My Beautiful Mother

Each day goes by and we get older, and I look at my mother. She is beautiful, caring, intelligent, and so amazing. She is this lovely woman who brought me up and has cared for me for my 27 years of life. She was my greatest enemy, and best friend; she would lay down the law and everyday I'd be up to the same mischief. I loved wearing her make up. I wanted to be as beautiful as she!
She always did the right things for me, as I look back and reminisce, well at least what she thought was best! Any mother would do that.
My mother inspires me everyday to love, care, be open minded, and she has taught me that there is no age to stop to go to school. She does yoga everyday, and for the record she can do headstand for 15 minutes! She does some 'asanas' better than me. We do teach yoga together (for free, she believes good health comes free). She still studies and takes exams, to better herself for the family. Mothers are so hardworking, and their work is never accounted for. This work that mother's do is the most priceless work ever. One day I hope to be like her...

 My Mom and I - May 22nd 2010

Beet-Chocolate Cake for my Boss' Birthday

What you will need:

1 large beet
1/2 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
water
and 2-3 pieces of dark chocolate (unsweetened) if desired.
Please wear an apron because the beets can bleed a lot. Peel and dice one large beet. Place the pieces in a saucepan with water to cover and boil until soft. Allow the beets to cool, and then drain them. Put the drained beets into the food processor with 1/4 cup (clear) water, and process until pureed.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Oil or spray your cooking pan(s).
Put the pureed beets into a 2-cup measure. Add enough apple sauce to reach the 2-cup line. Add the 2 tablespoons water, vanilla extract, and apple cider to the beets and mix well. Mix the dry ingredients together; then add the beet mixture and stir until well-combined. Bake for 35-60 minutes, depending on the size of pan you use. Test by inserting a toothpick into the center; it’s done when the toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.
Ice it with your choice of chocolate or other recipes.

My May thoughts

Surprising Realizations of Life and Love

so many things in my mind and heart:
the past and the future
people and animals
they come together and drift apart.

depart, and arrive
how are we all alive?
we live we die
its the truth and yet its all a lie.

to live, and have
to lose and win
a cycle a circle
we all experience.

to care so deep
to see in with the heart
to live and sleep and dream
the dreams are more than they seem.

to trust
to follow
to walk alone
and together.

forever.

Changes: For Good

I'm limited
You can do all I couldn't do,
So now it's up to you
For both of us...
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you...

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for
But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share

And none of it seems to matter anymore

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood

Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better
And because I knew you...
I have been changed for good...


(Courtesy the song "For Good" from "Wicked" the Musical)

Avatar

So the word "avatar" has had quite the journey; from being a very ancient word to portray God and God's many incarnations and energies, to the biggest film in world history. However when I began getting interested in the movie I was misdirected to a Nick-toons (Nickelodeon cartoon channel) series called Avatar: The last Airbender. For the longest time I thought James Cameron directed a movie based on the Avatar: The last Airbender. Turns out I was wrong because the movie was totally different, yet I, personally, enjoyed the storyline. Then M. Night Shyamalan is now directing his OWN version of Avatar: The last Airbender. ~Le Sigh~

The cartoon has been most enjoyable for it is truly creative and cute, and has a good message about love, and friendship, however like everything these days there is a lot of violence. I was thinking about the many small lessons the cartoon teaches, and it really does combine a lot of eastern teachings, and my biggest question was, why is it called avatar?

Avatar is a depiction of one's true self. In Avatar the movie, the avatars were the humans' alien selves. In Avatar the last Airbender, Aang the Avatar was the incarnation of all the Avatars before him. Basically he was the one soul but who had lived as many others before him, and now he is a boy. The cartoon depicted it as the little boy having many souls, or so it seemed. I was meditating at a lecture by Sri Sri Ravishankar (the founder of the Art of Living Foundation) and I was deep in meditating when I realized that my body was nothing but the Avatar of my higher self/spirit/soul. Slowly as my body breathed I disengaged from it. It was just my body. It was a strange experience and indescribable, but it kind of changed me. I look forward to doing more meditation, I need to find a quiet place however.

So my definition for Avatar will not be defined by any popular culture thing, however it will remind me of Aang, and remind me that we are all just depictions and embodiments of our higherselves.

Now let us admire the beautiful world around us and realize that it depicts something of a higherself in its own ways, and some people call that heaven.