Hamburger Soup Recipe

 When I was growing up, my mother would make a big pot of soup every week in February and March for us to have for lunch.  She said that the soup helped balance out the heavier foods that we ate over the winter.  The recipe below is one of my favourite soups from that time, and, I make it often for my husband and me.

Homestead Hamburger Soup 

8 Servings 

1 pound ground beef 
1 cup chopped onion 
1 cup diced potatoes 
1 cup sliced carrots 

1 cup shredded cabbage 
1 cup sliced celery 

1/4 cup raw rice 

3 cups water 

1 beef bouillon cube 
1 teaspoon garlic salt 

1/4 teaspoon basil 
1/4 teaspoon thyme 
1 bay leaf 

1 quart tomatoes, undrained

Brown ground beef and onion until meat is lightly browned. Drain off excess fat. Add 
remaining ingredients. Stir so tomatoes become slightly mashed. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Adjust seasonings.   

Note:  I start this in the morning, and leave it covered, on low all day.  The flavour goes through everything 

Many blessings,

Judy

About Taking Things Too Personally

 

Do you know someone at work or in your family and group of friends that sees every comment or opinion as a criticism and a challenge to them?   I see some clients that do not know how to deal with other people's opinions.  They see it as criticism or being put down.  These folks have never learned to separate the concepts of feedback, coaching, criticism, and negative comments.  Everything is taken personally.  They over react. They are antagonistic. It makes them difficult to deal with and difficult to have as an employee or as a client, and even as a friend. They are so out of balance.

Who Are They?  As a generalization, this trait is dominant in people who are only children or youngest children.  Perhaps it is because they didn't have to share and get along with others, and therefore did not develop a "thicker skin" along the way. There seems to be an edge of anger to them in every situation.  And yes, there are exceptions.  Remember, this is a generalization.  

Is Change Possible?  It takes a lot of time, kindness, trust, and willingness to change to alter the behavior.  Most often, the person must work with a psychologist or other counsellor.  Once the change is made, the individual seems to go on to achieve remarkable goals and to grow in abundance.  

What If They Don’t Change?  If the change is not made, the person gets stuck in a rut where they see the world as against them.  The person may slide into depression and eventually become very depressed.  Some slide into drugs or alcohol, or both.  The spiral of behaviour is self destructive.

Many blessings,

Judy   

Contact me at lightstationwisdom@gmail.com

Walking Meditation

  

Walking beside the Bow River looking onto Poplar Island where the beavers have chopped down a tree in the summer of 2020.

When I first learned to meditate, based on all the instructions from teachers and from books, I thought that one had to sit quietly, in a lotus position, and push all thoughts out of one’s head if you were going to meditate properly.  Over the years, I have learned that there are many ways to meditate, depending on what belief system you follow and where you are when you want to meditate.

I have learned to love the walking meditation which is an active meditation practiced in Buddhism and in Shamanism.  Walking meditation is not limited to these traditions.  Meditation while walking may seem like a contradiction of activity versus focus.  However, one must be extremely mindful while walking in meditation.  You concentrate on your steps, your breath, and on the world around you.  Mindfulness is part of the strength of the walking meditation.  The steps one takes bring clarity of what needs to be dealt with, or what emotion needs adjusting, and, gives space for a different point of view.  For many practitioners, the walking meditation is a prayer to Nature and to the Universe.

When something troubles me and I cannot seem to get a grip on it, I leave the house and do a walking meditation.  I focus on my steps and my breath and leave the troubled thoughts behind.  Sometimes, it takes a half hour before the soothing peace covers you as you walk.  It make take an hour or so for a simple solution to appear as you walk.  The physical activity helps you work off the tension and stress and walking is just a good health strategy anyway.

Blessings.

Judy

Lightstationwisdom@gmail.com