Ride the Waves

Pura Vida, translated as “pure life”, is how the Costa Ricans roll. Their vibrant skin, smiles and food all lend themselves to this way of life. They live and breathe for the land that so beautifully surrounds them. The animals embrace the wealth of the jungle and the people seem to just choose a lifestyle that supports simplicity, beauty, and connection to the land and others. A bounty of food comes from the trees and land. And the wind… oh the wind.

So here is where I got to immerse myself for a whole week- unheard of considering my work schedule over the past few years. My travels were normally checking back in as soon as I landed. But this trip, this week, was very much needed as I had found myself completely out of balance. Nikki, my massage therapist and master healer advised me to look into turtle medicine and also had visions of me being in the water, it parting, and me taking flight. I started my search. Nosara came up first and looked just right. So I booked my flight to find my wings.

“God turns you from one feeling to another and teaches you by opposites, so that you will have two wings to fly, not one.” – Rumi

I needed time to be a student, to practice, reset, to learn to ride the waves with the intention to come out stronger, more capable, and with a much clearer vision than the one I was struggling way too hard to see.

A year of starting a new venture, of letting my to do lists take over and the stories I told myself for where and what I needed to be spending my time and energy led me to run out of steam both emotional and physically, even the espresso machine had enough. I lost my center and focus and without this, I knew the path ahead would be hard to navigate. So I sought out teachers that were leaders in all the subjects that were calling to me. Asking the universe and my intuition to guide me, I found a week long educational retreat featuring yoga, dance, writing, nutrition and buddhism, all of my favorite subjects and all immersed in the beautiful backdrop of Costa Rica. It could not be more perfect. And so with the help of all of my angels that help me run my world, I put things in order and made my way south to my borrowed jungle escape.  

What I found in this time and space was much needed peace within my body, heart and mind. The teachings filled me with such inspiration as the subjects such as service, empathy vs. compassion, reshaping to discover new capacity, going to our edges to truly know our center, writing as self-discovery, resilience in difficult times- all hit places within, reminding me of where I had lost my balance and true vision. As I started to integrate and connect the pieces, I found the waves, both in the ocean as I learned to let go and float (cue in the setting sun- pure bliss), and the lessons that came over mighty and deep. To intensify the themes and the practice, it just so happened to be the week of a full moon which made swimming and paddling quite an adventure and the strong winds that welcomed me from the moment I arrived called for swift change and growth. There was no denying that things would no longer be fuzzy, that seeing clearly what is within and in front of me was the only way forward and through.

The practices of allowing my body to speak in dance and yoga, opening my heart and mind to the teachings, even take a stand up paddle board out to sea on a very windy day and returning the only way I could on my knees and to finally sitting in stillness, I found my edges and the much larger capacity for my wingspan. From this place I can truly see a clear vision into the future I have not dared yet to dream. I could see the mom I wanted to be, the friend, the teacher, the direction I wanted to take my business, the relationships I knew I wanted and deserved, and most importantly how I could be of service without losing myself.  What a gift to feel this, to know in my heart that I had such a reserve, more depth and practices to explore. It was in the uncomfortable places that I rediscovered my center, my authentic self.  I am a surfer now ready to take on any wave that comes along.

“Everything that is made beautiful and fair and lovely is made for the eye of one who sees.” – Rumi

Beyond the incredible teachers that were there to share their infinite wisdom, it was nature that was and has always been my teacher.  Being completely surrounded by beauty and being grateful for the beauty that surrounded me, at all times, not just in the jungle, the path that was so hard to see suddenly becomes so clear. It is all right in front of you and all around, the teachers, the answers, the inspiration that is needed to create change and growth. To see takes seeing fully- slowing down, observing, accepting, releasing and embracing our unique journeys. This journey took me to far off jungles to find my spirit, my capacity for love, my wings. Now that my body has felt where balance lives, where I can move from my core, all there is left to do is keep my heart and mind so open to see what is right in front of me. 

So how about you? Where are you at on your journey of seeing your truth, your path. I invite you to come as you are, whether you find this in stillness or some wild escape. Release the story you tell yourself, it is never too late to change one’s path. And give voice to the spirit that is calling you. Step into this place of being authentic, of moving into the direction of your dreams, step by step. The exploration may be dark, but go there. There are gifts in the shadows waiting to come out and turn into love and light and spread into beauty, literally within and on the path you are traveling.  

Be the surfer, find your balance, perhaps take flight and most of all enjoy the waves!