WHAT IS MOM'S COSMIC DINER...
Relax as you sit at your favorite, virtual booth. Take a few minutes to "step away from the world" and reflect on your life with tips on how to fine-tune everyday living. Below are over one hundred postings on health: recipes, "taste" of yoga, meditation, tai chi and even Sunday cartoons. You're invited to come back often. Before you log out, why don't you scroll down for a *seated, deep relaxation and soothe away your stress. Looking forward to seeing you again at MOM'S COSMIC DINER.
~ MOM ~
Seventy years in the making...
Now OPEN 24 HOURS ~ 7 DAYS
Stephanie's virtual, zonky diner serving savory dishes of spiritual musings...
***CLICK ON below MENU SPECIALS for a tasty treat***
SPIRITUAL SPRING CLEANING
I love the energy of every season.
But I especially adore SPRING. With longer and warmer days, there seems to be a "spring" in every step I take.
Mother Nature is busy gifting us with visuals on what we can "attend to" energetically. The melting snows and April showers cleanse the air, brings nutrients to flowers, plants and trees as they begin their stretching, upward and outward movements from winter's deep sleep. We too begin to awaken from winter's darkness and introspection as we open our windows and allow fresh air into our homes and lungs. Having more light and being outdoors, hearing the chirping birds as they're busily building their nests. Smelling the perfumed air and seeing the burst of colors as flowers bloom and trees blossom. What a perfect time for us to connect with the renewal of our own life; as we spring clean our homes why not also cleanse the body?
Today I'm introducing you to Aztec Clay and how we can cleanse our largest breathing organ... our skin. Aztec Clay has 50 natural minerals that draw out impurities and toxins from the body. Below are instructions to make a facial mask. It's really fun to do with your friends and partners. You'll see an immediate effect... your skin will be radiant and you'll look younger and refreshed.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Aztec Clay
1 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Washed hands
Optional: Soft make-up brush
- In palm of hand use your finger to make a smooth mixture; first adding the vinegar then clay. (You can add either more clay or vinegar)
- Apply to face and neck with fingers or brush. (It's important to leave spaces around the eyes and lips.)
- Wash hands and continue with your day (best to be indoors since you'll look like a Martian).
- After 10-20 minutes gently wash with warm water then splash face with cold water and pat skin dry. *
(* Discontinue if rash appears and only use externally)
"Remember to smile as you greet the world with your radiant face. Spring is a wonderful time to nurture your seeds of gratitude and appreciation for Mother Nature's gifts. After all... we are her children." MOM
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions”Albert Einstein
May all your mindful “manifestations" unfold with sparkling ease.MOM
Here's a link that "Mom" recorded in 2017 however it's relevant any year for an incredible, New Year's MANIFESTATION Ritual you can do it anytime during winter...
MOM's 2023 Manifestation Ritual
Winter epitomizes Mother Earth's YIN cycle. The deciduous trees are bare as the leaves have fallen back to earth, creating a blanket of warmth for the seeds and bulbs below. Visually the starkness creates more space to see the world around us with a different lens. The colors are muted, the skies grayer and cloudy. Film noire at it's finest. Now that the days are shorter and our energetic batteries are receiving less light... it's time to enter our caves. Winter energy invites us to go inward. To become contemplative as we dream and gather our "thought seeds" on what we choose to manifest for the coming year.
It's all about the water element and if our deepest thoughts, and visualizations are either flowing and moving freely or are blocked and dammed. It makes sense that Winter's internal organs are the Urinary Bladder and Kidneys.
Don't be surprised if you're not feeling social during the holiday festivities and desire to be home and hibernate. You're actually following Mother Nature's advice.
Winter epitomizes Mother Earth's YIN cycle. The deciduous trees are bare as the leaves have fallen back to earth, creating a blanket of warmth for the seeds and bulbs below. Visually the starkness creates more space to see the world around us with a different lens. The colors are muted, the skies grayer and cloudy. Film noire at it's finest. Now that the days are shorter and our energetic batteries are receiving less light... it's time to enter our caves. Winter energy invites us to go inward. To become contemplative as we dream and gather our "thought seeds" on what we choose to manifest for the coming year.
It's all about the water element and if our deepest thoughts, and visualizations are either flowing and moving freely or are blocked and dammed. It makes sense that Winter's internal organs are the Urinary Bladder and Kidneys.
Don't be surprised if you're not feeling social during the holiday festivities and desire to be home and hibernate. You're actually following Mother Nature's advice.
WINTER ENERGY INVITES...Stillness, nature and creativity into one's life in the wintery cave. Below is what "MOM" is creating during this dreamy time of inward/yin energy.
FAIRY FOREST FETISHES*
Mother Earth is the inspiration for my Fairy Forest Fetishes Series. All materials are found during times of Forest Bathing and walking along the Pacific Northwest coastline. I gather bark from tree stumps, moss/lichen from dead branches, dried grasses/plant stalks, bamboo fronds, rose petals, pine cones… and pebbles, shells, bits of seaweed are gifts from the sea. When you invite a Fairy Forest Fetish into your home you’ll be welcoming Nature’s life force and quietly witnessing the reflection of our ever-changing natural world and the impermanence of life.
*The word fetish is defined as: “an object regarded with awe as being the embodiment or habitation of a potent spirit or as having magical potency”
WINTER ENERGY INVITES...
Stillness, nature and creativity into one's life in the wintery cave. Below is what "MOM" is creating during this dreamy time of inward/yin energy.
FAIRY FOREST FETISHES*
Mother Earth is the inspiration for my Fairy Forest Fetishes Series. All materials are found during times of Forest Bathing and walking along the Pacific Northwest coastline. I gather bark from tree stumps, moss/lichen from dead branches, dried grasses/plant stalks, bamboo fronds, rose petals, pine cones… and pebbles, shells, bits of seaweed are gifts from the sea. When you invite a Fairy Forest Fetish into your home you’ll be welcoming Nature’s life force and quietly witnessing the reflection of our ever-changing natural world and the impermanence of life.
*The word fetish is defined as: “an object regarded with awe as being the embodiment or habitation of a potent spirit or as having magical potency”
WINTER... Time for Meditation and Contemplation
Winter gifts us with the opportunity to dream our conscious and subconscious desires and manifestations for the coming year. Meditation at a dedicated space will present the quiet time to clear our minds and make room for all you want to accomplish with clarity and focus. Remember spiritual practice makes one more mindful. So, create your altar space and enjoy your inner journey.
MOM
TURNING THE WHEELJoin Mom in this easy "Chi Gong" movement to improve your energy
WINTER... Time for Meditation and Contemplation
MOM
TURNING THE WHEEL
Join Mom in this easy "Chi Gong" movement to improve your energy
AUTUMN... a time to REAP, KEEP and RELEASE
We can prepare for the challenges by:
~ Completing unfinished projects.
~ Communicate as we become mentally and emotionally ready for the darker, yin, winter months.
~ Setting aside extra food and fuel for the possibility of inclement weather.
~ Making our homes cozier and more inviting as we spend more time indoors.
Our ancestors realized the importance of canning, preserving and storing the fruits and vegetables from the fall harvest to sustain themselves as the earth laid fallow and the sunlight lessened. In the later months of Autumn we begin to honor this tradition and utilize Mother Earth’s energy by transmuting time spent as "inner nourishment" to release, reap and keep what works in our life. As the colder months approach we too, begin to hibernate and gather next year’s “spiritual seeds” and then utilizing winter's energy to dream as we choose what we want to manifest in the coming new year.
MOM's TAKE ON TAI CHI
MOM demonstrating Tai Chi Wu Square Form
MOM's TAKE ON TAI CHI
MOM demonstrating Tai Chi Wu Square Form
QUIET SENTIENT BEINGS...
QUIET SENTIENT BEINGS...
Five years ago when MOMS COSMIC DINER relocated a neighbor was clearing the fir trees on his family's homestead for his dream house. As I heard the power saws cutting into the forest... in my mind I heard the trees "screaming." I know this statement must sound outrageous to many, however at the age of 72 years I trust the messages that come my way. Soon after this experience while sitting on the diner's back deck and viewing the property I noticed the multitude of tree stumps that were bearing witness to the clearing of this bit of forest. I knew then I needed to bless those stumps for their lives that was literally cut short by the original owners of this land. So, I began to select pebbles on a beach and created "altars" on the remaining visages of the tall, beautiful, fir trees that was once a family. I feel that in doing this "ritual of gratitude" it created peace with the land. There's a wonderful documentary "INTELLIGENT TREES" on Amazon Prime, below is a trailer.
~ Life's Twists and Turns ~
* Double click on photo to enlarge
Behind Mom's Cosmic Diner is the "Mindful Path" a reminder when on your Life's Journey to be mindful of the twists, turns, beauty, and obstacles that you will face. Living in the moment and being present to all that awaits you is powerfully rewarding. MOM
Five years ago when MOMS COSMIC DINER relocated a neighbor was clearing the fir trees on his family's homestead for his dream house. As I heard the power saws cutting into the forest... in my mind I heard the trees "screaming." I know this statement must sound outrageous to many, however at the age of 72 years I trust the messages that come my way. Soon after this experience while sitting on the diner's back deck and viewing the property I noticed the multitude of tree stumps that were bearing witness to the clearing of this bit of forest. I knew then I needed to bless those stumps for their lives that was literally cut short by the original owners of this land. So, I began to select pebbles on a beach and created "altars" on the remaining visages of the tall, beautiful, fir trees that was once a family. I feel that in doing this "ritual of gratitude" it created peace with the land. There's a wonderful documentary "INTELLIGENT TREES" on Amazon Prime, below is a trailer.
~ Life's Twists and Turns ~
* Double click on photo to enlarge
Behind Mom's Cosmic Diner is the "Mindful Path" a reminder when on your Life's Journey to be mindful of the twists, turns, beauty, and obstacles that you will face. Living in the moment and being present to all that awaits you is powerfully rewarding. MOM
MMMM... TASTY LITTLE NUGGETS
Wrap your truths with kindness... MOM
The Importance of Being in the Moment... ~ even if it's for a few minutes everyday ~MOM
HANGING ALTAR “2020”
A few months ago as I was about to take an empty egg carton to our recycling bin, on the radio I heard the previous president stating how "covid would magically disappear." I was so upset that I dropped the carton and began stomping on it. As I picked it up I liked the mangled look and saved it. Now that it's 2021, I wanted to "cleanse" myself of negativity from the previous year and made the piece below. The menacing and angry bulldog represents the state-of-the-nation and at the bottom, the hanging rock covered in moss is the heaviness that was weighing me down during 2020. However, the egg carton itself represents an awareness of the outer beauty of nature combined with my meditation, tai chi and yoga practices that created stillness within my center a few moments during the day. It was a mini-break from the fray's noisiness. And that’s the rest of the story!
* Double click on photo for larger version
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions”Albert Einstein
May all your mindful “manifestations" unfold with sparkling ease.MOM
Here's a link that "Mom" recorded in 2017 however it's relevant any year for an incredible, New Year's MANIFESTATION Ritual you can do it anytime during winter...
MOM's 2021 Manifestation Ritual
Collard Greens Casserole is the most popular winter entree served at MOM's COSMIC DINER.
Enjoy!
Collard Greens Casserole / serves 8
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients:
Avocado oil
2 bunches fresh organic collards or kale /chopped
1 lb. shitake mushrooms /chopped
2 onions /chopped
1 1/2 cups oatmeal (or: steel cut, oat groats)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (or: soy, rice or almond milk)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (or: cheese substitute)
2-3 tsp salt
pepper to taste
In large frying pan, saute onions and mushrooms in olive oil until tender
Add chopped collards
Stir all and cook until collards are bright green
Squeeze out any liquid as you place mixture in large mixing bowl and let cool
In another bowl add and stir:
eggs, milk, oatmeal, salt, pepper and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Add to veggies and stir well
Place in large, oiled casserole dish top with remaining cheese
Bake for 40- 45 minutes... after 30 minutes cover casserole, so cheese topping doesn't burn and return to oven for another 10 -15 minutes
Serve with salad.
Collard Greens Nutritional Benefits
Collards are packed with nutrition. As other vegetables in the cabbage family,
collard greens provide anti-cancer properties. They offer an excellent source of
vitamins B6 and C, carotenes, chlorophyll, and manganese. One cup of collard greens
provides more than 70 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. Collard greens are also a
very good source of fiber, and several minerals, including iron, copper, and calcium.
They also offer a good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E. Sources:Murray , Michael N.D.. The Encyclopedia Of Healing Foods.
New York: Atria Books, 2005.
Centers For Disease Control And Prevention-5 A Day.
National Agricultural Library-USDA. usda.gov.
Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia.
MOM invites you to a ZOOM Workshop...
MMMM... TASTY LITTLE NUGGETS
Wrap your truths with kindness... MOM
The Importance of Being in the Moment...
~ even if it's for a few minutes everyday ~
MOM
HANGING ALTAR “2020”
A few months ago as I was about to take an empty egg carton to our recycling bin, on the radio I heard the previous president stating how "covid would magically disappear." I was so upset that I dropped the carton and began stomping on it. As I picked it up I liked the mangled look and saved it. Now that it's 2021, I wanted to "cleanse" myself of negativity from the previous year and made the piece below. The menacing and angry bulldog represents the state-of-the-nation and at the bottom, the hanging rock covered in moss is the heaviness that was weighing me down during 2020. However, the egg carton itself represents an awareness of the outer beauty of nature combined with my meditation, tai chi and yoga practices that created stillness within my center a few moments during the day. It was a mini-break from the fray's noisiness. And that’s the rest of the story!
* Double click on photo for larger version
Enjoy!
Collard Greens Casserole / serves 8
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Ingredients:
Avocado oil
2 bunches fresh organic collards or kale /chopped
1 lb. shitake mushrooms /chopped
2 onions /chopped
1 1/2 cups oatmeal (or: steel cut, oat groats)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (or: soy, rice or almond milk)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (or: cheese substitute)
2-3 tsp salt
pepper to taste
In large frying pan, saute onions and mushrooms in olive oil until tender
Add chopped collards
Stir all and cook until collards are bright green
Squeeze out any liquid as you place mixture in large mixing bowl and let cool
In another bowl add and stir:
eggs, milk, oatmeal, salt, pepper and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Add to veggies and stir well
Place in large, oiled casserole dish top with remaining cheese
Bake for 40- 45 minutes... after 30 minutes cover casserole, so cheese topping doesn't burn and return to oven for another 10 -15 minutes
Serve with salad.
Collard Greens Nutritional Benefits
Collards are packed with nutrition. As other vegetables in the cabbage family,
collard greens provide anti-cancer properties. They offer an excellent source of
vitamins B6 and C, carotenes, chlorophyll, and manganese. One cup of collard greens
provides more than 70 percent of the RDA for vitamin C. Collard greens are also a
very good source of fiber, and several minerals, including iron, copper, and calcium.
They also offer a good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E. Sources:Murray , Michael N.D.. The Encyclopedia Of Healing Foods.
New York: Atria Books, 2005.
Centers For Disease Control And Prevention-5 A Day.
National Agricultural Library-USDA. usda.gov.
Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia.
For more information or questions: thecircleofchi@gmail.com
CLICK HERE to attend the Zoom Retreat... Harvesting Your Fall Energy
MOM teaching TURING the WHEELhttps://youtu.be/vPkx-vc3_u0
For maximum benefits continue to do this movement for 5 minutes more after the video has ended.
TAI CHI's ESOTERIC BENEFITS
The other day as I was practicing my tai chi I understood once again the value of being focused on every step.
It’s a metaphor for being on a journey. It’s not about the destination. It’s honoring the present and every step along the way that enriches life experiences.
And like tai chi, if you allow the mind to wander and venture off into the past or future; oftentimes you find yourself lost and unfocused emotionally, physically and mentally.
However when the mind returns to the journey’s path... the "gift of the present" is stunningly apparent.
Photo Credit: Annie Boone Crane
MOM's SEATED DEEP RELAXATION
However when the mind returns to the journey’s path... the "gift of the present" is stunningly apparent.
I invite you to take a seat at your favorite MOM'S COSMIC DINER booth for your de-stressing session...
I invite you to take a seat at your favorite MOM'S COSMIC DINER booth for your de-stressing session...
"Remember to smile as you greet the world with your radiant face. Spring is a wonderful time to nurture your seeds of gratitude and appreciation for Mother Nature's gifts. After all... we are her children." MOM
WHAT IS A NON-REALITY-REALITY?
Spring is the season of “new beginnings.” On an emotional level it’s time to be present as we tend to our manifesting seeds gathered during Winter’s conscious life-dreams.
We think 60,000 thoughts a day. Each thought releases a chemical from the brain into the body. If the thoughts are negative we receive a chemical that will attack our cells. The positive thoughts actually boost the immune system! This is why we feel either stressed and knotted up or in a productive mode while enjoying radiant health.
Many of these thoughts are what I refer to as a NON-REALITY-REALITY. Often times in a stressful situation we tend to launch ourselves either back to the past or into the future. Both are places where we have absolutely no control. It's only when we're firmly planted in the gift of the present... we can take care of the "business of life."
During the day when you're feeling stressed-out ask yourself if you’re doing a NRR? If so, gently bring yourself back to the moment. In doing so you'll begin to strategize solutions to challenges, enjoy the sweetness of large and small unfoldings and live a more conscious, healthy and productive life.
Spring is the time to burst forward and upward on the wings of yang energy and enjoy the ride!
"Remember to smile as you greet the world with your radiant face. Spring is a wonderful time to nurture your seeds of gratitude and appreciation for Mother Nature's gifts. After all... we are her children." MOM
WHAT IS A NON-REALITY-REALITY?
Spring is the season of “new beginnings.” On an emotional level it’s time to be present as we tend to our manifesting seeds gathered during Winter’s conscious life-dreams.
We think 60,000 thoughts a day. Each thought releases a chemical from the brain into the body. If the thoughts are negative we receive a chemical that will attack our cells. The positive thoughts actually boost the immune system! This is why we feel either stressed and knotted up or in a productive mode while enjoying radiant health.
Many of these thoughts are what I refer to as a NON-REALITY-REALITY. Often times in a stressful situation we tend to launch ourselves either back to the past or into the future. Both are places where we have absolutely no control. It's only when we're firmly planted in the gift of the present... we can take care of the "business of life."
During the day when you're feeling stressed-out ask yourself if you’re doing a NRR? If so, gently bring yourself back to the moment. In doing so you'll begin to strategize solutions to challenges, enjoy the sweetness of large and small unfoldings and live a more conscious, healthy and productive life.
Spring is the time to burst forward and upward on the wings of yang energy and enjoy the ride!
When visiting my father in Coconut Grove, Florida, I meditate on the balcony of his sixth floor condominium. Beneath is a beautiful rock garden surrounded by gardens. I watch the sun languidly rise amongst the billowy clouds that make Miami’s sky so sensual. The various shades of tropical tangerine, pinks shimmering in the morning heat and the iridescent, turquoise blue waters of Biscayne Bay seem to applaud the appearance of a new day. I feel very fortunate to observe this beauty.
As I close my eyes the warm breezes caresses my skin allowing me to feel the borders of my body. I hear the gentle rustling sounds of coconut palm trees, the waterfalls in the gardens, the birds chirping and singing their morning songs. I also listen to the wind playing angelic chimes. I’m watching myself think "how tranquil and soothing nature’s sounds are."
Then I hear a jet as it flies high above me. At first I begin to attach judgments to the sound… "it’s so loud, uncomfortably powerful, annoying, an irritant." I stop myself and allow the sound, just to be a ~ sound ~ a vibration. Not good. Not bad. Just energy.
As I realize this I immediately understand I can still hear the water, birds, trees, and wind in the background. I feel my perception of reality shift.
After my meditation I thought about the experience and appreciated the lesson I had been given. Often times in our daily encounters we experience anger, sadness, low self-esteem, etc. and these powerful feelings have strong energies attached to them. However, if we begin to understand that life is a spiritual journey we can perceive the emotional upheavals as static and still know the peaceful humming core within all of us is always there.
This is why the meditation practice is so important. It’s a sacred space of clearing. A daily reminder that we can always access our inner peace, which is always quietly waiting for us... to be still, to turn our attention and intentions inward and gift us with another way of perceiving life.
