February’s theme is Nourishment – How do we nourish our body and soul?

Over the next 4 weeks I’ll focus on different aspects and ways to nourish ourselves. This may seem like a pretty straight forward topic and not one you need much help with but let me ask you:

• Are you familiar with the “Art of Spiritual Nourishment”?
• Do you know what “Forest Bathing” is?
• Of the 5 Love Languages, do you know your preference, your partner’s or children’s?
• Would you be interested in an interview with a gold medal triathlete and how she nourishes herself at 67 years of age

I hope some of these topics catch your interest.

I want to begin this series on nourishment with Adyashanti’s perspective on the difference between nourishment and goals, plans and intentions.

Often in January we set goals for the year and have good intentions. For some this works great and is very motivating and maybe even inspiring. For others it quickly becomes something we feel guilty about. Often goal setting puts our focus on outcomes in the external “out there” world, often creating pressure. Adyashanti has an alternative to this for your consideration, and this is the inspiration for this month’s topic.

He proposes that we focus on what nourishes us. I particularly like this because I know what nourishes me, on any level, increases my energy and “strength” to accomplish whatever I need to do.

In The Art of Spiritual Nourishment you shift from the “reactive ego mind” to a softer place where we actually nourish our spirit. He says, “…too often we are submerged in the murky waters of our thinking.” Don’t you just love that imagery! Murky waters indeed!

He recommends silence as critically important, and that’s certainly in short supply in most people’s daily routine. How much silence do you enjoy on a daily basis? I can almost hear people laughing as they think about the absurdity of that question – Silence, I haven’t had that since the kids were born… Well it really is essential so any amount that you can carve out will serve you. Now if it has been in short supply it will also likely feel odd or your mind may rebel or revolt – filling the silence with chatter. Don’t be discouraged. If you need help you might consider Adyashanti’s Cafe Dharma radio program entitled, The Art of Spiritual Nourishment.

So this week, see how much silence you can allow into your life, notice resistance if it shows up and remember, “Silence is good food for the spirit” – Adyasganti.

Next week, I’ll talk about The 5 Love Languages and why they matter. Everyone knows we are each different in how we look at the world and so naturally certain things resonate more than others. The brilliant framework of “love languages” developed by Gary Chapman allows you to recognize what you “code” as love and how others want to be valued and “loved.” How helpful would it be to know if your child prefers quality time with you or expressions of praise and recognition? Stay tuned for a peak into what nourishes us in relationships.

In week three, I’ll introduce a wonderful practice called Forest Bathing, and tell you about how this practice could really support you.