THE FIRST POST
Dear friend
From the centre of the Sacred Valley’s belly, surrounded on all sides by majestic Andean mountains, I take the short pilgrim’s walk to a small church overlooking the summer destination of ancient Incan kings.
I have a decision to make.
Four days before, I had begun a daily ritual of climbing to this point and laying six small stones in the earth, representing the six elements to living no ordinary life. As each stone was selected, I raised it to my head, mouth and heart, with the aim to take in the essential qualities of each element into my thoughts, words and all that is important to me.
LAYING DOWN OF THE STONES
No sooner had I layed the last stone, given thanks and begun to meditate, a large meteor rocketed to earth metres above my head. I took this as a sign that I was on the right track, and although not religious, knew that somewhere out there, someone or something was listening. Or perhaps, with a little help from mother nature and sacred lands, I had tapped into the most powerful source of inspiration and knowledge within us all; my own intuition.
The tears begin to roll down my face.
In this moment, as I lay down the first stone in the second conjoined circle, I decide to loosen all shackles to money and security and not take my paid return flight back to Australia. The tension through my body after reading an email confirming I only had a three month ticket, when I thought it was twelve, had already incubated the decision. I simply needed to confirm it within the sacred space I had created.
Inspired by a ten day holiday six months earlier to a destination marked as unsafe to travel by many nations around the world and having one of the most incredibly experience rich ten days of my life, I choose to wholeheartedly immerse myself in the flow of life. To plan little. To create much. And to see where life may take me when not holding the reins too tight.
As I travel this journey with no destination, I take with me the six elements I have identified from my own far from ordinary life that are essential to create if we are truly to live a vivid and fulfilling life.
We need to create :
Awareness | Attitude | Community | Experiences | Something
Reflecting on my life, these six elements are like neon signs, illuminating the key to all the magic, and together, they lay the foundation to wellness of body, mind and spirit. One or more of these elements have been evident during the times I’ve felt I was invincible, appreciated the simple pleasures and the mammoth accomplishments. When I’ve made a breakthrough. Struggled through the dark corners, losses and pain. Put one foot after the one that was stuck, going nowhere or desperately looking for a direction in which to tread.
These six elements have been my abracadabra.
From the day I was born into a dysfunctional family, my life was never going to be an easy road. Starting a little rocky, with plenty of dark patches along the way, it certainly has been a life enriched because of the six elements. Not an extraordinary life.
Simply far from ordinary.
I have wanted to write since I learned to read on my grandfather’s knee. There were few children’s books to be found, rather books of real people’s stories, filling my head with Dickens and Paterson, and my dreams with tales of convicts and smugglers, early settlers, war and love. From this early age, until now, and everything within the dash, I’ve had plenty of my own wars from which to battle; occasionally with others, often with myself.
Like life, a book will never happen by itself. Even my desire to wander, observe and immerse myself in a new culture feels it doesn’t need to be now. The adventuring can wait.
First, I must create something.
ADD A LITTLE COLOUR TO LIFE
Before arriving in Peru, I was living in Indonesia for one year, fulfilling a twenty year dream. The plan was to write. That plan was added to the list of many other failed plans scattered throughout my life. It’s not I didn’t want to. It frustrated me every day that I couldn’t. The energy wasn’t right. Creativity needs space from which to flow. My one year experience, although filled with many wonderful people and places, was scattered with a heaviness of dust, dirt, negativitity, lack of connections and creative energy… and importantly, space.
After five days in Peru I had written more than I did in my entire year in Indonesia. This is why I cannot leave.
Today I was due to depart on my return flight to Australia. Instead, I am embarking on a flight to the unknown.
As of this moment, I choose to create no ordinary life. Online and offline.
My vision is to share my own journey with you, along with others who have created their own no ordinary lives.
To write a book.
To inspire you to add create into your life.
To start saying yes to life.
Perhaps more. Perhaps less.
I do not know where this journey will take me; the peaks I may climb nor the depths I may sink. I can guarantee you it will not be a travelogue of my crazy Dora the Explorer adventures that I’m famous for, rather the sharing of my life through the prism of the six elements, inspired by Peru and wherever else my life flow will take me.
I invite you to join me on the journey, knowing there is no end goal as I have no plans beyond this moment.
Except to create something.
On this site. In my life. And hopefully within your heart.
You are welcome to seek if you are hoping to find, open if you are feeling closed, be lightened if you are carrying a load and need inspiration from the simplicity of life as opposed to the complexity you may find yourself immersed in.
Send me questions. Write me love letters.
Join me, go away and come back when you need. I’ll be waiting. Isn’t that what all good friends need to know in their life?
That someone is out there. Listening.
As I type from my small wooden desk on a blank white page with bells chiming through my ears and a candle flickering from the corner of my eye, I stop. And look up. As the sun sets behind the snow-capped mountain speaking to me from across the valley, I know I am about to create no ordinary life. There is no return.
The unknown of what will be created invigorates me. Inspires me. Terrifies me. I look forward to hearing from you about what you’re doing to create your life, as opposed to simply living it.
Live vividly.
Tina
xx
Thank you to all my family and friends across the world who are a constant source of influence, energy, inspiration and support. No matter if our paths have crossed for a short time or you’ve been through my journey for much longer, our connection matters.
Thank you to the Sacred Valley for providing me with abundant inspiration in your wildflowers, birds, sunshine, nourishing food, glacial water flowing down ancient acqueducts and mountains. Muchos gracias for keeping my mind and body constantly refreshed with your 360 degrees of mother nature abundance.
Thank you to all the new friends I have made in Cusco, particularly members of the Cusco Writers’ Guild, for inspiring me with their words and encouragement.
Thank you no ordinary life. For what may flow on these pages. And in my life.
Deep gratitude. To you, my friend.
WARNING: IT COULD GET A LITTLE MESSY