meditation retreats

October 8, 2007

Hi Leigh,

I hope your meditation retreat was great.

I was interested to ask how the food was there. I went on a

5 day meditation retreat recently & in terms of the program the food was yummy

wholefood vegetarian cooking & at regular times which was great, but there

was very minimal protein in the meals. I wonder how it was at yours? – although

maybe Indian

cooking tends to have a bit more than other styles?

I took along my protein powder & 12 hardboiled eggs

& some almonds & walnuts to supplement the protein but still wasn’t getting

nearly enough.

The other thing I had to work out was breakfast – the wake-up

call was at 5am but breakfast not until 7.30 or 8am. I took some of my own

breakfast

& had that at 5am to keep me going then had more with everyone else at 8am.

That felt like the best way of managing those few days & it seemed go OK

although obviously not actually following this program.

I guess I’m particularly interested because I’m considering going

on a 3 month retreat from this November. I’m so excited about the idea but at

the same

time, know how much I need to do this program & I don’t want to put off

progressing with it for another three months.

The retreat centre have a note on their website saying unfortunately

they can’t cater for special diets so I can’t expect they would provide extra

protein

for me.

Leigh, if you or anyone else has any ideas about whether it’s

possible to make it work to do both (the program & the retreat) I’d be very

appreciative.

I might post about it on the forum as well.

Thank you,Nicola

leighfiles

Sun, 7 Oct 2007 18:58:58 -0700

Re: Dropping in to say hello

so this has been my porcess:

i asked my meduitation teacher to borrow her indian cookbook,m abnd realized

it was too sophistiacated for me (Lord Krisha's...) - i went online and

found The Everything Indian cookbook, which i could handle - made a few

things - then found these indian spice packets at the hfs and went to that

website - and bought one of each of vegetarian dishes - very easy: all the

spices you need for the dish, with specifc driections and a list of other

ingredients (vegetables) - i felt like a pro and they tasted great -then i

googled some low fat sites, printed the recipes i wanted - then i went to

the library and checked outt he books they recommended - renewed them as

long as i could, and xeroxed the recipes i wanted before returning them

i have an o.k. repetoire of indian and a few tibetan - will post recipes

when i get a chance

leigh

p.s. i was just on meditation retreat this weekend, had a great indian meal

friday night and realized in the almost year i've been back from india, i've

eaten all indian/tibetan meals except a handful (it helps that i live alone

and cook for myself!)

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October 8, 2007

i think it's very possible to make the retreat and program work together

the place i go away to is a private home/center - although they used to

provide lunch, i always bring my own meals - i have use of a fridge and

microwave (no stove/oven) -i've done different things over the years, but

now cook my veggies ahead and take them with me, along with hb eggs, paneer

cheese, and my breakfast (i make up enough tsampa porridge mixed with

protein powder for the mornings i need it, then make my tea daily and add it

too the dry mix) - it worked real well this time - i'll be back there in

november for 7-10 days - to cook that many veggies ahead of time may be a

challenge - i may do a ocmbo of cooked and raw

when i've gone to a retreat center that serves all the meals, i take extra

protein, because there usually isn't enough at each meal (and i don't do any

soy) - i find that people are pretty accomodating

hope this helps

leigh

October 11, 2007

hi Nicola

you write

" I'm so excited about the idea but at

the same

time, know how much I need to do this program & I don't want to put

off

progressing with it for another three months. "

to state the obvious it really is how *you * feel and how

prepared/steady you feel with things.

In my own experience, step 3 was a *huge* thing for me , the most

challenging of all. I 'coped' - only just - with a holiday abroad

doing it, but that was only because I was totally in charge of food

and times. And because step 3 was so hugely important for my BS/BE I

couldnt have done a retreat without a lot more experience under my

belt. But thats just me. Although I would love the benefits of the

retreat, its always food first for me. Otherwise I would go to pieces.

Now that Ive done several holidays, travelling, and different

circumstances I feel better prepared. I would do a ton of research in

advance, about extra shopping, food stores, etc, could you have a

little fridge? or storage space in the kitchens? Access to the

kitchens?

is it a once in a life time thing, or can you choose to do it later

on as well?

Your previous experience of this retreat/breakfast will stand you in

good stead! you did 1 and 2 brilliantly!

mosaic

, Nicola <nic_paton

wrote:

>

> Hi Leigh,

> I hope your meditation retreat was great.

>

I was interested to ask how the food was there. I went on a

> 5 day meditation retreat recently & in terms of the program the

food was yummy

> wholefood vegetarian cooking & at regular times which was great,

but there

> was very minimal protein in the meals. I wonder how it was at

yours? – although maybe Indian

> cooking tends to have a bit more than other styles?

>

> I took along my protein powder & 12 hardboiled eggs

> & some almonds & walnuts to supplement the protein but still wasn't

getting

> nearly enough.

>

> The other thing I had to work out was breakfast – the wake-up

> call was at 5am but breakfast not until 7.30 or 8am. I took some of

my own breakfast

> & had that at 5am to keep me going then had more with everyone else

at 8am.

> That felt like the best way of managing those few days & it seemed

go OK

> although obviously not actually following this program.

>

> I guess I'm particularly interested because I'm considering going

> on a 3 month retreat from this November. I'm so excited about the

idea but at the same

> time, know how much I need to do this program & I don't want to put

off

> progressing with it for another three months.

>

The retreat centre have a note on their website saying unfortunately

> they can't cater for special diets so I can't expect they would

provide extra protein

> for me.

> Leigh, if you or anyone else has any ideas about whether it's

> possible to make it work to do both (the program & the retreat) I'd

be very

> appreciative.

>

> I might post about it on the forum as well.

>

> Thank you,Nicola

>

October 11, 2007

, " Leigh Files "

<leighfiles wrote:

> and my breakfast (i make up enough tsampa porridge mixed with

> protein powder for the mornings

Leigh, can you educate me about tsampa? I have only come across it in a

book on tibetan- biography I think it was, years ago - and they also

drank tea with yak butter in it I seem to remember....

Always on the lookout for different ideas ( but praps not the

butter in the tea)

mosaic

October 11, 2007

mosaic

tsampa is roasted barley, a staple of their diet (and used in religious

ceremonies)

i make it by dry roasting whole (not pearled) barley in a cast iron pan -

when it's cooled, i grind in in my coffee grinder to the consistency i

want - for protein i add whey protein to the dry mix, before adding the tea

then i make decaf black tea with chai spice, add some milk (i used canned

evaporated skim)

i put the tsampa in a bowl and add the tea with milk - then i add 2t flax

oil (but you could add butter, coconut oil, etc.)

this is my breakfast every morning

leigh

p.s. i also don't like tibetan tea (black tea, salt, butter, milk - too

salty!)

October 12, 2007

hello,

thank you to those who emailed - i've had a busy couple of nights so no time for

posting.

joellen, your meals sound yummy & manageable in terms of protein. i guess

there's a lot more variety in foods in the US (i visited recently for the first

time & was so excited to see all the different stuff in organic shops!). there

were a few things you mentioned i haven't seen in New Zealand - ezekial muffins,

sprouted grain pasta, rice cheese - but i know i can do fine with what is

available here. i'll keep posting & let you know.

thanks for your thoughts on the retreat, leigh & mosaic. i'm finding it a tricky

decision. it is plum village i'm thinking of going to, thich nhat hanh's

meditation community in southwest france. i've never been there so i don't know

anything about what food would be available nearby & i won't have my own car. i

would certainly need to ask & see if i could go on shopping trips with whoever

buys the food maybe? & i think the suggestions about seeing whether i could have

kitchen access & fridge space are good ones too.

i've been thinking a lot about the benefits of retreat & the benefits of the

program & if it needs to be a choice to put that first. sometimes i wonder if

the things i work so hard at applying from teachings & my meditation practice to

keep myself positive & sane would come easily from my healing on this program.

in terms of could i go another time later on ... in theory yes, but in the last

few months i have had a relationship end, resigned from my job (which feels

really positive) & would like to move out of the city again anyway, so it seems

a pretty amazing opportunity. also thich nhat hanh is in his early 80s now. ahhh

i will see. thanks again for the thoughts.

nicola

" In defying this patriarchy, we are loyal to future generations and to life and

this planet itself. " Vandana Shiva

mosaic58

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:25:58 +0000

Re: meditation retreats