Blythesong – Bliss through whatever may come

I love and am terrified by horses at the same time. We were riding in the jungle by the beach. As the horse descended the root carpeted hill to the beach I became frightened. From behind I could hear the voice of the escort repeating to me: “trust…trust…trust.” It calmed me. I did trust and it was wonderful. We can trust in the journey. The voice is always there.

I’m actually writing this on Day Five as things have gotten a bit busy……
I learned a bit about trusting the journey and supporting myself yesterday and (as I sit here really wanting to eat) I wanted to share that here.

Isn’t it funny how when we set out to do something the universe gets involved(I’m sending back my second Blu-Ray player today–not wireless…ordered a third..but I’m still on my program).  These are certainly challenges when our shaver tries to kill us or a simple purchase becomes an ordeal.  I guess I don’t notice these things ordinarily but now…yikes!

So it came to mind that we really have to believe in ourselves and surround ourselves with positive people who believe in what we are doing and bathe ourselves in positive energy and Spirit!  It’s probably wise to keep our endeavors to ourselves in the early stages.  As I start on this Clean Eating program I change certain things daily!  What am I going to eat?  Are there some supplements that could take care of this or that issue?  When and how much should I exercise?  In part that is why I haven’t been writing about that stuff yet.  It’s all new and vibrant.  For that reason, it is also open to suggestion and criticism.  Suggestion is great!

But we don’t have to just take every suggestion to heart.

• What we do have to do is believe in our intelligence and the intelligence of our body.  As we clean our the body(remember?)  the mind becomes clearer.  At that point the mind starts healing the body.
• We could really have people around us who are positive and supportive of OUR endeavor because that is the endeavor we are within!
• We benefit from just bathing ourselves in positive energy and Spirit as often as we can!  Meditate! Nap! Walk in nature!  Whatever it is for any of us…..embrace and participate in our spiritual side.  This is the supportive side, the loving part of us that thinks we are just great!!!

It is a challenge and a bit difficult to change eating and exercise habits!  I don’t know about you, but I’m deciding to be gentle with myself, to let my foods and exercises evolve with me and to listen to loving intelligence!

For the physical part:

I came off my date night without a hitch.  I got right back on program. I had my first weight training session since I started my program and it went well.  My face feels a little drawn.  I’m a bit tired.  Today I’m HUNGRY.  But I consider those effects just acclimation stuff.  It will pass.

Peace and Bliss in the journey to all!

So! Today was my first date day and meal off day! Physically I feel good and clear, but really deeply hungry.

What I’ve learned from today is that I really have to plan the days out for clean eating. Of course normal days are laid out, but the meal off days can go off the rails a bit.
(I also learned that Amazon MAY be the better way to buy and that sometimes we are better off on our own rather than endowing others with knowledge….but that’s later.)

Rich and I decided to go to Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch. We thought this would be a better idea as there is more time to work off the food before sleep. I love Cheesecake Factory! The funny thing is that I’ve only ever ordered Small Plates. And that is what we did today. Oh! and we did order wine(oh yeah!). The funny thing was that I was really hungry. We ordered salad, salmon this, lettuce taco that, flatbread(yum) and of course my fave Santorini salad. Yes, I ordered two salads. We ate a bit but quickly realized that much of the food was coming home. I think after a few clean days, the eyes really do get bigger than the stomach. We had the food packed and went on our merry way to do some shopping.
Later, we had the rest of our lunch for dinner!!!! What I didn’t do was take most of my supplements. So I guess success-wise it was a comme-ci, comme-ca day. I didn’t lose too much ground. On the other hand, I lost my vites 🙂

Ah! … about Amazon and shopping?
(and I think there is a message from the Universe here somewhere…) First we went to Sephora so I could pick up some day cream. One of the staff helped and handed it to me(Stila yadda yadda). I purchased it and tossed it in my bag. Great! Then we went to Best Buy to pick up a replacement Blu-ray player(ours had chosen to jump off the console when we bought our new furniture.) with access to my fave service Acorn. I thought that only Samsung Smart Blu-Ray players carried this service, but the salesperson at Best Buy informed me that this is not the case. All the wi-fi smart Blu-ray players can do this with apps. So, I went ahead and bought the Sony because it was on sale and I like the brand. We brought it home and I hooked it up. Because it’s wireless I had to connect it with our network. As I was going to SEN(Sony Entertainment Network) to find the service, software started downloading. It was charming. It took two hours. A few minutes in Rich and I decided to watch in the bedroom and finished the final season of Slings and Arrows(Brilliant show). At it’s conclusion, I went out to check the player. The download was completed. I went to SEN and guess holy what? Sony doesn’t carry Acorn! It was now 10:30 at night. I couldn’t call the store. I posted to Acorn’s Facebook page asking and this morning they affirmed what I read. Acorn is available only on Samsung.

Next morning(Day Four). I went to open the cream. I noticed an expiration date on the box. It read May/2014. Now I have and outdated cream that has to go back, and a blu-ray player with my network info in it that has to go back too! I went to Amazon and ordered the cream and correct Blu-ray player. With $10.00 for shipping they will both be here Saturday. So I think the Universe was telling me to trust myself and that sometimes we’re better off left to our own devices.

Ah…and for the program. Even with the nonsense I didn’t have desert!
Next date day I’ll remember the supplements.

Day Two—I’m “fleshing” out my program.  Physically,my body is tired but fine….not starving, but, let’s face it….not really satiated!  Mostly this day was about signs and I think intention.  I learned a few gentle lessons about intent, the universe, and my own consciousness.   In fact, I think I can divide the experiences into three lessons!

Lesson One:  When we set an intention, the universe moves all matter into place for its manifestation for the highest good for all.

Day One I saw a neat photo of a castle on FB.  There was a plank bridge leading to it.  I laughed because it reminded me of my journey.  I printed it and headed it with “Carolyn’s Clean Eating Journey.”  I made two copies, taped one to the inside of the fridge, left the other on my desk. I went on with my day.  That night I came back to my desk and noticed that the photo was covered with butterflies!  A sticker sheet had found its way to the photo!  The whole view was changed.  Instead of a forbidding deserted long walk, there was a flowerfield of butterflies emerging from the bridge and flying upward and onward!  Suddenly I felt such affirmation for my endeavor!  Transformation existing with a solid base and very substantial destination.  All this was now surrounded by blue skies and lovely reflective water.  Brilliant.

Day Two started on that high level.  I was to  get my nails done in the morning, work for a bit, then workout with my trainer in the afternoon.  In the evening Rich and I had an informal business meeting.  I was keen for the workout as I hadn’t been walking because of the snow and needed the movement.  Of course I was also maladaptively fearful that my clean eating was going to put weight on me.  Apart from that small, minute, ever Carolyn hitch, I was trusting the universe and happy about life!

Lesson 2:  When you decide to embark on an endeavor, the universe first conspires against you.

I posted to a FB group one word that implied, I think, “Heavenly.”  I wrote “physical comfort.”  Now, I have seen in life that there seem to be two divergent behaviors we cede to the universe when we are embarking on an endeavor. The first behavior is that the universe brings everything together to work for the highest good for us. The other is that expressed by my husband this afternoon.  The moment we decide to do something the universe conspires against us.
After posting “physical comfort” I shaved my legs(with an electric shaver) for a pedicure(yay). It stung a little. I looked down and noticed that my left lower leg was all scratched! I called in Rich who exclaimed “Holy cat claws Carolyn!”   It bled a bit, but subsided. I went off to my pedicure.

While I was getting the toes  polished I noticed that I was holding my leg a little strangely.  I don’t know why.  Maybe I was being protective.  At any rate, after I was home for a bit the back of my left calf started screaming!  I could barely put weight on the leg.  I hobbled around the house for a time before decided to call my trainer and cancel.  Rich suggested a hot bath for the muscle. It was then that he mentioned that thought about the universe conspiring against us.  I agreed for a moment. But I was more concerned about my leg.  I decided that the pain must have had something to do with scratches on the front of the leg and so rubbed Neosporin all over the scratches.  Yes, I really did do that.  I also decided that maybe the universe was telling me that on my second Clean Eating Day I really didn’t need the extra stress of a workout. Perhaps it was a better idea to nurture the body for a couple of days.  And that does make sense.  When we are changing our eating habits, it is smart to take it easy on the body physically and indulge…

So in this mood, I drew a hot bath.  My leg really wasn’t feeling any better but, hey, a bath is a bath.

Lesson 3: When we embark on a clean eating/thinking/living  journey our consciousness begins to open.  All our fears, insecurities, and internal toxins are the first things to rise and call home to Mama!

As I wrote, I was lazing in the bath, candles lit, when I just starting thinking about not buying this or that because I didn’t have money.  This was strange.  First of all I have plenty of money.  I can and do buy whatever I need.  But, years ago(particularly in college) I was in constant financial distress.  Most college students are.  My money issues did stay with me for a while, but really, I thought them well gone. In fact, the little guys are probably living in the lap of luxury in my mind.  Oh yeah, there they are, sitting in a overstuffed easy chair staying warm by the fire of toasting marshmallows and baking cupcakes.  My insecurities were used to the good stuff and now I had taken it away! Hah!  They were not going to take this sitting down!

It actually took me a while to figure out what was happening and to make sense of it.  I glad I was in the bath, because if I were in the kitchen, I may have had to get some whipped cream or pudding, or Frozen Yogurt(so much healthier) to help me think.

I realized that depriving the body of its toxins brings up the internal ones!  How often do we eat just to feed our lost child, our heart needs, our memories?  How can we nurture them in other ways? This will be fun to investigate.  I’m sure it will come up again.

For the rest of the day…

I ate dinner before the meeting.  Drank water throughout.  I felt very virtuous.  As I expected, my leg felt much better after a good sleep. (although the scratches are still red and raised.)…(Holy paranormal electric shaver activity, Batman!).  Notably, I’m getting all my supplements in.

Tomorrow is date night, so it’s my meal off.  I’m looking forward to it.  I know it’s only been a couple of days, but it’s the only night that’s reasonable for us, and I think it’s been a couple of gently exciting days already!

Peace and Bliss

Thanks for reading!

A week ago I decided that I wanted to clean out my body a bit. I had just finished tidying masses of physical stuff out of the house. Maybe that was just the outer reflection of what I wanted for my body. At any rate, my body, desirous as it is of all the “yummyness” of life took a while to hear the message! Last week I indulged in all the wine and food that I love and today was my first Clean Eating Day.  The plan is this.  I have one “cheat” night a week when I can drink wine(love) and eat a dinner I love.  With that exception, I am clean.

Clean means:

1. No wine(we own a Wine Shop)
2. No bread
3. None of the food that(let’s be honest) goes without saying
4. Take supplements(hard for me)
5. Drink lots of Water
6. Meditate daily(clear the mind)
7. Get more than enough sleep
8. Weight Train/Cardio/Exercises/Yoga.  I have a schedule for this….

Thoughts:

• So, of course, I weighed myself twice today. Although I would like to drop the eternal few pounds, I’m not doing this for reduction.  I took the batteries out of the scale until next week.
• I feel fat.
• I feel excited to be sharing this.

Oh!  There is supposed to be a light at the end of the tunnel(or castle at the end of the bridge for me).  My light as I see it now will be that I accomplished this for however long I decide to continue.  My light is that I will feel lighter(hah!  couldn’t resist). Also, I hope to grow in spirit and clarity a bit.  I don’t know when I’ll feel that I’ve completed this endeavor.  I’ll be shown as I’ve been shown so far.

I love synchronicity and messages.  Late last week I received blood test results.  Probably because of holiday fun and stress the numbers are a bit elevated.  What great timing!  Also last night during meditation I received a message:

“You think you clean the body to heal it, but you clean the body to clear the mind.  The mind clears the body and heals it.” 

When Spirit speaks, I listen!  So I think is just for me to do now.  I’m looking forward to a journey of sacrifice and growth, of a few tears and much laughter.  I don’t think I’m the only person going through this process, so I thought I would write about it.  Please follow if you desire and leave comments, suggestions, experiences on your own journey.  I believe the vibration of life lifts as we share.

Well, it was a castle once upon a time…

Peace and Bliss!

Well, we already know that I love the new year with all the chances for change and manifestation and random stirrings of the soul.  I have to write, though, that I think this year is just going be fantastically wonderful!  I feel this energy all around of people charting out their dreams, revitalizing endeavours, putting out great positive energy!  It makes me feel good just to see it and feel it!

Yay!

The other side for me (and this is the challenging one) is how to keep that great energy going?  We chart our goals, create treasure maps, “10 Goals for the Year” lists.  We bring so much brilliant heart energy to this part and then some of it falls to the wayside.  Today I had the thought that this may have to do with the initial fire going out a bit.  Sad.  So I propose this:

at least to myself

in love and belief

and most of all in supporting myself and my dreams

and honoring the angels around me

I am going to try really hard to regularly(that’s the catch for me) post goal-oriented, “how is the creation going?” posts here and on Facebook.  I want to dance with my dreams this year and manifest them!  It seems like there are others on the same ocean.  Why not?

In bliss!

January always enlivens me!  I am lucky to be one of those people who are able to put into the garbage open business, goals, embarrassments, etc. of the closing year when the ball falls into the new one.  In fact this is so pronounced in me that years ago when “someone I’m better off without” decided to profess his love for someone he’d been sleeping with and unceremoniously dump me on a New Year’s visit, I was not as broken with his betrayal(tho’ I was broken), disappointed in his gender(tho’ I was not lovin’ them) as was I completely ticked off by his timing!  He waited until 10 minutes into the New Year to tell me!  Really!  He couldn’t have eased into the subject an hour before?  That way I could have comforted my tender heart with the knowledge that it was done with the passing year.  Nope!  Not him!  Just shows that he really didn’t know me very well anyway!

So now I am in a new year of writing and suddenly I am flooded with ideas and desire!  There are so many places to go in my life right now.  I am in such a period of health, freedom, love, and joy (and am very grateful) that I want to do great things greatly and small things with great love…..But which way to go?

There is the mystery in my head and computer.  I haven’t gotten the first book down and yet relaxing five minutes brought the beginning of the second book into my head!

I really want to blog about being and wine and spirits neophyte!  I wonder though if anyone would be excited to share my journey and maybe learn along with me.

Then there is the beautiful short story “Summer of the Tiger Lillies” that has already surprised me with characters and segues.

And finally there is the land of the unseen…stories of fairies and wizards in my own little Faeriewood; tales of Christmas;  visions of the boundless heart and endless sky.

Always Poetry.

So there is my enviable problem.  I have all the dreams in the world and the time and health to breathe life into them…..Any ideas or desires out there for this year?

Wine Tasting Mora’s Saturday September 27, 2014

When I left my part-time, recently retired from the place Librarian’s job to help out at Mora’s Wines, my co-workers were jealous. How much cooler could my life be? Working in the best wine store ever? Not much cooler, it turns out. My life does rock but still it isn’t easy. For example, I don’t know a lot about wine. Actually, as I am learning every day, I know very little (and even less about life, but that’s another blog). I know nothing about spirits; though I do love Bourbon!

So Saturday I ambled down to the Shop for our weekly wine tasting. Usually in the store I’m working, even on Saturday. I stock, bother the other workers behind the register, pop around the tasting, dread compiling the work schedule, all that stuff, but today I came with the intention to just hang around the tasting and see what goes on.

Paul Yolanga was here from Opici to share wines from around the world. As usual, at his tastings the wines started beautifully and improved with a couple of hours of air. We held the tasting outside the front of the store looking out over the inlet, sharing the occasional quips about the transient fall weather…”um overcast,” “No, wait, there’s the sun!” And so on.

The first wine, from Sileni, was a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. New Zealand stamps all their Sauvignon Blancs with a distinct flavor singing with citrus. This wine does not disappoint. Notes of green apple and melon mix with the traditional New Zealand citrus. If you desire crisp on a clear fall day, then this is your wine.

The next wine was La Chablisienne Chablis La Peirrelee. It was one of my favorites! While this is the same grape that goes into Chardonnay, there is a vast difference in the wine. Chablis grapes are grown only in the clay and limestone rich soils of the Chablis wine region. This wine is comprised entirely of Chardonnay grapes, and sees little or no oak during its creation. This, in my opinion, allows the clarity of the fruit and minerality to shine through. Soft, gentle, suited to a singing breeze; this wine does not shout. It whispers.

I took some breaks from the tasting to go into the store to see what when on. On one such break I noticed a gentleman who looked a bit lost. I asked him is he could use some help. It turned out he could. He was looking for special bourbon for his Birthday (his wife was treating). He didn’t know exactly what to get, however. I love bourbon myself but am very new to the territory. Still, we were in luck. Two great spirits customers were in discussion. I asked them to help and they graciously did. Next ensued the neatest conversation about bourbon. The customer came back with his wife (while I was out at the tasting) and walked out happily a bit later with a bottle of Wild Turkey Diamond bourbon in a wooden box. Happy Birthday, there!

Many came by the tasting for the 92-point Spanish Juan Gil Monastrell owing to an earlier email special by Rich Mora. All walked away impressed! This wine is lovely! From the soft nose to the balanced berry taste it’s just brilliant. A couple of us even mentioned that we preferred it to its (very) big brother, Clio. Thomas Matthews of Wine Spectator referred to this wine as “balanced and graceful.” I agree on both counts. But perhaps the best comment came from one of our own tasters, who, late in the day offered, “It’s a winner!”

There were other winning wines as well. Paul followed the Juan Gill with something completely different. This wine was Chateau Hyot, a beautifully priced Bordeaux that has been jumping off the shelf since we received our first bottle! James Molesworth of Wine Spectator writes that this beauty is ready to “drink now through 2016.” I doubt there will be a bottle left for that last year! This wine streams blackberry and cassis. It carries great structure with some neat acidity. If you shy away from French wines because of the price or inaccessibility, this is a great introduction. You can enjoy this wine on the porch as you watch the leaves turn, or just as easily pair it with a steak dinner. It shows beautifully either way.

The next wine brought us back to the states. Martin Ray’s Santa Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon received 92 points from Wine Enthusiast. I will fess up that it was not my favorite. This surprised me. First of all, it was the most expensive wine of the day. And it received 92 points! (These points are not awarded easily.) While I thought the wine was just fine, I didn’t taste, smell, or feel any of the nuances I look for while tasting wine. It was certainly beautifully structured and serious, but it missed me (or I missed it). It wasn’t until the next day that I realized why. Rich and I brought home a bottle for dinner. We opened it and enjoyed it, but I was just not really happy with it. We “vacu-vined” the bottle. The next night we tried it again. The difference was amazing! Suddenly there were berries, spice, oak, scent, flavor, fun! I went back and read the tasting notes on the wine (I know, I know, I could have done my reading before I opened the bottle!) Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast writes that “as good as it is now, the wine needs time. Start drinking it in 2016.” Well! That just completely changed the story for me. Now I understand. (Which brings to mind that I can soon be writing a piece about why non-collectors like myself buy wine to drink later.)

The last wine was pure fun! Tait The Ball Buster would seem to be a joke wine, yes? Well, it isn’t. This Shiraz/Cab blend was awarded 90 points from Wine Advocate. It boasts berries, pepper, and toast. It is beautifully structured with the straightforward fruitiness of the Shiraz never becoming over-bearing. It was delicious!

It was also the conversation winner of the day! This wine was generally judged by gentleman tasters to be a “man-cave wine.” As the afternoon waned and sun started going down talk of the wine became a bit bawdier. More than a few tasters took on the wine as their namesake! And as the tasting came to an end some began drawing comparisons between the name of the wine and the method of delivery! But, hey, it’s Saturday at Mora’s where our wonderful visitors and friends talk about all sorts of things. That’s what brings the true coolness of my life to fruition. It is the kindness, affability, intelligence, and generosity of our customers and clients that really makes my life there cool!

For those of us who are given to standings, they are as follows:

• First Place: Sileni Sauvignon Blanc—that crisp fruit and attractive price won out.
• Second Place: Juan Gil Monastrell…Blue Label—This beauty is worth the price!
• Third Place: Tait Ball Buster– Of course! Shiraz and fun? Who doesn’t want that?
• Fourth Place: A tie! Chateau Hyot Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux and Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon share the spot. — Interestingly these were the two middle wines in the tasting. I suppose it’s true what they say about order!
• Sixth Place: La Chablisienne Chablis La Pierrelee. My Favorite! I suppose fall might call more for shouts and laughter than whispers (at least in wine).

There is Saturday’s tasting for you. And after the tasting what could be sweeter than a walk around our lovely inlet? I stretched my legs, cleared my mind (and wine fog), and was humbled by the beauty of boats resting while the sun moved gently down to sleep. As I came around the curve to see our store again I was touched by how lucky we all are to live in such a beautiful secret of a place. Let’s keep it to ourselves!

Hi there, I’m back….to writing, to traversing, to making music, to dancing a way through this magical mystical, and yes, sometimes maddening journey through life.

I began this blog really as a way for me to see my writing through another viewpoint;   as reader.  I believe that when we look at ourselves through a lens we do see another facet, angle, view of ourselves and the world.  When this works, our writing can resonate with another and enhance their day as well.  Hopefully that helps us all to develop more in the direction we desire or feel at home within.   Sounds tidy, huh?

It’s not, but then, either is life!  In reading back I realized that there must have been a reason why I hadn’t written since January!  So much has happened!  There have been so many opportunities for me to live in bliss(or find bliss) in life.  But I didn’t.  Reading more deeply, I realized I sold myself out.  Instead of keeping to my mission of Bliss through whatever may come, I changed to “…through whatever may come”.  I used this space (albeit briefly) as an outlet for my yoga class information.  It became less the song of one person’s journey(that others might identify with or enjoy) and more an outlet for the prosaic(in a limited way).  I am not happy with this.

SO….  I’ve come back….well, rejoined really, with this endeavor.  I am changing the title back to “Bliss-through whatever may come.”  I’ll be writing to bring myself to my soul and my laughter!  I am also going to be writing some wine stuff (no, not whine) hopefully for my husband’s site.  The address is: http://moraswines.com/.  I will post my wine writing here first!

I am excited about joining my writing life again in this way. If you see this on Facebook or trip on my page, please enjoy and leave comments.  I would love for you to follow this, to join the journey to find bliss in our lives.  I’m sure I’m not the only one on this brilliant journey.  Indeed I believe the stars and galaxies and most of all Spirit join us every moment of our life in this journey.

Joy and laughter to you all!

In Bliss

©2016  Carolyn Mora

Photo by the wonderful Oriana Fowler!

New Yoga for a New Year

We will be starting up our Shoreham classes at the end of February.  For interested yoga readers, this is the plan…..

Parent/Child yoga:   Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons at 4:30

Mom’s Yoga:  Thursday late mornings or early afternoons…….

Anyone interested?

We walk clear as a lightbeam on a sandbar, dreaming our life even as we cheat death
–from a free write session