Time to take a break

I've enjoyed blogging about my raw food experience. My posts have covered the British autumn/winter and now 6months later, Spring is here. It's a busy time for me workwise as I plan my summer work shedule. I've decided to pause my raw blogging, maybe indefinitely to concentrate on my yoga and healing work. I will be contining to blog as Jivayoga Thanks to all readers and see you out there in the blogosphere...

Raw in Goa: Cafe culture - the Shore Bar, Anjuna

The heat has been rising steadily throughout March and I have been spending afternoons lying under the fan in my room, reading or watching Bollywood movies. However in recent days I've been enjoying a change of scene, loafing around at the Shore Bar. Anjuna beach is lined with cafe-bars, so it's a question of finding one that suits you. I picked the Shore Bar for its chilled vibe and tasteful quirky decor; think mature hippy with money to spend on furnishings. So it's 'no' to plastic moulded chairs, yes to colonial style hardwood deckchairs with ample cushions. There are a couple of day beds if you get so relaxed you need to get horizontal. The keet walls are currently hosting an art exhibition, photographic images of India , tres tasteful and available to buy.
Its a great place to look out on the ever changing tableau of Goan beach life; packs of dogs barking at nothing, tenacious beach vendors armed with sarongs and ankle chains, an impromptu cricket match, pudgy white Europeans turning red, wealthy Mumbaites in designer denim.
The raw options revolve around the classic juice menu; orange, papaya, pineapple, watermelon. You can get a fairly pricey fruit salad here or opt for a Greek salad, extra olives and hold the feta.
The Shore Bar stocks alcohol and I dont know how the place transitions into evenings; as a yogi I prefer to drift homewards as the sunsets.

Giri Bala: the Indian yogi who gave up eating & drinking

I'm loving the cross-fertilisation of yoga and the raw diet and the connections I am encountering on personal retreat in India. I suppose that to approach life holistically is to integrate all aspects of healing and well being. I recognise that until now I have tended to mentally separate my yoga and my faw food practices; whereas in fact they are facets of the whole, the soul's journey.
With that in mind, I though I'd write about Giri Bala, the woman yogi who lived in India last century and who renounced food and drink.
The raw food paradigm offers a broadening of our understanding of nutrition so as to include that which nourishes us on all levels. Gabriel Cousens writes authoratively on this in Spiritual Nutrition and the Rainbow Diet. As we become more selective, applying greater discrimination to our food choices we find we can consume less and keep the body fuctioning at an optimal level. Moreover, thr nourishment we are sseeking on a deeper level is spiritual nutrition, to come to know our higher self, God, source, spirit. Feeding the subtle body through a raw food diet, yoga, meditation and other healing arts, prayer and intention; all such practices are soul food.
I am currently reading a classic yoga text; Parahamsa Yogananda's account of his life's journey and travels, Autobiography of a Yogi . Yogananda visited Bala in 1936 in her remote village home in Bengal. He interviewed and photographed her, witnessing and verifying her story.
A gluttonous child, at the age of 12, Bala received the impulse to to pray for a guru who would teach her how to live without food. Such a teacher appeared one morning as Bala bathed in holy Ganges river one morning. He granted her desire, teaching her a yogic kriya, a mantra and breathing technique. From then on Bala was absteminous from food and liquids, recharging her body with cosmic energy, the air and the sun. Her motive was simple and pure, in her words, "To prove that man is spirit."
Bala did not advocate nor teach her method, following the wishes of her guru. Parahamsa's book is widely available and the Chapter on Giri Bala makes a light easy read.

Raw in Goa: Simplicity, mono-meals, pratyahara

On retreat in this lush easy corner of India, habits fall away easily. Ways of being that serve in the west are no longer appropriate. The steady heat of Goa is a joy - my being is saturated with the sun's benevolent radiance.
When I left the UK, I had spent 3 - 4 winter months as a transitioning raw foodist working out how to heat the body: now it is all about staying cool. Fruit, fruit and more fruit, coconut water and tender green leaves is all it takes. A date, maca, banana hemp mylk smoothie, rich and soothing in the British mid-winter would just be wrong now.
In this environment I find myself moving towards mono-meals, eating one food at a time, as an elegant & simple solution for how to stay nourished and cool. Hence breakfast can now be a cup of green tea and a plate of sliced pineapple; lunch a bowlful of green salad leaves, tomato and cucumber. Elaborate mixed salads and even a tropical fruit salad feels complicated. I rarely take mixed juices now and have dropped the ginger so it becomes all about pure fruit goodness and getting closer to Nature's intention; offering meals to go from the tree.
I feel that there is a connection here to the yoga I am doing - I teach in the UK, here I am on retreat and focussing deeply on my personal practice. Beyond the poses, breathwork & meditation there is an aspect of yoga, pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses. I explain this in terms of removing excessive distraction and stimulation from our lives. Permitting one to journey deeply into oneself and find what is real, what is truly needed. It is beautiful to experience this a desire to move from the complicated to the simple, to less rather than more.
I wonder how things will be upon my return, whether or not I will import these new habits, whether they are applicable to UK living. Will I become re-absorbed into the world of unlimited options; oils, powders, supplements, superfoods and fancy concoctions. The lesson I am glimpsing is that choices must be managed mindfully. Through integrating these apects of the yogic & raw food lifestyles, I am aiming for a truly holistic experience of empowered health & wellbeing. Om prem.

Raw in Goa: a typical day eating & drinking

I thought I'd bang out a post about what I'm eating and drinking in a typical day, a subject that I find endlessly fascinating, as there are so many raw folks having such diverse daily experiences. Well the living is easy out here in Goa and one can be raw with minimal strain, planning or expense.
Mornings: I rise at 6.30 and take a large spoonful of bee pollen before heading out to practice yoga.
Breakfast: Papaya juice and chunky tropical fruit salad (papaya, pineapple, banana, watermelon)
Cycling home : 1 or 2 green coconuts, juice & jelly
Lunch: Green salad with sprouts, carrot ginger juice, wheatgrass shot
Late afternoon: fruit salad/simple green salad
Evening: Green powder mixed into water
Occasional snacks; dried figs, cashew nuts, bananas
As the day progresses I get though 1 - 1.5 litres of mineral water
I feel that I have reached a beautiful place of simplicity, moreover I havent had to explain to anyone that I am raw, it's such a natural way to be here.

Raw in Goa: Cafe culture - The German Bakery, Anjuna

Undeniably something of an institution, established in 1979, set back off the market road, follow a meandering path through trees and past cottages and one finds onself in this beautiful space which nourishes on all levels.
By the entrance, Shiva makes his first appearance as Nataraj, dancing the destruction of the universe within a ring of flame. The great Lord presides over a bed of wheatgrass, which is energized further by the placement of an enormous quartz crystal.
Inside a large blue Shiva statue with golden dreadlocks effectively grows out of a large tree at the centre of the cafe space. Here again he is surrounded by crystals and a permanent cloud of incense.
The German Bakery is a great place to hang out; lounging is made easy with low seating or tables and chairs if you prefer. On my most recent visit Krishna Das was floating from the speakers and I was joined by a lean tortoiseshell cat who nestled beside me for his afternoon nap.
The staff are cool, courteous and professional, the food is fantastic, a truly healthy menu with ample choice for Rawees. Juices galore and a good selection of salads. Filtered water is available free of charge or you can have bottled water from the Himalayan mountains.
Most commonly I take: a wheat grass shot, a carrot & ginger juice with a green salad, rich in sprouts and containing plenty of fresh salad leaves in a good balsamic dressing.
Good vibrations.

Raw in Goa: shopping around

This is my 5th visit to India in seven years and every time I return I witness the accelerating pace of change in all areas of life. I haven't been to Goa since 2005 when already there was a higher degree of availability of 'foreign' foods than elsewhere on the continent. Goan culture represents an easy fusion of east and west, it was colonised by the Portugese and then the hippies moved in. Today there is an intake of well heeled domestic and international visitors who according to their intention have different food requirements and the Goans yield happily to serve us. The Germans brought their heavy, nutritious breads and baked goods, the Israeli's falafel and hummus and the newest international tribe, the Russians, vodka bars.
Yogis and raw fooders have always been well served by the natural abundance of the place, and there is much to be said for the simplicity of tropical fruit and coconuts.
However, there is so much more to be had in this luscious tropical haven. There is a particularly well stocked emporium here, in Anjuna, Orchard Store has an extensive fresh produce section. I have seen cherry tomatoes, organic grapes, sweet corn, fresh figs and salad leaves.
I was quite surprised to find bee pollen, himalayan sea salt and a good selection of cold pressed oils, imported items from Italy in this case. A recent addition to the dried fruit section are pumplin and sunflower seeds, available at a premium in small amounts.
I have yet to see a goji berry and the ubiquitous raw chocolate/cacao is nowhere to be seen. Surely a gap in the market for a budding Rawntrepreneur...

Raw in Goa: my first green coconut

As I was preparing for this trip, I was strongly imagining how great it would be to get my hands on that first green coconut. I didn't waste any time; jetlag or no jetlag, following the 24 hour journey it was suitcase down, flip flops on and I headed outta the door. Within a couple of hundred yards I found a stall. A table by the roadside piled with green coconuts and also a small plastic bottle of petrol. Yes India is all about unexpected combinations. The proprietress emerged from a coconut leaf shack, hacked the top off a gorgeous green globe with a machete and inserted a straw, "You drink", she instructed. I paid her 20 rupees, approx 30 pence. I was joined by a local indian woman, with the wide toothy smile, clear skin and sparkling eyes of a Goan. I admired her sari and jewellery and she my Gap jeans. Two young boys dodged and tumbled together in the dust by the shack. The sun was setting, it was a beautiful moment. I was eager for the jelly inside the nut, alas it it was empty. A reminder that India rarely yields up what one is expecting.

Travelling in the Raw

I have a long day of travel tommorrow, a car ride, train journey, 2 flights and a taxi, taking me to Goa where I will be teaching drop-in yoga classes at a retreat centre during March.
Naturally as a raw fooder one's thoughts turn to the exciting prospect of fresh young coconuts, papaya and pineapple in abundance. My intention is to have a fruit based diet as that will be what surrounds me.
To stay in balance I just invested in a huge jar of Udo's Choice Beyond Greens,enthusiastically promoted by the healthstore owner in town today and with 100% free it seemed to be a wise choice. Contains a dazzling selection of nutritional components including EFA's and digestive enzymes. I'm also taking a jar of bee pollen and my regular batch of supplements which includes MSM and a good pro-biotic.
As regards the journey itself my aim is to travel light, to allow my digestive system to take it easy,and to stay hydrated. So I'll be carrying grapes, cherry tomatoes and strawberries as Gaia has formed them conveniently into bite-size pieces. Maybe a banana or two if I can eat them before they turn squishy & brown in my hand luggage! Half a dozen mini-bottles of Evian and maybe a green juice in a thermos if time and space permit.

Mini juice feast Day 3 of 3

Day 3 dawned bright and early with my kitten mewing and patting my face, his way of requesting breakfast. As far as my breakfast goes, I awoke feeling decidedly less hungry. Hunger returned with a vengeance late afternoon, coincident with a slump in energy.
I have found my rythm with the prep, my kitchen is a juice zone. Hardly requiring much space or utensils; just a knife, chopping board, bowl, juicer. The fridge is overflowing with abundant produce and that is a nice feeling.
Still feeling excited and positive about the feast, detox symptoms have been minimal. I think I'll continue for another few days; I'm flying to India on Thursday so that may lead to a natural conclusion.

Today I juiced: 1 bag spinach, 2 grapefruit, 1 orange, 1/2 lime, 8 apples, 2 kiwi, 4 beets, 4 carrots, ginger root.

Today's fave: beet, apple, ginger

Mini juice feast Day 2 of 3

Off to a good start this morning with citrus and bee pollen for instant zing. Last night in bed felt something like nausea, or acidity in my throat. Wonder whether it was a bit much to end the day with beets. Interestingly I had strong earache in my left ear, it came out of nowhere. Could this be a detox symptom? I occasionally experience a mild ear ache when I am overdoing things, always a sign to slow down. This was intense and felt different. Also I had an intense and meaningful dream, although I am often blessed with such. For much of the day I felt particularly joyful, blissed and uplifted. No hunger or thoughts of eating solids and my stomach feels flatter.

For support and motivation I read Steve Pavlina's juice feast blog. Found Happy Juicer's helpful page on how to juice individual ingredients. Had a chat to my neighbour who has taken himself through Gerson Therapy.

Today I juiced:
500g spinach, 2 grapefruit, 2 oranges, punnet grapes, punnet strawberries, 2 apples, 4 carrots, large zucchini, 1/2cucumber, bunch coriander, 1/2 lime, fresh ginger root + 1 tbs bee pollen.

Approximately 3 litres.
Today's favourite juice: green grape & apple.

Mini juice feast Day 1 of 3

Well truly an ecstatic beginning to the day, fuelled mainly by positive feelings of excitement and anticipation which kicked in way before the actual juicing begun.
My personality adores variety and here is another way to play with my food, experience myself and my responses to food and bring full awareness to that.
I feel safely contained by the parameters I have set myself ie as a 3 day feast, the end is already in sight. I feel that if I had set myself a longer feasting period it would have felt overwhelming. I hope to learn a few nuts and bolts so to speak about juice feasting and who knows, there could be a next time of a longer duration.
I am consciously avoiding the term challenge; I don't feel the need to challenge myself. I view juice feasting as an exploration, a potential healing and above all an act of self-love.

Here's what I juiced:
1lb spinach,1 head curly lettuce, 1 head broccoli, 2 grapefruit, 3 oranges, 6 small apples, punnet raspberries, 2 beets, 4 carrots, 1/2 pineapple, 1 lime, ginger root, 1 tsp bee pollen.

Today's fave juice:pineapple & spinach.

Experienced cravings for solid food around 3pm, which is usually smoothie & dried fig time. These passed quite quickly. Took a hot bath and re-read Angela Stokes' Juice feasting handbook.

Flying high a la Raw

Wow, just booked a flight to India online with Kingfisher Airlines and I got offered a raw vegetarian meal as an in flight option. I wasnt expecting to see that, what a pleasant surprise! This will be my first flight as a raw foodist and I was planning on cubing and chopping lots of lovely water rich tomatoes, peppers, melons and cukes to stay hydrated. I am intrigued as to what the airline caterers will provide in that little plastic box... Mostly I take this as a sign of the times, that raw foodism is shifting into the mainstream. Yay!

Preparing for mini juice feast

I'm preparing for a mini juice feast, my first, starting tomorrow. I feel excited and positive about venturing into this new dimension of the raw lifestyle.
In a nutshell,juice feasting involves preparing and consuming 4 litres of juice on a daily basis.
Successful juice feasters cite weightloss, increased radiance, sense of spiritual connectedness and detoxification as someof the benefits.
I very much feel that I am heading into something unknown, that I don't have specific intended outcomes in mind,just a burning curiosity to see how it unfolds for me.
I am aware of the Global Juice Feast kicking off on March 1st and wish all those juice feasters well. I am not in a position to embark on a 92 day programme, it feels more appropriate to start small with a manageable amount of time hence 3 days; Friday, Saturday and Sunday. These are work free days and I'm keeping my social calendar clear.
So far my preparation has involved:
- Setting my intention and gathering information and inspiration
- Communicating my plan to others and receiving support and motivation
- Clearing a space in my diary
- Eating up/giving away fresh foods unsuitable for juicing
- Deep cleaning my kitchen and fridge to acknowledge the deep cleaning of my insides!
- Shopping for an abundance of fresh produce
- Booking a spa appointment for a body exfoliation when the feast concludes.
There may be other things that I think of to do. Excitement!

More info on juice feasting at www.juicefeasting.com

Angela's wisdom

Angela Stokes gave a talk here in Glastonbury a couple of nights ago.I have heard her speak before,at the 2008 Festival of Life in London. She is an inspirational figure,not just in terms of weightloss and commitment to the raw lifestyle; also as an entrepreneur, writer and woman!
Angela describes the raw food diet as, "A path of dramatic transformation, ...a sustainable solution, ...the ultimate way to fuel the human body"
She shared her top 5 tips for staying raw:
1.Eat whole foods
2.Eat/juice greens daily
3.Include seaweeds,sprouts and sweets!
4.Chew well
5.Be the change
I picked up a copy of Angelas Juice Feasters Handbook for a fiver, its an easy informative read. Angela is leaving the UK to set up home in Ecuador with her fiance Matt Monarch,she says she is looking forward to growing veggies. I wish them both well.

Angela's website and blog www.rawreform.com

Shopping for superfoods

Lately I have become obsessed with superfoods. I just have to get my hands on those packets of powder! It is fair to say that I love to shop, online as much as on the High Street. I enjoy using the net for choice and quality.
There are some splendid places to shop online in the UK, here are my faves:
www.oceanwavevibrations.com
I love browsing Holly's shop, it gives me a good feeling. She stocks interesting & exotic botanicals often in small quantities which means you can try without a significant investment.
www.funkyraw.com
Run by the guy who organises the eponymous UK raw food gathering, you'll find all the classics here.
www.vibrationalgaiarising.com
Perhaps my favourite, there is a cool elusive quality about the site and a magnificent range, best place for wildcrafted items.
www.detoxyourworld.com Shazzie is bold, passionate and stocks her own branded range of quality superfoods. Her monthly offers for bulk purchases represent significant savings.
www.fresh-network.com A traditional look and feel to this website. Included for high level of customer care I have experienced here.
www.totalrawfood.com I love the fresh and funky graphics of this site.Stocking a good selection of superfoods, often cheaper than elsewhere. Good selection of articles on the raw food lifestyle.
So I've spent my money and am joyfully looking forward to packages tumbling through the letter box...

Rainbow chakra pudding

Yesterday we celebrated Joseph's birthday quietly at home. For the occasion, Joseph, "inspired by God", created the Rainbow Chakra Pudding. A multi-coloured, multi-layered fruit composition, encased in coconut, representing the placement of the chakras, as follows:
Red (muladhara chakra) goji berries & blood orange
Orange (svasisthana chakra)blended mango
Yellow (manipura chakra) coconut & lemon zest
Green (anahata chakra) kiwi & avocado
Blue (Vissuda chakra) coconut & blueberries
Purple (sahasra chakra) prunes & purple corn
The pud went down well, the purple layer it was generally agreed was outstanding. Sally was entirely enthusiastic, "This cake is so exciting, it's full of surprises."
It is a commonly held belief in raw food circles that we can stimulate our chakras through consumption of relevant coloured food, for more information check out Spiritual Nutrition by Gabriel Cousens.
I was fortunate enough to receive two portions as there was just enough remaining for this morning's breakfast. Totally yum!

Hemp talk in town

The one and only Free Love Cannabis will be entertaining and informing us on Wednesday evening in Glastonbury Town Hall as he addresses the Positive Living Group.
Free is a passionate individual and has a lot to say about hemp. A long term activist and campaigner he draws on years of personal experience and enquiry and his talks are peppered with personal anecdotes. A generous human being and a personal friend, this talk is warmly recommended.
Glastonbury Positive Living Group for event details www.shiny-happy-people.co.uk
Free’s website for hemp info & online store http://www.cannabis.uk.net

Further adventures of a mylk maid

So much of the raw food diet involves thought and pre-planning. Example. If I want buckwheat burgers on Friday, I'll have to dehydrate them on Thursday night, so 'll need to start soaking on Tuesday... There are times when planning is the order of the day, it helps to be organised to make a success of this lifestyle.
However I really enjoy those spontaneous moments when an unexpected food urge kicks in and I feel moved to create something new and now!
So in one moment I'm sitting at the laptop browsing yoga books on Amazon and in the next I've sprung up and headed to the blender. Inspired to create brazil nut mylk for the first time. I went straight for smoothieville. Here's how I did it:
Take 1/4 cup whole brazils
spring water
1 ripe banana
1 large medjool date
1 tspb maca powder
a little cinnamon powder
Blend!
It seems that brazil nuts do not require pre-soaking, although this remains a matter of opinion, so this can be created at a moment's notice. My first thought was to pre-blend the nuts separately in water, intending to squeeze through muslin and de-pulp the mixture, however this didnt seem necessary. Brill!Even simpler and faster!
I have been hitting the banana smoothies somewhat in recent weeks. Just right for mid-afternoon when you are feeling peckish. The sweet creaminess makes this feel like a treat.

Angela Stokes to speak in Glastonbury

I am personally very pleased and excited that Angela Stokes is coming to speak in Glastonbury.
Angela is well known in raw food circles and has also appeared on main stream media in the UK and US promoting the raw foods lifestyle.
Angela's personal story has particular impact because of the tremendous weight loss she has achieved. Angela is also an experienced writer and raw entrepreneur, having created a successful e-book Raw Emotions and running an online store. Her ongoing blog is an inspiration to many, she has a international fan base.
Engaged to the raw dream hunk Matt Monarch, the couple have plans to move to Ecuador.
Earlier today I spoke to Lisa of RawLisa who is hosting the event; it seems that Angela was particularly keen to come to Glastonbury. She should know that we are thrilled to have her.
Event details: Tuesday, 24th Feb, 7.45pm
Venue: Georges Room, The Glastonbury Experience, 2-4 High Street, Glastonbury BA6 9DU
Booking: £6.50 Contact Lisa on 01769 550408 lisasture@toucansurf.com

Angela's website http://www.rawreform.com/index.php

Celebrating divine alignment; Raw Valentine event in Glastonbury

"When the moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars"
This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, yes really; it's happening now, or more precisely at 7.25am tomorrow, Saturday 14th February. This auspicious astrological alignment heralds a new age of peace, love and understanding. In a wonderful synchronicity we have the added amplication of the love vibration of St Valentine's Day. An event of global, cosmic significance, and no doubt a great day to meditate on the nature of love and visualise the New Age...
If you are feelng sociable, there will plenty to see and do here in Glastonbury; many consider the town to be the current location of the planetary heart chakra. There is a Love Celebration arranged for the Market Cross area during the afternoon. Via Facebook I have learnt that there is to be an attempt to establish a portal at Chalice Well Gardens at 5pm. The Green Angels are playing what is sure to be a rocking gig at the Rifleman's Arms and the Assembly Rooms is holding a dub night. Phew!
Up at the quieter end of town, at St Edmund's Community Centre on Windmill Hill, Joseph and Sally are hosting the Avalon Feastival of Love, as Sally put it, "It will be the cleanest event". Here are the details:
7am Meet up on Tor for Jupiter-Mars alignment
4.15pm Meet at St Edmunds for procession to Tor for sunset
Simple raw supper
Tree planting ceremony (bring a clay pot)
Candlelit jamming circle
Doors close 10pm
Magic Hat entry
RSVP: naturalmagickio@gmail.com Joseph - 07757483480 Sally - 07793032036
Sally has been diligently and joyfully learning the lyrics and chords to the well known song from the musical Hair; it is sure to be a real heartwarmer.
Blessings to all at this auspicious time!

Birthday gifts for a rainbow raw foodist

Joseph, rainbow rawee and current housemate has a birthday next week and I am choosing his gifts now.

A permaculturist, he is as nature loving as they come, having lived on the land, created gardens and he grows and forages wherever he goes. So it's all about plants then, ideally varieties that can be sustainably cultivated.

I found a lovely mini olive bush here for £15 plus delivery that seems a good price. Thing is Joseph is apt to travel and move around and what if he heads back out to Spain for the summer?

I decided upon a selection of herloom vegetable seeds; compact, portable and containing the potent essence of life itself, ultimately edible - perfect! I found the Magic Garden Seed company. Here is a definition from their website, Heirloom seeds and plants are open-pollinated varieties grown during earlier periods in agricultural history. A plant variety should be originated before 1950 to be considered a heirloom. Some old types of vegetables have been kept alive within communities by succeeding generations of seed savers. So excellent eco-credentials, a matter of fundamental importance for my friend.

Although I tend a garden myself, of potted flowering plants and shrubs, I don't have experience of growing from seed or growing for personal consumption. So selecting seed varieties for a very knowledgeable and experienced gardener... Well living in close proximity I know what he likes to eat. And then I wanted to have a little fun with it. So the birthday boy will be getting: Pig nuts, winter purslane and wild tomato.

I am quite pleased with this selection as it covers roots, leaves and fruit. Tomorrow I will trawl the local garden centre for a bag of organic compost and some clay pots for the sake of completeness. I hope he enjoys them and it was fun shopping.

Did I just drink the best water ever?

Lot of interest in the raw scene in the purity of water. So here's an anecdote. It just happened.
Friend and percussion goddess Ronni called by as she knows how depleted I have been feeling lately. She brought over her crystal healing bowls and laid me out for a one to one healing. Blissful.
Part of the experience was that she placed water in a couple of the bowls. Water drawn from the Well House of the White Spring here in Glastonbury, this the spring that David Wolfe reputedly bathes under at 4am when he is in town (not an urban myth, this from from the horses mouth). So the water was drawn at the full moon and then energised through the healing vibrations of the crystal bowls. Then we drank it.
Certainly it tasted fresh and clear and very alive. I also put some down in Arthur's bowl so he may also benefit. Wonderful.

Banana hemp mylkshake

More than a shake... This is a complete meal, a nutritional experience.
Take 2 small ripe bananas, and blend with hemp mylk, maca, raw honey and cinnamon. Add spring water to suit your preference for thicker or runnier texture. Personally I like this on the thick side, velvety smooth and creamy.
Great for a mid afternoon energy boost. I drink this when I am turbo cleaning my home, I just keep going!

The yin of winter

Winter is so deeply yin, it is a profoundly yin state of being. I am prone to excess yin by virtue of my female gender and my emotions also tend towards yin introversion and melancholia. My energy has been low lately, another yin charateristic.

I have been browsing online for information on yin and yang. In a nutshell, all material things have an essence which tends to one of two polarities; yin or yang. Yin: dark, moist, hidden, still; yang mobile, hot, masculine. Fuller explanation of terms here. In food terms many raw items are by their nature yin: the challenge is establishing and maintaining balance. It seems that cravings for heavy dense salty foods can be provoked by a need to introduce yang or fire energy into the diet.

Hmmm. Ok so what are the yang foods that as a raw foodist in the northern hemisphere in the winter months are going to be useful? Some suggestions:
Red foods: radish, red pepper, raddichio, goji berries
Heating foods: ginger on everything, cinnamon, garlic, black pepper
Seeds: Pumpkin seeds notably, also sesame
Dried foods: Now is the time for flax crackers, if they are spiced up so much the better
Bitter foods: we are talking greens - you know what to do!

I made a yang salad the other day which was pretty successful, any recipes or suggestions on this topic will be eagerly received.
Stay warm out there!

Date & walnut balls- fast sweet treats

I can whizz these up in a nano second, perfect for when friends drop by or you are off to a pot luck with no prep time available.
Take a handful of dates, the less expensive, drier kind, and some walnuts. For a good squidgy consistency I recommend an overall blend of 60% dates to 40% walnuts.
Blend hard! There will be an alarming rattling noise; you must trust that all is well. Tip the crumbly mixture into a bowl, large enough that you can get your hands in and squeeze the mixture into balls.
That's it, you're done.
For added sophistication if you have a little extra time, add some finely grated orange zest and a drift of cinnamon powder.
Ideal companion for fresh apple-ginger juice and a great energy boost.

Yang winter salad

It's snowing in Somerset; continuous, fine and delicate. So it's pretty cold. The snow drops on the verges are the physial manifestation of Imbolc which was celebrated yesterday. So spring is coming, yet it is decidedly winter, still.
For the first time I find myself craving cooked foods, the warmth of it. I choose not to surrender, instead I have devised a Yang winter salad, by which I mean that I have included red, heating foods as follows:
Raddichio & frisee leaves
Radish & courgette slices
Walnut pieces, pumpkin seeds
Goji berries
Dressing: apple cider vinegar, ginger juice, pumpkin seed oil, lemon juice, back pepper

It looks good, is fiery and crunchy and completely satisfying.

Sweet simplicity :my new blue salt pig

For a while now whilst preparing food, I've found myself fumbling around in my kitchen reaching into cupboards, rummaging around for the salt, often with greasy fingers. It would take me so long to locate it and frankly, the time spent unscrewing the jar was slowing me down!
It ocurred to me to buy a salt pig. I find the name whimsical and the shape of these items is pleasingly round. I have a raw kitchen equipment lust list,this item was clearly at the lower end of the price range, I decided to invest.
The most beautiful example I found were on Etsy, (where else?), hand thrown and hand glazed stoneware from a US seller.
I did the ethical thing and had a poke around Ebay and pretty soon I found a used blue salt pig,complete with teeeny spoon,I had to have it and ended up bidding £4.70 which I'm sure would have been fairly close to the new price.
Newly installed in my kitchen, my salt(pink himalayan)is always close to hand.

Food find! Teeny olives

I do love olives,very much. When I am out and about food shopping I am always on the lookout for new varieties. In Sainsbury yesterday I picked up a pot of Couchillo olives with pinenuts in a basil dressing. The olives themselves are teeny tiny, the size of a peanut. They have been pitted and marinated with pinenuts in an extra virgin olive oil, garlic and basil dressing. They are mellow tasting, not bitter at all. It would be easy to tip them straight into the food processor and create an instant, no fuss tapenade. However Joseph and I have discovered that there is infinite amusement to be had by skewering them with cocktail sticks and popping them one at a time.
Full product details available on the Sainsbury website http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/home.htm

Glastonbury event: Forest Gardens and Magical Edible Landscapes

My friend, housemate, fellow Aquarian, raw foodist and all round beautiful being Joseph will be delivering the following presentation in town tomorrow evening. Joseph is a nature lover and student of permaculture and I am hoping to gain the knowledge and inspiration to begin some small scale cultivation.

Why do the monks, the holy ladies and gentleman, the yogis go to the forest? Perhaps for the peace, the tranquillity, the simplicity, being surrounded by an abundance of good vibrations, nature settles peace on the soul, and we feel good, at ease. Not all of us want to give it up and dwell in the depths of the forest, if we could find any! The beauty is, we can co-create a sanctuary, a sacred space, a space of love, within and without, on a mountainside, a window-sill, in a backyard or on a balcony. Such is a forest garden. Such is a magical edible landscape.

Glastonbury Positive Living Group meets every Wednesday evening at Glastonbury Town Hall. There is no need to book. Just come along whenever there is a talk of interest. Lovely, friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Everyone welcome. Refreshments included.

Doors open 7.00pm
Topic of the evening 7.30pm
Social and (more) refreshments 9.00pm 'ish'
Doors close 10.00pm
Admission £5/£4 concs.

For full details of all upcoming talks please visit www.shiny-happy-people.co.uk or telephone Liz on 01458 833128.

From solid to liquid

I realise that my diet is becoming increasingly... liquid It is now common for me to have a juice at breakfast and lunchtime and one green and one sweet(fruit) smoothie later on, with maybe one 'meal' at midday, such as a raw pasta salad. I can see how I have reached this point, several factors have lead me here.

Firstly, along with many others experiencing winter in the northern hemisphere, my energy levels are lower at this time of year. Vitality and immununity levels are prone to dip and we are more vulnerabe to the effects of stress. I often find myself without the physical and mental energy to chop, peel and combine raw food in endlessly fascinating ways!

Secondly, working as a yoga teacher and massage therapist this is a busy time of year; I tend to pick up new clients as the New Year = healthy body phenomenom kicks into gear. And there is cover work available as yoga teachers head back to India to refresh themselves and their practice. So time has become a factor, what can be faster than shoving a handful of greens in a blender with a banana and handful of grapes and flicking the switch? It's the ultimate fast food.

In addition, I have been absorbing a lot of raw wisdom from the wonderful teachers out there. And understanding that I want to take a lot more greens in, I want to kick my dried fruit habit; which means eating fresh whole fruit, and in this regard I find it more interesting to bung it in the blender, adding superfoods and hemp protein powder and enjoying the outcome.

Equipment envy and what to do about it

I just tweeted about this matter, it didn't satisfy my urge to self-express. I am covering yoga at Shekinashram and popped into the kitchen after class. I was immediately drawn to and mesmerised by the Blendtec Express, in action on the worktop. They were blending up some goo for lunch, "Ooh what a lovely blender," I cooed as the girl in charge hustled me out from under her feet. My rapture for the Blendtec was merging with post-yogic bliss.
The question is what to do about equipment envy. As raw foodists, our approach may be high tech, low tech or something in between. I met a guy at a drumming camp who made his hemp milk using a pestle & mortar whilst my housemate spent £1000 on a Norwalk juicer. Chances are we have all seen a piece of kit that we want, that would be better than what we currently own.
I think that equanimity is the answer here, in other words I must choose to come into alignment with the yogic principle of santosa, or contentment. I am happy with what I have. My blender(Powermill)is sturdy, hard working and churns out great sauces & smoothies. I have identified an item that makes me feel good when I think about it, but I cannot allow that feeling to spiral into desire, which is often painful and causes suffering. Maybe someday a Blendtec will grace my kitchen and I look forward to that possibility becoming reality. Until then, maybe it's time to offer some karma yoga to the ashram, I'll get my hands on one faster that way...

Rainbow Raw event in Glastonbury this weekend

Rainbow Healing Vision Gathering is taking place this weekend, 10th &
11th January at St Edmund's Community Hall, Windmill Hill, Glastonbury.

Come along 2pm - 10pm Sat, 12pm - 10pm Sun and join in with talking
circles, circle dancing, singing, percussion jamming, pilgrimage to
the Tor, yoga and children playing!

Saturday evening: Full Moon candelit drumming circle.
Sunday: vision council & art workshop for Beltane Rainbow Gathering.

Bring cushions, musical instruments and raw food to share. Children
welcome. Alcohol, drugs and negativity free!
Magic hat entry, suggested donation £3 per day/ £5 weekend.

For details contact Sally, 07793 032036/ 01458 830761

What I am eating

I got an email a few days ago from a yoga client who eats high raw. We often chat about the raw diet. She wrote, "I am really intrigued as to know what sort of raw food you are eating."
It's a good question. There seems to be a great variety amongst raw foodists: perhaps one is into superfoods, another juice feasting, you may be a forager or gourmet.
I would say that my diet has changed a great deal and continues to change. I have been 100% raw for 3 (lunar) months and there is so much to explore. I do prefer to eat regular meals, in a traditional manner.
Right now I take a grapefruit ginger juice for breakfast along with whatever fruit tempts me: today a papaya, some strawberries and a couple of kiwis. Lunch is salad, boosted with seaweed and soaked seeds and courgette spaghetti made in my new Spirali. I'm into making a rich tomato sauce-dressing that I can keep for a couple of days in the fridge. I usually snack on fruit and dried fruit during the afternoon, I am trying to keep a lid on my dried fruit habit and wonder if I ate more at breakfast I would feel less the urge to snack. It could equally be habit. Evenings I eat a kind of raw oriental veg meal, much like a stir-fry, dressed in ginger, nama shoyu and sesame seeds. I often have a green juice also, or a smoothie. I try to eat early ie around 6pm so that I go to sleep with an empty stomach so I can really benefit from sleep and let the body truly rest and repair.

Raw pecan pie mini bites: they taste too good!

I was bored, a little restless and rummaging around in my kitchen cupboards.Right now have a dried fruit mini-mountain. Dates and pecans, hmm what can I make with that? As a raw foodist the answer is a simple one: stick it in the blender, give it a whizz and see what happens. I also added some coconut chips and cinnamon. The mixture blended easily but came out a little dry. On a second attempt I would pre-soak, possibly in fresh orange juice and maybe add a little zest for sweet zinginess. In this instance I added a little flax oil for pliability and formed patties by cupping the mixture in my palms. Decorating with pecan halves seemed appropriate. I have to say that they taste too good; which means I will be sharing amongst my housemates to prevent a scoff-athon.

Raw apple pie

Joseph had invited me to make banana bread with him as he had a huge pile of bargain ripe bananas. I too had banana abundance resulting from my pre-Christmas panic buying. Joe had pre-soaked golden flaxseed with dates and spices. This mixture was blended until smooth. Then he he added coconut chips that had been passed through a manual blender. I folded the mixture, it felt quite stiff, which was then poured onto a pie dish and smoothed over with a palette knife and dehydrated.

I blended some dates with fresh apple juice and ginger and added cinnamon to taste. The mixture was spread over the base. Then I sliced apples quite thinly and tossed in lemon juice before covering the surface. To finish I dusted some ground mixed seeds on top. Lush!

Supermarket sweep

I just got back from the supermarket. I had a bumper spree: unexpectedly coming across lots of raw goodies in the post-holiday sell off of seasonal goods. I picked up large bags of shelled walnuts and pecans. Organic dates stuffed with almonds, trays of beautifully presented dried fruit all at 75% off. So now I have a stash of the good stuff squirrelled away to keep me going through the winter months lol.