Why India? Why Farming? The next step.

In 13 days Mike and I are departing to work at Bija VidyaPeeth - The Earth Institute in Dehradun, India. 

We are both taking a risk in doing this. We are leaving the country for nearly three months. We can not expect the world to stop, hold on and wait for our return. We have made this decision accepting that we may not return to the same job situations. 

My passion for service, wellness and mindfulness have brought me to where I am now. Meditation and yoga have opened my world to the importance of setting intention, identifying values and mindfully moving in the direction that I am gravitating towards. 

Here is a bit more on why I chose the Earth Institute specifically:

Our world is losing access to healthy food everyday. We want to empower people grow it back - this is called Food Sovereignty.  Sadly, corporations are buying farms, taking our resources and polluting whatever healthy land is left.  Our soils are no longer rich and fertile.  Smart doctors and scientists are beginning to realize that we are only as healthy as our soil. Without healthy soil, we can’t have a healthy planet, healthy food or consequently - healthy humans.  

In our travels to India, our goal is to learn the techniques of biodynamic farming and how that ties into a gentler approach to political activism (the program is based off of Ghandi's teachings).  This information has to be spread, it’s our belief that only through the process of becoming self-sufficient and self-empowered, will we ever be able to take back our sovereignty.   

I will also be studying Ayurvedic medicine in my time at the farm, while Mike spends more time building infrastructure. 

What's to come?
With my new business: The Exploration Movement, I empower individuals to make informed decisions about how they choose to live their lives. Our society compartmentalizes people very quickly, we feel trapped by the very institutions that claim to give us freedom (traditional education, credit cards, materialism, mortages, loans). When we feel helpless and victim to our circumstances and responsibilities-we put our dreams to the side. I can not tell you how many people will say to me "Oh to be young! You don't have any responsibilities yet! That's why you can do this. Do it now, while you can."

I empathize with that. I can see how difficult it can be to free your mind from the masses.  I had to do this myself, but I was fortunate to do it before I had committed myself to many responsibilities. I am very careful with my commitments. 

It is also times difficult to deal with the scrutiny that your peers, elders and friends will give you while you transition lifestyles. When you make a decision to go against the grain and break tradition, people don't always understand and often times their remarks stem from a bit of envy, they wish they could do the same but may not give you the praise. My aim is to help these very people, realize that they can. 

Since my life goal is to be self-sufficient, to travel, and help others do the same... I knew that if I signed up for the American Classic package (House, Career Job, Car, 401K plus all the other things that keep us still), it would be more difficult -though not impossible- to achieve these goals. 

I will be blogging my travels and experiences, as well as posting yoga classes online to my facebook and this blog, so that you can continue to work with me if you so wish! My hope is that if I share steps on how I am able to do these things, it will inspire you to realize that you do not need much to make YOUR own dreams happen.