Henry David Thoreau quote

One of the main reasons why I picked up the book French Women For All Seasons was because of my intrigue with this inspiring quote Mireille Guilliano chose for the introduction.

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each. Let them be your only diet drink and botanical medicines."

- Henry David Thoreau

French Women for all Seasons

Bonjour mesdames et messieurs!

As one of my 19 or so books (really, I lost count) laying around the kitchen, bathroom, office, bedroom, living room, floor, hallways, piano, just about anywhere I can read depending on my mood... yes, I have an awful book addiction.... there's one I just finished worth mentioning. It's called French Women For all Seasons, by the same author as French Women Don't Get Fat. The author Mireille Guilliano writes about how french women anticipates, takes full pleasure in and indulges in the full bounty of each season, what she eats and relates this concept to all areas of life.

She's reminding us to maximize our pleasure factor. Less is more, less is better. For example, if having friends over for dinner, make a one course dinner, as opposed to an eight course meal, with a bottle of wine. Actually more pleasurable since now you are enjoying the art of getting together, with less stress on the host.

When I came across this book, I thought it would satisfy my appetite for things french which I've been craving. Success! and then some. Here's some quick tidbits of my thoughts from this book that gave me unexpected delights.

• thoughtfulness and mindfulness

• awareness that we're living for the moment

• finding a balance

• you are unique, fit these principles into your lifestyle (busy mother, wife, student, caretaker of aging parents, overworked single person, etc...)

• stop for enjoyment

• figure out what your priorities are and start working at them each day

• food and food traditions

• be comfortable in your own skin

• the best way you can de-stress is to BE YOURSELF

So this brings me to the conclusion that anyone is capable of writing their own life story in a picturesque way as Mireille. I'm off to think about which chapter my life is in right now. And you? Your life in chapters.

Also in the book are many delicious seasonal recipes scattered throughout your reading too. Pg 234 A week's menu for winter to help you get started enjoying winter's food bounty.

If you're in the all things french mood, check out this wonderful film, Un Coeur Hiver (1992, A Heart in Winter). Passion in a violin shop! It's available on Netflix.com.

You can view book pages or buy it on Amazon. Click on this link.
French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes, and Pleasure


Maria
maria@destressessentials.com

surf's up

Just got back from an invigorating post holiday bike ride to balance out all the holiday food from yesterday!

I rode to the ocean bluffs nearby my home and made it to the cliff side after huffing and puffing, even after walking my bike up the hill. I'm so embarassed to even admit that but mtn biking was not a sport of choice for me, until today. So while resting on the bluff's edge, I sat for about an hour watching a surfer float on his board. Just enjoying the scenery of the Channel Islands, the big waves and the surfer, I was just in awe of all the natural beauty around me... and how lucky I feel to have that moment. Just as I was about to leave, the surfer got up, balanced and rode the wave. I felt so HAPPY for him that I clapped even though he couldn't hear me. I thought about how much courage he must have mustered up to ride that wave. I got back on my bike with a jolt of inspiration from that one surfer that I told myself I will ride the rocky hills - up and down - one day soon, after I muster enough strength and courage myself, just like the surfer got up and rode the wave.

It's a good time to remind you to shake things up a little, do something out of your ordinary life routine and make things a little interesting. It might just get you to that next level you've always wanted to go in your life. One little step at a time....

winter solstice rituals

winter solstice which is tomorrow marks the beginning of winter and the shortest day and longest night of the year. so for me as the sun goes down this means an annual ritual of remembering and appreciating the year that is ending, letting go of the not so good stuff in the year and then setting an intention for the new year ahead.

how will you observe or celebrate winter solstice? some ideas... sharing a candlelight dinner with friends or simply observing the sunrise and sunet, turning off the lights after sunset and lighting candles or fireplace to truly experience this longer night.

so instead of resisting this day, accept (reflect) and celebrate (the direction) of your new year ahead!

feeding your soul

It's the final dash to finish the holiday shopping, plan the travels, the get-togethers and everything else we do to try to make each holiday special. For most of us, after all the gifts are wrapped and the errands completed, it's maybe, just maybe we think about ourselves.

Stop now and think about yourself to all busy overachieving women out there! Calendar out some time if you need to you renew your energy and re-charge for the new year ahead.

Here's what you can do to feed your soul:
light a candle, read a spirtual book from an author that resonates with you (email me if you'd like suggestions maria@destressessentials.com), practice some restorative yoga and go deep into meditation.

After this quiet celebration of your spirit, you'll feel renewed and refreshed, the natural way.

the Spiritual Cinema Circle Buzz

Click here for information! You'll be taken to the Spiritual Cinema Circle website.

"The Spiritual Cinema Circle provides a great service if you want to evolve and be entertained."
- Deepak Chopra, M.D., bestselling author of The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success

New partnership with Spiritual Cinema Circle!

Today is a great day. I'm very excited to let you know that we've just partnered with Spirtual Cinema Circle to do our little part to help raise the vibration of the planet!

If you haven't seen the film, The Secret, I highly recommend it! AND would love to hear your thoughts on how it has improved your life. Send me a message at maria@destressessentials.com



Spritual Cinema Circle is offering a free month of membership to get you started receiving those hard to find films. Click here to be taken to their website.

maintaining your youthful spirit

each time muse takes me on a walk i'm reminded how important it is to maintain my youthful spirit. every morning she wakes up with a freshness about her; she sees the world like it was the first time.

i feel joy watching her roll in the grass, playing chase with the birds, smelling the flowers... even the spring in her step, it's all with such freshness! bright eyed and happy tailed muse definitely inspires MY youthful spirit!

maintain your youthfulness by practicing seeing things as if it was your first time.

merriest of holidays!

beating the blahs

i'm glad that i'm not an expert on the blahs but on the days i do feel it, like today, i've learned to recognize it, listen to what my body is telling me and even sometimes wait the feeling out.

today, i hear "move it" to help me create energy so i can be fueled by more uplifting energy. ah, makes sense to me. my exercise schedule was pushed away this week by commitments so hence this lackluster day.

if you experience lackluster days especially during this busy holiday and shorter sometimes gloomy days, make an attempt at improving your state of mind whether that means being still or going for that brisk walk, writing in your journal, listening to music or even escaping for a movie. try these intervention ideas and see what inspires you.

view blah times as an opportunity to slow down and listen to your inner self; listen to what your spirit says!

i'm off with muse to brighten my blahs with an inspiring walk to the beach.

know that this too shall pass...

i welcome your comments and feedback, email me at maria@destressessentials.com

celebrating oneness

feeling fresh from a joyful day at a celebration of oneness event held this past weekend in pasadena, ca. i left the center feeling lifted, in the spiritual sense... that all things are possible and within our reach.

in between the elevate film and music festivals, i got a chance to participate in such empowering workshops, all very inspiring but one stood out the most. after the arianna huffington workshop, i stayed for her sister's (Agapi's) workshop on fearlessness. my brain mind was telling me to turn back to elevate where it seemed so much easier to sit and listen to be uplifted by music or a film, but my wonderful heart mind told me to stay, take that chance and grow. thankfully again my heart mind led me in the feel good direction.

we started the workshop dancing around the room, arms flailing in all directions, shoes off. free, i felt so free! then we were asked to freeze and look to the person near us. from that point on we were asked to share our fears with this person and other intimate information to help us through our fears. I shared mine with Sandra and vice versa. was very scary to tell a person I just met my fears. that fear on top of my existing fears was enough to make me grab my shoes and run! But, immediatley i felt comfortable with her; her calmness and lightness about her inspired me to share and talk from my heart. Sandra and I had made a deep connection sitting on that stage. Still gives me chills, the good kind. If you're reading this Sandra, thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I know we have exchanged emails but where ever our journey leads us, i can bet we were in that workshop for a reason. Bless you.

A Celebration of Oneness

I truly believe that events take place in our lives for a reason and that people we meet touch our life for a reason, whether it be the person sitting next to you on the bus, the waitress serving you or the guy at the ticket counter handing you the stub. our lives are filled with these little connections. for yourself today, try making the conscious effort to think about, as you go through your day, the people you come in contact with. has this interaction affected or changed you? how? if anything, this contact might just make you more aware that these people, the little contacts throughout the day, are no different than you... that we are all ONE in our hearts, minds and bodies. blessings to you.

In celebration of Bodhi Day

Today we celebrate Bodhi Day... Buddha's Awakening, by offering 10% off Buddha Nose!

When placing your order you must put BodhiDay06 in the comments section to receive a 10% refund on your total Buddha Nose order. Good for one week only, through December 15.

Bodhi Day background: Buddha's Enlightenment. "Among Buddhists, this holiday celebrates Buddha's attaining understanding of the truth of existence, freeing himself from all human suffering, and finding perfect happiness."

Like the Buddha, we should be reminded to find time to calm our hearts and minds and allow ourselves to clearly reflect the true nature of (our) life.

Bodhi Balm directions: use as often as needed. And like the Buddha, find a tree to sit under and... peace out!

quote of the day

i love quotes and this one seemed to resonate with me as we let go of another november in our lives... here is a quote that inpsires me to be a better person.

"from time to time, to remind ourselves to relax, to be peaceful, we may wish to set aside some time for a retreat, a day of mindfulness, when we walk slowly, smile, drink tea with a friend, and enjoy being together as if we are the happiest people on earth." -thich nhat hanh

when life gets hectic

with all this talk about sales and shopping i wanted to make sure we're also feeding our souls (myself included!).

when life gets hectic... be sure to create that spiritual space for yourself. just as flowers and plants need space to grow and flourish, so do we. nothing soothes my spirit more than sitting outside taking in the natural beauty. i'm grateful for being able to do that year-round living in santa barbara. a quick jaunt to the beach with muse gives me tons of tranquility for the week. the sound of the water never fails to carry my troubles away. even living on the east coast during the winter months meandering along the serene potomac gave me a sense of peace.

find your spiritual space and reflect on all that you have to be grateful for. share if you'd like too. wishing you safe travels and many many more blissful moments. thank you for coming into my space today.

truly grateful for you,
maria

being beautiful naturally

maria's tips on being BEAUTIFUL, naturally

~ love your life and everything around you. the more you count your blessings, the more they will appear.

~ drink lots of water. being dehydrated can make you stressed, but pure fresh water both energizes and uplifts naturally.

~ no matter how stressed you are - exercise. it is the best anti-stress medicine ever! just 30 minutes of it can help you deal with anything.

~ laugh really loud whenever and as often as you can, it is very liberating!

~ eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day. rich in nutrients and skin-protective anti-oxidants, these are nature's beauty foods.

~ give hugs, lots of them. if you cannot find anyone, hug a tree ;-)

~ have massages: in addition to toning your muscles and relieving aches, being kneaded and squashed simply makes your body happy.

~ love your body and stop criticizing yourself. remember, you truly are a miracle of nature.

~ be really really genuinly nice to everyone. smiles are contagious. it's even known to boost your immune system!

laugh your way to wellness

I'm always seeking out interesting articles on wellness. My sister knows this so she sends me articles and links on things she comes across. She sent a fun one last night about balance... laughing your way to wellness. It's a type of yoga called Okido. The purpose is to help you regain the connection to your life-force and create the basis for better health and spiritual happiness. I gave it a try this morning with muse. She can always make me laugh. She does this drop roll thing on me most mornings to play and wake me up to feed her. She seems to have the Okido practice mastered. So I giggled myself to bliss. Really lightened me up, ready for whatever comes my way today.

So time to open our minds and take a journey to find the inner child in you and laugh your way through the day. What a natural way to feel good!

If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane.
- Jimmy Buffett

New! Sharon Bolton BODY WASH and LOTION

I'm happy to announce 2 new local products added to our existing Sharon Bolton line: luv, soul, truth BODY WASH and BODY LOTION, the Santa Barbara collection.

Intoxicating, ultimately feminine scents for every busy woman. Make your own discovery. Will it be Luv, Soul or Truth!?

Shall I dare say what perfume oil you can find in my purse...
Luv. But of course!

Not only are her scents uplifting but the woman behind the product is equally inspiring. View complete line here:
Sharon Bolton scents

**Gift idea** Essential oil perume for the ultra feminine woman.

This thing called beauty

Seems every time I turn around, another article is written about beauty and anti-aging. Even Natural Health Magazine, which I really love, has pages and pages of beauty products and articles on looking younger. We're a society obsessed with looking young. I admit that I can get a little overboard with my moisturizers and lipsticks too. I'm here to remind you (and me!) that beauty is an inside-out job.

It's no coincidence that when I feel most beautiful is when I've learned something new, ate healthy, lent a helping hand, was less self-absorbed, read a great book, got active, laughed with a friend, or spent some time in nature.

I challenge you today to nourish your spirit. Do things that inspire you to feel beautiful. Get empowered. Get educated. Get healthy. Get active. I'm pretty sure you'll see less of a slavish dependence on glamour and gloss and more on that thing called inner beauty.

Ok so rapelling from a mountain might be a stretch. Learn something new this month, another language perhaps?... oui oui.

World on Fire

view the video

http://www.worldonfire.ca

Earth Day Santa Barbara 2006

Earth Day in our town is always a day I look forward to. Haven't missed a year since I moved her. We spent the day soaking in the sun spread out on the courthouse lawn. We visited the booths, learned about holistic dog care, got a chair massage, ate yummy food, and listened to the music on the solar powered stage. Enjoyable day.

The Community Environmental Council puts on this amazing event each year. click here to see photos.

Find your bliss

Hi everyone, I this finds you well.

So it's been a while since my last post. Have you felt pulled in so many directions? That would describe me in the past month. Buidling a business is taking me in directions that keep me on my toes and happily surprised by the results.

Well, because of my commitment to "walk the talk" in all things relaxation and wellness, I've been making time to care for my total wellness -- my mind, body and soul. I started to get into a regular exercise routine, rather than just walking my dog so I went to a yoga class last week. It totally invigorated me and felt stronger coming out of a class. Glad I survived it because I was starting to think bad thoughts about the instructor. But these are the things I need to do for myself to keep my stress level to a minimum and at the grueling end, my tension is released and ready for the day's challenges. Yoga is my bliss.

Let's put stress into perspective. Not all stress is bad. Think about the time you were in a stressful situation tyring to make a deadline on something you procrastinated too long. Didn't that type of stress propell you to take action? That's what I mean by some stress is ok.

From time to time we all find ourselves in stressful situations - that's normal. I think we can't avoid it 100% of the time, that's just life and part of being human. However for many people stress has become a constant way of life. More often than not this is down to work and/or money problems, but relationships and ill-health are also common factors that contribute to our high levels of stress.

While we can't always elimate the things in our lives that normally cause us to feel stressed, what we can do is change the way we react to them, while also learning to relax more and worry less. We could all use a gentle reminder on managing stress. I know I do.

De-stress tip: Examine your life more closely and make the necessary changes required to reduce YOUR levels of stress.

What's your bliss?