The Country and the City

As I write this, my throat is sore and my body has been throwing out mucous all day. Why? Well, Los Angeles. Honestly, I think it was the air. When I got out of the car the air hit me like a ton of bricks and I actually had the thought, ‘Can I breathe this?’ To give you some context, Patagonia was rated, if I am correct, the town with the 5th most pure air in the United States. This is what I’ve been used to breathing 98% of the last three years. I’m actually going to go on juice for a few days and down mushrooms and vitamin C.

I don’t spend a lot of time in cities. I’ve never lived in cities really, aside from a year at college in Salt Lake City. There is a certain amount of culture shock with going from somewhere like Patagonia, in the mountains, population 800, not a single stop light, to Los Angeles. I found myself curious, observing the city, somewhat perplexed at it. All the businesses, concrete, people, things to do, events, buildings – is it all really necessary?

The Alchemy Conference was also an intriguing observational experience. This conference was focused on spirituality, and although there were a few raw food/health food booths, the topic of physical health and nutrition was nowhere to be found in the speaking or workshops. This conference reminded me how important it is to show people what real healthy eating and living is, so that they can be better conduits for the Divine energy they so love to talk and think about. The fact is that there is only so far one can go in their personal and spiritual evolution if their physical vessel is gummed up and numbed down. An impaired body simply can only hold so much light and energy. There is simply no way around that. Without our health and a clear, thriving physical body, the bigger picture of consciousness cannot be had. I shared this point with some people who came to the booth that seemed to be open to it, and it was amazing to watch this lightbulb go on in their minds and actually say, “Oooohh… That’s a good point.”

And the great news is, they are ready for it. Many people really are ready to receive this information and are ready to view consciousness in a more comprehensive way, and those people bring much inspiration to me. And when it comes down to it, what better reason is there to eat well and live healthfully than a deeper experience of connectedness, joy, peace, and passion?