Its All About The Hips

What is it they say - Her hips don't lie!!  Well belly dancers know this to be true.  So on this the first post of Spirit, I am going to give you a break down of the Level 1 Egyptian Belly Dance Hips :)

Now the first thing to remember is to warm-up!!  Cant stress this enough cause you may cause injury and that will keep you from setting yourself free.

Dance Posture - This is the most important move you will learn.  this posture keeps your body in alignment and keeps you from hurting yourself.  Your feet are slightly apart, soft knees, pelvic is tucked, stand up straight, chest lifted, shoulders back, chin is neutral, and body is relaxed

Hip Lift - start in dance posture, lift hip up (like you are going to put it in your armpit), the accent to this move is on the up

Hip Drop - start in dance posture, this move I want you to think of sitting into the movement, you are going to drop your hip down, and the accent is on the down

Hip Twist - start in dance posture, this time think of a washing machine, you are going to move your hips front and back, they are moving on the same level (when the right hip is front, left hip is back)

Hip Bump - start in dance posture, now I call this one shutting the door, same motion as if you were shutting a car door with your hip, the accent is on the out, hip goes out and slightly up at the same time, this move tends to get the most attitude :)

Hip Slide - start in dance posture, think of what it looks like when you slide something across the table from point A to point B, simply slide your hip out and slide it back to center, hip is not lifting it is just moving out and back

Hip Thrust - start in dance posture, same movement as the Hip Twist just when you move you are pushing your hips forward and back, think of the movement as a "punch", punch your hips forward and back

Ok guys have fun with these and play with speed and build a cute hip combo.

Get those hips moving :)

Have a great weekend and enjoy your wild side cause now I really need to build my costume for my show this weekend!!

The Funny Coconut

Oh what can I say about a coconut!!  It is a superstar among fruit, I mean, come on, how many fruits can you think of that have had leading roles in movies and rock songs.  It has been used to mimic the sounds of horses (thank you Monty Python) and made people smile with the promise of a tasty adult beverage (lime and a coconut)

Now that you have a smile on your face replaying all the times a coconut has been a star, lets talk about the health benefits.  As you can see from the picture above (some of my favorites) the coconut affects all aspects of the body from the skin to the systems.  These are my Top 10 :)

1. Increases Energy Levels - It contains MCFA which are digested quickly and actually bypass the digestive process which means they are not stored as fat and completely utilized by our bodies.

2.  Reduces Inflammation - It promotes circulation in the areas of inflammation which causes increased blood supply to these areas.

3.  Supports Tissue Repair - It does these by destroying harmful microbes

4.  Helps Prevent Liver Disease - It contains medium chains of triglycerides which are converted to energy

5.  Supports Thyroid Functions - It does this by optimizing the bodies metabolic rate

6.  Promotes Weight Loss - It does this by being easily digested and optimizing the metabolic rate

7.  Supports Youthful Skin - It reduces inflammation of the skin and reduces harmful bacteria

8.  Reduces Symptoms of Psoriosis - It penetrates the tissue to reduce the flaking, itching and blistering

9.  Promotes Heart Health - It assists in keeping our arteries clear

10.  Protective Antioxidant - I think this one speaks for itself!!!!!

And as a little treat, here is a TASTY recipe for out ROCKSTAR!! (brought to you from Taste Of Home)


Pina Colada Cheesecake (I might be wanting something sweet)

• Prep: 40 min. Bake: 1-1/4 hours + cooling
• Yield: 12 Servings

40

Ingredients

• 15 shortbread cookies, crushed
• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• FILLING:
• 3 packages (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup cream of coconut
• 3 tablespoons 2% milk
• 3/4 teaspoon rum extract
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• TOPPING:
• 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and cored
• 3 tablespoons apple jelly
• Edible blossoms, optional

Directions

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan.
• In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs and coconut; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 8-10 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the cream of coconut, milk and extract. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
• Bake at 325° for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
• Thinly slice pineapple; arrange on cheesecake. Warm apple jelly; brush over pineapple. Refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, garnish with blossoms if desired. Yield: 12 servings.

FEAR Is More Than A Four Letter Word

This is the first post for the new revamping and I hope it helps ease your mind :)  

It is Mind Monday and I'm touching base on something that we all have FEAR!  What is Fear?  Well according to the definition it only a little noun that seems to be an unpleasant emotion caused by belief.  Now if you ask people on the street what fear is they would say a verb that makes you sweat, have nightmares, lash out, and cause all things to fall apart.

I myself have suffered from fear over the years that has caused me to hold back, not go for the dreams that I have had for what seems like since childhood.  I have worked off this judgmental beast and want to share with you what I tripped over, was reminded of, and searched for to help release my fear :)

Buddha stated that "When one has the feeling of dislike for evil, when one feels tranquil, one finds pleasure in listening to good teachings; when one has these feelings and appreciates them, one is free of fear"

This is the quote that set me on a search!!!  I found meditation and mantras helped me to find this tranquil state.

I have used this meditation for years for many different things.  I first learned this one as a karmic release meditation but I have adapted the visualization for it to help ease my mind in many areas of my life.  The meditation is called:

Purple Flame Meditation

The following is what you will say while you are visualizing yourself sitting in a purple flame

"I am the purple fire, I am the purity God desires"

When i was taught this one I was in a very fearful place and would perform the meditation morning and night and repeat the phrase 50 times but that is because I tend to "go big or go home" LOL  I will leave it up to you to perform this as much or as little as you feel comfortable doing. 

Now I also make sure that whenever I release the negative I reinforce the positive!!!!  My Sifu was very big on this because you never just leave a hole when you can fill it with something AWESOME!!  I usually go down the route of mantras because they are short, sweet and to the point :)  The following is an easy one that covers everything:

"Om Shanti Shanti Shanti"

Om - This syllable is the whole world

Shanti Shanti Shanti - threefold peace in body, speech and mind

I hope this post sends you on your own path to finding peace in your life!

A Little Revamp Goes A Long Way

Good Morning All :)

I have been on a break for a little bit trying to figure out the proper flow of this blog and what I have to share with everyone.  So after much thought, I decided to share all the Mind/Body/Spirit that I have to share!  Mondays will be for the Mind (mindfulness, motivation, meaning}, Wednesdays will be for Body (holistic well-being), and Fridays are going to be all about the Spirit (all you can handle Bellydance)

Thank you everyone for you support in this journey :)

Bellydance Daily Drills

When I started down my path in the world of bellydance, I was lost on what to do at home in-between my classes and my dance mommies instruction.  And now that I have students of my own, I have finally written down what I started out with :)  These moves are for Egyptian Bellydance!


Now don't just do the 25 of each and leave it at that!  Play with the movement: speed, count, which muscle group is fueling the movement (legs, glutes, abs)

And the most important about your home practice - HAVE FUN!!  Now grab your hip scarf, a mirror, and your music and get to it :)

To start out pick two of the following movements and perform 25 of each :)

Spotlight Erie - Mutiny Ink

Mutiny Ink in North East, Pa is the first establishment in a long line of posts of individuals bringing culture to Erie, Pa.

So if you take the scenic 15 min drive past vineyards into North East, you will find the old bank building on Main Street fly the Jolly Roger.  Now why is this flag flying?  Well that is because that building belongs to a motley crew of tattoo artists that supply the tattoo sub culture with a way to express themselves.  The crew consists of Nate "Capt" Bajis, Patrick  Mazzone, and Tim Schwenk.  Combined these talented individuals have 23 1/2 years experience in the industry.

If you are thinking you've seen one tattoo shop, you've seen them all - think again!!  Mutiny Ink is a very inviting place that is well lite and you are greeted when you come in the door.  these guys are great with people - while I was there our conversation stemmed from the zombie apocalypse to why puppy mills are horrible.  These guys do flash but prefer to do custom pieces that no one else will have.  If you bring an idea into them they will work something up for you that you will love! Oh and did I mention the cannon?  yes there is a cannon there!

Another thing that I love about the shop and these guys, they give back to the community.  They are involved with Breast Cancer Awareness this month and when you go in and get the pink ribbon tattoo the proceeds go to the cause!!!!!  They are also involved with Autism Awareness and Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

Now let's meet the guys shall we!

Nate "Capt" Bajis

(yes he is working on my latest tat)


Coming from the Art institute of Pittsburgh - Graphic Design, he brings 4 1/2 years of passion in the craft.  He stated that while he was an apprentice he would ask and ask to tattoo and when he finally got the chance he fell in love with it and did not want to do anything else.  When asked why his reply was simple yet perfect "Art is fun and tatting was a great avenue to live art" And it is about the art for Nate, he prefers to work with modern design with traditional techniques.  Nate's first tattoo was a Jedi (very fitting, and you'll see once you go in) and it started a love affair that has brought Mutiny Ink to North East.  Check out more about Nate and the Shop at
 Artwork of Nate Bajis
 Mutiny Ink



Patrick Mazzone

This guy has been creating art since he could hold a crayon!  He is a self taught man that brings 6 years of creative backing.  Pat told me that he actually started out when he was a kid working on comic book design and one day he was at a local restaurant with a buddy and it was his buddy that got him in the industry.  He loves the fact that tattooing is like comic book design in the fact that you are working with lines and shapes and you do that when you tattoo someone - you work with the lines of that persons body.  I asked Pat who his idols were and my little hand could hardly keep up lol  they included the likes of - Ben Temple Smith, Scotty Young, David Tevenal, and DJ Minor - just to name a few.  His style is modern design with traditional techniques and loves to work with multi-session pieces and is always thinking of ways to improve the pieces that he is working with.  This guy loves what he does for sure!!  Check out more and see for yourself:
Pat's Blog
Pat's Tumblr
on Twitter @patrickmazzone
on Instagram at bornasghosts

Tim Schwenk

What can I say about Tim, a man of many words and he definitely does not want to own a puppy farm (yes from the conversation we had when I was in the shop)  This guy brings to the table 13 years of experience to Mutiny.  He said that he just loves the way a shop smells and couldn't think of any other profession he would enjoy more.  He is another one that has been been creating ever since he could pick up a crayon, in fact he joked and said the only reason he went to school was for the art supplies!!  His style is different in that he enjoys to do animal portraits the most, when I asked why that is he stated it was all in the shading.


I cant say enough about these guys, the shop, or the work they do!!  Asked about any advice or words of wisdom they may have for the public or other artists and the advice was:  Artists - DO IT RIGHT!  Tattoo Seekers - Get something that has meaning and reflects the person you are at the moment of the tattoo, make sure it is you!!

And in the words of Sailor Jerry (and this one was said a few times) "Good tattoos aren't cheap, Cheap tattoos aren't good"

Thank you guys so very much for being my first Spotlight Erie and my first interview :)  I hope you enjoy it!!!!

Did You Know: Pumpkin

Charlie Brown was right!!  There is a Great Pumpkin out there, and at this time of year there is not a single one of us that can say "I couldn't find any at the store".  I used to think that the month of October marked the first days of National Eating Disorder season but once I started looking into what we put in our bodies a few years ago, I realized that this season is chalked full of foods that are amazing for us.

Now let us take a look at the food that starts the holiday whirlwind - Pumpkin.  These guys are jam packed with Carotenoids, Protein, Essential Fatty Acids, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Magnesium, Potassium,  Zinc and Fiber.  Am I speaking Greek yet, then let me break it down for you.

Carotenoids help us rid our bodies of free radicals (those nasty little agents that assist in premature aging).  Protein is important for the growth and repair of every aspect of our being from our cells to our big toe.  Essential Fatty Acids are what we call the Omegas, they are important to assist with brain function, vision, and immune system.  Vitamin A and C are great antioxidents.  Magnesium is here to help all the bodies biochemical reactions.  Potassium is an electrolyte and is vital for heart function.  Zinc is great for the immune system. We need fiber for proper digestion.

Now how does this basic information help in me in my everyday life?  Pumpkin is a superfood and can help you with cancer prevention, depression, joint pains, vertigo, intestinal worms and helping stomach issues in our pets.

This is just a little introduction into the wonderful world of pumpkin so this holiday season when asked if you would like some pumpkin pie you don't have to be worried about it because you are giving your body just what it needs and then some!