Creating Enduring Relationships

Tomorrow I'm flying to Pittsburgh because one of my childhood friends is getting married there on Saturday.  I only have a few minutes because I really should pack my suitcase and get to bed, but it occurs to me that my friend's wedding is a nice opportunity to tell you all about a book that I love.  In May 2005, I was recovering from surgery at a friend's house and I grabbed this book off her shelf -- If the Buddha Married: Creating Enduring Relationships on a Spiritual Path, by Charlotte Kasl.  I really loved this book.  If you feel hesitant to check it out because of the title, I hope you reconsider because (a) this is not a deeply religious book and (b) while the author does discuss marriage and romantic relationships, I found that the ideas in the book could easily apply to all relationships ... parent-child, friendships, colleagues, and of course romantic relationships. Kasl uses Buddhist teachings and psychological concepts to guide us in healing our existing relationships and creating new enduring relationships.  The book is broken up into short, manageable essays/chapters, and is a quick read.  I highly recommend it.

Has anyone read If the Buddha Married, or any of Kasl's other books? 
Has anyone (you know who you are!) seen my copy?

Do you have a favorite book about relationships or spirituality? 

If so, please tell us about it ... comment on this post.

Congratulations, Joanna and Richard!  I'm looking forward to being there this weekend.

Eat Well.  Live Well.  Be Well.

Tea for Daytime and Nighttime Relaxation

If I haven't already hinted at it in previous posts, I LOVE tea!  I love everything about it... filling my beautiful, orange Le Creuset tea kettle with clean, filtered water, choosing a special tea cup or mug, the anticipation of comfort while the tea is steeping, holding a warm cup in my hands, the aroma, the tastes, and the way I can use different herbs and different blends to achieve a desired result (calm, energy, clarity, headache relief, soothed stomach, and sleep).  Yes, preparing and enjoying tea, whether alone or with a friend, is such a simple luxury!

"Suppose you are drinking a cup of tea. When you hold your cup, you may like to breathe in, to bring your mind back to your body, and you become fully present. And when you are truly there, something else is also there -- life, represented by the cup of tea. In that moment you are real, and the cup of tea is real. You are not lost in the past, in the future, in your projects, in your worries. You are free from all of these afflictions. And in that state of being free, you enjoy your tea. That is the moment of happiness, and of peace."
~Thich Nhat Hanh

See there?  Do you see what just happened?  All I intended to do was fire off a quick post about one of my favorite packaged teas and it turned into a love letter to herbs and a plug for the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh.  Well, my good friends are surely not surprised by that. 

Clearly I will be returning to the topic of herbs, teas, and tisanes.  For now, though, I want to recommend one lovely tea in particular: Nighty Night Tea, produced by Traditional Medicinals.  When I can't blend my own relaxation/sleepytime tea (my "Relaxi-Tea") for whatever reason, I turn to TM's Organic Nighty Night tea.  Traditional Medicinals is a wonderful company and their ingredients are Organic and Fair Trade Certified.  The Nighty Night tea is marketed for nighttime relaxation and I have found it very useful for helping me get relaxed and sleepy in the evenings (on really tough, wired nights, I've taken 2 cups).  But you can also drink this tea in the morning or during the day if you're feeling anxious, on edge, or overcaffeinated (you know when you go 1 cup of coffee too far?).  This tea is safe and caffeine-free, but teas with a heavy chamomile component are generally not recommended for women who are pregnant or nursing, so use your best judgement there.  Also be warned that I have recommended this tea to friends in the past and they were instantly hooked!

If you want to try out Nighty Night tea and can't find it at your local grocery or health food store, I've included a link to purchase it at Amazon.com.  If you end up going that route, check out some Thich Nhat Hanh books as well: Peace Is Every Step is a great place to start.  Makes for some really peaceful morning or bedtime reading.

Do you have a favorite tea or relaxation ritual?

Eat Well.  Live Well.  Be Well.  Relax Well.