The Tri-fecta of Chili

I was inspired to make this classic since the weather has begun to change. This is my vegan twist on chili and it is so good even the carnivores love it. I call it the Tri-fecta because of the three kinds of peppers and three types of beans.

You will need:

2 stalks of celery
2 large carrots
1 yellow onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 orange pepper
1 can of corn
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of white beans
1 can of black beans
1 large can of diced tomatoes or two small cans
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 packet of chili-o or make your own using spices on hand

This cooks up in a jiffy, the time comes from cutting all the veggies up. You will need to cut them approximately the same size so they all cook evenly. Begin by heating the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the chopped vegetables one at a time depending on the density, i.e carrots, celery, peppers, onion, garlic, etc. Cook for about 15 min or until all the vegetables are soft but still maintain their integrity. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for another 10-15min so everything incorporates. I like to eat mine with some green onion and cheese sprinkled on top with cornbread. Crackers or tortilla chips work as well. Enjoy!

Long Trail to a Cure

This coming Monday, my friend Michael Kraemer will hike the Long Trail in Vermont, the oldest footpath in North America that stretches over 270 miles along the Green Mountain Crest. He will be making the trek with his business partner, Wyatt Silcox, and his dog, Annie. He has been completing hikes such as this one since he graduated from college, and this year he has decided to also benefit a good cause.

This year he has partnered with the American Cancer Society through their local Roanoke office to raise money for their programs and research. Please join him in his efforts as a sponsor of his hike by making a contribution to the American Cancer Society.

Your contribution will directly support cancer patients , their families and their caregivers through research, education and advocacy. Even small contributions go a long way!

Make checks payable to The American Cancer Society and mail to Michael Kraemer 5151 Remington Rd. Roanoke, VA. 24018 or make a donation to your local office.

Revised Yoga Scholarship Essay

I cannot express in words the intensity I feel when I think about becoming a yoga teacher. I am frustrated with my inability as a writer and wish there was a better way for me to show you what yoga means to me. Every time I am on the mat, yoga returns me to the awareness that I inherently have everything I need. The empowerment and joy that I feel when standing strong in Warrior II, or the glow of energy that radiates from my hearts center in Urdhva Dhanurasana, and the grace and humility child's pose can bring, is what I want to share with others. If I could show you a pose, If I could stand before you in Trikonasana, energy exploding from all five points of my body, I would be able to demonstrate to you the light that bends itself though all my cells and layers expanding through my aura and out into the world. This is what I want to share as a teacher, the loving, powerful, healing energy that can be generated, by our bodies, through Asana. I believe that if we are fully at peace with ourselves we can bring peace to the world, and yoga is the only path I have found that leads to this truth.

Throughout my life, I have always felt that I was searching for something greater. I searched for this through sixteen years of dance and movement, an avid interest in hiking, kayaking and a strong connection with mother earth. I continued my search though my undergraduate studies while pursuing a degree in fine art. Throughout college I constantly felt the need to work with my hands, to help others, and to heal others, which lead me to discover Reiki and to research other modalities of energy and body work. I hit a crossroads shortly after when I was working in a corporate setting, a job that led me to much frustration and thankfully, exploration. It was then, that I returned to the mat.

I was blessed to be accepted into a work-trade position at my local yoga studio, a gift that I will always be grateful for. I want to share my experience now by becoming a yoga teacher. I know that the world will benefit from having one more encouraging yogi teaching others. It is here, on the mat, where I become my truest self. Namaste.

Remembrance.

Today we will remember our fallen.

They will be in our hearts and minds while we meander through our days. Honoring the loved ones lost by living this day and all others to the fullest. While some will mourn their losses, those who didn't share their pain, send love and be love. Give an extra smile today. Hug your family. Be kind. Listen to your heart. Celebrate the living. Remember the fallen.

Inspiration

I just returned to the beautiful Sunny Slope Farm after the most wonderful yoga class. Jill Loftis, founder of Uttara Yoga in downtown Roanoke, led us through a heart opening and heart warming hatha flow. The space is utterly gorgeous, light beaming in through huge windows facing Kirk Ave. Wood floors that instantly root your feet into the ground, soothing music and a vibrant energy filled the room. At the closing of class, Jill passed around the 'quote bowl'. It was like a fortune cookie without the cookie. Mine was as follows:

Seek the wisdom that will untie your knot

Seek the path that demands your whole being

Leave that which is not, but appears to be

Seek that which is, but not apparent

-Rumi

I loved it, looking around the room, it appeared as if everyone else loved theirs too. The perfect ending to a perfect class. Namaste

Change is good

Change. We tend to react one of two ways to change. We can either become tense, hard, opposed, and stressed or we can embrace, soften, and even become malleable under the weight of change. There is the possibility of a third reaction of indifference which seldom happens, at least seldom in my experiences. We are too opinionated most of the time to be indifferent or uncaring when change occurs.

I have been subconsciously resisting some shifts lately. It has caused me slight suffering, boredom, and loneliness. The changes I have recently experienced are fairly dramatic, but I have also had similar reactions to seemingly simple occurrences. The awareness of this recent opposition has allowed me to transform, to move and bend more freely. Quite literally, the awareness came from moving and bending. I have had a dedicated daily yoga practice now for a week. Yoga has truly allowed me to embrace, love, and wrap change up around me like a blanket. Every time I get on the mat I am allowing myself to be completely present in the now. In the here and now space, resistance is non-existent. This is the space of great growth, love and openness. Change is good.