EZ Earth Energy Blog

There are many different approaches to meditation. Meditation itself is the practice of awareness. For some that means prayer. For others it means gaining a deeper understanding. It can be a deeper understanding of themselves, the world, or their God. Of all the various types of meditation, Zen meditation may be the most popular. It is certainly one of the oldest. It dates back to the seventh century.

The Philosophy

Zen Meditation is designed to help a person gain insight and enlightenment. It is not a prayer session but rather the intent is to seek enlightenment. The goal of each meditation is to come out of it with a deeper understanding. Understanding of yourself, the current challenges you’re facing, and the world as a whole.

Zen meditation is based on Buddhist philosophies which seek enlightenment through daily practice, thought, and action.

The Practice

Zen meditation is a bit structured. Generally you sit on a small pillow on the floor. The pillow is called a zafu. You can also purchase or use a mat underneath your pillow. The mat is called a zabuton.

Zen meditation is practiced while sitting. There are a few acceptable poses you can take. They include:

- Legs crossed — both ankles are under your knees. This is generally the most comfortable position. As with all sitting positions it is important to keep your spine straight. This position is also called Burmese.

- Lotus — in this position the legs are crossed however your ankles and feet are on top of your legs or knees rather than under them. This can be a bit uncomfortable if you’re not used to it. You might start with a half lotus. This position is also called Kekkafuza.

- Half lotus — in this position you’re sitting cross legged. However, one foot is on top of the opposite knee. The other foot is under the opposite knee. This is also called Hankafuza.

- Kneeling — in this position your legs are tucked under you. You’re sitting back on your ankles, feet and calves. This position may be uncomfortable if you have knee strain. This position is also called Seiza.

- Chair — finally, you may sit upright in a chair with your feet planted firmly on the floor and your back straight.

Once you’re seated your hands are generally rest on your lap. They’re open and relaxed. One on top of the other and both open and facing up. Close your eyes and take five to seven deep cleansing breaths. The point of these two steps is to prepare your mind and body for meditation.

Focus On the Breath

The next step in Zen meditation is to focus on your breath. While it sounds simple, it can be tricky. You’ll find your breath begins to change simply because you’re thinking about it. It can begin to feel unnatural. The goal is to become aware of your breath. To simply notice how it fills your nose, fills your body and how it makes you feel. If your breath changes, simply be aware of that. You don’t need to control the breath. Relax into it.

Zen meditation asks then that you count your breaths. This helps you to be aware and focused on it. As you begin focusing on your breath thoughts will come into your mind. The goal is to eventually not have thoughts pop in and out. However, it is natural for them to do so. Don’t judge yourself. Simply allow the thought to pass out of your mind and refocus on your breath.

Initially, it’s recommended that you only try to mediate for five minutes. Once this time period feels natural and comfortable you can begin to extend it. The Zen meditation experience is different for everyone. The peace and clarity you find during mediation will allow awareness and insight to come to you.

There are many alternative sources of energy. Solar energy, hydro electric and wind energy are three of the most common options. Wind energy may be one of the most promising resources to explore.
What is a Wind Turbine?
A wind turbine is essentially a wind mill much like you’d see on farms or in Holland. However, instead of being attached to a mill to grind grain into flour, the turbine is attached to a generator. The result is energy. How much energy? Well it depends on the size of the blades and the wind speed.
Wind turbines can be used on a large scale to produce energy for a city. The turbines generally have two or three blades or rotors. On sunny, windy days they can produce several megawatts. The energy can also be stored for non windy days. On a smaller scale, for home use, a wind turbine can produce about 100 kilowatts. They work well to compliment a solar electric power system.
How a Wind Turbine Works
The sun is what heats the earth. This heating and cooling creates wind. In a way, wind energy is also solar energy. When wind is created it has force. It has energy. If you’ve ever stood outside on a very windy day you know that this energy is quite powerful.
A wind turbine captures this energy and turns it into electricity. The wind turns the blades or rotors. The rotors are attached to a rod. When the rotors turn the rod turns as well. The rod is then attached to a gear. In an old fashioned wind mill that gear connects to a heavy gear at the bottom of the mill. It turns as the teeth of the gear rotate and it grinds the grain. In a wind turbine the gear is attached to a smaller gear and a generator. As this gear spins it creates electricity.
The generator creates electricity by using a magnetic rotor inside the generator. As the rotor spins around the core it electromagnetic induction and generates an electrical current.
Environmentally Sound Energy Source
As you can see, there’s no byproduct of wind energy. The energy is either used or stored. There is no byproduct of the energy. The only downside to wind energy is that if the wind doesn’t blow at least 10 MPH then little to no energy is created. Additionally, the generator can be quite expensive.
If you’re looking to include wind energy for your home you may want to investigate the costs and lifespan of a typical generator. Over the life of a good generator you’ll definitely make your money back. And you can rest well knowing you’re using one of the cleanest and most environmentally friendly energy sources available.

Do you drink wine? There are many health benefits to drinking wine. It’s full of antioxidants. Red wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. It can also reduce the risk of certain cancers and slow progression of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
All of these benefits are truly wonderful. However, organic wine may offer more benefits than your standard bottle.
1. Standard wines are grown with pesticides. Organic wines are not. They’re free from pesticides and therefore your wine is free from pesticides. It tastes better and is better for you.
2. Pesticide free also means that pesticides are not put into the soil and our water supply. Organic wines are better for the environment.
3. Standard wines can have additives in them. Organic wines are free from additives. They’re also simply processed. All you get is the simple pleasure of good glass of wine.
4. No sulfites. Organic wines do not contain sulfites. They cannot if they want to be classified as organic. Many people are sensitive or allergic to sulfites. The absence of them means more people can drink wine without side effects.
5. Organic wines tend to be grown by smaller farmers. When you drink organic wine you’re supporting smaller farmers and local business.
6. Availability. Due to demand and biodynamic farming improvements more and more organic wines are available. This means you have more options at your local wine stores and restaurants. Biodynamic farming is the process of balancing the soil, the animals, and even the stars to take advantage of all the environment’s resources. It uses compost and manure rather than chemicals to feed and nurture the vines.
7. Finally, consider drinking organic wine because it simply tastes better than many other standard non-organic wines. You don’t have any chemical tastes or additives or extra packaging. You’re getting a simple straight forward bottle of wine. However, don’t let the simplicity fool you. Many organically grown wines are quite sophisticated. Biodynamic farming has been around for decades. Organic vineyards are popping up around the globe. That means more variety for you.
If you enjoy a good glass of wine from time to time consider organic wine. It’s good for your health. There are fewer allergens. It’s good for the environment. It’s good for small business and farms. And ultimately it just plain tastes superior.

You’re standing in the supermarket. All around you are choices. Juice. Soda. Energy drinks. Each claim to offer a benefit. Yet none offers the same benefits a simple glass of water can offer. When it comes down to making a decision about what to drink; water wins every time.
Here Are Five Reasons Why You Should Drink More Water
#1 Flushes Toxins From Your Body
In addition to simply hydrating your body, water serves to help remove waste from your body. It helps remove more than basic digestive waste too. Water helps flush toxins from your cells and organs too. Simply adding
#2 Helps You Lose Weight
Flushing toxins from your body is one way that water helps you lose weight. It also helps you feel full. Many diet and nutrition experts recommend drinking a glass of water when you feel hungry. Your body often misinterprets thirst. It thinks it is hungry.
Drinking a glass of water can take care of the hunger signals. Additionally, when you drink a zero calorie glass of water before a meal, it helps fill you up. You eat less during mealtime. You consume fewer calories. Keep this up meal after meal and you’ll lose weight.
#3 Improved skin, joints, hair, nails and muscles.
Water is your body’s main source of lubrication. When all of your cells are healthy and hydrated, your body is able to function optimally. That means your hair is healthier. Your skin is vital and healthy. Your joints tendons and muscles have what they need to function as well. In short, drink water to look and feel better.
#4 It’s Better for Your Heart
Many studies have found that drinking more water helps:
* Lower cholesterol
* Lower blood pressure
* Minimize the risk of heart disease
Much of the benefit to your heart comes from two key factors; water helps your blood flow which in turn lowers blood pressure and the strain on your heart. Additionally, water helps your body carry nutrients to your organs and vital tissues.
#5 Water is free.
Sure, you can pay big bucks for sparkling mineral water. It does taste good. However, water from a filtered tap is just as good for you and it’s absolutely free. You don’t have to spend your hard earned money on beverages that actually harm your health. Soda, fruit juice, energy drinks and other beverages contain sugar, chemicals and lack the hydrating elements you can get from a simple glass of water.
Drinking water is also simple. Water is everywhere. Drinking fountains, sink faucets and bottled water at your supermarket. It’s quick and easy to find anytime you want a drink.

Dry cleaning has been a long standing way of keeping your fine clothes in good shape. And it’s simple. You take your clothes to the cleaner, drop them off and a few days later they’re returned nice and clean. It’s convenient to be sure. However, dry cleaning also has a profound impact on the environment.
#1 Dry Cleaning Extras Fill Landfills
Each piece of dry cleaning you pick up is hung on a nice hanger. Generally, those hangers end up in the garbage. Some dry cleaners give you a credit if you take them back and reuse them. However, most people forget to return them or just throw them away.
Additionally, all dry cleaning items come covered with plastic. This plastic gets tossed in the garbage and ends up in landfills. The end result is that there are a lot of hangers and plastic bags sitting around your local landfill.
#2 Toxins
The primary chemical used to for dry cleaning is Perchloroethylene. This toxic chemical is also known as tetrachloroethylene, perc, PCE, C2Cl4, Cl2C=CCl2, or tetrachloroethene. It’s used in more than 90% of the dry cleaners throughout the United States.
Perc is a petroleum byproduct and it is toxic to the environment. It’s colorless and clear so it’s not apparent when it ends up in our soil or water ways. Additionally, dry cleaners use chlorinated solvents, acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and petroleum naptha to clean stains and for other dry cleaning processes. These chemicals are also toxins. The environment is contaminated to these toxins via air born exposure. It also ends up in our soil and waterways.
#3 Human Complications
PERC is a known animal carcinogen. International Association for Research on Cancer has deemed it a likely human carcinogen as well. Among women who work in dry cleaning, Perc has been studied and has been shown to cause:
* menstrual irregularities,
* fertility problems,
* spontaneous abortions a
Perc found in drinking water has been shown to cause liver and kidney damage. Additionally, the other dry cleaning chemicals has been shown to cause:
* Central nervous system damage
* Liver and kidney damage
* Skin irritation
* Respiratory problems
* Confusion,
* Dizziness
* Headache
* Loss of memory
* Eye, nose and throat irritation
Alternatives to Perc
While dry cleaning chemicals are quite toxic to both people and the environment, they’re not your only option. Many dry cleaners are now using more environmentally friendly methods. They include: wet cleaning and CO2 solvents.
You can also choose to not dry clean your clothing. Most “dry clean only” clothes can also be hand washed or steam cleaned. If you do dry clean your clothing make sure your cleaner uses an alternative to Perc. It’s better for your health and the environment.

Are you looking to solve a health concern and nothing you’ve tried has worked? If prescriptions, the advice of your physician or physical therapist aren’t working consider trying healing touch therapy. Healing touch therapy works with your energy field to help repair, emotional, physical and mental pains. Often they’re connected and healing touch can be the therapy that pulls everything together.

Benefits of Healing Touch Therapy

Helps you learn to care for yourself – Healing touch focuses on helping you not only heal your physical, emotional and spiritual self it also teaches self care. Through healing touch sessions you’ll learn more about how to care for yourself so you stay balanced and healthy in all areas of your life.

Helps manage chronic pain — chronic pain can cause severe stress and anxiety. It can cause depression and a feeling of hopelessness. Healing touch therapy helps you learn to manage chronic pain. It can also alleviate some of the symptoms. Additionally, healing touch helps you come to grips with the emotional toll chronic stress can take on a person. Through healing touch you’ll learn to feel more positive about your life.

Healing touch can be practiced anywhere — healing touch therapy can be performed in your home, in the hospital or at a practitioner’s office. It can come to you which makes it very accessible.

Complimentary — healing touch therapy isn’t an exclusive therapy. Some therapies require you to forgo all other medical care. Nothing interferes with healing touch. It works quite well to compliment any traditional or non-traditional therapy you may be using to treat your condition.

Non-invasive — healing touch is a gentle, non-invasive therapy. Sessions generally range from thirty minutes to sixty minutes so it’s easy to fit between therapies or into a busy day. Your clothing remains on so it’s different from massage. You do remove your socks and shoes.

Comprehensive — healing touch can help with anything from stress and anxiety to cancer care and support. It can help strengthen your immune system, help you recover from surgery, and ease back pain. It can also help with issues like depression, feelings of fear and loneliness or spiritual detachment.

Certified practitioners and globally accepted — healing touch therapy is taught in nursing schools, universities, and other learning institutions.

If you’re looking for a way to ease pain, manage a health condition and you want a holistic approach consider healing touch. It’s an effective way to help you heal your heart, mind and body.

If you’re pregnant you’re probably contemplating all of your delivery options. You may be considering having your birth at home. You may also be weighing the options of various birthing techniques. One such option is to hire a Doula. A doula is a non-medical childbirth assistant. They can provide assistance throughout your labor and delivery.
Many people think a doula is only responsible for assisting with delivery. However a doula can offer help and support during your prenatal care period. They can also be an essential postpartum support person.
Benefits of Hiring a Doula
* A doula can answer any questions you may have about taking care of yourself and your unborn baby.
* They can offer nutrition guidelines and information designed specifically for you and your personal health needs.
* They can also offer you with guidance when it comes to rest, exercise and offer support.
* Your doula can assist a midwife with your examinations.
* They can also help provide any emotional or physical support you need if you’re dealing with a difficult pregnancy.
* Depending on the level of training a doula has, she may attend your home labor
* A doula can drive you to the hospital should you choose a hospital birth.
* They can also attend your birth in the hospital or birthing center and provide emotional support.
* During the actual labor and delivery your doula may be your favorite person in the room. She can offer massage, help you with breathing techniques and keep everyone involved focused on supporting you to have a positive birthing experience.
* Your doula can be the only person who can keep everyone’s nerves calm and cool during childbirth. She can be integral in facilitating communication and letting your support team and midwife or doctors what you need and want. She can be your advocate.
* After delivery a postpartum doula can step right in and help you master breastfeeding. It’s not as easy as it looks and a doula can make the process less challenging.
* Postpartum doulas also visit you in your home and provide emotional support.
* They can offer nutritional advice and answer any self care or baby care questions you may have.
* Some postpartum doulas also help you manage tasks and responsibilities as a new mother.
* Finally, postpartum doulas are familiar with postpartum depression signs, symptoms and care. They can be there to help you right away.
If you’re considering your childbirth, pregnancy support and care options a doula may be the best decision you can make. They’re experienced in assisting pregnant women through all stages of pregnancy and can offer the emotional and physical support and guidance you need.

Children pick up messages and habits as they grow. Through the media, their peers and their parents they learn about the world around them. This means parents have a very important role in the early years of their child’s life. You can help your child develop a healthy body image when they’re young and avoid many issues when they’re teens and young adults.

What is a Healthy Body Image and Why is it Important?

The media to a large extent is blamed for giving children and teens an unhealthy body image. They grow up believing that the people they see on television and in magazines are real. It sets an almost impossible standard to compare themselves to. Thus many children feel ugly, inadequate and undesirable. This can lead to eating disorders, inappropriate or destructive behavior, and depression.

Yet, when children are raised to love and appreciate their body, they grow up healthier mentally and physically. There are many things you can do to help.

Top Tips for Teaching Children a Healthy Body Image

#1 Eat meals together as a family. When the entire family gets together for mealtime children make a positive association with food. They learn to appreciate food.

#2 Limit media exposure. When your child is exposed to magazine and television images discuss the reality of those people they’re seeing. Explain air brushing, lighting and Photoshop to them. Let them know that the people they see do not look like that in real life.

#3 Be a good role model. Speak positively about yourself, your weight and health, and about the physical appearance of others. If your child hears you speaking negatively about weight or food they will absorb that message. This also means taking good care of your own health. Don’t talk about dieting or restrict foods around your children.

#4 Give your child choices about what they eat. When you give your child choices it helps put them in control of their health. They’ll learn to take care of themselves at an early age.

#5 Provide your child with a healthy assortment of foods to choose from. This makes it easy for them to make smart choices. If a home is packed with junk food, children often choose the junk.

#6 Don’t reward with food. Food rewards create an unhealthy relationship with food. Instead offer your child praise, your attention and enjoyable activities.

#7 Praise your child on their appearance and also who they are inside. When they achieve something notable, praise them. When they get dressed up, praise them. Helping your child learn that the inside counts as much as the outside will help them grow up balanced and confident.

Your child’s body image may be challenged as they grow. This is particularly true in their teen years. Providing them with a solid foundation will help them grow up confidence and strong. They’ll love themselves, take good care of their body and value others for who they are, not what they look like.

If you’re looking to save money on clothes consider swapping. Swapping is simply trading clothing with friends. It allows you to get new clothing and accessories without spending a dime. In fact, you can host your own swap party and have fun while gaining a whole new wardrobe. Here’s how:
Step #1 Invite your friends and ask them to each invite a few friends. Decide in advance how large you want the party to be. Thirty women can provide an abundance of clothing options however they may not all fit comfortably in your home.
If you want fifteen people at your swap party then invite five. Ask those five to invite three friends. Let everyone know that they’re coming to a swap party. This means if they want to take clothing home with them, they need to bring clothing to trade.
Step #2 Gather the necessary items. You’ll probably want a few full length mirrors so people can try outfits on. You may also want to have bags for people to take items home in. You may need to tag or mark clothing by value.
For example, one blouse may be worth two accessories. Finally, you will want to create some sort of organization system. One simple option is to organize clothing by size and kind. You’ll want some sort of identification system for the sizes. (Note, in the event two people want the same item of clothing you may also want a decision maker. This can be a coin you flip, a magic eight ball or some other deciding factor.)
Step #3 Food!
Because this is a swap party you can certainly ask attendees to bring something to pass. Appetizers are often best. That way people can nibble while they “shop”. And they won’t get too full to try on clothing. You can then focus on serving beverages and cocktails.
Step #4 A Few Extras
You’ll want to make sure there’s good lighting where people are trying on clothing. You’ll also want to provide rooms for people to change. Finally, consider background music. A swap party should be fun. What could be more fun than a little mood music, a few good cocktails and appetizers and lots and lots of clothing?
Before the party starts be sure to explain the ground rules. Make sure everyone agrees on the value of items. You might also create a system where people can simply barter with the owner. For example, “I’ll trade you this pair of boots for that sweater and handbag.” This can get confusing however with fifteen people or more bringing clothing.
Most importantly, have fun. Make sure your guests have fun. Complement each other. Laugh and enjoy the ability to find new clothing without spending a dime.

Building a new home or renovating an existing one? You might want to consider using sustainable building products. Sustainable building products have come down in price over the past few years. You may be able to receive a tax credit for using them. And you’ll be doing a large part to help the environment.
What Are Sustainable Building Products?
Sustainable building products are products that are easily replenished. They come from sustainable resources. One example is bamboo. Bamboo grows quickly and any plants that are cut down are quickly replenished.
Another example might be solar cells. They’re not made of sustainable materials. However, they produce sustainable energy. They harness the sun’s power and convert it into electricity in your home.
What Qualifies a Building Product as Sustainable?
There are no certification boards to stamp something as sustainable. However you can look for a few keywords to help you make a decision. Some keywords include:
* Recycled Content
* Low-Emitting Materials
* FSC certified
* Zero VOC emissions
* Energy savings
* Low flow — water savings
Where Can You Find Sustainable Building Products?
Depending on your home project you may be able to find much of what you need at your local home store. For example, if you’re remodeling your home you might choose:
* Cork
* Cement
* Bamboo
These work well for flooring or countertop options. You might also choose to utilize reclaimed wood products or reclaimed appliances. In many communities you can find a facility that takes:
* Countertops,
* Cabinets,
* Appliances
* And even things like toilets, faucets and sinks.
You can repurpose or refinish the items to use in your home project.
Consider also low emissions products when you’re painting or using an adhesive. Even carpet adhesives can be sustainable and environmentally friendly. They can be toxic to your health too. And most carpet installation companies offer both low emission adhesives and the standard adhesives.
If you’re planning a large project you might consider consulting with a green architect, contractor, or designer. They can help you get professional discounts on sustainable home building products. This discount can really add up.
Before you begin any home building project, the first step is to plan. Take a look at the resources your project requires then explore your options. Where can you use sustainable and environmentally friendly products? Where can you find them locally? How much will they cost? How much will they save? Remember many states are offering tax incentives and credits for sustainable building projects.
Remodeling or building a home is an exciting time. You can make sure your home is a source of pride. Make it look great and do your part to help the environment. It’s a win win!