2020 The Year of Change

 

Growth is painful but it's necessary. The year 2020 was a year of growth for a lot of us. The year brought many changes around the world and the U.S. I was quarantined at home for 7 months, and for the first 2 months I woke up every day and cried. I was going through a spiritual transformation and didn't really know what to do. Most of us have never been in a pandemic, so we didn't know what to expect. At the onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic I was going through separation anxiety from my soulmate. While trying to make sure my parents, children, and siblings were alright; I neglected to properly take care of myself. I wasn't depressed, but spiritually I was going through this metamorphosis. By the third month I had began having weekly tarot readings. Every reading pretty much said the same thing. I was on my way to gaining control of my life. I started doing shadow work, and I had my first Distance Reiki Healing.

After The Reiki session I felt lighter and I had gained a lot of insight on my situation and life. After a couple more months I attained more clarity and direction. I instituted working out daily and implemented more self care. Many days I woke up feeling overwhelmed, not knowing what the day would bring. Each day I tried filling my time with exercise, reading, cooking, and tarot readings to try and make some sense of what was going on in the world. For months I would hear about people dying because of the Coronavirus, but no one I was close to. To take my mind off of death, sickness, and Covid-19, I decided to continue to work on myself. I conducted tarot/oracle readings on myself as a form of self care, and to seek insight into what I needed most in my life.

Shadow work, tarot readings, and meditating helped to relieve anxiety over the unknown. I decided to surround myself with positivity and positive people, or I spent most of my time alone. I was alone in the house for months, but the alone time aided in me healing from past life traumas. Working on myself during this time of crisis was the best thing I could've ever done. I learned a lot about myself; I learned what I want in my life and what I definitely don't want. I learned that I have a strength and power in me so strong, that I can actually overcome anything. I fought for myself! I grew in areas I never knew existed. I acquired knowledge of what deal breakers are for me. I became intuned with my soul. The year 2020 brought hurt, pain, death, and grief but it also brought learning experiences, evolution, change, and growth.

I started school at Shaw Academy for a diploma in Alternate Therapies while I was quarantined at home. I learned new ideas to enhance my businesses. In August I returned to work after 7 whole months. In those 7 months I became whole. In July my publishing company began the work of publishing an anthology written by 7 dynamic ladies. This anthology also opened up doors to healing for myself and these great authors. The year 2020 brought so many changes our way, some welcomed and some not so much but we made it through. Change, Growth, Evolution, are all inevitable and they are much needed to take us to the next level on our journeys through this life. As the old cliché expounds, "no pain no gain". In order to move to the next level or advance in this life we must endure some pain beneficial to growth. Many people don't accept change easily, but its needed to advance as spiritual beings. With that being said, I am all the more better for having gone through this pandemic the way I did. So many changes in me transpired over the 7 months I was home. In 2021 I'm rolling out new services and products for my businesses. Who would've thought that a Global Crisis could change our lives for the better???

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Beginning the Vegan Lifestyle

(Wild rice, mock scallops made from King oyster mushrooms)

I began the journey to a vegan lifestyle over 3 years ago. In August of 2017 I stopped eating bacon, the only pork I was still eating at the time. I had given up beef and pork a couple of years prior. In 2015 I began the journey to myself. During the discovery of myself , I researched meats and what eating flesh and foods made from flesh did to the body. I also studied foods of indigenous people and African tribes. My native ancestors and our African ancestors mostly lived off of plants, herbs, berries, and seeds. There are medicine men and women in both cultures that used herbs and plants as medicine as well as food. So many people of color and some of my family members suffer form diabetes and high blood pressure, and I wanted to change the narrative for myself and future generations who spring up out of me.

Veganism isn't just about being healthy, but for me becoming vegan was more spiritual than physical. I stopped eating flesh for my health, but also because of who I was becoming. In order to vibrate at a higher frequency I had to stop eating certain foods. I had to start eating living foods that give life, not dead animals. Some people's reason for becoming vegan is to save the animals, but my reasoning goes much deeper than that. As a spiritualist certain aspects of life are not conducive to me harnessing my gifts and spiritual powers. Eating the right foods opens up your pineal gland (third eye) which allows you to see things clearly and truthfully. Eating flesh and foods made from animals calcifies the pineal gland and clouds your perspective.

Before you begin the journey to veganism it's important to explore your Why. Why do you want to become vegan? I told you my reasons, but each person's Why is different. After you've determined why you want to become vegan, you then need to decide what type of vegan you want to be. Do you want to just be a vegetarian and still eat dairy products, or do you want to become a raw vegan and eat raw uncooked veggies, fruit, nuts,and seeds? For the new vegan it's best to start out simple and explore with new fruits and vegetables. Being vegan doesn't mean you just eat salad or vegetables all of the time. Veganism includes: vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, and seeds. For vegans, vegetables are cooked without meat and vegan or non-dairy items are used in the place of eggs and cheese. Some grains that are popular among vegans are: wild rice, black rice, brown rice, yellow rice, spelt, kamut, and quinoa. Popular seeds for vegans are: chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame, and pumpkin seeds. Nuts to include in a vegan diet are: almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts, and hazelnuts. Beans and legumes such as lentils, garbanzo beans, and black beans are great for beginning vegans.

Farmer's Markets or an actual farm are great places to shop if you're vegan. Stores like Sprout's, Whole Foods, and Aldi are excellent for purchasing veggies, fruit, and processed vegan foods. As a new vegan you want to stay away from so much processed food. Brands like Boca, Gardein, Morning Star, and Beyond Meat are okay in moderation, but any type of processed food is not good for you over time. As a new vegan you're looking for ideas and a variety of foods to add to your palette. The vegan lifestyle gives you an opportunity to explore many new foods. Farmer's Markets like Nam Dae Mun offer produce and foods from around the world; you can try new foods you've never heard of before. If you find yourself missing the texture of meat, mushrooms (oyster, portabella, shittake), eggplant, and jackfruit are great substitutions for meat.

Make the transition to veganism your own! It may be easier to slowly ween yourself off of meat by cutting out beef and pork first, followed by chicken and fish. The use of processed vegan foods may be of good use in the beginning. There are many brands of processed vegan foods in the stores; some of my favorite brands are Gardein, Yummy, and Dr. Praeger's. Sprout's brand foods are a great value and taste great too. As a new vegan research lots of foods and decide what is best for you. Tauheedah Michelle and Purple Poet Publishing LLC are launching a vegan cookbook entitled, "Empressive Eats"  to offer help for vegans who are looking for great vegan dishes. I will offer up some of my favorite vegan recipes in this unorthodox cookbook. Be on the lookout for "Empressive Eats", meanwhile I wish you Peace & Blessings on your vegan journey.

(Vegan Lasagna with Spring Salad Mix)

 

Freak Like Me/T-shirt and Panties

www.tauheedahmichelle.michelebarard.com

Last night I watched the episode of "Unsung" featuring Adina Howard. I have been following Adina on Instagram well before the show. I was a fan of Adina's song, "Freak Like Me" back in the 90's. I don't think many of us were ready for such an outspoken upfront woman at the time.

I have come to admire Adina for her outspokenness. She has been saying what women have been feeling for years. She's not just outspoken or upfront, but she lives her truth. Whether you or I agree with it, she lives her truth and stands for what she wants. In my 20's I was just going through life and love blindfolded. I didn't know which direction to go, so I fumbled my way through my 20's and 30's. In my early 40's I divorced the only man I had ever been in love with. I was in love with this man for 30 years, since we were both 14 years old. After the divorce I set out on a journey to find me. I found that I was highly sexual, but I had finally gotten to a place where I really enjoyed sex, and I wanted the things that were pleasurable to me.

Last night on Unsung Adina explained how her sexuality was on her terms. Men thought because she was a freak that she would just get freaky with any and everybody. She stated that she was the prize, not the other way around. In my late 40's I met my twin flame, and with him I learned to let go of all of my insecurities and inhibitions. I felt like I could let go and be myself. That seemed to only work with sex. When I wanted to let go and be my unique goddess self, displaying all that makes me who I am; he couldn't handle that. I don't pretend to be something I'm not. I am who I am.

I love sex, especially when it's combined with sensuality. I want to enjoy the experience and the man I'm with. Like Adina, I can be outspoken and speak what's on my heart. Some males are intimidated by outspokenness and realness. I thought I had finally found the man I could open up to and be myself with. I want what I want, but I am willing to compromise. Isn't that what relationships are all about? I was tired of always being the one to compromise and sacrifice,without getting the same in return.

Adina was very candid and transparent about her life. She said that she's defiant, and she likes being defiant. She also recognized the part she played in the downfall of her singing career. She admitted her faults, and although she never compromised her integrity she knew where she was wrong. She has grown and evolved and still gets what she wants. I have learned so much about myself and what I want. I want a man who can bring out every part of the freak in me. A man who will put in as much effort as I do. I want my man to cater to my body as I cater to his. Sometimes I want to be in charge of the bedroom.

I was so impressed by Adina's growth. When she was singing, "Freak Like Me" and"T-shirt and Panties" she was younger and wilder. She has since married her best friend. They divorced but still live together. She still lives her truth. She stated that she got married for sex. She wanted to try everything sexual with her husband. That's how it should be, you marry your best friend, twin flame, soulmate all in one and you both ascend to the highest heights.

Learning, growing, evolving, ascending are all apart of maturing and transforming into the person you're meant to be. When I was married I wore either pajamas or a nightgown to bed every night. Now I sleep in panties, and sometimes nothing at all. I walk around my room in nothing but panties. I would walk around the house that way if I lived alone. I enjoy sex and the connection; it's not just something to do because everybody's doing it. I want my man to lead, then other times I want to lead. I put hella effort into anything I pursue, whether business or relationship. I am the prize, and I won't say that sex, love, and a relationship has to solely be on my terms but I will be heard and I will get what I want and desire. There is a man who is capable of giving me those things. I want a freak like me, and I want to walk around in his t-shirt and my panties.