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It’s Tower time

One of my favorite stories of all time.  The champion, Seabiscuit, who finally found his stride. It took an unlikely team of misfits who came together and understood this amazing horse with the big heart.

Have you seen a race horse at the starting gate who’s being held up? Have you seen how crazy they get? Do you ever feel like that? What’s the hold up? Where what you really want to do is fly! Together we are going to identify this. It’s time to let go.

I agree with a Zen way to get anywhere. Be simple, focused, and direct. The way of the profound is simplicity.

There is a call on Monday May 19th, at 7 p.m where letting go is the topic.

So, instead of going through a lot of hoops, the focus on this whole year is the Tower,  of letting go. Turning away, literally ignoring what doesn’t work. Pleading indifference to that which has been a struggle. Actually being uninterested in anything and everything that sucks energy away from what we are, what we want, and what will serve.

That’s the focus. Next is the Star, with a multitude of beatific showers of esteem, power, and love. It’s the abundance of a river with a clear direction and a velocity from the high.

Call info: 218-895-8275 pass code 1122#

The Tower

A personal tower story:
Snake oil. For me snake oil, is selling a promise, not an actual thing.
I, Andrea Rich solemly swear that I will not entrust my resources to any promises. Just because they worked for someone else doesn’t mean they will work for me, and my experience has been they never have. What has worked for me: buying a house, selling a house. Creating a product, selling a product. Someone believing in me and investing in me with clear and absolute understandable terms.

There is a business coach out there, Ramit Sethi who I’ve followed for awhile. He used to never sell to anyone who was having a problem paying their credit cards. Then a business coaching system came along that had such an amazing sell, that I chose it over Ramit.  I said yes, to their lofty promise. “you will be making 10,000 by July, I guarantee it.” It really wasn’t the right fit for me. I truly wanted a one on one business coach, yet signed onto the program, which included a little one on one. When I didn’t become a star pupil the business coach who I had worked with for a year showed little interest in talking to me beyond just wanting to sign me up for another year. They had their money.  Hard, expensive lesson for me. I am starting to get it. It’s freeing. I still follow Ramit on-line. He’s one of the few I’ve kept in my inbox. How funny. If only I had listened to Lulu, as she was hot on Ramit, and I was hot on the other. Whoa.

This is precisely why everyone has to find their own way. Know what you are looking for. This is also why I never make any promises. I am an educator in self reliance.

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MYOB: Self Care Act

In the guide we go into scheduling 3 things in 3 weeks that nourish you. You’ll do 1! It works. How about making an appointment for something kinda big that you want to do for yourself within 3 months? I just did that. I scheduled a saltwater floatation in May. In honor of my birthday. It feels great to do it. As you help yourself others benefit. People in the service business love to put something in their books in the future. It sets the tone.

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Why East West living?

It solves a problem for me. Forever I’ve been motivated and dedicated to some sort of spiritual calling, and teachings. I have taken some so literally that I’ve missed opportunities, here and now. I’ve thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Living more in those ideals. I’m aware that in the Biggest picture, you can’t miss the boat, that life keeps coming for you, trying to fulfill the desires that are propelling. What we can do is delay, get in the way, and live a life where indifference sets in. A what’s the use scenario, until we get up again and look for inspiration.

What seems to happen to spiritual seekers is eventually we draw from our own experiences and make them our own. That’s the aha moment. The moment I realized that being born a Westerner in my specific way, and the many comforts I’ve had, spared me from experiences that I didn’t have to go through, yet my soul has been so drawn to Eastern teachings, that I’ve set up more poverty scenarios than necessary. Wrong perspective.

Yes I’ve suffered from some deep sense of disenfranchisement. I didn’t always appreciate the life I’d been given and my set of circumstances didn’t force me to do anything. Nelson Mandela and Ghandi clearly knew their oppressor. It’s been more of an inside job, to dig in and actually find the bridge that needs crossing. Whom and what to follow as many oppressors are cloaked in pretty packages.

At this time on the planet, being American born has had its own very specific struggle that for some, it’s been hard to pin point. I see it here as a great experiment. Caught between so many influences. The real, ancient, traditional knowledge based cultures have been more natural to me. They haven’t been regarded, and as a result  are endangered, becoming such rare birds. I’ve studied with so many greats. I get it now that I am a bridge. I am not talking about the save the planet interest that some people have. That’s not been my thrust. I’m talking more about not wasting resources, and being on point in career and relationships. Where then you serve. Service has always been a given.

So, The Misfits Guide to East West Living. A birth. A pulling together of information. A place to visit the well of nourishment and build your business. So if you do think the planet needs saving, or you want to contribute, you will be on track to do so. If you’re under the influences of the Western mind, not quite sure what to do with yourself, and have never quite fit in yet have such a longing in your heart, you too are a rare bird. You are worth saving, and its my hunch that it’s your time to be heard.

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Symbols …The Cormorant

Hi all..in the topic of symbols, Friday I went to the mall, which is a rare event to see about resoling my favorite boots, and as I left I saw this little guy.
I stopped 4 parking spaces from him, took some pictures, and then finally he puked up a fish and flew away (i have a picture of that too). I looked up cormorant on-line since it’s not in my animal speak book. I found it soooooo interesting that maybe I’m not the only one to whom this message may be relevant:
This is a reminder that we must learn to enjoy our accomplishments, our catches in life and not allow others to distract us from the enjoyment of our accomplishments.
When the cormorant is an individual’s totem, the person will have a knack for accomplishing in unique ways what others could not seem to do. When it appears in our life as a message, it is a reminder for us to dive in to what we have been hesitating about. The cormorant teaches us how to dive into the waters of life creatively especially if we wish a new birth.

The Cormorants have been used as symbols of nobility, indulgence, and in more modern times a totem for fishermen and a bountiful catch.
The fishing technique of cormorant is excellent. They are skilled at maneuvering through murky waters and finding fish even at great depths. Not only that, they can literally swim under water. Often, they will swim alongside small boats and help fisherman at their task. They will swim under water and then pop back up when they have a fish in their mouth. This nature of the bird is considered to be very giving. They can signify prosperous times ahead. They can also indicate that a negative period in your life is going to be overcome.
When the cormorant comes to you as a guide, it is there to it give encouragement. It says that you need to engage in a new opportunity which you may think that you are unable to do. Because this bird is quite intelligent it is a representation that you need to use your own wit and skill to reach a goal or achieve a task. While this bird can be a spirit that comes to you, sometimes in times of need you may wish to call on the cormorant when you are feeling lost or out of touch with your own goals. The cormorant can teach you how to be more self-reliant and to use your own wisdom to attain your goals.

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This New Moon…The Divine Feminine

Take the opportunity of this new moon with a solar eclipse to immerse yourself into a deeper feminine place. Look at this from your perspective, from your mother’s perspective, and with great love and respect, let go of anything that doesn’t fit. A deeper calling is “hear” for you: feel directly. Go to the earth, if only for one moment, and with bare feet place your hands on the ground as well. You will be a current of energy running deep into mother earth. Allow anything that is no longer true to form, go – with hands and feet wide and vulnerable – straighten the hooks of attachments created both by you and anyone else. Let go! Ask of the Divine Mother to fill your heart and direct you gently. Be your own individual. Breathe and smile. Share via the comments!

Eclipse Visualization

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Kitchari, A Powerful and Delicious Spring Cleanse without cleansing!

Super Simple Kitchari Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
½ cup split yellow mung dal
6 cups water
1 Tbs ghee
1 Tbs Kitchari Spice Mix:
For my kitchari spice mix:  1 T turmeric, 1 T fenugreek, 1 T cumin seeds, 1 T coriander, 1 T hing (asafoetida), 1 T Sea Salt
You can also substitute or add mustard seeds, but they are more fiery so I don’t use them in the summer.
I take a spice bottle and mix all these spices together in equal parts, so that when I make kitchari all I have to do is use 1 T from the bottle.

Method of Preparation:
Wash and then soak the yellow mung dal for at least 4 hours.  Drain the soak water when you are ready to cook.  Also wash the rice at the time of cooking.  In a large saucepan, add the ghee and allow to warm.  Add the Kitchari Spice Mix and sauté for about 1 minute.  (Take caution not to burn the spices.)  Add the rice and mung dal and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.  Add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a low-medium heat, cover the pot and let the kitchari cook on a simmer for 40-45 minutes*.
If you would like to add vegetables, add dense vegetables (like sweet potatoes and carrots) after the kitchari is half cooked (after about 15-20 minutes).  Add leafy vegetables like kale towards the end of the cooking process.  Once the cooking is complete, add salt to taste, and garnish with lime, cilantro and coconut as desired. Enjoy!
*Cook times may vary in higher altitudes.  If longer cooking time is necessary, you may need additional 1-2 cups water.

Also, I love this film: Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Quality, Originality, and Consistency. These are attributes that this sushi master shares. It so soooooo delightful.

I think if i just ate kitchari and Jiro’s sushi for a few days everything would be right as rain.

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A story: He look a like a golfer, and acted like a Buddha

A little story:
I met a man years ago in NYC, Howard Wills, he looked like a golfer. A good ole boy from the south. Well, he was a Buddha. This is what he taught: You have to clean your mirror.
How do we gauge our outer projection, albeit badly or incorrectly?  Likewise, there is an inner mirror. Clean up the uninvited foot prints. Be your own Valentine, you will then reflect back to everyone their value and beauty.*Oh this is funny: I just googled Howard since I haven’t thought of him in years, and he doesn’t look like a golfer any longer. He sports long grey hair, and lives on Kauai, quite clearly still a Buddha.

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powerful aspect; your presentation of self

I rarely write about astrological aspects outside of the somewhat challenging mercury retrograde. This is a heads up and worth sharing. Venus is going retrograde on May 15th and will stay in that position until June 27th. That’s a nice chunk of time. This has so much to do with presenting oneself powerfully and authentically in the world, and when it’s retrograde one is advised against personal makeovers, adornments, even a hair cut as it may not be what you want. Big heads up to any image consultants and stylists out there. If you can wait until after June all the better.