Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Creating Space

Each day that goes by, I am getting more and more geared towards the impending feast. I have been using up ingredients in my kitchen and making meals with what we have instead of going out and collecting more to add into the cabinets. I suppose I have been unintentionally purging and cleaning out in preparation for the flow of organic life that will be filling the counter tops and refrigerator over the upcoming months. So instead of all kinds of raw ingredients, like raw macadamia nut butter, Cacao Bliss, agave nectar and a smörgasbord of lovingly prepared raw treats, my shelves are starting to hold supplements like bee pollen, Rich's MSM, Vita-Mineral Green, etc. The shift in my thinking has already taken place and now tangible things are starting to fall in line.

One interesting thing that happened last week was that a reporter from our local paper, The Tulsa World, somehow stumbled across my blog as he was looking for inspirational stories. Matt Gleason contacted me last Friday and would like to do a story about my juice feast and is particularly interested in the whole global aspect of what is taking place. Matt and a staff photographer will meet me at Whole Foods this Friday morning as I shop for the first couple of days of my feast. We'll do part of the interview at the store and then they'll follow me home for a tour of the raw and juicy kitchen and a lesson in JUICING 101. Won't that be fun? The story will run the following week and then there will be a follow up(s) as the feast progresses. A final story will run at the close of my feast to report statistics. I am delighted to be able to share this gift of life with people who may have never heard of the concept of healing and regeneration through juicing.

As I have been preparing for the upcoming changes, I have been voraciously reading other feasters blogs. I am learning something from all of them but one stood out. JuiceFeastingAtFifty writes, "The juice feast is a solitary journey. I did not foresee, before starting the juice feast, that it would take a toll on others besides myself, but in truth it does....... My family can’t eat dinner with my me; my friends from work can’t eat lunch with me....My focus is on me: how I am feeling? how well I am detoxing today? And frankly, that does get tiresome, both for those whom I love and for me too.....Although a solitary journey, it prepares one to rejoin the world from a higher, deeper perspective. I am more patient, kinder, and more considerate because of the juice feast. I have embraced my spirituality fully and without fear of disapproval, and have committed myself to undertaking the work that I now realize I came here to do....the clarity has enabled me to focus on realizing my dreams. What I want to achieve with this gift called life is no longer vague and unattainable — it is as clear and sharp as the spark in my daughter’s eye when she is laughing from the gut. The juice feast is, in essence, a vision quest.....During the juice feast you do retreat into yourself, but you do so to transform into the person you know you can be. And from there you can be of much greater service to the world, whatever your path."

After reading these words, how can I not move forward? What is three months in the great scheme of life? I will tell you the difference three months makes....Look at Terilynn from Denver who is nearing the end of her 92 days. This raw mama has got it going on! I read today that although her feast is scheduled to end this Saturday, she is considering taking it forward another week. Talk about inspiration!

I am so eager to join the others who are blazing the trail before me...just a few more days before my pantry is bare and my Omega Juicer is going at full tilt!


7 comments:

Linda Salas said...

Very excited too! This is gonna be a wonderful experience I presume, I am excited like I was when I started on raw foods. (I´m still excited about raw, but I mean the newness high too)
I see that I am underprepared, I must get some of the supplements!!

XXXOXOX

Charis said...

That's so exciting! Wow, an interview. That will be so great, so pleased for you!!! You will be an inspiration to many, I know it!

Anonymous said...

That comment, "what is three months in the whole scheme of life" is exactly what I was thinking this morning as I psyched myself back into juicefeasting after a Very Bad Day Two. I am taking it one day at a time, but three months is not all that much if you look at the years of unhealthy eating I've done. Gotta put this in perspective!

By the way, you got any MP3s of your band's music? I vote for a sample on your site!!

Michelle said...

How exciting to have your interview coming up. I know it is going to be fantastic. I hope we will all be able to see it.

I can relate to what was written about retreating into yourself. I know that happened with me in the beginning. I ate away from everyone and spent a lot of my time alone trying to heal. Now on day 30 it isn't so alienating. I am able to go to a restaurant and drink my juice. Parties are not as difficult and being around my family while they eat dinner is a joy not a journey into self pity like it once was.

Be gentle with yourself and be open. Everyone will experience things differently and I for one encourage people to go about their lives to some degree. It is only when the cravings and the emotions come up can we release them and be free from them. Being in "real life" brings up all those things that are buried deep within us.

Also, I find that when I think 92 days I become a bit overwhelmed. I am here at day 30 and I still have a hard time thinking that I have 60 more to go. For me it has been better to think about today and focus on today. I have never committed to any specific time that I will do this feast. Because of this it has been so simple, so easy and the time has truly flown by when I spend it this way instead of focusing on 92 days.

Keep up the fantastic work and I am really looking forward to keeping up with your juice feast!

Anonymous said...

OMGoodness! I am so excited for you!!! Our own local celebrity! Talk about accountability.
I think the number 92 scares me...but, on the other hand, it is such a small portion of the days of our lives :)

Heidi and JS said...

Penni - I am so happy for you that you have snagged such an amazing interview opportunity!

Please keep us posted! We want to see all the articles!

In regards to the individual journey, I would have to agree. It is an individual journey. Some would even say it is selfish. But it is the most loving thing you can do for yourself, and in turn that love radiates out to all of those around you.

I'm so excited for you!

~ Heidi

1 Raw Girl said...

You Go Girl! Its great the way the Universe is getting the Info out to everyone through Raw Pioneers like you!

:)Margo