Last night the whole centre ventured the 30 minutes into London to hear Shantree speak about forest gardening. Coming back was a very different feeling for me. We arrived home about 10 O’clock that evening. It felt weird being on the highway with the business of the world wizzing by. Everything is so simple and scerene on the “ranch” that it is easy to forget that a world of chaos exists all around us. I was surprised at the feelings that emerged as we pulled into the drive – comfort and happiness resonated in my heart. It felt like coming “home”. I was able to be at peace with my meantime home in this moment in time. A drastic change to my thoughts of running away only a week prior! I was actually excited to snuggle up in my sleeping bag out in my big red tent!
Earlier that day, Shantree had decided to ride with us on our way into London. I wasted no opportunities to pick his brain, and indulge my curiosity. The talk that we had about our constitutions was fresh in my mind, and I was eager to put an action plan in motion. I felt a new sense of energy since it became clear to me where I need to go in order to bring my body back into balance. The trick is how do I get there? There are many “travel agents” that can help us plan our routes down this path of life. Shantree understands the higways systems very well, so I am always glad for his advice. The most fascinating thing I learnt from our conversation, however, was not which herbs, foods, or lifestyle improvements that could act as my highways to balance.
The most fascinating thing I learnt while chatting together had nothing to do with the answers he gave me. It was the realization that I already HAD all the answers to my questions the ENTIRE TIME! My body has been pulling me towards the solutions to the questions I was asking. This is very exciting to me to know that I am not a factury defect. That I possess the ability to tend to my body’s ever changing needs. Now, the somewhat frusterating thing is that I didn’t 100% trust where these little urges were coming from. My body was telling me to eat every food that Shantree rattled off the top of his head, and impliment, supplement certain things into my lifestyle. EXCITING – I know what I need. FRUSTERATING – I not trusting that I know what I need. Why is this? Because I was getting in my own way, that’s why! I thought that my mind, and other people knew better then my body. Which, I am finding out, is never the case. The body never lies.
A lot of the foods that I was craving are more suited for Vattas, and ones Pittas should, for the most part, steer clear of. (Helpful reminder: I am a dominent Pitta, with a Vatta imbalanace) This lead me to think, “No body, that is not what we need. That is Vatta food. We are a Pitta, remember?” OKAY, now here is the amazing part. When you have an imbalance of one of the doshas in your body, you first need to balance out the imbalanced dosha, while also taking into consideration your constitution. When this is achieved you then return to your Dosha specific diet. Learning that was like turning on the light switch – BING! “So, I really DID know what I need – Holy Poop, we all know what we need. We just need to listen and TRUST! Why is it that you don’t know that you know what you know until you know it, you know? And why does it seem like the hardest questions have the simplest answers? Oh the joys of being human!
Here are some guidelines for being Human: (Adapted from Rob Bishop)
1) You will receive a body. It will be yours for your entire life. You may love it, or hate it. The choice is yours.
2) There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is the process of trial, error and experimentation. “Failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as “successful” ones.
3) You will learn lessons. Each one of us is enrolled in the informal, full-time, never ending School of Life. Everyday you are given the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons, or decide that they are irrelevant and stupid. Again the choice is yours.
4) A lesson is repeated until it is learnt. A lesson will present itself in many forms until you have learnt it. Once you have learned it, you can then go onto the next one.
5) The process of learning lessons doesn’t stop. Every part of life contains lessons. As a general rule of thumb – if you are breathing, you are living, and if you are living then there are lessons to be learnt.
6) Being “There” is no better to being “Here”. When your “There” becomes your “Here”, you will simply obtain another “There” that will again, look better than “Here”
7) Other People are simply mirrors of what you see in yourself. You cannot Love, or Hate something about another person, unless it reflects something that you Love or Hate in yourself.
8) What you make of your life is up to YOU. You have all the tools and resources that you will ever need. What you choose to do with them is up to you.
9) All the answers to all Life’s questions, your questions, are inside you. All you need to do is look, listen and trust.
10)You will either choose to forget this, or you will choose to remember it.
11)IF you choose to remember, you will know that with forgiveness, love, laughter AND TRUST, you will embrace ALL that is yours, TAKE your place as a guide and LIVE a life in absolute abundance, love and ADVENTURE.
Peace, Love and Laughter y’all!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
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