Spiritual Slump

I have been at Sacred Mists for a little over a year and a half (with a six month break) and I am in a huge spiritual slump. Don’t get me wrong, Sacred Mists is awesome and I love being there. The problem is within myself and my daily actions. I struggle with my lessons because I just don’t feel connected to anything right now. It is strange because I love the information and I love learning.

This seems to happen to me every now and then. I have an altar that does not get used. I have all of the tools necessary and they seem to just get dusty. I have all of the books and they sit on a shelf. Getting out of the groove is the hard part. It’s almost like I feel disconnected from everything and I just go through my daily material worldly duties with blinders on.

Maybe meditation will help, maybe not… at least I know where I am and what I need to think about.

Going Vegan – Day 3

I feel good emotionally, but physically I am sure I could be doing a lot better. The weather has been crazy here and I know that has caused a lot of my physical issues, especially my sinuses. On top of that, this weekend I ended up pulling my back out because I was moving potted plants around. The great thing is that I know both of these things will get better and then I should start feeling good again.

Yesterday was a good diet day until the evening. I bought some pizzas from Whole Foods thinking that they were vegan and they weren’t. So, I ended up eating some dairy on the spinach and garlic pizza. Other than my cheese debacle, I have not had any meat and very little dairy over the past three days. I even got my youngest son to try some “rice cream” and he loved it.

Today I will be looking into the local farms to see how I can get more of the local fruits and veggies. There is a  community that offers boxes of the locally grown produce on a weekly basis and I am thinking that it would be a great way to get more produce in my diet and help the farmers in my area.

Going Vegan and other thoughts

I am one of those people that struggles with the harsh reality of what we, as humans, do to each other and all of the animals and plants on this earth. I try to make sure I recycle and I cut down on driving, my use of water and energy, but I know it is not enough. I also know that you can be an example to others. If you feel something strong enough and if you aren’t afraid to speak up, you can help to change the world.

Being a shy person who has a serious lack of self-esteem, it has been hard for me to be an activist for anything outside of my own household. Even within my home I sometimes feel like I am not heard. Treading lightly is what I do most of the time. It’s easier. It doesn’t take a ton of work. Most importantly, it keeps me from being seen.

So, what does a person who is sometimes afraid of their own shadow do to help the world? What can I, as a person who doesn’t feel strong enough and is afraid to speak up, do to help the other beings on Earth?

Well, that is my goal over the next year. I am going to find a way to break out of my shell and do something to help. My kids call me a “tree hugger” and a “hippie”. I have always been proud of those names, but now it is time for me to live up to those names.

My first attempt at saving the world is that I am going Vegan. I have never been much of a meat eater so that will not be a huge issue, but it will take time and lots of trial and error to figure out how to take all of the other animal products out of my diet. I am not sure what my family will think of all of this, but I can only try to deliver good meals for them and see where it goes from there. Reading “The Kind Diet” by Alicia Silverstone was my first step. It is a great book that speaks at the level of normal people. It is not filled with scientific lingo, but it gives the information we need to know to understand the impact of the meat and dairy industries. I highly recommend it.

So, today is my second day with no meat and no dairy and it has been pretty easy so far. I am going to post my experiences, recipes and the steps I take to bring myself out into the world and speak my mind. Who knows… maybe I can change the world or at least my little corner of it.