Gyoto Monks Spiritual practice: Love, Fun and Self-gratification

Spiritual practice: Love, Fun and Self-gratification

Reflections on the Buddhist wisdom teachings of the Gyoto Monks.

Gratitude to this wise man!

Yesterday I had the great privilege of being in the presence of Tibetan Monks. Previously I attended the Conscious Club in Bondi, a great new initiative uniting those of us frustrated by the usual unenlightened social gathering, where I heard their hauntingly beautiful chanting.

On this occasion, in Corrimal, I arrived in time for a lecture on the nature of spiritual practice. Today I needed some guidance. I arrived emotional, following two days of downward spiral, and barefoot (no wasn’t being hippy cool) I’d stepped in a massive puddle, soaking my shoes.

 I was encouraged by the amount of rationality Gen Lama expounded. Many similar concepts I have explored through my study of Oki-do yoga, which is also informed by Zen Buddhism. Yoga teachings also pre-date Buddhist teaching and this too is evident, however it is made easily accessible by Gen Lama.

I had the privilege of receiving a blessing from the Monks in a powerful Jab Khru Tantric Cleansing/Healing ceremony, where creative visualisation is employed by the participants along with the monks chanting and performing various cleansing rituals. I left the blessing feeling lighter and stronger.

The following is an interpretation of the wisdom I received and some of the visualisation practices. I am big on creative visualisation, coming to learn it through the work of Shakti Gawain. Using your imagination to create the feeling of already having the desired goal appears to have a positive response in the body and mind. It is central to my own journey. Western culture and medical science over last 40 years is coming to understand the role of of positive imagery, used in ancient yoga and Buddhist traditions, in an increasingly holistic approach to healing.

Here is a link to an audio of the text below so you may experience it as a contemplative meditation rather than as set of lecture notes. http://soundcloud.com/topschick/gyoto-teachings

Take the time now to imagine a perfect world with you at the centre of it. You are a perfect enlightened being in the centre of a perfect enlightened universe.

Begin by acknowledging your physical health and beauty, your generous and kind nature, vivacious and attractive personality, intelligent and complex mind, energy and spirit.

Notice how imagining these things, makes you happy, you may begin to smile inwardly or even outwardly.

It is a spiritual practice to make yourself happy. It is your responsibility to maintain this as your priority. To pursue your happiness, without hurting too many others. Leave it to the rest of humanity to bring about your suffering.

You have the ability with your wondrous mind to return to this bright space. If you are cut down like a tall poppy, as is often the case in our culture, grow a new shoot and blossom. Talk yourself up. Make yourself happy!

Return to your perfect sel,f in the centre of your perfect universe. What do you experience in your perfect world? Harmony, peace, joy, love, freedom, support, co-operation. What physical characteristics does this world have? Scents to be smelled, tastes to be enjoyed, objects you see, people, animals and other beings. What does it feel like to be in the centre of a perfect world?

What are you doing in the centre of this perfect world? What fun and fantastic things are you experiencing. That’s right. Having fun is a spiritual practice. It is your duty to find fun and laughter wherever you can.

Feeling rejected, lonely and unloved is the greatest of pain. We can connect with love everywhere if we choose to see the web of life, the network we live in, as source of love. Think about you last meal and all the beings that contributed to getting it on the plate, the lives of insects and perhaps animals, the labour of farmers, and factory workers, cooks. This sacrifice is universal love. The whole world, the weather, the plants and beings positively conspired to bring about lunch for you today. You are worthy of this love because you are the best you can be, a good person, beautiful and fun.

Developing worthiness is a spiritual practice. See yourself experiencing compassion and forgiveness for yourself, circumstances and others. Release guilt and feel worthy of love and experience its light.

If you are finding yourself critical of these teaching, then all the better, for it shows you that you are finding your way to your wisdom. This may seem like an endless search for truth. Our search is evidence of a need to understand ourselves beyond our material existence and of our spiritual nature. Do not be discouraged on your search for enlightenment. This journey is the spiritual practice.

Life is full of injustice. We perceive hardship, grief, despair, illness, pain, fear. This is life but we have a mind and spirit that can direct us way from darkness and negativity. We can employ our mind to direct us toward the light of positivity that our spirit yearns for and thrives upon.

In life we experience darkness and light however with practice, we can bring our minds more often to the light. With our minds we can decide to bathe in light and let go of past suffering to be in the pure, infinite present. No longer lingering with resentment, fear, guilt, and be in the experience of unconditional love.

Love, when we love completely, absolutely, this is a joyful feeling that should be pursued with great vigour and enthusiasm. It makes us happy. Similarly though we should love with total detachment. As if it does not matter, take it or leave it.  Connect with lover, family, friends, children, without expectation, for they will always do what they want, regardless of you. They will act for their own benefit. That is their responsibility, as it yours. So always keep a little love for yourself.

Return to the centre of perfection. Do not allow another to draw you away from your source of fun, happiness, worthiness and love. Use your mind to experience infinite love, to heal the negativity that life has brought you. Your imagination generates great power to overcome, even bypass, such experiences.

Visualise your suffering: psychological, physical, emotional, social as a black mass in your body. Call up the sources of your suffering from the past, from places you have sent it to hide, he corners of your soul. Allow yourself to see it oozing from you now, until you have had enough of it and you are ready to rid yourself of it forever.

Now visualise all enlightened beings sending showers of golden light, washing away your darkness. See it disappear to the far reaches of the universe. An enlightened being annoints your forehead with consecrated water. You are venerated as a perfect being. A God/Goddess within a translucent mandala house. See and feel your heart space expand full and bright. Light charged diamond points of infinite love radiate from you in the infinite present. Centred in love, fun and happiness.

Return to this place, this time, with peace and love in your heart. Thankyou for your time, and allowing me to share this wisdom. I have infinite gratitude to the Gyoto monks for sharing it with me.

Bright Blessings

Liz

Pork Belly,Beetroot Relish, Polenta and Braised Greens

Who amoungst us meat eaters can resist a tender pork belly? Not I! Although not the healthiest option, to eat it occasionally is truly a delight.

All that delicious fat though does need a little counterpoint and this beetroot relish is just the trick. It keeps for weeks in the fridge so you can make it ahead.

Clear the afternoon if you are going to make all the dishes from scratch. I chose the herbs that flavour this dish because they were the ones I could plunder fron the neighbours front yards, so feel free to experiment with what you can acquire. I think i’d like some fennel seeds next time.

Alternatively just do a simple crushed roast potatoes and steamed veg.

Bonus recipe: Leftovers are the single gourmets bain unless you see it as an opportunity to make another delectable creation. Keep scrolling to view a lovely salad of “Fennel and Cavalo Nero Slaw with Pulled Pork and Beetroot Relish” a dish with a healthier ratio of meat and fat to vegetable matter!!

Bright Blessings Liz

Roasted and Braised Pork belly

Delish Pork Belly Beetroot Relish and Greens

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

I whole pork belly, scored 1cm intervals in both directions. (photos represent half a belly)

2 cups wine

4 sprigs rosemary, finely chop leaves of 1 sprig and keep the others whole

 2 tablespoons lemon thyme finely chopped

Salt

Cracked pepper

Dried chilli flakes

6 cloves garlic smashed

Method

1. Preheat oven to 230-40 degrees C.
2. Combine garlic, wine (enough to reach halfway up the thickness of the belly) , generous amount of pepper and rosemary sprigs in bottom of a baking dish.
3. Place belly in dish, pat the skin dry with paper towel. Rub salt chilli and herbs into skin and into scored fat.
4. Cook for 20-30 mins to crackle the skin, don’t worry if its not perfect yet. Then reduce temperature to 125 degrees C. and bake for 2-3hrs. Its cooked when meat pulls away gently.
5. If skin in not all bubbled or has gone a little soft hit it with 5mins of griller at the end or remove whole belly, take off crackle, cover meat and bake in hot oven for 5-10mins. Just keep your eye on it!

Rest for 10mins before serving with beetroot relish, polenta (below) and greens (click here to previous recipe)

Caramelised Beetroot Relish

Makes 1-2 cups

Lovely served with pork belly, sausages or through salad with goat’s cheese.

Ingredients

4 medium beetroots grated

2 red onions sliced

100g butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt

Cracked pepper

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Whole garlic smashed and peeled

Juice of one lime

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

Optional pinch powdered clove and dried chilli

Method

1. Melt butter with oil, (if you have time fry onion first otherwise) add onion, garlic, beetroot and spices, stirring occasionally for about 10mins
2. Add honey, sugar, cook for a further 10mins until it starts to catch on the bottom of the pot
3. Add vinegar and cook until absorbed vinegar.
4. Stir through juice of lime and remove from heat, season, taste and adjust. You may need more honey, sugar, juice or vinegar depending on the fattiness of your dish. The fattier the dish the more acid required for balance, so add more juice/vinegar.

Creamy Polenta

Ingredients

I cup Polenta

1 cup milk

1 cup cold water

Boiling water as required

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Salt to taste (but it will need more than you expect)

Method

1. Add polenta to cold water and milk, stir over a medium heat till its starts to bubble.
2. Reduce to low heat adding boiling water as required till comes away from the sides as you stir and has a soft texture to the grains. Some people like it quite soupy other stiffer, its just personal. Taste it. Its not an exact science.
3. Pour leftover immediately into an oiled container as it will set firm and is excellent fried, grilled or baked the next day.

Fennel and Cavalo Nero Slaw with Pulled Pork and Beetroot Relish

lovely leftovers fennel and cavolo nero slaw with pulled pork and beetroot relish mmmmm

Serves 1

Ingredients

¾ cup finely sliced Fennel

½ cup finely sliced Cavalo Nero or any other cabbage

Sherry Vinegar

S & P

100g of leftover pork belly pulled apart with fingers warmed up

2 tablespoons beetroot relish warmed up

Method

1. Combine fennel and cabbage with S &P, good splash of sherry vinegar. Pile in centre of plate.
2. Layer relish then pork.
3. Add the fennel top fronds on top if available, season and serve.

Roasted Capsicum, Chicken, Basil and Quinoa Soup

Roasted Capsicum, Chicken, Basil and Quinoa Soup

Serves 2-3

Leftover quinoa was the challenge ingredient, together with garden fresh basil that has been loving this wet weather and growing prolifically. First thoughts were vege burgers but as the day became cooler a soup became far more appetising, hence the following brew. Onion was omitted from the stock to comply with my hosts food intolerances. Normally I would never cook a soup base without it, but the soup was delicious regardless. Have a go at making your own chicken stock it only takes about 20mins and is done by the time you have roasted the capsicum. Make sure you use chicken on the bone. Of course one could easily make this vego by omitting the chicken and using more veg.

Ingredients

Chicken stock

Two carrots unpeeled chopped in large chunks

First 15cm of a half celery

3 cloves garlic smashed

Parsley stalks

Basil stalks

4 chicken thighs on the bone, skinned and trimmed of most of the fat

water

Quinoa

1 cup cooked  Quinoa

Cook as directed until the little white tails are visible and grain is translucent. No directions, just as you would white rice, double the water to quantity of grain. Keep an eye on it though it is kinda gross overcooked.

Soup

3 capsicums roasted (see method)

Large handful basil and a little parsley

2 cups Chicken stock dependent on size of caps and viscosity of soup desired

 S & P

1 teaspoon Paprika

Extra chopped herbs to serve

Method

1. Place all stock ingredients on to boil rapidly.
2. Skim grey impurities from the top.
3. Halve capsicums, remove stems and seeds. Grill until skin is really black. Place in paper bag or plastic container to sweat for 10mins.
4. After 10mins remove white meat from  chicken bones and return bones to the pot.
5. Chop chicken meat into bite sized pieces
6. When cool enough to handle remove capsicum skins and place in food processor with fresh herbs.
7. Process capsicums with paprika and some stock, gradually adding more to reach desired consistency.
8. Pour capsicum mix into a saucepan, add chicken and quinoa.
9. Season and serve with more chopped herbs, some crusty bread would be nice but not essential. We found this soup really satisfying.

 

Simple Roast Duck, Stuffed Pumpkin, Sesame Potatoes and Sorrel, White Beetroot Salad

Simple Roast Duck, Stuffed Pumpkin, Sesame Potatoes and Sorrel, White Beetroot Salad

Moruya Markets White Beetroot: A3 Archival Art print $60

When I looked up duck recipes, my goddess, I was astonished with the effort required for the perfect duck, hence the following recipe. However simple is not my forte, and well, after dumbing down some duck recipes I then proceeded to complicate the veg, which of course gave me great pleasure! I am so aware of cooking vegetarian and gluten free options. It’s a rare thing in my circle, for there to be a dinner planned without a special diet to be considered. Far from being a hassle, the end result is always a healthier dinner for us all!

Since my time at Yoga teacher training I have been inspired to cook more vegetable protein based meals. The pumpkin, potatoes and salad here could easily fulfil your dietary requirements. Let’s face it a duck is only a “sometimes” food and certainly not on the menu if you are watching the energy value of your meals, which is a shame because it is delicious.

My vegetable challenge ingredients are from the wonderful local growers at the Moruya markets and the sorrel if from the vege patch my dear friends Keryn and Andrew have just built, on the property where I am staying.

Thanks to Tania for providing the duck and the impetus for this experiment.

Roast Duck

Serves 2 greedy people or 4  with lots of veg

Ingredients

1.9kg Duck

1-2 teaspoons white pepper and rock salt ground together in mortar and pestle (I do a quantity and keep it on hand)

1 orange

2 garlic cloves skin on smashed

Method

1. Wash bird and cut neck, wings and tail off. Boil the off-cuts, uncovered, with a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, garlic clove and ½ onion and orange peel for 2-3hrs. Skim throughout.
2. Place bird on a rack. Prick with skewer all over esp. the fatty bits. Pour boiling water over skin till it shrinks and puckers. Run-off water can go in stock-pot. Pat bird dry.
3. Rub skin with s & p mix. Place garlic a halved orange in cavity.
4. Leave to dry in fridge, uncovered, for as long as possible, up to 24hrs.
5. Bake at 200 degrees for 2hrs.

 

 

Simple Citrus Sauce

Goes well with the duck and/or pumpkin.

Juice an orange and bring to the boil, in a small saucepan, with two teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Simmer until sugar has dissolved. Add a cup of duck or vege stock. Combine 1 tablespoon of cornflour with a little water and add to pan. Simmer till thickened.Season to taste.

Stuffed Pumpkin

I used a small pumpkin but you could do this in a large one, just adjust quantities and cooking time accordingly.

Ingredients

I mini pumpkin, top cut out, seeds scraped out and reserved.

½ – ¾ cup cooked black/French/green/brown lentils

½ – ¾ cup cooked buckwheat (this grain is gluten free) cook as you would rice

2 teaspoons all spice or mixed spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4-6 dried figs, chopped

100g toasted pine nuts

Salt

Method

1. Combine all ingredients well and stuff into pumpkin. If it’s not hanging together well add an egg or a tablespoon of linseeds that have boiling water poured over them. Allow the gel to form before adding to the mixture.
2. Bake for 2hrs at 200 degrees

Sesame Potatoes

These are sooo delicious I think they will become a staple!

2 large potatoes, chopped into 2cm chunks

3-4 teaspoons of sesame seeds

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds

½ teaspoon of dried chilli

Olive oil

 1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ – 1 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Bake  at 200 degrees, in a single layer on baking paper lined tray till golden. About 1hr.

Sorrel and White Beetroot Salad

Ingredients

2 finely sliced white beetroot

Dozen Sorrel leaves, large ones chopped, substitute any green leaves

½ teaspoon Sumac

Toasted pumpkin seeds toss reserved seeds in salt and oil, add them to the potato baking tray towards the end of the cooking time take about 10-15mins

Juice of half a lemon

Olive oil

Salt

Method

Toss!

MAHDROOL – Middle Eastern Date Filled biscuits

MAHDROOL – Middle Eastern Date Filled biscuits

Could this be the most delicious bicci ever?

Makes about 100

This is a labour of love! Clear a morning or get the whole family involved. The first time I made this with Anna and her beautiful 10 year old daughter Mara on a production line, it was way more fun than doing this solo. I have romanticised, this biscuit being made by mothers, grandmothers and children in kitchens together all over the middle-east, where it is known as Mammoul. Anna and I discovered this biscuit on the deli counter tops when we were teenagers and have been happy with the commercial product until we tasted the homemade version. We stalked the home cook for weeks before landing the recipe. Let me assure it was so worth all the effort. We were given a list of ingredients basically, and well we made the rest up……. seems to have worked out.

I love a food mission, and a trip to a Lebanese grocery is a fascinating experience, not to mention the most cost effective way to source ingredients for this recipe. Get your sesame at a bargain price. See the photo below and look for a block of dates that is already pulverised ready to mix and roll out. While you’re there get your rose and orange blossom water in a larger much cheaper bottle. Use the leftovers instead of cordial with lemonade or soda water for refreshing summer drinks.

As you can see this mixture makes a-lot of biccis, so what I do is bake half and then place the other half in a single layer in the freezer till frozen. Then bag them up ready to go into the oven straight from the freezer as required.

Lastly the flavours marry beautifully after a day, so hide them from the family if you can!

 

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH

I Kg Self-Raising Flour or Gluten free S/R Flour

I packet of unsalted butter

I cup sugar

I tsp vanilla essence

4 eggs

300ml sour cream

milk

FILLING

I kilo of dates, pitted and packed tight in block

1 tablespoon rosewater and 1 teaspoon orange flower water (this is approx to taste) no substitute for rosewater but a little orange zest is ok as a sub for orange flower but not at all the same

1 teaspoon all spice

TOPPING

Egg to brush on top

Sesame seeds approx. 100g

METHOD

Make filling: Mix dates with spice, rosewater and flower water. Fork mix and then combine with wet hands.

Make dough: Cream butter and sugar, add eggs mix well. Add sourcream, stir thoroughly. Add flour and mix until dough forms, add milk if mixture is dry.

Wet your hands to get control of both pastry and date mix.

Roll into long sausages (approx 6-8) and flatten till 3mm thick

Divide filling into same number of portions as sausages made. Using a damp rolling pin (or between two layers of plastic wrap), roll out date filling till 2-3mm thick, in a rectangle, don’t worry if it rough and falls to pieces. Make it large enough so that will cover two thirds of the rolled out sausage. Place date mixture on top.

Fold uncovered third biscuit dough over half the date filling and roll over the other side to make a log.

Topping: Brush tops with egg, cut each roll in half and then roll on a plate of sesame seeds, cut into slices.

Bake at 185 degrees C for 15-20min or until bottom side until golden.

Serve with mint tea or coffee

Bright Biscuit Blessings

Liz

 

In Veneration of the Onion

Onion Photo A3 $60

It may appear to be an unusual topic to write about. It was inspired by the beauty of the object, sitting on top of the fridge, solitary and beautiful in the morning light. The first thing I did this morning was take a few dozen shots of one of the most humble of vegetables. It looked to me like it should be part of a Dutch masters still life.

From this point the old Visual Arts teacher in me then set out on an exploration of the symbolism of such a sublime beauty.  Ancient Egyptians painted them in tombs and offered them at banquets and funerals alike, representing eternal life. They also swore oaths upon them representing truth. The onion also commonly used as a metaphor for the universe, love and envy. To dream of an onion is said to represent looking deep within our layers of experience to reveal our essential self. Similar perhaps to how Shrek explains the nature of ogres.

One source claimed that that the word onion comes from latin and refers to union, interesting for me  as one of my other obsessions is Yoga, that word also meaning union in sanskrit. The yogis amoungst may like to look at a mediation on an onion, (http://www.symbolic-meanings.com/2009/01/ ) the outer layers representing limitations the inside pure potential……

 This onion was grown by friends of mine and handed to me with great pride and received with equal admiration. Sam had presented it to me, holding it up in his palm at eye level “Look at that” he exclaimed, knowing I share his esteem for the home-grown the hand-made. “…and taste this” he handed me a fine slice of onion, it was sweet and hot. Delicious. I am so grateful for an increasing number of people I know are embracing growing their own and sharing this experience. Keep an eye on this space for more venerations of the bounty of the Australian backyard. Special thanks to Sam and Kath for sharing your produce and inspiring this article.

Next is deciding what to do with it …… shall I caramelise it with balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and garlic to serve with some gourmet sausages. Dice it finely with tomato atop of some crusty toasted home-made bread, garlic smeared beneath it bruschetta style. Add it to the avocados in my fridge willing me not to waste them and turn them into guacamole. The onion is so large perhaps I can do all of this!! …. stay tuned

Keep Your Vegan Mates (and everyone else) Happy!!

Vegan Recipes

Vegan Feast

Saffron Infused Pumpkin and Potato Bake with Chickpeas

Serves 3-4 as side dish

Good pinch of Saffron

I large potato, skin on, chopped in chunks

Equal portion (to potato) of peeled pumpkin, chopped into chunks

200g Cooked chickpeas (soak peas overnight, change water and simmer for 60-90mins til tender with halved onion garlic clove, cinnamon quill, 3 bay leaves and peppercorns)or use canned.

I-2 teaspoons Smoked paprika

Salt Flakes

Olive Oil

1. In a shallow pan boil potato and pumpkin, with saffron, in a centimetre of water till par-cooked and water has evaporated.
2. Stir around with a little oil. Oil a baking dish. Turn into dish and sprinkle with paprika.
3. Bake in at 220 degree oven for 15mins.
4. Add chickpeas and continue to bake till browned on the edges. Or grill to speed this process.
5. Serve with Salt flakes on top.

Greens with Garlic Cashew Dressing

1 head of broccoli cut into florets, stem sliced to 5mm thickness

200g podded broadbeans ( broad beans are purchased in a long pod which should be removed for cooking and then has another layer which can be bitter which can be removed after cooking, worth the effort for this delicious morsel) and or a bunch of asparagus

50-100g Raw cashews chopped

1 clove garlic finely chopped

Salt

Olive Oil

1. Steam broccoli and beans briefly so broccoli is still crunchy.
2. Remove beans and pod again if desired. Place all greens on serving plate.
3. Place cashews, salt and garlic in 50mls or so of oil and fry on a low heat till fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Pour over greens.

Sun-dried tomato and olive Polenta

1 cup polenta

1 ½ cups cold water

1 – 1½ cups boiling water

50g chopped sun dried tomatoes

50g chopped olives

1. Add polenta to cold water, stir.
2. Add most of boiling water, stir
3. Add tomatoes and olives.
4. Cook over a low heat for 10-15mins stirring regularly.
5. Season with salt if needed. A little olive oil or the oil from the tomatoes is nice for smoothing the texture.
6. Add more water as required. Cooked when grains are softened.
7. Serve with green veg

Braised Cavalo Nero, Mushrooms and lentils.

300-400g Black, French or Brown Lentils, cooked (dried lentil should be soaked and cooked with aromatics) or use a can.

Bunch of Cavalo Nero (Italian black or Tuscan cabbage), cut or torn into strips, discard stem or Kale or Silverbeet (adjust cooking time for chosen veg, the latter need less time. Ensure the veg is soften but not a collapsed mush)

2 small leeks, washed thoroughly and finely sliced

2-3 clovves garlic sliced

2 large swiss brown mushrooms sliced

 200ml Vegetable stock

150g Roasted pine nuts

Grated nutmeg

(if you are not cooking for vegans 2-3 anchovies can be added with the leeks)

Cracked pepper

Salt

Olive Oil

1. Fry leeks in a generous quantity of olive oil, over a medium heat. Add garlic. Fry 1min
2. Add mushrooms fry for a few minutes before adding Cavalo Nero and stock.
3. Cook, uncovered, on a gentle simmer for about 20mins til veg is soft but not collapsed and water has evaporated.
4. Add drained lentils, warm through.
5. Grate a whole nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add olive oil if required.
6. Serve with pinenuts and a little nutmeg on top. Goes well with polenta or pasta. Or lamb for non-vegos.