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Making Peace, Enjoying the Ride...

3/22/2017

Watching the sun set over the ocean; people moving by playing and having moments...
Inspired by the thought of just taking things one step at a time, being in no hurry to get to any end.

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Now Introducing: CHA EVOLUTION - SURF OUTREACH!

10/8/2016

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MISSION 1: Pequeños Gigantes, Baja, Mexico

EMPOWERING AT RISK YOUTH
ADDICTION REHABILITATION
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Launched October 8, 2016

Pequeños Gigantes... Little Surfers, Giant Hearts

The first session with CHA surf outreach programs at Pequeños Gigantes (meaning Little Giants) in Baja, Mexico with Effort Twotwentyfive. PG is a uniquely established facility designated for orphaned kids and females recovering from substance abuse, some are the kid's mothers. Those who participated overcame many obstacles in the few hours we were on the beach; from zero swimming ability, general apprehension of the ocean, and "perceived" weakness from previous debilitating life choices. "One woman told her story of how she has failed to stay clean many times because she lacks perseverance but said today she was not going to act as she normally does, and she didn't. Although it did take her a long time to learn to surf, she finally did it!!" Amazing how the combination of activity and nature can stimulate positive change. This day was such a transformational experience for all involved and one of the more memorable teaching opportunities I have had! Could not have happened without so many great people to inspire change in myself and to our "reality".

-Ryan Luna
CHA leader

CHA EVOLUTION
www.chaevolution.com

CHA - Change. through Healthy. Activity.

To connect with the natural world.To create healthy evolution of the body and mind. ACCEPTANCE... Embracing our differences. Regardless of where we are, here and now, we have something to offer, and something epic to learn. Accepting where we are, we can begin to grow.CREATION.Creating our experience. Planting seeds of change. CONNECTION.Tapping into the source. Connecting to each other, and the natural world. Breaking down barriers.SERVICE.Educating and inspiring. We all have a unique gift to give the world. Using what we've been given, to give back. Writing our own legacy.

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Happiness, What the heck is it? ...Really?

2/17/2015

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It has been said by philosophers that the term “happiness” is intentionally ambiguous, so that we may each extract our own meaning and achieve it in our own way. True happiness, however, is something so important in life that it is worth defining and understanding in a tangible and systematic way, so that we may actually achieve it. Throughout history happiness has been defined in different ways, from immediate pleasures to grand abstract ideologies. True happiness is, at it’s core, an “optimal state of being”, a deep and profound, flourishing sense of fulfillment that comes from within, and that involves the way in which we perceive and filter the world around us.

At times we have experienced glimpses of true happiness, in moments of extreme peace and contentment that accompany various experiences or arise in certain situations. While these moments are only glimpses, fleeting in nature, understanding how they come about can offer insight with which we can cultivate a more permanent state of being.

One of the first and most important aspects of true happiness is learning to not be pulled back and forth between the painful and pleasurable experiences of life. We must learn to put everything in perspective, and remain in touch with a foundation of “peaceful serenity”, not swayed from center by our circumstances, and certainly not reliant on them. To do this, we need to learn more about reality, specifically, how our mind works, and the true nature of the world around us.

It is the mental constructs we have created around the world and what we think will make us happy, that is the very source of our unhappiness. We see things as good or bad, and base our judgements on a misunderstanding of external reality, as well as attachment to things that either do not exist, or are impermanent and everchanging. In Buddhism, this “false reality” of ignorance and suffering is called Samsara.

Everything around us is interdependent on innumerable circumstances, and is constantly being acted upon by innumerable forces. Everything in existence is relational and ever-changing. Nothing exists on its own, in-of-itself. Understanding this creates an insight that is the foundation for happiness.

Combining this insight with the understanding that every being is capable of perfection, we can begin to actualize that perfection, and move toward a state of persistent and profound peace, called Sukha. Sukha is the state of true happiness, free of mental and emotional conflict, free of ignorance about the world, and characterized by a deep sense of joy and genuine love for every living being.

photo by Daniel Sellers #sellersabroad

These thoughts are a personal summary and interpretation of the teachings of Matthieu Ricard in his book Happiness. These ideas are from Chapter 1: Talking About Happiness. I encourage you to check it out for yourself! It's an easy read, full of great wisdom and insight.

Reference:
Ricard, M. (2006). Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill. New York, NY: Little, Brown, and Company.

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Self-Transcendence & Actualization

2/1/2015

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"Self-actualization is only possible as a side effect of self-transcendence." (Frankl, 2014)

A reflection on readings from Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor E. Frankl...

While it is true that our meaning in life exists and unfolds within our own individual existence, I love the point Frankl makes in suggesting that it is better realized through self-transcendence.

Basically, those who strive to be better, who search for purpose and for the unfolding of their higher Self, are engaged in a process that has been termed “self-actualization”. This term, however, as well as many philosophical teachings that accompany it, can be inherently misleading. To discover who we are, what we are meant for, our purpose, it is very easy to get lost in an endless stream of self-centred analyzation and insight. Or if this is not your problem, then there is an alternative and equally unhelpful state of being at a loss for any insight at all. Both of these misdirected states can lead to some kind of “existential vacuum”, as Frankl puts it. By understanding self-actualization as a by-product of self-transcendence, we can begin to get out of our mind’s futile search for a magical “end all be all” purpose, and direct our awareness toward the actual life material that can serve as fuel for true enlightenment.

The very term “self-actualization” tempts one toward a very ego-centric view of life’s purpose. To really become self-actualized, however, we need to get out of our own heads (which according to many eastern philosophies are really just extensions of the material world anyway) and into the world. To loosely quote Frankl, “Life is not about what we ask of the world, but about what the world, through our current situation, is asking of us”. Every circumstance we encounter in life is an opportunity to expose meaning and purpose. Every question life asks, every task it presents, is an opportunity for us to come up with new answers, new insights. Every challenge overcome or joy fully known creates new growth and a more evolved understanding of what it means to live. Therefore, rather than turning the wheels within over and over to try to understand ourselves, perhaps self-actualization is better realized by living in the moment, and asking yourself how you can be of greatest service, connect as deeply as possible to the place or the people around you, or carry the burden of current unavoidable suffering with as much purpose and grace as you can creatively imagine.

It’s important to acknowledge that the goal of self-actualization is finding your meaning with respect to your place in the world. How do you fit into “the world”, why are you here? This is a different question than: What are you / what is your truest essence of being? To confuse and combine these two concepts into one question will result in a kind of neurosis disguised as eager, well-intentioned spiritual pursuit. Often, as spiritual philosophers in search of meaning, we innocently jump right to the latter question, trying to comprehend our deepest truth - who and what we are – without first embarking on our worldly path, fully living and learning about ourselves through the experiences life has to offer us. There is a level above self-actualization, in which this deeper truth becomes apparent, where one’s even truer meaning is found. With this being said, the spiritual process seems more like: 1)self-transcendence, which produces 2) self-actualization, which then leads you to 3) an even higher state of self-transcendence or, true enlightenment. However, to reach directly for this enlightenment without first experiencing the necessary steps to get there, creates a journey troubled by misguided ego-centric crises.

In short, before being completely free of the world, you must first find your place in it. Instead of asking yourself what it all means or what’s the point of it all, open your eyes to what’s around you, and ask yourself where you can find utmost purpose, today.

Reference
Frankl, V. E. (2014) Man's Search For Meaning. Boston, MA: Beacon Press

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Karma Yoga - Healing Guatemala

12/12/2014

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We broke $1,000! Departure is only a week away, and 100% on track, thanks to your help! This week I'll be using donations to load up a suitcase of school and medical supplies to take with me. So stoked! I'll be posting pics along the way to show you exactly who and what your donations affected. Namaste Karma Yogis!!!

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How do you Deal With It?

9/24/2014

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“How do you deal with it,” you ask?..

What a question. And what awesome timing to ask it now. Life, breakups, joy, love, pain, disappointment, big plans, falling apart, when life reminds you that you are not the one in charge of EVERYTHING.

How do you deal with it?

Step one: Fall down. Suffer. Struggle. Get your feet swept from under you. Become the victim. Cry and ask “why me?” Cry more and remind yourself that it used to better. Tell yourself that things are not what you thought they would be. Lament over the fact that before you were so certain, buzzing with aliveness, full of answers, and teaching them to the world. Before you were indestructible… Or were you?

Step two: A moment of lucidity. Recognize that if you really believed all those things, then this, this purgatory, is not an acceptable outcome. Recognize that these low quality thoughts lead to a life that is not life, but rather, a slow death. Even if you cannot see it, even if your mind is clouded with thoughts that block the light, you know the light is there. And you are determined to reach it. Lost but lucid.

Step three: Ask the right questions. Make plans. TAKE ACTION. What do you want? What do you “miss”? How can you cultivate it once more? Who are you? Who “were” you? What can you do? What are you afraid of? How can you face it? Who can you talk to? Where can you go to seek answers? Where can you go to remind yourself of the truths you know deep down are of the greatest value? Plan, schedule, make appointments, reach out, make phone calls, get dressed, stumble where once you were strong.

Step four: Joyful Acceptance. Begin to awaken to the truth. The truth is, step one – suffering, IS in fact, step one of this glorious process of growth. You could not arrive here, blossoming into new higher versions of yourself, without taking each step of this amazing, soul-exposing journey. You see, when you are at your highest, your peak, when you think you have it all figured out, when you think you have reached the top – you have nowhere left to go. Growth is no longer possible. But a life well lived is one of constant growth. It is by definition a journey with no end, for those of us with enough courage to truly be the Heroes of epics. God, the Universe, saw you in your glory and decided that you were strong enough to move to the next level. The Universe sees when you are strong enough to face new lessons, to confront new impossible challenges, and when you need them to grow more. You are ready to be broken down, you have what it takes to rise again as something more intelligent, more whole, more empowered. By breaking you down, the Universe is welcoming you back, closer to the divine source within you. It is an invitation to your higher Self. Feel honoured. Accept that before you felt intense gratification with life, and at this moment here and now, you don’t. And in this moment, that is perfect. Accept that where once you felt certainty and comfort, now you feel uncertainty and confusion. And in this moment, that is how it is now, and that’s perfect. With joyful acceptance of these things, you no longer feel inner turmoil. Because your current thoughts and beliefs now match your current reality. Suddenly, without having to change or believe or understand anything, you feel inner harmony. Right here, right now.

Step five: Stay the course. Breathe in and out from your heart. Deep down, by now, you know what you need to do today. You heart, it’s intelligence and intuition, knows what direction you should be walking. You still have your previous goals and plans to guide you. Focus on the steps. Take them. Let go of your fears of not being accepted, of not being perfect, of not knowing exactly who you are or what you think. Now is the time for searching, for joyful uncertainty. Search, create, do, seek. Be content that now is not the time for gratification, now is the time for searching. Because it’s not comfortable, because you don't know everything, because you're not “there” now... This is true adventure. You are a true hero now.

… And for those of us who see ourselves as teachers, leaders, healers… Do not think less of yourself here in this place. You are a teacher, a leader, a healer of human beings. It is your beating heart, your flesh and blood, your monkey mind, that give you the power to know what it means to be human. It is that understanding and compassion of human vulnerability, and the courage to continue onward, that qualifies you to do what you do. Embrace your imperfections, move forward amongst your fears. You are a true hero now.

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New Beginnings - Constant and never-ending improvement

8/15/2014

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A new city, new studios, new beautiful faces and inspiring souls, new education, new workouts, new qualifications. So inspired and PUMPED for the journey ahead. Feeling absolutely BLESSED.

Stay Tuned!
New Yoga & Barre classes

@CAMARILLO PILATES
&
B Real Fitness

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Join carly on a Volunteer Mission to Guatemala

7/24/2014

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Do you want to make a real difference this year? Do you want to give a gift this holiday season that changes the world for the better, that touches lives, that truly matters?

Me too! I've decided that the best way I can do this is to offer my time, knowledge, passion, skill, and anything else I have to give, and head off on a volunteer mission to one of the places that needs it most – the poverty-stricken streets of Guatemala. I have been accepted into the medical placement program for International Volunteer Headquarters, and will be spending my holiday season offering volunteer medical assistance to those who are not as lucky as us to receive the same blessings of first world care and comfort. In addition to medical aid, I will partaking in special projects of celebration with the local Childcare Project and Caring for the Elderly project, to help make their Christmas and New Year’s days special. I will also be spending time, helping to build a local school and assisting with local coffee farm Eco-Agriculture Project, to benefit education and local economy.

I invite you with my whole heart to join me on this journey of healing and supporting others by volunteering all that you can offer in this fundraising campaign. We are all connected, we are all family. I invite you to honour that family beyond those that you know personally, and make the most of the love in your heart. I make a promise to you that I will do my part to give all that I can on these projects. I have so much to give, but I CANNOT do this without you!

Please help me this year in doing our part to heal the world, one donation, one moment, one gift at a time. Namaste!

With love,
Carly

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