Dare to Be Different

I am writing this while splayed out on the bed in our motor home (aka our Om Sweet Om) like a starfish and my feet have a distinct heartbeat. It is painful. Just after the start of the new year, I decided to take some action regarding warts on several toes that developed after our adventures in foreign countries, nearly two years ago now. Despite the dedicated use of flip flops in hostel showers, warts found their way onto one baby toe...then two toes...then five (plus one on the ball of one foot). I tried some natural remedies, but I couldn't get ahead, so I finally asked for professional help and it has been an incredible foot journey in the last 11 weeks!

I am taking Thuja (white cedar) homeopathic in conjunction with weekly liquid nitrogen treatments. The pain level is really no fun, and yet there is so much learning in that pain. Such as: Pay attention to ALL parts of your body. Don't ignore little things until they become big things. Ask for help when you need it. Step lightly. Slow down. Put your feet up. Take your time moving forward. No need to rush or race. Move at your own pace. Just be.

 (It's hard to tell, but this is me holding hands with that starfish. And we are matching in our purple tones.)

Yoga has been more challenging than ever before in my life with half of my toes in bandages for these few months. Want to really test your balancing skills? Wrap your toes up in gauze and tape. Haha! This is a great way to both humble oneself and challenge mental limitations. 

Speaking of yoga, Tanner has been accepted into the yoga teacher training program with me! We are so excited to dive into the depths of yoga science and philosophy together this summer. We have both been truly enjoying the required reading list during these lingering cold weeks moving toward spring.

I am half way through this one:

It contains an incredible amount of truth and wisdom and I am feeling so grateful for these teachings. 

One part of the reading that was profoundly pertinent to me was the section that addressed "four mental contaminants" from a spiritual perspective. They are: animosity, cruelty, jealousy, and self-righteousness. It is stunning how often I observe these tendencies in the realm of "spiritual seekers". Not what it's all about. In fact those things are the opposite of what we all truly desire.

After a late night conversation with Tanner, I came to a realization that what I'm seeking in my relationships with people (especially those that I spend lots of time with) is a reciprocated level of authenticity and vulnerability. This is huge. I am suddenly understanding why I often feel frustration after my interactions with friends and acquaintances. I have a deep desire to be met with equal authenticity. Many of us humans are less than authentic because we carry the weight of social fears- aka "the four mental contaminants".

So how do I, myself, encourage this authentic way of being in me and those around me? Well, I suppose that I simply keep modeling what that looks and feels like for others to witness. This means remaining aware of my own thoughts and intentions at all times. The main messages that keep coming for me are that I must let go of my expectations of others and also create healthy boundaries with those who are not living in this way when it feels like it's not supporting my own well being and growth.

This topic recently sparked the latest 20 minute episode of "Walking the Path" with myself and Christine Yole about embracing our gifts and being authentic while also maintaining healthy boundaries. You can watch or listen here: Walking the Path episode #10 

We have been enjoying some global cacao sampling to ensure that we have the best quality cacao paste for our spring cacao ceremony tour throughout western Canada. We have found a new incredible source for our cacao and we are expecting our first batch to arrive next week. Woohoo! 

We had an incredible group gathered last night for one of our most powerfully transformational ceremonies to date. It feels like we all just keep expanding to depths that are new and amazing. So many people are ready to branch out and experience new ways of being and shifting into their higher purposes in this lifetime.

Daring to be different is the new black. 

Speaking of different... If you are in British Columbia and are seeking a super sweet home on wheels, our little OM SWEET OM, is looking for a new person (or persons who really like each other and can thrive in a tiny home) to call her hOMe. It's a bittersweet parting, as we would love to keep her but, we will be away on adventures for half of 2017 and do not wish for pouring of our funds into her gigantic thirst for fuel. She does, however, make a wonderfully cozy living space and vehicle for shorter trips. oneworldwellness@yahoo.ca to inquire about her.

Until next time, feel free to get in touch via email, Facebook page One World Wellness (has the little peace earth logo) subscribe to our YouTube channel or find us in person! Peeeeeace. 

I Call It My Life.

Yep. This is a real place on this island. It was magical. 

I was walking through the magical forests of Vancouver Island yesterday and was telling a new friend that I write a blog. (That's her in the photo above.) Then I realized I haven't been writing as often as I would prefer to. Writing was flowing out of me weekly for a couple of years. Now it's more like monthly, at best. She asked why I started a blog. I didn't even have to think of an answer and I blurted out, "to hang on to my sanity." She smiled and nodded. It really has been an incredible tool that has allowed me to look back upon the days and weeks that pass me by and to dissect the challenges that I have faced, to fully appreciate the magic that I have experienced and to express my gratitude for life. 

Now this: My personal observation of the first quarter of 2016 is that collectively, humanity is feeling extremely shaken up. As if we are little specs, all living in a huge snow globe that gets flipped over 20 times a day on a gift shop shelf. Just when the snow settles...whoa! The big hand comes and stirs things up all over again. 

What can we each do to remain balanced during this seemingly chaotic period in our world? First of all, balance won't happen for you by accident. You will have to make a very solid, conscious effort to stay balanced. Try to spend time quietly in nature. Breathe in what the tress are offering us. Lie on the grass. It's that time of year again where the grass is becoming lush and inviting. Remind yourself that you are a spec lying on a pile of tiny plants on the surface of a humongous mass of matter and not floating off into infinite outer space, thanks to something we call gravity. We are each a drop in the ocean. It's kinda magical really.

Sing. Hum. Listen to the birds so full of joy. Why are they so happy? They're livin' and lovin' each moment, that's why. 

Pick spring flowers. Or just appreciate them where they grow and thank them for exciting your eyeballs and nose. Play your favorite music. Talk to a friend. Then listen to that friend. Allow yourself to receive love in whatever form it shows up in. Then give some of it away again without attachments. More will come back to you.  It's an infinite resource. When in doubt, remind yourself that what you perceive as the end of your world really isn't that bad. Someone, somewhere has outdone you in that department. They have it worse. What's the worst thing that can happen? Right, probably death is the worst case scenario for most of us. Then what? The magic of this swirling reality carries on without us when we transition into another form. Humans are not the be all and end all. Though we are lead to believe this. Sigh. 

So many people have recently expressed to us their sadness, struggle, desperation, loneliness, hopelessness, complacency and self-doubt, all seemingly resulting from the chaotic state of our world. These are all things that each human faces at some point in life. I know we don't like these feelings but as "they" say, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger...and more wise and more resilient. Hopefully we all learn something from diving deep into these feelings. Hold your breath, jump in and don't forget to come up for a breath here and there.

I also know, without a single bit of doubt, that it's time for humanity to join together in community with others who have experienced these challenges and who are ready to co-create a new reality for the coming months and years. No more of this "each human for themselves" nonsense. We are a family of 7 BILLION and growing and no human should deserve to get left behind. There clearly aren't enough material resources for this "single family" globalization disaster system to continue. Hello? Can others see this train wreck just around the bend?

This is one of the foundational concepts behind our sacred cacao ceremonies. Creating Community.  Sacred time and space together. What makes it sacred? To me, everything is sacred. No person or object is more special than another. In addition, at our gatherings, we choose a physical space that feels good and nurturing on all levels. It must please the 5 senses as well as hold a high vibrational feeling to our 6th sense and beyond. We use various tools and skills to clear the energetics of a space and cleanse the energy of each guest prior to partaking in ceremony. We do our best to create a sense of safety and inclusivity and are consistently amazed at the dynamic crowd that gathers each time. We are all the same at the core. We all want to feel like part of the web. We all need love. We all need healing. We all want to be heard and understood. We all need smiles and hugs to ignite and unite our spirits. Love is the energy that fuels our collective spiritual fire. 

Cacao ceremonies, for us, are a concentrated epicenter of love expansion and connection with ourselves, loved ones and strangers (who suddenly don't seem like strangers after ceremony). Last night a group of 23 humans became non-strangers at our ceremony. How awesome.

I honestly don't even know what the point of this blog post was today. It's just sort of typed itself. I'm just holding the space for the words to come out.

All I know is that I am in absolute awe of this bizarre and exciting experience that I'm having in every moment day after day. 

I call it my life.

Bittersweet

Here we are. It's our last night at Lake Atitlán. For now. We feel strongly that we will return again someday. What an amazing place. We have made so many powerful connections with all kinds of people. 

I have been having so much fun learning Spanish at some lessons and also on my own, and especially practicing with the locals. Most of them are very patient and also have an interest in learning some English. Some of the Mayan people, who have their own native languages, have Spanish skills that are a few steps above mine, so we can chat just fine.  We have gotten to know a family of three ladies that walk around the village selling baskets of fruits that they carry on top of their heads. Huge piles of sandias (watermelons), papaya, mangos and piñas. They came around 8-9am and stopped at our front door and shouted "Hay sandia! Hay piña, papaya, mango!"  It was very loud and when they repeated it enough times it's hard to ignore, so we often purchased our fruit from them. They had quite a funny sense of humor. One day they saw us getting in our car (which we only did about 4 times in the 7 weeks) and they had their empty fruit baskets and were looking for a ride back to their village, which was on the way to where we were headed. We had a funny conversation with them and they giggled and waved as we drove by some of their friends on foot. 

Then the other day, I was sitting using my ancient laptop and my outdated iPhone at a hostel cafe. The three ladies came in and snuggled up around me and fondled the electronics. The oldest one looked close at my face and said something like  "WOW! You have mascara on!" I have rarely worn it since we have been on the road for four months, so it was funny that she was so observant. I thought about it and realized that she often saw me early in the morning in my yoga clothes with bed hair at our front door as I examined their papayas and pineapples.

We proceeded to have a very interesting conversation about the price of the luxuries that people like myself, privileged white folk, take for granted. The ladies here pay a tiny fraction of what we would for something like makeup, and get a product of way lesser quality. I told her that the mascara I was using was $150 quetzales ($30 CAN) for one tube, which is one reason that I use it sparingly. That's enough money to feed our family basic food here for about 5 days (at tourist prices) and for the locals more like a week of or two of food...or possibly even more! What a crazy world.

I thought that the fact that I have captured 8 scorpions in our house over 6 weeks was normal until I started telling people. Many of them said they have been here for months and had never seen a single one. They carry some powerful animal spirit messages which I have studied. Today, on our final day in this casa, I happened to find and capture a black widow spider hanging out on the kitchen counter. Here is a poor iPhone photo of her. They are a lot smaller than I imagined. I wanted a better picture...but it seemed a bit risky.

 We have truly been enamored by the tropical plants and birdsong here. The volcanoes and sunshine have a special place in our hearts, along with the spirit of cacao that is so strong here. We have participated in ingesting a whole lot of the special plant medicine over the last year but especially these last two months. 

Twice a week while we have been here we have dedicated an evening of helping to bag the freshly ground aromatic cacao paste into one-pound bricks. In exchange, we have attended healing ceremonies or taken some of the cacao home with us. Several nights we also exchanged the washing of a hundred or so rainbow cups used to drink cacao elixir at ceremonies. We have had so much fun with the cacao tribe here. It's so hard to leave the group, but we know that we all connect again through the love of cacao. 

I am currently reading the book called Naked Chocolate by David Wolfe and Shazzie. It's packed full of great info on cacao if you are curious. I bought the kindle version so it's on my iphone. So amazing. What will technology do next?!

We purchased some old-fashioned woven fabric from a women's weaving cooperative that is comprised of single mothers whom have more than three children to care for. We then asked a local Mayan woman (who knocked on our door wanting to sell us her weaving) to do some sewing work for us. We told her that we don't have a house anywhere so we have no use for woven tablecloths and curtains. She gave us a very skeptical look. It was the truth though. Weaving and sewing are her best skills and we heard from several sources in the community that any financial help we can give her through supporting her skills would be very much appreciated. She has her own children as well as several nieces and nephews to support (she told me 7 in total) and as is quite common here (and many parts of our world) she has a heap of challenges to meeting the needs of her family in regards to health and safety. 

Her teenaged niece came with her to our casa one evening and asked if she could borrow a dress of mine for her school play of Romeo y Julieta. I only had knee-length dresses, and she couldn't accept them as they weren't long enough. The ladies and girls here only wear the traditional güipil blouses and long corte skirts with wide, and usually intricate belts called fajas. Their outfits are beautifully hand embroidered with some beading on the belts and everything is very colorful. So she asked to borrow a white lace scarf of mine for her costume. I obliged. She was pretty excited to borrow such a unique item from a foreigner. 

Her cousin and aunt created some simple drawstring pouches for our special cacao bean medicine bags. We were under the assumption that they had a sewing machine to make them. It turns out they have made them all by hand. We will offer these for sale as a fundraiser at our upcoming cacao ceremonies. 

We have an awesome amount of pure cacao blocks and beans with us which have taken the place of the third human that had rode in our backseat on our way down from Mexico nearly two months ago (where did the time go??). We will be hosting cacao ceremonies starting now and heading north. Tomorrow we head to Xela / Quetzaltenango, which is the second largest city in Guatemala after the capital. Then we will cross back into Chiapas, Mexico. Excited for Chiapas!

One more tale:

One afternoon this week, I was walking back from the center of the village to our casa, which is just on the edge of town. There were hungover men strewn about on steps and benches and the smell of stale alcohol in the air.  There was garbage strewn all over between piles of dog poop from lots of food scraps being eaten by the dozens of street doggies. It was the aftermath of 10+ days of parties, booze and bombas from the annual feria of the pueblo. I was feeling a bit sad and a bit disgusted. Why do people abuse themselves and tour environment so terribly? Ugh. 

Just then, a small boy was approaching me in the distance. He was the only other person on the road. He looked at the most 6 or 7 years old, dressed in a bright blue soccer uniform. He smiled from the moment he saw me and then ran straight for me with his arms stretched out wide. I was amazed that I didn't know him at all but he clearly just wanted a big hug. That's all. Just a big hug. He was so happy to get a hug and a kiss on the head and thanked me with a huge toothy smile as he skipped away. Words can be messy and confusing, especially across cultural hurdles. Smiles, waves and hugs are universal no matter where I have been so far on the planet. I will not ever run short of love, so I will keep on spreading it along the heart trail. One hug at a time ...and one cacao bean at a time. 

Watermelon hearts? Yes please.