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A Balanced Perspective Weekly 
on Health and Wellness
April 25, 2006

1. Intimacy - A Stream of Consciousness
2. Website Highlight Of The Week - Menopause
3. Cooking Classes 
4. Improve Your Relationship with Food and Your Body
5. Nutrition, Fitness, and Weight Loss Workshop - May 13

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1. Intimacy - A Stream of Consciousness

Whenever I decide to open up and share my personal world
in this newsletter, I always receive e-mails with thanks.  I'm
not sure why you all so often feel refreshed by those
newsletters, but perhaps it is because when we hear
someone else say that they are going through what we are
going through...we feel less alone.  We feel inspired.  We
feel less vulnerable because we feel safe that we are not
the only ones.  Intimacy.

I'm sharing a writing of mine with you today.  A stream of
consciousness that I wrote concerning intimacy, my own
longings, desires, my own vulnerability.  Some of it you will
relate to.  It is something we all long for.  It is something
that requires risk.  Is it worth it to you?  And if you are
honest...what part do you play in the hiding?

Enjoy.  And talk to me.  Tell me what you feel.

I am alone here in New York.  I do not have family here.  And
though I long to be with them, what would I do in Alabama?  or
in Orlando for that matter?  New York ignites me, inspires me,
challenges me, makes me move forward.  It provides a floor for
my feet to dance on.  Figuratively.  But I do not know love.  And
yet I do.  The love of strangers.  The 4 people who rushed to me
when I tripped at the corner of the street last week.  The man
who helped me carry my groceries when he found me struggling. 
The woman sitting across from me at the restaurant who shares
her love for the same book she sees me reading.  The friend who
delights in me when she could befriend a million others, yet I am
chosen.

Perhaps it is not love that I do not know, but love with intimacy.
I have tasted it.  The kind of knowing that you find with a mother,
father, lover.  The kind that comes from countless nights of
shared words or simply noticed actions.  The love that knows
how I do not sleep through the night because - whether happy,
sad, or intellectual - my thoughts and analyses wake me up
frequently.  The love that knows I cannot buy Blueberry Morning
cereal because I will eat the entire box in one morning for
breakfast.  The love that knows, and finds humorous, that I must
blow my nose every time I eat because it always runs – I don’t
know why.  The love that knows I am afraid of my parents
growing older and of losing the most unconditional human love,
and intimate connection I have – my mother.

It is shared intimacy and vulnerability that I deeply crave.  In this
city where accomplishments mean more than anything, what I
want is shared thought, shared emotion, to be known, and to
know the intricacies of someone else’s feelings, delights, and
concerns, and fears.  To really not be alone... in my mind.

Yesterday we laughed and played.  We were open.  We were
real.  Today we wear masks.  He does not show himself to me.
He acts.  He is afraid.  Or is it I?  He covered up.  He left.  Or
was it I – for fear that he would?  Why does being vulnerable and
“naked,” when there is obvious connection, before someone else
cause such fear, that the next day it is covered up for me to no
longer look, for me to no longer smile, laugh, and care?  Nothing
went wrong.  I didn't think.  But today it is taken away.  Why is it
taken away?  I thought it was him that ran.  But maybe it was I. 
I thought it was him that was afraid.  But perhaps it was I. 
Leaving before he had the chance.

It has been friend, it has been lover.  Is this part of the knowing? 
It is strange.  Nakedness one day.  The longing to be open.  The
finding of the treasure.  But losing it with masks the next. 
Inauthenticity it seems.  Or is it authentic.  Real fear.  Real
protection.  Fear of intimacy.  Fear of being known.  Fear of the
responsibility of knowing?  When do I decide to risk?

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"I thought by going to Melissa I would get a few dieting tips, some
new recipes to try at home, maybe lose 2 or 3 pounds, and walk
away feeling pretty good about myself.  What I received from my
sessions with Melissa was so much more!  Melissa went to the root
of my "troubles" and concerns, she lead me to a place where I could
let go, forgive, and be more proactive about my dreams.  Since
Melissa, I have been dancing and performing more than ever and 
feeling much more positive about my life and career.  I sought out
Melissa to lose five pounds yet, in the end, I wound up gaining so
much more than anticipated.  I have filled my life with so much
meaningful matter that craving healthy foods has come naturally and
I desire them in order to support my lifestyle.  My achieved weight
loss ended up being just an added bonus."  -CB, Dancer, NYC

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2. Website Highlight Of The Week - Menopause

For links to helpful resources for dealing with the
uncomfortable symptoms of menopause, check out my
miscellaneous resources page:

http://www.myheartdances.com/resources/misc.htm

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3. Cooking Classes 
(located on the Upper West Side)

Organic Food, Organic FUN, and Good Company

"I truly enjoyed the cooking class. It was more than I expected.
I met some really interesting people, and Melissa was a great
instructor, patient and very informative. Not to mention the dish
we made (salmon burgers, quinoa,and our very own salad dressing)
were all so easy to make and very tasty and satisfying. I look
forward to taking another class soon" - Valerie-Saun Alerte 

Friday, May 12
Marinated Baked Tofu
Minty Green Lentil Watercress Salad
Garlic Sautéed Broccoli
Baked Bananas

Thurs. May 25
Soba Noodles w/ Sesame
Homemade Citrus Guacamole
Kenyan Style Collard Greens (You will be amazed!)
Brown Rice Crispy Treats (w/ Peanut Butter)

Tues. June 13
Veggie Burgers
Hummus w/ Tortilla Chips
Mesclun Green Salad
w/ Parsley Ginger Dressing
Frozen Fruit Smoothies

Thurs. June 22
Salmon Burgers
Minty Millet
Sauteed Mushrooms w/ Zucchinni
Brown Rice Crispy Treats


Pre-Register Today – Only $40 per class
All classes are held on the Upper West Side

Class is from 6:30 until 8:30p.m.
And includes all of the following

*Hands-on instruction
*Meet new people
*Learn cool facts and tips about the food you’re eating
*Get healthy tips
*Receive a copy of the recipe to take home
*Enjoy a DELICIOUS meal at the end of class!
 Made by The Fabulous You!

Please contact Melissa at Melissa@myheartdances.com for
more details and to register or call 917-689-6530

**Classes are fun, relaxed, and not intimidating!  They are
great for beginners!

**Private classes are also available, more details at:
http://www.myheartdances.com/services/cook_class.htm

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4. Want To Change Your Life and Be Challenged

You can make a change in your life.  Just decide!

Accountability and objective feedback from someone
experienced can really make a difference.