Hearty Handmade Shop is closed

I am sad to announce that Hearty Handmade Shop is closed with effect from today.  Because my dear neighbour Yan Xian is getting married and will be moving out soon.  She has decided to discontinue with this online shop.  It is sad that we have to part as we have been neighbour for 30 yrs old.  I would like to wish her all the best and happiness be always with her.

We are sorry if we have disappointed anyone of you who are interested to place order with us.  Thank you for your interest in our handmade products and support. 

Yoga Posture: The Revolving Lateral Angle (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana)

Picture 1

Parivrtta means revolved, turned round or back.  Parsva means side or flank.  Kona is an angle.  This is the revolving lateral angle posture and can also known as cross lateral angle posture.

This pose being a more intensified one than Parivrtta Trikonasana (The Lateral Angle), has a greater effect.  The hamstrings, however, are not stretched as much as in Parivrtta Trikonasana.  The abdominal organs are more contracted and that aids digestion.  The blood circulates well round the abdominal organs and the spinal column, and they are thus rejuvenated.  The asana helps to remove waste matter from the colon without strain.

Picture 2



Beginners may want to bring the hands together in prayer position in front of the sternum (picture 1) instead of extending the arms (picture 2).

This posture encourages the lungs and ribs to expand.



Note: Please perform the yoga under the guide of a certified yoga teacher especially for beginner. You are at your own risk and responsible if you perform on your own. Whatever provided here is just act as an information.


Source from Light onYoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
                      Ashtanga Yoga for Women by Sally Griffyn & Michaela Clarke

Why Meditate?

Meditation is a state of consciousness that can be understood only on a direct, intuitive level.  Ordinary experiences are limited by time, space, and the laws of causality, but the meditative state transcends all boundaries.  While you meditate, past and future cease to exist.  There is only the consciousness of I AM in the infinite, eternal, NOW.


What is Happiness?

Everyone wants to be happy; this is a universal fact.  Most people believe that some material object will bring this happiness - money, the perfect spouse, the dream job, a new car, a big house with swimming pool - but in truth the list of what would make you completely happy is never-ending.  Each "thing" will please only for a short time, until the novelty wears off.  As long as you think that happiness will come from something outside yourself, you will never be happy.  Happiness, the blissful state, comes from within your own self.  Anyone who believes otherwise is like a person wandering in th desert, constantly disappointed by mirages of water and shade.  Worldly happiness is equally elusive, always just beyond our grasp.  Two famous stories, told below, illustrate the reason why.


Searching for Sweetness

A man went to visit his guru, and when he arrived he found the teacher sitting in the yard in front of a massive pile of hot chilli peppers.  The teacher was eating the chillies, one by one.  Tears of pain were running down his face and he was sobbing "This is terrible", over and over.  When the man asked his guru why he was doing this, the teacher replied, "I am looking for the sweet one".  His actions exemplify the way in which most of us spend our lives.  We should know from past experience that "the sweet one" does not exist, but we continue to search for our happiness in external objects.  However, the sum total of all the pleasures of the physical world are nothing compared to the blissful state of meditation.


Looking in the Wrong Place

Once, an old woman dropped her needle.  A passer-by saw her searching in her garden and offered to help.  After looking for some time without success,  the kindly stranger asked the woman exactly where the needle had fallen.  He was amazed to learn that she had dropped it inside the house.  "Then why are you looking out here?" he asked.  "You will never find it."  She replied that her house was too dark, so she was looking outside, where there was more light.  Most of us are like that woman.  We are looking for our lost happiness where the bright lights are, but it isn't there to be found.


Physical  Benefits

Meditation provides a lasting spiritual rest, which must be experienced to be understood.  Once you can meditate, the time you normally devote to sleep can gradually be reduced to as little as three hours per night, and you will still feel more rested and peaceful than before.  By reducing heart rate and consumption of oxygen, meditation greatly reduces stress levels.  It seems that each part of the body, even down to the individual cells, is taught to relax and rejuvenate.  Meditation helps to prolong the body's period of growth and cell production, and reduces the decaying process.  After the age of 35, our brain cells die off at a rate of 100,000 per day, and they are not replaced, but meditation can reduce this decline, as it changes the vibratory make-up of both the body and the mind.  In this way, meditation can prevent or minimize senility.


Mental Benefits

We each possess vast inner resources of power and knowledge, much of it brought with us from past lives. In meditation, new patterns of thinking come to the surface and develop as we experience a new view of the universe, a vision of unity, happiness, harmony, and inner peace. Negative tendencies vanish, and the mind becomes steady.  Meditation brings freedom from fear of death, which is seen as a doorway to a new name and form.  People who meditate regularly tend to develop magnetic and dynamic personalities, cheerfulness, powerful speech, lustrous eyes, physical health, and boundless energy.  Others draw strength from such people and feel elevated in their presence.  Meditation is only possible when all mental modifications (thought waves) have been stilled, and with this comes mental peace.


States of Consciousness

Waking State

This is the normal everyday state of awareness.  The conscious mind is functioning.  You know that you are awake.  The intellect is working.  You are thinking and reasoning, and you are aware of your physical environment.  Time, space, and causality are in full control in the waking state.


Dream State

Contrary to popular belief, this intermediate state between waking and deep sleep is not a restful state, as mental energy is being expended.  The intellect is not functioning, but there remains some awareness of the physical world.  Regular asana practice will help you to relax at night and enter deep sleep.


Deep Sleep

When the mind is relaxed it will go into the state known as deep sleep.  The mind is blank; there is no awareness of yourself as a separate entity.  The ego identity does not exist.  There is no awareness of "I am doing..." nor of your physical environment, nor even an awareness of your own being.


Meditation

As in deep sleep, neither body consciousness nor awareness of an external physical reality exists.  Nor do time, space, or causality, but in meditation the awareness is transcendental.  It is the continuous flow of one thought of the Supreme, as identification of the individual with the divine.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Fruit Cake Recipe

This is a healthy variation on the traditional rich, fruity cake.


Ingredients

• 500g (1lb 2oz) mixed dried fruit: eg. raisins, sultanas, apricots, pears, figs
• 250g (9oz) chopped dates
• 1 medium apple, cored and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• seeds of 6 cardamon pods, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 500ml (16fl oz) orange or apple juice
• 200g (7oz) plain wholewheat flour
• 110g (4oz) vegetarian suet
• 200g (7oz) roughly ground mixed nuts
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• blanched almonds to decorate

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.  Oil a 23cm (9in) round cake tin.  Put the dried fruit, dates, chopped apple, cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cloves, and orange or apple juice into a pan, and bring to the boil, stirring to prevent the mixture burning.  Cook, covered, over a low heat until the apple softens and blends with the rest of the fruit (15-20 minutes).  Do not allow to dry out. 

Mix together the flour, suet, nuts, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the cooled fruit mixture, and fold in.  Mix well but do not overstir.  Pour the mixture into the cake tin and decorate with blanched almonds.  Bake in the middle of the oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.
Makes a 23cm (9in) round cake.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

A Holistic Approach to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Several types of food can exacerbate IBS symptoms, including fatty and fried foods, foods containing wheat, carbonated beverages, chocolate, caffeine, and some vegetables including cabbage, broccoli, and beans.  Let your experience guide you.
• A study found that when IBS patients changed their diet and excluded beef and all cereals except rice-based ones, cut back on citrus fruits, caffeine, and yeast, and used soy products instead of dairy, they had less abdominal pain, fatigue, diarrhea, and constipation.
• Food additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and the artificial sweetener Aspartame can trigger IBS symptoms.
• To reduce gas, avoid carbonated beverages, don't chew gum, and watch your consumption of beans, grapes, and raisins.
• Avoid sugarless gum if it contains sorbitol, a sweetener that can cause diarrhea.
• Soluble fiber can be very helpful for people with IBS whose predominant symptoms include constipation, and for some people with diarrhea.  Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are rich in fiber, particularly soluble fiber.  If you start adding fiber to your diet, do so slowly over several weeks and be sure to drink plenty of additional water.
• If you don't get enough fiber from dietary sources, try psyllium, a natural source of soluble fiber.
• Avoid insoluble fiber, which is found in bran, eggplant skins, and bell peppers.  It can make IBS symptoms worse.
• Digestive enzymes are safe and appear to effectively reduce gas.  For those who are vegetarians, health food stores sell enzymes derived entirely from plant sources, such as papaya.
• Probiotics, essentially natural healthy bacteria like acidophilus in supplement form, appear to be very safe and possibly helpful for IBS.
• Tricyclic antidepressant drugs like desipramine, typically presribed at one-half to one-third the typical dose used for depression, may help in IBS by modulating pain sensations in the central nervous system.  Since tricyclics are often constipating, this treatment may be particularly useful for individuals whose IBS is marked by frequent diarrhea.
• People with diarrhea can get symptomatic relief with the antidiarrheal medication loperamide (Imodium).
• Peppermint is an herb that relaxes the smooth muscle of the bowel wall and can help ease symptoms such as cramping, abdominal distention, and the frequency of bowel movements.  Enteric-coated capsules containing peppermint oil are very safe, don't cause the heartburn of non-coated peppermint oil or peppermint teas, and have been found to be effective.
• Acupuncture is safe and there is some evidence that it can help with IBS.
• A randomized controlled study published in JAMA found that treatment with a combination of Chinese herbs significantly improved IBS symptoms.  While both standardized and individualized herbal combinations proved effective in the short term, fourteen weeks after the end of treatment, those who took the personalized prescription maintained greater improvement.

Source from Yoga as Medicine by Timothy McCall,M.D.

Special Handmade Handphone Pouch by Hearty!

Hearty Handmade has received some order for special made handphone pouch for LG Lollipop and mrt card holders recently from Lynn and her friends.  We hereby would like to thank you very much for your support!

If anyone of you out there would love to have your own special mrt card holder or handphone pouch, email me your request and we will special made for you..:-) 

You may like to visit Hearty Handmade site at http://heartyhandmade.blogspot.com/ for more details.  There are more other pictures available beside Hello Kitty.

I would like to share with you the special made items that being made recently as below.  Enjoy!



Yoga Posture: The Lateral Angle (Parsvakonasana)

Parsva means side or flank.  Kona is an angle.  This is the extended lateral angle pose.

In the final position, there should be a right angle between the thigh and the leg and the other knee should not bend.  Both the soles should be fully in contact with the ground.

This asana tones up the ankles, knees and thighs.  It corrects defects in the calves and thighs,  develops the chest and reduces fat around the waist and hips and relieves sciatic and arthritic pains.  It also increases peristaltic activity and aids elimination.  It expands the thorax, strengthens the thighs, prevents back pain, and stimulates the intestinal peristalsis.  It create strong bones, flexible joints, youthful posture, and better balance in daily life.


Note: Please perform the yoga under the guide of a certified yoga teacher especially for beginner. You are at your own risk and responsible if you perform on your own. Whatever provided here is just act as an information.


 
Source from The New Yoga for Healthy Aging by Suza Francina
                      Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar

Handmade Dinner Bags available at Hearty Handmade Shop

There are some handmade dinner bags just updated under the product list of Hearty Handmade Shop recently.  Check it out at http://heartyhandmade.blogspot.com/ for details. 

You may request for a different colour, size, etc.  We can special made for you as per your request.  There are more handmade products available at Hearty Handmade Shop.  Check it out to find out more!

Please give Yan Xian your support if you happen to like anything that is made by her.  Thank you..:-)

Yoga Related Product New Update !

Yoga Mat Towel (173cm X 61cm)

Top layer for yoga mat. For dry stable practice. Made with sweat absorbent quick drying material. 20% polyemdie 80% polyester. Slip-resistant rubber nubs. For personal hygience barrier. Washable. Custom fits yoga mat.

Colour :

Dark Purple / Pink / Light Purple / Blue


Visit my website for more details and more other yoga related product!

Namaste.

Winter in Hokkaido, Japan

Hokkaido is an island at Japan's northern extremity, surrounded by sea in all directions. It is an extensive land, accounting for 22% of Japan's total land area. Low humidity makes the summers pleasant, while in winter you can enjoy winter sports. The island is gaining popularity as a tourist destination throughout the four seasons.

In Hokkaido you can enjoy the magnificence of nature to your heart's content: Daisetsu-zan National Park, which forms the roof of Hokkaido; the secluded Shiretoko-hanto Peninsula; Kushiro Marsh, home to many precious living things such as Japanese cranes; Shikotsu-Toya National Park, which is full of volcanoes and lakes; and the ever-changing Shakotan-kaigan Coast. There are also numerous hot springs, like the Noboribetsu-onsen, Jozan-kei-onsen and Soun-kyo-onsen, where you can enjoy a leisurely bath to help you get over the fatigue of your journey.

To learn more about Hokkaido, please visit
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/hokkaido
http://en.visit-hokkaido.jp/hokkaido

I would like to share with you over here some of the beautiful photos of Hokkaido being taken in the month of December.  Enjoy!

Yoga, Pilates & Yogalates Classes Available

I have been busy planning and scheduling for the new classes to be available at Bollywood Dance Studio which locate at orchard road, near Orchard mrt lately. 

BOLLYWOOD Dance Studio is about 500sqft, fitted with sprung wood laminated floor, wall mirrors, state-of-the-art sound system (mp3 compatible) and central air-con.  Yoga mats, lockers, changing rooms and drinking water are also available.  Very quiet and private with surveillance cameras.

A group of certified yoga and pilates trainers have hired the studio room from Bollywood Dance Studio on a hourly basis to provide yoga and pilates classes at very competitive rates for a class size from 1 to 12 pax so that everyone of you will definitely receive good attention from our trainers.  Ms Janet Ng (Me!) will be in-charge of the administration and co-ordination work.

Our classes are scheduled on a monthly basis.  So you just need to commit yourself for one month at a time only.  No need to worry about long term commitment.

There are various of course packages available.  Please visit http://sites.google.com/site/janetyogahut for more details if you are interested.  Thank you...:-)

Cheers~

Yoga Posture: The Chair (Utkatasana)

Utkata means powerful, fierce, uneven.  This asana is like sitting on an imaginary chair.

The pose removes stiffness in the shoulders and corrects any minor deformities in the legs.  The ankles become strong and the leg muscles develop evenly.  The diaphragm is lifted up and this gives a gentle massage to the heart.  The abdominal organs and the back are toned, and the chest is developed by being fully expanded.  It is a beneficial pose for horsemen.


Note: Please perform the yoga under the guide of a certified yoga teacher especially for beginner. You are at your own risk and responsible if you perform on your own. Whatever provided here is just act as an information.


Source from Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar

Essential Nutrients For Optimal Health - Ask The Nutritionist

Some of you may not know that the supplements you are taking provides more health benefits than you are aware of.  This issue, USANA Nutritionist Kenny Tan, will share with you what are the key nutrients that are needed to achieve optimal health and their key  benefits.


 Multivitamins

Highly Recommended for:

• Every adult, to complement a healthy diet,
• Pregnant or lactating women

Health Benefits:

• May help reduce the visual effects of normal, age-related decline
• Supports healthy immune function
• Supports long-term health and well-being with energy-supporting co-enzymes
• Supports healthy vision
• Helps convert carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into energy
• Supports bone, joint, and dental health

Why It Is Important?

• To ensure a balanced and sound nutritional status is achieved, thus promotes general well being

Why Essentials vitamin, mineral and antioxidant supplements?

Comprehensive

• The Essentials supplements provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals as well as trace minerals, mixed carotenoids, bioflavonoids, and other plant nutrients and antioxidants.

Potent and Balanced

• They supply a carefully balanced level of nutrients for optimal results.

Bioavailable

• They use high-quality ingredients that are in forms the body can absorb and use.

Patented Olive Extract

• They have the advantage of USANA's patented Olivol olive-fruit extract that provides the nutritional benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

"Best of the Best"

• Received top 5-star rating and Gold Medals of Achievement from NutriSearch Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, 4th Edition

 Omega-3

Highly Recommended for:

• People whose cardiovascular and neural health is a priority
• Women who want healthy pregnancies
• People who desire healthy, balanced immune function

Health Benefits

• A source of EPA and DHA, two long-chain omega-3 fatty acids important for memory and learning
• Supports sound cardiovascular health and joint health
• Critical for support healthy pregnancies

Why It Is Important?

• A support compound for normal brain and eye development, plus, various clinical studies had shown its anti-inflammatory properties.  Greatly beneficial in supporting healthy joint and cardiovascular health.

Why BiOmega Fish Oil Supplement?

• BiOmega fish oil supplement is double molecular distilled to be free from heavy metals and organic contaminants like dioxins and pesticides.
• It provides advanced levels of EPA and DHA, the two important omega-3 fatty acids, in just two capsules a day.
• Its lemon oil helps eliminate any fishy aftertaste.
• It supplies additional vitamin D, a nutrient found to be inadequate in many diets.
• It is effective, safe, and is independently tested and approved by ConsumerLab.

 Grape-Seed Extract

Highly Recommended for:

• People whose cardiovascular health is a priority
• People who want to maintain strong immune function
• People who desire healthy, younger-looking skin

Health Benefits

• Promote sound cardiovascular health
• Helps support balanced immune function
• Supports eye health
• Maintenance of healthy, younger-looking skin

Why It Is Important?

• A great antioxidant that works hand-in-hand together with other antioxidants to promote good skin health, healthy immune system and supports graceful ageing.

Why Proflavanol grape-seed extract Supplement?

• Proflavanol supplement combines top-quality grape-seed bioflavonoids with the antioxidant properties of a highly bioavailable vitamin C.
• Promotes sound cardiovascular health
• It is effective, safe, and patterned after pharmaceutical standards.

 Calcium

Highly Recommended for:

• Women, throughout their adult lives
• People whose diets are deficient in calcium and other bone-building nutrients
• People whose bone or muscle health is a priority

Health Benefits

• Helps maintain strong, mineral-rich bones
• Provides ingredients essential for healthy muscle function and strength

Why It Is Important?

• Adequate calcium intake over the years is the crucial causative factor in lowering the risk of osteoporosis and promotes proper muscle functions

Why Active Calcium Supplement?

• Active Calcium daily calcium supplement provides balanced levels of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D in bioavailable forms.
• It contains silicon, which is a key support to calcium mineralisation of the bone matrix.
• It is effective, safe, and patterned after pharmaceutical standards.

You may find out more detail about USANA at the following website.
http://sites.google.com/site/janetyogahut/Products/usana


Source from USANA Health Sciences

Concentrate On Your Own Capabilities

Don't worry about doing yoga wrong.  First of all, keep in mind that yoga is non-competitive.  Most of the time everyone in the class will close their eyes, and even when they're open,  the focus is inwards.  Secondly, yoga's motto is, "To the best of your ability".  Trained instructors will guide you with clear instruction, kind encouragement, and gentle adjustments to your posture.

If yoga were based on how well you can twist yourself up or perform headstands, then acrobats in the circus would be the best yogis!  But that is not true, and why not?  Because yoga goes much deeper than this.  Yoga accepts your body the way it is, and works with it from there.  And because it is holistic, yoga affects us positively on every level, from mind, to body, to spirit.


Source from K.I.S.S. Guide to Yoga by Shakta Kaur Khalsa

Carrot Cake Recipe

An attractive and appetizing way to encourage your children to eat vegetables.


Ingredients

• 225ml (8fl oz) oil
• 125g (6oz) brown sugar
• 110nk (4fl oz) honey
• 325ml (12fl oz) soya milk
• 700g (1 1/2lb) plain wholewheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mutmeg or allspice
• 225g (8oz) grated carrot
• 110g (4oz) chopped walnuts
• 110g (4oz) raisins

Icing

• 200g (7oz) creamed coconut
• finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
• 3-4 tablespoons icing sugar, to taste
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 75-100ml (2 1/2 - 3 1/2fl oz) hot water
• 6 dessertspoons lightly toasted dessicated coconut

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.  Oil a 25cm (10in) ring-shaped cake tin.  Blend the oil and sugar; add the honey and soya milk, and beat together.  Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices, and add to the oil mixture.  Add the carrots, walnuts, and raisins; mix well and place in  the pan.

Bake in the oven for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto a wire rack.

To make the icing, beat together the creamed coconut, lemon rind, icing sugar, and lemon juice with enough hot water to give the mixture a spreading consistency.  Spread the icing over the cooled cake, and then sprinkle evenly with the lightly toasted coconut.
Makes a 25cm (10in) ring-shaped cake.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Weight-Bearing Exercise that Doesn't Wear You Out

Exercise makes bones and muscles stronger and prevents bone loss.  Exercise also helps us to stay active and mobile as we grow older.  Bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger, just as muscles do.  When you are inactive, your bones do not receive any messages that they need to stay strong and dense.  Particularly as we grow older, this contributes to lower bone mass and density.

If you are already diagnosed with osteoporosis (decreased bone mineral density, resulting in porous bones) or osteopenia (low bone mineral density, a precursor to osteoporosis), you may feel you face a classic Catch-22 position: You are advised to do weight-bearing impact exercises that force you to work against gravity and bear weight on your bones, joints, and muscles.  Such exercise is needed to stimulate cells that build bone but actually can result in joint destruction and bone fractures.

Weight-bearing exercise stimulates a mini electrical current in your skeleton that draws strengthening minerals right into the bone matrix.  A well-rounded yoga practice includes weight-bearing postures and takes your body through its full range of motion; lengthens your spine; opens your posture; and stretches and strengthens your muscles in a balanced way, which reduces wear and tear on your joints.

The challenge as we grow older is to exercise in a way that does not contribute to bone fractures or have a negative effect on your joints.  The usual forms of weight-bearing high-impact exercise, such as jogging and various other sports, are known to stimulate the cells that build bone.  Unfortunately, with the passage of time, such forms of movement often contribute to joint destruction that can result in hip and knee replacements.

Recent studies report that yoga improves the actual congruence of joints, undoing (reversing) the wear and tear that is responsible for osteoarthritis.  Nonimpact, nonweight-bearing exercise, such as swimming, won't wear out your joints, but it won't strengthen your bones either.  The good news is that a balanced yoga practice can give you all the positive benefits of weight-bearing exercise without negative wear and tear on the joints!


Source from The New Yoga for Healthy Aging by Suza Francina

Hearty Handmade Shop New Product Update

Any of the above handmade items attracted you?  These are the new products updated by Hearty Handmade Shop lately. 

There are even more!  Please check it out at Hearty Handmade Shop to find more....:-)

Yoga Posture: The Cross Triangle (Parivrtta Trikonasana)

Parivrtta means revolved, turned round or back.  Trikona is a triangle.  This is the revolving triangle posture.  It is a counter pose to Uttihita Triknasana.

This asana tones the thigh, calf and hamstring muscles.  The spine and muscles of the back are also made to function properly, as the pose increases the blood supply round the lower part of the spinal region.  The chest is expanded fully.  The pose relieves pains in the back, invigorates the abdominal organs and strengthens the hip muscles.

This is the twist.  All twists relieve backache, headache, and stiff necks and shoulders.  They improve spinal flexibility and open the hips.  They also stimulate the digestion by massaging the internal organs.

This asana improves the functioning of kidneys and strengthens the thigh muscles.


Note: Please perform the yoga under the guide of a certified yoga teacher especially for beginner. You are at your own risk and responsible if you perform on your own. Whatever provided here is just act as an information.


 
Source from Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
                      Ashtanga Yoga for Women by Sally Griffyn & Michaela Clarke

Recipe: Sivananda Cookies

A healthy vegetarian diet doesn't have to be uninteresting, even if it is simple.  There are many natural ingredients readily available to create endless variations.  Use these recipes as a starting point for your own creations.


Sivananda Cookies

These extra large energy-packed cookies are a staple after-class treat at Sivananda Yoga Centres.


Ingredients

• 250g (8oz) oats
• 110g (4oz) plain wholewheat flour
• 50g (2oz) raw unsalted peanuts
• 150g (5oz) brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch salt
• 200ml (7fl oz) sunflower oil
• 200ml (7fl oz) milk or water

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.  Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl; add the oil and mix well.  Stir in enough milk or water to make a firm mixture.  Place heaped spoonfuls on an oiled baking tray, and flatten them into 10cm- (4in-) rounds.  Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden at the edges.  Cool on a rack.

These highly nutritious cookies are hard to resist, and really do make a meal in themselves.
Makes 12 cookies.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

Soft Drinks and Osteoporosis

All soft drinks are made with a solution of phosphoric acid.  This is, in part, what gives them their kick.  Phosphorous is a very active element, having the ability to combine with calcium.  Most people have a poor calcium intake.  The phosphorus then pulls the calcium from their storage warehouse - that is, their teeth and bones.  The result is osteoporosis - that is, loss of density of bones, back and disc trouble, pyorrhea and, of course, decayed teeth.  The sugar, three to six teaspoons per six ounces of soft drink, of course, multiplies the problem.

George E. Meinig, D.D.S., FACD, "New"trition


Source from The New Yoga for Healthy Aging by Suza Francina

Ten Reasons Why Yoga Builds Better Bone Strength at Any Age

1. Yoga is one of the few exercise systems in which weight is borne through the entire body.  In weight-bearing standing poses, inverted poses, active backbends, and various arm balances, weight is systematically applied to the bones in the hands, wrists, arms, upper body, neck and head, feet, and large bones of the legs and hips.
2. Because yoga postures are learned gradually, the weight applied to the bones increases safely and incrementally, as the student becomes stronger and can hold postures for longer periods.
3. While building strength, yoga poses simultaneously promote mobility in the hips and shoulders, remove stiffness in the joints, and bring flexibility to the whole body.
4. Standing poses and other poses that require one to strongly engage the bones and muscles of the legs affect the pelvis and spine.  This increases circulation and benefits the health of the whole body.
5. Yoga prevents and can even reverse the most visible and obvious symptom of osteoporosis and aging; the rounding of the spine.  Yoga poses encourage concavity of the spine, rather than a convex humped shape.
6. Weight bearing through the arms and upper spine in poses such as Downward-Facing Dog and the weight-bearing inversions keep the upper spine strong.  Yoga's upper-body weight-bearing poses are particularly beneficial in preventing the hairline fractures in the vertebrae that result in the upper-back curvature common in older people.
7. While other weight-bearing exercises tighten the body and wear out the joints, yoga increases flexibility and "lubricates" the joints by giving them an internal massage.
8. Seated postures help keep our hip joints healthy as they require a wide range of movements that increase mobility.
9. Yoga postures also have a balancing effect on the endocrine glands, which contributes to the formation of strong, healthy bones.  Restorative yoga poses replenish the adrenal glands, thus reducing stress levels and inhibiting excess calcium secretion.  Supported backbends - which can be as mild as restorative poses, such as lying over a bolster, or more intense, such as using a chair as support - promote deep relaxation and restore the health of the endocrine system.
10. Yoga improves balance and coordination, helping to prevent falls.  Agility and flexibility derived from a range of movement help us to maintain our balance and avoid falls.

Source from The New Yoga for Healthy Aging by Suza Francina

Yoga Posture: The Triangle (Trikonasana)

Trikona is a triangle.  This standing asana is the extended triangle pose.  The Triangle provides the entire body with an invigorating laternal stretch.  When practised on a regular basis, it makes the body feel "lighter" and improves all other asanas.  All the muscles are positively affected, but especially those along the outer side of the body.  These include the muscles of the ankles, legs, hips and arms.

This asana tones up the leg muscles, removes stiffness in the legs and hips, corrects any minor deformity in the legs and allows them to develop evenly.  It relieves backaches and neck sprains, strengthens the ankles and develops the chest.

Physical Benefits

• Stretches the spine and trunk muscles.
• Tones the spinal nerves and abdominal organs, improving the working of the bowels.
• Practice of the Triangle improves the appetite and assists digestion.
• Promotes flexibility of the hips, spine, and legs.
• Reduces or eliminates pain in the lower back.
• Invigorates the circulation.
• Practice is especially beneficial to anyone who suffers from a shortening of one leg as a result of a fracture of the hip, thigh bone, or bones of the lower leg.

Mental Benefits

• Alleviates anxiety and hypochondria.
• Reduces mental stress.

Pranic Benefits

• Stimulates pranic flow to the spleen, liver, large intestine, gall bladder, small intestine, and heart meridians.
• Steadies the energy, and gives a final "push" to the process of nadi purification begun in the other asanas.

Common Faults

• One or both knees are bent.
• Body is twisted (forwards or back).
• Upper elbow is bent.
• Head is dropped forwards.
• Weight is mainly on one leg, rather than being evenly distributed.
• Weight is placed against the thigh by the lower hand.
• Eyes are looking downwards.

Note: Please perform the yoga under the guide of a certified yoga teacher especially for beginner. You are at your own risk and responsible if you perform on your own. Whatever provided here is just act as an information.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
                      Light on Yoga - B.K.S. Iyengar

Eating to Prevent Osteoporosis

One elderly woman in three suffers from the brittle-bone disease osteoporosis, which is a major cause of back pain and fractures.  Frighteningly, this crippling illness is now becoming less of a rarity among young women.  Everyone needs calcium to build strong bones, but most of us aren't getting enough.  According to one survey, 20 per cent of young girls get much less than they need and the pattern continues as they grow older.

Doctors are now blaming slimming diets for the upsurge of osteoporois among women in their twenties and thirties, long before it should be a problem.  (It's also tied in with the female hormone oestrogen, which is why it's so common after the menopause.)

Although adults stop growing at the age of twenty, their bones don't reach peak density until thirty to thirty-five.  After the age of thirty-five bones start to thin, but a calcium-rich diet, together with regular weight-bearing exercise, can help to prevent them from becoming weak or brittle.

All women should eat three or four servings of calcium-rich food every day - 85-140g (3-5oz) to help build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis.  Menopausal and pregnant women need more: at least four servings per day.  And if you're tempted to give up dairy products to try to keep your weight down, bear in mind that skimmed milk has all the calcium with hardly any fat content.

A lack of the mineral magnesium seems to add to the problem, by preventing the body from absorbing the calcium properly.  It's found in meat, seafoods, green vegetables and, again, dairy products.  Don't overdo the meat, though, as too much protein also contributes to osteoporosis by making the body excrete calcium.

• Try to include a calcium-rich food with every meal.
• The best sources of calcium are low-fat milk, yoghurt and low-fat cheese.
• One serving of calcium-rich food equals 40g (1.5oz) of cheese, one 200ml (8fl oz) glass of milk or a 200ml (8fl oz) serving of yoghurt.
• Non-dairy sources of calcium include broccoli, canned sardines and salmon (with bones), tofu, pulses, muesli with nuts, and white bread.
• Limit consumption of salt, coffee, sugar and alcohol, as these deplete calcium supplies.
• Remember that there's caffeine in chocolate and cola drinks as well as in coffee - even tea contains a little caffeine.
• Cut down on smoking for the same reason.  Along with all the other havoc smoking wreaks on your body, it reduces production of oestrogen.
• Increase your consumption of essential fatty acids (EFAs) found in oily fish, sunflower and safflower oil.  EFAs increase calcium absorption.

Source from Essential Health For Women by Sharon Walker

Cold Showers Rule !

You may not like what I have to say, but I have to tell you that a daily cold shower is one of the best things you can do for yourself.  The yogis have known through the ages that cold water keeps you young and healthy.  Can't you just imagine the yogi coming out of his hut in the pre-dawn morning and immersing himself in the glacial stream of water that runs through the Himalayan mountains?  We may not have Himalayan mountain water, but on some mornings in winter it can't be too far off!


The Yoga of Cold Water

Why would anyone want to take a cold shower when a warm shower feels so good?  Because when that cold water hits your skin, your body systems begin to do what can only be described as internal yoga.

You see, cold water opens the capillaries and strengthens the entire nervous system.  When you take a cold shower, your blood rushes out to meet the challenge.  This means all the capillaries open up and all toxins are cleansed out.

When the capillaries return to normal, the blood supply goes back to the organs.  Each organ has its own blood supply.  In this way, the organs get their flushing, like a beautiful rain that grows the fertile crops.  When the organs get flushed, immediately the glands have to change their secretion.  When the glands secrete, the entire body system is revitalized.

The glandular system is the key to vitality.  According to the science of yoga, youth is measured by how vibrant and healthy the glandular system is.

When you are under the cold shower, your body will certainly feel the cold.  But if given enough time (30 seconds to 1 minute), your blood and capillaries will open fully and your body will not feel cold.

If you bring your body to that temperature where it can meet the cold by its own circulatory power, you have won the day.  You have empowered your own health and happiness.


Preparing The Body

Cold showers are strictly for the purpose of internal health, and are not meant to replace warm showers or bathing.

1. First massage your body with pure oil.  Almond is preferred for its high mineral content.  The oil will be driven into the skin through the pores while showering, and it will provide a protective coating to the skin.
2. Using a pair of mid-thigh or knee-length underwear or shorts while in the shower will protect the femur bone in the thigh, which controls the calcium-magnesium balance in the body.  If no such protection is available, keep the thighs from the direct hit of the water.
3. Allow the cold water to hit your feet, bottoms and tops, and then the rest of your body, including your face, but not your whole head.  Massage as you move in and out from the cold water.  Pay special attention to the lymph nodes under the armpits to help prevent colds.  Women should massage their breasts under the cold water to keep circulation strong and to keep cancer away.
4. Breathe deeply or chant a mantra to keep yourself going.  Start at 30 seconds, and work up to 1 minute.  Towel dry, rubbing the skin briskly.

Although warm showers can be taken at any time of the day, a brief, cold shower is best taken first thing in the morning.

Those who have circulatory problems or other medical conditions should seek medical advice before trying cold showers.  Pregnant or menstruating women should not take cold showers.


Source from K.I.S.S Guide to Yoga

Benefits of Poses

Asanas are based on the three basic human postures of standing, sitting, or lying down.  But they are not a series of movements to be followed mechanically.  They have a logic which must be internalized if the pose is to be practised correctly.

The Sanskrit term, asana, is sometimes translated as "pose" and sometimes as "posture".  Neither translation is wholly accurate, as they do not convey the element of thought or consciousness that must inform each movement of the asana.  The final pose of an asana is achieved when all the parts of the body are positioned correctly, with full awareness and intelligence.

To achieve this, you must think through the structure of the asana.  Realise the fundamental points by imagining how you will adjust and arrange each part of your anatomical body, especially the limbs, in the given movements.

Then, mould the body to fit the structure of the asana, making sure that the balance between both sides of the body is perfect, until there is no undue stress on any one organ, muscle, bone, or joint.


Importance of Practising Asanas

The practice of asanas has a beneficial impact on the whole body.  Asanas not only tone the muscles, tissues, ligaments, joints, and nerves, but also maintain the smooth functioning and health of all the body's systems.  They relax the body and mind, allowing both to recover from fatigue or weakness, and the stress of daily life.  Asanas also boost metabolism, lymphatic circulation, and hormonal secretions, and bring about a chemical balance in the body.

It is important to keep practising until you are absolutely comfortable in the final pose.  It is only then that you experience the full benefits of the asana.  The sage Patanjali observes in Yoga Sutra 11.47, "Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless, and  the infinite being within is reached."


Source from B.K.S. Iyengar - Yoga the path to Holistic Health

Yoga Posture: The Tree (Vrksasana)

Vrksa means a tree.  It's a balancing exercise.  For the most part, it is physically simple, and yet it is mentally highly demanding.  This posture develop, to the highest degree, the powers of mental concentration and single-mindedness of thought, as well as physical balance.

The pose tones the leg muscles and gives one a sense of balance and poise.  This balancing pose adjusts the vertebrae of the spine and promotes good posture.  It refreshes and uplifts the mind.


Common Faults

• Body is leaning to one side, or twisted with one hip pushing out.
• Standing knee is bent, or rotated outwards.
• Palms are not flat against each other.
• Elbows are not straight above the head.
• Thumbs are crossed, instead of side by side.
• Bent knee is coming forwards, rather than pointing out to the side.
• Eyes are looking downwards.
• Mind lacks proper concentration.

The above pose, Half Lotus Tree, is for more advanced, and more flexible, students.  Fixing the eyes on a point in front of you is the key to balancing the body.

For this Tree variation, place the foot on the opposite thigh in Half Lotus position.  Hold the pose for as long as you feel comfortable.  Make sure you practise on both sides.

Note: Please perform the yoga under the guide of a certified yoga teacher especially for beginner. You are at your own risk and responsible if you perform on your own. Whatever provided here is just act as an information.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
                       Light on Yoga - B.K.S. Iyengar

Cheesecake Recipe

Even the staunchest vegetarian can have a sweet tooth, but this can be satisfied in a natural, healthy way, rather than with empty calories.  Desserts can be as simple or as eleborate as your schedule permits.


Cheesecake

This rich and easily prepared dish is ideal for special occasions.


Ingredients

• 110g (4oz) crushed disgestive biscuits
• 75g (3oz) coarsely chopped walnuts
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 400g (14oz) cream cheese
• 275ml (1/2 pint) yoghurt
• 3-4 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• fresh fruit for garnish

Mix together the crushed digestive biscults, chopped// walnuts, and butter, and press into a 23cm- (9 inch-) springform tin.  Chill in the refrigerator until the mixture sets or, for a crisper texture, bake in the oven at 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4 for about 10 minutes, until it turns golden brown.  Set aside.

Beat the cream cheese and the yoghurt together until smooth.  If possible, use an electric mixer so that the mixture becomes light and airy.  Add the honey and vanilla essence.  Pour over the biscult crust and chill until firm.  Just before serving the cheesecake, decorate the top with attractively sliced fresh fruit.
Serves 6-8.


Variations: To make a Chocolate Cheesecake, add 25g (1oz) of cocoa powder to the cream cheese filling and, before serving, decorate the top with dark chocolate curls or grated chocolate.  Be careful not to overdo it, or the result will be too rich.

For Orange or Lemon Cheesecake, add 2 tablespoons of orange or lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of finely grated orange or lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture, and decorate the top with small pieces of fresh citrus fruit.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

A Path Without End

When beginning meditation, one common mistake is to have a definite goal in mind, and to pursue it doggedly.  We might decide to meditate to combat stress, to experience blissful states, or even to become enlightened, but these aims only set up "gateless gates" that impede progress.  By suggesting that we know where meditation will lead, we create fixed concepts about it, which obscure the actual experience.  The best approach is one of a relaxed "not knowing" and total open-mindedness.  So we can believe in the benefits of meditation, but should avoid having fixed ideas about how these will arise and what they will feel like.  In this sense, meditation is a path without end.  We have expectations that attract us to it in the first place, but once practice begins these must be put aside, and meditation entered into as an experience complete in itself.

Commentators have sometimes referred to meditation as a journey into vastness, or, as Zen Master Dogen described it, "just sitting".  This means a total absorption in the practice of meditation itself, without intention or expectation, and without impatience or disappointment.


Source from Learn to Meditate by David Fontana

Yoga Posture: The Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Ardha means half.  In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Matsyendra is mentioned as one of the founders of Hatha Vidya.  It is related that once Lord Siva went to a lonely island and explained to his consort Parvati the mysteries of Yoga.  A fish near the shore heard everything with concentration and remained motionless while listening.  Siva, realising that the fish had learnt Yoga, sprinkled water upon it, and immediately the fish gained divine form and became Matsyendra (Lord of the Fishes) and thereafter spread the knowledge of Yoga.

After the forward and backward bending of the spine, the Spinal Twist gives a lateral stretch to the vertebrae, back muscles, and hips.

Physical Benefits

• 
  
  Helps to keep the spine elastic by retaining side-to-side mobility.
• 
  
  Helps to relieve muscular problems in the back and hips.
• 
  
  Removes adhesions in the joints caused by rheumatism.
• 
  
  Increases the synovial fluid of the joints, and makes the joints very active.
• 
  
  Tones the roots of the spinal nerves and the sympathetic nervous system, and brings a fresh supply of blood.
• 
  
  Massages the abdominal muscles, relieving digestive problems.
• 
  
  Benefits the gall bladder, spleen, kidneys, liver and bowels.
• 
  
  The prostate and bladder are not enlarged if one practises regularly.
• 
  
  Helps to cure constipation, dyspepsia, stimulates the pancreas and useful for diabetes.
• 
  
  Improves the lung capacity. 

Mental Benefits 

• 
  
  Helps to cure disorders of the nervous system.
• 
  
  Brings peace of mind.

Pranic Benefits

• 
  
  Augments the Prana Sakti (vigour and vitality), removing innumerable diseases.
• 
  
  Rouses the Kundalini (potential spiritual energy).

Limitations

• 
  
  People who have recently undergone abdominal surgery may avoid.

Common Faults

• 
  
  Buttocks are lifting off the ground.
• 
  
  Back is not straight, and the body is leaning, rather than twisting laterally.  If the body leans, rather than twisting, you will not gain the benefit of the asana.
• 
  
  Looking over the wrong shoulder.
• 
  
  Hand is allowed to hang freely, rather than clasping the opposite ankle.
• 
  
  Foot is not flat on the ground.
• 
  
  Back hand is too far from the body.

Note: Please perform the yoga under the guide of a certified yoga teacher especially for beginner. You are at your own risk and responsible if you perform on your own. Whatever provided here is just act as an information.

Source from Yoga Mind & Body - Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre

                      Light on Yoga - B.K.S. Iyengar

Kapalabhati & Bhastrika Breathing

Bhastrika means a bellows used in a furnace. Here the air is forcibly drawn in and out as in a blacksmith's bellows. Hence the name.

The process or kriya of Kapalabhati (kapala=skull; bhati=light, lustre) is a milder form of Bhastrika Pranayama.  In Kapalabhati, the inhalation is slow but the exhalation is vigorous.  There is a split second of retention after each exhalation.  Do a few cycles of kapalabhati instead of Bhastrika if the latter breathing proves too strenuous.

Kapalabhati breathing exercise purifies the nasal passage and the lungs, helping the body to eliminate large quantities of carbon dioxide and other impurities.  The added intake of oxygen enriches the blood and renews body tissues, while the movement of the diaphragm massages the stomach, liver and pancreas.


Effects

Both Bhastrika and Kapalabhati activate and invigorate the liver, spleen, pancreas and abdominal muscles.  Thus digestion is improved, the sinuses are drained, the eyes feel cool and one has a general sense of exhilaration.


Caution

• As a locomotive engine is stoked with coal to generate steam to pull the train, so Bhastrika generates prana to activate the entire body.  Too much stoking burns out the boiler of the engine.  So also too long a practice of Bhastrika wears out the system as the breathing process is forceful.
• Persons with a weak constitution and poor lung capacity should not attempt Bhastrika or Kapalabhati.
•  Those suffering from ear or eye complaints (pus in the ear, detachment of the retina or glaucoma) should not attempt them either.
• Nor should persons with high or low  blood pressure.
• If the nose starts to bleed or the ears to throb and ache, immediately stop Bhastrika or Kapalabhati.  Do not practise either for some time.

Source from Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
                Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre


Click Here for video demo by Dr. Acharya Shree Yogeesh

Nasal Cleansing - Neti

As purity of body encourages purity of mind, Yogis have developed the six cleansing techniques, or "Shad Kriyas", for purification of the physical body.  Through these simple exercises, Nature is assisted in the elimination of waste products, any many mental and physical complaints are alleviated.

One of these cleansing techniques is Nasal Cleansing - Neti.  Neti cleanses the nose, nasal passages, and sinus cavities.  Practised daily, this easy hygienic exercise helps to counteract the effects of pollution, dust, and pollen.  It is especially beneficial to people with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory problems.


Practice

• Add about half a teaspoon of salt to a neti pot full of sterile lukewarm water.
• Stand with the legs apart.
• Hold the neti pot in your right hand.
• Insert the nozzle of the Neti pot into the right nostril.
• Keep the mouth open and breathe freely through the mouth.
• Tilt the head first slightly backwards, then forwards and sidewards to the left so that the water from the pot enters the right nostril and comes out through the left by gravity.  Allow the flow till the pot is empty.
• Repeat the same on the left side.
• To clear the nasal passages of the remaining water, blow out the water by active exhalation through alternate nostrils as in Kapalabhati breathing.

Benefits

It helps to clear nasal passages.  Removes cold, hypersensitivity, headache, sinusitis, bronchitis and stimulates olfactory nerves.

Limitations

Neti should be avoid if you have had a recent ear infection or nasal septum operation.  Also avoid neti for a few days after a bleeding nose.


Source from Yoga Mind & Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
                      Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy for Positive Health by Dr R Nagarathna & Dr H R Nagendra

My new online shop!

Lately I have been busy set up a new site and I have completed it finally!  Wow, it really hardwork to set up a new site.  I feel relief and happy that I have done it finally...:-) 

This is a handmade art and craft online shop which I have specially set up for my neighbor actually.  Please drop in any time, as many time as you like, to see whether you can find something that you like for yourself or your loved ones...:-)  Please let your other friends know about this site too.  Thank you very much...:-)  I will update the site when there is new product.

Visit Hearty Handmade Shop at http://www.heartyhandmade.blogspot.com/

With Love... ....

Beautiful Santorini Greece

Santorini Greece in the Cyclades, Aegean, has one of the most spectacular landscapes in Greece and in the world. The traditional villages of the island, built on tall cliffs, offer a breathtaking view over the submerged volcano. They represent the beautiful Greek cliche you have always dreamed about! Among them you mustn't miss Oia, the place gifted with the most famous and stunning sunsets.
Santorini Greece is one of the most popular destinations of Greece and is known as the home of one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world.

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Santorini to discover the famous submerged caldera, the volcano’s crater, which is situated today in the middle of a 32 square miles basin of water. Around the basin, hanging on cliffs of 150m to 300m height, one can admire some of the most beautiful traditional villages of the Cyclades. The lively colours of the white Cycladic houses and blue painted windows contrast stunningly against the black volcanic rocks rising from sea. This scenery keeps inspiring artists and visitors…These villages are named Fira, Firostefani, Immerovigli and Oia.

The island name comes from ‘Santa Irini’ and it is officially called Thera.

Santorini is located in the south of the Cycladic islands, just between Ios and Anafi, 130 nautical miles from Piraeus and 70 nautical miles from Crete. The island covers an area of 96 km2, has a coastline of 69 kilometres and its length reaches 18 km. Santorini has a population of about 6500-7000 inhabitants during winter, a number that rises up to 11.000 during the summer.

During the ancient times, the shape of Santorini was circular and that was the reason it was also called Strongili, which means circular in Greek. The volcano’s eruption destroyed the centre of the island, causing it to sink and to create today’s caldera.

The first eruption of the Volcano took place around 1500 BC, and is said to be responsible for the destruction of the great Minoan civilisation of Crete. The last eruption took place in 1956 but the volcano remains active until today. Some believe that the destruction of Santorini could be related to that of the mythical Atlantis.
 
To learn more about Santorini Greece, you may like to visit this website: http://www.santorini-greece.biz/santorini.htm
 
Hereby, I would like to share with you some of my pictures of the beautiful Santorini Greece.  Enjoy!