Lucidity Crew recently spent a week on Santa Cruz Island… and…. WOW! What an amazing experience. The islands are a magical world, as preserved and unspoiled as it gets on the coast of California. Of all the national parks in the country, the Channel Islands are the least visited and as a result are the most pristine. They are truly a treasure, and today we want to share a glimpse of that treasure with you, Lucid Family, and encourage you to discover them for yourselves. These are the top 4 reasons why we absolutely LOVED our week of island life.

1. Remembering What it Feels like to be Unplugged and to Reconnect with Natural Rhythms

In our highly interconnected and plugged-in world, the computer cable and phone chargers can begin to feel like umbilical cords of the matrix. We’ve become nodes of energy in a meshwork of filaments and quantum strings, timelines and commitments, relationships and interdependencies, and when we are plugged-in our energy is up for grabs, to be extracted from, to be sold to, and to be influenced in ten thousand and one ways. These days, we seem to relate to one another and to ‘place’ more through sound and light via digital interface than through touch and smell via ‘the real thing’. When we return to a visceral relationship with place, we remember something deeply encoded in our DNA, and it awakens a sense of primordial peace in the grand and mysterious workings of What Is.

During Lucidity production, we are plugged into the internet for large portions of our days. As such our energy fields can be drained as we field the incoming messages, dreams, and energies of thousands, all occupying our precious time and awareness. We wouldn’t change this for the world, as we recognize this digital space to hold an amazing opportunity to become a pulsing beacon of positive messaging, SOULutions, and Love, with the capability to reach many activated beings just looking for a little bit of light to help illuminate their paths. It is important, however, that we take the time to recharge when the reserves get low.

Indeed, we’ve found that it’s vital to take the time to clear our mind and heart space to remember what’s important. We can do so by spending time unplugged, reconnecting with the natural rhythms of the stars and sun, the tides, the winds, and the movement of plants and animals. With such goals of revitalization held high, our crew spent a rejuvenating week on the islands hiking and fishing, kayaking and surfing, storytelling and star-gazing. This time spent in nature, in Truth and Presence, is so very much more precious than gold.

2. Camping with Loved Ones is SO GOOD for the Soul

As important measures of self-care and as a way to appreciate our friendships outside of the pressure cooker of production, we like to participate in retreats that allow us to connect in soul and spirit. This year, thanks largely to a strategic partnership with Channel Islands Outfitters, a local paddle sports adventure company, we embarked upon a week long ‘Lucidity Unplugged’ at the Channel Islands. What a delight to be together, to share meals, stories, and adventures. These relationships are held sacred, and as such the bonds that hold the Lucid Family together are ones of family, love and play.

3.Channel Islands Outfitters’ Sea Cave Kayak Tours are EPIC

We were so blessed to experience a group kayak tour of the naturally formed sea caves on the towering cliff shores of Santa Cruz Island. Created over hundreds of thousands of years of wind and sea erosion, over a dozen caves make excellent adventures for fun loving paddlers, each cave a unique experience of raw beauty. The knowledgable and experienced tour guides from Channel Islands Outfitters made the trip feel safe and fulfilling while allowing for just enough excitement and danger to get the heart racing! This is absolutely recommended and CIO has extended to the Lucid Family a special discount on kayaking trips. Use the DISCOUNT CODE: LUCID for $10 off Caves and Coves CLASSIC and KELP COMBO tours (good for trips through Sept 30). Make your reservations here: http://www.channelislandso.com/

We have a special shout out to Save the Mermaids for helping make this relationship a reality!

4. The Island Fox and other Awesome Wildlife

The islands are teeming with unique wildlife. We met many Island Foxes, an endemic species that lives no other place on earth, around our Scorpion Cove campsite. They’re cute but wily, if you don’t watch out they’ll get into your tent and snatch your food while your head’s turned.

There were also scores of over-sized Ravens observing our daily movements, awaiting the opportunity for a free lunch. We witnessed some interesting confrontations between the ravens and a single peregrine falcon who seemed to be protective of the canyon. The bird life in general was rich and abundant, as many seafaring species find their nesting spots in the island cliff faces.

Harbor seals and sea lions greeted us when we took to the seas o explore the cave riddled coastline. Outside of the Marine Reserve we went spearfishing and caught our dinner on more than one occasion. Black Surfperch, Kelp Bass, and Rockfish! YUM! What a delight to feel the playful and powerful energy of the marine mammals.

It’s not difficult to find good reason to visit the Channel Islands, but hopefully these tidbits that we’ve shared offer the inspiration to embark on your own spirit quest. Adventure is out there, and in this case it’s right in our front yard. If you want to consult the experts, give Channel Islands Outfitters a call and they can help you plan your excursion! Remember to use the LUCID code to get a discount (805) 899-4925 .

Journey well.