did change the recipe up a smidgen and I'd like to share it here with you this Easter.  Here's a picture of my final product.  Yum!

Chocolate Covered Coconut Macaroons
makes 12

ingredients...
2 1/2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
1/2 cup honey
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz dark baking chocolate
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sugar

directions...
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Lightly grease cookie sheet.
2.  Lightly oil a measuring cup to measure honey.  Place sweetener in a pan on low heat.  Heat until honey thins.  Then add coconut and egg whites, stirring constantly.  Continue stirring and cooking on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in extracts.  Let cool.
4. With moist hands, make small balls the size of gold balls with the mixture.  Here's where you get your hands messy.  This process can be grueling if you are not attentive.  You will need to cup mixture tightly and pass it back and forth from one hand to the other.  This may take some time but making strong, adhesive balls, while only be a benefit to your final product.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.  Let cool.
6. Melt 3/4 of the chocolate in a double boiler.  Turn off heat and add last 1/4, plus butter and sugar.  Mix well until all melted and blended.
7.  Pour chocolate mixture over each macaroon.  Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Then refrigerate.

To follow me, please type your email into the subscribers' box or you can email me at healingwithpeace@gmail.com

Your SOLAR PLEXUS Chakra

Pictured above is a depiction of the symbol for our SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA.  Some also refer to this chakra as the Navel, based on location.  

  Our SOLAR PLEXUS chakra is your center for POWER and WILL.

This energy's color representation is YELLOW.

The SOLAR PLEXUS chakra is ruled by the element: FIRE.

It is typically developed between the ages of 18 months and 4 years old, but can still be strewngthened today.  

This energy center is located on your body, between the ribcage and the navel, below the diaphram.  Based on location, this chakra interacts with the upper abdomen, stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, intestine, and spleen. This is connected to the endocrine gland. 

Archetypes of those with strong SOLAR PLEXUS chakra energy are emitting self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect, self-love and strong will with a sense of empowerment.  They intend to attain an achieved state of: Being. 

Some stones may bring strength, a balance, and a reminder of this chakra: amber, topaz, citrine.

Essential oils to use are: juniper, lavender, bergamot, and rosemary.

If you have a Balanced and Open SOLAR PLEXUS Chakra: You see yourself clearly and know who you are in this body and in this universe.

If your SOLAR PLEXUS Chakra is unbalanced: You perceive others, not how they are, but how you perceive them to be.  An unbalanced SOLAR PLEXUS chakra will have the ego in control.

REMEMBER it is important to care for all of your chakras or energy centers.  Your SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA has a number of ways for us to care for it.  First, know that the musical note of this energy center is the note E.

Use this note as an entrance and exit of your mediation.  Hum this note throughout your day to recenter your SOLAR PLEXUS energy.  

The mantra I suggest for your SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA is: 

I ACT

You may create your own mantras or find others that may suit you better.  Whatever you choose, allow it to reconnect the SOLAR PLEXUS as center of your will and power.  Make the spiritual connection to accept your place in this life stream.  This chakra's power is WILL.  

A chant may also be used to engage the energy center through vocal and auditory connections.  The chant for the NAVEL is: RAM and/or DA

As you chant, hold your hands in front of your stomach, slightly below your solar plexus.  Join your fingers at the tops and have them all pointing away from you (an outward prayer position).  Cross your thumbs and keep your fingers straight.  Concentrate on your navel.  Chant in the key of E three times while taking large breaths.

The SOLAR PLEXUS Chakra is needs foods to feed self-esteem and self-love.  These include 3 types:

granola and grains: pastas, breads, cereals, seeds, rice; DAIRY: milk, cheese, yogurt; SPICES; ginger, mints, chamomile, turmeric, cumin, fennel  

This last exercise is a physical grounding activity. 

A daily practice to love and honor this part of your being is to hug yourself as tightly as possible.  As you do this, INHALE puff you your chest as far as you can.  Twist to the right and hold for 5 counts.  Then, exhale as you come back to center.  Again, inhale and puff your chest.  This time twist to the left and hold for five counts.  Come back to center and slowly release your arms.  Repeat 3x.

Your Root Chakra

Root chakra

     

Meaning: “root support”, The Root chakra is the foundation of your chakra system.

Color: red

Element: earth

Archetype: mother earth

Location: base of spine

Associated endocrine gland: adrenal medulla

Musical note: C

Mantra: I AM HERE

Chant: LAM

Power: gravity

Foods: proteins, root vegetables

Balanced root chakra: You feel grounded, centered, and able to live life NOW.

Unbalanced Root chakra: You may have a weak root chakra if:  you feel threatened or unsafe in this world, if you tend to be fearful or nervous, often feeling disconnected or alienated.

GROUNDING: Use this exercise to strengthen your root chakra and your connection to the ground.
Stand up straight and relaxed.
Put your feet shoulder width apart.
Slightly bend your knees.
Put your pelvis somewhat forward.
Keep your body balanced, so that your weight is evenly distributed over the soles of your feet.
Sink your weight downward.
Keep in this position for several minutes.

Your Sacral Chakra

Pictured above is a depiction of the symbol for our SACRAL CHAKRA.  They are many graphic varieties of the symbol.  However all variations represent the same idea:

  Our sacral chakra is where we harbor our feelings and sexuality energy.   We consider this space the "sacral home of self" and hub of creative potential.

This energy's color representation is ORANGE.

The sacral chakra is ruled by the element: WATER.  

This energy center is located in your sacrum and lower abdomen.  For obvious location reasons, this energy is involved with the testes and ovaries.  Additional involvement occurs with the adrenal glands, prostrate gland, reproductive system, spleen and bladder.

Archetypes of those with strong sacral chakra energy are those that represent or model an emperor/empress or sovereign personality.  

If you have a Balanced and Open Sacral Chakra: Your feelings flow freely.  You can express yourself without being overly emotional.  You are intimate and have passion and a zest for life.

If your Sacral Chakra is unbalanced: You may feel stiff and unemotional.  Some are considered to wear a "poker face".  You are typicalyl not very open to people.

REMEMBER it is important to care for all of your chakras or energy centers.  Your SACRAL CHAKRA has a number of ways for us to care for it.  First, know that the muscial note of this energy center is the note D.

Use this note as an entrance and exit of your mediation.  Hum this note throughout your day to recenter your sacral energy.  You can also engage this energy center using a mantra.  A mantra, as described by wikipdeia.com, can be a sound, syllable, word, or as in this case, a group of words that are capable of creating some sort of transformation.  The mantra is originated from the vedic tradition of India.  It is indeed a traditional practice in Hinduism, Buddhism, and other similar spiritual movements.  

The mantra I suggest for your SACRAL CHAKRA is: 

I FEEL

You may create your own mantras or find others that may suit you better.  Whatever you choose, allow it to reconnect the SACRAL as emotional center and grounding you to open your feelings and creativity.  This chakra's power is MAGNETISM and attraction to others.  

A chant may also be use to engage the energy center through vocal and auditory connections.  The chant for the ROOT is: VAM and/or MA

As you chant, place your hands on your lap, face up on top of each other, left hand below, with thumbs lightly touching.  Concentrate and make a connection to the area in your lower abdomen.

Some examples of the crystals and stones that hold similar energies to the sacral chakra are: amber, carnelian, moonstone, orange calcite, and turquoise.  Use them to strengthen the Sacral Chakra in your system.

The Sacral Chakra is well-balanced needs foods that nourish the sexual and creativity center of your body.  

orange fruits & vegetables: providing beta-carotene and other carotenoids.

seeds:  rich in healthy fats, especially flax seed because of its ability to influence estrogen activity in the body and thought to reduce certain cancers (breast, prostrate, and colon) (www.newconnexion.net, Dr. Deanna Minich. 2011)

spices: cinnamon, vanilla, carob, sweet paprika, sesame seeds, caraway seeds.

nuts: Cashews for excellent; they cashews great, rich in a buttery taste and shaped like the crescent moon.  Walnuts are important and are brain-shaped and ironically high in brain boasting omega-3 fatty acids.  Include other nuts like almonds too!

This last exercise is a physical grounding activity. 

Sit comfortably with your legs criss-crossed in front of you.  Inhale  deeply and push the tip of your spine backward.  This is assist in opening the front of your sacrum while expanding and filling your lower belly.  Imagine that the air you inhale expand the area between your hips and makes that space wide.  Exhale and move your sacrum in the opposite directions, this time pushing your navel back toward your spine.  Repeat this inhale and exhale exercise and continue to expand and contract the space between your hips; you can increase the speed as you go.  Connect with the fluidity of your pelvic area and let that flow up your spine.

Practice Activities

Today I'll share one of the simplest forms of healing we can practice daily.  Whether we have an illness, 7 children running around the house, a blessed life, or one pained with struggles - we all could use peace in our lives.  Actually many ethnic cultures have sustained traditions that lend themselves to human wellness.  Big family gatherings around a table full of nourishing food, quiet thoughtful Sabbath days shared with like-minded peers, elders whose roles were to be mentors to the young, you get the idea.  And rituals were part of our earliest cultural history.   Thus we celebrated with feasts, fasts, parties, and quiet gatherings.  We toast our glasses or kisses each others' cheeks. Regardless of the specifics, we all were more connected to ourselves, our surroundings, our place in this grand Universe.  Part of the evolutionary benefit to this was that humans intuitive selves' seemed more apparent and closer to the surface.  Survival depended on that.

But with modern times and convenient ways, we've unknowingly moved away from those basic necessities that nourish our bodies and souls.  Especially us Americans!  We're so successful with our modern technological advances.  And yet, many of us are so separate from taking care of ourselves.

That's why I'm grateful today.  I'm grateful for being able to cultivate my spirit and help heal my body.  Some of the simplest things, I am learning, are the keys to happiness, peace, and connectedness.

Let's start with the pause (before we even get to the breath).  Even in the middle of the busiest day, a pause is possible.  Literally this can be a millisecond so no excuses that you just don't have time to squeeze something else in.  The pause is exactly what it says: a pause.  The phone rings; typically I jump to get it.  Not much thought behind my actions.  Some people hear the phone and immediately make a choice to not answer.  Whatever your experience quite often the alarm of a telephone ring alerts us to a change in our environment that we must reaction to.  For me, it happens like this:  The phone rings, my heart beats faster, I pick it up.  I talk.  React later.  What if we just tried the pause whenever the phone rang.  Imagine it:  the phone rings, you sit and pause, just wait for a moment, then go over and get the phone or make a choice to ignore it.  What have you done?   A lot of people might think- nothing.  Or did you just create a shift in your own reality?  You just gave your body a moment to center, stop and not have to react to outside stimuli unintentionally.  Your mind is useful as a protective, preventative, supportive angel of your body.  And your body will  react better for that.  Now, when outside stimuli are present (the phone rings), you pause and center.  There isn't an immediate reaction without thought or intention,  --- your physical body does not react.  Now, release the pause and intentionally make a choice as to your next move.  The telephone stimuli didn't make your next choice in life, YOU DID!  Seems so simple but feels amazing.

The pause is so important to my physical and mental well being.  I sometimes experience pain and confusion.  Those of you who have any kind of pain know that sometimes it can be all encompassing.  Its all you can think about.  And the more you think it, the more it is present.  And the more it is present, the more it bothers you.  Now add into that formula, family, career, responsibilities, life.  If can become overwhelming.  That's why by integrating the pause, I now am able to help my body, in a sense, save itself from unneeded aggravation, even if just for a moment, before I respond to my world around me.  If you suffer from pain, I challenge you to try this experiment:

Integrate at least one pause a day in your life.  Do this for a week.  (You may find that journaling about the pause each day can help you be more insightful about the experiences.)  You'll find that as you train yourself to pause, you will begin pausing more throughout the day.  And as pause becomes a part of you, you become more at peace.