I came home with a big chocolate smile on my face and a little something in my heart to share with you. I call it:
For me, “a sweet life” definitely would include sweets. I’ve always said, if my body could survive it, I’d live off yam tempura, donuts, and pretty much chocolate everything else. Most of the time, though, I’m living in moderation to maintain internal balance and keep my skin and digestive system happy and humming along.
Having gone through intense food elimination diets, low glycemic diets, no sugar regimens, and anti-inflammatory adventures, I found that over time, my body and my mind redefined “sweet.”
A mere week with no sugars, and suddenly, a bite of peanut butter, or a strawberry, became almost too much.
Additionally, I found that as I gave my body a rest from sweet treats, I naturally wanted to exercise more (psychologically, it somehow makes sense to accompany all those clean proteins and veggies with getting in shape). So, I exercised. I stepped away from the computer, got out in nature more often, and breathed in some fresh air.
My mind and tastebuds were in cahoots though, working hard to catch up with this new plan, and teased me with cravings. I noticed the thoughts I had about my desires for sugary foods, felt them run through my body, thanked them for being an echo of what was once true, and reminded myself how I to be in this moment and enjoy something “sweet” without added calories or sugar.
I then looked around. I noticed a new mother giggling with her baby. I laughed too, and said to myself, “Awww, how sweet.” I filled myself up with deep appreciation for being able to witness such a precious moment.
I usually find that I experience “a sweet life” when I express myself through the joy I feel through dance, singing, creating art, or spreading my well wishes around the globe. A peaceful prayer opens my heart and puts a smile on my face, not to mention the waves of grace that go out to uplift the planet from such an act of love and simplicity.
With gentle awareness, noticing the breezy palms, the fragrance of summer lilacs and gardenias, or bees on the clover, brings me right into the present moment where I rediscover and reaffirm the power of now. There is no longing for a past sweet moment, or for future sweet melodies, I am too busy being immersed in this one sweet, glorious moment filled with more aliveness than I can ever imagine. It captures and holds all my attention.
When “the one” in me realizes I’ve been captured, I delightfully surrender even more deeply and give myself fully to the moment. I fall headlong into a vat of sweetness that may look like a child being carried over her father’s shoulder and making goofy faces at me at the store. Or, it may be cleverly disguised as a late night search of the internet only to stumble upon someone’s surprise kind comment about my work in their blog. Ah, that sweet connection. Or, perhaps it’s a full moon night with the smell of sweet, freshly mowed grass from the neighborhood lawns.
Each moment reminds me to fully feel the awe of the mysteriousness of how life flows, and how all our puzzle pieces fit together in beautiful, divine perfection.
As I empty myself of cravings, I find there is even more space to allow for the sweet bliss of life. I buy chocolate lip balm and lick my lips. I light a chocolate soy candle, take a full, slow breath, and exhale, “Yummmmmm.” I take a soul-nourishing bath with chocolate soap and a triple chocolate body scrub.
The smell is delicious; the textures are divine. My inner world is peaceful and quiet. The stillness is sweet….no pushing, no pulling, no trying, no achieving, no go-getting. The “wantings” seems to be on vacation. I’m aware they may come and go, and I’m okay with it.
So, how can you see that what you are reading is not just my story, it is not merely someone else’s life experience, but rather, an invitation for you to discover what sweetness is alive within you, and in this life that you are perceiving as your reality?
How can you accept this moment just as it shows up, and find something sweet and pure in it to appreciate, or even love? Can you love life when it’s sticky and gooey, when you’ve left your favorite gourmet chocolate bar in the trunk of your car all day and it’s now a melted mess, or when it has crunch and you really wanted smooth and creamy?
Try it out with a piece of rich, dark chocolate and see for yourself how deeply present you can be in “the now.” Allow a moment with chocolate to be a remarkably yummy way to quiet your mind and feed your soul. It’s a treat that invites your inner child to giggle, while your heart blossoms open.
With gentle awareness, and a welcome absence of commentary, what naturally arises for you in this space of openness? Perhaps you notice a sense of greater relaxation, spaciousness, or gratitude begins to surface. Or, perhaps with chocolate as your guide, as a wise and seemingly unexpected teacher of consciousness, you dive into the realization that we all are like delicious pieces of chocolate that have especially sweet centers. At our core, we too, are sweet.
Underneath our layers of conditioning, the walls, defenses, masks, roles, and our ego’s endless posturing, we’re really just sweet people who mean well, and want goodness, love, and compassion for every living being on the planet. Beyond our personalities and all the forms within and around us, we can melt into the sweet, pure, radiant light of our peaceful, formless, true divine nature. We can, in one simple, decadent moment, be reminded and awakened to the peace that always rests within us.
John Lennon said it so well, “Imagine all the people, living life in peace…”
You may say I’m a dreamer. But I KNOW, I’m not the only one. Join me, won’t you? Let us dream, live, laugh, and love out loud together in peace (with some chocolate on our lips).
©2008 Julie Dittmar,
True Divine Nature LLC
This time last year, I was blessed to have visited the Best Friends Animal Society out in Kanab, UT...right smack dab in the middle of red rock country. The sanctuary sits on 33,000 beautiful acres and provides love and care to about 2,000 rescued animals on any given day. They care for animals (cats, dogs, horses, bunnies, and more) who've been through some really rough situations in life, but now are getting the necessary physical and emotional rehabilitation, in addition to invaluable social skills (!!) to then get adopted into loving homes. I think they are doing phenomenal, commendable, heart-centered work on behalf of our animal friends, while also serving to bring more peace and harmony to the planet as a whole! http://www.bestfriends.org/ Maybe you've been following some of their stories on "DogTown" featured on the National Georgraphic Channel? I watched nearly all the episodes on their Christmas eve marathon. You are sure to fall in love with the animals, and their caregivers!
