Hello again my lovely Readers and Creatives,
As more than a few of you know, I’ve been facing a couple of chronically challenging circumstances for quite a while now. As isolating as this can feel, the truth is I am far from alone. Too many of you beautiful hearts are also facing painful conditions that drain your life force energies, and make it that much harder to connect with the place of peace and joy that is our birthright and true nature.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes.” That includes you.” Anne Lamott
I know that when the going is tough it’s terribly tempting to dwell on the downside. Hell some days it’s almost impossible to get out up and get going. Goddess knows I’ve tried burrowing and bringing and imbibing. Everything from ocd to tv, tabloids, take away, home shopping, chocolate, cheese its, and chocolate martini’s to medical and non-medical marijuana to help me feel better. Or at least forget my sorrows for as long as the episode and chips hold out. Sound familiar?
We human beings are hard-wired to try to avoid pain so there is no use beating our selves up when we choose the news or the double scotch or the double cheese burger with fries. It won’t make things better. It might make them worse. Because pain does not heal pain. Only Love heals pain. That is one thing I know for sure, and another is that Beauty in all its forms is as necessary as food and shelter to our well-being!
Such as this talk by the wonderful writer and teacher Anne Lamott. And this episode of HeartWisdom- mindfulness meditation teacher and author, Jack Kornfield’s podcast, about the awakening and healing quality of poetry and the arts.
He quotes some of my favorite poets, like Mary Oliver, and Rilke, and reminds us that sometimes the greatest political act is to turn off the news and turn on your favorite song, or take a walk and watch the sunset instead.
Each bite its own morsal of comforting yumminess
Another way I’ve been nourishing myself (and a few lucky taste testing others), is by putting the finishing touches on my “Soul Food for the Senses” recipes in preparation for publishing them along with a guide to mindful eating!!
Yes, this is a legit meditation practice! It is about being present with the flavors and textures and tastes on the tongue as well as the feeling of chewing and swallowing and appreciating each bite instead of inhaling or zoning out when we eat. For me, baking is made all the more sweet by the graditude and appreciation I feel at being able (literally) to develop these soul satisfying heart healthy and still lushcious snacks and desserts.
The crumbly moist caramelized pineapple. banana, blueberry, low carb, low sugar, gluten-free, quick bread pictured above-which I’ve taken to calling believe in your dreams pineapple banana surprise- is a satisfying sweet but not too sweet loaf. The tart-sweet pineapple and carmelized banana on top mean you only need a 1/2 cup of honey and a 1/4 cup of coconut or palm sugar for the whole loaf! While the coconut flour along with the almond flour keep it low carb and add a rich sponge cake like texture to the moistness of the almond flour and the bananas.
guilt free! low sugar, low carb, gluten free!!
Now just let me be clear. I’m not suggesting that all your meals be mindful from beginning to end. Some days mindful eating is going to be remembering to pack some almonds and rice crackers so I’m not tempted to get a latte at 4pm.
What I am saying is that scheduling time to slow down and create a simple, peaceful, environment in which to taste and savor and engage our senses in the pleasures of eating, instead of grabbing and going and gulping down our lives, along with the food on our plates, is as important as what we eat.
