My Blissful Journey ~ Sleep & Meditation

I've been blogging here and there about my experiments with music and sleep.  It seems to be working.  In a round about way I had been pairing that with my own form of meditation.  I, for one, believe there is not a right or a wrong way to meditate.  I think it can be any form of prayer, it can be deep breathing, it can be yoga, it can be reading something positive and bright, it can be a walk in the woods or on the beach, it can be listening to music, or just that zone you get in before you fall asleep.

It took me a while to accept that.  I thought for years that I wasn't meditating correctly.  But that is like saying that someone isn't 'christian enough' or 'female enough' or 'pretty enough'.  Who are the meditation police?  We can't let anyone tell us we are doing something wrong if its improving our lives, right?

As for me - and what I have been doing LATELY - based on the first chart in this post is - for my ENVIRONMENT is my living room.  I actually sleep on my sofa.  I have for years.  I know it's not the best for my Sciatica, sleep, or back, but the dogs will not have it any other way.  That AND - DH goes to work at 4am. I rather get what sleep I can that be up and down and up and down every hour.  BUT ANYWAYS...my environment is my living room with low light and meditative beats on my iPad from YouTube.  I usually have Riley sleeping by my feet, Cricket sleeping on my lap or in the boat of my legs, and Paco sleeping above my head.  I know...it doesn't sound real comfortable but I finally have a system and so do they! LOL - Then for the 'set the intention' part - my intention is to get to sleep, stay asleep, and feel refreshed when I sleep.  I try and focus on healing any aches and pains I have, too.  For posture - I lay flat on my back - most of the time with my arms to the side and slightly above my head.  Sometimes under the blanket because I like to be warm at all times - or tucked under my pillow.  And as for Posture - I think a photo will explain it better but I've been sleeping in the Reclining Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).

So before when I was saying that Cricket usually sleeps on my lap or in the 'boat' by 'boat' I mean inside my leg area.  These sleeping choices could not be further from what I have been doing my ENTIRE LIFE.  Prior to this experiment I was sleeping in a ball - was a side sleeper - and had to have blankets over my ears - no matter how warm the weather was - and my arms hugging something - usually a pillow.

I have noticed that this has been helping my Sciatica on many days.  I have gotten used to sleeping this way - the thing that seemed to seal the deal was pairing all of this with Binaural Beats and Meditative Music!

Sleep & Music

The last couple of weeks I have been experimenting with different sleeping habits.  One in particular was the addition of listening to music while I sleep.

I have found that this is helping me get to sleep, get better sleep, and when I wake up - it seems like I can get back to sleep quicker.

I guess in a way I'm pairing this with meditation at the end of the day, too.  So I'm able to achieve 2 daily goals with 1 action.

Where am I finding 8-hours of Meditative Sleep Music?  YouTube.  You can even type in what kind of sleep music.  HERE I typed in for Fibromyalgia.

Obstacles & Progress

Just a quick update today...

So it looks like this is my set intake on superfoods and supplements over the last going on 2 weeks...

1 B-Complex Tab, 1 or 2 squirts of B-12, 1 or 2 squirts of D3, 2 tabs of Chlorella (M-F) and on weekends 2 tabs of Spirulina.  I've cut way back on caffeine intake.  Instead of 8 or more cups worth a day I'm down to 1 cup.  Others are low or no caff or herbal or rooibos or honeybush based.  I have been trying to add Turmeric to my foods at least once a day.

I'm going to try and incorporate the dreaded bananas once again.  REALLY trying to force myself this time.I'm trying to walk more and force myself to do more stairs in daily life.

Undergarments are still a challenge.  1 out of 3 seem to be ok.  The other two are better than what I had - I suppose.

I need to bump up my mini goals and be smarter and stick to meditation and yoga more.  I need to work on my anxiety and fears still.  I guess that's an on going process for any or many of us.

Sleeping situation is still questionable.  I've been able to adjust the way I sleep, however, which I think has been helping so far.  Actually I think most of what I am doing is helping.  I just have to kick it up a notch and continue, I think!

Progress in other areas...

I tackled my kitchen yesterday...that took a while but it's coming along.  I battled the recycling that was ready-to-go but out of hand.  I wish they collected every week instead of every other week.

I was able to relax a bit.  We took a trip down memory lane and watch movies like Titanic and E.T. the last few days!

What have you been up to?

Getting Into a Daily Routine

Well NOT really a DAILY Routine...but a beginning of the day routine.  I have been able to stick with my B-Complex and/or B-12 intake since Saturday so far.  Since it's winter in the snow belt I have been including a squirt of Vitamin D Spray.  All of which are part of the MyKind Organics Line...all whole food, plant based, vegan vitamins!  

My goal is to go a solid month and hopefully longer this time around.  A Morning Routine will help me with this.  I figure if I am overly pushy about giving my dog his meds - why can't I do the same for me? LOL

I have been trying to sleep differently the last several nights.  I'm usually a side sleeper and I think this is catching up with me.  I'm trying my hardest to lay on my back now.  So far - so good.

I'm still not real good about daily breakfasts.  That's something I still need to incorporate, work on, and stick with.  The last couple of months I have not been real good at eating breakfast or lunch.  I know that is really bad.  Then I pig out at dinner to make up for the rest of the day.  I will snack during the day sometimes if I have something to snack on but it's not the best in terms of healthy snack sometimes.  Because of all of this I have gained weight back.  This may or may not have anything to do with my aches and pains but it's probably best if I try and do better about it.

I've also started incorporating Chlorella back into my daily grind.  Mostly Mondays thru Fridays - because I have them on my work desk.  I will probably explain this more down the road.  In the meantime I am taking those again, too!

Herb intake!  I've upped it!  I thought about blogging about it as I drank them if I was in front of the computer which I may still do but for now - yesterday and today - I have been enjoying Brain Booster from Urbal Tea and Ginger & Lemon Myrtle from Lupicia.  

The Brain Booster from Urbal Tea includes: Gotu Kola, Peppermint, Ginko, Rosemary, Sage, Eleuthero, Parsley, Lemon Balm, Elderberry, Hibiscus, Apple, Blueberries, Currants, Cornflower, Raisins.

By doing this I am also cutting back on my caffeine.  Instead of 8 or more cups of highly caffed tea everyday I would like to stay to ONE or NONE to see what happens.

I found a way to do a little in more of the way of exercise in doors at work while in the winter months...STAIRS.  Simple enough.  I think I might tuck away a place for yoga during lunch soon, too!  I'm usually the only one in my office.  Time will tell.

I also picked up a few new bras.  I hate talking about those but I will since it's a change I am making.  I will give it a few days or weeks before reporting my findings.   

So far many of these changes are for the better.  I would like to work on attitude, inner peace, stress, anxiety, and muscle pain more, too!

I've also been feeling a salad kick coming on!  I have been eating more of them than usual but usually when I get in this mode...I will go for a month and eat HUGE salads at least once a day.  

I want to thank Christine and Hilary for their comments, encouragement, and support!  Keep on me!  I need it!

Raw Gifts, Eye Detox, Dogs, Sleeping, and Other Updates

It's that time of year again!  The time of year when some of my favorite websites have giveaways!  The Raw Food Coach has been doing this for years.  I think the last 3 or 4 years I have signed up...and I just signed up again!  It's her 12 Days of Raw Christmas Gift Giveaway!  In years past most of those days you would get a nice sized eBook from various Raw Food Community Members and Healthy Living People among other nifty gifts!  If you want to check it out HERE is the link!  You even get 3 FREE eBooks from Karen right away just for signing up!

I mentioned a few days ago I was doing my best to fight off a potential head cold and I believe I did this with success!  I've feeling pretty good.  When I felt the mini sniffles coming on I pumped up on a few healing foods such as garlic, berries, Emergen-C, etc...

In addition to this I took out my contacts.  I fully admit I wear my contacts TOO much!  My eye doctor knows this and in the past as prescribed me with the most hydrating contacts available.  I've done well with them.  I haven't had any eye damage and he check that each time I go in.  The last 3 appointments I have had my sight has stayed the same...totally unchanged...up until 3 years ago...this has never happened...this makes me very happy!  So the other day I decided to take my contacts out for a few days and do an eye detox of sorts.  I do this every once and a while to give my eyes a rest.  I have to force myself to do this, tho, as I hate wearing my glasses.  I guess I just use my peripheral vision more than most people and I don't see as well with my glasses VS my contacts.  Another reason I did this was to prevent myself from touching or rubbing my eyes.  Many germs get to your system quicker while we rub our eyes and we do it without even thinking about it.  It's 2nd Nature. 

So all-in-all I'm feeling good and my efforts seemed to have paid off!  YAY!

Paco's been super cute with his poses lately...he's now enjoying the pillow I use while sleeping on the sofa.  Because Suzie was recuperating from surgery for about 3 weeks as well as my husband having his health issues I have been camping out on the sofa.  Suzie and Riley thought this was pretty cool and apparently no longer likes to sleep in our bedroom.  I'm still trying to figure this all out so I can return to our bed and SLEEP.  They will NOT stay downstairs if I'm upstairs so there lies the problem.  Maybe I will get them large dog beds for the floor and see if that helps.  In other news...a few weekends ago we bought a new bed topper and it's been helping Dale's back so that is good but I don't really know what it feels like because I've been on the sofa...sigh...

Mini Vegan Bagel Bites, Riblets and a Side, Rice and Veggie Dish, Long Week!

It's been a LONG week!  I'm not sure if it's because of the weather or the work load or JUST BECAUSE but it has been a LONG one, regardless!  I rarely post pictures of myself - mostly because I am the one BEHIND the camera and not in front of it.  Since I upgraded my iPhone to 4S it has what I call the "flip flop" feature where with the click of a button the camera flips around and you can take a pic of yourself.  I took this at work yesterday.  As you can see I'm TIRED.  The dogs have been keeping me up at night this week!  Last night was the best night of sleep I have had in a week.  I am feeling a lot better today!  I'm also feeling better as far as my ankle/leg/foot is concerned.  It's been almost a week and I'm feeling about 85% better.  That's a major improvement!  I think between the shoes I have been wearing and the specific inserts I have had in them they are working quite well.  I hope I'm not jinxing it by saying so!  This makes me assume the I could possibly have a Sciatica issues as well as an Arch issue.  BUT...if things are improving - I must be doing something right, eh?

This just might be a LONG Blog Entry!  I just realized how many projects and pictures I have on tap for this post!

This was my dinner last night.  I made it in 4 minutes!

I had a Vegan Riblet (I haven't had them in a good-long while).  I threw together a little side dish!

It consists of Corn, Black Beans, Diced Tomatoes, and Wildtree Chipotle Lime Rub.  It was pretty awesome if I do say so myself!

And I'm trying to use up the Zima Tomatoes before they go bad!

For a little snack last night I wanted to get rid of a few things that I was almost out of!  I said to myself

- SELF I SAID - 
I haven't had Bagel Bites in FOREVER!  So that is what I decided to do!  I did a Vegan Version of Mini Bagel Bites!  If I were to do a Super Bowl Party I think these would be a HIT!  All I did was toast them for a little bit in my (new) Toaster Oven.  Then I added Daiya Mozzarella, and topped with Salsa!  You can see the Salsa below!  I hope to also be doing a post about my Toaster Oven in the near future.  Funny thing about my toaster oven - it's the first and only toaster over I have ever had! I really like it!

Here is the Salsa I used!  It has a nice KICK to it! And there are no animal by/products in it!  Woot!  I got this at a great price at BigLots but I cannot find it on their website so I assume they are discontinuing it which is usually the case when I find something I like at BigLots (either that or they are repackaging it!)  It was darn tasty while it lasted!

I LOVE trying different salsas!  I also like to make my own!  I will probably be making some of my Wildtree Fiesta Salsa, soon!

Stay Tuned!

In other Foodie News...I continued on with using "leftovers" and "things in my cupboards" to create my lunch for today! I used Lundberg CountryWild Rice (see below for Rice Package), and Corn, Black Beans, Dice Tomatoes, and I added the rest of my Lentil Sprouts in this as well!  All I did for flavoring was to add Garlic Grapeseed Oil for a little extra "something".  I did have a little bit of Diced Tomatoes Left with liquid and then leftover rice since I made a pretty big batch of that since it took 50 minutes to cook...so I will probably do something with those two things over the weekend!

The aroma of this rice fulled my kitchen and living room ALL NIGHT!  Lundberg isn't kidding when they say it's fragrant!  Here's their product description:

Want rice that's rich and tasty for your next meal? Put Countrywild^® on the table. This outstanding blend of Wehani^®, long grain brown rice and Black Japonica™ has plenty of fragrance, color and flavor with an attractive separateness of grain.

So...that's pretty much how yesterday panned-out!  Like I said...I am VERY MUCH ready for the weekend!  We are supposed to continue getting winter weather - and I am NOT looking forward to THAT - but I'll just have to wait and see what the rest of the weekend turns out to be like, I guess!  What are YOUR plans for this weekend?

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