I realize my previous blog post was quite some time ago. It appears that my most recent blog article coincided with the last time we had a flat spell here in the Caribbean. What I mean by a flat spell is that there are no waves.

I apologize for that, but I had numerous blog pieces written in my thoughts while waiting for waves in the sea. I also apologize for the prospect of multiple blog pieces being published at the same time; depending on how long the flat spell is, I may be writing a lot and getting them out there and out of my head.

This blog post is dedicated to all of my surf, Thai, Reiki, and yoga students that are out there in the world giving one love and healing. I am very passionate about everything I do at One Love, which is how I came up with the name One Love.

Everything I do and teach is One Love.

They are all taught and offered from a place of love and the heart. They are also all my one and only loves. Love heals and will heal the planet. You only need a loving heart and good intentions to heal the world.

Sometimes living down here in the Caribbean, of Costa Rica, I feel scared like maybe I am not following my path, my dharma because I don’t have a 401k plan, I don’t have a big bank account, I don’t work 60 hours a week, (sometimes my kids and I don’t even have shoes, and when we do have shoes we usually just have one pair of flip flops), we don’t own a car, but most importantly, I am debt-free. I have no school loan debt, no car payment, and no mortgage.

We certainly do not live the American dream or the “typical American life.” What I do have is a stress-free life, time to spend with my children, good clean water, a river, and a canoe that serves as our driveway to the beach. I also have wonderful, well-balanced children who can fish, hunt, and start a fire by rubbing two sticks together. We have dual citizenship, and we have over 150 tropical fruit trees in my garden, as well as their fathers. We have two dogs and two cats as well. We have surfboards and can spend time in the sea surfing, fishing, and snorkeling every day. We are surrounded by jungle, animals, therapeutic plants, and an incredible healing community. I can swap massages with several of my talented colleagues and friends at any moment.

I live like a queen, especially during the slow season, eating freshly caught tuna at Laslo’s fresh fish restaurant about three times a week. If I’m broke and my children need to feed, I can find free food growing everywhere; I could go on and on about the things I’m grateful for in my life. But, because I am not living the typical American dream, I have moments when I doubt myself and my decisions.

I come from a culture where success is evaluated by how much money you have in your bank account, how big your house is, how much stuff you can fit in that huge house, how many cars you have, and the clothes you wear. That has been ingrained in me my entire life, but known of that matters here in Costa Rica.

So I feel failed at times because, in comparison to other people and how success is judged, I don’t have all of those things, but I always come back with the realization that I have so much more.

To return to the topic of this blog, my students are what provide significance to what I do here in Costa Rica, they give meaning to my life, and they bring me success.

Every time I see one of my students on Facebook selling Thai massage or conducting workshops, I get thrills knowing that I was the one who educated them to help cure others and that they are now healing people all over the world. It also confirms that I am on the right track when I receive emails from my students about how Reiki has altered their lives, how they healed someone with a Thai massage, or how a surf lesson was the highlight of their trip.

One of my favorite examples is when one of my dear friends Laura, who was working in San Jose when met her. She was our graphic designer for Bliss (my first healing facility with Dan Springer). Laura took all of our programs, Thai massage, Cranial Sacral, and Reiki, and finally became a Reiki master.

She changed so quickly that she became a vegetarian and began practicing yoga – she went from city girl and computer girl to jungle goddess living off the land. She was already an amazing woman, but her new abilities elevated her even further. She thoroughly researched all of the strategies. Every morning at 5:30 a.m., she awoke and exchanged Reiki with Dan. From the first day I met her, I offered her massages and bodywork, and her physical physique improved dramatically. Her shoulders used to be like cement walls, but after all of her healthy practices, they became supple and robust. There have been several examples of my students’ transformations over the years.

This message is dedicated to all of my students for providing me with meaning, for being a part of my Dharma, and for spreading the feeling of love. From the heart center, for giving and receiving. For making these Thai massages and Reiki teachings your own, with your own special touches.

We can change the world with love, one Reiki attunement at a time, one Thai massage at a time, one Yoga class at a time, one Watsu at a time, or one surf lesson at a time.

I love you all, and I’ve learned a lot from every one of you. I’m continuously learning and growing, and I’m still a student of the universe. You all have taught me something and will remain in my heart and soul.

Here are some photos of students who have studied with me, students from all over the world learning the Thai way and the pura vida way. I realize there are many more photographs and students I have left out, but know that you are in my thoughts and in my heart.