twenty-9ine

1. Healing paths. When I got back from my travels, I spiraled back into the thyroid illness that had taken over my life for about 13 years. I had 2 years of healing bliss, the most amazing life ever, and now I've dipped back in to uncover more and create something even better. This journey has taken me to so many places within, shown me so much, illuminated beauty I never knew existed. It is challenging to not feel well, for sure, but I know this is only to heal at a deeper root level and when I do, things will be even more amazing than those last 2 years of bliss.

2. My little glass home. I finally moved out of the city to the lovely, progressive, eco-conscious, spiritually open town of Fairfax and am living in the most beautiful house. My room has glass walls overlooking the permacultured garden & 2 skylights so I can watch the stars & planets wink at me as I drift off into dreamland. Outside, there is a Manzanita tree, redwood hot tub, hammock and a wonderful garden. A fox has scurried past my bedroom and there are always deer on the drive home. I may have to put off the community household for awhile because this place feels so right & and my flatmates and their baby girl, Sage, are wonderful. I need this kind of energy right now.

3. Plant medicines. I had the most profound healing of my life last weekend in ceremony with a lovely, soulful curandero. This plant path has been mine for some time, but it's becoming even more powerful and clear. I was able to get to the root trauma that caused this illness, an event from when I was a baby that I had no memory of, but which stored itself in my cells & subconscious. So much is coming to light to heal at this deeper level and I am so grateful for having cultivated this relationship with the plants over the years.

4. Relationships. They aren't always meant to last forever, but some of these short, intense ones are so chock full of really huge lessons and gifts necessary to get you to the type of relationship you really want & deserve. I keep getting closer and closer, perfecting the dance over time.

5. Lauren Henry. My dear spiritual cheerleader, always lifting me up higher. I am so grateful for us meeting a few years ago and deepening in our friendship. What a beautiful soul, what an expansive heart. What an amazing capacity to hold space and be love.

6. Raw/living food. It's the only thing that worked in 13 years to really make me feel better, and as I healed, I began to integrate more cooked foods. After these last few months of struggling, I've decided to listen to my intuition & renew my vows to it. With this vow renewal comes a second honeymoon - I am all excited about raw food again and this renewed enthusiasm is filling my heart & mind up with beauty.

7. 5 Rhythms has become a massive part of my healing path in the last year. This amazing practice is all about dancing your prayers, movement as meditation. We dance our emotions and see what comes up, then dance that and keep going on our own journeys, allowing ourselves to truly feel emotions in the body and transform them by moving through them. My local dance community is so supportive, so open, so loving. I have never been so comfortable in my body as now.

8. Pura Vida. For being what it is. I love it.

9. Vision Questing. I'd been wanting to go on a Vision Quest since I was a teenager, but back then thought it would never happen because I was a white girl. :) I'm so glad times have changed and these ancient, beautiful traditions are open to people of all cultures. My prayer was to finish healing this illness & step deeper onto my path as healer and my time on the hill brought me the information I needed to move forward with that.

10. Little fox. The morning after I got back from a really intense healing ceremony, a little grey fox with red-tipped fur slowly strolled past my glass bedroom doors. I love living more in harmony with nature.

11. People who tell you the truth. Because sometimes you just need to hear it from someplace outside yourself to really listen.

12. Berry season in Marin. I love all the local, organic produce in abundance everywhere. Summer smoothies are rocking my world!

13. Spirulina gives me a nice boost in my smoothies every day, helping me focus and feel good. Mmmm, green.

14. Betty. I truly have the best car ever. She's taken me on so many beautiful adventures.

15. New friends. When I travel, I make friends instantly, but I've noticed that when I'm in one place it takes more time to cultivate connections and I've had some seriously beautiful people enter my life since I moved to Marin.

16. Babies. So much magical, soothing energy in this house because of the little one. And I am filled with joy whenever I spend time with my friends children too. I'm so not ready for my own family just yet, but I can feel the time is coming soon.

17. Coconut milk. Do I really need to elaborate on that? Nope. :)

18. Waterfalls. There is one just a few miles from the house that I've been spending a lot of time hiking too. So soothing, so cleansing, so uplifting.

19. Donation-based bodywork rocks my world! Thanks to Alpha for a rocking 2 hour session in my backyard paradise. Serious shifts!

20. The Gift Circle. My town has a weekly gift circle, which is the community's attempt to move closer to a gift economy. We have dinner together, then go around the circle expressing first our needs that we would like to have met, and then the gifts we have to offer. It's beautiful to see these hearts pour out.

21. Gratitude journaling! I'd gotten so used to living full and total gratitude all the time, that I stopped journaling, but recently found myself back in some old patterns and am getting back to this daily practice that reminds me of how much beauty there is in my life.