rawjourney365

What Are You Truly Hungry For?

rawjourney365 — Sun, 20 May 2012 14:26:20 +0000

I absolutely LOVE blueberry smoothies! Here’s my hands-down favorite recipe, easy to make — takes all of 3 minutes:

1 organic banana (frozen or fresh)
1 cup organic blueberries (frozen)
2 cups raw, fresh, organic spinach
Fill blender 1/2 way with water
BLEND…..buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz — and YUMMY!

I just love it! It’s creamy, and delicious and FILLED with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals of all kinds that are undoubtedly the best for you!

Recently, I did a test with my herbalist and learned that I am sensitive to GMOs, and cow dairy of all kinds. It’s causing issues with my blood pressure, my adrenals and overall health. It’s tricky — soy, corn, wheat and canola oil, if not organic are genetically-modified these days. Do you know how much soy, corn, wheat and canola oil are on the shelves? They are in EVERYTHING! Restaurants, eating at friend’s homes……most people use these staples in their cooking. I was! Although I’ve been buying almost everything organic for quite a number of years now (14 or so.)

But now I need to have my eyes wide open and my breath available to me: When I’m hungry, first thing I do is breathe. I take some deep breaths for a few minutes and then check in my belly. 100% of the time, I am not hungry after breathing. (it’s truly amazing….I didn’t realize until recently that some ‘hungers’ are for air, oxygen and likely also grounding/connecting to myself through my breath.) After a while, when I feel hungry again, I drink some water (usually about 500 ml) — still, I wait. If my hunger comes back, then I know it’s TRUE hunger — for nourishment of the food variety.

So….now with these things sensitivities to pay attention to, I need to make extremely conscious decisions. Yesterday after eating raw all day (and finding out that my favorite raw food restaurant doesn’t use canola oil – yay for Prana Cafe!), I went to a party….and I was hungry. I started with a big plate of fruit salad, and veggie salad….then I added some chicken and a bit of lentil salad. The thing is I had no idea what was in those 2 dishes but made a conscious decision to eat them last night. And what happened? I got extremely tired, and on my way home, I did feel my body reacting. The part that was interesting to me, is that the feeling was familiar — it’s how I feel often when I eat foods like that.

It’s why I LOVE raw foods — it’s so uncomplicated! There can never be anything wrong with a piece of organic fruit of a stalk, bowl, head of organic, raw vegetable. I trust 100% of the time when I eat raw, organic foods. I trust them, and they trust me!

That is what I am TRULY hungry for.

How about you? Any thoughts about all of this? Do you know you have sensitivities? Do you have symptoms that are inexplicable? Have you ever tried a day of raw foods just to see how they taste and how you feel? How about a raw meal?

I’d love to hear from you!

Love,
Robyn

The Most Versatile Raw Recipe!

rawjourney365 — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:02:05 +0000

I know, it’s raining in Boston but ‘that’ is spring! The Earth needs the water desperately as does my newly planted vegetable garden; along with my re-planted, de-weeded flower garden! Everything looks beautiful and I can feel the Earth dancing outside my window….happy for the WATER!

As for me, it’s much easier Being Green when the weather is nice! I’m making yummy-ness every day and thought I’d share one versatile one with you this morning!

Here’s what I blended together and because it’s so flexible in its ability to RECEIVE (something I am working on, whole-heartedly surrendering to, that is) — it keeps changing. I love it – a malleable, surrendered Raw Recipe! (I think that’s enough metaphors, don’t you?)

Coconut Pudding (or something….)

Take 2 whole young coconuts, cut them open and scoop out the meat (yummy all by itself!)

(drink the coconut water, you won’t be needing it in this recipe)

Put it into the blender with any of the following:

a few dates
a bit of agave
cocao powder
carob powder
a handful of soaked nuts
touch of salt
1 whole lime juiced
1 whole lemon juiced
1 whole orange juiced
avocado

BLEND! Here’s the thing….don’t use ALL of the above! Experiment with what tastes good to you!

Want something tart? Go for lime juice, a bit of agave and dates. Chocolately? Dates, cocao powder and a bit of avocado. Smoothie? Add whole fruit and blend. The list goes on!

The most versatile raw recipe around and YUMMY!!!

Enjoy!

Rawness is…

Robyn

The Worst Mother’s Day Ever – by Nina Manolson

rawjourney365 — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:19:41 +0000

Hi! I just had to re-post this letter from Nina, friend and colleague. She’s amazing and I love what she wrote here and how she serves the world with her gifts. Love, Robyn

Dear Fellow Mom,

I love hearing about how different families celebrate Mother’s Day.

For some it’s brunch or breakfast in bed. For others it’s a visit to Grandma or a special dinner at a favorite restaurant.

But sometimes I hear stories about the worst Mother’s Day presents ever, and they usually go like this…

“Nobody did anything.”

“They didn’t even give me a card!”

“How could my husband and kids not know what I really wanted?”

“Everyone was so focused on my mother-in-law, I was totally forgotten!”

Ouch!

You give so much to your family – of course you want to be appreciated! And you deserve it.

Moms should be acknowledged and ‘seen’ for all that they do. If you’re a mom, you deserve a gold medal for getting dinner on the table every night!

The reality is…your spouse and your kids are not mind-readers. What you want may be obvious to you, but it isn’t necessarily so to others.

You’d figure your own family would know how to take care of you on your special day. But nope…they don’t!

The fact that they don’t show up with exactly what you need isn’t a barometer of how they feel about you. They love you! They just need help in knowing how to show their love in a way that really reaches you on a deep level.

Which begs the question…

What does make you feel loved and special?

Is it the flowers, the brunch, or the card? Maybe all of the above?

Or is it something much deeper?

What needs to happen in order for you to feel like the special and wonderful person you are?

Here’s what I know from working with women for over 20 years:

It doesn’t really matter what anyone else says about you. What matters is what you believe about yourself.

You have to believe you’re a worthwhile person from the inside.

You know it’s true, right?

The “You’re the best!” comments from others feel a bit empty when we don’t feel our best.

So, my question to you this Mother’s Day is…

What do you really want?

Beyond the brunch, the cards, and the flowers… what do you want for yourself? Just for you?

Be really selfish in your answer. What would make youfeel just fabulous? What connects you to your Smokin’ Hot Self?

Is it:

time by yourself?

hitting the reset button on your body so you feel confident and sexy?

time to work out?

a date with a girlfriend or spouse?

quiet time with your kids?

What would deeply nourish you?

You can’t get what you want unless you know whatyou want.

So dig deep and ask yourself, “What do I really want and need this Mother’s Day? What would most make me feel like a Smokin’ Hot Mom?”

Then go for it! Mother’s Day is for you!

If you want to feel good in your own body, I can help you with that.

The Smokin’ Hot Mom Detox starts Monday, the day after Mother’s Day!

Wouldn’t it be fantastic – in ONE WEEK! – to feel good from the inside out?

Imagine a Mother’s Day gift that gives you:

more energy

less cravings

greater focus

weight loss that sticks

Now that’s the best Mother’s Day Gift ever!

We have a phenomenal group of moms already signed up to reset, reboot and revitalize their bodies.

Join us to celebrate what an awesome mom you really are! We start on Monday, May 14th.

Love and Health,

P.S.

Here’s what one of the Smokin’ Hot Mom participants just wrote to me today! And the detox hasn’t even started yet!

“Nina, this is a GREAT plan. I love how methodical and helpful your advice is as far as planning.

I think this is what has been missing from other detox plans.

I am really excited to do this. I have already started incorporating some of the foods you mentionned and immediately started seeing a difference in my digestion:) Thank you!” E.G.

P.P.S.

Ready to give yourself the best Mother’s Day present ever? Click here to learn more about the Smokin’ Hot Mom Detox starting on May 14th. If you have friends or family who may be interested in participating along with you, by all means, send them this email and share the love!

I don’t know what it is, but I love it!

rawjourney365 — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:10:46 +0000

It’s been such a busy few weeks getting my new website up and running — all the details — time and energy and lots of writing. I haven’t written in this blog in a while. And with that, I’ll say, “I don’t know what it is, but I love it.” I’ve been working with a mentor who may as well be a character in A Course in Miracles, if there were such a thing. She’s straight from heaven but living on earth. And I realize that that’ll sound quite strange to many of you. But suffice to say she gets “it”. She gets what we need, as humans, to be happy and blissful and how strongly the ego works to keep our spirits dampened. She gets that there are strong parts of ourselves that keep telling us stories about how this one did this or that, and how we’re not good enough or doing enough, or enough, period. That if we spend all of our energy and time listening to that ‘voice’, that our lives could be mostly miserable.

And as “evolved” as I think I am…..I often listen to her and don’t know what she’s saying…..which I think is a good thing! :) It means I’m learning; I’m in student mode and the parts of me that think they know everything have taken a back seat….wayyyyy back! That makes me smile.

So suffice to say, I cannot write too much because I don’t know much! Laugh! I DO know that I’ve been filling myself up with energy that I didn’t know I had access to. I do know that I feel happy and blissful when I tune into the spaciousness all around me and not focus on the objects or people in the space. I DO know that when I listen to others talk about “being too fat” or “how she did this to me”, that I’m not hearing the Truth. I do know that ‘waking up’ is possible. I do know that’s why I am here – to wake up — and to share that with my children; and others.

Michael Mirdad wrote a book called, You Are Not Going Crazy, You Are Just Waking Up, which is a wonderful cliff notes version of what happens when we do, in fact, WAKE UP….what it looks like and feels like. The ‘how’ I am learning from my mentor. And this Raw Journey I have been on since Jan 1st, 2012, has led me to her.

Because I called out for Inner Mothering — I was admitting that nurturing myself and receiving is not my forte. Anyone who knows me would likely disagree — you see me as “mother”, as “healer”, as “therapist” and all of those things, I am wonderful at….very skilled and very capable and quite conscious. But to deeply receive nurturance….first from myself, then from another…..I did not learn this in the early years when most of you did. I am learning it now….and I’m so very grateful….as it’s not too late.

It’s never really too late but for me, the time is now. Because I want to live the rest of my life FILLED UP with Spirit, with Love, True Love….the love that comes when you’re tuned into the fact that we are all One and the One = Love.

So it’s a process and I am in it. My assignment for this week is to move into “I don’t know” — so I can let go of my mind ‘thinking’ it knows what it ‘is’ and how to ‘fix it’….and just Be instead of Do. So the approach is — to Be with an open mind of not knowing and being with ‘that’. And then sending LOVE….and being with the love.

So, I don’t know what it is…but I love it! (smile!)

Still wrapping my mind and heart around that but I actually think that’s ‘not’ the point! (laughing…)

All Love,

Robyn

Raw Tabouleh Salad

rawjourney365 — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:10:57 +0000

I had a delicious yummy Tabouleh salad tonight for dinner and afterward, I planted my very first seeds in the soil! Lettuce and (early) broccoli seeds are in the ground. I’m excited!!! The soil is cool, the sun is shining and we’re expecting a lot of rain. Perfect for planting these veggies.

Here’s the Raw Tabouleh recipe!!

In a food processor:

Chop raw organic cauliflower (until you have approximately 2 cups)

Dice 1/2 organic cucumber, 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup parsley, 2 T chive (straight from my garden!)

Mix in 3 T olive oil, 1/2 tsp sea salt to taste, pepper to taste, and lemon juice to taste

It was really really good!!!! )

Enjoy!

Finding God

rawjourney365 — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:21:18 +0000

Today’s blog entry promises to be exposing, transparent, and deep….a raw journey if I ever experienced one! That’s all I can say about it before I even begin….because I can feel what has bubbled up inside me and here it comes!

David Deida‘s book title would work today but I cannot use it (copyright reasons, of course) — the title I am referring to is Finding God Through Sex. But in contrast with the power of ‘that’ title and ‘those’ words there’s also the song we sung this weekend at Eisner Camp during the Mother-Daughter weekend whereby we clapped and sung God’s name (like the gospel choir, only Jewish) — and it went something like this:

I see God, I hear God, I smell God, I touch God, I feel God, I taste God, I know God…..God (clap, clap, clap), God (clap, clap, clap), God…..

So there is the possibility of Finding God Through Clapping, too!

In the early part of the new millenium, I met a man that ushered me forward...out of the black box I was living in and into his heart, which turned out to be the heart of God. I knew it was God because I couldn’t stay away….because all of my being longed for the connection. Every cell in my body pulled by the strength of the magnetic pull — Soul/God on one side — and Separation from God — on the other. It took about a month for me to look into those eyes looking upon me, bestowing a form of Love I had never felt before, for me to say aloud, “I feel God.” ”Yes”….was the soft response. I felt such relief! I had been holding those words inside me for too long….for fear of being laughed at…..(unfortunately I spent years in a relationship where my every feeling was questioned, argued with, doubted, and defended against.)

And when that relationship ended in the physical (my sweetie transitioned 5 years later), I needed to find God in a new way. This is why I have chosen to do the work that I do. Because, as David Deida says in his title and on those pages, we can indeed find God through sex and relationship.

I want to pause for a moment to make a distinction (for those reading this on my Sacred Tantric Fire blog), that Tantra is not Sex and Sex is not Tantra. It’s true that Tantric practices and a Tantric lifestyle contribute significantly (if you choose) to the deepest and most lovely sacred and sexual connection with a partner. But Tantra, to keep it simple, is Spiritual. You can bring it into the Sexual….and there, you will meet the Divine — in yourself, in your partner and in the connection (where God is anyway…only we are not always able to see God, hear God, touch God, feel God….clap, clap, clap!)

So why am I writing about this today? Because my raw journey this year is about ‘mothering’ myself in the deepest way possible. And because God is at the helm with this one — in prayer last week I asked for a very clear sign of who (or what) to turn to next for support and clear as day, I got the message. After connecting with this person, I understood sooooo clearly what’s been missing and in my way of fully, 100% caring for myself optimally: the lack of connection to my own Soul, to the knowing that God is and that I Am the divine.

I’m not saying I am 100% there yet. I’m saying I found the trail head. A Tantric lifestyle –and Tantric practices — like those I teach to my clients and in my workshops, are the initial steps to take. I am clear that part of why I am here is to help others remember; to lead them to the fire where we are all able to transform what is not supporting our highest good. At the sacred fire where we can let go, get clarity, intend and manifest our deepest dreams and let our hearts melt together.

So even though I felt God with my partner, I stayed in separation after he passed away. It’s been over 4 years now and I am seeing more deeply the reason I do the work I do. I am healing my own separation from God/Divine and supporting others in doing the same. Relationship, Sacred Sexuality, Yoga, Meditation are all deeply supportive and profound resources to access your heart, which, as it turns out….. is the heart of God.

Clap, clap, clap……

In Love,

Robyn

Soulful Eating

rawjourney365 — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:30:47 +0000

Eat with love
what’s grown with love,
prepared with love
and served with love.

~ Maureen Whitehouse, Soul-Full Eating: A (Delicious) Path to Higher Consciousness

The Yummiest Broccoli!!!

rawjourney365 — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:27:47 +0000

From Russell James, The Raw Chef!

I LOVE broccoli and also cauliflower. Typically I eat them raw — just chop them up and put then in a salad. Sometimes I blend avocado in with the cauliflower and make a dip (I’ll post that recipe another day!) Today Russell, The Raw Chef with the great accent (also yummy!), posted this recipe for dehydrated broccoli. No worries if you don’t have a dehydrator. You ‘can’ use the oven – just put it on the lowest temp you can and pay close attention to the dish. If you live in a beautiful sunshiney climate, you could even use nature’s best – the SUN! :)

If you use cauliflower instead, dehydrate for a shorter period of time. Last month I dehydrated cauliflower for several hours and it virtually disappeared!!! Laugh!!

Enjoy it!!!!

With Raw Love,

Robyn

Broccoli Prep:

5c small broccoli florets
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon tamari

- Mix all ingredients together a in large bowl and massage with your hands until the broccoli becomes softer, then let stand for 10 minutes.

- Transfer the broccoli to a non-stick dehydrator tray and dehydrate for 4 hours at 105 degrees F. You may find it useful (but not essential) to turn the tray around halfway through as the broccoli closest to the fan will dry quicker.

For the sauce

1/4 cup tahini
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon agave (optional, I don’t use this as I don’t like sweeteners)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 teaspoons tamari
1/2 a garlic clove

- Blend all ingredients for the sauce in a blender.

- Pour over or use as a dip with dehydrated broccoli when ready to serve

It’s a Mono-Day!

rawjourney365 — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:47:43 +0000

Today I choose mono to ease my digestion.
It’s recommended as a simple suggestion.

The rice has been prepared,
I am not feeling scared…..

Slowly, consciously, embracing
My heart is a racing…..
The beauty and wholeness of ME!

The REAL 100 Day Celebration!

rawjourney365 — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 02:11:19 +0000

Hi Everyone!

Tonight we had our 100 Day Celebration call with Jamie Eslinger and the You-Can-Do-Anything Coaching group! It was amazing to hear everyone’s celebrations of their commitments! We also chose “Magic Words” to use for this 365-day journey and relayed them tonight during the call; and related them to our lives as they manifest what we are each holding so strongly.

I noticed that I am having a hard time celebrating. And, my Magic Words are ACCEPTANCE and PATIENCE. Okay…..that makes me laugh and I hope you can find a giggle, as well.

I think I can be hard on myself…this is something I don’t recognize easily inside myself. But there’s a part of me with very high expectations. The truth is – I’m doing GREAT! I’ve been focused heavily on Inner Mothering this year and many things have shifted.

Here is what I am CELEBRATING — I’ve accomplished a HUGE amount in only 100 days!!!!!!!

I’ve been eating a high raw diet which gives me an excellent dose of ENERGY! :)
I started this lovely blog!!!
I’m walking 45 minutes every day outside which gives me sunshine, time to myself, connection with my sweet dog, Tazo, and good exercise.
I am starting physical therapy this week for an injury that’s been bothering me for months and months (and I found a GOOD place to go unlike the other I went to!)
I did some good inner work on my relationship with my sister and it’s in a good place right now which makes me happy!
I’m doing a great job at caring for my feelings as my son shifts into a full-fledged teenager (the start of some deep letting go and letting grow….)
I’ve been going to the Infrared Sauna 1-3x/week which feels really good (relaxing, a sense of well-being, detoxifying.)
I hired a gardner to help me out and my front yard looks amazing for the first time in a few years!
I hired a husband/wife team 4 hours every Wednesday morning to help me with household chores/tasks.
This Thursday someone is coming to clean my outdoor tub and will then show up once/month to keep it clean and balanced.
I have 3 people working for me right now (more than I’ve EVER had!) giving ME the homework I need to do to revamp and upgrade my counseling/Tantra business!!
Just putting it out into the Universe, my practice is filling with my ideal clients! (free marketing…just think it and it happens! Smile!)
I asked for help when my son broke his arm and let myself receive food (there’s STILL some in my freezer!!!) and support in other ways.
I have a soul-inspired business coach that I adore and she is helping me stay focused and in my heart.
I’m playing the Alto recorder — and practicing every day!!! (and loving it btw….like I’m considering really taking this classical instrument on like none other and playing in an ensemble in a year or so!!!)
I’m preparing to grow as many (organic of course) vegetables this summer — more than any year prior — so we can eat as much fresh, whole food from our own garden as possible.
I’m opening to love.

Now THAT IS A CELEBRATION if I ever saw one!

And the part of me that was having trouble celebrating? That part can easily focus on the places I’ve “failed” — and that habit of focusing on those places that are “less than” (only in those eyes, I know) is a pattern that absolutely needs to shift. I learned a long time ago that it’s all about PERCEPTION. I can choose where to focus, choose my perception and choose my reality. It’s that simple.

Tonight I choose HAPPY DANCING AROUND THE LIVING ROOM CELEBRATION!

WOW, I’ve truly NEVER been so supported as I am now. And THAT, my friend is Inner Mothering!!! Yippeeeee!!

In Gratitude,

Robyn