September 2022 – Acceptance

Updated: Sep 9, 2022

Inspirations:

Sorry for this newsletter arriving a few days into September - we have enjoyed a late

Summer break with a trip home to the Loire Valley and some time with my family in Normandy.

On my return to Cardiff I always tend to feel a little nostalgic about leaving the comforts of my family home, where I get the opportunity to relax and catch up with all my relatives. But I also arrive back to Wales with a feeling of motivation and a desire for new beginnings. This is the season when kids and youngsters start school again or take the plunge into the unknown at their chosen university or college, signifying, for me anyway, the end of the holiday period and starting afresh again!

We are all at certain points in our life and accepting WHAT IS and going with the flow can, I believe, really help with being open to new ideas and opportunities. For example, hanging on to feelings like resentment and anger will never serve us positively in the long run. If you find yourself repeatedly ruminating over the same thing and putting yourself into a negative state, ask yourself: Is this really serving me well right now?

I believe that it is vitally important to try and find the true source of any negative thoughts and feelings. In my own quest, I have recently read the work of Byron Katie who shares a great tool to use when something is really bugging you.

In her book "Loving What Is", she uses this simple set of questions to turn a statement around. Indeed, to release an emotion like resentment, we must shift our energy and attention from those we resent, back to ourselves and our own needs.

You may want to write down a statement about what is troubling you in your and ask yourself:

Is this true? Can you absolutely know it is true? what is your proof? How do you react to that statement? How would you be if you did not have that thought? Can you find a stress-free reason to keep the thought?

Then turn the statement around and see what happens.

For example:

"JB should appreciate me", once you go through all the above questions, it would become:

"I should appreciate myself" or "I should appreciate JB" or "JB shouldn't appreciate me". Is any of this truer than the original?

You can find a positive affirmation like "I appreciate and value myself and others" to take the negative thought away and liberate yourself from this negativity and consequently creating more energy to devote to your own personal development. You can then fill the 'negative' space that's now left behind with unconditional acceptance and joy. When you can find compassion in your heart, you know you are on your way to healing. And, as a result, the door is reopened for new opportunities to once again enter your life!

As the late Summer season ends and we get closer to the Autumn season and equinox on 21st of September, it's a great time to declutter those negative thoughts... that can drain your energy and sometimes even spoil your life.

In Chinese medicine, the Autumn season - related to the element of Metal - represents the areas of the skin, lungs, mind and gut. When in balance we are able to think clearly with positive thoughts, we glow and breathe with ease. It is a good time to work on our gut, cleansing the colon, eating a cleaner diet of green juices and raw vegetables but also taking grains out of our diet to support the cleansing. Taking 5 to 10 minutes to meditate daily is also great to cleanse our minds.

Intermittent fasting is a great way to give your gut a break from digestion (16 hour fast, which can include the period you are asleep). It will boost your metabolism and help with loosing weight when combined with strength-training exercises and drinking lemon water first thing in the morning.

It is also a good time to up your magnesium intake for a month as it will also get your gut health going, as well as eating and drinking fermented foods and drinks like Kimchi, Kombucha and of course, Water Kefir and Raw sauerkraut.

My mantra for this month is:

I value myself and others

I accept what is

GOOD TO KNOW:

> The Absorb Team: as Absorb is growing organically, we have been needing extra help! Alan has been great from the start doing most of our deliveries and chatting to many of our customers, shop workers and owners. Without Alan we would not have grown as we have. He has been the best at spreading the word about our wonderful healthy products and bringing lots of great marketing ideas. Our newbie is Ewan (19), who has been helping out a lot with washing and labelling bottles, making and potting kraut and recently covered one of our markets. He has been amazingly helpful.

> PLANS: In 2022 we have had a few fabulous experiences at various festivals either selling water kefir or being a customer, and we are really keen to introduce our water kefir on tap to festivals in 2023!

PS: Our next festival will be Newport Food Festival on Saturday 08.10.22. I hope you can come along as it will be a great day!

Happy Earth Season!