Pura Vida- Bringing it Home

Each year I intentionally travel to a place where I immerse myself in the culture so I can practice a new way of life that supports me going forward. Last year it was Bali, Indonesia connecting with the energy of Shiva which helps me with my energy balancing in Reiki and in Om Shiva Murti this year I chose Costa Rica. For years I heard of how much people loved and adored this sacred place. I knew a bit about the biodiversity, no military stance, fortify education, the rainforest, wildlife, coffee, and the coasts. I was in for so much more!

Pure Life

Pura Vida- It translates to "Pure Life" and I experienced this in many ways; spoken as a greeting, as gratitude, a shared laughed when something didn't go according to the plan, sudden tropical rain came through, sharing the delicious Casado with friends and so on! It is truly a way of taking life in stride- a far cry from living in Los Angeles (and I LOVE LA) almost nothing is laid back here. The phrase was like a mantra when life flowed and when it pivoted. Saying it aloud felt like calming of my mind and spirit almost every time I would take a centering breath and allow.

How do you capture your time away on vacation, in another country or somewhere new? I was gifted this travel journal (I love to journal daily) where I could name the place, weather, and thoughts about what I experienced that day- just a short page. It compliments all the pictures I took to express that special day. One of the things that I kept noticing was how present I was on this journey. I never had my ear buds in or felt distracted. I was fully present trying out my Spanish in every moment, taking in the colors of flowers, birds, frogs and the sounds we like a symphony during the day and at night. We traveled San Jose where in the center plaza families of all generations gathered it stuck me as I tried to imagine that same place in the US- a community setting that invites laughing and relaxing with each other- a space that felt safe and easy going for all. We moved on to rain forest Sarapiqui where the humidity was high and the heat was felt- Pura Vida. The smell of lushness everywhere green trees, bushes, and flowers with all their unique scents was exhilarating and alive. I had endless curiosity and energy (might have been the coffee too) to take in all that nature had to offer. In reflection the mosquitos and such ate me alive and it didn't bother me like it does when I am home. So nice to be in that space where I can notice and not dwell on the agitational itch. Such freedom- Pura Vida.

We moved through the cloud forest and all its cool offerings as we continued on the journey to the volcano- Arenal!

This area had down pours of rain and clearing no one seemed to mind. We hiked and took in the views and felt the power of nature on the ground and the sound of silence as I took in the magnificent cloud dance around the volcano. It's been a long time since I spent conscious time looking at the clouds shifting and forming in the sky and it was affectionate awe to be able to just be with all the wonder.

My eyes welled up with gratitude, peace and love that I had the opportunity to be in this country to experience life just as it is. I began to think more about how can I carry all these direct experiences with me in my everyday life? How would I make a conscious effort to practice this connection and presence while I work, run errands, and take care of everyday things with the energy of Pura Vida? More outdoor time, pausing, looking up to see if there are clouds, saying Pura Vida when things are out of my control? One of the challenges that came to my mind was how can I embody this new way when no one else doing some aspect of it too? Does it require community to practice it? I am still working it out - Pura Vida. This is the journey of life that we can connect to in any and every moment. What's your take on this?

The Pura Vida Journey