Hey Slink. Thank you so much for your reply and good thoughts. I haven't been online for a long time so didn't see your reply until now.
So you do Vipassana?!!! At close to the beginning of my spiritual journey decades ago I practiced Vipassana with SN Goenka up in Massachusets. I used to go on these 10 day retreats doing nothing but meditation with no talking whatsoever. Vipassana became a foundation for me. The most steady and solid path there is in my opinion. I'm also very into Chinese Medicine these days. Learning on my own and enjoying it tremedously. It's easy to make raw foods work within the scope of CM. I think that is the reason so many people fail - because they don't take into consideration the basic tennats of CM and adapt them to raw food. Winters are easier on raw foods than cooked if done correctly imho. And you an herbalist. How fabulous! Sometimes I think that I am the only one into herbs on this site. With your knowledge of herbs you will have no problems whatsoever adapting to raw because you will have tools that most don't to balance your energies.
Having been around raw foods for a very long time perhaps I can suggest something to you. You mention that you are an athlete and workout a great deal and yet you are concerned about eating nuts. If you are sprouting your nuts and seeds I suggest you eat as many as you like as often as you like along with lots of sprouts. People need protein in transition times especially. I personally eat raw fish and eggs in winter as well as infrequently in warmer weather because I need a good deal of it. Different people have different protein needs and different needs at different points in their lives. Working out so much I wouldn't be surprised if you needed more protein than the regular couch potato raw foodist.
It's also about density and fat requirements. There were long periods where I could be a vegan on raw foods with only sporadic needs for more nuts but that isn't the case anymore. You are just starting out. During the first few weeks it is more of a cleanse and the body can use its reserves. If you want to make sure that you can keep it going, let your body pick what it wants from the raw banguet table without judgment. Soaked raw nuts are great food. The problem these days is finding true raw nuts to soak and grow a little before eating (very important!). Cashews are usually heated in the process of shelling, walnuts and pecans are cut into pieces so can't sprout and now almonds are being flash heated. There are so many other nuts and seeds thank goodness to choose from. Other great sources of protein are wheatgrass juice and blue green algae. With all my meditation and inner work make me want more grounding foods like miso and nuts as does intense physical labor. I've been doing a lot of work outdoors lifting heavy rocks and digging in the sun. Even though it's 100 degrees outside I still want lots of nuts along with my smoothies to keep cool.
We do have some differing perspectives on a couple of things. As far as driving and cars and outside world reflecting inner - my outside world has been in chaos and I have moved to a city with many aggressive and dangerous drivers. Karma has been intense with unreal horror stories with contractors. Downright evil. So, I have been doing my best to not fight or evade but to be with, observe, bring light and stay centered within the storm around me. Anicca, anicca, anicca. Everything will and does change. So when I drive, instead of getting angry, annoyed, frightened or judgmental, I've been trying to use the experience as a meditation challenge. When I get in my car I channel in light and try my best to stay one minded and centered, holding a ball of light around my car. It's a great exercise. It's easy to meditate and be in a healing state when alone in my room - but out with people coming at me from all directions, some aggressive, some stupid, some caffeinated, some in a daze, many on the phone and only a few kind and aware; it's the perfect opportunity to put into real practice what I have been training for so many years. It isn't easy fer sure and it takes real sustained concentration, but it's working for me.
As far as city vs. country, I have found that eating raw in a city rather than the country has been easier and more fulfilling for me. Being all raw in New York City for instance is the biggest trip in the world! It's like being in NY on some kind of drug. All the senses open and aware. The energy the vibrancy - everything moving and being in the flow of it totally. Great food at every turn. Live food restaurants. The cold of winter not touching, being able to walk the whole city with unbounded energy. Being raw in a big city was a blast!!!! It was actually much harder for me to be all raw in a sleepy beach town in Florida. Strange but true.
I really appreciate your words of encouragement Slink. Embrace wellness. Yes. I guess I could step that up one notch and say "Embrace Evolution". I like that. I think that I'm going to put it on post it notes and put it on my mirror and in my CAR!
Thanks again Slink. Hope I get to talk to you some more. We seem to have a great deal in common.
Greenbunny
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