DAILYS: CIRCLE ROUND with I AM SISTERHOOD **This is where the deep drink tag line came from for sacred pregnancy, but it is also the theme of my life...read on if you are interested in what the deep drink is to me and how YOU can do a few mindful practices this holiday season! THE DEEP DRINK : MY STORY A lesson in mindful eating: The Deep Drink When I was in my early 20’s, I began going to a place that, over the years, has now become very sacred to me. It’s a Zen Buddhist Mountain Retreat called Tassajara and is nestled on top of Carmel Valley. This place became a reminder to me, a place of reflection, and a space to grow into myself. Over the years, I have made many trips to those lands and each time have gained new insights into myself. The teachings I get are always unexpected, simple and profound. During one of my yearly summer visits, I was walking to the communal dinner (which by the way, they have the most AMAZING food ever!), and a monk was walking next to me. I had been on a hike that day and collected flowers and vines that I had weaved into a hair wreath, as a part of my walking meditation. The monk saw it in my hands and told me it was beautiful and asked me to sit with him at his table at dinner, and said to please wear the wreath! I had such a reaction to this request, as if he had just asked me to drive off a cliff or something. I felt these extreme feelings of embarrassment and this overwhelming desire NOT to do what he requested. However, his sweet and gentle energy drew me into such a safe space, that I agreed. I went in to dinner, wearing my flower wreath, to sit with this monk at his table. As I approached I noticed two things. Firstly, the table place card read “silent table”, meaning it was expected and respected that there was no talking during that particular meal at that particular table. I was actually relieved because at least I would not have to explain the wreath! Secondly, I noticed that this table was full famous monks who had traveled from around the world to be at Tassajara for a seminar, and then I noticed, there was me. This blond haired, blue-eyed hippy girl wearing a flower wreath, sitting in silence with a table full of the world’s most devout sacred monks! That must have been a sight for the other guests. I am sure they were all wondering what the heck I was doing at that table…I sure was. We sat down to eat, and although I felt as though my chewing was too loud, I was struck by the profound nature of how much meaning I found in our silent meal. At first, I was trying to distract my brain from the uncomfortable feelings I had about eating in silence by focusing on really tasting every bite. After a few bites, I found that I took the time to be present with the meal and began guessing flavors and spices in my mind. The food tasted so amazing to me, it was like discovering food for the first time, in all its elemental glory. I was in my own world and when I finally looked up to see all the monks around me, I just smiled and knew they had just given me an amazing, yet very simple gift. At that long wooden table, surrounded my famous monks, I learned how to be present with myself and my experience. The simple act of eating with others with such mindful presence, led me down a new road of heightened appreciation for food and how it gives to my body, mind and soul. Everytime. After dinner, I was lead outside for tea with them. I knew somewhere in my body that I was having an experience that was imprinting my memory and somehow changing me, and shockingly, it was all done in silence. There was something about being in the presence of these monks that was uplifting, inspiring and wonderiously curious to me. We were having tea and one of the monks smiled at me and said, Tassajara is a Deep Drink, yes? I looked at him, and in that moment, time seemed to briefly stop, and I got it. I felt as if I got the meaning of life. In that very moment. At least the meaning of my life. There is so much wisdom in that sentiment, and yet the simplicity of it all threw me. I always thought everything was so much more complicated and sophisticated. I smiled back at the monk and said softly, “yes it is.” Those were our only word exchanges, but the energy exchange I had that evening with the monks was both challenging and life altering. I had to face my self fears of what other people would think of me for wearing the wreath to dinner, for sitting with the monks when I felt, and I am sure looked, completely out of place, and I had to be insightful and mindful during this meal. There was no choice, by the very nature of the situation, I had to look inside myself for some deep refection. Over the years, I have sat with the Deep Drink sentiment many times. It means so many different things, but what it simply says is that life is a series of deep experiences that are digested into our being and begin to shape and grow our personal stories. Each experience we have can be sacred and can be a teaching, if we let it in. The simple act of wearing a flower hair wreath to a silent dinner, forced me to begin my self facing journey, that still continues on today. We all have moments like this, and when we can notice…REALLY notice them in this soft yet vibrant way, we automatically grow and deepen who we are. These ways of noticing ourselves builds our relationship to ourselves, and helps to shape our relationships with others. This story is my “deep drink” about mindful eating and how that one experience helped shape who I am today and how I relate to my own family. Try mindful eating and maybe even have a meal in silence once in awhile and see what happens. You never know how these simple acts can bring you and your family closer together. blessings!!!!! Anni Daulter
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 17:31:24 +0000
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