I've recently learned that "ananda" in sanskrit means "Bliss". I find this very cool, as my own name is similar and finding "bliss" is one of the ultimate goals of yoga and life. I like that my name closely resembles the sanskrit term and each time I think of this it helps to continue on my path to bliss.
Of course, too much time has passed since my last post. Not gonna lie, its been a little rough, but there have been some amazing blessings along the way. "Sometimes its rough, sometimes its gentle, but its never anything I can not handle." This lame quote I made up takes me back to the beach in Grenada. Yes, Grenada! I participated in a two week intensive program to become a Certified Yoga Teacher. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. First of all, the setting, La Luna, was beyond beautiful. The training itself, not only taught me more about yoga, but also, a lot about myself. Something I desperately needed. To recap some of the many lessons I took away from this trip...the Ashtanga sequence, my love and need for yoga, to stop doubting myself, my ability, and my dreams, to stop comparing myself to others, impermance and nonattachment, present moment, energies of everything, loving myself, letting go, and breathing! I still think the song lateralus sums it all up...I love Tool!
So, back to the here and now. The craziness that was my relationships this past summer and fall has completely faded away....I am certain this calmness is for me to have time to figure things out and most importantly figure me out. I am bound and determined to enter my next relationship as only myself.
Career...hmmmm, still a rough patch, but I do believe I am on the right path. And as long as I am moving in the right direction, that is all that matters!! Hopefully will be the manager of a healthy deli, getting things in line for an internship (finally), and keeping an open mind.
My love for baking and cooking is still strong and my skills are improving. As is my realtionship with food. I am desperately trying to change my internal dialouge of telling myself I am fat, cause I am not. In trying to live out the lessons I learned in Grenada, that I need to learn to love myself, I tell myself I am beautiful. I am trying very hard to eat more intuitively, based on what I am truly craving from the standpoint of what my body needs for nourishment. I eat as healthy and delicious as possible and try hard to do this only for nourishment of the body...not boredom, deppression, or emptyiness. In this way, I can have a great relationship with food with no guilt attached to the fabulous Banana Split Pancakes I just made and devoured and truley enjoyed every single bite.
Recipe: Blissful Banana Split Pancakes
.25 cup buckwheat flour
.25 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanila
.5 cup (plus more) almond milk
Toppings:
.5 banana
.5 TBSP strawberry preserve
.5 TBSP peanut butter
Sprinkle of coconut and chocolate chips
Spoonful of Peanut butter, chocolate, maple ganache
Topped with a cherry
With that, I feel so very content. I shall take this contentment with me throughout the afternoon. May I be content with myself, my actions, and my thoughts.
