lessons from my cancer-free dad

my dad.

he never ceases to amaze me.

“after the doctors said his cancer was so bad and only had 10 months left to live, he totally changed his lifestyle and his nutrition determined to prove them wrong and is now alive, cancer-free, and happy 17 years later! then a couple of years ago after our dog got sick with epilepsy and the doctors said it was only going to get worse and kill her, it dawned on him that this sounded eerily familiar. so, he started making healthy, homemade dog food and cured her epilepsy! she has never had an attack again since my dad started feeding her nutrient dense foods to help her heal! now my dad has done it again! his bald spot is growing hair and nearly gone! YEP! at 79 years old! amazing! time and time again he inspires and shows me that healing, (and anything) is possible with proper food and proper state of mind. that’s next level living folks…and next level anti-aging!!! thanks dad!”

so i typed the above as my facebook status a few days ago and got over 200 responses from people expressing love & support! over 200!! makes me happy to know that people are listening and paying attention and realizing that we do indeed have the ability to change our bodies and lives. this influx of positivity & curiosity has inspired me to write this short post. when i get back from St. Lucia next month, i will interview my dad for all my blog readers. hope there is something here that ignites something inside of you.

Lessons my Dad has taught me from his actions and experiences:

1) you know your body best. you know what’s right for it, you know what’s wrong for it. just because someone says something doesn’t mean it is true. just because someone says you are going to die within 10 months, DOESN’T MEAN IT’S DESTINED TO HAPPEN!!

2) listen to your body. pay attention! what is it telling you right now this very second?  think about that. and what can you do about it?

3) the mind is a powerful mother f*%#*-er!  use it/train it to make you flourish. BECAUSE YOU CAN!  don’t know how? explore breathing exercises, meditation, positive affirmations, visualization techniques, meditative yoga. it’s your journey. figure out what works for you and makes you calmer and stronger. and more alive.

4) dogs need real, nutrient dense, live foods, too! not just humans! over time chemicals and preservatives will make them sick, just like us.

5)  life is short. you blink your eyes and your dad is nearly 80. you blink your eyes and people you know start dying, young and old. this is the real thing folks. stop wasting time. live your truth. whatever is sitting there in your great big heart that you are too scared to do, or too scared to say, will eat away at you! only you know what that is. get over it.  in the famous words of nike….just do it.  start the process.

6) if you don’t love yourself, you won’t find the love that you are seeking. loving yourself comes first. and when you truly learn to love yourself, this will affect all areas of your life in a positive, amazing way…not just relationships, but work, too.

7) slow down. give 100% in all that you do. then you will find the beauty and joy in things. then you will start noticing all the beauty & love  around you in your life, including the small things.  i’m talking about those things that you normally don’t pay attention to. when you slow down and stay immersed fully in everything you do, life suddenly becomes a gift. the complaining (to yourself AND to others) fades away and joy takes over. and guess what? then you start to smile and laugh more. and then guess what? you start to exude positive energy. and then guess what? you start to attract positive things to you.  well well well. this is the power of gratitude. it leads to abundance.

8)  my Gracious Living business motto (and life motto) is: “you are what you eat.  you are what you think.  GRACIOUS LIVING”. and as i have sat here right now typing out this blog post, i have realized that it encapsulates everything my dad has taught me. i have never realized that before. coooool! so in essence everything that i have learned to heal myself, and to help heal others, has been inspired by my dad. i love my dad.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

you are what you eat.  you are what you think.  GRACIOUS LIVING.

www.gracevanberkum.com

Yoga~ Your Path to Infinite Power

Yoga~ Your Path to Infinite Power

Yoga practice is like an obstacle race. It is in overcoming obstacles that you find your strength and expand your capacity. When you encounter obstacles in life, you are faced with two choices. You can choose to stop or become unstoppable. Obstacles can be real or imagined. They can be large or small. Does a road closure send you back home or drive you to find a new path? Does losing a job send you into a state or depression or create the sensation of ecstasy that you may now discover your life’s purpose? Does the end of a relationship leave you feeling empty and insignificant, broken down or broken open to the uniting with your soul mate?

According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Book 1:30, it is the constant and continuous effort of overcoming obstacles that keep the mind sharp and engaged. Thereby protecting it from the real dangers: disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, false perception, failure to reach firm ground and slipping from the ground gained.

I love teaching and sharing yoga with the world. It is an amazing feeling to introduce people to the simple technology of breath and movement. It is like plugging in a lamp and turning it on after it has been sitting for years looking like a decoration. Suddenly there is Light. The potential was always there and the sky is the limit. The way you approach your yoga practice is reflective of the way you approach your life. You can see the weak areas as obstacles and stop or embrace the fact that you now know where to focus your efforts to become unstoppable. The problem is many people are intimidated by yoga or allow the ego to believe things like: I am not good at it, I am not flexible, I am overweight, I am too old, I don’t have the time, I went once and didn’t like it, I can’t do those kinds of moves, etc.

These are simply manufactured obstacles. It is just like learning to walk, talk, read and write. You must begin somewhere and accept the infancy stage is always the beginning. To begin as an expert of anything defies natural laws. You have the strength, you just don’t know it. You need to be challenged and tested to overcome your own limitations and strengthen your desire and will. Doing what is simple and easy is like a river that just flows without expressing its power. Put an obstacle in the flow, like a dam, and you can see its strength in the form of tremendous electrical power.

You are the water. Yoga is your path to infinite power! Feel it! Own it! Be it! Whether you want to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, start a business, buy a home or plant a garden, the regular practice of yoga will give you the strength and tenacity to overcome the obstacles and be unstoppable.

Ready to tap into a Life of Yoga & Adventure? Join Gracious Living & Happy Healthy and Fit in Nicaragua April 15-22, 2012 for a life-changing experience!

Commit to discovering your Infinite Power and book by March to enjoy Early Bird savings!

Much love to Randi Smith, for her powerful contribution this week.

www.gracevanberkum.com