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.

The Cosmic Highway

While on the Yucatan peninsula, we had read a spectacular book titled A Shaman's Tale. It found us in the UFO museum shop in Roswell, New Mexico. This was back in December on our way to the Mexican border. We enjoyed all of the unique stories and the realness of the writing. We laughed and we cried. When we finished the book we both agreed that it would be amazing to meet the author and/or to possibly listen to him speak at an event or workshop in 2015. 

So, three weeks ago, on the night we crossed back into the USA, we emailed the author, Richard L. Alaniz. We knew that he was in the southwest somewhere, but we weren't sure exactly where.  We had lent the book to three other people and the last time, we passed it on just before we departed from Guatemala. We knew we likely wouldn't get it back, but wanted to spread the wonderful messages that the book contained. Richard emailed us back promptly the next morning inviting us to come and visit him at his ranch in New Mexico. It sounded nice, but it was 5 hours in the opposite direction from which we thought we needed to drive. We had already planned a loose itinerary that would take us west to California and then north up the west coast, eventually back to Vancouver Island.

Well, funnily enough, not one person that we contacted through Couchsurfing or any of the venues that we attempted to organize cacao ceremonies at had responded to us. This was not common for us. So we decided instead to go through the western part of Cali through the mountains for a scenic change. We drove from Tucson north toward Phoenix, then took a wrong turn and ended up heading straight for San Diego afterall. What happened here? We pulled over and reevaluated what we were doing. After realizing that we were being crazy for not heading to New Mexico, we contacted Richard and asked him if the invitation was still open, and he said we were welcome to come on down. So now we were 6 hours in the opposite direction. Jeepers! We drove until sunset and enjoyed the mountains and expansive desert terrain in the pink and orange evening glow. We arrived at the ranch and received a warm southern welcome. 

Richard has had such a diverse and interesting life so far, and so telling his story in the form of a book was a natural fit. From martial arts mastery to Hollywood stunts to a degree in psychology. He's also a hair stylist...and a shaman. His Native American roots shine through his silvery braids and his cowboy lifestyle is mirrored in his shiny belt buckles. His musical and artistic skills reflect his connection with nature and all of it's creations. 

We shared a late supper and lots of wonderful conversation late into the first night. Richard seemed as happy to have us there as we were to be there. We felt so at home.

The next morning, after a coffee and some breakfast, we trekked out to the nearby mountains and Richard showed us some beautiful caves where indigenous remains were dated to around roughly 900AD. Stunning. We enjoyed some of his drumming and singing to the spirits. He blessed us and the cave with sage and prayers and we enjoyed a fruit snack, out of the heat of the midday sun. 

Holes just outside the caves which were once used for collecting water and grinding food. 

He told us about his newest project breeding mustangs. He had four of them on the ranch and they were small and sturdy with wavy flowing manes and tails. Truly, living spirits of the wild west. 

We enjoyed an evening meditation lesson of his Balík yoga style which he developed through his knowledge of various martial sciences and yoga techniques combined. It uses the channeling of chi combined with breath work to create a state of focus and mindful being. 

Richard also took us on a plant tour of the desert. He showed us which plants we could eat for survival there. They were actually very tasty. Many varieties of cacti are nutritious (after the spines are removed). There are edible flowers and roots and even wild bananas on a certain variety of yucca. There are also many medicinal herbs growing in the arid desert climate. He cut up a nopal cactus pad and made us some agua de nopal. It was so refreshing in the dry, hot climate.

We shared several more meals with the group, which included his wonderful wife, his comical cousin and her fun friend who were both visiting from out of state. The conversations we had were profound and expansive. Each one seemed to top the previous ones. We said we wished that we could speak freely about these topics everywhere that we go, but that not everyone we spend our time with is as open to such spiritual, esoteric and shamanic topics. 

We stayed for several days and would have loved to stay even longer, but we knew that we needed to move on. We are currently nomadic people on a long journey across many places to connect with many spirits on their own journeys. The chapter in A Shaman's Tale called Spiritual Webbing describes the way that we all come into each other's consciousness for different reasons. I know that we each have something to learn and something to teach in every interaction every day. We just have to open up our heart's intuitions and our mind's eye to realize when these gift exchanges are taking place. 

We have been invited to return to Comanche Creek Ranch in the future. We can hardly wait. What a magical place. Muchas gracias amigos.

Welcome to Loveland

Lucy the Coon Hound.

The sun finally just broke through the clouds after a chilly morning in the wild, green foothills near Salt Lake City, Utah. We were invited by some new friends to join them and all of their dogs at their rustic getaway cabin for the weekend. It's finally allowed me to take some time to catch up on my writing. Another beautiful place on our earth! More beautiful people to connect with!

Our final days in Mexico were really special. The great people we encountered made it difficult to cross the border and trek back into the "real world" of the USA. The kindness and generosity of the Mexican culture is something we can all take a lesson from. They give and give almost to a fault. We felt like we were treated as family everywhere we went.  On our last night south of the border, in Los Mochis, we Couchsurfed with a wonderful man with whom we shared our final Mexican sunset and a bounty of beautiful conversation. We were sad to part ways, as this has been a common theme for us for many years in many places. It's hard to sever the ties that we create with each special spirit that we cross paths with...though those invisible ties seem to remain forever intertwined within our soul memories.

We crossed into the USA in Nogales, Arizona. We hoped that our huge cacao stash wouldn't cause any issues as we passed on through. We were thoroughly searched and had to surrender our mangos and a half-rotten cacao pod. The guards questioned our boxes of cacao. They informed us that it's necessary to have all food items labeled with contents and point of origin. They then proceeded to shout "CA-CAO! CACAO!" As they made finger guns and pretended to shoot each other. Hilarious. And so very American. We always keep a decorated glass Mason jar with us, for the last couple of years at least. Of course, we brought it on this trip. It contains our positive intentions, affirmations and loving requests to the universe. It really works. As a border officer dug through the trunk of the car, he asked what the jar was. We simply said "it's our good vibes jar." He laughed and said "Cool. That makes sense." I said "I put some good vibes into that jar that would help us get through this border crossing smoothly. Let's see if it works...." Just then, his partner came back from consulting with her supervisor and gave us a packet of papers. She smiled and said we were just getting a warning. Next time, we should follow the rules.

We headed for Tucson, Arizona arriving at nightfall and found a quaint and very affordable motel room. The man behind the desk was not so friendly. Somehow it came up that we just crossed back into the USA after 5 months in Mexico and Central America. I was feeling like I just stepped out of a spaceship onto another planet being back in America. I said "I am glad we found this sweet motel. I feel..." And he interjected with "a lot safer?"  I paused and looked at him with a bewildered stare. I shook my head no. I felt like a fish out of water. On a unicycle.

So this is culture shock.

For the record: Mexico and Guatemala are both beautiful, welcoming countries full of regular people just like you and I. For many decades, North American media has portrayed these places, and much of our planet, as dangerous, violent and "out to get you".  It's simply not true! There was never, ever a single moment in the last 5 months that we felt we were in a hint of danger. The scariest thing is the USA border crossings! The worst thing that happened during our trip was that some of our favorite bumper stickers got peeled off of our car in Guatemala. (So we are replacing them slowly.) 

A bumper sticker from our 2013 USA trip 

We got used to all of the Mexican police and military check stops after passing dozens of them. We often got waved through with a smile. When we did get stopped, we felt like they just wanted to chat for fun. It was fun. We realized quickly that these people are just like us. Only it's their job to look intimidating and ask a lot of questions. It is definitely true that there is some corruption, crime and poverty in every place on the globe. The USA and Canada are no different. The biggest difference that I noticed in the Mexican and Guatemalan people is that they have an inner determination and self-sufficient attitude that many (certainly not all) Americans and Canadians just don't have. They aren't waiting around to be taken care of. Especially in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. I whole-heartedly support the stance that the indigenous (and other) people of that place continue to take. Independence. Freedom. Equality. Respect. Peace. Love. That's all any of us desire. Let's make it happen. Our future can be in our own hands. Grab it by the reins!

Truth Warriors are Us

I'm finally taking a sweaty moment here to start this new blog post while we are pulled over in the baking mid-day sun at a state border stop between Nayarit and Sinaloa. The guards informed us that we can't take any fruits into this state. We have been existing on a 80% fresh fruits diet for quite a few months, so to us this was very unwelcome news. So when they tried to open up our car and take it all to the trash can, we sat here instead, for at least a half hour eating mangos and bananas. We also splurged and purchased our first jumbo jackfruit this morning. I didn't even get to take a photo of it. We dug out a knife and cut it open just to try a taste before handing it over to the fruit police. They explained that there are too many pests and fungus that can be spread to all of the fruits in Sinaloa. Fair enough. I think that most people conform and hand over everything and just drive away. Not these two vegan fruit fiends! In the last week alone we have tried three new fruits: Starfruit, jackfruit, and guanabana (which I have seen all of in Asian markets in Canada but never tried). Not to mention fresh cacao fruit and seeds. Yum. The sheer acreage of plantations and the heaps of fruit on the Pacific coast has been completely mind blowing.

Thousands of forests of coconut palms. Miles of mango trees. Fields of piñas, papayas and lime trees. They are trying to feed a very hungry planet here!

So now that I wrote that all down, let me back up and recap some really beautiful and intense experiences. Some of the more intense days of this entire 5 month road trip, actually. 

Our next stop on the South Pacific coast of Mexico was Puerto Escondido. We had some cacao ceremonies booked at a healing and wellness retreat center there. We were also asked by the owner to see how his new team of volunteers was doing running the place. The long and short of it was that the team was having a tough start. This place requires a lot of time and dedication. It also requires, like everything that we do everyday, clear communication with others. 

There was a second round of intense waves slamming the whole pacific shoreline those first few days that we arrived in Puerto. It felt a bit reflective of the energy in the wellness center. People getting tossed to and fro in the waves of miscommunication.

We recognized that possibly a cacao ceremony for the team and the three guests might be a useful tool to create more openness and unity. So the eight of us convened on the beautiful rooftop palapa one afternoon and for several hours we created a sacred space of connection and communication. It was like magic. People arrived all flustered and exhausted. They left uplifted and full of gratitude. Mid-ceremony, a funny little seed blew onto the floor in front of me. It was like a disc of clear rice paper with a small heart-shaped seed in the center. It was a tiny confirmation for me from the universe that these cacao ceremonies are planting seeds of love across the planet. We are all planting seeds each moment. With every interaction. More love seeds, please. 

We really enjoyed the team at the healing center. They were from Mexico and Canada. Such awesome young people full of passion and hope. We enjoyed sunrise meditations and early morning yoga each day that week. We shared buckets of mangos from the street outside the house. We shared vegan recipes and then ate more mangos. At the Saturday market we were able to purchase our first fresh whole cacao pods! So pretty, and tasty too.

I really appreciated the conscious manner that team meetings were held at this wellness center. One person spoke at a time without interruptions. We all encouraged each other to speak the truth and to express our truest feelings. It was very tough for some of the group to share openly and to receive what others had to say. There was some major intensity but also major growth for all involved. Including us. So after a week of these morning meetings, we were dubbed the Truth Warriors by the staff. I accept that title, as one of many, and plan to continue assisting others to bring out the truth for the betterment of all of humanity. 

After a week in Puerto, we drove to Acapulco. It was a pretty neat place with lots of VW beetles and a huge mercado in the early morning as we departed after our quick one night stay. They had so many flowers at this particular mercado. Beautiful. 

We then headed to Zihuatenajo. It's a beautiful city. We googled a vegan cafe where we planned to stop and rest while we got an oil change for our Truth Mobile. It was not a cafe at all but an amazing woman in her lovely home who was a raw foods warrior. Patti invited us in and made us raw vegan pizzas made with local and organic fruits and veggies. So amazing. We got that oil change and so much more. We were invited to stay at Patti's home after we saw the sprouted cacao beans on her counter. The cacao chat began and the rest was history. She took us to see our very first cacao tree just down the block from her casa.  We held a cacao ceremony at her home and shared many special moments there. We departed early the second morning and Patti was up making us vegan raw burritos to go for our road lunch. Wow were they amazing!!! I thought mine were amazing but hers were out of this world. It continues to amaze me at how dazzling we all become when we are living our true calling! When life calls you, answer! Don't take a message or screen your calls. Don't say you'll call back when it's more convenient. Just take the call and enjoy it!

We were stopped at checkpoints several times in Michoacan.  This is the state with some of the highest level of unrest because of drug cartels. We decided to trek through despite all of the negativity that we found online. We have heard so many negative opinions of Mexico and Central America since we began announcing that we were taking this journey last fall. We have not encountered a single situation that I would call dangerous or scary for over 5 months. Michoacan was heavily militarized and there were many checkpoints where we had to get out of the car for inspection and questioning. Which usually resulted in laughter.

The best part of these stops was that the soldiers would dig through our car asking what things were and we got to give them some free healthy living lessons! It was awesome. This state was also one of the most wild, uninhabited and beautiful that we have seen. High cliffs overlooking a blue wild ocean. Thick lush jungles covering winding roads for hours shaded us from the sun. We saw dozens of giant white butterflies flapping huge floppy, white wings and giving us the feeling that they were our tiny guardian angels. Two more days to go in magical Mexico. Magical.

"The destiny of the world is in your hands."