Almond Butter Stuffed Dates with Coconut

ALMOND BUTTER STUFFED DATES WITH COCONUT

Article by John Scardina
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #26

Almond Butter Stuffed Dates with Coconut

Serves 4
Ingredients:

16 Organic Medjool pitted dates
1 ounce organic almond butter
1 ounce of organic slivered almonds
1 ounce organic toasted shredded coconut
1 ounce organic coconut milk cream (the thick portion for whipping).

Preparation:

Sliced open pitted dates and fill each date with almond butter. Top with a small amount of Coconut whipped cream, (the solid portion of a can of organic coconut milk). Add a sprinkle of toasted coconut and some slivered almonds. Enjoy!

Is Networking Bad for Business?

IS NETWORKING BAD FOR BUSINESS?

Article by John Scardina
Photo Credit: Dasha & Mari
Magazine: Issue #26

Is Networking Bad for Business?

For years I have been a fan of networking, I like to think I have a rather large network of professionals in many different aspects of business and knowledge that I can converse with to acquire answers, opinions, ideas and clients. Networking is the human mind and body in marketing mode, always changing, adapting and growing with each new contact. The amazing part of networking is that you never know who you will meet and what or who they know. In business we all solve a problem that someone has and many of many of us solve very unique or niche problems for clients. This is what makes us so adaptable to “Networking with the enemy”.

As a practitioner I network with other practitioners in and out of the same field I practice. This is where I hear from others, stating “you should never network or share business info with someone that practices in your same field”, especially in the same geographical area that you practice. That’s like “networking with the enemy”. “You are losing business by doing this”. I personally do not believe in these fears or statements. The problems that you solve for clients go much deeper than a cookie cutter practice and knowledge gained from likeminded people is so very valuable. They understand your business, they have made the same mistakes, overcome the same obstacles and have a world of info to share that is a benefit to your business. The greatest importance of this is, knowledge and client acquisition. So many practitioners offer so many types of services and there are also many services that they do not. The big picture here is to network with everyone you can and feel comfortable with them completely. This is how we learn and grow within our business.

In my history I have only lost one client to another practitioner since 2009 with networking in this manner. This client admittedly was not a great fit for my services and I was happy to have introduced them to another practitioner. The end result was I avoided conflict with a client and still helped the client overall. I have gained so many more clients in return by this very same method of networking. With consistent sharing and networking with like practitioners we all improve the world as a whole and almost always have an answer to a business problem. The plain and simple fact is, if I cannot service a client fully I will pass this client along to someone I know and trust and the same works in reverse. The more you network with the so named “enemy”, the more knowledgeable and powerful you become as a resource to your clients.

There is no such thing as “networking with the enemy”!

1| Network with all types of people, even those who provide the same services.
2| Know these people well and build a trust.
3| Share knowledge and experience
4| Be confident in the knowledge and service that you provide.

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Guided Meditation as a Business Tool

Guided Meditation as a Business Tool

GUIDED MEDITATION AS A BUSINESS TOOL

Article by John Scardina
Photo Credit: Mariana Garcia
Magazine: Issue #25

Have you ever tried a Guided Meditation? There are so many available from coaches, mystics, and practitioners of all kinds. You know the type of meditation that brings you towards a predetermined path to relaxation, bliss, healing, rest or a multitude of other achievable goals. Many of these meditations are short in length and easy to perform. Most only needing about 30 minutes of your undivided attention. A few moments with your subconscious with so many benefits. Some of my favorite guided meditations bring me to places I have never visited other than in my subconscious. Beautiful peaceful colorful places filled with nothing but positive energies, people and scenarios.

To try this practice, (and this is only an example). Always start with relaxing position laying or sitting down in a quite space with your eyes closed. Focus on your breathe next, inhale and exhale being conscious of each breathe. Just breathe normally for several breathes in this manner. Now in your mind’s eye create a peaceful space. This can be a seaside beach, a lush green forest, or even a mythical place Create as much detail and color as you can, but don’t push it too hard, piece it together slowly. Once you have this visual in your mind maybe start walking around in this space, what do you see? Depending where you have placed yourself maybe a long ocean beach with gentle waves flowing across the sand. What color sand, is it a sunny warm day or a light and gentle rain occurring, be creative. Are there people in the water, are there boats, maybe even horses on the beach Build this in your mind again with detail. The possibilities are limitless and you are completely in control of this meditation. Now remembering all of this detail and taking it in in your mind walk back to where you started and feel blissful with this scenario that you have created and slowly open your eyes and return yourself to your life. Again this is just basics of a guided meditation.

Now for the fun part, try this guided meditation with a business twist. Begin with details of your particular business in mind. Are you a coach, an artist, a practitioner of any sort? Add details in your business that may need some rough edges resolved. You can create in your mind, meeting your ideal client, marketing plans or a public presentation. Again be creative with whatever your individual business needs remember to add as much detail as you can. Meditating on these subjects can prepare your subconscious for anything that that lies ahead in regards to your business. Planning in your mind’s eye can prepare you for many of your business needs, before the need is a reality. Practice this and see how helpful it can be.

Gluten Free Apple & Cinnamon Coffee Cake Recipe

Coffee Cake Recipe

GLUTEN FREE APPLE & CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE

Recipe by John Scardina
Photo Credit: Angel Quintana
Magazine: Issue #24

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot starch
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1/4 organic sugar or date sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for greasing the pan
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut cream from a can of organic coconut milk (Thai Kitchen Organic) produces the most amount of cream 
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup grated apple (about 1 large apple) Green or Granny Smith
Topping:
1 1/2 cups walnuts (or pecans, if you prefer)
1/2 cup almond flour
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoons organic sugar or date sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
pinch salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 350° and grease a 8 x 8 baking dish.

Make the topping: pulse the walnuts in a food processor 10-12 times or until they are coarse crumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse 2-3 more times until combined. Set aside.

Add your dry cake ingredients.to a cleaned processor (almond flour through salt) Pulse a couple of times to mix.

Cut the tablespoon of butter into smaller pieces and add it to the dry ingredients. Pulse until it’s cut in to the dry ingredients, similar to if you were making a pie crust.

In a small bowl, mix your wet cake ingredients (eggs through vanilla) and whisk until well combined. Stir in grated apple.

Add to the food processor and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides once or twice to make sure it’s well mixed.

Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the walnut topping over, as evenly as you can.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool, and enjoy!

Self-Care for Entrepreneurs: Lessons Learned from Reiki

SELF-CARE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
{Lessons Learned from Reiki}

Article by John Scardina
Photo Credit: Mariana Garcia
Magazine: Issue #24

Self-Care for Entrepreneurs

Before being attuned to Reiki I can honestly say that I never woke up one day ever and said, “What am I going to do for myself today”? There are way too many things going on in life, to take care of myself after all I’m fulfilling goals, helping others, and really just too busy to think of myself. Everyone thinks this way, right? Especially the entrepreneur, we have all been there, way too busy to take care of ourselves first. I can honestly say one of the best things in life I have done for myself is being attuned to Reiki. The best part is now can teach Reiki to others and let them help themselves and others. Who knows what you need better than you. It’s important to first nurture yourself!

Practices that you can provide yourself to improve mind, body, and spirit are listed below. Make time to practice these every day for you. You will feel better about all aspects of your life.

Meditate every morning and late evening if you can. Don’t overdo it, this can happen in 10 to 20 minute events. If you already practice Reiki you may incorporate as Reiki session at the same time.

Surround yourself with kind people. Walk away from friends that do not respect or nurture you. Remain or become friends with those who love for who you are.

Embrace your sense of humor. Laughter can quickly change your vibration to a higher level.

Lock up your worries. When focus is needed or working with clients mentally lock your worries into a box. You can open this box up when you are ready address these worries. Don’t dwell all day over a worry, address it when you can dedicate energies on a solution to your worries.

Sever emotional cords. When experiencing negative energy from people or any situation, cleanse yourself by imagining swiping a sword between you and the negative energy to stop its flow.

Exercise. This can be as simple as taking a walk or taking the stairs instead of an elevator. Anything that creates a physical energy within you to reduce stress and tension.

Forgive yourself. As an entrepreneur you most likely are compassionate towards client. Become compassionate with yourself.

Learn to say no. This is ideal if something affects your time or energy negatively.

Pamper yourself. Enjoy every moment that you do something special for you.

Practice Reiki Daily. 10 to 20 minutes a day. I prefer about 30 minutes a day before bed and this includes my meditation

Be a Better Holistic Leader by Embracing Your Shadow Self

BE A BETTER HOLISTIC LEADER BY EMBRACING
YOUR SHADOW SELF

Embracing Your Shadow Self

Article by John Scardina
Photo Credit: Angel Quintana
Magazine: Issue #23

We all have two sides, for it is in our nature. One side (the good side) is filled with joy, hope, love, peace, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The other side (the bad side) is filled with anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, gilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. We as humans in nature have these two sides. The balance of both of these sides is totally dependent of how well we know and embrace your shadow self.

Our ego tells us that not to dwell upon our darker shadow side as normal functioning humans, but how quick do we turn to anger and resentment when someone hurts us. If we experience failure we quickly become overwhelmed with fear, confusion and guilt. These are the events that occur to often and during these events we feel the vulnerability until our minds almost always suppress these matters until they are forgotten.

This cycle of emotions never gets displayed completely and gets stored within your shadow self, destined to resurface in the form of negativity allowing a channel for this negativity to appear over and over again.

In order for us to be of sound mind and body our consciousness needs to confront our shadow self. You can start by making mental notes of negative feelings, which leads to contraction of energy in your body. Once you understand the root of the feeling, what you want to do with it will be at your decision on your terms. You might want to convert it into something positive to be at peace and rise above a deep seated negativity.

Once you have acknowledged the existence of anger and vulnerability to yourself, you will figure out a conscious solution to deal with it. It will no longer have the power to unconsciously rule over you. Your shadow self will become your friend which will help overcome the thoughts that bring you down. This process in human nature as told by Native Americans is a battle between “Two Wolves” where a constant battle of conscious and sub conscious exists inside of us.

Introducing yourself to your shadow self, understanding and embracing it can be the only way win this battle between the two wolves, as only one wolf can win this battle “The one you feed the most will most certainly win”. Understanding your shadow self can help you to win the battle for your good side.

Healing the Healer: 5 Reiki Applications to Combat Fatigue

HEALING THE HEALER:
5 REIKI APPLICATIONS TO COMBAT FATIGUE

Article by John Scardina
Photo Credit: Rose Jane
Magazine: Issue #22

Reiki Applications to Combat Fatigue

Many business owners in my direct and indirect circles are healers, a wonderful and amazing group of energy workers, coaches, educators, and visionaries all of which give their all to everyone at any given time. A constant flow or surge of energy that is personally directed to the individual who seeks or needs help to improve their life and or needs. Admittedly this is one of the best feelings in the universe, to have that ability to help others with improving any one of their needs in life. This gift of working so dearly for others can also have a downside that can fatigue the healer if they do not take care of themselves first. If you do not take care of yourself you cannot take care of others. It is of the upmost importance for the energy workers, coaches, educators, and visionaries to take the time out in between clients to heal themselves first.

I have been a Reiki practitioner since 2008 and now a Reiki Master/Teacher. Reiki, “Universal Life Force Energy” an energy that exists in everyone and everything is one amazing energy healing technique that is constant, never draining, and can never do harm. The best part is that this energy is already inside of us all. The only key missing is to be properly attuned to Reiki in order to enjoy and share its benefits. Once attuned to Reiki by a Reiki Master/Teacher you can immediately use Reiki to heal others, but most importantly to heal yourself. The method of self-healing through Reiki is something that can be practiced whenever called upon in order to calm, energize ground and center the healer in you. 

Some methods of applying Reiki to the healer could be:

Detoxify yourself (cleanse yourself) free of all negative energy that might remain after working with a client for an extended period of time.

Rebalance the flow of your energy after a long lasting of any type of work with a client.

Shield, protection prior to any client work in order to maintain a constant level of energy during your work.

Remove blockage of stagnant energy if you are doing hands on energy work with a client.

Reenergize and ground yourself after any work with a client.

The applications for the use of Reiki are almost limitless on how they may be utilized for your inner healer, and it is always with you. We must always remember as healers to take care of ourselves first in order to provide the best for our clients.

Do the 5 Reiki Principles Apply to Your Business?

DO THE 5 REIKI PRINCIPLES APPLY TO YOUR BUSINESS?

Do the 5 Reiki Principles Apply to Your Business?

Article by John Scardina
Photo Credit: Angel Quintana
Magazine: Issue #21

A sacred method of inviting blessings and the spiritual medicine to many illnesses, situations, and business practice. The practice of Reiki once attuned (taught), has limitless benefits in life and can do no harm. Each principle starts with “Just for Today”, no long term goals just a non-stress reminder to follow every day. 

We can get caught up in day to day routines in business and forget many basic principles in life in general. Forgetting these basic principles can be a detriment to any business owner. Taking time to meditate briefly with these principles daily can bring forth the positive energy needed to succeed as a business owner.

The five principles are as follows:

1| Just for today, do not anger
2| Just for today, do not worry
3| Just for today, be grateful for everything
4| Just for today, do your work honestly
5| Just for today, be kind to others

Anger can be considered to be a negative energy. If we don’t use this energy in an appropriate way, dealing openly with situations and problems it can become contaminated with frustration and resentment and become destructive anger.

The thoughts of worry outweigh the benefits of concern and we should never confuse worry with concern, worrying keeps us focused on the problem while healthy concern helps us think about solutions.

Being grateful reflects quality not quantity and it’s our own values that are sent back at us that creates this sense of lack or abundance in our lives.  Lack or abundance is relative and how we view these events can affect the quality of our lives.

Taking personal responsibility for your life, everything in it, and the attainment of your own goals, there is nothing worse than waiting for others including spirit/universe to act on your behalf and there is nothing more exciting than realizing that no one is going to do it for you.

It’s easy to be kind to people you like and who like you. The test comes when we are asked to be kind to those people we don’t like and who make us feel angry and insecure. Maybe one of the biggest challenges of these principles, but certainly obtainable.

Can you apply these five principles to your business, “Just for Today”?