With social media, members of the lineage of those who love to read and write words can now find your work from anywhere in the world.

They might buy a hard copy of your book and donate it to a library.

Or buy an ebook.

The audio version is played in their car as they drive to the job that helps them pay their bills, and your book encourages them to write their truth in tangible form.

The love of storytelling propels you and those in your lineage to share your stories with anyone who will listen.

Your stories are valuable.

You create friendships with fellow writers who all encourage each other and spread the joy of writing what can only be said by you.

I encourage you to follow my path as I work on my ancestral healing and lineage manuscript and help to open your mind to all the possibilities for healing. Please subscribe and share my journey with others. If you choose to subscribe at a paid tier, it helps to show your support of my writing, so that I can continue to do it in my “spare time.” Thank you for your support and for reading. ❤️

Some of them were put down on paper—literally. I learned how to type in high school on an old business electric typewriter. I think the best advice my mother gave me in this life was to take typing class. I only took the first one, but it has served me well in the decades since.

But at that time, I was writing everything down on loose leaf paper—the lined paper with holes to go in a three-ring binder. Looking back now, I can see how much more onerous everything was back then. I hand-wrote at least three manuscripts, and my sister, Erica, helped me edit them. It was so frustrating for me, but I can see how it made my writing and the specific manuscript better. Each page had to be rewritten multiple times. We are spoiled now with the ability to cut and paste, but I wonder if my skills would have advanced as quickly if I didn’t have to think through every grammar decision and rewrite the page every time I made more than a couple of changes.

The process of writing was more difficult in the 1990s in every way.

I did have a manual typewriter with an actual ribbon. It was clunky. The keys would always get stuck in each other, and the correction tape didn’t always work well. After I wrote it out by hand to my satisfaction, I would type it out on a typewriter. Over time, it would get more and more difficult to find the typewriter ribbons.

I self-published a book in 2002. I went to the effort of buying my first laptop. It had a floppy disk drive! So, my first manuscript was typed and stored on a floppy disk! It was a Chinese spy romantic suspense. It was meant to be part of a multicultural series of books, but the first one is the only one I wrote. I published it when I was working at a supermarket deli. I had a few friends and family members purchase a copy—I think the total was 13 copies sold. I never saw a dollar of royalties because it didn’t make the minimum $25 that was the publisher’s payout minimum.

I thought it was a sign for me to stop writing when my first book didn’t sell. It didn’t occur to me that it was because I was somewhat isolated and didn’t know many people. I didn’t have the luxury of trying again or the money and time to visit bookstores to try to schedule book signings or speaking engagements. I did do a little event at the local public library. My friend from work came, and we talked. There was a sign, but none of the other library patrons seemed to realize there was an “event” going on and were annoyed that we were being “loud.” I was even interviewed in the local newspaper (I still have the clipping.) but that also did nothing to bring readers to my work. The last nail in the coffin was when my book was given to a mystery reviewer in a romance novel magazine who gave it one star. Who is going to buy a book that only has one review and the main problem with it was that it “wasn’t a mystery”?

This was in the time when the internet barely existed. Amazon was not what it is today. No Google reviews. No Booktok.

There was literally no way for me at that time to succeed in writing.

At that point, I decided that writing was pointless. That it doesn’t help people. That books are frivolous, and I needed to spend my time on things that would support me in the world. I needed to pay bills and the rent and a writing hobby that did not bring in even one dollar wasn’t going to support me financially.

Essentially, I shut off my creativity for over 20 years.

Meanwhile, I did spend a lot of time learning and experiencing healing modalities, yoga, Buddhism, and art. I tried to start multiple businesses, including healing businesses, but none of them felt worth my time or energy. I eventually let them go. At the time I am writing this, I have also just let go about six months ago of the travel business I was attempting to build for over five years.

Ironically, writing was almost exclusively what I’ve been doing for those five years. I didn’t have people lining up to buy travel from me, but throughout the entire time, I was writing weekly newsletters, some of which I turned into blog posts. I also wrote blog posts that weren’t in my newsletter. Toward the end, I would write it for the blog and then share it through the newsletter. When I decided to stop trying to build the travel business, I decided to move my website over to Substack. I took about two months to move over most of the blogs from my website to the new website and have started to grow my following on here.

One day, I noticed a big dragonfly flying in circles around the pool. In past years, I saw dragonflies skipping across the water and touching down briefly before flying away. This was different in a way that caught my attention.

But it wasn’t an isolated incident. It happened every day. Every time I looked out the window. Morning, noon, and evening. Even one time when I was swimming, it flew around me so fast that the slightest bit of fear arose in me even though I knew I had nothing to fear from a dragonfly and it would never harm me.

This went on for weeks.

Then, I went to a Psychic Fair in Essex Junction, Vermont, and paid for a channeled reading. The space was cavernous and loud, separated only by curtains from the booth next door. The message came through that the dragonfly was an ancestor trying to come through. I knew it could not be my mother, who had died in 2002, because my sister and I associated her with ladybugs. This was something I had no experience with.

The advice I was given was to go into meditation and see who the spirit was who was trying to communicate with me. The presenter at one of the classes I attended suggested I could write it on a piece of paper and place it in an envelope and write “later” on the outside so that the ancestor knew that I got the message but was not ready to speak with them yet.

So, I did that. I used the envelope and wrote dragonfly on it. I put it in an envelope that I wrote “later” on and placed it under a copper pyramid until I was ready.

The dragonfly continued to fly around for at least a couple more weeks before I found the time one day during lunch to meditate and reach out to communicate with what I had come to believe was an ancestor.

On August 15, 2025, I finally decided to take a half hour to see what message the dragonfly had for me. I opened the green and white awning on the side of the garage so I could sit out by the pool during the heat of midday. The dragonfly was huge and a reddish brown and acting in a way that was different from how dragonflies usually fly around my pool. For context, I had seven previous summers to compare it to.

I sat in meditation for about 10 minutes before I opened my eyes and began writing in my journal. I clearly felt it was a female in my mother’s line from way back. Much further back than what I could determine through DNA testing. I sensed she was Greek in Sicily. I saw a brief vision of when I was in Delphi, which made me wonder if perhaps she was associated with that place. I had read that one of the Sicilian towns my ancestors are from was built on the ruins of a Greek temple.

I felt the desire to visit one day and heard an internal “yes.” I feel this is part of healing that ancestral line. Books I had purchased on Greek history and intergenerational healing flashed into my mind.

She told me her name is “Isabella.” I did a quick search and found it means “devoted to God.” She told me to “read between the lines” as to the psychic and spiritual aspects of the practices of the Oracles. According to this ancestor, I am a continuation of their line and can speak with spirits and see other realms. I “know” the reality (at least parts of it) beyond what can be proven with statistics. She confirmed that she is with me and in Delphi and in Sicily in Campofelice di Roccella at the same time.

As I walked the rocky dirt paths of Delphi, I felt as if I were walking in the footsteps of one of the Oracles or “priestesses” which my body felt was a more accurate term to use. She said she came into me in Delphi to give me a sense of that time and enable me to walk in her steps. And yes, she confirmed she wore sandals as she walked the rocky mountainous path. She told me that I am truly a “daughter” and that I should write a book to channel her and use my wisdom together for the purpose of ancestral healing. She knew that I, too, felt the connection to the land.

And so my journey began to forming a connection with my ancestors and being open to healing any ancestral pain and trauma that has been passed down from generation to generation. With each generation that passes, the pain and trauma compounds, much like interest compounds in bank accounts over time or small amounts of poison accumulate until they create an overwhelming toxic load on the body. My personal belief is that things outside of DNA can be passed down, and it’s clear that Isabella agrees with me and is willing to help make this journey one of healing and understanding for all.

I was guided to make bracelets and infuse them with Usui & Karuna Reiki—both of which I hold master-teacher certifications in. From almost the second I made the first one, they started selling to individuals, and then I completely sold out of my first batch to a friend who owns a massage studio.

When it came time to make more, I was wondering how I could do enough or make enough and would it be worth my while. In effect, I was questioning the finances of it—when I never question the finances of any hobbies or activities I do (even when I should). I didn’t want to put money I worked hard for at a job in my business bank account to fund it and wanted it to fund itself.

I was putting some unnatural stress and requirement on something that had given me enjoyment. I had all my beads in one box all mixed up together and every time I was ready to make something else—whether a bracelet or mala beads—I would individually choose the beads and intention and make it right then and there. Then, I would add the reiki after it was complete.

These I created a little differently. My therapist suggested that I make them in batches to save time. So, one evening after work, I went through all my beads and separated them into individual plastic baggies. I would lay them out in a plastic tray to see how they would look and decide. Then, I went on to the next one, and so on, until I had 19.

On a different day, I spent most of a night making up all the bracelets. Of course, I had to guess again at what the pattern was and a few of the beads didn’t have the holes going through them properly, so I didn’t use them. Since I am not using a bead board (my designs really are original and each is a slightly different size), a couple ended up being smaller than I had intended.

This was assembly line creation. While I did choose the beads, string them, and place reiki into them, I do not feel that special something that comes when the intuition strikes hot.

Intuition has been coming through to take these apart and start over. However, I didn’t want to destroy them if someone was feeling called to a specific one but hadn’t informed me. For that reason, I am giving notice that I plan to do this. I am giving a little over 24 hours for you to reach out to me at caryn@balancedexplorations.com if you want to purchase. I can not make any promises as to how long they will still be around before I mix all the beads back into my bead box to start fresh.

Here are the current bracelets that are available:

You should be able to zoom in to see the details.

Shipping & Handling in the U.S. for one is $10. $15 for two or more.

After this, I’m going back to individual pricing for each custom item I create. They are all individually chosen by me and not a pattern.

One for $30

Two for $50

Three for $75

Four for $99

Ten for $222

All 18 for $365

caryn@balancedexplorations.com

If you are called to one of these, may it be a blessing on your life. ❤️

As for the rest, you may have heard that I have started creating reiki-infused bracelets. I also have started creating some mala beads which can be worn as necklaces. I sold out of the first batch and have used up my current bead supply to create these.

In the future, I have decided to change the way in which I’m exercising this part of my creativity to avoid burnout. As of the time of this writing, I have 18 completed bracelets, reiki-infused, available for sale. I also have a self-compassion mala and a Green Tara tiger’s eye mala (not every bead is tiger’s eye).

I have decided to sell the current stock at a discount to make way for my newer creations which will be even more intentional and bespoke.

The current stock of reiki-infused bracelets is $30 each, plus $10 shipping and handling in the U.S. The cost of shipping may be prohibitive outside the U.S. (unless you are doing a bespoke option and willing to pay the extra shipping cost). If you want four bracelets, it will be $99, plus $15 shipping and handling in the U.S. If you are interested in more than four, please email me to see what is available from this remaining stock at caryn@balancedexplorations.com These make lovely gifts for friends, family, or clients.

The self-compassion mala is $100 and includes standard shipping and handling in the U.S. The Green Tara tiger’s eye mala is $125 and includes standard shipping and handling in the U.S.

If you want to purchase any of these, email me at caryn@balancedexplorations.com and I can show you additional photos and help you select which one is right for you. Once you have decided, I will need the shipping address and will send a Paypal invoice.

Once this stock is sold, when I buy new beads, each bracelet will be created with a certain intention, color scheme, etc. infused with reiki and even mantras. Those not custom ordered will start at $40 plus $10 shipping and handling in the U.S. Bracelets that are custom ordered will be made with the intention you want and if you have a preference for a particular type of bead that will be considered in the pricing. Custom bracelets will start at $75 plus $10 shipping and handling in the U.S. Malas are strung while I play Buddhist prayers and mantras related to the specific mala and color might be considered depending on the purpose of the mala. Malas are not reiki-infused. These will start at $175 including shipping and handling in the U.S. I may also decide to offer necklaces or other options. If you are interested in purchasing multiple for clients, etc., please email caryn@balancedexplorations.com so that we can discuss it.

I decided to buy some pearls, which were delivered today. I have a double strand pearl necklace I got from my grandmother, but I’ve never worn it. Something drew me to these pearls, however. I was looking for some interesting colors and shapes. It’s easy enough to use standard-looking beads, but isn’t it more fun to see a different aesthetic?

The reiki-infused bracelet in the video and photo below is currently available either by itself or with a 30 minute intuitive healing session via Zoom. You can email me or comment below for more details. This is the only bracelet with these pearls for sale. I don’t know if I’ll be buying more since all of these are individual and one-of-a-kind.

I will be making more bracelets in the coming days. I already have the beads selected. I love how they are all different. I intuitively select the beads and then reiki the bracelets after they are complete.

I was also surprised today by going on a live Zoom with Collette Baron-Reid and having a personal reading right before it ended—even though I didn’t come on until it was half over. There were at least 50 people with hands raised when I was selected. I think it was the Universe wanting me to know I’m on the right path with my writing and reiki bracelets. She told me I was lying to myself that I could not write or sell anything and that I have proof.

There has really been a lot of proof lately and signs and messages. I am close to 65,000 words into my first draft of my ancestral healing book. I keep being inspired to add a little bit more. I hear something or have a thought that sparks a whole new section of inspiration. Today, I was writing about ancestral debt a la indentured servitude. I guarantee the book will be interesting once it’s complete. My goal is to submit it to the Hay House Writer’s Community competition. I would love to be traditionally published, but I am not wedded to that idea. I’m prepared to follow the signs and my guidance to the best choices for me.

Until next time. ❤️

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Ancestral Money

by

Caryn Connolly

(written on April 27, 2026)

Ancestral money stories overheard

Argue over money pattern

Repeat

Funds withheld

Wants denied

Needs unmet

Ancestral money stories in your bank account

Empty

Overflow

In flux

Refillable

Ancestral money shame for borrowing

Blame others for lack

Fail to see abundance

Your money as ancestors’ memory

Visible

Irrefutable

Profession-based

Homestead

Bank account

Friend circle

Network

In circles that excluded your ancestors

Blame yourself

Blame them

Make them someone

To scapegoat when their expectations are exceeded

By you

Embody hopes and dreams of ancestors

Money flows

No more repeating ancestral patterns

Break the pattern

Break the lack

Break fear holding you back

Be whispered about

Followed in halls

Brought to the front

Asked for advice

Respected

Emulated

First in line

The line starts over

Expectations dropped

New set of stories

Passed to one

Passed to all

Passed in expansion

Prosperity backfills

by

Caryn Connolly

(written on March 26, 2026)

Deep within you is a calling

a yearning

an understanding that you belong

even though you might feel disconnected

disjointed

unwelcomed by your family of origin

You make small connections within your environment

wherever you can

by joining a group

making new friends

thinking bigger than your immediate circle

but the connection is superficial

The very cells in your body put forth the call

an unexplained ache

a sharp piercing pain without explanation

a random thought about a person or place

from lifetimes ago

which sparks new adventure

An internal voice tries to stop you from proceeding

through a sudden fear

an increase in your heart rate

wildly swirling thoughts that go nowhere

memories of past times when you tried to expand

and failed

But your lineage is part of you

cannot be denied

though you try consciously to ignore it

your ancestors are relying on you

don’t give up now

right before the awareness

Awareness leads to healing

only the first step

of many

tugs on your heart strings

and leads to massive liberation

for all

You are the Lineage Holder

the one who speaks for those

who have no voice

feels for those who have no body

speaks the healing words

into the void

You touch everyone you meet

some who only hear rumors of your existence

or feel your energy in passing

in ways that are unknown

in the present

but heal past, present, and future lineages

You are the Lineage Holder

worthy of healing

confident of your path

though you know not where it leads

to whom it leads

or what the ultimate outcome will be

This business and website has been in flux since I decided not to sell travel. It seems like I left at just the right time, considering all the current issues with travel and the wars that are happening. I struggled with that decision for years before I finally made it.

As soon as I let go of the energy that was going to “trying” to sell travel, I freed up that energy. It led to me finally having my creativity flow. I started with becoming a member in an art therapy membership, which led to creating art.

It became clear that I really do enjoy writing. Writing was my first love, and I gave it up in 2002 after I self-published my Chinese spy romantic suspense novel. You can buy the paperback or ebook here. I was surprised to see the ebook listed on Apple Books as well. I still think it’s a great story—but I gave up on writing for 23 years.

I decided that I wanted to write but didn’t know what I wanted to write about. It’s my firm opinion that “writer’s block” is really not knowing what you want to write yet or what to include. After joining some writing communities and starting some journaling exercises from some online coaching courses, I finally knew what I wanted to write—although the other types of writing and ideas are still coming.

I am focused on writing an ancestral healing manuscript. Once I made that decision, something clicked in my mind, and I’ve been committed to the point I’ve been spending a lot of time working on it and not on Substack writing articles. I even had the brief thought of each section I was writing being a separate article, but I really feel that I prefer it eventually being a book. It is taking on a life of its own. I started with my own experiences but am including channeling and exercises based on over 30 years of reading and personal experiences that are coalescing into an idea that can help to unify people in understanding the importance of healing for themselves and ultimately the world.

Forty thousand words later, and I know this is inspired and meaningful and will make a difference in people’s lives. I know enough about myself to know that I need to complete one creative project before moving onto the next.

That is one aspect of what will end up being part of Balanced Explorations.

Another idea came in a few days ago after I attended a mala necklace-making workshop.

In camaraderie, I worked with other women in a yoga studio to create a mala bead necklace. For me, it was meaningful, as I am a practicing Buddhist. While chatting with the others, I silently said a mantra with each bead I strung. I infused it with the prayer energy of a specific Buddha I work with. This one is for my own use.

As I finished it, it popped into my head and out of my mouth that it was fun making this and that I could easily make some and I could see myself making so many necklaces and bracelets that I would “have to” sell them. I was encouraged, and I admit that more ideas started to flow.

Bracelets infused with reiki energy. (I am a Usui and Karuna reiki master teacher.) Mala necklaces made while listening to the prayers of the certain Buddha and saying the mantras while stringing the beads.

And a new idea was born. I went online to buy a few basic supplies to get started. They haven’t arrived yet, but I will start creating these in the coming weeks. I am open for preorders. Message me for details.

I want to share a video I took of the snow in the backyard after the storm ended. The snow in the trees and the sound of the wind chimes drew me. I originally intended to take a photo, but I could not get out the back door far enough to take the photo I wanted to take. There were also huge icicles hanging right over the door. They aren’t likely to fall today when it’s below freezing, but I don’t think I can fit beneath them without doubling over.

What prompted this was a memory I have from high school. I was in art class. I wanted to be a fashion designer at that time, and I had done a watercolor painting of a woman in a green dress.

The art teacher told me my painting was great. I don’t remember how the class was graded, but it would be a high grade. Then, I told her it was watercolor, and her whole attitude changed. Suddenly, the painting that was so good 30 seconds earlier was now deficient because I laid the paint on a little thick and it looked more like acrylic paints to her.

All of a sudden, my art was no longer “good” or “right” and was something to be corrected or punished by a lower grade.

It was confusing to me. I’ll admit. It also happened a very long time ago.

I thought I might still have the painting and went to look for it. I do have some artwork that is even older than this painting. But, I couldn’t find it. Otherwise, I would have included the photo here.

Fast forward about 10 years.

I had been writing for much of that time and had written three romance manuscripts with the editorial assistance of my sister. I chose to publish one of them—For Love of Country—in 2002.

It was self-published, and, of course, pre-Facebook and internet. I knew no one. I was interviewed for my local newspaper. My book was also reviewed by Romantic Times Magazine.

I still remember the one-star review and the comment “It was no mystery.” That was accurate. I never said it was a mystery. I still don’t know why they gave it to a mystery reviewer.

That one-star review and the 13 total copies of my book sold led my mind to form the belief that writing is not worthwhile, effectively meaningless, and will never make any money so why bother doing it. (The book is still available through my publisher's website as a trade paperback and an ebook if you are curious.)

That could have been the end of the story. But instead, my writing progressed throughout my educational and work life.

I wrote for The Stute, the school newspaper at Stevens Institute of Technology when I attended there. I wrote engineering inspection reports as an engineer. I wrote a law review Note as an editor of the Vermont Law Review when I attended law school at Vermont Law and Graduate School. I write motions and briefs as an attorney.

I have written so many facebook posts since January 2008.

All of these things sharpened my skills as a writer and prevented that “dream” from completely dying.

I kept signing up for courses about how to write your book or your screenplay.

But still, I didn’t write.

I truly believed the teacher and the book reviewer had killed my creativity and that there was no value in it.

Now, I wanted to write, but I couldn’t think of anything to write. There was a self-imposed block based on the external opinions of others instead of my own opinion of the worth of my writing.

I read a few pages of my book at a virtual open mic night a few years ago, and people seemed to like it and wanted to hear more—not enough to buy it, though. More importantly, I liked it. I still think it’s a good story and well-written. Despite a few very obvious typos I missed in the multiple rounds of edits.

I kept signing up for the writer’s bootcamps and the writer’s communities. Kept attending courses on screenwriting and other forms of writing because I don’t really know what the final form of my creativity would look like. Ultimately, I don’t think it matters.

The point is, I started writing again. I have Scrivener for my manuscript and Final Draft for the Verticals and Hallmark-style movies I want to write. I am actually over 8,000 words into a first draft in Scrivener and, more importantly, feel as if I’m making progress on the writing journey.

But, I couldn’t force it. I had to want to write. I had to be committed to a consistent practice.

This is proof that my creativity has not died. It was lying dormant for almost 25 years, but it is still there.

That means your creativity is still there and can be reawakened whenever you decide. And, no one is going to force you to be creative if you’re happy with your life as is. You might be getting what you need from other aspects of your life. I just want to make sure you know that it is never too late to start up again, whether it is drawing, painting, writing, or playing a musical instrument. You deserve to treat yourself well and let your internal voice determine what you do and not an outside naysayer.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but all these (and many more) travel experiences were contributing to the development of my mission. I was feeling into a new and better way of traveling. Why not experience things that average people would not find value in? Why not enjoy the finer things in life? Why not help facilitate those same experiences for others?

I lost my job just before the pandemic began. I started going to networking meetings. It was almost a compulsion. I think I attended five networking meetings in seven days. I was supposed to attend a large local networking meeting, usually attended by 80-100 people in a relatively small room, when I heard the rumblings about Covid-19 and thought that maybe it wasn’t a good idea to go to that event.

Within a week, we were in lockdown.

At that time, no one knew what was going to happen. I still wanted to keep and expand a travel business, but the rumblings at the back of my mind that I didn’t want to work for free compelled me to switch my allegiance to a luxury host agency.

It wasn’t merely a change of agencies. It was a travel school with real business training and people who share a similar spiritual philosophy to me. One of the things taught is to regularly meditate for 20 minutes a day! This host was perfect for me!

But the uncertainty associated with Covid-19 was making me feel that it was wrong to facilitate travel because I could be causing the travelers harm. I thought deeply on karma. Was I taking on the karma for their actions and experience if something were to happen to them because I booked their trip? I don’t believe that is possible. I do realize that there could always be unintended consequences of any action, but to fail to take any action because there could be a negative result leads to the worst kind of stagnation.

I had access to the best travel experiences that money could buy and a fear to take on new clients because travel might cause them harm!

In mid-2021, I finally registered my LLC under the name Balanced Explorations.

It was not easy to come up with the name.

I thought deeply on what I stand for and want my company to stand for. My zodiac sign is Libra. I believe sustainability is critical in our current world. “Balanced” came to mind when I thought of Libra and sustainability. The process of deciding on a name took several days, but in the end, I was satisfied with my choice.

I had the opportunity to take three trips in 2021 when I hadn’t been anywhere in over two years. They were amazing, luxurious, and unexpected. My heart had been aching to fly somewhere new. I love being above the clouds and seeing the sun rise or set. I was traveling so often over such a short period that I was becoming quite familiar with JFK airport. It started to feel like my second home. I upgraded to first class on a couple of flight segments and was able to achieve frequent flyer status after only two trips.

After my adventure in Greece, I realized that I would need to go back to work in order to fully fund my business and give it the attention it deserved.

I began a wholehearted job search. There is no shame in having a full-time job and having your business be your overflow. That is what I desire. I need to feel fully creative and express myself through my travel business.

I recently decided that starting a new YouTube Channel named after my business and focusing solely on luxury travel would make the most sense for me. I am now more intentional with my time and energy. The job gives me structure and a framework within which I can work to build my business.

It is so easy to forget, but the most important lesson that travel teaches us is that the world is bigger than OUR corner of the world. My goal is to open people’s minds to what is available to them if they are willing to look. There is so much more than can even be imagined.

When people travel to new places, they move outside their normal cares and concerns to see with a wider lens. There is more than any one person can imagine, and the only way to experience even a fraction of it is to go there for themselves and see and realize that they can’t rely on other people’s interpretations.

My ambition is to create unique ways to explore the world for those interested in a 5-Star travel experience. I have access to the best experiences, the most custom and exclusive opportunities, and the most elite hotel programs.

Additionally, I feel that when people look for a more meaningful travel experience they will find it. Whether it be more socially-conscious travel, heritage travel, travel based on ethnicity estimates, or DNA, all of these are ways to expand a person’s mind and view of the world and everyone in it.

An hour or two before my birthday dinner, I started to make my way towards the beach. I browsed in a few stores and picked up some souvenirs before being drawn to a crowd of people and some Hawaiian music coming from a courtyard near one of the major hotels. The strains of ukulele and voices singing in Hawaiian entranced me. A man in the audience and several others started dancing hula. It was obvious to me that the dancer and the singers knew each other and were able to move in tandem with the sheer joy of moving to their native sounds. My heart took flight. I stayed in the crowd until the music ended.

Then, I walked over to the little table they had set up and bought a CD that had my favorite song on it. I told them it was my birthday, and they signed it for me. When I returned home, I immediately started making playlists of their other albums for when I feel the urge to be in Hawaii.

I was staying a couple of blocks from Waikiki Beach in a studio apartment on the 22nd floor with two lanai and views of both the Pacific Ocean and Diamond Head. Because there was no air conditioning, I kept both glass doors open at night to maximize the Tradewinds.. Prior to my arrival, I booked a couple of VIP experiences because I wanted to create memories that would last a lifetime and not leave it to chance.

The second day I was there, I scheduled an appointment with a private hula dancing and lei-making instructor who came directly to my accommodations with all the necessary supplies. She brought a lei to wear around the neck with her but helped me create the haku lei worn like a crown on the head. When I finished that project, she taught me a simple hula dance. I asked her to record my performance.You can watch it here on my You Tube Channel. (I must have known even then that someday I could use it for marketing purposes. LOL.) I kept those leis in the refrigerator and wore them for several days as I wandered around Waikiki. I received so many compliments and smiles from random people on the street.

The next morning, a van picked me up outside the hotel across the street from my building and dropped me off at a museum specializing in Hawaiian history and culture. This was my “VIP day.” I was so excited. It included lunch and an acacia wood bowl that I still have. The most exciting part of the day was when I was granted access to their private collections. Seeing artifacts right in front of me and not separated by glass made this a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

I stood over an exquisite feather cape worn at one point by Hawaiian royalty. The cape was in pristine condition. The feathers were a bright yellow. I stared in awe. This was a unique piece of history that could never be duplicated due to those particular birds being extinct.

What was really meaningful for me, though, was the large collection of model boats. There were sailing vessels and canoes, rows of shelves filled with them. Some appeared to be hundreds of years old. What made them significant for me is that I studied naval engineering in undergrad and had always admired the model hulls that rested on shelves against the walls of the long room that housed the towing tank. Right after I graduated, I went to Maine and purchased my own small model hull of a sailing vessel that currently hangs on a wall in my living room.

The things we do and the places we visit remind us of where we have been and who we are, but at the same time, they open our eyes to what lies beyond our current reality. Travel opens our eyes to the way other people live. It allows us to see and experience more than we would if we never left our houses and the towns or cities where we grew up. There is so much more out there to be, know, and do, and it all starts with traveling the world. That is one of the main reasons I am so fascinated by travel and desire to share the experience with others. And making the experience luxury elevates it further. (To be continued. . . )

I chose to join a group excursion—a quilter’s tour. I’m not a quilter, but as an artist I have a real appreciation for art and textiles and had the desire to experience the culture. In sustainability circles, they call it a sense of place, that indefinable something that differentiates it from all others.

Since I was a teenager, I had been watching Japanese soap operas on public television, and my mother had peppered our apartment with antique Japanese dolls she found at flea markets and thrift stores. While in Japan, I saw updated versions of the identical dolls we had when I was growing up.

Cranes are used a lot in Japanese art and tales to represent long life. There is even a story of a girl making 1,000 origami cranes to commemorate Hiroshima. I love the symbolism and sea birds in general. When, in the same store that sold the dolls, I found a yukata, or cotton robe, made in a vibrant crisp dark blue cotton fabric with white cranes, I knew it would be coming home with me.

Later that week, I visited a studio where I was dressed in junihitoe by two women.These layered silk robes have been worn by Japanese empresses for hundreds of years. I felt quite pampered as I stood there for close to an hour as multiple layers of heavy silk were draped one over the other to the point where I could not physically move even if I wanted to. A cameraman took photos the entire time. I purchased the package with three photos included but didn’t realize until afterward that I would have no say in their selection. I didn’t even get to see them in advance. The photographer chose the ones he wanted. I discovered the aesthetic in Japan is quite different from that in the United States, and if given the option, I probably would not have chosen any of those images.

By visiting another culture, I realized that viewpoints vary depending upon many factors, including where in the world you grow up, your personal experiences, and the collective history of the people you share a culture with. I remember the women telling me through the translation app on my phone that they were happy I was there. Many of the younger Japanese people were not interested in their culture, and the women were afraid it would be extinguished.

It is fascinating how perspectives differ from one region to the next. However, if no one ever left their hometown, this valuable wisdom would never be discovered.

I first encountered heated toilet seats with “washlets” aka bidets on that Japanese vacation. Living in Vermont, where winter lasts a good six months, I decided to buy one for my new house a year and a half later. It’s part of integrating little luxuries into my everyday life and not waiting for when I “travel.” Inconsequential items—like a $300 toilet seat—can effortlessly elevate your lifestyle.

Two free days in Kyoto before returning home gave me the space to explore on my own. I have been a reiki master since 2009, and when I realized I was within an hour of the location where reiki was discovered, I knew I had to visit. I took a subway and two trains to reach Kurama. The last train was one I could only describe as a light rail with very large windows that felt like a ski resort’s enclosed gondola. It went straight through the mountains which reminded me of rural Vermont. As we moved further away from Kyoto, I started to see snow on the ground.

When the train arrived in Kurama, my first stop was the steps leading up to the temple. In my research, I discovered another temple further in the woods beyond the temple at the mountain’s summit, but, to my disappointment, the trail was closed due to snow. I made my way up the numerous stairs. It was an arduous climb. There was a gondola going to the summit, which I took on the way down to save time.

Along the way, there were small prayer bundles for sale, but what I remember purchasing when I arrived at the temple and breathed in the peaceful quiet of the rarefied air was a mala bead bracelet and a book that opened up like an accordion made of one piece of paper. I didn’t quite understand the purpose of the book. I think people collected them from the different temples they visited, but I’m not sure what they wrote in them, if anything. I chose to use it for notes during my Buddhist studies at home. It seemed an appropriate use for a souvenir bought at a Buddhist temple.

I peered into a nondescript building as I began my gradual descent towards the gondola. Taking off my boots to go inside felt inconvenient, so I stood in the doorway and stared in awe at the massive golden Buddha statute that must have been over ten feet tall. I wanted to go in, but I knew the day was slipping away. It was a priority for me to go down the street to the traditional onsen and soak in the hot springs before heading back to my hotel in the city.

I used the GPS in my phone and a hotspot I rented to find the onsen. I was excited to experience the outdoor hot springs in the winter—it was only 35 degrees outside. But first, I purchased the full dinner, changed into a robe, and sat at the low table in the dining room to eat the hearty meal.

The hot springs were segregated into male and female sections, and as is customary, people went in naked. There was an area to the side with soap and hand showers to wash off before going in. I believe I was the only non-Japanese person in the outdoor pool. I felt outside of my comfort zone because in the United States I would never consider doing anything naked in public. It is one of the cultural differences I overcame that allowed me to participate despite my initial discomfort. I sat in the warm water as the smoke from the heat of the water rose on the crisp cool air.

Then, I went inside where there were three pools and began to chat with a woman from Europe. Each pool was a different temperature. When I moved from one pool to the next, I realized it was a cold plunge pool. Evidently, you go in the hot water first and then you jump in the cold water.

Afterwards, I changed into my robe and went upstairs to the meditation room. They had massage chairs you could use for a 100 yen coin while observing a glorious view of the mountains through large floor to ceiling picture windows. They also had mats laid out on the floor. I selected one and rested for a little while. I could have stayed much longer, but I saw the sun was getting lower in the sky and knew I had to take two trains and a subway to reach my hotel.

A private tea ceremony followed by an ikebana, flower arranging, class were two other experiences that were a priority for me in Japan. The flower arranging class was very enlightening. I realized how Japanese and American approaches to floral arrangement were diametrically opposed. For the Japanese, it is all about using the different flowers and branches and heights in a certain aesthetic. Its patterning was very simple and prescribed. I have taken flower arranging workshops in the United States where the goal is to learn just enough to make your floral design free-form and NOT to follow a certain aesthetic. We learn so that we can break the rules, and they learn so that they can follow and master the rules. (To be continued. . . )

That first spring and summer, I spent most of my weekends completing training for travel suppliers and learning all about destinations and properties—but not so much about the business of running a business.

Growing up, I was not exposed to people who owned businesses. My only role models were my mother, a stay-at-home mom, and my father who went to work every night and brought home the money to support the entire household. Although I had a strong desire to have a business, I had no real knowledge about the expense or logistics of what that actually entailed.

It would be inaccurate to call me a beginner, however. After high school, I fantasized about running my own business to the point where I planned out several business concepts. I later attended a university that encouraged an entrepreneurial mindset and surrounded myself with business and coaching professionals. Despite taking many business-related courses, I did nothing concrete with the knowledge I gained.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right, though.

Every time I saw “My services are free.” on the agency’s marketing materials, I would cringe. I felt the resistance building up in my throat as I held back the scream that ached to be released, “No! I don’t work for free!”

I’m not sure why it was such a big deal to me, but it was. I didn’t want to feel like I was begging clients for every dollar. I had a job that paid the bills, but I still wanted to create my own unlimited abundance.

My love of travel wanted to express in a way that could be shared with others and encourage them to have similar experiences. My strong desire emerged to show people that there is much more to life than what they may have been exposed to in their formative years. More than anything I desire to be an uplifter of people..

I still recall my enthusiasm for the month I would be living and studying in Nuremberg, Germany. While standing in a corner deli in a small town, I encountered an older woman who exclaimed, “I’ve never left this state!” She seemed very proud of herself, and it was obvious that she could not comprehend why someone would want to leave the place they were born--even briefly. I really wanted to tell her that she should hire someone to drive her to the neighboring state since it was only 20-25 minutes away, but it was clear that she had no desire to venture beyond her immediate surroundings. (To be continued. . . .)

One of the important purposes in reading is to expose yourself to new ideas.

I follow the New Kadampa Tradition and was curious as to the differences in what I have learned so far in my spiritual journey with what Kodo has learned. I find it interesting that Kodo also identifies as "spiritual" despite being trained as a monk.

One particular quote stuck out to me: "After traveling abroad, I had a powerful realization: my suffering was because I'd lived only by the values of the places I'd grown up."

Anybody who has been following me for a while might know that I feel really strongly about the importance of exploring the world. When you travel to new places, you encounter new people and ways of being. You grow and expand as a person, and, I believe, you also become a better person who is more compassionate and understanding of the ways of the world.

This book focuses on Kodo's gender identity, sexuality, and cultural/spiritual journeys. I am choosing to refer to Kodo by name only because Kodo identifies as both male and female. That really is the essence of Buddhism if we are all made of the same "stuff."

Kodo describes a Buddhist way of life that includes married priests and female priests and the psyche of a Japanese person in struggle to express an individual identity within a collective culture. The book shows a change and progression from pain and isolation to joy and feeling accepted--while at the same time showing Kodo as a human being whose flaws did not all magically disappear just because Kodo became a monk.

This book is a window into a culture and spiritual journey that in some ways is not common in the Westernized world, but the themes are current and relevant.

From the time I was young, I was told that I was half-Sicilian (my mother's side), and English, Irish, and Dutch (on my Dad's side).

What they don't tell you about the DNA tests is that they are based on the people they know have a long history in one place who happen to have taken their test. You might be amazed and surprised to see a new area of the world when you look at your ethnicity estimates for the first time.

I took two tests--Ancestry DNA (which I will probably share an affiliate link for soon) and 23andMe. I personally found the Ancestry DNA test more accurate while the 23andMe test had many regions that were "broadly" European, which could mean anywhere. Ancestry has a much larger database.

An area of the travel industry that is growing is called Heritage Travel. This is when you plan trips to places where your ancestors came from. . . . But where did your ancestors come from? How can you really know for sure? And how far back are you willing to go?

As a case in point, last year, my Ethnicity Estimates from Ancestry were recalculated. It said I was 2% Greek. Now, I had never really had an interest in Greece. I had a professor once in engineering school who told me that "Greek. Italian. It's the same thing."

An opportunity came for me to take a 10-day cruise to Greece last Fall, and I enjoyed it so much. I felt a connection to Crete and Delphi where the famous Oracle was located. I told myself a story that it was because I was 2% Greek. You can see a beautiful Greek sunset off the Temple of Poseidon on my You Tube Channel.

Just this week, my Ethnicity Estimate was updated. Now, there is no Greek. I am 50% Italian (as I knew), although 6% of that is from Northern Italy. Now, I am 11% Scottish and 2% from Sweden and Denmark. When I click on the information for Sweden and Denmark, it claims that some of these people are English, which I know I am.

So, as you can see from my illustration, you cannot necessarily rely on a DNA test to tell you where you originated or what your genetic make up is, but it can still be useful.

There is Heritage Travel as I mentioned earlier, but also a more spiritual type of travel for those who feel a connection with a particular country or place in a country whether they have a connection in this lifetime with it or not.

One of the sustainable travel principles is a sense of place. Some areas feel special to you even if they don't feel special to people you know. The energy varies from place to place. Some will feel like home even if you have never been there before.

I personally enjoy the longer length of cruise because it eliminates the need to keep packing and unpacking or to have to ruffle through your suitcase. It is nice to have a '"home base" so to speak from which to explore a different port every day. There were two housekeeping services per day--one in the morning and a turn-down service in the evening. They left a bowl of fruit in the room to snack on between meals--although with the restaurants, Yacht Club (more informal snacking and drinks), and 24 hour room service (which I didn't try due to all the other options available)--it wasn't really necessary beyond the first day or two when getting the lay of the ship.

Since this blog post is about my experience with Windstar, I'll focus on a few of the more memorable aspects of the cruise.

1. They were aware that I had a birthday around the time of my cruise because I mentioned it to the agent when paying my invoice. He said he would put it on my booking. On the first evening, I found a card in my room asking me to call reception to schedule my "birthday celebration."

The cake tasted even better after it had time to thaw!

2. The spa was a truly amazing experience. The second day on the ship was a day at sea. I have really wanted a great deep tissue massage, which has been difficult to find the past couple of years. I found it at the spa on the Windstar Star Legend. I had a one and a half hour deep tissue massage with Nanette. She was able to release a lot of muscular tension that other massage therapists had left behind. Following my massage I was able to lie on amazing tiled beds that were heated to help to continue to release the muscle tension. On another occasion. I used the dry sauna and then relaxed on the beds again.

There are obviously many more things I could share, but for today, this will give you a taste of what I enjoyed about this yacht cruise.