What’s the relationship between dance and GIS (Geographic Information System)? How is love related to waste water management? What’s common between emotions and permaculture? All these diverse topics may seem separate and unrelated. However, upon closer examination, it’s not hard to see that the linking factor for all these and much more, is the very … More The Way of Water
She thanked me with tears in her eyes. I started crying. We hugged. Then the floodgates in my heart opened and I sobbed profusely. My mind didn’t have words for why I was crying. It tried to stop me. But my heart felt this was a safe space so I let the tears flow. I … More Otherwise, we are Lost…
I was dancing in the “Playroom” like nobody’s watching. Moving whichever way the music inspired my body to move. Mostly with my eyes closed, only glimpsing when I felt I needed to avoid collision. I felt his presence in my energy field. My body was a full “Yes”! So we made eye contact and I … More The Magic of Touch!
Attending ECCO (Encuentro Continental de Comunidades or “Continental Gathering of Communities”), was an immersion in Latin American Ecovillage culture. It transformed me in many ways. The most profound though, relates to children! A long time ago, I made a conscious decision that I don’t want to have kids, I never regretted that decision. My current … More Out of the Mouth of Babes!
Casa Latina is part of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) yet a world apart from GEN Europe. Reflecting and magnifying the cultural differences between the 2 regions. Attending the Ecovillage Gathering in Europe the last 2 years, then in Latin America this year made for very interesting and contrasting experiences. Time is, indeed, an artificial … More People vs. Structures
One of the best things about getting old is that you eventually run out of fucks to give. It’s like we’re born with a finite number of fucks, like eggs in the ovaries. When they run out, you discover a new level of freedom you didn’t even know was possible. Having reached that level, I’m … More Basura Cero!
The minute I set foot there, my whole body relaxed. As if in the warm loving embrace of a beloved. A woman lying half naked on the swing. A couple of people in hammocks. Cat cleaning itself in the sun. After quick introductions, I walked all over; touching the trees, greeting the mountains, taking it … More El Valle de Sensaciones
During the pandemic, most of us were forced to slow down in fear and isolation. But what happens when we CHOOSE to slow down in love and community? That was the invitation at the European Ecovillage Gathering 2024!At the beginning, I felt some resentment. It manifested as boredom. “Why are they speaking soooo slowly? Do … More Growing Roots
How can a species survive and compete for resources in the wild when their only defense mechanism is playing peek-a-boo? They can’t run, they move very slowly, quite clumsy actually, they can’t really hurt you, they’re not herd animals, they’re not even cute (until you get to know them) so the sympathy card is voided. … More Slow and Steady!
You know how in Disney movies the princess walks through beautiful Nature and the birds, butterflies and animals, small and large land on her body, sing and dance with her? I used to think that’s a far fetched fantasy, until I came to the Galapagos Islands. As soon as I set foot here, a smile … More Galapagos Magic!
“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…
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!
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?
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
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!
The day is going smoothly. Feeling good, sometimes neutral. All is well, more or less. Then something happens! We hear or see something, maybe even smell something. Sometimes nothing specific happens but a certain thought pops into the mind for whatever reason and we spin out of control. The body feels contracted and in a … More From Triggers to Teachers!
I woke up sneezing and sniffling. Couldn’t breathe without blowing my nose every few minutes. It was under 10°C (50°F) at 9am in Brno, Czech Republic. I was looking forward to exploring the city with my friend. Bummer! At least I still had my energy, enthusiasm and I could borrow warm clothes from my friend. … More Brno Prescription…
Up the zig zag trail, through the forest, gaining elevation one step at a time. It was a beautiful sunny day and the trees provided the perfect protection and scenery. After about 1 hour, I was up at the big “Brasov” sign that towers over the city announcing to the universe the name of this … More Friend in Brașov
The first couple of days were very difficult: I didn’t know anyone, had no idea how things worked, or didn’t, had to fight my city-girl instincts every step of the way. But I hiked up the Bulgarian mountains for more than an hour with all my luggage to get there. I wasn’t going to give … More My first Rainbow Gathering!
What if we welcome all parts of our humanity without fear, shame or guilt? What if we allowed space for everyone to be seen and heard? Can we make decisions based on love and abundance? Is a New Culture of cooperation and inclusion possible? These are inquiries that 120 of us dove into for 10 … More A Different Culture!
Tears. Lots of tears. Overwhelming sadness, emptiness and despair. I lost my sense of purpose and humor. What used to make me happy ceased to do so. I felt confused and didn’t know how to kick this dark night of the soul. Existential angst came on unexpectedly and for no apparent reason. I am living … More Dark Night of the Soul!
“If I had 10 coconut palms I wouldn’t need anything else”, said my Filipino friend. “I could eat, drink, build a house, dress myself, make utensils, instruments and tools. All from the coconut palms!” I could totally see his point of view. Bedouins in the Sahara desert relate the same way to date palms. Coconuts … More One person’s trash…
“What would you like to tell your parents?” When I got this question in “Big Talk Game”*, my Mom came to mind. She was a woman of few words. As her daughter, the few words I got were motherly in nature; checking on my wellbeing, giving advice, family news, health tips (she was a medical … More A Different kind of History
We laughed, cried, danced, hugged, withdrew, celebrated, shared, broke down, broke through, held space, played “Big Talk Game”*, welcomed all parts of us in love and acceptance. We were present! Something transformed, shifted for good in our souls. There’s no going back. No settling for less. Once the soul tastes that connection to its true … More “YES” to Being Alive!
“Be the change you want to see in the world”!I want a world in which we are free to express our true authentic selves. No masks, pretences, shame or guilt. A world where we celebrate our differences as much as our sameness. Where our thoughts and actions are motivated by love and only love. In … More “Big Talk Game” Website!
This is messy and long because I’m emotional about the subject. I can totally feel both sides. However, this is my truth which I had been holding back for fear of upsetting many loved ones. “Pardon my dust!”Cats! Leave them alone! They’re not your toys, babies, ornaments or responsibility. If you love them, treat them … More Cats: Let the Meow Roar!
We took a taxi, boat, another taxi to get there. It took us 2 hours (5 hours if you walk). There were a few Bedouin camps, some kite surfers and the beautiful light blue, clear water of the Blue Lagoon (North Eastern Red Sea). As soon as we sat down on the carpets by the … More Cat Wisdom
“Watch out for the elephants” she yelled from her car as she slowed down and passed me. It was dark and I was walking home to my lodge in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Up until then, I was worried about getting mugged (after my bad experience in South Africa). But now, elephants entered the picture! Instead … More Mighty Mind-Falls!
I’m either here now, or behind my phone/camera recording the here and now. Sure, there are many moments that I want to freeze in memory and/or share with loved ones far away. But the moment I take my phone/camera out to record it, I lose that very same precious moment. I’m not here now anymore, … More To Be or To Record…
Where there are cats, there is love!Dónde hay gatos, hay amor!Cats are the epitome of unconditional love, which starts towards oneself (4 Practices 4 Unconditional Love). Cats, naturally, give from a full cup. By taking care of themselves and their needs, they provide pleasure, beauty, joy and love organically. That’s the essence of unconditional love: … More Everything I know, I learnt from my Cat!
Dear Hyoomn,You’ve been mostly kind to us. Caring, feeding, spoiling… Thank you! But I’m not your toy, not your child and not an ornament (even though you’ve bred some of us to be just that). I don’t need your protection or control. I’m a resilient, powerful being just like you. I love to play, bask … More Pussy Letter
“Shorter of breath and one day closer to death!” A friend used to send me this Pink Floyd verse as a birthday greeting. I used to think it’s a depressing way to think about birthdays, and time in general. Yet now, I believe it’s a good reminder to live life fully, regardless of the circumstances. … More Transforming Resistance
“Renewal” typically has positive connotations: new beginnings, hope…etc, things that inspire optimism. Except in Egypt. “He/she got a renewal” means that their indefinite, illegal prison sentence has been extended 45 days. Then what? Another 45 days that typically add up to years. Tens of thousands of Egyptian families, mine included, live with loved ones behind … More Renewal
Bigtalk! I hate smalltalk! I’d rather be silent than waste energy on smalltalk. Since I don’t follow the news, don’t watch sports, could care less about the lives of celebrities and don’t have the stomach for politics, I am not interested or able to participate in most party conversations. I also hate the “4 men … More Bigtalk!
There’s something magical about them. The fascinating rock formations. The silence. The constant comfortable temperature no matter what the weather is like. Most of all, the feeling of being in the belly of the mother: Mother Earth!I love caves. They invoke a plethora of feelings and images: Peaceful. Contained. Humble. Awe! Curious. Mystery. Exhilaration. Connected … More In the Belly of the Mother
She was about to do a backflip into the Cenote*. Her friend yelled at her “be careful”. After a few hesitant seconds, she changed her mind and didn’t jump.How many times do you find yourself in her shoes? You’re about to push your edge and challenge yourself when a well meaning friend calls in the … More “Be C@#€fuk”
The Ides of March came to find me in my, then, favorite s€x positive eco community where we were going to manifest our collective dream of living in harmony with nature and each other. 20 of us practicing free love, self responsibility, transparency, trust and taking care of the land and each other. You may … More Beware the Ides of March!
“You’re water. Water takes the shape of the container it’s in. You too, you adapt easily to circumstances around you”. I had just met Pi for the first time a mere 10 minutes before he made this observation. That was the best compliment! Water resonates with me on many levels.My karate teacher used to say … More Soy Agua!
“How can they tolerate that thing on their face?”, my non-Muslim friends would ask about Muslim women who wear the niqab (face cover). “I would suffocate!” they would say.“They believe they’re doing the right thing”, I would answer. “In their beliefs, God wants them to do that”.“Why?” My friends would ask.“They believe that they have … More New Religion!
“We’ll talk when I see her next time”, I thought to myself. My cousin wrote me a letter raising some questions about my beliefs. I knew it was going to be a long, difficult conversation and I decided to have it face to face. She was a young mother with 2 healthy boys, a beautiful … More Love Death! Part 2
Life is full of endings, losses and deaths. From sunsets, graduations, moving, promotions to ends of relationships, jobs and of course, lives. Death is part of nature. We are part of nature. Death is part of us! Yet, we, as a human culture, don’t talk about it much, don’t discuss it and when it, inevitably … More Love Death!
Your fear is not my reality. I know you feel it, think it and believe it. I don’t. We share the same physical world yet our experiences and realities are different. Love, trust and freedom are my Goddesses. They are not a threat to you unless you project your fears onto them. Your fear projections … More The Fear Virus!
The voices in my head said: “you’ll be criticized. They’re going to laugh at you. No one will take you seriously”. I believed them so I didn’t share my passions. Whenever I found myself with loving supportive people who expressed interest in what I have to offer, I shared. Every time I dared to bare … More Journey to Love
Violence is not only physical force, crime, weapons and war, that’s just the final manifestation of it. Violence starts every time you live out of alignment with your true nature. Every time you say ‘yes’ when you’re a ‘no’, you’re being violent. Every time you say ‘no’ when you’re a ‘yes’, you’re being violent. Every … More Violence
My soul sought a way out of a place where logic is merely a theoretical idea, a prisoner in books. Set free only when beneficial to an oppressive purpose and typically to the most illogical of explanations. “God loves us and therefore we must fear him”, that’s ‘logic’. “Women menstruate and therefore cannot be trusted … More Reborn Free!
Dear Universe, I yearn for beautiful strong divine masculine to take me. To feel my energy and dance with it; caress like the breeze, flow like water, ignite the flames of my fires and ground me like the earth. The divine masculine that can meet me in power without being threatened. That can meet my … More Divine Masculine
Dear my Fear, Our relationship hasn’t been the smoothest or the most amiable. You’re either controlling me, often paralyzing me, I’m ignoring you or following you then hating myself and your guts. Admittedly, sometimes you make me laugh with the ridiculous crazy thoughts you have. When you act up, you deprive us of living in, … More Dear My Fear
The world is a mirror; it reflects back what we believe inside our heads! Once I clued in to this simple, yet profound fact, I realized that I have the power to create my reality and live whatever life I want. There is never one reality. There are always many ways to see and interpret … More Choose Love!
Routine kills me. If I believed in a Goddess/God, it would be “Change”. Just like traditional Gods, Change saves me from painful experiences because I know they don’t last. However, unlike traditional Gods, Change can be felt and recognized by all living beings. No dogma or proselytizing necessary. It’s real. When I am in pain, … More Change, Almighty!
I lived in caves, boats, hostels, apartments, houses, hotels, resorts. Slept on the beach, in the fields, on couches, in hammocks, cars, benches, feather beds. Showered in the rain, oceans, rivers, sprinklers, bathrooms. Hitchhiked, walked barefoot, rode camels, horses, traveled by bicycles, motorcycles, cars, buses, trains, planes. Ate from dumpsters, fresh from the fields, grubs … More Fleas in a Jar
The human race has been seeped in a culture of fear and scarcity for several thousand years. All human made borders are drawn in blood. Countries appear and disappear through wars. If you are alive today, someone in your ancestry line must’ve killed people. It’s been so long that we have no clue what life … More Fear not!
Have you ever gotten dirty by choice? I don’t mean the “dirty mind” kind of dirty (even though that’s fun too). I mean the good ole wallow in the mud, slip and slide in the dirt and get your whole body smothered in earth; sand, soil, dust…etc. kind of dirty. Does the thought make you … More When did dirt become dirty?
Listen to the interview conducted on Tuesday November 20, 2018 with Sumati Sparks and Hala Fauzi about Free Love/Polyamory and Unconditional Love: Streaming: http://tobtr.com/11051419 Recording: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wlu0znhsnctkk9r/AAAIhqBg5rt7Mp8OuZynUjZja?dl=0
“When you point a finger at someone, 3 fingers are pointing back at you”. When I find myself judging someone or something, I think of the 3 fingers: B.E.T; Body, Emotions and Thoughts. Let me explain…At the root of every judgement, there is fear or scarcity. Here’s my checklist to capture the source of my … More Your Best “BET”!
If we are to change the world to a more loving, trusting and peaceful place, we need to come out and let the world know that it’s possible to love unconditionally. As long as we keep hiding, we can’t expect the world to accept us. As Harvey Milk said “Hope will never be silent”… https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158716462445503&id=645395502 … More Free Love
I’m not here to remind you of your duties as a parent, a child, a spouse, an employee or a business owner. You have the rest of the world for that. I’m here to remind you to nourish your soul with dance. Feed your spirit with music. Enliven your body with movement. It takes courage … More Soaring spirits
Unconditional Love 