Accessing Your Intuition

Accessing Your Intuition 

Have you ever had an intuitive hit? Do you follow your intuition? Have you ever followed your intuition even though it didn’t seem logical?Have you ever gone against your gut only to regret it? 

In 1997, scientist Dr. Candace Pert illuminated the fact that we have a “mobile brain,” that there are as many neuro-receptors in the heart and the gut as there are in the brain. Culturally, we have been trained to listen more to the head. But a “gut feeling” or a “calling of the heart” are every bit as relevant and profound as what “the head” says. We have witnessed this in both our professional and personal lives. 

Accessing one’s intuition allows the wise, internal compass to guide decisions around health, relationships, work and other areas. The implications of connecting to our intuition mean better alignment with the essential self which, when we discover it, leads to more grounded decision-making in many realms. It is possible to know the exact right next steps… 

We can develop that inner knowing in surprisingly simple ways: 

1)     Engage in contemplative practice- meditate, reflect, write. Take time to connect with yourself and your own deeper wisdom.

2)     Practice mindful yoga. The body holds much information. When we listen to its messages, the body will help us grow in self-awareness. Mindfulness and yoga practices tap into a wealth of intuition, waiting to be revealed.

3)     Slow down, resist the urge to over-schedule, and take sacred pauses throughout the day, checking in with yourself. Consistency paves the path.

4)     Do your own personal work through counseling, coaching, groups, yoga, and workshops. This helps us clear out old baggage and to change ineffective patterns.

Nutrition Tip 

Add berries each day for better health! We know that berries are loaded with antioxidants and flavonoids. In addition, a recent study found that eating more berries may prevent cognitive decline! Check out www.sciencedaily.com  for further reading. Remember that berries are on the dirty dozen list, so it’s important to make sure they are organic. Now that we are entering a warmer season, try substituting a berry smoothie for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Here is one of our favorite recipes: 

Almond or rice milk

Banana and Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)

Protein powder (rice protein digests easier than whey for many people)

Cinnamon if you’d like (freshly ground helps stabilize blood sugar)

Book Review 

We were pleasantly surprised and delighted to receive this recent review of our book… 

Review: Calm: Choosing to Live Mindfully by Angela Buttimer and Dennis Buttimer
Reviewed by Rose Kress, Program Manager for Amy Weintraub’s LifeForce Yoga

 Life, work, and duty all seem to conspire to call us away from our daily practice, and we often succumb. We easily forget that 5—10—20 minutes every day is better than an hour or two a week. Calm is a wonderful reminder that less can be more. The authors point out in the introduction that they have purposefully left the chapters short so that readers can fit the practices into their hectic lives.

The Buttimers are students of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist Zen Master who is well known for his accessible teachings on mindfulness. The authors honor their teacher’s legacy with a book filled with accessible daily practices. Each chapter is a teaching in mindfulness that is concise, starts with an inspirational quote, and ends with Self-Reflection questions and a practice. A wonderful example of the simplicity of the practices is the first chapter, “Today is a New Day.” The authors give a short teaching on the opportunity of beginning again, each morning and then move on to illustrate the teaching with several anecdotes. The chapter ends with the practice of waking up and saying to yourself “today is a new day.”

We often work really hard at making things complicated for ourselves, thinking that the more complex something is the better it is. In reality, simplicity can be quite profound and change our lives in big ways. The practice of mindfulness is simple, often difficult in execution, but with guides like the Buttimers’, attaining and sustaining mindfulness accessible. 

Retreats and Classes 

Our in-town retreat will be held on Saturday, June 23^rd from 10:30am- 3:30pm. Included in the $79 price will be a delicious lunch, your choice of our book, CALM: Choosing To Live Mindfully or our Guided Meditations CD. The retreat will feature dharma (teaching) talks, sitting meditation and body scan, chair yoga and guided meditations. This is an excellent opportunity to relax, restore and renew. Call 404-949-9500 or email us to register as soon as possible as seating is limited. 

Yoga Classes: Angela teaches at our offices on Monday nights from 6-7:30 pm. Dennis teaches on Wednesdays at noon. These are great classes for beginners. No experience needed! Call or email to register. 

Personal 

On a personal note, we were very happy to attend our youngest son Kevin’s college graduation at Armstrong State University this past weekend! We are proud of him and this wonderful milestone in his life.

Below are a couple of pictures of us with Kevin and our son Justin.

 Be well,

Angela and Dennis

Simple Strategies for Greater Health

The thymus gland plays a vital role in immune system functioning. Located under the top of the breastbone, this gland can be activated for both improved immunity and also as a source of relaxation. 

T-cells, particularly important to those with cancer and other diseases, are produced in the thymus. These fighter cells do much to stave off infections, colds, and other foreign material. These cells protect the body and have a direct connection to our level of health. 

Although the thymus has reached maturity in our teens, we can stimulate it directly through an energy medicine technique called thymus tapping. This process both creates more t-cells to boost immunity and elicits the relaxation response for quick stress reduction. The thymus is also the site of the heart chakra, and as the tapping technique is applied, we immediately feel more grounded and open-hearted. 

Whether you use it for the immune system or for stress relief, thymus tapping is an easy, direct way to calm yourself and positively influence your health. 

For a brief demonstration of thymus tapping, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZVNpFQuKLE 

Nutrition Tip for Better Health 

What veggies are in season in your area? In Georgia, beets are! This food is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, iron, magnesium and potassium, and provides folate and manganese. Try a yummy roasted beet and goat cheese salad for a delicious and healthful addition to your meal during the Spring! 

North Carolina Tour A Success 

Below is a picture of us from our recent 3-city NC trip to teach “Yoga and Mindfulness for Anxiety and Depression.”  The folks we met in North Carolina were bright, inquisitive and enthusiastic – we were delighted to spend time with them! The workshops were a great success, and we felt well received by positive, engaging audiences. And we were able to promote our book and CD. We look forward to delivering more workshops around the country in the summer.

One-Day Intown Retreat in June at Shambhala 

Registration is now open for ”A Day of Mindfulness” which we will be facilitating on Saturday, June 23^rd from10:30am- 3:30pm at the Shambhala Meditation Center in Atlanta.

This is a great way to enjoy a relaxing in-town retreat and to experience the teachings and benefits of mindfulness and mindful yoga. Great for beginners as well as seasoned practitioners! This is a wonderful opportunity to nurture yourself and integrate  practices which will enhance your life.

Registration will include a delicious Mediteranean lunch and your choice of our book CALM: Choosing To Live Mindfully or our CALM Guided Meditation CD. Call or email now to register as seating is limited.

Be well,

Angela and Dennis

Webinar on Health and Wellness tomorrow

This Wednesday, April 11^th (tomorrow) at 1pm, Angela will be the guest presenter on the Metis Movement webinar. Her topic will cover Integrative Health and Wellness for Women.

This webinar is free of charge, so if you would like to join her for her slide show presentation and talk, go to this link: http://www.anymeeting.com/metismovement1, then dial (218) 339-2409 Guest Access Code: 982 3150 at1pm tomorrow.  

If you missed her blog radio presentation on Women Warriors last week, you can listen to the replay at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/womenwarriors/2012/04/04/women-warriors–mindfulness-yoga-for-optimal-health 

Be well,

Dennis

Health and Wellness Blog Radio Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 4^th at 12 noon, Angela will be featured on Women Warriors BlogRadio, being interviewed about our book CALM: Choosing To Live Mindfully. 

She will address “Mindfulness and Yoga for Optimal Health and Well-Being.” To Tune into this health and wellness event, go to this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/womenwarriors/2012/04/04/women-warriors–mindfulness-yoga-for-optimal-health

Be well.

Dennis

ADEC Conference and Astragalus Benefits