The Empowered Lifestyle

Spring is just around the corner. Really. It is. And, so, I wanted to offer some yum today that would remind us of that fact. That Spring is right around the corner. Sunny, breezy, easy Spring. Right around the proverbial corner. So, the hazelnuts and the sesame seeds in this dish are totally symbolic of the new life that is waiting to sprout during these busy, burgeoning pre-Spring season days. Towards that same end, while you are mixing and making this vegetarian plate you should also be thinking about some of your own hopes and desires that you would love to see take root and then bloom and grow in the next few weeks and months. Visualize or create the scenario in your mind and then keep it there all during the cooking process. Direct THAT energy into THIS dish and then believe that your dream will recieve all the nourishment it needs to sprout as this new season comes upon us.

This plan is not nuts, but, the pate is.

HAZELNUT PATE
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
1 cup hazelnuts
1/3 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dried sage
1 8-oz package of cream cheese
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup whole milk
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the hazelnuts and the sesame seeds on separate baking sheets and lightly roast each in your oven for approximately 7-10 minutes. When the nuts have cooled, skin them. Halve the nuts and put half in a food processor and grind until that half resembles a course meal. Grind the other half until they resemble fine bread crumbs.
In a small bowl add the cream cheese, garlic, salt and pepper and beat adding the sage and the oil slowly. Add the nuts and seed mix and blend well. Slowly add the milk until all and everything is well blended.
Spoon mixture into ramekins and chill for at least 3 hours. Serve chilled.

If you have extra hazelnuts you can string them and hang them in your house for luck! Other traditions share that you can offer a batch or bunch of hazelnuts to a new bride to wish her good fortunes in the days ahead. These nuts are also believed to bestow wisdom when eaten so go ahead a get smart. One is often carried by women desiring to get pregnant or even by writers who are looking to increase their creative range.

Here's the tradition I like the best. Weave a bunch of hazel twigs into a crown (okay, now you know why I LOVE this little tip) and wear it on your head. Now wish really, really hard for something and your wish is sure to come true. If you were wishing to be a hazel princess look how quickly that worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Place twigs of hazel on your windowsills to protect your house (and everyone in it!) as well as to guard against lightening. Three pins of these branches nailed in the wood of your home will protect it from fire as in 'things we lost in the'. Couldn't hoit!

So, I'm finally back from my whirlwind trip to NYC and am so swamped but did want to share just a couple of critical and key things (we'll catch up about all the meetings when I am free to unzip the lip and share, share, share....but, really REALLY exciting stuff!), in the mean:

I really did download an image of the Mystic Knot and I really did take it out and rub my power hand (the hand that I write with) over it three times before I stepped (left foot first) into any airport. My flights were all reasonably on time, not crowded and took off and landed smoothly. No delays or incidents. This NEVER happens. Knot for nothing, I think that MYSTIC stuff really works.

Of course I also used the secret mantra that I shared the other day to ensure that my meetings were super uber duper successful. And, as of this moment, I am very happy to be moving forward with a host of different agendas. Om Ah Kani....baby!

And, well, even though I'm only just back I do have tons and tons of emails from people who are getting worried/frustrated/harried/angry etc etc that they are out of work. Okay, seriously, if you are looking for a job you must start by doing three things......YOU HAVE TO DO THEM..I even did some of them when I was heading out to go wings up.

Put the elephant by the front door already. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? An elephant on the floor by the front door facing into the house. A crystal on it's back helps to create trunkloads of opportunities to find a job.

Clean the entire front door area. Including the door itself. WASH IT DOWN. Change the lightbulbs in front of the door. Leave them on for at least three hours a day. Make sure there is nothing blocking that front door. Put some WD 40 on the hinges. Grease and lube and let the interviews come.

Put moving water directly inside the front door. A fountain. A picture of a waterfall. A fish. Or eight gold and one black fish. Feng Shui gold standard. Or an image of an arowana. The fish whose job it is to bring employment.

And, then do this (this one's new):

In your bedroom locate both the Career and the Fame areas (go to my home page and scroll down to the link marked BAGUA...that'll tell you where those spaces are.) THREE INCHES FROM THE CEILING AND DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM ONE ANOTHER affix a small rounded mirror in those same two spaces. One small mirror in the Career area, three inches down from the ceiling. And then, across the room, three inches from that ceiling a small mirror hung in Fame. This is SERIOUS SUPER SHUI that can be used to activate promotion or reward and recognition at a present job or can be used to bring in a new one.

I spit shined these mirrors in my room before I left.

I know you will get the job you want. And one that will fill your soul. I KNOW it. So, please, just do some of this Shui. Soon. Soon. You too will feel like jumping for joy. While watching your prospects and your intentions go up, up and awaaaayyyyyyyy!

I took advantage of the EMPOWERING DAYS of this month (Feb. 24 & 25), you know the ones I mention in my newsletter, on the website, in my blog, and took some very exciting meetings in New York City. As soon as the cab fumes dissipate, I'll fill you in on what fabulous projects might be on the horizon. But for now, I need to heed some of my own advice and exercise some travel shui as I arrive home. I love to travel but I love to get home.

Upon your return home, open all the doors and windows (no matter how briefly) to bring fresh, healthy Chi, or energy, back into your space. Turn up the lighting and the music and walk the house clockwise to create a new (and supportive) flow of energy for both you and your home.

As you reenergize, you can smile, say hello, and bless all your things as you stroll around. They have missed you as much as you have (or maybe not so much ) missed them. A good affirmation to repeat here is: "I now catch up with my good for before I called I was answered" (Florence Scovel Shinn).

Try to unpack your luggage in a timely manner. Any time away from home always gives us a new perspective, almost a fresh start of sorts. Don't allow those energies to stall by allowing your bags to sit on the floor begging to be emptied. Unpack and do the laundry, put toileries away, and so forth, before the dog does it for you. He tends to hide and gnaw on new shoes as opposed to putting them back in the close where they belong!

Also, as you walk the space, turn on water faucets for a fewseconds to help create a "flow" of Chi; also turn on your stove's burners, as this will QUICKLY reactiveate weatlh and prosperity (money) Chi.

There are many ancient and varied traditions that promise fortune and fame, riches and just rewards all by just following a few time tested and successful action steps. Lucky Day Shui is one such avenue that strives to offer valuable information that will bring fast, fun and easy enlightenment, respect, prosperity and promotion right to your very own reputation!

Simply locate your "Fame" area (center back of home or office) and then lighten up...with the SUN that is! That's right, one Feng Shui adjustment that is meant specifically for accelerating ANY media career is to station a symbol or depiction of the Sun (a picture, a photo or even a sunflower or sun shaped convex mirror will do!)

The Australian publishers for my book (Make This Your Lucky Day) gave me a wonderful testiment to this very simple action:

"Just have to tell you that word about publishing feng shui has got out in the office. After I read this segment in your book I followed your suggestions and it has been pure magic. The other day a colleague worked in my office and couldn't believe how much she got done, and has told everyone, and your editor who is another Ellen devotee. Copies of suns from the NASA website are being downloaded and pinned up all over the office as we speak - isn't that wonderful?!"
Maggie Hamilton, Publisher Inspired Living, Allen & Unwin

For me, the single best moment of the awards show last night was when Steve Martin turned to Tina Fey and wagging his finger in her face admonished...."DON'T! Don't fall in love with me." It made me do that exact same thing while laughing out loud.

Of course, that moment was rivaled by Queen Latifah's soulful, wistful and totally knock out rendition of the old classic, "I'll Be Seeing You" which wasn't even as impacted by the maudlin images of all of those who have passed on this past year. It's always a treacly and sentimental montage but this year's seemed to have some actual panache while reaching for the heartstrings.

Hugh Jackman was the ultimate showman and like him or not gave a great opening performance. The other ones with the High School kids and the Mama Mia tots, well, not so much.

But, by far, for me anyway, the class, the panache, the joie de vivre of this night came when the first group of actresses representing the Best Supporting club came out on stage to thunderous applause and a standing O. It took me by surprise. See, I am an avid movie and tele buff (really???? me???) and think that I usually have my ear to the ground. But I hadn't heard about how the producers were going to be bringing Oscar winners from the past to honor the ones in the present. I did think it was odd that Kevin Klein was getting big press on the Red Carpet beforehand but still never put two and two together as to why he might even be there.

But it was seeing Eva Marie Saint representing that sent shivers down my spine. Class personified.

All the other major awards held this same shock effect but none had such impact as when these icons walked out on that stage.

And why, when she looks so damn good for her age anyway, did Sarah Jessica Parker have to fish up her lips?

I thought it was a toss up as to who was best dressed...Heidi Klum versus Jessica Biel. They both were wearing the wave of the future; very architecturally structured dresses that looked, as that gay guy with the glamostrater on 'E' called "wearable origami". That is what those dresses looked like, but, they also looked tremendous on those two gorgeous girls.

Goldie Hawn....please. Okay, you work out. Clearly. And, yes, you still have great hair and, I guess, great skin. But, sincerely, I was trying to look like you when I was a wee girl. And I'm old....so.......

Am over the whole Slumdog thing and haven't even seen the movie yet.

And where was Bruce Springsteen's song? Not nominated? Really? But two Bollywood ones were? Strange.

Loved Sean Penn winning the award but wonder how he feels now that since he used that platform to offer his supportive and enthusiastic views regards gay marriage without ever once alluding to or sharing/showing any gratitude to his own wife. Strange.

And, well, Kate Winslet. What can I say? I've never gone to a movie because she was in it and don't think I ever will. I just don't get IT.

But I did love Heath Ledger's family accepting his posthumous award and sharing that even he thought he would be in contention.

All in all, I thought it was a good show with some truly great moments. But it ran long, and, well, I did have to get over to watch the last 'True Confessions of a Teen Idol' because, well, if that Academy actually had ANY TASTE AT ALL, it might have been dreamy Chris Atkins up there with the past Best Actor winners. Holding his statue in a loin cloth. Now there's a show!

At least he's not sporting a photo of his dead dog around his neck. Leaving room, of coures, for one of me!

Okay, I'm off to New York for the week and will ask if you are reading this that you send some swell energies my way. For my side, I will be putting and image of nine dragons in the center of my house before I go while alos putting my Kwan Kung statue somewhere into the Northwest! Both will bring me much success on my journey as will uttering the mantra:

Ohm Ah Kani NI KANI
AH GHILA MANDALA MANDA YEH SO
HAR

108 times. Bad things can not happen while really good things will!

Ta!