Was anybody else surprised to see an International Champagne Day pop up on Friday? In the face of Dry July and no-drinking challenges everywhere, it kinda smacked of bad taste – or make that stale champagne – to me. But then I’ve lately been going through a bit of a transformation with my tastebuds following a stronger spiritual and yoga practice. It’s my birthday today and yet, I simply don’t feel like alcohol. It’s not a deliberate choice, it just came to me.
Things that I would have previously happily guzzled – like champagne – or wolfed down after a workout – dark chocolate Tim Tams, anyone? – now taste like cardboard to me. That’s not so bad, perhaps. It’s just that I feel very much in my body at the moment and am quite attuned to what its needs are. As a consequence, I decided to give up alcohol. First, I said it was for a year but as time goes on, I feel as if it might be a permanent choice my body more so than my mind has made. Not that I was drinking a lot before. I did drink on occasion when out with friends or the odd glass of wine over dinner with a boyfriend.
What has been surprising to me is the support I have been getting for going teetotal. I have previously not had alcohol for a few weeks or even 6 months but every time, people would try to convince me to have “just one”, say “it wouldn’t hurt” or perhaps suggest that I “was too uptight”. Well, this time, everyone is just in full acceptance. It may be because I don’t make a big deal of it or have any resistance to it. Nor any attachment. Okay, so I’m blogging about it but not to justify… Really, it just feels right.
I’m neither here to preach or make you feel bad for having some champagne today. If it makes you feel better – great! But what if it makes you feel better for, uhm, about as long as it takes you to digest it? Will you feel better for it tomorrow? Does it really make you feel better or is that you choosing to say that state it better than the other… I hope I’m not losing you? Basically, the choices we make are often so interesting! We can talk ourselves into things or justify a whole lot of behaviours. And we can stop ourselves from doing certain things by intellectually understanding why we shouldn’t do something – and that’s all great.
What I’m getting at here is your inner knowing, your intuition (albeit in a very roundabout way). Stop thinking and just feel your body and reality. Have the champagne today and notice how you feel. Now, in two hours, tomorrow and going forwards. Don’t judge how you feel or apply labels to it. Just sit with it. If it doesn’t feel good but you can resist from negative self talk over it and just become impartial to the action, just witnessing, you will probably eventually make different choices that are saying YES to everything that brightens up your day, makes your body sing and mind be at ease. Try it. Have the champagne and just notice. Be in it now. Enjoy your day! (And don’t let anyone (including me) tell you what to do – you already know. Promise.)
