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Extending the principles of 'Structuring' with my friend and intuitive coach, Steve Seto.

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Around 2016, I had already had many years exploring ideas surrounding spirituality through academia and personal experiences. I had simultaneously been interested in martial arts but could never fully commit to finding the fulfilment that many others have found through one path or another. By a series of synchronistic events, I attended a collection of workshops on structuring the body to maximize the efficiency of energy use in martial arts, though my mind wanted to explore the spiritual implications of this concept. My coach, Steve Seto, began guiding me through physical, mental, emotional and energetic healing by branching away from the martial arts realm and taking me from the lifestyle of 'spiritual tourism' into 'authentic spirituality.' I had to confront all of my traumas and shadow aspects in a relatively short amount of time to overcome crippling depression and anxiety until I began to touch onto a path of interconnectedness and profound healing. I now belong to and actively participate in 3 separate spiritual communities which all serve the same purpose: to recognize all people as one in the view of divinity.

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4 years at San Joaquin Delta College prepared me for what I wanted to do, and not to do.

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I began my tenure at Delta College in 2013 after a 2 year hiatus from my high school graduation while I attempted to decide what I wanted for myself and my life. I entered having no concept of what I wanted to pursue academically or for a career, but I knew I needed to commit myself to a space of continued learning and growth. With no plan in place, I began signing up for classes based on interest rather than productivity and explored approximately 7 different career paths before arriving at a crossroads near my graduation date. My eclectic coursework and lack of timeliness caused the college to threaten revocation of my fee waiver and grants, which meant I would have to commit to a college major. After much consideration, the only path I could feasibly follow to integrate my interdisciplinary studies was multiple subject teaching. Despite the perception of these classes as being irrelevant to my career, I developed a profound interest in synthesizing my varied knowledge to connect with a wide variety of people from different paths and interests which ultimately supported my educational endeavors. It began to ring true that academically, I could have my cake and eat it too.

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My Cub Scouts and a few of my Boy Scouts attending my Wood Badge Ceremony.

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I devoted close to 18 years of my life to the Scouting program before I became a teacher. I earned my Eagle Scout rank at 18 years old in 2011, but that was only the beginning of my journey as a servant leader. I voraciously attended adult trainings to improve myself so that I could better serve and mentor the youth I worked with. I built relationships that have far outlasted my time in the program, and perhaps my greatest single accomplishment was the receipt of my Wood Badge advanced leadership award. Where I sought to encourage, uplift and applaud each of my Scouts, the tables soon turned when I worked to receive this award by creating programs and events for them. By developing my Scouts, they helped to develop me and I am proud to have received over 12 mentor pins gifted to me upon my Scouts' Eagle Court of Honor ceremonies.

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By 2020, I was beginning to refine my spiritual practice and eventually step into a facilitator role for my friends' small company named, 'Gratitude Blooming.' We would draw cards with nature drawings, touching themes and invitations to reflect. I would help facilitate the space for these 'gratitude circles' through grounding, meditation and reflection practices so people could connect with themselves and others in meaningful and vulnerable ways. It helped to deepen my empathic practices of stepping into another person's vulnerabilities so I could help support them on their healing journeys and connect with people from all walks of life.

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Graduation from the TCSJ IMPACT program placed my academics in the real world of education. Theory could no longer be removed from application.

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Considering my combined total years of higher education was totaling 6 years and only provided 2 associates and 1 bachelor's degree, I felt the pressure of age and finances to begin taking my input knowledge and start applying it in reality. I accepted a teaching position with Stockton Unified School District the year COVID-19 caused schools to begin implementing distance learning. I was an intern teacher with only 2 months of subbing experience and a multitude of panicked and overwhelmed veteran teachers unable to assist me in my teaching practice. I was technically an intern teacher with the responsibilities and pressures of a teacher of record. It was time to test my years of theoretical and academic experience in the reality of pandemic education.

The exploration of complex nuance in an unrelenting system forced my intellection abilities to problem solve in rapid succession. I had to analyze and collaborate with colleagues for effective and ineffective theories when placed into practice. Eventually, I survived distance learning, hybrid learning, return to in person learning, and finally completion of my internship program to become recognized as a preliminary credential educator. My willingness to adapt to uncertain circumstances now benefits my curiosity and intellection to encourage others to explore new paradigms as we question the old ways of being. COVID-19 forced those intellection dominant individuals to curiously evaluate all dated ways of thinking and being to begin envisioning a new structure of society.

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Receiving my M.Ed in Environmental Literacy is only the beginning of networking with passionate environmentalists.

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Receiving my M.Ed in Environmental Literacy appears to be more of a hurdle than the means to an end. It's primary purpose for me is to create a type of goal similar to an initiation that gives me a footing to begin exploring how I can better show up in exploring environmental education with my school site and local community. My goal is to network with other educators and environmentalists to create partnerships in the form of localized think tanks that can brainstorm engagement and project based solutions for students and community members to connect with nature.

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Peer Leaders Uniting Students is a program designed to give students the ability to enact social change at their school site, while learning to be safe leaders.

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As a PLUS advisor, I find immense joy and fulfilment in the seeing my students thrive and develop in the PLUS program. I am learning more about my students and the program every day I teach it and it gives me a sense of passion and joy to balance my academics with such a powerful character building and solution focused program. My goal is to continue refining my abilities as a PLUS advisor so I can build up the program with my students to see them develop others along the way.

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Healing spaces should have life in them, so they can hold space for all life.

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I want my home to be a combination of things that can include social spaces to connect comfortably as well as meditation spaces to invite people over for healing sessions and life coaching. A space like this embodies how I would want people to arrive in my home: surrounded with natural life, simplicity and comfort. My goal is to find a space I can build either to work out of or to live in where I can operate a healing space for people so I can lead embodiment, meditation or reiki sessions.

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To see a bigger picture requires many eyes. 

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I am constantly exploring the interconnectedness of all paths in life. I have particular interest in religious and spiritual studies with special emphasis and influence on Jungian psychology and writings from Joseph Campbell because it starts to integrate the imaginative ways people view the world. It builds all other skills from this immense empathy and it is my hope to continue exploring various spiritual beliefs by collaborating with other people so I can see how life appears to them: sacred or profane?

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Regenerative agriculture is a viable way to combine local career paths with environmentalism.

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In order to connect with and explore realistic ways to incorporate environmentalism in my thoroughly conservative farming community, I need to collect as much information as possible on current farming practices related to yield, finances and growth to understand the state of the area. Then, my goal is to use this information to begin researching regenerative farming techniques to introduce to my community in a way that is financially viable as well as healthy for the environment.