Spanista » Self Care Rituals, Reflections & Resources for Joyful Living by Ginny Shiverdecker

  • Spa Style & Self Care Reflections, Rituals and Resources for Joyful Living

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  • About Spanista

    Ginny Shiverdecker, Creator of Spanista is Spa Wellness Enthusiast, Adventurer Seeker and Brand Builder.
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Dear Wellness Seekers,

Imagine Summer Dinner With Jackson Pollock, what fun would that be? To Spanista eating healthy for wellness is not only about watching calories, eating organic or juicing – it’s about staging an alfresco opportunity to be creative in ways that go beyond menu planning, exotic wines and table presentation. Think expanding your home foodie experience to another realm to stimulate the imagination.

Let’s start with this notion, if you could have dinner with anyone this summer, who would it be?

One of my fantasies is to have dinner with Jackson Pollock, the renowned modern artist. Exploring this genius as a regular guy with such a tortured soul and creative psyche is so interesting. So much to my surprise, while strolling through a wonderful shop while waiting for a table at a restaurant, I came upon this inspiring cookbook.

Dinner with Jackson Pollock is the soulful creation of Robyn Lea. Leave it to an Australian photographer, writer and director to cultivate a clever idea like this – to present Jackson to the world in a different light!  So when I got home I decided to explore it online and I found out some wild things about Jackson. Guess his creative juices extended beyond the canvas into the kitchen. He was famous amongst close circle of friends with in the New York art world for his baking abilities which he apparently loved to do loads of in his cottage studio home. The great artist was also celebrated for spaghetti sauce and apple pie – the basics done right are what great menu’s on summer nights are all about.

Imagine Summer Dinner With Jackson Pollock opens up the possibilities for bringing a new level of joy to your social gatherings. Perhaps we should stop to ask: Have you ever been a guest at a summer party that was so magical you just did not want to leave?  So what makes them so unique?

Generally they create a Salon Sensibility – the right eclectic collection of personalities click – the conversations turns toward interesting characters and what your curiosities are about them, then laughter ensues. Giving you gatherings a spin like this can make for joyful environments on many levels. Here is an article about someone who created a series of Jackson Pollock Parties – how enjoyable this must be?

Summer dinners alfresco allow one the freedom for setting the stage to relish in interesting topics, themes and enchanting people. Summer dinners with the right blend of stimulation can be so joyful and entertaining with the art of conversation. Chances are your guests will lingers long into the wee hours of the morning. Better have the guest room ready for an overnight.

Do tell, if you could have dinner with anyone this summer, who would it be?

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

 

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Dear Wellness Seekers,

Good News Monday: Pixar’s Inside Out Brilliant Emotional Journey comes as surprise as the most delightful kind this summer. Summer’s typical movie line up can offer mindless storyline escapes, but this storyline is one that is universally appealing no matter your age. It is delightful focus on our Emotional Wellness which is a favorite theme explored by Spanista and one our readers love.

Quit simply, ‘Inside Out’ explores wellbeing and the concept of Joy over a young girl’s life. But it goes far beyond in entertainment value.

Thank goodness I have the influence of two very young ladies in my life who wanted to see it! With their push, I am always willing to take in the latest animated movie, but it is going to be hard to overcome my personal love for ‘Frozen’, I told the girls. They felt the same way but now we are taken with the Riley, the young subject of ‘Inside Out’, so the jury is out on this subject. Here is why. The entire story unfolds from Riley’s mind – an 11 year-old about to experience a major moment of change in her life. Riley, played by Kaitlyn Dias grows up in Minneapolis, Minnesota when one day her father announces the family is moving to San Francisco, California which turns Riley’s comfortable world upside down.

With out going into too much detail so the fun is not spoiled because you must see this film for a list of reasons to plentiful to list. It is powerfully moving.

It goes deep into the interior realm of psychology and how our brains are wired while exploring our primary emotions: Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust, Sadness. The film’s Director, Peter Docter of movie ‘Up’ fame (it explored the beautiful aspects of marriage) and Creative Troop came up with a concept of ‘islands of personality’ with names like Family Island and Hockey Island. Riley’s emotions are personified as characters who direct Riley’s mind through voices performed by the actresses like Amy Poehlar and Phyllis Smith who play opposite aspects of her brain in very touching and funny ways. Masterful writing and acting both.

Good News Monday: Pixar’s Inside Out Brilliant Emotional Journey provides us valuable lessons in Emotional Wellbeing. One stands outs – The lesson is ‘A joyful childhood is the best platform for joyful adulthood’. This is a completely fresh perspective from Pixar and distributed by Disney Films – no proven formulas were followed. Perhaps it breaks the mold because it is based on the understanding of how we as humans really work? The life long journey of living through stimulus and response is universally understood by us all not matter the age as we walk through Riley’s emotional development that set her memory through electrocehmical transmission.

The foundation for understanding and appreciating happiness is understanding its opposite – loss and with drawl from our comfort zones. It provides context. From this we grow into stronger more open individuals to what the world can offer us. Thus opening us up to receive more joy.

Do let Spanista know if you see ‘Inside Out’ and what you think, Ok?

Check out Disney’s Official website ‘Inside Out’!

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

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Dear Wellness Seekers,

Tell Me About Your Inner Life: What’s Your Rainbow? This stunning photo is taken in Sydney, Australia over the Habour Bridge near the iconic Opera House. I discovered while spending loads of time in Australia that rainbows pop up year round and often in complete form. Everyone stops to delight in them for a moment in silent salute. Although like here, they do not last long, they still never cease to thrill and amaze stopping people in their tracks. (See the photo link Rainbow Over Sydney Harbour Bridge on yahoo.com.)

The Seasons of Spanista highlights many summer gifts to us – Rainbows occur in the US mostly over the summer months. But the most precious of gifts is the freedom to choose to slow dow and relax in what ever way we choose. How can we make the most of this precious permission be idle?

Summer is a perfect time to go inward, to discover what is happening in your Inner Life. Carve out an hour or two to be alone – just you. Find a place where you can simply chill out and gaze out at nature’s beauty on a lake, a river, a garden. Pick a place that slows the pulse. A place where you can breath deeply. Close your eyes for a period to align you body, heart and mind on this question:

What’s Your Rainbow? Your Inner Rainbow?

~ Begin by going inward to take an honest look at what you believe about yourself and your lifestyle. Are you happy with how you fee with your life? What is your level of Emotional Fitness?

~  Are heavy clouds blocking your view of the rainbow? Doubts about your abilities, destructive thoughts and out dated clutter blocking your ability to see clearly? Crystallize the top three holding you back from living joyfully right now.

~ In your mind’s eye, picture a sky writer airplane scripting out the top three on the sky near the cloud covering the rainbow. Now take a deep breath and imagine yourself blowing them away so the disappear into the atmosphere. Poof! Gone!

~ Revealed is a spectacular rainbow before you. Take in the overall beauty of the spectrum of colors. Now take each color one by one and see the important aspects of your life through each one by one. You will begin to see yourself in a new light. When you see the world through this brilliant spectrum of light, let is act as a kaleidoscope – Let it inspire your view of your life and the future.

~ Be conscious of what pops into your mind – these are important sparks. Ponder them as they are personal insights that emerge from viewing things through the light. Treasure them as ways to enhance your emotional wellbeing bringing more joy to your life.

Tell Me About Your Inner Life: What’s Your Rainbow? This exercise is about seeing life through nature’s gift – the Rainbow. You see, it is more than a phenomena of nature, it is a seasonal gift to mankind that was given to us for our Self Care. Yes, Spanista believes this. We just need to stop for a moment to take time to bring in into our lives in new ways. So, take advantage of Summer’s slow pace to enhance your Emotional Fitness. Life becomes sweeter and brighter as you ascend into this new understanding of yourself.  You will feel the Emotional Fitness emerge. Enjoy it.  Your thoughts on this are welcome!

Go forth with a happier heart and share it with others.

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

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Dear Wellness Seekers,

Regrets In Life? Failures of Kindness Shares Author George Sanders reminds us of the value of true kindness in our lives and the ripple effect it can have once we make it a focal point of our Self Care Practices.  I was casually watching CBS Sunday Morning while reading the New York Times this weekend when my attention was called to the story of George Saunders, the Author and Professor at Syracuse University whose convocation advice to the Class of 2013 went viral after The New York Times reprinted his speech later that summer. The theme is indeed compelling as it is not about seeking how to be successful in life, it is about a singular focus on how to walk through life. It appears is something he learned by living by trail and error but over time he found his way to embrace kindness as his personal brand of Self Care toward himself and others.

In his address, Saunders focused on the vital importance of being kind to others, noting: “What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness.” Though he admitted the goal of acting kindly seems “facile,” he emphasized that we must dedicate thought and effort to being kinder because “kindness, it turns out, is hard — it starts out all rainbows and puppy dogs, and expands to include… well, everything.”

The speech has also been published in book form under the title Congratulations, By The Way: Some Thoughts On Kindness (Random House Publisher.) You can find it on Amazon.com/greorge/saunders.

You can also find the video on YouTube released in conjunction with the book’s publication. A poignant passage from Saunders’ speech is brought to life with stirring music and scribbled illustrations drifting through a starry sky. Try to watch it without tearing up; Spanista dares you to try.

Since then Saunders is featured in the Chipotle Author Series titled: ‘Cultivating Thought’ where he was asked to write a two minute essay on ‘The Future’ where is offers a different take on the same theme. (Chipotle Bag Illustration by Kristyna Baczynski)

Spanista Takeaway: Regrets In Life? Failures of Kindness Shares Author George Saunders suggests that through the eyes of a creative soul there is a need to live in a world where  gentleness is favored above meanness, compassion is favored over cruelty and encouragement is favored over criticism. Creative ideas are precious sparks that can be easily snuffed out with the whisper negativity. A writer really knows this. But the truth is and it is true for anyone who seeks to live life in ways that express their individuality. Like Saunders, Spanista believes embracing Kindness as a way to approach the world shifts your lens on the world. When you practice it daily the goodness and joy will spread out from our souls in reverberating rays through to touch the world around us.

This kind of heart felt joy brightens you entire life the better. A great Self Care Intention to ponder this Summer perhaps? Thoughts?

To Your Self Care Journey To Joy,

Ginny

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Good-News-Monday:-Jensen-Beach-Promises-Baby-Sea-Turtles-2.jpegPINIMAGEGood-News-Monday:-Jensen-Beach-Promises-Baby-Sea-Turtles-1.jpegPINIMAGE

 

Dear Wellness Seekers,

Baby Sea Turtle Left Behind Survives With Loving Support shares a the story of one of caring for one God’s littlest and most precious creatures – the diminishing sea turtles. You may recall a few weeks ago Spanista shared the discovery of a fresh nest along Jensen Beach on the Florida Treasure Coast. You can see the pictures here of the huge nest. The ridges in the sand are the turtles flippers flippers that help them navigate through the sand. The look like tire tracks in the sand.

For today’s Reflection Walk, I was hoping time would be on my side as I am here on the coast now to experience the birth of these enchanting creatures. And as good fortune has it today was one of those days. What an amazing experience. The devoted turtle rescue team said the nest actually hatched the eggs three days ago. She was digging up the next to check the egg inventory to  count what number actually hatched and just discovered this little dude was still there surviving on egg yolk from a broken egg. She help out of the next and pointed him toward the surf so he could take flight in the surf like he is supposed to.

Take a look at this video –

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 I found myself whispering a quiet prayer for his survival as he approached the sea – how does something so little manage in that aggressive body of water with no friends to swim with and face the under water world –  but they do to grow up strong only to return to carry on the ways for ancient generations of turtles that came before him. After three waves he made it! Studies indicates once Nemo grows up and it is time to lay eggs, this turtle will knows where to return because they have a magnetic field detection system built-in. They will get land within 35 miles of their birth place to bring forward the next generation.

Spanista could not help but think of the beloved movie ‘Finding Nemo’ – So we agreed to name him Nemo!

Baby Sea Turtle Left Behind Survives With Loving Support offers a bit of background for you. Hutchinson Island is witness to many newborn babies including endangered sea turtles. Five species of sea turtles are found swimming in Florida’s waters and nesting on Hutchinson Island beaches including Green Sea Turtles, Loggerhead Sea Turtles, Ridley’s Kemp Sea Turtles, Hawksbill Sea Turtles, and Leatherback Sea Turtles. Annually, sea turtles annually make between 40,000 and 84,000 nests along the Florida coast. The nests are monitored daily during the 109-day sea turtle nesting season (May 15 to August 31). Hatching periods for Loggerheads and Green Eggs are 45-55 days and for Leatherbacks 70 -80 days. This was a Reflection Walk I will always remember.

To Your Self Care Journey of Joy,

Ginny

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