Consciously Alive!

The Raw Food Day Conference in Columbus was a big hit today with about 25 raw vegan enthusiasts attending. Joel Odhner, Andy Reed and Shawna Stursa put on this event for the community and really brought a new level of raw excitement to town. The combined knowledge of these 3 enlightened beings could have filled a book! I cannot begin to describe the energy and wisdom they shared this afternoon. It was a privilege to be there and to help make this event happen.

Joel's personal story and his culinary expertise were most compelling. His honesty, integrity and talent shone through like the celebrity stars that he serves. I am very proud to know this man and deeply appreciated the opportunity to meet him.

Andy is a walking encyclopedia of wild foods, ancient healing arts and body science. He exudes so much fun and joy that I could actually see his energetic body glowing 2 feet from his physical body! I would happily travel to Bloomington, Indiana to learn wild foraging from this man. His travels, experiences, and studies make him a teacher I want to follow.

Shawna is our local raw visionary and holds the torch high for all of Central Ohio. She has studied with Dr. Gabriel Cousens and can barely contain herself on the topic of healing our bodies through raw foods. She is an expert on superfoods and an accomplished chocolatier. She shared her decadent raw chocolate desserts with us today and it was like tasting a little piece of heaven!

Needless to say, my admiration and respect for these 3 raw food educators is profound. I gained so much new knowledge and information that I haven't even begun to process it all yet. I am still basking in the glow of these raw-k stars!

But the afternoon was filled with more than what The Amazing Trio brought to the table.

Michael Cohen started us off with kirtan chanting. I have experienced his special brand of music before and it really creates a sacred space for an event like this one.

The Clintonville Community Market was on hand with a wide variety of raw books. They are one of the co-ops in town and one that we frequent regularly. It was important to discover that they will allow bulk purchases at just about cost. I'll be placing an order this week!

"Kombucha Bob" Munley stopped in to talk about kombucha and it's benefits. I am just beginning to learn about fermented foods and was pleasantly surprised that his home-brewed product tasted pretty good compared to the nasty stuff I tried once before. I will be seeking out a few bottles of his brew very soon.

Lisa Gatto talked about the importance of colon hydrotherapy today too. While I have not made my first appointment with her, she has come highly recommended to me by no less than 5 people I know! Hmmm....must be something to it!

Finally, Portia from Momentum 98, a local health and wellness store, was on hand with a wide variety of products for sale. While I have not shopped the store before, I will absolutely be headed there for my next bag of chia seeds and other hard-to-find items.

This conference really served many purposes for those in attendance. Beyond all the education and information that was presented, the sense of community really took a leap forward. Raw vegans are certainly not the most visable people around town, so getting to know each other allows for lots of support.

Then there was the food! Shawna showed us how she made her chocolate treats, Andy whipped up a wild green smoothie and a watercress salad, but it was Joel who really showed us how it's done! He demonstrated how to make walnut burritos, kale salad, a curry sauce and a chocolate mousse pie. The man really knows his way around a kitchen!

I could go on for another hour about everything that happened today but I think you can appreciate just how excited I was about this conference. I feel so incredibly blessed to have met these stars in the raw food universe. I believe this has become a turning point in my raw journey and I don't even know how. I just recognize the fact that this has been a significant event in my life and I am humbled by it.

On Friday I had:

• Breakfast: Green smoothie of mango, orange, banana, and kale.
• Lunch: A burrito made with walnuts, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, Braggs Aminos and collards.
• Supper: Kale salad with tomatoes, red bell peppers, red onions, lemon juice, sea salt and olive oil.

On Saturday I had:

• Breakfast: Green smoothie with mango, orange, banana, and spinach.
• Lunch: Another walnut burrito and a little kale salad.
• Supper: More kale salad.
• Snack: A few power balls.

On Sunday I had:

• Breakfast: Green smoothie with strawberries, blueberries, banana and spinach.
• Lunch: More green smoothie.
• Supper: Walnut burrito, watercress and kale salads with a little curry sauce and a little chocolate mousse.
• Snack: More kale salad and some seaweed salad made with a variety of seaweeds and a little lemon juice.

Photos from top: 1) Shawna, Joel and Andy. 2) Joel and me. 3) "Kombucha Bob" Munley. 4) Portia.