Lemon Sea Salt Cleanse – Amazing Life-Enhancing Elixer!

This Lemon Sea Salt Cleanse is a phenomenal rebalancing, detoxifying, rehydrating and restorative elixir. Sea salt stimulates your intestines and removes toxins, and lemon juice has many health benefits for your body. Donald and I have been drinking this daily for three months, and we both feel the positive difference in our bodies.

We recommend drinking the Lemon Sea Salt Cleanse (to create an alkaline environment in your body) before taking any probiotics. Probiotics flourish in an alkaline atmosphere, and you will get greater benefit the more probiotics remain in your stomach.

Lemon Sea Salt Cleanse:

One lemon (we prefer organic lemons as they do not have the resins, waxes and chemicals applied to the skin)

¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt (amount of salt depends on your taste preference)

8 oz filtered water

Measure salt, and put into glass

Slice the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice into the glass

Add water and drink!

(We recommend pure, sun-kissed sea salt, fleur de sel from the coast of Brittany.)

Vitamins

Lemons have vitamins and minerals, essential for a healthy and functioning body; the antioxidant vitamin C, also vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin B1 (thiamine), Minerals present lemons include copper, calcium and potassium. Copper has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Calcium is good for bones and teeth while potassium helps maintain PH and water balance.

Alkaline vs. Acidic

Lemon water with salt balances your body’s pH levels. A pH level above 7.0 is alkaline and below 7.0 is acidic. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, since lemon is acidic, when we drink lemon juice it turns alkaline in our stomachs. And salt is alkaline in nature, so the lemon juice and the salt together bring your body into pH balance. For optimal health, your body should be in an alkaline state, rather than acidic. Maintenance of pH balance is a fundamental component of good health, as poor pH balance can create digestive problems, skin diseases, osteoporosis, arthritis etc. Proper pH balance also allows better nutrient absorption, digestion, toxin elimination, etc.

Minerals

Our bodies need minerals for optimal health. We don’t produce these minerals on our own, so we have to get them from food. Proper absorption of minerals is necessary for our bodies to perform important functions like maintenance of pH balance and keeping the nervous system healthy, acting as a co-factor for enzyme reactions, formation of bones and teeth, metabolic stimulation etc. Drinking lemon water with sea salt improves the absorption of minerals like magnesium, iron, potassium etc., and can help prevent health issues like osteoporosis (calcium deficiency), anaemia (iron deficiency), muscle weakness and abnormal heart rhythm (magnesium deficiency).

Healthy Heart

The heart is a vital organ and its health and care is extremely important. Lemon juice consumption has been found beneficial maintaining a healthy heart. Potassium controls high blood pressure, while vitamin C will lower cholesterol levels and prevent blood clotting within vessels. Lemon juice has antioxidant properties, helping to eliminate harmful toxins and purify blood. A steady diet of lemon water can help to preven strokes, heart attacks and other serious heart problems.

Lemon Sea Salt Cleanse: simple to prepare, inexpensive ingredients, and life-saving properties!

My Father’s Magic Rock Soup – story continues…………..

 And so began my father’s tale of Magic Rock Soup:

As all good stories began in the past with ‘Once Upon a Time,’ so does this one. Once upon a time, in a faraway country, there had been a great war, a war that seemed to have lasted for an eternity.  

Epic battles had been fought, countless villages had been sacked, thousands of acres of crops had been burned and great swaths of land made barren. There was little to eat, for both peasants and soldiers, and resources were scarce.

The war had finally ended and the soldiers were wearily journeying through the scarred land back to their homes. One soldier, in particular, was trudging homeward and had scant provisions for the long trip to his own village. Although he was in his late twenties, he seemed older, his tired eyes reflecting the trials and tribulations of the extended war. The Soldier had wavy dark brown, almost black, hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, and a short, curly, light brown beard that covered his lower face. His uniform, the white linen of the southern Italian regiment of the French Army, was shabby and had been patched in many places.  His gaiters were torn and muddy and the soles of his shoes had been repaired many times. He carried his goatskin knapsack over his shoulder.

The Soldier had been Cook in his regiment, and his knapsack was stuffed with the tools of his trade: a large wooden spoon, a sharp knife, a tinderbox, and a battered pot that had belonged to his best friend Brieuse that The Soldier took with him when he left his regiment to remind him of the men for whom he had prepared food for so many years. Hearing the clanking coming from his knapsack as he walked along, he recalled something his friend had told him, “I’ve heard it said, on good authority, that army cooks can affect the mood and actions of the soldiers and thus influence history through their spoons.”

<MORE TO COME!>

My Father’s Magic Rock Soup – How I Learned to Cook with Chi & Love

My Father's Magic Rock Soup

By Donald Rubbo, with Cheryl Lynne Rubbo

When I was nine years old, my father decided that it was time I learned how to cook. 

I lived with my mother and brothers and sister in the Bronx, on 161^st Street and Walton Avenue, near Yankee Stadium. My father wasn’t around that much so when he did visit us we all took great delight in his presence.

I had already been experimenting with baking, in the little kitchen in our apartment, making cakes and pastries, cream puffs and éclairs, and pies.  During one of his visits, my father watched me baking and told me that if I went out and brought home a rock he would tell me the story of Rock Soup, and teach me how to cook with this story.

So, out into the neighborhood I went searching for a rock. The Bronx, in the mid-sixties, was a gritty, hardscrabble urban borough, and although there were plenty of rocks to be found they didn’t seem really suitable to bring home to my dad. As I ran around playing with my friends in the streets, I was on the lookout for rocks. Late in the afternoon I spotted a very unusual looking rock, it was out of place among the debris on the street, as if the universe had placed it there for me to find. It was pure white in color, and its shape was almost a perfect sphere.   It was half again the size of a golf ball, and to me it was quite beautiful and special. Excitedly, I scooped it up, put it in my pocket and ran home to show the rock to my father.

I rushed into the apartment and pulled the rock out of my pocket, holding it up proudly. My father was utterly amazed, and said, “When I sent you out to find a rock here in the Bronx, I had no idea that you would find such a precious gem! Sit down, and I’ll tell you the story of Rock Soup.”

My father, who was proudly Sicilian-American and an incredible cook, was a great story-teller. As he would say, to anyone in earshot, he had the gift of gab. His stories always inspired me and stirred my imagination, his words awakened all my senses: I could hear pleasing sounds, smell delightful odors, taste sublime flavors and see images in bright, vivid colors.

And so began my father’s tale of Magic Rock Soup:

As all good stories began in the past with ‘Once Upon a Time,’ so does this one. Once upon a time, in a faraway country, there had been a great war, a war that seemed to have lasted for an eternity.  

<MORE TO COME!>

What do the Five Elements have to do with Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong?

In Taoism and in traditional Chinese medical theory, the system of the Five Elements describes the interactions and relationships between phenomena.  All of nature and the universe can be defined by the elements and all aspects of nature contain the principles of the five elements.

Tai Chi Ch’uan, all forms and all styles, is based on the Thirteen Movements, and the practitioner, over time and with the right teacher, learns to incorporate the limitless qualities of all of nature within every set, and by practicing your Tai Chi Chuan sets this way, you become one with the limitless characteristics of all of nature in every thing you do, whether it’s cooking, walking, working, interacting with others, and especially being an activist for positive change in our world.

The Thirteen Movements are the Eight Directions and the Five Elements. The Eight Directions are the four cardinal directions, East, South, West and North, and the intercardinal directions, Southeast, Northeast, Southwest and Northwest. 

The Five Elements correspond to the Eight Directions: East, wood, green, springtime. South, fire, red, summer. West, metal, white, autumn. North, water, blue, winter. The diagonal, or intercardinal directions, Southeast, Northeast, Southwest and Northwest correspond to earth, yellow, the later stage of the four seasons.    

Five Element Star

When we were writing our Primordial Qigong book we designed a directional star to illustrate our understanding of the five elements and the eight directions. You’ll notice that the Five Element Star is different from the Western compass, as East (green, wood) is represented at the top of the star. East represents the beginning of all things, the sun rises in the East and the day begins. We recommend to our students to begin their Tai Chi Chuan sets facing East, and in Primordial Qigong  the form always begins with the practitioner facing East.

While we were in Europe this past summer, Donald taught his inner-door students the deeper meaning of this design.

In fact, Donald and I have taken the essence of the martial, internal, healing and meditation arts that we have been studying for almost forty years (we started as young teenagers in the late ’60’s and early ’70’s, a time when the martial and internal arts were relatively unknown to most Americans) and have been teaching our close students how to achieve a deeper connection to the mystical, spiritual and limitless potentials of universal energies, going beyond the limitations of physical form itself.

We decided the time is right for the public to learn ‘Secrets to Mastering the Five Elements.’  We are opening it up to practitioners of every style and form, as we believe this vital information is not limited to any one style and should be shared for the benefit of many.  In this unique day-long workshop we will be revealing how to develop a felt sensation of all of the Five Elements and deepen one’s understanding of Taoist principles, in nature, and within ourselves. 

• The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth. The named is the mother of ten thousand things.  Tao Te Ching

This workshop will inform and empower practitioners of Tai Chi Ch’uan (regardless of style or form), Qigong, Hsing Yi, Bagua, Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, tuina, and all other internal martial and healing arts, and take you to higher levels of accomplishment.

We are a microcosm of the universe, not separate from nature, and all the elements and their corresponding qualities are deep within us, in our DNA. We want you to learn how to embody the Five Elements to deepen your connection to nature, enhance your practice and positively influence these exquisite universal energies.

We believe that anyone can integrate and express the Five Elements within themselves to bring about lasting inner and outer harmony through the Five Forms, the Five Tastes, the Five Colors, the Five Sounds, the Five Seasons, the Five Directions, the Five Expressions, the Five Yin and the Five Yang Organs and the Five Remedies to the Negative Emotions.

Check out our webpage, and if you’d like to learn the Secrets to Mastering the Five Elements, on November 14, 2010, please feel free to register!

If you act soon, the first 11 people who refer five others who pay will attend the workshop for free. Have your friends register and pay, and tell them they must mention your name when they pay. They can register online here, or call 415.459.9098 to pay with a credit card.

Extraordinary food, from seed to plate – Rubbo Roasted Almonds

Preparing the Almonds

Here is our recipe for Rubbo Roasted Almonds

Raw, organic almonds
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Rubbo Salt of the Earth, to taste
Boiling water for blanching

Preheat the oven to 200°

The Awareness:
Being mindful of the process from the past to this moment and profoundly grateful to all beings involved in bringing the fruit to me: From the intention of the almond farmer before the almond seedling is planted, to the insects in the soil that are killed when the trees are planted, to bees that are needed to pollinate the trees, to the ‘pests’ that are killed to keep the tree and fruit healthy, to all the workers involved in harvesting, processing, storing and bagging the almonds for us to eat, this unbroken chain from seed to plate.

Almond Orchard

Pollinating the Almond Tree

In sauce pan, bring water to boil and put in the almonds. Let boil for about one minute, you’ll notice that the almonds plump up. Remove the almonds from the water with a slotted spoon, and let them cool in a bowl for a few moments.

With thumb and forefinger, pinch the loosened skin off the almonds, one at a time, and place them on a cookie sheet. This shucking process is a very good meditative practice, projecting your love and joy into the almonds:

INTENTION: I am preparing these delicious almonds for my loved ones with gratitude for all that went into bringing it to my kitchen.

The skins can be put into your compost bucket.

Drizzle olive oil over the almonds.

Grind Rubbo Salt of the Earth in a mortar and pestle with mindfulness, projecting love and joy into the salt, and sprinkle over the almonds. Shake the cookie sheet a bit to distribute the oil and salt.

Almonds ready for the oven

Place cookie sheet on top shelf of oven. Roast for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden.

Periodically take the cookie sheet out of the oven, and stir the almonds with a wooden spoon:

INTENTION: I am preparing these delicious almonds for my loved ones with gratitude for all that went into bringing it to my kitchen.

When the almonds are a beautiful golden color, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Store in a glass jar.

The first time I tasted these almonds was in Madrid, Spain, and I fell in love with them. The first time I made them was for Chun Yu’s book signing party, for her first book, ‘Little Green: Growing up During the Chinese Cultural Revolution,’ that we hosted in our home. Spanish-style roasted almonds were, unknown to me, a favorite of Chun’s!

Rubbo Roasted Almonds

Healing Ceremony for Man-made and Natural Disasters at EarthRising Retreat Center at IONS

Mother Earth is crying out for us to heal her. Donald and I believe that we are all spiritual beings, every one of us have deep connections with our Mother Earth, and we must gather together to heal her wounds and stop the bleeding. 

We have shared our love for our planet in many ways over the years, leading healing ceremonies during times of natural disasters and catastrophic events, to offer comfort, healing and hope.  

Our world is a sacred place, and the only one we have. A couple of years ago, while he was in a deep meditation, Donald had visions of our Earth asking him to let people know how much she needs their healing prayers, now more than ever.

The Earth gives us everything we need to survive: our food, our shelter, our clothing, our transportation, our communication devices (there would be no technology without nature!), rain, wind, sun, mountains, flowers and, especially, each other. We would not exist without a healthy planet.

We are a microcosm of the universe, all that is without is also within. The Five Element Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine describes the interactions and relationships between phenomena; all of nature and the universe can be defined by the elements and all aspects of nature contain the principles of the five elements. When the elements are out of balance on our world  – as we see with the oil spill in the Gulf, the earthquakes in many regions, the tornadoes, the floods, and with all the wars and conflicts –  we are out of balance. 

Donald Rubbo gathering Universal Energies for Healing

To join with many other spiritual leaders who are conducting healing ceremonies and prayers, we will lead a healing ceremony for our precious planet, and all of the beings who are suffering from these catastrophic disasters worldwide at the conclusion of the Primordial Qigong workshop, on the morning of Sunday, June 27th.

From our hearts to yours, and out to the world, please join us at our Primordial Qigong workshop at the exquisite EarthRising Retreat Center at IONS, as we focus thoughts, prayers and healing intention to our beloved Mother Earth.

1-Corinthians 12:26: And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. King James Version.

 Bless us all, Mother Earth.

Primordial Qigong at the Institute of Noetic Sciences – June 2010

Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment. Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self requires strength; He who knows he has enough is rich. Perseverance is a sign of will power. He who stays where he is endures. To die but not to perish is to be eternally present. Tao Te Ching

We are delighted to be invited to present this profound, ancient, transformative system at the Institute of Noetic Sciences.

Our philosophy, vision and mission at Rubbo Art of Energy closely parallels the Institute’s: “….to support a shift in consciousness that transforms present global conditions into a world grounded in freedom, wisdom, and love. We serve an emerging movement of globally conscious citizens dedicated to manifesting our highest capacities.”

The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS):

• Explores the frontiers of consciousness
• Builds bridges between science and spirit
• Researches subtle energies and the powers of healing
• Inquires into the science of love, forgiveness, and gratitude
• Studies the effects of conscious and compassionate intention
• Seeks to understand the basis of prevailing worldviews
• Practices freedom of thought and freedom of spirit

Their Mission: Advancing the science of consciousness and human experience to serve individual and collective transformation.

We have dedicated our lives to teaching people how to shift their personal paradigm of healing and self-awareness to be more present in their own lives and to make a positive difference in the lives of others. We encourage every person to live their authentic self in every moment – with every breath – with mindfulness, compassion and generosity. By getting beyond gaining factual knowledge alone to instead become changed by what one learns in some meaningful way – questioning assumptions, beliefs and values, and considering multiple points of view, Rubbo Art of Energy graduates are changing the world.

The beautiful, rustic outdoor setting of the retreat land at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, in Petaluma, CA, is perfect for learning Primordial Qigong. By observing and integrating the elements of nature, our students will increase their sensitivity, deepen their intuition, gain a profound awareness of the world around us and develop extraordinary abilities that lead to re-aligning oneself with the natural order of the universe.

In its simplicity, Primordial Qigong covers the full range of Taoist theory and philosophy. One begins the form with emptiness, and from that emptiness is born yin and yang, and then from the two comes all things. Practicing this form brings harmony to Heaven, Earth and Humanity as you are moving through all of the directions of the Ba Gua, balancing the five elements, and reversing the seasons. After this journey, the practitioner returns back to the beginning–to a primordial state of being. The experience is that of a mystical rebirth, a perpetual renewing and continuation of the cycle of life.

Primordial Qigong, sometimes referred to as Tai Chi Enlightenment, Enlightenment Qi Gong, WuJi Gong, is one of the oldest forms of qigong; the mythical Taoist sage Zhang Sanfeng, said to be the father of Tai Chi Chuan, is credited with creating Wu Ji Gung (Primordial Qigong.) Master Zhu Hui, the lineage holder of Primordial Qigong, taught this system to Donald Rubbo.

For those interested in learning this ancient, exquisite Taoist alchemical system, visit the Institute of Noetic Science’s website to register!

We wrote our book, Primordial Qigong, as a digital eBook; it’s our belief that publishing eBooks online helps to preserve our precious resources, our forests, waterways and earth for future generations. To enhance the experience at the workshop, the eBook can be purchased and downloaded on our website, CultivateChi.com.

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