This particular morning for some unknown reason I found myself preparing lunch thanks to local Triple LLL beef, the small stash of remaining garlic and oregano grown last year, organic brussell sprouts, beets and one last softball size pumpkin that grew from a two year old seed by the compost bin.
Within a half hour everything was baking or boiling. I had lunch 'on the stove' a phrase I sense I grew up hearing but can't quite recall. My morning would not consist of changing sheets and cleaning as many of my mother's generation did yet I was happy to think I wouldn't be scarfing down cheese and crackers fifteen minutes before clients arrived. I was at peace.
As I altered my morning ritual, I thought of my mother. How many women throughout time 'got lunch or dinner on the stove' first thing in the morning as part of their daily routine? Was this routine, ritual or both?
In the last few months I've told my mother of the joy I find in food and cooking. I asked if she ever felt she had to cook for us as a family. Without hesitation she exclaimed, "I loved cooking for you." The look on her face and her tone conveyed the truth. The resonance of love in her voice told me this routine was ritual for her.
I understand that. Cooking is ritual for me. And this particular morning altering my ritual, altar-ed something in me.
Alter means to change.
An altar is a place of sacredness.
Connecting with women through time, my kitchen became a sacred place. Connecting with women in time altared my insides reminding me I hold sacred space.
To me this awareness makes sacred not just the preparing of food, but those involved in the plowing of the field, the turning of the soil, sowing the seed and the grass on which the cows feed, tending the plant and picking or digging the fruit.
This earthly kitchen is a sacred place and things certainly are cooking here, aren't they? So much is coming to boil as corporate America tries to take increasing control over how food is grown and genetically altered. I didn't learn until last night that as I wrote this yesterday President Obama was in the process of signing a spending bill in which buried dozens of pages into the bill is "a provision that protects biotech corporations such as the California-based Monsanto from litigation." (Link HERE.)
At the same time, more and more people are taking charge, educating themselves as to growing their own food and knowing the origin of the foods they eat from other sources. This week's Tennessean reports UT's local soil testing program had approximately 2,300 local gardeners mail or bring soil samples to them for testing. In 2004, the number was 1,500. Last Saturday Nashville Urban Food Forrest (NUFF) began transforming a local yard into an edible yard with a "Dig-In." Monday night they won the Seed Supper money at SLOCO sponsored by Community Food Advocates. It is impossible if you're paying attention to avoid seeing stories of events related to growing one's own food all around the country.
How might altering routine, altar or make sacred rituals involved in Earth's food scene? How might dynamics shift if food on Earth were really seen and experienced. Would Monsanto hold the power we have given them? Would so many of us sit in front of TVs or with our heads into technology or might we be outside getting dirt under our nails beneath our feet mesmerized by the mystery and magic of ecology.
This earthly kitchen is a sacred place. All around and within us is sacred space. It holds the ingredients from which we choose - awareness, ignorance, intention, will, compassion, fear. We choose the ingredients with which we create.
How might seeing as sacred altar the unfolding story of food on Earth including Monsanto's ongoing efforts? Is it possible to altar genetic altering?
I sense it is.
On Thursday before the sun came up and the moon was still visible in the Western sky, I sat outside under the stars and held between my palms Monsanto as well as the many animals used by AgriBusiness in factory farms. I held both the animals and corporations in compassion and gratitude for Monstanto is potentially waking us up to our capacity to alter through altar-ing all of life here on Earth.
I choose to stand, speak and hold the resonance of compassion even with politicians and Monsanto. It feels better within to me to intentionally hold them in this way rather than fight them in the energy of anger and fear. I have burned myself out one too many times fighting in anger fueled by quiet fear.
Which holds the better resonance for you? Routine or ritual? Have to/got to or want to? Fear or Love?
How might altering our attitudes, thoughts and beliefs altar or make sacred our inside and the outside? How might altering our insides altar our world?
-Dawn, The Good News Muse 28 March 2013
dawn@imagninetheshift.com
P.S. Click HERE for information on the May 25, 2013 March Against Monsanto!!
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