I met a writer a long time ago, one I was a fan of, and he told me he never wrote when he was happy, instead, he'd close his doors and feel everything he had going on inside of him, then he'd start writing from that place. That's what people can relate to, he told me, pain. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ Sometimes I'll post something sad and my friends will tell me to post something funny, something that's happy. They'll tell me to think happy thoughts if I'm not, because no one wants to deal with all that negativity. But these things don't just up and leave without being treated first, and I don't think sadness is a negative thing at all. It's a part of growing, and someone who's never known sadness can never truly know happiness. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ Experiences can't always be perfect, everything can't always be fine. Life is all ups and downs, it's the reason we call it a roller coaster; it's the reason we grow and change. Sadness will get you down, but it will make you think and feel, it will force you to deal with your problems because it occupies your mind. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ There is no quick solution, no magic potion that makes everything alright again. There is only honesty, and we have to be true. If you're sad, watch yourself, your emotions; pay attention and feel it all. No one has to be the person who's always happy in front of others, no one should have to pretend they're not sad, because honestly, denying your feelings... that's the saddest thing of all. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
There is no hour to nature's beauty or to your own. Sunrise on Maui, early enough where I didn't feel like going through the motions of getting dressed. I wanted to go from the bed to the shore, and feel the wind, the warmth of the rising sun, and Maui itself as close to my skin as possible. There's nothing like waking up, throwing on something delicate and easy to wear, and being in your favorite place at your favorite time.
People come to Hawaii, to Maui, for many reasons. The islands are like the Chakras of the body. Maui, is the Heart Chakra, so when people come they enjoy heart opening experiences. But there is another energy at play that the locals of Maui know about. It’s called “Mana”. It’s a very strong energy that pulls people to the island and calls them back if they leave. It can discern who is right for the island and who is not. Those who connect with it will always know because the pull has so much power. Maui has magic and the locals say with a grin, “It either sucks you in or it kicks you out.” If it’s the latter, don’t worry, the energy will be way too intense for you. It’s also good to know that you should never take any sand or volcanic stone with you when you leave the island. There is a curse for those who do. Hawaii gets lots of packages from visitors who tried to take pieces of the island home with them. To reverse the curse of unfavorable events, lots of sand and stone have been returned from all over the world, mostly by mail. So GAME ON, see you guys in Hawaii!
It’s going to be my seventh year standing outside of the church counting down with God for the New Years. Each year at the same time, in a different place, with new stories… Every year I am thankful for all I have and look forward to achieving new goals for the up coming year. But I’ve realized that 2013 has been the most meaningful year to me.
I was always the girl who paid close attention to my life, and was known as the “sensitive” one. I don’t remember when I decided that mom’s dream was no longer for me. I chose to fulfill my own passions with my life. Truly, this is what made me the woman I am today. Yet deep down inside, I feel there are pieces missing. These being the reasons I find myself feeling alone, doubting or insecure. I don’t fully believe in being positive all the time because I don’t want to fake emotions. We are human and honestly, we will always worry. Most of the time I fight; fight out the pain. This has made me strong; at the same time it has torn me apart. I have become who I want to be, but not who I was meant to be. This made me question, at the end of the day what if I lose myself? Then everything means nothing.. Being myself is much easier than pretending to be someone else. Luckily, I always have my dream to guide me. While I follow my dreams, I stumble upon many creative callings. I think, can I do something more or greater?
In 2013, I had an unexpected experience shooting for MeshYoga on a waterfall in Hawaii. I met the most unique and inspirational woman there. Then something happened; it was a “still” moment that changed the way I see myself. (I will post this story soon). I had my dream, but after that day I have something more than a dream, it is belief. I ended up canceling my flight, staying in Maui on my own for weeks. When I put myself in nature alone, I found my natural personality. I was happier than I had ever been before because it was not from any object or person, but deep down within myself. This is real happiness. It made me realize how important it is to find our self first, because that’s the foundation of everything. I had to learn I can’t ever lose myself for love, it’s clear now that the people who I thought I loved; I only had high expectations for. I was giving so much and wanting to receive the same. If you’re expecting to stay the same, you will never equally evolve with the ones around you.
Throughout life, our purposes may change. But I believe we can do so much with our lives, so don’t expect the clarity all at once. Because we wont know our purpose until we know who we are.
Someone once said, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Thank you 2013 for the great lesson that started my life journey.
Happy New Year
A happy girl in paradise Maui, with her health raw food, having uplifting conversation and make people laughs.
A Letter From My Beloved Sister
When the pain comes, go through it, don’t avoid it. We are women, we bend we don’t break. What you are feeling is a reflection also of the female change taking place right now - we are shifting from a dysfunctional rooting into a conditioned male energy, to being anchored in a female energy. Many many women I council when I meet are going through deep pain right now - as if their world is falling apart. Hang in there- the world needs women as you as role models. Most important is to be authentic - your pain is authentic, your tears are too. Only a heart broken open can have true compassion… have compassion on your self, and all the pain you have gone through or even stuffed away. Feel it until it is done.
🌺Sister
This is Why
Like many yoga teachers, I was once a professional dancer. Also like many dancers, I had to give up dancing because of physical injuries over the years. However, the desire to express my soul and mind through body language was deeply rooted within me.
When I hurt my back dancing, my doctor showed me a simple pose to do. After only a couple of weeks practicing the pose several times a day, my pain had almost completely gone away.
I went back to my doctor and asked about what he’d shown me before. “It’s yoga,” he said.
That’s how my yoga practice began. I started taking yoga classes, and I loved the movement and strength required for poses. I found meditation a challenge at first, but one day I realized that I had slipped into a focused state without having to struggle. This is the way yoga (and life) works: if you continue to work hard, you will eventually succeed.
Yoga is the greatest miracle that happened to me and has forever changed my life. Contrary to most people who say they are changed from the inside out, yoga changed me from the outside in, making me become a better person.
The more I practiced yoga, the more I loved it. I found big differences in yoga and dance: while dance felt hard on my body, yoga felt like it healed it. Where dance had taught me to show my body in movement, yoga taught me to feel my body in movement.
I also realized that there is, in fact, a synergy between yoga and dance. I found the good parts of dance, alignment and emotion, and brought them to my yoga mat. ALIGNMENT in dance is important to understanding how to move. EMOTION is also a key part of dance: dancers are naturally good at expressing emotion.
I also found that other aspects of physical fitness and my life in general that work with yoga. I believe it is only natural to connect them instead of keeping them separate. Bringing these things together has allowed me to have a more dynamic practice.
Yoga can bring people acute awareness, allowing them to discover and connect with the universe. Everything has its own place in this universe, but all those places are still within that same universe. Why shouldn’t we be able to connect yoga and dance since they seem to fit together so well?
Dance and yoga. Body and breath. Doing and teaching. Yoga has brought so many combinations to me, and I am excited to share with you the way all these things mesh.