A New Life for Dar

Quiet…  For me this is such a beautiful word. For the first time in my adult life I am living alone and I-LOVE-IT! 

Throughout high school I had a plan to graduate, join the Air Force, travel the world, and maybe, someday…get married.  However, by the time I graduated I was already a single mother and soon after there’d be other titles that would come into play: wife, once again a new mother--this time with twins, divorce’, single parent and all while trying to excel at work, have a social life and still hold on to some of my dreams and desires. 

Needless to say, my initial goals fell through the cracks and were buried under mounds of laundry, PTA meetings, little league sports, and the cruelty of petulant kids, an un-involved ex-husband and rebellious teenagers! (Long exasperating sigh)

But I digress… (Slightly)

Deep, deep down inside I was and am still that girl with a strong longing for independence and adventure.  Now, there is light at the end of the tunnel and no, it is not an oncoming train!  My boys have all left the nest to live out their own dreams and goals.

Now, I am living in my own space and while it has been a long desired dream of mine, it is also—much to my surprise—taking some getting used to.  On most days I can sit in my living room, now devoid of sweaty athletic shoes, musical instruments, and sports magazines—and sit in silence while sipping a cup of Zen tea and thumbing through a magazine! 

But there are times when I do miss my boys and I get a bit lonesome for the sound of their laughter, or the energy buzzing through the house when they would have friends over to play video games.  I miss our family vacations taken each year on the twins’ birthday.  Or the impromptu family road trip where we would stumble upon some random destination and immerse ourselves in the local food and culture. 

And while I do admit that it has taken a minute for me to get my footing, I am excited about the possibilities and look forward to rediscovering myself and setting new goals while I am on this exciting new journey!

Namaste’ (The Spirit in me honors the Spirit in you)

Dar

Detox Update: Taking the responsibility of my health into my own hands

The detoxification that I started along with this blog lasted 5 days. This was an eye opening experience for me. My detox consisted of daily juicing of fruits and vegetables and one full meal per day of salad with veggies and a protein of either nuts, chicken breast or a boiled egg.

My quest to detox was inspired by a documentary I watched through ‘Netflix instant view’ entitled: “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead.” By Joe Cross.

The film follows Joe, who is from Australia as he travels across America exploring why obesity in the United States has become an epidemic. The main message that I got from the film was how Joe Cross was able to heal his body from disease and be weaned off his medicines by changing his diet to mainly fruits, vegetables, and beans, along with exercise.

As I began my detox I found that the first day was surprisingly easy. However, as the week progressed, I began to experiencing positive and negative side effects. On one hand my thinking was clearer and I felt calmer and lighter as my stomach began to flatten as the waste left my body. But there was also a few days where I had headaches, blemishes on my face and a feelings of lethargy where I could do no more than go from the bed to the sofa to lie down.

All in all, after a week of detoxing, my energy level is up, my appetite is down and the nagging ache that I had in my left knee has vanished. I am planning on doing a reboot detoxification next month as a part of my new regiment.

NOTE: it is stressed through this documentary that you seek the advice of your physician before starting any detoxification, fasting or weight loss program.

Dar~

Touch

He rested his hand on my shoulder. He slid it down my back then back up the curve to my shoulder. Slowly repeating this movement he chatted about some inane thought. I don’t remember…what was he talking about? I became mesmerized, caught up in the sensation. Gentle.

I relaxed into the feeling. This was new ground for me—not new, but a re-acquaintance with an old familiar friend. Peace. Just how long had it been? I don’t quite remember… I just know it’s been far too long; so long that my mind is doing back-flips trying to decipher why the touch of this person, gentle, rhythmic has emoted such a feeling inside of me. Nothing sensual, or sexual; It was comforting like grandma’s hugs, or sipping cool lemonade on a hot day, or having a baby clutch its tiny fingers around mine.

What I do know is that is has been far too long since I have been given this type of comforting support for no apparent reason and with no expectations in return. My soul needed this.

So, without further contemplation I accepted his offering and felt gratitude for the awakening inside myself. And I vow to pay it forward.

Dar~

Don’t Forget to Breathe

The process of inhaling (taking in life sustaining oxygen) and exhaling (releasing toxins) is meant to be a subconscious act. Yet for me, lately, it’s something that I must remind myself to do--I’ve been holding my breath.

Now the interesting thing about this is that some people hold their breath after inhaling, which psychologists say means you are suppressing or holding on to some "issue" that you're unable to release. And if you exhale and then hold your breath this means that there is some issue or situation you’re afraid to face.

For me…I hold my breath after inhaling, yet have occasionally held it upon exhalation as well.  So, what does that mean?

Why am I subconsciously holding my breath and going against my body’s natural process? I may not know the answer to this question right now, but my plan is to write it out until I’ve figured it out. So I will use this space to explore my thoughts, my life, my behaviors in hopes of shedding some light on what I may be holding on to or apprehensive about releasing. Either way, it’s sure to garner some interesting posts. Enjoy!

Namaste’

Dar~

Taking Control of My Life!

Today I begin a detox (again). I call this "my quest to achieve ultimate health!" Can't count how many times in the past that I've started this journey, but I believe that I will succeed this time. What's different? This time I have "renewed" my mind first. Now, the body is sure to follow.

Namaste'~