Hola De Mexico!

I’m sitting “in” the outdoor living room at Playa Viva in Juluchuca Mexico right now thinking of all you beloved souls, my friends and students wondering what your lives are like right now, in this very moment. I’ve been so blessed to be afforded the opportunity to spend a few weeks working here in this secluded paradise, so for me, this moment within is calm, but outside the ocean is fierce! She is loud and constant, at one moment receding and quiet and in an instant she rises up, threatening to swallow all that is in her path. Soft, salty, sweetness and then raging with power! Sound familiar? I think I’m ridiculously similar to the ocean!

I’ve never before been afforded the opportunity to lay my head down at night mere feet from the ocean and I must say, it’s a perspective changing experience. As I hear the surf throughout the day as the star player in my awareness I’m reminded once again of the mutability of life, but at night, all is amplified. The ocean seems to roar louder and all her children join her in a cacophony of nature’s song! Roosters (yes they don't only crow in the morning), frogs (the strangest you've ever heard), and all manner of beasts raise their voices to greet the moon, and then commences the loudest lullaby I’ve ever heard and may not be able to sleep without. Oh the hours I’ve spent trying to create an image of how to duplicate the beach life in the desert!

Cuando eres joven, quieres comer el mundo"

“When you are young, you want to eat the world”, one of the many gems I will bring home from this beautiful Mexican experience! It means when we are young we want to taste everything the world has to offer, we want to ingest and consume her, become a part of everything and let it soak in and create the fabric of our being. Such a beautiful quote and even more beautiful sentiment, and how true it is! But what if you missed that boat, didn't eat the world when you were young, or ate some and are still hungering? Or what if you never felt that hunger before? Is it too late? Somebody recently asked me “what do you want to be when you grow up?” A bit pretentious and ballsy to ask that of a fifty something woman I think, but ask he did. I simply answered “I already did that, I’m growing in the other direction now”. I was a very serious young person, I took my responsibilities to heart, made sure I had a bit of money in the bank, a secure place to live and food on the table. I was never late for anything and raised my kids as if one mistake would blow the whole shebang! Life was SECURE and I was exhausted! So now, here I am, in my second chance to eat the world and eat it I will. I will take every opportunity to “LIVE” that comes my way! I will travel and take chances, feel my fear and walk straight through it because often what scares me also makes me feel more alive, I will go where my heart leads and tell my head to quiet down unless it has something positive to say.

I’m in my last few days here at Playa Viva and as I told a friend recently, there’s been nothing here that hasn't been wonderful. From the fear that I felt at customs, finally understanding what it’s like to be a stranger in a strange land, to the Eco Tianguis- farmer’s market where we sell veggies (that’s a story in itself), to the amazing guests, locals and coworkers I’ve met here. At the outset, I was terrified, I had no idea what to expect, personally, financially, physically, emotionally, etc. In my past I would feel my fear and let it stop me but through some very difficult life circumstances as well as yoga and meditation I found my brave heart and realized living in fear is no way to eat the world or even live in it. It is however a great way to experience nothing and stay in a very small, comfortable box. I’m so overjoyed I took the chance, ate the world and spat out the fear, lived this experience to its fullest and grew exponentially!

So, my beloveds, how will you eat the world next? What would you like to taste? What (as my new spaniard friend says) “tickles” you, piques your interest? What would you do if it didn't care the shit out of you? DO IT, then pat yourself on the back and share the story with all those who will listen, as your message of wonder and bravery are a gift that will keep on giving. Adventure, compassion fear, persistence and love; eat it all, live it all!

VIVA LA VIDA!!

In Love,

Amanda

Upcoming from Align…

An evening potluck, recap of my month of adventure and presentation of Playa Viva!

Meditation levels 1 and 2 coming Fall

Fair winds and following seas… 2016!Details to come; right now I’m in the current…

www.aligntucsonmeditation.com

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