Vicki Sandler's spiritual quest

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Vicki Sandler had no trouble climbing the corporate ladder to success, but in the summer of 2001 she wrote in a personal journal and realized that she was looking for much more out of life, which eventually led her to South Africa and Peru, as well as a quest to write her own book.

"In my journal I rated on a scale of one to 10 where I was personally with family, career, health and spirituality," Sandler said. "Spirituality was much lower than everything else, and I wasn't personally in balance."

Six years later, Sandler had the opportunity to travel to South Africa with a friend from college, and she decided to go because she had already left her job as the president of a start-up company.

"Once I did that it opened me up to the ways of how other people think," Sandler said.

After she returned from South Africa, Sandler was on a quest for more discovery, and she decided to go on a spiritual journey in Peru.

"We were going to learn from these people that had figured it all out in Peru," she said. "I wanted to see how another culture valued healing and spirituality."

While in Peru, Sandler learned about living with intuition and her heart, as opposed to only her mind. She also found that learning in Peru itself as opposed to from afar was very valuable.

"What we can learn from them is simplicity and how to find joy in the present moment," Sandler said. "Those kids that are in Peru are 14,000 feet high, and they run up and down the mountainsides just as happy as they can be. There are simple joys that we should all rediscover."

Now that Sandler has returned, she is focused on writing a book about her experiences in Peru as well as Corporate America.

"My book integrates from my personal and professional experiences some of the best of what Western society brings, and what you can learn from indigenous cultures about intuition and thinking from the heart and not just the head," she said.

Sandler's book will discuss finding more creative answers to problems when information is taken from intuitive sources.

According to Sandler, listening to your body and subconscious is also important.

"I've learned how to listen to the answers within, and your body tells you when you're out of alignment as well," she said. "When you're out of alignment you're not living as happy and fulfilled as you could."

Sandler hopes that her book will be published by the end of this year. In the future, she would like to hold a life skills class for college-age students.

"I really want to take these concepts and introduce them to college kids so they can gain these skills sooner versus later," she said.

For more information on Sandler or her book, visit www.wearthyideas.com.