nandajurela

Gratitude On Valentine’s Day

I am grateful to love and to all who love me. Happy Valentine’s Day. 14 February 2012

Another day to give yourself permission to do what you love and to surround yourself with sounds, sensual experiences, and living beings that uplift you. To live a few hours by your own design. May your day be beautiful. 14 February 2018

A Plant-Based Meal For a Get-together

Three satisfying, low cost and plant based dishes that compliment each other for celebratory events, not only for Valentine’s Day. By chef Gaz Oakley aka Avant Garde Vegan.

New Moon In February, New Moon In Aquarius: Brighten Up.

Start your day with cacao, if you can. If you don’t have cacao in your pantry, maybe you have all you need to make cinnamon and apple peel tea. The next time you go out, remind yourself that you wanted to try cacao and buy it. The two beverages do not have identical properties. ButContinue reading “New Moon In February, New Moon In Aquarius: Brighten Up.”

Happy Round Birthday To Sergio Mendes!

Sergio Mendes celebrates his 80th (!) birthday today. Over the years and decades, he collaborated with so many artists all over the world. Always offering a scrumptious experience to our ears and legs, he is one of the most appreciated and relevant composers and musicians of our era.. and of the eras before us too.Continue reading “Happy Round Birthday To Sergio Mendes!”

Sanity In Relationships And In Life

Sanity is a great good. Sanity is very underrated too. Given the choice between “being swept away” and sanity, choose sanity. Because good love only finds you when you are sane. While in an imbalanced state, the affair that will find you might soothe you, or appear to be what you want, even distract youContinue reading “Sanity In Relationships And In Life”

Happy Birthday To Roberta Flack.

The friendly music enthusiast, music nerd and elegant singer celebrates her 84th birthday today. A year ago, Ann Powers wrote an intuitive and enjoyable piece about Roberta’s contribution and legacy to American music. “The Virtuoso – Roberta Flack’s career demands a new way of thinking about the word genius”: https://www.npr.org/2020/02/10/804370981/roberta-flack-the-virtuoso

Like Chocolate And Cherry

Dizzy With Delight Whoever first thought of dropping cherries into dark chocolate is a genius. The combination is so delicious that from now on, I will think of perfect synergy as “aah, they work like chocolate and cherry.” 6 February 2015

Sunlight Is Medicine

I wrote this is 2014, before vitamin D / D3 and sunlight were promoted as something truly good for our health. Because of the pandemic and its echo in 2021, it reads like a current reminder to go out and soak up the sun, while you can and every day. If you are a fireContinue reading “Sunlight Is Medicine”

Now And Here To Eternity

Love the striving person too, the one who feels deprived, the one who wants to feel better, the one who longs for fulfilment. Love yourself in the winter, when your seeds are underground, waiting for warmth and unseen, known only to you. First week of 2015 — ∞

Born On This Day: Bob Marley

The legend needs no introduction, not even an introduction by me. He he. If you like his music, enjoy this Saturday with it. I will play it in the background later in the day. It lets me forget the temperatures outdoors. My mind is already in spring and what I will do in spring. ThisContinue reading “Born On This Day: Bob Marley”

Food Connects Us To the World

as Michael Pollan communicated in so many ways. Here is another 20 min long talk meant for everyone. Take the time for it! “I decided that the best way to encourage people to cook is to remind them what a beautiful, miraculous work it is, practice it is. And that we have been, I wouldContinue reading “Food Connects Us To the World”

Happy Birthday To Michael Pollan

“As an intellectual matter, looking at the world from other species’ points of view, helps us deal with this weird anomaly, which is – and this is in the realm of intellectual history – which is that we have this Darwinian revolution 150 years ago… We have this Darwinian revolution in which, thanks to Darwin,Continue reading “Happy Birthday To Michael Pollan”

What Would X Do In This Situation?

The people I admire make me ask: How would she act in a scenario like that? How would he handle this situation? Sometimes I borrow their style, or channel them, sometimes I have an idea of how I can approach the issue in a way that is helpful and intelligent. If this angle is usefulContinue reading “What Would X Do In This Situation?”

Solar Power In the White House

One of the first things that Ronald Reagan did to the White House after he took office is to take down the solar panels that Jimmy Carter had installed. What would have happened to the acceptance of solar energy with a different person in power? That was 3 and a half decades ago. Never assumeContinue reading “Solar Power In the White House”

To Have Incarnated In the Body Of a Woman Is a Fine Bliss

In my mind’s eye, I am seeing a scene from a parallel universe: the Creator with a magic wand and some helpers breathing into clay figures the awareness that will live in them… “Surely we can’t give her the body of a man. That would be a huge loss to us all… and no fitContinue reading “To Have Incarnated In the Body Of a Woman Is a Fine Bliss”

Alcohol Ban In South Africa In 2020

This is a very interesting article by Janet Gourand about the effects of a regional alcohol ban during the pandemic. I am quoting her statistics that should give you a pause: “Murder cases reduced by 72% Rape cases reduced by 87% GBH reduced by 85% Armed Robbery decreased by 69% Domestic violence decreased by 69%Continue reading “Alcohol Ban In South Africa In 2020”

Sober House Project

Four teenagers in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan have decided to be proactive about the healing in their own community, and proposed a project called Sober House to City Council. They were met with enthusiastic support. 6 communities in the province of Saskatchewan have already adopted the Sober House Project. May many more follow. Thanks to Ayla,Continue reading “Sober House Project”

“These Foolish Things”

I like small silly things that make me happy. You do too, if you have a pulse. Find out what they are and fill your days with them, and your life will blossom. 27 January 2016 The title was inspired by the old tune!

Happy Birthday to Melody Gardot

The singer songwriter released a wonderful “quarantine” album in 2020. Melody Gardot gives hope to all who have survived accidents (or the results of extremely bad choices that are quite like accidents too) and whose will to heal was so strong that it opened a path. She is a musician today mainly because of thatContinue reading “Happy Birthday to Melody Gardot”