Labor Day Weekend and Identity

Click here for my new article on dating and identity!

Hi Lovely,

Who is excited for Labor Day Weekend? To start off your weekend on the right note, I thought I would share one of my newly published articles with The Good Men Project. This article is about the distinct connection of dating and identity. If you are currently a bit lost in the dating world or if you simply want to know how to maintain your current relationship all the while cultivating your own individual identity, feel free to check the article out!

Dating and Identity article


Happy reading!

XOXO Lusciously Levi  

Passover, Good Friday, a Full Moon, oh my!

Happy Spring lovely! 

We are currently in the beginning of April, where just last night we had some light drizzles during the eve of Passover and Good Friday, which just so happened to coincide on the same day! This coming weekend is Easter, and today we have a Blood Moon (specific type of Full Moon) with a total Lunar Eclipse! Here is the definition of pure unity with so many wonderful events all occurring at once; enjoy them all with gratitude and acceptance.   

Spring has sprung/Passover/Good Friday/Easter/Lunar Eclipse/Full Moon

Springtime is a beautiful period of renewal, where you get a chance to re-energize yourself as a whole. Love yourself, your journey, your experiences, and your path. With the April showers which bring the May flowers, it is truly a sight to enjoy. 

Passover is a sacred Holiday that falls on early spring, giving us all an extra opportunity for powerful and individual growth within spirituality (Spirituality just means personal transformation, which will be expanded on in an upcoming blog post)*, which is usually celebrated for one week (7 consecutive days). It commemorates the emancipation of the Jewish people from slavery in ancient Egypt. Aside from both the freedom and survival aspects of the history of Passover, which were one of the biggest challenges the Jewish people had to face, today we can call it a spring celebration, because we have the opportunity to sit down together in better times with family. A Spring Celebration happens with the traditional "Seder", which means order. The family themed dinner is just that, an ordered set of meals that provide us with a living and breathing family dynamic. Passover is then the story of family, experiencing every aspect of family. We have the freedom to be more peaceful today. We must be aware of the history and the events, so that we can understand what it means to be free, and to mend the history so that it will not repeat itself. We mend this by continuing our journey of freedom, by freeing ourselves from ego, jealousy, fame, anger, authority, isolation, frustration, annoyance, pettiness, etc. This Holy Holiday is helping us recognize the importance of a simple family dinner. What does it mean to be with family? As Michael J Fox so eloquently put it, "Family is not an important thing. It is everything." Family is true love. Until we all realize this, history will seem like it is repeating itself. History is powerful in that way. It is here to directly teach us all that we can be better people simply by loving and caring for our family and fellow people, because that is the essence of life.   

April 4, 2015 Full Moon Lunar Eclipse

The full moon is upon us once again and some terms that come to mind are the following: reflection, calmness, and acceptance. In these moments you don't have to respond or coerce anything to happen.What you can do is simply honor the moment with the people around you and make the most of it. Freely be opened to it and truly respect your own unique and individual journey. The significance of it all is to continue to be present and accept your whole self, all the while allowing everything that you are feeling to enter your soul and let it pass through without controlling or answering to it. It may be aggression, tears, or laughter. Whatever the feeling, it is all OK and healing at the same time if you simply listen to them, let them go, and focus on the gratitude and strength that come from it all. In addition, be in the alignment with the ever present flowing energies of the universe. This means trust your heart now in a way that puts you in a centered state. This action can make you free from all the pressure you are feeling, as it echoes to us all that we are love.

The ultimate message is simple. We have a seemingly magical occurrence of so many Holy events that all combine effortlessly to one- Unity. This joins us all, and gives us an opportunity to focus on learning to spend time with our loved ones, caring for one another, respecting each other, honoring one another, and treating each other as we would want to be treated, with pure love from the heart. Have a Blessed Holiday week everyone!

XOXO Lusciously Levi 

Everyone chews gum right...

Hi all!

Here's the lowdown on gum chewing: You just finished a medium to large meal and you feel stuffed. Your instant gut reaction thought is, "Time to pop in a piece of gum so I can be skinny!" But wait, does gum actually promote weight loss? I used to chew gum all the time; it was the Status Quo you might say. However, once I decided to stop chewing gum on a regular basis, I did not miss anything. I actually felt less stressed out. I used to chew gum before my ballet performances, thinking it would help get me hyped up. However, that was definitely not the case. I have a recollection of every time I chewed gum backstage; I would get dry mouth so quickly and would feel tired even before the show started! Not the best results for preparing a festive and adrenaline inducing Nutcracker. performance. That was when I realized, gum is not only useless, it can be harmful in that it made me tired! So, aside from taking exams and popping a piece of gum every few months or so to get my brain overly stimulated, gum to me is now just another nervous habit that can initially be seen as innocuous yet clearly contains some hidden menacing factors behind it's colorfully exhibited facade.

• Chewing gum on a regular basis can become a nervous habit, like smoking! Chewing consistently creates unnecessary wear and tear of your cartilage in your jaw. These joints become weak over time and can therefore be easily damaged and cause aches as well as discomfort.
• We think chewing gum helps to reduce our food cravings and thus in turn our food intake. This would logically make us skinnier, sounds perfect, right? Well, not exactly.  On the contrary, chewing gum begins stimulating certain salivary glands in the mouth. Every time we chew, we are stimulating unneeded saliva to be consistently present (this is bad for our digestion). This is a waste of energy and makes our bodies overwork for no good reason!
• Consistent chewing of gum creates nervous tendencies. Chewing gum creates a tightness on our muscles that are in our mouth, through our temples, and even our head. This is why we can get headaches after chewing for a long time. This pressure can even lead to chronic headaches which nobody needs from chewing gum!
• Gum is packed with aspartame or sugar, both of which rot your teeth. Enough said :)
  

So, once the cards are spread out on the table, you can see that chewing gum is one of those unhealthy habits that we Americans claim to be cool, common, and chic. The best form of weight loss or teeth cleaning would be to consider changing your lifestyle, a day at a time. Reduce your intake of sugar and processed foods and right away your dental and weight loss problems should be hindered a bit. Remember to always brush your teeth (a great toothpaste is coconut oil and baking soda*), floss daily, and you are on the right track! Your digestion, nerves, and teeth will thank you!

Blackberries are sweet for summer!

Blackberries are sweet for summer!

Blackberries are a unique kind of fruit that unfortunately does not seem to be too popular within the majority of fruit eaters. Nonetheless, this fruit is juicy and elegant. It is delicious and has the possibility of tasting sweet or sour, depending on how ripe the blackberries are. In addition, the blackberries are high in gallic acid with an added source of anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. This is great for protecting your overall immune system. 

The Blackberries look so unique!

  Blackberries are a great kind of berry to enjoy, health wise. We already know that it tastes delicious when in season , but in addition, blackberries have one of the highest levels of antioxidant. This makes for a great option when choosing which fruit to consume on a daily basis. Blackberries also contain a large amount of Vitamin C and fiber, great for our digestion. Blackberries are also low in calories, so this type of fruit should become more popular!

The best place to get Blackberries are at your local farmers market! Here they are fresh and tasty!

 

  The summertime is the typical season for gathering these succulent blackberries. These berries have immense vitamins and minerals as well. They contain Vitamin A, E, and K. In addition, they also contain magnesium, copper, potassium, and manganese. They also contain some levels of the B-complex group of vitamins. which is essential for every one's overall health. The following vitamins ultimately act as a benefactor in aiding in the body's ability to metabolize proteins, carbs, and fats: niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and folic acid. So, if you are in the mood for a delicious and nutritious snack, the blackberries will do!

All about the fruit!

 

Papaya the fruit

So sweet and yummy

The taste is impeccably astute

As sugary as honey

You may choose your way

to eat it dry or raw

chewy or gooey anytime of the day

it even provides a workout for your jaw

 Papaya is unique as it grows out of a tree

Covered in green 

Surrounded by many, have a see

The trees line up, straight like a seam 

 Its tropical and filled with seeds

ranging in sizes

Unusually colorful like a pair of beads

may be eaten as soon as it arises

So enjoy a slice of papaya today

your choice of texture and taste

In the summertime is best, in May

The quality is no waste

The Apple/Pear fruit combination seems odd at first, well to me it did as least. But this unique co-existing tasty alternative seems to appeal to consumers.

The texture is a bit rough more so like a traditional pear, and the shape is more so like an average apple. However, the taste is somewhere in between the two fruits. Not too sweet and not too sour. Its hard to make out what it tastes like exactly, but your taste buds will be surprised, as it is not a common fruit.

If I were a Fruit...
 
Fruits are one of those essential food groups that give you an automatic burst of energy and a dose of natural sugar. From blueberries to watermelons 🍉, fruits range according to size, color, and what's in season. Diversity galore!

There are many tropical fruits, which are deliciously juicy and uniquely flavorful. Some of these are: bananas, coconuts, pineapple, mango, papaya, and guava. Their flavors are accurately sour or sweet depending on the specific fruit.

The following fruits are organized in categories according to specific months and/or seasons. These are specific prime periods for the fruits which are applicably in season and thus more tasty and accurately ripe.
--During the spring/fall seasons: oranges might be preferred.
--Aug/Sep:strawberries, blueberries, apricots, grapes, honeydew
--July: watermelon, peaches

From all if these delectably enticing fruits, if I were a fruit, I would choose apples. Aside from being sweetly delicious and melting in your mouth tasty, there are so many different varieties if apples. From Gala to Red Delicious to Empire to Cortland, you could conceivably choose an apples according to your current mood. ☺ In addition, they are the best preservable fruit not consumed with sugar like grapes or bananas.

Unity "Thanksgiving 2012"

Unity--> A concept requiring humble admiration and respect of one another, "unity" is a recurring goal intended for all to acquire. We are humans first and foremost, thus meaning we have the capability, if possible, to help out. To volunteer, do good, love, care for, and become better people in this world. There are countless ways if doing so. Whether that be traveling to the local shelter, help in your community, or even in your house and family. We sometimes overlook our capabilities to help others.
The power of our voices additionally enables us to unite on another level. An honest voice is a powerful one at best. Speaking the truth proposes integrity and creates a harmonic setting in a given environment. The ideal form and essential progress of "Unity" desires individuals to maintain familial respect and boundaries. This is number one in process. In essence, we must prioritize and be kind to each other, wholeheartedly appreciating our family members and acting upon that theoretically given systematic concept.
We learn every day, from our neighbors, our friends, our family, etc. We have the power and authority of choosing who we follow. This is how we end up uniting with our people, our path. Choose wisely, and sometimes it is more important to "do good"rather than do well.

Happy Thanksgiving! Celebrate with family, friends, good times and a good you! This holiday comes to us to remind each and everyone the importance of helping others, lending a hand, and living life with an appreciation and positive attitude.

Sunny November