Last day of summer...

the best way to learn...

qi gong

I came across this video the other day, and was intrigued.  I had heard of Qi Gong before, and seen people doing it in the park, but never even thought about trying it.  Then I saw this video and decided to try it.   Christos Dorje Walker is an Australian who has studied Qi Gong for twenty years.  In the video he goes through twenty minutes of Qi Gong and then twenty minutes of meditation.  I enjoyed it and thought it was really amazing!

ocean beach

instagram

a day away

"We often think that our affairs, great or small, must be tended continuously and in detail, or our world will disintegrate, and we will lose our places in the universe. That is not true, or if it is true, then our situations were so temporary that they would have collapsed anyway.

Once a year or so I give myself a day away. On the eve of my day of absence, I begin to unwrap the bonds which hold me in harness. I inform housemates, my family and close friends that I will not be reachable for twenty-four hours; then I disengage the telephone. I turn the radio dial to an all-music station, preferably one which plays the soothing golden oldies. I sit for at least an hour in a very hot tub; then I lay out my clothes in preparation for my morning escape, and knowing that nothing will disturb me, I sleep the sleep of the just.

On the morning I wake naturally, for I will have set no clock, nor informed my body timepiece when it should alarm. I dress in comfortable shoes and casual clothes and leave my house going no place. If I am living in a city, I wander streets, window-shop, or gaze at buildings. I enter and leave public parks, libraries, the lobbies of skyscrapers, and movie houses. I stay in no place for very long.

On the getaway day I try for amnesia. I do not want to know my name, where I live, or how many dire responsibilities rest on my shoulders. I detest encountering even the closest friend, for then I am reminded of who I am, and the circumstances of my life, which I want to forget for a while.

Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.

Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. We need hours of aimless wandering or spaces of time sitting on park benches, observing the mysterious world of ants and the canopy of treetops.

If we step away for a time, we are not, as many may think and some will accuse, being irresponsible, but rather we are preparing ourselves to more ably perform our duties and discharge our obligations.

When I return home, I am always surprised to find some questions I sought to evade had been answered and some entanglements I had hoped to flee had become unraveled in my absence.

A day away acts as a spring tonic. It can dispel rancor, transform indecision, and renew the spirit."


--from Wouldn't Take Nothing for my Journey Now by Maya Angelou

sounds of summer

Poolside has just released their first album Pacific Standard Time.  I have been listening to it nonstop ever since it came out!  The perfect accompaniment to a day on the beach, chilling by the pool or watching the sunset.  In love.

Take a listen...



Tracklist
1. Tulsa
2. Next To You
3. Why You Wanna
4. Harvest Moon
5. Slow Down
6. Take Me There
7. Kiss You Forever
8. Do You Believe
9. Give It A Rest
10. Can’t Get You Off My Mind
11. Just Fall In Love
12. California Sunshine
13. Golden Hour
14. Between Dreams
15. Without You
16. Take Me Home

Buy album here.

aerial shots in australia

Loving these aerial shots of swimmers at the beach in Australia.  Images from aquabumps.

tranquilitree

image credit here.

beach brigitte

costa rica surf and yoga

I recently discovered a place that is calling my name- the Yoga Farm.  It's a rustic yoga center set in the tropical rain forest of Costa Rica.  Eco friendly, affordable and the perfect place to escape to do yoga and surf.

For years I have been dying to plan a trip to Costa Rica.  I dream of exploring the tropical rainforest and soaking up the "tico" culture.  Hoping to make this happen... soon!  More photos here.

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moonrise kingdom

best of north county

Best of North County - San Diego Magazine - May 2011 - San Diego, California

moonlight over benidorm

Taken in Benidorm, Spain.  Photo credit here.

the false mirror

by Rene Magritte.

la playa y la mar, playa del carmen

airport, mexico city

sometimes you just gotta let go

''In the end these things matter most:
How well did you love?
How fully did you love?
How deeply did you learn to let go? '' The Buddha.

To let go isn't to forget, not to think about, or ignore.  It doesn't
leave feelings of anger, jealousy, or regret.  Letting go isn't about
winning or losing.
It's not about pride and it's not about how you
appear, and it's not obsessing or dwelling on the past.

Letting go
isn't blocking memories or thinking sad thoughts, and it doesn't leave
emptiness, hurt, or sadness.
It's not about giving in or giving up.
Letting go isn't about loss and it's not about defeat.
To let go is
to cherish the memories, but to overcome and move on.

It is having
an open mind and confidence in the future.
Letting go is learning
and experiencing and growing.
To let go is to be thankful for the
experiences that made you laugh, made you cry, and made you grow.

It's about all that you have, all that you had, and all that you will
soon gain.
Letting go is having the courage to accept change,
and the strength to keep moving.
Letting go is growing up.  It is
realizing that the heart can sometimes be the most potent remedy.

To let go is to open a door, and to clear a path and set yourself free.
By Louise Hay

coachella 2012

I had the best time this year at Coachella!  I love spending time with friends, listening to old and new bands and dj's, people watching and dancing the night away.  Can't wait 'till next year!

easter 1976

2012

Just bought mine.  Get yours here.

simply mad

A few photos from behind the scenes of Mad Men. 

All photos from Rolling Stone.

let's stay together

hooray for...

Photo by Max Wanger.

gettin' graphic

I'm loving these graphic prints by Christopher David Ryan.  At only $38 for an 18X24 print I'm thinking about getting one... Decisions, decisions...  See more here.