Take a moment to imagine this scenario: You have eliminated all emotional bandaids from your existence. You are no longer avoiding real life or distracting yourself from feeling your emotions. Wow. Whoa. Wait a minute here. I don't do that, you might say. Well, let's take a closer peek, shall we?
What might this new life look like?
Probably something like this:
No more relax-me alcohol. (Yes, this includes wine and craft beers.)
No more soothing cigarettes.
No more junk/comfort food. (Even the organic and/or gluten-free kind.)
No more pick-me-up daily coffees. (Even the organic and Fair Trade kind.)
No more recreational drugs. (Even the organic, homegrown kind.
No more prescription drugs. (There are definitely alternatives to nearly all of them.)
No more television. Get rid of that thing!
No more video games. (Including apps.)
No more overly-obsessive activities. (Exercise, sex, work, shopping...and on and on.)
No more self-sabotage. Tough one.
No more drag-you-down hold-you-back relationships.
(No. More. Facebook? I'm still working on minimizing that one...and keeping myself limited and to the point when I am on there!)
Boring, right?!
But just wait...
This new life might also look something like this:
Just feeling happy. Even joyful!
Lots of amazing friends!
Socializing as yourself. Just plain old you. No more masks.
A clear and healthy mind.
Just facing your issues. Then forgiving everyone involved. Including yourself.
A clean, strong, and well-functioning body.
Communicating your needs and feelings clearly.
A strong sense of spirituality.
Pleasant (or even awesome) relations with family members.
Time to prepare amazing, nourishing, healthy food.
A loving and supportive partner. (If you desire to meet one.)
Lots of time in nature.
Time to partake in your passions and follow your heart.
This is a lot like what our lives look like right now. It may sound boring to some but to us, it feels anything but that. It feels like a gigantic blessing. Everysingleday. You can live this way. Just make the choice. It's all in your hands. No more excuses.
How and why did I choose this way of living?
Mostly out of self love and respect, I believe. Also, I have a strong desire to love others the same way that I love myself. To accept people for who they truly are underneath it all. Beautiful spirits. To truly know people for who they are on a soul level. To know the truth of how it feels to be a human without any adulterations.
Has it been challenging?
You bet! It's been super challenging, at times. I have done everything on the first list (except smoke a cigarette. I haven't done that.) But all the others have been challenges and obstacles that I have overcome. Some more than once. Some still creep in from time to time. Like snacks! Who doesn't love a good ol' cookie or some chips?!
I went to a liquor store today to find some empty boxes. When I walked in, all I saw was colorful flashing signs and clever, artsy labels that were reminiscent of a toy store, or candy shop, but for adults. Promotions and gimmicks like free beer cozies or tee shirts. I am often baffled by the collective consent of our world. "Drink alcohol friends! Everyone does it. Wine is classy!" Numb your pain. Forget your worries. Pretend that your marriage is just fine. What debt? Cool dudes slam back a cold one after work. Let loose. Forget life. Relax a little. Blend with the crowd. Alcohol is just one small example of this insane collective consent that our society calls reality.
With those empty cardboard boxes, we are once again paring down our material possessions. I have shed my personal stuff twice before almost completely. Once in 2004, at age 21 when I moved to Alberta from Pennsylvania. All I took on the flight was a small carry-on sized suitcase. My mom shipped me some memorabilia a few years later. You know, some photos and such.
Then again in 2011, at age 29, when my partner of 8 years and I separated, I only took with me a car, a bed and pillow, a yoga mat, a bike and some clothes. That's all. Not a nic-nac or painting or fridge magnet. What are they for really? Memories? That's why we were gifted a memory as human beings. To collect and learn and remember the past but live in the present.
Stuff is one more thing that keeps us all weighed down. Energetically, mentally and physically. It's so easy to accumulate things. It's often much tougher to become unattached from them. We sifted (again) through a pile of totes of stuff that we had just sorted through six months ago before we left to travel. So we have decided this will be the final sifting as long as we are a "mobile wellness team". We do not want the invisible energetic tethers to our heap of belongings pulling at us from around the globe.
There are often many emotions attached to a lot of stuff. So it forced us to feel these emotions, smile and/or cry, and move onward. After 3+ hours of sorting dishes, clothing and various household items (about 3/4 of our total stuff) we both laid down in bed and felt a mountain of totes lighter while drifting away into dreamtime.
We are on day four of a liquid fast of mostly herbal teas (some cacao drinks) and coconut water. Cleansing our insides and our outsides simultaneously feels amazing. Realigning our bodies, minds and spirits after a long journey. And now we begin to prepare ourselves for the next phase of the One World Wellness road tour.
No comments:
Post a Comment