I once was a diehard vegan. Living in California allowed me the luxury to find vegan fast food, grocery stores and food trucks. I had so many animal-free options surrounding me and I embraced it with an activist type of mindset. I only followed channels promoting the vegan lifestyle. I constantly read articles online about adopting the many alternatives for a plant based diet. I watched Netflix shows that promoted this subject. I purchased cookbooks and followed with the glee the recipe in order to recreate wonderful meals.

I also learned how to ferment, sprout, garden, juice, blend, properly cook my meals. I loved being a vegan. It changed my body on a molecular level. My skin was vibrant, the white of my eyes were dazzling. It was amazing. Then the downfall. My teeth started rotting suddenly. Too much fruit in my morning smoothie perhaps? I then started the habit of oil pulling with coconut oil. I devoured Thai coconuts, learning how to hack into one and retrieve its contents. Then something else happened. I started to develop an ulcer. Maybe it was the stress I was going through at the time, but the diet stripped my gut of beneficial bacteria. I started to take probiotics. That did not work. Neither did soy or almond milk yogurt and kefir. That is when I learned the magic of natto, miso and kimchee. It fixed my gut. I also put some coconut oil in my morning coffee.

I fell off the vegan diet eventually. I had to prepare foods in advance and it became too time consuming when I changed my lifestyle. Living alone it was very easy to sustain plant only eating. With other people, my food would get cross contaminated using the same pots, pans, utensils and glass storage containers. Another part of me that got mixed in with the people I were living with was my energy. They came from a toxic, negative mindset which I slowly began to absorb.

My soul was tainted from having these energies within my home. It was bad enough dealing with negativity in the external but there are ways to counteract that so you can leave it at your doorstep. My home was my domain, free from outside influences. I could be myself, relax, have time to myself. I did not fear being alone. True I had a cat at the time who would keep my company. But the new presence of other people disturbed my peace and comfort, so I had to find a way to get back into a soporific environment. I found it in nature.

Living where I did gave me proximity to vast parks. I could walk amongst the ducks, listen to their quacking, chill with the geese, stroll with a turkey. I also was able to touch and communicate with trees. Placing my palm against the bark, the tree would absorb what has been bothering me. Then I would feel a surge of renewed energy. Sometimes it was so strong, it would trigger my carpal tunnel. I did not mind. Plus it was temporary. I can purge out the old and bring in the new. Same with placing my hands on a patch of dirt. I was within a bus ride to the beach. I would take my shoes off once I got there and walk on the sand, breathe in the ocean air, feel the water. It was exhilarating and helped free me from the bondage of anxiety and depression. Best of all, it was the spiritual nutrition my soul needed.

Now I make it an important part of my day to connect with nature. I have been dealing with a challenging situation that is not really my problem. But I know I will get through this. Just to go to the park and hear the guidance and wisdom from the Universe all while I recharge my energies is worth it.