Where it all began

Spirituality was something unknown to me for a very long time. I think it was in my early adulthood that I began exploring my spirituality and developing a practice for myself. Spirituality helped me connect with myself and realize that I wasn’t just a body walking the earth but a soul, a being here to experience the fullness of life.

I’ve come to understand that spirituality isn’t some complex or unattainable concept. It’s the simple things we do to stay aligned with our highest selves — our most enlightened, peaceful, joyful, and grateful selves. We all do things that make us feel good; the difference lies in how deeply we commit to these practices.

For me, the turning point came in 2017 when I got arrested during a drug raid while hanging out at what turned out to be a trap house. In my defense, I was so unaware at the time that I didn’t even realize where I was. My intuition was completely off. Life, as it often does, had to deliver a wake-up call in the form of being booked in New York City, spending a night in a cell, and facing seven felonies. My freedom was hanging by a thread, and it was this stark reality that forced me to confront myself.

Before that, I was living on autopilot — no light, no introspection, just moving through life with a mask on. I wasn’t in tune with my inner voice or my soul. That experience marked the beginning of my journey into self-awareness. Weed, being the psychedelic it is, became a powerful tool for introspection. It helped me ask the deep questions, hold myself accountable, and unpack years of conditioning that influenced my self-perception and actions.

Cannabis became an integral part of my spiritual routine. I’d roll up, get high, meditate, journal, and connect with myself. The more I did this, the more I could hear my true self, align with the divine, and fall in love with who I was becoming. Weed helped ease my anxiety and put me in a state of calm that allowed for genuine self-reflection.

I used to suffer from severe anxiety — the kind that manifests as stomach pain and constant unease. Looking back, I realize my anxiety stemmed from a lack of connection to God and a deep sense of disconnection from myself. I was living in the dark. Meditation and journaling became lifelines, pulling me out of that darkness and helping me see myself clearly. Through these practices, I began to know God in a way I never had before.

For a long time, I referred to the universe or "source" instead of God or Jesus. Growing up in Catholic school, I never felt connected to the faith or understood it. It took me 29 years to see how religion and spirituality intertwine and how they both play a role in connecting us to something greater than ourselves.

"Hi Maintenance" is my story of maintaining a connection to my higher self and to divine energy. Without this connection, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Spirituality and religion give me the power to move through life with purpose. Weed has been a vital spiritual tool on this journey, and I hope my story inspires others to explore their own paths to enlightenment.