Hello Everyone!
I have heard nothing but great things about Steemit since i first heard about it a few months ago. I heard great things but never found the time to dive more into it. I'm glad to say that after some research I have the tools I need and I am ready to jump onboard the steemit train!
My story starts off 2 years ago when I found myself getting consistently angry and frustrated with the world around me. I had all that society told me I needed to have, the nice little apartment, cute girlfriend, an easy desk job, full time student it was all great but was killing me deep inside. I finally came to terms that what I was doing was not fueling my soul, and instead was just covering up my dreams. Pushing them off to the "near future". Sound familiar right?
So I quit the job, moved back home, lost the girlfriend and just focused on school. A complete change in life style can shake up anyone and put them through the struggles of life. Of course the beauty is that through those struggles is where you learn the most about yourself. Where you learn to improve and embrace your true self.
I came to terms with the fact that I was missing out on so much of life by simply trying to play into the story that wasn't for me. I often found myself asking the question "who am i?" , "what is my part in this world?". I started diving deeper and deeper into self improvement and learning how to socialize with other people that were vastly different from me. I created a network of people who thrived in my same field of study, and showed me what it took to be successful. But I saw that even they weren't happy, and that settling at the wrong time still leaves us trapped. Once again I found myself wondering how can I learn from them, and not fall into the same trap. A thought that picked away at me for another year.
I always had the inking that my life was not meant to be in the United States and that I wanted to travel the world and live as the free spirit that I was always meant to be.
However school and work always seemed to take priority because it pleased the ones I love, but never myself. Fast forward to last spring, I found myself smoking a lot of marijuana trying to drown out the fact that I was sitting behind a computer, studying for a pointless class that had no relevance to me or my field of study. All while contemplating which internship paid the most for me to work for them over the summer.
THEN BOOM!
Out of nowhere, 3 distinct words rose to the surface of my mind and pushed as if desperately trying to show me a sign.
Washington.
WOOFing.
Vipassana.
I didn't know where they would lead me, but I knew that when the universe sends a strong sign like that it is wise to follow the path. So I did just that. I rejected the internship offers ( and was greatly looked down upon by my family and teachers who all had "high hopes" for me) , took what little money I had, and booked a ticket to Washington state. The day I stepped foot on the train I knew that this great spirit was guiding me on this amazing adventure across the country.
The trip taught me a lot. I stayed at 3 different WOOFing farms and came to learn so much from them.
The first farm I visited was ran by a small group of individuals who attended and taught at an outdoor survival school. They traveled across the country for a year, living with Native American tribes and understanding their stories and connections with the land. They studied plants from different bioregions and knew which plants worked best for different healing properties. They understood the cycle of life and death and how nature can strike us at any moment. Most importantly they lived and taught me so much about community, and how in todays society its always about me, me, me, I, I, I, but never "us". We are tribal people by nature yet we've come so far away from that and it affects us more than we realize.
The second farm I visited was located right outside of the Olympic National Park and was a small hippie commune of individuals who promoted gender equality and genuine authenticity. The property itself was a social experiment to see what happens when people have the freedom to do whatever they want to do. I was dumbstruck. Never before in my life have I been given that freedom and found it difficult to embrace. Let alone living off the grid, camping in the rainforest, no running water, no electricity , it was definitely a step out of my comfort zone. In time I came to embrace Nature and all its beauty is truly healing and mystical.
The third farm I visited was a first year restoration farm that focused on meat production. By this time I was eager to get some structure back my life and come back to society. I spent most of my day on the farm tending to the animals and making sure that they were all happy and satisfied. Feeding pigs, chasing goats, collecting chicken eggs. The works. What I learned was how important it was that these critters were loved and tended to, and treated properly not just as a cash commodity. This drastically changed the quality of the meat and showed me who much of a difference it makes to put quality food into your bodies. After all we are what we eat.
I learned so much in such a short time by visiting these farms. I thought I finally knew myself and the ways of the world. But then came the Vipassana meditation. The biggest slap in the face I have ever experienced.
10 days of silent mediation. No physical contact, no verbal contact, no eye contact, with anyone except the instructor. 12+ hours a day of meditation, pushed me to my limit. Then pushed me to my limit again. And Again, and Again. It showed me such truth about the nature of my own reality, my goals and desires in life, my fears. Everything I thought I pushed away or forgotten rose to the surface in those 10 days and it was beautiful. COMPLETE LIVING HELL but still beautiful.
Now that journey is over, and I am back home finishing my last semester of school but with a whole different set of eyes. With a plan. A guideline as to what's in store next. So long as I keep following the call and listening to the universe. Listening to that inner self thats desperately screaming to be heard. I think it is true that all the answers, all the energy we could ever need lies inside of each and everyone of us.
All we have to do is listen to the call and Go.
