Notes on Gypset

A spiritually mature person can act according to guidance that would strike the financially motivated person as foolish or risky.

Caroline Myss PH.D. Anatomy of the Spirit

Less than a year ago Chloe introduced me to the Gypset concept. The term Gypset, coined by Julia Chaplin, is explained as follows on her website www.gypset.com:

Gypset (Gypsy+jet set) is about an emerging group of artists, musicians, fashion designers, surfers, and bon vivants– who lead semi-nomadic, unconventional lives….They are people I’ve met–or been inspired by– in my travels who have perfected a high-low approach to life that fuses the freelance and nomadic wile of a gypsy with the sophistication and global references of the jet set. Its an alternative way of traveling and living that’s based more on creativity then money. Instead of a luxury hotel in St Tropez or St. Bart’s, you might find a Gypsetter in Montauk, Cornwall, or in a teepee in Ibiza.

We have recently encountered two Gypsetters (as labled by me, not them) in San Miguel De Allende, and their stories were endlessly inspiring.

The first traveler we made the acquaintance of was PJ. He is from Martha's Vineyard, MA and travels around the world serving and bartending in the regions of his choosing. Before Mexico, he was on the Caribbean island of St. John. When asked where he was off to next he responded as if we were asking what he was having for dinner a month from now, he blankly said "I'm not sure" and walked away.

The second drifter we met was Sara, a 30 year old Italian woman also employed in the service industry. Before Mexico she dwelled in Australia, Brazil, and Spain to name a few. She is trilingual and commited to living life "the way it should be lived."

I find it fascinating that these two people who wait tables for a living lead existences desired by most of the people I know. I believe their successes stem from a mindset not limited to mainstream thoughts about money and circumstances. As a former server, I never thought it feasible to travel around the world given financial restraints and lack of resources, but in meeting these two young people who encapsulate the Gypset philosophy, my eyes were opened to the world of possibilities available to me should I choose to embrace them. I realized, or am in the process of realizing, that the only factor stopping me from leading the life I desire is me.

Creativity and resourcefulness are the only prerequisites to leading the life I want. If I can break through the brick walls of naysaying from elderly influences, I can find a way to do anything. Another brilliant concept inherent in the Gypset movement, is that, contrary to the subliminal messages sent by pop culture, we don't ever make it, happily ever after doesn't exist, life is a constant process and the exploration must continue until the day we bid our spirits adieu.