Food – Living Elysian

Short Hair & Other Resolutions

December 30, 2018October 28, 2019 EVLeave a comment

We could all use a little change – Smashmouth

My hair is short today. At the beginning of the year, I had long extensions. They were removed in the Spring. My hair was then just past shoulder length. Not a bad length. But then I got obsessive about my gray hairs and decided to have it colored, then highlighted.

Between all the chemicals and heat styling, my hair started dying. Rapidly. So it had to be cut down. Oh, it will grow again. Maybe.

Oh, and the weight gain…caused another back injury. Just as I arrived in Ecuador. Most of my food goes bad because I buy too much anyway. But I continue to wake up in the middle of the night to sneak Oreos from the pantry. Why are there Oreos in my pantry?!!!

Laundry day has become an all-day event, prompting me to buy more clothes?! Am I the only one?

Outward Representations

They say the outward is a direct representation of the inward. This year has proven that statement to be quite fair. I have taken a long inventory of the excess in my life as of late. My physical being told a great story.

Weight (This one Really Hurts)

I had a back injury in 2016. In addition to treatment, I was put on a Ketogenic diet to lose 30 lbs. This was a complete success throughout late 2016 and all of 2017. I felt better than I had in years!

But then, I thought I could have a cookie in 2018…Mind you, I had just begun a new relationship with a wonderful man and lost my soulmate (my dog, Chewy). So much emotion – and this will be another topic in the Shedding the Excess Process.

Because emotion plays right into eating habits for me, by the end of 2018 I had gained 15 of those pounds back. Now that doesn’t seem like much but let me tell you, I injured my back again. Additionally, heartburn and burning mouth syndrome have returned.

The solution to this: Find another healthy eating program. One in which I can afford. I decided upon HIITBURN after completing their questionnaire. For $97.00, I get a personal coach. This is extremely helpful since I travel a lot and cannot go into a clinic for weigh-ins.

Home

My house in Colorado was difficult to give up. So many memories. My son wanted to buy it to raise my granddaughters in the home they knew so well. Unfortunately, he could not come up with the money in time and my ex-husband was wanting his money.

This proved to be a blessing in disguise. The house did hold many moments in time. And it was time to let those moments go. Just as I had said goodbye to Chewy, I needed to say goodbye to the home I raised him within.

Again, this was an emotional process. I had already minimized so much and moved into an RV. But there was more.

How many of us hold on to a cluttered home because we just cannot let go of the dead energy that we know so well. There is safety in the familiar. I had learned this when I got sober. I had learned this when I got divorced.

I realized that I did not want the responsibility of a mortgage. I didn’t even want the responsibility of digging in roots anymore. It’s time to travel the world. It’s my time. And, it’s time to own it.

House sold.

SHOES!!

Okay, I have a love-hate relationship with shoes. But especially boots. I have been stalked by shoes and boots on Facebook. But alas, I have no room for all the shoes that I once owned. Furthermore, I don’t need all of them!

Clothes

When I am in my new landing spot in West Texas, I dread laundry day. Packing for my long-term trips around the world is a nightmare.

I had a flannel shirt for 15 years. It served me well until the holes could no longer be mended. After which, trying to find that perfect flannel again took another 15 years. I remember a conversation with my favorite pair of white pants when I was 16. “Okay, I am giving you one more chance to make it right. I’m going to wash you with bleach and if you are still pink when you come out, it’s off to the Segunda for you!”. They came out white again…

I downsized my wardrobe twice in 2018 and have concluded that I need to do this again. But clothing also has an emotional connection. This item was a gift, this other item was something I wore on a special day. How can I hold on to these memories while letting go of the piece of clothing that means so much to me?

Yoga Practice

How can one practice Yoga too much? When it starts to lean more on either aspect – the physical/spiritual. Yoga burn-out is real. It happens. It was happening to me. Just after a great year of taking two additional Yoga Teacher Trainings.

It was time to change it up. I had no choice but to do so when I injured my back. Taking a look at the many different practices:

Hatha
Iyengar
Restorative
Yin
Kundalini

I landed back on Kundalini because, though it can be physical, it is also less stressful on the back for some reason. I found a lovely 40-day Kundalini for weight loss program. What I started to see as a continual topic through this program was “Shedding the Excess”.

This is just a small piece of the pie. (oh, I want pie). There’s much more excess to cut:

People are flocking to the Minimalist Movement. But do they really know why it is so appealing? Do they understand the philosophy behind this movement? Or is this just another pop-cultural thing to do? Another “Shiny Object” to play with for a while?

For me, it has become a new prana. The only way to truly breathe now. And I realized this when I looked in the mirror and saw that my hair is short today.

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Things People are Asking

December 16, 2018December 16, 2018 EVLeave a comment

…What they are asking me – the woman who is traveling alone. Their Questions and my answers.

I’m in my second year post-divorce. What have I learned? So much, I have to gather my thoughts quite often.

I have learned that I enjoy traveling. I love to travel with the boyfriend. I love to travel alone. Presently, I am in the midst of a 2 1/2 month solo visit to South America.

Unusual Lifestyle?

I am also learning how this new lifestyle scares the hell out of some people. Or at least confuses the hell out of them. It’s become a fun little game of question and answer… or unsolicited statement and unsolicited reply.

Next time you should experience this with someone you love.
1. I am experiencing this with someone I love – Me.
Who is driving you around?
1. The bus driver.
Be careful!!
1. Of course.
Aren’t you lonely?
1. Sometimes. But everyone should experience loneliness from time to time. It helps one appreciate the presence of others.
Do you need help with that?
1. I sure do. Thank you!
Do you miss home?
1. I am home.

So, I don’t mind the questions or comments. Like everything else in my life, I just have fun with them!

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Ultimately, I am having a fine time. Meeting new friends. Staying in and binge-watching shows without being judged. Walking through city squares at night, people watching. Lots of Café con Leche!

Ecuador has become my new favorite place. Olon, in particular. But Lima, Peru has its charm as well.

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Staying Connected

My daughter and I have a scheduled weekly chat to check in about our lives and new adventures. And there’s the occasional text to and from my sons. My oldest will be joining me in Peru to celebrate Christmas. I miss my kids. Yet, I am so happy that they are all living their truth. Experiencing their personal journeys.

I really miss my granddaughters deeply. Thankfully, they are in good hands. My son and his wife are an excellent team as parents.

I really really miss the boyfriend. Fortunately, we have this understanding: We welcome these pauses in our relationship. No, It’s not an open relationship. We just are okay being apart and being alone at times.

Plans and Lessons

There were many plans made for this trek through South America. Unfortunately, it didn’t all work out according to said plans. But it never does. The back is injured again, interrupting surfing lessons. And I was doing so well! So I guess I will try again next year. 2019 is on its way, regardless of whether I give it permission to do so.

Then there’s the “shedding the excess” lessons. This need is surely what this trip is uncovering. And I have learned, more importantly, to ask myself some questions:

Are you being you – living your truth?
Are you living according to your values?
Have you reviewed your values lately?
Can you be happy regardless of any circumstance?
Are you sincerely ready to let go of the past?

These questions are being answered along this journey through South America. I guess discovery is what adventure is all about, right? Stay Blissful My Friends. – e

Sunday Shot of Bliss VIII. The Spiritual Meal

August 9, 2015 EVLeave a comment

Like so many others, I enjoy food. Summertime offerings of sweet corn and watermelon with some pulled barbecue chicken. Fall and winter apple pies freshly removed from the oven, bubbling over with their loving sweetness. Oh I enjoy sugar far more than most people should. Sugar is “My Precious”, as I lovingly look at its goodness like Gollum looks upon “The Ring”.

One of the main reasons for this love is that during the four years I lived with Gastroparesis, my main source of calories was sugar. Not being able to eat much solid food, I just added a lot of cream and sugar to my drinks. When I could eat, the easiest food to digest were highly processed and had a great deal of sugar added. So yeah, this has become an unhealthy habit. A habit for which has now brought on constant sluggishness, heartburn and generally icky feeling. Time for a change!

So for the past 3 weeks, I have been on an elimination diet. No sugar, complex carbs or dairy. I have to admit, I am using the Creative Bioscience 1234 Diet Drops to help curb the sugar cravings. This stuff works very well. I am not only feeling better but even use less makeup than ever as my skin looks pretty good. Oh and I also have lost 7 pounds, so there’s that.

Wanting to move more toward clean eating I thought this would be a good start and so far, so good. Having to get used to Stevia was a bit of a pain but I’m okay with it now. I also don’t follow the diet to the “T”. Having much experience with past dieting, I do not strive for perfection. The downfall is too heartbreaking.

What are the purposes of eating anyway?

Nourishment for our bodies – Well yeah, or we will die.
Pleasure – Of course!
Communion with others.
Communion with God – Did you know that?

“I love to live in Your house, oh Lord. I love to be here at Your feet.

And let Your words be the food I eat, the food I eat.

I love to live in Your house, oh Lord. To dine at the table with my King.

And give You the praise I bring, the praise I bring” – Glen Veenstra

This lead me back to a book I once read, “Art of the Inner Meal – Eating as a Spiritual Path”, written by Donald Altman – a former Buddhist Monk. The book describes the many different cultural and religious meal rituals throughout the world. What I love of course, is the spiritual representation of food. There is a saying that you can tell a person’s spirituality by witnessing the food he/she eats. I think this is correct. So I am now ready to start my full spiritual path with food! Here are a few of Donald’s suggestions:

Spend time in Nature Daily

Try to sense the cycle of life in the trees, rocks and dirt. This will help us become conscious of the link between the food that we eat and the Earth from which it grows.

Awareness

Being conscious of what you like is not the same as knowing why you like it. This is really good stuff as it takes some work to pay attention rather than just shoveling food into your mouth.

As you prepare for your meal ask yourself if you are hungry because you are hungry or is it because you are bored, hurt, angry, nervous, happy, fearful or sad.
Almost all religions start their meal with cleansing (washing your hands) and prayer for the meal.
Next, think about or even write about what feelings or emotions this food gives to you. The texture, the flavor. Sweetness or spiciness.
Also pay attention to your surroundings. Does this place or situation connect you to food? Are you eating because of location or are you actually hungry?

Building up spiritual strength means letting yourself feel your desires, not repressing them.

Discover Your Spiritual Diet

Establishing a personal guideline for foods we think are wholesome and healthy for ourselves is essential. We don’t follow the exact spiritual path as our brothers and sisters so we cannot expect what works for them to work for us. Just as well, we must remove judgment of others’ eating habits from our own spirit. Judgment is not beneficial to our growth in any way, whatsoever. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s move on to progress!

Column 1 – Write down the foods you typically ate as a child or teenager, putting a plus or minus sign next to each food to indicate whether or not you liked it. Not if it was good for you. Be honest about your feelings in regard to food. We are uncovering, not censoring.
Column 2 – Write down your current regular food choices, also placing a plus or minus sign next to each food you like or do not like.
Column 3 – List the foods that your inner self believes to be ideal for you. What would be most nutritious? What would your ideal spiritual meal look like? Make this list rather large! Again, place a plus or minus sign next to the foods you like or dislike.
Compare these lists. What has changed over the years?
Remember, this list is unique to you. So if there are any foods you need to additionally remove from your diet, so be it. There are no right or wrong answers. Just truth.

With this, we can build our confidence in where we have come from, where we are and where we can go in improving our eating habits. We can also develop a deeper connection with God and with our fellows!

There is so much more to share from this book. It is available on Amazon if you are interested. For now, enjoy a lovely, blissful meal and consider these conceptions.

Stay Blissful My Friends – E