my story is your story

This video is just so stunning. A beautiful message that I had to share.

I spent four years living in Australia and the wisdom of the indigenous, the connection to the land and the beautiful tender environment taught me so much.

"People ask me for my story
but my story is your story
When you cry
Don't you cry the ocean?
When you sweat
Don't you sweat the ocean?
When you drink
Don't you drink the rivers and the rain
And when you wash
Don't you wash into that ocean
so the cycle can start again?"

health is wealth.

 Auda, mi abuella (my grandmother) is a Venezuelan woman who grew up in a world of poverty. Her home was a concrete shack in the busy city of Barquisimeto. Her face tells the story of a hard life and yet her smile, a softness that’s transcended it all.

I went to hug abuella as my Aunty asked her “Remember who this is madre?”  trying to light a spark in my grandma’s now deteriorating memory. She has Alzheimer’s and diabetes, two conditions that don’t bode well together.

“Yessica” I whisper in her ear quietly hinting as she holds me with her little skinny arms.

She looked at me appreciatively holding my shoulders as she took a deep look in to my eyes. ‘Something familiar is there’ her eyes say.

“Yess-i-caaa” she said to me and smiled.

I hadn’t expected my travels to take me to Venezuela but given I have roots there and it is my mother’s old homeland, it was wonderful to reconnect and see my family.

My abuella’s condition was saddening and yet, there was a peace in her presence. She was living in the constant now. The past stories, the old stuff of my mother’s hard childhood and her addiction to buying shoes had dissolved. There was something quite beautiful in that.

I gave her some paints and a pad for her to paint with. She proceeded to simply paint hearts.

“What is the most important thing in the world abuella?” I asked my grandma wondering whether she had something profound to share with me, a message of sorts from the years she’d spent living what had not been a neasy life in such an unstable country.

“La salud” she replied.

Well-being.

I have enjoyed reading much on philosophy, psychology and the metaphoric stories of religious texts and Disney movies. I’ve found meaning in the lyrics to songs and deep truths inspired from meditations and asanas but my abuella told me something very true for us all.

Health is wealth.

The word wealth is rooted in the oldEnglish translation of the word ‘health’ and there’s a truism there if I ever I wanted one. The well-being of our minds, bodies and spirits is what makes life enjoyable for us, our friends, our family and our world.

Saludos.

honour time & happiness

Too often in life we find ourselves entangled in stuff, being drawn away from ourselves or getting stuck in a loop of behaviour patterns that disempower us.

Thanks to my old friend and 'gay husband' Faz Bags for this simple empowering exercise that he kindly shared with me.

It is such a great exercise for thinking about one's well-being and honouring the sacredness of time; a resource we all have a limited supply of and so in my humble opinion, must appreciate. "This too will pass" is a wonderful little reminder for that.

So...

Take out a sheet of paper, and a pen.

On the left side of the page, list all the ways you've been spending time on things that don't serve your goals of being happy, healthy and wise. For me I realised I spend a lot of time on social media which can distract me from the here and now. Thank God I don't use a smart phone.

On the right side, tell yourself how you will use that same time to your advantage, or how you can shift time around to make space for your goals. Even 5 minutes a day spent stressing less and healing more is extra healing you didn't have before. And when it comes to transformation, it all adds up!

Then, tape that sheet up on the fridge, and whenever you see it, remember to re-orient your day by using that brain of yours that's so good at getting what it wants to move your body into brand new habits that YOU want.

When I did this exercise in 2011 I came off Facebook, took up daily yoga practice, herbal tea and woke up every day with the mantra "carpe diem" trying one new thing every day. Spontaneously. This was my prescription in the wake of a break up and they were great new habits that I got to share with friends.

For people looking to get a step closer to their dharma, their purpose or calling(s) in life,
this exercise below is really empowering and simple to start brainstorming with to create a life you love.

Anyway I hope this helps.

Keep smiling - its good for you - as is being great.

why travel?

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. – Mark Twain

I've touched upon before the cool things I've learned travelling. I love always learning, having a beginner's mind and exploring new ideas and possibilities that not only grow me but also help create a better world.

What I've hardly touched upon is what I've unlearned and if there's one thing that explorative travel does for you, is teach you to expand your awareness, your ideas and perspectives on oneself and others. It teaches you to respect and care for others, despite them being different to you. This is invaluable in a world that is getting increasingly smaller through technology and industry.

As a girl who grew up in a small village in Warwickshire, England, I was fortunate to be surrounded by nature. I'd be playing in cow fields, making dens out of abandoned train tunnels, swimming in rivers and generally having a slow paced environment to grow up in. But I was also of a generation that watched a lot of TV, played computer games and studied very hard for fear of failure. Something that plagues teachers as well as their students. Hence, I had a whole world of ideas hot baked on to my being. Cultural programming one might call it and a lot of learned fears.

Despite leaving England 7 years ago, I've had chance to spend a lot of time in Britain this year (I still have lovely friends and family to see). It's been so good to come home to people I care for, especially my Dad, while also observe Britishisms and see how they've affected me and others around the country.

What a quirky bunch the Brits are!

Thankfully, Brits tend to be a very polite bunch and up for a laugh! I love this. I love the sense of humour, the banter and also the good manners. I love how we get together over tea. In fact one habit I have acquired travelling is to make myself a cup of Earl Grey whenever I am feeling homesick. I like how grounded this country is. Its organised and timely which is practical for me sometimes (and very necessary when working with others). I don't particularly dig the cost of living, extortionate train ticket prices, deeply entrenched ideas around class and the degree of alcoholism but I love this politeness and conscientiousness that is a tendency among Brits. And it is the most apologetic country I've ever been to.

As a country surrounded by water, Britain also has a sense of self-defensive reserve. Britain was once upon a time attacked at sea from all angles, our navy was world re-known and the cooler climates have created a hardiness among people. I think this is why the Brits can be somewhat reserved. It reminds me of the Japanese in a way, with the wall they build around themselves painted with tradition, reverence and honour.

You can tell when you get on a train. I laugh to myself at how contrasting a train carriage in England is with one in India for example. We're so proper in England and awkward around one another's space. In India, your hearing bhajans in the carriage next door, a man persistently pushing "chai chaiiiii chaiiii" and are likely to smell a whole world of Indian odours as you intimately share space with people, food and livestock.

But there's also an arrogance that comes with being British along with a pride and prejudice. We're a country of high standing in the world's history and were very good at manipulating the psyche's of countries we wished to conquer such as places I've visited; New Zealand, Australia and India (a failed attempt in Japan). I don't want to criticise as all cultures have 'their thing' and nor am I in denial of where I was born, but I can say, it has served me very well to spend time outside of England and explore the rest of the world. Eyes widen to fresh new paradigms, healthier ways of being and one's mind can take a big leap out of the fear mongering media that this country spins its wheels on creating an undertone of low level anxiety and fear of the unknown.

What travelling taught me to do was to look at the world from the stars. Somehow from there, there are no foreigners, no borders, no right and wrong, just life experiencing itself.

I really love an open-mind. A curiosity that welcomes the new despite challenging the status quo or what is believed to be known. I love having my perspective challenged or illuminated by that of another. That is why I travel, because I keep learning new things, meeting interesting people, seeing different perspectives and having life experiences that keep me moving. Not always easy I might add.

My next adventure takes me to the Alps where I will be managing some chalets in Reberty, a small French village in the Three Valleys. A far cry from my old desk job. But I am so excited about this trip! It was on the bucket list to do a ski season. I'm delighted to be also offering therapies and running a yoga retreat in the mountains while sharing the incredible practices I've learned these last few years to people in resort.

I invite anyone reading this not to get too stuck in your ways, to allow new ideas to come forth and to keep that dream alive!!! You may have to defend it, you may have to face some fears and you may have to patiently wait or learn a thing of two. You may have to change things. But my God does it create a life worth living and to be incredibly thankful for.

That's why I travel. Because it reminds me to keep loving life and believing.

give me truth.

Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth. - Henry David Thoreau

I've been doing a lot of reflecting recently. An awful lot. And I've been going deep in to myself and finding the points in my being that still get affected by the behaviours of others. Given that I spent a good year or so in a wonderment of being in India and Nepal working on inner peace (these are great places for practice because anything can happen and one learns to patiently wait for the train to arrive at the station 5 hours after it was due in a state of surrender), I had hoped I'd be more masterful at it

What I recognised about relating to others, most importantly, is how much of a good relationship boils down to trust. Now granted, people change and things do happen in life so commitments might be made which can't be adhered to. But where my integrity (or 'my code') has been poked at over and over is when I've felt cheated of truth.

The first time this happened to me traveling was in India and I was so upset. "It's his karma" the man at the crystal store said to me after he revealed to me the fact that the stone around my neck I'd bought earlier that day was actually a fake. I was determined to march back up to the mountain where I bought it from and tell that boy what for! But crystal man told me to let it go and I eventually did.

As a traveler, I trust the world. I believe in humanity and human beings can be just absolutely awesome. The other day I was on a bus from Salzburg to the airport without a ticket. I was whacked after waking up in the small hours of darkness and didn't find the time nor energy to buy a ticket believing I could get one on the bus. Evidently not but I sat down nevertheless. When the ticket inspector came, I felt like an awkward foreigner with the bus carriage watching me wriggle out of the situation - honestly might I add - with my hands up in "I'm sorry, I didn't get one". Before I had chance to blush, I was totally bowled over by this kindly gentleman next to me who placed a bus ticket in my hand and proceeded to merely smile and shake his head when I handed him a 5 euro note.

Now recently, forgive my self-indulgence, but I've felt really let down by a couple of situations. Being a natural optimist and I absolutely look back and think "thank God for that" accepting that I attracted them in to my world to learn something "lesson or a blessing" as the yogis say. Nevertheless I've dug deep in to my psyche to work out what has been the pain point in this.

It boiled down to one thing: dishonesty. I feel fortunate that I am aware enough to feel when I am being manipulated or seduced and to also have a good degree of understanding and compassion. I'm sure, no doubt, that I am guilty of it too - getting too attached to an outcome and trying to make it happen rather than to allowing it to flow.

But disappointment is one hell of a teacher. And perhaps this is a root of not just my own disappointment but also that of many others living in this world. Unless you live in an ashram or a community - we are all part of this capitalist society whether we like it or not. And consciously or unconsciously - we get told things that aren't necessarily objective truth. I remember seeing a sign saying "Time is money" in New York last year and smelt that smell again.

I, being the meditator I am, try to practice creating space around these stalks to gently dig around them, like a gardener does a tree root in order to get it out. And this operation can hurt a lot because it requires me to sit with the feeling and try not direct negativity at the person who's brought it about (and I struggle with it because I'm the one I am really annoyed with so Jess gets a hard time). This sensation if it had a voice would say something like "how dare you!" in self-righteous indignation which only serves to create more separation between me and the button pusher. The same kind of separation that creates war between beliefs / religions :(

But this is what it comes down to. Trust. Whether you admire / believe in another person's integrity i.e. it aligns with your own, or whether you resonate with truth and thus have an innate ability to sniff out bull-shit like you've already stepped in it, this is what can powerfully unite us. Truth.

I wish I could say I've been perfect but I've made mistakes, been in denial, afraid to speak my truth (or been too truthful and created a wee bit of trouble), I've responded harshly and in the early years been foolishly misguided by others.

It's such a simple little word and yet so important; Truth. What I do know is that there is one person I can wholeheartedly trust and that is myself. In my experience, the most empowering lesson is to be true and working towards feeling absolutely comfortably with it.

With fearlessly speaking it, thinking it, walking it and living it.

And in the modern world we live in today - where we are often surrounded by hooks and fears - this can take some practice and humility to step out of.

But as a wise Baba I hung out with in India said to me: "Don't get stuck" and "Keep going" - head wiggle, head wiggle. There's something incredibly enlightening about that approach.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. - Dr. Seuss

the magic word

Travel Montage from Jessica M. Brookes on Vimeo.

I've had the weirdest most magical and eye-opening few years of my life. Totally unexpected and rich with life's tapestry of stories, people and impressive encounters.

Recently I exchanged my travel diary (great for venting and reflecting) to a 'gratitude journal' where I write five things everyday that I am grateful for. Simple.

It really illuminates the little things in life that make one smile and reminds one to live with grace. I have found my first week of writing thank you's very magical and if you're reading this, wanted to say thank you to you too. 

we're all mad here

This is my friend's brother Sam Reynard driving at 100 mph on a motorcycle while his friend drinks a milkshake and sports a 'Saved by the Bell' t-shirt.

When I saw this years ago, I thought - Sam's cool.

I guess I was right. Since then Sam has set up an enterprise that teaches kids how to make their own films. It is called; Mad Hatters Film Camp with a goal to inspire others on the art of film and video production, tools they believe students can learn to express themselves and use as a powerful tool of communication.

Based in Sotogrande, Spain, students learn about story, character and from day one the course offers a hands on film experience. After two weeks, they leave with a number of short films and students then can enter the films into festivals around the world boosting their creative talents and hopefully starting a hobby or even a career in filmmaking.


Mad Hatter's Film Camp 2014 from sam reynard on Vimeo.

Based on previous camps, both the students and instructors have grown from their experience together and I asked Sam Reynard to share.

"I, for one, have learned a lot about myself through passing my knowledge onto the students. I hope this camp in later years expands into a world-wide film camp. Where we have students stay over for 2 weeks a summer to create all types of film media and learn the importance of film and video production in an online media world."

When I asked Sam, 'what makes a good Director?' he replied;
"I think someone who can share their vision with others, be a fair leader and work harder than anyone else on set has what it takes to be a good director. The rest is practice, practice and more practice!"

We live in a world where content and more content can occupy our lives online and offline. What a wonderful endeavour it is to learn to be a creator of content to share with others and empower kids to feel the same... perhaps with less war scenes and of course many more happy endings!

If you have any rug-rat Spielbergs in the making that need to hone their craft, get them to Mad Hatters Film Camp for a tea party with Sam. Hopefully they won't be returned covered in milkshake.

growing up is learning how to say goodbye.

Recently someone admired my minimalist lifestyle and commented on how liberating it must feel.

Granted, he is right. I am living out of a bag travelling the world with a sense of excitement and freedom that this lifestyle affords. I can wake up with inspiration to go anywhere and work to make it happen. Unless it's Pakistan. My Dad recently vetoed Pakistan. And sometimes I listen to him.

And this is how life has chosen to teach me and it's required a lot of work and letting go inside out. When Puki, my Spanish neighbour said as we sat outside the apple tree farm in Parvatti Valley India "Crecer es aprender a despedirse" (growing up is learning how to say goodbye) - I thought I knew what her profound words meant -but I had only just started to scratch the surface.

Leaving Sydney to travel the world is the most courageous thing I have ever done in my life. It was brought on by a huge shift and a break up. I knew I made the best decision for myself and for those I care for but there have been emotional consequences that I wouldn't want people to think one can escape by taking that leap and 'letting go'.

The truth is on this journey I have had to learn how to say goodbye. Arguably I left a lot; stability, security, a decent income, close friends, a good career and a beautiful home with paintings on the walls and good knives in the kitchen drawers. And I realised that I had feelings and meaning entangled in this home; in the people I love, the life I lead, gosh my bike, Jeremy, has a love for him so strong that I had him shipped across the globe to live in my Dad's shed! Now whenever I return to visit he gets a wash down, tyres pumped and apologised to profusely before going on a 'we are reunited again!' bike ride.

I do humbly feel I am much more peaceful, true and alive with a more open heart, but it came at the cost of some seriously difficult goodbyes that life did not warn me about. It sucks saying goodbye. The not knowing when next.

And people have stories through which they perceive themselves and the world around them, memories entangled in matter whether a photograph or precious memory and people, people who we care so much for we'd take a bullet for them... In the arm at least... no longer a call away. Or they are but, its harder.

When these are no longer present in life, I found on a human level, that one goes on a process of goodbyes and it can hurt surprisingly more than expected.

Our culture promotes stoicism and a "Keep Calm & Carry On" attitude without a conversation about grief or allowing one to embrace it or create space for melancholy and goodbyes. We shy around death and loss like it doesn't exist and its an awkward conversation. And yet this is a very real experience in life and a truism on its impermanence that we all have to experience. Unless of course you are Disney...

You have indeed felt a great loss, but love is a form of energy and it swirls all around us. The Air Nomads love for you has not left this world, it is still inside of your heart, and is reborn as new love. Let the pain flow away... - Guru Pathik (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

It helped me to see that we only grieve for what we love and I feel very grateful for the friends around the world who've been there or reached out, in their own way, when I needed to feel my way through it and shine some light through the cracks.

It was a process and a lot of heartfelt poetry has come from it... not a career I'd ever had in mind.

So yes, yes, yes, this lifestyle is so liberating and if life allows you to and you wish for it, I can't recommend the experience enough. You can be alive and tune in to spirit. Practically learn to be self-sufficient (campfires, foraging, fishing and hitch hiking), quieten the mind while trusting the heart... along with all the other happy surprises and adventures from around the world and beautiful people from different cultures. Tasty food. Inspiring experiences... But there may also be some heart break along the way and goodbyes that can feel rubbish...

We all have our own way of dealing with the pains of grief and separation, I can't offer a map for it, but I know hugs, tears and sharing helped me a lot. And perhaps on a beautiful transcendental level one might also see separation as one of life's greatest illusions and feel a little comfort in knowing that whatever it is you miss, deep down is always with you.

I think Bob Marley knew what he was singing about.

a shining light for buenos aires

SOCIAL OPPORTUNITY GROUP IN ARGENTINA from Jessica M. Brookes on Vimeo.

A city that poked fun at all my Britishisms, has broken pavements decorated with dog poop and the most phenomenal architecture and devotional cemetery I have ever seen; I just couldn't resist a revisit to Buenos Aires this year when my Colombian visa expired and forced me out the country and what a blessing it was.

Besides meeting some beautiful friends; coffee connoisseurs, talented artists, English teachers and impressive cooks, I also met one lovely inspiring New Zealand gentleman who despite his humility, had an honest determination to make a positive difference on the world.

Ben and I met one evening for an ice cream and before I knew it I was enjoying a trip around the city, sneaking on to the rooftop of an antiquated building and pondering the world as we shared stories and inspirations under the moon.

Ben Whitaker is the founder of SOG; Social Opportunity Group and invited me to volunteer at SOG's commodore in the slums of Buenos Aires. Here we collected the children in the community, made healthy food for them, sang and helped them with their studies. It was a really beautiful and inspiring day.

Recently I asked Ben some questions on the project.

What is SOG and its vision?
Social Opportunity Group is an NGO that we started in 2013 to try and make a difference in the lives of people that need it. Our vision is to try and create sustainable social change in disadvantaged communities in South America.

Through building and maintaining relationships we are able to support communities in making educated decisions for themselves and their families, today and in the future.

I decided to start SOG because there was a burning need inside of me to offer support to people in a world where there is such an imbalance in quality of life and now that I am doing it, I have never been happier in my life. It is such a fulfilling and rewarding journey. It is a lot of hard work but worth every drip of sweat.

Tell us about the SOG Commodore? 
"Food for Thought" is our first project. We started it in December 2013. It is a nutritious food and creative activity program for around 25-30 children in a vulnerable area Gonnet, Monte Chingolo, Buenos Aires.

We have a regular stream of volunteers from Europe who are an integral part of the day to day running of the program.

We have three SOG staff members on the ground for this project; Valeria, Justine and myself. The reason that Food for Thought makes such a difference in the lives of these children is because of the dedication, love and commitment of those two ladies, Valeria and Justine. Their devotion to the children means that around 25 kids from Monte Chingolo have a better shot at life! They are amazing women to work with and together, we make a great team.

What made you decide to start SOG? Why is it important to you?
SOG is important to me because it is changing my life for the better every day. I now can't imagine life without it. SOG allows it's members to choose a different direction in life.

We are malleable which means we assess our effectiveness at every step of the process. This means that not only can we offer opportunities to others but there are endless opportunities for us to learn as well. I love that everyone involved with SOG gets the opportunity to learn. Learning is a fundamental necessity in life. That is why SOG is important to me.

What's been the biggest challenge for you? 
The biggest challenge for me is communication. Relationships are the base of SOG. Without relationships we have nothing. In a healthy relationship, communication is essential. My Spanish language skills are improving but they are definitely holding me back in truly creating deep and meaningful relationships within the communities that we work.
Spanish has been my biggest challenge but I am working hard to conquer it!

What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
The things that I enjoy most about the work I do are the smallest of things. A thank you. A smile. The smallest of changes in a child's attitude. A child that eats all the vegetables on their plate. A hug from a child I haven't seen in days. These things are so small but to me they are so big!

I thoroughly recommend any travellers looking to volunteer to reach out to Ben and his team and visit their special place on the outskirts of the city. 

For more information on SOG, check out their website. 

See my travel photography page for more photos.

the only woman in the opium den

We were in the sacred lake village of Pushkar in India when my world took quite a fascinating turn.

It had been a big day. Starting out with my 'gay husband' Farrel and I waking up at the crack of dawn to watch the sunrise over the desert and doing yoga at the hilltop temple.

The same day he kicked a dog and experienced 'bad dog karma' (story here).

While witnessing the golden glow light up the desert town, I spoke to a boy who was selling precious stone jewellery and had my eye on the one around his neck hanging from a black piece of cord.

"It's turquoise - my birthstone" I said, admiring it. "When's your birthday?" I asked expecting it to fall in December, like mine, to justify him wearing it.

"I don't know." he said doing the notorious Indian neck wiggle that I was still yet to master.

"Well perhaps it is in December too" I joked. Smiling at this sweet boy who'd struck a little cord in my heart as I wondered how odd it must feel to not know your own birthday.

"You want to buy?" he offered.

So I did. Of course I did.

As we made our way down the hill, Farrel and I decided to freestyle our day. This meant not spending it together.

Farrel - on a short 3 week trip on his way to Israel - was moving at a different pace to me and despite my sloth-like grace being to a spacious rhythm I enjoyed moving to, Farrel was on a holiday tick box campaign and didn't want to miss a thing.

So we arranged a meeting point for that evening and freestyled our day solo.

Firstly, as I had done every morning since arriving, I visited my "sound master". My sound master was a Kashmiri gentleman tucked behind a shop selling beautiful handmade singing bowls on the condition that one trains with him and masters the healing powers that making the bowls sing does. As I rubbed the rim of this weighty bowl an incredible sound escaped it that made the whole room sing and our souls reverberate. The serenity and stillness that followed was so divine that the master couldn't help but laugh at my mesmerised aw.

After my time making bowls sing, I continued my wander. I met camels. I went in to magnificent temples and spoke to the locals. I got lost and as the sunset found myself at the lake in time to see magnificent colours reflect from its waters. Alas the sun I'd watch rise has now gone to bed.

As I found my way and headed back to the meeting point excited to retell the days tales with Farrel, I was enchanted by some stunning crystals at a small street stall. they stopped me in my tracks as I admired the incredible energies that were dancing from the glistening stones.

"Hello madam" the stall owner welcomed me. "Please sit, sit." he said with a friendly smile. I sat with him and gushed over his stones as he explained the stories attached to them and the healing powers of the different stones.

I proudly showed him my new Turquoise necklace sat pretty around my neck and yet his face didn't look impressed. I could see he was feeling torn, that he was hiding a truth from me and he fumbled for words.

"What is it?" I asked him wandering if he was upset I'd already bought a necklace from another vendor.

"Madam, that is not real turquoise." he said sadly. I was gob-smacked. I'd been cheated. He took the stone and scratched the back of it to prove it was a fake. Tears welled up in my eyes and I felt a sense of "how dare he!" well up inside of me. I'd been so kind to this boy and he had cheated me.

"Oh no, no Madam, please don't cry, don't cry".

"I'm going to tell him! I'm going to give it back to him!" my self-righteousness had been triggered and I wanted to tell this boy it was not ok to cheat me.

"No, no madam, it is his karma, his karma, you leave this to God." the crystal man said as he gave me a tissue to wipe my little sensitive tears.

As I sat there and slowly came round, one of the friends I'd crossed paths with in Rajasthan recognised me and invited me to a get together and a sing song around a campfire later that evening.

So, later on, Farrel and I went there.

And that is where we met Malcolm. Maltese Malcolm. A bearded face that had lines telling me he was wiser than his years and with a smile that lit up a space. As the desert day turned to night and we huddled around the fire listening to Manu Chao play from the Spanish guitar, I started to shiver. This kindly soul took note and placed his woollen blanket around my shoulders.

"Thanks for sharing" I said to my new friend.

We talked about life, about travels, about Australia where we had both loved and lived. In his warmth I felt a new friend and as he talked enthusiastically about going to the Himalayas and seeing snow for the first time in his life, I knew I was destined to join him.

"Awesome. I'm coming with you." I said without even thinking. Two weeks later we'd realise I wasn't joking.

The next day Farrel and I joined Malcolm on a bus journey out of Pushkar to a small desert village where he had a good local friend to meet and say goodbye to. We were followed around by children like celebrities. I remember going to pick up a cup that had been thrown on the floor outside a chai shop, only to be laughed at by locals as I learned that it was made from clay and hence, made to be chucked. We all started laughing as I realised there were clay cups everywhere!

Upon meeting with Malcolm's friend we continued walking around the village and soon found ourselves lotusly sat in a grey concrete room with one side open to the road as a window. There was smoke. There was chatter. And there was the distinct sound of thumping as men muddled up opium tea leaves on the hard surface.

We made our way to a small corner of space and I realised; I was the only woman squeezed in to this room.

I have spoken a lot about how challenging it can be being a woman in India. At that time, having dyed my hair with henna, I was being called out for resembling a Pakistani Bollywood actress; this evidently drew more attention to me and had me constantly asked for photos much to my gay husband's frustration.

In this situation however, what I experienced was incredibly beautiful and respectful. The men in the den, at first looking at me curiously, started to humbly smile and nod at me.

"Oh my God Jessica... how do I do this!?" Farrell squealed as we were all handed little cups of this new brew.

We knew what it was.

It was opium tea.

I had all sorts of ideas and hang ups about opiates. They're addictive, mind-bending and dangerous. How the hell had Farrel and I ended up in a grey concrete walled opium tea house, I have no idea.

But I was open to making the most out of it.

Farrel and I giggled away as we cheers'd our cups and drank our teas while promising one another to look out for the other.

Admittedly, Farrel was more of a high-pitched princess about it than I was, after slamming his tea, he pulled a face and announced; " Jessica... that was sooo disgusting!" in his gorgeously camp voice.

It wasn't before long we were flying.

I smiled a lot and felt a sense of harmony in our little sit down get-high-tea-house. One man had a letter written in sanskrit and asked the Brahman next to me to translate it to him. The script was so holy that no-one else was allowed to look at it. Water was poured in to our mouths so as not to share any germs. Charras smoke was hanging heavy in the room as the desert sun lit up one side of the otherwise concrete den.

I noticed my hands feeling really dry and so I got out my natural disinfectant hand gel and gave my hands a squirt. Then I gave some to Malcolm. Then to Farrel. Wow. This stuff feels really good we realised.

The next thing I know I was giving it to the gentleman next to me and watching these beautiful men share with one another this new gel. Hands were rubbed together. Some patted their faces or cupped their hands over the noses to breathe in the clean smell.

Goodness knows what these gentleman must've thought about this little lady participating in their fancy tea antics, but I'd been in an amazing space of camaraderie and eventually felt totally at ease with the smiling and the sharing.

As we left the den, the hand gel was still making the rounds among the masses of men huddled together.

"You can have it" I said smiling. "It's a gift... Namaste".

And what a serendipitous gift that experience had been for me. A whirlwind of eye opening realisations and appreciations.

It was naughty and yet, I must also admit, it was an incredibly culturally enlightening experience.

UPDATE: I absolutely do not condone taking opiates... I tried opium again about a month later and was really sick promising to never do it again.

5 things money can’t buy

“Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself, Love possesses not nor would it be possessed: For love is sufficient unto love.” – The Prophet 

More "Funny Money" images here.

As many jectaspecta readers will know, I decided about 3 years ago to go traveling until money ran out. I stepped out of the game, had paid my debts, never had a credit card and only had my personal life savings to financially support myself.

Every now and then I would get paid for good deeds done on tour, but otherwise, life has sustained me by living humbly.

It has not been easy.

Neither is it easy being in London without money and working as a yogini (which is integrally non-competitive).

All things said however, I have realised some personal truths on what gives meaning and value to life which I thought would be worth sharing.

1. Moments with loved ones.
Being with someone I care for, having their presence in my life and sharing good times is the most heart-warmingly divine experience. That time when Dad and I played backgammon and I won three times in a row is among many of those moments that I will treasure for the rest of my life and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

 2. Naked tumbles.
Those moments of love-wrapped intimacy can transcend everything. A Sunday spent naked in the arms of another, empty tea cups by the bed and the musky scent of naked tumbles steaming from the sheets is something you can never put a price on.

3. That light in time of need.
Life isn’t always easy. Sometimes there are storms leaving one feeling lost and afraid (I learned this sailing in the Caribbean). When there are disasters personal or at scale, the most natural thing for a human being to want to do is be there to help. Having someone there in those moments of darkness can be the light that guides you through. Like a lighthouse as your boat comes in to port through stormy seas, their presence is invaluable.

4. That last bite. 
It’s amazing how scarcity invites one to reflect on the meaningful things in life. As human beings we don’t need as much as we are lead to believe and when hungry one truly appreciates every morsel. We live in a world where there’s enough for everyone. But we don’t have enough for everyone’s greed. Appreciating the small things; kind gestures and last bites is worth more than any amount of money taken for granted.

5. Love.
With everything and with nothing - the hearts of gold will love you no matter what. No amount of stuff and no amount of money will ever change that. Love is the most powerful force on Earth; it purifies karma and teaches us lessons in all its feeling and through all its pains.

BONUS: NATURE.

"Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money" - Cree Indian Proverb

Being a happy-go-lucky character living in Australia, insulated from some of the harsh realities of this planet, I didn't realise how sensitive I would be to some of the deeply saddening circumstances people live in and behaviours cultures can deem acceptable.

What has continually pulled me through is nature (and inner strength!) Experiencing unity with nature has lead to the most healing, empowering and awakening experiences.

We live in urban swells far removed from the stillness, serenity and spirit of nature. Furthermore, we are incredibly wasteful as a species and our mass consumptive behaviour has devastating results on our environment.

I feel passionately about this subject and I hope technology and infrastructure can keep up with the growing demands of increasingly westernised nations such as India and China with their growing demands and consumerist paradigm of 'buy the latest' while destroying our land and contaminating waters with toxins.

I likewise hope to see consciousness evolve to a level where cultures can unite and become more harmonious with one another, while humans act as the guardians of the planet we once were, yet somehow in our insanity, lost along the way.

IN OTHER WORDS: 

NATURE. NATURE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE!!!

what are you afraid of?

This video might be the best 15 minutes of your day in front of your computer via Thrilling Heroics

My Dad is afraid of heights.

He explained that fear of heights is either the fear of falling or the fear of jumping.

This last few years travelling to the tune of my heart I learned that one of my biggest fears has been not to live.

Has anyone ever felt like they had ridiculously little time left?

That was me before I packed my bags.

And despite knowing my shift in lifestyle challenges so many of the old man's paradigms from the era of work to make money etc. "You are dreaming Jess" is what he tells me. Gosh don't I know it!? (tips for dreamers here).

I still say with hand on heart to anyone reading this;

JUMP!

UPDATE: Dad said he is conquering his fear of heights. This year he zip-wired.

Go Dad!

pray for japan, pray for the world

It was the very first week of my travels and the scenes that I saw before me still visit me to this very day. I had intended on going to the mountains of Niseko to carve the famous powdered slopes with my snowboard. Instead after spending the morning exploring the Tokyo fish markets with a fellow couch-surfer, Natsumi, found myself spontaneously inspired to accompany her on her trip north to a community in Miyagi as a volunteer helping to restore the community following the devastating tsunami.

The things I saw were atrocious. Actually frankly they shook my soul in a way that can still haunt me. I remember having a very awkward moment when I visiting a lady's broken home with a couple from my team. We were ceremoniously served traditional green tea and yet something in me said "don't drink it".

It is very uncustomary to refuse tea as a guest in Japan and I knew by politely refusing I was showing disregard and disrespect to the dear host; an elderly survivor who'd lost many of her family members due to the floods. Yet, as I sat in this dishevelled living room where water stains still lined the walls and listened as my friend and fellow volunteer Shomuto explained that she believed radioactive waste was being dumped in the oceans nearby, my survival instinct took hold.

"I don't... like... green tea" I whisper to Shomuto awkwardly knowing deep down that it wasn't true. "I'm sorry, I can't drink this."

Of all the places in the world to break custom - Japan was certainly the most uncomfortable. I felt ashamed as the three Japanese looked at me in surprise (but equally grateful that at least being the 'foreigner' I could fall upon that as an excuse). I then continued to refuse all tea alternatives feeling more and more apologetic. Alarm bells within were warning me not to drink the water and while another voice in my mind said "it's just a cup of tea Jess" the louder voice told me not to risk it and I chose to trust it.

For anyone who doubts this truth of what is going on in that part of the world, I'd say; go and experience it for yourself... Or don't actually after watching this exposé on Fukushima above (watch it!) and learning what I have learned, I'd say one would be foolish to risk exposing themselves. It is however deeply saddening to think that where my friends and I were creating new parks for those brave children, delivering heaters for those forced to stay among the rubble and visiting people relocated in to lorry crates with ghastly fluro lighting to help lift their spirits; that their well-being is at further risk as are generations to come. I pray for that dear community of volunteers so devoted that when we awoke to an Earthquake at 2am, were on stand by to respond. Holy sh*t that was one of the most surreal and intense moments of my life. The whole building rattled and for a brief moment I thought we were done for.

I know full well that the media has lied about a second nuclear power plant that has been heralded as an example of excellence. It's not. Families have been separated. Workers forced to sign contracts to absolve responsibility of the power plant for any contamination. I know this because my team visited them. I wish I were more scientifically astute so that I could go in to the numbers and science behind it all (thankfully Vice spoke to scientists). I wish I could also give names, facts and recordings. I can't. I can only relay my personal experience and what I learned in the short time I had there.

What I can say, as a human being, is that something terrible happened there, life was not cared for by the government nor corporations and that the media wasn't telling the truth about the extent of damage and destruction... and also that my inner voice which I have learned to trust wholeheartedly - despite forcing me to break social custom - said very loudly "Jess, do not drink that water".

Watching this exposé now helps me realise why. Now what can we do about it?

My family in Japan. The Pray for Japan relief community.

awarded awesome bloggings

Recently I learned that jectaspecta had been nominated a Liebster Award by The Glow Seeker's Kamina Nagel. Kamina even called me "the real deal". Oh blimey. There I was thinking I was rambling to myself.

Now for the Q&A.

In one sentence, tell us your mission. 
I'd love to leave this world a better place than when I arrived.

What does ‘bravery’ mean to you? 
Bravery is people around you saying you're either an absolute jewel or a nutcase and continuing to be you. Bravery is stepping in to a situation of ferocious vulnerability and standing tall while the knees secretly quiver (or going to an ashram and meditating on the dangerous stuff). Bravery is being 100% true to yourself even when the world might be trying to carve you in to something else. Bravery is waking up one day and realising that you've been putting off your dreams and deciding to finally make them happen. Bravery is facing your demons and loving the hell out of them. Bravery is letting go of everything and everyone you are afraid of losing. Bravery is surrendering to life.

What drives you, inspires you, makes you glow? 
The world and all the beautiful people who care enough to make it better. That and my Mum. She's awesome and when my glow fades, her presence in my life lifts me and reminds me to keep going (or insists I scrub the stink of India off me right away...).

I feel incredibly lucky to have people care deeply for me in this life, despite my galavants, their love inspires me.

If you had a magic wand, what is one piece of knowledge or wisdom you’d want everyone in the world to know with complete certainty? 
Make love not war.

What’s one thing your tribe may not know about you?
I still get homesick sometimes.

Thank you Kamina. You too are a groovy glowing digital rockstar - thanks for your inspirations and for putting me on the spot ;)

Now for my nominations:

Charles Frith // Punk Planning
I met Charles virtually a few years ago and spent about 3 hours on Skype to him getting my mind blown off by geo-political theory, astral beings and Terrence McKenna. He's incredibly intelligent and wonders on some serious issues that face the world today. If you're deeply curious about the big issues, his blog will certainly provide some fascinating and revealing insights.
Warning: Mind may get blown.

Zoe Scaman // Inspiration
Zoe is a notorious pocket rocket in the creative strategy world. I had the pleasure of working with her in years gone by but more so, being a good buddy. She helped me moving house. Big kudos. Personally she has been a grounding force in my life while also a wonderfully inspiring smart cookie with her eye on the future and a genuine care for it.

Rob Campbell // The Musings of an Opinionated Sod
Rob is another adland legend but that's not why I follow him. He's a Northerner who swears in front of his clients and wears rocker t-shirts and sandals. He writes about real things and some of the cultural madness that exists in the world. I would like to spend one day in his brain just to see what it feels like. At present this is the closest I'll get.

Elizabeth Sellers // Rosalilium
Liz and I went to school together and have shown the love for one another ever since. While the world has put a physical distance and time between us, its been really cool to stay in one another's loop via the interwebs. I love the fact that Liz has the courage to put herself out there on her blog sharing the things she cares about; travel, thrift chique and yummy recipes.

Rosie De Belgeonne // Foodoodle
Rosie was my old housemate in Sydney. She moved to NYC around the same time I was up a mountain in the lotus position working on my zen. While I grew hairy legs and got high on Indian curry, Rosie was exploring her new playground with a pen in her hand. She captures through her simple doodles the delicious edibles that grace her plates in her neighbourhood.

Questions for my Nominees: 

• If you only had a year to live - what would you spend it doing?
• Where in the world calls you and why?
• Who is your greatest inspiration?
• If anything were possible - what one thing would you do to make the world a better place?

Next steps, if you wish: 

1. Thank the person who nominated you (me!), and post a link to their blog on your blog.
2. Display the award on your blog by including it in your post.
3. Answer the questions provided to you by your nominator.
5. Nominate blogs with less that you feel deserve the award.
6. Create a new list of questions for each nominee to answer.
7. Notify your selected bloggers that they’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award, and provide them with the link to your post.
8. List these rules in your post.

I hope you can keep it going and share what inspires you!

not sweet enough!?

Bro in the jungles of Palomino, Colombia

I am on a flight between Cartagena (Colombia) and New York (USA). Two incredibly contrasting cultures. I have come fresh out of the jungles of Colombia where I slept in a hammock, washed in a river and cooked on a fire while foraging mangoes and coconuts and staying with a humble shaman's family.

I get served high altitude coffee and despite requesting that the stewardess not give me sugar I get a pile of sugar sachets labelled "Dunkin' Donuts" and "Pure Sugar" on the reverse. One of the most addictive, unhealthy and unpure sources of sugar out there. My inner yogini breathes, surrenders, accepts and goes within to feel this fire sparked. And then in honesty another part of me really doesn't like this. No matter how cool, how chilled and how compassionate one can be, I feel like a boundary has been crossed against my will and because it is socially acceptable, I am expected to subject myself to this unhealthy brands presence in front of me telling me a blatant lie that it is 'real sugar' and whispering 'take me, take me, let me sweeten you up'.

Tip: Sugar makes really good face exfoliator. Rather than throw away the sugar one may wish to mix it with natural soap and make a yummy face scrub.

But this is just the start of my gears getting lightly grinded as my weary mind and body traverse across dimensions. I know it is probably due to my time drinking "La Medicina" (an indiginous cleansing potion) with my brother and the shaman a few days before that I am sensitive. I am feeling incredibly in touch with these emotions and when I find myself talking to the American guy next to me, I again find myself fired up.

Before I know it I am passionately explaining how the mass consumptive culture nurtured in the Western world needs to end. That things are being made to last little time before being thrown away and replaced with 'the latest model', that people are being taught to care about the wrong things, that peak oil is coming, that too much power is in the hands of the few... before I finish, said American looks at me suspiciously.

"Are you a communist?" he interrupts me.
"No" I reply politely. "But I do have common sense".

Gosh, I'm no angel. I've worked with the big banks, big FMCGS etc. I know (second-hand) that Coca-Cola wonders how to get a child to drink 7 cans of the stuff to create a newly addicted consumer.

Tip: Coke makes really good silver jewellery polish, teeth and stomach rotter.

That and a few other secrets of this world that won't be able to sustain the growing populations and demands of the middle-classes of the 'emerging markets' where people also want the latest and bestest of stuff built to last a year before the latest model comes out.

I want to cry. I want to shout. I want people to see how out of harmony we are with the world we are here to protect. The innocent children manipulated. The women made to feel inadequate. The religions made to feel self-righteous. The men commoditised. People taught to fight for a freedom that is a lie. To be at war for a 'democracy' ruled by an elite. Oh I'm so fired up and so I explain simply:

Finite resources plus mass consumption equates to the destruction of our planet. The one living organism that we are all collectively a part of and that, I believe, will also be doing a ceremonious cleanse of itself if human beings persist on being the cancerous body that destroys it.

While I say this, knowing that I am returning to the vibrant, interesting, alive yet fiercely loud, interruptive and competitive city of New York, a part of me longs to be back by the rivers of the jungle again. Despite the mosquito bites apparently caused by too much sugar, the lack of internet and homely comforts of hot showers, a fridge and stand up kitchen. At least there I felt a serene sense of connection where nature gave me what I needed without forcing products, ideas, labels and stuff on to me. Messages telling me to fill divine emptiness with clutter and insecurity. Messages feeding my human ego and telling me to be selfish and want more.

I can't direct any anger at anyone person. We are all part of this silly machine we've built and while one may, to an extent, need to adapt in order to survive (make money), another part of me wishes that we had the power to create a more responsible, sustainable and harmonious culture transcending these lesser human desires. That perhaps more people had that space and time in nature to truly see how beautiful simplicity is. And how much collectively, we need to protect our home for the sake of our own survival as a species and, dare I say, we could all do with slowing doooooooooown.

I am afraid Dunkin' Donuts sugar sachets are a long way of that.

Tip: But they do have free internet.

there's no place like home

It was Sunday 25th September 2011. I was wide awake at 3am feeling a wee bit lost and confused. I had a good friend on the other end of the line kind enough to put my situation in to perspective and remind me of my deep down wish to travel and that there was nothing (besides my job) holding me back.

The next morning, before I had chance to change my mind, I handed in my notice. Shortly after I was booking flights to the destinations that had called me; Japan, India, Nepal and Argentina while preparing a spreadsheet complete with budgets, destinations, timings etc. By the 29th of October I was hosting my "not goodbye party" with my nearest and dearest of Sydney preparing for my next adventure.

I estimated that my life savings could afford me one year of travel; finally the belated gap year that I'd always dreamt of! I gave myself enough time to work out where I wanted to resettle after leaving Sydney behind, while also allowing some quality time to myself, to creative projects, to explore the world and devote to family.

Benchmarking the duration of my travels against my savings was both the stupidest and smartest commitment I made to myself. My savings incidentally have stretched a lot further (with the odd surprise top up through working as a teacher, giving therapies or cooking as a chef on a super-yacht) while life created 'money can't buy' experiences that I could have never even dreamed of... taking me further from Argentina on to Venezuela, Antigua, touring Europe, the USA and Colombia. And despite all these blessed opportunities to keep moving... I have wanted to stop and settle down at pretty much every country I have visited.

It's been 32 months that I've travelled solo. I've couch-surfed, hired rooms, rented apartments, slept on various surfaces in various conditions and in various moving vehicles. The outside world has taken me up mountains and across oceans. I have never felt so alive and yet I've never felt so alone. So vulnerable and yet so fearlessly empowered.

I've met all kinds of people. The faithless and the faithful. The open and the closed. The resentful and the forgiving. The obnoxious and the timid. The wealthy and the poor. Characters who's hearts bleed for something or someone that they lost or had to let go of.

This nomadic lady has filled her boots with the ups and downs that one endures in the world of the unknown pushing the boundaries of the human spirit. While also giving myself the space and time to heal and grow while nurturing the patience and love to care for another. I've also prayed a lot. I'm pretty sure I've saved lives and pretty sure, I've had mine saved a few times too.

I've laughed so much at the world's ridiculousness and cried more tears than I knew I had. I've been struck by panic in the rush of neon city chaos and felt the comforting relief of arriving at the station just in time for a long bumpy bus journey. I've got myself supremely lost and faced some unpleasant fears yet had enough giggles and light hearted experiences to lift me out of them. I've been gravely disappointed by unconscious behaviour yet filled with joy at another's sincere generosity. I've felt abandoned to the core and loved to the max. Blimey has it been intense; the wrinkles and the scars do enough of the talking.

Last week I finally ran out of travel savings just as I arrived in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As I neared the end of the savings bucket I realised all my insecurities tied up in money. While I recognise it as a form of energy, there's so much conditioning we can have around capital and I'm glad I allowed myself to go there and wonder on my own worth along with it. Of course if I wanted to make money, with the skills and experience I have I could get a paid job easily, but I wanted to know this feeling and stick to my promise to keep going until I ran out. This feeling of not being able to afford to do what I want to do and humbly accept it. To live on the bare minimum and to swallow my pride in accepting the hospitality of another. To feel supremely insecure and take full responsibility for it. And of course to finally reach the end of this chapter of my life and arrive independently with my marbles intact.

The concept of home has been much food for thought along the way. Is it a matter of having walls to decorate or friends to see? Is it my family? Is it a country that speaks my language? Or is it the person(s) I am in love with? The world has shown me so many homes and I must admit the one I have loved the most, besides nature, was that of the poorest family I stayed with in a small village in the Himalayas of India. Perhaps it was their humility and acceptance that I was so moved by, their ability to live simply and so connected to the land and their welcome, love and support for one another and their community.

So I turn 30 this year. I left England when I was 22 and hit the road after a break up at 26. These years have been the most defining and remarkable collection of moments of my life which I'll continue to be grateful for in many years to come. And it's also quite plain to see that they've also been the most reflective time of my life... Sorry about that readers! Yet the greatest realisation of this long winded tour has got to be; as much as the journey is the destination - there's no place like home. 

Where is that exactly? Well for me it's a place of being and personally, a journey to go on that no-one else can do for you and at times may require strength, courage and grace.

who's the guru of the guru gang?

 

A crazily long time ago I managed to persuade my open-minded boyfriend at the time, Chris, to join me on a weekend trip to the Blue Mountains, Australia. We stayed at a cottage embraced by autumnal woodland in order to study techniques in meditation practice. I was really looking forward to having a break and enjoying a trip in to nature while taking my mind out of the grind.

When Chris and I arrived we slowly found ourselves participants of what seemed to be a real life comedy. We were welcomed in to the cottage on Friday night and shown our room. I suppose this was when things began to get strange as we found ourselves in a florally decorated room, with a charming patch-work quilt and one very strange framed photograph next to the bed.

“Urmm…. Who is that?!” Chris said to me quizzing said photo frame. We both started laughing uncontrollably as we realised that there perched next to our bedstead was a photograph of an old white lady with her hands in prayer staring right at us promising our nights sleep somewhat awkward. Unsure of what the protocol was at a meditation retreat with a strange old lady image next to our bed, whose eyes seemingly followed us, we decided to gently face her down as we settled in for a nights sleep.

Eight people from Sydney had made their way to the retreat in search of some stillness. Early in the morning. Michael, the meditation teacher had us settle in the studio for our first meditation. The session started with the teacher gently requesting whether we had any questions before we started…

“Yeeeeaaaa! I do…” a loud New Yorker voice called out from the front breaking the zen silence of the room with her voice.

“Yes? Please what would you like to ask?” replied Michael the meditation teacher softly, taking a breath and bringing the energy back to softness.

“Who’s that woman in the picture everywhere?!” she replied. Asking the very same question that Chris and I pondered upon the night before.

“Oh, you mean, our Guru? That’s Guru xyz.” (I’m sorry I don’t remember her name but it was a little long and unpronounceable)

“What’s a Guru?!” replied New York.

“Well, she’s our teacher. We honour her and respect her.” Said Michael calmly ending the subject. “Are there anymore questions?”

“Yes..." New York again with more on her mind. "Who’s the Leader?” she remarked.

“What do you mean?” Replied Michael patiently taking in a deep breath.

“I mean, who’s the leader of the guru gang?!” said New York incidentally raising a very valid point.

What followed was a very interesting dialogue whereby Michael tried to explain how revered his teacher was while funny New Yorker challenged him on every point in her very abrasive and loud zen-shattering voice.

It was quite hilarious and by the time the conversation finished there was little clarity on who indeed was the ‘leader of the guru gang’. The elderly lady with hands in prayer was obviously a special woman who had been a guiding light for the owners of the meditation retreat, however, without any personal connection nor inspiration from her or her life; Chris and I merely saw an old lady, hands in prayer with head tilted, staring at us creepily from our bedside table

The whole weekend was life stranger than fiction which had Chris and I joking about it for a while after. I still giggle to myself about some of the funny incidents that actually inspired me to write a comedy sketch based on it. While the meditation was beautiful and certainly beneficial especially with the backdrop of the stunning autumnal colours in the Blue Mountains, besides giving us the heebie-jeebies; the owner's guru did nothing to inspire us if I am honest.

This memory revisits me, mostly because it makes me a laugh a lot and also as a teacher it's something I realise is important to remember. I feel we can all be our own masters and learn to honour one another, that we are all creators, that we bring in to our world the people and situations that can teach and grow us while perhaps the most divine of teachers is one’s own inner self no longer manipulated by the expectations of society, people around us and I’m sorry to say, even our parents’, but free to explore our own ultimate potential as empowered guides to ourselves.

time to go to the moon kids

When I was a child, like many, I had a fascination with the moon. I remember my Dad returning from a business trip with fluro painted rocks (obviously from his trip to the moon) that could glow in the dark. Mine was green and my brothers was, his favourite colour, orange. Together we would switch the lights off and pretend to be spaceman explorers discovering rocks on the moon. When I heard that an old school friend Craig Reeves had created a children's show about a man on the moon, obviously my inner child was very excited! 

His creation is so full of joy and imagination. Such a lovely little gift for the little rascals of our time. 

I asked Craig of Pickled Pepper Productions a few questions on their latest wonderful creation; Moon Man Dan.

For those who don't know - who and what is Moon Man Dan?

Dan is a Moon Man, the keeper of our Moon.  He lives in a ‘Luna-Caravan’ and has adventures with his Moon friends, The NoOms and the MoOnMoos.  At the end of the day, the Moon Clock chimes, and Dan readies The Moon for bed. He pulls the blanket that gives The Moon it’s shape, checks through his MoonMan Telescope that the Earth is happy and ready for bed, and when all is right, he turns on the big Moon light.

What's the inspiration behind the Moon Man Dan project?

Moon Man Dan was inspired by a younger me, having conceived the idea many years ago as a young boy looking up at the night sky. The notion of looking out at our Moon and projecting a character from an imagination spoke out to me. Personally, The Moon has been a place of wonder and mystery, echoed I am sure over the century’s by millions of stargazers to all who have stared up at the night sky.  Its simple and alien landscape is the perfect stage for our characters to engage with our young audience and bring the notion of a world beyond our own

How have children and adults responded to it?

Pickled Pepper Productions has had some fantastic and exciting feedback from both parents and children, it has simply been overwhelming to see and hear. During production of the concept and episode design, we presented Moon Man Dan to children of different age groups. This activity allowed us to understand where Moon Man Dan works or needed attention, since, the concept has seen many tweaks and alterations over the years to bring us to where we are today. Our research has ensured that sounds are stimulating, characters are engaging and that our concept achieves its goal of bringing The Moon and space to the attention of children through entertainment. We believe that this detail in our craft and development is key and why we have had such a great response to our work. 

What is next in store for Moon Man Dan?

Moon Man Dan, The Gravity Lever has been created with a personal budget and a team full of passion. We are children’s TV professionals with experience working on many award winning shows such as In The Night Garden, Peter Rabbit, Teletubbies, Shaun the Sheep, Octonauts and Abney & Teal to name but a few. With many of us having been made redundant from our long standing positions, The Moon Man Dan project has kept us together over the past three plus years and hopes to secure our continuing contribution to the children’s TV industry. We are currently collating our feedback in order to present to investors and commissioners from all walks of the children’s media world, both in the UK and internationally.

- I wish them all the best of luck! You can stay tuned with them on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.