I have three blogs. It is funny because I always lament the way that we as a culture seem to think that everything needs to be separated out. Take the fitness industry for instance, of which I was a part for many years and in many ways still am. We were always taught that you needed to do your cardio, then your stretching, then some strength building. This of course could take all day which is why so many people don’t do any of it. Not only is this time consuming but it is also scattered energetically. Wouldn’t it be better to integrate it all and be able to just focus on one thing? Hmmm, sounds a little like yoga doesn’t it? When I was a trainer, I would be in the gym 8-10 hours a day. I would end up sneaking off to yoga class just to; one, get out of my work environment, and two, to feel more grounded after a day spent in a cold, loud, and bright space. It never occurred to me that yoga could do all the things I was teaching all day long. In fact, that would have been too good to be true. I was taught from an early age that everything that was worth doing was hard work and most likely unpleasant. If I was having fun, then I wasn’t getting anything done. One day, I started to notice that my body and mind were changing in a way that I had wanted for years. I was pretty surprised. I mean, I had been teaching all these other methods for years but what was working for me was something else entirely. Not only did I enjoy yoga but it was kicking my ass.
I started to dip my toe into these forbidden waters. What if it was possible to be fit, healthy, strong, flexible AND be doing something that I actually enjoyed. Whoa, now this was radical. What if it was possible to integrate all of the supposedly separate fitness methods into one? That would not only be more efficient time wise but would also be more efficient energetically. What if it was possible to change body and mind for the better and have it be a relatively pleasant process??? Now this isn’t to say that I didn’t find yoga challenging. It was very challenging but in an internal way if that makes sense.
So here I am again, spreading myself thin by writing 3 different blogs. One on yoga, one on vegan nutrition, and one on unschooling. Yes, these are 3 distinctly different topics but aren’t they all related? I will say that the philosophy that makes me a vegan, unschooling, yoga teacher is all based on the same principals. They are all related to the same philosophy on life and living. So why separate them? Because, honestly, I am afraid of offending people. There, I said it. I am concerned that my views on life are possibly too radical and therefore might create discomfort in others. While that is not my intention, I am called the “agitating molecule” by my friends, which is a reference to me liking to push people to think about things they might not have otherwise.
So, if I label each blog clearly, that allows for each person to know what they might be about to read or see. That said, I am wondering if it is just a cop out on my end. I truly believe in integrating all one’s beliefs into the life that they choose to lead, myself included. That is where the term integrity comes from. I shouldn’t have one philosophy for one situation and a completely different philosophy applied to another. I believe that I should be consistent in my words and deeds no matter what or with whom I am dealing with.
So with that said, I am truly interested in your thoughts about this topic. Is it appropriate to separate these different issues? Do you feel fully integrated in your beliefs, actions, and words? What would you like to do, think about, and read more of? As I find more time in my life to write again, I find myself full or more questions than answers. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this topic, and as always, in true agitating molecule style, hope that this has made you think.
Peace, Mimi
