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Taking care of the brain and forgiveness -- #govegan #forgiveyourself #amreading

This week, I participated in putting together and leading a Unitarian Universalist service on the topic of taking care of the brain and forgiveness. I mentioned climate catastrophe in my talk (in the best way to eat for the environment), and it just so happened that the air quality was the worst it has ever been this week. Right on time, as usual.


The video of my talk is below, and the text is below that.




I don’t need to tell you that we’re living through a difficult time. Shortly after the 2026 Presidential Election, it occurred to me that, as a writer, I am a cultural worker, and I started ramping up my self-care routine to protect my brain. But no matter how we define ourselves, it’s important to protect our brains. And taking care of ourselves is more important now than ever.

When I started thinking about it, I was surprised at how much of my daily wellness routine protects my brain. This is because the body and the brain are interconnected. Taking a walk helps my brain. I was surprised to learn that strength training, something that I do several times a week, also benefits the brain. Meditation and yoga, which I do regularly, definitely protect the brain. And taking care of our brains, our centers of consciousness and compassion, relates directly and indirectly to all seven core principles of Unitarian Universalism, starting with the first: “The inherent worth and dignity of every person.”

Perhaps most of all, adhering to a plant-based diet protects my brain. My partner, Barbara, and I embarked on our healthy vegan diet adventure nearly seven years ago, and the results have been amazing. The reason that I started eating healthier was that my acupuncturist recommended it after I had a medical emergency, and my motivation was that I would do almost anything to avoid going back to the hospital.

But shortly after going vegan, we both had a consciousness-raising about the rights of the animals not to be mistreated and eaten and about eating in the healthiest way for the planet. Some studies found that eating a vegan diet can reduce a person’s carbon footprint by seventy-four percent. Researchers at the University of Oxford found that the single most important way to help the environment is to go to a plant-based diet. Also, many who go vegan, myself included, experience a stillness within that deepens the spiritual experience. And I would be remiss, if I didn’t mention that being vegan brings me great joy. I love being well, I love being alive, and I love feeling a part of the universe—which I feel now more than ever. And experiencing joy is vital to our overall sense of well-being.

It’s quite possible that these ethical aspects of being vegan, of knowing that we’re eating in a way that helps the animals and the planet, contribute to the increased sense of well-being that my partner and I experience. It might very well make our brains happy! But there is also documented scientific evidence that heart disease and dementia are related and that the Standard American Diet is harmful.

Many veins and arteries, which are quite narrow, go to our brains as well as our hearts. When people eat a healthy plant-based diet, their veins and arteries are generally healthier. This is because most saturated fat and all cholesterol are found in animal products, including eggs and dairy, and in tropical oils such as coconut and palm.

 

I also want to share with you something I made up and do regularly that helps my brain as well as my body. I call it the forgiveness meditation. Learning to forgive, has been a process of liberation. I release generations of burdens and trauma—even when the act I am forgiving may have been born from suffering or a sense of survival. As the saying goes, we are all victims of victims.

When I looked it up, I found that forgiveness benefits physical and mental health. Specifically, Harvard Health states:

 

Forgiveness involves replacing ill will toward an offender with goodwill, without condoning or forgetting the harm done…By letting go of resentment and grudges, individuals experience reduced anxiety, depression, and hostility, which frees mental space for positive emotions and self-reflection.

Holding onto resentment is psychologically harmful, as it keeps the mind focused on past slights, creating ongoing emotional suffering. Practicing forgiveness allows people to progress in life, fostering hope, peace, and emotional stability.

 

In other words, forgiveness can set you free.

I have also found it important to forgive myself. This could be as simple as forgiving myself for not forgiving others. And it could be as complex as forgiving myself for any acts that have hurt myself as well as others.

When I first started what I call my forgiveness meditation, I was doing it, as I do now, as part of my yoga practice. It was shortly after the election, and I had so many people to forgive that the list was a bit too long to be manageable. Still, I persisted for months. Eventually, I shortened it to “I forgive everybody for everything in the past, present, and future.” And then, because I was studying quantum physics for the novel I was currently writing, I added “and in all time dimensions.” Then, for good measure, I added, “and in all lifetimes.” Then I added, “I forgive myself most of all.”

This practice didn’t come out of nowhere. I’ve been working on forgiveness for a long time. It’s hard to forgive. Sometimes it seems impossible. But it’s worth it. I really do feel different after doing this practice for a while. I feel freer, and it feels great.

I’ve found that when I have a negative thought about someone or something, it helps to quickly and silently recite this meditation to myself.

 


 

If you’re so inclined, please take a deep breath with me and say silently with me:


“I forgive everybody for everything—and myself most of all—in the past, present, and future—in all time dimensions and in all lifetimes.”


 

Thank you.

 

I really do believe that we are all connected and that everyone has more in common than we know. For starters, we are all descended from rocks, and we are all galactic citizens.

 It would be nice if everyone knew we are all connected, but my point of view is that there is no point in being frustrated about this. It will happen eventually. Meanwhile, I’ll be protecting my brain and staying healthy. And being here with you is a big part of that.

 

Namaste





CINNAMON is also available through your local bookstore and library

(just ask them to order it if they don’t have it).


My novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders (Adelaide Books; 2018) is available through bookstores and online where books are sold.  It’s also available through your local library.  If the library doesn’t already have it, just ask your librarian to order it.

For more information on THEY, click here.



To order my novel Loving Artemis, an endearing tale of revolution, love, and marriage, click here.


Loving Artemis is featured on Jae's Sapphic Book Bingo -- under the category of a main character who rides a motorcycle. For the complete listing, click here:


To learn more about my novel — The Unicorn, The Mystery, click here:


To order my book, Tea Leaves, a memoir of mothers and daughters, click here.




 


 
 
 

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