Today we bring you the last of our personal video interviews conducted while at the Raw Spirit Festival (RSF East 2009). I'll have one other highlight reel to run next week, just to round out this series by showing some of the additional ambience there.
So, we've finally come to the "infamous Viktoras video"! I smiled as I wrote that because it was quite the topic of discussion around our camp site. You see, one of my fellow campers, BH, was with me as we interviewed Viktoras (she filmed the interview, in fact) -- and, well... let's just say he strayed a bit from the expected raw food subject matter. I was worried that poor BH would be scarred for life after witnessing the discussion, but she did seem to get a good laugh out of it, and I suppose she's fully old enough to attend an R-rated movie.
It's partially my own fault... I didn't come prepared with specific questions, asking Viktoras instead if it would be okay if we could just "wing it." So, he laughed and came up with some of his own topics (as you'll see). Because of the rather unusual nature of some of what he said, I won't go into much detail here paraphrasing a few of his remarks, but I will say that (1) they're not necessarily "safe for work" and (2) you may not want to view them if your minor-aged children are around (or even with others of a more delicate sensibility). You have been officially warned!!? (The video starts our rather "commercialish" in tone. But stick with it for a few minutes and you'll see what I'm talking about. And then, beyond that eyebrow-raising part, there's a lot of great stuff about his eating routine and his interests.)
Okay, so, beyond the whole warning thing, I have to say it was a huge pleasure to hang out with Viktoras Kulvinskas, who is a true raw foods pioneer and legend. I had several occasions to chat with him while at RSF, and also afterward at Rawbin's house. He is, in fact, one of the nicest, most knowledgeable, and most approachable people you've ever met. We discussed things like his life in Costa Rica, his place in Arkansas, his retreats, and much more. And let me tell you -- when he's "on," man is he "on"! He gave a speech one day there and it was probably the most attended event of them all, culminating in a massive, enthusiastic standing ovation.
Viktoras is the author of "Survival in the 21st Century" (aka "Planetary Healers Manual"), a raw foods (and more!) manifesto that has sold more than half a million copies. Here is some additional background bio on Viktoras from his site:
Co-founder with Dr. Ann Wigmore of the world renowned Hippocrates Health Institute and developer of its wheatgrass and raw food program, Viktoras has received international acclaim as an author, lecturer, and health consultant. ... He received his Master of Science degree in Pure Mathematics from the University of Connecticut. He was a computer consultant for Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and the Apollo Project.
For information about Viktoras, I recommend his site www.Survivalinthe21stCentury.com. (I believe he maintains another site, Viktoras.org, but it does not appear to be online at the moment.)? Thanks again to BH for filming!
Original Comments
Below, we have included the original comments from this blog post. Additional comments may be made via Facebook, below.
On September 11, 2009, wrote:
Cool! What a neat, neat character! LOL! I wish I had gotten the chance to speak with him one on one while there. I did hear his talk though, very interesting and very passionate! :)
On September 11, 2009, wrote:
Hey Jim!
Thanks for linking to my site :)
My mom says I'm not allowed to watch this. =P.
On September 12, 2009, wrote:
I'm glad I hung in there after the first couple minutes because I loved everything after. I think the first couple minutes will scare away some of my SAD diet friends, and maybe even the transitioning ones! While I do believe animals "feel" and that they've been shot full of antibiotics, growth hormones, etc I am not so sure about some of the other things Viktoras was talking about. And while I abhor factory animal "farming" methods, I was raised with the "thin the herd" methodology and quick kill techniques for deer, cattle, chickens, turkeys, lamb, and other small family farm and wild game. I believe the intention and gratefulness for all that we do in regard to meat consumption (and in all things really) is more where it's at. But that's only IMHO. :)
Much love!
On September 12, 2009, wrote:
I was here "live" for this interview too and it was quite interesting indeed! Thanks again for posting all of these!
Tina
On September 13, 2009, wrote:
Yeah, he kind of caught me off guard there! LOL. Great guy, though. If you get a chance, definitely stop and talk w/ him. He's super nice!
On September 13, 2009, wrote:
T'was the least I could do to say thanks!! :-) Does that make me sound bad -- like I always do the "least" I can do? LOL... you know what I meant, though... But imagine if people always did the "most" they could do to thank others.
On September 13, 2009, wrote:
A lot of that kind of talk -- about the feelings of animals and the related theories about literally ingesting their fear -- is stuff I've only seriously thought about for the last few years of my life. I grew up in the midwest, where meat was a 3x/day thing. Nowadays, though, I can hardly walk past a meat counter in a grocery store without physically experiencing the brutality of those factory farms. I know what you mean about scaring away the SDA folks with some of that kind of talk, though. I was just talking about this very thing with Wendi yesterday. I'll write more on it, I'm sure... You're a full-on vegan, right Sheila? (I wasn't 100% sure. --not that it matters, btw. Just wondering.)
On September 13, 2009, wrote:
It was a great time hanging out w/ you, Tina. Lots o' laughs, eh !
On September 15, 2009, wrote:
I thought that was the best interview yet! Am still smiling here! Love the guy! All of you must have had the best time ever with so many wonderful people on our planet getting the word out and supporting each other with such good intentions! Thanks for doing this video everyone!
On September 15, 2009, wrote:
Hi Jim, no I am not full on vegan but I believe that will be in my life path someday! I still eat fish (mostly raw sashimi - which is sushi without the rice) and occasionally kosher kill lamb - twice a year so far, and kosher kill turkey, again just on holiday so twice a year. I have still been known to eat some cooked vegetables, such as mashed or baked potato. Otherwise I am raw. I consider myself high raw because nearly most of the time I adhere to the raw diet. My days consist of a raw smoothie with homemade raw almond mylk, and snacks are all superfoods or dehydrated crax with vegan cheezz. Lunch is also raw vegetables, dinner is where the fish comes in. Most nights sashimi but some nights I do have a broiled fish - and all fish I eat I adhere to my "eat right for my blood type" diet. The blood type diet has worked extremely well for my husband so I follow it as well. As a note, that's why the turkey and lamb because that's what AB blood type allows for, along with specific varieties of fish. I do also subscribe to the environmentalist fish chart so I only eat wild alaskan salmon, not farmed salmon, and so forth - obviously when I can find out where the fish came from. I am doing that for my belief in sustainable fishing. :) I am part American Indian, therefore that is where my belief in kosher kill, and giving thanks for all creatures comes from. Since no one IMHO can really 100% know for sure if an animal feels fear (I am a pet owner and would never for sport harm an animal) I am suspect that we tend to ascribe too many human attributes to animals. I do not see a need for animal cruelty as cruelty begets cruelty but if someone can use as much as an animal for food, leather, etc. that is why I am not vegan at this point because I think that is ok. But use as much as the animal as possible, and primarily as food as needed, and provide as much love and respect as possible in the quick kosher kill of the animal. The greed and needless waste of corporate animal farming I believe is where we as a people have totally gone off course.
On October 5, 2009, wrote:
OK, here goes, most people never mention God..the creator of everything. solar system galaxy, earth, seeds, plants, sky, sun, moon, humans, animals etc.
If you do not beleive HOW do you think anything came to existance
God created animals ans they are under our dominion..I do bvelevie animals were put here for us to eat, howeve not the way they are tied down and force fed and not allowed to graze and free roam.
Also I do not think God inteneded for them to be shot up with hormones and antibiotics and tied down and milked incessantly for Production for bottom line Money inthe pockets of the greedy.
Also I do not think that animal flesh was ment to be consumed as much as it is, we were menat to eat more live whole foods as in the Garden of Eden..but after the Fall of man's human frailities the fleshof the animals came in.
I do beleive our bodies were made capable of eating and properly digesting foods that are of animal flesh and vegetation. Somewhere in the bible ( I am not a bible thumper or a frequest reader, but I do Love my Creator) Jesus told one of his apostles that he opened the heavens and that apostle could choose any fowl ( I do not remember if there were other options) he would desire to eat of. Also in the Old Testament God mentioned which animals to eat and which to stay away from.
In fact back in the early eights I began to wonder what is the correct food to eat because people were saying Mono eating was coorect, vegan was correct, macrobiotic was correct, so I got tired of it all and went to the bilbe to see the correct way to eat ( & I never was one to even pick up a bible yet use it for research..Lets put it this way I was never a little angel) but I figured God created us and He better than any man put on this earth would KNOW what was good for our body...That is where I found my answer..
My heartfelt beleife is when you are getting to a point where you do not feel energized by your food, that is when you go raw and if it means you need to stay raw then you need to do so.
I, personally Never feel goos when I eat cooked food of ANY kind.
I feel light, free, emotionally balanced, energized when I eat whole live foods.
When I have control over my emotions I always stay raw..when I let my emotions run me then I get in trouble.
When I use TAT ( Tapas accupressure technique. this lady is totally awesome I love her as a sister for what she has done for all of us ) someway when I have the money I will take her TAT seminar taught by her...anyway when I Use Tat I am back in control and I saty raw.
When I went to the Creative Health Institute ( Ann Wigmore's creation based on mostly what Viktoras was speaking about ) I had no health issues I went there because I wanted to break my addiction to 2 -3 liter bottles of Coke a cola a day..It did work.
We learned to sprout and make various dishes, we used Wheat grass in every orifice of and on our bodies, it was Wheat grass heaven.
BASIC raw works, we do not need any supplements not any of the for profit items, they are all extras,. NOT needed to be Healthy & Vibrant & Raw .
Ok I went on a lot I am 65yrs young with a lot of life experience and I love Viktoras, he is who he is ,he is Real, he say what he believes and it is refreshing
Love you all, Geri
On October 5, 2009, wrote:
My mom won't let me watch this. =P.
On October 6, 2009, wrote:
LOL
On October 6, 2009, wrote:
Hi Geri- Wow, that's a lot of information! You know, I do believe we have a kind of "dominion" over animals, although that term seems to imply a power heirarchy under which we're free to eat them if we like. In my own personal view -- and, hey, all views are subjective -- our consciousness can be put to better use than eating animals. I think we can leverage our gifts to help them, and to simply love and appreciate them. Admittedly, I used to be a meat eater. But, once I really committed to raw veganism, it awakened the compassion within me that I now realize was always there. And once that true nature of myself came to the surface, any desire to eat meat again simply vanished. Thanks for sharing!!! -Jim