Name calling: ~~~~ 2/1/06
Recently someone asked me if I was sure my name wasn’t Rebel?
I am absolutely sure as I chose it.
Now, before everyone starts thinking I am angry or defensive at the question, I’m not. It just got me to thinking as many people have either confused my name w/ Rebel or chose to call me that.
First of all, I am not rebellious.
From dictionary.com:
1. To refuse allegiance to and oppose by force an established government or ruling authority.
2. To resist or defy an authority or a generally accepted convention.
3. To feel or express strong unwillingness or repugnance: She rebelled at the unwelcome suggestion.
I’m assuming that most think that #2 would describe me yet, I’m almost totally the opposite. It takes too much energy to resist or defy. There’s a difference between celebrating all of life ~ whatsoever ~ and defiance. As a matter of fact, I don’t much care or even know what is generally accepted ~ since so many people are split on so many topics ~ what does that mean anymore ~ and actually, why would I care?
In fact, now that I’m looking at the definitions, it seems to me many are more rebellious than I as they tend to strongly express their repugnance to something they are not familiar with.
Having said all that, let me explain a bit about my name:
First of all, as I’ve said, I chose it. In many cultures, as a person matures, they change, or have their name changed to express who they are. For me, I changed mine as my sub-personalities became more integrated and, in order to live up to something ~ not in rebellion or defiance of anything.
Secondly, it is a take-off of the word “revel” as in to celebrate life; It also means reveille ~ the sound in the morning to awaken and finally, to me, it also means to reveal ~ since to reveal (to oneself first) is to heal. IF one is not aware of background energy fields and/or subpersonalities, then one cannot live ones’ life in awareness, aliveness and full celebration of life.
Thirdly, for me, I never call someone “out of their name” as it is a sign of direspect. In some cultures they never even use a person’s given name. Personally, I will go out of my way to say their full name (if they wish to use it) and learn to pronounce it correctly as a sign of respect for them and who they are

Raw and detox ~~~~ 1/14/06
When I talk about raw foods ~ and being raw, that!s exactly what I mean ~ 100% raw. There are slight exceptions such as spices ~ not knowing at what temperature they!ve been heated to during the drying process and occasionally herbal, non-caffeinated teas,
although, pouring boiling water on them does not, in my opinion, constitute being raw.
When one chooses to go raw, they will usually feel way more energy, alive and vital. Invariably they will soon feel the effects of detoxing their body. Depending on their previous food program and their use of drugs ~ otc or prescription (or otherwise), and their age, the detox may be slight or it may be heavy. Often they forget how they felt during the previous two weeks and will say something like “I felt better when I was eating cooked”.
One thing to keep in mind at this time is ~ if cooked food was good for you, why and how is it your body needs to detox from it?

Drama/Trauma ~~~~ 9/6/05
One thing I’ve noticed on forums ~ and it really doesn’t matter which one ~ is that people are into drama. They will come on and one thing after another is happening in their lives ~ none of it good. What’s really funny is, if one tells them how to get out of that drama/trauma vortex, they don’t want to hear it. They just love to complain about their lives.

The last forum I spent any time on people constantly complained about their relationships. I noticed the majority of them didn’t want to do what it took to heal their relationship, they just wanted to vent and/or massage their ego. Many also wanted support no matter how stupid they were acting...and, of course, many gave them support since it’s also how they run their lives.

In the most recent forums I’m on, every day eating raw is a struggle. They HAVE to tell people about what they’ve done; they HAVE to complain about their relationships with their children, husband, relatives, etc. Yes, these forums are created as support groups. Thing is, why support people in their neurosis? There are some who, when told how to change things ~ take immediate action. THOSE people deserve support. The ones who come on time after time with their “woe is me” attitudes do not deserve the time it takes to write “no comment”. After awhile one knows not to read a post started by certain people since we pretty much know it’s going to be another drama. What I find interesting is, they go to more than one forum and are writing the same thing; getting the same responses and continue doing the same thing. Definition of insanity? Doing the same thing expecting different results. IF one suggests they change what they are doing, one is considered less than compassionate and the emails flow.

I’ve personally heard this one many times: “I’m afraid to post because of a certain persons’ responses”. Uh, that would normally be me. I do not support people in their bullshit. A lot of people do because it’s also their bs. After 18 years of doing “the work”, I can relate yet, if my teacher mollycoddled me instead of giving me the bottom line, I’d still be wallowing along as so many are ~ in the drama/trauma vortex.

Revvell

“Natural” Living Allopathically
What I have found in my 18+ years of doing this work with others is, they have a mind-set of never having to take responsibility for their problems ~ whether they be health, relationships, job, etc. They always want a quick fix.

Well, here’s a definition for you ~ keep doing the same things expecting different results is insanity.

Let’s start from the beginning. When we were first born, from the very first moment, most of us have been given over to someone else to take care of our health.

As newborns, drops are put in our lil yellow eyes because our parents’ toxic livers have caused us to be born toxic.

As children, we were given “shots” for this or that “childhood disease”. How is it we are expected to get these dis-eases? They’ll say it’s because we’ve not had a chance to build our immune systems. Well “shots” (drugs) are not given to build the immune system, they are given to replace what our immune system is supposed to do. Now we have the beginnings of our dependancy on drugs which support the drug industry, the doctors, the advertising agencies, the salesfolk and on and on.

By the time we reach adulthood and have children of our own, our livers are not only toxic from the air we breath, the food (or non-foods as the case may be) we eat, but the drugs we’ve been taking over the years so! the children are born with what “should” be the whites of their eyes, being yellow.

What’s intersting to me is, how folk will tell me this or that “runs in the family”. Having been adopted and never knowing my birth parents, I have no idea what’s “running” in my family. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Well, according to doctors, it’s a bad thing. According to me, it’s a good thing. In both cases, knowing what’s “running” in the family, or not knowing, really should not matter. What “should” matter is ~ taking responsibilty for our own health!

What does that mean? To me, that means, doing the research and finding what is the best food program for me; getting sufficient and varied exercise; meditation; self-analyses; and having a truly good relationship ~ with myself first!

I’ve not taken drugs since 1970 except one time for a toe infection. These anti-biotics did nothing for my toe and caused a major yeast infection. I decided, with the help of my former-mentor, to take control of the problem. Through qigong and a good food program the toe healed itself. After the look of the infection disappeared, the toenail totally renewed itself until now one cannot tell it’s ever been infected. The obvious toe infection disappeared in a few weeks. The toenail renewal actually took a few years. Quite interesting.

What did this take from me? Trust. Trust that when, during a qigong class the swelling and blackening of my toe was a sign of healing. As it began doing that during every class, it was obviously getting the energy it needed to do what it needed to do naturally.

By taking responsibilty, I’m not saying do not look for assistance for what ails you. I’ve had plenty of assistance from my former mentor, books, music, tools I’d learned. What I mean is, take the tools ~ the good food, meditation, bodywork, voice dialogue and utilyze them. Stop with the pills, the drugs. Stop doing what you are doing to cause the problem. IF a problem persists, find out the root cause. If it’s a physical problem, then look at the mental/emotional aspect as well. Don’t just take some pills to relieve the discomfort. The discomfort is a reminder that something is wrong somewhere!

Doing the quick fix is like having a smoke alarm go off and breaking the alarm because you don’t like the noise. Find out what’s causing the noise and deal with that!

Moderation
I totally disagree about "moderation". Moderation is the deadening way to live. To me, it's about totality! Living one's life totally! Going into things totally! Laughing ~ Totally! Celebrating whatsoever ~ Totally!

Thing is, what people do is rationalize ~ drinking, drugs, sugar, etc. IF it's done in moderation, it's o.k. Well, yeah, if you want to live moderately. For me, I want to live the best I can and yes, I am still (and may always be) experimenting with what that is. What I know it is NOT is, deadening myself with alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, sugar and any other drug ~ at ALL!

Many people are finding for themselves that, even in what they consider "moderation" does not work for them because they can not handle it in moderation! How do folk moderate addictions? Is one pack of cigarettes a day better than two? For those who smoke, yes, yet, is it better than none? Is moderation in addictions a good thing?

Many people are living mundane, boring, moderate lives because someone told them that's the way to live ~ and they believe it. It's not. It's deadening. Living in totality is enlivening, fulfilling, joy-filled and worthwhile!

Balance

While cleaning up after having made a most wonderful green smoothie, I was considering ~ work-aholics.

I was wondering if they were to die today would they say ~ I’m glad I spent so much time working? Or would they say “I shoulda, woulda, coulda....”

As I understand it, many work-aholics come from a poor background. They got to where they are through hard work ~ and more work ~ and more work. It seems they can never work hard enough or have enough “stuff” to feel abundant and/or satisfied.

Even though I’ve come from a less than wealthy background (I was 12 when my father died so we lived for the next 6 years on social security plus the $43 per week we were allowed besides that), I started working at 13 years of age doing whatever jobs I could get ~ babysitting, working in tobacco sheds, etc.

I am realizing, I’ve always had SOME money. There were times when I didn’t think I’d be able to pay the rent some months yet, I always came through ~ and then some.

What I’m saying here is, there’s a balance between the ultra-poor and the ultra having~to~work~my~butt~off~in~order~to~be~successful ~ life.

There is a time to work one’s butt off yet, when it’s a detriment to the rest of one’s life ~ relatioship-wise and not having time to enjoy the bennies of having worked so hard ~ the toys, the home, etc.....What’s the point?

Oh, I’ll take the time after I get my business going; after I get that next pay raise, after SOMETHING! Well, maybe ~ yet, then there’s the next goal, and the next goal ~ and by the time all the goals have been reached ~ burn-out!!!!

So! Here’s the bottom line ~ enjoy the fruits now. Business is not going anywhere. As a matter of fact, IF one takes the time to relax, enjoy a day off a week, or a couple of hours in the sunshine, then one gets back to work refreshed.

Find the balance. Enjoy ALL of life! Yes, work and $$$ IS important yet not to the detriment of the rest of one’s life.

Revvell
5/18/05

Judgmentalism

One thing I’m am sooooo tired of hearing is how people don’t want to be judged ~ AND how they claim to not be judgmental. To that I say “BULL PUCKY!

EVERYONE judges and everyone IS judged. There’s no way around it. It IS what it is!

What brought this up was in an alternative lifestyle forum someone said they don’t want to “force” their children into their lifestyle or their way of eating. This was also brought up at an event I went to.

What I suggested at the event was that people don’t seem to have a problem with taking their children to their church and/or religion, or getting them involved in their politics or whatever they happen to be involved in yet, they don’t want to “force” them ~ and in some cases even introduce them to their alternative lifestyle.

I’m thinking it’s not because they are wanting their children to make their own choices (they will anyway), I’m thinking it’s more because they don’t want their children to judge them. Well, no worries there. They already do! You have been judged and in many cases found guilty! Guilty of not admitting who you are; not having enough balls to stand up for what you feel is right; for not doing more investigating; for not sharing who you really are!

You’ve already been judged by your parents, your neighbors, your “friends”, your enemies, etc. Even folk who have no idea who you are have judged you! So there! Now you know the truth! You are being judged AND you are being judgmental. Yup! YOU! You look at someone and judge if you want to speak to them; you judge what you want to eat; you judge just about everything.

And you know who else you judge? Yourself! Yup! You judge yourself! When someone asks you how you are, you automatically say “fine”. Well, you have just judged yourself to be “fine”. It may not be true ~ as many judgments are ~ yet, how will anyone know? Not enough information; not enough clarity, yet, everyone you meet thinks you think of yourself as “fine” because that’s what you tell them.

Understand this! Judgment and judging is a fact of life! So, isn’t it about time you stop judging yourself and/ or your kids thinking they are not intelligent enough to decide whether they are interested in getting involved in your lifestyle or eating the way you do or whatever?

Of course, I don’t want to be judgmental about all this.

Revvell

Lack and Limitation ~
Recently I asked a woman I know who puts out a daily email if she would mention our retreat. She responded that yes, she's done this in the past for a friend/acquaintance (my word's) and it was the first time since she'd been doing retreats that she'd not received even one phone call about her own. I asked her how the other person did ~ and if maybe in her thinking, she was coming from lack and limitation. I received no response.
What I mean by lack and limitation means is, we come from an idea that the universe is limited and lacks enough folk for people to go to more than one event at a time. The above was just an example. I have been waaaaaaayyy guilty of this myself. Holding on to things thinking that will never be again ~ whether it's a close relationship; money; idea; whatever.
When I've been less abundant financially than I am now, I'd be down to my last $20 and holding on to it thinking, if I let it go, I'd be broke ~ literally. Well, I'm here to tell you, I've never not had money. Whenever I let that "last" $20 go, more came in. When I was holding onto it tightly, squeezing the life out of it, keeping it from circulating, nothing COULD come back. Once I let it go, and received something in exchange, the cycle began again. Since we vend at various places, one gentleman I know was happy another place similar to his opened up. He said something to the effect ~ "Good! The more places open up, the more people hear about this."

I'm thinking it's the same with the raw food "movement". There is no lack of folk wanting to get healthy and looking for a new way of doing it. We are on the cutting edge of this lifestyle and, in my opinion, the more places open up, the more folk will be wanting to give it a try. One last thing. My bodywork therapist once told me ~ my (type of) clients are not your (type of) clients. The ones who need what I do will come to me. The ones who need what you do, will go to you.
Same with retreats, classes, etc. I have my own style, my own way of doing things. Some will like and enjoy it; others will like and enjoy another one's way. Thing is, if we don't acknowledge, honor and support each other, we limit ourselves and stop the cycle. Injoy ~
Revvell

Raw food ~
I've had people tell me, when I suggest they go raw, that they "don't want to become obsessed with food". Well, here's news for you ~ you already are. Not only that, you may be addicted to it! That is correct! You may be addicted to food! (Or, what you are eating and passing off as food).
I know the above may sound harsh yet, the truth, to many, does sound that way. If you don't think you are addicted to food, try this ~ go raw just one week! That's it! See what you are thinking about by doing so. You'll be thinking of your favorite foods and how, if you go raw you'll never be able to eat them again. You'll see a commercial for something you don't even LIKE and salivating!
We, as "civilized" humans do not eat food as fuel anymore ~ we eat for taste. Our taste buds have been compromised and corrupted so that the taste of real food is unsatisfying. How to change this and why?
First of all, to prevent dis-ease and for many to regain and or upgrade their health. For me, I don't much care how long I live, I do care about the quality of my life.
Starting out raw, many will find symptoms of cleansing ~ skin break-outs, better bowel movements, strong odors. As they continue into and through the cleansing, they may find a LOT of problems clearing up such as, pain in the joints, loss of excess weight (while eating as much as you want); skin and hair glow; more energy; natural loss of cellulite, etc.

Many have found that, on a raw food program, diseases they've had for years which they have been told are incurable ~ dis-appear. Is it easy? That would depend on you. As in anything, it's all about your attitude.
Injoy ~ Revvell 4/23/05

Diets

Recently I've had call to realize how folk just do not look ahead. They go on "diets" to lose weight yet don't look ahead to what to do after they do lose the weight. What will they eat? Has their lifestyle changed?

As an aside I have to laugh when folk tell me they "watch what they eat". Ummm yeah, as it goes from plate to mouth. lol

Yet I digress (well, I AM musing! ) Babies. I hear so often young women telling me they want a baby. My question is ~ what for? Their response: I LOVE babies. Well, I love a lot of things ~ doesn't mean I want it. They tend to have an idealized version of what have a baby means.

A few months ago, a client came to me after having a baby 2 months previously and cried: "I want my life back!" My response: "This is your life and welcome to it". Being the uniquely mature woman (at 28) that she is, she has adjusted supremely.

Interesting though. In one conversation we got to talking about food. She told me the child is ready to go on "cereal" now. I suggested maybe she could start her on raw blended veggies. She said she was going to do that but she "should" put her on cereal. I ran down "my" feelings of cereal and she heard and agreed then told me about the "natural" cereal she'd found. I said: "it seems to me you are set on giving this child some mucus-producing adulterated stuff." Her response: "yes, and I don't know why".

It's called programming. We are programmed to do much of what we do.

Same with eating raw vs cooked. We get circulars in the mail with the most beautiful pictures of cooked foods. We smell the smells. See it "live" (so to speak) and in living color ~ presented beautifully. How can we not indulge?

We are fearful we are not getting enough nutrients (I'm wondering how that can be since cooked food is supposed to have less nutrients AND enzymes.) so we take supplements.

Go figure. We are programmed, aren't we?

Isn’t eating Raw/organic expensive?

Compared to what? If you have a choice between purchasing something that is nutrient deficient (in otherwords, wasting money) and something that is nutrient dense (which means your body is nourished and you’ll eat less), what do you think?

Also, it depends on where and how you purchase your goods. If one purchases from a health food store, that seems to me one of the most expensive ways to go. Around here, (SoCal) we have Trader Joe’s which is now carrying quite a bit of organics; we have farmers’ markets and in some places there are co-ops where a group of people can purchase direct from farmers in quantity in order to get discounted prices. And of course, now with the internet, one can search for the best prices.

Where you will win. O.k. your cost of toilet paper might go up yet, in all other factors such as ~ deodorant (yes, you will smell better), lost days at work due to illness (yes, I know you have “health” insurance and “sick” days yet, wouldn’t you prefer to turn those into “wellness” days and not spend them at the doctor’s office?); if you have children you wont have to lose days at work because the school called.

Upper Limits

Recently a lot has been coming up about upper limits. I've seen various people do various things ~ feel various things ~ and it's all about upper limits.
What does that mean? Well, we've all heard about people who finally make it big in one industry or another. A common one is a musical group. They become popular and cannot handle the fame and fortune and do something to destroy their success. They were not prepared for it.
One very common one is in relationships. We all have or have had an idea of the perfect person for us. Thing is, if that "perfect" person showed up, most would not be able to handle it. A suprising number of people are not ready for a truly good relationship. How do I know this? I just look around me. Over 50% of people who get married also get divorced. I know of very few really good relationships.
Many people stay in poor relationships because they are comfortable there ~ it's known and familiar. For many, being in a bad relationship is better than being alone. Then they'd have to be in one with themselves and they'd REALLY dislike that. Many stay in jobs they hate because they are afraid the next will be worse than the one they have. One they are really afraid of is ~ having it all. Good health, a good job, good relationship and abundance.
More about this later.

Supplements ~ hype or necessity?
O.k., sooo, we eat raw food, mostly organic. We are told by those who have been in this lifestlye for awhile, who go on the talk circuit, written the books, etc. that this is THE best food program available. Why? Because raw/living foods contain enzymes; when foods are cooked at least 50% of the nutrients are destroyed (we wont even GO into what nuking food does to it) AND if we eat organic, we will be getting even MORE nutrients (studies have shown). So! My question is, if all this is true ~ why are so many of these people selling “supplements”? Do we truly need some ancient Peruvian stuff called Maca? It’s not as though it’s native to our area and eaten in season! And “superfoods”!!!! Soooo, we need all this extra expensive green stuff ? Why? Or is it because those who are selling them ~ are selling them?
Personally, I don't use supplements. I eat food. My body recognizes this food. It does not recognize pills and capsules. I'm wondering, now that I wrote that, what kind of processing these foods go throught to get them in those jars, bottles and capsules.
Actually, I've tried a few green foods. Personally, I didn't notice the difference. Others say they do yet...
What I find quite interesting is that, now a lot of packaged products are labeled as "organic". I wonder how much that means ~ other than one is not poisoning oneself with herbicides, fungicides, etc. yet, what amount of nutrition is still in the food after all that processing?

Raw Food
One thing I am finding as a "raw foodist" is that, I eat what seems to be a lot yet, I've lost weight, have more energy, my gums are improving and my memory is functioning better. Oh! And my hot flashes seem to have lessened. All because I'm eating food that still contain nutrients and enzymes! How about that?

Dehydration
Recently in an e-book, Storm Talifaro made comment that he doesn’t dehydrate as he doesn’t see the difference between high temperatures and short cooking time and low temps and long cooking time. Both it seems would result in the ~ if not killing of enzymes and nutrients ~ yet certainly in the reduction.

Personally, I’ve been doing quite a bit of dehydrating lately, testing out new recipes for the classes I teach yet, I do have to go along with Storm although, after eating a sandwhich made with dehydrated burger buns and an un-chicken, along with some kale, avocado and tomato, I feel fully satisfied and nourished. The sandwich is half the size of a burger one would get at a fast food joint; the tomato is out of my garden, the kale is a rich dark green as opposed to the head lettuce yet, I doubt it’s as nutrient dense as it would be if I’d have wrapped up some raw hummus from sprouted garbanzo beans, slivered carrots, avo, tomato ~ IN the kale leaf.

From another viewpoint, those in transition tend to want/need the heaviness of a sandwhich such as that ~ or, when confronted with their usual fare they will eat it, and a lot of it ~ as, at first, doing raw, they don’t do enough, often enough so they are left feeling hungry ~ especially if they are “trying” to lose weight, not realizing that if they eat a little ~ often ~ they keep their metabolism going and the weight-loss just happens.

Hay fever "season" ~ truth or hype
I often hear/read about folk who have allergies to outside stimuli. they tend to suffer muchly when “hay fever season” comes around. When I mention that, if they change their food program much of that will be alleviated, they tell me: “It’s not my food program, it’s the pollen”. Actually, it’s not the pollen so much as it is the congestion in your system. The pollen is the catalyst.
How do I know this? From my own experiences with severe “hay fever”.

Long Versus Short-Term Outcomes
I’ve often noticed that people have a tendancy to look at only the short-term outcomes when they start something ~ and not very intimately even then.

For instance: Having a child. I’ve noticed folk have a fantasy idea of what having a child means. They think of this cuddly little creature that smiles at them when they hold it ~ just like the ones they’ve held. They don’t consider the 9-months it takes to have the child ~ how they will look and feel; they don’t consider the nights they will be up with this child ~ the sleep lost, the spitting up, the possible refusal to take food. They don’t consider that ~ EVERYtime they go somewhere they’ll have to take this lil being into consideration.

With weight-loss diets ~ very few consider the consequences to their body of the roller-coaster effect from them and/or, IF they get to their desired weight ~ what then? If the diet they are on life-sustaining? If not, how do they maintain that weight. Usually, they don’t. With the raw-food program, the weight will naturally drop off while eating healthy, nutrient-rich, whole foods. So, instead of compromising one’s health by eliminating what the body needs, the body will be getting a full spectrum of nutrients. The body will also balance itself out as it reaches it’s optimum weight.

As an added bonus, many folk find that a lot of unwanted symptoms of illness disappear. What could be better than that?

R.P. Revati