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In my last post I shared a cathartic experience I had in a yoga class during my trip to Michigan for my nephew’s high school graduation last month.
Everything about the trip held a lot of emotion for me. I was surprised in some ways and not surprised in others.
Last month I visited my hometown in Michigan for my nephew’s graduation. It was a valuable reminder of the importance of family.
One thing I wanted to share about the trip was an amazing experience I had “on the yoga mat” while I was there. The yoga class I took in Michigan was one of the most intense I’ve ever had.
The first half of the class was fairly straight forward; allowing the students to do the movements, postures and vinyasas on our own. The instructor would make minor corrections to individuals if necessary. And then something surprising and unexpected happened.
I felt self conscious. Even a bit embarrassed.
I’ve been going back and forth to Maui and have just returned. Each time I’m there I think about a concept that’s so fundamental to our very existence but we don’t discuss enough.
Beauty.
Both what we’re creating in Maui at the Ke-Ao Lanihuli ranch and my home in Los Feliz remind me how beauty settles the soul and mind – and reminds me that everything is OK in my world. Although I’ve lived in my home for going on 8 years now, I wake up every day with a grateful spirit, thankful for the beauty that I live in and am surrounded by.
Perpetual oil spills and never ending wars. Corporate greed. Anger and mistrust with government and each other.
We stand on the brink of our own destruction. We’ve lost a connection with and respect for our planet.
Now, we’re toying with the delicate balance of life, with the very ecosystem of our existence, and the universe will balance the scales whether we like it or not.
The time for restoration is upon us.
“All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”
-Norma Desmond
It’s Summer 2011. The headlines in the Hollywood trade paper Daily Variety announce the record breaking ratings of an unscripted home improvement program on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). SoulSpace is the new gospel of home design. And it gets better:
I have an amazing story to share and I’m so thankful it unfolded the way that it did.
I applied for the permits in Maui for the renovation and re-roofing of SoulSpace Ranch (which as you know from my last entry we’ve renamed Ke-Ao Lanihuli). When I applied for the permits, I put “Yoga Retreat” in the blank space when asked to indicate the proposed use and occupancy. I received feedback on the permits in the form of a letter from the County of Maui. There was a very long list of corrections and additions to the permit because I was “changing” the use of the property from Dormitory to Yoga Retreat.
As many of you know, I’m working on the creation of SoulSpace Ranch, a property on the island of Maui that is an extension of the work I do on the “main land”. Although much of the work we’ll be doing there is based on the principles of the SoulSpace process I’ve decided to change the name and call it Ke Ao Lanihuli – which translates to “The light from the heavens to overturn old conditions bringing enlightenment.”
I continue to be reminded that the SoulSpace process can be applied to everything in our lives; not only our homes but our relationships, our finances, our bodies and our jobs.
And in the same way that I ask you to challenge yourself and deepen your relationship with the items in your home to assess, extract and cleanse you also need to do the same in those other areas as well.
I’m baaack…
It’s been way too long. I apologize for taking such a long break from blogging. I’ve been going non-stop on great projects with some amazing new clients. I’m also working on my book, diving into the strategy and design for the TempleHome online home + self improvement community and guiding a select group of people through the SoulSpace process. All this while preparing for a test shoot with the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) so they could see how I interact with clients as we move closer to (hopefully) getting a television deal.
Here’s an idea:
Instead of keeping torn, dirty or broken down furniture and walking past it each day, get rid of it and let the empty space inspire you with possibility. One thing that all of us are challenged with is creating the space to “just be”. We fill our days, our lives, our homes, our every waking moment with stuff, be it physical or mental. There is a part of us that’s afraid to create space in our homes and in our minds and have it “just be” there, without feeling the need to fill it up. But there is a way to get into that state of be-ing.
