which way? the way

l am on a quest of biblical proportions.  I am looking for THE unicorn of unicorns. There is a serious disconnect in research and investigation regarding body issues and eating disorders among older adults. I have been looking for reading materials, support groups, anything that is credible and sensible that addresses this part of my healing journey. There is no way that I am going to "swallow" the myth that older adults don't experience ED simply because we have come to accept our bodies. That is the biggest load of crap being peddled out there. All you have to do is walk into your nearest "y" and you'll find MANY active adults engaging in all sorts of age appropriate exercises. Granted not all of them are there because they are struggling with ED. However, I have witnessed and engaged in some conversations that lead me to believe that there is a sector of the population that is "silently" suffering the ravaging effects of a culture that idolizes the perfect image of the perfect human. (Thank you eugenics!... sarcasm intended)

Digression: Oh, so you don't agree with my assessment?!? Well, how many times did you hear a family member, maybe even yourself, say "oh they have good hair", or "hay que mejorar la raza" (we must improve the race, wink and chuckle). Yup, that still happens.

Anywho....

Y'all, I'm just tired. I'm exhausted. It really does take all my energy to pull myself together to step out the door when necessary. Whenever I read about Julian of Norwich, or any of the anchoresses, I get this "romantic fantasy" of a life in seclusion. The idea of not having physical interaction with the world outside is powerfully enticing. Yet, I understand that it is nearly impossible and unhealthy... oh, but for a few minutes it would be glorious. (Now you may wink and chuckle).

For one moment, albeit a second, I want to be whole, complete, fulfilled, sated, satisfied, pure and brand new. I want to flow gracefully, lovingly, confidently. I want to spin and twirl... like silk thread on a gentle breeze... like crystal clear fresh water rushing down stream and at the same time coating every surface I touch with infectious bubbling joy. I want that for me, and I want that for everybody.

So, I read and I search. This is what i found:

"The mystical way is the inner way. People try to find in their inner lives a connection  with the "reality of the unseen", "the source of being", "the point of silence". There they discover that what is most personal is most universal. Beyond the superficial layers of idiosyncrasies, psychological differences, and individual character traits,  they find a center from which they can embrace all other beings at once and experience meaningful connections with all that exists." (Nowen, Wounded Healer, p20)

Thusly, i ask myself how do my wounds become a source of healing, not just for myself but for others like me? How do I avoid "spiritual exhibitionism"? How does healing take place in my generation? 

"Care, compassion  understanding, forgiveness,  fellowship, community ". 

"I must withdraw to make room for the other … This withdrawal, rather than going-out-to-meet the other, is an intense act of concentration, a model for which can be found in the Jewish mystical doctrine of Tsimtsum. God as omnipresent and omnipotent was everywhere. He filled the universe with his Being. How then could the creation come about?… God had to create by withdrawal; He created the not-Him, the other, by self-concentration … On the human level, withdrawal of myself aids the other to come into being. (Insearch, p. 31)

But human withdrawal is a very painful and lonely process, because it forces us to face directly our own condition in all its beauty as well as misery. When we are not afraid to enter into our own center and to concentrate on the stirrings of our own soul, we come to know that being alive means being loved. This experience tells us that we can only love because we are born out of love, that we can only give because our life is a gift, and that we can only make others free because we are set free by Him whose heart is greater than ours. When we have found the anchor places for our lives in our own center, we can be free to let others enter into the space created for them and allow them to dance their own dance, sing their own song and speak their own language without fear. Then our presence is no longer threatening and demanding but inviting and liberating."

today's journey

today I experienced something so sweet and marvelous, so amazing and out of the ordinary. i scheduled a facial at the same healing place where i receive massage therapy and reflexology. the women with whom i have interacted thus far have been outstanding. so, i came with expectations of a good service, yet with some hesitation, feeling somewhat vulnerable at the appearance of my skin. afterall, i am celebrating 64 years of life in november, and i do minimal skin care routine. nevertheless, i forged ahead and met with a very talented and special young woman. for sixty minutes, she ministered tenderly to my thirsty skin cells. the room wass beautifully decorated, comfortable and cozy. the "table" where i lay felt like a cloud, being hugged by warm, soft, fluffy yumminess. while i was there, i completely forgot the condition of my skin. i forgot about my weight issues, body issues, hair issues, insecurities, trauma history, loneliness, etc. i was touched and massaged in such a way that i was completely lost in sensations of fresh, creamy, clean, fragrant lotions and toners.  in that moment time stopped, financial concerns went out the window, politics and current events were silenced. i dove into the healing waters that were present and immediately available. i was floating and flowing in an ocean of amber tones, scented in chocolate, rose, lavender, cassia, helichrysum, patchouli, and every aroma that elicits a soothing emotion.

the rest of the day i felt like i was glowing, and i probably did. i nourished my soul with meditation and sacred reading. i respected my hunger and cooked an amazing concoction of asian noodles that fueled the body, mind, and soul. i even indulged in some television viewing, just enough to be entertained while i experimented with a new crochet stitch. i know, i cannot just sit there and watch tv. my hands have to be engaged in some form of creative expresion. i love that about myself.

Later i found the quotes below as i was reading some articles on wellbeing and self-care.

today i found a form of self-care that allowed for ministration to the body. today i engaged in an energy exchange with a like-minded individual who truly understands the need for intimate relationships among humans, especially among women. we need to learn to minister to one another. we need to learn to care for one another; to cherish and nourish each other; to encourage and support one another, to touch with wisdom, love, and hope.

i am convinced that...