a lesson in flow.

Some lessons have to be repeated over & over & over again until they stick. I’m recognizing one of those lessons for myself now.

Let go of control.

Sunrise over Kaua’i. Polihale state park.

This is a lesson I’ve had to repeat & repeat & repeat endlessly. I am a pretty chill, go with the flow type of person - or so I like to think. Turns out I’m actually a bit of a control freak. I like to know what’s happening, when, where, and how. And the truth is, I like to be the one steering the ship. So when nothing goes as planned, that is when I get a chance to learn & grow.

And that’s exactly what happened on my latest trip to Hawaii. From beginning to the very end - nothing went as planned. And you guys… it was totally okay.

I messaged my cousin on insta because he’s been living in Hawaii for awhile and I thought it could be fun to plan a future visit & teach some workshops. I had September in mind, but he told me he was running a yoga retreat in two weeks and said to come out & teach. So I booked my flight. I tend to make plans far in the future so that I have plenty of time to plan the details & get myself ready. This is the most short notice I have ever traveled. But it was totally fine.

The full moon just before dawn, a few steps from our first camp site.

When I got there, instead of heading to a retreat center like I planned on in my mind, we went to the most beautiful secluded beach framed by towering cliffs and lush jungle & we camped. I didn’t exactly pack for a camping trip. I wasn’t prepared to be outside for 12 days. But it was totally okay - more than okay. It was better than a retreat center. What better way to connect with the spirit of the island than to live, breathe, & sleep in total connection to it?

It turns out this wasn’t a yoga retreat at all. It was more just a fun trip for my cousin to do a bit of a trial run for a future retreat. So I didn’t need to be prepared with classes, I didn’t have to plan any sequences or themes or adjust for the level of students at the retreat. I didn’t have to work at all. And I guarantee you, had I known that in advance, I wouldn’t have come. I would have stayed home & worked. & I would have totally missed out on an amazing trip & a huge lesson.

Magical moment where we stopped to watch the sunset and listen to the cows in the field.

For 12 days, we lived without plans. When we made plans, sometimes we wouldn’t follow through with them. It turns out that not having a plan tested me. That need for control & structure comes into play in everything I do. It also turns out that not having a plan can lead you to some really incredible places. It can guide you to sit and talk for hours with interesting strangers. And it can also teach you a lesson. To let go, and live a little.

Grateful for the experience, grateful for the lessons.

reminiscing. missing.

I missed my grandfather today. I wished he could've been here in Barcelona with me. To show me the places he knew. That were his.

I've always felt that Barcelona was mine. Not mine in a possessive sense. In the way that a certain style is yours, or a habit. Barcelona was mine.

But today I had that sense that he was missing. This city where he had grown up. Where he had lived. That was his. Here I was just reminiscing about every day I'd spent here, without him.  Without him as a guide or a mentor. And now he was missing.

La Rambla de Catalunya, Barcelona  

Packing 101

I am gearing up for a one month backpacking trip through Europe! I leave in five days and I haven't given much thought to packing yet. This isn't my first long trip through Europe, nor is it my longest so I'm actually not worried about packing at all. In fact, I've made plenty of packing mistakes in the past so I feel super ready to never make those same mistakes again. At this point I'm kind of a pro - which is why I am sharing my do's and don'ts of packing for long trips!

Montserrat, Spain 2013

Do:

• Check the Weather:

Get a solid idea of what weather you should expect in each place you're going to. This will help you avoid having clothes you never end up wearing. But also - pack layers in case the weather changes unexpectedly. 

• Take Only a Backpack:

I took a three month trip to Europe a few years back and made the gravest rookie mistake of all time. I took a giant suitcase. It was the biggest hassle and such a pain to carry up and down steps ALL. The. Time. After a particularly long day partying in Croatia, I went to leave my hotel in this beautiful, old, but very lively area with super worn down stone steps wearing my favourite combat boots. I got about one step down carrying my giant suitcase before I slipped on the slick, worn stone steps and landed right on my tailbone catching the giant 50 pound bag in my lap... in front of several outdoor restaurants and tons of tourists.  You don't need more than a backpack's worth of stuff. And trust me, you really really don't want more than a backpack. I promise. 

• Leave Some Space in your Case. 

Don't take a case, definitely take a backpack - but backpack doesn't rhyme with space. Leave room for things you'll want to buy. My last trip I started out all fine and dandy with my backpack...until I had to buy a second backpack to wear on my chest because I couldn't fit all of my new stuff. You already know you're going to want to buy things. I would definitely try not to buy too many things in each spot but leave a little room in case there's anything you really love or want to buy for people back home. 

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland 2015

Don't:

• Don't Forget an Adapter!

It's so much easier to get the adapters you need while at home than it is to have to go find them while traveling. Check to see if different countries you're going to require different adapters. For example, the UK uses different electrical outlets than the rest of Europe so you'll need both. There are also universal adapters which are super clutch. 

• Don't Take Appliances!

 For starters, you don't really need them. I've brought hair straighteners and curling irons with me before and didn't even realize that they didn't work until weeks into the trip. Because I never even tried to use them. Oh and also reason number two why you shouldn't take them is they won't work. Sorry. Let your hair go au naturale for your trip. Many AirBnB's also have hair dryers anyway so if you really must use one you can probably find one where you're staying. 

• Don't Sweat It!

Other than your passport, you can pretty much buy anything wherever you're going. If you forget toothpaste it'll be okay, they brush their teeth in other countries too. If you're taking trains everywhere, it may even make more sense for you to buy full size toiletries once you arrive, rather than buying mini ones to take on the plane and then just having to buy more once they run out. 

 

Sevilla, 2013

i believe in...

Grand Canyon

I believe in challenging the status quo. I believe that we are meant to feel good all of the time. I believe our bodies are fucking magical and strong and made for so much more than just sitting at a desk. I believe inner strength should be developed just as much as outer strength. I believe a body that is nourished, taken care of, and balanced will heal itself. I believe in taking the time to imagine the life that you want to live and then doing the work to create it. I believe in people. And movement. And bliss. 

This is why I teach yoga. Because the things that I've received from this practice are too good not to share. Because I genuinely love people and I want to see them transform into the best versions of themselves. There is this spark in people. You can see it in their eyes when they're determined. You can see them light up from the inside. And yoga brings that out. You see it when people surprise themselves. When they do something for the first time or feel something for the first time. It's beautiful. 

Our world, this artificial environment that we've created, doesn't allow people to explore their bodies or their minds the way that we're meant to. We were made to move in every possible way. And yet so many people get stuck sitting for hours on end. We were made to imagine and dream and create. And yet so many people use their minds to think at work and then turn them off at night with the click of a remote. 

I believe that travel is necessary. This planet is too big and beautiful not to explore. Each time we experience a new culture, our worldview broadens just a bit more. We get to question what we've become used to. And that allows us to change. Travel gives us these moments of presence, and wonder, and bliss. It inspires us to live in the moment. To just be. 

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I am so excited to be hosting a retreat this summer on the beautiful Greek island of Amorgos. The retreat is seven days of exploring both the outside world, and the world inside of our own hearts. I hope you'll join me on the island! Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions! Click the link here to register for the retreat! Pay your deposit before April 1st and save $300 off!

Amorgos Yoga Shala, Greece