I didn't do my homework Miss

Week 3 of Jamie Ridler & Co working through The Joy Diet by Martha Beck

I feel like a naughty schoolgirl who hasn’t done her homework. I must confess Ms Ridler that I only finished reading the Desire chapter yesterday; so my contribution to our class discussion this week will be limited on what I can make up on the spur of the moment. However, I figure that if I at least sound like I know what I’m talking about, I may just get away with it!

Desire. What a lovely, evocative word. It seems to envelop you in warm contentment.

OK, so I may not have had much time to practice this week’s exercises but I did love what I read. In fact, I got rather excited by this paragraph in particular:

“I don’t know what part of us stores the code for our right lives – maybe some corner of the brain, maybe the figurative heart, maybe that indefinable phantasm called the soul – but I do know how the code is relayed to our conscious minds, enabling us to make choices in keeping with our purpose. It happens through the medium of the sensation we call desire. The knowledge of your destiny is available to you, well before it actually happens, as a message streaming continuously from your heard to your brain, written in the language of longing.”

Aside from the fact that this is a beautifully written piece, it felt wonderful to read. Is this knowledge really just a chapter away from discovery?

Of course, our head nutritionist Martha then goes on to disappoint and disillusion. Naturally, like all good things (I’m immediately thinking chocolate here) there is a down side. And of course she is right, or why else would she need to write this book? Unlocking the treasures of our desires and destiny is going to be difficult without the key.

We humans have hidden our keys very effectively – ‘wanting’, after all is ‘a dangerous activity’. Annoyingly she’s right. Damn the woman. I had a quick attempt at latching onto a desire, but couldn’t quite settle on one. Why? Because, naturally, I was not allowing myself… I couldn’t long for this, I was not worthy. Hmm. More practice required I think.

This is such an interesting concept. Why don’t we get taught this stuff at school or maybe at some sort of compulsory adult education classes? Why can’t we have lessons on ‘How to live’?

I’ve been going through a realisation lately that I’m wasting my potential. I could be doing so much more, my outputs both at work and home could be more creative, productive. It’s exciting though and at least recognition is in place, so action is surely following.

Yesterday I did have the opportunity to explore one particular desire. I had a second interview for a job I know I would love. In fact, I spent most of the day in a state of extreme nervous excitement fumbling my way through this particular desire. My poor boyfriend was subjected to about 10 phone calls from a highly strung woman – his kind words placated me – “I knew that job was perfect for you as soon as you told me about it.” I explored this desire most thoroughly. I remain positive… Believe in yourself Lisa…. Ask and the Universe will deliver…

Thanks to everyone for their supportive comments on Truth last week, it means so much to be a part of this wonderful group.

I will do better next week teacher. I will try and catch up on all my homework, I promise… I want to re-read the desire chapter again to embed its theory before embarking on some serious practice.

PS: Is it just me or does anyone else have the U2 song Desire now permanently fixated in their brain? Well, if you didn’t before, now I’ve suggested it, you probably will now!!