The Perennial Renaissance

"Not all who wander are lost." -- J. R. R. Tolkien

[marz26]

Let.Go.

It’s amazing really. I decided today was the day I was going to let go into the abyss. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been on this never ending roller coaster of emotions -- wondering if I’d ever get to talk to you again. Detaching has not been easy by any means, but I know deep down that’s what I have to do. For the sake of my own sanity and for the sake of my heart, I know letting the universe do what it does best is really my only course of action. 

I have to admit that letting go into the universe has never been easy for me. I live a very calculated life where I plan out each course of action to minimize disappointment and pain. That’s another story all together. 

After two weeks of intense pain followed by unexplainable bouts of clarity, I realized that the only choice I really had was to allow God, the universe, the Source, to take this from my hands and allow fate to play out.  I had to learn to “release what I cannot hold.” It’s no longer in my hands. Maybe it never was. 

In doing so, I decided to catch up with an old friend -- a friend that at one point I was actually interested in dating. When I least expected it, she asked me whether I’d ever been to Italy. I couldn’t help but smile. I kinda smirked actually. If she had only known that I should’ve been in Italy right this very moment, she would’ve been floored by why I was sitting with her instead of you. The universe has a funny way of communicating if you listen closely. I enjoyed my time with her, but from that point on I could only think of you. 

This is still not easy. I still think about you in every passing moment. I wonder how something with such great potential can end up where we are now. I guess there are lessons to be learned here. And I’m guessing until we both learn those lessons, we’ll stay apart until the universe sees fit. I can’t imagine this is going to be easy, but I trust the universe has a plan. I’m grateful for you. I’m grateful for the time we spent, the hours we talked getting to know each other, the countless moments of bliss, the intense connection, and the passion that burns between us. I still have faith that the universe will bring us together once again -- sooner than later. 

[marz26]

As above, so below

On an unusually warm April evening in the 17th year of the 21st century,  the seas parted, the clouds cleared up, and for a brief moment in this existence I was shown a world of possibility. Unprepared and totally blindsided, a glimpse of euphoria rested ever so gently on the very lips that spoke of adventure in far off lands. The truth is no adventure would ever match up to the journey that was about to begin. 

I’ve often heard that when you finally meet that destined soul, the world stops dead in it’s tracks. The intensity of the meeting halts most people to a complete standstill while others struggle with the magnitude of the energy so much they literally run from the overwhelming emotions that arise. The thing is -- it’s not the fear of failure that stops us. It’s the daunting fear of true greatness. We fear that of the greatest potential because it’s only ever lived in our imagination and to see it fully realized makes no sense to what we know as reality. Deep down we recognize that potential is greater than any of us as individuals. 

The universe is always conspiring to manifest the dreams we hold closest to our hearts, but you have to pay attention to the universe as she unravels those dreams into reality. This space we inhabit is only a fraction of the grand and infinite galaxy that is the universe. Within this world lies the magic of the infinite cosmos --of things we cannot explain, the ethereal, the celestial spaces we only imagine exist in our waking dreams. When you set your intentions from a pure space and from the depths of your soul, the divine transforms into a luminous existence. 

That existence, while beautiful and dreamlike, requires we evolve with that transformation. Just as it manifested into our life, it can quickly be taken away if there’s an imbalance. This universe is in constant flux to maintain harmony. Ying and Yang. Good and evil. God and devil. We MUST be willing to let go and allow the divine to work it’s magic or face becoming co-dependent on each other -- thus fighting for each other’s energy to maintain the bliss that once existed on an organic level. 

The great unknown is a scary place as we have only have control over our own actions. If there’s anything I’ve learned in these last few days, it’s to trust the process -- to allow God, the divine spirit, the universe, whatever you want to call it, to orchestrate the master plan. Whatever is in your heart manifests into your reality; so send those positive vibes into the world and know it’ll come back ten fold. Only we have control over our own karma.

 Let go into the abyss of uncertainty, live with a pure heart, set your intentions with love, and the magic you seek will find it’s way to you. 

As above, so below.

[marz26]

Onward

I had a weird premonition about today. Even a few days ago I thought I had made a mistake, but I had to see it through I guess. Unfortunately, the premonition was right all along. I should’ve listened to my gut, but my head got in the way. Intuition took a back seat. 

While how I feel is important, what matters most is how I react. 

I spent a good part of the day wallowing in my own self-imposed misery. What’s ironic about that is that I KNEW it was self-imposed. We cannot pretend to NOT feel an emotion as it passes through us, but we can look at each moment with a different perspective to learn the lesson at hand. Often, we choose to wallow in pain just so we can feel something...anything. I don’t think we’re masochists by design, but we yearn to feel -- even if that feeling is sadness. 

Today was not an easy day. After finally figuring out what I wanted, I found that I may already be too late. I am devastated, but I know it won’t be for long. I thought it was going so well, but maybe I played it too slow. I saw progress, but maybe I was blinded by my own self-delusions. I’m usually a pretty good judge of character, but I misjudged this one. Maybe not totally, but partially. When all is said and done, it’s my fault. I waited too long. I always do (did).

The valuable (and painful) lesson I learned today is to take a chance even when you’re not entirely sure. You’ll never know otherwise. I also learned that emotions can get the best of us and can easily blind us from the truth. 

In order for the future to happen, you have to live in the PRESENT first. Onward.

[heroes-get-made-deactivated2022]

Cheer Up Post #3684 - Romanian Nature Edition

russian-at-heart would also like a post featuring natural wonders of Romania. Enjoy!

A Cheery Travel Guide

Nature/Animals Masterpost

***Disclaimer: Most of the images used do not belong to me. If you see one that’s yours, and you would like credit or to have it removed/replaced, please just ask.

Want your own Cheer Up Post? Find out how. Or see the others.

[travelaway]

Travel across the most special places in the world.

[marz26]

Purposely lost. Accidentally found.

This trip couldn’t have come at a better time. While I was thrilled to celebrate one of my closest friend’s bachelor party, I needed this trip to clear my head. 

The last few weeks I’ve allowed my thoughts to get the best of me  -- something I don’t do very often these days. I’ve been so proactive with my meditation practice and being able to take a step back from stressful situations, that it was sorta a relief to know I can still feel so intensely and go through the whole wheelhouse of emotions. 

As counter-productive as it sounds, this trip was the perfect amount of debauchery, gluttony, and substance fueled banter that could knock some sense into me. After all, that’s how a lot of men operate. I mean, I’m not saying this is the foolproof way of dealing with your issues, but at the very least it’s a hell of a good time. And that it was -- a grand fucking time. 

I ate too much. I drank too much. I indulged too much. But I’m alive, full, and have stories to share...vaguely, but stories none-the-less. Actually, never mind. Bachelor party stories die with the participants. Stories are told like folklore. Only those present know the truth. 

I can’t tell you what it is about New Orleans, but I’m drawn to it like white on rice. Sometime in another life i lived in New Orleans. At some point, I’ll live there again. The Big Easy is exactly what the name implies. It’s got this relaxed sensibility where your troubles seem to melt away or at least get lost in the maze of the French Quarter.

Somehow in losing myself, I found what i was looking for. Often, taking a step back to see the bigger picture can give one a better perspective and a better plan of action to see that how that picture can be realized. I learned the only person getting in the way of my dreams was myself. I allowed the negative thoughts to consume me. 

The trip, while booze fueled and exhausting, invigorated me. You can’t go the New Orleans and not be inspired. The city bleeds creativity and the bohemian lifestyle is contagious to a fault. I felt at home with my fellow fly-by-nights. That’s what Nola is made up of-- vagabonds. They’re all on some sort of journey, whether internal, physical, or metaphysical. 

There’s no doubt I’ll need to detox from the vices of the Crescent City, but at least my eyes are open, my heart is full, and my intentions are unmistakable. 

I’m not sure how all of this will play out, but I do know it requires more than thought alone. So here goes: 3,2,1...

[realxmadrid]

[marz26]

A choice from within

 We make an average of 35,000 choices, both conscious and unconscious, every single day. Most of those choices seem so irrelevant and so minuscule that those moments pass without the slightest hint of a pause. But then there are those celestial moments when the choice is far from being cut and dry  -- moments when God himself has challenged you to dig deeper, to feel, to search. These are those rare ethereal moments when making a decision goes beyond logic or reason and must be made from within; from the depths of one’s soul. 

The tragedy is that most of us aren’t awake enough in the present moment to realize what you may have been searching for this whole time may very well be right in front of you all along. We’re often blinded by the idea of what we want that we overlook what may already be there. 

We were given free will and intuition, but our ideas of what we think we want are shaped by our subjective experience: our upbringing, school, work, media, friends, family, etc..Logic often rules over instinct and that often keeps us from real connections and the path that’s already laid out for us. 

So many of us have forgotten how to tap into our intuition because of fear. Our ego hinders us from making gut-decisions because of past experiences and past trauma that still haunt us. Those moments, while real, are very much in the past and have absolutely nothing to do with the present. Luckily, intuition is like any muscle -- with practice it gets stronger. 

Intuition connects all of us. To be able to feel a moment is to be human. We should learn to be more present in the moment so that we are more in touch with our instincts. When you start to use your intuition, you’ll realize that there are signs everywhere that answer the questions you hold in your heart. You are what you seek. You create the life you imagine. Your intuition is trying to help you get to where you want to be, but you have to listen. From there you can manifest the life you want and make decisions from your soul rather than from your ego. Let go of fear. Be present. Feel. 

“Come from the heart, the true heart, not the head. When in doubt, choose the heart. This does not mean to deny your own experiences and that which you have empirically learned through the years. It means to trust your self to integrate intuition and experience. There is a balance, a harmony to be nurtured, between the head and the heart. When the intuition rings clear and true, loving impulses are favored.” -- Dr. Brian Weiss

[marz26]

"LIFE: To see the world, things dangerous to come, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life." Here's to new adventures in 2016. No matter the destination, always #onward. #getlost #lost #travel #wander #wanderlust #adventure #vscocam #vsco

[farewell]

[staypozitive]

[intravelist]

Make a wish, let go of all bad & light up the sky with a million lights. - 📷: @drewhopper 📍: Wat Phan Tao, Chiang Mai. Thailand (at Wat Phan Tao)

[marz26]

Rustic #canada #montreal #quebec #travel #wanderlust (at Old Montreal)

[marz26]

lost. I don’t travel to forget where I’m from. I travel so I’m a better person when I’m home.

[marz26]

That feeling knowing @renejun815 beat the shit out of cancer 3 years ago today. Also, we basic AF. 📷cc: @jus1mc #threeyearsremission #brosbeingbasic #bruvsbeingbasic #lamauricie #canada #quebec #jumpman #fckcancer (at Shawinigan, Quebec)

[marz26]

One with nature #lamauricie #nature #hike #travel #canada #wander #getlost #wanderlust (at La Mauricie National Park)

[marz26]

"Not all those that wander are lost." || J.R.R. Tolkien #lamauricie #canada #quebec #igersquebec #travel #wander #getlost #olloclip #vscocam # (at La Mauricie National Park)