LET’S LOVE
LOVE YOUR BODY, MIND, AND SOUL.
LOVE THE WORLD.
I met someone the other day and we spent hours in intense intellectual discussion about the widest range of topics in life. It was very intellectually stimulating, we shared countless ideas and perspectives with each other, back and forth, on and on it went. It was a fun brain exercise.
Later I met someone who knew this person and she described him as being 'very intelligent.' When she said that I felt confusion. I had been hours deep in an intellectually stimulating discussion with a man who is a graduate of one of the top universities of the world, working for one of the top companies in the world, sharing fascinating information about topics ranging from science, philosophy, politics, psychology, to metaphysics and the nature of reality..and I still didn't feel I could say he was intelligent? If that wasn't the definition of intelligent, then what was? I realized then that my definition of intelligence had changed.
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Trump serves as the impetus for change. Gives us all the push we needed to create something new and better. Shows us where we're headed if we don't change. It's getting people triggered, angry and energized. We just have to channel that triggered anger into the driving force for new creation and cohesion with our fellow anger sharers. Fellow non-complacent, unhappy citizens of this world.
There's a level of observation that educates, informs, teaches and inspires. And then there's a point where it just becomes an overindulgence in passive consumption. It becomes an excuse to be spared of others' observations and judgments. An excuse to not participate fully in life. Cause when you hold back, no one can knock you down.
At Swasti Eco Cottages, their organic, plant-based restaurant has all kinds of vegan yumminess. I discovered this vegan gluten free pizza with gorgeous blue edible flowers!! A unique beauty and total deliciousness! Roasted greens, peppers, onions & tomato sauce on a thin, crispy, flavorful buckwheat crust. With comfy floor cushions, colorful art decor and design, the whole restaurant is nestled in lush, jungly gardens inside this eco resort. A quiet retreat tucked away from the busy city of Ubud. There's quite an extensive menu that includes nonveg and veg, with a lot of vegan and gluten free items clearly marked. They're also great about substitutions for the build-it-yourself types, like me. I don't remember exactly but I'm pretty sure I built this pizza. For dessert, the standard Ubud vegan lineup-raw vegans cakes and small treats. Making friends with myself, the different parts of myself that I see so clearly reflected in form in my outer world. Through different people, environments, animals, bugs, life experiences. All different facets of my own self playing out right before my eyes. To wonder and marvel at, to engage, participate and play with.
How deep does the love for myself go? Can I truly love each part of myself as each person who might bother, annoy, challenge me? Can I really say that I love these parts that conflict with other stronger beliefs I might have? Can I really accept other people and other lifestyles? Can I honor myself and my individual needs while also honoring those of others? Others who appear to be 'other' than me, but are in fact just another aspect of me. Maybe i was that same person 5 years ago, maybe i had those beliefs before, or maybe i will have them in the future. Maybe my mother had those beliefs and quirks, and it reminds me of something i wanted to rebel against, and really it has nothing to do with the belief or thing itself, simply the fact that i wanted to rebel against whatever it was. So many intricacies to why we reject different parts of ourself and struggle and engage in conflict with..others..within... But there is a point of choice. Do i want to continue engaging in battle with this concept, or do I want something new? Something more inclusive, tolerant, loving. That loving choice always feels better ultimately, but it may be the most difficult one to choose, in a moment where old, die-hard beliefs and concepts are being challenged. We've had so many experiences in the past that continue to prove the loving choice always works out to be the best. It always feels better, it feels truer, and more aligned with our deepest desire to just be nice to ourselves and others. If all these experiences keep showing us love is the way, then we will know, with more and more conviction, even in the midst of a challenging tug-of-war of indecision...we can remind ourselves, oh yes, the loving choice, that will be the one that works. I can just trust that, even if I may not be sure. I can just trust. There is always a point of choice. Will it be the loving one or not? Will it be born of a fresh, new loving intention, or will it be a replay of old, safe, familiar habit? When we choose love, we choose to love ourselves, all parts of ourselves, even the outward, seemingly 'not us' parts. When we love ourselves, we love all of life. Then there is nothing else but love. What are cravings? Are they good or bad? Some cravings are rooted in old, unhealthy emotional attachments in the body. Other cravings give helpful clues about what your body and being need for better health and forward movement. How do we know which is which?
We elected for our president the star of a ridiculous reality TV show and now we are all playing into the show and the drama of it all. Let's not get emotional and fired up about the person or the show in front of us. Let's instead get fired up about the ISSUES, and what WE CAN DO about it. All the reactionary behavior of complaining, blaming others, or threatening to run away and escape is not helping. It's the same childlike dramatic behavior that the TV show in front of us is encouraging. Let's instead stop watching and taking part in the show, and come together in solidarity to create positive change. We can create a new reality outside of the show.
We forget. We forget that WE are in charge, not politicians. The system would not exist if we did not feed or buy into it. The same way that a show could not stay on air if we didn't watch it. Do you brush your teeth because a dentist scared you into doing it? Or because you've seen pictures of damaged, diseased teeth? Do you do it because your parents said you should? Or because it's just an automatic routine in your life, and it's 'just what we do'? Or do you do it because you know without a doubt that it's good for you and so you enjoy doing it? What is the motivation behind the things that we do every day?
This cow with a numbered label attached to its body is eerily reminiscent of Jews being stamped with a number in concentration camps. This is also much like how black people were treated in slavery. These races were not seen as human. They were seen as lower level vermin. Another species that were certainly of lower value and importance than the white supremacy. Not considered worthy of humane treatment. Expendable. Do we not see that this is EXACTLY how we view and treat animals? We think of them as lower, less important, that their lives have much less worth than ours, and we are entitled to treat them however we want, and exploit them for our own benefit. Because we are, of course, a superior race.
It is difficult to be eating the flesh of a murdered animal and claim to not be racist. The very beliefs that produce racism are the same that permit and justify abuse and production of animal products. Consuming animal products requires continuously making a choice to value your life above another living creature's. That justification worked when we lived in the jungle and had to compete to fend for our survival, but that is now no loner the case. We discriminate against animals because they don't speak our language and they don't look or behave exactly as we do. It's the same thing we still do to other humans. We think they're different because they look different, communicate differently, need different things. But they are living, breathing creatures on this planet who feel pain and suffer, who innocently exist on this planet and deserve the same care and respect as any other living being would want. They just want to play, love and have freedom to enjoy their lives, the same as we do. We get so caught up with the goal, the destination, we forget about the beauty and fun of the ride. Yes, this concept is already superrrr cliché, we've heard it many times. But today this message came in strong. I was leaving my house with one goal in mind: must have delicious smoothie in my mouth. NOW. It was all I could think about, nothing else mattered, and I couldn't wait another second. I jumped on my scooter, on my mission to go get said smoothie, and as I'm driving all that's going on in my head is 'smoothie, smoothie, smoothie.' But suddenly the road had different plans for me.
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MICHAELA CLARA I'm here to share what I've learned through my journey of self exploration-traveling around the outer world and within the inner world-learning about how to live a healthy life, in alignment with the body, heart and soul. Every day I'm discovering how to live more in health, connection and truth. Through joy, passion & self love, creating the life I want, and sharing this love with others. Join me for the ride! Read More |