Is That Really Me? by H.V.Hendrick and J.K.Feltner (e textbook reader .TXT) 📕

and pepper mixture. Let set on wire rack for about 15 mins.
Combine the soups and milk.
Arrange chicken in a roasting pan that has been sprayed with a nonstick spray.
Pour the soup mixture over the chicken. Cover pan with foil and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.
I service with bake potatoes and pinto or black beans.

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:
1 to 2 lbs. Hamburger
1 chopped onion
3 to 6 cups cooked rice
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can-stewed tomatoes can be seasoned
Few dashes of garlic powder (not salt)
Few dashes of Southwest seasoning
Salt and pepper


Brown hamburger, onion, and seasonings. Drain well.
Add the hamburger mixture to rice, tomatoes and tomato sauce.
Can add some mushrooms if you want.
Taste, add any more seasonings to taste.
I serve this with a salad and red beans.

Brady's Goulash

Ingredients:
1 lb. Hamburger
1 chopped onion
2 reg. Size or 1 large can of Pork-n-beans
2 small cans or 1 large can of tomato sauce
Dash of garlic powder
About ¼ cup catsup
About 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger and onion. Drain well, Return to skillet and add all the ingredients in any order. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve over potato chips if you wish. I normally service garlic bread and hominy with this meal.

Just remember, it's ok to eat the foods you like, just keep in mind that the fresher, the healthier, fried is very fattening and hard on the old cholesterol levels, salt can be tasty but seasonings such as herbs and spices can really bring out the flavor. Moderation is key!!

CHAPTER 3

Meditation

Oh! Don't worry. You're not going to have to contort your legs over each other and sit like a pretzel with fingers and thumbs together humming some mundane sound (unless, of course, you really want too). There are many different ways to meditate, most very enjoyable and relaxing.

"At the moment of waking up, before getting out of bed, get in touch with your breath, feel the various sensations in your body, not any thoughts and feeling that maybe present, let mindfulness touch this moment. Can you feel your breath? Can you perceive the dawning of each in breath? Can you enjoy the feeling of the breath freely entering your body in this moment?" "Breathe in I smile, breathe out I calm my body, dwelling in the present moment, it is a wonderful moment."
Thich Nhat Hanh.

In the last decade, meditation has become an important, although still minor,form of healing used by psychotherapists and rehabilitation institutions. It is being studied at the world’s largest universities. Science is finally confirming what was known to yogis for more than a millennium: meditation helps us to heal emotionally, it has a calming effect on our nerves, eases our blood pressure, has excellent stress reduction properties, helps us to relax and to control pain. But whatever the ‘worldly’ benefits of meditation, it's most important application is spiritual growth, which is impossible without thoughtful,intentional practice.

Usually during meditation there is concentration on a particular object or idea, such as a flower a simple picture, a candle flame, a sound, a word (mantra), an image of a deity, or the act of breathing.

I use the method of concentrating on my breathing, however, I've also enjoyed using the Holosync Cd's that I mentioned in the forward of this book. The Holosync method mixes chimes and tones with subliminal messages. I use the Cd method usually during the daytime when I need to get back in touch with myself and the universe; to put myself back on track and to eliminate that physical
feeling of stress. At night, when the house is quiet and everyone is in bed, I prop my pillows up as to put my body in a relaxed situation without being so relaxed that I fall to sleep. Then I begin breathing in through my nose slowly, filling my lungs as full as I can. Gently, I release my breath through my lips. My eyes are closed and the lights are out, arms lay limp at my side. Repeating this procedure until I begin to see what I call my “light show” and my hands begin to tingle slightly. At this point, I am completely unaware of my surroundings and the light show behind my eyelids becomes more like pictures in the form of negatives. Now I know that sounds strange so go ahead and laugh if you will.

If I can sit there and watch these pictures for a little while (uninterrupted) they soon become full color. It is at that point that I can see what the universe, God, wants me to see or know. Let me give you an example:
There was a time in my husband's and mine relationship that we had separated. It was one of those times that I had lost myself, and worse...he had lost his self as well (“attention shoppers, lost couple in aisle 3”). We had been apart for about 11 months and had begun talking of the changes and realizations we had experienced during our time apart. Discussions of our getting back together and working together to make our dreams, goals and desires materialize were taking place. I knew that I needed to do some serious meditation about this.

The stereo headphones on my head, the recliner in the reclining position, I began my breathing exercises while listening to the Holosync demo Cd. This would be my first experience in full color. The black and white negative images were flowing in and out and around and I was really relaxing and enjoying the experience. Suddenly, without warning, Mike's face appeared in full living color. It came at me and swept past my face. At that moment, I knew we had to come together and work together. I wasn't certain that we should come together because we were meant to be together or if it was to be a learning experience and once what ever it was I was suppose to learn was accepted, I should move on or what. But I just knew we were suppose to get back together. That was almost a year ago. So far, so good. We have experienced a couple of rough spots, but because we both practice meditation and know that the answers are within us, we find them and move forward. What's more, I am still me. I haven't slipped back into that old “I have to be what he wants me to be or what I think he wants me to be” self. As a result, he appreciates me more, and we have more respect for each other. Of course, that's not to say we don't ever have any disagreements, but at least now we talk about them instead of keeping everything bottled up inside of ourselves until one of us explodes...which was usually me, in the past.

The experience of being in a complete meditative state is simply amazing, refreshing, enlightening, peaceful and exhilarating. There isn't anything else like it that I know of.

The natural signs that the practice of meditation is working are an increased ability to concentrate, an improvement in relationships with friends and relatives as well as supreme clarification of the reasoning faculty. This form of meditation is often called Common People's Meditation. This in it's self is not the way to healing meditation, this type is “want something”meditation and makes subjects and objects either good or bad.

There is also a practice known as “Performance Meditation” often used by martial arts. There are many forms of meditation such as Yoga meditation, Holistic meditation for healing and health, Divine Light meditation, Christian Prayer is also a form of meditation. In Asia, there is Confucian, Taoist and Hindu meditation. These (Asian) are known as “Outer Path Meditations”.

Mahayana Meditation is based on the six fundamental insights of Mahayana teachings: insight into the existence and nonexistence of the Dharmas; insight into the nature of form and emptiness; insight into existence and the Middle Way; insight into the nature of phenomena; insight into the interpenetration of all phenomena; and insight which sees that phenomena themselves are the Absolute. The practice of these six insights can be expressed by the teaching of the Avatamsaka-sutra: "If you wish to thoroughly understand all the Buddha of the past, present, and future, then you should view the nature of the whole universe as being created by the mind alone."

"Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom."
Buddha

Some other forms are Mindfulness meditation, Chakra meditation, and Mantra. I'm not going to go into full explanations of all of the known forms of meditations because that would be a whole other book in it's self. I recommend that to find out more about all of these types of meditation you consider googleing them on your computer or researching them at your local library.

All that is necessary for you to know is that meditation, in any form, only helps to bring you closer to perfect harmony with all that is. Inside of you and out side of you. All that is. It brings you to that place where you know you are at one with nature, the universe, God, yourself. It can and will change your life.

Your journey to finding yourself; who you are, must begin from the inside. You have been in there your whole life. Sometimes, you come out and feel free and energetic, full of life, drive and ambition, then for whatever reasons, the “you” goes back into the void, to be silent. Only you can find it and bring it back out.........and keep it out!

CHAPTER 4

World Domination!
Well...at least my world.

Until now, your world has been dominated by children,work,PTA meetings,soccer games,football games, dance classes, etc. It's time that YOU dominate your world. It's your world. You create your own world. Don't be afraid. You've done it before. When you were married, you started a whole new world. Then you made the decision to have children, another new world. Now it's time for a world that is yours!

How would you like to see yourself in the mirror? Want to hide those grey hairs? Go ahead! Do you want to change the way you dress? Go ahead! It's your world, it's your body, go for it!!

Do you work outside of your home? If not, do you want to? Go for it! If