Women, Food and God - An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything - Geneen Roth

Women, Food and God is a an insightful book exploring the relationship between discontentment, comfort eating and spiritual emptiness. There are many interesting concepts uncovered and it is clear that our emotional health is very much mirrored by our relationship with food. Are you a restrictor permitter? Do you thrive on the sense of control felt by restricting your food intake and basing your self worth on how little you had, or marvel in the instantaneous joy and escapism experienced through gorging and consuming, leaving you ill and numb?
Women, Food and God teaches us tools to use to uncover or inquire what is going on beneath the surface. By being mentally present and aware in our interactions with food, and in exercising mindfulness is key. To only eat when hungry, to not stand, watch tv, read, talk while eating. Listen to your body and eat what it tells you. It will guide you.
When experiencing any emotions, pay attention to the reactions your body is displaying. Do not let that negative voice from your childhood instill anymore ideologies about what you "should" do or who you "must" be. You are you, perfect as you are. You do not ever need to feel less than. And never confuse that self punishing voice with your soul. You may have felt that you have been putting yourself down for most of your existence, but this is nothing more than an authoritative figure who let their presence be known at an impressionable time in your early life. You would never treat another being in this way, do not let yourself be abused or dictated to.

A breath of fresh air...

I feel envigorated and ready to challenge my body, to push it to the limit. I'm ready to be empowered, energetic, athletic and happy. The outer shell is in many ways reflective of our inner souls. The beauty and love we feel for another is reflected in the very heart, the core of their being. Finding adoration in the eyes and smile of your beloved, their gentle softness is created through the formation of their kindness, not the aesthetic or contour of an iris or cheek bone. I am ready to fully accept myself and that of others. I am tired of critically judging my own weaknesses.
I no longer desire the emptiness of comfort eating and gorging in order to reflect my despair and self loathing. I am grateful for the loved ones in my life and the woman I have become, we all need to cherish who we are.
I am liberated and free.

2010. I'm scared.

I have not blogged in here in a terribly long time, and I am pleased to be back because I can feel that 2010 is a year of great change for me spiritually, artistically and also academically. I'm undertaking a Master in Teaching and nervous about training as a high school art teacher!
I hope that everyone is feeling wonderful and enjoying life, we all need to be happy and have something to strive for otherwise what is the point?
I feel rejuvinated and ready to start many projects, I need to train up my artistic skills in order to be the best teacher possible, I think I'll concentrate on the disciplines of creative and life drawing, etching and painting, and dabble a little in ceramics and sculpture also.
I'm looking forward to bellydancing this year and doing some volunteer work here and there.
I want to make a difference, I hope that I can. I love teenagers and feel happy helping and nurturing people, I want to inspire kids though, not babysit them and let them walk away from my class having learnt nothing. I'm terrified.

Greetings Funky Monkeys

Greetings fellow bloggers!

As part of my first edition I would like to commence an official hello and welcome you to my vegie patch in cyber space, infinite and intangible, yet thought provoking and symbolic of the freedom of which we all have to express what is most fondly found within our hearts.
Others seem to underestimate the passion fostered in amongst sites such as these. Tending to and perfecting a blog is constantly a work in progress, reflecting the innate desires, current distresses and elements of inspiration which pass through our lives.

This is certainly a celebration of text, the written form for which we all deserve to use. Language is currently in a state of flux, I feel, and some might believe it to be grand, yet inappropriate grammatical errors made are widely to the fault of text messaging. Sure, the versatility of the medium itself is a reflection of this, but there seems to be less written mail in use than ever before.
I may sound hypercritical of me considering the fact I'm not actually writing, but typing, and not only that but I don't intend on printing this either. It exists, in fact, to you I exist, but not metaphysically.

I really would like to encourage my mother to start a blog of her own, she is an avid writer after all but seems to have no time for it, nor the confidence. She would love it I think. Anyway, I really believe that writing is theraputic and helps you to prioritise, organise, express and convey the important things in life.

I'd love to hear from different people, anything from opinions to ideas regarding everyday life, art, philosophy, psychology, or even your own life story. I've suffered a bit of adversity like most of us have, and having recently battled depression and anxiety after 5 or so years I feel rejuvinated with a zest for life I haven't felt in a long time. I'd love to hear your experiences, whatever they may be.

Life is to be celebrated fully!