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.

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.
​​

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.