Ancient Wisdom and Seasonal Recipes

The ancient ones did not have TV for distraction or books to learn from. They did not have homes that separated them from the elements and natural world. Their lives were simple and moved with the rhythm of nature. They turned to nature as their teacher and realized it was the physical manifestation of Divine intelligence. Each season embodied the seasons of their lives. Every plant that emerged held the wisdom of that season and nourished not only their bodies, but their soul. They witnessed how every plant and animal became food for another, eventually retuning to the earth as sustenance for the next generation. Because they were on top of the food chain and knew how many beings had offered their life as food for another they knew they were woven into the very fabric of their surroundings. Their life was full of ritual and gratitude for the sacrifice of everyone that provided the nourishment that allowed them to have this earthly experience. As exchange for this sacrifice they respected and cared for the plants and animals and did not interfere with them living the life they were designed to live.rnThe ancient Taoists were just one culture who considered the intelligence of the natural world as their greatest teacher in how to live and nourish themselves. Through astute observation they were able to realize that they were a microcosm of this bigger picture and articulate the connection, mapping out how to stay aligned. They created a system that mimicked their natural teacher to live by. This alignment enabled them to feel as one with the divine. rnFast forward to modern times and it is obvious how humans have lost this sense of connection and ignored the wisdom of nature losing their gratitude as they became more separated. We became more ill as each generation passed struggling to find health, inventing one diet after another as the answer. rnA primary ingredient for embodying this Divine self similar wisdom is food. Considering our body exists because of food it makes sense that the food we consume will influence our body’s intelligence. There is much truth to the saying, “You are what you eat.”rnWhen we eat according to this wisdom, and live according to the guidance of our Great Mother Earth we not only are given the optimum diet through what she puts out naturally in the environment in which we live, we return to our knowing that we are woven into the very fabric of it all. Without this sense of connection, the honoring of this intelligence, the gratitude for her gifts and sacrifices of our fellow creatures there can be no real health. The ritual of cooking with the knowing of all that has gone into each meal, not only for our health, but the sensuality of all the flavors, textures, aromas is a celebration in receiving the love bestowed upon us by our Divine Mother, which is the greatest ingredient of all to nourish our health and well being.rnEating the local seasonal foods in their natural form supports us to embody the wisdom of our Divine Mother and we can trust our bodies to know what it needs throughout the year, and throughout our life. It adjusts as its needs shift. Listening to our bodies and honoring it’s wisdom just as we honor the Earth’s we can let go of the latest diet trends that over ride our bodies’ signals and we can nourish ourselves optimally according to our own wisdom.rnWith all of this said seasonal recipes are great as general guidelines and inspirations that support you to cook seasonally. However, a winter recipe for someone in the tropics will look different than a winter recipe for someone living in the Yukon. Feel free to adjust your recipes for the temperature, harvest time, environment, your activity level, age, body’s needs, what’s already in your refrigerator that needs to be used and just happens to go well. Practice weaving the seasonal wisdom, foods and recipes with your immediate reality so you can build your trust in your body. Mary Lane