Good morning!
Well, last night I finally understood the ‘LOVE’ Part of Eat Pray Love! bahaha. I can’t wait to see how they cast for the role of her love interest in the movie…! He has a tall order to fill.
This morning, I started off my day in a strange manner.
I sat and I smiled.
That was it.
For ten– funny-awkward-uncomfortable-uplifting-memory inspiring-I don’t know if I can smile any longer– minutes.
I sat and I smiled.
Let me explain.
Wednesday night, I was reading Eat Pray Love.
[Side note: I know this is starting to sound like ‘One night at bandcamp’…but let’s just go with it.]
I was reading the Bali book and I came across the section where Ketut Liyer, the famous Bali Medicine Man, teaches Elizabeth a new way to meditate.
Ketut says: “To meditate, only you must smile. Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy. Even smile in your liver. Practice tonight at hotel. Not to hurry. not to try too hard. Too serious, you make you sick. You can calling the good energy with a smile…Let your conscience be your guide.” [p. 231]
When I read this part in the book I giggled to myself. Sitting and smiling? Was he joking? Obviously, I had to try it out and see what all the hype was about.
So I sat down on my yoga mat and I closed my eyes and smiled. I pretended I was smiling on a beach.
I laughed a little bit at the absurdity of it all. I thought about what Eric would say if he saw me there. He would shake his head and walk away secretly grinning to himself.
And then before I knew it, I started to feel relaxed…and calm…and happy. As soon as I started to smile, my mood lifted and happy memories starting popping into my head out of the blue. When my mouth got a bit tired, I just let it relax into a neutral, yet slightly uplifted, position.
It was the first time I have meditated and not felt pressure to halt all my thoughts. I just sat back and noticed the positive thoughts and energy filling my mind. It was quite an unusual yet relaxing way to start the morning!
I was feeling so good I decided it was a pancake kinda morning!
Blueberry Carob Pancakes
Adapted from Eat, Drink, & Be, Vegan.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup whole grain spelt flour
- Dash sea salt
- 3 tbsp carob powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2/3 cup Almond milk
- Oil, for greasing frying pan
- 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen.
Directions: Grease and preheat a skillet over medium heat. Mix dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. In a small bowl, mix together wet ingredients (leaving out blueberries). Add wet to dry and whisk well. Stir in blueberries. Pour 1/3 of the batter onto a frying pan. Cook on one side until bubbles pop and then flip. Makes 3 medium-large sized pancakes.
I mashed a banana and layered it on top for the ‘syrup’ and I sprinkled some coconut and cacao nibs on for good measure!
Banana and blueberry = magic combo, no?
Then I stacked them and cut in half to show you the middle. Look at how gooey and delicious they are!
These were so good! I loved the combo of all the flavours. The blueberries, carob power, and spelt made these extra healthy pancakes too. No sugar high after eating these.
Have a great Friday (and start to your Civic Day long weekend if you are Canadian!!). I’m off for market madness!
I’m totally with you on the smiling. When i’m feeling down, making myself smile makes me feel a lot better. It’s pretty crazy – but it totally works as long as I believe that I am creating good energy. And heck, if smiling fails … make pancakes!!!
Yummmmm. Great looking pancakes!!
May I ask what kind of camera you use? Your blog photos are so gorgeous!
That sounds like a lovely way to meditate to me! I think the idea that meditation means pushing away all your thoughts is a little intimidating. Whenever I try I think about the things I deliberately try not to think about. But who wouldn’t want to sit, smile, and think of happy thoughts?
I love your blog! I read your blog every time I have that little spare time in my day and it always brings a smile to my face and lightens my day up! Thank you so much for it.
So happy to see someone mentioning the smiling meditation! I was just teaching mindfulness meditation today and wish I had read this post earlier – I would have used that one. It’s so simple and powerful. And we know from research that physically smiling naturally enhances our mood. So thanks for sharing!
I was just teaching mindfulness meditation today and wish I had read this post earlier – I would have used that one. It’s so simple and powerful. And we know from research that physically smiling naturally enhances our mood. So thanks for sharing!
Sorry for the duplicate comment – it said it didn’t work the first time!!
After reading your post this morning I sat on my yoga matt in silence and just smiled. It was weird at first….but it became relaxing and exhilarating all at the same time. I felt like I sat there forever, but I got up, looked at the clock and it had only been 3 minutes, lol. It’s the small things in life that truely allow you realize how happy you are and how many good things you have to appreciate. Thanks for all your inspiration!
I am drooling already, those pancakes look divine!
i have a new found obsession for carob chips but have never tried using carob powder! WOW look so good and HEALTHY! :)
YUMMY!
The pancakes look amazing and I have all the ingredients on hand (including the toppings you used) so I’m going to give them a try! Thanks for sharing!
oh yummy.
I’ve never heard of that book, hmm might look into it
I always forget to add carob/cocoa powder to my pancake mix, it would be so yummy.
Those look yummy!
i’d like to try that–smiling :)
I cannot wait for the Eat Pray Love movie! I think Julia Roberts is going to be perfect. Smiling always makes me feel better — I think of it as a mini meditation.
Those pictures made me want to make blueberry pancakes tomorrow morning. Yum. :)
I am totally going to re-read that book!! I loved it the first time around, and you are making me want to relieve the experience!
I love the smile meditation. I am going to try it! I think boyfriend would have the same reaction as Eric would! :)
I haven’t started reading the LOVE section yet, but I’m excited to start on it now!
Sometimes when I’m sitting out in the sun on a gorgeous day, I can’t help but smile. I feel ridiculous sitting there with a large grin on my face, but it really is so uplifting. :)
ED&BV is my favorite cookbook! I’ve had my eye on those pancakes for months and now I must try them this weekend after seeing your gorgeous display. Have you tried the raspberry cornmeal pancakes? I’m anxious to try those too!