LOVE finds me.

My story is ruined. You see, I was supposed to meet the man of my
dreams on some romantic beach in Galapagos, ensuring a neat and happy
ending to my book like any good romance novel.

But all that changed this week.

Dave found me on OK Cupid. He wrote to me whilst I was in Asia. I remember feeling a twinge of excitement when I checked out his profile... reiki practitioner, did massage, was a well-known speaker and writer in his field, was well-traveled and did not suffer fools. Sounded like my kind of guy,even though he had a beard and mustache and I can't stand hairy faces!

He was the first date I arranged after arriving home in the USA.

Dave writes: After a particularly bad breakup and the resulting months of healing, a friend suggested that it might be time to date. A different friend, much more adept and immersed in the dating "scene" suggested a particular Internet site that would be a good place for more "alternative" type people without simply being an anonymous sex cesspool. I jumped in, wrote words, answered questions, posted pituress and started searching. A short list was created and boldly off to the dating stars I went to go where no man had gone before.

One of the Profiles that made me stop and read was that of a petite blonde English ex-pat who described her work and life mission as a yoga teacher, tantra teacher, world traveler, author and mentor. I would read her words, look at her picture and imagine this diminutive stature, large personality woman living in a world where she would fall for a bear of a man of whom personality was always the thing women have loved and body, well, not so much. Nonetheless, a short, eloquent note was sent off to beg the important question.

As it turns out, Yoga Goddess received my note while on an extended teaching trip through Asia. Yet she wrote with an interest and an intention to meet upon her return. A success. Better yet, she wrote a couple more times with trip updates. Even better, when she shared her website address, I discovered that I had actually seen her before when searching Google for yoga teachers in my area and somehow felt I knew her.

It was in that moment that a rush of understanding came to me. As a Body and Energy Worker I know this feeling. But it is often affirmed or corrected when I touch someone. Can't touch her in Asia, so I was content with a warm fuzzy feeling. And as far as I was concerned her return couldn't come quickly enough. Every "coffee date", good or bad, always left me wondering about the free spirited one.


“Hi Julia, I'm Dave. Great to meet you. Can I get you a coffee?”
We were in my local Starbucks. I saw a giant of a man standing before me, well dressed, imposing but 6 ft 5 huge and broad to match. He had to be at least 400lbs.
“Thanks – I'll have a tall latte and one of those yummy caramel bites – I am totally addicted to them!”
I was nervous and babbled, feeling a bit awkward and self-conscious as I felt Dave's big blue eyes scanning me for the first time.

We found a couple of comfy seats and started chatting; small talk about my Asia trip, what he does for a living and the usual stuff we do whilst our minds evaluate the person we are meeting and our
energies meet and sense the other.
“He doesn't look like his picture,” I was thinking. “He's way bigger, has less hair and looks older.”
But I LOVED talking to this man! I instinctively felt safe with him, and after feeling ungainly and clumsy from being around delicate, elegant Asian women, in Dave's presence I felt petite and feminine, a good feeling for me.

Dave said he was an agronomist, an expert on grass and turf, so he works on golf courses. Jack Nicholson employed him for years to help build golf courses all over the world. He'd traveled as much as I have. Yet as a true Rennaissance man, Dave also played bass in a band, loved to cook, dance and go to hot springs; and dive.

“I love to touch and learned massage at Esalen a few years ago. If you'd like me to come over and work the jet lag out of you I'd be happy to offer.”
Well, really, a very nice man wants to practice his massage on me. And he learned that smooth, flowing Esalen-style technique that is so relaxing to receive. What girl in her right mind would say no to that?
Besides I really LIKED this man, even though I did not feel attracted to him in a physical way. I was happy to get to know him better as a friend. Of course, I did not say that right away. That would be
off-putting. So we made a massage date for the following week and said our goodbye.

Dave writes: Upon the return of Lady Julia, she took a few days to purge jet lag and we agreed on a time and a place to hold the ritual ceremony of The Coffee Date. It's not a hard activity if you like job interviews, root canals and other invented activities that are designed as emotional spanking machines.

Of course, I'm a wreck all day with nerves yanking my system like several hundred bee stings. And at the same time, I have a feeling of peace like I'm meeting an old friend. But in the weeks waiting for her return, I'd had a few of these first dates and a couple of second dates and for the most part dating was starting to look and feel like an activity along the lines of stacking deck chairs on The Titanic.

Miss Julia entered the Starbucks, late, but not too. She had told me she'd be the girl in jeans and a pink jacket. There were jeans, no pink jacket; a sign she was just checking the box and meeting the Large American to get it over with?

The most important thing to me, immediately, was that her vibey, intelligent speech was real and profound and I found myself falling into her British accent as if I had just tried to walk across a swift moving stream. Plunging into the exhilarating cold, realizing I had to swim in the current of the conversation with all I had, exhilarated, yet somehow forgetting I never intended to swim.

Time passed quickly. And I simply had to ask her if I could see her again. She related that there were some busy moments, there were some openings. I figured I could take that. But my overarching sense was that she really didn't see me. Coffee dates. Had me thinking that what I should do is just take my dog and head for the hills somewhere. Reminds me of a scene in Robert Redford's classic movie, Jeremiah Johnson, wherein Redford's character asks the old mountain man, Grizz, if he ever got lonely for a woman.... a full time night woman. The answer was something to the effect of him having traded in his squaw for a gun and some tobacco Wisdom? Perhaps.

Here's what I knew: a Goddess stepped into my life and I recognized it. As a man, regardless of my height, weight, education, cultural construct or anything else that makes me the special creation I am, I owe it to myself to embrace that recognition enough to show this person who I am. Once she sees and I know her vision is clear and then and only then if she doesn't feel chemistry... the credits roll, a sad song begins to play and this cowboy rides away.

That's not how it happened.

Learning...

OK OK I know - I've been bad. It's been WAY too long since I posted a blog and you are all probably lying awake at night wondering what the hell has happened to me and my book project.

Well - quite a lot actually. I am about 2/3 through writing my first draft and will post some more excerpts here soon.
And a lot has come up for me as a result of the writing.

2 big things....one is that I need to be in a womens" group and the second is that I need to be learning.

My teacher Hal once said that we are happiest when our learning curve is highest. We feel most alive, alert and full. I know this to be true for me, as leading a routine life makes me feel dull and bored.

So I've been kicking myself in my own pants lately and have been embarking on a quest for new stimulation. I've signed up for salsa dancing classes and Spanish lessons in preparation for going to Ecuador and have resolved to hike at least one new trail in my area each week.

Today I took myself off to Folsom Lake area and did a 4 mile hike through the woods on a trail I never new existed before now. The birds were so active, woodpeckers pecking away and geese squalking by the shoreline. It was sunny and pleasant and I even saw some boats out on the lake.

WHY don't I do this more often??!! It was beautiful and I felt SO good afterwards.

My other resolution is to learn about a new restaurant or coffee shop each week. Last night I went to Piattis, an upscale Italian joint, for delicious turnip soup and homemade pasta with crab and leeks. Oh and creme brulee for dessert. Now you know why I needed to hike 4 miles today!

I half have it in my head to learn to cook something new each week too, but that might be too much of a stretch for me, unfamiliar as I am with the culinary arts.

SO womens group. I just wrote in my book a piece about how wonderful it was to have our old group together last summer. I realize I need this on a more regular basis, to immerse and drink in that lovely feminine energy. Also to create a support group for women who are going through change (and who isn't?).

In our thirties we were all getting divorced. In our fifties, we are all facing menopause and aging issues; parents are dying; husbands are retiring. we could all use support.

So our first meeting will be here Thursday Dec 29th. You are welcome to join us... if you don't have a penis!

Perspectives....

Each year I stop in Hong Kong on the way back from my yoga vacation tours. I stay on Lamma island with my friend Johnny, a world away from the hustle and bustle of Kowloon and Hong Kong island. It's just a 30 minute ferry ride to get here, but feels like you are moving 30 years back in time. There are no roads here on Lamma, just wide paths, big enough for motorcycles and pushbikes, but really meant for walkers.

The view on arrival is of green-covered hills and a port area lined with brightly-lit Chinese sea-food restaurants, each with large tanks of water crawling with live lobsters, crab, squid and fish,. The Chinese like their food fresh. Tables are round and set family-style, with a turn-table in the middle for dishes that are meant to be shared.

The raucous sound of chattering Cantonese-speaking locals fills my ears as I walk past the restaurants. I have another dining destination in mind - the English pub!

The wonderful thing about Hong Kong is that because of the many of ex-pat Brits and lingering British influence, there are also a number of wonderful British pubs where I can indulge my longing for good British cuisine - and drink!

I head to "The Waterfront" and promptly order myself a pint of cider and a roast lamb dinner. Aahhhh! Heaven! They even have mint sauce to go with the lamb! ( It's a British thing...). It's excellent fuel for the walk up to Johnny's house.

Now Johnny's house is not so far away, only 10 minutes from the port, but it requires climbing a very steep hill - a 1 in 5. And today I have a suitcase and bag to lug behind me. When dinner is over, I walk past the tourist shops selling Indonesian batiks and scarves from China, past the tea and cake shop, resisting the temptation to stop by and eat yet more, turn right at the bank and walk through the farm area up the hill to Tai Peng village.

Johnny lives opposite the public toilets in Tai Peng village. And I mention them because they are actually about the nicest public toilets I have ever seen. Offering a choice of oriental squatter loo or western-style sit-down toilet, they are spotlessly clean and with a convenient roll of toilet paper affixed to the wall as you walk in. Although I can avail myself of Johnny's very excellent house facilities while I am here, I am nonetheless impressed with Chinese cleanliness and efficiency.

But I digress....

I came here to teach a tantra workshop at a local healing center. I offfer one every year and at the end, there is a line of young women wanting to book me for private sessions. What they really want is simply someone older to talk to, someone with some life experience who can make sense of what they are going through, who can offer some candid advice about sexuality, relationships, spiritual development; in short, someone with perspective.

And I have noticed that I must now have that, as it is easy for me to guide them, advise them, give them tools and exercises to develop them and it all seems to work quite nicely.

In my 30s, I recall how relationships were the be all and end all of my existence. There is, of course, a biological reason for that. We are programmed to repopulate our species, so as a woman, there is a sense of urgency to find a mate and conceive as soon as possible. If that doesn't happen, we get anxious. I remember thinking that if I did not find a man by 40 I would be washed up, on the shelf, over the hill with sell-by date well expired.

When you are in that space, it's hard to hear that there is plenty of time for men... that the right one will show up bang on time and in the meantime, we work on ourselves, we find joy in all aspects of our lives and allow well-being to settle in.

No.

In our 30s, we women panic. We often settle for someone not quite suited to us. Maybe we have babies with them, maybe we grow a business with them, as I did, and then, as the misery of incompatibility sets in, we reach out for a mentor, an older woman who can guide us through the minefield of this potentially tricky time of our lives.

I wish I had had a wise auntie or female teacher when I was going through the traumas of my 30s. Of course, I did find Hal. But he was not a woman. He could not share the perspective that an older woman has. How I would have loved to have had a cup of tea and a cozy chat with some open-minded, experienced auntie who had lived her life fully and could offer me the wealth of her life's rich tapestry. Where were my tribal elders when I needed them?

And now it occurs to me that I am it. I am the go-to older woman for these younger ones. I have not really wanted to think of myself in this way, but here in Hong Kong at least, it is undeniable that that is a role I can play and play well.

The young girls come to me and talk to me about their marital problems, their sex lives or lack of it, their men. Or lack of them. I use my skills as a hypnoptherapist to clear blocks that are hampering them and my yogic training to offer tools that will keep them clear and expanded. They leave feeling supported, loved and hopeful. And maybe most important, they leave their shame behind. They dump it in the garbage can as they walk out the door.

I find that shame is the biggest obstacle to their well-being, especially in the Chinese and Indian cultures, but we western girls have our fair share too.

Shame of the failed marriage, shame around their bodies, shame around sex, shame around not living up to parents' expectations. The list goes on. And my job is to reduce their "shoulds to goods."

They think, "things should look different." I say, no, it's OK just as it is and that is good.

I watch the tension in their knotted foreheads soften and release as they wrap their heads around this new concept of OKness. This does not mean they are not going to need to make changes and act appropriately. No. But when we get it that everything has a purpose, we can accept our situation in the moment, let of of our resistances and make our next move with clarity.

Hal used to say that we are all perfectly poised to learn our lessons, there are no mistakes and there is no such thing as a coincidence. There is the hand of the Divine in all of our lives, guiding us, leading us often into challenging situations in order that we may learn what we do not want, as this is the dimension of contrasts. It's actually useful to experience what we don't want, as then we see more clearly what we do want. It's just that its hard to see that perspective when we are in the thick of our life dramas.

Maybe that's why I like being 50. I feel like my dramas have eased off. Everything is smoother, calmer, more peaceful. It's a time for enjoying, savoring life, rather than stressing and building.

I am going to relax into that today, watching the butterflies dance here on Lamma island.

Full moon prayer time in Bali

It's full moon in Bali...
It's 5.40pm and 6 of us from our group squeeze into the minivan for the 15 minute journey along the coast to the temple. Our hotel staff told us to go at sunset to see the ceremonies at Pulak Sari Temple on this October full moon, the most sacred on the Balinese calendar.

There is full pandemonium as we arrive.
Normally serene and quiet, this temple by the sea has been descended upon by a seething mass of people, all anxious to bear there offerings of fruit, cookies and rice and receive the blessings from
the temple priests.

We walk with many locals up the ancient stone steps and enter the temple grounds, taking sunset pictures over
the ocean through the beautiful stone carved walls. We are the only
foreigners, yet the locals don't seem to mind and gawk at us as much
as we admire them, their beauty, their elegant costumes of lace tops
and sarongs for the women and special temple day hats and sarongs and
smart shirts for the men. All look cool and comfortable while we
sweat in the humidity.

Inside the grounds there is an inner
area where 100s of Balinese are sitting, awaiting their turn for a
blessing. We look on from the outside, wondering if it's OK to take
pictures. As I am watching, a lovely lady walks up to me and in
perfect English asks if we would like to join her and her family for
prayers!

Would we ever!
With much gratitude, we follow her and
her drop-dead gorgeous 20 year-old daughter, Didi, into the inner
temple area. They graciously give us flowers to pray with and invite
us to sit with them. It turned out they had driven 60kms to be here,
as this special ceremony only happens once a year.
Everyone is chattering and excited.
Very different from our church atmosphere. Suddenly the gamelan
orchestra starts playing loudly and a priest chants over the loud
speaker.
“Om, shanti, shanti...”
We follow suit as the family bow their
heads and place their hands together. Time to pray.

I am just starting my gratitudes to God
for this wonderful journey and auspicious moment when it's all over!
Maybe I am long-winded, but it seemed awfully quick to me, maybe 2
minutes or so!
After that, the priest, all dressed in
white for purity, comes to each person in turn and sprinkles holy
water on them with some kind of stick that he dipped into a bowl of
holy water. First the water is sprinkled on the head, then 3 times
onto the open hands, to be licked, then once more on the head.
Finally some white rice is applied to the 3rd eye point
and the blessing is complete.
The whole process took about 25
minutes.

The gamelan orchestra starts up again
with much enthusiasm as people file out of the inner sanctuary,
depositing their offerings on the altar as they leave.
By now it has turned dark and lights
are on. We have hardly noticed, so transfixed are we by the devotion
of the people and by this ancient ritual of prayer and coming
together of community that meshes the very fabric of Balinese life.

Slowly, silently, we too file out,
passing hundreds more walking up the stone steps as we descend.
We return to the hotel inspired, opened
and hugely grateful for this magnificent experience.

In Elizabeth Gilbert's footsteps..

I LOVE BALI! Am enjoying my 12th visit here to this most sacred of isles where the heart energy of the planet is still strong. The south area has been very developed and continues to get more congested and busy with each passing year. Yet I am writing this sitting on my porch overlooking the rainforest, complete with monkeys galore, wafts of exquisite flower bouquets drifting into my nostrils, sounds of the cicadas and birds trilling...a feast for the senses.

Yesterday was my friend Deborah's 60th birthday and as part of her gift, I took her to see Wayan, the healer that Elizabeth Gilbert saw in "Eat, Pray, Love," We got lucky and got right in to see her. Deborah chose a body scan and future reading.

Wayan is a lovely smiling lady around 45 with a strong presence and limited English. She reminds me a lot of Atarangi, my Maori healer friend. Sure of herself, motherly and kind. Oh and a straight shooter - she did not mince her words - she told it like she saw it to Deborah!

The healing started with prayers - asking permission of the Gods to heal the body. Then she asked Deborah to stand up and started to scan her, touching hands, looking at nails, feeling her belly. As she saw an imbalance, she spoke it.

"Too much sugar. Too acid. Not enough calcium. Need more vitamin E. You lazy with taking care of body."

Then she looked at her palm and started to read what the lines revealed.

"You have 2 big heartbreak in your life. You live long time. You have one man love you but you don't return it."

I took notes while Deborah absorbed.

Then she was told to go and put on a sarong and head for the bathroom where a Balinese man rubbed her down vigorously with leaves; a skin scrub to detoxify the body and wake up the energy.

Fianlly Wayan massaged her, not gently like the spa therapists, but in a directed firm way that was more reminiscent of our maori healer friends. She poked a stick under her arm to stimulate the lymph and rubbed a bottle of hot oil down her belly so hard Deborah yelled!

After 40 minutes or so she emerged, a new woman! Wayan told her to take herbs to complete her treatment but the Aussie woman there said they had made her sick for 2 days as she de-toxed and tomorrow we have a 4 hour drive to the north coast. So she passed on that.

Instead we found the health food restaurant across the street and ate a tasty, organic lunch. The juices here are amazing too....

Ubud where we are today still has elements of paradise on earth. I would wish for you all to see Bali ....put it on your bucket list!

the joys of travel....

I am sloshed. I admit it... I know it's not becoming of a yogic type but it is the truth and at the very least with this blog I am vowed to self-revelation and honesty, even if it may show me in a less than favorable light.

But there is something you need to understand.
It is a strategy... in order to sleep.

I find myself in the BUSINESS CLASS lounge at San Francisco Airport about to fly to Bali for 7 weeks.. well, to 5 countries in Asia total, 17 flights all told; and facing a 15 hour flight across the Pacific for the umpteenth time, I decided to use some extra miles and splash out for a BUSINESS class flight going west. Coming home is always a breeze so I am flying economy, but west is a bitch. Takes 2 hours more and if I don't sleep, I feel TERRIBLE on arrival in Bali. So the plan is to drink pretty much a LOT of quite decent free booze both now and on the plane (IN BUSINESS CLASS) and then crash out in a drunken stupor.

There is a rumor that BUSINESS class seats actually recline to flat. OMG!! I may actually SLEEP! And I need it.
After all the excitement of the Grand Island party and my birthday etc and readying my house for the people who will sub-lease while I am gone, I am pretty much exhausted and in need of much shut-eye. ( I had to do a lot of cleaning!).

I can hardly believe it, but in this moment, all planning is done, flights are booked, and all I have to so is show up and do my trips. 3 back-to-back. This is the first time I have done 3 in a row and I figure I am doing it because I can and because I LOVE doing this... traveling with dear friends, showing them this beautiful planet of ours.

So before the fun begins I am letting my hair down and getting a little DRUNK and eating lots of naughty snacky things in the BUSINESS CLASS lounge.

See you in Hong kong....

50 the new 30? I don't think so!!

Some people like to band it around that 50 is the new 30.

They are sorely mistaken.

When I was 30, I could sleep pretty much anywhere at the drop of a hat, no matter what cocophany of sound was present, no matter how many people may be sprawled around the room. Nowadays I need complete quiet - no snorers within earshot - my nice therma-therapeutic pillow to support my neck and a cozy bed. No more sleeping on hard wooden decks for these bones.

This is up for me as sleep has become more and more of an issue as I have reached these pesky menopausal years. 3 days with less than 5 hours good rest and I feel like a walking zombie; ungrounded, easily irritated, foggy, easily sad.

This week, with a lot on my mind as I prepare for not only a 7 week excursion to Asia but also my birthday parties, I have resorted to the miracle of modern science - sleep aids!

aaaahhhh...

Let me tell you, the world looks SO different after 8 hours sleep!

So today I am optimistic, energetic and ready for anything again!

Short blog today - I am heading to the Delta - enjoy this gorgeous summer weather while it lasts!

Who dressed me??

I don't know who dressed me yesterday but they got it wrong - seriously wrong. I was in the post office at the counter buying stamps when a lady came up to me and said,

"Can I zip you up?"

"What?" I asked, feeling a little taken aback.

"Your dress is undone!"

It was true. The zipper had come down exposing my back for all to see, almost down to my knickers. Taking a deep breath and ignoring the stares and sniggers, I nodded and she calmly rendered me decent. How had I not noticed that I was half naked?

I know, I know - the jokes and comments will fly here... we all know Julia loves to run around naked.. but not in the post office! Her own home or Harbin maybe.....well, quite certainly.

All this led me to wonder if I have started to lose it. Or was I just so stuck in my head with a million thoughts swirling around yesterday that I did not notice my wardrobe malfunction!

Am curious if any others of you over 40 have had similar tales of forgetfulness. I do sometimes walk into a room and wonder what the hell I'm doing there. But I think I've always done that! I also notice that stress makes my mind foggier where I am more apt to be forgetful, whereas when I am relaxed and the mind is calm, I generally have much more clarity in my daily undertakings.

Am not ready for complete blotting out yet... but will have to check my attire before heading out into the outside world more carefully in future!

aging crisis

Perplexing things are happening. I woke up yesterday morning with a brand new blemish under my eye. It looks like a pimple but is not a pimple. However it is equally red and obtrusive. As it happened, I trotted off today today for my annual pap smear - you know - the one where the nice lady doctor greases up her speculum and shoves it up your vajayjay with no small degree of force, eliciting a soft yelp from yours truly who is thinking of England and trying to be brave.

Actually its the only foreign object that has been up there recently so I tried to enjoy it.... until the nice lady doctor greased her finger well and good and shoved it up my arse. What was she looking for? ETs?

With a smug grin on her face she said,"All done now. We'll let you know in 2 weeks if anything is wrong."

"Thanks," I said. "But can you tell me what this strange red mark is that has appeared on my face?"

"Oh yes - that is a spider angioma. You get that from over-exposure to the sun. I'm afraid you'll just have to live with it - or try and get a dermatologist to laser it off."

Oh great. Now I have to spend hundreds of dollars to get fried at some swanky dermatologist's office to try and restore my otherwise flawless (ha ha!) complexion!

And that is the thing.... Aging costs money! The face and neck creams, the bio-identical hormones, the dermatologists... it gets expensive!

On the brighter front, they weighed me at the doctor's office and I came in at 133 lbs... that's 9 stone 7 lbs if you are English. And yes. There are English people reading this blog, so there.

That is exactly the same weight as when I was 18. But here's the funny thing - I don't look like when I was 18 any more. My thighs have weird hanging bits that sag and swing. My belly protrudes for much of the day and looks plain fat from my perspective. So how come I weigh the same but look so different? I guess it's all just redistributed itself.

I am, however, a full inch taller than when I was 18. I pit it down to great chiropractors and lots of yoga to lengthen the spine.

I'm actually preparing right now for my biggest ever yoga retreat up at Harbin hot springs. - we have 20 people coming... and was digging through my old photo albums looking for my Bali album to bring..I found a 10 year old Costa Rica album - now that was depressing... I looked great then! Why did I think I didn't?

I am consoling myself with the thought that when I am 63 I will look back on this time, 10 years ago, and think ' Oh - I looked great at 53 - why did I not know that then?"

And that's the moral of my musings - it's all relative folks.....

Ok.. off to prepare for Harbin...

Bhakti Fest

I just returned from BhaktiFest in Joshua Tree near Palm Springs- a yogic shindig of 4 days of chanting, yoga classes, lectures and vendors. I was a bit doubtful about the wisdom of heading to the desert in summer and indeed it was hot... but the thunderstorm that dropped an inch of rain right before Krishna Das performed outside was the big shocker.. guess who had left their fly off their tent!

As the downpour unleashed its full fury, stage hands frantically tried to get instruments and electrical items off that stage that with its high pylons, was a definite attractor for lightening.... They made it... and we all piled into a smaller building and waited for them to set up again. By that time it was 11pm and I was ready for bed! So after one song from Krishna Das, I wearily slunk back to my somewhat wet tent and tried to find some dry blankets and get some sleep.

Not everyone else. The age demographic was mostly 20-35 and they all stayed up all night long, chanting, dancing and generally having a fine old time.

But that was not the what made me feel the most old. I swear some Hindu Deity picked the slimmest, trimmest, most gorgeous babes it could find up and down the west coast and plunked them all in the desert for this festival! Now under normal circumstances, I often feel relatively small compared to others wandering around the K street Mall. But here I felt clumsy, fat and old. And to make it worse, the yoga practices I attended consisted of what seemed like an infinite amount of cookie-cutter sun salutations that soon had me worn out in the heat and resting in child's pose whilst all around me continued to jump around. Very humbling. Not the practice for older joints for sure....

On a brighter front, I am now the proud owner of some very trendy new yoga pants - the kind that have a slit up the side and a skirt that covers a multitude of sins. At least I can look the part!

Seriously folks, there were some wonderful teachers there and I enjoyed the event immensely and may even speak there myself next year. But what was on offer was clearly aimed at the younger generation and myself and my traveling companion felt that gap in what appealed.

OK off to teach a class - in my hot new pants - more soon.....

preparations....

There are some secret blog readers out there... you know who you are. You don't comment necessarily on this page, but when I run into you in town you mention the blog and your opinions. Great! I am happy to have you all reading this and keeping up with plans for the book and the trip.

So here is what' s happening.

My friend, Janice, who is coming with me to Galapagos was visiting last week and we had a planning session. We are going to trust that the universe will provide us with exactly the right boat if we wait to book till nearer the time so we can get the best deal possible. We may even wait until we actually arrive on the islands...

And as we are in Ecuador and there is lots more to see than just Galapagos, we have been looking at where else to go. There is the option of a trip to the Amazon National Park to visit the indigenous tribes and see wildlife. I was feeling very excited about that... until I started to check out some blogs from people who had actually been there!

Here is the problem. I am TERRIFIED of spiders and on this particular blog, up close and personal, were pictures of the biggest, most terrifying critters you have ever seen in your life!!! Oh and some of them are poisonous...and nothing to protect you from them except some flimsy mosquito net with a few holes in it here and there. Hhmmmm.

Maybe if I was younger I would jump at this chance to go to the Amazon...but I have to say that at my ripe old age I am having second thoughts! No air conditioning in the swamp, hiking in extreme humidity, dodgy food....well the jury is still out on whether we will go or not.. we will decide again when we get to Ecuador if this is a suitable option!

If YOU have been down there and braved the Amazon jungle, I would love to hear from you!

Some good news.. my Mother was just visiting and bought me an early birthday present of a fabulous new roller bag/backpack! Now this was an invention we didn't have 20 years ago....

I can roll it or carry it! How cool is that! Even comes with a detachable daypack.

Think I'll take it to Asia with me next month and give it a test run...

Ok more book next time...

Next chapter of the book

If you are new to this blog, go back to some earlier blogs and read the entries that contained the first chapter.. it will make more sense!

Chapter 2 Sea of Cortez

The next day, Bob and I walked down the long, deserted beach to find a breakfast spot. We ended up at a brand new posh Eco-lodge which served to-die-for coffee and killer omelettes. The sky was a never-ending Baja blue and the sun felt comfortably warm on my skin. One of the practices I had learned as a tantra teacher was to become aware of the senses as I go through my day, and here my senses were on high alert; taste buds rejoicing, the smell of the coffee, feel of the sunlight, sound of the waves. I could feel the tensions of the last few weeks melting away as I relaxed deeper into the precious moment and all it offered. I took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. Aaahhh (I invite you to do the same!) That's better. I felt so grateful for having the ability to be in this special place, far from the maddening crowds. I live in a city and although my house is quiet, there is always that background hum of traffic and city noise, that energy of activity that permeates even my peaceful oasis.

But here there was just the ocean, the desert, the endless sky. My nervous system could let go of its defenses and relax deeply. Isn't this why we take vacations, to truly get recharged and let go of our stress? Yet so many people opt to go to yet more high octane, busy destinations that in their way encourage even more stimulation and stress; not my cup of tea if I have come to relax. I need the soothing sounds of nature away from too many people and too many stimuli. This beach at Pescadero, just south of Todos Santos suited me just fine.

The last few weeks at home had been exhausting for me. I am a yoga and tantra teacher, and had been offering a lot of groups, classes and workshops recently. When I teach, I give it my all, my full Presence and energy. It is my joy to do so and although I feel very blessed by the work I have chosen, I can also get very tired. I HAVE to take care of myself and have found that getting completely away is the best way for me to relax. I also feel that is a responsibility to my students. They want the best Julia possible to show up as their guide and mentor and I need to make sure that happens.

I had also just ended a relationship. The emotional stress of that was weighing heavily on me too, as I had been with a loving, wonderful man and many people would think me crazy to break if off with him. But my soul was screaming out for a change, for more time alone, for something new to come into my life. And this match was somehow just not quite right. And if I wanted “the right one” then I HAD to let go of the not-quite-right-one in order to create space for that to come in. I had put some of my personal wants and desires on the back-burner during my relationship and now I craved the time and space to fulfill them. In the past I had gone through times when being single felt like a lonely, desperate place, but this time I was not afraid to be alone. In fact, I welcomed it. Like Madonna, who is coincidentally about my age, I felt the need to reinvent myself now that I was in my fifties.

Turning fifty had actually been a bit of a shock to my system. For a start, it sounds old. I guess it's because when I was young, people who were fifty looked and acted way older than our generation does now. As a healthy, young-looking and acting person, it was hard for me to think of myself catapulted into that category. I did, at least, have an awesome celebration to welcome in this sixth decade of life. I teach a yoga retreat every summer at a magical place in the mountains near Tahoe called Sierra Hot Springs. Nestled in a lovely valley with cows grazing in the meadow, the main house is a cozy Victorian with big fireplaces, friendly cats and a plush green-carpeted workshop space that you can rent. Outside in the woods are the hot springs themselves, deliciously warm, sulphur-laden waters that caress and soothe the body with their healing mineral content.

I had rented the space for the whole weekend and invited thirty-five of my friends to come up and play. They told me, “Julia, you are not to do a thing! We will teach classes for the group and provide entertainment and cake!” And so they did! We had yoga classes, an amazing breath-work session, a cabaret and an evening celebrating me where each person in turn shared how I had touched their lives. I felt deeply moved and tears flowed. How lovely that my dear friends expressed their love in this beautiful way! As the recipient, I wish this for everyone who reaches this milestone in life.

Having been raised English, and therefore adept at hiding my feelings and shy about expressing myself in a deep, truthful way, I have had to open up a lot living and working in California where the culture is so different. It's been a long inner journey over the last twenty years, but one that has allowed me to become more of who I truly am and has opened me to feelings, experiences and self-expression that would never have been possible had I played it safe and stayed in the comfort of my old life in London. Many of these dear friends had been part of this journey and I am forever grateful to have them in my life. We had a beautiful weekend playing together, delighting in each other almost as little children, so much love and caring being shared.

Then I went home.

And had a mid-life crisis.

To be continued....

book news.. and Adam the psychic

I have great news!

This past weekend I hosted Adam Higgs, world-famous psychic at my house to do readings and when he read for me, I asked him about the book and how to promote it. He told me it would be a success and I needed an agent, and that I would find one through my connections.

AND to make sure movie rights are negotiated!!!

I want Kate Winslett to play me. Spunky and British. She would do well.

So if you are someone who knows or has a literary agent, please let me know!

Let me tell you about Adam - he is quite a trip. Another Brit, ex bouncer (doorman) for a shady nightclub, large hunk of a guy, a little rough around the edges, the last person you would think to be doing this kind of psychic work! But his directness is appreciated by those who come to him. It's as if he sees into your soul and talks to your innermost core.

Most of us are not honest with ourselves. When you sit with Adam, he is honest with you. And people feel it - they may come out crying, but it's because he has reflected back truth that he sees about them that they know deep down but have pushed away, sometimes for decades. That is why he calls himself "truthspeaker". Google that and you will see his site.

Adam will be back last weekend in January for more readings. If you are on my email list you will see the announcement.

For me, when I get a reading and he says "it's all going to be OK" it releases me from worry. If he looks at my money line and sees I will always have enough, I can stop stressing about that. When he says " a man is coming for you", I can relax about that too and trust the Divine has it all handled and I just need to sit back and enjoy the ride.

So thank you Adam for putting my mind at ease. And thank you to my community who support him coming.

More on book chapters next time!

galapagos planning

My friend Janice is visiting from Canada and we are planning our trip to Ecuador in February. The first thing that strikes me is that cruises for 8 days around Galapagos are pretty spendy - about $1,800 for the cheaper ones (!). Still it's a once-in-a-lifetime and we are going for it with gusto and enthusiasm! Giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies here we come!

The current plan is to stay a couple of days in Quito first - World Heritage City - then fly to the Galapagos islands, do our cruise then spend another week exploring Santa Cruz island, staying at a local guest house.

Janice and I are both divers and although the idea of a school of hammerhead sharks seems mildly terrifying to me, other diver bloggers assure us that they are mostly harmless and really amazing to see underwater.

Oh and the water is cold. Really cold - like 2 wetsuits, hoodie and gloves for Julia and better have a hot cup of tea waiting for me afterwards cold. I have steeled myself to go at least once though and experience what they say is the world's primo dive area.

Wish me luck.

Then there is the Amazon rainforest! We are checking out ways to visit although it seems we will have to take a tour to really get into the indigenous areas. These tours involve canoeing in dug-outs. Wonder if they bring cushions? My butt is a bit skinny nowadays.

After that we will head back to the Andes and explore the mountain heritage towns along the crest of the country. If anyone has great suggestions and has been before please shoot me a line...places to stay, attractions not to be missed etc.

I am excited to be going and to be writing as I go.... let the games begin!

strength

A curious thing has happened. I have got stronger. And it has not been because I suddenly upped my weight training or hired a fitness consultant. It seems to be because I have let go of some of my past.

Allow me to explain....

When I was 7, my Mother married again to Terry, my Step-father. As a child, I was upset by my parents' break-up and did not accept him readily into my little life. He was only 27 (!) at the time and ill-equipped to deal with me and my stony silences. So we never bonded and even tried to avoid each other as I grew up, eventually leaving the house at 18.

A few years later, he left my Mother for another woman, with whom he shared the next 30 years until she died least year. My Mother had had no contact with him and had been extremely angry about the divorce, but she sent him a card of condolence. The next thing you know they are meeting for coffee and a chat... fast forward to Mum moving back in with him in November.

Never say never!

I visit my Mum each year in England so this time was going to be different. I was going to meet Terry again after 30 years and stay in his house.

Wow.

Inner-child freaking out...irritable bowel set in right before my trip as the body reacted.

And you know what?

My Mum was right - he had changed, softened, gotten kinder, more communicative and they are as happy as larks with their 2 dogs sitting between them on the couch. So it was OK. My bowels relaxed and so did I. And with this a HUGE energetic clearing. I had NO idea I had held on to so much energy from this past relationship. I had done my forgiveness work and done my best to appreciate the role he had played in my life during times of inner inquiry. Still there is nothing like putting it all to test in the flesh!

I am happy for my Mum, my sisters whose Dad this is and for me. It all feels alright. And the upshot is that my body has gained in strength! I know this to be true as I do the same set of weights at the gym twice a week and this last time I could easily press 40 lbs more. And I just went to see my medical intuitive doc, Herb Akers, and he confirmed I now have "functionality" in my physical body. As he has told me so many times, when the weakness is gone, the strength shows up.

If that is not an incentive to do our inner clearing work I don't know what is! I feel better now than EVER before. Body not just strong but more open too - I can tell from yoga poses.

I am hearing about people clearing their past left, right and center. This is the time. Seems we need to be as clear as possible for what is to come.

Have you cleared your past? Who is still in your field energetically that does not belong there? Where are you nursing old hurts, grievances??

Just want to encourage you all to let them go as I can attest, it feels much better when you do!

More on the book next time...

Sea of Cortez - the story continues

The next installment of my story - we go back to the Sea of Cortez!

Chapter 2 Sea of Cortez

The next day, Bob and I walked down the long, deserted beach to find a breakfast spot. We ended up at a brand new posh Eco-lodge which served to-die-for coffee and killer omelettes. The sky was a never-ending Baja blue and the sun felt comfortably warm on my skin. One of the practices I had learned as a tantra teacher was to become aware of the senses as I go through my day, and here my senses were on high alert; taste buds rejoicing, the smell of the coffee, feel of the sunlight, sound of the waves. I could feel the tensions of the last few weeks melting away as I relaxed deeper into the precious moment and all it offered. I took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled. Aaahhh (I invite you to do the same!) That's better. I felt so grateful for having the ability to be in this special place, far from the madding crowds. I live in a city and although my house is quiet, there is always that background hum of traffic and city noise, that energy of activity that permeates even my peaceful oasis.

But here there was just the ocean, the desert, the endless sky. My nervous system could let go of its defenses and relax deeply. Isn't this why we take vacations? To truly get recharged and let go of our stress? Yet so many people opt to go to yet more high octane, busy destinations that in their way encourage even more stimulation and stress; not my cup of tea if I have come to relax. I need the soothing sounds of nature away from too many people and too many stimuli. This beach at Pescadero, just south of Todos Santos suited me just fine.

The last few weeks at home had been exhausting for me. I am a yoga and tantra teacher, and had been offering a lot of groups and workshops recently. When I teach, I give it my all, my full Presence and energy. It is my joy to do so and although I feel very blessed by the work I have chosen, I can also get very tired. I HAVE to take care of myself and have found that getting completely away out of town is the best way for me to relax. I also feel that is a responsibility to my students. They want the best Julia possible to show up as their guide and mentor and I need to make sure that happens.

I had also just ended a relationship. The emotional stress of that was weighing heavily on me too, as I had been with a loving, wonderful man and many people would think me crazy to break if off with him. But my soul was screaming out for a change, for more time alone, for something new to come into my life. And this match was somehow just not quite right. And if I wanted “the right one” then I HAD to let go of the not-quite-right-one in order to create space for that to come in. I had put some of my personal wants and desires on the back-burner during my relationship and now I craved the time and space to fulfill them. In the past I had gone through times when being single felt like a lonely, desperate place, but this time I was not afraid to be alone. In fact, I welcomed it. Like Madonna, who is coincidentally about my age, I felt the need to reinvent myself now that I was in my fifties.

women are like fine wine...

My former women’s group is here at my house and we are having a reunion. It’s really cool immersing in all this feminine energy. There are 8 of us. We used to have a group 20 years ago and in a three year period, buoyed from all the love and support we received, all of us except 1 left their dysfunctional marriages. And the single girl of our number got married to a friend of a friend of ours.

When we were all thirty-something we would talk about how rotten our husbands were and how stressed we felt. Now the talk revolves around where to find gluten-free food, how to cope with menopause and which diets are most effective for keeping the weight off our midriffs.

I asked the girls when they were happiest – then or now.

It was unanimous – now without a doubt! Bodies may have aged somewhat but the sense of empowerment far outweighs any negative effect from aches and pains. I asked them why.

They said…”I don’t let things bother me like I used to. I don’t sweat the small stuff.”

“I feel in control of my life and myself. I now have the ability to deal with whatever life throws my way. I feel more powerful and life has more choice-points.”

“There are fewer ups and down, more equanimity.”

“I understand myself now and know my boundaries and how to ask for what I need and want.”

“I’ve given up hope for a better tomorrow and have dropped into being grateful for my life exactly the way it is showing up now. My expectations and attachments have lessened and my happiness has increased.”

“ I live life more simply now. I know I do not need material possessions to make me happy, just good friends, good healthy food and lots of time in nature.”

I am curious if this true for women in their fifties across the board… is it? And are your relationships better, with your family, significant others, friends?

I would love to hear from you one way or the other…

What would you tell your 30 year old self if you could reach back in time?

Indeed what would your 70 year old self tell you if she could reach back now?

Oprah once said the fifties is the life we were meant to live. How true is this for the majority of women? Are we improving like fine wines or sliding inexorably towards the grave in a dull haze of routine and pain? Inquiring minds want to know….

Copyright Julia Tindall July 2011

the book continues...

Here is the next exciting installment of the book... Let me know what you think!

Two days earlier, my friend Bob and I had arrived in Cabo San Lucas to start a week-long vacation touring the Baja peninsula in Mexico. I am not a huge fan of the rain, having made an attempt to escape it by moving from England to California, but this particular winter had been wetter and colder than usual and I was feeling desperate for some sunshine. I had chosen to throw caution to the wind and rent a car and drive in Mexico for the first time. Bob was even more courageous for being my co-pilot and I had given him full permission to yell at me loudly if I failed to notice the odd goat, donkey or drunken caballero (Mexican cowboy) wandering into the road. The afternoon sun was shining brightly and gaily we navigated our way through the tourist towns of Los Cabos and headed north to the magical, artsy town of Todos Santos to track down our first night's accommodations.

When I travel, my preference is to seek out interesting, unique places to stay. I had found The Surf Shack on the internet and the website promised great views, tranquility and the sound of the waves to lull us to sleep; and for under $100 a night, the price was right too. We saw the sign for The Surf Shack from the main road and turned left down the dusty track feeling optimistic. “If we are lucky, we'll just make it for sunset!” I exclaimed. Then “pow”, we hit a pothole and the car bounced a foot into the air. “Hey, mind my butt,” said Bob good-naturedly! We came to a fork in the track. No signs, no-one to ask.

“What do you think, Bob? Left or right?”

“Let's try right, and see where we end up.”

Five minutes later, the track turned onto a cliff-frontage road. I'm being generous with the word road… it was still a rutted, sandy track, but at least we now saw some buildings up front, nice ones too that looked well-cared for and populated. Shortly after, we saw a big sign proclaiming our arrival the The Surf Shack. We had just made it at sunset and excitedly ran out towards the beach to catch a last glimpse of the setting sun over the Pacific ocean before finding our host, Matt, and checking in.

Ah the beach... a long, long strip of sand, absolutely pristine, deserted and marred only sporadically with the odd house on the cliff top. Pelicans still dived for a last evening meal before turning in to wherever pelicans spend the night. (Where DO pelicans spend the night?). It looked untouched and timeless and I couldn't wait to explore more.

Meanwhile we were starving hungry! Our friendly Canadian host gave us a restaurant recommendation in Todos Santos and we hopped back in the car to wind our way through the sandy maze once again, to the main road.

Todos Santos is an old town famous for its art galleries, boutique hotels and glorious restaurants. It's quickly becoming a favorite for ex-pats and snowbirds and has undergone a rapid transformation in recent years as more and more of the lovely, old buildings downtown have been renovated and re-invented. We headed to The Hotel California. Was it THE Hotel California from the Eagles' Song? Well – it is on a dark, desert highway, in Mexico... in my imagination this must have been the place. And the romance of it did not disappoint. If you happen to like cobbled-stone entrance ways, antique furnishings and crumbling red brick exteriors as I do, then this would be your cup of tea. And their new Mexican gourmet restaurant had just opened that week!

“We're in the flow, Bob” I said, “I can feel it! There's even a table for us, look!” We got seated and proceeded to the next item of business – a drink! I have to admit, life sometimes looks even rosier after a margarita! And after a long day traveling, a cocktail to welcome ourselves to our vacation was just the ticket. As we were ordering, the Belgian chef came out to chat to us. “I recommend the tuna.” he said. “Fresh caught just a few hours ago and seared lightly in my secret sauce. And as you are among our first guests, I will give you some Belgian chocolates to try as my gift to you after dinner.”

Oh I had died and gone to heaven....fabulous food, drink, ambience and chocolates too! What a great way to start our week! It was all delicious and with full, satisfied bellies, we headed back to the dusty track and our cliff-top shack.

Shack is perhaps a rather unfair description of our lodging. Matt the owner, a surfer, had built these apartments in a rather hodge-podge but nevertheless interesting style, each one being different and separated by a lovely cactus garden interspersed with hammocks and lounge chairs. They were simply yet comfortably furnished and ours had two bedrooms and a kitchen too. We got home, grabbed a sweater as the night was starting to get cool, and headed to the beach for some serious star-gazing.

Ahh – desert skies... so clear, so star-studded. “Look, Julia,” said Bob, “is that a bonfire down the beach?” A few yards away we could see what looked like a small fire outside one of the other houses. I guess it's a tribal thing, but I am always drawn to campfires. We wandered over. There was no-one there but it somehow felt OK just to sit down next to the fire and enjoy it.

Before too long a man came out. “I immediately jumped up and apologized. “Hello. I hope you don’t mind, we saw the fire and it looked so inviting. We very rudely just sat down!”

“No that's fine. You are more than welcome to join us. My name's Alan, by the way.”

“I'm Julia and this is my friend Bob.”

“Nice to meet you. And where are you guys from?”

“From Sacramento, California. We just arrived today. How about you?”

“We are all from Vancouver. Actually I live here and care-take some of the houses here on the cliff. My brother Mike is renting this one with his wife, Alice. Oh here they are…hey Mike – bring a couple of glasses out for our new friends.”

Mike appeared with a bottle of wine and glasses for us.

“Wow thanks!” I said, immediately cementing my opinion about the amazing hospitality of Canadians.

Alan stoked the fire as we huddled round, warming ourselves against the rapidly dropping desert temperatures. We shared the usual traveler formalities of how long have you been traveling, where have you been, where are you going, and discovered that Mike and Alice had just spent a few months touring South America. My attention perked up. I have spent many years traveling the globe, often alone when I was younger and for months at a time; but this was one continent I had not yet explored thoroughly.

“So what was the highlight for you?” I asked, with a very real curiosity.

“Galapagos”, said Alice, “without a doubt. It is one of the most magical places on the planet and still so pristine. And of course the wildlife experiences are phenomenal. We saw the giant tortoises, blue-footed bobbies and huge iguanas. They were so tame. If we weren't careful, we would trip over them!”

“Oh I SO want to go there,” I said, “But all the cruises I have seen are way out of my price range. They seem to run at least $5,000 for the week.”

“Not at all,” Mike chimed in. “You can get last minute deals for way less than that and if you go as an independent traveler and hang out on the beaches you will meet fishermen who will take you around at a fraction of the usual cost. We stayed a few weeks and just loved it.”

And that was it. I was inspired.

Do you know when the Divine is trying to tell you something? For me it's when I get a tingly feeling up my spine, a sense of “yes”, an excitement in my body that gets me feeling high... and I was having that feeling right then. “OK”, I thought. “I WILL go to Galapagos. And I will travel the way I used to in my twenties and early thirties, with a backpack, as an independent traveler, with no fixed agenda, no pre-booked lodging, just a map, a guidebook and a desire to see Ecuador in all its glory.”

And with that, the seed was planted.

inspiring women in washington

I am sitting in a beautiful "cabin" - think 3,000 sq ft wood mansion - in the Cascade mountains by Lake Wenatchee in Washington State. I just led a yoga retreat weekend for 8 lovely ladies all fifty something - and a couple of guys!

What struck me was how vibrant everyone was. How adult. And I mean that in the "mature" sense of the word, reflecting the inner work this group had done. 3 were therapists. It was such a pleasure to be amongst women of power who know themselves, who they are and what they want. And I do recognize that that is not the case for all women, especially the empty nesters who are needing to discover what they want to experience out of life now that the duty of motherhood can take a back seat.

The book I am writing is an invitation to ask the deeper questions:

Given a free rein and unlimited resources, what do I truly want to do?

What is MY dream?

What gives ME joy? And who?

What am I ready to release?

What do I still want to learn?

My intention is that my own journey will serve as an inspiration for others to do a similar inquiry and follow their own dreams to fulfillment.

Am getting home tomorrow and will send out more of the actual story then!

Sea-lion inspiration

So here it is - the prelude for the book!

I should tell you all this is real – I am not making it up. It’s exactly what happened on that day at that time. I really did get inspired….

More will follow shortly...

Prelude

Dateline: March 23rd, 2011…Sea of Cortez, Mexico

It all began with the sea-lions. As our boat approached their colony in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, the young ones jumped excitedly off the rocks and swam out to greet us, heads popping up out of the water to see who had come to play with them today. I donned wetsuit, snorkel and mask and jumped in. Holy schmolly!! That water was cold enough to freeze the tail off a donkey! Heart beating rapidly but undeterred, I gamely swam towards one of the pups. He brushed past me, twirling and swirling around with grace and joy. Then another one joined us, actually nudging me with its nose, begging my participation in his aquatic antics.

I was having SUCH fun .. until I saw a much bigger, no... make that enormous monster of a sea-lion swim rapidly towards me, mouth open, teeth bared! You can’t open your mouth and scream under water as your snorkel falls out of your mouth. Instead, adrenaline kicked in and I swam back to the boat as fast as I could, so as not to invade the big guy’s territory any more than I had already. He didn’t come after me, just swam away. But I had had my experience, and teeth chattering with cold, was happy to call it a day and climb back in the boat.

It was at that moment that I received the inspiration for this book. I cannot say it was necessarily the sea-lions themselves that gave it to me. More likely it sprung from that intensely alive, joyful feeling that was like a life-blood coursing through my veins, a sense of “can-do”, anything is possible, “it's-never-too-late” kind of feeling. And the conversation I had had two nights ago under the stars with Mike and Alice came flooding back, crystal clear in my mind with the message attached... “Yes, you WILL go to Galapagos. And you will write about the experience. And discover more about being a 50-something newly single woman with a still insatiable curiosity about the world.”

Visit from the blogging monster

I woke up this morning far too early with a blog inside my head.

Blog blog blog, it shouted.

But I don’t want to blog! I can’t stand the thought of even one more minute on the computer!

It was very annoying and wouldn’t go away.

Blog blog blog – it persisted.

Them Mick Jagger started yelling at me…

“Please allow me to introduce myself...” (what song was that from?)

Shut up Mick – I want to go back to sleep!

“Please allow me…”

Oh all right then! Just shut up!

I will blog, even though I do not have a clue where to do it, who on earth would want to read it and how it may help.

I will blog. Just let me get back to sleep!

So here it is…

And to appease Mick – I am Julia Tindall, 53 years old, yoga and tantra teacher, resident of Sacramento, California but a Brit originally, newly single and writing a book with the working title, “ My Galapagos – a Woman’s Evolution.”

This book takes a look at the drama of my thirties and contrasts it with the menopausal years of my fifties. Who am I now, as the body changes; what gifts are there to be acknowledged and explored? And how can I live with my life with the vitality and curiosity of my younger days without compromising my wise, authentic self? In the book I look back at some of the events that shaped me in my thirties and then jump into present time with a trip (next February 2012) to Galapagos and Ecuador where I intend to travel as an independent adventurous traveler as I did in my thirties.

Yes it’s a little “Eat, Pray, Love-ish”, set in South America, but my tale has a different twist and invites a different style of inquiry. It’s funnier too.

But here is the problem. I do not consider myself a writer. I have written 2 other books but they are jnana yoga (self-inquiry) books of the self-help variety, not a story like this one, autobiographical in nature.

Now that Elizabeth Gilbert – she can write. And I admit it – she did inspire me to put pen to paper,,. wait – we don’t do that anymore – I mean whip out my keyboard and start typing – as I felt I had a more interesting story to tell and it spans not just the period of time from my romance addicted and eventually disillusioned thirties but jumps into the challenge of menopause and embraces the fabulous fifties. Oh and takes place in exotic destinations and involves lots of hot, juicy guys. And the odd bearded yogi.

So can you help? Would you be willing to offer suggestions, feedback, comments, questions as I go here?

Galapagos has been on my bucket list for quite some time and just in case the world implodes on Dec 21^st 2012 I thought I’d better see it now.

But before I go, I will be filling you all in on some back story. How I ended up living in America by meeting a blind guy with a pair of shorts to his name on a beach in Mexico; how I transformed from Real Estate Agent into Spiritual Teacher; how the scary bearded yogi found me when I was shattered into many little pieces and put humpty back together again….

I’m sure there’s more but it’s still early and that’s all I can think of for now.

Finally that BLOG noise in my head has quietened down. Think I’ll try and go back to sleep….

julia tindall

www.juliatindall.com

Copyright Julia Tindall July 2011.