“I was emotionally messed up and, truth is, I hated myself….”
I was nominated by a few people on Facebook to share some pictures of me that make me feel beautiful. I’m posting them here, because I want to also share why they make me feel beautiful, in hopes of inspiring others: 1. I was very, very sick… and also very wounded inside. I was emotionally messed up and, truth is, I hated myself. I had so many » Read more..
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God brings people into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Through every relationship, we are being taught, molded and formed into who God has designed us to be. Whose to say these losses aren’t necessary in order to mold and form us into the person our Special One is going to recognize?
If we learned something – anything – from a lost relationship, then it wasn’t all for naught. Sometimes, that ‘reason’, or lesson, is for us to find our own self worth and value; to treat ourself with respect and honor, by walking away from those that treat us wrong. If you’re too busy wasting time on someone that is treating you wrong, you won’t ever be available for the One that will treat you right!
Maybe you’re not losing love. Maybe you are gaining new beginnings! Trust that the Universe has your right where you are supposed to be; not a second sooner or later. Someday, you’re going to look back on this time and be grateful for this loss (and gain).
Here’s a T-shirt I saw in the mall in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India:
“SINGLE. God is looking at you right now saying, “I’m saving this one for someone special”
If you’ve enjoyed this post or it has helped or inspired you in any way, please help me out by sharing it, commenting, and/or giving it a ‘Like’. Also, don’t forget to ‘Like’ my Facebook page!
Blessings and love to you!
Jodi
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I’m getting butterflies in my belly as I order supplies and sort my stuff to pack before heading back to the United States of America soon!!! I haven’t seen my family in a year. This is the longest I’ve been away from my baby girl and I’m feeling a wave of emotions flow through me. Living in a third-world country for the past year has really changed my entire perspective on everything.
There have been a lot of moments that have impressed upon me; moments of amazement at how folks here in India live on a daily basis. I’ve seen houses literally made of mud with grass roofs. I’ve seen people here washing clothes by hand and beating them on cement. I’ve seen women here carrying loads on the top of their heads that most women in my country couldn’t carry with two hands. Driving past fields in the early morning and watching the farmers honor their animal, giving it an early morning bath by hand. But, aside from the many spiritual blessings I have received int his country, the moment that has left the biggest impression on me is when I was in Tirruvanamalia with my friend, Caz.
We had stopped at a shop to get some fruit and water for morning. An elderly, emaciated woman approached us. Most of her teeth were missing and her clothes were dull and tattered. She motioned to ask for money. My friend, not having any cash (or food) on her, handed this woman all she had to offer in that moment; a half-used bottle of warm water. I was so shocked at what I saw next. If some stranger came up to me in my home town asking for money and I handed him a half-used up bottle of warm water that I’d been carrying around and drinking from all day (and probably back-washed my lunch into), that stranger would look at me like I was from Pluto. But this woman? I’ve never seen anything like it. Her face lit up like she was three years old on Christmas morning! She graciously accepted the bottle and was visibly elated!
You see, to this woman, it wasn’t just a bottle of water. That old, thin plastic bottle? It was a prize in and of itself. It was tool. She could use it to transport water or soap. She could use it to bathe with. She could use it to store things. It was a prized possession, not a common house hold item. Seeing someone so full of gratitude for a used up, warm bottle of water? This one moment, it was just a few seconds; a flicker of a moment in time.. but it changed my life forever. It made me realize all of the little things in every single day that I have to be grateful for in this life. It made me think, what if I were so poor, that a used up, warm bottle of water was like gold to me?
Today, I get down on my knees and humbly bow down to my divine, filled with so much gratitude that tears trace tracks on my cheeks, and give thanks for this experience, and for the realization of all the things big and small, that I have to be grateful for every single hour of every single day that I am alive on this Earth. Thank you, God.
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Much love and many blessings to you!
Jodi
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Today, I’m grateful that I can find the silver lining in this cloud, even though I feel so down in the dumps right now… after three months of being away, I returned to my (shared) apartment in Karnataka only to find some my kitchen belongs (which are clearly marked with my name) either gone, dipped into, or completely used up. Depressing.
So.. as I sit here feeling grouchy and frustrated at the lack of morals in this world; with my head aching, trying to tune out the sound of the workers demolishing the building next door and the constant onslaught of vehicles honking (really, there is not even a two-second moment of silence on this street corner, except maybe between 2AM-5AM), a Force inside gently nudges me to reach deep and find something, anything(!) for which to be grateful.
“Can’t I just bask in my grouchiness?”, I asked this Force.
The response I got was that no matter how bad we think we’ve got it, there is always someone worse than us. Suddenly, a picture flashed in my mind of the deformed man on the beach in Kerala, whose body was stuck in a sort of permanent squatting position. Yet he still got up every single day, got dressed, and was out on that beach making a living. He didn’t get the choice to walk. He had to hobble, much like a gorilla, using his arms as legs. And even though he has long legs, he will never get his height measured in any taller than the height of his squat – about two and a half to three feet. Suddenly, a surge of gratitude pulsed through me and I began to feel grateful that I have legs and they work and I can stretch them out and run and walk and skip.
“Thank you”, I told the Force, “Do it again! Show me another.”
Soon, another image flashed in my mind, of the man that would come to our table each day at the beach in Kerala, emaciated, wrinkled and dressed in rags. This man didn’t speak English but still, he spoke my language. He spoke with his eyes. He spoke with his heart. He never said the word, “Please”, but his eyes said everything I needed to ‘hear’ (I’m literally swallowing back tears as I type this right now). And each day, I would pull ten or twenty rupees out of my pocket and place it gently in his hand. He also never spoke the word, “Thank you”, but every day after I gave him the money, he would squeeze it gently, still looking me in the eyes with gratitude, tap his hand to his heart, then to his forehead, and smile. Although half his teeth were missing, it’s one of the most beautiful smiles I’ve ever seen. This one scene alone provided so much to be grateful for, I could spend a whole day writing about it.
Through these gifts I’ve been shown, I was able to step back into the Present Moment and find the silver lining in this cloud. Today, I am grateful for the morals and values and standards that my parents instilled in me. I’m so grateful for the parents I was blessed with in this lifetime. I’m grateful that, through my upbringing and God’s Grace, I have the gift of being sensitive to the needs of others. I’m grateful that, although I’m sleeping with a bandana over my face so as not to inhale the vehicle fumes and demolition dust (without the windows open it would likely be unbearably hot in my apartment), I do have a roof over my head and food on the table – and not just any food – but good, wholesome vegetables and fruits. I’m grateful that I am well enough now to cook that food, for I can remember a time when I was so sick that I didn’t have the strength and energy to cook a meal, let alone eat it. And I am incredibly grateful for the man in my life who, despite my grouchiness, has graciously shown me more patience than I may deserve at times. He is one of the strongest men I know, mentally and emotionally. I don’t think God could’ve picked a better man for me. Truly.
If you’re ever stuck where you can’t think of anything to be grateful for, you could always close your eyes, take a few steady, deep breaths; ask your divine to connect with you or come into your heart and, once you feel a sense of peace or stillness come over you, ask your divine to show you what you have to be grateful for in this moment.
So? What about you? What are you grateful for today?
Love and Blessings to you!
Jodi
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Allow me to introduce Sneaky Bitz. You might already know Sneaky Bitz. You see, Sneaky Bitz is that aspect of me (or you) that tries to sabotage things in life… and often, Sneaky Bitz does this in a sneaky way – sometimes to the point that we are not even aware of it. If I’m not paying attention, Sneaky Bitz might succeed but I’ve gotten pretty good at playing Sneaky Bitz’s game. Ha!
For example, I woke up this morning and it felt like every muscle in my body ached. My Sneaky Bitz tried to convince me that I could baby myself and stay home from Ashtanga yoga practice, reasoning that I’m tired, I hurt, I’ve worked hard and I deserve a break, right?! All valid arguments, right? Why not pamper myself a little for a change? Ha!
So you know what I did? I said, “nuh-uh. Not this time, Sneaky Bitz! I caught you! Haa ha ha! Nice try!” Then I got my butt up out of bed and I went to Ashtanga practice. On the way home, I treated myself with the nourishment of a fresh young coconut (one of nature’s best source of electrolytes). Then I cleaned my yoga mat and let it, and me, soak up the sun for thirty minutes. After that, I stepped up my game.
You see, part of the reason for the physical pain is because some areas of my body are weak. So, I treated myself farther by doing 280 various forms of crunches and 296 reps of various leg lifts. Then, thanks to my lovely roommates, I treated myself to some home-made Sambar with home-grown lentil and mung bean sprouts! Take that, Sneaky Bitz!
Actually, you have to be kind to Sneaky Bitz, because it is a part of you.. almost child-like, you have to teach it new ways to be 🙂 Sneaky Bitz is your friend. Ha ha ha ha.
Truth is, although it sounded good at the time, had I rolled over and went back to sleep, I would have felt really bad about myself later and my practice would have suffered. If you’re wondering how I do it or how I get the strength or motivation in moments like this, you’re not alone; a friend recently asked me the same thing. It can be defined with two words: Self Love. But how do you love yourself? What is Self Love? Ah… multi-million-dollar questions, each with a several-part, multidimensional answer.
Check out this quote I posted on my Facebook page:
So, I asked myself this morning, “If I really, truly love myself, then would I allow myself to go back to bed, knowing the negative consequences?” The answer was a re-sounding, “NO!”.
If that question doesn’t resonate with you, then try this technique that I used to use as my gauge. Change the context of the question and ask yourself, “If my best friend were in this situation, what would I advise him or her to do?” It’s a powerful question that lends us the ability to see the situation through a different lens. For most people, put in the context of someone other than ourselves (especially someone we admire, respect and love), the answer is easily accessible.
Once, I sat in a car with two young adults (in a relationship) arguing over who had hurt who the most. After the young woman poured her heart out to me, relaying all of the ‘wrongs’ her boyfriend had done over the past three years, I was astounded that they were still together. What’s more, I could clearly see that this girl lacked self love. So I gave her the magic question.
I said “You love and respect your best friend dearly, right?”
“Yes”, she replied.
“Okay. If your best friend were in this situation, what advice would you give to her?”
She said, “I’d tell her to end the relationship immediately and leave his sorry ass!”
“Then why do you not love and respect yourself enough to do the same?”, I questioned.
A still silence consumed the vehicle and the rest of the ride was very quiet. You see, in all truthfulness, this man had treated her very wrong, but I couldn’t tell her that. It’s something she had to see and figure out for herself. Her Sneaky Bitz was making excuses for this guy and, up to that point, she was convinced that they belonged together in a relationship. The next day, she left him.
Do you have a Sneaky Bitz? What questions or techniques do you use to over come it’s grasp?
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Photo: Roasted Vegetables and Tofu at Rasa Dhatu in Gokulam, India
This recipe is inspired by my visit to Rasa Dhatu today. Such a simple, delicious treat!
SELECT YOUR VEGGIES:
My plate has the following but you can add what you like:
Carrot
Baby Corn
Yellow Squash
Zuchinni
Cherry Tomatoes
Red Bell Pepper
Green Bell Pepper
Onion
NOTE
For best results pre-heat oven to 375 and cut vegetables into evenly sliced and same-sized pieces.
PEANUT SAUCE
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
6 Tbsp Water
5 Tbsp Rice Vinegar* (May substitute with freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice)
3 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Amino’s (Organic Section at Dillons or the Health Food Store)
2 Tbsp Honey (or other sweetener, to taste)
* – Typically available in Ethnic section at Dillons or near Chinese ingredients.
ROAST THE VEGGIES
For a little more flavor you could add some garlic and ginger to the Peanut Sauce, or garlic/ginger paste. Get creative and make it yours! Let me know how it turns out and what you did to make it your own 😀 Happy Eating!
In Love and Gratitude,
Jodi
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This was taken in Tirruvanamalai, while sitting in front of Mount Arunachala. Does this remind you of an angel or of any particular deity? Is it a random entity? Or just a highly active imagination?
What do YOU think?!
If you look closely you can even see the outline of… wings!
The face (although my drawing is far more handsome lol):
Sky Dude:
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Today is the final day of the 21 day Panchakarma treatment, and I am so glad.
I get to broaden my horizons on the food front and have bananas, apples, and avocado again. I can even have eggs or yogurt if I want, woo hoo!! Oh! And I get to have Mysore dosa and Thali again! Yeess!!!
Week two was smooth sailing, after the initial experience with the nose drops. I did miss the deep-tissue massages, though. Ayurvedic massage just isn’t my preference. I was told that weeks one and two focused more on on stirring up and releasing toxins, while week three was more focused on replenishing nutrients.
In week three, I got to receive the deep tissue massage again, and the complimentary treatment this week was a technique called Basti. It is the most powerful of the five main procedures of Panchakarma. To all my friends with narcolepsy and neurological disorders, basti is supposed to be *the* treatment for those with neurological disorders.
Quite honestly, it’s been a long three weeks and, I can’t say I feel much different from when I started Panchakarma. Many 
people say they have a lot of weight loss from Panchakarma and I haven’t noticed this ‘side benefit’ personally. My roommate did say he thought I had lost weight. I don’t know. Maybe I can find a scale tomorrow.
Perhaps it is because I already had a pretty clean diet to begin with, that I haven’t seen major results from this cleansing procedure/technique. Perhaps it is because I had a few cheat days. I will never know. I do wish I had gone to a facility to have this treatment done, as opposed to an ‘outpatient’ type clinic. Next time I will go to a facility. In the facility they provide meals for you, do your laundry, give you a gentle yoga practice daily, practice pranayama, and keep you on schedule. It would have been good for me to have that structure and to not have to worry about cooking my own meals, sourcing ingredients, doing dishes, traveling, and figuring everything out.
During the Panchakarma I was not allowed to do morning yoga practice. The theory is that the body needs the energy to support the cleanse. I was allowed to do an evening practice, but I didn’t. Aside from taking care of daily duties, like cooking, cleaning and laundry, I just took this time to focus on allowing my body to detox and heal. Some days I was simply tired from the process itself.
Now, I must rebuild my body’s strength so that I can start practicing yoga again and get strong enough to take Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training. I’ve got my work cut out for me. I am nowhere near having the strength I need for Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training right now. It’s time to re-build my strength and my body. Can I do it?!??? Time will tell.
My ego is having a heyday with this one. It can be so intimidating walking into a yoga class with a bunch of hard-core, seasoned ashtangees, when you don’t even know the series and haven’t got the strength to complete it. It can be twice as intimidating, having the memory challenges that I have. I just have to keep telling myself that putting myself out there is better than being the gal sitting on the couch at home, and to hell with what anybody else thinks!
The only way to truly get over my fear is to bask in it until it dissolves, and that means to thrust myself, full-force, in the midst of my fear so that I can experience it fully. Deep breath, “I can do this”.
So, after I get myself to the point that I can do the Sun Salutations five times each, I will be seeking a studio to practice at again. And yes, I will be asking my divine to give me strength and the courage to once again step outside of my comfort zone and do this. Wish me luck!
What have you been putting of lately, out of fear? Are you letting fear of failure keep you from trying something new? You know, often times, when we allow ourselves to fully experience our fear, it will simply disappear. What fear have you been running from? What fear can you thrust yourself into and experience fully?
You were born with divine potential. How can you reach this divine potential if you do not gather the strength and courage to face your fears? Truth is, when you exhibit courage, you inspire others to do the same, and others will follow your lead.
Aristotle, he was a pretty smart dude, and he said, “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others”.
♥ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SOULYSTIC SUGGESTION – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ♥
Do one thing today that scares you. If you don’t feel you have the courage, ask your divine to give you the strength and to carry you through it.
♥ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -♥
If this page has inspired or helped you in any way please subscribe, share, comment, and like my facebook page.
Love to you!
Jodi
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Previously, I shared my experience with you about the phenomenon of the divine holding the coin to the wall… and I’m sure this was really hard for most of you to believe, having not experienced it yourself. I was actually able to get some videos of this phenomenon at a different site; the Nandi bull in Mysore.
I’m sure it may still be hard for some to believe. I showed one of these videos to a friend here in Mysore, and even seeing a video, she refused to believe there wasn’t some trick behind it. She was just certain that there was tar on the bull, or that it was magnetized. It’s unfortunate that her mind wouldn’t let her believe… because it’s such a beautiful, sacred experience.
If you ever get the chance to come to India, bring coins with you.. because this is one experience you must have before you leave; especially if you lack in faith.
Here’s a video of me, channeling my divine to accept my offering. It’s one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Notice, in the second video, you can see the coin sliding beneath my finger-tips, so it’s evident that the bull is not magnetized or tarred:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tgQZlFcP_c&feature=youtu.be]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkfwfYE9zRc&feature=youtu.be]
Here is my friend, Bala, during his first experience of this phenomenon:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWnrc3R1fNQ&feature=youtu.be
And my friend, Raphaela:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3ds2LguSJA&feature=youtu.be]
One person said they felt electricity come through their arm. I don’t remember what the other said. Personally, I felt heat come through my arm. Thank you to my beautiful friends for being a testimony to the divine for the world to see. Thank you to Spirit for allowing the recording and flowing through on this day <3
♥ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SOULYSTIC SUGGESTION – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ♥
If you lack in fath, see how you lack in faith. Ask your divine to reveal itself to you; to give you an experience that you can’t deny; an experience that you can carry with you for a lifetime and never doubt again.
♥ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ♥
If this page has inspired or helped you in any way please subscribe, share, comment, and like my facebook page.
Love to you!
Jodi
Picture: Nandi Bull, Mysore
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Here is my apartment for the time being. I live with others. I have my own room and bathroom, but I share the commons area (kitchen, dining room, and living room) with others:
Living Room:
Dining Room:
Alter Room:
Kitchen:
Laundry:
Bedroom:
Bathroom:
There you have it! That’s where I live! Although I must admit, most places in Mysore are nothing like this. The down side is that it’s right on the busy street and the constant honking and traffic noise can get to you. Also, there’s a cell phone tower on top of the building. Lucky thing I have custom-fitted ear plugs and my invisible super sonic EMF reflector, ha!
Love and Blessings to you!
Jodi
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Hello beautiful people! Yesterday as I walked to my panchakarma appointment, I found four coins on the ground amongst a bunch of motorcycles. I knew immediately upon picking them up that they were meant for someone else, so I tucked them away in a separate compartment in my wallet; knowing the divine would reveal this person to me later in the day and that I would recognize that person when s/he showed up.
Bear in mind that in some parts of India, people in the streets will often ask for money, but that’s not been a common experience for me in Mysore. Children have asked for American coins or quarters, but they do not generally ask for money.
As I was leaving the treatment place a boy was standing outside the fence. I was in the process of calling a friend when he said hello. I quickly said hi before dialing the last number. The boy patiently stood there during the entire phone conversation, which was odd (this is not typical behavior in my experience). Before I ever hung up the phone, I already knew he was the one to whom I was to give the money.
When I got off the phone I looked at the boy and, with his limited English, he said, “Please. Money.” He didn’t look poor, but it’s really not for me to judge; I knew he was to be the recipient of the coins. I asked him if he speaks English. He gave me a confused look, almost with a brief expression of fear behind it, and remained wordless. I smiled, open my wallet, fetched the coins and gave them to him. His face lit up, he smiled back, then we both went our separate ways.
A beautiful example of the divine working through one person to help another. Who knows what the boy needed the money for. Maybe he was taking it to help his grandmother. Maybe he needed something for school. Maybe he said a prayer and this experience was to deepen his faith, or, maybe the experience was to deepen mine (or yours, through my sharing). Perhaps he simply had a strong desire for a sweet, or something, and he put that out to the Universe and it was returned through me.
Who knows? It’s really not up to me to figure out. I can only speak for my own experience, and for me, it was an honor to allow Spirit to flow through me to another. It literally made my day. I left that encounter with a hop and a skip in my step, in awe of how the divine had orchestrated this entire process to fulfill this boy’s need or desire. I marveled at how perfectly orchestrated everything had to be in order for Spirit to flow through me; from the timing of when I left the house to the timing of when the person got off the motorcycle and dropped the coins, to the precise timing that I was leaving my appointment – even right down to the fact that the divine knew that I would save the coins and give them to the right person instead of keeping them for myself.
How magical is THAT?!!
♥ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SOULYSTIC SUGGESTION – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ♥
Ask your divine to flow through you today and to show you how you can help another in need <3
♥ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ♥
If this blog has helped or inspired you in any way, please share with others, subscribe, and like my Facebook Page!
Blessings and Love to you!
Jodi
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The word panchakarma literally means “five actions”, and in panchakarma there are five different procedures used as a therapeutic way of eliminating toxins from the body. I started panchakarma last week. Each day I go to the clinic, check in with the doc, then go for my treatment. At first, I felt like I was in heaven! But then? Shit got real lol.
In week one, I was given internal ‘medicine’ to take daily. Each day I would awaken, take the internal meds, then go to the clinic for my check-in. After check-in, I would receive a head massage and a full body deep-tissue massage, then I would go into the steam box. The steam box is typically a big wooden box that encompasses your body, with a slot for your head to poke through the top. It releases hot steam inside, which opens your pores and assists in the elimination of toxins (see pictures below).
I also got some funky, dukey-lookin’ st
uff put on my head, that I had to leave in for two hours. That put a damper in my daily plans lol. Walking home with this mess on my head every day was fun! No. Seriously! The looks I got were priceless!
I loved the beginning of week one! Even though I was on a limited diet, I still had a host of foods to choose from that were quite delicious – including my ‘Health Idli’s’ (if you’re subscribed to my Facebook page you know what these are). The massages were to live for, and I left feeling so relaxed. However, toward the end of the week, everything changed.
During the fourth and fifth day I was really, really tired. I came home after each treatment and fell asleep. Also, on the fifth day, I was very emotional. I went for my check-in and the next thing I know I’m bawling at the doctor’s desk! For those of you who aren’t familiar with detoxing the body, crying is a symptom – it always gets worse before it gets better! The doctor and I talked for about an hour and I cried most of the time. Then I went in for my treatment and cried during the head massage. After that I went home and, yes, cried some more.
STEAM BOX
The next day I wasn’t supposed to take any internal meds and man I felt a total difference! For that one day I had energy for a change! On this day I also was on a liquid diet, as a preparation for the following day’s ‘purgation’. I drank fresh coconut water most of the day, and had one bowl of soup.
I was excited to start week two, because I knew I would no longer be walking around with dukey-head lol. That meant I could actually go somewhere after treatment and get some things accomplished. Instead of the head massage and treatment, I was going to get a face massage and some nose drops. COOL!
The doc warned me that, after the drops, I would need to spit and clear my nose, so to go to the bathroom after the face massage take care of it. She also warned me to not snort the drops. So the man put the drops in my nose and I had to let it drip towards my brain for a couple minutes. I didn’t fully snort it.. but.. I did inhale a little harder than normal. I figured, I’m paying good money for this cleanse and I want it to be effective, right? What was I thinking?!
After my face massage, I felt fine, so I went straight into the steam box. Suddenly, just after I’m closed into the steam box, my throat starts to burn and I can’t breath without coughing. I expected throat symptoms, no biggy. Next, my eyes start burning. Now I’m confused, because doctor never mentioned anything about eyes burning. “Why are my eyes burning?!”, I wonder. I ask the man if my eyes are supposed to burn. “No”, he says.
Okay, honestly? I may as well have snorted habanero sauce; I’m pretty sure it would have given similar effects. “Holy heck!!”, I think, “What IS that stuff?!” I feel like someone placed a torch behind my eyeballs and they were burning from the inside out, like an inferno is inside my head. Tears were streaming down my face, unprovoked by me. I am now choking on, what seems like fumes in the back of my throat. A steady burning sensation hurled through my nose, and it began to run.. I’m pretty sure it eventually just went completely numb at some point.
Walking home I probably looked like a drunkard on crack whose best friend just died; walking all cock-eyed with my eyes all bloodshot, tears steady streaming down my face. My throat was sore, my nose was still burning, and I’m pretty sure at this point that I no longer have nose hairs. As soon as I got home a roommate asked if I was okay; he thought I was really upset and had been crying. Later, a different roommate asked me if I was sick with a cold or something. A good hour to hour and a half passed before it finally settled down and I’m not going to lie, it sucked.
So much for shopping and sight-seeing after treatment! Let’s hope tomorrow is more gentle lol. There you have it, folks. That’s my adventure for the day and my initial experiences with panchakarma. Okay, okay. It wasn’t THAT bad, of course I’ve exaggerated for sheer entertainment purposes lol. I can’t give an honest review of panchakarma until I’m through the entire treatment, but don’t let this post scare you away from it; I hear that many celebrities swear by it and come to India to have it done annually.
What’s the weirdest or funniest experience you’ve had with a cleanse?
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My friend is trying to kill me. I’m sure of it! She’s been giving me long-distance pointers on how to cook and source ingredients in India. She instructed me to get a pressure cooker to cut my cooking time for beans. Okay. I’ve used a Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker before, no sweat! So I bought the cooker. Here’s a picture of it. Beautiful, isn’t it?
Now I’m not technical, so I’ll skip the technical
language, but the directions said to watch for the
little dilly-bopper to raise up and then shortly after,
the cooker will ‘whistle’. I describe what happened
next in this letter to my friend:
“You’re trying to effing kill me aren’t you?!?? Oh my
effing GAWD!!! That cooker!! Holy s#$&, girl! The
directions said it would whistle… so I’m waiting for
something that sounds like a tea kettle.. not a
freaking rocket ship taking off, blowing up the
kitchen!!!
I about jumped clean out of my skin when that
thing went off! I have a pressure cooker at home
by Kuhn Rikon and it does NOT do that!! I seriously about wet myself lol. I literally jumped, then quick turned off the gas stove! I didn’t know WHAT to do next!
I thought the thing was giving me a warning that it was about to blow! I shut it off. Then I took off the lid and proceeded to simmer the beans for the next, like, TWO FREAKING HOURS LOL. Darn near had heart failure!!”
I’m not kidding you! Years back, an ex boyfriend took me to a Monster Truck show featuring a vehicle with a jet engine. Yeah. This sounded just like that! My friend reminded me that everything in India is loud… even the pressure cookers! And the beans? They came out tasting GREAT! Bon appetit!
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I was walking down the street the other day and this dog came up to me with the most unusual behavior (for an Indian dog). Dogs in India are not overly friendly like dogs in the United States. They are typically left to their own devices for survival, are quite self-reliant, and not usually interested in people.
This dog, however, was different. He came up to me with the biggest grin on his face – like he’d just found his long-lost friend! He was anxious and panting, wagging his tail, going in circles and doing the light-footed happy-doggy-dance. He was also talking to me.
Yes, he was talking to me. He wasn’t talking to me with words like you and I talk, 
though. He was talking to me with consciousness. Sort of like… communicating to me with thought. He told me he wanted me to do energy work on him and to give him a blessing (a form of energy work where I act as a channel for the divine to flow through me into the recipient – much like what is described here – just with a little different energy). He told me he was diseased and needed help. All the while he is telling me this, he is actively jumping up and down, pawing at my thighs; rolling on the ground; running in circles, etc.
I told him I will gladly grant his wish, but I would please like to have a picture of the heart on his forehead first. He suddenly stopped pawing at me, stopped jumping up and down, and posed for the picture. First he sat, then he laid.
I took his picture, then I brought divine energy down through me and into him. Aware of the people
nearby watching me intently, I extended my hands out above his head, and gave him a blessing. As soon as he received the blessing, he thanked me and calmly walked away.
I was honored to allow the divine to express through me this day, but this dog was an expression of the divine for me, just as much as I was a channel of the divine for him. You see, it was a test for me. A test of my courage; of my faith; of my self acceptance and of my willingness to be a testimony for the divine by my actions. I’ve struggled with self-acceptance most of my life. Particularly in the area of my divine gifts. I’ve denied these parts of myself most of my life. So this truly was a test for me.
I was placed in a situation where I could deny my divine gifts, for fear of judgment or I could accept the task and let go of the attachment to what other people think of me. I was quite aware of the people on the street staring at the entire process. It would have been really easy to let my ego destroy this moment; to succumb to fear that people would judge me for being weird or different. Yet, had I taken that route, I wouldn’t be living for my divine. So what’s more important? God placed me in that situation at that precise moment so that I could be a channel for Him. Who am I to say no to this task?
That would kind of be like saying no to my best friend with a 104 degree temperature, calling me for a ride to the emergency room, because I’m afraid people will laugh at my driving on the way – absurd! So why should I let fear get in the way of serving my divine?
Trust me, several times a week a local native stops me and asks me why I am doing what I’m doing. In fact, it happened just today. The conversation usually ends with him walking away, shaking his head. I know I’m different. I know people don’t understand me or my actions.. but I Am That I Am. At times, I just grin and know what I know and remain in my happy little state of bliss at the magical wonderland that I traverse! At other times, my ego gets a grip and it gets me down (but not for long, ha!). I’m learning to accept my gifts, to no longer succumb to the fear, to live for my divine knowing that it’s not my problem that others don’t understand me.
Some people say that dog is man’s best friend. I say man’s best friend is the divine. Without God, we are nothing. Without God, we have nothing. God is what 
makes life worth living. A lot of people are still figuring this out. How many of you feel lonely? Or have a sense of longing for a life partner? How many times have you gotten that life partner only to have the sense of longing or loneliness return after a few months into the relationship? Maybe you think marriage will solve your problem, so you get married and everything feels great for a while but then the longing returns. Then you convince yourself that this new truck you want if you could just have it, you would truly be happy so you buy it and everything feels great! For a while… until the longing returns again. So then you decide to ‘become someone’ and get a career (after all, you have this nice new truck to pay for, ha ha) so you go to college and get a degree, find a great job and THEN, finally, you feel completely fulfilled… for a while… until the longing returns. So you get a dog… something that can’t talk back to you, or criticize you, a being that will always give you love.. yes! This is right. And everything is great!! For a while… until the longing returns. Again. How long have you been seeking? How many years have you been moving on to the next step, and the next, and the next, trying to fill this void within you? What you are longing for, is a deep, connected relationship with the divine.
Maybe not in the way you’ve been taught… I’m not talking about a forged relationship where you simply believe there is a God because you’re told there is a God and you should have blind faith. No. I’m talking about EXPERIENCING the Divine Presence in your life… where you FEEL the divine’s Presence every single day and you experience the divine’s Presence in all throughout the day. It’s the most beautiful, magical existence! This can be your reality… but it requires effort on your behalf.
Let me ask you this: How long would your best friend (or girlfriend or spouse) be your best friend (or girlfriend or spouse) if you gave him or her the same amount of attention that you give God? How often would your best friend come around 
if you talked to him/her the same way that you talk to God? Well then… why would you expect any less of God? The divine is the most important relationship in your life, dedicate time to that relationship and bask in the miracles that infiltrate your life as a result!
Let your divine be your best friend. Talk to God! Talk to your divine in everything you say and do. Consult Him like you would consult your best friend in everything you say or do! Your divine is right there with you all the time… you live in Him and He lives in you… but He is just as dependent on you as you are on Him, when it comes to connecting. How can the divine possibly show you He is there, if you’re not talking to the Him? How can the divine show you s/he is active in your life if you don’t have a line of communication established and are listening for a reply?
If you had no eye-sight, and you were sitting across the room from your best friend, how would you know your best friend was in the room unless you spoke to him and listened for a response? It’s the same with God. Talk to God and listen for a response. Open your spiritual ears!
No… dog is not man’s best friend. Man’s best friend is the divine.
Take a moment to talk to God right now. Tell your divine that you want to strengthen your relationship with him/her, and ask your divine to show you how to do this. When you get a response, be sure to show gratitude to your divine; then come back and share your experience!
Love to you <3!
Jodi
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I just finished a 45 minute concentration at the Matrimandir. Now I’m heading out to Tirruvanamalai. Thirruvanamalai is the spiritual center of India!! Mount Arunachala is there. “The scriptures tell us, and the sages and saints have testified that this Holy Hill is the form of Lord Siva Himself” (1).
Here is my driver, Paleni. He will be taking me the rest of the way. Through Tirruvanamalai for a couple days, then on to a waterfall, then on to Mysore, India. Yeah!
I prayed for a driver that is inexpensive and can get me there safely without troubles. A friend of a friend was kind enough to hook me up with a devotee here and I saved a significant amount of money.
This friend sent his driver and is also setting me up with a room on the cheap. Nice!!
Then my phone ran out of Internet. There’s no place to charge it where I’m at & I can’t charge it on my own because I’m not a local. I contacted a man in Mahabalipuram that I’d met four weeks ago. He was very kind and showed me the town and didn’t ask for one penny. He also gave me some pointers on dealing with the locals.
He told me to never show my money and don’t carry much on me. He said if I see something I want then I can go back & get cash. He gave me an amount to counter offer anytime someone tries to sell me something. He told me I paid too much for a pamphlet at a tourist attraction. He was there but he said he couldn’t tell me in front if them or they would make trouble for him later.
He also walked me down to the post office to get prices and he shipped my belongings to me in the USA so I don’t have to bother traveling with them. A very kind, honest man.
Anyway, I still had his business card, so I phoned him and asked if he still has my credit card info. He said no, but he would charge it to his credit card and I can wire him money when I get to Mysore. How cool is that?! I don’t even know this guy!! It’s the divine flowing through him!
I love the way my divine provides for me before I even realize I need it! How perfectly everything had to align for me to meet this very man who is helping me along my journey now <3
Life is so magical!! Thank you, Spirit, for all the grace you give me <3 <3 <3. God ROCKS!! I am totally being carried through and provided for every single moment of every single day. What more could anyone ever ask for? Honestly?
So, my apartment! The friend of a friend put us up in a really nice place with very reasonable prices. Its a lodge, but its really more like an apartment! Here is the bedroom:
The living room:
The foyer:
And the kitchen:
When I looked out the back door, I was greeted with this great big smiley face. See it?!
The friend that connected me to the helper in Thirruvanamalai? I just met him in November of last year. Who would’ve thunk he’d be helping me on my trip to India?
I am so incredibly grateful for these people’s help. The man even showed us three different places in different price ranges so we could choose. He made sure we were close to the ashram and had A/C of we wanted it. We opted to go without; it’s less expensive.
Suggestion: Pray and ask your divine to show you how He is aligning you with the right people to bring about miracles in your life daily.
Blessings and Love,
Jodi
Sources:
(1) A guide to Giripradakshina
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Yet another beautiful miracle in my life!! I’m a total rock hound, and I generally collect a rock from where ever I travel. Why not? It’s a unique gift from God. It produces no waste. It will not take up a land-fill, it connects me to Mother Earth, and it’s all natural lol. In fact, I can even make Stone Soup out of them if I ever need to (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/043933909X/ref=aw_1st_sims_2?pi=SL500_SS115).
Today I went to the Matrimandir in Auroville, India.
While I was on the trail to the viewpoint of the Matrimandir in Auroville…
… I kept praying for a heart-shaped rock. I saw so many rocks, leaves and nature-bits that were heart-shaped.. The song, “All You Need Is Love” kept coming into my consciousness.
When I got to the end of the path, look what waiting for me! How amazing is that?!!
I found this right at the viewpoint, directly in front if the Matrimandir; to the right in this picture:
I am just feeling so blessed!! Thank you, God, for all the beautiful miracles you bring into my life; for the grace that flows through and around me! <3
It doesn’t stop there, though. The entire experience has changed my consciousness. When I got back to my hotel room, the messages of love just continued. Do you see what I see?
Ask your divine to give you the ability to see the beauty, magic and wonder in the simple things in life. Ask your divine to bring about a simple miracle in your life with the next few days, and to make you aware of this miracle. Thank the divine for all the beautiful miracles you’ve had thus far.
God is right there, waiting for us to dial His number. Once you dial, why hang up the line? Why not stay connected all day long? Talk to God about everything you see, do and feel!
You know that feeling you get when something happens great in your life and you’re all excited and you can’t to wait to run and tell your total best friend?! Yeah, that feeling. Let that be your passion toward God.
And you know how, when something icky happens and you’re down in the dumps and just want your total best friend to comfort you (be it your spouse or mom or your best buddy)? In these moments, talk to God.
Turn to God the same way you would rush to your best friend with exciting news, or to your mom/spouse for comfort. Then be amazed at the relationship that builds between the two of you!
Love to you <3
Jodi
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A true miracle!! Look at these coins!
The idea is to place the coin on the wall & the divine will hold the coin on the wall. I admit, I was a total non-believer… But my divine changed all that!
I walked up & placed my coin on the wall slanted part of the wall (top) & my coin kept sliding off. “There’s no way it’s gonna stick”, I thought. Then this man walked up & placed a coin on the verticle wall. It is straight up & down!!
It is physically impossible & against the law of gravity for a coin to be able to stick there!! Right before my eyes, though, I saw two people do it!! They walked up, prayed, and the coin stuck & they walked away!!
So, naturally, my mind is convinced that there’s some trick to this. I put my coin back up for the tenth time, again, it slips & falls (MAN, reflexes are fast when you’re awakened!). Feeling helpless and hopeless and about to give up, I decided to try one more time. As I’m holding my coin, a man walks up and tells me to pray and say a mantra.
He puts his coin vertical, it sticks, and then he walks away. I’m in amazement, but I am still convinced there is a trick to this. I think to myself, “He’s gotta be licking the coin or something to give it moisture to stick”. So, with a sideways glance to ensure nobody is watching, I lick my coin, and then try to stick it to the wall. Again, it falls.
“Okay”, I think, “Maybe it needs something thicker, like sweat, in order to stick?”. Again, I look both directions to ensure nobody is watching, then I press the coin against my chest, to pick up some sweat and again, I press it against the wall with a prayer. Again, the coin falls to the ground. I begin to feel discouraged.
The man walks up again, and again he prays and places a coin on the wall. I turn to him, “What’s the trick? Do you have to press hard?”, I ask as I press the coin as hard as I can with two fingers. He chuckles at my question, watching my coin fall to the ground once more. “Faith”, he says with a smile as he walks away.
“Ah”, I thought to myself. Faith. I lack in faith. I know this. I had tried so many times, to no avail. I sang the moola mantra and tried; the coin fell. I prayed and tried; the coin fell. I pressed hard and tried; the coin fell. I licked the coin and tried; it fell. I used sweat and tried; it fell. Yet faith never crossed my mind. Suddenly, I felt like I was trying to hard.
After the man walked off, I took a deep, steady breath. I relaxed my grip on the coin. I realized that this is not something that *I* can do. It is something the divine will do. What I had to do, was to get out of the way and allow the divine to come through me. So, I gently held the coin to the wall with two fingers, with as little pressure as possible. I prayed to my divine, “God, I know I lack in faith. If you’re really there, please accept my offering and deepen my faith.”
As soon as I said this prayer, I felt heat come through my arm, then through my hand and finger tips.. and then I felt, like.. I felt the coin stick to the wall… Like the wall was grabbing the coin from me… and I knew it was safe to let go.
I moved my hand away, and the coin stuck to the wall. That coin is in this picture:
My jaw dropped, and then I got the hugest grin on my face that I think I’ve ever had… like a child at Christmas who just got the biggest thing she’s ever wished for. This… it defies all laws of gravity.. it defies all laws of physics!! There is no other explanation for this, except that it’s the divine.
It wasn’t sweat, humidity, or spit that made the coin stick. There was a trick, though. The trick, was to ask my divine for what I wanted, to have faith, and then to just let go of the outcome; get out of the way; surrender to my divine with faith, and allow my divine to come through. I had to stop trying to control the outcome and surrender completely to my divine.
GOD IS REAL.
GOD CAN DEFY THE LAW OF GRAVITY.
GOD CAN DO MIRACLES.
FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS.
Thank you, Spirit, for the miracles you bring about in my life, for teaching me how to let go, and for deepening my faith. I am forever and truly grateful. I can never deny the existence of God again. I am a changed woman.
How are you trying to control the outcome in your own life?
♥ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – SOULYSTIC SUGGESTION – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ♥
Today, you can make an ‘offering’ to your divine by doing one kind thing for somebody. If you feel you lack faith, perhaps you can acknowledge these feelings and then pray and ask your divine to deepen your faith and reveal itself (himself, herself) to you in some way today.
♥ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – ♥
Still not a believer? Check out the videos of this phenomenon. I can’t make this stuff up, folks!
If this page has inspired or helped you in any way please subscribe, share, comment, and like my facebook page.
Love to you!
Jodi
Pics: Amma’s Temple, Nemam, India
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So I made it to India! Ive been adjusting for a few days. I’m on campus and loving every minute of it, challenges and all!
I’ve met people from all around the world here… Holland, Hong Kong, Belgium, Germany, Sweden… beautiful!!
The food is WONDERFUL!! It’s like a party in my mouth!!
The nature is amazing! It really reminds me of when i lived in Hawaii, with the lizards climbing the walls & hanging out on the ceilings in the dorm (although Hawaii is much more cool). In America, you wake up and hear birds singing. In India, you wake up and hear birds and Monkeys. Wow!
My shoes came up missing yesterday, so I’ve been walking barefoot for a couple days. We have to leave them outside… maybe the monkeys took them… If not, then somebody needed them worse than me. I have an ‘inside’ pair I may start using outside cuz the pavement is HOT!!
Some people here literally live in grass huts. That’s all I can say about that.. pretty sobering.
Today I did a walking meditation.. Where I had to walk reeeeaaaaalllllllyyyy SLOW… and contemplate who I am. It took me an hour to walk a distance that would ordinarily take less than five minutes. It was an experience! Try it sometime… Just don’t do it on scalding hot pavement while barefoot – ouch!
I’ve been wanting ice cream really bad lately… It’s SO H-O-T here!! Today I got some… It was so feeling delicious!
Don’t let me forget to tell you about my trip to Amma’s ashram on the way to the University! That was an experience!
Internet connection here is sporadic, so I will post as I can. When I get access I have a limited amount of time so my grammar will not be the greatest – deal LOL! :-p
I got to see the monkeys hanging out on the dorms the other day. Sooo cool!! Check out my Facebook page, I will ry to get a video uploaded soon.
I’m posting from my phone and still learning so if things come out wonky, I blame it in that LOL
We practice what’s called mauna after certain processes, where we remain in silence. I will share more about that as I can. We stay pretty busy here, between classes, practice, food, and washing my clothes by hand!
Speaking of class, one is coming up soon.
Blessings & Love,
Jolliana
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I talked to a fellow yogini yesterday, who has been to Mysore, India. She said it gets really hot there, and mentioned sleeping with the windows open.
I asked, “Is that safe? You don’t have to worry about somebody coming into your place?”
“No”, she replied.
She told me I don’t have to worry about anyone breaking in, that it’s totally safe. She said most apartments have bars on the windows. She did give me a forewarning, though. She warned, if I get an apartment where there are no bars on the windows, I need to beware of the monkeys! She said the monkeys will come in through the windows and eat your food!!
Holy heck!! I’m thanking my divine for that forewarning! I think I would jump clean out of my skin if I were to awaken in the middle of the night to someone rummaging through my food, no matter who or what that ‘someone’ is! How would you even get a monkey out of your house?!
What would you do if you were to awaken in the middle of the night to the sound of someone rummaging through your kitchen, and then found a monkey there?!
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