Unexpected Treasure

My sisters Kathleen and Karen and I made it to the little town in Italy where Momma was born!

Back in Rome we were able to bust Karen out of the hospital where she spent two nights under the free care of the Italian medical system and although her three broken ribs will take time to heal, they said she will make a full recovery.

 

“I love who we are and how we are in the world and I believe much of that is because of what Mom demonstrated in her own life.”
— Karl
We made it to where Momma was born.

We made it to where Momma was born.

Karen was eager to be outside so we took a long slow walk through the winding alleys and bridges of Rome enjoying the local food scene and thankful for our family being together again. 

Our original plans included two days in Assisi but that was destined to change. Since we needed to extend our trip in Rome, our hotel reservations in Assisi were surprisingly CANCELLED. Needing to shift gears the only openings available were in a small town nearby called, Cortona. We booked the rooms and figured we would just have to make the drive to Assisi from there. Well, our unexpected treasure was an unforeseen magical old world village and a welcoming villa hotel which received us with open and loving arms.

Needless to say we skipped Assisi and were so happy we found this beautiful Shangri-La instead. We then ventured north to our intended final destination of Bagni di Lucca and reached the villa in the birth place of our Momma. Here are pictures of our adventures which I will continue to update until Mother's Day.

As I drive through the rich Tuscan countryside I feel grateful for the beauty I have seen in my travels. I believe the best places are where we feel welcomed and appreciated. Why else do people gather day after day in the same local hangouts? These gems exist only because caring people have worked very hard to create them and the beautiful surroundings assist us to feel connected to our heart and each other.

Our mother was one of those caring people and a gifted host for whenever guests showed up, her Italian Momma side turned on as well. You always had to have something to offer people and you never allowed company to leave hungry.

I must say that I appreciate Mom passing on those treasures to me, my brother and sisters. I love who we are and how we are in the world and I believe much of that is because of what Mom demonstrated in her own life.

ciao

I connected with a street musician in Cortona, Italy who invited me to sit in and jam with him on the amazing HANG DRUM.

Three Broken Ribs

Sister Karen in the Ambulance

Sister Karen in the Ambulance

In the hospital room

In the hospital room

I love my sister

I love my sister

Life can change in an instant. My sister Karen found this out intimately on our grand visit to the Vatican where yes, she fell and broke three ribs. 

So our pilgrimage adventure started out more adventurous than we had planned. We arrived in Rome excited and eager. It was a rainy day in Rome but we didn't let that bother us for we enjoy being together. I love that about my family how we can make the best of what is happening but our peace of mind was about to be tested.

The floor to the entrance of the Vatican including the restroom floors were wet and Karen found herself falling on that wet floor resulting in three broken ribs. The Vatican doctor was summoned and off to the hospital emergency room we go.

Being in a hospital emergency room in another country can be disorienting for information is what you desire and yet everyone is speaking in a language you do not understand. Oh how I wish I would have payed more attention to my grandparents and mother when they were speaking italian.

My sister will be fine but three broken ribs can be very uncomfortable while it is healing. I notice that while the rest of us are concern with Karen, Karen is concerned about us. She worries that she will negatively effect our trip and slow us down. We all have been there before, the people you care about only want the best for you. This is what love is.

This dramatic episode will only be an additional tale to this journey and the many stories we tell. We will do all we can to make Karen comfortable considering her sensitive ribs. Yes, life can change in an instant and it is a reminder which allows us to pause so we can truly experience each other and the special magic of Italy.

Ciao




 

Setting Aside The Time

I treasure moments where I stop and get off life's roll-a-coaster for a while. Not as easy as it sounds but it is always a welcome retreat and chance to think. My family is flying from several states and we meet in the majestic city of Rome which begins our journey to the birthplace of our mother.

Our pilgrimage to Italy with family is one of those moments to reconnect with each other and remember our beginnings growing up in an environment of love. Mom would be thrilled to know we will be together and visiting the little town where she was born, especially on Mother's Day. Mom had only few memories from her time in Bagni de Lucca but they were all full of wonder and even sounded magical. 

She often spoke of a small bridge in the center of town where everyone would greet each other and you could see the Tuscan valley for miles. It was described as a simpler time when life was slower and people took time to stop and visit. Perhaps this added to her life her capacity to care. 

One thing I love about my mother is her ability to care or love. I appreciate growing up in a loving home so much more now as an adult having witnessed in my travels so many children who are not so lucky.

As I meet with my sisters and brother in laws in Rome the excitement builds. I am grateful for the opportunity to take this journey and in tribute to Flora (Mom). Also I am very proud of us for setting aside the time. 

Life brings with it a wealth of joy mixed with all levels of pain and even regret. I am sure this will be one of those good memories which will last a long while. As a young man I may have thought I could avoid regret if I simply chose a life path doing the things I loved most, like music. This certainly has brought enormous joy into my life but I realize, escaping the ebb and flow of life's unique dynamics (ups & downs) is missing the point and second guessing yourself is unavoidable. So smile when you can, travel well and remember, when life is good, say that it is good. You never know what is right around the corner.

ciao

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Pilgrimage to Bagni de Lucca.....(Where Flora was born.)

Flora is my mothers first name. She died over twenty years ago and still her memory and influence is strong in my life. The picture is of her as a young woman showing off her sassy-side and it always makes me laugh which is what mom was very good at. I'm sure thats where I got my sense of humor.

Growing up we often heard stories of the beautiful little town in Italy where mom was born. It is called Bagni de Lucca, which means "baths of Lucca". It sits in the rolling hills hot springs countryside in magical Tuscany. 

Italy is a must visit place at least once in your lifetime. There is a passion in this culture to absolutely taste all that life has to offer and a license to deeply feel whatever is thrown in your path. 

Family of coarse was of huge importance in my Italian upbringing and mom was the central figure of our family. When she died from cancer much too early in her life, my sisters, brother and I where left with finding new ways to connect which didn't involved going to visit Mom. Taking this trip together to Mamas birth place is an exciting and fitting solution.  

So as Mothers Day approaches I journey across the ocean with sisters Kathleen and Karen supported by their spouses and also with my sweetheart Noi. My brother Oman will join us on the next trip and we look forward to that. 

We begin our Pilgrimage in Rome, with a visit to Assisi home of St. Francis and then venture north to Tuscany where our villa awaits in Bagni de Lucca.  I am sure this adventure will be a mixture of new magnificent sites to see and seeing with new eyes, reminiscing of old times and engaging in frequent laughter and maybe even a few tears.

Consider yourself included on our pilgrimage and why not consider including your mother on your own pilgrimage. All (ka)Blog post from now until Mothers Day will be about the journey of the heart. I would be thrilled if you were along with us. Sharing this experience with you, who have also been like family to me is a privilege and a joy. I appreciate the time we have spent together and believe that time to be a precious value. All we have really is time as I am reminded by how James Taylor put it perfectly as he wrote...the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. Well said James.

Thanks for your time...ciao,

Karl

 

 

21 Days In - How is your year going so far?

With 21 days into the new year, can you recall the feeling you had as last year ended and you were ready and eager to put a sincere emphasis on the things which matter most? I am finding that life is way too effective at providing unnecessary distractions. 

These distractions are the things which eat away at our time and are usually void of real importance and absolutely not the items on our list of dreams and goals. Too often I have put off the very things which will fulfill my life and be the source of what feeds my soul and my purpose for being.

As I approach another birthday, my wish will be to avoid those distractions more often so I can do what it is I am here to do. For me this is to share my music. For I have watched how one song opens wide the doors to new opportunities and allows me a chance to lift a heart or transform a community.

So, how is your year going so far? There is no time like the present and rather than just getting things done, be sure to include being enormously fulfilled. Yes, even put that on the top of your list. I am sure and know you deserve it.

I produced a song called India which was inspired on our India Mantra SEVA Trips. As I mentioned, songs open doors and next month I again will be taking over twenty people to experience India and be of service (SEVA) to several schools and an orphanage. This is our 5th annual trip and a wonderful example of what can happen when we lean towards our passion in life. Before you know it this year will be coming to an end. To ensure you don't get distracted, just look for the happiest item on your list. 

Ciao and namaste….


A Year To Love Well, Live Fully and Learn To Let Go

If you have read my blog posts last year you would know that today's theme is inspired by my dear friend Richard Levy. He was one who truly loved well and lived fully and as he prepared for his death in September, I witnessed him master the art of letting go.

Richard was a teacher who reminded us that the present moment was all there is and at the end of our life the only questions that mattered are, did I love well, did I live fully and did I learn to let go? His words ring in my ear like a song which opens the heart to new possibilities. The new year is simply just another moment in time but it also holds a unique energy where humanity visualizes on a collective agreement to begin again. A time to reset our intentions for our life. This is a powerful thing to do.

I remember a specific moment only a few days before Richard passed. He said to me that he would never have imagined that this was how his life was going to end. He then smiled and looked deep into my soul and said, "it really is all about now".

Having goals and a list of things you wish to achieve is fine as long as your resolution includes being fully available to your heart's desire. We wish for happiness and yet pursue all the daily distractions which keep it out of reach. Well, you have breath in your lungs and with that another moment to love well today.

I am able to live more fully today because of my good fortune of meeting Richard and his wife Maureen. Great friends are a wonderful gift. I encourage you to this year seek out those special people who you adore hanging out with and who absolutely adore hanging out with you. I have a feeling that this year is going to be your best year yet.

Maureen & Richard Levy

Maureen & Richard Levy

Namaste.....



If not now, then when?

Every December I am invited to Seattle to bring my Laser Blisslights and present a Winter Solstice Mantra concert. How I wish you could join us. Go ahead, hop on a plane and let's celebrate together in Seattle.

I guess that is not so practical but wouldn't it be nice sometimes to follow our adventurous and spontaneous spirit and simply take off for a little time for ourselves? This last week has been so inspiring to watch how many people have signed up for my Mantra India service trip. We now have over 20 people and the reason I keep hearing from folks is that life is brief and if not now, then when?

This year I have lost a very close friend and been with other friends who are going through difficult life transitions. I also have shared time with families who have lost their precious child. I have to say these challenging experiences have deeply affected me, perhaps even changed me. Maybe rather than changed who I am, they have strengthened a part of me to be available for those I cherish.

Years like this can sometimes feel like a soul cleansing. Like parts of you are being washed away that are no longer needed. That is a good thing as we grow and become stronger throughout the process.

Life is a constant teacher and each moment is a precious opportunity of living well and loving fully. The learning to let go is a tough lesson but with practice it does seem to be getting a little easier.

So as we end another year remember to embrace the change within yourself and grab onto what is next for your next chapter. Because life is brief, and if not now...then when?

Namaste,

Karl

feed a monk....One Thing I Learned In Thailand

One thing I learned in Thailand is that offering food is one of the oldest and most common rituals of Buddhism. Each morning I would hear in the distance a deep pitched gong sound. A type of bell chiming the call for people in the village to be aware that their presence was near. Who was near you ask? It was the monks. 

They stroll through the center of the streets in single file, oldest first, carrying their bowls in front of them. They rise early in the morning and when I asked about them the reply was simply that it was time to feed the monks.

These Buddhist monks live nearby in the local temples. The villagers who choose will wait for them in the front of their homes, sometimes kneeling as they prepare for a special blessing. This special blessing is one that comes to those who feed monks.

Feeding another person is a powerful symbol and in many ways the person offering the food is feeding a part of themselves. For hundreds of years monks have been blessing others by allowing others to feed them. They are showing the way of compassion through introducing a gentle path of community service. It is a reminder of what is good and a graceful look into the beauty of life.

This is what I love about traveling and experiencing the many different cultures on our planet. Our human experience is a gift and you don’t want to let it slip by without feeding a few monks every once and awhile.

 

 

Life is a Stretch...

I am in Thailand this month and delighted to be experiencing the wonderful traditional Thai massages. I wonder why it is called a massage? They are more like someone stretching your body for you, which is so amazing and beneficial. Not to mention the massage last for two hours and they are only $10. This for me is heaven.

A well lived life is a stretch and sometimes it is helpful to allow others assist in the stretching. Believe me a Thai massage can sometimes be a little painful but as you breathe into the pain it can actually hurt so good. The stress and tension relaxes and eventually all is well with the world.

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It makes me think of where do I need a little encouragement to stretch and see beyond my limitations? As you may already know I have been inviting people to join me on international trips for many years. These are not typical sight seeing trips although we see plenty but rather travel with a clear purpose of service. We have journeyed to Russia, China, Australia, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Thailand and our next trip is to India. These are very special trips and literally hundreds of people tell me they wish to participate and even sometimes sign up for the trip to then find a reason to put it off. 

I certainly understand how life can get in the way of our passionate desires but what is life for anyway? What you always wished for and wanted to do is the passion which fuels your heart. And who you wish to share your time and creativity with is a great reason for living. Life is a blink of time and now in this moment is the best chance you have to live it.

Stretch a little today and maybe even take the chance to speak with that special friend who you know will encourage your highest dreams. Be sure to bypass the people who align with all your reasons why not to move forward and think that is keeping you safe. Being truly safe is just as my dear friend Richard Levy always said, is living fully, loving well and learning how to let go.

Namaste my friends...