The Mystical Travel Agent

Hello! Greetings from the Philly airport. I’m headed to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan today to visit my brother and his 3 kiddos. My parents will also be there, long story, but they have a second home there to be close to the grandkids.

I’m a homebody. I like my space, my privacy, order, routine and quiet. For the next 8 days, I won’t have much of that. It would be easy to say, “that’s just how I am”, stay home, sink further into isolation. But I’ve chosen to know myself: my strengths, my weaknesses, my needs and my desires so I can have more freedom. Plus, these kids each stole a piece of my heart. And my brother just turned 50 and my dad’s turning 80 in a few weeks. It’s time to leave my cozy little oasis and visit.

So here I am, a long day of travel ahead and I’m feeling EXUBERANT. Why? Because I totally nailed my plan. It’s hardly THE plan- I doubt it would work for most of you. But I’m sharing the recipe so you can explore YOUR plan.

It’s a combination of intention and surrender. Going with the flow and making decisions with my values and goals in the forefront of my mind. Trusting that when things go sideways, that sideways is the direction I’m meant to go.

This new strategy involves self- awareness and belief that the divine will take good care of me.

It helps to know that part of what I identify as me is the true, essential me. You can see my love of home, beauty, comfort and order in my astrology chart. That’s not going to change.

Another part is my conditioning- stories I tell myself based on the experiences and indoctrination I have had. This is the home of limiting beliefs; things I want to address in order to upgrade my experience beyond the experiences of the past. There is a lot of power in recognizing these parts and be willing to let go of what is not serving me.

And yet another part is my coping mechanisms- ways I deal with a hypersensitive nervous system, physical challenges and attachment style. Ideally, these are flexible, adaptable and open to change as healing progresses.

These later parts aren’t the true me, but I still need to take them into consideration and generate alternatives in order to have a pleasant trip.

Because I don’t like to rush, I need time to prepare for travel vs. running home from work, throwing stuff in a suitcase and running back out the door. I’ll leave early for the train and plan to arrive the suggested two hours before my plane departs. This might make you crazy, all that sitting around waiting! But for me, it signals ease and a sense of security. I’d rather sit in the terminal reading than on my couch fretting.

I also like to leave my home in the condition that will be pleasing to me when I return and have a few meals ready to defrost. You might be cool with leaving dishes in the sink and bare cupboards. How liberating that must be! Again, this is my tale. Yours will be different.

Given all these preferences, my regular clients and their recurring appointments, my brother’s custody schedule and the availability of airline tickets using the points I have, only one set of dates fit my requirements.

A combination of what I desire and an intersection of these other factors led me to what I believe is the divinely orchestrated time to make this journey. This is confirmed, in my mind anyway, by the weather forecast. Delightful weather for the entire trip. I have a knack for this! Not that I believe I’m able to control the temperature or precipitation, but that I allow myself to be guided to ideal circumstances.

If you’d like to invite me on your next trip as a good luck weather charm, I’m open to considering offers. 😉

My mind is a bit uneasy that I’m flying today, the day of the full moon, a partial lunar eclipse and some seriously powerful astrological challenges in my personal chart. And yet… I am (mostly) able to relax into that, knowing that this is the assignment I was given.

Same when I think about the fact that for the first time ever, I have not chosen an aisle seat. I didn’t have enough points for this privilege, and I decided to place my seating in the hands of the divine too. Maybe it will lead to something fantastic; circumstances even better than my intellect could have arranged.

Curiously, today is the day my upstairs neighbor is moving out. I’ll be absent for all that noise and drama. Presumably, I’ll also miss the new neighbor moving in. How’s that for an unexpected bonus?!

When my brother told me (after I had purchased my ticket) that he no longer has a guest room, but I’m welcome to the (leaky) air mattress, I saw this as a nudge to choose to stay in my parents’ guest room. Quality sleep is paramount, a non-negotiable and while I am apprehensive about the relational dynamics in that environment, I suppose it’s somehow all for the best. Right?

Last week, my work schedule got disrupted and suddenly my days off were no longer fully off. When I discovered that yet another street fair would be happening outside my office and had to rearrange clients to avoid the noise and chaos, I realized I had also opened up my calendar to attend an intriguing webinar. When I thought I was giving up a Gyrokinesis class that I simply LOVE to accommodate another client shift, I later found out the class was cancelled because the teacher was ill.

Everything always works out for me! That’s my motto. I keep doing the obvious, next best thing even when it doesn’t make perfect sense, and unforeseen benefits descend.

Once I get there, well, that’s another story. I’m sad to leave behind much of my daily routine. Obviously, I will not be dragging along my rebounder, BioMat, heavy weighted blanket, foam roller or apothecary of herbs, oils, lotions and potions. I’ll need to find alternate ways to get the benefits that they provide.

What it comes down to is that I need calming downtime, nature, movement and nourishment. I can find other ways to meet these needs and being in a totally different environment practically on the shores of Lake Superior, will hopefully inspire ideas.

Chasing three kids around and borrowing a bicycle will keep me plenty active and outdoors. I can be flexible somewhat in what I eat, having some cake and ice cream to celebrate the birthdays, while also honoring my habits that temper chronic pain. The calming downtime will be a challenge, but I can make it a priority each day to step away from the family and soak in some solitude. I’ll have access to a sauna and gourmet kitchen, which are definitely some upsides.

These strategies are unique to me. I’m not trying to tell you how to do vacation. How could I? I’m merely suggesting that if you know your non-negotiables, your wishes and your potential pitfalls, then every decision, should you allow it, will be guided. It’s when we try to control everything from the ego-mind that trouble ensues.

Well, it’s getting close to boarding time. I’d better find the restroom before I get crammed into a middle seat. Fingers crossed that I’ll have lovely travel companions and clear skies. Now that I’ve checked my luggage and survived the dehumanizing security checkin (what’s the deal with all the conflicting instructions and annoyed employees scolding you for doing the exact thing the previous employee told you to do?), it’s mostly just reading in various places.

I wish you all a happy full moon, partial lunar eclipse and upcoming equinox. Paid subscribers are invited to check out the full moon practice I recorded a few days ago, Soul Connection.

P.S. On my first flight, there was accident with the drinks cart. The coffee carafe crashed down, spilling hot liquid on my seat mate’s leg and bag, saturating the carpet of her small section of space. Had I chosen to pay for an aisle seat, that could have been me! Instead, I was dry and unscathed in the middle. 🤔