40 days to Wellness

Since the middle of the second century, Romans participated in a season of great feasts and parties leading up to 40 days of fasting and renewal to greet the coming spring. Today the tradition carries on as cities all over the world celebrate the time from Christmas to the Epiphany to Carnival to Easter. In fact, the actual latin derivative of the word carne vale translates to "farewell to the flesh" and it invites us after such feast and merrymaking to seek balance and renewal in body and spirit - to move from outward behaviours to inward reflection.

I invite you to join me during these next 40 days, the deepest dog days of winter, to seek a lengthening and renewal of your spirit by chosing better habits daily. Yes this time can be challenging, but growth is always a challenging undertaking, even a small seed must push through a deep dark earth before it meets the sun. In the same way, our spirit climbs toward a great light and warmth through obstacles and darkness.

I will be journaling daily through my experience and I invite you to journal as well and share your experiences, trials and growth with us all. Before I begin though, I want to leave you with this wonderful quote from Oscar Wilde. May it be an inspiration to you at this time and always:

Keep love in your heart. A life without

it is like a sunless garden when

the flowers are dead.

The consciousness of loving and being loved

brings a warmth and richness to life

that nothing else can bring.

Day one/two

The last 32 hours have been challenging. The weather, though warm, has been gray and wet between a drizzle and a drop but never quite a rain. I have spent the last two mornings waking up with the self-same feeling reflected in my own heart. It seems as though this drab weather invites melancholy and it takes every bit of sunshine in me to rise against it and bring energy into my day. Whew, what work it is but always made so much easier by the beautiful faces of my children!

Yesterday morning as I warmed up my body to the new day I contemplated what the day could possibly bring. Perhaps it would be nice to start each day with an intention and keep it in mind all day, like a goal to constantly be working toward. I thought I would try that out later though because my first line of business was feeding my body; finding ways without the aid of animal flesh to supply myself with the greatest amount of energy possible.

Well, in the heart of winter this fresh start seemed to be a little challenging but I easily found my way into a warm bowl of oatmeal accented with cinnamon, gogi berries and ground flax seeds. Although this was nice, it didn't hold me over too long and before I knew it I needed a mid-morning pistacio boost. For lunch I had avocado rolls, dijon/balsamic braised greens and a vegan butternut squash croquet inspired by a recipe from Libya. Mid afternoon snack included baby carrots and a handful of green grapes and I ended with a late dinner of a tofu vegetable stirfry. This morning I tried the oatmeal again to no avail and ended up two hours later with a hemp milk latte and a homeade roll with almond butter... much better. Lunch will be more of the veggie fried rice from last night and dinner will be a pasta fagioli made with whole grain gobbetti and white beans topped with nutritional yeast (as a tasty cheese flavored substitute and B vitamin extravaganza!). Seems like a good start so far!

As for my spiritual health, I have made a commitment to meditate and pray daily and I feel renewed already at the thought of such a venture. Although I spent the first 11 years of my life in Catholic school, I don't feel I ever properly learned to pray. What is this art that some seem to fall so easily into and others not at all? To me it doesn't seem quite right to treat prayer as a conversation with God or a bargaining session. Nor does it seem right to simply ask for things or just say thank you. Prayer is a process of becoming closer in your relationship to God and I don't know what that means for me or truly even what it is like. How do I start, where do I begin, what do I say or think or do. Where is this God and how do I know I am authentic in my own presence of mind, body and soul? This I hope to gain insight into and in this insight gain the steadfastness of spirit to grow.

Food of the day: Nutritional Yeast

This food is a deactivated yeast often used to supplement the diet of vegans or health conscious individuals because of it's vitamin and nutrient rich qualities. It is especially high in the B-complex vitamins and protein both of which help regulate moods and stress. The flavor is often described as nutty and cheesy and makes a great snack on top of popcorn. Try it!

Affirmation of the day: Love

My heart is full of love and light and I am filled with joy.