What to Pack

Going on a journey and don't want to pack too much? Here's a video explaining what to pack when space, weight and varying climates are an issue. Bon Voyage!

The Big Questions

"How's it going? What's your name? WHAT DO YOU DO?"As you might imagine, I've had different versions of this conversation probably a hundred times since I've been traveling. It's your run of the mill getting-to-know-you quiz, with the intention of pegging a person down in but a few short words. I have to admit, I've probably been guilty of springing this anxiety inducing, judgement trap on people at times, in lieu of having something thoughtful to say. You might be thinking, "Well, it's an innocent enough question. What's the big deal?" In my opinion, the big deal is that it is a question we have been CONDITIONED to ask so that we can silently and most times, unconsciously, make assumptions and snap judgements about ones' beliefs, income, social status, morals and personal character just to name a few.Normally, I would answer this question by saying that I am a Yoga Instructor and a Massage Therapist. Which is true, but I find that what comes to most peoples' minds with this response is that I must be a pious hippy vegetarian or something even more perverted. This assumption is a matter of lack of eduction, but still, it's an assumption that is only half true (I'll let you guess the part that is true).As time goes by and I am getting further away from my life in the states, both in proximity and otherwise, I am feeling more and more challenged and perplexed by this question. It has literally been months since I taught a yoga class and even longer since I gave a massage. To answer in my usual way is starting to feel disingenuous. As a person who values authenticity in my life and relationships, this seemingly innocuous conversation starter is begging an even deeper question: Who AM I when the roles that I've clung to stop defining me?So, I've stopped answering in my usual way and am thinking more about who I am and what I am doing in this present moment. Right now, I'm a traveler. Right now I'm a hedonistic book store keeper with a penchant for raki fueled philosophical discussion and a gnarly smoking habit.*Many of us cling to the roles we have been given, either self-imposed or otherwise, because we are afraid that without them, we might just disappear. But you won't disappear. You will just continue being you. You might even slip in to a more authentic version of yourself when you choose to let go of what may have defined you in the past.It's so easy to say and do the things we have always done out of habit. Or even worse, because it's what our "character" would do. Clinging to a character is an especially easy way to avoid the big questions, like- Who am I? What am I doing? But I encourage you to take the time this week to ponder if the roles in your life still fit, still feel comfortable, and still look good on you. You don't have to throw the old ones out completely, but it might be time to trade in for something that fits who you are in this moment. By letting go of outdated roles, we make room for a broader definition of who we really are. A definition that supports our incredible complexities so that we can maintain our authenticity while we grow and evolve.*Living in Greece will do such things to a person.

Traveling Alone

I have been traveling by myself in Europe for exactly 8 weeks now. If I had to describe my experience in one word, I couldn't. It's been all at once exhilarating, empowering, challenging and exhausting. I haven't written in a while for a few reasons; one being that I am typing on a tiny iPhone, but moreover, I've had a million things to say and not a clue where to begin. So I guess I'll start at the obvious point; Yoga.My yoga practice has taken on a different form lately. I'm off the mat for longer than I have been in years. My yoga now is a matter of putting into practice all of the fundamentals of grounding, centering, internal focus, presence, breath work and equanimity in order to support myself in this mind-bending, heart-melting emotional stew that I've thrown myself into. As I bounce from one place to the next, I seek to find stability. With conditions constantly changing, I seek to find the center of stillness within me. Within the comfortable din of a language that I don't understand, I draw my attention inward to better understand myself. In the moments of fatigue, frustration, and overwhelming emotion, I find myself taking deeper breaths. I am using the tools of yoga to create contentment in my life now, which is a far cry from where I was 2 or even 4 months ago.It hasn't been easy in a lot of ways. I feel odd writing this, as if I should censor myself and instead paint for you a picture of quaint cobblestone alleys lined with flower merchants and cafés, magical markets stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables, heaps of olives and dates and every variety of cheese that you can imagine. The smell of sautéed garlic, lots of local fish and meat and wine found among centuries old architecture, with views of the Mediterranean just around the next corner. And maybe these are the kinds of things you want to hear, and I certainly don't blame you, it is a beautiful picture. But even as I experience the beauty of all of these things, I am simultaneously experiencing a deep loneliness, sadness, and confusion.I considered keeping this from you, perhaps as an egoic attempt to preserve the likely unrealistic picture you may have in your head about me and my journey, but I have made a commitment to the truth. I've made a commitment to be truthful in my own life, to seek the truth in others, and as a teacher, I've made the commitment to deliver truth to my students. And the truth is that I'm struggling. I'm struggling with my shyness and my insecurities, my inabilities, my ego. Sometimes all I can do is sit down and cry. I write this not as a sob story designed to gain sympathy, but to remind myself that it's ok to feel grief and frustration and pain and tiredness. And it's ok for you to see me in these perhaps unsavory states, because they are all on the psychic and emotional spectrum of a whole human being. In this truth, I remember that we are all things at all times, and those of you who really know me, know that I embody this truth.I've had more opportunity now than I ever have had before to really be with these aspects of who I am. But I see them, and I get to know them and I try to be kind to myself about them. I get lost in the streets and explore the markets by myself. I make jokes to myself about myself. I have only myself to rely on, to blame, to be with. But even in the most frustrating, exhausting and lonesome moments, I know that I'm not alone in my struggle. Because even if we are surrounded by friends and family and familiarity, we are all just trying to navigate the intricate, sometimes unintelligible maps of our own hearts and minds. And that, my friends, is not an easy journey to take.

Inversions Workshop

This workshop is designed for the beginning and intermediate practitioner to learn (or review) how to move safely in and out of inverted poses. Focus with be on building the strength and awareness necessary for inversions. Themes will include overcoming fears, restoring balance, and ultimately changing our perspective. Featured poses will be (but not limited to) Shoulderstand, Headstand, Forearm Balance and Handstand.Please join me on Saturday September 28th from 12:30 to 3pm at Earth Yoga, Santa Catalina, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

JFK to MAD

I just bought a one-way ticket to Spain. It’s not the first one-way ticket I’ve ever bought, but it’s the biggest. When I explain to people what I am doing, this little bit of information is the bit that gets the point across. The point being that I am really going, by myself, to foreign lands, with no return date. More often than not, the explanation of my plan (which is a term used VERY loosely) is met with joy and curiosity.In the light of my impending departure, I have been reflecting on my life and what it is that has brought me to this pivotal point in my life. At an age where most of my peers are married with children, I seemed to have dodged most typical responsibilities, other than the responsibility to my own self, my own happiness and my own freedom. This isn’t something that just happened to me, I have spent the last 5 years of my life fiercely cultivating my independence, my self-reliance and my personal sense of freedom. I have made a commitment to move through fears, and break the boundaries of societal expectations that had, in the past, been holding me back from truly living my dream.Personal freedom is a topic that very much interests me. As a practitioner of yoga and meditation, I know that the word ‘freedom’ is a conception with room for interpretation, rather than a concrete notion. To view personal freedom as a state of mind might implicate that we have the choice to view our lives as a prison, and actively participate as a prisoner, and conversely, have the choice to view our lives as a world of infinite possibilities, and actively pursue this freedom.Although, I do not believe that personal freedom and conventional American life are mutually exclusive, I do realize that I am in a very unique position to be able to do what I am doing. Most often, people tell me that I am taking “ the trip of a lifetime.” I do not take this for granted. I have come to realize, that because I have chosen to share my journey with others (via this blog), my responsibility to live life to the fullest and to savor every moment is that much greater. I would like to think that I am not traveling on some whimsical, frivolous self-indulgence, but rather traveling for the ones who may not have the practical freedoms I have been blessed with. I am now traveling for those of you who are deeply imbedded in family life, those of you who may be stuck in the grind right now, and those of you that might be ill or infirmed.It is my wish that my journey might ignite a sense of freedom in your own heart, and that you may find a little inspiration to make a leap in your own life. To find a reason to break the chains, or to release the fears of the mind that may be holding you back from taking your own “trip of a lifetime”, even if that is simply a journey deeper into your truth, to define your own sense of personal freedom.“When the body is released from the shackles of disease, and when the mind is free from the shackles of fears, then the intellect is ever alert, ever active. In this activity alone, there is creativity. In this creativity alone there is freedom. In this freedom alone, there is precision. In this precision alone, there is God. All that is truth.”-BKS Iyengar