Tru Essencia's Love Angel Journey and New Beginnings

Tru Essencia Dance and Wellness, Inc
Choreographers ~ Wellness Professionals ~ Teaching Artist ~ Lightworkers
Deena 'SnapShot' Clemente ~ Wandee 'WandeePop' Candelario

Tru Essencia's New Beginnings
Love Angel Journey

It's been two years since Tru Essencia created a newsletter for our past, present and future clients, students and networking contacts. It's a tool we use to share our dance schedule, services and our favorite things.  Within these two years Deena and Wandee have been on an awakening journey.  I am sure many of you have seen the words 'Awakening' or 'Enlightenment' and thought to yourself, what does that mean?  I know we did.  I thought I was awake being raised in the Catholic tradition most of my life. Keeping God first in my life, Loving my family and friends, Going to school, getting a great job and then becoming an entrepreneur.

When we started our grassroots company in 2007 we understood development was needed to ensure what we share with the world was clear and our focused intent strong.
Anything you build from the ground up will change through the course of the development and change is necessary.  You learn what you want, don't want and make the necessary mistakes along the way.  What we found to be true is.. Truth.. your truth.. our truth.  It's challenging to build something that is the collaborative vision of other people weather it's your mentors or those you admire.  What works for others may not work for you.  You try to fit in to the mold only to discover that is not your purpose.  Then comes the frustration of 'Why am i here?'  'Why am i still doing this?'  What do I do now?  Start over.. Start Fresh.. No way, it's scary.. But How?

We were teaching classes at three of the top 5 major commercial dance studios.  We had students coming in.  We were developing our signature Snap, Pop n' Rock hip hop fitness workshops.  All was well.. But then the inevitable.  Our teaching schedule became a burden, the enjoyment of teaching was dwindling, one day we have 30 plus student the other day a handful.  We started feeling under appreciated for what we were offering.  Why?  because our fears, insecurities, programming and listening to critics who expected our downfall took over our purpose.. because we let it.  We hit a wall.

Something was not working and it was killing our spirit.  Killing who we thought we were and we became bitter, depressed, afraid and blaming the world.  The strong support system we thought we had weakened.  So we decided to retract, step back, hibernate and figure it out or let it go entirely.   The decision was emotionally, mentally, physically and financially challenging.  We let go of everything.  Our teaching schedule and contacts we were working with at the time.  The old paradigms of competition, there's no room for everyone, survival of the fittest, relevancy is not our mindset or the mission statement of our company, but when the majority around you are living those paradigms it becomes more challenging to defy the status quo without Truth, Purpose, Strength and Courage.

During this time one thing remained clear.  We were searching for something.  There was a void.  Yes, we have great families and friends, but there was a void. The Calling.. of our spirit.  We ignored the calling long enough and the strength of our spirit was shining through the death of what we knew our life to be.

Tru Essencia had great intentions at the beginning.  We thought we had it figured out.  But great intentions is not what shows up when you have emotional and spiritual wounds that are not celebrated, healed and balanced as Spirit living a Human Existence.  How can we develop anything without further introspection and development of ourselves.  How can we have a tagline that states 'Mind, Body, Heart, Soul and Spirit' without connecting with the real meanings of the words.

Through synchronicity we connected with kindred spirits, medicine men and women, healers that helped guide our journey of true self discovery.  Beyond Religion or anything we ever experienced or remember experiencing.  We learned how to balance our egos and let our spirit light shine, face our fears, insecurities and programming to be free from the illusion of the linear world that has been created many years ago.  To fully express yourself you must look into your mirror without looking away, love and accept all aspects of who you are, speak your truth with no fears, heal what no longer serves you and is holding you back so you can move forward.

It's a journey, not a destination.  It's an everyday flowing process and divine timing is everything. You have to be ready to receive the information needed to shift your life and if you are not ready that's ok to.  We live in a duality of darkness and light.  As you do your work and develop your sense of purpose, you have what you need to dispel the darkness and natures medicine to help you and the world around you shift perceptions into an expanded consciousness.

It's a new glorious year and a new glorious dimension we are entering that will change to course of our lives on Mother Earth.  As of 12-21-12, end of the Mayan calendar marked the end of the world as we know it to be and creates the start of a new world, which will help change the old paradigm into a new way of thinking.  It is and always will be about Love, Peace, Unity, Connectedness, Cooperation and the Manifestation of Abundance for all on the planet, not just the 1%.

TruEssencia is reinvented, revamped and creates services that help guide our clients and students on their journey of self expression and freedom through our Integrated Wellness programs.  This newsletter is created to share some of our favorite things that inspire us.  Information we learn along our Love Angel journey with the intention to ignite the fire in your spirit.  Everything  and everyone on Mother Earth is important and has special talents to share.  Our journey is a testament and our purpose is to teach, share, encourage, motivate, inspire and shift our healing medicine forward to all who will listen or in this case read our story.   We awaken to who we truly are more and more each day like a thousand petaled lotus in a field of infinite possibilities so we are aware there is much for Tru Essencia to develop within our services to offer:

how to face your mirror
acknowledge your fears
celebrate your insecurities
honor your linear programming

To develop new Beginning techniques to:

cleanse your energy centers
balance your ego/shadow with your light
heal your mind, body, heart, soul and spirit 

To walk your walk, talk your talk and express your truth:

to love with an open heart
to forgive with an open mind
to give back to mother earth and all our relations with a pure open connected spirit.

We'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of our students, clients and networking contacts past, present and future for all the support through the years.  For believing in us and our vision and for reminding us that our passion for what we do and who we are is needed and important to the community and the world.  The energy we share in our services is bigger than us; our mission is bigger than what we can imagine.  But that's what makes the Great Mystery of life.  We Dream Big and start our days with gratitude for living during this very important time of 2013.

There is so much to share and we are excited to share our story with you.  It's through trust, truth and faith that we are taking this step to open our doors and let our lights shine.  Everything you read is based on our personal beliefs and what we use today for our personal use and recommendations to our students and clients.  Most of the information is gathered through years of research and experience.  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to connect with Tru Essencia Dance and Wellness, Inc.
We look forward to connecting with you every month sharing our journey, insights and info on our services.  We will have a NEW funky fresh Hip Hop Dance Foundation teaching schedule for 2013 soon to share.  Please share this Newsletter with anyone who would benefit from the info.  If would be much appreciated.  We are here to connect share and love with one another because we are ONE and the same Life Force Energy.

PAZ AMOR LUZ

Join Tru Essencia's Stillness Community Group

Mind, Body, Heart, Soul and Spirit
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Tru Essencia Dance and Wellness, Inc. is creating a Stillness Community Group of like minded individuals that want to change their life and do it in a community of support, trust and safety.  This will be done collectively during the privacy of your own home or if you are out you can still accomplish this task.  Then when Spring arrives we can make plans to meet in a park for movement and stillness sessions.

What is Stillness?
It's a timeout for your mind, body, heart, soul and spirit.  Where you do your Breathing Techniques to connect your body to Mother Earth; where you smudge your space for aromatherapy to help sooth your mind, Where you listen to your spirit for guidance; Where you release no longer serves you; Where you silence your thoughts and Just Be.

Here's How it Works:
We are committing to a minimum of 20mins of Stillness everynight between the hours of 7:30pm and 8:30pm.  If you can find the time to 'Be Still' within this time you will be connecting your spiritual energy with everyone else in this Stillness Community Group for a common goal of Spiritual Enlightenment and to energetically connect to eachother.  Individually you matter and make a difference in the world when you are living your purpose.  Collectively we change the world so everyone on Mother Earth is living their purpose in Love, Peace and Harmony.  Your stillness can be guided or in silence or with nature sounds or native drumming.  I will email recommendations to anyone interested that needs some guidance on how to start.  Below is a link to send us your emails with questions, comments or concerns and to let us know who we are connecting with during our evening of Stillness.  Will you commit to the challenge?  Take some timeout for yourselves.  Lock yourself in the bathroom or in a closet if you need to.  If you miss a day or a few, that's ok too.  Baby Steps!  We will still be in our places 'being still'.  Tru Essencia has developed this habit within the two years of our journey. It takes time, patience and faith.  We believe in you.

By choosing to become part of this transformational experience, you are helping to bring greater abundance into your life and into the lives of everyone around you. We are deeply grateful to all joining us on such a personal and worthwhile journey. 

As you prepare, let me assure you that every person can 'be still' or 'meditate'. The process itself will provide the perfect experience for your growth every time you sit down to be still. Relinquish any fears, worries, or doubts you may have. Remain open to the experience without judgment. You may also wish to consider such practical points as where and when you'll be still.

I encourage you to share the news with family and friends so that they, too, can participate and/or support you in your daily practice. 

Establishing a regular practice will help you reap countless physical and emotional rewards, including reduced stress, improved sleep, greater focus and creativity, and a pervasive sense of peace and wellbeing. Over time, you'll also begin to gain a better understanding of your own identity as you deepen your connection with your spiritual essence. 

I greatly look forward to your feeback.

If you are joining us please send Tru Essencia Dance and Wellness, Inc. an email here so we can send you some Stillness recommendations.

Share Your Thoughts on our Blog

1. How does Stillness meditations make you feel emotionally, spiritually, physically, mentally?

2. Do you feel supported on your journey?

3. Are you interested in a supported group in the spring for Stillness Meetups?

4. Is there anything you are not resonating with during your journey?

7 Nutritional Sugesstions for Overall Wellbeing

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Nutrition is the most important element in any wellness program.  The more you know about Proteins, Carbohydrates (Starch and Complex) and Fats (Saturated and Unsaturated) the better off you will be.  Nutrition is discussed in Tru Essencia's Heart to Heart Consultations before we start any programs with our clients.  Our services are integrated to teach our clients the benefits of connecting Mind, Body, Heart, Soul and Spirit; it's who we are.  It's challenging to only focus on one or two parts of us when the sum of it's parts is what creates overall wellbeing and happiness.  Everything is Energy.  The energy of what you consume in your body is ultimately what you become.  I find one of the common mistakes is portion control.

One of The best rules of thumb to remember: 
Eat Breakfast like a King/Queen, Lunch like a Prince/Princess And Dinner like a Servant

We need to clarify that each person has very specific needs for his or her own health.  One of the main concepts of this methodology is recognizing your bio-individuality. No perfect way of eating works for everybody. Most food that is perfect for your unique body, age and lifestyle may make another person gain weight and feel lethargic. Similarly, no perfect way of eating will work for you all the time. You may notice you eat different foods on days when you are working eight hours than on a relaxing day spent reading at home.  Foods you ate as a child may not agree with you as an adult. What you crave in the winter is completely different than what you crave in the summer.
Another critical part of postmodern nutrition is bridging the gap between nutrition and personal growth and development. These two entities are absolutely linked; you can’t look at one without the other. People really want to be better. They crave growth. But very few experts in the realm of personal growth and development address the importance of nutrition. Likewise, traditionally trained nutritionists will give you a list of foods to eat and not to eat, but their advice will not work until you start to identify what in your life is keeping you from making healthy choices. Look at it this way: a person stuck in a bad relationship can eat all the broccoli in the world, but it won’t change their relationship. !is bad relationship will cause their health and well-being to suffer. Similarly, if your career is opposed to your spiritual values, you will have a hard time making big breakthroughs with a health concern.  The energy spent at a draining job will ultimately outweigh the benefits of eating healthy food.

Being healthy is really not that complicated. Our body knows what to eat.  It’s the brain that makes mistakes. Maybe you heard about a diet that sounded great in theory, but after a week of eating that way, you started to feel weak and bloated. You don’t have to read nutrition books to know what to eat. Instead, you can foster a deep relationship with your body in which it naturally tells you what it needs to function at its highest potential. This postmodern approach will help you cultivate the ability to eat intuitively, trusting your body—not some book, chef or research study—to guide you to the foods that best support you and allow your body and mind to operate at their fullest potential.

Compliments of Integrated Nutrition in NYC

Basic Rules of Thumb for building the perfect Nutritional Plans that work for you:

Always Eat Breakfast: People who eat breakfast are much more successful at keeping weight off. When you skip meals, you become calorie deficient and usually end up binging later in the day. Snack throughout the day. You know the saying, “Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry?” Try it. Snacking can actually help some people eat less. By eating between meals, you can help reduce hunger pains and binging later in the day.

Drink More Water: By replacing soda, alcohol or coffee with water, you can cut a significant amount of calories from your daily routine. Many people can effortlessly lose 10 pounds by simply replacing soda with water throughout the day. Be aware of alcoholic drinks as well—a jumbo margarita can have up to 700 calories. Also try drinking water before your meal. The water will help break down the food more effectively. Prepare Your Own Meals: Restaurant food generally has more salt, more fat and more calories and is served in larger portions than food cooked at home. When you make your own meals, you can control the amount of salt and oil, as well as the portion size. If you have to eat out, try splitting one dish between two people or ask for half the meal to be wrapped up before it comes to the table.

Reduce Your Stress Levels:  Many people eat more when they feel stress; the stuffed feeling makes them feel comfortable and helps them relax. Try other ways of relaxing, like a hot bath or a walk around the block. Also try slowing down, breathing and enjoying each meal. Say a prayer beforehand or take a moment to be grateful for the food you are eating. Get Enough Sleep Each Night:  Growing evidence supports that missing out on sleep can increase your appetite. Most people need about 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Keep Moving:   Start with small changes like getting off one stop earlier on a train and walking the rest of the way or parking in the back of a parking lot. Take the stairs whenever possible. Instead of meeting a friend for coffee, meet for a walk, or a bike ride or take a dance class together. Keep Track: Whether you keep a food journal or weigh yourself on a regular basis, find a method that will keep you motivated and help you track your progress.

Be A Food Detective:   Read food labels and don’t eat anything you can’t pronounce. Stick to simple, whole foods that will nourish your body. Identify Your Temptation Foods: You know whether they are salty or sweet, fried or creamy, and you know that if they are within reach, you will want them. Do not keep these foods in your home or office and get support from your family and friends with these foods.

Take A Multi-Vitamin:   Everyone can benefit from well-rounded nutrients. Some evidence suggests that by adding specific high-quality nutrients to a well-balanced diet, you can improve your metabolism and many enzyme processes for greater vitality and health.

Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in Plants.  If you want to lose weight fast, you don’t have to go on a fad diet.  Just switch from simple to complex carbohydrates and eat lots of vegetables. You’ll lose weight and improve your health. Plant foods are so low in calories that they force the body to burn its own fat. Nobody gets fat on a nutrition that’s made up largely of green vegetables, sweet vegetables, whole grains and small amounts of high-quality animal protein and non-animal protein. But throw in a bunch of cookies, white bread, French fries and a few quarter-pounders, and you’ve got yourself a serious weight problem.  When people make the connection that healthy, whole foods really make you feel better, the weight becomes a secondary issue.

Share Your Thoughts Below;-)

Herbs for Health and Wellbeing

Aromatherapy and Smudging                                                                                                         SAGE

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Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials - essential oils - and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering one's mind, mood, health or cognitive function. Some essential oils, such as tea tree oil, have demonstrated anti-microbial effects.

Some of the materials used in Aromatherapy include:

Absolutes - Fragrant oils, such as rose absolute, extracted primarily from flowers or delicate plant tissues through solvent or super-critical fluid extraction.Carrier Oils - Usually oily plant based triglycerides, such

as sweet almond oil, that dilute essential oils for use on the skin.Essential Oils - Fragrant oils extracted from plants primarily through steam distillation or expression.Hydro-sols or Herbal Distillates - the aqueous by-products, such as rosewater, of the distillation process.

Infusions - Aqueous extracts, such as infusion of chamomile, of various plant material

Some caveats. As with any bio-active substance, essential oils may pose hazards for pregnant and lactating women. Oils - both ingested and applied to the skin -  potentially can negatively interact with conventional medicines. Because essential oils are highly concentrated and can irritate the skin when undiluted, a carrier oil should be used for topical application.

Smudging
Smudging is a way of using the smoke from burning herbs as a way to cleanse the body, an object or an area of negative influences. A smudge stick is a bundle of dried herbs, most commonly White Sage (Salvia apiana). Often other herbs or botanicals are added, and the leaves are bound with string in a small bundle and dried.

Other herbs that may be used with or in place of white sage include common sage, rosemary, juniper, cilantro, cedar, lavender, sweetgrass and mugwort. Smudging sticks may be used in Stillness or meditation practices as psychologically and spiritually cleansing, and as a means of clearing negative energy, focusing your thoughts and relaxing your emotions.

You can smudge yourself or others by lighting a smudge herb bundle and, with your hand or a feather, fanning the smoke in the appropriate direction. Smudge your home for purification, and to repel and cleanse dark/evil influences.

For cleansing your home, first offer the smoke to each of the rooms, them go through each room, making sure the smoke penetrates every nook and cranny. Then light a white candle to - literally - light up your home.  Always perform smudging with care and reverence, and in an attitude of love. Honor the plants in the smudge bundle, and they will keep you well and free from disease and negative energy.

Sage is a native to Northern Mediterranean coastal areas of Europe. In many Native American traditions, Sage is considered a sacred herb and burning it is believed to release a purifying energy that can cleanse a space of negative energy, thoughts and feelings.  We all know this herb to be known for its wonderful fragrance and taste. There’s more to this herb then meets the eye.

In the 1800’s Americans thought this herb cured warts. They also claimed Sage cured epilepsy, insomnia, measles, seasickness, and worms.  This powerful herb can fight a variety of infections, killing bacteria as well as viruses, and fighting inflammation along the way.   In this day and age Sage is an herb than can be used for many different things… it can be used for cooking, aromatherapy, and for medical purposes. Some of the attributed medical properties go as follows:  

The oils in Sage contain antiseptic, astringent, and irritant properties.  Treating such ailments as sore throats, mouth irritations like canker sores, possibly cuts and bruises to heal.

In 1939 an experiment was conducted and showed Sage had estrogenic properties which may have some connection to the herb’s ability to dry tip milk?

The research also showed set herb to be very helpful in lowering blood sugar in diabetics.

Sage is great for easing the mind during a time when feeling mentally exhausted, soothing nerves, and strengthening concentration. Using this herb in lotion form is a good thing to do when treating sores, or skin eruptions.

Here are a few more helpful tips when using Sage:

*Tea – Great for all stomach troubles, diarrhea, gas, flu and colds.

*Mouth or Sore Throat – Chewing fresh Sage leaves helps to soothe sore mouth, and sore throat.

*In Combination with Sage – Peppermint, rosemary, and wood betony provide helpful remedies for headaches, regulating menstrual cycle.

*Essential Oil – in oil form Sage is great for aromatherapy to cleanse and purify the air.

*Cooking – Some people find the pungency of Sage to be overpowering, its astringent, “grease cutting” attributes make it a perfect accompaniment when preparing fatty food, and meats.  Sage goes well with foods like carbohydrates, butter beans, and vegetable soup.

So the next time you are putting to together your grocery list. Add Sage to the list not only is it good for you, it’s good in helping you heal and has a wonderful fragrance.

Share your feedback;-)

Herb Ready Nutritional Program

Food For Fuel Not Emotion.

Balance Your Energy Wellbeing

 Daily Breathing Techniques

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Our personal mission is to educate and inspire anyone who will listen and interested. If a person takes away one thing from something we say, or they use any of our services and are intrigued enough by a word or phrase to investigate it and make a change then we have done our part in the world.  Baby Steps are everything. Never minimize them. One small change leads to another and another and another. That is significant! And that is how happiness is achieved.

These ancient techniques have been passed down through our ancestors and helps to connect with the element Air, which is our healing life source.  Use your breath as your disinfectant to clean out the toxins that store in your body.  One of many things I have learned through working with personal training clients is we tend not to breath correctly or deep enough.  We have thousands of energy centers in our body and 7 main energy centers that run from the crown of our head to the base of our spine.  Each energy center requires all the Elements to survive; Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Spirit.  When one or more of these energy centers are not balanced or closed off we shut down that energy center and it's functions in our life.

There are many modalities and techniques available to help restore, charge and balance your energy centers.  Below are a few Tru Essencia uses to create wellbeing, grounding, centering, healing, focus and connection with our higher source, spirit.

Also, these techniques can be done anytime, anywhere and especially during your Stillness Time, which is accomplished through practice, time, patiencia y fey.  Patience and Faith.

Everything is Energy. What we see and don't see effects us.  What we do, say and think effects us on every level. Real change starts with YOU. You want the world to change but refuse to do the work yourself.  Be the change you want to see and watch your world expand.  Are you Ready for the Challenge?

Technique #1:  10 Second Breath
Can be done anywhere and at anytime; sitting or standing; walking etc..  Do this as many times as necessary; minimum 3 times to help create grounding, focus, clear thinking, helps with nausea, dizziness, vertigo, anxiety and much more as well.
Tip: Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach as a guide to make sure your breathing deep into your diaphragm and not shallow breathing into the chest.  If you are still do this with your eyes closed with no distractions.  If you find yourself yawning you are not breathing deep enough.  A yawn is an alert from your body that it requires more oxygen/air.

Take a 10 second Inhale through your nose; enough to see and feel the hand on your stomach rising; then your chest rising till you can not take it anymore air.
Take a 10 second Exhale through your mouth; enough to see and feel your chest release your breath; then your stomach till you have no more space for air.
On the Inhale Take In and Visualize the life you want to create filled with light, love, abundance, light and happiness.
On the Exhale Release what no longer serves you; any body aches, pains, wounds, energy that is trapped in your body, thoughts, emotions, people, place or thing.

Technique #2:  STOP
For those moments when you know your emotions are high, stress is evident and irrational thinking is occurring.  Maybe a disagreement at work or at home with the family or your commute home and you are comforted with a disgruntled commuter on the streets, subway, bus or aggressive driver.  You fear you may say the wrong thing or think destructively.  I urge you to remember to STOP!

Stop
Take 3 Deep Cleansing Breaths
Observe the Situation with an Open Heart, Mind and Spirit
Proceed with Words and Actions of Love, Kindness, Peace and Compassion

Before you talk, listen. Before you react, think. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try...

 Tip:  Tru Essencia invites you to..
When You STOP this would be a great time for Journaling the experiences.
Ask yourself..

What am I feeling right now?  

Identify and Acknowledge the Emotions. Do not criticize or judge yourself
or ignore the emotions because they will surely be triggered again and again.
Be as specific and honest as possible.
Ask Yourself..

Where is this feeling coming from? 

Identify the Source of the feeling, not the trigger of the emotion.
For example, if your spouse triggers your anger, guilt, disappointment, frustrations, fears, insecurities from an action or words that he/she did to caused your effect.  Your anger stems from a source other than his/her action; maybe from childhood or maybe from a past life trauma that was not healed.  Once that is addressed you can do your healing work on that trauma.  It’s there but you must do the work instead of burying it so deep that you forget it’s there until its triggered again.  It will not just go away without your acknowledgment.

Share Your Thoughts and Comment Below;-)