Where is Spiritual Evolution taking us?

If you and twenty other people got in a tour bus in St. Augustine, Florida and then headed north to Atlanta, Georgia, and then further north to Cary, North Carolina, and then on to Philadelphia, and then New York City, and finally on to Boston, what part of the trip would be most important? Would you put Boston on a pedestal because it was the last stop?

Would you conclude that Boston was more important than Atlanta because it was the furthest part of the tour?

When we talk about being "more evolved" or further along our "spiritual path" that does not make us "better" than people who are not where we are. The object isn't to rush ourselves as quickly as possible back into the absolute embrace of oneness. We're material beings because we chose to be. We're at the place we're at because we chose to be.

Just as the point of life isn't to rush to eighty-years-old (or a hundred, or two-hundred), the point of spiritual development isn't to "get farther" or "go higher" or become "better than".

Relativity, Discernment & Judgment

Relativity does exist in our material plane, because it has to. So there are people who are better suited to certain kinds of work. There are things that would be better to do in St. Augustine and things that would be better to do in Boston. If you're looking for sunshine in February, go to St. Augustine. If you're looking for ice skating, go to Boston.

The moment you judge anything at all, you're experiencing relativity. Discernment – language itself – is all about separating one thing from another. Oneness is a great truth; we're here to explore every single facet of what "not oneness" is. Achieving oneness with our consciousness is a great achievement – it feels good. Yet it is no more exalted to achieve oneness in consciousness than it is to experience hatred – from the perspective of oneness. Because within oneness is all. All includes hatred.

It is hard to wrap our heads around it because our heads are designed to discern, separate, and judge. To experience oneness, we have to get out of heads. We have to go out of our minds. We even have to get out our hearts for full oneness, because our hearts shy away from pain and go toward what feels good. The master of oneness consciousness does not even shy away from things that hurt or feel painful.

We exalt our masters of oneness, but we do a poor job of living by their teachings – our own teachings. Our ego wants to find ways to become better than everyone and everything else around us, even if we have to be the best at being humble to do so. If you really didn't believe your way was a better way, you would change.

That's okay. Everybody's way is okay. Including the ways of violence and abuse – from the perspective of oneness.

Your Head, Heart & Body

But remember – your head and heart are not oneness. Your consciousness is oneness, but your body is not. And doesn't it make sense to protect and honor your head, heart and body? Why mistreat them or disregard them? When your heart speaks out against something – do listen! Do not rationalize it away as "unimportant in the absolute sense." That sort of rationalization is just fear talking – fear of taking action clothed in spiritual truth.

If there is any sort of blasphemy, it is clothing our absolute truths around fear and using them as an excuse to not take action in our own defense. Radical acceptance isn't about taking life sitting down. Learning to embrace your neighbor isn't about condoning things that feel wrong to you. Speak your truth and let others speak theirs. And if theirs doesn't agree with yours . . . Then you have to seek your highest calling in that moment to guide you. The only single rule I can give you for how to guide your actions is Presence.

Be Present

Be present with your thoughts. Observe them. Be present with your heart. Feel your emotions. Let them flow. Notice every part of your body and be alert for the tiniest changes in your perceptions. Use all five of your senses and then use even more of your senses. Be present with your aspirations and inspirations. Be present with your dreams when you awaken in the morning. Be present with those you cherish most. Be present with your values. Be present with your actions. Be present with your breathing.

When you are present with all of these things that I have listed (and more), you become a master of discernment. You begin to read body language effortlessly. Subtle hints in tone of voice are unveiled. The mysteries of nature begin to weave their way into your intuitive understandings. You begin to trust your intuition because it becomes stronger and more reliable. When you are fully present the things that you really want become clear. The things that need to be eliminated from your life become clear.

From my discernment, from my material-plane understanding, from my highest calling of head, heart and body – I believe presence is our highest spiritual practice. Presence is the practice of embracing life fully, as a material being with a head, heart and body. And I judge that beautiful. Amen.

So what are the next steps?

• Learning tools to become more present.
• Putting forward new cultural norms that serve the highest calling of our material and spiritual values.

For these two steps, I'd like to present to you two further articles: Learning deeply about oneself through consciousness alchemy.
Generating a living culture and leaving behind the cultural norms that are currently hurting us.

~ Raederle

The Consciousness Alchemist

Living Culture Movement

Cultural norms in America include:

• Asking a woman if you can buy her a drink in a bar
• Greeting someone with a handshake
• Having conversations over lunch or dinner
• Whistling when something is surprising (like an attractive woman or a large bill in the mail)
• Chewing on one's lip when uncertain
• Speaking in euphemisms and hyperbole rather than literally (i.e. "It went a hundred miles over her head")

For every "norm" you'll find hundreds of exceptions, but that's not the point. America, like all other countries in the world, has its own culture. It varies from city to city, state to state. Some of our norms are also the norm in other countries. Most cultures today include talking over food. Very few places have a custom of silent eating, or eating alone. These cultural norms define what we expect when we socialize. They give us an idea of what is considered "okay" and "good" and what is considered "not acceptable" and "bad." When we follow the cultural rules well, we are rewarded with acceptance by the majority of people we encounter. You're relying on them and they're relying on you – to follow society norms so that both of you can rest assured that your behavior is "good."

But what happens when social norms aren't serving you? What about norms that are explicitly hurting or excluding people?

Many books illustrate how today's norms are not as beneficial as they could be. Ishmael and The Continuum Concept are two such books which I highly recommend. Here is an illustration of my own: In today's culture it is normal to offer to share treats with anyone in the room. This tradition goes back to a time before refined sugars were so widely available. It goes back to a time when a "treat" might have been an orange, a sweet potato or a banana. A treat might have been honey-covered nuts at worst. (While nuts and honey both offer health benefits, eating them together is rough on the digestive system.) A treat today can be a lump of chemicals with no food anywhere to found within it. And while you wouldn't offer someone suffering from an addiction to alcohol a shot of vodka, it is perfectly normal to offer sugar addicts a dough-nut. This is one example of how a cultural norm hurts people rather than helping them.

Another example: Sage smudging. This is a practice taken up by many alternative spiritual communities that are springing up to honor and worship in ancient ways. But with so many people developing fume and chemical sensitivities, there are a growing body of people who can't tolerate smoke (myself included). This practice of sage smudging has beautiful origins. However, it comes from a time when the air was pristine, and chemicals were not a part of our lives. In that environment breathing in some smoke wasn't a big deal. In today's crowded cities and chemical-laden environments, adding smoke doesn't increase the spirituality of an experience. This practice (and the practice of burning incense) excludes people who would otherwise love to participate in these spirit-based events.

And, a third example: Silences are considered awkward. Whenever we're in a group, we're expected to all compulsively talk to one another – or all silently tap at our phones. This constant stream of social input – vocal or digital – leaves no room for group introspection. Once upon a time, people could go for a long walk in nature or spend the day fishing and have long silences that were about introspection and absorption of experience. Today these comfortable, introspective silences are much rarer and harder to find. Because of this, our communication is more cluttered up with idle thoughts, logistical questions, and data-based exchanges. We're spending more time talking about unexamined opinions and less time actually having experiences worth talking about. I'm not saying this is everybody, or even you, but it is a growing trend, and an unfortunate one.

Cultural norms fade in and out of dominance or existence altogether over time. In the chart below I've outlined features of the Dying Culture – the existing culture's ways of hurting us, and it's opposing force, the Living Culture – the cultural facets we can normalize to increase our harmony with one another and the earth.

Cultures	Dying Culture	Living Culture
Yards:	Lawns, non-fruiting shrubs and trees	Food-bearing gardens of rambling beauty
Love Languages:	Largely unrecognized	Used as a simple basis for how to give more effectively to one another
Food:	40% corn, wheat, soy, other grains; 40% animal products; 15% sugar, caffeine; 5% vegetables, fruits, nuts	40% vegetables; 40% fruits; 20% nuts, seeds; 5% other; 70%+ raw foods
Attitude:	Assuming Knowing that you're right	Asking Curiosity toward others
Partying:	Drinking, bars, smoking, rough-housing, late nights	Board games, fresh juices, kombucha, starting early, starting uninhibited and authentic from the outset
Needs:	Feeling ashamed for having needs	Expressing needs and having them taken seriously
Group conversation:	Competing for your turn to speak	Subtly directing others to bring out what you're curious about, and what makes them most excited
Emotional expression:	Compulsively smiling, regardless of mood	Authentic expression of emotions, including sadness and anger
Minorities:	Majority rules over the minority	Space is made for the minority to have their needs met
Radical ideas:	Shamed	Heard, considered
Creativity:	Tolerated, sometimes accepted	Nurtured, encouraged
Inspired feelings/actions:	Approached with skepticism, criticism	Met with encouragement and enthusiasm
Efficiency:	Achieved through specialization, hurrying, pinching pennies	Achieved through diversity, inspired enthusiasm, consciousness
Intuition:	Largely ignored, dismissed	Used as a basis for making sound decisions
Spirituality:	Religious dogma or atheism	Life-affirming awareness of self and synchronicities
Conversations:	Centered around movies, politics, weather, famous people, personal gripes	Centered around personal transformation, inspiring stories, healing/sustaining practices, current feelings
Experimentation:	Feared	Embraced
Therapy:	Endless sessions with little progress, anti-depressants and other drugs	Consciousness Alchemy

The Fear Behind Patent Laws

Consider baking soda and vinegar. With these two simple one-ingredient products, we can accomplish one hundred and thirty-one household tasks. They're inexpensive and commonplace, yet powerfully effective and useful. Consider aloe vera, a common household plant. The inner fillet of the plant can be used for over thirty tasks.

Just this past weekend I was dealing with some chemical dust on my hands that had them painfully dry and peeling. I went into the bathroom at my parents' house and looked for some oil to put on my hands. Among fifteen different soaps, ten or more lotions, among the shaving creams, the sunblocks, the cosmetics – there was no oil. Frustrated, I went to the kitchen. Ah! There I could find some pure olive oil.

My husband's stomach was upset. He thought psyllium husk would help. Back down to my parents' kitchen. My parents were sure they had psyllium husk. But they didn't. They had several different "blends" of things that included psyllium husk but also contained toxic fillers such as maltodextrin.

These two little instances helped personalize a very global concern. Patent laws. It is because of our attitude and practices around "trade secrets" that everything has to be made out of a "special blend." Clothing made up of 100% cotton, linen or wool are being replaced by trademark blends of viscose, polyester and cotton. Yet polyester is a plastic that contains hormones that disrupt human health, especially for women.

Many of these "special blends" in cosmetics, clothing, and foods do something very special indeed. Some are hiding powerful trade secrets that really make the product shine. Others are only special because of how much they're charging you.

Patent laws were originally created to protect the individual or company that developed an idea from having their idea stolen to the profit of other people or companies. This makes sense if you subscribe to a worldview of separateness, theft, defensiveness, all-men-are-islands, and corporatism. Yet this era is coming to a close. This era has no choice to implode, because a capitalistic model of infinite growth and ever expanding profit margins eventually runs out of things to devour besides itself. Chronic consumption is for the empty.

We're not empty. We're full of life, ideas, and creativity. Our beautiful species is blessed with incredible intuition, knowledge, talents, and skills.

If humanity is so rich, what is holding us back?

What is holding us back now is how tightly we're holding our cards to our chests — our fear of telling our neighbor that our favorite frozen food is on clearance at the local store, because word might spread and then there might not be enough for us — our fear of spreading joyful news, lest other people believe we have too much and want to ask too much from us — our fear of offering what we can give freely and easily because we won't know how to say no when they do ask too much — our fear that there isn't enough for everyone and so we have to stockpile our ideas, resources, friends, and family and jealously hold them close — it is these fears holding us back from fully realizing our potential on this planet today.

There is enough for everyone. It is mathematically proven that there is enough food produced in a tropical forest roughly 200 miles by 200 miles across to feed everyone on the planet. (Actually, some calculations say a much, much smaller area. You can learn more on this subject here.)

People don't starve because there isn't enough food. People starve because of other people's fear of there not being enough.

When tribes war with each other because they're afraid there isn't enough, resources are put into making war instead of education, food production and recreation.

When people are really afraid that there isn't enough, when they hold very jealously onto every resource they can grasp, they become highly destructive. Like when foreign settlers arrive on a tropical coast and cut down all the breadfruit trees in order to make the natives dependent on outside resources.

We've never been short on resources.

Imagine if all the software companies gave their code away to each other for free. Imagine if all the video game companies let each other use the art their artists had created. Imagine if all the car companies got together to design the best car for the planet and for the human, and didn't worry at all about the profit margin. Imagine if all the best professors in the world put out their talks freely on youtube instead of just exclusively at specific universities. Imagine if all books were available as free e-books. Imagine if the profit motive vanished, patent law vanished . . . Within a few years we'd have every home on solar/wind/water power. We'd start focusing on making the best ingredients – the best organic cotton (instead of GMO, pesticide-laden cotton), the best oils (instead of rancid oils that sit on the shelves for months and months exposed to heat and light before they're purchased), the most dynamic games, the most streamlined software, and the most efficient vehicles.

We're wired for survival, so of course our minds are wired to identify problems. When we feel fear or pain, we immediately try to find the source problem. Then we avidly seek to avoid this problem in the future. Unfortunately – for our entire species – we often experienced the biggest pain and fear as a child from lacking something we desperately needed. Perhaps we needed more love, or more nourishment, or more attention, or more empathic teachers, or more protection. Whatever it is was, we decided at that young age that lacking something was a major threat to survival. Therefore, we had to hoard whatever came to us.

To further complicate this psychological trend, it was discovered in the early 1900s that this fear of not-enough-ness could be manipulated. It was first used to manipulate the populace during times of war, but later the same techniques were used in marketing. The simple principle is to find out what you’re lacking emotionally and propose the product as a remedy, or, failing that, to generate a sense of lack in you. This latter technique is especially dangerous.

This fear operates subconsciously in subtle ways, as well as consciously and overtly. It creates wars, and elects people who chronically represent this fear. This fear causes parents and society at large to imbue the next generation with this same fear, and so the cycle repeats through the millennia.

How can we counteract the fear driving our secretive culture?

Instead of copyrighting – copyleft. A copyleft protects a product or idea from being copyrighted, while leaving the source open to everyone.

Instead of holding your cards close, share with others the most remarkable discoveries in your life.

Practice consciousness alchemy.

Vote with your dollars and don't settle for poor quality blends of two dozen ingredients.

Go back to simple products like baking soda, vinegar and oil – at least twenty of your household products can be replaced by these three.

Drink more water and eat a hydrating diet – being dehydrated (which most people are) means that your body is in a physical state of lack which will translate to a fear of lack subconsciously which will lead to decisions that seem consciously rational, but are actually rationalized, fear-based decisions.

Become informed about innovative ways to better your life and the planet simultaneously. For example, check out these videos.

Spread the word: there is enough for everyone.

The Dairy Dilemma & Intuitive Eating

July 2016, I wrote: I have not been vegan since 2013. I started by adding in raw cow's milk in February 2013 when I noticed I was having joint pain. Lytenian (my husband) and I bought a raw cow's milk share – a share of a herd of cow's near Buffalo, NY.

It wasn't very high quality raw milk to be honest. I've had raw milk in various places around the country, and this was by far my least favorite. It made me tired whenever I consumed it, but I stopped having the joint pains and sudden faintness that I'd been having for a few months before having the sudden inspiration to look into raw milk. I stayed 100% raw for a year, as a raw vegetarian who ate raw cow's milk and raw fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. Then I discovered raw goat's milk while traveling. I loved it. No more tiredness after consuming milk! I could digest it easily, and from healthy goats it actually tastes great – while it’s fresh and raw.

Now, in Ithaca, we go regularly to Side Hill Acres, a goat farm, and I get eight gallons of raw milk in my half-gallon glass mason jars. At home I carefully pour off just enough from each jar so that I can freeze them. Each jar will have six cups raw goat's milk in it. We consume that much most days. And, in 2016, I've also taken to consuming raw cheese on occasion. And even some non-raw cheese. (Oh!gosh!) I know some of you may feel that this means I've "fallen off" the wagon. In some ways, it does mean that. However, I eat a lot more local now – local sheep's yogurt from Black Pearl Creamery, and I buy the raw goat milk at the farm directly. That's a lot less food miles than cashews.

And the cashews aren't actually raw. (They’re steamed out of the shell.) And they're more expensive. And I don't prefer the flavor as much. And they're actually less nutritious and have horrible pH and phosphorous to calcium ratios. And cashews, frankly, upset my stomach. I have to consume enzyme tablets to even eat nuts without getting gas, bloating and extreme fatigue. (Which is why my first recipe book in 2010 was Nut Free Raw Recipes.)

I've come to value intuition and listening to one's body over constructs about "right" and "wrong." Although, to be honest, I never felt it was inherently wrong to kill an animal, since I don't feel it is inherently wrong to kill anything – human, plant, animal, whatever. All value judgments, in my subjective opinion, are subjective.

Read: My journey from "Raw Foodist" to "Intuitive Eater."

Read: How to tell the difference between your intuition and your cravings.

Okay friends. Now eat me alive.

The Vegetarian Ethical Dilemma

Is consuming dairy just as bad as consuming meat?

Someone pointed out to me that the calves are killed to allow the mother to keep being milked. So my consuming raw goat milk from a local farm is still resulting in animals being killed. This is very true. I've reflected on this many times, and it does make me sad. It doesn't have to be that way, of course. In an ideal world, what might we do differently? And in today's world, what do I do when it comes down to my health or the deaths of baby goats?

I do think there is a more evolved – more enlightened – way of being where we no longer need any animal products. Eventually we spiritually evolve. We stop needing to eat. Even taking the life of a plant is still taking a life, and at some point, when we stop needing to fill the emotional void within us – we no longer need food.

I also believe there comes a time when we experience bliss from kissing and touching and no longer need sex for release or orgasm. We move from orgasms from sex to orgasms from touch, to orgasms from thought. Eventually we reach a state where there is so much bliss in every sensation that orgasm itself is not needed.

Sex becomes something we do only to procreate. But I don't condemn myself or others for using sex for release and pleasure now. For most of us, we're at a place in our spiritual journey where sex is a part of our divine connection to source energy.

I believe there comes a time where we evolve past music. Where the silence is more profound and more beautiful than any instrument (as shown in the movie The Green Beautiful, which was actually banned in France, where the movie was created). Yet, on the way, music is a profound and spiritual experience.

And so, for some people, they're at a place where hunting an animal and eating it is a profound and spiritual experience. For others, it feels wrong. I have a hard time arguing that factory farming is ever spiritual for anyone, but honestly, where is the line we draw in the sand between things we feel lead to our spiritual growth, and things that do not? All "bad" things are part of the lesson that leads us to "good" things.

There comes a time when we choose to avoid all man-made radiation, including cell phones, microwaves, and so on. There comes a time when we choose to live without plastic or other materials with harsh, energy-pulling vibrations. There comes a time when we no longer have excess clutter in our homes and choose to live more simply.

But most of us will not reach all of these vibrational realities in this current lifetime we're living.

There is no benefit to guilt-tripping myself about what feels good or bad to me. (Unless, of course, you count that guilt-tripping myself eventually leads to learning that it is not helping me.)

Guilt-trips mess up my intuitive guidance system. By telling myself that something that feels good is wrong, and something that feels bad is right, I confound my own ability to feel for myself.

That is where people stop being able to use their own moral judgement and have to turn to leaders to direct them. Then people become pliable, easy to manipulate, quick to believe propaganda.

As children our parents said, "I know what is best for you!" and taught us not to trust our own internal guidance systems – our feelings. Because of this, we have a society where people are living lives that don't feel good to them. This, I believe, is the underlying problem.

If everyone lived in accordance with what felt really, truly good to them, then we could all progress much more smoothly down the path of our own individual enlightenment.

Or not. Perhaps we need all this pain, drama, death, and suffering in order to wake up.

And yet, intuition leads me back to veganism . . .

January 2017 I wrote: Since October 2016 I’ve felt inclined to be vegan. No more goat milk, cheese, yogurt or butter. It was a spiritual prerogative and part of my intuitive eating program. These things fluctuate, as they’re meant to. When you’re listening to your body and your emotions – more than you’re listening to your programming – you change and grow a lot. I believe this is a good thing.

For a much more in-depth look at the ethics around veganism, read my dissertation covering:

• What is a vegan?
• Should vegans worry about hurting plants?
• Is factory farming the main reason to avoid meat?
• Ignorance Is Not Bliss
• The Importance of the Veggie Community
• Choosing Healthful Ecological Fabric
• The Cycle of Fear
• The Big Picture
• Reducing Waste & Healing the Planet
• Advertising — Your ticket to debt and depression
• Waste Not, Want Not — The Crucial Key Is Efficiency
• What else is inefficient?
• Monocrops: A terribly inefficient farming technique
• Cob: A highly efficient architectural alternative
• Beyond Veganism

Live consciously.

~ Raederle

The Ultimate Nutrition Reference with over 30 ground-breaking charts

Do you suffer from any of the following?

• Aching joints
• Back pain or shoulder pain
• Sinus infections
• Headaches
• Constipation
• Mood swings or depression
• Muscle cramps

The above are common problems caused by nutritional deficiencies. These problems are more than rampant. One could say that America (and much of the world) has a nutritional deficiency epidemic.

(Try saying nutritional deficiency epidemic ten times fast...)

To mitigate this problem, more than 50% of Americans take a multi-vitamin daily. What they don't realize is that most multi-vitamins are a load of synthetic vitamins that are not available for absorption.

It's kind like someone giving you a fortress at the north pole...

Do you want a fortress in the north pole?

It could be the best fortress in the world, but it's of no use to you. You can't get to it, and even if you could get to it, there would be no shipping to you, no visitors, no employment and you'd likely starve. A fortress in the north pole is no fortress.

Many synthetic vitamins are the same to your body. They are not vitamins at all. They are just waste to be eliminated. (They're actually worse than your fortress in the north pole since you don't actually have to do anything about that fortress. The synthetic vitamins, however, must be acted upon by your body.)

Supplement technology has improved and it is now possible to buy high quality supplements that really benefit you in remarkable ways. However, this isn't within everyone's budget. It costs a lot more to buy all the vitamins and minerals you need in supplements than it does to buy it in food, and you're going to eat anyway.

You might as well eat your nutritional needs, right?

One out of three people are affected by vitamin and mineral deficiencies, according to the World Health Organization. I'd say that all people are affected by them, since it hurts us to see our loved ones suffering from constant chronic pain.

The good news is that you can eat your way out of pain. And better yet, you can do it without a limiting diet and without expensive trips to a nutritionist, doctor or other specialist. I'll get to that in a minute.

Another reason to not rely on supplements (besides budget): There are trace minerals in food that aren't found in supplements. Beyond that, there are compounds unknown to modern science that could have a significant impact on your health. If the compound is not yet identified by humankind then there is no way to put it into a supplement.

Eating a variety of foods is important to consume known (and unknown) compounds that impact human health.

Over the past year I've compiled a massive amount of nutritional data, comparing foods of like kinds. I've compiled this data into a book that will give you exactly what you need to solve any nutritional deficiency.

Better yet, you don't even have to read much of it to get started immediately. The charts speak for themselves. Just seek foods you like in the charts and then look at their nutritional content and see where your needs and your likes intercept. It's that easy!

"Its only been a week and I feel great. I finally found a lifestyle change that I completely love, and will be able to commit to long term. I love the foods, I'm sleeping better at night, and I feel better both physically and mentally. Thank you for everything, you've had such a wonderful impact on my life. I can hardly find the words to say to show you my appreciation. Thank you!" ~ Tina Louise, Buffalo, NY (April 2012)

With this book, you'll be able to answer difficult questions like these easily:

• Which roots are highest in iron?
• What vegetables are highest in protein?
• For someone dealing with stomach ulcers, which foods are extremely low in both protein and fat?
• Which foods are low calorie and high in potassium?
• What fruit has the best omega-3 to omega-6 ratio?
• What foods are best for getting a lot of calcium without too much phosphorous?

And so on and so on.

Like you, I wanted answers to these questions. I sought such charts on the web, yet failed to find any. Apparently, they have not be made before! To get the answers I had to spend a year compiling the data.

I'd like to present to you the solution to the mystery of vitamins and minerals found in foods:

"OMG I am positively awed by your book. It's amazing! So packed full of information! It is such a great reference book. This work deserves recognition! It is fabulous on all counts Raederle!"
- Toni Vandyke, September 16th 2012, Buffalo NY

Excerpt from the introduction:

Comparing Apples to Apples

"Why compare foods by calorie?"

It is inappropriately to compare foods by volume. There is no sense in comparing a half cup of almonds to a half cup of lettuce.

Nuts are dense, hard to digest, subject to mold, high-calorie, slow down detoxification, high in fat, hard to harvest, expensive at the grocery store, rarely genuinely raw, and so forth.

Lettuce is a leafy green that is high in water content (not dense), low in fat (easy to digest), always purchased raw, easy to harvest, and suitable to be the bulk of a human's diet.

Half a cup of lettuce is only four calories! That's hardly a drop in the bucket. You're going to consume a minimum of 800 calories even on an extremely low-calorie juice fast, and usually we'll consume 1500 to 2500 calories in a day. An athlete will consume 3000 to 10,000 calories in a day. Half a cup of lettuce is nothing when you're talking thousands of calories.

Why compare that to a half cup of almonds which is over two-hundred-and-fifty calories? That's a tremendous amount of dense protein and fats to consume in one sitting. That's way more nuts than is appropriate for most people to consume.

If we concluded that almonds were superior to lettuce due to a comparison like that, we'd be making a very skewed conclusion.

When we compare by volume across different types of foods, we're doing much worse than comparing apples and oranges.

Comparing almonds and lettuce by volume:

In a half cup of lettuce you'll meet about 2% of your nutritional needs for the day. In the half cup of almonds you'll meet about 24% of your nutritional needs for the day – including getting over 500% of the omega 6 needed for a full day.

Almonds sound good when I put it that way, but that isn't a fair way to put it.

Comparing almonds and lettuce by calorie:

In just thirty-one calories of lettuce you'll meet 12% of your nutritional needs for the day. In thirty-one calories of almonds you'll only meet 4% of your nutritional needs for the day.

What a huge difference it makes to compare by calorie instead of volume!

Almonds take more than four times as long to digest for only a quarter of the nutrition! Now almonds are looking pretty inferior, aren't they?

And I'm just comparing almonds to lettuce; imagine what happens when almonds are up against kale, chard, watercress, dandelions or radishes...!

Think about it this way. You're likely only going to eat 1200 to 2500 calories in a day. If you eat 2000 calories worth of nuts, seeds, grains and beans, you absolutely will not get enough beta carotene, vitamin c, vitamin k, calcium and many other important nutrients and antioxidants. This is a fact. I've tried combining quinoa with almonds and walnuts and a Brazil nut for selenium, etc, to come up with some combination where you could meet your nutritional needs with nuts, seeds, grains and legumes, and it isn't possible.

The seeds category of foods (which includes legumes, nuts and grains) is great for a few particular things: zinc, selenium and Omega fatty acids. However, you can get those three nutrients and everything else seeds have to offer from vegetables. Seeds are a high-calorie food and that is their main asset. Raw energy in the form of calories.

Why do I say that?

Because vegetables are only deficient in calories. You can meet all of your nutritional needs in only eight hundred calories of vegetables per day. That's it! It takes 3000 calories of fruit to meet all of your nutritional needs in a day. It wouldn't be possible with seeds or animal products whatsoever, with any amount of calories.

The charts in this book will help you understand what I'm telling you in much greater depth.

We're putting foods on a level playground by comparing like-foods (fruits to fruits and greens to greens) as well as by giving overall comparisons for individual nutrients.

After all, almonds and lettuce do not take the place of each other no matter how you slice it.

You may choose lettuce or spinach; sunflower seeds or chia seeds; avocados or olives; a zucchini or a cucumber – but you won't say “Do I want to eat walnuts today or kale?” They can not take the place of one another, no matter what volume you eat.

Trying to meet all of your energy needs (your calorie needs) with kale is just as crazy as trying to meet you nutritional needs with almonds.

Animal products and seeds are in the same category together: calorie sources. That is their main place in history and their main place today. They are preservable calories that can be kept throughout the winter to stave off starvation. Throughout history we have preserved nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, dried meet, and cheese for the purpose of survival through the hard times.

If you want an optimal experience of life you'll need the most diverse diet you can attain.

There are compounds in foods that are rare. The lycopene found in tomato skin is unusual, the bromelain found in pineapple core is unusual, the papain found in papaya is unusual. You're not likely to get these beneficial compounds if you never eat tomatoes or pineapples or papaya. There are unusual beneficial properties in a tremendous variety of foods. To get these benefits you must eat a tremendous variety of foods.

This does not mean you should eat poisons in moderation.

What I am proposing is not “all things in moderation.”

That is incorrect.

It is “all good things in moderation” and poisons are never good.

My charts contain foods that are most certainly good, especially if they are fresh and organic or better yet – home grown or wild.

Perhaps most importantly, these charts contain foods that are commonly consumed and available at your local produce store.

What you'll find in this information-loaded book:

32 incredible charts including 15 charts comparing foods by their type. These first 15 charts contain:

• 10 Fresh Sweet Fruits
• 10 Sub-Acid & Fatty Fruits
• 10 Fresh Berries
• 10 Melons
• 8 Dried Fruits
• 8 Seeds
• 8 Leafy Greens
• 8 Root Vegetables
• 10 Sprouts
• 10 Fresh Herbs
• 10 Dried Herbs
• 8 Cruciferous Vegetables
• 10 Other Veggies & Squash
• 10 Nuts
• 10 Grains

For a total of 140 different whole foods!

This is a much greater variety than most people consume in the course of a year.

This book will accommodate picky eaters!

These foods are analyzed in these 30 areas: calories, fat, protein, water content, starch, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B9, A, C, E, K, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc, Protein, Lysine, Omega-3, Omega-6 and in their ratios of Omega 3 to Omega 6 as well as their Calcium to Phospherous ratios.

This book will equip you with the precise information you need to solve your individual nutritional needs – without consulting a specialist at the rate of an $arm-and-leg per hour.

In addition, Vitamin Confusion Solution contains 16 charts showing the foods from highest to lowest in each of these categories (for easy trouble-shooting of a known deficiency):

Thiamine, Niacin, Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, Pyridoxine, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Selenium, Zinc, Protein, Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio, Calcium to Phosphorus ratio.

In some of these charts even more than the original 140 foods are included.

There is also a summary of conclusions that can be drawn from the charts included.

That's:

• Over 140 foods analyzed
• Across 30 nutritional categories
• In 32 easy-to-understand charts

Solving a nutritional deficiency will become straight forward with this book!

No more mystery, and no more reading vague articles that claim a certain food is "high" in iron. No more incomplete information floating around in your brain confusing and clouding your decisions. You'll be able to act with certainty. No more hours seeking answers without finding concrete information.

These charts are based on the official USDA suggested daily allowances and food data, but compiled as you've never see them before.

"How do I know what nutritional deficiency I might have?"

Scroll down to learn about analyzing probable deficiencies. Or, if you already know about your deficiencies and are ready to solve them, buy now.

For a limited time, this book can be bought in a collection for a significant discount with my nutritionally complete meal plans and recipe book. Click here to learn more about getting the whole collection or scroll down to get Vitamin Confusion Solution.

$62.00

"How do I know what nutritional deficiency I might have?"

Well, that's fairly easy. You can get a blood test and have your levels checked which is fairly inexpensive and sometimes even covered by health insurance. Here is an easy way to start: See which cluster(s) of symptoms below sounds like your own symptoms.

Calcium Deficiency Symptoms Mild case: Joint popping Back pain or shoulder pain Weak, flimsy fingernails Severe case: Bone pain or bone tenderness Muscle cramps Stooped posture Bone fractures	Iron Deficiency Symptoms Mild case: Fatigue Dizziness Irritability Weakness Brittle or grooved nails Severe case: Pica Pallor Hair loss Restless legs syndrome Impaired immune function Painful atrophy of the mucous membrane covering the tongue, the pharynx and the esophagus
B1-B9 Deficiency Symptoms Mild case: Depression or apathy Skin irritation Sunlight sensitivity Fatigue Aggression or irritability Increased heart rate Muscle cramps Hypoglycemia (increased insulin sensitivity) Headaches Serve case: Sore tongue Convulsions Tingling, swelling or loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet (numbness) Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs Mental confusion/speech difficulties Involuntary eye movements (nystagmus) Vomiting Red skin lesions Insomnia Mental confusion Diarrhea Dilated cardiomyopathy Behavior disorders And even: Dementia and schizophrenia	Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms Mild case: Hyperexcitability Dizziness Muscle cramps Muscle weakness Fatigue Severe case: Hypocalcemia Low serum potassium levels (hypokalemia) Retention of sodium Low circulating levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) Muscle spasms Loss of appetite Nausea Vomiting Personality changes Death from heart failure
Potassium Deficiency Symptoms Mild case: Elevated blood pressure Endlessly dehydrated (always thirsty) Severe case: Muscular weakness Myalgia Muscle cramps Constipation	Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms Mild case: Lethargy, malaise and fatigue Skin spots Severe case: Spongy gums Abundant spots on legs Pallor Depression And even: teeth loss, fever and death
Vitamin A Deficiency Symptoms The World Health Organization estimates 13.8 million children to have some degree of visual loss related to a Vitamin A deficiency. Mild case: Difficulty adjusting to changes in light Night blindness Severe case: Impaired immune function Cancer Failure to produce tears Loss of vision	Zinc Deficiency Symptoms Mild case: White spots on the nails Slow healing cuts, scrapes and bruises Acne Severe case: Skin lesions Diarrhea Abnormal taste and smell function Poor memory
Omega 3 Deficiency Symptoms Mild case: Fatigue Dry skin Eczema Mood swings or depression Poor circulation Severe case: Poor memory Immune weakness Hair loss Heart problems Reproductive problems

Ready to be rid of these pesky debilitating problems?

Buy now:

$62.00

I wish you a life free from nutritional deficiencies and abundant in vitality!

~ Raederle

Click here to return to the top.

Bikram Yoga: Benefits, Tips & "Is it for you?"

Bikram yoga differs from other yoga more dramatically than I expected. Heated to 105ºF with humidity at 40%, just entering the room is an experience all by itself. Bikram is like doing yoga in a sauna in that respect. But much more importantly, the series of postures are designed with specific medical benefits in mind that are more powerfully achieved by the addition of heat and humidity.

Bikram Yoga's Lymphatic System Impact

I've personally struggled with a lot of lymphatic build-up issues, particularly around my thyroid and other throat glands. I've co-taught classes on the lymphatic system. Many years ago I bought a fancy rebounder (trampoline) and I enjoy using it and demonstrating its use to others. I practice lymphatic massage, and get a lymphatic massage done on my face and chest several times per week. So when I say this class has a dramatic impact on my lymphatic system, I know what I'm talking about and I'm really not kidding.

Dramatic. Impact.

After my first two classes I had one of my routine lymphatic massages on my face. The forehead-presses that usually feel intense as my stagnant lymph fluid is forced into motion felt . . . uninteresting. No particular pain. Just some pressure. Then my eyebrow area (a huge build-up area, especially for me) was also quite clear. And my sinus area. Everything had drained from the top portion of my head. The glands around my ears and throat were tender as if I'd already received a very intense session of lymphatic massage.

After a short amount of lymphatic massage on my throat and ear area, the soreness was incredibly relieved, and I didn't have that sense that I wanted more, more, more as I often do. It has been hard for me to feel like I could ever get enough squeezing and wringing of my lymphatic system.

I've done many other forms of yoga, even taking as many as four back-to-back classes, and never have I had Bikram results. I've done saunas, hot-tubs, and run a humidifier in my room, but these have not had the same results as Bikram either. There is a magic in its combination of heat, humidity, postures, timing and potentially more.

Friendly Bikram Atmosphere

It is also the friendliest yoga class I've ever attended. Maybe that's just the studio – Pure Sweat, in Ithaca, NY. Upon reading about other studios, I have discovered that mine might be unusual. For example, one article tells me that carpeting is a common feature of Bikram, but the class I took had wonderfully clean floors that felt warm and comforting to my bare feet.

I believe one reason this class is so friendly is because of the "shared ordeal" aspect. Most feel that they've just gone through the wringer after class, creating a sense of camaraderie. There is also a timing aspect. The women's changing room is full of women stripping off wet clothing, showering and putting on fresh clothing after class. That takes a lot more time than the "clean up" after a typical yoga class. Why not talk to each other? And so we do. Naked. It's really quite nice.

Bikram Mindset

Like most yoga classes I've taken, the teacher dictates directions while walking around the room and occasionally offering individual advice. My first three classes have had three different teachers. Most of what they say is the same, but their individual flares do make a difference. Some speak faster and more high-pitched. Some speak slower and more low-pitched. I prefer the later, as it gets me into a more deeply relaxed state.

Speaking of which, another difference about Bikram is the mirrors and the emphasis on keeping one's eyes open. "Stay alert," the teacher says, "Keep your eyes open." And "watch yourself in the mirror." This disturbed me at first. I'm used to yoga being an internal exploration. I feel my body more easily and more completely with my eyes closed. I'm more present with my eyes closed. I was tempted to just ignore the directive to keep my eyes open (which came again and again), but I decided to really keep my eyes open for my entire third class.

Well, something interesting happened: Integration. It is typical for us to dissociate the meditative part of ourselves with the busy-bee aspect of ourselves. Yoga tends to be a soft-gaze, meditative practice. Our daily life tends to be more of a busy-bee nature. By harnessing my meditative self and my analytical self simultaneously, I found myself entering a deeper state of ease and balance.

Perhaps this was only possible because I've been striving to integrate these aspects of self through multiple forms of consciousness alchemy since 2013. Or maybe anyone could increase their integration through Bikram, regardless of where they are now with their consciousness development.

Bikram is a much more form-focused practice. Instead of focusing on marrying breath to movement (like vinyasa flow yoga), or listening to your body (which is the highest practice, above all other practices in my opinion), the focus is on staying in good form and going as deeply as you can into each posture without causing yourself any sharp pain.

This focus, at first blush, put me off. But I felt so good after my first class, I stuck with it. To my astonishment, I'm realizing that this focus also lends itself to integration. It is giving my busy-bee analytical mind a lot to stay busy with. Instead of turning off my analytical mind, I'm engaging it. I'm bringing my analytical mind together in harmony with my feeling-based aspects of self.

Who Takes Bikram Yoga?

I was also surprised at the diversity of the Bikram classes. In a class of twelve, I'm seeing an average of three elderly people, three middle-aged people and six younger people. I'm seeing at least three men per class. I'm seeing at least four significantly overweight people per class. Clearly a wide variety of people are drawn to this yogic practice.

Handling Bikram's 105ºF Heat

Many people have trouble getting past the 105ºF aspect of the class. But this isn't as challenging as I imagined it would be – with a few key pointers.

• Don't wipe sweat. Sweating is urinating out the skin. Toxins are leaving the body. Wiping it pushes some of it back in and can cause the skin to burn and become irritated. Also, the layer of moisture on the skin has a cooling, regulating impact.
• Bring an insulated canteen – or two! I bring my two quart-sized, insulated Klean Kanteens with the sport-caps for easy drinking during class. Put room-temperature water in your canteens and you'll be drinking water that is 65º to 75ºF while you're in a 105ºF room. This feels refreshing and helps keep your body regulated. (Don't use cold water in your canteens or you will shock your digestive system and negate some of the benefits of Bikram.)
• Dress appropriately. For me, I've found that slightly loose clothing that covers me down past my elbows and knees work best. It takes longer for the heat to penetrate when you're wearing clothing, creating a slower, more gradual temperature increase in your muscles. It also means you keep an air pocket next to your body, creating further regulation and temperature stability. Most, however, choose to wear short shorts and sport bras.
• Hydrate thoroughly both during and before the class. If you're even remotely thirsty before class, drink. Drink some even if you don't feel thirsty. The more hydrated you are, the more you will adapt well to the temperature. (Don't chug your water though. This can cause nausea or stomach cramps.)
• Don't leave the room even if you feel dizzy or highly uncomfortable. Lay down in savasana pose (on your back) and breathe calmly while holding your body still, at ease. Wait for the dizziness to subside, sip some water, and drop back into class. Don't be embarrassed to do this as many times as you need to. I've seen it a lot, and done it too. You'll still get a lot of benefit from the class.
• Avoid dense or inflammatory foods, particularly in the hours leading up to class. Save dense foods for a couple hours after class, or six hours prior to class. This will help with heat regulation because digestion itself generates a lot of heat, especially when what you're eating is inflammatory (such as conventional/pasteurized dairy products, wheat products, etc).

I've been surprised to find myself handling the heat better than many people who've been taking the class for ten or more years. I strongly believe it is because of the above choices that I make. Also, I wear all natural fibers – organic cotton primarily. Some recommend synthetic clothing for staying cool, but science and experience both tell me that synthetic fibers are not good for our health. (Polyester contains an estrogen-mimicking component that irritates hormonal balance, particularly in women.)

Is Bikram Good for Weight Loss?

Considering how many more overweight people I'm seeing at Bikram than at other classes, people must believe that. One study of Bikram showed that participants burned 330 to 450 calories during a ninety-minute Bikram session. That may not sound impressive, but given the benefits I'm literally feeling in my thyroid, I think this practice is about more holistic benefit than calorie burning.

Bringing one's mind into balance with one's body is (in my well-studied opinion) the most important part of weight-loss. If you want to change your body's form, you have to change your thought forms. What you eat, what you do, and what you feel all work together to create what you look like. If you want to look healthier, sexier and slimmer, then Bikram has many components that will help with that.

However, if you use Bikram practice as an excuse to eat a bunch of unhealthy food that you've now "earned," you're unlikely to get the full benefits of Bikram, and unlikely to loose much weight. If you're craving salt and oil after class, have an oily, salty salad. No kidding! You'll be amazed how great simple salad tastes a couple hours after class.

Sweating Out Electrolytes at Bikram

During class you'll sweat out a lot of electrolytes along with toxins and water. This means that drinking water alone isn't going to replenish your body. In particular, potassium and sodium balance needs to be restored. Drinking a smoothie with coconut water and/or bananas will help with potassium. Eating a large salad with sea salt (or pink salt, or Hawai'ian red salt, or French gray salt, or pan-salt, or a mixture of all of these) is a very good idea. Which ever you're craving more – potassium or sodium – lets you know which one you need more.

You will also find that foods rich in magnesium will help your muscles recover faster and more completely between classes. For a complete chart of what foods are rich in what, check out my Ultimate Nutrition Reference Guide. Or, if you want the easy answer – eat leafy greens!

Don't turn to sugared electrolyte drinks. While these are rich in the electrolytes they claim, the sweeteners will harm your pancreas and liver over time, negating many of the benefits to your organs that Bikram is bringing you.

Another aspect of sweating so much is the smell. On my second class I couldn't believe how rank I smelled to myself. At first I thought perhaps someone had peed, but then I realized that was my own sweat. I usually have to pee a lot, even during a short one-hour yoga class. But in these ninety-minute Bikram classes, I have yet to need to pee during class once. I've realized that this is because I'm sweating out the toxins and acids instead of urinating them out. No wonder I smelled so rank!

Interestingly, my friend had the same experience with her second class – feeling that her own smell reminded her of urine in an unpleasant way. The good news is that it gets better. By my fourth class I felt like I knew what to anticipate, and my sweat was much cleaner. Only four classes and I'm already experiencing cleaner sweat. Incredible, right?

Does The Yoga Room Stink?

You might think the whole room smells bad considering what I just wrote above, but to my surprise, it doesn't seem to. Perhaps this varies depending on the studio, but at Pure Sweat, Ithaca, NY, my experience has been that the room is surprisingly neutral. I'm very sensitive to odors and fumes, so I'm guessing this is due to a good air recirculation system.

Can I Do Bikram At Home?

This was one of my own questions, and on day five, I did it. This was remarkable for me. Prior to January 2017, I'd never managed more than a twenty-minute practice at home. I started doing yoga back in 2009, and in eight years – not more than twenty minutes! The peer pressure was required to pull me through. I could teach a full class to others, but not manage them on my own.

But doing Bikram at home was different. I had the weight of four prior days in a row driving me forward. The teachers' voices were fresh in my mind. And there was the added challenge of remembering all the postures in their sequence. My ego got involved in a good way. (That's a life hack for a healthy mind and body: get your ego working for the benefit of your whole self!)

It is important to remember that heat and humidity is part of the practice. To accomplish this, I chose my bathroom. Running the shower on maximum heat with the shower curtain shut and the tub plugged, I created a humid environment. The hot water building in the tub helped to retain heat and moisture in the room. I put the space heater to its highest settings, closed the bathroom door and put a towel at the base of the door to prevent air from escaping.

Of course, before doing all of this I did the usual preparations: water canteens, appropriate clothing, yoga mat and towel. I set an alarm for ninety minutes and left it on the opposite side of the bathroom door to let me know when I was done. (That's right, I didn't look at a clock the entire time. Impressive, huh?)

And then I did the practice from memory. Five times I went back and did a posture I had forgotten in its appropriate sequence, but I remembered all of them by the end, and ended right in line with the timer. Incredible. I'm not sure if others could repeat my performance after four days of Bikram in a row. Please do feel free to try it and let me know how it goes!

The advantages of doing it at home:

• No waiting in line for a shower or worrying about others waiting for you. This allows a deeper clean. I showered with hot water first, then cold.
• No transportation; no gasoline used, no transit time.
• No tuition.
• Test your memorization, focus and discipline.

The advantages of doing it in a studio:

• If you lose your place, the class keeps going and you jump back in.
• They provide the heat and humidity and clean/maintain the space for you.
• You get to meet other people interested in this healthy practice.
• You get to see yourself in the large full-wall mirrors.
• Peer pressure carries you forward even when you feel like you've had enough.
• If you do the posture wrong, you may receive highly beneficial correction.

All in all, doing Bikram at home seems unlikely to be practical for most people, but I'm glad I discovered that I could maintain my practice at home on a snowy, slippery day.

Should You Take Bikram?

If you're looking for a different experience, or a new challenge, then go for it. Try two classes. And yes, try two. The second class really feels different from the first. Whether or not you take it up as an ongoing practice from there will be up to you. It is a time commitment, but I'm noticing that I'm meeting a lot of different needs all at once with Bikram:

• Socializing
• Challenging myself
• Integrating my analytic and feel-y aspects
• Cardiovascular and muscular exercise
• Stretching
• Lung cleansing
• Lymphatic drainage
• Digestive support
• Full muscular relaxation
• Skin cleansing

Usually I would have to steam my face, jump on my rebounder (trampoline), receive a lymphatic massage, go for a jog, take a bath and exfoliate, receive a stomach massage, visit a sauna, and invite a friend over for board games to accomplish all of the above in one day. Honestly, ninety minutes is very efficient for so many benefits!

And, in conclusion, I personally dub Bikram yoga to be a high form of consciousness alchemy.

~ Raederle Phoenix

The Consciousness Alchemist

How To Save The World | Raederle's Video Collection

Select a video: One Small Town, How Cuba Survived Peak Oil (2006), First Earth: Uncompromising Ecological Architecture

How One Small Town Could Revolutionize Our Economy

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How Cuba Survived Peak Oil (2006)

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