" Toxicity … "

Conversion, software version 7.0 

Looking at life through the eyes of a tire hub 

Eating seeds is a pastime activity 

The toxicity of our city, of our city 

No, what do you own the world? 

How do you own disorder 

Now somewhere between the sacred silence 

Sacred silence and sleep 

Somewhere, between the sacred silence and sleep 

Disorder, disorder, disorder 

When I became the sun 

I shone life into the mans' hearts 

~ System Of A Down ~ Toxicity ~

***

It seems like we might actually have Spring in the neighbourhood.  After a very long winter, it is definitely a welcoming change.  And, it is also the perfect time for the age old ritual of spring cleaning our homes.

The main idea is to cleanse and not introduce more unnecessary toxins in our lives ... which won’t happen if you continue to blindly use off the shelf products.  Yes, even “green” alternatives can contain harmful ingredients.  Beware, they usually refer to packaging rather than safety.

Sadly, the average household products have over 10 gallons of these toxic chemicals.  It is possible that the very thing you use to clean your house are actually among the primary sources of toxins and indoor pollution you expose you and your family to on a regular basis.

Which ingredients do you want to stay clear from? 

glycol ethers, phosphates, volatile organic compounds, phthalates, petroleum solvents, formaldehyde, chlorine, sodium lauryl sulfate and ... 

Why so toxic?

Many studies are concerned with chemicals known or suspected to be carcinogenic while others disrupt your endocrine system and can cause serious reproductive harm.  Cleaning sprays and laundry detergents directly affect your skin and lungs and go into your bloodstream, bypassing your liver and kidneys, which are our body’s natural defense system against toxins.  It is said that just one application of a typical household cleaner can leave dangerous chemicals lingering in your indoor air for hours on end.  Also it is good to note that Mixing ammonia and bleach together will cause extremely toxic vapors capable of serious harm.

Spring cleaning the non-toxic way involves using common household items such as white vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, 3% hydrogen peroxide and even vodka!  Trust me, these cut through dirt and sanitize just as well as their toxic counterparts.  

And one of the best website for finding age-old cleaning ideas that are safe but effective is http://greatist.com/health/27-chemical-free-products-diy-spring-cleaning

As always, do you research and don’t get sucked in by all the shady green marketing.  Toxic chemicals pose a significant health risk and we can reduce our exposure by making smart choices for ourselves and our environment.

" Celebrate … "

Everybody spread the word

We're gonna have a celebration

All across the world

In every nation

It's time for the good times

Forget about the bad times, oh yeah

One day to come together

To release the pressure

We need a holiday ...

You can turn this world around

And bring back all of those happy days

Put your troubles down

It's time to celebrate

Let love shine

And we will find

A way to come together

And make things better

We need a holiday ...

Holiday Celebrate

Holiday, Celebration

Come together in every nation

~ Madonna ~ Celebrate ~

***

Holiday celebrations are in full swing as cookies are baked, lights are displayed and gifts are bought.  This time of year we hope to witness the best that people have to offer.  We celebrate connections, we celebrate life.

So it is also a great time of year to reflect on what has occured in your life during the year.  Some years have been filled with significant landmark events while others have been more subtle, appearing to be less significant.  Yet what emerges from quiet reflection is an appreciation of my life.  

In the begining of the year, life started in one space and has ended in another ... the unfoldment of life and the changes that have occurred.  I am able to see how my life is supported and tailored to my growth.   And although there are situations that may have blinded my objectivity, the key is to release it when the bigger picture is explored.

Anticipating 2014, I am working towards a new sense of freedom, a deeper sense of joy ... I see my life working even as I know there are still many mysteries to explore.  But that is okay because I am starting from a new place within me.  And this new place verifies that action from a place of inner knowing works.  No matter what happens, I am safe, I am protected and I am definitely loved.  

❇ ❈ ❅ ❄ ❆ MERRY WINTER SOLSTICE ❇ ❈ ❅ ❄ ❆

May the solstice and turning of the wheel bring love, peace and good fortune in our coming year as we welcome the returning sun with joy ☼

" Safe ... "

You make me feel safe 

Someday 

My darkest fears will find their way 

After all 

Somebody loves me (loves me, loves me) 

All day 

My heart tells strangers how I feel 

And it's hard not to feel this way 

When you thought your future was on prescription 

You make me feel safe 

You make me feel safe

~ George Michael ~ Safe ~

***

How do you protect yourself?  How do you live, open hearted and free, if you don’t feel safe?  Are you safe?  Can you trust your world?  These days, sneaking up inside of me, I quietly ponder these questions ...

The world is your oyster ... isn’t that the popular saying ... but what happens when a variety of pressures feel like your world is closing in.  You feel like you are grasping for air, barely above water and unsure of what is next and anxious. 

So isn’t the real question ... where is this coming from?

Well, from an early age, we often seek another to keep us safe, free from harm.  We learn to expect this from our parents and loved ones.  And as we grow older, we look to our siblings, our friends, our spouse ... and possibly beyond ... anyone?

Truthfully, as a conscious adult, there are times I want to go back to that early age and have someone else “just take care of it”.  I want no part in the responsibility of making my life, creating my life.   

Why?  ... because I don’t want to be responsible for the consequences of my decisions 

Why? ... because, it scares the hell out of me.

Yep, hide my head in the sand and hope it will all just go away ... 

Sometimes it feels easier for someone else to decide ... but then I ask myself, are you truly a creator of your life?  And even though I write a great deal about empowerment and taking responsibility of my own needs, I still struggle with this because I have no guarantee of being safe.  But then I ask myself, who really is safe?

Living your life with an open heart and open arms requires you to take risks.  Yet with that comes setting good boundaries.  Which in my past, I haven't done a good job of ... take for example how I have allowed others to come into my world that perhaps didn’t deserve to.  Resulting in disrespectful and hurtful behaviours.  Upon reflection, I can only blame myself because I allowed it to happen *sigh ... dealing with consequences of inaction?

So how do you prevent pitfalls but still take risks?  Hmmm, not sure if that is even possible in complex human experiences.  But since the world is a mirror, the real process begins with working on yourself first.  

Say what you mean and mean what you say ...  if something doesn’t feel right, speak up, because the only reason for not communicating is because of fear.  And if they don’t understand and walk away, as painful as it is, they did you a massive favour.

So my mission ...

• to create a nurturing environment in my heart by listening, paying attention, and honoring my needs 
• to believe we are always protected
• to practice compassion towards myself 
• and to create a safe and open doorway so trustworthy people can enter my life

I have realized that no matter how much I try to dart it, safety and trust in my life is my responsibility.  So I need to let it scare me if it does, try to enjoy it if I can and then live my life by it which I intend to ...

" Higher ... "

I do this just for kicks, just for the thrill (thrill)

I got this high without taking a pill (pill)

This groove has got me way over the sun (sun)

I'm dancing like I am the only one (one)

'Cause I can't get enough, I can't get enough

I can't stay on the ground (whoa)

I can't get enough, I can't get enough

This is taking me now

~ Taio Cruz ~ Higher ~

***

As mentioned in my last post, my Gerson Therapy is producing encouraging results.  To give my immune system a kick in the pants, the Gerson doctors recommended ~50 grams/week of vitamin C intravenously.  Yes, that is a very generous amount, considering the recommended daily intake is ten times lower.  So whats with the higher dose?

Well, first some history ... the “Father of Vitamin C”, Dr. Linus Pauling realized during his research, that large doses of vitamin C have significant effects on our immune system and anti-tumour effects.  

So how does it work ... vitamin C works in two ways.  First, in high enough doses it can destroy cancer cells.  It is thought that vitamin C overwhelms the ability of tumour cells to suppress hydrogen peroxide production and this build up of H2O2 in cancer cells kills them.  Secondly, cancer cells produce an enzyme called “hyaluonidase” that destroys healthy tissue around them thus facilitating tumour growth and metastasis.  High doses of vitamin C inhibit this enzyme.  

In summary, some of the benefits include ... 

* increase quality of life
* prolong survival
* enhance action of some chemotherapeutic agents
* limits body wide tissue damage from free radicals (created by chemotherapy)
* safe and non-toxic to healthy cells

Also it is worth to note that “the excitement around vitamin C and cancer was diminished by a later trial done by the Mayo clinic that could not repeat the findings by Cameron and Pauling, leading to a dismissal of its potential role in oncology.  We now know that the results were not reproducible simply because the Mayo clinic used oral dosing of vitamin C, whereas IV administration is the only way to reach the required tissue saturation levels for vitamin C to act as just described above”.

Unfortunately, it can personally be an expensive undertaking as most insurance companies consider this experimental.  Yet a growing number of naturopath oncologists are integrating intravenous (IV) vitamin C into their cancer treatment protocols ... hopefully it is just a matter of time until integrative cancer care will be the norm.

 ... give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way ॐ

" The Best Of What's Around ... "

Hey my friend 

It seems your eyes are troubled 

Care to share your times with me 

Would you say you're feeling low and so 

A good idea would be to get it off your mind ...

... Whatever tears at her 

Whatever holds her down 

And if nothing can be done 

She'll make the best of what's around 

~ Dave Matthews Band ~ The Best Of What’s Around ~

***

Ever heard the saying “you are a product of your environment?”  I believe so.  You may recall recently I wrote about how excited I was to receive “The Biology Of Belief” By Bruce H. Lipton.  Specializing in cell biology, Dr. Lipton is an internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit; a key voice in new biology ... linking mind and matter and the profound effects it has on our lives.  

Science ... more and more evidence is showing that cells respond to environmental cues and these signals engage processes that can alter gene expression and thereby control the fate of the cells ... movement, survivial and even death.  Now some of you maybe thinking, but what about all the study supporting the correlation between genetics and dis-ease?  Yes, there are dis-eases that can be accounted for by a faulty gene, but they affect < 2% of the population.  

Dr. Lipton further explains this by “consider genes as molecular blueprints used in the construction of cells, tissues and organs.  The environment is a contractor, who reads and engages those genetic blueprints and is ultimately responsible for the character of the cell’s life.  It is a single cell’s awareness of the environment that primarily sets into motion the mechanisms of life”.

This hits home for me.  You see, when it came to my breast cancer diagnosis, there is no history of it in my family.  And at the time, my doctor casually stated that 5% of cases are heredity.  Therefore I strongly believe my environment and belief system played the greatest role in my health.

Spirit ... so is it possible that what happens throughout our lifetime can determine whether we develop many of the dis-eases our society faces today ... heart disease, diabetes and cancer.  The health of our cells are influenced greatly by our unconscious belief system ... one of the biggest environmental determinants.  These beliefs can either create an environment of growth or protection within our bodies.  Fear-based or love-based.  Stunting or empowering our cells to reach their full potential.  Our cells are always listening to our thoughts and beliefs.

Most of us have limiting beliefs that have accumulated through our childhood and the course of our lives.  Yet we can release these limits by changing the view of our world to a healthy one ... safe and loving, creating a sense of appreciation and respect for ourselves and others.  Believing we are loved, worthy, and cared for.  A new perspective to take you from a victim position to a co-creator of your destiny ... and from experience, trust me, it works.

" Recovery ... "

I’m not afraid to take a stand
Everybody come take my hand
We’ll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just let you know that, you’re not alone
Hola if you feel that you’ve been down the same road

~ Eminem ~ Recovery ~ 

***

At the end of the year most of us reflect on the going ons we have experienced.  2011 has been a wild ride to say the least for us.  With the start of the year ringing in my diagnosis, the remaining has been full of discoveries and lessons.  Those around me that are in a similar situation will attest to the personal transformation that occurs at a very rapid pace.  The "shift" that happens is not gentle ... it is abrupt.  Initially I felt that my life has turned upside down.  But upon reflection, it actually turned right side up.  The naive thought of being immortal faced me head on when I was dealt the dreaded C word .... And the most profound thought for me is that cancer is a word and not a sentence ... initiating my personal healing.  

Looking forward to 2012, a beginning of a new year full of success, adventure and possibility.  Instead of planning for a new car, new home or renovations, I choose to plan my life ~ what I want to achieve and how I want to grow as a person.  You know the saying that "Life is a journey” ... so are you the driver or a passenger? ... do you pick an adventurous route or snooze in the back?  Rather than life developing and me existing, I can choose to make things happen the way I design them instead of leaving it all up to chance.

So how I going to set my intentions for the new year?  

Well I figure I have to set the mood, a time for me to feel peaceful, relaxed and uninterrupted.  Once in a positive state and open to possibilities, I will write down my achievements for 2011 and then ... reflect on them.  One year ago my life was full of uncertainty, quiet chaos, anxiety and fear .... now I have peace, gratitude, confidence, and love.  I will allow myself to celebrate my success this year ... a tough year, but could have been worse and the best part, I am getting thru it.  I read recently that once you are diagnosed, at that moment, you are a survivor.  Such an empowering feeling.  

I have been checking in, asking myself questions around my year ~ who, what, when and where ... not why, because there are no definitive answers to that question.  That is where my strong faith kicks in ... I read today that “every sorrow has a spiritual lesson, if you get the lesson, life gets easier ... if you don’t, the sorrow gets tougher” (thanks Oprah!).  

Next, I will think about the areas of my life that are important such as spirituality, relationship with friends/family, personal development, career, etc ... and consider where I am with each right now, today ... then thinking about how I would like to positively change each area.  

Imagine ~ Dream ~ Design.  So powerful and effective to make it Real.  I may entertain the use of a dream board to paint a vivid picture of exactly how it will look for me.  Supporting this process, by prioritizing what areas need immediate action, setting dates, the importance around it, etc can be helpful as long as I am being true to myself.

I think the next step will be the most challenging.  I will ask myself who will share my intentions with me.  In the past, I have found that some do not always support my “new design” and try to burst my bubble.  And it is not intentional, they just like life to be the way it is and do not want change.  They fear that I may fail and are too protective of me ... as I experienced this year where others may think it’s best for me to take a more conventional route and do things the way they understand.  I have realized that each person is an unique individual with their own set of life situations and challenges ... if we listen to and take negative comments of others, we are bound to struggle to achieve our intentions.  

Valued Lesson: I will share my intentions with those who will support me, encourage me and be inspired by me ♥

In wrapping up 2011, one word comes to mind ... BLESSED.  At this moment, I feel healthy, loved, safe and secure.  I choose to live in abundance of all good things and know that I am exactly where I am suppose to be.  

And what will my 2012 dream board look like? ... 

• pictures of how my life is going to be, what I will have, and what is important to me
• words that inspire me to dream big and take action ... and I will imagine the feelings surrounding those dreams

So till next year my friends ... may the light shine brightly in your heart and the upcoming year be full of powerful changes allowing you to let go of the past so your life can be richer and fuller with room for multiple blessings and joy.

We are the light of the world ~ so let us share it willingly, lovingly and unconditionally ♥ R.Bankapur