Keeping Commitments on this Unscripted Journey

Virginia. It's for lovers.

It seems as though being non-committal has become a strong current trend with the easy-to-hide-behind facade of the Internet and social media. Who is holding us all accountable? No one. It's all on us to be the best we can be. How can I go about this you might ask?

Stating commitments out loud creates an imprint in the ripples of life that somehow leads us down a road of magic. Our latest commitment feels reaaaaally big and so I also thought, "what better way to lock it in than to write about it for hundreds to witness?"  Here are some of the things I have commited to in the recent past and some that are ongoing.  Please be a Cosmic Witness:

We have learned to continually commit to the things that reflect our deepest truths. (This was me all excited at a recent cacao ceremony).

I committed to completing all of the requirements to receive my official yoga teaching certificate for the 200-hour program that both Tanner and I completed this summer. I did it (and Tanner is almost done too!): 30 days of consistent meditation and journaling plus 12 hours of practice teaching and full evaluations of the clases taught. It required a lot of perseverance for the last few months. I have some pretty hilarious accounts of my first summer as a yoga  instructor. I learned so much about myself. Simply priceless.  I may turn it into a short story...someday.

If I don't follow through and cheer for myself along the way, I sure can't expect that someone else should. (Of course, love and support from others never hurts!) Life isn't always easy or simple. Or fun. But sometimes we just have to follow the path that is laid before us. Complete our dharma. Question anything that seems unclear or untrue. Gather more information. When you have done all of the research and there are no more questions left unanswered and nothing remaining unconsidered, there is only one way to go: forward. Push..push...push through. Just do it, as you may have heard.

Advertising our new big commitment. 

I committed to continuously writing this blog 4.5 years ago! Sometimes I think to myself, "I cannot understand why anyone reads these random ramblings of mine. I'm not anyone special and I certainly don't have some magical answer to the mystery and challenges of life". Nearly 16,000 visits to this blog later, and here I am writing another entry. 

I needed a break from my more "serious" work to get some of my thoughts out in writing. I am lying on a bed, where we are visiting my father in the house where I grew up. In the background I can hear the nocturnal summertime crickets and cicadas singing and chirping in the darkness of a strangely warm mid-October night in rural Pennsylvania. Autumn, again? Hmmm. The remnants of a Gulf Coast hurricane blew through here today, bringing a feeling of turbulence and mystery...

Some more creative advertising! Shine!

Roughly 18 years ago (longer than this but in my conscious mind, this was the actual turning point) I don't think I realized it at the time, but my soul committed to walk a different path than the one I was shown as a child and a young person. That early path was strange, scary, dangerous, dark and unkind in many ways. When I decided to sharpen my machete and clear myself a new path through the metaphorical jungle of life, it was a massive and terrifying leap of faith. I have turned around many times to see what I have left behind me, but the wild jungle grows over the past very quickly and I have no choice but to persevere and press forward. Sometimes the way forward is bright and inviting. Sometimes it's tangled and rough and makes one cringe. Those moments when I just want to sit down and throw in the towel are the moments of TRUTH. I now know that these most challenging points along the path are also the ones that can launch me to new heights and most importantly, a deeper truth within myself. Spiritual growth spurts.

These days, I am steeping in a brew of mixed emotions. I feel blessed to be me and to feel well-equipped with a toolkit of experiences, intelligence, wisdom and wit mixed with a sprinkle of humor. I feel thrilled to be offered so many amazing experiences and adventures.. I feel like Harry Potter mixed with Aladdin and Peter Pan and like I'm in and out of Oz! Wheeeeee!

Rainbow soles. Gather together!

At the same time, this path often feels extremely lonesome. Tanner and I are so damn grateful that we have each other. The world around us (especially here in the USA) seems to be bubbling up with fear and turbulence and we strive to keep a blanket of peace and groundedness draped around us. The winds of change whip our blanket around and we hold it tighter. Braving the elements, we sail our magic ship out to sea, not knowing what tomorrow will bring. All we can do is keep going. We have all come too far to stop now.

Together, the two of us have committed to taking another huge leap of faith and said YES to an unexpected offer. We have been offered the use of a small retreat center near the ocean in southern Mexico. The owner has never met us, but is trusting her place in our care. Our Spanish is mediocre at best, but we are practicing every day to improve our ability to communicate with the locals. We JUST completed our yoga certification program, but we know how transformative a daily yoga practice can become and we want to share that gift with others. We all need community. Now more than ever. We can not successfully create this community vision alone. We are striving to create something larger than we are to call in those who need this too. Like a beacon. A lighthouse.

We are taking a significant risk, and we are trusting that through this commitment to creating a safe space to nourish and support ourselves, and invite others to join us on this unscripted journey, that we will, in turn, be supported. 

Ok that's the last one. For now. 

Sometimes the universe knows just the right amount of push-risk-challenge-gift-adventure-magic to throw across our path. Scary. Exciting. Terrifying. Exciting. Crazy. Exciting. What are we thinking?! Exciting. 

As I was writing that piece above, my father walked in to give me this piece of paper that he found in a pile of stuff he was sorting through in his office. It's an email that I forwarded to him almost exactly 3 years ago, to share with him a pivotal moment in my life. I faced one of my biggest fears: public speaking. I commited to speaking about being a Highly Sensitive Human to a packed community hall of 60 people. I was invited to speak to the group and I resisted so hard but the elder couple who invited me would not take no for an answer. Thank goodness. I had no idea where to even start. However, once I finally commited, I just woke up one day and the information literally downloaded through me and I turned it into a visual presentation using PRESI. The presentation went so well that I could barely wrap my mind around it. The next day, I received this beautiful note from the host:

It has made me wonder why I am not still sharing this information with the world. I know that there are many, many people struggling to make sense of a world that feels overwhelmingly complex and intense.  People are seeking truth and striving to find purpose and meaning in everyday existence. Some are so crippled by the pressure that they can barely function (Been there. Many times.) If you're one of the many, have faith. Together we can encourage and support our sensitive siblings to rise up to this occasion of our incredible evolution on this planet. Reach out.  Do not hide your gifts. Do not stay small. We all need you. 

(Oops. I just found this and it kinda fit here perfectly.)

I don't have the answers for each individual person and their unique set of challenges and circumstances. That has become deeply evident to me and has been a very tough thing to accept. What I do have is a deep sense that everything is perfectly in order, for all of us, as chaotic as things may appear on the outside. 

On the inside, I know that all is well and that if I keep listening to that calm and grounded inner teacher, and just breathe, take one step...and then another...

Eventually, someday, I will return to the point where I began this wild journey, and hopefully I have some good stories to share with you along the way. 

Oh. And PS. EXTRA sleep is something I have also felt the need for lately. The earlier nights of autumn are bringing earlier tiredness. And many people have been sharing about their extra need for resting. I feel the energetics are really taking a toll on people all over. Some are aware of it and some are not. It seems like the springs keep winding tighter for humanity. Like many people are metaphorically (and some literally) holding their breath in anticipation of what is unfolding on earth...give yourself the nurturing and kindness that you need to be ok in each moment.

Join us at our Mexico Retreats in 2018:

https://www.oneworldwellness.info/2018-mexico-retreats

Here is our Cacao Connection website:

https://www.cacaoconnection.info/

And our New for 2017 YouTube channel:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ie8PWipmYmw

Can We Get Back to Basics?

A babbling brook flows lazily past us as we lounge in the humid August heat of rural Pennsylvania. 

The sycamore trees are incredibly tall and chunks of their bark are dropping all around making rustling sounds in the forest. The sprawling top limbs of the trees look all smooth and whitish, while the trunks remain gray and covered in bark. The first signs of autumn are showing as the occasional yellowed leaf flutters to the ground in the breeze.

We are spending another two weeks of fun and learning with my nephew. He's approaching 11 years old and would happily spend all day, every day in nature. He repeatedly requests to hang out at "a body of water". He brings his little net and hunts fish, frogs, crayfish and anything else that crawls or swims. (Like a carbon copy of myself when I was a wee kiddo.)

The last time I was here at this stream with Tanner, about 3 weeks ago, a woman appeared with her dog and she was wearing a black tank top with bold, white lettering that said "GO FOR IT". We said hello and told her we really liked her shirt. She said thanks, and said that she normally doesn't venture into the forest and to the stream alone, but today she decided to break out of her normal routine and go out adventuring solo with her pup. She said that shirt gave her the push to just do it. 

In our culture, most of us are taught to play it safe. Stick to what we know. Follow the formula that is already tried and true. Think inside the box. Don't venture outside what is comfortable and familiar. Fear the unknown. Blend in with the herd. Etc. Etc. 

Well, that's not how we have been living for the last 4 years (probably longer, really?) and we needed a reminder on that day to keep on keeping on being  ourselves. Her shirt was just perfect!

Interesting state motto. It was worth stopping for.

We had been feeling a bit frustrated about the lack of forward momentum in our realities and felt a bit confused about what our next step might be. 

We inquired about residency at the yoga ashram and never received a response. We both also applied for work there and no follow through came from that either. We found that all to be fairly bizarre and not to mention, quite unprofessional, so we finally decided that it was not our destination and it felt like an energy drain for us both to keep pushing. We aren't meant  to be a part of that organization right now and that is A-OK. When one door closes, we have to be awake enough to recognize the other doors when they open. 

I will speak for myself in saying that my trust and patience in the universe were really stretched to the supa-dupa max over the last month. I found myself wondering what the heck we were doing in this part of the world and where we could be headed, if not for there to continue studying yoga? New ideas and scenarios presented themselves, but each new trail of breadcrumbs kept leading us into a wall. Hmmmmm...

We have had a handful of mini-redirects from the adjustment bureau of the universe. One week, Tanner had a high fever and headache for several days, which was fairly limiting for him. Time for resting and resetting. In addition, our car has been acting funny on occasion, sending messages and warning lights that make no sense to us. Mechanics can't even seem to figure out that issue. At least she drives fine, inspite of that. 

My thoughtful younger sister gifted us birthday tickets to see Nahko and Medicine for the People on the waterfront in Boston a few weeks ago. That was quite an adventure. Apparently, marijuana is legal in Massachusetts now. I have never been in such a huge cloud of pot smoke in my life. MFTP were an opening act and there was also a reggae band from the Caribbean and they were encouraging the crowd to light up their weed, eh Mon. The music was great, as always, but the east coast crowd just didn't have the buzz and enthusiasm that the west coast crowd has for Nahko's messages. Hopefully soon their inspiring message spreads eastward. Optimism and unity are needed here (and everywhere) as far as I can tell. 

 We headed northwest to Vermont to visit our long-time pals in their new abode. We stayed for about 10 days. Tanner helped out with installing some new flooring and I mostly helped with cooking,  tidying and prepping some details for their upcoming wedding. 

Part of the intention of our mobile lifestyle has been about having the flexibility to support various family and friends in many locations and all stages of life. We are now approaching a point where we are just about ready to move on to a place where we can spend some time nurturing ourselves. What an idea! Constant travel and immersion into other people's worlds can take a toll on mind, diet, exercise and routines. Everyone needs a time out here and there to reset and rejuvenate.

Through our travels it has become more and more clear how our current societal model strives to train, direct and then trap each generation into striving for the "American / Canadian Dream".  (It's pretty much the same formula in both countries.) In general, it seems that most people that we know are less than happy and less than healthy. This is no accident. It's appears that it's all part of a master plan to create a society of cheap labor and mindless slavery to keep the wheels of growth and progress turning smoothly. Because after all, that's what really matters, right? Or does it? Someone is laughing behind the scenes of the grandest puppet show. Buy stuff, borrow money, work a lot, pay a lot, consume more, climb the success ladder, repeat. 

Who's idea was this anyway?! Why aren't we finding an alternative to the collective madness? Does anyone else feel like this is simply crazy?

Stress is so prevalent everywhere that it seems as though it's draping thickly over this part of the planet like a blanket of stupefying smog. Many folks are hardly keeping it together and barely making ends meet. When you aren't in it, it's very apparent. It's always easier to see from the outside looking in. You must step off of the wheel, even briefly, to see what I am seeing. It's not pretty.

Perhaps, I'm reflecting, just maybe, it's time to stop and question a few things? Such as: Why are we all here on earth in this amazing time of unmatched technology (and constant information influx) and how can we use it to our advantage? What do we actually need to live fulfilling and joyful lives? How can we begin to make that a reality? 

Best answer: We've gotta just get back to basics. It's time for a reality reset. It's the only thing that makes any sense right now. 

There seems to be too much fogginess, fluff and distraction for most of us to think and operate with any amount of consistent clarity. It's like a zombie nation everywhere we look. Smart phones and television. Alarmist news headlines and scare tactics. I feel like we are the weird ones most of the time because we are among the minority who are actually aware of the traps that most of our society has accepted. I feel so aware that it can be extremely lonely, frustrating and often deeply disturbing to try to communicate or make any progress with the rest of our brothers and sisters. 

Let's help each other to bust out of this insane pattern. It just doesn't have to be this way. It's not necessarily simple to make the changes, but with persistence, and baby steps, life can be better. We can choose to put time and effort into a joyful existence or we can put the same time and effort into maintaining a chaotic and exhausting existence. We each have choices.

The two of us have done some deep, deeeeep digging and we have concluded that it's time for us to share some of what we know in a retreat setting- away from familiar distractions and societal standards. We have thrown the idea around in the background for a couple of years and we are finally ready to GO FOR IT...

***Early 2018 in Mexico. Stay tuned for more details this fall. Mexico is calling. Can you hear it? It's sounds like coconuts and crashing waves. Mmmmmm.

Are You Breathing? REALLY breathing?

I painted this sign outside of a hostel in Mexico two and a half years ago. It was the first time someone asked me to instruct yoga classes.

If I was a cell phone, my energetic battery would be at the thin red line just before it shuts itself down. 

My inspiration battery would be at least 100% though. Possibly ready to recharge other batteries!

I have never ever been so inspired and so exhausted simultaneously. I am feeling like I can barely walk around without feeling totally tired. Which is why I'm curled up in a plush chair in the tea lounge. It's our final evening of the yoga teacher training. The emotions are big and there is an air of sadness because we are all parting ways tomorrow. My mind is also so expanded that I feel like I am dreaming.

2017 Himalayan Institute 200-hour YTT class. Photo by HI staff- thank you!!!

Today we each took a turn instructing the entire class. It was deeply moving to witness the massive transformations that have taken place for all of us. I had to get a pile of Kleenex to make it through the morning. A good cry can be so nurturing and helps to release deeply held emotions. (Except it often messes with my nasal breathing when my sinuses get all puffy.) 

My ability to breathe has never been so amazing. I had the realization during this course that I have not been breathing correctly for nearly 35 years! Shocking, right?! Tell me about it. We have been practicing breath training daily. One tool that is a miracle worker (if you're open to practicing) is called a breath pillow. It's a cloth sand-filled bag shaped like a crescent moon, between 7-10 lbs. It's weight, when placed on the abdomen just below the rib cage, for only a few minutes each day, allows one to feel the diaphragm pressing into the abdomen to expand the chest cavity, therefore supplying the body with the maximum amount of nourishing breath and strengthening the diaphragm. I was definitely not doing this my WHOLE life. It was a very tricky process to convince my unconscious memory and my cellular memory to allow my diaphragm to release its decades-long grip. When it finally happened, it was like coming up for air after being held just beneath the surface of the water for far too long. I was lying in bed ready to sleep when I felt it (after just a week!) On my back, I took the deepest breath I have ever taken. I got so excited. I said to Tanner "I feel like I have whale lungs!!!" I have been sleeping so much better, too.

Now, the trick is to continue maintaining this openness and continuing to strengthen that mysterious muscle called the diaphragm that helps to keep us alive and thriving. 

There she is. The beautiful diaphragm. 

I had a day two weeks ago where I traced my whole life backwards. I had asked myself how it is that I am here right now. As I traced back all of people and events that lead me here to finally become a certified yoga teacher, my heart swelled with heaps of gratitude. I have been blessed with so many supportive friends and acquaintances. I have been walking (fairly) steadily down a path of deepening spiritual realms. It continues to deepen with each leap of faith and each excavation and examination of my own inner world. 

May we all consider exploring deep within ourselves to shift our collective experience as humanity. As the peace of our inner worlds expands, our outer worlds become filled with more love and joy. Who doesn't long for that? 

The next steps for us are a) completing our required teaching hours and b) completing our 30-day meditation journals. Then our certifications will be official. We hope to be sharing the magic of yoga with the world before very long. Where? That part remains unclear, but time reveals all. 

A nourishing nature break from yoga school by a babbling Pennsylvania brook. Ahhhhhh....

Hearts Know No Distance

Maple Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

It's dawn on Kootenay Lake in Nelson, British Columbia. What a gorgeous place on this planet. The ravens are plentiful around our campsite and have been belting out a wide variety of songs to each other. I have been awake since 3am (3 hours now). This is not typical for me. I am normally a pro sleeper. The nocturnal munching of mice on the other side of the thin, vinyl tent from my pillow was what kept me awake at first. Then a very nearby train with a persistent whistle. Now the morning traffic has also begun. The world here is buzzing and in action like the springtime pollinators. 

The sunset view across the Georgia Strait on our way to Vancouver. Another ferry headed to the islands.

I am letting the reality sink in that we left our home of Vancouver Island and all of the amazing people there. In a way, I wish I could have brought them all with me. Realistically though, I know we are all on our own unique journeys and that hearts know no distance. 

 

It's been a very full and transformational month for us and this blog post has been slowly coming forth through it all. 

Photo by Roxanne Wood. Thanks Roxanne!!! Xo

I want to mention an incredible gathering of amazing women that took place on earth day, April 22nd, in Saanich on Vancouver Island. My sweet friend and magical musician, Astaria, and myself gathered with these ladies and shared a beautiful day of heart connection and earth connection. 

In less than a week after listing her for sale, we sold our sweet motorhome to an amazing retired couple. They intend to take her to the Yukon way up north and also down to Mexico. Our kind of people, indeed. 

"I Believe in the Good Things Coming"-Nahko Bear

On the day we sold our little home on wheels, we packed up our trusty old Jetta with our belongings, except what wouldn't fit in that first car load, which was probably stuff we didn't need anyway. 

We also sold both of our bicycles. We sold our garden rototiller and a few other odds and ends too. We sold the dehumidifier that we had purchased to keep our RV dry through the wet winter months to a man who was raising his two kids in a school bus that was converted into a long, homey RV. Humans and their life adventures are so amazing.

We also decided to search last minute for a larger and more economical vehicle. Our 2003 VW Jetta was amazing and yet she was really showing her age and the 300,000+ kms that we put on her.  We bid on a green 2008 Ford Escape hybrid and got her for an incredible price. She needed a bit if aesthetic TLC, but she is worth it. Tanner suitably named her the Green Goddess. Bye-bye Blue Billy Goat (Jetta's name after trekking through the Mexican and Guatemalan mountains).  Welcome to the One World Wellness team, Green Goddess! You're in for some fun times!

We stayed temporarily at the home of a dear friend on Vancouver Island for the last two weeks while we tied up all loose ends so that we could make a clean departure toward the east coast. Sold a final few items and donated about 7 liquor boxes full of things and stuff we didn't need to carry on with life. Refreshing!!!

We co-hosted a cacao ceremony in North Vancouver at a beautiful venue and said farewell to our shining soul sister, Astaria. We know we will meet again before too long!

We then travelled to Harrison Hot Springs and co-facilitated a beautiful small ceremony with two sound healers (among many other titles) who had an amazing collection of crystal bowls and a crystal lyre, crystal pyramid, chimes, tuning forks, gongs and more. It was sensational. We normally contribute during a sound journey at our ceremonies with the small collection of instruments that we own. This time though, we both laid back and simply soaked up the sound journey vibrations. What a beautiful gift. Learning to receive is something I have been working on for my whole life: material gifts, compliments, nurturing, etc. 

We have just received invitations to Hawaii and Australia for the fall and winter to share our cacao ceremonies. Time will tell which direction we travel...at this point we can only guess. It all sounds great to us! It's all possible because we have taken many small steps to reduce our needs and our ties to any material limitations. Every little thing we own is with us in our vehicle. It's a truly remarkable feeling of freedom. 

I am already missing the fresh stinging nettle soup that we enjoy this time of year on Vancouver Island. We picked and ate so much nettle in April. There is nothing like the green nourishing energy of a big bowl of nettle soup. It has so many physical benefits (google it). We enjoyed our last jar on the ferry from Vancouver Island to Vancouver. 

Enjoying nettle soup while waiting for the ferry. 

Wrapping up this blog blurb, I'm at a little coffee shop in rural Alberta that I used to frequent when I lived here. (I sometimes start a blog in one place and then finish it wherever I can). 

We are facing an interesting reality that Albertans, in general, are not nearly as receptive to cacao ceremonies as British Columbians are.  We are supposed to host two ceremonies this weekend and neither has garnered much commitment from guests, so we may postpone them to a much later date. All we can do is try.

A blurry and dark glimpse of the sound journey at one of our cacao ceremonies. 

It's my mama's 69th birthday today! She was diagnosed with breast cancer over 10 years ago and I did not think that she would be here to celebrate approaching 70 years! Life is truly amazing. With the combination of poor cell phone reception and no wifi on her end, I have both called and texted her today with no luck of hearing her voice yet. I did leave her a voicemail. There are still a few hours left in the day, so hopefully we will connect. Technology remains a baffling mystery to me...it both enables us and limits us in mysterious ways.

Happy Birthday Mama! We are headed your way...it won't be long and then we can have a real hug.

That's my sweet sweet mama, Linda xoxo

Ps. This song is AMAZING!!! I played it for friends last night and they said it sounds like the One World Wellness theme song. Haha!! And so it is.

https://mamuse.bandcamp.com/track/welcome

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. 

A Pinch of Magic

It's been just over a year since I began creating these crystal and gemstone headbands. In 2016, I created and sold over 100 of them to awakening seekers. Open Arise Creations has had a great first year and although I do not intend to pursue this as a full-time "career" in 2017, more of a fun, supportive hobby, I look forward to bringing smiles to some crystal lovers worldwide!

Here is the etsy shop link to browse the Open Arise Creations on Etsy

Also, I am thrilled to say that we just acquired our first ever retail location in BC! Woohoo! Spreading the beauty and the magic!

Photo of Kristin on Mushroom by Kim Yanick Portraits 

(more amazing work on FB here: Kim Yanick Portraits )

We both began the new year with a month of micro-dosing with psilocybin mushrooms. After our incredible experiences using larger doses in a ceremonial way last fall, we then did some reading about micro-dosing to shift one's overall perspective on life. Well, in the way we tend to do, we needed to try it for ourselves to know if it was a viable protocol to suggest to others. We regularly took a tiny amount of the magic, not enough to feel much, but in the way medicinal ingredients work, the experience was just...a hint different. The end result? We are still ourselves. No huge notable shifts. Still both mostly optimistic. Still both forging our own unique paths in the world. Still busy as ever with all kinds of interesting things. Still unsure or the purpose of life. Overall, we are happy and taking life moment by moment and day by day. It works for us! We continue to be amazed by the plants/fungi!

On the topic of medicinal things, we are excited to have a CACAO supply again! Tanner's mom, Cori, has returned to Vancouver Island with a heap of the good stuff after her journey to Mexico and Guatemala. 

Tanner and I will offer our first cacao ceremony of 2017 next weekend. We are in the midst of organizing a spring series of collaborative ceremonies with some sound healer friends. It's going to be so lovely! Here is our cacao ceremony page: Cacao Ceremonies by Cacao Connection!

Also, for your viewing/listening pleasure, here are new episodes #7 and #8 of Walking the Path. It's a series of conversations between myself and our lovely pal and intuitive spirit magician, Christine Yole. We discuss things like "what is my purpose?" and "getting into the flow of life" or "conscious communication". You know, stuff like that. Check it out if you feel inspired to hear our thoughts and experiences. We have a lot of fun recording these: Walking the Path: With Kristin and Christine!

I have begun studying my required reading list for the yoga teacher training program in June. Excellent stuff! Mind expanding content galore and so much beauty and truth within these pages. I am loving it. Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita, anatomy and more. Yum.

Where is my challenge lately? Social media. I'm being totally honest here. As always. I do not feel good about the entire concept. I am at a total loss for finding a marketing alternative that reaches as many humans. I'm wowed at how programmed humanity has become to rely on these things.

As each week passes by, I hear more and more people of all ages sharing their woes about the weird stuff happening through social media. I am thrilled, THRILLED, to be not using Facebook anymore for personal socialization, entertainment or things that aren't serving my ultimate wellbeing. The amount of true connection time with friends and loved ones has increased significantly. And so have my mental clarity and energy levels. I feel freer!! 

We just Skyped with a sweet young guy friend of ours who is far away from us tonight. He shared his experience of his first month of being Facebook-free.  He was bubbling with joy and said he is totally focused on his own life, not on what everyone else is up to. He is present for what life is showing to him each moment. He has been cooking more and socializing and doing what he loves. He said he feels freedom and peace of mind. 

Yes!!!! It IS possible. And he didn't go missing off the face of the earth. He's still himself. A more complete and present version, too! He reached out to us and asked for a Skype so we could laugh together and share good stories and remind each other that we love one another. That is the true heart of life, right?

Astaria Light, bright light sound healer at Light of Sound, and myself, sharing our booth at a wellness fair in Victoria, BC last weekend.

Footloose and Facebook Free

Today is the last day of the liver cleanse which I followed in this first week of 2017. It was a perfect alignment that it arrived in the mail just in time to be a "New Year's cleanse". In mid-December, I experienced several evenings with a mild, dull pain under my right rib cage. The final evening that I felt it coming on, it escalated to a full-blown gall bladder attack. My best guess is that I had a hefty gall stone that was trying to pass through a tiny duct, and it felt like a miniature taste of what childbirth may be like (am I yet to experience this). I went in and out of being able to move or speak properly because of the level of pain that came when waves of contracting organs were literally squeezing me. It was one of the times I can most relate to an out-of-body experience.

It was so unpleasant that I knew I needed a full liver detox to do my best to flush out any other unwanted toxins or tidbits. So if you're feeling like your liver needs some lovin', visit Global Healing Center's online store and order yourself up a liver cleanse kit (actually, I just went to the site and it's out of stock... a lot of liver lovin' is happening apparently...but they have a spot where you can leave your contact to be informed when it's back in stock!). It requires minimizing food intake to particular fruits and veggies (and a few nuts) for 5 days and a very structured daily routine of drinking some potions too. Oh, and a lot of toilet paper. A lot. Like, buy some shares.

I quit Facebook!  It feels sooooo good. I feel free and happy and connected to real humans more than I have in a loooong time. I am focusing more on Me and the people who are right here in my community. For those loved ones far away...we have phones. Skyping. Letters in the mail. Emails. Photo albums. In-person reunions. That's what my 2017 will be full of. This week has been loaded with many of these already. Yahoo!

I closed my Facebook account on January first. Then we decided to have a movie night, which we don't do often. We chose to watch Snowden. We knew little of what it was about. Wow. Was it ever relevant! If you aren't familiar with who Ed Snowden is, he is a former CIA agent who leaked info about the lack of privacy around our information that we all share on computers, email, social media and cell phones. It is a real eye-opener. Make it your next movie night and be ready to learn a lot. We sure did. (The government may be flagging this blog right now. *shiver* Oh well. Maybe they will learn something new by reading it?) Click here for the link to the movie trailer.

We rang in the new year with a plant medicine journey around a campfire under a starry winter sky. It was perfect and relaxed. It reminded me to have fun and take time to laugh and enjoy the simple things: the hidden bits of magic and the special souls who weave their way through our lives. 

Our lovely friend, Christine, and myself have recorded a handful of episodes of our consciousness-themed chat show that we call "Walking the Path".  Each episode, we select a topic and then press record. We completely wing it each time and it's so much fun. I am really excited to share this one with you. It's my favorite so far. They all have nuggets of good info and wisdom in them. I even feel like I learn a whole lot from them!

Speaking of wisdom, I am into a few amazing books this week. Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Dr. Christiane Northrup. It's brilliant, and even though it's from 1998 it is highly relevant now (with some outdated details). She weaves together science, physiology, spirituality and reality in a beautiful way. Very vulnerable and real. 

I was recently given a vintage pocket-sized copy of The Prophet by Khalil Gibran. The first time I read this gem was in 2011. A friend offered it to me when I was wading through some very rough tides. It blew my mind and heart wide open. His poetry is magical love alchemy on paper. I can't wait to dive in again!!!

Lastly, but not least, I will re-mention the Gene Keys book and evolution system. It continues to excite me and helps me to focus on the divine essences of many people, including myself. 

www.genekeys.com  You can learn more about it, and get your free gene keys profile here.

I have been accepted into a summer yoga teacher training program in my Pennsylvanian hometown, at the Himalayan Institute. I am so excited for this opportunity!!!  It's been a long time coming (13 years to be exact). Ommmmm sweet Ommmmmm. 

Ps. This is a must see clip - partly humorous... but mostly how I see social media. Thanks friend, for passing this along!