For years now, I’ve stopped celebrating my birthday with parties. Instead, I travel. It’s become my personal ritual – a birthday reset that allows me to step away from routine, reflect on the year that’s passed, and welcome a new one with fresh eyes.
This year, my journey is taking me somewhere different, to the mountains of Ifugao.
After two weeks of intensive shamanic training, I realized what my birthday needed this year wasn’t another celebration. It was space. Sometimes, after deep learning and inner work, what we need most isn’t more information. It’s time to integrate what we’ve experienced before moving on to the next chapter.
So I’ll be spending a few days with Mamerto Tindongan, an eighth-generation Mumbaki (Ifugao native priest), immersing myself in the culture and traditions of the Ifugao people. It feels like the perfect way to mark another year of life. This time with stillness, nature, and the opportunity to learn from a community whose wisdom has been passed down through generations.
My hope is to return with a quieter mind, renewed perspective, and insights that I can share with you. See you when I get back.
In loving service,
Rosan
