Authentic Voices

The other night with a pair of dear friends, one of those conversations started, the kind that pokes at the basic question of life and being.

Of course we did not come to a definitive conclusion about much, but the whole topic did strike a chord within me and brought me here to write.

In particular, we talked about the recent human rights struggle that the homosexual population is battling. In relation to their movement, we recognized how over time, there have been many similar battles but just in different forms.

For example, we talked about the civil rights movement and the fight for equality for African American folks. We talked about the friction of religion and how that has colored our world history.

We questioned whether or not anything has really changed at all with our species. Have we really evolved like they say or are we just humans becoming ourselves in a different era with different challenges? Although we are in a different time, we wondered if the challenges we face are really all that different.

We then pondered, if and when the homosexual crowd gets the equality they deserve, what personal battle will be on deck that we might not even be aware of? I'm not sure. But it's all really interesting to think about, and I've come to the momentary conclusion that these struggles have a lot to do with people finding their authentic voice and empowering themselves to use it.

This idea is emphasized by one of my favorite writers, Shaun McNiff. In his book, Trust the process: An artist's guide to letting go, he notes how one expression can be the stimulus for another creation/expression.

He says, "one thing is always growing from another" and that the source of this growth is life (p. 164). He says the reason why we paint from nature or write about our life experiences is because we are moved by life and all its events, people, problems, memories, scenes, patterns, gestures and creations of others or any other things, really.

He adds, "Creation is constantly playing different variations on themes and restating basic truths. The more we work at originality, the more we return to the same fundamentals which are renewed in each historical period by those who express them in appealing and striking ways" (p.165).

He goes on to say "Original statements keep returning to origins but in a style that is authentic to the person making the expression. The source never can be copied because it doesn't exist anywhere in a fixed form. It can only be interpreted" (p. 165).

These words makes me realize that what is happening with the gay community right now is not totally unique or original but is yet another expression of people being people.

In this light, suddenly life seems simple to me. What every culture and people have needed throughout time has been a space and some encouragement for authentic and sincere expression.

These issues and challenges are not original or new, and although McNiff writes in relation to creating art, I think his point speaks well to life in general; "If we liberate our personal and often idiosyncratic styles, we will create with individuality and vitality" (p. 165).

In other words, if we can all find our authentic voices and use them, we will learn how to appreciate and be inspired by other forms of expression and being. And as we accept ourselves and others, we may finally thrive as a people.

Honor Life

"Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life."
-BERTOLT BRECHT

Last night I was reminded again of how precious life really is and how lucky I am to be alive. It is easy to complain and feel like your life is in shambles, it is much harder for people to really honor their life and their journey and be grateful for the privileges they have been given.

It is also easy for people to wallow in their despair and not move forward with their lives. Rather than taking risks and challenging oneself, people often get stuck in a rut. This stuckness is not really living.

With the poor economy and me wrapping up a Master's degree while searching for a new direction, it is easy to feel stuck and hopeless. I admit I fall victim at times to thinking that I maybe made the wrong decision.

However last night I was brutally reminded how important it is to follow your dreams, even if people try to convince you otherwise.

Jay received a phone call that shook our world. His cousin was on his honeymoon with his new wife and they got in a horrible boating accident. His wife's life was taken.

My thoughts are with their family. From the sounds of it, she was an amazing person who lived her life to the fullest. While it is extremely regrettable and awful that her life was lost at such a young age I feel glad to know that she was a person who honored life and followed her dreams.

I can only hope to emulate her spirit in my daily living.

I'd like to share a quote that she lived by that I feel sums up a lot about the meaning of life.

"Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave."

May we all learn how to support the world by fully honoring our lives and the lives of others.

Thursday thought: Discover yourself

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards: they try to have more things, more money, in order to do more of what they want so that they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then, do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."

-MARGARET YOUNG

Eye of Horus date night with Angelita

Last night I had a runner-up to one of the best date nights EVER! And, it was with my GF, Angela. Whut up Ang, if you're reading this...

First, I arrived early to the scene (I'm usually the early bird, unless I'm having one of those days)...I was feeling a little anxious not because I was going on a date, but because without a book or any back-up plan for something to occupy my time, sometimes I can get a little uneasy. Plus I just haven't been on a date with a gal pal in forever, been all cooped up...I think I was just antsy trying to remember again what it feels like to be social. Most of my days lately have been over-stimulating and busy with work, school and volunteer-stuff, it was nice to just relax and let go of the whole having a "plan" thing and just check out the neighborhood and wander for fun. You know, enjoy what life is and just be and live out what this blog is all about.

So while wandering, I happened upon a Tea Shop called: La Société du Thé. Which was perfect since I have been getting into tea these days. The words are French, and it is run by a European couple and has been open on Lyndale for about 15 years now. Here is their website. It was refreshing to talk to the woman about the teas and reaffirm some of the learning I have been doing through some reading. Her shop specializes in their own blends and is more tea for pleasure, rather than medicinal teas (which I have been focusing on lately). I figured if we truly want to wake up in life we need pleasure teas just as much, if not more than medicinal teas so I was excited to be there with an expert. I was also delighted to see that my teapot I recently bought at the farmer's market was there! And the woman highly recommended it and was surprised when I told her I had it since she didn't know of many places that sold it. I also must add that I was elated to hear her say that her tea business was only growing, despite the economy and that the need for people to move off 15 cups of coffee a day and move towards the healthier, cultural practices of tea time was very exciting to me!

After 30 minutes of tea chit chat I figured it was time to take some home with me. I purchased two teas and one herbal: Mao Feng (a green tea from China), The'Du Maroc (a mint tea blend with some leaves from Morocco), and the herbal blend, Orange Rooibos, which is a South African herb and smells delicious.

This morning I already had two cups of the green tea and it was very good. I learned two tricks about green tea from my healing teas book and from the woman at the shop. Number one, it must never oversteep!!! NEVER. Make sure you check with your teamaster on how long the steep times are. For my particular blend I was to steep for 2 minutes the first time, and 3 minutes the second time. You must be very aware of these times or you will pay for it later when you get that very bitter taste that most people associate with green tea. Which made me think that maybe the reason why people don't like green tea is because they have always steeped the tea for too long getting that bitter, nasty flavor...that is not how green tea is supposed to taste. Number two, the tea leaves are very delicate--so NEVER pour boiling water over the tea leaves, it will scorch the leaves, affecting the flavor and leaving you unsatisfied and bitter, literally. It is best to use water when it is just about to boil but not actually boiling. The difference you will taste in your tea after practicing these two rules is HUGE. Give it a try.

So now, getting to the juicy part: my date with Angela. She arrived, and well, we went to Subway, maybe not the most ideal or romantic place for dinner, but it worked because it was within walking distance, it was quick, and it nourished us for the main course of our night: the psychic reading!



Yes. We went to a psychic at a shop called Eye of Horus . This is the picture of an Eye of Horus. It is an Egyptian symbol that means some deep stuff that maybe wikipedia can better help you with. I won't get into the details on here about the readings because it is a little personal of course, but we each saw Christine, and really liked her. We both sat in on each other's reading which I am glad we did, and it was a powerful, bonding experience. I think we both learned a lot from the meeting. And I plan to go back there for sure as you can go any time for any amount of minutes. If you want to hear more about this experience just ask, but I won't go into further detail on here as I don't believe blogging can do justice in explaining and delivering the magical experience of a psychic reading.

Afterwards we walked over to French Meadow Bakery and indulged in some gluten-free but heavenly desserts and a bottle of Organic wine, which was the best orgo wine I have tasted yet (although I admit it was only number two for org. wines I've tried). I cannot remember the name for the life of me, but it had a picture of a chicken on it (I think...it was dark and the wine was flowing...). I will ask Angela and post later, because it was really good :)

Enjoying the cool and mosquito-free air, after talking and eating, we concluded the night. I didn't have a care in the world and I felt so happy. So naturally I had to come on and share the experience. Thank you Angela for reminding me again about why life and friendship is so wonderful and should not be taken for granted :)

And to the few out there reading this post, if you are looking for a fun date night I recommend psychic readings. Whether you believe in it or not, it is a fun and new experience and I guarantee you will learn something about yourself in the process.

Drunk off Moroccan Whiskey and its a Tuesday night!

Hola! Annyunghasayo! Arigato?

Today was an all together perfect day. It was one of those days that you must write down to remember for one of those not so perfect days.

First, I got back to adding some deliberate movement to my routine and was able to walk today on the treadmill. So maybe it was only for twenty minutes and maybe it was not the scenic walk I am used to, but it felt good to pant a little, sadly on a speed 4.0, but hey with an incline!! Righteous. Regardless, I also was able to take time today to relax and enjoy tea in the morning in solitude, which can be just as rewarding as it is when enjoyed with a friend--as long as I make sure I am really present throughout the experience. Anyway, I also ate my fruits and veggies, thawed out some old homemade chicken pot-pie mix and cooked up some brown rice in the rice cooker so I could have a dinner to bring to class tonight. Idiotically I burned myself on the rice cooker, but I created a little essential oil mixture to apply to the burn so we'll see how well that worked. (I'll be doing research on that tomorrow for my final presentation in my Alternative Approaches to Healthcare class). Then I did a little modge podging on the memory game cards I created for my lesson plan for today. Afterwards I took a shower and packed up my school bag for both the class I had to teach and the class I take at St. Kates.

I just have to say today was the most successful day I have had in teaching, and I am so grateful it came today because I have been a little frustrated lately with my ability to take charge and be in control in the classroom. Those little rascals sure notice when you are lacking control. And I tend to have a sore spot for being a little too nice to people when maybe it is not the best thing to do. But after having a discussion with two close friends of mine who are involved in education/teaching right now over the weekend, I was able to come up with a little plan to get the kids to respect me without the whole, "Why don't you treat me with respect" conversation I typically find myself leaning on. (Thanks Emily and Irene!) So I am rewarding the kids this Thursday (weather willing) with the treat of apples! Surprisingly the kids wanted apples. We have some food allergies and the kids were excited about apples, so cheers to that!

Aside from class just being great and feeling like I am making connections in the classroom, I had my final Ecology and Health course tonight, which will definitely lead to another post (if not here, in my Go Green Machine blog). I just adore my professor and he put me in a happy mood. (Despite the usual apocalyptic reminders).

I was in a good mood also because I finaly connected with my little, and we made plans for this Saturday morning. I am going over there at 8:30 to cook her pancakes, and I look forward to it, mainly to see her and spend time with her, but also to watch her eat something other than pizza, tacos, or ice cream! Also I hope to share some cooking knowledge with her mother, and I never mind running into her little brother who is soooo adorable!

To finish the night off, on my way home I decided to stop back at Irene and Rachid's place (because I left my briefcase there yesterday)and was welcomed warmly by Mohammed, Rachid and Irene as well as an array of plates filled with my favorite thing--food! Haha. There was fish, an eggplant dish, a salad, a bowl of homemade fries and sweet bread! What a bienvenido I didn't deserve :) I love dinner so much and must know it is a good day when I am blessed with a second dinner. I also was fortunate to share some laughs and some closeness to Irene and the man soon to be her husband. It is always fun to be at home in another person's home. I cannot get enough of the feeling of dropping in on someone's night and being part of their life and conversation. We discussed many interesting things from language, to France, to ETA and the vascos, to the Mormons in Utah, (and not to mention to a lot of cool home remedies I learned of--Rachid's special soup he makes to fight colds, and Mohammed's father's secret to beating sickness--I think I am going to start a recipe book of all of my friend's little home remedies, it's gonna be sweet), but the point is (and the reason why I visit at this later hour) is we ended up drinking Moroccan tea, which I have been lucky enough to have before on another occassion with the very same group of people maybe a year and a half ago. Things began to get a little kooky this evening (we may all have been like that before the tea, but let's just say it was from the tea), and anyway, they explained that some people call Moroccan tea, "Moroccan whiskey," because of the crazy effect all the sugar in the tea has on people it acts like alcohol, except stimulates.

Despite my sweet buzz, I decided with the snow and my parched plants at home waiting for their own drink, I needed to come home to rest and wind down from a long but wonderful day.