And now one year later I am flying back to the states, surprising my parents with an early arrival. I could not be more excited to make this journey home and connect to the things and the places that have provided me so much grounding through out my life. With out that grounding and support I would not do what I do.
In recent weeks as tragedy has shaken my life, I have been greatly reminded of how important life is and how important it is to be happy above everything.
Everyday I work with people who come to make big changes in their life, because something is not satisfactory. As people go through the schedule of exercise and through the healthy menu I often hear peoples advice as eat less carbs, juice daily, be a vegetarian, eat raw, do a fast, have a colonic, don't eat sweets, and so on goes our observation and announcements of the right way....
We are overwhelmed with information about the "right answer" out there, when in truth there is no right answer. Not just one will save every person from the distress of their own mind or body. But when you are less stressed, when you know who you are (not what you do, but who you are to the people around you, what you provide the world), you are able to make clearer choices.
We have a responsibility to embrace everything that comes our way, to search out why we have the habits we have and to decide whether we really want them to be a part of our life, and to make decisions according to our own needs. It becomes an exploration, a life long exploration where everyday we learn more and more. But we have to listen! And we have to do things that make us listen, we have to challenge ourselves daily.
GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND INTO YOUR BODY
Think about it....
In this past year I have had to face myself. In doing so I have come to believe that it is not about what you do in your life, but how you approach it. Now, this is not a new concept and I myself have been playing with the idea for a few years, but it has recently struck me straight in the heart and clear as day.
If you we approach our food with anticipation and desperation that it will cause us upset or perhaps be the answer to our problems we are creating a sort of distress in the body. So, as the food travels down into our digestive system which we have already stressed out because we are thinking too much about what we want the outcome to be. How will our body respond to processing the food if we are starting off worried about it?
If you approach and exercise you hate with the expectation that it will fix your problems you are creating more tension and expectation in your body.
If you make a phone call or a visit to a friend when you really just need time to sit with yourself you are not honoring your needs and putting more tension in your body.
If you do something you read about even though you feel as though it is not right for you, will you be able to relax into it and feel the results?
If you aproach everything you do with love, respect, and appreciation it changes things. It gives you space to sit back and relax, to absorb and enjoy things rather than analyze and regret things. Stop classifying things as good and bad and start enjoying things for what they are. Our classifications of right and wrong or good and bad are the energy that we are putting into life and if a decision is already made about how it will effect us then we are limiting our possibility for opportunity.
Put down your diet books, your self help books, get off facebook, go for a walk, eat a magnum bar, laugh with a friend and ask yourself what is truly brilliant about yourself... and answer honestly and confidently, rather than the answer you think someone else would want to hear. Get intimate with yourself and with with those around you.
Example: I am a very nice person. vs. I make others feel love.
Get connected.
Because the moment you can do this and feel comfortable in doing so is the moment you take charge of your life. You know who you are in the world and can make your decisions from that knowledge.
Love your life.
Love your food.
Love your friends and your foe.
Love the trees.
Love the water.
Love your body.
Love other peoples bodies.
Love the variance.
Love the challenge.
Love that we do not have the answers.
Embrace the mystery and the magic.
Watch in fascination as life unfolds its mysteries and enjoy every mintue of it. Every single one of you, and every single person you know and that exists in this world is amazing in their own right, and it is about time we start honoring that to the fullest.
Love!
