On Children

~

   Your children are not your children.

   They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

   They come through you but not from you,

   And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

   You may give them your love but not your thoughts,

   For they have their own thoughts.

   You may house their bodies but not their souls,

   For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,

   which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

   You may strive to be like them,

   but seek not to make them like you.

   For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

   You are the bows from which your children

   as living arrows are sent forth.

   The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,

   and He bends you with His might

   that His arrows may go swift and far.

   Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

   For even as He loves the arrow that flies,

   so He loves also the bow that is stable.

~Khalil Gibran

The Sweet Silence of Sacred Space

God is the friend of silence.
See how nature... trees, flowers, grass
grows in silence.

See the stars, the moon and the sun,
how they move in silence.

We need silence
to be able to touch souls.


~Mother Teresa

The Planetary Grid Transmissions New Moon Saturday, July 30 We join as One in the Silence with unified meditation, receiving and transmitting during 4 synchronized times:   Sydney, Australia: 8 pm Country of India: 8 pm  Paris, France: 8 pm New York, USA: 9 pm Time Conversions Here Program Details

The Peaceful Warrior

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¨*.¸¸•*¨`*•.•´*.¸.•´* .•´*¸¸.•*¨`*•♥ ♥ ♥

"The peaceful warrior's way is not about invulnerability, but absolute vulnerability--to the world, to life, and to the Presence you felt.   All along I've shown you by example that a warrior's life is not about imagined perfection or victory; it is about love.   Love is a warrior's sword; wherever it cuts, it gives life, not death."

- Dan Millman

YOU ALREADY ARE THE PERFECTION OF GOD

Eros

Beloved ones, you are perfect in Me.  You are part of the living universe.  You are Love standing forth as Being.  You are the perfection of God singing the grand “Hallelujah!”   You are being expressed on the breath of life in perfect awareness and ecstasy.  This is who you are.

You are the perfection of Love.  You are the wonder of the awareness of God.  As you step now ever more fully into the experience of indivisibility, the unity that Love is appearing here and now in the fullness of all that you are; as you open to this grand display of All That I Am now… then, at last, beloved ones, you can realize that there is nowhere to go, nothing to learn, nothing to reach for continually.

There is only the awareness of the truth of who you are that you may find eternally right here in Me, and recognize with exuberance that you are meant to be the most exquisite perfection of God standing in the present moment’s bliss and giving Love forth.  Not from the perspective of “less than” or separation but giving because Love is your essence and Love is expressing you perfectly as the movement of God into the world to be felt, to be held in the embrace of eternity, in wholeness and perfect grace right now.

I want you to feel your perfection, to wrap My presence around your consciousness, to let it penetrate, beloved ones, all that you truly are.  When you allow perfection to be the reality in which you dwell, then the truth of your being will stand forth perfectly and you know that you are Home in the wholeness of Love, Now.

The little mind is ever telling you that you have a distance to go to become the spiritual person that you want to be.  You believe in all the foibles of the ego’s dream and the experience of duality that you have been through.  Oh, dearest ones, as long as you cling to this, to the stories of separation from Me…just that long… will you be afraid and feel that you don’t live up to all that you are meant to be.  That is the state of the ego as it arises from the choice of separation from Me.  It is born continually in the endless now, and from that birth comes everything that is a symbol of the separation from Love.

Beloved ones, you believe it.  But I Am here as the heart of you.  I Am the essence of your being.  I Am Heaven as Earth.  I Am the perfection of your every step and I Am the deep assurance that rises from within your heart to give you everything, to leave nothing out, to grant you the acknowledgement of the whole of Love the moment that you allow it.

The moment that you allow the truth to be your choice, that moment shall you be free of duality.  The moment that you allow the heart to be the expression of the fullness of your identity – in that moment you are returned to the timeless place where Love comes forth as the awakening of God and claims you for itself.

So much of the dream is the endless search for spiritual awakening, for the return to Love. And so much of the illusion of time is spent waiting for that moment when everything at last makes sense.  But I tell you, beloved ones, it is already here, and the path of your brilliance is exciting.  The abundance of the joy of life in every way is flowing to you now the moment you say “Yes” and you accept the truth of your being.

There is no separation from Love for Love is everything and so are you.  There is no separation from Me, for you are the essence of all Creation is, and nothing can ever change this.  You are timeless and you are perfect as the Will of Love expressed as you.  Dearest ones, it is essential that you accept this, that you come into this place where you recognize there is no doing, no time line, no awakening to this Love.  It is already fulfilled.  It is done. It has never, ever been otherwise.

I Am calling you at last to the truth of Love and to the truth of who you are as the heart of this wholeness.  I Am asking you to now begin to feel the essential truth of all Creation – that it comes forth as perfect Love in a glorious, orgasmic explosion in which you are ever blessed with the whole of life within you as you are in the whole of God.

Separation from your perfection truly is the cloud that hides the sun.  I Am calling you to this experience of unity with All That Is, with glorious fulfillment, with the truth that every breath of the universe is breathing you and that as you stand in the living Now, then nothing can be separate from the perfection of this Love at all.

And so it is, beloved ones, that Love forever claims you, because you are this movement of Love, and you are granted the endless miracle of experiencing yourself as the wholeness, of being the climax of Creation, of accepting that you are glorious.  All of it is here and forever true.  There is nowhere you must look, nowhere to seek to go, nothing you need grow into any more.  There is simply the return to the Now Moment and the truth of God I Am that is fully here, woven into the whole of Love and singing the song of life individuated and yet, eternally intertwined with the wholeness and the unity of Love.

My Message to you is that it is already done.  Heaven and Earth are one and the same.  The moment that the scales fall from your eyes, the moment that your heart is allowed to be your vehicle for your experience of life, the moment that you say “Yes” to being that which you truly are – in that moment which is ever Now, you are free to be this oneness. 
Thus, you see it everywhere for your heart accords the truth and sings out the resonance, the endless song, the “Yes” to God, the truth of Love that is eternally and perfectly expressed as the vehicle of Love’s perfection that is your heart.

When you step into the center point where your heart is your reality…when you open to the truth of God you are, then all the endless searching ends and you are peace.  You are wholeness. You are the endless tides of living Love that expand the glory of Love’s awareness that knows itself as you, and one and the same as All That Is.

It is the mystery and the gift of “both/and” – the fact that you can know Me and that I can love you perfectly.  The fact that you have the gift of the tiniest increment of separation that brings this awareness never changes the truth that, beloved ones, you are made of Love. Y ou are the heart of God I Am, responding to the vibration of the gift of our communion, while being the extension of endless Love, the Love I Am, the Love you are, the Love from which you are standing forth to multiply the possibilities of God to be expressed in the mystery of the precious Now Moment.

It is time to let the searching end and time to drop the story.  It is time, dear ones, to open your hearts and to return Home to the Now Moment.  It is time to let the blessing of Love inform you of the truth of your being and bring you the grace of experiencing for yourself that you are one with All, that the unity lives in you as you are living in it.

I bring you to this place of endless wholeness, of ecstatic Love so perfect it is indescribable. You are dissolved in this ocean of God.  You are the breathing heart beat of this endless Love, as the movement of eternity informs you of the I Am of your identity, as we exchange the breath of wonder and you stand forth at the call of Love to be the vehicle in full surrender of perfect Love’s expression.

In the timeless Now you are ever both dissolved into the whole of unity, completely aware of All That Is as it sings in the center of your being, and you are ever fully alive to respond to the pulse, to the movement of the expression of Love that sends you forth in sweet surrender to be Love’s perfect expression.

So every time your little mind feeds you the story of imperfection; every time you hear you must do this or that in order to grow spiritually, beloved ones, sink into your heart and let your heart inform you that you are perfect in this Now Moment as you accept the truth of your being and allow this Love to live you.  This, dear ones, is so important.

When you accept that the power of Love is the essence of your being and the impetus to serve…when you no longer seek to control your experiences through the little mind…when you dissolve in trust into this perfect experience of the Love of God that is your essence…in that moment, you step beyond time and come into the glory of the present, restored to your full perfection as your experience of life.

Through the heart that is in surrender, the perfection of Love pours without barriers – to bless, to awaken to the truth of God being in all that Love touches and all that is free to be the experience of Love reaching while being the breath of Creation – dissolving in the whole and stepping forth in pure expression.

You can feel the truth of your nature and feel the Love that ever informs you. Your heart is ever in resonance with the shimmering truth of the song of Love which is the vibration of perfection and unity.  It sings within you now as you stand forth the truth of this.

Once you allow this experience to penetrate into your consciousness and to live your heart, beloved ones, there is no more searching and the stories of the world mean nothing.  They are simply the expression through time of having forgotten what I now show you -- the fact that you ever celebrate the movement and perfection of Love that Creation is.

Oh, dearest ones, how could you ever doubt that you are pure and perfect in everything?  If you believe in your heart that we are One and Love is the only Real substance, then you have to allow the truth of your being to penetrate the little mind’s awareness, that you might shift to your heart, say “Yes” to this endless and magnificent communion and allow Love to live you.

The heart will show you the world as one breath of unity and will show you each heart, every person, as the most magnificent extension of Love.  The heart will give you the experience of the essence of all that it touches and bring to you instant communion with every expression of life, so that you might know, you might feel through your heart how every life sings within you and how you encompass every life as the eternal heart of God, as the pure Love that touches all and is the touch of this unity, purely and perfectly expressed as the heart of Love creating the world which in its truth is ever the electrons of God, celebrating.

It might seem, when you look through the eyes of the ego, when you see the world as the expression of duality, that there is so far to go and so much to do to bring about the shift in consciousness and to open the heart of humanity.  In truth, beloved ones, it is all here.  It has never been other than perfection.

It is merely clearing away the dream, dropping the mesmerism, shifting from the choice to be separate from Love into the truth of the endless Love I Am, the very same I Am that is you, that you claim every time you say these words, that you experience when you open your heart, that you feel unfold within you through our communion into which you now step forth as the diamond heart of all Creation, the pure expression of consciousness as Light and of Love as the wonder of everything.

Ever and always I Am with you.  No matter what your mind may produce, no matter how many eons of the past it creates, no matter how many tales of separation from Love. The moment that you shift to the heart, it is done, you are free, you are perfection.  This has never changed and never will.  Beloved ones, your open heart is the doorway and the experience of unity only comes in the Now Moment.  Are you ready?   Are you ready to remember that you are God and to feel the experience of unity from which you can truly answer the call of Love’s desire to give of itself and the heart’s ability to recognize the Love of which you are made in everything and to honor and celebrate its presence – limitless and ever alive in celebration of the perfection of Love, the perfection of Love that you are eternally.







CIRCLE OF LIGHT

Sweet AWAKENING~*

Walk through life

in a sweet AWAKENING...

~Matteo Passigato

We are Vibrational Beings

We are vibrational beings.  We vibrate in each other & whatever you don't focus on, it dissolves into space but you can ''vibrate'' the person & any information you want from this Universe.  That's why we (our bodies) are far advanced than modern technology, which is just an imitation of us..

Pink Ivy Rose & Violet Fairies

Pink Ivy Rose Fairy a sugarplum Original by J. Gauger

Violet Fairy: a sugarplum Original by J. Gauger

Sublime.

(-*-)

Sugarplum Originals

A Spiritual Warrior

A letter from a fellow Indigo:

Bringing peace should be the only thing you are thinking about right now.  The world needs you.  You need you.   It is why you were born, why you are here.  If you embrace this, then your life will make sense, and you will be healed along with the world. 

This is the heart of the Indigo's message: “Realize why you are here, and be about it.” The moment for you to do that is now.  Don’t wait another minute.

A Spiritual Warrior is one who has been set on fire by their spiritual mission here on Earth.  Passion is required, and that is why we use the word Warrior.  In this sense it is the opposite of war, because the Spirit of Peace has transformed it.  You have been called to be a Spiritual Warrior.  If you answer that call, then your life will be transformed.

These truths form the foundation of our work together:

1.       Know that when you accept peace within, it affects and transforms your entire life.
2.       Know that when your life is transformed by peace, it affects and heals those around you.
3.       Know that when others are transformed by peace, it is made manifest in the world.
4.       Peace begins within your heart. You have the power to transform the world by transforming your mind.

It is your God given right to do so.

If you accept these steps and act upon them, then you are a Spiritual Warrior.  The Children are the teachers now.  Look to them for your guidance.  That is how you will know the truth, by seeing the way they act and live.

We love you,

Thomas

How Perfect Everything Is~*

When you realize how perfect everything is,
you will tilt your head backwards and laugh at the sky.

 ~Buddha

Uni-verse

Community is everything. If you want to see a preview of your future, look at who you are spending time with.  This isn't some moral statement but a vibrational one..We live in a literal Uni-verse, meaning that we become what we think and what we think is greatly determined by who we spend the most amount of time with.

Do you spend time with people who are constantly in disbelief of your dreams?  If so, then after time, you begin to believe their doubt and their fear; not because their doubt and fear are true, but because we are creatures of habit and our subconscious mind begins to absorb what we hear, especially the feedback from people we love and spend a lot of time with.

And if you start to believe their doubt, then soon you will begin to take action from that belief in doubt and the manifestation of the doubt becomes real.  Not because it's true, but because the belief of doubt became your dominate thought pattern and that thought pattern influenced your actions and your actions produced the outcome.

The outcome of our lives begins within us.  

If we water our dreams with doubt, then we think doubtful thoughts; take doubtful action and our lives become a living testament and proof of our belief.  Then, what many people do is take this "proof" and use it to further justify their initial belief.  But what they're missing is the fact that their initial thoughts of doubt is what created the outcome of doubt.  They unknowingly participate in their own demise.

This can be prevented by being with the proper community of people.  Let us be with people who uplift us, who encourage us towards our dreams and who challenge our thought patterns.  Let us not surround ourselves with people who always agree with us, but rather people who support our growth by challenging our beliefs and help us break through to new mental and spiritual ground so that our lives may be enriched as a by-product.

Look around.  Who are you spending time with?  And more importantly, who are you believing?  This is a major factor that will determine whether you are successful or not.  Our aim should be to hang with people who are loving, who believe in us, who challenge us to go to the next level and who inspire us.  Life is far too short to be with people who are always negative and who want you to stay upset like them.   

It takes a lot of humility to admit when we're wrong and to grow past our limiting beliefs.   Let's surround ourselves with people who support our growth, not necessarily the way we want, but most certainly the way we need.

Love in Your Hearts

Every Seed You Plant..

"Every seed you plant contains within itself an enormous amount of information about the Universe.  Nothing made by human hands can compare with this information either in size or accuracy.  Through the help of this data the seed knows the exact time, down to the millisecond, when it is to come alive, to grow, what juices it is to take from the Earth, how to make use of the rays of the celestial bodies- the Sun, Moon and stars- what it is to grow into, what fruit to bring forth.   These fruits are designed to sustain Man's life.   More powerfully and effectively than any manufactured drugs of the present and future, these fruits are capable of counteracting and withstanding any disease of the human body."

- Anastasia, from Vladimir Megre's "Anastasia"

Why Do We Exist?

"The integrity of the child as an individual - indeed, the integrity of the environment - this is the mutual relationship of the two basic principles underlying the concept of the school as shared by myself and my like-minded colleagues. The very first lesson in the school ought to touch upon the meaning of human existence." 


--Mikhail Petrovich Shchetinin 


The Things You Own End Up Owning You

Since forever, we are inundated with marketing messages that makes us believe we need to live a lifestyle that is geared towards acquiring posessions, and some stuff on the side for when you get tired of your old things.

How would your life be if you had to throw away all your clutter?  All the clothes, electronics, cars, shoes, computers, and the gym set and extra furniture in the garage? Would it make a difference to your level of happiness? Will buying more of it make you happy? Probably not..

You may experience some sort of emotional high for a short period of time, but that soon subsides and you’ll be right back where you were before you had the extra things.

I have been giving away my things, stuff that I don't need or have been keeping ''just in case'' for some years now and and feel lighter every time I do this.  I think many people would feel an intense sense of liberation if they did the same.  We drag things around because we perceive them to be important, when in reality, they mean very little in the grand scheme of life.

Of course I will allow a material possession or two to keep me motivated to reach some goals. The message is to take some time and forget about all the stuff that your life revolves around and that can get in the way of what life is all about. Try it for a few days or weeks and I think you’ll find other things in life that give you joy and excitement.  Take your children on a nature hike and discover living things that you normally don't give a second thought to.  The best learning materials are out there in nature.  Trees to climb on, plants, insects, animals..and you can have discussions about the stars and the planets.  As Anastasia says, ask them what they think about the moon and the stars.  Really engage their minds instead of spoon feeding textbook knowledge in 2D.   They have a wealth of untapped wisdom if only we would allow them the opportunity to tune in.

You can also plant a fruit tree or two or 80 if you have some land. Think about the benefits your family and future generations will have from the fruit bearing trees.

Life, and all living things are where we need to be investing in..

Natural Ways to Strengthen your Child's Immunity

Caminha, Portugal 

 

by Melanie Waxman

I have raised seven unvaccinated children. I gave them a strong foundation through breastfeeding, great nutrition, a lively, healthy family life, and a mostly non-toxic environment. My children have very strong immune systems. I don't believe in coddling them or trying to keep them away from other kids who are sick. Instead, I believe that their immunity strengthens and develops when they are naturally exposed to germs. Of course they get colds, fevers, stomach bugs and other mild problems but they recover quickly too.

These are good signs that their immune systems are at work dispelling toxins, viruses or bacteria from the body. My eldest daughter contracted Lymes disease a number of years ago and took one course of antibiotics. My youngest son put his finger in a fan and had to take antibiotics to prevent bone infection. Apart from that my children have relied on simple dietary home remedies and occasionally a homeopathic solution to alleviate any discomfort.

Today more and more parents are realizing that the key to a healthy child is a strong immune system. All children are constantly exposed to disease producing organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites but this doesn't mean they will get sick. A strong immune system provides a child with the natural defenses to fight off disease.

If a child has a weakened immune system they are more susceptible to colds, flu and other problems. Germs are everywhere and being exposed to them is a natural part of life. It is not natural, however, to try and 'germ proof' your child. In fact exposure to different viruses and bacteria can actually strengthen your child's immune system. Some childhood diseases such as mumps, measles, chickenpox and rubella can help to build immunity and protect against these diseases.

There are a number of things you can do to help boost your child natural immunity:

Breastfeed
Breastfed babies experience fewer infections than bottle fed babies. Breast milk is vital in building your baby's immunity and protecting against disease. It also provides a complete nutritional balance including essential fatty acids. It is very important to try to breastfeed your baby even if it is only for a few months. If you are unable to give your baby breast milk, home made brown rice milk is a healthy alternative. Use this as part of your baby's diet to help develop a strong constitution and immune system.

Offer an Organic Wholesome Diet
It is essential to give your child excellent daily nutrition to keep their immune system healthy and strong. Nutritional deficiencies make it easier for your child to be susceptible to viruses and bacteria. Make sure your child has a variety of organic whole-foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains. It is vital to offer a balanced macrobiotic diet with a variety of ingredients.

All children are attracted to eating snacks. Today many foods are highly processed and loaded with sugar such as cookies, boxed cereals and sodas. These additive rich foods will actually weaken the immune system. Snacking can become problematic if children fill up on these 'nutritionally empty foods' and don't want to eat the lovely healthy meals you have provided. Make sure to offer good quality snacks such as fruit and vegetable sticks, steamed bread with spreads, sushi, amasake, home made fruit smoothies or roasted nuts and seeds.

Include some fish, good quality olive and sesame oil and natural home made desserts in your meals.

Cold foods, excessive amounts of raw fruits and juices have a weakening effect on the immune system and should be eaten in moderation. In some colder climates, it might be necessary to include cold liver oil as a supplement for your children.

Kukicha tea has a strengthening effect on immunity. Offer it warm with rice syrup or barley malt added. Hot apple juice is relaxing for the body and can be diluted with kukicha as a healthy alternative to cold drinks.

Look at your own daily diet too. Remember children follow their parents. Make sure you are preparing balanced meals with enough variety. It is important not to be too strict or one sided with children. Stay in contact with other families who eat whole foods/macrobiotics and keep up to date with new trends in macrobiotic cooking and nutrition. 

Allergies

If your child has a history of ear infections, oral thrush, digestive trouble, colic, food allergies or other on-going problems you need to look at their present diet. Dairy food, sugar, cold foods, sodas, chicken, baked foods and excessive fruits can make these problems worse. Again a varied macrobiotic diet is recommended, although in some cases, certain foods may need to be restricted such as baked foods, oily foods, wheat products, raw fruits and salad, vinegars and some soy products until their system is strengthened. Restricted foods can be slowly re-introduced back into the diet at a later date.

Make sure your child is getting plenty of sweet tasting vegetables such as squash, carrots, cabbage, parsnips and onions. Lightly cooked leafy greens like watercress are also extremely beneficial.
Sea vegetables provide important minerals and help to strengthen the immune system. Nori sea vegetable is very good for children and can be used on a regular basis.

Kombu powder with crushed sesame seeds can be used sparingly as a strengthening remedy. This condiment can be also be prepared with small dried fish and is extremely beneficial for building strong teeth and bones. Shiso powder and umeboshi are condiments that help to create a healthy immune system. VERY SMALL amounts can be given to your child to strengthen the system. Remember that these condiments are salty and too much are harmful and can cause, among other things, stunted growth, behavioral problems and fussy eating habits.

A Note on Herbs

Herbs have been used safely all around the world since ancient times to prevent and treat disease. Although I don't give my children any herbal supplements as a rule, they have been known to strengthen a child's constitution and make them more resistant to illness. Certain herbs, including Echinacea, have been found to have remarkable immunological effects. These herbs support the body's own process to stay at the peak of vitality and prevent development of disease.

Create a Non-toxic Environment

Exposure to chemicals can damage the immune system and make it more difficult to fight off common infections and even more serious diseases such as cancer. Our environments have become increasingly toxic. Even though these toxins are everywhere you can take the steps to create a healthy home environment and therefore reduce the amount of chemicals your children are exposed to.

Today, there are affordable, nontoxic alternatives to all lawn and garden pesticides and wonderful natural household cleaners and personal care products. Use natural fibers in your bedding, furniture and carpets to create a cleaner, fresher environment with less static electricity. Buy organic foods. This will greatly decrease your child's overall exposure to pesticides and help to create a healthier environment for everyone.

Avoid Unnecessary Antibiotics and Vaccines
Today, children are prescribed excessive amounts of antibiotics. Antibiotics can seriously weaken a child's immune system and also build up a resistance to the medicine itself. Vaccines may provide immunity for a specific disease but they do not increase overall immunity or create healthier children.

Many young children are injected with nearly three-dozen doses of 10 different viral and bacterial vaccines before the age of five, and this is while the immune system is still developing, Such a huge stress to the system is a major cause of chronic immune dysfunction amongst children today. On the other hand, the parents of unvaccinated children have observed how strong the immune systems of their children appear to be.

A Healthy Home Life

"All you need is Love!!" Love and attention are a wonderful way to boost immunity. Children that grow up in a loving environment feel more secure and happy.

Make sure you hold, hug, rock, massage, nurse, touch and kiss your children regularly. Studies show that laughter and positive thinking help to strengthen immunity too. The more children laugh and enjoy life, the better their immune function.

Stressful situations and unhappiness deplete the immune system and lower a child's resistance to disease. Breastfeeding, daily baths and massage can help to reduce stress and promote positive feelings in your baby.

Daily Routine

Create a stable home environment with daily routines. These include regular meals, baths, naps and bed times. Eating meals together is extremely important and will help your child to feel secure, safe and part of the family.

Sleep

Make sure your child has enough sleep and goes to bed at a reasonable hour. Your child's body regenerates, repairs and renews itself while sleeping. In addition, it is important to include "quiet time" as part of your child's day when they can unwind and learn the value of being calm. Let your child listen to peaceful music, which is stress relieving and further helps him to feel relaxed and happy.

Enjoy Nature

Give your child plenty of fresh air. Go for walks in the woods, country or parks. Let your child run, jump, dance and climb. Don't coddle your child. If they want to run without a hat or gloves, let them do so. Allow them to run barefoot on the grass and climb trees. Nature is an excellent immune stimulator and being exposed in a happy, healthy way does wonders to all aspects of your child's life.

At a Glance Ways to Strengthen your Child's Immunity

Breastfeed your baby
Offer a wide variety of organic, natural foods
Create a non-toxic home environment
Avoid un-necessary vaccines and anti-biotics
Give your child lots of love and affection
Create routines in daily life
Eat together as a family
Make sure your child has enough sleep
Spend time outdoors in nature

Melanie Waxman began studying Oriental medicine in 1980 and went on to specialize in macrobiotic cooking. She has lived in Portugal, England and America and has trained cooks from all over the world. Melanie is the mother of seven children. She has cooked for international recording stars, fashion designers, doctors, and business professionals and has helped thousands of others to change their lifestyle and way of eating. She has written a children's cook book; Mr. Hoppity's Color Me Cook book for Kids, a series of self-published12 Cooklets and has recently published Bless the Baby, a beautifully illustrated book on the natural and traditional ways a mother can bond with her newborn. Melanie is also a massage therapist and Feng Shui consultant.

The Importance of the Family Meal

by Melanie Waxman

 

The family meal, unfortunately, is disappearing fast. In all cultures, this timeless institution was recognized as a vital part of strong, stable family life. Eating together is the time when everyone can gather after a day hard at work or studying in school to share adventures and stories. 

Children learn a great deal by observing their parents. During the meal, they can find out about family traditions, good eating habits, be exposed to different foods, have interesting discussions and develop self-discipline. The family meal helps to develop a deep sense of security, establish a routine and is a wonderful place for parents and children to listen and demonstrate mutual respect. Lastly, and probably most important, the simple pleasure of eating together is a time for laughter, fun and sharing love.

I first went to Portugal when I was eighteen. My parents and I drove through Spain, into the North of Portugal and then down to the South. We ate in many small, traditional restaurants along the way. The thing that I remember clearly was the wonderful sight of large families dining together. They gathered at long tables, grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents and children and didn't appear to be in any hurry at all; in fact the meals went on forever.

It was fascinating to me and I really enjoyed watching everyone chatting and laughing and small children running around. In Portugal, eating together is considered normal and it showed me the importance of mealtimes in family life.

We also ate as a family in England and my mother was happy to include our friends on a regular basis. My father loved debating and Sunday lunch involved a lively discussion on a wide variety of subjects. Even today, my brothers and I have a big laugh about our Sunday lunches and the funny things that happened. When members of the family come together to eat, they build understanding and communication. 

Children can learn how to listen and also how to share their ideas and views. Parents can also learn to listen to their children and teach them words of wisdom. It is a wonderful way to get to know your children and to understand who they are. Dinner is a great time to gather together and really share about the things we have discovered, the people we have met and our observations from the day. It helps children to develop compassion and respect for others.

My parents were sticklers for routine. We had our meals at the same time each day.
At weekends our plans were centered on mealtimes. We gathered for breakfast and discussed what everyone was going to do. Often lunch was simple or eaten as a picnic and then we gathered again for dinner. We would spend a lot of time in the kitchen too. I don't think my mother was always happy when Dad fixed the lawn mower, my brothers cleaned parts of their bikes and I washed my saddle. We considered the kitchen to be the center and a safe, happy environment for all our activities.

Regular meals and an established routine give children a sense of security and stability. When a child feels secure, they also feel much happier and find it easy to do well at school, socially and in various hobbies and interests. A stable child is better able to deal with difficulties, stress and emotional upsets. Regular meals are also beneficial for health reasons too. They actually regulate all of the body's cycles - physical, emotional and mental. 

Meal times are traditionally centered on the natural cycles of the day. Breakfast, literally meaning to break fast, is an uplifting start to the day. Breakfast also aligns with the rising energy of the sun. This meal gives you the necessary vitality to go out into the world or to begin your daily adventure. Lunch is eaten when the sun is most active or at mid-day. Lunch can go either way.

A light, simple lunch will give you the necessary stamina to be active and complete your work. A large lunch is better suited to an afternoon siesta or for relaxing. Dinner is eaten when the sun is setting and the energy of the day is calming down, This is a time for returning home, re-aligning and becoming a family unit once again. When we align with the cycles of nature, it makes life flow in a smooth and supportive manner.

Table manners are very important. Not only do they make eating together pleasurable, they also help a child to develop self-discipline and improve their health. Sitting up straight and eating with a closed mouth help to strengthen the digestive system and improve the assimilation of nutrients. Taking small portions and eating everything on the plate shows gratitude for life and all the work that has gone into making food available. Eating slowly with small mouthfuls is good for the brain and makes it easier to focus with clarity. Learning to sit still and wait for dishes to be passed can help to develop patience and teach a child the value of being calm and quiet. Teaching a child 'how' to eat is as important as 'what' to eat and makes it easier for them to be strong and healthy. 

Small children often have limited tastes. When they observe their parents eating a wide selection of delicious, natural, healthy foods and dishes, it exposes them to the enjoyment of variety. It also helps them to develop a broad outlook on life. Learning to share during the meal shows a child that the world doesn't always revolve around them. It helps a child to understand the power of giving and receiving.

Sharing food also develops gratitude. When time is set aside to really enjoy the meal, then the love, time and effort that the cook has put in is reciprocated. Spending time on the meal, also helps the body to relax and become open to receiving nourishment . Having your child help set the table or clear the dishes can encourage the idea of giving and receiving. Children can be involved with the meal time preparation at a very young age even if it is as simple as putting the napkins on the table.

The family meal is a way to understand the subtle forces of energy in nature. During the meal there should be a gentle flow between creativity and discipline. These two forces go hand in hand. You can't have one without the other. If you give your child too much freedom, it will be hard for them to develop inner strength, the ability to focus and rely on their own resources. Too much discipline, however, can break a child's spirit; foster feelings of low self-esteem and create a desire to rebel. This subtle balance between freedom and discipline can be established during the family meal. The love, laugher and shared stories mixed with respect, table manners, sharing and listening makes for a complete experience, one that will remain with your child throughout his life.

Raising Healthy Children- part 1

by Melanie Waxman

There is nothing that gives a parent more pleasure than seeing their children grow up healthy and happy. Over the past twenty years, I have had the good fortune to observe many children. The ones I am most familiar with have been raised on macrobiotics. In the early days, everyone was terribly enthusiastic and idealistic.

We wanted to be perfect and of course the same went for our children. We were so excited, like pioneers travelling on un-chartered waters and we made many mistakes. The children from those early days are now in their late teens and early twenties.

Are they any different than other children? I think so. They seem to be more self aware, independent and have a strength of spirit. Their outlook on life is broad and they possess a gentle power. My father once said that he didn't know if it was his imagination but macrobiotic children seem to be more intelligent. Today, the macrobiotic way of life is more relaxed and we have learnt a lot. Our children have greatly benefited from our experiences. I am still in the process of raising my seven children and feel blessed for the gifts I have been given. 

We all want our children to be well nourished. Sometimes this can appear daunting especially for new parents. What should we feed our children? 

Are we giving them enough and are they getting all the necessary nutrition?

We read lots of magazines and books and every piece of advice seems different. I first became interested in Macrobiotics because it made sense. It was very practical. Its roots are found within all long-standing cultures. Macrobiotics is so flexible that you can use it to create dishes from all over the world. 

The idea is to base the meal around the grain, whether it is a whole grain, pasta, cracked grain or bread. The meal is created from that starting point and you accent with vegetables, beans, fish and various seasonings. The ingredients used are natural and almost always, organic. There are endless combinations and each meal is unique and exquisite. When we eat these gifts from nature, it helps us to feel connected. Connected to the world and our fellow men. We develop gratitude and a sensitivity for our life on earth

Changing your way of life to a natural and healthy one is very empowering. You become the one in the driver's seat. You take responsibility for your health and the well being of your family. For many people this is a big step and can be a frightening one. Often we are more afraid of change than change itself.

If you can see if as an exciting adventure then it puts everything in a positive light. Remember why you want to change; improved health, quality of life, increased energy and peace of mind. Mind, body and spirit are one. Great food will also nourish and free the mind and the spirit. Eating healthy food is one of the best ways you can love and nourish yourself.

Rather than thinking of health as a something you achieve, see it as a direction that you are moving towards. We can move towards health and we can move away from it. The direction is what is important. Whether you are already eating macrobiotic foods or want to make changes to your present diet, a gentle approach is advised.

This is important where children are concerned. Keep in mind that you are aiming to enrich your life and not to deny yourself. Start by including new ingredients rather than cutting out present dishes. Begin to include whole grains and organic foods. Look at ingredients in the foods that you purchase. Start including items that are natural such as sugar free jams, unrefined oils and sea salt. If you make mistakes and fall off the wagon, be gentle. We are all human and mistakes are the basis for great lessons. It is important to avoid feeling bad and guilty.

Feeding children is often a challenge. How strict should you be and how free. If you are too strict, your children will forage for themselves and supplement the food you offer. Young children are naturally inquisitive and love to try new things. 

They like to be part of the crowd and not singled out as weird or different. An established routine will help to give children a sense of boundaries. Start to develop a routine with your baby. Begin with bath, nap and bed at the same time each day. As they get older, regular meals can be introduced. Sitting down and eating together is a vital part of family life and helps to create a strong foundation. 

Children often make balance for themselves. They might be mad on carrots for a few weeks and then go off them altogether. They may prefer broccoli cooked in one special way and refuse to touch it in any other preparation. Be patient and continue to offer a wide variety of foods. Fights over meals create stress for all concerned and should be avoided where possible. However, you as a parent are in charge.

Children learn a great deal through observation. If they see you sitting and enjoying beautifully prepared meals, they will follow. It is not a good idea to ask a young child what he wants to eat or to let him control the food choices. 

They have little imagination about new dishes and will ask for the same thing over and over. It also fosters endless debates about meals. A positive alternative is to encourage them to assist with meal preparation. Even very small children can help set the table or cut soft foods with a plastic knife. 

I have always seen life as an exciting journey. The macrobiotic lifestyle will certainly stir one's imagination and awaken the spirit. Children flourish on natural foods. It provides them with the foundation for living a full and happy life.

I hope you jump in and have a go. You will be able to observe the benefits first hand. I encourage you to relish you life with your children. The loving environment that you create will nourish them on all levels - physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially. If you begin eating natural foods then you are choosing to create the life that you and your family desire.

Some simple ways to get started:

• Sit down to regular meals
• Eat grains and vegetables with every meal
• Include a variety of organic grains, vegetables and seasonings
• Stop eating three hours before bedtime
• Include fish rather than meat or chicken
• Include natural sweeteners such as rice syrup, barely malt or maple syrup
• Experiment with vegetable protein such as beans, tofu, tempeh and seitan
• Use non-stimulating teas and grain coffee

Raising Healthy Children- Part Two

by Melanie Waxman 

Many of us are aware how important it is to give our children good quality food to help them grow and develop. We often feel it is a struggle to get them to eat well. It is easy to give them the same thing every day and to forget to make meals that are varied and interesting.

It is up to us as parents to create an exciting diet so that our children are getting the balanced nutrition they need. Healthy children appear robust and energetic, their energy is bright and they have a natural curiosity about life.

Children also go through periods of change where they might act out or appear tired. This is natural too. As parents we have to learn to read out children.

If your child displays extremes in behavior or has physical problems for long periods, it is wise to seek professional advice. These symptoms may manifest as lethargy, severe lack of weight gain, hyper- active or overly aggressive.

Here are some ideas to help you with your child’s food.

If you are changing over to a more natural way of eating, have patience. Children need time to adjust. Begin introducing new dishes along with the more familiar ones. Buy jams, snacks and juices without sugar. Make dishes that are similar to old ones and use better quality ingredients such as whole wheat instead of white spaghetti or unrefined oils.

Children need rich tasting food, especially if they have been raised without meat or dairy food. Fried noodles, deep-fried bread, pan-fried fish or mochi and tempeh are some examples. These kinds of dishes keep children active and strong. If you live in a very cold climate or one where there is little sunshine, adjustments need to be made to use more substantial foods. Include more oil and fatty fish, such as herring or smoked fish. It is important to include the use of natural sweeteners such as barley malt and rice syrup too.

Before walking, babies need little or no salt. Salt will prevent smooth growth and make children more difficult emotionally. Try taking a small serving from each dish before you season it for the adults. After walking, salt can be gradually introduced into the diet until the age of six. After six, seasonings can be the same as the rest of the family.

When feeding babies, use a variety of grains such as rice, sweet rice, barley, whole oats, cracked grains and flakes in the form of milk or porridge. Juice from grated carrots or fresh fruit can be added along with grain sweeteners. Soft cooked vegetables are also very important. Try adding ground-toasted sesame seeds, a few drops of oil or tahini to the grain milk before serving. 

Use sea vegetables sparingly with young children. The excessive use of sea vegetables can interfere with mineral absorption and the utilization of fat. Small pieces of toasted nori, however can be given regularly to all children.

Children’s taste and likes are always changing. If your child dislikes cooked carrots, he may love raw ones. Don’t abandon the carrots, trying cooking them in different ways such as sautéing, steamed, whole, grated or cooked in a stew. Or wait and re-introduce them later. You may be surprised at how much they enjoy them.

If you child snacks a lot, don’t despair. Look at what he is going for and try to create a similar taste in your cooking. For example is they love oily chips try making deep fried bread. If they are going for masses of sweet snacks, use more sweet tasting vegetables and make satisfying desserts.

Remember all the sweets you ate as a child? Children need lots of natural sweet tasting food to help them grow and develop. Good quality sweet taste in cooking is very important as well as homemade desserts and snacks.

Seeds are very important for all children especially sesame seeds because they are high in vitamins, calcium and iron. They help to develop strong teeth and bones. Roast some and store them in a jar so they are handy to sprinkle over grains and vegetables. 

Many children have trouble eating vegetables. Make some simple dipping sauces out of brown rice vinegar and water, umeboshi vinegar and rice syrup, tofu, ginger and shoyu or lemon. Children love to dip their vegetables and eating becomes more fun for them.

If you have trouble with your child’s appetite give him something sweet such as a little fruit or warm juice before dinner. This eases the digestion and helps to stimulate the appetite.

Children like to look at things. They love food that is colorful and bold. Large pieces of vegetables, tofu cut into unusual shapes, cabbage rolls, deep-fried rice balls and noodle sushi are some examples of foods that are visually appealing.

If you are too strict with your child’s diet, he will forage for himself. Cook an assortment of foods including fish, cracked grains, breads, pancakes, salads, fruits and desserts.

Make meals enjoyable for everyone in the family. An open, flexible, approach to eating helps everyone feel relaxed about his or her food. It is important for all of us to create a happy atmosphere at meal times by eating and talking together. Regular meals help children to feel secure and have a sense of belonging. In these circumstances, children are more likely to eat a balanced diet. They can then get the most nutrition out of their food and at the same time feel emotionally safe. Well-balanced nutrition not only comes from the food itself but the attitude we have about food, meal times and eating habits.