A woman asked me how is it that I came to travel to so many places. She wanted to meet, talk and explore her dream of seeing something other than the U.S. After a brief conversation I realized she wanted ‘the secret’, but the answer to manifesting what we want is not hidden from us. Sometimes we need another person to help us identify it or we may need an event or life experience to trigger clarity. In my experience, it has been helpful to have someone who can bring objectivity and strategic thinking to my vision. Then I can move closer to my goal with a plan in hand. Initially, her questions seemed somewhat elementary to me, but as I silenced my mind and began to actually listen, I could hear what she was really asking me. I am currently working on two specific aspects of manifestation and I am so focused on them that I often forget the other 10 areas of manifesting that I’ve already mastered. She helped me tune into some really simple ways that I could contribute to her and it didn’t even take much effort. Instead of adding another meeting to my calendar, we sat for 30 minutes right where we were and she got what she needed. I walked away feeling richer and smarter, embracing a new way to see myself. It’s always great when others serve as positive reflections and reminders of what we have, who we are and where we are on our journeys. Here are a few of the tips we came up with:
1) Get a passport or if you already have one make sure it’s valid for travel. Send the universe a message–that you are serious about traveling.
2)Choose a few ideal locations. Learn about them as much as you can, learn about the food, the music, the history and the culture. Figure out the weather and the best time you would like to go.
3)Consider all of your talents and areas of expertise. You can connect to work opportunities that may serve as a barter for accommodations, food, entertainment, and local tour guides. You might teach English and exchange it for classes or meals, perform your creative talents in exchange for housing, or be involved with some sort of service oriented projects.
4)As Erykah Badu sings, “Pack light.” Focus on the experience not on the stuff. Leave your closet at home. Plus, you want to leave room for any keepsakes in your bag.
5)Surrender, surrender, surrender. All kinds of cool things happen when you stay out of your own way. Meditate on your own good and without being naive believe in the good of others. I’ve had wonderful experiences that didn’t require any extra money. The only cost was me letting go of my judgments and fears. I have a poem where one of the lines says “I love humanity, but people I cannot stand”. It was written during a more cynical phase of my life. Nowadays, I center myself with the idea that joy is a possibility in almost every situation and in every place on earth. A closed heart isn’t one that’s open to gifts so open up and watch what happens!
There was more said, but I didn’t take notes. We talked about setting a goal date for the trip and working backwards from the date. That’s it for now. The world is waiting to meet you! Bon Voyage!
I know a few folks who used this housing option with great success. Check out this site! http://www.airbnb.com/
*The picture was taken on a South African Airways flight. Photographing sunsets is one of my favorite travel activities…
Well, 50 entered polished yet humble. He sat, almost nervously, and his interaction with Deepak was sincere from the beginning. It was interesting to hear him tell his story in such an intimate environment. I couldn’t tell if it was because of Deepak’s energy or just the space he is in now, but his authenticity was not only believable, it was inspiring. Now, most who are familiar with my work and the trajectory of my hip-hop life know that I am a hip-hop artist, activist and a cultural ambassador. I’ve spoken publicly about solutions to the problems and what’s wrong with hip-hop for years. Although I danced “In da Club” with the best of them (yes, I did) and sang “It’s Your Birthday” (for many of my girls) 50 Cent’s image was never anything I could celebrate. I often wondered what was beneath the surface of this powerful man. I pondered his level of consciousness and questioned if he was present and/or even cared about anything other than money.
