The Breathing Box

Where to buy: www.gaiam.com

The Breathing Box by Gay Hendricks, PhD, contains:
* 90 minute DVD on Lifestream Breathing Techniques
* 80 minute audio CD with exercises and guided breathing sessions
* Guidebook
* 9 photo-illustrated study cards.

Breathing exercises help you to feel relaxed when anxious or stressed and are a recognized treatment for depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. The program also helps to overcome and heal emotional traumas and increases focus and energy.

The breathing training program was designed by Gay Hendricks, who is the author of many bestselling books on body-mind therapies. He graduated from Stanford University with a PhD in counseling psychology and has worked in this field for over 30 years.

For more information on The Breathing Box, go to www.gaiam.com.

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Ways to Teach Your Children Compassion

Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines compassion as: “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” Compassion, then, is more than just an emotion; it denotes action. It is an important concept to teach your child – children can be notoriously cruel to one another, and a lack of compassion can lead to violence.

For there to be peaceful co-existence, healthy interpersonal relationships, and functional families, children need to learn to treat others the way they themselves would like to be treated. We would all do well to learn this “golden rule.”

Compassion counteracts apathy – those who care are those who take action for the greater good. It is also vital to community development as compassionate people step up and help meet the needs of those less fortunate.

Here are some ways that you can be proactive and instill compassion in your children:

1. Model the behavior and point it out when you see it in others. Children do learn by example, even when you think they aren’t paying any attention. And if you see someone exhibiting compassion, note it to your child and talk about it.

2. Start early, ideally at birth. Babies who form strong attachments with their caregivers are better able to form healthy relationships later in life. Show compassion to your baby by meeting his needs and building trust and security. A child who feels loved will find it easier to love others – it’s easier to give if your own “compassion tank” is full!

3. Discuss world events and how it might feel to be in the situations of suffering people. Newspapers, radio news, or online news stories are all good sources of information on the state of other nations. Just be sure that the content of the news story is appropriate for your child.

4. Volunteer in a homeless shelter, soup kitchen, animal shelter, or nursing home. Acts of kindness are meaningful ways to show compassion, and getting a feel for the plight of others is facilitated by being in among them. Simply visiting such places is helpful, too – donate pet care supplies to the animal shelter; make cards and give them to nursing home residents or people at homeless shelters.

It would be a more peaceful world if more children were shown compassion and then, in turn, showed it to others. Beginning in your own home, you can have an impact on your community and, ultimately, the world.

Sweet Seeds

Seeds have all kind of good fats, fiber, vitamins, and health benefits. So why not include more of these little nutritional gems in your diet? A great place to start is with tasty snacks and sweet desserts. Here are some ideas and recipes for using seeds.

1. Popcorn and Seeds

Here is a great snack for the hiking trail, especially if friends are coming along – this recipe makes about 20 cups.

Pop:

* 1 cup popcorn

In a heavy skillet on medium heat, add enough Canola oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add:

* 1/4 cup peanuts
* 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
* 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (hulled)
* 1/4 cup sesame seeds

Stir nuts and seeds in the hot skillet for a few minutes, then add:

* 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

Stir until coconut begins to roast and brown, then remove from heat and stir the popped corn into the nut and seed mixture. Then stir in:

* 1/2 cup raw honey
* 1/4 cup melted butter

Spread the mixture on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet and bake at 325 for about 10 minutes (or until dry to the touch).

2. Cheesy Flaxseed Wafers

These tangy, crispy wafers are a tasty way to include flaxseeds in your diet. This recipe makes about 3 dozen.

In a bowl, mix together with two knives, fork, or pastry blender:

* 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
* 1/2 cup butter

When mixture resembles fine crumbs, add:

* 1/4 cup flaxseeds
* 1 cup grated, sharp cheddar cheese
* 1/4 cup chopped pecans
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper

Mix and form into a ball, then refrigerate for about an hour (or until firm). Roll into individual, 1-inch balls and flatten them between your hands. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.

3. Carob-cocoa Dessert Balls with Hemp

Here’s a healthy dessert you can really feel good about eating! This makes about 2 dozen balls.

In a blender or food processor, grind to a fine consistency:

* 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews

Add:

* 1/2 cup cold-pressed coconut oil

Blend well, then add:

* 1 cup carob powder
* 1 cup cocoa powder
* 1/4 cup hemp seeds
* 1 tablespoon spirulina powder (optional)
* 1/3 cup raw honey; adjust to taste
* 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Blend until mixture has a dough-like consistency. Form into bite-sized balls, and, if desired, roll in shredded coconut. Freeze for several hours, then serve.

You can include seeds in some of your regular recipes. Any dessert “ball” can be rolled in seeds, and seeds add crunch to cookies. Top sweet breads with poppy seeds or hemp seeds, and toss some sesame seeds or sunflower seeds into your home-made granola recipe.

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