Community Heals Detoxification

My mother is indigenous. Therefore, my philosophy is one that contemplates our greater surroundings. The indigenous scholar, theologian and author Vine Deloria once remarked, “Who will find peace with the lands? The future of humankind lies waiting for those who will come to understand their lives and take up their responsibilities to all living things. Who will listen to the trees, the animals and birds, the voices of the places of the land?”

This question of moral responsibility to all beings at large has brought me to contemplate how I can impact the world. Yes, I am of the party that believes one person can make a difference. To think otherwise would be to shirk personal responsibility as a human being participating in an ever-changing ecosystem of ethical integrity. I try to incorporate this question into all aspects of how I live, including my diet. How may I live in a way that embodies compassion for all of life?

It was these two questions that lead me to the raw way of life—emotionally and physically. When I am open to the miracles of living, I am raw and uninhibited by the masks that we wear to “protect” ourselves from being hurt. We may think these masks protect us, but in reality they disable us from truly living.

I visited Hippocrates Wellness for about two months in September 2010. Reflecting back I feel that it was not actually the cleansing or the food that changed me. It was the people I met who transformed me. It was the opportunity to form a web of community with those who were open to the change that Hippocrates offered them. I felt that amongst this sort of healing force, I was able to be in direct communion with spirit.

Each blade of grass (wheatgrass) and each green juice held the knowledge to feed the cells that create transformation and a new way of being in the world.

I believe that, just like humans, plants have souls. It is the way we consume our food that is of utmost importance, giving thanks to the plate in front of us. Hundreds of millions of individuals do not have the opportunity to dine everyday, much less choose whether to put flax oil or dulse on their salads.

To bless and be blessed by our food is what transforms our food into a living (might I dare say raw) prayer. What if scientists studied the concept of transforming a “dead” meal of a bit of cooked food into a very nutritious and “living” meal with the concept

of prayer?

I write to you from Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I have the opportunity to work alongside a veterinarian in an elephant clinic that helps orphaned and aged elephants trust humans once again. This kind of work allows us to redeem ourselves and our actions (poaching, logging, habitat desecration), and the chance to help to heal animals.

One of my most memorable meals was shared here in Thailand, amongst elephants and elders. I will fondly look back on it as a night of interspecies communication. By no means was this meal raw. It included cooked foods and other things I do not eat.

While I restrain from judgment about what others eat, I do try to eat healthfully. I realized that to take out my “raw” crackers and veggies from my bag and insist on being an individual while being presented with the opportunity to engage in community could be perceived as disrespectful. The elders had taken hours to create this meal.

Instead of reaching inside of my bag for my Bragg Liquid Aminos, I reached out to the left and right of me, joining hands for our blessing. I may have passed on parts of the meal, but this communion allowed me to take in all of life’s wonders. I think that is what it is all about—reaching out instead of insisting that our way is the best way or the right way.

Perhaps if we listen for just a moment, beyond the chatter of our surroundings, we may come to understand that it is not the food in your life but the prayer and blessings that you offer to your food and to all of life.

I am in medical school now and I also run animal communication workshops for humans wanting to connect with their animals. If you are interested in sponsoring an elephant or an animal communication session, I would be more than happy to help! You may contact me at [email protected].?