HOLIDAY!

it's true, i've always been a fan of periods. but if you take the first (or heaviest) day of your menstrual cycle as a HOLIDAY, you'll looooove your period. martine has been telling me this. and today it happened.

today i was planning to work from home, because of a meeting in the city in the afternoon. after a short run this morning, i did a little work, decided to get my hair cut (since i desperately needed it and my hair stylist was conveniently available), and then went into my meeting. instead of strictly planning meals and snacks for the day, i ate when i was hungry and enjoyed my day. (i know, i know, this doesn't sound so holiday-ish to you, right?) in the afternoon, i realized billy could come to the cafe with me to do work. we enjoyed sitting, sipping coffee, and dueling w our computers until i had to go to my mud wrap appointment.

now, this was pure coincidence--but an amazing one. i had a coupon for a 70% off mud wrap, and i had scheduled it for today about 6 weeks ago. luckily, this was a HOLIDAY.

i went to the mud wrap a little nervous--i've never had one and wasn't so sure about what would be involved. first i was scrubbed with salt, next the salt was removed with hot towels, then warm mud was spread all over my body and i was wrapped up in foil like a baked potato. i lay in my mummy wrap being heated. while lying there, i practiced some yogic breathing. i did several cycles of a few different breathing types until i was so relaxed my brain started seeing beautiful images of exotic places and people. i could feel happiness and warmth throughout my spirit.

finally, i was taken to a hot tub-bath tub where i was given a glass of champagne to relax with while the jets assisted in removing the mud. when i exited the bath, my skin was soft, my body was relaxed, and my mind felt free.

the mud wrap experience was fantastic--something i'd do each month if i could afford it! i felt as good as i do after an amazing yoga class. i enjoyed the wrap so much, and i didn't really expect to. i often have a hard time enjoying relaxing, or just being. but this experience showed me that maybe i haven't been doing relaxing things that i enjoyed as much; or maybe that i wasn't opening myself up to the experience of relaxing as much before. or maybe i just needed a good excuse to allow myself to enjoy it (HOLIDAY!).

... whatever the reason for the bliss i felt this evening, i feel grateful.