The author of a very beautiful blog (the one I recommended in the past entry) proposed to her readers to choose a word that would inspire them during 2008. I even presented my own: FLOW. Superstitious people or rather someone told me that people in Colombia, or better yet, in Colombia, long time ago I learned that...mmmmhhh I can`t find the source of the information that I am to share, but in any case, for some long forgotten reason, people in my country or somewhere linked to it believe that the first 12 days of the year should be the anticipated version of the months to come. Every first of January must reflect in a way how that first month will be like, the second would represent February, and so on...If this contains even a portion of the truth, then I should already be concerned for I have done nothing else but procrastinating the past days. But this seemingly senseless letting go of everything has to do with that FLOW as well! I want the things just to happen, not to push things and people all the time around to obtain what I want, I would prefer the flow to bring good to us, the patience to allow me appreciation for whatever happens, things to fall into place without my conscious and exhausting involvement. It also relates to acceptation, patience, and positivism.
A very shallow search of this word using google, yielded that there is a reference to psychology already given to this term, in the very popular online encyclopedia, the best friend of Vacaaxul: Wikipedia
here. It defines to some extent my intuitive approach to the state of mind one needs to put "the flow" into motion, but I am convinced that it can be experienced by anyone just by setting the conscious in the right level. When I was younger and less attached to methods, planning, organization, conflict management strategies, and academic thinking, I used to excel at this. I also used in very rudimentary ways and for unimportant purposes but the "power of that flow" never let me down. For example, if I needed to call to a number that I had listened or read only once, long before, if it was just a blurry image in my mind I did not try very hard to remember it using my full capability of detection, nor I went through my "memory files" to find it. I was sure that if I started dialing it in a relaxed and effortless manner I will do it correctly. And it always worked! It simply emerged from my brain when I let the channels open to the flow. It is a matter of inspiration, so to say, a innate skill that we probably dismiss from very early age while pursuing a "correct" approach to learning, and living. Seems to me that when we believe that we can make anything happen ONLY by working very hard on it the cultivation of this ability is abandoned and forgotten. It is easy to conclude that by using our instinct we could be better prepared to choose achievable options, those according to our natural capabilities, and precisely the ones that we are entitled and intended for. Not every person should become a musician, not every child should grow up to mate and become a good parent, not every individual must be a polyglot just like each student must not graduate
Magna Cum Laude and be the best, there is only one best, after all. Why people in the tropic use leather boots when it is terribly warm other than because boots are fashionable and a perceived need? Who says that drinking milk is good for everyone? A child always asks for what the body needs, refuses what is unnecessary and stops eating when satisfied enough. An adult would indulge in catastrophic eating habits like
this and
that. The flow does not distract from what IS and should be as the application of will power and "freedom" of choice would!
The past weekend, for the new year eve, in part to compensate the excesses from the Christmas weeks, we prepared a light snack table. The main threat though, was bunuelos, a very rich traditional recipe from Colombia that contributes plenty of calories per portion! These cheese puffs were served with Havarti on top instead of the typical jam or
dulce de leche. We also had steamed trout with artichokes sauce, vegetables with a lemon dip, olives, cured Ham (a
delicacy from Spain), fresh fruits and peppermint flavored water to toast!
My main interest this year is to understand instead of being understood, to accept before even being accepted, to clear up the way for things to settle down the most efficient way, their way, and appreciate the result in full, seeing beyond the apparent.
Is this growing, outgrowing or regressing? MAO will certainly not teach me the TAO but it is in my reading list:
My next post will contain few notes on bunuelo making and also pictures of our BRUNCH today: Spinach and feta turnovers(?), plus a close up of one of the Christmas gifts that Juulia Aliide received and she feels the most proud about: The tea set. This year her birthday celebration will be a tea ceremony for her three friends: Carmen, Blanka and Lucia.
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