Here are a few dairy-free products I do not loath:
In 2017, the pain I've felt after eating for most of my life was finally determined to be... lactose intolerance. Over the past 2 years I have drastically reduced the amount of dairy in my diet, but 2018 is my dairy-free year! No more twisting, knotting, knife-in-the-gut stomach aches. No more sucking in my belly because I wore a pencil skirt to the 50's diner where I devoured a double grilled cheese and milkshake, and now have extreme, uncomfortable bloating. It's difficult being a Wisconsin girl who cannot partake in the party cheese platter, mac and cheese, eggnog, custard, grilled cheese, cheese dip, cheese curd, milkshake,... but I have yet to find a dairy-free cheese that has even tried to commit to the role of 'cheese substitute'. However, there are many other foods that are just as delicious AND Ben & Jerry's makes some incredible dairy-free ice creams. But no one makes a fake cheese that can even dream of passing as a cheese-like substance. Don't pretend like you did. And don't tell me about how it "melts just like real cheese" or that "I won't even be able to tell the difference." I cannot express enough how much I loath fake cheese. Here are a few dairy-free products I do not loath:
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For me, modeling has been a fun and slightly masochistic endeavor. On the very small and amateur scale I have experienced the industry and have gotten the chance to work with some amazing people, but have also had some disappointing encounters. One lesson I have learned in this short time has been the importance of supporting one another. To the degree I have received love, support, and encouragement from other models has been unexpected and much appreciated. During this time I made a lot more use of social media, and began to really notice the more negative interactions that exist between people in general. I recognize that when it comes to matters of moral or political dissonance, the origins of judgments have their merits, but judgment, in more general terms, can be detrimental to the existence of both community and inner peace. It can also stifle opportunities for positive change. If we are spending time worrying about someone else’s actions, clothing, body, etc., that should signal to us that we should really take a look at why we are so concerned with someone else's decisions. When we have a problem with someone, it’s just that… our problem. Judgment is a prideful assumption. We feel we are so aware of “right” and “wrong,” good, bad, fat, skinny, ugly, attractive, smart, stupid, successful, etc. that we are qualified to judge those around us. We may praise them, condemn them, or rank those around us, with particular interest in how they stack up next to us. I’ve heard many say that judgment is a sign that we feel we are superior to others. This is why we must ask ourselves why we are concerned in the first place. Do we feel superior, or do we judge them (either in positive or negative light) because we, in truth, feel inferior? There are times we judge because we are fearful. Fearful of change. Fearful that others may be judging us. There are a million possible origins of our judgment, but none of them lie within the one we are examining.
“If someone isn't what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.” - Paulo Coelho This week has not been going as I had hoped. I have had surprises left and right - none of which have been enjoyable. So I ask myself... what's going on here? I consider Mercury in retrograde. Is this the cause of my problems? Perhaps it plays a role, but beyond that, what am I doing wrong? How can I remedy these issues?
Tonight I ran out to get ingredients to make a detox soup. In the past few weeks my diet has been awful, and I recognize that some of my lethargy and other symptoms could be a direct result of this. I even stayed home sick from work today, which is not something I ever care to do, nor is it something I have had really needed to do in the past. I know I need to make some changes. I need to slow down and I need to be more conscious about actions. So, here I am, taking two major steps forward. Taking a break and taking action towards better health. But what happens on my way home? The car behind me is so riding so close to me that when the cars in front of me stop, and the car behind me doesn't even begin to slow down, I switch into the open lane quickly only to find the car behind me doing the same and slamming into the back of my car. Great. But guess what. The conversation ended well, we determined the accident was 50/50 and agreed to leave in peace and work on creating good karma. When I arrived home I still felt shaken. I worried I hadn't handled the situation to the best of my abilities. I wondered if my drive to understand what had just happened had come off as attacking or worse. What is the lesson I need to learn here and from every other incident that has taken place this week? What do I need to work on? I'm beginning to piece it together, but man... life can be confusing. Feeling so much gratitude. I was asked to teach at the studio I took my training at two days a week and am getting desk hours as well as sub opportunities. I will never get over how incredible it feels when things come into your life with grace and ease. It's truly empowering.
“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” - Patanjali It's amazing how quickly you can fall out of your practice and into a rut when things get crazy. As I am making my way back into my daily practice, I've been looking for inspiration. Today I found some. As I was working through a series that used to be a daily routine, I found myself taking child's pose. I was getting discouraged and angry with myself for losing the strength I had. That's when I heard a voice reminding me of something I had heard many times before. "Meet yourself where you are today." And I truly understood for the first time, if we meet ourselves just where we are, we are making the greatest step towards where we want to be. After a month-long tent trip across North America, I came home to purchase my first home and start a new job teaching 7th & 8th grade for the first time. Montessori style, of course. As the sole adolescent teacher, these new "adventures" have given me a less-than-stellar perception of myself. With excessive amounts of time being spent on lesson planning, cleaning, correcting, night school, and appeasing my boss's never-ending series of last minute requests, I have not taken the necessary time to practice in an embarrassingly long period of time. I need it. I crave it. And yet... I don't do it. Things that were going so right are beginning to alter their courses and I feel like my guides are calling... but how do I make the time? It may be the eternal question, but I know someone has some solutions. Advise me, please.
Last weekend, Amarjot made sure to fill an entire day with as much kundalini as possible. We also had some good discussions regarding desire, intention, and projection. I came to the conclusion that projection is what leads us to either desire or intention. Intention is achieved through truth, while desire is created through false perceptions (Bhrãntidarshan). We also talked about philosophies that teach "no desire." Essentially, we learn to desire not to desire. In place of this, we can learn to be content - santosa.
Another great discussion was based around the idea that if you are not open to learn, you are not ready to teach... this reminded me of a page from Be Here Now. I've begun illustrating my meditation and other yogic experiences again and should have some sketches up soon. I gifted my favorite one to the friend responsible for the inspiration of its creation after an intense ustrasana provided a heart opener.
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Ashley AnneYoga teacher, traveller, Montessori educator, model, and art enthusiast. Archives
December 2015
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