In this second journal from Jodi Mitchell, Jodi leaves the streets of Berkeley and finds a temporary home at Wheeler’s Ranch, part of her self-conscious search for self-actualization. She adopts a lifestyle of “clean living,” aiming to house aspects of her spiritual journey in her body and to use her physical state as a means of attaining inner peace. She often contemplates the intricacies of Eastern philosophy, exploring sources like the Bhagavad Gita and Gandhi’s writing to think through her own lifestyle.
On page 65, Jodi offers a small list of “everything I believe in”:
The list highlights the concepts that served as central factors in her lifestyle leading to and during her time at Wheeler’s, including her healthy eating habits and her engagement with Eastern philosophy.
Interestingly, she specifically notes her belief in “sex for the sake of creating a child (not pleasure)” as a core value. She does not say much more about it, leaving space for interpretation as to the source of this belief, be it from the disheartening experiences of exploitation she faced on the streets or perhaps a more religiously inspired belief about sex and motherhood.