2012... a year to Savour

At the beginning of 2011 I chose JOY as my word of the year.  And looking back I can honestly say there were a lot of very joyful moments, in amongst the many others.  What I learned most about joy is that it is always present and all that it is required to experience it is to Wake Up and Pay Attention.  Generally joy is in the ordinary moments which so often slip by when we are busy worrying about what happened yesterday, or wishing things were different today.  Joy is waking up to reality and seeing the beauty of what is.

A few weeks ago, I started to think about 2012 and what my word for the year might be. I thought about AWAKE..because the more awake I am, the more aware I become and the more joy I feel.  I thought about NOW...to remind myself that life is now, and I want to love every moment of it.  And then I settled on SAVOUR.   Because that is how I want to live in 2012 - savouring every moment and morsel that life offers me.  In order to SAVOUR, one must be awake and present.  Savouring cannot happen in the past or in the future.  We need all five senses to savour life.  Savouring is a full body experience!

I'll start by savouring everything I eat. Waiting until I'm hungry - and deciding what would most satisfy my hunger.  Then taking the time to prepare fresh, seasonal food - enjoying the colours, the textures, the smells.  Taking the time to sit down, give thanks and then savouring every mouthful of deliciousness.  Allowing my body and soul to be nourished and revitalised through the practice of mindul eating.  Turning every meal into a celebration!

As I learn to slow down and savour each meal, I'll practice slowing down and savouring each moment - allowing myself to really taste life and to be nourished by it.

I wish you all a wonderful 2012 - may it be a transformative year!