Have you ever been so busy living LIFE that you forgot to get online?
That's how my life has been lately, or rather, how I wish it to be!
True Friendships + Community, Summer Nights, Ocean Swimming, Potlucks, Yoga, etc...
A couple weeks ago, I catered a Shiva Rea Retreat at Wishtoyo Village in Malibu (a Chumash/ Native American learning center). We were completely unplugged (from devices), slept in tents, + swam in the ocean. Afterwards, I did not want to get back online!
(It was a huge opportunity, + I am so Amazed by the whole experience! ;))
My first catering job ever was at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Missouri, about 15 years ago! ;) I had been living there as an Intern, learning to build strawbale + cob houses, getting my intro to Organic Gardening, + having my mind blown open about alternative fuels, eating Local, + so much more (including how to get along with 25 people when you live with them every day! ;))
The folks at Dancing Rabbit were having their annual Retreat, + they asked me + my dear friend Franciszka to cater it! (Which meant we could forgo strawbale building + gardening + focus solely on recipe creation!) It was all Vegan + SOOO much fun!
Food was all about Community, + Yes, if you haven't guessed it, Community is my Greatest Passion!
The first weekend of August, I had the exquisite pleasure of visiting one of my favorite places on earth, Harbin Hot Springs (also an Intentional Community) on the way to my dear friend Shira's wedding.
Shira helped me write Open-Eyed Heart-Wide Haggadah, my Jewish book for Passover that was featured on The Kind Life!
While driving from LA to San Francisco, I listened to several talks given by the CEO of Airbnb, about the new "Sharing Economy," which includes businesses like Uber, + even Ebay. Where we take what we have + create our own business with it. Where not everyone has to own a car.... We share. ;)
Inspired, we stopped at Google headquarters + took fun pictures:
(Supposedly Google is a cool company to work for! ;)) ... We can pretend these are Raw Vegan dessert sculptures! ;))))
Oh, + in between all of this, I taught a Raw Recipe Class @ Agape Spiritual Center in LA:: Intentional Community as well! ;)
When I began training as a Life Coach in 2010, I wanted to give up doing Food, because my true Passion was seeing people LIVE their LIVES! Be their Authentic Selves, + me, as my first client, I wanted the same! ;) (I LOVE Life Coaching + Spiritual Guidance Sessions!! ;))
What I am starting to realize, as I surrender into the Signals + Signs, is that Food is just an excuse for Community. I see people wandering through Health Food Stores, wondering what to buy, reading the labels, making the decisions for themselves + their individual families.
>>What if we could eat together, at a Retreat, Workshop, or Seminar? Or in our Communities + Homes?
>>What if we could learn together, how to make Delicious Raw Recipes?
I love building Community! + This is what I'm here to do.
Back at Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, we ate Fruits + Vegetables off the land. That which was seasonal. We got apples from our neighbors, + didn't drink orange juice, because Oranges don't come from Missouri. It was obvious which Vegetables to cook; they were the ones that had just been harvested. And we worked our recipes around that.
When the community gathered together to eat, they didn't have to read labels or shop at a grocery aisle. They ate what that person designated to cook, had created for the day.
I yearn for this time again!
And I'm grateful that at Shiva Rea's Malibu Retreat at Wishtoyo Village, I got to create it!
>> Next Stop: Oprah!!!!
I'm about to see her September 12th! No, for Real!! I'm going to the very first taping of Super Soul Sessions here in LA! Wish me luck! ;)
What is your Greatest Passion? + How can you Give this as a Gift to the World? What are you Inspired to do?
Comment below + let me know!
With Love, Joy, + A Community Table with Your Spot at It,
xo
Debra.