blissed out..

we had an amazing christmas dinner with live music! It was magical and loads of fun!

Dreaming in Color

As the year is almost over, I am so grateful to life and all that has happened in this year that helped me grow, in tears of joy and sadness. Such a blessing to be alive and have all of you in my life. I am inspired, joyful, in love with life more than ever.

Happy Holidays....

Here are some of my favorites of the year, hope you find something inspiring...

Book:
The Garden, Geshe Michael Roach

Song:
Fly High, Deva Premal and Mitten

Movie:
Inception

Yoga Pose:
Headstand

Ingredient:
Irish Moss, forever grateful to my friend Maria

Fun:
Salsa Dancing and especially the spins....I just love it!

Recipe:
Fudgy Brownies

Emma's Carrot Salad:
Shredded Carrots
Parsley
Rice Wine vinegar
Sesame Oil
Mirin
Soy Sauce
Sugar
and sesame seed sparkles!

new season goodness

Wow, we are doing it! I could not be happier with the free classes we are offering now!

Spread knowledge, spread your love

I have been contemplating for long time about changes at Organico.
Location, recipes, employees, business plan, financials, groups,
workshops...I did not come up with something that made my heart skip a
beat. Until after our meditation retreat in Cabuya. During this
wonderful Lam Rim retreat, I realized I feel so aligned with the
universe when I am serving others. I dream to bring people together
where we share our gifts with each other free...

I came up with this new idea. To create a community center, or a
creativity center for body and mind, where there will be scheduled
free classes and anyone will be able to sign-up as a
teacher...Traveling teachers, hidden artists, closet chefs,
photography experts... I am excited to meet you all...We are going to
offer all the classes for free and ask for donations. These donations
will be shared with the teachers and we will also offer a smoothie of
the day to our teachers. What do you think?

So, we are looking for anyone ready to share their knowledge, art,
dance, zumba, yoga, meditation, nutrition, cooking, poetry reading,
spanish, english, astrology, herbal medicine...or your unique
gift...Please let me know if you are interested...

Spread knowledge, spread your love,

So blessed to be at the service, may all beings be happy!

P.S. of course, we will still have our wonderful juice bar, vegan
ice-cream and some special meals on the menu...:)

All you need is love

Here is a wonderful meditation for everyone, a gift from my teacher Kenny Graham.

Sit down comfortably, preferably on a cushion.
Hit play.



Close your eyes and start breathing the love in.
You can sing along.
And be grateful to be alive that we have this wonderful gift right now. Gift of being on this world, living in peace, living with family, friends, with ears to hear, eyes to see and even a computer to connect. What a blessing.

inner conversations over tea

After this weekend's yoga workshop, it is clear that my personal work has just started. Sure, I am a nice person. I am kind and loving towards others, especially to people who are also nice to me. That is easy, the real challenge is to have my inner balance throughout any moment, happy or sad, joyful or not... Not only when someone is waiting with a flower in his hand, but when someone cuts my way in a long bank line... What if there is hair in my salad...I'd go crazy-in my mind!!! "how could these people provide such terrible service??" or "i have told the taxi driver to be here at 1:00 and now it is 1:20 and he is not here, how could he do that to me!" My days are filled with these inner conversations, from moment to moment...Me against the world. And sometimes me against me. I just can't get out from bed today...that is just not acceptable, get up and move!!! Who is that saying those things?

I discovered this part of me, through yoga. Yoga practice helps to quiet everything else around, so I can really hear the conversations in my mind. There is a safe place and enough space to tune into what exactly is happening inside. Sometimes it goes like, oh the teacher is adjusting everybody else but not me! Funny little ego waiting for acknowledgement. Underlying this behaviour, I sense an expectation-unmet, not accepting a situation different than what it really is and hence hurt. Even a personal entitlement (I deserve better from the universe!)) I wonder how the relationship of my "kindness" towards others relate to this entitlement. I am questioning what is my authentic kindness, what comes out of fear, what comes out of culture...Can I be loving towards all, unconditionally?

So far, I know that I have a long way to unconditional love. Now, I am questioning myself for integrity and honesty. How do I set boundaries towards people that I don't like, but still be kind and loving towards them...I don't have an answer yet! The only thing I know, I want to speak my truth and I want to keep my integrity of my thoughts, actions and words, towards all. Tough challenge. Oh well, I am a tough girl, as you know!

Superfood Recipe

I enjoy making these little treats of energy bombs called Superfood.
They are perfect as a snack or as a fast breakfast on the go! They
were also a hit at a yoga workshop I went this weekend and got so many
requests for the recipe. So I have it here for you all! Enjoy!

Superfood

2 cups macadamias
2 cups dried coconut
1/2 cup agave (or honey)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maca powder
1 cup goji berries
1 cup cacao

I did an Anusara Yoga workshop, with Yoga Lamat in San Jose. I can't
recommend Anusara Yoga enough to all of you! I was so much in pain
after doing yoga religiously (and obsessively) everyday in the last
three months, with the right alignment and therapeutic work, I feel so
much lighter and free.

It was with Kenny Graham, he is not only the most sweet yoga teacher,
but so humble, so real and so full of life. 6 hours of practice was
gone so fast! Check his website to see if he is coming to your city!

http://www.kgyoga.com/

Facing my fears

It is about time......

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear,
but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel
afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Nelson Mandela

Isn't that beautiful? I am so much going through fear these days, it
made me happy to find this quote. Like everyone else, me too, I am on
a path, looking for answers, avoid pain (as if it is
possible)...Through acceptance, love and courage, clarity comes like
the sun on a brand new day. What a blessing.

And then there is this inpiring beautiful song. Fly high...
I love it. It has a sweet memory with my friends in Pachamama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=narlEJOsS40

fly high with the koi
touch your arms under the earth
becoming one
connect my heart into yours
and be forever love.

Dream your eyes open
Kiss the skies
Taste the rain
Smell the green
It is all here now
Be here now with me
Angels are.
Are you?

Yoga Festival!

I am so happy to be part of the yoga festival in Montezuma last weekend. The event was super fun and we met beautiful yogis and ate wonderful food! Our banana bread and brownies were a big hit!

Your pharmacy in the kitchen

Herbs and spices add so much love to the food and our bodies. Check out this article for the details.

http://hlifemedia.com/2010/08/culinary-herbs-natures-pharmacy/

Green Juice for a Sparkling Glow

Green juice is a great way to get some vibrant life energy! I used to drink almost two liters everyday in Montezuma, since I am in San Jose and I don't have juicer, I've been slacking and simply relying on big green salads. The truth is it is never enough, the amount of greens and alkalizing power we get from the greens we eat in a salad. Juicing really supports our intake of vital vitamins and energy. It also shows directly with my mood. Green Juice picks me up! It makes me feel light, energetic and super vibrant. So, today I did a research for a green juice recipe without a juicer and found out that I can just blend all the greens and add a glass of water and enjoy it as is. You can also strain it, but I do want to get the fiber from this delicious drink and it just looks too good to throw away. If I were juice fasting, that is another story.

So, super easy, just blend 2 cucumbers, peel the skin if not organic, handful of spinach, handful of your favorite herbs, i put cilantro, two celery stalks with the greens and a cup of water. Blend it all. Add one lemon juice. Cumin would also work great, ginger of course is so warming and helps to get a warming feeling especially when it is not super hot. It is raining non-stop in San Jose right now.

Here are the five benefits of greens:

1. Chlorophyl
2. Trace minerals (magnesium, iron, calcium)
   
3. Vegetable Protein
4. Enzymes
5. Alkalizing Power
   

Try to add this drink to your daily diet. You can still eat your favorite chocolate, pasta or smoothie. It is just a support to your body to show how much you love yourself and care about yourself. Watch the magic, see your skin glow, your eyes sparkle and your heart melt! Just with a glass of juice a day!

Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookies

Happy Mother's Day!

It is Mother's Day in Costa Rica. Just a joy to celebrate mother's day
twice in a year. My mom loves raisins and cookies, so I am baking for
her these cookies with double raisins, and veganizing it for me, and
making it gluten-free for my sister. So everyone is happy! (My dad
would eat anything, he is so sweet when it comes to food.) I wish one
day I can make everyone happy, just like these warm cookies right out
from the oven, chewy, healthy and full of love.

Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookies

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons water
Mix well and wait for a few minutes until the mixture thickens.

1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup gluten free wheat flour (I used brown rice flour)
1 tsp xtan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 banana, mashed
2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or canola oil)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375.

Mix the oats, flour, xtan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and
cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. Add the raisins.

Add the maple syrup, vanilla, oil, mashed banana, and lemon juice to
the flaxseed mixture and combine well. Pour into the dry mixture and
stir well but don't overmix.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with a silicon
mat or parchment paper. Flatten each cookie slightly with a fork. Bake
for 15-20 minutes or until bottoms and sides are lightly brown.

These cookies are cakey, if you like your cookies crunchy, I'd
recommend to bake them more. Uff, just realized mom doesn't like soft
cookies and dad doesn't like them hard. So, I guess, mom you will bake
these for 20 minutes for dad, and keep baking five more minutes for
you. Whewww...that was an easy, last minute adjustment:)

Inspired from Fat Free Kitchen, but I could not help and make some
major changes:)

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2010/02/banana-maple-oatmeal-cookies.html

I got about 20 cookies, they are going to my yoga class tomorrow.

I need some help...

My beautiful friends,

I have recently taken some time away from the business and trying to
have a relook at what is working and what is not. Most of you have
already made some great comments about pricing, hours and employees
who do not speak any english. Right now I have the time and the energy
to work more and offer more to the community in Montezuma.

It is very important for me to have your support. If it was not your
smiling faces coming to the cafe every time and showing me how much
you appreciate the cafe even if I was not in my best mood, made me
come this far. I am humbled and grateful for your friendship and love.
Please don't be shy about sharing your comments and I'd love to make
Organico even more inviting so we can all get together more, bring
friends and share many more great memories with love and compassion to
each other. It is my practice now not to take things personal and
accept that it is a good time to listen to my friends and hear what
you have to say. I really appreaciate it.

1. What would you like to see changed in Organico, that might make it
more exciting for you to come more often?

New Dishes

More portions

Prices

Employees (english speaking, more friendly)

Music, entertainment

Furniture
Chairs, pillows

Hours
(Now we are open only for lunch, 11 to 5 pm.)

Breakfast ?

Dinner ?

New Beginnings

I moved for to a beautiful house up in the mountains, with a secret
garden that is so magical, you have to come for a visit to experience
it, because I don't have the right words. The green, the air, the
space, the touch, the dew in the mornings, the coy in front of my
house, the flowers in my backyard and of course the city lights at
night, the view...Magical. I am blessed, grateful to my friends who
made this possible for me, to my beautiful cafe, to my employees who
are helping me so much to live the life of my dreams.... I have no
plans, no direction, only yoga and chanting and the desire to find
inspiration to help others, to be with others, to connect with more
people. And it is happening already. I signed up for San Jose Yoga
Festival, that is coming up in September 11th. We will bake cookies,
make green bars, meet yogis and celebrate life.

I am so grateful, it is growing and growing everyday. Life has never
been so fulfilling and delicious.

I am sorry it took so long to update the blog, but now I have so much
to share, I will be back soon!

burst of happiness...

Gabriel is my best friend in town. Not that i have great girl friends
that i feel close as sisters, and cool guy friends including spiritual
masters and juicy flirts, when it comes to having fun and really being
free of the restrictions of the adult world, only Gabriel knows and
understands me. I am in love with him so much, I am in happy tears.
Plus, he is the best help ever, my chocolate lover. He is honest,
doesn't pretend and knows how to have fun. Super cute, wow. inner
child on board!

high up in the clouds.

Last day in my dream house, it is sooo incredible up here, i am
blessed out. Even though there is no water! I got the pool, so I can't
complain!

Two weeks ago when i came up to this house, I was scared to be by
myself at night. Fast forward two weeks, I was in the pool at night,
with fireflies and the stars. It feels like I found this freedom
inside me that is very liberating, empowering and super fun. I am in
heaven!

Jump!

"Understanding is a delaying tactic...Do you want to understand how to
swim, or do you want to jump in and start swimming? Only people who
are afraid of water want to understand. Other people jump in and get
wet."

i live in paradise. soooo grateful!

Inspired!

Some people are really smart. I can't remember where, but I read somewhere that vegan sashimi with this incredible vegetable works great! It is such a clever, neat idea and I don't know how raw fish tastes, but this tasted so much like fish, I did not want to eat it. Can you guess what this is???

Email me what you think at bakingfairy@gmail.com, and get a free Organico recipe!

Excited!

After spending countless hours of travelling between Santa Teresa and Montezuma in the last month, I decided to take a day off and spend the whole weekend. Sounds great. Now it is already 10:00 pm and I need to pack for a day! What do I take? It is such a big deal to travel overnight, with all my supplement, food needs, yoga clothing (maybe this will be the time I will get back into practicing), dancing clothing, nice dinner dress (don't laugh, i never get to dress here and it sucks because I love to dress up once in a while), and the books, i have soooo much I want to do and there is not enough time. In the end here is what I got:
Green Goddess Chocolate Bars, from Organico of course!
Flax Crackers
Spirulina
Amazing Meal Green Powder
Probiotics
Enzymes
Face Wash
Coconut Cream
Ylang Ylang Body Cream
Make up
Yoga Stuff
Healing Woman, Book about Herbal Healing
Unaccustomed Earth, Story Book
Notebook to write my dreams
Favorite Earrings

Missing night out dress-will think about that tomorrow
Missing sleeping attire-i need to go shopping!

I am excited, so amazing that now really simple things make me excited. I am so grateful to life, my health and body. Pura Vida!

wanderlust

I diagnosed myself with a serious condition, wanderlust. I suffer from curiosity, day dreaming, passion and lack of it, constantly. Now I got some bubbles in my stomach, because it is new moon today and I am doing a liver cleanse. Lets see if I get some clarity tomorrow.

Here is some information
http://www.ener-chi.com/liverarticle.htm

Yam Nut Burger! Looks delicious!

http://hlifemedia.com/2010/02/vegan-raw-yam-nut-burger/

raw and vegan!

for inspiration...

http://gliving.com/sarah-backhouse-diet-revelations-at-halfway-point/#more-4426

confessions of an addict

I am addicted to our chocolate chip cookies. Compared to all kinds of addictions out there, I feel pretty good about our vegan, wheat-free cookies that i have to have one a day. Almost everyday, if we are not sold out. I don't take one out from the case until we close, but if we are closed and there is one left, that is mineee and I am pretty serious about it:) So, i do know it is an addiction.

They are giant, as you can see and packed with lots of chocolate chips. Plus oat flour that we make by simply grinding the oats, flax seeds, raw sugar and homemade brown rice milk. So, in one of my intense why do I love these cookies so much questioning times, I got this idea of an experiment. wanted to figure out what my addiction was...Is the chocolate in the cookies or the cookies am I addicted to? Yeah, this is the big question of my life!!! Pretty entertaining for me:) Really, I don't care about the same cookies with raisins. At the same time, I also don't care about a chocolate bar, (except for our Green Goddess, that is another story and a secret recipe).

So, I made an experiment. I made raw chocolate chip cookie dough drops. With amazing cashew flour, oat flour, same real chocolate chips...Sadly, I could care less for these goodness. They taste amazing, they are pretty much the same exact same thing but I want the cookieeeeee! I think it is also the texture, the cookie is super big and crunchy, well toasted with the oats and flax. The drops are dense, and gooey. I love the crunch and it is lighter. Gooey cashew is super healthy but still, heavy and fatty. I want to try this same thing with almonds now:)

So, I guess am addicted to the crunch and the chocolate chips. I love the freedom that i can enjoy what I love. I love that I love cookies. I love that I make the best cookies in the world and there is not one single thing that I'd much rather have than my own cookies, if baked right. Trust me, to get this recipe right, we have done maybe 25 versions and my amazing friend and super foodie friend Jeff, has been there with me all the way, until they were just right. Thank you!!! We tried it all...From different brand of oats, to different grinding times of those oats, different sugars: agave, dark brown, raw sugar, fruit sugar, then the oils, coconut, cacao, soy, corn, baking times, 15 minutes baking, 20 minutes baking one side and flipping back an other 20 minutes, cooling them in the racks, cooling in the oven, baking temperatures then the storage, wrapping them in plastic bags, freezing or not. And if you have time you can figure out the combinations of all these variables. But it is all done. There is nothing we can add or take because they are just perfect. And here is the base recipe, of course we have our own changes but I am not sharing trade secrets;) Have fun!

http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=149

Ylang ylang lemonade

Ylang ylang is my favorite scent and second favorite flower after flor blanca. The smell is sooo beautiful, sensual and totally uplifting. Our gardener Randal brought a huge bag of this wonderful flower to the cafe and we put them in water for decoration. At the end of that day, the water smelled incredible. Totally calling us for a taste. I wasn't sure if we could drink this, neither Randal. I was more thinking that we might have an interesting experience or a trip, and we went for a sip:) Oh wow! This is how water tastes in heaven. Amazing. Still, we did not feel too sure about drinking more and rather washed ourselves and poured the rest back to the nature. These moments of dancing with the nature, discovering something new everyday, sharing my joy with others are the gifts of my life. I am so grateful. 

from organico, lunch time...

reporting from organico, it is not high season anymore so I got time to update my blog and share more what is going on here!

Right now, two minutes ago, a group of four walks in, I feel the very masculine energy, two guys and two girls...they walk in happily, saying, "ooo cool place"..and check out the menu...the big, fit guys are ok with the menu, but it is the girls got a little upset that there is no meat!

they want to leave but they want to be polite and ask:

"only vegetarian stuff?"

me: "yeah...the best!"

he feels relieved, "oh, we'll come back for dessert, then. I need that dead animal in me first." Ok, he did not say the second part out loud, but that is what i heard..really...

then the ipod sings..

"i believe they get to you..." some song that I don't know..wow!

yeah....well, i am still judgemental about meateaters and would never date one:)

Drinking it..

Aloe Vera...Fresh! For some reason, my body was craving for it, I just found out that it's great for B-12-that I lack, plus helps with the digestive system...Check it out and have a sip!

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-aloe-vera.html

Now that we have 4 giant plants, I am blending a piece of aloe with pure lemon juice...and make a shot! You can also add it to a smoothie with flax seeds and lots of greens and a banana! Feels like a massage to my organs. Love it!

raw food at its best!

http://myownrawchef.com/2010/03/kale-tahini-salad/

amazing!!!

Celebrating Ground Hog Day!

i love blogging. I actually love writing, it is a fun hobby that I've been doing a bit too privately these days. Now, I got some juicy things happening, so I can share with love! Thank you for being patient with me, checking the site, sending emails and being my friend! It makes it so much exciting to write.

As you know, I've decided to sell the cafe. Finally! Yeah! 4 years of countless hours and now I am ready to move on. It is exciting and very much liberating. I feel in bliss, having made a decision, on top, things are also moving quite smoothly and incredibly magical. I don't have a buyer yet, but it is all good and I know the universe will bring the right person, when the time is right. For now, my work days are short, we are open from 11:30 to 4pm, serving lunch and ice-cream with only three employees. It is super fun, quick and soooo much easier than the 7 am-11pm shifts and managing 10 employees. What a relief. 

Plus, I get to interact with super cool customers, meet interesting people, chit chat and be more social than the usual...goodbye to the crazy mad woman, who would run to the supermarket 10 times a day and be bitter about it everyday:) I am learning, slowly!

So, it gets pretty interesting..like last week for example, had a great a-ha moment during one of these chats with a quite charming guy from the states. After the classic, how did you get here, my previous life, montezuma history, foreigner community in montezuma, he asked why would i want to sell this "great" business. I said, I really got tired of working. Plus living in a tourist town, where I have the same exact conversation everyday,"like this one we're having" gets pretty boring. He said, wow, it sounds like the "ground hog day!" Amazing. I hope you've seen the movie, if not see it, its great. 

Next day after we had this conversation, on my way to work, it totally hit me, the Ground Hog Day, the boat to Tortuga is on the beach, with many people waiting, I say hi to the local guide, the same guide, Pura Vida to the fisherman, say hi to other few people, trying to hide myself from rest of the locals and go in the back route behind the beach and head to the cafe...Opening up, and the first "buenas dias"....it gets to me even more now:)

Honestly, I feel like out of touch with real interactions, the basics, family and friends. I am living the same things, everyday, trying to add spice and flavor to it, by changing the recipes, but what I crave is being surrounded by real people, more than just super cool, deep conversations with wanderers around the world, who hang out a few weeks, or in the best case a few months. Roots...maybe..but then, would it feel boring? ok, enough therapy for today!

decisions!

wow! i am ready! i put the cafe for sale! It is for real this time. I have had such a beautiful, not always pretty, but beautiful experience in Montezuma, I am now proud to say, I am ready to move on! It is exciting, very very exciting. I wonder who will buy my Organico, my baby...I hope she or he will be vegan, into nutrition, feeding people with love. And they keep the place as is, especially the ice-cream! It is a bitter sweet story. After being here for 4 years, i have decided that I want to be close to my family and friends. At least for a while. Sure, I made friends here as well, that I will miss very much, but it is not the same thing. Plus the transient tourist town is getting to me these days. I hate that people come and go and try to sneak into my life and get entertained and then good-bye, sometimes there is even no good-bye. It hurts me a lot, I take things personal a lot, then i isolate myself and cry a lot and then be depressed and try to feed people with pure love, not really..it is hard. I became an emotional drama queen of the town with a story everyday. It does not end. This is probably true for anyone, anywhere in the world but I feel burned, overwhelmed, drained. I can't. I don't want to. I don't want this job anymore. And it feels sooooo good. So, stay tuned for updates. In the ice-cream corner, the flavor of the month is Vanilla Bean with Cardamom! It is incredible! 

Joy of Baking

I got this article as a gift...So precious...

http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/2960

when we are long gone..

Saturday morning I woke up with a phone call from a friend, asking me to get ready to be picked up. A tsunami warning has been issued for Costa Rica after the 8.1 earthquake in Chile. Wow. These words came out without much thinking "Ok, I am ready to leave, but wait a second I have employees..." i was worried about them. I left home with my passport and put on my favorite jean skirt. In a split second, looked at my beautiful laptop and said to myself, no, not worth it at all. I felt pretty good about not having anything to take from my place...On the way to the cafe, I saw life differently...like a play..some people running around, some acted like nothing has happened, some careless and the birds flying with no sign of panic. It felt like I was on a movie set, it was timeless.  

When I arrived at the cafe, got another call that the warning for Costa Rica has been reversed and we were safe to be back in business. Yay for the saturday market and super sexy shakes!!! 

I saw the news on the internet, Chile, life, all this struggle, search, happiness, pain, healing, friends, family, babies, but just seconds of memories...this moment, now. The recordings were full of sadness and frustration, our helplessness as human beings,  hopelessness...how can we help...how can we heal this planet? 

Later today another friend shared this beautiful song, I've never heard before. Touched my heart and still listening to it on repeat. Sending all the love, support and healing to everyone in need, with gratitude to the universe, my body and wonderful experiences I am sharing with you. When we gone, long gone, the only thing that will matter is the love that we shared, and the way that we cared, when we're gone, long gone. Super good. May we all be blessed by the love we have for each other, in this body on this planet. Now...

TIRAMISU, vegan raw amazing!

Tiramisu was a hit! Thanks for coming and for your wonderful smiles:)

Here is the recipe:
1 cup almonds
1 cup cashews
1 cup dates
1/4 cup espresso
1/2 cup cacao nibs
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
20 drops of gotu kola, optional but it is the real deal with the pick me up:)
1 tsp almond extract ( I used hazelnut extract because I didn't have the almond)

blend everything in a food processor until the dough holds its shape
and press it together to make little round circles.

Now the real deal! The Cashew Mascarpone..
1 cup cashews soaked
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup agave
1 vanilla bean
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

blend everything until smooth and add:

1/3 cup cacao butter
2 tablespoon lecitin

Refrigerate over night. Spread over the tiramisu base and sprinkle
cacao powder and some fairy dust! Enjoy!

and...

And such is the mystic.  The mystic seeks to remove the "and" from between the spaces in life and in our hearts.
Mystics seek to remove the "and" from prayer, work, love, service. They seek to remove the "and" from indeed all of life and living.

http://www.priyakale.com/blog/2010/02/25/painted-soul-mysticism-and-the-tyranny-of-time/

And today again I hear the words, "life is not always pretty but beautiful" Yes, it is true...such a longing for finding where we lost the knowledge of who we are, followed by the pure joy to remember, reconnect. It exists. I do remember, so can anyone. So grateful to every single moment of my life that lead me to ME! Celebrating, costa rican style, sushi rolls, and a turkish drama, thursday nights are my favorite! Hmmm, tomorrow will be iced coconut chai tea, thai style!

thinking of...

will you give sweet peas a chance? 

Vacation!!! I am dreaming about going away...closing the store, resting, reading, sleeping, dreaming, hammock. soon...very very soon!

http://www.haciendadelsolcr.com/index.php

Recipe of the Day

Recipe of the Day

Clean the racks

No need for an oven,

Hot as 150 degrees

in Montezuma,

Paradise for raw fooders.

Lets make a fruit salad.

Cut a papaya in half,

Ah that vibrant color.

Saving the seeds for later,

make it glow with

abundant mango of love,

sweetness from a deep OM

and a spoon of 

shared memories, ever growing

day by day.

moment of gratitude

forever will stay with us today.

And now spread those seeds 

All over town

They sure will burst out of love

and make a papaya farm!

- Ozlem

Written for Matthew Meyers

Montezuma, Costa Rica

February 14th, 2010

Ultimate Human Experience

Amazing story, and music...Speaks to my heart!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123534818&ps=cprs

Carl Sagan and love!

If i were to make my own mix, i'd also add a few descriptions of what it feels like to eat an avocado with curry powder, a chocolate mint cake from the baking fairy and the warm fuzzy feeling of a hug that you feel right in your chest that everything is right where it is supposed to be. The ultimate feeling of sharing...the world is a magical place to be. 

Perhaps...

"Perhaps love is the process of my leading you gently back to yourself." Antoine De Saint Exupery

One of my favorite quotes! Happy Valentine's Day! May everyday be filled with love, freedom and peace. I am going to have a little get together with my lovers this Sunday and we will be testing a couple new recipes and then of course you will get the recipes here!

love is in the air! always!

feeling groovyyyyy...

microwave gone...super happy! long day tomorrow...empowered!

inspired by Dori!

minutes away...

from destroying our microwave.........i am sooo excited! will go with a hammer and bangggggg all the negative nails out! awesomeeeeee! i rock!

34 Things I Appreciated This Year

May life bring sweetness and peace to all beings. Thank you mai for inspiration!

34 Things I Appreciated This Year
(in no particular order)

1. Cabuya
2. hot water at home
3. free time
4. my parents
5. my house, covered in ants and all...
6. chocolate making
7. small beach in front of my house
8. San Francisco
9. vegan love
10. music
11. trust
12. crashing waves
13. growing my own herbs at Organico (well kind of, still Randal is the man!)
14. witch girlfriends and our moon ceremonies
15. tide-pool in front of my house
16. travel
17. day dreaming
18. alacati
19. Ask-i Memnu, it's mom's fault...turkish drama
20. running
21. sun
22. voleyball in Montezuma
23. first time riding an ATV
24. crushes on cute clients
25. pink dress
26. Pilates
27. ipod touch
28. alistair
29. vegan sushi
30. liver cleanse
31. green juices
32. papaya
33. moon rise at Playa Grande
34. ozlem

I make my dreams come true!

1. Montezuma

2. Alacati

3. Kyoto

4. Chang Mai

5. Bali

6. Mal Pais

7. San Francisco

and 7 is my lucky number!!! plus and all the airports around the world...Organico, Pure food with Love

and my new job will be to create recipes for all these wonderful spots...pitaya juice, peach smoothies, cherry juices.....aaaah sweet life, sweet dreams!

repeat repeat repeat...

loving this...

http://blip.fm/profile/lane/blip/30332545/Gotye-Hearts_A_Mess

awesome!

Lots of photo shoots at Organico and our spicy thai burger is just to die for. I don't eat wheat but still enjoy it without the bun, the naked version! Having fun in a silly way! Make your thai burger at home, get any veggie patty, I personally don't like the ones that taste like meat, the garden burgers are my favorite, cook it with a touch of olive oil, cumin and spicy salsa. Then top with sweet chili sauce, spinach, tomato and pineapple. Inspired from Mr. Sutter, or rather stolen:)

amazed....

he showed up at voleyball, i hope he never finds out about my blog
because I'd be glowing in red cheeks. Baking banana bread, eating
tamales, fixing the ventilators at the restaurant, still in tooth pain
that sucks, but enjoying life in paradise!

decisions, decisions, decisions...

Meet Scott! Vegetarian, green business lover...Comes here for vacation, wants to help out with business as a volunteer!! What, i am just so amazed, some people do have a heart. There is hope in humanity! But I am so damn confused, i have no clue where to put him, don't even have the patience to show him what he can do. I'd rather do it myself and be exhausted....you know the story, same thing every year:) So, had to say no to free labor. Plus he is too cute to get into the kitchen with me, dangerous, but maybe he plays volleyball??? Sleepyyyyyyyy!

Happy Holidays!

Joy

It is in the air,

The warm breeze

Waves singing

Millions of stars

Winking deep into your eyes

The juicy, sexy, loving

Joy

The love

the gifts

the hugs

we have it all

more than all,

that space

deep in your heart

mili moments between thoughts

dreams

words

sighs

the delicious calmness

unspoken

but only felt

ahhh! makes me only scream

yeahhhhhhhh!

I am grateful for it all.

Happy Holidays!

how chocolate is made...

I love this video. Michael is super sweet!

Israeli Turkish Coffee

Ooops, not coffee free anymore... Its been maybe 3 weeks, but today, I had to try a cup of Turkish coffee in Montezuma, an invitation that doesn't happen very often:)

There is a new restaurant in Montezuma, Pugga's. Super sweet family from Israel. We have so much in common, I feel so good to have friends close to my culture. Plus, Maya the owner, is an amazing volleyball player. Today, when she offered Turkish Coffee, I was a little surprised even have to admit, I said to myself, "Turkish coffee, what a confidence:)"...Her brother took out the coffee from the refrigirator and poured hot water over it in a glass. I was terrified! I doubted my eyes...Then, of course, I had to tell that whatever they are making maybe coffee but is totally not turkish coffee. Then, we started laughing because we were heated up over how to make Turkish coffee in Costa Rica in an Israeli restaurant. These are so precious moments, when we catch ourselves being serious over silly things and we can laugh at ourselves. Then, of course, the whole thing became such a joyful, funny conversation. Maya swears that is how they do it in Israel. I believe her:) Thank god I have all the tools and coffee from Istanbul to make them the real deal, plus I also do the cup reading:) However, I have to admit, the coffee tasted great, like a very strong americano, much better than any coffee I'd in Costa Rica, of course except Organico:) I love my little store.

Though the coffee tasted great, not feeling that great with the buzz right now..Crashed pretty fast, so I don't know...I love coffee, i love the taste but it just doesn't work for me right now. Oh well...I just read Sarma's post and it is so much fun to read that we all go through the same holes...Life is beautiful as is, it is perfect.

Freedom Brownies

These amazing brownies are vegan and gluten free! Yes, you can laugh! My super complicated eating habits are also making me laugh at myself, never gets boring over in the baking fairyland... Yesterday, I went over to lunch to a new friend's house and I could not help but laugh to hear "I didn't know if you eat olive oil, so I didn't dress the salad";...come onnnnn, i am not that picky:) Nowadays, I am vegan, gluten free, off coffee, struggling with wine and honoring chocolate daily.

Here is the recipe for super gooey brownies with brown rice flour. Try it at home, almost impossible to mess this up, except for melting the chocolate...That has always been a fingers crossing, praying for the angels, wishing for the best, or "throwing some salt for good luck" action for me, but hey it works:))) Seriously, melting chocolate is a delicate task, and should't be taken lightly. Best way is to use a double boiler. Heat water, put a pan over the water and watch the chocolate melt patiently. Also, very important is to cut the chocolate in small equal chunks. Really delicious, such as life:) Besito!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil an 8 inch square baking pan and set aside.

1 cup (175 g) nondairy semisweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1/2 cup (128 g) sweet potato purée
2 tablespoons (30 ml) canola oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (90 ml) soy milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (60 g) raw brown sugar
1/3 cup (53 g) brown rice flour
2 tablespoons (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a large bowl, combine melted chips, sweet potato, oil, soy milk, and vanilla.
In another bowl, sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder.
Fold dry ingredients into wet, being careful not to over mix.
Place and level batter into prepared pan.
Bake for 26 minutes.
Let cool in pan, on a wire rack. Let cool completely in fridge before
slicing.

Makes 8 brownies.

let the games begin!

i don't know when i stopped playing volleyball. Most likely when I moved here and thought it is time for yoga. Aaaaah, those days are so over. Ok, here it is, long waited apology from my friends. I am not a yogi, and I find yoga a little overrated. Sorry. I am having so much fun playing volleyball, i have been doing it all my life, i don't know why i let that go…Crazy. And I am damn good at it. Thank god my killer serves are still with me and it is just magical here to play on the beach and meet other super cool v-ball players. And there is nothing more sexy than a man who really knows how to dig a ball. Ufff, finally. We started weekly games already, with posters, ect. and people are showing up. I am so happy! I used to play everyday, i don't remember not playing this long, i am finally getting myself, finding my fun and my peeps. Plus these hungry gangsters eat whatever I bake, no questions! Yogis are a bit uptight about the agave and ultra organic olive oil….hahahahah…i am aliveeeeeeeeee!!! Let the music play, let the games begin!

Sit down and shut up!

'the state of ambiguity-that messy, greasy, mixed-up, confused and awful situation you are living through right now-is enlightenment itself." this brings tears to my eyes. Life is this very moment. It is from this book, Sit down and shut up! Oh, how i wish i can do that. I think chocolate helps with this situation, or i want to believe it would help, so lets bake some brownies.

beloved...

"Dear Goddess: The lady reading this is beautiful, classy, strong and I love her.

Help her live her life to the fullest.

Please promote her and cause her to excel above her expectations.

Help her shine in the darkest places where it seems impossible to love.

Protect her at all times, and lift her up when she needs you the most.

And let her know that she walks with you, and that she will always be safe and beloved.

Super Sexy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Organico!

December 7th marks our 4th season and I am super excited for all the new energy, new recipes, new music (!) and new projects like our 2010 calendar and vegan cooking classes.

The past three years have been such an humbling experience for me personally, to really dive into the business, to see my dreams come true against all my fears and to meet many of you and your beautiful light. Thank you for being here, supporting Organico, blessing this place and our food with your smiles and laughter. With all your wonderful energy, after three years, Organico and Montezuma, feels home to me.

As part of our 4th birthday celebration, we are going to do a beach clean-up followed by a party on December 7th, between 5pm to 7pm. If you are around, stop by and have a "super sexy" shot with us. If you can't make it, know that you are in our hearts and we will be sending tasty "super sexy" love to your way, you can also join us with your super sexy, here is the recipe:

Super Sexy

The super popular, Super Sexy is absolutely the shake of the year, a client and staff favorite! If you haven't had one at Organico, give it a try at home and let us know how you like it. We'd love to hear from you and hopefully will see you in magical Montezuma soon.

1.5 frozen banana
1/4 avocado
1 tsp spirulina
1 tsp wheatgrass powder
1 cup fresh mango (or mango juice)

Blend it all and slurp slowly!

Lots of love from Organico team and Ozlem!

drooling naked burgers...

my friends...are pretty hard core when it comes to food. Check out Jeff's burger idea and he wants to try it this week. This is beyond even my fairy talents. But I asked for inspiration, so here it is...sounds drooling good...

"....An open faced burger with a thin toasted crispy piece of sesame and whole-grain bread on the bottom, then spread on a lot of wasabi-ginger-avocado mayo, then layer with julienne of pickled cucumber/carrot/beet, then a layer of mizuni, arugula, and sunflower sprouts then top it with the mushroom cap (which will be basted with a blend of olive oil, lemon, sea salt and cracked black pepper and then hard pressed and rolled in sesame seeds then grilled to perfection sesame seed side down) and then placed sesame side up and topped with thinly sliced shoestring onions and shredded ginger which has been sauteed in olive oil until the onions are dark brown and crispy and then splashed with soy-sauce in the hot pan.

Serve with a steak knife and oven-baked sweet potato fries and the special mayo to dip in on the side. 

This could very well be the greatest vegan burger of all time. i'll be the guinea pig taster anytime this week except for Wed and Thurs..."

lets see what I'll do with this. It sounds really hard for me right now:)

Princess of Power Smoothie!

It is super fun when i invent something delicious and start feeling like She-RA, the twin sister of He-Man and laugh at myself:)...This smoothie is deliciously green and I swear it is full of super natural powers. Yes, of course I watched too many episodes of She-RA growing up:)

Here is the recipe for one:)

1 tablespoon of hemp butter (if you don't have hemp butter, use tahini)
1/2 cup pineapple
1 celery stick
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon of green powder (I used KYO Green, you can make your own super power with spirulina, wheatgrass, ect)
3 leafs of wild cilantro, or 1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 cup water

that's all...blend it well and feel the power...Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the smoothie and drank it at once:( Bad blogger:)) Got a picture of the empty glass:) Wanna see the after effects? Watch the video...

I want to tell more about cilantro, not only because it tastes amazing but it is also the secret agent in the herb universe. Fresh cilantro, sticks to the chemicals in your body and takes them out, for example mercury. Cilantro also controls blood sugar, lowers cholesterol and fight inflammation (wanna clear up recurring infections, both viral and bacterial, eat some with omega-3 rich foods, like hemp, flax, borrage oil.) Woooo hooo! Fight the bad stuff in your body, with She-RA power! Wild cilantro, is something i discovered in Costa Rica. It is a thin long flat leaf, ok i just took a picture, much easier:) I never saw it in San Francisco, but maybe in the Mexican markets, they must have it. If not, good old skinny cilantro is still amazing.

More detailed cilantro research here, if you really wanna learn more:)

decadency in the jungle

ahhh, life in costa rica...in montezuma in the rainy season....everyday the present opens up with beautiful flowers, crashing waves, lots of sand, a little rain drop, soft breeze, fireflies....discoveries of routine daily life is so precious, i love my life now. Sure it changes daily; I can't promise emotional stability now, but I am working on it:) Organico is closed, I am as lazy as any cricket and yes, the ants are working hard on finishing my red quinoa smuggled from San Francisco...But, I am happy to be lazy, it seems like not enough time just to be. Note to my 90 year old self, you were happy and lazy at 33 so suck it up and dance like crazy and don't worry about rice and beans:))

Anyway, long introduction, laziness comes with its benefits of discovering decadencies, self comfort, more digging into how can I enhance this experience of pleasure, i feel like royalty in my sand castle! So, of course coffee for a vegan girl was decadent with soy milk at home and black anywhere else...until...I discovered something new at a friend's castle. Coconut Milk! I had it with regular coffee and immediately tried it with cappuccino...aaaaahhh, what was i thinking, creamy, delicious, mostly, decadent!!! It is a very rich experience...So enjoy a cup of coffee for me, with coconut milk, and smile to your inner goddess and start dancing before 90!!!

oh, here is a video too...sorry it is on you tube and no access from Turkey....

Magic Pudding....

I am not a fan of puddings. I dont like spending time at the stove and constantly mixing under heat, especially in the tropics. Until I discovered chia seeds! Here is a great super speedy recipe that does not need any stove time plus all the benefits of chia seeds...high in omega-3 fatty acids (in fact, the highest-known vegetable source of omega-3s!) and a 1-oz. serving contains about 4grs of protein. Check out more benefits of this amazing seed here...

Ok, one last thing, if you hate tapioca pudding, pass this recipe with confidence:)))

Chia Pudding (serves 1-2):

1/2 cup chia seeds

1 1/2 cup milk (soy or other non-dairy milk, coconut or almond milk would be great too)
1/4 cup agave
a few dashes cinnamon
1 tablespoon of acai powder or 1 tablespoon cacao powder

a pinch of salt

chopped fresh fruit to top (optional)

Place the chia seeds in a bowl or covered container. Mix all the ingredients with a fork and let it soak on the counter for at least 10 minutes until thickened, or cover and soak in the fridge overnight.  Stir again before serving, and top with fresh fruit and another dash of cinnamon or spices.

Enjoy!

Green Coconut Chutney

Just before my San Francisco trip, I made this incredible coconut chutney...It is easy, delicious, mess-free and not to mention the amazing green color. Give this a try if you can find fresh coconut. You can serve it with curry and rice of course, or just with rice crackers, or as a sandwich spread with avocado and tomato. Ahhhhhh! Divine...If you can't finish it, highly unlikely, this green goodness keeps about  a week.

Green Coconut Chutney

makes about 1 cup

1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup grated fresh coconut (yes, I am blessed to have fresh coconut)
1 cup lightly packed coarsely chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, pounded with a mortar and pestle
About 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
About 1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons agave (2 tsp brown sugar)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garam masala
dash of cayenne pepper, or more as you wish...

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 2 minutes, until you get a smooth-ish texture...It will not be like smooth paste, but will have compact consistency, not too thick or too runny. Taste and be creative to adjust to your liking- add more lime, salt or agave to make your own perfect version...I like it tart and a little salty. You can't mess up with this recipe, I promise!

Recipe adjusted mostly from http://www.asiandumplingtips.com/2009/07/indian-coconut-and-cilantro-green-chutney-recipe-lili-chatni.html

San Francisco Dream

I'm back!
It's been ages and I feel guilty for not sharing new recipes or updates for such a long time. I was in San Francisco for two weeks and it was like a dream...It's been 3 years and damn I missed that place so much. I was overwhelmed, way too emotional, joyful and lots of tears. Connecting with old friends, deep conversations on my life and what the hell I am doing in a little town (!!! Pura Vida) and lots of laugher, and of course amazing food:)) I could not even get to see many friends, it is amazing how fast all happened...Life in Montezuma is so slow compared to the city or maybe I got much slower, I would take hours in a store just observing people, or be fascinated by amazingly packaged raw foods and of course Iphone...it was like a big show for me...Even the yoga classes felt different, a lot tougher at fast forward speed.

My little sister now lives in Berkeley, so I am going to be back, because it was totally not enough. I uploaded some pictures from the trip...The best moments were the first hugs with my old friends, the feeling of returning home, feeling the love, still get teary :) and really to see how much I have grown in these three years, no more be a vegan or else fights!!!..Before I was anxious to figure it all out, to know, to learn, to just get it all done, run in any direction, finish it, aaaah, mind blowing city rush...and the big question of what is the meaning of all this...Good news, I am not in a rush to figure it out anymore, at least I know that enjoying the moment, and breathing the joy is good enough. I don't know what the hell I am doing, but I am back home packed with weird looking, strange, exotic new ingredients (black chickpeas, xtan-gum, kale chips, gotu kola, peanut butter chips (!!!), coconut yogurt....and another load of luggage!) I will be back baking and want to share more. Is there anyone reading my blog anymore? I know you do dad:)) I love you!

Please have your greens daily! Not only for your physical health but really for your mental and emotional body, greens are vital. I had a green juice almost everyday at Cafe Gratitude...One of the best places in San Francisco and Berkeley and the staff is just fantastic. They gave me the recipe so I will share it with you. It is not the recipe but the love that makes the food special. I love sharing recipes and you add the love. You can do it at home, 50% cucumber, 35% celery, 15% kale or spinach and 1/2 lemon....so easy...Happy Greens! My good friend Ozlem had a blast trying her first green juice, yes it takes time to get used to it, especially after SF mojitos!!!

wandering around...

it was my first day off since four weeks today...I needed to get out and just be, take space and uplift myself... i strolled around the streets, read, shopped, drank over sweet chai at Starbucks, met an amazing couple at their 90's who told me about their Istanbul and childhood stories...even discovered an all organic spice and herb store and bought Surme, all natural eye makeup used by the Arabs, sorry could only find a Turkish link for the benefits. Now back home, with my pretty eyes, having an all green salad topped with roasted eggplants, artichokes, peas and buckwheat with pomegranate olive oil dressing, alone but not lonely.

then got the article from Daily Om, feeling much better already....


June 12, 2009
Fanning the Creative Flames
Boredom

The human mind thrives on novelty. What was once a source of pleasure can become tedious after a time. Though our lives are full, boredom lurks around every corner because we innately long for new experiences. Yet boredom by its very nature is passive. In this idle state of mind, we may feel frustrated at our inability to channel our mental energy into productive or engaging tasks. We may even attempt to lose ourselves in purposeless or self-destructive pursuits. While this can be a sign of depression, it can also be an invitation issued from your mind, asking you to challenge yourself. Boredom can become the motivation that drives you to learn, explore the exotic, experiment, and harness the boundless creative energy within.

In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, boredom is perceived as a pathway to self-awareness. Boredom itself is not detrimental to the soul—it is the manner in which we respond to it that determines whether it becomes a positive or a negative influence in our lives. When you respond by actively filling the emptiness you feel lurking in yourself, you cultivate creativity and innovation. If, when in the grip of boredom, you have difficulty acknowledging the merits of any activities you might otherwise enjoy, generate your own inspiration. Before you find yourself beset by boredom, create a list of tasks you can consult when it feels like there is simply nothing to do. Referring to a list of topics you want to learn more about, projects you've yet to begin, or even pending chores can spark your creative energy and reawaken your zest for life.

When we are troubled by boredom, it is not that there is nothing to do but rather that we are not stimulated by the options before us. A bored mind can be the canvas upon which innovation is painted and the womb in which novelty is nourished. When you identify boredom as a signal that you need to test your boundaries, it can be the force that presses you to strive for opportunities you thought were beyond your reach and to indulge your desire for adventure.

istanbul days...

I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.
Joseph Campbell

companion

i love joseph campbell...i first read him in 1999, and made some of my bravest decisions with his "jump it is not as wide as you think" quote. It was really not that wide:)

While going thru the old stuff at home, I found my first Campbell book. Tons of memories, charged with emotions from all directions, past depressions, joy, cries for strength, being lost, not knowing where to start...looking at the past with my clear mind now, I see so many things shift, change and weaken. Impermanence.  Where I am now, i do see the journey that has started long time ago and i am loving reading through him again, discovering me, depths of the beauty and the pain, such a blessing to connect with his joy and the "companion".

this is for you, enjoy...

the privilege of a lifetime is being
who you are

the goal of the hero trip
down to the jewel point
is to find those levels in the psyche
that open open open
and finally open to the mystery
of your Self
being buddha consciousness
or the Christ.

that is the journey.

happy full moon...

how lucky we are to be alive, to breath, to be free and just be. celebrating me, you, family, love, life, happiness. my dad got out from the hospital and we had dinner last night, no fighting for a couple of hours, first time ever at home....happy full moon!


Full Moon in Sagittarius
Sunday, June 7, 2009
11:12am PDT
17º 07'

©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
All rights reserved

Sagittarius represents idealism, faith, enthusiasm, the quest for meaning, and a generosity of spirit. The Full Moon in Sagittarius is an invitation to bask in the light of some good old-fashioned Jupiterian optimism and joy! This Full Moon represents the union of the physical and the spiritual in the search for knowledge. Sagittarius wants to understand the totality of existence through "journeying" in all its forms. This sign loves to travel abroad to foreign lands or armchair travel with books and on the Internet. It also loves to move through the spirit realms, and use the mind to uncover deeper levels of the psyche or theorize about philosophical and moral issues. The bright fire of knowledge is at its apex on a Full Moon in Sagittarius.

This Full Moon is tempered by a T-square with Sun in Gemini and Saturn in practical Virgo and Mars/Venus/Mercury in grounded, show-me Taurus. That Mercury will be spiritually energized by a square to Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron conjunction in Aquarius. All this intense planetary energy focused around such an expansive Full Moon makes it perfect for a celebration: make a bonfire, gather friends and loved ones to while away the night telling stories of worlds seen and unseen. Share experiences of other cultures and far away places, or share your spiritual insights and speak about the paths and belief systems that worked and those that didn't. Open to the desire to understand your place in the universe, to know the deeper meaning of life, and to do both through investigation and conversation.

This is a great night to deepen wisdom though meditation, chanting, and prayer. Have your group gaze at the Moon, the stars, the vast ocean of sky above us, and seek connection with the universe. Use visualization to send them on this personal journey and then have them return to the gathering and share their insights with the group. The cosmic/global spiritual healing energy of Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron in Aquarius (the visionary) and Uranus in Pisces (awakening into healing) joins the grounded, bodily experience of Mars/Venus/Mercury in Taurus and Saturn in Virgo to form a rainbow bridge connecting personal insight with global awakening.

Since Sagittarius is naturally optimistic and enthusiastic, we can mine these qualities to help us find a calm center in these turbulent times. Going to new places expands your sense of who you are and how your life stacks up. After all, perspective is a great vehicle for growth and gratefulness, two Sagittarian ideals. Sagittarius is convinced that everything happens for a reason; no matter how painful or how hard the lesson.

The Sagittarian Moon represents the ideal form of communicating wisdom with compassion and joy. When you communicate do you do it with compassion? Do you look to help not hurt? Do you constantly talk or just talk to hear your own voice or do you speak with forethought and care? Words do have meaning and effect, so use them wisely and never as a weapon. But it is not enough to talk the talk; we must walk the walk as well.

All this deep insight will force the issue of clearly, honestly, seeing the dangerous and dark side of organized religion, which is ruled by Sagittarius. Causing death and abuse in the name of Allah, Yahweh, Jesus or any other god is a reflection of how disconnected the fundamentalist wings of the major religions are from true spiritual principles. Dogma and codification are the by-products of fossilized spirituality. Don't give in to their trickery, but insist on continuing your own search for truth and wisdom. Sun in Gemini brings openness to old spiritual beliefs while Jupiter/Neptune/Chiron in Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces jumpstart freethinking. Both loosen attachment to deluded old patterns and beliefs. Jupiter/Chiron/Neptune in Aquarius, Uranus in Pisces and Saturn in Virgo are crying out for new solutions to global hatred and disconnection that stems from fundamentalism. It is time to turn away from old, destructive notions of religion that keep us beholden to some intermediary for experience of the Divine. We have ready and direct access right now since our common source is an underlying blissful reality from which all existence arises. This is the truth of our interconnectivity and our sameness. Diversity is the key element to transforming our isolationist spiritual beliefs. True spirituality is all inclusive and all-loving.

This means that it is time to turn off your TV and tuning into the broadcast channel of existence. This particular part of the Sagittarian spectrum is all about questioning, postulating, and reaching for universal truths that exist outside the boundaries of spiritual/academic dogma and rhetoric. Isn't it interesting that over on the other end of the Sagittarian spectrum are the religious, political, economic, and educational institutions telling us what to believe, what to think, what to do and how to act. This is the paradox of Sagittarius: it seeks meaning, finds what it thinks is the truth, institutionalizes that truth for the masses, and then uses all its energy to stop adherents from searching for deeper truth and meaning.

Truth and meaning don't live somewhere far away. It is not in heaven, it is not in the words of some channeler, it is not in your guru, it is not in your church, it is not in your school, it is not in your therapist, it is not in your psychic, tarot card reader or astrologer, it is not in your government, it is not in your guides, angels, or other disembodied entities you have chosen to give away your power. The Earth is speaking to you, every minute of every day! The answers you seek are in the wind, the movement of the waves, in the activity in a bee hive or an ant hill, in the intelligence that moves the stars and planets, in the storms and earthquakes, in the songs of birds, in the howl of a wolf, in the grace of a deer, in the smile of your child/spouse/parent/friend

, in the sensual embrace of your lover, in the flowing water of a river, in the shape of a cloud, in the cosmic music of the shimmering particles and waves that make up our universe! Go outside, be in nature and tune in to the teachings of Mother Earth.

Get your Ego out of spirit's way and open yourself to listening deeply to the existent wisdom of our world. Accepting the animal part of humanity as a source of knowledge will help bring harmony, peace and generosity back to our deadened species. This is why Sagittarius is a Centaur: half animal, half human. Think about it, it will make sense to you! Above all else, make sure to spend this Full Moon celebrating your life with enthusiasm and optimism and sharing this joy with everyone you meet!

©2009 Lisa Dale Miller
All rights reserved