Soul Food

Live life in the slow lane.  Wave ‘em past.  I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what living slowly means to me, the benefits, risks, and ways we can all slow our roll.  I’ve listed some of the slow living practices I’ve tried and/or am working on:

• Mind — I’m a huge fan of Deepak Chopra and many years ago I visited the Chopra  retreat center when it was in LaJolla, CA.  Following the tradition of ayurveda (Sanskrit for science for life), it was determined that my body was more of the dosha kapha and my mind or thoughts more of the dosha vata.  One of the results of my out-of-balance vata dosha was that my mind tends to be in constant brainstorming, racing mode.  In order to slow this down, especially at night, I used to listen to slow, meditative tapes.
• Body — Working at our local farmers’ market last year for five months helped me become more conscious than all the books on diet and nutrition I’d read in years.  I am becoming more conscious and concerned about where my food comes from and the distance it generally travels.  I joined our local Slow Food mailing list, learned about local co-ops, and challenged myself to eat more local food.
• Spirit — Back to Deepak…there I learned a form of meditation called primordial sound meditation.  I remember when Deepak taught one of our classes, he described meditation in a way that really struck me.  He said that every time you meditate, it’s like dipping in a pool.  You dip in and emerge with a little bit of the pool.  In other words, meditation allows you to slow down and touch a part of the spiritual world and bring a little piece back.

The world is screaming for us to speed up, multi-task and eat quickly.  This lifestyle is giving the opposite of what it is we seek — happier, healthier lives.  So I’m going to move over to the slow lane and wave ‘em past. 

“A martini.  Shaken, not stirred.”
~James Bond, Goldfinger~

Just be me. Being me should be as easy as waking up, but I think it’s something that people grow into, i.e., being more and more comfortable being themselves.  I’ve learned to pay attention to those things that shake me up inside.  Those are the things that reflect who I really am.  In some cases, there are real action steps to take.  In other cases, it’s just about enjoying and acknowledging that they exist.  These just shake me up inside:

• listening to my children laugh;

• listening to anyone laugh and seeing anyone be happy even if it’s just for a moment;

• experiencing giving (sometimes vicariously through Oprah);

• belly-laughing;

• watching the Olympics or seeing anyone strive for and reach their goals;

• dance;

• music;

• creating something;

• research;

• migration, languages and dialects, geneaological and cultural stuff;

• the woods.

I’m sure I’ll (re)discover more — more of me.

OK…got behind with good reason.  The BPM’s print issue is almost off to the printer — exhale!

“I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field and don’t notice it.”
~Shug Avery, The Color Purple~

Notice the color purple. When did we get in such a hurry?  Yesterday while driving, I had to chuckle at a driver behind me.  He or she hurriedly changed to the right lane, passed me, and then changed lanes to get right in front of me — only to stop at the stop light.  Once the light changed, I watched this person speed up to the next car.  What came to my mind was that all of our frantic activity doesn’t really get us very far — just to the next stop light like everybody else.  And I know this driver didn’t notice anything, much less the “color purple.”

Until I get used to doing it on my own, I may just carry a little magnifying glass with me as a reminder to take my time and see below the surface and rejoice in life.

“Know first who you are and then adorn yourself accordingly.”
~Greek Philosopher~

Adorn myself. I want my clothing to reflect who I am rather than reflecting my fears.  I know there are fashion tricks to keep this part or that one from looking too big, but I’ve pretty much reduced mine to lots of black when I really love color. I’ve been feeling this way for quite a while since I tend to throw on clothes and go.  Yes, I have a sense of style (in my mind). Adorning myself goes beyond having a sense of style though.  Most of us know good quality or like certain “nice” outfits, but what I want requires putting a few more pieces of the puzzle together — putting together colors and styles that work for me, my body, and my spirit.  Getting a consultation to determine my style statement from Carrie & Danielle would be ideal, if I only had $500.  But it’s still worth figuring out who I am and as Carrie & Danielle state, to “communicate who you are in all you do.” I also like Michele Beschen (DIY’s B. Original) wardrobe idea board project and “Brenda’s Wardrobe Companion: A Guide to Getting Dressed from the Inside Out.”

Now just go express it!

“Creativity requires the courage to let go of uncertainties.”
~Erich Fromm~ 

Create something that wasn’t there before. To be creative is the most freeing feeling you can have.  It seems to emcompass everything — a letting go, a whole-body way of receiving messages from the universe, and relaying that information to the world.  In spite of what many people think, we are all creative.  We simply don’t let go.   But letting go is freeing and when I do let go to listen and create, I feel as if a huge weight has been taken from me.  I won’t try to define what I create.  It could be anything from writing to knitting to starting a business or foundation and anywhere and everywhere in between.

 “Water doesn’t wash.  It remembers.”
~Karin Cotterman~

Inspired by The Happiness Project, I’ve started my new blog about my journey re-discovering and following what it is that feeds my soul.  The Karen Cotterman quote is one of my favorites.  Like music, this quote means different things to me at different times.  But generally, it reminds us that we aren’t to be as concerned with finding happiness, but rather remembering it.  It’s living in the space between doing and being.  Water doesn’t throw its molecular nature into scrubbing, it simply remembers clean.

The plan is to update the blog every day, even if it’s just a one-liner.  My list of soul food ingredients and what they mean to me seems like the perfect place to start. 

Ingredient #1
Forgive myself. Sometimes I feel like a snapping turtle — snapping at my children, snapping at my husband.  Fun?  Not so much.  So I got out my self-examination shovel and started digging.  What I dug up was a lot of anger and unforgiveness – at myself.  I didn’t do this — I waited too late to do that.  It all seems so silly now that I’m writing it, but unforgiveness can take up a lot of room.  I ordered The Anger Workbook for Women and with just a quick skim, it seems to have just what I need on the road towards forgiveness.  Much is made of forgiving others; the fact that it’s for your own soul rather than giving someone a free pass.  I’m all tingly imagining what it’ll feel like to forgive myself.