Eating Your Veggies

I haven't touched on the food system in a bit, but I saw a trailer for a documentary that's got me really excited. Take a look:




I have a confession to make - I tried the raw foods diet for about three months before surrendering because of how much work it is! Plus, there is a tendency in the diet to rely more heavily on fats for sustenance; while I understand the good fat vs. bad fat argument, it's not good for your body to have to process such a high percentage of fats from mass quantities of nuts, seeds, avocados, and alternative sweeteners. But I am grateful to have spent this concentrated time learning about the incredible powers of greens, vegetables and fruits to fuel and heal your body.

The simple truth is this: your body wants to be healthy. What you put in your body can either directly hurt or help your health.

On another level, I think it's harder to grasp the significance of the food industry on our climate. I appreciated reading about the efforts of Bon Appetit to reduce their use of animal products, especially beef and cheese, and challenge the unbelievably high proportion of animal products that has become common in the American diet. Helene York writes this:
"What's become clear is that one-third of the world's greenhouse gas emissions are food-related. And study after study shows that some food products—meat and dairy products from ruminant animals (primarily cattle and lamb), highly processed foods derived from industrially grown grains, and air-freighted specialty foods—use a far greater percentage of resources than plant-based foods and whole grains, regardless of where those plant-based foods come from or who produces them. Another way of putting this is that the calories of energy expended to produce meat, processed foods, and specialty foods far outweigh the caloric energy those foods provide. (And they use a heck of a lot more water, too.) It's the very definition of 'unsustainable.' The American diet is dependent on this greenhouse gas-intensive food, and we waste (by eating too much or simply tossing) more than 25 percent of it."
Food for thought (pun intended :)... look at your weekly diet, and take note of the proportion of animal products vs. plant products. How many meals have meat included? When you include meat in a meal, what's the portion size? How many meals are pre-packaged and/or highly processed? Rather than looking at this argument as "vegetarian vs. carnivore," ask yourself where you can trim down - maybe from eating three meat-based meals a day to two, cutting out beef or another animal product, designating a day each week to be vegetarian-only, or even just preparing a smaller portion of meat. A great perspective shared by the raw food community regarding transitioning to a more plants-based diet is this: rather than thinking about what you're cutting out, think of all the ways you can incorporate more greens, vegetables and fruits. Think creatively and abundantly, rather than conservatively! There are so many fantastic vegetarian recipes out there - and they are so easy to find. May you be happy and healthy!

Making It Local

LAist posted an article today that made me a little sad for LA, because it's true:

"Los Angeles isn't exactly lacking when it comes to premiere art venues, a thriving gallery scene, and arts-oriented communities. But according to a recent Top 100 list published by Art Newspaper, only two of our museums rank among those around the globe for attendance...

...What we can't help is our sprawl, and an Art Newspaper rep explains to the LA Times why art tourism is a hard sell in the city of angels: 'In New York you can visit three museums in a day, maybe more. In L.A., you would never try to do LACMA, the Getty and MOCA in the same day."

This strengthens my belief in the need for our local arts scenes - communities like downtown Fullerton that provide a respite for those who don't have the time, energy or interest to sit through hours of traffic to get across L.A. ArtWalk occurs again this Friday, and I'm so grateful for those who work behind the scenes to make it happen. I hope folks at Epic continue to address the creative needs of Fullerton; we are the ones responsible for maintaining these vital resources for personal growth, interpersonal interaction and thought-provoking expression. Southern California is one giant city, but that doesn't mean community need inevitably be lost in its midst.

Forecasting Nostalgia

11 weeks. That's how long I have left in Southern California. I have to be honest - I am REALLY EXCITED to be back in the Bay Area. But I will miss Epic dearly, and as much as I love to rag on Southern California, there are some things that I will miss and get nostalgic about.

I had some time to kill yesterday, and since it was a lovely, overcast day, I meandered up to the creek in the back of Irvine Park. I actually enjoy hiking more on days that are chilly and gray; it makes the green of the hills and trees pop, and puts me in a restless, wandering mood. I just have to walk it out, quiet my brain and enjoy feeling the textures of the earth against my feet - the cold flowing water, the supple mud, the soft pieces of grass between my toes, the crunch of sand and pebbles as I walk over them. There is a deeply spiritual peace that comes to me in this place - and that's why I will greatly miss it.

Some of my other "will greatly miss it" spots in Southern California, that I hope you all get to check out at some time or another:

- REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater) in Downtown LA: I've visited this performance venue far more than any other because of the experimental, high quality and thought-provoking art of all genres that is presented here. Dance, music, theater... I've been challenged and inspired by almost everything I've seen here.

- The smell of the Fullerton Arboretum first-thing in the morning, when everything is still cool, dewey and quiet.

- Driving the freeways of L.A. late at night - when I can just ride the fast twists and turns without worrying about bumper-to-bumper traffic.

- Lunch at Les Amis, Orange Sushi, or Anepalco's at least once a week

- Dancing/cups of tea/conversations on the roof at Pieter

- Free parking and small crowds at Sunset Beach (when I actually want to feel like a SoCal beach bum)

- Tasting the latest creations at Bootleggers Brewery and The Bruery

- The crazy antics of Henry Rollins on KCRW Saturdays from 6-8 (thank God I'll be able to listen online!)

- The beautiful children, families, dance and vision at The Wooden Floor

I'm sure there are others, but these are at the top; I am also sure of the moments that will come when I'll remember other lovely events, places and people here that will always hold a piece of my heart.

Srsly

I kindly connect you to Sarah A.O. Rosner's response to a statement in the Huffington Post by Michael Kaiser about the "lack of excellent art being created" today. I don't think we can advocate "too much" for funding/education/interest/community for the arts. Just sayin'.

Deep and Wide

“The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.” Proverbs 20:5

Transition usually begins to occur for me before I’m even aware that it’s happening. God has not provided me with a direct calling for my life in most areas, and much of the practice of discipline in my life has been learning to be patient in waiting. Slowly but surely, new directions in my life bubble to the surface from a deep place in my soul, rather than from external “signs.”

Since graduating from college, the directions of transition in my life have been primarily vertical, occurring within myself rather than in a geographic or career change. I have been frustrated by a lack of clarity about what my faith is supposed to look like, what I’m supposed to be doing with my career, if and when I’m supposed to move, and how to manage my struggle with being completely open and authentic in relationships. When my mind starts to go crazy with all the self-interrogation and doubt, God gently brings me back to a place of stillness, and this is when the truth for my life has time and space to come to the surface.

At this point in my life, two truths ground me and have provided space to grow deeper in my self-knowledge and self-love. The first is my need to communicate through movement and dance. Words have no power to limit me, there is no pressure to conform my dance to look a certain way, and I am safe to offer myself wholly and completely to those in my dance community. I feel connected to my body and am proud of its accomplishments. It is my primary art form and most comfortable means of communication. Sharing this experience with others, inviting them to lose their inhibitions and discover a deeper part of themselves in movement, brings me so much joy and belief that I am accepted.

But what I am realizing is that my art is not the be all and end all. The second truth of my life, which provides the context for my dance, is my need for safe community. I don’t think I even realize how vital the Epic community has been to my personal growth these past three years. Its strength is in offering a warm and gentle environment in which to unearth every part of ourselves - positive and negative - to own and grow in. This is easier for some than others, but the point is that the space is there. People are genuinely interested in learning about you and helping to develop your spiritual, psychological and relational health. Even more telling is the support and understanding I’ve received when the transitions of life have directed me away.

About a year ago, I began to sense that God was going to soon move me in long horizontal directions – to new places and towards new things that, of course, I wouldn’t be able to anticipate or plan for. Many of you now know that I’ve decided to move back to the Bay Area this summer, to be with family and to grow within the thriving creative and therapeutic dance community that is there. It has been such a difficult decision to leave (not because of Orange County itself – I am quite happy to leave it!). So much growth and discovery has happened within the space of my relationships here, at Epic, my work and with other dear friends. I am scared of the unknown of this transition, of failing or feeling like it was a mistake to leave. But I know that I would regret it even more if I didn’t see this through, never opening myself up to new work and new communities. The truth is I don’t have a clear vision for what will happen in my future, short-term or long-term, and that is part of the excitement. I have a fresh canvas on which to paint, with the truth in my heart guiding my strokes.

For me, transition has usually meant losing relationships, but I don’t have this fear with Epic. Relationship may look different, but I know that there will be love here for me, and that gives me the strength to go. My community now has a chance to expand and deepen, and I have hope that with it my self-love will deepen as well. I am so grateful and so honored to have this foundation from which to move forward; the support and safety you’ve offered me has restored my trust in God. I will never stop loving the Epic community, whether I’m in the Bay, across the country, or on the other side of the world.