As a human being in the universe my experience thus far can be summed up into one word: transformation. As a young woman, living in America here is what I've been up to in no particular order: nurturing a family, practicing and teaching yoga and meditation, starting my own business as a health counselor, waiting tables at an amazing Hudson Valley restaurant. Taking care of a beautiful, lush, green garden, cooking up a storm at the height of the growing season, preparing a big move to set down roots in the amazing community of Asheville, NC, writing a blog evidently, and oh yes every once in awhile I get a few hours of sleep! The only word I can think of to sum up all of these major life events would be: transformation.
With every breath my life changes before my eyes; the garden grows and eventually my vegetables are flowering. My son Leo wakes me up each morning to show me he's gotten bigger, cuter. My yoga and meditation practice deepens. My house gets smaller and smaller. In my meditation I picture myself sitting on the floor and zoom out; imagining our property, neighborhood, the mountains that surround us, the beautiful Hudson River, the city, the ocean, the country, the earth. The only inevitability I can think of is that one day it will all be gone.
I write in order to stay focused and grounded within all of these incredible transformations. My whole life my thoughts have come out more clearly on paper than they do in conversation.
As a human I know I am on a path heading towards consciousness, spiritual awakening, mental and physical flexibility, and ultimately: FREEDOM. On this path I have been led in many directions; often scattered, lost, fatigued, broke, sick, confused. Without these delicacies of life I would never have discovered the practices that have brought me the most joy. All I can say is, what a gift.
Suddenly the future of my journey has come into sharp focus. I am starting my own business as a health and wellness counselor and surrounded by my library of cookbooks, spirituality, yoga and nutrition books- my head spins with Ayurvedic theories, macrobiotic philosophies, superfoods, fats, calories, raw, refined, hydrogenated, pasteurized, gluten-free, la-tee-da....I am forced to wonder, what is my nutrition practice really going to be about??? What am I all about???!
Well, I will tell you. I'm Lisa, and I'm all about having fun. I'm all about playing with toys. I'm all about any coconut product available on the planet. I'm all about making lists and never looking at them again. I'm all about vinyl. I'm all about garlic. I'm all about making my own laundry detergent. I'm all about making connections with the other humans, and sharing a laugh or a story. I'm all about being upside-down. I'm all about road trips. I'm all about melting butter in a cast iron skillet. I'm all about any body of water that can be used for swimming. I'm all about conserving environmental resources, but I'm also all about taking really long showers...what is that all about?! I'm all about JOY. I have never been all about math, or even a little, but my basic philosophy in life can be put in a fairly simple equation: the more joy I have in my life, the less sorrow there is; and the less sorrow there is, the more joy.
On my path I have become very skilled at transforming potential sorrow into something I am all about: sweet, life-affirming, playful, joy. This blog is meant to be another avenue to share the skill I've developed. I want to share recipes, adventures in parenting, my love of music, wellness, yoga, meditation, and making stuff...like mix-tapes and laundry detergent. Like joy. Welcome to my world.
