Meditation for the Here and Now

by admin on March 8, 2010

Finding spare moments in our days are far and few between for some.  The “hamster wheel” of life just keeps on turning, pulling our energy in so many different directions.  You have heard it all before.  Jobs, kids, partners, money, family… the list goes on and on.  All the while we continue to make promises of a yoga class this week, or squeezing in an hour at the gym here and there.  You know it may be time to change something when you can only find peace of mind on your drive to and from work.  Seriously!

Why not indulge and escape in the here and now?  Organic Spa Magazine launched their Meditation Room feature to their website and it provides a sensory relaxing experience for those that are looking to shed just five minutes of their daily facebook/twitter addiction and replace it with some soul food for the spirit.

Adventure to the South Pacific while listening to soothing sounds and gazing at breathtaking photography of scenic beaches and sacred waters.  Organic Spa has eight different virtual meditations to help restore and rejuvenate the external world that always seems to want more. 

We are going to hold an five day meditation challenge – beginning April 5th-9th and looking for participants to create a space for a ten minute daily meditation using Organic Spas Meditation Room, and let us know about it. 

Just remember one thing.  Breathe.  In and out.  Simple as that.  Thank you Organic Spa.  (this post was written while listening to the Mountain Meditation.

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Beauty is Universal

by admin on March 5, 2010

There are moments in our lives when a light, a light so bright graces our exsistance.   Ashley Munday is one of these lights, and she carries it in her heart.  We had the pleasure of meeting Ashley at a Karma Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica this past year and her presence lit up our own path – shedding light on the beauty all around us and reminding us not to miss it.

Ashley is former ad agency executive who participated in Native American purification lodges on the weekends. She has spent time studying with Tibetan Buddhists in Dharmsala, India.  She is a fashion junkie, a collaborative communication trainer and a book editor.   Ashley shares her light with The Values Center created by the Barrett Values Center and spends her days measuring and analyzing the values of culture and consciousness of organizations and nations and understandinging the economic impact of both positive and limiting values (whew, that was a mouthful… read that one more time.)

And, we are so thankful to her for sharing her thoughts on beauty with us…
What does beauty mean to you?

The universe is romantic. The fragrant nectar of beauty is wooing us, like flowers calling to bees. Beauty is coherence. When elements flow together in consistent patterns, we experience the bliss of integration, our oneness.

What makes your feel beautiful (internally and externally)?

Mud between my toes, the sound of my garnet malas clinking together, communing with a loved one as she nears passing, mangos in Costa Rica, laughter that stops me mid step, Manolos, meditation and prayer, riding on top of a bus through the Anapurnas, dancing at a Zap Mama show, a lone lady’s slipper in a forest, tealights flickering around my home, strolling European streets at dusk, bowing my head to the ground when leaving a Native America purification lodge and great fitting jeans!

What do you do if you are not feeling so beautiful to remind you that you are?

Hiking in nature helps me to appreciate the strength of my body and to feel my connection with this phenomenal natural universe. One of my favorite local hikes is to the top of Craggy Gardens outside of Asheville.

Do you have any secret beauty tips that you would like to share?

When my face is puffy, I pour cool coffee on paper towels, squeeze the excess liquid and then cover my face for 10 minutes. It feels soooo good!

Ashley’s fav spot for experiencing beauty - Craggy Gardens outside of Asheville

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Beauty is in the Eye of the “Designer”

February 26, 2010

No, not clothing design… not exactly feng shui either, well it all connects – so lets begin at the beginning, shall we?  We spend a lot of time on this blog getting to the root of things, looking at truth as it pertains to some serious issues, such as the types of products you use [...]

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A Recipe for Beauty

February 16, 2010

What do get when you mix motherhood, missionary work and a burning passion for cooking up some of the most delicious and full of life food around?  You get Kelly Parr.  What is Kelly all about?  In her very own words, “I’m about seeing others, restored, refreshed, and released into a greater level of wholeness… body, soul and [...]

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Tales of a Traveler – Volume II – Gratitude

February 10, 2010

This early morning I am expressing gratitude for the light that shines on my path – because I know that my path is only lit by the others around me.
For the last 6 weeks I have been living in community in Costa Rica.  Community had a plethora of meanings to me before I embarked on this [...]

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WIPEOUT Fun for Fitness Guru – Nickie Nicolas

February 5, 2010

Hey beauty fans. Sorry I’m late with this month’s article. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write; but as I reviewed this past year something came to mind. I know most people review the year in December or January, well this hit me as I did my 2009 review for my Fit By Nic [...]

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Just furr me!

February 3, 2010

Dear Friends,
We received a very special email the other day from one of our 4-legged product reviewers. From the southern low country, this pooch is all about spa, all about organic and all about being pampered. We have kept the email in it’s original form (as it is not every day that you receive a [...]

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GOOD 2 B GRATE

January 28, 2010

Sometimes beauty just stops you right in your tracks.  We have the honor of profiling  up and coming artist, Elken D. Grate.  (yes, that’s right – Elken D. Grate).
When Elken is not figuring out a new and inspiring way to help fellow artists, non profit organizations or just being a leader in his community, he can [...]

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We are Going on Strike

January 25, 2010

NEWS FLASH!  Your organic skin care products may not be that organic.  Products such as Eminence Organics that have been toting high dollar marketing  and advertisingfor their “organic line” along with several other companies are under investigation for their “widespread and blatantly deceptive labeling practices of leading “Organic” personal care brands, in violation of USDA [...]

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Say “YES” to Being Beautiful!

January 21, 2010

A Chicago girl through and through – Gina Trimarco has traded the windy city for the ocean breezes of the South Carolina coast.  Gina relocated to Myrtle Beach for a job with IMAX Theatre two and a half years ago and found that the 65 mile stretch of beach the locals fondly refer to as the Grand [...]

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