Bucket List

I’m sitting in the dining room of the house I grew up in. My parents and sister are asleep, and I’m bundled in a fuzzy bathrobe, listening to my dog snoring, drinking Trader Joe’s peppermint tea, and rewriting my bucket list.

I’ve been staying up late recently, partly because of the jetlag but mostly because I’m seeking alone time. As it gets later and later, I feel more and more creative. My eyes start to droop, but my fingers move faster and faster across the keyboard. As my body and mind slowly go to sleep, my soul comes to life.

After 28 months of travel, it’s a huge relief to finally be home again. I’ve been dreaming about seeing these people – friends, family, and even the homeless people on State Street. Now that they are here next to me, its a relief – but it’s also not what I expected.

I feel pulled in many directions by many different people. My sister is only in town for 10 days so she is a priority, but there are also lots of friends to see and parties to attend. And when is the quiet time for myself? I have been doing yoga and making a green smoothie every morning, which is grounding, but it is not enough.

Now, in the dark hours of the night, when I am on the brink of sleep, I can tap into a part of my unconscious that is reserved for dreams and soul travel. It is the upper chakras, it is the throat, the third eye, and the crown. Something is speaking and it is not my mind.

Meanwhile, my bucket list is rational and linear. I have a plan, and I’m not afraid to achieve it. At the same time, I know that if I don’t accomplish every single item on the list, I will not be angry or sad. I will accept what is, no matter what. However, I know I have the power to do it.  And I will.

I’m healing myself. By organizing my dreams, I am manifesting my future.

So take a look at my new bucket list, and let me know what you think.

Bahay Kalipay

Imagine a place where you live in a bamboo treehouse surrounded by banana trees. In the morning birdsong gently lifts you out of a deep relaxing sleep, and you awaken to a warm, sunny day.

When I wake up, one of the first things I do is make a list, in my head or on paper, of 5 things that I am grateful for. Its effortless.

At 7:30 we convene for yoga at a beautiful outdoor space. There are many different teachers and varieties of yoga being shared: Sar leads Hatha, Tara kundilini, and Gerome presents Ashtanga.

For the first time in my life I can do a headstand, which for me is one of the hardest yoga poses. It requires core strength and balance, and lots of breathing and focus!

Breakfast is served at 9, which is papaya, mango, and banana sliced up in a bowl, topped with chopped nuts and shredded coconut and chocolate milk. All the food here is raw, and delicious. So far I’ve lost about 20 pounds, not kidding.

The rest of the day flows effortlessly. Perhaps I will go volunteer at the preschool, hopping on a tricycle and jeepney to get there. The journey takes 30 minutes and costs less than 50 cents.

Afterwards I will chill with the beautiful family who keeps the preschool running: Tatay Ems the flute maker, his wife Raquel the teacher, and his 4 kids, Aya, Banban, Dee, and Kaye, all musically talented.

We sit around the dining room table for hours, Banban drumming, Aya and I on the guitar, all three of us harmonizing… so beautiful. Sometimes Kalayo joins on the drums or whatever percussion he can find. Videos to come!

Maybe I will teach a class later. Soul Journal and Manifesting Your Dreams are the two I have been leading.

Or maybe I will just hang out and read in a hammock, walk to the beach, draw some pictures…

Its a hard life here! Hahaha. I would highly highly recommend this place, it is pretty affordable too when compared to other retreats in western countries.

Ill be coming back here next year, who wants to join me?

Couchsurfing in Langkawi

With 8 dogs and 37 cats, Jeff’s house is not your typical couch surfing pad.

We arrived on the island of Langkawi by a nauseating 3-hour boat ride. Jeff met us at a pizza shop and showed us to his house, a quaint two bedroom nestled in a little patch of forest. Wild monkeys greeted us from the trees.

Resting on the hammocks on his porch, one of his cats clambered onto my lap, and Jeff told us his story.

This story was published on WeSaidGoTravel. To read the whole story, click here.