It’s almost a year I’ve been on the road teaching and the way we keep booking my schedule, it looks like 2018 will be the same. So far, we love it. The perspective is different for me than it is for Joe which has been a whole new level of fantastic communication and recognizing that even after 17 years, there are wants and needs that shift and change and how important it is to let the other know what’s really going on – sometimes jetlaggin, need sleep and sometimes jetlaggin, can’t sleep, need to go out and dance.
For both of us, there’s an open ear and eye of, is this a place we might want to call home and settle for a while? For Joe, it’s a bit more of relaxing into that second half of life in a very planned leisurely way. It’s not the same for me. I need structure in my life and service. So for me, a lot of the travel is work each week and a day or two off from teaching and an attempt to take a day off from administrative details. Knowing that I get to do what I do because my recovery program comes first is part of what makes the travel easier.
So, what and where is home? It’s where I am right now, in the rice fields in Ubud. So, Bali is home for the next 11 weeks. I let folks know that I am in town. I set up where I am staying in relationship to my nutrition. So, I like to stay at places where I can have a fridge and some light cooking if possible. I need practice space and a comfortable bed – oh and good wifi or a new sim card. I have the most fantastic collection of sim cards from all over the world. I’m thinking…technology mala.
The idea of home is also being curious with the environment that I am in for that week. Sometimes, there are language barriers but they seem to take care of themselves and every night I somehow get fed and sleep well. Travel is getting interesting as the world is clearly in a state of change and struggle. Some people are being denied entry to some countries. Some are being kicked out. Some are getting thrown off the top of multi-story buildings, for their choices around love, and if they don’t land in savasana, they are being stoned to death. It’s a part of this world and, I spend a good portion of my days pondering what else can I do to help out. For right now, it’s continuing to call as many places as invite me to share the practice, home and receive the graciousness and kindness of all that that has to offer.
More specifically, how do I stay grounded? I get to my meetings. I roll out the mat. I meditate. I eat well which means I treat myself to some of those sweeter things that I love without saying I should not be eating this. I feed my spirit and ice cream can be a spiritual experience if, I pause long enough to really savor the tastes and textures before going for the next bite and share. Over a long period of time, I’ve learned the challenging experience of saying no to some things when I know I’m tired and need rest. I never feel like I’m missing out on anything anymore. I can’t tell you exactly when that changed but I notice it today in my life.
Someday, I imagine we will find a place to settle again and call that home but for right now this gypsy nomad is on the road.
When teacher trainings in Bali have finished, I will call Australia home again in July and August which I have done a lot since 2007. Y’all must know that I just love to come there and teach. Cities I’m visiting are Perth, Byron Bay, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Registration is open for all 5 cities and you can get more information on www.lesleventhalyoga.com/workshopsretreats. lesleventhalyoga.com Then it’s off to San Francisco for a small bitty and I’ll be subbing for Janet Stone, at Yoga Tree, for 5 classes in mid-August and then back to Europe (Prague, Rome, Zurich, Milan and Tyrol). We’ll have a bit more on some immersions coming in the later part of 2017 and a few 2018 retreats that can also be an immersion for those who want to build their 300/500 hour advanced training by modules (think Costa Rica, Greece and Thailand).