Contemplate

Lentils with a Side of Wilted Spinach

Cannellini Beans with Sweet Potatoes, Veges and Italian Spices

Black Beans with Cinnamon, Spice and Veges

I’ve been enchanted all year by the lyrics—almost a dirge—of a song called A’Part, by Elephant Revival, an indie acoustic quintet from Colorado. The last few lines are

…you are a part of me
a part of you is all you hurt
you see

Then I came across Richard Rohr’s reflection in The Naked Now on the US response to 9-11.

We actually operated against our own self-interest, but the mind not open to change cannot see that. It is too trapped inside of polarity thinking. It is so eager to shoot at something that it shoots itself in the foot and does not even realize it. (p. 94)

Violence is not the answer. It only breeds more violence and makes more enemies and in the end leaves us crouching in fear, constantly looking over our shoulder.

Sadly, we don’t really have the eyes to recognize our violent choices and behaviors. We cloak them in nationalism or pride or even benevolence. As Rohr suggests in the spirit of St. Paul, we need a spiritual revolution—our illusions exposed and minds renewed (Ephesians 4:20-24). When we succumb to this most awful and wonderful spiritual take-over, nondual or contemplative consciousness is born. We recognize that “…you are a part of me, a part of you is all you hurt, you see…”

When we are stuck in dual consciousness, it’s too easy to name an enemy on which we impose all of our dysfunction and aggression, blind to the ways in which our violence hurts ourselves.

At the micro-level we do this regularly in relationship with our parent, partner, friend or boss. If I don’t get my way—and I am most certainly right—then the other is wrong, my enemy, and is to be punished at best and at the worse response, eliminated. We are then left isolated and defensive—far from freedom. We experience this in families, churches, companies, politics and international relations.

But can we dream of another way? The way that Jesus hints at by challenging us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us? If someone hits us on one side of the cheek, turn to him the other. If they steal our coat, give him our clothes too. Seriously Jesus? The dualistic mind cannot understand the value of such teaching.

Living like that requires a different way of perceiving. Instead of me being at the center, I see myself as part of a whole. It’s not me versus the world, but us together, one human family, longing for the same things—peace, love, equality, acceptance. To hurt you or retaliate against you will lead ultimately to my own unhappiness—because I am a part of you, you are a part of me. Suddenly all of our actions come under the scrutiny of unity. And it becomes not only difficult to name an enemy, but difficult to over-consume and participate in a global economy without recognition for all members of that economy—especially the ones at the bottom or on the margins—the very foundation of our luxurious existence.

The same is true for how we treat the earth. Our environment is not our enemy—something to be dominated, exploited and overconsumed. It’s our life-force. We are dependent on water, air, land, plants and animals. We cannot exist without these gifts, much like our relationships with each other. It is not about competition, but cooperation. We need each other. The best, most fulfilling relationships recognize that and honor and respect that reality in each other.

If we were to see land, air, water, plant and animal life as personifications that we are in relationship with—a symbiotic relationship—our choices and behaviors would look very different. Our Native American brothers and sisters understood this instinctively—often referring to animals as brothers, and offering gratitude and paying respect to the dying creature during a hunt. And St. Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon, written in the 11th century expresses this most profoundly.

…
Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and you give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the weather,
through which you give your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water;
she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you brighten the night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong…

When will we catch on?

Whether relating to each other or nations or the earth that we inhabit, until we adopt a contemplative stance in the world, we will go on fighting, raping, plundering and exploiting, ultimately destroying ourselves.

A contemplative posture is what makes Jesus’ message about dying-to-self possible. All the great religions recognize the need to discipline the human mind and body to be receptive to the presence of God, the life energy that sustains us all. Left to our own impulses, we make a mess of things. But through the rich contemplative traditions of the church, we tap into the river of life that changes everything—beginning with us—from the inside-out. And the leaves of the trees that are meant for the healing of nations really come about (Ezekial 47:12, Revelation 22:2).

image 1 is from www.dailymail.co.uk
image 2 is from www.myweku.com
image 3 is from www.yang-sheng.com

(from Yoga Journal Oct 2011)

Oh my goodness. I made this for the first time tonight and am in love! This is so easy and sooo delicious. The recipe called for 3 t of koshser salt. I used 2 and that’s plenty. I aslo used chopped green pepper for some more veges. I served it without rice and a side of plain nonfat yogurt. Out of this world! Enjoy!

Makes 6-8 servings

1 sm head of fresh cauliflower (or frozen)
2 med potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
1 t cumin seeds
1 t ground cumin
2 T ground corriander
1 t turmeric
1/2 to 1 t red pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/2 c of ghee or light veg oil
1 1/2 c of fresh or frozen peas
1 1/2 c chopped tomatoes
2 t kosher salt
3 T fresh coriander (cilantro) leaes

1. Cut cauliflower in 1 1/2 in florets. Peel the central stem and cut into 1/4 in slices. Dice potatoes.

2. Measure spices and place them along with all veges next to stove

3. Heat ghee over med-high heat in a deep, heavy bottom frying pan. Add cumin seeds and fry until brown, about 20 sec. Add all other spice except salt. Stir for a moment and immediately add cauliflower, potatoes, and fresh (but not frozen) green peas.

4. Stir constantly until the veges begin to brown, about 5 min. Add tomatoes and salt and continue cooking until the mixture thickens and the fat begins to separate from the sauce, about 15 min. (If using frozen peas, add now.)

5. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Change is the cornerstone of Christian life. In Jesus’ first message recorded in the Gospels, he called us to “repent” or “change.” The Greek word metanoia quite literally means “change your mind.” Somehow we didn’t capture the meaning of this then or now. Being stuck in our dualistic religious and cultural paradigms, when Jesus says “metanoia” we hear “change your behavior.” But behavior follows thinking. How we think, perceive and sift reality causes us to live in certain ways. Jesus seemed to be saying that we cannot see and enter the “Kingdom of God” unless our minds are transformed. And this is something we cannot do for ourselves. It is done to us.

What does it mean to have our minds changed and transformed? Could it be the difference between dual and nondual thinking?

Jesus was a master of nondualism. For example, he would say paradoxical and contradictory things like, “The Kingdom of God is within you… in your midst…is coming.” The dualistic mind cannot grasp this. Which is it Jesus? The Kingdom is within me, in my midst or coming? It can’t be all three at the same time.

Jesus’ life seems full of paradox. He said he didn’t come to abolish the Jewish law but to fulfill it. And then he apparently breaks the law by healing people on the Sabbath and letting his disciples pick grain on the Sabbath, as well as other infractions. Which is it Jesus? Do you honor the Jewish law or not?

Nondual thinking is the art of both/and rather than either/or.

It seems Jesus was all the time getting in trouble with the religious people of his day. Confounding them with his apparent disregard or disrespect for Jewish law and customs while simultaneously claiming to be an authority of the law and a religious teacher.

Not much has changed in 2000 years since Jesus walked the earth. We are still struggling to grasp his teaching and let it transform us. We are still more likely to choose religious belief systems and dogmas over people. We still struggle to embrace the Kingdom of God now—within us—looking longingly for a Kingdom that is somewhere out there—perhaps to be finally found after we die.

But Jesus was all about inviting us into the Now, the present Kingdom—offering us living water and abundant life. How can we embrace the mysteries of the Kingdom if not for a change of mind?

Dualistic thinking needs boundaries, security and certainty (law). Nondual or contemplative thinking transcends boundaries, security and certainty. And at periods of time when the Spirit is doing this revolutionary work of “changing our mind,” it feels like our boundaries, security and certainty is being abolished. But in truth it is being expanded.

As we grow in relationship with the Christ, particularly through contemplation, an expansive, transcendent mode of taking in and processing and living moral codes and religious dogmas becomes possible. And this new way of thinking, this changed mind, makes it possible for us to live more like Jesus—the one who unconditionally loves, includes, accepts, forgives, extends mercy and brings unity.

Jesus’ first message in the Gospels, usually translated, “repent,” “convert,” “reform” is the Greek word metanoia, literally meaning “change your mind.” Has your mind changed on any important matters of faith, culture, religion or politics? If not, you might ask yourself what place repentance has in your life. Change is inevitable to growth. If we’re not changing, we aren’t growing. Learn from animal and plant life. If they don’t change and adapt to new circumstances they become extinct.

So it’s Day 4 of eating off my personalized detox meal plan. The first couple days were the hardest. I was feeling very hungry and a bit sluggish. But I’ve been sleeping like a baby and this morning I felt GREAT. I had such clarity and energy and I felt unusually happy. Yep, I know that’s hard to believe for all you meat-eating-loving friends, but I really did. And those happy thoughts took me back to what I’ve been putting into my body and the relief over what’s coming out.

Though as the day progressed and my afternoon snack wore off, my energy quickly faded. I felt weary. Besides that my intestines were grumbling a bit. So I opted out of going to the gym, had a nice snack of celery and carrot sticks with hummus and began preparing dinner.

That’s the thing. Meal prep on a gentle detox like this takes a bit more time. Yes, I was tempted to order a pizza and open a bottle of wine, but my body won out—longing for more fresh vegetables and water. I’m listening. I’m listening. And the food consumption restraint is teaching me more than how much effort and denial it takes to do this.

I’m learning to savor life just a little bit more. Receiving the time to plan meals instead of feeling like meal planning is taking something from me. And I’ve been enjoying listening to music as I spend the evening preparing dinner—especially some of the Indian tunes I’ve collected over the years. I’m learning to listen to every instrument, every nuance. And I’m learning to be present to the moment…with every slice of a carrot and pinch of a cilantro leaf.

One night I prepared this scrumptious mixed beet salad with watercresss, endive, red onion, cilantro and toasted walnuts.

I don’t think I’ve ever bought endive before. It sure was good. You’d be surprised how much flavor there is in all this plant life.

Another evening I went off the meal plan and took a risk on the recipe that came with fava beans—“Fava Beans with Olives and Peppers.” Deeeelicious!

So what’s cooking tonight? Mixed steamed vegetables with Indian spices, toasted walnuts, fresh cilantro and grape tomatoes. And it smells Scrumptious!

Bon appetit!

I’ve always been a little intimidated to get serious about detox diets. I tried something once—an over-the-counter powder of some sort to mix with water. The instructions were to drink only that 2-3 times a day for 2-3 days. By the end, my tummy felt really messed up. After that bad experience, I thought my body just couldn’t handle a rigorous detox. So I opted to just eat generally healthy and do my best to live a balanced life.

But recently I’ve been more aware of the foods and drinks I’m consuming. The holidays of December and January brought a lot of fun celebrations—remembering how much I have to be grateful for and relishing life by feasting with family and friends.

Yesterday I returned from a very meaningful visit in Argentina with dear friends—eating and drinking to our hearts content. Days and nights were filled with authentic conversation as we embraced one another and the gifts and struggles of being human. This naturally included partaking in Argentine asado—some of the best grilled meats in the world—and imbibing on fine Argentine wine, Malbec among my favorites.

After all that good living, I couldn’t help but feel a little out of balance. While I was filled to the full with some of the greatest pleasures, I was feeling a little depleted in centeredness and discipline which ultimately creates capacity for the fullest enjoyment of life.

The yoga tradition teaches four aims of life in the pursuit of balance and fulfillment. Called the purusharthas, they are: dharma (duty, ethics), artha (prosperity, wealth), kama (pleasure, sensual gratification) and moksha (pursuit of liberation). In Sanskrit, purushartha means “for the purpose of the soul.” the four aims help us take stock of our life in the broadest sense and ask if we’re living life in such a way as to support our inner work. Being conscious of the purusharthas and giving appropriate attention to each has helped me make better decisions for my life.

So with the purusharthas in mind, I sheepishly invited my friends to consider detoxing with me after I left. And while listening to my body during the three flights home, I decided to take a serious second look at what a detox meal plan could look like for the week.

Our bodies naturally detoxify thanks to our lymph nodes, liver, kidneys and intestines. But the rigors of life can seriously inhibit the detoxification functions of the body. Processed foods, alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs, air pollution and stress combine to weigh the body down which effects our mental clarity and energy levels and at its worse cause illness.

Following some research, I was compelled to be good to myself in a counter-cultural manner, namely through restraint and disciplined eating. What developed was this personalized meal plan that’s safe for the winter. Perhaps it will inspire you to also listen to the wisdom of your body.

Foods to Avoid:
Red meat, chicken, turkey and any meat products like sausages, burgers, and pate

Milk, cheese, eggs, cream

Butter and margarine

Any food that contains wheat including bread, croissants, cereals, cakes, biscuits, pies, pastry, quiche, battered or breadcrumbed foods, etc

Crisps and savoury snacks including salted nuts

Chocolate, sweets, jam and sugar

Processed foods, ready meals, ready-made sauces and takeaways

Alcohol

Coffee and tea

Sauces, pickles, shop bought salad dressing, mayonnaise

Salt

Fizzy drinks and squashes, including diet versions

Sunday

Breakfast:: Avocado Protein Plus Smoothie http://blog.gaiam.com/blog/green-monsters-3-nutrition-powerhouse-drinks/

Lunch:: Fruit Smoothie

Dinner:: Cauliflower, Green Peas and Potatoes in Spicy Herb Sauce (add red apple) (Yoga Journal Oct 2011)

Monday

Breakfast:: Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:: Avocado Protein Plus Smoothie http://blog.gaiam.com/blog/green-monsters-3-nutrition-powerhouse-drinks/

Dinner:: Cauliflower, Green Peas and Potatoes in Spicy Herb Sauce (add red apple) (Yoga Journal Oct 2011)

Tuesday

Breakfast:: Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:: Beet Smoothie
http://life.gaiam.com/article/5-delicious-healthy-and-easy-make-dairy-free-smoothie-recipes

Dinner:: Potato and Bean Casserole http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/detox/plan.htm

Wednesday

Breakfast:: Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:: Potato and Bean Casserole http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/detox/plan.htm

Dinner:: Mixed Bean Salad with Avocado http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-bean-salad/

Thursday

Breakfast:: Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:: Mixed Bean Salad with Avocado http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-bean-salad/

Dinner:: Creamy Mango Smoothie (made with cauliflower) http://blog.gaiam.com/blog/green-monsters-3-nutrition-powerhouse-drinks/

Friday

Breakfast:: Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:: Beet Salad with Endive and Walnuts

Dinner:: Sweet Potato with Tuna & herbs/spices

Saturday

Breakfast:: Fruit Smoothie

Lunch:: Vege Smoothie

Dinner:: Lentils with Brown Rice

Mid-morning and Mid-day Snacks:
Carrots or celery with hummus
Unsalted nuts
Piece of fruit
Unsalted rice cakes with natural, unsalted peanut butter
Unsalted pop corn