October 5

Well-this will probably be my last or second to last post. I leave Omega Sunday and am not looking forward to it. Yes, I miss my cats and a shower experience that doesn't feel like an adventure show, and sleeping in the cold that is now occurring is not fun, but I have had such fun and healing here. I keep telling myself that I can take this with me. And its likely I will return in 6 months. Also, haven't I learned enough this summer about how we create our own realities with our "stories" that we cling to so dearly? I will miss hearing the squirrels and chipmunks working so hard to gather and eat. Did you know that they can make loud noises? And all the noises that come with sleeping so close to the elements. I appreciate the seasons so much more here. OK enough with that. Onward.

I have been reluctant to write given the intensity of the last 2 programs that happened. I guess I don't think I can convey what it felt like - how it effected me. Let it be said that when you live here, and if you are someone who is aware of their inner live and/or is sensitive to their environment each week with their attendant classes brings its own energy to the campus.

First, the teacher Adyashanti came and did a silent retreat. The entire staff supported the participants by being silent almost everywhere for the entire five days. It was bliss. Of course I saw a few of Adya's students cheating, (they were not supposed to be reading or watching TV. No music or computer etc.), but for the most part everyone was either meditating or being in silence unless they were in satsang ( a sort of Q & A) with Adyashanti. I was silent for most of two days (Yes its possible!) and really found it not hard.  Must be because I live alone... but on the second day I really wanted to start talking again. If you have never done this its a great experience. (I remember the first time doing silence. This was when I was in Shiastu school in the 90's. I spent a week at a Japanese monastery where two meals were silent every day. I lost 7 lbs. just from eating more slowly!) Not reading was excruciating; especially here where I do not have many of my normal responsibilities. I though of my mom and sister and how much we read all the time.

I also had the opportunity to listen to many of his talks. Adya studied zen for 15 years before becoming enlightened, afterwards his teacher encouraged him to teach. He doesn't teach zen though-he's very straight forward and no frills. And he can explain the ephemeral nature of being very well. Yet I still found parts of what he was sharing SO confusing. This I laughingly attribute to my highly Taurus natal chart and my need for the solidness of things. It was exciting and daunting to learn that enlightenment is possible. A few of his students related their experiences of having some break through progress which I found exciting. But my ego didn't like this at all! I mean that's what disappears when you reach that stage and the ego resists completely. I actually got scared thinking about it! Listening to Adya along with my continued reading of various spiritual texts and my meditation practice, highlighted the fact that I am at a point where I am questioning my process. What happens next I do not know. Next time I will try and explain the intense scene that was John of God being here on campus. Here's a link til then. johnofgod.com

What we do at work in our downtime!

catching up

My time here is quickly coming to a close. I have no rhythm because my schedule changes all the time but I have been meditating every few days, riding my bike and sometimes doing yoga, learning tarot and doing a lot of reading.

I had a good time a week ago during ecstatic chant. I was really sick with a sinus infection (a result of the hurricane wetness and being out of my tent for two days) while also opening guest services every day at 7 am, but I would try and stay up til 11 or 12 each night and listen to the chanting. My two faves, Krishna Das and Jai Uttal were here. Hearing and seeing Jai live up close was such a thrill! I am going to make chanting (bhatki yoga) part of my regular practice.

I also had a lovely night this week at my managers place. A little cottage connected to a small goat and sheep farm  in Red Hook, NY. Unfortunately I didn't get to visit the animals but I did get to play with the adorable dog , Ferris. We made four different apple pies, drank and talked, and successfully warded off viscious mosquitoes.

Finally! Here are some short videos of part of the grounds and a groundhog!

What I have been reading

I thought it might be interesting to list what I have been reading since I got here as a mirror to what I have been thinking about. So here goes.


Tender to the Bone - Ruth Reichl, a memoir about cooking and food. This was early into my stay...

Soul Mates- Brian Weiss, MD, a non-fictional account of a psychotherapist & hypnotist's past life regression treatments with some of his patients, two who rediscover they are soulmates.

Mists of Avalon-huge fiction book, retelling of the Arthurian legend from a woman's standpoint. Slow start, but engrossing after all. Especially interesting being here and thinking about spiritual practices and what constitutes magic.


Conscious  Communication- Miles Sherts. Wonderful, if dry, teaching on how to communicate with people from a place of heart while retaining boundaries. Great for those who work in with the public as well as any one who wants to keep growing as a human being. Don't know if I will finish this before i leave...

Be Here Now- Ram Dass' seminal book on meditation, devotion and awakening. So great on so many levels.

Chants of a Lifetime - Krishna Das. Wow, who knew that Krishna could write too. (And he's here for chant weekend now!) Fantastic book on the practice of bhakti yoga and Das' experience as a devotee.

The Heart of Yoga - T. K. Desikchar. Going to study the roots of yoga baby!

Broken Open - Elizabeth Lesser. Musings on spiritual growth via life by one of the founders of Omega.

Doing Tarot Your Way - Can't say enough about this book. A fantastic starter book for any one interested in tarot and creativity.

Finding Your North Star - Martha Beck. I can never say enough about Martha Beck. She knows how to bring conscious change about with humor and smarts. A book helping me to map out my next steps.


In the pipeline: New books by Francis Moore Lappe, who BTW is a delightful woman.

Three books on animal communication, because I am going to do bodywork with animals!

The Yoga of Heart - Mark Whitwell. Longtime student of T.K. Deskichar who's father was the famous yogi Krishnamacharya.

Flooding during hurricane

During and after the flood Sunday.

Playful spirits

I have been thinking about how incredibly comfortable I feel being here-and being myself. So many people, of all ages, are open and playful. It's normal to do goofy things, if you choose, and many people will gladly fall right into a funny scenario with you. Its not like the campus is sophomoric, because it is not. A good example of this playful Omega experience is this: one of the full time staffers made a "pony" by putting a child's hobby horse head into a spray bottle which happens to perfectly fit into our golf cart's cup holder (many departments use carts to do their work). Sometimes my office, Guest Services will ask Tony if we can borrow the head, and then viola, we have a perfect pony's head looking out as we drive.  For a few days we also had a great pin wheel on the front of the cart. Another example, the hurricane left a large puddle in front of my friend's tent site. So what did he do? He went out and bought 2 rubber ducks to place in the water. That's Omega creativity for you. I was wondering about it-why this joi de vivre is prevalent here. Is it that many people are actively pursuing spiritual practices? That it attracts happy service minded individuals? The mix of young college age people up to people in their 60's? Maybe all of that and more. Those of you reading this who have been living and or working with me lately know I live to laugh-so I picked a good spot right!

Fall mornings

Well, those of you who know me, or perhaps only Ilene, will know I tend to start off my writings talking about the weather. Today is no exception. Being up here in Dutchess county, I am already experiencing a nip in the air. At the end of  August for c@%& sake! Luckily I have a mummy sleeping bag. I have awoken many a morning to find myself completely zipped in and the fabric over my face, with no memory of having done so during the night. Then of course in the morning I don't want to get out of the sleeping bag. That's the kind of thing you think about when you live in a tent. Other things that become important: how far away am I from the bath house? Am I really going to get up, put on shoes, (leave the warmth of the sleeping bag) to go pee or pee in another container? (Kate what's your guess!!?) How fast can I zip the tent closed so as not to invite bugs in? Are those frogs I hear and how in god's sake did they get so loud? Will the coyotes call tonight and will it still feel eerie and wonderful? How much mold is REALLY growing underneath the tent platform? And so on...It makes life very simple and straight forward.

Last night I went to bed at 7:30 for some reason. But this made it easy for me to awaken at 3:30 am to go to my first Sadhana. Sadhana is the morning prayer/rituals/mantra done by Kundalini yoga practitioners. Since there is a big Kundalini session taking place here on campus this week, and I know little about it, I thought I would take advantage of the opportunity to attend. Let me tell you the campus was gorgeous at that time of night.

Right upon awakening I heard the coyotes a few miles away checking in with each other. I  had two instances on my walk to the building where I heard growling..."Kristi you're not in Brooklyn anymore." The walk to the Main Hall was accompanied by a dark sky pierced with stars and a bright sickle moon. Upon entering the dimly lit Hall I saw about 100 people mostly wearing white clothes and turbans in various positions of repose on top of yoga mats and with back jacks (soft floor chairs). The teacher sat up on the stage with his eyes closed while beautiful Indian  music played. I found a place and settled in.This, after being asked to leave a spot that another participant said she went to yesterdays-jeesh. I could go on about the intricacies of Kundalini Sadhana practice, the ardous physical kriyas, (cleansing & energetic practices), mantras and yoga; suffice it to say, the practice is not for me. But glad I went.