How I Spent My Silent New Year

As posted on my Instagram feed, I had a "Silent New Year". Being a parent of two children, one very small and the other quite sensitive to his senses, my husband and I opted to skip the usual festivities and fireworks. We headed home after dinner out with family and did preparations for the upcoming countdown. I nursed my baby, read a story to my 7-year old, said our prayers and then did a few more extras on top of the usual bedtime routine. You can call these the new Manzano family traditions to be done annually :)

1. We don't usually turn the air-condition on because I prefer negative ions coming in from the fresh air outside but since we were expecting pollution coming in through the windows from the fireworks, we sealed our room shut and turned on the AC!
2. My husband prepared the ipod and speakers to play soothing music so the baby doesn't get startled from the noise outside.
3. I used Lavender and Geranium pure essential oils to act as an air purifier and help set the lulling mood for deep sleep. You may get your pure essential oils online from Mountain Rose Herbs.
4. I fixed a space for my prosperity candles and lit them at 11:30 pm. I intended to blow them when the clock struck 12 midnight but Maya cried wanting to nurse right before 12 so I had to breastfeed her til after a few minutes past 12, so I continued to blow them out around 12:18 instead. 

There is something about the element of FIRE that strikes wonder and excitement not just for children but for me, an adult as well. Fire symbolizes transformation. I've been lighting candles for Shabbat, Chanukkah, Advent and now this.

In Hinduism, Kali is the Mother Goddess associated with destruction and fire. She is a powerful diety because the aftermath of her wrath is always....renewal and regeneration.

The next morning, I laid out the prosperity candles according to height. On the directions of the prosperity candles given to me, it says that the shortest candle will represent the greatest blessing that the new year will bring followed by the rest in succession. While I am uncertain if this would be true or not, I do like participating in these rituals because they signify transitions in time that help me flow.

Here's what the each of the colors mean:

ORANGE: Brightness

BLUE: Peace

GREEN: Money

VIOLET: Material Wealth

PINK: Love / Health

RED: Life

YELLOW: Good Spirit

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How did you spend your New Year? Any special traditions from your family? Please share!

For those interested, the prosperity candles were from RSJ candles which you can buy in National Bookstores.

Waldorf Education: And Why Is That? Part 2

For those of you that missed the first workshop, Susan Quimpo is offering a second run! You MUST attend if you are a parent or want to be someday. Even if you never intend to have children, this stuff is phenomenal to learn for self-healing and more!

...AND WHY IS THAT???

The simple act of drawing a circle and trying form drawing meant for Grade 1 students can relieve the early signs of trauma -- why is that?

When my child misbehaves, his teacher checks him with a "pedagogical" story -- why is that?

When my child and his teacher draws, people have no facial features, and there is an emphasis on painterly versus solid line drawings -- why is that?

Educational videos, even those from National Geographic, are not used in Waldorf schools -- why is that?

The Waldorf teachers wear violet on Mondays, red on Tuesdays, yellow on Wednesdays... why is that? Kolisko Waldorf School presents...

...AND WHY IS THAT???

The simple act of drawing a circle and trying form drawing meant for Grade 1 students can relieve the early signs of trauma -- why is that?

When my child misbehaves, his teacher checks him with a "pedagogical" story -- why is that?

When my child and his teacher draws, people have no facial features, and there is an emphasis on painterly versus solid line drawings -- why is that?

Educational videos, even those from National Geographic, are not used in Waldorf schools -- why is that?

The Waldorf teachers wear violet on Mondays, red on Tuesdays, yellow on Wednesdays... why is that?

Learn, like your child, through experience.  Join a two-day workshop with Waldorf parent and art therapist Susan F. Quimpo  and experience the answers to the above questions.  Through discussions and simple art exercises, learn by doing and understand the "whys" behind the Waldorf curriculum.  Participants with or without (even better!) any art background are welcome.

Open to teachers, parents and adult friends 

Maximum number of participants: 20

Please bring crayons, colored pencils, Soft Pastels (Mungyo brand, box of 12), 1-inch masking tape, painting board (if you have one), ruler.  Paper will be made available at cost during the workshop.  Bring lunch and snacks.

WORKSHOP DATES:  December 19-20, 2014 (Friday-Saturday)

TIME: Promptly at 9:30am through 3:30pm

ENERGY EXCHANGE:

P150/day - for KWS teachers and staff  

P300/day for KWS parents 

P450/day for guests

WORKSHOP VENUE:  I-House, 161 Judge Juan Luna St, SFDM

Directions: From West Ave. turn into Baler St (a Shell gas station is at the corner).  Stay on Baler St. & count 4 streets on your right. Make a right on Judge Juan Luna St. Look for Judge Juan Luna High School - across the school gate is an open gate with the numbers 161-old/81 new.  Go in and follow the dirt road.  Turn into the driveway of the first old brown/white wooden house on your right.

Due to limited parking, participants are encouraged to meet at KWS and carpool to workshop venue which is a few blocks away from the school.

TO REGISTER: Call or text Merci Silangan at KWS (landline) 921-3974 or Mobile 0917.403.6483.

* Susan F Quimpo holds a post graduate diploma in Anthroposophic Arts for Health Training given by Hibernia College in co-operation with the Medical Section at the Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland.  Using the Waldorf curriculum, she has provided trauma relief work for Yolanda victims, facilitated therapeutic art workshops in prisons, civil society groups, schools and youth groups.

Healthy Recipe: Coco Chia

We've been cooped up at home because of Typhoon Ruby and my daughter has teething fever so rest and sleep is what we've been doing. When I have extra time, I try to create something with my hands, in the kitchen or crafts for the holidays. (because it's therapeutic!)

Here's something refreshing and healthy to drink. It's really easy to make, too! I highly recommend it to nursing mothers and those who exercise a lot because we lose water and essential minerals whenever we sweat. The main ingredient of this drink is COCONUTS, rich in vitamins, nutirents and electrolytes. I must have said it here before, that I chose to be born in the Philippines because we have an abundance of coconuts - which is my favorite health drink!

Time to make the COCO CHIA drink :)

Ingredients: 

Coconut juice

Young coconut meat

Pre-soacked Chia seeds (at least 30 minutes in water)

Natural sweetener like Tobee's Apiary (optional)

Directions: If you want it real easy, just blend coconut meat, coconut water/juice and then mix in presoaked chia seeds. I choose to add pure honey because it tastes better with a little sweetener. Expect your husband and kids to finish it before you can even take a sip! If you want a shake version of this, you may add nutmilk and ice but I prefer having my drinks without ice.

Want to know more nutritional benefits to this simple drink? Mercola says coconut water is --

• Rich in natural vitamins (especially the B vitamins), minerals, and trace elements (including zinc, selenium, iodine, sulfur, and manganese). Vitamins are necessary for the enzymatic reactions your cells need in order to function.
• Full of amino acids, organic acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.
• Rich source of electrolytes and natural salts, especially potassium and magnesium.
• Light, low-calorie and nearly fat-free, as well as low in sugar but pleasantly sweet—contains about a fifth of the sugar of other fruit juices, like apple or grape juice, as well as containing a little fiber to moderate absorption.
• Rich in cytokinins, or plant hormones, which have anti-aging, anti-cancer, and anti-thrombolytic effects in humans.

Go to your local market and stock up on fresh coconuts (buko) it ony costs 20-30 Philippine pesos per piece (.50 cents!). 

Tobee's Apiary honey is unprocessed and unheated. Available at Backyard Farms www.bakyardfarmsph.wordpress.com

Lessons from Lawrence Pradhan

I remember meeting Lawrence a few years back at the Asia Yoga Conference. We attended lectures by Carlos Pomeda together with Marah, a Filipina HK-based yoga teacher I knew. (his girlfriend back then but wife now!)

I didn't know he was teaching Yoga and was surprised at how graceful he is! Watch video below:

Read Will Tan's testimonial as a student of Lawrence--

I got to know Lawrence when I was starting to explore my passion for Yoga back in 2012. I was very intense then, coming from my hot yoga background and working with studios that wanted to just deepen asanas. I took his weekend workshop and in the process I got to discover another side of Yoga -- go beyond the physicality of Yoga. It wasn't an instant discovery, it took a while, even during the workshop, I found myself getting frustrated if I couldn't come to the pose. every class I'd come into prior would always be giving standard cues, I'd get into the poses but there was nothing smart about how I got into it. I learned intelligent movement in the practice with Lawrence, which body, muscle, movement you need to, to come into your asana properly. This way you don't get hurt, and you go deeper into your practice. 

More than the alignment, one thing he taught me is to be soft, "have the softness quality in your practice", he would always say. I share this a lot to my students, especially the new ones who come into class thinking they want to get into a headstand the very first day of class. Of course most would not understand. What I learned is that with softness comes patience, pausing, thinking intelligently, and many more qualities that help you understand your practice, and your self more. 

In many things that we do, we need time and experience to further harness the skill. Even the most talented people will need to practice over and over again to be better at their craft. I believe that Yoga is a lifetime practice. through my teacher, and his teachers, I encourage my students to take your time, soften youself, enjoy the process, study it and having all this, allow yourself to go deeper into the stillness."

Will Tan is one of the teachers at Beyond Yoga. Lawrence will be teaching master classes at Beyond Yoga QC on Dec 12 and Beyond Yoga BHS on Dec 13. See you there!

Gift Guide for Healthy Foodie Friends & Family

My husband calls me a major foodie. I like good food and don't mind spending on it because that was the way I was raised. I grew up accompanying my mom to the market (where I fell into a dirty ditch, which explains why I do not eat red meat) and the groceries. To be honest, I think most of my money goes to food!

I have compiled a few foodie finds which I think are great Christmas gifts for your foodie friends and family ❤️

Laguna Kitchen local artisanal products: Sweet calamansi with nata de coco, Pickles: ubod, ampalaya, onion and kangkong. Each jar is 250php. For orders, text 0917-5292933. 

Homemade Fine Spreads from Dibs available in vegetarian-friendly natural flavors Onion and Chive  or Roasted Garlic 240php per pack. Follow them on IG @dibsspreads

Serendipity Gluten-Free Breads and Desserts, some are dairy free too! Follow them on IG @serendipity.dips

Toby's Apiary unprocessed unheated honey from Backyard Farms 300php per jar. Follow them on IG @backyardfarmsph

Take Root Kale Chips 230php per pack
and Bliss Balls 120php per pack available at The Flow Shop www.flowretreats.com IG @flowsurfyogasamba

First Harvest Salted Coco Caramel, Peanut Crunch and Peanut Spread sweetened with Honey trio pack 459php order through their website http://www.firstharvest.ph

And last but not the least, Dehydrated Banana Fruit Chews from Casa Natura's Kitchen at 200php per pack, another pack will be given to a street kid in need of good nutrition. To order, SMS 0917-8386261.

There ya go! Happy munching!