God's Allowance: Study Time

Study The Word More and Pray More

"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I strengthen you and help you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." ~ Isaiah 41:10-20

 

I had a dream and in this dream the bible verse 2 Timothy 3:17 was revealed to me  clear as day. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says: "¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

I was puzzled as to what God was trying to reveal to me. Everyone that knows me, knows that I am a master researcher and believe in conducting research prior to any purchase, ideas or questions one may have. So I took to the Internet for clarity or further interpretation of the word.

And BOOM it hit me....God wants me to pay more attention to Him and He wants me to focus my attention on Him and his word. I thank God for the smallest things. I thank god for the smallest things ... my first $20 earned selling my possessions on Ebay... God is ever present in my life. God subconsciously revealed to me that I need to turn to his words.

Seek comfort in the word for whatever is troubling me. God allows you to go through difficult times or go without in attempts for you to rely on His powers opposed to relying on your own understanding and will. God may want you to learn that you need him more than your heart's desires. At the moment, things seem to be piling up for me. I've been out of work for 6 months/actively seeking employment, bills are present, my daughter is going through minor medical treatments and I'm trying to launch a business with my sister. It's easy for me to experience discouragement and anxiety. I pray everyday and all day that God make moves on my situation and to continue to hold my hand during this self-proclaim difficult time.  I am inspired by your mercy Lord on my soul.

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you ~Psalm 37:5

 I read the bible frequently, but now the bible is means more than turning to it on Sundays. The bible is food for my soul. God has his ways of grabbing my attention and this time He chose to reveal himself through my dream. I admit that I get frustrated with my current situation but God has never let me down and has ALWAYS been on time...to rescue me from me and whatever evils of discouragement, loneliness, anxiety, fear, depression and confusion that may be present. I will turn more to meditate on god's word when I feel discouraged, uninspired, sad, happy, inspired and glad.

"When trouble strikes, don't get frustrated with God. Instead, admit that you need God's help and thank him for being by your side"  ~Psalm 34:18-19

God has spoken to my heart millions of time and I feel this time is God's way of telling me - don't let the world's problem be your problem. Be still and listen to me and know that I have your best interest and I know that your future is brighter than any star in the universe. Seek me, talk to me ,  

The best way I could summarize my use of  God's Allowance: Study Time is through song. I love Yolanda Adam's song, "Bestill" and it best sums up my dream and the message God wanted to teach me. Be still and listen to his word

 


Slow down come closer, listen...
It's been a long time since we've
Gotten together like this.
And I really miss you.
I told you you could talk to me
But it's easy for you I see
For you to rush and get in a hurry
To be anxious and to worry.
Instead of coming to me,
And remaining in my safety.
You'd rather do it all yourself
But you know you need my help...

Your best is in my hands, your success is in my plan
With tenderness I speak to you, in restfulness I keep you
I'll wash your fears away so doubt can never stay
When I stand strong in you, I give you power to renew
But You never take the time out,
Sit in silence and to find out
I've always been right here, waiting on you to come near me

Dreams are direct reflections of the soul. God softly whispers his instructions and plans to your heart. As Yolanda Adams said....

Sit in silence and to find out
I've always been right here, waiting on you to come near me

"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act."      ~ Psalm 37:7

My prayer: May god bless you and me as we experience life, enjoy the ups and down and evolve into the person god wants and desires for us to be. I love you Lord!

~Experience.Enjoy.Evolve....Love!

Pilates Reformer Experience

My Pilates Reformer Experience

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the Titanic.  ~ Unknown

Pilates Reformer at In2Fitness Gym- Pembroke Pines!

Today, I had the awesome privilege of partaking in my very first pilates reformer exercise class with Christine DeStefano of TransForm Pilates Studios . Classes are held within the In2Fitness gym Pembroke Pines.

I was joined in class with 3 other ladies ( 2 advanced and 1 fairly new to pilates reformer. For a newbie, I did pretty darn good hanging in there with the more advanced pilates reformer students.

I have always been interested in pilates and the art form of stretching as exercise. I have to be honest, I was sort of prepped for such an engaging and intense exercise due to my workouts with my chiropractor (a.k.a. "drill Sargent" just kidding...I love him to pieces- the parts that are not sore after our workout). I am used to engaging the core and tons and tons of abs exercising and balancing using the bosu ball. The only difference is the pilates reformer machine MOVES! when you may not necessarily be ready to move.

The reformer is comprised of: a "carriage" - bed-like movable flat board;  multi-colored springs - spring tension; and a pulley system. The reformer is designed to increase flexibility, posture, strengthen the core and overall balance.

Pilates reformer benefits:

1. Overall strengthen of core (abs, buttocks, thighs, etc.)
2. Increase flexibility and movement
3. Improve overall posture
4. Relief from pain associated physical ailments such as lower back

There are probably more benefits, but as I continue with my pilates reformer classes, I will be able to lengthen the list - OR  I will leave it up to the experts to explain the benefits.

Here are some of the exercises Christine engaged the class in today:

• The footwork - purpose: to stretch the lower back and engage the feet
• Heels on the bar - purpose: to stretch and "wake up" the lower back and heels
• Short box - round back - purpose: to engage the abs and pelvis by forming a c- curve with your back
• "Goal Post" - purpose: to engage the core (abs) by pulling the straps with one hand up to a point and then release to form a football goal post.
• Short box- Flat back with pole - purpose: to engage abs, obliques and core to improve posture. It's very important to breathe - inhale/exhale.....oohhh ahhhh , oohhh ahhhh!
• Torso rotation  - "stirring the pot" - purpose: to engage obliques and abs while on pulling the straps in a circular motion and return with arm close to body.
• Side lying abduction - purpose: to strengthen the hip and butt muscles. Lie on carriage- butt towards the back - place your foot in the strap and bend the alternate leg. Proceed to stretch the leg straight and then pull forward in front of your body (my description). You will feel this burn in your buns!!!  A good bun burn!!! 

The reason I sought pilates reformer as a new form of exercising was due to my severe lower back pain that I've experienced for years since my car accident. 

My broken foot x-ray

In 2005, I was involved a car accident which resulted in me suffering a broken right foot. 3 surgeries and 4 screws later, I now experience sciatica.  According to Mayo Clinic, Sciatica ..."usually affects only one side of the lower body. Often, the pain extends from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also extend to the foot or toes."

With all other options expended, I wanted to try something new...reformer pilates it is! I can't wait until my next class.  I will keep you posted with my progress!!!!

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. ~Seneca

~Smooches!

April Raquel Blue Martini Industry Monday Music Showcase

BLUE MARTINI- MARY BRICKELL VILLAGE

Industry Mondays!

April Raquel Music Showcase at Blue Martini - Mary Brickell Village

Hola Chicas and Chicos....

Nadashi Marketing and April Raquel has teamed up again to work on another awesome project.

April Raquel, South Florida's R&B Rock Soultress, has requested Nadashi Marketing to create another slamming flyer to promote her upcoming musical showcase.  Nadashi Marketing absolutely LOVE working with April - an artist who's not afraid to try something new and it shows in her craft and marketing efforts.

On Monday, July 16th at 9:30pm, Blue Martini - Mary Brickell Village is hosting their world famous "Industry Mondays" where local artists showcase their talents on stage.

Nadashi Marketing is SO excited to support local talent and most of all excited to show major support to our most talented client, Ms. April Raquel!!!

Here's a clip of one of April Raquel's live onstage performance of Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" at BB King's West Palm Beach. Enjoy!

...Looking so "Crazy in Love"...got me lookin', got me lookin' so Crazy in Love!!!

About Nadashi Marketing

Created by Miami-born sisters, Nadia and Natasha Sweeting, Nadashi Marketing was launched in the fall of 2010. Nadashi Marketing is a rare combination of talents merging to create a dynamic business awesome-ship. We’re a marketing and branding boutique firm poised to assist businesses and entrepreneurs as they rise to the next level.

The Tantric Body: You Are So Much More Than You Know

The Tantric Body: You Are So Much More Than You Know

 by Katie Silcox

June 25, 2012

Two big questions that most human beings will ponder at some point in their lives: “Who am I?” and “How can I get more of what I want in my life?”

Some of us may even ask ask them on a daily basis.

One of the things I love about the Tantric yoga tradition is its systematic approach to answering both of these inquiries. The Taittiriya Upanishad, one of the most important yogic scriptures, says that if we really want to know who we are, and get more joy and fulfillment in life, we gotta get to know our subtle anatomy.

Why? Because we are, according to Tantric anatomy, not one, but a composite of five bodies (pancha koshas): the physical body, the energetic body, the mental/emotional body, the inner-teacher or wisdom body, and the bliss body. When we can bring awareness into the deep layers of each of these bodies, we gain access to our highest, most evolved, powerful Self.

Body Mapping
Each of these bodies comes with their own limitations, access points, and super-powers. The more we know about each one of them, and the more familiar we get in their unique flavors, the more we have a relationship to them. And when we can relate them as as layers of who we are, the more they begin to show us their hidden contents.

The teachings go on to explain that what is hidden in these bodies is both our unconscious negative patterning, as well as our greatest gifts and powers. When the patterns that are hidden in the bodies emerge, we are no longer under the pull of the unconscious stuff. We can now get more of what we truly want as we bring the limitations and the latent capacities of the unconscious to the surface. In the end, when we penetrate the last layer of who we are, we are left with an endless power to create, act, and know.

Access Points

The physical. Many activities invite us into the physical body. Asana, for example, is an excellent way to tune in. We can feel our bones and they way they stack on top of each when we come into a Plank Pose. What happens to the tops of your thighs when you do Warrior 1 for long enough? Perhaps a burning sensation or a “shaking with joy.” Dancing will also bring you into the physical. So will a big meal, strong pain, sex, or a sunburn.

The energetic. Commonly referred to as the prana body, this can be felt when we keep the physical body still. We experience prana, according to the teachings, as subtle moving sensations like vibration and pulse, or we see it when we close our eyes as color or light. We can also experience prana as the impulse that pulls breath into the body (without us trying at all), and the force that causes air to leave again. This is one of the reasons the yogis encouraged such a strong connection to the breath. Prana also rides along the many intelligent processes in the body: the heart beat, the circulation of blood, and the capacity of our sensory organs.

The mental/emotional. This is where many of us spend a lot of time. It’s the part of us that thinks, plans, decides, emotes, and reacts. Its also the part of us that over-thinks, obsessively plans, sits in indecision, represses emotion instead of channeling it, and overreacts. Meditation is a wonderful way to access this body in a balanced and helpful way. Simply sitting and watching your thoughts, opinions, and judgements with a sense of detachment can give you more access to witnessing (and being less identified by the pulls of) this body.

The inner teacher. This is also often called the Wisdom Body. We can think of it as the highest aspect of our intuition and conscience. It’s the part of you that urges you out of bed to meditate or go for a run when you’d much rather lounge in the sheets checking Facebook. It’s the part of us that always knows the right path to take. Just like we would lift weights to make the physical body strong, we strengthen this body by sitting in silence, and sharpening our ability to hear the voice of our soul. When this body is strong, our daily actions become giant steps forward in the direction of our highest life purpose, our calling, our big destiny. We move from a place of knowingness instead of reaction.

The bliss. It’s pretty amazing that the subtlest aspect of who we are, at the core of all the other bodies, is referred to as an ocean of unending waves of bliss. Ironically, we access this body by actually dis-identifying with everything. To practice being in your bliss body, you can try the Tantric practice of neti neti, a word meaning “not this, not that.” In a meditative seat, notice what arises in your field of awareness. A thought about your job pops up and you say/acknowledge, “I’m not that.” You feel your low back ache a little, same thing: “I’m not that.” You feel your desire for more intimate love, “I’m not that.” A hunger pang arises, “I’m not this.” You sense light in front of your forehead, “I’m not that.” You may even feel, for a split second, the bliss. And in that moment, remember, “I’m not even that.” The more you keep surrendering into non-identification, the more, the teachings promise, the bliss can flow.