Immune-Boosting Ginger, Cinnamon, & Honey Tea

Ginger, cinnamon, and honey are an impressive combination – all three are antibacterial and full of antioxidants. Ginger is also known to clear congestion and help stop fever and chills - so it is an excellent choice of drink for the winter season!

Ingredients:

-2 Cups Water

-1-2 Tbsp Ginger, Peeled and Grated

-¼ Tsp Cinnamon

-Honey to Taste, 1-2 Tsp.

Directions:

1. Peel and grate ginger. To do this, cut off a node from some ginger. Then, peel the ginger by taking a dinner spoon and scraping the skin off. Then, grate the ginger with a small grater.

2. Bring water, grated ginger, and cinnamon to a boil.

3. Let boil for 10 minutes.

4. Add honey, boil for one more minute.

5. Pour, through a fine-mesh strainer, into mugs or teacups. Stir to mix.

6. Enjoy!

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Recipe by: Krista Hannesen

Editor in Chief - A Beautiful Life Magazine

Producer, A Beautiful Life Podcast

krista@atfacevalue.ca

Instagram: @kristahannesen

Photo: Jocelynne Flor

Rooted in Rhythm

Chakra’s are energy centers located within the body that can act as a compass in aligning the mind, body and soul. Although there are many energy centers (other names include but are not limited to: Nodi’s or Meridians), when working with Chakras we often hone in on the 7 or 12 chakra system which run from the tailbone (root) to the top of the head (crown).

Each Chakra symbolically connects to physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of our being.

The word Chakra is Sanskrit and means “spinning disk or wheel”. The learning around how these energy centers turn up in our lives is endless because we are dynamic beings always shifting and growing.

As a fun way to observe the growth within us, I am using Nature’s seasons to highlight some of the ways the seasons and the Chakras intersect.

When we look at Nature's seasons through a lens known as the Wheel of The Year, it starts with Samhain (pronounced sow-win) which means “Summer’s End”. Although it falls close to Halloween they are not the same celebration. Halloween does hold some of the folklore of Samhain in things like jack o'lanterns and spiders, however it is mostly a folk day of creative expression through costumes.

Samhain is a week-long celebration which coincides with All Soul’s/Saints day and Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and is often observed as close to the new moon or full moon to mark the midpoint from autumn equinox to winter solstice.

Samhain recognizes the end of summer as a time to hold gatherings, feasts, and ceremonies celebrating all things that end. It is a very spiritual time of year where those who observe this spiritual/religious holiday reconnect with their ancestry to celebrate the lives of those departed, to celebrate the end of harvest, and a time to release all that no longer serves.

The celebration honours that the fields must be cleared to be replanted, the parts of us that no longer serve must be shed to grow, and that through death all things are reborn. As we celebrate the death of all things we are ultimately celebrating the potential for all new things that are coming.

Samhain takes us to the table (or the altar) to welcome back our ancestors through the time known as the thinning of the veil between worlds. It is a time to reconnect with the loved ones that are no longer here with us on the Earthly plane. Our ancestors play an integral role in our learning through the Root Chakra. Caroline Myss explains that the Root Chakra is our connection to “Tribal Energy” and that “tribe” can be as small as our immediate family of origin however it symbolizes our connection to all of humanity.

The Root Chakra known as Muladhara (In Sanskrit this means “foundation’) energetically sits at the base of our spine right by the tip of the tailbone and is symbolized by the colour red. The root chakra is the closest connection to the Earth when we are seated and it is deeply connected with feeling grounded.

Within the Root Chakra we explore our sense of belonging to a group, our relationship with power, our relationship with the necessities of life, and a deep dive into physical and group safety.

Our ancestry is not a mistake; they are our greatest gift to learning the spiritual truth we are all connected, “we are all one”.

Pausing to celebrate Samhain gives us an opportunity to reflect on our relationship with power, safety, connection to others and ground ourselves in the gifts of the Earth. Taking time to have dinners with family, leaving place settings for, or bringing out photos of those we have lost to remember can help us with our own spiritual healing. As we pause to remember and celebrate the lives of our “tribe” we can reflect on the parts of our lineage that serve or no longer serve and what we have learned from their patterns or lessons. As we reconnect with our ancestors we can celebrate the gifts of healing they provided us in their lives and we can choose to release all that is no longer needed.

Rooting ourselves into the rhythm of the Earth, celebrating the final harvest can ground us in love, remind us of our safety within, illuminate our own inner wisdom, and reconnect us to the Earth. And therein lies the inner power of the Root Chakra.

Nurturing Curiosity,

Tawny Stowe

tawnystowe.com

Toxic Positivity

Most of us would agree that love, compassion, and joy improve our quality of life. A positive mindset is crucial to fostering these values as well as other creative states of being. But positivity has to be understood and used wisely. Otherwise, it can turn into what is called "Toxic Positivity."

Toxic positivity happens when we start to deny and minimize the pain and challenges inherent in being human. It also occurs when we attribute positive traits to events and people who are fundamentally dangerous and a threat to our wellbeing. Or when we blatantly ignore the harmful and destructive behavior of those around us.

We are human. We make mistakes, and we hurt others.

Very few of us have reached a state of spiritual enlightenment that allows us to escape this reality. And that is ok. We are on this planet to learn and to grow.

Some chose to live from a place of constant fear and judgment. There are even those who seem to find pleasure in hurting and suppressing others.

Positivity becomes toxic when we start minimizing or denying the fact that humans and life are flawed.

Hope happens when we fully acknowledge negativity in all its forms and work towards improvement and growth.

Here are some examples of statements that might be made by someone in a state of toxic positivity. Now at first glance, these statements can seem harmless. Some readers might even argue that there is absolutely nothing wrong with them. We will dive into them a little deeper to understand how they can be harmful.

I don't want to discuss or talk about this subject. It upsets me.

First, let's assume the subject needs addressing. Doing so would allow those involved to solve a problem or deal with a conflict within a relationship. The problem is that the person making the statement is uncomfortable with her negative feelings. She chooses to ignore the situation so that she can continue to feel good. She might even say that discussing the issue would upset everyone. She might say something like, "Why ruin a perfectly happy day by discussing this right now?"

You can see how this person is hiding behind toxic positivity not to have to deal with the issue at hand.

If you were the person trying to address the situation, you might even start to feel guilty about bringing it up in the first place. This type of toxic positivity can be very subtle and manipulative. Individuals with passive-aggressive tendencies will often use this strategy to avoid dealing with conflict.

It's true, she treats me with disrespect, but she is a good person deep down.

The person making the statement might have good intentions. She might see herself as behaving from a place of compassion and empathy. The truth is that she is not dealing with the situation. And in not doing so, she is disrespecting herself and the other person. First of all, accepting repeated disrespect from another person diminishes our self-worth and self-esteem. Secondly, not addressing this behavior with the individual is enabling them to continue doing the same thing.

When in this type of situation, it is wise to be very careful about using forgiveness. When not treated with the respect it deserves, forgiveness can be a form of toxic positivity that enables unhealthy behavior.

Things are bad right now, but I know everything will work out.

This statement becomes toxic positivity when we expect things to get better all by themselves. They won't. We have to put in the work to make them better. Yes, the universe supports us. But, it can't do anything without our cooperation.

Thinking this way can set us up for maintaining behavior that is not in our best interest. For example, self-medicating with alcohol until the universe works things out. If things are bad, we have to look at what we are doing that is not working and make necessary changes. Rose-colored glasses are not going to make a difference.

Hey, I know you're feel bad right now, but let's focus on the positive.

If someone is sharing a negative feeling, let them.

We have to encourage one another to "Feel the feels." Being too quick to suggest someone move away from their negative emotions can sabotage their ability to process their experience. It can also shame them for having those feelings in the first place. Of course, we want to support one another in dealing with the situations that cause these emotions. But being too quick to dismiss the feeling to arrive at some perceived solution is not the answer. People can often mistake this type of dismissal or hurry to move away from negative emotions as positive support for the other person. It is, in fact, a form of toxic positivity.

Toxic positivity denies the reality of our shared human experience.

We feel negative emotions, and we experience painful events in our life. We must recognize and respect this truth for ourselves and others.

Healthy positivity gives us the courage to learn and grow from these feelings and experiences without denying their existence.

"Healthy positivity ends where denial begins."

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Joanne Shank

Self-Love Coach, Workshop Facilitator, Speaker

joanne@damselflytransformations.com

damselflytransformations.com

705 229 6436