Return to The Call

I have to laugh now whenever I see anything about chicken. Many of you have wondered how things turned out with my eating adventures after my last blogpost...The Call continues to offer itself to me...it seems one continues to be challenged after creating an intention with comittment, perhaps because there is still something to be learned.

Lessons offered to me with cosmic humor, helping me to get unstuck from preconceived notions, better able to go with the flow, with ease, and (hopefully) grace and laughter:So, after calling local organic farmers and searching websites, I was *READY* to purchase some organic, pasture-raised, chicken and abide by My Call. I was ready to seriously honor my calling, although the form was not what I imagined to be a marker of spiritual development. 

Unfortunately, the chickens were not quite ready for me. Um, pastured chickens in the Midwest before early Summer?? Well, for one thing, where is the pasture? I had no idea chickens had a wait period; it's like purchasing early preview tickets for the next Harry Potter Movie: "They need at least until the end of May to be ready." Next tactic:The Farmer's Market; only on opening day it was so windy that most stalls were blowing over, and the meaty ones there only had beef. Harrumpff! Undeterred, I decided to go with the restaurant theme. Sigh of relief, there was *one* restaurant in Madison with organic chicken on their menu. So, the day before Mother's Day I met with supportive loved ones for my first meat-eating venture in twelve (12) years.

Fastforward to the cafe: Waitress: "Also, I need to let you know that we do not have the roast rosemary chicken today...and the gnocci that is usually stuffed with chicken has a delicious pork instead" My Inner Dialogue: " But, this is my night to come out!! Awwwkkk! What am I going to EAT?? It's too darned late to go somewhere else..." Waitress: "We do have fried chicken with a waffle..." MID: "OMG, why don't I just go to KFC and order up a bucket, honey?!" (Instead I ordered a salad, which was promptly placed before me with nuts, after being sure that I told them I was allergic [I'm not really allergic to hazelnuts, they just taste super-weirdly like poison to me, it was just easier]...this was rectified by the foodserver and aghast chef, who himself is allergic to nuts, and offered a freebie-it pays to be diligent.) This gave me a clue as to how difficult it is for those who have full-blown, life-threatening food allergies to eat out anywhere; this was a restaurant that takes pride in preparing food to your specification, is used to particularities and substitutions!

Weeks later, I went to Bonfyre Grill in Madison and consumed a very small amount of a most delicious and perfectly prepared un-organic-I-dont-care-where-it-was-raised-I-need-chicken-now Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Chicken! (See the Portlandia restaurant episode and you'll think this is a scene from the cable network!)

Have you answered The Call?

I’ve attended more self-improvement and spirituality conferences than I can count, and served on my fair share of committees to help improve how we treat the planet, the workplace, and each other. I’ve been a Seeker for as long as I can remember, wondering about things unseen, the marvels of the Universe, the human potential for healing, and what is that force that tells us the right things to do? I frequently check in with the Grand Source of Life; I’ve spent countless hours refining my intuitive skills, and maintain the highest intention of listening for, and responding to, The Call.

We usually think about The Call in terms of Life Purpose: a spiritual or religious experience that lets us know with certainty how to figure out our vocation, our gifts, our special role. We yearn to make some kind of meaningful contribution, to know what our unique piece of the whole is, so that we can get busy making a difference in our community and the world, feeling confident along the way.

I like to think that The Call is much more than vocation, or something relegated to religion or dogma. Personally, I find that more than scriptural reference, or what others have to say, more than social traditions or psychotherapy, personal discernment is what’s most important-becoming aware, gathering information, making a decision, and seeking signs of confirmation of your choice.

I surmise The Call to be spiritual, good for the Listener, and revealed for the good of all Beings; ultimately it is pragmatic, and yet it remains rather elusive for many of us. So why is it that for some of us, even when it becomes clearly evident to others, we can hardly believe the message we hear is The Call, that it’s meant for us, and we resist? Recently, The Call appeared in my life the most unforeseen way; so unanticipated that I couldn’t help but ignore it for almost a year.

Oprah Winfrey says, “We're all called. If you're here breathing, you have a contribution to make to our human community. There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It's why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.”

One thing for certain, surviving my cancer diagnosis many years ago helped me recognize that I do want to be “truly alive,” and that my existence must have some meaning or contribution. Joie de vivre! Carpe Diem! Life’s too short as the saying goes, too short to not heed The Call and live your passions. The message seemed loud and clear at the time I perceived it in the past, but I wonder if I confused The Call with career direction: here I am at midlife and my vocation seems to be changing again.

So, how do you know you’ve heard The Call? In the song, WordUp, Nu Metal band Korn says, “When you hear the call you've got to get it underway,” implying that one will know without a doubt what actions to take for fulfillment and contribution. It’s never been that simple for me, but I’m working on it.

So what is The Call for me now? Well, this sounds as awkward as an Armadillo, especially coming from someone who’s been a non-meat-eating person for twelve years:

er, um…The Call for me now is clearly: “Eat chicken.”

OK, so maybe it’s not the most humble Call anyone’s received. But wait! It’s not just any chicken. It’s organic, locally pastured, insecticide and herbicide-free; raised by a friendly Farmer, with maybe a little organic grain to help supplement the chickie’s diet during inclement Midwest weather; it’s given no animal by-products to peck, no antibiotics,  and, (as is true with all commercial poultry) no hormones (the federal government forbids the use of hormones in all poultry, according to the USDA).

Recognizing that my dream messages are altruistic to a degree, as well as hearing sympathetic meat-eaters cluck about how humanely-treated chickens are happier (until we line them up for slaughter), doesn’t assuage my tender heart. After all, the defining moment when I decided to stop eating meat and poultry was purely psychological. I read a book called “Affluenza: The All Consuming Epidemic,” by DeGraf, Wan, and Naylor, and overnight committed to not participating in the ever-growing pressure to increase mass production of animal sources of food –animals inhumanely raised and treated to grow fast quicker, to get them down the conveyor belt each hour with so much speed that a worker could not kill them properly before being dismembered for packaging. All that to satisfy gorging Americans, capitalism and our consumer-driven market. I immediately embraced a vegan diet.

Kudos to those of you who remain steadfastly vegetarian. Certainly the planet is Calling for a more Eco-friendly, humane food chain. To my chagrin, I ended up converting to a plant-based diet, tossing the occasional fish in the saute pan and eating eggs. After becoming fatigued and protein-depleted I had to admit I did not feel good, and I simply did not have the energy and inclination required to satisfy that need otherwise. Please understand that I’m rationally aware of the ability to exist with non-animal sources of food, and have shared those benefits liberally, much to the annoyance of my meat-eating friends.

At any rate, I’ve been resisting The Call to Eat Chicken for about a year now. I’ve been perfectly content with the planetary and personal health benefits of eating a plant-based diet for at least twelve years! On a practical everyday level, having a meat-free diet has meant no worry about prions (mad cow disease, bird flu in humans); no greasy residue or rancid aromas; and, a smug sense of satisfaction knowing our food is safer to eat because there’s minimal risk for evil bacteria such as Salmonella or campylobacter. Let’s face it-it’s simply not as dangerous if an organic carrot sits on the counter for a few hours.

 

So how do I know that “Eat Chicken” is really The Call? Well, at first, the message came through Chicken Dreams: I ask my husband to order the Organic Roast Chicken dish, so I can take a bite (without anyone seeing me of course); then, dream scenes in which I instruct him to buy chicken, or grill it (only outside); next, I’m at our local Co-Op quizzing the butcher about what they mean by “free-range” and “natural organic”; I purchase the bird bits myself, before I wake up from the dream-mare in a cold sweat.

In spite of the dreams,  of admonitions from my Asian health practitioners, and my intuition telling me as clearly as though it were coming through my IPhone: “Eat Chicken to build your depleted Chi”, up until now I cringed at the idea and refused to act accordingly.

I figured, “I’m pretty darned healthy”…except that I began having swallowing problems. Funny, it started happening around the time the Eat Chicken Dreams Series began…feeling like food was getting a bit stuck in my throat progressed in frequency, accompanied by achy finger joints and eczema outbreaks, until I completed a rigorous Elimination Diet and stopped eating soy and, ironically, eggs…

Which brings me back to what a wise friend recently stated is the most precise way to detect The Call:

 “If you ignore The Call, the universe will repeat the message for you. And, if you still don’t listen, you get symptoms (to help you pay attention.)” Still, it’s hard for me to let go of the mind set that I disciplined myself to adhere to in the past, and accept what my body is telling me now.

One of the things I love about Eastern philosophy is that at its purest, it prevents you from becoming too rigid or attached to the rules you make up for yourself, even rebuking its own rules in favor of believing in messages of inner truth:

"Do not believe in what you have heard; do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations; do not believe anything because it is rumored and spoken of by many; do not believe merely because the written statements of some old sage are produced; do not believe in conjectures; do not believe in that as a truth to which you have become attached by habit; do not believe merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. After observation and analysis, when it agrees with reason and is conductive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it." ~ Gautama Buddha

As I swallow my smoothie and rub my tender fingers, I search the Internet for restaurants serving local organic chicken, and map out the way to our local family-owned organic chicken farm store to make my first purchase in over 12 years.

Contribute to the Conversation:  If you want to explore The Call from both religious and secular perspectives: http://whatsyourcalling.org/about

(specific to chicken slaughter: http://whatsyourcalling.org/campaign/what-if-your-calling-involves-a-violent-but-necessary-act)

Food energy: Healing GF Quinoa Cabbage Soup

Food "...is a conveyor of universal energy. (What Mary Says...)

Relaxation, Awareness, Movement, and Nourishment are the four cornerstones of healing. When it comes to Nourishment: I love beautiful food! 
     The idea of 'dieting' or 'eliminating toxins' has always sounded dreadful to me...images of deprivation, blandness, mournfully tracking amounts and type of food eaten lessened my joy/joi factor immensely!

    In the past I was overjoyed at the end of the standard "elimination" regime (to see if it would reduce eczema flares), because I noticed no difference. It seemed to be good news: since there was no difference, I could eat "whatever I wanted"! With each food I re-introduced, I could hear my inner lush cry out, "Viva la chocolate! Cook the noodles, and pass the sourdough bread, please!"

     Most people who know me will tell you that for years I've had a healthy, mostly organic, plant-based diet, allowing for flexibility and the occasional splurge. So, why did I try "The Elimination Diet" again? Well, I started having difficulty swallowing... seemingly random, occurring a couple times of year, then more often in the past few months. Recently, a family member got a hotdog stuck in his throat, ended up having it removed at the local emergency room, and was eventually diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis, which may be related to food sensitivity/allergy. I figure my history of receiving a hefty dose of mantle radiation (near esophagus), and the fact that I also have mild eczema, which can be associated with EE, was worth considering whether this might be happening to me too.

     Standard recommendation is the 6-food elimination diet to reduce inflammation (and the resultant accumulation of eosinophils in the esophagus): no milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanut, seafood, then re-introduce each food to see if you have a reaction. So, I decided to try the nutritional approach again. This time, though, my reasoning was to show greater kindness towards my body, to have a more ecological approach to the food I consume, and to keep my mind open to possibilities (at times I lean towards cynicism i.e., "good for you" often = 'Pay more for less', e.g., less fat or gluten-free, or no pesticides=costs more). I intuitively chose a process based on a book after reading a blog that said: "The Elimination and Detoxification Diet ~ It's about Feeling Good!

What is the Elimination Diet? It is a program of eating designed to calm inflammation and balance the body. Once the body is calm, and the disease symptoms diminish, it becomes noticeable to a person when a “trouble” food is eaten and the symptoms come back."

   Some of it seemed radical, but after doing Stomach Flow Jin Shin Jyutsu, and holding my thumbs (JSJ self-help to reduce worry), something clearly told me to give it a try. It's a commitment, but I have no regrets (so far). I've made it  to the 'challenge' phase, integrating various foods slowly and seeing how my throat, skin, and rest of my body, emotions, sleep, mood, and energy level respond. When I'm back on a full regular diet and have a scope procedure to see if my esophagus looks constricted, and possibly if it has cells indicating allergic response, I'll have enough info to make decisions about treatments, including a permanent lifestyle change. By then though, I think my body will have told me what I'll need to do! 

     In the meantime, here is a recipe that I customized to my own liking, adapted from the blog above. You can change ingredients according to what is good for your own body. Start with where you are at: can't afford or don't have organic available? Use any fresh veggies, peel off outer layer or skin, or wash with mild soap and water and rinse well instead; Not sure about quinoa? Try brown jasmine or basmati rice for your first try at nutritious whole-grain complex carbs! Don't like one of the ingredients-get creative and substitute what you love!

    My adaptation is GF, highly nutritious, easy to make, inexpensive-what have you got to lose? (as a pleasant side effect, I've lost 7 pounds so far eating foods like this, have not gone hungry, and enjoy the colors and meditative effect preparing the meals):

Izumi Joi Golden Qi GF Quinoa Cabbage Soup

1 C. cooked quinoa

3T extra-virgin, cold-pressed organic olive oil

3 t. honey or agave

3 small onions, or equivalent

3 large carrots, cut into matchsticks

3 small pinches cayenne pepper

3 T. grated fresh ginger (ok to leave skin on while grating)

1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, and crushed or chopped

1 C. thinly sliced shitake or other mushrooms

1 stalk lemongrass stem, sliced thinly in diagonal rounds

1 t. Herbamare or sea salt

6 cups water or vegetable broth

1 more t. Herbamare or salt, if desired

2 cups or more thinly sliced cabbage (savoy/Napa/green work best)

1/2 C. chopped cilantro

1/2 freshly squeezed lime

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 ripe avocado, per serving, cut into chunks

pine nuts, for garnish

Thin round slices of lime, if you want a fancy garnish.

1) Cook the quinoa (if you haven't already), rinse, drain, set aside.

2) Heat very large (6 qt+) pot over medium heat, add olive oil, onions, agave or honey. Saute until onions begin to carmelize/turn golden, about 10 min. Use a steady heat, not too high to avoid burning or over-browning.

3) Add carrots, cayenne, ginger, garlic, mushrooms, lemon grass and Herbamare or salt-stir well so all are shiny and coated, about 5-10 min more.

4) Add water, remaining 1 t. salt and cooked quinoa, simmer 10-15 minutes, until carrots are tender.

5) Add cabbage, stir into the broth, only needs a few minutes cooking.

6) Add cilantro and pepper-you're done with the cooking!

-Place avocado chunks in bottom of individual serving bowls.

-Ladle in the soup.

-Top with pine nuts, and lime round if desired.

This soup is even good at room temperature or chilled, flavor is richer next day, if it lasts that long!

If you try it let me know how it turns out!

(Herbamare is a salt and herb seasoning. Sub w/herbs only to minimize sodium. Leave out anything you don't like or are not yet eating and it still turns out wonderful, full of healing nutrition, creating a golden "Qi" (energy) glow inside!)

Therapeutic Massage!

Everybody loves the idea of receiving a relaxing massage-but when is the last time you invested in your well-being and had a session?


For several years my practice has focused on providing energywork and offering yoga (to individuals or small groups). Now, a new 'tool for the toolbox'-therapeutic massage!


I'm currently in-training to become a licensed Massage Therapist in the state of Wisconsin, which has some vigorous requirements! I'm specializing in the Eastern modality tract at TIBIA school of massage, which is supremely in alignment with JSJ, and also allows me to learn/offer the beautiful service of Swedish massage for clients wanting a 'western' focus.


So, what makes it "therapeutic"?
Therapeutic means making a measurable difference, which means an assessment before and after the session. As an RN with a love for science, I have an interest in making a measurable difference for people in pain, who feel "something is missing in life", who want to develop ways to have greater self-awareness, or simply say "I need a retreat" or want relief from sore muscles! (Although massage may be for enjoyment and relaxation, I do not provide sexual massage.)

Lavendar fields, ready to be cultivated for essential oil production

Stay tuned for more about massage, and use of Essential Oils...