At the heart of immersion

There is something to be said about immersion. I recall when I moved from private contract work where I was independent, responsible for a global change in policy direction, and making my own decisions, to working within a bureaucratic system. Suddenly I found myself responding rather than creating, locked into set time frames, and most humiliating for me, living in the world of a cubicle like in Dilbert.

I sat in my cubicle silently kicking and screaming in my heart, that this was not me. As time elapsed I found myself in the rhythm of the expectations, the nature of the work, and the culture of the environment. I found myself immersed in that life for over 7 years. I learned the language, I played by the rules of the game (sort of), and I even became captain of a team. For me it was a painful immersion because it really wasn’t what I wanted. But rather I believed it was something I had to do.

Immersion is funny that way. No matter how much you may want to immerse yourself in a new environment, language, or lifestyle there are moments of discomfort. There is something so comforting about being stuck in a rut. You know what role you are to play, who will say what, and the next step. There is no need to second guess. And if there is a glitch, more than likely you know what to do, to smooth things out.

It’s no different with deciding to make a shift in what you eat. I was pleasantly surprised when a couple approached Jim and me to spend a weekend living a raw food lifestyle with us in our home. We had thought of doing it, but never stepped out of our comfort zone to actively pursue such a radical idea. What worked well was that this couple wanted to do this. They approached us. They shared what they wanted to learn. They helped design the 2-day raw immersion retreat. [Go to Rawsome Living Foods to learn more about Raw-Immersion Retreats.]

The jury is still out on how successful this immersion experience was for them in shifting how they will now eat on a daily basis. But within 24 hours, we did hear back from them that they had found a set of sprout shelves and lights so they can grow their own wheatgrass and sunflower sprouts! Sounds like the immersion was the tipping point for them, spearheading them into an exciting path of alternative food preparation.

The key is desire. They were ready. They were looking for something. What we provided opened their hearts and minds, and unleashed their passion for food into new uncharted non-cook books.

Immersion is a heartfelt experience. You may enter into the experience kicking and screaming, as I did. Or you may embrace the experience with open arms. At a visceral level, it will be emotional. Guaranteed. But isn’t that what life is about?

Get off the couch and explore what your heart is saying to you. The next stop may be an immersion into a world you have yet to imagine.

Next time you feel fear, either right after a major decision or just before one, it usually means you’re exactly where you need to be. – The Universe

Cream of Mushroom Soup
Makes 4 servings

• 1 ½ medium zucchini, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 6 crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 4 tablespoons Miso
• 4 tablespoons Tahini
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 – 2 cups water depending on how thin you like your soup
• Slice thinly and marinate extra crimini mushrooms (one per serving) in Tamari and lemon – just to coat – for an hour.
• Can also add juice of 1 lemon for a tarter flavour

Place the water first into the blender – starting with the lesser amount first and then all the other ingredients in the order seen on the list above. Process until smooth. Process longer if you want a ‘warmer’ soup or let it sit out for an hour before serving. Place marinated mushrooms in the bottom of the bowl (or on top), then pour soup over top. Garnish with sprouts and red pepper slices.

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Cream of Mushroom Soup will keep for up to three days.