MapMaker, MapMaker...

I'm stealing this from that song from childhood, Matchmaker matchmaker make me a match... and instead its... Map maker, map maker make me a map.... and I will go to New Zealand and Australia next week yay!!! In fact I am the map maker and I am in fact also the maker of my own destiny. Some days there are things like weather that put a kink in your plan, today for instance when I am supposed to be in Nananu-i-ra preparing to welcome my yogis to my yoga retreat... But when it rains about 7 meters in a day, plans change.

As I battled most of the afternoon with what to do, reschedule the retreat? Get a bus to take everyone up first thing in the morning? Cancel it all together and go home with my tail between my legs? What the hell... no Kristen, you suck it up and trust you made the right decision. Sure some people may not be able to come on the rescheduled day but its better to keep everyone safe then risk it all for a 'plan' or some kind of 'schedule'

Didnt I quit my job and decide to travel the world and teach yoga because I wanted to get away from a 'plan' I wanted to experience what life is like when things are not set into some kind of 'schedule' so whats my problem...!

Get over it Kristen, the universe works in funny ways and this is one of its mysteries, so get our your parchment and quill and make a new map, maybe this one will be flat, maybe it will be in the shape of a raindrop, maybe it will be round, but get creative and let the ink fly... trust in the process and trust in your instincts. The prana, that life energy, the breath, has had much more experience in map making over the last thousands of years than my 29 measly years so let go, have some faith.

You can make the world whatever you want it to be, and I can guarantee there are things for me to learn about in Oz and NZ before I teach the retreat and I'm open to those lessons, from people, from places, and from that feeling of Awe.

Embrace each moment, for it has a story, a map in and of itself, that can show you things so long as you have the eyes to see it. Travel on friend....

But for real, thats a lot of f'ing water and thats just from this morning... send some love and blue skies if you would!

And just for fun... a little tune for you... hehe

Whats in your pack?

So, I was all stoked before I left for Fiji about planning what and how I was going to pack my pack, you always see things online, tips of the trade etc. on how to keep organized. One thing suggested putting clothes in plastic bags to make like a chest of drawers in your pack... ok I tried it, I didnt have anything better to do one day, it was awkward. For the OCD organized person maybe that will work but for anyone who knows me, I am the queen of organized chaos. I like things to be a little disheveled... I know where they are, and its if you dont! After chucking this chest of drawers idea, I gently rolled my clothes and packed them away. My biggest and most bulky item being my yoga mat, but when youre traveling to teach a yoga retreat, you take a yoga mat. There is something calming about carrying your own sacred space around with you on your back, its very... turtlesk :) yes I will make that word up...

Anyways, I've already ditched some items, like the little campy pillow and blanket I was excited to use on the plane until they actually have tiny pillows and blankets on the plane, not to mention its hot as shit in Fiji so who needs a blanket. If it wassnt for mosquitos and 20 person dorms I would sleep naked every night. So I conveniently left those items at the hostel, perhaps the next person coming thru will be traveling to Antarctica, bless them...

I have a love hate relationship with my second bag, its just a smaller backpack, nothing fancy but it holds my computer well and the notebooks I couldnt stand to leave at home full of yoga facts and fun for my retreat. I find that I just drop things in random pockets, again the organized chaos... but at the end of the day that is what its all about, trying to roll clothes to keep lots of space only makes a backpack with a heavy ass, and only keeps things from wrinkling half the time. Its part of what we do, stuff clothes in random pockets, wear things that are wrinkly, forget to shave because... I really just dont know where my razor is! If I wanted to be all prim and proper and wear super cute and fancy clothes all the time I would have stayed home, but no... I chose to travel, I chose to live out of a bag for 3 months, I chose to take my awkward yoga notebooks and sacred yoga space with me because thats who I am, and I am okay with that!

So what does that all mean? Be yourself.

If you like to pack boxes and travel with cutsy dresses across the world, do it.

If you like to make cabinets in your bags, do it.

If you like to take something on a vacation even though everyone else thinks your crazy, do it.

Just be you, be happy with your decisions, and know that you can always ditch the tiny pillow and blanket :) Have fun, be awkward, laugh at how much shit you dont need and rock on!!

Happy travels ya'll

Chase The Sun

Wake up, get on a plane and chase the sun across the sky...

I had changed my seat on the plane and was for some reason sat beside a girl who was on her way to lax for rehab, coming off of opium... interesting sight, she popped about 5 pills, drank a vodka drink and coffee and orange juice within about 4 hours, she was in rough shape, but I found some compassion for her, she was on her way to a new life.

In LA I freaked out, what the hell am I doing... I contemplated not getting on the plane at all and just going back to charlotte, especially when I thought I was going to puke at the gate... but I had a pep talk from a couple different people and got on the plane. A bajillion hours later and about 12 interrupted naps here I am! Elian who was supposed to pick me up from the airport is a trip, his car broke down so I took a cab, he took me back later to exchange money and we picked up 2 other travelers, kinda fun to act like I knew what I was doing holding signs for people to come on over!

Sat on the beach, watched a cloud turn from a wolf to a fish before completely dissapearing into the blue blue sky. Ready to move, this place is great and so are the people but I'm ready for Suva. Two nights here, and then down thru the coral coast for a night or two and then to Suva. Find my yoga ladies and settle in.

Weighing heavy on my heart.... Carolyn, my dear momma hen passed away the night before my flight left the states. Im sad I missed the funeral arrangements, but selfishly I am happy I talked to her before she couldnt remember anyone and that she passed before I left the states. With tears in my eyes I know shes in an awesome place and I know shes proud of me. I have nothing to prove, just out to do what I want to do and that is explore this vast world and take some yoga with me!

xoxo

k10