Sweet Sa’s Way of Centering the Soul

In a world as stressful as ours, sometimes it is best to just take a moment of our time to center our souls, and relax our minds and bodies.

I would like you to stop whatever you are doing and sit ina comfortable spot on the floor in any room, as long as it is quiet and tranquil. You can use a towel, comfy blanket, or yoga mat if you would like. Sit however you are comfortable sitting. You can lay down if you would like to. If you are having trouble seeing the computer and the directions on this post from your spot on the floor, or if you choose to sit in a different room, , print this post out so that it is easily view-able. Here are my easy steps to centering your soul.

1. Get into a position that is comfortable. Set everything aside, including this paper. Memorize the steps if you need to, or have someone read them to you. Be sure to put on some soothing music, such as Behtoveen or Mozart. Imagine each of your body parts becoming heavy and relaxed, one by one.

2. Now, picture all of your daily problems. Think of everything that causes you stress or anxiety. Imagine picking each one of those problems and shutting them in a box, one by one. When all of your problems are in the imaginary box, picture the box locking itself up and getting thrown into a canyon, ocean, or any place where they will be out of the way.

3. Now, let all of the good things in your life fill your head. Think of those that you love, as well as happy thoughts that will calm you.

4. Now just sit for a few minutes in your happy place. Let your imagination run loose, let the happy thoughts take over.

5. Now slowly begin to come out of your happy place. Wiggle your fingers, and then your toes. When you are ready, roll onto your side, or sit up (if you aren’t already!).

6. You should feel totally refreshed and relaxed. Whenever you’re ready, you may enter the real world once more.

If everyone just took ten mintues of their time every day to follow these steps, imagine what our world would be like! Everyone would be calmer, and they would then be able to approach problems with more ease! Even if not everyone can be like that, you certainly can! All you need to do if become more centered.

♥Sweet Sa♥

Live.Laugh.Love.

The Food Pyramid and Then Some

 Sources: http://mypyramid.gov/ and http://www.nms.on.ca/Elementary/canada.html/

Many people in our world are out-of-shape, over-weight, and/or lazy.

So I thought that I’d provide some info, tips, and fun facts on food, and how much of it is REALLY necessary.

• Remember to always eat 3 square meals a day
• Chocolate and sweets are a nice treat occasionally, but should not become an addiction or a necessity.
• Did you know that lemons have more sugar than strawberries? 
• During a lifetime, the average person eats about 35 tons of food!
• Temperature can affect your hunger, if you’re colder you’ll crave more food. So remember to keep the house at room temperature.
• You need proteins to help repair damaged cells.
• Eat healthy snacks in disguise such as strawberries and a pinch of sugar, carrots with ranch dip, and bananas with a dash of cinnamon.

I’m sure that all of you have heard of the food pyramid; well here it is AGAIN along with the servings needed in each food group.

Grains:

• Make half of your grains whole
• Eat 5-12 servings a day

Vegetables and Fruits:

• Eat dark green vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, and cucumbers.
• Eat your orange vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots. (Fact, carrots actually CAN help you see better!)
• Vary your types of fruit, both kind and the way you eat them, (dry, fresh, cooked, canned)
• Don’t drink as many fruit juices as you’d eat regular fruits. Most fruit juices contain artificial flavors and lots of sugar.
• Eat 5-12 servings a day

Meats and Alternatives:

• Eat lowfat meats and poultry
• Cook your meats and beans thouroughly to ensure all bad bacteria are removed, (Salmonella, E.coli, etc.)
• Vary your choices of meat, fish, seeds, nuts, and peas. 
• Make most of your fat sources from proteins, or vegetable oils.
• Limit your solid fats such as lard, butter, stick margerine, etc.
• Eat 2-3 servings daily

Dairy Products:

• Make your dairy products low-fat or fat-free
• If you can not have dairy products get your calcium from other sources such as flouride or non-lactose products.
• Have 2-4 servings a day.

THE FOOD PYRAMID:

Sun Salutations

Note:

MOST OF THE INFO BELOW WAS OBTAINED FROM http://santosha.com/asanas UNDER SUN SALUTATIONS

First, find a comfortable spot in the room you’re in. Remove yourself from all distractions and begin to inhale slowly. Feel your stomach begin to grow larger and then smaller as you inhale and exhale as though it’s a baloon. And now:

STEP 1:Stand up straight with your feet together and your palms held prayer-like in front of your chest. Feel awareness of the whole body. Relax and begin to inhale.

 STEP 2: Continue inhaling as you raise your arms in a wide circle out to the sides and overhead. Stretch your arms back as you lift them to allow the fullest expansion of your chest. Press your palms together above your head and look up at your hands. Stretch up and hold your breath.

STEP 3: Breathe out as you bend forward from the waist, keeping palms together, tucking your head, and keeping your back straight as long as you can. 

STEP 4: When you’ve bent as far forward as you can comfortably, grasp the backs of your ankles, calves, or thighs, bend your elbows, pull your upper body gently toward your legs, and tuck your chin toward your chest. Hold your breath out. 

STEP 5: Breathe in as you release your legs and stand up. Breathing out, immediately lunge forward with your right leg, keeping your toes tucked under. Support weight on both hands, right foot, left knee, and toes of the left foot. Tilt the head back; look up. Inhale and retain breath. When you repeat this exercise, alternate the leg you lunge forward with. For example, use the left leg instead of right. You may also want to do some  experimentation to determine the comfortable distance to step forward so that you can perform Steps 4 and 5 in one fluid movement. Try to keep your left knee off the floor.

STEP 6: Breathe in as you gently raise your arms in a wide circle out to the sides and overhead, palms together, looking up at your hands. Hold your breath. Breathe out. 
STEP 7:Bring both hands down on the floor on either side of your right foot. Bring your right foot back next to your left foot.
Straighten your body into a “plank” position. 

STEP 8: Hold your breath out as you lower your body so that your chin, chest, and knees touch the floor (toes are still tucked under). When your knees touch the floor, relax the held breath and start to breathe.  

STEP 9: Continue breathing in as you curl your head back.
Lift your chest and stomach.
Keep your hipbones on the floor. 
(Note: This is the Cobra Pose.) 
Look up through your forehead.  

STEP 10: Breathe out as you push your hips up and heels down into an inverted “V” position. 
Tuck your chin to your chest. 
Hold your breath out.  

STEP 11: Start to breathe in as you bring your left foot forward between your hands and lunge forward with your left leg. 
Continue breathing in as you raise your arms in a wide circle to the sides and overhead, with palms together, looking up at your hands. 
Hold your breath.  Hold the position for a few seconds with body in pose, breath held, eyes focused, and mind silent.Note: Alternate the leg you lunge forward with in this step as you did in steps 4 and 5. Try to keep your right knee off the floor if you can.

STEP 12: Breathe in as you straighten your body, bringing your arms in a wide circle out to the sides and overhead, palms together.
Look up at your hands and stretch. 
Hold your breath in 

STEP 13: Then slowly bring your arms down into the position described in Step 1.

Welcome Stressed Viewers

Aloha! As to all of you who don’t know me from my other blog, http://sweetsamoa.wordpress.com/  I am Sweet Samoa. But you can call me Sweet Sa. Many things may have attracted you to this blog, it may be the relaxing name, I may have told you about it, or you may have come wanting more Club Penguin. Well, for those of you who came here for that reason, I have some bad news. This site is not a Club Penguin site, and there will be no posts here about it. if you’d like Club Penguin I suggest that you either go there, to my other blog ABOUT CP, or leave. This site will be an escape for you. To relax and just get away from all of the stress. I welcome all first time viewers with open-arms as long as they will not disrupt the energy flow with rude comments and/or other random stuff.

Another note; I will not be counting hits. This site is to simply relax and have a little bit of fun.

Thank you all!

-Sweet Sa