Seven life lessons in 7 years in the Azores

Post by Rimi

​It was seven years ago. Feb. 13, 2015. A historic winter storm crippled Boston and João and I narrowly escaped with a one-way ticket for São Miguel, Azores. 

Our lives enter new “chapters” marked by major changes every seven years, many believe, and 7 has a long history as a “sacred number” within all major faiths. On this momentous occasion, I share 7 life lessons I’m grateful for since moving here, and hope they inspire you in some way to fully embrace each chapter of your life ;-)  

#7 Patience, once a bully now a friend
While I recently wrote about our nightmare getting funding (long story short, we didn’t), it certainly taught me patience. It might as well have slapped me in the face, batted me over the head and shoved me to the ground as that’s the way this overambitious American had to learn it ;-)

My greatest realization has been that while ideas and motivation can be exciting and seem urgent, implementing them can take a lifetime, and there’s a joy to be savored in that dance. So, DON´T RUSH IT. It helps to have beaches, lava stone cliffs and steaming volcanoes within a 15- to 20-minute drive to turn my attention to ;-) 

#6 Keeping love alive with my business partner and husband
It was a “wedding location scouting trip” that first led me here as João and I chose to get married in his hometown. In the first year after moving from Boston to São Miguel the major culture shock, frustrations over language, project financing and endless delays meant the so-called “honeymoon period” wasn’t exactly easy. 

While we didn’t always see eye-to-eye (João wanted to let things happen in due time and I insisted on blasting full force ahead), we were always in it together. Not only did we share a home in this beautiful island paradise, but we also shared a vision and purpose to Elevate Consciousness. 

What kept love alive in our relationship is 1.) Clearly defining roles and responsibilities (and then not overstepping them and actually trusting the other to carry out those roles and responsibilities), and 2.) Making time for our relationship; which means taking breaks, planned time off, and for me avoiding the itch to business brainstorm with João while on a hike ;-)

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Many times I stop, gaze up at the star studded sky and realize just how special it is to have co-created a life that enables me to live my dreams and inspire others to live theirs. 

#5 Building a community that nurtures my roots
Each week, visitors, expats (I prefer “imports”) and locals join in classes to breathe, chant and move in ways that leave us all feeling better 90 minutes later. After class tea time encourages exchanges and ideas that open our hearts and minds.

I show up 100% as myself and in so doing have created a safe space to share, explore, be vulnerable and ask for and give support. Teaching yoga isn´t just something I do, but it´s a form of self-care where everyone benefits.

#4 Learning a new language in my mid-30s
I subjected myself to several highly embarrassing situations in order to really learn Portuguese. I gave several business talks, taught yoga classes, and often mixed up words, telling people to place their hands on their “pork chops” (costelas means ribs, but I said costeletas, which means... pork chops!). 

Being truly comfortable in both Portuguese and English has enabled me to understand the richness of the culture and tradition (and humor!) here that often gets lost in translation. Plus it´s been good for my brain.​

#3 Co-creating the life of my dreams
Getting away from the 9-to-5 means the freedom to run and live your life the way you want it. Here in the Azores, in this rich volcanic soil in the womb of the Earth, what you wish for happens. Shakti, the  creative life force, is gurgling under our feet and she’s given form to the multitude of ideas and intentions over the years. I often joke, “Be careful what you wish for here”. 

Wishing for businesses that serve our communities and not just our financial ambitions has resulted in MINUVIDA AZORES, LDA, having survived the pandemic, now in our fifth year of operation with our solid local team still in place, an even clearer vision and mission of who we are, and a growing community of mindful travelers who seek us out to Elevate Consciousness. 

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Probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned living here is we don’t actually need all THAT STUFF! 

Wishing to take our business lessons globally I started running various mindful leadership programs for individuals and companies, now working with teams and leaders all over the world. 

Many times I stop, gaze up at the star studded sky and realize just how special it is to have co-created a life that enables me to live my dreams and inspire others to live theirs.

#2 Evolving in my journey of consciousness 
In the many hardships we faced (not getting funding, frustrations over bureaucracy, staff challenges, marital challenges, family challenges, you freakin’ name it!), I finally realized that these were all lessons I needed to learn. I had “signed up for them”. And if I didn’t learn them, I’d get more opportunities to master them. Yay… 

Lessons like, “Forgiveness”, “Letting Go”, “Trust”, “Setting Boundaries”, “Valuing Myself”, the list could go on and on. This magical place is truly special in that I genuinely felt supported here and was able to stop identifying with my ego and “what happened to me”. The powerful volcanic energy here is like Gaia coming up to embrace you, if you stop to feel it.

I started to see that the lessons I was learning were universal to each and every one of us. This led me to incorporate my experience into my teachings, to pursue energy healing, access the Akashic Records and deepen my meditation practice to continue to serve as a channel for Source. 
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#1 Living Simply, Living More
Probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned living here is we don’t actually need ALL THAT STUFF! The raw elements here demand that we pay attention (have you been here during a storm?!) so amidst all the other lessons described above I started listening. 

I realized that instead of buying new clothes it was way more fulfilling, cheaper and more fun to trade with friends. I learned that all our cosmetics, lotions and hair care products come from nature and can easily be made with ingredients you grow yourself. I traded in commercial crap for things I made with love and intention. We started growing more of our own food and grocery shopping at farmers markets or trading with friends. 

While some revel at the fact that Amazon now delivers here in just under a week and there are more international imported items in grocery stores, I am grateful we’ve been able to live more attuned to the land, living with her, not just on it. What we do to the land and our planet, we do to ourselves – and vice versa. 
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