The Charmed Life - Living Your Potential

The Portuguese Diva

2010-04-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

You guessed it, that would be me. Not that the Diva part wasn’t already there. It has just now been upgraded by 5 notches. Oh yes, those poor unsuspecting souls around me will now really have their hands full ☺

Being Portuguese has had it’s highlights but also downright frustrating moments. I would say up until the last few years, the frustrating moments have topped the highlights. However it is funny how things you take for granted have a way to come back and bite you in the ass. It was after my moving to Argentina that I really discovered my cultural roots and finally (yes I can see my grandmother rolling her eyes at me now) integrated them into who I am.

As a child I wanted nothing to do with anything Portuguese. It was beyond a hindrance in my life. I grew up in a very traditional Portuguese household with strict rules and traditions, therefore I was not allowed to do many things that most of my friends were allowed to do. I wanted to be like the others but I couldn’t quite make that fit. As a child trying to figure out who they are, being raised in two very distinct cultures (okay let’s be honest, cultures completely alien from one another) can create somewhat of an identity crisis. On top of having different social values, we ate differently, we spoke differently, we had different traditions, and the list goes on. So I grew up shunning a good part of my culture in the attempt to fit into the social culture around me. But then I moved to Argentina.

One of the results of taking off to live this charmed life that I have always been after is the re-connection with myself. And the discovery of aspects of myself that I didn’t even know existed. And so it was with the discovery of the Portuguese Diva.

One of the reasons that I fit in so well in the culture here is because it is exactly the same culture that I was brought up in. This time things were reversed though. The norm was that Portuguese culture that I had tried so hard to veer away from, and the “non-normal” culture, for lack of a better word, was the one I had tried so hard to fit myself into. Most expats when arriving here undergo a period of culture shock (hell some never get out of it) whereas I underwent nothing. I actually found myself defending the culture when surrounded by those who just didn’t understand it or complained about it. And so began my re-introduction into the rich and beautiful roots I had grown up in.

And then an interesting thing happened. I began cooking. First of all the cooking in and of itself carried me down a path of self discovery that there is now no turning back from. However, it is the Portuguese cooking that finally “brought me home”. There is something magical about food that creates special aha moments in your life and I have to say that it has definitely given me more than my share. And which food was it that changed my life? Fish of course. ☺ Fish is a major staple of Portuguese cuisine, and my parents come from the Acores islands, so it is pretty much in my blood.

I happened across some sea mackerel as I was roaming around the central market one day and after leaping around the isle in glee (much to the dismay of the fishmongers) I bought myself 2 and proudly carried them back home. For those of you who are not familiar with sea mackerel, or Cavalhas in Portuguese (or Caballas in Spanish) they are sort of like very large sardines. The flavour is fairly similar. Because it is an oily fish it is chock full of flavour, so what we often do is simply grill it. Add a bit of sea salt, a few fresh onion rings and some parsley and you have a dish fit for Neptune himself. Absolutely spectacular. So I cooked this meal and everyone was smitten. (Not with me, with the fish…okay maybe a little with me… ☺ ) Such a simple dish, yet so full of flavour. And this is the really the essence of Portuguese cooking. Food that is simple, unpretentious but full of flavour. Just like it’s people ☺

After this life changing gastronomic experience I began devouring books, internet articles and sites on everything that was Portuguese food. I began reading on the different regions, the customs, the people, the ingredients, you name it. I watched movies, programs, anything and everything that had Portugal and Portuguese food in it. And little by little, like the size of the Grinch’s heart when he discovered Christmas, my Portuguese pride grew and blossomed. I realized that this was a fundamental part of who I am, I was raised Portuguese, and although yes, I functioned in a Canadian culture, my essence and foundation, my blood is 100% Portuguese. I am a unique mix I would say, but the latin part is what prevails overall. ☺

So in celebration of this new found reconnection with myself, I will be writing parts on the blog dealing with Portuguese cuisine and the country itself: The Portugese Diva Chronicles, and share with everyone the beauty, culture and experiences of Portugal.

(Note: photos above are of the island of Sao Miguel, in the Azores where my parents are from)

A Closing

2010-01-24T13:54:00.000-08:00

"We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be."
May Sarton

As I sit and write this I am sitting in a train amongst snow covered fields and trees and just beginning to thaw out from the day out in the crisp winter Canadian air. Yes, I am back visiting my stomping ground. And as with each visit, it has been yet again an interesting experience. (However by the time I post this I will be back in sunny Argentina) :)

This time I came up to visit for a month, right smack at the beginning of the coldest time of year. I am thinking that my brain may have been slightly fried at the time of this particular decision. I was originally missing the snow at Chrismtastime, and had visions of jolly snowmen, christmas lights shining brightly against the crisp white snow, sleigh bells ringing,… you know the regular stuff that holiday carols are made of. There was something just very wrong about Santa in a bathing suit, and let's not get started on that visual… I however forgot one thing: IT"S COLD. I am without a doubt, latin blooded through and through I used to sing the praises of the wintertime, enjoy frolicking in the snow like a baby seal, and just revel in the beauty that the winter would bring to the land. At this particular moment I am thinking I must have been insane. Just the thought of anything under minus 10 C sends me fleeing back under the covers in the morning for just 5 more minutes of cosy warmth. Yes, it has really happened, the Canuk has been beaten out of me. Yet despite all of this I know that I will most likely come up with this deranged visit again because of my love of Christmas festivities in a winter wonderland. :)

All of my complaining of the cold aside though, it has been a very transformative experience, and I believe that there is a particular significance that I ended up spending the beginning of a new decade here. My last three years in Argentina have been an amazing journey of self discovery and I feel blessed that I was able to embark on it. The result? A new aspect of myself has blossomed and I have come into my own. To quote a popular mantra, " I am". This isn't to say that I am finished, not even close. But now as I continue moving forward with my life I am more confident than before that I am making decisions based on what is best for me.

We closed a decade this past New Year's, and for me personally it has been an important one. I began the decade in a very different life, living it through the eyes of a young woman who was just at the brink of her journey of self discovery and living life based on other people's dreams and expectations. As I walked through my hometown of Kingston and my long time home base of Ottawa, whispers of this young woman echoed softly as I passed old haunts, memories flooding me like gentle waves on a lakeshore. A favourite cafe here, an old workplace there, even my favourite willow tree along the Ottawa River that on so many an evening I would climb up into and sit perched watching the sun set along the water. Memories of the daily joys at discovering some hidden aspect of myself that I never knew existed either through new found pastimes, conversations with close friends, or just time spent alone in contemplation. And then the angst. The angst that comes with these revelations, as I slowly began to discover that decisions I had made were not necessarily a reflection of who I was. So then comes the change. The changes necessary to have my outer life coincide with the inner. Step by step I made the changes I felt were important to create a life that was about me.

One important lesson that I have learned throughout this process is that no one can tell you what is the right or wrong path. Many people will always have an idea of what you should do, whether it be a mentor, guide, friend, co-worker, acquaintance or family member. Yet at the end of the day they are not you. No matter where they are pulling their information from, they are not you. They are giving you advice or information shaded by their own perspectives and experiences. Even a psychic is not fully detached from this. You are the only person who has full access to what is your life. You are the only one who fully understands the journey that is specially yours on this planet. You are the only one who each and every day is there with yourself going through each lesson, joy, sorrow, passion or what have you and moving forward from each experience. No one else has that insight into who you are and how these experiences are shaping your perspective on life. Places, people and things come into your life for a reason. They are there to provide you with learning. And what you glean from that is how you begin to shape yourself, and thus influence your decisions. I have learned that there is no right or wrong answer, no right or wrong path. Each and every one is just another experience and the more you are aware of who you are the easier it is to choose the best one for you at that particular point in time. As a friend of mine recently quoted in one of her own posts, "all roads lead to Rome."

At the closing of this decade, as I walked through the familiar yet unfamiliar streets, I both unconsciously and consciously closed a very important chapter in my life. I felt myself going through an internal battle and questioning everything in my life. It was an interesting process, as I was thrown into an old environment that brought with it old patterns and old fears. The ghost of a person I used to be facing the new one, swords drawn waiting to see which one would triumph. And it was a good experience. My new self one out. I have no regrets. I now have a new crossroad headed towards me and I am ready to meet it, confident in who I am and what i want and don't want.

There is a poem that a dear friend gave me at the very beginning of my self discovery journey that I have kept with me and sought out many a time when I felt lost and not sure what direction to take. In fact, I would say that it was this poem that sparked the whole journey in the first place. I will close this post with it, and I hope that it will provide a source of inspiration for some of you as it did for me:

The Man in the Glass

WHEN YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR STRUGGLE FOR SELF

AND THE WORLD MAKES YOU KING FOR A DAY

JUST GO TO A MIRROR AND LOOK AT YOURSELF

TO SEE WHAT THAT MAN HAS TO SAY

FOR IT ISN’T YOUR FATHER OR MOTHER OR WIFE

WHOSE JUDGEMENT UPON YOU MUST PASS

THE FELLOW WHOSE VERDICT COUNTS MOST IN YOUR LIFE

IS THE ONE STARING BACK FROM THE GLASS

HE’S THE ONE YOU MUST PLEASE- NEVER MIND ALL THE REST

CAUSE HE’S WITH YOU CLEAR UP TO THE END

AND YOU’VE PASSED YOUR MOST DIFFICULT, DANGEROUS TEST

IF THE MAN IN THE GLASS IS YOUR FRIEND

YOU CAN FOOL THE WHOLE WORLD DOWN THE PATHWAY OF YEARS

AND GET PATS ON THE BACK AS YOU PASS

BUT YOUR FINAL REWARD WILL BE HEARTACHES AND TEARS

IF YOU’VE CHEATED THE MAN IN THE GLASS.

Passion

2009-09-22T17:42:00.000-07:00

Passion. One of the most sought after emotions in the world. How many of us have gone in search of this elusive feeling, risked the world to follow this panned piper into the unknown? And was it worth it?
I believe that passion is one of the most beautiful emotions or feelings we can experience. It can push you to completely new levels and extremes, instill a sense of beauty and purpose, and on a more profound level change your whole view on life. Although we may not always feel it around us or feel it is evading us, it is always there beckoning and calling, a faint whisper or a seductive melody that makes us stop, even if just for a second, to hear its message.
I will be completely frank and admit that for most of my life I rarely experienced this blissful feeling. Not that I was completely devoid of it, it just didn’t seem to happen a whole lot. This can be attributed to a number of different factors that I am sure would involve at least 3 psychologists analyzing me inside out and backwards. I will spare you those details however and suffice it to say that it was somewhat lacking in the little world I had created for myself.
So, you can imagine the shock at arriving in Argentina. All of a sudden I was launched into a new world, where people live passionately and express this in all they do. There is no ho hum here, life is lived to the fullest. It was such a beautiful way of being and I became enamoured.
And of course who are some of the most passionate people I know? You got it, winemakers. Recently I visited a family run winery, Domaine San Diego. To me this place is like a little bit of paradise on earth, with passion as a building block and fundamental philosophy, the wines are nothing short of blissful. Nestled in Lulunta, this vineyard emanates personality. One of the few terraced vineyards in Mendoza, it runs along what used to be banks of the Mendoza River in the middle of wine country here in Mendoza. It is a small, simple yet exquisite.

With rolling vistas and terraced vines, chickens wandering through the grapevines and ancient olive trees dotting the landscape, it felt like I had walked into a little piece of paradise. The oenologist is Angel Mendoza, one of the top in the country. Yet at the same time, one of the most unassuming. Angel’s philosophy is simple, love of the vines and of the earth is where the wine is born. Angel used to work for one of the larger wineries here in Mendoza but then bought his own land, leaving his job and branching out on his own. Here at Domaine San Diego everything is in balance. You can feel it as you walk along the gravel pathways, there is a peace and tranquility that settles itself around you. Within the winery itself, a very small team works together to create exquisite wines. The winemaking process is done entirely by just the family, they all band together and spend countless hours in the winery to ensure that they are making something worthwhile of their name. The wine is treated like the living being that it is, with honour, respect and great care. A far cry from the industrialized, soulless wines, created without the touch of a human hand. Not many places like this exist nowadays, particularly with the constant move to using machines for every part of the winemaking process. When being in a place like this one sees the difference that love and passion have not only on the land but in the finished product. There is no greed here to produce more and make more money to fill the bank accounts. Everything here is done for the pure love of the grapes and the wine, creating an environment where the grapes express themselves to their highest potential. Just like nurturing a child.. now if only we could all do that in our daily lives… :)

Choice - The Shaping of Our Destiny

2009-06-25T16:15:00.000-07:00

“We are both burdened and blessed by the great responsibility of free will- the power of choice. Our future is determined, in large part, by the choices we make now. We cannot always control our circumstances, but we can and do choose our response to whatever arises. Reclaiming the power of choice, we find the courage to live fully in the world.” Dan Millman “The Laws of Spirit”

The concept of choice is interesting as I don’t believe that we really pay much attention to it as humans. It is almost a frightening concept and most of the time we try to run like bats out of hell in the opposite direction of it. However, the consequences of running away from it will always come back to bite us in the tushy. :)

Choice, in my opinion, is a fundamental building block to the story of our lives. Every minute of how our life unfolds is based on a choice that we have made. Right down to the basics of what we eat, each decision either enhances or stagnates us on this path called life that we are on.

This year has been an interesting one for me. Not that any of my years are not interesting… I have seen many friends make some very important life changing decisions this year, thus setting them on paths that they had not previously fathomed. And consequently making them happier than they have ever been before.

So how does this sudden turn in paths affect us on a grander scale? Does it change our destiny? This is a question that I think many people ponder on some level or another, and also a question I often get asked. So what is my take? My personal opinion is that we are each born with a specific overall purpose. However, how we decide to achieve this purpose is up to us. Can this purpose change? Absolutely, why not? I also think that if someone grows and evolves while here on this planet then why would not their purpose grow with them? So in the end I believe we are all the creators of our own destiny, and each decision we make shapes that destiny.

One of my own important decisions had a very important effect on the shaping of my future. I distinctly remember one evening, back in Ottawa, sitting by the river, beginning to doubt my decision in moving out of country to Argentina. It was a heavy decision to make. I had come to a cross roads in my life and before me were a number of different paths. I was fairly certain that in the end each path would lead me to where I needed to go, but how I got there was the decision facing me now. I could just as easily have decided to stay where I was and continued to grow in different ways and through different experiences. I could also have moved to another city within North America. Or just move plain across the globe and experience a whole new world. Either way I was going to learn and evolve, the question was which way did I want to do it? Obviously in the end I chose the latter, the hardest path of them all. Why was it the hardest? I was very well aware that in choosing Argentina I was deciding to leave behind a lifestyle, friends, family, a job, and part of myself. I was leaving the whole life that I had worked so hard to create to start anew, in a foreign country, where I knew no one, and had no concept of what I would even do when I got there.

And the consequences of this? I had completely and consciously reshaped my whole future. I had chosen a completely new path, thus closing off all the other potential paths that could have stemmed from me staying. That isn’t to say that I didn’t have the option of going back if I wanted to. But the thing is, even if I did go back, I would not be the same woman as the one who was leaving now. Therefore, that would also change the availability of those other paths at that future point in time. So to me it was pretty much a done deal, there was no going back to the same life and picking up from where I left it. It no longer existed. I had made the decision that would propel me down a new life, new people and new experiences. And I have never looked back. 

I use this example because I believe it highlights choice well, maybe in the extreme, but highlights its importance nevertheless. But it isn’t just the major life decisions that change our paths, but also the daily choices we make each day. Something as simple as our choice in who we associate with, or what we decide to do with our free time are choices that have a huge influence on the type of person we become, and what we end up attracting into our life. This then has a domino effect and can start to either gently guide you down other paths you hadn’t thought of before or provide you with an environment that allows you to blossom and grow. The opposite however can also take place. These things can also have the effect of stagnating us and closing off paths.

So how to choose what is right? I am of the philosophy that as long as you make a decision based on what is best for you at that particular moment in time, and it resonates with your gut, then you are on the right track. That is how I personally live my life. What is it that my intuition is telling me? And most importantly, what is it that will make me happy? And then all the pieces in the puzzle seem to fall into place. The life that we thought was so unattainable suddenly is not that far off after all.

I think we often get into the habit of putting the responsibility of our happiness and what happens to us on others. However it really all lies with each one of us. Our choices in attitude, environment, people, jobs, career, past times, you name it. They all affect our path in life and the person that we become. And once we realize that, we are liberated from a perceived dependency on others and are the captains of our own ship once again. We are capable of creating any life we want, we just need to start making the decision to make that life happen.

Like the Fool in the tarot deck, who made the decision to begin his journey and then walked off the precipice, having full faith he would fly. And trust me, you will fly…

Return to Simplicity – Closing the Circle

2009-04-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

“Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.” Frederic Chopin

It has taken me almost 4 months to write this post. Who knew that a write up on simplicity could be so complicated? Oh the irony :)
Over the years I have repeatedly changed my concept of simplicity. I suppose this is a natural occurrence as people usually change as the years go on. But recently I have been pondering on it a lot more because it has become such an important aspect of my life.

So what is simplicity? The dictionary has many definitions for it, but I think that it means something different to each person. For me it is about un-complicating my life. I don’t like being bogged down, this inevitably leads to a surge of unhappiness and a very cranky Chrissie.

I used to think that if I had a lot of “things” and people in my life that I would be happy. So I went in pursuit of “stuff”: the big house, the white picket fence, the great job, the perfect relationship, the right circle of friends. And eventually I found myself in a cycle that most people find themselves in, the pursuit of more. But every time I would gain something in this race I didn’t find that happiness I was looking for. There was of course some instant gratification, but the happiness that I really wanted still seemed to elude me. I felt as if there was always something missing. All of these things that were supposed to be bringing me so much joy were in fact wearing me out. In order to be able to maintain the house, the car, the “stuff”, I was working in the rat race. My life revolved around supporting these things rather than supporting myself. My work was focussed on paying the bills rather than on fulfilling my own creative and inspirational needs, my time was spent on gratifying others rather than myself, overall my activities were focussed on external things rather than my own internal world. Then finally one day, something changed.

I found myself cleaning out old boxes and came across one that had a pile of papers in it. As I rummaged through them I realized that they were all of my old stories that I used to write as a child. I stared at them dumbstruck, I had thought they had been lost years before. I might as well have been a leprechaun that finally found his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for all the excitement that I felt at the discovery of this new found treasure. (Although I have my own personal belief about that whole tale about pots of gold and leprechauns but that is for another day…) So I sat down and read every single one. As a child I was very creative. I loved writing, it had always been my best form of expression. And as I read line by line I was reacquainting myself with that creative and happy little girl and wondering what had happened to her. As I sat there and read each page, the innocence, wonder and curiosity about the world jumped out. Somehow I had lost that, the simple way of being and doing things that made the days so full and exciting. Why couldn’t we continue living like that? How had my life become so congested that I lost all touch with my real self and life in general? The lack of limits, and rules and living just as you wanted to started to beckon from the shadows. The freedom to choose each morning what I wanted to do circled around me like call of a siren on the rocky shores of the sea. I suddenly had a flash of my life in the next 50 years living it the way I currently was, and I felt as if someone had slipped a noose around my neck, the weight of it heavy and ready to pull at any moment. I had had enough. And so began my personal revolution.

At this point in my life I started making many changes, and although there were many important steps involved in this process, one of the most important ones was the art of simplification. And it is this one that I am focusing on for this post. Life should not be complicated. I set out to regain the beauty and liveliness that I found so enthralling as a child.

My life was too full of things that had nothing to do with who I was. Not as the person that I currently was or the person I wanted to be. In looking at my daily activities and out of all the hours of the day, only a select few were spent on activities that held any real meaning for me. So I started to do a massive “house cleaning”. I cleared out all activities that either completely drained me or didn’t inspire me. I spent my social hours with people that held real meaning in my life. And slowly I found myself living a more simple life. My weekends involved sitting at a café people watching, reading or writing. Fully savouring a good cup of Italian coffee. Or sometimes I would spend hours sitting in my favourite willow tree by the river meditating, watching the wildlife or just contemplating life in general. I began enjoying dinners with close friends with good food, good conversation and good wine. Okay, sometimes a little bit too much good wine… (I will forever apologize to Michael, and to the ladies I will never forget that HFThursday…).

After a few years and whole lot of personal growth work, I found myself with the need to simplify my life once again. At this point my inner world had expanded and my outer world no longer matched it. This time the topic was “stuff”. I have always been attached to things. Ever since I can remember. They always gave me a sort of security and warm cosy feeling. Who could resist buying another comfy throw for the couch or another set of plates that were just too funky to leave on the shelf and would look much better laid out on my dining room table? And then of course there are my books: one of the greatest loves of my life and my Achilles heel. Someone who gifts me books is forever loved by me. What better way to spend a cold winter afternoon then with a good book, a cup of tea and a warm cosy throw as you are curled up on the couch? So yes, one could say I was bit obsessive about my “things”. However this was beginning to change. I began to notice more and more what a consumer oriented society we live in. We are constantly bombarded by propaganda that convinces us we need more, we need bigger, we need better. I was standing in IKEA ( not a good place to begin with) and watched as people were scrambling to buy what they could just because it was on sale. There were actually women fighting over the last candlestick holder. Good God. I was surrounded by cranky people, spending money they technically didn’t have, for things that they most likely really didn’t need. I arrived home exhausted. I made myself a hot cup of tea and prepared a hot bath. (I spent a lot of time in the bathtub in those days…). This was my thinking spot or “personal office”. Still is really  As I soaked I thought about what I had felt that day. We spend a lot of money on things we don’t necessarily need. Why? Some people would say that it is to compensate for other things lacking in our life. Could be. We are also conditioned to believe we need them. So, here we are buying a bunch of stuff. Where do we find the money to do this? Unsatisfying jobs. And I was no different. My job was not what I would call all that thrilling, nor did it challenge me the way a job should. I am creative, and without a creative outlet I wither. I know this, but yet I felt that for some reason I could not integrate that creativity with what I did for a living. But that begs the question, why not? Because I had to pay the bills. Bills for what? Other than a roof over my head and food, many things that really were not necessary. So as much as I hated to admit it, like many others in the world I found myself in the same rat race cycle, living part of my life like a robot. And this made me incredibly sad. I went back to that little girl I had encountered that day when I found the box of stories, and thought, this was never supposed to be part of her world. So I began to purge. I began thinking twice about anything I bought, regardless of whether it was a fantastic sale. I went through all of my things and packed garbage bags full of things I hadn’t used in over a year. Closet after closet, item after item. It was liberating. Little did I know what this purging would start in my life.

Any action you take starts a process. And this one was no different. A year later I found myself face to face with the big Kahuna purge. The purge of all purges. It was time to let go of everything. I thought about how far I had come. My first simplification process came after the divorce. The house, the car, the property: I let go of. I walked away with household appliances and nothing else. That in and of itself was a big step for me. Then as I moved through my discovery of self phase I let go of the little things bit by bit. Now here I was almost 4 years later and I was about to move out of country and sell all of my worldly belongings. I was seriously beginning to question my sanity…

It was a beautiful sunny day, and the driveway was packed with all of my things. Yes, a garage sale. The best way to part with your “stuff”. I watched as people rummaged through my belongings, things that at one time defined a part of me. I sat there and watched as people walked away with my things. And to be honest it wasn’t as hard as I thought. They were going to new homes, to people who would use them. I was pretty damn impressed with myself actually. I walked over to grab my coffee (much needed at this god forsaken hour of the morning) thinking that I had obsessed too much for no reason and then stopped. My books. Someone was just about to buy a stack of them. Now, I can let go of a lot of things, but my books are special, at least to me. There is a whole new world to discover once you open the cover. New things to learn, new people to meet, new places to see. Books expand your horizons and help you to grow. One could say that I have an ongoing love affair with books, and I will admit I agree. So to see them leave was akin to severing one of my limbs. It was all I could do from leaping across the lawn and tackling the woman who had just bought stolen my dearest treasures. But luckily for that unknowing woman, I resisted. (I can be pretty dangerous when provoked…) :) I realized in that split second that I needed to let them go. They were of no use to me anymore, it was time to redefine myself and write my own story rather than immersing myself in someone else’s. So I watched on, with a bit of heartache and fear, but also excitement as she drove off. A new me had just been born.

I have to say that was one of the most important lessons of my life and also a discovery of the real person I am. When I look back I have always been happier with less. I don’t like being bogged down and “things” have a tendency to do that to you. So now I own nothing that I cannot part with in the end. I am freer and lighter and focus more on experiencing life rather than trying to buy it. Interestingly enough we used to live this way as a society before the industrial revolution hit. Life was not so complicated back then. People had time to smell a flower as they walked by, or sit on the front porch with loved ones. They didn’t need 3 cars or the latest fashion trends to be happy. It makes you wonder just where the term “progress” really fits in, no? We may have technologically progressed but emotionally and socially we became a bit stunted. I think however that as we move forward as a society there is a big shift taking place. We are closing the circle back to where we once were. Just as I closed my own personal circle and moved back to a world that I used to live in as a child, the world is now closing the circle back to where it originally started and thrived: a world based on human interaction. It should be an interesting ride… :)

Sensuality: A Forgotten Art

2009-02-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

Another archive of mine from last year that I wanted to share with everyone....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
“To be sensual, I think, is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the making of bread.” James Arthur Baldwin

I have always believed that we are first and foremost beautiful spiritual beings who have chosen to be on earth as humans at this particular time and experience a human life. And when looking at it from this perspective, the human experience becomes something very special, something magical. Human life is a gift, especially at this moment in the planet’s history. Thousands upon thousands of souls were lined up waiting to be selected to incarnate on the earth during this time. And for those of us who were chosen, here we are. We have been given the chance to live on and experience one of the most vibrant and beautiful planets in our galaxy system.

As spiritual beings we are basically made up of vibrating energy. Like one large ball of light. Yet as beings of light our experiences are limited to those of a non-physical nature. Now put that ball of light into a physical vessel and another dimension has been added to mix. As light, we cannot experience many of the things this planet has to offer from a physical perspective. We could not feel the softness of silk, or smell the beautiful aromas from a field of lavender. We would not be able to experience the beauty of a kiss, or taste the velvety flavours of a rich wine. All of these things are the gifts we have of being in a physical body. Our biological body allows us to experience the beauty and wonder of the physical world to its fullest.

Yet how often do we really take note of these things in our life? How often do we take the time to smell the fragrance of a flower as we walk by it, really allow the aroma to fully permeate our senses? How often do we take the time to fully taste a divine piece of chocolate, let the flavours sit in our mouth and flow through us, elevate us?

Sensuality to me is the awareness of our physical senses, and being fully present within them, in the moment…in the now. The shutting off of our mental state and the ability to experience beauty through our body. So why are so many of us not experiencing this bliss? Why have we become so out of touch with this sensual side that we all possess yet are so unfamiliar with?

Many of us live fast paced lives, living by a schedule that barely gives us 5 minutes to ourselves never mind the time to stop and smell a flower. We have created a routine for ourselves where we many of us are now moving through life like robots, and out of touch with many of the very human aspects we possess. We have forgotten to enjoy the physical senses that we have been gifted with in this life.

On the other end of the spectrum we may be spending too much time in the spiritual realms, forgetting that we are here to experience being human. Our preoccupation with experiencing a spiritual state, focussing on ridding ourselves of human attributes and emotions to reach an more elevated state. My personal belief is that we are here to create a balance between both. When we find ourselves on either end of the scales it is time to re-evaluate how we managed to get ourselves there. Spending too much time on either end can result in us being cut off from very important aspects that are crucial to our learning on this plane. Either in the physical where we risk shutting ourselves off from our divine and higher selves, or in the spiritual where we risk shutting ourselves off from the beauty of the physical world. Balance, as with anything in life, is the key.

Personally, opening up to my sensual side has allowed me to connect with myself and my surroundings on a deeper level. It has brought a new sense of wonder, curiosity and beauty to my life. Now granted, I am naturally a very sensate being. Nevertheless I used to be very out of touch with the physical senses as I was growing up. The concept of sensuality was considered taboo in my environment, both in my family and in society in general. Therefore I never really tapped into the gifts that it was trying to reveal to me. However once making the decision to change my lifestyle and slow down the pace, I started discovering the beautiful experiences that had been patiently waiting for me and started seeing a world that I had allowed to remain hidden.

My world is now filled with sensate experiences everywhere I go, the fragrance of a flower that I stop to smell as I walk through the park, the aromas floating from the kitchen as I experiment with some new creation, the feeling of fresh sheets on my skin as I climb into bed, the feeling of the rain beating down on my body as I stand outside in a thunderstorm, the feeling of my soul being elevated as I listen to the melodies of an orchestra, and the list goes on… I have gone from constantly focussing on the past or the future, and learned to really live in the moment. I have moved myself into the NOW. And what a beautiful place it is.

How to Begin Incorporating Sensuality into your life

It is actually fairly easy to begin incorporating sensuality into your life. The most important thing is really to start becoming more aware. More aware of your surroundings, aromas and fragrances, colours, textures etc. Take notice of how things make you feel, which senses do you notice first, which ones do not feel as quickly? Once you begin to increase your awareness you will find that your perspective will start changing and the world that you once took for granted will all of as sudden appear new and exciting to you again.

Here are some ways that have personally helped me to incorporate sensuality again into my life that you can try:

1. Swim naked: One of the most beautiful sensations in the world is the feeling of water skimming across your skin as you move through the water. There is a liberation and sensuality tied into one that takes place as you glide through the water naked. And add moonlight to the mix and that heightens the experience. Try and pay attention to the feeling of the water on your skin, the temperature of the water, and the sounds of the water as you move slowly through it. I highly recommend at least trying it to see what it is like.

2. Wine Tasting: Since arriving in Argentina I have been introduced to the fascinating world of wine tasting and have to say that it is one of the most sensate experiences on the planet. Wine tasting makes you use your sense of taste, smell and sight in ways that you are not accustomed to. Rather than gulping down the wine like we often do, take some time to observe the beautiful hues that appear as you hold up your wine to the light, the bouquet of aromas that are released as you swirl the wine in your glass, and the weight and texture of the wine as you allow it to sit on your tongue, then the explosion of flavours on your taste buds as you slowly allow the wine to move through your mouth and throat. Wine is art and once you open yourself up to it can turn into a divine experience. To learn more about how to do a basic wine tasting you can visit :

http://www.itswine.com/articles/wine-tasting/index.php
http://www.wineloverspage.com/taste/
http://wine.about.com/od/winebasic1/ht/winetasting.htm

Or for a twist on tasting, you can also learn how to do chocolate tasting, another fantastic way to begin opening up your senses:

http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/chocolate/how-to-taste-chocolate.asp

3. Dance in the Rain: There is something to be said about dancing out in the rain on a hot summer night. Feeling the rain beating down on you, the smell of fresh water, the sound of the drops beating down on the ground around you. Next time you find yourself in a storm hop outside and try it. Close off your mental side and don’t worry about whether you think you will look silly or not and set yourself free in the moment.

4. Walking through the forest: The forest is full of aromas, textures, and colours that, when you allow them to, can heighten your senses. Take some time to walk slowly through the woods one day, smell the aromas in the air, the pine, the earth, the rocks, the moss. Feel the trunks of the trees, the dew on the plants, the texture of the leaves. Take note of the colours around you, then close your eyes, how do you feel, what senses respond first, which ones feel more closed? (Taking a walk in a garden is also another option.)

5. Food with Passion: Cooking is one of those things in life that we often take for granted and is turned into a chore when it is incorporated into our daily routine. We then begin to loathe it. We often rush through the process of cooking, speed taking precedence above all else. However, cooking can also take you to sensual heights that you have never dreamed of. Take some time to smell the aromas of each ingredient you add, notice the texture of the spices and herbs you use, notice how the aromas then blend together in the dish to create something spectacular. While eating, allow yourself time to really savour the food rather than swallowing it down at unprecedented speed. Notice the texture of the food on your tongue, the colours on the plate. Are they vibrant? Are they soft hues? How does the food make you feel? How do the flavours and aromas make you feel? Once you start incorporating this into your life, at least once a week, you will start noticing changes and your perceptions heightening. What a beautiful way to live. :) For more reading on this you can check out : www.slowfood.com

6. Sleeping naked: Yes, naked. Leave the pj’s in the drawer. :) Sleeping naked allows you to heighten your sense of touch. Indulge a little bit and buy yourself some nice high thread count sheets (or whatever type of sheets you are partial to) and some soft pillows. Feel the texture of the sheets on your skin, how luxurious the pillows feel under your head. The sense of touch is highly important and something we don’t use often enough anymore. Once you start to open yourself up to textures and sensations on your skin you will find a whole new world awaiting you that you didn’t even know existed. And you may find yourself sleeping naked all of the time. :)

7. Relaxation massage: Massage is probably one of the easiest ways to begin opening to your senses because many people love it and the results are instantaneous. Personally having a regular massage was one of the first stepping stones for me in opening up to new levels and one of the most rewarding.

I believe that the blending of the spiritual and the physical are a key to fully experiencing our soul growth here. Over the generations society has often taught us that the two are opposed to each other, when in fact they are complements, and when in harmony with each other, we are lifted to a new dimension of living that is full of joy and peace. The physical world (as well as our own physical selves) has many gifts to offer us. Once you open yourself up and learn to harmonize the two, you will find your own world increase in beauty and light, and a sense of gratitude permeate your soul. So go walk barefoot in the grass, or stop to actually smell that flower that you pass by everyday, and watch your world begin to change into the enchanted place that it truly is.

La Nueva Comunidad

2009-02-14T19:59:00.000-08:00

“Una vida social sana es solamente encontrada cuando, en el espejo de cada alma, la comunidad encuentra su reflejo, y cuando a dentro de la comunidad entera el virtud de cada uno esta vivo.” Rudolph Steiner

Siempro lo encuentro fascinante como la vida cambia cosas de uno mismo que piensas que ya son parte de quien sos. Yo me considero una persona mas o menos solitaria, me gusta de pasar tiempo con yo mismo, y no tengo uno problema a vivir sola. Cuando estaba viviendo en Canada, siempre buscaba mi propio espacio, y a estar sola e independiente era lo mas importante fuera de todo. Es fue que me mantuvo sana. Me parece, sin embargo, que los tiempos ya cambiaron.

Recien me mudé a un departamiento que estaba cerca de la bodega donde estoy trabajando. Fue en lugar lindo, un loft, y podía caminar al trabajo de allá. Podía salir a fuera y ver las montañas en la distancia. Por fin tenia mi lugar, estaba independiente otra vez, y libre para ir y salir cuando quería. Y de repente lo mas raro pasó. Un sentido muy desconocido para mi empezó a ser presente. Yo extrañaba a tener gente alrededor de mi. Estaba extrañando a tener gente con quien podía compartir comida y vino, charlar, o hablar en general de la vida.

Extrañaba a poder a salir a la esquina para comprar una barra de mi chocolate favorito, o a ir a mi favorito café para tomar un café con leche.

El pánico empezó a establecerse. Que pasaba conmigo? Siempre fui orgullosa de poder a pasar tiempo sola, y disfrutarlo. Pero ahora, de repente, estaba ansiando compania. Mi querido independencia estaba desaparaciendo…. Eso no puede ser bueno.

Despues que los palpitaciones pararon, me senté y reflexioné sobre el metamorfisis raro que estaba pasando a mi. Realicé después de un rato que tenia que pensar con otro punto de vista. No había nada que haber con perdiendo un parte de yo misma, pero todo que haber con el descubrimiento de una nueva parte de yo misma y integrandolo con el viejo.

Desde de llegar a Argentina, una de las temas mas comunes en mi vida ha sido la comunidad. Como niña, el sentido de comunidad siempre me impactó muchísimo. Cuando la familia se juntaban o fiestas en la comunidad Portuguesa siempre fueron platos fuertes durante de mi infancia. Cuando entré en la edad adulta, tuvé un cambio de perspectiva de uno de la comunidad a uno de la individualidad y independencia. Me quedé en esto estado de aprendizaje por muchos años, los mas importantes fueron los ultimos 5 antes de mudarme a Argentina.

Durante de esto tiempo pasé mucho tiempo sola, descubriendo quien era como una persona, que eran mis talentos, de ser comoda en mi propia piel, y en general quedandome enamorada con yo misma. Me encantó la soledad. Aprendí mas en estos 5 años que había aprendido en mi vida entera. Y cuando, por fin me sentí fuerte en mi poder personal, mi vida cambió otra vez.

Cuando llegué a Argentina, desde del primero día, estuvé siempre con gente. En el principio estaba un poco preocupada con esto porque estaba tan acostumbrada a pasar tiempo sola, que tenía miedo de empezar a volverme loca con tanta gente alrededor de mi. Pero saben que? Me encantó. De vez en cuando sacé tiempo sola, pero en general me encantó de estar viviendo con otros.

Uno de las cosas mas lindas de los Argentinos es su amor de compartir y pasar tiempo juntos con otros. Saben disfrutar de la vida y compartir lo que tienen con otros. Siempre se juntan con amigos y familia para compartir comida, vino, y el tiempo en maneras lindas. Puede ser durante un asado, o tamando un maté o alago simple como a salir para tomar un café. Eso es una cosa que extrañé mucho en mi “otra vida”. Pero siempre tengo la filosofía que todo paso en el momento justo y siempre aprendemos que tenemos que aprender al momento justo. Y estoy convencida que el tiempo que paso sola y las experiencias que tuvé en los últimos 5 años antes de venir acá me enseñaron a tener independencia y como a amar quien era como una persona. Sin embargo, cuando estas leciones terminaron, el Universo me envió nuevas leciones en la forma de uno nuevo capítulo en mi vida. Y ahora estoy aprendiendo sobre el otro lado del balance: creando comunidad.

Uno de mis objectivos en esta vida es de crear comunidades sustentables en diferentes lugares en el mundo. Comunidades basadas en compartir, viviendo en armonía con la tierra y a disfrutar mas de la vida. La idea es de crear y construir una nueva esquema para vivir, con menos cosas materiales y mas experiencias. Sin embargo, para hacer esto, uno tiene que vivirlo. Bueno, el Universo ha escuchado mi necesidad y me envió una nueva vida y role en Argentina. Y que lindo país para aprender!

Muchas personas consideran Argentina como un país del tercero mundo. Siempre escucho esto. Y de Argentinos también. Y quizás es, basado en estadísticas en los círculos económicos. Pero en mi opinión, no es así. Puede ser que la gente acá no tienen tantas cosas materiales como tienen en los Estados Unidos y Canadá, pero para mi son mucho mas ricos comparados con países del “primero mundo”. Argentinos saben expresarse, y se expresan con amor y amabilidad que hace muchos norte americanos incomodos. Tienen un genuino preocupación para los que tienen necesidad. Mismo si no tienen mucho, siempre están disponibles a compartir lo que tienen con los que entran en sus vidas. La gente acá saben disfrutar de la vida, disfrutar de las cosas mas simples en la vida como buen comida, bueno vino y compartiendolo con otros. Que paso en la mayoría de sociedades en los países del primero mundo donde esto aspecto importante esta casi non-existente? Cuando estuvé visitando Canadá este año, esto me impacto mucho. Recuerdo de estar sentada a fuera con una amiga, Jocelyne, haciendo una “venta de garage” y nosotros dos mirando al barrio vacío. Era uno hermoso día, pero no había nadie a fuera. Nunca vimos a nadie. La mayoría de la gente se quedan cerrados en sus casas, nunca saliendo, mucho menos a tener alguna interacción con los vecinos. Esto es obviamente una generalización, porque conozco gente que no son así, pero en general es muy común. Me hizo muy triste a ver tantas personas tan focalizados en sus vidas y olvidando de ver como la otra gente están viviendo. No estoy poniendo culpa en nadie specífco, porque yo vivía igual antes. Por muchos años yo andaba como un roboto, solamente existiendo y no viviendo. Y ahora, aca estaba en mi lugar de antes, y mirando la gente viviendo el mismo ciclo. Me siento muy afortunada de que me ha despertado y ha tenido la oportunidad de vivir en una cultura diferente que me ha enriquecido mi vida mucho mas que yo había pensado posible.

Comunidades son creadas sobre valores y principios que son compartidos por todos que viven ahí. Desde de vivir acá, estoy aprendiendo que son los mas importantes y necesarios para crear una comunidad armónico. Y mis lecciones continuan. Espero que mientras que estoy aprendiendo que puedo también compartir mi nueva información y experiencas con otros para inspirarles a vivir una vida llena. La vida debía de ser disfrutado y experimentado. Y parte de este experiencia es de aprender a compartir este hermoso mundo donde vivimos con otros.

Saludos!

Chrissie

The New Community

2008-12-25T18:43:00.000-08:00

“A healthy social life is found only, when in the mirror of each soul the whole community finds its reflection, and when in the whole community the virtue of each one is living” Rudolph Steiner

I always find it fascinating how life changes things about you that you feel are already pretty much a set part of who you are. I consider myself a fairly solitary individual, I like hanging out with myself, and I definitely don’t have any issues with living on my own. When I was living in Canada I had always sought out my own space, and being on my own was paramount to everything else. It was what kept me sane. It seems however, that times have changed.

I recently moved out to an apartment that was fairly close to the winery where I am working. It was a great spot, a loft, and within walking distance to work. I could step outside and see the mountains in the distance, I was out in the country. I finally had my own space. I was independent again, free to go and come as I chose, and walk around naked when I wanted to. But then it happened. This strange, unfamiliar feeling started to come over me. I missed being around people. I missed having people to hang out and chat with, to share meals and wine with, to talk about life with. I missed being able to just walk to my regular coffee hang outs, or dash out to the corner to get a bar of my favourite chocolate.

Panic started settling into my chest. What was wrong with me? I had always prided myself on being able to spend time alone, and actually enjoy it. Suddenly however, I was craving other company. My cherished independence was flying out the window… this can’t be good.

However, after the heart palpitations subsided, and I sat down and mused over this bizarre metamorphosis that was happening to me I realized that there was a bigger picture to take into consideration and it had nothing to do with losing a part of myself. But rather discovering a new part of myself and learning to integrate it with the old.

Since arriving in Argentina one of the common themes in my life has been community. As a child, the sense of community played an important role in my life, although sporadic. Family get togethers or functions in the Portuguese community were always highlights during my childhood. As I moved into young adulthood however there was a shift to individuality and independence. I stayed in this learning state for quite a long time, the most important years being the first 5 before moving to Argentina. During this time I spent a lot of time on my own, discovering who I was as a person, what my gifts were, being comfortable in my own skin, and just falling in love with myself overall. And I loved the solitude. I learned more about myself in those 5 years than I had in my whole lifetime. And then, just when I finally felt myself standing firm in my own power, my life changed again.

Upon my arrival in Argentina, from day one, I was constantly with people. At first I was a little worried about this because I was so used to spending time on my own that I was afraid I might start to lose it after being surrounded by so many people day in and day out I started having horrific visions of starting to get super cranky and start acting up around all of these lovely people who had come into my life. However the oddest thing happened… I loved every minute of it. Every once in awhile I would take some time to go off on my own, but overall I loved being and living with other people.

One of the beautiful things about Argentines is their love of sharing and spending quality time with people. They know how to enjoy life and share that with others. They get together with friends and family often and share food, wine and time in the most beautiful ways. Either through an asado (this is actually the whole purpose of an asado), or having a maté, or just something simple like going for a coffee. I was sorely missing this in my previous life. However I run with the philosophy that everything happens in it’s right time and you learn what you need to learn at the right time. And I firmly believe that the time I spent on my own and the learning experiences I had in the previous 5 years before coming here were meant to teach me independence and how to love who I was as a person. However once those lessons were completed, the Universe sent new lessons to me in way of a new chapter in my life. And now I am learning about the other end of the spectrum: building community.

One of my goals in this lifetime is to build sustainable communities in different parts of the world. Communities based on sharing, living in harmony with the earth and having fun. It is about building a new framework for living, with less “things” and more experiences. However, in order to do this one must experience it. Well the Universe heard my need and hence my new life and roles in Argentina. And what better country to learn in. :)

Many people consider Argentina to be a third world country. I hear this all the time. Even from some of the Argentines I know. And maybe it is, according to whatever statistics are out there in the world economic circles. However, in my opinion, it is the farthest thing from it. People here may not have all of the material and economic opportunities that North Americans have, however to me they are far richer than most “first world” countries that I know. Argentines know how to express themselves, they express love and kindness with an ease that makes most North Americans I know uncomfortable. They have a genuine concern for those in need. Even if they do not have much, they are willing to share whatever it is that they do have with those that come around into their life. People here know how to have fun, enjoy the simpler things in life like good food, good wine and sharing that with those around them. What has happened to most of our societies in the first world countries in that this important aspect of living has become almost non-existent? When I was back in Canada for the 4 months this hit me the hardest. I remember sitting outside with my friend Joce having one of our many garage sales and the both of us looking around at the empty neighbourhood. It was a beautiful day, yet no one was outside. And this was normal. We never saw anyone. Most people stayed holed up in their own houses, barely ever coming out, never mind interacting with the neighbours. This is obviously a generalization as I know some who do, but really this is fairly common. We felt like we were in the twilight zone. It made me incredibly sad to see people so caught up in their own lives and forgetting to come out of their little bubbles to see how other people were living. And I am not putting blame on anyone in specific, as I used to do the exact same thing. For many years I walked around like a robot just existing and not really living. And here I was again, back in my old stomping ground and seeing people living this same cycle. I feel incredibly lucky to have woken up and had the opportunity to experience living in a different culture that has enriched my life far more than I ever thought possible.

Communities are built on values and principles that are shared by all who live there. And since living here I have been learning what important ones are needed to create a harmonized community. And my learning experiences continue. I only hope that as I learn I can share my new information and experiences with others to help inspire them to better their own lives and live more fully in this life. Life is meant to be enjoyed and experienced. And part of that experience is learning to share this beautiful world that we live in with others.

Saludos!

Chrissie

(Needless to say I lasted not even a month in my little apartment and moved back into the city with friends. I am ecstatically happy being back and my social life has once again taken on a life of its own. :)

Viviendo Tu Potencial

2008-12-11T09:02:00.001-08:00

(Foto sacada por Philippe Schell)

“La tarea principal en la vida de un hombre es de dar a la luz a su mismo, para ser lo que potencialmente el es. El producto mas importante de su esfuerza es su propria personalidad.” Erich Fromm

Mientras que estaba sentada a fuera en el patio del viñedo, deleitando de la fragancia del jazmín a lado mío y mirando los loros en sus nidos arriba en el árbol, pensé en la vida encantada que tengo y lo que es la definición de esto para mi. Todos tienen una idea de que es una vida encantada, y todos tienen una idea diferente. Eso es natural porque cada persona es única y tiene diferente perspectivas sobre lo que es la vida. Si no era así, el mundo se quedaba re aburrido.

Generalmente, una vida encantada es una vida de privilegio y suerte. Pero como definimos el privilegio y la suerte? El privilegio para algunos puede ser de ser nacidos con un montón de plata, pero para otros puede ser simplemente a tener la oportunidad de vivir un estilo de vida simple y reducir el paso de vida a uno mas lente. Sobre la suerte, bueno, podemos tener un debato largo sobre esta tema, y si exista o no, pero eso voy dejar para otro día.

En mi opinión, tener una vida encantada no quiere decir que tienes que ser nacido en una vida de plata y falta de nada. Para mi, a vivir una vida encantada es de vivir tu potencial. Entonces, que significa eso?

Potencial es definido en el diccionario como:

· Capaz de ser o hacerse

· Una excelencia latente o capacidad que puede o no puede ser desarollado

Nuestro potencial es grande. Es magnifico en realidad. El descubrimiento que cada uno de nosotros poseemos capacidades y talentos únicos para usar en esta vida es una cosa maravillosa. Solamente la idea que podemos beneficiar el mundo en una manera especial por las capacidades únicas que tenemos es una inspiración. El truco entonces es de descubrir que son estos talentos.

Muchos de nosotros fuimos alentados para desarollar aspectos de nosotros mismos que no están en equilibrio con quien somos y con que podemos hacer en este mundo. Muchas veces quedamos atrancados en las expectativas de otros y olvidamos de quien somos y la persona quien estamos acá para desarollar. Cuando podemos descascar años de condicionar y de crear la creencia que somos capaz de hacer cosas sensacionales, podemos empezar a descubrir los talentos buenísimos que tenemos.

Yo sé según mi propria experiencia que me llevé mucho tiempo para empezar a descubrir mi potencial y en actualidad vivirlo. Durante mi crecimiento y entrando en mi adolescencia nunca exploré quien era y de que era capaz de hacer. Fuera de algunas cosas siempre viví mi vida basada en las expectativas de otros. Dejé los otros a decirme lo que podía y no podía hacer. Y después, un día, a los 26 años, cambié mi vida. Y por fin empecé a explorar quien yo era y los talentos que tengo. Cuando empecé a hacer eso empecé también a tomar decisiones basados en quien era y quien quería ser. Empecé a caminar por una senda de auto-descubrimiento que me llevó a nuevos lugares a dentro de mi y también a ver aspectos viejos en mi de una nueva perspectiva.

Me quedé asombrada con las cosas que de repente era capaz de hacer. Descubrí nuevos talentos que nunca pensaba existía a dentro de mi, encendí viejas passiones, y las integré en mi vida otra vez. Tomé el tiempo para conocer a yo misma y pasar tiempo con “yo”, la persona que había estado cerrada por tanto tiempo. Una nueva persona evolucionó de esto proceso, una nueva confianza en yo misma y lo que podía hacer, lo que quería de mi vida, y lo que estaba lista para aceptar y no aceptar en mi vida. Descubrí que tenía lindos talentos para compartir con el mundo.

Cuando descubrimos nuestras capacidades y talentos, un nuevo concepto de nosotros mismos desarrollo. De repente darnos cuenta de quien somos y quien podemos ser. Esta realización abre muchas oportunidades en el mundo que nunca contemplamos antes. El Universo de repente se aligna y nos ayuda a vivir nuestra potencial que recien descubrimos. Es como el cielo de repente abrió y estamos en la presencia de en cielo lleno de estrellas, brillando fuertes. Y cada estrella representa parte de nuestro potencial que ahora estamos listos para vivir.

El minuto que empecé a descubrir nuevas pasiones y intereses, y empecé a tener fe in mis capacidades, mi vida encantada empezó a formarse. Ahora trabajo con chocolate y vino, paso mis días en uno lindo viñedo, me encuentro con gente fascinante cada día de todos partes del mundo. Me despierto cada mañana invigorada y emocionada para empezar el día. Tengo un fuerte fe en quien soy y que puedo hacer. Estoy por fin viviendo mi potencial.

Vivendo tu potencial es un proceso. Y mientras que te muevas por esto proceso continuas a descubrir nuevas y lindas cosas de vos mismo, y el Universo continua a darte las oportunidades para compartirles con el mundo. La cosa mas importante es que siempre elegimos de vivir esto potencial, diariamente. En haciendo esto, nuestra vida deja de ser aburrido y empieza a tener propósito y sentido. Empezamos a brillar nuestra luz, como las estrellas arriba, con un brillo y fortaleza que empieza a ser una inspiración a otros para hacer lo igual.

Entonces, como empezamos a descubrir nuestro potencial? Pienso que hay un montón de maneras, pero los siguientes fueron los que me ayudaron a mi:

De que tienes un pasión? Hace una lista. Como estás integrandolos en tu vida ahora?
Que cosas te interesan o siempre querías hacer? Hace una lista y después empieza a hacerlos.
Mantiene un diario de las cosas que aprendiste de vos mismo.
Empieza un diario de agradecimiento de todas las cosas de que estas agredecido cada día
Empujate mas allá de tus limites. Hace cosas que normalmente no hacias. No importa si son cosas pequeñas.
Aprende cosas nuevas No dejas tu cerebro quedarse flojo.
Empieza a visualizar el tipo de vida que quieras vivir. Crea una tabla de visión, con fotos, dichos etc… que representan esta nueva vida.
Para cada excusa que tienes para no vivir esta vida o compartir estes talentos, escribe una razón para hacerlo o una nueva manera de hacerlo. Seas creativo, piensa “fuera de la caja”.

Entonces que es la vida encantada para mi? Es de descubrir uno mismo, y lo que es capable de ser; es de compartir estes talentos con el mundo; es de siempre luchar de ser mas que sos porque sabes que puedes; es de tomar riesgos y tener fe en el desconocido; es de encontrar felicidad en tu autentico ser. Cuando empezamos en este camino la vida se vuelve nada menos que encantada. Entonces hacemos un brinde (bebo mucho vino en esta nueva vida encantada…) a todos en el mundo que estan, por fin, brillando sus luces. Y nunca olvides que el cielo es tu limite.

Hacienda del Plata

2008-11-24T16:43:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I most treasure in this world is the discovery of places where you do not feel the presence of time. I find this highly ironic as I used to live my life guided by the clock. Well, believe me, things have changed and that concept has gone to hell in a handbasket. So when I stumbled upon Hacienda del Plata, I knew that I had found another one of these gems. The minute I walked through the gate I was immediately impacted by the great beauty and tranquility of the place. It was as if I had stepped back into a time warp and landed in what was Argentina in it’s pioneer days. The energy emanating from the land was strong and vibrant, and most importantly you could tell that it had been tended to with love. As I headed towards the 100 year old family homestead I knew that there was definitely something special about this vineyard…

I was immediately given a warm and friendly greeting by the owner, Pablo Gonzaléz. The best words I can use to describe Pablo are “salt of the earth.” There was nothing pretentious about this winery owner, and as we toured the vineyard and winery, he spoke with a genuine passion and love for the land and wines that are produced from it.

The Gonzaléz family have a fascinating family history and are one of the few traditional family wineries still left. The family originally immigrated from Spain to Argentina in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s. Many families during that period in history were immigrating from Europe to Argentina. There was a famine taking place in Europe and many families opted to leave and start over in Argentina. And here they all started their lives over. Many of these families already had a wine making background and brought these traditions here with them. The Gonzaléz family however did not have a wine making background, rather they started over as cattle ranchers. A traditional gaucho history.

The family first arrived in Buenos Aires. During this period in history, land was being practically given away, therefore the family ended up buying 30,000 hectares of land between Córdoba and Santiago de Chile. Here they began raising cattle and started doing cattle runs between the two cities. Now, if you have seen the Andes mountain range, imagine trying to drive a herd of cattle through them. This is not an easy feat. However they had mountain gauchos (gauchos cordilleranos) that knew the mountains like the back of their hand and were able to drive the cattle through. Once in Chile they would sell them and bring back provisions for the family and then start the process over again with a new cattle drive.

Having the 30,000 hectares of land allowed the gauchos stopping points along the way. There were three principal homesteads on this land, one being Hacienda del Plata, the other a farm in Córdoba, and the third the main family household in Potrerillos. The property in Potrerillos was the principal household before they sold it to the government. The homestead was fairly isolated as it was located on the opposite side of the Mendoza river, therefore there were only two ways to access the property. One, through horseback in the mountains, the second via platform. From the house to a point across the river, there was a cable with a wooden platform attached to it. The family would haul themselves up onto this platform and pulley themselves across the river. It was like an old fashioned form of ziplining. A very pioneering family to say the least. This property was one of the most beautiful and if you visit the winery you can see a painting of the property nestled in the mountains.

So this is how the family started out. They didn’t actually start winemaking until 1997. It was Pablo, the current owner who is 4^th generation, who decided to add the element of a winery to the family business. When his mother passed away, his father, who had been running the family business up until this point, decided he needed a break. Therefore the children came in and took over. At this point the family’s business consisted of a dairy farm in Córdoba, farms of soy, wheat and corn, and the vineyards and fruit orchards in Mendoza. Although they have always had the vineyards they never elected to make wine with them and sold the fruit to other wineries. However they were now going to change that.

They began constructing the winery and started learning about the winemaking process. The family no longer had the cattle ranching aspect of the family business, however they used this important part of the family history as an inspiration for the new one they were creating. During Don Carlos’s latter years on the property, he had written a journal with many memories and anecdotes of his time on the land, with the family and with the gauchos. As Pablo read through his father’s journal after his death, he decided to create the lines of wines based on stories and anecdotes that his father had written. The first line of Hacienda wines is called “Zagal”, which means young boy. In the gaucho system there is a hierarchy, the base level being the young boys who would help out on the property. In the journal one of the things that his father had noted was their willingness to help, their passion for life and their enthusiasm. Therefore they chose this name for their younger line of wines. The personality of these wines are more fruity, robust, exuding the image of the Zagal.

The second line of wines is called Arriero. The Arriero is the man who used to herd the cattle. Because Carlos spent so much time out on the land and with the men, he had a number of stories to tell about them and they were an important part in his life here. The Arriero was a position with more responsibility, therefore the wines under this line are more settled, aged in oak a little longer and more mature.

The last line is called Mayoral. The Mayoral was the major domo of the property, the estanciero or landowners right hand man. This was a man in a position of authority, very well respected, and powerful. Therefore the wines under this line are the higher end wines, more mature, aged in oak for a longer period of time, and have more presence and power.

And so, the Hacienda wines were created, carrying on the rich family history in the wines that they were now producing.

We then took a walk through the 72 year old vineyard, with Pablo excitedly explaining the care and love that went into tending the vines. It was clear to see not only through his animated discussion, but just by looking at the vines themselves that they were well cared for. These were some happy looking vines as far as I was concerned.

The tour finished in the winery, with a barrel tasting of some of the best malbec I have ever tasted. The family uses very traditional and simple approaches to their winemaking, however the end result was spectacular. A euphoric finish to an already unique visit.

One of the things that greatly impresses me about this family, and one of the things that came out over and over again in Carlos’s journal is the great respect and love of the land that they have. And you can see this come out in the way they manage the vineyard, the way they make their wine and in their own way of being. A good example of this is again, with Pablo’s father. Just before he passed away he asked to be cremated as opposed to buried. This is very uncommon in Argentina as most people are buried. However, because Carlos had spent so much time out on the land and in the mountains, he wanted to be laid to rest there. So upon his passing, the family took a trip to the mountains and scattered his ashes in the place that he loved so much.

The family, both in times past and times present exude a rich warmth and hospitality. Their history and family traditions reflect this, and can be traced all the way back to when they would open their doors to the muleteers that were crossing the Andes and house them during their long trek across the mountains.

To me Hacienda del Plata is like a space where time has stood still. The minute you walk through the gate you are enveloped in the tranquility and peacefulness of a time now passed. You find yourself in a natural oasis created by Mother Nature and tended to with love by those who understand the rhythms and cycles of the earth. And that is hard to come by in this day and age. And even after you leave, you still feel the lingering beauty of the place hovering around, a constant reminder that there is still natural beauty and family love in this world.

(www.haciendadelplata.com.ar)

Living Your Potential

2008-11-13T16:33:00.000-08:00

(Photo by Philippe Schell)

“Man’s main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is. The most important product of his effort is his own personality.” Erich Fromm

As I was sitting out on the vineyard patio revelling in the fragrance of the jasmine vine next to me and watching the wild parakeets tending to their young in the nest above me, I thought about this charmed life I am leading and what really, a charmed life means to me. Everyone’s idea of what a charmed life should be is different. This is of course natural because everyone is unique and has different ideas of what life is about. If this were not the case then the world would indeed be a very boring place. :)

Generally, a charmed life means living a life of privilege and luck. But this then boils down to, how do you define privilege? How do you define luck? Privilege to one person may mean being born with more money than you know what to do with, whereas to another it may mean having the opportunity to live a simple lifestyle and slow down the pace of life. As for luck, well, we can go down a whole debate on the meaning of this word and whether luck exists or not. However I won’t do that to you now and save that for another post. :)

In my opinion, leading a charmed life doesn’t mean being born into a life of money and want of nothing. To me, leading a charmed life is about living your potential. So. what then, does this exactly mean?

Potential is defined as the following:

Capable of being or becoming
A latent excellence or ability that may or may not be developed

Our potential is great. Magnificent really. The discovery that each one of us possesses unique abilities and gifts to be used in this lifetime is a beautiful thing. Just the thought that we can benefit the world in some special way through a unique capability that only we possess is inspiring. The trick then is to actually discover what these gifts are.

Many of us have been encouraged to develop aspects of ourselves that are not necessarily in sync with who we are and what we really can do in this world. We get caught up in what the world expects us to be that we forget who we were actually born to be. However once we are able to peel away years of conditioning and build the belief that we are capable of great things, we can then begin to discover the beautiful gifts that we possess.

I know from my own experience that it took me a long time to begin to discover my own potential and actually live it. Throughout childhood and into young adulthood I had never really explored who I was and what I was capable of. Aside from a few things here and there, I always lived my life based on what others expected of me. I allowed others to tell me what I could and could not do, or what I was good and not good at. And then one day at 26 and a half I changed my life around. And finally I started exploring who I really was and the beautiful gifts that come with me as a person. Once I did this I started to make new decisions based on who I was and wanted to be. I started down a road of self discovery that lead me to new places within myself and also revisiting old aspects of myself from a new perspective.

I became amazed at the things that I was suddenly capable of doing. I uncovered new talents that I never thought existed within myself, I re-ignited old passions, dusted them off and integrated them back into my life again, I took the time to get to know myself all over again, spend time with the “me” that had been holed up for so long. A whole new person evolved out of this process, a new self confidence in myself and what I could do, what I wanted out of life, and what I was and was not willing to accept in my life. I discovered that I had some pretty damn cool gifts to share with the world. :)

Once we discover our capabilities and gifts, a new concept of self develops. We suddenly become aware of who we are capable of being or becoming. The dawning of this new realization then opens up a myriad of opportunities in the world to us that we had never contemplated before. The Universe all of sudden aligns itself into helping us fulfill this potential that we have just discovered. It is as if the heavens suddenly opened and we are in the presence of a sky full of stars, shining as brightly as possible. And each star represents part of our potential that we are now ready to fulfill and live. And as we move through life new stars are born and we continue to be presented with new gifts and choices along our path.

The minute I began to discover new passions and interests and had faith in my abilities, my charmed life began to take shape. I now work with wine and chocolate, spend my days on a beautiful vineyard, and meet fascinating new people everyday from all over the world. I wake up every morning invigorated and excited to start the day. I have a firm faith in who I am and what I can do. I am finally living my potential.

Living your potential is a process. And as you move through this process you continue discovering new and beautiful things about yourself, and the Universe will continue to provide you with the opportunities to share them with the world. Situations will change, people will come and go, and we will change. The most important thing is that we keep choosing to live this potential, on a daily basis. In doing so our life begins to lose the hum drum feeling that it had before, and starts to have meaning and purpose. We begin to shine that light, just like the stars up above, with a brilliance and strength that becomes an inspiration to others to do the same.

So how does one go about discovering the potential within? I am sure there are many ways, however the following is what worked for me:

What are you passionate about? Make a list. How are you integrating these into your life now?
What things have always interested you or that you have always wanted to do? Again, make a list, then go out and start doing these things.
Keep a journal of new things that you have learned about yourself.
Start keeping a gratitude journal of everything that you are grateful for each day.
Push yourself past your current boundaries. Do things you wouldn’t have dared to do before. No matter how small.
Learn new things, and keep learning. Don’t let your brain go to waste.
Start visualizing the type of life that you want to live. Create a vision board, with pictures, sayings etc that depict this new life
For every excuse that you come up with for not living this new life or sharing your gifts, come up with a reason to do it or way of doing it. Be creative, think outside of the box.

So what is the charmed life to me then? It is about discovering yourself and who you are capable of becoming; it is about sharing these gifts with the world; it is about constantly striving to become more because you know you can; it is about taking risks and having faith in the unknkown; it is about finding happiness in the authentic self. Once on this path life then becomes nothing short of enchanted. So I would like to raise a toast (okay so I drink a lot of wine in this charmed life….) to those out there who are finally letting your light shine. And never forget that the sky is your limit. :)

La Tormenta

2008-11-09T17:07:00.000-08:00

Hay algo especial de estar fuera en el medio de una tormenta en la lluvia. La sensación de tener la lluvia cayendo en tu piel y el aire cargado con energía es algo que no tengo palabras para definir.

Amo tormentas. Tienen una energía que me atrae como una abeja a una flor. La verdad que no sé a donde esta fascinación empezó, mientras que hay relámpagos a fuera, puedo pasar horas sentada a fuera mirando la luz rayando por el cielo, al horror de mi familia. :)

Me encontré caminando en el centro esta noche después de tomar un café con una amiga (si, parte de mi vida encantada involucra a tomar café a las 22h00, que lindo no?) y cuando estaba en camino a la parada del colectivo, de repente sentí el aire pesado alrededor de mi. Y a dentro de algunos minutos la lluvia empezó a batir en la ciudad. La mayoría de gente estaban corriendo para buscar refugio debajo de los árboles. Pero yo salí en la calle y me quedé con brazos abiertos abajo del agua, dandolo bienvenida como un amigo viejo. Caminé por la calle en un estado de euforia, sintiendo la lluvia batiendo en mi piel y sintiendo el poder in el aire, esta carga de energía antigua en cada molécula de mi cuerpo.

La gente en este momento estaban mirandome como estaba loca. Sin embargo esto es una incidencia normal en mi vida y ya estoy re acostumbrada a esto. :) Mientras de estar esperando para el colectivo, pudé sentir la carga de energía en el aire y del rincón de mi ojo, podia ver movimiento en los rincones de la calle, atrás de los árboles y directamente alrededor de mi. Sonrisé….una noche oscura y llena de lluvia en Mendoza es el mejor tiempo para sentir las almas de épocas ya pasadas…..

Estoy muy agradecida de poder experimentar las sensaciones de estar en una tormenta. Había un tiempo en mi vida donde di por sentado las tormentas y me burlaba la idea de caminar en una. Interesante como la vida te cambia. Mientras que estoy sentada aquí y miro la luz rayando en el cielo, me pregunto si hay otras planetas que tienen esta fenómeno y si hay otros que pueden disfrutarla como nosotros.

Mi nuevo estilo de vida me da el tiempo de reflexionar en las cosas mas simples in la vida, y tengo que decir que estoy agradecida de ser un ser humano en esta planeta en este momento. Tenemos la capacidad de sentir cosas en muchos niveles diferentes, pero muchas veces los damos por sentado. Y encima de esto normalmente cerramos nuestros sentidos mientras que estamos en nuestra rutina diario. Cuantas veces sacamos el tiempo de sentir el agua en nuestra piel, o el aroma de pan cocida, o el color vivo de una flor que estamos pasando en la calle? Estamos muy privilegiados de estar acá y yo, por mi parte, tengo planes de aprovecharlo lo mas que puedo antes de salir de este mundo al otro. :)

A Stormy Night

2008-11-04T20:59:00.000-08:00

There is something to be said about standing out in the middle of a thunderstorm in the pouring rain. The sensation of having the rain beating down on your skin and the air charged with energy is something that goes beyond words.

I love thunderstorms. There is a special energy about them that attracts me like a bee to a flower. I am not really sure when this fascination began, but as long as there is lightening outside I can spend hours sitting outside watching the light streak across the sky. Much to my family’s horror. :)

I found myself walking downtown Mendoza late this evening after having coffee with a friend (yes, part of my charmed life involves coffee at 10 pm, isn’t it wonderful?) and as I was headed to the bus stop, I could suddenly feel the weight around me. And within a few minutes the rain came pouring down. Most people were running for the shelter of the large sycamore trees that line most of the streets here. But I actually stepped out onto the street and stood with arms wide open welcoming the rain like an old friend. I walked along in a state of euphoria, feeling the water beating down on my skin and feeling the power in the air, that ancient charge of energy in every molecule of my body.

Most people at this point were looking at me as if I had lost my senses. However this is a fairly regular occurrence in my life and am now used to it. :) As I stood waiting for the bus I could feel the charged air around me, and out of the corner of my eye flashes of movement in the corners of streets, behind trees and directly around me. I couldn’t help but smile, a dark rainy night in Mendoza is the best time to see just how haunted this city really is. :) Not surprising really, water is a conductor and the air charged with electric power from the lightening heightens ouir senses to other energies around us. So it is no wonder that hauntings are often depicted during storms, because this is really the best time to catch glimpses of people from a time now past….

I am extremely grateful to be able to experience the sensations of being caught in a storm. There was a time in my life when I took this event for granted and would scoff at the thought of walking in one. Funny how life changes you. As I sit here and onto the light streaked sky, I wonder if other planets have this phenomenon and if there are others that can enjoy it like we do.

My new lifestyle has enabled me to take the time to reflect on the simpler things in life, and I have to say that I am extremely grateful to be a human on this planet right now. We have the capability of sensing things on so many different levels, yet we too often take this for granted. And we even go beyond that and shut down most of these senses as we move through our daily routines. How often do we really take the time to feel the sensation of water on our skin, or the aroma of a freshly baked bread, or the vivid colour of a flower that we happen to walk by? We are definitely privileged being here and I for one plan on taking advantage of it as often as I can before I kick off into the next life. :)

Dare to Throw Away the Bowlines…..

2008-11-04T03:52:00.000-08:00

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” Mark Twain

What is it about fear that makes people so stupid? And I am not excluding myself from this one either.

I personally believe that fear is one of the most useless and stagnating emotions that exists on this planet. And the main cause of people not living an authentic life.

I was inspired to write on this topic after a number of recent conversations with friends and just catching up on life in general. And it never ceases to amaze me how this one emotion can wreak havoc on one’s life in so many subtle ways. But at the same time I am incredibly proud of those that have taken the leap over their fears and are finally following their dreams.

Many people, after hearing my story of how I arrived in Argentina, often look at me as if I have just stepped off of the mothership. Then they continue to comment wistfully how much they admire my courage and how they would never be able to do something like that. It always makes me pose the question, but why not? I am not saying that everyone has to jump ship and move to the opposite end of the globe, although I am on of the biggest promoters of this beautiful country that I am now living in. But what is it that stops people from doing what it is they really want to do? Fear of course.

I understand this reaction because I have been there. I used to live my life in fear of everything. I was one of the “safest” people around. I was afraid to take risks, I was afraid to get out there and actually do something that made me passionate. I was taught that these things were just not attainable and it is best to stick to living a life that was safe and secure and then when I was 65 I could retire and enjoy what life I had left.

The problem with this so called ideal is that nothing is really secure. I think that the current financial crisis hitting the globe at the moment is a good example. People are losing money left, right and centre. So then what? What happens if I don’t make it to 65? There comes a time in everyone’s life where we hit a point or a crossroads and we snap. We then need to take a decision, do we continue to let fear be the base to our lives or do we take the risk and leap into that big black hole of the unknown?

Two of the most common reasons that people don’t follow their bliss are finances and family. However, we forget that we are creative beings and there are always options. Finances are always available in one form or another if you set your mind to it. It may require adjusting your lifestyle a bit, but it is always possible. We live in a consumer based society, constantly bombarded with advertising that tells you need this or that to be considered acceptable. But when you sit yourself down and really examine what you need, how many of these things can be taken away? A lot when you really look at it. Is that big screen tv really going to make you happy? Or is it worth the sacrifice to be able to get up every morning and and be excited about what you are about to do with your day?

And then there is family. I often get the comment that because I don’t have a family I can easily just up and go where I want. True, I agree that it is easier for me as I am only responsible for myself. However, that being said, I know many families who have up and moved. I lived with one, a fantastic couple who uprooted themselves for 2 years with a three year old to come and live in Mendoza. I know of another man, who after being fed up with his life in Canada moved with his 6 children (on his own to boot) to Chile to start over. Yes, 6 children. Imagine? I also read of a couple in France who had always dreamed of sailing around the world, and so one day they decided to just do it. They too had a young daughter so they hired a tutor and off they went . They said it was the best decision that they ever made. And imagine the children’s experience? How enriching it is for them to experience a different culture, a new language and a new way of life? How expanding and educating that would be for them? I personally believe parents, in the decisions they make, are a constant example to their children. So, do you want your children to see you as happy or just going and living day to day only half alive? Do you want to see your children pursue their own dreams? Then the best way to do that is to provide the example yourself. Children really are the best excuse to follow your bliss.

It is easy to come up with a list of ten thousand excuses as to why you cannot do that thing that you always wanted to do. I used to have one of my own scrolls of excuses. J But at the end of the day, what becomes more important, living a vibrant and fulfilling life or being miserable in the status quo? One of the things I personally started doing was making decisions based on this: when I am 90 will I look back on this and regret not doing it? And that is my deciding factor. I still have things that I fear. I may be comfortable now in moving to any place in the world with nothing but a suitcase, but that is not to say that I am completely fearless. Sometimes I get paralyzed just at something that seems insignificant, such as asking for help from others or really displaying my true feelings. But I always try. And if it doesn’t work today, then tomorrow is always another day to try again. I don’t think that it is possible to have an absence of fear but I do believe that it is possible to overcome it.

So I encourage you to sit down and really examine what it is that is holding you back from doing what you have always wanted to do. Find creative ways to make it happen. And if one option doesn’t work then that is okay too. Then you just go and find another way to do it. There is no great commandment that says you have to get it right all of the time. That is one of the joys of living life, having the opportunity to try different things whether they work out or not. This in my mind cancels fear out and makes it useless because in the end there is really nothing to fear and much to be gained by taking a leap of faith. So, just as I started this piece, I will end it with a quote from one of my favourite authors and hope that no matter how little a change it may seem, you will find a way to start making your dreams happen.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

(Photo taken from fotosearch.com)

La Vida Encantada

2008-10-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

Muchas personas me dicen que estoy viviendo la vida encantada. Y bueno, la verdad es que estoy de acuerdo. :)

Todavía no puedo entender como llegué donde estoy en mi vida ahora. Es un poco “súrreal”. Me despierto cada mañana a la vista de montañas lindas, la luz del sol, y paso mi tiempo en un bonito viñedo degustando chocolate y vino. No parece muy mal, no? Y la pregunta mas importante: Como llega uno a vivir una vida así?

El diccionario defina la vida encantada como: “una vida marcada por buena fortuna y privilegio”. Y en muchas maneras la siento así. Desde de llegar en Argentina me sentí como toda la gente, lugares y cosas que necesitaba habían caído en mi falda sin mucho esfuerzo de mi parte. Pero no puedo decir que todo es basado solamente en buena fortuna y privilegio. Si no había tomado un salto de fe en venir al otro lado del mundo, no creo que mi vida sería lo que es ahora. Esta vida no apareció sin acción de mi parte. Y es eso que es el base de este sitio de blog, de tener el coraje para desobedecer los opiniones de otros y escuchar tu instinto de tener el coraje de ser vos mismo; a superar el miedo y siguiendo tu felicidad; es de vivir tu potencial entero, viviendo tu vida al máximo. Eso, para mi, es lo que es el verdadera vida encantada y el momento cuando veas el mágico empezar. :)

Aunque estoy re encantada con mi vida, la verdad que no es una vida que imaginaba a tener desde ser niña. Nunca en vida pensaba que iba a vivir en el base de los Andes entre viñedos, degustando vino, conociendo gente de todos lados del mundo, y creando maravillas hecho de chocolate. Es como una cosa que veas en las películas de Hollywood, no la vida verdadera. Crecí con los sueños normales de una niña, los de casar, tener una casa re linda, 2 autos e hijos jugando en el patio. Eso era la expectativa de mi, de mi familia y la sociedad en general, y lo que fue “instalado” en mi desde la juventud. No tenía otra opción. En mi familia, una buena educación fue agregado a esto sueño porque era la única manera de tener las otras cosas. La educación era focalizada en ganar plata, no en el estudio de lo que te daba pasión. Entonces, así anduve, como un robot, por la vida con estos sueños ilusorios, basados en las expectativas de otros en vez de basados en mis pasiones. No recuerdo otras metas fuera de estas, solamente uno otro: a escribir. La única cosa que quería hacer desde de pequeña era escribir. Pero esto sueño desapareció a una edad joven porque no era una carera profesional. Lo perdí, no porque fue sacado de mi, pero porque lo dejé a ser sacado de mi.

Entonces, como una buena hija y ciudadano de la sociedad, saqué el titulo en comercio, me caso con mi novio de 5 años, compré la casa, el auto y empecé la vida normal como todos los otros en el mundo. Cualquier persona mirando de afuera hubiera dicho que en esto momento yo tenía la vida perfecta porque tenía todo que necesitaba. Pero todavía había algo que no andaba. Siempre tenía la sensación de ser un animal salvaje en una aula, con el deseo de liberarme y andar suelta. Y un día, la puerta del aula se rompió y abrió, y el animal salvaje fue liberado.

Por fin tuve el coraje de volver a visitar la niña que existía antes, y preguntarle que quería hacer con su vida, antes de ser expuesto a las influencias de otros. Y el resultado sorprendió mismo a mi. Dejé atrás mi vida perfecta y segura, que había trabajado tanto para mantener, y empecé mi vida de nuevo y con casi nada. Esta vez el foco era en mi. Y estaba llena de jubilo y liberación. Mi viajé de auto descubrimiento me llevó a vivir una vida mucho mas intuitiva e independiente. Entonces, algunos años mas tarde, después de otro búsqueda profunda del alma, una visión vivo y un encuentro con una piedrita, tomé la decisión de dejar todo atrás que era familiar y “seguro” y moverme al otro lado del mundo, a la Argentina. Estaba empezando un nuevo sueño.

Ahora estaba viviendo mi vida por mis condiciones, viviendo mis proprios sueños, y explorando nuevas y creativas maneras de vivir. Algunas veces estos sueños cambiaran pero siempre fueron y todavía son los míos y no de otras personas. Desde de encontrar y manifestar esto coraje y fuerza en mi vida, la “vida encantada” de repente apareció. Pero no antes que tomé el salto de fe.

Entonces, pueden decir que es solamente basado en el privilegio y buena fortuna? Yo pienso que no, no por lo menos en el sentido tradicional. Es una cosa que viene cuando estamos en el fluyo de quien somos, y tomamos decisiones basados en lo que esta en armonía con nosotros. Es como el ejemplo de una persona que es encantador. Normalmente es un a persona que exuda confianza en ellos mismos y que tienen gracia en su manera de ser. Esto concepto puede ser aplicado a como andas por tu vida, con gracia y confianza y después el encanto sigue.

Todos somos capaz de vivir esto tipo de vida. Creo que el miedo es uno de los emociones mas inútiles en el mundo. No sirve a nadie, y no cree nada que una energía estancado y de frustración. Cuando podemos superar esta emoción, y seguir adelante en la vida con confianza y gracia, un nuevo mundo mágico empieza a aparecer. Y esto mundo es tu vida encantada que estaba esperando que te despertabas al potencial en vos mismo….

Entonces, hacemos un brinde a vivir tus sueños y a crear la vida encantada que está esperandote porque sabes que puedes…. Salud!

The Charmed Life

2008-10-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

Many people tell me that I am living the charmed life. Okay, so I have to say that I agree with them. :)

I am in a bit of disbelief as to how I arrived at where I am in my life right now. It is still seems a little surreal. I wake up every morning to beautiful mountains and sunshine, spend my time on a picturesque vineyard tasting chocolate and wine. Doesn’t sound half bad does it? And even more importantly, how does one end up living a life such as this?

The dictionary definition of a charmed life is: “a life marked by good fortune or privilege.” And in many ways it feels like that. Since arriving in Argentina I have felt as if all the people places and things that I needed fell into my lap without much effort on my part. But I can’t say that this is all based on just “good fortune and privilege”. If I hadn’t take a leap of faith in coming to this other end of the world I really don’t believe that my life would be what it is now. This life didn’t just show up without any action on my part. And that is what this blog is about, having the courage to defy the opinions of everyone else and go with your gut instinct; having the courage to be yourself no matter how “outside of the box” that may be; taking that leap over fear and following your bliss; it is about living your full potential, living your life to the fullest. This, to me, is what the real charmed life is about and when you really see the magic begin. :)

As enchanted as I am with my life, it is definitely not something that I have dreamed of since childhood. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be living at the base of the Andes amongst vineyards, tasting wine, meeting people from all over the world everyday and creating delicious chocolate “maravillas”. I mean really, it sounds like something straight out of Hollywood not something that is actually real. I grew up with the dreams that probably most young girls have, the one of getting married, having the house with the white picket fence, the 2 cars, the dog and the children running through the yard. This is what was expected of me, by both family and society, and was instilled in my little self at a very young age. There was no other option. In my family a good, solid education was added to this because that is how you would be able to afford all of the above. Education was about earning money, not about the study of what you are passionate about. And so I moved, rather robotically, through life with these candy coated dreams based on the expectations of others rather than what I really wanted to do. I don’t really remember any other goals aside from those, except one. And that was to write. All I ever wanted to do since I could remember was to write. However that only authentic dream was snatched away as that was not considered acceptable in “real life”. I lost it, not because outside influences were so much greater than me, but because I allowed it to be taken from me.

So like a good daughter and citizen of society, I obtained a “solid” degree in Commerce, married my University sweetheart, bought the house and the car and started the normal life that everyone else in the world already had. Anyone looking from the outside in would have said that at that point I had the perfect life because I had everything that anyone possibly could want. Yet there was something still very wrong. I always had the sensation of being a caged animal, chomping at the bit to run free and do something different. And then one day, that cage door snapped and broke and the wild animal was set free.

I had finally gained the courage to go back to that little girl and ask her what it was she really wanted to do with her life, back to the beginning before there were any outside influences affecting her decisions. And the result surprised even me. I gave up the near perfect and secure life I had worked so hard to maintain and ventured off on my own with a blank slate. I was starting over again from scratch and with next to nothing. This time it was all about me. And I was nothing short of exhilarated and liberated. My self discovery journey lead me to live a much more intuitive and independent life. So, a few years later, after yet another deep soul search, a vivid vision and a serendipitous encounter with a little rock, I made the decision to leave everything that was familiar and “secure” and move to the opposite end of the globe, to Argentina. I was beginning a new dream.

I was now living my life on my own terms, living my own dreams, and exploring new and creative ways of living. Sometimes these dreams and plans change, but regardless, they are still always my own and don’t belong to anyone else. Since finding and manifesting this courage and strength in my life, the “charmed life” all of a sudden appeared in my lap. But it wasn’t until taking that leap of faith that it appeared.

So is it left to privilege and good fortune? I don’t think so, at least not in the traditional sense. It is something that comes when we move with the flow of who we are and make decisions based on what is in harmony with us. It is sort of like the example of someone who is charming, typically a person who exudes confidence in themselves and has a grace about them. This concept can be applied to how you move through your life, with grace and confidence and then the charm follows suit.

Everyone is capable of living this type of life. I believe that fear is one of the most useless and crippling emotions on the planet. It serves no one and does nothing but create an energy of stagnation and frustration. Once we are able to move past this and move forward in life with confidence, grace and faith, a new world begins to magically appear. And that world is your own charmed life that has been waiting patiently for you to awaken to the potential in yourself…

So in keeping with my previous blog tradition, here is a toast, (everyone please grab a glass of wine…) to living your dreams and creating the charmed life you have been waiting for because you know you that deep down you can… Salud!