For me, being vegan was and still is a spiritual calling. It was a natural progression to who I am today...and the woman that I am to become. It is part of my life's purpose. I cannot separate what I eat from my unique expression of life here on this planet Earth.
I have to be honest and say that there have been ebbs and flows with living this lifestyle. I chalk it up to just going through the spiritual motions. There have been times where I have not been on my personal vegan path as committed as I KNOW I'm supposed to be and it caused me discomfort...spiritually and psychologically. You see...when you KNOW within your deepest of souls that you are supposed to be living a certain kind of way....and you veer away from that....you are not as at peace with yourself as you should be. I know that I would not be walking in my highest purpose if I were not living a strictly plant based lifestyle. And for me it is about oh so more than just eating plants. It's about self love....decolonizing my mind, body, and spirit from the oppressors, a pride and joy at being different and not following the crowd. It is my expression of life!!! It is everything for me because I cannot separate who I am at my core essence from what I choose to put in and on my precious body.
Being vegan is also an evolutionary lifestyle. The more you eat plants, only, the more you are supposed to be elevating in life. At least this is the case for me. It may just start off for some as a way to not hurt animals anymore...or even a disgust at what the meat and food industries are doing to "food" nowadays. I love animals, always have and always will, but they were not my reasons for going vegan. Like I said, this is a spiritual calling for me. And a way to take back my power in so many ways. My power as a woman of color. My power as a person of African descent. My power as a living soul in a physical body....in a world that promotes being powerless and a follower not a leader. I am a woman that marches,to the beat of her own African drums.
As of now, with my personal diet, I am growing to be a raw vegan. Someone whose food intake is largely raw/living foods. I know that this is who I am supposed to be, and who I WILL be....so I'm not rushing it. I'm allowing it to flow. My focus is on eating real food...not processed vegan foods, although they do have their place. I'm getting there step by step...and in my time. I live from a place of listening to my spirit and intuition. This is great advice that I would give to anyone on their own vegan path. Yes it's good to get educated and motivated by information outside of yourself. But ultimately..only YOU can write the book of your own life....so listening to your body, especially as a woman, and following your intuition are key in living a vegan lifestyle that is right for YOU.
There is no wrong way to do this thing...there is only YOUR way! That would be some advice I would give to those who may need strength walking the vegan path!!
