The Quechua people, descendants of the mighty Inca Empire, have a rich cultural heritage that continues to thrive in the Andean regions of Peru. Central to their identity are the ancient beliefs rooted in Incan cosmology, a spiritual framework that emphasizes harmony with nature and the universe. This April, Escape Bound will have the unique…
Join us for an immersive 10 day expeditionary retreat to Peru! Unlike traditional tours, an expeditionary retreat is an immersive cultural experience steeped in the rich, vibrant spiritual traditions of the Andes. You will have the opportunity to journey deep into the Land of the Incas where you will meet people from the Q’ueros tribe…
At the start of 2024, I looked to inner guidance to formulate intentions for the year and received the words, kindness and grace: kindness as I interact with each person (including myself) and grace in each circumstance or in the face of challenges. For the past two weeks, the question “What does kindness look like?”…
A prophesy is a story. Most people are familiar with prophesy as a prediction of future events. But prophesy is also described as “religious instruction”. Nobody really knows where prophesy comes from, as these stories bend scientific rules pertaining to the nature of space and time. Some prophetic transmissions are received verbally. Others come through…
This post will make more sense if you read The Calling: Part 1 first. The year before my soul quest journey, our family was visiting the colonial town of Antigua, Guatemala, before spending a month living on Lake Atitlan. Little did I know, one seemly innocuous event would create a subtle shift that would change…
In early 2018, my friend Dee had given me the book Soulcraft by Bill Plotkin. As that was the year I’d be turning 50, the concept of embarking on a wild, crazy, rendezvous of the soul sounded like a fun way to embrace the journey to elder-hood. Dee and I decided to sign up for…
Last year, I spent over 100 nights sleeping in a hammock. My hammock became a place of comfort, refuge and sanctuary. And by sanctuary, I truly mean “church”. It was the place where I spent many hours in prayer, meditation and contemplation. Most importantly, it became a place where I transmuted fear into freedom, over…
One of the central themes in my book, Escape Bound, is validation. I am working to develop a script for an episodic reality tv show that I’m hoping will explore this topic in a highly visible format. In this project we ask the following questions: Whose measuring stick are we using to measure ourselves? To…
A new healing modality is emerging, one that is so profound, it will change the way humanity thinks of sex, love and relationship. This prophesy is just beginning to unfold, though there are ancient teachings that contained elements of these secrets. Tantric texts, the kama sutra, kundalini yoga and sacred sexual practices in nature-based religions…
photo by Callie Rounds In June, 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Mike Dooley, an internationally renowned inspirational author and speaker, published one of my blog posts on his website. The post was titled “The Gift of Loneliness”. Last week, I wanted to send the article to a friend, who was struggling with loneliness…
Early Thanksgiving week, I was working on a painting project with one of my nearest and dearest friends. I tend to get introspective around the holidays. And much to his chagrin, I launched into esoteric spiritual reflection… aloud. Spirituality is one of my favorite topics and one of his least favorite topics. Since we were…
Emotion is powerful. It’s transformative. But all-too-often, it feels beyond our control. We observe something wanted or unwanted. We have a positive or negative interaction. The experience or interaction elicits an emotional response. Like leaves in the wind, we move along life’s path in a seemingly random emotional pattern, subject to unseen forces beyond our…
Last year, my daughters and I did the Asungate trek in Peru, which took us to 17,000 ft. (5,200 meters). Laying in my tent at 15,000 feet, under a full moon, I felt more at home than I would have felt in my own bed. Motion is my art form. Movement is the thing that…
Ceremony has had its roots in every culture, throughout all of human history. Whether honoring birth, death, marriage, rites of passage, or the changing of the seasons, ceremony marks the passage of time and provides context to our lives. In indigenous cultures, many of these traditions include the ceremonial use of plant-based medicines. The United…
Just over two years ago, my husband and I went through a divorce… and I have yet to go on a date. I told myself many stories as to why that was the case. First, I simply wasn’t interested in dating. Then, a highly itinerant lifestyle prevented me from developing close relationships. When I finally…
Today, I received the final chapter comments from a developmental editor for my book, Escape Bound. In his final commentary, this editor, who has a PhD in literature and has spent 18 years working as a professional writer for a research institute, made the following observations: His critique helped to crystalize a thought, which had…
There is a lot of talk in spiritual circles about this new age of enlightenment. More than any time in human history, we are seeing a mass evolution in human consciousness. This movement is yielding a huge influx of newly ascended masters. What the heck does spiritual awakening look like and how do you know…
Two days after my ayahuasca experience, I was struggling to regain my footing. I hadn’t eaten since the end of the ceremony because I didn’t want to “get off the ship”. In my mind, if I ate, the ceremony would be over. Most people who’ve attended a powerful retreat can relate to this feeling of…
Let me start by saying, I never thought I’d be the type of person who would do ayahuasca. But that statement in and of itself reveals just how naive I was on the topic; making the assumption that ayahuasca has a particular “type”. My ceremony included truth-seekers from all walks of life, many of whom…
Holy crap! My ayahuasca ceremony is tonight! What the hell did I get myself into? Did you know that a person loses their motor skills when they take ayahuasca? Some people can’t walk. Some lose control of their bowels. Nearly everyone pukes. In the midst of the ceremony, an estimated 50% of people actually believe…
If you are reading these words, remember they are meant as much for you as they are meant for me. This is the transcript from this morning’s 20 minute session: Do you know how very blessed you are? Do you know the entire Universe is indeed conspiring on your behalf and that even at this…
I didn’t get to do my 20 minute automatic writing in the morning because we left at 5:00am for the six hour return trip from Bajos del Toro to Tamarindo. This is the transcript from the afternoon’s guided meditation. Welcome to this playground known as earth, where you get to spend each day playing with…
Yesterday’s blog post gave me introspection overload. In an effort to prevent reader’s cramp (is that even a thing?) this post will contain a story of high adventure and pictures of gorgeous waterfalls. But first, here is the transcript from this morning’s 20 minute guided meditation: Relax. There is no pressure to get it right…
I didn’t want to write this blog post. But my soul said that if I didn’t, I was a chicken liver ninny bottom. And who wants their soul to think they are a chicken liver ninny bottom? I knew today’s insights would be deeply powerful and possibly painful. On this day two years ago, my…
So I wish I could say the dieta was going well. But that would be a big, fat lie. We’re supposed to be eating only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beer. Did I say beer? That must have been my subconscious talking. But my subconscious really can’t be blamed for that since it’s stinking hot…
On Friday, February 4, 2022, I will be embarking on my first ever ayahuasca journey. They say the journey begins the day you sign up for the ceremony and I’m sure on many levels, that’s true. But for the purpose of this blog, I’ll be documenting the week leading up to my ceremony. Today, I’m…
“Why is it that I think I need to rescue heroes?” she laughed… Then she cried. The pattern in several failed attempts at romance was suddenly crystal clear. She kept falling for heroes. The problem was, she wasn’t a damsel in distress. I told her that rescuing heros is just another version of a hero…
