Journeys Continue

I was really split as to what to do once we got down from the mountain. There was a free vegan lunch at the park for the community and I really wanted to go; at the same time I had already skipped almost 2 days of a festival I had already paid for. I hung out at Cottonwood Falls mulling it over with great people around as usual and in the end I left before the free lunch.

The decision to leave felt right… most of my trip I went with what seemed right in the sense of I should do it and by letting go of my comfort zone in the process. I started off with the long walk to the orange bridge that was seemingly so far but only took my about 30 minutes to make it there. It’s amazing what determination can do for you… keep in mind there was still an overly large pack on my back.

The Orange Bridge

I waited about 45 minutes to an hour before I was picked up but it all worked out as the guy drove me right to the ferry. I found some great sweaters at the dock that I’ve always wanted and I managed to strike up a deal with the women and got one for cheaper than I expected. Just before I took off I saw she had some wire wrapped crystals and I offered up some of my nice quartz I found up at the crystal caves for her generosity she offered me. I’d given more away hitchhiking despite having had less than before, but no matter what happened I seemed to be provided for; generosity is undervalued today and even just a smile can perpetuate wonderful things.

This sweater

The ferry was nice to ride with mountains and water surrounding you, being the one of maybe two people who boarded on foot was kind of neat sensation too. I arrived on the other side of the water in Crawford Bay where there was two kids playing harmonica together… the skill and synergy they had, blew me away. I walked up to the little hut on the hill and picked up some yummy ice-cream after being in the hot sun for a while (first time I really paid for anything since my trip started). I was taking a moment to appreciate everything that had already happened and great experiences to be had, when someone began to strike up conversation with me about my Starbelly sign… next thing I knew I had a ride to the festival!

I paid my camping fee… even though I could have easily snuck in without a car. I made camp in the back of the field for some nice peace and quiet, got ready for a jammin’ evening and off I went. Once inside the gates it was such a cozy small festival, very family oriented which made it feel so peaceful and lovely. I began to peruse the vendors and found some really neat things, unfortunately I had a pretty tight budget but did manage to get some great scores. I had been looking for a waist pouch (many pockets not a fanny pack :P) for a while but could never find any masculine ones that I liked… and fit me, but I found one that works just perfect! What an amazing start to a festival season! I later found a ring that snagged my interest… and I’ve maybe worn one or two other rings ever so it’s a big deal :P. The evening music and later on into the night was fantastic. I got to meet many great people unfortunately I didn’t get much info from anyone there but it was fun and those memories are now locked away :).

Sunday night I headed in a little bit early so I could get a bright start in the morning hitching back to Nelson. Unfortunately there was a group of younger kids/ adults that were blaring their “obnoxious” music and towards the back of the large field… it was a huge field but the music went all the way. I was getting very angry and just wanted to sleep, and normally I can sleep through anything. At one point I was about to yell out at them to turn off their music very aggressively  but instead I decided to go and ask politely. One of the guys walked over and apologized right away and turned it down… from there I pretty much passed out when I got back to my tent. What did I learn here? You don’t have to choose the aggressive or rude route to solve things even if you think it’s the only way such people will react; The outcome turned out peacefully and how I would have liked it dealt with if I were in their situation. That night I went to bed with a peaceful mind and a sense of accomplishment.

***All photo’s are in raw form as I had to reformat my computer and didn’t re-install my editing software, enjoy the originals 😉 

Unfortunately this writing has taken longer than I expected and I will be back with more fun stories from my Adventures! What’s next? To Nelson then to Nakusp Hot Springs…

“Be grateful, and never be afraid to ask for help… The Universe is working in your favour.”

Coexistence

A lot has happened in the recent month and a bit, I’ve done a lot of firsts which I plan to continue pursuing!

The summer is finally here I attended a Solstice party with some friends around a fire, tried out paddleboarding which was an absolute blast and would suggest it to anyone. There has been many beach visits, backyard fires and it’s only the beginning of the summer <3.

I had the opportunity to use my Photoshop and photography skills lately which was rather exciting, in the sense that I was compensated for my efforts :). I did two posters for a friend that works at a youth centre and some photography for my buddy that’s an arborist. It’s nice to be able to use the talents you’ve “trained” in or made efforts to really learn; it’s a little bummy sometimes having to work a job that is really only a mean to make an end. I do really enjoy landscaping don’t get me wrong, I get to be outside in the nature take care of tree’s and properties and enjoy the sun and mountains, but there’s a point where your efforts deserve a little more recognition.

I had a great conversation with my friend Sara and Dayton the other night about women equality in the workforce and how there is still a gap but that it’s closing. I made a point that I felt equality was evening out but in the sense that it’s my generation that’s evening it out… unfortunately we do not make up the majority of the work for at this point only having an age range from 18-28 for example vs. 28-60 . Maybe I’ve become complacent to the idea, but in all honesty I try to see it as there shouldn’t be a difference in the first place; we’re all human beings, we all breathe air and have thoughts and a conscience. By not having equal rights or working ability we are only stunting ourselves as a species… why cut our brain power 30/70 or what ever numbers you want to pull… it just doesn’t make sense. Pretty much what I’m getting at is don’t ever look at someone’s gender… you know what the only thing we should be doing is listening to everyone “Blindly” (in the sense it doesn’t matter what they look, hear or sound like) hearing what they have to say and analyse it all; it doesn’t matter if you’re female, male, gay, straight, black or blue, Buddhist or Muslim we all have a place on this planet and we should all be respected equally… We are all one and interconnected.

Festival season is upon us and I’m counting down the days until I go on my festival journey… Actually I’m not counting the days I’m just going with the flow to hold down the over excitement. I have to say festival’s are what make my year… they are what reminds me that we are an amazing group of creatures on this planet and how we can really join together as one and just share so much love and fantastic company from strangers and friends alike. I can de-stress and flow free at festivals and enjoy nothing but great music, people, and just all around atmosphere. I’ve decided I will be hitchhiking this year to my festivals as to save money on gas, it should be a wonderful experience… will be sure to let you know how it went.

Art work by Dayton Andrews Blue Kyanite

Like I said there’s been so much going on that I can’t even keep track anymore but I’ll be sure to try to keep you up on the summer wonders here in the Okanagan! Since I don’t have much to “share” here’s a bunch of photo’s.

My Cascadian home

Panda!

Side walk art in front of our home

Smile you all have a beautiful soul

“Love yourself because that’s who you spend all your time with <3″

Shakra + Meditation

Guest Post

>>Your Inner Core<<

You are not a human being having a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being having a human experience. Each and every one of us homosepians have 7 energy centers called the Chakras. These chakras are like spirals of energy, each one relating to the others. Using the seven colours of the spectrum, Colour Therapy aims to balance and enhance our body’s energy centres/chakras and also to help stimulate our body’s own healing process.

First you have a crown chakra bringing personal identification and oneness with peace & wisdom. Second, you have a third-eye chakra clearing the subconscious to channel intuition, and brings devotion and balance. Third you have a throat chakra, bringing you the ability to verbalize. Letting you express truth through the power of spoken words. Next, you have your heart chakra letting you express love in action and releasing emotionally repressed trauma. Then, comes the solar plexus bringing you positive use of personal power, assimilation experience, manifesting goals, and digestion. Sacral Chakra is next giving you utilization of creative forces into all aspects of being and bringing you direct self-toward devotion. Last, is the root chakra letting you gain ability to work lovingly on this psychical plane.

Now everyone finds comfort and peace in their music they dig, right? It makes complete sense how music stimulates these chakras through frequency and vibration. These healing centers are one of the beyond beautiful things that we are gifted with.

>>Meditation<<

There are many different ways of meditation and it can also mean different things to different people on each sides of the spectrum. Meditation is part of a normal day practice and ritual for a mass amount of people, whether religious or not. Whatever the practice means to you can be enormously helpful as a way of calming the mind, finding your inner peace and has beautiful long-term effects on the body, mind, and soul. This place of inner peace is where we can open up to our higher self, without the ‘interference’ of the ego, where we can find our higher intelligence and knowing. Meditation can be achieved by focusing the mind on a particular object, for example a flower, or a simple shape, a sound, a visualization, or even the process of you painting a picture is a form of meditation.

The most helpful meditation of all is closed eye transcendental meditation. This is the simple act of closing your eyes and staring into your crown chakra. (your lower middle forehead) As simple as this sounds, a mass majority of people cannot even seem to find their minds be still and from wandering off into the realm of infinite thoughts. But with practice, it is beyond achievable in a beautiful manner. Meditation is not only good for all cores of your being, but can help psychically, and very much so mentally. Either removing stress, clearing energy blockages, often some people even find themselves with great ideas after their practice. Meditation should be practiced at least 20 minutes a day, twice a day for each individual. There are many helpful tapes, CD’S, videos around to help with meditation, as they will take the listener through stages of relaxation, or to help build a ‘picture’ in the mind’s eye of tranquility.

With practice, shortly you will find it much easier to meditate, find yourself less stressed, much more stability, both relaxed and having more vitality in a balanced manner, more happiness and making it much easier to be able to ‘switch off’ any time, anywhere, when you are feeling the need for peace that is very much so deserved between all beings. If you can’t find peace in your outer core, know it is in your inner. Along with happiness, no one or thing can bring your happiness (only temporary) except yourself. You cannot depend of anyone or thing to make you happy, because that thing can be taken away from you. Once you realize this and live off of this method, you will find yourself becoming truly happy.

Breathing is very important as well as maintaining a healthy, stable mind-set and body. As obvious as stating ‘breathing is very important’ it is surprising how few of us actually do breathe ‘properly.’ Breathing is something we all take for granted, leading us to be inclined to forget about. Lack of proper breathing can often be a symptom of stress. Since approximately 90% of our energy is created by oxygen and nearly all of our body’s actions are regulated by it, is it important to have a healthy breathing technique in general, or at least to practice every week.

>>Ability<<

Finding activities to allow your self to create are beautiful ones. Whether it is taking photographs of scenery or painting a picture to express your current mood, writing a poem, song, etc. Creating things made from scratch is amazing when you find yourself coming up with awesome ideas. There is no other feeling that does justice to making your ideas happen in psychical form. This can make you realize how capable of things you are. Every one is an artist in some shape, way or form. Even if you do not believe you are an artist, what you enjoy to do most likely is an art technique. You are more than an artist. You are more than a human. You are powerful, divine, and certainly no one can compare.

Submitted by: Christina Teller

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We are busy beings but without introspection how can you truly see?”

Life Friends

Just wanted to jump on here to let people know I’m super excited to go business approval hunting today, after a nice day at the beach and then some hang out time with the Hostel/ House mates yesterday. These guys are great fun to be around especially after one or two drinks.

I have to say one person I’ve been really missing lately is Emily Hime, I assisted her in running a Children’s Home in Haiti… Emily is kind of like a real-life super hero to me that just so happens to be one of my Bestest Friends 🙂  and I just wanted to share one of her YouTube songs with everyone.

Drive Changes

I feel so refreshed to say the least, I’ve been participating in yoga sessions on the front lawn of my place with an amazing instructor Satyama. Satyama comes by every so often offering by donation yoga instruction and she is an amazing teacher. The cool thing about this yoga is not only the benefits I’m receiving but how it brings everyone from the house together and even people from the holistic type community.

Other than yoga I’ve been doing a lot of different odd jobs to make some money but may have a handle on a job at The Mobile Shop.

Even bigger news I’m starting my own business! I had never seen myself as being an entrepreneur but when I got more interested in the work I plan on starting I felt this amazing Drive, the same drive I felt before I left for Haiti and before moving to Edmonton, Alberta and then British Columbia. This feeling of power and dedication is so positively overwhelming that it puts me in such a great mood and I feel so much ambition to succeed. The last few weeks when I wasn’t looking for work, I would spend countless hours in research for starting a business, improving the knowledge on the services I’ll be offering and acquiring grants or loans. The great news is, I’m done my business plan and all my other research, I have a registered business already I just need the funding so come Tuesday morning (tomorrow) I’m off to search for future success.

I may have said it before but when you search for your Personal Legend aka your passion in life even if you don’t know it yet the world will manifest itself to help you attain that goal. I find God has laid out the earth and the universe so perfectly that through him and his creations we are able to attain anything our true heart desires. With all of that being said I made a new friend a little bit back and he loved my idea and owns shop with a store front being opened up and he offered me a cheap place, how awesome! Anyone interested in finding out what I plan on opening here’s the site (keep in mind it’s still in development). InnerPaths.wordpress.com (once I have the funding the site will be converted to Innerpaths.org). If anyone if interested in trying it out or booking appointments or just curious, feel free to comment here or message me on the website.

This blog is a little short but most of my adventures the past week or so have been yoga, meditation, longboarding… oh yeah, I went longboarding the other day and it was scorching hot like Haiti hot… crazy! And finally I spent the majority of my time on my business keep tuned in to see how my Walk of Life continues.

 

Here’s by far one of my favourite quotes, it’s probably not the first time I’ve posted it and probably not the last ^_^ enjoy, and don’t forget to smile.

~ It’s not about weathering out the storm; it’s about learning how to dance in the rain