{"id":9098,"date":"2014-08-31T17:40:21","date_gmt":"2014-08-31T21:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beginnersheart\/?p=9098"},"modified":"2014-08-31T17:40:21","modified_gmt":"2014-08-31T21:40:21","slug":"taking-care-of-the-hearts-chariot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beginnersheart\/2014\/08\/taking-care-of-the-hearts-chariot.html","title":{"rendered":"taking care of the heart’s chariot"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"good<\/a><\/p>\n

The heart rides around in a body. Consider the mind the charioteer.<\/p>\n

I’m not always a good caretaker of my chariot, this body I run around in. I do better some weeks than others, but I still don’t rock this w hole health thing. I don’t eat enough veggies, I know — although I like them. I do eat a lot of fruit. And I’m not nearly<\/em> active enough.<\/p>\n

\"via<\/a>
via flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So the stuff at the top of this post? Well, let’s just say I do breathe deeply. And I cultivate cheerfulness. And I’m absolutely fascinated<\/em> by life. But the whole eat lightly? I had strawberries and pound cake w\/ whipped cream for dinner the other night, folks!<\/p>\n

I don’t have answers to people who ask how to live more healthfully. I know what<\/em> to do (move more, eat more veggies, meditate), but I don’t always … do <\/em>it.<\/p>\n

How do we make the step — I don’t really think it’s a LEAP, although it certainly can feel like it — from thinking\/ knowing to doing?<\/p>\n

Like most of life, it almost certainly begins w\/ small steps. The fruit smoothie w\/ organic fruit & yogurt I make us for breakfast most mornings. The move towards fewer and fewer meals including meat, and that meat pastured and\/or local. Eating more veggies — easy in the summer, when ripe tomatoes are a meal in themselves, whether made into bruschetta or sliced w\/ basil & mozzarella. So it’s not like most of us aren’t trying.<\/p>\n

\"via<\/a>
via google<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But that moving thing…It’s a LOT harder when you have arthritis, and your passion is writing. Which is NOT particularly ambulatory. Which means I have to learn to accept assistance, lower my ‘standards’ — I used to be a runner, for cryin’ out loud! — and let go of that NOT being okay.<\/p>\n

An\u00a0 analogy that works for me is juggling. Right now, I can manage 1 ball all the time. I’m usually good w\/ two, although every so often one falls. But three? Wow. That’s a skill I have yet to master.<\/p>\n

But I’m working on it. I’m working on it. And it will be wonderful when I finally get it right!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The heart rides around in a body. Consider the mind the charioteer. I’m not always a good caretaker of my chariot, this body I run around in. I do better some weeks than others, but I still don’t rock this w hole health thing. I don’t eat enough veggies, I know — although I like…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":398,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[711,435,848],"tags":[11,1181,1187,262,863,1285],"class_list":["post-9098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-habits","category-healh","category-healing","tag-beginners-heart","tag-britton-gildersleeve","tag-buddhism","tag-buddhist-blogs","tag-good-habits","tag-health"],"yoast_head":"\ntaking care of the heart's chariot - Beginner's Heart<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The heart rides around in a body. Consider the mind the charioteer. 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