Raw Spirit Weekend

Sunday, 30 August 2009

The forecast called for heavy rain and thundershowers all weekend. So, we packed umbrellas and extra clothes, expecting to get wet during our trip down to the Raw Spirit Festival in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Well, after about five hours of wandering around the grounds in the sweltering sun, rain would have been welcomed, and our umbrellas were a meager means of creating some shade.

Nonetheless, the festival was awesome! I loved checking out all the info and vendors, and talking with other people interested in the raw food lifestyle. But, as the day went on, it became apparent that the kids, especially, Zofia, would not withstand another day of festivities, and we decided to cancel our hotel reservation, and head home early. Still, we’re so glad we went to check things out, and next time we’ll go better prepared with our own comfy lawn chairs, a tent for camping, blankets to lie on and hopefully, a cheerier three year-old, in place of this year’s overheated, cranky toddler. Darren and I could have hung out all day, listening to the lectures and relaxing, but the kids got hot and tired, and we decided to call it a wrap.

During our day there, we gorged on raw goodies. Though the divergence from my normally more simple routine has left me with a bit of digestive discomfort today, it was worth it! Of course, a lot of the food was considered gourmet raw food, and heavy on the nuts and seeds, which I usually only use as a condiment. We sampled raw tiramisu, kelp noodles with cashew pesto, a raw taco, sprouted rice salad, raw chocolate chip cookies, cauliflower “popcorn” with curry dipping sauce, and strawberry cobbler. But, because of the high nut content, there was not much Joe could eat because of his allergies. Thankfully, there was a lovely farmer’s market stand there, and he enjoyed a nice selection of fresh organic fruit. We also picked up a ton of goodies from Natural Zing! I generally order through our buying club at wholesale prices, but having it all there was great, and I couldn’t resist getting some things. Considering Joe’s food choices were limited, I let him load up Natural Zing products to which he wasn’t allergic. He loved the Italian flavored flax crackers, and got some great dried mango, goji berries and coconut chocolate truffles.

After a day of raw indulgence, however, both Darren and I were happy to have our regular green smoothie and a nice big salad today. And, along that train of thought, it was interesting to hear all the slight differences in opinion amongst many of the presenters at the festival. I think the general consensus is that an optimal raw food diet should be high in greens, but then there is some debate as to the role of fruits, grains, oils, and other issues, such as food combining. All of which, gives us further food for thought… pun intended!

Because our attention was scattered with the kids, we only listened to bits and pieces of some of the lectures. We caught the tail end of Dr. Brian Clement’s talk about his programs at the Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida. He had some interesting opinions, and made me pause for thought on several topics, including fruit consumption, sprouting and blended greens.

I also enjoyed Dr. Shawn Miller’s talk about setting personal goals, and how when we break a promise to ourselves, we are actually creating a distrust of our own abilities, and consequently, diminishing the life experience we could have. He spoke with Dr. David Carmos, with whom he teaches courses. Dr. Carmos is almost 70, and bravely sported a Speedo during a yoga demo, displaying a body that is obviously withstanding the test of time better than many.

After that, I got to briefly hear some of Phillip McCluskey’s talk about his “recovery” from obesity and experiences with a raw food lifestyle. He has lost 200 pounds on a raw/living food diet over the period of several years, but noted that most of the transformations that came about due to this change in lifestyle had less to do with the physical changes and more to do with the emotional and spiritual ones. I’ve watched some of his YouTube videos before, and found his talk to be relatable and inspiring.

So, we continue on with our “RawFu Challenge,” more challenged by the extraneous stuff of life, than the food which we eat. I loved hearing the opinions of those who have been living a raw lifestyle for a long time, and the opportunity to learn from their experiences. I’m happy to slowly adapt my lifestyle based on what I know to be best for me at the moment, and what makes me feel good. We’re so fortunate to have access to such wonderful resources and great foods. I find the raw food movement to be an exciting way to connect with others interested in putting forth their best energy into the world, as well. Of course, within every “movement” there are capitalistic opportunities, passionate debates, and overzealous proponents, but that makes it more interesting. It is also a reminder that, first and foremost, our own intuition is out best guide towards finding balance in this life, and raw natural food is undoubtedly a great foundation to build upon.

I put a lot of thought and planning into getting us going this weekend, and was a little disappointed at the realization that relaxing and indulging in self-pursuits with a toddler along was going to be a challenge. Nonetheless, we had a great time, and hope we can make it an annual tradition. As this weekend of “raw spirit” comes to a close, Darren, Flo and Joe are out in a tent in our backyard enjoying their first backyard campout. Darren set up an old Canadian Army tent and they spent awhile reading a story and drifting off under the stars. I’m curious to see if they make it all night… it’s getting a bit chilly. But, it’s the perfect ending to a fun family weekend.