On October 28th 2015 I landed in Santa Barbara again. Two years prior to the day I bid farewell to Blue Agave. For 18 years it had been my livelihood and passion. The doors just closed recently for a new venue to emerge. A big chapter in my life had truly come to an end. Everything is indeed impermanent. However – the connections which were made and the memories I’ll keep!!!

I re-visited Germany, traveled to Bali and lived in intentional communities: OMEGA in Rhinebeck, New York and Kalani, Big Island, Hawaii. I practiced Karma Yoga in the kitchen at Kalani, worked in the Wellness Center at OMEGA and played and studied and contemplated. I got to be in the presence of many fabulous teachers. I wrote a book, fine tuned classes I intend to teach and am deeply interested in animal communication. Some of you have followed me on ‘gabi’sblog.com’ which from now on will be integrated in my new website.

For the ‘End of the Season Party’ at OMEGA I went as Persephone, the Goddess of the Underworld. A few days prior I had visited the ‘New York Open Center’ for a Lecture/Workshop with Carol S. Pearson who had just released her new book “Persephone Rising: Awakening the Heroine Within”. She invited me to assist her in an upcoming workshop at “La Casa de Maria” next February. I will keep you posted.

I intend to spend at least the winter in Santa Barbara. Just now I’m on detour in San Miguel de Allende for a house- and dog sitting gig. I arrived just in time for the Dia de los Muertos Celebrations.

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and acknowledged around the world in other cultures. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.

It is sometimes called Día de los Muertos in Anglophone countries, a back-translation of its original name, Día de Muertos. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars called ofrendas, honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Visitors also leave possessions of the deceased at the graves.

I love the reverence and the joyousness of this hybrid, originating from prehispanic Aztec philosophy and religion and medieval European ritual practice.