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Self Healing Australia
Spring Newsletter
2009


Spring Foods & Cooking Style

Spring is the season in which we can feel most inspired and purposeful. On the other hand, we can often fall into old patterns that bring up feelings of anger, frustration, and lack of direction in life.

Foods that are important for Spring are barley, tempeh, white radish, cabbage, leafy greens, lentils, lemon, pickles, umeboshi plums, and light salty miso soup.

These foods nourish and cleanse the liver and gall bladder, reduce cholesterol, dissolve fat and mucus, and can help relieve hay fever and premenstrual symptoms.

By adding these foods to your diet, you’ll feel lighter, full of vigour, more patient and open to new directions.

Cooking style for Spring

With the seasonal change from winter to spring, we tend towards lighter cooking methods. These include boiling, steaming, and stir frying.

Less oil and seasoning are used as this brings us into harmony with the rising energy of Spring.

Vegetables are cut into smaller pieces for quicker cooking and in pressed salads. Gomasio and miso condiments can be used in small amounts while barley and wheat are the grains most appropriate at this time.


If you are living in the northern hemisphere, Autumn foods and cooking styles are available free online in the Macrobiotic Handbook for All Seasons.
I
Barley Rice Balls
  • 2 cups brown rice
  • 1/2 cup unpearled barley
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup corn off the cob
  • 11/2 cups sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • water

Wash the rice and barley, add the corn and then bring them to boil in 51/2 cups of water. Add the salt and tamari and let it simmer for about 1 hour. The rice should be well cooked so that it sticks together.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze the rice balls will be rolled in. Take 1/2 cup of water, add 1/2 tablespoon of arrowroot, dissolved well, then add a little salt and bring to boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly so it doesn?t stick at the bottom.

The glaze should turn transparent when ready. Put aside to let cool.

Dry roast the sunflower seeds in a fry pan. When the grains are cooked, stir in the sunflower seeds and mix well.

Dip your hands in cold water to form the balls by hand, or use a small cup, rinsing it in water after each ball to help the ball slide off easily.

Place the balls in the fridge for about 1/2 hour to set.

When ready, dip each ball in the glaze then roll in sesame seeds.

Place on a baking dish and bake at 200C or (375F) for 40-50 minutes.

More recipes are available free online
in the Macrobiotic Handbook for All Seasons.
    Bach Flowers - Rock Water
    Rock Water can help with accepting that we are not perfect.

    The Rock Water personalities often set themselves extremely high targets. Subsequently, rigidity and self-denial can be taken to excess. Failure and disappointment can often lead to self-criticism and self-deprecation.

    Greater flexibility and open-mindedness as well as self-compassion are some of the benefits of this remedey.

    General dosage is 4 - 5 drops under the tongue at least 3 times a day.

Liver meridian meditation

Close your eyes and start to breathe deeply. Make the exhalation longer than the inhalation. Imagine your arms spread palms open to receive whatever the Universe has to offer you.

As you breathe in, imagine the energy entering your body through your big toe. Feel as though there is a doorway in the toe. Breathe in the energy through this doorway allowing it fill you up, and then when you breathe out feel the energy flow effortlessly and without strain back into the world.

Continue breathing in and out feeling the energy becoming stronger. Imagine yourself on a beach at sunset gazing out to sea. On the horizon you see a ship with the sun setting in the background. Try to read the name on the ship’s bow. As the sun sets, a star starts to twinkle faintly above the ship. Continue breathing in and out deeply as you feel energy of the star becoming brighter and stronger.

Now you can see other stars beginning to appear. And soon the whole sky is filled with stars all shining brightly. You are able to see them all without focussing on any particular star.

Feel their light coming into you and returning out to the Universe. Feel their lightness and brightness, and sense that you, too, are a star - one of the many stars in the Universe. You are part of the pattern and have your place and purpose in the Big Picture. Enjoy this feeling of oness and know that there is meaning and purpose in everything that happens in the Universe.

Trust that feeling and let it flow over you, through you and out into the world. Let this feeling dissolve any inflexibility, frustration, and anger. Then allow yourself in your own time to slowly come back into your body.

Link of the Season


PureCalma.com online wellbeing magazine.

PureCalma collates a broad range of knowledge in the holistic, fitness and wellbeing field presenting it in an easy to understand and personal format.

If you too have a passion to search out complementary ways to re-energise your body and distance yourself from everyday stresses you have come to the right place.

Take the time, relax and explore the site that is PureCalma.

PureCalma.com


On The Fence

© Issi Aaron


Shiatsu Point Therapy
for Detoxing

In the ancient 5-Element theory, Spring relates to the Wood element, which comprises the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians.

The Liver meridian provides inspiration and direction and as such relates to the eyes and faculty of sight as well as flexibility.

It sets the standard for the entire functioning of the whole body and the immune system. Since the Liver is responsible for storage and distribution of vital energy it can be likened to an army general who commands and decides strategy.

The Liver meridian also governs female sexuality and the menstrual cycle.

Keywords are purpose, lightness, flexibility to move in new directions, and the ability to see the big picture.

LV 3 is located 3 finger-widths from joint of big toe and 2nd toe - between 1st and 2nd metatarsals.

It is helpful for detoxing, clearing the head and eyes, and for regulating menstruation.

Treatment

Using your thumb, apply pressure until you feel the soreness in the point.

Taking deep breaths and maintaining the pressure breathe slowly in and out of the point until you feel the tension and pain disappear.

To find out more about Shiatsu points please click here.

Yoga for Spring
Cobra Pose

    This pose helps relieve stiffness in back, sciatica, lumbago, as well as opening the chest and pelvic regions.

  • Lie face down on floor. Inhale extend legs keeping feet together. Rest palms beside chest.
  • Exhale press palms to floor and raise upper torso keeping hips on the floor
  • Maintain pose for 20 seconds breathing normally.
  • Exhale bend elbows and lower torso to floor. Repeat 2-3 times.

    Book of the Season


    Modalities and You
    Feng shui

    What is Feng Shui?

    Feng Shui dates back more than 4,000 years and translates as “wind and water.” It is the art of living in harmony with our environment.

    By studying the principles of Feng Shui we can enhance our health, improve our relationships and attract prosperity both at home and in business.

    The theory behind Feng Shui is that life-force energy or Qi flows through all things - such as hills, buildings, rivers, and people. As we spend increasingly more time indoors it becomes important to know how to enrich our houses, apartments, and offices with an abundance of Qi as it exists in nature.

    Good Feng Shui involves:

  • understanding the existing and potential Qi (energy) patterns
  • taking into consideration the cyclical changes in Nature
  • keeping the Qi flowing but contained
  • eliminating or deflecting harmful energy
  • maximising and cultivating nourishing Qi
  • making sure the flow of Qi is appropriate to the situation and needs of the humans in the environment
  • making changes without destroying the harmony and balance between heaven, earth and mankind

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© Self Healing Australia 2009

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