May is Celiac Awareness Month

I don't even know where to get started on this topic.

An estimated 1 in 133 people (or about 1% of the population) suffer from celiac disease; My younger brother was one of those people.

Less than a year ago, he passed away from this disease--Part of the reason for the gap in posts here, has been my limited free-time devoted to healing, mourning, & moderating my own diet, as gluten-intolerance is primarily a hereditary condition.

There is so much to say about the historical, social, addictive, neurological aspects of this topic and I'm not going to get into it here. A wonderful (dire, in my opinion) place to start exploring is by reading Grain Brain by neurologist David Perlmutter, MD.

Another useful read comes via a gluten-free beauty company (yes, those who are sensitive must also avoid topical sources of gluten).

Quick Delish Qinoa Bowl

 

I made this tonight, exchanging the hemp & kale chips for what I had on hand--seaweed gomashio. It was awesome! This is a keeper, as I struggle for variety in my repertoire of quick gluten-free dishes that my picky one will also eat. A little Daiya goes a long way; less than 1/2 a teaspoon and my guy cleaned up a bowl full of broccoli! Yes, yes, yes, I will take more of what this goofy, (slightly endearing) vegan chef has offer.

Returning with a Song...

"When you forgive your imperfections
And you've auctioned all your clothes
And look to see your true reflection
You will be the one who loves you the most
You will be the one who loves you the most." ~Brett Dennon

 

 



Up in Smoke

"Everyone knows how to choose; few know how to let go. 

...But it's only by letting go of each experience that you make room for the next. The skill of letting go can be learned; once learned, you will enjoy living much more spontaneously."

~ Deepak Chopra, The Book of Secrets (p. 89)

There is no one time or right way to let go. 

Today, along with my decay bundle below, I also completed a burning ritual, offering with total forgiveness and dried sage, all that is now left behind. 

Time for a shower, a good meal, and all that is new and of love. 

Letting Go; A Ritual for Release & Acceptance

"One of the most important skills we can acquire in life is the ability to respond well to loss and disappointment. The first step in doing so is to give up the assumption that, when we suffer a loss, that something is 'wrong.' Nothing is wrong. Loss is a part of life. Sometimes there is a sadness, a silence, a despair, or a loneliness that just needs to be listened to." ~Katherine Woodward Thomas

This odd little pink package hanging from a tree in my backyard, is me letting go 

The past, (specifically with my former husband), Fear, Control, Judgement of self & others Worry for my son and the future....They are all bundled up-- along with old roses, wedding pictures, sand from the beach we lived on in California, & other mementos-- in the pink t-shirt that I was wearing on the night my former mate asked me out on our first date in October of 2008. They are hanging on a tree in my backyard in the middle of January to face their fate. It's winter; They don't stand a chance.

The "little deaths that compel us to grope through the dark nights of our souls are what most of us avoid the most. We'd rather just take a pill and be happy all the time than feel the searing pain of loss and of being lost. But there's a huge folly here. If we don't surrender and let things die away and dissolve into mystery and darkness, there's no space from which anything new can be reborn." ~ Sarah Avant Stover, The Way of the Happy Woman (p. 236)

The inspiration for this project comes via the nature of the season and my beautiful friend, Susan who told me of the decay bundle she was making in honor of the recent passing of her brother. In the spirit of the project (created by artist, Seth Apter), I collected a menagerie of things that needed to be let go of...

This is also a wonderful process for children, who are new and unpracticed in art of letting go. I certainly plan to remember this for the inevitable times to come when my son faces the harder tides of life...I can see both the necessity and beauty of a decay ball in times such as a loss of pet, the passing of a family member, transitioning to puberty...

For history on The Disintegration Collaboration (aka, the DisCo Project):  http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/2010/04/rediscovery.html
Seth Apter's Blog:  http://thealteredpage.blogspot.com/

Ideas on starting your own Decay Bundle:  http://www.redbubble.com/groups/disintegration-collaboration-disco

A seperate practice, wonderful in the release specifically of relationships, via Gabby Berstein:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3ovlPZjBlw

Christmas Tree Tradition

Christmas Tree Farm 2012

Traditions for Self-Inspiration

Lately, with the season of course, I've been thinking a lot about tradition and how in many ways we have lost their importance in both our homes and in our communities. But, in returning to self, the origin of all--How often do we as mothers and women give ourselves the gift of rituals? Wouldn't we certainly be more present for those whom we love when we give to ourselves in ways that hold meaning...

It can be oh-so-hard, especially as a single parent, but in the time that my son is with is father, I'm am trying and searching to create nurturing rituals for myself. I am quite visual in my process, so when I came across this blog entry via a blogger who also liked Veronica Varlow's post, I was quite taken.

{via}

I love to see what I am cultivating. I love dream boards and books. And I love this idea of quite literally surrounding yourself by those who inspire you!

*and for some nerdy information on the significance of 7 calendar days