With summer approaching, we also starting to receive a bounty of wonderful fruits and vegetables. Farmers Markets in Seattle are opening again this month and I am eager to go tomorrow to the one in my Capitol Hill neighborhood and browse the wonderful array of locally crafted foods and talk to the people who actually are involved with growing and making the food.
Food is such a ripe place for reflection on the sacred art of living. Cooking has the potential to be a deeply creative act , sharing a meal as a sacred time to break bread with friends and to nourish our bodies so they can continue to serve us and others.
Another local resource I love is Pioneer Organics which is an organic produce delivery service (what could be easier than having a box of fruits and vegetables left on your door each week?). They also have groceries available and you can choose which produce to include and exclude (in case you are not a big radish fan, like me, for example).
For those who want their organic groceries delivered, there is also SPUD which not only offers a wide range of products, but also shows you how many miles each product had to travel to reach Seattle–very helpful if you want to take your food commitments one step further and in addition to eating organically, also try to eat as locally as possible. You not only support local businesses, but also reduce fuel costs and greenhouse emissions from transporting your food over long distances.
This is a subject I plan to return to quite a bit as it is an area I am trying to become much more intentional about and having been reading lots of books. And really this sacred art of living is about the intention and awareness that we bring to the ordinary aspects of our lives, transforming the simple act of eating into an act of sacred nourishment.
~Christine Valters Paintner
