Archive for the ‘Inspiration’ category

End of the Year at the End of the World

December 30th, 2009

We´re off to Ushuaia this afternoon.

There´s something compelling about being at the end of the world on New Years.

I´m not sure where or how my vision of Tierra del Fuego as a mystical land rooted. I don´t remember reading anything about it or talking to someone about this city whose name sounds like a primal chant.

Nevertheless, the place has fascinated me for years. I´m ready for the sweet mysteriousness to unveil itself in 18 hour days.

There´s almost something frightening about finally visiting that destination you´ve dreamed about. Will it disappoint?

Will that magnetic energy dissipate when you finally disembark plane side? Is the best destination the one you haven´t visited? The most romantic love the one that is unfulfilled?

My cynical side shrugs. My larger, lighter side thinks it´s a self-protective mechanism so we don´t have to be courageous enough to sink into the joy of the present experience.

Leaning into love with your collective ego, heart and body takes guts and feeling complete and happy while in love or in travel takes passion and mindfulness.

If Ushuaia falls short of magic, I hope to have the courage to cast my own spell and love it for its reality.

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Over the next few days, I´m going to reflect on my next word of the year. Instead of creating resolutions that I´ll resent, ignore, or hide from, I´ve decided to take Christine Kane ´s advice this year and create a word of the year.

As Christine says, resolutions focus on the “DO” level.

A word of the year focuses on the “BE” level.

Check out Christine Kane´s post for sample words of the year.

Perhaps shouting my intention for the year from the bottom of the world will help it reverberate throughout the universe. Like a earthquake begins in the lower levels of the earth or internal shifts start as whispers in the depths of the soul.

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What are your thoughts? Leave your word of the year below to shout it out from your corner of the world.

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Falling in Love Abroad

November 22nd, 2009

Today’s post is written by Stephanie at Twenty-Something Travel. Check out Stephanie’s blog about travel for young people-the why, where, and how. Her guest post for nancythegnomette offers her perspective on the ups and downs of falling in love abroad, an experience that shapes your travel experiences and life.

Big BenIf you are single and a frequent traveler, than falling in love on the road is something you’ve probably contemplated. Meeting someone abroad is exciting, exotic and intoxicatingly romantic. In short: pretty hard to resist. Those who work, study, or volunteer abroad for long periods of time are even more vulnerable to falling for either locals or fellow travelers. Finding love overseas can be a dizzying roller coast ride; it’s fun and thrilling with brutal highs and lows.

I’ve always had a thing for British accents, so when I moved to London after graduation on a BUNAC work visa, I was looking forward to playing the field with a bevy of charming English gentleman. Then, my first night out on the town, I met Andy and promptly began dating him exclusively. It wasn’t the plan, but he was charming, handsome and had gorgeous blue eyes, so I was ecstatic anyways. On our first date we walked the Thames at night and kissed as Big Ben struck twelve. With such a romantic foreign backdrop, how could I not fall for him?

It is frighteningly easy to fall in love abroad. When courtship takes place in an exotic location, everything seems more meaningful. Add the pressure of an inevitable departure and the intensity of your relationship just skyrockets. I have seen it happen over and over again to my friends; who wouldn’t want to be the tragic hero of their own personal romance novel?

Sometimes I would worry that things were too good to be true. How blinded was I by the accent, the romance and by London, which I had loved from first sight. When you live outside of the real world, it’s easy to become blinded to flaws or issues that might otherwise bother you. If we’d met back home, as two dull Washingtonians, would we still have been drawn to each other? Does it matter? These are things you can never really know.

Finally, there’s the brutal come down of returning home. The inevitable date that we both dreaded and tried our damndest to ignore. Career issues wouldn’t allow me to remain there, or him to move here. After 9 brilliant months of dating and traveling together, saying goodbye to Andy was one of the most heart-wrenching moments of my life. When you’ve been cruising so easily, the ending is like hitting a brick wall at 90 mph. It has been over a year now and just the sound of his voice is still enough to bring tears to my eyes.

There’s always long distance, that consolation prize of yearning and delayed desire. Never a great option in the best of circumstances, it is almost impossible with different cultures, time zones or even language barriers to contend with.

Chartwell FlowersThen again, sometimes it does work out. My friend Kim met a cute boy studying abroad in Vienna; four years later they live together with two cats in Atlanta. “You see each other’s true colors when you are traveling together for long periods of time. We finagled our way into a 4th of July celebration with some expats, choked out German phone reservations for a stay in a Salzburg nunnery and slept in an itchy burlap sack in a tent hostel. There were no expectations or pressure from friends since we were just exploring.  Plus there wasn’t a stamp of doom at the end of the summer because we both went to the same school and we wanted to see if we could make it work back in reality. I knew Brian and I could last because we were rock’n travel companions,” she says.

Andy and I still talk often. We’ve been back and forth to visit each other a few times, but nothing’s really been decided. In the end, I have no regrets. Falling in love, no matter where you are or who with, is an intense, stressful, emotional experience. Falling in love abroad merely intensifies all of those emotions with pretty scenery and a sell by date. Sometimes it ends joyously, more often sadly, but it’s always an unforgettable and important life experience. And those are what travel is all about.

text/photos: Stephanie Yoder

Interested in exchanging guest posts? E-mail me at nancy@nancythegnomette.com

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First-Timers Guide to Meditation Retreats

October 21st, 2009

Two weeks ago, Mr. Gnome and I went on a 4 day meditation and yoga retreat  up in the mountains of NC. My honey gave me the trip as our (first) anniversary present. We had no idea what to expect on our first meditation/yoga retreat when we left; here’s some of the knowledge we accumulated during our trip:

MeditationWhat to pack: Bring a journal, pen, loose clothes that are comfortable to move and sit in, an alarm clock for those early wake-up calls, a yoga mat, and meditation supplies. Most retreats will, likely, provide zafus  (pillows), zabutons   (mats), and meditation benches , but some people like to bring their own. You can also bring other yoga supplies  like straps, heavy blankets, and/or blocks. I, personally, liked experimenting with the different ways of sitting and tried almost every position I could with the assortment of supplies.

 What to leave at home: Leave your computer, cell phone, ipod and other media at home. Our retreat even dissuaded bringing books. A retreat like this is just about being with your self. Try leaving your to-dos at home too. (On the seven hour drive, Mr. G and I went through all of our to-dos, wrote those thoughts on slips of paper, and put them in a little grocery bag. We told ourselves we could pick those thoughts up again at the end of the 4-day weekend.)

What to expect: Every retreat is different, but the widely applicable piece of advice I have to give would be to go with the flow. For example, we didn’t know that the whole 4 days would be in complete silence. (Happy anniversary to me! :) ) However, the “noble silence” (as they called it) ended up being a profound teacher, once I got past the anger and discomfort I experienced the first two days.

The silence even included not looking people into their eyes, as this was considered “verbal” communication. Despite feeling very challenged with this new behavior, it ended up being a huge tool to examine the true nature of social graces and my use of them. The following questions arose: How much were my reactions governed by the need for validation? How much was with gratitude to connect with the other person?  How much was for an obscure feeling of societal pressure, but not really understanding why I communicated in different ways?

MonkeyThe most challenging part of the retreat, other than the silence, was all the sitting. We sat for about 6 meditation sittings a day at 30 minutes each. Both the body and the mind became stiff, bored, and sleepy at different points. My mind experienced “monkey mind” (as it’s called in meditation when the mind jumps to and from.) It became amusing to see just how far my mind could travel. It wanted to do everything from build my dream house to re-hash arguments from years ago to plan what I was going to do with the rest of my life. After many sittings just letting my mind “do its thing” I began to utilize some of the techniques the teachers had given us, like observing our thoughts with a non-judging mind and letting them pass, not ascribing truth or power to the thoughts. Finally by the third day I experienced I feeling of nothingness and openness in meditation, a first in my meditation practice.

How to get the most of your time: Embracing mindfulness is the #1 piece of advice I have to give. Try practicing mindfulness while you’re eating, walking, doing chores around the retreat center (I got assigned to collect kindling), or any other activity. This could be, simply, “I know I’m stepping with my right foot. I know I’m stepping with my left foot.” If approached with mindfulness, every activity can become a meditation. Once I stepped into this behavior, it became a luxurious contrast against my normal “helter skelter” lifestyle and mindset.

What to do once you’re home: Be kind to yourself and ease back into a world that moves at a faster pace than the retreat. It can be somewhat shocking to merge back into our 24/7, over-stimulated culture. Take a day off to relax, resume some meditation and yoga, and reflect upon your experiences.

 

text: Nancy Harder/photos: Federico Stevanin

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10 Ways to Immerse Yourself into a New Country

October 19th, 2009

I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to live in three other countries, besides the US. The experiences have enriched my life in a whole kitten caboodle of ways. Although immersion happened rather naturally, the process was aided by some attention to building community and making an effort to explore and learn. Here are some ten ways to do just that:

German lessons1. Learn the language. This one project will help all aspects of everyday life. Ideally, we all would know the language before moving to a new country. However…that doesn’t always happen and didn’t really happen in my case. Even though I had had some 101 courses in French and German, for instance, I wasn’t comfortable in the language by any stretch of the imagination. However, I was able to take language classes once I went to live in Switzerland and Austria. These classes also provided some built in social contacts.  

2. Research the country’s history. Not only will this enhance your experience, but the locals will appreciate your efforts to learn about their country.

3. Reach out and talk to people. It doesn’t matter where you are; the majority of people want to connect. Put yourself out there and ask thoughtful questions. At the very least, people will be very curious about you when you’re abroad and will be excited to ask you questions.

4. Explore the city/town and region. As you acclimate to the new country, try exploring some new neighborhood or nearby town. fave barSome of my favorite experiences in a new place have been renting a bike or taking a long hike around a nearby area of town. Roadtrips are also fun, especially with friends.

5. Pick some loyalties. Find some favorite restaurants, cafes, and/or bars; visit them frequently to meet the locals. (This is one of my favorite ways to feel part of the community.)

6. Join a group or class. Try joining a tango, yoga, or language class. See if you can join a neighborhood soccer team or find a language exchange opportunity (where someone wanting to learn English is willing to sit with you and exchange conversation so you can learn each other’s language.) If you’re into yoga or meditation, try joining Kungaroo  to see if there are other people in your area willing to practice yoga or meditation with you. :)

7. Volunteer. Volunteer your time in everything from esl to animal shelters. There are almost always opportunities to give back to the community.  

path8. Start an initiative! Start a project in the community. When I lived in the Netherlands, I started a non-denominational children’s choir. Even though my Dutch skills were limited, it didn’t matter. About 12 kids and I met every Friday to learn folk and pop songs in a variety of languages. We even performed at a world peace day festival. The experience enriched my time in NL immensely!

9. Respect the culture. Every culture is beautifully different. Make an effort to understand that culture’s traditions, customs and idiosyncrasies. Some people will be warmly welcoming but will take a while to fully accept you into their circle (and vice versa!), which brings me to… 

10. Be patient. Take your time and enjoy the journey of learning a new place.

 

Also, since it’s Music Monday, I thought I’d share a song I’m digging right now, Coeur de Pirate “Comme des enfants”. Double bonus? The video loosely ties in some themes from the post. :)

 

 text/photos: Nancy Harder

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The Sounds of Silence

October 5th, 2009

Calm

My head is reverberating with stillness after returning from a four day silent meditation/yoga retreat last night. The world feels fresh and my senses sensitive. I’m keeping the quiet around me, bundled like a flannel blanket.

The retreat, led by Susan Grant and Cindy Dollar , was held at the Southern Dharma Center.

During this, my first meditation retreat, I experienced the present in a profound way. I also deepened my yoga and meditation practice.

Being silent for four days was its own teacher. (This from the chick who has been known to type on the computer, talk on the cell, watch tv, and eat dinner all at the same time.)  Not only did the 25 participants or so observe “noble silence”, but eye contact was discouraged to limit visual communication. A slow pace was encouraged in everything from eating all the delicious vegan food to walking in the woods.

After getting uncomfortable and a little angry with the silence, it began to teach me. As did the 3 hours or so of meditation sitting each day.

Some of my favorite phrases the teachers gave us at the retreat?

*Every moment is an opportunity for mindfulness.

*Thoughts are not facts, even if they say they are.

*Ask for what you want, accept what you get.

*How you do anything is how you do everything.

May all of you experience ease, calm and moments of mindfulness today :)

text: Nancy Harder, photo: dan

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How To Travel If You Can’t Afford To, Pt. 1

September 22nd, 2009

Balloons

“I would love to travel; I just can’t afford to….”

How many times have you heard or said that?

I actually heard them spoken last night, which was inevitably followed by the woman asking me how I was able to travel so much.

The answer is simple: creativity.

I truly believe that travel is an artform. Approaching it with curiosity, passion, an open-mind, and intention to growing and serving will yield the most rewarding experiences.

Connecting with people from around the globe and seeing the world’s insanely beautiful scenery and sights have caused an abundance of gratitude in my life for teaching me so much about this existence.

And, as are all great things in life, connection and appreciation are free!

Globalization has fostered an ideal way to travel right now with social networks and websites dedicating to linking us vagabonds and world-curious souls.

And little by little, connection by connection, the world is being made a better place by reaching out a hand to fellow travelers and stopping to recognize the value of life and nature.

So, here are some of my favorite ways to travel, even if you think you can’t afford to:

Free(!) Lodgings:

1. Couchsurfing:

Couchsurfing is one of the best inventions in travel since the airplane. It allows people to create profiles for free, build a social network, and host or “surf” on couches around the world. Mr. Gnome and I have enjoyed hosting some really great people and staying with some hip cats abroad, too. To date there are 1,413,521 Couch Surfers on the site. It’s definitely more than free lodging. According to the CS motto, you’re participating “in creating a better world, one couch at a time.”

2. Servas International:

Servas is the first hospitality exchange ever created. Started in 1948, it has aimed to “foster peace, goodwill and mutual respect” and is, in fact, accredited by the United Nations. Servas also seems to cater to a wider age range than couchsurfing.

3. WWOOF: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms is a cool way to participate in cultural exchange and get to play in dirt. In exchange for free lodging, and sometimes food, volunteers get to help out on organic farms all over the world and learn about sustainable practices.

4. Home exchange:

Yes, this is the site featured in that romantic comedy, The Holiday . With over 29,000 listings of all different levels of lodging, this is a great site to consider if you want the comforts of home in a completely new locale. Mr. Gnome and I have gotten some pretty sweet offers from around the globe, even for our modest pad.

In my next post I’ll offer some more creative ideas for maximizing cost-effectiveness and spiritual gratification when traveling.

text: Nancy Harder/photo: dan

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Want a Five Minute Happiness Break?

September 19th, 2009
Check out this sweet video from Playing for Change.  Revel in the cool, world harmony vibes.
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25 Ways to Restore the Spirit

September 13th, 2009

 

photo_2542_20081211

Purposely slowing down is not a concept particularly encouraged or accepted by our Western culture. However, to be truly productive and insure we’re on our best path, we must allow the spirit, body, and mind to rest.

And if we’re traveling consistently, the need to turn inward and recuperate from delays, lost luggage, and sensory overload is absolutely imperative. Not only to stay healthy and productive, but to make sure we stay grateful and full of wonder on our next adventures.

So here are 25 ways to restore and release:

  1. Do nothing. Be gentle and kind to yourself. Listen to what you truly feel like doing, even if that’s absolutely nothing at all.
  2. Make a list of 25 things that make you happy in the world. (For example, hammocks, daffodils, etc…)
  3. Walk in a park, or if you’re lucky, a beach or mountain hiking trail.
  4. Set an intention that day for whatever you need most, whether healing, restoration, peace, acceptance of love, etc.
  5. Read anything by Martha Beck.
  6. Paint something. Anything.
  7. Pick a favorite CD and listen through headphones. Do nothing else but absorb the sound-scape.
  8. Meditate for 15 minutes. Start with a simple mantra like “I know I’m breathing in, I know I’m breathing out.”
  9. Take a break from e-mail and television.
  10. Take a yoga class. Or try a new class if you have an established practice.
  11. Go on a creativity retreat.
  12. Go on a meditation and/or yoga retreat
  13. Stay in bed all day reading Marlene de Blasi.
  14. Admire the colors of nature, especially after a rain. 
  15. Take a vacation from the ticker-tape parade of thoughts, anxieties, and to-dos. Write them on slips of paper, throw them in a seal-able jar, and don’t open that jar up for an hour, a day or a weekend.
  16. Go to a baseball game with a close friend and catch up on conversation.
  17. Play an instrument. Play more what you feel, less what you know.
  18. Take pictures of things you like.
  19. Volunteer at a local humane society (or shelter, soup kitchen, boys and girls club, etc). Compassion = Joy.
  20. Drive/bike somewhere. Anywhere. Get lost. (Paul and Linda McCartney used to do this on the weekends, inspiring the song Two of Us.)
  21. Write/speak out loud your 15 happiest memories. Now you’re funniest memories.
  22. Watch a great movie like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
  23. Feed yourself nourishing meals, that kind that makes your body give an inward smile.
  24. Play with and walk your pet. Receive their unconditional love.
  25. Tell a dear friend/partner/family member why you’re so grateful to have them in your life. Gratitude = Joy.

 

text: Nancy Harder/photo: Federico Stevanin

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