Last holidays my husband gave a gift of a beautiful cookbook that had words “soup cleanse” in its title, alongside with the subtitle saying something about “embracing a better body and a healthier you” and the unexpected happened. I reacted to it in a way that I myself was caught off guard about – I almost got offended. Thoughts like : ”… oh, I thought I was a good cook!”, “Oh, I thought I looked fine and did not need any soup cleanses!” , “…oh, my soups, I thought, were good enough!… “, etc. came to my mind. So, I thanked him politely, and put the book on my bedside table, read (on the cover) that all the recipes were vegan and gluten free and… did not open it for some weeks. I was looking at the pretty woman and her smiling face on the cover and not feeling any urge to open it. So, I did not. I did not even leaf through it. Then I lent it to my good friend who does not eat gluten and thought : “ Well, at least someone will make good use of this book – look at the recipes, may be even attempt to make them!” Almost a year later I remembered about the book – I wanted to see if I could find something new to impress my very, very vegan guests with – and inquired if my friend had made any mouth watering soups, and if I could also, please, have the book back It turned out she had put it on her cookbook shelf and forgotten about it, and was handing it back to me as good as new… and with no suggestions or feedback on recipes or the book.

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So, I opened my gift “for real” a year later. My childish, self induced and inadequacy fueled feelings of hurt had long disappeared – you know, life gets busy and, of course, I always knew that by gifting me with that book my husband did not mean to hurt me in the slightest. Anyhow, now I was ready for my previous year’s Christmas gift. I had been reading mind and body connection enhancing, self help, new age, psychology books for a while… and little did I know that this cookbook was going to trump them all (almost all, but that would be another blog entry). It is probably one of the best “health oriented self help” books I have come across. Plus the author is a chef, a woman, a mother, a writer, an entrepreneur, and she is also a practicing yogini and sprinkles the book with mindful movement suggestions, mindful mantras (that you recite in your mind as you sip the soups!), and glorious mindful moment ideas. And it is a real cookbook! It gives you a system to work with (75 recipes and ways to make 5 soup lunches every week, dedicate one day a week to soup etc)- it is practical, feasible, inspirational and real. Plus you get to read the story of the author’s journey to that souping world, so masterfully told by the chef herself. Some of her stories could be used “as is” as yoga meditations! A marvelous read on so many levels! However this is not a book review, but a humble and wonderful realization that my last year’s gift is my this year’s favorite present.

That is what I wanted to convey that it sometimes takes time to open (for real) and appreciate the gift that is so good and so right for us! If you wondered, yes, I did thank my husband again.This time from all my heart, and I thanked him for both gifts – the gift of that book last year and the gift of this realization now, that sometimes it is not what it seems to be at a time, that sometimes we can be so full of ourselves and our complexes, and fears that we are not ready to receive even the most well intended gifts, and that sometimes it truly takes time for us to become willing receivers of the best gifts.

I am so grateful for this book and equally for the realization.

PS
And… if anybody were to ask, the book is “Soup Cleanse Cookbook”, by Nicole Centeno.

Written by Indra Strong, Certified Let It Go Yoga teacher.

Photo Credit Indra Strong

Want to know more about Let It Go Yoga? Start here with our Diaphragmatic Breathing Video!