Know Any Literary Animal Lovers?
Hi there PureJeevan readers! We wanted to let you know that Jim's new novel CHROO is available on Amazon. It's a crazy adventure involving a billionaire heiress, her Chihuahua BFF ("Chroo") and a host of human and animal characters. Find out more on Amazon! Here are some links:
A partial group picture from the retreat.
The 3-Day Raw Food Spiritual Ashram Retreat was a success! All my time and effort that went into creating the event was well worth the experience. When Leela Mata and I discussed a possible raw food retreat about a year ago, I had no idea how to go about creating such an event. I have never done anything like this, so I approached it by asking myself: "What would I want if I was attending a raw food spiritual retreat " From there, I created a retreat that I would love to attend, myself. In fact, when it was completely organized and guests began signing up, I wished that an identical event existed that I really could take part in, as well!
Jim here... Today is April 25, 2009 -- Wendi Dee's Birthday!!? She's asleep now. It's 1:30 in the morning & I've been up for hours assembling something stunningly amazing to share with you. You see, this year, I asked some friends, family, and foodies to take a page of a sketchbook and offer Wendi some Happy Birthday wishes -- and then send it back to me so I could bind it all into a large book!? WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!! Check out the response from 40+ people from around the globe. It's a little overwhelming to see this much positive energy in one place. What a momentous day she's in for in another 5 hours or so when she gets up and is greeted by such a surprise! If you'd like to say Happy Birthday, just leave a comment here! Thanks to everyone!
Clarifications: (1) Yes, as some of you may have guessed, Wendi's body has circled the sun more than 25 times. If you visit the site, I explain what the "25th" birthday means a little more. It's basically about the amazing power of raw foods. (2) No, I didn't send messages to David Wolfe, Gabriel Cousens, Woody Harrelson, or other raw food celebrities Wendi isn't friends with. However, if they are huge fans of Wendi's, they are more than welcome to contribute via email or comments! LOL ;-)
Original Comments
Below, we have included the original comments from this blog post. Additional comments may be made via Facebook, below.
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy 25th Birthday Gypsy!!!
I so wish to be there with you celebrating this amazing day, but as I can't, I send you lotsof e-love.
*hugs tightly*
I LOVE YOU!!!
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy Happy Birthday Wendi.............wishing you al the happiness your heart can hold, on this special day of birth and always...........you inspire so many!!!!!
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy Birthday Wendi!
I had posed this question in another post on this site, can't remember where now!
But I will post it here too
On my birthday I like to look back to last year's birthday to see what about me has changed!
What about you Wendi? What has changed about you
Hope there are lots of ovely surprises in store for your big day!
Sheryl Miller
Austrlaia
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
wishing much peace, love and joy to you on this special day... Happy Birthday, Wendi!
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy Happy Birthday, Miss Wendi Dee! I hope your day is a joyous as ever. ;)
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Very, very Happiest of Birthdays, Dearest Wendi. You give so much of your essence and touch many souls. I wish you a day that is beyond beautiful and filled with joy and blessings as you embark on another wonderful adventure around the sun. And love LOVE love abound...always. xo
Blaq Berry
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy Birthday lovely lady!!! I'm sure you'll be glowing all day! :)
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Seesmic video reply from Disqus.
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
That is the best present ever!
And Wendi, if you did not know it before, I think you now are sure....
You Are Loved!!!!!!!!!
Happy 25, can't wait for your 24th next year!!!
love love love deb
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy Birthday Wendi. Thank you for being such a light in the world.
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy Birthday Wendi!
What a beautiful book!!! I am so happy to be part of it, and thanks Jim for posting the whole thing! It is just beautiful.
We love you!
~ Melissa
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Hey Girl! Happy, happy day to you and thank you Jim for inviting Bo and I to be a part of this special day!
Revvell
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Hey Girl! Happy, happy day to you and thank you Jim for inviting Bo and I to be a part of this special day!
Revvell
(Did this twice since I had to figure out the system)
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy Birthday Wendi GIRL!!!
Have lots of fun in this, your 25th year. Blessing and love all around. Kisses riding on the wind for you.
Much love!
P. Lis
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Have a wonderful amazing Day of Incarnation, the sweetness of your eternal spirit always shows!
XOXO!!!
Jill
p.s. thank you to Jim for being such an awesome partner :)
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
I'm glad to know Wendi's birthday was as special as she and her family are. And I love the phrase "Wendi s body has circled the sun more than 25 times." I'm gonna try to remember that one for birthdays!!
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Not even having met you, Wendi, I can always feel your love for others online. Thank you so much for all you do for others. You are a true jewel in this world!!
Much love and birthday hugs,
Jenny
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
May this be the beginning of the happiest birthdays of your life.
love joy and peace
fatima
On April 25, 2009, wrote:
Happy Birthday, Wendi!!
Best wishes!!!
Keep shining!!!
On April 26, 2009, wrote:
Happy Birthday, Wendi! Thanks for all the gifts you've given us!! XOXOXOX
On April 26, 2009, wrote:
Hi Wendi ~ I'm sending HUGE birthday wishes all the way from Washington State! I hope you have a wonderful day!
Debbie *�*
On April 26, 2009, wrote:
Wendi have a blessed day as you have so blessed others.Because you have sown so
much enjoy the returns! Have many more circles around the sun, Love Diane
On April 26, 2009, wrote:
let your light shine and radiate in every nook and corner of our beloved planet and beyond, and let me whisper happy birthday in your ears,thank you for being here
On April 26, 2009, wrote:
Happy Happy Birthday Wendi!!!!
On April 26, 2009, wrote:
Happy, happy, happy birthday Wendi Dee!
hugs from Florida where the coconut grows :)
love
sheila
On April 26, 2009, wrote:
One happy birthday is never enough, here is another one :) <3
I will add to the notebook! I was afraid to sign the real thing, in case it got lost in transit after sending it back :(( I would have felt so awful. I hope you're having an amazing week!
On April 26, 2009, wrote:
Wendi,
So Happy Birthday.I had no idea it was your birthday.I was gone for a few days off computer.BUSY! And still wanted to wish you a Happy belated Birthday! Bye Dianne (DianneRawGirl)
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Happy Birthday beautiful Wendi!!
You are such a light in this world....I hope your day was filled with light and joy and wonder!
Hugs, Tina
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Ulol, my love!!! *blows kisses*
This birthday was THE BEST EVER! Even though you weren't physically here with me, it was extra special because I had your special contribution to my birthday book! It made me cry so much to see your page in the book. It was VERY special to me!
I miss you so very much! Thanks for stopping by the blog and leaving a comment, but most of all for always sharing your love and friendship with me.
I love you, too!
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thank you so very much, Mary!! It was THE BEST birthday EVER!!
I'm so happy that I can inspire others--all of you have given me so much love in return and that has meant the world to me!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks, Sheryl!
I responded to your original question a few minutes ago on the other blog post. :-)
Thanks, again!!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks so much, Carlos!! Thanks for being a special part of my birthday gift, and for saying Happy Birthday to me on your blog, too!
I love you!
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks so much, WendiLou!!! It was The BEST birthday EVER!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Blaq Berry!!! You are always so loving to me. *hugs* Thanks for your sweet comment. :-) Thanks for being such a special part of my birthday gift!
I love you!
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
I've been glowing all weekend, Rawbin!! It was THE BEST birthday EVER!! It lasted all weekend and continues through today as I read and respond to all of the love-filled comments that have been shared with me. :-)
I love you!
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
My first video reply on the blog!!! I LOVE IT! I LOVE YOU!!
*blows kisses*
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
It really IS the BEST PRESENT EVER!!! Jim says he's screwed for next year--no way to top this one! ;-)
I think you know me so very well. Yes, I didn't truly realize how much everyone does love and care for me. After this, how can I ever doubt? I am blissfully blessed.
Thank you so very much for being a part of my special gift, Debbie!
I love you!
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Elizabeth!
Thanks so much! I had THE BEST birthday EVER!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks so much, Melissa! Thanks for making my birthday celebration continue through Sunday, also! You are such a dear friend to me.
I love you!
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thank you, Revvell and Bo!! I LOVE that you were both a part of my gift! It has been THE BEST birthday EVER! It's one I'll NEVER forget!
I love you both!
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks so much, P. Lis!! Thanks for being a part of my gift, also. Jim said he was impressed with your artwork--he hasn't seen your paintings, yet, I told him! You are truly gifted!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Jill! Thanks for such a sweet comment. It was THE BEST birthday EVER! I can't even imagine a better one in another incarnation! :-)
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Oh, it WAS!! It was so very special Allison!! Thanks for being a part of my gift!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks so much for your sweet comment, Jenny! You are very welcome--I love helping others.
I hope to one day meet you in person--maybe while we are on our cross-country tour!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Fatima! This was definitely the happiest and BEST birthday, ever!! Thanks so much!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks, R_Eli! I had a fabulous birthday!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks, Jacki!
You are very welcome for all of the gifts! I love giving to others!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
More birthday wishes from Debbie! Thanks so much!!
*blows kisses*
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks so much, Diane! It was surely a blessed day for me!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Anasha! Thanks so much for your beautiful birthday wish!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks, Vebanmimi! I had a wonderful day!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Sheila! Thanks so much! I had the BEST birthday EVER!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks for all of the birthday wishes, Joanna!
Yes, please add to the special notebook. I welcome a page from anyone who wants to contribute. It is such a special gift to me; it's one that I will always cherish!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks, Dianne! It was a fantastic birthday!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
Thanks so much, Tina, for your sweet comment!
Yes, my day was absolutely filled with light and joy and wonder!! It was THE BEST birthday EVER!!
Lots of love to you,
Wendi
XOXOXO
On April 27, 2009, wrote:
The pleasure was all mine, I hope you pass that Birthday love down to all the future generations.. are you listening Kat ??
love you too!
Deb xoxoxo
PS Sam had fun with her drawing too, lest you think I drew that!!!!!hee hee
On April 29, 2009, wrote:
You're very welcome. It was our pleasure and what a GREAT idea Jim had!
This video is nearly 10 minutes long (sorry, we'll aim for shorter ones in the future), but shows a full process for making a delicious, spicy nut dip. From there, we show two options for making the sandwich -- one using dehydrated raw bread, another using lettuce as the wrapper. I wanted to add that the packaged raw bread used herein is from Love Force, a great company that has provided sponsorship support to Pure Jeevan in the past. Here's a link to their site in case you're interested acquiring some of their bread or finding out where it's sold. (It's very good, as are their raw organic energy bars!)
Read more: Video: Jim from Pure Jeevan Makes Nutdip / Raw Sandwiches!
"Hey there... I know you have a daughter about the same age as mine. Recently a friend at school told [my daughter] about the things animals go through to become our food and it has sickened her to the point where she wants nothing to do with meat except 'maybe' fish sticks.I'm so not against this in any way but my concerns are her eating enough other foods to balance out the vitamins and nutrients she got from meat so that it doesn't affect her health or learning development."
Above is part of a letter Jim received from a Pure Jeevan member. The letter was really three separate questions about the raw food diet in regards to (1) nutrition and development, (2) financial stress, and (3) group living. Since my response was getting quite long, Ive split up the questions and answers. Below is my response to the nutrition and development concern. Tomorrow, Ill address financial stress and group living when eating a raw food diet.
Read more: Teen Going Vegetarian: Nutrition and Development Concerns (Part 1 of 2)
In a previous Take the Time Tuesday entry, we introduced you to three fantastic raw food snack companies who have offered to donate samples of their products for our upcoming retreat. If you haven't heard about the 3-Day Raw Food Spiritual Retreat, yet, there is still some space for you to join us from May 23-25, 2008! We ve set this retreat up so that it s as affordable as possible. There s a significant savings if you sign up early, too, so be sure to check it out!
Each individual attending the retreat will receive a gift basket filled with delicious raw food treats from some truly fantastic companies. Keep an eye on the retreat page to see other companies that will be sharing delicious raw food snacks with those attending the retreat! Today, we'd like you to...
This is the first installment of a new series that we plan to run occasionally here on the Pure Jeevan blog. The series is called "Raw Foods 101" (the same name as our free eBook that has now been read by more than 5,000 people around the world!). Raw Foods 101 will become the latest addition to our category list (available along the right side of our sidebar). In time, clicking on Raw Foods 101 will deliver a plethora of raw food tidbits.
So, where should we start? ... How about the topic of soaking nuts and seeds ! This is a question that comes up repeatedly in emails sent to Pure Jeevan.
Read more: Raw Foods 101: Why Should You Soak Nuts Before Eating Them?
April 15, 2008
Every year my dear friend, Mamta, lets me know when Navratri is going to begin. ?It s the nine-day fast, but you don t have to change anything since you are already eating so healthy. Traditionally, Hindus used to abstain from eating during Navratri. In modern times, with everyone working and life being less relaxed, fasting isn t always something that can easily be accomplished. So, over the years Navratri has been modified by many to represent a time of eating more simply and abstaining from meat if you eat it.
This year, I had an email question from one of our readers who was asking about ways to eat simpler during the nine-days of fasting. After responding to him, it sparked in me a desire to do something this year for Navratri. I had read about eating mono meals and always thought it sounded like such a gentle way of cleansing the body, so I figured I d try it for the nine days of Navratri. To make it even easier on me, I decided to consume a different food every 24 yours, rather than eating the same thing for the full nine days. Maybe in the future I ll try that, but this time I wanted this to be as easily doable as possible.
All this week on the Pure Jeevan blog, we'll be focusing on diabetes and the movement to naturally reverse it. We're working up to April 25th (my birthday!), which has been selected as the official Reversing Diabetes Naturally Day.
A warm, intelligent, and loving individual named Dr. Gabriel Cousens has been doing ground-breaking work and research on diabetes and diet. What he has found is so surprising that many people dismiss what he is saying, believing it to be false. But, I (along with many others in the natural health movement) am here to tell you that what Dr. Cousens has discovered is TRUE! You probably already know what he has discovered, of course: a change in diet (particulary including raw foods) can reverse diabetes!
Dr. Cousens did a small study on some diabetic individuals, documenting his work and findings. The resulting documentary is remarkable. We hosted a viewing of the movie at our home and the room was packed. Everyone sat silently, absorbing the truth of what they were seeing: diet CAN make a difference in a disease that is thought to be permanent and debilitating. Many of us had tears silently streaming down our faces, touched by the moving stories that were shared in the documentary. We were filled with a sense of excitement that there IS hope for those with diabetes!
Read more: Our Focus This Week: Reversing Diabetes Naturally
It is with heartfelt gratitude that I reach out to say thank you for all of the lovely birthday wishes from all over the world.
As many of you know, I've been working on all aspects of myself---continuing to grow healthier in all ways (body, mind, spirit, and emotions). After a lifetime of feeling that I wasn't worthy of my own attention and affection, I learned to love myself. That was a huge thing for me and I am still overjoyed to acknowledge who I am and proudly proclaim that I love myself.
I'm not perfect, but I'm perfectly me---allowing myself to blossom more fully into who I am as the days go by. I've been openly sharing my journey because I know that I'm not the only person who has lived a life without self love.I receive emails from so many of you saying that you can relate to what I've been through, the pain I've suffered on all levels. You've shed tears and thanked me for my story because it has helped you see more clearly your own self. With open arms, and an open heart, I love all of you. It brings me great joy to know that through sharing I am able to help you grow and blossom more into your own beautiful selves. Imagine a world where we all know and love ourselves for the lovely individuals that we all are! What a beautiful and fragrant garden there would be!
Do you know the saying about freely giving out love because you never run out of it? Well, that's definitely true! There's something else that happens, however, the more you share love: it comes back multiplied more than you ever could have imagined! That's what happened to me on my birthday--I was overwhelmed with a flooding of love coming in from all over the world!
Jim here... A little over a month ago, we couldn't contain our excitement about an online contest to win the best job EVER -- living as caretaker of a tropical island in Queensland, Australia, on the Great Barrier Reef for 6 months (and being paid $100k for the task!).
The deadline has come for this and, as we promised, we BOTH applied. My video was the first to be processed. So, we posted a screenshot above, which you can click to go view it (or just click here) -- and also please vote and rate it a 5!!! (I've heard that the rating system can get a little screwy on that site -- that you need to wait for it to load and maybe mouse over the rating part first. But, a 5-star rating would really help, as would the traffic, even if you don't watch the entire video.
Jim here... I was listening to a radio commercial the other day that promised to reveal the "secrets that credit card companies DON'T want you to know." You hear that kind of rather manipulative marketing all the time, right? It's a psychological thing, I suppose -- filling your mind with intrigue almost instantly. My credit is pretty decent, but I was thinking, "Wow, I wonder what those secrets are?!" We humans are curious creatures, aren't we?
But then I started to laugh to myself, imagining a raw foods radio spot adopting that technique. "Buy our special report and learn all of the Secrets that Raw Foodists do NOT Want YOU to Know!!!" And then I laughed some more. Know why? Because, when you think about it, there are absolutely, positively NO secrets raw foodists don't want you to know! Isn't that stunningly cool? In fact, the entire message of the movement is conveniently included right there in the words "raw foods." It couldn't be simpler -- the cure for what ails so much of the planet, neatly summed up in two words.