visions of sugar plums ~ spritz

I am lolling about in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. The scene: kids and Joe are in the house. It is rather messy. None of us have bathed for a couple days (since visitors left) and we’re wearing odd assortments of dirty PJ’s and walking clothes. Yes, that’s right – I DID actually leave the house this morning for a brisk walk with Joe. My body couldn’t take it any longer… ‘Get… UP…. Get… OUT… M.O.V.E. your BODY…. NOW!’  You see… during the holidays I typically gorge myself on an assortment of traditional German breads & cookies I learned to bake from my mother and have been enjoying for, well, 41 Christmasses now. To me the taste of almonds, butter, sugar and candied fruit is part of the holiday I savor most.

Now I’m sure NOBODY else can relate, right??? Before we commiserate, however, I invite you to cut yourself some slack. Whether you enjoy food during the Holidays because of family tradition, emotional eating, stuffing feelings, or even general merriment, it’s OK! I am no expert on eating disorders or any disorder for that matter. But I AM an expert in my own self-criticism and general loathing related to food, eating, and body image. I’ve loathed myself so well for so many different reasons… and I’m over it finally. I’m practicing self-approval now, and I would enjoy your company along this new trajectory.

The last of the fruit stollen was consumed this morning (after the walk)… and it was scrumptious! There are still tupperware bins full of chocolate, spritz, lebkuchen, and spekalatius ~ a huge plate of these are accompanying us to our friend’s ‘Not-Yet-New-Year’s-Eve’ party tonight. That leaves chocolate coins which I don’t really love anyway, and the tiny Toblerone which Santa forgot I prefer milk chocolate to the dark chocolate variety… so I think things are looking up for my slow-moving, somewhat rounder, and did I say ADORABLE body.

I’m returning to my healthy pink shake for breakfast, walking/nia/or workout every morning, and will be re-setting my sugar cravings along with many others across the U.S. the week of January 11. Each year after the Holidays I enjoy the RESET program which brings balance back into my diet, allows the cravings to subside and healthier urges to resume. Because I am committed to being healthier, more trim, and fit in the New Year; and I also know that the 2010 Holidays  will include joyful baking and sharing sweet traditions with loved ones yet again; I am grateful to include in my tradition full enjoyment, gradual decrease, and this effective and pleasurable program for easing myself off sugars & carbs and back into my routine.

If you’re thinking about joining us January 11 thru 15, connect with me and I’ll send more details.  In the meantime, my wish for you in this time of retreat and celebration is ~ Love your body. Savor every morsel. Live in gratitude for the abundance on your plate and in your life. Listen to your innate wisdom. Move in ways that surprise and delight you. And celebrate every moment of your transition from 2009 into 2010. May your every intention bear fruit.

Be Well, Maddy

I have regularly suffered fits of despair when the accumulation of physical stuff becomes unbearable. I get mad at myself for letting it become overwhelming. I get mad at my husband and children because they do not share my passion for order. I get mad at well-meaning family who send toys to the kids for birthdays and holidays (how awful of them!). I get mad at teachers for sending home millions of pages of writing, artwork, and projects that require saving.

This year after noticing (and despairing) that we had moved a lot of clutter with us into the new house, I finally decided to do something about it. I got the book (I borrowed it, from the library!) Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui by Karen Kingston… here I found complete and total validation for the way I feel about clutter. Friends and visitors will say ‘your house is not messy’ but I literally feel the stuck energy of clutter. It clouds my psyche, weighs down my spirit, blocks my creativity, keeps me in an addictive pattern of get stuff – notice stuff – despair stuff – clean stuff up – get stuff….

First I read the book. Second I asked my husband to read it. Which he did, and now he gets me. Hallelujah! I’m no longer a neat-freak lunatic in his eyes (at least, not about this). He knows what I’m envisioning is peace of mind, and flow in our lives. Flow of love, abundance, connection. Third, we began to work. Slowly, deliberately, over the past four weekends we have made progress: Three carloads to Goodwill, vinyl collection (except a few rare favorites) to the record store, an old unused camera to consignment, a small collection of items for Craigslist, moving boxes (finally!) picked up from our garage by a local shop owner.

Parents, guess what? You won’t believe this but the kids love it! Our six-year-old cried at first and then helped, and got really excited about how pretty her room looks, she is keeping it up. Our eleven-year-old said after waking up that his room ‘felt lighter, more airy.’ Together we went through the toy bins, threw away broken items and took three more boxes to Goodwill.

Other benefits. Weekend one, my husband found lost checks and rebates that added up to $675 dollars! I’m releasing items and emotions I’ve held onto for far too long, like the teapot I got when I married my first husband which has been on display forever, but never really was my style. Then there is this surge of energy. There are two types of holiday cookie dough in the freezer… I have never begun holiday baking so early.

Luckily, our tradition is to put up the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and leave it up for twelve days. I still have a couple weeks then, just a couple places left to clear, final dusting and vacuuming and I can get out the holiday décor. Hmmmm…. Wonder how many boxes of ornaments I can get us down to?

Remember when you were a kid and you were either one of the ‘smart’ kids, one of the ‘not-so-smart’ kids, or one of the ‘in-between/normal/not so interesting’ kids? In my elementary system I fell into the latter category. This was where the readers and creative types landed. The math/science kids were in category 1, and those with special needs were in category 2 and frequently tortured by their classmates. If I grew up with you and this is not your recollection of our school system, I apologize and ask you to grant me some latitude – it is definitely the feeling I had in those days. It wasn’t until I picked up the violin and showed some promise in music that any real skill was acknowledged, and for many of my high school teachers (not all), this meant they didn’t really bother with me… I was headed to music school anyway (so we all thought, but that’s another story for another time).

Back to my point. The idea of multiple intelligences is life changing! It does NOT (as our Head of School pointed out) mean we tell our kids they are brilliant – rather, we encourage and congratulate intention and initiative (or ‘hard work’). What it DOES do is give parents and the kids themselves an early start in comprehending their unique abilities, and an appreciation of the diverse styles and skills of others. I love this for the impact it has on the community of children, and I really love it for what it brings to a family. Because, guess what, when my family of four chose each of our top 3 intelligences (individually), we barely had anything in common! Think how many years of frustration we just saved ourselves as parents…. Duh, they are NOT like us!

I am a bit of a personality test wonk, so this stuff has always been fun for me. You might enjoy it too – have your family pick their top three from the intelligences listed below, and see what your family skill set looks like. Certainly makes for interesting dinnertime conversation.

• Skill for the arts. (Artistic Intelligence)
• Skill for music. (Musical Intelligence)
• The ability to get things done through others. (Interpersonal Intelligence)
• Common sense, an ability to recognize what needs to be done and what can be. (Practical Intelligence)
• Self-awareness and self-control, persistence, zeal, and self-motivation. (Emotional Intelligence)
• An aptitude for sensing and seeing what is not immediately obvious. (Intuitive Intelligence)
• Skill of athletes. (Athletic Intelligence)
• An ability to see patterns in things. (Spatial Intelligence)
• A facility with languages. (Linguistic Intelligence)
• Being at ease with numbers of all sorts. (Numerate Intelligence)
• The ability to reason and conceptualize. (Analytic Intelligence)
• The know-it-all facility of the encyclopedia. (Factual Intelligence)

For more on this topic, I was recommended the book “The Hungry Spirit” by Charles Handy, in particular his chapter titled ‘A proper education.’ The originator of the theory of multiple intelligences is Howard Gardner.

A teacher I know suggests that our personal power lies in connection with our own bodies. As in, choose a part, right now, and feel it. Or let the part choose you. Where is the pleasure in your body in this moment? I sometimes notice that I haven’t allowed a sensation for years, for no good reason. So it is indulgent and wonderful.

Having children nearby affords an excellent opportunity for pleasure. Overhearing them in conversation with one another is illuminating and frequently a hilarious reminder of our own better nature. Better yet, accepting an invitation into their world of play can be a truly astounding experience.

Playing in the water brings me present. If there is space for it, floating on my back, allowing my neck to release completely, the underwater lick lick lick and the blue sky, there she is again.

I learned this morning that a woman I know is dying. It was shocking to find out she is sick again, and preparing to pass on. I have felt shaken since hearing the news. This woman has not known me well – we have not shared the intimate details of our lives. But I have been attracted to the light within her for the three years since we met. She recognized and acknowledged joy in me, and modeled a life of presence for me to follow.

My joy is silent. My joy is raucous. It is earthy, sensual, serene, reverent and boisterous all at once. My pleasure is a celebration of my joy.

Wishing you midsummer bliss and a lifetime of fully expressed Joy!

With love and gratitude for Kate D.