Photo by Dana PhotoZen Nollsch (http://www.photozen.us/, https://www.facebook.com/#!/PhotoZen)
Shamelessly and somewhat spontaneously, I played hooky from responsibility for the better part of three days this week. After a decade of radical introversion, I feel like I’ve been on some wild vacation. So, how did my wandering and lusting take form? I spent two days at Wanderlust, a yoga, music, and motivational festival. Plus I attended a wedding of two beloved friends. Even though I intended only for my experiences to prove delight-filled, I also came away with several reminders to myself that may be useful to you in your conscious evolutionary journey.
Wanderlust
I really, really, really love and cherish the act of conscious ceremony in my life. My friend and I called in our spirit guides at the beginning of each journey into the mountains, “come and be with us, guide us, talk to us, enjoy our adventures, and protect us!” Each day we felt so incredibly connected to our intuition and to our own consciousness. We enjoyed leisurely lunches, deeply connecting with one another and selecting bites for one another. We slowly fed one another with chopsticks. We celebrated the beautiful angels-in-earthsuits who prepared our meal, the teenage boy who squeezed lemons for our lemonade, the sea-dwellers who became our sushi, and the earth which provided the rice, avocado, sprouts, and more. Each nibble of felt like a universe of love and gratitude.
My spirit shines in company of spiritual community filled with consciousness and good vibes. I met several people who reminded me of the high value of chilling-out and timelessness. An artist created mandalas from fruit, pinecones, pine branches, stones, colored rice, and more. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more serene person in my life, just sitting fully grounded, sit-bones on the earth, creating from a heart of pure joy, breathing into and loving each mandala. “I’ll do this for however long it feels good to me.” What a beautiful expression of being at choice and living in bliss. Also, each time my friend and I stopped by the tea tent where sacred tea ceremonies are held, we found people casually and happily setting up. Their leisurely pace prevented us from enjoying tea ceremony that day. Still, I took away exactly what I needed. I witnessed people in grace, beyond the boundaries and expectations of time-limitations, just enjoying their process moment by moment.
Authenticity is always magnificent and transient. Who I am today will invariably mutate by tomorrow, and I may as well just flow into what is real for me now. I have been playing with broader expressions of authenticity and risk-taking in my life. When I am authentically new to anything, I sense both danger and adventure. Feeling into that helps me to tap my fully-aliveness and sense of presence in new and invigorating ways. As I pondered the way that this feels for me, invigorating yet a little daunting, I came upon the yoga slackline. This is like a yogi version of a tightrope. One man tried it for the first time with some coaching from the Yoga Slackers coach. As the man fell to the ground, the coach told him, “Awesome! When you come off the other side, then you know you’re committed enough.” I’ve definitely been experiencing that sensation of falling off the other side, so I must be onto something BIG!
My life is filled with infinite blessings and abundance, and I am free of attachment to my stuff. As I prepared to go to Wanderlust the second day, I heard the message that I would lose an earring, but that I was to choose my favorite pair anyway. I noticed my earring missing shortly after I arrived, even though I’ve had that pair for fifteen years, and I rarely lose any. I felt absolutely no regret, just a sweet sort of acceptance. Later, a very well-worn, comfy, and beloved sandal gave way hiking on ankle-bending shale. I heard, “No worries. There is plentiful abundance here now and much more to come.” So I walked a little funny the remainder of the day in my loose shoe, continuing to enjoy the more-than-enough vibe I experienced all day.
Jennifer and Cody’s Wedding
Photo by Amber Smith, Bei Momenti Photography (http://beimomentiphotography.com/)
Expressions of love create cultural cohesion and a sense of community. This wedding felt so remarkable to me. The bride and groom showed up so wildly authentic, not contained by the roles of the day, but true to themselves with each breath, thought and word. They are both phenomenally loving, creative, authentic spirits. They process life deeply, with wisdom, intuition, and inspiration, plus they embrace life’s adventures with true passion. I believe I may speak for all in attendance on how honored we felt to celebrate and support them, and how cherished we felt by the setting they provided for us, full of creativity and inspiration. I noticed kindred spirits in abundance, a conscious community wrapping the bride and groom in waves of love. Truly this was one magical evening, and I’m celebrating their spirits deeper dance in physical and spiritual communion.
What conscious moments may you enjoy today to tap into your creative fountain and wisdom?
What authentic expressions have you been hiding from the world?
Where are you willing to take healthy risks to be true to yourself?
What does community mean to you?
What are you grateful for in this moment?
