English 1131

“Living Large”

* Macro – (Greek/ Macros, Large).
* Biotic – (Greek/ Biotikos, Relating to life, or specific life conditions).
* Macrobiotics – A method professing promotion of longevity, chiefly by means of diet consisting mainly of whole grains, vegetables and fish”
— Webster’s New College Dictionary…

I was first educated to the concept of “Macrobiotics” through a magazine called, “East West Journal”, that I happened upon shortly upon my arrival within the prison system when I began my incarceration in 1984.
I was 20 years old then, with the sober realization that I was gonna be locked down for quite awhile.
Frightened and alone in this cold, violent new world, I was forced to survive in now, I sought to “escape” as much as I could through books, magazines, and other forms of literature.
I quickly decided a good way to start to “change for the better”, would be to reeducate myself through a variety of magazines and other print material I was coming across, ranging from, religion, philosophy, politics, multiculturalism, etc…
One day I found a discarded copy of, “East West Journal”, a macrobiotic lifestyle publication created by a Japanese man named, Michio Kushi.
After vicariously consuming the entire magazine, I was wholeheartedly hungry to embrace the concept of “better mental and physical health” through a macrobiotic diet of mostly “whole grains, vegetables, and fish”, coupled with a mindful state of being.
I wrote to the editor to inquire about a particular nutritional question, and to my surprise, received a friendly in depth response from a guy named Frank Salvati, who was assigned particularly as a prisoner correspondent in relation to inquiries from prisoners nationwide.
Over the past five (5) years or so, I strived to adhere to a strict macrobiotic way, and through my correspondence with Frank, I did learn a lot about food chemistry, as well as Japanese qui sine, culture, and philosophy.
Unfortunately, due to the very limited resources allowed within a very restricted environment like maximum security prison, I had to abandon my dietary practice for health reasons.
Although, I still retain my longstanding, loyal friendship with Frank, as well as an invaluable lesson of “mindfulness”, which continues to enrich my quality of life, mentally, and physically, such as the way the macrobiotic way teaches.

John (Joni) Salyers #185067
5900 BIS Road
Lancaster, Ohio 43130