It's all OK.

I'll admit that there have been moments in my life where I have felt that humanity has gone to absolute shit. This thought is based on fear and has shown up in situations when I have witnessed or learned of violence, hurt, sadness + ignorance.  I have often wanted to close down my heart, protect it, shield it and I've felt that the world was a bit too much for my sensitive soul. That being said, the beautiful bonus in all of the madness is that without the darkness we could not know the light. The hurt, anger, upset or confusion can either knock you down and keep you there, OR it can be redirected and focused in a different manner, as ammunition to rise up. 

In the deepest depth of my heart I do truly like to think + feel that humanity is actually going to be OK.  I believe this to be truth because whatever can be done can also be undone. With destruction come creation, with chaos comes order, with death- there shall be rebirth.  I choose to consciously acknowledge the good and I am determined to create experiences that enhance and elevate people's spirit and the vibration of this seemingly devastated planet. 

One of these said experiences was ‘Lucent’, a festival celebrating Light: Summer Solstice, the light in each of us + collectively as a community. For me, life is the art of connecting and it is quite fitting that the word Yoga literally translates to 'connection or union'. The actual experience of connection is a state of Yoga, a joyful + blissful, fulfilling experience.

Lucent family festival was intended to provide an opportunity for humans to enjoy ‘Yoga’, beyond the physical practice as we often know it [ok, it's true we did bend and move with a few flip dogs thrown in there] BUT what happened was we created the ultimate environment for connection. We created enormous value by combining conversation, coordination, trust, safe space, permission and exchange of ideas into a network of people who wanted to pay attention to one another.  Who wanted to feel presence with themselves and others. 

Before the event transpired, I wrote down words to describe how I wanted people to feel being a part of this magical event. They were:

Grounded // Presence // Free // Included // Wholehearted // Hopeful // Ignited

Judging by smiles on faces, constant laughter and pleas for more fun, I would say that together, we absolutely, 100% #Nailedit. 

What I recognized more than anything was the resounding sense of calm and peace that we cultivated and the sense of belonging. I think it was mainly because of the simple fact that people were offered space to BE themselves, fully, without the masks.  When you extend an invitation to people to rise up and be their best self, even for just a weekend, they become hungry, eager and long for more. Their energy shifts and they draw in more of what they want, not what they do not want.  They start to see that happiness is a choice that they get to make but it is largely influenced by factors such as people, activities, thoughts, nutrition and the physical + emotional environments around us. The choice is made moment to moment and we can lean into light and love or darkness and fear.

Pssst. S'mores + dancing under the moonlight will definitely help you to choose light and love. 

The weekend was a true blessing and I am so incredibly grateful to all who joined. Spending time together in Nature, camping, practicing yoga, connecting with breath, enjoying fire ceremony, walks through the forest, personal discovery and to watch adults and children alike jump on trampolines, giggle + play with every cell in their being lit up was such a blessing. 
Lucent is a potent example of what helps to restores my heart + gives me hope that humanity is OK. We got this, let’s stick together and be the light. 

Thank you.

I love you.

All of you. 

Made to love.

It continues to amaze me (gives me goosebumps in fact) what can happen within communities during times of need, trauma or crises. People instantly forget the every day pressures of life, the hustle and bustle, the stress and worry, and they immediately set out to create solution, calm, love and support.

Anything and everything can all of a sudden just stop and direction and focus shift. Funerals, natural disasters, illness, accidents and emergencies all summon gathering, networking and demonstrate authentic care + generosity.

I often wonder why we can conjure up the time (that is so often non existent) to be supportive to  and offer abundance of love, empathy and encouragement during these tragic situations but we so easily neglect to show up during life’s day to day interaction. 

Are we programmed to only know light when we see dark or does it need to take something bad to create something good? I don't believe so, I think we are inherently made to love + to collaborate versus compete. Unfortunately our fear, ego, pride + our bullshit stories can get the better of us if we aren't careful or conscious. 

Why do we wait?

We show increasing amounts of compassion when the elderly lady falls as she is crossing the road, yet we choose not to even show her a smile when we pass her on the street each day before work.

We go the extra distance to clear our work and social schedules making time to when a friend or partner is going through a difficult time or falls ill, yet we continue to put off spending time with them throughout our weeks because we choose not to make it a priority, convincing ourselves that there is ‘always next week’ and ‘EVERYONE is just so busy these days, so hard to coordinate’. Then we drift, further and further away. Isolated. Disconnected. Alone. 

We speak up when someone is physically injured or killed as a result of an act of racism however, we will refrain from saying anything when racial slurs, comments or jokes are made at a dinner party. 

We suddenly become concerned and passionate advocates about our environment when there is an oil spill and we begin to bark at large corporations for their carelessness. All the while, we throw our recyclables in the inappropriate bins without a second thought, litter our beaches and parks, idle our cars, and fill our homes with excessive amounts of ‘stuff’. When the ‘stuff’ gets old we are onto the next best thing and off to landfills it goes. What happens to it there is rarely our concern? Who knows, at least it is out of our garage right?

We rush to the side of the hospital bed, crying and filled with regret when our family members are ill and on their last breath, the word sorry being the only thing that can come out of our mouths; yet for 10 years no words were spoken because sorry was the word we needed out of their mouth.

Is it worth it?

We are human. We can get caught up in our own worlds, in our own opinions, concerned about being right, looking good, making enough money and so on. However, it seems that the reality is, we end up leading very superficially social lives filled with lavish things and souvenirs from far off places. Deep down, life can be lonely and as a collective we are all wanting the same thing -- ‘searching for ourselves’, the ‘meaning of life’ and to be happy + connected. Connection and relatedness are the building blocks to all those things we seek.  Two of the most fundamental needs of life are a sense of belonging and love + our deepest desires are often to be of help, to contribute and offer good to the world at large. We CAN accomplish this and FEEL this within our communities EVERYDAY, making it a practice to be open, engage, learn and share with our neighbours, friends and families. Make space, hold space and shift priority.

Choosing Love over Fear. 

Giving without receiving or expectation, smiling, acknowledging the good in others and authentically offering your gifts to your community can be quite simple, but create profound impact for you and others.  These things can be consciously done BEFORE the breakdowns, the fires, the floods or any other catastrophe.  Be real, show people who you are and how you feel. Be grateful to others for their contribution and  show love and forgiveness BEFORE the bad, sad and mad get the better of you.

I am so grateful to be a part of so many different communities across the globe. I trust and have faith in others around me, knowing that we need all of the same things, we are in it together.  By being connected to all of YOU I continue to tap into who I truly am as a human and gain clearer perspective + understanding about what my life is all about and what I can do for this world.

NAMASTE. 

Chosen Future

' We are made wise not by the recollection of the past, but by the responsibility for our future' 

A lot of  energy + time is spent teaching/sharing/examining the PAST.

We honour those who have left this Earth.

The creators, legends, innovators, game changers, soldiers,

the oppressed, brave + the naughty ones in between.

Keep it up, they are all humans worthy of recognition. 

BUT…

What if we started to shift our focus deeper into the PRESENT?

Imagine what can happen if we remember + celebrate the beings that are

 right. 

in.  

 front.

  of. 

 us.

Praise their creations. Support ideas. Bandage wounds.

Lift + Ease burdens. Foster belonging. Nurture, soothe + empower.

Transform rather than transact.

Truly choose to KNOW them for the people they are NOW. 

What if we love them so deep that they know on a cellular level that they can

create change + leave a legacy that will be shared for

eternity? 

Be More.

2 words from a recent conversation with a dear friend will not escape my mind and holy hell, they may soon be tattooed upon my body!
BE MORE. I didn't hear these words in such a way that created a feeling of depletion or the need to push harder, nor did it create thoughts that who or what I am wasn't enough. Instead, it lifted me. Reminded me that this is my only life and in this life there is always choice...

You can take the easy way out, you can avoid or numb. Run away. Be nasty, rude, hard, cold, mediocre and unforgiving. Perhaps you could choose to misuse, under/over use your personal power and resources. You might turn the other cheek, tell yourself 'not my problem!', blame, hate, withhold love or straight up be a fearful self serving asshole. Orrrrrrr. You can...

CHOOSE to BE MORE than all of that. And do it because it feels great and helps your heart and others turn from tiny + shrivelled to big, juicy + thumpin'. 
Rise Up. Try your best. Expand. Soften. Show love. Unite. Speak passionately and trust your purpose. Understand. Create Compassion. Share. Display kindness. Enjoy hugs. Give. Smile. Embody Positivity and down right wonderful. 

Give a shit + know YOU are capable of raising the vibration of this planet.

Stories = Essential.

'The gift of truth excels all other gifts' - Buddha 

Not sure exactly what has been happening with me over the last couple weeks but I think I might say that it's partly because of the fact that It's a new moon in Cancer. An emotional, cleansing moon that will expose the truth. The astrological readings tell me that this New Moon may bring to light the things I do that sabotage moi and also ask me to reflect on whether or not I am buying into the illusion that I am unworthy.

Hmmmm. Reflection begins. 

Sooo...sometimes, I panic and yes I have had moments over the course of the last few weeks where I have felt 'unworthy'. #Truth. 

My panic is never a heart beating out of my chest, loss of of breath kind of panic but rather, the more subtle kind; what I like to think of as the ‘creep up behind you, black cloud, doom and gloom, self doubt and fear’ version of panic. I write this simply because I feel all of us can relate and many of you could benefit from knowing that I too am a human.

To give you some background...

Living a gypsy lifestyle off and on for the past 7 years has afforded me the ability to develop an array of relevant skills they don’t tend to teach you in school. For example:

• I am quite good at living out of a suitcase
• My packing and folding techniques are stellar
• I can easily speak to strangers of all different shapes and sizes and then become their friend
•  I am able to navigate my way around random places on a scooter (so fun!)
•  I speak up and ask for help when I need it
•  I have developed a sophisticated taste for coffee and can sniff out the best cafes wherever I go (some might say I am verging on coffee snob, never mind them).

On top of all these kick ass tools, I have experienced many beautiful worldly wonders and feel an abundance of gratitude for having the courage to go where my feet want to take me. However, there are days when I question all of the great things that I am doing and completely forget these amazing adventures and successes I have accomplished and those that I am creating.

 My brain begins to question and over analyse everything. I get a bad case of the blues. I feel unattractive, incapable, sometimes both.  I  start to compare myself to others (with their cute kids, stable jobs, pretty gardens and picket fences, successful creative projects, crazy cool blogs and conformed existences).  All I am left with (after comparison) are fabricated reasons as to why I’m not good enough, why I can’t live the life I love, have the things I want or how I am incapable of truly enjoying the people and sights around me or who I am to think I make a difference in the world. Extremely unproductive bullshit.  To make matters worse, when I am in this space of doubt and comparison, I want to escape and flee from the storm. My thoughts and actions (skipping a workout, eating unhealthy food, worrying, procrastinating, neglecting my goals, hiding and disconnecting from my tribe, crying constantly + excessively etc.) are not that good for my body, my mind or my free and beautiful spirit. My downward spiral also impacts the people I love in a massive way whether I think they do or not and limits the capacity to which i can authentically connect with them. 

Maybe you or someone you love does the things I do or perhaps they choose to use drugs, alcohol, self harm, gambling or whatever else to find shelter from the storm. These behaviours are often classified as human ‘coping’ mechanisms. I call BULLSHIT, again. Last I checked, coping is expending conscious effort to solve personal and interpersonal problems, seeking to master or minimise stress or conflict. As far as I am concerned, not much coping occurs when engaged in those sorts of activities. Numbing yes, healing, not so much.

 It’s taken time, and I am forever in learning BUT I have found that the most powerful strategy to help dig myself out of my holes has been to acknowledge + talk about what is going on rather than ignore, create paralysis + flee.  We can feel alone or misunderstood and yes, things hurt like hell at times. We might even think that our issues are worse than anyone else’s and as though we aren’t worthy of the healing or forward momentum.  

NEWSFLASH. The reality is as such: many others have already felt the way you do, many others are currently experiencing the same feelings or quite similar, or perhaps they will at some stage feel this way in the future. We all have our stuff. BUT by you being open and sharing yourself, you clear a path for not only your elephants and monsters to come parading out of closets and from under beds but you create space for others as well. You might even become privy to a new strategy, skill, tool, resource or person who can support you on your journey. 

Our authentic stories (the real f*cking deal) are what people truly need to know and hear. In my opinion, this is where the true healing and human connection comes from.  There is power in sharing our stories + experiences, our trials, tribulations, struggle, success, life lessons, mistakes, skills and talents. Share not to source pity or stay stuck and replay the same old broken record to those willing to hear. But rather, share to find the comfort and relief while knowing you are not alone.  You are supported and you matter, people are here to help and love, to cheer you on and hug the crap out of you. They are there, but how will they know what role to play for you if you choose not to share?

Let’s ease up on the panic button, the negative self talk, the self sabotage, the mask wearing and hiding and instead ramp up love, compassion + courage, kindness + joy and heart wide open #TRUTH.  

I am a gift just as you are a gift to this big bold world. Gifts are to be offered to others without expectation, unwrapped and then enjoyed.

What good is a gift if it isn’t given and simply remains unopened? 

Wanderlust II Arriving Home

There is something special about slipping into a festival that encourages fantasy, unbridled expression and indulgence in community and fun but how do you channel that excitement into purpose and progress? After what feels like my 100th Wanderlust I am just finally finding a way to exit the weekend without feeling totally overworked, sore and depleted...want to know how? Its been my manta for the last few months or so, "DO LESS, BETTER & DO IT FOR YOU". So post-festival and in all life I am committing to going to less, saying less and grounding more. Thats how instead of feeling inspired but lost at the limitless possibilities, I feel "Home and Refueled" after a little wander & wonder. 

So here are a few simple things to take into your practice as you arrive back in reality after Wanderlust and just think about all of the wonderful learning and discoveries you will have when you join us for Purpose + Play in Nicaragua August 8-15 2015. We are committed to igniting you over the week and offering opportunity to dig in and awaken BUT we will not leave you heading home without a toolkit to take with you. 

1. Remember you are loved and supported by those who already know you - Its cool to meet awesome new peeps and feel encouraged by there impression of you but remember that crew of fans you instead call your friends! They are evolving and encouraging you 365 days a year and are already committed to your development, they love and support you!

2. See Nature as the Muse...just like Buddha - sit under a tree, feel the wind kiss your skin, close your eyes and connect to source. Its energizing, grounding and inspiring. Plus unlike the wooden treehouse in the d'OM or lasers at Moby, its always there for you to feast your eyes and appreciate its patient wonder! Like um, did you notice that the wild flowers are here? Or how the river sounds different as its flow slows??

3. Move from Intuition on the mat - Yea those crazy mandalas and backbending sequences were new and cool but your "wise guide inside" is calling to you with infinite knowledge, creativity and healing powers if you turn inside and move from a place that serves your body. Start with just one song that sets you free on the mat and in no time, wether you're a learned teacher or beginner yogi, you'll notice you're creating your own serving poses and fun transitions. 

4. Smile at strangers like you recognize them - There is a wealth of power in community and something I've learned from Wanderlust is that everyone wants to feel like the "cool kid" in a crowd and thats not a narcissistic thing, that's just the reality that everyone human wants to belong to someone, feel accepted and seen by others. So try smiling at the grocery like its your neighbor and notice that after that first little eyebrow raise or soft blush that people truly love feeling that "WOW its YOU!" happy nod. 

5. Journal your heart out - write it down, manifest your dreams and connect to your purpose. Goal setting can be hard after such a weekend so you don't have to dive that deep right away. Just start writing the things you liked, what felt awesome and what sort of positive vibrations landed in your body and soul this weekend. Make it simple "that was a real hug...that Chet Faker remix is over played but I still like it...I should buy Elena's meditation when I have some more cash...holy shit that DJ BeatGypsy is the shit!!"....Heal what might hurt and create a tangible reminder of how you opened your arms and eyes a little wider this weekend. Let it be an entry that you can return to when you need a reminder of your awe, reverence and expansive spirit!

xo