Mid-June. I arrived in Chiang Mai on a Wednesday evening and accidently fell into a fast. I awoke one morning unable to eat so I simply drank water all day...and continued to do so for the next three full days. Now on day 70 of a new combination of breathwork, energy work, walking/hiking, and lots and lots of water--more veils lift. What is this strange new experience?
With a new clarity and eyes wide open in wonder, it hits me that I'm back in Chiang Mai. Each time I return to this city, it takes me by surprise. What arises is never what I imagine, but something entirely new. All those things I thought would be here waiting for me this time around faded away in misty light. But that's the nature of this city. I should know this by now. It never gives me what I want. It gives me what I need--for growth, for peace, for creativity and the path I follow.
Monsoon season stirs up mist and bubbling anticipation, that something exciting lurks just beyond the fog, over the ridge, on the other side of everything that I cannot see. A familiar feeling. I disappear into the mountains on the regular lately to hike fairy tale jungles where a surreal wilderness of wonder explodes in greens and blues and muddy tones of earth. I'm grateful I've found friends eager for adventures and connection. Adventures and connection, whatever those mean to you, are what make this human life worth living after all. Or maybe that's just me.
When I'm not off on hiking or kayaking or exploring adventures with friends, I take long drives up into the mountains to Doi Pui to explore the quiet village, wander the garden trails, and breath cool, refreshing air. I sit in my favorite coffee shop that looks out over the vast valley to write and watch the children play in the streets below. Smoke plumes rise from small fires. Distant temples and villages seem to float above the low valley clouds. An overwhelming sense of enchantment catches in the wind and moves over the land. It brushes against me and lingers long after I've said my goodbyes and make my way back down the winding, mountain road.
Back in the city, hints of it still surface. I catch glimpses of it walking through my neighborhood at sunset, listening to the voices and laughter of passing strangers. It swirls in the air, dances over the city, and expands in every direction over the horizon.
Two months have gone by since my last update, and I almost abandoned this project completely. Life is quite a bit different than it was back in 2016 when I was updating every ten days. Over the past (nearly) six years, I've revisited many of the same themes over and over again. There are so many posts for readers to visit and explore I don't really need to keep driving in circles. And as much as I've wanted to take this blog in a new direction, nothing has really stuck. What to do?
Here are some new questions that I've been asking lately: How does literature/fiction play a role in one's mental health including my own? What would it be like to teach at a University? How would daily ukulele practice change my relationship with music and creativity? What could I learn from taking up a new hobby like astrophotography? And where would it lead me?
What stories would these new endeavors spark? What glimpses of enchantment would they bring to my life and those near me? And what kind of ripple effects would they move through the world?
What are some new themes or ideas you'd like to see me explore here?
Of course, travel and adventure experiences are my favorites, but I'm open to exploring more esoteric and mystical/cosmic topics too. Send me your ideas!
Other Honorable Mention Adventures from the past couple months: Adventures in querying agents! Adventures in condensing a complex novel synopsis to 500 words! Adventures in structuring a new novel! Adventures in being a beta reader! Adventures in planning road trips! Adventures in planning future research travels!
Take care, dear readers. Here's to a new era of inspiration and enchantment!
