Becoming Your StellarSelf

A Mighty Wind

Yesterday afternoon, we received a call from a meteorologist friend who lives in Memphis. He warned us that a ferocious storm was heading toward our area at a rate of 60 mph and that we might want to take shelter. When he called, the sky had just turned a dark gray, but there was no sign of any immediate danger. However, he seemed very concerned, so we heeded his warning and drove to the nearest sheltered garage. We sat in the cement bunker riding out the storm for about 20 minutes then headed back home. On the radio, we heard that a tornado had touched down just a few roads away from our house.

Upon our return, we found tons of debris on hour street, in our yard, and on our roof. We also noticed that the power was off in all the houses on our side of the street. Our neighbor told us we should take a look down the street where we would see the cause of the power outage. We headed down the block and over one road to find that a huge tree had fallen across the street, and had taken with it about 5 different power lines/cables. Somebody's huge garbage pail had escaped, and sat alone in the stream across the street.

On the next block, we came across a house with a tree that had fallen right into it -- the tree was embedded in the roof. I noticed that there was a TV on in the room where the tree had crashed down through the roof, and through the ceiling of that room. I was worried that there may have been people in that room. There were two cars in the driveway, whose license plates indicated that the residents were likely older folks.

We stopped the car and got out. Just then, another passerby stopped his car. Together, we knocked on the door to see if the occupants were okay. An elderly couple came to the door and said they had been watching the Weather Channel in a room on the other side of the house when it happened. They were fine and were taking it quite well. "We're lucky, and we're well-insured," they smiled.

We ran into them at a restaurant later that evening, and they told us that they were staying in a nearby motel. Because of the intensity of the impact, the fire department was worried the house could collapse, and told them they had to evacuate. The couple told us all of this with out any indication of panic, sadness, or anger. They were just happy that they were okay.

Planning As If the Future Mattered

I took this photo a couple of days ago at Dulles International Airport. I found myself thinking, "Of course the future matters. Why wouldn't I plan accordingly?" As I see it, this phrase can be taken a couple of different ways, depending on where you put your inflection on the words.

On the one hand, it seems rather fatalistic, encouraging us to go ahead with our plans, pretending that the future matters. Or, a more optimistic interpretation could be that we need to look forward, to make a concerted effort to make choices that will have a positive impact on our futures.

But all this forward thinking, and thinking about the future, and what it may hold, has distracted me from the turtle's message, "Enjoy the moment."

I Love My Farmers Market

I was so happy. Yesterday was the first day of the full farmers market in my town. While the organizers had kept it open all winter, the first Saturday in May marked the re-opening of the full-size market featuring twice the number of vendors.

While I have to admit that my local farmers market isn't nearly as photogenic as the one in Downtown Portland, I still have a special fondness. As regularly as we can, my husband and I make it our Saturday morning ritual to head over to the farmers market to buy pesticide-free produce, freshly baked bread, free range meats, and hormone-free dairy products. It's always fun to see the vast array of locals with their reusable bags, smiling and thoroughly enjoying the shopping experience. And it's always encouraging to hear how invested the farmers are in their products, how much passion and thought and care goes into the production of their fruits, vegetables, meats, or dairy products. It makes me realize how removed our "normal" food shopping experience is from the source.

Your local farmers’ market is a great source for whole, natural (sometimes organic) foods. Not only are farmers’ markets an excellent way to support healthful farming, and reduced fuel usage (less transportation is involved in shipping the products) you can’t beat the freshness of fruits and vegetables picked that morning. Food from the supermarket just never tastes that flavorful. For a listing of farmers’ markets in your area, look in your local Yellow Pages, or check out the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) interactive map.

Roman Holiday: Perfetto

We took a day trip to Florence, Firenze, a place I had longed to see since my undergraduate days as an art major. As I had expected, the city was full of famous artwork and architecture at every turn. Even the view from the road leading up to the Ponte Vecchio (seen here) looked like a Renaissance painting.

Yet of all the iconic images we encountered, none could match the magnificence of Michelangelo's David. I took this photo of the replica that stands in the Piazza della Signoria, where the original stood until the 1800s. And while it is an amazing copy, I have never seen anything as exquisite as the original David, which is housed a few blocks away in the Accademia delle Belle Arti. A photograph of the original can be seen on here on Wikipedia.

The original David's 2003 cleaning left it looking immaculate, except for a few toes on his left foot that had been attacked by a vandal in the early 1990s. Standing before this sculpture, I felt humbled and awed. I can only describe it as the closest thing to perfection that I have experienced in my life. We were lucky enough to be in the museum when there were very few people, so were able to view the statue up close, for an extended period of time. We were amazed by the intricate detail -- each of the veins in David's hands and feet were meticulously crafted, the slight wrinkle in his brow, the skin stretched slightly above his belly button.

Photos cannot do justice to the miracle of this sculpture. In person, it is difficult to believe that it is made of marble, of stone, and is not a living, breathing, perfect human. I recalled learning in art history that Michelangelo claimed that he did not create his sculptures, but rather simply released the already-formed pieces from the rocks with which he worked. This concept really hit home in viewing the David -- how could a mere mortal create something so perfect?

Roman Holiday: Love Potion No. 9

As I mentioned in a previous post, one of the things that has struck me about Rome is the interweaving of the sacred and the profane in every part of the city. An example of this was my discovery of an incredibly unique and wonderful store called Ai Monasteri, which features products made in the ancient monastic tradition. This beautiful store, set up like an old pharmacy, carries a variety of wines, liquors, preserves, honeys, beauty products, candies and teas produced by monks from 7 different monasteries throughout Rome. In addition to these more typical souvenir-type products, they also carry a variety of elixirs and remedies, made from ancient recipes. When the store was established in 1894, herbal remedies were their focus. And many of the products are made from recipes dating back to pre-Christian Rome, which were preserved through the writings of the monks during the Middle Ages.

There are remedies for all that ails you, including stress, joint pain, weight control, melancholy, sleep disorders, fatigue, eyesight, cholesterol, circulation, digestion, skin health, coughing, smoking cessation and much more.

One of the elixirs that caught my eye was the Elixir Dell' Amore, which is described as: "The formula and modus operandi used for this “Love Potion” dates back to the 16th century. It was rediscovered in the Ricettario Senese (Sienese Book of Prescriptions) by one of our ancestors at the end of the 19th century. Only ten bottles of this exclusive liqueur are made each year, as it requires an extremely careful, drawn-out process. People were told to drink this elixir when they were not in the mood for love to arouse desire and give them energy. It is made by carefully adding officinal plants during the long distillation process, making this drink extremely tasty and effective."

The other elixir that sparked my interest was the Elixir Della Felicita', described thusly: "Happiness is quite easy to find. Sometimes, often by chance, our thoughts return to the past and we remember and re-live happy moments. Sitting in a comfortable and quiet corner of your home in a peaceful moment with a glass of this herbal liqueur in your hand will almost certainly help you to dig up such lost moments."

If you are interested in their products, they can be ordered through the Ai Monasteri website. Their PDF catalog contains detailed descriptions of their many wonderful products.

Balancing a Full Nest

I am a big advocate of creating balance in one's life, as well as healthy eating. So I was fascinated when I came across a post on the WashingtonPost.com Small Business blog, about Heather Stouffer, a local woman who has created the first line of organic frozen food for kids. Great concept! Stouffer left her full-time job when her son was 7 months old in order to devote her time to creating healthy, convenient for busy families.

A friend of mine left her full-time job to spend more time with her twin boys. Since then, she had another baby. While she enjoyed the intellectual stimulation of work, she knew her top priority was having the opportunity to engage in meaningful work, and to have the flexibility to be available for her family. So she was delighted when some friends asked her to open up a Northern VA branch of their Richmond-based company, Momentum Resources, which specializes in placing highly qualified women in part-time and temporary positions. Momentum was mentioned in a recent Washington Post article, "Career or Family? Yes. Work-Life Gurus, Part-Time Opportunities Help Mothers Get Back on the Job" along with other firms in the DC area that are catering to a growing number of professional women who want flexibility in their schedules.

Momentum is part of a growing number of firms in metropolitan areas spread across the country that are matching employers with these highly qualified moms (several are mentioned in another Washington Post article After a Baby, Full Time or Part?
When Family and Career Collide, Working Mothers Struggle With Their Answers). I find it incredibly encouraging that companies are beginning to realize that there is this vast pool of highly talented women who want to work, and can provide great value to their workplaces, as long as they have the assurance that they can be there for their families as well.

Sakura, Sakura

Sakura Sakura,
Yayoi no sora wa,
miwatasu kagiri,
Kasumi ka kumo ka,
nioi zo izuru,
izaya izaya mini yu kan

Despite the fact that thousands of people are walking around the Tidal Basin at any given time during the blossoming of the cherry trees in DC, there is an incredible air of peacefulness to the place. There is something incredibly moving, even mystical, about the fleeting beauty of the two thousand pink-blossomed trees.

The Hippest Museum in DC

A couple of months ago we visited the National Portrait Gallery for the first time. This was despite the fact that we live 15 mintues away and have visited most of the other Smithsonian museums. We had never bothered because, frankly, it sounded boring. But our curiosity was peaked in January after Stephen Colbert's three part series on his quest to find a home for his portrait. The quest ended with him having the National Portrait Gallery agree to hang it for six weeks just a few steps away from its famous portrait of George Washington -- albeit in the restroom alcove near the Hall of American Presidents (it has since been extended through April 1, 2008).

We decided to stop by figuring it would be a great opportunity to see a bit of American history, and check out the museum in the process. While we were there, we took photos of the portrait, and ourselves with the portrait. Several other people were there doing the same thing, and the guards said that there had been crowds of people stopping by to take a look during peak visiting hours (I've since heard that attendance has doubled since the hanging of Colbert's portrait).

We were glad that we had finally visited the NPG. Besides discovering some classic portraits and American art, we also discovered that a new special exhibit was in the process of being installed -- a tribute to hip-hop culture, which looked really interesting. We decided we should return in a few weeks to see it.

So, yesterday we stopped by the Gallery again. The exhibit, entitled "Recognize: Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture," featured a small, but stunning collection of recent portraits, videos and photography. The hallways were lined with bold, brightly colored, beautiful murals by DC graffiti artists Tim Conlon and Dave Hupp, aka CON and AREK. And in the side rooms, whose walls had been painted in deep jewel tones, hung huge portraits of hip hop artists, such as Ice T and LL Cool J, crafted by Kehinde Wiley in the style of Baroque and Rococo artists, but with a distinctively fresh edge. The murals and portraits were breathtaking in their scale and craftsmanship -- powerful images deftly executed. Even if you can't make it to DC before the exhibit ends in October of this year, you can view much of it online here.

I highly recommend this museum. It is much more innovative and exciting than the name would suggest.

Top: Portrait of LL Cool J by Kehinde Wiley from "Recognize: Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture" exhibit guide book; Middle: Portrait of Stephen Colbert; Bottom: Courtyard atrium in the National Gallery of Art

Happy Holidays from My Home to Yours

This is a little video that my husband and I made. Something about this weird little dog puppet has always brought a smile to my face. Friends who have seen the video have said it is, "Adorable," "Cute," "Fun!" "Awesome" and "Oddly moving." Enjoy!

Dec 17th Bloggers Unite in Acts of Kindness

Last month I wrote about my intention to participate in BlogCatalog's challenge for bloggers to commit an act of kindness, then post about it on December 17. The goal of this effort, dubbed Bloggers Unite in Acts of Kindness, "is to expose their kindness and generosity as well as serve as an example to non-bloggers that volunteering for a charity, donating to a cause, or simply doing something kind for another person has a ripple effect around the world." A few people have expressed the opinion that kindness should be practiced every day, and I wholeheartedly agree. But I also feel that it doesn't hurt to remind ourselves about the power of simple acts of kindness.

So, I decided that I wanted to write about my experience volunteering at a local hospital that offers Reiki to people with cancer, as well as their spouses and caregivers. I am one of almost 40 Reiki practitioners who have signed up as volunteers for a wonderful program that offers a variety of educational and support services, including holistic programs such as meditation and yoga classes, as well as massage and Reiki.

Last week, I gave Reiki to four people -- two people with cancer, one spouse and a caregiver. I find it very satisfying to work with people with cancer, as they find the Reiki sessions very helpful in helping them relax, and it often helps to reduce any pain or discomfort they may be feeling. And the two people I worked with reported feeling much better as a result of the session.

Interestingly, I found that the spouse and caregiver had the "heaviest energy". For those of you who are not energy workers, I'm not sure how to describe it other than to say that I felt something like mild electrical energy flowing through me very strongly and rapidly out through my hands for the entire time I was touching them. I feel this to some extent with everyone, but in their cases, it was much stronger than usual. Both of them fell asleep during their sessions, and woke up with beautifully peaceful smiles on their faces. When I asked how they were feeling, they both said that they felt "wonderful." And I felt that they looked wonderful, too. In receiving this healing touch, the stress and tension on their faces melted away, revealing their true, beautiful, luminous selves.

I felt great satisfaction from the "thank you"s and appreciative smiles, and in return I thanked them for coming in for the program. As with any other act of giving, when one gives Reiki, one also receives it. And as I left the hospital to drive home, I felt light -- in body, mind and spirit.

Resources:
Reiki In Hospitals
Network For Good
Volunteer Match
Goldberg, Carey “For good health, it is better to give, science suggests.” Boston Globe, (November 28, 2003)

Snow rose

On Wednesday, we had a fairly big snowstorm, which lasted all day. I took this photo of our rose bush around noon that day. Up until a couple of weeks ago, the weather was unseasonably warm, so the roses never retreated for the winter. I am fascinated by the juxtaposition of the bright blooms against the white snow cover – I find it beautiful, yet sad. On the one hand, the flowers appear to be surviving despite the harsh conditions, and their cheeriness can be seen as hope in the midst of adversity. On the other hand, it is likely that, unless the weather warms up soon, the blooms will succumb to the cold. It reminds me of the song, "Sakura" which is about the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms in spring, a reminder to appreciate the here and now.

Bloggers Unite in Acts of Kindness

I'm an active participant on BlogCatalog, a bloggers' social networking site. I have found it to be a valuable resource as it has brought me into contact with a wide variety of fellow bloggers whom I might not have otherwise met. BlogCatalog also provides opportunities for bloggers to interact through communities and BlogCatalog-hosted initiatives.

For example, a couple of months ago, BlogCatalog put forth a challenge for bloggers to commit an act of kindness, then post about it on December 17. The goal of this effort, dubbed Bloggers Unite in Acts of Kindness, "is to expose their kindness and generosity as well as serve as an example to non-bloggers that volunteering for a charity, donating to a cause, or simply doing something kind for another person has a ripple effect around the world."

Research has shown that doing nice things for others is a win-win activity. For example, psychologists Kennon Sheldon and Sonja Lyubomirsky developed a Happiness-Inducing Intervention to test whether asking people to “commit” five random acts of kindness, such as feeding a stranger’s parking meter, visiting an elderly relative, or writing a thank you letter, would increase their positive emotions. It was found that committing random acts of kindness made the participants feel happier, more connected to others, and more competent in their daily lives.

As the Dalai Lama has said, “Basically, a human being is a social animal. So, if you create some short moment of happiness for people, you get deep satisfaction.” I plan to participate, and will let you know the details on December 17th!

Other Resources:
Pay It Forward Foundation
Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

Adam Sandler's Thanksgiving Song

Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same for me if I didn't get to listen to Adam Sandler's Thanksgiving Song at least once. This song never fails to put a smile on my face :) Happy Thanksgiving!

First Foray Into Fondant

Whenever I find myself feeling overwhelmed by the number of things on my plate, I take a step back, re-assess and reprioritize. And one of the things I do to lower my stress level is to take some time out to indulge in something for the pure pleasure of it. One of my simple pleasures is baking. Here is a picture of my first fondant-covered cake, which I made for my sister-in-law's birthday

Welcome to the 107th Carnival of Healing

Welcome to the the 107th Carnival of Healing, a weekly round-up of personal blog posts on the topics of holistic health, wellness, spirituality, and self empowerment. Before I begin, I'd like to offer a big thank you to Phylameana lila Désy for creating and nurturing this Carnival.

Now, on with the show...

We received an amazing response to the call for entries, and I want to thank everyone who submitted an article. Following you will find a collection of musings, advice and practical exercises touching upon all aspects of wellbeing -- mind, body and spirit. I have grouped them into categories, in no particular order, by topic:

Some Things to Think About, Some Things to Try:
In her post, Another Driving Meditation: Krishnamurti, Radio and Distractions, Isabella Mori of Change Therapy invites us inside her head to witness a spirited dialogue she has with herself while driving. The part of herself that is seeking distractions from the here-and-now debates the centered part that was hoping to do some driving meditation, while various expert voices chime in with their opinions! She comes to the realization that "thinking about meditating is not the same as meditating; it's just another distraction."

Raymond David Salas over at Zen Chill encourages us to turn to our “miracle activation” button when faced with overwhelming challenges. He then gives us specific instructions for activating it, his thoughts on how and why it works, then encourages us to trust in the wisdom of our higher selves. Read his post, How to Push the "Miracle Activation" Button, to find out more.

Matthew Spears of Loving Awareness offers a meditative exercise that can be done with a partner, or with oneself, to help overcome the false sense of separateness we often fall into. In his post, The Unity In Love, he states that "Love is always a journey towards oneness, toward unity. Loving yourself is loving another, and loving another is loving yourself. Realizing and living this attracts you to experiences that manifest it to you, rather than separation and conflict."

Drawing from the concepts of Imago Relationship Therapy, Alex Blackwell at The Next 45 Years discusses the power struggles that can occur in couples when one or the other partner feels that his/her needs are not being met, and is unable to ask for what is needed in an objective, emotionally-neutral manner. See his post, Power Struggle to Power to Love.

David B. Bohl over at Slow Down Fast Today! points out that we need to think twice when we discount our achievements, not just for our own sake, but for the sake of those around us -- When You Discount Yourself, You Discount Me. "Why can’t we just realize that discounting ourselves hurts others, and have more compassion for them than we show in our self-centered discounting? I believe that if we could just change this one thing in our lives, we could become people we can’t even imagine now."

Motivational Speaker - Craig Harper talks about The Power of An Idea, stating "My objective in sharing these short stories is to impress upon you that anyone can take an idea, build some momentum, overcome a few challenges, deal with the obligatory crap that life dishes out and create something amazing and at the same time re-invent themselves."

On the Metaphysical Side:
Shirley at Fun Spirit says, "We’ve all heard lots of stress relief technique remedies like exercising, eating right, getting enough sleep and relaxing. Now I’m adding one more to the list – meditation with crystals. Sure, to some it may sound silly, stupid, or like mere wishful thinking. How could a stupid rock help anyone relax?" In response to her own question, Shirley refers to some scientific evidence, along with her own observations in her article, Stress relief - rocks that help you relax.

Chris at Martial Development explains that "with the ability to see human auras, it is possible to understand the workings in the human body. Depending on the colors and the intensity of the aura around the individual, the condition of the individual can be deciphered." In his post Developing Your Ability to See Auras, he provides us with some practical exercises for developing our ability to see people's auras.

Addictions:
Jolynn Braley at The Fit Shack discusses a news article about a study on the combined effects of sugar, fat, and salt on laboratory rats. It appears that their brains responded to these substances the same way they would to opium or morphine. In her article, Fast Food, Heroin, and Food Addiction, What’s the Connection?, she reflects on how this may tie in to people's addictions to certain unhealthy foods.

And Tracee Sioux, author of Quit Coping looks back at her history of coping with stress from her new perspective as a non-smoker, and sees things in a different light. "Since a distructive behavior, smoking, clouds every memory and emotion since I was 13 years old do I have to reinvent my own history to let smoking go?" Check out her post Reinventing History.

Physical Health:
Tupelo Kenyon extols the virtues of five simple exercise that can be done by almost anyone for an investment of just 15-20 minutes per day. Read his article 5 Tibetan Rites - Easy Yoga for Busy People to learn about the benefits he has reaped from his simple, but effective daily practice.

Debra Moorehead at DebraMoorehead.com (who, by the way, will be hosting next week's Carnival). How Amanda Lost 35 Pounds in Six Months Debra presents her first podcast, an interview with Amanda Faris who lost 35 pounds in six months by following Debra's diet that she had posted last year.

Jeni at Savvy Skin reminds you to Protect Your Skin When You Fly. She encourages you to use moisturizer in order to offset some of the drying effects of airplane travel, and offers up some product recommendations.

Matt Wolfe, guest blogger at Be Healthy and Relax offers some tips on How To Relax for sports fans whose teams didn't make it to the playoffs, and anyone else in need of some stress relief :)

Fitbuff at FitBuff.com's Total Mind and Body Fitness Blog sings the praises of the New Wii Fitness Game Coming Soon (to a store near you in early 2008), which allows you to have fun while burning calories. While the current wii is very interactive, "the Wii Fit will incorporate a 'Wii Balance Board' that will sense the player's full body motion, allowing for jumping, leaning, and endless other possibilities."

Societal Health:
In her article, Socially Sustainable, Lisa Nave makes a case for social sustainability, saying that "When we practice environmental sustainability, we act in accord with what is healthy for the earth as a whole. We let our knowledge in science and nature guide our actions. When we practice social sustainability, we act in accord with what is healthy for humanity." She outlines some of the ways in which she envisions it, then invites you to contemplate ways in which you can make your life more socially sustainable.

Jimmy Atkinson at Nursing Online Education Database lays out some major healthcare policy issues and how 9 of the presidential candidates (Democratic and Republican) stand on those issues in his article Comparison: Presidential Candidates on Major Healthcare Issues.

And that's it for this week's Carnival!
For more information or to see past Carnival of Healing submissions and guidelines, please visit the Carnival of Healing homepage. And, if you didn't have a chance to view last week's Carnival of Healing, you can find it at Therapeutic Reiki.

Drugs Not Hugs

Having witnessed first-hand a glimpse of the seemingly infinite supply of hugs being provided by Amma, the hugging saint, when she was in the DC area. And having been moved and inspired by the Free Hugs Campaign video, I was saddened to see a recent article in the Washington Post Express' EyeOpeneners section entitled "Somewhere, a Care Bear Just Died" about a middle school in Illinois where hugging has been banned. Apparently the principal, Victoria Sharts, feels that the hugging is excessive and has been causing tardiness and hallway traffic jams. Sharts was quoted as saying, "Hugging is really more appropriate for airports or for family reunions than passing and seeing each other every few minutes in the halls." If that were the case, most people would receive just a handful of hugs per year, at most. :(

Not only are hugs nice, research has shown time and again the importance of human touch on the mind and body. For example, in an experiment by psychologist James Coan of the University of Virginia, in collaboration with Dr. Hillary Schaefer and Dr. Richard J. Davidson of the University of Wisconsin, married women were subjected to a stress-inducing activity. Those who received a comforting touch from their husbands experienced a immediate and significant reduction of activity in the area of their brains that becomes active during fear, danger, and threat. While not as strong as that from their spouses, comforting touch from a stranger also had measurably positive effects.

Also, ongoing research by Tiffany Field, PhD, of the University of Miami School of Medicine, has shown that massage is effective in reducing stress, depression, anxiety, pain and in boosting the immune system. And a 2004 study by Christopher Moyer, James Rounds, and James Hannum at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign found that having multiple therapeutic massage treatments over time reduced depression and anxiety at rates equivalent to those produced by traditional psychotherapy.

Scientific studies aside, adolescence is a developmental stage where feeling connected and cultivating intimate relationships is crucial. So, while I understand her need to maintain order in her school, I think that Sharts edict is misguided. Perhaps she just needs a hug.

StellarSelf Hosting 107th Carnival of Healing: Request for Content!

On Saturday, October 13th, Becoming Your StellarSelf is hosting the 107th Carnival of Healing. The Carnival of Healing is a weekly round-up of personal blog posts on the topics of holistic health, wellness, spirituality, and self empowerment. If you have written a recent post on any of these topics, I would love to include it in the Carnival. (please, no more than 1 entry per author)

So, if you have a post that you would like included in the October 13th Carnival, please submit your link using the online submission form by Friday, October 12th. For more information or to see past Carnival of Healing submissions and guidelines, please visit the Carnival of Healing.

Thank you! I look forward to seeing your submissions!

#106 - Oct 06 2007: hosted by Therapeutic Reiki — We Are One World Healing
#107 - Oct 13 2007: hosted by Becoming Your StellarSelf
#108 - Oct 20 2007: hosted by Debra Moorehead (fellow Priscilla Palmer Self-Development lister!)

Bob's Birthday

This past weekend, we helped celebrate my father-in-law's 80th birthday! Despite having experienced some serious health problems on and off over the past 20 years, he is a pretty hearty guy. I'm guessing that it has a lot to do with several aspects of his life that he nourishes, which have been shown to contribute to longevity – he values his family and friends and has a great support network, he is an active member of his local church, and he loves to laugh.

If you are a man of any age, the CDC offers some great Tips for a Healthy Life for Men on their website.

Teach Your Children Well

I was enamored with an article by Pat Burson in the September 17th issue of Newsday entitled "Raising Grateful Children" based on an interview with Jeffrey Froh, PsyD, who is Assistant Professor of School-Community Psychology at Hofstra University. Froh's research focuses on the development of gratitude in children and adolescents, and in the article he offers suggestions for ways that parents can help model and cultivate an attitude of gratefulness in their children.

For example, parents can make sure to express gratitude for the things and people in their lives ("I'm so thankful that I have such loving people in my life"). They can also make it a point to acknowledge their children's expression of gratitude ("That was very nice of you to thank your sister for sharing").

And Froh practices what he preaches – he has been helping his 10-month-old son write thank you notes and keep a gratitude journal since his son was 3 months old :)

I wanted to find out more about Froh's work, so I took a look at his website. In his research, he has found that cultivating gratitude in one's life leads to many positive things including goal striving and achievement motivation. It can also buffer against materialism and foster intrinsic goal pursuit (pursuit of goals for personal satisfaction rather than external reward). People with intrinsic goals report higher levels of well-being than those with external, materialistic goals.

As an applied developmental psychologist, I was happy to see the mainstream media promoting positive parenting practices. It's nice to read about what parents can do to raise happy, healthy children. It's also great to see researchers like Froh advancing the field of positive psychology – an area from which we can all benefit.

People Who Knead People

I was recently given a gift certificate for a massage, which I redeemed almost immediately! I find few things more relaxing than letting go and allowing someone else to pamper me by gently but firmly rubbing and kneading my shoulders and back. Delicious! While it is a wonderful, affordable luxury to have a professional massage, you can reap the benefits of this healing touch at home. There are many books, tapes and websites with information on self-massage. Or you can schedule a guided massage session, like my husband and I did a couple of months ago at my favorite spa, in which you can learn basic massage techniques that you can use at home.

Ongoing research by Tiffany Field, PhD, of the University of Miami School of Medicine, has shown that massage is effective in reducing stress, depression, anxiety, pain and in boosting the immune system. Field believes that massage accomplishes these various healthful effects by prompting the body to release serotonin and decrease the stress hormone cortisol. When cortisol decreases, stress is reduced and immune cells are stimulated. And a 2004 study by Christopher Moyer, James Rounds, and James Hannum at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign found that having a massage is highly effective in reducing anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate. The study was a meta-analysis, one in which they examined the results of 37 different research studies on the effects of therapeutic massage. The most interesting finding occurred when the authors took into account studies that involved multiple massage treatments over time – it was found that depression and anxiety were reduced in the participants at rates equivalent to those produced by traditional psychotherapy.

Moyer and his colleagues did not come to any conclusions as to why massage is so effective in treating depression and anxiety, yet it appears to be highly therapeutic for the body and mind – a testament to the healing power of touch. For more information on massage, or to find a massage therapist near you, you can visit the American Massage Therapy Association's website and just enter your zip code.

Where The Hell Is Matt?

Agnes De Mille said, "To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking." Dance is a universal language, and when we dance, or we watch others dance, we are taken out of the mundane, lifted to a higher plane. At the very least, watching someone dance can make us smile.

I first heard about Matt Harding in 2005. He was from my neck of the woods in Connecticut, and although I didn't know him, after watching his video, I considered him a kindred spirit.

Back then, the video loaded directly from his site (and a couple of mirror sites), usually pretty slowly. It was worth the wait -- the video features Matt dancing unabashadly, in the same goofy shuffling manner, in various exotic locations all over the world as locals look in with amusement. His dance is simple, sweet, innocent, and he looks as if he is the most content person in the world. The contrast of this "regular" looking American guy against the backdrop of so many diverse backgrounds, makes for a beautiful, wordless story line. Accompanying the mesmerizing images is a hauntingly beautiful, dreamy soundtrack featuring “Sweet Lullaby Dancing Remix” by Deep Forest.

Since that time, Matt has traveled some more, and made more videos. What I loved about that first video was the juxtapositions -- as he traveled from Thailand, to India to Africa to South America -- he remained a constant. A happy, dancing guy rising above the diversity of his surroundings.

I recently received an email announcing that Matt will be making a new video featuring lots of dancers, not just him (I had written him a "Hi, neighbor!" email back in 2005, and had received a personal response. This was the first "news" email I received). He'll be filming in Boston on September 12 and NYC on September 14. He'll also be in other US cities. If you want to dance with him, and many others, you can find out how my emailing him -- his email address is available on his website.

Positive Thinking Day

Kirsten Harrell, over at Think Positive! has been participating in Positive Thinking Day by having people nominate the most positive folks they know by writing essays about them. The subjects of the most impressive entries are then eligible for a variety of prizes. April Groves of My Beautiful Chaos is the winner of an autographed copy of my book. Congratulations, April!

The Meme-ing of Life

In the spirit of the W-List, life coach and blogger Priscilla Palmer has created a list of outstanding self-development bloggers. She contacted me to let me know that I have been tagged, so it is my turn to nominate self-development blogs I admire. I'm flattered to be listed amongst this collective of bloggers from a wide array of perspectives.

Priscilla's intention for the list, in her words, is:

Personal development is a large topic that includes but is not limited to (law of attraction, goals, time management, physical fitness, education, motivation, inspiration, and social skills). This list should include any blog you feel can benefit us in our growth process.

Below I have started a list of my favorite blogs/bloggers, and I have tagged each of them to add to it on their own blogs. I would like to take this list just one step further, and ask that once you have added to the list you let me know. That way I can update my list to include all of your wonderful additions.

Here are my recommendations, in alphabetical order, followed by the list:

E Murphy at The Active Life [Please note corrected link]
Lisa McGlaun at LifePrints - Good News for a More Compassionate World
Lynn McTaggert at Living the Field
Monte Ladner at Fitness Rocks

Personal Development List (up to date):

Aaron Potts at Today is That Day
Adam Alexander at Adam’s Peace
Adam Kayce at Monk at Work
Adam Khoo at Adam Khoo’s Philosophies and Investing Insights
AgentSully at Life Learning Today
April Groves at Making Life Work For You
Argancel at C’eclair (for those who speak french)
Ash aka Mr. Biggs at One Powerful Word
Al at 7pproductions.com
Alan Torres at Made to Be Great
Alex Shalman at AlexShalman.com
Alexander Kjerulf at The Chief Happiness Officer
Alexys Fairfield at Unraveling The Spiritual Mystique
Albert Foong at urbanmonk.net
Alvaro at Sharp Brains Blog
Amber at Random Mangus
Amie Ragan at Psychology of Clutter
Amy Hedin at There is no Maximum to Human Potential
Andrea Learned at Learned on Women
Andrea J. Lee at Money, Meaning, and Beyond
Andy Wibbels at AndyWibbels.com
Anita Pathik Law at Power of four Way
Anmol Mehta at AnmolMetha.com
Anna Farmery at The Engaging Brand
Antonio Thornton at AntonioThornton.com
Ariane Benefit at Neat & Simple Living
Ask Lucid at Ask Lucid Spiritual Development
Barb Melloh at The Law of Attraction Info
Barbara Sliter at Creatorship
Belle Wong at Abundance Journal
Bill Perry at Lucid Blog
Billy Smith at The Organic Leadership Blog
Blogfuse at LifeDev
Brad Isaac at Achieve It
Brian Clark at Copyblogger
Brian Kim at briankim.net
Brian Lee at geniustypes.com
Brooke at Plain Advice
Bob at everyeveryminute
Cam Beck at ChaosScenario
Cara Lumen at The Success Magnets With Cara Luman and Your Second Wind Blog
Carlon Haas at Possess Less Exist More
Catherine Carter at Continuum Wellness
Chris Cree at SuccessCREEations
Chris Marshall at Martial Development
Chris Melton at Soupornuts.com
Chris Owen at Pink Apple
Christine Kane at ChristineKane.com
Christine Valters Painter at Abbey of the Arts
Clyde at Feeling Good
Colin Beavan at No Impact Man
Conceive, Believe, Achieve at Conceive, Believe, Achieve
Crabby McSlacker at Cranky Fitness
Craig Harper at Motivational Speaker
Curt Rosengren at Occupational Adventure
Cyres at Cyres Matters
Damian Carr at Soul Terminal
Daniel Sitter at Idea Sellers
Darren Rowse at Problogger.net
Dave Schawbel at The Personal Branding Blog
Dave Schoof at Engaging the Disquiet
Davers at Language Trainers Blog
David Allen at The David Allen Company
David Bohl at Reflections on Balance
David Fitch at David Fitch.com
David Richeson at 360 Degree Success
David Rogers at How to Have Great Self Confidence
David Seah at David Seah.com
David Zinger at Slacker Manager
Dawud Miracle at dmiracle.com
Dean Lacono at Law of Attraction for Beginners
Debbie Call at Spirit In Gear
Debbie LaChusa at 10 Step Marketing Collection
Debra Moorhead at Debra Moorhead.com
Denise Mosawi at Destineering.com
Des Walsh at Thinking Home Business
Devlyn Steele at Tools To Life Guide
Dick Richards at Come Gather Round
Dominic Tay at Personal Development for Winners
Don Simkovich at Hey Don
Donald Latumahina at Life Optimizer
Donna Karlin at Perspectives
Donna Steinhorn at Rethinking
Douglas Eby at Talent Development Resources
Dr. Charles Parker at The Core Psych Blog
Dr. Hal at Northstar Mental fitness blog
Drew Rozell at Drew Rozell.com
Dwayne Melancon at Genuine Curiosity
Edward Mills at Evolving Times
Ellen Weber at Brain Based Business
Emily G. W. Lilly at The Science of Waldorf Education
Emmanuel Lopez at The Adventures of Motivatorman
Ellesse at Goal Setting College
Elly Jolly at Jolly Life Coaching
Enoch Tan at Mind Reality
Eric Napier at Quotation Collection
Erin Pavlina at Erin Pavlina.com
Frank Kanu at Frank Uncovers Excellence in Leadership
Frank Roche at KnowHR Blog
Galba Bright at Tune Up Your EQ
Gary at Personal Strategic Plan
Gilad Buchman at Sigsug
Gleb Reys at Personal Development Ideas
Grayson at Modern Worker Blog
Greg Butler at holistic-personal-development.com
Greg Frost at