Priya Vrata has published a book Food Yoga – nourishing the soul about the benifits of raw food both physically and spiritually. Photo Vicki Wood

 

Leesa Petfield | 14th February 2012: INTERNATIONAL food yoga hero Yogi Priya Vrata (Paul Turner) – recently conducted two food yoga workshops on Bribie Island at the Witchie Woo Wellness B & B.

Paul said he received positive feedback from both workshops. Some pupils said it was the most positive thing that had happened to them this year. All participants learnt the science of food yoga and were treated to a two-hour gourmet raw food demonstration.

Paul is the international director of Food for Life and the director of Food for Life Global, the charity’s world headquarters. Food for Life is the largest plant-based food relief organisation in the world. The project is in more than 50 countries and serves up to two million meals daily.

Paul’s journey began when he left home at 19. He lived in a commune in Sydney’s Blue Mountains where he was introduced to the fundamentals of Indian cooking by Akrura das, a former Hare Krishna monk. The experience ignited a desire in Paul to one day become a temple chef.

Paul said he was always fascinated with karma and spirituality, so he joined the Krishna ashram in NSW and become a monk. During his time as a monk Paul said he learned the art of gourmet vegetarian cooking.

In 1986 Paul started a Food for Life club and in 1989 his food yogi journey took him to the Hunter Valley region where he started a new Food for Life program. Paul soon realised that food was a wonderful communicator. Travelling to over 54 countries over the next 25 years, Paul helped to inspire and set up new Food for Life projects and train volunteers. Paul said his travels took him to three war zones – Chechnya, Bosnia and Georgia. He led an international team of volunteers to set up makeshift kitchens in villages across Sri Lanka in response to the Asian tsunami.

In 2010 Paul directed an international relief effort in Haiti where Food for Life Global served thousands of organic vegan meals to devastated Haitians.

In 2011 Paul travelled to Japan and established a feeding program for the survivors of the tsunami.

Paul said he had conducted workshops all over the world, directing the journey for food and using food to connect people. He now has several books published and two more books in the making. Readers can download the eBook from www.FOODYOGI.ORG ($9.95) or pick up a softcover at Witchie Woo Wellness B&B, 10 Eighth Ave, Woorim.