The Raw Review: Lydia's Organics

The universe has a way of directing me exactly where I need to be when I need to be there. When I first moved to Boulder, I was happy to find Whole Foods had a "raw" section. It is "only" a fraction of an aisle but I was psyched. One product in particular caught my eye. The simple, clear packaging revealed the raw creations that lie within. There was raw cereal, raw crackers, raw bread, even raw bars... I had found raw treasure! The colorful labeling was more then inviting, I picked up Lydia's Organics crackers and read the ingredients list, that's when I knew I had found something great.

I was skeptical, most prepackaged raw crackers and breads are not the tastiest. But these.. these were a different story. It was love at first bite. The cracker of all crackers! Dustin stood at the kitchen counter with a brick of Raw Grafton Sharp Chedder Cheese and a pack of Lydia's Luna Nori crackers... he was quite possibly the happiest person on Earth. Later that day I was making "chickun nuggets" and I realized I didn't have raw "bread crumbs." I followed Dustin's suggestion of crushing up Lydia's crackers. They turned out so well that they inspired a blog post. Upon further investigation, I realized Lydia's Organics were made in Fairfax, California. Fairfax is one of my favorite places in the country, it made sense that a creation as amazing as these had been born there. Even more exciting... Dustin and I were going to be in Fairfax that very week on our way to the Raw Union Festival. The stars were aligning.

I e-mailed Lydia to share my blog post and my enthusiasm for her creations. I asked if The Raw Seed could stop by and learn more about her and her company. Within days we had scheduled a visit.

I entered the building through the back entrance where a youthful, inviting, woman greeted us with a hug and a smile. Lydia Kindheart was radiating with feminine strength and beauty, her positive energy was contagious. I couldn't wait to sit down and learn more about this whole operation.

I had a few "interview questions" planned but the conversation got flowing and created its own path.  I was mainly interested in getting to know Lydia, the woman behind the raw creations. Lydia's Organics is the end result, it's a delicious end creation, but I really wanted to learn about what sparked and initiated this creative expression.

Lydia grew up unlike anyone I have met before. At an extremely young age she was drawn to a natural, holistic lifestyle. Having a strong sense of love and compassion for animals and those around her, she was confused that there was starvation in the world. She chose to go on her first fast at 13 so she could experience the hunger other's felt. This sparked more questions, she began finding answers in books written by Arnold Ehret and Anne Wigmore. She learned the deep connection between the food we eat and our mental and spiritual state when she went on a 10 day fast at sixteen. This experience opened a spiritual channel for Lydia and sparked her journey to live closer to the truth. She constantly experimented with living foods and fasting to learn more about herself and the connection she felt to earth and Source. Lydia knew she wanted to live life with an open heart.

While running the first raw food restaurant in California, nursing the idea of a raw product line, and raising her beautiful daughter Sonya, Lydia felt a pull to move away from the restaurant and focus solely on her dehydrated raw food company, Lydia's Organics. Lydia already knew the power of raw food, she wanted to share this knowledge to heal those around her.

Her raw creations are simple and pure. She even admits to "sneaking" extra vegetables and greens into the crackers and breads to add as many vitamins, nutrients, and living enzymes as possible. We have been brainwashed to think "food" is processed and loaded with preservatives and chemicals. Lydia believes we have drifted far away from natural living. The raw cereal, crackers, and bars are a physical manifestation of her expression. The main ingredient in each creation is love.. it's even on the ingredient list!

Lydia shared why the power of intention is crucial to her business. She realizes that we all carry energy, karma, both good and bad. If we think negative thoughts while making and touching food, this negative energy can literally stick to the food. Our thoughts and intentions create energetic vibrations that can change everything that surrounds us. Dr. Masaru Emoto has proven that when loving, positive affirmations are directed to water, the water forms beautiful, symmetrical ice crystals. When negative, hurtful words are spoken to water, deformed, irregular crystals are formed. When we are aware of energy systems we begin to realize the impact we all have on everything around us.

Intention is so powerful when creating. Lydia teaches her employees to be conscious of their thoughts while preparing the living food. She explained, your arms and hands are a direct extension of the heart. If we prepare food with love those who eat it will feel just that. Everyone knows that Mom's food tastes better, why? It's made with love.

Lydia has been creating and eating raw food for years. Her company was one of the first to hit the grocery store shelves. She is extremely modest about this. Her goal isn't to be a face behind the raw food movement, she doesn't need to be famous, and she doesn't want credit. She wants to make vibrant, living food that can nourish and heal, it's that simple.

Lydia has experienced inner conflict between running a business and living closer with Mother Earth. Lydia is a unique business woman. Bi-products, waste from the business and items like plastic make Lydia cringe but she realizes this is a temporary price to pay in order to spread this truth. Her hope is that one day her company won't need to exist and that the world won't need prepackaged raw food. For now, she knows her creations are serving as a stepping stone. The earth is in a period of transition and change, Lydia's Organics is helping individuals transition to a healthier lifestyle.

In the current mainstream society it seems easy to get caught up in image and lose focus. Everything has to be bigger, faster, richer, more more more, it has become the American way. I feel we need to ground and come back to our roots, meeting people like Lydia makes me realize I am not alone. What makes this company so remarkable is that it's providing pure raw food and it's doing so in a moderate, conscious way. Lydia works alongside her family of employees to supply the world with a choice, the choice of a healthier, happier today and tomorrow. I don't think there is anything more admirable then that.

My visit with Lydia was inspiring, uplifting, and truly enjoyable. I met Lydia for a few hours yet I instantly connected to her feminine energy and strength. I appreciated her honestly and could relate to the conflict she has felt through running a business. Lydia has helped me see more clearly that with pure intentions, the change that comes from positive actions far outweighs the seemingly negative side effects. When I open a package of Luna Nori crackers, I look at the plastic and think about how grateful I am for people like Lydia and how grateful I am for the amount of love that has gone into each and every cracker.

I met a woman a few weeks ago at the farmer's market who was talking about Colorado, "I'm never leaving this place, east coast people, we know something good when we see it!" I am grateful for getting to visit and share an afternoon with a visionary like Lydia. I now know there is a woman with a strong heart behind Lydia's Organics. It's not just a company, it's not just a cracker... although it is one hell of a crackeri.. it's a way of life. Trust me, I'm from the east coast, I know something good when I see it!

*visit Lydia's Organics website to order raw products and learn more about the company.

*Read the original June 12th post about my first experience with Lydia's crackers.