Whether you define that as emotional state or something more mystical, it does not matter. I want to know if, besides physical improvements, you noticed that you felt happier for no reason, more enthusiastic about life, etc.

When I was totally raw and very high raw I felt very energetic, very light and clear, very balanced. But I was also incredibly sensitive and it was painful to be in the city, to go to work everyday on the subway, to be around exhaust fumes, perfume, cooking smells, cigarettes, noise and traffic and the crush of people. It became almost painful to exist in this world and quite frankly, it was too much for me. Unless you can escape daily life to live on an all raw ashram with moderate weather all year round and no fossil fuels or other unnatural stinks nearby... But perhaps it's not the same for everyone, I imagine that it isn't.

I notice a huge difference, my emotional state seems very flat and controlled. There's much less turmoil in my inner world now. It doesn't make me the life of the party, but it makes me so content and relaxed that I don't have any desire to be.

Way more of a difference going from cooked vegan to 100% raw than going from SAD to cooked vegan!

I definitely felt more buoyant, while calmer.

Coco's comment about sensitivity to the hubbub of cities is understandable. Although I don't live in a city, I felt assaulted by rudeness when I went into a city for a few hours.
(That day I observed teenagers in a car being unkind to an unfortunate person, who may have been homeless, and I was unable to intervene before they drove off. While the man gave no outward sign of being bothered, it took me an hour to regain my sense of balance. So much for feeling calm and buoyant!)

When I was 100% raw, I was overly focused on food. Now I am mostly raw and feel I still get the many benefits while feeling more balanced.

Also, I'm more in tune with my pets.


My favorite raw vegan

The important work of loving myself is 10 times easier on raw.

I did...notice the change...

it all really kicked into high gear for me when I did the "Master Cleanse". I felt the awareness/calmness/clear-headed feeling. I was vegan/cooked at that time, albeit little cooked.

From that point I went all raw & never looked back. Being high raw/all raw, I definitely notice/experience the "change in your consciousness".

As coco mentioned, I am also sensitive to all those "offensive" odors, which makes it especially difficult for me as an auto tech.

I rarely use any cleaning/other chemicals if I can get away with it. There are so much hazardous/toxic chem. in the auto industry, not to mention guys who will leave a vehicle run for a half hour with the shop doors closed & don't turn the ventilation system on.

The other part of it is living with cooked foodists - for me that can be a real pain, as those smells really bother me too...

I have at times been considering moving waaaay into the outback somewhere to get away from it all...

juicerkatz Wrote:
> I have at times been considering moving waaaay
> into the outback somewhere to get away from it
> all...

Sigh, words of my heart. That is exactly why I moved to a small town in the mountains of BC. It was still too hard to deal with society and other people though, and I missed my family. It would have to be a community of people for me to do it, the Amish lifestyle really appeals in so many ways.

yes

isn't that

inexorable?

Thanks to all who responded! You don't know how inspiring this is to me! I think sometimes the physical benefits of raw foods are touted and the spiritual or emotional ones are very important to me, too!

I also noticed a difference spiritually and mentally, and of COURSE physically.
It inspired me so much I wrote about it on my website if you want to read about it.

www.lilyfresh.net

the before and after pictures of my physical body are pretty amazing too!

Hooray for things that are LIVING!!

Love
lily

gz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I notice a huge difference, my emotional state
> seems very flat and controlled. There's much less
> turmoil in my inner world now. It doesn't make me
> the life of the party, but it makes me so content
> and relaxed that I don't have any desire to be.


Wow.
Thats pretty much my experience too!

Vinny

..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2010 10:26AM by la_veronique.

I came into raw foods totally from a personal, consciousness level. It was from doing a lot of (entheogen-aided) meditation- I opened up my third eye and, bam, couldn't eat cooked food anymore. Physical considerations came afterwards, but of course my body feels a million times better, too. I think it's really all about that consciousness level, too. Too much super sweet stuff disturbs me, too, but what disturbs more than anything is cooked food. A few weeks ago I was at my sister's house with a lack of raw food options, and I figured that a little cooked quinoa and green beans from her fridge couldn't do a lot of harm... oh my god, I felt like I was going to die for about two days. Perhaps steamed veggies wouldn't be as bad, but- not for me.
In my experience, the spiritual truth is raw vegan food. From within that paradigm we can figure out exactly what's best for each of us (and exactly what's really raw).

Omega, how do you deal with being in society, smells and noises and crowds? Or does it not affect you much. Just curious, I had such a reaction to those things.

just curious omega

what is entheogen aided meditation?

sounds interesting

Entheogens are psychedelics typically.....Mescaline, mushrooms,LSD, DMT. etc....

I definitely had an amazing spiritual awakening. its very subtle, yet powerfully obvious. I say it's subtle, because if one is 100% raw for a while, then starts eating a little cooked food, its like you aren't fully aware of the loss. its much like physical weight. If you slowly started carrying more weight around, then you'd never really notice the change. So I do feel that 100% is a very deep spiritual diet. You are generally eating for your body,and your mind. Not always for the pallette alone.
I am now able to sense peoples vibes much quicker,clearer. All the deep unspoken energies are stronger. Not to mention my sex fire is continually growing more powerful!!!!!!!

The Raw Lion 440 pounds to 225 pounds!

This is all very inspiring to stick with a raw path for REAL. I think there a lot of excuses I can make as to why I don't do it. I don't know why I haven't gone long periods without bingeing on vegan food, but regardless I keep a pretty clean diet and I know that if something like this is so important to me and I spend all of my free time reading about it, than it will most likely be a permanant part of my life, especially when it is easier to do. One day it will be easier to stick with. I love how I feel when I eat high raw. I definitely feel more clear headed and calm and rational compared to anxiety ridden, unpredictable and annoyed due to diet choices.

@Aaron: I like that because my whole life I have been, and perceived as, very sensitive and not always in a good way. And recently my spirituality has blown wide open with exposure to info that is new to me. I haven't caught up with it yet, but I am feeling passion in this area, which is extending into raw foods. I like what you wrote because I suspect that I would purify into a more balanced sensivity.

i wonder if we are more "conscious" because we eat raw, or do we begin to eat raw because we are more conscious?....