Whenever people find out that my sister is in East Africa, everyone wants to know how she ended up so far from home, and what the heck she’s doing there. There’s a long answer and a simple answer: simply, her heart and her intuition lead her there; as for the long answer— we’ll get more into that in this podcast.
Ingrid has always inspired me by being someone who goes after + gets everything she puts her mind to. She has lived in East Africa on and off for over nine years, managing off grid solar projects funded by the European Union Development Fund, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the World Bank, to name a few. Mixed in with the near-decade she’s spent inhabiting various spaces and environments within Mama Africa’s rich and diverse land, Ingrid’s intermittent stays in the US consisted of getting her Masters in Sustainable Development from the University of California, and helping Tesla launch their Solar Roofs initiative as their Program Manager upon finishing school. Every time I start telling people about my sister, I usually stop in my explanation and say, “Yeah… she’s basically a badass,” because she is, in fact, an earth-lovin’-sun-worshipin’-astro-eco-yogi badass (among other things).
In this episode, we’ll get into a lot of the “whys” and “hows” of Ingrid’s life experiences, and learn more about her new project Gaia Goals, where she brings her two passions together; mindfulness and sustainability. More than anything, Ingrid will remind us to follow our hearts, and to love and care for Mother Earth with compassion, because “Mama Gaia” is a living being who offers us so much, let alone, a home in the ever-expanding universe.
We will also talk a little bit about her upcoming “Bhakti Safari” offering, which we didn’t get much into, so I’ll just say that if you ever wanted to go on safari in Africa and you enjoy (or want to get into) yoga - her offering on this ten day Africa/yoga/safari experience is absolutely amazing! Think nature/safari paradise + pristine/beach/yoga retreat, while connecting with like-minded people at dope eco-lodges that my sister hand-picked, with her continued guidance (she’s fluent in the local language of Swahili and knows the area well); AND- on top of all of that- worked her magic to lock down insane local prices. So, that said— if you ever fantasized about laying on the dreamy beaches and turquoise waters of Zanzibar, seeing the wildest of animals in their natural environment, stretching your limbs among Mama Africa’s cradle, and connecting deeply to the land, this could be your greatest opportunity!
To wrap this up, I feel super fortunate to have been able to visit my sister in Tanzania over the holidays and get a little taste of her life and impact out there. On the second to last morning of our trip, which was also the only morning the elusive Kilimanjaro made itself visible through the clouds, I made sure to sit down with Ingrid and record this memorable podcast with her. I hope you enjoy!
Show Notes:
(1:45) Ingrid explains what she has been doing in East Africa for the past 9 years and gives a little overview of the sustainability projects she has worked on
(4:00) Ingrid shares how she ended up in Tanzania working on sustainability projects, and how it was all sparked from a conversation with a new friend, Rachel, on a hot springs camping trip
(6:00) We hear Ingrid’s story of traveling through 7 countries in Africa to eventually fall in love with Tanzania (she met a woman at a bar and connected her to the leader of a solar energy project, and she’s been working in renewables ever since)
(8:50) Ingrid and Garrett discuss vision boards and how they have been helpful to their manifestations
(10:00) Ph0ebe Robinson of “2 Dope Queens”
(10:20) Ingrid talks about her newest personal project Gaia Goals, and her intention to reconnect with mother earth through mindfulness and sustainability
(12:30) Ingrid explains how her yoga teacher training is a base foundation to allow herself and others to share their healing practices
(13:45) Ingrid shares her upcoming retreat “Bhakti Safari”- An eco-luxury yoga + kirtan safari in Tanzania, Africa in late October 2020
(15:30) Garrett shares a mediation that he did while at Materuni Waterfalls. Breathing in the oxygen from plants and thanking them, and exhaling carbon dioxide for them. Feeling connected to nature and part of the ecosystem.
(18:00) Ingrid shares how her mindfulness practices connect her more deeply to her work
(18:21) Ingrid’s teachers: Kaypacha (Tom Lesher)- Evolutionary Astrology, Liya Garber- Kundalini Yoga, Marina Guastuchi- Yoga.
(21:30) Ingrid shares why she is so passionate about sustainability. She asks the question that she has asked herself; we are powering everything on death- what if we powered everything on life force energy?
(23:15) Tesla Solar Roof project/ Solar Glass
(24:50) Ingrid shares one of her favorite stories of impact while in Africa which enabled a woman to light up her business, stay safe, be more profitable, and put her kids through school
(29:00) Ingrid shares how she believes one can live a life of intention; Any ritual for your spiritual practice
(31:15) Ingrid’s three truths:
1) The earth is a living being
2) We are souls incarnating for a human experience
3) Mother Earth gives to us unconditionally- how can we remember to be grateful to her?
(33:30) Ingrid sings some beautiful mantras for us
