Finding purpose.

It recently occurred to me that the path I am currently on is pretty amazing. Is this my true purpose though? I just know that it feels like I am where I need to be at this present moment. It feels right. 

Since I started practicing yoga my mind set has certainly changed. I came from working a 40 hour week Monday - Friday. I would always talk about doing this job for now but I ended up doing it for 9 years. I was a chronic asthmatic, continually getting sick, and then the passing of my dear mum 8 years ago left me with a very heavy heart. 

I knew that I needed to leave my home town and I finally found the courage to do so. I started to study massage and yoga and I was guided into learning more about my own nutrition and how it could support my health. 

I soon became hooked on yoga and I loved helping my massage clients in body work and even talking about nutrition to support their bodies and mind. I started my blog (Clear food and living) to share my passion for healthy eating and living. I was hit by the travel bug which saw me spend many months in India, Thailand and Bali where I furthered my massage and yoga skills. 

I am passionate about health, yoga and cooking and this is the direction of my new business adventures. As long as I work hard and continue to follow my passions and dreams I will be fulfilled and yes I will have a purpose. 

So have I found my true purpose? I have found my true passions and I have turned these into my career. Maybe doing the things in which bring me joy, following my passions and finding happiness is my true purpose? I'm sure there will be new directions to follow in my journey but currently I'm happy with where I am at. 

Do you have a true purpose in life? What about a strong passion for something? Are you willing to pursue it? 

The Sufi spiritual leader Hazrat Inayat Khan, described the pull of your purpose in an interesting way. 

He wrote that one may suddenly think during the night, "I must go to the north," and in the morning, he sets out on his journey. He does not know why, he does not know what he is to accomplish there, he only knows that he must go. By going there, he finds something that he has to do and sees that it was the hand of destiny pushing him towards the accomplishment of that purpose which inspired him to go to the north.

Purpose will find you. It can sometimes be very clear if you pay attention to it. It could be an interest of yours that you do in your spare time. It might be something that brings you joy or something you are really good at. 

We will find our purpose along the way. No matter how rough the road might be, you can succeed if you put your energy into it. 

I have found affirmations to be powerful tools. You can repeat them all day or just a few times a day. The more positivity you put into your mind the quicker you can achieve and believe in yourself. 

I believe in me.

All the great things I can be. 

I can touch the stars, I can ride the rainbow.

I can make the grade, I can set the standard.

I can win and when I don't,

I'll come back again, better than ever. 

If I can see it I can believe it.

When I believe it I can be it.

I believe in me. 

Peace and love 

Jeanette

Adventure

The dictionary describes adventure as,

1. 1. 1.

      an unusual and exciting or daring experience.

   
   

   For me this sums up adventure nicely. Every new place I go to I learn something new and exciting, not only about our beautiful world but also about myself and my spirit. 

   
   

   Adventure doesn't have to mean climbing the highest mountain or even going to far away lands. An adventure is a daring experience that you might be a little scared of to try. It might be trying something new, obtaining a new skill or just stepping outside of your comfort zone. 

   
   

   My adventures consist of seeing new places, meeting new people, trying new foods, and studying things I don't yet fully understand. I love wandering to places I have never been to, even if this means walking in new streets or climbing a tree, the view might be something totally different from up there. 

   
   

   So, are you on the hunt, are you ready to wander and to discover the beauty of the adventure?

   
   

   I am. 

   
   

   Explore. Dream. Discover. 

Jeanette 

To enter this competition just log onto:

Southern cross travel insurance

I have nominated these two adventurous chicks to also take part.

bubs in tow

The enchanted life-style

Happy adventures and best of luck. 

Incredible India

So here I am back in India currently exploring Mysore and studying at the K.Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. For the next three months I get to explore more of this incredible country and also submerge myself in my yoga practice. I feel incredibly lucky to be here, doing what I love to do. 

I often get asked, why India? There are many mixed thoughts about India in general and most people who haven't yet been here seem to have preconceived ideas about this incredible country. In saying this yes some of these thoughts may be spot on but its all about making your own mind up and having the experience for yourself. There are stories to every country so only you can be the judge based on your own experience. 

India through my eyes is amazing. It is full of life, loud noises, brightness, colour, smells of all sorts, thousands of people, poverty, cows, autos, craziness and the list goes on. Yes it can be very confronting but if you respect the culture and have your wits about you, I'm sure you will love India for what it is as much as I do. 

The people are money hungry and yes it seems to be what they want from you. You quickly learn that there are westerner prices and Indian local prices. Don't be surprised to always pay a little more. You do quickly pick up what you should be paying for things. I do enjoy going to the supermarket as there are set prices for items and you know you are paying the same price as the other shoppers. 

If anyone is thinking about a holiday or adventure to India, I totally recommend it. These are a few tips I found useful for travelling to India. 

*Always try to cover up (especially females)

* Respect the culture

* Avoid drinking the tap water or eating raw salads from restaurants as they may use tap water to clean it. 

* Avoid making unwanted friends (you may find they want money more than anything else) You will be the best judge of this. 

* I like to bring a mosquito net as the little buggers seem to love my blood. 

* Carry as light as you can if you are travelling around different places. You can pick up cheap clothes here, along with many other useful items. 

* I do always bring my own sheets and pillow cases. Just to insure a good nights sleep. 

* Negotiate the price of things before entering an auto or ask them to put the metre on. Most of the time they will tell you it doesn't work, they are lying. :) Just smile and walk away if you are not happy with the price. They will either agree to your price or you will just wait for the next Auto to come. 

 Each part of India provides you with new experiences and new adventures. The food is amazing and the people are pretty incredible to. 

This is a little of Mysore, Karnataka through my eyes. 

Love and peace 

Jeanette 

Aloo Gobi

Currently I am in Mysore, India practicing at K.Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. http://kpjayi.org/ 

So far it's been incredible, the energy of the Shala is hot, sweaty and uplifting. I have already experienced break-throughs in postures I thought were out of my reach. I am feeling incredibly lucky to be purely focusing and dedicating the next three months to the things I love; cooking, exploring and yoga. 

Aaron and I have managed to find a great little place to call home. All I really wanted was a stove, fridge and a hot shower. I got a small gas single burner and two cooking pots which I make do with. I am also pleasantly surprised with our bathroom, unlike the one Aaron chose for us in Thailand, this one not only has a roof and hot water but the shower head isn't over the toilet. What more could a girl want. :) 

So back to the most important thing, my cooking. I am really inspired by all the Indian dishes and even though it's so cheap to eat out,  I prefer to cook and make my own food. That way I know exactly what I am eating and I know each and every ingredient along with the process of how the food is prepared and made. My body is my temple after all. 💪 

Here is a yummy and reasonably quick Aloo Gobi recipe to share with you all. 

I hope you enjoy. 

Love and peace. 

Jeanette 

Aloo Gobi 

Ingredients 

2 cups cauliflower, cut in small florets

2  medium potatoes, peeled, washed and cubed into small pieces 

2 cm piece of ginger, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tsp. coriander powder 

2 tsp. turmeric powder or fresh turmeric 

1 tsp. cumin powder 

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 tsp. filtered water

3 tbsp. ghee 

1 green chilli, sliced into long slithers 

1/2 green capsicum, sliced into long slithers 

1 tsp. pink Himalayan salt

1/4 cup filtered water (as needed) 

Handful cashews, lightly roasted

Handful fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method

* Lightly steam the potatoes and cauliflower for 3-4 minutes. You don't want them to be very soft. Take off the heat and along to rest. 

* In a small bowl, mix the ginger, garlic, coriander, turmeric, cumin, chilli, pepper, salt and 3 tsp. filtered water and mix into a paste. 

* Use 1 tsp. of ghee in a pan and quickly fry the cashews making sure not to burn them. Transfer to a bowl and allow to rest. 

* Using the same pan add 2 tsp. ghee and add the prepared paste stirring for 3 minutes. 

* Add the potatoes and cauliflower. Stir over a medium heat until combined and cover for 15 minutes making sure to stir every few minutes. You might need to add a few tsp. water to prevent anything sticking to the pan

* Take off the heat and stir through the capsicum and cashews. 

Serve and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Add more salt depending on your taste. 

Enjoy 

My island home of Tasmania

September was the time to say goodbye to my island home of Tasmania and defrost in Brisbane for a couple of weeks before heading back to India in October. 

So far 2013 has been a pretty amazing year with January - May spent in Goa in India and Koh Phangan in Thailand. In mid May I then headed South to my old stomping ground of Launceston, Tasmania. 

Aaron came down to the cold state in June and starting working in a couple of the yoga studios. If you are ever in Launceston and want to attend a few yoga classes check out Hot Body Yoga and Yoga on York. Or if you want to workout at a great gym go to KFM Fitness this is where I was massaging from. 

Tasmania is a truly remarkable place from white sand beaches to breathtaking mountainous terrain it's a place of beauty and history and well worth a visit. During my 24 years of living in Tassie I really took it for granted and would always choose to fly to Melbourne or to the 'mainland' to discover new things. I never appreciated what was in my backyard or simply a few minutes or hours drive away. 

My favourite place:

All the places I visited were pretty amazing but if I had to pick a favourite I would have to say Hobart and the surrounding towns. The vibe is quirky, fun and always friendly. I enjoyed the sights, sounds, flavours and action of the Salamance Markets. 

That night we went for a drink at Jack Greene Bar it had a great atmosphere and a good range of beers and ciders. 

For breakfast, brunch and lunch all in one I highly recommend Daci and Daci. It is a delightful little French Cafe with the best coffee and croissants in town. I could have sat there all day listening to the string Quartet playing next to us. 

Here are some of the amazing places I explored in the past few months in Tasmania. 

Natural Instinct Product Range Review

As I continue learning more about health and nutrition I have found that it's not just what you eat which makes you healthier but also the products you use. I take big considerations on the products I use around the house and also what I use on my sensitive skin. I really enjoy finding products which are toxic free and safer for my skin and body. 

  

I was asked to try some of the range from Natural Instinct which are toxic free and are an Australian range of face, body, hair and baby care products that are made entirely with plant-derived ingredients, certified organic extracts and pure essential oils. I also love the fact that they are environmentally friendly and also looks after our animals in being vegan friendly. 

The Natural Instinct products are:

Not Tested on Animals

Vegan Friendly

The face, body, hand, hair, baby and sensitive products are 100% vegan. Natural Instinct Micro-Mineral Sunscreen isn’t suitable for vegans – but I hear they are working on it.

Proudly made in Australia

All their products are made in Victoria under a certified quality management system.

Grey-water safe

No harsh chemicals like propylene glycol, or EDTA are used; so they won’t damage rivers, animals and plant life. 

Made of Recyclable Packaging

All packaging is made from fully recyclable materials.

"It's our unique method of balancing

carefully selected naturally plant derived

ingredients while excluding hundreds of

potentially harmful chemicals."

Their aim is simply to provide high quality, natural products that offer your family the best results at a price that’s equally down to earth. I totally agree with this statement as all of the Natural Instinct products are definitely affordable with some of their products being under $10. You can have a look at the full product list here

I have yet to use all my products but here is a list of the products I have tried and am currently still using. 

Body wash:

RRP $11.95 – 500mL

RRP $19.95 – 1 Litre  

 
The freshness of Lemon grass, ginger and ginkgo is such a invigorating way to start my day. I use this daily and it's definitely on the re-ordering list. 

Natural Instinct Daily Moisturiser:

RRP $9.95 – 125mL 

Made with Jojoba, Rosehip & pro-Vitamin B5

Hydrates, Enriches & Softens

This is another product I have been using daily and have had no complaints with. My skin is pretty sensitive so I can tell when a product isn't agreeing with me. For the generous price of this product it's definitely one worth trying for yourself. 

Organic Instinct Natural Shampoo:

RRP $7.95 – 250mL

RRP $11.95 – 500mL

RRP $19.95 – 1 Litre

Made with Lavender, Nettle & pro-Vitamin B5 

Cleanses, Nourishes & adds Shine

I have been using this twice a week and I have noticed less hair fall during my wash. 

Hand & Nail cream:

RRP $9.95 - 125mL

The hand and nail cream is nice, it's smooth and doesn't leave a slimy or oily feeling and quickly absorbs into my hands. 

Hand wash: 

RRP $7.95 – 250mL

RRP $19.95 – 1 Litre

Lemon, lavender and pro-Vitamin b5

The hand wash is lovely and certainly leaves my hands nice and clean. I have been using the hand wash at work. My hands get washed very frequently after each massage so it's good to see this product doesn't dry my hands out.

Body Lotion: 

RRP $15.95 – 500mL

RRP $22.95 – 1 Litre

Jojoba, Rosehip and avocado

I  use either coconut oil or sesame oil as my body moisturiser so using a body lotion is a little different from an oil. My skin has adjusted to the change well.  I have been using this daily, as I highly believe in all the benefits of a self massage. I do like the fact they use jojoba and Rosehip in here. 

Where can I purchase these products?

You can pick up Natural Instinct products from Priceline and Terry White, and health stores across Australia. You can also find them here online along with all of their products, ingredients and details. 

My thoughts on the range: 

All the products I have tried and tested so far are soothing, smell great, affordable and most importantly my skin has not complained. I will be using Natural Instinct in my life and home in the future and I hope you will also give them a try for yourself. What an amazing gift idea for your friends and family, knowing that they are also gaining all the benefits from toxic free products.