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The Joy of Uni-Tasking
"Make the present moment into the most wonderful moment of your life."
~ Thich Nhat Hanh
In this "never have enough time" world, we can tend to find ourselves doing one thing, while thinking of something else, or even doing three things at the same time, such as talking on the phone, doing dishes and boiling water for tea.
There is nothing inherently wrong with multitasking, which seems necessary at times. The only issue is that we are never really present and aware in the moment.
Intent is one of the cornerstones of Zen Buddhism, in which monks work for years to develop awareness of being with one thing at a time, being fully present with whatever the task at hand happens to be.
How many times have we driven to our destination and don't remember how we got there or eaten a meal while reading and never fully experienced the deliciousness of the food?
One of my favorite books by the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh is Peace in Every Step. He shares sweet little stories and ways we can bring awareness and meditation into our every day experiences. From the moment we wake up, we can apply intent to our life by simply saying to ourselves, "I am aware that I am now awake," "I am aware that I am driving to work," "I am aware that I am making dinner, washing dishes," or even the simple miracle that "I am aware of my breathing."
As we acknowledge what we are doing in these moments, we come alive, reconnecting and owning our actions, instead of habitually performing them on auto pilot. Applying the energy of intent to one task a day, can have the power to transform your life. Just imagine what would happen if we were able to apply that power to our entire day!
Yours in this moment,
Beth Ann
What is an Angel Reading?
 Sometimes we can find ourselves stuck in patterns of behavior, repeating relationship or job patterns that don't serve our higher good. Other times we may be facing a challenge that may seem overwhelming, or we are confused as how to make the best decision for a dilemma, and can find ourselves at a loss on how to move forward.
An Angel Reading will help provide clarity and direction to help you move forward and embrace the future with hope for a more positive outcome.
Entering Autumn, we are shifting to a season with shorter days. An Angel Reading can help bring light and direction to the personal changes you may also be experiencing during this transitional time. As a certified Angel Healing Practitioner, I would be honored to support you on your journey. Personal readings are available in person or by phone at a cost of $45.
Baked Curried Brown Rice and Lentil Pilaf
 Pop this fast and fragrant dish into the oven and forget it till the timer rings. Serve as a main course on a bed of wilted spinach to add color and maximize iron absorption, or serve as a side dish. Also nice with a dollop of yogurt or Mango Chutney if you like, yum!
1 Tbs. Butter
1 Cup Brown Basmati Rice
4 1/4 cups Water
4 cloves Garlic, peeled
1 cup Lentils
1 stick Cinnamon
4 slices peeled fresh Ginger
1 Tbs. Curry Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
4 Scallions, sliced
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in lower third of oven.
- Melt butter over medium heat in oven proof dutch oven. Add rice and cook, stirring until lightly toasted, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add curry powder and stir till fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add water. Stir in lentils, garlic, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Bring to boil.
- Cover pot tightly with lid or foil. Transfer to oven and bake until rice and lentils are tender, 50-55 minutes. Fluff with fork, remove cinnamon and ginger. Serve garnished with scallions.
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