Lost In The Moment

Last night was October 16th. In south Texas, it was one of those cool, brightly starlit nights that a southern Texan yearns for; as we crave the dawn of what we hope will be a 'winter.'



I had one of my child-like moments again! For those of you getting to know me and follow me; you'll find, that I live 'in the moment!' My child-like moments are the best though! Life is just so short and sweet, that I have come to realize one must embrace each of our moments!



So last night, I walked outside, and quite naturally, my dogs, Lily and Annie were panting and licking, happy to see 'mommy!' - The stars were just soooo brilliant! As I looked over the house, I could see Cassiopeia beginning to rise over the Eastern sky. She's always been my favorite constellation. Not because of her mythological beauty, but because I can always find her in the atmosphere, and believe it or not, I actually have a star in her constellation! (oooh, a little FYI about me!) Hey, I didn't pick it to be there! It was fate!

(Anyway)



We have a small wooden deck out back so I decided to grab a couple of sleeping bags ( oh yeah ) Remember those teenage - sleeping out in the backyard days? Mom decided to check that out last night! I love camping! So here I am, by myself - (Labrador on one side, chihuahua on the other) TRYING to hide under the sleeping bags because as soon as the MOSQUITOS smelled fresh meat -- it was chow time.... Texas style~



I'm out here..... trying to have a spiritual...meditative, quiet, grounding, me-with-God- experience. Okay?



SURE!!!



Did you know that God.... has a sense of humor???



As I laid there, on my three pillows, fluffy sleeping bags, on my wooden deck; watching the stars..... mmmmmmmm .... My mind gently floating away. Relaxation finally beginning to set in. I'm beginning to think, "Wow, trees really do have energy auras."



then...........



at that moment the hefty weight of a black lab pounds across my stomach as her bark crashes in my ear! Little one's nails clip my neck as she too, MUST protect, must protect her momma.... and she dashes off the pillow and my neck, across the yard, her high pitch screech shrrreedddding the peace of the moment!



And there's God. Laughing. Oh, I just know he was! (She?) Whomever? My intentions were there! Tromp, tromp, stomp.... here come the dogs! Bzzzzt.... flight of the mosquitos! Oh, it is true.... Things really ARE bigger in Texas! (Except the men!) *But that's another story*



Once the dogs FINALLY settled down.... I rolled over, assumed the position. No.... not that position. The cross-legged, praying position to meditate. =) .... I cleansed my chakras, and grounded myself to the earth, and gave thanks to our laughing God for showing me the beauty in the energy of the trees. Honestly, it was the first time that I could see it.



The dogs took off a few more times, screeching and barking, and we did have one drive by, but no one was hurt, and I listened for broken glass. I thanked God for the miss! I prayed for peace because I honestly could not believe that even in my own back yard, it was so hard to find a moment of solitude.



I found myself missing the serenity and beauty of Montreal, and the moment I had with God in a friend's backyard as the snow fell. Oh my, what amazing peace and tranquility then. How I long for that moment! Even so, with last night's adventure, how blessed was I to be able to hear the chirping of crickets, and feel the cool breezes of the trees? I know that His Spirit was with me, and laughing with me, as I laughed inside and felt the tranquility and reverence for the earth as I did. Even with all the mis-adventure, there was actually time, to get lost in the moment and twinkle with the stars. * (c) Rachelle Cross - All rights reserved 10-17-2009

Is Tap Water Really Safe?

by: Rachelle Cross-Navarro

Is Tap Water Really Safe?

There has been a great deal of controversy regarding the water we drink. How are we to know who is telling us the truth about what we put into our bodies, and who is taking our hard earned money? I don't know about you, but I'm sure ready to find out the truth about things before I pour another cent down the drain, or, into another so called 'spring fed' bottle. So, what is the truth?

There are pros and cons for both bottled water and tap water. I'm going to address both issues; then, I'm going to tell you what I found out when I interviewed the local utility company engineer and examined water reports. This is a study that I have been doing for nearly six months, and the results are unanimous so far. I say this because science is always introducing new products to enhance our health, and at the time of this publication, there may be a product that I am not familiar with, or have not tested.

The problem with bottled water is that even though bottled water advertises that it healther for people, it really isn't. All utlities must chlorinate and treat any consumable water. In the reports I have found, all the bottled water manufacturers do is filter tap water through their facilities then bottle it. Now there is evidence that heat leaches through the plastic and into the water, and causes a bacteria that can actually cause illness down the road.

If you think about it, that does make sense. Open a bottle of water and let some oxygen in, then reseal it, or just let it sit a few days. What happens? Do you want to go back and drink it? How does it taste? Have I made my point? Yes, all water stagnates, but water that has been sitting in plastic tends to pull particles of the plastic into it, which it what makes bottled water more unsafe because it sits in the stores, and in transit.

One of my concerns with tap water was the gross thought of water coming through the city pipes, covered in muck, rust, lime, scale, and god-knows-what. Then, the water travels in through my home, through THOSE pipes, and hunny, I'VE smelled what comes out of those pipes (until I discovered salt and vinegar!) ...

So I asked an engineer in water distribution how is it that tap water is supposed to be safer than bottled water?? I truly wanted an answer to this question!

The response has been that the water is very chemically treated for one. Well, we know that! Two, it travels at such a high velocity that it doesn't have time to sit in the pipes and pick up the debris 'in the pipes.' Okay, that makes sense. However, the engineer did recommend that instead of throwing money away on bottled water, invest in a good quality water filter to attach to your kitchen sink.

The water in your homes is safe to drink, it is just as consumable as the bottled water you buy in the store, and with a good filter you can economize and put that $10-15 a week away for a nice gift. It adds up! For more information, you can email me at MissionLight@satx.rr.com.

EEEK Downtime

As most of you who may be following this particular blog realize; not only will I discuss events regarding spirituality and naturopathy, but also events and life living with, and surving brain injury. Anyone who wants to find out how many friends they truly have, all one has to do is have a traumatic event occur in their lives. There are actual statistics that because brain injured people literally 'change,' the people in their lives, prior to an accident seem to disappear.
I'm going to save all of these topics for another day and time. Today, I simply want to apologize for having not kept the blog up. I began having problems the night before Mother's Day and found myself in ICU -
With the love of my family, and the help of my doctor, and some close friends, I am home again, and re-strengthening. I want to convey to anyone who actually reads these blogs.... and who has actually gone through traumatic events, or challenging events; Robert Schuller once said, "Never, Never, NEVER Quit!"
The Lord walks with each of us, and strengthens us. In Universal Law, no matter what our personal beliefs, our Creator loves each of us. Even in our lowest moments, Never Give Up!
I will be back soon!

Namaste,
Rachelle

Re: Cancer

I have been teaching about cancer therapy for many years. Finally John Hopkins Hospital has published an article endorsing many of the alternative therapies that I have talked about. As a Naturopathic Consultant, it is wonderful to see such an esteemed institution such as John Hopkins finally recognize that Essiac does work as a supplement to fight cancer!

For almost ten years I have been telling everyone about the Essiac, and the importance of watching what they eat, especially in meats because of the hormones injected. I have been teaching all of this. I have gotten my Masters in Holistic Science, and Master of Holistic Healing Health Practitioner (MHHP) - I also have my credential as a minister, and my PhD in Metaphysics, and Divine Sciences.

The article is pasted below:

JOHN HOPKINS-LATEST FINDINGS ON CANCER AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY . 1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size. 2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime. 3. When the person's immune system is strong, the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors. 4. When a person has cancer, it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors. 5 To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system 6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc. 7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs. 8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However, prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction. 9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications. 10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites. 11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. CANCER CELLS FEED ON: a Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar, it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soymilk, cancer cells are being starved. c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and a little fruit help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try to drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetable s 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water... Distilled water is acidic, avoid it. 12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires many digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic build-up. 13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells. 14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells 15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, resentment, and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life. 16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells. CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL, U S A 1. No plastic containers in micro. 2. No water bottles in freezer. 3. No plastic wrap in microwave. Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us... He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. Therefore, things such as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.


(c) Rachelle Navarro MHHP, PhD
TxsNaturalHealing,LLC
TxsNaturalHealing@satx.rr.com

When It's Too Much

When It’s Just Too Much
April 16, 2009 San Antonian’s woke up to a much needed rainy day in our vastly populated colorful city! Most Antonian’s are eagerly looking forward to the upcoming Fiesta Week! For us, this is the week between April 16th and April 24th when the entire city of San Antonio PARTIES – or FIESTAS – It’s the annual citywide celebration to chase away the blues, welcome spring, and celebrate the city’s colorful diversity and culture with fun and events for the entire family!
What happens though, when the blues just don’t get chased away fast enough? There has been an alarming trend in adult depression with suicidal tendencies. Just this morning as we woke up to the rain and anticipation for Fiesta; we also woke up to the news of a man jumping from a high bridge off Interstate-10 into traffic. How awfully horrifying for this man who must have felt that there was nowhere else to turn. What happens in our lives when it’s just too much? How can we deal with depression? This is an age-old question.
As a minister and a naturopathic consultant, I have come to understand a great deal about depression. There are many underlying roots that cause a person’s depression, and I truly believe that most people are afraid to seek professional care, which is why depression escalates and goes untreated. Clients need a safe zone in order to speak freely, and not feel threatened. They need to feel that what they are expressing is in total confidence; that if they express emotions of suicide, they won’t be ‘locked up.’
In addition to having a safe zone to express one’s self, it is also important for the person who is depressed to seek ways to exercise more often. Find ways to think thoughts that are more positive each day, start to pray, eat healthier, and take supplements. These are some ways to begin the path to overcome depression. In the safe zone with a counselor, one can then begin addressing the issues that seem so overwhelming. It is also my belief that more than 45 minutes should be taken with a client because through my research it takes just AT 45 minutes to just begin opening up. I recommend working with each client a minimum of one hour and 15 min. Perhaps if our society lent a more compassionate hand towards people suffering with depression, more patients would not become so overwhelmed. We may see a decrease in suicides, and a decrease in depression and an increase in the healing rate without the prescription meds, which have such harmful effects.

© Rachelle Navarro, MHHP, PhD
TxsNaturalHealing, LLC
TxsNatrualHealing@satx.rr.com

A Moment in Solitude

Spring is upon us, and throughout much of the country at 5 in the afternoon, many people are just getting out of work, rushing home to family - talking on cell phones - trying to figure out what to make for dinner. In some families arguing is erupting, and stress is at an all time high. Fatigue from the long, hard day is setting in. Let's switch gears.




My kids just walked in the door. Their school day has ended. There is a light breeze flowing through the window of my home office and in the distance the ice cream truck is beginning his rounds. The wind caresses my cheek - I turn the a/c off during the day to conserve energy. My chimes are gently bumping eachother and the evening birds are singing ever so merrily outside. They are awaiting their sunset sorjoun towards the inner part of town to nest.




As my daughter came through the door today, she related to me the horrific trials of her day. I sat in astonishment and listened as teenage friends were discussing suicide, and depression, and each of her friends turn to her for help. She is overwhelmed. She is heading to meditate.




We are toiling in a society of teens who too quickly reach for instantaeous gratification, and have become so self absorbed - without recognition of the consequences to their own spiritual growth and those around them. But, this is yet, for another day.




As I now find myself finally in my moment of solitude, recalling the conversation; thinking about the rest of women and men my age, going home to their families, I marvel at the moment that you are taking at reading this.




There is a photo posted below....

Take some time.... your moment of solitude, and focus on this image. Look at the small, crisp blades of life still in the tips of the plant, and the absolute beauty of the snow as it ever so gently lays upon it.



In the background, notice how softly, and gently, and you can almost sense, how quietly, the snow is falling.

It's with moments like these, and images like this, that remind me there is hope. Whenever the wind makes it in through the window, and caresses my cheek during the day, I feel like it's God, just stopping by, to say hello.

When the kids are presenting challenges, or life is tossing deadlines, just remember that it will ALL be there tomorrow. Take your moment now, and spend a few minutes with yourself, or your loved one. Once you have your moment of solitude, you can close your eyes for a few minutes, stretch, refresh your mind, if you are religous, you might pray for strength, encouragement, or guidance. I know from experience, you will have more energy to finish out the rest of the day and evening with a better positive mental attitude. You benefit yourself, and those around you! Hey, it's only five minutes.... Aren't YOU worth it?

I'm outta here for today--

Time to go be a mom! I have this nutty dog looking at me like she's never been fed!

C'ya all on the flip side!