The Intangible Magic of Guides

A Year of Grounding

2019 was for me a year of grounding, really landing in the life I had, exactly as it was and planting deep roots around the things that mattered to me. With my children we navigated the trepidation of waiting for college acceptances, saying yes to the selected schools and then the move and transition of the new chapters for all of us. As the year-end rolled around, it was clear both of my adult children are happy with their college choices and their paths look more clear for the next few years.

Perhaps you completed a big chapter last year? Or maybe there is a big chapter in your 2020 for you?

2020 A Year to Explore

Usually, by year-end, I am feeling the new “theme” for the next year. This year, I felt, with my new found freedom of an empty nest, this invitation to EXPLORE. It’s not as if I have not explored in the past. I have; new places, ideas and skills. I have always been curious. As I thought about it, I realized in the past my explorations have begun with a desire, the slightest crack in the shell of an “I could NEVER do that belief.” I had to sense the crack and then I had to find the right guide.

As we say in our programs we have to do the “work” on our own but the odds of making progress, for me, have increased exponentially when I have sought out the support of community and a guide.

36 and Counting

As I made the list of my guides I was surprised. All the things that I have accomplished, learned and brought to some kind of action have had important people, my yodas, that have helped me find my way. In the past year, two coaches have moved me from thinking my running days were over to celebrate my one-year anniversary of CrossFIT and a new relationship with food as I moved from being a master of blackened toast to mindful cooking. Both of these were beyond what I could have imagined.

My guide list became an interesting personal version of the Twelve Days of Christmas; twelve yoga instructors, eight breathwork teachers, six business coaches, five Positive Psychology teachers, four teachers of ancient wisdom, three CrossFIT coaches, two nutrition coaches and one running coach. And these are just the guides from my adult life.

When I thought of each of these people who have been my guides the one common denominator that all had, besides me, was a belief—a belief in me.

Our Very First Guides

I remember as a child when I would have a crazy idea about something. I had no fear of declaring it. “I’m going to be an architect, I’m going to be the first chair clarinet player, I’m going to travel the world.” Then I would pause and notice my parent’s reactions as a way to test the waters. For most ideas, they would just nod and say okay.

For some ideas, they had hard no’s. Looking back, that was a good thing. For most of my ambitions, they just nodded and said okay. They were not going to do the work to make those things happen, however like my adult guides, they believed in me.

If you have children or mentor others at work you know how powerful it is to have this kind of support. As we get older and move up the ladder of life it can be easy to believe that we now must always play the role of parent, advisor, mentor or expert in your own field. Yet, then we lose some of the excitement of life, that of being the vibrant and excited student, the joy of seeing that with the right guide and a desire, new possibilities can crack open.

Who Are Your Guides?

I had a friend who did CrossFit and who talked about it a lot. He talked about the workouts of the day, the camaraderie and the competitions. I wanted to be able to do CrossFit. It felt impossible for me. After a few years of a big life transition, I had held on to my basic fitness, going to the gym and practicing yoga regularly.

I wanted more. I wanted to be strong, REALLY strong. I needed an expert guide.

Expert Guides

Expert guides are experts but there is more. They have been where you are, or close to it. They have made their way, step-by-step and they know that you can too. They start where you are and dissect the step-by-step doable daily actions that will add up to getting you toward your goal. They are really good at knowing when you need a big “you’ve got this” and they’re there when you stumble to pick you up, dust you off and point you toward the next step.

Let Us Be Your Guides

Sometimes our Prasada team has only a short time with participants, maybe a short Yoga or StressFIX. But don’t be fooled by time. A mindset shift, which can happen in an instant when you see something through the lens of a different possibility.

We love working with participants in our Wholebeing Programs and we also know that sometimes the context of place and getting out of your ordinary environment can make a big difference.

When you have an intention and desire for a shift, and you add expert guides plus the supportive context of nature and beauty, that’s when the magic compounds.

Our Wholebeing Journey to Costa Rica

On our last trip to Costa Rica, Meg Townsend and I were the Guides at Blue Osa to offer yoga and breathwork as wholebeing practices. This time around we’ve added two more guides, Marco Dapkey. my amazing CrossFit Coach so you can discover the surprises of functional movement and Jack Curley, a mindfulness expert in addition to Our Wholebeing Classroom.

Why?

Because the key to wholebeing is the integration of movement, rest, nourishment through healthy food and mindset. It’s not about mastering each one separately but seeing how they all integrate to support the others. In the one week we’ll have together you’ll get to experience what that would be like. Within the context of that place, something happens.

You can feel great, get stronger, nourish yourself, become a better problem solver and find more joy.

Let us be your guides.