Playing in San Diego – View from our room!

 Wow, we are already at Week 7 of the Joy Diet. I admit I just caught up with this chapter today as I have had a very busy week speaking and teaching classes. This week’s behavior is play and although I have been busy working I am so glad that my work is my life purpose and so does not feel like work. But this week after so much speaking I was craving some silence. I feel that no matter what we are doing there has to be a ebb and flow of yin and yang.

I picked some pieces from this chapter that spoke to me or that I would like to explore further.

The following 2 questions are meant to help us figure out our real career. Thankfully I have connected with my real career 17 years ago.

When your life is over, how do you want the world to be different-in large ways or small ways-because you have lived? – The participants of one of my events received a book as a gift from me that addresses exactly this issue. The book is True Purpose by Tim Kelley and has the Subtitle: 12 Strategies for discovering the difference you are meant to make. I know it will change the lives of those who will work with it. I answer this question for myself below.

What experiences must you have to feel that you have lived a completely satisfying life? Living a completely satisfying life is a mindset to me. There are no experiences that I must have to be deeply satisfied because every moment provides plenty of opportunities to do just that and when we live those moments we build up and invite more fulfilling experiences that are beyond our current imagination.

I loved the quote by Roshi Shunryu Suzuki called “big mind”:

To exist in big mind is an act of faith, which is different from the usual faith of believing in a particular idea or being. It is to believe that something is supporting us and supporting all our activities including thinking mind and emotional feelings…. That is the feeling of pure being.

The following 2 questions are about Mouse Vision/Eagle Vision as in doing the little things that lead to your big thing.

1. Summarize the real objectives of your life, as just discussed. Think huge.

Mine is to help women transcend cultural boundaries to step into their magnificence. This comes from my own cultural upbringing of being invisible. As I step into my authentic self I want to share my journey with other women who find it so difficult to transcend those boundaries.

2. Note down 3 small, mousey things that you might do today to move closer to any of your objectives. Think tiny.

1. Tell all of you about my objective.

2. I just decided this week to write a book on this subject and want to interview women of all cultures about their experiences. Today I will write down some questions for the interview or survey part.

3. Asking you if you would like to participate. I would be delighted to send you the survey as soon as I have put it together. Just send an email to fatmazaidi at gmail.com

Yeah! These are really mousey steps leading to my eagle vision.

Of course I love having FUN doing what I love to do. Looking forward to playing with many of you.

Fatma

I was away in San Diego for a incredibly transformational event last week and missed writing about Risks. Going away on a trip like that always asks for us to step our of our comfort zones and requires time, money and energy to make it possible. So it fitted very well into last week’s theme.

This week our Chapter is about Treats. It has to be the yummiest and most satisfying chapter and it should come easy, right?

Here is how Martha describes “Treat”: Anything that makes you feel like smiling.

She suggests to make a list of Spontaneous Smile Sparklers. Here is mine:

1. I love the surprises the Universe brings. Here is one: On my last day in San Diego I was leaving to take my daughter to the beautiful zoo there and I encountered a fellow participant leaving to take a old trolley tour of the city. Do you think I would have loved to see the whole city? I joined her and had a huge inner and outer smile all day long. It reminded me of my Law of Attraction Teacher’s question - How GOOD can you stand it? Check out the site of Blanca, my amazing companion on this tour.

2. My pashmina shawls that I wear at home in the cold weather. They keep me warm and feel like a comfort blanket. I treated myself to a stunning on in San Diego.

3. Going to the library and bookstore is always an instant smile sparkler.

4. My children totally light up my life

5. Herbal tea in a beautiful cup

6. Reading posts by my fellow joy travellers

7. My work

8. Admitting being splendidly imperfect – Phew, what a relief!

9. Sharing life’s moments with people who treasure life

10. A massage

11. Happy Songs

12. Hearing from friends

13. Freshly laundered sheets and clothes

14. Finding just the right parking spot, outfit, food, book etc.

Oops! Did it say 10?

Although I give myself treats I know that I can do even better. This is something I decided to do while in San Diego. Treating myself more is one of the things that has moved up on my list of priorities. The question for me and you is: How GOOD can we stand it?

Much Love and happy playing until we meet again.

Fatma

Chapter 4 of the Joy Diet is about coming up with a creative idea every day to push you to fulfilling your heart’s desire.

I loved the Uncomfortable Truths about Creating our Lives.

1. You are always responsible for creating your Life, whether you like it or not.

2. Creation is hard. (Any fool can burn a barn. Building one is something else again.)

3. Creation usually doesn’t work. (Successful people fail more. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing badly. You are one bad idea closer to a good one.)

I also loved the “mind-yoga” techniques for coming up with even more creative ideas.

One of my gifts in my work is the ability to be a problem solver. Creativity is an important part of our lives. For myself I am delighted to have been creative in coming up with possibilities to attend a fabulous event next week in San Diego! Yeah! Next week’s Practice is Risk. It will be exciting to do one frightening thing a day to get closer to our heart’s desires!

I was not able to write my post last week. Desire became an important element in my understanding when I started training as a Law of Attraction Coach. As a child I grew up being taught to be thankful for whatever we have and not to desire for more. Now I see it differently.

Here is a Abraham-Hicks quote on Desire that explains the Universal desire for Desire.

The whole point of the physical experience is the expansion beyond that which is. That’s why eternity is eternal. That’s why there is something more than now, because the now will foster the desire that the Non-Physical Energy will answer. That’s why there is eternally more. Always has been, always will be.

The whole point of the physical experience is the expansion beyond that which is. That’s why eternity is eternal. That’s why there is something more than now, because the now will foster the desire that the Non-Physical Energy will answer. That’s why there is eternally more. Always has been, always will be.

I find this week’s topic absolutely fascinating. Speaking the truth was instilled in us as a part of our religious principles. Lying would take you to hell. I add one of our own making. What I understood much later was that the most important communication we have is the one we have with ourselves. A lot of what we have come to think of as the truth is just a belief system. At one time it was the “truth”  that the earth was flat. At any time when someone discovered a new truth they were prosecuted or executed.

As Martha Beck points out, without exception, denial is a tool we haul out when the truth would rock the varous social boats in which we live our lives. The process of telling the truth is always hard, always painful, always so, so worth it.

Some worthy quotes about Truth

Kahlil Gibran says about Truth: Say not, ‘I have found the truth,’ but rather, ‘I have found a truth.’

Denise Linn: Tell yourself the Truth. Your Soul loves the Truth.

Carolyn Myss: “Truth is the real mover and shaker in the human experience, which is precisely why the longest journey we shall ever walk in this lifetime is the journey to attain a comfort zone with the force of truth itself….Truth makes you a congruent person. It forces your heart, your mind, your will, and your soul to come into full alignment and from that moment on, you have little option but to admit that you know exactly what you feel. And if you know what you feel, you have little choice but to act in accordance with your awareness and your emotions. An act of personal betrayal or an act that betrays another no longer becomes an act that you can excuse because of fear. You see all too clearly that you are using fear as an excuse. The congruent person has nowhere to hide.”

The Truth will set you  free. Speaking of Freedom Bob Proctor mentions that Freedom is not free.  To attain freedom requires giving up something of a lower order to attain something of a higher order. This Universal principal is known as the Law of Sacrifice.

I enjoyed having a daily Moment of Truth this week. I love living a Life of Awareness and the never ending discoveries of our own human experience.  Martha Beck’s questions were based on Byron Katie’s “The Work”. You will find more information and how to work with it here as well as interviews of  Byron Katie with Oprah here. I love Katie’s questions for any thought we think: Is it really true? Are you sure it is absolutely true? How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought? Who would you be without the thought?

Debbie Ford’s work is about dealing with or hiding our  shadow side. Check out the trailer of her new movie “The Shadow Effect“

It has been a very beautiful week! I taught my class: Indian Summer – Balancing your energies during this transitional time. We created a plan to live 7 Mindful days during the change of season.  

Chapter 1 of the Joy Diet requires doing 15 minutes of nothing as a foundation for Joy. Thankfully this is something I have been practicing for years and it is truly a foundation for my wellbeing. Martha Beck mentions her squirrel brain and that sitting meditations do not always work for her. For myself I always connect with my body and soul and follow and do what I feel like at that moment.  This week it is following what I put together for myself for living 7 Mindful Days. I begin with a prayer in the morning and have my rose oil infused water which carries the energy of love. It also includes drinking more water during the day to cleanse and eating foods from the abundant fall harvest amongst other things that are nourishing my soul. It is doing me a world of good to dedicate 7 Mindful Days to myself.
During really frantic times here are 2 tips that help the body get into a state of deep relaxation.

Use a warm compress on the forehead and lie down for 10-15 minutes. In Ayurveda there is a deeply relaxing massage called Shirodara that uses sandalwood infused oil on the forehead (also known as the brow chakra or 3rd eye chakra). Sandalwood is deeply relaxing. It is also very expensive. Another option is to use Lavender that is soothing and calming. Apply the oil on the forehead and put on the warm compress. The compress will cool down and will help with overactivity of the brain. Voila! You have your own mini Shirodara treatment.

An epsom salt bath with a relaxing oil blend like Peace & Calming will really help bring you back to a centered, grounded place. The magnesium in the epsom salt is cleansing and detoxifying as well as calming. You can also use Himalayan or Dead Sea Salt. They are rich in minerals, help cleanse negative energy and nourish at the same time. Peace & Calming is a blend from Young Living, my favorite essential oil company. Use a cup of salt and 8 drops of essential oil. If you are new to this it might make you feel tired so it is great to do this before a nap,at bedtime or when you can take it easy.

Wishing you all a joyfilled glorious Fall week of Truth!

Fatma XO

I am taking part in the online book blogging club created by the highly creative and wonderful Jamie. As always Jamie sure knows how to pick the right book at the right time. I am  delighted to be blogging about the Joy Diet by Martha Beck every Friday for  the next 10 weeks.

I am particularly delighted because  a few months earlier I had decided that I want to help people connect to and live their Joy. I have created a little poster of Joy-FULL Affirmations that you will be able to download next week! Joy is the emotion with the highest vibration. What a Joy to help people live their Joy and make this world a Joy-FULL place!

As a Law of Attraction Coach I will be writing about that aspect  and as a Nutritional Consultant add to the delicious buffet of the the Joy Diet with a recipe here or there.

With experience I know that clients can get stuck in their issues and disconnect from Joy and that essential oils are one way to create a shift in vibration so I will talk more about that too.

I love how the Universe conspires with you once you are clear and the signs show up everywhere. This week I also connected with Mary Ann Lowry who is a Master Life Coach trained by Martha Beck. Joyfully she agreed to write a guest post. Yeah!

So be sure to come by and partake in this delicious experience! I look forward to reading your comments!

Next week’s post will be about the first element of the Joy Diet: Nothing! It will be interesting to see what I can write about Nothing.

P.S. Check out my new course for next week here.

 
For this post it is all roses. Young Living has a special and is giving away Rose Essential Oil. It is their most expensive oil. The high cost of rose oil is due to the huge quantity of rose petals needed to extract a tiny amount of oil, and the very high labour costs involved in this method of extraction. The roses are picked before sunrise when the oil is at its highest peak. 

I  love the glorious sight of abundantly blossoming rose bushes in summer.  

Rose oil was probably the first oil to be distilled by the Arab physician Avicenna. Traditionally rose has been called the ‘Queen of Flowers’.

Rosa damascena is named for Damascus, Syria, its place of origin. It is now grown in France, Bulgaria and Turkey. Its fragrance is intoxicating, fresh and sensuous. The delicious perfume of rose oil is very popular in beauty preparations. It is especially helpful for dry, sensitive and mature skin.

Historically the Rose has served as a symbol of love and the inspired soul. Rose oil has the sublime power to clear and  balance the heart chakra and awaken the heart. Rose Oil helps to dissolve psychological and emotional pain. Roses have been the gift of choice for thousands of years to express love and forgiveness.

Rose oil  enhances positive emotions, and intensifies the experience of happiness and bliss. Rose oil is “Love in a bottle”. Just inhaling it will open your heart and help the flow of more loving thoughts.

Rose oil allows us to let go of past relationships and is especially helpful for those suffering from grief and loss.  Rose oil calms feelings of inner turmoil, jealousy and rage. It is also  a powerful anti-antidepressant.

Rose essential oil is an excellent companion during times of major life transitions i.e. puberty, marriage, birth, menopause, death. Rose oil comforts and give its gentle support in times of sorrow and allows for  new possibilities to flow in while gently letting go of the old ways and patterns needing release. Rose oil gently reduces your fears and reassures you that it is safe to let go and allow your heart to heal.

Rose oil regenerates reproductive tissues and is good for all women’s conditions. It also increases sperm production in men.

A few drops of rose oil in water can be used as an aromatic mist to clear the auric field or clear and lift the energy of a room.

Rose oil can also be found in the following Young Living blends. Envision, Forgiveness, Gathering, Gentle Baby, Humility, Harmony, Joy, SARA, Trauma Life and White Angelica.

“A bit of fragrance always clings to the hand that gives roses.” Chinese Proverb

Paula from Happysnappy had some wonderful questions for me to answer all the way from South America! Hola Paula! We definitely share a love of children, a happy life and Dora!

THE INTERVIEW RULES

* leave me a comment with your email address saying: “interview me”
* I will e-mail you five questions of my choice
* you can then answer the questions on your blog {with a link back to my blog}
* you should also post these rules, along with an offer to interview anyone else who emails you, wanting to be interviewed
* anyone who asks to be interviewed should be sent 5 questions to answer on their blog
* it would be nice if the questions were individualized for each blogger
 

1) As all couching books say, let´s start where you are. Exactly where you are: your computer. What do you have as a desktop image? Why did you choose that one? Do you change it often? (I know this is a multiple questions question *wink* )

I have a world clock showing me the time of different countries  in the world with which I am in some way  connected. I love having a connection to the world when I open my computer and knowing which part of the day it is  in different countries around the world. It certainly helps my vision of one day helping people all over the world!
2)       You are typing with your hands. How do your hands react when there is an animal near? Do they go forward to caress? Do they go up in protection?

I witnessed an ugly incident as a child in Uganda with a police dog and since then I am not too fond of dogs but I am also not as terrified as I used to be.  My hand will reach out for other animals.

3)       What makes your heart go faster? What tickles you?

Living Life makes my heart go faster. I am so grateful for this gift and drink deeply from it everyday. There is so much to delight in. Bright Sunshine, colorful rainbows, lush greenery, beautiful flowers galore, kind people, singing birds, an abundance of delicious food, heart soaring music, transcending books, magical synchronicites, uplifting art, never ending discoveries………..

My 9 year daughter tickles me. She is the clown in my life and makes me laugh with her silly jokes and antics.

4)       Talking about tickles and tummies, who taught you how to cook? Which are your cooking influences?

I taught myself! Really! I cooked my first meal when I was 12. My parents were late coming home and I thought of making lunch for the family. I made Roesti and eggs, a typical Swiss specialty as we had just moved to Switzerland. I then fell in love with cooking books and made dishes from all over the world. My favorite dishes were from the Meditteranean region and India. Till to this day they remain my favorite influences. I will take an idea from a recipe and make it my own by tweaking it.

5)       We´ve arrived all the way down to your toes.  “Walk the talk” What do you teach with your example?

I would love to think that I live by example that happiness is a choice we make. No matter what is going on I choose to see the bright side of Life and always remain grateful for this gift. There is a spiritual solution to every problem. I also take good care of myself and teach others to put themselves first. Whatever we do for ourselves ultimately benefits the greater good! I am totally into Natural Health and empower people with the knowledge of how to take care of ourselves and our loved ones naturally.  I like to live my Divine Magnificence and help others live theirs.

Grazias Paula for putting together this interview. I loved answering the questions.

It is late spring and it is Strawberry Season. I went out with my daughter  to our favorite neighborhood park and took a bowl of juicy, vibrantly red, so very sweet strawberries with us. Sitting in the sun, under a gorgeous blue sky we ate our strawberries and felt sheer heavenly bliss.

Strawberries are at their most delicious from now to July. They are truly best eaten just as they are. Here are some berrylicious tips to bring some sunshine to your eating:

Add them to your smoothies. Try an avocado strawberry or a mango strawberry smoothie. Yum!

Strawberries add gorgeous color to any fruit salad.

They add vibrancy and a touch of sweetness to a green salad.

Slice them, sprinkle with some lemon or orange juice and dig in.

Blend them and use as a fruit couli.    

For my birthday last year I made a raw pie topped with strawberry couli and strawberry slices. Delish!

Make the most of Strawberry Season. It is such a delicious part of spring and summer.