Sunday 25 October 2009

Sometimes a "plate of calm" is just what we need!

Spending so much time in Spain has definitely taught me one thing – food is a way of life for the Spanish. I even dare to say that eating out is more integral to their culture than it is to the French.

And it’s the Sunday meal that sits atop that culinary pinnacle. While it might be unheard of in London, a Spanish restaurant never plans on more than one sitting per table on a Sunday. This is a leisurely event that consumes hours and is one that simply cannot be rushed.

Down south there’s a restaurant that I’ve been to on a number of occasions. It’s a lovely family-owned venue. Once you go, you’re hooked – you’ll be back. It’s just that good. But it’s more than the food – it’s the hospitality that makes it so special. One example of their efforts to make even foreigners feel welcome is a menu that the landlady personally translated into English – with the assistance of Google’s language tools.

She is so proud of her menu. Now I should say that she doesn’t actually speak a word of English. So, to produce a complete menu in English is a matter of great pride for her. As such, it’s immediately thrust before any English-speaking diners – regardless of their Spanish proficiency.

But there’s one slight problem – this menu is in English in name only. You see, it verges on the unintelligible to all but the most creative of English speakers. Worse than that, it can incite in even the most resolute stoic an irresistible fit of giggles – you know the kind which usually involves either tears streaming down one’s face or embarrassing snorts.

Personally, to avoid any indication that I take the menu as anything less than a spot-on translation usually involves me either pinching myself quite painfully under the table whilst I do my best to decipher the entries. I’ll give you some examples. For dessert, you can choose between a puzzling “card game of chocolate” or a head-scratching “ice cream scum of nuts”.

But before you get to your pudding, you have to eat your main. And this is where we get to a most intriguing if not inviting dish. How does a nice “plate of calm” sound? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve allowed my imagination to run wild whilst thinking about someone coming to this restaurant who is stressed and ordering up a steaming “plate of calm” to help them unwind.

How amazing it would be if we could just go into a restaurant, any restaurant and order not just calm, but peacefulness, contentment or even pure bliss!

Life is so hectic these days. And it’s becoming more and more complicated all the time. All of these technological advances seem to make our lives easier on the one hand whilst adding just one more thing that we have to check or stay on top of with the other.

With the advent of mobile phones, we’re always a call away. Many of us have become addicted to checking our emails which seem to pour in no matter the time of day or night. And let’s not get into the near obsessive-compulsive behaviour that some of us are exhibiting when it comes to such sites as Facebook and Twitter.

To be sure, more information is available to us than ever before. We are available to more people than ever before. And more and more, our to-do lists are growing faster than ever before. It can be overwhelming. That’s when I think about that little restaurant and mentally order up a “plate of calm”.

I encourage each of you to take some time today to allow yourself but five minutes to imagine and visualise what a “plate of calm” would be for you. Would it be a bubble bath? Or possibly it might be a long stroll in the woods. Others might picture themselves watching a sunset on a secluded beach.

A “plate of calm” is something that is personal and unique to you. So, please do create such a sanctuary to where you can escape the daily grind. You’d be surprised at the wonders that even a few minutes with your own “plate of calm” can do.

Stress is a way of life. There’s no avoiding it. However, it should never be allowed to take over your life to the point that it affects your health and wellbeing. If you feel that it’s all becoming too much, then close your eyes and see yourself at a table in a faraway restaurant in Spain ordering a “plate of calm” and allow what comes to the table to be the perfect antidote to your stress.

And for those of you wondering what food the landlady actually was referring to with the word “calm”, I encourage you to guess first and then you can click here to find out the answer. And bonus points to anyone who can tell me what might arrive when you order tasty "Moorish thorns"! Click here and all will be revealed.

Teaching people how to live more authentic and peaceful lives with less stress is one of the many things that I do in my Intuitive Life Coaching Sessions. If you’re struggling with stress, then perhaps I might be able to help. If you’ve ignored your stress for too long and it’s already affecting your health, then you might want to consider one of my Medical Intuitive Readings.

If you are ready to accept that challenge and behold the awesome potential of your own powerhouse, then let’s get started today!

And don’t forget about my Journey to Power forums. Please join me there and let me hear what you have to say on what I’ve written here. I look forward to your postings!

Finally, this week over at PsychicBridges, I encourage readers to remember their common sense when seeking sixth sense advice when I recommend that you treat your reading like any other commercial transaction. Read my article here!

I always welcome your thoughts and feedback on IntuitiveBridges, so let me hear from you by clicking here.

Until next week,

Kindest regards,

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