Yes, something is brewing... Can you feel it?

Dearest friends and community:

Yes, something is brewing!... can you feel it?

Sure thing, here in Canada the sun in shinning, it is -30something outside!- yet something is brewing... the heart fire within me has sparked, calibrated and is ready to ignite...

First and foremost I want to thank you for being a witness to this wild ride of mine. Your have allowed me, stood by me, and supported me to discover and explore this Brave New World.

So I invite you now to come along for the ride, to stay curious, to discover, uncover, tap into, and dive within your own very hearts!

rawllygood is stepping into it's next evolution! a space dedicated to sharing tools for the self-transformation that is the process of alignment of body, mind and soul.

rawllygood.com is soon to come, oh so soon! to you.

In the meantime, you can sign up for rawllygoodness to come to you directly right here:

http://eepurl.com/baVjt5

Please know that this blogspot will still live, but soon enough the posts and the rawllygoodness will be coming directly from rawllygood.com!

So subscribe! and live what you love, cause it's all good, rawllygood!

May this year bring Grace, Peace & Hope into your lives and may you re calibrate your heart compass with Love.

All in rawllygood times,

Your hope activist,

Naty Howard

quote of the week

"Let your heart be your compass, your mind your map, your soul your guide... and you will never get lost."- Unknown.

When one door closes, another one opens... wide open!

It's an old saying.. "When one door closes, another one opens".  But what happens if we are really attached to what we do, where we are at, our passions, dreams and desires?  What happens when the door closes, when we realize that if we want to have a different result, we are going to have to change what we are doing?  At first, fears happens.  Then a lot of questioning happens.  Perhaps some anger.  But then answers also start to happen.  Then a deeper sense of how much we have changed, and what the desires behind some of our dreams really are.  A different level of peace and trust enters into my heart and I surrender, I accept, I move, I breathe, I get onto my mat, I connect with the Wisdom of Spirit within me.  I surrender to the Magic of it all, because I feel it giving life to the beating of my heart.

As some of you know I used to work as a photographer.  I still do it, but not as much as before.  Then I got sick with large quantities of Heavy Metals in my blood that were causing all sorts of reactions.  Then I got tired of being sick and having no answers.  Then I started listening deep within and my life changed.  Everything is the same, yet EVERYTHING has changed.  There was a time in my life when all I breathed, ate and dreamed about was photography.  I couldn't imagine my life without it.  As I continued to heal, I went back to painting.  I need that creative outlet of artistic expression.  It has been my calling for so long.... but for the last couple of months... I started to react to the subtle and not so subtle scents and fumes of the acrylic paint.  Ahhhhh.  What? No! Again? Yes!

I have felt fear, I have felt anger that I can't do things that I love because of how they affect my body.  I have struggled with it.  But I have also sat with it.  I asked questions and received answers.  I surrendered to the powers above, and awoke to a magical world of synchronicity, love and spirit.  As I meditate with it, I realize that most of my work as a photographer and a painter where about the human connection and my own connection to Spirit. Photographically, they were documentary stories about our social conditions, a lot where about the rituals that keep our connection alive.  As a painter, I was fascinated with painting the feeling and energy of a landscape as a way to journey to Spirit.

As that door closes, it doesn't mean that I will stop, but the ways in which I can work both photographically and through painting have to change, a bigger door opens! The softening of the heart, the forgiveness to self, others and lives's circumstances is allowing me to trust in the ability of the Universe to guide me, to allow for personal transformation and a more intimate and deep connection to Spirit.  All sort of wonderful synchronicity, magical moments & people keep showing up in my life and I am most grateful for the awe I feel inside. So another door opens and it's all Rawllygood.  This brave new world has brought me into a different understanding and relationship with myself and with Spirit.  I accept.  I surrender. My heart is open.

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"Kindness in words creates confidence.  Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.  Kindness in giving creates love."- Lao Tzu

The Power of the Human Heart....

I hope all is well, wherever you may be.  I recently had the opportunity to photograph my friend Maickel Melamed walk the Chicago Marathon 2013, he was the last man to cross the line with a time of 16hr46min. Yes, you read it right.  I wrote an article along with a photo essay of his journey that was published by Elephant Journal Magazine. So please have a read!

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2013/10/the-power-of-the-human-heart-natalie-schonfeld-howard/

Maickel is an incredible person, with an even more incredible soul. He has made it his mission to inspire people worldwide to follow their dreams!, to reach out! and make them happen despite challenges, circumstances and obstacles that appear along the way.  As Maickel says, "Your life is the most beautiful gift you have."  And with that comes the power of Choice.  I am not sure where in the world you are reading this from, but here in Canada, we have the freedom of speech, most of us have the power to choose our lives and make our dreams happen.  But through conditioning, or limited beliefs we close ourselves to the world, we close ourselves to ourselves.  We stop believing.  We stop believing in our selves and in our potential for change, for peace, for a better world.  It is when we encounter inspirational people like Maickel that have made it happen for themselves that a spark gets lit within and we find ourselves making different choices, or perhaps making the same choice with a different awareness.

A deeper question comes up for me, how can I be of service to the world, became a charged inspirational seed for others and how do I extend a hand to those who do not experiences the same personal liberties that I do?  I don't know what the answer is, but I know that it is within my heart.  Perhaps it is within yours too.

So for now, I offer you a read, sit with it... and allow it to touch your heart and let it blossom.

I previously wrote about Maickel on Day5 of my juice fast... long long ago!

May your days be filled of conscious choices,
In peace,
Naty Howard.

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No No No... Of course I have not forgotten about you!... and Yes! It's Official!

The days seem to roll on and goodness, gracious we are in June already!

I hope you have been well... I have been a busy bee... and thus my lack of communication.. but it's all all right .. I am still here...

Last Sunday night, I had the privilege of hosting the first ever Rawllygood Potluck at our place. With family and friends we gathered and lead the way to one of many Potlucks to be had.  So ITS OFFICIAL! The Rawllygood Potluck is here to stay... on the first Sunday of the month between 5 -7pm.  So gather yourselves and come on by for a Rawllygood time full of inspiration, community and great people who strive to build a wholesome community.  No worries, you don't have to be Raw Vegan to come on by.. just have an open heart and a willing to try new things, that is all.  Actually, I was the only Raw vegan at this pot!, but I am full of luck in that as friends and family we respect each other's choices recognizing that we have a common desire to reconnect with the power of clean real fresh food and the power that as our community grows so does our awareness of our current environment and our awareness to be of support to one another.

Our next Rawllygood Potluck will be on Sunday July 7th, 5 - 7pm.  The potluck will be at our place (8641 concession 2, Mt. Albert/ Uxbridge, ON-- beware of GPS they will take you to the moon before they find our place!) but we have an opportunity to gather earlier at my friend's Anne and her husband Mike Lanigan Organic Farm for their Annual Farm tour.  It's bound to be a great day, can't get any fresher than that! From the farm to the table!

The Organic Farmhouse Garden Tour starts at 2.30pm and it is a Rain or Shine event.  Dress for the weather.  No pets please.  They do a great tour of their organic farm, it is an eye opener!.  Their address is 30 Scugog Line 12, Uxbridge, On.

So if you are interested in coming out, you can meet us there or meet us here for 5pm. If you are interested in coming only to the Potluck, let me know, and I will let you know where we are.  Either way please RSVP so that we have an idea of the numbers we are expecting.

Details of the Rawllygood Potluck:

Please bring a Raw Beegan dish of your own creation (I am ok with using raw honey as a sweetener, more on that follows, but keeping it Vegan otherwise) . Enough for the confirmed number of people to sample. Organic, dairy/egg free, plant based, meat free, not heated over 41C or 105F, along with a list of ingredients or recipe!! I will try my best to post some of the AWESOME recipes on the Blog.

Please AVOID the use of Agave syrup. IF your recipe calls for it you can use RAW cane sugar, dates or raw honey. Agave syrup is basically Fructose! and it will mess around with your blood sugars. More on that at http://rawllygood.blogspot.ca/2013/01/farewell-agave-farewell-hello-queen-bee.html

I know some of you are completely Vegan. We will do our best to respect that.

  

There are many websites to find inspiration such as:

www.rawllygood.blogspot.ca

www.goneraw.com

www.giveittomeraw.com

www.runningraw.com

www.hippocratesinst.org

I will be sending reminders of it on a monthly basis.

Please RVSP back to me so that I can have an idea of the numbers and we can all plan our dishes accordingly.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY 

“True wisdom lies in gathering the precious things out of each day as it goes by.”- Anonymous

In Loving Memory of those who lead with a golden heart...

I had finally sat down after a long break away from the computer to write about Spring and about releasing the 'someting old' to invite something new.... when we heard the news.. news that make you stop in your tracks, feel a low thump on your heart, deeply appreciate every second that we have and begin to grasp at the fact that we don't have all the answers for the way things happen, that life is more complex and intricate and fragile (if I may) than we would like to think.

I know a lot of you who read this blog are part of our community and are already dealing with the news. On friday morning, the Dunsmuir family passed away in their house due to a fire. Details are not clear, but what is clear is the loss that we all feel.

In our community the Dunsmuirs were the golden heart that lead the way to heart felt interactions, that gave the community strength, courage, and compassion.  Mrs. Dunsmuir was the Director of the Queensville Montessori Academy up until 2010, where our kids attended school. A small school full of humanity, openness, universal thinking and awareness. It was an extention of home.  It was full of heart, love, integrity, respect and devotion.

I believe that as we interact with one another a small part of ourselves gets left behind, I see it as a gift, an inspiration, a blessing. Mrs. Dunsmuir's blessing that will always be a part of me was her golden heart, for when one leads life with a golden heart, there is a different resonance to one's actions, words, thoughts, there is a different quality to our life. She walked her talk with a smile.

I would like to honour and dedicate this meditation to the Dunsmuir family (parents, Kevin and Jennifer, teenage sons, Robert and Cameron.). To David, their other son who was away at University. and to the community at large.

When we meditate we align ourselves and connect with universal energy, we connect with the source, and we connect with our environment and the people that surround us. For all of you in our community, this meditation is for us to feel connected with the blessings they gave to us. For those of you who perhaps never met the Dunsmuirs, this meditation is for connecting with the blessings and inspirations others have left for you and for leading your life with a golden heart.



The Connection and Golden Heart Meditation

1. Close your eyes and sit in a comfortable position. Breathe, deeply, a few times.

2. Begin to feel your body relax and let go of the stresses it feels.
Focus on your head, and feel your head relax as you gently exhale.
Focus on your face, and feel you face relax as you gently exhale.
Focus on your neck, and feel your neck relax as you gently exhale.
Go through your whole body. Neck, shoulders, arms, hands. Chest, upper abdomen, lower abdomen, organs. Hips, legs, knees, ankles, feet.

3. Come back to your breath. Focus on your breath for 5 rounds of inhalation and exhalation.

4. As you inhale, visualize a beam of golden light entering your heart chakra. Feel its radiance, warmth and love. Feel it filling up your heart chakra (upper chest) with golden light. Continue to be aware of your breath as you feel the golden light begin to travel freely all over your body, bringing along with it radiance, warmth, love, support. Connect with the blessings and inspirations others have left for you. Feel the beauty of life, feel the grace of a helping hand, feel the warmth and the depth of your own heart. Feel this golden light bring in new, fresh, vital energy into your body. Begin to feel refreshed. Begin to feel the lightness of your body as if a huge weight has been lifted of your shoulders. Feel the lightness and love in your heart.

5. Now visualize the golden energy flowing from your heart into the hearts of those around you, into your environment, into loved ones far away and into strangers nearby. This golden energy expands from your heart outwards into the world. Take some time to experience this flow of energy.

6. Come back to your breath. Come back to feeling the golden energy in your heart chakra and filling your whole body with it. Feel the gratitude in your heart for the blessings and inspirations others have given us and for the time shared together. Allow this gratitude to carry your own golden heart into the world. Focus on the inhale and the exhale a few times and then softly open your eyes.

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"When my tears come, I breathe deeply and rest. I know I am swimming in a hallowed stream where many have gone before. I am not alone, crazy or having a nervous breakdown..... My heart is at work, my soul is awake. "- Mary Margaret Funk. (Thoughts Matter: The Practice of a Spiritual Life)

Brr.. honey it's cold outside! Its time to warm the heart up..

What better time to connect with the energy of Love than when its -10C outside and the mother Snow Fall, right?

It's time to open our hearts and warm them up!

It's time to connect with Love, it's time to share the goods and as importantly it's time to receive them back tenfold! I believe if we follow through with our intentions, if we hold them present in our mind through our day, if we commit to ourselves to pursue them, to pursue inner peace, love, happiness whatever it is you wish to pursue...  if we continue to show up...  IT happens. IT comes to us. IT fills our lives and our hearts until there only is room for IT.

So to celebrate whatever IT means to you in this cold February month I want to share a few things in hope of offering warmth and love to your hearts.... ready? of course you are...

so here we go..

Something borrowed, 

something blue, 

something old, 

something new, 

something rawllygood!

SOMETHING BORROWED: INSPIRATION

I would have to say one of the best things I borrow is inspiration. People, Things, Doings that keep me going, that bring a smile to my face, and the feeling of peace to my heart. Its quite easy to go through our days in autopilot mode. I have been there plenty of days.. but what happens when we take the time to do things differently?. When we start the day by reading something that inspires us, when we start the day with a warm embrace, when we go the extra mile for a stranger nearby, the day just simply seems to be a better day...

A few of my favourite borrowed inspirations are:

books by the Dalai Lama
Raw Food cookbooks (I just love them too much!)
dreaming of playing in my Garden when spring comes around!
Chanting music by Brenda McMorrow to meditate with
Singing Bowls music by Darren Austin Hall
Deepak Chopra
Kriss Carr
Caroline Dupont
Ananda Yoga Studios
Art Galleries
anything that makes me stop, breathe and smile!

RECIPE WITH SOMETHING BORROWED:  Homemade KOMBUCHA (Fermented Tea Drink)

Kombucha is a brew of fermented tea that is jam packed with probiotics, it alkalizes the body, it is high in antioxidants, and it is believed to aid in digestions, improve metabolism, and detoxify the liver. I love it when the list of goodness is long... 

There are many ways of making Kombucha, but to start it one must have a Scoby starter, you can either borrow one or buy one.. I personally believe in the power of passing on the goodness, and the goodness of a Kombucha Scoby came to me from my friend Kim. A Scoby is the spore that ferments the tea, and during the process of fermentation it gets bigger filling up the top of your glass jar (if you do it that way). The process of fermentation can last anywhere between 10- 14 days depending on your conditions (how cold/hot/dark/light your environment is). The Scoby spore itself is not to be consumed, but rather kept in about an inch of the fermented tea and to be used in your next batch of Kombucha. If you are brewing more Kombucha for your next batch, you can always cut a Scoby and divide it for your next batches (as always, one must thank it first for the love it is brewing for our bodies! then cut, and pass it on to your next batch or to your dear friend who can't believe you have gonne wild and have 19 jars of Kombucha brewing at the same time!). Yeap, got a bit too excited there... I am in my experimental brewing phase! ha.

Anyway back to the real thing... the shorter your brewing time, the sweeter the Kombucha will be. The longer your leave it to Brew the more Sour it will get... It's a beautiful thing! It's really up to you. 

Once the Kombucha has brewed, transfer the fermented brew onto a clean glass jar and store in the fridge. Leave the Scoby spore in the previous glass jar with at least 1 inch of brew (a cup of brew would be wonderful! -if you are making a large batch that you can offer a cup to your Scoby). Scobys DONT like the fridge:) 

What is that I heard? How much Kombucha to drink? Start slow. Everyone is different. Some people can do 4 oz of Kombucha, for some 1oz is enough until their bodies get used to its superpowers! Now that being said Homemade Kombucha is quite different than store bought Kombucha... try it out!

Now here is how to make Kombucha :

For a 1 liter (4 cup) brew you will need:

 *Sterile glass jars (wide mouth works best) or glass containers to fit the amount of tea volume you will be brewing. Write your love & gratitude dedication to your Kombucha prior to filling the jars up... kind of easier to do.

*A piece of cloth or folded paper towel to cover the mouth of the jar or top of you container (no cheesecloth, the thread is too loose and fruit flies might come to see what is happening in your town!)

*1 large elastic band to secure the cheesecloth or folded paper towel

*4 cups of spring water (good quality water, no tap water please

*1/2 cup organic (if possible) cane sugar or RAW organic honey

*2 bags or 2 TSPN of tea (Oolong, Green, White, Black, Ginger, and so on)

(any herbal tea can be used for flavour, my suggestion is that you keep the tea clean and free of additives. READ your tea labels, you might be surprised to see a few too many non recognizable- not so- friendly "friends" in there. )

* a borrowed (now adopted) Scoby spore and starter liquid (the inch, hopefully few inches your scoby is happily swimming in)

* heaps and bounds of Love & Gratitude, and I will show you why!

Bring the water to boil. 

Remove from heat. 

Let it cool down and add the sugar, and mix it up until dissolved. If you are using RAW honey it is best to let the water cool down to lukewarm temperature before adding the RAW honey. 

Add the tea bags or loose tea (you will have to strain or use a reusable tea bag for the loose tea). Let it steep for at least 10 minutes (depends how strong you like your brews, so have fun and experiment with it). 

Remove tea bags or filter out leaves.

Let it cool down to room temperature.

Pour into your glass container or jar (S!)

Add the Scoby spore and started liquid.

Cover with the cloth of folded paper towel. Secure with elastic band.

Leave to ferment at room temperature, covered and out of the light for 10 -14 days. Now sometimes your Kombucha can be ready in as little as 7 days! So keep checking it and tasting it until you get an idea of your Kombucha's synergestic environmental cosmic dance! Remember it's alive and brewing.. 

Now I had said before that I was gonna show you why I am so into the heaps and bounds of Love & Gratitude... a few months ago I wrote about HADO WATER and the power of prayer and intention to change molecular structures. So I decided to experiment a bit.. ok ok  A LOT! with my Kombucha. I decided I was gonna brew Kombucha and give it to my friends as a Holiday gift.. as a way of passing on the goodness.... So I made labels that had an image of the photograph of a water molecule that was exposed with the prayer & intention of LOVE & GRATITUDE as well as goodness wishes. I then placed the Kombucha near some quartz stones... now I had a lot of jars going.. and there were a few that I didn't put the label on.... and guess what!!!! YEA! The LOVE & GRATITUDE Kombuchas placed by the Quartz stones had the most beautiful Scobies!!! White and even all around, thick and lovely!
The ones that were not totally beside the stones where nice but not shinning beauties if you know what I mean, the ones without the label where sad looking, deformed, miserable beings!

There you go.... AMAZING! 

See it for your selves:

Love & Gratitude Shining Beauty Kombucha placed by a clear quartz stone.

Sad looking, deformed Kombucha (sorry I threw out the mouldy ones faster than I could think 'Hey lets write about it!', but you can just imagine it.)







Have fun with it! If you live around my area, I will be happy to share scobies with you! For those on far away lands.. check with your health stores or health practitioners, you might be happily surprised!

Now stay tunned for something BLUE! it will soon be coming to you....
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Quote of the Day
"Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love." - Mother Teresa
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Rediscovering the wisdom in ancient traditions..

I have been on a quest rediscovering the wisdom in ancient traditions, trying to assist my body with as many non invasive tools as I can to make the healing journey a bit easier and a bit more supportive.

Two other tools in my healing toolbox are Tongue scrapping, Oil Pulling, and the Neti Pot. All come from the Ayurveda tradition. Ayurveda is the science of life and healing that developed in India. The term Ayurveda means "Knowledge of Life". Ayurveda itself is a complex system of wisdom and knowledge to guide us in maintaining or creating harmony and health in body, mind, emotions and spirit. Two powerful tools of detoxification and cleansing are Oil Pulling and the Neti Pot. If done on a consistent basis, they assist the body in getting rid of toxins before they accumulate and create too much trouble. They are easy to do, don't take too much time... well one of them does, but I think they are important part of a weekly, if possible, daily routine.

Tongue Scrapping

Tongue Scrapping is the process the build up of the layer of mucus and toxins that builds up overnight on our tongues with a tongue scrapper. It's pretty easy, takes a sec, and it does wonders for the body. It is also like a massage for the tongue. Our tongue is like a map of our bodies, different sections correspond to the different organs, so massaging our tongue, activates our different organs and clearing the toxic build up on our tongues, then clears inner toxicity as well.
Tongue scrappers are widely available at health food stores, they can be made of metal or plastic, your choice. Just make sure you give it a good rinse after you have used it.



Oil Pulling


Oil pulling is a very simple but powerful process that consists of swishing or pulling around Cold pressed oil ( Sesame or Sunflower oil- but I think sesame is best) in the mouth for about 15 to 20 minutes first thing in the morning, before brushing teeth, on an empty stomach. The process draws out toxins from the body without disturbing the healthy microflora. In this way it is possible to heal cells, tissue and all organs. The healing process may be fast for some or slower for others. As the oil is being swished and pulled by the tongue, between the teeth, the oil gets mixed with saliva and it activates teh enzymes in the mouth that draws toxins out of the blood. The oil must NOT be swallowed as it becomes toxic. As the process continues the oil changes colour from yellowish to white. It must be spit out, and the mouth must be fully washed and cleansed with water.

Oil pulling can be repeated up to three times a day, always on an empty stomach.

This ancient tradition does take a bit of time in the morning, but it's benefits are worth the time!



Neti Pot


The Neti Pot is used as a tool in Nasal Irrigation. It is also commonly used in the Ayurveda tradition, and it is commonly known of in the Yogic tradition. It is used to clear the Sinus passages and prevent the accumulation of mucus and toxicity in the Nasal cavity. It is quite simple and quick and it is a good tool to get you clearing and singing your Good Morning Sunshine tunes!
The process involved the use of a Neti pot. They are widely available at health food stores these days. Fill up the Neti Pot with warm water and a pinch of GROUND sea salt or pink himalayan salt (PLEASE DO NOT USE TABLE SALT). Place the Neti Pot on one nostril, close your throat, and insert the warm salty water into your nostril. (Please do so over the sink as it will come out the other nostril). Do so until about half the mixture has been used. Stop, clear your nose. Then repeat the process on the other side. It sound more complicated then what it really is.
It really freshens you up!

So there you go. Three new or perhaps not so new tools for your toolbox.

May the you sing your Good Morning Sunshine songs loud enough to make your neighbours dance! :)

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Ring the bells that can still ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.- Leonard Cohen