The Best Gift on My Birthday

I love to use my birthday as a time to start fresh. I've been raw for 50 days. Even when I partake of cooked food (intentionally or not), I have still considered myself raw, so I have not lost sight of the fact that I am committed to being raw from now on.
Raw food has brought me such joy and such abundance! Aside from relieving me of various ailments I didn't think I had (doesn't everyone get occasional headaches, have constant congestion, and sleep poorly?), it has given me a new perspective on life. With that comes more passion, power, and connection with the Source. No religious belief or self-help program has given me what raw food has and I am so grateful for the delicious crunch of a gala apple, or the juice firmness of a cantaloupe.
My birthday was last night (Sept 19th) and I, with the help of my AMAZING husband Josh (pictured in Raw Spirit pics with me and Bunny), and both of my housemates, I was able to show my 20 closest friends and family that raw food is delicious, nutritious, flavorful, filling, and satisfying. We had sushi, Thai slaw, Sweet Potato noodles with Thai Curry, mint cheesecake, and cucumber melon drink. Some folks even said, "Wow, this is actually good!"
I was so blessed. Truly, truly blessed.
I also went to the spa yesterday (free for birthday girls!) and had a conversation with myself about why I don't feel powerful ALL the time. My response to that was that I am always choosing to struggle through my life. I choose hard circumstances and challenging situations so that I can show people that even when life is hard, you can triumph (because I always prevail). But yesterday, with some Divine guidance, I began choosing to skip the struggle and simply live triumphantly. The Universe is not creating "tests" and "obstacles" to make me prove myself. I'm doing all that because I feel that I need to struggle first!
The Universe is lovingly, abundantly, and easily giving me exactly what I want and I just need to step into receiving it without guilt or embarrassment. I don't need to feel bad for seeing that I truly LOVE my life and the universe and the Ultimate Spirit. Life never has to be hard or filled with struggle. Sure, accidents happen and things may "go wrong," but there are enough amazing things in the world going on at one time, that I don't have to focus on that. I always see the gift in tragedy and now I know I don't have to wait as long to acknowledge it.
I, of course, am not welcoming tragedy, nor am I condemning it. I'm calling it tragedy. I'm choosing to feel challenged. But I can also choose to see the amazingness of it. I can choose to see how a physical injury has led me to LOVE my body so much for its strength, endurance, flexibility, and willingness to heal.
I can choose to see that emotional trauma is a way for me to build and strengthen my relationship to Source and Spirit.
So I choose to live life easily, abundantly, with love and passion! And it's a great life to live!

Raw Spirit Continued

What I really enjoyed and what I want others who were not there to know, is that it was really cool to be among others like me. I highly underestimate the support component in the raw and living foods lifestyle. I'm usually the "freaky" person in the crowd, what with my "salad with no dressing" or my "just uncooked vegetables" requests. But there I was, with hundreds of other folks talking about cacao (without the need to explain the diff. b/w raw and roasted), goji berries, coconut milk, red peppers (instead of green), etc.

The last night Shimshai played a great concert and I teared up watching non-drunk, non-drugged, happy people dancing and emanating pure love. Seriously, chefs, speakers, authors, new to raw alike were getting down and dancing under the full moon. It was fantastic.

I had bed-head practically every day (I only showered once for 2 mins--too cold--the whole weekend), I wore the same clothes, I didn't put on any pretense and I was loved from the moment I arrived, until I parted ways with folks at the airport. There was an almost tangible, constant "hug" from raw fooders the whole weekend. I highly recommend folks get down to Santa Barbara in May for the next fest.

The food was a bit heavy for me, since I usually have a green smoothie first thing, a salad for lunch, and then a heavier, but less complicated dinner, but I could hardly pass up the delicious meals that came with the entry fee.

I'll also bring my own sleeping bag next time because the nights were cold and I do much better when I am warm at night. CA might be diff. in May, but I still need a sleeping bag.

After seeing all of my raw food heroes and having such an awesome time, I am more resolute than ever regarding my mission in life. Optimum health is available to us without gimmicks, guilt, counting calories, surgeries, and unnecessary medical procedures. I want to help empower folks to be in charge of their health and through that, their life. I'll be offering classes on the emotional aspects of going raw, living in a non-raw family (this will be primarily a couple's class), getting in tune with the seasons via our food choices, building community, and many more.

Raw food has provided me better relationships with friends and family, amazing health, weight loss, mental clarity, spiritual growth, personal growth, and a much stronger and varied sense of taste. And I simply want to share my experience and provide support and encouragement to others!

Raw Spirit Festival 2008

I just got back from Raw Spirit Festival 2008 and it was a blast! Hubby Josh came with me and we had such a great time. We volunteered 5 hours each day so we could meet raw food chefs and others interested in raw food prep. It was a lot of fun to spend the early morning preparing food for thousands of attendees.
After our shifts we were able to hear raw food folks: Anthony Anderson, Dr. Doug Graham, Karen Knowler, Dr. Aris La Tham, David Wolfe, and many more!

We got to try so many yummy dishes by raw food chefs too!

More Later!

October 4th, Raw Foods 101-Just Starting Out

If you live in the Seattle area, I'll be teaching my first class on Raw Foods 101, especially for those just starting out.
We'll talk about appliances, social situations, and how to prepare quick raw and living food meals.
I'll make several dishes for us to enjoy during class. This class is directed at those who are just starting out and want to know the basics of the raw food lifestyle. Later classes will dive into recipes and food prep specifically.

Location: Duwamish Cohousing Common House, 6000--17th Ave SW, Seattle, WA
Time: October 4th, 11-3pm
Fee: $30 (this includes a very resourceful handout with beginning recipes)

Class size limit is 10 people, so sign up now!

For more info, please call: 206-97-FEAST (973-3278) or email rawbecca (at) gmail (dot) com