Last July, two of my girlfriends and I went for a skinny dip in Lake Michigan on the evening of the full moon. We were the only 3 people that stayed on the beach past sunset.
As I stood knee-deep in the choppy, brisk water and watched the waves lap and crash in the expanse of darkness, I was overcome by feelings. The way I experienced it, I felt that I was wading in Dreamtime, that I had waking access to a whole other world.
It was a deeply satisfying experience. I left feeling so full.
I’m so happy I expressed my interest to my friends because I knew I’d love it and, in retrospect, I NEEDED it.
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Don’t we all need medicinal doses of awe and beauty and mystery?
Maybe your own stories come to mind.
Like I’ve mentioned in the past, without meeting our own inner quota for our unique needs, we may unconsciously place a burden of responsibility onto food or body.
We assume that a smaller body, a better body fat to lean body mass ratio, a cleaner diet, or even another helping of food will be the ultimate satisfaction.
What I’ve seen happen (you may have experienced this, too) is that the diet may get “cleaner” for a while. Or the body starts to shape shift after some changes with physical exercise.
But it’s not enough. So satisfaction is never reached. The diet could always be more perfect, the body more lean.
In other instances, we eat but somehow remain unsatisfied.
Perhaps we eat a little more.
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When we are deficient in the sort of nourishment that comes with being open and receptive to life, no amount or style of eating or body manipulation will really do the trick.
Acknowledging your truest needs, and creating a way of living that has space for them, is an appetite regulator.
I often have to take in regular doses of Beauty (intensity of feeling as I’ve been taught) or as time goes on I’m left feeling unsatisfied with a vague sense of longing. If I don’t recognize what’s happening, I may start looking outside of myself for the next right move (Spoiler Alert: This does not turn out well! :) )
Your homework:
1.) Think of ONE direct experience you had that was deeply satisfying and share it in the comments below.
2.) Look at your calendar for the summer and see if there is a place for this experience again or something similar to it.
(Extra Credit: While engaged in it, up the ante by 15%. What I mean is exaggerate your ability to receive and digest its pleasure. Let it heal you. Feed your whole being well).
With love,
Laura
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