Blog
Life Imitates Birth
What if the answer to some of our world’s unrest and our individual challenges in life are held in a growing body of knowledge and research on prenatal & birth psychology that “our lives imitate our births”. Doesn’t it make sense that when a soul comes into this world, it’s first memories and patterns (either beneficial or detrimental) would be impacted by it’s first experiences of coming into this physical world? Depending upon the actual point when the soul comes in, couldn’t that mean it’s first memories that create unconscious patterns later in life could feasibly include conception, time in the womb and the point of birth? So what was happening during these very early stages of life, was it peaceful, loving, welcoming and accepting with the innate wisdom of the mother and child working together to be born anew together as “mother and child” with all of the innately wired birth hormones; mother and child both expressing their own power and innate responses to make their way through their “parallel” birth canal? & what about fathers, where and how were they involved? Or was it accompanied by trauma during it’s entry, stress at the point of conception, during it’s time in the womb, & numbed, drugged, absorbing fear and pain, or birthed in such a way as not to develop certain necessary brain and body patterns, because these faculties were not engaged during the birthing process? What are these unconscious patterns and how do they impact your life? And, once we discover what they are for us, what if there is a way to re-pattern ourselves and... read more
Seasonal Change
September is upon us and the shifting of daylight, temperature and rhythm are palpable. Having lived well and fully this summer, I wrote a little less on my blog and spent a little more time outdoors and with my camera, so for today I share another visual celebration of beauty as the season shifts from summer to fall. ENJOY! Share... read more
Simply Beauty
Share... read more12 Weeks, 5 Sustainable Habits, 14 lbs & 2 overall Inches
12 weeks into my commitment to a healthier lifestyle and 20 less pounds, and I’ve arrived. You may wonder how I can say that when this commitment included a goal of 20 pounds, and I have yet 6 to go, AND when an arrival assumes a journey is complete but….I assure you for me it is an arrival point that I celebrate with an ongoing commitment to continue this journey to the next arrival point. With that said, a few weeks ago, my weight plateaued at about 155, (10 pounds less than my starting weight, and 10 pounds more than my goal weight), and I had the choice to take it up a notch by further refining my dietary choices, adding more weight resistance exercises, taking weight loss accelerators, or some other means of getting there and guess what I chose? First, I deliberately considered my choices, and committed to continue forward with whatever I decided. And, in that deliberation, I realized it was more important to me to achieve my long-term goal of a healthier lifestyle that would be sustainable for ME in the long run, than to ramp it up beyond what was right for me. At the same time, I realized this choice may end up extending the time period for me to reach my weight goal. So, I chose what would allow me to continue the already healthy new habits, enjoy summer and incrementally move me closer to my weight loss goal over a longer period of time. What I changed was to increase my weight resistance exercise by biking 5 miles a day and... read more
Summer Frolicking
Share... read more6 weeks, 10 pounds, 2 inches
Okay so this Transitions Lifestyle System really works; 1) adding more vegetables, fruit, and eating low glycemic by having protein and fiber at every meal 2) adding strength training 3) doing it with someone and being accountable to myself and each other. WOW. 4) having a practice to minimize stress and maximize being relaxed and peaceful. Although last week was somewhat of a plateau for me, because my life and rhythm got a little out of balance, including my diet, exercise, sleep, relaxation, & mood, this week I am right back on track and……when I stepped on the scale today at 154.5, I happily saw continued progression towards my goals. Knowing that it is more about the inches than the pounds I was also very pleased to see my hip, waist, chest, thigh and upper arm measurements to have each dropped about 2 inches. I have been able to feel that my body was changing and my clothes were fitting better so I knew something was working, however to actually see the numbers is not only affirming but exciting. I’ve talked previously about how good this feels, and will say it again. I feel more vitality when I eat, after I eat and in my overall sense of self. Tuning into to my body, I can literally feel the energy within me. A couple of times these last 6 weeks I ate a piece of bread or pasta, gluten free, yes, but in contrast to how I feel eating veggies and fruits with a serving of protein, I felt heavy, and weighed down. And… not only did my skin... read more
It’s Becoming a Habit: Week 4
Short and sweet, to date it looks like I have officially lost 8 pounds in 3 weeks. (One day, it was 10, but it varies daily and….it is less about the number and more about the healthy change.) So, what I can report at this juncture, is that eating more live foods is adding my “life” to my life. Although, I’m still learning how to prepare more vegetables, beans, lentils, fruits in ways that I enjoy, which some days is a bit of a challenge, I LOVE HOW I FEEL. Somehow, cutting back on portions, sugar, carbs and adding more vegetables, fruit and water to my daily diet is not only changing my body, it is changing my energy, my mood and my overall sense of well being. Having a regular practice of exercise, yoga, meditation and prayer for many years, is also doing it’s part towards a growing contentment. Yes, there have been moments, where I was hungry, without having had time to prepare for that moment in advance, nor easy access to something that fit my “Healthy criteria” in the moment so it was temporarily hard. But, I did it. I didn’t choose an unhealthy quick choice, and I did find a replacement option, which happened to be a few almonds and a 1/2 grape fruit. And….I made it through. (I am also okay with whatever choice I end up making as I go forward, knowing that I am on a progressively improved nutrition habit.) The bottom line is, this is working. Wow. At the beginning of these 12 weeks, with 20 pounds to go and many... read more
20 lbs in 12 weeks in Pictures
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20 lbs in 12 Weeks in Words
Okay, so it snuck up on me like it does for untold numbers of people across the globe, I gained weight. Not that weight gain is necessarily a bad thing, however it is clear from looking at my changed body, that the extra delicious meals with a variety of desserts and late night ice cream and movies with my new boyfriend this past winter did not turn to muscle. So, although on the outside, you may look at me and say “why do you need to lose weight?”, I assure you, I am beyond my best weight for my body and my health. But, more importantly, although we have been eating pretty healthy, we most certainly have been eating too much and our vegetable and fruit intake, although present, were not the largest portion on our plate. So, improving our diet and overall healthy daily habits has become our priority. This being so, Monday, May 6 2003, David and I committed to a 12 week program called TLS Weight Loss Solution to change to a low glycemic, primarily vegetarian based diet, increased exercise, journaling and being accountable to ourselves and each other to achieve our goals. And…. Here I am on Day 4. For me, what this has meant thus far is 1) filling the refrigerator with fresh vegetables and fruits 2) perusing some cookbooks to have some new ideas about how to prepare tasty vegetarian dishes 3) eliminating carbs, wheat, dairy, corn and sugar. WOW, this may not be for everyone, but I gotta tell you, even with the adjustment, (which I’ve done before) it FEELS amazing. 4)... read more
Spring is Singing
Share... read moreAbout Dawn Vogel
Dawn Vogel is founder of Luminous Concepts Productions. She is passionate about elevating health and human potential, advancing consciousness in practical ways and bettering our world. Working with people in practices, businesses or causes who are elevating people, her vision is to strengthen individuals and groups of individuals to strengthen those they serve through Luminous Concepts Productions. She creates photography & video stories that inspire, promote, educate and help people better reach their people.