In the eyes of a gypsy: An interview with Andrew Bush

Have you ever met a true gypsy?  A wandering soul who holds happiness in the palm of their hand rather than their wallet, car, or clothes?

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing someone who embodies that gypsy spirit. He has inspired me to have so much faith and trust that I could leap into “the unknown” and have absolute certainty that I’ll find happiness in my heart…or in my palm. ;)  To get really inspired, read on! 


Not only is Andrew Bush a kind-hearted, intelligent, funny guy, a fantastic musician & Marine vet in his mid-20’s, but he’s also a one-of-a-kind traveling gypsy whose stories would make for a killer book some day!  As we were having lunch together recently, I found myself asking him lots of questions about his travels, his mindset, and his way of life.  The conversation was so inspiring that I decided to formally interview him and share his fascinating story with you.

So here’s the gist on Andrew’s gypsy life: For the last few years, he’s been traveling, on a whim, to whatever place his heart desires, finding a job there, meeting amazing people, learning tons about life and himself, and enjoying the freedom to pick up and leave onto his next adventure whenever he feels inspired.  In fact, one of his many adventures led him to meeting me! (More on that later)

When I asked Andrew what inspired him to live this lifestyle, he said that it was actually fear, anger, & shame in the beginning. He was running and hiding from a deeper part of himself that longed to be healed. But what began as a rebellious journey of youthful angst, quickly turned into a healing and opening transformation. 

"I met people who were really in touch with themselves and had figured out this great path and all these amazing adventurous things to do. Listening and talking to them was so profound that I just had to taste that and figure out what that was all about. I eventually realized that I could talk to just about anybody and get them inspired and excited about life, which inspired me in turn!”

So I had to ask him what his childhood was like and how that contributed to his lifestyle choices. How could he grow up to be so bold and free in our corporate-minded, structured society?  

Andrew openly commented that he grew up without a father and had difficult times with his mother and siblings.  But rather than feeling diminished by his painful past, he allowed his wounds to hollow him out, opening him to experience more compassion and love for others, more freedom and joy for life!

“I tend to regard it as the biggest blessing I received from my mother. I spent a lot of energy in contemplation seeking to better relate and find space for compassion. It’s been pivotal in my development. I’m bolder because my journey is now propelled from places of love. And that I’m always questing for humility grants me a freedom that seems boundless when I’m at my best.”   ---Beautifully said.

I then asked Andrew about the logistics- how do you decide where you’re going to go, where you’ll work, and how long you’ll stay?

His answer will just tickle your insides.

“Intuition! And that's my answer to ANY question concerning the start of an endeavor. Always listen for the signs and lessons. It's all immensely exciting! It gives me comfort and power in the moment. It gives me freedom to dream big and not be discouraged. Life rolls out opportunity ceaselessly. If you become a great listener and grow your faith system, you can capitalize on many adventures. It's the journey of The Alchemist.”

 …Speaking of the book “The Alchemist” (by Paulo Coelho, fantastic read!!), Andrew regards it as one of his most treasured texts that has inspired his path.

“’The Alchemist’ came to me at a wonderful time from a wonderful person. I was looking for fresh air and new sails to spark my whim. The book is beautifully simple and genuine. It's a story about a rather disgruntled fellow who learns to trust in God and recognize his blessings instead of combat them. It was a big turning point for me on the path to do something very similar, to simplify and to trust myself, the world, and how we work within each other, and that the universe will conspire to help me when I'm taking the right steps.”

Yes!! It’s so amazing to see someone successfully living a beautiful life guided by intuition and faith. Knowing that Andrew can live by his inner guidance encourages all of us to attune with the inner-soul-compass that shows us the way.  We only need to trust it. 

And a big part of trusting your intuition is keeping your fickle mind at bay! When you receive a grand intuitive hit that seems completely ridiculous (and yet delightfully exciting), you must be careful not to over-analyze the details or get into a fear-based mindset.

Andrew has a brilliant way of handling this. He mentioned that, when he’s researching his next location, he doesn’t over-analyze the details that might discourage him from going. He does some “passive research” to get ideas about where he could get a job and then he simply goes for it, knowing that everything will work itself out.

“Don’t dwindle on the inconcrete, or anything that has space to be a dialogue with anxiety. All necessary items can be addressed with a tempered focus. Work through those.”

And leap! Take the leap of faith that your heart will never steer you wrong. And any struggle on the way is a beautiful lesson to be learned. Love that. 
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Andrew’s last job was working for Comcast in Utah and Washington, installing Internet modems in people’s homes. He just lit up when he told me about all of the amazing conversations he had. With a true curiosity for life, Andrew learns something from every person he encounters and sees them as a vital connection on his path.

“I want to relate. People! Old souls. New souls. Burning souls! Vibrant souls. Tempered souls. Healing souls. All the sharing and stories and tears and laughter and growth. It sets my soul aflame. Anything that does that is worth pursuing wholeheartedly.”

You said it, Andrew!!  And on one very special journey of Andrew’s through Pasadena, CA, he followed the sound of a “tasty guitar riff” being played by a musician on the street. That soulful musician was our beautiful, late friend Ryder Buck, who’s life and death led Andrew to meeting me and inspired us all in a massive way.  If Andrew hadn’t followed his intuition and had a deep desire to connect with other souls, you simply wouldn’t be reading this piece right now!  And I would certainly not be who I am today...

Alas, I digress. 

Andrew mentioned that he was once happiest when living out of his car in Santa Monica. I had to know more about the secret joy of living in this unconventional way.

“It required so much acceptance and trust and faith and patience and all those other good things. It was certainly humbling. I'd have to say the best part of the lesson was realizing how much I could do without: all of the things I willingly sacrificed to fulfill the goal of the day, week, or month. That realization accounted for a huge part of the bliss. At the time, I wasn't really pursuing anything I was intensely passionate about, and yet I could let go of so much so easily. It was empowering to imagine myself zealously pursuing something I loved with the same material boundlessness.”

When I asked Andrew if anything scared him about his gypsy lifestyle, he stated with ease that spiders were just about the only thing! Ha

“As you resonate and relate more to your moment, you start to lose irrational fears. At a point, all fears start to become more amusing. When you reconcile your relationship to your place in the moment, fear no longer shrouds the nature of things to be lost. Through that lifting of the veil, you have space to relate, to identify beauty and love in all things. Fear can be a powerful tool to identify areas where you need to reconcile a relationship. Also, spiders.”

Haha, poetic and hilarious, right?!

So how can we be more like you, Andrew??  For any aspiring gypsies out there, Andrew has some beautiful advice for you.

“Relate!! Talk with yourself. Talk with God. Relate your spirit to the spirits of others in all living things. Have a face-to-face conversation if you can. For someone who is generally more extroverted, share. The best inspiration there comes from behind the eyes of a storyteller or artist. For the more introverted, get the proper gear and make some uncharted treks through local wilderness. Soon enough, you'll find yourself far and wide relating to yourself, nature, and those special select few companions.”

Now we all want to know, where is Andrew headed next?

“It's shaping out that I'll either hang about LA and plug into music again-maybe do some cruises as a musician- or head to New Orleans where I'd grow my commune and hopefully work on a boat or do some organic farming. After that, I have a one-way ticket to Bali where I'll volunteer at several elementary school programs with the Agung Bali Children's Foundation and teach those recently graduated from the program music and song to take back to their communities.”

So rad! I can’t wait to hear about Andrew’s next journey on this wild and beautiful earth.

Finally, I asked Andrew if he has any big goals for the future. His answer surprised and delighted me.

“It's hard to think of the endeavors I have in my heart and mind as goals. I call them wants or wishes, and I do so with a comforting, quiet fire. I wish to eventually start a family. I want to find a job that is boundlessly rewarding and marries many of my passions. I wish to see the world. I want to heart-shake with everybody. I hold no reservations stating these things this way. It's simply where I am now.”
 
Thank you, thank you, dear Andrew for sharing your amazing stories and inspiring us all.  I hope many of you will read this and take the leap of faith to follow your own gypsy path, whatever it may be!


All my love,
Gia xoxo

​4-18-15

Photo credit: Hobvias Sudoneighm via Flickr