Tamaulipas to Yucatan

Our car got the royal VW treatment in Puebla, the VW capital of Mexico, where she was built over a decade ago. She got a new thermostat, a new heat sensor and a new water pump, all installed for about $250, Canadian. We were so grateful for our limited Spanish skills and the limited English skills of the mechanic shop manager. Plus, just before we crossed into Mexico, we purchased a Spanish-English which has been a lifesaver! 

While our car was in the shop, we had time to explore the historic city center of Puebla. We went to the Iglesia de Santo Domingo and the Rosary Chapel. Neither of us are church-goers, but these buildings were breathtakingly beautiful. The details inside and out were astonishing. We happened to be in el centro on a Sunday, the Sunday after Christmas, so we had to squeeze in for a look between the 6 masses. 

After the churches, we went to an outdoor cafe for some lunch. There were two amigos playing marimba, a beautiful, carved wooden xylophone-type instrument, for the patrons. While we waited for a table, a teen girl and her family approached us and asked en Espanol if we would pose for a photo with her. We laughed and said of course. Then later that afternoon, we sat in the setting sun in the courtyard of the Cathedral de Puebla. Two ladies approached us and asked if they could each take a turn sitting with us for a photo. We agreed and thought it was so funny that this happened twice in one afternoon. Are we that strange?!

There was lots of celebrating in the square and thousands of people swarmed around the downtown. Lots of characters in costumes like Disney World posed for photos. There was even a "snow box" like a sand box, for the kids to play in. There was also an ice skating rink and a climbing wall, all set up for the festivities. We walked the streets that evening and looked at all of the vendor booths selling everything from soda to bananas to meats and cheeses to cooked meals, to toys and clothing and pottery-and everything else you could imagine. It was extreme stimulation to every one of the senses! We came across a beautiful yellow church and walked in to explore the courtyard. There were niñas chasing pigeons and laughing together... and the colors in Mexico are so perfect for beautiful photos. 

We departed Puebla the next day and headed east toward Villahermosa. We drove over winding mountain passes that were covered in lush jungle. We came to an area where at every overpass on the highway, there was a vendor selling fresh piña juice. After we passed a few, we decided to indulge. We bought one liter for $2 from an elderly señor. After we tasted how insanely delicious it was, we stopped at a second vendor and bought two more. There was a whole family selling together at this stand. The two little girls were so adorable and were showing off their dolly and posing for photos. 

Something we have noticed about Mexico is that as a traveller, you will never go for more than a few minutes without being offered food and drink. At every toll booth and bridge and at all of the tope speed bumps, there are vendors selling snacks and juices. It's a good idea to keep some pesos in your car's ashtray or console in case you are hungry or thirsty on the road. We enjoyed some platanos fritos, or fried plantain chips, on several occasions. Mmmmmm!

We arrived in Villahermosa after dark and there was major highway construction so it was very dusty. The air was also thick with smoke from fire nearby. We pulled into an auto motel. I had never heard of such a thing. We slept upstairs in a hotel room and our car slept below us in a private garage. It was a very bizarre place and it was so loud there all night that if we had better Spanish skills, we would have asked for a refund. Luckily, it was inexpensive!

The next morning we exited Villahermosa and headed for our first destination, Merida, in the state of Yucatan. We enjoyed our 7-hour drive up the gulf side of the peninsula. There were hundreds of various ocean birds floating along beside us. We passed many pescadores selling their morning fish catch on the sides of the roads. There was even one man selling turtles on a stick. Poor little guys. At one point, we passed a small herd of camels grazing on the side of the road. Unexpected, but not that surprising. We passed through several small pueblos and the locals had so many decorations out for the holidays. Christmas lights, trees, nativity scenes, Virgin Mary shrines and old man mannequin-scarecrows that people created to represent the old year that passed. We were told that at midnight on New Year's Eve, they light TNT and fireworks and explode and burn them to represent letting go of the old year and welcoming in the new.  

We approached Merida as it was getting dark and we got a bit lost. We stopped at two different OXXO shops, which are an equivalent to 7-eleven at gas stations. We bought a map and it took 6 of us to figure out how to get where we needed to be. Two employees, two patrons and us. It was quite a scene. The Mexican people are so hospitable and helpful. We finally made it to Ciudad Caucel in Merida. We arrived at the home of our friends and we were pooped. It is so much hotter and more humid on the peninsula than up in the northern half of Mexico that we sweat while doing nothing at all.

I'll stop there for now. I have lots more to share but I'm exhausted from the New Years celebrations. Buenas noches mi amigos.

Xoxo

Mexican Adventure: Numero Uno

Dried chiles at the mercado. 

We have only been in Mexico for three days and I already have so much to write! What an amazing culture! We are "stranded" for a few days without our car in Puebla, a large city in central Mexico, about an hour and a half southeast of Mexico City. Let me tell you about how we got here...and why we are stranded.

On Christmas Eve, we slept at a charming old hotel in Laredo, Texas that was right on the river that divides Texas and Mexico. It was literally right next to the two border crossing bridges. There were loud fireworks all night long. A little preview of the loud and celebratory Mexican culture to come...

We awoke early and headed to the border bridge around 7:30 am. We had lots of paperwork and passports and photocopied documents. We approached the booths in our car and no one was manning them. It was vacant. We had a green light so we just drove through. "Is that it?" We said to each other.  We were in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and it was desolate. On Christmas morning everything was closed up tight. We knew we needed visitor visas, but where to get them? We drove around for a while looking for signs that said anything about visas. We gave some change to a woman in a wheelchair who was missing a leg. We finally stopped back at another border crossing bridge and asked for help. In broken English a man pointed us in the right direction. 

We arrived in a huge parking lot that was jammed full of cars. We parked and walked inside a large building to find many hundreds of people in a giant, winding line waiting to get vehicle import permits (which we ordered online ahead of time, THANK GOODNESS). We had planned out our day and had a couchsurfing host, kind enough to host us on Christmas, awaiting our arrival that evening, 8 hours south. The lineup would have taken hours! I made some comment when the line moved a little and a man in front of us said something in English to us. We were pleasantly surprised because we were certainly the only gringos in the whole place. He said that a police officer was just there and had taken a group to the second border crossing office just to get visitor visas, which is what we needed. So we got in our car and found the tiny office just down the street. We had our visas in 20 minutes. Back on the road.

We had read that there was a second border check-stop about 25 km into Mexico on the toll road. So we had all of our paperwork in order and as we approached this second check stop plaza, the only other human at the whole place was a man selling bread at a table. There was just some tumbleweed blowing around. So we slowly drove through in amazement at how little border control there was. Was it just because it was Christmas? 

By the third time we stopped to use a washroom that morning, I realized that toilet paper is a valuable commodity in any public place. At the first visa office, where there were hundreds of people, I went to use the washroom and there was a communal roll of TP and it was empty. None of the stalls even had a paper holder. None of the toilets had seats either. Very different. So I learned quickly to keep a roll in our car. At many of the gas stations and rest stops, there are locals selling squares of paper for a few pesos.

The quality of the toll highways in Mexico is surprisingly better than most highways in the USA and Canada... Except for a few things: Sudden intermittent giant potholes. Herds of goats. Overly-brave pedestrians. Stray dogs. Horses and donkeys grazing in the median.  Many police and military vehicles with men standing up in the back holding large guns. 

At the toll booths there are soldiers with guns. The speed limit can say anything, but people still go insanely fast no matter what. 120km/hr seems to be the minimum speed of highway driving, with plenty of people zooming past at much, much faster speeds.

Every kilometer or so, there is a little booth on the side of the road selling grilled meats. There are also men with lots of car tires and car parts everywhere down the highway. The rainbow colors of the mostly abandoned buildings and small homes are so beautiful against the brownish landscape in the northern part of Mexico. Many casas had black plastic tanks on the roof for solar hot water.

We drove about 8 hours south on Christmas to a city called San Luis Potosí. We attempted to contact our Couchsurfing host, but my Canadian phone couldn't call her phone. So I bought a prepaid Mexican calling card for use in special pay phones only. That didn't get through to her either. We wanted to arrive at her place before dark so we bought a real map. We found her home around 5pm, and knocked. No answer. We left a nice note in the door with our phone number and drove to find a restaurant and had supper. Still no call. We were advised by many to not travel around after dark. So we sat in a Starbucks at a fancy hotel and waited. Finally at 9pm Alejandra called us. She was the best CS host we have had yet. Her whole family was so kind and they all spoke great English which was very welcoming.

She cooked us some Mexican snacks that night and we had a great chat. In the morning, I awoke to the window next to my bed rattling from the 6am fireworks and mucho celebrating. We had an excellent Mexican breakfast together.  They have invited us to come back and stay for a few days on our return trip. They know of a brujo, or a witch doctor that is supposed to be an amazing healer and they want to go find him with us. Sounds pretty exciting!

On day two, we got a late start. We enjoyed talking with Alejandra and her mama so much that we lost track of time. We drove to a city called Queretaro and somehow missed a sign and ended up downtown in traffic for a while. It was beautiful. Amazing colors. 

We found our way out and then approaching Mexico City, we missed another turn that would have taken us way outside of the perimeter of the city limits. Instead we drove along the outskirts. We have never seen anything like it. Millions of shanties that looked barely livable. The smell in the air was of sewage. Just driving past for a half hour, I had a sore throat and nose from the poor air quality. There are upwards of 20 million people there. Wow. 

We continued of drive and as we exited the Mexico City area, the traffic got very congested and while we sat waiting to pay a toll, we spotted a cloud of ash puffing out of the top of one of the massive volcanoes, Popocatépetl. I have photos on my camera. I will have to post one later. 

We raced up the mountain passes and watched as dozens of cars were pulled over with their hoods up, engines smoking. I thought of how lucky we were that our little old Jetta was running so well after 5,000km of driving over the last 10 days. We approached the city of Puebla, which is home to North America's largest auto plant, Volkswagen, which is where our Jetta was built over a decade ago.  There is even a Volkswagen bank! All of the taxis and police cars are VW's in this city.

We sat in a creeping traffic jam for an hour just outside of the city limits. Darkness set in and as we finally drove into the city to find a hotel, our car overheated and the red temperature light came on and beeped. We had no idea where we were and it was getting late. We pulled over on the side of a city street where a police car was flashing and the officer was standing watch over the traffic and pedestrians. We asked him to lead us to a safe hotel. He smirked and said "YO???" (Me???). And shook his head no. I asked why not??? Then he asked us to open the hood of the car. A couple of minutes later, a friend of his happened to walk up and started fiddling with stuff under the hood. He was a mechanic and worked at a shop a few blocks away.  He told us to bring our car there in the morning. The police officer ended up leading us to a hotel where we hunkered down. It is a funky retro place right across from a huge bus terminal and mercado. Very loud people most of the night but it is safe and cozy. 

Morning. We take the Jetta to the mechanic. One man speaks a decent amount of English, which was helpful. Before we left Texas, we purchased a Spanish-English dictionary. Best purchase ever. They replaced the thermostat and the temperature sensor. It took several hours, and it was still overheating when they finished. They closed at 2pm today and won't be back for working until Monday morning.  They will put a new water pump in next and see if that solves the issue. So much for heading to our next destination. In the meantime, I knew I needed a Mexican phone. I went across the parking lot from the mechanic and noticed the we could now see the same huge volcano from the opposite side. It was letting out tiny puffs of ash from its snow-capped flat top in the hot sun. The ash coming off of that peak might explain why come people here are wearing surgical type masks. Breathing that in constantly could be hard on lungs. 

The young man, Oscar, working in the convenience store said he didn't sell a SIM card to fit my iPhone, but offered to walk us to the phone shop about 10 minutes away. He didn't speak English so it was a fun challenge. The phone shop was in the middle of a large mercado where there were people and stuff everywhere. So many smells, colors and loud noises! We would have never found it without his help. Just crossing the street was a huge challenge. The national slogan of Mexico could easily be "Welcome to Mexico. Anything goes!"

My favorite part of the mercado was the boxes of tiny puppies! We are resting in our hotel room after a very long day. Planning which sites to see over the next two days, since the universe has decided that this is where we are to remain for a while. 

Oh, also, we were the only gringos all day and the locals seem so amazed when they see us. We feel like celebrities. It's very strange! A few people stopped us and asked where we were from. Many people are staring and pointing and especially small kids are mesmerized when they see us. It's adorable. They wave at us from car windows and they especially love the huge blonde beard on my travel partner. I have nicknamed him Barba Grande. (Big Beard). 

Stay tuned for part two...adios for now. 

One People One Planet

I really struggle to wrap my mind around the idea that in 2014, racial variety is still an issue that some people haven't accepted as just a part of human evolution. Humans come in different shapes and colors with varied languages and traditions. Whaaaaat?! Yeah. It's been that way for a long, loooong time. 

I hear racist comments on a regular basis from all sorts of people. All ages, both genders, many races. It's not just against people of African descent either, as is currently so prominent in our media coverage. It's happening against Native and aboriginal people, Asian people, Latin people, Indian and Arab people and on and on...Basically, anyone who isn't white. But then again, we Caucasians are judged too. By religion, class, career, zip code and everything else in between, even amongst other Caucasians. Why are some humans so unaccepting of one another? It's pretty simple. Fear of what is different than ourselves.

Here's the thing. How did all of our current nationalities come into existence? Interbreeding, of course. The world didn't just appear suddenly with perfectly settled cultures across the entire globe eating sushi and pizza and tacos. It took many thousands of years for each unique culture to develop. We are still developing gradually, as evolution doesn't just stop.

I grew up with a racist father who still makes racist comments on a regular basis. It took me over 30 years to ask him to please keep his hurtful comments to himself. The reality is that it's all he knows and he doesn't see it as racism.

I clearly remember the day my dad called me up to tell me that, to his horror, my younger sister had an African-American boyfriend. I first felt angry at him for the judgement and ignorance. But then I decided to just keep listening. He said "If whites and blacks keep having children together, eventually, in a few generations everyone on the planet will look like Obama!" I laughed to myself and then answered "That sounds great. Obama is pretty good-looking!"

There was silence on the other end.

That conversation was about 4 years ago. Again, a few months ago, he was ranting about mixed races in our family. I felt so furious that I raised my voice (which I very rarely do) and said to him "I want you to listen to me and listen very carefully. I love you, but I will never, EVER agree with the words that are coming out of your mouth. So please do not even bother wasting both of our time on this topic." It stuck for a while, but seems to have worn off recently. I'm once again getting chain emails forwarded to my inbox that are totally offensive to me.

I was recently reminded of a comment that my former step-son made when he was 5 years old (He's almost 12 now). His hair and eyes are dark and his skin is slightly olive colored, as his father is Caucasian and his mother was from Colombia. We were driving in the car and from the back seat he was telling me that he got along really well with a boy in his class and that they were best pals (the boy was East Indian). I told him that sounded really nice and asked why he thought they were such good friends. He answered "obviously... because we are both pretty much brown people." I laughed and told him that I was glad that he had so many friends of all skin colors. He said "it doesn't matter to me about anyone's skin. They're all my friends." Yes! Well said child!

In a perfectly timely manner to me writing this post, I spoke to my dad on the phone today for much longer than our usual quick "hello and goodbye". Sure enough, the topic he brought up was racism. He said that my sister was up in arms about this "whole Ferguson thing" and that he doesn't see what the big deal is. I said "Dad. This is the straw that broke the camel's back. It's not just about this one incident. It just took this one incident to tip the scales." 

A year ago, while traveling in the US of A, we went to a movie theater (which is a very rare occurrence) to see 12 Years A Slave. It devastated me. I could hardly watch. I was sick to my stomach. I felt deep sadness and anguish for many weeks afterward. This abuse is still happening in marginally milder ways. Segregation, judgement, verbal and physical violence, inequalities, mistrust, racial profiling and more judgement.

Since moving to Vancouver Island, I have felt deep disturbance after I learned more about how the Canadian government has pushed the First Nations tribes around for generations. Until recently, I didn't quite understand the depth of the pain and suffering that has been (and is being) inflicted upon our native brothers and sisters. 

Our friend, who is a First Nations elder, has been an amazing mentor to us both. He is making huge efforts to heal and strengthen the connections between his people and the paler brothers and sisters. He hosts sweat lodges in ceremony for all of us to give thanks to our ancestors who came before us to pave the way for us to live here together today. It brings all of us closer and helps to wash away the old pain and bring in new, fresh energy. 

It has been so wonderful to begin to learn more about who came before us and how we all have the power to shift human relations for the better. With love in our hearts, we must view each other as the equals that we are. We are all one race. The human race. Therefore, racism against anyone is racism against ourselves.

The Road Less Traveled

Writing what my heart tells me to isn't always easy. I often blog about things that feel iffy or risky to discuss. I wonder what some people might think about the topics. I wonder if anyone actually cares what I think and feel. I wonder who is even reading this? Then I remember why I started this blog in the first place...For me.  "This above all, to thine own self be true." Shakespeare was so wise. All that matters is that we are being true to ourselves. It sounds easy enough. However, it can come with some hefty challenges, as I continue to discover. 

I have let go of several dear friends since I started this blog a year and a half ago. Not everyone is ready to read the things that I write. Some have made that very clear to me. It saddens me to have to move forward without those people in my life. Fortunately for all of us, there are 8+ billion humans in the neighborhood and I continue to connect with many people who jump at the chance to discuss the topics that I write about. These are the people who I write to support, so they know they are not alone. The ones who know that we are living in a world based on many false realities, far beyond what many of our minds can comprehend. Those who know that we are all far more powerful and intelligent than we are led to believe. Those who follow their own path and fly their own flag, albeit lonely at times, to remain true to themselves and not conform to the insane normalities that we call society. 

I applaud you all for standing in your power. It's not always rainbows and butterflies. It can feel like trudging through quicksand or like standing alone at the top of a tall mountain, overlooking the world and wishing that everyone could stop for just a moment and see what's really happening. 

Everywhere I go, nearly every time I leave the house and go mingle with the world, I connect with people. Like light bulbs clicking on. Like two Lego blocks fitting together. It is so wonderful and I am so grateful to have this gift. I know that there are thousands, if not millions of us loving compassionate earth angels out there, flitting around sprinkling peace and love dust everywhere we go.

I also have dark moments of sadness, loneliness and frustration at times. It is then that I remind myself of all of you out there who continue down the road less traveled. We give our time, knowledge and gifts to the world, knowing that for someone, somewhere that it's making a big difference. Remaining unattached to the outcome is the secret. 

Nearly 10,000 views on this site now...

I love you. All of you. Yes, I do. 

Open Your Heart with the Magic of Cacao

Whole Guatemalan Cacao Beans

I had no idea that the key ingredient to many people's sweet treat obsession could actually be so incredibly healing!  Cacao is the "raw" ingredient that is used to make chocolate.  In recent years, due to its high content of health-enhancing nutrients, it has been hailed as one of the "SUPER FOODS" and thus, its popularity has exploded.

However, what is not as widely known is that cacao actually has the ability to open our hearts to love and heal ourselves, and to strengthen connections with those around us. It gently guides us to see the truth of who we are and to guide us toward our higher calling. In our family, we also lovingly call it "truth serum". While under the magic spell of this beautiful brown bean, you simply cannot dishonor yourself. It seems to whisper to your heart. It's no secret why so many of us love chocolate. It induces a feeling of euphoria (especially the dark, rich, organic, fairly-traded stuff) that few other purely natural foods can create.  Imagine the feeling that savoring your favorite chocolate bar gives you and multiply that times a LOT!  This is what I feel when I drink a ceremonial dose of rich, flavorful, magical Guatemalan cacao medicine!

Cacao Truffles photo by Anaya Lea

In the past few months, I have attended a handful of these sacred healing Cacao Ceremonies, led by none other than my very special friend / unofficial-mother-in-law, Cori.  She has a beautiful gift with sharing her knowledge of plant medicines and music that when combined, creates a wonderfully warm and magical ceremonial experience. I have learned from her about the plant and it's healing properties. I have also realized how important it is for us to acknowledge the wisdom of all plants as our medicine and to thank the spirit of cacao for allowing us to work with it in such a pleasurable way.  Through the use of cacao, I have deepened my love for myself. I have deepened many friendships and exchanged laughter and tears with complete strangers over a cup of this heart-opening potion.

If the opportunity arises for you to participate in one of these ceremonies, I highly recommend it. There simply is no downside to a circle of loving human beings opening their hearts and sharing the joy of life and the love of chocolate while singing and laughing together! Muchas Gracias Cacao!

Chanting to the Spirit of Cacao photo by Anaya Lea

Clean Your Body, Clear Your Mind

We recently did our first 7-day fast. Sure, fasting is pretty common these days, even trendy. There are huge health benefits, which encompass mind, body and spirit. 

What about urine fasting? You may not know that urine therapy and urine fasting are ancient practices, dating back thousands of years in the Vedic texts of India.

Initially, when I was first introduced to the concept several years ago, my face cringed and my stomach did a backflip. After all, we are taught that urine is a waste product of the body, right? Wrong. Urine has tons of trace minerals and can have a very healing and therapeutic effect on our cells. There are documented cases of UT clearing up many serious illnesses.

Urine fasting is comprised of several parts. Capturing urine in a glass jar, and aging it for several days turns the pH from acidic to alkaline, increasing its healing properties. It is recommended that you massage the alkaline urine into your skin from head to toe. This action not only draws toxins from the skin, but it also results in softer, clearer skin. I especially noticed it on my face. The use of urine as a rinse in hair before shampooing leaves hair softer and shinier too. Sounds too gross or strange? You may be surprised to learn that derivatives of urine (from various critters) are common ingredients in many beauty products for their youth-enhancing, rejuvenating properties. (Personally, I would rather use my own urine.) Many leather conditioners also contain urea to soften and preserve the leather (aka skin). 

The second part is using urine packs, or cloths soaked in the aged urine, and placed for a length of time on any part of the body that needs extra healing and TLC. Organs, skin rashes, wounds, burns, etc., can benefit greatly from the sterile soaking in these packs. 

Urine can also be used to balance our hormones. Pregnant mare urine (PMU) is a main ingredient in medications used to balance hormones in menopausal women. 

In order to receive the full benefit of urine cleansing, drinking your urine is crucial. Consuming urine cleans out all aspects of our bodies. First the digestive tract, and then all of our cells get a flush. Urine fasting has also been used for deep detoxing purposes. I, myself, have been seeking relief from a candida overgrowth in my body for several long and uncomfortable years. I tried so many medicines (traditional Rx's and natural) as well as cleanses, diets, and various regimens to try to clear up the candida. So exhausting. After a week of UT, I am feeling better than I have in nearly a year.  When compared to the suffering I have faced in the last few years, drinking urine seems like a small price to pay.

We began and ended our fast with a couple of days of fresh-pressed organic juice from our bountiful garden harvest to ease our bodies into and out of the fast to and from a solid food diet.

We both kept detailed notes about how we felt, any changes, any discomforts etc. I made notes of the tricks that my mind kept trying to play on me. We both also dropped to body weights that we hadn't experienced since our teens. A fascinating side effect.

A few crucial notes if you are considering a urine fast:

1.  Drinking fresh water is important if you feel like you need extra hydrating. 

2.  Fast when you have a BLANK schedule. Any extra exertion is not recommended. Your body needs rest to fully cleanse and heal itself. 

3.  Listen to your body. If you are feeling any severe symptoms, ease back out of the fast very gently. 

4. Consider retreating to a place that isn't home so that you can completely relax and be present with the magic of fasting. 

Highly-Sensitive Humans: A Growing Tribe!

Do you resonate with the concept that many people are starving for meaningful, soul-level human connection?

Why are we lacking this connection? Could it be that we are not connected to ourselves?

Do you feel like you are "different"? 

Do you struggle to share your “bizarre experiences” with your friends and family? 

Are you afraid of being judged for your unique abilities?

I was too. Until NOW.

I have chosen to share this information to encourage all of us to learn to embrace ourselves and all of our unique gifts and to connect with one another on a deeper level to strengthen our relationships and to build community around the planet.

I have recently and excitedly become aware that after 30+ years of feeling like I was simply “weird”, that I belong to a group of humans that are highly-sensitive. If you can relate to this concept, you may be a part of this rapidly-growing demographic. 

Research is showing that approximately 20% of all humans are highly-sensitive, and the other 80% are likely not far behind…they just may not know it...yet! I believe that we are all sensitive to varying degrees, directly related to our individual level of self-awareness. It's a sliding scale.

Often, us Highly-Sensitive Humans ( I will refer to us as HSH's) struggle to feel comfortable in our fast-paced, highly-demanding, overly-stimulating society. Our minds and bodies are constantly picking up on subtle energies and messages from sources outside of ourselves. We might get a feeling that something is going to happen but struggle to explain ourselves. We question just about everything and we have the ability to see through the veil of false and misleading information that is bombarding our lives.

Here is a list that I made of common traits among HSH's that I have met throughout my life:

• High Level of Creativity
• Recharged by Time in Nature
• Aversion to Crowds
• Require Extra Personal Space
• Connection with Animals or Plants
• Soul Recognition
• “Super Senses”
• Above average "B.S." detector (I love this one. It was one that an audience member suggested that I add.  It's SO true.)
• Photographic Memory or Deja-Vu
• Powerful Lasting Dreams
• Need Decompression Timeouts
• Strong Desire to Connect to/Help Others
• Struggle with “Small Talk” and "Normal"
• Resistance to Authoritative Figures
• Tend to Avoid Media and News
• Absorb Emotions and Thoughts of Others
• Addictions: Drugs, Food, Sex, Gambling etc.to Distract and Numb High Sensitivities
• Dietary Super-Sensitivities (alcohol, caffeine, medications, certain food groups)
• Consciously-High Manifestation Rate
• Ability to Read Other People's Energy / Aura
• Mild Self-Mutilation (unconscious pulling hair, biting nails, scratching, teeth grinding, etc.)
• Anxious Tendencies / Sense of Urgency
• Concern for Social Justice and our Environment
• Affinity for Crystals, other Natural Phenomena

Sound familiar???

(Disclaimer: Some of these traits could be labeled as "symptoms" of mental disorders. I like to think that most of us aren't crazy and that we just don't understand ourselves or each other fully. There may be some that will need help from medical professionals.)

Modern society is training us to forget who we really are and where we come from, and with this, we unknowingly forfeit our unlimited wisdom and intelligence. Luckily, we are awakening as a species. Each day, collectively,we are more conscious, more sensitive and more powerful. Could this be a major sign that humanity is evolving to the next level?

With the loving encouragement of many wonderful HSH’s that I know, I am beginning to share what I have learned and continue to learn each day! I am passionate about guiding others to embrace these wonderful metaphysical gifts. I will be hosting several interactive talks in various communities across Vancouver Island (and beyond!) throughout the coming months. There will be monthly HSH Connection Circles in various communities across the island as well. These will be casual gatherings to both nurture ourselves and to connect with other sensitive people in our community. We will share our stories and experiences to encourage and support each other as fellow HSH’s.  I am also hosting full-day workshops that will focus on embracing our gifts, remaining balanced in this increasingly-chaotic world, and supporting one another as HSH’s.

I believe that it is a responsibility (and a really fun one) that those of us who are HSH's gently take the hands of others who are approaching this level of awareness and guide them in whatever way we can to keep going!

We, at One World Wellness are seeking to expand our travels this winter and to spread these messages far and wide.  If you know of an organization anywhere that may be interested in hosting such a talk or workshop, please pass on my contact information.  oneworldwellness@yahoo.com

PS. LIKE our Facebook page "One World Wellness" (the one in B.C. Canada) so you can follow our events and travels! Yippee!