I've spent the past week at Akasha Ellis's Kundalini Yoga retreat at Villa Sumaya on Lake Atitlan, Guatamala. If you haven't been and have a desire to travel, I strongly recommend putting this little haven on your list! It's only a 4.5 hour flight from LA and 2.5 hours from Miami.
The entire property is a playground for your spirit. We swam, played, danced, sang, painted, laughed, jumped, smiled, and just lived from our hearts. I felt good. I felt free.
We talked about our dreams and all that went on was encouragement for each other.
For the past few years I've believed that I can change the world. Some people hear this and look at me like I'm crazy. Others give me a high five and say "where can I sign up?!" I prefer to spend my time with these people.
When I was in college I remember hearing "Elissa you need to pop that bubble that you're living in." But, why? Why shouldn't we dream? Why shoudn't we believe? I believe that anything is possible! I believe that at 35 I can still have the same youthful glowy outlook on life that I had when I was a little girl. Who made the rule that we should make our dreams small? Or even worse, stop dreaming at all?
Why should we walk around in a perpetual state of fear all day? Ninety nine percent of what we are afraid of NEVER COMES TRUE! It's a waste of time and energy to be so scared.
I'd rather spend my energy laughing, helping, creating, working, dancing, playing and loving.
On New Years eve we danced barefoot with wild abandon and I can't remember the last time I felt so free! One of the ladies who lives on the lake told me a story of how once she was watching a group of people dance, and one girl was dancing with a big smile on her face with her arms flailing about, just being completely free in her own world. Then a man came over to dance with her and the girl completely changed her dancing style to fit his. She contained her wild movements to look more "normal." The second the man left her, she went back to dancing the way her spirit wanted.
Most of us learned at a young age that it's best to fit in, to be like everyone us. We learned that different = bad or weird. Being different needs to be CELEBRATED! Weird is AWESOME!
We are going to be working with 15 seventh grade students for the next few months, doing an intensive with our Farley Project Friends program. I plan on encouraging the kids to love. To dream. To love themselves and others with all of their heart and to dream BIG. I want them to celebrate their individuality and really get to know each other. Because when it comes down to it, although we all have our differences, we all want the same thing. The girl dancing with wild abandon who some may look at and call a freak, wants to feel loved and safe and beautiful. She wants the same things that everyone else wants.
I encourage all of you to live in that big shiny bubble of yours and dream as big as you can! After all, the way we live is a CHOICE, and we can all make a huge difference in the world if we wake up a little bit.
I'm filled with gratitude right now, my heart is smiling. Thank you for coming with me on this journey and as always for your support!
With a big, full, dancing heart,
Elissa