Nature designed us to enjoy the bodily state of pleasure.  Connecting mind and spirit through our physical senses comes naturally.  Especially if pleasure is your foundation. 
     I headed out to get the mail yesterday, in a t-shirt and bare feet.  To my sweet surprise, the soft wet ground yielded beneath my feet, as I jumped over little patches of snow.   I skipped passed my son's melted snowman, just an unrecognizable pile of white, now..Grabbing the mail, I dared to put my bare toes in the small snow drift by the mailbox. Refreshing. Cold, but not biting.  The wind whirled my hair into my face and covered my eyes as I hopped over to the patches of exposed soggy grass and up the steps to the front door.
     The weather always seems to mirror the feminine emotions...Big winds of change.  Spring is coming.

        

     There's something about New Year's Day that makes me want to reinvent my life..I know I can be so much better, so much more than I already am. January 1st seems as good a day as any to just decide to change something.  I got the whole family out this morning before dawn to get down to the beach to watch the first sunrise of the year.  I asked everyone in the car what their goals for 2010 were. Some of their goals were really cute, and they have the rest of the day to add to them, we'll all check back in on this over our family dinner.  Mine resolution is simple, get organized!!!!
     I know that I also need to hold these little munchkins accountable for their belongings..This would account for 50% of my organizing goals, I'm sure.  The rest will be divided into time management and actual organizational tricks. 
     I cleaned out my Handbag yesterday, after a Saturday Session Goddess reminded me to cash her check.  I found it, mixed with receipts from holiday shopping.  Did I need 6 lipsticks in there? It was time to get organized. A simple envelope for receipts.  I bought a bill holder, with the date on each slot, to remind me to pay my bills. (I'm so old fashioned about writing checks and mailing payments.)
     Now I'm going through my closets, and dressers, weeding items that no longer suit me and my lifestyle.  I'll be bringing some of them to The Clothing Swap on the 15th.  Packing away the Summer clothes, making even more room in my drawers.  Speaking of drawers, time to get rid of some old underthings.. faded favorites, elastic disasters, uncomfortable undies.  I know you know what I mean!  I'm making cute sachets out of some of them, so simple and cute.  I'll be at Victorias Secret for their semi-annual sale this week, getting into some new panties.  
      I've come up with some attractive recycling bins, shopping bags, and containers..and filling them with lots of old paperwork, 2009 astrology books, old files, kids artwork (gasp!), magazines, catalogs..I didn't realize I was holding on to so much! Out! Out!

If any of you organizing goddesses have ideas, I'd love to post them and share...

        

     Today will have me in my purple rubber gloves, pushing my pink broom around my Cheerio-laden floor.  I'll put on my "girl music" and be a whirlwind with the spray bottle and sponge...So glamourous.   Maybe I'll put on my sweet 50's-Housewife-Apron and really get into it. 
      When I asked my Goddess Girls about how they like to make cleaning and cooking more enjoyable, I was advised to visit www.epicurious.com for faboo recipes, to buy a "Dyson all-floor" vacuum cleaner..to order a special cleanser, only availbale by the caseload.. (What was it called again?) and my favorite suggestion, hire a cleaning lady.  One Zen-savvy lady suggested that only focusing on the task at hand, makes every chore enjoyable. I'm always looking for tips and tricks to make keeping house fun, I invite your comments,  ideas, and favorite product plugs.  This Holiday Season holds enough opportunities to try them all out, I'm sure.  

    Santa Baby..A new Dyson under the tree ...for me..... 
XO
Jess

        

  The Other Day I was leaving the Supermarket, when a woman with the most perfect hair, stood infront of me..I mean, really, really amazing..I was staring.  My hair was pinned up, mommy fashion, and I had one little guy in the basket and one hanging off my pocketbook, I was wearing my "run-to-the-market" clothes and no makeup..Just looking at her and her "pulled-togetherness" made me feel great.  So I walked past her, said, "great hair!" and kept walking..she called after me, "you just MADE my day."
I swirled around and said.."your welcome!" and laughed..she laughed too.
   So I propose, to all the goddesses reading along here..we compliment some random woman, an online artist that makes you swoon, that beauty at the office, you never even spoke to.. .  Something sincere, sweet.. and see what happens.  I've noticed the more I appreciate other women, the more I can appreciate myself. 

        

     The Goddess Shoppe was born from my Mother,  whose own Mother helped make it a reality, whose Mother before her had as well.  A long line of women making dreams come true.  I am proud to be of this lineage.  I am Daughter of Ginger, Daughter of Carole, Daughter of Alice, Daughter of Maude...I should learn the names of those before her as well. 
      I am priveleged to be born in a time where women are honored, adored and  celebrated, or can at least honor, celebrate and adore themselves shamelessly!  The Goddesses of today know that they can accomplish their dreams, and run toward their desires with joy and ferver.  My mother is nurturing her own visions and dreams, and fueling mine with her strength. I am so grateful. 
     We have found a new connection in this Adventure,  we are dancing a new dance together.  Some Mothers that I have met this past week have expressed their desire to share Goddess Bellydance with their daughters...I love this! It was always my intention to help weave the web of women's community...I have a pair of sisters in my Saturday Session who have a new way to connect with each other, to enjoy each other through movement, it is an honor to be with them.  Two years ago, on a bellydance retreat in Hawaii, another set of sisters attended with their Mother.  All of them had an opportunity to teach us as a group, the sisters each proud of each other and supportive, the Mother, enjoying being taught by the daughters...Then The Mother teaches, partly in her native tongue, the sisters beaming with pride as their fiery Mama leads the room into a circle, shimmying, sweating and smiling..Tears in each of their eyes.
Awesome Power.  Mothers and daughters have an opportunity to span generations when sharing an activity like this..A new vocabulary that teaches us about the Sacredness of woman.

        

     After weeks of hard work, paint, and pricing..We are finally open. I had the pleasure of getting some decorating advice and hands-on help from my Mother's longtime friend, Kathy. My gorgeous new studio is her brainchild. I love the energy in there..It has served us well for 3 classes so far, and an elegant pre-opening party. She's a genius. We felt priveleged to receive help from friends, family, and cute single guys...
     Opening day was a riot, clean up from the pre-opening the night before, and right into the goddess workout with some of the most fun goddesses you ever want to meet.  After, I got to throw open the curtains, and announce "welcome to the goddess shoppe!" We immediately downed some chocolates to celebrate. 
     The comings and goings of various people in & out of the store, fresh faced teens, sparkle-pouf-ing each other at the beauty bar. Another group of teens enjoyed learning about their astrological compatabilities with one another..a young women's sisterhood..We did some private readings in our "sitting room", a Mother & Son, another Mother & Daughter, a Friend & Goddess. It was a blast. I had so much fun. I'm so Looking forward to next saturday.

        

So..I'm looking for decorating inspirations, art where the color seduces me..all for the setting up of the Goddess Shoppe . This gorgeous retail space will have a perfect studio for my Goddess Workout, and goddess meetings of all sorts...I'm working on balancing my life to include all that's fun and good.  This new baby is the cutest thing!!! Luscious. scrumptious even. Hard to get anything done sometimes. But you know, it goes so fast...Laying down on the floor with the kids is sometimes to most important thing in the world to do.

        

     Oh My Goodness!
     After taking a year off from teaching the Goddess Workout, I'm looking forward to celebrating with all you goddesses again.  I have many things to be grateful for and to celebrate, (my new baby boy! a new business!)and I'm swirling around my home studio, creating new dance vocabulary to reflect it. Of course I want to share it with you. 
     I am so excited about this new adventure...Gigi is opening up The Goddess Shoppe in Sayville, NY.  For fifteen years now,  Gigi and I have mused about having a sacred place to call our own.  A haven, a place to express our creativity and honor the Goddess.  Finally, it is coming to fruition.  This weekend it will be painted and prepared for the store's fixtures.  She's granted me a studio for The Goddess Workout, where classes will commence shortly after it's completion.
Yay!

        

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