The Importance of Environment - Part 1: Your Inner Terrain

Be prepared for an article written with passion, because this is a subject very close to my heart and one that, I hope, will impact you and your life forever.

Environment: The surroundings we choose to place ourselves in. (Yes, we do get to choose!)

So, how much of your environment is created consciously and how much of it fills you with glee?

Ideally the answer to both of the above should be "all of it", but my guess is that in more than a few ways it may very well not be? If this is the case, don't fret, it's “normal”.

But the purpose of this article is to bring home to you two things:

1) Why you should only ever make your environment "a ten"

2) How you can do that

To begin this foray into all things environmental, for today and for the purpose of this article, we're going to bring the subject very close to home. So close in fact that we're going to start with the internal and then, in the next article, extend just beyond that to our immediate everyday surroundings.

Ready?

Your Internal EnvironmentAre you yet at the place where you really get that your “inner terrain” doesn't just shape your level of health but also your ability to think clearly, remain calm and balanced, and access new levels of awareness and understanding? Do you get that your body houses your spirit and therefore is the most special and sacred place in your own personal world? If so, then you'll appreciate that every little thing you do (or don't) put into your body serves to support or deny that experience.

What this essentially means is that the cleanliness of and the resultant energy emanating from your inner environment is critical for so many other reasons than the obvious. At the deepest level, the situation we truly have here is that you are what you eat in so many more ways than the physical. Garbage in, garbage out - and vice-versa. And beyond that, if we are really getting to the bottom line (as I usually do) then we really have to ask the question: Is your inner terrain fit to house, honour and support your spirit - your true, magical and soulful magnificence?

Indeed, the significance of these considerations becomes more and more apparent the further we go on the raw food journey - which is part of what makes it so exciting. We become more sensitive to these facts, more aware of every little nuance and quite soon we notice that any cooked meal brings with it what is sometimes referred to as a “cooked foodover” - that numb, slightly dumbed-down feeling that comes when the body has had too much of a less-than-optimum thing. Scary, I know, but true nonetheless. Perhaps you have felt it already?

So, with this awareness, what's the advice du jour? Essentially, if the above makes sense intellectually but not yet experientially, then please bear with me. Trust that when you give your body the right ingredients (specifics in a moment) then your internal environment cannot fail but to change and reflect that, and consequently so will the rest of your life too.

A dramatic overstatement? Actually, no, because the cleanliness of your blood and all of your bodily systems affects your brain, which affects your thoughts, which affects your emotional state, which - providing you can allow yourself to get peaceful - allows “other stuff” to permeate, things such as mind-blowing insights, increased intuition, and a sense of deep connection to all of life, which is where the “raw magic” kicks in. All three combined affect your actions, which, of course affects your experience of life. Genius!

And the vital ingredients are:

• Pure, organic, fresh, ripe, whole, raw/live foods
• Pure water
• Oxygen (raw foods are the only foods that contain oxygen, especially the live ones such as sprouts, grasses and greens)
• Adequate exercise (the one most of us know and then ignore)
• Adequate rest and relaxation (including sleep)
• Positive thinking/feeling (the mastery of this may take time, but is so worth the effort!)
• Positive stimuli from external sources

So why do I emphasise taking your environment to a 10?

In all of my coaching work, my criterion for myself and for my clients is that we only pursue 10's. A ten = a 10/10 - i.e. only the best. When we settle for less, that's what we get. So we shoot for the 10 right away, because we all deserve 10's. Similarly, with your inner environment, for all of the reasons outlined here and more, by making your inner terrain a 10, you are putting yourself on the fast-track to a life many times better than the one you are currently experiencing. Why? Re-read the above and the answer is right there.

As for how you can do that, take action on all of the above points above and you really cannot go far wrong. Of course there are always little extras you can add in to your personal equation, but for the most part, there it is. Part of your journey may be cleansing as well as rebuilding. In fact, very few of us can skip the cleansing stage, but by implementing all of the above you'll be kick-starting a cleansing of sorts, enough to give you a sense of what can happen, and there it's up to you as to whether you choose to go “all the way” and give your cells a deep-pile clean!

Exciting stuff eh? Well, my experience has shown that the theory is one thing and the experience is entirely another. Therein lies the issue with trying to explain these things! Back in January 1992 when I thought I looked and felt "healthy", I had nothing to compare it to. Only one year later after moving through vegetarianism, veganism and into high raw, for the first time in my life I felt like I had a handle on what "healthy" truly looked and felt like. And the journey continues!

Never think you have it all figured out!

So, with the importance of upgrading you inner terrain explained, next time we’ll be looking out your life on the outside – your external environment.

© 2011 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

 

Comments

[Alex]

Dear Karen
Thank you for the guidance with how to get back on the raw wagon and stay there! I want to have about 60-70% raw diet, at the mo I flounder around and below 50-and am feeling it! I've moved to a shared house so cannot make juices in the morning!
I have a highly stressful job, teaching expelled boys in south london- and now that contract is not being renewed and my boyf and I split up for good, so been low! I have one shelf in the fridge also! Can you help me at all please?!!! Anyone else who has tips too, please let me know! Much appreciated
Alex

[Heidi]

Hi Karen, I thought I'd share a little insight I've been having recently. I've recently split from a 20-year long relationship and am in the throes of feeling deep relief and a sense of freedom. That said, it took a while. The sense that 'all was not right' came about when I forayed into raw food a few years ago. Once I realised what was happening, I "numbed-out" and hit the junk food in order to run away from the problem (I was not ready) but, as you say, once you're spirit has gone forward, you cannot go back. I should feel sad, and I do to some extent, but mostly I just feel a sense of happiness that hasn't been there for a while. I guess the universe was listening! I would love to hear your take on how creating a routine (as you mentioned in your recent teleseminar 7/6/11) works with living your life on an intuitive / spiritual basis? I feel the need to create my "squealicious" vision but cannot fix on anything in particular just now. BTW you are doing a grand job and long may it continue! Heidi x

[The Raw Journalist]

Great post! This is my goal.. all 10's all around!

[Denise Duffield-Thomas]

I'm so ready for 10s all throughout my life Karen. I'm really working on the exercise and well-being part.

Fantastic article as always Karen,
xx Denise