UP

25 Jan 2025 Leave a comment

by Dr. Tricia Wolanin in Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , ,

On a flight from LA to Tokyo, I finally watched the Pixar film UP.  Generally, I am not one to love animated films, but my brother boasted about this and I had to see it.  Ten minutes into the film, I knew the entirety of it would pull at my heart (or balloon) strings.

It’s with older age, I can appreciate the rich nature that the sentimentality of these films have to offer. There’s such a bittersweetness in watching this elder character carry out his hero’s journey. The storyline begins with two lead characters, Carl and Ellie, who meet in childhood bonding over their love for adventure and explorer Charles Muntz, whose life work was to venture and conquer the unknown in South America. Within a several minute montage, one witnesses Carl and Ellie’s love affair, marriage, home renovation, career, miscarriage, celebrations, and daily rituals.  We witness the characters connect, dream, deal with setbacks, surprise one another, age into their retirement years, slow down, and eventually we reach her death.    Since childhood, Ellie utilized techniques of manifestation to live an adventurous life, through speaking dreams into her reality, creating a book that served as a vision board, and painting out her future reality in South America.  But life gave them setbacks, whether it be their finances, health, car problems, home repairs, or other mishaps.   Ellie and Carl never did make it to South America, particularly to Paradise Falls as they envisioned they would have their home one day. The lead character Carl Fredricksen vowed to carry out Ellie’s dreams which were displayed in her Book of Adventure. 

As the film progresses, Carl (who appears to be his 70s or 80s) is being pushed out of the home he had built with his wife, and forced into a retirement home.  Yet within him still stirs a wild desire to live life more fully, and he is willing to put up creative fight.    It’s the call to adventure.  A threshold is crossed, obstacles arise.  Sidekicks and villains appear as we navigate being in the belly of the whale.  Transformation ensues and atonement, and he eventually returns home. The whole hero’s journey was exemplified in UP.

In our own lives, although we may set out goals for how we want to lives to go, our plans  pivot for one reason or another. We may meet our heroes and are disappointed.  We attain our dreams, and then realize we must let them go to allow our current life to unfold. Sentient beings enter our life in unexpected ways who may need our support.  We are guided and taken care of, by mentors and surprising characters.  There is a realization that caring for others sometimes must take precedence over our own egoic goals.

At one point in the film, Carl is reviewing his wife’s Book of Adventure, which he assumed just included images of their travel dreams.  But as he allowed himself to look further, he found she had posted images of their happy daily life together, which was full of connection and laughter.  At the end of the book, she signed a message to him “Thank you for the adventure, now go have an adventure of your own.” It was her blessing from beyond.  Sometimes we are living with the ghost of who we once were, in trying to honor another we can constrict what is emerging in the current moment.

There is strength in letting go of what we once hoped to allow a new creative opportunity to flow.  Tears streamed down my face as the film neared it’s ending.  It was surprising how poignant the life lessons that were exemplified in a cartoon.  Whenever we engage with a bittersweet piece of art, we cant help but reflect on how this impact our lives.  Watching films such as this can be a contemplative practice, noting how it lands with us today, what emotions arise, and how do we want to direct the narrative of our own stories from this point forward.  Films such as this can be catalyst to course correct one’s journey to live in alignment with one’s current authentic values, not those of the past. 

Ode to Bella

06 Jan 2025 2 Comments

by Dr. Tricia Wolanin in Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

My canine companion is turning 16 years old this month.  Often after people ask me about her breed and name, I am quick to also respond with her age.  As I mouth the words 16, often people are impressed.  They may share how old their dogs are, or if they had an elder dog, share stories of the age their dogs lived to.  And there’s a moment of connection, we bond over being parents of elderly dogs.

Over the past 2 ½ years, after Puzo (my English Bulldog) died of 15 years, Bella had a difficult time adjusting.  Her whole time in this world included him being in it.  It was then she began howling if I left the room, because she was alone with no one in her pack.  At the time we were living in Paris, and as we both grieved his loss, we would walk two long blocks to the Eiffel Tower to seek comfort in the park and the spectacular beauty of this site.

She began going with me more on first dates, time with friends, mini vacations.  We drove from France to Spain, as she sat in my mother’s lap for the entire 17 hour trip.  Over time, her age began showing, she no longer could jump on the couch as she used to.  She would tire on our walks, and so I would carry her. People ask me often why not take a stroller, but I think she enjoys lying like a baby in my arms, half asleep, taking in the sun.

Since moving back to America this year, Bella has surprised me. She has learned to swim, learned to play a new game with treats, and taken her first selfie.  Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Bella is proof.

(Bella’s First Selfie)

This week, I had leftovers from a New Years Eve meal: Filet Mignon.  She devoured pieces of it over a span of three days.  Today, my friend and I went to the fancy Rosewood Miramar in Montecito.  I served Bella bits of cerviche. Yes, she is spoiled, but doesn’t a 16 year old deserve this?

Two women visiting from out of state chatted with us as we left the outdoor restaurant.  They noticed the satisfaction in Bella’s face.  My friend was quick to offer that Bella has had a good life, the best life.  And I couldn’t agree more.  16 years ago I found her stray in Santa Barbara county, and she joined me as we moved to Hawaii, LA, England, Paris, Spain, and back to California.  People often ask where did she enjoy the best, but where she loves most I realize is anywhere that I am with more time off, and moments to sleep in the sun. 

With that I offer a Cheers to Bella- my 16 year old chug (or puguaua) bundle of joy. And if you have a dog too, cheers to your companion and witness to the journey of your life

Gratitude and Manifestation

01 Jan 2025 Leave a comment

by Dr. Tricia Wolanin in Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

“When you appreciate what you have, then you will receive more. When you are in this moment feeling gratitude for this moment you actually up your vibrational signal to attract more things to be grateful for.”-Joe Vitale

Oftentimes we think manifestation is simply visualizing what one wants, taking action, and awaiting results.  We often forget that one component of manifestation is being grateful for what you already have.  And in doing this, you receive more of that, your heightened vibration attracts other high vibration things and people.  Often we want to jump to the next thing we are desiring, without taking in what is already in our lives. 

This tendency we have as humans to move quickly to the next thing reminds me of the time when I lived in England, and tried to participate in the 3 Peak Challenge.  The true nature of this challenge is one tries to climb the highest mountain in Scotland, England, and Wales in 24 hours.  This includes travel time once arriving at the first mountain.  The group I went with, we tried to complete this in 3 days versus 1.  It was interesting to note the competitors who were invested in the spirit of the challenge. They were intent of rushing to get to the peak in as fast as possible, then the bottom of the mountain with as quick of speed.  Although they were exponentially quick, their pace didn’t allow them space to take in the view.  They wanted to get down to the next task at hand.  In reality that day, my friends and I made it up and down 2/3 mountains, and chose the day in between as one of rest and leisure.  That was more our speed, and in that we were able to explore the quaint little town we were staying in Wales.

I admit I am one who tries to prepare for the next accomplishment in my life.  If I am in an undesirable situation in my life, I want to jump forward to the next best thing.  Yet what the law of attraction teaches us is we must truly embrace our current reality before we manifest what is next.

This holiday season was going to be quiet for me.  Spent cleaning, decluttering, as I had minimal time off.  I was spending it focusing on how I want the next part of my life to go.  My brother joked that I was being the Grinch.  He invited me to his fiance’s family house on Christmas Eve and we spent Christmas with our dogs on the beach.  He and his fiancé bought me a purse that I had my eye of for years. Receiving this was a form of manifestation.  The Rive Gauche Yves Saint Laurent one, as each time I looked at it, it reminded me of my year in Paris residing on the Left Bank.  He told me use the purse that day at the beach.  I declined, as I didn’t want to get it dirty.  I wanted to wait for a special occasion to premiere the purse.  He reminded me that on a daily basis he wears nice luxury items just for himself, not for anyone else or any special occasion.  “You need to wear nice things even if it’s just for you.”

And so today, as I sit in a local coffee shop, I am wearing my new purse.  I am noticing how I manifested this into my life.  At the same time, I am appreciating what I have right now.  What I brought into my life at this current moment, taking this in before I jump into what’s next.