Raw Spirit by Matt Monarch

[Aleesha]

I got this book yesterday with my dehydrator... and I read it all today. Not a long read at all, but definitely one you will want to have your thinking cap on for.

I loved it in the beginning, really resonated with what he had to say. Then I felt he kinda went into this 'fear based teaching' which is not something I resonate with.

He shared how, as we become more and more clean by eating 100% raw, that other factors come into play... like (here's one example from his book) if you are in a car accident and have been raw for a good period of time, that the medications of western medicine could harm or kill you.

He goes to share a lot of 'fear based' beliefs that he has.

I honour and cherish his path and the place he has personally walked to get there. He has some food issues (bulimia type) and therefore his experience is different than someone who does not have those issues... but he's sharing from what I believe is a pure heart.

He seems to really disagree with children being raised raw... believing that if and when they go to school (he feels all raw children should be homeschooled) they will eat cooked food and will get very ill from it.

Yes, I agree, our bodies get healthier eating RAW... I believe that very strongly, but I don't believe that as we get healthier we become completely unable to handle change. From his perspective in the book, you need to never stray from what you are eating... even to the extend of - if you choose to not eat nuts then you can not just simply choose to add them to your diet later on... it'll take a very long time to get your body to accept them.

Why would anyone want to embark on a lifestyle change that in essence (from reading his book) once you start you can never create change in your diet again. That seems waaaaaay too fear based to me.

Personally, I won't be recommending this book to anyone I know, as honestly, if I wasn't where I am in my belief of raw... I would stop right now and go eat SAD again. His book is that scary.

[Raw Vegan Mama]

Originally Posted by Aleesha

Personally, I won't be recommending this book to anyone I know, as honestly, if I wasn't where I am in my belief of raw... I would stop right now and go eat SAD again. His book is that scary.

Wow! I have never read it, and I don't think I want to now! Thanks for the review!

[Anabbytree]

I was given, I think, I similar feeling by his book Aleesha- it's just a little too extreme a viewpoint for me. There doesn't seem to be much acceptance of growth (except for in one strict direction) or room for the natural give and take life provides.

[Aleesha]

i was very disappointed actually. i thought i was going to be getting some really great inspiration for going raw...

but again... this is matt's experience and he can only teach and write from his experience.

i'm just a much more "do it the way it works and remember to breathe" kinda teacher. cause i believe there's a million different ways to do everything... each unique and each equally wonderful. we, as individuals need to find what resonates for us and go with it. rather than living in fear of 'what if' or even... possibly, creating negatives where there are none.