Arco Isis Sanctuary and The Joy of Transformation

Hello everyone!  I have so much amazing news to share with you all!  I have been living in the Lake Atitlan energy vortex in Guatemala since January, and have found myself in a thriving community amidst the majestic lake and volcanoes, spiritually minded and open in all directions, transformations and manifestations abound.  The frequency is high here, and the fabric of space time more elastic, with synchronistic serendipities at every corner and curve.  To be able to express fully what the last 2 months have been here for me could be an entire book on it's own.

I have found myself in the sharing role of yoga, breathwork, sound healing and plant medicine practices I have accumulated over the years.  It seems that nearly everyone down here has some background in various spiritual and healing arts, worldwide and even galactic in scope, and workshops, retreats and trainings are abundant.  This is what captivated me about San Marcos the first time I came here, and this year, I had the unique opportunity to co-host my first week long retreat, appropriately named the Joy of Transformation.

Together with co-host Nick Bauer, we created, organized and participated in the Joy of Transformation, a 7 day retreat featuring Yoga, Reiki I and II, Sonic Saunas, Ecstatic Dance, and Plant Medicine ceremonies up at the Golden Temple high above San Marcos.  We planned the week's activities based on the most auspicious days of the Mayan T'zolkin calendar, and everything seemed to line up perfectly with the energies we were hoping to cultivate.  The retreat reached a maximum group of 15 amazing human beings, and the week proved to be transformational, for all of us, on many dimensions and levels.

The Golden Temple, though arguably one of the most beautiful views in all of San Marcos, proved to be challenging for logistics during the week.  The temple is perched high on a mountain, roughly 35 minutes of steep hiking away from the village, and has very little water access.  To our surprise we ran out of drinking water on the 2nd day of the retreat, and I found myself in the role of being the one responsible for solutions to various logistical activities, while also sharing practices throughout the day, and simultaneously photographing the event :)  After two days of being tested and overcoming various logistical problems, the rhythm established from Wednesday on, and I was able to drop in and have fun in the nightly saunas, daily sunrise yoga practices, amazing song and dance circles, and the delicious food that nourished us!

In addition to all our offerings, we had truthfulness "Satya" ceremonies, where we had a chance to speak all the things we had been holding inside, maybe for our whole lives, and also to integrate the powerful upgrades and transformations we all were experiencing.  There were cuddle puddles and snuggle sessions, and our medicine ceremony on 4 Jaguar proved to become a giant amorphous blob of love :)  It was truly nourishing to be held in a space with so many beautiful, activated, loving and accepting individuals :)

On 1 Chuen (monkey), our chef Michael Verner who had been cooking for us from the El Taller bistro all week came up and performed a surprise DJ set at sunset, and still managed to cook us the most delicious crepes in the world afterwards!  All week Michael and his team at the El Taller bistro kept us nourished with delicious breakfast, lunch and dinners, which helped sustain and ground in the powerful energy we were cultivating!

I learned an unimaginable amount of information in the process of this first retreat.  It is such a unique experience to be facilitating a group, being responsible for the nuts and bolts of the operation, holding sacred space and caring for everyone's needs, and dropping in and having a transformational experience myself!  On 1 Monkey, I managed to erupt a volcanic fountain of emotion, some grief I had been holding in my solar plexus.  I cried in my friend's arms for some time, and in the space after felt a sacred lightness, a cleansing release, and proceeded to move full power into the rest of my life!  Oh the Joy of Transformation!

I took the last 2 weeks for solitude, rest and integration- So important!  Now that I feel ready to emerge once again from my cocoon, well rested and ready for the next phase, I have another announcement to make: We have acquired land!

Enter Arco Isis Sanctuary.  Synchronicity and being open to the flow has allowed this precious hillside land to manifest in effortless order, a grove of coffee, avocado and mango perched above the San Marcos valley.  This land is where we will be building a home, a transformational retreat center, and an organization to help improve the local community by funding various projects from education and better housing, to access to clean drinking water.

"Arco Isis" has a play on the words "Arco Iris," the Spanish translation for "Rainbow," as well as the reference to the Egyptian Goddess Isis, Goddess of rebirth, fertility and protection.  I have received visions of the symbol of Isis twice now, once during a medicine ceremony last year at the Lake, and again two days ago at a Mayan Water Ceremony.  She revealed to me a white ankh with wings, symbolizing fertility, rebirth, and protection.  It is in this theme that we are building our sanctuary retreat center, the future home of transformational retreats, a permaculture reserve, and a quiet getaway from the buzz of San Marcos. :)

We have cultivated a logo to represent the sanctuary: a bird with the head of a hummingbird, representing action and pollination, the body of a phoenix, representing rebirth and transformation, and the tail of a Quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala. The bird's wings are spread heart wide open in front of the Seed of Life, representative of the 7 days of creation, of sacred geometry, and the order in which the universe expresses itself.

Our first rebirth begins with the land, nearly 3 acres of coffee and fruit trees.  Up until last year, the soil was heavily fertilized for nearly 20 years for the coffee and avocado trees, which there are still remnants in the soil.  We are now undergoing the process of transitioning to an organic grade landscape, bringing health and fertility back to this land, and saving Lake Atitlan the fertilizer runoff that would be coming from the soils of this former coffee plantation.  Within a matter of time the landscape will be a home to a diverse culture of flowering plants and fruiting trees, as well as a home for bee hives, a series of temples, cabins and tent spaces.  We are intending for a sacred sanctuary to host events, trainings and retreats, and co-create the vibration of Peace and Love!

This summer we will begin crowdfunding for our Sanctuary center and community improvement projects.  We hope to offer a boost to the local indigenous population, who we share this land with.  Many people here in Guatemala are struggling to make a living on often less than $10 a day, and many are without work opportunities.  Families are living in impoverished living conditions, and opportunities for the young in terms of education and advancement have been limited.  We hope to bring our transformative energy and abundance to help this community thrive, so we can all thrive here in this magical Lake Atitlan community.

For crowdfunding donations we will be offering perks and prizes ranging from Rainbow Cloud Kombucha and Cacao ceremonies, all the way up to all inclusive trips for a week long transformational retreats in Guatemala!  More news to come!  Thank you to everyone who has shared this journey, who continues to live for love and peace and unity!

-Matthew Gordon Eklund

2016 Unimorphosis: Beyond Meta

Greetings everyone! I am writing from the tip of the Baja California peninsula, in a tranquil desert oasis. The silence is profound and the only sounds are the gentle winds brushing amidst the palm trees, and the ocean waves far off in the distance. Waves of Monarch butterflies are making their way south for the winter, amid tall cacti and flowering bushes. It is here my friends, that I have made my own transformative journey, and will spread my wings and fly into the future of life's greatest potential.

2016 was a year of transformation. Rainbow Cloud Kombucha saw it's biggest year ever, more than doubling in sales for the fourth straight year in a row. Not only that, we won the title for "Best Kombucha in the Northwest," against many of the top national kombucha giants, many of whom never heard of the little Rainbow Cloud. This brought an amazing sense of fruition to my heart, and I again thank our entire team who put their love and passion into our brew this year- especially our general manager, Leland Harmell.  Leland has taken over the oversight of the brew, and has completely transformed our company, from my hippy dream creation to a fully legitimate infrastructure that has enabled us to not only serve a greater audience, but has created a gold star of quality standards to make sure our kombucha has tasted the same as it did in 2012, when we began in a little corner of Olympic Mountain Ice Cream's Skokomish Valley kitchen.  Big love to our team and all of our customers who have supported us and watched us grow over the years!

 

Aside from Rainbow Cloud's success, I have experienced one of the most emotionally devastating years of my life. While I won't go into too much detail of what happened, I will say that the greater part of 2016 has involved deep loss, the process of grieving, of feeling, letting go, and slowly putting the pieces of myself back together.  The process brought up a well of contemplation inside of me, namely the deep existential questions; Who am I? What am I here for? What is my soul's true purpose? I decided to make some major changes; separate what's true and real from what's false, eliminating unnecessary behavior, purging material possessions, sinking deep into creative expression, and rediscovering a passion for the practice which has saved me again and again, on all levels of healing: Yoga.

Feeling the call of my heart, a deep need to return to the source of All That Is and listen to the call of my life's True Purpose, I gave away and sold 90% of my personal belongings, took a sabbatical from Rainbow Cloud Kombucha, and returned to the Yandara Yoga community in Todos Santos, Baja California.  For the last few months i've walked barefoot, sleeping in a tent by the ocean, immersed in the practices of Yoga, immersed in Nature, the Sun, the Moon, the Galaxy of stars above, the elements, and the quiet symphony of the desert and it's inhabitants.  We have laughed, cried, expanded beyond ourselves, and emerged from this pure chrysalis, spreading our wings in wholeness and stepping into who we truly are: sharers of the Present Moment, of Simplicity, of Community, of Authenticity- of Joy!

Over the last 2 months I have experienced a Metamorphosis of profound measure; more accurately, a Unimorphosis: a Becoming into Oneness.  Metamorphosis translates into "Becoming more than oneself." I have found myself on a journey of Un-Becoming, peeling away into the Center, the Stillness.  The Essence.  A process of Realization, of why I am here, and who I can be to better serve humanity.  Of listening to my own inner wisdom, and becoming quiet enough to hear the whispers of that Source.

 

I Stand in My Center of Joy! I Trust this Joy and I Know what feels Good! 

And so, in the Here and Now, I am stepping forward, in Joy and in Presence, to share with the world the Joy we all already have! My goal in this life is to laugh again and again into Unity Consciousness, and help us all discover the treasures of Joy within! It is so simple! It is ALMOST unfair!!! What we seek is inside of us! May I be the spark that lights your flame! :)

 

I will be offering my services as a Yoga Alliance 500 teacher, certified Life Coach, Laughter Yoga Instructor, and Alchemist of Music, Dance and Song. My desire is to share my mosaic of life experiences to help you connect with your own inner Joy, and offer an invitation of infinite creative potential and the realization of the life of your dreams! 

 

Look out soon for my personal website featuring life coaching services, yoga and private classes, including mixed modalities of stress reduction techniques designed to bring you into a state of inner harmony, allowing the body, mind and soul to relax into your natural state of ease.  From this inner state of stillness we have access to the fountain of Joy, a wellspring and key ingredient in manifesting our deepest desires and highest goals.  The paradox is, that once we find Joy in the Here and Now, there comes the Realization that there is actually Nothing to Attain, Nothing to strive for, and that we have everything we needed all along. And when this state is realized, the universe responds to our vibration, and we are granted Everything.  Deep Gratitude!  Thank you for sharing this journey with me!

Matthew G. Eklund

Founder- Rainbow Cloud Kombucha

A day will dawn when you will laugh at all your past efforts. That which will be the day you laugh is also Here and Now. - Ramana Maharshi

May all beings be Free and Happy!

Travels to the Mystical Lake Atitlan, Guatemala- Healing, Feeling, and Flowing!

Hello Everyone! I have been on quite a journey in the past few months!  I spent nearly 2 months with my partner Erika in the volcanic cradle of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala!  This lake rests high up in the highlands of Southwestern Guatemala, completely surrounded by three volcanoes!  What I experienced there was one of the most potent energy centers in all of my worldly travels!  Resting in the small village of San Marcos on the north shore of the lake is a high vibrational bubble of spiritual community, an oasis of conscious, cosmic humans living, singing, teaching and sharing with each other nearly every wisdom tradition of the world!  Hippies, yogis, mystics, and travelers from all over the globe converge in San Marcos for a celebration of life, a place to learn, grow, and expand, and a journey away from the massive illusions of mainstream society.  San Marcos is a "Universe-city"- a city in which people come to learn about themselves and the universe.

*Below is a photo from the Golden Kundalini Temple, resting high above the village of San Marcos, with our Rainbow Cloud Kombucha jugs present! :) Visit www.rainbowcloudkombucha.com for the full photo shoot on our home page!

The power of this lake is something tangibly felt; the locals say when people come into the presence of Lake Atitlan, they are faced with their fears, their shadows, and their greatest opportunities to heal old wounds.   It is a container of great alchemy and healing!  Many people say the lake offers a clear ultimatum for newcomers: face your darkness and rise to a higher frequency or be chewed up and spit out!  I can attest, the energy here is that powerful!  After the shadows are cleared, the lake allows powerful ascensions into deep meditation, abundant creativity, manifestation and unity consciousness! Over the two months, I experienced such a transformation in myself, most of which was quite uncomfortable to face, ultimately leading to a more integrated, more light, more whole Me.

We began the journey with a Geometric Configuration workshop taught by our friend Bee Inspiral.  She has created a method of incorporating contemporary dance with sacred geometry forms and intentional movement, and channeling light language to create a master prayer through a merging of movement, voice, and intuition.  It was a great way to integrate into the energy of the land.  Bee's website is www.inspiraldance.com. She does dance workshops and retreats in the USA during festival season!  I highly recommend checking her out if you love to dance!

One thing about San Marcos that struck me was the amount of self actualized people sharing their gifts with the community: Nearly every message board in the village is covered with homemade posters advertising retreats, classes, and workshops, ranging from meditation, silent retreats, every type of yoga, thai massage, reiki and other healing/energy arts, shamanic ceremonies, as well as community song and drum circles, gong baths, crystal healings and more!  It was an interactive metaphysical library at our daily reach!

One of the most profound experiences I had during my time at the lake was the experience of the Cacao Ceremony!  Cacao is the origin plant of cocoa, and was used ceremonially during the times of the Mayan empire.  After the fall of the Mayan empire by the Spanish, chocolate made it's way back to Europe and the Americas and ceremonial cacao faded into tiny remote villages in the rainforest.  Cacao and it's power as a plant medicine has recently seen a revival in the last 10 years, owing much of the sharing of lost knowledge to Keith the Chocolate Shaman, who lives in San Marcos, and holds weekly ceremonies, therapy sessions, and works as a psychic channel and spirit guide.  My first ceremony was held by one of his students, Lea Thorning, AKA Miss GreenDream high up in the hills at the Golden Kundalini Temple during a retreat.  We all drank a very thick, quite bitter ceremonial dose and waited for the effects as we sat in silence.  Lea sang beautiful songs of healing, viewable below! :)



I left the ceremony that night, feeling a buzz unlike I'd felt before.  Upon getting into bed, I realized how high I was, and sat up in meditation posture.  I ended up sitting quietly in one of the most profound meditation experiences of my entire life!  My mind felt completely quiet, centered, still, and my body warm and tingly.  I sat nearly two hours, and finally went to sleep.  I awoke the next morning, feeling a heaviness if my heart, felt a dam of emotions ready to break, and opened to a flood of tears!  I realized an inner child of mine was still hurting and needed love, and my tears soon turned to immense joy!  What a release I was experiencing! I felt a rock in my gut dissolve into warmth and an energy rise to my heart, permeating my whole being with Love.  I released tears for nearly an hour, and began to feel incredibly light and whole!  It was as if I had been immersed in a river of Grace.  I felt immense gratitude for this connection with Source and today I feel more integrated within myself than I have in my entire life!  I've been sold on Cacao as a plant medicine ever since!  We ended up having ceremonies with the Chocolate Shaman himself, and came home with 50 lbs. of his ceremonial grade Cacao, with the intention of sharing this medicine with our community here in Tacoma and Olympia! Stay tuned for more news regarding Cacao ceremonies!  It is a wonderful medicine and experience to open the heart; it is profound and it is gentle, and as Keith says "Brings you to the Door, but doesn't push you through."

I left San Marcos with love in my heart, and immense gratitude for the experiences I shared with so many amazing activated people.  Little to say, I experienced a unique type of culture shock upon arrival back into the USA.  After passing 3 strip malls I began to feel a bit out of place!  San Marcos is a perfect microcosm of the potential of human consciousness to expand and to live in harmony with the Earth and with each other.  I only hope to share my healing experiences with this world, and do my part to make my dreams of a brighter future, a more connected culture, and the healing of mankind and planet a reality!  I believe that Rainbow Cloud Kombucha is a huge step in that direction!  Thank you all for listening to my story and feeling the essence of the things I've felt!  I can't wait to share Cacao ceremonies in the area, coupled with Songs, Yoga, Dance and Community!

-Matthew G. Eklund

Rainbow Cloud Kombucha

Kombucha, Creativity, Love, and Life!

Hello everyone! It is a beautiful sunny day here in Olympia, WA, and I have just returned from a bike ride to Tumwater Falls and back!  The energy of the raging river and 7+ waterfalls amongst the valley trail is amazing and captivating!  It was an awesome day to crawl out onto the warm rocks and reflect on life.  Everything is going really good right now!  I feel as though the beginning of the year brought a huge shift into my life, in business, in my relationship, inspiration, psychological breakthroughs, and other opportunities for growth and expansion!

First, I want to break news on the recent happenings for Rainbow Cloud Kombucha!  The first of two biggest announcements is the creation of our official website. www.rainbowcloudkombucha.com.  I had fun learning web design with templates, and am really pleased with the results!  Visit the locations page on our site to check out our new locations in Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Portland!

The other main announcement I am proud to announce with Rainbow Cloud is the launch of our 16oz swing top bottles! We have sent our labels in to print with www.diecutstickers.com out of Seattle, and our small bottles will be arriving in stores by March 1st, or maybe sooner! :)  Here's a sneak peek of a paper prototype! Our bottles will be available at most of our existing locations, in addition to many new locations who were unable to take our 64oz growlers on due to the size of the bottles!  NOTE:  It will still be cheaper to buy our kombucha in jugs and on tap, and we want it this way to promote sustainability and minimal waste!  That said, there will be a $1.50 deposit on our 16oz bottles, and we will reuse all of them as well!

Kombucha aside, I am having major breakthroughs in the musical field!  I just finally set up recording capabilities, and am now recording improvised jams on my keyboards and synthesizers!  Check out my soundcloud site for some jams!  They aren't super polished or anything, but it's fun nontheless!  I've been playing music for over 7 years and this is the first time I've been able to record anything!!  My jams are viewable here! https://soundcloud.com/matthew-gordon-eklund

Sound has always been a major influence in my life!  I have always loved music, and realize that our entire universe is made up of sound, or vibration, and different frequencies!  We refer to people's "vibes," or the "vibes" of a room, or a party, or a waterfall!  Man I love Tumwater Falls!  That place has amazing vibrations!  I've realized that with music I can alter my vibration, and create a sonic shield around me to keep the negativity at bay!   Music has the power to unify people, and literally heal our bodies, minds, and spirits!  Especially through Singing and Dance!

What I really wanted to share this time is my experiences over the last 6 months with my partner and lover, Erika Charbeneau!  Erika and I met at the Okanogan Family Barterfaire over a year ago at sunrise on sunday morning atop of the hillside looking out over the festival.  Before we knew it, we were back to back on a rock, singing to each other in spanish, and I remember the beauty of that moment; an instant connection, perhaps divine, definitely cosmic!  Here is a photo of us together the morning we met!

Erika is one in a million: she has travelled the world freely over the last 6 years, living in Thailand, Guatemala, Europe, and more!  What I most admire about her is the size of her heart, her capacity for unconditional love, and her desire and ability to connect with everyone she meets!  She is a true compassionate being, and has taught me so much!  We have both been super independent people over the course of our young lives, and it has been a new experience for both of us to enter into a relationship!  What had me, besides her beautiful smile and the love I feel inside of myself when I'm around her, was her willingness to do "The Work" of Self Inquiry and use our relationship as a means for inner transformation and healing!  This has not been easy all the time, but has led to massive breakthroughs within myself as I observe myself with a willingness to be open, vulnerable, transparent, and willing to communicate no matter what!

Erika and I are similar in many ways, and in many ways we are the complete opposite!  We are truly yin and yang; I tend to do things fast and punctual, she tends to forget about time.  She loves to connect with everyone she meets, and I tend to be more introverted, and at times shy.  In living together amidst polar oppositions, we have found incalculable opportunities for growth, conflict and resolution, and passionate love.  She has recently gone to Guatemala to become a yoga teacher, and in her absence I have had time to reflect and see just how much she has influenced my habits and ways of being in such a short time!  I am looking forward to joining her down in Lake Atitlan, a magical lake surrounded by volcanoes, for a break away from the daily routine, rejuvenation, love, and inner reconnection!

I am so grateful for everyone in my life, and all the experiences I have had over this short time on Planet Earth!  It is not always pleasurable!  I deal with intermittent physical pain (right now in my neck), psychological challenges, ups and downs!  I've learned gratitude for all these experiences, and especially the peaks!  Understanding that there can be no high's without low points, and especially the nature of constant change and impermanence.  We are here for only such a short time in this incarnation, why not live it ALL?  We may be infinite beings trapped in these Earthly bodies, we may have billions upon billions of lifetimes to live, as taught in Eastern philosophy, and yet, we are Here Now in this time, and this life feels so precious!  It feels fleeting, and special!  Knowing we could leave this place at any moment, has allowed me to appreciate the pleasures and highs, pain and suffering, that is a fact of life!  I would definitely come to Earth again to Laugh and Cry and Live and Die! :)  Thank you for sharing this experience with me!  Infinite blessings!!!

-Matthew G. Eklund

Rainbow Cloud Kombucha

Rainbow Cloud Website Launch!! Happy New Year from Good Karma Kitchens!!!

Hello everyone!  It has officially been a year since our last blog post!  I am proud to announce the revival of The Rainbow Cloud and Beyond Blog and (FINALLY) the launch of our website!! www.rainbowcloudkombucha.com!  Hooray!!!  We are also stoked to announce that we have just acquired a Mercedes Sprinter van and now have an official delivery vehicle!  We are also NOW AVAILABLE IN SEATTLE! At the Central Madison co op and soon to be at more king county locations~!

2015 was a transformative year for Rainbow Cloud Kombucha!  We partnered up with Rawk Star Creations and built a 4000 sq foot warehouse in Tumwater from scratch!  We have named the facility Good Karma Kitchens, and currently house 4 local food businesses.  In addition to Rainbow Cloud HQ, Good Karma Kitchens is home to Rawk Star Creations, Smiling Mo's Gluten Free Bakery, and Whole Life Superfoods!  We are built for expansion so expect Rainbow Cloud to be reaching outward and upward to Portland, OR, King County, and potentially even East of the Cascades this year!

We are looking forward to another year of exponential growth and expansion!  Our team is super solid and ready to serve the community!  New members of the family include Leland Harmell of Rawk Star Creations, and my mom, Cheryl Eklund!  He is bringing extra love to our brew, and is also the creator of Rawk Star Creations Kefir Soda and raw sandwiches, available at your local co op!  Mom is helping bring the Rainbow Cloud north to the greater Seattle area! Growlers are now available at the Seattle Central Co Op on Capital Hill!

We would like to thank all of our customers and everyone who has supported us along this journey!  We are now 4 years into business and looking forward to a bright future!  It has been an incredible journey thus far, full of triumphs, challenges, collaboration and success! - Matthew Eklund, Founder

Overcoming Challenges and Rising to the Occasion

Hello everyone!  It has been a long time since our last post!  We were so incredibly busy this summer, and I have finally returned from my end of the year travels to Costa Rica and Peru, and have come back with a story and some beautiful realizations!

And without further ado... :)

2013 was an intense labor of love and success!  I have learned so much about myself in the process, including my own personal limitations of what this body can take and how much this mind can handle!  It seemed all summer I was harvesting kombucha until 1 or 2am on Friday, only to wake up at 6am every Saturday to load the farmer's market supplies, vend the Proctor market, make deliveries to the co op and our other stores, wash HUNDREDS of bottles every other week, order ingredients, and schedule meetings while somehow still managing to make it to Burning Man, and the Rainbow Gathering in Montana, and backpacking to the coast, and other adventures!  Needless to say, my physical and spiritual nourishment took a little bit of a dive :).  I was drinking coffee almost every day, and didn't make any time for my usual Yoga and Meditation practices.  Thankfully I had lots of kombucha on hand!  (especially the Green Superfood!)

In addition, it has taken me awhile to learn and take care of all the responsibilities that go along with running my first business!  I spent 2013 playing constant "catch-up" so to speak on 2012's bookkeeping, and learned the ins and outs of basic business accounting and Quickbooks, WHILE the business was running ahead and growing full speed with our wholesale accounts and success at the Proctor farmer's market.  FINALLY, 2 days ago my bookkeeping mentor and I got caught up on all the accounting, and I got my 2012 taxes all done and finished!  I had my printouts to mail to the IRS, and since I didn't have stamps, I had to go to the post office to get stamps and send it.  I had the idea to get a little exercise, and decided to run to the post office (roughly 3/4 of a mile).

I laced up my running shoes and a jacket, and ran out the door with the envelopes.  Not only was it raining!  It was pouring, it was windy!  It was intense!  I haven't had any type of running or aerobic exercise in some time (mostly yoga and some pushups), and man it was a run!  But I felt like the Olympic dude who was carrying the Torch (my tax returns) to the top of the mountain for victory!  I even had to take a detour because a tree had fallen over some power lines onto someone's car and had the main street blocked off!  As I ran I had to pace myself, and focus on breathing.  My lungs were definitely not used to the sustained jogging, and I got that experience where you get way inside yourself.  The rain pounded and I was soaking wet, the wind blew against me and made me work harder.  It took a bit of slowing down before I finally made it to Mt. Olympus, the Post Office!  The people inside looked at me like I was crazy for running all the way there (and going back "out there.")  I got the stamps and mailed my taxes!  WIN! WIN! WIN!

I caught my breath and made out for the return trip home.  All of a sudden the rain lifted and a beautiful rainbow manifested right in the direction I was running!  It was exciting and I felt empowered for taking control and not only getting the books done and filing my taxes, but taking care of my physical body at the same time!  The whole books and taxes thing was lingering in the back of my mind and holding me down a bit since the 2012 taxes were by now overdue. This all now cleared, I have new clarity on what I need to do in the future to stay on top of the things required for running a business.  It's fun to Learn and to be Challenged, and to Grow!

Another Realization I have made is that this business is NOT a ball and chain.  I have lived a very free and spontaneous lifestyle for the last 8 years or so, to say the LEAST! ;)  Needless to say, once this whole kombucha thing got started I was faced with a reality- RESPONSIBILITY!  This business is like having a child!  It needs constant attention and love to thrive and to keep going (and growing.)  Now sometimes, this means not going on a trip to that music festival, or not buying that 1940's Hammond B3 Organ- Yet! (though I DO believe you can have your Cake and eat it too, if you believe you can, and I have proved this! ;)

I have traveled to some pretty awesome places, around the Earth and inside of my Mind.  What I love most about traveling is that it expands my consciousness.  It gives me a better understanding of Who I Am by seeing the world and how it is, and how I am inside of myself. This is what I love about art, about music, about writing, about life!  Expanding myself and growing beyond who I am currently!  It's just like the baby rose bush that struggles to open its first leaf, then those little thorns, and finally blossoming into a brilliant fragrant luscious flower!- the full maximization of it's potential and purpose!

I have recently realized that I too, am being challenged to grow and evolve and to open my pedals and bloom!  And this business is one of the platforms that is nourishing me- and demanding me!-  to do so!  Instead of seeing my kombucha business as a "Ball and Chain," -as I previously and temporarily had thought it, with apprehensions of the reality of sacrifice and the infringement of my absolute and total freedom- I now see it as one of the most joyful, transformative and expanding experiences I could ever wish for!  AND in rising to the challenges it presents and growing through these experiences, I KNOW that it will lead to more freedom and expansion that I could have ever hoped and dreamed for!

My original vision for Rainbow Cloud Kombucha, 3 years ago, was that I wanted to brew and serve a delicious, revitalizing, healthy beverage at our local farmer's market.  After overcoming all of the obstacles it took to start a business and create a product, we have had a very successful 2 years, most notably at the Proctor Farmer's Market last year!  It was so rewarding to connect with our new and regular customers week after week, rain or shine (or Wind or Hail!), trade out bottles, test out new flavors, make friends with people, and even do a little trading here and there :)  It is deeply satisfying to be serving the public in this way.

I have succeeded in my original vision for the business.  As the markets got cold and rainy, and dark, I decided to seek a personal retreat and take a month off to visit Costa Rica and Peru, and do some centering, reflection, and body work!  I also realized that in order to keep growing, I need to take care of myself first!  I rediscovered the value of my Yoga and Meditation practice, and began to formulate a new vision for Rainbow Cloud, and for my own personal growth.  What was next?  How could we better serve the public, serve a broader audience, maintain our excellence, and do so in a way that nourishes my soul and the team it takes to do this?

I came back from my journey with a rekindled fire and clarity in purpose of what we are doing at Rainbow Cloud, and why we are doing it!  We are doing our part to change the world!  Yes, we are a small, "home-grown" business working within our means, but I believe big changes ultimately stem from little changes.  If our product has brought you any value in health, well being, or even simple enjoyment, then we are fulfilling our goal to make the world a better place.  We are growing together, and in making a choice to nourish yourself (and myself :), we are shifting to a greater place of wholeness and personal power.  I believe that Rainbow Cloud Kombucha will grow to a place where it will be able to serve our community and the world in other ways too, by creating an abundance which can be charitably shared!

And so, our focus for 2014 is... KEGS!  We are kegging our kombucha now!  It will soon be available at restaurants, music venues, yoga studios, private parties and events, and on tap in stores as well!  We believe this will help shape the choices available for nutritious beverages at places where there way only be pop or soda (or sugary fruit juice).  If you would like to see Rainbow Cloud Kombucha on tap at any of your favorite restaurants, bars, or stores, let them know!  We are looking at expanding our production to help serve a broader audience as well!  It is an exciting, transformative, and yes, challenging time for me and the business.  I am happily prepared to rise to the occasion :)

Thank you all who have supported Rainbow Cloud Kombucha, and me, and our vision of creating a better, more nourished world.  I believe that in order to change the world, we have to first change ourselves, to overcome our own challenges, and to grow and open like the rose blossom!  And it all starts with nutrition, and how we feel on the inside!  I will look forward to seeing all of our friends and customers at the Proctor Farmer's Market again this year, beginning March 31.  We love being a part of the local economy and serving aside all of our local farmers and craftsmen.  Love, and many blessings!!!

In Gratitude,

Matthew G. Eklund

Rainbow Cloud Kombucha