Personal Needs

It's cold, misty, drizzly and miserable walking in the gardens at the NT's  Knightshayes Court near Tiverton on Saturday. 

But the trees, especially the maples, are so full of flame and fire I can't help but be cheered up by their   stunning autumn display.

This morning ......a  little robin flew in for a second while I was taking photos of the blue tits...through the reflection of the window ....so he's a bit blurry...but I was so happy to see him.

In his UTube talk about 'Healing Core Wounds', Matt Khan says that being on a spiritual path starts with taking care of your personal needs first and foremost...and then you can meditate. He asks, are you hydrated, eating proper nutritious food, getting enough exercise, enough rest....?

Today I'm finding out that really taking care of myself, ticking off the things on the above list, is a full time occupation. And I don't seem to have time for anything else.  I'm realising that I have really only been playing lip-service to being good to myself. 

One thing is that I used to go long periods of time without eating...made myself used to being hungry...even liked it...liked looking forward to a meal....didn't realise how much my body didn't like it....the remnants of old patterns lurking in the shadows..'.eating makes you fat'....

So now I'm challenging all that. If I know I'm going to be out for a long time before I can make a meal I take a snack with me ...an apple, a banana muffin, some nuts...a hard boiled egg. So I'm not starving by the time I finally can get into the kitchen.

And I'm cooking three proper meals every day with a huge variety of veggies and protein and fewer carbs....and not relying on crisps and wine and chocolate to get me through the nights....not even missing them. Well, a bit.

  It's very time consuming ...I haven't got round to the more exercise and more rest challenge yet ...but I will do. And may even get to do some mediation....