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Hello my name is Patricia and I write about life lessons to inspire all to be the best they can be. Writing is my joy and I hope you will find inspiration and connection on this blog. ~Patricia

Book Review: The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything ~ Sir Ken Robinson, PhD

Flowers Opening

Flowers Opening

I got a little afraid of spreading my wings and venturing forth after my Detox regime this past spring.  I think I was a wee bit overtaken by getting exactly what I had asked for.  It was not what I was expecting and that was surprising.  My mind was a bit sluggish after removing all kinds of sweets or brain food from my diet.

I set out to recapture and lay claim to my creative energies and I just needed some plain old fashioned inspiration to move me forward.

Several fellow bloggers sent me the link to a TED lecture by Dr. Robinson, and I got it in my newsletter group also.  I usually follow the rule of 3, so when I found this book reported on Abundance-blog Marelisa- online I tracked down my own personal copy and began.

I do very much like books about how other folks have succeeded or found their right path.  This book was a nice stepping stone pace from one persons discovery to the next and it is quite a serious look at the way schools are zapping out the creativity of the students.   The basics in education do not offer enough exposure to the vast array of passions one might pursue in life and can often make individuals feel inadequate, mediocre and even a produce a sense of failure.

  • The Element is the meeting point between natural aptitude and personal passion.
  • The Element has two main features, and there are two conditions for being in it.  The features are aptitude and passion.  The conditions are attitude and opportunity.  The sequence goes something like this:  I get it; I love it; I want it; Where is it?

I have often heard the Element referred to as being in the zone.  I was in one of my zones when I was officiating the last wedding  and I often get in zone when I am writing.  My good coach thinks I must also arrive there when I am cooking and I am often there when I am teaching on the college level – almost anything.

Two important ideas that were highlighted in this book for me were that sometimes finding your tribe or a mentor is the best way to discovering one’s passion.  I think this is crucial for many children and I must not be alone in this thinking because there are certainly teachers who step out of the rank and file to assist a child in finding a niche or tribe and even that something special that makes everything come alive.

The second idea I resonated with is Robinson’s concept of the PRO-AM.  This is a person who has a profession and celebrates the passion with an amateur status.  They treat their passion with the same respect as their profession and probably work just as hard, they just choose not to make it their vocation.

All of the stories of the big name folks and even the plainer folks were great and one could identify with each situation.  I think this book can spark one’s creativity and that it would be a good book for even young adult readers to assist them in making choices that become mentoring to their passions.

I thought I would share the link to the TED video because it can intrigue a spark too.

Do you think you know your Element?  How did you get there, just by accident, via a mentor  or were you driven there early in life?   Did someone offer you guidance that helped you take off?  How do you spark your creativity?

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Related reading:
Hats Off to Gadgets that work
To Be Of Use
6 Apples in Heaven

JOY MEDICINE

Jumping for Joy

Jumping for Joy

Joy was not on my mind when I called to cancel my subscription to Dr. Christiane Northrup’s Newsletter. They accepted my cancellation and sent me one of her lectures, a CD called “The Power of Joy”

I am grateful for this gift.

Dr. Northrup says we do not trust JOY and that is a challenge for us mortal beings.  Delight is how we exhibit JOY and if we would just change our mindset from “Something is inherently wrong with my body and my health” to fully living our moment to moments with JOY we would truly have health.

JOY is a healing substance.  It changes nearly every cell in our body, changes our metabolism, ignites the healing hormones, stimulates one’s CHI, and creates success and energy.  Instantly.

I have listened to this CD 2 times now and I am sure I will listen to it a number of more times, because there is so much good humor, storytelling and JOY in this lecture, it deserves more listening.

My favorite quotes from the CD:

-    “Life on earth is sexually transmitted and it is meant to be joyful.”
-    “Everyone is going to die but not everyone is going to live.”
-    “We have an addiction to suffering.  If it is not fun at the beginning it only gets worse.”
-    “We are who our higher self wanted to experience.”
-    “We use the language of PAIN to describe our feelings of JOY.”

Dr. Northrup’s 10 steps to healing with JOY, without all the humorous stories and definitions attached:

#1.  JOY is a deliberate choice; an inside decision

#2.  JOY takes practice and discipline.  This is because our entire culture is based upon fear and negativism.

#3.  JOY is not about avoiding challenge, risk and problems.  The contrast is necessary for JOY matches the depth of sorrow.

#4.  You must follow a JOYous lifestyle in order to build up a residual of joy

#5.  Choose JOYous entertainment.  Lighten up what is serious.

#6.  Become Media Savvy.  Laugh at what is made up to play into your fear.

#7.  Chose JOYous and affirming company.  Like and find JOY in yourself – be your own best company.

#8.  Affirm JOY with words.  “Words are the most powerful medicine (drugs) used by mankind” Rudyard Kipling

#9.  Let yourself be excited.  Tell someone about your JOY.

#10.  Cultivate a relationship with the Divine (the Source).  Happiness is NOW.

Dr. Northrup’s newest newsletter is about her 84 year old Mother’s climb to the base camp of Mt. Everest and about the Dalai Lama’s questions about healing and ultimate health activating some great new research. One can find her list of speaking engagements too.

This CD has greatly enhanced my healing practices and turned up the volume of JOY for me.

JOY, is it in on your medicine shelf or hidden away in a drawer?  How do you practice JOY?
Would you rather there be a magic pill than change your mind?   How do we counterbalance our negative thinking with JOY?  Open to all suggestions and comments and excited about what you have to say.

Related Reading:
Book Review – My Stroke of Insight
Summer Reading:  Breakfast with Buddha
I Do Not Know Anything Different
Morning Light is Revealing

Healthcare of the DIY Kind

Daisies

Daisies

Healthcare truly is a Do It Yourself (DIY) commodity these days and a great many people do not understand this.   It is truly not being taught in our schools.  It is one of those home inspired lessons that are not being taught at home.   Lots of folks are hanging on to their jobs which have health insurance benefits and lots of folks believe the emergency room is how you see the doctor.

Healthcare in the USA is a big business with lots of profits.  The Insurance Industry decides what illnesses you can have and what illnesses they do not acknowledge.   They decide who can administer their healthcare benefits and who may not.

Most families, who think of themselves as middle class are just one illness away from financial ruin. There is no middle class any more, there are those who are descending into upper levels of lower class and those who are upper middle class and believe if they play it safe they will make it thru or that they have found the magic in the system.   Only 10% of the folks have all the wealth and security that brings.

Healthcare was the subject of 26 articles and blog posts I read this past week.  All but 3 of the articles were fear mongering about how the new healthcare plan is already not working and how folks are being denied care – so vote for someone else, who is their suggested candidate.

Going to Fact Check and I discovered that most of this information in these articles is based on 2004 information, statistics and twisted suggestions and outcomes.   This is just political ranting and raving casting out to the ignorant- the sound bite driven populace.  So what’s NEW?

I have been denied healthcare coverage for the past 20 years for the malady which I contend with and am working on healing.   I do not fit into any of the categories or numbered definitions available.

Our health insurance company changed the rules in 2010 and failed to notify their customers.  They tell us an information booklet is coming out by the end of the year; now pay us more money.

And just wait until you turn 60.  Those 6 years before you receive Medicare are quite the doozy!  Don’t tell me you were not forewarned.  And there is a lot of cage rattling about Medicare; please take note.

Healthcare in the USA is about taking care of yourself and learning all you can.  One needs to keep learning all the time about how to eat healthfully, how to maintain the body, and when something goes wrong have some concept or idea of what your body is trying to tell you.  Those 15 to 20 minutes of time with the Doctor may get you stuck in the wrong code or treatment plan, not to mention paying for a large number of tests.

I budgeted $20,000 for our healthcare needs for 2010.  It is the 8th month and we have already used all of those funds. Those dollars are just for premiums, co-pays and deductibles.  We eat very healthily and exercise well – and we never stop learning and researching.

The real reason healthcare is on my mind is because we are having an election, our state primary is next week.   I am working on my knowledge base, questioning and teaching what I know, but I do not have something to advocate for – to promote, except Healthcare DIY.

One voice plus one voice plus one voice = This can change the world.

How do you do your healthcare?   If you live in a country that provides healthcare, how do you advocate for yourself and keep yourself healthy?   Are there voices in your area advocating new definitions of health and health care?   Do you pay your taxes and your insurance premiums?  How should we pay for the poor, and the middle class?

Looking forward to your great comments:

Beats for Beets

4 kinds of beets and broccoli

4 kinds of beets and broccoli

Beats me why I am writing a post about beets; it’s just that there are so many beets in my Community Supported Agriculture box (CSA).  I truly enjoy eating beets and I have now learned that there are many different colors to beets.

Can you beat that?  I am beating a tattoo with my wooden spoon while awaiting the steaming of my beets.

Here are some new ideas I have learned by working with a CSA:

  1. I enjoy discovering all the different veggies in my box each week.  Sometimes I have to guess what they are.
  2. Supporting a local farming family is great in and of itself, but actually knowing those folks is delight full.
  3. Lots of my neighbors truly care about what they eat and how they feed their families.
  4. Collard Greens raw make the best sandwich wraps and when fresh they look like big green beaver tails. (vs. wilted and unappetizing)
  5. If your partner grew up in the desert and spies a dusty patch in the dirt of your yard; will water until there is mud.
  6. One may not be able to save any money on the water bill if their partner grew up in the desert.
  7. If you have not eaten any sugar including honey and corn syrup – even ice cream – for 3 months straight, it is absolutely breathtaking how sweet a carrot is fresh out of the dirt.
  8. Beet greens are better raw in a salad than cooked – to me and my taste buds; my partner cannot be fooled chard does not taste anything like spinach which he loves.
  9. It is good to be early to the pickup spot because then you have your choice from the trade box, which later in the day is filled with collard greens.
  10. When you pay for your box during the winter, you will have food for your table all summer and from your freezer or canning all winter – My box is so full of goodness each and every week.

Can you beat that?

My box comes with a nice newsletter and recipes too.  Thought I would share this new favorite.

Rosie’s Beet Wrap Filling
Ingredients:  beets, carrots, raisins, cumin, and olive oil
How to:  just grate the roots and add the other things to taste.

The first time I made this I added my 6 raw walnuts because I had not had my serving for the day – that was good too.

It is “fair heavenly” as my mum would say and I enjoyed it wrapped in butter leaf lettuce leaves.

I think I learned to love beets, cauliflower and broccoli because my siblings thought they were not tasty. Though I truly do not like peas except when I am shelling them and they are raw fresh from the garden – I eat a couple of pods worth.

Do you have vegetables that you just do not like – no matter how you try fixing them?  I make stock when we have leftovers of something and freeze it for winter soups and stir fry, what do you do when you have too much?  Do you like surprises on your grocery list or does that overwhelm or disappoint you?

Looking forward to your lovely additions to this post….

Beats hoping into the car and going to the grocery store on a beautiful afternoon. ; now can you beat that?

Other Reading you may enjoy:
Harvest Potluck Cookbook
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
Carrots

The Power of a Smile