What is MOM's COSMIC DINER?

Relax as you sit in 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. Looking forward to seeing you again at MOM'S COSMIC DINER.

~ MOM ~

~Today's Menu Special

Mellow Yellow Squash Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large sweet onions~chopped

8 yellow squash~chopped

1 leek~chopped

7 garlic cloves~chopped

5 sprigs lemon thyme

6 cups low/sodium-free chicken broth or vegetable broth

1/2 - 1 tsp. Celtic salt to taste

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Goat Gouda cheese shaved, pine-nuts and chopped parsley for garnish

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil~medium heat.

Add onions, leek and cook; stirring until onions are translucent and soft.

Add squash and leaves of lemon thyme~cook, stirring for 5 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high; add broth, salt and garlic.

Cook with partially covered pot at low boil for 25 minutes until the squash is soft.

Allow soup to cool and puree in covered blender; return to pot and heat.

Add lemon juice.

Garnish with cheese, pine-nuts and parsley.

Makes 8 cups

~ Mmm, Tasty Little Nuggets

When making a conscious shift in life, meditation creates a connection to one's internal, wise teacher. Intuition is a neon signpost pointing you in the right direction.

THE FLIP SIDE

It seems as though in our society we're into the rush of the quick fix. In my reality that state-of-mind creates horizontal, emotional stagnation. Trying to move away from the discomfort is only placing a band-aid on the present challenge.

The other day in my tai chi class one of my amazing students mentioned how she was feeling frustrated when she forgot a movement when practicing at home. I know this feeling intimately from my early journey in Tai Chi Land when I was in my twenties. After many years, (yes, I wrote years... I was a slow learner) I had what Alan Watts penned as an "AH HA Moment" when I finally understood that my judgements and attached, negative "glommers"* were creating energy blocks. Those emotional traffic jams were also jamming my mind. And I felt frustrated.

I asked my student to think about what the opposite word or feeling was for ~ frustration. I assured her she didn't have to come up with her answer at that moment. But she responded that "contentment" was the word.

I requested she take a few minutes each day and think about what contentment truly means; then progress to how it makes her feel. Eventually whenever she begins to feel frustrated she'll travel through the "FLIP SIDE" to contentment. I assured her that her tai chi will unfold effortlessly and she'll also discover a quiet, sense-of-ease with everything she does.

And as MOM says "Try it... you may like it."

*Glommers is how I describe what happens to our souls as we grow-up on Planet Earth. As children we often accept negative descriptions and/or actions from others and adopt them as our own truths. These "glommers" are like sticky scales that attach one by one onto our psyche. (When in this state we look as if we're related to armadillos.)

Through daily practices like: yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, moving, sitting and laughing meditation we can begin to release each glommer... the gift is the incredible lightness of being and BE-IN one with yourself.

~ Mom's Stress Busting Tip

We often forget to breathe deeply during the day. The full breath is an easy way to release stress and the harmful effects of the fight or flight syndrome.

In my Mind Over Matters Workshop I teach my students Nadi Sudi, the “alternate nostril breath”.

Nadi Sudi is a beautiful breath allowing oxygen and prana (energy) to flow evenly to both hemispheres of the brain. We tend to favor one nostril as we breathe during the day producing an uneven balance in the energy flow to the brain. When breathing through the left nostril the brain’s right hemisphere is being nourished. The right hemisphere houses emotions and creative thought. When breathing through the right nostril the brain’s left hemisphere is being nourished. The left hemisphere houses linear and logical thought. This is why it’s important to establish an equal balance during the day. Nadi Sudi will calm the nervous system and create a crystal clear mind.

Before you begin please blow your nose…so there’s a clean, open passage for the breath. One again, sit comfortably with a straight spine and chin parallel to the floor. Close or soft focus the eyes. Bend the right elbow and allow the right arm to rest comfortably on the chest.

Take the 2^nd & 3^rd fingers with the pads facing your features; place the fingers above and between the eyebrows and midway up on the forehead.

1) Allow the thumb to gently close the right nostril and slowly exhale (chest down to abdomen) to the count of 8 through the left nostril).

2) Inhale (abdomen up to chest) to the count of 4.

3) Allow the 4^th finger to close the left nostril (both nostrils are now closed).

4) Release the thumb and SLOWLY exhale to the count of 4 (chest down to abdomen)

5) Inhale through right nostril for 4 beats.

6) Thumb closes right nostril; both nostrils are closed.

7) Release left nostril, exhale for 8 beats… inhale for 4 beats.

8) Close both…hold breathe.

9) Open right nostril, exhale 8 beats… inhale for 4 beats.

10) Close both…hold breath and continue.

When you practice Nadi Sudi, keep the face relaxed. The breath is quiet and soft. If your right arm tires, take your left hand and support your right elbow.

~ The MiGhTy Little Neti

Spring has sprung and so have the allergies associated with this season of cleansing and rebirth. I never had allergies before I moved to Northern California where we're blessed with seven micro-climates and it seems as though Mother Nature is alive and well.

The plant allergies affect my eyes more than my sinuses. I would take Wellesley (our mascot) for his daily walk and we'd often find ourselves in town. I would constantly be wiping the tears from my watery eyes. If you have read my other posts you probably realize I'm pretty friendly. I actually like to speak with people waiting on line in my local coffee shop. I would find myself beginning the conversation with " I'm really happy and my eyes are weeping with joy" as I dabbed away the tears.

Since using the neti pot first thing in the morning ~ I'm tear free. It's a miracle attaining relief without prescription drugs. And by flushing out your sinus cavity you're helping your immune system fight off colds.

All you need is:

• Distilled water
  
• Neti pot
• Sinus/saline solution (easily found on internet or health store)
• Sink
• Tissues
• Sense-of-humor

You can view a demonstration on how to use your Mighty Little Neti by clicking on the above title.

And remember what MOM says...

"It couldn't hurt!"

~ Mmm, Tasty Little Nuggets

Attitude Calisthenics

"A smile is a frown doing a somersault" MOM

~ Mmm, Tasty Little Nuggets

"If you don't give up something has to give."

MOM

~ A is for Attitude

In my Mind Over Matters Workshop and private coaching sessions, I teach many techniques on how to achieve a balanced, happier and creative life. One of my golden rules is "The only real control we have in our life is our attitude".

SO, the next time that negative inner voice says "NO" just spin those two letters around to... "I'm ON it!" MOM

~ The Mighty Little Neti

Flu and cold season is in full swing and there're many suggestions on how to help our immune system fight off those pesky bugs; drinking hot herbal teas, taking daily dosages of vitamin c and rinsing your sinuses with the Neti Pot.

Our noses are the pathway for germs, bacteria, and plant allergens which can affect eyes, sinuses, ears and throat. A safe and easy way to irrigate the sinuses is using the mighty Neti Pot. It's easy and can become habit forming like brushing one's teeth whether you do it over the sink or in the shower. It's a miracle attaining relief without using over-the-counter or prescription drugs. And by flushing out your sinus cavities you're helping your immune system fight off colds and seasonal flu.

All you need is:
~Distilled water
~Neti Pot
~Sinus /saline solution (easily found on internet, drug or health stores)
~Sink / shower
~Tissues
~Sense-of-humor

And remember what MOM says...

"It couldn't hurt!

Click here to view a demonstration on how to use your Mighty Little Neti

Click here for CBS article on how teas affect immune system

~ A Housewife’s Spiritual Journey and the Teachers She's Met Along the Way

Click here to view Mr. and Mrs. Chow's paintings.

Chapter 2: “You will Become Tai Chi and Tai Chi will become you” Mr. Chow

“Brrring, brrring…Hello who is this?” asked Mr. Chow with a strong Cantonese accent.

“Oh hello, Mr. Chow my name is Stephanie Rosenblatt and I would love to take some tai chi classes from you.”

“Yes, yes, very good. You start next Tuesday. Good, good, bye. See you then.”

Mr. Chow’s studio was off Biscayne Boulevard in the Colony Hotel, an old 1920’s white, stucco building in downtown Miami. I knocked on the door

“Come in” a voice answered. I opened the door and felt as if I was entering another time and space. Something felt altered in my psyche. All the furniture was moved to the front of the living room and in the middle of the room was Mr. Chow and three students doing their tai chi. Along the side of the room were four metal folding chairs. Mr. Chow pointed to one. So, I dutifully sat down and watched.

Mr. Chow was slender, neatly dressed in gray trousers and a white shirt with perfect posture. He was in his early sixties although he looked ten years younger. There he was, patiently counting the steps as he and his students slowly moved their arms and legs in unusual ways. After a few minutes he politely bowed to the students and pointed to a bamboo tea warmer on a table by the chairs where Jasmine Tea was steeping. I heard some rustling to my right and rushing out from another room came a petite Chinese woman in her early fifties, her hair in a bun and glasses perched on her small nose. She was holding a plate of warm, freshly baked, almond cookies. She insisted we all have one and when a student said “Thank you Mrs. Chow” did I realize that Mr. and Mrs. Chow were a team. I thought ‘Isn’t this sweet he teaches the students and she bakes cookies for them’.

I’m surprised that a very large two-by-four didn’t come crashing out of the sky and bop me on my head. For little did I know Mrs. Chow was a master tai chi teacher who taught advanced students. At that time all the students were beginners and under the tutelage of her husband. She was patiently waiting for the ten to twenty months it would take us to learn the entire first form: Right Hand Square. After having Mr. Chow patiently and lovingly coddle us through the six hundred and sixty steps we were then given over to Mrs. Chow. Our vision of this sweet, cookie baking woman would soon transform into Mrs. Chow The Dragon Lady! Which I write with much love and respect.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. So, there I was sitting in the Chow’s Studio in the Colony Hotel, munching on the most delicious almond cookie I’ve ever eaten. Mr. Chow begins to speak to me in a soft voice.

“Ah, you must be Stephanie. It is very nice to have you come and learn Tai Chi Ch’uan. Tai Chi is very good for your health. I am sixty-three years old and I have wonderful health. I never sick. You will learn that tai chi will become you and you will become tai chi.”

I thought ’ What does he mean Tai Chi will become me and I will become Tai Chi?’ My musing was interrupted by the elegant motion of Mr. Chow as he began to demonstrate the first few steps of Wu Style Tai Chi Ch’uan.

Then Mr. Chow asked me to stand and follow him. First he corrected my posture and told me to take a few deep breaths to relax my body and mind. The other three students were now sitting in the metal chairs as they were watching me. This was an uncomfortable situation for me. I never enjoyed being the center of attraction. I was very nervous and felt myself hyperventilating as I followed Mr. Chow. But the most amazing phenomena occurred…somehow I lost my self-consciousness as I was attempting to imitate Mr. Chow’s movements. I was so focused on the way I had to move my body that I left my ego-state behind. It was love at first step. I was hooked.

Mr. Chow patiently corrected the angle of my hands and legs and after ten minutes he asked me to sit down with the other students. Then he began to show us the entire form. It was as if I were watching Fred Astaire demonstrating Tai Chi. Mr. Chow had the most graceful hand motions and there was an aura of stillness as he moved effortlessly. After fifteen minutes I heard him say “Conclusion” as he placed his hands by the side of his legs. He smiled sweetly as he escorted us towards the door. The lesson was over. But somehow I knew my life was forever altered.

As I walked out the door I heard him softly say, “Stephanie, you remember to practice. What ever your remember, you practice.”

“I will Mr. Chow. I’ll see you next week”

That next week turned into an amazing life-changing thirty-five year relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Chow and my own journey into Tai Chi Land.

~ Mmm, Tasty Little Nuggets

"If you don't give up something has to give."

MOM

The Flip-Side

It seems as though in our society we're into the rush of the quick fix. In my reality that state-of-mind creates horizontal, emotional stagnation. Trying to move away from the discomfort is only placing a band-aid on the present challenge.

The other day in my tai chi class one of my amazing students mentioned how she was feeling frustrated when she forgot a movement when practicing at home. I know this feeling intimately from my early journey in Tai Chi Land when I was in my twenties. After many years, (yes, I wrote years... I was a slow learner) I had what Alan Watts penned as an "AH HA Moment." I finally understood that my judgements and attached, negative "glommers"* were creating energy blocks. Those emotional traffic jams were also jamming my mind. And I felt frustrated.

I asked my student to think about what the opposite word or feeling was for ~ frustration. I assured her she didn't have to come up with her answer at that moment. But she responded that contentment was the word.

I requested she take a few minutes each day and think about what contentment truly means; then progress to how it makes her feel. Eventually whenever she begins to feel frustrated she'll travel through the "FLIP SIDE" to contentment. I assured her that her tai chi will unfold effortlessly and she'll also discover a quiet, sense-of-ease with everything she does.

And as MOM says "Try it... you may like it."

*Glommers is how I describe what happens to our souls as we grow-up on Planet Earth. As children we often accept negative descriptions and/or actions from others and adopt them as our own truths. These "glommers" are like sticky scales that attach one by one onto our psyche. (When in this state we look as if we're related to armadillos.)

Through daily practices like: yoga, tai chi, mindfulness, moving, sitting and laughing meditation we can begin to release each glommer... the gift is the incredible lightness of being and BE-IN one with yourself.

~ Mmm, Tasty Little Nuggets

Imagine how different our world would be... if we "saw" the human form as vessels of precious energy. MOM

~ MOM's JSIT Hall of Fame

In my April 12th post, I introduce the concept of being a "Joyous-Savant-In-Training. (Click here for post.)

Laughter cleanses the body from toxins lodged in the bottom of our lungs and it also releases endorphins; those incredible uplifting, mood elevators.

Click here to meet "Sunflower Priestess."

~ Nathan's Tea Tonic for Men

Here's a great inexpensive, insurance policy that tastes good and will help support your system. Take a few moments from your busy day either in the evening as you create a meditation by making your daily herbal brew.

Loose, bulk teas are the most beneficial and if you don't have an herb store in your community you can order online. Click on the asterik* next to each ingredient for a link on the healing properties. Sipping a large cup of tea is a soothing way to take great care of yourself. MOM

Ingredients: (1-2 months supply)

Nettles*~ 2 ounces

Red Clover * ~ 2 ounces

Oatstraw *~ 1 ounce

Hops *~1 ounce

Peppermint* ~ 1 ounce

Alfalfa * ~ 1 ounce

1) Place 4-5 tablespoons in a glass quart jar

2) Pour almost boiling water over herbs and fill to top

3) Close and let steep overnight

4) Strain in the morning

5) Put into water bottle and drink throughout the day / or divide into 3-4 cups. Can be hot or cold.

Click here for Penelope's Tea Tonic for Women

~ Wellesley's SUNDAY FUNNY

Wellesely's* SUNDAY FUNNY is now our weekly comic strip.

*Meet Wellesley... MOM'S Mascot

~ MOM's JSIT Hall of Fame

In my April 12th post, I introduce the concept of being a "Joyous-Savant-In-Training. (Click here for post.) Laughter cleanses the body from toxins lodged in the bottom of our lungs and it also releases endorphins; those incredible uplifting, mood elevators. We've been blessed with talented comics through the decades. Many of my younger clients haven't had the opportunity to see them in action.

Today, MOM'S COSMIC DINER welcomes the cast of the Seinfeld Show.

Click here for video clip.

Meditation State-of-Mind

Breathe deeply,

become one with the breath.

Then step aside and listen.

Hear the silence,

feel the inner quiet,

and the peace that is you.

Click here for MOM'S Seated Deep Relaxation

~ Penelope's Tea Tonic for Women

Here's a great inexpensive, insurance policy that tastes good and will help support your system. Take a few moments from your busy day either in the evening as you create a meditation by making your daily herbal brew.

Loose, bulk teas are the most beneficial and if you don't have an herb store in your community you can order online. Click on the asterik* next to each ingredient for a link on the healing properties. Sipping a large cup of tea is a soothing way to take great care of yourself. MOM

Ingredients: (1-2 months supply)

Nettles*~ 2 ounces

Calendala * ~ 1/2 ounce

Oatstraw *~ 2 ounces

Raspberry Leaf *~ 2 ounces

Peppermint* ~ 1 ounce

Alfalfa *~ 2 ounces

1) Place 4-5 tablespoons in a glass quart jar

2) Pour almost boiling water over herbs and fill to top

3) Close and let steep overnight

4) Strain in the morning

5) Put into water bottle and drink throughout the day / or divide into 3-4 cups. Can be hot or cold.