My mind flashed back to a sunny day in March, 2008 when I stood in front of the little Tico house overlooking San Isidro and silently implored the Universe for a sign. Was this the place for me to live?

Twelve years earlier, in an indelible and colorful dream/vision I was told to Be Conscious by a transparent appearing entity who called himself Raphael. He was surrounded by scarlet red and a kind of jade green. I was intrigued and puzzled. What did he mean by ‘conscious’?




Over the next decade, as I moved through the various twists and turns of life, Costa Rica kept coming up. Finally, in 2008 I gave up and booked the tour that brought me to this scarlet and green house in the village of San Rafael Norte. The blue Morpho butterfly that fluttered inches from my nose was just an exclamation point. I thanked the Universe and bought the house. Nine months later I moved…




Now, nearly three years later my exterior life has changed significantly and the experience continues to convince me that there is a lot more to this life than the things that make sense financially or logically. And the synchronicities continue.







My Tico house was 40 years old — completely empty with a leaky roof, flooding during the rainy season and no place for guests or students. Having arrived with just $6,000, I didn’t see how I could repair or rebuild what I had bought.




It is almost like I asked the question How? And the answers came forward in surprising nudges. A couple of students suggested a way for me to get the money I needed for the cabinas by setting up a Timeshare Painting Intensive idea.




While wandering through a local hardware/lumber store I met a young man who would become my first builder. A neighbor fixed a window and we talked about building a studio. My casual conversations started me thinking and dreaming. Now, almost 3 years later this property contains two self contained cabinas for students, a landscaped yard, an outdoor studio with a complete kitchen and a remodeled house with a new roof. And no more flooding!




It didn’t stop with buildings. Right after my first year here I met Frank, who is now my life partner and best friend. Life simply unfolded through gentle nudges, good suggestions and what looks to me like a little bit of magic sprinkled in. My Western trained planning nature has had to take the back seat from which to pause and allow things to fall into place.







Frank, on his farm a few miles away has also encountered ‘coincidences’ that defy logical explanation and challenge his scientific mind. Most notable are a series of experiences with trees over a period of about a year.




First, a tree he planned to cut down simply fell on its own several weeks after his original thought. Coincidence? Later, a limb he planned to prune in order to provide more sun on his clothesline fell off just a few days after that thought. Then, within a few minutes of saying aloud that he wanted to cut down a few trees to get a better view of the mountains a freak windstorm roared through, uprooting several trees and ripping leaves off the rest.




As the wind quieted he looked up to see his new view to the mountains. This got his attention! Frank is now more open to signs, signals and the intuitive nudges in his life. And he is now more careful about his thoughts.




So — what is Going ON? Why are we having these kinds of experiences?







For me it seems to be affected by how I am feeling. My personal energy level varies considerably, feeling lower whenever I am nudged down the fear path — whether it is fear of losing Social Security, fear of not having ‘enough’, fear of having no health insurance or or… Sometimes it is too easy to be lured down that path — especially in these times, when fear is rampant whether used by corporate news for political gain or by well meaning friends passing on the latest bad news.




I have to take special care to prevent an almost unconscious descent down that path especially now that I seem to have increased my energy sensitivity through lifestyle choices. Having given up my antidepressants when I moved to Costa Rica I sometimes miss the steady balance they provided. And sure enough, as soon as my energy drops, I start feeling bad physically as well as mentally and I creep towards the dangerous downward spiral.




I have to be particularly careful with television. If I decide to watch CNN or BBC to see what’s happening in real time, I need to make sure I don’t just leave it on ‘in the background, where it seeps into my subconscious. I balance corporate media with selected alternative media such as YES! Magazine and Real News that offer positive approaches and new ways to think about the never-ending traditional debates. I found I needed effective ways to boost my energy to get my Optimistic Self back and allow the positive to quietly flow in again.







I admit that when I’m down, I sometimes look for distraction — a movie, a book. I remembered again the amusing respites during Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride that relieved the mounting tension and distracted me from what I feared was coming. There were weasels hanging from chandeliers and a jolly bar tender in Winky’s Pub with a tray full of balancing beer mugs. But distractions never seem to last long enough or truly raise my spirits.




My best real energy lifter is Nature, which is sometimes closer than I, the Buddhist wannabe who resists even stepping on an ant, want. Fortunately I’m more amused than bothered by the huge cane toad hopping through the house or the Great Kiskadee that screams at me for being in its way in my outdoor kitchen!




Nature is part of life in the Tropics and my simple life here lifts my energy more than anything! Having enough to ‘get by’ while surrounded by my Tico neighborhood lets me avoid seeing conspicuous wealth and start the old comparison game. Music helps a lot too, as well as time painting with a few friends or students. A good conversation with a trusted friend and I’m back in balance and I begin to feel the intuitive nudges and see new possibilities I couldn’t see before.




All this is true for me. But there is just one hitch. My scientific core always wants to understand. So fasten your seat belts for Part 3 of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride… The Science Behind the Magic.




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Written by VIP Member Jan Hart who is an American artist/teacher/writer living simply in a little Tico house above San Isidro de El General in southern Costa Rica. Jan has built a studio and two cabinas at her home and offers watercolor workshops and adventure opportunities described on her www.JanHart.com website which you can see here.




Jan’s workshops are open to all levels of experience and include opportunities to see and experience the life she lives. Her book, The Watercolor Artist’s Guide to Exceptional Color is a widespread favorite among watercolor painters and published in 5 languages.


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