Archive for the ‘Health & Beauty’ Category
November 9, 2009
by Megan Faulkner
The Australian Institute of Health and Wellness (www.aihw.gov.au) has recently published (11 September 2009) health expenditure data for arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders in Australia for 2004-05.
More than 6 million Australians are effected by these conditions and direct health care expenditure was $4billion which equates to 7.5% of the total allocated health expenditure in Australia http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10699.
Osteoarthritis accounted for one third of the costs and alot of it is associated with hospital expenditure for hip and knee replacements, and medications.
As someone who suffers from mild Osteoarthritis and who is always looking for the most natural solution to the problem, Read the rest of this entry »
October 21, 2009
Interview with Terces and Matthew Engelhart by Megan Faulkner
Cafe Gratitude - San Francisco
I have always been a healthy eater, I am a vegetarian and try to be conscious of getting a fairly good balance of fresh fruit and vegetables in my diet, one of my favorite places to eat in Sydney is IKU for it’s creative raw and macrobiotic meals.
Since moving to San Francisco I have really appreciated it’s focus on sourcing local produce, much of it organically grown. I was intrigued when I first visited Cafe Gratitude, a cafe dedicated to healthy vegan and raw food meals, drinks and delicious desserts.
However, as I have discovered there is so much more to the ‘Cafe Gratitude’ phenomenon than just the food, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to interview the founders of Cafe Gratitude, Matthew and Terces Engelhart.
Tell ‘Gorgeous Things’ readers about the philosophy behind Cafe Gratitude?
Matthew Engelhart I met Terces in September 2000, and about six months later we realised we wanted to have a life together, our children were grown. We said “what’s this life going to look like that we’re going to create”, and we somehow concluded that “how about we just live our life from inner guidence”.
It’s not about strategising how to get to the beach with a Pina Colada and a retirement nest egg, but what if we just followed inner guidence and surrendered to that.
One of the first insights we got was to invent a board game. This board game was to train people in what we call ‘the being of abundence’, to extract people from the ’scarcity paradigm’, not enough money, not enough time, not enough beauty, not enough love, not enough, not enough, not enough….that human beings have found themselves in.
So we spent a year kind of just sitting down at a blank canvas so to speak, with some dice and some index cards, and we spent a year creating this game. About a year into that we got the idea to develop a workshop around the game, to write a book around the game, then finally because we saw how difficult it was to inspire people to take time to do a workshop…everyone has to eat, lets have a gaming parlour where people come and have coffee, eat a croissant and play this game.
In the mean time we tried to experiment with a raw food diet on Terces insight. We tried it for thirty days and felt so good and so alive, and so clear that we said “Oh I guess it’s going to be a raw food gaming parlour. I would say that’s the humble beginnings.
So the Cafe actually started out of the game?
Terces Engelhart Yes, we created the game first
And the name of the game is…?
ME ‘The Abounding River’. That game and there is also a book with a 42 day practice in it that are for sale on Amazon and CafeGratitude.com.
Is a raw food diet safe?
October 12, 2009
In a single moment I felt the deep inner wisdom of what it really means to be a woman. The moment was a simple interaction between myself and an incredibly charming man - and this simply is how it went.
I was part of a group who’d been listening to the aforementioned gentleman speak on a subject he seemed incredibly passionate about. At the end of his presentation I decided to go over and personally thank him for sharing his knowledge in such an inspiring way. He saw me approach him and smiled as he put his hand out to shake mine – I could feel the energy build between us as I approached and decided I’d just smile and continue to breath calmly and fully. I chose to be present – and I now actually know what that really means.
As our hands touched and our fingers folded to clasp firmly, I met his gaze at closer than usual quarters, then thanked and praised him for his presentation. He beamed a warm smile and thanked me for coming along. At which point it would have been quite natural for him to release my hand and acknowledge the person behind me waiting to thank him also. Instead we stood for a moment, held each others gaze and seemingly enjoyed the exchange of energy.
Now I don’t know what you’d call that in the Tantric world but to me it was something quite beautiful. A passionate, present man, standing together with a calm, present woman – now that’s an experience I will cherish and re-create at any opportunity.
I felt like a woman – that’s the only way I can describe it.
“Thanks Martina…it was something special to be part of your Day for Women…and without a doubt – a life altering experience.”
Related Posts
www.gorgeousthings.com.au/blog/waaaaay-outside-my-comfort-zone/
www.gorgeousthings.com.au/blog/natural-way-to-better-sex/
September 28, 2009
- Want to know how to get luscious locks without all the chemical nasties?
- Maybe you have sensitive skin that reacts to conventional beauty products?
- Or, perhaps you want to know how to bring your abundant inner beauty to the outside?
Here’s 32 Tips & Tricks to do all of that and so much more!
DOWNLOAD NOW – PDF (500kb)
32 Natural Beauty Tips & Tricks from Gorgeous Things
Hey there pretty lady! While you’re here – why not join the Gorgeous Things Facebook page and mailing list for regular NEW TIPS & TRICKS
September 26, 2009
In the name of possibly life-changing research and leading the way forward for all you gorgeous women who’ve ever thought – ‘Tantra…isn’t that just about multiple orgasms and something Sting and his wife always go on about in Women’s Weekly’? I’m putting myself on the line, stepping way outside of the suburban sensibilities of my lower middle class up-bringing and delving into the world of Tantric practice. Wish me luck!
You may recall, I met the lovely Martina Hughes, Founder of Tantric Blosso
ming at the Mind Body Spirit Festival in Sydney some time ago. Martina recently wrote an inspiring post for the Gorgeous Things blog as a bit of an introduction to Tantra.
It might interest you to know - Martina’s post was the most read item of our Newsletter that month. So I know that many of you are interested in the subject and learning about the benefits of connecting with yourself and your partner on a much deeper level.
Your interest and my own curiosity has lead me to sign myself up for a Tantric Blossoming course and I’ll be sharing my experiences with you here on the blog. Read the rest of this entry »
September 12, 2009
I’m sharing this very personal little story with you because I was surprised at how many of my girlfriends have experienced something similar and never shared their experience – with me or anyone else. We all have our secrets but there are some secrets that when shared, become a source of joy and acceptance rather than shame and judgement.
How does that song go…
“Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
Join the Gorgeous Things Facebook Group - FREE Ebook on Natural Beauty Tips & Tricks for Facebook Fans – Coming in September!
Read the rest of this entry »
August 30, 2009
When all else fails…Meditate
by Megan Faulkner
I’m sure we have all had those nights before an important event, lying awake sleepless, thinking of things to do, to then check off in the morning. During one such evening recently, where reading provided no respite, I came back to the basic principles of meditation I had learnt.
I focused on the simple act of breathing slowly…in, and…out, and after a few rounds found myself feeling sleepy, my consciousness shifted and because I was lying down I fell asleep.
This led me to ponder the question – ‘Can meditating be better than sleep?’ I have heard that some Buddhist Monks can go without sleep for days by practicing extended periods of meditation, with the result being a clearer and more efficient and effective mind.
The difference is that sleep is a state where the conscious mind is no longer active, the body rests and the senses no longer respond to external stimuli. The brain remains active but in a subconscious state. Read the rest of this entry »
August 15, 2009
Hi Gorgeous Things Fans,
My name is Megan, and I am really excited about joining Lesley-Ann and the Gorgeous Things Team. I am a proud little Aussie, Occupational Therapist, student, wife, yoga devotee, healthy living junkie (with the odd glass of Sauv Blanc for good measure), and hopefully in the not too distant future, mother. I have recently moved to California, and whilst soaking up the sunshine and studying for my Masters in Occupational Therapy, I look forward to spreading the word about the fabulous products and lifestyle education Gorgeous Things supports. I also look forward sharing some of my experiences from the other side of the pond.
I have decided to start off with something I believe strongly in, though am not always the best at committing to…A Regular Meditation Practice. When practiced consistently, the benefits definitely do exist. Whether it is establishing a personal practice independently or through group sitting, it can be simpler than you think. The hardest part is starting and discovering what works best for you, and that can also be the ‘fun’ part.
Whenever life gets busy it seems to be harder to maintain a practice even though it is the time we need it the most.
The benefits of meditation can include:
- Improved sleep, and possibly need for less sleep
- Improved concentration
- More general peace in daily life and a more positive outlook
- A calmer way of dealing with challenging and stressful situations. Problem solving becomes easier
- Meditation enables a higher state of alertness and consciousness
The last can often be the most surprising for us, when you first see yourself NOT explode at the sign of trouble. Phew what a relief! Read the rest of this entry »
July 26, 2009
There was that cute line in Legally Blonde where Luke Wilson says something to Reece Witherspoon about the Day Spa being her character’s ‘Mothership’. I loved that film and had a good giggle at that particular exchange between the seemingly frivolous Elle Woods and her endearingly besotted supervisor.
Anyway, we all know there was nothing frivolous about Elle Woods in Legally Blonde – and there’s nothing frivolous about wanting to take care of your skin and presenting yourself in the way that’s increases your confidence.
We know it’s tough times ladies, money is tight and something’s gotta give. So I thought I’d share with you how I’ve cut back trips to the salon by doing some treatments at home. There’s 3 recipies your can DIY for salon quality results and save yourself a packet in the process.
What I’ve had to do is divide the procedures and treatments that I enjoy into 3 categories.
- Essential Professional
- Essential DIY
- Treats
Essential Professional Treatments & Procedures
We all have different levels of skill when it comes to DIY beauty treatments and I’ve decided that these are my ‘don’t kid yourself’ procedures. Read the rest of this entry »
July 11, 2009
I really do feel for our gorgeous men – they have to listen to those undignified ‘impotence’ and ‘nasal delivery’ radio ads; and of course none of us are safe from the demoralising billboards that bellow at us in big bold letters as we drive our cars along any major thoroughfare – that the answer to any of our self-esteem problems, is to make sex last longer with the help of a nasal spray.
It’s not unexpected that companies are now targeting womens’ libido too. An ad in The Sunday Telegraph’s Body & Soul section announced to me that I could increase my libido, thus enjoying more sex, more often – by taking a little pill. Great! Perhaps the pill works, but like every other miracle pill on the market – what happens when you stop taking it? Personally, I’d rather get some insight into perhaps why my libido may have faded, or why sex with my partner isn’t meeting my expectations and go from there. I can though, understand why the pill or the ‘nasal spray’ seems like a much easier solution to many people.
After seeing an inspiring TV program about Tantra that featured Martina Hughes from Tantric Blossoming; much to my delight, about a week later she happened to stop by the Gorgeous Things stand at the Mind, Body, Spirit Festival. I’m not one to waste an opportunity so I was thrilled when she agreed to share her insights here on the Gorgeous Things blog.
Martina Hughes – Tantric Blossoming
Most people are engaging sexually via the mind, using fantasy and role-play with very little sensation or feeling in the bodies. Over time, the capacity of the mind to create arousal becomes limited, as sexual energy belongs in the body. In tantra we use breathing, feeling, movement, communication and the natural polarity of masculine and feminine to bring sex into the body. Tantric Blossoming creates experiences for men and women to engage more deeply with sexual energy and feeling in the body.
Tantra and feeling sex in the body arises from the connection between masculine and feminine polarities. A woman’s positive polarity is her heart Read the rest of this entry »
