Are You in Edmonton? Do You Have a Spiritual Community?

My Deepest Desire
For the longest time, I have had this vision of being part of a loving, supportive community of spiritually aware and earnest individuals. This has been one of my deepest desires, because I have often felt like there were very few safe spaces in this society where I could freely express my non-dual way of perceiving reality without being judged or misunderstood.

Craving Genuine Connection
My heart and soul craved ways to truly connect with others on a profound level. By that, I mean having conversations and interactions that sometimes go beyond the current content of what's happening in our individual lives. I'm talking about not being afraid to dive right into the essence of our being. Who, or what are we? What are we doing here? What really matters? How do we reach our full potential as spiritual beings? What can we do to heal our hearts and our planet? What role does the ego play in our lives?

What Matters to Most...
My experience has been that for the majority of people, these topics are of little interest. What seems to be more important are things like "How can I experience more pleasure and less pain?" "What can I do to distract myself from those repressed negative thoughts and feelings I never want to face and feel?""How can I improve and reinforce this idea of a separate me by gaining more power, status, wealth, success...etc." Of course, nobody has these thoughts consciously, but these give us a glimpse into the basic survival programs that run most human behaviours on a very unconscious level.

Our Civilization Built on a False Premise
Spiritual devotees eventually discover that ultimately, there is no self, and there is no other. We don't "have a life". Life, or consciousness itself lives through us, but the ego takes credit for everything that happens and it completely distorts our perception of reality. Thanks to our neurotic and controlling egos, our entire civilization is built on a false premise of separation and individuality. This illusion is the source of the totality of our suffering!

The New Earth?
The ego was a natural part of our evolution and now we have reached a point where we are ready to transcend it. Our survival depends on it, actually. Many people nowadays are waking up from the ego trance and they understand the difference between the self and the Self. Still, it takes perseverance, willingness and courage to want to break free from the ego's old habits, thought patterns and conditioned programs -especially considering how unpopular this is in our modern narcissistic world. There are not many "I want to break free from the ego" support groups at this point in time!

We Are Stronger Together, as One
Over the years, I've had some wonderful experiences here and there that provided opportunities for genuine soul to soul connections with people who are brave enough to want to transcend the ego, however, they were not as frequent as I had hoped. The internet has allowed all kinds of spiritual groups to flourish, but let's face it, it doesn't compare to interacting face to face with another human being. We are social animals and we truly need each other. Communities have always allowed us to thrive and to survive.

A Dream Coming True
What we hold in mind tends to manifest, and so I am extremely grateful for the community that is growing and blooming at the Himalayan Meditation Centre here in Edmonton where I now work. I met Amchi Kunga -the owner of the Meditation Centre who was a monk for 15 years in Tibet- back in October 2018, and things have really been evolving since then. I teach mindfulness to kids and their parents on a weekly basis there and offer a variety of other classes / workshops / meditations. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to go to this welcoming place on a regular basis and participate in the meditations with other like-minded souls. It's so refreshing to be in a space of total acceptance and open-heartedness. I have made some wonderful friendships and I look forward to meeting other members of my extended soul family at this joyful centre.

Please Join Us!
We offer all kinds of conscious events for people of all ages (many of which are free or donation-based), so if you'd like to know more about the centre and/or be kept up to date with what's happening, please visit my website or sign up directly here.

Thanks for taking the time to read,

Lise Villeneuve
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Two Quotes Every Parent / Teacher Should Read

"We all carry wounds in us that we received as children, and taking the path of healing these wounds makes it much easier for us to relate to and understand the children in our life. Whatever we haven't transformed, we're likely to pass on to our children and to our students. Our suffering will become their suffering. This is why practicing mindfulness in our daily lives is so important. It is not just to avoid burnout; mindfulness allows us to transform in the depths of our consciousness. If you are not at peace, how can you impart peace to your children and students?"

-Thich Nhat Hanh, Planting Seeds, Practicing Mindfulness with Children

"Children who are raised by parents who are conscious, and therefore both at peace with themselves and connected to their inner joy, discover the abundance of the universe and learn how to tap into this ever-flowing source. Viewing life as their partner, such children respond to life's challenges with curiosity, excitement, and a sense of reverent engagement. Brought up to be inwardly peaceful and to know their inherent joy, they in turn teach their children to live in a state of joyful abundance."

-Shefali Tsabary, The Conscious Parent

These two quotes speak volumes! I just had to share them here because I find them so incredibly important and inspiring. What do you think?

There is one more thing I'd like to share. The Himalayan Meditation Centre in Edmonton will be offering a 10-week mindfulness class for kids aged 5-13 starting next January (2019). One or more parents are invited to attend and participate. The class will be held on Saturdays from 1-2 pm. The Conscious Kids curriculum will be used, which means that all the concepts are taught through creative short stories and fun, engaging activities for families. The course is designed to help kids develop their emotional intelligence, lower their stress, boost their confidence & improve their mood and focus. You may have guessed that I will be teaching this class, along with my kind and very gifted colleague who came here all the way from Tibet, Dr. Kunga. Openings are very limited and are based on a first come, first serve policy. For more information and to sign up, please visit conscious-kids.ca. 

Warm regards,

Lise Villeneuve

www.lisevilleneuve.com

Are You Game?

Are we really all that different?

On the surface, it may look like we are all unique and have very different needs, challenges, desires and ambitions. However, once we have the courage to dive a little deeper into the heart of who - or what - we are, we soon discover that what we truly crave is universal : inner peace, joy, unconditional love, and freedom from our negative states.

Many of us intuitively know that these qualities are nowhere to be found in the world « out there », yet we continue to search for them by constantly rearranging the circumstances of our life. This is like trying to change the reflection we see of ourselves in a mirror, without being willing to modify or to question the source of the image itself - who we are.

What is at the root of our constant restlessness, our agitation and our psychological suffering? It is this profoundly distorted image we have of ourselves. Are we merely separate entities made of flesh and bones, or are we interconnected spiritual beings having a temporary human experience? As long as we hold on to the idea of a separate self dominated by the survival instincts of the ego, then lasting freedom, inner-peace, joy and unconditional love will remain out of reach.

To be honest...

Frankly, I am not interested in helping people simply rearrange the circumstances of their life so they can feel temporary relief, wordly success or superficial self-confidence. I am not interested in patching up the cracks in their wounded ego so that they can « function normally », like everyone else who is sleepwalking under the trance of their ego. Rather, I am interested in helping individuals wake up permanently to their full potential as a spiritual being. This is where real emotional, physical and spiritual healing begins. This is where true, unwaivering Self-confidence is born. This is the realm of miracles.

Wanting to transcend the ego takes courage, dedication and humility. It’s not an easy or popular route. At first, the ego thinks « yes, that’s what I want, that’s what I need to feel fulfilled», but this is a trap. It’s not about making our personal selves better, stronger or more powerful - although paradoxically, this often happens as a result of raising our level of consciousness. Disidentification from the ego is all about stripping away our programming and the limiting beliefs that hold us back as spiritual beings.

How is it done? By developing an awareness of what we really are; by surrendering negative emotions; by healing old wounds; by letting go of what holds us back; by opening our hearts and by humbly trusting the ever-present divine grace that guides us back to wholeness.

As difficult as it has been at times, this has been my journey for over two decades. I discovered that my entire life was essentially an illusion that kept me trapped in unecessary suffering. At first, I understood this with my mind, then, little by little, I experienced it through my heart. Because I have been through and continue to move through this process of spiritual surrendering on a daily basis, I am now able to hold that space for others to do the same thing. I do it by sharing a sacred space that includes creativity, some moments of silence, breathing, laughter, warm beverages and a whole lot of love.

Spirituality is not like working out at the gym. We cannot learn how to raise our level of consciousness by « doing » , or by simply trying to fix the problems our minds cling to. We have to allow ourselves to be. We have to find the courage to feel whatever comes up, as unpleasant as that might be sometimes. We have to learn how to be at peace with what is. It’s not enough to sit in meditation and chant mantras three times a week, because life happens outside of these bubbles of isolation. How do we react when things don’t go our way? Is the ego still completely running our internal programming outside of meditation class?

The good news is that every second of every day, as our life unfolds with its inevitable ups and downs, we can practice being more spiritually aware. We can allow ourselves to be what we truly are. We can wake up from the dream over and over again. Are you game?

If you are in the Edmonton area and would like to know more about the private sacred spaces I hold, you can reach me at consciouslivingsolutions (at) gmail dot com.


Warmly,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Luxury Condo For Kittens. Free Rent!

This week, the kids and I had fun building a luxury condo for the kittens and their mama out of a recycled cardboard box. Buddha, Archie, Zelda, Rogue and Chewie (Chewbacca) are now two weeks old and cuter than ever! Their eyes are all fully open, they are starting to walk (wobble) around, and they should be able to start hearing any day now.

Their auntie, Precious, has had a BIG change of heart and attitude towards the little ones. She'll never admit it, but it sure looks like she enjoys being around the kittens. You can see for yourself in the picture below. That's auntie Precious casually sniffing Buddha.

My son Théo and Chewie have a special bond already. It's as though the first thing Chewie saw when he opened his little eyes was Théo, and now he thinks he's his mother! Chewie just stares into Théo's eyes and stretches up his little head towards him. Below are three pictures of Chewie.

Emma had fun furnishing the kittten condo with some old toys, and now she's talking about sewing little pillows, blankets and even outfits for everyone!

Mitsy continues to be a wonderfully loving mama. We have to be careful when we play back videos with sounds of the kittens meowing, as this sometimes stresses her out. She starts looking around the room for lost or distressed kittens!

Above are the little black and white brothers, Buddha on the top and Rogue on the bottom. They are like yin and yang : Buddha is totally zen and Rogue is a curious little explorer. They are all just so sweet!

It's not too late to adopt one of these cuties! If you can offer a forever home to one of these kittens in February 2018 (and you are close to Edmonton), you can email me at consciouslivingsolutions@gmail.com

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Willing to Risk a Broken Heart

Today the kittens are 8 days old! These fluffy little balls of joy have been our main source of entertainment this week. Kittens are born deaf and blind, and by day 8, they start to slowly open their eyes. A few days later, hearing starts to develop. You can see in the picture below that one of them has indeed started to open her eyes. Yes, if I'm not mistaken, that's our only little female in the litter of 5. She beat her 4 brothers in the eyesight race, as her eyes started to open around day 6. They have all grown and their fur is softer and fluffier than ever.

This morning, as I was taking these pictures, I heard this little clicking sound. It was coming from a little orange male who was drinking milk. I realized that sound was actually purring! How adorable! I hadn't heard it from a baby until now.

You might be wondering how our other cat, Precious -a very territorial Bengal has been coping with sharing the house with not just one, but 6 other cats? In the picture above, Mitsy is looking directly at Precious. The first day, Precious was furious. She's always been a bit of a princess. We didn't let her see the kittens, so she didn't really know what was going on, except that to her, the house probably smelled like cat hell.

The second day, we slowly introduced her to the babies, and that actually seemed to calm her down. She was still angry at Mitsy, but didn't seem too threatened by the kittens. By day three, we let Precious get up close and personal with a kitten. She sniffed it and looked very relaxed. Now she's back to her usual self. We now know that Precious has no intentions of harming the babies, and Mitsy is very protective of them anyway should she try anything naughty.

Mitsy still needs to work on her carrying skills with her babies. Every now and then, she tries to pick one up -with difficulty. She tries to grab them by the tail, the behind, the head! Once, she got it right. She managed to transport one (by the neck) all the way to the basement.

As for our human babies, Emma and Théo, they know that no matter how cute the kittens are, we will only be keeping them until February 2018. Of course, it will be impossible not to get attached to them, but we all understand the "risks". That's life. We can't prevent ourselves from loving deeply even if that means we might have to face the pain of a broken heart somewhere down the road.

We have given them temporary names. The black and white ones (males) are Rogue (the alpha of the bunch) and Buddha (because he really is a zen little fella). The little orange female is Zelda, and the two orange males are Archie (daughter picked that one!) and Chewbacca (chewie for short).

It looks like we have found potential families for almost all these guys, but until things are 100% confirmed by the foster families, I am still considering other foster parents at this point. If you would like to provide a forever-home for a kitten in February 2018 and are close to Edmonton, please speak up now or forever hold your peace! :)

With Love,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

What You REALLY Want For Christmas...

Maybe we should just be honest with ourselves this year and cut to the chase by answering this simple question: what do we REALLY want for Christmas? Let me help you out here. We just want to feel good or, at least, better! The truth is, everything we choose to do is done because we think it will somehow make us feel better or avoid pain.

Think about it. The whole Christmas shopping ordeal is either fuelled by a desire to please and/or a desire to avoid guilt or embarrassment! We give "things" because this makes us feel better. Sure, it's nice to give and receive new gadgets, they distract and entertain us for awhile, but we all intuitively know that material things are not the key to feeling that deep, lasting peace and joy we all crave! What if we could wrap up those wonderful feelings in a little box, instead? What if we could offer them as gifts to ourselves, as well as to the people we love? Wouldn't that be the perfect present? Well, you actually can!

Instead of embarking on the 2014 Shopping Crusade this year, unconsciously trying to please everybody -including yourself- with a material solution to a metaphysical problem, why not just focus on this idea: "what can I do to make myself and others feel better?" It's time for you to get creative here! Shopping is somewhat easy (especially if you have masochistic tendencies) but it only brings superficial, momentary pleasure. 

Obviously, sometimes it's inappropriate to want to offer "the feelings of love, peace and empowerment" to your boss, your mother-in-law or your ex, and a box of chocolates will do just the trick. But for those souls who are really close to you, whom you dearly love and wish the absolute best, why not give them what they really want (but may not know it yet)? Help them to feel more confident, help them become healthier, help them reach for their dreams, help them experience true joy!

If you are looking for suggestions to bring this idea to life (and you are in the Edmonton area), I can offer you a 1-hour "Soul Spa" Package (Gift Certificates available).

Warmest Wishes,

Lise

www.lisevilleneuve.com

10 Secrets to Living a Fulfilling, Wonderful, Magical life...

Would you like to know 10 secrets to living a fulfilling, wonderful, magical life?  

1.       Wake up from the illusion. You are a spiritual being in a material world. The current reality you are experiencing is not set in stone. The physical world you interpret each day is only a tiny fraction of the whole. I can help you broaden your perspective and empower you.

You are a beautiful, luminous, intuitive and creative Being

2.       Understand energy and start shaping your reality. The Universe, all matter and even your thoughts are all made up of vibrating energy. This energy is governed by very specific laws. Once you understand these laws, you become a conscious creator. I’ll show you how and help you practice, practice, practice until you don’t have any more doubts!

You are a powerful co-creator in this unified Universe

3.       Redefine success. Forget about money, power, adventure. Those things are great, but true success is measured by the amount of JOY you feel every day. You intuitively know this to be true, and I can help you get there, step by step.

You were meant to experience love, joy and purpose every day

4.       Admit that we ALL have some healing to do. Whether physical or emotional, there are parts of you that want to heal. You may or may not be aware of it, but your mind / ego have been in the driver’s seat for awhile now. This may cause you to feel exhausted, sick, depressed, anxious, angry, discouraged or confused. It’s time to get realigned with your heart and spirit because life was not meant to be a struggle. You deserve to feel great each day and I can help you heal those disowned parts of yourself.

You CAN heal your body, your mind, your relationships and feel fantastic!

5.       Focus exclusively on what you want, not what you don’t want. Stop dwelling on the past, on the problems in your life, and start to clearly define what you DO want instead! Positive focus is an extremely powerful skill. It may take a little practice at first, but I’ll help you master it in no time.

Your desires are extremely important and achievable

6.       Embrace all your emotions. Stop running away from what you are feeling and let yourself fully experience your emotions. They are sending you very important messages, such as “you are not in alignment right now, do something about it!” I will help you fine-tune your emotional compass.

Your emotions are your internal compass guiding you each step of the way

7.       Get comfortable with just “being”. It’s time to stop obsessing about doing, doing, doing and time to start being ok with being. After all, you are a human being, not a human doing! I will help you become more aware of the unconscious thought patterns that make us compulsive “doers”. By learning to be still, you will gain access to your inner wisdom, intuition and creativity.

You have access to deep wisdom within you

8.       Treat your body like the sacred temple it truly is. It’s time to stop fueling yourself with garbage! Your body is begging to be loved, nurtured, accepted and listened to. I will give you gradual, simple tools and instructions that will help you take better care of yourself. This will increase your energy and improve your mood.

You can release blocked energy, look and feel great and inspire others

9.       Understand the ultimate motivation behind everything you do. Every action you take is designed to make you feel better. Let that sink in for a second. Even selfless acts provide us with rewards like satisfaction and increased self-esteem. Be honest with yourself and give yourself permission to take actions that make you feel good directly. What do you really want? What makes you feel good? What brings you joy? I will coach you as you learn to choose better-feeling thoughts and actions each day.

You can learn to love and believe in yourself again

10.   Create your reality consciously, not “by default”. Whether you know and understand the rules of the game or not, you are creating your reality right now with every single thought that you have. The majority of your thoughts are unconscious, so it may seem like what you experience in your life are things you never asked for, but in reality, everything in your life originates from your thoughts. I will help you grow in awareness so that you can become a conscious creator of the life you truly want.

You CAN create the life you truly want!

For more information, please visit www.lisevilleneuve.com

Warmly,

Lise Villeneuve

Founder of Conscious Living Solutions

Health Coach / Reiki Master

How To Create The Life You Truly Want

I finally get it. After years of soul searching, studying, and experimenting, I can now say that I understand how I've slowly been creating the life I truly want, and I also know how to help others get there. This has been my lifelong passion, and I have shifted from inspiring people through music and writing (as a touring singer-songwriter and author) to empowering individuals directly as a holistic therapist.

I love being able to make a difference in peoples' lives. There is so much unnecessary suffering in our hearts. When I meet someone who's at the end of their rope and I'm able to guide them towards a brighter perspective -and eventually, a happier, healthier life- I know that I'm doing the work I was really meant to do. Today I'd like to share some insights to help you understand how you can create the life you truly want.

The Biggest Illusion
Our senses deceive us. You may think that your computer is solid and static, but it's not! Quantum physicists tell us that everything in this universe is made up of vibrating energy fields, including you. That means that everything has its own frequency, or vibration. Even your thoughts are vibrating energy particles that have their own frequency.

You may wonder how any of this affects your life. Well, say you wanted to lose some weight. Most of us would approach the problem of being overweight like this : "I see some unwanted fat here, I can touch it, it's real, so what I need to do is find a solution on the physical level to remove the fat. I'll try dieting and exercising." Will this work? Sure, you can get results that way, but what are you going to do about the thoughts (conscious and subconscious) that caused you to make the wrong choices and created that fat in the first place? If you remain unaware of those thoughts, they will eventually sabotage your short-term success and you will gain weight again.

The biggest illusion is that we believe the best way to control our physical reality is through our physical senses. We look for solutions to most of our problems on a physical level : "If I work more hours, I'll experience more wealth; if I look better, I'll attract a partner; if I find the right doctor, I'll be able to heal from this illness". We are skipping an important step here. Everything that has manifested into your life is the direct result of a thought you believed, somewhere down the road. Your thoughts create your reality. If you don't like that reality, the fastest way to change it is by changing your thoughts! Remember, if everything is made of vibrating energy, it makes sense that thoughts are the precursor to physical matter.

The Rules of the Game
Energetic vibrations are not just random and chaotic, they follow a universal law. Energetic vibrations that match are attracted to each other, and vibrations that don't match are pushed away from each other. You may have guessed that this is called the Law of Attaction. Again, how does this affect your life? Well, you have your very own energetic vibration. It changes from day to day, depending on how you feel and how well you take care of yourself. So, imagine that today you feel great and you have a very high vibration. Following the law of attraction, what do you think you are going to attract in your life today? Like attracts like, so get ready to be a magnet for other high frequency (or positive) circumstances, people and events. The same goes that if you feel down, you will unfortunately attract what you are emitting. Your life today is a perfect reflection of your most frequent thoughts. The good news is that you can learn to control your thoughts, as opposed to letting them control you.

The Key
You hold the key to transforming your life once you develop true awareness. Becoming aware is waking up from the reality you have been creating "by default". You then realize you had the power to shape your reality all along (by becoming aware of your thoughts).That can be scary for some. Now that you know YOU are the ultimate creator of your life, what are you going to create? What do you want? There are no more excuses to play small. It's time to raise your vibration and start attracting all the good stuff!

How to Change Your Reality
You may be thinking, "Ok, I understand all of this, but how can I control my thoughts and raise my vibration? Or, you may be saying "I've tried, and this law of attraction stuff doesn't work". Well, it's not enough to simply understand the concept and think good thoughts. It's all about practice, practice, practice, each and every day. This is actually what I specialize in. I provide tools and techniques to raise your awareness and increase your vibration on an energetic level over a period of 6 months. I teach you how to:

• Become more aware of core limiting beliefs and negative thoughts, and then change them
• Tune in to your emotions and higher self
• Take great care of your body / mind / spirit (nutrition, exercise, meditation, self-expression)
• Use consistent, regular, positive focus to reach your goals / intentions
• Learn to gravitate towards what brings you joy and peace

The Life You Truly Want is Built From the Inside Out
Once you understand that your life today is a direct reflection of your most practised thoughts, you can confidently decide where you want to go from here. The sky is the limit! The life you truly want is within your reach. You just need to plant those "dream seedlings" inside you and create an environment that will allow them to grow and manifest in your outer reality.

Are you ready to get to work?
It's time to walk the talk! Contact me today to set up a free consultation. Please visit my website for more information.

Warmly,

Lise
Holistic Therapist / Reiki Master
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Congratulations! You Are Certified Awesome!

I knew we would get these mid-year certificates today from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to be officially qualified to work with clients professionally. I really don't think this certificate is a big deal. I, like many people today, seem to have started a little collection of diplomas and certificates for this or that. However, I must admit it's still a nice little pat on the back to receive this today! 

To me it's a visual reminder of the continual efforts we, the students at the IIN, have been putting in since last October. Every little step has counted towards getting us here now, just past the halfway point. What a life-changing experience! It makes the rest of the journey even more inspiring, and I must say, I don't really want it to end!

Maybe we should all give ourselves certificates like these for important milestones such as... having been a mom / dad for 1 year, having changed a bad habit for 1 month, having done the cleaning for 1 week...lol! It seems silly, but we should give ourselves more credit for the many things we do so well. In fact, I think I'll include the certificate idea in my practice with my clients! When they reach one of their goals, they will get a certificate for having done an awesome job. It seems kinda lame until you actually get the certificate with your name on it. Then, you secretly smile inside!

If you were to write up a certificate for yourself today, what would it be for? Don't be shy, write it in the comments below. You deserve a little praise!

Warmly,

Lise

Health Coach / Reiki Master

www.lisevilleneuve.com

Facebook: Conscious Living Solutions

Client Blog

Welcome To My Office! Doors Are Opening...

I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for all the positive things that have been happening in the past few months! The latest joy was finding this perfect, cozy, welcoming office where I'll be working with clients as of next month (May, 2014). 

I want to thank Donna and Murray Armstrong from Armstrongs' Counselling for giving me the opportunity to share their gorgeous and serene facility. This office even comes with a massage table (next to the aquarium and zen garden!), allowing me to practice Reiki (I've been a Reiki Master since 2012). There is a sound system, a built-in bathroom, dimmer lights, a large stone for energy cleansing and even a Keurig coffee dispenser! I'm very eager to get started! 

My medium to long-term vision is to work out of a wellness center where parents will be able to safely drop off their kids in the room down the hall while they go for their consultations or treatments. This will allow mom or dad to fully focus on themselves while their kids can play with others and be supervised by a professional. This will allow me to continue homeschooling my own kids while working part-time. Eventually I want to develop this idea of "consciousness for kids" and offer workshops and educational activities for children. Another cool thing is that I've recently met some amazing healers and practitioners and I'd like to team up with them in the near future. I just can't believe the synchronicity I've been experiencing lately! 

So for now, (because it's all about the Now, right?) the office you see in the picture truly is my dream office! Want to come see it!!?

I will be pacing myself and starting slowly, with a maximum of 4 clients starting in May. I will be working with in-person clients on Saturday afternoons only. For those of you interested (and located in Edmonton), I have 4 available spots in my 6 month program starting on:

-Saturday, May 10 at 2 pm
-Saturday, May 10 at 3 pm
-Saturday, May 17 at 2 pm
-Saturday, May 17 at 3 pm

I've added a description page of my program on my website (under Health Program) with my very first home-made "infomercial" (Lol!)

Also, I added a "sample page" of the 24 weekly support pages my clients will have access to on my website. The goal is to keep them inspired and motivated between our sessions together. Have a look and tell me what you think of the format. I always appreciate feedback (as long as it's good! Just kidding!)

Thank YOU so much for your presence and support. I'm happy to be sharing this journey with you! Let's keep in touch!

Warmly,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com
Conscious Living Solutions (Facebook)

Eating Raw And Juicing...No Way!

Last night I watched the documentary "Fat, Sick And Nearly Dead" by Aussie Joe Cross. You can watch it by clicking on the link and it's also available on Netflix. If you're looking for an entertaining, feel-good movie (you wouldn't think so from the title), this is it! 

I get a kick out of seeing the "before and after" guts of men on liquid diets. It certainly should make you feel good about your own gut, if you have one. You probably won't feel like snacking on chips during this one. Rather, you'll get the urge to put those potato chips in the new juicer you'll want to buy for Christmas. Enough said, I don't want to ruin the punch line (celery, kale and pineapple punch, that is).

So yes, juicing is the new prozac in the health-conscious underworld. I don't have a juicer (yet...and I hope Santa doesn't get too ambitious this year) because I just don't think I could get into it that much. I've heard cleaning those beasts is worse than changing diapers on someone else's kid. However, I ordered some "green powder" and it arrived today in the mail! Totally legit, it's made of a bunch of organic veggies that you add to a smoothie or fruit juice. Apparently, it's the next best thing after juicing...and no cleaning involved (thank goodness, because I'd have to add that chore to our "Mr. and Mrs. Bitch Chore Chart"...see previous post).

The other thing that arrived in my mail today is Vitamin D-3 and...yum...Cod Liver Oil! I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. That rhymes with "brrrr". I don't think I'll be able to survive another winter here without more vitamin D (naturally produced by our skin when exposed to minimal sunlight levels). Tomorrow, the low will be -31 Celsius....that is -23.8 Farhenheit!! Without enough vitamin D (1000 iu daily) our moods darken, our energy drops and hibernation suddenly seems like a viable option. I have a tough time with this extreme cold weather. Can you tell?

Anyway, this week at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, we are learning about raw diets. I can see the benefits of eating raw food (more enzymes, vitamins and nutrients, less acidity building up in the body, more vitality, less toxicity resulting from cooking). However, I just can't fathom eating a 100% raw diet like David Wolfe does and recommends. David Wolfe doesn't live in Edmonton...and he has his crazy hair to keep him warm! I just can't imagine shovelling the snow at -31 Celsius and coming in to warm up to a nice, raw fruit-veggies-nuts-seeds and (raw) grains supper! No way, not for me. Sure, I'll eat plenty of raw foods here and there, but not exclusively, not unless we move to a warmer climate! (I'm open to negotiations here...)

This blog is a great tool for me during this year of "nutritional transformation". Watch, one year from now I'll be blogging about how juicing is a "must" and writing out the latest recipes for raw chicken...

Warmly, (but sort of freezing at the same time)

Lise
(www.lisevilleneuve.com)