BEALTAINE, BLOSSOMING & COMING HOME

Bealtaine, the ancient Celtic festival marking the beginning of summer is upon us.
For me, this is one of the most beautiful times of year, with the flowers and cherry blossom in full bloom, and a sense of abundance and beauty everywhere.
 
And just as nature begins her bloom, so too do we.
 
We are moving now from the Wood element of spring into the Fire element of summer, representing an outward expression from the heart. The Fire energy is all heart, expression, communication, connection and love. It is desire itself, and the desire to dance and be in connection with other.
 
But in order for that expression to be authentic, it must come from a place of rootedness, of being at home within ourselves.  
 
And in this sense, food can show us the way.
 The food on your plate, and the way in which you relate to it, is literally an expression of your inner world. A direct reflection of your relationship with yourself, your body, and with life.
 
So pause for a moment and ask yourself: How do I eat?
Do I over indulge or restrict?
Do I eat on the run?
Do I eat standing up, in the car, watching TV or scrolling on my phone?
 
How present am I when I eat?
How aware am I of my body’s cues? Not what I think I feel but what I actually feel. 
And how willing am I to listen?
 
Food is the direct connection between the physical and the spiritual, between what we put in our mouths and what we feel in our hearts. It is a pathway to the deep and intimate connection we all long for as human beings but only if we’re willing to look at what it’s reflecting back to us.
 
We are truly living in a time of hungry hearts.
Here, in the Western world, we have more access to food than ever, and yet, we are starved.
Starved of true connection and intimacy, beyond the surface.
Starved for a connection to that which is truly sacred - to life herself. 
 
But believe it or not, food can take us there. Not there, somewhere outside of ourselves. But back into ourselves.

And it begins with self inquiry.
With a willingness to notice how and what we eat, and how it truly makes us feel. Because food is also a great distraction. A way of extracting ourselves from the way things are when they are not how we want them to be.  
 
The opposite of this is learning how to come into presence.
To stay put when things feel hard. To turn towards rather than away from ourselves in those moments of wanting to escape.
 
This is what it means to come home. Not once, not twice. But over and over and over again.
 
Turning towards ourselves and the world we inhabit with love, no matter how painful it might be.  Because when we stop trying escape from what is, the path before us opens up. And then, with great surprise, we begin to experience the very things we’ve been searching for, including love, passion, strength, joy, connection and belonging. 
 
Food is a doorway a home. A path to deep inner connection with yourself, with spirit, and with life.
 

A SIMPLE PRACTICE 
I invite you to create a meal, just for you.
A simple meal for one.
As you begin, notice how you feel. Are you rushing or are you present? 
As you sit to eat, notice if there is a desire for distraction, for your phone, a book, TV?
Or can you easily sit quietly with yourself and enjoy the meal?
Can you leave that desire for distraction alone and simply be with your food and yourself?

As you eat, notice how you eat. Can you slow down enough to feel?
Just notice what arises. 

There is nothing to change or get right.
Just notice.
it is in the simple act of noticing, of awareness, of presence that everything begins and everything can begin to change. 
 
 
IF YOU FEEL CALLED TO GO DEEPER
Learning how to come back to yourself is at the heart of what I teach. It is the journey through which I take my clients. 

Understanding our relationship with food is a direct path to coming home after lifetimes of feeling exiled or disconnected. It is for those who are open and willing to cultivate a deeper connection with themselves, and to take that connection out into the world. 

Learning how to come back to yourself, into presence, changes your relationship with food, with your body, and with life itself. 

If something in this speaks to you, i'd love to hear from you. Or if you're curious about working together, let's have a conversation. 

Wishing you much love, health and happiness,
Rebecca