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I seem to have slipped up in the fifth week of these updates but it’s better late than never, so here’s the weekly update on Dianne Sylvan’s Becoming a Spiritual Nomad Course, and it’s week FIVE!
Again, I read it a little late and then the practise got put on hold and I then read the final week’s module and just… missed week five. So I’ve done it this weekend.
I’m off to a Beltain celebration (in gale force winds and torrential rain, it seems) so I figure it’s as good a day as any to catch up.
My Thoughts Self-Care: Eating and Movement
Self care is an interesting topic for me. I’m a fussy eater, and up until 2011 I was officially underweight and could not put weight on.
Since being able to cook for myself, I’ve made it a goal to eat 4 portions of fruit or vegetables a day. I usually manage three without thinking, so much of a habit it has become. However, I still eat a lot of junk food. Now that I’m at a healthy weight, I’m finding it difficult to stop eating the high fat, high carbohydrate and high sugar diet.
Movement is another thing that’s been linked to my weight – feeling unable to exercise in case I lose weight further. However, dance has always been my calling. I danced from the age of 6 or 7 – just in my room, with a garden cane which I had decorated with a feather pendant and some rubber ends.
Balancing the Budget
I kept having some blocks towards doing this exercise, but I then realised it’s because I couldn’t possibly list everything, and thus the perfectionist in me knew it would be incomplete… so I’m making a list instead:
Budget: £100
Outgoings:
Worry -£25
Jobs -£15
Uni -£25
Media -£10
Insomnia -£10
House stuff: -£5
Actual Income:
Cleaning my room £5
Healthy food £10
Writing £15
Positive music £10
Reading £10
Exercise £5
Extra Income Options:
Dance £10
Meditation £10
Cleaning my room £5
Yoga/Shivanata £5
Chat with friends £5
Healthy food £10
Writing £15
Positive music £10
Nature £10
Reading £10
Exercise £5
Movement Meditation
I used to do this by instinct when I was young, and sharing a house where my bedroom sits over the kitchen/lounge makes me feel self-conscious moving my feet (and that’s how I prefer to dance) so I move less while at university. However, I did this practise a couple of weeks ago (during the actual week 5 or 6 of the course) and it reminded me of just how helpful this practise is for me. It’s a huge energy boost; the tiredness lasts a few minutes but then dissipates.
Contemplation Questions
1. I try to use “we” to mean my mind and my body when talking to myself. Self-talk is something I continue to discover and lead towards positivity. I’m awarwe of it, which I guess it the first step.
2. I used to have a list of sacred self-care; from washing away negativity and clothing myself for protection (i.e. my clothes were a protective force) and cooking was a nourishing act, a gift from the gods. I’d like to bring that back into my life.
3. The idea of a day off has real issues for me. This week I actually took off last Sunday for writing, Thursday night for gaming and yesterday (Saturday) off to write and chill out. However, most of yesterday was spent feeling guilty that I’ve take 2.5 days off!!! My mind felt that was good, but my body was restless with it. However, a day off every two weeks should be manageable to begin with. Or just an evening off. I’ll have to see.
4. I used to feel that my media exposure was really low; because I only watch specific programs I’ve downloaded (I don’t have a TV) and I don’t read news papers. However, bill boards and bus stop adverts are everywhere, people talk constantly about things the media have taught them to say and I use the internet, which has its fair share of adverts. It’s something I’m keeping an eye on, but haven’t found a full solution to meet the amount of media quiet time I’d like.
In light,
Rose
