Life Doesn’t Offer a Rewind Button

Posted on by Tammy

I had a dream the other night and wanted to share it because, to me, it serves as a blatant reminder that no matter how hard we try, we can’t move backwards in time. In the dream, I remember various scenes where I stood with my cell phone trying to contact people from my past. I would try to type in the phone number, but would inevitably type the wrong one and have to start over. Then I would try again, and the buttons would not register. And then even if I got the numbers right, the call just simply would not go through. I honestly spent most of the dream determined to make a phone call … but it never connected.

Is there something or someone from your past still lingering in the background of your consciousness? Is there a situation you keep playing over and over in your head, wishing you did or said something different? It might be time to let go.

Here are 5 suggestions on how to set yourself (and others) free:

— The best thing to do is acknowledge what happened, and understand that whatever occurred was most likely a growth opportunity for you. Try to uncover what lesson you were being taught by the universe.

— Forgive yourself and any other parties involved. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.” – Lewis B. Smedes

— Understand that everyone in your life is a teacher. Be grateful for the lesson and the opportunity to grow from it.

— Perform some type of a ritual to “cut the cord” of connection to the person or situation. Write everything you want to say about the situation or to the person you are trying to release, and then burn the letter.

— Know that all things happening in your life are for your highest good. Use the affirmation: “I only attract positive people and situations into my life.”

The truth is, there is no time machine that can connect us with days gone by – nor days still ahead of us for that matter … well until Apple invents an app for that! But for now, until we let go of what was, we can’t be open to what is yet to come.

Tammy Mastroberte
Founder, Publisher & Editorial Director
Elevated Existence Magazine

Have you seen our September 2011 issue with Jane Fonda and Emilio Estevez?

The Open Center Offers Online Courses

Posted on by Tammy

Do you live in an urban area and want to know how to apply Feng Shui to your apartment? Are you curious about Chinese Medicine, and want to learn more about it?

Thanks to the NY-based Open Center new online courses, anyone around the world can log online and learn about these topics and more – and for a limited time the company is offering a 20-percent discount. Just enter the coupon code ONLINE20 when signing up between now and September 23, 2011.

Courses currently open for enrollment include:

— An Introduction to Chinese Medicine, taught by Drew DiVittorio — $135

— Integrative Self-Hypnosis: Easy Approaches for Change, taught by Melissa Tiers — $135

— Jumpstart Your Business Practice With Online Marketing: Authentic Marketing for Holistic Practitioners, taught by Robert Notter — $175

— Meditations on Sacred Geometry: Crafting the Poetry of Form, taught by Karl Lorenzen $135

— Urban Feng Shui, taught by R.D. Chin — $135

For more information, to view course videos and to sign up, visit http://learn.opencenter.org/.

Meet Florida’s 91-Year-Old Yoga Instructor

Posted on by Tammy

Vera Paley has been a yoga instructor since 1982 after retiring from her career as a college bookstore manager, and at 91, she teaches almost daily in Boca Raton, Fla. at the Louis and Anne Green Memory & Wellness Center at the Florida Atlantic University. The facility is a research and day-care site for patients with Alzheimer’s and related diseases, according to a report by SunSentinel.com.

A widow and mother of a 59-year-old son, Paley is 5 feet tall and 106 pounds. She only takes medication for high blood pressure and acid reflux, but does take about 10 vitamins a day, as well as a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement to keep her joints strong – and she enjoys a glass of red wine each night before dinner, she told the newspaper.

“I’m not a vegetarian. I eat salads, vegetables and chicken,” she said in the report. “I think I’m where I am because of what I do. Yoga is not just moving. It’s breathing and daily meditation.”

Dotty Zevin, owner of the Yoga Center of Deerfield Beach where Paley takes classes, told the Sun Sentinel that Paley is one of the nation’s experts in chair yoga, which modifies classic yoga postures so they can be done sitting in a chair, and Paley even made a DVD in 2004 of a 24-minute yoga class.

“She understands the meaning of the poses, that they’re not just physical exercises,” Zevin said in the newspaper report. “She is committed to her purpose in life, to serve.”

Despite her age, Paley told the newspaper she can still do the same challenging yoga postures she learned in her 40s, including the shoulder stand, Pigeon and Rabbit. However, she modifies them, similar to the alterations made for chair yoga, the report stated.

“I do them in a more gentle way,” Paley said. “It makes me feel relaxed, comfortable and gently stretched out. I feel at peace.

Visit SunSentinel.com to view a video of Paley in action!

RECIPIE: Cheesy Broccoli and Rice

Posted on by Tammy

The nutritional quality of broccoli is undeniable. It contains anti-inflammatory benefits, antioxidants and can enhance detoxification. Also, the high amounts of potassium help maintain the nervous system, brain function and muscle growth, and its magnesium and calcium help regulate blood pressure. Just one cup contains the recommended daily dose of vitamin C, and it is also rich in vitamin K.

However, despite these benefits, some just don’t like the taste. Well, we found a recipe in The Better Homes and Gardens “Kid Favorites Made Healthy,” recipe book that is sure to please – whether it’s a picky child or stubborn adult.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Easy Cheesy Broccoli and Rice

1 10-ounce package of frozen chopped broccoli
1 cup quick cooking rice
1 cup water
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

In a medium saucepan combine broccoli, uncooked rice, water and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to break up the frozen broccoli.

Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Return saucepan to burner. Over low heat, add cheese, stirring just until the cheese is melted.

It can be served with additional cheese sprinkled on top.

Kate Moss Reveals Yoga Fitness Secret

Posted on by Tammy

The September 2011 Issue of Vogue magazine reveals model Kate Moss’s wedding photos taken by photographer Mario Testino, and a revealing interview where she explains the secret behind her fitness – Jivamukti yoga.

Created by David Life and Sharon Gannon in New York, Jivamukti yoga incorporates the study of Ashtanga yoga with spiritual teachings, and includes an emphasis on how to apply yogic philosophy to daily life.

“They call it moving meditation. It’s loud, loud music, so it’s dynamic, not boring,” she told Vogue magazine.

For more information on Jivamukti yoga, and to find an instructor near you, visit the Jivamukti yoga Web site.

New Meditation App Promotes Better Sleep

Posted on by Tammy

From the creators of the app, Visulax Golf, a new meditation app called Visulax Sleep Aid 1.1 is now available in the Apple App Store for an introductory special of $.99.

It utilizes visualization and relaxation to help listeners relax, meditate and fall into a natural and deep sleep, according to Pranju Inc., the company behind the app.

“Many guided meditation sleep apps are either hard to hear, have a poorly done voice-over, or an accent that may be difficult to understand. These can all be irritating factors when trying to sleep,” said Rick Nanda, one of the apps creators.

Featuring a 30-minute guided meditation, and relaxing meditation background music, the app also allows users to take notes on how they slept, or even record dreams, which can be sent to their calendar.