Breath

One thing we do everyday and we sometimes forget to do is to breath. Of course you’ll never really “forget” to do it because it comes so naturally from our body. But how about concentrating nothing but breathing. When did you do it last time ?

It’s such a great feeling, to feel the cool air flow into your lung, go through your body and your mind, slowly out of your nose along with all the worries. In Hindu yoga, breathing is called “Pranayama“. It connects deeply with our mind and body, leads you into a hynosis state.

Before my morning yoga, I usually drop one essential oil in my palm and breath deeply into it, it takes me immediately into the yogi mood. Among which I use most often are Frankincense, wild orange and peppermint.

Here’s an article about the unity of yoga and essential oil from DoTERRA.

Strictly speaking, yoga is composed of three parts, in my opinion: asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breathing technique), and meditation. Yet, it’s not obvious to combine all three of them, it takes a lot of time and practise. However like everything, it’s essential to start somewhere, the rest is just the journey, you don’t have to worry anything anymore, since what’s important is not the destination but the journey.

Namaste.

February 21, 2017 by Mad margarita Categories: Life style, YogaTags: buddhism, lifestyle, meditation, mind, nature, yoga 5 Comments

In the pursure of Buddha way

With food we can share and communicate our emotions. It’s that mindset of sharing that is really what you’re eating. There is no difference between cooking and pursuing Buddha’s way. It’s been almost half a century since I entered this way. I did it in pursuit of enlightenment. I am not a chef. I am a monk.

– Jeong Kwan

Creativity and ego can not go together. If you free yourself from the comparing and jealous mind, your creativity opens up endlessly. Just as water springs from a mountain,  creativity springs from every moment. 

You must not be your own obstacle. You must not be owned by the environment you are in. You must own the environment, the phenomenal world around you. You must be able to freely move in and out of your mind. This is being free.
At least, this is my belief. 

Buddha way is “live the moment” way, it’s about treat the ingredients with care and respect, being humble and forget about yourself.

February 18, 2017 by Mad margarita Categories: FoodTags: buddha, Food, lifestyle, philosophy, zen Leave a comment

To meet your soul

Few days ago, I met a couple who works for “doTerra“, an America based essential oil company, which awake my interests to the oil. My knowledge to oils are limited, I know they can be used aromatically and with or without dilution. But I didn’t know if the oil is pure enough they can even be used internally. For example, add a only one drop of lemon/peppermint oil to water or tea.

Jökulsárlon – Iceland

I always believe we are what we eat and be the food your medicine . The history of Chinese herbology or Zhong Yao in Chinese can back to 2800 BC. I still remember when I was little, my grandmother boiled herbs, the smell is “awful” if you are not used to it. But when you drink it, first it’s very bitter, then come the scene of sweet and fruity. You can even addicted to it. Unlike the western medicine, which has most often immediate effect on your body, the Chinese herbs work slowly but entirely from inside out of your body.

The nature has a lot to offer. We should respect and be humble. There’s lady named Kristbjörg in Iceland, she established a company “Blómadropa” (flower drops in English). She was first of all a yoga teacher and a spiritual flower hunter as I like to call. She will go to the very remote area in Iceland, meditate in the mountains and pick up wild Icelandic flowers, then refine the essential oil from the flowers. Very similar to the essential oils that I know of, they are from flowers.

Yesterday after dinner, I had a friend coming for a long chat. We started talking about the babies, relationships etc. She herself is a mother of two beautiful children and a learnt yoga teacher. She also believe very much in the power of Nature and meditation. She gave me some advices on how to meditate as beginner. She said you could imagine yourself a flower. And you slowly climbing on to the pedals, then inside the flower, be there, observe the flower around you, protect you, give you energy, and slowly climb down when you finished. Another way to meditate is to scan your body, from the top of you head to the tip or your toes.

Nowadays, everyone is busy occupying others’ business. What we should do, is to sit quietly and have a conversation with our inner soul. How’s your body feel like ? What’s on your mind ? Do you truly love yourself ?

 

February 16, 2017 by Mad margarita Categories: Life style, YogaTags: iceland, lifestyle, meditation, nature, Photography, yoga Leave a comment

Meditation is in everyday life

If you ask a person has he/she ever been meditated ? The answer would probably be no.

Meditation seems to be a big word that scare people away, “Meditate ? Are you nut ? I’m no monk or saint. I’m too busy.”

But what actually is meditation ? In my opinion, it’s all about doing something mindfully, with your full attention, whatever it’s cleaning, cooking, making bed, listening rock n’ roll or sitting in peace and quiet.

We have a friend, he meditates through heavy mental. In the beginning, I’m really surprised how could he stay focused and have peaceful mind in such a “noisy” surrounding.

This morning, when I was changing bed sheets, I meditated. I did the whole thing slowly and carefully, instead of hurry things up and think it’s an annoying task. My husband told me that once he dated a lady who worked in hotel and had to change bed sheets everyday and she had the most beautiful muscles on the back shoulders that he ever known.

Yesterday on the radio, there’s a man talking about his meditate. He said that he practising yoga frequently and meditate through an APP. You can turn the APP from 15 minutes up to 2 hours’ meditation. This is pretty smart I think. It’s a combination of technology and ancient wisdom. As a person spend quite a time on internet, I started googling. The first APP came up was “Calm“. It also has the feature to help improving sleep. I think it’s essential for everyone to find their own way of meditate.

 

February 13, 2017 by Mad margarita Categories: Life style, Psychology, YogaTags: buddhism, happy, health, lifestyle, meditation, mind Leave a comment

梦想

受我父亲的影响，从小我就爱下厨房。总是有一个画面，我站在父亲身边看他炸猪油，打鱼丸，做蛋饺等。我很享受做菜的过程，慢工出细活，我喜欢没有压力的慢慢打理。不像我在餐厅做主厨助手，那是对速度和人抗压能力的考验。当然啦，如果你去餐厅，肯定不希望一份菜要等超过30分钟。即使米其林餐厅，上菜的速度也是很有保证的。

所以我一直有一个梦想，自己开一个餐厅，做自己喜欢的菜，用心做。我和老公提起过好几次，他都是给我一盆冷水，说我只是喜欢做菜，但不懂得经营之道，肯定会亏本。所以这颗梦想的种子在我心里一直埋着没有发芽。直到上周，他突然提起开餐厅的事情。说如果能在我家附近，盘到好的地，他愿意开一家餐厅或者咖啡馆让我打理。

天哪！

我简直不敢相信自己的耳朵，也许我的梦想真的要照进现实了。于是这几天，我就在想如果开餐厅，要开成什么样子，取什么名字，做什么菜，等等等等。

我希望的餐厅是人们进入餐厅后可以慢下来，享受周围坏境和全身心投入吃饭的餐厅，绝对不是汉堡、薯条、匹萨饼。但是也不是米其林那种过度注重视觉感官的。我在一条视屏上看到一个坐落在台湾叫春余院子的餐厅，就是我想要的那种餐厅，非常的有禅意。

真心希望有一天，我的梦想可以实现。

February 12, 2017February 17, 2017 by Mad margarita Categories: Food, Life styleTags: Design, happy, lifestyle Leave a comment

Better tomorrow

Something happened today made me reckoned myself.

What is feelings ?

Is it real ? Or it’s just some chemistry in our brain that makes us think …

It is true that we feel the way we think. The question is: can we control our thinking ?

I like to believe that we do can control our thought by practising meditation, mindfulness, yoga, or under the help of psychologist.

Yet the reality is more crucial. Sometimes our mind is just a wild elephant, no way to control. And before we even know, we already did or say something that we should not be doing.

I consider myself a very calm person, I don’t judge people, I let things happen. Therefore, I don’t have this “line” like some people have. The “line” that nobody would across.

Is it a good thing or a bad thing ?

My husband is the opposite of me. I admire him, for his enthusiastic, his compassion and his honesty. When he was a boy, the teacher told his mother that he had ADHD, but his mother said: No, my son is just a hard-working boy ! His mother not only accepte him how he is but encourage him to be himself.

Northern light from our house

The time is 1:22 in the morning and I really want to fall asleep. But my mind kept me awake. 

I’d like to wake up totally fresh and full of energy . We shall all embrace life instead of living in the past. I’d like to say goodbye to yesterday and never think about it, just let it go. 

“Chaque jour est un arbre qui tombe” (everyday there’s a tree who dies), but everyday there will also be a new life, a new hope, a new start. 

I truly agree that it’s never too late to start doing something, to make some changes.

Everyone makes mistake, either you live with it or you fix it.  – Sense 8

Oil painting from a friend

Be the strength with me cause I can feel it! Every time when the baby kicks, I know I’m not alone. I don’t want to think anymore, I’ve been thinking too much. Actions speak louder.

I have faith tomorrow will be better!

 

 

February 10, 2017 by Mad margarita Categories: Life style, Psychology, Yoga 3 Comments

That’s what help me recovering from BED.

It’s been a while I like to write this post. But I was not confident yet, but now, I can stand high and say: goodbye BED!

About a year ago, I was still frequenting “The White Bandage”, an association which helps people who suffer with eating disorder. 

My eating disorder started from 10 years ago when I was in university , I was trying to lose weight and got obesessed. I avoid going home during the weekend then I could be alone at school and don’t have to eat. I got too skinny until my period stopped for over a year. My mum got worried and took me to the doctor. Slowly by slowly, under the help of medicine, I went to the normal weight.

During my five year in Paris, I was healthy and not a second I thought about my weight, I was happy then.

It didn’t last until I moved to Iceland in 2014. The isolation and lonliness somehow awakened the devil inside me. I become obsessed about food, about the weight again. It’s not until I dropped to only 35 kg that I was alerted. I looked myself into the mirror and the only thing I saw was a skinny child, not a charming woman at all. 

The worst thing about BED is the self-deficient after each binge. I will feel completely a loser and idiot. Why did I do this to myself? It’s the last time i swear. I’m not going to eat anything for the next day. I have to stop this !

I am lucky.

I have a husband with whom we talk about everything. We trust each other completely. There’s no secret or taboo between us. So he noticed my eating disorder. I start going to “The White Bandage”. She’s a lady of my mum’s age, with very gentle voice and tender eyes. When she looks at you, it’s full of compassion and love. She’s an art therapist . With each section , I draw a picture, whatever was on my mind.

After stop seeing her (since my weight went back to normal and so does my period), I still had couple of times “crime”. But I didn’t feel guilty anymore. 

Today, I’m pregnant which was the least thing I expect of myself. It’s a truly gift. I see it as a transform. I know this devil root will always be there, but I’m not afraid anymore because I choose not to. I choose to be healthy, joyful and graceful.

So that’s what I do if I feel a sign of craving:

1. I listen to some soft music or music that emotional attached
2. I go for a walk
3. I avoid eating alone
4. I avoid being too hungry
5. I make myself a cup of warm chai tea with milk and sugar
6. Call a friend or my mum

This is my story. I do hope it could help those who’re suffering from eating disorder. 

February 8, 2017 by Mad margarita Categories: Food, Life style, PsychologyTags: Food, health, Psychology 4 Comments