WoNDeR. CReaTe... changes.

i think change is a good thing. i like it in so many different ways and strive for change rather than security. constantly evolving, i try not to ever feel static or stiff in all regards of life. this results in a constant flow of things, challenges and ventures.

right now, many personal changes are taking place: from minor things such as change of music on the ipod to the big achievement of moving into a new apartment.

constant change can be very rewarding and fulfilling, yet it comes with some prices to pay. not everything moves with you when you move. not every bond can hold through times of change. not every distance is easy to deal with...

someone who likes change should always look within first. you are the only one who will always, without a doubt, go through all the changes you want.

this knowledge can sometimes result in phases of less social interaction, relying only on yourself and focusing on the truth within. you let go of so many things, in order to gain so much more...

some people might think this is egoistic, or even wrong. but look outside, look around you: change is the only constant thing in life.

an example: outside my window, the long awaited winter has finally shown. the gently falling snowflakes are the proof of constant change. and i like this change of seasons outside just as much as i cherish my own personal developments within.

december starts tomorrow: a stressful month of buying "great" last-minute presents for some, a time to enjoy the snow swallowing noises for others - a month full of new changes for me.

i received this cute gift today: a very smart(ies) advent calendar. it's a small reminder of how days pass and bring new colors with them, a reminder of how simple things can be so cute, and a reminder of how precious friendship is. especially the kind of friendship that lasts through the changes...

MoVe... conquer the hill

so many times one stands in front of a hill, be it virtually or literally...

seeing the large amount of work ahead can be discouraging and suddenly one feels tiny, unable to move properly and unknowing of where to begin the challenge...

it's important to let go of the big picture and take it step by step, bit by bit. then, the path seems less steep and your endurance will grow...

sports is all about challenging yourselves, without overdoing your possibilities. setting goals that are above your regular average yet reaching them step by step...

standing at the bottom of that hill, you focus and let go of the goal's big picture. mind focused on breathing and moving, your feet begin to move and carry you up, bit by bit.

the higher my challenges become, the more i treasure confidence given by simple things such as motivational words or... the right shoe on my feet. even if they won't make me run faster or longer, i appreciate the comfort and stability of a good running shoe.

that's why i changed from "soft-not-so-much-a-running-shoe" adidas bounce to "high-stability-running-shoe" asics kayano 15...

now i stand at the bottom of that hill, and it's still steep and long - but the stability of my feet enable my muscles to relax and my mind to focus a bit more on the small goals along the way...

CReaTe... storm within

dancing shades

reflect on the empty pages...

time runs in slow motion

as wind creeps through the cracks in the wall...

moments freeze in the heat of the sun,

movement banished from the surface

as the picture looses depth

and begins to fade

a storm arises

from within the quiet...

ripples turn into waves

crashing upon these static rocks

wrapping around your ankles

gripping on the thoughts

you try to let go...

the storm empties out

what lies beneath

deep layers of complexity

to reveal true simplicity

as waves pull back

and the sun lets go of its tight grip

you hollow out

and bow to another lesson learnt.

WaNDeR.. WoNDeR..

old enough to know better, young enough not to care... happy birthday to me haha.

phases of transition are always interesting, challenging and sometimes even very demanding... moving back to switzerland after one year new york city turns out to be a little more draining than i first thought, or at least the challenges i am facing go a little deeper than expected...
it feels good to return, good to be back, but the feeling of settling back in has not yet kicked in, and i kinda doubt it will. why? things change, characters evolve and preferences shift...

in the end, i am moving back to a known place, yet there's many things i need to start from scratch. it's a weird mixture, feeling like a tourist with a massive deja-vu...

leaving the rushing new yorker lifestyle behind me, spending a couple of wobbly days in switzerland, i escaped the decision-making and settling in and traded swiss home with a tent on the island of paros on greece for 3 weeks... a complete different setting!

here i am, chilling and relaxing, feeling on hold - the quiet static heated air of after the new york storm and before the swiss storm...
impatient, but yet not ready to get started somehow, i enjoy this time being to concentrate on what i want and where i want things to go after this, carefully pondering about my steps and reconsidering certain habits...

in times like these, it is precious to find inner balance, to find distance and space to sort things out, before jumping into all the mix of old and new...
i am curious to get started, though, as new beginnings leave one more open-minded than ever when processed correctly...

no new beginning without an ending...

WaNDeR... goodbye US, hello CH!

one year ago i moved to new york, with suitcases full of expectations and ready to explore the adventure. today, i return to switzerland, in search of new challenges and changes...

apart from to much material stuff in my luggage, i carry many valuable lessons learned, memories of moments shared and new perspectives.

It seems when we get to a place where no one knows us, we become most ourselves...

my bags are packed, my heart's inside, i'm ready for this ride... getting lost to find my way, i need to go today... (travel therapy)

"A ship in harbor is safe - but that is not what ships are for."

MoVe... choosing the right yoga mat

there are about as many yoga mat reviews on the web as there are yogis in new york city...

last thursday, i received a nice compliment from my yoga teacher regarding my poses - what a great motivation considering i only started yoga this year! after this, i figured it was time for me to get rid of that uncomfortable piece of rubber at home to replace it with a yoga mat that matches my perferences:

- lightweight (i travel a lot)

- not too soft (less than 5mm)

- smooth material-like top surface, rather than the usual 3D-rubber pattern

- eco friendly material overall

i wanted to proceed by walking into stores and taking a closer look at what's available, but found it was hard to find "yoga-mat stores". weird... seems like most things are only available online...

so, i ventured the web in search of my dream mat. what i found was tons of descriptions, reviews, online ordering portals (yes, even amazon sells them) for various brands. but, since the constitution of the mat's surface was so important to me, most of the pictures did not offer enough base for decision-making...

in this jungle of hugger mugger, jade, barefoot yoga, manduka, prana and lulu lemon, i so far tend to get the Manduka eKO Lite, because i found a lot of great reviews (with bigger pictures of the mat's surface!) and it's available for less than 40$ (free shipping!).

let's hope i found my dream mat!

WaNDeR. WoNDeR... distance so near

traveling is so amazing, one can barely put the experiences into words. nowadays, one can change place so fast as distances grow shorter. different cultures so far apart geographically as well as in their philosophy are suddenly close enough to touch - only a plane ride away.

if one has the needed means, one can choose from the views in the pictures above at any time. no more routine and boredom of daily grind, no more boundaries and no more stagnating status quo. distance looses its meaning, everything starts to melt together - yet choices remain endless. that is the essence of frequent globe trotting: while immense diversity remains the same, afar is not so far anymore...

with all the modern technology, more communication platforms than one can handle and a dense transportation net worldwide, no adventure seems to crazy, no island to lonely and no sea to wide. there's no excuse: anyone can go "there" now, unravel in an individual quest to find... or simply to search with no intention of finding...

i teach myself to let go in order to gain. i want this sentence to echo inside my soul forever...

so many times we want to hold on to what makes us feel safe, but the most precious things cannot be captured or trapped. and when you push on glass it's bound to break...

nothing is lost if we let go, but there is so much to gain instead. we all have a past, we all know where we're from. but if we always carry the whole load with us along the way, there is no space left in our backpack of life for new experiences, no energy left in our legs for new challenges and no love left in our hearts for new love...

let go. don't forget, don't throw away, don't ignore - but let go.

only then can you truly feel and cherish the beauty of sights as in the pictures above...

CReaTe... lowering wings to fading sun rays

humble wisdom felt from today's learnt wonders, wander your feet through the earth in newly gained amazement.

failures of the day passed, drowned in the last sun rays - emptying the chest to give hope for new beginnings, new chances. feed off energy to recover from injuries, shake off the shade to stand up in awe.

distractions won't touch a soul that's filling up with the preciousness of last sun rays... waves won't burry feet that are hugging the ground they stand upon... storms won't break a heart that unfolds to fill with air...

day to night, precious moment of transition full of memories and hope, cherish the possibility to grow within... 

staring at the same sky, here we gaze at what was made to be... and breathe free...

MoVe.WaNDeR.WoNDeR... travel therapy

traveling is a great thing - i guess we can all agree on that. for me, it's not about packing my bags and taking a vacation, leaving "real life" behind for a while - it's a lifestyle, part of my true reality and a necessity.

there are infinite ways to travel, and an abundance of places to see. each journey, be it near or far, is worth so much more than the eventual amount of money spent on it - if you travel wisely. letting go in order to gain is the key phrase here: if you open your heart and soul to what's undiscovered and beyond your knowledge, the journey will be rewarding and everlasting.

as every person is different, so are the possible experiences on their various trips. how does one choose where to go - and what are the reasons? is there some way to turn this thought around, to find out where people should go, depending on their present state of mind, body and soul?

"getting lost to find your way... you need to go today" are karen schaler's words, writer of a book called "travel therapy". she combined the two interesting elements of destinations to choose and the therapeutic thought behind the journey.

i went to her book reading in new york city today, watched her enthusiastic character, listened to her emotionally personal travel stories and heard the world premiere of the book's accompanying song, sung by my friend and co-worker rob holub.

i think the book is a very creative approach to the "travel" subject, and karen's catchy lines give the whole business-like tourism industry a much-needed personal, emotional and even fun touch. happy reading! happy wandering! ;)

http://traveltherapytrips.com/book/

WoNDeR... good morning thoughts

"throw a stone into a little pond it causes ripples:
it's not a concept,
it's not a theory -
it's life."
(david rastovich)

"the only consistent thing in life is change.
so many people try to hang on to everything rather than going with change... just gotta work out what's good for you & what makes you feel comfortable."
(dick van stralen)

let go to breathe free...
watch "rasta in short" here:

http://www.mesurf.com.au/EntertainmentDetail.aspx?id=431

iNSTRuCTioNS

what do i want this blog to be about? is my life really interesting enough to show? which of my endless thoughts might be of interest for anyone out there?

this one is going to be about life - with all its activeness, awareness, memories, contradictions, chaos, depth and joy. there is a huge abundance of things to experience, and an even greater infinity of how to describe it in word and picture...

i am not wise: i see the world through my own eyes - if you disagree the way i see: let me know - or let me be...

the broader picture of my blog / instructions on how to read it:

WANDER. travel the world - experiences, plans, memories, places...
WONDER. think a lot - question, ponder, search, inform...
CREATE. live creatively - design, sketch, write, innovate...
MOVE. go with the flow - health, news, sport, go...
SOUND. music of the heart - melodies, lyrics, shows, listen...

categories might have to be adapted, things might not be broken down into these groups - falling out of any kind of scheme we try to apply... we will see...

CReaTe...first random approach to blogging

at the shores of tidal changes
i stand staring
wondering
vast space standing
against my captured soul

i wear my garment so it shoes
no hiding of dirty toes
feathers used to cover my wounds

steadily i sit
shaking off the shade

sun rays
hug the strings
wrapping tightly around my soul
opening the bind
to make them lift me up high

as the rays sink into waves
crash around me
lift my heart
to breathe free

i turn inside out
light from within
to broaden the way
into a new day

burdens sit left and right
following my careful steps
through steepened depths
- of the soul.

el alma..