One night in Miami (actually Dania Beach outside of)

On my way to Miami, and now that I'm on my way, it feels right. Putting everything in the hands of the universe, as always when traveling. Wish I could remember to do that more in my everyday life. That's why traveling is so good for me. Faith in the unknown. Confidence = openness. Positive. Relaxed. Inspired. On this trip, I am interested in art, nature, beauty, calm, culture. Avoid chaos my clairvoyant said on Saturday. Why Colombia then? Isn't it full of chaos? We'll find out.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride, the flight attendant invites.

Oh, flying out of Santa Fe is pretty awesome. Layover in Dallas, also a good choice. Even though its freezing cold today (32 degrees!), I don't have to worry about a snow storm causing delays.

Later.

I'm in Dania Beach/Hollywood Beach, Florida. 83 degrees and balmy. I arrived at FLL airport at 2pm, took a 10 min cab to my airbnb, breifly met my host, Jeff, left my stuff and walked to the beach. Jeff said it was a mile or so. But he's a cyclist, so it actually took me a good hour to walk there at my fast pace. I'm sitting on the beach soaking up the last of the sun and appreciating the exercise to arrive here.

Back at my airbnb location. I chat with my host and can tell he's a good and interesting person. He and his wife moved here after 8 years in Las Vegas, Nevada. He bike tours all over the US. His wife works in airport security and makes enough for both of them. Originally from Boston, he kind of sound like a British person with an American accent because of all the places he's lived.

My friend Sarah from my College of the Atlantic days lives an hour away from Miami now and ends up meeting me with her boyfriend. We all have dinner together at a delicious vegan restaurant with nut cheese and gluten free cupcakes. Did I mention they also serve 3 flavors of kombucha on tap? Sarah and I order the guava. I'm happy. Its so nice to reconnect with Sarah. I love when things like this work out. Thats one benefit of posting where you are traveling on facebook.

Next morning, my hosts kindly make me coffee and a scrambled egg and offer to give me a ride to the airport! Lucky girl! We talk about traveling and the whys of Colombia. Well, I explain, every time I read about Cartagena in my research of South American cities I felt drawn to it. When I was traveling around Guatemala 4 years ago, quite a few people talked about how Colombia was one of their faves and I've had the bug to go since. Plus it was one of the most affordable and convenient places I could go in South America. 2.5 hour flight from Miami. And I absolutely love hidden treasures and the less traveled road. Additionally, I wanted to go somewhere Spanish speaking and to be near the ocean. I'm just anxious to get there now and find out.

High Priestess

She,
My high priestess inside,
Is standing always,
Present and strong,
For full-conscious being-ness.
With cat-like yawn,
And arching back,
She attacks neediness,
Smallness, pettiness, lack.
She lives relaxed,
And non-attached,
To cherished outcomes,
Transforming emptiness,
Into freedom,
By bringing mindfulness,
To hurts and ailments,
So suffering releases,
And separates from pain,
Giving rein to,
Untamed, limitless wildness.
Her force flows,
Through heart-beat veins.
She is core of Earth,
And center of flame.
She is fierce protector,
Of connection to Source.
She pierces falseness,
And sharpens claws on pretense.
Coming to know her,
Is pure gift and awe.

Fairy Deck Taro Card

To look within,
Not without,
That's what the card,
I drew reminds me about.
Perfect timing, no doubt,
To heal the empty kind,
Of intellectual pining,
Disquieting my mind.
As snow nears ground,
I find stillness abiding,
And silently filling,
The sound of fear.
Looking without,
Brought being without,
While attending within,
Brings being back in.

Body Intelligence

Body Intelligence,
Voicing messages,
Giving wisdom and guidance,
To take action or to contemplate,
Every Choice,
I have to make,
There to council,
On spending money,
That a course requires,
Saying with tension,
Don't force that,
Or, getting my attention,
With low back aches.

I get it.
You're not there to limit,
But to make space,
For me to listen,
And to create from,
My experience,
With Grace.

Mind Games

I was sad,
Because I knew that,
What I said,
Had made you upset,
But, even more than that,
I knew before my words,
Flew out,
And went ahead,
And said them still.
As I realized why,
You came around,
Also to apologize,
For reacting in anger,
And making me cry.
Some suffering lifted,
I'd placed on myself,
For being "bad."
What a mess,
Our minds make sometimes,
Thank you hearts,
For Steering us clear again,
Or we'd be left blind.

Life

We are in each other,

All along dearest.

They say that,

About Lovers.

It is true for all souls,

We have connections to,

And what ones don’t we?

We are in the universe,

Before conception,

And beyond.

I’ve held you prior,

As you’ve held me.

Thank you for your lessons,

Your blessings, your possibility.

When its a mystery,

The mind is useless,

To comprehend,

Growth through sacrifice,

Closing to open,

Pain for direction,

And patience to exchange,

Question marks for, 

Exclamation marks,

No matter the wait.

Something great intuits,

Further brewing through being,

Before we greet you,

Whole-heartedly giving.

Landscape Within

Sun-soaked air,

Heating all surfaces,

Melting me into place,

And into the stillness,

And caring of commeness.

All the breaths,

And all the sighs,

Of the every day,

Little bugs parading,

Food away,

And slight shifts,

Again and again,

Of clouds through the sky.

From Ships sailing,

To dispersal of birds.

To my crowd of thoughts,

Thirsting for answers,

On living here,

Traveling there,

Settling when? Where?

Finally resting blankly,

Feeling heartbeat under hand.

No other landscape,

Loves me more,

And I can take it anywhere.