July 2024

Dear Friends,

It’s been a while since I’ve written to you. Raising my two beautiful twin girls is my main focus and is keeping me busy and fulfilled, yet I am still deeply connected to my first “baby” Lead with Love and all the ways this organization continues to serve our local and global community.

I am eternally grateful for the gift of motherhood and also for the journey of self discovery that I embarked on, not willingly by the way, when I struggled to have children. It was during that journey that Lead with Love was born, and Aspen Yoga Society and Aspen City of Wellbeing, too. I think it’s important to share that while I was yearning for what I didn’t have for YEARS I never stopped creating and opening myself to possibilities of how I could mother (which led me to sponsor multiple children from Cambodian Children’s Fund and Jacmel Children’s Center), how I could serve using my unique gifts and talents and how I could create given the circumstances that were present.

Looking back, I wish I could have been more present “loving what is” as one of my favorite teacher’s Byron Katie always says, but I couldn’t. I didn’t really love it; I struggled through it a lot of the time. I see now that I could have navigated with more grace and awareness, but I couldn’t back then because I was navigating with just as much grace and awareness as I had at that time. I want to honor that and honor the growth that has taken place since then. For me, the learning orientation to life, asking “How is this happening for me?” versus, “What is this happening to me?” is paramount. Perspective is everything.

I’ve noticed lately, and it’s almost humorous really, but also quite serious, that I am feeling this familiar yearning for something I don’t have. WHAT?!?! Have you seen my twins? They are just about as gorgeous as it gets and so incredibly joyful and bright. Did I not struggle over 10 years to have these babies, to devote my entire being to their evolution and growth, to their wellbeing? I did. And here we are 3.5 years in and I couldn’t be happier and I find myself thinking, “What’s mine to do?”

I feel so called to serve and do the work on myself that can allow me to serve others via teaching, speaking, writing, whatever. I realized I want it to look a certain way. I want to make an impact. I see that my vision of what it means to have a life of meaning and impact is based on some version of helping people in need. I see the starving, exploited people or scorched earth and I feel I must act! This is a good thing, I think and I am becoming more and more aware of what a Buddhist monk once told me that irritated me many years back, “The most important work you can ever do is the work you do on yourself to raise your consciousness and lead from your heart in all that you do.” It irritated me because I thought "how can that be enough?" How can “working on myself” be enough?

*Yoga on the campus of The Aspen Institute Celebrating The Aspen Idea !*

Striving for a meaningful and purposeful life is something I’ve always felt calling me forward to learn and grow and ultimately give back. Lead with Love has been such an incredible vehicle for me to channel my creative energies and I feel there is much more to do there. It’s been a slow period for the organization. After Covid and my twins we scaled back considerably and I am feeling this desire to fire up more cylinders to produce more - events, offerings, content. And then I have to pause. I have to look at the desire. Where does it come from? I obtained the greatest gift I yearned for in my two beautiful girls. My kids are still not in school. Time with them is so precious. Do I need to split my focus? Do I need to hire staff? Do we need to produce more?

What I am learning through the pauses and self- reflection is this: Life will show me. Life will show me when it is time to shift my focus. Life will show me what to focus on to have impact. My intent is clear. Let it be of benefit. Let me use all aspects of my being to awaken, to rise up, to meet my potential which I know to be a being who is truly, truly, truly leading with love. It is no mistake I founded this org, it is no mistake I wear our t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Choose Love”. This is my work to do and for now it is more inner work. It is deep inner work and it’s a deep focus on family. I love that. I love that I am giving myself permission to do that. There is nothing more important than clearing the channel and cleansing my perception to see through the eyes of love with my family. The rest will come. I trust it. I’m listening. And, you’ll see below many exciting things are still brewing at Lead with Love too!

*Yoga on the platforms at ACES Hallam Lake every Tuesday 5:15-6:30*

The best, best thing about stepping back from the org is to see who steps forward. I’ve been so touched and inspired by my dear friend River Morgan who selflessly stepped forward to serve teaching classes all summer long at The Aspen Institute on behalf of Lead with Love. River and her mama Shayne are two of the most heart-centered leaders I’ve ever met and two people, like me, who care deeply for The Aspen Idea and the original intention of Aspen as a place where the mind, body and spirit can flourish.

One of the participants in our original Workplace Wellbeing programs at the City of Aspen PJ Murray got inspired by yoga, became a yoga teacher on the side of her City job, and is teaching our weekly WildYoga sessions each Tuesday at ACES Hallam Lake. This offering is so near and dear to my heart and one that honors Arin Trook, our beloved ACES Education Director who was tragically killed in an avalanche several years ago. What a deep loss we still feel so profoundly. His spirit lives on in these classes and the deep silence and peace we feel practicing on the platforms under the trees.

We currently have WildYoga happening every Tuesday 5:15-6:30 at ACES Hallam Lake and once a month Yoga Salvage with our Spanish speaking teacher Alejandra at Rock Bottom Ranch. More info & sign up HERE and HERE.

*River and Shayne Morgan with one of our Lead with Love Ambassadors Blue Zones author Dan Buettner sporting one of our new “Choose Love” hats!*

If you’ve been following along with us you know my main focus lately is on helping neglected and abused kids by caring for caregivers as part of our partnership with CASA of the Ninth and our Care for Caregivers Program (C4C). One of the things I became aware of as I was struggling to have my own kids the last decade or so is just how many kids in our country and in the world do not have parents or caregivers who care for them. This breaks my heart so I’ve been called to act. These kids deserve love and support and one of the ways I’ve found to support them is by caring for those that care for them - foster parents and Court Appointed Special Advocates and others. Please take a moment to read about our program and support it if it resonates with you. We’ll offer a C4C mini retreat Aug 21 at The Aspen Chapel followed by a reception to learn more about the program. Stay tuned for details.

It’s been one of the greatest pleasures of my life to host events designed to raise consciousness and elevate humanity. I have so many fond memories of our gatherings in Aspen in particular, and also around the world. A Lead with Love retreat brought me to Bali in 2018 where I met one of my dearest friends and favorite collaborators Elisa Bava. We were able to host a large Lead with Love retreat in France before the pandemic and I am anxious to bring our brand back to life here as I am spending many months a year in France raising bilingual kids. It’s on my mind to find a retreat center here to host a group in the coming year. We are also scouting places in Southern France, Italy and Portugal for 2025 so if you missed our last two amazing retreats in Italy or Greece and feel called to join us please send me a note by replying to this email so we can stay in touch as we develop our next offerings.

We are also SO excited to be partnering with one of our nearest and dearest Nicole Lindstrom on Aug 18 to share a Cacao Ceremony in the Buckminster Fuller Dome on the campus of The Aspen Institute Aug 18. Sign up today on Nicole’s website. Space is limited!

You may know that I write a monthly column in The Aspen Times sharing some of my insights and learnings. The last column is HERE if you missed it.

Finally, we have an incredible partnership with Intersect Aspen coming up

July 31. More info and register HERE.
8 - 9:30 a.m. – Intersect Presents: Mindfulness and Discussion with artist Meghann Riepenhoff

In collaboration with Aspen-based non-profit, Lead With Love, Intersect Aspen hosts a morning of mindfulness and nature at Aspen’s downtown sanctuary, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies with artist Meghann Riepenhoff. This program invites attendees to transform the fair’s themes of The Environment and Social Consciousness into practice, as Riepenhoff will co-host a mediation and light yoga movement in conjunction with, Lead With Love. Riepenhoff utilizes mediation, yoga and nature as an inspiration behind her work. Intersect Aspen looks forward to creating space in one of Aspen’s most beautiful locations, to reflect, relax and create a platform for discussion with Riepenhoff.

What I think is most important is when our heart is called to serve that we find some way to honor that. Because I am so affected by the plight of neglected and abused children I have found several organizations that I think do incredible work supporting these populations. Below are a list of organizations I have personally vetted and support. I would love to hear from you any that are near and dear to your heart as I build awareness. The world needs a whole lot of love right now, as it always has. We need all of us to Lead with Love! In politics I am especially

reminded by our need to lead with love. I personally support people who put Mother Earth and the environment first as we have no future without a habitable planet. I am trying my best not to get sucked into the illusion of separation that is perpetuated in these campaigns while also staying engaged.

Here are a few of the causes I personally support that care for neglected and abused children. All of these are vetted and I can highly recommend you turning your attention toward any one of them if you are affected like I am at the thought of neglected and abused kids.

Casa Of The Ninth

Elevating Connections

Foster Source

Cambodian Children’s Fund

Apne Aap

United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

World Central Kitchen

I look forward to seeing many of you in August in Aspen.

With Love,

Gina