Do you feel constantly bombarded with all the things you should be doing, buying and taking to improve your health and well-being?

It can be overwhelming trying to find your way through all the conflicting health and wellness advice that’s out there sometimes hey!

It’s hard to know where to start.  And it can cause stress to try and fit it all in when you do narrow it down to what interests you.

Sometimes it’s good to take a step back and remember something that’s so often overlooked.  It can’t be patented, branded and sold for a profit … so most advertising never mentions it ...

THIS IS A VIDEO TO WATCH BUT I COULDN’T EMBED IT HERE ... SO THE LINK WILL TAKE YOU TO THE ABC WEBSITE TO VIEW

The video is a short version (1 min) with captions of the longer ABC segment shared in the second entry below and speaks for itself.  Enjoy.

Dadirri - the deep inner spring inside us.

See the two entries below to learn more about Dadirri.

This video (nearly 4 mins) is a trailer for a film that’s being made to share the gift of Dadirri with the rest of the nation.  It gives a beautiful introduction.  Enjoy.

I have written below about the wonderful work of Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr sharing the gift of Dadirri from the Aboriginal people, with the nation.  See below for her lovely piece of writing about Dadirri.

Her foundation, The Miriam-Rose Foundation, runs Cultural Connection Tours in the Northern Territory to immerse people in their culture so they can learn about Dadirri.

This 5 min video shows a group from Melbourne enjoying a tour and what it’s all about.

Dadirri ... what the Aboriginal Culture has to teach about meditation & mindfulness ... deep listening & silent awareness connects us to the deep inner spring inside us ... we call on it and it calls on us.

I was recently moved when I came across the great work of Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr as it deeply resonates with me and is the essence of what I teach in my Meditation & Mindfulness courses.

Miriam-Rose is doing fabulous work sharing the giift of ‘Dadirri - inner deep listening and quiet still awareness’ with our nation.  She’s written a beautiful reflection on what it is which you can download and enjoy here.

I have also uploaded three videos above for you to get a deeper sense of this valuable gift.  It’s well worth taking a few moments to soak up the richness that’s on offer.  I hope it moves you too.

** The word, concept and spiritual practice that is dadirri (da-did-ee) is from the Ngan’gikurunggurr and Ngen’giwumirri languages of the Aboriginal peoples of the Daly River region (Northern Territory, Australia) **

Permission to use dadirri has been sought from the Miriam Rose Foundation.  The Miriam Rose Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation working to empower Indigenous youth through education, art, culture & opportunity in the Daly River region.  If you have benefitted from Miriam-Rose’s reflection, please consider making a donation.  Thank you.

click here to learn more about Miriam-Rose and the Foundation

Not sure what to expect and wondering if it’ll just be a bunch of weirdos … chanting, oming, wearing funny clothes, or fill in the blank _____?

I get where you’re coming from because over the years I’ve been meditating I’ve certainly come across people like this.  I know it can be very off-putting and there can often be something very fake and unauthentic about them.

As with all things in life though, there are different types and styles of meditation and different people drawn to all of them.  And none of them are immune to fake and inauthentic people that you want to steer clear of! ...

I know that feeling well and particularly remember it from my 5 ½ years selling real estate in my family’s business.  I had never ending to-do lists and was always available.  There was never enough time to get it all done and I constantly felt like I was somehow pushing against time.  My full days off were few and usually never in a row.  Then when I did have time off my nervous system still felt wired and I didn’t feel truly relaxed.  I also felt disconnected from the deeper parts of me somehow.

I started to realise that although there were many outside demands causing me to be busy, my internal wiring seemed to now be habitually in the mode of busyness.  I realized I was busy being busy!

Do you know that feeling?  Have you ever wondered the same thing?  What came first … the chicken or the egg? ...

Did you know that our brains are neuroplastic?

That means they have the ability to change and develop new neural pathways throughout our life.

Studies have shown that regular meditation changes our brains and develops new pathways and areas of the brain.

Meditation helps grow and develop a deeper connection to our inner sensory, feeling and energetic world, which relates more to the right hemisphere of our brains. This is so needed to bring back balance and harmony in our left brain focused society. It is the missing link.

This is how meditation can help make relaxation your new normal instead of always feeling like you are caught on the stress treadmill of modern day life.

This video of Jill Bolte Taylor describing what happened in her brain when she had a stroke, and explaining her experience of the right and left hemispheres of her brain, illustrates so beautifully what I’ve mentioned above.

Right at the end she says ...
‘I believe that the more time we spend choosing to run the deep inner-peace circuitry of our right hemispheres, the more peace we will project into the world and the more peaceful our planet will be’.

Meditation helps us tap into and develop this, and then bring it more and more into our daily lives.

I first began meditating nearly 25 years ago when I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue.  It was foundational in helping me get well and has continued to be a great support for me.

Over the years I have heard this from people all the time …
• ‘I tried meditating once but I couldn’t stop my thoughts’
• ‘I can’t meditate.  My mind is way too busy’
• ‘I would like to meditate but don’t have time’

Does this sound like you? ...

Dunsborough is lucky enough to have my beautiful friend Sasha Taylor North, of YogaOne, teaching yoga there.  I have been to her classes and just love them.

Her strength, alignment, balance and flexibility combined with grace and ease and not to mention her gorgeous heart, make her truly inspirational.  She has a big following on her instagram account where she posts some amazing photos.

I asked her to write a few words for you about yoga … what she loves about it, what it means to her and also about her business YogaOne …

Pomegranate seeds make a colourful and festive addition to a salad over Christmas.

We made a few beautiful green salads over the holidays and so I tried a number of techniques I had heard about to make deseeding the pomegranates quicker, easier and with less mess.

The hands down winner is demonstrated for you in the video below and it really works! …

My beautiful friend Kylie who has the Raw Life Juice Van down south here (with her partner Chris) has kindly shared her fabulous Bliss Ball recipe with us.  They make super Christmas treats and are a nice pressie idea and are delicious! ...

Step by Step Photo Guide

I recently met Tracy who works at the lovely Corrynne’s Soap Factory here in Dunsborough.  She is a big fan of using the Living Synergy Nut Milk Bags to grow sprouts in.

She has kindly taken some photos and shared her method with us …

Almond milk and other nut milks are becoming very popular on the supermarket shelves these days.

Many people buying the cartons don’t realise how easy it is to make fresh at home from just nuts and water. That means all the other ingredients on the label are added extras…

The activated nuts & seeds you buy in the shops can be quite expensive, but they are very easy to make at home.

All you need is some water and a bowl if you are going to eat them straight away (with the exception of almonds which will keep without becoming bitter for a few days in the fridge after soaking), but if you would like to store them for longer, then a dehydrator is also required ...

Inspired by one I got from Organic on Charles in North Perth…

In this video Jessica Ainscough from The Wellness Warrior interviews Mimi Kirk who is close to 75 (in 2013).  She has some pearls of wisdom to share on the subject and is well worth the 30 minutes to watch.

This truly inspirational video has been doing the rounds on facebook for some time now. It’s a must watch if you haven’t already seen it.

What many of you probably don’t know is that the teacher and the student in the video were inspired by Fred Bisci and followed his healthy eating/lifestyle plan along with the yoga to get these results.

Arthur and Dallas are interviewed on one of Fred’s DVD’s which is available to watch at my retreats.

It is a wonderful video to share with those you love to open them up to what’s possible when you don’t give up.

Russell James - The Raw Chef
Have you tried kale chips?  They are my latest snack of choice.  They are super yummy and can be made with many different flavours.

In this video Russell James shows you how to make your own Spicy BBQ flavour.

If you search online you will find lots of other recipes to try also, but at least you will get to see first hand the basic method from Russell.  For the recipe, click here to visit his website.

I buy my kale chips from a local girl, Kylie at Conscious Craves.  Retreat guests have the opportunity to sample them too.  They are super delicious!

Russell is a fantastic raw chef from the UK.  He has put together some Home Study courses showing how to make a wide range of raw foods.  Living Synergy guests have the opportunity to watch these DVDs while they are staying.

Russell James - The Raw Chef
Young coconuts are a great addition to so many recipes and yummy just to have on their own, but many people struggle to open them quickly, easily and without lots of mess.

Russell James shows you how to do just that in this video.

He uses a strainer to get the woody bits out of the coconut water ... this is where a Nut Milk Bag comes in very handy also ... just put one over the top of a jug and pour the contents of the coconut through.  The mesh of the Nut Milk Bags is usually much finer than most strainers.

*** WATCH THE TRAILER AS WELL AS THE FULL LENGTH MOVIE HERE NOW ***(available to rent or buy)

In the main character’s own words ...  At 30 years old, I looked in the mirror and saw complacency. I saw a man settling into normalcy, settling into being average.  At first glance, my initial thought was to just accept it.  
“it’s just part of the process, just part of aging and life.  Get over it.”
  So, at a crossroads in my life, I could just fall in line with the rest of the people on the assembly line of commonplace.  Just waiting in line to see which disease will be handed to me, and which medications modern medicine will enslave me to………


Or……..I could take the path less traveled. I could make a push at my limitless potential. I could try to reset my intelligently designed body to heal itself! That is crazy enough, it just might work!

So, this is my 60 day journey into finding my limitless me. What kind of an effect can eating raw, clean foods and working out consistently have on my mental, physical, medical, emotional, spiritual, and relational life?  We will see as I am an AVERAGE JOE ON THE RAW!

Could you imagine how your life would be if you didn’t have any arms?  Would you ever imagine you could manage having children?

Although this video is not the best quality, I found this woman to be a truly amazing example of what is possible when you believe in yourself and never give up.

** WATCH THE FREE WORLDWIDE ONLINE PREMIERE FROM 21ST MARCH - 31ST MARCH 2012 **

From the makers of the internationally popular Food Matters film, comes their latest release Hungry for Change.  In their own words ...

‘This is information that needs to get to people fast.  There is this prevalent mind set in our society where we think that being overweight, having food allergies, feeling sluggish or run down is just part of life and ageing.  It’s not true and with access to solid information, we can all start making better choices for our health.  This film helps people help themselves and we need to start doing it now.’

I have watched it now and encourage you to make the time for it.  This is a wonderful documentary that will inspire on a large scale.

Click the video image above to watch the trailer now.

Click here to register to watch the full length film.

Most people have heard of a green smoothie these days.  That’s where you blend fruit and greens to make a delicious and sweet smoothie that goes down a treat.

But what do you do when you want something similar but more savory?

Blended salads are the answer, or they can also be known as savory vege stews and energy soups, among other things ...

Article written by Dr Joel Fuhrman MD

A powerful and delicious way to maximize your intake of nutrients.

What is a blended salad, and why would you want to eat one? ...

Part road trip, part self-help manifesto, FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD defies the traditional documentary format to present an unconventional and uplifting story of two men from different worlds who each realize that the only person who can save them is themselves.  An inspiring film about the rejuvenative power of juicing.  Click here to learn more about the guidance and support website Joe has set up so you can do your own ‘reboot’ after you watch it.  Living Synergy retreats offer the perfect space to do a juice cleanse and experience this for yourself in a relaxing, supportive and nurturing environment.

You can use your Nut Milk Bag to make Green Juice using a blender.  Learn how to do it in the fabulous Thermomix.  Also hear what my family has to say about Green Juice.  For further info about the Living Synergy Nut Milk Bags click here.

Body+Soul featured an inspiring article about Joe Cross, the Australian man who stars in the FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD movie who’s trailer is listed above.  Download the full article on the left.  Living Synergy retreats offer the perfect space to do a juice cleanse and experience the transformative power they offer.

Be inspired by the work my sister is doing to nurture the next generation of storytellers.  This short film features some faces you might recognise and promises to be the most uplifting three-and-a-half minutes of your day.

Please spread the word far and wide and donations both big and small would be greatly appreciated to support this wonderful project.  To visit the Sydney Story Factory website click here.

Green Smoothies are a fabulous way to get more greens into your diet.  They are made by blending fruit, green leaves and water ...

Want to see a variety of green smoothies being made in a flash?  This fun quick video gives you an array of ideas.  To learn more about the Vitamix blender they are using click here.

Sergei Boutenko gives you the low-down on how to make green smoothies.  To learn more about the Vitamix blender he is using click here.

Moving Beyond Your Addiction to Food
Enjoying Your Healthy Journey
12 steps to Healing, Health and Longevity
This is a great ebook to start you along Your Healthy Journey which is Fred’s signature health program.  Fred Bisci is a firm believer and has achieved clinical results by showing people how to experience the healing power and remedial capabilities of the human body.

Scoop Magazine featured a great 4 page colour spread on raw food in Western Australia in the Winter edition 2011.  Download the full article on the left.

Today I thought I would remind you of something that is often forgotten and overlooked.  It is one of the most simple, easy and cheap ways in which you can support your health, improve your well-being and help create a feeling of balance and calm.  It’s as simple as drinking lots of good quality water ...