Nina O'Neil

Love is all around And another... Making some chicken soup and picked up the ladle to stir the pot. This little liquid heart was hiding under the ladle. There are moments when I think my brain is imagining hearts...seeing what’s not there. But then I think that’s how love and faith and imagining futures that don’t yet exist in form works too. #chickensoup #hearts #liquidhearts #love #belove #spreadthelove #loveneverdies

Hearts on your mind When you are doing your morning Yoga practice and look out your window at the sky and see hearts everywhere in the clouds. #kundaliniyoga #meditation #kriyaforelevation #love #belove #heartcentered #heartcenteredliving

I’ve been especially cranky lately. The cold, the lack of sunlight the need to bundle up and wear layers. Longing to be in the sun, at the beach in California with my tribe there. Feeling restless for more...ready for the growth and expansion that is coming. Impatient. And then this...moments that take my breath away and make me grateful to live in such a beautiful city. Moments that bring me to the here, the now, to this moment...to the present...where anything and everything is possible. Sometimes we need those little reminders...those moments that take our breathe away...so we remember to stop and notice the beauty all around us. It just takes a moment to shift your perspective...to see with different eyes. #beauty #chicago #grateful #humbled #present #beinthemoment

At last, an alternative to Starbucks has opened in my neighborhood. Thanks Sonny and Liz for a great cup of drip coffee and the smiles. Welcome to Gold Coast! #coffee #coffeelover #lecolombe #chicago #goldcoast

When the uncertainty of life has you feeling some angst and the lack of sunlight is starting to impact your mood. You are at the eye doctors and this colorful heart appears right on time. Reminding you to breathe, surrender and trust that the universe has your back. All is well, even if your eyes can not see....look with different eyes. #eyes #vision #heart #trust #faith #believe #love #color #liveincolor #mindshift #urbanmystic

When the uncertainty of life has you feeling some angst and the lack of sunlight is starting to impact your mood. You are at the eye doctors and this colorful heart appears right on time. Reminding you to breathe, surrender and trust that the universe has your back. All is well, even if your eyes can not see....look with different eyes. #eyes #vision #heart #trust #faith #believe #love #color #liveincolor #mindshift #urbanmystic

Sometimes the most magical and meaningful hearts are the ones that seem to appear from nowhere and greet me when i come home. Noticed this little heart shaped object as I walked in my bedroom. It’s as if someone popped in to say hello. #hearts #love #urbanmystic #heartcentred #chicago #snowyday

Whole30 Day 18 Have been eating a lot of chicken on the #whole30 and wanted to mix it up a bit. Plus it’s cold and I love me some soup to brush off the winter chill. Here is my first attempt at making some chicken soup for the soul. Sautéed the trinity (carrots, onion, celery) with some garlic for good measure. Added chicken broth and vegetable broth, cut up some left over rotisserie chicken and then felt inspired to add 2 red potatoes at the last minute. Then added salt, pepper, rosemary and some Italian seasoning for flavor. Didn’t follow a recipe, just followed my mom’s guidance and some of my own intuition (we will see how that turns out). As my chicken soup for the soul is simmering on the stove I couldn’t help but noticing the mind shift I’ve made and continue to make around cooking. It’s becoming more of a ritual (thank you Meredith Klein @pranaful) for inspiring me with your kitchen ritual cookbook and your movement to turn cooking into a mindfulness ritual. And as I am less focused on the thoughts in my head, I’m finding myself being more willing to experiment and innovate and try adding this spice or that food item or that recipe. Innovation lives at the edge of our own comfort zone, our willingness to experiment and step into the unknown and outside of the fish tank we unconsciously swim in. And I’d say the willingness to fail...my little soup experiment will either taste delicious or end up down the drain, but what’s most important is swimming outside of our fish tank and into uncharted waters. I think my brother said it best in a teaching moment to my oldest niece Emma when she was upset that she wasn’t winning at a video game she was just learning to play and wanted to quit...”it’s not about winning, it’s about learning and in those moments when you are not winning, what are you learning?” #chickensoup #soul #whole30 #chickensoupforthesoul #urbanmusic #mindfulness #kitchenritual #mindshift #mindshiftcoach

Moments This photo doesn’t even begin to capture the majestic and exquisite beauty I witnessed this morning as the sun rises over the Lake in the winter sky. Pinks and Purples mixed with Blue clouds and an opening of light emerging from what 30 minutes ago was complete darkness. Polarities also make up the human condition we are both light and dark masculine and feminine, fear and love. We spend so much time and energy fighting with our own polarities. Perhaps all there is to do is to allow them to exist, to step back and observe them in a neutral way without judgement. Perhaps simply being present, aware and allowing is what makes way for transformation. Just like the winter sky outside my window has slowly transformed into another beautiful sight, right before my eyes. We to are as magical as the winter sky. #urbanmystic #wintersky #chicago #lakemichigan #goldcoast #highvibeliving #moments #polarities #daybreak #mornings #bestill #transformation #uplevel #love #magic #sunrise

Whole 30 Day 11 Tried another sheet pan dish with a chicken breast (on the bone), brussel spouts, mushrooms and butternut squash. Added some spice to my life with cumin, oregano seasoning and garam masala, salt and pepper. Baked, cut up the chicken from the bone and mixed all together. That will get me at least 2-3 meals. Noticing some cravings for sugar and comfort food, but overall feeling pretty good. Cooking is a little less intimidating and seeing I need to take some time to plan out my meals for success. I’m feeling really clear with lots of creative downloads and in a peaceful and content energetic state. Mentally it feels good to have a goal and a commitment. And since health and well-being is the core foundation of everything, I can’t think of a more important goal to focus on. When we are aligned with our health and well-being we can create and more forwards our other goals. #whole30 #happyhealthyhot #happy #healthy #hot #urbanmusic #healthyliving

These hearts seem to be following me. Another discovery today as I was cooking. These two little acorn squash seeds found each other and wallah a heart. #heart #belove #love #heartcentered #urbanmystic #magic #heartsdesires

Whole30 Day 8. Healthy cooking. It’s a cold and snowy MLK day here in Chicago, so thought I’d make some Turkey Chili (with no beans). I haven’t made chili in years. To me, chilli always felt like a comfort food hearty meal you ate to warm your belly during the winter months. When I lived in LA, it was warm year around, so I tended to eat much lighter meals. #happyhealthyhot #chili #happy #healthy #hot #whole30 #healthyeating #mlk #winter #snow #chicago #urbanmusic

When we begin to access that authentic place in our own heard, we trust that love, ultimate love, already exists within us; we know that the game of life is not to get love and keep it, but to free up what is already within us and give of it freely in all of our relationships.   Love is an infinite game, like consciousness and life itself.  It is the only game that the soul loves to play and the only way to truly win it to be who we are. -Authentic Relationships Training Manuel KRI #love #belove #urbanmystic #authenticrelationships #kundaliniyoga #kundaliniyogateacher #waldorfastoria #chicago (at Waldorf Astoria Chicago)

One more before I dive into my exam for my Authentic Relationship course towards my advanced Kundalini Yoga teacher certification (it’s like an MBA for Kundalini yoga and meditation practitioners. Balloon hearts inviting in #play #whimsey #delight #joy #love on a cold #chicago #sunday. #pink #baloons #signs #urbanmystic #kundaliniyoga #kundaliniyogateacher #authenticrelationships #petitmargeaux #waldorfastoria (at Waldorf Astoria Chicago)

Some signs are a little more obvious. But look for the patterns or themes. There may be a bigger message. I may always be a yes to love, and while those sweets look inviting, I’m a no to them at the moment. #notwhole30compliant #love #whole30 #love #signs #urbanmystic #waldorfastoria #chicago #petitmargeaux (at Petit Margeaux)

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Is love? Noticed this fetching painting at the Viceroy Hotel this morning. What drew me in was discovering the upside down heart in the center of the painting. #heart #beauty #love #viceroyhotel #chicago #goldcoast #art #urbanmystic #seewithneweyes (at Viceroy Chicago)

Have I lost my marbles? No...just got these to help with my physical therapy on my foot (think picking up marbles with your toes for range of motion). When i opened up the package I was mesmerized by the fractals of color captured in the glass. Beauty can be found anywhere, it’s all in the perspective you choose to see life from. #beauty #marbles #glass #color #childhoodgames #urbanmystic #urbanyogi