When I was a young girl my father and I would explore the foothills of California. He often gently reminded me to “walk like an indian.” I knew instinctively what he meant. I should walk gently, feeling the earth beneath me by making every step a conscious act. Thich Nhat Hanh,  an internationally famous Buddhist monk and peace activist also teaches conscious walking as a form of meditation.

Somewhere along my adulthood I forgot this pearl of wisdom. Even as a dancer my focus was extension as I reached for the ethers or the collective around me. Until recently I rarely thought about what lie beneath me. It was the teachings of Aletia Alvarez from the Madrona MindBody Institute that reminded me to focus downward. She began her class by identifying the tripod on the sole of the feet. The two opposite points on either side of the ball of the foot and the heel. She had us practice walking as if the earth were a sponge. She cultivated a sensitivity in our step that reminded me of the indian walk my father and I practiced. The effect for me was profound. We are made from the earth and there is a molten fiery energy we can draw from. It gives us power and grounds our actions.

How would the world be different if we all walked more gently on the earth or listened more deeply? I know I will try to do both in my life and in my dance.

One day while visiting my friend Jay Cook, chiropractor and philosopher extraordinaire, I watched fascinated as he cut an apple into small, approximately 1/3 ” cubes and used them as a breakfast cereal. It looked so yummy I went home and tried it myself. My constitution and especially my sensitive stomach loved it.

I embellished Jay’s recipe and created a  Superfood Breakfast. The 3-Seed Granola which is sprinkled on top is full of omega-3 fatty acids. The seeds are loaded with vitamin E, B1 , magnesium, calcium – and tryptophan. Remember tryptophan converts to serotonin and helps elevate mood. The omegas are also anti inflammatory and essential for good bone and heart health. And finally by increasing my raw food intake at breakfast, my body naturally began to crave healthier choices throughout the day. Try Jay’s Superfood Breakfast for 7 days and feel the difference.

Jay’s Superfood Breakfast

1  Apple Cut in 1/3 ” cubes.

1/4  Cup Plain Yogurt

1/4 Cup Water

1  Small handful of raisins

1/2 Tsp Natural Sweetener (I recommend Birch Sugar)

1/4 Cup 3-Seed Granola (link provided)

Cut the apple into approximately 1/3″ cubes. Add yogurt, water, sweetener and stir. Top with raisins, granola and berries.

So simple, so quick and so yummy.

1 Cup Oats

3/4 Cup Sesame Seeds

1/3 Cup Flax Seeds

1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Cup  Honey (warmed with 1/4 cup of birch sugar if you like a sinless, yet sweeter granola.)

1 Cup Raisins

1 tsp. Sea Salt

Mix all the ingredients together. Spread on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 in 3-10 minute intervals stirring in between. The granola should be light golden. Scrape the granola immediately onto wax paper or foil or you will leave much of it on the pan. Don’t eat too much! It is only meant as a garnish. These are primarily seeds and while more nutritious than regular granola it is also richer, stickier and yummier. Enjoy.