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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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31 Days of Abundant Kindness

by Rosie Lazroe, Local Yoga Coordinator

’Tis the season for gift giving! It’s a perfect opportunity to show loved ones that they are appreciated while feeling the joy of giving to others.  

Ahimsa, meaning “non-harming”, is the first principal of yoga and can be the most valuable gift to give this year. Through thoughts, words and actions, people have the power to choose kind and gentle simplicity to remain fully present within themselves and with those they love most. Use the month of December as a way to practice non-harming towards three people every day. It can be a friend, family member, stranger or yourself! 

Here are some ideas to get started:

■ While looking in the mirror, focus on one thing to admire instead of giving into negative self-talk. Choose something different each day.

■ Donate an extra blanket to a homeless shelter or to someone in need of warmth this winter. 

■ Give hugs to friends and family—including yourself!

■ When setting down plates on the dinner table, or yoga props before class, set them down gently and mindfully instead of quickly and carelessly.

■ Choose to turn the other cheek when dealing with feisty loved ones.

■ Be kind to yourself. Offer yourself a kind thought each day, especially on days that you are feeling forgetful, clumsy or cranky.

■ When holiday shopping, buy from companies that invest in the health of the planet.

■ Choose ahimsa while driving by leaving extra space in front of your car so anxious drivers can switch lanes easily. This will make you feel better too. 

■ Spend more quality time with elderly family members. 

■ Treat yourself to something life-affirming each day, such as taking a nap or making a homemade smoothie.

Search your heart for other ways to close out 2019 with the principle of ahimsa. Wishing you abundant peace this holiday season.

Rosie Lazroe is a certified yoga teacher and master reiki practitioner. For more information, call 732-596-7384, email [email protected] or visit RosieLazroe.com.


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Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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