A few weeks ago, I was at dinner in the country side of France with some very entertaining company. We had taken a tour outside of Paris and joined a friend at his countryside home for aperitifs and dinner at an off-the-grid location by the lake (magical photos are on Instagram here, here and here). Along the way, we met another friend and invited her along for the journey. One of the gentlemen at our dinner table had a keen interest in the literary novelist, Henry Miller. Being the only American at the table and having not read Miller's novels, I felt extremely out of place. It was like I was walking in a room scattered with banana peels everywhere and I kept falling flat on my face. This is not a position that I like to generally be in.

Fast forward a few weeks, I have decided that dear Henry and I should become friends. In my simple google search to familiarize myself with my new friend, I learned that Henry was an author that was known for, "developing a new semi-autobiographical novel that blended character study, social criticism, philosophical reflection, explicit language, sex, surrealist free association and mysticism, always distinctly about and expressive of the real-life Henry Miller and yet also fictional". Thanks to Wikipedia, I have now learned that Henry is much more interesting than I originally gave him credit for. Apparently his novels were all banned in the USA until after 1961 and depicted his time in Paris and New York City (does the last part sound familiar?).

Anyways, I'm reading Tropic of Cancer (which originally had a very explicit name; a name that would have my parents washing my mouth out with soap if I were to repeat it). Miller came up with this more user-friendly title since to him, ..."cancer symbolized the disease of civilization, the end point of the wrong path, the necessity to change course radically, to start completely over from scratch". I can appreciate this "carte blanche" way of life that Miller has instilled in his novels and also throughout his life. I've always had the outlook that people are generally good in this world, but there are times that those good people make mistakes. I believe people deserve second chances; a chance to wipe the slate completely clean if they are truly sorry for the hurt they have done, fully understand where they went wrong and have learned from their mistakes.

In undergrad, I took a really great philosophy course for my asian minor. The Professor had us studying The Bhagavad Gita, which is a 700-verse scripture that acts as one of the sacred text for Hinduism, as well as another important literary piece of its time. Hinduism sees our life as a series of actions and those actions all have consequences. Everything we do is part of a larger web of consequences, which affect others and thus every action has a reaction. Karma and Dharma are the two metaphysical beliefs in the religion of Hinduism. Many Hindu's believe that your karma is the action or the result that follows what one does, whether it be a reward or a punishment. Whereas, dharma is ones duty that they are born with. When you experience a form of karma, you are feeling the result of your actions. Living out your dharma, means that you are responding to the things that have happened to you during your karma, and reacting and accepting the life that has been given to you. Dharma is a form of ahimsa, which means non-violence, meaning that you should live an honest life and a life of not harming others. Karma is the lesson that is being taught and dharma is what you are supposed to learn from the lesson.

I really believe that everything in life happens for reason and the beauty of Hinduism simply reminds me that this life is totally awesome. We're so lucky for the lives that we are given, the wonderfully rich relationships and connections that we're able to cultivate and the domino effect of events make you who you are.

For the past few days, I've taken refuge in a secret place; a place known to maybe three or maybe four people that are currently on this planet, and I must attest that I quite like it that way. There is something really daring about being isolated away from the world for a few days. Away from what you know. Away from who you know. Away from distractions. Away so your body can breathe. Away so your mind can think. I've traveled so much over the past month that I am physically drained, so I am very excited to relax with Miller's Tropic of Cancer, devote time to my meditation and yoga practice and restore some much needed balance.

Coco wears an Etro Cape and my Abercrombie denim skirt from middle school, Vintage cowboy boots