Wednesday Wish (67); Heart Speak

photo by the top hat bandit via flickr

Looking back

over a lifetime,

you see that

love was the answer to

everything.

--Ray Bradbury

Tuned in.

To everyone around her….

Just not so much herSelf.

Baby needs a diaper change. Husband needs a compliment. Neighbor needs a call. Son needs praise. Daughter needs a haircut. Mother needs an email. Father needs a card. Client needs a favor. Friend needs a shoulder. Cousin needs a casserole….wait a minute…Me? Oh, I’m fine. Yes, I like myself. Of course I like myself. Don’t I look happy? Because I am. I’m just…well…busy. Very busy. But I’m happy. Very happy. Just look at all the things around me that I have to be happy about. Whew…how could I be anything but happy? And of course I like myself. Love myself? What kind of a question is that? Whamo!

Loving isn’t the same as liking. It’s bigger, deeper, and harder to understand—with the mind. It’s a heart thing. A soul thing. A gift that has an energy all its own. And once given, it multiplies, grows, morphs into more beauty and more love for everyone…always.

Loving yourSelf doesn’t just help you, it helps others, too.

Do you know how to love yourSelf?

Do you know how to tune in to your needs? Your deeper needs, those that are harder to understand—with your mind. Do you know ‘heart speak’? Here, let me give you a taste…

*          *          *

The water tumbled, echoed, began to fill the room up with steam. She dipped her toe into the sacred elixir. Warm ooze seeped up her leg like a trill from a harp. The almond scented air filled her lungs. She took a deep breath, slinked her body down, let it sink into the depths. Her mind began to quiet, her heart began to speak.

She looked down at a body that had been neglected, ignored, shoved to the side, and yet with heart speak, suddenly it appeared pure lovely. She dipped her hands in the almond scented sea and felt the softness of her skin. Her legs, her arms, her face and neck. Slowly, lingering like a lover, feeling her body’s sensuality, giving herself…love.

Beauty, at its finest, is loving one’s Self.

Heart speak bathing

2 cups plain Epsom salts

3 Tablespoons almond or olive oil

A tub of hot water

A half hour of alone time

Love for one’s Self

*          *          *

She craved it, oh did she ever. But there wasn’t time. She had to get the kids to bed, sew her husbands ripped seam, sweep, wash the dishes, and then, if there was time, super glue the broken mug. But suddenly, in the midst of it all, she breathed in a scented dream. Of a place where life floated and the race ceased. Where birds twittered her song and sunlight fell on her very own shoulders.

So she peeled the rest away. And made her craving come to life. She honored what she felt and in so doing, invited her heart to speak even louder the next time. She loved herSelf. And tasted a slice of heaven.

Heart speak chocolate cake 

(Brynne's favorite)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

¾ teaspoon salt

2 cubes butter, less 1/8^th of a cube

1 cup buttermilk

2 ½ cups flour

½ cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup boiling water

Cream together sugar, eggs, salt and butter. Alternately add buttermilk, and mixture of flour, cocoa and baking soda.

Add vanilla and boiling water. After adding boiling water, cake must be immediately placed in greased and floured pan(s). Two round cake pans or a 9 x 13 both work well. As do cupcakes!

Bake 35 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean) in preheated 350 degree oven.

Heart speak frosting

(another favorite)

1 bag chocolate chips, preferably Nestle semisweet

2 cups whipping cream

½ teaspoon light corn syrup

Heat chocolate chips in heavy saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until combined and thickened, between 20-25 minutes. Increase heat to medium low, stirring, 3 more minutes.

Stir in corn syrup. Chill until cool enough to spread, checking and stirring often. Keeps in fridge well.

*          *          *

This week, my Wish for you?

Rewrite your life. With love for yourSelf.

Heart speak paints a different world

that will never let you down

and will always bring you magic.

Tuned in.

To everyone around her….

But most of all, herSelf

Looking back

over a lifetime,

you see that

love for one’s Self was the answer to

everything.

--Brynne Betz