The Chopra Centre

I've just returned from the most amazing week in the Chopra Center California. Having qualified in Ayurvedic Health with the Chopra centre some years ago, I went to add to my qualification by becoming certified in Primordial Sound Meditation and all I can say is... WOW!

Although, we were put through the paces with 3 exams - including Sanskrit (and spelling counts!) the week reminded my why I started on this path in the first place. The love and support you receive and give feels safe, natural, detoxifying and most of all rejuvenating; giving you a renewed love of life.

Primordial Sound meditation is incredibly easy to learn and perfect for all those Vatas out there who think they could never meditate!

So,I encourage oyu - find a Primordial Sound teacher in your area - I work from the Howth area and have some city centre appointments also. Other teachers I can recommend are Mary Callahan & Mark Cleary. It's a life long gift to yourself and everyone you come into contact with.

As for the Chopra Center...since I've been back I've been getting comments like - have you lost weight? ...And the best yet from my other half.....You look ten years younger....aaahhhhh.

Namasté
Siobhan

PS: mention a Chopra certified instructor's name when booking a course to automatically recive a discount(:

Green eggs and ham

Green Eggs and Ham - Perfect Vata grounding food, great for breakfast or any time of the day for that matter!

INGREDIENTS
75g pesto
1 egg
75g flour
150ml semi-skimmed milk
oil for frying
5 large thin slices of hamServing Size : Makes 5

Blend or whisk together the pesto, egg, flour and milk to make a batter.
2

Oil a crêpe pan or heavy-based frying pan, wiping away any excess oil with some kitchen paper, and place over a medium heat.
3.
Ladle in approximately 100ml of batter, swirling instantly to gain a paper-thin crêpe.
4.
Once the top becomes dry and the edges lift away, flick it over with a thin rubber or wooden spatula to cook the other side for about 30 seconds.
5.
Layer the pancakes between pieces of baking parchment or greaseproof paper as you go, and when you have finished making them, lay a slice of ham on each one and roll up or fold into triangles – or however you like!

- Nigella Express Cookbook

Gazpacho

Gazpacho ingredients:
For 6 - 8 people
1 1/4kg ripe tomatoes
1/2 medium onion
1/2 standard cucumber
a clove of garlic
juice of half a lemon (optional)
1 green pepper (the long thin type)
some slightly stale bread
1 cup olive oil
2 soup spoons vinegar

Blanch the tomatoes, then remove the skin and seeds (use your thumb)
Chop up the tomatoes, onion, cucumber and green pepper. Don't worry about chopping them too small as they are all going into the food blender.Now put each ingredient in the blender and blend. Then put the gazpacho through a sieve. This will get rid of the tomato seeds and skin if you left them on and any other lumps. At this stage you can add water to get the thickness that you want.

Garnish with diced cucumber, green or red peppers and roughly chopped coriander.

Cool cucumber and mint

Cucumber (peeled), 1 large

chopped mint, 15 leaves

Honey, 2 tbsp

Spring water

Top Tip: A nice addition is to add fresh watermelon to the above ingredients

Peel, chop fruits. Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Adjust honey & spring water to taste.

Opening up to Changes

There's no doubt there's lots of change going on about us. I can be a bit slow to embrace change at times and a typical example of this came up recently. I have a larder cupboard in my kitchen for the last 5 years that has only ever half opened, I never really questioned it, as it was always like that. One day, a friend opened the cupboard and asked 'why doesn't it open fully?' 'I don't know' I replied 'That's just the way it's always been' He asked if I had a screwdriver, which I handed him and low and behold within seconds he had freed up the obstruction, allowing for the first time, the larder to be fully extended. Needless to say, I was delighted.

However, a few weeks later I noticed I was still only half opening the larder. You see, although the obstruction was cleared I had become so conditioned to only being able to open the cupboard half way that even though this whole extra space and ease of use had been opened to me - I hadn't let go of my conditioning that I could only pull the door so far. It's a small analogy but it made me wonder how many metaphorical doors had been opened to me but fear or conditioning stopped me form going through. We are often prisoners of our own negative self talk, thoughts or our belief systems, which can leave us trapped in non nourishing situations, emotions or relationships. It reminds me of the definition of madness - doing the same thing again and again but expecting a different result! So, it was a small tigger but for me every time I open that press it reminds me to 'expand' my beliefs and 'open' up to new possibilities and positive changes because unless we give ourselves permission to do so we may never get off the merry go round of negativity or be able to reach the jam jar(:

Return to Wholeness

Return to Wholeness - Embracing Body, Mind and Spirit an the Face of Cancer written by David Simon MD - medical director, the Chopra Centre for Well Being.

This wonderful book was recommended to me by a friend of mine who had meet many people through his work at the Chopra Centre who had benefited from the wisdom contained in it's pages. Now, some years later I too would recommend it to people who have received a diagnois of cancer.

Dr Simon teaches the value of integrating the best of traditional medicine with Ayurvedic principles to bring you on the path to wellness. The book covers topics such as emotional turmoil, nutritional healing, emotional healing and approaching common cancers from a mind-body perspective.




The book is available from Chopra.com/store or Amazon.co.uk

Love Relationships

We learn to love by being loved and accepting that love. Knowing we are loved is the most importnat lesson learned in childhood.

If we dread the love relationship, we select someone for whom there are no strong feelings of attachment so that we can cut that person off without feeling a sense of loss. in that way, we can reject the love object first.

If we sought out someone we could really love, it would be more painful to reject and be rejected.

In that way. we can reject the love object first.

Mushrooms, Green tea & Breast Cancer

According to a recent study at the University of western Australia eating 9.5 of mushrooms a day can cut your risk of breast cancer by two thirds.

In another study in China found that women who increased their consumption of mushrooms with regular consumption of green tea saw an even greater benefit with further reduction in risk.

Further studies are needed but tests so far show the fungi has anti-tumour properties and can stimulate the immune system's defences.

Pepper Stir Fry

Pepper Stir Fry

Wonderfully tasty for lunch this receipe is great for balancing Kapha - the Dosha which is most likely to carry extra pounds & igniting Agni - your digestive fire.

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 tbsp black bean sauce
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 medium peppers yellow, red & green - deseeded and roughly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1cm piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 red onions, cut into thin wedges
Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
Calories per serving: 113kcals

Method:
Mix the black bean sauce with the vinegar, honey and soy sauce, and set aside.
Put the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. When hot, add the peppers and stir-fry for a few minutes, until they just start to colour. Add the garlic, ginger and onions and stir-fry for a few more minutes, until the onions have softened a little.
Add the soy sauce and bean mixture to the wok and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Check the seasoning, remove from the heat and serve, garnished with the coriander leaves.