Fotografia mea
Bucuresti, Romania
"A good traveler has no fixed plan, and is not intent on arriving."- Buddha

duminică, 30 decembrie 2012

In the winter time

I must say .., I'm not a big fan of winter but I do love this creation so I somehow will have to do a compromise.

I do have some nice memories as a child (and not only) of creating a snow man or angel prints:)

Therefore , my compromises are : hidrating a lot , aromatic bubble baths, massages, gym , winter sports , long walks in the nature , delicious teas, cookies (not too many :P) , creating hand craft presents for our loved ones , gathering thoughts and expectations for the year to come.

And if this is enough to keep you out of "winter depression" ..I will try to find more ways for you :P




 Why is it important to hidrate more in the winter time ?


In the fight against premature aging, winter hydration is just as important as summer sun protection.

Minimum 2l per day ..still strugelling to drink that much :)

Bubble baths







Bath Salts, candles, incense , ice cream ...it's all you need after a long , stressful day...in one word make your own arometherapy in your bathroom :)


Oils that can ease unpleasant emotions

Emotional Effects of Aromatherapy

To Ease:Try:
Aggressionbergamot, chamomile, juniper, lemon, marjoram, rosemary, ylang-ylang
AngerChamomile,Jasmine,Marjoram, Palma Rosa,Rose, Rosemary,Ylang-Ylang,
AnxietyNeroli, Bergamot,Chamomile, Frankincense, Geranium (for balance), Lavender, Orange, Patchouli, Rose (for confidence),Sandalwood. Sweet Marjoram, Vetiver (for grounding)
DisappointmentBergamot, Cypress, Frankincense, Jasmine, Orange, Rose
FearCedarwood, Fennel, Ginger, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Thyme
GriefBergamot,Chamomile, Jasmine, Marjoram, Neroli,Rose
HysteriaChamomile,Lavender,Neroli,Orange, Tea Tree
ImpatienceChamomile, Clary, Frankincense, Lavender
IndecisionBasil, Clary, Cypress, Jasmine, Patchouli, Peppermint
JealousyJasmine, Rose
LonelinessBenzoin, Marjoram
Fatigue(emotional and mentalbasil, clary, cardamon, cinnamon leaf or bark, Clove bud, coriander, Eucalyptus citriodora, ginger, grapefruit, helichrysum, jasmine, juniper, orange, palmarosa, peppermint,rosemary, thyme, vetiver, ylangylang
Fatigue (physical)Basil, elemi, ginger, lemon, lavender,orange, peppermint, rosemary
NervousnessChamomile, Clary, Coriander,Frankincense, Neroli, Orange, Vetiver
PanicChamomile, Clary, Geranium, Jasmine, Juniper,Lavender, Neroli, YlangYlang
SadnessBenzoin, Jasmine, Rose, Rosewood
ShockLavender, Neroli,Rose, Teatree
ShynessBlack Pepper, Ginger, Jasmine, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Neroli, YlangYlang
StressBergamot, Atlas Cedarwood, Roman Chamomile, all Citrus oils, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Sweet Marjoram, Melissa, Neroli, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Rose (absolute and otto), Rosemary, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Ylangylang.
SuspicionJasmine, Lavender
TensionChamomile, Clary, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Marjoram, Neroli, Orange, Rose, Rosewood, Sandalwood, YlangYlang


Read more: http://www.naturesgift.com/emotbl.htm#ixzz2E5C2lUXN


Wether you go to a beauty salon or have someone help you with this , here are the benefits of massage :



- Decreased anxiety
- Enhanced Sleep Quality
- Greater Energy
- Improved concentration
- Increased Circulation
- Reduced Fatigue







Health benefits of winter sports :



Snowboarding is an Aerobic Exercise

Snowboarding is an aerobic exercise that offers an intense cardio workout and helps burn calories. The average person burns up to 450 calories per hour, so it's a great way to lose weight and increases your endurance.

Snowboarding Exercises Major Muscle Groups

Snowboarding works out all the major muscle groups in your body and even works some muscles that you may not use often, like the ones in your feet and ankles. You'll use your quads, hamstrings and calves to ride the snowboard. The muscles in your ankles and feet will help you steer the board, and your core muscles will get stronger as you use them for balance. Snowboarding even works the muscles of the arms and shoulders, which are used for balance and to pick yourself up when you fall.

Snowboarding Releases Endorphins

Snowboarding, like any form of exercise, releases endorphins, the neurochemicals responsible for feelings of happiness and well being. Snowboarding can regularly lead to consistently high endorphin levels. Exercising outdoors also helps to elevate mood and reduce anxiety, so snowboarding can lower stress levels and support mental health.


Snowboarding Improves Flexibility

Snowboarding significantly improves overall flexibility, as it requires you to change directions and pace frequently and suddenly. Snowboarding also requires good balance, so your balance will improve as you grow more proficient at the sport. It also strengthens your ability to concentrate, as you learn to pay close attention to the changes in the snow.

Article Source


Delicious  Winter Tea


There are lots of reasons why I enjoy a hot cup of tea: I love the aroma of various flavors of tea; holding onto a hot tea mug warms my hands on a cold winter morning; sipping tea in front of the fireplace is a great way to relax. And those are just the feel-good reasons. If you're not drinking tea yet, read up on these 10 ways tea does your body good and then see if you're ready to change your Starbucks order!
1. Tea contains antioxidants. Like the Rust-Oleum paint that keeps your outdoor furniture from rusting, tea's antioxidants protect your body from the ravages of aging and the effects of pollution.
2. Tea has less caffeine than coffee. Coffee usually has two to three times the caffeine of tea (unless you're a fan of Morning Thunder, which combines caffeine with mate, an herb that acts like caffeine in our body). An eight-ounce cup of coffee contains around 135 mg caffeine; tea contains only 30 to 40 mg per cup. If drinking coffee gives you the jitters, causes indigestion or headaches or interferes with sleep --switch to tea.
3. Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Unwanted blood clots formed from cholesterol and blood platelets cause heart attack and stroke. Drinking tea may help keep your arteries smooth and clog-free, the same way a drain keeps your bathroom pipes clear. A 5.6-year study from the Netherlands found a 70 percent lower risk of fatal heart attack in people who drank at least two to three cups of black tea daily compared to non-tea drinkers.
4. Tea protects your bones. It's not just the milk added to tea that builds strong bones. One study that compared tea drinkers with non-drinkers, found that people who drank tea for 10 or more years had the strongest bones, even after adjusting for age, body weight, exercise, smoking and other risk factors. The authors suggest that this may be the work of tea's many beneficial phytochemicals.
5. Tea gives you a sweet smile. One look at the grimy grin of Austin Powers and you may not think drinking tea is good for your teeth, but think again. It's the sugar added to it that's likely to blame for England's bad dental record. Tea itself actually contains fluoride and tannins that may keep plaque at bay. So add unsweetened tea drinking to your daily dental routine of brushing and flossing for healthier teeth and gums.
6. Tea bolsters your immune defenses. Drinking tea may help your body's immune system fight off infection. When 21 volunteers drank either five cups of tea or coffee each day for four weeks, researchers saw higher immune system activity in the blood of the tea drinkers.
7. Tea protects against cancer. Thank the polyphenols, the antioxidants found in tea, once again for their cancer-fighting effects. While the overall research is inconclusive, there are enough studies that show the potential protective effects of drinking tea to make adding tea to your list of daily beverages.
8. Tea helps keep you hydrated. Caffeinated beverages, including tea, used to be on the list of beverages thatdidn't contribute to our daily fluid needs. Since caffeine is a diuretic and makes us pee more, the thought was that caffeinated beverages couldn't contribute to our overall fluid requirement. However, recent research has shown that the caffeine really doesn't matter -- tea and other caffeinated beverages definitely contribute to our fluid needs. The only time the caffeine becomes a problem as far as fluid is concerned is when you drink more than five or six cups of a caffeinated beverage at one time.
9. Tea is calorie-free. Tea doesn't have any calories, unless you add sweetener or milk. Consuming even 250 fewer calories per day can result in losing one pound per week. If you're looking for a satisfying, calorie-free beverage, tea is a top choice.
10. Tea increases your metabolism. Lots of people complain about a slow metabolic rate and their inability to lose weight. Green tea has been shown to actually increase metabolic rate so that you can burn 70 to 80 additional calories by drinking just five cups of green tea per day. Over a year's time you could lose eight pounds just by drinking green tea. Of course, taking a 15-minute walk every day will also burn calories.


And last but not least - Cakes :) 





Cakes are bad. That’s what we have been led to believe. With all the sugars, calories, and fats they give, it’s no question they are thought of as bad for us. They are even oftentimes referred to as decadent and sinful. That’s because they are rich and oh so luscious that every bite seems to be prohibited. Cakes, even the most sinful ones and even if they are called the devil incarnate by some, actually have good effects on us.
nutrition experts and physicians have been telling us that cakes are full of unhealthy ingredients like sugar and more, but what only a few knows is that cakes have healthy effects on our physical and mental wellness too.
Naturally it depends what kind of cake we are talking about. While experts say eating chocolate cakes, particularly the dark variety, is good for you when consumed in moderation, there’s also something good to be said with the fruity kind.
But whatever kind of cake you choose, as long as you desire it, is still good for you. You might ask if how is that possible. Let’s talk about mental health. If you refuse yourself the goodness of the rich and luscious chocolate overload dessert, you will just feel down and disappointed.
For all the negative effects we heard about eating decadent cakes, only a few has been mentioned about its benefits. Indulging in the rich delight every now and then, especially in desserts like cakes you eat after every meal, can give you a sense of pleasure and happiness.
Depression can be because of your diet. You can get depressed by depriving yourself simple things in life and the food you want to take. Professionals say that one of best solutions in combating depression is by doing the things that make you feel good. It’s a widespread rule, but obviously very true. If you desire to eat your favorite dessert right now, go ahead. Your body will thank you for it as it will release positive and happy chemicals.
When you are dieting, you may consider cakes as the devils. But indulging in something decadently good every now and then isn’t all bad. Not only is it not totally bad, it is also great for you occasionally. So go ahead and dig in. Sink your teeth into the soft, succulent dark chocolate cake that you know you can’t refuse. You’d be happy to know that you gave in.


Read more: Health Benefits Of Eating Cakes 

Picture source

Into the wild...



Some people will walk with you for a day , some for a month ..some for a year ...and some for a lifetime.

When and how ...it starts and ends doesn't really depend on us though we sometimes have this impression.

I feel like no matter the case is ..those relationships we can't control...they appear from "nowhere" and return there as well once a lesson has been learned.

So many times life teached us not to attach to these kind of relationships yet we do so. Why?  Why don't we love our freedom ? how cruel can we be ...towards us and the person next to us.

When I was a little child I would go to pet stores wanting to buy a bird and keep it as a pet. I did not bring any at home. Now I understand why ...now if you take me to a pet store to buy one which lives in another cage with other birds, no space , no beauty , unable to fly .. I will probably get very iritated. Taking a being from it's freedom , putting it in a cage just so you can observe it and that it would never ever leave you ...how selfish is it?

It goes both ways ..there is a "owner" which is the selfish person and as birds we also end up in cages ...because of our attachements. Because we don't remain in our nature..our freedom. We start by eating from "someones" hands and gradually we can't live without that food anymore, we totally forget that we already had everything provided by nature and we end up depending on someone. Best case scenario you don't receive any "food" after some time and you starve and by starving you realise only by yourself you will get what you need in this life.

And there are few "birds" who realise their freedom , chew on the cage and try anything they can o\in order to break free from the cage they are being kept in and take the courage to fly into the forests , into the wild where they belong.

It is said that the illusion (maya) we fall for in this lifetime is so "sweet" ..even the Gods fall in love with it...

The questions is, can you take the choice to honour the courage inside you , to honour your wilderness, to honour your strenght and weakness ? Can you leave everything to realise you have everything ?


Picture Source


duminică, 2 decembrie 2012

Lessons...

I know ...I know..I haven't been writing in a looonggg time...what can I say ? I've been kept busy with what is being called work and life :D

I really missed writing and at the same time I had some moments of introspection which I would be more than glade to share.

First of all , life has teached me again a valuable lesson ..patience and responsibility. These two...are a pain in the but :))

No matter how much we try to avoid it , no matter how many shortcuts we are trying to take , life is gonna "bite" us ..by giving us this lesson . And it is good that it bites...I realized some people can be very happy but not discover themselves half  as opose to people who are suffering do. 

It is an amazing lesson...Pain & Suffering . They say pain is inevitable , suffering is optional. Still, I think psychological pain can be very hard to deal with as we need to deal with our minds. And our mind is a stranger to us . Few people take the courrage to actually understand it ..more than this to transcend it.

Patience...wether you are stuck in traffic, in a unpleasant situation..we need to accept the present moment as it is . And it is so hard sometimes to do this, yet the feeling of surrender can bring so much healing in us that we are not even aware of. why do we continue extending the life for our suffering ? What inside us is still hanging on to that ? I've seen people who won't even quit their suffering. They like it ...it is a safe teritory ..If they jump into the "unknown" into letting go of suffering , who knows what will happen. 

How sick are we?

Responsibility ...what can I say ...you never believe your parents, that you need to save money ..or that you need to grow more aware and think about your situation in the futur. When it comes to spending money, than  we live in the present moment definetly ..spending money like theres no tomorrow :)) nd yet as funny as it might seem and air fairy as we can go...reality again gives us a nice "notice" of  "FAIL" :)) and agrow bain we come back to suffering..because of course we won't be very happy to live one week with the money we used to spend in one hour :))) Come to think about it , soon we will be giving advices to our own children ...so sooner or later we will need to be more responsible. 

It isn't that fun , but I hear responsibility comes along with freedom and fun. Freedom of not worrying about what next month brings since we have a little insurance put aside and fun comes from all the fun activities we can do , since we've also had the opportunity to plan them ahead.

If growing up is boring..lack of responsibility , and disorientation won't be any funnier ..long term :)))


I wish you luck and inspiration to find your path in life which will take you in the right place !

Namaste !

Oana