I work as a personal assistant, which I actually enjoy. Every day is different and I have opportunity to use my organizational skills, cooking skills and catering skills, housecleaning skills, dog-walking skills, typing and paperwork skills, planning skills and so on.

I'm also slated to begin formal study of Traditional Naturopathy in the Spring with Trinity College of Natural Health. Because I was a professional cook for the first half of my life I intend to focus more on helping people plan, shop and prepare health promoting meals at home for themselves and their families.

I'm also a huge student of all things "spiritual" and study broadly in all the major religions, including the Western Mystery Tradition, and give workshops on using the Tarot for self-awareness and spiritual growth and occasionally will consult the cards on behalf of others.

khale

I'm a System Operator but I'd like to be called a
Bum!!!


Why Vegan?
Because I have the most love and admiration for all animals of the earth!!!
a rawvegan hopeful, rawdev4life!!!

TroySantos: I did a 10-week program at the SFZC (www.sfzc.org) in '02. The site has links to the City Center (in San Francisco, with a rooftop hangout area that has a kickass city view), Green Gulch Farm, and Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. The farm is on really gorgeous land on the ocean in Marin. I never went to Tassajara but hear it's really beautiful too with hot springs. It's neat: it seems like the long-termers get rotated between all 3 places, for the city experience, the farm experience, and the secluded retreat experience. At the City Center, some people do full-time temple stuff but some people work in the city part-time as well.

While I stayed there I happened to become friends with the kitchen manager who ordered the produce. He was interested to learn about raw foods and cleansing, and actually several other people inquired about what I was doing. They were pretty open-minded. Even on a weeklong silent retreat I was able to prepare my own food! (though it would've been fun to join in on the ritualized speed-eating cooked slop sessions). I don't know who's there now or what the other 2 kitchens are like but it's worth checking into!

You stayed at Buddhist temples in Thailand with organic farms? That's neat. Where were they? Did they have any fruit trees? Did you do raw while you were there? Was farming part of the work? Why did you leave?

Love,
Uma





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2007 05:27AM by uma.

I am a stay-at-home mom to my three kiddos (11, 5 and 22 months). I homeschool them. I also rescue animals. Mostly cats and dogs but a few other species have been thrown in. I take care of many animals on our little farm. When my youngest is five I have a plan to work out of my home as a dog groomer. I was a dog groomer for a short while before having my first child and I loved it. I love caring for my kids. I always knew it was what I wanted to do. I am seeing the fruits of my labor and I don't think there is anything I could do that would make me more proud of my time on this earth. My husband works in the petroleum industry (ugh!!) to fund our life. We grew up in the refinery capital of the world and that is where most of our friends and his family ended up. He hates his job and it is our dream to have a little pet store (only rescued animals and fish) with dog grooming.

I love reading about you guys doing so many great things and being happy. It is inspirational.

Kudos,
Kise'

kise,

thanks for rescuing the animals!!!
(and loving your kids too)

all my foster dogs so far LOVE raw
fruits and veggies. but i still suppliment
with kibble.

fruitgirl

I'm semi-retired now from this organic farm where we live. We still take care of the trees, but don't sell fruit anymore. It's giving me time to catch up on a lot of the things I've wanted to do like planting flowers, working on the house, and hopefully putting in a vegetable garden. I used to have a garden all the time, but had to let it go when I got too busy taking care of the trees and selling fruit.

I just got my teacher's certificate updated (for special ed and regular elementary ed), and I'm subbing part-time at a nearby Montessori school.

Maybe when I get more caught up here I'll be looking for a more consistent part-time job, but we're also thinking of possibly selling areca palms (they're bunchy and make great privacy borders) and just doing other odd jobs. My husband currently does construction work.

alive! congratulations on overcoming and helping so many others!

I haven't posted hardly at all the past couple of days.

The temples are all over the country. I lived at two of them. The group is called Santi Asoke. Fairly well known in Thailand, mostly as vegetarians, or as heretics, or both!

There are lots of fruit trees, lots of papayas and bananas because they're so easy to grow. But there are other fruits as well. Vegetable gardens are more common. These people aren't fruitarians but some people have heard about and understand the benefits of raw foods. So some people get more than the average person. I was raw part of the time. Some days there was little fruit, or even none on some days. And the cooked food - all of it vegan and most of it organic - tasted so good! And I often got tired of eating that way alone. I didn't make any money so didn't want to go buy my own food all the time.

They're communities. So some people do this job, others do that job. At the first place I lived, I mostly did some garden work. But it was my first time, no experience, and nobody helping me learn. I could have had help or instruction or something but I wanted to try out what I understood as Masanobu Fukuoka's teachings / methods from his books. My favorite of his is "One Straw Revolution". Not just a farming book, not just a book about life and living. Great. The second temple I lived at was bigger and I taught English to the boarding school kids there.

I left for various reasons. I was pretty much broke and didn't really feel that I'd live at the temple for the rest of my life so I decided to look for money. At that time a guy offered me the opportunity to live on his land as a caretaker and he'd pay me a little. I could grow my own food and I could build a clay house. I had a semi-wild garden, sort of like Fukuoka I think, and started a clay house. Never finished it though because I decided to leave because I didn't want to get flooded during the rainy season! Seven years in Thailand and I dont regret a minute of it.


You stayed at Buddhist temples in Thailand with organic farms? That's neat. Where were they? Did they have any fruit trees? Did you do raw while you were there? Was farming part of the work? Why did you leave?



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha

I'm glad so many people responded!

I work as a teacher for students with autism. I am finishing my coursework to sit for a certification exam so that I can be a Behavior Analyst which will allow me to work as a consultant.I am not passionate about this. My dream is to be a chef, to own a health food store or a retreat center.

I am inspired by people who are passionate about raw foods and have made a career out of it. I would like to get into it as well..but am not sure where to begin! I am thinking of maybe selling some raw nut milks/butters at farmers markets for fun and a little money...but it is just an idea.

mergers & acquisitions.

I help my boss buy companies.

Best job ever


(and coincidentally, found me right after started raw)

minou33,

u see upcoming zeolite autism study? would provide link but am typing from phone. Some ppl say autism caused by mercury from vaccines. Study results should b interesting...

I've worked on and off as a public broadcasting producer (radio and tv). Right now I'm currently off and spending my time as a stay-at-home mom to my 17 month old daughter. I really want to start working again and I will, hopefully, in a couple months.

Uma and Troysantos, I spend time at the LA Zen Center. I'm not as involved as I'd like, but I've been to several workshops there. I'd love to check out the SFZC! It's funny that I haven't actually, SF is my hometown.

sunshine--

Yes. I have a book by about the autism epidemic and mercury link called "Evidence of Harm". A lot of people in the field (and parents) are very aware of the controvery. Some really do believe it is the thimersol in vaccinations, as a lot of these kids develop typically until around the age of 2 or 3..coincidentally at the same time the shots are administered. And some parents have even said they noticed their kids deteriorate almost immediately after receiving the vaccines. But then there are plenty of people (and parents) who don't think that there is any connection. And studies have been done since thimersol has been removed from vaccines, and rates of autism has not gone down. So it is all very interesting. I haven't read the book that I have yet--but I know enough that my kids will not be vaccinated until they are much older and their bodies are better equipped to handle it! Much too risky. And aside from autism--I can't imagine that injecting toxins into the the systems of developing babies can possible be good for them!

TroySantos, sounds like a rich experience. Thanks for the description. And may you find what you're looking for next!

Love,
Uma

I am a Commercial Insurance Underwriter. I would prefer to make a living out of my playing music, but sadly it has not happened yet, I play 5 instruments: Guitar, Drums, Bass, Cello & Piano.

I don't know if I would want to have a career in food of any kind.

Phil.

--------------------------------------------------

"Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it" (Chinese Proverb)

I'm a computer programmer creating school administrative software.

I am married, an at home mom with 5 children (4 of whom live with us full time). I don't work outside the home, but I do after school care on occasion for my good friend.

sunshine79 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> minou33,
>
> u see upcoming zeolite autism study? would provide
> link but am typing from phone. Some ppl say autism
> caused by mercury from vaccines. Study results
> should b interesting...

A good friend of ours has an autistic son, and it's from getting his vaccinations. Their son was completely normal - talking great, playing, etc. They took him in to the doctor when he turned 2 years old for his shots, and their son has never spoken another word since that day. He is now autistic, and is 10 years old. It's so sad.

i would love to be married and raise kids.

DannyMack, why does that look so much like a papaya tree to your right?!



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha

TroySantos -
It probably is! The picture was taken in Costa Rica where Papaya trees are all over the place.
DannyMacK

Raw Dev, how do you manage to be raw in south korea? what do you eat? do people think you are insane? how do you deal with invitations to eat at people's houses?
by the way , i teach creative writing.
Leila

oops, my question was for troy santos

I usually eat alone! At work and at home. At work I usually eat something I've brought from home. I don't eat out much. It's cheaper this way and of course I've got more control of what I eat this way.

I don't often go out with people to eat. On occasion I'll go out with my boss and then I will usually have something cooked.

I am a Buddhist so I go to a Zen Buddhist temple nearly every Sunday (as well as most nights for group meditation). I have a vegan lunch there and socialize a bit with the group.

Don't have much of a social life here. But I recently met an American who is also raw. We don't live near each other but it seems there is a mutual interest in getting together at least occasionally. I am a member of a website forum of local foreigners. There are a few vegetarians here and we communicate a little. I think we'll eventually meet up.

Nobody except my boss has ever invited me to their house.

I do make it clear to most people that I eat mostly raw foods. At the very least I'll tell people that I eat vegetarian. But you know, I also eat seaweed yet don't consider it vegetarian. So why do I consider myself vegetarian?!

> i have only been raw for 2 months but my ability
> to function seems to depend on it.
Your ability to function seems to depend on eating raw? If that's the case, boy, it is a blessing on the one hand yet can be a curse on the other hand.

You travel alot, to foreign countries? Have you traveled since going raw? If so, has it been very difficult? Enjoyable? Interesting?

I consider myself a traveler, in a sense. Korea is a new place for me. New everything. Including new and interesting foods. Thing is, I so often give myself an inch yet want the mile!

Going with the flow is oftentimes a good idea, I believe. But I feel that if the flow goes in a direction that you'd rather not go, then .... I used to live in Thailand. Lived at a couple of temples. There was an analogy among the group of being a fish floating down the stream. Just going along with the flow. Not like the carp or the salmon which fights its way against the stream which is flowing in a direction that is not in our best interest. I don't know if this was lifted from a Buddhist teaching or not.



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2007 08:57PM by TroySantos.

Hi TroySantos,

I was just wondering, why don't you consider seaweed to be vegetarian?

Just like I don't consider honey to be vegetarian. Animals die so that we can eat it. I recently saw a small marine creature, dead and dried up in the seaweed that I was eating. I ate the little creature too.

Having said this, I do see an important difference between this type of non-veg food and factory farmed animal foods. Worlds apart, in a sense. That little sea creature had a life. I do suppose that it also died a violent death though. There could very well be retribution (karma talk) but I'm not worrying about it.



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha

Seaweed is definately vegan in my (and most other) books. There is big difference between seaweed and honey. For honey, you need bees, for seaweed you don't need bees or any other creatures.

Just about everything you eat will contain little bugs/creatures you don't notice will eating the food. Would/do you consider Brocolli to be non-vegan as well?

Each to there own. Thanks for sharing why you don't consider seaweed vegan, I was interested in your reasons.

Cheers,
Ian.

Hmmm... good question. In the sense that animals are killed in the process of growing it and getting it to us, then broccoli, like every other food, could not be. I don't want to get anal about this. I eat seaweed and am happy to eat it. Thanks for asking and getting me to think about this a bit further.



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha

Seaweed vegetarian, um isn't it a plant?

lol..isn't it?someone told me it was the oldest plant on earth and has so many minerals. I agree.

When you eat mostly all fruit it will dehydrate you so you have to drink water..I am not sure if it is man's optimal food.

I mean every animal can eat anything..sheep and cows can be trained to eat fish, dogs dogfood, ect.. Cows have been shown to eat seaweed but they do not digest it for three or so days, meanign the body has to make an enzyme to digest it.

I was told we are like that too and to eat kelp flakes first so your body makes enzymes to digest a whole lot of it.
I heard that at The Tree of Life. If that is true, then really it does not digest without our own enzymes..just like cooked food..



For all those out there paranoid about deficiencies they can eat and feel better.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2007 10:46PM by coconutcream.

i'm a full time college student and part time classical musician, guitar teacher, laborer and caddie. I have a bunch of small odd jobs.

Just got this from "Living and Raw Foods Articles and Information" way down not far from the bottom.

FISH IN YOUR NORI
by Jeremy Safron (www.lovingfoods.com)

Nori (the sea vegetable) grows as a lettuce in the ocean.

It is harvested often in big nets and with it many fish are scooped up. This combination of seaweed, shrimp, crabs, snails, barnacles, and small fish are all ground up and made into sheets (like paper)

In the large industry they do not take the time to remove these sea animals. Most of the nori in the world comes from Japan.

The two main suppliers Nagata and Yamamoto (who supply most of the smaller companies) claim that the animal contamination is minimal.

Any contamination is unacceptable. Some smaller companies
(including a kosher certified kibbutz in Israel) are beginning to offer fish free nori. So be aware.



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha