New Stuff
Thursday, June 27, 2013 at 7:51 PM 
At my birthday gathering in April, my friend, Claire, urged me to do something new every day for the rest of my life. Phew! Tall order or what?
I immediately dispensed with the 'every day' part of the injunction. Way too much like hard work. And who has the time for that? But I did take on the spirit of the challenge.
Here, then, is a round-up of new stuff I've tried over the last two or three weeks:
Long distance swimming. Okay, a mile probably doesn't constitute 'long distance'…..and, strictly speaking, it's not new either 'cause I have done it once before. But I was eleven then….which is so far back in the mists of time that it hardly counts any more. Besides, back then, I had the incentive of missing double physics in order to complete the swim. This time the motivation was all mine!
Sound Healing. Kath Reade runs her Deepsong workshops once a month at Calderdale Yoga Centre in Hebden Bridge. I spent a blissful day, (mostly) lying on my back with my eyes closed. There was singing, chanting, toning, chakra balancing with singing bowls, a shamanic drumming journey (my favourite) and a full-on gong bath to finish with. Fabulous, relaxing day. I recommend it.
Pilates. My friend, Dawn, has roped me into a small, local class with a lovely teacher. Getting aligned is great. Should have tried this years ago.
Qi Gong. Been meaning to give this a go for such a long time. Soothing and powerful.
Peppersmith Lemon Mints. My new addiction. These are SO good. Particularly for a raw, pollen-ravaged, sore throat.
SweetLeaf English Toffee flavoured stevia. I've been using the Vanilla Creme version of this for years in everything from shakes to salad dressings. Can't think why I've never tried the toffee version before now. What have I been missing! A few drops of this in ice cold water taste like liquid ice cream. Summer in a glass!
Reader Comments (3)
I've been swimming too, lady o' the moors! I wish I could afford Pilates - I looked at a studio nearby and it was $37 a class. 37! I laughed for the rest of the day...
Oooh I LOVE new stuff! I like your friend's idea too although every day newness feels a bit overwhelming! I've just been lent a book on Qi Gong and am DEEPLY fascinated by it, and teaching myself a few moves. Ties in well with the Tai Chi practice too. I like your new food related things ~ I always try to buy one new-to-me thing when I do food shopping, which is an easy way to inject some new into your life!
What an eclectic mix of new things! I'm so glad you're enjoying the challenge x