Vatra Goes into Hibernation: Back in Action Spring 2017

What is it like to open up a holistic touristic business in a village
​ in the middle of Romania?

What a successful first year we have experienced opening our little holistic center & natural health souvenir shop in this touristic UNESCO region!
We’ve been spending these first months of autumn returning inward, creating the time to reflect on what has been created through us during the past winter, spring and summer months. Here is a recapitulation and deeper dive into how we got here and what we are creating at Vatra. Please enjoy the pictures and the raw truths we are sharing beyond our private space. Thanks ahead for reading the story and for your support of our work thus far...
We just passed the 1 year mark in late October since we first stepped foot in the Sarmizegetusa mountains! Last autumn we were guided to come visit the long-awaited kingdom of my ancestors, the Dacians. We lodged at Popasul Dacilor up in Gradistea de Munte village, the last lodging facility, closest to the top of the kingdom ruins. The paved road was still being constructed; it was raining and muddy the day we decided to quest up the remaining 8km. We were the only ones at the site. It felt like we had finally reached a spot on our journey; but the awareness of this was wordless. We simply enjoyed the fresh air, majestic view, and stood in wonderment at these ancient monuments, allowing the mystery to unravel in its own time.                                                                                                  
It was not an easy time spent in this region for 3 days. An important decompression period ensued as we began to release the previous part of our journey from Canada and New York, and the myriad of expansions experienced living with my grandmother in Cluj. Indeed, we started to realize that what people say about this region may be true after all: a deep healing energy exists here. 

Ah ha, one day, we drove down to the Popasul Dacilor local store and it is then that we noticed the For Sale sign hanging on a large grey unfinished house. Hmmmm, we both thought, “ I’ll just call to find out how much they are asking. Just curious” But we both knew that this urge came accompanied with a calm voice saying, “Yes, you will live here. This shall be your sacred home.” The rest is history...

Create the Space while Holding Space
The theme of our Vatra Project became clear from the very beginning that it would be “Build the Body”. Yes, we built, rebuilt and constructed very many parts and aspects of this house. The majority of our resources and energy went into building the physical space. “Build it and they will come”.   This was not an easy process. We were new in the area. Back then my Romanian accent was far more noticeable and I was shy and anxious during the entire process. I was constantly being shown my weaknesses and bad habits, my inconsistencies and deep fears. I hear that most business entrepreneurs experience this phase at the beginning so I accepted it is as part of the process. Looking back, I really had to push myself and, Stephen supported me incessantly, to move through my fears and blocks, and the remaining residue of post traumatic stress. I just had to push on through all these uncomfortable experiences because I knew that building this space was my personal healing art that would lead to my rebirth.       
All this while, Stephen held space as we built the Vatra space. This building was ultimately for no other goal but for my own process; just to complete a vision that I had been carrying for so long. Stephen held a similar vision, too. Secondly, we built the space for the business- the natural health & souvenir shop. This being the portion that sustains our livelihood. Thirdly, we have an understanding that Vatra was built not entirely by us, but that the elements and the lands wanted this sacred space built here. We are merely the channels through which the transformative energies work through in order to showcase an approach to health & vitality, spirituality, ancestral portals, and beautiful/useful souvenirs.
We have been placed into this position to share our experiences and knowledge, and to offer healthy and inspiring products so that once visitors leave this beautiful area, they can bring home a 'souvenir' that will embody the inspiring experience they have had here.
Much has been learned from the people that stopped by: what they need, what they like, how the collective consciousness is stirring its questions and answers, how people are looking to grow and nurture themselves, and what challenges might arise. We painted, coordinated renovations, employed local artists, arranged and re-arranged the shelves, products and art works, and became comfortable punching in the register and sharing information.
We also hosted a successful event, as well as a client from abroad, and made good new friends & collaborators in our region!
Vatra is a project who rests upon a trinity foundation; a physical holistic center that has arisen into being only through the hard work that we have both undertaken within our own inner spaces.

Here we are now gratefully going with the flow of the Northern Hemisphere’s cycle phase. Autumn time is a beautiful opportunity and natural movement towards reflection and inner listening, and of clearing out what does not serve this process (bad habits, beliefs, ideas that didn’t pan out, clutter). Nature is dying now, preparing for deep rest in the cold winter. The goal for us is to prepare our inner landscapes as well as our house and food provisions for the coming winter months.
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We’ve realized from living in nature these past 11 months how potently challenging and strengthening it is to encounter the elements all the time. The fresh, purely scented air we breathe and that fills our home; the underground water that travels 60 meters up into our purification system and then into our house and bodies; the land of which we have learned so much about stewarding through mowing, planting, weeding, seeding and merely observing; and of course the element of fire which fuels the heart of our hearth by melding sustainable wood bricks & air, and infusing our home with not only heat but with courage, faith, and patience to transform. By working with these elements constantly (or are they working with us?), we come to acknowledge ever more the Ether that presides within all that we do, think and feel; the Divine Spirit that flows through our being-ness and that guides us forward through this cyclical school called life.

Nurture the Temple
The outer space of Vatra now reflects the inner work of clarity and commitment that is cultivating inside of our perceptions. We are now spending most of our time exercising and feeding well our physical bodies. We quit coffee, white bread & pastries, and sugar! {This was and continues to be tough} We juice catina berries (Seabuckthorn) and have it with raw honey every morning. We practice Sivananda Yoga and the Dragon’s Way Wu Dance, among other practices that we have learned/practiced along the way. Simple things.
Evaluating and reflecting upon our health state is also important at this time; it’s a great time to tweak out any inconsistencies and to go on a fast or detox. We do this in order to continue strengthening our Body- our only true Temple- so that our minds can be clearer to withstand future shifts and challenges, in preparation for the year ahead.  It is here that we discover Devotion that transcends the mundane plane though our daily tasks are extremely mundane!
We rediscover that we can descend (into the physical) in order to ascend (spiritually). The mind being the swinging pendulum. The ‘I’ merely observes the pendulum as the daily tasks are accomplished.

How will you commit to Nature this season?
​We are so very grateful and humbled that we can experience the simple life and the journey of learning to live it! It is definitely a process to get there having grown up in cities all our lives. But, we realize that we all have an innate connection and remembrance of being in tune with Nature and it can activate if you desire it to. If you long to reconnect to the natural elements, there are many ways you can do this, even while living in the city. Make an effort and intend to bring in more nature into your life. Go plant shopping and choose the one that calls out to you; begin to attune yourself to the plant and realize it embodies the same Life Force that swims through you. Get to know it as you care for it. The best is to practice aligning your body into a healthier lifestyle, and the reunion with the elements will manifest within you. You can also commit to going on nature hikes in a local park or better yet, in the country side, or come visit us at Vatra in Romania! {Check back for more details about what we can usher you into while in Romania. We are very excited to share the natural healing gifts that these lands have to offer}                                                                    
However you choose to reconnect to Nature on a deeper level, remember that the benefits of doing so go beyond physical and mental well-being. Nature ushers you back to your ‘natural self’- the inner hearth. Living consciously from this place can build up your Energetic Body very quickly and THIS feeds your Spirit.

                                Stay tuned for fresh YouTube videos & Blog posts, 
                                               as well as updates on the website!! 

From the depth of our Being of love & darkness, we remind you we are your fellow journeyers to the nurturing warmth of the Hearth Within. 
​We wish you "spor" (equivalent of “rock on!” or "goodluck" in English) with tuning up your body this season, cultivating your inner landscape, and remaining free from the external chaos.  You can do it!

Vatra hearth keepers