From the Heart: Clinging to What Nourishes

I cannot watch the morning news for more than about fifteen minutes these days, just long enough to get a report of local weather and traffic, and perhaps a quick overview of current affairs.

But even that amount can be more than a sensitive soul like myself can bare, and I'm strongly considering cutting it out completely.

So often what is presented in the media tends to go the negative route, the way of drama and of exploitation, of what is wrong with the world.

Most reporting contains so very little that is uplifting, or that highlights some of the more beautiful aspects of humanity; it contains zero nourishment, and is mostly empty calories, and if one watched what is being presented long enough, one might find oneself feeling like there is little of worth and value left in the world.

Yet that is so far from true...

What I'm hungry for are those things that enrich and satisfy, that create a good longing within me to do more, be more, offer more...

I am grateful that the media is not the only source of sustenance for us, not the only place we can turn to gain understanding and knowledge, information and wisdom.

Actually, if one looks to the media, one will more than likely only find anxiety, a feeling of hopelessness, and a lot of fear and negativity. And I don't know about you, but I could do without those.

The daily grind already has us navigating through enough chaotic terrain, and has enough of its own stress and struggle, that inviting any extra in from the outside just seems unhealthy and depleting of the light that one does have.

I don't want to give up my light, my joy—I want to cling fervently, ferociously, to those things that nourish my soul, that give me true sustenance, and provide me with a sense of hope and possibility.

What I'm hungry for are those things that enrich and satisfy, that create a good longing within me to do more, be more, offer more; that inspire me to dig deeper, and to then turn around and give of that depth to someone else.

It is that sacred hunger in all of us that needs to be fed, that fire within that needs to be given fuel, in order that we will continue to want to learn about ourselves and expand, rather than contract and close off.

And so clinging to those things that create an openness and a willingness to persevere from within our depths is what is so essential.

A conversation or time spent with a wiser person than one's self in order to get their perspective and hear about their life experiences is an invaluable thing to grasp whenever possible...

Getting outside into the fresh air and sunshine, and taking a walk in a lovely and peaceful environment that stirs the creativity within us or that inspires that inner dialogue with ourselves to take place—that encourages prayer—is a good place to start.

Getting into our kitchens and having our hands directly in contact with whole foods, whole ingredients, and being present during the cooking process is wonderful— it creates consciousness and awareness through the doing, the preparation, with the end result being not only physical nourishment, but spiritual, as well.

Cracking open a good book (or listening to a good audio book during a commute—my personal favorite) that encourages one to find authenticity, to face fears, or to take a leap, is another way to nourish the soul, and concentrate on what can be done, rather than what can't.

A conversation or time spent with a wiser person than one's self in order to get their perspective and hear about their life experiences is an invaluable thing to grasp whenever possible; because it is sharing on a personal level, and the wisdom and understanding that one can gain from that is immeasurable, and makes a deep impact.

Each of us has our own personal way of sustaining the fire within, and cultivating courage, hope, and the feeling that anything is possible.

Personally, I would like to begin cutting out as much of the negative or unnecessary chatter as possible, getting rid of those spiritually “empty calories”, and rather filling myself with good sustaining food, food that will elicit growth and transformation in me.

I'd much rather cling to what nourishes.

Taste what's good and pass it on.

Ingrid