Growing young:
Rejuvenating yourself at any age
By Richard Adelman, M.A.

Lecture
Growing Young
Richard Adelman
Lecture, Nov 30
Workshop, Dec 1
Lifepath
Recreo 80

“What is it that has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and then three-footed?” —Ancient riddle

The answer to this riddle was said to have been given by Oedipus. He identified the human being as the creature who begins by crawling, then walks on two feet, and later walks with a cane. Is this our inevitable destiny or can we act to alter or moderate it?

Is it possible to rejuvenate oneself, to “grow young”?

I believe we do have the means to renew and revitalize ourselves, relatively speaking. Fascinatingly, the process of “growing younger” requires the discipline of a mature adult. It requires that a person become proactive rather than passive in the face of Nature. It requires recognizing rather than denying the aging process and finding a way to form a relationship to it not as a victim, but as an active person taking oneself in hand and devoting oneself to practices which will restore, preserve, and extend one’s vitality and vibrancy.

Your remaining vitality (including that which lies within you waiting to be reawakened) is your own very precious possession, your own personal “fountain of youth.” Your élan vital, your life force, deserves all the loving care and nurturance you can give it.

The rekindling and extension in time of one’s life forces is the function of a mature person. It is not a given. It does not happen automatically but needs conscious participation. It is a something a few people may do instinctively, but for most people some re-orientation of attitudes and behaviors is called for. Seeking and accepting the necessary help from others (education and perhaps therapy) in the process of helping oneself may be of central importance.

Learning to live with oneself in an attitude of self-acceptance or self-love can itself represent a huge life-affirming change in the existence of a person. Less self-pressure and self-recrimination can dramatically change one’s inner atmosphere. During the 1960s, I recall reading an article on Gestalt Therapy called “A Paradoxical Theory of Change.” The author noted that simply desisting from coercing oneself to change and accepting oneself as one is paradoxically constitutes a dramatic change in itself. For some people this may be an essential prerequisite to making other changes. Developing a realistic attitude toward oneself and one’s situation implicitly reflects a certain acceptance of one’s present self and can serve as a starting point for growing oneself differently.

During my 22 years as a somatic therapist and educator, my experiences have taught me to try to keep an open mind, to recognize that it is realistic to expect the unexpected. Many patients of all ages—including the very elderly—have been surprised to rediscover bodily comfort and pleasure through a very gentle, empathetic approach to body awareness education using subtle movement and touch. They have learned to cultivate the ability to recognize and alter patterns of bodily misuse in daily life, and benefited from decreased pain and stiffness and improved flexibility, breathing, posture, balance and coordination. This has been possible because, rather than lamenting what are commonly seen as signs of “inevitable” physical deterioration, it is possible to use awareness to reconfigure our habits and make better use of the body we have.

Knowing that you retain the capacity to learn, grow, and develop your embodied self as you prepare for or enter your later years can evoke inquisitiveness, self-confidence, and enthusiasm. You “grow younger” as you are renewed from within by new optimism, vitality and fluidity.

Richard Adelman, M.A. Psychology, is certified in Feldenkrais and Pilates and has nearly 40 years’ experience in Somatic Psychology. For info about workshops & private sessions, contact richardadelman@yahoo.com.

Words on Wine
By Patric Ellsworth

Bringing wine home for the holidays

With the onset of the holiday season, wine comes front and center for many of us. In the US (and likely, here), more wine is sold and consumed between Thanksgiving and New Year’s than during any other period of the year. In the US, upwards of 40 percent of the annual sales of wines happen then. With the rounds of parties and giftmgiving, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Whether it be as an accompaniment for a sumptuous holiday feast, or something special for that oenophile on your list, a good bottle of wine is always welcome.

By the time this hits print, you’ll be enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers, but turkey is popular throughout the season, so let’s talk a bit about wines to pair with the bird. Some folks opt for champagne throughout a turkey-based meal. For me, though, some variety makes for a more interesting experience. Since you have two kinds of meat (not to mention stuffing, potatoes and gravy), why not have two types of wine? I enjoy pinot noir or Beaujolais with dark meat, but there is a limited selection of those available here. There is always the annual “Beaujolais Nouveau” to consider, but I prefer something a little more complex and substantial. For example, why not try a Chilean wine made from the carmenere grape. Carmenere makes a fairly soft, fruity wine, which resembles Merlot but is a little richer. The good news is that there are several brands available here— Concha y Toro, Miguel Torres and Montes to name just a few. Chardonnay is often the “default” wine to accompany white meat. It has the advantage of being 
widely available. For something different, though, try a dry gewurztraminer. Its spicy, lichee-nut like flavors will add some zip to your turkey breast. Unfortunately, I’ve only been able to find one example here— the Hugel 2004 from France (EQ, 290 pesos). For those who prefer a one-wine solution, consider a rosé. Yes, I did say rosé. There are some good ones made in California, Chile, France, Spain and elsewhere. These are mostly dry wines, not like the icky-sweet stuff grandma used to serve. The best examples are fresh, crisp and fruity. Most rosés don’t age well, so seek out the most recent vintages (2005 or 2006).

Beef dishes are among the easiest to pair wines with. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot and malbec all work well with roasts and steaks. For spicier cuisine, consider a syrah from Argentina, Australia, Chile or France. There are several available here. As for quality and complexity, you generally get what you pay for. A 200-peso bottle will usually give you more enjoyment than a 100-peso one.

For gifting, you’ll find a fairly broad range of choices, especially if your “giftee” is someone who likes to hold on to wines for awhile. Your best bet is to stay with reds; they simply hold up better. I’ve been in many homes with racks full of older white wines which were received as gifts, then left to collect dust. Some of these may still taste OK, but most will be flat and dull, or even madeirized (dried out and sherry-like).

If you do opt for a white wine, such as a chardonnay or sauvignon Blanc, pick one from the 2005 or 2006 vintage. There are quite a few older bottles (even pre-2000 vintages) sitting on store shelves. You could get lucky, but caveat emptor. With red wines, you generally take less risk. As for what to buy, cabernet sauvignon, Bordeaux and Rhone varietals such as syrah are among the most age-worthy wines available here. But they can be expensive, especially Bordeaux, 500–1000 pesos and upwards. If you decide to buy a Bordeaux, you’ll find that several vintages are available. Fortunately, Bordeaux has had a run of good to outstanding vintages from 2000 on, so don’t worry about getting an “off” vintage. La Europea in Querétaro has the largest selection I’ve seen, but their San Miguel store, as well as WineStyles, also stock several Bordeaux. For value, Chile and Argentina offer a lot. I’ve included two examples here, but check out the many Chilean cabernet sauvignons and carmeneres and Argentine malbecs which are available here. All sources shown below have at least a couple of them. Happy shopping!

I recently received an email from a reader asking where he could find kosher wines. My first thought was La Europea, but he’d already checked there and found nothing. Any ideas?

Three to try

Las Terrazas de los Andes, Malbec Reserva 2005 (Argentina) 214 pesos—C. The 2005 is the third consecutive vintage of this wine I’ve tasted, and all have been very good to excellent. Full-bodied, with a purplish-black color and intense black cherry flavors, this is a wine to have with grilled steak or a spicy stew. Two or three years of bottle age should make it even better.

Montes, Vinedo Apalta, Valle de Colchagua 2005 (Chile) 185 pesos—EQ. This blend comprised of 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 percent Carmenere produces a rich and complex wine with berry, chocolate and cedar flavors. Simply delicious! Drink now or keep for a year or two. Try with roast beef, full-flavored cheeses or turkey (dark meat).

Clos la Chance, Rosé “Hummingbird Series,” Central Coast 2005 (California) 118 pesos —W. Made from a blend of Grenache and Syrah, this wine is a good example of what a rosé can be when made in a dry style. Pale pink in color with strawberry-like flavors, it may be enjoyed with turkey, salmon and cold meats.

Source code

C—Costco; E—La Europea (SMA); EQ—La Europea (Querétaro); G—Gigante; W—WineStyles

Patric Ellsworth is a former wine broker and home winemaker who now lives full-time in San Miguel. He may be reached at patworth@hotmail.com. 

The child as guide to school selection
By James Olsen, Ph.D.

Both my wife Anne and I had been previously married. She had two girls and I had three boys. We lived in Manhattan where there was a broad range of private schools and our question was simple—where do we send the kids to school? But the answer was complicated. I thought of that the other day when a mother told us she was very satisfied with the school her two boys are presently attending because she can drop them off at the same school at the same time. “It’s just one stop,” she said.

Unfortunately, our answer to the school question was a bit more complicated. Indeed, we discovered how complicated when we started looking more at our children than at our preconceived notions at what a school ought to be. I liked progressive schools, open-ended experiential learning environments with an emphasis on inquiry and freedom. Anne was much more specific. “I like the Convent of the Sacred Heart schools,” she said simply. 

If there were two poles in educational philosophy, there they were. “You went to Antioch for your MA,” I exploded, “and were immersed in John Dewey, learning through experience….” “I like Sacred Heart schools,” she repeated. As a compromise I suggested we look at who our collective children were rather than at our idiosyncratic biases. She agreed and this is how we came out. 

Kid 1: James, Jr.: Bank Street (progressive). James was smart, motivated, worked independently and loved the school.

Kid 2: Glen (traditional). Glen loved structure—the textbook, the assignment, the homework, the clear schedule and the rigorous testing.

Kid 3: Peter (totally individualized because of autism).

Kids 4&5: Jackie and Katie: (you guessed it) Sacred Heart. 

Did we choose wisely? As I look back more than 30 years, this is what happened. Several years later, James wanted to go to the public secondary school for gifted youngsters, Stuyvesant High School, “to see how the rest of the world lives.” He loved it but finished high school and college in Quaker schools. Glen loved his high school and Peter remained out in space until he decided he wanted to become a blackjack dealer in Las Vegas.

Jackie generically profoundly hated school and would have dropped out if we had not found a high school work-study program where she went to school one-half day and to work the other half. She was the class valedictorian and, like 50 percent of her peers, dropped out of college. Katie, who was dyslexic, graduated from high school and from Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania where she received her BA.

Does this story have a moral? Yes, base your decision about school largely on who your child is. Then be ready to change or modify that decision as your child grows and changes. Then be ready for anything to happen, because it will.

Finally, if there is a school just down the block from your house where you can drop both kids off and not worry about them until school lets out….well, think about it anyway.

You can contact the Olsens with your questions and problems by calling 154-4374 or email sml154-4374@prodigy.net.mx.