Scraps to Scrumptious

Scraps?  Yes, scraps - and coffee grounds and egg shells and lots of other things can be composted.  I've composted for several years, generating a rich soil in which future scrumptious delights grow.  One expert who saw my garden last year was amazed by the result from two tiny okra plants and said it must be the organic compost I cultivate over the year.

When I moved recently, my compost bin moved with me.  It's not pretty, mind you.  I believe in reduce, reuse, recycle; and this fifty-five gallon drum (with lid), which had only ever been filled with water on our flightline, was being discarded (among others).  I salvaged the beast and drove it home in the back of my Subaru Baja for its afterlife.  That container and its contents bemused my mother at first, but now she is a consistent contributor, asking often, "can this go in the bin?"

In the kitchen, I have a cute little bowl I've topped with a silicone lid - both of them in the Rachael Ray line.  This keeps me from taking several trips out to the big, ugly bin with scraps.  Turns out, it's made for compost scraps.  Go figure!

That got me thinking of the transition I've been having internally (and in my whole life, really) since my husband passed and now after two moves.  Obviously, things have to germinate in my life before they sprout, but that's another musing...  Anyway, I was thinking, now that Spring is near (Lord, may it be so), about the value of the things I've composted in my life and what they have actually contributed to the sprouts appearing above the "soil" of my life lately.

Like onions, some things that comprise my "life compost" have elicited tears.  Others have been less emotional in nature.  The "bin" of my past takes them all, though, and brings forth something new and beautiful - beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:1-3).  Some things are quite ashy indeed in my recollection, as those parts of me and of my life have been burned away.  The best composts, as most gardeners know, is a complex blend, after all.  The Master Gardener certainly has plenty to work with in my case.

One thing that can be used to enrich soil results from pruning.  Pruning rids a tree, bush, plant, or other living thing of something that is holding back its growth in some way.  Sometimes, a very large section gets snipped/lopped away to make room for new growth, or redirect future blooms.

Jotting with Johnna
What bits need to be cast into your own "life compost" bin?  Are you holding onto pieces that rob you of your peace as they rot in your tightly-held fist?  Where is the Lord pruning you so that you can truly flourish?

Remember:  You are so very worthy of the time it takes to germinate, cultivate, and propagate healthy "fruit" in your life.

Stay tuned.  Stay focused.  Stay well.

Johnna

Fickle Focus

If the tiara fits, mount it atop the crown of your head and - wait, what was I doing?

My dear friend just sent me a meme of a little girl in a whirlwind of whimsically distracted bliss, noting that it reminded her of me.  The tiara and masquerade ball worthy garb may have something to do with it; but mostly I identified with this little princess because I'll set off in one pursuit and be lured by other pursuits that whisk me off to other wiles.  That's how I wandered away from my post here many times for many weeks - other worthwhile tasks and opportunities distracted me from something I am strongly compelled to do.

Often good things take me from best (or best-fit-for-me) things.  Can you relate?

I'm learning, though, not to "beat myself up" over this tendency.  It just so happens that my interests are varied and layered (like the tiara and mask and - wait, that wasn't the point).  The distractions that set my path on meandering adventures have been part of a larger picture, one with plenty of room for such scampers.  I'm a curious person, and that curiosity helps me see the world in a different way, calls me to scurry off the obvious path into meadows of meaning and discovery I would have missed otherwise.

A sigh escapes my grimaced face as I lament the distractions of size and weight and tone my body has followed.  As I stand here, the physical-wellness detour I've been - unwillingly - on has me in a body that, frankly, I want to distract myself from seeing.  This kind of distraction is no fun for anyone, but for a gal at forty-five who has accomplished an impressive number of things in her years, it's downright humiliating.  Been there?  Anyone?

Yeah, pretty much every stitch of clothing but my socks (socks are loyal) refuses to fit properly at the moment.  Yes, there's been a lot of change in my life - especially within the last year and it's compounded by the huge shifts in my life over the last five.  Honestly, though, I'm right here with you all, discovering as I go, finding my way to a holistically healthy and happy way of life.

Pursuing mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, financial, and relational wellness is no distraction - it's determination to live your best life.  We are here to contribute to the world in ways unique to each of us, created in the image of God - each of us a facet reflecting His light.  Styling a life that renders us more fit to serve is part of our duty as citizens of Heaven.  It makes us better citizens of Earth.

Jotting with Johnna
What distractions keep you from pursuing a life of true wellness?  Which of those are actually things you could monitor, abstain, or otherwise keep at a low roar as you listen more closely to the voice of truth?  How can you gain greater focus in a practical step today, rather than be tossed by the winds of futile diversions?

Remember:  You are so very worthy of the intention and action you take to pour your energy and attention into your healthiest, happiest, most honorable life-style.

Stay tuned.  Stay well.  Stay focused.

Johnna

New PLANNER, anyone?

Just before the end of 2018, I had an inspiration while sitting in the parking lot of my dentist.  My car seems to be a machine of ideas lately.  Anyway, it was an acronym instantly "downloaded" to my mind - a wellness acronym, a Wellness Script (wink).

That day, a couple of dear friends were to gather in my home for study per our standard practice for several months now.  I got a picture in mind of a simple, yearly, week-at-a-glance planner - typical for the transition from one trip around the Sun to the next, but this one with a purpose unique to our wellness endeavors.  Each day, in this planner, we three gals jot into the few available lines what we're sensing, realizing, or simply feeling in regard to body, mind, spirit and our relation with our spheres.

So, what's the PLANNER acronym? 
It's a map to meeting needs appropriately,
as informed by
the Holy Spirit (internal dwelling aspect of the Trinity),
the mind (intellect),
and the subtle voice of the body (intuition).

Pray:  Pause at the awareness of an urge, hunger, discomfort, or other impetus, seeking wisdom.
Listen:   What do you feel?  What do you need/desire?  What will meet that need?
Align:  Within the boundaries of godliness and good sense, determine a course of action.
Nourish:  When possible, find that which will meet your legitimate need/desire.
Notice:  Watch what happens in your body, mind, spirit.  Take time to tune into the results.
Examine:  Was your need/desire met?  What else might you do to promote healthy satiety?
Repeat:  Start at Pray and follow the process, granting yourself grace as you develop skills.

Intuitive nourishment of mind, body, and spirit need not be complicated.  The society in which we live, filled with expectations, obligations, and other complications, tends to drown out the inherent wisdom with which we are born and supplant it with advertised and socialized pressures to fill any and every perceived void with the closest item or activity.  In a fast-paced, schedule-controlled world, it isn't easy to slow down - especially for oneself - but impulse need not be our downfall.

Jotting With Johnna
Even if you don't want to use an actual year-long planner, try writing a few thoughts or revelations each day for a week.  Even a bullet-list or an acrostic version will do - this is about your own wellness script, after all - just give yourself the practice in awareness and see what happens.  Who knows?  You might become a PLANNER after all.

Remember:  You are so very worthy of peace, of pauses, of preparation to pursue your one life in a manner that promotes wellness of body, mind, spirit, soul, relationships, and pocketbook.

Stay tuned.  Stay focused.  Stay well.

Blessings,
Johnna

Invitation for Transformation

Holistic wellness must be curated to the individual in order to be viably applied to body, mind, soul, spirit, social, and fiscal concerns.  Well-established authorities compose all manner of scripts to follow to pursue a life that is happy and healthy; but no human is able to adequately understand the nuanced needs of every other human.

Clarifying and concentrating the endless array of such scripts, I hope to assist readers (also affectionately known as "scribes") to compose their own wellness scripts.  Jotting with Johnna segments will come hither and yon to assist in this awareness-building endeavor.  Engage the material, examine its applicability, encounter wellness that truly fits your life as you style it.

Join me, won't you?

Sweetness & Salt

As I come to the keyboard, it is Valentine's Day, 14 February 2019.  Hearts and flowers and roses and chocolate and perfume, candles and memories, cards and sentiments - all seem iconic for this day of celebration of cherishing, belonging, and mutual affection.

These are sweet things, aren't they?  Even in widowhood, I smile at this day - especially now that my Beloved has been absent from the body five Valentine's Days now.  This is an opportunity to be grateful for the grace-gift of our life together and to savor the sweetness each new day offers.  Certainly, the salty tears of the past revisit occasionally, but  now they serve to make the sensation in my heart that much more complex and profound.

Loss and love - both four letter words carrying many meanings and connotations - they once seemed diametrically opposed and mutually exclusive.  Now, though, I realize that loss is not the cessation of love, but its preservation in a way - as salt preserves.

Jotting with Johnna
Whenever we crave chocolate or cookies or cake (not to pick on these, mind you), we would be wise to consider what other form of sweetness we yearn to savor?  Today, I hope you remember someone you have lost and have a fond feeling in the moment.  I hope you know you matter to the world and that we would all be lesser for the loss of you - so thank you for persevering through the salty tears that inevitably come into even the sweetest life.  I hope you find a way to be kind to yourself today, to add sweetness to your life and to those around you.

The world needs both sweetness and salt.  The world needs you.  I'm glad you're here.

You are so very worthy of the thought, time, and tasks that bring sweetness to your life today.

Stay tuned.  Stay well.  Stay focused.

Happy Valentine's Day,
Johnna

A Dog, a Duffel, and a Dream

I'd like to introduce you to Chelsea and her mom, Lisa.  Lisa is my sister-in-law and Chelsea is her beautiful, sanguine, superstar pup.  They are globetrotting gals whose adventures you can discover on Lisa's blog (since she's the one with thumbs, of course, my amazing sis gets credit for keyboard entry at least):  http://www.travelswithchelsea.com

The girls have been at this gig a while, and it's been fun to observe!  As they go, they grow in wit and wisdom, in vision and in the skill of digital photography on the road (which has its challenges and limitations).  The pair's online antics can be found in various venues, of course, including:

• https://www.facebook.com/travelswithchelsea
• https://www.pinterest.com/travelschelsea
• https://twitter.com/travelswchelsea, 
• https://travelswithchelsea.blogspot.com
• https://twitter.com/ldtroglin

Please allow me to insist that you visit these lovable scamps and support their mission (and if that doesn't do it, the dog is really a must-see anyway).

That's my animal act for today.

Jotting with Johnna
Imagine your dream adventure, complete with your travel companions.  Where would you go?  What activities would you try?  What foods might you explore?  Is there something you'd like to learn on your adventure?  Even envisioning such things can elicit good vibes!  Try it - I dare ya!

Stay tuned.  Stay well.  Stay focused.

Remember:  you are so very worthy to live a life of wellness, peace, and wonder!

Truly,
Johnna

Recent Revelations

What a wild and tumultuous set of transitions the last few years have held - for me, for my family and friends, for the world!  I'm standing at my PC in my new-to-me office in my new-to-me home with some not-new-at-all intentions resurrected.  I've been given to distraction many times in my life, usually involving patterns of engaging with others - patterns that serve neither my higher good nor theirs.  This year, I've determined to yield to the growth process, and also to rid myself of strife in its various manifestations, even if it costs me dearly.

Revelations of self-destructive patterns once deemed behind us can bring about confusion, shame, guilt - and, frankly, keep us trapped in those very cycles.  Even relationships that bring about situations and sensations that harm us repeatedly can be very dear to us - to the point we acquiesce to the will of others when God created and designed us to honor Him and what He wants us to do and be and have (Galatians 1:10).  My, how I wish this pattern of people-pleasing would cease in my life - no - I am committing that wish to God as a prayer of true contrition that I have allowed the opinions of those in my sphere - any of them - to usurp His authority and leadership.

I had a clear calling here to do this work - a work I began and have had fits-and-starts with because of the distractions these unhealthy connections have presented.  Non-versations with those involved have had me spinning my wheels while the things I'm meant to share get unsaid.

This post will stop short of apologies and excuses for my absence as such things waste even more time.  Rather, I hereby vow to be more present, more intentional, and more assertive in my pursuit to honor God in my writing, to put Him first in all I do, to maintain healthy boundaries and relationships, to courageously walk away from whatever or whomever detracts from that vision.  The yearning of my heart is to model the health, wholeness, and serenity provided through Christ; and I realize I've had less of that because of my misplaced need to please and keep "peace."  I refuse to further give up what cost my Savior the greatest price.  In yielded obedience, I return to my First Love - and I'm grateful that He gave us books like Hosea to remind us of His stubborn, steadfast love!

There are lessons to glean from the meandering path I have taken here.  As I learn, I hope to bestow the blessing of these recent revelations and so edify each reader of these words.

Jotting with Johnna
What steps can you take today to determine your mental/emotional territory?  What situations or behaviors stir up anxious thoughts or concerns; and what are you willing to change, accept, or further explore about those stimuli?  True friends will love you enough to honor boundaries when they are expressed with respect and kindness; so how will you examine, explain, and enforce those lines?

Remember, you are so very worthy of the effort, expense, and energy it takes to become the enthusiastic, empowered person you were designed to be!

Stay tuned.  Stay well.  Stay focused.

Johnna

Comfort

I knew it was coming, felt the shadow of the familiar September cloud hovering weeks ago, and I even felt strong enough to resist its downward pull on my spirit…for a while.  Today, I miss Steve more than ever, nearly five years since our souls’ tethering was severed in death.  It’s different, but it’s definite.  Widowhood is not for sissies, and it doesn’t matter what the social situation (or romantic for that matter) happens to be:  when the mate of your soul goes to the other side of the Veil, you miss them forever.

This morning, I visited a self-destructive (and ineffective) form of self-medication in the form of chocolate.  It was an entire bag of chocolate, in a short amount of time, and though I attempted to exercise some control over the speed of consumption, the empty bag was an inevitability…in roughly an hour.  It’s not the same as overeating – it’s a binge in the clinical and practical sense of the word.  It’s embarrassing, shaming, and guilt inducing; and none of those things assist me in any way with the grief and sadness I feel – instead, it is only magnified.

Don’t get me wrong:  I’m not lonely.

I’m not.  Really.

It’s more like the feeling of being homesick.  I miss him/home, and I need to want something else.  I know I need to rid myself of this heart hunger and that food will not make me less homesick.  Knowing is not close to “half the battle” in this case.

I have more knowledge than most folks when it comes to eating behaviors, grief, and navigating life in healthy ways.  Knowledge that only makes me feel more frustrated with myself, it mocks me as I think of the plastic bag of wrappers in the next room.  I know what to do, and that I should have left the store with only the sympathy card for my friend I had walked in to buy.  I knew it before I reached for the bag – and now the really scary truth that reveals how ingrained the scarcity mentality is in my binge behavior – the second.  The Hershey’s Nuggets were on special this morning, but it was a “2-fer,” and the compulsion toward the second bag was almost worse than the first.

No, it’s only been one (full) bag my system is scrambling to digest – the other is zipped in a bag on my washer in the utility room in hopes I’ll just walk on by that door (which opens from my kitchen).  Yes, I’ve thought of opening that bag too.  I’ve done that before.  Another facepalm string of memories I don’t want to repeat.

I’m an educated, decorated, venerated woman whose wit and accomplishments astound even casual acquaintances, yet this binge eating disorder vexes me.  There’s an enemy, Folks, and he knows our buttons.  He’s been around a lot longer than we have; and I can’t help but wonder if the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil wasn’t just a bit like chocolate sometimes, and a bit like tortilla chips at others… 

When life feels out of control, it is so understandable that we exert control over giving ourselves whatever means of pain-escape or pleasure we find at the end of our fingers [please keep the thoughts and comments at a G Rating]?  Yes, it’s understandable, even relatable; but is it helpful?  Does it actually satisfy the ache, the abyss, the chasm we are trying to fill with food, work, hobbies, shopping, socialization, isolation, or whatever that “drug of choice” happens to be? 

Never.

No, the only way to sate our aching, broken hearts – the only way to still our racing minds full of worry – is to go to the Source.  The Source, not of our pain, but of the healing and help we crave.

The God of all comfort is with believers 24/7 (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).  We don’t avail ourselves of His provision when we need it most, preferring instead for the “quick fix,” and why?  Because we want to have some control, we want to nurse our wounds instead of casting our cares upon His capable shoulders (1 Peter 5:7-9), we want to do it our way, even when we know just how it will end – with the same feelings compounded by shame and guilt.

I am writing this for me.  I am writing this for you.  I am writing this for anyone whose hurt has sent them grasping for the nearest numbing agent.  I am writing this because we have hope and help and healing just a breath away. 

I wish I had reached for the keyboard rather than the cupboard all those times.  I wish both those silly bags of sugar were both full and forgotten on the shelf at the drugstore.  I wish I had leaned into my Father’s bosom and let Him be my comfort.  I am contrite and repentant; but I am not defeated because of grace and mercy lavished on me by the sacrifice of One who was tempted in every way I have been, but didn’t mess it up (sin) by reaching for sorry substitutes for the Source.  No, Jesus, who overcame death and the grave and even the gates of Hell, says that I am “more than an overcomer!”

I am not enslaved to my feelings, thoughts, urges, impulses, or even compulsive behaviors.  It is for freedom (Galatians 5:1) that I have been set free!  Freedom to trust, to hope, to rest in God’s goodness…  Freedom to choose differently than I have before…  Freedom to forgive myself and become transformed by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:1-2)…  Freedom to fight lies with Truth…  Freedom to fall down and to rise and to compose something of benefit for those who read these words – and I pray earnestly that is what happens. 

Scribes, we are free – and it cost us nothing.  Surrendering to the Lordship of one whose love is unsurpassed is no sacrifice on our part, especially since Jesus is the same Lord whose body was pushed past its limits, His skin ripped in nasty beating, His strong carpenter arms willingly (and writhing in agony) outstretched to then be fixed to a rough, splintery, shame-drawing cross…  It was the cost of my freedom and of everyone’s, whether or not they choose His grace and lordship.

As my body reminds me of the glut of grief-chocolate, I stand here in utter gratitude that God could love, accept, and even want to have a relationship with the likes of me after what the Son went through.  I am forgiven and I know it; and I have only my obedience in which to demonstrate my thankful heart.  The Psalmist wrote that God’s praise would ever be on his lips (Psalm 34:1).  Paul talks about our lips bringing both blessings and curses – and these references regard speech, of course; but my spirit senses that for some of us, there’s more.  We all have areas in which we are tempted, and often; but those are opportunities for victory!

As I close – and I intend to add the references to Scriptures I have mentioned – I am going to my utility room to get the bag of “Nuggets” and drive into town to deliver them to our Community Center.  They don’t belong here.  I have all I need in Christ.  I am filled, forgiven, and free.

With sincere kindness, I pray this meets you in a needful place and helps you on your way.

Jotting with Johnna
How will you step away from the things that entrap and ensnare you when you are triggered to self-soothe?  Integrity in that moment of choice is hard to muster, but you must - so what method will you try?

Stay tuned.  Stay focused.  Stay well.

Jotting with Johnna - Fetch the Journal!

Have you ever attempted to explore your own individual cues and clues?

Journalling is great for that; and that's a well-known thing...but most people don't know where to begin.  Far from a diary, journal work could be chronological, of course, but also topical, written or typed, spoken, or even nonverbal - as in art journals, collages, etc.  People utilize blogs like this one, fancy pages with beautiful artwork, or a simple spiral-bound notebook.  Flourishes and lettering and stickers, paint, and scrapbooking materials all visit the pages of journal-writers.  As a matter of fact, many musicians sing what others might scribble onto a page.

Below, I present a guided journal exercise I devised for my Dear Scribes so that you might utilize it toward your Wellness Script draft.  Please let me know how it works for you and what insights you glean from the experience.

As always, be safe, be well, and be at peace!
Remember:  you are so very worthy!

Truly,
Johnna at ScriptedWellness.com

Here's the link to the journal exercise:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f9lqipf6t0f15ot/Jotting_with_Johnna_Delight-20180723.pdf?dl=0

(Image is found online without attribution.  If you know the artist, I'd love to link to him/her.)

Pruning and Gardens Within Ourselves

Hello, Beloved Scribes!

I've been quite the busy bee this summer, much to my dismay when it comes to the promised upcoming posts.  But the last few days, I've been making space and time for rest and releasing.  A headache or two have added to the necessity of this; but I believe that there is synchronicity in it all.

Also, I'm optimistic about getting to the gym for the first time since Thursday, when the migraine mayhem began.  That'll help.

Meanwhile, I embarked on a personal adventure of discovery and detoxification I am excited to share with you.  It involved my blender, lots of vegetables, a bit of fruit, my journal, and solitude.

In gardens, it is typical to have sections - sections that look nice and tidy when we plant, but that can get blurry at the edges as the plants and vines grow and climb into the other sections.  So it is with life:  we cannot honestly expect to compartmentalize our physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, social, fiscal, and other aspects.  They grow and expand and stretch and blend into one another to form who we are over time with experiences, struggles, triumphs, gains, and losses.  The line of demarcation between them is indeterminate.

As holistic beings, then, comprised of so many various things, whenever one part of our lives is altered - for ill or well - the other parts are impacted.  Our bodies naturally detoxify themselves when given the opportunity.  It's fascinating the many ways this happens.  As our bodies have impact on our minds, soul, emotions, and choices, it makes sense that any effort to assist in cleansing would best be undertaken in a holistic manner and mindset.

Enter The Holistic Detox by Amanda Heisman of  http://www.heismanhealth.com.  Amanda is not only trained in nutritive health, but is also a nutrition intuitive gifted to tune into the needs of the nourishment body.  I've followed and fan-girled for quite a while now, had a one-on-one session, participated in her Embodiment Game, Intuitive Eating Experience, and the Sugar Release she offers.  All have proven to be worthwhile and rewarding.

The Holistic Detox uses whole foods rather than supplements, has online support including a private Facebook group dedicated to this pursuit.  Each day, an organ of detoxification is discussed, along with emotions that have historically been connected to it.  There are journal questions offered for each day; and those have been exceptionally deep diggers!  Once the body begins to heal, it shares the wealth with mind, soul, and spirit.

Amanda has extensive knowledge not only of modern science, but also the ancient healing arts of the East.  I learn something or have something affirmed or clarified every time I encounter this amazing soul.  Do yourself a favor and look her up on the link above and/or via Facebook.

And tell her Johnna sent ya!

Jotting with Johnna
Where do you need some pruning?  Are there social, financial, spiritual, physical, mental, or emotional weeds that need pulling in your life?  What would this make way for growing - what dreams, goals, or opportunities for refreshment might the removal of such brambles free you to enjoy?

Be safe.  Be well.  Be at peace. 

Rest is Nutritive

You must rest.  It’s so crucial for all aspects of a health-filled life!  It’s a vital element of strength training.  Rest and hormone regulation - including insulin and ghrellin - are inextricably linked.  Part of ahimsa is doing no harm to oneself.  That means sleep is a priority as much as any other categorical item on your Wellness to-do list.  That’s why I’m going to interject the ten-tenets series with this important article.

Watch for it - soon - with links to the Scripts from which I gathered the information.

Jotting with Johnna
What is restful to you?  What keeps you from restfulness?  How can you build in some self care in the form of mental and physical rest?

Stay tuned.  Stay focused.  Stay well.
#YouAreSoVeryWorthy

Ahimsa is still coming; but in the meantime...

JP Sears is a satirist and sincere coach of sorts whose candid videos can sometimes enlighten us – as can all things if we are open to inspiration.  One video of his has me thinking of concepts I’ve studied, but in a way that spun the science in my creative mind:  https://youtu.be/0Om6CWos6cg

So, what are you carrying around – from inside out – that you could release?

Known, repressed, suppressed – it can be expressed by journaling, meditation, and becoming more aware of those times you stifle the feelings that can be overwhelming, scary, or confusing.  When we hold in our breath, part of the stress response, our body holds in other things.  When we clench or grind our teeth, we lock in like a fortress those things which await our attention.  Only when we begin to recognize those and other symptoms of tension – tension which causes retention of heaviness, grief, and physical weight too – are we enabled to exhale fully, release freely, and embrace with honesty the unburdened self we strive to become. 

Can you honor your feelings?

Are you ready to practice courage and curiosity, cease criticism, and step into your true capacity?

What can you do today to begin allowing the feelings and discomfort, to accept yourself with all your scars, and appreciate the potential you have once the emotional edifice is out of your way?

You can do this.  You are worthy of this work.  The world needs all you have to offer, because it can only come from the one and only special and precious person you are beyond the barricades of barred-up pain and fear.

Join me on this journey of writing your own Wellness Script at www.ScriptedWellness.com and we can bring energy and encouragement into your experience as we bravely expand our horizons (and simultaneously shrink our clothing sizes if necessary).   

New Series on an Ancient Script

Coming Soon:  a series of expository posts based on an ancient script with - for this discussion - ten tenets to consider and assimilate.  Stay tuned...

Candida Strategy

#candida is a wicked, sneaky thing that stirs up all sorts of trouble.  After a dental procedure had me on antibiotics, and I had horrid sharp pain in my right lower abdomen, I went to the doc 🏥  Concerned it could be either appendicitis or my gall bladder, they did a CT scan.  Both those things were good, but they found some things I hope will improve...because the next thing they did was a urinalysis.  That’s when they found the Candida overgrowth.  

We all have this little Candida party inside us, but when the “good guys” in our system get outnumbered by them, due to antibiotics, birth control, a diet heavy in starch/sugar/processed foods, it’s bad news.  Candida is the culprit in so many kinds of maladies that I won’t list them.  

Probiotics and anti-fungal treatment will help; but the only way to really rid yourself of these wretched inner-guests (make it a fair fight with your “good guys” in the gut), is a #candidadiet of some sort.

Essentially, Candida albicans feeds on sugar & starch (which is most easily converted to sugar in the system).  You gotta starve em out, which means:

1.  Whittle our the white stuff.  Just like avoiding ants at a picnic, don’t make it easy for these buggers to eat.

2.  Dairy is sugar too.  But fermented foods can actually help - think yogurt.

3.  Probiotics.  Just start taking them and don’t stop.  Really - they’re that good for you.

4.  Greens:  salad, smoothie, soup, or this smoothie I ate with a spoon (gazpacho).  

5.  Rest when your body asks for it.  One thing that exacerbates the bad bugs is lack of sleep.

6.  If at all possible, choose natural alternatives to antibiotics.

7.  Coconut oil is said by most of the articles I read to actually kill Candida overgrowth.  

8.  Tongue scraping and oil pulling, especially first thing in the morning.  If you stick out your tongue and it looks like a light snow hit overnight, odds are good it’s Candida.

9.  Warm and warming foods.  Candida yeast critters are happiest with cold and damp.  Spices like thyme, cinnamon, clove; roots like ginger and turmeric will all help.

10.  Essential oils, carefully applied, diluted - trust me on the diluted part...I learned the hard way with oregano oil!  It can actually cause chemical burns if you don’t; so I now add it to a bit of coconut oil (won’t blend without fat).

Other advice is out there, and most folks say it takes anywhere from 9 months to two years to fight, depending on how ingrained it is.

A final bit of wisdom:  try intermittent fasting.  Just quit eating after supper and wait to break-your-fast until “lunchtime” most days.  If these little opportunists don’t have access to easy grub, they cease to thrive.  

Back in the Saddle

Ever meandered off track?  I do that pretty often.  That's actually pretty common for us creative unicorn types - peculiar people whose creativity and colorful minds are constantly curious.

It feels good to get back to you, Scribes!  In fact, I am feeling a bit "Enlightened."  Are you ready for a quick review of Jessica Berger Gross' book, Enlightened (Skyhorse Publishing, 2009)?  For those of us who seek to deepen a yoga practice, yearn for more calm serenity, or are developing mindfulness in our days, this brief and cheerful book might just be a refreshing start.

The book's full title gives a hint of how light this reading is, even with its explanation of Sanskrit:  Enlightened:  How I Lost Forty Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle-Pointer.  The book is peppered with illustrations by Bobby Clennell; and that helps those new to the practice understand visually many of the asanas (postures) discussed.  In the back of the book, readers find a restaurant guide (which is hopefully still accurate nearly ten years later) and a reading list of recommended books.  Since Gross suggests a style of eating that may or may not be openly embraced by her audience, these resources provide a useful bit of guidance for newcomers.  Like many of the books you'll see me review, this one also has a few recipes.

The introduction and first two chapters offer a candid backdrop from which we view the following text.  Leaving behind a violent home and upbringing, overweight to the point she was unable to move her body into several of the asanas she attempted, and ready for change, Gross had a paradigm shift and transformation that relocated and revised her life.

Her chapter titles give an urban feel to ancient terms, simplifying these sacred instructions:

• Truthfulness (satya)
• Moderation (brahmacharya)
• Discipline and Zeal (tapas)
• Purity, Cleanliness (sauca)
• Nonviolence (ahimsa)
• Self-Study and Introspection (svadhyaya)
• Touching Enlightenment (santosa, samadhi)

The tenets, known as the Yoga Sutras are brief in their original form, she explains, but certainly are not short on meaning and depth in application.

Satya, for example, deals with truthfulness including not only what you communicate, but also what/how much you consume and why.  It's not only about being honest with others in the community, but also with oneself.  If there is a dysfunctional attitude or behavior in our lives and we don't acknowledge it, there is no remedy for it.  Deceit destroys the demonstration of our best intentions.  Anyone else feel their "toes get stepped on" just then?

Here's a bit of truth offered in a handy box by this author:  a list of the "Top Six Signs You Are Eating Too Much" (page 49).

1. Fat clothes = favorites now, especially those that stretch.
2. Portions in even the most abundant amounts don't keep you from "cleaning your plate."
3. Your attempts to "outrun your fork" have been mocked by the speed of the scale's progress upward.
4. Dinner partners tend to be those with whom you can "loosen the belt" and eat copious amounts without fear of judgment.
5. You're taking in muffins (essentially cake) and giant bagels, telling yourself they're a healthy-enough alternative for breakfast tide-over.
6. The scale's menacing movement higher is evidence to you that it must be defective, so you rid yourself of it and other measuring tools completely.

Note:  While these may not feel helpful, there's a mini-tutorial on carving a pineapple tucked into these pages you might just find simplifies things. 

Next, she discusses brahmacarya - moderation, self-restraint, self-control, and the "half-empty stomach."  Actually, the Sanskrit term mitahara is the one which applies to dietary moderation.  Contentedness with less than "full strength" or "maximum" can help us minimize what we are wasting while meeting our essential needs.  Gross quotes Ram Dass' work on the topic, in this bullet-style explanation of how one's stomach should be after a meal:

• 1/2 full with food
• 1/4 full with water
• 1/4 empty with room for air

So, how are we supposed to get there - especially those of us reared in Western culture less than a century after the Depression and Dustbowl, mass market food, and television commercials have indoctrinated and informed our choices and levels of consumption?  For this, I found on page 74, a Recipe for a Moderate Meal, which instructs readers:

• Ensure hunger and thirst signals are not confused by remaining hydrated.
• Engage the senses, slowly and deliberately savoring each aroma, color, texture, temperature, taste, crunch, and the like, so that signals of satiety can be registered by your brain.
• Rather than distracting yourself when the subtle "voice" within tells you that your body has met its needs - the "stop" signal, listen and heed the wisdom of your body.  
• Get closure on the meal with one final bite, knowing there will be resources later if you find that you need more food.  Rarely does an urge to eat beyond this closing bite equate to an emergency.

Discipline and zeal, tapas, helps us see purification and surrender - even through and in and during pain - as something to be endured with gratitude for the catalyst it is.  This is also ongoing, rather than an event that brings a solitary rite of passage.  It is to be tolerated and celebrated as part of a life destined to manifest greatness.  Discipline at the table, especially with friends and family, can be daunting; but finding support from like-minded folks - known in Sanskrit as satsang - helps because of the solidarity and mutual edification that comes when kindred spirits align.

Something that requires discipline, or at least a bit of dedication to routine and order is purity and cleanliness, known as sauca.  This term refers to cleanliness not only outside, but also inside the body as we choose items out of better understanding of what is beneficial rather than out of carnal appetite or convenience.  Conscious or mindful consumption of food or beverages introduces into the process a sense of the sacred as we partake with a grateful spirit and witness with attention how both our psychological and physiological aspects respond to the nutrients themselves.

A popular topic in recent years, fasting is addressed here as a means of cleansing the body of what no longer serves it.  In the process of fasting (abstinence from food which can take many forms and be motivated by endless reasons), emotions and thoughts that might otherwise be drown in the cacophony of potential distractions - often food - are able to rise to the surface so they might gain resolution.  This is a principle that (like the others) is applicable to food, but not exclusively.  Unplugging from digital media offers undeniable health benefits - physically, mentally, socially, spiritually, to name a few ways.  In fact, the simple act of a curfew each evening helps the brain, eyes, and body recover and reconnect with circadian rhythms essential to good sleep, digestion, and mental health.

This gentle act of nurturing that natural inclination to rest at the set of sun and rise early too brings us to ahimsa, the principle of nonviolence.  This is where the book may bring a few lifted eyebrows, because Gross highlights the cruelty inherent in a flesh-as-food stance.  Don't let this sway you just yet, though, because the author eats mostly plant based, but also eats fish.  She does not insist readers rid their menus of all meat, but rather suggests that awareness and gentleness, in the spirit of ahimsa, be applied.  Vegetarians and Vegans are not necessarily healthier humans, especially when their intake includes processed food-like products.  We are all bioindividual and thus have different culinary and cultural circumstances that naturally come into play here.

Yes, we are each unique creatures - which is where meditation, self-study, and introspection can be applied.  Known as svadhyaya, the practices involved here can solidify change as we "do the inner work."  We learn our "buttons," our strengths and our weaknesses, are better able to observe our perspective and perhaps even modify them as we grow in wisdom and understanding.  We question our habits - called samskaras by yogis - examining their usefulness, validity, and product in our lives.

Intimidated by the thought and image of meditation your mind just conjured?  A great bit of advice here is to start small.  Just focus on controlling and becoming aware of your inhalation and exhalation of breath.  What coolness does the air bring into your nostrils, and how is that different on its way out of the body?  Can you direct the air you breathe in a bit deeper/lower into your body?  Can you pause at either end before the next inhale or exhale?  Try just two minutes (120 seconds), get quiet and comfortable, and simply breathe.  Relax your jaw and shoulders as you begin; and perhaps even count as you inhale, pause, and exhale, seeking to make your exhale longer than your inhale.

The book's title is Enlightenment, but what does that really mean?  Contentment, santosa, and bliss, samadhi comprise the final chapter before the resources begin.  Enjoyment of "enough," and intentional attunement to the present moment with gratitude, kindness, and humility all factor into these concepts.  Enlightenment alludes most of us, as we live in a world of incessant noise; but moments of this consciousness can't help but manifest if we simply give our minds and bodies a chance to think and act in ways that nod to the principles discussed in this book.  We may find that our hearts and our heaviness become lighter along the way.

Please let me know what you think of this little journey through the book.  If you'd like to find it, I've provided the ISBN number:  978-1-60239-5

At the moment, I have no affiliation with book-sellers, although I'd be open to it.  This is simply my own take - with a few additional bits of wisdom I've accumulated along the way - on the book described here.  It's not intended to be medical advice either.  I'm simply a Veteran-writer-yogini whose digital path has obviously converged with your own.

You are so very worthy of the energy, expense, and effort it takes to write your own Wellness Script!
Truly,
Johnna Troglin, MA HSER/MFT
www.ScriptedWellness.comenLIGHTened: How I Lost 40 Pounds with a Yoga Mat, Fresh Pineapples, and a Beagle Pointer by Jessica Berger Gross (April 3 2009) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIKRO9Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Uc0bBbCWKKC1C

Waiting for Geek Squad

No, Geek Squad isn't holding me up in my progress.  In fact, I only hours ago delivered my writing machine (pc) there.  My ability to comply with my mission here has finally been made more expansive; and I'm looking forward to sharing with you some of the things on which I've been writing - longhand - in my own handwriting...

At the moment, though, I have a tablet in lap writing situation, because I haven't felt my handwritten entries were something I should post here.  I've reconsidered that, because on the other end of that pen (those many-colored-pens and markers, really), is some good tires-on-the path work.  It's real.  It's honest.  It's needful for others on the journey to wellness.

Don't be jealous - I've been daily sharing these handwritten pearls of wisdom with another audience, one in which I felt less exposed; but these revelations are for you too.  And you'll begin witnessing them soon.  Nevermind the dates scribbled atop the pages.  They're honestly timeless - stuff I wish I'd known earlier in my life, but am grateful to incorporate now on this quest to write my wellness script.  I've learned much on the detour I took.  I won't overload your time, but some juicy bits are headed your way soon.

Until then, remember #youaresoveryworthy!

Truly,
Johnna

Rest & Resolve

Yesterday, I wrote introducing my purification protocol intentions.  As of tonight, I am still consuming the nectar of the dark bean (coffee), and have a twenty-four ounce jar of cold brew in my fridge that shall not have been brewed in vain.  It may be my final caffeinated chalice besides tea for a while though.

My jaw just clenched involuntarily.  Wonder if that's indicative of dependence?

Probably best not to fret over it.

Honestly, I don't expect major issues.  I'll miss it, because it's a treat for me, and because I'm cold all the time; but I can warm up just as well with tea - in fact, I have warming teas!  That's a good one to tell you about when I'm not distracted by that last jar of cold brew...  I've, er, gotta go.

Digestive Detoxification

Swinging in on two wheels....

What a wild ride life is!  Now for a challenge:  slow down and heal.  Once in a while, actually a few times a year, I like to let my body take a little breather from breaking down so much in the way of digestion.  I generally do this for 21 days, and for the last few years, I've used the Standard Process Purification Protocol from my chiropractor.  He makes his clients a great bargain on the products (I've checked) because he personally believes in their impact that much.  Having done this protocol several times now, I agree that their whole food supplements, made organically on their farmland right here in America, is stellar!

That said, this isn't about promoting a product.  I have no vested interests at this moment in Standard Process, but the affiliate link above is mine with Amazon.  I'm just a girl who is writing her own Wellness Script one line at a time.

I intend to begin this particular round on 23 August, which means I'm already preparing myself mentally, physically, and (yeah) emotionally.  It's really not that different from my natural eating style; but the supplements are pretty regimented, there's more structure due to that, and...well...there's no coffee.  That's my big snag; but I'll manage because of dandelion tea, Teeccino, and other suitable substitutes.  It's only three weeks, right?

I've been strengthening my will by waiting a bit longer to eat in the morning and closing that feeding window a bit earlier in the evening so that I'm already flexing when I must "give up the woobie," as Michael Keaton's character encouraged his little one in Mr. Mom.  If you'd like to know more about detoxification; I'll be writing about it here.

Stay tuned.  Stay well.  Stay focused.
#youaresoveryworthy

Circles and Spheres and Shapes, Oh My!

As promised in an earlier post, I’m discussing W. Oscar Thompson, Jr.’s Concentric Circles of Concern, copyrighted in 1981 by Broadman Press.  My use of the principles he introduced into my life in my youth are somewhat different here at Scripted Wellness; but the old ways still apply, and I honor them.  His basic premises, I will seek to summarize so you get the good stuff and hopefully stay with me for the rest of the ride as I extrapolate the application to the continued scribbling of your wellness script.

Thompson asserts that bad relationships produce dispute, divorce, distress, division, duress, war, and dissention on a local and global front.  Further, he attests that if we solve relationship problems, we eliminate humanity’s most perplexing difficulties as right relationships produce harmony, stability, honor, reciprocity, accord, mutual appreciation, respect, and understanding on an individual and collective, cohesive and holistic level.  He states that there are two essential relationships:  vertically with Source, Father, God; and horizontally with other people.  The intersection of these two essentials is where the Concentric Circles has its core.

The Circles are concentric, meaning they share the same center, the same core, the same starting point from which the others extend, like spheres of the Earth radiating from the magmatic center of earth, topsoil, flora and fauna, all the way to the atmosphere and into space.  He lists seven layers building out:  Self, Immediate Family, Relatives, Close Friends, Neighbors & Associates (Business, School, etc.), Acquaintances, Person X (General Population of People you have Yet to Meet).  You have levels of influence upon these people depending on your exposure, experiences, and expression with them.  You also have levels of concern for them, depending on some of the same things.  Finally, and especially for our purposes, you have levels of influence being enacted upon you by each of these levels – some far more in 2017 than in 1981 due to globalization, transportation, and technological changes – depending on exposure, experiences, and encounters with each of them.

As a counselor in human services, and marriage and family therapist especially, I find this very interesting socially – this shift in influence of these concentric circles.  I’m not so sure they’d be listed 1 – 7 in the same direction nowadays, at least not for every generation.  It might benefit you personally to individualize this and even insert/delete your own circles, maybe even including levels for email, text, instant messenger, bloggers, podcasters, television programs, documentaries, music videos, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, CNN, FoxNews, et cetera.  It’s a little scary how many influences we have tugging at our attention now, isn’t it? 

Truth is, we have not changed so much as a species; but our lifestyle has vastly changed, and our wellness is more taxed than ever partly because of that fact.  We have smartphones, smartwatches, smartcars, smarthomes…  Anyone else just discover their jaw tightening and pulse quickening?

We are building neural pathways all the time, which is great!  But all the Bluetooth, RF energy, and other exposures – more plastic than ever, and even BPA free is plastic, by the way – and far less time in the fresh air with other people whose faces are not flat. 

What is this doing to our relationships? 

If Thompson is correct, and the theories of disintegration of human connection due to our overuse of social media to the detriment of social skills are correct, our relationships are deteriorating and we might be asleep at the wheel, entertained all the way to Ground Zero.  Invest in your relationships, for the good of yourself, and for all of us.  Start with the vertical, and then reach out – grab lunch or coffee with a friend, your family, someone.  Call (no, don’t text) someone and have a conversation longer than three minutes – I dare you!

Unplug.  You do not need to know everything that is on the internet.  Really.  At the very least, give yourself a thirty-minute break before sleep – try it for seven days and see if you don’t rest better.

One last thing:  ask for what you need.  Those close to that inner circle are there because they care about you.  Ask them to help you on your wellness journey.  Ask them to go for a walk together – no phones allowed, or at least turn off the ringer.  Ask them to share a meal together without a television or other media.  Ask to enjoy a game night and play Twister or some other fun, physical game once in a while.  

Play.  

Laugh.  

Savor.  

None of us is here forever; and one day you will be glad your circle at least has memories where the members used to be.

Stay tuned.  Stay focused.  Stay well.

#youaresoveryworthy  

Speed Bumps at the Starting Gate

Well, sometimes we get called for jury duty and the rest is history.  Ladies and gents, it's no surprise that we can come up against some resistance when we begin to breathe wellness into the world in a fresh, new way.  Why?  For one thing, we are operating in a world of energetic flow and flux; and new ideas uproot and unearth things that like sitting just where they are, thank you very much.

Homeostasis may be one goal of nature's many facets, but improvement and preservation of health by the utilization of the wisdom we have gleaned through generations of old writ and new wit is also a worthy goal.  While we begin anew to pursue it here, piecing together our own individual wellness scripts at www.ScriptedWellness.com, there's one thing I've used for years to record thoughts that come to me and quotes of thinkers I've never met:  Dropbox https://db.tt/2iyhcKdjEM is an application you can install on your smartphone, tablet, personal computer or Mac, or simply utilize on the internet at your local library's computer for free.  It's secure, and for no charge (yes, free, as in no money), you can set up an account, accessible virtually anywhere, and store 2.7 G of data, which isn't a big amount any more for say, a thumb or jump drive; but since you won't need anything but your credentials, it's all thrust, no drag.  Traveling light is a good thing.  I'm not into commercials; and I'm not an affiliate or being paid to give you this link:  https://db.tt/2iyhcKdjEM.  If you utilize it, they'll permit me to utilize more space, which is nice of them; but I'd still recommend them.  I've used this since 2015; so I feel good about it by now.

I also like Evernote, but I can tell you about that another time.

The point of this was to say, "I'm sorry I hit a speed bump straight out of the gate; but if you'll bear with me, content is on the way."  Along with some reviews/recommendations/reports, I'm going to post some of my handwritten journal entries to encourage you to begin a journal-keeping practice of your own.  This is not to say I want you to write a diary.  I have tried that a couple times in my life and ... no.  While my life has been anything but boring as I reflect upon it now, the attempt at diary-writing was an exercise in futility that even now has me making faces of disgust.

Journal composition, however, with a prompt - that is a horse of a different color entirely; and it has helped me find useful things from my own and others' wellness journeys.  Life will speak to you if you are willing to listen; and your own heart's voice will surprise you when you let it be heard.

Think on these things, Friends, and celebrate your independence today.

Freedom isn't free; but it is worth the price!

Stay tuned.  Stay focused.  Stay well.
#youaresoveryworthy!
Johnna