à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Awareness
Online Shopping: A First World Zen Parable
One version of a famous Zen tale goes like this: An old farmer had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically. “Maybe,” the farmer replied. The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild … Continue reading
Of Feldenkrais and Furniture
“Each of us has our own mental furniture” – Dennis Leri, Feldenkrais Trainer After returning to Boulder from my second segment of Feldenkrais Training, an impulse arose to host a gathering of fellow “Feldies”. Having moved into a new and relatively spacious apartment just before my training resumed, and having progressively winnowed my possessions in the preceding years, … Continue reading
Dear Kale: I Need Some Space
Dear Kale: After divorcing sugar and later separating from gluten, I was on the rebound, looking for a stalwart staple I could count on for nourishment. Everyone raved about you, Kale. You had everything going for you: dark green good looks, nutrients up the wazoo, and incredible versatility: you could be blended, baked, steamed, fried and sautéed. Thanks to your status as … Continue reading
“Should” is a Dirty Word
Not long ago someone “should” on me. Inside, I recoiled and shut down rather than reach toward them. Since then, I’ve been trying to think of a context in which that word has a kind, benign or even neutral connotation. I can’t come up with a single one. Even saying the word, a single syllable with a hard … Continue reading
Feldenkrais: The Wine Tasting of Movement
Imagine attending a wine tasting where the pourer fills a large goblet and, instead of handing it you, splashes the contents in your face. Some of the liquid might reach your lips and tongue, but likely you are so shocked by the dousing that you’re gasping for breath rather than inhaling the bouquet. In lieu of finding the precise phrase to describe the wine’s complex notes, you let fly a few … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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