For those of you that may not be aware, I am in the midst of week three of a raw food experiment and am finally, after a rather fitful start, getting into the swing of things, experimenting with different recipes and not feeling the near constant hunger I was experiencing at the beginning when I only knew how to make a salad and peel a banana. It has been an interesting journey and one that is already teaching me a few things, and dare I say, changing me in a way that only a devoted practice could.
I am 100% committed to doing this for six months. My resolve is unwavering and there is nothing that will get in may way of completing this project, this challenge, and see in the end what all the fuss is about in regards to raw foodism. Its proponents swear by its virtues and certainly look all the better for embracing this very austere, very challenging and to me, very expensive lifestyle. My frame of mind is resolute which makes this easier to do than if I were to approach it with trepidation or with wavering commitment. My mind is locked in.
Like anything that focuses your attention and burns off inertia’s inherent in a passive, unconscious lifestyle, a practice teaches you so much. It reveals truths that lay buried under the weight of consciousness. It reveals you to yourself.
I have been totally raw and plan to be so until I go to Spain with my family in late September. In these first three weeks, I am already learning so much and things are already changing. The first thing is the reminder that when you focus your mind on a practice, any practice, whether it is raw food diets, piano lessons or yoga, it forces other things to change too. When you are committed to something with your whole being, nothing is the same anymore. In living up to your commitment, what is no longer important or necessary falls away. If you are attached to something that isn’t helpful it becomes glaringly apparent. There is no way to be unconscious of your life anymore. The practice makes everything about your life more vivid, more alive, more present and more real.
As I go along these next few months I will be sharing the process, my insights, the changes to my body and the recipes that are allowing me to embrace the pleasure of eating. This is after all, not just about austere practices. It is also about enjoying the journey along the way~
Here is a link to the first recipe I made that wasn’t a salad. It is a delicious raw basil & cilantro pesto that has become a favorite lunch option, keeping me fueled during my busy days. Enjoy!