Quality of Life

Some people like to say, "Eat well, do good, get exercise, and die anyway," as some sort of excuse for partying, being unhealthy and/or being inconsiderate. This logic has no place in a happy, fulfilling and successful life. Regardless of when you die, you want the life you live today, and tomorrow to be the best life you can possibly have. There is no excuse for not doing the best for yourself and the best you can for those you love. Even if I were going to die in six months, I still would continue my diet exactly as I do (if not do even better) because I want the highest quality for my life. The quantity is quite irrelevant.

~Raederle Phoenix Jacot

"Are you really sure that a floor can't also be a ceiling?" ~ M. C. Escher

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Musings From A Young Vegan Woman On A Cow Ranch

"...It was the first animal I'd ever seen killed before my eyes..."

This entry has moved. Click here to read it on Raederle.com.

All my content on the web is moving (slowly but surely) to Raederle.com.

Much love,

Raederle

Sunday, February 05, 2012

Send Fear Into Exile

This post has been updated, improved and edited, and it has also moved. Click here to see it on Raederle.com. All of my web content is slowly but surely being updated, edited, and moved to Raederle.com. ~ Raederle Phoenix (September 21st 2012)

Monday, January 30, 2012

Free Me From Fear

I am angry with you,
Because I'm afraid that you're right.
I am angry with you,
Because I'm afraid that you'll leave.
I am angry with you,
Because I'm afraid of myself.

I am feeling sad today,
Because I am afraid of tomorrow.
I am feeling sad today,
Because I am afraid of yesterday.
I am feeling sad today,
Because I'm afraid to fade away.

You are making me jealous,
Because I'm afraid you love her more than me.
You are making me jealous,
Because I'm afraid that she's prettier to see.
You are making me jealous,
Because I'm afraid that you'll set me free.

I have been struck sick,
Because I'm afraid about finances,
I have been struck sick,
Because I'm afraid of losing friends,
I have been struck sick,
Because I'm afraid.

You have forgiven me,
and I feel love.
You have given me truth,
and I feel love.
You have smiled with me,
and I feel love.

I accepted your forgiveness.
I have forgiven myself.
I accepted your truth.
I have found truth within myself.
I accepted your smile.
Now I smile for myself.

You showed me love,
and I freed myself from fear.
I am not afraid.
I live love.

~ Raederle Phoenix
January 2012

Inspired by the book "The Mastery of Love"

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Break Your Life Into Pieces: Uncover Happiness & Banish Fear

"Your life has to crumble to pieces. It has to fall apart. Everything you are familiar with has to shatter... In order to make room for your new life. You can't have a new, inspiring life where you get what you want, accomplish your goals and have fantastic relationships... unless everything you currently have falls to pieces first." ~ Raederle

Them: Tell me it does not always have to be like that.

Me: It doesn't necessarily have to shatter all at once. Aspects of your life can break one at a time, and new wonderful things can enter you life one at a time. However, the more free and open your life is, the more open you are for possibility.

Everything falling apart is quite beautiful, if you have the right perspective. As long as you remember that you're making room for new and beautiful things, it actually is quite soothing to feel the familiar falling away.

It's been something I've been learning about these past few years -- which has been full of upheaval for me.

But each upheaval in my life has been a great door to improvements.
And I've recently read some great books that talk about the subject.

Them: Hmm. Upheavals. Like what? You seem to be living the great life fantastic. It is a sharp contrast to your old self.

Me: Well, there was moving to Cali where I took a plane and only took the possessions I could fit in a suitcase.

There was moving back here, which was full of diasaters, errors and difficulty.

There was the radical changes to my diet, and experimenting with fasting. The emotional stress of cravings, and the social stigmas of being set apart.

There has been a separating of me and old habits, old friends, and so forth.

Breaking traditions, including holiday traditions done in my family for several generations.

Throwing away or giving away all my polyester clothing, which included almost every dress I own.

Them: Okay, so lifestyle and culture. When I think of things 'falling apart' I think about personal tragedies.

Me: Well, there was the biggest upheaval in my life, which led to the greatest gift in my life...

When my ex and I broke up. That made room for the most wonderful husband I could ever imagine.

That break-up involved theft, breaking-and-entering, physical and verbal abuse... It was awful, and my entire life seemed ruined.

While that break-up was one of the worst things that ever happened to me, finding my husband was definitely the best thing that ever happened to me.

Them: That's a great point. Yet it does not always work that way. For most of us, bad times just follow bad times. They don't create new opportunities.

Me: Sometimes tragedy breaks people emotionally because they never forgive themselves or what they feel victim to.

In order to find success, people must find their inner truth, forgive themselves and everyone else, love themselves, and find beauty in the world. When these steps are complete, everything is easy. I'm still on a journey to loving, seeing beauty and forgiveness, but the closer I come, the better life gets.

It's explained brilliantly in The 'Mastery of Love' and also in 'The Art of Happiness', which are based on Toltec and Buddhism respectively.

Also, 'The Continuum Concept' can help anyone understand their own issues a lot better, and move forward.

The documentary 'The Secret' helps explain how to get what you want in life, which I recommend watching after reading the three books I just named.

Between those four sources, there is a life full of happiness and success to be discovered. And none of those are about food -- and food can change everything all by itself.

Speaking of food, I'm inventing a new kind of raspberry-cacao-carrot pie... Sounds crazy but the crust tastes amazing. I'm going to go make the filling now.

*hugs & happy new year*

Them: That sounds intereting. Happy new year to you too. Stay happy.

Me: Thanks!



You are very powerful when you are seemingly broken. Your entire world is full of possibility.

When you can no longer eat the same way, you must find something new to eat. That is what happened to me. I didn't discover raw vegan food one day and say "lets try this." I actually struggled through years of a limited diet because everything I was used to made me feel sick. That awful discovery that I could no longer eat the way I had always eaten opened me up to the powerful world of possibility.

When you have to leave an abusive relationship, and you have to struggle through it alone, and afraid... You become open to moving forward. You become available for healthy connections with other humans. It has happened to me.

When a friend "betrays" you, and that person leaves your life... You are sad, and lost, and wondering what to do with your Saturday nights when you used to go out and dance, or play games, drink together or bake cookies together... Then you become open to finding a new friend, one who is more honest, more in tune with your nature, one who can become a better influence on your life. I've been there, and I'm sure you have too.

When things are going wrong you are riding on the wheel of fortune and you are in control of where that wheel stops. Your head is whirling, and you feel pain, anger, betrayal, jealousy and hopelessness... All of these feelings are aspects of fear.

There is a cure to fear:

  • Truth
You must know thy self. Knowledge comes from books. Wisdom comes from self knowledge; wisdom is knowing the truth about yourself.

  • Forgiveness
Holding a grudge is like intentionally keeping the infection red hot within a wound. When you forgive, you clean the wounds and begin to heal. When you make yourself a victim, you create the trauma you experience. Forgiveness begins to heal that trauma. When you blame yourself, you hate yourself. You can not respect yourself if you hate yourself. When you don't respect yourself, nobody respects you. You must forgive yourself.

  • Love
When you love yourself, you love others. When you love your body, you take good care of your body. When you love yourself, you respect yourself, and others respect you. When you love your life, great people want to be a part of your life. When you understand that the love in your heart if infinite, you do not starve for love just because one individual will not give you their love. You are wealthy with love in your heart when you love yourself. You are free to be yourself when you love yourself.

When you know the truth, and you've forgiven everyone and yourself, and you love yourself and the world... Then there is no fear. There is nothing to fear. You have truth and love in your heart, and thereby nothing is a threat to you.