January 7, 2015

Finding my Dharma

“It’s better to do your own Dharma imperfectly, than to perform another’s Tinning perfectly…”

-The Bhagavad Gita 

A few years ago I spent a year studying the Bhagavad Gita with my dear friend and teacher, Ramaa Krishnan. The “Gita” is an ancient Hindu scripture which, in the form of a dialogue that takes place on the battlefield between the warrior Arjuna and the Lord Krishna, addresses the conflicts that take place within each one of us within our own internal “battlefield”.

There are many insights in the text but the quote above is one of my favorites for it focuses on the “concept of Dharma.”

Your Dharma is your life’s purpose. Some people might refer to it as “finding your calling or mission,” and is something that most people seek to find over their lifetime. I found in my younger years that I was uncertain if I was following my own Dharma or the one that was set before me by my parents. That uncertainty is common in the community where I am raising my children and one that I continue to struggle with myself.

Arjuna, when faced with this same uncertainty and fear of consequences is tempted to follow an easier path to which Lord Krishna advises: “It’s better to do your own Dharma imperfectly, than to perform another’s perfectly…”

You will know when you are following your Dharma for it’s the space and time when “things suddenly fall into place” in a way that you couldn’t predict, but innately understand. It was in this way that I founded the zen of slow cooking. It started as an idea on how to bring a little zen into the life of the home cook while also creating employment for adults with learning challenges, and evolved into a full-fledged business when I met Jane.

A few highlights from 2014 include …

  • We launched 2 new Zen Blends to accompany our original 7
  • Held our first slow cooking class for a group of young adults with autism at Project 1212.
  • Established our first wholesale account at Elawa Farm
  • Doubled our sales from 2013
  • Began our workplace transition model with special needs adults at Planet Access

And we’re beginning 2015 with…

  • Debuting our “Zen Light” cooking series that pairs our premium Zen Spice Blends with low calorie healthy recipes

To complete our circle we have so many people we wish to thank for this year…

Matt Nielsen (Nielsen-Massey) who helped us understand how to expand our business. John Walsh, North Ivy, for the time he spent helping Jane and I create our online shopping site.  Jan van Marwijk Kooy,  Specialty Food consultant, worked with us and our fabulous intern Nick Moller on our wholesale pricing model. Kerri Sherman, Bloom & Focus, for bringing our food to life through her photography, and Mason Reay, Cause Marketing Guru, who is helping us create a marketing strategy that aligns with our “relevant” position on the web.  Amanda Niebuhr for jumping in over the summer to help with blending, packing and “pitch hitting” when we needed an extra pair of hands. Amy Loveland, our new Operations Manager, for helping us move through our holiday season without a single complaint. The “zen team” at Planet Access, spearheaded by Amber Ramey, who worked tirelessly to keep up with the demand for our Zen Blends. And finally our husbands, Steve and Graham, and children, Phil, Doug, Lucy, Lily and Connie for their continued support – reading blogs, testing recipes, printing labels, packing/unpacking blends from all of our events…

In closing, a lot of people ask me what it took to follow my dream and I would say that it was learning how to trust. I had to trust myself, trust the idea was solid, trust my business partner, Jane and trust that if we stay focused on the big picture the details would fall into place.

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year, hoping you find your “Dharma” and thanking you for your continued support.

With gratitude-

Meg

Zen Moment

“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”

-author unknown

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Filed Under: Zen Inspirations