Tag: womens empowerment

Posted on

Yoga for the People

YOGA FOR THE PEOPLE. 

Rise_Resized_BaseRes_KatieLali-03

Yoga is not a work out, but a work in.

We practice yoga to awaken parts of ourselves that have fallen asleep.

We practice yoga to breathe more smoothly and joyfully.

We practice yoga to move fully and experience our bodies within our complete range of motion and expression.

We practice yoga to free ourselves from both physical and mental blockages and return to our pure, peaceful, and divine original wholeness and oneness. 

Yoga is not something we do, but something we are. 

Yoga cares not if you touch your toes. Yoga cares only how you let life bring love into your heart.

Through yoga we cultivate courage so we can walk bravely towards the unknown with curiosity;  an open heart, strength of mind and a grounded sense of stability within ourselves is what we building within this practice. We are not walking blindly but empowered to humbly accept the cosmic forces beyond our control the mighty, infinite, vast matrix of life in its entirety. (Ok.. now it’s getting exciting 😉) 

We are seeking connection far beyond what the eyes can see. We seek experience and acceptance fo the mystery of life. Life in all its totality… 

Embracing what was, what is, and what will be.

We practice yoga to release our grip on life and move with more ease and fluidizing through this delightfully beautiful, bizarre and challenging human experience. 

We practice yoga to connect our bodies, our minds, and our spirits – this is the foundation of our freedom, or our peace and of our joy.

In this union we are able to gracefully remove obstacles that life has grown around our hearts and our physical form. In the gentle removal of these physical and mental limitations we are able to return to our original pure-ness. A place void of judgment, fear, anger, jealously, greed…

In this place that yoga brings us to we learn to be content with ourselves regardless of outside circumstances. Yoga teaches us, that we are indeed, enough. 

Yoga helps us to breathe into all the parts of ourselves, and soften to be strong. Letting go, only creates more space to fill.

Yoga teaches, surrender and discernment. What to let go of, and what then, to bring in.

Yoga is a container to discover, explore an experience our bodies in deepest and most intimate ways, it is an invitation fall in love with all our perfect imperfections.

Nature grows, lives, thrives and blooms without agenda, or apology. And so should we. We are, after all, children of the Earth. When we can live in harmony with ourselves, all rives flow outward from there. 

Yoga teaches us that we are whole, complete, loving, dedicated, capable, truthful, kind, pure, brilliant and divine.

I invite you to take my hand and play and skip and dance and bend and breathe (and sometimes even cry and crawl) down this path of life with me. I invite you feel empowered within your own skin, simply because you exist. And that is the miracle in itself. I invite you learn, how the practice is the reward. How the journey is the destination. 

With the wild in our spirits, it should certainly be fun. 

Being human is not always going to be easy because let’s admit it, being in a human body, is really cool, but also really fucking weird.

I know not much beyond myself. But yoga has taught me life is not always going to be easy, but we can at least make it as beautiful🖤 

Join me, sweet loves. Join me in the bliss. 

Photo cred by the beautiful beings at https://www.myriselife.com GO check them out for all things health and wellness.

 

 

Posted on

Confessions of a Single Girl

You’re single so you date.

But then dating gets tired.

You get on  the  “Im a Queen kind of train.” (Empowering for sure, love to date myself – I’d recommend it at least once if your life if you are a woman and have yet to indulge in the magic of self.)

Okay, but then, sometimes with this single thing, you get bored. Or have needs. So you date. And every once in a while (cause you are for sure picky, and you deserve to be) you meet someone you like.

But, do you sleep with them just because your horny? 

Or because you actually like them?

Or, do you hold out?

Cause society says you should.

You wonder why there are so many rules. Because you don’t like rules. Why can’t you just do what you want?

Well, you can. But then, what exactly is it that you want to do?

Dating is fun, especially, like I said,  when you find someone you like to date. But then, the feelings thing. You love to love.

You fall in love every day.

With the clouds and the trees, and even him. Well, not completely him. But he is lovely. But it’s just fun right? Even though you kind of (really) like him. And games, are fun.

But you’ve been there. Done that.

So you wonder, is your free wild spirit ready to be tamed? 

And even if it is.

It’s only fair to ask yourself…How can you dive into a relationship again, just when you are about to launch off to foreign destinations. And you know how that goes.

Same song, different dance.

When you leave to these far off place, the romance of the journey becomes our love, and your heart goes right along with you. It takes no prisoners in this journey of gypsy fun.

SO how then, can you ask for more – when you don’t know what it looks like to give that of yourself.

Maybe this is what your tender wild heart really dreams of…

A safe place to always call home. Not in a location, but someone one on board, to hold your hand, and your heart on this magnificent cosmic ride.

Then you wonder.

Is any man going to rise to the challenge (and reward) of loving such a bold, free, untamed and sensitive soul…

And then this dating thing again.

You wonder again, should have slept with him so soon?

Well. yes. duh.

He make you feel so good. Those yummy lips, his manly body, his manly everything. His sweet smile. But there are 7 million people on the planet.

SO many more to meet in this life.

But you like this one. Right now.

So what do you?

Put yourself out there.

What have you got to lose? Dignity isn’t measured by times you’ve been turned down. And courage can be defined by how brave you are, especially when you are afraid.

Not of being vulnerable no, that’s the easy part. So – you go for it.

But. Well, your dating right? And alas, you learn. So is he. And not just you…

Even though he tell you he loves your energy. Maybe that’s what he says to the other girls too?? Or maybe he just wasn’t ready for someone so wild and refreshingly vibrant to enter his space.

Well fuck him you think?!

Yes. But no.

Cause he actually seems genuinely sorry to know he hurt your feelings.

It’s this dating thing…

Being together is lovely. But so is being alone.

NO feelings get hurt when you date yourself. No hearts get broken when you’re out on your own. So you straighten up your crown (the one he knocked sideways when fucked you like he owned you.) Which, let’s admit it you liked.

But that still does not mean he deserves your body or your time.

Because you know you know your depth, and your worth.

It extends far deeper than the soft spots he found inside of you.

Respect is just the minimum. He clearly still has much to learn.

And sex with yourself is uber fun too…

So, off you go. You stand up tall. You own your power. You keep on shining your magnificent bright light. That bright light that oozes out of your pores when you know the magic you hold in your bones.

You know, that his days a better with you around. Because you infuse life with generous, abundant love.

But you are happy to return to yourself.

You focus on you. And what makes you feel alive. Back to the waters of expansion and creativity. Masterfully crafting this path of your own. Boss babe shit. Is back on a roll.

You fill your days with indulgent self love.

No better time than now, to stay (or fall back) wildly in love with yourself.

And that’s why your own days are better with you around. In making your own company, the best there is, then everything else, is just a bonus gift.

So you stay single. And not a victim to this single life, but proud – that all you need is you.

And when he calls you again, you are have the power. To wish him away, or invite him along.

But there are no regrets when you stand in the radiance of your own divine self.  

solo.travel.love

Posted on

Fear and Freedom in the land of Pura Vida

Time spent traveling invites us to be a different version of ourselves.  It gives us an opportunity to do new things, rad things, to experience life outside our bubble, to live beyond our comfort zone, to meet new people and learn about our strength of character.

On Monday I left the town of Liberia and set off to the jungles. I cruised along familiar roads for an hour or so, and then I felt tingles of excitement as I took a left into unfamiliar territory. The excitement left as quickly as it arrived when I realized I was about to leave the land of paved paradise and enter into savage landscapes. The blissful free feelings turned to oh shit feelings in a fast heart beat. And of course, I had to pee. No bathrooms on the horizon or any sign of humanity – aside form the casual construction worker or massive tractor along the way I was mostly alone.

Maybe the best part of this whole incredible 1 hr of life was the great little spot I found to pull over and relieve myself,  I hopped out of the car, enter here the vision of naked muddy feet, and an Austin Powers epic pee. It was so peaceful outside of the car, with the pause from  the rubbing and jumbling, squishy, mucking noise of  mountainous terrain battling with the car below me. Then, back to it. A bit more thrilled about the drive at least knowing I’d solved one small problem.

So I’ve driven through many potholes and rainy jungle roads before, but this day wins in the competition of driving adventures. It was rainy and wet, and for about an hour I was on a muddy, slippery, rocky construction site of a road defined by steep inclines, declines, and blind turns… By myself, with out cell service, not in a truck or vehicle that gave me confidence or the support I wanted in this kind of terrain. The sides of road often lacked railings and muddy tires slide going down hills, and rocks below the tires often slip on the way up… 

Anyway.

I think you get the point. 

It was and incredibly beautiful jungly drive aside from that, just terrifying.

When I finally returned to the safely of normal roads, I definitely let out a big breath of sigh. As I navigated these roads I found a sense of confidence and assurance that I am brave and capable. None the less, as I drove away from this stretch of road I was definitely relieved to see paved roads and resemblances of little towns. Ironic part is remember saying to myself, with a mental check “that was cool, don’t ever need to do that again” and as I’ve tried to brain storm a different way to leave Santa Teresa, I have found no better option but that hellish road. It is actually the best way to get out of town. Joke is on me. As the rain pours down right now, my heart smiles, and cries at the same time, how wonderful the rain, but how extra fucked the roads will be tomorrow. ha ha ha…

this is where I knew I was in for it
yep. wtf. haha. forward I supposed is the only direction to go
It sure is beautiful out here though
just a bit of mud
happiest sign I’ve ever seen
Rental car Im going to take back to the city. haha

It’s funny though, I’m not looking forward to it – But when we do things that make us feel scared and get through them, we learn, of our own resilience. We get stronger sense of self every time we persevere. 

Experience like these help me understand the importance of trying new things and keeping an open mind towards moments that may feel awful. These moments are here to teach us something. How do we ever know what we can do if you don’t ever chart away from our routines and do something that makes us scared ? 

I arrived in safety in Santa Teresa just in time for birthday lunch with the sweet brilliant queen of http://www.tarantulasurf.com. Tara. We became friends when I slid into her DM’s on IG. Lol sound familar. Yep, that’s how I met you too right ;). When I was living in Costa Rica I’d always see her posts, full of gorgeous images and pared with heartfelt captions to match. Words, stories and poems of women, nature and empowerment. I knew we needed to be friends, so I reached out, we made attempts to connect in person for a while but a tender sisterhood began to grow. We met in Nicaragua two years ago, the friendship has continued to bloom in such beautiful ways since then.  

One love
Birthday feast. So yum!

 

Friendships like Tara’s and adventures like this validate my belief of the reward that comes when we go beyond our comfort zone.  When we make ourselves vulnerable, sometimes there is rejection of loss, but from these places we are able to transform, we create our own recipe for infinite possibility. The adventure it’s self it the reward, and everything else gained along the way it just the bonus.

The last three days here unfolded into complete magic. Surfing. Check (biggest waves I’ve paddled out in since the injuries – little victory dance for self here- they were breaking pretty far out and overhead) yes I was scared, yes I stepped on a bee and got stung on the way into the water and yes, once I was able to silence the self doubt and enjoy the majesty of the jungle lined tropical ocean I was floating in,  I scored some killer waves. The lightening storms, beachside-palm tree-waterfall lined jungle roads, home made dinners, conversations about love and light and consciousness have been full on. I’ve laughed non stop. I’ve made flows to beats (watch out- little miss lyricist here- haha- white girl can jam) perched on the hillside, on the porch of a perfectly place jungle cabin, with an epic million dollar view of the pristine jungles and uninterrupted sprawling beaches. Talking story has spanned the spectrum of heavy and deep and playful, but the mood has remand light. Life, just as it is, is really sweet. Real connection away from cell phones with people who are on a similar path to mine is something I’ve been missing. I feel validated, like my dreams, aren’t so wild or far out there, but, that naturally this is what people like us do. We choose the mud, and the nature, and the lack of amenities because we feel so much joy without it. Life full of modern luxuries often feels overwhelming and full of distractions away from the peace of simplicity.

The view from the road
Just a million dollar view and a perfect jungle bungalow
Afternoon hours
friends and lots of love

My life in the states is so blessed, and so abundant, but sometimes I feel like I have to do as much as everybody else to keep, up or else I’ll get left behind. And I find the pace of life absolutely exhausting. Are we living if we are working all the time? For me, the answer is a hard no. I don’t desire to have things, I crave experience my wants and needs walk a different road.

So, to be here, around people who live, and breathe, and move at the same gentle pace as myself; People who want to spend the days engaging in life, enjoying good company, savoring books, and adventures, and the bliss of the warm sea, well,  feels like home.

We all work, but we don’t live to work. Our emphasis is different. And I think that’s the whole point. When we finds what sets our soul on fire. What bring us peace. We should stop at nothing to live that life. It looks different for everyone. I can’t emphasize enough, the idea of “many paths, one truth”. We all end up in the same place, but how we get there may look different, and that’s the wonderful part, the journey of finding your own magic way.

To me it feels and looks like this. I am so inspired by being here, my heart beats more fully in this environment. I’m so happy to be in communion with the people and places that make me feel so whole and complete.

Costa Rica Magic
Sunset in Playa Hermosa, Santa Teresa
Stay stoked
At home with the trees =)

My point of writing it to inspire you to follow your heart. To find your voice, your song, that you create, and could play on repeat from here until forever and never get sick of. My wish for you is to fall in love with life. My wish for you is to seek. Seek your deepest desires, travel, embrace newness, find adventure, live your truth, and if you don’t know what that looks like, don’t stop searching. Dedicate yourself to you, and everything you find along the way, no matter how scary or challenging the way, will deliver you the greatest rewards. I can’t promise it will be easy, or always good, but it will be worth it. A million times over again, it will be worth everything you compromise to live your hearts desires, life is out there waiting for you to embrace it.

Tomorrow I head back on the road, and to another place that feels like home, and actually was for a while. Nosara. A place where I encountered countless waves, enduring friendship, and the biggest broken heart and deepest debt I’ve know to this day. I love this place, and if I could go back and do it all over again, I’d do it the exact same.

So tomorrow awaits – through those damn hills of mud and rock and slippery sludge. Also hills, of magical jungle trees, fresh air, and the excitement I seek. And I’m scared. But the hour will pass, white knuckles and all and I will be fine. I suppose if I asked life for adventure it is giving it to me. (ON a side note, know this, be clear in your intentions and what you ask for, haha. Cause you will get it. We are powerful manifestors in that way. Suppose on this path to enlightenment I too have a lot to learn.) 

And in an attempt on playing with perspective, if this “horrific” hour of my day tomorrow, driving through the beautiful jungles of Costa Rica  is as bad as it gets, this week, or even this month, then my life is pretty damn good…

Off to enjoy the songs of rain. Sleep sweet my loves, I’ll talk to you soon

Xo

Katie 

Posted on

Cultivating positivity- even when life gets all kinds of crazy. Staying humble and grateful amidst the madness.

Hello loves!

What a wild life it is. More delightful and beautiful everyday.  I’m not really sure where to start, so maybe that is exactly where I should begin. Over the last few months, since I was in Nicaragua frothing over life in the tropics, everything has changed.

But let’s backtrack a bit.

First and foremost, Nicaragua is in the midst of the worst political violence (and devastating oppression) it has seen in the last 20 years. I could go on for a while about the heartbreak and injustice happening to these beautiful people in this wonderful country. The reality is that when I bought my property, I could not have known that within two weeks of my signing date, the country would experience an uprising and peaceful protests that have resulted in over 300 innocent civilians dead in the streets and caused an exodus of expats and travelers alike. As the people push for a democratic solution, the economy has tanked and the tourism industry, in which I had hoped to thrive through my boutique surf bungalows, has crashed. My heart goes out to my friends and the Nicaraguans fighting this fight. I am fortunate to have other options and places to shift my focus and energy, as I hope and pray for a quick and peaceful solution for our neighbors down south.

After the realization that my Nicaraguan dream was on hold for a while, my mind shifted back to a free, gypsy lifestyle. I’d accepted, and quite frankly, was feeling stoked about traveling to new parts of the world, (South East Asia, Australia, Maldives, here I come) scoring waves, teaching yoga, and working in boutique hotels across the globe. In the meantime, I was trying to keep up with the American machine, working all the time, squeezing in surf when I could, and trying to grind out the summer months as I planned my next move.

My birthday was in June and if you asked me how I thought I’d spend the summer of my thirty second year of life, I probably would have shrugged and let a little grin dance across my face – let my eyes illuminate a little extra twinkle, as I fantasized about the limitless opportunities of where I might find myself on this gypsy trail, traipsing about this beautiful, magical planet.

Fast forward to now. (how about the “knee-kini” and the one piece?! lol

(and now meaning this time period form Accident unit today…Things have finally  started to heal a bit and I’m feeling like I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I visit my knee surgeon Tuesday- Ive been charging the PT hard just trying to regain mobility prior to surgery, fingers crossed we’ll set a date for incisions and things this week. As for the wrist, its on the mend. Casts are off, and Ive been graduated to being allow to carry what they ca;; “coffee cup weight” haha. Big things are happening! As for the smiles and this lovely salty hair!… I got I the ocean yesterday- first time in two months and if you know me- that’s like, LIFETIMES… (by getting in, I mean I sat in the shoreline with my arm above my head and let the waves wash over meeee. but oh the sweet giggles and  bliss of magic mama ocean. I feel like I know who I am again. Its certainly not surfing. But it will do =)

So I know for a fact, when musing about how I’d spend this summer, I wouldn’t have predicted surf-less days, left handed teeth brushing, complete immobility in my knee, lizard skin hands, torn ligaments, 7 screws in my wrist, family Costco adventures (I, for one, am not a Costco fan), puzzle night as my Sunday Funday, and for icing on the cake, sitting in the bathtub singing Al Green and Sade laughing so hard I can’t stop crying, as my mom washes my naked body. Yep, humble pie, served up whole. I told my mom it was bathtub music. Haha. A sense of humor is certainly a sweet medicine. And something I’d recommend you never leave home without. It’s been comedy hour around here… But check out these.. eeeep

 

In my dream-world/part-time reality, I spend my days surfing, teaching yoga, working in restaurants, traveling, playing my ukulele, painting, blowing bubbles, hula hooping, dancing, staring up at the clouds, writing blogs, and poems and short stories for my upcoming book (that will be published soon!), creating future surf/yoga retreats and last but not least, planning my big move to Nicaragua where I’ll be building those boutique surf bungalows. Whew… and when I say I’ll do all these things it mostly just boils down, once again, flirting with complete burnout and too much work. When I’m spending my days in Central America, time, freedom and play consume my soul. However, here in the States (even as a yoga instructor and restaurant server- fun right?), I often find myself overworked and uninspired. I would imagine that many of you can relate? 

As of recently ALL OF THIS (play and work) has been sidelined. For the short term, life has a different plan for me. LESSON ONE COMING IN HOT: we have no control- so let go. Release your grip on life. Whatever I thought I was going to do took a bit fat detour.  Plans are great, but sometimes they change and it’s far better to let the currents take you where they want rather than fight them all the way to shore. Cool?! =) I have learned, and am forever learning, that we don’t have control over what happens to us. We only have control over ourselves and how we choose to respond. And with this new found free time I’ve been enjoying, said activities (from Central America days…)

So I had a gnarly “skateboarding” (and when I say skateboarding, I mean I was trying to ride a one wheeled motorized skateboard thing) accident at the end of June, resulting in a severely displaced, broken arm requiring surgery, screws, plates, learning to move my wrist again and lots of recovery time. In addition to injuring my arm/wrist, in the same accident I completely blew out my knee, tearing both my ACL and MCL (on which I am still currently awaiting surgery, fingers crossed it will be soon.) I’m out of the water for up to 9 months, when it’s all said and done. No surfing, no yoga teaching, no working, no dancing, no driving, not too much individual freedom at all.  Though at least I can use the toilet by myself- hey- it can always be worse right? And, as I sit here and type this, I realize despite all that, one thing I have continued to do non-stop, is smile. If you know me, you know this to be true.

I suppose all those little whispers life was giving me to slow down should have been heeded. But being a believer that everything is unfolding exactly as it should (assuming you show up and do the work- which I do), should have, would have, and could have, are not parts of my vocabulary. Had said accident not happened, I would not be sitting here today, writing this to you. =)

Nobody wants to be injured, but injuries aside, life has given me a gift. Yes, I said gift, and again, I default to focusing on the positive, returning my awareness to all that is -good- in my life. And occasionally breaking down into tears, but if you want the rainbow, well…you need the rain!

Injuries are a beautiful time for growth, self-reflection and discovery. Right? (And what I really mean is more time for selfies and wine?!?! haha…) Jokes aside though, because now I do have more time to spend in good conversation, painting, making music, creating all kinds of projects, and enjoying friends and family. Everyday I am more aware of this opportunity to enjoy a different path that life is taking me on. A path, that I would have not chosen for myself, but here I am, embracing all the madness with a happy heart and an open mind. Humbled and awed by the magical mystery of this human experience. The blessings and lessons that continue to reveal themselves are abundant.

Obviously injuries do suck, but how you choose to experience life, the injuries, the heartbreaks, the ups and downs, is completely up to you.

LESSON NUMBER TWO

(Maybe a bit more subtle with this one, but your mind is a powerful tool, so use it. =) )

With that being said, and I say this a lot, we -always- have a choice. And you can choose to be grumpy, or the opposite. My mom used to always say “choose your attitude” and as a sassy, stubborn, know-it-all adolescent, this drove me nuts, but she’s absolutely right. If a situation isn’t ideal to begin with, why choose to make it worse with a shitty attitude. Instead, I encourage you to find the blessing. And it’s wild, and at first I thought, weird, but it’s not weird, it makes perfect sense. Where you focus your energy is where your life flows. So in looking at this accident as opportunity, in graciously and humbly receiving, surrendering to, and trusting what life is giving me – my mind has been blown by what has come in my direction. (Once again, coming back around to the power of positive thinking.)

In case you missed it, I’d like to say, I would not have chosen this for myself. But the lesson, one of many here, is that life is what you make it. And less than awesome things happen everyday, so it’s up to you how you choose to experience these situations. In yoga well call this Pratipaksha Bhavanam. Cultivate the opposite (If something is bad, your mind and attitude CAN make it better.)

But if that’s too far out there for you…winky face, kissy emoji…I get it.

I just wish you all were close enough to come to some of my yoga classes (and not the extreme pretzel, literally make-you-sweat-your-face-off classes, but the body, mind and spirit, slow-it-all-down, enlightening breathwork classes) so I could shower you with the  ancient wisdoms I have learned, that make my heart feel happy, my soul feel peaceful, and my face smile. But for now, one-handed and chicken-pecked stories on my computer will have to do. =)

I’m aware this might sound like being positive is easy for me, but it’s work, it’s a daily practice, one that I absolutely love and is as necessary as breathing. I’ve come to learn that the practice is the reward. If I can advise you in any way, add some tools to your tool box, help you cultivate a better attitude, might I recommend meditation, some restorative yoga, a slow walk in nature, a self-help book, listening to music, painting, ecstatic dancing, cooking yummy meals, trying a new hobby, whatever it takes. But you deserve a life that makes you feel drunk on the delight of both the challenges and the rewards. A life full of joy.

So, if I can sum it all up with a little lesson number three, it would be to emphasize an awareness around the importance of slowing down. Live a mindful, conscious life. Society moves fast and our time here is precious. Enjoy where you are at. Embrace the moments as they come. Make happiness a priority- and whatever road that is to you- take it. Listen to your heart; the longings never stop. Greet yourself and others with compassion and love. Everyone has a story. Focus on the positive; it is forever present. We are beautiful beings on a cosmic journey, all doing the best we can to make sense of this incredible human experience.

Namaste. Aloha. Pura Vida. Blessings.

Your Mermaid,

Katie

IMG_5630

On a side note, my friends, these beauties above (you can find them at) http://www.thiscolorfulworld.com have brought me on board to help them out with all kinds of fun communication specialty tasks and I’m just beyond stoked to be a part of their powerful, uplifting, conscious lifestyle community. They run a video production company, and have an have a beautifully amazing youtube channel as well! So wether you have video production and photography needs, or just enjoy learning about life hacks for topics ranging from relationship maintenance – self care- mental health –  and so many more… check them out! xoxoxoxo

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7oNjpoRhx2OY0VTGGHEsFQ

 

Posted on

Yoga-Life-Water-Love

Yoga- Life- Water- Love

My heart is bursting with gratitude. Like the way lava lurches from within a volcano and devours everything in its path. Completely consuming and changing life as it moves towards the sea – love flows from me in this very same way. It is subtle, but it is a mighty an undeniable force to any who witnesses it’s movement. The seeds you cultivate and water in your life become the jungle that grows around you. Its simple in theory but life brings all kinds of challenges, and my yoga practice has taught me that that practice is indeed the reward, and we are undoubtedly mirrors of those around us. 

No matter the day I am having- time with self, in yoga practice, in meditation, silently dancing with the great expanse of everything, always resets my heart and mind. Yesterday, after a morning of great coffee talk, and inspiring creative brainstorming, I headed off to serve tables (and share smiles) at the restaurant. Days of waiting on people hand and foot can be rewarding but also an “energy suck” and after such a super charged AM of “big dream” stuff, that became a day of “work” I was feeling depleted, a bit unrewarded and in need of tapping back into  the sweet vast source self. The 5:30 pm class at YO (Yoga Oceanside) with amazing teacher the amazing teacher, and friend, Rick Worthington always ends in happy fuzzy yoga bliss. Come join us if you are in town! http://www.Yogaoceanside.com =)

So.

I am a woman with dreams and ambition. My wild heart calls me to rouge parts of the world, and although it may not be the most “safe or secure” path of life, I can not turn off the call of the winds that lure me to Nicaraguan Tropical Paradise. Its a simple life I crave, but in creating this vision, first I get to put in a lot of work. I am building Surf House Nicaragua http://www.surfhousenicaragua.com (check it out, just a basic page now, but so much more to come)  through this Boutique Surf style Accommodation I am creating   a community to spread the seeds of love (from my tribe here in oceanside) to people and travelers across the globe. 

For now, and a temporary now, I’m living in my hometown Oceanside, CA. I work at the   a super fun spot called Local Tap House (which I do love) but it’s not my passion or how I want to live my life long term. I am also blessed enough to teach yoga and give reiki in the amazing Yoga Oceanside yoga studio. 

 

For the last few days my friend Caroline has been in town visiting me.  She is a boss babe, full of fire, passion, ideas and an work ethic second to none. Her thought process I so different than mine and she only challenges me to think about things from a different avenue than my natural thought process; not to change my way of thinking, but to simply expand my mind to consider other possibilities.

In our relationship, being the yoga teacher and energy healer, I am the “yogini” but her ability to understand this power of mind makes her a yogini in so many ways she doesn’t even know. One of my favorite yoga quotes that I teach often in class  is this “As the mind so the man – if you believe you are bound you are bound, if you believe you are free you are free” Its a quote from Patajanli’s Yoga Sutras a book loaded with all kind of amazing esoteric wisdoms. Its a great read even if you don’t have a physical asana practice i’d recommend gibing it a read.

 My point to this story is I have gotten comfortable, “bound” perhaps, to limiting thought and beliefs about how and when I can make my dreams happen- and as I write and reflect I’m becoming aware that maybe thats  the reason I’ve been feeling stuck. I’ve adopted a routine for the first time in my  life, and it’s a beautiful routine, but Im  now feeling it’s time to shake it up.  In life we go back and forth from protection mode to growth mode. From times of getting grounded and rooted, (feeling safe and secure) to times of radical growth and change. When I returned home from living in Costa Rica, a year ago today, I was in big need of this nurturing, I had massive emotional healing to do and was in need of finding stability and happiness within in myself. So this “groove” here been 100% necessary and everything I’ve needed for the past 12 months but its not the place I can stay if I want to live the biggest, and most vibrant version of my life. It’s perfect for right now, but that’s no excuse to get complacent. If you have dreams, that have found their way in to the back ground maybe it’s time to shift all your energy into these dreams, manifest them and create and work them into fruition. Or maybe for you its time to slow it down a bit and continue to water them and wait for them to grow- either way having awareness around this cycle and process makes you a powerful being. 

This awareness leads me to a  big lesson that continues to present its self to me in big and small ways. Im a believer that is that life is about learning to wait. This “wait” I’m refering to is not sitting back and doing nothing. It’s embracing the pause or grounding phase of life that has to happen in order for things to grow.  When we slow down long enough and listen to the space between what we thing we know, that is where the answers are revealed. Jimi Hendrix said “knowledge speaks but wisdom listens.”  To me this quote implies that to arrive at wisdom we need to slow down, turn off our own ideas and truly hear whats being said by those around us, and to our self within.

Turing my attention to my root chakra has been not so glamorous, but where I lacked in “glamor” it has made up for in power, and connection to source. Growing deeps roots creates the foundation for a sustainable and fulfilling life. As I started writing this last night I  realized that today is my year anniversary from moving home from Costa Rica. (a place where I was lusciously, flippantly and superfluously living in my heart space, which is a good place to be as long as proper roots have been grown, which they hadn’t which is maybe why the tree fell (me) the way it did- but it was what was needed to happen for the seeds to spread and grow as they have… Ah, the joys of trusting and surrendering, embracing what comes our way as opposed to what we think we know or want. Ive said it many time but heart break is a fucker. But I am only greatful for the deeply satisfying lessons I have learned  as a result. As I reflect on how much my heart  has softened, but also my soul empowered, and the growth that I have traversed in the last year, it’s incredible. We as human beings are capable of great feats, physical, emotional, mental, spiritual. Everything I wanted to happen continues to. Maybe not the exact way I’ve imagined, and not to say Ive gotten everything I “wanted”. But life unfolds everything we need. When you are able to get specific about what you want and let go of how it comes about, it always, always always comes. This is where he power of a yoga practice becomes the best tool. I can only speak from my own experience but my yoga practice is the reward. Despite the ups and downs this last year has contained my Yoga practice has given me tools  to know that everything is not just okay, but perfect, even when its not. Life isn’t happening to me its happening for me. And although the jungles and in a bikini is where I want to be, and where I will be, through a devoted practice I have arrived in a place of the sweetest contentment within myself regardless of life’s external circumstances. Not to mention, a life here in San Diego cocooned by so much sweet sweet love is blissful. To keep it all in perspective if surfing in a wet suit is the worst part of my its really not so bad hey?

Life is cyclical indeed. So this positive, unattached, loving, humble, vulnerable, open free life style and mindset  does not deny or negate that bad things can and do happen, it’s just a shield, or tool, to constantly remind me to stay in the present, to let go, to trust and surrender to forces beyond my control. It is a knowing that  sun sets, and it gets dark, but then the sun rises and it is light again (not to mention the magic of the moon while the sun is away). This way of living to protects me from unnecessary struggle that could lead to drowning in the same currents that float and pull me safety. We can let go or be dragged. We can work hard for what we want, as I have, but in this hard work and of following my dreams am in constant flux, remembering to stay fluid, and let things happen as they should- finding a perfect balance between working your ass off, and going with the flow. (Of being in that place right where the tide changes, it goes from a dead low beings to push in, the winds switch offshore, and what looked like shitting conditions, transform into an epic session of pumping waves.) Sorry… haha, couldn’t got a whole explanation of life and love without some kind of ocean reference, default I suppose of being a mermaid =) Anywho, Letting go of what we think we know, and accepting what is, this is  Aparigraha. Aparigraha is a yoga philosophy that teaches abundance and recognizing the blessings off all things the come our way. Embracing its wisdom has saved me many many headaches, and soothed many heartaches in reassuring me that despite external circumstances that everything is going to be fine, and in clinging to an outcome I desire and not accepting what is only causes more suffering.

As Im nearing the completion of my 31st trip around the sun I feel so grateful, so empowered and so excited to share with you the secret powers of a yoga practice that I have been fortunate enough to receive. None of these wisdoms are my own.  Im am however a believer in myself. My wild passion and free spirit are viscously infectious, and as I get to know myself more everyday I I feel more honored to share my stories and my sparkle with you. 

I’ve got a few poetry books I hope to be publishing soon full of inspiration and yogic wisdoms and short prose about nature, travel, and love. Some beach cleans ups in the works and if you follow me and my merbabes at the _mermaidmafia_  on intsagram and FB we are always filling your days with positive ideas about how to live a more mindful eco conscious life.  Also always promoting, check out Avasol. They are skin safe, reef safe sun protection product and Avasol is a company I endorse who heartily.

As for my big dream, my big vision – Surf House Nicaragua is reaching its dawn. Its a bit scary, but I’m stoked for the adventure into business ownership and the opportunity to create something that has a positive lasting impact. Any one who has ever watched the sunrise knows what a moment of great magic this is. 

In addition to building an epic space to host travelers and share my love of yoga and surf, In the next year I will also be hosting a Yoga and Surf and Volunteer adventure to a tropical Latin paradise not far from here… Hope you can join me =) =)

I am a woman on fire, inspired, in love with my self, with life and engaged in this magic mystery as it unfolding all around. I can only thank the people closest to me who continually uplift me, guide me, love the heck out of me, remind the importance of following your dreams and teach me to live a full vibrant life.

So many blessings and so much love-

The mermaid.