Goddess Gaia Rising...

WOW, what a yummy first couple of days of life-out-in-the-world ‘Raw Emotions’ has enjoyed :) Thank you all SO much for all the beautiful comments that have been coming in – I’m finally getting somewhat caught back up with email again now ;)
Here’s a moving comment left anonymously by a dear soul, on this blog:

“I've started reading raw emotions, and it is truly a blessing. Reading it gave me new insight into my situation, and the courage to think about leaving an emotionally toxic relationship I have in my life (one with a person) and an equally abusive relationship that I have by punishing myself with food. Thanks Angela! Although the focus of your book isn't toxic people, the healthy, loving ideas in it give readers the tools and the confidence to reclaim their lives from toxic people, abusers, and addictions.”

Wow, thanks for the feedback and all blessings to you as your own healing unfolds...
Here is another sweet little review a reader in Alaska recently posted to her blog - http://rawfoodcoldclimate.blogspot.com/ :

“I purchased Angela Stokes Raw Emotions today, and it will be my trusted companion for the rest of this journey. I know this is my key to moving forward in the face of an amazing upwell of emotional detox. This book inspired me to break out my highlighter by page 10, the back of page 18 has a poem that I will keep to myself written on it, and by page 21 I was truly connecting to the heart of where I am right now.”

Thanks Kristi – I hope you continue to enjoy the book :) If you haven’t delved into Raw Emotions yet, you can see an excerpt HERE. Enjoy :)

On March the 9th I had:

1.5 quarts water
½ watermelon
16oz celery/lettuce/cucumber/parsley/carrot/ginger juice
bowl of grated cucumber mixed with avocado pieces, mixed sprouts, karengo seaweed and finely chopped cilantro, served in lettuce wraps and nori sheets
1.5 quarts water
16oz celery/lettuce/cucumber/parsley/carrot/ginger juice
bowl of ‘gingerbread’ yum: soaked goji berries blended with pine nuts, served with fresh raspberries and banana pieces – YUMMM :)
1.5 quarts water

On another subject entirely, Terri wrote in to say:

“I have another question for you....Where do you get your clothing? What is it made of?
Terri in Texas”

Thanks for the Q Terri. I love beautiful clothing and was often frustrated in my obese days with the limited range of clothes on offer in stores for ‘plus sizes’. Since losing the weight and changing about 10 clothing sizes in the process, I’m now MUCH happier with the clothing choices available ;)
When I first started to fit into smaller clothing sizes, however, I felt quite overwhelmed by all the choices available. I found it hard to focus – it seemed like there was suddenly just so much choice. I also felt uncomfortable still in stores with smaller sizes. As a teenager, I had many unpleasant experiences in clothing stores, feeling awkward and out-of-place while I waited for others to try things on – I always felt shame and avoided the shop assistants, who I feared were disgusted by me. I’ve since slowly softened into the idea though that it is actually ok for me to be in those stores and my awareness of what I really want in life has slowly refined too - so, these days I am delighted to make very specific choices about the clothes I purchase.
I choose almost only organic cotton, bamboo or hemp clothes and aim to buy from small retailers, whom I preferably meet in person. I want to adorn my body with clothes that have been made with love and consciousness, rather than in a sweat-shop by someone who is unlikely living their passion. I am completely willing to pay more for a few beautiful pieces of well-made, loved clothing, than get many cheaper, ‘empty-feeling’ pieces. Life is all about choices and we vote with our ‘dollar’ every single time we buy things. I want to feel great about the choices I make and the businesses I support, so that’s why I aim for eco clothing companies. The mainstream cotton industry is one of THE most polluting industries in the world, with shocking rates of cancer among workers. So, even if I see GORGEOUS clothes made with 100% cotton and it’s not ORGANIC cotton, I’m not really interested these days... My ‘wardrobe’ (read: 'backpack ';) is still in transition though, as my older garments are phased out and all new eco-purchases are added in, as I find garments I really resonate with. As for second-hand clothes, or those made from RECYCLED materials – I’m definitely open to those options too...
Here are ten of my favourite eco-clothing makers and suppliers to check out, in no particular order:

Mountains of the Moon - hemp, organic cotton and more
Organic Avenue - FABULOUS eco-outlet in New York
Sweetgrass - long-lasting, durable hemp clothes
Texture - 2 sweet girls in the Pacific NW making 'clothing with a conscience'
Under the Canopy - eco-underwear - oooooo lala ;)
Spellwear - magical hemp clothes made from the UK
Ecolution - more yummy hemp creations
Rawganique - HUGE warehouse of eco-clothes, based in BC, Canada.
Not Just Pretty - absolutely FABULOUS site also in BC, PACKED with eco-clothes
The Natural Store - UK based with lots of great UK eco-labels like Ciel, Enamore, Gossypium.


March the 10th was my second day of Juice Feasting once a week, as part of the Global Juice Feast currently in process :) Great day - I had 5.5 quarts of juice :

1.5 quarts water
1.5 cups wild berry tea
1 quart watermelon juice
1 quart celery/cucumber/zucchini/beetroot/lettuce/carrot/ginger juice
1.5 tbsp superpower paste :) YUMM – mixed together spirulina powder, maca powder, spot of raw honey, bee pollen and vanilla powder – yeeeeeeee-HAH :)
1 quart watermelon/orange juice
1 pint water
1 quart apple/cucumber/celery/dandelion/parsley/romaine juice
1.5 quarts watermelon/orange juice
3 cups water

OOoooooOooooo…ladies, are you ready to gather with your raw sisters and delve into a nurturing, vibrant, luscious celebration of the Goddess within ALL of us…??? Then get on over to Ojai, California in April for a 5-day ladies-only raw retreat… If I was in the US at the moment, I would be at this retreat in a heartbeat to share with all the luscious Goddess energies arising in this raw movement…as it happens, for the time being, I find myself elsewhere – NEXT year though, I’m THERE ;)
The retreat is from April 2nd-6th this year, in Ojai, California (where we used to live – beautiful town ;). There’s a gorgeous line-up of Goddesses heading up the games this year, including Annie Jubb, Happy Oasis, Kerrie Dancing Butterfly and Elaina Love…
There’s going to be all kinds of nurturing, delicious activities on offer like energy healing, journey dancing, Goddess card readings, drum circle, yoga, massage, music, nutritional counselling, sweat lodge, raw food meals. Get ready to relax, share, explore, awaken, co-create and THRIVE, all out in the beautiful natural, pristine surroundings of Ojai :)
The investment in your health for this retreat is $995 and there’s limited space, so do contact them soon if you’re interested. For questions you can contact Joy on 949.294.2966 or journeysforthesoul@hotmail.com

For more information, photos and to register online visit:

http://www.journeysforthesoul.com/celebrate_the_goddess_within_april_2008.htm

…and let us all know how it flowed if you get to go and play in the goddess paradise ;)

All love,
Angelalalalalaaaaaaa. xxx