May all become happy. May all be free from illness. May all see what is auspicious. May 'no' one suffer. Om, peace, peace, peace. The Upanishads

Before you can see the light, you have to deal with the darkness. Dan Millman

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace. Buddha

By Fleur Borrelli, nutritionist at The Putney Clinic of Physical Therapy It is a relatively unknown fact that our body produces its own toxins as part of our normal metabolism. Our intestinal bacteria may also release by-products from metabolism that can be damaging to our health. This is before we even consider the toxins that come in from the environment. Fortunately we have evolved a complex network of systems to get rid of toxins that have been created internally. The antioxidant system cleverly destroys free radicals during chemical reactions in our cells before they can damage the cell itself. The liver, amongst its multitude of tasks, will take a toxic molecule which is generally fat soluble and transforms it into a water soluble molecule to be excreted out of the body in urine via the kidneys. Even fat soluble molecules can be shifted into bile which is then squirted into the intestine and ejected from the body in faeces. Sweating can lose any heavy metals lurking

What is the soul? The soul is consciousness. It shines as the light within the heart." Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Lovely soft energy in the shala. I do believe I may have been in the led class :-) So many familiar faces and Sharath doing a wonderful job with his students.

I love this compilation of statements by Russell Brand. He is articulating what a lot of people feel at the moment and sharing his understanding of what is important in life and how yoga, prayer and mediation can help ALL human beings to be just that, "human". I personally love the section on "twerking" and Justin Beiber. As Mr Brand says, who really who gives a S*** about this stuff?

Creamy kale chips, another fabulous recipe from Jiva healing. Visit them at www.jivahealing.com . This recipe is adapted from a recipe from Julie Daniluk, a Canadian nutritionist who specializes in recipes that heal inflammation. They are creamy, cheesy and delicious and packed with nutrients. Ingredients 1 cup cashews, (soaked 2 hours) 1 cup raw sweet potato, chopped or grated 1 medium lemon, juiced 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast 1/2 tsp grey sea salt or pink rock salt 2 Tablespoons filtered water 10 cups green curly kale, washed, large stems removed, torn into bite size pieces Cooking instructions Blend the first 6 ingredients thoroughly until smooth in a good food processor or Vitamix. Pour over kale and coat the kale. Place kale onto parchment paper and dehydrate for about 6 hours. If you don't own a dehydrator then place them in the oven at 65 C (150F) and dry them for about 1.5 to 2 hours.

A recipe from my friends over at Jiva Healing. These vegan black bean brownies are truly divine. As well as being gluten and dairy free, they are packed full of minerals and fibre. They are a wonderful treat and easy to make as well! This recipe has been adapted from The Minimalist Baker. Ingredients: 1 420 gram can (~ 1 3/4 cups) black beans, well rinsed and drained 2 large flax eggs (2.5 T flaxseed meal + 6 T water) 4 T coconut oil, melted (or substitute another oil of choice) 3/4 cup cocoa powder (the higher quality the better) 1/4 tsp sea salt 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup raw sugar, slightly ground or pulsed in a food processor or coffee grinder for refined texture 1 1/2 tsp baking powder For sprinkling on the top (optional): crushed walnuts, pecans or dark chocolate chips Cooking instructions: Preheat oven to 180 C or 350 F. Lightly oil a 12-slot standard size muffin pan (not mini) Prepare the flax egg by combining the ground flax and water in the bowl