Radical Radiance

The Spirulina Recipes Ebook!

2012-01-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

Do you want to start incorporating spirulina into your diet but don’t know? Have you tried to combine it with foods or recipes that simply didn’t turn out tasty? You’re not alone. Introducing the first-ever Spirulina Recipes Ebook from Spirulina Junkie!

Spirulina has a very distinct flavor that requires specific combining with other flavors. The Spirulina Recipes Ebook will share how you can incorporate spirulina into desserts, chocolate, entrees, soups, salads, smoothies and more, with 30 unique recipes! Top healthy chefs have contributed their tried-and-true, personal favorites for recipes incorporating the incredible superfood spirulina.

Click here to read more and get your copy!

Rainbow Rolls from Penni Shelton

Good Morning Smoothie by Marlie Centawer

Spirulina Chocolate by Michelle Master

The Link Between Sexuality, Diet, and Self-Esteem

2011-08-09T14:49:00.000-07:00

My friend Gena Hamshaw of ChoosingRaw.com has posted an article written by myself and my wonderful partner Sarah E. Brown of QueerVeganFood, entitled "Exploring the Link Between Sexuality, Diet, and Self-Esteem".

Click here to read!

The post mentions our forthcoming book on holistic health for women who love women. If you're interested in contributing your story, please contact queerveganfood [at] gmail [dot] com. Thanks!

Spirulina Junkie! It's finally here!

2011-03-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings my beloved readers! I have something epic and deep green for you... I've finally launched my site, Spirulina Junkie! This site will be dedicated to info, recipes, and more about the amazing superfood Spirulina! More information is forthcoming, but please, check it out and give me feedback!

www.SpirulinaJunkie.com

Why Veganism is Good for Your Love Life

2011-02-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

Check out my new article on Vegan Mainstream! Click link below:

Why Veganism is Good for Your Love Life

Tree of Life Cafe Photos #34

2011-01-19T13:40:00.000-08:00

Green Lips, Chocolate Kelp and the Desert Sky

2011-01-18T11:30:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011, darlings! How is everyone's year going so far? Tell me what's exciting!

First off... I have a new project I'm working on that I'm very excited for. Right now it's still a secret, but I'll give you a hint... It has to do with SPIRULINA!

Indulge me... What do you love about spirulina? Of course, that's if you've tried it yet... Have you? What's your favorite way to eat it? When are you going to join us in the green lips club?

Spirulina salads my friend Koali and I made - yum!

A close-up: Spirulina on clover and sunflower sprouts

Spirulina Manna by HealthForce Nutritionals - one of my fave spirulinas

Otherwise, I've been outside a lot biking and hiking, as it's been very warm. I've also been reading and writing, as well as enjoying time with friends. Sarah has been making some pretty amazing creations too... chocolate kelp noodles, for one... Check the delicious, crazy dessert/seaweed dish out by clicking here.

My friends Puki and Ami Freeberg, twin sisters and college friends.

New Year's Eve vegan dinner with Elaina Love, Chris Whitcoe of VivaPura, Sarah and Asher.

A gorgeous winter sunset in the desert. I love the sky here.

Au revoir for now,

Courtney

Vegan Resolutions: How Not to Crash and Burn

2011-01-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

An article I wrote for VeganMainsteam.com:

Your resolution for the New Year might be to go vegan, or it might be to reach some goals towards eventually going vegan - say, by going vegetarian first. Or your resolution may be to have a cleaner and more balanced diet as a vegan already. The concept of resolutions in our society is almost cliché because the majority of people do not keep them. Of the people who actually make resolutions and start following them, only a percentage keep them for more than a couple weeks, or even a couple months if determined.

Most diet stories are crash-and-burn ones. Something about how we’re viewing or implementing our intention causes us to bite the dust – hard. We have to ask ourselves, “How can I follow through with this resolution so I can succeed with it?” or, “What changes can I make towards my goal that won’t cause me to crash-and-burn?” One of the best approaches is... (Read the rest by clicking here)

Holiday Vacation + Fruit Dip!

2011-01-04T10:16:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Last week I returned from my holiday vacation with my family. This first pic is a super simple raw vegan pate I made to dip fruit in. It's simply equal parts medjool dates and brazil nuts, with a little water to make it the consistency you desire, and a pinch of salt. It tasted great with pomegranates too ;)

My dad, his wife, one of my bros, and myself. Cutting up butternut squash!

Eating Raw in the Winter

2010-12-22T14:10:00.000-08:00

A common challenge people encounter with the live foods diet is feeling warm and balanced during winter, in cold climates. There are several techniques one can employ include eating warming foods.

The most warming foods are ginger, cayenne pepper, and other hot peppers. The ancient healing system of Ayurveda teaches that other warming foods include tomatoes, radishes, beets, carrots, daikons, and herbs like black pepper and cumin. Soaked, raw grains can also be warming in the winter, such as sprouted quinoa or buckwheat. Additionally, food can be heated slightly and still be considered living. Depending on the food, it's generally agreed that is at about 115 degrees. I suggest heating up live soups, especially tomato soups and miso soups, as well as heating vegetables with some herbs and/or oil.

If you are not eating an entirely live food diet, we recommend your percentage of cooked food to be plant-sourced only, low-glycemic,preferably gluten-free meals. The book There is a Cure for Diabetes by Dr. Cousens offers many recipes that combine cooked and live food or are cooked recipes.

Lifestyle choices can contribute to the ease or difficulty of staying with live foods through the winter. Exercise increases circulation and contributes to body warmth, as does dry skin brushing. If you have access to an infrared sauna, regular sessions both increase circulation and detoxify. Engaging in fast-paced pranayama, or breathing exercises, is also invigorating.

Enjoy your healthful winter!

Beauty in the High Desert

2010-12-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend, to enjoy the 75-degree weather, I went on one of my favorite hikes/climbs outside of Patagonia, Arizona - a slot canyon called Flux Canyon. The outdoors, natural beauty, sunlight, exercise, and amazing friends makes for one delightful experience. The above picture is of one side of the slot canyon.

Someone's vehicle met their demise here. Graffiti tells us sometime in the early 80's

Entering the slot canyon

Love this canyon. So gorgeous.

A view looking up at the sky

Elaina Love headed to drink some of the water streaming from this mountain. We have yet to find the source, but it's running, cold water at about 4,500 feet in the desert...

After hiking through the canyon and then a scrub oak forest, we came upon a road that ran on the ridge of one mountain.

Chris of VivaPura, Elaina Love, and Erin enjoying the panoramic view

BEAUTY

Photos by Koali P and Greg W

Picture Summary: Raw Holiday Parties!

2010-12-20T14:46:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season of holiday parties. In Patagonia, that means party after gathering after party of enthusiastic raw food. A photo summary:

Superfood brownies by Sarah at the Patagonia raw holiday party

Kim, Sarah, Chris Whitcoe from VivaPura, and myself

Raw spiced brownies by Koali

White Elephant gift exchange - tibetan prayer flags and Nag Champa incense

Meal with friends - amazing 'cheezy' kelp noodles and spirulina salad (made by yours truly)

Boaz, Sarah, myself and Koali

Going Beyond Food

2010-12-13T16:42:00.000-08:00

Raw food, nutrition, natural healing, cleansing, and holistic lifestyle practices were subjects that immediately awakened a deep passion within me when I first learned of them 5-6 years ago. My intrigue and thirst for knowledge on these topics went beyond just how raw food made me feel and look. I wanted to know everything. I researched for hours and hours on end, foregoing most other activities in order to read about enzymes, superfoods, living water. For several years, my passion for these subjects has surpassed most other interests in my life, resulting in my devoting many hours every week in learning, sharing, and even more in actual practice of the diet and lifestyle practices.

As my creativity is being reawakened, or 'recovered', as Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way, would say, I have begun to consider more deeply the role of raw food in my life as it relates to my other passions, some of which are creating art, writing, athletics, and music. Since immersing myself in my passion for health and spirituality, these other interests, which I had been heavily involved with prior to my interest in nutrition, have been on the periphery in my consciousness and minimally exercised in action.

After several years of distance from my creativity and these passions, the are ready to re-enter my life in a fresh, new, and more mature way. This has me thinking about something I see with lots of people and have certainly experienced myself: how easy it is for us to get so caught up in the whole raw food thing that we forget it's ok to have other interests, other passions, that are completely unrelated to food and health. Not having food be central to our lives or career doesn't mean we can't be incredibly disciplined and mindful of our diet and lifestyle practices. Of course, it is the perfect, meant-to-be career/life path for many to be raw food chefs, coaches, or to start a raw company. But often, I see people develop an interest in raw food and even be totally passionate about it, and forget their other callings. Even if we do feel inspired to have our main focus be related to health or raw food, we must remember how important it is to honor our other passions as well. This is what I'm personally encountering. I acknowledge my deep passion for knowledge about health and nutrition, but I am also remembering I must honor my other interests and take them seriously.

Raw food creates a healthy, energized body, a clearer, more focused mind, and, in my opinion, a more open channel for creativity. This energy, focus, and enthusiasm can be fuel and support for our other passions, allowing us to create better and more profound work and to enjoy it more. Raw food can be a support, but it's not the end-all. Maybe it's time to take our focus beyond food and ask ourselves, "What do I really love, aside from nutrition, health and raw food?" "What have I always dreamed of doing?" Raw food can support the artist in creating better art, the athlete to perform better, the writer to create better stories, and can support interests that do not traditionally fall under the category of 'creative'. Really, could anything one could learn, create, or experience not be made better by having extraordinary health?

If humans pull off the incredible things they do, fueled on a toxic diet, alcohol, and prescription meds, what could you do?

Starlight and Painting: An Update

2010-12-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Hello, Dear Readers!

I find myself less able to rub in the days of AZ warmth at those of you living in cold climates... It is getting chilly here! With the shorter days and colder temperatures, I've found myself moving from long bike rides after a day of work to long walks with a flashlight in the dark. Although I'm partial to the glory of flying down a hill on my bike surrounded by majestic mountains and cacti in the warm, blazing sun, my new evening communions with the night, replete with the sparkling, star-packed Arizona sky are certainly energizing.

I have been taking the course The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. The subject of art and certain other forms of creativity I enjoy have been pretty much absent from my blog, because, well, it's been pretty much absent from my life for the last few years. Prior to the last few years, however, art was a major focus in school; primarily painting, drawing, and clay sculpture. If I can figure out how to upload pictures of my art here and protect them, I will do so (I'm an amateur about art on the internet, clearly... does anyone know how to do that?).

The course is a whole other blog post in and of itself, and that blog post will definitely happen. I have been (synchronously) blessed to actually be doing the course with others. A community member in Patagonia actually studied with the revered Julia Cameron herself, and has taught the course before. Myself and five other amazingly talented and creative women meet every Wednesday to go over the exercises for that week, discuss our creative victories and tribulations, and work through them towards the goal of a more profound and fulfilling creative life. The quality time spent with powerful, creative women doesn't hurt either ;)

More on that later... Other recent adventures have included the massive Thanksgiving Celebration of nearly 200 people that happened last week. I posted a blog about it on the Tree of Life's official blog that you can see by clicking here. Chocolate and dance themed parties are a regular around here, including tonight, when one of the reasons for celebration will be my 4th year anniversary of arriving to the Tree of Life. Gosh, that could be yet another blog post... Anyways, yes, four years ago today I arrived to Arizona, where I hadn't been since I was born (if I may get poetic and corny for a moment, it seems this state is the place of my birth and my re-birth - ha!).

That's my update for now!

Courtney

Receiving in Order to Share on Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T16:30:00.000-08:00

The Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center hosts 100-200 people each year for our Thanksgiving potluck and day-long celebration. The Thanksgiving celebration starts with a group meditation. Meditation is a perfect way to start a day focused on gratitude. It allows us to be present to the abundant, overflowing blessings in our lives. Not only that, meditation returns us to the place prior to thought and form, the “nothing”. Gabriel Cousens, a spiritual teacher of mine, teaches that the nothing is where the “something,” all that exists, comes from. On a day where our gratitude is usually associated with situations, people, things, and circumstances in the “something”, it is profound to touch in with the place prior to all that, to its source. “Everything comes from the Divine” and “everything the Divine does is for the best, for you” are profound teachings to meditate on for Thanksgiving.

After the group meditation finishes, the garden service project starts. During this service project, guests may plant, harvest, and help with other tasks in the garden. Why have a service project on Thanksgiving? The teaching is that “we receive in order to share.” All that we receive is ultimately receiving from the Divine, and we receive in order share, or to keep the energy circulating. When we receive for self alone, rather than to share, we are metaphorically “jamming up the circuitry” on an energetic and spiritual level. By offering service on Thanksgiving, we participate in a literal and symbolic act to acknowledge that we receive all the abundance in our lives in order give back and be of service.

The Thanksgiving feast itself consists of all organic, live food, plant-based-only potluck contributions from guests, as well as home-grown greens, sprouts, and other vegetables from the Tree of Life. Present at the potluck are live, plant-source only versions of stuffing, cranberry sauce, fudge, pecan pie, crackers, and much more. The feast begins after a blessing led, where participants unite in gratitude for the meal, the blessings in their lives, the gift of being able to be uplifted spiritually. The Thanksgiving feast also symbolizes, similarly to the challah ceremony on Shabbat, a prayer for all the people of the world being fed and well-nourished. Eating a plant-based-only meal directly symbolizes this prayer, because as Gabriel teaches, the world can be fed seven times over if everyone were vegan. Thus, a few minutes during the blessing are taken to visualize the world’s people being fed, happy, healthy. Ultimately, it is to symbolize that everyone be free and health so that they are fully supported in the ultimate Dharma: to know the Divine.

Tree of Life Cafe Photos #33

2010-11-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

All creations by the Tree of Life Cafe in Patagonia, AZ

Building the Vessel

2010-11-08T14:42:00.000-08:00

One of the main purposes of living consciously is to “build the vessel to hold more spiritual energy," as my teacher Gabriel Cousens explains. He teaches that to receive and hold the spiritual energy that is required for spiritual growth, our vessels, or body-mind complex, must be built and strengthened. As we build the vessel, we sometimes encounter periods of feeling ungrounded or uncomfortable as we adjust and root within the more intense energy in our system. Anyone else noticed that?

In my own process of living the 6 Foundations and doing the activities of ‘building the vessel’, I’ve observed that eating and food are a tempting way to ground ourselves when the energy feels like too much. In a saatvic, conscious life where much of the common vices of the world, such as alcohol, drugs, junk food, television, and so on, have been renounced or minimized, food is often a last frontier. Even on a plant-based-only, live food diet, food can be a way for us to deal with the intensified energy.

When we feel unstable or uncomfortable in the intensified energy, as the Kundalini is moving through our body and being, the way to deal with intensified energy is to meditate. Other activities can also help center and ground us, such as going out in nature, doing pranayama (deep breathing exercises), yoga, engaging in conscious music or dance. Creative outlets such as writing or creating art can also help, as can moderate exercise.

Sometimes the energy will feel too much and we’ll choose to ground ourselves with eating, and we must make peace with that choice, where we are, and continue to persist. Spiritual perseverance is key for success on the spiritual path. We must progress at the pace that allows us to persist our whole lives, to not burn out by forcing ourselves too fast, and is still slightly outside our comfort zone.

Patience and non-judgement is crucial in the process of building the vessel. We must be patient with ourselves as we let go of activities that hinder our spiritual evolution, knowing that ultimately we are moving towards being free from them, yet knowing also that there is nowhere to go, and there is no rush. Gabriel also teaches that “We never receive more than we can handle” as regards to spiritual energy. We must remember in times of intense energy that we can surrender to the flow of consciousness awakening, and trust that we are being challenged at the level that we are indeed ready for.

As we continue to show up for our spiritual life, engage consistently in our spiritual practices, and as we choose supportive activities to ground us as we build our vessel to hold the Light, we steadily move towards the evolutionary destiny of enlightenment.

Patagonia's Halloween Bash!

2010-11-01T16:31:00.000-07:00

This was my 4th year in a row hosting Patagonia's raw vegan Halloween Bash! It was a success yet again, thanks to delicious treat contributions for the potluck, clever costume getups, and dancing the night away.

Last week, I wrote a post for VeganMainstream on my Halloween parties, including tips on how to throw a great vegan one. To read this post, click here.

A summary in pictures:

Myself as a spirulina junkie, and Ivri of VivaPura

Elaina Love and Lara

Creepy (as it should be) green limeade

Yosef and Ivri

Raw vegan chocolate. Essential.

From right: Ria, Sarah, Ivri and myself

Tree of Life Cafe Photos #32

2010-10-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

Ending and Breaking My Fast

2010-10-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday was my last day fasting, and I was feeling so great I wanted to continue! It's amazing that after one gets over that threshold of day 3 or 4, it often feels so euphoric, natural, and easy that people just want to continue. What did I do on Day 7? After a week of not eating? Went on a BIKE RIDE. That's right! I fully enjoyed my 7th day, spending time outside and going to sleep before 9pm.

Checklist for day 7:

Wheatgrass - yes
Skin brushing - no
Sunbathing - yes
Enema -yes
Infrared sauna - no
NCD Zeolite - yes
Tree of Life Enzymes (10 caps/day, taken out of capsules and taken as powder) - yes
Yoga - no
Rebounding - no
Walking - yes

Green juice and green juice with beet!

Sunday morning, I went up to the Tree of Life Cafe to break my fast. The energy was anticipatory and excited, as the 30 participants of the Spiritual Fasting Retreat were also breaking their fasts. After a moment of silence and acknowledging gratitude for the journey we'd all been on, everyone broke their fasts with either a fruit plate or a no-fat salad.

Blueberries, strawberries and ground golden flax seed

I ate really slowly and chewed really well. Definitely savored my berries. Wow, after all green juice for a week, flavors are so much more full and layered and diverse. There are a bunch of supplements one takes (per Gabriel's recommendation) coming off the fast, including probiotics, digestive enzymes, triphala, and eating flax as well.

Lunch was a no-fat salad and a couple little nori rolls. I had sprouts, lettuce, and tomatoes with a miso dressing and a little flax, and nori rolls with sprouts and burdock root. For dinner I had a miso soup with cilantro, kelp noodles, and nori (no fat) and some green juice.

A picture of the autumn panorama walking down the mesa trail on the Tree of Life property:

All in all, the breaking fast has gone very smoothly. I'll be writing a more in depth post about the fasting experience overall, next!

Courtney

Green Juice Fast Days 4-6

2010-10-08T16:42:00.000-07:00

Daaaaaaaaaay SIX! Can you tell I'm feeling good? Yes, feeling good. Great, in fact. Days 4 and 5 were really smooth and easy. All the days through day 5, I was impressed to notice that not only did I feel focused and creative, I felt more focused and creative, and could stay that way for more hours in a day than I normally can. Often I hit a point after a certain amount of hours of focusing intellectually and/or creatively where my capacities for effectiveness in both those areas fall away a bit. Not since fasting. I've been really productive this week, felt really enthusiastic about my projects, and felt like my creative channel is much more open.

This morning, however, started off more intense. It was the most detoxification symptoms I've experienced all week. It wasn't physical - my body felt great - but rather I was pretty mentally foggy and was having a hard time focusing. Luckily, it went away by the early afternoon.

I've done many days of various kinds of cleansing, including green juice fasting, Juice Feasting, water fasting, and the Master Cleanse (don't recommend the latter), and witnessed thousands of people at the Tree of Life fast, have challenging fasts, euphoric fasts, a mix of both and everything in between, and an observation that stands out to me is this: the body will do exactly what it needs to. There is no way to tell in advance whether this particular fast/cleanse will be challenging, or whether it will be easy. There are many things we can do to help our bodies detox more efficiently (zeolites and systemic enzymes, colon hydrotherapy, sweating, skin brushing, etc.), and when people feel challenged, often it is because they haven't used those tools adequately or frequently enough. That being said, depending on what the body is doing, fasts can be challenging and they can be easy. What it requires is faith in the body that what it is doing is for the best. We can help it along, but it has its own wisdom and will prioritize exactly what it needs to do and will take as long as it needs to take.

Checklist for day 4:

Wheatgrass - yes
Skin brushing - no
Sunbathing - yes
Enema - no
Infrared sauna - no
NCD Zeolite - yes
Tree of Life Enzymes (10 caps/day, taken out of capsules and taken as powder) - yes
Yoga - no
Rebounding - no
Walking - no

Checklist for day 5:

Wheatgrass - yes
Skin brushing - no
Sunbathing - no
Enema - no
Infrared sauna - no
NCD Zeolite - yes
Tree of Life Enzymes (10 caps/day, taken out of capsules and taken as powder) - yes
Yoga - no
Rebounding - no
Walking - no

Checklist for day 6:

Wheatgrass - yes
Skin brushing -yes
Sunbathing - yes
Enema - yes
Infrared sauna - no
NCD Zeolite - yes
Tree of Life Enzymes (10 caps/day, taken out of capsules and taken as powder) - yes
Yoga - no
Rebounding - no
Walking - no

A question from a reader:

Can I ask about the enemas please? How many litres of water do you use? I'm new to using enemas and use about 6 litres. Do you filter the water or use tap water? Thanks. ~Jo

Hi Jo,

I usually use less than a quart of water, a full quart at the most. I use the enema bags the Tree of Life sells, which only holds about a quart of water. I'm kind of baffled that your body even holds that much water, actually.... I've done effective enemas with little water, even a 3rd of a quart. Regarding the water - always, always use filtered water. Your colon is very efficient at absorbing things and it will absorb some of the water, including the toxicity in it, if there is any.

That's that for now, folks! Write ya soon! ;)

Courtney

Green Juice Fast Days 1-3

2010-10-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Greetings darlings!

Today is day 3 of my fast and I am feeling wonderful. So far, this fast has had the least amount of detoxification symptoms of any I've done. I've had better mental clarity and focus and been able to work, in my observation, even more effectively for the same amount of hours per day. My energy has been pretty stable aside from a few extra naps that I normally wouldn't need if I weren't fasting (I really almost never need naps).

My meditations have also been deeper, as expected. Honestly, that's one of the very best parts about fasting. Green juice fasting, in particular, invokes this effect - I've done fasts and Juice Feasts with fruit juice and found that my meditations, while good due to an empty stomach, are not as deep because I am consuming sugar. It's amazing how this sense of spaciousness and light and euphoria seems to start happening in the body. In fact, how good my body feels combined with deep meditations is incentive enough to keep drinking celery collard juice ;)

Checklist for day 1:

Wheatgrass - no
Skin brushing - no
Sunbathing - yes
Enema - yes
Infrared sauna - no
NCD Zeolite - yes
Tree of Life Enzymes (10 caps/day, taken out of capsules and taken as powder) - no
Yoga - no
Rebounding - no
Walking - no

Checklist for day 2:

Wheatgrass - yes
Skin brushing - no
Sunbathing - no
Enema - no
Infrared sauna - no
NCD Zeolite - no
Tree of Life Enzymes (10 caps/day, taken out of capsules and taken as powder) - yes
Yoga - no
Rebounding - no
Walking - no

Checklist for day 3:

Wheatgrass - yes
Skin brushing - no
Sunbathing - no
Enema - yes
Infrared sauna - no
NCD Zeolite - yes
Tree of Life Enzymes (10 caps/day, taken out of capsules and taken as powder) - yes
Yoga - no
Rebounding - no
Walking - no

There are a few activities I haven't done at all yet... I really ought to be doing more of them more often, but hey - I feel great and most of these are to diminish detoxification symptoms.

And now, some questions from you!

Do you recommend a certain brand of skin brush or will any one do? ~Kelli

Hi Kelli, you want the rough, coarse brushes that are specifically made for skin brushing, because the goal is to brush vigorously to promote circulation and create a red flush to the skin, which you need strong bristles for. Your skin is your largest organ of detoxification, and this kind of vigorous, whole-body brushing releases toxicity from your body through your skin. Additionally, it stimulates the lymphatic system as well as increases circulation. You can find 'dry skin brushes' in most health food stores. You can also buy them online by searching for 'dry skin brush'

The lemon ginger juice sounds good...can you share your recipe? ~Rita

Hi Rita, I'm lucky enough to be getting my juices from the Tree of Life Cafe rather than making them myself, but here is the recipe the TOL Cafe uses. The base is always the same, and then the components that make up the rest are different in every juice:

Base: 80% of the juice

Celery

Cucumber

Leafy Greens: 15%-20% of the juice

Spinach

Kale

Collards

Swiss Chard

Watercress

Parsley

Beet Green

Cabbage

Herbs (bitter, use sparingly)

Dandelion

Grass

Any Leafy Greens

Other Phase 1

Tomato

Bell Pepper (red yellow orange)

Burdock

Radish

Any Green Sprouts

Sweetener: as condiments, not for those with blood sugar issues or diabetes

Parsnip

Apple

Sweet Potato

Carrot

Beet

Condiments

Lemon Juice

Cayenne

Ginger Juice

Salt

Turmeric (powder or juice)

Happy Juicing!

Courtney

My Autumn 7-day Green Juice Fast

2010-10-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I began a 7-day green juice fast! Fasting is such a welcome experience for me at this point in my life. It feels like an invitation, an opportunity, to sink into myself and relax within my life, giving my mind a break from thinking so much, taking a relieving step back in perspective, and of course, re-setting my physiology.

What am I drinking?

4 x 16 oz. juices per day. The base is cucumber, celery and greens and occasionally a little carrot or beet juice.
Lemon and ginger juice
Water
Herbal, non-caffienated teas
Wheatgrass

What else will I do this week to support my detoxification?

Skin brushing
Sunbathing
Enemas 1x/day
Infrared saunas
NCD Zeolite
Culture of Life Proteolytic Enzymes (taken as powder)
Yoga
Rebounding
Walking

And now, a little paragraph by Gabriel Cousens, M.D. on fasting/detox:

Fasting is an excellent method for cleansing your entire system. The fasting process begins after day two or three when the body goes into autolysis, the process whereby the body is digesting its own dead and dying cells. In the body’s wisdom, it selectively decomposes those cells and tissues that are in excess, diseased, damaged, aged, or dead. This allows for an improved ratio of healthy cells in the body.

Why Juice Fast? Juice fasting is a form of fasting in which organic, living-food juice supplies enzymes and living micro-nutrients that further aid the cleansing process. In comparison to water fasting, there also tends to be fewer healing crises or depletion of energy. Since juices are high in minerals, vitamins and enzymes, which help with the rejuvenating process of the body, the juices are assimilated directly into the body without stimulating digestive enzymes. The alkalinizing properties of juices help to neutralize acidic conditions (from which many people suffer) and the toxins being released by the body. The alkaline component of the juices helps to reestablish the alkaline reserve needed for rebuilding health. With juice fasting, most people experience increased energy since the body is given a well-deserved rest from the work of digesting the complicated varieties of foods and beverages often consumed daily.

I will keep you updated on the progress every few days.

In the juiciest way,
Courtney

Guest Blog on Vegan Mainstream

2010-10-04T12:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Readers,

Check out my guest blog on www.VeganMainstream.com, an awesome site dedicated to helping veg businesses and entrepreneurs with their marketing. There are really great articles discussing the challenges and strategies of marketing the vegan diet and lifestyle to 'mainstream'.

I write on how I tie diverse subjects of blogs together in a unified message.

Check out my post here.

Also, check out the fun video featuring this week's VM features, including my post :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOh0WjQSNCU

The Start to an Opulent October

2010-10-03T18:11:00.000-07:00

Happy October! Having grown up in Vermont, famous for its autumn foliage splendor, it's been odd to experience autumn in southern Arizona. I'm living vicariously through my computer desktop wallpapers, all gushingly nostalgic, picturesque images of blazing new england autumns.

Nonetheless. The desert really is a home to me, and one of many benefit of being here right now? I sunbathed today. MMMhmmm. 89 degrees.

The first few days of October have already offered some wonderful experiences with friends and community. Yesterday, I embarked to the town of Bisbee, AZ, about an hour from Patagonia, with a couple friends. Bisbee is one of the more odd towns I've ever been to. Rich with history, transformed from a massive mining town to an arts, music, and culture oriented hub whose residents are passionate about its story. It is also home to the Bisbee 1000 race, which my friend and fellow raw food Tim Van Orden runs.

After a delicious brunch at the Tree of Life Cafe, replete with zucchini duck sculpture, I embarked with Sarah and Lara to make the scenic drive to Bisbee, toting cucumbers and tomatoes as snacks :)

Live Food Pizza!

Tree of Life Brunch

In Bisbee, we walked around the victorian old west style town, visiting the many art galleries, boutiques and cafes, including this "High Desert Market and Cafe", which had a juice bar and carried many organic products, and even raw vegan chocolate from Sedona Chocolate Superfoods. We enjoyed a Bisbee-grown (or wild, likely) pomegranate.

One of the many long stairways in Bisbee

Lara and I walking in Bisbee

After our tour of the town, we stopped by the even more oddly placed organic food co-op. About a mile outside of the town, the co-op is a relatively large store, the only one not abandoned on a strip of store fronts placed literally on the cliff of the massive mine that Bisbee grew around. Checking out at the counter with my raw superfood snack bar looking at the view of the... huge pit right behind the store was quite unique.

Such odd energy, mines. We can talk about the energetics of digging a massive hole in the Earth and depleting it of all its natural minerals there, and what that might do to a town, but that's another dialogue. Did I mention Bisbee is known for being haunted?

Another view of the mine from the co-op. It goes waaaaaay farther down than what's shown here.

After returning to Patagonia, I continued my night's adventures at a dance party hosted by Vivapura at their awesome warehouse. Chocolate and dancing, really does it get better than that?

Robert of Tree of Life and Michelle of Vivapura

Sarah and I at the party

Happy October :)

Courtney

Low Glycemic Breakfast Choices

2010-10-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

Low-glycemic eating begs the question, "What to eat?" To answer that question, I've posted some examples below of what I've been eating:

Breakfasts:

Chia porridge has been my main staple. The great thing about chia is its just like eating oatmeal - relatively neutral alone, and can be played with depending on what ingredients you add to it. Various items I've been adding (sometimes a few, sometimes many):

Cacao (Phase 1.5 except for diabetes - no cacao)
Carob (Phase 1.5)
Maca (1.5)
Stevia (1)
Raw, soaked buckwheat (1.5)
Goji berries (1.5)
Bee pollen (1.5)
Mesquite (1.5)
Nut Butters (1)

Phase 1.5 fruit smoothies have also been great. Fruits that are lower on the glycemic index, in the Phase 1.5 category, such as grapefruits and berries, are ones I've enjoyed in the mornings. An example might be a grapefruit blueberry smoothie with goji berries and Vitamineral Green.

Salads and vegetables, though not a typically inclusive breakfast for most of our current paradigms, are often what I choose. I almost always start out with 1/2 to 1 whole cucumber (even on days where I choose a sweeter breakfast as the main choice), sometimes I have cherry tomatoes, and a small spirulina salad. Spirulina in the morning is great, as are the other protein foods I've listed (chia, bee pollen, gojis) - a little protein in the morning is especially good for women.

Green juice!! Yes, green juice for breakfast. Cucumber, celery, greens and lemon is my favorite. Often, when I have a green juice for breakfast, I'll take the opportunity to green-it-up even more and take E3 Live in the morning as well :) Some of my best focus comes from a light morning's consumption of mineral rich and alkalizing green juices and green superfoods.

With happy insulin response,

Courtney

Women Who Run With the Wolves

2010-09-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

I finished reading the book Women Who Run with the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. I had been recommended this book by several people and had been intending to order it off amazon, then by chance it landed, donated along with tons of nutrition books, into the Tree of Life's guest library. Always a confirmation when those situations happen ;)

It's hard to write a review on a book that is so powerful I can't recommend it just for "certain kinds of people who are looking for certain kinds of things and have certain kinds of interests". I agree with Maya Angelou's review of it, "Everyone who can read should read this book.” It is a book that goes into the feminine psyche and dialogue about the phases of spiritual and psychological growth deeper than most any I've read. It's extremely potent, with no trace of the often airy-fairy ideas and writing that are present in the more popular spirituality books out there.

It takes spirituality, feminine power, and dialogue on life's very, very important spiritual challenges to an honest and raw, sometimes gritty and often profoundly beautiful place. There was a great endorsement for the book I read, and agree with, which recommended the book "for men who run with women who run with wolves." There is only so much I can write about this book without you having read it, but I will say, that I am a reader, I adore books and this is easily in my top 5 at this point. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, however - it really asks one to be ready to experience a shift. You know it's a good book when you keep thinking every couple pages, "I'm going to need to read this again. There are so many jewels!" I laughed and cried. And filled up a whole journal with quotes I liked.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"The desert is a place where life is very condensed. The roots of living things hold on to that last tear of water and the flower hoards its moisture by only appearing in late afternoon. Life in the desert is small but brilliant and most of what occurs goes on underground. This is like the lives of many women... Many of us have lived desert lives: very small on the surface, and enormous under the ground."

"Like the wolf, intuition has claws that pry things open and pin things down, it has eyes that can see through the shields of mundane human hearing. With these formidable psychic tools a woman takes on a precognitive animal consciousness, one that deepens femininity and sharpens her ability to move confidently in the outer world."

"A woman must be willing to burn hot, burn with passion, burn with words, with ideas, with desire for whatever it is that she truly loves. One will arrange that one's creative life has consistent fire under it."

Artwork by Lori Karels

Links of the Week!

2010-09-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

Bill Clinton on a mostly plant-based diet - click here.

Hugh Jackman may go vegan for next Wolverine - click here.

'Picture Me' gives models a voice - click here.

4 Reasons why you should grow your own food - click here.

How to decipher deceiving 'natural' body product & makeups - click here.

Los Angeles Trip: Part 3

2010-09-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

Myself and Heather with Mint Chocolate Shakes from Planet Raw

A few more pictures from my recent LA trip!

My blog:

For Part 1, click here.
For Part 2, click here.

My lovely friend Heather Pace also posted about the trip, including some other amazing adventures I wasn't a part of (next time - wink!).

Heather's blog:

For Part 1, click here.
For Part 2, click here.
For Part 3, click here.
For Part 4, click here.

Marielle, Sarah, myself and Puki at Planet Raw in Santa Monica

Myself, Heather, and Sarah with Juliano, founder of Planet Raw and author

My Low-Glycemic Diet Experiment

2010-09-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post called 'High and Low Glycemic Sweetener Tricks'. A low-glycemic diet is not just beneficial for those with sugar-related health imbalances. Gabriel Cousens, M.D.'s research has shown that one of the main factors that long-lived people have in common are low leptin and insulin levels. For the studies, physiological explanation and in-depth how-to, I recommend reading Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine and There is a Cure for Diabetes by Gabriel Cousens, M.D. There are also very in-depth videos of Gabriel speaking about this topic at GabrielCousens.com.

Here though, it's all about experience. I've been transitioning into a Phase 1.5 diet as outlined by Gabriel, which I intend to stay on for a few months. The 'Phase Chart' is a chart of glycemic index which delegates live foods into 5 categories according to how much they will affect the blood sugar level of one who eats them. To view this chart, please click here. Phase 1 is the most low-glycemic, but until I'm emotionally ready to handle a zero-sugar diet at some point in the future, I'm sticking to Phase 1.5, which includes all foods from both Phase 1 and 1.5.

For the last week, I've been eating almost exclusively Phase 1.5 aside from a small piece of raw cheesecake, a few kombuchas and a sip of grape juice. The last 2 days were totally Phase 1.5 and today I had a kombucha but nothing else. The kombucha habit will definitely go... eventually ;)

How has it been so far? Great! I had some distinct sugar detox the first couple days, where I'd find myself full yet wanting sugar. Especially in the afternoon, I noticed myself wanting to use it as a stimulant. I've noticed better focus since going Phase 1.5, as well as better and less sleep, and it seems, improved digestion. The hardest part, honestly, is realizing the role that sugar emotionally plays in my life. It seems to provide a sense of excitement and color for me as well as a feeling of coziness. From now on, I plan to update you weekly on how it's going!

Some more examples of Phase 1 and 1.5 of raw food (in addition to the above one):

Phase 1:

Phase 1.5:

Stay tuned!

Love,
Courtney

Where Do You Get Your Spiritual Inspiration?

2010-09-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

Gabriel Cousens teaches that one of the foundations for spiritual life is “spiritual guidance and inspiration.” Spiritual guidance and inspiration includes experiencing satsang with an enlightened spiritual teacher, listening to sacred music, and spending time in nature. We each can adapt this foundation to our unique lives and our individual needs, as well as to the specific to phases of our lives and what is required to help us evolve spiritually at any point. Sometimes we may need to spend more time with music, or more time in satsang, and other times we need to spend more time in nature. We can engage in primarily one of these, or varying amounts of each. It all depends on what the spiritual energy within us needs at any given time, which it will communicate to us through us as long as we are open to receiving those messages.

If it is not possible to be physically present with an enlightened spiritual teacher, we can read books by them and watch videos of them speaking and receive shakti (spiritual energy) transmissions through these mediums. Recorded satsangs can provide spiritual guidance and inspiration.

Music that can be considered spiritually uplifting and inspiring is a part of this foundation. "Sacred" music that inspires us to commune with the Divine and helps us quiet the mind, meditate, and contemplate our spiritual life is a powerful support. We can listen to music live or recorded to receive this inspiration. Kirtan and chanting ceremonies can allow us to be an active part of the sacred music experience. Some of my favorites of this kind of music are Snatam Kaur, the Native Flute Ensemble, and for me, some classical musical music feels inspiring as well as simple, beautiful instrumental music and music with nature sounds.

Time in nature also helps us fulfill this foundation. Nature has a powerful centering, grounding, and calming effect, received just by us immersing ourselves in it. Nature reminds us that our grievances and attachments are not as big of a deal as we think they are, and reminds us that the cycles of change, birthing and dying are natural both in Nature and in our own lives. It hints at the eternal and the peace that always exists within us. As Gabriel teaches, “Peace is like silence; it is always there. The issue is not how to create peace, but how to live in a way that eliminates the noise.” By immersing in nature, we excuse ourselves from the noise of our lives and quiet the noise of our minds. Whether we live in a place with majestic natural beauty or if we have to seek out our own little sanctuary of mother nature, whether we spend a whole day or weekend in nature or if we just take 30 minutes in it, nature can be a truly profound spiritual teacher.

The foundation of spiritual inspiration and guidance is crucial because without it, spiritual life can feel dry and much more challenging. It is imperative for consistency and longevity in the spiritual life to keep ourselves inspired and to maintain and deepen the feeling of being guided and supported in our remembrance of our Oneness.

Hawaii, AZ

2010-09-13T10:55:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, myself and three friends and two dogs took one of the most beautiful hikes I've been on in Arizona. It was my second time up 'Casablanca Canyon'. The hike started about 15 minutes outside of Patagonia. A very 4-wheel offroading driving experience up to where we could drive no further and got out to hike the rest of the way.

Below: A view from our offroading

My friends Chris and Sarah.

We parked our car at the foot of the hill where the picture below was taken. Gorgeous landscape! We embarked on the hike, which ended up being about 3.5 hours in because we got lost. Yes, a long hike. Yes, we got lost. But to me, exercise is exercise and being in nature is amazing no matter what, so I was down with it all.

As we hiked along, we came to a stream and followed that to where we were headed, which was a canyon deeply cut through from millions (I would think?) years of water flow, complete with waterfalls, swimming holes and even water slides! Some pics along the river:

Pools like the one below were all over the place as we got closer. Perfect temperature, and totally pristine. No one for miles in any direction, and in the foothills of an 9,500 elevation mountain called Mount Wrightson.

This is at the entrance to the canyon. I'm up there on that rock on the right. The whole endeavor, with as much climbing and jumping as there was, made me feel a little like a combination of an avatar and Lara Croft (Tomb Raider). How do my youth's video games seem to follow me everywhere? ;)

In the canyon! This is an example of the periodic waterfalls followed by pools that cascaded down this beautiful canyon. Although you can't really see it from this angle, where the water is flowing was actually one of the many 'water slides' - fast enough and slippery enough for a perfect slide and exciting experience.

When in the canyon, we spent a while water sliding, swimming, and sunbathing on the warm, smooth rock and enjoying snacks we brought with us - raw trail mixes, cucumbers, tomatoes, snap peas, and nori with avocado. These kinds of views - tons of water, fairly green plants and falls, reminded us of Hawaii, so we joked we were hanging out in Hawaii, AZ.

By the time we got back to our car, we had been hiking for about 6 hours and I thought my legs were going to fall off. On our offroading trek back to town, we got to see a momma horse and her baby by the 'road'.

A beautiful day of nature and exercise and good company. When was the last time you gave yourself the gift of communing with and really being IN Nature?

Gnosis' Sacred Feminine Chocolate Bar

2010-09-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

Recently, Vanessa of Gnosis Chocolates posted a contest for her flavor of raw vegan chocolate bar, the Sacred Feminine. The contest was to suggest a quote about the sacred feminine to put on the bar. I submitted one... and I won!

Vanessa, that sweet lady, sent me a couple bars of the new Sacred Feminine chocolate bar, and WOW - are they delicious. I shared them with some friends who were equally impressed. Just the right amount of sweetness and other flavors to make a very unique tasting chocolate. And tons of medicinal ingredients too, which always is key for me!

Gnosis Chocolates are now available in most Whole Foods (including out here in the west!) and many local co-ops as well. Look for them!

The quote I submitted! Click the picture if you need it made bigger to read it.

Me enjoying the chocolate on my porch. YUM~!

Los Angeles Trip: Part 2

2010-09-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

And the LA trip continues! On Saturday, we slept in and then Heather and my friend Alex Malinsky of RawGuru.com came over and made coconut based raw ice cream for our potluck later that evening. We were grateful to stay at an amazing home in Glassel Park, sort of set back in a little canyon on a hill with a beautiful view of downtown LA. We relaxed outside, intermittently taste-tested the progress of Heather and Alex's ice cream, and I enjoyed the feeling of the air with just the right amount of humidity.

Below: Heather and Alex with the yet-to-be-frozen ice cream concoction.

Below: A view from one of the house's porches.

That evening, we embarked to my good friend Puki's house, where we hosted a raw potluck that brought together new and old friends alike. Delicious food, of course, but more importantly, community, laughing, conversing and supporting. Attendees with online presence in the space of health and holistic lifestyle, in addition to Heather and Alex included Debbie Young, Gina La Verde, Perkunas Cornejo, Chrissy Antia, and Sarah Brown.

Sunday, we visited Asher Brown's vegan film studio, Pollution Studios. Asher is Sarah's very talented brother - hit him up for film projects in LA! Afterwards, off to Juliano's Raw in Santa Monica. I had the taco salad, which was very good, and their mint chocolate milkshake - also amazing.

Below: Marielle, Puki and myself

After Juliano's we walked around the nearby, new Santa Monica mall. Malls are such an odd place to me. So much stuff all in one place. Five women, and nothing bought. Impressive.

Next, we stopped by a new place called Kind Kreme - get this - a raw vegan ice cream and soft serve ice cream parlor. Wow, delish! I felt like their ice cream was right up to par with Pure Food and Wine. Check it ooooowwwwttt! Then, off to Puki's house again to make coconut macaroons for the drive back to Patagonia, and to soak in her non-chlorinated hot tub enjoying coconut smoothies made by Puki and Heather.

LA trip commenced, and back to the land of cacti and sun we went! Home sweet home!

Tree of Life Blog Post: Rainbow Green Cuisine!

2010-09-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

I just posted a blog on the Tree of Life's Conscious Eating Level 1 workshop. Yummy food!

Click here to enjoy!

Los Angeles Trip: Part 1

2010-09-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

Happy September, my friends!

I am regrouping after an epic trip to Los Angeles this past weekend. On Thursday, I embarked to Phoenix with my good friend Sarah Brown. I love road trips. Great music, conversation, and Phase 1.5 chocolates made by Sarah.

In Phoenix, we had plans to stay with Anthony Anderson and Alexandra of B la c kBir d Naturals. We drank medicinal mushroom teas, ate delicious kelp noodles made by Alexandra, and got a tour of their impressive permaculture operation. If they can do it in Phoenix... I have hope for most every climate! We watched them roll their truffles early the next morning while gushing over homegrown cucumbers.

We headed out to LA from Phoenix, stopping in Palm Desert at Clark's Nutrition. If you're ever on the I-10 roundabouts there, definitely stop at this great health foods store - lots of raw food.

I then had a couple-hour experience of marveling at how motorists ever navigated LA without a GPS or Iphone, neither of which I currently have. Mapquest, you're great most of the time, but your guiding me to LA... epic fail. Needless to say, we got in about 3 hours later than expected due to being lost, and went straight to the Au Lac restaurant for my good friend Heather Pace's birthday party!

I've been to Au Lac a few times, and feel its in the top 5 raw food spots I've been to. My personal favorite? Their donut holes. Warm, powdered softness with liquid sweetness and infused with spirulina? Yes please.

Some pictures to illustrate the evening:

The beautiful birthday girl, Heather!

Philip and friends!

Below from left: Puki, Sarah, and Ben

Below: The food...

BEHOLD!! The donut holes... and chocolate which was delish too... but did I say yet... BEHOLD! THE SPIRULINA DONUT HOLES!

Heather with her incredible cake made by Chef Ito of Au Lac!

Below: Puki, my good friend, a meditation teacher in LA through the David Lynch Foundation, and myself.

Part 2 en route! (Here in the story, we find ourselves delirious from way too many hours of driving, sugar-ed out, and yet in sublime joy and gratitude for wonderful friends and for life)

Tree of Life Cafe Photos #31

2010-08-31T12:38:00.000-07:00

High and Low Glycemic Sweetener Tricks

2010-08-30T11:47:00.001-07:00

Diabetes. Hypoglycemia. Insulin resistance. Candida overgrowth. I've seen enough people come through the Tree of Life with these issues that the benefit of a low-glycemic diet is undeniable in its power to support the body in healing. To see the miracles that happen in a relatively short time period with these ailments is enough incentive to really look at the topic of sugar in one's diet.

I don't eat all low glycemic raw food, but I eat mostly low glycemic raw food. As time has gone on, my body has less of a tolerance for highly sugary foods as well. They more easily throw me off. I don't have any sugar-related health issues on a substantial basis, however.

A great trick I play with is combining low-glycemic and higher-glycemic sweeteners together in creations. Often people tend to go all or nothing with sweeteners - we either cut them out completely and only use the lowest-glycemic sweeteners like stevia and xylitol, or we go crazy and have dates and agave all in the same dish. Ick.

A very, very important disclaimer here: If one has a serious physical imbalance, I agree with Dr. Cousens' research: a no-glycemic diet is what should be eaten. This post is to simply illustrate what I do, as a person with no health issues whatsoever. For more info on Cousens' research on sugar, read Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine.

Here's what I like to do with my sweet treats:

Begin with the low glycemic sweeteners. Start with the "phase 1" (lowest-glycemic) sweeteners such as stevia and xylitol. Add as much as you can of these two without feeling like you're ruining your creation or that you won't like the taste.
After that, go to your next highest sweeteners. These are your "phase 1.5 sweeteners" (see list of glycemic phased-foods by clicking here) such as mesquite or goji berries.
Still not enough for you? Go for some of the higher glycemic sweeteners such as coconut products or lucuma.
Only use high glycemic sweeteners such as dates or honey if you really feel like you have to, and use as little as possible to "top off" your sweet taste, rather than it being the base sweetener. Perhaps you'll end up putting in dates. But maybe you'll just need two. Or perhaps you'll put in honey, but you'll only need a teaspoon.

Again, to see the complete chart of glycemic phases of foods, click here.

Rather than viewing sweeteners as an all-or-nothing thing (if you don't have physical health imbalances), try just looking at percentages. You don't have to stop using dates or honey if you don't want to yet. Just start with lower glycemic sweeteners and work up the glycemic index, so that by the time you get to your high glycemic sweeteners, you might be able to use 50% less of the higher glycemic ones. Or 75% less. Or 90% less.

Sweetly,

Courtney

Los Angeles Raw Potluck!

2010-08-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

Myself and Heather Pace of www.SweetlyRaw.com are hosting a raw potluck in Los Angeles on September 4th!

Want to join the epicness? Leave a comment on this post - it automatically gives me your email address and I'll send you details!

My Interviews with Reversing Diabetes Participants

2010-08-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

This week, I interviewed two of our participants in the Tree of Life's Reversing Diabetes Naturally program, and just created a newsletter from it.

Inspiring interviews - enjoy!

http://ymlp.com/zPuBXN

Are Raw Foodists Crazy?

2010-08-26T09:25:00.001-07:00

Check me out on the Pure Jeevan blog feature, Are Raw Foodists Crazy?

http://purejeevan.com/blog/?p=2638

Take the Red Pill... On to the Leading Edge!

2010-08-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

Abraham-Hicks says,

"There is never a crowd on the leading edge."

Being on a spiritual path isn't exactly the most popular thing on the planet. If you're on one, you're the minority, at least at this point in history. I have encountered over and over in my own spiritual path, the test of having the courage to stay 'awake' and continue to wake up further, even if it means leaving the majority behind.

When I have now or have had in the past, a profound spiritual experience or insight, or I learn a very deep spiritual teaching, or I learn something about what is going on in the world, sometimes I think to myself... "Who is going to get this? Who will be able to relate to me now?"

I often feel challenged not to run away and to not be tempted to fall back 'asleep' and forget what I know and have experienced. Experiences that deepen us spiritually leave one with the feeling that there is no turning back. It's like periodically taking the 'red pill' as in the Matrix movies... another pill and the paradigm shifts again... another pill and you're deeper yet.

I've been thinking about the positive roles we can play in the global consciousness shift that is happening right now. What is it to be an instrumental, revolutionary presence in the awakening of consciousness?

I am using terms like "revolutionary presence". I am illustrating that it is not about pushing, preaching or anything of that sort, but by simply being who we are, living our truth, and being transparent with our spiritual lives. Example is always more powerful than talk in any scenario.

It takes courage to go deep into the unknown of consciousness, and even more courage to hold that energy despite what is going on externally in the world and in our lives. Because of ridicule or resistance, it is easy to water down the profundity of our spiritual gifts and shy away from the positive that we can share. It's easy to wait for someone else to be the solid holder of spiritual energy as an inspiration and example for others.

There are a million excuses to not being authentic with our spiritual depths: What will they think of me? Will they think I'm crazy? Hippie? Will my friends accept me? Will my partner accept me? What if I make them uncomfortable? What if I'm wrong? What if I'm no longer appealing to the mainstream? Who am I to think I am important in something as major as a consciousness shift in humanity? And it goes on.

So we don't tell people we meditate. We dilute our enthusiasm when someone asks us to tell them more about why we are on a spiritual path. We censor what we feel inspired to share or to say, or we hide our spiritual practices and lifestyle from people. We don't embark in the first place or we plateau and don't continue to do the work of deepening. There are endless other ways we censor or manipulate or hide our truths.

The reality is, there is a consciousness shift that is happening for humanity right now, and it needs you. If you're reading this still, that means you. Yes, you sitting there. The vast, vast, vast majority of the people in the world are not ready yet to hold the spiritual energy that the world needs so much right now. They aren't aware of it yet, or they're afraid. "There is never a crowd on the leading-edge". Most people won't be on the boat with you. So what?

Tree of Life Cafe Photos #30

2010-08-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

All photos creations of Tree of Life Cafe in Patagonia, AZ

Rolling in the Majestics

2010-08-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

One of my new favorite activities is biking. As I am temporarily distant from my first loves, which are competitive swimming and water polo, biking has taken next place in enjoyed exercise. Being in nature is required soul nourishment for me, so it's a great double-whammy of deliciousness ;)

I am blessed to live in a place with gorgeous scenery, where all the turns, hills and descents are anywhere from really pretty to breathtaking. I have several routes, and I thought I'd take you on one of them with me! This one goes near the Patagonia Nature Preserve.

A 24 hour Fast and Un-Plug

2010-08-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

This Friday at sunset to last night's sunset, I fasted. I fasted from food, from the computer, from my phone, from talking with anyone.

There is great value in unplugging both literally (computer, phone, etc), and metaphorically (not speaking with anyone, not eating, etc). I desired to provide a quiet, simple space for what needed to arise to arise. I didn't have any particular issue I wanted to address, although that's a wonderful reason to do something like this as well. We can all benefit from going into ourselves deeply and coming out with better clarity, direction, and perception.

What did I end up doing? Writing, meditating, a little reading, and spending time outside. Very simple. I moved slowly, mindfully. That seems to happen naturally when you're water fasting ;) Everything just becomes quiet and simple and slow. My meditations were definitely deeper, primarily due to fasting, but I'm sure the other things contributed to a quicker letting go of mental activity as well.

I consider myself a fairly independent person with no problem being alone and quiet, but it was interesting to see that I had some urges to call or text someone, to check my email, and of course... to eat ;) I also noticed my mind pacing about saying all the things I 'should' be doing and lamenting about how unproductive I was being. What did I think I was doing, taking a whole day of doing nothing? Not producing or creating anything? Who I was I to think it was ok to just be?

I noticed a deeper awareness towards the subtleties of my thoughts and feelings throughout the day. It's hard to explain aside, I just noticed more delicate nuances and fluctuations within my being that sometimes resulted in analytical conclusion but most often were just feelings, textures, colors and images that arose. I did a lot of writing and uncovered some great perspective and clarity about various aspects of my life.

It was a great experience in reminding myself that being is enough, and in examining the reasons I think so often that I am not enough just because I exist. I always think I have a lot to add to that fact. So often we say that who we are is enough, but to actually be in the space where all you have is who you are, you aren't doing anything except that: being, we discover we often don't truly believe we are enough just because we exist.

Additionally, it was great to take stock in what I'm up to in my life, how I'm spending time, and how I'm going about projects to re-prioritize, re-focus, and question things. What am I doing? Where am I in my life? Why am I doing these things? What are they for? Is there a way I can do such and such better? How can I upgrade this aspect of my life? And so on.

I definitely recommend doing something like this. You can go longer, or you could go shorter. You could do a whole weekend, or perhaps just an evening. If you can't fast from all the things I did, fast from some. See what comes up.

In addition to all the great things I've already written about, the other wonderful result for me has been one of empowerment. It's empowering to know that I've taken that time for myself. That I've prioritized my inner soul life, my spiritual life, and my harmony and balance enough to take the time to go inward, create the space for perception and transformation, and to connect deeper spiritually. That kind of self love really does carry over into other activities and flush everything we do with a special kind of glow.

Who Are We Showing Up For?

2010-08-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

When we make a choice, take an action, perpetuate a pattern, however good or bad or anywhere along that spectrum it seems, who are we doing it for? So often, we do things for reasons that are not our own, and not often for our highest good or for our spiritual path. We make daily, weekly and yearly life choices that are either elevating or deepening for us, or not. Sometimes we choose in a misaligned way because those choices please our parents, our community, our culture, or our partner, our friends, or our own belief systems that control and damage. How often are we actually showing up for ourselves? How often are we doing something for the only reason that it supports our deepest experience? How often are we acting in alignment with our soul’s deepest truth?

Some of the most substantial growth can come from asking ourselves, "Who am I showing up for?" "Am I really showing up for me?" "If I'm not, who am I doing this for, and why?" "If I were to show up for myself, what would that look like? Would I be doing this right now? Or would I be doing something else?" “If it were only me, what would I be choosing?” Questioning the roots of our choices, fears, hesitations, and beliefs is always the first step to re-aligning with ourselves and gaining clarity on the direction we really need to go.

When we're eating well or when we're eating unhealthfully, who are we doing that for? When we are "good" with our diets, are we doing that for us? For someone else? When we start a new project or venture or career, who are we doing that for? When we begin a yoga practice, or a meditation practice, or something else spiritual, why are we doing that? Who are we doing it for?

Spiritual perseverance, or netzach, requires that we, at times, be willing to be alone in our quest. That we’re willing to enter the unknown of the Nothing and the uncomfortable nature of spiritual tests, by ourselves. That we’re willing to make challenging decisions despite protest from those around us or from our own fear, excuse and anxiety filled ego. In fact, choosing our true dharma and aligning with our true path at the protest, resistance, disapproval, or even violent opposition is a spiritual test that comes up in everyone’s path and has been part of the path of all spiritual leaders and groups in history.

Conscious observation about why it is we are doing what we are doing and choosing what we are choosing is not only crucial, but required for a spiritual path and for all aspects of our lives. The constant tests of staying true to the integrity of one’s path and committed to deepening our connection with deep consciousness present themselves in small and big ways, every day of our lives. Choosing our highest aligned path is a choice we make over and over again, every day. Or not. What matters most is simply showing up. Keep showing up. Keep showing up.

Tree of Life Blog Post - Modern Essene Gathering

2010-07-30T14:30:00.001-07:00

Check out the post I just wrote for the Tree of Life, on the Modern Essene Gathering, which I participated in!

Click here.

Free Download: My Interview with Olympic Medalist Catherine Garceau

2010-07-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

Available for FREE DOWNLOAD NOW:

My interview with Olympic Medalist Catherine Garceau on raw food nutrition, spirituality, athleticism and emotional eating! It was so much fun and we got into some really dynamic conversations and topics!

Click the link, scroll to 'On Demand Episodes' and click 'Download' under my episode.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/wellnessolympiad

Tree of Life Cafe - Food Pictures #29

2010-07-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Things That We Want

2010-07-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

For about 5 years now, I've kept a little journal in which I write things in my life that I want to:

Create
Experience
Learn
Contribute
Give
Receive

There are hundreds of items I've written there, both big and small, serious and playful. They range from "Travel Europe with mom" to "Paint an art piece for a friend" to "Write a revolutionary book" to "Complete a 21-day+ water fast/meditation" to "Learn to kite surf".

Now, those examples are ones that are still in the journal. However, every time I pick up this journal to add something new or check off something I did, I cross out many. They're things I wrote at one time that I was drawn to doing or experiencing or creating, that I am no longer interested in. Now, I don't tend to think of myself as one to change my mind overly often, so it's not so much an indicator (as far as I know - you tell me - wink) of confusion or indecision. Rather, I believe it is a reflection of how much things change in our lives - especially if we're living intentional lives where we are consciously tuning into the flow.

As our lives flow, new experiences and perspectives give way to different desires and draws and yearnings, and to be open to that, we must make room for change. We must be willing to let go of who we assume we are, what we assume we are meant to be and do, what we assume we are good and not good at, and what we assume we want. So many of us create stories about our current selves and the way our future will progress that leaves little room for change. Being open to the possibility of not only change, but revolutionary change can be scary, and just plain inconvenient. But, what is sovereignty and freedom if not being free to move in all directions? Freedom to align with the flow in our lives that is there, always going in the direction for our greatest expression and spiritual evolvement?

On the other hand, there are many things I decided I wanted years ago that I have fulfilled and exceeded. There are things I've written that I haven't experienced but still resonate with me as strongly as they did when I wrote them 5 years ago. Some of those spur me to take another action towards them, or question what blocks I might have to experiencing/creating/etc them. If they are resonant on such a deep level, could their not yet happening be due to fears or insecurities or other limiting beliefs that I have?

The items I write are just ideas, and the journal is mostly for fun, to remind myself to think bigger and bigger, as well as to stretch myself in different directions because... who knows what might be there? Whether any of the things I write happen or not, some lessons this journal has taught me are:

Don't put myself in a box.
Don't assume.
Be open to everything.
The flow of life is happening, and I can either be open to that flow with curiosity and wonder, or I can attach to ideas and potentially severely limit my greatest expression in this life.
Notice what yearnings stay and continue to resonate. Take those seriously.
Don't make too many plans. Or, if I do... don't attach to them.

Eating to Transcend Ego

2010-07-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

Spiritual traditions which focus on creating the preconditions for liberation, or traditionally called enlightenment, emphasize reducing the power and substantiality of the ego. The word ego is commonly associated primarily with the mind, but for purposes here we will expand the definition. To be liberated, these traditions teach, it is not just the mind which must be transcended and experienced as definitively not who you actually are. It is also the emotions, body, and entire complex which can end any sentence that begins with 'I am....".

My primary spiritual teacher, Gabriel Cousens, explains that liberation is the direct experience (not just intellectual knowledge or partial indicative experience) that who we truly are is beyond this "body/mind/I-am" complex. If this concept is new to you, you may wonder, as we all do, "Who am I if not my mind, thoughts, body, identity?" Spiritual practices support experiences that answer that question. The process of rising above and removing identity from this complex can be challenging for us, who so often define ourselves as what we do, who we think we are, our pasts, our achievements, our roles in life, our body, our thoughts, our creations, etc. To dissolve to a space where no body exists, no mind exists, and no thoughts exist is unfathomable to most, yet is the primary intention for meditation.

Although I personally have yet to experience liberation and a sustained experience and permanent knowledge of my boundlessness, I have touched it, and experienced it for brief moments in meditation. I've experienced for fleeting moments that this 'matrix', appropriately named, is not the truth of creation and is a tiny portion of what reality actually is. Gabriel teaches that a primary reason to fast and eat live foods is to lessen the substantiality of the body, creating the conditions for more light, or spiritual energy, to flow more freely throughout the physical body as well as the subtle body. Many spiritual teachers throughout history taught live foods and fasting for this very purpose of supporting a deeper direct experience of the Divine.

I have observed that food, and the experience of eating, weighs us down physically and substantiates our bodies. Usually, that subsequently substantiates our minds, since the mind tends to become more activated when the body is processing food. Eating more than the body needs and eating toxic foods compromise the evolving of a physical body to become more of a "light body".

In meditation, I have experienced coming close to what will obviously be some kind of breakthrough in my consciousness, lessening my identification with ego and cracking the 'glass ceiling', as Gabriel calls it. I have observed that when I have been on that razors edge, on the edge of my current consciousness paradigm, sensing the cliff that is there, that I have the opportunity to leap faithfully into it. Although intellectually I know that is what I am meant to do, I shrink back from it. It is the ultimate unknown to dive into the depth of consciousness and be willing to let go completely of what seems to be reality. I have not yet jumped.

The fear of dissolving, the fear of the nothing, of that which is beyond and prior to all form, is acted out through eating and reinforcement of physicality. Letting go of our attachment to our identity, our form, and that which is tangible and seemingly real, is often played out in the attempt to keep that comfort, that seeming surety and substantiality, by eating. Eating is grounding for people; it brings us back if we get too 'out there'. Additionally, for some, having a larger body can make us feel more substantial, or more important. Even if we despise the extra weight and tell ourselves that we want to lose it, the fear of losing metaphoric ego substantiality may overpower the mental concept of societal approved thinness. At it's core, compulsive eating and/or fear of losing body weight are issues related to attachment to this larger definition of ego. Having extra weight, feeling heavier, visually seeing heaviness, and the seeming importance of the mental activity surrounding one's battle with food, and/or weight, are all ways that we cling to the matrix.

In my own experience, the feeling of my body becoming lighter through fasting and eating lightly, paired with my regular meditation practice, has always increased the feeling of space, air, and light in my body, which to my mind feels quite ungrounded and foreign, and even scary. The acceleration of energy passing through and circulating within my body can be alarming and unsettling for my mind.

The understanding of the relation between eating, weight, and spiritual awakenings that ask us to let go and dive into the unknown can be paramount for transformation and growth. Such exploration invites us to understand our experience of emotional eating and a possible reason that we may hold on to weight despite our seeming desire to lose it. But more than anything, it helps us to transcend the ways we shrink from the ultimate leap of faith: into the unknown, the nothing, and the boundlessness of consciousness. Then, we can leap.

Interview on Raw Guru

2010-07-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Check out my written interview on RawGuru.com, where I talk about my raw food staples, how I got started, fasting, spirituality and more!

http://www.rawguru.com/courtney-pool.html

Right Fellowship

2010-07-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

"Right company, in any form, helps to inspire people toward maintaining their spiritual discipline and developing right understanding. Right fellowship is a form of God's Grace. This is important because, although our inner teacher is always working, we do not always want to follow it. The inner teacher of another, at just the right time, may give the right positive reinforcement for our own inner spiritual direction. Right fellowship supports, reinforces, and stimulates the inner teacher. It helps to create a situation in which there can be an exchange of teachings and presence among equals. Surrounding ourselves with good company is an extremely critical part of building a spiritual sanctuary. In this age of increasing mass Enlightenment, it becomes an even more important principle."

-Gabriel Cousens, M.D.

Party Parfaits and Blue Manna

2010-07-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

Thankful Thursday! What are you thankful for? Here's a list of random things I'm feeling appreciative of in this moment:

The sunlight, eternally beaming down its deliciousness on me. Ain't no Vitamin D deficiency up in herrrr.
Plinky.com, my favorite new website. Prompts for writing. Gets through writers block and is just plain fun.
Music. Enjoying Empire of the Sun, Band of Horses, and MC Yogi today.
Books. Currently reading Women Who Run with Wolves, Three Cups of Tea, The Ringing Cedars of Russia, and ReWork.

Last Saturday I hosted a chocolate dance party at the Tree of Life, and wow was it fun. Just today the soreness has gone away :) I tend to be an ecstatic jump-dancer when I have space, so my calves were so sore the 2 days after that I almost couldn't walk!

The next day, I helped my friends Elaina Love and Chris Whitcoe make food for their booth at the 4th of July festival in Patagonia. Patagonia only has about 800 residents, but apparently about 3,000 people come out to the town for the celebration on the 4th, so the booth was well-attended and I was surprised and pleased to see how many people bought food who were clearly completely unaware of what raw food was.

Below: Elaina Love making the crust for her low-glycemic berry pie.

Michelle and I making food.

Below: A drink made from coconut kefir, with this brand new product (to me, anyways), called Blue Manna - essentially the blue part of blue-green algae. Sweetened with some stevia, it was super delish!

And now for an announcement! I will be assisting my good friend Heather Pace of SweetlyRaw.com judge entries for her Raw Vegan Dessert Challenge: Summer Party Parfaits? If you're feeling a little like some layers and sweetness, enter her challenge to win books, treats and recipes! Click here for details.

Coffee and Sugar out, Waterfall and Trampolines In!

2010-06-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

Nearly all of us reach points in our day where we feel less focused, less energetic, and less inspired. For most of the world, those points in the day are addressed with coffee, sugar, and other stimulants and compensating habits.

Are there some healthier alternatives? Absolutely! I at least one of the below options almost every day because I, too, go through periods during where I need to do something to pick myself up and get myself energetic, focused and get my creative juice flowing again.

Here are some options:

The Power of Green - Chlorophyll and the color green are your best friend. The moment you feel tired, without focus, and without creative juice, down greens somehow, it will be your best bet for a pick-me-up. You can make or buy a fresh green juice or green smoothie or make or buy a shot of wheatgrass. Be sure your green juice or smoothie is as dark and potent as you can handle! If you don't have access to fresh greens, you can also take a large scoop of some kind of low-glycemic green powder, such as Vitamineral Green (my favorite) and put it in water or in juice. I like to take a glass and squeeze half a lemon into it, put a tablespoon of powder in, and a few drops of stevia. Lastly, some kind of blue-green algae, such as E3 Live or Ocean's Alive Marine Phytoplankton, is also great. A word on quantity: if you really need a pick up, don't be afraid of large quantities. You might need 32 oz. of green juice. You might need a massive swig of E3 Live or 3 tablespoons of green powder. Play around with it to see what amount you need.
Rebounding - If you work at home or you work in an environment where you can supply yourself with a rebounder, I highly, highly recommend it. Rebounding energizes and oxygenates all the cells in your body. When I feel a lull, I go and rebound for 8 or 10 minutes (usually toting my Ipod and busting some beats), and come back totally energized and ready to dive in again.
Stretching - In my office, our favorite thing to do is break for 'waterfall', the stretch where you simply bend at the waist and let your arms, shoulders, neck and head fall limp, swaying them side to side and being sure they're totally relaxed. Doing this for a couple minutes gets all the blood to the brain and is an awesome pick up. Even better: use an Inversion Table, where you can get your entire body upside down, completely relaxed, allowing your spine to decompress and blood to go to your brain.
Brain Food and Supplements - Superfoods, herbs and foods that feed the brain are very powerful for restoring focus and clarity. Ginseng, E3 Live, Gotu Kola, Marine Phytoplankton, and Gingko Biloba are great choices. I sometimes also take Omega Zen or other omega and DHA/DHEA supplements and also, sometimes amino acid supplements. If you're a woman, you're likely deficient in serotonin (90% of women are), so taking tryptophan or another serotonin builder may be helpful.
Deep Breathing - Getting oxygen to the brain is key. This is part of why rebounding works - its light exercise and it gets you oxygenated. Well, most would be surprised at how very, very deep breathing can be an incredible boost to energy and clarity. There are many methods of deep breathing you can search about on the internet, but even pausing to take 10 really long, really deep breaths into the very bottoms and all sides of your lungs, can do wonders.
Essential Oils and Aromatherapy - The great thing about essential oils is you can choose whatever scent will correspond to what you need. If you are stressed, perhaps you'll want lavender or frankincense. If you're irritable, you might choose sandalwood or sage. Scents such as peppermint and lemon are stimulating. I often switch it up depending on what I need: sometimes I need calming to help me focus again, sometimes I need stimulating to help me focus. It changes day to day, and essential oils are great to be able to adapt to you. Simply google 'essential oils' or 'aromatherapy' and whatever you want to find oils for, such as "calming" or "energizing," and you'll find what you need!
Skin Brushing - I'd only recommend this one when you desire invigoration and you're at home, since skin brushing in a public place is kind of nasty. Vigorously skin brushing yourself for 5 or 10 minutes, until the skin is pink with circulation is amazing for energizing the body and mind.
Bongers - Bongers have been used in Japan for massage, but are recently coming to live food enthusiasts via David Wolfe. They are rubber balls which connect to a flexible metal shaft, with a handle on the end of the shaft. You literally hit yourself with them; which relieves muscle tension and increases circulation, and leaves one with similar feelings after getting a massage. I sometimes take a break and hit myself on the shoulders for a few minutes and feel much better.
Hydration - Drinking enough water is absolutely crucial to ample energy and mental focus. You should be drinking enough that you're urinating once every 1-2 hours.
Non-Coffee Coffee - I have come up with a crazy awesome drink that tastes a whole lot like coffee, and is actually medicinal. Next month (stay tuned!) I will post an actual recipe, but for now I'll describe: Mix equal parts super concentrated reishi or chaga mushroom tea with some kind of nut or seed mylk (I like coconut, brazil, and almond). Add a sweetener (low glycemic choices are stevia and xylitol, higher glycemic option would be honey). Then, other fun stuff you can throw in is maca, lucuma, cacao powder, cacao butter, vanilla powder or even a little cayenne ;) Enjoy!

Hope these help! I'd also love to know... what healthy strategies do YOU do to return focus and energy during lulls during the day?

Saguaro Cactus Fruit Harvesting!

2010-06-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

Saguaro Cactus Fruit! The gems of the desert, the rubies of the sands, the gifts of the dunes. How can I illustrate your majesty and deliciousness in words, saguaro cactus fruit?
Nothing like a little poetic and dramatic intro to start off a post about one incredible food. The Saguaro Cactus is seen in most classical Arizona pictures - tall and skinny, with a couple 'arms'. What most people don't know is that on the very top of those arms, for about 2 weeks every year, one of the most amazing fruits in existence is in season. Harvested throughout history by indigenous tribes, the saguaro cactus fruit is an incredibly potent, medicinal, and surprisingly very sweet fruit.

Yesterday, I harvested them :) A crew of us from Patagonia went down to Tucson yesterday to join a long-time saguaro harvester, Dan Desmond. First, Dan gave us a tutorial on the harvesting process, as well as shared about the traditional ceremonies and protocols that indigenous people would do for a cactus they were receiving fruit from, which were highly revered in their cultures. Dan is actually holding on to the 'skeleton' of a deceased saguaro.

After getting the history and a feeling for the reverence with which it is best to harvest the fruit, we embarked on the 5-acre private property to harvest ourselves.

A close-up of the top of a cacti limb. See the red fruit bursting out of the opening pods? That's it!

Below: Michelle showing how harvesting is done: ripe pods are 'pushed' or knocked off the top of the cacti, and the other person catches the falling fruit in a bucket so it doesn't splatter all over!

The outer skin with the fruit inside. The pink tint signifies that it is ripe.

The saguaro cactus fruit, a jelly-like fruit

Ria squeezing some fruit out of a pod we just knocked off a cactus.

After harvesting, we all went back to the house and Dan made us saguaro fruit coconut smoothies. 3 ingredients: saguaro fruit, coconut meat, coconut water

Below: A crew of us eagerly awaiting our smoothies.

Below: Michelle separating her fruit

My fruit in my bag after I'd pulled it all out of the pods. Ohhh yum.

Below: The pods after we removed their fruit

After riding around in 105 degree Tucson for a few hours afterwards to run errands, my saguaro fruit was practically liquid by the time I returned home. I thought, is it still technically raw? (I'd eat it even if it weren't!!) Then, I remembered that it hangs out on the top of cacti in much hotter weather in Tucson, as hot as 115 degrees. It's probably fine ;) Check out that JUICE!!

Patagonia Raw Birthday Party Photo Recap

2010-06-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hello hello!

Last night, I enjoyed attending the birthday party for the Tree of Life's General Manager, Yosef. It was another enjoyable Patagonia community party, enlivened with inspiring and joyful conversation, overflowing with raw food delicacies, and slicked out with pool fun. Some photos to recap (my apologies for the poor lighting in some pictures):

Below: Meg of the Tree of Life and Elaina Love of Pure Joy Planet

Yosef making a goofy face, and Michelle of VivaPura with her homemade chocolate

Below: My donut holes

Aviva's sunburned yet gorgeous self (100 degrees = ample pool time), and myself

Below: Coco and Aviva's Strawberry Pie

Seth and Sachin, Patagonia community members

Pecans on nut butter on dates. A super simple raw finger food!

Below: Meg, my sauna sistah and TOL teammate, and I

Raw vegan chocolate made by Erika and Michelle of VivaPura

Below from left: Ivri of VivaPura, Rachel, and Aviva

Mmmmhmmmmmmm.......

Tree of Life Cafe - Food Pictures #28

2010-06-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

"Food is a love note from God" ~Gabriel Cousens, M.D.

Choices for Gorgeous Hair

2010-06-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

When one transitions to a plant-based diet, many notice their hair becoming healthier: shinier, stronger, possibly thicker, and sometimes, changing slightly in color. My hair has changed completely since I was a teenager, partly due to dietary practices, partially due to lifestyle habits, and partially due to my cessation of daily chlorine dips... (I was a swimmer and water polo player). In middle school, my hair was one of my biggest bodily insecurities. It was poofy, dry, had zero luster, never lay flat, and the color was an odd, flat light brown. Although thick, it seemed very lifeless. My best friend had long, lustrous, juicy blond hair and it was the bain of my middle school existence. ;)

When I stopped swimming, and about the same time started eating organic, raw, vegan foods and taking supplements and superfoods, my hair started to change quite a bit.

How can we boost the process of creating healthy hair?

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the body show up in our hair, so addressing those deficiencies is foundational. The most nutrient dense plant-based foods are fresh greens and sprouts (which made into green juice is dynamite!), garden-grown produce, wheatgrass, and superfoods. Drinking low glycemic vegetable juice is an amazing way to get massive amounts of nutrition into your body in a way which doesn’t tax your digestive system or fill you up quickly, or spike your blood sugar.

Protein is a large component for hair health. How wonderful that we can get such high quality protein from plants! The highest protein foods are spirulina, chlorella, chia seeds, bee pollen, hemp seeds, goji berries, blue green algae, marine phytoplankton, Incan berries, and some seaweed.

Certain specific vitamins and nutrients also play a part in hair health. These are Vitamins A, E, C, and the B Vitamins. These can be found in some foods, and more potently in supplements and superfoods. For more information on supplements and superfoods that contain them, you can email the Tree of Life Supplement Dispensary at supplements@treeoflife.nu.

The hair shaft is actually about a quarter water, so getting enough water in each day is a major part of hair health. Gabriel Cousens, M.D. recommends drinking the amount of water that will make your body require urination every 1-2 hours. That amount will be different for each person. For more information on Gabriel’s recommended protocol for water filtration, mineralization, and activation, please read chapter 29 his book Spiritual Nutrition.

In the book Eating for Beauty, by David Wolfe, David shares with us particular foods that contain high amounts of what he calls ‘beauty minerals’, such as sulfur, silicon, zinc, manganese and iron. One can eat foods which are high in these minerals to support hair health. Foods high in sulfur are arugula, blue-green algae, bee pollen, cabbage, hot chilies and peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, hemp seeds, maca, marine phytoplankton, and mustard leaves. Foods high in silicon are nettles, romaine lettuce, nopal cactus, radishes, alfalfa, horsetail, mature grasses, burdock root, cucumber skins, bell pepper skins, and tomato skins. Foods high in zinc are pumpkin seeds, pecans, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, coconuts, sesame seeds, high-quality spinach, spirulina, irish moss, kelp, and nori. Foods high in iron are Jerusalem artichoke, burdock root, cacao nibs, cherries, blackberries, collards, young lettuces, nettles, parsley, spinach, grasses, dulse, nori, and kelp. Foods high in manganese are dulse, nori, kelp, cacao, hemp seeds, spinach, brazil nuts, almonds, pecans, watercress, kale, and prunes. Please consult the Rainbow Green Phase Chart to find out what the appropriate level of glycemic index is for you.

The supplement MSM is also amazing for hair health. The herb He Shou Wu, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, is also amazing for the hair.

Externally, depending on your hair type, there are many wonderful things you can nourish your hair with. Some of these things include chaparral-infused coconut oil, plain, coconut oil, and other oils such as sesame oil and jojoba oil. For a nourishing treatment that you would later wash out, many people enjoy using honey and avocado. The company Isun also sells a wonderful blend of oils and herbs called ‘Hair Herb Oil'.

For hair growth and stimulation, you can massage your hair with apple cider vinegar, and as I recently found out, cayenne pepper.

It is also imperative to be washing and conditioning your hair with natural products, and refraining from harsh products and hair dyes, as all these things strip the hair of its nutrition and vitality. A shower filter which removes abrasive chlorine and other toxic chemicals and substances can be very transformative.

Lastly, exercise which is vigorous enough makes the scalp sweat is wonderful for releasing toxicity in the scalp.

See you later, Rapunzel!
Courtney

Resources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/028251_hair_loss_balding.html
Eating For Beauty, by David Wolfe

Jedis of Consciousness Awakening

2010-06-20T14:46:00.000-07:00

Feelings of peace, love, and joy in life. An easier time letting go of destructive thought and behavioral patterns. Direct experiences of communion with the Divine and of the Oneness of all things. Clearer thinking. Longer life. Better skin.

These are some of many benefits of regular meditation. Those of us who feel deeply aligned with the practice of meditation all vary in the reasons we prioritize it in our life. However, we can all agree there is immense value in meditation. Even those who are aware of meditation and have only dabbled a little in it, and those who are completely new, but open, can usually see its value as well.

But what about activism? What about changing the world, making a difference? What about the realities of war, environmental destruction, and starvation? What about domestic violence and the extinction of animal species?

"Meditating in a cave isn't going to save the world."

You may have heard someone say this before. It's an exaggerated version (although one I've heard word-for-word) of the belief that only action, "doing something" is capable of making a difference in world events and affecting whether they take a turn for the worse or for the better. In many cases, those who arrange their lives around spirituality and meditation as their highest priority are seen as less valuable or powerful in making our world a better place than those who are "doing something."

One of the first studies done on the link between meditation, global events, and peace was with the Transcendental Meditation technique founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (most people know him as the Beatles' spiritual teacher). In the 198o's, the first statistical analysis was published, based on large groups of meditators who went to Washington, D.C., meditated together, at the same time, and resulted in an 11% decrease violent crimes in the state. Other experiments with TM have been documented since then, resulting in as much as a 26% decrease in violent crimes. Other organizations of meditators have also conducted studies and noted other kinds of effects, such as decreases in environmental damage (see resources list at the bottom of this post for places you can read about that). There is a community of people in Fairfield, Iowa, who are devoted to the principle that the more people who meditate together, every day, at the same time, the greater harmony on Earth. Every day, nearly 2000 people there come together to meditate. This is the group I was part of before I moved to Patagonia to be a part of the Tree of Life community.

The reality that meditation has an immediate, direct effect on planetary events can be completely paradigm-shifting. A popping-out-of-the-matrix kind of realization. In a doing-based culture who believes that what is tangible and visible is more real than what is not, it can be challenging, or even blasphemous to some, to consider the holographic nature of the relationship between the inner peace of an individual and peace in the world. It can be odd to consider that a group of people, sitting in a room, focused within, can affect the choice of someone else to act violently or not that day. We realize something very important about Oneness: it is not just an ethereal, non-relevant idea, it can be seen life in real, measurable ways. What we do as individuals, affects the whole. What we do as groups, affects the whole. That is what oneness is.

It occurred to me the other day that another reason meditation is such a powerful and profound way to support humanity's consciousness awakening is because it, by nature, requires one to release their attachment to outcomes. We all have ideas and beliefs about what the world will and can look like as a peaceful, conscious world. Often without realizing it, we have thought forms about what will happen in the world, what the future will look like (both good and bad), and what is really going on in all this mumbo-jumbo. When one is in meditation, all thought processes are minimized or ceased (ultimately, cessation of mental activity is what we're going for in meditation). The space beyond the mind, beyond the body, and beyond this world of form, is accessed, and we commune with the Divine directly in that place. When we do, we energize, support, allow, and surrender to the flow of how consciousness is already unfolding on the planet, rather than the way we, with our extremely limited understanding of the bigger picture, think it should or will unfold. In my own mind, it's like saying to God, "Okay, God, I know you've got a plan here that I'm not fully able to understand, and I surrender to whatever that is. Here's my support, and here's my demonstration of faith."

A word here. I am not saying that a life of meditation and an inward, simple life is more valuable or powerful than a life of creation, doing, and activism. If I thought that, I'd stop writing to you and I'd go find myself a nice desert cave and tie myself to the wall (ok, kidding). They are simply different roles. They are different strategies, equally important, and absolutely fundamental for the same goal: bringing a greater level of happiness, connectedness, health, and peace to the world and facilitating the consciousness shift that is already happening. We each have our unique role, or dharma. Some of us are meant to create peace and change by meditation and other spiritual practices. Others are meant to create peace and change through organizations, projects, companies. Many of us are doing some of both, and the balance is unique to each person.

My main point comes back to this: Meditation is one of the most profound paths one can choose to create world change, for making a difference. It is just as powerful as any "doing" and action that we can do on the physical plane. Those whose highest priority is connection with the Divine, experiencing (not just intellectual knowing) Oneness, and cultivating a deeper and deeper feeling of peace within themselves are some of our greatest assets.

Love and inner stillness,

Courtney

For more information on science and discussion on meditation's impact on global events, please read the books Creating Peace by Being Peace by Gabriel Cousens, The Isaiah Effect by Gregg Braden. I'm sure there are many more books that talk about this topic! For more information on the Maharishi Effect, please click here. To learn about Gabriel Cousens' Peace Every Day Initiative, please click here.

Sweat Baby Sweat

2010-06-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

Greetings, Earthlings.

I've begun a new habit that is making me question my sanity. How did I not think of this before now? For about 3 weeks, a good friend of mine, Meg, and I, have been meeting at about 7am, turning on one of the infrared saunas at the Tree, taking a power walk for 15 minutes while it heats up, and then sweating intensely for 45 minutes! The benefits of infrared sauna sessions are many, including moving the lymphatic system, allowing toxicity to dislodge within the body and be released through sweat, circulation, beauty (because of circulation and sloughing off dead skin cells), healing of scars, pain relief, muscle stiffness or soreness relief, breaking up cellulite, injuries, stress reduction, and cardiovascular health.

I've been bringing a dry skin brush in the sauna and brushing before I get too sweaty, and then continuing to brush after my skin is moist. Our skin is our largest organ, and is considered an organ of elimination, meaning it is key in detoxification. By brushing our skin vigorously, we open up the pores, encourage toxicity to circulate for release, and slough off dead skin, allowing toxicity to more easily be thrown out through the skin. Dry skin brushing also serves as an internal organ massage, stimulating their health-giving functions. Other benefits include supporting the immune, circulatory, digestive, lymphatic, and nervous systems. Dry skin brushing is also an amazing beauty practice.

After I get out of the sauna, I take a shower in the outdoor one near the sauna, which is naturally cold, reverse osmosis water coming from the Tree's well. It's so invigorating to get out of a hot sauna and shower in cold water!

There is definitely detoxification happening in my body, but most of all I love how I feel, going into the office for the day's work at the Tree, feeling enlivened, invigorated, cleansed, and super awake. I feel like it's made a difference in my mental clarity and focus, and I feel more joyful knowing I've completed something so wonderful for my health, all before 8am!

Myself, Meg (my sauna buddy) and Kiera.

A delicious entree that I didn't eat but like how it looks :D

Our shipping manager, Cale (right), cutting his surprise raw vegan birthday cake!

One of my favorites. The mikvah garden on the top of the mesa with its spring foliage!

Epic Miso Soup

2010-06-14T20:36:00.000-07:00

Check out my Epic Miso Soup recipe on WeLikeitRaw.com! Click here.

Tree of Life Blog Post - Sacred Relationships

2010-06-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

I posted a blog on the Tree of Life's recent Sacred Relationships workshop. It's primarily pictures and testimonials. Check it out here.

Tree of Life Cafe - Food Pics 27

2010-06-09T16:35:00.000-07:00

May this post be a tool in your arsenal for those who believe raw food = deprivation ;)

Tree of Life Blog: Adopting an Orphanage

2010-06-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

I wrote a post on the Tree of Life blog about our recent adoption of an orphanage in Mexico. We had our first community visit a couple weeks ago, and the blog recaps the visit, with lots of pictures!

Click here to view.

Graduations, Chocolate Salads and Slot Canyons

2010-06-07T16:55:00.001-07:00

The heat has hit Patagoofy, Patagooch, aka Patagonia. It doesn't get any hotter than it is now, but it's hovering at about 101 and 102. Luckily, we're so dry here that I barely notice. But then, I have become a (dry, moderate) heat lover and a sun worshiper, despite my east coast upbringing.

A couple weeks ago I went with my friends Chris Whitcoe of VivaPura, Boaz Blain, and my brother to a favorite local hike of mine, a rock climbing/hiking endeavor in a 'slot canyon', where the walls are twenty or thirty feet high with just a couple feet in between. Much of the canyon has nasty water at the bottom, so the acrobatic task is to use the walls and natural uneveness of the rock to go through. In the pictures below, though you can't see it, we're at least 10 feet above the murky water bottom of the canyon. It's a great workout, feels dangerous and daring, and leaves one with a triumphant, badass feeling of ninja-esque-ness.

This weekend Gabriel and Shanti Cousens held their Sacred Relationships workshop, which I was away during, but saw this picture of this super awesome salad with chocolate sauce that I wanted to share with you. Epic, oui?

This weekend I was in Park City, where I went to high school and where my family still lives, for one of my brothers' graduation. A charming and majestic mountain town with perfect summer weather and relatively lush foliage for a desert state, I always love returning for visits there. I also love being able to make my family vegan and raw vegan food. Their favorite this time? A cherry-orange fruit smoothie.

Now, I'm back cozying in the embrace of the surrounding Patagonia mountains and very much enjoying my start-the-day routine of a power walk followed by an infrared sauna session, and my end-the-day routine of sunset meditation on the mesa followed by writing before bed :)

Yes to life,

Courtney

Weddings, Siblings, and Raw Food

2010-06-02T20:15:00.001-07:00

Hello lovelies! My apologies for the delay in postings; I have been on a wonderful trip on the east coast for the last week. My dad got married in Pennsylvania, and then I ventured to New York City with my brothers.

I have very few pictures to share with you (sorry), but should have more coming to me that others took while I was there. Here was one of my favorites, though. My little brother decided to wear this shirt on the day of wedding rehearsals:

After the wedding, we went up to New York City. They got to try some wonderful raw vegan cuisine, including Pure Food and Wine, and some Blackbird Naturals Truffles made by my good friend Anthony Anderson. They loved it all. That's how to get people hooked on raw food initially... desserts ;)

I definitely had a skin eruption due to some different dietary choices and my theory, also, is was the air in NYC and the air in the airplanes. My skin is always extremely normal and rarely breaks out, and if it does, it might be one small pimple. After getting home from this trip, though, I had a good four or five honkers. It's been years since that has happened, since before going vegan. Dietarily, I had some grilled vegetables, something I normally don't eat. My family actually had a special vegan dish made for me at the wedding, which was grilled vegetables, and so I chose to enjoy them with gratitude :) My theory is my reaction was due to a combo of all these things, but it's definitely a good reminder that I have to be more mindful in the future, because my body has gotten to a point where it will react to choices that area a downgrade from my normal practices.

Now, I'm back to the majestic mountains of Patagonia, and have enjoyed an hour infrared sauna every day since, during which time I've sloughed off a lot of extra skin. Daily green juice is back in the hizz-ouse, as is sunbathing and wheatgrass. Mmmmm...

Courtney

Eating: A Profound Spiritual Demonstration

2010-05-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

My personal practice of meditation has been deepening quite substantially in the last six months or so and my experiences of non-causal joy, peace and love that I connect with during meditation are more profound. Subsequently, I have come to really enjoy meditation and really look forward to it.

I tend to squander and numb my experiences in meditation of joy and contentment with food. Anyone who has meditated for a consistent time period will agree that when the body is digesting food, or when the stomach and/or colon are full, meditation tends to be far more shallow and the mind is more easily distracted by the sensations and activity in the body. In other words, we are not as easily able to go beyond the body and mind as is the intention for meditation. My experience has shown this to be true.

Over time, the experience of deep presence has increased in importance to me. It has been long in coming, most of the time, I'm not willing to compromise the experience of presence for eating compulsively. The less I have in my system, the deeper my meditation is likely to be, and so I am slowly but surely letting go of habits that are contradictory.

The experience of deep peace, love, and happiness that bubbles up from meditation is not something to be compartmentalized to the actual meditation, nor should it be or is it meant to be. However for most of us spiritual-path-novices, it is that way, at least initially. Our spiritual connectedness tends to be experienced only when we are in meditation, yoga, fasting, kirtan, chanting, or another practice which opportunes spiritual inspiration. We often lose the sense of connection after a time period. We go back to our patterns, our old ways of being that are unsupportive.

My spiritual sensitivity stays high if I eat light. However, as soon as I eat when I am not hungry, overeat, or eat foods which induce a chaotic-circus experience within my body (such as too much food with sugar content or too much cacao), I immediately notice the dampening and numbing of that connection. Do I still do it anyways? Yes. Is it decreasing slowly, due to my increasing priority to maintain the experiences I have in meditation? Yes.

I have come to understand my relationship to food as one of the most profound platforms for me to demonstrate my commitment to maintaining presence and to my spiritual path, rather than simply saying or thinking that I am committed or that I am a spiritual person. The real task is to integrate my heightened experiences of consciousness into my day-to-day, normal activities, and to work on the reasons I sabatoge spiritual integration with food. When I feel drawn to eat compulsively, I am getting more consistent in asking myself, "Is this worth dampening my feeling of connectedness?" "Can I let go of the compulsion to eat this food right now, and do something else that will make me feel good, because I prioritize my spiritual growth?" I am getting more consistent at authentically answering, "No." to those questions.

Now. Let's always remember compassion, kindness, and gentleness. While sometimes we make choices that compromise our connection and sabatoge the quality of our spiritual practices, it is no reason to beat ourselves up. It is what it is, and we are where we are in our evolution of consciousness. We can't force a desire for meditation or relationship with God if it is not yet truly there, and we cannot force it to unfold faster than it is. As we deepen our consciousness, it is natural that we will desire peace, contentment and joy more than we will desire food. Along the way, it is reasonable to give ourselves, with the utmost compassion and non-attachment, the challenge to choose the Divine rather than to choose to repeat our disconnecting patterns.

It may take a while, and that's ok. It may be inconsistent, and that's ok too. As long as we are moving forward, little by little.

Bodies: The Exhibition

2010-05-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

Last night I went with my brother, Chris Whitcoe and Andrea McNinch to Bodies: The Exhibition in Tucson. You might recall my writing about my developed interest in anatomy in my Guardian of Organs post.

For Chris, Andrea and I, going to see the exhibition was both a learning experience and was valuable in grounding deeper our passion for helping people heal their bodies, feel and look fantastic, and extend their lifespans.

There were full bodies, solitary organs, cross sections, and features of systems of the body, as well (skeletal, muscular, etc). It was amazing to see the spacial relationship of the parts of the body, and how compact and efficient everything is. The organs practically lay on top of eachother. I didn't realize how sort of smooshed in everything is (and of course, it's not really smooshed otherwise it wouldn't work so miraculously).

I was also surprised to see how small everything is. Some of the lungs, for example, couldn't have been longer than 6 inches. The colon is narrower than I thought, and the kidneys are smaller than I thought (about 4 or 5 inches for the ones I saw). Seeing the glands were interesting as well, particularly the thyroid and pituitary. The pituitary, considered a main hub of the body that controls tons of functions, was tiny. It was about the size of a goji berry (like my superfood reference?). I enjoyed seeing the female reproductive system, how the ovaries, fallopian tube and cervix looked and how they were positioned in relation to eachother.

There was an incredible display of the circulatory system, as well, although not of the actual arteries, veins, vessels and capillaries. What it seems they did was injected the veins with some kind of colored plastic and then dissolved the rest of the body, leaving only a model of exactly how the circulatory of that organ, body part, or whole body looked. It was incredible to see how dense with blood veins the body is. I also noticed that there was a super dense system of blood veins in the feet, and very, very little in the hands. Interesting.

They also had displays comparing healthy organs with ailed ones, such as a healthy lung and a smokers lung, cancers of the thyroid, colon, prostate, liver, kidney, breast, and more. They showed a cirrohtic liver, a colon with a ringworm, a brain with Lou Gehrig's disease, a heart with plaque buildup, and several other ailments.

The ironic end to the experience was that when we finished checking out the exhibit, we walked out to this little gift store, which mostly had anatomy books and books for children to learn about the body, but there was also a book for sale called The Pill Book: The Illustrated Guide to Most-Prescribed Drugs in the United States. Whoooooooaaaa!!!! I know that most people don't have an awareness of the massive destructiveness health that prescription drugs have (to varying degrees depending on the drug), and the knowledge of alternative health that I do, but still. Whooooooooaaa!!!!

All in all, it was a wonderful 'rubber hitting the road' kind of education. To ground ourselves in the reality of our internal bodies and anatomy, I think, is very powerful and motivational for healing. It made me realize that the body really is a miraculous machine, and that there are daily choices we make that can either make that machine begin to break down, or fix the machine and upgrade it.

It reminded me of the importance of my daily choices if I really want my body, with my one heart and one stomach and one pancreas, my two lungs and two kidneys, to last 100+ years, everything really does matter. I only get one set, and although they can heal and regenerate, they really have to be able to do their thing in an efficient and uninhibited way, every second of every minute, day after day, year after year. In particular, I feel it is extremely helpful for anyone who is a health practioner, nutritionist, and healer to have a more solid visual and understanding of the body.

How do you feel about this topic? Have you seen bodies donated to science and preserved in some way? Did it encourage your own healing and caretaking of your body? Do you feel it important or necessary to educate oneself this way?

Sizzling Summer Days & Supplements

2010-05-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!

I am still going with the liver flush preparation, but will do the actual flush a couple days later than I planned. In the meantime, check out the interview I did regarding liver flushes at EightyPercentRaw.com by clicking here.

It is getting toasty here in Patagonia, getting into the upper 80's and even to 90 degrees during the middle of the day. In ayurvedic medicine, my primary doshic makeup is pitta (for those who are new to doshas and ayurveda, I recommend reading Conscious Eating by Gabriel Cousens, M.D.) What this means is that my body naturally has a lot of heat and tends towards imbalance when I eat certain food or do certain activities which overheat my system. For example, I rarely can handle hot foods like cayenne and ginger unless it's quite cold outside. They are fantastic for the body, so I take them in very small quantities, but mine is not one that can handle large doses or I feel aggravated and ungrounded. When it's really hot outside, I have to eat cooling foods, eat light, and use cooling essential oils like peppermint, which helps me feel more balanced.

I've been taking three new supplements that I've been noticing a difference with. I began taking them all at about the same time, and feel more focused, emotionally balanced, grounded, and have more mental clarity. They are B12, omega 3 DHA, and tryptophan.

I have had B12 shots here and there since being vegan, but haven't taken a supplement regularly. This one is great because it's tasty, it's a subligual B12 and there is a little xylitol in it, so it's sweet. I also love Premier Research Labs' Nano B12 complex, which doesn't taste great but is super powerful. To learn more about B-12, please read Gabriel Cousens, M.D.'s article here.

The omega supplement I'm taking is O-Mega-Zen liquid, which is a totally vegan source of omega 3 DHA from golden algae. Depression has been linked to DHA deficiency, and DHA is one of the main components of brain tissue. It is required for the proper functioning of all neural systems, including vision. Low levels of DHA have been found in persons with: heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, Alzheimer`s Disease, Attention Deficit Disorder, depression, insomnia, stress, hyperactivity, dyslexia.

L-Tryptophan is the third supplement, which is an amino acid produced in the body, mostly in inadequate quantities, and is a precursor to serotonin in the brain. Low serotonin levels have been linked to mood disorders and the symptoms that go with them. 90% of women that Gabriel Cousens, M.D. has tested are deficient in serotonin. Taking L-Tryptophan may enhance relaxation and sleep, relieve minor premenstrual symptoms, sooth nerves and anxiety, and reduce carbohydrate cravings.

My brain is being FED and I am so happy about it!
Courtney

Liver Flush Interview on Eighty Percent Raw

2010-05-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

The lovely Ela from EightyPercentRaw.com interviewed me regarding liver flushing. Enjoy the post!

Click here.

Community Days in Patagonia

2010-05-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

This last week has held some fun community happenings at the Tree of Life. This last Friday was Gabriel Cousens' 67th birthday. Or, as Gabriel likes to say in his very eternal kind of perspective, no one has birthdays, but our bodies have birthdays. Nonetheless, we held a meditation on Friday in honor of Gabriel's birthday, and enjoyed a peach cobbler at the Tree of Life Cafe. Gabriel was in Japan, but here in spirit ;)

Below: Our general manager, Yosef, cutting the cake.

Below: Director of Education, Aviva, on left, Cafe Manager Debbie on right.

Below: The staff picture we emailed Gabriel on his birthday.

On Sunday, many of us staff volunteered in a project to clear an area near our spa courtyard for a new juice bar that will begin construction this year. So, we spent the morning hours tearing down fences, weedwhacking, moving rocks and the like. We noticed how goofy us 'inside kids', those of us who work inside in the office all the time, got in the midst of manual labor, power tools, and dirt. As you can tell in the subsequent pictures:

Below from left: Boaz, Sarah, and Aviva

Below: Boaz, myself, and Aviva.

Below: Yosef, proud weedwhacker operator.

After a few hours of delicious muscular challenge, we savored the opportunity to rest at the pool, where we soaked our feet and Boaz and Aviva decided to jam out and dance poolside.

Then, the cafe staff brought brunch down to the spa courtyard/pool area, which was a nice change from, well, the cafe ;)

Below: Cabbage Salad with olive oil and caraway seeds.

Below: Raw, vegan 'pretzels'! The Cafe made mustard sauce for them, not pictured.

Below: Guacamole

Below: Yosef eating dessert - raw, vegan ice cream in cones. The flavor he has is goji orange!

Summer is coming... !!!

Courtney

Have you drank your green juice today?

2010-05-17T14:46:00.001-07:00

Office Booty Intolerance

2010-05-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

Something in my body has been shifting a great deal in the past 7 months or so. Primarily, my work with the Tree of Life involves my sitting down, and spending lots of time on a computer. Additionally, I have this blog to update, and my personal computer work with emails and such, which are all sitting activities. Prior to the Tree of Life, I have never had an office job. In high school, I coached a youth swim team, during which I was always standing up, walking around the deck, or I was in the water giving stroke and technique demonstrations. In college, I worked at a raw food restaurant and was also always standing and walking around.

For a long time being here, for a good 2.5 years, however, my body seemed to be just fine with sitting. Although its vitality was compromised in some ways, as always happens with a lesser amount of activity, I never had an intolerance to sitting. In the last several months, and I can't say exactly why, I all of a sudden have an extreme sensitivity to the number of hours I sit in a day and when I feel I've hit a limit, I pretty much can't handle doing anything that requires sitting for the rest of the day. My body says, "Get that booty up and out and doing something!"

After a few hours sitting down focusing intensely, I feel this buildup of energy in my body and I have to go outside and rebound for 10 or 15 minutes (lucky for me, the Tree has a Bellicon rebounder, what we think is the most fun and bouncy rebounder, right outside the building). After this, I feel totally back in balance, energized, and ready to focus again. Usually, I also find that I have to go for at least an hour long walk or jog or hike after work to feel balanced. Although it's rare now, I notice that if I skip this after-work exercise, my evening feels somewhat restless.

What intrigues me most about all this I can't attribute the change to anything in particular. I can only guess at the possibility that my body has gotten to a level of health where it is simply is making its own demands on what it needs, and it craves movement. Sometimes it's not very convenient to work these things into my day, but my body seems to be leaving me little choice.

Some other people at the Tree who work sitting down also experience the need to break to move their bodies. Some of them prefer to go out and sprint for 5 or 10 minutes then come back, or just go for a walk, some people do yoga or just simple stretches, some people go swim in the pool, and others like rebounding like I do. Some people walk or bike the few miles to work and that helps balance them. Sometimes, I like to keep it simple and get my movement in by lassoing javelina and scaling cacti with my bare hands. But let's face it, not everyone is so adventurous.

There are plenty of studies and experiments you can google for that have been done correlating office jobs, exercise, sitting, computer and TV time, and health, so I'm not including them here.

Do you experience similar urges to move if you've been sitting for a certain period of time? What do you like to do most? How do you balance bodily idleness and movement?

Tree of Life Blog - Conscious Eating Level 2

2010-05-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Today I wrote a post for the Tree of Life blog recapping our Conscious Eating Level 2. It's primarily a nice little photo summary :) Click here to view it.

Guardian of Organs

2010-05-06T20:09:00.001-07:00

Today has held a synchronous unfolding of events in relation to my increasing awareness that I'm a caretaker, protector, and guardian of my body. In this case, I am referring far more to my internal body than I am to it externally and visually - it's organs, bones, veins, arteries, muscles, etc.

Much of my positive growth in relation to diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle habits is due to an increasing connection, relation, and feeling of responsibility for the health of my bodily systems. A couple years ago, I realized that I was completely disconnected from the internal reality of my body. I'd spent years concerned about the outward, visual appearance of my body, but had no regard for or relationship with my body as a biological machine, a miracle of mother nature, with components that moved, flexed, pumped. I saw my body as the shell, the visual appearance of the exterior, not as a living animal. I cared not whether my heart was healthy, whether my stomach, colon, and digestive tract were overloaded with work, whether my blood vessels had the proper nutrients to do their job.

Until a few years ago, I never really connected with the reality that this body is truly mine. Then, I started to relate with my body on the internal level by reminding myself of it.

I have a heart, and it is my heart.

I have lungs, and they are my lungs.

I have bones, and they are my bones.

Although I cannot see them, they look different than anyone elses. They are uniquely mine. Often I would try to imagine what they look like to create more of a connection. My body systems and organs work for me tirelessly. We put so much strain on them (I used to be a frequent fast food eater, rarely at vegetables or fruit, the whole gamut!) and don't nourish them properly, but they always keep going... and going... and going. Until, of course, they can't go anymore.

I am not alone, of course; a disconnect from our internal bodies is rampant in society. Many people do not know where their spleen is located, where their liver is located, what their pancreas does. And really, these are not medically intricate questions. They are basic, but many people cannot answer those questions. I wouldn't have been able to point out where my spleen was until I began studying nutrition at age 18.

Today, a friend of mine posted a few videos on facebook, clips from a series of educational anatomy videos done by Gil Hedley, Ph.D., founder of Integral Anatomy Productions, LLC, and Somanautics Workshops, Inc. Gil has put together an extensive series of cadaver dissection videos which have been distributed to 30 countries. A few hours after these videos were posted, I learned that an traveling exhibit called Bodies: The Exhibit, which I've heard wonderful things about from friends, will be in Tucson next week.

Before you get grossed out, this is tying into a bigger picture, and I won't get too graphic on you. In short, I watched these videos, one showing the anatomy of the heart, and the other an demonstration to show what lungs look like when they inflate, as in breathing. We are not regularly reminded of what our internal environments actually look like in their shapes, sizes, colors, and spacial relation, so watching it was an odd experience, almost alien.

However, what it instilled in me is a further marvel at the miracle and beauty of the human anatomy, and a softening and almost mothering feeling towards my own inner organs and systems that work all day, and all night, year after year, for me. I am consistently deepening my experience of my body as mine, taking ownership for it, and fully occupying it with my presence and consciousness. I am noticing an increasing feeling of fondness, care-taking, and even a sensation of mothering for my internal body, and a desire to protect, respect, and show impeccable love and care to it through my dietary practices, exercise, and other health and longevity giving lifestyle choices and habits.

Huge amounts of respect and appreciation for those who donated their bodies for education and understanding. And if you're not a person who feels comfortable seeing organs and bodily systems as they look, I totally understand. I even get a little squeamish with more than a small dose, but it helps me and inspires me a great deal to be reminded. If that's not the case for you, just do your best to continually remind yourself of your internal body mentally.

Additionally, all of us can benefit from bringing presence back into our body, and consciously occupying our bodies with our attention. Geneen Roth, one of my favorite authors, wrote in one of her books how most of us "hover" outside our bodies, "seeing" it almost aerially rather than being in our feet, legs, hands, arms, and feeling them touching the ground, or chair, feeling the sensations of breeze on our skin. Eckart Tolle encourages feeling into in the body as a vehicle to the Present Moment. I like to take it in another direction as well, practicing sensing into and out from my stomach, or heart, or lungs, and other areas and organs. These practices ground us in our bodies, our lives, in the Present Moment, and remind us we are its guardian, its keeper.

"The problem isn't that we have bodies; the problem is that we're not living in them."

~Geneen Roth

Resources:

Video: Our Sacred Hearts

Video: Exquisite Lungs Breathing

Bodies: The Exhibition

Tree of Life Cafe - Food Pics 26

2010-05-06T10:29:00.001-07:00

Eckhart Tolle, Donut Holes and Sunny Beaches

2010-05-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

This last week I spent in Malibu and Venice, California, where I was attending a filming of Eckhart Tolle TV. I had read The Power of Now and had watched videos of Eckhart speaking, but hadn't immersed myself in his teachings. Being in his presence this week and tuning into his energy field, I felt how profound his level of consciousness really is. There were many hours of this taping, so I was blessed to absorb a great deal of teachings, but some of my favorites had to do with the subjects of creativity and of the playing out of global unconsciousness.

Both of these teachings I knew before, from my own experience and intuition and also from other spiritual teachers such as Gabriel Cousens, but it was great to hear them again. Also, sometimes the same thing can be said in a slightly different way and resonate more deeply.

On the subject of creativity, Eckhart explained that being Presence allows us to be a vessel for cosmic creativity, to have creative inspiration come through us. He explained that we are a conduit, an apparatus for the divine to express its creativity. In my own life, I find that this insight is helpful to remove limitations and boxes that I may have if I were to believe that creation comes from me rather than through me. I can make room for the possibility of more profound, abstract, or different creations than I may believe that I could come up with using my mind. It is also a practice in letting go of ego to let go of the sole ownership of such manifestation and instead view it as a co-creation. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love gave a beautiful talk on TED.com which had many points relating to this idea of being a vessel. You can view it here.

The other teaching I appreciated being reminded about had to do with the larger play of consciousness. Eckhart explained that when we act unconsciously, or when groups of people, or nations act unconsciously, it is not an indicator of our true nature. Unconsciousness is not the true nature of anyone, and unconscious actions do not define who we are. Rather, the larger play of unconsciousness is playing out through humanity, giving us an opportunity to wake up to the oneness that we all really are. A helpful teaching for releasing judgement of ourselves and others!

I had some wonderful social nourishment while there as well, including the WeLikeitRaw meetup in Sherman Oaks, California, hosted at the home of one of my close friends, Puki Freeberg. Puki and I have been friends since going to college together at Maharishi U niversity of Manag ement. Puki is now a Transcendental Meditation teacher, working closely with the David Lynch Foundation, and currently teaching meditation to young girls between 12 and 17, who have been victims of prostitution. Aside from being a conscious, caring woman, Puki is a wonderful raw food chef and enthusiast. Among our attendees were fellow bloggers D ebbie Young and Mike Lieberman, as well as raw dessert chef and Tree of Life MA student Megan McMurray.

Below from left: Anthea, Megan and Deangelo

Below from left: Andre, Esther, and Deangelo

Below: Puki and I

We also visited some of the raw food restaurants in the area, including Planet Raw (FYI, they use honey rather than agave - awesome), Vardo Cafe, one of my favorites, Au Lac. At Au Lac, I discovered my favorite raw food dessert to date: their donut holes. Filled with some kind of incredible jelly sauce, made with a little spirulina, and powdered with what must have been fine coconut powder, warmed up a little before serving, they now hold my #1 spot. Practicing presence by fully immersing myself in eating them (aren't you proud, Eckhart) obliterated any chance of photographic evidence, but here are some pictures of other dishes we enjoyed of theirs (yes, that 'bread; is raw!):

The trip also included beautiful scenic views, and a very synchronistic (long story) running-into with Robert Wisdom, actor who plays the character Howard "Bunny" Colvin in the TV series, The Wire, and raw food enthusiast.

Your tasks for tonight: Watch an Eckhart youtube video, and plan your next trip to Fountain Valley, California for Au Lac's donut holes.

With delight,
Courtney

Scenic and dessert pics by Kaya P, Au Lac salad and bread pics from their site, pic of Puki and I by Debbie Young.

Liver Flush Results

2010-04-26T14:52:00.000-07:00

Woohoooo!!! I had a successful liver flush and I am so excited about it ;) Ahhh, the odd things which can bring us joy...

This morning, I got several stones out upon waking, about 15. I then did a coffee enema and had a lot more come out. I estimate I got out about 70 total, most being pea sized or about half that, and about 15 that were the size of a thumbnail or so.

I was really amazed. My previous two flushes I only got a few stones out, so it was crazy to see this big release. It's not as big as it can be - I know people who have gotten hundreds out in a single flush - but it was substantial. They were bright green in color, some were green with a bit of a yellowish tint. I didn't take a picture this time, but next time I do one I will. Until then, mine looked a lot like these (caution, if you're grossed out by this kind of thing, skip the pics).

Afterwards, I experienced this immediate increase in mental clarity and it suddenly felt like a subtle layer of fog had lifted from my mind. I still feel that way.

One of the main lessons I learned from this liver flush is that it's important to do whatever protocol you choose 100%. I think the reason my previous ones weren't as great as they could have been is because I wasn't as diligent as I could have been. I didn't do as many castor packs as I was supposed to, not enough coffee enemas, didn't go without fats for as many days beforehand, etc.

I'll do another one in either May or June so I'll be sure to report on that as well!

With a more free and sexy liver,

Courtney

Liver Flush Day

2010-04-25T20:21:00.001-07:00

Today I did the deed of drinking an obscene amount of olive oil. For those of you who are new to liver flushing, the purpose of the large dose of olive oil after a time period of not eating fat, is to encourage the bile ducts of the liver and gallbladder to open wider than they normally do. In this, all the excess oil is dumped out in a hurry, and with the wider opening, gallstones and liver stones can flush out as well.

I have already seen a few small stones (small pea sized), but not a huge amount yet. Often they do not make it out until the next morning, so I will keep you posted. I felt quite lightheaded and had a headache after drinking all the oil, but it is subsiding now.

Just for you who are wondering why I'm not providing a super detailed outline of how to liver flush: it's because I'm combining protocols. I am combining both Gabriel Cousens' protocol, and the protocol from MyLiverFlush.com. Gabriel's you can get instructions for free, although it also includes supplements to soften the stones and others to prime the liver and gallbladder to release, so those still have to be bought. The protocol at MyLiverFlush.com does cost money, so I can't give out their protocol; it's their right to sell it.

That being said, you can find even simpler and free protocols online. I never done any other protocols other than these two, so I can't speak from experience, but I have heard that Dr. Hulda Clark's protocol at CureZone.com is a good one. There are others out there too, just do a little online research and you'll find them!

Happy Flushing :)

Incredible Transformations

2010-04-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

I want to share an amazing experience I just had about 15 minutes ago. We had a closing circle for our 21 day programs at the Tree of Life: Reversing Diabetes Naturally and Transformation programs. Normally I don't talk too much about the Tree of Life's stuff on my own personal blog and I keep it to the official Tree of Life blog, but I was so touched by what the participants shared that I wanted to write to you about it.

The circle started off with the sharing of one of our most enthusiastic and positive participants, a man who had Type 2 diabetes when he came and was on 500 units of insulin that he was taking with an insulin pump, and had lots of excess weight. In his three weeks here, he has lost 50 lbs, he has come off all his insulin and other medications, and his blood sugar reading this morning was 92. This man has completely reversed his diabetes. However, what he emphasized was that although the reversing of diabetes was great, it was nothing compared to the clarity and inspiration he gained to return to his life and live more fully and inspire those around him.

Our next participant to talk was a woman who came because she was a cancer survivor and she wanted to get thoroughly cleansed and detoxified to kick start a healthy lifestyle to ensure she never had to come up against it again. When she arrived to the Tree of Life, she found out upon testing that she was also pre-diabetic. She was initially shocked, but luckily, was in the right place! She is now no longer in the pre-diabetic zone, her blood sugars are normal. She explained that when she came here, she felt like a fragmented person, not fully connected to herself. She now feels that she is a whole person and is excited to go share her wholeness and inner satisfaction.

Our next participant came for the Reversing Diabetes Naturally program. I have to follow up and see exactly what her final results physically were, because her sharing did not focus on that at all. She shared that finding again a sense of spiritual connectedness which she had as a child and lost somewhere along the way, was back and it was opening up her whole life and inspiring her on every level.

Our next guest came for our Transformation program, and also discovered upon arriving that she was pre-diabetic. In her time here, she has returned to normal blood sugar levels. She had been on blood pressure medications for 10 years and is off all of them, and was showing signs of breast cancer prior to coming, and has now addressed that as well.

Next, another of our Transformation participants. She said that she came just because she was feeling lost in her life and needed a re-set, and has found that, and she now feels completely clear on the direction she wants to take in the next phase of her life.

Our next participant, a previously Type 2 diabetic, shared that yes, while he also completely reversed his diabetes, what he gained most was spiritual inspiration. He shared that he had no interest in spiritual life prior to coming, and that he didn't realize until he had a spiritual awakening and heart opening here, that it was exactly what he had been looking for for years, and didn't even know he was looking for it.

Our next Transformation participant joked that he almost turned around to go back home on the taxi ride here upon learning that enemas were part of the deal. He shared, however, that he came because he desired the physical energy, clarity, and inspiration to enter what he called 'the last third of my life' in way he needed to, and that he feels completely ready now to do what he has known he needed to.

Our next participant shared that she came not so much for herself, but to support her friend, but was completely surprised at how much transformation she has experienced and knowledge she has gained. She shared that she was a sugar addict prior and has kicked that habit while being here.

Next, the friend of the previous guest, shared that she was also a sugar addict and has gotten over her cravings, but more importantly, has realized that her incredibly stressful lifestyle of running three businesses was wearing down on her health and happiness, and that being here has made her realize what she needs to prioritize, what she needs to let go, and what her true dharma is.

All of our participants shared similar experiences such as the unexpected, deep friendships they have gained in the fellow participants and the staff, and the inspiration they gained from not only their own story and their own healing, but being a part of eachothers' healing and inspiring eachother to keep going. They also all reported they had not necessarily come because they had any interest in personal growth or spiritual growth, and were all surprised to find out how key of a factor it was for them.

Now, I don't share all this to make a plug for the Tree of Life. I share it because I want to inspire you, where you are, in what ever situation you are in, to recognize that you can heal yourself, and that what we call miracles, are possible. I realize this in a deeper way for myself every time I see transformations like this. I have been eating raw food for 4.5 years, yet I am continually inspired on my own journey by the courage and transformation of people who come here that are often completely new to this. I hope also to inspire you, as I have been inspired today, to remember that every little thing we do counts, and that we have tremendous power to inspire, educate and share with others, and that the result of that can be incredible for those who are ready to receive it.

These testimonials are not testimonials necessarily for the Tree of Life programs, they are testimonials for what is possible. They are testimonials for the power of food, community, education, and spiritual inspiration.

Eating well works. Community works. Spiritual connectedness works.