Different Worlds

They were sitting under the umbrella on the edge of the patio.  Their backs to the Pacific Ocean, they chatted quietly, paying no attention to other guests and their surroundings.  The bar was the Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the Pink Palace of the Pacific.

They were over dressed for the time of day and warm weather.  He was tall, grey hair, handsome, wearing dress slacks, loafers and an expensive dress shirt.  He was sporting a large Rolex, clearly, a man of some success.

She was very proper in her posture and movements and with her speech.  Being Asian, she was probably educated in the finest schools in Hong Kong or Singapore.  Her black hair glistened in the afternoon sun.   The tailored black dress fit her subtle curves beautifully.

Surprisingly, no one noticed them.  Most of the patrons merely sipped on their world famous Mai Tai s, as this is where the Mai Tai was invented.  They chatted between themselves and enjoyed the beautiful view and the gentle trade winds.

He watched them from two tables away.  Their auras projected wisdom, strength, and compassion.  He wondered who they were.  Soon his imagination took over.

Maybe they both owned businesses; maybe they were art dealers, could they be retired friends who meet after World War II.  Or they could work at an embassy.  He thought not, they were looked too refined.   Maybe they were something more intriguing like CIA operatives meeting to exchange top secret intel.  If they were, he thought it would be cool to meet them and hear their stories.  That is if they could.   His imagination was interrupted when the couple got up to leave.

Who were these people, how did they meet?  Where were they going now? The theater, were they on vacation, were they going home, what does their house look like?  Is it behind iron gates, or is it a luxury condo on the top floor of a high-rise?  Or, are they even married?

He finished his mai tai and followed them.  As they walked toward the lobby his questions continued, even though they would probably never be answered.  Unless of course, if their paths crossed again somewhere, sometime in the future.

The Magic

There is an element of risk in living your dreams.  It’s worth it. You can do whatever your passion is.

New Ritz Carlton Product

Hotel chain Ritz Carlton has introduced a new product called Ritz Carlton Resere. Their first property to open is in Phulay Bay, on the Andaman Sea in beautiful Southern Thailand. Other planned destinations are Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Turk and Caicos, Unite Arab Emirates (UAE) and Similan Beach Thailand.

Plan on arriving by air at the Krabi (KBV) airport about 25 miles away. Phuket (HKT) is about 100 miles away. The Phulay Bay property has 54 one bedroom villas, each with outdoor baths and private plunge pools. In the Ritz Carlton tradition the location, accomodations, amenities, dining (6 options), ESPA Spa and personalized customer service are world class, envied by other properties.

As the dynamics and profiles of the newly wealthy change so have luxury brands such as Ritz Carlton. Once known for older well to do people they have evolved into a product for younger folks with abundance who enjoy luxury and world class service. As one of their sales people told me, it’s difficult and not too smart to turn away a guest wearing $300 jeans and a blazer, just because they’re wearing jeans which don’t met the old dress code. The brand has adapted over time and now has a lower average age of guests. These days you’ll meet a wide range of ages visiting the luxury brands.

Five Human Truths

As we look at our lives from the solitude and darkness within, to the sunny landscape around us we realize each of us are very different and unique.  We all have our own voice and spirit that is unique to us.  No one else is exactly like us. As mentioned in my previous post Now Is The Time For Reflection, it’s important to take time, at least once per year, to take some personal, alone time to reflect on where we are now, if we are being true to ourselves and where we want to go in the future.

Even with this uniqueness there are some things that each of us needs, just like others around us.  The Starwood Hotels group describes them as the Five Human Truths.  They strive to fulfill them each time you are their guest.    What is it that all of us need to feel good?

The 5 Human Truths

1)  We need to be understood

2)  We want to belong

3)  We long to feel special

4)  We crave more control over our lives

5)  We dream of reaching our potential.

When you’re by yourself, reflecting on the future, be sure these basic needs as well as your unique needs are being met.  If they are, life will be easier and feel more fulfilled.

You deserve to Live Well and be the real YOU!

Now Is The Time For Reflection

Look to Nature

Now is the time of year to get away and evaluate where you are, what you’re doing, and where you want to go next year, in all aspects of life.  Are you doing things now, that are getting you closer to your dream place?  Or are you doing things that are preventing you from going where you dream to be?  Or are you doing nothing?

Since many of us get off track or distracted during the year by everyday life, take time to get back into “the Zone” and focus your energy on things that are truly meaningful to us.  To be happy and “successful” we must be true to our inner Spirit.  When you are the things you need will be come into your life naturally.  When you force things, life gets mixed up.

An example of “finding our true self” is a Vision Quest.

“In many Native American groups, the vision quest is a turning point in life taken before puberty to find oneself and the intended spiritual and life direction. When an older child is ready, he or she will go on a personal, spiritual quest alone in the wilderness, often in conjunction with a period of fasting. This usually lasts for a number of days while the child is attuned to the spirit world. Usually, a Guardian animal will come in a vision or dream, and the child’s life direction will appear at some point. The child returns to the tribe, and once the child has grown, will pursue that direction in life. After a vision quest, the child may apprentice an adult in the tribe of the shown direction (Medicine Man, boatmaker, etc).” (from Wikipedia)

Are you being true to your inner self, your spirit?  Now’s the time for examining what you are doing and where you’re going in life.  To reflect on the past, present and future.

Not all of use can do a real vision quest but we can get away from all the hustle and bustle, and go to our favorite place and spend time reflecting on each aspect of our life.  So go to the mountains, to the desert, to the beach, the river, the red rocks, or the forest and spend time getting to know yourself again.  The future is you.

Sand Animation

This is beautiful!

What Message Are You Sending?

What message are you sending out to the world?  We all send out vibrations all the time.  Become concious of them and be sure to send out good ones that will help you.

Here’s an explanation from The Daily Om.

“The Joyful Flow
Good Vibrations

Feelings vibrate, just as all things in the universe do, at a particular frequency. Negative feelings like anger, guilt, and depression vibrate at low frequencies, while positive feelings like joy, appreciation, and passion vibrate at high frequencies. These high frequency vibrations make us feel good. This is why people and places that inspire and cultivate positive feelings have what we call good vibrations.

Good vibrations inspire health, happiness, and optimism. When we are tuned in to good vibrations, our bodies heal, our hearts open, and our minds shift toward the light. We see new possibilities and feel powerfully energized to follow our inner visions. At the same time, we feel relaxed and capable of manifesting these visions without giving in to stress or struggle. Good vibrations put us in a state of perfect receptivity so that we feel it is the energy flowing through us that accomplishes what needs to be done. We feel guided, supported, protected, and nourished within this joyful flow. We sometimes forget that we are allowed to feel this way all the time.

Lower frequency vibrations are not bad in a moral sense, but they are bad in the sense that they simply don’t feel good. Still, they have a purpose, which is to alert us to the fact that we are blocking out the higher frequency vibrations that we need to function well. They are a call for healing ourselves from within. The key to our healing lies in remembering that it is our birthright to feel good and that feeling good is the essence of our true nature. When we are receiving and sending out good vibrations, we are in the flow. When we are not, we can begin to raise our vibration by seeking out people, places, and situations that vibrate at a higher frequency. Whether we need to go on retreat or just call a friend who makes us laugh, seeking out those good vibrations and basking in them is a sacred and loving practice that returns us, time and again, to the joyful flow of the universe.”