Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Contemplating spiritual ecstasy

There are so many things I want to write in this post that I am not sure I will be able to fit them all in tonight...First of all, I'm feeling much better. My nausea and indigestion are all gone, hallelujah! Next, I've been wanting to discuss my "raw status" for a while now. So, at the beginning of all this blogging a few months ago, I still had some cooked food in my diet such as chocolate tarts and cooked vegetables. I wanted to share the observation here on the blog that I have not been eating any cooked food lately. I am not going to worry about being "100%" raw from now on because I feel like that would be potentially limiting myself and depriving/denying myself something. Plus, I am finding that I prefer to concern myself with what I am eating and how I am feeling right now as opposed to what I will be eating in the future. Notwithstanding, I have noticed myself naturally gravitating towards all and higher raw. I have been physically craving more fresh foods and less nuts/seeds. (Note: on an emotional level, I am still wanting to eat lots of nuts/fats/sweet things). I also had a new salad dressing today that I really loved: fresh orange juice with pulp, chopped fresh tarragon, hemp seed oil, and sea salt. It was so much 'softer' than my usual vinaigrette which has a good bit of apple cider vinegar in it. I felt like I could enjoy the flavors of the greens in the salad so much more without the strong vinegar flavor. I got the idea for this dressing from the salad that Tommie brought to the raw food potluck this past weekend. Speaking of the raw food potluck, click below if you would like to see photos of the raw food potluck and the yummy things I ate on Sunday:
2007 April Raw Food Potluck

Today I have consumed 1 coco/Bmax drink, 1 usual salad with dressing described above, 1/2 cup ground pecans w/ 2 T ground cacao and agave nectar, 20 oz kombucha, a bit of sweet tea, and 1 cup arame seaweed salad.

I've been doing a good bit of contemplating lately...and a little bit of reading, too. I would like to share a few passages from a raw food book that I was browsing through for recipe ideas today.

The bulk of The Raw Food Gourmet: Going Raw for Total Well-being by Gabrielle Chavez is raw food recipes and tips, but in the very back of the book, there is a chapter titled "Raw Spirituality". I'm pretty sure I have read this chapter before, but the words seemed new and fresh to me this afternoon. Ms. Chavez, a Christian and theologian writes, "I believe that eating raw not only supports spiritual practice, it is a spiritual practice, one that is available to all seekers." Yes. I feel that. I feel so strongly about raw foods and my feelings keep growing stronger over time. To say that it is my passion is true. To say that it is my religion doesn't seem quite right. To say that it is my spiritual practice sounds exactly right.

So as the days go by, I find myself going deeper and deeper into this soul-searching journey of mine. And I am definitely searching. Here is a passage by Ms. Chavez that really hit home for me:

The ability to attune to and experience a greater reality is a sought-after prize even in our Western, materialistic society. People might seek such experience in nature, art, sexuality, consciousness-altering substances, and/or religious ritual. But seekers invariably find that what's in the way of a deeper connection with higher Beingness is their own selves. We are too distracted, too tired, too confused, too anxious, too restless, too stuck in physical, emotional, and mental malfunction to taste and see and feel spiritual ecstasy. The challenge then becomes not so much to find God or some Higher Power, but to change what it is about ourselves that prevents joyful communion.

...
the challenge then becomes not to find God or a Higher Power, but to change what it is about ourselves that prevents joyful communion. Hmmm...I want to change the things about myself that prevent joyful communion. I must give myself credit for coming a long way, but I also know that I have plenty of room for more joyful communion:) I've been asking myself many questions lately...Am I on the right path? Am I doing the right thing right now - leaving my market work and just being here at home, contemplating? Should I reach out to others about raw foods or should I just hush up about it? How can I go further and grow more? How can I experience higher Beingness, joyful communion and spiritual ecstasy?

Ms. Chavez writes on healing ourselves and the world:

I was surprised and delighted with my growing awareness of the life energy of plants as I began to incorporate them into my diet while they were still alive. My lifelong habit has been to pluck a fruit or vegetable from the tree or ground or produce bin and consume it as though it were mine because I grew it or bought it. Now that seems inconsiderate of the life I intend to eat, so I am learning to lovingly acknowledge its existence and even have the courtesy to ask before taking. The joy that beams back when I remember to do this confirms for me that life is connected through consciousness. Dorothy MacLean, one of the founders of the Findhorn community, teaches that communion with the plant and devic kindoms of God is a timely part of human spiritual evolution. The plants not only nourish and heal us, they can teach us from their wisdom how to restore and heal the earth. Healing is not complete until all kingdoms are at one...

We are all in this together as communal beings and individual wellness cannot be attained, finally, until everyone is well. Spiritual people understand and welcome this truth with its attendant call to service. I believe that raw fooders already serve by taking responsibility for their dietary health and by consuming fewer of the earth's resources. Sharing our good food and what we've learned about is also a great service. Let us be prepared to do even more. Investing one's time and energy to help heal the world makes for a satsisfying, meaningful life as well as a long and healthy one.

Here are the answers I have so far: I do believe in plants. I do believe that they are the key to healing ourselves and the world. That is why I am trying to become more intimate with them right now through gardening. That is why I am continuing to eat raw foods. Plants are one of the only things that makes complete sense to me right now. I do believe in sharing. That is why I have begun this blog. I will continue to share as long as it feels right.

I will close this all with one last quote from Ms. Chavez, "
When the food we take in thrums with life, so do we. Grateful, we may open our hearts, adding love to love. As we embrace the flow of life blessing us, gratitude grows to joy and joy rises to ecstasy."




9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gabrielle has a way with words! Amazing! Have you looked into Findhorn yet? It's an incredible story...
I hope to visit there someday!

Here's to joyful communion!

your pal,

Marcus

Anonymous said...

Just Lovely Audry! I MUST pick up a copy of that book! Sounds like something I'll really enjoy! And as always, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us so openly and honestly :o)

XO Gena

Linda in the Raw said...

That was a lovely post! Thank you for sharing! I so admire you. I am enjoying to progress of your garden! Kepp up the good work!

Linda

Audry said...

Thanks, Linda! This post and the following one were really special to me. I'm glad you enjoyed it:)

Anonymous said...

Audry, thank you for sharing yourself with all of us. We tried you cocoa, nut butter and honey idea tonight. It was great! Keep up the good work. We are fellow gardeners, seekers, lovers of the earth and raw foodies in Oregon!

Lovingraw said...

you are going to so love Anastasia after I read this post... : )

Lovingraw said...

you are going to so love Anastasia after I read this post... : )

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for your wonderful post and I feel that you will share and encourage others towards live foods when you are ready or when spirit urges you to. There is a great bit of understanding going on in the quantum physics field that strengthens the connection we all share. Although quantum physics is still maintaining the position that humanity is the creator of reality, in time they will come to understand that the wisdom of the Creator flows through Life and by partaking directly from the "source" through raw, organic, living foods, we gain insight into the organizing principles of God which will facilitate the evolution of humanity into one unified society based on the principles of Love and Life.

Namaste my friend,

Scott

Audry said...

Thank you, Scott. I enjoyed your insights. Beautifully put.