who am I?

I'm in the mood for some Neuroscience again... who are we? Where in the brain is "the soul"? Are mind and body separated? What does modern Science have to say about those questions - how does the brain work?

Am I conscious... or are my neurons conscious? And is there something like truly "free will"?

Interesting documentary about human consciousness. For breakfast, before yoga class, in Chiang Mai. ♥

traditional thai yoga massage certificate!

I finished my Traditional Thai Yoga Massage course yesterday and I did really well in my "exam" - or celebration of knowledge as my friend would call it! I am really happy about this newly acquired skill - I love giving massages, it's such a beautiful gift. My teacher was great and my massage family for those 2 weeks was really wonderful as well, I enjoyed the whole experience. It was quite challenging at times, but we all know that I like challenges (they make me grow).

I am sitting in a nice restaurant/coffee shop at the moment, drinking the best Soy Masala Chai tea I could find in Chiang Mai, it's really nice and spicy with fresh ginger pieces in it! Gotta love it, if it has ginger! Now that my course is over, I feel kind of sad to leave, so many times during my Thailand trip I had to say goodbye to the most amazing people. It can be really tough, but such is a traveler's life! I feel like I have learned so incredibly much the past 3-6 months, I feel more grown up, more alive, more confident and more centered. I am endlessly grateful for all the wonderful teachers who came into my life...

When the student is ready, the master appears.

True that! Since the end of the Summer term in July I spent my time traveling and studying LIFE. Meeting people. I put myself out there in the world to actually experience people, experience life outside my comfort zone. It started with volunteering at the raw food festival in Denmark, continued with my Permaculture Design Course and NVC workshop in England - which was followed by spending time with the most inspiring, loving family (thank you Doug, Rozi and Faychesca, I miss you)... and then I left for Thailand where I had the most fantastic Yoga and Meditation retreat, time for myself and time with very special people, I learned more about Tibetan Buddhism and now I did the Traditional Thai Yoga Massage course... and soon I will be back studying German Philology at the University of Vienna.

Travel often: Getting lost will help you find yourself.

I got much clearer about what I want to do - and that makes me really happy and grateful. I realized how much I love languages, so I want to finish my degree in German and get a TEFL or CELTA certificate so that I can teach English professionally - my goal is to travel to Nepal after my graduation to teach English there. I will take courses in Tibetan/Buddhist studies, SE Asian studies and Entrepreneurship as well (we can choose from a list of courses). I also want to keep educating myself about Massage, Yoga, Permaculture, Meditation and Non-violent Communication. And I want to study other languages (thinking of Hebrew, Sanskrit, French, Thai...)

Did you notice something? Raw foods and Natural Hygiene are not part of the "priority list" anymore... I spent so much time of the past few years of my life thinking about food, diet, nutrition etc. - it just wasn't helpful for me at all. I got so obsessed about it all, and I need a break from mind-based (over/under)eating and special diet "rules", I am not eating raw at the moment, and it isn't my goal either - nor do I fully "believe" in it anymore. For such a long time I thought that "as soon I am low fat raw vegan all my problems will be solved" - but that was never the case and never will be, of course. I have been suffering from bulimia for so long and the compulsive eating is still something I am working on to overcome.

There are 2 books I read here in Thailand that really helped me a lot: "Intuitive Eating" and "The Love-Powered Diet". I also read a book about Adrenal Fatigue and a book about the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to diet and health called "The Tao of Healthy Eating". I don't really feel like reading information about nutrition much at the moment, but I find Macrobiotics interesting (the whole philosophy about finding balance). I am working on my intuitive eating and I love the concept. Hopefully, I will find time to talk more about it soon!

Happy to come home to Austria for Christmas! I know what my present for my parents will be... a good massage!!

P.S. I think I need to talk more about Pai and post some pictures soon - the time in Pai was my favorite part of my journey... pure magic! Surreal when I think back! Must be because of the mist...

a definition of "normal eating"

Normal eating is being able to eat when you are hungry and continue to eat until you are satisfied.  It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it – not just stop eating because you think you should.  Normal eating is being able use some moderate constraint on your food selection to get the right food, but not being so restrictive that you miss out on pleasurable foods.  Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad, bored, or just because it feels good.  Normal eating is three meals a day, or it can be choosing to munch along.  It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful when they are fresh.  Normal eating is overeating at times:  feeling stuffed and uncomfortable.  It is also undereating at times and wishing you had more.  Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.  Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.
 In short, normal eating is flexible.  It varies in response to your emotions, your schedule, your hunger and your proximity to food.

 Source:  How To Get Your Kid To Eat…But Not Too Much by Ellyn Satter

I love love love Rumi.

Truth was a mirror in the hands of God

It fell, and broke into pieces.

Everybody took a piece of it,

and they looked at it and thought they had the truth.