The Traveling Gypsy

As I alluded to in my Instagram post earlier this week, travel is not always glamorous but in fact can be down right awful. Usually we see the best slice of travel, maybe the sweet hotel room views, the cafe you had 2 mins to enjoy while on the way to the client site, maybe the river or street art captured while you woke up at 6 am just to get in that run or yoga class. I could go on and on especially about the downside of travel - but instead honeybuns let’s keep it upbeat. Here are my top survival tips for how to pack, what to store in your carry on, and how to make the most out of your travels so that you’re taking care of YOU along the way.

The Luggage situation

The Rollie 
I am a new owner of the Away The Carry-On - and LOVE it! The wheels glide so smoothly, I can fit all the things into it, and it’s so light weight. Definitely an upgrade from my ragged old Samsonite rollie. I also carry on always, ALWAYS, #always, even on my two week trips, I avoid checking my bag. I’ve had too many lost luggage incidents to deal with the stress that causes. So I pack light and keep everything close. 

The Pack
I recently upgraded to a new Patagonia Black hole 30L pack and couldn’t be happier. My old bag which was great - just wasn’t cutting it; I had a 25L Hershel. She was good for the last 4 years and was due for retirement after some rips and tears. This new pack can hold it all - definitely makes one or two week trips manageable. Whatever over flow that can’t fit into my Rollie goes into the pack. Complete with several pockets to keep me organized. There’s a pocket for everything. Air travel has become so much easier. May seem silly that I’ve put such an emphasis on luggage but it truly makes a huge difference. 

Next up, how to pack the right things

So it really depends on what kinda trip you’re taking but I practice the “Marie Kondo” method for what makes it way into my rollie. I opt for my favorite dress, jeans, sweater, shoes, and jackets. I do this because travel is stressful enough and if I feel good in what I’m wearing then I’ve at least got a thumbs up in that aspect. Nothing like arriving to your hotel and then realizing WTF did I pack? Why did I bring something that, 1) I am not comfortable in and 2) I don’t feel great in and 3) may not even be functional (yes I’ve packed a skirt without a top to complete the look). So I always pack my favorite staple pieces, I’m also guilty of all black everything with a few splashes of color. This is done for a few reasons. Mostly because I can rewear a majority of those items. Makes for easy mix and match outfits. And let’s be honest, if I spill something it’s usually not noticeable. 

Snacks

This is a KEY piece to any successful trip and I’m not exaggerating, you’ve got to make sure you have your snack bars, mixed nuts, dark chocolate goodies to help you when you’re so hangry you could hurt somebody. You also need to stay . as hydrated as possible, water, WATER, #water. Some of my favorite staples include:

• Justin’s nut butter packets

• Dark chocolate (been loving on Endangered Species)

• Macadamia nuts, Almonds, or any mixed nuts will do

• Purely Elizabeth Granola bars (grain free!)

• Tea bags

• Potato chips (GUILTY! Need this especially being grain free, gluten free)

• Paleo Beaming Granola

The Hotel situation

So, I’ve got about every hotel rewards program you could imagine, Marriott/SPG, IHG, Hilton … the list continues. What I find most critical in booking hotels is the proximity to a yoga, spin, or barre studio. It’s super important to maintain healthy workout habits when traveling. I focus mostly on yoga studios because that is how I survive travel. I need that grounding and centering that I can only achieve in a sacred studio space. I use the MindBody app to help me explore local places when on the road.

The Mantra

As I mentioned last week in my instagram post, a mantra is super important to have while on the go. Some of you may be wondering what a mantra is, so let me explain honeybuns. A Mantra is a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. In yoga, chanting a mantra focuses concentration on a single thought or stills the mind in meditation. Last week my personal mantra happened to be the Maha mantra (Hare Krishna). When this particular mantra is said out loud it helps to enhance consciousness to the greatest possible degree.

The maha mantra is chanted for the benefits of the energies of the three Hindu deities referred to in the mantra. The name comes from the Sanskrit, maha, meaning “great”; man, meaning “to think”; and tra, meaning an "instrument" or "tool." A mantra, therefore, is an “instrument of thought.” The mantra goes like this:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

I personally enjoy listening to mantras when flying, and Krishna Das is my go to! Peep him here on Spotify for lots of good songs, or view the Hare Krishna video on Youtube.

Your mantra doesn’t have to be the above, it could be as simple as “Love”, “I am okay”, or “Breathe in, breathe out”. Whatever phrase or word resonates with you is a great place to start. some alternative mantras that are very powerful are the below:

• “Aham Prema” (ah-hem-pree-mah) This mantra translates to “I am Divine Love,” a simple mantra to chant 108 times

• “Aum Gum Shreem Maha Lakshmiyei Namaha” (ohm-guum-shreem-mah-ha-lok-shmee-yay-na-mah-ha) ...

• “Om Mani Padme Hum” (ohm-mah-nee-pahd-may-huum)

Now, if this is the ONLY thing you take away from my post then my work here is done. As a society we need more meditation, so fly on little birds and spread your wings, sing your mantras high into the trees.

The Oils

Naturally I have my go-to oils that I always have with me. The list includes:

• Peppermint (aids digestion and sore muscles)

• Lavender (for skin, sleep, frizzy hair)

• Citrus Refresh (pick me up boost!)

If I’m traveling during a new moon, full moon, or in retrograde, then I usually pack one of the following:

• New Moon

• Full Moon

• Custom blend of Sage, Lavender, + grounding oils

I think that about covers the bases. Of course I always have a great travel hat, my sunnies, my crystals, and a good book to accompany me on the go. I would love to hear how you stay sane and healthy while on the go! Always love to hear about new travel trips and ways to make travel more efficient! Love & Light, xx

The First Ten Days in Mysuru (Mysore)

I've adjusted to life in India somewhat. I'm still a bit jet-lagged, so that's not helping, but thank goodness for afternoon Chai Tea to help me through the day! I usually start my day with the rooster wake up at 4:30 AM. Yes friends, the local rooster here is my alarm clock. After he finishes, I snooze for another hour, and get up for 6 AM mysore practice. After practice, I shower, make French press, usually get in a few calls with loved ones, and then head to the studio for training from 9:30 AM - 3 PM. After training sometimes I stroll around town to explore, or head back to the school to rest and relax, until either backbending or dinner. I socliaze for a bit and then it's off to bed, usually before 9 PM. Pretty exciting I know! I'm loving it! So, I've finished my first week of Thai Massage training, and I have to just say, I AM STARVING! It's not because I'm not eating, because, I've found so many wonderful places to eat at, now that I've gotten over my fear of food that may or may not be safe for consuption. I think that it's just between morning Ashtanga, then 6 hours of massage, and every other day backbending with Sirnath, I'm working it, from every angle, physically, mentally, and sprititually.  So, naturally my snack bars and jars of peanut butter are not cutting it, and I've ventured out to explore some of the local cuisine.

A few pics below:

Poori plate - Hotel Highway 18 Annex

Idlis with coconut chutney + sambar

Masala Chai + Iron Man Smoothie - Khushi Cafe

Rava Idlies  

I usually have about an hour break for lunch during the day, so I venture to find something new to try! In addition to the above, I've had a Thali plate, Masala and Rava Dosas, Vegan Chocolate and Coconut Lemon Cakes, Juices galore, and lots more Chai Tea prepared in all sorts of various ways. Needless to say, I'm eating all the things and enjoying it! I should mention that I did come to India with two jars of peanut butter and this morning I polished off the second jar ... I've only been here for 10 days. I may have a slight addiction to nut butter. I am addicted to fresh coconuts, I'm going to be spoiled rotten by the time I leave India. Better find a way to get these Upstate.  

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The Thai Massage training has been so wonderful. I'm really enjoying learning all about the body, energy lines, and meridians. It's been fascinating to explore the inner workings of the energy body. I also highly enjoy that after my morning mysore practice, I just have massage to focus on. I like being in a little India bubble here. It allows me to fully concentrate on learning. It's rare to have such an opportunity to do such things, and after this trip, I plan to really dive into all the things that I have been wanting to learn, do, see, and explore. Don't you ever just feel that your attention is pulled in so many ways throughout the day or the week that it takes ages to complete things? I do, and this has been a real experience to open my eyes to the fact that I often do WAY TOO MUCH. I'm that go go go girl and it becomes very exhausting. It's quite lovely to just focus and rest and let myself absorb everything in this moment. Be present and live in the now. I've been lucky enough to find some amazing yogi souls also here at Mystic School. They've allowed me to practice my work on them in the evenings. So I'm getting extra practice in to help refine the art of massage, and to learn the energy lines better. I seem to struggle finding the lines in the legs, so I can use all the practice I can get! 

I recently learned about Gua sha -- this is a Chinese technique that my teacher Raghu has learned, which litterly translates to scraping sha-bruises. Yesterday he performed a bit of Gua Sha work on my face! Yes my face, I feel as if I've had a facelift! The wrinkles are smoothed out and my face is full. He also did a bit of work on my upper back and neck. While it was not painful I've turned completely purple where the capillaries have ruptured under my skin. This morning I woke and felt amazing. Much looser in my neck and shoulder region. In my mysore practice I also felt really open and not nearly as tight as I had been. I tend to harbor tension in my shoulders so this was a wonderful surprise when I rolled out my mat at 6 AM.  Sorry for the graphic picture if this type of thing makes your tummy turn, but it didn't hurt, and trust me, it's purple today and this photo was just the beginning of the treatment. 

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The city of Mysuru or Mysore is considered an enchanting city, famed for it's heritage, markets, and the Mecca of Ashtanga yoga. Gokulam is the suburb in which I'm spending most of my days as this is where the shala is located. This area is considered quite 'posh' by foreigners and locals alike. I didn't get that impression upon arrival, but after seeing a few nearby suburbs, I'd have to agree. The sad part is that while this area is considered to be a wealthy area, it's still littered with trash, stray animals, and has heaps of sanitation issues. That being said, there is something very humbling and beautiful about the area. I have to admit I've got a new respect for India. I also consider this place to be another planet all together. It's been an adventure to walk through the various main roads and side streets around the shala. You can find lots of health food stores, vegetarian cafes, coconut stands, the famed chocolate man, Ayurvedic shops, clothing stores, and even a US Dollar store. However lovely it may sound, it's still heart breaking to see puppies that have been thrown away because they're female. Or trash that fills roads, yards, and parks. The local livestock are very malnourished, and eat scraps. A friend mentioned they saw a cow eating plastic. It's been hard to walk by everyday and not want to cry. To think that this is a 'normal' way of life, is scary. So I've rolled up my sleeves and tried to do my part day by day. Whether it's feeding the animals, or literally picking up trash. I know I am only one person, but I'd like to think that yes one person can make a difference. The other issue here is air quality. Usually the locals burn garbage 2-3 times a day. This causes thick white smoke to billow around my bedroom, into the shala, throughout the streets. I'm constantly walking around with a scarf over my face to avoid inhaling so many toxins. They're burning everything from yard rubbish to plastics, paper, you name it and it's probably going up in smoke. Moments like this make me really appreciate and understand how good we have it. I've got a week left until heading to Goa, which from the sounds of it will be another whole world in comparison. So that's all for now, going to enjoy the last few days in Mysuru. Xx 

A few snippets of daily life here: 

I call this the Buddha Box - Creative mailbox solution! 

The roosters who wake me every morning at 4:30 AM

Rangoli or Alpana - Made with rice flour, flower petals, colored sand, or dry flower. These patterns are created daily to help protect the home and bring good fortune. Folklore, Patterns, and practices are passed down from one generation to the next.