The Jahmu Journal

I would like to share these fun journaling exercises with you. I have found journaling to be a really helpful way to maintain positive attitude and to create the changes I want in my life. I have tried many different journaling exercises. The Jahmu Journal is a compilation of guiding questions which I have found most effective. Feel free to change, skip or add questions so that it relates to you and your life.

This evening, or tomorrow morning, sit down with a cup of Jahmu and try writing down the answers, speaking them out loud, or contemplating them in your head. You can do these exercise alone or with a partner. Answering the questions in the Jahmu Journal should only take 10 minutes twice a day, but you can spend more time on it if you would like. Try it for 5 days and see how you feel!

Click below to download a printable version of The Jahmu Journal

Instructions:

  1. Print out 7 copies of the morning and evening writing rituals, one for each day of the week. Or, print it once as a reference sheet and do the writing in a separate Journal.
  2. In the morning sit down with a cup of Jahmu Chai (or any type of tea, coffee or water) and answer these questions while you sip your beverage. Before or after doing this writing exercise sit still, in silence, for 5 minutes observing your breath or meditating in any way you choose.
  3. In the evening sit down with a cup of Jahmu Chai (or any type of non caffeinated beverage or glass of water or even a glass of wine) and answer the evening questions and the “questions for going deeper.”  If you prefer to do it in bed right before going to sleep, keep this journal on your bedside table. Before or after this writing exercise do some yoga or light stretching. If you have been on your feet a lot I highly recommend laying with your legs up for 3-5 minutes.
  4. Do this journaling practice every day for one week and notice if, by the end of the week you feel happier, healthier, more fulfilled, more successful or more present in your daily life. Feel free to change or modify the questions in any way you want. You can delete questions you feel are not helpful and add questions which would be more useful to you. If you have any feedback or suggestions please share them by emailing Jess@Jahmu.com

 

Morning writing ritual

What did I dream about? As you take your first sips of Jahmu, try to recall your dreams or the feeling you felt and/or thoughts you had when you first woke up. What might be the meaning or cause of these dreams, feelings and thoughts?

 

5 things I am grateful for: Take one sip of Jahmu for each thing you are grateful for and experience feeling gratitude physically in your heart and belly.

 

What are 3 things I would like to accomplish today? Envision yourself doing these things and imagine how you will feel when each one is complete. Take a sip of Jahmu and feel the energy of manifestation flowing through your body.

 

What is one way I will incorporate exercise, movement or a fun physical activity into my day? Picture yourself doing this activity as you take another sip of Jahmu.

 

What is one healthy food I will nourish my body with today? Take another sip of Jahmu and imagine tasting this food and feeling it nourish your body.

 

What is one kind deed or act of service I can do for someone else today? Picture the smile on that person’s face as you give them a compliment, a gift, or do them a favor and notice how that act of kindness makes you feel.

 

What is my positive affirmation for the day?  I am… Use what first comes to mind or what you wrote down last night. Repeat your affirmation with every sip of Jahmu until your cup is empty or you have had enough. Remind yourself of this affirmation throughout the day. Maybe say it out loud to yourself in the car, or write it down on a sticky note.

 

Evening Writing  Ritual

What was one awesome thing that happened today?

 

What is one thing I learned today?

 

What are 3 things I accomplished today? They can be small but still congratulate yourself!

 

What could have made today even better?

 

What was one really nice thing I did for myself today?

 

What was one really nice thing I did for someone else today?

 

Send a kind thought or prayer to someone else. Take a moment to pause and imagine sending this person (place or group of people) love, light and healing energy. Write a prayer for them here.

 

What are 3 things I am grateful for? Take a moment to really feel gratitude in your body.

 

Questions for going deeper:

These questions can be contemplated on a daily or weekly basis in the morning or evening.

What is my mission or life’s  purpose?  It can be simple, broad or complex. It can change day to day or remain the same. What comes to mind in this moment? If money weren’t an issue what would I do for a living? What is one service to humanity that I would love to offer? What skills come naturally to me? When I was a kid what did I want to be when I grew up? As an adult, what do I want to be when I grow up?

 

What do I desire? What do I need? What do I want to attract? What do I want to manifest? What do I wish for? Imagine fulfilling this need or desire. Dream big!

 

What do I fear? What is holding me back from doing what I love and achieving what I desire? What are some limiting beliefs about myself?

 

Create a positive affirmation:  Program your subconscious by creating an affirmation to reflect how you would like to see yourself.  What is my new identity? What does it feel like in your body when you say “I am…”?  Make sure the affirmation resonates with your truth. Write it down 5 times or repeat it in your head 5 times.

Water does the body good

By Erin Ernest

As you begin to age, you may start to notice dryness to your skin, bags under your eyes, difficulty concentrating, and headaches creeping up when you don’t get enough of it.  You see Americans crazed by health and fitness who carry around big jugs of it, making sure they get the daily required dosage into their body. After the New Year, you might see your coworker switching out their daily afternoon coffee or soda for it. We are talking about water, which could arguably be the most essential part of any living being’s diet.  

Water comprises about 75% body weight in infants and 55% in the elderly; it is essential for cellular homeostasis and life. According to a study by The National Center for Biotechnology Information, humans can survive only four days without it.

 

The benefits of staying hydrated

Drinking plenty of water can aid your body in functioning at its highest capacity.  Here are a few things that staying properly hydrated can do for your body.

It can improve physical activity

During exercise, your body uses a great deal of water.  If you drink enough water before, during and after a workout, studies have found that it will reduce fatigue, improve endurance and lower your maximum heart rate.  

It will help you lose weight

Increasing your water intake can help you if you are struggling with the “battle of the bulge.” Many studies show that people who are on diets achieve better results when they also increase their water intake.

It is a natural mood booster

People who drink more water tend to be happier!  One study found that when people who regularly drank less than 1.2 liters of water per day doubled their intake to 2.5 liters, the participants experienced significantly less confusion, fatigue and sleepiness. On the other hand, for people who regularly drank two or more liters per day, and were then restricted to one liter per day, found negative effects to the lower intake, including decreased contentedness, calmness and positive emotions.  

It boosts your brain power

Are you having difficulty concentrating? Pour yourself a nice, tall glass of ice cold H20.  Studies suggest that even mild dehydration can impair cognitive function in the short-term. Alternatively, many studies show the correlation between the proper level of hydration and performing better during cognitive tasks.

It prevents headaches

Do you ever wake up in the morning with a pounding headache after a night of imbibing your favorite drink? Water deprivation is to blame, as dehydration is one of the most common causes of headaches.  Even if you don’t overindulge in alcohol, studies have found that drinking enough water can prevent headaches, especially migraines.

It protects against diseases and other health problems

Drinking more water is an easy way to increase your overall health and wellness.  Drinking enough water is a small choice and studies have found that can become a tool to protect yourself from heart disease, constipation, urinary infections, kidney stones and asthma. It may even help fend off some cancers.

Are you drinking enough?

Living in a developed nation with ample clean drinking water available, one would expect that the average American’s water intake is on par with the daily recommendations, but that isn’t the case.  According to a study by the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, 50% of U.S children and teenagers do not drink enough water daily. The problem doesn’t vanish once adulthood sets in either. The National Hydration Council states that one in ten consultations for chronic fatigue can be attributed to dehydration.

 

It may seem as though the solution is simple: drink more water.  But with so many differing opinions on the subject—from the best sources to get it from to how much you actually need to consume—it’s still difficult to know whether or not you are providing your body with the water it needs to function best.

 

Most articles indicate that eight glasses a day seems to be the magic number; however, this may be a myth that was founded by a 1945 study by the Food and Nutrition Board, for which rigorous proof is lacking. A more recent study conducted in 2008 by the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology further demonstrated no significant health benefit of sticking to the 8 x 8 rule (8 8-ounce glasses per day). It also needs to be taken into account that everyone’s needs are different due to climate, level of activity, age, temperature and intake of other beverages, so it’s impossible to come up with a concrete rule of how much we should drink.  

 

A study by The National Academy of Sciences also notes that 22% of water intake of the average American comes through the consumption of food, which means that perhaps we don’t need to drink as much as we think we do.  Water-based foods like broth and certain fruits and vegetables can greatly contribute towards one’s daily water intake.

 

Determine your proper hydration

 

How can you know exactly how much water you should drink? The Institute of Medicine provides us with a rough guideline of 91 ounces per day for an adult women and 125 ounces for an adult man.

 

The Institute also states that prolonged physical activity and heat exposure will increase water losses and raise your daily fluid needs.  Reports vary greatly on how much athletes and those who regularly exercise should drink, as every individual has different needs and temperature and conditions play a large role in what this number should be. The American Council on Exercise recommends this basic guideline for drinking water before, during and after exercise.  

 

  • Drink 17 to 20 ounces of water two to three hours before you start your workout.
  • Drink eight ounces of water 20-30 minutes before you start exercise or during your warm-up.
  • Drink seven to ten ounces of water every 10-20 minutes during your workout.
  • Drink eight ounces of water no more than 30 minutes after you finish.

Knowing the benefits of drinking water and also having a general guideline for how much should consume, it is clear that simply making a decision to drink more water can benefit your health in a variety of ways.    

Tips for being better hydrated

If you have difficulty drinking regular water, you can add cucumbers, mint or lemons to kick it up a notch.  It’s also recommended to drink a glass before each meal to fend off overeating and help your body know when it is full so you don’t overindulge.

Jahmu is a great tasting way to stay hydrated. Simply add a teaspoon to hot or cold water and drink away!

Happy hydration!

Ceylon Cinnamon: Not Your Average Spice

By Vera Remes

There are several varieties of cinnamon, but are not all created equal. Ceylon cinnamon, or Cinnamomum zeylanicum (CZ), is the most precious among them. Made from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum tree, Cinnamon has been used as a medicinal ingredient throughout history, dating back as far as Ancient Egypt. Ceylon cinnamon ensures health benefits without ingesting significant amounts of a compound called coumarin, which is believed to be harmful in large doses. Coumarin is contained in the common Cassia variety of cinnamon, but not in Ceylon cinnamon.

Ceylon (CZ) or Cassia?

You can tell the difference between Ceylon (CZ) and Cassia by sight, smell, taste and feel.

Ceylon (CZ) cinnamon

CZ is fragile, easily broken, soft and crumbly and tan in color. CZ’s thin and paper-like textured bark forms multiple layers when rolled up. It has a delicate, sweet taste with subtle notes of clove, creating a flavor profile appropriate for pastries, cakes, desserts, and of course teas and coffees. CZ originates from Sri Lanka and is used in most parts of Europe. CZ is also the cinnamon used in Jahmu.

Cassia and Saigon cinnamons

Cassia cinnamon, as well as Saigon cinnamon, is primarily sourced from China and sold in hard, reddish brown rolls.  Both contain a high level of coumarin content, which can be harmful for the liver and kidney when consumed  regularly. The pungent, full-bodied taste of Cassia and Saigon make these cinnamons suitable for Chinese braised meat recipes.

Coumarin is found in all cinnamon, and can be harmful for the liver and kidney when consumed regularly. The main difference between the CZ (Ceylon) and other types of cinnamon is that CZ has a much lower level of coumarin. Otherwise, the chemical composition of all cinnamons are similar enough to be able to discuss the benefits of this powerfully beneficial spice, regardless of the variety used.

The benefits of cinnamon

Traditional medicine already acknowledges the use of cinnamon for respiratory, digestive and gynecological ailments, but a review of recent studies disclose other benefits:

  • Anti-microbial and anti-parasitic activity
  • Lowering of blood glucose, blood pressure and serum cholesterol
  • Antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties
  • Inhibition of the hallmarks for Alzheimer’s disease and helps to inhibit bone loss and promote bone healing
  • Anti-secretagogue (a substance that inhibits secretion) and anti-gastric ulcer effects
  • It improves anti-inflammatory activity
  • Wound healing properties
  • Liver protective properties

The studies reported minimal toxic and adverse effects.

Cinnamon may help also fight the HIV virus. HIV is a virus that slowly breaks down the immune system and, if left untreated, can eventually lead to AIDS. Cinnamon extracted from Cassia varieties is thought to help fight against HIV-1, the most common strain of the HIV virus in humans.  A laboratory study looking at HIV-infected cells found that cinnamon was the most effective treatment of all 69 medicinal plants studied. Bottom line: test tube studies have shown that cinnamon can help fight HIV-1, the main type of HIV virus in humans.

When you were young and mom sprinkled cinnamon on your French toast or cereal, she not only made your food taste yummy, she was ensuring your good health. Besides cinnamon being one of the most delicious spices, it is one of the healthiest spices on earth. Besides a long list of health benefits, it tastes great. Find Ceylon cinnamon in every Jahmu product.

Finding balance 

As an adrenaline junky and lover of extremes, I sometimes find it challenging to enjoy the simple things in life. I love dropping in on huge waves, spearing big fish, dancing all night, going on epic adventures; however, appreciating and deeply enjoying the simple things, like drinking a cup of tea, is what gives me the sense of balance that I crave.

I am learning to accept things just as they are instead of desiring them to be different. The awareness that I am out of balance is the first step to coming back into balance. As I drank a cup of Jahmu on the ferry this morning, I focused on acceptance, forgiveness, and gratitude. It naturally brought my mind, body and soul back to balance.

The next time you drink a cup of Jahmu try this simple tea meditation:

  • Pretend like your cup of tea is a magical healing elixir made of pure love and light.
    With each sip say to yourself “I forgive myself for….” “I accept myself for….” “I forgive (someone) for ….” “I accept (this situation)” “I accept (this part of my body)” “even though I ….. I still love and accept myself” “even though (so and so did something) I still love and except (that person)” 
  • Feel the warm of the tea resonating with this feeling of forgiveness and acceptance.
  • As you drink the remainder of your tea think of something you are grateful for and with each sip say to yourself “I am grateful for …. because….” Maybe you can even find gratitude for something you were having trouble accepting before or gratitude for a situation you previously saw nothing positive in.

Everything happens for the best possible reason (if you believe that it does) but we often don’t see the positive until after we have gone through extreme suffering. While some suffering is an unavoidable part of our human experience our relationship to surfing is always open to change!

Gratitude tea meditation

A daily meditation practice can increase your happiness, hone your focus and improve your health. Despite the growing body of scientific research on the benefits of meditation and mindfulness practices, most Americans do not incorporate meditation into their daily lives. However, most Americans do drink coffee, tea or water in the mornings. Turning tea or coffee time into a meditation is a great way to begin incorporating mindfulness into your life. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this month’s tea meditation is focused on cultivating gratitude.

  1. Make a cup of Jahmu or any other type of tea, coffee or warm water. Let it cool to a drinkable temperature.
  2. Sit in a comfortable seat and hold your cup of tea in both hands.
  3. Take a few deep breaths, relax your hips and allow your tailbone to root into the earth. Lift your heart slightly, relax your shoulders and feel your spine lengthen as you breathe into your belly.
  4. Bring your awareness to your cup of tea and feel its warmth radiating through your hands and into your heart. Feel the love and energy from your heart flowing through your arms and hands into the cup. Imagine you are about to drink a magical cup of liquid sunshine that can transform you from the inside out, healing, cleansing, awakening every cell in your body.
  5. Cultivate a feeling of gratitude for this specific cup of tea. Why are you grateful for this cup of tea and for this moment of relaxation? As you take your first sip, feel the gratitude flowing down your throat, into your belly and spreading throughout your whole body.
  6. With each sip of tea think of something or someone you are grateful for. Really feel the gratitude in your body. If you want to heal a part of your body, practice being grateful for the parts of your body that are healthy. If you want to manifest abundance, feel grateful for all the wealth that you already have. If you want to feel more love and connection, feel grateful for all the people in your life and send them love. Maybe even think of a challenging situation in your life or a person with whom you are struggling with and try to find some aspect of that situation that you are truly grateful for. Why are you grateful for ….? Feel it in you body!
  7. Practicing gratitude is a great way to increase your happiness and to feel more connected and whole. When you are finished, thank your cup for holding the magical liquid. Thank yourself for taking the time to practice this meditation, and allow yourself to continue this practice throughout the day while you walk, drive, eat, work and play!

 

Stay tuned for more guided meditations!

Jahmu pumpkin coconut latte recipe

Try this hearty pumpkin based recipe in place of your regular morning latte, and soak in the flavors of the season with each sip.

The recipe below makes two cups, and is just as tasty served as a soup as it is drunk like tea. For tea, you may serve up to four times as many by simply adding hot water and whisking until it reaches your desired consistency.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Organic Canned Pumpkin Purée,
  • 1½ cup unsweetened coconut milk (or any other type of milk),
  • 1TBS maple syrup,
  • dash of vanilla (optional),
  • 1tsp Jahmu Chai (caffeine free or with caffeine)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small pot on the stove. Stir or whisk while it heats up. Remove from heat right before it boils.  Serve in your favorite mug.

Add water to drink it like a tea, or use a spoon and eat it like soup!

(serves two as-is, or up to ten as tea)

Keep unused undiluted portions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. For tea, add hot water to the desired amount of cold, or reheated undiluted Jahmu pumpkin coconut latte.