Hello Steemians!
This is my inaugural post, and is therefore going to introduce me, as well explain what Ahimsa means and why I have weaved it into my name.
Before I get into Ahimsa - let me give you some introductory details about who I am in general. I'm a New Zealander and am actually in New Zealand as I write this, which is not the norm for me. My partner Michael is Norwegian, and we lived in Thailand for a year before embarking on what is now our new normal, full time travel. We spend about a month in each destination and work online. I'm a Freelance Social Media Manager and Voice Actress, and Michael is a Cryptocurrency trading genius, Musician and Videographer @michaelhebo
I've joined Steemit because I am truly bored and honestly, irritated with the current Social Network offerings. YouTube is at the top of my blacklist for their blatant censorship and useless algorithms. Snapchat I'm just plain bored of... Instagram I enjoy but I can't write blog posts on it. Facebook is just how I keep in touch with my friends and family.
Steemit on the other hand, I'm really excited about. I've been longing for a place where I can network with like minded people, let off some creative 'steem', and be part of a thriving community on which the platform is actually fair and rewarding. Yew!
Now, onto Ahimsa! Ahimsa अहिंसा is a Sanskrit word and while we can begin to informally translate it into English as being "the total and complete absence of violence from one’s mind, body, and spirit," it is actually a lot more than that.
I feel slight hesitance around that definition because for me, Ahimsa is not so much about the absence of violence, but the choice of peace, equality and compassion in its stead.
I've been a 'true' vegan right down to the most fundamental definition of the word for over three years. However, my journey to a more compassionate lifestyle started long before that. Seven years ago, as a teenager encountering the overwhelming sights, sounds and smells of Cambodia, I was shocked and disgusted by the dead animals for sale in the market. How trite, I know, to have become a vegetarian at the first sight of dead animal.
My decision to become a vegetarian from that experience quickly escalated to being dairy free and egg free within a few months. I see my journey as less about becoming a vegan, and more about a progression in awareness of how my words, actions and thoughts affect myself and the world around me.
To me, veganism is way more than the exclusion of animal products and animal rights, it's the daily choice to live in a conscious manner that does the least harm possible. It's about educating myself about the impact of what I buy and what I do, and ensuring that I am not actively contributing to another being's pain, enslavement and suffering. It's a lifestyle choice that I will never perfect, because it is not an end goal, it's about making the kindest decision possible in each moment.
Do you consider it a violent act to think you're ugly? Most people would not. Most of us are actually pretty cruel to ourselves. Our self-talk can be appalling! We often talk to ourselves with less respect and understanding than we would the most vile narcissistic predator. There's some food for thought ;)
Self compassion is a key element in what I understand to be Ahimsa. Actively creating an environment of space, warmth, respect and love in your mind is perhaps the most difficult, never-ending challenge you will ever undertake. I know that is true for me. However, the progress I have made has equally been the most fulfilling experience because every step of the way I've become happier and more free to experience life moment by moment. That's Ahimsa! Ahimsa is about everyone, all creatures and all of us homosapiens deserving happiness and freedom. Why not start with yourself?
So that's why I have chosen to weave Ahimsa into my name, Hannah. I love the concept and I feel that it gives a little hint as to the values and beliefs I hold without screaming VEGAN
On that note Happy New Year!.. and thanks for stopping by my first ever post! I'm excited to be here and pumped for 2018.
“Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu” – May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may my thoughts and my actions somehow contribute to that freedom for all.
Welcome Ahimsa.
Thank you :)
welcome to steemit @hannahimsa, best regards..
hopefully you feel at home here. 😊
Thank you! :)
Welcome to Steemit Hannahimsa! :D
Having been sharing a "Mayan Astrology" report on Facebook/Youtube for the last couple of years, it has never really felt great or in equilibrium with the way it was geared.
I have only been on Steemit myself for a few days, but I can already feel the difference in the designing and love that it truly encourages community interactions and authentic engagement with positive content.
Where in Norway is Michael from? I am half norwegian and spent many years living and working in Oslo & Grimstad. :)
As he is into crypto, make sure he has heard of LEND & DENT Wireless, both two incredible ICO's that have now anchored into the real world with actual products and are due for some pretty huge gains in the next weeks/moons. ;)
Enjoy your travelling and I look forward to hearing more of your sharings from your adventures!
Big love,
Mark
Hi Mark! Thanks so much for your lovely comment. Totally resonate with what you're saying about the feeling of slight unease with sharing meaningful and heartfelt content on platforms like FB and YT.
Michael's from Oslo! Super cool that you're half Norwegian. What nationality makes up the second 50% of you? Haha.
Thanks for the tip re LEND and DENT! I'll definitely pass them along and look into them too. I'm invested in Bitshares, but am looking forward to expanding my portfolio. I mean, I guess I'll have some STEEM before too long as well :)
Hannah
From Oslo eh! :D Awesome. I lived over there working at an English Bar in Frogner called Forest & Brown for a few years while training circus. Hoping to get back there in 2018 to run some workshops and show my 8yr old boy his Viking Heritage. ;)
The other 50% is Australian.. which kinda equates back to England. My son and I live in the Perth Hills of Western Australia at the moment, but we are often living over in Ubud, Bali as well.
Great connecting and have "Followed" your blog. Give my regards to Michael as well. :)
Oh so cool! We're coming to Ubud in March for about 3 weeks - I actually asked in a facebook group if it's better to book an Airbnb in advance or just find a place in the first few days. The vast majority of responses were just links to people's Airbnb listings 🤦♀️
So, perhaps I can extend the question to you - what do you recommend? We just want to have our own place in Ubud that's clean, tidy and reasonably priced.
Are you coming up for the Bali Spirit Festival? That is the first week of April I think it is. During that time it gets very busy in Ubud and is worth having a place organised for that week. :p
When we are there, we often stay at a lovely small hotel amongst the rice fields called Uma Mandi Hotel. My boy has become best mates with the owners son over the years so we both really enjoy it there.
https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/18675976
We usually get our favourite room for about 300idr a night including breakfast. The food is not great, but it is literally just down the road from all of the best Vegan and yoga joints. ;) So the location is fantastic. You can also get delivery from most of the restaurants to the hotel anyhow. :)
If you need a driver, my man Made over there would be happy to come pick you up from the airport and look after you. Always good to have a trusted driver waiting for you when you arrive. ;) Also I highly recommend renting a scooter while your there too. Usually about $5aud a day or you can get a month hire for about $60-70aud.
I have a few really good friends there full time as well who can surely offer some tips for anything you might need.
I should also be there offering my work at a retreat that is set to run over the bali spirit festival. So maybe Ill see you cats around! :)
Enjoy Steemit, and dont hesitate to get in touch if you have any other questions or I can help in anyway.
Nice meeting you both!
Oh I hadn't heard of Bali Spirit Festival until now - thanks for mentioning it, it looks pretty awesome! I'm afraid we leave too early though, we're flying from Singapore to Barcelona at the end of March, so will only be in Bali for the first three weeks.
Thanks for recommending that place! I will definitely look into it. Perhaps we can all meet for a meal in Ubud :)
Ah looks like we will just miss each other. I will be arriving just in time for the Bali Spirit Festival, as I have another gig over in Queensland first just before it.
Enjoy your adventures and get in touch if you need any further connections or help in regards to Ubud. :)
You won’t be getting with the kind of crap you do at YouTube.
Glad to see you here , Im certain you will gain many to read your coontent .. I will as well ...
Thanks for your kind words! Happy New Year :D
Cryptocurrency trading genius 😅.
Let's not get too carried away here, I'm no @haejin! I do love these new emerging technologies though and was willing to put my money on it, craziness according to my parents last year 😋
Very excited to leave these aging social networks who track you and violate your privacy to instead focus on steemit and hopefully dtube if it can iron out all the bugs, the internet is in a desperate need for a viable alternative to YouTube and I'm so ready for it! 🙌
You're a genius to me and pretty much everyone else who knows you 😘
Enough now! 🤫🤫😇
“Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu” – May all beings everywhere be happy and free.
Love this mantra, I used to say it every day for three months! :)
What a great idea! It's such a beautiful mantra 💚
Great introduction post. I hear you on the being sick of supporting social media platforms that engage in censorship.
Thanks! We've (Michael and I) had the worst experience with YouTube especially. Not only do they massively favour the bigger channels, they're ad revenue system totally sucks
Thanks for teaching me my first Sanskrit word! :) Great post, welcome @hannahimsa !
Thank you so much 😃 Sanskrit words are so juicy, I highly recommend them if you're linguistically wired!
I absolutely am! Currently delving into Chinese, but Sanskrit is definitely in my to-explore list ;)
Feel free to spam the feed with cool Sanskrit words and their meanings :D
my favorite is Sukha :)
Words of light! welcome Ahimsa, lovely name :)
Thank you! Your name is beautiful too :D
Hello from Paris https://steemit.com/art/@errante/montage-love-and-happiness
Bonjour!
mistake
Haha I've tried to undo a resteem and couldn't figure it out either! Thanks anyway :)
Hannah, I am so grateful to you and Michael for sharing Steemit with the vegan YouTube community. Already I can tell this is such a more positive space and it looks like it's a platform where we will be remunerated fairly for our contributions and where the community has the power to keep away negativity.
I was so sad when you had to walk away from YouTube (and I completely understand why you had to), so it's wonderful to be able to connect with you on social media again. <3
Thank you so much ❤️ I truly never thought I'd come back to social media in any way, so it's been very exciting to come to Steemit and find it to be the bully free zone that I was hoping for! I hope you enjoy it! I have followed you and look forward to connecting further 😊
Thank you so much Hannah! I have to get my butt into gear and do my intro post haha. :)
Do it! 🙌🏼 😁
This is such a creative username.... All I came up with was to add my year of birth to my name :D
Haha thank you! You have a nice name though, mine is much more commonplace and needs extra dressing up 😜
Hi Hannah, what an amazing introduction post! I was like "Yes, wow, absolutely! big smile" I've just joined Steemit and I found your channel through Henya Mania (whom I've been following on Youtube for years). This seems to be an exciting platform full of interesting people.
Thank you so much 💕 I'm glad you enjoyed reading it! 😁 Henya is a good friend of mine and I'm so happy she's on here too as she has also experienced a lot of harassment and nastiness on YouTube. I hope you continue to enjoy yourself here! Hopefully the content will continue to diversify and grow as more and more people join.
Hi again :) I've just posted my intro post and you're welcome to check it out. Inspired by you I ended the post with the same Sanskrit quote because it communicates how I feel in such a beautiful way. I hope you don't mind.
Of course I don't mind! Good on you 😃 I'll check it out now!
😊
New Zealand seems so beautiful! Want to go there some day :D Ahimsa - great word <3
Thanks @givemeyoursteem! You have a pretty great username yourself 😁
Thank you :D I often regret my username and think it sounds a bit greedy, I chose it when I was just joking around with friends and didn't knew that much about Steemit. But now it's my identity here lol ;)
Oh I think it's funny! It certainly made me upvote 😄
I'm glad to hear, maybe it's not that bad after all then ;D
Good to have you here Hannahimsa. And yes that word is a very powerful concept, and seems to fit perfectly with your name (that's clever)! It always fills my heart with the deepest joy when I see other young, smart, beautiful people like you and Michael willing to live from a place of truth. So thank you and welcome! I think we are gonna build a great vegan community on this platform, and this time truly live up to the full meaning of what that really means :)
Thank you for your kind and thoughtful comment @markgrov! 😃 I think we're going to build a great vegan community here too. A community that, as you say, is actually kind and compassionate. I love how Steemit has been built, the transparency, and how that directly affects the quality of content and people on it. It's so important to me that people are de-incentivised to bully or leave hateful comments!
Yes I am quite impressed with Steemit so far as well. Hateful comments are always just a reflection of the hater. And one of our duties I believe (as "level 18 vegans" as Lisa Simpson said, haha) is to educate and enlighten others so they are no longer compelled to feed the egos (and wallets) of these idiots. When necessary, we take them out (as Michael is doing). Truth shall prevail :)
@markgrov "Hateful comments are always just a reflection of the hater" Couldn't have said it better myself 😊 That's something I've learned, that what people say about you has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them
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Thank You!
Wow this platform is just truly genious!! It really highlights just how useless and unfair of a platform YouTube is.
Glad to see you so excited about this platform, ive missed your content ever since you stopped over at youtube for good reasons ofc. 😋
😊 this platform needs to be the future so im glad to be joining and you are now officially the first person I followed (finally figured out how to follow people HAHA xD )
Great introduction post and happy new year!🤗
@whaleonwheels Yay! ❤️ I was looking for your account after seeing your FB comment and here you are 🤗 Happy New Year to you too! I'm excited to see your content once you start posting. Do you think you'd show the area you live in in Norway? I am so interested about life up there. I've never been further north than Oslo!
Yes im going to edit this quick video just a WIAT video but with footage from a hike showing lots of snow and mountains 😋 but yes for sure im planning to film a lot from this area, its deff very different from oslo!😊
Perfect! Can't wait to see it 😃
Awesome :) i am also slowly learning to love myself as i am so self critical that it makes me not want to do anything especially with crippling anxiety affecting my thoughts and actions due to fear.
To love and care for youself is not selfish but self love as we all need to take care of ourselves before we help others.
Thank you! Reading now :)