OHM.....

Well, this holistic path I have been on has taken a very sharp turn.  You know the saying "never look for a Guru, your Guru will find you"?  Well, I have wanted to learn about Meditation for many years.  I have tried on my own, but being a type A personality...well, it just never worked.  And a Guru finding me in Saltillo, Tx....You must be kidding!

My daughter called me and told me of a woman in Tyler, a co-worker at her College, who is from India, taught meditation for many, many years in India, and wants students to teach for FREE!  What???? So of course I signed up right away.  This type of Meditation is called Sahaj Marg Sadhana, and is not religious, except they do believe in God, Yes, My God!  I questioned her extensively as I could no more give up my religion than to give up being female.  This practice is purely Spiritual, not religious.  It helps to bring you closer to God.  You don't have to chant, sit on the floor, or give up Jesus.  We sit in chairs and feel such a huge power in the room.  It's calming, uplifting, energetic and I love it.  It does require me driving to Tyler a lot, but you must make sacrifices a lot to reap rewards.

On another path of my Spiritual Journey, I have recently told you all about the book "the One Plan" by Yogi Cameron.  I outlined weeks one and two, but was so busy with all this meditation stuff, I forgot to fill you in on weeks 3 & 4.  As of today I am starting weeks 5& 6. So following is the part of the one plan that I feels pertains to me right now.  Keep in mind that I am continuing with weeks 1 & 2 practices and building on them and on and on.  It will never end, as these are lifetime commitments.  And not everything worth anything in life is easy. These things are all a part of my daily or weekly practice now.  Well, I TRY!

Weeks 3 & 4
TRUTHFULNESS
Physically:
1) spend 5 minutes each morning using presence practice (truthfulness) to focus on speaking/behaving honestly throughout the day.
2) Weekly- I will try to reverse one falsehood that I have been living with.
3) Continue to eat healthy and exercise.

Mentally:
1) Speak truthful thoughts to myself, no matter how much I don't want to hear it.
2) Continue to read spiritual material daily.

Spiritually:
1) Be truthful and consistent about the path I seek.
2) Meditate daily reflecting on Truthfulness.


Weeks 5 & 6
NON-STEALING
Physically:
1) Don't steal other's time
2) Don't steal conversations by overly talking about myself
3) Spend 5 minutes each morning using the presence practice to reflect on how I have stolen from others before, and how I will refrain from stealing from others today.

Mentally:
1) Do not indulge in behaviors that will steal mine or anyone else's health, moods or happiness.
2) When someone steals from me, instead of retaliation, I will pray for them and help them if possible.

Spiritually:
1) Meditate daily about non-stealing
2) Continue with all spiritual practices.

Thank you, love you, Namaste, Time to OHM,
vannoy

MY BODY WON'T DO THAT!

Hi ya'll,
If you are anything like my family, then you are probably going through changes in your life and trying to better yourself physically, spiritually, environmentally and mentally.  There are so many paths to choose from to make these changes in your life.  I have finally found a concise, clearly written book that will take you slowly through 52 weeks of plans to change yourself inside and out the Ayurvedic way.
 I am already in LOVE with Yogi Cameron from his show on Veria living.  He helps people out by introducing them to Yoga, diet, exercise, meditating, aromatherapy and many other healing practices.  His newest book "The One Plan" (by Yogi Cameron Alborzian) offers the lay person an easily decipherable way to follow many practices that before now seemed muddled, too hard, and confusing. 
Every week or two in this book you will read a chapter about different paths, practices, diet, journeys and you can choose if you want to work on 20 different things, or only one.  It is totally up to each person to make this plan as hard or as easy as you would like.  For example, here is my list for weeks one and two that has to do with Abstentions and Truthfulness:

PHYSICAL
Goal: cut fake cigarette smoking in half.
Goal: Cut amount of food I eat in half.
Goal: No eating after 7 PM
Goal: Drink water at room temperature after 9pm
Goal: Cut Dr. Peppers and Coffee by half daily
Goal: 30 minutes of exercise daily
MENTAL
Goal: Throw away negative thoughts
Goal: 5 minute positive thought process before beginning each day.
Goal: Attempt something I fear daily.
SPIRITUAL
Goal: 5 minutes meditation daily
Goal: prayer beads spoken daily
Goal: 15 minutes Yoga daily
Goal: watch more Veria and less reality TV
Goal: read 15 minutes of mindfulness daily (yoga journal, Bible, philosophy, etc.)
ENIVRONMENTALLY
I will use less throw away water bottles.

That is everything I have decided to work on these first 2 weeks.  They do seem simple enough, and I am not really giving anything up.  I am reducing some things and adding some new things.  This first week was pretty good.  I did miss 2 days due to (insert excuse here), but realized how much better I felt about myself and how much better I feel about other people when I do all of the things on my list every day.  This is MY practice and I am so happy to have a simple guide to help me along this path.  Like you, I have already made many changes in my life in the last couple of years. I am gluten and sugar free.  I try to exercise every day.  I pray many times daily.  I try to be kind and truthful to others. 

When I think about the changes I am actively making, I feel very positive and feel like I will be a different, and better person physically, mentally and spiritually one year from now.  I will keep you all up to date on this journey and hope you will let me know how it is going for you as well.
Thyme to bend that body,
Vannoy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!

I love life right now! I am so happy with My relationship with God. Very happy with my children and their success. Very happy with my grandchildren and their health.

 My husband and I have a slight virus, but it is not bad. We have cut up an onion and put it in our room to draw the germs away from us (Read that somewhere), Drinking lots of water, and reflecting on what a lucky girl I am.

We have been developing new children's soap for our business on the mountain in Canton. It is so cute some of them glow-in-the-dark, some of them have toy surprises inside. Some of them are full of glitter that dissolves once water gets into the soap.

Germ capturing onions! 

I have In canning a lot lately And I really do it Thyme to make some soup! Vannoy

BUTTS DISAPPEAR!

HEY EVERYBODY! I am sure happy to be writing to you about so much that is going on with me.  I have been running (yes, kind of...) every other day to an app on my phone called C25K.  It is free, I can listen to my music while I run, and my clothes are fitting looser.  YEA!  I just feel like I need to get into the best shape of my life in order to care for family members who are getting less able to care for themselves.  I hope that this app helps me to achieve my optimal health.

TIME TO THYME is going great.  We have been working very hard at T3 creating and developing products that we are asked for and that our customers want.

 The boys in one of the herb gardens.  I have had really good success with many of my herbs this year...that is, until....GRASSHOPPERS!  I wish that they were an endangered species.  I really do.  sigh.....

I was able to harvest many of my herbs before tragedy of the hoppers hit home.  We have made some interesting products with the herbs.  Mainly our newest body  powder and linen powder with ground roses and lavender flowers.  It is so soothing and relaxing.  LOVE IT!

 

We have been working today on homemade soaps for children.  We made a "Children's Corner" at our store in Canton...and here are the favorites of children in Texas:

Monkey Farts Aroma and Body Spray

Glow-In-The-Dark Soap

Angel Wings Soap

Kids invariable choose these scents.  So today we made "Coconut Pie" soap and they have toy surprises inside.  The best thing about these products is that they have much, much fewer chemicals in them than the soaps, sprays and other body products that you buy from the store.  Go to our website at timetothyme.com to order your products.

 

  Well, I have made a delicious veggie salad today with homemade ranch dressing.  I am about to cut up the fresh tomatoes out of the garden into the salad and then going to a  4th (6th) of July party! Have fun herbing and weekending! 

Thyme to Partay!

What? I'm eating POISON?

Yes, I have suffered from many ailments in my life.  If you have ever suffered from an ailment, you may want to know what the culprit is.  Have you ever suffered from any of the following? Dandruff? Rosacea? Alepecia? acid reflux? Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Neurological Impairment? Water retention? Leg edema? Restless Leg Syndrome? Diabetes? High Blood Pressure? Neurological Impairment? Allergies? Asthma? Chronic Sinus Congestion? Infections? Inflammations? ADAD? Behavioral Outbursts? Autism? Bipolar Disorder? Schizophrenia? Mental Fog? Depression? Acne? Multiple Sclerosis? Lupus? Seborrhea? Psoriasis? Heart Disease? Obesity? Peripheral Neuropathy? Demetia? Dermatitis Herpetiformis? Constant food cravings? Food addiction? acid reflux? Bowel Urgency? Joint Pain? Leg Swelling? Migraine Headaches? Skin rashes? Moodiness? Sleeplessness? Depression? Seizures? High Blood Sugar? Sinus Congestion? Sadness? Hopelessness? Anxiety? Anger? Diarrhea?  The list is limitless.  Do you know what the culprit is?  It is what you are putting in your mouth.
What you eat is either the best medicine in the world.....or poison.  Please never take another bite of wheat, sugar or starches.  Whether you believe it or not, wheat is affecting your body in the most horrific of ways.  This is not your mothers wheat.  Wheat has been so genetically altered, that it does not bear the slightest chromosonal or genetic similarity to wheat from 100 years ago.  It is the most altered food on the planet.  No other food can have such serious, devestating affectsto the human body as wheat.
Just go without wheat for 2 weeks.  Not one crumb.  You will see such a drastic difference in your weight, mood and ailments, that you will never want to touch wheat again.
Wheat has been modified to attach itself to the opium receptors in your brain much like heroin or Oxycontin.  It is like extra nicotine added to cigs.  It is added to almost EVERYTHING in order to get you addicted.  And it has worked.  Please stop the wheat and stop the rampant illness in yourself and your children.
I hope you listen.  I hope you want to heal yourself.  Take the wheat free challenge and let me know your results.  Praying for you.
Thyme to make some "wheat-free" Pizza crust for supper,
vannoy

WOW! What a weekend!

We had the best weekend ever at our Canton store on the Mountain.  Time to Thyme is coming along so well.  It is looking great with our new paint job.  We love neon!  Our Internet site has been updated to include all of our new products.  Check us out at timetothyme.com.  We have so many new and interesting items for you to browse.  A lot of healing and healthy products made using natures bounty.  We believe that God made a plant for every ailment, and alls you have to do is find the right one to help you on your journey to great health.  We did a little painting at our store to brighten it up.  How do you like it??

Loving the herbs growing outside my home.  Some of them are ready for harvest.  The hummingbirds are loving the new flowers.  I did have to water the herbs as the rain is not being very cooperative here in East Tx. 

We worked on a new project this past month...Garden Jewelry!  They are so cute.  Some of them are in the pic above.  They have the words of the plants, such as Thyme, Basil, Peppermint, engraved on them.  They are so cute and it looks like your garden is colorful and blooming before a single flower emerges.  Here is a close up...

My youngest daughter is in New York this week and will be on the CBS morning show tomorrow at 7 AM.  I know she will be great.  My oldest daughter is studying for finals this week and has a respiratory ailment she is fighting.  Those girls are always so busy.  I am leaving them alone this week so they can get done what they need to....but I feel like I need some girl time!  So Sunday we will all meet up for mother's day and to have a nice lunch and to catch up with eachother.  I can't wait.

 

I got 3 new chickens this week from Canton.  They are black Cochins.  They look blue and green in the sunlight.  Still waiting for my first egg.  So exciting.  I love my chickens.  I can just sit and stare at them for hours.  Vance joins me sometimes and we just watch them and never say a word.  Total peace.  It is time to start the day and get this little farm going.

Thyme to get busy,

vannoy

 

Should we open a store in Saltillo???

First:  My daughter told me about all of the dangers of diet drinks and (sob) splenda.  So I have given them up as of yesterday.  It's a tough road we travel. If there is anything I can do for myself to make it easier on this body, then I will try. Pray for me....

On a lighter note, we have developed tons of aroma sprays for our Canton store.  These ideas came to me when a friend with a daughter with sensory issues talked about how her daughter loved to be calmed down by spraying a "fairy" spray in her space.  So we made an "Angel Wings" aroma spray that is safe to spray in your room, car, bed linen, yourself, or wherever you need a light uplifting or calming spray.  Some of our Aroma Sprays include: Carribean Therapy, Rainforest, Monkey Farts (yes, you read that right! little boys LOVE it), Wisteria, Elegance (white diamonds), Calming, Stress Buster, Energy, Roses Roses Roses, Love Spell, Sensual Man, Sensual Woman, and Purification .  We have made a lot of this using ingrediants such as essential oils and fragrances. They will be available by phone, mail, internet, Canton or Saltillo pick up.  They are $5 each or 2 for $9.  The are twice as big as the sprays that you can buy in other stores and 3 times cheaper!  Give them a try, you will he HOOKED on these delightful sprays.

I have a question to pose.  We have a place in Saltillo that we use to develop our Herbal Teas, Hand made Soaps and other items we sell in Canton.  Since we are at our place in Saltillo several days a week making products and doing research, we thought we might open up a couple days a week in case any of you would like to come by to see some of our products, try some herbal tea or just to chat.  We were thinking on Thursday and Friday we would open and hang out all day and if anyone would like to come by, GREAT!  What do you think?

If there is a particular item you would like to see, then you could call ahead of time and let us know what you want and when you would be there, and we would make sure we have one ready for you if possible. 

Right now we don't have much in the Saltillo Time To Thyme place, but we are planning on changing that.  We do have the Soaps, Aroma Sprays, Lip Balms, Cleaning Products, and a few other items.  But if you all think it would be a good idea for us to open for real in Saltillo, then we would start stocking that place as well.  Please reply and let us know what you think about this.

Thyme to go to Dallas,
vannoy

SPIDER LOOKING FAMILY MEMBER!

So, since being trapped in the house for a couple of months due to WINTER, I have set up a saltwater tank with lots of little friends inside to keep me company.  I am missing my pond, the bugs, the warm air, the growing herbs and all the outdoor fun to be had in spring, summer and fall.  But I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. I now have a little piece of nature in my home.  A tiny little ocean I like to call "Vannoy's mini paradise."  But then I went and purchased a cute little starfish for my tank.  When I got my newest little child home, he slowly unfurled his arms and tried to discover the parameters of his new home...WOW! was he ever scary!  But I love him like no other.

We are getting ready for our big February Canton opening.  We are especially excited about the repairs made to our building by my Exceptional Brother-In-Law, Jesse.  Thank you Jesse, we love you.  He has worked so hard to make our building look brand new.  He is an amazing carpenter. 

We have many soaps that we think you will love.  Come by and smell our samples.  Feeling tired from walking all over canton?  Come by and drink some uplifting herbal tea, or spray your space with some of our aroma sprays...Guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and a lift to your steps!  Or just come by to sit and chat with us.  We have made so many new friends on the Canton Mountain and can't wait to make some more.  We will see you next weekend in Canton...
Thyme to stargaze,
vannoy