Tag Archives: Raw Food for Thought

Finding Your Inner Bliss

marcandangel.com

marcandangel.com

As humans our optimal state is one of unconquerable euphoria. The root of being is pure consciousness: blissful, limitless, and abundant. We are able to access it through the thoughts we conjure up in our heads. With our minds we are able to orchestrate our own Earthly existence. With virtuous thoughts we create enjoyable experiences, and with impure thoughts we harvest seeds of doubt thus bringing chaos and blockage into fruition.  How do we rid ourselves of potential darkness and despair? Well I say, “When in doubt, cut it out!”

Operating from a place of fear and anxiety affects the chemical makeup of the brain altering not only the thoughts we have in the present moment but also those of the future. When we tense up in thought we prepare the body for danger. Worry is the minds way of tricking the body into believing that it is in harms way. From constant worry our body becomes accustomed to being in reaction mode. We are unable to make rational decisions and fall victim to irrational behavior.

“Bliss or pure consciousness contains infinite potential; it is open to any outcome. When you experience this quality, you are no longer bound by fixed habits and beliefs. The horizon seems open, the future full of possibilities.  The greater your experience of pure potential, the more creative you become.”~Deepak Chopra.

This week I challenge you to dig deep and get to the root so you can live blissfully.

~Namaste

Sihnuu

To read more about Sihnuu visit here.

Inspiration to Go RAW!

shutterstock_678797471-RAW-NUTRITION

A lot of people on the raw path have mentioned to me the pressure they feel to be 100% raw. My philosophy after being 100% for a long while and then shifting to around 90% or more on a given day depending on how I feel and where I am is that YOU should do YOU. Follow your bliss. Healthy living shouldn’t ever be strained or stressful. If you find yourself focused on trying to maintain dietary restrictions and it’s causing you drama, by all means necessary allow yourself more freedom. A lot of people can attest to the fact that there is something wonderful and even somewhat magical about being in the 100% raw zone, but anyone can get massive benefits just by incorporating more raw foods into their diet. The only way you can know it for sure, is to go for it! Check out below an inspirational post from my buddy Aiya, creator of Black Vegan Love who is currently on a 100% raw fast. -XoXo Raw Girl 

When I first learned about a raw food diet in 2007 I was reluctant to try it. Being vegan with so many dietary exclusions (due to many many food allergies) was already difficult at the time, but to limit my diet even more?? I didn’t think I could do it. But nonetheless, my BFF Olayinka and I aimed to try it for at least a month. We had such an amazing healing experience, we ended up doing 100% rawfor 8 months. I even stayed raw during a trip to Paris (that ish was definitely a test of my will, with all their amazing culinary preparations lol).

I gotta be real with you though…

The first few weeks were a nightmare for me. I went through a detox to end all detoxes. I was tired all the time and had to virtually camp out beside the toilet. This lasted 3 full weeks. But after that first month passed something started to happen. I actually started to feel good. Not just kinda good, really really good! Like the best I’d ever felt in my life!

I felt blissful and light, my nose finally stopped running (was a problem since I was a child), I stopped needing to take asthma medicine. The occasional headaches I had disappeared. Menstrual cycles no longer were a problem. My overall energy increased. My stomach aches went away. Skin cleared up. My indoor and outdoor allergies became a thing of the past. And I became regular like nobody’s business (lmao, sorry had to go there lol).

Here’s a list of the foods that I couldn’t eat (since childhood) before going raw. All of which I could eat (and still can eat) afterwards.

Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, split peas, lentils, chickpeas, pineapple, and a gagillion more!

To me it was nothing short of a miracle. I started tripping out over the prospect. Food can do this!?! Why didn’t anyone tell me this before!?! Who else knows about this? Lol.

This is why I have maintained an 80% raw diet since then, while always aiming for 100%.

But don’t take my word for it. Nothing to it but to do it!! 

To learn more about Aiya, check out and like her page on Facebook: Black Vegan Love

The Dangers of Consuming GMOs

Genetic-Engineering

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Do you have any idea how much of the food you eat is genetically modified?? If your answer is no, or if you have never stopped to consider it, join the club. Most Americans have no idea that majority of what they eat is indeed “frankenfood.” Even if you are in the small group of concerned GMO-aware consumers, it still can take some serious leg work to ensure that you avoid eating fake foods and get your natural fix. Several weeks ago, I wrote a long form paper on the dangers of GMO’s. Below is an excerpt from the paper. It’s longer than my usual posts, but if you do not know much about GMOs or even if you think you do, I encourage you indulge me. It may cause you to think twice about what you put in your shopping cart. -XoXo Raw Girl

In our modern day maelstrom of technology and innovation, genetically modified organisms have become commonplace, although they were once thought highly unnatural. A genetically modified organism (GMO) is defined as an “organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.” Organisms that have been genetically modified include microorganisms like bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish, and mammals. It is also commonly defined as: “any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology.” According to the Grocery Manufacturers Association,” Seventy-five to eighty percent of all processed foods available on grocery store shelves contain GMOs.” In addition the USDA has stated that an estimated ninety four percent of soy and seventy five percent of all corn produced in the U.S. are genetically modified organisms. Most Americans have no barometer as to whether or not the food they are consuming is natural or unnatural. As an average consumer, if you were to closely assess all food intake that may contain GMOs, you may be shocked to discover that the majority of the foods you consume daily are genetically engineered. Although genetically engineered plants and animals have been approved for sale and consumption, genetically modified plant and animal species can have deleterious effects on the environment and on the lifespan of humans.

From prehistoric times until the 1900s humans generally lived on food that was gathered from nature. Around 1900, some variations of species or hybrids were discovered. In 1953, scientists documented their discovery of the three dimensional double helix structure of DNA, but it wasn’t until 1973 that scientists created the first successful recombinant DNA organism or man-made DNA. At the Asimolar Conference in 1975 a group of biologists, lawyers, and doctors convened to create guidelines for safe use of genetically engineered DNA. Five years later the first patent of GMO organisms was issued and in 1992 the FDA declared that genetically engineered foods are “not inherently dangerous” and do not require special regulations. Two years later in 1994 the FDA approved the first genetically modified food to go to market; the Flavr Savr tomato which had delayed ripening. In 1997, due to the overwhelming proliferation of GMOs the European Union ordered mandatory labeling of all GMO foods including animal feed. By 1999, over 100 million acres all of the world were planted with genetically engineered seeds and stores were stocked full with GMO foods.

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dailygalaxy.com

Since the inception of man-made DNA leading into the present day where GMOs are commonplace, the United States and the FDA has not called for special regulations nor required mandatory labeling of all GMO foods. Even more important to note, no clinical trials of genetically engineered foods have been conducted to investigate and prove the claims the FDA made about GMOs not having any serious effects on health. Although the European Union has been labeling and creating a transparent system to warn and inform consumers since 1997, the average American consumer has no way to be one hundred percent sure what is in their food without extensive research.

If you look at the trends in health in the United States since the mid 1990’s you will discover that the number of Americans suffering from at least three chronic diseases almost doubled, infant mortality rate has increased, and life expectancy has decreased. Jeffrey Smith, filmmaker and author of Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, asserts that all of these changes in the health of America are due to the change in our food supply. Genetic engineering and GMOs have been the most drastic and major change to the U.S. food supply within this time period. In addition to the increase in chronic diseases the number of people contracting autoimmune disorders has increased exponentially. Genetically engineered foods, are foods that are created by combining or essentially mixing and matching genes from genetically modified organisms. Therefore the final product is something non-existent in nature and foreign to our bodies’ code. Autoimmune disorders occur when the the body begins to attack itself, or is unable to distinguish between foreign and normal matter. If the body takes in food that is unnatural and does not recognize the code it begins to attack it as if it is a foreign invader or toxin, which throws the body into defense mode. An inflammatory response is created, which is the main culprit for all chronic diseases.

In addition to this, in a report entitled “GMOs and Truths,” it was discovered and proven that most of the myths that claim that GMO foods are safe are actually false. GMO foods are less nutritious than organic natural non-engineered foods, they pose real dangers to human health and harm the environment and farmers. With these truths exposed there is a clear moral and ethical dilemma that has yet to be addressed while the FDA and other organizations and brands continue to advertise that GMOs pose no serious threats to long term health, allow for false and misleading advertising to consumers, and do not impose regulations that would at the very least allow each consumer to make a personal and informed decision on whether or not to consume genetically engineered foods. The two major GMO crops are soy and corn. In a scientific study conducted on female rats, the rats who were fed a diet of GMO soy experienced a drastically higher infant death rate. The infants that did survive were smaller and less fertile than the rats fed a diet of non-GMO soy. Male rats when fed GMO soy had a complete color change in their testicles and their diet caused damage to their sperm. Other problems related to fertility have been documented in animals that are fed GMO corn and cottonseed as well. In another study, French researchers discovered that rats who were fed high doses of Monsanto’s GMO corn contracted tumors and also suffered from damage to multiple organs.

Beyond human health, the planting of genetically engineered crops and the farming of animal products has been proven to have adverse effects on our environment. Some of the most dramatic effects documented by scientists include the evolution of GMOs into “superweeds,” the ability for GMO crops to cross pollinate and contaminate normal organic crops  producing undesirable genetic traits, and the general harm that can be done to other plants from exposure to GMO crops or their pesticides. In the instance of animal species, there is the danger that genetically engineered animals with new characteristics such as fish which are designed to grow faster, meatier chickens, and disease resistant shrimp could by accident escape their farming grounds and somehow wipe out other natural species of animals and plants. Science advisors have warned that there is not a thorough process in place for reviewing the environmental impacts of genetically engineered species. Thus speculations could be grossly underestimating the harmful effects on the environment. Other scientists assert that some of these fast growing fish for example do have an advantage over other species in the wild but their offspring are not equipped to survive in natural conditions which could lead to the extinction of entire species. In addition to this, wildlife experts have argued that the FDA may be the best regulatory authority on drugs, but should not have jurisdiction on whether or not a product or species could adversely affect the environment.

independentwestand.org

independentwestand.org

The first proposed solution to the genetic engineering awareness problem, would involve mandatory labeling of all GMO foods sold in the marketplace. There are several ways this could be handled. The first would be for the FDA to buckle down and approve this measure as a standard. If the FDA was unable to swiftly mandate this kind of labeling, a counter-campaign could be run to get all companies that are GMO-free to label their products with a non-GMO stamp. Similar to the “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” campaign, it would emphasize supporting companies who produce non-GMO products. In order for this labeling to have weight, all non-GMO products would have to be verified and their would have to be regulations in place, monitoring, and penalties for companies that falsely use the label on their products. There are major benefits to this proposal including the health and safety of consumers, increasing the transparency and ethical standards of the marketplace, and giving consumers a fair choice whether or not they would like to support GMO products. Another major advantage which may not be able to be quantified immediately would be related to the reduction in healthcare costs and medical expenses that would have been incurred if the continued consumption of GMO foods was increasing.

In addition to open and honest labeling, extensive clinical studies must be conducted especially on the effects of GMO corn, soy, and canola, all of which are the most prevalent derivatives used in prepackaged foods. Considering how much of these products are available to the U.S. public and sold to the masses, it should be a national priority that once labeling of GMOs is complete, a group of top tier scientists spend adequate time testing the long term effects of genetically engineered foods on human health. Equipped with the results from these studies the FDA and consumers would be able to rally for additional regulations and/or banning completely of certain products from the market place.

Similar studies would need to be conducted to assess or at the very least project potential damage to the environment as a result of farming of new species of animals and plants. To begin the most important step would be creating a set of regulations the farming of any such animals that outlines the types of secure breeding circumstances required to minimize the threat of those animals contaminating the natural species. With plants it’s important for scientists to research what the full effects of “superweeds,” pesticide producing plants, and cross contamination of species could have on our environment and human health. It will be especially beneficial to assess potential harmful effects while also keeping in mind climate change. The most direct benefits of these studies may be to prevent mass extinction of natural species of plants and animals, and possibly to create some sort of solution that may counteract any negative effects that GMO farming has already caused our environment.

The Queen of Southern Fried Needs to Go VEGAN

If you missed this bit of news in January of this year, Paula Deen, Queen of all things southern fried and buttery, went public with the fact that she has type 2 diabetes and has known for several years. I heard about this and was not surprised. The woman has a recipe for Fried Cheesecake for heaven sakes. We all love food personalities that offer fun and easy ways to prepare good food, but you cannot push butter dipped, fried, and sugar laden foods on people and expect them to thrive.

What Paula has done is make an empire off of Southern home cooking and the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) which consists of butter, heavy cream, salt, sugar, flour, and all things processed while sacrificing the long-term health and well-being of her fans and now, even herself. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain called her “the worst most dangerous person to America,” and further asserted “when you’ve been cheerfully selling this stuff knowing all along that you have type 2 diabetes it’s in bad taste, if nothing else.”  Today, I was reminded of Paula Deen when I came across comedienne Kristen Wiig’s SNL skit. It had me DYING with laughter. You can check out the video via the link below. She applies butter as lip gloss at some point in the video. It’s too much hilarity.

I laughed until my sides ached, but when I finished the video, I felt sorry for Paula Deen. No one should have to live with diabetes or any debilitating disease. I hope that somehow she stumbles upon the documentary Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days and watches it. If she does she may learn that raw foods can completely reverse her condition, and maybe she would even venture over to the veggy team. That would be revolutionary. The former Queen of Southern Fried could become a Vegan poster girl, and may lead some other folks lost in the land of butter and cream to the veggie promise land. Until then, Team VEGAN is definitely winning. Those of us who do it right get to satisfy our taste buds, are getting the nutrients our bodies’ need, look younger, feel energized, and would never touch a Southern fried anything. -XoXo Raw Girl

Click here to watch the SNL skit: http://eater.com/archives/2012/03/11/snl-parodies-paula-deens-lawsuit-diabetes.php

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma9ysdY30XU]

Raw Food Energy = Sacred Feminine Energy

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way!  On a quiet day, if you listen carefully, you can hear her breathing.”
–Arundhati Roy

Inspired today by an interesting and in hindsight disconcerting experience in relation to my feminine energy. I started to ruminate on how nature is very feminine in cycle as we go from season to season, and vegetation dies and is birthed over and over. The more I stay on the raw path, the deeper sense of intuition I seem to feel—a certain opening to spirit energy that gets cloudy when my diet isn’t as clean. That connection tends to speak to me and guide me, but I sometimes I don’t trust it enough to give in fully.

In my ruminations today it dawned on me that giving into a plant-based diet is in essence making the choice to commune with that sacred feminine energy wholly and completely. Our planet is  in disaray and polluted with too much masculine energy as we continue to create chaos through wars, killing, raping, pillaging and then doing it all over again. I struggle personally with the sense that many men I meet want to keep me in a box—some sort of strange socially constructed idea of femininity  inspired by pornography that relegates women to mere objects to be used for sexual pleasure, or whose sexuality is meant to be postured for the entertainment of men.  Our culture denigrates all that is sacred; and food and sex are so connected. Just like fast food, sacred feminine energy and nature are literally pimped out for all they can offer in the fastest, most convenient way. Feelings, respect, and divine communion are lacking in our toxic world. And if you are someone with pure intentions who yearns for just that, it can be hard to know how to maneuver your way through our fast food fast sex culture.

In truth feminine energy just like the energy of plant life is sacred, and this is what gives it power. People can argue all day about why its okay or not okay to eat meat for various reasons, but when it gets down to it, there is no doubt that there is a dramatic shift in consciousness that can happen just merely from changing what you eat. I recently watched a great video of David Wolfe speaking about just that, and saying that above all, food, has the greatest power to transform our energy. Gabriel Cousen’s tweeted a couple weeks ago: “Consciously or unconsciously, people tend to choose the diet that reinforces and reflects their own mental and spiritual state of awareness.”

I do believe that to be true, and also that our diets inform our relationship with sacred feminine energy and nature. If there were more vegans in the world, we would have more resources, and I bet a calmer, more civil world. All that said, from now on I am choosing to consciously engage in that sacred feminine/ goddess voice, and look for a way to express it although it may not be “the box” people want me to be in. Rather than engage in fast food or fast sex, I’ll be raw foodie on the divine path for life because I also know that the greatest gifts, relationships, and health benefits come from deep commitment, exploration, and willingness to allow time to blossom a planted seed. -XoXo Raw Girl

“Throughout humanity’s societies, the Sacred Feminine has been identified with the qualities of wisdom, justice, beauty, and compassion. She is also the irresistible power that destroys old forms and brings new ones into being. The Sacred Feminine –an essential part of both women and men– is the dimension of soul to which we are connected through our instincts, our feelings, and the longing imagination of the heart.”    

“Salvation is the freeing of the soul from it’s bodily fetters; becoming a God through knowledge and wisdom; controlling forces of the cosmos instead of being a slave to them; subduing the lower nature and through awakening to Higher Self, ending the cycle of rebirth and dwelling with the Neters who direct and control the Great Plan.” -Ancient Egyptian Proverb

It’s Cool to Be Healthy

“In minds crammed with thoughts, organs clogged with toxins, and bodies stiffened with neglect, there is just no space for anything else.” – Alison Rose Levy, in “An Ancient Cure for Modern Life”

Today I’m in research mode for one of my upcoming radio shows, which will focus on how to quit smoking, naturally. As I am researching I’m just appalled in general.   Check out the photo above for a breakdown of some of the chemicals in cigarettes. Do people who smoke know or care, that every time they bring that cancer stick to their lips they are exposed their bodies to over 4,000 chemicals, 69 of which are known and proven to cause cancer? It’s the same thing with drinking hard liquor for me, or really just putting anything into my body temple that is damaging. Why do it? If you don’t have a real answer or if your answer involves the fact that everyone else is doing it, you seriously need to develop a backbone. This world is truly toxic, but we still have an individual CHOICE. Individual, because at the end of the day if you are on your death-bed with lung cancer it won’t matter if you started smoking because your friend Suzy was.

 In my opinion, choosing to indulge in something now that is going to make me sick and miserable later, is not worth it, period. The fact that tobacco companies are allowed to sell this legal poison is just as appalling to me as the fact that fast food companies are allowed to call what they serve FOOD. At the end of the day, it’s all different versions on disease on a platter. It’s also REALLY uncool. Although people may taunt me now for my vegan lifestyle, when I skip past them years later full of youthful energy and they’re in a wheelchair, who will be “cool” then? I recently chatted with Bernando LaPallo, a raw foodist who is 109 years old and has the vigor of someone in his sixties or seventies, and he made the joke that his colleagues used to make fun of him because of his daily walks and his diet, and now all those same people are guess what, DEAD. Guess he got the last laugh. Please love yourself and do some healthy for yourself today! -XoXo Raw Girl

If you know someone who smokes or you yourself are trying to quit check out this past post on How to Quit Smoking Naturally: http://rawgirltoxicworld.com/2011/01/24/kick-your-smok…abit-naturally



Raw Food 4 Thought: Embracing the NOW

“Have you ever thought about what you are doing, in each moment, and asked yourself  what is the value of it? If you think a bit further perhaps there truly isn’t a value to anything, just the vibrations that extend from it.  So, in essence there is no waste of time, no waste, no time, just vibrations flowing at the speed of thought and intentions. Which means where you are right now is — right!  Now!” ~ Wanakhavi Wakhisi

It’s incredibly easy when going through experiences that are difficult and challenging to rail against the Divine. Why me? We lament. Why is this happening to me, and why am I meant to go through this experience? It is only after the storm when the rain and thunder cease, and the sun begins to peak brilliantly through the clouds, that we realize that the storm was a necessary part of our experience. It was a moment in time that had to happen, and was right on time to take us to the next, or even perhaps to allow us the priviledge of truly treasuring the sunny days once they’ve arrived. 

I just recently went through an experience that to me in that moment seemed like a “storm.” Now in hindsight, I can see that all the emotions I was caught up in and the negative feelings were a part of my preparation. The experience of being in a situation where my talents and energy were devalued came to help me to shed old habits that were hindering my progress,  to give me confidence in my own abilties, and to spur me to action on my own projects. 

 Are you in a place you don’t want to be? Are you moving through something difficult and can’t seem to understand why this is happening to you? Take a deep breath, and just embrace that moment, the feelings and sensations. Sit with it and look for the good. Find something to be grateful for right then and NOW. Our job is solely to be there in the NOW, and embrace it. Our job is not to question it, to lament it, or to worry about it. Look for the blessing in that moment, and as they say, “This too shall pass.” Perhaps sooner than you think you’ll see sunshine through the rain. -XoXo Raw Girl

Raw Food 4 Thought Quote by: Wanakhavi Wakhisi, a lightworker doing his part to simply help spread more light. You can reach him professionally at wanaimage.com or at thelighthousedc.com or 202.270.9058.

Back to One: The End of the Year Cleanse

buckshappening.com

Sometimes it really feels good to reset and revamp. It’s not like setting the clock back, but more so starting from where you are and undergoing a process of renewal. I’ve been feeling like in many areas of my life this process of going “back to one” is happening, and thus, it felt like an awesome time to take on a cleanse. As the end of the year approaches (can you believe how fast it went by) cleansing allows us to rejuvenate our bodies, while letting our minds and spirits reflect on the time that has passed and our next steps.

I chose this time to take on a gentle two-week full body herbal detox in a box that cleanses my skin, liver, lungs, colon, kidneys, blood and lymphatic system. Also combining this with a parasite cleanse and seven-day liquid fast  so that I can move into the new year, with my body reset and full of vitality, and mind ready to take on new tasks.

Just as I am resetting my body through fasting and detox, I find that the New Year is a great time to reset my mind. It’s important to me to spend adequate time ruminating on the goals I accomplished, and also look at where I fell short to examine what new approaches or what character flaws may be standing in my way. Most people make resolutions that lose their legs by the second month of the year. In order for us to set goals that stand the test of time, we have to examine our motives and really connect to how our goals will increase the quality of our lives and also touch others.

We also can change the way we look at our goals and ourselves, by not only focusing on where we want to be, but also who is it that we have to become to get there? That shift in thinking alone, made me realize that in order to get to where I am going it won’t be through just daily actions, but also continuous self-evaluation and development of my character. Below is a list of New Year’s back to one actions that may inspire you to get “Back to One.” – XoXo Raw Girl

  • Create a vision board for 2011 in all important areas of your life: finances, spiritual, career, relationships, health. Place it in a visible place and look at it daily.
  • After you’ve created this vision board or wrote down your goals spend time visualizing how achievement of these goals will enhance the quality of your life and those around you.
  • Write a letter to yourself that describes in detail what goals you would like to accomplish in all areas of your life and what  kind of person you have become at the end of 2011. Seal it and do not open until the end of 2011. (I did this last year and it was amazing!)
  • Take on a Fast or Cleanse. Fasting can be as simple as abstaining from certain foods you are trying to cut out of your diet or going full-out and doing fresh juices only, blended food only, or even raw food only periods.
  • Clean House. This one feels really good. I hate going into the New year with too much baggage. Taking a day or however long to reduce the clutter in your life not only make room for more good to come, it frees up more mental space!

For more on juice fasting, check out these previous posts:

Tips for a Stress Free Fast

http://rawgirltoxicworld.com/2009/11/18/tips-for-a-stress-free-fast/

The Benefits of Juice Fasting

http://rawgirltoxicworld.com/2009/11/18/my-article-on-…-juice-fasting/

Wise Ones on The Benefits of Fasting

karmafreecooking.com

Today is the last Day of my Fast/Spring Cleaning, and I went searching for some inspiration. Below are some quotes on fasting and it’s benefits. Next week I will share a blow-by-blow breakdown of my Spring Cleaning. Taking a Raw Girl Vacay weekend  and will be back on Monday, refreshed from Spring Cleaning and ready to add more fuel to your raw fire.

-XoXo Raw Girl

“Fasting is an effective and safe method of detoxifying the body…a technique that wise men have used for centuries to heal the sick. Fast regularly and help the body heal itself and stay well. Give all of your organs a rest. Fasting can help reverse the aging process, and if we use it correctly, we will live longer, happier lives.” ~James Balch, M.D.

“Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity. Enter again into yourself.” ~Saint Augustine

“Renew yourselves and fast, for I tell you truly that Satan and his plagues may only be cast out by fasting and by prayer. Go by yourself and fast alone, and show your fasting to no man. The living God shall see it, and great shall be your reward. And fast till Beelzebub and all his evils depart from you, and all the angels of our Earthly Mother come and serve you. For I tell you truly, except you fast, you shall never be freed from the power of Satan and from all diseases that come from Satan. Fast and pray fervently, seeking the power of the living God for your healing. While you fast, eschew the Sons of Men and seek our Earthly Mother’s angels, for he that seeks shall find.” ~Jesus Christ “Essene Gospel of Peace”

“There is both a physical and a spiritual fast. In the physical fast, the body abstains from food and drink. In the spiritual fast, the faster abstains from evil intentions, words and deeds. One who truly fasts abstains from anger, rage, malice, and vengeance. One who truly fasts abstains from idle and foul talk, empty rhetoric, slander, condemnation, flattery, lying and all manner of spiteful talk. In a word, a real faster is one who withdraws from all evil.” – “As much as you subtract from the body, so much will you add to the strength of the soul.” – “By fasting, it is possible both to be delivered from future evils, and to enjoy the good things to come. We fell into disease through sin; let us receive healing through repentance, which is not fruitful without fasting.” ~Saint Basil

“Juice fasting is, without any doubt, the most effective biological method of treatment. It is the ‘operation without surgery.’ It is a cure involving exudation, reattunement, redirection, loosening up and purified relaxation. While fasting, the patient improves her or his physical health and gains much, but he or she will have neglected the most important thing if the hunger for spiritual nourishment that manifests itself during fasting is not satisfied. When the body fasts, the soul is hungry.” ~Otto Buchinger, Sr., M.D.

“If a person makes fasting part of her or his life, s/he’ll experience a heightened spiritual awareness. By taking a long fast or two, and then fasting one day a week, s/he’ll gradually find a growing peace and personal integration. America badly needs to go on a diet. It should do something drastic about excessive, unattractive, life-threatening fat. It should get rid of it in the quickest possible way, and this is by fasting.”~Allan Cott, M.D.

“True happiness is impossible without true health. True health is impossible without the rigid control of the palate.” – “A complete fast is a complete and literal denial of self. It is the truest prayer.” – “A genuine fast cleanses the body, mind and soul. It crucifies the flesh and, to that extent, sets the soul free.” – “What the eyes are for the outer world, fasts are for the inner.” – “My religion teaches me that whenever there is distress which one cannot remove, one must fast and pray.” – Fasting will bring spiritual rebirth to those of you who cleanse and purify your bodies. The light of the world will illuminate within you when you fast and purify yourself.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

The Miracle of Harvesting: Check Out My Backyard Veggies!

  

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Before the end of May, my mother is going to give me a 101 crash course on planting for dummies and I promise to share the knowledge. In the planting department, I am definitely a dummy, and I have also been known to cut the life span short of many a budding sprout because my schedule got crazy and I neglected to nurture it. The goal this year, is to learn the trade and devote a little quality time and TLC to my veggies. If I am going to continue on with this lifestyle, I want to know that if I was stranded somewhere, I could survive, and also that I can create a little organic haven of my own right in my backyard of fresh produce full of life force. 

A colleague of mine in New York whose is vegan once told me how he found some ripe edible fruit growing in the midst of the concrete jungle in Brooklyn.  He washed it and started eating it, and this loud-mouthed female Brooklynite who was nearby made a comment about how it was nasty that he was eating a fruit from the tree. He laughed and tried to explain to her that the fruit from the tree was fresher and safer than a great deal of the produce she was used to at her local grocery store. It is incredible how many people actually think that fruit originates from Safeway, Pathmark, Whole Foods, or Harris Teeter! We are so far removed from nature and natural order, that if left in the wild many of us might walk around hungry when there was an acre of kale growing right in front of us. I’m sure that would happen to me, although I’m making some progress. 

The little bit that I have worked in the garden helping my mother as she harvested and cared for her veggies, taught me some incredible life lessons. As we started to work she rambled on, and it started to hit home for me. In our own lives we reap what we sow, and the right conditions and care have to exist in order to claim our harvest. This applies to our dreams, our plans, our relationships, everything really goes through this process from seed or idea to plant or creation. While weeding, which is very therapeutic by the way–especially if you need to vent–she mentioned that certain people or toxic conditions can stifle the plant and keep it from growing and that it was important to pull the weeds from the root or else they will grow right back and stifle the plant. At the time I was noticing that certain negative people and situations were falling out of my life, and as I pulled the weeds, I understood, that I had to let go, truly let go, or else those people and situations would keep me from growing into the person that I was created to be.  

Nature really is a miracle. Very often, I look around and am in awe of the variety, the colors, and the complexity of nature which has so much to teach all of us, and which offers us all we need already to be in perfect health and in perfect peace. All in all, I’m inspired to discover my green thumb, and I hope that you will be too. Below is a short video, with a glimpse of the collard greens, chard, and the last one I found out it is a type of kale, growing in my backyard pots. -XoXo Raw Girl 

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZKqOSfDKYg]