I always thought of myself as a plant—wherever you plant me, I will grow.

The idea of geographical freedom was very attractive. Being able to work while traveling the world in the winter, when the weather at home was not the best, felt like a dream. And I worked hard to organize my life in that way. When I was 22, I quit my last job as a teacher of the Polish language in a well-established school in my home city. I was literally crying when talking to my boss. First, I really loved our team and had great relationships with them. Second, I was terrified. No stable income anymore, and what if I failed to make a living from teaching on my own?

Well, it was scary, but I believed it was the right thing to do! And everything was just fine. That’s how my journey as a school owner began—but that’s a story for another time.

My first trip to Asia was in November 2016 with my sister and our friend. It was an unforgettable experience, as if we were traveling to another planet. I still remember how shocked I was walking through Bangkok’s streets for the first time: a sea of people around, noisy, food being cooked everywhere, quite a quest to cross the street - bikes and tuk-tuks driving around like crazy. My sister was an experienced traveler already, so she just grabbed my hand and said: “Follow me!” Well, that task was easy.

The world is vast, and experiencing it broadens the mind in ways nothing else can. Since that trip, I have visited quite a few places. And wherever I went, I had this beautiful sense of safety and trust.  I knew that nothing bad was going to happen. My way of traveling was experiential: I loved walking through the streets, meeting locals, finding some non-touristy but very atmospheric places to visit, having fun. And I was always trying to imagine, what is it like to live here?

I remember my first solo trip to Berlin when I was turning 26. That warm summer weekend I spent cycling through all the parks around the city. My Couchsurfing host, who was a teacher of the Spanish language (we had really nice conversations about teaching), recommended that I go to this street market where local artisans were selling their handmade stuff, but also chatting and having a great time. Walking past the rows of shopping tents, I heard the slight sound of music and immediately headed toward it, trying to pick the right direction so the music became louder. That was a small concert of some British band, and they were beautiful. I remember the sense of freedom from just being there, dancing and experiencing the complete connection with the world.

Winter 2021/2022, my friends and I decided to spend in warmer European countries. That was the winter that changed everything. I didn’t come back home when it ended; I never came back to live at home. At first, I considered myself lucky - not having to experience all the terrors of the war from inside the country, being safe. Then I understood that, like all Ukrainians, I wasn’t an exception. We were all experiencing terrors - those in the country in one way, and those outside - just differently.

Even though I didn’t want to leave my homeland and go literally to the other side of the world, coming to Canada was a bittersweet adventure for me. I still kept in my mind that concept of being like a plant and just needing a little bit of soil and water to thrive. How little I knew about emigration back then. Feelings of loss, bad news from home, lack of belonging and community, isolation from being an entrepreneur and working from home - everything was too overwhelming. The worst was that I did not feel connected to the world anymore. I lost trust and belief that everything was happening as it was meant to be for the better, and that I was in the right place, aligned. I lost the sense of groundedness, and putting my roots deep into the ground to get some water seemed to be impossible. If I was just a plant, I needed special conditions to survive.

I started looking for help, and I found it.

In the spring of 2023, I subscribed to the Bold and Visible 3-month women's somatic integration program, which was life-changing for me. I found support, a beautiful community, and tools to regulate my nervous system. I also did a yoga teacher training course, which gave me some ideas of where to go next. I started meditating more, and in the fall of the same year, I did a 10-day Vipassana Silent Meditation course. It also helped me a lot. Actually, during the Vipassana, I got the idea of Warm Water. It took me much longer to implement it, but everything you see here now started in complete silence, from within.

Rooting into myself—finding strength within—was what truly helped me. Finding home and a sense of groundedness in my body. Connecting to nature and bringing back trust was crucial.

I know that I’m still on the journey, as we all are. But it’s much easier to walk the path supported and faithful, keeping your plant safely rooted at the bottom of your heart.

So today, I want to share with you a small 20-minute mind-body practice for finding your connection with the world and with yourself. Please find a quiet space where you will be able to stay alone and focus on your experience. A yoga mat and cozy clothes might be helpful.

Enjoy!