What the #*@% are Humans Eating?!

Quick explanation:

We were in a grocery store. We were dumbfounded by all of the things called food that had hardly anything real in them! People are slowly beginning to make the connection between what goes into (and onto) their bodies and the state of their physical health and overall well being. Are you aware of what you're really consuming?

We were about to throw in the towel and leave when I spotted this packet of smoothie mix. The thing that made me laugh out loud was that it says to just add banana and blueberries. What??? Then what's in the packet? The ingredients were unpronounceable for the most part. Gross. At least it contains flax! The token real ingredient.

Read the labels. Read labels very closely. Natural flavors are NOT natural. And better yet...don't buy anything that has more than one ingredient. Whole, simple foods are what we thrive on! Enjoy this photo montage of chemical cocktails that your trusted family food store is selling to you... Those brands that many of us have come to love and trust.  I ended up in a fit of bewildered laughter and many people were walking past us wondering what was so funny. It's funny ...and extremely disturbing. 

This??? Who came up with this?

Yes. Chips that taste like food truck meat. How can this be possible? Why?

There were about 20 bottles on the shelf. ALL were pink. Lucky!!!!

Maybe rainbow candy will trick kids into eating this?

Get all of the artificial food dyes in one cheesecake!

If you want to have bulging eyes, add this stuff to your coffee. 

It must be healthy. It's gluten-free!

Wow. Ridiculously good Bags of Cash.  (Oh. And some potato chips too.)

Everything about this is so bizarre. Bacon already cooked in a box. (The display was sitting next to the bananas in the produce section.)

Bright green "pistachio" muffins. Anything green is good for us, right?

Orange cheese was too boring. Rainbow=better. Am I cringing?

Shampoo or drink mix?

 

Contains no milk? Huh? Lots of weird chemicals though. And protein!

Rainbow wall of "juices". Virtually no juice inside. Just sugar, flavors and colors. Bright colors.

This won the prize for hugest sack of snack. I was starting to get a little disoriented from holding all of these "food" bombs.

Then I was starting to really lose it here. Girl Scout cookie flavored coffee creamers. Why?! (Cameraman was laughing. Resulted in a bit of a blurry image.)

This put me over the edge. Full mind-blown scenario. On this one they actually tell you what may happen if you keep eating these. Who names their food product that??? I was having a laugh-cry here. Oh boy.

Check out the new book "The Dorito Effect" by Mark Schatzker. It's full of fascinating and eye (and mouth) opening information about why packaged food and beverages (and chain restaurants!) are so addictive. We thought we knew all about this topic, but we learned a lot more from this book. It has taken our food shopping skills to the next level.

Ok. Here's one last image we captured that gives us hope!!!! Yay for avocados!!!! That town must have been having a guacamole fiesta!!! Yum.

Ps. There was also this: One grocery store we went to was offering a 10% grocery discount if you allowed their pharmacy to inject you with the flu vaccine. Sweet deal!... Or is it???

Consider cleaning your fridge and cupboards out. 

Eat real food. 

Skip the vaccines.

That is just my humble opinion. 

Smiles for Miles

Reunion shenanigans. 

Tanner's family hosted a reunion last weekend (as they do every 2 years). This time it was at a campground in the foothills of the Rockies just outside of Calgary. We arrived in time to help set up and enjoy the sunny summer weather. My favorite thing about this reunion was that there was no cell phone service unless you hiked a few kilometers up a hill. This created a forced visiting scenario where people actually talked and laughed and got to know each other a little better (which is kind of the point of reunions!). 

Bath in the river at the reunion. 

We took hikes, had a group yoga class one morning, and bathed in the trickle-of-a-river a couple of times. Tanner and I were asked one question over and over and over again during the 4 days that we camped with the extended family tribe: "What are you doing next and where and when are you going to settle down?".  The first couple of times, I tried to formulate some sort of intelligent response and then when that still wasn't satisfactory for some folks, I decided to start responding with "I have no idea what's around the corner for us. Do any of us really know for sure? We don't know how much time we each have on earth, so we may as well live the life we dream of." That seemed to change the conversation back to politics or some other "normal" topic that was less unsettling for everyone. 

Some creative artwork someone in the family drew on the trunk. 

We ate a lot more than we normally do that weekend, and we were grateful that the organizers were kind enough to offer vegan options at all meals. We still indulged in some things that we normally don't, but regardless we had a lot of fun with aunts, uncles, siblings cousins and little nieces and nephews. We look forward to the next reunion in 2017. 

The day the reunion ended we began a week of mostly liquids to cleanse our digestive systems and bloodstreams of some of the excess stuff that we indulged in over that long weekend event. We have discovered how simple it is to consume liquids on the road. We enjoy lemon honey teas in the morning and many mornings we also have a dose of a warm cacao drink, which helps with the cleansing process. In the afternoons our favorite thing to have is coconut water. The stuff in containers isn't quite like what comes from a fresh coconut but some brands almost have it right. Yummy. 

Thrive Vegan Cafe 

We then returned to the West Coast and arrived on Whidbey Island, Washington to retrieve our stash of cacao and have a visit at the home of Tanner's aunt and uncle. They also own a vegan and mostly gluten-free and organic cafe called THRIVE on Whidbey in the village of Freeland. We were able to continue with mostly liquids there and enjoyed some fresh greens smoothies and hearty soups while we were visiting for two days. Tanner's mom had also just arrived there for a visit, so we had a mini reunion there. 

Just down the road from Thrive, there is a 72 acre park called the Earth Sanctuary. It has been created as a natural preserve with wetlands and forests and also as a space where one can meditate, walk a mandala or hold a sacred ceremony. We enjoyed it with Cori, Tanner's mom, one morning. We sang and drummed and played our singing bowl and enjoyed the birds and insects and nature's sounds and energy. I would love to return again, as we only had enough time to see part of this special place.

We ferried off of Whidbey back onto mainland Washington. A billboard caught our eye that had a picture of the iconic Uncle Sam and it read "Greece is broke. Are we next?" Interesting.  A while later, along the Oregon Trail highway we passed a group of protestors holding signs that read "More War Means More Debt" and "Honk for PEACE". Of course, we honked and waved some peace fingers. They smiled and waved. It felt like a a scene from the late 60's. At least that's what I imagined.

We arrived near Bend, Oregon at the home of a Couchsurfing host, who I will call Kelly. We had stayed with Kelly about two months ago just for one night and got along great. So we retuned for a second visit. When we had arrived there the first time, she informed us that she is epileptic. She told us what to do if a seizure were to happen and we shrugged, smiled and said no problem. We were all happy to see each other again this week. She and her little doggy welcomed us into their humble home in the forest with open arms and happy paws. We did a lot of catching up. Kelly has been trying out medical marijuana in a CBD paste form to help ease the epilepsy and lessen the seizures. She believes it has helped and continues with the Rx medications from her doctors as well. She is 29 years old, an only child, and has really been struggling to find the balance between relying on her family for support and spreading her wings into adulthood. 

The next morning Tanner and I were on day 6 of almost completely liquids. We had some lemon tea and a mug of cacao each. We piled into our car with Kelly and her pup and drove into the Cascade Mountains just to the west of Bend.  We proceeded to complete a 10 mile (17kms) hike together. Tanner and I decided to attempt a barefoot trek. I made it through the first 8 miles and then put my shoes on so that I could pick up the pace and return to the car before the sun set. Tanner went the whole 10 mile loop barefoot (which the guide book led us to believe would only be a 7 mile loop). At the end, our feet and legs were dirty and hobbit-like, but we both made it out without a blister or cut or scrape. It's amazing what we can achieve when we have our minds in the right place. Kelly was so proud that she completed the 10 miles, which was by far the longest she has ever done. Back in the car, we enjoyed coconut water and some watermelon scooped out by spoon. The little dog slept all the way home. It was quite an adventure for all of us.

Throughout our visits with Kelly, she reiterated how well she felt in mind, body and spirit having us around her. We shared our knowledge of healthier food shopping with her. We told her about how to avoid additives and chemicals that she suspected may trigger some of the seizures. She basked in the sounds of our singing bowl, drumming, and songs. Tanner's mom just passed on a Love Tuner to us the morning that we drove to Kelly's place. It's a small whistle that sounds like a single note on a harmonica. It's tuned to a C note at 528Hz, which creates a sense of love and peace. ( www.lovetuner.com ) It is extremely soothing and the player receives the greatest benefit, as the vibrations carry throughout your head and body. We played it numerous times throughout the visit, several times in which Kelly felt the precursors for a seizure coming on. She was so happy and relieved when she felt like herself again! Before we departed, she told us how grateful she was that somehow our energy and intuition helped her to remain seizure-free. She later texted us and said she would like to have a Love Tuner of her own so that she can calm herself at all times. She knows that anxiety and stress increases the frequency of the seizures, so anything that is calming is helpful to her. She thanked us again and told us we were her spirit doctors. So beautiful!

We are seeking funding through Indiegogo to assist us in gifting items such as the Love Tuner, which has a price tag of about $60. We would like to continue to give freely without leaving ourselves penniless in the meantime. Please consider donating at the bottom of this blog post. Any amount will help to shift someone's life for the better.

As we drove away into the wildfire smoke in the badlands of eastern Oregon, we opened the sunroof and offered some Chiapas organic tobacco in gratitude for the experience and the people and the earth. We do this whenever we leave a place or take food from the earth. We often do it with our feet on the earth, but in a way, the tobacco is more spread out from the sunroof. We have learned this offering from several native friends throughout our travels. From what we have seen just this week, this American land can use some serious love and gratitude. 

Here is the link to the One World Wellness Indiegogo campaign...

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-wellness-retreat-that-comes-to-your-door/x/11104312

West Coast Waves to Alberta Prairies..and Back Again

Reflections of Mexico and Guatemala in West Vancouver, BC

Here's a little recap of the last two weeks. It's not really super creative or witty. But it IS what happened. Ready...Set...GO! :

We enjoyed an evening ferry ride and arrived in Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver. We headed to Tanner's aunt's home for a lovely visit. We also visited a cousin and his wife who are expecting a wee one soon. We then headed east and visited a couple of friends on their new organic farm in the interior farm land of Chase, British Columbia. What a stunning farm with a riverfront view! We enjoyed two river swims and picked our veggie supper from the pretty garden. They showed us the straw bale and cob house that is almost completed. So great to reconnect with awesome friends doing awesome things!

Inside peek at the straw bale "truth" window and some crafty cob moulding. Beautiful!

After that visit we met up with some more special friends in the mountains outside of Invermere, BC. They had their trailer parked and their two kids were bouncing on the trampoline. We pitched our tent and watched some amazing storms. We swam with the little ones and picked fruits and veggies at the community permaculture garden that they have helped to build over the last few summers. It's so wonderful watching kids be excited about growing and harvesting their own food.

We crossed through the Rockies into Alberta. We met a good friend for lunch and spent the night with our sister-in-law in Calgary. 

The next day we drove north of the city for one hour to the town of Olds. I spent 5 sweet years there from 2008-2013 and it was so much fun to catch up with our friends and their families! We camped out in a small camper for a whole week on the property of some of our favorite friends there, who we sometimes refer to as our long lost aunt and uncle. When we arrived at their place, the Love Farm, some of my favorite musicians were packing up after a house concert the night before. They unpacked their accordion and bass and a couple of fiddles and serenaded us before they drove away to their next show. So special. Thanks OQO (and Ed!). 

I spent many hours discussing the topic of Fair Trade products and standards with long lost Auntie Bev. She and I and a small group started up the Fair Trade Olds committee.  We began in 2008 and guided the Town of Olds to become the first Fair Trade Town in Alberta. It was a wonderful time and we learned so much. Bev is still going strong and continuing to spread the word about the importance of knowing who and where your luxury products are coming from. Coffee or tea drinker? Do you use sugar or indulge in chocolate? These are a few of the many products shipped to us from less-developed countries. These countries are often lacking enough fair labor laws and regulations. You can expand your world consciousness by asking for Fair Trade versions of these items and more. Read more about Fair Trade here.

http://www.fairtrade.net/

In the trunk of our Jetta we brought along a large Rubbermaid tote full of mittens and sweaters and wintery items to consign at a very special women's clothing boutique. It is called reFind clothing & decor and it was a co-creation with my former partner, back in 2010. My eyes welled up as I entered that beautiful shop and saw that the floor plan had changed to expand the space. There were other tweaks that made it more lovely than ever.  I felt so proud of how she was evolving and growing up without me. Yippee!

One World Wellness hosted two cacao ceremonies in Olds. The first was a group of men and women. One friend brought along his singing bowls and a huge gong to add to the magic. It was pretty spectacular. During the ceremony an awesome thunderstorm watered the landscape. We ended the ceremony outside in the sunshine with singing and gonging. Beautiful. 

Funkiest spatula in our cacao yet!

The second ceremony was a women's circle at a local yoga center called Blissful Energy. And blissful it was. We were a circle of women of all ages. One woman traveled several hours to join us. We laughed, we cried and we collectively vibrated higher with the energy of the cacao medicine! We are looking forward to another ceremony there soon. Thank you special people!

I took a trip one evening with my sweet friend and she took me to meet a woman nearby who makes unique jewelry. I enjoyed chatting with them both and left with a few special handmade items with beautiful memories embedded. We then drove into the full moon rising and pink sun setting. We arrived at her friend's artistic retreat home. It was overflowing with gorgeous artwork. Mostly earthy, whimsical animal paintings. She also showed us her collections of other crafty things and insisted that we both take home a one-of-a-kind up-cycled bag. I chose one with rainbow ponies. Why not? I already know what it will get used for...someday soon. Stay tuned.

Roadside FREE sign. (Mirrored medicine cabinet included.) Note the forest in reflection. A little mixed multi-message from Mother Nature. 

On my last day in Olds, I treated myself to my first haircut in a year. I went to visit my sweet friend/ talented hairstylist. We had a great visit and I was so happy that she could fit me in. My hair is happy too. I had been trimming it myself for a whole year and it was time for professional intervention. Thanks Amy!

My last stop that evening was a women's book circle that a dear friend organized. The topic of discussion was something like "what would say if you could go back and tell your 20-something self about how to live life better?". I really enjoyed the variety of answers that the group shared. Things like telling yourself to have more fun, travel more, don't be so self-conscious, don't worry about what others think of you or your choices, take chances, laugh more, don't try to be so perfect, pursue your passions and be original. Wow. I can relate to most of those reflecting back on my 20's! Luckily, I have reevaluated my life in the first few years of my 30's. My 33rd year will be coming to an end in a month and I feel better than ever about my life choices. I feel like I can scratch out most of that list up there. Wee! Feels so good to be free of a lot of that self-limiting stuff. Try it for yourself. Once we let go of all of those fears, we open new doors that will lead us to new great experiences and adventures! We discover our gifts and wisdom and make leaps and climb mountains. This will inspire changes in our world as a whole. Like a domino effect, but in reverse. Imagine that!

The Love Mailbox that I passed a few times and then remembered to snap a shot. Love it.

In the words of Nahko Bear: "Be of service. Be a sensible person. Use your words and don't be nervous. You can do this, you've got purpose. FIND YOUR MEDICINE AND USE IT!" - from the song "Manifesto". He is my current favorite musician. Check him out. 

http://nahko.com/

Ps. If you feel called to donate to our One World Wellness Indiegogo campaign, here it is. 

If not, we would really like to know why our readers aren't interested in supporting the positive change that is so needed right now. $10? That's two lattes. $20? You can't event get a date at the movies for that. $50? That's a nice supper out. Every bit helps to get us to our next stop where we are leaving a trail of higher consciousness every step of the way.

Please click here either way and watch out little trailer. Thank you! Xo

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-wellness-retreat-that-comes-to-your-door/x/11104312#/

We Are A Global Tribe

I am having a self-administered timeout lying in the dry, waving summer grasses of southern Vancouver Island on this warm day. Our visit to the island is coming to a close already. Today in particular, I have had a of feeling like I'm watching a comedy film mixed with a sci-fi-mind bender. There was an electronic roadside billboard that scrolled through colorful weekly specials at the grocery store and in the mix there was a slide that caught me by surprise that said something like "DROUGHT: the new normal"...maybe there were other words following those, but that's all I saw. I laughed and thought to myself "what the?! Why would anyone write such a thing? Seems like they are putting a curse on this beautiful piece of the earth. The new normal? Who are they to decide that?" I knew I wasn't alone in this sentiment. Words are powerful creators.

Then, I walked across the parking lot to the auto insurance office to ask about my car insurance renewal. The woman at the desk was very pleasant and I tried to take in every word she spoke. At some point between her telling me I should raise my coverage to $5 million if I'm traveling in the USA ("because when they sue, they go for the jugular") and me laughing in amazement, and then her laughing nervously...and her whispering through her bright lipstick that I should use the other auto insurance broker when I renew because I would save more money...my mind all but short circuited. I looked at her name tag and smiled and thanked her by her first name. As I walked out to the car, I felt stunned. A friend had to cancel our tea date this morning because she was working hard to help the woman who she is care-taking for and who is fading away quickly to another realm. She was cheerful on the phone, despite life's great challenges. I know that in every scenario, there is an opportunity for all parties to learn and grow. She knew too.

...Which then encouraged me to step down from the role of organizer for a new moon women's circle that I had helped to get going. I have almost always been very comfortable in a leadership role, so I often jump in with both feet when someone mentions a great idea or suggests that a such and such could happen. I suddenly realized that I had my own agenda during this limited visit to Vancouver Island.  I needed to fulfill those obligations and complete my own tasks before taking on new stuff, as wonderful as it all may be. It felt so good to notice what my pattern was and to make a decision to play a different card from my hand. I am a hub. I am a connector. I am a leader. I am a trailblazer. I'm also a woman who needs a time out in my bathing suit on a warm sunny summer's day to just lay on the earth and watch the bees and the birds live their lives. A honey bee climbed up my leg this morning during yoga time. I said to it "hello. I'm not a flower. Carry on." Then I thought about what I just said. I am a flower, dammit. Who do I think I am kidding? I can't hide and shouldn't try to. Waste of time. "Bee the flower." That's all. Thanks for the message little bee.

So, next I went to the post office. I mailed a CD called The World Peace Diet: Living in Harmony with All Life by Will Tuttle, PhD. It is headed to some new vegan/ loveatarian (their own term...love it) friends down island. It's about eating a vegan diet to heal ourselves and promote peace on this planet and it's about much more than eating. They want to share it with some of their clients. It's amazing, intensely valid and mind expanding. (Have a read or a listen to this brilliant book if it sparks your curiosity.)  These same new friends hosted one of the most wonderful collaborative events that we have ever been a part of to date last weekend. We were so grateful to have been in the mix of it all! It was a full day of love, music, nourishing food, beautiful surroundings and amazing people. They called it Cosmic Heartbeat. It was exactly that. 

Us with a Cacao Medicine jar

It's now a week later and people are still talking about it and basking in the residual positive energy field that was created. We delivered cacao orders right up until we just got in line for the ferry we are currently waiting for. We missed the one we were hoping to get on, which can happen when you call an island home, and so the ferry fairy has gifted us two hours of free being time. Here I write.

Leaving one of our global tribes behind on Vancouver Island (again) was no easy task. I had a very emotional week asking myself why. Why are we leaving again, and so soon? Are we crazy? I knew the answer already. It's in the ocean and the sunshine. It's in the stars and the wind. We are being ushered in the direction that we are being called. A friend recently asked me to show her 6 year old daughter some new yoga postures. I just couldn't say no to that request. Her uncle had bought her a yoga mat and she learned some basic yoga in school this year. Her family was doing their best to support her in her recent diagnosis with epilepsy. When I mentioned the idea of a yoga date her eyes got huge and she jumped up and down. She is a brilliant and cheeky girl with tons of energy, and her toddler brother has even more energy. Which is why I gave him my phone to keep him busy and capture some yoga shots from a two-year-old's perspective. Here it is...Lola the Bassett Hound and all.

Our other new little friend, Grace, who is 8 years old, "graced" our car by signing her own bumper sticker on the trunk. Our car is officially blessed. We added our new One World Wellness bumper sticker to the collection. Let us know if you would like one. We can send you one of these beauties to help us spread the word!!!

We received a new generous donation to our Indiegogo campaign from a dear friend who has seen our work in action. She knows that what we do is much needed on this earth right NOW. Much of what we "do" is nearly impossible to put into simple words. It's felt and received and shared and only those receiving our time and energy can explain what is really happening when we connect with one another genuinely from heart to heart and soul to soul.

We were so grateful to gather with friends old and new on our final evening on the island to celebrate both a birthday and a Bon Voyage. We sat over the latest angelic gateway near our friend's garden and enjoyed a beautiful fresh summer potluck picnic supper.

I am marveling at our little Jetta, packed to the brim with nearly everything we own. We decided to leave our two bicycles with our pal who will take good care of them for us while we are on the road for a while. Other than that, we have decided that if we will continue on this vagabond-wellness-team adventure that we will need to upgrade to a van or small motorhome to better accommodate us and all of our wellness gear. (Plus a cozy place to sleep in the back would be an amazing bonus.)

Until then, we motor on in our little car. Across land and sea to answer the calls of the universe. It's calling to all of us. All we have to do is answer. Listen. Just be still. Listen. The instructions will be given freely. 

You will be supported. Have faith. All is well. This is my new mantra.

With LOVE,

Kristin

It's All Up In Smoke...and Mirrors

We awoke Sunday morning to a bizarre pinkish-orange hue coming from the sky above. It has lasted for three days so far. The sun shines a brilliant salmon orange color through the thick smoke layer above us. A very strange energy is hanging within this smoke. People are feeling it. Bizarre things are happening. Most of them are hard to describe in words.

I said "I've never seen this before, but my instinct is that it's the result of a forest fire somewhere nearby." I was wrong...it is the result of many dozens of forest fires scattered across Western Canada, covering hundreds of square kilometers. Numerous fires were started by heat lightning...many were also started by careless human hands. On the first day we had "snow" falling in the summer in the form of white ash flakes.

We have noticed a common drought and water shortage theme in all of our travels over this past year. The earth is thirsty for change. So thirsty.

Yesterday we offered to support a friend at court where he was being charged with several traffic violations. We filed into a crowded local small town courtroom where he, and a group of of "traffic law violators", were treated like criminal sheep. Some were to pay fines for minor infractions of "THE LAW". There were four police officers in the room as well. They seemed like average people, underneath their costumes, as did the judge. Each person that was called up to the microphone pleaded guilty and then a fee was named and they negotiated a timeline to remit payments. No one argued about anything. They all thanked the court and nervously shook hands with the head officer. Holy intimidation Batman!  A clerk entered and bowed to the judge, as if bowing to her martial arts master. Then bowed again as she exited. That seemed so excessive, robotic and bizarre to me. Outside of a dojo, I feel that in most of our modern world, bowing is a symbol of one person being less than another. I don't agree with this old-school tradition. Let's modernize, shall we?

One woman mentioned that she has a seatbelt phobia. She said that not wearing one saved her life 40 years ago. Another man had his right signal on and then turned left instead. That will be $150  sir. $100 mam. You have 60 days. Wait...I'm feeling generous today, you have 90 days. What a brilliant business: The business of keeping the masses afraid of everything. The energy of that room was so heavy with a lot of fear. I held the crystal that hung around my neck and sent some higher vibrations to those present. The people in that room seemed like they were on high alert. Lots of twitching and shaking in all directions. Even one of the police officers trembled as he read the criminalizing paperwork. I had a feeling that no one there, deep down in their knowing, agreed with the actions and words taking place in that room. If someone doesn't speak up about things that seem wrong, then nothing will change. The justice system is justiceless in my eyes. And that was just traffic court. Our friend was dismissed because the officer didn't show up. So they just threw out the charges as if they didn't happen. I was literally holding back laughter the entire time we were sitting in that room. I felt as though I was watching a poorly-rehearsed play. What just happened here? Wow!

Luckily, we had all prepared ourselves as a group that morning with meditation and drumming in an angelic gateway built last week by placing specific crystals into the earth at certain distances and directions. This geometric shape creates a high frequency vibration and positive energy field. This allows any of us to connect to the divine spirits that are here to guide us. Yup. Angelic beings and other light guardians. It might sound crazy to some. Between our family and friends, we have "planted" at least a dozen gateways from coast to coast of North America. This morning we practiced yoga inside that gateway and I said "What if our indiegogo campaign doesn't raise much money? Where will we go?" At that exact moment a beautiful bald eagle swooped across the garden in front of us. Tanner said "wherever that guy is headed."  We both laughed and knew that everything is always ok.  Especially when it seems like it's not ok. Just wait. You will see. You will feel it. The perfection of the universe.

"Be still. Be silent and empty. Say nothing. Ask nothing. Be quiet. Open your heart. They will find you. They will help you. You are not alone. Love and guidance is all around you. Be ready to receive."  A quote from Denise Linn's book, Secrets & Mysteries: the Glory and Pleasure of Being a Woman. 

*Please take a few more minutes to view our campaign to raise funds for One World Wellness to continue supporting people and the planet:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-wellness-retreat-that-comes-to-your-door/x/11104312#/

One World Wellness's Mission:

Our intention is to travel around the globe, to wherever our assistance is needed, to support everyday people to take their health, wellness and level of joy to an all-time high. It's no secret that our world is struggling as a whole. 
We feel that every single person who becomes healthy, self-empowered and balanced is one more person who will tip the scales toward a positive tomorrow for all of us and future generations.

Our preliminary research project....in a nutshell:

After 6 months of traveling in our car from Vancouver Island to Guatemala and back again on a small budget, and connecting with many dozens of people from all walks of life, we have realized something HUGE: Most of us do NOT have the time or extra finances to take a “wellness vacation” or retreat. However, almost everyone we connect with has a desire to feel more joy, live a healthier lifestyle and to have the support to fuel their passions. Wow! How do we solve this dilemma?

GOOD NEWS! We have a solution:

One World Wellness will bring the wellness retreat and personal guidance right to your home! We are a mobile, flexible team with knowledge to share with you about healthy lifestyle shifts, spiritual exploration and how to expand your consciousness to assist you in creating the vibrant and joyful life that you dream of living! We will offer the support needed to the people who need it the most. 

What can One World Wellness offer to our students?

Our services may include: shifting to healthier eating, moving our bodies, healthier thinking and heart-centered communication, deepening spiritual practices, growing your own food, improving the quality of your surroundings...and the possibilities go on and on. We can work with you at your own pace to guide you toward your personal path to greater joy and wellness. Keep us around for a week or ask us for a month of our time. The amount of support required for each individual will vary.

Who is One World Wellness?

We are Kristin and Tanner. A happy-go-lucky, upbeat, vibrant, 30-ish couple who's mission it is to continue to live simply and joyfully while supporting others in finding their own joy though balancing body, mind and spirit. Our passion is to show others that it's possible to live a vibrant and joyful life every single day!

We began One World Wellness in the fall of 2014 while we were living on Vancouver Island. We had both worked many "normal" careers (both for ourselves and for employers) in the last decade. We were feeling downright unfulfilled and way too tired and stressed at age 30! Hmmmm. How can we work so darn hard and only make such a tiny difference in our world? Why aren't we following our own passions instead of someone else's? Are we answering our greatest calling on the planet? What if we just forget the naysayers and just do what we love?! Well that's what we are doing starting right now! Help us to help our world to thrive.

What will the Funding that we receive from this campaign pay for?

Our vision is to offer our services to people on a sliding scale. At the end of our stay at each home, we will give each person or family the opportunity to make a donation to One World Wellness to assist us in continuing our work as a mobile wellness team. Some will be able to give more than others and under NO circumstances do we want to deny our services to anyone that truly needs them. It will be a pay-it-forward type of system. Every little bit of funding we receive will assist us in extending the life of this project! :)

How will you know where the money is getting spent?

We write a blog each week about our experiences and adventures and the amazing connections that we make with people like you. You will be able to see what we are up to and where we are spending the money that is so generously donated to our project.

Read Our Blog Here!

Your donations may go toward things that will make our project sustainable, such as:

Books and other teaching materials for our team and students

We are in need of a smaller, more portable (and less ancient than our huge laptop) device for making videos and communicating with our students. iPad?

Purchasing minor health and wellness products to support clients (ex: gardening supplies, yoga mats, sports equipment, etc.)

Rentals of venues for wellness events, workshops, etc.

Fuel to get our team and our car to our next student(s)

Routine and/or unexpected repairs/maintenance for our aging OOW car (if/when needed...hopefully minimal!)

Travel Insurance (a necessity for out-of-Canada travels)

*If our fundraising goes exceptionally well, we would love to upgrade our 2003 Jetta to a larger vehicle (such as a van or small motor home) so that we may have a place to lay our heads between students, as well as haul larger items, such as a massage table and other healing tools.

TESTIMONIALS...

"Some people you just really wish were your neighbors. Theses guys just jump right into your life and make you glad to be alive. Welcome back into my world anytime." - Kent, Idaho, USA

"Tanner and Kristin are such positive, high-spirited people! We had some of the best conversations and they spread the most amazing energy and enthusiasm to me in their entire stay. I think Tanner has changed my life with his drumming ceremony and I will never forget anything about them!!!!!!" - Kristine, Oregon, USA

"What a pleasure to be a last-minute host for these two. When I think of them, the words that come to mind are balanced, grounded, engaged and respectful. I highly enjoyed my brief time with them and totally recommend you open your doors to them if you have the opportunity. All the best in all you do Kristin and Tanner. You are the kind of young(er) people that give me some hope for the survivability of this planet." - Carol, Florida, USA

"The thing I appreciate the most about Tanner and Kristin is that they walk the talk." - Dave, British Columbia, Canada / Mexico

"I did the cacao ceremony just out of curiosity. I didn't have any expectations. I just wanted to see what it would be like and what it's about. It was a really interesting experience and it was also very therapeutic. It was also really beautiful.  I'm really grateful to Kristin and Tanner, not just for doing the ceremonies, but for being the right people to host them because that makes all the difference." - Deb, New York, USA 

If you would like to read additional information about our project, please see our blogs at:

www.oneworldwellnessblog.blogspot.com (our lifestyle, spirituality and travel blog)

www.cacaoconnection.blogspot.com (our Cacao Plant Medicine blog)

We also have a Facebook page. Follow One World Wellness on Facebook

If you have any additional questions about One World Wellness, please email

oneworldwellness@yahoo.ca

THANK YOU for supporting this project and the future wellness of our world.

PS. If you are inspired by our project, but just don't have the extra funds to donate, that's ok! We ask that you please spread the word to folks that may be able to support One World Wellness. Thanks!

Naked Living: Saying Goodbye to Our Old Stuff

Take a moment to imagine this scenario: You have eliminated all emotional bandaids from your existence. You are no longer avoiding real life or distracting yourself from feeling your emotions. Wow. Whoa. Wait a minute here. I don't do that, you might say. Well, let's take a closer peek, shall we?

What might this new life look like?

Probably something like this:

No more relax-me alcohol. (Yes, this includes wine and craft beers.)

No more soothing cigarettes.

No more junk/comfort food. (Even the organic and/or gluten-free kind.)

No more pick-me-up daily coffees. (Even the organic and Fair Trade kind.)

No more recreational drugs. (Even the organic, homegrown kind.

No more prescription drugs. (There are definitely alternatives to nearly all of them.)

No more television. Get rid of that thing!

No more video games. (Including apps.)

No more overly-obsessive activities. (Exercise, sex, work, shopping...and on and on.)

No more self-sabotage. Tough one.

No more drag-you-down hold-you-back relationships. 

(No. More. Facebook? I'm still working on minimizing that one...and keeping myself limited and to the point when I am on there!)

Boring, right?! 

But just wait...

This new life might also look something like this:

Just feeling happy. Even joyful!

Lots of amazing friends!

Socializing as yourself. Just plain old you. No more masks.

A clear and healthy mind.

Just facing your issues. Then forgiving everyone involved. Including yourself.

A clean, strong, and well-functioning body.

Communicating your needs and feelings clearly.

A strong sense of spirituality.

Pleasant (or even awesome) relations with family members. 

Time to prepare amazing, nourishing, healthy food.

A loving and supportive partner. (If you desire to meet one.)

Lots of time in nature.

Time to partake in your passions and follow your heart.

This is a lot like what our lives look like right now. It may sound boring to some but to us, it feels anything but that. It feels like a gigantic blessing. Everysingleday. You can live this way. Just make the choice. It's all in your hands. No more excuses.

How and why did I choose this way of living? 

Mostly out of self love and respect, I believe. Also, I have a strong desire to love others the same way that I love myself. To accept people for who they truly are underneath it all. Beautiful spirits. To truly know people for who they are on a soul level. To know the truth of how it feels to be a human without any adulterations. 

Has it been challenging? 

You bet! It's been super challenging, at times. I have done everything on the first list (except smoke a cigarette. I haven't done that.) But all the others have been challenges and obstacles that I have overcome. Some more than once. Some still creep in from time to time. Like snacks! Who doesn't love a good ol' cookie or some chips?!

I went to a liquor store today to find some empty boxes. When I walked in, all I saw was colorful flashing signs and clever, artsy labels that were reminiscent of a toy store, or candy shop, but for adults. Promotions and gimmicks like free beer cozies or tee shirts. I am often baffled by the collective consent of our world. "Drink alcohol friends! Everyone does it. Wine is classy!" Numb your pain. Forget your worries. Pretend that your marriage is just fine. What debt? Cool dudes slam back a cold one after work. Let loose. Forget life. Relax a little. Blend with the crowd. Alcohol is just one small example of this insane collective consent that our society calls reality. 

With those empty cardboard boxes, we are once again paring down our material possessions. I have shed my personal stuff twice before almost completely. Once in 2004, at age 21 when I moved to Alberta from Pennsylvania. All I took on the flight was a small carry-on sized suitcase. My mom shipped me some memorabilia a few years later. You know, some photos and such.

Then again in 2011, at age 29, when my partner of 8 years and I separated, I only took with me a car, a bed and pillow, a yoga mat, a bike and some clothes. That's all. Not a nic-nac or painting or fridge magnet. What are they for really? Memories? That's why we were gifted a memory as human beings. To collect and learn and remember the past but live in the present.

Stuff is one more thing that keeps us all weighed down. Energetically, mentally and physically. It's so easy to accumulate things. It's often much tougher to become unattached from them. We sifted (again) through a pile of totes of stuff that we had just sorted through six months ago before we left to travel. So we have decided this will be the final sifting as long as we are a "mobile wellness team". We do not want the invisible energetic tethers to our heap of belongings pulling at us from around the globe. 

There are often many emotions attached to a lot of stuff. So it forced us to feel these emotions, smile and/or cry, and move onward. After 3+ hours of sorting dishes, clothing and various household items (about 3/4 of our total stuff) we both laid down in bed and felt a mountain of totes lighter while drifting away into dreamtime.

We are on day four of a liquid fast of mostly herbal teas (some cacao drinks) and coconut water. Cleansing our insides and our outsides simultaneously feels amazing. Realigning our bodies, minds and spirits after a long journey. And now we begin to prepare ourselves for the next phase of the One World Wellness road tour.