The Huon Valley Tasmania Australia.
Our home.
Happy Thoughts Newsletter
Edition Six ~ December 2009
The Happy Thought
Soft warm rice is easily digested and also good to warm the body
Change of Contact Details, Nala Pakana, 350 Scarrs Road, Garden Island Creek, Tasmania, Australia, 7112. Email address remains the same info@inalife.com.au
Nala Pakana is the name of our property, in the language of the native peoples of this land it means this, Nala (Earth) Pakana (People). As well as being our home, it is also an example of sustainable, self suficient living in harmony with nature, domesticated animals which provide us with food (we are vegetarian), company, protection and lots of humour too.
If you are coming to Tasmania and would like some organic chai, a reading, a guided bush walk or to learn more about sustainable living and see it in action, please pop in.
Movie Review
'No man of her own'
Directed by
Wesley Ruggles
My Family and Other Animals is an autobiographical work by naturalist Gerald Durrell, telling of the part of his childhood he spent on the Greek island of Corfu between 1935 and 1939.
This very entertaining book describes the life of the Durrell Family on the island in a humorous manner, and also richly discusses the fauna of the island.
My Family and Other Animals is quite simply, hilarious. Reading it transports you to the Greeks Islands and the magnificently slow and eccentric lives of the locals, deep blue waters and afternoon naps. Not to mention the antics of a child fascinated with animals and nature.
A book to be enjoyed by one and all and certainly a read which will leave you smiling and wanting to visit the Greek Islands that is for sure.
Book Review
'My Family and Other Animals’
written by Gerald Durrell
Spotlight on
The Tasmanian Blue Gum
The Tasmania Blue Gum lives in Tasmania Australia
Ed; Where were you born Blue Gum ?
BG; I was born in Tasmania Australia many thousands of years ago, I also live on some of the islands in Bass Strait and in some places in Victoria Australia.
Ed; What did you want to be when you grew up ?
BG; A strong tree 100 meters tall, which is how big we grow you know.
Ed; Why was that ?
BG; To provide a place for the Wedge Tailed Eagles to Nest
Ed; What’s your favourite animal ?
BG; Oh gee, the Wedge Tailed Eagle and perhaps the Southern Brown Bandicoot, Isoodon obesulus.
Ed; Why is that ?
BG;The Wedgies (as their friends call them) are the most regal and powerful bird in the sky. With feet as big as a man's hand they soar on the currents of the wind up and down many meters of height without the slightest flap. I'm so tall, but they soar above me with ease.
The Southern Brown Bandicoot as they have the most funny sense of humour, even though they like to keep to themselves... it's the way they walk and move around. So serious and yet so very childlike.
Ed; Do you have brothers and sisters ?
BG; Oh yes ! I have many. We are quite concerned with the logging that takes place though, so many of us are being killed off for pulp only. I get worried for the Eagles and other creatures too you know.
Ed; What's your favourite colour ?
BG; Blue of course.
Ed; Why is that ?
BG; Because when we are babies our leaves are the most wonderful blue colour and our seeds are also blue.
Ed; If you could be a super hero,
which super hero would you be?
BG; I'd be a 'Tree Sitter' they sit up in the trees for months on end to get in the way of logging, they are so BRAVE and strong.
Ed; If you could be a mystical creature, what would you be ?
BG; Oh definately a bush faery.
Ed; Why is that ?
BG; They have the most wonderful parties.
Ed; If you could re-introduce one thing back into society, what would it be ?
BG; Hand tools for woodwork
Ed; Why ?
BG; I think that when people work with hand tools they really get to know the wood they work with and they create such beautiful things.
Ed; Tell us about your pets...
BG; I don't have any, we are all wild and free.
Ed; What words of wisdom do you want to impart ?
BG; Look up, look up until your head won't go back any further.
This will bring you the feeling of life, the 'bigness of it'.
Ed; Thank you Blue Gum !
What is it that we want more than anything ? What is it that we ALL want more than anything ?
What one want (other than food and water etc) do we all have in common, regardless of race, age, status.
I think it is to be happy.
We all want to be happy, we all want to feel pleasure not stress and pain.
This brings two things to mind for me... what can we do to increase our happiness and we all want it, this same thing, then can we not help each other to achieve this want ?
The presence of happiness is there if there is lack of pain, so it seems logical to let go of the pain and then happiness will flow.
So next we can ask, what causes our stress and pain ?
This is a really big topic, but let's just look at the most simple things that hold us back from experiencing happiness.
There is only one place, just one that you can find peace and calm. Is it at the beach ? Is it in your favourite restaurant ? Is it while you are asleep ? Is it while you are doing yoga or watching your favourite film ?
All of these places/activities can easily become not so peaceful if inside of you there is upset, you see, the upset is not OUTSIDE of us but INSIDE of us. We take both upset or happiness with us wherever we go. We all do this and this is what makes us equal, in the same boat.
If happiness is in us, then let's look at some things which interfere with it coming up and out.
It's there, it's there in us just sitting quietly and if given the chance to rise up, it will, that is what is natural for it to do.
So for the next month, experiment with removing the things which block it from rising up.
(some hints ** processed foods block our body, televisions and 2d screens block our minds, ignoring our body's needs for sleep and connection to nature blocks our ability to rejuvenate).
If we dangle something to attract the upset and stress (see above list), it will rise up and if we dangle something to attract the happiness in us it will rise up. (some hints ** fresh unprocessed (I believe organic and vegetarian )foods stimulate our hormones and body, health = happiness, interactions with people, animals, activities that stimulate face to face communication, humour, feelings of connectedness, early to bed and early to rise allows time to rejuvenate to feel vibrant, a walk in the garden uplifts our whole being !)
ONLY dangle things which attract the happiness up.
At first this is really hard to do but YES it can be done if you CHOOSE to.
Some may say this is irresponsible, that you are ignoring 'reality'. But actually you are not ignoring anything but instead choosing to FOCUS on something called happiness building rather than stress and suffering building. Nothing is ignored, focus is changed this is all.
In every situation, it doesn't matter what it is, choose to not judge and dwell but instead decide to focus your energy on your effort rather than on whatever you are facing. Then all stress fades away, it REALLY does.
So if you want to release the chains of stress and the up and down up and down... just CHANGE YOUR FOCUS TO YOUR EFFORT. And you do have the ability to do this, we all do.
Focus on your effort, just that.
We are equal, we all have happiness and peace in us and we all have suffering and stress it's just about what we choose to focus on.
And, if you do this you will automatically change how others around you feel and they too will start to change their focus, just through the atmosphere you create.
Give it a go.
Making your own skin care products is easy and certainly very affordable.
Here is a simple recipe top give your skin a glow on parr with Kipper the puppy's coat due to stealing 12 eggs a day !
Pass The Vegetables, Please
You can use cooked vegetables as a gentle facial cleanser. You can also use the water used from cooking vegetables as a gentle skin nutritious cleanser. Use fresh ingredients in small one time use amounts. Freeze liquids as ice cubes and thaw as necessary for use as natural cleansers.
I hope you have enjoyed this edition of 'Happy Thoughts'.
Here is Hilda, sitting on a chair on the veranda looking out to the bays. Dear Hilda.
If you have any suggestions, questions or ideas you'd like to know more about concerning the subjects of non-toxic living, intuitive living, sustainable living, natural animal husbandry, the vegetarian diet, a healthy body, heart and mind please let me know and I'll cover it in up coming newsletters.
Blessings to you for a beautiful day !
Theresa.
This edition's free screensaver.
Click HERE to download the screensaver. Click on the little image, when it opens, right click and choose 'set as desktop background'
Not long before we moved to our new home, our neighbours got a tee-pee.
Looking at this image will help to remind you there ARE other ways to do things.
The Happy Thought
We are only limited by our own creativity,
we can create, experience and explore.
Made in 1932 starring Clarke Gable and Carole Lombard this is a classic of the times.
I love this black and white film in which Clarke Gable is 'tamed' by Caroled Lombard. Oh how dashing he is and how terribly elegant and gorgeous is she.
This is the film that brought them together, later they were married. Tragically, Lombard was to die in a plane crash not too far down the track.
The dresses and suits, the oh so very distinct male/female roles they play. Made in a time which seems so innocent and straight forward by today's standards.
A beautiful and funny story that will leave you feeling very suave indeed.
Steamed Rice with a twist !
Steamed rice is not easy to make, it's one of those things that needs to be 'just right' to be just right.
I never rinse my rice, it's my belief that the starch is good for us. If you know this to be incorrect please share your thoughts.
Always cook your rice with the lid ON, and cook it gently. When you start to smell the rice it is almost ready. Try not to be tempted to open the lid too much, perhaps just once or twice at the end of the cooking process.
Here's the tip.
When you put the rice in the saucepan add in
sultanas
cracked pepper
ground cumin seeds
whole caraway seeds
sesame seeds
These will cook with the rice and will permeate through it, what you will have is rice that is a VERY tasty meal all by it's self.
If this is what you are going to do, rip up some fresh herbs of your choice, a bit of salt and good drizzle of olive oil when you serve the rice.
Mix it all together and enjoy !
This is one of my favourite things to make for lunch when I want something hot, quick and tasty.
Growing your own herbs is an easy way to contribute your energy to your food. We can add herbs to ANYTHING and ALL things we eat which makes them a great choice to adding our energy to our food.
What's the benefit ?
We all are unique, and we all have unique needs regarding our deficencies and our abundance. Having a part in growing our food ourselves allows us to connect and interact with the food from the very start.
Believe it or not, our energy goes INTO the plant, the plant then adjusts its self to our own personal frequency, (which is similar to a a radio wave). By the time the food is ready to be eaten, and we have watered, fed and nurtured the plant it has formed a special bond with us. This plant is now 'yours' so to speak.
During the growing process, and your care of the plant the plant's properties have already begun to work with you.
Growing our food connects us with our food making it more easily digested/assimilated by our body as well as offering us the chance to take up the plant's healing energy (just like the use of flower essences).
When we grow our own food we strengthen our relax our mental nature, we strengthen our emotional and physical nature and we also clean our psyche nature.
There are no words to describe the benefits of growing our own food... not to mention it also means we can have organic food that is a fraction of the cost of food bought from a supermarket !
If you don't have much room in your yard, start with herbs. They are easy to grow, have AMAZNG healing properties and can be added to all your meals.
Give it a god and notice the differences.
Get more nutrition from EVERY meal
In Australia when we think of Chai we think of a milky spiced tea. In other parts of the world, Chai or Cha is simply the word tea.
Here I am talking about the milky spiced stuff.
To make four cups of Chai
Pour two cups of water in a saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil
next add in...
two teaspoons of cardamon pods
half a cinnamon stick
4 whole peppercorns
a teaspoon of nutmeg
two teaspoons of crushed fresh ginger
Allow this mix to boil very gently for about 20 minutes or so with a lid on the saucepan.
If water has noticably evaporated add in a little more fresh water.
Also add in two teaspoons of black tea.
Now add in two cups of milk, (soy or dairy)
Allow to gently simmer, NOT BOIL for roughly 15 mintues.
Strain and serve with some honey or sugar or just on it's own.
