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ariasofelegance · 5 years

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I am decidedly made of emotions today, and I’m choosing to spend it on this. I’ve really wanted to write a love letter to such a fundamental piece of myself, and it’s fitting for today. A glimpse of my life at the time, and all the little graces that contributed to it. So scroll past if you feel like it, this one’s a long one, but for everyone else, I just wanna put all my thoughts in one place to look back on fondly. I’ve been meaning to do this for a few years, honestly.

Thank you Toby Fox, and happy anniversary Undertale. You matter more to me than you’ll ever know.

In fall of 2015, I was living in Ireland. From that aspect alone, I was already riding the high of being in a foreign land, because even if it wasn’t a place I was born, it’s one where I spiritually belonged. I was raised in a family where it was the centerpiece of all our love. Where Irish blessings hung in the front doorways of all our homes, where my warmest memories were having tea with my mom, my Nana, and my aunties. We baked soda bread. We shared memories and laughs. It made everything feel beautiful.

I dreamed of stepping on the homeland of my ancestors for so many years, and the amount of healing it brought to my soul is something I deeply underestimated. I found it in landscapes I’d only seen in photographs, in hugs from family members I’d never met before. There’s a beauty in not being okay, only to find something that puts everything else second for a moment. I’m fortunate to say that at the time, I found a few of them. Even if it was just for a few months, I was the happiest I’d felt in years. The distance brought a lot of clarity. I didn’t know it was possible to be homesick for a place I’d never been to.

Gravity Falls added a layer to that. We were nearing the climax, when everything started to get real. There’s a magic in watching these things unfold on a stream at 3am in the rain with class just a few hours later, but I did it again and again. The nights TLM, DaMvtF, and Weirdmageddon 1 aired are ones I remember so clearly, and what I wouldn’t give to feel an excitement like that again. Between my new home and GF, I was on a legitimate 24/7 stimulation that barely felt real. My insides felt like bubbles, and the world around me felt endless and exciting.

And then September 15th, something changed.

As I casually strolled Tumblr (very casually, I had sights to see and places to be!), I started to see an influx of a new game slowly start to saturate my dash. I wrote it off as just another passing fad at first...but the fanart I was seeing, so much of which just consisted of hugs and wholesome content, my curiosity got the better of me. I really owe it to all those artists that sought to memorialize the warmer aspects of the game that convinced me in the first place. Like a crossroads of where I was in the world at the time and how I got there, if anything, I knew I was bought into anything that revolved around love at the heart of it.

My computer wasn’t in any shape to run a game on it, and I wasn’t in any position to pour my precious time into something I knew would still be there for me in a few months. So I found the Let’s Plays after my day was over, and grabbed a seat.

Eventually, my semester got so hectic that I had to hit the pause button. I didn’t even make it to Snowdin. I wouldn’t finish the story for a long time, but I’d already seen enough to know it planted the seeds in my heart for a love like no other.

(I won’t delve too deeply into this, since this already seems a little tangent-y, but something important is that music has always been the quickest medium to get to me. I played violin and piano for so long, I was an orchestra kid, it only made sense to me.)

I found “Snowy” on loop in my head on my cold dark nights walking home from the university. Even today, just the sound of it, I can picture all the street lamps and buildings I passed. Throughout the semester, I still listened to the music. Lizz Robinett’s lyrics to “His Theme” welled up in my chest in a way I didn’t understand just yet. “Asgore” made for some pretty intense studying music. I stumbled on songs well past the point of where I stopped, but remained in blissful ignorance of the story's spoilers until I chose to finish it. All the plot twists hit me tenfold. Everything I felt, I felt with all the intensity Toby intended us to. I’m grateful for that. There are people who didn’t get a choice.

I’m sitting here years later, still in so much awe, how something could have as profound effect on me as it did. In the fray of shows I was seeing popularized, I started to detest modern media and the tactics they relied on to tell their stories. I was tired of bleak outlooks and grimdark endings. I was so tired, and it was only appropriate that one of the most raw, emotional stories fell into my lap at the same time I was having this renaissance about my own happiness. It reached me on all fronts: the characters, the story, the meta, the humor, the music, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s no wonder how it embedded itself so deeply in my heart.

I was tired of modern media, and seeing the reaction people had to Toby’s vision, I had a suspicion that a lot of people shared that feeling, too. To have such critical acclaim for a story that revolves around hopes, dreams, the people that matter - and the love that connects it all - it speaks volumes to the kinds of narratives we’ve been starving for. Undertale has long been a story meant to appeal to the softer side of humanity, and it’s long been one I used to hang onto the faith that it still existed. Despite everything, it still does, guys.

These stories are one in a million. The ghostly last few notes of “Once Upon a Time” will never not fill me with a sense of wonder. “Memory” and “Undertale” have yet to not choke me up from the first few notes alone. I have yet to find something that will ever speak to my heart as closely as Undertale did, but even if I never do, I’m all the more content by that.

Here’s to you, Toby. ❤️

#rinny's personal #like reaaaaal personal #but nothing overboard #even still I don't feel like I talk about it as eloquently as I wished #I will someday but until then #share the love. please tell me how you found it and why it matters to you #or please make your own post and tag me ❤️#(also this has no UT spoilers in it for the way)

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sandigirl-blog1 · 7 years

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‘Girl of the Month’: Courtney George

This month, we sat down with Courtney George - dedicated yogi, Reiki I certified healer, and Sandi’s newest #girlcrush. Originally from Massachusetts (and our hometown!), Courtney has been local to San Diego for about 2 years now. Driven by an innate desire to teach, share, and create, she lives a busy, adventurous lifestyle searching for new ways to expand her awareness and better the world. She is on a beautiful journey to create the life she wants for herself. Courtney embodies the very essence of a ‘Sandi Girl’, and we’re very proud to call her our friend.

Why did you decide to make the move from Massachusetts to San Diego?

I graduated from college in December 2014, then continued living in Amherst, MA for 6 more months to save up some money. My original plan for my funds was to do my 200 hour yoga teacher training in Costa Rica, and go from there. However, that same year in May, my best friend, Emma, graduated college as well. We were going through some big changes in our lives and decided to just send it to San Diego. We made the decision - and about 6 weeks later we picked up our whole lives and drove 3,000 miles across country, with no jobs, no housing, and no plans. It was quite liberating!

What do you love most about living in SD?

The lifestyle is an absolute dream come true. I love being able to bike everywhere (to work, the grocery store, yoga, the beach, etc.), endless yoga studio options, the community, the variety of delicious food options, and that there is always something to do/somewhere to explore.

What is currently on your iTunes playlist?

My Spotify is broken into different types of yoga playlists (Lyft, Sculpt, Vinyasa, Yin, etc.) so it’s honestly a whole mixture of juicy goodness. It ranges from Rap/Hip Hop, Heavy Dub/Trap, Trance-y Electronic..to Wah! and even some chanting. It really depends what I feel like flowing / biking to; every day is different. I am heavily influenced by music, it can completely alter my mood.

How long have you practiced yoga? Why do you practice, and what are your future plans for your practice?

I’ve been practicing yoga for about 5 years now. I took a semester off from college when I was 20 years old and moved back to Massachusetts from North Carolina. It was during my time home that I really felt the mind, body, and spiritual benefits from yoga. Gillian Gorman, owner of Radiance Yoga (Pittsfield, MA), is an inspirational teacher who really shined the light for me. Ever since then, I have incorporated yoga into my daily life, its magical.

I practice to silence my mind. I’m a very type A person so my mind is always running and thinking about a thousand things at once. Yoga allows me to address my mind state, and begin to quiet it. It’s a profound mind-body experience; it’s truly empowering. Yoga is more than being flexible. It essentially helps to strengthen qualities you want, like calmness or acceptance, and weaken ones you don’t, like judgment or criticism. You really become aware of the qualities and thoughts that you are feeding, and then, with that awareness, you begin to question “do I want to feed this or not?” We practice yoga to cultivate awareness, like awareness is a muscle, because it is.

My future plans for yoga is to do my 300 hour teacher training in India. I want to learn the truest roots of real Yoga.

What is your favorite healthy snack?

Sugar Snap Peas & Garlic Hummus / Bitchin’ Sauce (whichever ones in my fridge), a Beaming Bite from Beaming Organic Superfood Cafe, or a Perfect Bar.

Can you tell us a little about Reiki and its healing benefits?

Ah, the power of Reiki, it’s hard to put into words but I’ll try! Reiki is the higher self’s connection to the universal energy that breathes life into all living things; it is encoded into our genetic make-up. Reiki is holistic; it works on the body, mind, and spirit by stimulating a person’s own natural healing abilities. When a child, for instance, falls and hurts their knee, instinctively they place their hand on the sore spot and the pain is relieved as they unconsciously work with this energy to heal themselves. Likewise, a parent will kiss their child’s hurt or injured limb and place their hand on top. Unknowingly, both the parent and the child are working unconsciously with this healing energy. The parent sending and channeling the energy, the child receiving and drawing the energy. Does that make sense? I could go on forever about it. It is something I highly recommend everyone to experience and ideally get attuned. A full Reiki treatment reopens the chakras and re-balances the flow of the universal life force around the body.

Who have some of your biggest influencers been in regards to your Yoga & Reiki path since living in San Diego?

Definitely my sister, Alisha Hawrylyszyn Frank, Christina Chambers, Desiree Crossman and Hailey Young (my 200 hr teachers). Everyone from my 200 hr and Sculpt TT honestly. Such an incredible group of people I’ve been blessed to practice, teach, and learn with. My best friend, Paige Demerer, Whit Helena, and all of Buddhi Yoga, Reach Yoga and CorePower Yoga’s teachers and community.

What is your morning ritual?

I’ve been working on waking up early. I had a yoga teacher/workout enthusiast tell me, “no one is a morning person, you just have to fucking get up”. I know it sounds simple, but most mornings I wake up and question whether I want to sleep just a little bit longer. It can be a battle. I don’t give in, I make myself get up, stretch, drink water, and listen to “Unbroken” - it’s a motivational speech video that can be found on YouTube. Then I’m off to a yoga class, whether it be an ass kicking sculpt class or a vinyasa slow flow (or both).

What are the three main philosophies you live by?

1. Life’s about finding a balance.

Whenever you label yourself as something or another, it restricts you a whole lot. I focus on what ignites my being. Sometimes that’s green juices, tea, a good book and then going to bed early. And other times, it could be eating tacos, drinking tequila, and staying up all night partying with friends. It’s your life, do whatever makes YOU happy.

2. We are far more powerful than we believe.

Physically, Mentally, Emotionally, and Spiritually - and I think we all need to recognize that in order to grow.

3. Trust your intuition.

As Steve Jobs said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever - because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path and that will make all the difference.”

What are you currently reading?

Tools of Titan by Timothy Ferris and Journey into Power by Baron Baptiste (again).

What is the greatest piece of advice you have received and by whom did you receive it?

Bryan Kest held a workshop at Buddhi Yoga a few weeks ago, he was laying down all sorts of advice. A few quotes that stood out to me would be..

“You have to discover yourself every fucking day, because you change every fucking second.”

“There’s people out there who aren’t going to fit what you want them to do. You judging them is only poisoning yourself.”

“Whatever you are attached to will be taken away from you, the more attached you are, the more you suffer.”

“People bring their shit to yoga and turn yoga into shit.” To elaborate more, Kest was saying how countless amount of people show up to yoga and bring all their baggage with them onto the mat and throughout the practice. That is literally the opposite of yoga. The point of yoga is to stop the movement of your mind. The only thing one should focus on is their breath.

What do you have booked for future travels?

So far, I’m going to enjoy a nice little vacation in Cabo, Mexico soon. Hitting up Tahoe for spring skiing and then I’ll be heading back home to MA for the summer. I booked a one-way ticket to Bangkok in October with my girl, Ali Birnbaum. From there, we are going to backpack SE Asia, Australia and New Zealand. We have a ton of spots and goals we want to conquer, but we’re definitely going with the flow for most of it. It’s going to be an unreal trip that I’m incredibly grateful I get to experience. I’m really looking forward to it!

Follow Court’s moves and future travels on Instagram! @courtneylgeorge

XOXO

#girlofthemonth #interview #reiki #yoga #sandiego #travel

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