ALIYAH O'BRIEN

JOY. #lagoatitlán (at Lake Atitlán) https://www.instagram.com/p/CY1yOi2unHl/?utm_medium=tumblr

Cryin’ O’Brien. A condition that occurs when my heart overflows and leaks out of my eyeballs. It’s hereditary 😉 We’re always packing tissues 😭 This is me, sitting on the dock of the bay, waiting for my boat to take me away, Just sitting on the dock of the bay, dropping teeeeeaaaars 🥲 The next slide is a private video note I made to myself to remember the sweet fullness of my heart in this moment. And the appreciation for all I experienced in the last 2 weeks. I do this sometimes, send my future self messages when I don’t want to forget the magic ✨ I never share my videos, but I’m feeling particularly inspired to be vulnerable these days, so there ya have it. Staring at the volcano, my heart erupted and starting flowing out of my eyeballs. I remember thinking, “My god I love this feeling. Take a picture so you remember this moment.” Why the tears? Appreciation, so SO MUCH appreciation, love, and sadness. Roberto the sweet man who owns the beautiful cabins I was staying in felt like a soul friend. We shared many beautiful conversations and synchronicities. He would say to me, “No. I don’t think you’re from Canada, your soul is definitely latina.” The light in him saw the light in me and vice versa ✨ Amy and her sweet family filled my heart with their love, generosity and kindness 🥰 And the gift of peace and stillness within that I embraced because I really got the message this time, DO less. BE more. 🙈 Are you a joy crier as well? Let’s form a club! #bigheartedbeauties #letloveflow #tearsofjoy (at San Marcos La Laguna) https://www.instagram.com/p/CY1xDNrOxR5/?utm_medium=tumblr

Meet Amy & Chester 🥰 Amy is the caretaker’s daughter, and a huge help around the beautiful place I stayed for my 10 days of la quarantina. She just turned 12 and is off school till February 4th for the holidays. I know, that’s some sweet holiday time, but most kids here also work a lot for their parents. Amy and Chester would come and visit me every day multiple times and sit across my long balcony while I practiced my Spanish with her and taught her English. She speaks K’ichi’, which is her native Mayan language and Spanish fluently, and now a few phrases in English 😊 She would also bring me flowers, oranges, rosemary and mint from the garden and would tell me it’s for my throat 🥰 She’s what makes travelling so special. The sweet connections of the ones who stay in your heart ♥️ I’m forever moved by the power of love, and the gifts we receive when we have the courage to let our hearts shine a little brighter ✨♥️✨ Are you conscious of this? The power of your love beams?? Tell me more! 😉💋💫 (at Lake Atitlán) https://www.instagram.com/p/CYw_0_5p-E6/?utm_medium=tumblr

Looking back on 2021 with a lot of appreciation. So much good growth and changes this year. Like a newfound love of papaya 🤷🏻‍♀️ Who knew?! 🤯 Anything is possible 😉 I’ve released a lot. And endeavored to nurture what is good and true for me. I am dancing into 2022 (quite literally) with love, joy and delight in my heart, and a commitment to share it with the world. 💃🏻💃🏻♥️✨ Wishing you all a magical 2022! May you be soaked in LOVE ♥️ Feliz Año y muchos besos 💋 (at San Marcos La Laguna) https://www.instagram.com/p/CYKqr8LOlAk/?utm_medium=tumblr

LET’S GET NAKED!! Tricked ya! Okay yes, you know I’m all about skin freedom, but I want to talk about a different variety of naked… NAKED HEARTS BABY ♥️ What is this nonsense you say?! Well for me it represents the brave souls willing to share their deep love and truths. It’s about pushing past the notion of what is acceptable to share and getting REAL real. Why would one want to risk this?? So many reasons, but I’ll list two of my favs… 1. When we share our hearts we experience freedom. I’ve wasted a lot of time and energy in my life trying to hide, not feel, pretend things weren’t going on for me. Or hold back my love and light because I’m afraid of being too much. When I share my truth I get to just be me. Full stop. Liberation baby. 2. When we open our hearts and speak our truth we offer a bridge to others. We say “hey, I’m human, I experience this scary shit.” And then they get to go “f*#k I’m not alone, I also experience this scary shit.” Less alone. Less shame. More humanity. More acceptance. More connection. More love. More compassion. Nuff said. Cooking up a little project on this…stay tuned ✨✨ For now, let’s just get all kinds of naked 😉♥️💋✨ #letsgetnaked #nakedhearts #onelovebaby #wellnesswednesday 📷 @theportraitsessions https://www.instagram.com/p/CW8vdTXPKXr/?utm_medium=tumblr

Mornings on the road ☀️ The damp, chilliness of winter has set in. Missing being woken up by the sweet sound of birds. Tip toeing barefoot from my van to the rivers edge. Sunrise on my face. I spent so many mornings cleansing in this river from May to September. The glacial waters carry a special kind of magic. Grateful to have been a guest on these sacred lands 🙏 #naturemedicine #sḵwx̱wú7meshúxwumixw #kindnessissogangster (at Cheakamus River) https://www.instagram.com/p/CW5zoEvp7Au/?utm_medium=tumblr

My babe @kristineilana can dance all night in these boots. I on the other hand, can barely even sit on a bike 😏 #betteroffbarefoot #harleydavidson #giddyup #lucky13 H/M @janisbekkering 📷 @theportraitsessions https://www.instagram.com/p/CW1I1Fmvz1c/?utm_medium=tumblr

Wellness Wednesdaysss 💖 Remember when I did those? Maybe? Should I bring them back?? After diving into my personal Covid times workshop/playground, aka LIFE, I’m feeling really called to spread some truth and love again. Thank you @siobhan.i.am for the sweet reminder of my Wednesday shares ☺️ I’m cooking up some things right now in the world of love activism, but in the meantime I’m thinking about bringing back the weekly mind, body, spirit posts, which usually end up being “what’s Aliyah moving through this week?” truth bombs 😉 Here’s this moments truth… I’m often feeling the pull of my heart to be of service and spread love, while simultaneously wanting to live a very present and private life away from sharing on social media. Both are valid. Both can exist and sometimes co exist in harmony. And sometimes one takes a bit of a back seat to honor the other. The thing I’m working on right now is INNER INTEGRITY. What is the most honoring of my highest self? What does moving from that place look like? What does it FEEL like? And allowing whatever is coming up to be true and respected. If #wellnesswednesday has resonated with you in the past, or if you’d like to see more of them in the future, drop me a 💖 And if you feel inspired to share below, I’m curious what INNER INTEGRITY means for you? And how/where do you feel it in your body? For me it comes from the heart. It comes from pausing. Tuning in. And receiving an inner knowing that feels expansive. Sometimes it’s quiet. And sometimes I feel so lit up I’m like a fricking carebear blasting love!! No joke 🤷🏻‍♀️ Why isn’t there an emoji for that?! This one will have to do 💗 Open to suggestions 😉 And would LOVE to hear from you! Blasting love from my heart to yours beautiful souls ♥️🚀💫 #wellnesswednesday #carebearcountdown #youarelove 📷 @theportraitsessions This woman! Gah!! ♥️💥 https://www.instagram.com/p/CWq9idnhF4Y/?utm_medium=tumblr

What is the meaning of life? But actually, curious how you would answer that?? 😉 #dontbeshy #allthoughtsarevalid Also shout out to my girl @lexyouup for this badass Fanny pack that makes me feel freer than a bird, while still packing all the essentials for an apocalypse…I mean if the world is going to end, I want to at least make sure my lips are hydrated 👊🙏♥️ #obsessed #fannypack #spreadthosewings #handsfree #essentials #burtsbees #contemplations #meaningoflife #curiousgeorge #lifeisbeautiful #naturemedicine #soulfam #youarelove 📷 @marqueswyatt ♥️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CUuyCUSFFLo/?utm_medium=tumblr

#soulfamjam Do you have friends that feel like family? Like you’ve known them forever? Maybe even like you’ve done this dance before in another lifetime?? That is 100% how I feel about this special soul 💫 Pure, unconditional, effortless love and appreciation. The universe rejoices when we’re together and we co-create magic everywhere we go ✨✨ Grateful beyond for our friendship @marqueswyatt 🙏 Your presence is a mirror for the pure love that I, WE, ALL of us truly are 💖 Cannot wait for our next adventures 💃🏻🕺🏿 Special shout out to #spamitchy @mitchymitch15 and all our sweet friends who gathered this past week. In the midst of a chaotic world, you make it heaven on earth. And big thanks to my girl @heather_doerksen_ and @united airlines for #uniting us again so many years ago. So. Fricking. Grateful. I’ll close out with the deeply wise and important words of @mylittlepony Friendship really is magic 😉✨ #heartfull #frienshipismagic #shaguars4life #soulfam #higherlove #bestill #londrelle #tonijones #myenergybudgetisboujee #ashramgalactica #beautifulbc #amtour #seatosky #sograteful #framily #allthelifetimes #forevaeva #soulfood https://www.instagram.com/p/CUQRKAJvOxE/?utm_medium=tumblr

Family. I don’t post much about my family, mostly for theirs and my privacy. But make no mistake, they are the MOST important part of my life. My family, my framily, my loved ones near and far…they are the life’s most precious gifts. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. I do allllll the time. Getting shit done is so seductive. But I pray I never forget what really matters. Last weekend we celebrated the passing of our dear friend, David Galloway. He was a cherished member of the FRAMILY, a collective of friends who have become our family. His light was, and will continue to be, one of the brightest I’ve ever known. And his generosity was beyond. David brought so so many people together with music and love. His rules were “make as many mistakes as you need to” and “No one is excluded”. And he lived by the mantra FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL. I’m forever inspired by his generosity. His celebration of life was an all day and over night affair, filled with tears, laughter, stories, dancing and so much music. Every time I closed my eyes I could see him there with us, beaming his big beautiful smile and saying “this is so awesome!” 🥰 (Swipe right to see a photo of that sweet smile). That man REALLY lived. Rock on David 🤘 You are forever in our hearts ♥️🙏✨ I share all of this to let you peak a little deeper into the truth of my heart. To what makes it burst open on a regular basis. And to maybe inspire you, or remind you and me, that time with those you love is never wasted. I just hope my nephew never gets tired of making faces with me 😜🙏🥰 #family #heartexplosions #cherishthemoments (at Victoria, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkIiThnM9S/?utm_medium=tumblr

“No one’s ever accused me of being smart.” ~ Mick Rory @dominicpurcell When the world is ending…go out with a bang 😉 #swiperight #legendsoftomorrow https://www.instagram.com/p/CTSJwkJlflc/?utm_medium=tumblr

It’s this super special, squishy hearted, mega babes birthday, and my heart bursts out of my eyeballs at the very thought of my love for her ♥️💥😭 There’s that saying on friendship, Friends for a reason, Friends for a season, Friends for a lifetime… Here’s to ALL the lifetimes my babe! Our love is of the indescribable kind. Unconditional. Other worldly. And full of sparkles ✨✨ Sometimes it even blows the speakers 😉 As always, I wish you the most incredible EVERYTHING 🙌 Always. And forever. I love you the MOST!! 👯‍♀️♥️🚀 https://www.instagram.com/p/CS7qGsUhVF9/?utm_medium=tumblr

I will claim badassery in a number of categories… beer chugging is not one of them. Just ask @dominicpurcell and @officialsudzsutherland 😜 Now a tequila shooter competition… (Those who know…KNOW 😉) Swipe right to see Alien Kayla’s transformation, and more importantly, the look on #mickrory ‘s face 👽 @cw_legendsoftomorrow #dontmindifido https://www.instagram.com/p/CSz1LN-BWkm/?utm_medium=tumblr

Still my favorite costume… #birthdaysuit #splashofsun #wildandfree (at Mother Nature) https://www.instagram.com/p/CScqwwjBLl_/?utm_medium=tumblr

Life’s little delights... Sunrise. Coffee. Poetry. #morningrituals #thisjuicylife https://www.instagram.com/p/CPLUNTFMQ8H/?utm_medium=tumblr