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.

the invitation

Went to a yoga class today with someone I had never taken from before but had a good feeling about. I had an amazing physical and spiritual heart opening. What a wonderful morning. The class was in a wooden cottage with windows overlooking the trees so it looked like you were in a tree house. Here is the poem which Alice read as a prompt for us to set our intention to (for the class). I imagine that some of you know this poem well. Its a good reminder though. One of my intentions being here this summer is to discover the next path. And, to live more from "yes".

The Invitation   Oriah Mountain Dreamer Canadian Teacher and Author
	It doesn't interest me what you do for a living I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing. It doesn't interest me how old you are I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love for your dreams for the adventure of being alive. It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon... I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow if you have been opened by life's betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain. I want to know if you can sit with pain mine or your own without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it. I want to know if you can be with joy mine or your own if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful be realistic to remember the limitations of being human. It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true. I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy. I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence. I want to know if you can live with failure yours and mine and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes." It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after a night of grief and despair weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children. It doesn't interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back. It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away. I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.   ©

Bits and pieces

I am teaching myself Tarot! I am having so much fun. I imagined that learning tarot would involve memorizing or reading  volumes of comments. But I found a book that has me using my own imaginings, intuition etc. to learn my way with my cards. I never thought I would like it so much!!! I bought the familiar  Rider-Waite deck. It is like I have returned to an old house that I used to live in. "Hello, I remember your colors, your images." I bought the cards as a tool for self-reflection rather than "fortune telling"; as another way to listen to what I know. I can't wait to get home and choose some fabric to keep my cards in.  Mom, the lineage continues!!
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I can do hula hoop once more. Felt down because last month I couldn't and remembered how much I liked it as a kid. Ah, the key grasshopper is to move your hips forward and back not in a circle. The Neo-hippy kids on campus have introduced me to light-up hula hoops. I went to a staff dance last week and did my own rave with the hoops. Go Kristi, represent..
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If you are in to slam poetry check out Marshall "Soulful" Jones. He was on campus last week (straight from B'klyn yoh). What a wonderful and talented young man. An amazing actor and nubile writer. The poems I heard were so powerful ( one was in the context of a spelling-bee, about fatherless kids, "How do you spell father? "M-O-T-H-E-R.") I literally had my mouth open and tears in my eyes. And believe me I am a harsh critic of much artwork and performance. He's the National Slam Poetry contest winner. Look him up on you tube-I promise it won't be a waste. Besides that he and his wife, Coco and their 5 month old  baby Nebula, lit up the campus with their openness, kindness and love. Yoh, Nebula rocks those hair bows!
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Still quitting coffee (that's for you Ilene!) and mostly successful. But woefully unable so far to stay away from the deserts. Planning to go totally raw for a bit when I get home. Rode my bike to Rhinebeck twice now! It takes about 15 min. in a car. Me , I don't know how long, but there are some gnarly hills.
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Re-met an old yoga teacher from 15(?) years ago, who remembered me! So far, since I have been here, three people have appeared on campus who know me, and I recognize them too, but we can't remember from where. Hmmm
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Its family week here on campus and the teenagers are so magnetic. A lot of them are returning for a multiple time. They are amazing in the intensity of the love they show when meeting their friends. Shout-out to youth!

Love to hear from any and all who are reading this.
Namaste, Kristi

Monday August 8th

 How does one connect to spirit and listen to the heart? This is what I have been working with these last two weeks. Taking workshops with different teachers and doing many guided visualizations  to listen to what my subconscious knows. I have come to one decision. I am returning to massage for the near future, if not longer, with a true committment in a way I have never done.  I want to build a private office practice and find a mentor. One of my gifts lies in massage and I want to honor that.

Another vision of having my own yoga studio has been coming up. A small place, a sanctuary for me to teach in and create a community of like minded people. Yet when I think of this idea-returning to yoga, a lot of fear arises. I have learned that these times when feelings come up they are your friend. On this one issue I do not know which is a real want or a "should". I know that I need to take my time and listen. Invite my fear in for a cup of tea.

                 This being human is a guest house, Every morning is a new arrival.
                  A joy, a depression, a meanness, Some momentary awareness comes
                  As an unexpected visitor.
                  Welcome, and entertain them all!
                  Even if they're a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture.
                  Still, treat each guest honorably.
                  He may be clearing you out
                  for some delight.
                  The dark thought, the shame, the malice
                  Go to the door laughing, and invite them in.
                  Be grateful for whoever comes
                  For each has been sent as a guide from beyond.


                                                                      Rumi
               

Panache Desai & the energy of love

Panache Desai & the energy of love

I promised to tell you about my experience with Panache Desai, and after a hour of sunbathing, more reading (the way I spend the majority of my time here. Not surprising huh mom and Kate!) and a wonderful dip in the lake, I am now ready to put finger to keyboard and try to somehow relate an experience that most people will never have, receiving a type of energy transmission. I might even say it was a form of "shatki pat" which in Hinduism is from guru to disciple.

Panache Desai is descended from a lineage of yogis and Indian saints. His father Amrit is the founder of Kripalu Yoga. Panache told the group assembled  that he was born always feeling the power of love fully and completely. Therefore he couldn't understand why those around him were always meditating and doing yoga to to reach that place. (Later, I found out from his web site that he had an experience in the last decade that led him to share his gift with the world.) That gift is purely the experience of love. Panache Desai | about. Panache gave a talk to those of us assembled that evening about how we are all a divine expression of love . Now this is not news to those of us who do a lot of spiritual study, yet I must say that experiencing that in another person, such as Panache, the Dalai Lami, Amma Chi, etc. is a different story. And feeling it in yourself even more elusive for most of us. 

Now of great interest to me was watching my reactions throughout his talk and the beginning of his working with people. You see, before going to hear Panache I heard talk around the guest services office where I work that Panache "knocks people over" with his energy. So I had that little tidbit in my mind as I listened to him speak. Panache walked comfortably around the circle in his chinos and moccassins while laying out his vision for humanity; all the while lovingly chiding us and  making us laugh about our all too human foibles. He was affable, cute and just enough of a showman to entertain us without going overboard. While I agreed with what he was saying and was enjoying myself, my critical mind began to go into overdrive. I began to ask myself,"Why is he walking in a circle? Is this part of a hypnosis so later he can "knock us out?" For many minutes I stayed in this state looking for the strings behind the scene that would give him away. Given my years of study in energy based bodywork I was surprised at how I was reacting. I thought myself more open to new experiences. After about fifteen minutes of talk his assistants began to get people ready to receive from him. Then, even though I raised my hand to receive, I began to get nervous. "Catchers" had been pre-arranged to help people to the floor when their knees gave out from his transmission. They stood and were arranged in a line. Next the first group of people who wished to receive were lined up in front of the catchers. Instructions were given to not judge what our reaction was to his transmission-each would receive differently in his own way. Even those who did not want to go up would be receiving some thing. Panache nonchalantly and with no show of hubris walked up to the first person. He looked into their eyes and then lightly touched their third eye, the area just above & between the eyebrows. After a few moments their legs gave out and they went to the floor. Person after person had similar reactions. Soon there was three lines of 6 people each lying on the rug. Some people went completely unconscious, while others seemed more awake. Many stayed on the floor for a few minutes seemingly blissfully asleep. Continuing on Panache got playful. Sometimes he would blow energy to a person with a kiss from across the room before stepping up to him. Some would receive a hug. Others a touch in two places. Once he even pretended to kick a soccer ball to someone before honing in his gaze. All of this he did with good cheer and complete naturalness. At first, as the lines of people "sleeping" began to grow I thought about tent revivals and such. What was going on here? Then I began to get excited. My fear turned to glee as I reveled in his playful and pinpoint use of energy. Although I couldn't see the energy (that skill is yet to be developed but is on my bucket list) I watched closely and was soon cheering him on. I felt like I was watching some sort of spiritual sports event where normal human beings shared the experience of divine athleticism. Now it was close to my turn. I walked up and was gently placed in line by one of his assistants. My excitement grew even more heightened. I wondered when Panache would approach me and would he be alone or in tandem with one of the two young children there (audience members) who became transmitters through him while he carried them on his hip? With my back turned to him while he worked with those behind me I began to feel some pressure changes around me that pressed me to either side. Soon he was next to me. I was ready! By the time he came to stand in front of me of me I was stoked as if I had just won an outrigger race! He looked directly at me, nothing extraordinary or supernatural in his visage at all. He opened his arms for a hug at the exact moment I too felt YEAH LET"S HUGG. It was a good hug-he has a wide soccer ball player type of torso. I felt some tingling where our bodies met (tingling for me is how I experience energy in my bodywork) but nothing huge. I noted that I could feel his heart beating. I felt completely lucid. Suddendly my legs just gave out and I was layed gently on the floor. (Panache had told us that when our system had reached enough it would do this)I was awake but not in a normal state. I was conscious of what was going on around me - yet my heart center (solar plexus area physically, heart energetically) was wide open. I was laughing with joy! Inexplicable bliss. "Wow thanks Penache. I needed this. Yes you were right-you just reminded me of what our true being is." On a physical plane-I remembered this feeling from really good shiastu or accupuncture sessions I have had in the past, yet without the laughing. I lied there for awhile until I got up and returned to my seat. Just another night at Omega. And another promise of what is to come.....

July 25th

In a few days I will have been away for a month. This is the longest stretch of time I have ever been away from home. With so much being different about my life here it seems like I have been here longer. Just yesterday I was wondering if I would “make it” here the entire three months. I am tired of the food already. Unlike in the 90’s, the food is not as tasty, and surprisingly less nutritious. Yet, it is certainly not awful, just boring. And my tent situation is currently not optimal. Three nights week hey have desert-and I have yet to be able to resist them on most nights. So my plan of losing weight may backfire!

Today I left campus for the first time and rode my bike into Rhinebeck. This is a 20 minute car ride-I however don’t know how long it took me. Given how hilly it is here I was doubtful I would make the entire trip. But I did it! Years of pushing myself aerobically in outrigger canoeing and recently capoeira must have helped. I was lucky to get mostly down hills the way there; but the way back was a doozy. I literally fantasized about having giant hamstrings and quads (what I think of as German athlete legs) to help me get up the hills. Sorry Lance I am no longer using you for inspiration…And I only walked my bike once each way. Go 49 year olds!

Even though I was on larger roads with a smattering of cars, the ride was lovely. Dutchess County is full of lush rolling farmlands dotted with fields and the occasional horse farm. Daisies, Day lilies, Queen’s Anne Lace and other wildflowers abound; and every day robins, catbirds, and crows serenade me. Of course there exists a full complement of insects. A plethora of beautiful moths and butterflies, bees busy with their work, weird wasp like beings that drag around these dangerous and foreboding looking hanging structures and other assorted large creatures that usually end up flying into your face and scaring you just a little. And let’s not forget the many biting mosquitoes, which for the most part leave me alone, and their brethren the spiders, daddy long legs and caterpillars.

The trees are currently full and green; mostly oak and pine I think. And today was gorgeus, sunny after a full day of rain yesterday. At one point a beautiful deer jumped across the road in front of me –astonishing me with the strength of its body. I hooted and wooped aloud with the sheer beauty of being able to ride my bike in such splendor. Being outside like this is a strong tonic for me.

I rode by lovely farmhouses, regular ranch types and in Rhinebeck, cute Victorians. Rhinebeck was founded in 1766 and is the home of the oldest American Inn –The Beekman Arms. It was nice to be in civilization for a bit. I did an errand and traipsed around the small streets before heading off. I just made it back to campus before a thunderstorm blew in. Again I was able to do something that I don’t get the opportunity to do in Brooklyn-stand in nature (well to tell the truth it was inside the doorway of our staff laundry room-but it’s sort of in the woods) and watch the storm clouds roil and skate. I always find thunderstorms enjoyable when I can be “close” to them like that.

Tomorrow I will try and put down in words my experience getting “shakti pat” (energy transmission) last week from Penache Desai. I literally had my knees go out from me. It was wonderful.

Friday July 22nd

As I write this I am sitting on a wooden bench outside a lovely octagonal pavilion waiting to start my weekend workshop. The temperature has finally dipped below 90. And the hours long power outage and generator problems have abated. Complaints about the heat and lack of fans are left behind me as I leave my job at guest services to enter into what I perceive as bliss-Yoga. Like meditation, what seemed so dramatic has dissolved, as all thoughts do. Accompanied by Krishna Das I write to you from the shelter of the trees and the quiet of the oncoming sunset.

Yesterday I wrote for about an hour. I finished half of what was a long overdue post about the past two weeks and the amazing experiences I have had. But the draft disappeared. I tell you this because the last week on campus has been very much like this here on campus. People’s names didn’t exist appeared on our guest service log for golf cart rides. Other people appeared to get rides that said they had scheduled them when they didn’t. Time was fluid as multiple workshops went over time and three people would all be clamoring for rides, luggage pick-up etc. from various places around campus. Then of course the golf cart broke down. On a hill/ With people in it/ Who had trouble walking/ Then the radio went down/and I kept breathing/ Remembering that I was human, having normal human type emotions of frustration and worry.  And could I practice just being-me-this person named Kristi.

First Week in paradise?

4. Wow-its been a week already? As I write its rainy -its been raining since 6am. Why is this important for me to write? Living in a tent, back in the woods atop a little platform makes you very aware of the weather. The water and humidity on certain days is pervasive here. Currently my clothes live in a plastic bin to attempt to stay dry. Hmm,  guess my wind breaker doesn’t really do well as a raincoat…
   The first couple of hours I was here I lost my wallet. Don’t worry I got it back. But that was my first alert that I needed to flow into this new situation and be more present. Then that afternoon I blew up my air mattress: ” I am so proud of myself. Here I am thinking ahead and logically by placing two chairs under the mattress while putting in the air here at the messy damp floor of the bathhouse. Ok time to carry this baby back to the tent. This is going to be awesome. I am going to be so comfy on this thick twin baby. Hmm, didn’t think to test this part at home-the tent opening is a dome shape. What the mattress doesn’t just slide in because its too big? Ok, I’ll push and bend it in. (3 minutes pass with me running from one side of the tent to the other , using the back and front doors to manipulate the uncooperative latex. Which also requires me to duck under a tree and step over a tie line. ) Ah done. I rock! I can do this-I am not an idiot, blah, blah, blah…no room for anything else but I’ll deal. Fast forward to evening. WTF, half the air has leaked out of this!! Sh&% guess I’ll deal with this later and go to sleep. Hey, this is kind of cool. I feel like I am on a waterbed. 3 hours pass. “F@#* it’s now 4am and I am completely sleeping on hard wood-this sucks. My back is killing me.” At first I resist trying to find out if the bed has a leak. I remain irritated and resistant. And, I have to have my clothes and big luggage bag outside the interior of the tent. I feel petulant and unsure if i can do this. “Man i envy that girl over there with the 4 man tent that she can stand up in. She even has a welcome mat. Why didn’t I…..” Second alert Kristi The situation is what you make it. Not just how you feel but what you do. Time to look for the leak…..
   
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   Yes, I do dress like this everyday!
   
   
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     Last week in the city
6. Ok, My first foray into the world of blogging. Why should my sister be the only one. I usually find writing akin to studying for a test while hung over; unless like now, aided by caffeine and the muse. I figure since I am soon to be living in a tent for three months and taking my first sabbatical ever, while simultaneously living and working at a holistic retreat/educational center, that laughs are about to happen. You all can witness them here from the safety of your homes without the need for a headlamp to see what you are doing. Welcome and enjoy!
   
   
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Week Two-which equals a lifetime here

I am so busy yet so relaxed. Busy in a slower way. I have had the last 3 days off. Initially this freaked me out a little. What will I do with my time? But I have dropped into this life more easily. Things show up to do-they offer us many opportunities (classes/events) here. And I always have a netflix “Rescue Me” tie about every three days. More importantly I have time to feel and think. 
Last night I went to a panel discussion for three woman leaders who are attending an empowerment workshop here. One woman lives in the Congo and runs Woman to Woman there. She is also a priest. Another woman is a journalist from the Phillipines. And the last, a young woman originally from the Ivory Coast who now lives in Poughkeepsie and works with battered woman. All of them have faced tremendous challenges to their freedom on all fronts: financially, physically, socially. Yet they maintain and continue to create visions for the health of their countries and particularly for woman. Overcoming death threats, (the journalist), the threat of being raped, Christine from the Congo( a daily threat their for all woman) and ongoing physical and mental abuse, (Kadja from the Ivory Coast) has not deterred them. I can not go into specific here of their work, but wanted to share my take-away. I left feeling that no matter how dire situations may be for woman across the globe, I can and will do my part, no matter how small. I received these woman’s wisdom to enjoy our blessings as American’s-it is our responsibility to cherish what we have. And to not get depressed and/or “stuck” when I think about the many attrocities being committed against woman. I left feeling empowered about what the focus of my work can be and hopeful for the new paths I might take.
Other happenings-After uttering a snarky comment about what I perceived about a technique called “Vortex Healing” I decided I had to go to the workshop held for staff. While the founder’s words held some interest, and were certainly more coherent to the opaque description I read in the Omega catalogue, I still had trouble thinking that Merlin was an avatar and part of a lineage of special healers….(Yes that Merlin Kate). Well I settled in when it was time for the group to receive a transmission of the vortex healing wheel. I really did try to stay open and unbiased. Yet, I only fell asleep, when I wasn’t sneaking peeks at the leader who sat up front doing loud rhythmical breathing. The upshot-not for me, but its good for some. Yet, I am reading the literature he gave out so as to be in the know.
I have also begun to do yoga again, very slow, easy and gentle. Yesterday I received a yoga therapy session from a co-worker at Guest Services and found it great. I was reminded once more about the great power of very slow and mindful, relaxed work on the body. I have paddled a canoe on the lake, walked 4 miles of country roads, ridden my bike, watched countless birds, deer, the resident semi-tame woodchucks, frogs and deer. I have sunned my self, spent hours in the library and fallen out of a hammock!
My job is great though sometimes slow. Life is easy. I am smiling ALOT and meeting so many people. When I figure out how to transfer my pics from my phone I will post them here. Until then enjoy pictures on my facebook page which another co-worker took.