It's a travel day today. I am in Malaysia and Alyssa is in the air on her way back to the states. The first time in months that we haven't been together. We had joked about me not coming home before we left. I am coming home...but not for a couple of weeks. We have left Bali, for now. Left behind some of the most bright and shiny souls we have encountered since our USM class. We discovered so much love and joy in ourselves encouraged by the Bali way. This past week in Bali was one of the most holy times of the year. We felt it. We danced, played, sang, meditated, and loved loved loved. Our last adventure together was the regular hosting of our Anahata meditation circle. Our friends Rolf and Karina have asked to keep the circle going and we are so pleased that they feel as good about sharing the loving as we do. Our plan is to take it home. Be looking for the invite to our welcome home party which will take the form of this loving circle. It feels to soon to close out our travel journal together even though we are not together. I feel Alyssa flying through the air and know that her family is stoked to see her. I have learned more about myself through the reflections that she offers than all of the travel experiences put together. What we have done we are so grateful for. Yes yes yes. We said it and we gave ourselves permission to do it. In the slightest ways maybe you could do the same! As we know it's not the travel, it's the exploration. Thank you all for your love and support. We look forward to reconnecting! I'll be posting more of my travels in my facebook notes.
Blessed blessed day.
big love from Alyssa and Laurel
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Nyepi
Today is Nyepi. It is the Balinese New Year. We are in our villa, not eating, or speaking for 24 hours. The entire island is meant to be doing the same. I think it must be true for the most part as I haven’t seen a soul in the rice fields today, nor heard the men screeching to keep the birds away. We heard if you wander away from your house that the police strongly urge you to return. Some how without our knowing the silence from our Indian Vipassana and the fasting from Thailand have come together on this holy day here in Bali.
It is obvious we haven’t written for awhile. Bali has so moved us that we skipped out on the rest of our itinerary to decide if this was a place we would want to come back to for a more long term adventure. We have both agreed YES! This is someplace that we will be coming back to, sooner rather than later.
It is hard to capture the magic that is Bali. The subtle energy flow, perfect synchronicities, open hearts, smiles, the beauty and power of ceremony, the mountains, water, rice fields, soul connections, play. I have discovered how much I love to dance as a means of creative expression since I came here. I have also discovered one of my favorite things to do is to love.
Alyssa and I still host a Sunday night Anahata meditation which we will miss here but will be taking with us to Santa Monica. I will be meeting her back home April 14 after making a two week stop to explore Switzerland and France and a beautiful man named Guillaume. Alyssa arrives home just before me and we both look forward to reconnecting with all of our friends and family.
Alyssa and I gave a workshop here on the art of loving. It was a good process and we discovered that one of the things we value is holding a space for people to explore themselves. We will continue to do it in some form wherever we go. We see nothing but beautiful exciting possibilities for us both here and “home”. We are open to allowing our greatest ideals to come forward and have gained more clarity around continuing to share the tools and principles we learned while at USM.
Alyssa continues to amaze me as a wonderful spiritual travel companion and soul friend. We get asked at least every other day if we are sisters. We get accused of being angels. We delight in playing and exploring together. We have learned to navigate not only our inner world but this outer world with love as our guidance system. A renewable resource. Open mind, open heart, open world.
With deep love and gratitude for your continued interest and support, we send love from Bali..
Alyssa and Laurel
It is obvious we haven’t written for awhile. Bali has so moved us that we skipped out on the rest of our itinerary to decide if this was a place we would want to come back to for a more long term adventure. We have both agreed YES! This is someplace that we will be coming back to, sooner rather than later.
It is hard to capture the magic that is Bali. The subtle energy flow, perfect synchronicities, open hearts, smiles, the beauty and power of ceremony, the mountains, water, rice fields, soul connections, play. I have discovered how much I love to dance as a means of creative expression since I came here. I have also discovered one of my favorite things to do is to love.
Alyssa and I still host a Sunday night Anahata meditation which we will miss here but will be taking with us to Santa Monica. I will be meeting her back home April 14 after making a two week stop to explore Switzerland and France and a beautiful man named Guillaume. Alyssa arrives home just before me and we both look forward to reconnecting with all of our friends and family.
Alyssa and I gave a workshop here on the art of loving. It was a good process and we discovered that one of the things we value is holding a space for people to explore themselves. We will continue to do it in some form wherever we go. We see nothing but beautiful exciting possibilities for us both here and “home”. We are open to allowing our greatest ideals to come forward and have gained more clarity around continuing to share the tools and principles we learned while at USM.
Alyssa continues to amaze me as a wonderful spiritual travel companion and soul friend. We get asked at least every other day if we are sisters. We get accused of being angels. We delight in playing and exploring together. We have learned to navigate not only our inner world but this outer world with love as our guidance system. A renewable resource. Open mind, open heart, open world.
With deep love and gratitude for your continued interest and support, we send love from Bali..
Alyssa and Laurel
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Following the Energy
Blessings all,
I am not sure every will be surprised by our news, our last post did indicate that we were feeling our way into this incredible paradise in a very deep and rich way. Alyssa and I cancelled the rest of our journey and intend to stay in Bali for another month!!! As of today we actually have no ticket home, but that's just because we are looking for a good deal. We have both moved into such a realm of grace and allowance in this place. Manifestation, living with intentions, the beauty of not only the land but the energy of this place is like no other. I have thought of telepathy before, but Bali is actually a place where one could really move into that kind of gift. I use that as a small example of the very "unreal" way things work here. The reality that exists here is unlike the day to day for the rest of the planet and it is the perfect place to play with the flow of life, or to play with how life is flowing through us.
Our connections have continued to grow and our circle of friends includes some very open, inetelligent, transparent, forward thinking, globally minded, service oriented, and creative personalities.
Alyssa and I are amazed by the company we keep. We get the joy of reflecting to each other the wonderful projections that this company is. We had no idea that the University of Santa Monica would play such an important part of this time in our lives. The "third year" is still unfolding.
The energy of Australia and New Zealand yielded to the peace, grace, beauty, and inspiration of Bali.
We moved from one incredible villa to another which is located in the rice fields where we can watch the farmers work the field as a meditation in and of itself. We are still meditating and have hosted our third Anahata meditation at a local yoga studio. It is a wonderful loving meditation, simple and powerful where each participant takes turns sitting in the middle of the circle receiving the loving of everyone in the room. JUICEY!
For the past two days I have had mixed emotions which generally come in time of transitions. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do whatever it is I want to do and I do so miss my families back home. I am eternally grateful for my travel partner who has taught me as much about myself in these past months as the travel itself.
Alyssa continues to read, write, play, and dance her way through the days. She has gone slightly raw these days which is admirable and yet not quite inspiring enough for this southern girl to give up her cooked food. Cutting back on the fried has been hard enough.
I am buying a mac today to begin working on a writing project that can no longer be contained. We intend also to work with some of the projects we have found in Bali, to what degree we don't know. Start where you are. That is what I am doing.
So much love to each of you my heart breaks the boundaries of my chest....
If you have thought of us these past months, sent good thoughts, love, well wishes, curious inquiries, feedback...we have been truly grateful for the connections. The energy between is all there is...
Love is the energy to follow, let's see where it will lead...
Laurel & Alyssa
I am not sure every will be surprised by our news, our last post did indicate that we were feeling our way into this incredible paradise in a very deep and rich way. Alyssa and I cancelled the rest of our journey and intend to stay in Bali for another month!!! As of today we actually have no ticket home, but that's just because we are looking for a good deal. We have both moved into such a realm of grace and allowance in this place. Manifestation, living with intentions, the beauty of not only the land but the energy of this place is like no other. I have thought of telepathy before, but Bali is actually a place where one could really move into that kind of gift. I use that as a small example of the very "unreal" way things work here. The reality that exists here is unlike the day to day for the rest of the planet and it is the perfect place to play with the flow of life, or to play with how life is flowing through us.
Our connections have continued to grow and our circle of friends includes some very open, inetelligent, transparent, forward thinking, globally minded, service oriented, and creative personalities.
Alyssa and I are amazed by the company we keep. We get the joy of reflecting to each other the wonderful projections that this company is. We had no idea that the University of Santa Monica would play such an important part of this time in our lives. The "third year" is still unfolding.
The energy of Australia and New Zealand yielded to the peace, grace, beauty, and inspiration of Bali.
We moved from one incredible villa to another which is located in the rice fields where we can watch the farmers work the field as a meditation in and of itself. We are still meditating and have hosted our third Anahata meditation at a local yoga studio. It is a wonderful loving meditation, simple and powerful where each participant takes turns sitting in the middle of the circle receiving the loving of everyone in the room. JUICEY!
For the past two days I have had mixed emotions which generally come in time of transitions. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do whatever it is I want to do and I do so miss my families back home. I am eternally grateful for my travel partner who has taught me as much about myself in these past months as the travel itself.
Alyssa continues to read, write, play, and dance her way through the days. She has gone slightly raw these days which is admirable and yet not quite inspiring enough for this southern girl to give up her cooked food. Cutting back on the fried has been hard enough.
I am buying a mac today to begin working on a writing project that can no longer be contained. We intend also to work with some of the projects we have found in Bali, to what degree we don't know. Start where you are. That is what I am doing.
So much love to each of you my heart breaks the boundaries of my chest....
If you have thought of us these past months, sent good thoughts, love, well wishes, curious inquiries, feedback...we have been truly grateful for the connections. The energy between is all there is...
Love is the energy to follow, let's see where it will lead...
Laurel & Alyssa
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Bali Bliss
Bali, natural beauty, manifestation, heart and soul connections, transparency, the flow of life, easy breathing, warm rainstorms, sensual food, peace of mind, living meditation, dancing 5 rhythms, tantra, exploring new friends. Our villa M is more beautiful than the ideal scene we had created in our minds. We host our first Anahata meditation tonight and will allow the love to flow as it already does with wonder and beauty between souls. (I know this is poetic, it is the mood I am in right now ;-) ) Feeling each of you as you call us into your minds, we say hello with the sweetest hug of appreciation and love.
Bali has touched each of us in a deep way and we are considering making some changes to our plans. It is too soon to tell.
Only in Bali can you go to dinner in the middle of the rice fields, eat a slow wonderful meal and have the staff say, "we are going home now, stay as long as you want." Only in Bali.
We have reconnected with old friends here and are grateful for the new friends who have blessed us.
I have danced here in ways that I did not know where possible and have opened to the mystery of life that animates us all.
There are some amazing humanitarian projects that are calling both Alyssa and I. We are exploring.
A spiritual fast in India, a physical fast in Thailand...revalations both inner and outer, Bali is a place to balance and to harness the power from within to manifest a positive influence externally. We are ready.
Much love and gratitude for the support.
All is well, all is well.
xo
Laurel & Alyssa
Bali has touched each of us in a deep way and we are considering making some changes to our plans. It is too soon to tell.
Only in Bali can you go to dinner in the middle of the rice fields, eat a slow wonderful meal and have the staff say, "we are going home now, stay as long as you want." Only in Bali.
We have reconnected with old friends here and are grateful for the new friends who have blessed us.
I have danced here in ways that I did not know where possible and have opened to the mystery of life that animates us all.
There are some amazing humanitarian projects that are calling both Alyssa and I. We are exploring.
A spiritual fast in India, a physical fast in Thailand...revalations both inner and outer, Bali is a place to balance and to harness the power from within to manifest a positive influence externally. We are ready.
Much love and gratitude for the support.
All is well, all is well.
xo
Laurel & Alyssa
Monday, February 2, 2009
Wasting away
It's hard to imagine 5 gallons of coffee water going up your bum twice a day for seven days, but that is part of the process we went through in Thailand. The most chiseled Greek man instructed us on how to insert our own private poop wand and also how to manipulate and massage the colon for maximum results.
We drank a psyllium and bentonite shake 5 times daily to help with fiber and detox issues. We drank carrot juice and coconut juice once a day (thus leading to Alyssa's new affair with the fruit) and we took some warm broth at "dinner time". We also took 6 pills 5 times a day. We had daily massage, God bless Pa and her 67 year old awesome self, a daily herbal sauna, and the best team to support what was a slightly awkward experience.
I had no idea someone could still be pooping 7 days after eating nothing while taking twice daily "colemas"!
It is possible.
We each lost nearly 10 pounds. I had already lost quite a bit in India and my body sort of went into freak out mode. I was so grateful to be eating again and our first meal of watermelon was awesome.
We had a wonderful friend, Drew, who brought us a chocolate cake that we really were not suppose to eat for another four days. I dipped my finger into the chocolate sauce in the morning and by afternoon I committed to one full bite. Alyssa was incredibly disciplined and she skipped the chocolate. Her will power is still in high gear.
I highly recommend a detox program and if you want a good environment check out Thailand.
So many new adventures...inside and out.
much love,
A & L
We drank a psyllium and bentonite shake 5 times daily to help with fiber and detox issues. We drank carrot juice and coconut juice once a day (thus leading to Alyssa's new affair with the fruit) and we took some warm broth at "dinner time". We also took 6 pills 5 times a day. We had daily massage, God bless Pa and her 67 year old awesome self, a daily herbal sauna, and the best team to support what was a slightly awkward experience.
I had no idea someone could still be pooping 7 days after eating nothing while taking twice daily "colemas"!
It is possible.
We each lost nearly 10 pounds. I had already lost quite a bit in India and my body sort of went into freak out mode. I was so grateful to be eating again and our first meal of watermelon was awesome.
We had a wonderful friend, Drew, who brought us a chocolate cake that we really were not suppose to eat for another four days. I dipped my finger into the chocolate sauce in the morning and by afternoon I committed to one full bite. Alyssa was incredibly disciplined and she skipped the chocolate. Her will power is still in high gear.
I highly recommend a detox program and if you want a good environment check out Thailand.
So many new adventures...inside and out.
much love,
A & L
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