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Feeding Life

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 by Lisa

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

Note: This story is a continuation of my last article, “A Fish Story.”

So, we’re sitting around the fire pit eating raw bison and… What? Oh, right. Sorry. I guess I should back up a little.

Well, the Salmon Incident gave us plenty of fodder for conversation. I could tell Mo was still processing this meat-eating thing. I was, too. When you invest years into supporting and promoting a specific set of truths and beliefs, you hang onto them… sometimes a little too tightly. We analyzed these truths and beliefs through different lenses, splaying them out on the table for dissection. The main issue that kept coming up for both of us was this idea of harm: Are we harming the animals when we’re eating them? Are we harming the environment by participating in animal and animal product consumption? Are we harming ourselves by incorporating these things into our diets? What do we mean by “harm,” anyway? And is this truly a question of harm?

A couple of weeks after The Salmon Incident, we had Frank Giglio and his wife, Camille, over for dinner. I was talking to Frank about what to make for dinner and we got to chatting about the salmon. He said that salmon was a pretty rich fish and that maybe Mo might prefer something a bit lighter like haddock or tilapia. I asked Mo if this was something she’d like to explore. She thought about it and said, “OK. I’ll try it, but I want to help prepare it.” (Admittedly, this is something that has pleasantly surprised me: since beginning this journey with eating meat, she’s wanted to be involved with meat gathering and prep before consuming it. I really respect that about her. She has such a tender heart that I wasn’t sure how that was going to play out, but this approach seems like it helps her to understand and appreciate what she’s participating in.)

The following Sunday found us sitting around the table, eating the local wild-caught haddock pan-seared in local raw butter. As I was getting others seconds, I overheard a bit of conversation between Frank and Mo. He was explaining about how life feeds on life and was detailing what’s involved in raising vegetables and raising animals. Unfortunately, I didn’t hear the whole thing, but what was interesting was watching Mo’s face. She has a lot of respect for Frank – something that she doesn’t parcel out easily. She was listening to what he was saying and I could see that she was putting it together in her head.

After they left, she brought up that conversation a few times and we continued to unpack it, thinking about it from different angles. One thing that kept coming up for us over and over was intentional eating. We’ve spent so much time researching local farms and questioning those farmers about their methods of breeding, raising, and killing practices. We’ve read articles and books about the best ways to prepare and consume the meats. We prepared the meats intentionally as a family and gave thanks at each meal. Were we ever this conscientious with our vegan meals? I mean, yes, we were conscientious, but I don’t think the spirituality was behind it quite as intensely as it has been with meat consumption. And should there really be any difference behind consuming animals?

We decided there really wasn’t. Life feeds on life. That’s where we’ve landed.

I believe we come to this place of intentionality because of our journey with food. Going from vegetarian to vegan to raw vegan was a slow, years-long cleansing physically, mentally, and spiritually. We’ve learned how to live with less, how to provide for ourselves, and how to be with our food.

So, when Daniel Vitalis came over the other night with the beautiful piece of raw local bison, we ritualized it. We took that and the local chicken that I’d marinated in my homemade honey mustard and went down to our fire pit. We spent time learning how to manually start a fire, appreciating our beautiful grove, and got warmed up. As darkness approached, we sampled the bison and chicken raw (both surprisingly delicious) and then tried some lightly cooked over our makeshift spit, eating everything by hand.

And the entire time Mo was present, respectful of the animal, and very clear spiritually. It’s true that nothing can prepare you for parenting – mainly because you never know what gifts your child is bringing with them. Thanks, Mo.

Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt is a raw foods chef and teacher and owner of Rite Food and Company (www.ritefoodandcompany.com), which offers workshops on intentional and joyful eating. Lisa Marie and her homeschooled daughter, Mo, record a weekly podcast – called Sweet Peas Podcast – chronicling their raw foods journey together.

Posted in Family, Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Raw food, Wild Parenting | No Comments »

YOU ARE A DREAM… A WISHED FOR DREAM.

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 by Shannon

terainbluebells My mom used to whisper sweet things in our ear when we were young, and I love to do this too whenever my boys are falling asleep or heading out the door…One day I must share with you our night time ritual which is just so special…Even though my boys are getting bigger at 10 and 12, they still ask for it and says it helps them fall asleep.

In the meantime, let’s talk about wishes…Cinderella says a wish is a dream you have kept in your heart. Every mother has a dream in her heart for her children. These dreams are our guiding light to give us strength when we need it, to brighten our lives when we lose hope, and to sweeten our steps of this overwhelmingly intense journey we find ourselves on.

shakaya-spring-water-2010 Have you ever written out what you wish for? What you dream of? Have you given any loving attention to your rich inner world? Women have the power to birth life and build communities; we are naturally imbued with a sacred heart. If we do not take time to center ourselves there, the inheritance of our ancestors cannot prevent that power from being leaked and drained away from us.

I recently had the honour of interviewing Marianne Williamson for WISH which I’d like to share about. WISH is a world-wide empowerment party for women and you are all invited! Tera had a dream in her heart to build community and empower women for many years and has actively been engaging herself in that mission.

Women have always come together to share their stories. Women embody an emotional connection that men stand in awe of and secretly revere. Tera gets that about women and she has invited me to help bring to life a program for women that is beautiful and inspiring and world-class called W.I.S.H. Women’s International Summit for Health.

We have gathered together some of the most activated beings on the planet to support and inspire you on your mission: Marianne Williamson, Marci Shimoff, Janet Attwood, Victoria Boutenko, Rainbeau Mars, Barbara De Angelis, and nearly 40 other luminous minds and hearts! Please join with thousands who have already signed up and tell all the women in your life to join you! www.wishsummit.com.

Marianne Williamson talks a lot about the power of women. She tells the story of how every wild animal in Nature ferociously takes care of their young, and cites the example of Hyenas, noting how they do not eat until their young are fed, and yet, we Western Women who have so much, are not stepping into our power enough. She says:

“A common anthropological characteristic of every advanced mammalian species that survives and thrives is the fierce behaviour of the adult female when she senses a threat to her cubs. Our relative complacency while 17,000 children on our planet starve to death every day — one every five seconds — indicates a lack of positive intention, on the part of our species, literally to survive. The power we hold as American women is unmatched anywhere in the world, and our failure to use that power as effectively as we might on behalf of those who need us the most is a situation now ripe for change.”

This is the kind of activation that is possible. We are women! We are mothers! We are sisters, we are daughters, we are friends, we are lovers! We are powerful and we are needed. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are a wished for dream.

Tags: Shannon Leone, Tera Warner, thoughts
Posted in Food for Thought, Shannon's Thoughts, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Raw Movement

Sunday, February 28th, 2010 by Shannon

Judgement is like an eclipse of the sun…It blocks the light. ~ Marianne Williamson

shakaya-feb-2010 Have you noticed there seems to be a movement sweeping through the raw community..? Many people are discussing it, many are doing it, and some are advocating it. I’m talking about the idea of widening our conception of what in fact is the healthiest diet. Let me ask you something, do YOU know what the optimal diet is? Most of us here would say a raw diet. Buuuuut, what exactly is a raw diet? How raw are you supposed to be to be considered raw? Is it all or nothing, or how important is the percentages of raw to cooked ratio for health? Does being raw mean being vegan? How healthy is the struggle of striving for a particular ideal, only to fail time and time again? How about when you desire certain goals, but the stress of striving for them outweigh the results? What about if there is judgement from other people or YOURSELF? Are there issues that lie underneath that aren’t being addressed through diet alone? Is focusing solely on diet as the means of obtaining health balanced? Or can it become toxic? What about the kids?? What does all the hyper-focus on the food mean to them? Is being raw a rawligion? What does it really mean to YOU?

There are truly amazing people in the raw movement who seem to be quite adept in their ability to trust their instincts and do due diligence with their research- using both hemispheres of the brain to ascertain what is right for them on their health journey- and we have learned much from them and been so inspired. However, it was always what worked for THEM that they did and eventually espoused. Of course, when anyone has the clarity and passionate beliefs and acts upon them with conviction, the innate strength and rightness of being which one is imbued with naturally shines a light outwards- not only guiding them onwards, but also attracting others.

Many people noticed this light in these particular individuals, and started to investigate this idea of becoming Raw for themselves. And for a decade now, many of us have been raw. The effects of changing our diet, our personal standards about not only food and nutrition, but also the ethos and ethics of our choices, and the consequences socially- for many of us have been profound. Some have found their purpose. Some have regained their health. Some have been released of the burden of excess weight or addictions. Some have reversed disease. The list goes on and on of the benefits of eating a raw diet!

shannon-leone_food_bounty I have always wondered…just because it worked for some, does that mean it will work for you and me? These people found what worked for them. THAT sounds like the real message to me. I don’t think anyone can say for sure what the perfect diet is for everyone, at every stage of their life.

For me, life is a process, and so is my awareness of what makes up real health; and it isn’t all about diet, though diet is a cornerstone. Many of you listened to speakers of the Raw Mom Summit and so you know that there ARE many models of the raw food diet. And every one of them attracts people that claim it is working for them even though it contradicts another version of raw foodism.

We have seen Dr. Graham passionately refute anything other than a 100% high-fruit, low fat diet, with lots of facts and stats to back it up. And we have seen David Wolfe suggest that certain people with particular metabolisms do well on a high fat all-raw diet. Dr. Brian Clement eats 70% raw and cooked grains. Many people say all grains, whether gluten-free or not, cooked or raw, are unhealthy. Victoria Boutenko consumes mostly green smoothies and soups but has recently added some steamed veggies occasionally. Shazzie was concerned about her daughter lacking in certain nutrients so added some eggs. Kate Magic raises her kids on a high superfoods diet. Sally Falon a widely respected author/researcher recommends raw dairy. Dr Weston Price who so many of us health-seekers have studied found that primitive people’s who lived the farthest from modern dentistry but ate a non-processed omnivourous diet (both plant and animal) had perfect jaws and teeth- and how many raw foodists can say that? Daniel Vitalis says raw veganism is a great cleanse, but not sustainable or even healthy for most people long-term. Aujanous Vonderplanitz cured himself from cancer by eating raw meat and now consults with thousands who do the same.

(Btw, I wouldn’t have thought this could possibly be good for anyone to do until I met a girl who was so robust looking, with perfect skin and clear eyes and beautiful teeth- an absolute natural beauty- who was the ‘healthiest’ looking person I have ever met. So I asked her about her diet. She said she ate all raw. My heart leapt for joy! Until she added ‘Meat. Raw meat’. I couldn’t even imagine it. But she vibrated such calm and yet powerful energy- kind of like a wild animal that is focused and peaceful yet totally alert and full of energy. I asked her how she came upon this way of eating and she told me about this man and his book called We Want To Live, and so I read it. Not for me, yet I could never discount it if it helps others.)

That was 8 years ago. The strange thing is that although I didn’t believe anyone could heal from this type of diet, I have to admit I have met very few raw vegans, if any, before or since who radiated the strength and beauty and physical health of this girl. My quest has always been for health, and I would love to look like she did, but being a raw vegan seems infinitely ‘superior’ to any other diet, and so it has been the path that I have chosen. Well, I no longer believe diets are superior or inferior…And neither am I 100% raw or vegan. The judgement that comes with those kind of concepts don’t seem ultimately very health giving, so I just hold that some diets are more nutritious.

Susun Weed who isn’t a raw foodist firmly believes that women and children need nourishment that plants alone cannot give. As a woman in my mid-forties, I want to ensure I do whatever my hormones may need for my later years, and so I hear that. Plus, any dogma which leaves no room for the emotional healing and is so confining is lacking in spiritual sustenance. My children are growing up and I constantly keep alert to ensure they are getting everything they need to meet their rapid growth spurts. I go in and out of being all raw, down to being about 90%, my kids a little less than that. And I used to beat myself up over it, now I just accept it and honour myself and my body and my mothering of theirs. Like I said, it’s a process, for all of us.

electrc-woman I most care about creating a safe haven for mothers on their journey. If I can do anything, it would be to support and encourage, offering some inspiration perhaps. But never to tell anyone what to do. I will always share what I do or what I would do in your situation if you ask me. And I would love to see other raw moms here with a variety of approaches so people can gravitate to what they resonate with. This will become a living community with a diverse and vibrant approach reflecting the evolution of sacred parenting at every stage. I’m not an authority. I’m no guru. Gosh, I’m so bored of gurus, aren’t you? I’m just like you- a mom- who loves my children dearly and wants to give them the best foundation I can in life.

Where are YOU in your raw health journey? Are you vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore?

I’d love to know, and I am sure others would too. We are going to set up a forum that is so user friendly and beautiful that we are all going to love going there to check out everybody’s profile and see what is happening with everyone. In the meantime, remember this, no matter what you eat, or what you don’t, it doesn’t define who you ARE, or the gifts that you came here to bring. Our diet is vitally important to our health, and natural raw foods are wonderful to include in a big way- but it isn’t the only aspect of health. My biggest hope is to get and keep our kids and ourselves off of junk food, to have people eating real nourishment, and even more importantly, is to address the underlying causes there, dietary, and emotionally. May we all be nourished. May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude, and be able to enjoy however we choose to nourish ourselves. And may we find love and support here on the journey.

Tags: children, conscious parenting, Food for Thought, parenthood, Raw food, raw mom, Shannon Leone
Posted in Family, Food for Thought, Health and Wellness, Shannon's Thoughts, Uncategorized | 16 Comments »

GODDESSES IN EVERY WOMAN

Monday, February 22nd, 2010 by admin

4332556145_09faf62b34_m Even though I have been running rawmom for quite a while behind the scenes already, now that I am officially the owner, it feels like a thrilling but daring adventure, and I feel excited and nervous! I do not consider myself a business woman. I identify with one role, my calling, being a mom. However, I’ve have heard that people born under my sign in both the Western and Chinese horoscopes make good leaders and can lead successful enterprises, and as my children are growing up, it’s the perfect time for me to gradually transition back out into the world…I’d like to believe I can learn what I need to, and attract people to help me. If am to grow to the corners of my potential as a fully realised woman, as well as facilitate my mission to make a difference, I must have courage. I feel alot of changes coming…it started with changing my name from Shannon to Shakaya, and even endowing myself with a second name, one of the elements, Breeze. I didn’t consciously choose these names, they seemed to just find me.

The archetypal images of the Goddess come to mind. When I interviewed Susun Weed for WISH, I asked her which Goddess archetype she most identified with and she said for a long time it was Artemis, autonomous Goddess of the Hunt, Nature, Birth, a protector plants and animals and a Super Sexy Virgin who never bowed to the rule of any man. Powerful! I have always been fascinated by Goddess archetypes since reading ‘Goddesses in Every Woman’ when I was in my 20’s and later work by Caroline Myss. Here are some of the archetypes as described by Myss whom I have identified with- perhaps you will see yourself in some of these- and some others whom I feel the desire to connect more deeply with so as to draw from their well for my growth and expansion that I feel is needed now:

HERA: The Companion

This stereotype is loyal, tenacious and unselfish in their service to a more authoritive figure. In this relationship she provides the emotional and practical support to enable her partner to concentrate on his mission. This was long considered the traditional role of the wife. Hera is the Goddess of marriage and birth.

Sacred Animals: Her beautiful big eyes led her to be linked with cows, and lions.

Sacred Birds: Peacocks, cuckoo’s and ducks.

Sacred Plants: Apples of immortality, Gaia gave her a garden of these golden fruit as a wedding present. The pomegranates which is a symbolism of marriage. Iris, oranges and willow are also linked to the Queen of the Greek Gods.

Strengths: Leadership and a loyal wife. Despite her husbands affairs she stays with him and rules by his side.

Weaknesses: Vindictiveness, vanity and jealousy.

She often misused her position and powers to punish the Zeus’s lovers. Her retribution was also extended to the women’s children. When Antigone boasted that her hair was more beautiful than Hera, the Goddess became so enraged that she transformed the long locks of hair into snakes.

DEMETER: The Mother

The Earth Goddess and Mother Archetype is a life-giver and the source of nurturing, devotion, patience and unconditional love. The ability to forgive and provide for her children and put them before herself is the essence of a good mother.

Sacred Animals: Pigs. Snakes were symbols of this Goddess as her chariot was pulled by two winged serpents.

Sacred Birds: The screech owl.

Sacred Plants: In addition to the grains wheat and barley the penny royal, a type of mint and the poppy were sacred to this Goddess. The mint was part of a drink consumed at her temple in Eleusis where her priestesses wore poppies as her emblem. The chaste tree, frankincense, myrrh and sunflowers are also linked to this Goddess.

Strengths: Loving mother, persistence and empathic.

Weaknesses: Depression, lived her life through her daughter.

ATHENA: The Warrior

This Archetype represents physical strength, and the ability to protect and fight for your rights and those of others. Natural Teacher.

Sacred animals: Snakes form part of her famous statue.

Sacred birds: The owl is linked with Athena the Greek Goddess as it represents wisdom and watchfulness.

Sacred plants: Mulberry, oak and olive trees.

Strengths: Rational, intelligent, a powerful defender and arbitrator.

Weaknesses: Too ruled by her head and out of touch with her emotions and femine side. Unapproachable and lacking in compassion.

HESTIA: The Nun

The Nun is characterized by her intense devotion and dedication to her path. Their work requires great focus and includes not only spiritual paths but artistic and business pursuits. HESTIA is the domestic Goddess of the hearth domesticity, hospitality and family life.

Never shown in human form, she was usually symbolized by a sacred flame or a circle which represented the hearth fire.

Sacred Animals: Cows

Strengths: Modesty, welcoming, pacifying and dedication to her job.

Weaknesses: Self-sacrificing and unsociable.

APHRODITE: The Lover

Represents passion and selfless devotion to another person. It also extends to the things that make our hearts sing, like music art or nature. The Greek Goddess Aphrodite was the Goddess of love and beauty.

Sacred Animals: Dolphins.

Sacred Birds: Doves.

Sacred Plants: Wood anemones, apples, myrrh, quince, roses and lime trees.

Strengths: The ability to make men fall in love with her.

Weaknesses: She was Vain, bad tempered, jealous and unfaithful.

PERSEPHONE: The Maiden

The Maiden is one of your Archetypes if you are life still in touch with your childhood intuition and fantasies and have used these to fulfill your dreams. Hence you can still have this archetype at any time of life. PERSEPHONE is the Goddess of the underworld and goddess of spring and rebirth. The Maiden reminds you to take care of the magical child that lies within us all.

Sacred Animal: Bats

Sacred Plants: Grain, lily of the valley, spring flowers and pomegranates.

Strengths: Able to compromise, adaptable.

Weaknesses: Not able to escape the influence of an over protective mother. Torn by her loyalties she tries to please everybody.

There are other goddesses besides the Greek ones listed here, as well as Celtic, Egyptian, Nordic and Roman goddesses, plus fertility goddesses, moon and sun goddesses, and seasonal goddesses.

It’s helpful to dive into the waters of our sub-conscious to see our patterns clearer and examine them so they aren’t controlling us. I think it was Anthony Robbins who said an unexamined life is not worth living and Byron Katie says that to engage in inquiry brings us emotional freedom.

I hope you enjoy seeing which goddess archetype you have identified with. And if you want to see some modern day Goddesses, women who are making a difference in the world today, and even be able to listen in to carefully sculpted interviews with them about the contemporary issues of us Raw Mama Goddesses and women around the world, sign up here www.wishsummit.com for your free admission to this inspiring event!

marianne_williamson_pic Tomorrow I have the honour of interviewing Marianne Williamson for WISH.This is kind of a miracle to me as through her work she is the one who has mentored me most throughout the years since I lost my mom at 16. Her words of wisdom have always brought meaning and solidness to my life. I’ll leave you now with a few of my favourites, In-Joy! Shakaya

TEARS CAN BRING TREMENDOUS GIFTS- THEY CAN MELT THE WALLS AROUND YOUR HEART

GOD’S PLAN WORKS. YOURS DOESN’T. (LOL)

WE MUST BE FREE TO HAVE A DISPUTE OR EVERYONE IS HIDING.

IF YOUR’RE DEPRESSED THEN ON SOME LEVEL YOU KNOW YOU AREN’T DOING WHAT YOU CAME HERE TO DO.

LOVE ISN’T LOVE UNTIL IT’S UNCONDITIONAL.

FAITH ISN’T BLIND- IT’S VISIONARY.

LEARN TO TRUST THE POWER THAT HOLDS THE GALAXIES TOGETHER.

OUR WALLS ARE OUR WOUNDS.

THE PAST IS MERELY THOUGHTS. ALL THAT IS REAL IS THE LOVE WE GIVE AND RECEIVE- ALL ELSE IS ILLUSSION.

WHEN YOU MEET ANYONE IT IS A HOLY ENCOUNTER- YOU WILL SEE THEM AS YOU SEE YOURSELF.

WHEN WE THINK IN TERMS OF COMPETITION, STRUGGLE, LIMITATIONS WE ARE THINKING UNNATRUALLY.

LOVE IS WHAT WE ARE BORN WITH – FEAR IS WHAT WE LEARNED HERE.

MEANING DOESN’T LIE IN THINGS- MEANING LIES IN US.

WE LOVE THINGS THAT CANNOT LOVE US BACK.

WHAT IS NOT LOVE IS A CALL FOR LOVE.

THINK OF THE NEWS AS HUMANITY’S PRAYER LIST.

HOW WE REACT TO SITUATIONS AFFECTS OUR POWER TO TRANSFORM THEM.

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DISAGREEMENT AND AN ARGUMENT.

FORGET THE IDEA THAT GOD HAS MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO THAN THINK ABOUT YOU. YOU WILL KNOW THAT TO GOD YOU ARE EVERYTHING WHEN GOD IS EVERYTHING TO YOU.

EVEN IF SOMEONE DOESN’T LIKE YOU THEY LOVE YOU WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT.

WE ARE PLACED HERE ON EARTH TO LOVE EACH OTHER’S PAIN AWAY.

WE LIVE IN A HOLGRAPHIC UNIVERSE WHICH MEANS THAT CONTAINED IN EVERY PIECE IS THE WHOLE AND VICE VERSA THEREFORE A HEALING IN ANY ONE OF US HELPS TO HEAL US ALL.

Tags: Life, Shannon Leone
Posted in Food for Thought, Health and Wellness, Inspiring Families, Shannon's Thoughts, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Apportioned Guidance

Sunday, February 14th, 2010 by admin

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

“Mo, you just had a salad an hour ago! Why are you eating again?!”

Mo, whose face was shoved in the fridge, now turns to me. Her eyes are ablaze with a look she has crafted over the past year. This look is intended to shoot laser beams and make me question my self-worth. A couple of days, this look has worked; most days I just respond with exasperation.

“Mom! Gah! Duh! Because I’m hungry! Hel-LO! Isn’t that why most people eat?!”

OK, the attitude was annoying, but what was even more annoying was that she was making a valid point. Why was I questioning her hunger? Why do I never ask her to validate her thirst? Where was this coming from? Was I reiterating some old programming taught to me by my gramma? I grabbed some chocolate, got a pen and paper, and went into my room to do some thinking.

What were some of the messages I received as a kid around food consumption?

My food was doled out to me by the adults and I was expected to clean my plate. If I didn’t get enough to eat, I couldn’t have seconds or I’d get fat. If I was still hungry after dinner, I offered to clean the kitchen so I could munch on leftovers.
Dinner was eaten with the family – no matter if I was hungry or not.
If I was hungry, I couldn’t eat until the appointed meal time.
Snacks were only eaten in the mid-afternoon and could only be an apple or an orange.
Dessert was only eaten at special occasions and/or only after dinner. Other sweets were eaten in secret.
Drinks of any variety (i.e., Coke, sweet tea) could be consumed at any time.

In other words, adults determined when I was hungry and what I could eat. My “job” was to do as I was told… and then rebel and eat in secrecy. For me, these messages bred a break in communication between me and my body – something I’ve been working to re-establish for years. These messages also reiterated the power-over dynamic adults often used with children. Food is the ultimate weapon for many adults; withholding as punishment or rewarding with “treats” is a common theme in this culture. So, what would happen if I took the emotions out of play? What would happen if my job was simply to provide a house full of healthy food and let her make decisions around her food consumption? Could I trust that all my education and nurturing had actually sunk in?

Armed with my new experiment, I began the trial the next day. Here was my first observation: Mo went to the fridge and started rifling through, looking for a snack. I bit my tongue and didn’t ask what she was doing or make a snarky comment about her wasting electricity by keeping the door hanging open. I also didn’t say anything about the fact that we’d just finished lunch a half hour ago. I continued doing the dishes. Eventually, she asked me what she could have as a snack.

“What does your body say it needs? A drink or something to eat?” I asked casually.

She did the pre-teen sigh and said, “I don’t know.” And then she closed the door and said, “I think I’m just eating because I’m bored. Maybe I should just make a hot tea. Would you play Uno with me?”

Inside, I was jumping up and down with joy and excitement – for her and for myself. Outside, I said, “Yeah, sure. What kind of tea you want?”

As I was making our cups of tea, I realized that a lot of energy went into worrying about Mo. Have I done enough? Given her the right tools? Been a good enough example? And I think I’m done with putting all that energy into doubting. Today I trusted and today the results were good. And if on some days they aren’t, then I have to trust that we’ll be able to work through it… because I think the education and nurturing has sunk in… for both of us.

Tags: children, conscious parenting, Lisa Marie's Thoughts, love
Posted in Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Wild Parenting | 5 Comments »

Strictly Speaking

Thursday, February 4th, 2010 by Lisa

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

Have you ever had someone comment on your diet seeming “strict” because of what you’re not eating? I love this! I taught an introductory raw foods class recently. At the beginning of these classes, I give the definition of raw foods as centering around fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains… and then I pause to check reactions. They’re always the same: a little glazed-over stare and then the mumbled, “Um, OK. That’s it…?” I love this part of class because I can see people’s minds spinning. They’re about to go into panic and rejection mode: “This diet has too many restrictions. Forget it!”

Well, I wish my students were here now. I am typing this article while eating my Top Secret Recipe Raw Vegan Chocolate Candy while drinking yerba mate tea with honey… for breakfast. Help me! I’m suffering over here because of my restricted diet! (Note: That was sarcasm.)

But, seriously, let’s look at this idea of restriction. When I became vegetarian, almost everyone I told reacted the same way: “Oh, man. I don’t know if I could live without meat.” When I became vegan, people bemoaned that perceived loss as well: “No dairy, eggs, or refined sugar? Not me!” Raw vegan? “No bread?!?” What’s happening here? Why did no one comment on how good I must be feeling? Why did no one say, “That’s awesome! I couldn’t imagine living without my green juices!”

American society seems to be focused on choice – having choice, having a myriad of choices, and ensuring that we always have the freedom to choose. When those choices are threatened or perceived as being threatened, we get defiant, we rebel, we puff up and defend our “freedoms”. But my challenge to my students – and to you – is to look at this on its head. What if we turned it around?

Many people I encounter are not happy with their health, their weight, or their food choices and they’re trying to find ways to change. Inevitably people list off their “sins”: pizza, cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, candy. I am then regaled with all the things they “know they should be doing”: exercise, greens, herbal teas, smaller portions. Sound familiar?

Ever wondered why it doesn’t work? Who wants to take away all the things that give them pleasure… to find health and happiness? Doesn’t this seem a little counter-intuitive? When I was transitioning over to a raw vegan diet, I found myself eating mostly raw and vegan… and then ordering pizza in. At first, I really struggled with the hypocrisy of it. Then, I realized that, at the time, I associated pizza and a movie with my family as something that brought me joy. Over the next few months, those pizza orders got further and further apart as I began to work on my emotions around food and incorporate healthier foods into my diet. We haven’t ordered pizza in months and, more importantly, I don’t crave it. I couldn’t start from a place of subtraction and denial; I had to start with adding and accepting and working with.

I remember telling a student once, “I don’t care if you eat steak or not, if you’re enjoying it – but you have to define enjoyment for yourself. Where does it start for you? Is it in the eating of the food? How the food was produced? How was it packaged? What your emotions were when you were preparing it? Who you were eating it with?” What’s really missing in our health is not some magical cure-all pill or goji berries or green smoothies. What’s really missing is joy, intention, and appreciation.

If we can start thinking in terms of adding things back into our lives and, hence, our diets, then we’ll begin to understand that the real restriction was our separation of ourselves from our experiences and our food. The more you begin to add healthier options and attitudes to your diet, the less room you will have for the unhealthier ones.

So, when people ask me now if I feel like I’m missing out on certain foods because of my dietary choices, I always say, “Dude, I have candy for breakfast. Are you kidding?!”

Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt is a raw foods chef and teacher and owner of Rite Food and Company, which offers workshops on intentional and joyful eating. Lisa Marie and her homeschooled daughter, Mo, record a weekly podcast – called Sweet Peas Podcast – chronicling their raw foods journey together.

Tags: Food for Thought, health, Raw food, raw foods, raw mom
Posted in Food for Thought, Wild Parenting | 4 Comments »

How the Cookie-Pusher Changed My Perspective

Sunday, January 31st, 2010 by admin

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

Mo and I flew to Atlanta last summer to visit my grandparents. I love my grandparents. They’re a total riot… and I don’t think intentionally so. Take, for example, the day they took us to lunch. My grandmother confessed that she just couldn’t bear the thought of not being able cook us a lunch, so she decided to deal with it the only way she knew how: she took us to the local steakhouse so that we could partake in their salad bar.

molm

This salad bar was much like every other steakhouse salad bar in the South. Not only did we have our choice of iceberg lettuce or iceberg lettuce, but we also got to choose from a variety of canned fruits, unnamed chunks of pressed meats, and puddings with skin. Mo and I were in heaven. How could we not be with plates piled high with iceberg lettuce and cherry tomatoes? We thought we’d hit the jackpot! “Just eat what you can and I’ll take you out later,” I said in my best ventriloquist impersonation.

“Don’t y’all want any boiled eggs or cheese for that salad?” asked my concerned grandmother when we returned to the table. “It’s just that the baby here’s looking a bit thin.” Mo, then 11, by the way, is the baby. We politely declined and proceeded to eat our food with greatest gusto we could muster.

When Mo went for her second plate, my grandmother discreetly got up from the table. As I continued eating, I watched my grandmother go to the desserts counter, grab something, and corner Mo by the salad bar. I saw Mo talking to her, but couldn’t tell what was being said. Later I learned that my grandmother had been attempting her usual Granny Coercion Tactics: “Why don’t you just have a cookie? You don’t have to tell your mother. I can’t believe she makes you eat this way!” Mo later told me she responded, “She doesn’t make me eat this way. I’m choosing to.” I remember seeing my grandmother returning to the table, looking defeated, and munching on the swiped cookie.

As Mo recounted the cookie incident to me that night, I thought, Man, when I was her age, I would have never turned down a cookie! When I was her age, I was eating fast food, buckets of candy, and, basically, anything on offer. So, what happened in the chasm between my grandmother and my daughter? What did I learn from my grandmother and my mother that would have spurned me, a raw vegan?

So many raw foodists that I’ve run into have said that they chose their lifestyle from a place of lack – lack of health, lack of nutrition, lack of energetic attunement. I chose mine from an abundance of love and excitement. Yes, those other pieces were and are important to me, but the joy of eating and the appreciation of eating in company… those I got from my grandmother. Some of the funniest and sweetest memories I have of my childhood center around food. And, yes, we may have been eating Burger King at the time, but the feelings of love were fat and plenty.

I understand that when my grandmother was pressing that cookie onto Mo that it wasn’t from a place of deviousness. I know her. She struggles with comprehending how someone could not want to share a joy-filled taste experience. For her, this sharing is connexion, intimacy. I feel this way, too, when I offer someone a taste of my latest creation. I love her for that gift.

I used to be angry at my maternal lineage. Sometimes I would get so despondent from having to undo all the years of unhealthy eating. Focusing on that negativity left me exhausted. In order to heal, I began to recognize that I couldn’t have gotten here if I wasn’t intelligent, compassionate, and appreciative of the humour of it all… all the things I learned from grandmother. This path from my grandmother to my kid may be lined with fried foods and double-iced birthday cakes, but underneath that is a real love, a real need to feel close to someone.

In order to honour my path, I have to honour my grandmother’s and my mother’s… and all the women before them. I have to see that each of them learned from their mothers and believe that they tried to improve upon what they were taught. It’s so exciting to think that Mo will take my lessons around food and eating and push them up a notch. Where will she end up? What will she teach her children? And will I get my chance push a raw vegan cookie on them?

Tags: children, conscious parenting, Raw food, raw foods, raw mom
Posted in Family, Food for Thought, Inspiring Families, Raw food, Wild Parenting | No Comments »

45 and SO Alive!

Friday, January 22nd, 2010 by Shannon

birthdaycake

It feels like forever since I posted something, its been so busy around here and I know you know what I mean- life with kids always is. Just off the heels of the holidays was my son’s birthday and this weekend was my 45th and Ooooooh I feel better now than at 25! Now mind you, with all the celebrating and socializing I have definitely been kicking up my heels and over-indulging in festive cooked foods- mainly rice and pasta and sweets like the delicious raw cheesecake I made for Landon’s birthday seen in the picture. I was also in several more magazines lately and seemed to make all sweet creations for them too… Fortunately, I have learned over the years to go with the flow and not bother worrying about it. So, instead what I do is a mini re-set of a week long juice fast. Today is day 5 and I feel fantastic!! It’s so easy once you commit to just doing it!

I started the first 2 days with the Master Cleanser (although I don’t use any sweetener- just tons of cayenne pepper and fresh squeezed lemon water) and then I juiced greens for 3 days: kale, celery, cucumber, parsley and a green apple. Today I made an almond mylk out of nettles infusion and tonight I will make a tea from milk thistle seeds to support my liver. Everyday for ‘lunch’ I also make a bentonite clay/caprylic acid/pysllium drink which is great for the colon. And every night a castor oil pack.

thewidesea

A magical side-effect of doing something like this is how strong I feel. I remember trying to do these detoxes when I was younger and it always felt like torture because I would feel weak and tired and so hungry. Now, although the first 2-3 days I do feel hungry, my energy is just perfect- high, happy and balanced. In fact, instead of feeling delicate and sensitive to the cold, I am actually doing Polar Bear Dips and long barefoot hikes in the snow. I used to suffer in the cold winters before I went raw. Now, although I still prefer balmy sunny summers, I actually enjoy all the seasons now and love to be out in the cold.

After re-reading the Daylight Diet and realising how important it is to eat early in the day, and knowing this is one of my biggest personal challenges, doing this little detox program is hopefully helping me to create a whole new habit for when I do return to eating.

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What I love too is how my family gets to see me taking care of myself. My husband actually joined the juicy fun on day 2 and although I don’t feel it is necessary or appropriate to fast healthy children, I do notice that it feels really easy to prepare all-raw for them instead of the warm grains or seaweed soups or steamed veggies. They just feel so happy they don’t have to fast that they are grateful to be eating and it makes them more aware of their bodies and they tend to do more stretching and brush their teeth longer and little things like that whenever I take on my mini-cleanses.

I am even thinking of doing a one day a week juice day- I used to do this in my 20’s with a boyfriend who was a vegetarian too, and a black belt in Karate and we would juice fast on weekends together. It was always so much fun and something we looked forward to. It really helps having a partner to stay motivated. Here’s to everyone out there taking wonderful care of yourselves! And it’s a good thing for our kids too! Next post I will share some of my best tips for doing a successful cleanse if anyone is interested in using simple things like neti pot, oil pulling, tongue scraping and others, so watch for these coming soon.

Blissings

Tags: conscious parenting, Food for Thought, health, Living Food, Raw food, raw foods, raw mom, Shannon Leone
Posted in Food for Thought, Health and Wellness, Meditation, Natural alternative to drugs, Raw food, Shannon's Thoughts | 5 Comments »

It’s Hard To Be A Martyr

Saturday, January 16th, 2010 by Lisa

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

lisamarie-dgrrr

Does this ring a bell for you? You’re unloading your groceries onto the conveyor belt at your local grocery store. You’re throwing organic, grain-fed chicken (for your raw dog, of course) up there, some local apples, maybe a couple of boxes of shee-shee organic tea harvested specially from some little town in the Andes where the only source of income for the indigenous peoples are from the farming of this tea… As you’re piling up your well-thought-out purchases, you happen to glance at the customer’s cart behind you. You notice the Ho-Hos, the frozen Hungry Man dinners, the drums of Sunny D, and can after can of meat chili. Your eyes nonchalantly travel up to the customer himself. You see a man with someone you presume is his son. Both are heavy, looking disheveled, and generally conveying an air of grump. You mentally shake your head and start connecting the dots from their diet to their appearance. After you pay for your groceries, you walk out of the store praising yourself for having the intelligence to rise above the muck and mire of the SAD diet.

Or what about this one? You make a beautiful dinner for your family of baked delicata squash, brown rice with local, raw, organic butter, and a hearty kale salad. When it’s time to serve up everyone’s plate, you cram your plate with kale salad, taking only minuscule amounts of the rice and squash. You serve everyone else’s plate to their liking, making sure they’ve seen the portion ratio on your plate. Once their plates are clean, they head back up to the stove for a second helping… of rice and butter. You say, “There’s plenty of kale salad left, if you want some of that, too,” but they decline. You mentally shake your head and start connecting the dots from their diet to any malady they may currently be experiencing. As you’re cleaning up, you eye the rice and butter, wanting another serving. Of course, you can’t because that would send the wrong message to the other family members that look up to you for guidance on their health quest.

It’s hard to be the martyr. I know. I’ve been one for years. I think I am coming to the realization that others may not be perceiving me as a martyr though. This is shocking. I have invested a lot of time researching nutrition, a lot of money trying out different recipes, and a lot of energy being the example for others. How dare they not understand all I am doing to sacrifice myself for their health?!?! … OK. So, of course, I am saying all this tongue-in-cheek, but this is a real issue – for me and for other women I know. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this recently because I’ve found myself exhausted, exhausted from always having to be “on,” always having to make the “right” decision. I’ve been living my life for other people’s reactions. But in mulling this over, another thought came to the fore: Is judging wrong? And where does compassion fit into all this?

This compassion thing is new to me. I was never taught this concept outright as a child. Therefore, my understanding of it has gotten all screwed up. My husband says compassion literally means “to suffer with.” What if you could break everything down to suffering – meaning, somehow or another our needs are not being met on some level? Could we be better equipped to relate to others? I believe we could because then the emotional baggage that we create around judging would be a moot point.

Many of us get mired in defining judging as something bad. But it is not the judging that is bad; it is what you do with this judging that defines the quality of the judgement. The literal definition of judgement is “the cognitive process of reaching a decision or drawing conclusions; the mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations.” So, if we see someone in a grocery store with a buggy loaded down with processed food, we can make a judgement or draw a conclusion about that particular person. But, and herein lies the rub: listen to yourself as you are judging. What conclusions have you drawn? How are you characterizing that person? Are your conclusions helpful or compassionate? What is your investment in judging this person in a certain way? Does your judgement validate you in any way?

These are hard questions. It takes a heck of a person to be able to go through this process and respond honestly and, most importantly, to act compassionately. But the first place to start is with yourself: how are you judging yourself? And, more importantly, are you able to respond to that judgement compassionately? Can you respect the path you are on as a process?

That’s your homework assignment. Let me know how you do. As for myself, I think I’ve got a special place for that Martyr Award… in the closet.

Tags: conscious parenting, Lisa Marie's Thoughts, Raw food, raw mom
Posted in Food for Thought, Uncategorized, Wild Parenting | 4 Comments »

The Birthing Process

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 by Lisa

by Lisa Marie Lindenschmidt

In the Pagan tradition, Yule is the birthing time. The Goddess is great with child and is in labor to bring forth the Sun. The Winter Solstice also being the longest night of the year symbolizes that deep doubt and darkness that we can sometimes feel as we are going through our own birthing processes. And so, instead of mourning the fear and moaning over the pain, the Goddess encourages us to have hope and to celebrate this new birth, to create a welcoming home for this new child.

Yeah. Right.

You know, when I put my family’s traditions in the context of this lovely story, it’s easy to feel like the world will just fall into place. Hey, I remember when I gave birth. I wasn’t thinking about celebrating and latch-hooking the welcome mat; I wanted this kid out! And I think that’s how most of us approach change. We don’t want to go through all the labor, all the pains, the gradual transitioning, the learning process. We don’t want to enjoy the sites along the way; we want to just Be There.

molm

The other day, Mo was relating a story to me about her views on spirituality. She ended it by saying, “I don’t want a religion; I want a relationship.” This was profound for me. She’s been frustrated lately by the idea of boxing her religion – and I would wager her beliefs in general – into the one category of Paganism. We have both been beginning to feel that our views, our ethics, our principles for life are more encompassing. I think that Paganism being an Earth-centric philosophy and religion (some would argue that Paganism isn’t a religion… but that’s another article) still works for me on a lot of levels. The stories are beautifully symbolic and keep me grounded in the Wheel of the Year and the happenings of my internal and external environments. But Mo’s point is well-taken: to be in relationship implies that the person has an intimate ongoing communication with whatever it is that person is calling Divine (or God or Goddess or whatever works best for you).

The idea of being in relationship with something means that you not only have to value the thing or person that you are in relationship with, but you also must value the process of that eternally-changing relationship. And let’s admit it: this sucks. OK. Maybe not with all things. But I am thinking specifically of my relationships with food and money. And, of course, let’s not forget about those relationships with people you can’t change, like my sometimes angst-filled daughter and my oftentimes pig-headed husband! I’m kidding about the relationship with them sucking, but you get my point: being in relationship means that you have to consider the other party’s opinions, input, influence. And this can be incredibly difficult – especially in relationships with inanimate objects like food or money.

So, where do we start with acknowledging relationship? How can we find peace with this sometimes painful process? Is it possible to recognize the path as a awe-inspiring, even a joy-riddled one?

The hard truth is that this whole process starts with you admitting that you have to stand where you are at all times. You have to start with saying, “OK. I am right here, right now. Now what is the best decision I can make? What does this relationship feel like right now? Where do I want it to go? How can I work with in order to get where I want?” And most importantly… you have to be willing to let go of outcome. This is the sucky part.

The part of the story that I like most about the Goddess giving birth to the Sun is this idea of faith: will the Sun return? Because the bottom line is that none of us really know for sure. The irony here is that most of us have more faith in the returning of the sun each day than we do in our relationships with people or finances. Can we put ourselves in a situation of unconditional trust in the Universe? Will we be taken care of? Will others reciprocate our love? Will we heal ourselves from our past? Will we make good choices around parenting our children? And will we be forgiven when we don’t?

We are in relationship with everything around us. How can we nurture those relationships defines the benefits we get. I don’t believe this is selfish. I believe this is a necessary part of thriving as a human being.

Posted in Food for Thought, Health and Wellness, Inspiring Families, Uncategorized, Wild Parenting | No Comments »