Thank you Victoria Moran…Main Street Vegan Academy Magic

I have just returned home from one of the best weeks of my life, in NYC, studying to become a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator (VLCE) at Victoria Moran’s Main Street Vegan Academy. I don’t think since horseback riding summer camp age 10 have I been in a group of such like minded souls, but lets face it, 100 girls at a day camp, like minded or not is not going to be all trots and giggles…this was. This was magical.

Imagine for a minute walking into a room where after the initial nervous introductions and the normal human shyness dissipated everyones eyes and hearts begin to widen and open to the reality that it truly mattered not where one sat, because every face you looked into was like looking into a mirror.

I wouldn’t trade this experience for any other. Victoria herself could have taught us everything we learned in her graceful, funny, stunningly knowledgable and compassionately engaging style but no…instead she gathers around her a group of truly incredible educators, coaches, environmentalists, cruelty free fashion pioneers, nutrition experts, chefs and just simply astonishingly good people. It strikes me as I write, what I believe I already knew, that when I committed to this vegan life. Everything would feel better. And it does.

I have what I consider a very blessed life. A big boisterous healthy family, the finest husband and partner, friends like one only dreams of and yet I now I feel like a part of a new family too. It seriously can’t be worded any differently.  As I stare at the drawing I am trying to finish and down the mile long to do list I made on my journey home and try to prioritize my tasks, instead of being overwhelmed I feel focussed. Focussed on getting her done. Lifted up by the energy I feel from each and every one of both my classmates and teachers, by the belief I know we all feel, that indeed, what we set our minds to both individually and collectively, can and will happen in this nest of support.

I learned so many things this past week that would be impossible to summarize in a blog post.

I’ll share three personal revelations instead…

1) I learned that once a true intention is set there is very little to stop one from achieving a dream and changing the world for both the animals and the human animals. All at once. With a true heart.

2) I learned that for me there is no better motivator than understanding and implementing number one.

3) That asking for help is always the best course of action, and I say this sincerely because I have finally accepted the fact that I have absolutely no sense of direction (thank you NYC subway) and that asking for help when you are lost and needing to be found (writing down and following the directions is important to) is the only option. That old saying “you need to get lost to be found” is poignantly true.

I came home to spring here in my sunny suburb of Toronto in time to see all the brave little plants poking their heads out of the soil to warm their faces in the sun.

I feel just like them. Ready to bloom. 

For more information on MSVA go to mainstreetvegan.net …there are still a few spots in the August program as well!