A woman’s exploration into meditation, colorful saris, and mosquito bites – after experiencing deep heartache at home – will probably forever be imprinted on people’s brains as Elizabeth Gilbert’s tribute to India in Eat, Pray, Love. Last year’s movie of the same name further equates a famous female star, Julia Roberts, with experiencing profound change in the land of the Ghanges. But Gilbert’s tale is her own, and shouldn’t discount the transformation of others who escape to India for the solace this place seems to provide.

Realizing that Perfection is observing my own unique characteristics, weaknesses and strengths, attractions and repulsions, and allowing myself to be just like this, with no agenda for any of it to change, but just to choose the most inspiring and non-violent paths open to me to experience this unique collection of my ‘ways’, easy and challenging, in a creative, fun and loving life.

There are well-defined steps to dealing with grief of death, which you can process through at weekly therapy sessions or in a local group that meets in the basement of a church on Tuesday nights. We cry longingly in private; we show only a glimpse of the tear in the heart tissues at some work retreat that forces a bonding moment. Steps are well-defined because 1. grief takes such a seemingly insurmountable toll and 2. death is common. Any one of us will experience the death of dozens of people during our lifetime.

So, I’m gonna write about two things today that have absolutely nothing to do with each other except for the fact that they piss me off immensely. And I can’t believe this is the insane direction in which we continue to head. First is Whole Foods general bowing to Monsanto, the greedy creator of Frankenfoods and your local child born with two heads (just you wait). For my second beyond-annoyance, anger, grief and wishing men could get pregnant so this wouldn’t even be an issue, the new bill that would re-define rape cuts to the heart of the “equality” women supposedly won in this country 30 years ago.

Whipping up a recipe in the kitchen isn’t as simple as it used to be when it comes to the oils we use for cooking. You might find yourself wondering if you should use your new bottle of cold-pressed olive oil to stir fry vegetables, or not? Current nutrition information tells us that the way we use oils for food preparation is very important to our health. The next time you reach for your favored bottle of oil to prepare dinner, consider substituting one of these healthy oils instead.

So, you think that meditation doesn’t work? That it may relax you for a moment, but then you just jump right back into the insanity of your day? That’s is too hard to do all the time? Well, if you’re into those pesky little studies, there’s a new one on Mindfulness Meditation that’s about to show up in the January 30th issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.

My interest in herbal plants began one day when I happened on a large coffee table book of medicinal herbs in NYC’s Strand bookstore. It was cheap and had pretty pictures, so I bought it. Ten years, three herbal medicine certifications and at least fifteen moves later, I have no idea where that book went, but I continue to use my knowledge of medicinal herbs and plants to treat myself, my family and friends.