December 2013 | Essential You Yoga

On Detachment and Conflict

It’s easy to maintain a sense of detachment when you’re only passing through. It’s also simple to have perspective and true vision when looking at the trifles that capture people’s egos and lead to conflict

When you don’t call a place home or interact with people every day, it’s simple to see the overarching harmony that we all share and are capable of. When I first arrived to California, I was able to observe moments of tension for what they are — a distraction from our shared One Human Spirit and an opportunity for each of us to learn. That is the gift of being a traveller. As a gypsy, I hadn’t alighted down. The perspective provided from that height allowed me to see how small these stumbling blocks truly are and how easy to overcome.

But oh, how that perspective changes when you land. Continue reading “On Detachment and Conflict”

Homeless in the US

“What if we choose not to do the things we are supposed to do? The principal gain is a sense of an authentic act – and an authentic life. It may be a short one, but it is an authentic one, and that’s a lot better than those short lives full of boredom. The principal loss is security. Another is respect from the community. But you gain the respect of another community, the one that is worth having the respect of.”

~ Joseph Campbell

Since I made the decision two years ago to walk away from Babylon, consumerism, and society’s definition of success, I also walked away from a lot of security. In giving up a traditional job, I also gave up a traditional home. There were times when this decision felt very precarious to me, but I always landed in a comfortable place and had my very basic needs taken care of.

There was the beautiful home I was blessed to occupy in Granada for a time with my sister and a visiting friend, there are the small hotels and wellness centers full of beautiful artwork I’ve been lucky enough to care for and occupy, and there are the comfortable homes with loving families who have taken me in. In each moment, I’ve counted my blessings to awake in a dry, warm, comfortable and safe place.

Never before has the decision to walk away from the security of the American Dream felt so dangerous as these past few months traveling and working in the US. Continue reading “Homeless in the US”

Mendocino County

I’ve spent much of the last few months in Mendocino County in Northern California. Despite all the traveling I did around Central America, this is my first time traveling to California. Northern California, especially, has always been a place I’d like to explore. I’ve always heard of the beauty of the redwoods and the magic of places where the redwoods meet the ocean. I’ve been blessed to have spent the last few months in this magical place. Here are a few impressions I’ve accumulated.

People

My trip has been a mixture of reconnecting with old friends and discovering new ones. I wrote earlier about reconnecting with a dear friend from college on my arrival to California. I was also blessed to spend some time with a yoga teaching friend of mine I initially met in Granada, Nicaragua.

Kathleen and I were able to spend more time together than we had in Nicaragua! We shared some meals, camping, and work together before it was time for her to return to the country.

Continue reading “Mendocino County”