When I first set out to build The Holistic Haven, I knew the road wouldn’t always be smooth. I expected questions, misunderstandings, maybe even some resistance. But I didn’t expect how much the journey would teach me about holistic practices, people, community, and the complex ways we all experience faith, love, and acceptance.

I’ve met so many interesting people along the way. Some have been encouraging and deeply supportive. Others have dismissed me, calling me crazy or labeling my actions as something to fear. What surprised me most is that some of the most stereotypical pushback hasn’t come from strangers; it has often come from Christians.

This has been difficult for me, because I grew up believing that Christians were the most open-hearted, loving, and accepting people. Isn’t that the foundation of the faith? Yet, when I say “meditate” instead of “pray,” or when I light sage, use sound bowls, or practice Reiki healing, suddenly I’m viewed as “other.” That realization has been painful, because in my heart, I don’t feel separate from them at all.

But then, something unexpected happened. I met a man who openly described himself as a gangbanger. On paper, society would probably cast him aside. But when we spoke, his morals and principles were rooted in community care, loyalty, and love for his people. In many ways, his sense of responsibility to protect and uplift his community was stronger than I’ve witnessed in some who fellowship weekly in church.

This contrast has baffled me, but it has also broadened my perspective. I have attended Islamic gatherings, and in those spaces, I felt loved, protected, and embraced without judgment. I have also sat with people from various walks of life, faiths, cultures, and belief systems, and we’ve built something like a council of wisdom together. What continues to amaze me is how often our viewpoints align.

As I once shared in my piece “Different Path Same Light: How Religions are Strategically Connected,” peace is humanity’s shared objective. No matter the religion, culture, or language, every sacred text carries this central theme: love one another and live in peace.

Even the Christian Bible, so often used as a tool for separation, holds some of the clearest words on love and peace:

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

– Romans 12:18

It seems like such a rare or forgotten scripture, doesn’t it? And yet, it is there calling us to live peaceably with everyone.

So, as I continue to build The Holistic Haven, I do so with this truth in mind: that love, peace, and connection go beyond religion, dogma, and stereotypes. The journey has not been easy, but it has been worth it. And maybe, just maybe, the resistance I’ve faced is only proof that what I am building is needed even more than I realized.

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