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4/18/13 12:11 A

Please see the amazing photo at the end of this sweet blog by my RosalieEsther:
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_
individual.asp?blog_id=5326388

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2/24/13 7:22 P

There's a new Chopra Center meditation challenge beginning March 11, sponsored by Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey. Here's the registration link:
www.chopracentermeditation.com/Bestsellers
/LandingPage.aspx?BookId=178&utm_sourc
e=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_camp
aign=Meditation%2BNewsletter&utm_sourc
e=Meditation+Newsletter&utm_campaign=M
editation%252BNewsletter&utm_medium=email

I just finished registering; I hope the link works for everyone who may want to try it.

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2/8/13 11:11 P

A friend on another team shared this link to a wonderful Spark article about being your own valentine: www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=this_year
_be_your_own_valentine

current weight: 140.0

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1/5/13 8:49 P

I've just discovered a wonderful organization, Your True Nature, from their calendar Advice from Nature (which I'll be quoting in my status on some days). Their link:
www.yourtruenature.com/
A very green company with some great products and a great philosophy!

current weight: 140.0

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11/19/12 9:57 P

Another article/blog about Thanksgiving food--this one on eating mindfully.

www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=7_ways_to
_eat_mindfully_on_thanksgiving_or_any_
day

I put a link in the Anything that might help someone thread (I think) to an article on ways to cut calories here and there in your feast.

current weight: 140.0

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11/19/12 12:04 A

I'm really enjoying the Chopra Center meditations, and just found you can sign up for free newsletters. I read the titles of the monthly themes for the last 4 years, and they look awesome! If anyone else is interested, I think this link will take you there.
www.chopra.com/newsletter

current weight: 140.0

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9/21/12 9:43 P

A Spark article on exercising during commercials!
www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=the_spark
people_commercial_break_workout

current weight: 140.0

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8/8/12 11:11 A

Here's a blog from a friend to a "So Hum" meditation--you know that phrase of Chopra's
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_
individual.asp?blog_id=4979297
and as I suspected, it has meaning in Sanskrit.

current weight: 140.0

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7/1/12 11:58 A

Please check out Alayna's awesome vision collage blog with pictures!
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_
individual.asp?blog_id=4949599
You'll be glad you did!

current weight: 140.0

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6/1/12 10:33 P

Here's the link to the Full Plate Diet folks:
www.fullplatediet.org/

The previous message is a link to a Spark blog that was my inspiration that led to signing up for the beginner kung fu class.

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3/29/12 12:23 A

Please check out this great blog about There will always be excuses:
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_
individual.asp?blog_id=4809385
She makes the great point that our beginning efforts are usually not pretty, and we may suck. But that doesn't need to stop us from trying something new.

current weight: 140.0

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3/10/12 5:13 P

Great, short blog:
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_
individual.asp?blog_id=4778503

current weight: 140.0

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2/4/12 9:06 P

On a much lighter note: OK, Jennifer Crusie has redeemed herself in my eyes. I didn't like her 2nd novel, Crazy for You (I think anyone who's experienced abuse might find it distressing or distasteful), but another, later one, Bet Me, was again charming and funny and filled with imperfect characters that you enjoy rooting for, with numerous moments. And the protagonist is a plump woman who finally starts to see herself as sexy instead of fat. Yay for the self-love!!

current weight: 140.0

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1/31/12 11:53 P

A great blog from one of my GGs, Connecting to a Healthy Me:
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_
individual.asp?blog_id=4712659

current weight: 140.0

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1/22/12 6:24 P

I haven't read JKZ before; will have to try him. Here is my offering (Thanks, PG!):
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_
individual.asp?blog_id=4677913#comments
A very good blog from someone so unhappy with her life she had contemplated ending it--but she found her Spark, and shares it here.

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12/30/11 4:28 P

@Gabby

Awesome! I know who to ask if I have questions.

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12/30/11 3:52 P

@Positive - I love love love Jon Kabat-Zin!! If it weren't for his full body scan I would never have started a diet and lost 60 pounds. I have all his guided meditation CD's and one book I keep referring back to is Full Catastrophe Living. He actually started a new therapy for counselors called MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction). I found him while a grad student, because I suffer from chronic pain and he runs a pain clinic.

Edited by: GABBY308 at: 12/30/2011 (15:53)

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12/30/11 11:42 A

Amanda, thank you! One of the things I'm finally starting in 2012 is meditation. I'm looking forward to checking out the you tube links you provided below.

I've also ordered a book on the recommendation of another spark friend. "Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment--and Your Life" by Kabat-Zinn, Jon

It's suppose to help beginner meditators.

Here's to 2012!!

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12/30/11 9:21 A

Really soothing, relaxing meditation, with a Scottish (?) accent
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk0t4ioiVFU&featur
e=related

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12/25/11 9:45 A

I don't think I've shared this link to the Sacred Pause short, gentle meditation video: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR
=1&v=w-yF9EMkE88

Enjoy a peaceful day!

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12/17/11 12:17 A

I also stumbled across a great book in the library's large print section--50 Is the New Fifty by Suzanne Braun Levine. Excellent life lessons told with humor and compassion, and a good list of resources at the end. I liked it so much, I bought paperback copies for my sister and closest women friends, and I'm getting a hardcover for myself.

current weight: 140.0

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12/12/11 9:26 P

A different kind of book resource: I discovered a very fun series of mysteries featuring Odelia Grey, a plus size paralegal. She in her 40s, short, size 20. There's lots of humor, but pathos too, and a realistic look at the cruelties and struggles that often accompany obesity. The author is Sue Ann Jaffarian, and it's best to read in order, starting with Too Big to Miss, the debut of the series.

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12/9/11 10:33 P

In some of my early blogs, I talk about how I was more ashamed of my clutter than my weight. And I'm releasing the weight more easily than the clutter. The link between abuse and body issues is well established, but I think there is a link to organizational challenges too. It seems to affect many of us.

Health, holidays and a new kitty have me overextended, so I'm not making much headway right now. I'm glad you are feeling motivated, PG! Please share your progress here or in the Success REport thread; I'm hoping to be inspired!

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12/9/11 12:22 P

Amanda, thank you for the posts dealing with clutter....yes I struggle with clutter. I feel so motivated to eliminate clutter from my home and I will use this motivation while I've got it! I'm starting on my living room this weekend. I picked this room to start with because it isn't so bad, and in that way I'll have some immediate success.

I also want to go to the library and see if they have that book you mentioned further below.

Thank you for all your help!
Love, PG

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12/8/11 10:27 A

For any of you working on releasing clutter or old emotional junk, particularly if you are magical thinkers or open to pagan ideas, here is a link to Silver Raven Wolf's great release. Sorry, I only found it last night.
silverravenwolf.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/2
011-great-release-challenge-here-we-go/

Edited by: BLESSEDBEING at: 12/8/2011 (10:27)

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11/26/11 1:07 A

I wanted to earn a few more Spark Points (yep, SPoints junkie here!) so I checked out the motivational articles, and found a good one on in-the-moment responses to stress that can help combat emotional eating. Very good tips! I printed them out, and am sharing them with several teams.
www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_arti
cles.asp?id=596

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11/21/11 8:26 A

I finally found my missing meditations in a hidden folder. Here;s a body scan one--a nice gentle one for dealing with pain and discomfort:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=COBSzdqDvAk

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11/13/11 10:26 A

I've found some very cool guided meditations on You Tube (I think I put a link on another discussion thread), and when I looked for a meditation on letting go of clutter--one of my big issues, possibly a common one with other survivors, I found a helpful series of tips from something called the Happiness Project by Getchen something. Here's the last one I watched:
www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=C0H7oCzXhAU

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9/9/11 11:35 P

2 more gems from my library system: the DVD Lilias AM and PM Yoga for Seniors which I greatly enjoy, and a book by Lilias, Yoga Gets Better With Age. I've just started the latter, and she goes far beyond the postures and physical aspects of yoga into the internal world. She has a very gentle and caring and humorous energy that I really appreciate.

current weight: 140.0

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7/17/11 5:55 P

I found a marvelous book at the library with which I fell in love and have order from Amazon: One Year to an Organized Life by Regina Leeds. Each month focuses on a different part of your life or home, has projects for each week, guides you in developing new habits and ends with an affirmation of the month. January's affirmation (p. 108 in the large print version by Thorndike Press):

"As I open myself to discovering who I really am, my physical environment is healed and transformed. I honor the profound connection between the inner and outer expressions of life. They are in fact one. I have a unique path to follow in this life. I embrace that reality with joy and gratitude. Neither pain from the past or fear about the future can stop me. I live in the eternal now."

I love her approach and look forward to getting started--and I've given myself permission to not do it perfectly!

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7/13/11 3:18 P

@Tia I have "On Being a Therapist" also. It was required reading. It is a good book for the therapeutic relationship.

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7/13/11 10:05 A

Book: The Dance of Anger by Lerner. I haven't read it in a long time, but I recommended it to a co-worker, who got a lot out of it. It deals with relationship dynamics and how hard it is to break patterns when the people you relate to don't want you to change your steps.

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7/13/11 12:55 A

@Judith- I really like "Courage to Heal" too! Have you seen the workbook? I have used mine so much that I ran out of room to write in it! LOL

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7/13/11 12:53 A

My new favorite book is "On Being A Therapist" by Jay Kottler. It is written for new therapists (or people thinking of going into a helping profession), but I think it's great information for anyone in therapy as well. It does a great job of describing the role of the therapist and the therapeutic relationship. As many survivors attempt therapy at some point (and many like it so much they wind up in the profession...lol), I thought this book would be a good suggestion.

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7/2/11 4:20 P

Guided Meditations (free)

www.learningmeditation.com/siw.htm

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5/29/11 12:26 P

BOOK:

Toxic Parents (Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming your Life) by Susan Forward Ph.D. - Self help guide for emotional and physical abuse.

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5/29/11 10:39 A

BOOK:

The Self-Compassion Diet by Jean Fain a no - diet, diet book.
It offers tips for self compassion to avoid emotional and binge eating, as well as instructions for self-hypnosis, visualizations and meditations designed to re-program yoursefl to lose weight. I'm pretty experienced in meditations, but I learned quite a bit from this book.

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5/28/11 11:20 A

We definitely have the same taste in reading material - The Little Prince was one of my favorite books! Now I'm reading poetry by Mattie Stepanek who had a rare form of MS. He started writing poetry when he was 3.

Here's a poem from Loving Through Heartsongs:

A Taming Lesson

The Little Prince had
A very kind, gentle,
Poetic living mind...
And that
is what all people
Of the world need.


Now I think I want to spend the day reading!



Edited by: GABBY308 at: 5/28/2011 (11:21)

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5/28/11 10:30 A

I can remember Why am I Afraid ~ I have a copy of it somehwere. Must go back and read it again. I had a few books by John Powell which struck to my heart.

I will look up that Gabriel Method and order it when I have some more money.

Have you ever read The Little Prince.... by some French author? Its a childrens book but it talks to my heart and grown~ups (whoever they are) can get a lot out opf this book as well!

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5/28/11 10:26 A

Judith that book sounds so familiar I have to look it up'

BOOKS:
One of my favorites is "Why Am I Afraid to Tell You Who I AM" by John J. Powell. I gave away a copy last year that I bought in 1971. I just ordered a new one.

The Gabriel Method by Jon Gabriel He weighed over 400lbs. and in this book he explains how our mind is keeping our bodies fat. It also contains affirmations.

Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabbat- Zinn (a Mindfulness/mediatation handbook)

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5/28/11 9:37 A

I know its an old book by now, and I wish they did an updated edition, but I don't know where I would be without The Courage To Heal.

which reminds me I need to get another copy..... Pickle likes destroying things!

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5/27/11 9:34 P

Here's where you can post your favorite self-help books, CD's, Links etc. whatever you want to recommend to others.

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