A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. November's Theme: "Grateful"
Volume 7 Issue 1 ISSN# 1708-3265

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Illuminations Aleesha Stephenson About the Cover Orna Ben-Shoshan The Answer Is: Heart Dj Brown Gratitude - Rote or Heartfelt? Rev. Cheryl Jewett Souvenirs Alegria Imperial Past Options Phil Kotofskie Grateful Someone Else Has Control David Reber Unusual Friends in Unusual Places David Suzuki PhD Women debunk myths in Mythogyny Women Elders in Action (WE*ACT) The Envelope Please… An Interview with Jeremy Safron Being Mindful Janet Alston Jackson Pet-sense Jean Hofve DVM Get On Track! Lucy Brandt Lifetalks Dawn Baumann Brunke Walk Your Talk Aleesha Stephenson Wiccan Voices Crystal Blanton, HPs Meditate a Moment Featuring: Aleesha Stephenson Cards & Curios Tarot Deck Reviews: with Dan Pelletier Lotus Birth The Waterbirth of the Malcolm Twins Davini Malcolm Raw Protein Bars Francine's Finest Archived Reviews All of T.S.M.'s Reviews

Jeremy you have so many talents it's hard to know where to start this interview! Let's begin with how I heard about you. You wrote the wonderful book "The Fasting Handbook - Dining from an Empty Bowl". *link to our review* This book seldom leaves my side. I am constantly quoting you, sharing your wisdom with others and reading it over and over again to learn more. I fasted for 262 last year and your book assisted me tremendously.

I'm so glad that you made good use of the fasting handbook. The information in that book has saved peoples lives and helped people reclaim their health. I'm honoured to have birthed such a useful tool into the hands of people everywhere. I had originally compiled the information in that book as a personal guide for purification. I collected cleansing practices and healing techniques from all around the world. I had the blessing of living and studying with Dr. Ann Wigmore, Bernard Jenson, Baba Hari Das, Swami Bua, and many more masters of personal transformation and biological rejuvenation. Eventually I saw that people everywhere could make use of these practices and with that Dining from an Empty Bowl was created. The book eventually grew and transformed and I worked out distribution with Ten Speed Press who repackaged the book as "The Fasting Handbook".

In your book you mention that some fasts remove toxins at a rate of two to one, while others are more like one hundred to one (one hundred days of toxic intake removed in one day). Can you be specific and share with us which fasts are two to one and which one(s) are one hundred to one?

Subtle changes have subtle results and extreme changes have extreme results. Fasts that act on a cellular level purify more than fasts that only cleanse organs. Fasting for longer periods can allow for a deeper cleansing, though it depends on the type of fast and most importantly on the person. With most fasts there is a specific point of revelation or a peak of critical transformation that once achieved the cleansing is over and the healing begins. For each person it may take different stimuli to push them to that point. Some people juice fast for a week and get phenomenal results whilst others juice fast for a month and see no results. It isn't just a dietary switch, it's a consciousness switch. The native tribes often used a sweat lodge as a purification rite. It tested their will, with intense heat and a person attending a lodge would often fast for the day on no food or water. It cleansed the body by removing toxins through the skin and it pushed the person to an extreme place within themselves. Water fasting, if properly done, has the highest rate of toxic removal and elimination. Wheatgrass juice fasting is advised for cellular and organ cleansing and is ideal for long term fasting with powerful results.

You also mention that when completing a soup fast, if you've been fasting for 6 months or longer that you need to take 28 days to move back to eating. Is this true for all extended fasts?

Yes, all extended fasts require a gradual transition back to a practical daily diet. When we stop eating or eat much less our digestive enzymes rest up and our healthy intestinal flora is weakened. Enzymes and flora are critical for breaking down our food and assisting in proper assimilation. Eating solid foods too soon after a lengthy fast can damage the digestive system and cause potential issues later on. The flora and enzyme levels have to be stimulated back to functioning, and the body needs to be reminded what solid food is like and how to process it. Gradual changes are best when transitioning back from long cleanses. Many people after extended cleansing find that their tastes and interests in food have changed. Many processed things that used to seem like food before become strange and foreign. Addictions are purged and peoples true senses surface after a good cleanse.

My friend and I are both considering becoming juicitarians in the future and we are surprised at how little information is out there on this lifestyle choice. Do you have any advice for us or others who wish to consume raw, live juices on a daily basis and seldom eat solid food?

Consuming only juice for extended periods nourishes the cells and provides energy. It can be very purifying and if done properly can sustain you. Juice is organic water filled with concentrated nutrients. Organic water is water that is purified by a plant's cells and fibre as opposed to ground water (aka inorganic water) which falls from the sky and flows in streams. 

Depending on the person and their body type and previous diet, some people juice fast for 100 or more days once or twice a year. There are some people I have encountered who have continually consumed only juice for over 400 days. Food without fiber is excellent as a source of energy and base nutrition. Although there can be challenges within the intestinal process and with returning to solid foods. It is possible that life can be sustained on only liquid or juice diet indefinitely if the proper variety of foods are juiced and the other lifestyle choices are kept within a healthy range. I suggest reading some books by Bernard Jenson and Norman Walker, both big advocates of extended juice fasting. 

I had never heard of "sight fasting" before but I would love to do a three day sight fast. Have you ever done one yourself? If so, what was your experience like?

Sight fasting is best done with a friend close at hand if it's your first time. I was originally turned on to the concept of sight fasting when I was a child. I was a member of the Boy Scouts and one of the things we did one weekend was each lead another person blindfolded around town for the day. It was really amazing to learn so much about using our other senses. It was also quite the exercise in trust. Later in life I sight fasted a few times. Once during a winter in Vermont, when snowed in, I sight fasted for 3 days and didn't leave the house. Another time I sight fasted for a day while meditating. I have found sight fasting to be healing for all the senses and an excellent thing to try at least once in your life. We use our eyes so much and constantly depend on them for information. Allowing them to rest improves function and extends their use.

How often do you fast and what is your longest fast?

My personal fasting practice has evolved and changed over the years. In my first 7 years eating all raw and living an evolved lifestyle I did a lot of fasts and cleanses. During those years I often fasted 3 or 4 times a year for anywhere from a week to a month. I also did maintenance fasts 1 day a week for 2 years during that time as well. In later years my fasting practice became a bi-yearly ceremony for my birthday and its counter point in the wheel of the year. I still continue this ritual in the spring and fall. I also sometimes fast from certain foods for healing purposes, or take a day off just to gain perspective.

My longest fast on fruit was 150 days
My longest fast on juice was 100 days
My longest fast on wheat grass was 60 days
My longest fast on coconut water was 28 days
My longest fast on spring water was 14 days
My longest fast on no food or water was 3 days

My longest fast without speaking was 10 days
My longest fast without media was 3 years

I've read another one of your books, on raw foods. Are you a raw foodist?

I was introduced to raw food by some friends in New York in 1991 and in 1993-1994 I had the pleasure of studying with Dr. Ann Wigmore. It was at that point that my raw food journey began. I was vegan at the time and did my best to eat as much raw food as I could. I remember the last cooked things I was eating was desserts from Angelica's Kitchen in New York. Realizing that only dessert stood between me and being a total raw foodist, I began to create raw desserts and started my company Loving Foods. It was soon after that that I became all raw.

In the first months being all raw I travelled to Hawaii and met some people at a retreat centre I was staying at. They asked me about the beautiful and exotic looking foods I was making. I shared with them some of my perspective on raw food and told them about the meal I had made. They asked me if I could make food like that for them and I agreed. The next night I prepared a spectacular dinner and they loved it. They told me they ran workshops and would be hosting one in Maine in a month and wanted me to cater the event. I agreed and quickly teamed up with a few of my friends to cater for over 100 people. It was a huge success and on the last day the owner of the retreat centre in Hawaii called the kitchen at the centre in Maine and asked if I would become the head chef in Hawaii. I agreed and moved there. Soon I was preparing amazing cuisine for people traveling to the islands from all over the world.

Word got out and people began to sneak in from the local community to sample the delicious raw food meals. One night the owner came down and said "There's only 10 people in the workshop, how come 18 people are eating dinner here?" I told him "I run the kitchen, not the gate. I'm within budget and the food is great!" He replied, "You need a restaurant. These folks are here for your food." I agreed and said, "I do and I quit." Soon after that I opened "The RAW Experience Restaurant" with my partner Renée Loux and released my recipe book "The Raw Truth". The book and restaurant were big hits and I was fully immersed in my raw food world. I started a newsletter called "The Living Planet" and began teaching classes on raw food all over the world. I helped many people start raw food cafes and I designed recipes for raw food products for huge companies.

Eventually I closed the restaurants and focused on teaching and my own studies. I have continually evolved and adapted my understanding of raw food and have constantly been on a mission to find the purest and most vital foods possible.

I know you live on 30 beautiful acres in Hawaii and there is red clay on your property. What is it used for and how can we all get some for ourselves? *I also hear lavender clay is now offered!*

At the edge of the rain forest, on the slopes of Halaakala, sits a special piece of property where I reside. This sacred land is the home to various rare birds and has many secret waterfalls, caves, and spectacular views. I have been building a sustainable farm and education centre where workshops and private retreats are held throughout most of the year and a summer camp is being set up for 2010.

Among the blessings this hidden spot on Maui offers - the red clay is one of most special. Hawaiian red clay is an ancient iron rich mineral deposit. The Hawaiians called it Alaea and used it for many healing purposes. The clay deposit we dig has been purified by a spring, flowed through for thousands of years - removing any dirt or debris and leaving some of purest silica and iron rich clay in the islands. The clay is harvested by hand and washed in rain water, dried in the sun, powdered and sifted, and jarred for storage.

Red clay can be moistened with water or we suggest various options such as wheatgrass juice or honey. Once wet the clay is applied to the skin and allowed to dry for 10-15 minutes. It can be rinsed off while lightly scrubbing to help remove any remaining colour that has permeated the skin, to help exfoliate (removing old toxins and skin cells).

Mineral rich clays act to draw out old waste and toxic material through the skin. The skin is considered the largest area of detoxification in the body. Through our pores and sweat we eliminate materials which are useless or unhealthy for the body. Exercise can help speed the removal of toxin through the skin by opening the pores wider and increasing blood flow and sweat production. Clays draw toxins through the skin by drying out and drawing new water through the skin. The toxic materials are often sucked upward to the surface of the skin and easily rinsed away purifying and cleansing the body. Using mineral clays leaves the skin smooth and creates a natural glow which emanates for days.

The Hawaiians also used the clay as a mineral supplement and internal cleanser to remove parasites and poisons similar to the way bentonite clay is used today. Research is being conducted to test the benefits and healing properties of using the Hawaiian red clay internally. For now everyone loves using it as body paint, a beauty product, and the ancient healing remedy of the Hawaiians.

If you wish to obtain some of our Living Clay you can order it directly from us at hawaiianclay.com or from lovingfoods.com. It will be available in retail stores soon.

I practice Hatha yoga and love the way my body feels as it continues to gain in strength - becoming more and more centred. How is Dragon Yoga different from other types of yoga?

Dragon Yoga is the union of Shaolin Kung Fu, Taoist Chi Kung, and many systems of Yoga. Like Hatha Yoga it offers a balanced and systematic approach to creating inner peace. The five element theory, microcosmic orbit, and yogic breathing techniques are core concepts which help make Dragon Yoga a unique and powerful practice. Dragon Yoga draws from an ancient well of knowledge from the far east uniting many empowering practices. The fusion of martial arts and yoga join together in perfect harmony offering a practice which helps enhance grace, speed, strength, endurance and focus.

I created Dragon Yoga in 2000 after over 15 years of study in the martial arts and yoga. It was originally designed as my personal practice which had evolved over the years as I had travelled and collected arts from all around the globe. The year 2000 was the millenial year of the Dragon and I was teaching Kung Fu and Astanga Yoga in Paia town. I showed some of my students the Dragon Yoga set and they loved it. Soon I began to teach it in the towns where I would travel to sign books and teach raw food classes. Dragon Yoga grew to incorporate all of the systems of yoga and kung fu that I had studied and just as the dragon is a synthesis of many animals—Dragon Yoga is the union of many systems and styles of training body, mind and spirt.

"Yoga Citta Vritti Nirodaha" or "Oneness is the stopping of mind fluctuations." To practice yoga is to cultivate the still point or place of perfect union between the doer and the deed. Sometimes there are blockages along the way to cultivating oneness. The various practices of yoga are designed to remove unwanted or harmful thoughts and notions from the physical and etheric bodies. Kung Fu means intended action or diligent work. Anything practiced eventually becomes a skill as we progress in our mastery. Chi kung brings our attention to internal energy and allows our concentration to deepen while helping circulate and cultivate chi. These arts all work towards the same goals of inner harmony, extended longevity, vibrant health and even enlightenment.

I've heard you don't only write books for adults - you also write children's books. What made you decide to venture into touching their lives with your words and thoughts?

I had just had the honour of sharing a year with a woman and her daughter. It was their first year in Hawaii and it just happened to be the coldest winter in many years. Mind you a cold winter in Hawaii is about 60 degrees. Yet when you expect tropical 80's, it's kinda chilly. Mid-winter a rare blue whale visited Hawaii and I started making jokes about Antarctic sea creatures coming to the Islands. One of my favourite sea animals is the Narwhal, the Unicorn of the Sea. It is a huge spotted whale with a spiraling horn sticking out of its forehead. I began weaving a tale about a Narwhal coming to Hawaii to birth her young with the Humpbacks who come here every year to give birth. I started telling the story to many of the children I met and they really loved it. I knew a local artist who specialized in sea life and I had him do the art. The book is yet to be released.

What are the names of your books and where are they available?

Most of the media I've created is available through amazon.com. My books are currently distributed by Ten Speed Press and my music is available on iTunes and Amazon. The Dragon Yoga DVD is available for download at www.dragonyoga.com and monkeynut can still be played on www.lovingfoods.com.

The Raw Truth -The Art of Loving Foods
The Raw Truth-
Raw Living (yearly guide)
Raw Resources
Dining From an Empty Bowl
The Fasting Handbook-Dining From an Empty Bowl
The Unicorn of the Sea (unreleased)
Dragon Yoga volume one (unreleased)
Chant Nyahbinghi (unreleased)

Issemble CD with Fundi
The Jive CD digital funk
Things Money Cant Buy CD - solo album (unreleased)
Maybe Friends -single (itunes only)

Monkeynut
Mango Bounce
Coconut Bocce

Dragon Yoga DVD (or downloads)

So what's next Jeremy? You are a business owner, farmer, writer, musician, yogi… what will you surprise us with next?

Recently I have been working on completing work on my first patent for a martial arts training toy called the Attack Sack©. I have also invented two different logic puzzles/games that are designed to enhance brain functionality and processing speed. Neuroanatomy and maximizing brain power have always been interests of mine and I have been working on a book entitled "Mental Evolution".

I have also been writing inspirational stories some of which are posted on my facebook page under my notes. Some of the other fun things in my current flow are antique bottle hunting (sold 3 on ebay for $2000 from the mid 1800's) and writing deeply inspired songs on the old Baldwin piano I recently purchased. My future plans involve creating a mystery school on my land to help train modern day mystics and offering a children's outdoor training camp for natural living and wilderness resourcefulness.

I have recently created a new website called we-farm its essentially craigs list for food, its free so shop trade and peruse the natural hand picked foods from your local area and buy direct from the farmers.

And… I still have room for interns and apprentices on my 2010 calendar.

Wow, it sounds like you have your hands full! Thank you so much for sharing your time with us Jeremy… we all look forward to seeing what germinates for you next!

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