Christmas Eve

A new home, new town.  We've paired down our belongings and are settling into a simpler lifestyle.
Christmas season this year has proven VERY different.

Between the weather feeling like a New England September, the kids entering school in December for their first time ever, Mom going to work for the first time in almost nine years and Dad becoming the part time stay-at-home Mr. Mom, Advent crept by us with silent footsteps.  Christmas Eve is upon us and I feel the distant presence of my loved ones from back East. Missing the house full of family, antipasto, loaf of Italian bread form Calvito's.  Preparing for the flurry of excitement going form house to house, the packed church on Christmas Eve, watching Steve on the mandolin.  This year will be different.  I will spend the evening working in an amazing live food cafe with wonderful company and head over to a friend's home for some family love.  A quite morning at home for Christmas, hopefully a hike with a panoramic view of breathtaking mountains.  An a quite afternoon at the cafe, serving up dinner with Steve to an appreciative group, our new community, with the kids hanging in the back room. It will be a new family scene, and I will hold my ENTIRE family, blood relatives and spirit sisters and brothers, I will hold them all in my heart, and carry you with me through this sacred time.

On ANOTHER note.. With all of the movement happening, the kids reminded me that WE HAVE NO STOCKINGS!  And its CHRISTMAS EVE!!!  Whatever can we do??

Bust out the needle felting supplies of course!! 

 The kids were SO delighted to make their own stockings, and Mom was so happy to FINALLY do a proper Christmas craft!

Merry Christmas!!

Love and Peace,

The Law Family Unit!

Words to Consider

We believe that our most precious possession is life.

We believe we shall mobilize all the forces of life against the forces of death.

We believe that mutual understanding leads toward mutual cooperation; that mutual cooperation leads towards Peace; and that peace is the only way of survival for mankind.

We believe that we shall preserve instead of waste our natural resources, which are the heritage of our children.

We believe that we shall avoid the pollution of our air, water and soil, the basic preconditions of Life.

We believe we shall preserve the vegetation of our planet: the humble grass which came fifty million years ago, and the majestic trees came twenty million years ago, to prepare our planet for mankind.

We believe we shall eat only fresh, natural, pure, whole foods, without chemicals and artificial processing.


We believe we shall live a simple, natural, creative life, absorbing all the sources of energy, harmony, and knowledge, in and around us.


We believe that the improvement of life and mankind on our planet must start with individual efforts, as the whole depends on the atoms composing it.

We believe in the Fatherhood of God, the Motherhood of Nature, and the Brotherhood of Man.

-Credo of the International Biogenic Society.

composed in Paris in 1928 

by Romain Rolland and Edmond Bordeaux Szekely

That's our Cue!

We woke up yesterday morning in a pile of blankets, the whole family snuggled up on my Dad's living room floor. Yes, there were more than enough beds for everyone, but we were preparing to leave on our road trip adventure in the morning, and this seemed more fun.

    What we woke up to was a bit of a surprise, a very wonderful sign, our cue to start heading for the Southwest.

Grandpa Cool's House

Delighted kids

 We had to once again, unpack and repack the trailer, since we were wearing sandals, little spring shoes and the like.  Oh, but what a treat, one last snow before hitting the road.

Willow chugs green juice with great enthusiasm!

The traveling machine

 We sailed on over to my grandparent's house to grab the kiddos who were so lucky to get to spend so much time with them while Steve and I were unpacking and repacking, sorting, donating, trashing, cleaning...

 Nine and a half hours on the road yesterday, not a single complaint from those three bundles of joy (well, not until it was WAY past our bedtimes)

Our first stop, Catch a Healthy Habit, Glen and Lisa are so incredible we stop whenever we get the chance!

Crossing the Hudson

The Kids are in charge of walking the Pups!

Now we are resting up in Falling Waters, West Virgnia.  Taking a breather, looking for some juicy organic produce, and oh, did I mention our hotel just happened to be right next to the library??  Yay!

Transition

Seven years and three months ago Steve and I needed a place to call home.  Our ideal situation wasn't presenting itself, and we settled into our little apartment with our 9 month old Emelia and two dogs.  This was purely a transitional home, no intention of settling in too deep.  It was here that Eli and Willow were both brought into this world.  It was here that we experienced so many firsts.  They took their first steps, spoke their first words, embraced us with their endless hugs.  It was here that Steve and Emelia planted our weeping birch, it was here that we cultivated life in so many forms.   Our ever changing gardens and greenhouse, discovering the wild food that grew right here in our suburban yard.  It was here that our children have learned the power of teaching others.  We have witnessed as they have brought neighborhood children into our yard to ravage the garden and hunt for wild edibles. And yes, it was here that I comforted the parents of those same children as the concern arose that their children were, *gasp* eating food from the yard!

We grew here, we dreamed here, we created a sanctuary on a piece of land that needed the peace as much as we needed to learn to be present on it.  When all is said and done, I've grown to love this little apartment, surrounded by people from all sorts of walks of life.  But as I said before, this was intended as a transitional home from the get-go.  We knew that there was still a great deal of movement that had to take place in our lives before we settled down for the long haul.  As we close out a seven year cycle in our sweet little town in this very big, little Ocean State, we prepare for our next transition.
What does that transition look like?  We are learning that with every moment.  We are fully embraced by God, Spirit, The Universe.  We have utmost faith that with prayer and conscious action, we are being and will continued to be guided in every step that we take.
What does that transition look like right now?  A Mama sitting in a dark room, with a laptop propped in an empty bookcase (that Eli cleared himself  as one last ditch effort before bed).  This mama is surrounded by sealed boxes, empty shelves and cabinets, stealing a moment of peace before the world awakens and the flurry of activity begins again.
What does the future appear to hold for us?  Well, we have a family transitioning our home to theirs on the first of the month.  We hope to be on the road around that time.  We are loading up the dogs and the children and heading west.  Over the course of the next couple of years we are educating ourselves, with out enrolling in a University.  Sort of an adult version of homeschooling.  Our long time dream is to open a retreat center.  Our focus is to visit centers throughout the country to witness, and participate in their mission.  To learn, to grow.  We will develop our nutritional awareness, deepen our spiritual center, and ground into our physical bodies.
Our first destination is the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona.  This center lines up with so many of our values, exuding health, spirit and community.  We will take our turn in the kitchen there, refining our chef skills.  We look forward to joining the community in their meditation, yoga and worship services. We are excited to explore all schooling options, and to embrace a new community of individuals on a path of health and spirituality.
Yes, we have an amazing family that will host us as we settle in.  And Yes, my in-laws are conveniently settling in to their new home just north of where we are headed.  Is this comforting?  Absolutely.
Do we have any idea how long we will be there?  Or where we will go next?
A short answer would be, no, not at all.


We are following our hearts, following the illuminated path that we know is there for all of us, no matter how dimly lit it may seem at times, no matter what higher power, we connect with.  The answer is there for us all, we just need to open our hearts and listen.  The more space we create to listen to that inner guide, the brighter the path becomes.
The room I sit in has become bright, birds are chirping, pitter-pattering of footsteps, I can now see the chaos around me.  Little arms embrace my neck.  Time to start my day.

Oops!

The links in my last email weren't fully turned into hyperlinks, which means they didn't work!  If you click on them now they should bring you right over!
Blessings on this Delightful Autumn Morning!
Gina

Law Family FUN-Raiser

For the last several years, our lives have settled into a nice, comfortable routine.  Gina is  home schooling mom, keeping the house and raising the children the best she can, with all those little details that a Mama strives to offer her little ones.  Stephen is an involved dad and supportive husband, he offers his services on sundays to our Church as a multi-faceted musician and has taken on the role as a 9-5 carpenter to support the family.  We live in our modest home, with a small but wonderful yard, three young children and our two aging pups.  

Our dream for many years has been to open a center of some sort.  The vision has changed through the years and is often pushed to the far reaches of our consciousness, but it has always remained a strong desire for our family.  The dream is one which allows our family to be our truest selves.  In this dream, we are rooted deep into our foundation, yet stretching our furthest limbs to share our talents, to teach and inspire those around us to follow their deepest passions. 

Six months ago we had a small glimpse into an awakening.  We knew that it was time to take action and make some changes in our lives.  It was time to uproot from the comfortable, un-comfort of our suburban dwelling, from our roles as carpenter and housewife.  Immediately the synchronicities began to happen.  That small awakening began to grow.  Through countless hours of prayer and meditation, our path is becoming so clear.  Opportunities continue to arise in which we are able to push our comfort level, test our abilities.   We were able collaborate with a local yoga studio.  Stephen was able to take part in a Yoga Teacher Training, a long time dream of his.  In exchange, we provided raw, organic, vegan spreads for the group.   This challenge Gina was excited to take on, as much of her peace lies in food preparation and serving others delicious, healthy food.  

God has provide us with the faith to surrender into the flow that is all around us.  And what has been presented is an educational journey of sorts.  We are going to school, without enrolling in a University.  We are packing up only the essentials and hitting the road.  Our plan?  Well that’s a mystery even to us.  We are contacting retreat centers of all shapes and sizes, throughout the country in hopes to exchange work for a glimpse into what they are doing.  We will learn from them in ways that we may never expect.  Our first major destination?  The Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Patagonia, Az.  Here awaits an experience working in THE live food cafe.  The Tree of Life Center is a Live Food, Spiritual Community best known for its work with diabetic patients.  They have 21 day programs that get a high percentage of the diabetics off of insulin.  Along with the nutritional wonders of the community, it is a strong spiritual community, practicing yoga, meditation, bhakti, seva and so much more. The length of our stay here is still undetermined.  We will stay at least two weeks, but that all depends on how the stars line up.  The rest of our journey will be in faith.  Whether we remain there or continue pursuing other centers, our intention will remain the same, to absorb all of the knowledge and growth that we can. We will take all of the bits and pieces that we have learned and translate them to our own vision.  Eventually we will settle in and manifest a place of healing, growing, Spirit, and of course, nutrition.

So, it is time for us to raise some funds.  Why are we raising funds?  Well, we can’t do this on our own. Through prayer and meditation, we were inspired to have a FUN-raiser.  An evening of yoga for all ages, live food, dancing, silent auctions, raffles, magical moments and music, music, music!  We’re giving it our heart and soul, blood, sweat and tears, to make this night a great one for everybody.  

When is this event that you don’t want to miss??  Saturday, October 16th, 7:00.

Where will you find us?? Amy at the Mystic Yoga Shala has been gracious to let us use the yoga studio.

How much is this night of magic and fun??? The donation includes organic, vegan, live food  dinner and dessert, yoga for all ages and body types, various musical acts, raffles and more.  We’d prefer to work on a sliding scale, with a suggested donation of $25 -$50.  The minimum donation just covers expenses, but if you can’t afford that, we have limited room for kitchen angels, but be warned, we will put you to work :-) If you can afford more than the sliding scale and just want to help a kind family follow their dream, the sky is the limit!  

This is important!  If you are planning on coming, please RSVP we want to be sure to have enough food for everyone! 

RSVP bliss@nourishingyogis.org

How can you save your spot?? Make your donation at http://www.indiegogo.com/LFU Be sure to specify that you are coming and how many, including yourself, you are paying for.  

If you can’t make the party, but love what we are doing and just want to contribute to good vibrations and raising consciousness, visit http://www.indiegogo.com/LFU and we are so grateful for any and every blessing that comes our way. 

The time is now for every one of us to follow our passion, Are you following yours?  What are you waiting for?

questions?  email us at bliss@nourishingyogis.org

We Need Your Help!  Pass on our story to your family and friends, send them our way, invite them to join in the fun, or to simply help us reach our goal. 

Birthday Magic

The earth completed its 33rd rotation around the sun carrying my human presence yesterday.  Ignoring all real responsibilities, Steve, the kids and I piled into the car and made the trip to Purgatory Chasm for a day hike.  It was perfect.  The kids were in awe of the chasm and we stripped off our shoes as we walked lightly through the chasm walls, starting my new year with grounding and peaceful energy.

We finished off the day with vegan dinner and dessert with my Dad, Aunt and Grandparents.

Gratitude for the sunshine, fresh air, trees and an amazing family.

Nourishing Yogis

Tonight was the final class in a six week Yoga Teacher Training that Steve was blessed to take part in.




I was able to connect with the group in the method that I know best.  Through food, of course.

Steve and I were able to create together, three nourishing meals for the Yogis-in-training during this time.  I find that my true bliss is found when I am able to prepare loving, healthy fare for grateful folks.  And this group radiated gratitude.  For that I am grateful.

Tonight was the third and final spread that we presented, and we included a bit of our favorite dishes, which I would love to share with you this evening.

Before I introduce the food, I must fill you in on my current internal journey.  I have been rediscovering chakra work on a whole different level than I have explored in the past.  I have been working through sound, movement and meditation in healing these seven energy centers in my body.

Two weeks ago, when last we prepared food for the class, inspiration arose and I realized that I could add food as another element to that healing. And so I have.  I have been integrating my chakra knowledge with my food intuition.  I am creating my own combinations, rather than taking them from someone else's research.  I have to say that I am quite enjoying this.

So with that being said, I would like to present to you, my sevenfold, high raw and organic, divinely inspired, Yogi celebratory feast.

Root Chakra: I AM SUPPORTED Quinoa Salad

Sacral Chakra: I FOLLOW MY PASSION

Cucumber Canapes with a macadamia nut puree

 and Balsamic Figs

Solar Plexus Chakra: I MANIFEST MY OWN DESTINY

Freshly squeezed Lemonade with Agave Nectar

Heart Chakra: I EMBODY LOVE Spicy Greens Salad

Throat Chakra: I SPEAK TRUTH

Holy Basil, Thai Basil, Nettle, Peppermint Elixir

Third Eye: MY FAITH IN SPIRIT IS BOUNDLESS

Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla, Irish Moss Parfait

Crown Chakra: I AM BLISS Brazil Nut Ganache Truffles

Namaste

ॐ 

Re-Establishing Rhythm

After Gathering of the Raw Foodies, the kids and I began our two weeks of vacation madness!

Monday morning we loaded up the car and hit the road, sans Dad. While Steve embarked on his fourth week of a six week Yoga Teacher Training, we journeyed northward to our annual vacation destination.

Santa's Village, and the festivities at Loon Mountain Filled our days. And I was fortunate to have some special bonding time with my mother and sister-in-laws which doesn't happen enough.

We headed back home to unpack, nourish the yogis in the teacher training with a raw food spread (complete with an Irish moss mousse, of course!) and then we were off again!

This time to Sleepy Hollow, NY, to visit our best friends. We explored, played on the farm and I got some Sister time, which I desperately needed.

After 11 days of non-stop activity, Mom declared the rest of the week would be mandatory days of rest. Minimal chores, no school work, and car rides only if necessary.

The next 5 days were incredible R&R; yoga classes, a farm visit and a child-free double date with My Mom and Step-Dad. This was all intertwined with intense outbursts, insane messes and numerous tantrums (Yes, myself included :-) as we settled back into home life.

I woke this morning at 5am to settle back into my mama routine, meditation, mama yoga followed by kid's yoga and green juice. Irish Moss mousse is setting for snack and dinner is marinating.

The kids are finishing up some quiet work while mama processes just how important it is to get away, have fun, enjoy friends and family. It is just as important to take that time, as much as needed, and LET GO. To be in the moment and honor the rest that we ALL deserve.

Now off to prepare for our most exciting, student chosen, unit on India. TOTALLY digging this unschooling thing!