Fasting serves to give the body a rest from the constant cycle of digestion. It also invites you to turn inward – initially to conserve energy. But this, in turn, gives rise to self-reflection and inner awareness.

What? No Food?!?

I’ve done several fasts. And yes, getting used to NO FOOD can be a challenge – especially the first time. But the rewards? Well, let’s just say they well outweigh the temporary discomfort of not chewing for several days. Usually I drink more than water though. Sometimes I’ll do vegetable juices a couple of times a day. Other times I’ll have one plain, raw salad (plus juices). And still other times I’ve gone for a big, 7-day detox at a retreat center, complete with twice-daily colemas, fresh coconut water, herbs, massages and saunas. A more stringent fast, to be sure. But the benefits of being in a supportive environment where everyone is fasting makes a huge difference in sticking with the program and then, the all important breaking of the fast.

Check out this short interview with Sheldrake on the effects of fasting …

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s been a few years now since I’ve actually done a detox retreat and my body is definitely saying “it’s time!” So I aim to head out to my favorite Spa Island in the tropics this spring to do just that – yay! Now, my question for you is: Have you ever done a fast and detox? Would you?

Many blessings,
Dawn

Click here to view the embedded video.

Exciting stuff, isn’t it? Have you had an experience of healing with your own mind? Let me know in the comments below.

Many blessings,
Dawn

Turns out, lots of folks have trouble sleeping at different points in their life. When worry is involved, this poses a major risk to your long-term health (to say nothing of your energy levels!) The culprits? Oh, the usual suspects: stress, over work, rich food, lack of meditation.

What’s worked for me first and foremost has been to take on a daily meditation practice. This made major improvements in other areas of my life like:

• Lowering my stress response to things
• The ability to quiet my mind at will more easily
• The ability to be awake without getting into thoughts of worry
• A loss of desire for heavy foods or too much wine
• More frequent ability to actually sleep through the night

Sleep is an important part of living a balanced, healthy life. It may be true that, as we age, we need less sleep than when we were younger, but that shorter span should ideally be uninterrupted – and certainly not punctuated by worry, stress, binge eating or frustrations.

Some folks choose to go the drug route – either prescription or self-medication. What I’ve found though, is that, besides exercise, fresh air and meditation, L-tryptophane has worked for me under known stressful conditions. I can’t recommend this to anyone, but I can say that others report similar results.

How about you? Do you or have you had trouble sleeping? What have you found works to get a good night’s zzzz’s? What hasn’t? Share any insights, experience or wisdom you have for our sleepless readers in the comments below.

Many blessings,
Dawn

Click here to view the embedded video.

There are tons of these cute cat and cut dog vids on youtube. if you’ve got a fav, please do share the link in the comments section below!

Many blessings,
Dawn

I’m back to working with my chakras during my morning meditation and, as the Law of Attraction in action would have it, I’ve come across a very pleasing, 10 minute guided meditation to help you clear and balance your chakras. Give it a try and see how it feels

Click here to view the embedded video.

How did that feel? How often do you work with your chakras? Is there a particular chakra or chakras where you feel blocked or stuck? Let me know your experience in the comments below.

Many blessings,
Dawn

I’m happy to report that there’s recently been a ‘Nurse-In’ – nationwide! – at Target stores. I came across this on the CBS News website and am reprinting the full story for you here (but you’ll have to go to CBS News here to see the vids and slide show).

Breastfeeding moms stage “nurse-in” protests at Target stores

Should breastfeeding be allowed in public? The oft-debated controversy that pits moms against retailers and nosey onlookers reached a fever pitch yesterday when women across the country protested Target by holding “nurse-ins” at more than 100 stores in 35 states.

“Feeding your baby is nothing to be ashamed of,” North Texas nursing mother Angela Jackson told CBSDFW.com during a nurse-in. “I feel like asking someone to move to feed their baby is basically segregation.”

Why a Nurse-In?

The nationwide protests began because of an incident on Nov. 28, when Michelle Hickman of Houston sat on the floor of the women’s clothing department and began breastfeeding her infant who had just woken up hungry. Despite covering herself and the baby with a blanket, two female employees came over to her and asked her to move and threatened her that she’d get a ticket, Hickman woman wrote in a blog for the breastfeeding advocacy site, Best for Babes.

Hickman legally had a right to breastfeed in public, so when she called Target to voice her complaints, a representative told her despite her rights, Target is a “family friendly public place” with different policies than what’s legally permitted, and suggested Hickman shouldn’t “flaunt” her feeding publicly.

The Word Gets Out!

That’s when Best for Babes stepped in, and with the help of a Facebook group Hickman started, organized the nurse-in for December 28, 2011. Leading up to the protest, representatives from Best for Babes reached out to Target in an effort to broker a truce and get an apology for Hickman. At the 11th hour, Target replied that it has a long-standing policy in support of breastfeeding in stores, and that the company would work to educate its team members on the store’s policies.

The letter was too little too late in the organization’s mind, so the nurse-in went on as planned. From Houston – where the incident took place – to Philadelphia to San Jose, moms across the nation brought their babies to Target stores to feed them in public.

“It’s going to take a couple of generations before it’s a non-issue,” one nurse-in organizer, Kelly Roth, told Time. “Our ultimate goal is for people to not notice that anything is happening, just like with breathing or speaking or a baby taking a bottle.”

Not the First Time – Maybe Not the Last

This incident is by no means the first time a public battle over breastfeeding has unfolded. This past June, Detroit women organized a nurse-in after a breastfeeding mom was forced off a bus, CBS News reported.

Breast milk contains antibodies that boost babies’ immune systems and help fight infections. Studies have shown that breast-fed babies have reduced chances of becoming obese or developing diabetes in childhood, and sudden infant death syndrome is less common in breast-fed infants.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 45 states and Washington D.C. currently have laws that allow women to breastfeed anywhere in public.

Am I Over-Reacting?

It’s been a long time since I breastfed my boy (about 25 years, to be exact) but it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life – and most certainly a ‘family-friendly’ part of our lives. It’s difficult for me to comprehend the discomfort that some folks feel about this most natural – and supremely healthy – of acts. To me it’s a sign of many people’s deep alienation from nature and from their own bodies. But maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m over-reacting. What do you think about this? Would it bother you to come across a publicly nursing mother? Let me know in the comments below.

But if you’re seriously committed to make change – at the New Year or any ole time – then these 6 tips from The Daily Muse’s Lisa Eisenstadt will help. I found this in the Huffington Post, and am reprinting the whole thing here for you

New Year’s Resolutions: How To Actually Keep Them

It’s almost the New Year — the time to reflect on your aspirations and set meaningful goals to improve your health and happiness. Which sounds great, right? But how many of us actually keep our New Year’s resolutions past January?

Not many, according to a study by author and psychologist Richard Wiseman. His research found that 52 percent of resolution-makers were confident that they’d achieve their goals, yet only 12 percent succeeded. What was the secret? Those who took meaningful steps to achieve their resolutions — setting step-by-step goals or telling their friends and family, for example — were far more likely to achieve their desires than those who made no specific commitments.

So if you really want to see results this year, it’s critical that you set your goals with sincerity, and set yourself up for success. Read on for six practical tools for making realistic, attainable resolutions — and actually sticking with them.

1. Get Specific

A common mistake people make is setting big, nebulous goals like, “I’ll be healthier.” Instead, make your resolution specific, with a tangible, achievable outcome. Rather than saying, “I want to save money,” determine how much, exactly, you want to save. What are you saving it for, and what will you do once you hit your goal?

Then, visualize what good will come when your goals and desires are met. What does it feel like? What does it look like? It also helps to have something simple, tangible, and positive to repeat to yourself over and over again. “I will be able to run a 5K because I’m healthy and strong,” is not only positive reinforcement, but it’s a quantifiable goal that you can check in on and make your reality.

2. Write it Down

Write down your goals and outline the small, manageable steps you’ll need to take in order to achieve them. If you set a big goal — say, learning a language — without a step-by-step plan, it can be overwhelming and trigger frustration or negative thoughts that get in the way of your success. But by planning and accomplishing one small thing at a time, you’ll stay on track, focused, and positive.

3. Make Time

Be sure to set aside ample time for yourself to achieve your goals. If you really want to write that book chapter, you might set aside three regular four-hour blocks during the week, and plan one day every month to track your progress. If you want to exercise more, plot out time in your weekly schedule for runs and time at the gym.

4. Move Past Doubt

Keep tabs on how often you “unset” your goals with your thoughts. Pay attention to self-sabotaging mind chatter, like: “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t do it.” Every thought you have is an intention. It’s normal to feel fear, doubt, or worry — but to make progress, it’s important to move past those negative feelings.

If you find negative thoughts surfacing, don’t criticize yourself, but stay in control. If your thoughts don’t support you or your goals, let them go — they’re not doing you any good. Replace them with your positive mantra, instead.

5. Get a Partner

Having a group, partner, friend, or professional to encourage you can be a great way to keep you going. Try finding a friend who has a similar resolution, and check in with each other every week to talk about your progress and challenges. Or, ask a family member or significant other to keep you accountable — just make sure they’re supportive and positive.

You can also seek professional help, whether that’s a personal trainer to help you meet your fitness goals or a counselor who can help you tackle larger, looming issues such as low self-confidence or a lack of direction. If you are dealing with issues of self-doubt, these can seriously get in the way of you meeting your other goals — so do yourself a favor, and address such issues head on.

6. Be Still

You’re more likely to slip on your goals when you’re stressed or overwhelmed, so spend time every day to getting out of your thoughts and reconnecting with yourself. Try a breathing exercise, meditation, yoga, or just going for a walk. The more practice you have being still and calm, the more present you’ll be for each step of acheving your goals.

Setting and reaching goals isn’t about willpower, it’s about the power of your intention. Once you’ve mastered these few steps, you’ll be well-equipped to follow through on your resolutions — this time, for good.

Which of these six is going to help you stick with that resolution? Let me know in the comments below! (and happy New Year – again!)

Many blessings,
Dawn

How Mindfulness Meditation Can Help People With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Research has shown that the benefits of mindfulness meditation are far-reaching, from minimizing pain sensitivity to helping us regulate our emotions. The newest study suggests it could also have benefits specifically for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

The small study, conducted by researchers from Oslo’s Diakonhjemmet Hospital, shows that people who partake in mindfulness exercises had less fatigue and lower levels of stress than people who just receive standard treatment for the condition.

Study Details

The research was published in the journal Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, and included 73 people with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis between ages 20 and 70. Half of the people were chosen to do mindfulness exercises that were done in 10 group sessions for 15 weeks, as well as one more session six months after the 10 sessions were completed. The other half of the people were just given regular care for the condition, as well as a CD that taught them how to do mindfulness exercises.

In this particular study, mindfulness meditation aimed to help people concentrate on their own thoughts, experiences and pain in the moment, without actively trying to avoid them or judge them, researchers said.

The Results

At the end of the study, both groups of people had the same pain levels, ability to talk about how they were feeling and disease activity. However, the people who had the group mindfulness training scored significantly lower in measurements of stress and fatigue, compared with people who didn’t have the training.

Even though this study didn’t show that mindfulness had any effect on reducing pain levels, past research suggests it can help to ease pain. A study in the Journal of Neuroscience showed that mindfulness meditation can lower pain levels by 57 percent, USA Today reported.

A separate study, in the journal Cerebral Cortex, suggests that meditation has this pain-relieving effect by increasing brain activity in regions associated with sensory information processing, according to USA Today.

Just A Few Health Benefits of Meditation

• It makes your brain more ‘plastic’.
• It increases gray matter.
• It can be better than sleeping.
• It IS better than blood pressure medication.
• It can protect your tolemeres.
• It can slow the progression of HIV.
• It’s pain-relieving properties beat morphine. (wow!)

So the big question is, rheumatoid or not … are YOU meditating regularly? If so, how has it enhanced your life. If not, why not? Let me know in the comments below.

Many blessings,
Dawn

11 Integrative Breakthroughs in 2011

1. Yoga approved for back pain.
2. Acupuncture shown to help chronic stress.
3. Tai Chi found to aid heart failure patients.
4. CAM (Complimentary & Alternative Medicine) use better understood.
5. Acupuncture deemed safe for kids. (I’m sorry, but, umm … No Duh!)
6. Integrative medicine moved into Med Schools. (a big “Hurrah!” for this one )
7. Dr. Ornish appointed to the prez’s health advisory group.
8. The nutrition-epigenetics connection made.
9. Meditation’s impact on the brain is measured.
10. Doctor referrals for CAM increases. (Another big “Yay!”)
11. Mushrooms wowed docs at the TEDMed conference.

All-in-all, this is really good news and I’m sorry to be so sassy. But I lived in the Far East for some time and, after 27 years of using natural and ancient ways for health and healing, sometimes this kind of info feels a little bit like watching your kid learn to tie their shoe for the first time. They’re so very proud of themselves – like its the first shoe in the world to be tied so very well … again, please forgive my obvious sarcasm. And hey, good news on numbers 6 & 10, eh?

Many blessings,
Dawn

Hear it for yourself right here on the Huffington Post.

I totally agree with him, of course, but here’s where the rubber hits the road … how able are you, me or any of us to actually follow his advice? Personally I think it takes tremendous support of those around us and a deep sense of connection with Self to harness the mind to heal the body. Right now in history, anyway. I see a future when this is almost a non-issue. But for this time we’re in, those of us able to ‘heal’ from ‘terminal’ dis-ease are surely on the very leading edge of healing.

What do you think/feel about this. Share your thoughts on the mind-body connection to healing – or to the power of a ‘terminal’ diagnosis – in the comments below.