If the Buddha Came to Dinner

I was having lunch with my family at the Beans of the Belfry in Brunswick MD, an old restored church building, when I spotted the If the Buddha Came to Dinner in paperback.  I thought it was part of the antique decorum of the restaurant.  It's written by Hale Sofia Schatz and copyrighted in 2005.  It deals with "How to Nourish Your Body to Awaken Your Spirit."  It is such an intriguing title.

One of my favorite authors Lama Surya Das writes that Schatz "has developed a truly unique approach to nourishment.  The profound practice she teaches is both pragmatic and highly effective."  Who can argue with that statement?

I have underlined many nuggets of wisdom in the book such as "If you can listen and respond to the inner messages of your spirit, then you're in a state of nourishment" on page 5.  I have also inserted small bookmarks, strips of paper, and stickies in various colors to mark pages of self awareness and how to nourish the body and the spirit.  Get this:  "When you feed yourself according to the seasons, you are connected to nature's life cycles--the earth, climate, and the growing seasons."  I agree.

It has always been my intention to go on a "cleanse" and Schatz provides an excellence guide for a cleansing program and she maintains that "to cleanse is a retreat into yourself" and to begin the cleanse is to first clean your house in preparation for the cleanse that you ease into, no abrupt and sudden changes.

In her book, she prepares you mentally and physically for the cleanse.  She has provided an overview, a time frame, of the various phases of the cleanse and she provides you with several listings of "cleanse foods"consisting of fruit and vegetables for easy digestion.

What got my attention is the over 60 recipes for soups, salads, and main dishes with many vegetables grown in your garden  She suggests rutabaga, collard greens, and beets to name a few.  She combines the vegetables with a lot of exotic but common spices such as cardamon, coriander, and cinnamon.

But the question to ponder is:  What would you do if the Buddha came to your home for dinner?