Lawn or Lunch?
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Question: Look at the above picture, what do you see; a lawn?
Look closer
Some see a lawn with weeds - dandelions, & blue violets. [see materia medica blog for pic and details]
Both have wonderful cleansing properties when they bloom in spring.
By eating what Mother Nature provides, when she provides it, is to accept food as medicine - living in the pace of nature, and living abundance consciousness in your paradise. [see details of dandelions & violets in the Materia Medica blog]
So do you see a lawn, or lunch?
I see lunch!
Here is my lunch for the day.
Basmati rice, mung beans, dandelion greens (left side of plate), homemade ghee on top center surrounded by blue violets flowers and leaves. Homemade yogurt-turned-into-lassi. Homemade paneer (bottom of plate), and raisins (potentially dried from my grape vine).
Milk is from my neighbor’s organic cows, and made into ghee, paneer and lassi. It may be possible to grow my own organic rice, wheat and beans...we shall see what the future holds. On Memorial Day weekend, I’ll be planting fruit bushes, and fruit and vegetable seeds in the organic garden.
So each season may yield apples, pears, apricots, grapes, amalaki (gooseberry), currants, elderberries, blueberries, watermelons, musk melons, tomatoes, and a slew of vegetables. Some foods, like apples, potatoes, yams, and kale will keep over 4-6 months so they may be eaten over the winter and into the early spring.
I may be able to grow enough Poplar Hybrid trees for my own firewood and lumber needs, and build a rock hut from the abundance of shale in this earth.
Sure some of this will require initial heavy labor, but it is healthy honest labor, under blue skies and sweet fresh air, living at nature’s pace. And yes, honestly there are some tough days, but everyone faces tough days, but even when things are toughest, I get to be cradled in my nature paradise.
And once the basics are in place (garden, trees, etc), little effort will be then required to obtain these gifts, and instead of working to pay bills, there is more time to rejoice in nature, pursue other dharma interests, and help others develop and live their peace & paradise.
Already I’m finding time to study western herbs, as they are what grows here; many are also Ayurvedic herbs, like the cooking spices. I need to find time to use organic dyes for my clothes, some artwork, and for my students who are musicians, music collaboration.
Someday I envision having a cow, a lama and a horse, for milk, sweaters, and riding the range. I have two paradises - here in Butternuts, and in Uttarkashi India. Part of the I see myself living in India.
If the experiment is a success it will provide a deeper connection with nature and soul, and become more intertwined in nature’s rhythms.
What’s your vision of peace and paradise? If my experiences to date are any indication, you too can achieve your God-visions - be they city, suburban, or country living.
So what is your answer, lawn or lunch? I know how I am answering the question. Who said there is no such thing as a free lunch? Now that’s abundance consciousness!
From the ashram farm (we grow peace);
from Peace & Paradise Farm;
from Blueberry Hill Farm;
from Apple Orchid Farm;
from Raspberry Ranch;
from Hanuman Heaven;
from Shiva’s Shale Site
from Krishna Korner;
From Aum Acres;
to all of you who are blending East & West, peace & paradise, spirit and mundane,
Wishing you peace & paradise, and may your God visions come true.
Swami Sadashiva
