The energy that feeds us

Writing a past post, entitled ¨superfoods¨ in those moments of complete surrender to your highest inspiration, I came to express my concern for the loose utilization of the same term.   Finalizing in proposing the reader to think of the fact that ALL plants are the sum effect of condensed light, gas and water in the majority of their physiological make up.  Pretty amazing if you ask me and worthy of naming and most important treating all vegetation as ¨super¨ even if it serve no immediate or apparent purpose like; food, medicine, raw material etc.

In this new post I would like to touch on a very sensitive concept which again very few if any really consider and evaluate much less deal with it.  It is the concept of ENERGY, and I don´t simply mean energy as in calories, work, transport.  I mean the more subtle, equivalent and important energy behind the mechanical energy, in other words that energy of inspiration in contrast of the energy of perspiration.  At present we all in some form or another believe in the concept of energy, from a metaphysical stand point be it through the energy contained in prayer, reiki, or the more mundane radio, TV, satellite energies which travel in frequencies only to be pulled and translated by electrical apparatus.  Very simplistically put, we can describe it as a flow which sets things in motion.  We can go in depth as to the essence of energy or where it comes from, but we won´t go there, simply put the energy around, food which is what I am attempting to discuss here is where we will focus in this post. We can all agree in the fact that energy is the corner stone of all that is, that which with out it life will not be life, we can go as far as saying that life is energy and energy is life.  Now we are all aware of the mechanical energy surrounding us in it´s myriad of forms, I am requiring energy to move my fingers and type, this computer is requiring energy to stay on and function, you get the point.

In the realm of food, we think of the energy in it (biological, biochemical) and behind it (work, logistics) but rarely the energy around it.  This is the energy that in my believe truly nourishes us and as Michael Pollan expressed is the true common denominator as how our food choices eventually change the face of our planets landscape.  Most important when we elaborate more on this idea we will begin to notice how it also heavily influences; food security, environmental well being, flora and fauna health and biodiversity, social justice, better energy and resource management and cycling.   We can represent these 3 variations of food energy in the following manner

• In it can be represented in the question WHAT CAN I EXTRACT FROM IT?
• Behind it can be represented in the question WHAT WENT IN TO IT?
• The logical question to represent the energy around it, naturally should be HOW?

Now what do we mean when I say the energy around it? As we steadily have become more dependent on industry plant to plate control over our food.  We have not only delegated our responsibility over to them, but we have also been blind folded with ignorance as to the nature of the conditions under which our food has been treated and managed.  These conditions not only affecting the food and environment where these foods are grown, but also the people involved in this process.  Though it comes as no surprise and most of the people reading this will by this time, be aware of the dreadful deeds many multi-national money and power hungry induced companies are doing to your food. Thanks in mayor part to the effective and hard work done by independent journalist and documentaries exposing these scandals.  As we are more aware and conscious of the deplorable state of our food, visible in our societies and environmental health, most of us are prompted to rectify this problem by going alternative.  Organic, fair trade, kosher, biodynamical, guarantee of origin and any other certification or ecolabel we can observe on the labels of our foods of choice.  Serving as a source of relief and feeling of advocating through our purchase in favor of ¨good practices¨ in all sense of the word right?  Personally I was always convinced this was the way to go, yet eventually through working in the field eventually I was lead to start having doubt about the integrity of the whole concept.  As I started going deeper in to the whole industry, I started realizing the vast irony found in the information being presented to the general public and that the reality behind the propaganda.  That is when I realized, people had to know, this is what I mean by the energy around the foods we eat.  Distilled down to be acknowledge as the intent by which it is infused, as I further researched this concept with in my self as to create clarity with in me, to be able to present a clearer exposition of the same. The story of David and his friends, resounded in my memories   when they where selected by the King of Babylon´s court to become apprentices, upon entering the court of the king and sitting down for meal time.  They where troubled by the fact that the foods and drink they where about to drink was offered to ¨other gods¨ and they where compelled to reject the food.  The main idea to rescue out of this story and many others found all through out ancient sacred books, is the fact that a rejection of food took place under spiritual and moral justifications.  Further more we can agree that the energy by which these foods and drinks where infused through the intent was the central influence in the rejection.   Now then, this can very well be just a coincidence or isolated random event in history which just happened to find it self to the most read, sold and possibly controversial book in history.  But when there is a whole dietary law to be followed strictly, we are entering in to a whole different dimension.  Such is the case of the Kosher and Halal laws in Jewish and Muslim faiths. Though most religions have them, some more clear and others left to translate accordingly. The commonality among all them is the ¨fittingness¨ of the food.  According to the Sharia and Halakha the laws of these world religions, certain foods are fit to be consumed according to a list of origin, handling, processing, and preparation procedures and in a more mystical way how they are endowed.  This being of course by the prayers and rituals carried out to purify and bless the foods, rendering them fit to be consumed.

Again the central focus of this is not just the fact that these dietary practices have been employed for thousands of years or the practice or methodology behind it.   Rather is the essence which I focus on, we all in a way or another believe in a common spirit which we share with all of the creation, an energy which moves through and by us all.  The current practices being employed in most of the food industries including most of the alternative choices require a revision in many cases a sincere effort to amend them.  This in spite of the potential benign effort which some companies might lead us to believe, this I say given my personal experience and that shared by friends and colleagues working in the field.   Most important by personal testimonies of farmers, cooperative representatives, and families whom have spilled their concerns and fears behind the so called and presented to the consumers as ¨ethical, organic and fair trade businesses¨

Now with these references, I understood that all through out time including our present day as it is evident with the Kosher and Halal laws, great importance has been placed on the energy around the foods to be consumed.  A quote from the movie FOOD INC. where a farmer practicing polyculture and permaculture though he does not classify himself as one, says ¨we the consumer have adopted a consuming culture of HOW? How do we make this or that faster, bigger, cheaper, but we never question our selves and those who produce and market the foods BUT WHY? ¨ with these resounding words, it is that I challenge those reading this article to question those providing the foods you consume.  Regardless if they are conventional or organic certified those who have nothing to hide and whose intentions are clear.  Have a clear way to expose their true intentions through actions and results, via multimedia through their web sites or through other means.   Those of us presuming to be voting with our purchase need to get of our comfort zones and take the next step in the direction of repairing our severed connection to all that is, starting with our mother earth.  The old axiom which states that we never really know what we have until we loose it, takes effect on this day of age when the agro-businesses have been making things ever so easy and comfortable for us.  That most of us never get our hands dirty and understand the magic that happens when planting a seed a reaping the gift of nature to really appreciate the magnificence of the event, as such disparity is evident in the indifference we approach food one which is for mere thoughtless sustenance.  And it is because I believe that humans have the means and the resources to create a better world than we have today, it is because I am optimistic that I dare my self to write these words. I am a quiet radical, opting to create awareness through actions and teach through example rather than words, but it is in these words that I hope to stir a whirlwind with in you.  To lead you to introspect and meditate on the actual food situation, and question the current values which catalyze the intent of those responsible for providing us our foods.  The true invisible energy which infuses the food you consume, that is carried over as this energy of intent is irradiated towards the land, farmer, environment and all along to the final piece of the puzzle which is you.  The same energy which you are consuming and in a way supporting, we all want better quality, higher nutritious, less invasive, dangerous and polluting foods for a sustainable and bright future, yet when we really look past the PR, the marketing and the labels we find many discrepancies. It is the arduous and soulful work of such visionaries and true geniuses of our eras of the likes of Masanobu Fukuoka, Bill Mollison, Paul Stamet, Michael Pollan, Bernd Neugebauer, Geoff Lewton, P.A Yeomans, David Holmgren, Emilia Hazelip, David Blume,E.F Schumacher, David Wolfe, W.M A Albrecht, Teruo Higa, Pierre Rabhi and the scores of others whom I don´t know.  They have shown us that there are more effective ways of obtaining all of our requirements while giving as much or more back to the earth than we take.  Energy is eternal and ever present, it doesn´t matter if we care or not it is still there, when we consider and apply that which the wise ones from yesterday and today instruct us to pursue and apply.  We can begin to overcome conformity which eventually turns in to rigid paradigm, neutralizing the essence of humanity which is our creative capacity, the intent of humans to design our future for the best.  All of the options with regard to contrasting conventional work with and through nature is always a step in the right direction but approaching it with the same mentality, beyond and against conventional practices will imminently lead to a road block, especially when these practices are shrouded in secrecy, exclusivity, and competition.  We breath the same air are warmth by the same sun, bathed by the same stars and moon at night, walk the same earth in deed the elements are our family.  There is a better way, as stated by E.F Schumacher when presented with divergent problems the way to overcome this is trough transcending it, we have been given the options to transcend the present options for our food health and security, by the wise ones I have mentioned and countless more.  It if through love, information, transparency, wisdom,cooperation, sensibility, beauty and character that I believe we will ALL work towards a brighter future.  The energy that feeds us is well worth to rectify, weather you call it social responsibility or simply trust, we must take a creative expansive step towards restoration and expansion of our options.   As we trace back in our mind the many hands and processes which our food passes by and takes us back to it´s womb the seed, we can begin to envision the energy by which it is endowed, now I ask you do you believe in your heart for this food to be ¨fit¨?  is the worker and farmer being stimulated to use their abilities and be creative most important are they loved? Or simply used in a redundant, boring work? Regardless of being payed a fair salary as we are led to believe, in other words is the food we are consuming being offered to a ¨god¨ of love or one of competition, frustration and disdain?

Permaculturist proverb states that ¨there is a direct connection between the health of the soil, plant, animals, workers and you as the last part of the food chain¨ as our conscience expands we realize that health is not bordered by our skin neither is it bordered by our cells, it is the ever expanding and still elusive magic of the alchemy found in the balance of spirit, soul, mind, emotion and material.

I close this article with the wisdom of Abuelita Margarita, a Huichol curandera from Mexico.  Some food for thought

¨Grand father fire told me, your whole body and soul is filled with fire, he occupies the 100 percent inside of you, the air if the way you think and it ascends if you are light.  Water makes up more than 80% of your and it is also your feelings and it evaporates, while the earth makes around the 20%.  Happiness is so easy! It consists in respecting what we are, and we are earth, universe y the great spirit, I will also tell you what is worth while in this life, to look another in the eyes and you let him in and they let you in, that is true love and there you will never find boredom because it is forever.   We must understand that we are sacred and the earth is in deed our mother and the sun our father¨

REFERENCES

Bible reference for the story of David and the rejection of food from the Kings Numbers 6:1-4.

---

This is some text prior to the author information. You can change this text from the admin section of WP-Gravatar  To change this standard text, you have to enter some information about your self in the Dashboard -> Users -> Your Profile box.

---