How to Feed Some Dream of the World’s that Wandered into your Heart

~A Recipe You Can Make, Revise, and Make Again

Liz Rog, Decorah, Iowa, June 2019

Time Required: don’t count or you’ll quit

Feeds: many and much, over time. (If recipe fails, please compost all ingredients so as to feed the ferment that helps the next dreams)

1)Preparation:  In advance, spend as much of your life as possible remembering what allures you. Even if you can’t hardly do it, even if it’s mostly just longing and dreaming, just don’t forget. Note: whenever possible, avoid exposing your ingredients to harsh light, sounds, and other environmental toxins such as judgement, violence, and belittlement. When this is unavoidable, restore them as best you can using the tools of compassion, art, and love. 

2) In a very large bowl, combine dream with 

• 100 parts Imagination Beyond Imagination, and 
• 100 parts Trust. 

Mix well; sprinkle in Patience and Forgiveness to taste. Cover, set aside to rest. Check for growth whenever desired; meanwhile feed abundant encouragement and praise in word, song, dance, or silence. 

Note: the preparation of this recipe requires of the cook tremendous endurance, training, and ongoing maintenance of body-soul through sleep, good food, community web, and prayer. 

3) Test mixture. Method: Offer small spoonfuls to close friends and family, painting word-pictures to fill out the vision. Watch faces and bodies for signs of recognition and engagement. Smiles, tears, shifts—any movement is worthy of note. Where there is none or there is doubt expressed, be curious but not discouraged. 

4) Par-Bake. Turn heat, and demand for any certain kind of success, to low, retaining expectation for surprise. Add 1000 parts focus, time, and the kind of work that you would have never signed up for but now this is your baby and even changing her diapers has a certain sweetness so be grateful for that wild truth. 

5) Cool on Rack. Rack should be sturdy, made of playfulness, compassion, and forgiveness. As it cools, dowse par-baked project with gratitude and prayer. Set aside; when doubled in size, prepare oven for second baking. 

6) Place in open-air oven surrounded by friends and strangers. While baking, offer witnesses refreshment made of trust and generosity. Encourage humor, song, and story-telling, which will greatly enhance the flavor of the project. 

Note: at this point it is crucial to watch for signs of weariness in the head chef, which will inevitably arise because remember that 1000 parts focus and work oh of course how could you forget now wipe your tears and be grateful for the signpost that weariness is and Get Yourself a THINK PARTNER!! This person has surely already shown up—you were just too shy or proud or busy to notice. This person is an angel sent by God. 

7) Watch for: Special techniques, finesses, ideas from each generation. Sometimes these are presented to you as complaints. Learn to look into the need behind the complaint, and see if it’s something that this project is or is not capable of satisfying. There are other projects, true, but a chef’s first question is whether this bacteria could enhance this project. 

Chef’s Self-Care Tips: 

• Feeling like an automaton?  It’s ok to feel like a tool, like you’re being used. You are. But when the balance tips and you feel, rather than a chef working with ingredients, like a robot without free choice, it’s time to pause. 
• If you’ve gone for more than 7 days without stopping in amazement and surprise at something magnificent in your path, it’s time to pause.