Ilze Jece

This way I have certainly traveled more lands and parts of my own country. Stayed in fancy hotels and unique guest houses and being paid for it. Even if it being 24/7 work for few days or more then a week, I still enjoy the sense of being totally in the moment there. It almost feels like there is nothing else in the world, but the space that is created between people right there, in front of me. It has also thought me great lesion in humility, flexibility and responsible leadership- participants and colleagues can be blessing and pain in the ass (initially), everyone bringing their own story in common group experience, thus everyone's shit comes into surface and gets projected torwards trainers and others in the group.

I started my acroyoga journey back in 2008. I was stunned to see other thai massage students fooling around with  wobbly and fun flying poses. Since then I started to learn by books and after 3 years finally encountered real acroyoga teachers in 2011. So grateful to Lous Gabriel from Rio (Brazil), who instantly took me to assist his workshops around the town and then the journey continued with workshops in Latvia. After my move to Prague, I joined local groups there for jams and classes. And in 2013 I found myself in partner acrobatics teacher training and afterwards attending many other workshops with great teachers. And now I love creating a space for everyone else to experience trust building, sense of community of support and acceptance, space for creating joy and playfulness. I love seeing transformation in myself and others through building of sense of belonging and togetherness throughout workshop or class.

I grew up being scared of deep and open waters, even if I was born in the city by the sea. Even so I have been always seeking seas, oceans, rivers and lakes on my travels. My first abroad living was in Italy, very close to Salerno and Amalfi coast. In USA, I lived in Norfolk which was close to Virginia beach that offered restful walks. In Vancouver I enjoyed the view of bays and ocean every day when riding a skytrain to my school. And I missed that possibility in Prague, even so there is a river going across the center. And I missed it when staying in Cordoba for too long. This year I managed to see also Brighton which for me is such perfect place for a city to be: by the seaside, where people can walk and be and watch sunsets and hang out with each other.

Now having moved back to Latvia, I visit the sea much more often. Appreciating its healing power for mind, body, heart. And its magic, since it connects countries and continents, even if it is not visible to a human eye while standing on the beach. I still do not trust the deep open waters, they keep scaring me, yet deeply attracting and soothing and holding me while I tell my stories being out there.

The best teachers. My greatest gurus. My best mirrors. I started relationships after my 20ties- already in my young adult life. Initially because it felt like I have to- for society, because everyone does so. However after starting more mindful journey in my life, all boyfriends and connected stories have been great guides in my own darkness and light. Great study on how I become attached and clingy, how I withdraw and avoid conflicts. And looking back, they have each been special for certain period in my life. Would not I have such difficult break up and departure with one of my boyfriends, I might not have been ready for next phase in my life which was extremely full with difficult people and situations. Would not I have another deceiving experience, I would not have learnt such compassion towards myself in times of difficulty. I also have learnt to surrender, to be deeply held, to be challenged till my core and enjoy observing my defensiveness, to be celebrated, to be surprised etc. I am learning to give space for conflicts and withdrawal and anger and see the absolute beauty of it. Because relationships, relating, being related is something that touches the core of our being like nothing else. That is where our deep work lies and this is where the answers might come and be practiced. Practiced with your partner, right here, right now.

I love random encounters. I think this is why I love spending time in Chiang Mai so much. There is certain openness in people who are on the road, on holidays, or in time of their lives where existential questions are called upon. And something that I love even more is that I can try to connect and people connect back or vice versa...as there is space for it. Connection without expectations. Connection that is relevant now, even if the only time we share is a overnight train ride or coffee and conversation. Oh, I wish that I could share also back home more conversations, create more connection and care and love with people, even if it just for a tram ride.

Here is for the women if my life. Women who inspire, women who support, women who lend their shoulder for crying and their ear for listening to the voice of my soul. I am extremely blessed with my own sister, who happens also to be my best mate and my closest person in this World. I often forget how actually lucky I am to have such sister. We have traveled places, laughed till our bellies hurt, shared great sorrow and enjoyed supporting each other on more environmentally friendly and vegan lifestyle. She is simply the best!

It does feel like many lives lived. Was that me who sung in pubs in Nepal or tought yoga in broken Spanish in mid-Argentina, was that me standing almost naked in Times Squere asking people to switch to vegetarian diet for the upcoming year. I have lived in 6 countries and visited over 40 in my 31 years. My work has almost always involved some kind of travel and getting in touch with local ways of being, behaving and thinking. And in most of my travels I have been no more then by myself with trust that life will take care of me no matter what. And it did, so I was also never lonely on the road since encounters with incredible people were happening in each journey. Almost like universe would be sending me the right lessions presented by right people at the right times.

I am also happy that I made so many travels in my 20-ties since travel learnt lessions shaped my personality, as well as then I could afford more travelling since I did care little how comfortable I sleep, what is the quality of food I intake and how efficiently I spend my holidays. I did what felt right, responded to my souls calling and adventoured. I do miss that mindset and hope to reserve time to wonder, adventour and just be in every upcoming year of my life.

Not only activism has taken me across the World, but it also has led me to meet increadible people, visit projects that build and sustain local communities and simply kept me believing that there are enough of us trying their best to make the world better, more peacfull and just place for everyone.

Even after having seen the darker side of activism, feeling upset, desperate and frustrated with people and things going for worse, I cannot imagine my life without taking a stand and being ready to go protect and seek ways for more peacful coexistance. And at the end of the day, if there is noone to inspire me, make me trust in the good in the World, I can be that one myself, since through trusting that I can be good, I start to trust that the World might be that way too.

I have had continous love affair with smoothies since my trial year of living on a raw food diet back in 2006. Add mangos, coconut, cocoa beans, strawberries, spinach, cale and so much more and go to heaven.

I have constantly invested in blenders or addictively searched for ways to nourish myself with smoothies on my travels in diverse World countries. Yet, in fact, I think one of the reasons I was so fed up of living abroad was that living in each different country means buying and transporting yet another blender and getting all other items to make my food/sleep etc. as comfortable and pleasurable as possible. It is also probably one of the reasons, I love enjoying cold Latvian winters in warm places where the harvest is fresh and place has many places that make great smoothies and vegan food (particularly Chiang Mai). Even one of the boys that I was dating was especially appealing due to the fact that he kept making increadible breakfast smoothies.

Now, since I moved back to Latvia, I can harvest and freeze summer berries for use in winter smoothies. Bringing me vitamins, creamy texture, raw freshness of fruits and veggies, as well as joy, uplifting memories and energy to go through rough days. In fact, I will go make one, right now.

My earliest memories of meditation practice goes back to 2002, when my guide/teacher in activism convinced me that, if I am to bring a change in the World, I need essential tools for self care. Thus straight away I responded to the random flyer inviting passers by to come and learn the benefits of meditation by Sri Chimnoy devotees. I remember looking at the 27 year old female meditation practicioner, talking about her experience of this spiritual practice and glowing inside out. I wanted to be the same way at that age. Powerful, peacful and glowing from the ability to touch both the light and the dark of the self. I admired those abilities and promised myself to work torwards it.

Since then many years have passed and, I have visited many Buddhism centers, meditation retreats, met many teachers and guides, yet have not been able to maintain constant meditation practice. And in the age of social media,  flashing movies and fast phased living- it has become even more difficult, yet even more essential. I do return back to meditation in times of stress, confusion and times of sadness and joy, breathing bravely through this particular passage of life. I know that this is a place where I can contstantly return and where I am always welcome. Always. Whenever and wherever.

I am increadibly greatful that this tool of observing mind, having a taste of nothingness, staying present has been gifted to me at considerably young age. And that I have been able to share it, pass the insights of the experience and practice to groups and individuals.

Also knowing that meditation is just one of the ways to touch what is already residing in me, have a space for myself to feel, to witness, to make a choise for the right words and behaviours; a breath before deciding what to reply to the e-mail; a moment spent wishing loving kindeness to another. A space made between spaces. To live, to breath, to be.

(Add that was made for national railway for their campaign to promote commuting by train, while creating time for self.)