Welcome to week #2, the art of nourishment. I call nourishment an art form because creating it requires sensitivity, clarity, creativity, wisdom and skill. This is Self-honoring nourishment. There are multiple layers that play into feeling truly nourished and I will share four of them. Each one can make or break our ability to be and feel nourished, whole and healthy. Finding a Self-honoring balance in each one, creates nourishment alchemy, far greater than the sum of their parts.
#1 - Food. Often we lean on the types of food we are eating to give us nourishment. However, actually our ability to digest what we eat is a greater determinant of our nourishment than anything else. Where we eat, as well as the energy or "mood" of the environment we eat in can either support and unlock our ability to digest and absorb nourishment from food—or not. Consider this: would you digest a meal more fully if eaten slowly in a quiet park, or gobbled down at a table with people shouting at each other? In a room filled with relaxing music or construction noise? By praying over it, or cursing over it? Where and how we eat our food, is key in its ability to deeply nourish us. Choose with Self-honor.
#2 - Our senses. This includes sounds, sights, smells and all the information our senses are constantly bringing to us. This is also a type of "food." To determine what is nourishing to you, consider the types of movies or media you watch and what are the themes? Fear? Hate? Violence? These are not nourishing. Some examples of Self-honoring choices for our senses include: uplifting music, art, media and books helping us connect with deep meaning, or helping us to feel relaxed or inspired. When it comes to smells, I like the smell of a clean house, flowers, a fire pit, and the smell of early morning air. These smells give me an uplifting sense of positive energy, and for me, are Self-honoring.
#3 - Activities. Very simply, moving our bodies supports the flow of energy. Little to no physical activity causes a slow down effect that can make us feel even more lethargic. The more we sit, the more we want to sit. It's a slippery slope. Nourishing activities bring energy in, rather than drain it, just as a 30 minute gentle walk will leave one feeling better than 30 minutes of sitting in front of the TV. You can play an instrument, play a sport with a friend or spouse, plant a garden or build something. Sometimes, even cleaning or organizing a drawer, a closet or a room can brings uplifting feelings. These are all nourishing Self-honoring choices.
#4 - Relationships. Self-honoring relationships are the most nourishing. But how do we create them? Here, I believe the best place to begin is to create one with your own self. The reason being, once we find true self-value from within and are connected to our own hearts and highest good, we experience greater respect and love for ourselves. From this aspect, it is easier to recognize the relationships we want to attract and embrace. The Law of Nature says, like attracts like. This means if one does not have a Self-honoring relationship with their own self, one may find it more difficult to gather people in their inner circle who respect and value them in a Self-honoring way. Remember, nourishing relationships begin with YOU.
I hope this information was helpful to you in this week's blog on The Art of Nourishment. All the copyrighted information shared here comes from my book, It's Time For A YOU-Turn. I hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to connecting again next week!
Always for YOU,
Karen Palaszek, Founder, Quiet Mountain Wellness