Feeling Enlightened...

I met a Guru this week.  A Buddhist Lama.  Went to LA, off Santa Monica Blvd, to hear his teachings and lecture.  He talked for 3 hours.  Listened.  Learned.  We meditated.  The event went until 2AM!  The experience was quite enlightening.  Ever since I have met him, he gave me his blessing and then put his third-eye to my third-eye I have felt like I’m floating.  It’s been 4 days now and it’s like I’m still on cloud 9.  I don’t want it to end, yet I feel the spiritual/out of body experience hard to describe in words.  I feel a new sense of peace. 
When I went up to meet the Lama, even if you are not Buddhist you can go up and get a blessing from him, we had a connection.  It was personal.  It was real.  He said some amazing things to me.  Things that are not usually said…  When I think of our interaction and the words we exchanged with each other, it makes me teary-eyed.  Complete gratitude.  Utter peace.  I have a calm and a knowning about my life that I have not had.  I am grateful beyond words.  Thank you Lama Ole and my Buddhist friends in LA for a wonderful time of teaching and meditation. 

What is meant to happen will happen...

My first two months back in CA was just a total wash.  I was living with friends and an adopted family trying to find a place.  I was working hard to save money and I was in major major reverse culture shock.  Had the hardest time adjusting back.  I remember going with friends to a restaurant and soooo annoyed that the server kept coming by to see if we needed anything.  Don’t they respect our privacy?  They even dropped the check off without us asking – I felt they were rushing us.  I did not tip them.  Somehow I had become European… I understand why they are so frustrated when they come over here, as majority of Americans rush everything. 

A couple of months into it I had found a place to live, picked up a lot of work to support my massive monthly apartment fee, and broken up with the guy that I have moved back early from Europe for.  I thought we would be living in a fun flat together and starting a new season of my life with him, but that is not what fate had in store.  Oh how I often dream of going back to Europe.  Yet, running from life when it gets tough is not what works.  So, I am here – 6 months later.  Teaching yoga, trying to find my zen, and trusting that what is meant to happen will happen.  I am not to question life – just peacefully accept what I've been handed and try to give as much love and light as I can along the way. 

A place to call home...

After moving back from traveling Europe to the US, living in Ohio with family during the Christmas holiday and then finally hitting home in California – I was beginning to feel like a modern day gypsy. 
I had always said that I’d love to be this modern-day traveling hippie (who shaves) yoga teacher/gypsy woman… But in all honesty, it was beginning to take a toll on me.  I had lived in many places in the last year.  And, as much as I loved it and exciting as it was, there is something special about having a place you can call home.  I was craving that. Home is and has been for some time California.  Laguna Beach.  So to come back here after 6 months of hitting it hard traveling – oh it feels good to be back.  I’m meant to live by the water.  Maybe I was a dolphin in a former life :) – but I find a sense of peace and homeness( just made that word up) when I am here.  

As I travel the world, because I know I will travel again, Southern California will always be home base.  It feels good to know that.  It’s not perfect – but no place is.  Yet, it works for me.  I have friends here.  I have adopted family here.  I have the beach.  And I have the warm weather I love.  I get to walk to my yoga class on Saturday morning and do so not in 2 feet of snow.  I’m lucky.

Montepulciano Top 10

When in Italia - Tuscany is a great place to explore.  It has a rich beauty that does not disappoint.

I had the fun privilege to return to Italy during wine tasting season.  When I was given the offer by a friend who owns a vineyard in Montepulciano, I started packing. 

Me, Italians, Vino, Vineyard - need I say more - I was in Heaven!

If going to Tuscany here are some things I would recommend:

10 - Rent a car and explore...

9 - Who cares if you get lost - it's all beautiful and you are in Tuscany!

8 - Stop along the way, get out of the car, breath it in, capture the moment.

7 - Take an umbrella - serious.

6 - Drink the wine - any really, it's all sooo good!

5 - Tuscany is filled with beautiful, small towns and vineyards - visit a couple

4 - Cortona - best village sitting on a hilltop in Tuscany (where Under the Tuscan Sun was filmed) Ammmmmazing!  Lovely.  Best food I've had in Italy. 

3 - Montepulciano - beautiful, small, great food, amazing vineyards.  Where the Twilight movie was filmed.  Walk the streets, buy some pasta, drink the red...

2 - Salcheto Vineyards - a must see - friends own - it's beautfiul!  http://www.salcheto.it/

1 - Live in the moment, you're in Italia - eat, drink, laugh, be merry!!!  

YOGA via SKYPE

Yes - Yoga and Skype can be a beautiful thing.
I teach yoga via Skype and it works.

Just yesterday something amazing happened. 
It was a picture and a moment I will never forget. 
Beautiful.  Tugged at my heart strings...

For the first time in one room doing yoga on the East Coast was my mother, my 80 year old grandma, and my 4 year old niece.  They were taking a yoga class lead by me on the West Coast. 
I was able to give my niece in her first yoga session.  She listened well.  Followed along and who knows... maybe one day she will take after her aunt. 

At the end of class we were seated on the floor with legs crossed, eyes closed, hands at heart-center in prayer position.  I instructed them to take a moment to offer up any prayers of gratitude - That's when I saw my 4 year old niece begin to quietly do so.  Her little eyes were closed, long blonde hair relaxed on her shoulders, and a peacefulness about her I have not seen.  I just sat, looked at her, my mom, and my grandma all participating in this yoga practice of gratitude. 
I can not describe the feelings that came over me.  Wonder.  Peace.  Happiness.
It's the small things in life that really matter...
Teaching my 4 year old niece how to say Namaste...
Yoga and Skype - a beautiful thing!

a love for travel...

The morning was still dark as I drove my friend to LAX.
4:30 AM is no time for deep thinking - or is it?
I found myself in complete excitement that I was driving someone to the International Terminal at the Los Angeles Airport.  Even at bloody 4:30 AM!  I wished I was the one flying...  I found myself thinking about the joys of travel.  The learning experiences.  The excitement.  The thrill of the unknown.

I find traveling to be one of the pure joys of my life.
It's an experience one can not describe in words.
It truly changes the way one looks at life.
To travel is to see the world through a different set of glasses.
To walk into a culture - an unknown - where all judgements are proven wrong.
To learn that the world truly is a beautiful place as vast and different as it is. 
To be unexpectedly surprised by the learning process that only comes from getting one's-self out of their comfort-zone.  That to me, is the best life has to offer.

Pulling up to LAX - I allow my mind to shift back to reality.  I hugged my friend goodbye as he ventured off for a month of exploring in Central and South America.
Driving back home at 5:30 AM, the morning was still dark...
I found myself smiling as I dreamed of my next trip.

Mental Vacation

I've taken the last month off - a mental vacation so to say.
Within the month, I have unloaded all my belongings from storage - after a 6 month move to Europe,
Moved into a quiet retreat that I can call home,
And allowed myself some proper time to rest. 

Turning one's brain off is necessary from time to time.
I call it a MENTAL VACATION. 
I suggest you try it sometime.
One is still present - Still in the moment.
But, there is no thought about the past or the future.
No to-do list.  No worry.
Just being. 
It's freeing.  It's refreshing. 
It allows room for creativity to re-enter the life.
A little zen can even be found...

Take a mental vacation, even for a week. 
See how your stress and mood begin to shift.
Mental holidays or mental vacas as I like to call them are great!
I'm back and feeling good after some needed brain R&R...