My weight is stabilized, I haven't gained a pound nor lost any during these months.
I do have more energy to do stuff. I am more aware of where my food comes from. I have created a stronger character, where I don't bend my value of not eating meat even though the circumstances are challenging. I have lost the "fear" of being criticized if I don't eat meat and someone doesn't agree with me. I feel lighter in my yôga classes, therefore I can do positions where I stay longer or stretch further. So I spent one week in El Salvador opening a playcare in an urban slum (visit here to see how you can help this lovely project grow www.playcares.com).
Therefore I went from training #yogaeverydamnday to no yôga for me for a week and two days. The day that I started again, I almost cried! It seemed like if the class got a lot more harder, or I had no strength anymore. Yes. all in one week. When I though the suffering was over, the next day I woke up to more pain. For this was a great lesson. If I wasn't able to do an entire 1 hour class during the day I shall practice on my own for at least 20 minutes, so my bones don't get lazy when I want to go back. So lesson learn, never miss a #yogaeverydamnday. ....perhaps there's a reason why it's every damn day. Enjoy, Marce. For me, the term "Vegan" came into my awareness a little less than 5 years ago. I just couldn't understand how some people decided on their own to stop consuming any animal product, and judging on their physical appearance I couldn't understand how they had any energy left.
So for the moment I had no intention whatsoever to become a vegan, or a vegetarian at all. Never would I have imagined that years later, the opportunity would come up and I would accept the challenge. Once you frequently share with people who have been in this lifestyle, you suddenly begin to question all the reason why we eat, why we eat meat and the real importance of a healthy lifestyle and nutrition. By listening to their experiences, I identified a few things that resonated with who I am as a person, and what do I want for my health. One is the process of decomposition of the meat since the moment it's killed, it no longer has the energy that kept her alive, neither all the nutrients it contains. Another one is the process of feeding the animals with hormones and other toxins so in shorter period the animals grows faster and bigger. At the end we are not really eating the farm grown little cow you see eating grass in the meadows, we eat cows or chickens who might never had seen sunlight, and are directly transported to slaughter houses. I know the image you have in your mind is not pretty, but it is the harsh truth that helped me make a healthier decision. Today I have turned 3 weeks without eating any sort of animal, and I feel just fine. I have tried out a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, which means I can eat eggs and any derived diary product (Thankfully because I love cheese!!!). Any changes I've noticed so far?? -I get hungry very very fast -I go more than regularly to the bathroom -I am more aware of how my food is cooked and the ingredients it contains -The options are limitless. Really I can eat everything and anything without meats. For now I am in no purpose of convincing anybody, as it may seem once someone asks you why you have stopped eating meat. If you ask me, I am going to answer you just the plain truth as for why I stopped eating. You now have the knowledge, and the option, it's your choice, I already made mine. What I have noticed when talking to meat eaters, is that they quickly feel they are being attacked, and try to defend themselves with their arguments that eating meat it's the best for our bodies. I have a complete different perception but that is why I am taking the decision over my body, not over yours. With time I hope this argument becomes less of opinions and more about facts. I watch a video today which said something really smart and it says: "You tell me how many hospitals have vegans hospitalized, and how many carnivores, you'll noticed there's not a single vegan there". This week was GREAT. It seems like my thoughts are much clearer and cleaner, I don't know how to explain this, but when I speak I am actually saying what I mean.
With my practice I've been stretching much more than at the beginning, so it means my body is receiving the push it needed. I was invited last Wednesday, to assist an event named "Sat Chakra", what it intends to do is pass on good energy amongst the entire group which needs to be 6 minimum to start. After some meditation and visualization, you give a rose to the person on your left and a fruit to the person on your right. I got all mixed up at the beginning but it must have been the lack of tradition. Afterwards, we shared stories and ate what others brought to the event (I felt ashamed that I didn't brought anything to share). I was so filled up with good energy that day that it was around 2am and I couldn't sleep, I had so many thoughts going through my head that I had to write them down, it was like if I was feeling a sense of illumination. With my readings, I am absorbing the books! I am almost done with the reading and questions from "Cuando es Preciso Ser Fuerte". I have enjoyed so much this book because of the combination of humor, facts, and teachings. Last Thursday I presented 3 mudrás, my 6 vocabulary in sanskrit (achárya, agni, ádi, ády, ájña, akásha, angushta) and I missed 2 ásanas family. The rest went excellent. I also cooked a berenjena lasagna which was spectacular! Which gave me the idea to start preparing no-meat plates and start selling them! I also tried making the chai tea for the second time, and it keeps improving!!! Also, I am a rose fanatic, anything which has rose is my favorite, such as tea, perfumes, candles, and also rose jelly! So, I started to look up for recipes that explained the process of extracting the aroma of the roses, and turned it into a rose syrup. I am still waiting what to do with it. So, after one week after practicing yoga I have learned numerous things about myself.
Here are a few. 1. I try to convince myself that what I am doing is good. Though I keep having bad habits knowing they are not good for me. 2. I am struggling to keep true to myself, even if I might hurt others along the way. 3. The possibility that a simple yes might take you are limitless. I get to have new connections and meet new world views. 4. My only expectation should be based on what I have done prior, and my ability to improve all the time. I have started reading both books, ''Cuando es preciso ser fuerte'', and ''Yoga avanzado''. Both are leading me through a path of self-knowledge, which will help me absorb more knowledge in my practice and journey. I have already helped make organic yougurt, as well as to prepare chai tea. I have enjoyed the group (Egregora), because I have felt very welcomed and energized whenever I leave there. Plus I have become the sole propetor of a bicycle! So after about 2 years I have returned to officially practice yoga. But this time is different, I want to learn a more profound yoga than the one I have been used to. I want to learn about how yoga was originated, by whom, what was happening in that specific society so that a philosophy like yoga would emerge. Therefore, I have bought two books: Yoga avanzada and Cuando es Preciso ser fuerte, both from DeRose methodology.
Today I arrived 30 minutes earlier than the practice and was able to participate in the making of chai tea. My favorite tea in the entire world, made from fresh ingredients which included (cardamom, ginger, sugar, milk and black tea). The smell was wonderful. My first class was instructed by Maye, and she taught me and another girl. The practice felt smooth, but at the same time intense, what I noticed from different yoga practices I've done is the time to hold each position is very important to reach a higher consciousness. While before starting, I had to sign some documents that I have commit myself for 1 year of yoga practice, that the reason behind I wanted to practice yoga was to become more happy. And I believe that's the purpose I want to get out from it. |
Marcela RichardsonLiberal artist, life-long learner. Interested in personal growth, positive impact, and a life of reason and happiness. Archives
November 2015
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