“What’s the most violent thing you can say to someone?” My “Nonviolent Communication” (NVC) teacher asked. Students answered with insults, swear words and other degrading comments but none of them matched what the teacher had in mind. When we finally gave up, his answer surprised us all. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp the … More Violent Communication!
What happens when you put 15 strangers from 10 different countries together in one place for a week? Very different backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles. A few have experience in community living, the majority are brand new to the concept but want to try it. When the question “what attracted you to this gathering?” was asked, the … More Our hearts knew it’s possible…
We drove up a steep narrow gravel road to get there. When we finally arrived at the beautiful villa nestled in the woods, we were greeted by stunning views of the Pacific ocean. As we climbed up the few steps leading to the deck, the host pointed to a tiny brown protrusion between 2 wooden … More A Bee Moment!
I enjoy slowing down. It amplifies my pleasure, enjoyment and gratitude. I often find myself reminding myself and others to do so. When I am in cities, I feel like everyone around me is moving at the speed of light and I’m barely crawling. It’s quite lonely and frustrating. When I saw the workshop “How … More Mind out of Matter!
“Nature is God. It’s not to control, it’s to love! We are Nature. We’re here to love, not control.” Rajendra Singh, the Waterman of India, eloquently said. He pioneered the greening of thousands of square kilometers of Rajasthani desert in India. Bringing back rain, Nature and Life to previously dying villages. By merely working with … More Water is Life!
Fresh pine-like scent in the air. Slight fog shrouds the place in mystery. Giant trees add grace and reverence. As soon as I stepped into the Cedar forest, my whole system relaxed; mind, body and spirit. I had to stop for a few minutes, breathe deeply and take in the beauty and serenity of it … More Cedars of God
As old as written history, as young as a raindrop. The ancient, very ancient, old, new, newest and everything in between live, blend and adapt to a symphony of vibrant Nature in all her glory and resilience. Lebanon took my breath away together with a piece of my heart! The land where anything and everything … More Lebanon!
My late aunt Sou’ad used to send me pictures and tell me stories about her life there. She absolutely loved it and kept recounting how beautiful and joyful Lebanon is. I grew up with images of rolling green hills stretched along the blue sea in my mind. Waterfalls, lush forests, vast valleys, snow covered mountains … More Beirut, Lebanon
We arrived just as the sun was rising above the horizon. The van parked on a dirt road by an unmarked 1 storey building. There was a a river along which we walked for about 10 minutes. On the other side of the river, fields of green stretched as far as the eyes could see. … More Jasmine Village
“We paid the heaviest price for the revolution” he said. “We (Egyptians) all paid a very heavy price”, I responded. “But not as much as we did”, the man from Arish replied. After only 1 day in Al Arish, I totally agreed with his assessment.Al Arish and North Sinai had been closed off as a … More North Sinai, Egypt
Being sick sucks! Being sick at the Sexibility Festival sucked even more. Being sick at the Sexibility Festival where it was cold and rainy non-stop in August sucked triple bad. All the amazing potential connections, networking and indulgence in yummy-ness at my fingertips and all my body wanted to do was sleep. So sleep I … More Counting Blessings
“I am just one person. How can I change the world?”, a little girl stood up and said. After 3 times, another girl stood up and joined her. A few more repetitions brought more people in, and more, and more. Before long, we were all standing together. Not just one person anymore. I was in … More The Future is Cooperation!
“You keep pushing me into the deep end of the pool”, my partner said half jokingly. “And you keep swimming”, I replied with a smile. Of all our adventures together, Senegal was the deepest pool. After traveling 20+ hours, he arrived at a place where he doesn’t speak the language, doesn’t know anyone, nothing is … More A Matter of Attitude…
“How can African countries become united like the United States?” He asked me. I felt sadness, which surprised me. He’s 20 years old, studying English (unusual in Senegal where most people study French) and, apparently, believes that the USA has got it made in the shade. “Don’t!”, I said instinctively, “Don’t try to be like … More Consider This…
The first week was baptism by fire! My imagined romantic getaway; warm beach, sipping coconut juice and dancing to Senegalese music (one of the reasons I chose Senegal to rendezvous with my beloved), turned out to be everything but what I expected!Because my partner’s luggage didn’t arrive with him, we decided to stay near the … More Expectations and Disappointments
I finally found the trail that my friend told me about. She said it’s an easy 2 hours hike to the lighthouse. “Don’t hike by yourself” A man coming the other way advised. “Why?” I asked. He said things about it being dangerous but I wasn’t convinced, especially that my friend did it and highly … More Love or Fear – Cabo Verde
Walking barefoot in the meadow. Feeling a myriad of sensations through my feet. Enjoying the variety of textures and surfaces with every step. Soft green grass. Brittle brown grass. Stiff small branches. Soft Earth. Hard Earth… Thinking of all the health benefits I’m receiving in this natural reflexology session. I’m getting it for free just … More Love or Fear?
Lac Rose (Pink Lake) or Lac Retba is supposed to be pink in color but when we went there, the water was blue grey (normal lake water color). What’s up? We wondered. It’s supposed to have a special kind of algae that makes the water pink. Is it the time of day? Will it be … More Lac Rose Senegal
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How often do you get a chance to go inside a working lighthouse? They’re usually “Restricted Areas”, too noisy with all the machinery or the interesting parts are sealed and automated. But not “Le Phare des Mamelles” (the lighthouse of breasts) in Dakar, Senegal. How can one resist such a name? Right?The best part was … More Lighthouse of Breasts
Fadiothe (pronounced Fadiot) Island is made entirely of shells! People collect clams, eat the meaty part, throw the shells on the ground. Over thousands of years, an island of shells formed and rose out of the water. The ground is made of shells, houses are built with shells, people still collect, eat and create with … More Fadiouth: the Shell Island
#senegal #westafrica #africa #joalfadiothe #thiesregion #baobab #sambadia #tree #bats #biggestbaobab #insidethetree #bouyé #baobabjuice #travel #nature #baobabfruit #naturephotography #travelphotography #travelblog #travellife #traveladventure #traveltheworld
After a grueling “set plus” ride, we arrived tired, sweaty and hungry at Mbacke Kadior. An Eco community in the Senegalese desert. Lucky for us, they were about to eat lunch and invited us to join. Many trays of “Thiaboudienne” kept appearing, placed on the mats and people gathered around in circles around the trays. … More Worship through Service
Young boys wearing torn dirty clothes carrying tin cans, plastic containers or cups asking for money. A common scene at every corner in Senegalese towns. As soon as they see a foreigner, they hound like scavengers on a carcass. I learnt to say “etcho” (go away) which seemed to work most of the time. It … More Spiritual Opportunism
My interview with Vivi Wilds about travel, living in the moment, going with the flow and how Tantra turned from a practice in non attachment to my way of life. We talk about love, trust, fear, freedom and more… On Google Podcast On Apple Podcast On Spotify #travel #tantra #nonattachment #livinginthemoment #followyourbliss #love #loveculture #transformation … More Travel. Tantra. Follow your Bliss!
If there’s anything people in Senegal are passionate about, it’s football (aka soccer). Any empty space doubles up as a football field; a beach, an empty lot, a non busy street, a yard, a driveway…etc. It doesn’t even have to be flat or big. Boys of all ages gather around and play. Some in flip … More Senegal Football (Soccer)
We’re sitting in a circle on a straw mat on the ground. A piece of fabric is spread in the middle. A big round covered tray is brought from the kitchen and placed in the center of the fabric. The cover is lifted revealing a pile of vegetables and fish (or chicken) on top of … More “Teranga”: Senegalese Hospitality
When the accidents caused by the huge pothole caught media attention and became the talk of the town, city officials met urgently to discuss solutions. Many suggestions were offered; more ambulance cars, parking an ambulance fleet by the pothole…etc. Then one genius said “Instead of carrying the dead and injured all the way to the … More Senegal Transportation
Unconditional Love 