Staying Balanced

In today’s society, staying balanced can be quite difficult. Between work, family, hobbies and whatever else is on your plate it is easy to lose track of one’s self. There is really only one solution to balancing your life: attention to yourself. I don’t mean a spa day because who has the time and the money to mke that a regular thing. I mean turning your thoughts to yourself, even if it’s for a brief moment. Here are some ways you can balance your busy life with some inward thinking:

Meditate

Most people hear the word meditate and think that it takes a long amount of time where you do nothing, but the truth is that meditation is focus on the breath with a clear mind. You can do this for 10 minutes or 2 hours and that is the beauty of it. Meditation can be fit into any schedule and you can even do it while performing a task that requires little attention.

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For example, I walk to and from work. It is only a 10 minute walk or so, but thanks to muscle memory, I don’t have to actively think about moving my legs which frees up brain space to focus on my breath and clear my mind. During meditation thoughts come and go. Acknowledging your thoughts and letting them pass is a good way to keep a clear head. If you find your mind going down a rabbit hole, simply bring your attention back to your breath.

When first starting meditation, it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily the internet has a solution. YouTube has multiple guided meditation videos that can walk you through a session. The videos range from 10 minutes to 5 hours (sleep meditation). It is versatile in categories as well. Not every meditation needs a purpose, but guided meditation videos range from releasing negative energy to letting go of obsessive thoughts to chakra alignment. Meditation is an excellent way to give some attention to yourself, even if it is just putting the world on pause and taking a few deep breaths.

Connect with Nature

Reconnecting with mother nature can be very healing. We are all of this earth and it has given us life. There are many ways you can do this, even if you live in a major city. Arboretums are great places to walk through nature. There are even hiking trails that you can take and for the most part, the sound of the city goes away.

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There are also parks you can go to, or even stand barefoot in some grass. Nature has a way of connecting us to what is important and that is life. The work we put ourselves through and the demanding society we are in can make us forget that. By connecting with nature on a regular basis, you can balance the chaos with serenity.

Clean

This one sounds weird and it may just work for me, but when I clean or tidy up around the house, I feel better. By cleaning you cleanse the area of any stagnant energy. You return your home to a homeostasis of sorts. It is almost therapeutic. It may just be the act of taking time for yourself to be productive while doing something that requires little effort mentally. Like I said, this may not work for everyone, but it’s effects are strong enough to mention it.

Loved Ones

It is always important to make time for loved ones. Finding a balance between your responsibilities, yourself and loved ones is difficult, but the key here is to balance them. After responsibilities are  taken care of and you have made time for yourself, make time for the people in your life that make life worth living.

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All things must come to an end and we always wish we had more time for the people we care about, so make the time now, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. Don’t spend too much time working if it doesn’t make you happy. Make time to focus on yourself. Make time for loved ones. Balance everything now and stop waiting till the time is convenient because it never will be. Past and Future are simply dreams. The only thing that is real is now. So what are you going to do in your now?

Stuffed Peppers

Need a simple yet nutritious recipe for dinner? Look no further than these super easy and delicious stuffed peppers. They are not only vegan but gluten free aswell. When I first went vegan I had a hard time thinking of dinner ideas and recipes that weren’t overly complicated, but my mother used to make stuffed peppers with meat, rice and seasonings. This recipe stemmed from her dish, but I replaced the meat with beans for protein as well as other vegetables that channel a south of the border flavor.

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I began by making some brown rice. If you don’t cook with brown rice often, or use the instant, the rice takes twice as long to cook compared to a white rice because it needs more time to absorb all the water. If you want to had a little extra flavor to your rice, you can substitute out the water for vegetable broth. When I made this recipe I did half and half with a pinch of salt.

Next, I sauteed the onion, garlic and jalapeno in some grapeseed oil. You can use any neutral flavored oil you like though. I only used half a jalapeno for a mild kick, but I love spicy food so I will use a whole jalapeno next time. By adding the seasonings to the sauteed vegetables, you marinate all the flavors together and the oil takes up all the taste that will carry through the mixture once combined.

 

 

My vegetables of choice were tomato, corn, jalapeno and onion because it pairs with the black beans and the brown rice for a delicious southern stuffed bell pepper. Beans and rice are a classic combination that’s jam-packed with protein, perfect for a vegan or vegetarian diet.

When it comes to stuffing the peppers, I prefer to use the peppers in halves. It makes it easier to eat them and portion them out as well as add more stuffing. If you wish to go for a more traditional stuffed pepper look, you can slice the top off and stuff the peppers fully and it adds a cute top to put on the peppers if you are aiming for looks.

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These are great for reheating and a favorite in my house. These peppers are easy, flavorful and full of nutrients. With 10g of protein for every half pepper, the stuffed peppers make a perfect entree. If you end up trying my stuffed pepper recipe, please comment below on how it went or if you made some changes to fit them to your liking.

 

 

Stuffed Peppers

Makes 8 Servings (Serving Size: 1/2 Pepper)       /      VEGAN     /      GLUTEN FREE

Ingredients:

  •        4 large bell peppers
  •        1 c. brown rice (uncooked)
  •        2 c. water
  •        2 small garlic cloves
  •       1/2 purple onion
  •        1/2 jalapeno (can use more for extra spice)
  •        1/4 tsp. cumin
  •        1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  •        1/2 tsp. black pepper
  •        1 tsp. salt
  •        1-2 Tbsp. neutral flavored oil (olive, grapeseed, etc.)
  •        1/2 c. corn
  •        2 medium tomatoes
  •        1 1/2 c. black beans (15 oz can)
  •        breadcrumbs (optional, omit for gluten free)
  •        chopped parsley (garnish)

Instructions:

  • Start by adding the brown rice, water (or vegetable broth) and a pinch of salt to a pot and bring to a boil on a high temperature. Once boiling, reduce to low temperature and cover for 35-40 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • While the rice cooks, roughly chop garlic, purple onion and jalapeno. Add to a pan over medium heat with oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Sautee for 5-7 minutes or until tender.
  • Combine sauteed vegetables with cooked rice, corn, tomatoes, black beans and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix until ingredients are evenly distributed.
  • Slice bell peppers in half and remove the seeds from the insides. You can also keep the peppers whole by slicing off the top and removing the seeds through the opening.
  • Take the rice mixture and stuff the peppers until they are full. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of the peppers (omit this step if you are making this recipe gluten free).
  • Place peppers on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 35-50 minutes. The cooking time here depends on how tender you want the peppers to be.
  • Remove the peppers from the oven, garnish with chopped parsley and serve!
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): 235 Calories / 10g Protein / 8.3g Total Fat / 4.5g Dietary Fiber

 

Tips and Tricks for Puppy Training

Training a puppy or dog is no easy task. It takes a lot of attention and consistency, but with the right techniques you can train your best friend in no time. I recently got a puppy named Bo, who is now 10 months old. Bo is extremely smart and has plenty of training in obedience that we started when he was 3 or 4 months. Whenever we take him in public and people are astonished on how well he listens, especially at only 10 months!

Patience and Consistency

Before you begin any kind of training, you must remember that you are not just training an animal, but bringing another life into your family. Puppies and dogs have a mind of their own and when they do something deemed ‘bad’, they were just being a dog. That being said, patience is a key component in training. Everything you teach your dog will take time. The harder the command, the longer it will take for the dog to learn it.

Another thing you have to take into account is consistency in training methods and commands. Pick a command word, like “sit” or “sit down”, and stick with that word. Dogs will associate hand signals and words with the action you want them to do so changing it up can confuse the them. Practice makes perfect! Consistent practicing schedules also help. I am not saying that every day at 11am and 3pm you have to train, but once a day for 10 minutes will provide all the repetition your dog will need. Especially for puppies, they are at the age where they soak everything up like a sponge so training once a day is like going to school for your children.

The Reward System

I am by no means telling you to hit your dog when I say consequence. Dogs form bonds with their owners. It may not seem it, but you are their entire world. This trait explains why dogs are such loyal animals and this is the reason you shouldn’t jeopardize the bond with physical abuse. Dogs know when they have done something wrong because they get that guilty look on their face. The ears go back, the head tilts down while those guilty eyes look up at you. expressions-of-dog-when-they-want-to-say-you-something-5 The face that makes all the dog videos so funny! All you need to do is indicate they did something wrong with the tone of your voice. Dogs pick up on your mood very well. The important note for consequence is knowing when to stop. Once the dog shows remorse and maybe has a brief time out, then you should give them affection. Otherwise, they will think you are mad at them for hours when all they did was tear up some toilet paper.

Timing is very important when it comes to behavioral training. If your dog is in the act of doing something bad, you may be more angered in your tone of voice or maybe even give then a pat on the nose (pat! you do NOT need to hit the dog). This just shows them, “Hmmm, when I chew on the electrical cord, my owner gets mad and I get booped on my nose,” and next time they will remember the reaction from chewing the cord and hopefully opt out. Don’t worry, after a few times, they will learn. It’s all about repetition.

The same can be said about rewarding. By saying “good boy” and petting your dog, you can reward instantly when something is done correctly (i.e. going to the bathroom outside). This is also useful if you don’t have treats around. When training for tricks, you want to always use treats of some kind. You can buy training treats specifically that are smaller and lower calorie for frequent rewards. Soon, the dog will associate good behavior and tricks with yummy treats and they will be more inclined to perform those good behaviors. You must show them the correct way to do something and let lem know when they have done something the wrong way. Punishment is almost never called for.

‘Yes’ and ‘No’

Teaching your dog the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’ can be extremely useful in training. It is a sure fire way to help them differentiate between good and bad behavior. Start by saying the word ‘yes’ and instantly giving your dog a treat. Say it over and over, giving a treat each time. At first, your dog will be really happy he is getting all these treats for nothing, but this is how he will associate the word ‘yes’ with reward.

On the other spectrum, saying ‘no’ at your dog for no apparent reason won’t do you any good. When your dog has done something bad while you were at work, bring them over to the mess; for this example, let’s just say they chewed up the remote. Show the dog the remote and adjust your tone of voice to a stern one. You don’t have to yell because remember, dogs are very good at reading your mood and your body language. Firmly say the word ‘No’. The dog should look guilty before it even gets to you holding the remote, but keep the dog there long enough to associate the word with bad behavior.

Potty Training

Potty training can be difficult if you are not around often for your puppy, whether it be work or school or just other obligations in general. That being said, it’s not impossible either. I personally was able to potty train Bo in 3-4 weeks but I have seen other people do it in less time or take even longer. The trick to potty training is to anticipate your puppy’s needs. If you notice that first thing in the morning, Spot has gone tinkle in the living room again, then you know to take him out first thing in the morning. Every dog has a schedule, take the time to observe your dog and learn it’s schedule. This way you can anticipate when the dog will have to go outside. A good rule of thumb is any time after they eat, after a nap or after play time.potty-training-puppy

The reward system can do wonders here as well. Give your dog praise any time it goes to the bathroom outside. If a mess happens in the house, use the ‘No’ method I talked about earlier. Bring the dog to the mess, show them why you are mad (NOT by rubbing their nose in it) and use the word ‘no’ with a firm voice. You wouldn’t potty train a toddler by putting their soiled diaper on their head. That makes no sense because all you’re doing is being cruel for no reason, so NEVER put your dog’s face in their accidents. Remember: show them the correct way and let them know when they do it the wrong way.

Tricks

This is the fun part! Tricks are a great way to show off your dog’s good listening skills as well as provide an outlet for your dog to please you. With tricks, stick to one command. Say the command, show them how the trick is done and reward them with a treat. A tip here; only say the command once. Saying ‘sit’ 10 times before the dog actually sits lessens your authority with the command. Your dog will think “He’s just going to keep saying it, so it doesn’t matter when I sit.”

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Obedience will stem from this method of only giving the command once. Once you say a command, make sure the dog follows through with the action. If you don’t hold the dog accountable for the command given, there will be no obedience. You want your dog to listen every time. This is why the reward system is so crucial at a young age because it gives the dog incentive to listen and obey. As your dog gets older and learns more, there will be no need to give treats once the dog is obedient. However, treats are still a nice way to say ‘I love you’ or ‘good job’.

All these tips and tricks will help to train your dog how you would like, but don’t forget that every dog is different and every bond between dog and owner is a unique one. There is no end result that your dog must achieve. Train them to fit into your life, just make sure to make room in your life for them too. Above everything else, dogs run on love…and maybe some kibble every now and then. Show them love and they will be loyal and loving right back.

Texas’ Population Increase

Texas’ population has been rapidly increasing in the past eight years. More people living in the metropolitan areas comes with many problems in Texas’ infrastructure that need to be addressed before it is too late. These areas of improvement can be found in water, energy and the city structure. In order to account for the population surge, some dramatic changes must be made.

Water Shortage

Due to Texas’ affordable living and diverse economy, the population has increased to a whopping 28 million this year and with international and domestic immigration (222,000) outnumbering Texas’ natural growth (210,000) between 2010 and 2016, changes need to be made now more than ever. (1) The larger cities are seeing a majority of this immigration and to account for this, water conservation efforts should be put into place. Texas is mostly arid desert and must either import its water or reuse waste water by heavily filtering it. In Austin, the water supply comes from Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan but even these lakes are being affected greatly, losing 40,000 acre-feet each week. (2) More research must be done to find a solution to the water shortage in Texas but that doesn’t mean the citizens of Texas cannot do anything now. By conserving water and putting conservation plans into place, Texas can give researchers more time. It doesn’t seem to be an issue in the present moment and thus conservation will be precautions for the future.

Clean Energy

Unfortunately, water is not Texas’ only problem. As more people fill the cities, the demand for energy increases. Texas’ economy is largely due to the oil industry with the

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Houston ship channel acting as a central hub. When thinking about Texas’ future, it must be a green one. New forms of green energy are already being used yet Texas is still reliant on oil and natural gas. Wind and solar energy are excellent replacements. Many drawbacks of wind energy have to do with upfront investments, aesthetics and noise and the benefits outweigh these greatly. (3) Since much of Texas’ population resides in big cities, there is an abundance of uninhabited land where windmills can be placed. As for solar energy, it is as easy as putting a panel on your roof. A common stigma about these greener energy sources is cost, but the cost of windmills has gone down by over 80% since 19803 and solar panels can save people on average $100 a month on electricity. (4)

Walkability

Another issue with large cities in Texas is walkability. Everything is so spread out making it extremely difficult to navigate the city without a vehicle. This also brings about the problem of traffic. The common solution is building more roads, but this actually creates more traffic and only amplifies the problem. According to the book Walkable City by Jeff Speck, by diversifying city blocks, decreasing not only the amount of driving lanes but the width of them also and making the sidewalks more appealing to pedestrians any city’s downtown can be transformed to a walkable city.

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Many zoning codes don’t allow for diverse city blocks. By offering housing at a range of prices to bring in all walks of life as well as adding more parks, convenience stores, groceries and hospitals, people will have less need to drive to get what they need since everything is in walking distance. One-way streets, wide lanes that allow higher speed limits, multiple lane streets and lack of pedestrian crossing areas cause many accidents, injuries or even deaths in high populated cities. Pedestrian safety is a key component of a walkable city as well as the desire to walk. When people can go faster on one-way streets, there is more room for error due to lack of attention on the road. If only one lane going each way was available and the other lanes were transformed to street parking or bike lanes, people would be more inclined to walk since driving then becomes the slower alternative. The street parking also allows for a ‘steel barrier’ so to say, between the cars and the pedestrians making their walk safer.
Finally, beautification of the city will make walks more pleasurable because there is more to look at then just buildings. Things like murals, trees or greenery and creative street lighting will draw people to the beauty of the city and make walking and biking more enjoyable. This also provides jobs for local artists and reduces spending on building more roads that can be put towards redirecting downtowns towards a walkable future.

These topics are only scratching the surface of what Texas could do to improve its cities and plan for the future. More and more people make their way to Texas each year and if actions are taken now, the quality of life of Texas’ civilians will remain just as great as they are today.

 
1. “Texas Has Nation’s Largest Annual State Population Growth.” Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2017/08/texas-population-trends.html (accessed October 20, 2018)
2. “In Austin, Growing Water Needs and Conservation.” Texastribune.org. https://www.texastribune.org/2011/06/22/in-austin-growing-water-needs–and-conservation/ (accessed October 20, 2018)
3. “Wind Energy Pros and Cons.” Energyinformative.org. http://energyinformative.org/wind-energy-pros-and-cons/ (accessed October 20, 2018)
4. “Solar Energy Pros and Cons.” Energyinformative.org. http://energyinformative.org/solar-energy-pros-and-cons/ (accessed October 20, 2018)

 

How to Love Infinitely

What is love? Nobody can truly define it because it is a feeling. To love someone is to take them for who they are, the good and the bad. To love something is to give it value, more value over any other thing in your life. We know how to show love and we can feel it, but we can’t hold it in our hands or buy it at a store. The same can be said for infinity. It is unfathomable because we have nothing to compare it to. So if we can’t truly define love and we have no concept of infinity, how can we love infinitely? The answer is actually quite simple and in doing so, you can improve your quality of life dramatically.

Find a Loving Feeling

Everyone has felt love before whether it has been towards someone, like a spouse, dear friend or a family member, or for something, like a passion you have that defines you and helps you to express your individuality. We have all experienced this warm feeling in our hearts or butterflies in our stomach, something that you knew deep in your core, was this thing called love.

pexels-photo-69096The first step in loving infinitely is to locate that loving feeling. A good technique to finding the feeling is to remember what gave you that feeling in the first place. For me, it is my family. I think of how much I love Jon, the dog and the cats and most of the time it is a simple memory, like all of us cuddling on the bed during a storm or a feeling of relief when I think something bad has happened to one of them. It’s not much and it is very specific to me, but thinking about it fills my heart with love. A love that I can feel in my chest.

Another example may be if you are a soccer player. Soccer is the one thing that has been there for you when you family and friends weren’t. It kept you strong through extremely hard times and no matter what was going on in your life, the second you stepped on that field, it all went away and you finally felt alive. In this case, think of that feeling. The feeling that nothing else matters but your love for soccer.

Practice Conjuring That Feeling

pexels-photo-1097781The next step is to practice creating that feeling on command. Think of your loving thought randomly. The goal here is to have the ability of feeling that warm feeling whenever you want. This will take a few tries but the important thing here is to remember what you love and that all other feelings will fade.

Some good times to practice can be when you are with the people you love or doing what you love most, when you are feeling frustrated or upset and even randomly when you are in a good mood. Once you have mastered conjuring this one of a kind feeling, you can move onto the final step in loving infinitely.

Apply Love to Everything

This is the hardest step and it is less of a step and more of a continuing practice. Take everything in your life and apply this loving feeling. When I became attuned spiritually, I began to notice more good in my life, but with the good came a lot of bad as well. I saw how greedy we were, how lost many of us are and how harmful we were being to the planet and each other.

Dwelling on all the negative made me feel small and powerless, until I realized that I am the master of my own perception. Yes, people are greedy and gluttonous, but they are also kind. More and more of us are waking up and looking for more from our lives than just clothes, money and things we don’t need and that is something to love. I go home from work every day to the same small one bedroom apartment from a job I don’t absolutely love. Yet, I couldn’t be happier. Because even though my life is quaint, it is my little corner of the world. I have beautiful trees just outside my doorstep, the building I am in is old and falling apart here and there but I get to call it home. I look at life with rose colored glasses because I love everything.

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Loving infinitely requires effort. It is a constant battle to see the good in everything and even I struggle with it. Luckily, I am surrounded by people who love me and can remind me to stay loving when I am lost. I am grateful for everything in my life, even the bad. For even in the darkest of places the smallest bit of light can be revealed, and if you follow that light, you can get out. Never stop loving and being grateful and you too, can love infinitely.

Spiritual Awakening

For as long as man has a soul, man has a spirit. A spirit simply refers to the non-physical part of a living thing or being. This being said, my spirit has always been awake. There is just a time before I acknowledged it and became in-tune to it. I refer to that part of my life as being asleep because once wakened, I noticed that my actions and thoughts while not in-tune with my spiritual side, were done in blindness.

To me, being spiritually awakened means listening to your soul and in turn, your mind and body, for they are all connected. Your soul is what makes you, you. It’s the voice in your head that drives you, it’s your compass when you’re lost or conflicted, and is your essence. By being one with your soul, you can find peace within yourself and be content with the world around you.

Frequencies 

Blinded by my environment, I was easily susceptible to the frequencies around me. Just like a current in the ocean, the slightest ripple could change my strength or direction. The human body has its own frequency, just like a radio. And just how a radio can fluctuate to tune in to different frequencies, so can humans. This can be most simply demonstrated by a stranger on the sidewalk. Feeling happy and wanting to share your mood, you wave to the stranger walking in the opposite direction. If the stranger waves back, your mood boosts, but if the stranger does not wave and instead gives you a cross look, your happy mood comes tumbling down. Whether it is just for a second or it ruins the rest of your day, the opposing person’s frequency affected yours.

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A large part of becoming spiritually awakened for me is being aware of the frequencies around me and how they can affect my own frequency. In a media driven world, I constantly feel pressured to buy this, look like this, eat that, and act like this. It is a nagging that is hard to ignore. I have to be honest, this is a very difficult thing for me to do, awakened or not. Being awake has helped me to find the happiness within myself, despite what the world around me expects or demands. Like all things in life, there is a balance. It isn’t about breaking away from the world but resonating with it in peace and harmony.

My Third Eye Opened 

Although I refer to the broadening of my spiritual awareness as an awakening, there was never an “A-Ha” moment that signified I was awake. However, I did have a moment when my third eye was opening for the first time.

I had begun to dabble in meditation. I heard nothing but positive things coming from meditation and my brother, Seth, recommended it to me because it was helping him. Meditation is the practice of clearing your mind and focusing on your breath. In doing so, you can look inside yourself to find answers to questions that you already knew the answer to.

It was a Tuesday morning in January of 2018 (9th or the 16th?) and I went to the gym to work out while my boyfriend, Jon, was working as a rock climbing coach for children. In between sets, I would rest laying down and focus on my breathing as a sort of cool down. With the conclusion of my workout, I went to see if Jon was ready to leave. He was still with his class so I decided to meditate while I waited.

I went to a bench and sat down with my legs crossed and my hands resting on my knees. I put on headphones with some music to block out the distracting noises of the busy gymnasium. As I focused on my breath, I had begun to take an inventory, so to say, of my body. From head to toe I took notice of each body part; how was it feeling, filling it with my energy. What happened next, I still cannot explain but my brother’s theory is that a force stronger than my own gave me a slight nudge.

My third eye opened and my consciousness astral projected out of my physical body. I hovered over myself looking down. I then started to explore the gym. I saw people bouldering in the next section over, Jon and the kids around the corner, and even the people in the work out room. I tested myself to see if I could go further. I broadened my perception so that I was looking at the building, then the Katy, Texas area, and then I broaden my view so far that I was then looking at the planet earth. Now keep in mind, all of these “visions” were that of my own perception. A lot of what I saw was projected based off of my memory or what I had seen through the vast database known as the internet (videos, pictures, etc.).

I thought to myself, “This is way too far” so I focused back in. This time, my consciousness jumped to different places around the planet where events were transpiring, almost like a video montage. I saw the peaks of mountains, beautiful and white. They had a purity to them as the sun reflected a soft, pink glow during a sunset. I saw the great wall of china, in all it’s glory. I moved along it as the vibrant, lush green surrounded the craftsmanship with nature’s beauty. I saw a woman, screaming out in pain as she brought new life into this world. I saw a baby taking its first wobbly steps towards a father who’s face filled with more joy and excitement as the baby came closer and closer. I saw a man on his deathbed, as his loved one held his hand through the last few moments he had. With each scene I empathized with the situation and that’s how I knew what was happening. Nothing told me, I just felt it and in this particular one, I did not feel fear, but acceptance and love.

There were so many more scenes that, frankly, I just can’t remember. All of a sudden, a loud bang of a gym bag hitting the bench brought me back to reality. My eyes opened as I turned to investigate where the noise had come from. I removed my headphones to find that it was two guys, just getting to the gym. I disregarded their conversation and turned my attention to the clock on the wall…it had only been 15 minutes since I had closed my eyes. I sat, taking a few more deep breaths as I tried to process what I had just seen. Had I seen it at all, or was it just my imagination?

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Whatever it was, I knew this much; in fifteen minutes, on a gym bench in Katy, Texas, I realized the beauty of the world and the life within it in its entirety. Since then, I have had similar vision-like experiences with my third eye through meditation but nothing close to the intensity of that day. This meditation is what jump-started my spiritual awakening and it is meditation that has gotten me through all major roadblocks in my life since then.

 

Welcome to My Blog

Hello! My name is Jackie and I live in Texas with my boyfriend Jon, our cats, Sage and Smokey, and our dog Bo. There are many things that I want to post on my blog, but here’s an idea of what you may come across:

-Healthy Living Alternatives

-Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes

-Inspirational Posts

-Personal Experiences

-And Much, Much More

I try to live my life as healthy as I can and I am always finding room for improvement. I have learned a lot along the way and am excited to learn more. I look forward to sharing my experiences with all of you and can’t wait to see where this goes!