RawFoodLog

The Future of Farming

2009-11-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

And three months later...! Time flies etc etc

I'm back again! Hope all is well with you all.. I even had a couple of comments waiting for me which was lovely.

I'm really into going to farmers markets at the moment..well the past couple of months at least (yes that's where I've been). It will probably sound a bit worthy but I find it a very satisfying activity! Actually meeting people face to face who grow, pick, rear or gather food. It's great to be able to chat with them, it's quite humbling too. It's also fun to be eating more seasonal foods, investing in local farming, and being in the fresh air even when it's pouring with rain!

Recent purchases include raspberries, apples, pears, squash, mushrooms (from a guy who sold about six different varieties!), pastured chicken and beef liver. I think I am going to have to change the blog name to real and raw, as I'm not advocating an exclusively plant based diet, or exclusively raw. But I do think those elements should be the foundation with the addition of quality sourced animal products, and carefully prepared cooked food. But we get to choose in line with our needs. For example a 100% plant based raw diet can be very cleansing for a period of time as I have found, and for others it's been a lifeline to healing. But it's not necessarily for a life time and not necessarily for everybody. I'm finding there is an art to getting the most out of a meal nutritionally, and it's a good thing too. When you learn the principles you realise you can make choices that fit your values and needs from a wide range of cuisines.

I am convinced there isn't one 'right' way of eating per se except that we all need to be getting a variety of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals, fibre and phytonutrients basically from our foods in a way that promotes health in our body and also is enjoyable. And what this might look like on a plate will vary across the world. It will be dependent on availablity, personal biology, seasons, climate, healing processes and so on. But nevertheless would be described as real food. More later.

I've leave you with this inspiring documentary about the future of farming split into five videos on you tube. The garden farm .. amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9975CC0E8CC2CDDE&search_query=A+Farm+for+the+Future

Cream, Butter, Eggs and Milk

2009-07-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Where did the time go?

Aloha mes amies,

Well I have been having an adventure. I have discovered raw dairy i.e. unpasteurised and non-homogenised milk and milk products. I do need to back up a bit because you are probably thinking animal products!

I remember at some point thinking I must get some B12 supplement because it's not available in plant products (well some say it is but I'm not sure) but I forgot. And then in Jan I started to get pins and needles in my hands and in my yoga class my legs would go numb which is not conducive to standing poses.
http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitaminb12.html

Off I went to get the B12 I knew this was a clear reminder that I needed it. So I got the spray version that you just spray under your tongue and I was fine. But it got me thinking. And then I started thinking about Vit D as you can only get this through adequate sunshine on your skin or animal products. So started researching and Vit D is actually a hormone that is practically involved in nearly every bodily process there is. So the implications for deficiency are huge, right? Read the first paragraph in the link below.

http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitamindmiracle.html

So I was thinking do I now need to supplement with Vit D. I'm not a fan of isolated vitamins. I want to get my nutrients from whole foods. Then I thought surely God has made a way for us to get all our nutrients from foods. Then I discovered the Weston Price Foundation website and things started to click in place about the importance of animal fats, and how nutritious unpasteurised dairy is.

I discovered red23 and raw butter, (great site, and great shop)
http://www.red23.co.uk/Raw-Unpasteurised-Dairy_c_60.html

Unfortunately you won't find raw milk in the supermarkets, you have to buy it directly from the farm or from farmers markets. I would love everybody who wants to, to have access to raw dairy.

When I first tasted raw dairy I thought it might taste funny as I hadn't had milk for years. But it tasted just right if that makes sense, because it's real food not the denatured stuff found in the supermarket. Raw goats milk tastes scrummily delicious, as does raw butter which has a lovely beautiful yellow colour indicating that the cows had a diet of rich, lush ,green grass. I've also found a source for extra thick raw cream and natural yoghurt. The cream mixed with a bit of raw honey is absolutely divine.

This brings me to the next piece in the jigsaw. The ultimate standard for me is the Holy Scriptures. And for me this is very important as so many people have credible theories on everything and it is hard to judge just with your own understanding, so best to check in with the Word. I will probably do a separate post on Biblical nutrition. But suffice to say for now one example the Lord talks about a land flowing with milk and honey (Jer 32;22 many other references). Now God doesn't lie and every thing he says has significance. Therefore milk and honey even if symbolic are good things, nay great things, blessings!

Dairy has got a bad rap, with many people intolerant to it, but it's a response to the processes of pasteurisation and homogenisation which changes the very nature of the milk. Read more here.
http://www.realmilk.com/
http://www.rejoiceinlife.com/feedback/rawMilkTest.php

So this new direction is a leap of faith, but based on mounting evidence. I do not agree with blind faith. If I'm not happy for any of my beliefs to be tested or shaped by scriptural truth then I'm on shaky ground. But it is encouraging as similarly I took a leap of faith trusting Christ with my life a few years ago and accepted his once and for all sacrifice for mankind, because of the mounting evidence, best decision of my life. But it's a leap of faith because you don't get to see the effects in your life until you commit. If you are interested to know more read the Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (journalist and former atheist).

This is a very long post and I wasn't sure what I would include. But I think it's important to know what people base their beliefs on so you can make your own decison. Otherwise it's a load of opinions and how do you choose one over the other?

I have been eating raw dairy for a couple of weeks and love it. I didn't have any health problems before so it's a case of monitoring. But I have been having a lot so my body is obviously keen to build up it's nutrient reserves! And I have definitely felt more emotionally stable. Today for example I had a small pot of raw cream with my strawberries and, a salad of avocado, tomato and raw goats cheese (the goats cheese is something else, sounds wierd but I feel great right to my very core when I eat it). Sliced pear and blueberries, a small piece of raw Westcombe cheddar, in the evening steamed kidney beans/raw spinach/coconut oil/herbs+spices, a mini blueberry muffin home-made using coconut flour. Over the course of the day I've had three large pots of raw wholemilk natural yoghurt. All real food, and all with traceable sources.

http://www.naturalfoodfinder.co.uk/dairy_eggs

I will have to do a separate post on the wonders of coconut oil, and another one on wild fermentation things I discovered a few months ago and added to my diet.

What about fish and meat? I'll post later on that. Good night!

Happy New Year!!

2009-02-27T14:42:00.000-08:00

Yes I know, we're practically in March and I remember to catch up with my two readers!! Only joking I think there are three!! Actually I got an email from a kind soul passing on a video about raw choc, but I think I may have scared him off when I said raw choc doesn't really float my boat so the video kinda went over my head. Never mind back to two readers!

What's been happening? Well I had a lovely long break over Christmas which was blissful. Had a break from food which sounds weird but was also blissful. Of course we need to eat but it is liberating to step out of that for a time for rest and regeneration. We're talking healthy and intentional here, not eating disorder! I've been writing content but when there is something doing with that I'll let you know. And the snow was beautiful .........

What am I eating at the moment? Fruit until late afternoon mainly bananas or Thompson grapes or green smoothie with baby spinach, mango and pears. Also sometimes munch on apples and pears. I like that these are local but don't get myself in a bind about it. A small salad late afternoon dk green leaves, beetroot and avocado for the last month, and now replaced the beetroot with celery because I felt like it. In the evening tends to be either vegetable juice and sprouted bread from the Sunnyvale range, or lightly steamed sweet potato, broccoli etc on a bed of fresh greens with whatever herbs and spices I like with a touch of coconut oil, and nutritional yeast. At the weekends I have raw oat groats which I really like either with almond milk I've made from sprouting almonds or just with water and a bit of raw honey. I don't have any negative effects and it fills me up for the whole day. Initially I ground them into a coarse flour and added liquid and now I soak the groats and then process them in the Blendtech with the liquid. But both ways suit.

This week I soaked some wheatberries and then ground the sprouted seeds in the Cuisinart, spread on a tray and made hunza style or essene flat bread in the oven. How cool. Tastes nothing like bread. Very chewy so teaches you to 'fletcherise' i.e. masticate food properly!

I found this recipe on Wed and literally went home and rescued my soaking wheatberries. First try no less! There is something incredibly pleasurable about seeing a seed sprout. I just find deep sense of gratitude welling up when I eat without having to consciously think to give thanks.
http://earthstar.newlibertyvillage.com/essenebread.htm and also found one which literally lets the dough air-dry. Hope to try that too.

Earthstar has some thought-provoking articles so worth a browse....

Sun, Salsa and Steve

2008-10-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hola How are you?! I got back from Barcelona this week after a short break. It was so sunny and warm! And it was fun doing raw in BCN. It has always been a great city for veggies for years even more so than London.

I checked out regular eateries like Juicy Jones a vegan place on C. Cardenal Casadena. I used to tuck in to their Indian Thali's but now focused on the juices and salads. The market on La Rambla is perfect for rawies - juices at practically all of the fruit stalls, myriad combinations of yummy fruit salad boxes as weel as the whole fruits. And nuts and dried fruit stalls galore. Organic restaurant has a stall at the back of the market selling vegetarian fare. Also stalls selling olives, chickpeas etc. Plus tapas, fish etc if you are travelling in a mixed group so everyone can choose.

The market alone would suffice for food needs, but there are other options. On the first night I went with friends to Organic's main sit down restaurant on C. Junta de Commerc. I had the salad and soup buffet option. They serve dairy and egg but no meat and fish. I also had a juice with a hint of champagne! I've never had an attachment to alcohol but occasionally like a bellini type cocktail but I can really sense the difference in my body so it's getting rarer and rarer. We went out for drinks after in the trendy Raval, it's changed a lot since I last visited loads more places have opened. I just had water and we just talked and talked!

The next day had a hunch around 6pm to go to the beach and their was a salsa festival going on. This was just perfect as I wanted to go dancing in the evening. But things don't get going to after midnight and I knew although I could stay out to 5am I didn't want to. Part of the reason for the break apart from catching up with my friend K, was to have a rest, relax and read. So I got to dance without having to wait to the early hours. Saying that I was up to 2am each night, just didn't want to spend all the next day in bed!

On last night went back to Organic and had bread with my soup and salad and dessert and I felt so ill. Thankfully was okay by morning. I've been experimenting with a couple of things since my fast to guage what but my body likes which is practically all raw and simple and the less fat the better. I can enjoy miso soup and edamame and feel fine. However they are not essentials, the bulk of my diet is fruit. I am happy to be all raw but only in as much as it supports my spiritual growth. This is one of the revelations I had and mentioned before, good health is not about looking beautiful, youthful etc those will be side effects! The main goal is to be fit for your life purpose. So I am observing that which makes me feel foggy or unwell and that which does not get in the way if you know what I mean.

Had such a fab time I missed my flight home, I was looking at the arrival time in London instead of departure time!

I'm running every day, I didn't in Barcelona but knew I woulb be walking EVERYWHERE, and dancing too.

Foodwise I'm enjoying bananas, grapes and fresh orange juice. (Not really into salads at the moment) and miso soup, and raw energy soup sprinkled with raw almonds. I'm forming a habit of not eating past 8pm latest and if I get back late then I don't eat but if hungry have a couple of teaspoons of raw honey followed by a pint water. I'm loving the running so much that I don't want anything to make it less appealing! I know I'm a runner now because it was raining and I still ran because I really wanted to. Before I'd be like " oh it's raining I'll just stay in bed!".

As you know I read about ten books on the go. One of them which I'm digging into and took with me to Spain is 'Personal Development for Smart People' by Steve Pavlina. I can't recommend it enough. I'll say a few things now but will write a longer review when I've finished I'm over hal-way through.

It is simply fab to be reading this book right now as I can see how much I'm already applying and the growth I've experienced over the past three years. I admire Steve as he has got much integrity and provides super value through his blog www.stevepavlina.com

This book will be read for generations. There is one bit where Steve defines the fear of success and it resonated with me - worrying that exercising one's power would bring too much responsibility. I had an aha moment. Firstly I've heard the term used before but without clarification, and secondly I recognise this as a major fear of mine while growing up. I think this was linked to certain childhood experiences and feeling that I was alone, had to sort things out on my own, had to look out for myself etc. So anything that was going to bring a whiff of overwhelm even if it would bring long term positive benefits, I would just bat it away. It was a matter of self-preservation. So I did succeed in things but not in the widest possible space. As a child I wasn't thinking that consciously but I can see clearly now that that is what I was doing. I don't have that fear now, and I understand that we will always be responsible for our lives, so why not for the most fulfilling life possible even if it means more responsibility!

Also I know that we are on earth not for happiness, but fulfilment. The pursuit of happiness is one of the most misguided routes that man follows, it's the way of the ego and is never satisfied. Happiness is a side effect of fulfilment, it's a feeling not a state. Fulfilment comes as we live out our life purpose in relationship with others, our true selves and our Creator, and that involves taking responsibility.

Another bit of wisdom that pierced my heart was Steve explaining that our goals are not about controlling the future but in focusing our present moment because that is all we have. He also said our goals do not have to be specific, measurable and planned out, they simply need to set us on fire (my phrase!) as that will inspire action. This is true for me and will affect how I do my 09 goals using the Jinny Ditzler 'Your Best Year Yet' book. Good going!!

Energy Soup

2008-09-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

Well I finished my 40 day fast!! And this is the one that I broke well (the most critical part!)

It was last thursday, and I finally sensed that tug at the back of the throat that is true hunger. It's quite strange it has nothing to do with the tummy! I had a couple of spotty bananas before going to an evening engagement. On the way I bought a little tub of cherry tomatoes. How times have changed, never in a million years would I have been snacking on tomatoes, before turning mainly 'fresh and live', not least because I couldn't stand raw tomatoes.

After my meeting felt like some broth, not in a craving way but in a 'this would be good' way. So wondered if there was a Wagamamas around Westminster. Had a wander past the station and off course there was the Southbank which does indeed house a wagamama. I ambled over and ordered the big vegetable ramen soup but without the noodles and oil garnish. Instead they loaded it up with fresh alfalfa sprouts, and had that with a raw salad. It was the right choice. Went home had a BM later that evening a good sign. If you eat the wrong thing (e.g. bread!) when you break a fast it can hold up your 'just waking up' digestive system for days!

I have been eating very light, still home squeezed orange juice in the morning, a few grapes, and mono-meals of bananas at lunch time, and occasionally edamame when I go for some air. I remember thinking while I was fasting that I would eat raw soup when I broke the fast. I think this was intuition because then I kept coming across posts about energy soups. See example below

http://www.gogreen.org/blend/energy.html

So in the evenings I have a big bowl of raw soup made of whatever veggie/greens are around, on the whole lettuce, baby spinach, celery, red pepper, cucumber and tomatoes and mixed with a cup of miso soup to bring up to room temperature. This my concoction! Then I cut up some broccoli, blanch it and drop into the soup for chewiness. It's so filling and nourishing. You can have fun mixing up the ingredients. I'm not adding any fat at the moment because I'm eating really light as it suits me and aids my running. And also advisable to wait a while before adding the fat in after a fast. Plus before my fast I noticed the nuts were causing me to be sluggish. And I won't have that, my morning run is a vital part of my day. Not in an 'I must exercise way' but something that brings me more joy and freedom, mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

I have ordered a big box of almonds from Nora Lenz of Raw School. But I will be sprouting to use to make raw almond yoghurt, and raw almond houmous at the weekends.

I had some avocado today because I bought two salads from Planet Organic, one a mix of fennel, coleslaw and quinoa and sprouts. Quinoa is the kind of thing I'm happy to eat occasionally in a bought salad as I don't feel the need to keep on eating it like bread! But it did feel heavy compared to what I've been eating. Anyway I'll monitor how I feel tomorrow. I'm open, and not attaching to anything. Then I got a yummy salad of spinach, baby tomatoes and avocado, I ate the first two ingredients and dropped the cubes of avocado into my energy soup, altogether a very delicious meal!!

On Saturday I went for a friend's birthday drinks at the Eagle Gastropub in Farringdon. They didn't have any vegan salads on the menu, so I asked the chef if he wouldn't mind making me something! (you gotta ask). And I tell you I was served up the most beautiful, delicious salad. Even the others at the table who were tucking into Tiramisu by that time were looking impressed. It was a mixture of grated carrot, lettuce, baby spinach, cubes of beetroot, a touch of dressing and garnished with those green olives that haven't been stored in oil. It was scrumlicious. I feel so loved! I am so loved!!

Inspired Action

2008-08-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Ran every day this week, plus yoga stretching everyday and dry-skin brushing everyday!
Day 29

Tomorrow is day 30 of juice fast!

Hola Amigos and Amigas

I am blogging less as I'm starting to research and develop content for my websites!

Can't recommend fasting enough juice or water. Whenever I want to focus on something I fast it helps you root out the distractions. I've been doing mainly oranges and organic too. It's true what they say about citrus juice, it really gets at the crud that sticks on your insides, I've had bowel movements nearly ever day despite not taking in any solid food.

I've been enjoying the running and the dry skin brushing. All these habits teach the principle of delayed gratification. The longer you fast the greater the effects. On day 24 I was flying, that's when I moved up a dimension. The mental clarity and spiritual attunement is amazing.

During this fast I have completed 'Calling in the One' by Katherine Woodward Thomas
http://www.amazon.com/Calling-One-Weeks-Attract-Love/dp/1400049296

I did all 49 exercises one each day and have set my intention, and feel very proud of myself commitment does indeed bring it's own reward. I heard about this book through reading about it on a review of a different book. I read the reviews and decided to get it. The book is a real labour of love and provides the tools for doing relationship with your soulmate, but I would add any relationship would benefit.

This is what Katherine wrote at the end of the book:

"In my work over the years I have come to see that people are divided into two categories. Those who want love in their lives and will faithfully do the work to actualise love; and those who want love in their lives but won't. Those who will do the work understand love as a creative action that they are free to choose in any given moment. Those who won't do the work tend to see love as a thing to get or as a place to hide out. I pray with all my heart that I have enticed you toward the former. For that is the fulfilment of my purpose in life - to ever expand my capacity to give and receive love with all those who cross my path, and to help others to do the same. You, dear reader, are the fulfilment of love for me. And now I beseech you to please pass it forward".

I cried because she inspired me. I loved the definition of love as creative action we can choose any time (including how we choose to nourish ourselves!). The book is brilliantly written and having a chapter to read a day with an exercise provides an excellent way of breaking it down. I can't recommend it enough. I have a full a4 notebook of my notes and exercises that I keep reviewing. Well you know I had been working through 'Life on Purpose' by Brad Swift. But I took a break after passage 4. And it has worked out beautifully (as indeed things do!) because I felt it was time to complete it especially as 'Calling in the One' had meant I had done even more questioning and internal work that would enhance the process. Plus so much of the book chimed with Life on Purpose, and indeed Katherine had defined her own purpose too! I decided to go back to the beginning and do a bit every morning after my run replacing the 'Calling in the One' reading and exercises. It was a little more difficult as it is not set out in daily format, and I found just as I was getting into the exercise I would have to get ready for work!

Anway I did that for a week, and got up to Bank holiday monday. I decided that Monday I would do the rest of the book. And I did I started at 7.30am after my run and apart from an hour outside in the afternoon I kept going until 9.30pm. Felt VERY GOOD!

The next day I woke up with such peace and for the next few day I kept finding pieces of my life purpose jumping out at me from various things I was reading, loads of little synchronicities. I asked myself how am I extending freedom in this situation?, Have I worshipped today?, is this a should action or an inspired action?. And I'm so grateful for the process and seeing it through, and best of all my purpose 'clicks' so I find I am always referring back to it. I immediately birthed a purposeful prayer project, and other inspired projects in the pipeline. Everything perfect in its time.

Here is something that Brad wrote towards the end of the book:

"As a person on purpose, you have within you the seed that may one day grow into your being a servant to the world - when the context of your life is no longer about you. In fact, at that point it stops being just about your family, your close network of friends, your community, or even your country, and it expands to include the whole world and its role in the Universe."

http://www.lifeonpurpose.com/index.php?page=1

Amazing possibilities..

My life on purpose..

..A life of freedom rooted in wholeness, beauty, truth, order and love. A life of worship, inspired action and full self-expression.

And of course this makes it so clear why I am passionate about pursuing and sharing health that is informed by the principles of life, and exploring the reasons and potential for eating a fresh, live plant-based diet among other things!

Lovely Synchronicities

2008-08-10T12:58:00.000-07:00

Juice: Orange/celery juice
Exercise: Yoga, dry-skin brushing
Results so far: very smooth skin, since I started my fast the shoulder that I strained has gotten better each day. From waking with it feeling very stiff before the fast, on just the first day I woke and it wasn't the first thing that caught my attention. Bowel movements (BMs practically everyday). Some mucous release via throat. Very high mental clarity.

I am 8 days in to my annual summer fast (abstaining from solids, just fresh juice and water) and cleanse! I am full of energy although yesterday felt really drowsy. For me I've found every seven days the cleansing seems to go up a level. As part of my commitment I'm running everyday (I rested today), doing yoga everyday and dry-skin brushing everyday to rev up the lymph drainage system. I'm also doing some reading before I leave for work. When I run I do a running meditation, just focusing on and repeating one phrase the whole way. It probably sounds counterintuitive but I have even more energy than when I'm eating solid foods. Which proves the point that food doesn not give us energy, food provides fuel and material for repair and construction. Our (nerve) energy is replenished through sleep.

It feels great to start each day this way. And good to hit the end of the first week milestone. It's been a very busy week and had a two day awayday so had to plan in advance re what to do at lunchtimes to avoid drawing attention to myself. But when you decide and commit to something, an answer always come through. And everything worked out plus I took my own juice with me.

So many synchronicities have been happening as well. When synchronicities (lots of meaningful connected happenings) it shows you are on your path and not out of 'sync'. I had been thinking about being able to buy all my fruit and veg organic. I buy some things organic at the moment like carrots and smaller items. And I also wanted to find a nice organic delivery company so I don't have to carry too much as well, and begin to see more of my vision manifest. I'd looked at a couple of the well known ones but I didn't feel 'drawn' to them. So left it for a while knowing that it would come.

Then I was thinking about possibly doing a mainly orange juice fast. I came across the cute site through reading one of my raw school emails. http://www.fruitgod.com/index.html and Anne had done an orange juice fast which made me think aha!.

Then I decided to have another search for organic delivery companies and found this!
http://www.organicdelivery.co.uk/shopfront/shopfront.php

Immediately I was drawn to them, before I explored what they had to offer. Then I saw they sold juicing oranges! I stepped out in faith and put my first order in and yesterday (yes, they do Saturday deliveries!) I returned home to a box of fresh, fragrant organic oranges. The customer service over the phone was great (can also order online). I resonated with their 'reason for being' and I hope to buy more organic from them. To top it off in the newsletter that came with the box, their was a short article how I think it's the owners, went to on holiday to Cornwall to stay with friends who ate only raw foods, how cool is that?! And then (yes, there is more) there a mini profile on Saf raw restaurant which I've not only visited but is down the road from where I work! Happy to be connected to a business that gets my lifestyle.

Also Planet Organic has opened in Mossy Well. Do you think I'm being set up!

It's Just an Emotion

2008-08-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

Exercise: yoga
Food: fresh juice (apple/spinach/lime)

Hellooo

I have been immersed in books. I'm reading 'Left in the dark', 'The writings of Florence Scovel Shinn', 'Being Here', 'Changes that Heal' and 'Calling in the One'.

I've also been thinking about when you start to eat raw, how important it is that you also learn about emotional poise and dealing with the 'stuff' that is exposed when you stop hiding it and numbing it with cooked food. And boy does it come out! In fact eating raw is the best when you are ready for change on all levels, it's more fun and things complement each other. E.g. eating raw helped my fasting practice, and my fasting practice made me more inclined to eat raw. Eating raw made me more grateful to God for understanding what true health is. And drawing closer to God has made me more courageous to be me, to step out find truth and act on it. And so it goes on..

Here is a video (in five parts) from Professor Rozalind Gruben- Graham who eats an all raw vegan diet, is married to Dr Doug Graham well know author of the 80 10 10 way of eating raw. They have a toddler age daughter who is the cutest. They had a picnic and seminar yesterday here in the UK but unfortunately I couldn't make it. Anyway after that long intro! Here is the video.. really makes you think about the way we do things, and hopefully make changes!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icsFTnltYuY

I've been eating more nuts of late. But I feel the effect the next day while I feel fine during the day I don't want to get up in the morning. I note these effects and what I'm feeling. At this stage this is fine, but I'm open to letting nuts fade out to the right levels, but I'm not forcing the issue. It's like when I first went raw I kept wanting crisps even though I hardly ate crisps when I ate cooked vegan! I just kept immersing myself in quality raw food material, knowing that as long as I was open to letting crisps go, they would go at the right time. Now if I were to look at crisps I do 'feel' my mind running ahead to say no. Basically the message that crisps do not serve me or my health goals is embedded in my subconscious now. This is part of what Prof Roz says but much better than me! Happy watching.

Immerse Yourself

2008-07-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Walking
Food: 5 bananas, mango and spinach smoothie, almonds, grapes

I notice when I read my living nutrition magazines I get really inspired by my raw lifestyle. I am inspired on a daily basis, but I get further insights from reading and also get to hear how other people are doing. I have read loads of raw books in a relatively short period of time. My subconscious is now becoming increasingly raw! It's weird but I can look at certain foods now and I can literally feel my mind running ahead to work out the long term consequence not just the short term gratification of my potential decision!

Immersing yourself in information and experience of things that are important to you helps you get to where you want to go faster. Catherine Ponder refers to this in 'The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity'.

So first step decide what subject takes your fancy, and then just learn about it, talk and listen to relevant people, practice it , then it becomes a part of you and before you know it, you're an expert!

It applies to languages, a friend of a friend went to Paris to learn french. He lived with a french family, and the teacher refused to speak a word of English. He said he was compelled to learn in that situation, and that after a while something just clicked and the language was just there.

We all know the principle: What you focus your attention on is what you get.

On a separate but not unrelated topic read this fab email from Matthew Bilt;

Did you know there's a way to ALWAYS get what you want...?Well there is, and I'm going to sharewith you how to ALWAYS win and get whatyou want...In fact - even when YOU lose youWIN.Why?Simply - because you are unattached toany outcome.Here's how this works...Let's say you are wanting to create yourdream house or dream relationship...Instead of physically going to a realtor and picking out the exact house - OR meeting some guy or girl and thinkingto yourself..."THIS IS THE ONE"You step back for a second and think aboutthe ESSENCE of what it is that you want.In a relationship - you can get the VIBEof the type of person you want to be with.Or for a dream house, you get the VIBEof what the dream house does for you.So - map out your desires based on the essence of what you want.This is ESSENCE vs. Form... and it's a verypowerful concept.Begin to align yourself with the essence ofwhat you want and not worry about what formit comes in... For example - your dream relationship could be with that one guy or girl you just met... butthere's 100 other people that would do the job just as well.SO STOP GETTING ATTACHED!The same goes for any job/business/goal/relationshipetc, etc, etc.This applies to EVERYTHING.Figure out what the essence and feeling of whatit is you want to create - demand that essencebut be totally unattached to what form it showsup in.It will come to you VERY Fast.That's all for today.We teach more cool stuff like this in our12-Weeks to Abundance course but the letterisn't up yet...So if you're interested just e-mail me.And I'll hook you up.Talk soon!Matthew Bilt Publishing, Inc.7-1650 St. Mary's RoadWinnipeg, MB R2N 1G2

It's All In The Fruit

2008-07-17T13:34:00.001-07:00

Exercise: Brisk walking, some yoga
Food: 6 bananas, some dates, bunch of grapes, punnet of cherries, v large handful of mixed nuts, salad of baby spinach, cucumber and celery

You may have noticed I haven't been putting escalators up in my exercise for the day. Well I've decided to focus on doing more yoga on a daily basis. I still do the escalators but not all the time, but when I do stand it's because I'm reading a book. I refuse to just throw my time away!

At the moment I'm immersed in 'Left in The Dark' by Graham Gynn and Tony Wright. I'm nearly half way through and there's a lot of science involved.

'..cooking therefore represents one further step away from the ancestral diet that nurtured our brain growth. This new change accelerated the degeneration that had been slowly taking place over the preceding 200,000 yrs. A system, which was already on a downward slope, now constructed itself out of materials ever lacking in the biochemistry needed for healthy functioning.

I am convinced more than ever (not that I need convincing mind) that humans are frugivores i.e. fruit eaters and that if we are going to tap into the potential that God has blessed us with in any impactful way (when I say impactful way I mean character-changing, life-changing, world-changing, and generational change) then we won't be able to ignore this. Ghandi is an example of someone who radically changed his lifestyle to fulfil his purpose and the way he ate was a part of this.

I feel very stirred up inside because I know you and I are not here on earth in order to simply meet meet our needs, and get by. We are here to be ourselves fully and out of that being to impact generations through vision and mission.

Gaining Clarity

2008-07-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Lots of walking
Food: 5 bananas, pineapple juice, guava and mandarin smoothie, bunch of grapes, a few dates, a large handful of pistachios, carrot, celery and sweetcorn salad

I've signed up for the 48 ways of wisdom from Aish.com. And one of them was explaining the importance of having clear definitions to be able to make correct evaluations of the results you see in your life.

For example many people say they are into healthy eating. But what do they mean by healthy eating? eating organic meat, being vegetarian, eating fruits? You have to research each area to find out the truth of the matter not simply what you believe to be the truth. Truth remember can stand on it's own merit, it is verifiable, it is does not need belief to stand it up. And so you go and do your research and find that actually meat is not a requirement for health in fact it can be a requirement for anti-health. Then of course you have the decision to eat it or not, both options equally valid. But both options giving different results either in the short term or the long term.

When you say you want to be fit what do you mean by fit? Why do you want to be fit? What is the best way to become fit? Are you committed (single-mindedly focussed). Do you know that fit is not the same as healthy? Fit simply means being able to achieve certain feats usually within certain time limits. It doesn't necessarily mean healthy eating and lifestyle habits are present. We've all done things through sheer force of will! Healthy and fit go together, one without the other is none at all.

Clarity brings consciousness which empowers commitment.

We Can Have Health Now

2008-07-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

Exercise: yoga
Food: Big bunch of red grapes, salad- leaves, carrot and celery, pistachios, 1 banana, quite a few dates!

I bought a large 300g bag of raw pistachio kernels from Tesco thinking I will use it to top up my 'nut tub' at work for the week. Hmm very moreish might have to rethink that plan. The grapes from Sainsbury's were juicy but tasteless, M&S wins hands down. But the organic green ones from Sainsbury's are crisp and refreshing. Okay that's the supermarket round up.

Here is something I got from my first copy of Vibrance magazine! It's written by Dr Robert Sniadach. His website is below.

http://www.transformationinstitute.org/index.html

"God is not playing some perverse trick on us. It is not as if God made superb health the endpoint of some incredibly tough maze, one which only brilliant scientists and learned doctors could even begin to fathom. He is not standing back and laughing as we grope for all sorts of 'cures'. I suspect that he is very saddened by our suffering, especially when nearly all of it is unecessary. He made provisions for us, as he made provisions for all His creatures on Earth.

God created Man. God created Nature. God makes it all work. Trust that it all works. Trust in Nature. Trust in Man. Most of all, trust in God.

In The Dark?

2008-07-04T18:18:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Run, yoga
Food: 6 bananas, fresh oj, pineapple and celery juice, salad of leaves, carrot and celery, smoothie-mango, goji berries and coconut milk

I stumbled upon a new website (like I need another one!) while reading the latest edition of mini passion magazine from www.detoxyourworld.com, it's www.leftinthedark.com

Read the introduction at this link,

http://leftinthedark.org.uk/introduction

I just had to paste this para from the site!

An investigation into the evolution of the human brain.A journey to the edge of the human mind.
The human brain, over a period of perhaps a million years, expanded at an increasingly rapid rate then, some 200,000 years ago, this expansion suddenly stopped. There is, to date, no plausible scientific explanation for either of these linked events.Religious and mythic traditions of paradise inform us that we once lived in a benign state of perpetual wonder and joy but from this we regressed. The reasons for this are obscure. Do these apparently unrelated perspectives have something in common?

How exciting!!! I have to get this book. I'm a great believer that Truth with a capital T can stand on it's own merit i.e. it's not dependent on belief and is verifiable. And for me the test for Truth is that it brings more freedom into my life period. Read the Introduction link and then ask yourself whether your doubts about eating raw, particularly FRUIT might suddenly be emigrating to some far off land!

I've got to do some more reading, (good science is invaluable) and will unpick it here. What I will add for now is that I noticed when I became consciously raw I was recognising truth more easily, was drawn to my purpose, coincidences and synchronicities were happening that I couldn't ignore, my mind became clear, my spiritual awareness heightened, becoming more courageous and adventureous, I was becoming more me. It's not just eating raw food, as I was changing/investing in new life habits and continue to do so as you will know, yoga, prayer, meditation, being in nature, making decisions based on my values. But eating raw biologically appropriate food is one of the most significant factors along with taking away food that weighs the body down and ties up its creative energy.

A very simple book to read that can help bring clarity is Grain Damage by Dr Douglas Graham. I love this book! It's so easy to read and short but packs a punch. You can buy it on Amazon.com

Graham writes: "during the 'Golden Age of Man' almost three thousand years ago, historical records indicate that man thrived brilliantly on a diet composed primarily of fruit, with the addition of some tender vegetables. This time period produced a disproportionately huge number of history's greatest thinkers, given that the world's population was barely twenty million".

WOW!!

Present And Correct

2008-06-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Run, Yoga
Food: Dates, 2 bananas, salad of leaves, capers, avocado, tomatoes, olives and tofu, pineapple and orange juice

I am completely surrounded by the message of 'BE PRESENT'. I hear ya God! I'm reading 'Row, row, row your boat: A guide for living in the Divine Flow' by Steven Lane Taylor and it rocks. Just a bit of awareness can bring freedom. One thing he says is we need to be present to recognise the clues and signs right in front of us to live the life we want. And when we're not in the present we are usually stuck in the past or projecting to the future.

Today I went for a run and I decided to do a running meditation. I've made this up for myself I don't know if anyone else does it. As I ran I was repeating the phrase 'I open myself fully to giving and receiving love'. It was such a joy and I felt I'd run it in half the time although I hadn't. It was one of those times when I could have run forever plus I got to expand my heart. At home I'm still developing my meditation practice but I might repeat a verse of scripture like 'Be still and know that I am God' or a phrase like the one above. The possibilities are endless.

On www.aish.com there are 48 ways to wisdom. And one of them is about staying present. It states that killing time is a crime. And I agree time is not for killing it's for purposeful living, purposeful work, purposeful play, purposeful relationships etc. You get the gist. The thing that was so profound was the statement that we find it painful to be in the present, that is why we waste time. Think about it we numb ourselves with TV, food, alcohol, drugs, shopping and the rest, or we focus on the past or daydream about the future but not in any meaningful way. The extent to which we do these things may well be an indicator of how much or how little purpose we have in our lives.

I continue to marvel at all the resources we have access to in our lifetime. I leave you with Oprah's address to the Class of 08 at Stanford Uni.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpd3raj8xww

Now, Now, Now

2008-06-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

Food: 6 bananas, 2 small mangos, oj, salad of leaves, carrot and sweetcorn with a pesto dressing, a handful of organic cashews and almonds
Exercise: Escalators, long walk

I have this habit of checking out a book on Amazon and then I get reading the books that have been linked into that book, and then I'm far away from where I started and am reading the 50th rave review of yet another addition to my wishlist! I LOVE reading, learning and applying.

Now I got to reading reviews of a book called Being here:modern tales of enlightenment
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Being-Here-Modern-Tales-Enlightenment/dp/1888043180/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214439459&sr=1-1

I actually read the reviews on Amazon.com there were loads and all five stars. You can get a lot out of a well-written review;) I haven't read the book yet (although I will be shortly!) but already gleaned some wisdom, it's all about living life right now wherever you find yourself. It is so tempting and I have been there to be wanting to achieve goals in order to 'start' living. However listen up insight on it's way ;) the past is gone and we hope to see the future, but we definitely have now. Sooooo it makes sense to experience the joy, wisdom, peace, love and fulfilment now. And it's simply a choice. It would be great if this kind of stuff was taught in school it is empowering and liberating all at once.

Am noticing some changes in my eating habits I don't seem very drawn to green smoothies at present. I ate the mango just cut up into slices. Normally even though I really like mango, I would much rather smoothie it. Am also having nice long gaps between eating and stopping eating earlier. I'm enjoying my emotions even when they are not happy ones and catch myself thinking through what it really is I'm feeling etc. Interesting new development. Just realised something else, it's in the present that we change, that we are transformed.

Having a Rest

2008-06-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

Food: 2 bananas, orange and pineapple juice, bunch of grapes, some dates, small bag of cashews
Exercise: Escalators, long walk

I fasted yesterday, I'm back to my one day a week fasting . If you fast one day a week for a whole year, you are going without food for 14% of the year, imagine the rest you give your body not to mention the the ripple effect on your finances, the environment, the time you can spend on something else.. If you keep going at one day a week after seven years you would have fasted for the equivalent of one year imagine the rest and rejuvenation for the body.

I read a recommendation somewhere of one day a week, one week a month and one month a year.

This is not the same as starvation, or an eating disorder or being forced to go with out because there is no food. This is voluntary fasting from a place of love with the full understanding of what it means and what to expect. It has spiritual, physical and mental benefits.

Fasting is not something you just jump into, in the same way you don't just jump into running for a marathon, you train for it! First of all you prepare your mind, you read and learn about the discipline, then you start to practise e.g. with fasting start with one meal or snack time and monitor your feelings, your body etc. You can do this with support of a health practitioner.

I always find extended fasts much easier than one day fasts. The first day is the hardest it's that jarring between eating (sometimes continuously) and then not. But once you've relaxed into it it's very liberating, your mind becomes very focused. Initially there may be detox symptoms, depending on how you eat.

My little toes were sore from a pair of sandals I bought and yesterday the pain completely disappeared. I felt very peaceful too. Plus I had a real boost to my self-esteem for seeing it through.

I've been fasting regularly now for two years and a half years (sometimes water and sometimes with fresh juice). I'm really glad I did the training, and I still am training... It's a habit that can easily get lost because it's so contrary to modern lifestyles, but it's one I personally want to keep.

Ebbs and Flows

2008-06-18T13:32:00.000-07:00

Food: 10 bananas, some dates, salad of leaves, carrot, sweetcorn and avocado, a large handful of cashews and almonds
Exercise: Escalators and brisk walking

Before last night I hadn't eaten a banana for about five or six days, basically because I had to wait for them to ripen! So I found I was eating less fruit say in a day some grapes, a salad and some nuts. But was feeling tired in the mornings and less inclined to run. Was on period too but doesn't affect my running. Last night had quite a few bananas. And today I felt more energised. I need more fruit than salads/nuts to maintain a good equilibrium. Although sometimes I want lots of salads that I can just chew and chew. I go with it for as long as I need to. The principle is natural biologically appropriate foods, but the detail for each individual will be different and will change over time as our bodies get stronger, our needs change and we improve the rest of our lifestyle.

I like bananas and dates as my staples. Others prefer citrus or apples and pears. I also enjoy eating big bunches of grapes particularly if I'm out and about as they also help quench my thirst. I'm also loving pineapple and orange juice. I don't really eat pineapple cut up, not that I don't but I much prefer it juiced and the same for oranges. If I could have only one thing it would be fresh orange juice.

I've gone off tomatoes for a while. But drawn to a carrot/lettuce mix after Italy. And have had a break from spinach. I also cooled off mangoes but have some organic ones ripening for later in the week. Previously I'd pretty much abandoned carrots.

That's the beauty of eating this way, you can eat very simply and get abundant nutrition. You just eat what you're drawn to within the principle of natural eating.

We don't really have to worry about nutrient content of foods we would just eat what are bodies are designed to eat. Animals don't check they are getting enough protein they just eat within the boundaries of their design and hunger. But we do have the benefit of scientific study which only confirms time and time again the importance of more fruit and veg in the diet.

Hmmmm....think about it.

Healthy Mind

2008-06-13T16:51:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Lots of brisk walking
Food: 1 L Freshly squeezed orange juice, cashew nuts and large salad of leaves, carrot and sweetcorn with a touch of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (not altogether!)

I'm devouring more of my Living Nutrition magazines. The content is just so great and I will be subscribing to the rebranded, redesigned version (now called Vibrance). http://www.livingnutrition.com/

I've just reread an article called the Organic Mind by Lee Glickstein (www.speakingcircles.com)
Lee explains how we can develop an organic mind as opposed to a conventional mind to match and express our developing physical vitality as we go more raw. An organic mind is fertile, fluid and flexible among other things while a conventional mind is rigid with assumptions, 'right ways' and judgements.

These are Lee's suggestions for creating an Organic Mind,
1. Appreciate others like you would appreciate a tree, a river or a fruit i.e. with no judgement
2. Listen while you speak, and softly maintain eye contact
3. Notice natural silence and join it every day
4. Let your judgements pass. Laugh at yourself
5. Listen, listen, listen, softly and with your whole body, listen to the essence of others

And his seven traits of the Organic Mind,
1. Appreciates silence and acts from a foundation of listening
2. Listens to the essence of others and speaks only into the essence of others
3. Conversations move quickly through content into the sharing of meaningful ideas
4. Meets every person through soft, available eyes
5. Is down to earth, laughs and cries easily
6. Thinks less and less about more and more
7. Thinks universally

A lot to munch on there! But such great stuff...

Raw in Roma

2008-06-11T16:35:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Escalators
Food: 8 bananas, salad with leaves, avocado, sun-dried tomato, carrot, gherkins, and pesto dressing, bread, tortilla chips nibbled in Fresh and Wild, cashew nuts

I have been in Italy these past few days, first to a wedding in Pescara and then to Rome. The wedding was beautiful in a little village outside Pescara. The reception was held in a castle and on the way we passed fig trees, olive trees and apricots trees, how amazing is that! I want to live there!! I had the juiciest plumpest olives at the canape reception pre dinner. Re dietary requirements, I simply said vegan, no wheat or dairy and that am really happy with a salad. But didn't specifically mention raw.

So knew it would be okay, and also as long as my body was happy and I felt alright eating something then I would go with it. It was a classic five course meal, while everyone was complaining that they had overeaten on lots of meat, I felt just fine. My first course was vegetable soup, then a trio of boiled broad beans, courgettes and another vegetable I can't remember, then I had a plate of mushrooms and potato, then a mixed salad of leaves lightly dressed and finally a plate of seasonal fruit. I had about three conversations with people who asked me about my eating choices and it was really great to talk to them. In some ways I was slightly dreading it but then I would remind myself everything was okay, that I could eat what I wanted, and that I could just be me even if different, this wasn't about labels.

And of course when I said that it was easy! To top it off we danced the night away..

The first night before the wedding some of us went for a pizza, I really didn't want pizza or pasta or rice so one of my friends asked for them to prepare a salad for me. It was very simple, leaves, carrot and sweetcorn, lightly dressed. It was one of the best meals I have ever had.They had given me a good sized bowl but I was still hungry (probably helped by the fact that we arrived at the hotel at 7pm after setting off at 10am from London that morning!) So this time I got the italian words needed to ask for another one and they brought me a huge bowl and it was still delicious. I guess I had paid them a compliment by asking for another one and they rewarded me well!! It was in my top 10 of raw meals, hunger met simple nourishing fare.

Rome was wonderful and it was good to be back again. My hotel was perfect with a fruit stall at the end of the road that also served freshly sqeezed oj do you see why I say that I am the most blessed woman in the whole world? It's run by a charming lady called Augusta, check it out if you go on Via Della Vite off Piazza Spagna. It was quite blissful to eat when and what I wanted. To spend the whole day walking outside in the air and sunshine, feasting on the sights and poking my head into various ancient and modern nooks and crannies. I revisited an old favourite Cafe Magnolia who do about 10 different creative salads as well as pizza and pasta so a good place to bring friends. Of course it came with bread and I had some. I know I was sleepy from the dancing of the night before and all the travelling but that night I slept for 12 hours straight and could have slept more but got up at noon because I didn't come to Rome to sleep!! That's the effect on me good to have the reminder...

It's good to be home..

Everyone Needs Compassion

2008-06-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Escalators
Food: 8 bananas, fresh Oj, cashew nuts mixed salad with carrot, leaves, avocado, sundried tomato and sweetcorn, a handful of dates a few hours after the salad

Deep down I know that it would have been a good to fast today. I wasn't feeling hungry and felt my body could do with a rest especially as I had quite a few cashew nuts which needed to be fully digested.

Did I then fast, heck no, I carried on business as usual. I soon felt the consequences, my body certainly didn't want the cashews. And I could feel it trying to get equilibrium! A couple of loo visits and everything was fine!

There is a quote that goes something like, "Greatness is being courteous and kind to everyone especially when there is no apparent benefit".

And I was thinking it would be lovely if we could be kind to ourselves as well, not just how we treat our spirit, mind and body i.e. what we eat , how we move around etc but also when we mess up and make the wrong choice. Like me today! Compassion brings hope. So let's be kind to ourselves so we can be kind to others.

We are the revolution..

Repetition

2008-06-01T17:56:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Run, escalators
Food: 3 bananas, banana and Dr Martins's coco milk smoothies, handful of almonds, some dates, some chocolate and some sun-blushed tomatoes from tomorrow's salad

Read something in Mike Brescia's (of Think Right Now fame, see links) email today which reinforced what I'm learning about how we use our imagination. He stated we use the following to keep in our minds eye the things we want to achieve, i.e how to remember them

- repetition of word pictures
- repetition of positive thought
- mental pictures
- mental movies
- affirmations

So the question is does this work, yes! It's how we learnt our times table as kids, it's how we learnt to develop good handwriting (okay some are still working on that one) and it's how we would get excited about going on holiday to name a few.

It can seem like magic when it all kicks in the secret is that while doing this you will start to get insights and nudges to do things or stop doing things. That is your plan working out for you. So if you are getting a niggling that it's a time to explore something it's worth checking it out, e.g. going veggie, eating more raw, becoming organised etc.

For eating healthy you might write daily affirmations on how you feel when you eat right, then use encouraging thoughts to keep doing what you need to do, play a mental movie of where you are now and where you are headed.

Habit is God's way of helping us to experience good all the time!! But we get to choose... all the time.

Come Join The Party!

2008-05-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Escalators
Food: 5 bananas, smoothie (celery, papaya, mango and pear), bunch of grapes, big salad - lettuce, sun-dried tomato, carrot, sweetcorn, pine nuts, pesto dressing

Another of my friends is getting intentional with her eating, she's vegetarian four days a week now in order to in her words, save the planet, and a girl at the yoga weekend asked me if I was a raw-fooder, she'd obviously been observing what I was eating! She said I looked great and was glowing, which was lovely to hear. I've gotten used to a certain level of being eating like this plus all the other adventures I'm on, so it's always blows me away when the results are so obvious to someone else. She herself tried raw for six months and thinks it's time to make it more permanent.

And.. okay not one of my girlfriends per se, but Oprah has gone vegan (for 21 days)!
Read more here
http://www2.oprah.com/foodhome/food/cleanse/blog/blog_main.jhtml?promocode=HP42

I love the comment at the end,
Kathy Freston's Comments: External "fillers"—like soda and chips—leave you feeling empty and wanting more. Yearning, dissatisfied. To really feel substantially filled and nurtured and cared for, it has to come from something that is not outside of us. If you are pushed against a wall or challenged, try to remind yourself that you need not do and be everything.

If more people knew that they would be experiencing more freedom. It's these 'moments of truth' that bring awareness. We reach for 'soda and chips' or whatever it is we reach for, it could be any thing to damp down those emotions.. 'healthy food' does not promote health in our body if we don't actually need it, it becomes excess and something else for the body to deal with. I remember being offered some strawberries once and I said 'no thanks!' 'but it's fruit' they said. I'm not hungry and I don't want them but I'm meant to shove them down because they're fruit? It's completely a different matter if I want to shove them down!

Well if you doing the veggie, vegan, journey you know you're only a couple of tube stops from 'more raw' and 'all raw' !!!

Yoga

2008-05-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Yoga, escalators and run
Food: Oj, 3 bananas, green salad with avocado, cashews and a few dates

Am doing a yoga and meditation weekend today and tomorrow. It was so lovely the centre is in Oakwood, so tonnes of greenery and what a gorgeous, delicious sunny day today!!

Giovanni (who looks like George Clooney with Mel Gibson's eyes, true! Serious potential for lookalike work there) guided us humorously and sensitively through four sessions of meditation interspersed with yoga stretches and poses.
http://www.rolfing-yoga.com/flash1.html
http://www.wccmretreatcentre.org.uk/

I'm really enjoying getting into meditation, just being present. Felt very detached afterwards but in a good way, just being in the midst of everything. The day ran from 10 to 5 with break for lunch and a wander. Lunch was a mix of vegetarian and vegan fare.

I felt light and floaty at the end so despite being out the whole day, then doing two trips for food shopping, I felt compelled to go for an evening run. And it was just the right conditions, cool and breezy!

Have noticed yesterday (off work) and today that I'm not eating as much but not sure if this is a trend yet, because when I'm not at work ie doing the things that I really, really want to do, food moves down the agenda. I was thinking that lots of people I come across don't like their jobs or are feeling unfulfilled. Which means they must be living off purpose, so is it any wonder we are eating off purpose too?

Anyhoo will see how I go. I may be moving to a new level in my raw journey. Haven't craved anything this past week, seems chips may have fallen off the 'attachments' list completely. Was going to get some edamame on Friday and I felt a check in my body like it didn't want that. It was very subtle but immediately turned round thinking 'no don't want that'. At another time I might get a go ahead signal. In a similar vein I had some nuts this evening and felt like I had enough, then went back and had some more although not a lot. But I felt that check, although I ignored it!

A Parallel Universe

2008-05-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Exercise: Escalators
Food: litre of OJ, about 10 bananas, handful of cashews and almonds, green salad - baby spinach, peas, avocado, celery, cucumber and raw pesto

Sometimes I have moments where it feels like I am living in some weird and wonderful world of my own (indeed I am and so are you!) with the various journeys I have embarked/am embarking on in every area of my life, and it is literally every area. So much is changing or changed, just a few,

- I don't watch TV (not a rule or a conscious decision would watch if I wanted to, it simply went from medium priority to low priority to zero priority. )
- I would not have called myself a nature-lover before now I know that I am
- While not being a beach lover I wouldn't have been my choice to visit a cold country during their cold season. That is not an issue now
- I shop intentionally, I visualise what I'm looking for and then go and find it. I no longer shop to escape or for retail therapy anymore. Still enjoy shopping just clearer about my objectives!
- I eat a natural, unprocessed plant-based diet. A colleague asked me if it was hard eating out as there is so much I can't eat. I said everywhere does a salad! Also explained I'm not doing this from a place of deprivation but of abundance. I can eat ANYTHING I want, it's just that I choose not to. Big difference.
- My courage muscle is growing bigger!
- My desire to learn is huge
- Much better able to detach from emotions
- Trusting God's work

quote from author Neale Walsch... "You can live a charmed life, and there is a formula by which you can make this work." Here is the formula: "You can live a charmed life by causing othersto live a charmed life. That is, be the source of "charm" - ofcharming moments and experiences in the life of another." "Be everyone else's lucky charm! Make all who you touch today feel"lucky" that you crossed their path. Do this for a week and watchthings change. Do it for a month and you'll be a different person."***

I'm taking up this challenge....

And,

"To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing it's best, night and day, to make you like everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight - and never stop fighting.

E.E Cummings, poet

Coolio.

Awareness Is The First Step To Freedom

2008-05-19T16:13:00.001-07:00

Exercise: Run, escalators
Food: Green smoothie - mango, apple and rocket, 2 bananas, 600g grapes, salad - lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, celery, tomatoes and raw basil pesto, almonds dipped in raw honey

Despite having about 5 hours sleep I woke up really wanting to run. I realised this was probably due to the fact that I had gone to bed saying I'm going for a run tomorrow. I also stopped eating quite early 8/9ish and had a couple of pints of water between that time and going to bed.

Today I didn't eat until 12 noon, had good long gaps between my 'meals' green smoothie at noon, grapes around 2, bananas around 4pm and salad about 4.30 and almonds when I got in around 8.30pm.

I have been dipping into my sister's book 'The Wisdom of Florence Scovel Shinn'. Go and buy this book for the sake of your spiritual health. We are spiritual beings. Hmmm yes you might feel uncomfortable but it's true, and you will never truly 'get it' until you embrace that. Anyway go buy that book, read the reviews on Amazon.

I was thinking today how sometimes when we tell someone about some new thing we are doing or someone tells us about some new thing their doing, we or they can get distinctly agitated. And what it is, is that we feel threatened or that we have to change. The ironic thing is that if we genuinely feel that way we are probably not living very congruent lives and it may be change is needed! But essentially the thing is you don't have to do anything, just be open to the possibility of new insights that can enhance your life, that way you'll recognise if and when you need to change.

It's a quality that certain people have to listen to another's experience and not feel defensive or judgemental. I once met a lovely guy who I talked to for ages and what struck me is I was saying some unconventional things by 'mainstream' standards in terms of my lifestyle etc and he was just so comfortable and happy in his skin listening to me. And that was when I realised what an attractive quality he had (and the rest!). People like that have something precious. I have a number of friends who have that same gift/maturity and it's a blessing to be around. They are people who you can just be yourself with while still growing into greater things.

Awareness is such a catalyst for freedom. Just recognising the truth of something whether it's a pattern of thinking in our own lives, or the fact that our lifestyle habits are not supporting our vision of ourselves etc can precipitate massive action. i.e. as Bob Proctor states in 'You were born rich' - the highest level of being is, thinking good thoughts -which lead to idea- manifest in physical. But how we tend to live is look at our current physical condition - think how to solve it - and then come up with idea. Always, always the VISION comes first regardless of your current circumstances.

Remember when I said when I was little I used the think that there was a definite way of good health. What we hold deep in our minds has huge impact on our life for better or worse. We get to choose. Get the Florence book!