Why Butter Can Be Good For You // A Conversation with Blossom Apotheke

I am VERY excited to be sharing this interview with my good friend Madeline, founder of Blossom Apotheke, with you sistas today. 

WHY? Because she has a refreshing and in my opinion, very needed, take on nutrition. Some of her philosophies will make you do a double take, causing you to question why our culture is so into mainstream health fads, rather than listening to our spirits and the wisdom of the ancients. (For example, did you know, butter can actually be GOOD for you? Awesome.)

While some would consider Madeline a nutritionist, she calls herself a modern day medicine woman, and I would agree. Madeline is all about reconnecting with our primal self, through both our dietary choices, and our lifestyle. She values the wisdom that comes from our ancestors, and manages to incorporate it in her day to day life with ease.

I must say, Madeline is also a truly divine woman. Although we only met through mutual friends in the last year or so, already she has been with me through one of the hardest periods of my life. While I was sulking and feeling sorry for myself, she had the courage and light heartedness to support me, and nurture me while I came back to myself, and to the truth of the world. And for that, I will be forever grateful.

Enjoy this interview below friends, and let me know what your favourite point is in the comments below!

If you'd like to know more, Madeline is going to be hosting a phone call with myself and the Flower Children, on the Full Moon in November! She'll be giving us a workshop on Traditional Foods for the Female Body.


If you're into the knowledge she shares below, and would like to go deeper, be sure to sign up for Flower Child before October 4th, and come with a list of questions when we meet! We'll go a lot more in depth on the call.

Lots of love, and happy reading!
xo Beth

What are traditional foods?

Traditional foods are the foods that have nourished our ancestors for centuries if not millennia. They are the foods that our great great great grandparents would have eaten before the birth our our industrialized food system. Traditional foods are wild foraged plants and herbs, pasture raised or wild animals , grass fed dairy, fermented foods and drinks such as sauerkraut or kombucha and organic vegetables. Traditional food wisdom trumps modern diet hype and dogma and quite often goes again the convention ‘food pyramid’ nutritional advice.

Some of these foods we’re told not to eat by conventional nutritionists were actually considered sacred by our ancestors because the nutrients would help boost fertility, nourish women in pregnancy and their developing children.


What are your 3 favourite ways to self-care?

1. Dry brushing everyday with essential oils to exfoliate skin, increase lymphatic flow and circulation. When you dry brush your body it improves the complexion of your skin because the lymph is more efficiently moving wastes out.

 2. Bathing in natural hot springs and jumping in cold wild water as often as I can. I always feel the most alive and energized after a cold water dip.

3. Drinking adaptogenic tea everyday to provide immune system support and decrease stress levels. My favourite herbs to have daily in a tea are Chaga, Reishi and Holy Basil.


What are 3 things any woman can add to her diet and see improved results in her health and energy?

Shatavari: Shatavari is a sacred Ayurvedic herb that has been used for millennia . It translates in sanskrit as ‘She who has 100 husbands’! It’s pretty much THE herb for women in all stages of their lives. Taking shatavari balances the hormones, promotes healthy skin, boosts libido and much much more.

Healthy Fats: Fats are important fuel for our body and having the right ones in the right ratios can make all the difference for your health. Eat an abundant amount of coconut oil, organic butter or ghee, fish oil, olive oil and hemp oil. And avoid canola oil and or vegetable oil.

Herbal Nettle Infusion: Nettles are high in Vitamin K1, iron, calcium, magnesium and silica which are all really important nutrients for women’s health. To make a nettle infusion pour 500 ml of boiling water over ½ cup dried nettles in a 500 ml mason jar. Seal with a lid and let it sit for 4 hours or overnight. Strain and enjoy hot or cold.


What inspired you to start Blossom Apotheke?

Apotheke means apothecary in German. I grew up spending my summers at the home of my german grandparents.

Though my grandmother had passed before I was born she left a beautiful garden and orchard that I used to gather herbs and berries from when I was a young girl and make potions and medicines. 

Blossom Apotheke is a platform for my life’s passions of nutrition, herbology and medicine making. I offer nutrition and herbal consults, classes on traditional foods and medicine making and am developing a wildcrafted herbal skincare line.


Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself living in a cottage on a piece of land with food forests and herbal gardens. Raising a beautiful family with a beautiful man. Living connected with the cycles of nature. Continuing to deepen my path as a herbalist and medicine women. Making botanical perfumes, elixirs and medicines through Blossom Apotheke. And educating about returning to the sacred in it’s many forms.


What was your favourite piece of information from the interview? Share in the comments below!

Behind the Scenes at Flower Child

Pouring Sacred Sea Salts into a Chaga Bath Elixer

Flower Child is one of my favourite things right now.

It's a program for goddesses I launched back in April, that's devoted to sending the most self-loving, organic and wildcrafted products to the women involved.

If you're apart of the Flower Child program, you can look forward to 2 handcrafted beauty and herbal healing products, sent to your door every month. Whether that's a Grounding Chaga Body Butter, or a Heart Opening Chakra Serum, every month's package is unique, and a total surprise! There are no two packages alike.

Therefore, every month, I get to daydream about different recipes and healing concepts, and then, make them a reality with herbs I've harvested from the wild. Raddest job ever. Previous concoctions include a Fireweed Facial Serum (great for inflammation and acne), a cleansing Aura Spray called Smudge in a Bottle and a Fifth Chakra Serum to encourage healthy communication.

Other than the wildcrafted herbs, I use organic oils and essential oils, spring water, and... crystals! Charging up the newly created potions under the full moons energy, along with crystals and prayer, is amazing, and a key part of the process. It's so satisfying to know I'm making sure the women I create for have the highest quality products available to them, products that won't cause any environmental pollution or gross chemical reactions.

This month, I thought I'd share some behind the scenes photos, so you could get a better idea of what the experience is all about!

September marks the final month of the first ever Flower Child - the next one starts in October, and is going to be full of surprises - including bi-weekly Sisterhood Calls with guest experts teaching us about moon cycles, and the Priestess archetype - I can't wait!!

If you'd like to get on the list for the next round (It's only 2 months long this time!) - send me an email at igniteyourtruth@gmail.com, with the subject 'Flower Child' - I'll open spots to those who email me before anyone else!

Fairy blessings!
xo Beth

Grounding Chaga Body Butters - Freshly Made and so in love!!

Fireweed and Horsetail are amazing skin remedies - I harvested these in the wild of Vancouver Island

I use glass cobalt blue bottles for the energetic power of the colour

Local beeswax melts to go into the facial serums and body butters

Best sea salt ever! 

Finished products wait to go to their new owners - Note the cute little crystal on the Wise Woman Toothpaste! :)

Your Soul Will Thank Her!

A couple of months ago, I really started to notice the language that was used in the music I listened to. While I loved the rhythm and the vocals of the music I played, I sadly observed that many of the lyrics said things like "I can't forgive you", "My heart's sorrow" etc. As much as I loved the beats, I knew the lyrics of the songs were affecting me, and my angels were pointing out that I needed to listen to higher vibrational tunes.

As my repertoire began changing over, my friend Natalia directed me to a group called the Nectarian Collective. As I was exploring their website, I was drawn to a certain musician called Sea Star. 

Her album, Sacred Red, is a pure manifestation of Spirit, Song, and Sea, with the most beautiful and wise lyrics I think I've ever heard. I've become so inspired by her simple melodies with profound vibrations, that I've started to do something I've always wanted to - songwrite! Though it's a slow process of getting through perceived blocks and fears, I know it's a path I'll continue on.

So I invite all my sacred soul sisters to listen to Sea Star's album here, and become more conscious of the words you listen to everyday. Do they align with who you want to be and how you want to feel?

So much love, and happy listening!
xo Beth

Sacred Red by Sea Star

Pinspiration // Earth Goddess Home

Pinterest has become such an indispensable tool of inspiration for me - from the images, to the ideas that are stirred from them, I love the way it gets my imagination playing. Inspired by fellow bloggers, I decided a new series called Pinspiration would be a great way to showcase some of the inspiration I've been finding.

This first Pinspiration post features the most wonderful, mystical, and earthy homes I've come across. From the hanging herbs, to the heavy wood details, these spaces remind me just how spectacular the home can be. Do you spot any ideas for your space?

Happy Earth Home Dreaming!
xo Beth

Let Spirit Find You For a While

Loving y o u .

Photo Diary // A Walk in the Woods to a Waterfall

I love photography. It's so grounding to spend time observing and creating, through a lens; interacting with your world in a way that's witnessing and artistic all at once. Sitting down to blog my journey today, after a fresh meal, leaves me reflecting back at all the little moments. From making an incredible tea for my moon cycle, to having my feet in a cool, glacier fed river, the quaint, quiet moments of the day come alive, simply because I took the time to photograph them.

Here's to honouring the little things in your life this week!
xo Beth

A blend of Harmonic Arts' 'Women's Moon' and wildcrafted Fireweed + Pearly Everlasting, served as a warm reminder of how much I love the plant world

I spent the afternoon at a magical place called 'Nymph Falls' on Vancouver Island

Rushing water plays over mossy rocks

I love that the entirety of this photo is just running water

I had to pull over on the way to the falls to photograph these beautiful creatures

The way the sun beams through the forest top is incredible

F o r e s t   &  M a i d e n   interact  and  play .   W i s d o m  is  exchanged .

Photo Diary // Food + Friends!

This week seemed to have been full of food upon looking back in pictures - Woohoo!!

It started off with a genius take on a cake using watermelon instead of flour, and continued at a friend's potluck with a raw nectarine cobbler. 

I also had the honour of attending my soul sisters' food tasting, for a mostly raw food truck they are starting up in the city of Calgary. I'm so proud of them and the impact they'll be having on the city - Look out for Yummi Yogis once it hits the streets - and of course I'll keep you updated!

Other than eating deliciously healthy food, I've also been busy shopping for crystals for my limited time offer of custom pieces. I love the process, and how it feels to see a finished piece in all it's beauty - I'm toying with the idea of accepting orders for just a few days 2-3 times a year. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Sending love to you all, and here's to a unexpectedly wonderful weekend!
xo Beth

A watermelon cake I discovered on Facebook - and promptly had to make one for myself! Recipe on the blog next week!

My babes - 2 from the Yummi Yogis Calgary! Including the baby ;) Teehee 
Lisa -  Sunny -- Brianne - Nikki!

Juicy nectarines awaiting their raw dessert destiny!

A pretty arrangement at the Yummi Yogis Tasting

The reflection of a wine glass atop a fresh + savoury salad

Crystals for custom pieces charging up in the sun - The ones you see here are Celestite, Citrine, A gifted piece of Tree Agate from a soul friend + Blue Calcite

Gold chains, resting on wood, and awaiting being put together 

What is a Goddess? + 5 Ways to Be One

What is a Goddess?

Do images of lingerie clad Victoria's Secret models come to mind? Or perhaps intricate portraits of cultural icons?

What does it really mean to embody the Goddess?

Firstly, Goddess energy has nothing to do with appearance, so you can throw the 6 pack boobalicious image out the window. Yes, the Goddess ADORES beauty, and loves to feel sensual, but she operates under no illusion that beauty comes in only one form. Moreover, she realizes her essence - her spirit - and her connection to all life, is her true beauty. The skin, hair, and body of the human physique are beautiful indeed, but they are simply a manifestation of the spirit within.

The Goddess operates from a place of feminine power. This is different than the logical, directive force of the masculine. The Goddess is more gentle, but equally as powerful. She is receptive and nurturing, and she delights in the sensual pleasures of the world.

She accepts her 'flaws' as beautiful, acceptable aspects of the creature she is. Her mission is to be a channel for light and love.

So how can we activate this Goddess energy? 

Our world is in need of women to step into their feminine power. The recent few millennia have been dominated by a patriarchal culture, and in order to see the shift we really desire to see in the world (think clean water, people everywhere loving and respecting Gaia, all feeling taken care of and loved) - we Goddesses need to shine. Here are 5 easy ways to let your feminine powerhouse emerge:

1) Get In Touch With Water

Water resonates with our main Goddess centre - our 2nd chakra. This energetic centre just below our navel is all about creativity, sensuality, emotion, and feminine power. It's also associated heavily with the element of WATER, that flowing, delicious force that can be as gentle as a still pond, or as powerful as a torrential waterfall.

When we activate our water essence, we activate our Goddess essence. Try being extremely conscious of your relationship with water. Bless your drinking water, feel the droplets of the shower sensually run over your body, delight in a rain shower, and start to contemplate the life giving properties of this otherworldly elixer.

2) Release Competition

There's nothing that smothers our Goddess essence quite like competition with another Goddess. Although we all do it from time to time, it's best to become conscious of when our mind tells us that we are better or worse in some way than another woman. The Goddess supports, and nurtures. She THRIVES on sisterhood. 

Next time you catch yourself in a moment of competition, simply breathe deeply, and give the thought to your inner guide, making a commitment to find at least one delightful quality in this woman, as WELL as yourself. Don't forget to forgive the thought - we've been conditioned that way, after all.

3) Feel the Wind

My friend Madeline at Blossom Apotheke recently relayed a philosophy she loved from a woman she follows - Nature is your best beauty attendant. The wind is your brush, caressing your hair lightly, rousing it in the perfect way. The sun sparkles, and makes you glow. The soil beneath your feet grounds you, and offers you presence. A rainfall is the ultimate spa treatment.

How delicious is that? Get in touch with this way of being by feeling your hair fall gently on your shoulders. Notice how it feels. Pretty sensual right? Make it a practice of feeling the subtle yet exotic way of the little things.

4) Eat Chocolate

Or anything decadent for that matter. But here is the most important part - SLOW DOWN to enjoy it! Feel the silky smooth sweet and bitter play off each other, melting and swirling around your tongue. Make it a practice to, at least once a day, sit down, close your eyes, and do nothing else but enjoy the food as it enters you. This will alight your 2nd chakra. (Pleasure and the 2nd chakra go hand in hand)

5) Honour Sex as Sacred

Sex is a gift. It is a sacred experience of deep pleasure. Orgasm is a portal into different dimensions. An explosion of colour and vibration that can transport you far away, healing you, and delivering much needed information to your soul.

You don't have to be having sex to honour it. You can start exploring teachings of Tantra, of slow sex, you can soul gaze, or have a date night with yourself where you explore your body. You can talk about sex with your friends in an open and vulnerable way, you can get a vibrator and play!

If you are having sex, make sure to discuss the raw spiritual aspect of it with your partner from time to time. Are you on the same page?

And lastly, as a Goddess tip, do not share your body and soul with someone who does not genuinely love you (no matter if you're in a relationship or not). Complex energetic bonding happens during sex, and you will inevitably pick up bonds that you do not want, if mutual respect and love is not there.

Let Sex be Love. The Primal Force is what moves us.


Love this article? Share it with your friends on Facebook or Comment below!
xo Beth

A Bear, A Girl, and an Angel

Deciding to move to Vancouver Island was natural, easy, intuitive. Yet, in the process, it's taken tremendous courage along the way dealing with breaking up, moving, and starting a new for the first time - what's taken most of me so far is the 'separation' from my community in Calgary, which isn't really separate at all, but sometimes our minds get in these places. 

However I've found the start of, what could be, and FEELS to be, entering a community filled with people you are longing to call home with. Love from the core. 

Community is everything. Connection is deep and intimate. Love is light and free.

And that is all you need!! (and some organic veggies in the physical world.. obviously)

Here, I chronicle the events + expressions of my journey so far. 

MOVING TO A NATURAL WORLD

It was the morning of my departure from the city - moving day - and I pulled out my phone to check for any last messages. A picture was waiting for me from one of my best friends: she had pulled an angel card for me - it was Yvonne - who came to assure me that my pets were lovingly protected and watched over. Thinking of my cat, who I had to leave behind for a couple of months while I sorted my living situation out, I thanked her, though I sensed there was more to the message.

At my first stop, just about an hour outside of the city, I pulled over to get some spring water. The mountains were strikingly beautiful, the day was sunny and warm, and before I left with my spring water, I ran to my car to get a little jar of honey. I had brought it as an offering to the fairies + nature spirits that I was to encounter along my journey. The honey acts as a token of gratitude symbolically, but the spirits can also harvest energy from the gift; true nourishment has the ability to transcend dimensions.

It had been a few hours of driving, and I needed a longer break, so I asked Archangel Michael to help me find the perfect spot to turn off the highway. After missing a few, he guided me to one, and I quickly signaled and got off the main road. As soon as I did so, I spotted a beautiful black bear, not but 6 meters from my car.

After squealing in delight I flashed back to the card from the morning, as well as my offering to the fairies, and instantly recognized divine flow.

Feeling full of love, I got out of my car and starting chatting to the bear - and by chatting I mean shrieking with glee, telling it how much I loved it. (Keep in mind, I would only advise approaching wild animals like this if you're really in the flow with the fairies and can sense energy extremely well)

The bear checked me out, and kept walking, stopping every so often to look at me. Then, disappearing through the trees, it was gone.

Delighted, I got back in my car, and continued the journey out west, unaware of the further magical fairy encounters that soon awaited me.

When I Say Fairies... I Mean Fairies

You can connect with the fairies through consistent actions to take care of the Earth

In a recent post I got really honest about what I believe in. What my soul remembers at this time in my life. (aka the fact that I was a whale) Rather than being as scary as I thought it would be to convey the ideas that I do, it was actually quite fun. It's liberating + empowering to be in your truth, scary as it may seem.

If you haven't read my last post, please do so now, because I'm about to dive right back into things.

HOW I SEE IT

H O N E S T   +   E S O T E R I C   
I N S I G H T S   F O R   A   M O D E  R N   W O R L  D

Since I have such roots in the world of the sea, such close ties to animals, and water, I am quite aligned with the elemental kingdom, as are many people that are intensely drawn to nature. This is the kingdom of the fairies, the devas, the elves, the mermaids, the sprites, the salamanders, and all sorts of other mystical beings that we learned about as children, but were then taught not to believe in. The elementals are care-givers for nature, they oversee natural phenomenon, and the natural world is their home.

I've come to learn that my ties to the elemental kingdom (or shall I saw queendom :D) is the main reason I get so upset about environmental degradation. Because anyone with ties to the world of the elementals feels like the animals and plants are their family. Because they are. Others of us, however, have stronger ties to the 'star people'. Many have lived human lives for a very long time, while others  are well acquainted with many different dimensions + roles.

In essence, where we've lived in the cosmos during our soul's history affects everything from our food preferences to our life purpose, to what type of relationships we'd like to cultivate.

If you'd like to read more, please read Doreen Virtue's book 'Realms of the Earth Angels'.

Fairies are most abundant in areas where flowers abound

One day, while I was still in university, I was looking out my window at the field beside my house. I lived on the edge of town, and had just finished reading a section of a Wayne Dyer book, and was feeling completely relaxed, completely peaceful. And that's when I saw them. Tiny little white sparkles that appeared to be dancing in the sky. I didn't recall ever seeing anything like it before. I knew it meant something, but I didn't know what. I've continued to see these sparks often since that day.

A few months after the incident, I was staying with a beautiful young family in a magical green forested valley in BC. I was playing with the oldest child, a 5 year old girl, in the garden. Somehow, the conversation turned magical - She told me about the fairies she could see. "What do they look like?" I asked. "Little white sparks" she said - "Sometimes there's so many in my drawer I can't even see my underwear", letting a little giggle out.

And that's when it clicked. Fairies. I could see fairies.

They didn't look like how I'd expected, but I was beginning to realize, most things don't work like you think they will in the Spirit world.

Mysteries abound at every corner. It felt as though my life was taking yet another turn - magic was real, and I could see and feel it. The little girl inside of me was shouting "I knew it!", while the more experienced part of my being wanted to keep this all a secret. After all, people would think I was crazy, wouldn't they?

It's been over a year and a half since the conversation that introduced me to the truth of those little white sparkles. And now I've learned to talk to them (it's actually quite easy). You see, fairies are actually Nature Angels, and they're here to help us, but especially, to help the environment. Animals have guardian angels like humans do, but from what I understand - most of the time, they're fairies. I've seen my cat's guardian 'fairy' a few times as a strong blue light that sits over her shoulder. What a beautiful world we live in.

I'll continue to post more 'How I See It' posts as the weeks go on. To learn more about fairies, again, I reference you to Doreen Virtue, this time, a book called "Healing with the Fairies"

A Peek Inside my Makeup Bag - The Products I Love!

Wearing my favourite eco makeup brands after showering with the best shampoo ever!

It took me a while to transition all of my makeup products to organic + natural, but I'm so glad I did. 

For years I've recognized the importance of what we put into our bodies - chemicals are foreign and extremely harsh to the body, throwing it out of balance, and creating all sorts of disorders, from depression, to acne, to wrinkles and cancer.

However I never realized the incredible absorption qualities that our skin has. I've learned, over the last few years, that what we put ON our bodies, is just as important as what we put IN our bodies. Our skin drinks up the lotions, makeup, and other body products we use, and this has profound effects on our moods, our appearance, and our overall health.

The average brand of makeup, shampoo, etc is LOADED with chemicals - carcinogenic ingredients dyes, and a whole whack of other synthetic shit (pardon my language, but that's what it is - shit) that I don't want in my body.

When this realization set in, I started using natural body care products. 

My rule now? If I wouldn't eat it, I don't put it on my body. Since then, my teeth have become whiter, my skin, clearer, and I get WAY happier when entering the bathroom, because I know I have luxurious organic products to use, from my shampoo, to my soap, to my foundation and mascara. Yay!

I also know that none of the products I buy have been tested on animals - animal testing is rampant in the makeup + body care industry, with brands like Johnson & Johnson being some of the worst offenders. I won't go into too much detail here, the finer points of animal testing are pretty gruesome, but you can learn more about it in a blog post I wrote back in 2011 here.

I challenge you to start transitioning your medicine cabinet + makeup bag to a green, earth loving, soul nurturing, care station. Remember - It's about progress, not perfection!

So this week, choose one, just one product to substitute out for an organic one. Perhaps you'll want to swap your Colgate for a nature loving brand, or maybe even make your own! Maybe your Herbal Essences could do with a boot in favour of my favourite shampoo - Sea Wench Naturals Botanical Shampoo.

To get you inspired, I've taken photos of some of my favourite brands! Have fun treating yourself loves!

xo Beth

100% Pure is pigmented with cacao + coffee beans - how cool is that?

This AMAZING shampoo is made on Vancouver Island

It's important to read the ingredients - remember, the 'natural' label means nothing! If you recognize the ingredients, that's a good start, if they're organic, even better!

I just got this great foundation which is based in organic jojoba oil - previously to that I was using Nvey, which I really liked as well

I love this bronzer - my mom got it for me for Christmas!

The Most Magical Evening of My Life - The Story Continues

{This post is a continuation of the story that began here, which chronicles my adventures in Hawaii. Please read it before continuing :) }

About a week after the adventures of the Blue Room, I was standing in the kitchen at Noniland. The sun had set, the darkness had descended, and I was making some toast, preparing to have a quiet night in.

Lucie, a young goddess I'd connected with, who was also staying at Noniland, walked in and asked "Are you coming to the fire?"

I had overheard Nick inviting her to a fire earlier in the evening, but had no plans to attend or inquire about it, yet at that moment, Nick popped his head in to the room and motioned - "You two" - and quietly walked away, indicating that we were to tell no one else about the gathering.

Intuitively I knew it would be some kind of Goddess ceremony, but I had no idea I was about to experience one of the most magical nights of my life.

As Lucie and I walked up to the top of the property, with teas in hand, we were invited into a sacred space of transformation, of depth. The campfire we were to sit at was framed in by a dragon-like looking piece of wood, which Nick explained, had an incredible story behind it. He shared it with us, though I will keep that part of the evening only to those who were there. Some things must be honoured by silence.

The fire started, as Nick gathered odd twigs and wood he could find scattered around the perimiter of the circle. Lucie and I were amazed to see the bonfire light up, feeling the full power of fire. At that moment, I realized what I was really conveying with the name "Waves of Fire" - fire is not just a word, but a powerful energy that commands attention, yet gives, gives such a heat and a glow that you are entranced by being in it's mere presence.

Nick began to tell us a story. Using nothing but a drum and his voice, he took us on a shamanic journey. As I laid back in the grass, gazing at the crescent moon and stars, listening to the crackle and feeling the heat of the fire, I felt truly honoured to be alive. I felt close to my ancestors, who for centuries, shared their evenings in the simplest, yet most profound of ways. Storytelling. Around a fire.

Magical hand warming under the stars and night sky

The story Nick lead us through was ancient. It was of a hunter and his horse, galloping around the world in search of treasures for a King who could not be satisfied. In the end, the King dies and the hunter is set free, looking and feeling more alive than ever.

After the story was told, we were instructed to enter a deep meditation. Nick then walked away, leaving the girls to connect with whatever had just happened. In front of that fire, I heard thoughts at first. I observed the chatter, and hoped to be able to connect to stillness more deeply, but wisely, letting it all go and enjoying the moment just the same.

As I gave up on any sort of deep meditation occurring, something happened. Gradually, and yet, all of a sudden, I could hear Spirit.

This sort of clarity and connection has only happened a couple of times in my life. 

And this time, Spirit said "I am the space" - and a total feeling of complete peace and understanding overcame my body. I understood that Spirit, God, Divine Intelligence, was the space in between. The void in which all things can be created from. A friendly yet empty place, a place we don't typically explore in our physical world. The space.

As Nick returned, he lead us through a dialogue of what that story really meant, and how it related to us. Our egos, our wisdom, our awareness, and ultimately, our depth of being. I didn't tell anyone about my experience with Spirit. I just let the energy of that moment carry me through into a bliss I felt sure of.

Coals burning from the last of the fire that night

As the night ended, Nick, Lucie and I created a circle. And we prayed. We prayed to allow love into our beings, and we prayed for the healing of the world. During that profound time, Nick said something I will never forget. He said:

"Can you imagine all those people, right now, whose thoughts are wrapped up in 'What do I have for lunch?' 'How can I have enough money for that?' 'I gotta brush my teeth' and 'How am I gonna go about doing this, such and such?'

Now feel what happens when you align your thoughts with God. 'God I surrender my heart to you. Thank you for loving me. God I love you, thank you for loving me. I surrender my heart to you, I surrender my heart to you."

I realized - We would live in a different way. We would live in a different dimension. I felt so expansive, so peaceful, yet so powerful in that moment.

I knew I had just stumbled upon a secret. An obvious secret, but a secret none the less.

When you orient your thoughts to how big and profound all of this truly is, something happens. You transcend the world you were living in, the nightmare as Nick calls it, for freedom. But you can only do this through big thoughts. Expansive actions.

I ask you now, dear reader, how can you orient your thoughts to be bigger and more in line with love in this moment? Maybe the term God doesn't work for you. Maybe you word it differently. It doesn't matter. The point is, rather than asking yourself what you're going to have for dinner.. 5 times.. you reorient and say, pray:

"I love you God (Spirit, Universe, etc), thank you for loving me. I surrender my heart to you. Show me the way"

And you will be guided. Guided into a world you can only dream of. But you'll get there. And it will be amazing.

{The story continues next week}

How to Lose the Weight - (And it's FUN!)

I first heard about Sarah Jenks through one of my favourite power women, Nisha Moodley.

Sarah's energy intrigued me right off the bat. Her authenticity oozed through every word she wrote, every photo she released. In the world of online women entrepreneurship, there's a lot of mentors telling you that they can help you. From my intuition skills, and just general vibe-feeling ability (which all of you have), a lot of these people are just not in a place of truth and self-love. But Sarah is. And that's what makes her so refreshing.

Check out Sarah's free Live More, Weigh Less training here. Photo by Abi Q Photography

Sarah is a mentor and an inspiration. She coaches women to lose weight, not through dieting, restrictions, or intimidating plans, but through LIVING! That's right - this woman is all about fun and breaking the rules and oh my god HALLELUJAH that there's a voice out there right now that's championing this movement of listening to the joy, not the struggle.

Her philosophy to losing weight, is not actually focusing on losing weight.

Her focus is on doing all those things you've wanted to do, but won't until the weight is off.

Like approaching that guy first, like starting your own business, like telling that person how you really feel. She encourages women to just do it - and I can't express how important this is.

You see, when we tell the Universe we're now in the place to do what we've always wanted to, it responds. We get to start living our lives NOW. We get to fall in love with life. And when that happens, our world begins anew. We learn to live. We learn to trust. And the weight... it simply falls off.

We're not hiding anymore. We're in our power. We're the goddesses we were meant to be.

Sarah just released a FREE Live More, Weigh Less video training, and I invite you to check it out here.

I love this woman. Happy joy following!
xo Beth

The Best (Vegan) Scalloped Potatoes In The World + A Recipe for Vegan Butter

Omg. These scalloped potatoes. I am just in love heaven with cream thinking about them. Except they have no cream. Or cheese. Or dairy period. Which makes them super rich and delicious, but totally not heavy. Believe me, I ate a lot of these babies at our Easter dinner, and didn't feel that 'Ohhhhh no.. I feel so bloated and lethargic' feeling.

The cheese sauce is what makes them UNREAL. And by cheese sauce I do not mean cheese sauce. But we'll get to that in a bit.

My roommate / bestie and I were trolling the web the other day for some recipes we could create for our family Easter dinner. We landed on a vegan scalloped potatoes recipe that initially sounded complicated, but was actually pretty easy.

We also made some substitutions based on what we had, and my aversion to soy.

The original recipe is posted here, we followed all of the instructions save for 2 things:

• We subbed the 'earth balance' for homemade vegan butter, which I'll share the recipe for below. This was used to create the 'cheese' sauce, along with potatoes, carrots, and coconut milk.
• We used full fat coconut milk instead of the soy creamer. 

And ohhhhhhhh MAN they were so good!

Kai's hand preparing the final layer of potatoes.

So without further ado, here is the recipe I created for the vegan butter to be used in place of the 'Earth Balance' (because this and many other vegan butters have GMOs and alot of other crap I'm just not a fan of):

Vegan Butter

1/3 cup coconut oil, softened

1/4 cup raw macadamia nut butter

1/4 cup (or more to taste) nutritional yeast

1 tsp of tahini (optional)

A pinch of celtic or himalayan salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and let stand in the fridge, or a cool area, for 30 min. 

Enjoy!

xo Beth

Visiting the Void - The Story Continues

{This post is a continuation of the story that began here, which chronicles my adventures in Hawaii. Please read it before continuing :) }

It had been a few days since the break up, and although I was in a space of acceptance and welcoming the new, I was going through moments of sorrow, that hit me unexpectedly, as the waves do the shore.

I walked downstairs to the promise of company in the kitchen  I'd been finding enormous comfort in the presence of others. Their laughs and light hearted energy reminded me to stay in the present, and assured me that no matter where I was in the world, I could find community.

Nick, the wise, loving, and distinctly unique co-founder of Noniland was juicing up a storm with 2 of the other guys at the farm. After spending a few moments with them, my inner guidance told me to admit that I was sad, as I had been feeling extremely low energy that morning.

A shot of the adventures to come, by David Mertl on Flickr

Without hesitation, Nick replied: "It's about the stories we tell ourselves, you can tell a sad one, or a happy one." He reminded me that when I think certain thoughts, I emit a certain frequency, and that frequency attracts all the other thoughts in the world that are vibrating on that level. This can be of enormous help if you're thinking wonderful, positive things, but if you're on a sad tangent - you inevitably end of attracting all of the other energy that's on that level as well. This is one of the reasons why it's so hard to get yourself out of a dark space - when you've gone too far in, you're not just dealing with your own energy, but that of the world's as well.

He suggested I begin to master my mind, and think "I am a happy, healthy, strong, sexy woman who lives the best life ever!" over and over in my head until I felt it in my body.

I took his advice and instantly felt better. Knowing that I wanted to be around people, he then invited me on an adventure, that I now feel, truly changed the course of my life - we were to go to the "Blue Room"

I didn't take my camera to the Blue Room, but this is it as pictured by Hawaii Revelead

The Blue Room is an ancient series of fresh water caves, shrouded in mystery. I was told that the Navy had done sonar tests to see how deep the caves went, but could not find out. Their sonar simply never bounced back. When I heard this, I instantly thought "portal". These caves are truly a portal, a vortex of sorts, that lead to who knows where. The void, perhaps. But they were sacred, and they were beckoning us.

Upon arriving at the Blue Room, we were greeted by a sign that stated only one Hawaiin word - which I can't recall anymore - along with it's meaning "to treat as sacred".

Climbing to the ridge, the caves suddenly opened before us, and the feeling of awe was like none I'd ever experienced before. The energy was damp, cold, yet alluring. Deliciously dark in a way that caused me to want to know more.

Before descending into the cave, Nick cried out an ancient Hawaiian chant - I didn't know what it meant, but as he was doing it, I felt a powerful surge of distinctly masculine energy rushing back to us, telling us we could enter. It felt as though a series of ancient Hawaiian elders were guarding that place, ensuring it be respected and treated with dignity.

"That's a chant asking permission to enter", Nick explained.

Ah, of course.

And so... we descended.

{The story continues on Thursday}