The last two weeks have been pretty full with getting back into my rhythm of teaching and doing the Cloud Nine Yoga Teacher Training,  and having a social life of some kind.  Back to back parties for friends, prepping for lectures, working on the website for Ixchel Hawai’i, as well as packing up my life.  I am preparing to move a few times before the big move back to the Islands.  No easy task as it’s interesting trying to figure out what to pack and what to leave accessible for daily functioning.  I have been a bit overwhelmed and ungrounded going through everything.  I’ve never thought of myself as a “stuff” collector but apparently I am.  I have been holding onto “stuff” from every move I have ever had.  I just bring it with me as I collect more and more stuff.  So now I have the opportunity to let it go and I’m finding it an incredible cleansing process.  Purging, detoxing, letting go of the “stuff” has never been so easy.

It also been an amazing lesson for me in appreciating where I have been in this life so far.  As I finally throw away all of the copies of old pictures, postcards and letters that I have saved for nostalgia I realize how beautiful this journey has been so far.  Each old bank statement and paycheck stub that goes into the shredder helps me feel lighter.  I let go a little bit more.  Memories of people that have touched me along the way make me smile and I let go a little bit more.  One of the most amazing things about emptying and letting go is that now we have room for new memories, new adventures, this new life to be created.  In the Eight Limbed Path of Yoga it is called aparigraha or not grasping.

Letting go happens~

The saying goes  “you never know unless you take a chance”.  Well sometimes taking a chance can be scary as hell.  The last four months have been a crazy time with huge decisions being made.  I have decided to take a chance a go for it!  Taking a chance on trusting that I am willing and fully capable of making the transition from being a full time yoga teacher to a retreat center director.  The last few months have presented me with opportunities that I have been dreaming of over the last few years.  Last year my good friend Jeanne asked me to write down on paper what I want…like the “if you could have anything in the world what would it be?” kind of want.  What I have been craving has been to be a part of a retreat center.  Living, organizing, creating, hosting and helping others see their dreams come to fruition as well.

This next step requires a huge leap of faith, taking a chance.  Really what’s the worst that could happen?  What’s the best that could happen?  I have many answers for both and all arrows still point toward taking that chance.  So now I make the announcement.

I am moving to the Big Island of Hawaii to be a part of Ixchel Holistic Retreat Center.  In the early stages we are finishing the website and getting prepared for hosting and organizing retreats and workshops.  It is happening as we speak and at the end of this year I will be moving there to see this chance become a reality.  So for now I will continue to embrace the unknown and see how it unfolds.

With grace I move into the next faze of Yogic life.  Here we go!

Having just returned from an amazing adventure in Australia a few things came up.  It’s a country, yes.  It’s a HUGE country with a coast all around it.  North, South, East and West.  Even diagonally there is a coast.  The majority of the population live along the coasts with less living in the desert regions of the country.  So it’s a country that’s also it’s own continent.  It sits out there all by itself in the middle of the ocean like a really big island.  Leading me to my next statement.  Yes, by all definition it also counts as an island.  It’s surrounded completely by water…hmmm.  Well all that aside it’s an amazing place.  The contrasts from the North to the South are not too extreme, but there is also the fact that in the North they are closer to the equator.  So yes, it’s warmer in the north and cooler in the south.  In fact it’s pretty much opposite from America even in the seasons.  As we approach winter they are approaching summer and lots’ of heat.  I ca definitely see the appeal of following the sun around the planet.  If you plan it just right, and stay in southern Cal, you can pretty much spend summer here and then summer there.  It’s tempting as I am a native of southern Cal and love this weather.

I can also see why you meet so many Aussies here, and in Hawaii of course.  They are pretty much like us.  I found Australia to be very Americanized.  The differences are basically the accent, which I was told the difference is the we pronounce our very vowels slowly.  They are in a hurry all the time, speaking fast and the driving thing.  They drive on the other side of the road and of course the other side of the car.  Fun and challenging.

They also like Yoga, yay!!  All along the trip, which was about 2 weeks and very full, I took Yoga classes.  I find that their classes tend to be a bit more traditional.  With Ashtanga and Iyengar being the main styles.  I guess being closer to India can have it’s advantages.  In comparison I guess the “California style” yoga tends to be a bit more free form or free flowing.  In any event, I love Yoga!!!  So I’m happy either way to take a class and learn something new.

I love traveling.  It makes me appreciate all that I have, all that I am able to experience and all that is yet to come.  I can’t wait until the next trip.  Next time…New Zealand!

I just returned from a vacation in sunny Puerto Rico.  It is a beautiful island, and if you’ve never been it’s part of the Caribbean.  Funny thing about Puerto Rico is there are many differing opinions on what it is.  If you go to Wikipedia it says it’s a Free Associated State.  What?? OK, basically what I was told by people that live there.  “Americans” and PRIcans is that it is associated with the U.S. It has a long history with that good old Christopher Columbus as well as Ponce De Leon. It was discovered, conquered, and then let be.  What?? Again, confusing in how does it relate to the U.S. Here’s the very abbreviated version.  Puerto Rico has it’s own flag, kids are taught English as a second language in schools…Spanish being first (or Spanglish), they do not have to pay federal taxes because they are not technically a state, remember we have 50 states, not 51.  They can vote in the Primary election for president but not the “real” election.  They get many of the benefits we have, they make almost all our pharmaceuticals, and they can claim Ricky Martin, and Benicio Del Toro (love him), Rita Moreno, Marc Anthony, J Lo…and on and on.

Still confused? Hope this helps…you do not need a passport.  Well that’s what they tell the tourists.  And there are a lot of tourists.  In the two weeks I was there I was able to see much of the island, with the exception of the Island of Culebra (a must see) and the Bio luminescent Bay (another big attraction).  There are historical places such as Old San Juan with it’s amazing forts that make you feel as though you stepped back in time.  These forts border the city and gives spectacular views.  Breathtaking actually, I tend to be a bit fearful of heights, with views of the city and of the Island of Bacardi…yes the rum factory is right there.  The only thing really disturbing this beautiful town is the presence of massive cruise ships.  This is a main port and tourist attraction of the Caribbean.  These ships are massive and tend to block much of the city’s quaint cobblestone streets and old buildings.  All in all there is a lot of history and fun people watching.

Another part of the island I visited is on the West Coast town of Rincon.  Yes, just like our Rincon just south of Carpenteria.  While in Puerto Rico I was able to brush up on my Spanish and was elated to be tested even just ordering coffee.  Not so in Rincon.  I don’t think anyone spoke Spanish at all.  I was told it’s a place where the Ex-Pats go to stay forever. (But wait are they ex-pats?)  It is a huge surf town with Maria’s being the place to be, with Steps being the place for scuba diving and everywhere else for those of of who like Sandy Bottom beaches.  It reminded me a lot of how Hawaii was 10 years ago when I was living there.  People fall in love with the idea of making their permanent home there and then realize there’s not much else going on.  Been there, done that.  Me, I like a city as long as there is a beach nearby.  I can always leave if it get’s to be to much.

Needless to say on this last minute vacation I met some amazing people, found a great yoga community headed by a David Kyle of “It’s Yoga, Peurto Rico”, met a great family from Kansas City, KS who made me wish I was a part of their family, swam in warm water, read a lot, ate even more…lots of fried food, yum!, and was able to relax.  This relaxing on vacation is a new concept to me and I found I was able to enjoy it fully and completely.  I will definitely be going back this time with a visit to the outer islands Viejas and Culebra.

Viva La Vida!!!