My (not-so-secret) Love Affair

As the deep yin of winter creeps ever closer, I can feel my body starting to retract, feel the Qi moving deeper into the body. I know it's appropriate. I know this is as it should be after the expansion of the yang seasons. But...I have to say that this will be one of the first autumn/winters where I'm not longing for the chance to pull on my red boots, woolly coat and red beret and eat a steaming bowl of luscious beef bourguignon in celebration. What?! What is wrong with me? I am a typical winter-born woman - I love the cold, I love the chance to snuggle in front of the heater, to pull on my haramaki and warm my belly, or to settle myself into the kitchen and create a winter feast. This year I feel like I'm going through he motions; the joy has gone. 

I blame Thailand. In particular Koh Chang. For two weeks in March this year we relaxed and softened in the humid heat of that tropical island. As a winter-lovin' Melbourne chick I was fully expecting to be hot and sweaty and covered in heat rash. No heat rash appeared and I surprised myself by how much I loved the soft, embracing humidity. I loved being able to do my makka ho and yoga out on my porch over the lagoon at 6 in the morning and not feeling the slightest chill. I felt my body (and my heart) stretch and open a little further.

Every few days I received a Thai massage from a wonderful man on Khlong Phrao beach, a 3 minute walk away from where we were staying. I felt my body (and my heart) open even further.

                                                         
I did a Thai cooking course at the Koh Chang Cooking School with a gorgeous woman called Ya. She taught not only what Thai people eat and how to cook it, but how Thai food is an expression of the the heart and soul of it's people. With a lovely group of fellow foodies, I cooked and ate: pad thai, massaman curry, penang curry, green curry, prawns stir-fried with three friend's paste and sticky rice with fresh coconut, jack fruit and mango. And my heart (and belly) opened further.

We swam every day, ate great food, snorkeled with a whale shark (yes!!), hung out with beautiful friends and family, walked on the beach and I felt so relaxed that my joints could've been made out of jelly.

So dear autumn/winter, I still love you, but my heart has been stolen by seductive and languid tropical heat. I know I'll come to my senses soon enough, and I'll be all practical and Melbournian and start to enjoy the rugging up and turning inward, but until that time be gentle and understanding and don't expect too much of me. And I'll keep warming my belly and my heart with chicken soup, apple pie and cuddles from my kid and hope for the best.