Breath Of Gaia: Divine Mother Earth

In Yoga, as our revered Dr. Frawley teaches, the feminine divine possesses three primary aspects: power, beauty, knowledge. Through the worship of these energies as Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati we worship Shakti in her cosmic dance of transformation, prosperity and illumination leading to our soul’s final purpose ~ Cit-Shakti, or Ultimate Reality.

Grace

In sacred remembrance of this Truth, my fellow Yogins and I gather every year with Divine Women of our community to celebrate the Sacred Feminine. We call it The Sophia Conference, in honor of the goddess of wisdom, whose loving grace flows through all life, and whose power is available to all who choose to turn inward towards this Cit-Shakti.

Sri Yantra: Matrix of the Heart

Sharing a meal with women in a sacred experience like this is so… well, holy, that considering what to serve for lunch becomes its own sacred contemplation. As is so often the case whenever I surrender to Sophia, answers come in a flash.

This time, the answer came as Tuscan White Bean Soup: a hearty, flavorful soup from Anna Watson Carl’s charming blog, The Yellow Table. I’ve adapted her recipe for Vegetarians and will serve it with whole grain breads for a warming bowl of love on what is predicted to be a cold, rainy day. Our menu also includes Roasted Vegetables, Red Quinoa, Autumnal dips, a plate of Artisanal Cheeses with my Ayurvedic Jam, and many Vegan options. But, like the Moon in a sky of stars, the Soup will be the prime heavenly light.

Cannellini

Why? Blended with root vegetables and Autumn herbs of rosemary and thyme, this soup is like a song of earth’s bounty. There is something, too, about white beans ~ navy, northern, small white, and cannellini ~ that seem so feminine to me. Maybe it’s their shape, with its smooth curves, every one unique, or its almost perfect, creamy skin. But it is their sweet, enduring taste that most assures. I’ll give you power, beauty, wisdom, this protein-packed pod of purity seems to say. I am here for you.

The Yellow Table’s Tuscan White Bean Soup with Chard

Vegan Sausage gives this soup lovely texture and added flavor. Try Field Roast for their Vegan Grain version. For the Sophia Conference we added their Smoked Apple Sage, but I’ve enjoyed this soup with their Italian Sausage. It’s thematic ~ and  spicier. You can make the entire soup Vegan by leaving out the Parmesan rind, but you might add a few soaked cashews in that case to give it that extra bit of heft.

We serve it with fresh grated Parmesan cheese which finishes the soup with just the right note of dry, salty, enriching sweet!

Click for Print Version

I hope you enjoy it. Remember with every delicious bite, that Food is Divine Love seeking to nourish the power, beauty, and intelligence within you. May your Light shine!

Happy 11.11.11 ~