Travel Journal: Barcelona. Rome. Berlin.

One of our amazing customers, Keili, took her KINGS&PRIESTS bracelets with her on a recent trip around Europe. Here are some of her pics that she sent our way! Thank you for sharing Keili! xo

Barcelona

Rome

Berlin

K+P Heart of Africa Bracelet

Heart of Africa bracelet pictured with Pelagia bracelet and designer's own.

KINGS&PRIESTS Heart of Africa Bracelet

In 2008 we traveled to Africa. It was one of those life changing trips.. moments. I never expected that our trip would have as much meaning for me as it did. The practice and awareness of the spiritual realm is so heavy in Africa that it feels almost like you are walking through a pool of spiritual activity. It is so thick and tangible. One couldn't help but become more aware and more open. Through this experience I learned that what you value and what you are aware of will grow. Because the people value spirituality and are aware of the spiritual realm, it becomes more real.

We were staying and visiting places where most of the locals who encountered us expected us to be humanitarian workers vs. tourists. I appreciated this exposure to their reality and considered their hospitality to be all the more incredible in the midst of extreme human conditions that made their existence so much more challenging then our own. Without a doubt, I left that trip with a heavy awareness of my own level of selfishness, lack of care for the planet through my consumer habits and overall ignorance of the human condition worldwide. Upon our return, I became passionately committed to resolving these issues within my own life and that continues to be a lifelong pursuit.

I have worn my own Heart of Africa bracelet for the past couple years as a reminder of the continent that I love and its people. Now this bracelet is available for purchase with 10% of all sales going toward charities that are dedicated to making a difference in Africa : Invisible Children and charity: water. I wanted to create an opportunity to give back to the place that has inspired so much personal growth. My hope is that you would join me in that effort.

xo Clare

Knowing your season...

One of the most valuable journeys I have been on personally and professionally is learning how to live in the tension of having a vision for the future and living in the present moment. I refer to this as "knowing your season". I consider this to be essential to the success of running a business or simply living a happy and more fulfilled life.

It is often difficult for those of us who have great vision for the future to be happy in the here and now because we are constantly focused on pulling a future reality into the present.  Probably the greatest lesson I have learned through this process  is to maintain gratitude in the present and focus on building what is in front me at the moment. I am consistently amazed at how many doors have opened when I change my posture from dissatisfaction to gratitude and maintain focus on present realities vs. attempting to live in a future that has not yet manifested. In practice, I have made a habit of saying 3 things that I am thankful for each day.

So today I am thankful for:

1. The ability to pursue my dreams
2. That some seasons in life are temporary
3. That each sunrise is a reminder of a new beginning 

What are you thankful for?

xo Clare

K&P TRUNK SHOW JUNE 7TH!

 

We are launching our ICON collection next Friday at Forever Posh in Santa Ynez! Come join us for wine, appetizers and of course, fabulous jewelry! Xo

Forever Posh

3583 Numancia Street

Santa Ynez, Ca  93460

(805) 688-1444

 

Photo Album: Italy and France 2013 | Part 3

 

We ended the month in Rome and stayed near Vatican City. 

 We celebrated his birthday in his country.

 I decided that my next car would be a Mini.

And we left Italy with the promise to be back very soon. 

xo, Clare

Photo Album: Italy and France 2013 | Part 2

I met J in Italy and we stayed in my favorite city in the world, Florence. 

 We took a trip to Siena and I found inspiration for our next collection.

The doors were incredible. I tried to figure out how to bring them home! 

We explored cities by foot...... 

........And shopped at local markets.

Photo Album: Italy+ France 2013 | Part 1

I spent the month of April in Paris, Rome and Florence. Don't be jealous.... you can go too! Here are some highlights of what proved to be the best month of my life.

I started the trip in Paris with one of my best friends.

 Notre Dame was stunning.

We went shopping on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées... and it was freezing.....

.....But even the rain was more beautiful in Paris. 

KINGS&PRIESTS goes to Europe!

Press: Interview with Haute Street!

A few weeks ago we were honored by an interview with Haute Street contributor Jessie Jones. Here it is in case you missed it!

xo Clare

The Door to Spiritual Intelligence: Part 1

 I often find myself in situations where I am observing something in the natural environment, I will have a dream, or I will encounter an unusual coincidence, and I know that the experience has a deeper meaning but I am not sure what it is. These experiences have led me to study the subject of  Spiritual Intelligence for the past 7 years. During my journey into this subject, I have come across many people who share similar experiences and have been on their own journey for answers. This has led me to believe that since we are body, soul, and spirit the subject of spiritual intelligence is just as important as IQ and EQ..... And yet, this subject is typically ignored because it is often misunderstood or considered too large of a subject to approach, too "religious", or even too scary for some people. For those of us who live in and experience the natural and spiritual realm or for those of you who are hungry to experience more of the spiritual realm, this blog series on SQ is for you.

For clarification, the definition of Spiritual Intelligence is the following:

Spiritual Intelligence is a measurement of intelligence referring to those who because of constant use and practice have trained their senses to discern what has been hidden or is being revealed in the spiritual realm.

This definition suggests to me that there are a few practical steps necessary to begin to understand the subject.

• First, and probably most important, one must acknowledge that a spiritual realm exists

• Second, one must believe that we can interact with the spiritual realm, or at the very least, that the spiritual and physical realm have an affect on each other

• Third, each person has been given a measure of ability to sense this realm and that those who train and practice will experience an increase in their ability to see and understand the invisible

So... where are you on your journey?

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Laozi

xo Clare