Nancy's Park

Hibernation...

2010-01-10T23:53:00.000-05:00

We spent the holidays traveling out west and we're just settling back in at home.

Look for a few more posts coming up in the next few weeks, and then I'll be back to a regular schedule on Imbolc, February 1st.

Blue Moon

2009-12-31T23:28:00.000-05:00

A blue moon rises tonight as the year comes to a close: a perfect opportunity for a little candle magic.

Maybe a small house with chickens and a goat, gardens, a grove, and a pool, and a view of the ocean and the life this home would support.

Eight Diagram Palm

2009-12-29T05:15:00.015-05:00

Tom Bisio in 12 Posture Zhan Zhuang.
I find this breathtaking.

"In practice, the Ba Gua practitioner steps and turns moving smoothly like a swimming dragon, swooping and spiraling like a hawk, coiling like a snake, and changing postures nimbly like a monkey."

Repost: Secrets to a Happy Marriage

2009-12-23T05:08:00.009-05:00

When Joanna of Cup of Jo went on her honeymoon this fall, she invited several people to guest blog on her site their secrets to a happy marriage. One of my favorites was by Craig Nova. Don't miss the link to the letter he wrote to his beautiful daughter Abbey on her wedding day.

Fourth Month of Pregnancy

2009-12-22T05:57:00.004-05:00

(Art by Shinichi Maruyama)

In the fourth month of pregnancy, the fetus opens to the essence of the element of water. This element constitutes the pool of genetic inheritance, including the "unconsious reservoir of intuitive intelligence, will, and life-force energy". It relates to the "divine love, power, and spirit" that is ancestrally available to the fetus.

In the fourth month of pregnancy, the connective tissue develops, the matrix by which everything is connected in this new being. It is the matrix of "intercellular communication," and can be thought of as the scaffold of the astral body.

Acupuncture during this stage of development can be particularly beneficial to the pregnant woman.

(Primary source: Sui Dynasty Imperial Physician Chao Yuan Fang as written in Energetic Anatomy and Physiology (Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy, Volume 1) by Jerry Alan Johnson)

Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T05:10:00.021-05:00

(image via SoundsandFury)

The winter solstice is today at 12:47 pm in New York. The longest night, the shortest day.

Recommendations from Shamanic Astrology:

"Solstice, like a New Moon cycle for the year, is a beautiful time to create quiet space to meditate on your deepest intentions for the coming year. It is a good time to engage ceremonially in whatever way you may be moved to give gratitude for the blessings of the year past, to release all that is no longer needed, and invoke the new seeds of growth for a coming year.

This day is powerful beyond measure, as it is informed by the Triple Aquarian Conjunction, as Jupiter conjuncts Neptune, then Chiron in the sign of Aquarius for the 3^rd and final time—then the moon conjuncts all three, magnifying the impact of the aspect.

Be sure to ask for guidance and assistance from Spirit, and as you do, imagine how it feels to trust life, to trust that all is unfolding as it should. Imagine how it might feel to live a life in alignment with Grace, to know how to dance with all that Is—not fighting, not seeking for anything to be other than it is. Imagine the absolute inner transformation and ecstasy that would be part of this state of being. If you have angels or guides, invite them to be with you, assisting you in this process of intention setting and deep prayer."

New Best Friend

2009-12-18T05:12:00.022-05:00

This little guy is going to be joining our household this weekend, and we're all very excited!

He is a Japanese Chin, an aristocratic breed with origins in the regal courts of the ancient Chinese.

A charming and intelligent noble amongst dogs.

I guess we will see who comes out on top in ruling our kingdom, Oskar or the pooch?

I bet they will be come fast friends.

How the Zen Buddhists Eat

2009-12-17T05:18:00.024-05:00

Doesn't this look gorgeous?

It is:

Celery Roots Tempura with Grated Apple

From Kajitsu, a Japanese restaurant in the far east village.

The cuisine is Shojin, of Zen Buddhist origin.

We just had our office holiday dinner there!

How reluctantly
the bee emerges from deep
within the peony
-Basho

Travel Lust: Crystal Cave in Mexico

2009-12-16T05:52:00.023-05:00

A couple of years ago, I got into crystals. I think my mind might completely blow out in the Cueva de los Cristales of Mexico.

A blog account by Paul Williams with more spectacular photographs on his travels into the cave.

Unreal.

Magic!

What to Do When Injured

2009-12-15T05:45:00.023-05:00

Many of my patients who see me for sports-related issues ask me what they should do, if they shouldn't run/fight/bike/spin/weight train while recovering from injury, and my answer is always Tai Chi.

There is a living master in New York City, and his name is William C. C. Chen, and he is teaching beginner classes several days a week in his studio on 5th Avenue and 28th Street.

Felt Balls and Felt Ball Kits

2009-12-14T05:16:00.033-05:00

Last weekend, we went to the Winter Fair at the Brooklyn Waldorf School, where Oskar was very attracted to the felt balls in the playroom. And they were gorgeous!

So I bought a kit to make my own on Etsy!

The image above is from Crunchy Parent. It has directions and even videos on how to make your own felt balls.

Another kit you can get from a funny Etsy seller whose wares all come from her sheep Moses.
Here is the info on her profile:

"Hello from Pennsylvania,

You probably have seen the photo of Moses my sheep. Moses is my bottle raised sheep that supplies me with wool to spin and felt.

I am a full-time caregiver. Moses came to me while I was working on a farm that provided a handicap accessible farming experience to children and adults with disabilities.

Moses mother had triplets and was not able to take care of Moses. She pushed him aside. Maybe she felt overwelmed with three or maybe she just knew that allowing us to take care of Moses would provide a very rewarding fun experience to many.

Moses quickly adapted to receiving his meals from a bottle given by many different "surrogate moms".

Moses "lambhood" was very active. He provided many people with disabilities a very fun chance to "turn things around" they enjoyed becoming the caregivers to Moses.

Moses attended the UCP Adult day programs, (wearing an inside diaper of course) childrens programs, as well as church events.

Now that he is grown he provides us with his wool. Moses is now fully grown. He is 5 years old."

Doesn't it feel difficult to not suppport Moses?!

The Trashy Novel

2009-12-11T05:15:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorites, and the seventh in the series was just published!

The Reasons: Beautiful Prose; Very Long in Length (500+ pages each); the Heroine is a Healer; the Hero is a Highlander; Places of Power; Magic Crystals; Acupuncture and a China Man, Bodice Ripping Humor, the List Goes On.

Gorgeous Lavender

2009-12-10T06:08:00.001-05:00

The most beautiful lavender essential oil I've experienced.

The story of its origin here.

The Padre Hotel, Bakersfield, California

2009-12-09T05:31:00.001-05:00

Photo by Jennifer Williams

I grew up in Bakersfield, California, which tortured me most of the time, but I do have some fond memories of weird experiences there, many of them in the lounge and lobby of the Padre Hotel. The Padre was a shabby and slightly scary place to go, smelling of past sins and dereliction and drunken mistakes.

I just learned that it has undergone a massive renovation into a luxury hotel. I guess the news makes me sad and curious at the same time. I found a funny article by Herb Benham in the local paper, the Bakersfield Californian, some of which really captures the essence of my Bakersfield nicely:

"The new Padre Hotel could be the biggest thing to hit downtown since the earthquake. If it opens. If it works.

If the owners are able to saddle and ride this beast...

In the last couple of years, downtown has settled into something of a funk (with some notable exceptions).

The recession and the subprime meltdown haven't helped. Nor have the fights, the stabbings and a couple of homicides. People may want to experience downtown, but they want to live, too...

For years, the Padre has been an eyesore. The hotel shut down eons ago and besides a barbershop, a coffee shop, a print shop and a jewelry store on the bottom floor, it's basically been sitting there.

I go back and forth on the Padre architecture. One day, it glows. Another, it simmers. The Padre, built in 1928, looks better when backlit by a sunset at the end of a day well spent.

If you want to be generous, you can talk about the Padre "being a fine example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture," but really, the magic, if any, has always lay inside its spacious lobby with the large arched windows and 20-foot-high ceilings.

I slept through the glory days of the Padre Hotel. Milton "Spartacus" Miller bought it in 1954 and installed a girl in a swing over the bar and had a musician named Ernie Kelly playing the piano."

Integrity of the Spine

2009-12-08T05:06:00.018-05:00

A beautifully aligned spine is a virtue, and one that is often lost in the great blow out of childbirth. The return to spinal integrity is best managed gradually, with intention, and great care.

The sculpture is fibers:connective tissue by sarah nance.

Happy Baby

2009-12-07T05:45:00.020-05:00

East Asian fetal education principles recommend pregnant women look at pictures of happy babies to influence the nature of their own gestating babies.

Here is Oskar having a laugh with his grandparents last weekend.

Hafiz Knows the Way You Can Get

2009-12-04T05:50:00.013-05:00

I know the way you can get

When you have not had a drink of Love:

Your face hardens,
Your sweet muscles cramp.
Children become concerned
About a strange look that appears in your eyes
Which even begins to worry your own mirror
And nose.

Squirrels and birds sense your sadness
And call an important conference in a tall tree.
They decide which secret code to chant
To help your mind and soul.

Even angels fear that brand of madness
That arrays itself against the world
And throws sharp stones and spears into
The innocent
And into one's self.

O I know the way you can get
If you have not been drinking Love:

You might rip apart
Every sentence your friends and teachers say,
Looking for hidden clauses.

You might weigh every word on a scale
Like a dead fish.

You might pull out a ruler to measure
From every angle in your darkness
The beautiful dimensions of a heart you once
Trusted.

I know the way you can get
If you have not had a drink from Love's
Hands.

That is why all the Great Ones speak of
The vital need
To keep remembering God,
So you will come to know and see Him
As being so Playful
And Wanting,
Just Wanting to help.

That is why Hafiz says:
Bring your cup near me.

For I am a Sweet Old Vagabond
With an Infinite Leaking Barrel
Of Light and Laughter and Truth
That the Beloved has tied to my back.

Dear one,
Indeed, please bring your heart near me.
For all I care about
Is quenching your thirst for freedom!

All a Sane man can ever care about
Is giving Love!

From: 'I Heard God Laughing - Renderings of Hafiz' - Daniel Ladinsky

Artie's Steak Sandwich

2009-12-03T06:10:00.039-05:00

Norma Wilson Cow Art

Post-partum, I was ravenous. I never seriously got the food cravings while pregnant (though Dan did get very specific instructions about broiling fish and did gallantly make midnight runs for ice cream), but right after giving birth to Oskar, my appetite became this insatiable monster.

One memorable meal with a good new-momma friend on the Upper West Side was the Sliced Steak Sandwich at Artie's. We very contentedly tucked in, our sleeping babies slung in our laps. It was very deeply satisfying. I even took half of the sandwich home and enjoyed it later that day. When I got home, I shook off a small shower of stray crumbs that had collected on Oskar in his sling.

Dinner Flea in Freetown Christiania

2009-12-02T05:15:00.047-05:00

Photo via Flickr.

One of the most interesting places in Copenhagen, Denmark, is the commune of Christiania. In the early 1970s, hippies squatted out in a mostly abandoned military barracks. The result: a fascinating community with the most interesting music and art, commerce in organic and sustainable and smokable goods, and one particularly awesome restaurant: Spiseloppen.

The 160-seat warehouse restaurant is the ultimate in Danish cozy. And the food is a treat too.

Placentophagia

2009-12-01T05:08:00.001-05:00

Oskar's and My Placenta, Steamed

In East Asian Medicine, human placenta is a healing post-partum tonic for both mother and nursing baby.

For the mother, the placenta provides nourishment on the order of restoring the qi and blood that was lost during birth. As such, taking the placenta can enhance lactation, uplift the spirit, and provide a new mother with some much-needed ballast.

For the nursing baby, here is a rare and precious opportunity to boost her/his pre-natal jing. Pre-natal jing is the treasure and inheritance that each person receives from her/his parents, and is therefore something that cannot be renewed or restored. We consume it continuously as we live our lives, and death comes to us once this store is spent.

Personally, Dan and I felt there was something very special about consuming the placenta. It represented the organ that grew out of the powerful love that Dan and I had for each other, so powerful as to call forth and hold a new life. It represented the organ that provided an important, sacred boundary between Oskar and me; it both bonded him to me as well as shielded him from me during his forty-one weeks inside. Eating it was the most natural thing to do. It was also very exciting and sensational!

Here is the recipe Dan used in preparing the placenta. It is best for the placenta be prepared with intention and love.

1. Rinse the placenta;
2. Steam the placenta, with a hot pepper, slices of ginger, and a slice of lime in the water, over low heat for 15 minutes;

3. Turn it over and continue to steam for another 15 minutes;
4. After steaming, slice the placenta into thin strips;
5. Lay the strips on a baking sheet and place them in the oven on warm (lowest setting);
6. Dry the placenta strips until they are dehydrated enough to snap (about 8 to 10 hours);
7. Break the dry strips into smaller pieces and then grind them to powder with a mortar and pestle.

8. Consume daily, and store in a cool, dark place.

How did it taste?

To me, very gamey and primal.

I felt like a wild animal when I took my daily tablespoon dose.

First Food

2009-11-30T04:45:00.001-05:00

Oskar's pure diet of breast milk has been infiltrated by small amounts of bath water, flower essences, and (a larger dose of) nose. Some time in the coming weeks, we'll be introducing him to food. Although he's already had a first bite of banana ("It just happened," is how Dan describes it!), this will be the first time he's been fed with intention.

In East Asian medicine, the two primary choices for first food are rice porridge or millet porridge. The choice depends on whether or not the child would benefit from more heavenly or earthly influences. With rice, its fluffy whiteness is reminiscent of clouds, whereas millet is round and yellow like the earth.

We're going to start with rice for Oskar, because he is already plenty grounded and also because of the strong relationship between rice and his Korean heritage. His Danish half has not yet been able to mount a compelling argument for pork or butter, much less pork with butter.

The benefits of rice porridge are manifold: it can easily be digested and assimilated; tonifies blood and Qi; harmonizes digestion; and is demulcent, cooling, and nourishing. The longer it is cooked, the more potent its health-promoting properties.

Recipe: 1 part of white rice to 7 parts water cooked overnight in the rice cooker until the grains loose their form.

Wild Horses

2009-11-27T04:39:00.016-05:00

Art by Kerryone.

Adhi Moonien Two Owl's Wind Horse Workshop on Assateaque Island in April sounds magical.

Observing the wild horses in their environment;
Creating mandalas and offerings to the ocean, elements, and the beings both seen and unseen on the island;
Clearing and purification techniques for preparing to go into the upper realms;
Journeying to connect to the horse guides;
Exploring what they can tell us to help with what is going on in our world today;
Creating a rattle shaker for the calling in horse energies;
Creating offerings and bundles.

Gratitude

2009-11-26T05:42:00.002-05:00

Among the many people and things I feel thankful for today, six and a half (gasp) years of and with Dan.

Opera by Candle Light

2009-11-25T05:29:00.002-05:00

The little town of Verona is a sweet place to visit when traveling through Italy in the summer. The highlight is open air opera performed in an ancient arena.

As dusk settles into true darkness, everyone in the audience lights the birthday candles they have been given, and it's like the stars in the night sky begin to appear one by one in the arena. I have never witnessed a more beautiful start to any performance. It was magical.

Third Month of Pregnancy

2009-11-24T05:22:00.000-05:00

Photo by Naoyuki Kurita

In the Third Month, the mother's qi, spirit, body fluids, and primordial essence combine to cleanse the spirit of the fetus. This process creates heat, which ultimately rouses the baby's ethereal soul. The ethereal soul is what fuels our purpose in life and propels us to achieve our destinies.

In the Third Month, the Prenatal Five Agents (Wu Jing Shen) begin to energetically awaken. There are five agents, one for each of the five elements found in nature. Jing Shen can be described as the essence and spirit.

The first set of characters is for Jing, which depicts an exploding rice grain next to a young sapling shooting out of the earth. I think of the cycle of life, how the decomposition of the rice is linked with the propulsion of life in the tree. Death and destruction nourishes life.

The second set of characters is for Shen, which depicts heavenly influence on earthlyn natural forces.

We have the cycle of life bringing manifestation to the spirits of heaven and earth.

This begins in the third month when the heart beat can first be detected.

Living Water

2009-11-23T05:50:00.003-05:00

Soon, my body will no longer be Oskar's only source of nourishment, so I am thinking a lot about water.

The picture above is one of Emoto's images of water, this one vibrates to the tune of love.

Living in Brooklyn, I don't have easy access to fresh, living spring water. The next best thing, they say, is ionized alkaline water. So, we're going to get a Gold Fox to do its magic on our beautiful NYC tap water.

Update: We ended up ordering a Chanson Eden.

My Life as Dog

2009-11-20T05:25:00.001-05:00

On the other side of motherhood, this movie becomes even more moving and painful and gorgeous.

One of the things Dan observed and said to me in the early, shell-shocked, post-partum days was how awesome and serious the responsibility was of being parents to our boy: that he would love us no matter what we did.

I had always wanted to be the object of unconditional love, but, like so many things, I hadn't thought it completely through.

The sheer weight of is just staggering.

Hip-hop-opatamous

2009-11-19T06:05:00.000-05:00

Oskar's newest playmate is Harpo, a hip-hop-apotamous, home spun and hand knitted in 100% natural wool by rural women in Kenya. He was knitted by Teresia Esinyeri of Kenana Knitters.

We found him in pb & Caviar, a lovely mother and baby boutique in Tribeca.

Lonely Beach, Ko Chang, Thailand

2009-11-18T05:41:00.027-05:00

IAmKoChang sums it up like this:

"For western visitors, Lonely Beach has long been regarded as the best beach to stay if you’re a true backpacker. For Thais, Lonely Beach has long been regarded as the best beach to visit if you want to see western girls topless."

It was my favorite Thai beach by far. The Siam Huts were very very basic, but offered every necessity for less than US$10 (2003). Fresh mango lassi breakfasts, and simple, luscious dinners of fish grilled on the beach with jacket potatoes and corn on the cob.

When we're 65, we're heading back to see if we can still find paradise there.

Acupuncture for Pains in the Neck

2009-11-17T06:08:00.002-05:00

This picture shows how headaches in the temples, jaw pain, and neck pain can all be caused by trigger points (often tight and tender spots) in the shoulder muscles. With acupuncture, you can treat all these areas simply by needling the X'd areas. The sensation can be very intense and provide a very huge relief.

Leonid Meteor Shower Tonight

2009-11-16T05:26:00.008-05:00

Starting at 1:30am EST until sunrise, there's a possibility of spotting hundreds of falling stars. It's also a new moon...

Imagine all the wishes to be made...

(Photo from Astronomy.com)

Friday, the 13th

2009-11-13T06:20:00.002-05:00

A very witchy day...

The Wonders of Tea

2009-11-12T06:19:00.002-05:00

Tea-Drinking

The first cup moistens my lips and throat;

The second cup breaks my loneliness;

The third cup searches my barren entrail but to find therein some thousand volumes of odd ideographs;

The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration-all the wrongs of life pass out through my pores;

At the fifth cup I am purified;

The sixth cup calls me to the realms of the immortals.

The seventh cup-ah, but I could take no more! I only feel the breath of the cool wind that raises in my sleeves.

Where is Elysium? Let me ride on this sweet breeze and waft away thither.

Lu Tung, a Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty

Some interpret it in this way:

The first cup: quenches thirst.
The second cup: leads to the awareness of Oneness.
The third cup: is a laxative.
The fourth cup: purges colds and flus.
The fifth cup: purifies the entire body, including the skin and the bones.
The sixth cup: opens the doors of perception.
The seventh cup: zen.

13 Grandmothers

2009-11-11T05:58:00.004-05:00

My friend Abbey told me about this and I am all signed up!

THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF THIRTEEN INDIGENOUS GRANDMOTHERS
HEALING CIRCLES

Jivamukti Yoga School is delighted to welcome members of the International Council of the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers. Join us for two evenings of Prayer, Healing, and discussions on Prophecy and Sacred Medicine.

"We the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, believe that our ancestral ways of prayer, peacemaking and healing are vitally needed today. We come together to nurture, educate and train our children. We come together to uphold the practice of our ceremonies and affirm the right to use our plant medicines free of legal restriction. We come together to protect the lands where our peoples live and upon which our cultures depend, to safeguard the collective heritage of traditional medicines, and to defend the earth Herself. We believe that the teachings of our ancestors will light our way through an uncertain future."

When: Saturday Dec 12th
Teachings: Prophecy and Sacred Medicine
Time: 7.30pm
Ticket Price: $35.00

When: Sunday Dec 13th
Teachings: Prayer and Healings -(This session involves hands on healing work from the Grandmothers.)
Time: 7.30pm
Ticket Price: $70.00
(Tickets are $100 if you attend both nights)

For Online registration go to www.jivamuktiyoga.com
or call the jivamukti Front desk at 212-353-0214 ext. 0
Please register soon as tickets are limited as this will be a popular event.

Sponsored by friends of The Center for Sacred Studies and The Jivamukti Yoga School

http://www.grandmotherscouncil.com

If You Liked Yesterday's Book, Check This One Out!

2009-11-10T05:42:00.014-05:00

An excerpt:
"... this is love. The feeling you have for your child is so indescribably deep and consuming that it must qualify as one of the few transcendent experiences in your plain old ordinary life. It arrives spontaneously as though part of afterbirth. It is miraculous and supreme and irrevocable. It makes all things possible...

There is a certain attitude, perhaps unavoidable, that most of us seem to adopt as we grow up. It is a kind of self-satisfied conclusion that our parents didn't love us. Oh, they might have loved us, but they didn't love us enough. They didn't love us the right way. They didn't love us just so. Have your own child, and you will penetrate into the utter absurdity of that idea..."

From Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood by Karen Maezen Miller

Joy in Parenting

2009-11-09T08:31:00.000-05:00

I am so happy in parenting right now, and part of it has been inspired by reading Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn's Everyday Blessings.

The Christian

2009-11-06T08:59:00.000-05:00

My favorite Christian speaker is Dr. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. I don't often make it up to hear him live, but I do download his sermons.

Sometimes when I'm feeling down, he lifts me up.

One of my favorites is Inside Out Living. Download it here.

(Image from http://www.fallenandflawed.com/tim-kellers-blogging-guide/)

Anatomy of Kiki Smith

2009-11-05T08:55:00.000-05:00

How I Know I'm Here (1985-2000), if I had $20,000 extra.

Tattoo by Ugly

2009-11-04T09:47:00.000-05:00

I had never wanted a tattoo before I met Ugly in Chiang Mai, Thailand. And then I was obsessed. I forced myself to think about it for 24 hours, and I could wait for them to end.

So I took the plunge, Ganesh, Remover of Obstacles, in full color, tattooed in the middle of my back.

He wasn't ugly, really. In fact, very cute, with hair horns and an impish smile. And, a steady hand.

Doctrine of Signatures to Enya

2009-11-03T08:46:00.000-05:00

Oskar's Samhain

2009-11-02T22:44:00.001-05:00

Oskar usually has the quiet, soulful presence of a gorilla, so I searched high and low for the right costume. We only kept him in it for a few minutes, because it was a little too true-to-life: he really did seem like a sad gorilla in a zoo in it.

He did better in his monster suit.

The tradition of dressing in costume on Samhain originates from attempts to trick and evade the ghosts of the dead who walked the streets on this day when the veil between worlds is thinnest. I guess Oskar felt better equipped to face the demons as a serious, blue plastic monster.

Four Years Ago Yesterday

2009-11-02T08:22:00.001-05:00

Four years ago yesterday, Dan and I got married at City Hall.

We had the loveliest day: morning ceremony and breakfast at Dan's favorite Cafe Orlin on Saint Marks with my brother, sister, and best friend as witnesses, a movie, then dinner at the River Cafe.

We went on to have two more public celebrations, a loft party in Brooklyn and a church wedding in California, so we celebrated big.

I am so happy we had the small, quiet day together when we actually wed, so we could focus on just us.

Yesterday, we lunched at Union Square Cafe and watched Where the Wild Things Are. Magic.

Samhain

2009-10-30T07:59:00.000-04:00

(Image of a Soul Card: http://www.touchdrawing.com/3SoulCards/SC2/pages/84.htm)

At Samhain, the time of the Celtic new year, the veil between worlds is thin.

Recycled Woolens

2009-10-29T08:52:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I fantasize about being a Stay At Home Working Mom making clothes for Oskar from recycled wool and cashmere and unicorn applique like Batik Bum.

Check out her birth stories too!

Indiana Jonesing It

2009-10-28T08:59:00.000-04:00

In the spring of 2003, Dan and I headed to Siem Reap in Cambodia to check out Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is one of the most magical places in the world.

After staying in amazingly serviceable and cheap guest houses for weeks, I deeply desired a splurge, especially to cope with the dry, 100 degree plus days exploring the ruins. So we stayed at Angkor Village. Bliss! The best gifts for a pair of dusty travelers: a large, luxurious bathtub and delicious room service.

Oddly, Siem Reap also had a very charming french restaurant. Even more oddly, the vietnamese restaurant we found was awful.

Second Month of Pregnancy

2009-10-27T09:24:00.000-04:00

In the second month, the mother's breath conducts the symphonic movement of embryonic qi in its minute currents, eddies, and whirlpools that ultimately grow into the baby's organs, flesh, bones, meridians.

Be aware of the breath.

In their beautiful book on mindful parenting, Everyday Blessings, Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn say this about the breath:

"Through ongoing practice, it is possible to develop an intimacy with the breath that extends your awareness into whatever else is happening in your world at that moment. Cultivating awareness in this way allows the deep potential in each moment to become available to you."

Would could have deeper potential than the child growing in your womb?

Spinning Babies

2009-10-26T08:42:00.000-04:00

Another one of the things I did in my pregnancy that I think helped me have a wonderful birth was to use the information I found on Spinning Babies. In particular, I learned how to do inversions from the video above and practiced them daily in the last couple of weeks.

I just found this wonderful blog by Spinning Babies too!

In Pursuit of Pleasure...

2009-10-23T08:02:00.000-04:00

As soon as I can, I am enrolling in Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts!

(Photo: Ecstasy of Saint Teresa)

A Favorite Designer

2009-10-22T08:38:00.000-04:00

I am nine months pregnant in this photo by Lisa Levart, wearing a silk dress by one of my favorite designers, MomoFalana. They use the most gorgeous silks! And, oh, the color!

Happily, some of their styles adapt beautifully to an expanding body. Their pieces are lovely, pregnant or not.

Now on HBO On Demand...

2009-10-21T22:17:00.000-04:00

I Could Never Be Your Woman is now on HBO On Demand. Paul Rudd's dancing really tickles me. And Saoirse Ronan is totally rad in it.

The West Coast Trail

2009-10-21T08:26:00.000-04:00

One of the most harrowing experiences of my life was hiking the West Coast Trail, a 47-mile long backpacking trail on Vancouver Island.

47 miles long... I think that is the horizontal distance... there was also a vertical distance to contend with: at one point, we had to climb up a kilometer or 52 stories of ladders up and down.

Ancient growth forest. Waterfalls. Bogs. Beaches at low tide (we had to consult tide tables!).

Crossing rivers and streams by hand-pulled cable car, fallen logs, and boat.

Ladders, lots of ladders.

One of the things you do to prepare for the trip is how to deal avoid being mauled by a cougar.

The hike takes seven days on average, and is a pack-in, pack-out affair. It took us nine days, and we ran out of food. Thankfully, we were able to beg some on the trail from first nation guides and other, more seasoned hikers.

At some point, most of our group wanted to be evacuated by helicopter from the trail.

Somehow, we survived. Seriously, it was like being on an episode of Survivor. At the time we hiked it, we had heard that there was usually one death every year. Surviving was not a given. I don't think any of us are the same. In fact, sometimes Dan and I still can't talk about it!

It is one of the most breathtaking, unspoiled places on planet earth.

Visualizing the Chakras

2009-10-20T08:04:00.000-04:00

I thought this was so beautiful.

(Source: http://www.folknouveau.com/healing/chakra-meditation-spiral.gif)

Herbal Tonics for Pregnancy

2009-10-19T08:05:00.000-04:00

Following the amazing birth of Oskar, Dan thought I should write down everything I did while pregnant and spread the word, in the hope that it would help other women have beautiful birth experiences.

One thing that Dan helped me do throughout my pregnancy was to take herbal infusions of stinging nettle and red raspberry leaf often.

Stinging nettles infusions are great any time, and I had taken them for an overall boost to my stamina and to improve my sleep on the advice of my friend and fellow acupuncturist Therese.

Red raspberry leaf is a uterine tonic. Labor, as my midwife Kristen put it, is the process the uterus undertakes to organize itself for birth.

Here is how he made them:

We purchased them at Jean's Greens.

NETTLE LF (Urtica dioica) c/s (o)
1-8 oz. . . . $1.29/oz
9-15 oz. . . . $1.14/oz
1 lb. . . . $16.70/lb

RED RASPBERRY LEAF (Rubus ideaus) c/s (o)
1-8 oz. . . . $1.14/oz
9-15 oz. . . . $0.99/oz
1 lb. . . . $14.30/lb

Other things you need:

One Quart Glass Jar (we use a wide mouth mason jar)
Boiling Water

Steep one cup of dried herbs in a one quart jar filled with boiling water.
Cover and steep for 4-10 hours.
Strain.

Drink daily.

Refrigerate to store, and warm up to enjoy.

Here is a lovely instructional video from the magical Susun Weed:

Candle Magic

2009-10-16T09:06:00.000-04:00

The moon is renewed on Sunday, a good time for a little candle magic to bring things into your life as the moon waxes and gains strength.

Spend some time meditating on what you would like to manifest, and let your meditation guide and inspire you as you carve images, words, lines into a seven day candle. Set your intention, and light the candle. Let it burn down continuously, knowing that when the candle is consumed, you have finished casting your spell.

A seven day candle is a large candle housed in glass.

Please keep safety in mind when performing this ritual.

Creme de Rose

2009-10-15T08:21:00.000-04:00

Creme de Rose by Simply Divine Botanicals. It's the most beautiful face product I have ever experienced. The first listed ingredients are: Unconditional Love and Gratitude.

Dan and the Cuy in Cusco

2009-10-14T08:39:00.000-04:00

A memorable meal in Cusco, Peru. Another of the most magical places on earth.

Magic Chicken Soup

2009-10-13T08:28:00.001-04:00

Magic Chicken Soup.

As soon as you start to feel sick, get yourself to the grocery and purchase:

One Whole Free Range Chicken
One Large Onion
One Head Garlic
One Knob Ginger
One Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Handful Chopped Spring Onion

Rinse the Chicken
Peel the Onion, Garlic, and Ginger
Throw all in a pot and cover with Water
Simmer for Several Hours, until Chicken starts Falling Apart
Fish out Bones and Skin and Random Crunchy Parts
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Garnish with Fresh Chopped Spring Onion

Eat up.

(Gorgeous Photo from: http://37signals.com/svn/posts/220-chicken-portraits & From The Fairest Fowl: Portraits of Championship Chickens by photographer Tamara Staples)

Perfect Newborn Woolen Set

2009-10-12T19:57:00.000-04:00

A beautiful starter kit and generously priced from Flowering Child.

I Love Woolens

2009-10-12T08:57:00.000-04:00

I am obsessed with woolens for Oskar.

He sleeps on Dolly (a natural, Mimosa tree-tanned sheep skin), wears Aristocrats diaper covers, and bundles up in a wool and silk pilot cap and woolen underdungarees when it's cold.

The Steiner crew lauds wool (and silks, too) for its living quality, and my East Asian medicine loves it for its value in stimulating the wei qi that flows over surface of the body.

It's easy on the eyes and beautiful to the touch.

Goddess on Earth

2009-10-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

My friend, photographer Lisa Levart has been working on an amazing project for the last seven years: Goddess on Earth.

Goddess on Earth celebrates each woman as the physical embodiment of the feminine divine. By using ancient goddess archetypes as a premise, the work shows women exploring the feminine spirit while reinforcing a way of viewing the world in all its sacred diversity...

These images of women embodying ancient myths and archetypes collectively convey the resonant and multifaceted manifestations of the feminine spirit and encourage viewers to explore their own multi-dimensional being. In this way, Goddess on Earth serves women immediately and along the journey of their lives: to appreciate the universal phases of women's lives, to expand their own abilities when drawing on their inner resources, and to recognize the vast and unique strengths inherent in all women.

Sparkling Lemonade

2009-10-08T10:06:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things:

Sparkling Lemonade at Cafe Mogador on Saint Marks.

(photo from http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/photofiles/list/399/768lemon.jpg)

Floating on the Amazon

2009-10-07T08:54:00.000-04:00

Many years ago, I traveled to Brazil and stayed at the Amazon Lodge. I swam with pirhana, trekked in the jungle, called to monkeys in treetops, drifted by pink dolphins in the dark Amazonian waters. It was magical.

Treating Children

2009-10-06T10:38:00.000-04:00

The Japanese have created a wonderfully effective, non-invasive way to treat children using tools that are so Japanese in their cute-ness.

The above Kakibari Gold Rake is shown in its actual size.

This and other shonishin tools are used to lightly and gently stimulate the surface of the body, enhancing a child's ability to ward off disease and calm the spirit.

Oskar's Ride: Daddy

2009-10-05T10:31:00.000-04:00

When Oskar needs to get around, he usually hops a ride on Dan in his Ellaroo Rebozo. Here he is soaking in the rays on Glastonbury Tor.

Oskar's Ride: Wheels

2009-10-05T09:36:00.000-04:00

At around three months, Oskar got his first set of wheels: Graco's SnugRide, a craigslist find for $60 including a stroller base and one of the least toxic on the market.

Still, Oskar prefers to roll chest to chest.

Oskar's Ride: Momma

2009-10-05T09:34:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, when Oskar needs a lift and a snack, he hits the drive-thru window in his Maya Wrap Ring Sling. Here he is, lunching in a friend's lovely garden in Niva, Denmark.

The Breath

2009-10-02T10:07:00.000-04:00

With breathing proceed as follows:

The breath should be held and it will be gathered.

If it is gathered, it becomes magic.

If it becomes magic, it descends.

If it descends, it quiets down.

If it quiets down, it solidifies.

If it is solidified, then it germinates.

If it germinates, it grows.

If it grows, it is attracted upward.

If it is attracted upward, it reaches toward the heaven.

In heaven, it ascends upward still.

At the lower end, it descends still.

Those who follow this will live, those who act contrary will die.

Lao Tsu, translated by Helmut Wilhelm

My Favorite Restaurant: Souen

2009-10-01T09:09:00.000-04:00

My favorite restaurant in New York is Souen.

Here, I can eat so happily according to all my ideal nutrition principles:
Eat warm, cooked, organic and wild foods (especially vegetables!).

I usually order the wild salmon with shogayaki/ginger sauce and steamed vegetables and hijiki.
The wakame soup is excellent!
The cucumber and wakame salad, too.
Mmm. Maze rice with salmon.
Dan loves the vegetable and seafood curry stew.

A mug of mu tea in the winter is heaven.

Souens are on Prince Street at Sixth Avenue and East 13th Street between Fifth Avenue and University Place.

Learn Reiki

2009-09-30T10:20:00.000-04:00

One of the coolest things Dan and I have done together is spent a snowy February weekend in New Hampshire learning and receiving Reiki from John Harvey Gray and Lourdes Gray.

Reiki is a form of hands on healing that is very beautiful.

John Harvey Gray is over 90 and is one of the original twenty two Reiki masters to be initiated in the West. Lourdes Gray works very closely with John and is a wonderful teacher.

We stayed at the Ashburn House in Fitzwilliam, NH. Again, such amazing, gorgeous breakfasts!

Dan and I Reiki each other and Oskar all the time. It is always there for my patients and me in my acupuncture practice.

It's especially great to have Reiki when you have a child.

Dan and I studied the second Reiki course with Lynn Margileth in New York.

Anyone can learn and receive it.

First Month of Pregnancy: Conception

2009-09-29T07:49:00.000-04:00

To enter the gate of inexhaustibility
And to roam in the fields of infinity.
I shall mingle my light with that of the sun and moon,
And will become eternal with heaven and earth.

Chuang Tzu, translated by Mair.

About one year ago, Oskar was conceived, when the Yin and Yang of Dan and me met within my womb.

"In the midst of the darkness there is a point of divine living potential which comes forth from the Dao, merging from out of the infinite space of the Wuji (primordial universe)."

During the first month of pregnancy, the mother cares for the embryo, nurturing the first spark of life. Her spirit enters through the umbilical cord to foster the development of the embryo's spirit, heritage, and physical form.

Expectant mothers would do well to nourish their spirits during the first month.

(From: Sui Dynasty Imperial Physician Chao Yuan Fang as written in Energetic Anatomy and Physiology (Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy, Volume 1) by Jerry Alan Johnson)

My Favorite Nursing Bra

2009-09-28T07:53:00.000-04:00

My friend Emily turned me on to the Belabumbum lotus lace seamless nursing bra, my favorite! My other nursing bras from Medela are like maximum security prisons, they keep everything in but leave a lot to be desired in comfort and style. This one is so comfortable and beautiful, a hard to find combination in nursing bras.

Capucine, where Emily took me, is the best new mom boutique I have ever been in! From their website:

"As a woman, you're conditioned to feel as if you must choose between sexiness and maternity. Well, the time has come to let go of this old attitude about motherhood and experience the magic of looking like a Goddess at Capucine boutique. We will keep you in top fashion form with beautiful, original clothing pieces gathered from all around the world."

Hello.

Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic

2009-09-25T09:13:00.001-04:00

"In those first, early years I was so lonely that I started enjoying it--and it is really a joy. So it was not a curse to me, it proved a blessing. I started enjoying it, and I started feeling self-sufficient; I was not dependent on anybody...

I can still see myself in those earliest years, just sitting. We had a beautiful spot where our house was, just in front of a lake. Far away for miles, the lake... and it was so beautiful and so silent. Only once in a while would you see a line of white cranes flying, or making love calls, and the peace would be disturbed; otherwise, it was the most perfect place for meditation. And when a love call from a bird would disturb the peace... after his call the peace would deepen...

The lake was full of lotus flowers, and I would sit for hours so self-confident, as if the world did not matter: the lotuses, the white cranes, and the silence..."

This is how Osho describes his first seven years, seven being significant in so many other ways, seven (or eight) being the cycle of human development in East Asian medicine, the cycle of child development from Steiner's perspective. No wonder, then, that Osho became fully who he was. Always authentic.

"I am wild, and I will remain wild."

This is one of my favorite books!

Green Hope Farm Flower Essences

2009-09-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

I love Green Hope Farm's flower essences. They are so beautiful and powerful. A few drops in drinking water, a few drops in the bath, a few drops directly onto my tongue when I really feel the call... whenever I mix up my shea butter, I add in a few drops.

At Green Hope Farm, they use Red Shiso as a stabilizer instead of alcohol, which is wonderful.

Some of my favorite combinations:

Babies of Light
Centered Birth
Golden Armor
Hesperides' Gift
Precious Blood
To Hear the Angels Sing
To Thine Own Self Be True
Watch Your Back

Here is an amazing list of all the ways in which flower essences can be of benefit.

(Image from Green Hope Farm's website.)

Temple Lodging in Koya San, Japan

2009-09-23T08:28:00.000-04:00

Koya San, Japan is the seat of the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism and is shaped like a lotus flower, eight peaks surrounding a valley.

In November of 2007, I and four of my friends bathed like sardines packed in spring water at Shojoshin-in, a temple in Koya San. We were on a study trip with our teacher, Kiiko Matsumoto, to study with her teacher Kawaii Sensei and some of her colleagues, lead by the fearless Emilie Connor. It was an amazing experience, especially on the bathing front!

At Shojoshin-in, we stayed in traditional Japanese style on tatami mats, wearing yukata, sitting for morning meditation with the monks, and enjoying amazing, gorgeously-set vegetarian meals.

These images are from http://shojoshin-in.blogspot.com/.

Oskar's First Fall Equinox

2009-09-22T19:38:00.001-04:00

We went to Brooklyn Bridge Park and made time with Mother Earth.

Autumn Equinox

2009-09-22T08:55:00.000-04:00

At 5:18pm, day and night are in perfect balance at the autumn equinox. A moment later, darkness will gain ground, and the light will begin its waning.

A time to celebrate the earth, as elemental, as great mother, and as home; the harvest: the treasures of the land; and our bodies.

Eat well, fill bellies.

Give thanks today.

Guide to (Child) Health

2009-09-21T08:34:00.000-04:00

"Health and the ability to love:

We have said that being healthy means being able to confront the world's phenomena freely and with interest. Two aberrations are possible here--on the one hand, withdrawing from the world in order to brood and believing that the truth that will change the world can be found only within ourselves; on the other hand, succumbing completely to the allure of daily life, increasingly renouncing self-assertion, and being driven by events like a leaf in the wind. Inner integrity in the first instance and self-sacrifice in the second--both positive attributes unless taken to extremes--become unbalanced. Being healthy means being able to make flexible use of our options as the situation demands... We can speak of illness only when people lose self-control or are so fixed within themselves that they can no longer alter their situation by themselves...

Both the self-sacrificer and the egotistical loner lose the ability to love. This ability, however, is the inner foundation of human health. On the one hand, it means being able to take part in the world's affairs with interest, allowing the people and events in our surroundings to become alive in our own souls; on the other it means holding back and allowing others to be free."

From pages 134-135.

Then I Met Lynn

2009-09-18T09:40:00.000-04:00

About seven years ago, I hit bottom. Everything that I had carefully and with great determination engineered for a life my whole life was making me miserable. My dream job disappointed me, some undiagnosable gastrointestinal illness afflicted me, and I was alone: my perfect-on-paper boyfriend had quit, and my circle of friends lay fallow.

Then I met Lynn, Pathwork helper, artist, musician, great mother.

It seems like everything in my life has pivoted around my first counseling session with Lynn.

Six months later, I was traveling the world, meeting my husband, traveling some more, preparing to enter a masters program in acupuncture, and making lots of friends.

Now I couldn't imagine being happier or more fulfilled.

Thank you Lynn!

Vietnamese Food

2009-09-17T09:42:00.000-04:00

At Nha Trang (87 Baxter Street), this is what we usually order:

Barbeque Beef Appetizer
Salt and Pepper Shrimp
Hollow Vegetable
Lemongrass Chicken
Whole Grilled Fish
Soda Lemonade

Delicious!

(Image from http://www.nychinatown.org/storefronts/baxter/87baxter.html)

Losing Time in Mexico

2009-09-16T09:27:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, Dan and I desperately needed to travel... we were long time, but short funds.

This is what we did:
We flew on frequent flier miles to Cozumel.
Stayed at Alicia's B & B (a mere $30 a night then, and Chuco is a master of breakfasts and fresh guacamole).
We snorkled every day.

We were there so long, and we were so lost in vacation, that we seriously lost track of time: we celebrated Dan's birthday for three days because we kept mixing up the date.

Acupuncture in the Blood

2009-09-15T11:12:00.001-04:00

I was googling myself: (Nancy Park Acupuncture) and one of the links that came up sent me to my parents!

My favorite part, in my mother's part of the bio: "Our Patients love her gentle hands!"

Some things do run in the family.

I am so tickled!

Oskar's Birth

2009-09-14T08:51:00.000-04:00

Oskar was born on Sunday night, May 31st in the water at our home in Brooklyn. I am powerful beyond all my imagining, and it was revealed to me that night. I can't wait to do it again.

Firewalk

2009-09-11T09:56:00.000-04:00

At the Goddess Conference this summer, three fires were lit for walking: the maiden, mother, and crone.

Having just borne a child, the mother fire called me.

The ritual for walking across this fire called for an offering to be made, something to feed the fire, something for the fire to consume.

My post-partum period was one of the most difficult of my life. One of the most vicious demons that haunted me was perfectionism. So I offered it, along with some incense, to the mother fire.

And, though I wasn't expecting to find the strength, I walked.

It was exhilarating.

It was a gift.

It was a healing.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-09-10T08:32:00.000-04:00

The best in Brooklyn are made at Jacques Torres in Dumbo!
I found the recipe online!

In Manhattan, my favorite are at Petrossian Cafe!

On the Virtues of Taking the Slow Boat

2009-09-09T12:49:00.000-04:00

In March of 2003, I left my life behind to travel.

I flew to Bangkok on the 3rd, and by March 27th, I was floating down the Mekong River on the slow boat next to a tall, mysterious fox in navy and green. You have two choices in the northern Thailand crossing into Luang Prabang, Laos: the slow boat takes two days in a leisurely drift, whereas the time taken by the fast boat can be measured in mere hours. With the fast boat, however, they hand you a crash helmet upon boarding, which sufficiently ensures the popularity of the slow boat, no matter the rush.

Within three days of meeting him, I fell treacherously in love.

Esoteric Acupuncture

2009-09-08T16:20:00.000-04:00

Today is my first day back to the office since Oskar's birth, and I am excited to be back. I have dearly missed my patients and my work.

There are many styles of acupuncture to practice, and my favorite is esoteric. My first esoteric acupuncture treatment was a pattern called the Spirit Path. The next day, Dan and I conceived Oskar.

When I was pregnant with Oskar, my friend Anna treated me during my final months, and I had so many breathtakingly beautiful experiences on her table. Once, the light of the universe flowed in through my crown chakra and filled my womb. Oskar swam, bathed in starlight. I felt so blessed.

100 Days

2009-09-07T19:54:00.000-04:00

One hundred days of Oskar and of motherhood. A crucible of one hundred constantly changing days: the transformation of my family from vesica piscis to the tripod of life. Today, a celebration of life. Hooray!

I am a new mother, besotted wife, second-generation acupuncturist, priestess, happy Brooklynite, world traveller, and I plan to write on a broad spectrum of things I want to share.

I hope you enjoy.

Love,
Nancy