A new way of life

It seems lately like I am living in a parallel universe. I have been a full time mom for 21 years and all of a sudden here I am a working mom. I am at times distracted, sometimes so filled with absolute joy at the people I get to interact with, be with, share and talk with.

Sometimes at the end of the day I just want to curl up and be quiet, but that is when family life truly begins around our dinner table. It is where my husband wants my attention, when the boys are quick to call me on being absent if my mind wonders. There are days where I wonder if my friends will ever let me fully back in. Our lunches are farther, and fewer apart and yet there are my closest of friends, who are always there. Where a day is not complete with out our exchange of daily banter or deep conversation depending on the moment, day or week. These are friends that are on my journey they are not going anywhere nor am I.

When I am in doubt which is not too often a day like today comes along...

Today I had a group over made up of 10 woman. Some were clients, some great supporters of Mindful or who I met through workshops I have given to them or their kids. One a friend of a friend who has missed the mindful mornings and wanted to. She was someone who instantly warms your heart and puts you at ease. They were all so dynamic, so interesting and all claiming to be so inspired by the workings of Mindful. To my lunch buddies today I want to thank you. The inspiration comes from each of you. To making new deep relationships with women I deeply respect. Thank you for giving your time to me and honoring all of us here today by being very present, very in the moment and very candid with the sharing of dreams and aspirations. I am at times pinching myself. Let dreams continue...xo ginny

continuation

My trip continued from NY to Chicago where my 2nd son goes to school. I was meeting my niece, I wanted her to join me to spend time reconnecting with me and her cousin. I wanted a shopping mate as my 4 sons do not fit the bill.

She is as of yesterday 26, busy in school, exercising away, helping me in my intent to get ginnybakes out there. She is rebuilding a life that was put on hold for awhile. What did I discover? ...a beautiful woman who has clarity in her dreams, strong intentions, a deep love of family , and a great deal of poise and grace. I loved our deep conversations as well as relearning her nuances. We sat on a rock by the water, for a couple of hours gazing into the churning lake watching the boundless energy of dogs at play, the sun setting, the coldness coming in. It was magical to sit there with my sister's child talking about her mother's childhood. It was a bridge that brought memories flooding back of a childhood I hadn't spoken about in forever. It was time at its best. I love you Jenna Gayle.

Jody

How does this blog tie into Mindfulness...not sure you be the judge. I guess it is more on the quality of the relationships you keep and being perhaps mindful that all our relationships take work. How much do we want to put in and what truly are the rewards?

This past week I went on an a little odessey of my own. Walked out of my life for a week and went up to NY to attend an intense weekend at The School of Integrative Nutrition where I am taking a course load. Generally it is distance learning, but this was an intense weekend of live lectures. On Sunday night when the weekend was over my friend Jody, her husband and their daughter picked me up in the city and we drove out to their hometown on the Island. This is the same town we grew up in. I left when I was 11 Jody has lived there all of her life. We met I guess you could say in utero, if that is possible. Our parents were and still are close friends, by now on their journey, family...It felt like I was losing a little touch with Jod the phone calls were becoming less frequent, it just seemed like a big deal to pick up the phone when there was so much to catch up on. I knew, know and understand though this relationship is one that I will never let go. It was time for a visit. She is my history and I hers. She looked at one of my kids when they were 2 and announced OMG its your face and could tell me what picture to relate back to. She is the one that remembers all my childhood ways and I am her keeper. We are now mothers with kids starting to build their own separate life and think of their own futures. We are woman scared and anxious about the next steps, but both of us dynamic and wanting to emerge with new interests, drive and dreams. We check each others faces to see if the year that passed between visits has shown a mark. We are each others marker, both of us athletic (she is now doing the 30 day bikram challenge 2 classes a day, and a survivor of a boot camp the likes of which I never heard before). She is family, she is friend, she is my sister. She is the only one I would put side my phobias and sleep downstairs in her basement, in the guest room that seems very far from everyone else. Ties that bind, these is a gift, one that I will never take for granted. We have decided for us the best way to communicate is now texting. Technology has given us a way to reformat our communication. I am grateful we have been so busy chatting away. I love it and I love her. Thanks Jod for always being in my life.

I will continue the unfolding of the trip tomorrow as I share more of what I learned.

xo ginny

CSA pot luck dinner

Last night under the stars we gathered as a temple CSA to rejoice in a season of fresh beautiful produce. As a temple we made a choice to commit to a season and see how it went. It was not without its hitches, there was far more administrative tasks then were at first realized, and some families did struggle with the responsibility of understanding their ownership over their hosting day. You put those aside though, make your adjustments, shrug your shoulders and move on. The beauty of the season was intangible in some ways. Yes, the obvious tangibles were there, the gorgeous bags overflowing with produce every other Thursday...the things you couldn't touch? The knowledge gained by stretching outside the comfort zone, cooking and dealing with that unknown vegetable. The relationship that grows by becoming involved with people that normally don't cross your daily life except for the bond of trying to do better for our health and the planet. The relationships strengthened and the new ones formed are so dear to me, as I bonded with people sharing the same passion.

We sat outside had a beautiful evening filled with conversation, and great vegetarian food. The night ended with a beautiful moon, the feeling of warmth and love, and one exhausted Miss Bear. xo ginny

Spring Time Renewal

Passover begins tonight, the clocks have changed and I am once again lying on a table in Dr Chen's office. You see every March, I find myself sleep deprived with no explanation. For 3 years now I find myself hidden away in the little office laying on the table waiting for the needles to turn my body heavy with a feeling of dead weight. Soon my body cannot even think of twitching and my mind starts to shut down to a point of vivid pictures slowly fading into nothingness...into the ultimate state of relaxation. The warming lamps offer the body a warmth and the traffic noises from outside slowly recede. I have what you call a very sensitive system. I'm the type that gets skin rashes, hives if I am nervous, psorosis if I drink alcohol and of course added to the list- doesn't do time changes well! Well the good doctor clicks her tongue, giggles a little and always reminds me" same time each year." I have just come home from paying for the accunpuncture which for me includes the wonderful nap, and I have gone from a wreck to a creature of bliss in 1 and 1/2 hrs. Oh life is good, and now hopefully tomorrow when I turn 39 again, well rested I will include a thank you to Dr Chen as I walk the waters edge, thinking life is sweet!

Spring Time renewal

A Vegan in Word and Deed

The above title is the name of the article that is inspiring me to write this blog.

It is written about Alicia Silverstone who turned vegan 12 years ago. It is in todays New York Times Sunday Styles section. I will get to that in a moment...

I have a birthday coming up in 9 days and have to tell you I am not into the numbers game. Never felt that you should count your age by the numbers of years you have been on this earth , but rather how you feel. I feel about 34 but have decided since I seem to need to conform to society's rule that you must be a certain age I am forever 39. I feel so incredible, sensual, strong, vibrant, and I feel I glow with a happiness that starts from the inside.

I bring this up because as I was reading the above mentioned article where Alicia states that after turning to veganism she had sudden weight loss, her skin was glowing and her nails are strong and her eyes are white. She says the karma of turning vegan is amazing.

I had a client come in on Friday and she could not understand my way of eating, and yet she came in suffering from stress, low libido, and weight gain. It is difficult to get people to understand turning to clean living is not deprivation, but rather the best gift one can give themself. I'll keep talking I know changes are coming, patience...patience. xo ginny

ps please read anonymous's comment on the previous blog we are the voice of change each of us...

changing views

I think awhile back I blogged on watching Food Inc with my husband and two younger sons, Mark and Kevin. My youngest son Kevin watched it took it in, asked some questions and went about life. So it seemed did Mark. When Food Inc was over he said it wouldn't really be realistic to think you can only eat grass fed, organic beef because that would rule out 5 Guys. I was surprised that was the first thing he had to say after such an intense film. He added that I was on a guilt trip with them. The knowledge had been given to them take it as they may. The next day I was alone with Mark and once again I asked after sleeping on it did he have any more thoughts on the movie. He said yes he had gleaned some awareness and did not really say more than that. Shortly after that we were in Fresh Market when the meat counter attendant told us they use Factory Farmed beef only and it was loaded with antibiotics. Perhaps that added more fuel for thought. (last week by the way while I was there I went back to the counter and asked the big question...why aren't you carrying grass fed???? The answer no surprise is that they tried to carry grass fed and no one wanted to spend the extra money for it guess people don't get it yet you pay for it and more later in health care)

Interesting thing is that last week I served the boys and my husband a simple meal of turkey burgers. Mark said he didn't want it, he wanted to begin playing around with vegetarianism. At first I thought it was just a ploy not to eat the turkey burger, not his favorite thing. After disregarding him for a few days I realized he is truly serious. He makes it very clear it is not about the animals, but about his health. I respect his opinion and thoughts immensely and am so grateful no matter what his reasons to see once again knowledge is power.

Today is the first day of spring, renewal and new paths open for us. I am so glad of the path Mark is trying on. xo ginny

knowledge is key

Interesting, I am once again contemplating going vegetarian and giving up the fish I eat. I guess for me that struggle is the same one people struggle with when they give up meat and poultry. For me these were never part of my everyday world. They have always been a foreign thing to eat. I have impatience with those that eat meat without taking the responsibility of knowing the animals' situation and basing their decision without that knowledge. Am I any better though since I still love and consume fish? I don't feel any connection to these creatures but does that mean it is ok to eat them?

Oprah had a great show on last week about eating organic whole foods. Michael Pollen was interviewed and he does still eat animal flesh, but with extreme care. He knows well the source. I believe that is the first step...knowledge but I do believe within the next generation there will be a huge reversal from the 200 pds of beef the average American eats compared with the pound and a half of asparagus the typical American eats. Lets start that process. Eat more greens, if you eat beef make sure it is USDA organic which means it has no added hormones and pesticides. Eat only grass fed. Open your eyes and take control. Yes, it is more expensive in the short term but long term healthcare will be much cheaper. xo ginny

ginnybakes

Wow, a few months back I decided I wanted to create an organic line of bake mixes. I had tried some and knew I could do better. I wanted people to seek out great tasting bake mixes that are an alternative to the ones lining the grocery shelves.

My husband said no way, my marketer Annhy said cool...different responses but all have been supportive once they saw I meant it. Being an aries is one of those things you learn to grow into. We don't necessarily know limitations, but rather dream away. In this case the beginning of a dream is coming true. I don't know exactly the next step from the kitchen table to hopefully big production, but I believe in what I am doing. I love this life of passions and dreams even those moments when fear enters and doubts lodge in the middle of the night. I wake up and just push a little harder. Thank you for encouraging me with your comments and support without the feedback the road would be lonely. xo ginny