Do You Really Know Who You Are?

Last night I watched Eckhart Tolle being interviewed in his home in Vancouver by a curious young man doing a documentary. This interview was filmed a few years before Eckhart appeared on Oprah and became internationally famous. 

Every time I watch Eckhart speak, I am amazed and fascinated by his grace, brilliance and... yes, presence. His books have transformed my life like no other author on the planet. He is a true inspiration, a role model even. When things get too hectic in my life and obsessive thoughts start running the show, I often remind myself of the level of freedom Eckhart Tolle has attained by completely surrendering to the Now. Then I start to breathe again...

In this interview, Eckhart asked the young man "what is the one thing that has always been constant in your life?" He went on to explain: has your physical environment always been the same? No. Has your body always been the same? No. Have your thoughts always been the same? No. Have your emotions always been the same? No. Your relationships? Then he asked "If all these variables are constantly changing, then how do you define WHO you are?" 

It's interesting, because you can actually FEEL the answer to this question inside your body, as an awareness, not as a thought. This is the "space" Eckhart often refers to when he says "You are not what happens, you are the space in which everything happens. That's your true identity. Now is who you are." 

In other words, we are not all the different roles we play depending on who we are interacting with. We are not our collection of thoughts and beliefs. We are not our physical image, our pain, our suffering. We are not our successes or failures. We are the awareness behind the forms, the circumstances, the emotions in our lives. We are the presence that always watches and never changes, despite the constant flux in our physical, intellectual and psychological worlds. 

It is from that sacred, detached space that true joy, love and freedom arise. Tolle adds "When you live like that (detached from ego), your life will be fruitful and great and wonderful adventures await you. When you don't know who you are, then no matter what you do, what you achieve, where you go, who you meet...it won't satisfy you."

How profoundly true! Personally, I understand what Eckhart means and I even experience it for short durations, but it's so challenging to stay in that "space" for long periods in everyday life. We all seem to be so focused on the future. "Tomorrow I will feel more complete when...I make more money, have more knowledge, become healthier, become a Health Coach!" Everything we do becomes a means to an end. 

If we are able to connect with that inner presence more often, (perhaps by meditating or consciously breathing more) it will allow us to experience detachment from the possible outcomes of whatever we are doing (i.e., less fear). Accessing this deeper intuition and intelligence will transform our actions into more meaningful and powerful ones. When we truly operate from this timeless place of consciousness, we allow joy, love, creativity and wealth to flow into our lives. We become fearless, because we have nothing to lose but I -and I, or "little me", is nothing more than an illusion.

So, future Health Coaches, business men and women, mothers, fathers : do you really know who you are?

Warmly,

Lise

(Visit my full website, www.lisevilleneuve.com , for more healthy living tips, including my homeschooling blog)

The Best Christmas Present...

It snowed for two days straight here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The fluffy snowflakes were dancing around the sky joyously. I had the pleasure of watching this beautiful display with my two little elves from the warmth of our living room. We listened to classical music while cuddling under a soft brown blanket. Time stopped as we lost ourselves in these precious moments together. But let's back up...

My daughter (9 years) called me from school on Wednesday shortly after lunch. She was crying over the phone "maman, je suis malade, peux-tu venir me chercher?". Translation: "mom, I'm sick, can you pick me up?" My heart immediately went out to her and I drove to her school with my son (4 years) as fast as I could. The roads were treacherous, we saw a car that had just smashed into a tree on the way there. Emma came out of school looking pale and feverish. When we finally got home after swerving here and there, Emma put herself to bed and slept for 6 straight hours until I woke her up at 9 pm to see if she wanted to have some supper. I told her I had no doubt she was really sick because it's only in these extreme circumstances that she ever wants to sleep this much! She giggled and agreed to eat something.

On Thursday, she felt a little better but still needed to rest. We cancelled my son's activities for the day (Indoor Playground in the morning, Preschool in the afternoon). Then, we let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Staring into the distance, my heart started to fill with love and gratitude. Gratitude for not having to step out into the frigid air. Gratitude for not having to drive hurriedly to be on time somewhere. Gratitude for Emma's health that was improving. Gratitude for the fun we had making Christmas ornaments together. Gratitude for the warm, delicious smell coming from the oven (apple crisp). Deep gratitude for these beautiful, inspiring, enlightened little beings more commonly referred to as "our children" that remind us how to truly live in the present. I'm so very thankful that I get to spend all this time with them, and I just can't wait to start homeschooling in January 2014! What could be more important than spending quality time with our little ones and showing them how much we love them? Nobody knows how much time we will have to offer this priceless gift to our loved ones. They deserve to know how incredibly special they ARE, regardless of what they DO / accomplish (or don't do). 

That goes for us adults too, by the way. Can we learn to love ourselves just as we are, without judging what we consider to be success or failure? Can we offer ourselves true compassion, just like the one we so easily show our children? In this whirlwind of activities before Christmas, perhaps the biggest gift we can give ourselves and our close ones is just to stop, breathe, watch the snow flakes twirl around and be at peace, just for a moment. Can we find our inner joy, just for a second? Can we let love radiate out of our beings, even if it just cracks out as a shy smile? Can we be grateful for something today? Gratitude is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Why not unwrap it in the present?

Warmly,

Lise
www.lisevilleneuve.com

Eating Raw And Juicing...No Way!

Last night I watched the documentary "Fat, Sick And Nearly Dead" by Aussie Joe Cross. You can watch it by clicking on the link and it's also available on Netflix. If you're looking for an entertaining, feel-good movie (you wouldn't think so from the title), this is it! 

I get a kick out of seeing the "before and after" guts of men on liquid diets. It certainly should make you feel good about your own gut, if you have one. You probably won't feel like snacking on chips during this one. Rather, you'll get the urge to put those potato chips in the new juicer you'll want to buy for Christmas. Enough said, I don't want to ruin the punch line (celery, kale and pineapple punch, that is).

So yes, juicing is the new prozac in the health-conscious underworld. I don't have a juicer (yet...and I hope Santa doesn't get too ambitious this year) because I just don't think I could get into it that much. I've heard cleaning those beasts is worse than changing diapers on someone else's kid. However, I ordered some "green powder" and it arrived today in the mail! Totally legit, it's made of a bunch of organic veggies that you add to a smoothie or fruit juice. Apparently, it's the next best thing after juicing...and no cleaning involved (thank goodness, because I'd have to add that chore to our "Mr. and Mrs. Bitch Chore Chart"...see previous post).

The other thing that arrived in my mail today is Vitamin D-3 and...yum...Cod Liver Oil! I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. That rhymes with "brrrr". I don't think I'll be able to survive another winter here without more vitamin D (naturally produced by our skin when exposed to minimal sunlight levels). Tomorrow, the low will be -31 Celsius....that is -23.8 Farhenheit!! Without enough vitamin D (1000 iu daily) our moods darken, our energy drops and hibernation suddenly seems like a viable option. I have a tough time with this extreme cold weather. Can you tell?

Anyway, this week at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, we are learning about raw diets. I can see the benefits of eating raw food (more enzymes, vitamins and nutrients, less acidity building up in the body, more vitality, less toxicity resulting from cooking). However, I just can't fathom eating a 100% raw diet like David Wolfe does and recommends. David Wolfe doesn't live in Edmonton...and he has his crazy hair to keep him warm! I just can't imagine shovelling the snow at -31 Celsius and coming in to warm up to a nice, raw fruit-veggies-nuts-seeds and (raw) grains supper! No way, not for me. Sure, I'll eat plenty of raw foods here and there, but not exclusively, not unless we move to a warmer climate! (I'm open to negotiations here...)

This blog is a great tool for me during this year of "nutritional transformation". Watch, one year from now I'll be blogging about how juicing is a "must" and writing out the latest recipes for raw chicken...

Warmly, (but sort of freezing at the same time)

Lise
(www.lisevilleneuve.com)