Breathing in the New Year

Counting Guide

 Happy New Year!  2013 is only hours away and I've been pondering - what do I have to add to the mix? For me, this New Year is an extension of my "Year of Healing"!  I know what my resolutions are, do you?  I will be continuing to refine the way that I live, eat, exercise, love, appreciate, and move through my world.  I will be Thriving in the best ways that I can.  I will continue to bring Energetic Healing to myself and others.  This will be a year of fun new experiences.  My strength and inner Shakti (feminine power) is growing so this New Year should be rockin! 

There will be challenges this year - you can't get away from those.  Challenges are what push us toward our new learning curve.  As much as we would like the road to be smooth a "bump in the road" offers us the opportunity to grow in mind, body and spirit. Breath work has been one of my go to tools for quite some time.  Brian, my hubby and in house Yoga teacher, has offered a little lesson in breathing.  We all tend to make resolutions - some we keep and many fall away as life interrupts.  Working with your Breath is easy to insert into your daily routine.  Breath work calms, brings inner focus, oxygenates the body which the body craves for all healing.  
So here's a mini lesson.  This is always most potent after your Yoga practice, but will stand alone beautifully!!
 Using you hand as a counter -
                        Inhale for the count of 3
                        Exhale for the count of 6
                        Hold for the count of 2

Squash - Bean Chili

This three part sequence is counted as one.  You will repeat it twelve times.  Follow the numbers as marked on the hand picture above. You have a built in counter right on your finders. Using you fingers allows you to focus on your breathing without distraction. (I struggle with this one....."what do I need at the store, did I feed the dogs, should I start a load of laundry".....oops I was breathing. Rrright! I'm a work in progress as are we all.) This is simple - powerful - meditative!  It doesn't take very long but, you will feel a deep gentle connection to yourself and the world around you.

Squash - Bean Chili

Now for something yummy from the kitchen.  This dish is vegan and gluten free.  (Ground beef/turkey could be added.)  I prepared my Chili in the crock-pot, it could be done in a Dutch Oven as well.  
Ingredients  -
2 -3 Tablespoons Olive oil
2-3 medium sweet Onions - chopped
3-5 cloves Garlic
3 Tablespoons gluten-free Chili powder
2 teaspoon ground Cumin
2 1/2 Cups  Butternut Squash peeled & cubed
1 can (15 oz) gluten-free Black Beans
1 can (15 oz) gluten-free Great Northern Beans
3-4 Cups gluten-free Vegetable Broth (fresh is best if you have it)
1 (14 oz) can gluten-free diced tomatoes in juice
2-3 cups Spinach (roughly torn)
salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil - saute Onions & Garlic until soft - about 5 min.  Push Onions & Garlic to side - leaving a circle open in the middle.  Add a little more oil, Chili powder & Cumin. This will make a spice paste and activate the life force in the spice. Stir into Onions & Garlic until well blended.  Put into Crock-pot.

Add squash, beans, broth and Tomatoes.  Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
You can shorten cooking time by precooking squash.

Before serving add  Spinach - it will wilt quickly.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

**You can use just about any Winter Squash, Potato or Sweet Potato.  It's beautiful, spicy and warms the bones after shoveling snow.  
***I always like to add a chunk of Organic Dark Chocolate to each bowl at serving time.  It just adds a hint of sweetness and cuts the acid of the tomatoes!

Enjoy my friends!  Stay safe tonight!
Warm Chili kisses!
Blessings to All!
Namaste`
Naomi