What aree you eating?-- How is it affecting you're ability to work on your ILP?--Is your shadow popping up in your food intake?--How do you include you shadow into your diet without hurting your diet, and how has being exclusionary to your shadow habitually hurt your diet and your ILP?

Let me expain;

Currently I'm in a low in regards to my diet.  I'm overeating and eating unhealthy and not exercising properly, notsleeping properly, not meditating properly.  This is physically a very chaotic place for me, and I'm so aware of it being heavily shadowed.  I think it is partly a sex shadow, and partly a financial shadow, and very much a resentment shadow too.  I want to overcome them, but it is very difficult because It affects more than just me, their is a husband that's effected and three children as well.  Interestingly enough, when the husband was out of the picture as an ex-husband these problems were controllable and I had a handle on them, but he's back in the pic and now I've gained all that weight back, and he's ovrweight and I have one child that could end up overweight if I don't do something, but two boys who could and do eat an amazing amount of everything they can get and who are thin and fit.  Different body structures to account for, and limited budget.  I'm getting ready to go shopping and we were discussing going to chicken and fish low carbs no sugars type meal plan because I can't eat vegan or vegitarian only meals, because I have a genetic problem with processing simple or complex carbs, but will still need to have complex carbs in our meals for the boys who burn everything.  How do I sort this out to accomodate everyone and not be too imposing?  WHat about family exercise?  Do any of you do that? or Family meditation?  Is that outrageous?  It seems to me that if everyone is not doing it, I will continue to not be able to do it, because I don't ness. get the time/space, and other resources to accomplish what I need to.

peace
jess

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Phoenix Rising Higher

Hi, Jess - I hear you're really wondering how to manage your and your family's health - particularly regarding nutrition/diet and activity/exercise. I think you're saying that you know some things about how you are affected by your life situation, such as financial stress, a feeling of some chaos or disorder in the practical parts of your life including sleep. Yes? you packed a lot of good information and questions into that paragraph.

I might have a few thoughts - hey, suggestions and advice are the easiest things in the world to give, yes? (But us advice givers often have our own or maybe similar challenges, blind spots, achiles heals. ) Once, I heard a psychologist say that the two most difficult areas of potential problems in a person's life are around the issues of food and of sex. He said he thought that sometimes it might take more than one lifetime to work through these. I'm mentioning this not to dishearten you further but to remind you that you aren't alone with less than optimal habits and a tendency to return to familiar patterns when out of sorts. It sounds that you and most of us have discovered that we can get into loops where things seem to get worse for a period of time until we understand them better, before we shift again to living well inside ourselves. 'I take my hat off to you' for doing the mothering and familying in addition to searching out some of the deeper and more compelling questions and snarls in your life.

I might have some ideas to share, though I'm seldom sure for a given moment. Would you like to remind us how many children you have and if you work at a job outside the house? I'm curious what your practical day looks like in respect to time and family and individual activities.

Without thinking more specifically, it seems that for many of us, gradually creating a 'structure' of increasing order is important, and often that isn't easy if it hasn't been our forte. That might mean some hard choices. Where to simplify? Where to ramp and amp up our intentions toward helpful, reliable scheduling of particular activities and such. So in a way, it sounds that you're in a good spot because you are again asking these sorts of questions.

Jess, that's what's coming to my mind in a moment of emotional sobriety this AM.

So, again, would you like to remind us how many children you have and if you work at a job outside the house? I'm curious what your practical day, your general daily/weekly calendar looks like in respect to time and family and individual activities.

Momentarily, humbly, ambo

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Ambo Suno

Hi Ambo,

Smiles, I was so touched by the end of the third paragraph I teared up and had to take a moment to pause and breath before I read on, and then to pause and think of answering your question.

I have 3 children. 14, 11, & 6, the oldest a girl, (and recently reaquinted ex-husband, there father.)

I do not have a job.  I have one class three times a week for an hour (to three hours if I bus).  I have random appointments with case workers and job specialist.  Random events with what my husband needs to take care of.  I own two business that seem to be going absolutly no where, but to consume any resources.  I'm an artist.  The one business is my paintings and drawings, the other is t-shirt prints.  My artwork is looking to transend, and the t-shirts mostly address shadow issues, though I've been trying to explore a more positive message their as well....There is too much on my plate.  I just want to do the art and be mother and wife, but I'm doing all aspects of the business' from manufacturing producing marketing and sales, trying to balance with random events, and not having the resources to even turn what I do have into cash.  The current debate with myself is how much and of what do I give up, and how will it effect me, how will it effect them/us, will they help, will they not?  How about even Can I?

peace
jess

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Phoenix Rising Higher

Hi, Jess.

Art's great; what a nice way to spend time and energy.

I'm not sure what to say in addressing this large and great life of Jessica and family.

Going from what you say, maybe some that's on your plate could be let go for a period of time - is that what you're thinking?

My general philosophical gems (smiley emoticom) are that we go on the months, years. decades plan when we're looking at how to make life more graceful, more finely and pleasantly workable, with some everyday dignity. Doesn't it seem that sometimes we might need to put our favorite activities and things on the back burner for quite a long time. We know that we'll get back to what we prefer, but we do what is necessary first to be healthy, sane, balanced, more effective in the world of stuff.

Did you mention an ILP along the way? At this moment at the end of a tiring day I'm still thinking that maybe "takin care of busness" is high on the list. What's first? I'm not sure. Health is high - the stuff you mentioned, nutrition and exercise. Financial, logistical survival and acting competently and insistently to make enough of that happen sounds to me to be part of that endeavor - to be very high on the list. That means thinking, planning, acting, yes? Sex, drugs, rock and roll, and enjoying the liesure for artistic expression seem attractive, but how high on the list are they towards feeling good about how life is going and how effective and happy we feel? They, really meaning artistic endeavors that don't put fruits and vegetables and aerobic dance on the dining room table, maybe would be on hold, in terms of trying to organize an effective and supportive-of-higher-aspirations life for your family and you? Does this feel too radical? Is this saying "suck it up" and act practical too insensitively?

Hey, Jess, that's what trickles out of this mouth at the moment. I may be way off base here. Luckily, either way, you can take your time. What do you think? Yo, Ambo

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Ambo Suno

Hey there both o'yous' life sukcs sometimes , but taht's life, eh? The important thing is keeping on ...one day at the time.

I don't have anything to add...but oh wait! I feel Gibran can't wait to channel  on Joy and Sorrow

I WOULD NOT exchange the laughter of my heart for  the fortunes of the mulitude;

Nor would I be content with converting my tears, invited by my agonized self, into calm.

It is my fervent hope that my whole life on this earth will be tears and laughter,

Tears that purify my heart and reveal to me the secret of life and its mystery,

Laughter that brings me closer to my fellowmen.

Tears with which I join the brockenhearted,

Laughter that symbolizes joy over my very existence.

- from - Secrets of the Heart 

ah ambo I smile

I just finished reading 'The Atman Project' ~KW, last night.  Interestingly enough, that part of me agrees with you, and the rock n roll mom is in a death scream, smiles.  Where to start?  That is an ILP change isn't it?  We're not talking about just trying tocontrol my diet, as a start, but...

Have you read 'The Atman Project'? ~ There was nothing there I didn't already know, but what I knew was from a jumble of memories, and then bam it's all in a book.  Well, obviously, I'm not going to quit reading.  (or put off), and yet, there is a part of me that feels like all that really matters is my conscious development.  THe book puts even that into question for me,  is God a realization in this realm, or is it as far from God as you can get?  Is this realm just a God substitute, then the only thing that really matters is to be able to put the substitute aside and transend thru gates of death.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not rushing to the gates, seems to me that all that matters in this realm is bhodisatva, (I might have mispelled that.), and if that's so then serving others in a way that empowers them to the same realizations is where it's at so to speak.  In what way shall I serve?  Seems like conscious development of self and of others. Sighs...


Sorry.  Thank You.  Peace.
Jess

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Phoenix Rising Higher

Smiling back at you, Jess.

I haven't read The Atman Project - it sounds good.

No, no hurry to the gates. The gate awaits. Patiently, to my mind, indifferently, but is there, always there. And we will be there too.

Thank you. Resiliently ours, ambo

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Ambo Suno

Can't say I 'watch' my diet. I eat and drink what I like . . . which is plain , simple food. Love fruit! .... Oo, I can feel Gibran around, here is what he says when a  "keeper of an inn, said Speak to us of Eating and Drinking.

Would that you could live on the fragrance of the earth, and like an air plant be sustained by the light.

But since you must kill to eat, and rob the newly born of its mother's milk to quench your thirst, let it then be an act of worship. And Let your board stand an altar on which the pure and innocent of forest and plain are sacrificed for that which is purer and still more innocent in man.

When you kill a beast say to him in your heart,

"By the same power that slayes you, I too am slain; and I too shall be consumed. for the law that delivered you into my hand shall deliver me into a mightier hand. Yor blood and my blood is naught but the sap that feeds the tree of heaven."

And when you crash an apple with your teeth, say to it in your heart,

"Your seeds shall live in my body,

 And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossom in my heart,

 And your fragrance shall be my breath,

And together we shall rejoice through all the seasons."

And in the autumn, when you gather the grapes of your vineyards for the wine-press, say in your heart,

"I too am a vineyard, and my fruit shall be gathered for the winepress,

And like new wine I shal be kept in eternal vessels."

And in winter, when you draw the wine, let there be in your heart a song for each cup;

And let there be in the song a remembrance for the autumn days, and for the vineyard, and for the vinepress.

-Kahlil Gibran  - The Prophet

  

Jess, are you like into dieting? heres' one which I received in e-mail from a friend , whse  gist of  I have recolection of . It is called - Italian Diet - and it's claim is that it trully works!

You walka pasta da bakery.

You walka pasta da candy store.

Youe walka pasta da icecreme shop.

You walka pasta da  table and fridge.

And in case you get tired of walka da pasta everything maaaan  , have I  got a  yummy creme of brocolly  soup recipe which I created  And if you are cheese tolerant and  own a blender you will love it!

Ingr: One fresh brocoli - washed,  sectioned - peeled and cut in small sections stem -  Four-ish,  mid-size peeled potaoes - choped up smalish pieces  (cooks faster) 

About five-ish cups of water... bring to boil , add a couple of packets of chicken soup powder and a small pinch of curry powder ...boil brockly ,- sp? stem-pieces and potaoes for 10 ish minutes.  When alsmost tender  add broccoli flowerets...(they cook fast) genty bring back to boil for additional three -ish or so few minutes...Once vegies are tender , toss in grated chadder as much as you like. I like lots. When cheese 'melts'  toss in some salt and pepper. Creme-blend. Enjoy! 

 

 

smiles, ty.

no not into dieting, just have gotten terribly fluffy.  Am suffering from an oral shadow, or more percisely feeding my oral in place of my genitals.  (KW talk)  Right before my husband and I reconciled I took a vow of chastity, which of course I put aside kinda when Mark came back, but I haven't exactly embraced sexual activity either.  Part of me was definately not ready to get back into a relationship, and yet here I am, and I don't want to end it because I love all involved and don't want to hurt them, but I don't know that I can leave either and live with myselfj, so I'm really trying to adjust, and not doing so well.  I have gained 40lbs.  I don't look obese or anything, even though I'm close to 200lbs because I'm 5'10", in fact, most that I know feels that I look very healthy now in comparrison to my super fit self prior to the reconciliation, but I feel like sht, and i want to sleep or be immobile all day long.  Doc says eat meat, spirituallity says eat vegs, so i just eat everything lol...anyways the brocclli recipe sounds bomb, I'll give it a go.

what do you know of kundalini helene?  Do you think maybe I should work on tantra and kundalini with mark and that might help me out of the pantry?

peace
jess

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Phoenix Rising Higher

I just heard a yogi address diet, and the gist of it was;

If you are a body with a soul, then everything you eat is a sin.  The tomato and the lettuce scream stop hurting me don't be so cruel, but
if you are a soul with a body, then the body is just part of the food chain.  When you breath you take in bacteria and half the bacteria you breathe out dies and there are plenty of microbes and insects that also die with every foot step.


So perhaps it is not so much about what you eat but how you get it.  Wether you processing is humane.  like are you taking care of the people who grow and harvest your food.  Insecticides, and how animals are raised...
Interestingly enough consummtion is so tight with capitalism and commercialsim that peoples activism gets a litlle crazy.  Like if everyone became a vegetarian what would happen to all the animals in captivity? 

I had a terrible vision yesterday that I was the cow. then it turned out that the cow was a person, then it turned to the person was the cow, and it came home to me that you are what you eat, so today i ate tuna
anyways,  I feel spiritually relieved about eating meat.

peace
jess

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Phoenix Rising Higher

dear jess:  this is your mother speaking.  smile.   I have been there with four stairsteps and another 4 yrs later.   WE are healthier and living longer than any other generation.  I was reading Health Food books from the beginning- Adele Davis who died of cancer and she lived a life of good food.  Here are a few tips. Most children burn a lot of energy.  I hope they are in good PE classes and do not have to be driven everywhere like my grand children.  My kids did not and were on their bikes all the time or climbing trees or running the very safe neighborhoods.  Still I worried about the food, health yada yada.  one tip.  learn two or three favorite bread loaf recipes and double bake.  you can use part whole wheat pastry and part white fl. or all white flour because you are going to use zuchinni and nuts or pumpkin and chocolater chip or apple and nuts..  Yum.  Have this out when they get home from school and /or for dessert.  Oatmeal cookies with all kinds of variations.  And this next one  no sugar lime jello with cottage and canned pineapple and walnuts.  two minutes to make and that was a mainstay in our house and still is.

a huge pot of beans beans beans .   I use classico and call this Mexican chile. lean ground beef (thank the wonderful soulful cow for providing)   brown that with some onions or used the dried onions.  Two or three jars of Classico spinach cheese sauce

and black beans, garbanzo beans,  canned soy beans if you can find.  Let it simmer and keep tasting.  I also add a jar of mild salsa sauce in with the mix.  you can use all salsa or half and half but I hate the way you cannot taste things with too much of that.

There is a whole wheat Texas Toast now by Pepperricge Farm serve that and have fruit or oatmeal cookies or the bread loaf or fruit for dessert.  There are a million other healthy things coming out that will help you keep it simple.  Keep it all real simple and gather enuf recipes that are quick and good.  The new all meal crock pot recipes are made for families.  To this day my oldest son loves tuna casserole and the rest of us got so tired of it, we never eat it any more.  The one with the sour cream

(lo fat).  Double cook when you can.  Mon. thrru Thurs we ate at the table and on Fridays, we ordered from Mc Donalds. or somewhere easy.  I was teaching also many of the years.  You can cook on Sun. ffor two or three days.  Now that takes care of the family.  If you find this helpful.  Stop wworrying, keep educating yourself and as the years go by add to recipes on creative days when you have time.  Those bread loafs will always be good to take to sick friends people who have death in the family and again, the kids need the sweet carbs for energy.

  For you, look at some of the Type 2 diabetic diets or get a ww cook book  eat some of you fav .  foods.  And then know that you are going to go forward paying attention all the time to your marriage,  your children.  Be aware and be present. Cause teen time is coming.  Get some of your creativity esp the art work in and some exercise daily.  Again the ILP is going to be a godsend.   Do things that you want to do  but when you cannot you go with the flow.   Igot to where I could not pray so I would just say. Thy kingdomcome  thy will be done.  all the time with all the problems.  I walked daily with a friend and we went over the days stuff etc. Or walk with the family.  try out stuff.   Start small.  The book I told you about -do the exercises and you will be so surprised after nine weeks.   Or get ILP that is perfect for you esp now.  Don't rush it.  go slow and savor learning it.   Meditate and do the exercises.  I guarantee you will lower the anxiety, the worry,   Try to laugh and smile andhave fun.  It will go so fast.   Being present is the most important service. I have got to stop.  and cont. later.  I hope this goes thru.  Have good music in the house.

Later Pattye

Great info and perspective, Patty. You have an old-fashioned balanced approach going there; old-style integral. I especially, like the overview: "Do things that you want to do  but when you cannot you go with the flow.   Igot to where I could not pray so I would just say. Thy kingdomcome  thy will be done.  all the time with all the problems.  I walked daily with a friend and we went over the days stuff etc. Or walk with the family.  try out stuff.   Start small.  The book I told you about -do the exercises and you will be so surprised after nine weeks.   Or get ILP that is perfect for you esp now.  Don't rush it.  go slow and savor learning it.   Meditate and do the exercises.  I guarantee you will lower the anxiety, the worry,   Try to laugh and smile andhave fun.  It will go so fast.   Being present is the most important service. I have got to stop.  and cont. later.  I hope this goes thru.  Have good music in the house." I like how you added to the art rather than totally backburnering it. Sometimes, I have to set things I want aside in order to deal with pressing priorities, but how you say it sounds more artful. We on this planet are lucky to have you and all of that life-wisdom around.

Good thread Jess - real practical life issues for me too. Maybe I'll get out the crockpot. Though not always highest quality, some large stores (like Costco around here) have these fresh vegetable platters, that when they are out as snacks, might entice some fingers. Fresh fruits in season, whole or sliced (often better - then they are bite and finger-sized available, attractive, and have the TLC of Mom's quick handi-work). Fresh fruits and vegetables as you know have a naturally good composition of fiber, and vitamins and minerals and enzymes and such - all of these help deal with modern (postmodern?) stresses of life. Maybe an inexpensive but complete multi-supplement for everyone, if you're into that and can afford it.

Wellness, Ambo

PS (edit add-on) Something, I've been doing lately to give me a few days prepared food is cook some Basamati rice in a broad pot (depth isn't so important) with a cover. Onto the top of rice that isn't far from cooked, I lay on cut broccali that steams just enough to be more tender. Basamati cooks fast - I don't know, maybe 10-15 minutes. I read in one diabetes cookbook that white rice actually had a better glycemic index than brown - beats me how that could be. Another testing may show otherwise, but much of Asia lives many years on white rice. When I eat this, I then pour on some flax seed oil and Braggs amino concentrate, which is a little like soy sauce. Last night, I added mixed nuts. For me, it's very tasty, for your teen-agers it might be pretty hohum, cummon mom, where's the beef. Obviously broccali is famous these days for antioxidants, as is cooked tomato sauce. Speaking of which, I sometimes buy tubes of polenta, slice it to fry, maybe with onions, and add jarred marinara or spagetti sauce and such. Quick, pretty satisfying for a batchelor - sounds like it would work for a family too. Etc. Smiles.

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Ambo Suno

Hey gangsters!  bunch o'good stuff a'brewing in this here topic

hiii Jess, I will for a change o'pace  pipe in with - 'did you ever ritually  bless  your Body, your female-hood  with the four - Air, Fire, Water and Earth - elements? ever felt like a total gypsy-rebel who realizes her body is Her temple? ... You ask if I know about kundalini ..Kundalini is the Shakti power..is the Holy Flame, the Holy Spirit, which is within all of us...is,  within our physical bodies. It is Soul- power...But until and uless we are psychologically and emotinally stable to handle the influx of that energy ,  any yogic practice that  opens the higher chakra centers is very strongly discourgaed. Half-assed 'clear' chakra  person,  with ambition for this spiritual energy can render him/her 'sexually dangerous' , or worse.

I read to date, ages ago,  two 'kundalin'  books . The first one Gopi Krishna's (first) book. The second , I scan-glanced only, penned by a French scholar woman . Gopi went through hell during his 'clearing chakras' phaze. Those were the only two books available in the library. Both books confirmed for me this thing is real. To this day I have a hand-scribbled from G. Krishna quote-note .. bec. it made tot. sense to me . Here goeth:

The aim of the evolutionary process is to create a more noble, more sober, more far-seeing, more sensitive, more compassionate, and more loving individual.

Those who think that thier . . .  spiritual discipline has come to fruition or that their kundalini has awakened would do well to assess their progress by a critical egzamination of their own thoughts, acts, and behaviour to know how far their evolution conforms to the standards set in the great religious scriptures of the world.

'Tis all  for now seeya

 

smiles that is a lot of good information

Pattye do you have these good bread recipes, because I have to tell ya that I've tried cooking breads and have failed miserably.  I can throw down homemade pancake crepes and waffles, but the bread and dinner rolls eludes me.  Thank you for your advice.  I think you hit it on the head.

Ambo, smiles, I love rice and broccolli, smiles...thanks for your encouragement.  I always feel peaceful when I read your threads.

Helene, dear, smiles, I remember being a sexual danger, now I'm a bit of a prude.  The timing has been all off.  How do I go about clearing my chakras?  and this blessing my body with the four corners, can I do this in the shower?

All in all I just want to thank you wonderful shining people for reading my post and responding helpfully and compassionately.  I think I needed that more than anything.  Tune in again same time same channel...

peace
jess

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Phoenix Rising Higher