I've always been moved by the story of how the Buddha, when sitting under the bodhi tree, was assailed by the armies of Mara, delusion or self-doubt; and in response, he simply reached out and touched the earth.
Then the earth goddess rose up, calling forth the waves of understanding to wash away the forces of delusion. Deeply unsure of himself, uncertain whether he was doing the right thing, whether he was on the right path, unsure even of what was real or unreal, the Buddha reached out and touched the earth, and instantly found his doubts dispelled, replaced by an unshakable certainty and joy.
We too can touch the earth, just by opening ourselves to the boundless world: the whir of a hummingbird, the splash of orange lichen on gray stone, the scent of wood smoke. To be completely open is to be completely connected, and when we live like this we find our doubts are simply insignificant in the face of the grandeur of existence. Just touch the earth!
As resident manager and chef for Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center near Boulder, Colorado, I am lucky enough to be continually immersed in beauty. Just yesterday, as I was writing in my journal near dusk, three deer came close by to graze, the crowns of their full antlers bobbing from the high grass. The night before a young bull moose came even closer to dine on the willow steps from my door. A lightning storm, a crooked branch, a hooting owl: I want to share these with you as gates to reverence and gratitude.
These qualities—reverence and gratitude—form the basis of the spiritual or contemplative life, and are the key to personal transformation. Personal transformation in turn is the critical basis of social, political and environmental change—the hinge upon which all else moves. To understand this is to understand the heart of the practice of ecodharma: that the world’s salvation depends on your own salvation, and yours depends on the world’s.
If ecodharma is the trunk of the tree, this newsletter has at least one major branch. For years now guests at the retreat center have been asking me for recipes, and for years I’ve had to reply that my recipes exist only in my head or as hastily typed notes. Well, no more! As often as I can, I will dutifully type out amounts and instructions to share with you my best efforts toward wise sustenance.
These recipes will be of particular interest to vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free eaters, along with anyone interested in sustainable diets and delicious food. While most will be well-established items, my own cooking practice isn’t static and no doubt will continue to evolve; I’m especially interested in how to craft a vegetarian diet to support ease of digestion and good gut health.
They will also be of special interest to anyone cooking for retreats or other large groups. When I first began cooking for retreats, I was surprised by how few resources were available online regarding even the basics of banquet portioning. How much brown rice will 24 people eat? How much oatmeal? How many enchiladas? To this end, I will at times formulate recipes in two versions, one for home cooking and one for retreats. I’ll also include some general instructions for cooking and portioning staple items.
The first recipe I’ll share is the one most often requested: my chocolate moose bars. I serve this vegan and gluten-free dessert at the final dinner of most every retreat, and guests are astonished at its silky chocolate and nutty, buttery shortbread crust.
A story about the moose bars: At a recent retreat I came out of the kitchen to ring the dinner bell, with everything set on the table, only to find the entire group of guests lined up at the east windows of the dining room. Joining them, I saw a young bull moose - the very same moose I mentioned earlier - jumping, spinning and cavorting in the little glade just off the deck. Though the retreat was in silence, everyone was laughing and commenting. Afterward the teacher said to me, “Your dessert really came with the moose!”
This post comes with the moose too. Here he is, enjoying his own dessert.