Thanks for stepping into our waters. We’re happy to have you as a part of the MyOshun Moms family!

M.O.M. promises to share honest, personal stories and informative articles about motherhood from our Head MOM, Amy Honey and fellow MOM-ers. Our goal is to lend support, inform and inspire… with a dash of humor!

With that said, let us know what you’d like to talk about. What’s on your mind? Are you interested in submitting your personal MOM story? Leave your comments below.

Also, join our Facebook community, where we’ll offer more tips, supportive words and giveaways! Facebook.com/MyOshun

Check out our first story below by Head Contributing Writer, Amy Honey on being a mother. Read on…

We love MOMs!

MOTHERHOOD

I’m so excited and proud to be a new part of MyOshun. After Daydree invited me to be the head contributing writer for MOM (MyOshun Moms) I felt as though I’d been given a gift – first, the gift of reaching out, of engaging with an amazing community of modern day goddesses; second, the gift of reaching in, of meditating on what’s happening for me right now, as a mother and as a woman. I know that both the reaching out and reaching in will run the gamut from profound to supportive to just plain fun. Thank you Daydree for honoring me with the invitation to take on this new role, to put on this new hat.

So, let the reaching in begin! Why did I choose to become a mother? Truly, I can’t specifically say, although I know the journey began with finding my partner. Being with Ryan, my amazing husband was definitely a big piece of the puzzle. Looking back, I realize that it wasn’t until that relationship was in place that I really began to feel about having kids. And I say ‘feel about’ on purpose because it’s not a ‘think about’ it’s a ‘feel about’. Deciding to have children was just a feeling that began to grow. It began in some deep, dark place… a primal, primitive, primordial desire to propagate the species I guess. I think that Mother Nature certainly has a hand in making sure we continue to populate the planet.

After I got clear with my feelings and I knew Ryan felt the same then we tried to get pregnant. Fortunately, it happened easily and I am profoundly grateful. I know so many people who are not so blessed. This gratitude is a deep and serious feeling to which I try to stay connected. My daughter, who will be 3 in February, and my son, who is now 4 months old, are both simply miracles… as are all children. Sometimes I struggle to stay connected to the miracle though, I cannot tell a lie. It’s usually the moment where I’m wiping my son’s spit up or pee off the floor while his sister is repeatedly asking me if she can watch tv/have a snack or if I can put her brother down for a nap now. He is a bodily fluid factory and she is grating on my last nerve… argh! Wait, back to the miracle. Deep breath. Ok. I’m ok.

This leads me to the next topic. What is being a parent about? Well, so many things… but one is certainly the extremes. The highs and lows. The roller coaster of heart bursting love and connectedness combined with brutal frustration and downright exhaustion. It’s about getting pulled and pushed until you feel like Gumby. I love you! You make me insane! You’re the most delightful creature ever! I’m going to lose my mind! You get the idea. Every day is a little like a trip to Six Flags.

And speaking of Six Flags, there is the ultimate lesson in surrender that is having children. Once you get on the roller coaster you have to give it up. You’re strapped in and there’s nowhere to go until the ride is over. And not only that, somebody else designed the track. Which isn’t to say you can’t be in charge of your own reactions, that you’re not still a grown-up, but, well, things have changed. Luckily pregnancy prepares you for some of this. Talk about surrender. Giving up your body to the creation of something new. The beauty! The wonder! The constant peeing! The sciatica!

Ah, it’s a mix isn’t it? A remarkable stew of wonder and fatigue, unconditional love and aggravation.

I can only imagine how it’s going to be when they are teenagers…

Amy Honey – Head Contributing Writer, M.O.M.

What do you want to talk about? Are you interested in submitting your personal story on motherhood?
Submit your comments below.

Posted under: M.O.M. by myoshun
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Reiki is Universal Life Energy. It is an ancient Japanese holistic form of natural ‘massage’ where the practitioner uses subtle, stationary hand positions over points of tension or injury to help the body heal itself. (This can be with direct touch or hands above the body.) There is always energy naturally flowing through the body. However, dependent upon stress level, injury, emotional or mental imbalance, this energy can become stagnant in certain areas, which consequently leads to disharmony, or at its worse – disease.

What happens during a Reiki Session?

During a session the client may feel heat, tingling or other similar sensations in certain areas of the body. Some people feel an incredible sense of calm or soothing warmth. Regardless, the Reiki is doing its work. After the session, there is dialogue between the practitioner and client regarding the client’s experience, any needed counsel, and the “After Reiki Do’s and Don’ts”.

Who can Benefit from Reiki and How? 

 Everyone. Reiki is not part of a specific religion, therefore, anyone can use it and benefit from it. Reiki strengthens the immune system and is great for many ailments like headaches, upset stomachs, insomnia, fatigue, some sexual dysfunctions and chronic illness. Reiki also seems to help those strange tweaks in the body that seem to come out of nowhere.

Michael Flatley of Riverdance has felt the benefits of Reiki.

He had a calf injury years ago which prevented him from dancing. With the help of his Reiki therapist, Derry Ann Morgan, he used Reiki to heal it. In an article in the Daily Mail, Michael reported, “Doctors said I couldn’t dance for 60 days. But Reiki healed me in just 4… For me, the evidence speaks for itself. Healing helps me to overcome many injuries in a short space of time, which conventional medicine just cannot do.”

Not only adults, but also children and animals can enjoy the healing benefits of Reiki. Pets that have experienced stresses of abandonment, or physical ailments can be helped by this ancient healing tool as well. In children, Reiki has been shown to aid in relaxation; help with focusing on homework, tests and other stresses connected with adolescence.

 Reiki benefits autistic children as well.

In 2000, Autism/Asperger’s Digest Magazine cited Lewis Mehl-Madrona, MD PhD, Coordinator for Integrative Psychiatry and System Medicine, Program in Integrative Medicine, University of Arizona, College of Medicine, Tuscon, Arizona as stating, “We have done a pilot study of Reiki massage for autistic children. The preliminary results are encouraging, especially when the parents are taught the Reiki along with visualization in between formal appointments with the therapist. The use of Reiki by parents and therapist appears to encourage communication; especially non-verbal communication children are calmer and have less self-stimulation.”

Simply stated, Reiki can help anyone live a better life by healing the very things that are standing in the way of you expressing your life to the fullest.

Daydree is a Reiki Master/Teacher who lives and works in Los Angeles. She is a registered member of International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP).  For more appts and info, click here- MyOshun.com

Posted under: HEALING, SPIRITUALITY by myoshun
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When the fires burn, bush poppies will grow.

When circumstances are tough and you’ve done all you can, surrender. Really surrender and release it to something greater than yourself – the Divine, God, Spirit, Krishna…something. Let the fires burn because the bush poppies are about to bloom.

In the summer of 2009, an arsonist started a fire behind the US Forest Service ranger station in the Angeles National Forest. This fire took out 251 square miles of land. There was charred wood and devastation everywhere. It wasn’t conceivable to the naked eye that anything would grow again, but nature had a plan. Fire followers. Fire followers are plants that have seeds that only germinate in response to fire. In the case of bush poppies (pictured below), seed germination is triggered by charred wood or smoke.

Bush poppies in bloom after massive Station Fire.

As for the yellow-throated phacelia, these seeds need the chemicals found in charred wood in order to grow and produce these pretty little flowers you see below. They’re only found during the first couple years after a fire. It’s amazing to imagine. We don’t usually think of something growing from seeming nothingness and devastation. Usually we assume plants need water, sun, or some other nourishment to grow. Sometimes, things bloom not only in spite of the fire, but because of the fire.

Yellow-throated phacelia in bloom after fire.

About 6 weeks ago, I experienced my own “fire”.  I suffered a very bad fall in dance class after doing a leap that I had done many times and for many years previously. The result was a terrible ankle sprain and lots of bruising. I remember the doctor saying, “It would have been better if you broke your ankle because a break would heal much faster. Unfortunately, with this type of sprain – it’s going to be a long and painful recovery.” And it has been. The first few weeks I had excruciating pain – every day, all day. The fire burned strong. Needless to say, I had a few “angels” take care of me, look in on me and simply call, to just say, ‘How are you?’ There’s nothing like a supportive call or visit from a friend. It speaks to true humanity. Notwithstanding my few angels and incredibly supportive boyfriend, I still found myself in a state of isolation. It was as if the fire of this injury took out so much of my vitality – the ability to run, walk, dance, drive, work, feel joy… I sat in silence many days, meditated, cried, prayed and thanked God for my life. I embraced every moment and every lesson. I found a deeper love for the friends that called, dropped by with food, helped me run errands, and of course, my dear David who not only did those things, but everything else with a great attitude. Yes indeed, I still counted the many blessings and kept things in perspective, yet, I still felt distress on many levels. As time wore on, even though there was still injury, wonderful things started to happen. I was shown the deepest love from a select few, gained a greater sense of compassion for others and experienced many random acts of generosity and kindness… from seemingly out of nowhere. Similar to flowers that bloom from fire, our growth, our transformation and change – can come out of seeming nothingness. Plants don’t always need water, sun and sweet words to grow, sometimes it’s just about the fire and complete eradication of a thing… and from that – greatness happens in our lives.

An elder once told me, when bad things happen, the first thing you should do is thank God. Be grateful in all things – good or bad – because there are always lessons to be learned. Furthermore, the greatest lessons are learned through the “bad”, devastation and… fire.

Daydree is a Reiki Master/Teacher who lives and works in Los Angeles. She is a registered member of International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP).  For more appts and info, click here- MyOshun.com

Posted under: HEALING, INSPIRATION, SPIRITUALITY by myoshun
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Whole Soul Love tip

One of the biggest complaints of my female clients is that their male partners “don’t listen”. Generally, men tend to be single focused, while women are mavens at multi-tasking. Let’s say your man is working at the computer or just simply hanging out in his office/man cave. You begin speaking, he’s looking at you, you think he’s listening, but then quickly realize you must repeat yourself because he hasn’t heard most of what you’ve just said. This is a common frustration in relationships which often leads to bickering with the usual quips from women – “You never listen to me!” or “Why do I always have to repeat myself?” Furthermore, your man feels nagged which can lead to resentment. Let’s face it, men and women are different. Just because a woman approaches her husband or boyfriend to chat and he seems to be doing nothing, it doesn’t mean that the guy is ready to listen. He may be preoccupied, deep in thought or just plain ‘ol spaced out for a moment. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Here’s the solution: Find a clever way of getting his attention that won’t bring him down or raise your blood pressure. For example, preface what you’re about to say with a clever phrase specific to the two of you, to get his attention. For example, you might try – “boot up baby”, “asterisk moment”, or “yellow maserati” so he knows it’s time to pay attention. Then ladies, launch into your talk…

Whatever the phrase, make it personal or at least funny to lighten things up. Since men and women are from different planets, we need different languages in order to have harmonious living. Try it… Let me know how it goes.

Daydree is a Reiki Master/Teacher who lives and works in Los Angeles. She is a registered member of International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP). Whole Soul Love is a service of MyOshun that provides relationship help with online dating. Click here for info and appts- MyOshun.com

Posted under: HEALING, RELATIONSHIPS, TIPS by myoshun
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Barbadian and Japanese unite… in these burgers! You will love these hearty and flavorful Carib-Asian Salmon Burgers. Our Barbadian family recipe  with a Japanese secret sauce. Perfect combination.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

1 – 1 1/2 lb of salmon (deboned)

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup green onion

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp garlic paste (use more if substituting fresh garlic)

3 TBL flour (plus, a little extra on the side for frying)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp hot sauce (I recommend Barbadian hot sauce)

1 TBL ketchup

2 TBL butter

3 TBL lemon

1 TBL water

oil for frying

Recipe

Grill/broil salmon 4 minutes each side. Let cool 5-10 minutes. Flake salmon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Consistency should be like a paste so that you can make your burger patties. In a small plate, shake some flour. Dip each patty in the flour before placing in frying pan with oil. (Flame should be at a medium.) Flip burgers when each side has your desired crispiness. Drain any excess oil from your burgers. Add your favorite warm buns. Then, make your secret sauce. There are many types of Japanese “secret sauces”. Here’s one of them…

Secret Sauce

3 TBL Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie)

dash(es) of soy sauce (add to taste)

dash(es) of sriracha (add to taste)

Add more soy sauce if you like saltiness, add more sriracha for heat.
Mix ingredients, spread on your buns, and Enjoy!

Posted under: FOOD by myoshun
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Welcome our guest writer and her thoughts on getting unstuck in the “comfort” zone. Enjoy! Daydree

Nothing hinders personal growth like unexamined comfort. Comfort persuades people to stay in relationships, careers, and cities that they’ve outgrown. Enduring comfort is, arguably, one of the most powerful forces behind dreams deferred, risks untaken, and life unexplored.

I had a bad case of comfort for a good portion of my young adulthood. His name was James. Despite a short courtship and relationship, he became etched in my memory rather easily. We maintained a friendship over the years, shared tales of life’s ups and downs, and found comfort in our familiarity with each other. James was brilliant, funny, and charismatic, and though I knew he wasn’t right for me at the time, I secretly wished we’d end up together. I held onto that hope year after year waiting for our potential to turn kinetic. I dated while I waited, but my level of comfort with James prevented me from getting close to other guys. Unlike those other men, I knew what James was about. And I found comfort in knowing his habits, mannerisms, ideologies, and interests. I knew his family and his friends.

Then one day, I became uncomfortable.

Without much internal deliberation, my mind released the comfort it had been carrying around after a long overdue conversation with James revealed that he had no plans to cultivate our friendship into something deeper. I failed to ask questions and engage in serious dialogue with him earlier because I didn’t want my feeling of comfort to be disrupted. But delaying the truth didn’t change the truth.

Being uncomfortable isn’t easy. It’s unfamiliar and can be painful. But it is often accompanied with opportunities of discovery that can pass us by in a state of habitual comfort. When we’re comfortable in a job, we likely don’t pay attention to or seek out other job openings. When we’re comfortable in a city and familiar with its landscape, we usually don’t consider moving. And when we’re comfortable in a relationship, even if it’s unhealthy or stagnant, we don’t typically rush to get out of it.

Releasing our inner goddess, however, will at times require us to be uncomfortable. We will be forced to step outside of our comfort zone to seek the truth and discover ourselves. And once we make discoveries, time will likely transport us to a new place of comfort. After which, we might find ourselves at yet another point of discomfort. The impermanence of these conditions is necessary for growth, and residing in either too long can delay or prevent us from developing into our fullness.

Introspection can be a great way to help us identify what space we’re in and understand if change is needed. The first step involves taking an inventory of our lives by asking relevant questions and answering honestly. Am I growing in my career? Does my relationship add or take away from my peace of mind? Am I challenging myself in my current location in life? Am I working towards my goals? Do I have goals? Am I afraid of change? This exercise, when executed thoughtfully, should give us several pieces of information related to where we are and where we want to be. So, the next step is to use that information to begin making adjustments, if necessary. Failing to make changes after recognizing that changes need to be made only perpetuates comfort and delays discovery of the truth. Therefore, it is important to get moving once we uncover specific areas of development that require attention. This could include taking a class at a local community college for additional training, having an honest conversation with a mate, regardless of how uncomfortable it may be, seeking opportunities to exhibit a talent, or writing down goals and keeping a current journal to document progress. Whatever way, develop a plan, and work it.

When we begin addressing fear and comfort, we simultaneously invite opportunity to visit us. In my case, letting go of James was uncomfortable, to say the least. But a new, beautiful opportunity named Maurice surfaced in my discomfort.

Candace is a marketing professional in North Carolina and the owner of GoddessZuri.com, an ecommerce retailer offering apparel to women looking to stylishly declare their natural beauty. She also blogs at www.freethegoddess.com to give young women tips on how to release their inner goddess.

Posted under: INSPIRATION, RELATIONSHIPS by myoshun
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Ingredients
Sliced pineapple (substitute sliced peaches or mango)
Your favorite vanilla ice cream (substitute coconut)
Rum (my recommendation – Barbados Mount Gay)
Optional: honey or agave

Recipe
Grill your sliced fruit until it’s caramelized (slightly burnt to release the sugars). Plate. Add a dollop of your favorite ice cream on top of caramelized fruit. Add a shot of rum (or less for the faint of heart) on top of the whole thing. Optional: Drizzle honey or agave.

Posted under: FOOD by myoshun
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Community unites us. It is dynamic in nature and doesn’t always agree, but the intention is that we learn something, help someone, learn to cooperate and cohabitate.

Thanks for visiting our new website and joining Community. It has been a long, thoughtful process – one that I’m happy to have completed! There’s nothing like a good challenge, and there’s nothing like a sense of accomplishment. Journeys like these are filled with bumps, joys, miscommunications, uh-oh’s and whatnots – but at the end, there’s always a butterfly.

Recently, I looked at the previous MyOshun site. Several questions came to mind: Is this site communicating what I wish to communicate? Had my vision changed? Am I sharing my essence, my true self? With that, I realized that changes needed to be made; and my work as a Reiki Master/Teacher needed to move to the forefront. Reiki healing has led many to their own transformation towards more effective, successful and balanced lives. I’m grateful for the shared enrichment Reiki provides for both my clients and me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Whole Soul Love came to be because it is my personal story. I know that it’s possible to meet your whole soul love partner on an online dating site and for the relationship to be long lasting and fulfilling. If that is your wish too – to be happily mated in a healthy relationship – then I want you to have it! Whole Soul Love is a carefully crafted program created to be supportive, give tailor made advice and to help you remove unproductive ideas about relationships, so that you can be receptive to the whole soul partner that’s waiting for you. We hold the intention with you to have a love-manifesting experience. Yes, we create ‘love-manifestors’ by doing ‘inside’ makeovers! So if you’re interested in taking your options to a deeper level, check out Whole Soul Love.

When I went through a career change a few years ago, I wasn’t sure how to go about it. I had little funds and even less help. I often wished there was a community of wise women or men that I could talk to about my new career idea where it felt more personal than a career building service you’d find randomly through Google. Out of this frustration, I created Modern Day Goddess Radio – a podcast that showcases successful and inspirational women with interesting careers, who share insight regarding their career journey. We also interview both women and men who provide services that are of interest to the Modern Day Goddess. Subscribe

MyOshun will continue to Shop, share a few tasty recipes, and beautiful butterfly photos by SolarDarkroom to inspire your day. Since the butterfly is the universal symbol of transformation, it couldn’t be more fitting.

The one thing that is unchanging is that we’ll always be pushed to change and transform. The transformational process is unavoidable, if you want to grow at all, and live a fully evolved life.

Daydree is a Reiki Master/Teacher who lives and works in Los Angeles. She is a registered member of International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP).  For more appts and info, click here- MyOshun.com

Posted under: LIFE by myoshun
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For those of you that think of salad as merely boring rabbit food, here’s a hearty and satisfying salmon salad for you to try. Just had it last night for dinner…delicious!

Ingredients (serves 1-2)
1 lb salmon
1/2 cup red kidney beans (rinsed, drained)
lettuce
fresh spinach
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste (spreads better)
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
your favorite balsamic vinegar (my recommendation: Click here – Bistro blends)
red chili flakes (add to taste)

Salmon recipe
On salmon: shake salt, pepper and squeeze lemon. Gently rub garlic and ginger paste into salmon. Drizzle soy sauce. Let sit for 10 minutes. Lastly, drizzle 1 TBL e.v. olive oil on salmon (remaining 2 TBL olive oil for salads). Put this side down on foil lined tray. Place in broiler/grill for 4 minutes. Skin side is up, so gently remove skin and discard. Flip salmon. Broil/grill 4 more minutes.

Salad recipe
Flake salmon, remove any bones. Place flaked de-boned salmon aside. Fill 2 bowls with lettuce and fresh spinach. Add salmon (include the drippings) and red kidney beans. Drizzle remainder e.v. olive oil and balsamic vinegar on salads. Add red chili flakes, and a dash of salt & pepper to taste. Toss.

Posted under: FOOD by myoshun
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Easter was just upon us and Mother’s Day has come and gone. These are special times of the year which we tend to mark with some kind of significant ritual. Rituals help ground us, bring us together and create meaning in our lives. Here are a few:

Chinese New Year rituals
1. Light firecrackers and wear red to scare off the evil spirits.
2. Eat sticky rice cake to “glue” the family together.
3. Eat fish because the sound of “fish” in Chinese is similar to another word meaning “excess or left overs”.
4. Adults give money to children in red envelopes.
5. People hold open houses, pay visits to each other and special traditional snacks are served for good luck.

Brazil – Umbanda ritual
This one involves the Umbanda religion. Go to the ocean wearing comfortable clothes that you wear often and that have lots of your energy. Go into the ocean and take off all of your clothes (leave on your underwear, if you’d like). Then turn around and walk out of the ocean without looking back. This is a cleansing ritual so that you may receive new, good energy and situations coming into your life.

Bohemian Summer Solstice ritual
The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and the day with the most sunshine. This ritual is for fertility and abundance. During the exact time of the solstice, pray a prayer of gratefulness, then pray for guidance to recognize the ‘good things’ when they come your way. Meditate, allowing an opening to the Divine. If your situation allows, do this ritual in a beautiful spot that you find calming, like the beach or in your own garden. As an option, you may do this ritual with a good friend. When 2 or more are joined in Spirit, the intentions are amplified. Make an afternoon of it and have a bite to eat afterwards in communion. If you can, in the evening find a space to dance in celebration of the bounty that’s headed your way.

Jewish ritual
Historical significance of matzah. Matzah is flat, unleavened bread made of flour and water eaten during Passover in the Jewish religion. It commemorates the Israelites flight from Egypt, where they had to depart so quickly that they didn’t have time for the bread to rise.

Puerto Rican ritual
Puerto Rico was originally named San Juan after Saint John the Baptist but the name was eventually changed to what it is today. To celebrate Saint John the Baptist’s birthday (June 24th), in Puerto Rico at midnight between June 23rd and 24th people walk backwards into the ocean, then submerge themselves, back first. This is done 3 times in a row to cleanse oneself of any evil and bring good luck for the year to come.

Do you have any interesting rituals that you’d like to share? Let us know in your comments.

Daydree is a Reiki Master/Teacher who lives and works in Los Angeles. She is a registered member of International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP). Click here for info and appts- MyOshun.com

Posted under: SPIRITUALITY by myoshun
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