News from Jules | 05.23.2022 | You Have Arrived

You have arrived, the Google Maps lady politely said every time I reached the next random destination I plugged into my iPhone throughout the past 26 days on the road: Campground near [fill in the blank town]. Friend’s home address. Vegetarian restaurant near me. Coffee shop near me. Gas near me.

Today was the first time she made an additional announcement—with some excitement if you ask me.

You have arrived. Welcome home.

I’ve changed the Home label on Google Maps several times since moving out of my last apartment in October 2021. So, I once again saved a new Home location as Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, 150 Lake Drive, Rhinebeck, before I set out on my cross-country road trip from Oregon to New York.

I committed to no plan, no itinerary, no reservations; just a rough, circuitous route East with a couple of anchor spots to see old friends along the way.

Sure enough, I arrived at my first stop outside of Oregon based on the suggestion of a friend during our phone conversation that day: Miracle & Banbury Hot Springs in the random town of Buhl, Idaho. Since it was almost closing, they kindly let me soak for free, then I set up my tent in the dark.

This was the first of a dozen or more pivots along the way due to new information or timing or fatigue or weather or all of the above. As long as I listened and paid attention, I always ended up where I needed to be.

I knew why I was drawn to Omega, my ultimate destination, so I was able to fully surrender to the path forward. Or had I?

There was a question that kept nagging me like squeaky brakes going downhill: What for?

I still clung to this idea that somewhere along the way—while following the small cairn trail markers of Canyonlands or soaking in the ancient hot springs of New Mexico or through the endless, boring fields of Kansas—I would create a clear, practical gameplan for how I would spend my time at Omega. And what would come next.

And yet, I kept getting distracted by being completely present.

Life is what happens when you’re busy planning the future…or something like that. Right?

I ignored the urge to plan and surrendered more. Clearly, the journey to arrive at Omega had its own lessons to teach me. To prepare me to unlearn and relearn whatever it is that I think I know about the way the world works.

Omega envisions a world where all people can awaken their full potential while caring for each other and the Earth.

Is that possible?

I haven’t been so sure that we can care for each other and the Earth as I’ve fully awoken to our environmental, social, political, and economic reality during the past few years and had growing despair and disappointment with humanity.

I’m starting to believe again that anything is possible.

There has actually been a lot of deja vu lately, except that everything is different.

The journey to arrive started way back in 2017 when I first listened to the wind and that wise voice within and took a leap of faith toward living in harmony with nature and my own nature.

I pivoted my business and downsized as I divested from my old life to make space for a new life.

I lived in a tiny cottage nestled in the woods with a writing desk basking in natural light. I was a stone’s throw from a beautiful park with 30 more acres of nature. I designed the Sabbath Course and I started blogging weekly. I built a website. I collaborated on Letterpress products and started selling. I led retreats. And then I ran out of money. Perhaps this was just the first attempt?

I spent the last five years believing in myself. Through triumphs and mistakes. Through uncertainty and clarity. Through fear and faith.

So, I was a little surprised by the “answer” I recently received, then kept popping up in tiny, temporary moments of doubt throughout the road trip.

During one of my retreats around the Spring Equinox a few months ago, I took a long walk on the beach. I was holding a question about this next year of growth: What did it mean to surrender?

I sensed that I needed to believe.

I remember balking out loud to the crashing waves and the salty wind: But I do believe in myself!

1000 percent!

Then, my head shook itself before the knowing had formed into a thought that I could actually understand.

No. Not yourself. Believing in others.

Oh. Right.

Since then I have sought out more opportunities to believe in others by really asking for help and seeing what happens.

Like a cross-country road trip. Traveling through 13 states with countless pitstops, campsites, and visits, I was constantly amazed to receive such kindness, hospitality, care, recommendations, help, and gifts from others* along the way—and plants, animals, weather, and places too!

Living out of a car is about as helpless and vulnerable as it gets.

And it has been wonderful.

I have so much more to unlearn and relearn.

No calendar. No To-Do lists. No alarm clocks. No wallet. No keys. Just being.

I don’t need a game plan.

All I want to do is write. Climb rocks. Hike. Kayak. Meditate. Practice yoga. Help guests fully enjoy their retreat experience. And remember the Sabbath.

So, don’t worry, you’ll keep hearing from me every week—and from all of the amazing teachers and people I’ll meet here starting with 575 guests arriving on Friday for Tibetan Buddhist Monk Pema Chodron’s last talk here at Omega.

As the yoga instructor of the random class I took in La Veta, CO said wisely: “You’ll probably leave knowing less than you did when you started.”

I have arrived.

Welcome home.

May you believe in others this week.

Love,

Jules

*P.S. Shouts outs to all the friends—old and a bunch of new ones who I met along the way—who helped me out in one small way or another. I am immensely grateful: Jenn/Aaron, Evan/Claire/Luna, Julie, Virginia/Tom, Diane, Dennis, Collin, David, Dr. Hannah Rikoon, Yasmin, Jeff, Kimberly, Kevin/Dawn, Ben/Skip, Colorado Conservation Corps, Ian, Jerry, Sarkis, Paul, Kim, Kate, Taylor/Christy/Bob, Anne/Bobby, Jordan, Robyn/Grant/June/Eve/Lolo/Lola, Susan/Mike, Leslie, Pete, Brandon, Jason, Sara/Brad/Logan/MacKenna, Jessica/Jeff/Sarah, Lindsey, Candy, Olivia. Thank you!!!