This morning I made a brief video on Having a Huge Appetite in Life (or For Life) following an insightful "Cheat Meal" this weekend. :-)
Basically, I was at Pain Quotidien and while I had been giddily prepared to enjoy a delightful, decadent, delicious Banana-Oatmeal Bar (i.e. cake), once I got there and witnessed the incredibly vast cornucopia of pastries I realized that I wanted to try more than one; in fact, I wanted to try all of them! Oh my.
There I was beholding all these magnificent, colorful, fun-looking treats, and it was the day that I could have it, soon to be followed by my workout. I felt a yearning to savor them all and yet I knew I would not and that this is not practical or beneficial from multiple perspectives.
I ended up just having the treat I had originally planned on and a mocha-coffee, which is another indulgence since it is sugary and containing dairy.
I have a strong feeling you've been there :-).
In that moment I felt like I had a huge appetite, and what I realized on a deeper level is that perhaps this also reflects a huge appetite in life; the desire to enjoy and savor the various delights that life has to offer. I didn't want to miss out, and I wanted to make full use of this 'window of opportunity'.
Sometimes it is better that we do not receive everything we think we want at once, because doing so would overload our system (i.e. Life). You have personal experience with this already - just remember those times when it seemed that everything was happening to you at the same time - e.g. changing homes + career change + relationship changes, etc. It either all worked out simultaneously or "it all came crashing down".
Back to the buffet analogy...
Now imagine that you did indeed eat everything you wanted from that marvelous buffet without regard for moderation and temperance...what is the outcome? Overindulgence typically results in physical discomfort, indigestion, regret, lethargy and even confusion!
In the same way that eating everything at a buffet in one fell swoop would cause indigestion, internal blockage, and physical discomfort, having everything we want in life at the same time can generate "blockage" and resistance in our ability to absorb it and appreciate it all.
Just like our digestive system has a certain pace for nutrient absorption and digestion, our physical life experience aka 'system' has a certain rate at which it can feasibly absorb certain life experiences.
So as you stand before the buffet of life beholding all the things that you want to savor, which item(s) are already on your plate?
Are you too busy eyeing the desert, or the other dishes you aren't eating (not yet)?
Are you able to appreciate the robustness and inherent greatness of your already-in-your-hands juicy main course rather than thinking about the things you cannot have?
This brings us nicely to the wonderful notion of being fully present, mindfulness, living consciously, and choosing deliberately. Living in the Now.
When we choose to be more mindful, centered and focused on the task or opportunity at hand, we can more fully delight in it and feel more satisfied with what we do/can have instead of lamenting what is not.
We can pace ourselves, we can gauge how we are doing and advancing along in life - you can assess where you are in your personal development and life journey. Sometimes we ask for things but we are not yet ready to receive them.
If there are things you are wanting that have not yet materialized it might be because your overall life system is not primed for those changes. However, it can and will happen in the future because you can choose to make yourself ready by deciding what you want to add to your life and being cognizant of what these new additions will entail.
Just as we can offset eating an extra donut by eating light the remainder of the day, we are required to balance the scale of our life's parts so that all the parts fit harmoniously for the optimal life experience - as far as we can influence things.
Every person's journey is individual and thus it serves us not to compare against others. Some people have a higher metabolism, or they are taller, or have more muscle mass, etc. Everyone is walking their own path in their own unique way.
The value is in evaluating where you are personally and how you are doing; be honest with yourself about what you want and how much you're ready change the status quo.
Have you ever noticed that you immediately lose interest on the treats once you'd had more than your fill. Balance is key.
There may be in intangible wisdom to life's timing and when things happen.
We receive when we are ready to receive - and when it happens, that will be the 'right time'.
Peace xx -Jen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAq1QiF00RA
Huge Appetites in Life - Not having all right now is good too!
Basically, I was at Pain Quotidien and while I had been giddily prepared to enjoy a delightful, decadent, delicious Banana-Oatmeal Bar (i.e. cake), once I got there and witnessed the incredibly vast cornucopia of pastries I realized that I wanted to try more than one; in fact, I wanted to try all of them! Oh my.
I ended up just having the treat I had originally planned on and a mocha-coffee, which is another indulgence since it is sugary and containing dairy.
I have a strong feeling you've been there :-).
In that moment I felt like I had a huge appetite, and what I realized on a deeper level is that perhaps this also reflects a huge appetite in life; the desire to enjoy and savor the various delights that life has to offer. I didn't want to miss out, and I wanted to make full use of this 'window of opportunity'.
A Key Insight
The valuable learning that morning is that just as we can have a desire to eat many things in one go, we also ask for various great things in life and want them all to happen now, at the same time.Sometimes it is better that we do not receive everything we think we want at once, because doing so would overload our system (i.e. Life). You have personal experience with this already - just remember those times when it seemed that everything was happening to you at the same time - e.g. changing homes + career change + relationship changes, etc. It either all worked out simultaneously or "it all came crashing down".
Back to the buffet analogy...
Now imagine that you did indeed eat everything you wanted from that marvelous buffet without regard for moderation and temperance...what is the outcome? Overindulgence typically results in physical discomfort, indigestion, regret, lethargy and even confusion!
In the same way that eating everything at a buffet in one fell swoop would cause indigestion, internal blockage, and physical discomfort, having everything we want in life at the same time can generate "blockage" and resistance in our ability to absorb it and appreciate it all.
Just like our digestive system has a certain pace for nutrient absorption and digestion, our physical life experience aka 'system' has a certain rate at which it can feasibly absorb certain life experiences.
So as you stand before the buffet of life beholding all the things that you want to savor, which item(s) are already on your plate?
Are you too busy eyeing the desert, or the other dishes you aren't eating (not yet)?
Are you able to appreciate the robustness and inherent greatness of your already-in-your-hands juicy main course rather than thinking about the things you cannot have?
This brings us nicely to the wonderful notion of being fully present, mindfulness, living consciously, and choosing deliberately. Living in the Now.
When we choose to be more mindful, centered and focused on the task or opportunity at hand, we can more fully delight in it and feel more satisfied with what we do/can have instead of lamenting what is not.
Bear in mind also:
We can have it all just not necessarily at the same time.
We can pace ourselves, we can gauge how we are doing and advancing along in life - you can assess where you are in your personal development and life journey. Sometimes we ask for things but we are not yet ready to receive them.
Be Ready & Timing
Readiness is required for everything that comes our way and that we want to experience. The digestive system primes itself to optimally absorb incoming food by releasing enzymes and gastric juices. Certain life experiences also necessitate that we be prepared in multiple ways: emotionally, financially, professionally, socially, time-wise and more.If there are things you are wanting that have not yet materialized it might be because your overall life system is not primed for those changes. However, it can and will happen in the future because you can choose to make yourself ready by deciding what you want to add to your life and being cognizant of what these new additions will entail.
Just as we can offset eating an extra donut by eating light the remainder of the day, we are required to balance the scale of our life's parts so that all the parts fit harmoniously for the optimal life experience - as far as we can influence things.
Every person's journey is individual and thus it serves us not to compare against others. Some people have a higher metabolism, or they are taller, or have more muscle mass, etc. Everyone is walking their own path in their own unique way.
The value is in evaluating where you are personally and how you are doing; be honest with yourself about what you want and how much you're ready change the status quo.Have you ever noticed that you immediately lose interest on the treats once you'd had more than your fill. Balance is key.
There may be in intangible wisdom to life's timing and when things happen.
We receive when we are ready to receive - and when it happens, that will be the 'right time'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAq1QiF00RA
Huge Appetites in Life - Not having all right now is good too!
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