Breaking bread and meeting the Jesus Deck

Street entrance to the Chapel

Yesterday I attended a friendly celebration of Lammas, first harvest, held in the tiny, virtually hidden chapel of St Margaret and Mary Magdalene here in Glastonbury.

When I arrived, Diana, the minister was in a bit of a flap, as she described it, she was experiencing,  "Oven malarky".

She, her volunteers and visitors had been symbolically kneading and shaping bread dough by hand, but the oven, specially purchased for the event, had tragically failed to perform due to  electrical malfunction.



 

Resolute, undeterred, Diana was making arrangements by telephone to use the oven at St Benedict's close by, but was gracious enough to pause and welcome me with warmth, interest and personal attention.
 

View of chapel and garden

I had dual motives for visiting, I liked the idea of a small scale ceremony in such an intimate and private feeling space, that is very much my mood these days.

And I was intrigued by a note on the chapel's facebook page:

'At a loose end on friday afternoon? Come and join us. There may well be some Jesus Deck reading as well.'

Jesus deck readings!?  

I needed to know more, and rummaged around online for some background information on the deck, which is a reprint of an original edition from 1972.


Diana led me along the short length of the chapel lawn, bordered by stunningly well attended flowering plants; it felt to me to be one of the most beautiful and balanced gardens in Glastonbury. The rear bench grants a generous view of the chapel and a true sense of seclusion and safety, though we were only yards away from  a heavily trafficked main road.

Sample card

I could have simply sat and absorbed the bliss of my surroundings, but Diana had the Jesus Deck with her and talked me through it: essentially a summarised pictoral representation of the life of Jesus. A format of 52 cards, divided between the four apostles, plus two 'jokers'.

Diana explained that she didnt perceive the cards to have a divinatory function, but that she did give 'readings' whereby would invite a person to select a card and give a commentary on the episode of the Christ story in question, and that maybe this would be helpful in assisting that person with any current life situations.



She performed this service for me. It was helpful and the card I selected felt pertinent and meaningful. Diana found significance in the colours and imagery and this gave almost a Jungian flavour to her commentary. We discussed my spiritual journey, the cosmopolitan composition of the Glastonbury community and I received a personal prayer.

Symbol of the first harvest

The bread duly arrived. Presented in a variety of shapes that were personalised by the bakers , traditional plaits, twist and cottage loaves and even a a hedgehog!

We used our hands to 'break the bread' and then eat some. Which was warm, crusty outside, soft inside, a little salty, light and good. The feast was completed by a basket of plump, sweet summer berries and enhanced by the steady sunshine and blue sky above.


I took a peek into the main chapel, which I had visited once before, at night, for a session of  the Dances of Universal Peace.

I noticed two delightful icons of female saints that had surely issued from a small painting studio that presently occupies one of the former almshouses. And picked up a copy of the prayer booklet from the ceremony, which I had missed, having arrived late.

Icon of St Margaret

The next formal event at the chapel will be another from the Celtic calender, at Autumn equinox.

The Jesus Deck is available exclusively from The Diocese of Chelmsford Resource Centre: 

Tel: 01245 294405
Email:  resources@chelmsford.anglican.org

Stay up to date with Chapel news and events
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mary-and-Margaret-Charity/

May your harvest be bountiful!

Jennifer

High summer at Glastonbury Healing Gardens

Good things to come!

I set out for the Healing Gardens under a changing sky, indigo clouds with a cool feel to the day. The sound of tall grasses swooshing in the wind accompanied me as I descended the grass pathway to the growing area.

I paused to greet the chickens who clucked and clamoured as I approached their enclosure. And passed young fruit trees carrying their tender offspring: cherries and apples for later in the season.

A little further along, tiny translucent berries ripening steadily illustrated this moment in time - the sweet spot between summer solstice and lammas.


 
 
As I browsed the produce in the planted beds, I noticed that many wild insects were sharing this special place with me. Certain species clearly having an affinity for certain plants: ladybirds on the sage and mint, bees all over the borage and earwigs crawling under the kale.

Exuberance and colour

A delightful sense of harmony spread through me and I thought about how, when we garden with sensitivity and care, nature blesses us with the gifts of her diversity.

The clouds looked as though they might burst at any moment, so I detached myself from my musings and got busy with the day's harvest. Juliet had asked me to pick up some chard and I was interested in salad ingredients for myself.


There was a choice of chard; red, yellow and white stemmed varieties growing comfortably alongside each other. Two types of kale, several lettuce varieties, landcress, rocket, flat leaf parsley and bronze fennel.

I was excited to see so many edible flowers; surely the essence of summer - each a miniature mandala - balance, beauty and perfection on a small scale.  I made my selection with a happy heart.

A nest of onions begging to be picked!

In contrast to the delicate blooms and leaves in the salad beds, heavy, brooding artichokes, robust broad beans like giant's fingers and families of earthy onions asserted a vigorous presence nearby.

I admired a row of strange alien shaped allium heads that rose high into the skyline.



 
Turning to leave, I noted a bed of chard stalks, left on the earth, laid out to decompose and nurture the soil.

The poetry of dead forms

A transparent reminder of the cycle of life, the quiet efficiency of nature endlessly recycling and wasting nothing and the poignancy of death and changing forms.
  
Each time I visit the gardens I feel grateful not only for the wonderful food that nourishes my body, but also for the gentle teachings that I receive wordlessly from the plants and other living creatures.

Healing Gardens indeed.


 
Glastonbury Healing Gardens Co-operative is a year round expanding community project, currently open to new members.

Website: www.GlastonburyHealingGardens.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Glastonbury-Healing-Gardens-Cooperative

View additional pictures from today's visit on my facebook page

Shepton Mallet and Street: A tale of two lidos

Lovely clean 1930's architecture

A scarlet sycamore leaf, curled at the edges and brittle dry floated in the clear blue water. Though the day was warm and sunny, there was an underlying chill and the sense of autumn coming in.

It's the final week of opening for Greenbank outdoor pool in Street, where I have been happily swimming since the start of the season at the end of April.

Membership renewal letters arrive in the first half of April which is massively exciting as one can look to the summer ahead. Today's floating leaf is a sure sign of summer being over and it is indeed bittersweet.

I took a moment to pause, acknowledge and appreciate how much I have loved coming here. The feeling of entering the water at the start of my swim, every day like the first time, receiving the water's warm and supportive embrace and my body expressing joy at the freedom of movement. Ploughing lengths steadily up and down has become a mindfulness practice for me, freeing the mind as I stay present to a new set of sensations in body and breath. The regular sounds of moving water complete the meditation.

Well tended lawns 

My exercise is witnessed by the ever changing British summer skies, and I am an all weather swimmer. I enjoy the hedonistic exuberance of hot high summer when families gather on the lawns, packs of teenagers too and the pool itself becomes a colourful vibrating squawking mass of shrieks, laughter and splashing.

I favour cooler, wet days. My favourite swims this season have been when I have donned my waterproofs, mounted my bicycle and cycled over in the rain, enjoying all the sensations and blessings of water. On such occasions one finds oneself surrounded in steam as warm water from the pool rises and condenses. Heavy downpours and moody black and grey clouds create a dramatic scenery.

When I have completed my swim I like to take a cold shower at the side of the pool, a sturdy hand cranked mechanism. Then scurry into the changing area, also open to the air, for more water therapy from the hot and powerful showers.

Swimming at Greenbank is a community affair. You will see regular faces (and bodies!) in the pool,  many (such as myself) show up for a swim most days. Sporty guys thrashing like sharks, its best to get out of their way! Young girls dart and dive like water nymphs, quick and graceful, young boys bombing and diving until reproached by the lifeguards. Older women swimming two abreast and chatting, reminding me of ducks. Most have a season ticket which makes it very affordable, additional discounts are available for Street residents.

Ladies outdoor showers

Some may not like the idea of swimming in chlorinated water, but as an outdoor pool, fumes evaporate off and honestly it doesn't feel overly chemicalised. And yes I love to swim in lakes, in the ocean, in rivers and under waterfalls too.

Living in town this is a practical and real solution that fits in well with daily life in Glastonbury: Greenbank pool is located three miles away in the commercial town of Street.

Is it heated? I get asked this a lot, usually by people who like the sound of an outdoor swim, but are hesitant because of the cold. I'm quite into the cold water experience and think it supports health and invigorates the body. And the pool is heated to a consistent temperature that is warm enough for most.

As all lidos, Greenbank represents a living history with roots in our once thriving industrial past. It has been granted Grade II listed building status. Taken from the pool's website, here is a brief summary:

Greenbank Pool was a gift to the people of Street from Alice Clark in 1937. The town's prosperity came from the Clark family firm of shoemakers, and the present-day headquarters of Clarks is still based in Street, close to the Pool and the Clark's factory shopping village.

Much of the housing adjacent to the Pool was originally built for factory workers and before the Pool was built the local men and boys used to swim naked in the nearby River Brue. Alice Clark was a strong supporter of womens rights and left money in her will indicating that she wished a pool to be built so that the women and girls would have somewhere to swim.

The Pool is a registered charity held in trust and administered by a management committee.

 

I take delight in the idea of swimming naked in the river Brue, a spot still favoured by some. How charming of Alice Clark to propose a more genteel solution for the town's womenfolk!

Further information and links www.greenbankpool.co.uk 

Lido entrance

I took a couple of dips in another pool, again quite local to Glastonbury, at Shepton Mallet Lido. Another ongoing episode of social history. It's quite a contrast to Greenbank pool and I would not want to compare the two as they are so different in character. 

Shepton Mallet has, to be honest, a somewhat down trodden air, a market town formerly sustained by farming (Shepton = Sheep Town) and now dominated by a new edge of town Tesco and retail park, it speaks the story of many small towns across the UK. The fact that the lido has survived and was redeveloped in recent years speaks of resilience and survival.

The water is ingeniously heated from the industrial process at the immediately adjacent cider factory.  Heat produced when the factory chills its drinks is passed through a system of pipes to the pool. This means that the temperature is not constant.  I was greeted by an handwritten notice, taped to the window, informing me that the pump had broken and it may not be warm enough to swim in. My heart beat a little faster in my chest: a challenge!

Pool with cider factory next door

I paid my fee to the slightly bored attendant who now due to my presence would have to sit outside and watch the pool under the heavy showers.  

It was raining hard, mercurial silver raindrops pelted the pool like bullets. Vast cylindrical metal tanks to one side and rolling Somerset pastureland on the other, somewhat dilapidated social housing ahead it was a curious landscape. 

I was the sole swimmer, and the water was cold, yet refreshingly so. I managed about fifteen minutes, a dozen lengths before I started to lose communication to my limbs. 

The showers and changing facilities are enclosed and basic. I didn't linger. I didnt feel a sense of care and did expect a higher level of hygiene and tidiness. If it were my regular pool I might find this challenging.

Shepton Mallet lido is managed by Avalon Leisure who direct local municipal leisure resources. This means that if you are a member of any local leisure centre, entrance is free or included. I hope that this pool continues to receive support, and also a little love and caring.

Opening times, location and more information from Avalon Leisure  

www.avalonleisure.co.uk/shepton-mallet-lido

Archived article from Mendip Council www.mendip.gov.uk/NewsArticle

Welcoming wet weather

Kitty is unimpressed by wet weather

Let the rain kiss you.  Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.  Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

Langston Hughes 

UK weather always makes for great discussion. Summer 2011 has been hot, balmy, raining, windy, and chilly; changing erratically and frequently, often from hour to hour. Definitely wild and wonderful.

Yesterday it rained a lot. Car-free with an active outdoor lifestyle, I have little choice but to engage with the weather, on the weather's terms.

Much as a barometer, conditions outside permit me to gauge my prevailing mood. As I awaken and open my curtains to reveal the new day, am I irritated by the overcast dawn sky or acquiescent?

In truth, I do enjoy the cooler climate of a British summer. I can be active without overheating and I quite enjoy the variety and unpredictability of weather. I have fond memories of living low impact and watching our ducks as it rained. Traversing the field with joy and enthusiasm, lustily quacking their contentment as they investigated small pools and crevices where water collected; gargling and bobbing with delight.

Christopher Robin explores a large puddle

Young children also show the way. Look, there's a big one! Exclaimed my six year old neighbour as he and his gang stormed a series of puddles which were forming on the pavement. The rain was a good thing! An opportunity for even more fun, adventure and laughter!

As we move through life such playful attitudes tend to harden into annoyance and cynicism. Cycling through Street, I witnessed small clumps of pedestrians protecting themselves under shop awnings; their faces speaking of dismay and discontent.

The inner voice appeared: To be afraid of the weather is to be afraid of life.  Fundamentally all weather is good, it is given to us with love from Mother Earth. There is a bigger picture, we can see it if we choose to widen our view; the weather isn't happening to us; we are part of an integrated living biosphere and our localised experience is part of a powerful, dynamic self-regulating system, deep and wise and intelligent.

Rain gives us an opportunity to rise above thoughts of duality and negativity: sunny weather = good; wet weather = bad. Such thinking is never helpful and keeps us in a state of disconnect from our true, loving  spirit. 

Keep smiling and carry on

Summer is as much as anything a state of mind; I bought  a beautiful bouquet of sunny golden and orange flowers, to evoke the warmth and light of the sun; instant upliftment.

I took an awesome swim in a near empty outdoor pool. The warm steam rising, the rhythms of  breath and  moving water under moody grey skies made for a very lovely experience.

Lifeguards sat stoically under large umbrellas in bulky cagoules and us few swimmers smiled at each other, acknowledging our happiness and good fortune.

I have a pair of waterproof trousers that fold small that I carry around. When I wear them I feel fearless and intrepid, quite childlike. I can greet the rain with glee and positivity, I can keep going, it's just different, that's all. The gentle summer rain is a blessing;  a thousand sweet kisses falling on my face.

Later in the afternoon I joined friends at a poetry gathering in a mongolian yurt on the lower slopes of Glastonbury Tor. The theme: Earthmatters. The rain was powerful, striking the canvas forcibly, thunder and lightning echoing outside the thin skin. This added a dramatic dimension to our chants, stories and songs, a natural percussion.

A reminder that we are supposed to be living much much closer to nature and all the elements. Changing weather is a dance that we are invited to participate it and not hide away from behind heavy walls and technology. Everything can be fully felt and celebrated. An invitation to presence and aliveness. 

Wet is a physical sensation, just as dry is. A contrast. Modern lives protect us from such extremes and I wonder whether in our search for maximising comfort something primal and vital been lost. 

It's only rain and I love it.

Your thoughts?

Jennifer

  

Love your summer skin with coconut oil

Here in the UK we are enjoying a much appreciated steady spell of warm, sunny weather. One of the great joys of summer is baring my skin to the air. I love to feel the heat of the sun penetrate me almost to the bone, stimulating vitamin D production and giving a golden glow.

I believe that our skin functions best in a warm climate where it is exposed to air, breeze and the unseen subtle energies of the natural environment.  We also get to sweat which is a normal and healthy function and one way in which the skin and the whole body detoxifies and self-cleanses.

During high summer, the skin needs a minimal routine. Now is not the time to overload the body with heavy oils, creams and unguents. However it is important to pay attention to preventing sunburn and to be mindful that prolonged sun exposure can lead to aging, which is essentially accelerated cellular damage. 

Jar of creamy goodness

My summer skincare solution is close at hand, in the kitchen cupboard.  I reach for coconut oil.  Often a misnomer in a northern European climate where it is usually waxy, opaque and solid at room temperature and sometimes labelled coconut butter, the higher summer temperatures cause the butter to slightly melt into a soft gloopy mass: not quite a liquid, but soft enough to give a delicious sensual experience as I dip my fingers into the jar.

It gets smeared onto face, arms and backs of hands, anywhere that is exposed and receptive. You can even run your fingers through your hair and give yourself a scalp massage. Warmed by the heat of the hands, coconut butter/oil spreads quickly and is absorbed easily, doesn’t leave a greasy film and begins at once imparting its goodness. I love the simplicity and playfulness of looking after myself this way, this is not an elaborate beauty ritual!

Nature provides and the health benefits are well documented: coconut oil contains a superior level of anti-oxidants which counter cell degradation caused by free radicals in our diet and environment. Coconut oil contains good fats, complex and stable tri-glycerides which are digested or assimilated through the skin. It is rich in polyphenols and vitamin E and has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

  

In ayurveda, coconut oil is promoted for its cooling properties, hence its particular suitability for summer use and for the face and scalp (the head should generally not be heated).

Coconut grove, south India

The scent of coconut oil is instant summer.  As I move through the day, I receive delicious wafts of fragrance which carry me away to the tropical beaches of Kerala in south India, where every part of the coconut seed and plant are used  for food, drink, construction and devotional worship and more.

My preferred brand of coconut oil which I recommend to you comes from UK based food co-operative Essential Trading. Ethically produced, reasonably priced and widely available at health stores it comes in a large, wide mouthed jar so you can get your hand in and be generous!  Buy online here.

Love the summer! Love your skin!

Jennifer

Glastonbury high summer highlights

Glastonbury is a cosmic vortex, attracting a powerful inflow of healers, artists, poets, musicians, shamans and spiritual teachers from across the globe. High summer here is always an exuberant, colourful and passionate time of fun and festival, celebration and connection.

The next couple of weeks are packed with great events which I am looking forward to very much and recommend wholeheartedly:

Tuesday 19th July

Muriel Sings! New album launch

Hundred Monkeys Cafe
High St,  Glastonbury 7pm - 9pm

www.murielsings.com

Wednesday 20th July

The Overtone Project with Paul Terrell and Ravi

Shekinashram, Dod Lane 7pm - 9pm
www.shekinashram.org 

Friday 22nd July- Saturday 23rd July

BioBlitz Wildlife count and camp out

Glastonbury Abbey 2pm start for 24 hours

www.glastonburyabbey.com 

 

Saturday 23rd July
Herb Walk with Jenny Gaze

Glastonbury Abbey 10.30am - 1pm
www.jennygaze.com 

Monday 25th July

Love and Thanks to Water Ceremony

Chalice Well, Chilkwell Street 12pm - 1pm
www.chalicewell.org.uk 

Thursday 28th July

Singing Awake the Seven Goddesses

Workshop with Anique Radiant Heart

Glastonbury Goddess Conference

Glastonbury Town Hall  2.30pm - 5.30pm
ww.goddessconference.com 

Sunday 31st August

Sacred Sound Journeys

Adrian Freedman, Ravi and Tabla Tom

Shekinashram, Dod Lane, Glastonbury

6.30pm - 9.30pm
www.adrianfreedman.com 

Tuesday 2nd August

 Kirtan with David Newman

Shekinashram, Dod Lane, Glastonbury

7.15pm - 9.30pm
www.davidnewmanmusic.com 

I hope that you can be here as the magic unfolds...
Blessings of abundant joy and sunshine

Jennifer

Summer yoga: creating a balanced practice with ayurveda

Peaceful, easy twist

I love, love, love the summer; the bright, early mornings are a perfect call to practice. Holding the sun in my heart I begin my sun salutations with a joyful spirit. The body is warmer and looser in the summer and it should be possible to sustain a vigorous asana practice. 

Here are some suggestions: 

 - Surya namaskara; between three to five each of type 'A' and 'B' from the classic astanga vinyasa practice. Or vary the classic hatha sequence; introduce a standing twist following warrior. 

 - Use the power and energy of a strong inhalation to sustain standing poses such as garudasana and utkatasana, holding each for five slow breaths, maintain drishti!

 - Explore backbends and twists more deeply; the exhilaration and freedom of urdhva dhanurasana is hard to beat! 

Now for balance: let us not be tempted to create a one-sided yang practice; imbalance is the cause of stress and ultimately injury and illness in the body and mind. Ayurveda advises us to temper the pitta or fire element of summer with measures that cool the constitution. We wish to avoid overheating the body and the emotions! 

Meditative shoreline practice at dusk

 - Favour the cool early morning or dusk. Refrain from practising between midday and three pm when the sun's energy is most powerful.

- Enjoy strong poses, but release any forcefulness or competitive thoughts. Don't be tempted to push yourself  further or deeper; cultivate a relaxed attitude of lightness and playful enquiry.

 - Counterpose strong asana with restorative poses: forward bends and supine twists. Lengthen your exhalation in these poses and surrender deeply, allowing the body to fully relax.

 - Practice in loose clothing made from natural fibres, light colours if possible: pale blue, green and white evoke the cooling tones of  nature. 


 - During meditation, focus on heart centred loving thoughts; releasing irritations and frustrations towards oneself or others.  Metta meditation is great and so is the Buddhist mantra: Lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu May all beings be happy and well.

 - Visualisation: walking along a shoreline at dawn or dusk, feeling the cooling breeze upon your skin, soothed by the calming flow of the waves. 

 - Post-practice: drink plenty of water. For extra benefit add a 30ml shot of pure aloe vera juice.
 
Enjoy your yoga and stay well!

Recommended reading : Yoga and Ayurveda by David Frawley
View additional photos from my visit to Goa, March 2009  on facebook

Summer sprouting, foraging and juicing tips

Vigorous young dandelions, Chalice Hill

Summer is a great time for juicing. Ayurveda instructs us that summer is the season of pitta, fire.  Thus to maintain health through natural balance we need to cool ourselves. Juices are ideal in this regard and can be taken in lieu of meals.

Nature provides: in tropical climates, coconuts grow abundantly and provide excellent nutrition as well as a sweet and delicious drink.

Here in the UK, with a decidedly cooler climate we can make the best of what is offered to us. There are some marvellous water rich lettuces growing well, romaine or cos has the highest nutrient density and juices nicely as part of a light and refreshing green lemonade. I picked up some squat, knobbly cucumbers grown at a local farm, a welcome change from their sleek, smooth skinned cousins.

If you can make peace with the food miles and include European produce, then melons are a good buy at the moment and juice well on their own. The holy grail of melons for me is the dark skinned, red fleshed watermelon; if organic I will juice the rind, where 90% of nutrients are to be found. And then munch down on the slippery dark seeds, nothing gets wasted! The resultant juice is a murky brown; don't be put off; it tastes wonderful!

Fresh new nettle growth, Wick Hollow

The recent contrasting weather of heavy rain and blasting sunshine has reinvigorated the hedgerows of Glastonbury. I have renewed my foraging for wild greens, which adds robustness to summer juices.  My favourite leaves right now are dandelion and nettle. I am looking for new growth as this is where the vitality and vigour of the plant is to be found.

Dandelion leaves should be young: bright green, erect and bursting with life. Older leaves are darker, tired looking and with the classic toothed appearance. Leave behind any nettles that have flowered, their life force is now in the reproductive parts of the plant. Live and let live, let the plant complete its cycle. Look instead for fresh new growth, low to the ground. I pick off the tips, the first few centimeters only.

Sun scorched wheatgrass in recovery!

At home, I have had to modify my sprouting methods. I am finding that everything I plant wants to bolt towards the light. The perspex covered annex which perfectly supports my mini plant kingdom during spring and autumn in summer is conducive to yellowed wheat grass tips and leggy baby sunflower greens.

I  moved operations to a cooler, darker spot and mist more frequently, this seems to do the trick.

Recipe for green summer lemonade:

Whole cucumber, skin on 

Head of romaine lettuce

Melon of choice

Handful of fresh mint

Juice all ingredients, adjusting quantities to taste.  Drink as soon as possible after juicing, ideally immediately. Share with friends and bless Mother Earth for her gifts!

Celebrating midsummer in Glastonbury

View of Glastonbury town from Bushy Coombe

We celebrated summer solstice on June 21st; the longest day in our calendar  and the start of high summer. This year on hiatus from Glastonbury festival, I spent my time in the town and its environs.

Midsummer is more than a moment in time, it is a mini season and it is a mood, a state of being. A time to feel colourful, joyful, with good physical energy and aliveness.

I'm sharing a few personal moments via photographs taken in recent days and letting the images speak for themselves. I  kept my schedule loose and unstructured, plenty of walks in the leafy lanes around Glastonbury Tor and low key gatherings with friends.

Sheep grazing Glastonbury Tor

View across to Wearyall Hill

 

New Moon fire ceremony

Bushy Coombe

 

    White Spring lovingly tended                   Urban poppy growing wild

 Sacred song circle and evening fire

It has been wonderfully nourishing and subtle. I look forward to many happy days ahead as summer unfolds.

 

Summer solstice living foods salad

Living mandala of Gaia's gifts

Wow, commented my neighbour, You should take a photo of that!  She had dropped by as I was  preparing lunch - a huge salad.

Making salad has become a ritual, absorbing and gratifying. I include significant amounts of raw plant foods which are alkalising, water rich and high in enzymes, anti-oxidants, phytonutrients. Living foods look and taste amazing, containing prana, chi, essential life force and subtle divine energies.

Now we are at midsummer, the sun energies are their most powerful. Ayurveda tells us this is the time of pitta, fire. Raw foods are recommended to cool any overheating and maintain seasonal balance. Noon, being the pitta time of day when our internal digestive fire agni is highest is the optimum time to eat raw foods. We pretty much know intuitively to eat salads for our summer lunches.

Early morning harvest

I am into rainbow colours, I love my food to look joyful and uplifting. I've been enjoying high levels of physical energy and vitality this solstice time and the exuberance of this fruity, alive food seem to be reflecting my happiness and vitality back to me.

Very little planning is required with salads, one simply selects what looks good and super fresh. I grow a variety of sprouts, herbs and edible flowers. I hunt around the garden for any unexpected goodies and am an avid forager. Sometimes I am gifted produce grown by friends, which seems to taste best of all!

Summer solstice living foods salad contains:

Nasturtiums are easy to grow from seed

Selection of leaves  
Baby sunflower greens
Alfafa sprouts 
Sprouted mung beans 
Sugar snap peas 
Cherry tomatoes
Chestnut mushrooms
Garden peas from pod
Nasturtium flowers
Fennel fronds
Raspberries 
Blueberries
Apple
Orange and yellow bell pepper
Soaked nuts and seeds : almond, pumpkin, sunflower, hazelnut

Dressing: pure fresh lemon juice, unpasteurised apple cider vinegar, flax oil, dried sea vegetables, ground black pepper and cinnamon

Tip : Soak nuts and seeds overnight in a small bowl filled with cold, pure water, rinse and drain before serving. This improves nutritional value and digestibility.

Selected living food links:

Read my about raw food journey on my (archived) blog
Ecstatic Raw

A great book, thorough discussion of the rainbow plant diet with many awesome recipes:
Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine