Sacred Land

It’s a sunny winter day. Riding my bike along the gorgeous coastline of Big Sur. The light this time of year has a unique quality; great dark rocks rise from the ocean, super crisp against the deep blue ocean. Blue sky, soft streaks of clouds get cut off by a dramatic line of dissolving white fluff a silent commercial jet plane leaves behind.

As I lean into the curve on my Suzuki Katana 750, a wide wing bird takes a deep dive to its pray. I hear the sound of the waves crashing the cliffs mixed with the Katana’s engine as I twist the handle to accelerate coming out of the curve.

After buying some fuel at Big Sur at almost double the price of Monterey, yet still half the price of a gallon at Esalen, I head back and stop at the bakery for a cup of coffee and a croissant. On the wooden bench in front of a long natural curved wooden table lay the New York Times. I read it front to back leaving only the sports section out, getting a sense of the whole entire world, I contemplate the place I am now.

Air strikes fly over Gaza, while I look over the peaceful mountains of Big Sur. People consider this land sacred. Others consider the land in Jerusalem to be sacred.
Here it seems people tend to the land and try to preserve it as much as possible because it is sacred. In Israel (or Palestine) people shed blood, for it is sacred.

“It is the ancient Indians that made this place sacred” told me a friend a few days ago. I assume they decided it to be sacred for the richness of the land, for the hot springs, and streams, for the Great Ocean, and dramatic coastline. Then, is it the beauty, the abundance or the intention of the people that make the land sacred? In Israel it seems to be memory; history, which is part of the past, religions that relay on the past as part of its presence. A connection to people that lived on that land, people that had rituals, experiences, lives and deaths on that land.
Can any land be sacred? Can I create a magnificent garden with a huge dramatic rock in the center and call it sacred, a place for people to come and worship peace? This place will be sacred to all, to anyone that wishes to be there in peace.

It seems to me that when one place is declared as sacred, it assumes another is not. Sacredness creates duality, a sense of priority over another.
Do I take care of Big Sur better than I take care of NY? Just because NY might host more greed, or might have more concrete, do I spit my gum on the sidewalk?

What if we treated all land as sacred? Took care of everything we see with care and respect. By not choosing, not taking sides; can there be more harmony, more equal care and understanding. Can we accept differences without needing to change, to control or project our point of view?

It starts with me, here at this table, accepting the SUV’s arriving to fill up their tanks, greeting them with the same warm hello I great the Prius Drivers.
I shall keep riding my motorcycle for now, even as the weather is getting colder as my own act of freedom, my own little contribution to reducing consumption of oil.

I bundle up for the ride back, grateful for the hot natural spring baths that await me at the end of the ride.

The Gratitude List

Every day I remember people in my life, I remember why I am grateful for knowing them, I feel blesses for what they have shared with me. Spending time together as family, friends or colleagues, new perspectives have been brought to my attention. Happy moments, a listening ear, great talks, trust, a teaching about patience…
I find it wonderful to add a person or two daily, just to keep me in the gratitude mode. Feels like my heart is now borderless, hugging the infinite from all sides ☺, encompassing the seed and the fruit.

The list is constantly growing. I have posted just a few as samples while I keep the list on my own records.

Sara H: the ability to move on and teaching me it is never too late, being an angel in my life.
Shlomo H: Family, friends and family again
Coby H: knowing there is someone to count on
Yossi H: living life, family first, appreciating the details
Gil H: Patience, acceptance, and goodness, being my best friend
Eli W: friendship, artistic love and values
Solo M: endless talks, assertiveness, openness
Eran Y: exploring the meaning of life, realizing death
Oren A: simplicity, acceptance, love of science and the nature world
Amir C, dedication to art, loyalty, sticking to values
Cheli W, kindness, humbleness and endless laughter
Yotam C: friendship and following the heart
Doron P: always pushing for more creative work, never afraid to explore deeper
Peta C: living simply, family and friends first, caring for change
Tamar K: love with no terms, honest compassion
Hadas R: a growing up stimulation and teaching me the value of partnership
Keren G: being kind, adventuress and inspiring
Keren C: being my teenage romance
Amnon H: ultimate friendship with no terms
Kelly A: kindness, softness, the love to share with those in need
Adarsh W: dedication and humbleness
Helleen W: love, friendship and acceptance
Tony W: spending some fantastic times in Boulder
Richard M: creative trust in me
Fiona W: generosity and the ability to communicate without words
Ross S: generosity and the will to look inside
Richard F: reminding me the essence of things
Mary T: showing me a true Bodhisattva
Murray S: sharing with me so many NY moments
Yael G: Not to take myself too serious
Amber: no judgment, just listen
Elie T: trust in young talent
Tat L: giving with no terms. Understanding without words
Tamar H: Never giving up on love
Delphine: Romance, the touch of hearts
Shai S: friendships are timeless
Dan A: respect to friends
Uri D: Friendship, giving because a friend needs
Orly D: Joy, movement, care, dance, and love
Narasimha: What a true teacher looks like, brightness
Shugen: service, the art of selflessness
Tom: Instant generosity
Elly: the light of love, freedom, the meaning of a touch
Jeremy T: Total friendship, openness, dealing with truth
Jennifer L: High five, sharing of self
Tamar M: Family, love is of many types
Arletty: a moment, love and care, beauty and a shine
Irit A: sharing, friendship Israeli style
Nirchukah: the meaning of family, trust, love
Daniel sun: values, family, care, and humbleness
Shahar H: joy, optimism, smiles and the love of love
Or H: dedication, persistence
Noga H: Love for those in need, service, dedication
Dod Micha: simplicity, love of travel, curiosity, and knowledge
Joe R: sangha, dedication, dance
Laura D: Listening, boundless friendship, kindness, trust,
Elly K: Limitless love, communication, compassion

The Free Box Fashion Show

Monday 4:00 pm, I walk into Huxley (the largest meeting room at Esalen), and I see Mac building the stage. 4x8 feet sheets of wood about two feet high, colored in blue. It looked large and “chubby”. I wanted a more slender look to allow for voluptuousness to walk on it freely.
We rearranged the stage to a T shape, with a little round finish at the tip. We didn’t have much to work with. This was a production made of all we can gather from the kindness of others.
Kyleigh and myself, the organizers of this fashion show, were intending to make it a fun and good-looking fashion show, a celebration, an evening of light and festivities.

Esalen has a beautiful concept that functions amazingly – the free box. There are two spots near both laundry centers, where people are welcome to leave anything they no longer need. Mostly clothes and accessories occupy the space, but one might find books, DVD’s, a speaker, cream, make up and many other surprises.
It is a spot of free exchange. No need to throw away. What doesn’t fit you today might be just right for me. Got tired of that dress, leave it in the free box; someone will make good use of it. Whatever is not taken within a month goes to goodwill, a big store for used clothing.

So this fashion show is not about buying expensive clothes, not about showing off the latest trend, but about expressing, about reusing, being creative, and pushing the edge.
Pearl brought us fabrics that we used as a shining drape for a backdrop and as a skirt for the whole stage. A long rope light dressed the upper edge of the stage, colored gels were added to the spotlights already hanging, Christmas light were thrown under the stage behind the fabric to add sparkle, and Anthony shared some of his DJ party lights.

While setting up, Susan was playing some fun tunes for us, others were giving a hand in setting pillows around for the audience, last minute recruiting of hair and make up talent to help those getting ready, and even a few people just trying out the catwalk.

After dinner Huxley was full of people. The office, and bookstore were converted into back stage dressing rooms, and the action was happening. A fabulous woman that in daily life appears as a powerful man, the hippies and 60’s group representing the origins of Esalen, the glittery shining group with sparkles and sequences, The Gods and Goddesses with other mythology creators walking with glory, the ultra sexy people that came up and shared their love, the Burlesque act and the Esalen Parade.
The music was rocking, the crowd was cheering, and the runway walkers performing, the whole room felt like a celebration, a beautiful feast of lights, décor and glamor, of hand made outfits that looked so delicious, of human potential living life, revealing its love for joy and party.

Thank you all who helped make this happen, Great feedback was still floating around a week after.

Sustainable Yoga – The workshop

Friday Eve, 8:30 pm, opening circle, different people from different places, with wide gamut of practices.
We are here to learn about Yoga, about creating a practice for life, a practice that involves the body, the breath, and an intention to be present. To use only what needs to be used when is necessary. The mind sits still when there is no need to think. The legs rest when there is no need to walk.

Realizing that even though we all have a basic element that is the same as each other, we also have a physical construction and constitution that is unique. A body type that has specific needs, unique qualities that allow for certain characteristics to be more defined, more emphasized.
After looking at out body types from an Ayurvedic approach, we see how this relates to our practice. “ There many elements that we need to consider time and time again. The weather, the surroundings, how we feel at this moment, how do we want to feel after the practice…and all these elements flux on a regular basis…so to really have a safe practice, a practice that can last throughout life with joy and ease…There is no other way but to be your own master, to learn for yourself what is right for you. My intention is to provide tools to help you clarify for yourself what is right and safe for you at any given moment.”

The weekend flowed from Asana (yoga poses) practice, to breath, from alignment to understanding our body types and needs within the movement; a practice of fire, or creating energy, or one of slowing down of grounding. We learned the practice of the Big S – surrender, and related philosophy into our presence.

Friends commented on how glowing I am, or the light they see in me, I smiled as I know this is all thanks to the practitioners, their dedication and love, to those that came to study and share their energies.

The weekend went by very fast. It was just a moment ago that I was sitting in a Gestalt group (see previous blog entry), and now I was completely in the teachings of yoga and life. And just as the weekend ended, it flowed into staff week, into the free box fashion show, a whole new atmosphere (see next entry).

The Hot Seat is open -Home and choices

The hot seat, sometimes known as the open seat is the cushion one sits on in a circle of people with a facilitator, from which they get to share their present state of awareness. This present state might be a reflection of the past or the thinking mind bringing up memories or other such desires, aspirations or issues one might be struggling with.

This is a Gestalt workshop with Chris Price. A week with a graceful, compassionate leader, offering her attentiveness, love, and support with the utmost generosity.

The first couple of days we met we learned tools to use in this particular form of exploration. Then we opened the seat up, and one at a time we got to witness someone’s work.

Thursday morning. I take my seat on the hot seat, and notice my breath, my body and the environment. Scanning the room, I look at each person sitting in the circle, taking a moment to really connect.

The time I sat on the seat seemed timeless. I felt clear and light. Chris put her hands on my chest or back as support.

“I feel expansion, space, seeing widely, a sense of calmness, of flying. Yet there is an instinct that is searching for a place to land. I am not sure where that place is”.
I pause for a moment to feel that statement in body.

“ There is joy that exists and is not dependent on anything. It is life itself. This joy, this force keeps me going. At a certain point in life I chose it. I saw death; I was tempted by it and chose life. Now when I see death, it does not seem like a bad thing anymore. It is just there, same as life. There is no choosing anymore.”
As I sit, breathing, seeing the whole of the room, people sitting appear to me to have their attention towards me.

“ Take a moment to feel how this feels in your body” Chris tells me.
“ My hands reach towards the earth (well the carpet really) sliding up and down, feeling the earth, the base. My fingers move in a claw motion, feeling, like gathering.

“What are your hands saying, can you speak from the hands’ place? Hands can you talk to us?” Chris asks.
I smile for a moment. “ We are looking to gather these twigs. We want to offer them to you Doron, but don’t know where to bring them. “A nest, would love to have a nest, a place to come back to.”
When I mentioned something similar to a friend, he said that he always had a nest and was always afraid to fly. Now that he hears me, he realizes that the nest allows him to fly even higher, since he has where to come back to.
Is this sensation just a notion of the functioning world? What is this need of? Is there a lacking?

“What is important for you when you think of a place to live in?”
People, I answer without thinking much. “Friends, family, community. I want to be in a place where I can give the biggest hug and have it welcomed.”
I enjoy where I am. I am happy everywhere I go. But I want to feel a sense of connectedness, maybe belonging.
I am now is a place where I can take care of myself, stay in this good state I’m in and still be of service. My origins, my home place, where I come from, is a place with deep connections, with people that need me, yet a place that will be much harder for me to take care of myself. Can I be fully of service when I am in more of a challenging position? I know that wherever I go I will be able to be of service, so how are choices made?”

“How have you made choices in the past?”

“I set an intention. I see in my mind many of the possible options, and then I let it go. I know I can’t make a decision at the moment so I make the whole range clear, and when the time is right, the decision just happens. I know what to choose.
In a way it is what I am doing now. I find curiosity to understand this decision process, especially when it is related to finding a home.

I sit still again.

An image of a ship in the ocean appears. It has an anchor and a rope that connects it to the anchor. The rope seems to be endless. Having limitless length to go as far as I want. I am the ship and I can float or even fly as far as I wish. Complete freedom. The rope is like my connection to the womb, to an endless dark womb, dark in a good way. In an infinite way, where everything is unknown and everything is possible. The rope keeps me connected. I can pull it, and pull it, till I arrive back to my anchor. Is this rope a need for safety? I have always enjoyed complete freedom, enjoyed life on the edge, feeling good with any risk, being fearless. So this anchor, this nest serves as something else; A base, a place that will allow me to go deeper and be available to be of more service.

I feel radiant, a glow. No answer, no mind, just sitting there seeing the rest of the group.
They offer me echoes, words, sentences, pieces that touched them, which they remember.

I listen with a smile. Who was it just speaking? I bow with gratitude. Thank you all for holding the space, thank you Chris for you true presence and compassion.
Thank you all that read my blog.

The gift of NY - the people

Front row of economy class, sitting with extra leg room in a metal tube, flying west.

Walking the streets and avenues of the city I know so well, observing the people, the greatest gift of NY; such a marvel of demographics, of color and accents. I watch as the moda of the 80’s creeps as zippers on jackets, as scarves, big necklaces and sunglasses adorn skin and clothes, adding accents, color, and design to already somewhat bright colors.
Leggings are everywhere, covered by tight super short skirts or dresses, like a stretched long T-shirt, paired with a pair of boots that either fold down as an accordion without sound, or have an extra long flashy zipper from bottom to top, like a seem on a hosiery on the back of the leg
Seems like so many have a fashion statement of a sort. Most women are wearing boots and heels, leaving me a sense of joy and glory at the beauty of the legs. Being a teenage in the 80’s I cannot help but be nostalgic. I admit it looks much sexier at my age and without adding the 80’s hairdo much prettier.

Like my artwork, like my life, this trip unfolded as an exploration of body and mind.

Silence and concentration as a young handsome man does a one-hand handstand on a little pole, splitting his legs apart, to the joy of the crowd. He wears little and white, exposing skin that is being stretched by muscle work and veins.
A hula-hoop master feels like Betty Boop, and a blond and a brunette fly up high in the open space of the striped blue and yellow tent flexing hips and extending legs, flying in coordination. The beautiful tan long legged brunette hanging off the bent leg of the petite blond. Living life to its fullest, flying with no security net.
Desir, a show at south street seaport hosts an exposition of body possibilities. Physic and concentration make this a Cirque de soleil wanna be.

Saturday at the Zen temple, sitting silently doing nothing. Breathing happens. Feels like home, so many familiar faces. Sharing lunch, I meet smiling faces that were in residence with me either at the temple or the monastery. The still body, the tired body from not sleeping much, the joyful mind, the space, the…

Halloween night (yes, this is not in order…) is a night of covering up, of new identity, a night to wear another layer of masks, to make believe, to bring desires to life, or hide. A night to allow one to be free from social codes, or is it?
As Lisa says: “A time to let what needs to die –die, and a chance to recreate that which has died and needs a rebirth.”
No masks for me, just a layer of urban elegance to cover up, as I join Tamar for a quiet night at BLT fish, a beautiful gourmet fish restaurant. Outside the remaining of the parade is still walking around, 5th avenue moves slowly. The Tuna tartar arrives on ice, with home made chips. Good touch of lemon. My swordfish was marinated in curry and then topped of with salsa, light with hint of spice, leaving the swordfish to still have presence. We sit at a corner table right by the open kitchen.
The wine is smooth, red, with fruit and a medium body. Enough to leave legs on the glass, but light enough to match the fish. “Should we drink White” Tamar asked.
I realize I have no more “shoulds” in life. Only being honest and sincere with what feels right. And red felt right in the cold NY eve.

The cab ride home flowed slowly through the busy east village, where the land of dress up seemed to be most at play. At this hour it was like a wax museum of humans standing at the curbs, freezing…waiting.
I could not help but notice that most female costumes, no matter what they were, were very sexy and seductive. Nurses with tiny little white outfits and large red crosses, super woman in a super short mini skirt, cats and cat women, being more like sex kitties, angels, fire women, sexy devils…or is it just my perception?
I smiled, enjoyed and watched, like swimming in a moving yellow aquarium with windows. Noticing how at every red light, people intoxicated leaning, falling, fighting for the impossible cab.

Being in NY as a visitor has such beauty and freedom. Apart from dropping off an art piece at a gallery in the lower east side for a show in December, all else was open. I realized that my favorite things to do are wonder the streets, watch people and flirt with some fashion stores, taste new flavors, do Yoga and see a few friends. Only what time allows. Staying with Jen in Carol Gardens opened a whole new flavor of NY to me. The larger homes and smaller buildings, the trees and little gardens, the sidewalks that have room to walk, and invite a slower pace.
Brooklyn is rich in many little moms and pops shops and restaurants, a delight of creativity, a feeling of a neighborhood and friendships.

I went to a variety of Yoga studios n the City. All ones I’ve never practiced at before. I attended Kirtan at Jivamhukti and Dharma Mitra Yoga, but have not practiced Asana there.
It was a delight to taste new flavors, Practice with new teachers, and reaffirm that the way I teach feels right for me, and is surely my way. A unique way, that stands on the shoulders of my teachers. Inspired by many great, and synthesized into a truth that flows through me, like many rivers into an ocean, where the drops no longer belong to anyone.

I practiced at Eddie Stern’s studio in the Soho, and got to see some friends from NY and from Mysore, India. The Ashtanga community is a small one, where a similar face always appears.

Yoga Sutra, on 5th and 42nd, across from the NY public library, and half a block form my old office at Tahari, is a whole floor of 3 yoga studios. It is sweet to see how NY is now floured with Yoga on every corner, the need to balance the work life with some peace.
I must say though, that most classes I’ve taken have felt to me as creating more Vata imbalance
(Vata being the air and space element, the movement aspect in Ayurveda), strong classes for A type people, Lots of distraction, music, words, fast pace…I always leave a Yoga class feeling good because of the body work, but only sometimes do I leave levitating thanks to a graceful teacher allowing space for grounding, for connecting with the breath, permitting surrender and letting go.

Wearing my new black hoody with extra silver zippers cutting the cotton in an angle, I leave NY. I feel gratitude for the entire people roaming this city. For all those that shared moments with me (even if I have not mentioned their names here), for the generosity of my host, and for random encounters that make NY such a fabulous place.

Blissful Living - Yoga and Nutrition - The workshop

How was it? I keep being asked?
It was one of the best weekends of my life! I had so much fun. I enjoyed the energy of the group, the practice, and was super surprised at the amount of info I carry with me. Good thing we do not need to buy more hard-drives for all that our mind holds. It would be nice to see my hard drives creating new cells within themselves when new info arrives.

Friday, October 24th, 12 participants and my self were sitting in a circle and meditating. Sitting tall sharing the same air, breathing in and out as the energies merge.

While creating the workshop, I tried to imagine the perfect workshop for me. What would I really want to see in a workshop? Weekend workshops always seem quick to me, and rarely do I feel we went deep enough.
So Friday night after a brief introduction of each other, and an intro to the weekend, we dived right in. Filling out an Ayurvedic body type questionnaire, and then a talk. I presented the Blissful Living approach I’ve been cultivating and working on for the past16 years. A lot of info was shared in a very relaxed way.
We finished class with half an hour of restorative Yoga, getting ready for a hot tub or sleep.
Since I wanted to give more “meat” to Friday, I offered an optional blissful Yoga class in the afternoon. And oh did we go deep!

Saturday we had two sessions during the day, 3 hours each. We practiced Pranayama, Asana (poses), and meditation and studied more about nutrition. It was a beautiful combination.

Saturday eve, as an optional gathering, we met for a free form dance session. ( I was the DJ….some 70’s, 80’s and electro music blend…)
An hour and a half of complete let go, just pure fun, completed with Savasana (the corpse pose).

Sunday was mostly Asana, and a closing circle.
We sat close, felt each other, just a weekend passed, but it felt very solid.
Words were thrown into the circle: “gratitude, calm, happy, dark leafy greens, courage, permission, love, MSM, balance…”

During the next day or two, I noticed how the participants were moving with awareness towards nutrition and a healthy life style; the food plates were colorful and had raw and greens, others went and bought some supplements, I saw herbal tea replacing coffee, sitting quietly outside and chewing food longer, drinking water with full attention, I see organic discussions happening in the lodge, talk about fermentation and raw dairy…

A feeling of joy, surrender and satisfaction comes over me. I have found my calling.
Teaching and sharing with others is the greatest gift I have received.
I now follow the footsteps of my parents, both educators. Both are people, who have had the idea of sharing, teaching and celebrating with others a mission.
Sing along at home with more people that can ever fit in (“if there is room in the heart there is room in the house”, they used to tell me), dancing down fifth Avenue in NY, my Mom led her folk dance group in the late 60’s, teaching in JCC’s and bringing tours to Israel, my Dad still has people who talk about him with great appreciation decades later.
It is the teaching with compassion, finding the middle way, and accepting change even within the teachings that is the light to my teachings.

Thank you all those that attended, those that shared their encouragement before the workshop, and those that inquired after.

Thank you all that made this possible, and those that help this carry on.
December 12 is my next weekend workshop.
May I always be of service to others.

The meaning of Meaningful

(A half fiction situation with fiction names)

“I have a feeling that everything I do needs to be meaningful. When I am engaged in an activity I feel like it should serve some sort of purpose. Having spent the time in a useful manner”
I spoke these words with a group of friends, asking if anyone thinks there is a problem with that.
Looking deeper into what I just said, I realized that what I considered as meaningful is if the next day I would not have feelings of regret or guilt towards the time spent doing whatever it might be I was doing.
“I just went through a period in which I would wake up at 11:00am every day, do Yoga, and watch hours of TV. I felt that it was very meaningful as through that I managed to deal with the heartbreaking separation of the love of my life” said Heather.
Do we need to save the whales in order to be doing something meaningful?

“ I love to take long showers and just stare at the wall, that doesn’t seem meaningless to me, as I feel that it helps me with what ever bigger task I may have later.” “I love staring at the wall too” said another.
“I do meaningless things all the time. Just let me built a dirt bike and then drive it through the mountain paths” this gives me so much joy, what can be more meaningful than that?

Is it considered meaningful according to the outcome of the action or is the action itself what makes it meaningful?
If it is according to the outcome, Is it important that others benefit from it, or can it be meaningful even if the outcome is of benefit to me alone?

Doing something that brings me Joy, can be meaningful to me, as well as bring benefit to others by me being a source of joy to others. As long as I do not do anything that might hurt or harm anyone or anything else.

Doing something that leads me to become a better person, either physically, mentally, emotionally or intellectually is meaningful to me, as again it will lead me to be joyful and of service to others.

Meaningful is very individual. Indeed there are some social codes of what is meaningful (like saving the whales or getting another degree) yet on an every day life, the meaning of time spent in a certain way is dependent on how one feels during, after and long after the time spent. (One might enjoy drinking with friends tonight but have a hang over the next day. If done very often, may even lead to great liver issues years later). Is the outcome of the time spent meaningful in a sustainable way? Benefit for now, tomorrow and further…
It can be an action or a non-doing.

After struggling with this questions for six months now, I realize that I participate in many activities, including sitting still and doing nothing. Yet even this is done with an intention to just be, not hang out as to pass time, but be here and now, with out relation to time and space.

Joy, gaining knowledge, practicing self-realization and maintaining a healthy body and mind are all of substance to me. I can reflect back and feel that my day was worth living. Not another day, or time that passed by. A meaningful day, a day that when `lying in bed before sleep, makes me smile and feel content.

What is a meaningful way for you to pass time?

Wednesday, October 1st, Esalen life

4:45, I open my eyes to see sparkling stars within the darkness. The days are shorter, and the mornings are dark. The skylight reveals a clear sky, probably a sunny day ahead.
I prepare quietly as my roommate sleeps below, hop on my black Suzuki Katana (motorcycle), and head to the main property a mile down the road.

I peek into Huxley, the room where I’ll be teaching later to make sure it looks OK.
Down to the tubs, soaking in darkness with a vast dark sky above.
I take a quick cold shower and walk up to Huxley, the large room where my Yoga class is held.
I prepare the room, and then do my own practice till 7:15. Students arrive slowly and join me in meditation. By 7:30 the class begins. Blissful Yoga.
“Beautiful” I say as I see someone that cannot flex deeply but tries to go deeper with her breath. Breathing in, she lengthens and opens just a tiny bit more, but for her, the sky has opened.
After the silent and powerful Savasana (corpse pose where all are laying and resting), I put mats and props away, give hugs, exchange gratitude and get breakfast. It’s Wednesday and Sheila made her raw Muesli. Yum!

Before 10:00 I walk on the little bridge over the creek and head to the dance dome. Dancing with Vin Marti - Soul Motion, a seven-day dance workshop. What joy to move so freely, to connect so intimately with others, to be alive and grateful for this body.

“Feel your feet, where are you now. Feel your hands, your sky dancers. Your breath, how are you breathing now? See the space around you. Soft gaze.”
Vin has this remarkable way of connecting the dance with awareness, with being in the present “what is happening now? Right now?”
We are 45 dancers of all ages, moving flowing alone and with each other.
At times dancing with a guided instruction, maybe with someone else or a group, at times dancing, just moving, inside with an awareness of the space, of the canvas we dance in.

12:30 I head back, get a quick lunch and into the kitchen. It’s my Chef night at Esalen. I am still in training, but really, get to be the Chef.
Wednesdays are fish nights at Esalen, and as a fish lover, I feel fortunate to serve the community healthy delicious meals.
Local fresh sea bass brought over by the fisherman himself is served with a maple ginger tamari glaze, topped with fennel. A kabucha (Japanese squash) miso soup, greens wilted in a warm Dijon vinaigrette, and brown Basmati rice with scallions accompany the fish. Tofu with the same glaze topped with red bell pepper julienne and sunflower sprouts is the veggie option.

Running the kitchen while preparing the food fills m heart with a sense of service. As people are enjoying dinner I peak out to the lodge and smile. Gordon Wheeler the CEO and president of Esalen, comes in to the kitchen to thank and compliment me.

Wednesday October 1st, thank you for so much opportunity.

Blissful Living

A few new tasks came to life in the past few weeks.
Doing some cleanup, either posting camera equipment on eBay or finding people to give clothes and art to. Updating my computer skills and software, learning Aperture, Bridge and Dreamweaver. Getting ready to bring my stock photography back to life.
Working on the detailed sessions of my “Photography beyond the eye” workshop, as well as now, creating a web page for two Yoga workshops I will lead at Esalen this fall. The art of sustainable living though Yoga and Nutrition
At ESALEN OCT 24-26
So yes, I am still here at Esalen. Cooking in the kitchen is wonderful. I have been in charge of the salad bar, both hot and cold, and also training as a chef here. It is wonderful to have opportunity for so much creativity while nourishing over 300 people. The kitchen has been very supportive, and I thank all those that are constantly willing to share with me.
My mom Sara was here at Esalen in August, “a little paradise” she kept saying. She soaked in the baths, went for walks, did her Soduko, read and went swimming.
Seeing her swim on a few foggy days inspired me, and I have been moving through water much more since. Toda Ima!

Last night I soaked in the baths for an hour, gazing at the sun as it set between Japanese like painted clouds, then went up to the lodge to pick up a nice plate of Vietnamese noodles with spring rolls. It’s hard to have all the yummy options around, especially since I’ve been eating mostly raw recently. Esalen has a lot of healthy, fresh organic choices, but surely has lots of meat and dairy options as well.

I have met so many fantastic new people here, while still feeling all the fabulous encounters from India and all my life long friendships. Keeping all close to heart. Sorry if not all get emails and constant contact as I am blessed with so much love, and even as a type A Gemini, I find it hard to keep up.

I sleep in a loft bed where there is enough room for a little computer area at floor level, books, and meditation space. Above my bed (nice mattresses on the carpet) is a big skylight. The moon appeared very round and bright the past few nights, so I got to sleep with its soft cool light flooding in. when it slims down, the stars appear bright, and I go to sleep smiling, remembering how tiny I am in this grand universe, and how huge when thinking of millions of probiotics in a little capsule.

I plan a short visit to New York At the end of October. Get some city flavor after all the nature at Esalen…This trip is much thanks to Jen deciding that I need to come and cook for her…
Love you all!

A day at the races

The sea of motorcycles that covered the earth that day had a fantastic exhilarating affect on my inner blood flow towards my brain and the muscles that pulled my lips towards my ears.

We parked my Katana 750 alongside some serious 1400cc Kawasaki monster, and headed towards the track. The sound of motors running at high rpm’s was speeding from one ear to another. What is it about these two wheelers hitting the curve, going sideways, knees scraping the earth that is so fascinating to so many people?
The Monterey peninsula, beautiful land, and some great curvy roads along highway 1 that draws bikers from all over the world to watch the grand Prix. This is the Formula 1 of the motorcycles” told me Carl earlier this weeks as he realized I had no idea about all this, even though I ride a bike as a main means of transportation.
Carl owns his own sporty yellow Italian two-wheeler, unlike my “rice cooker” as Fi would call it.
Jen and I drove out through the splendid curves of Highway 1 Saturday morning. That’s after Jen swore never to be on the bike with me unless it were in a foreign country.
So thanks Jen for the trust, and sorry for the scary moments.
Along the drive riders greet each other with a left hand wave (the right has to keep accelerating J). The hand goes down and by the side of the bike (less wind) either in a peace sign or as if to give a low five. It’s a great feel to be able to wave and receive hellos from people I have no idea who they are. Not only do I not know them, but also I can’t even see their faces. Are they young, old, Asian, nerdy, beautiful, almost hard to know if it’s a male or female.
After we got our fix of super sound and super speed, of crowd and a feel of a big fair, we drove down to quiet and quaint Carmel for Sushi Heaven. A little Japanese place that looks and feels like a local “Mama sun” in Kyusho (the south Island of Japan), a place I would go eat where the main woman behind the counter is like a mom to many needy customers.
I had to have a spicy tuna roll for Zohar’s sake, as that is all he would order if he were there by me.
It is really refreshing to eat out after being used to getting 3 meals a day at Esalen. Meals that I can count on being served at the same time and place every day, rich with options, including a huge salad bar, always an option for plain brown rice, raw veggies, and the surprise of the main dish the Chef has made for the day.
Back to the land of plenty where the kitchen gets its vegetables from the garden just a little stroll away, where my commute is a two-minute ride or a thirty-minute walk, I smile at the contrast of the races compared with the hot tubs.

Ashes like snow

Fitting my long duffle bag under the stroller in the back of Adarsh and Heleen’s car, we head off to Monterey Tuesday Morning. After a must stop at Acme coffee, a “bikers” coffee shop in seaside, we head to the beach. “its the best coffee” tells me Adarsh he veggie Yoga teacher. Real good coffee, roasted on the spot drip or tap.

I watch Adarsh hold his son Evan, both their blue eyes merge with the ocean, while hearing beautiful Heleen talking about how good her life is, a real appreciation for the little things.
They drop me off at Costco where I join Philip for the town run. It’s my first visit to a Costco, the super size discount store. I drive the super-size shopping cart while Philip shows his membership card.
We load up booze, as tonight at Esalen there will be the decompression party. I chose a good night to return. A couple more stops on the way and we head towards Carmel to pick up fresh pasta. “I’ll meet you back here in 10 minutes” I tell Phillip as I run to The American art gallery, where my art is being shown these days. Alik is behind his desk, and a large 5x7foot canvas with my projection work on it lives on his wall beside him. Alik has more than 50 of my pieces so wish both of us good luck!

Hopping back on to the rented yellow van, Phillip and I head back to Esalen. At first I find myself wondering where was the fire. All looks good. Then, as we head further south, Philip points out where over 1000 firemen were camping. A bit further is the camp where the convict camp was, 500 Prisoners that came to fight the fires.

As we keep going south through this still very beautiful land, we start seeing spots where the fire hit. “ Some of the hills coming up look like covered with snow. The ashes create this layer of white with only burned trees sticking up from it.” Tells me Philip. Some white mountains appear in front of us, having their own unique beauty. Closer to the road mostly trees are still standing green. Patches of fire burnt bush appears, but beautiful trees still stand strong.
The ocean and the land are as beautiful as ever. I assume that behind the hills I see there are endless areas that are much more burnt. Near the road, where there are residents and properties, the area was well defended. Still 30 homes served as food for the hungry fire.

In most cases the fire came down the mountains towards the ocean. The fire rolls down much slower than it climbs (as heat rises), so even when fires were heading down towards Esalen or other properties it was easier to stop them

We are stopped for some minutes on the road as workers are preparing big fences to roll over the hills. The fire ate the shrub, and now nothing is holding the rocks and earth from sliding down to the road. Seems like the road might be closed again once the rains falls as for the landslide. Closer to Esalen I see the water lines leading to the water tanks, That was the big Esalen battle, where the fire had to lower its face with respect to the efforts of those working so hard to defend it.

Entering Esalen grounds my feelings are mixed with fear and excitement. I go straight to the kitchen and help unload the truck.
Walking around the grounds I see a leaf covered with ash. The garden is beautiful and the farm producing like never before. The trees beautiful, the ocean reflecting silver, the grass is till green, even though it is not of the neighbors.

Uncovering the motorcycle cover, a thin coat of ash is like a sheath to the bike. A smell that reminds me of the end of a long night around the bonfire fills me up with good memories.

On the door to my room there is a posted sign: “ Caution, rat traps around the room. 5 five”
I walk in with caution finding very little ash and lots of mouse poop. Pulling up my sleeves I get to work, some deep cleaning ahead before dinner.

After Dinner the party up at Fritz is already happening. The view to the ocean is as gorgeous as ever. A real nice bar is set at the entrance, with Matt the kitchen manager behind it, rocking like any superstar bartender in the meatpacking district of New York.

Never thought I’d be dancing till late on my first day of arrival, but I sure was shaking and grooving.
At 6:45am today I was already hitching a rde with Sheila the chef, on our way to prepare breakfast and lunch.

Now, after a long soak in the tubs, Its time to take back to my room some of the things that were moved from there when we were evacuated.

Esalen, beautiful as ever, intimate with no workshops happening till Friday, familiar yet I am still adjusting back.
What an amazing place, a community that sticks for each other, a place that cares, a land that filled with beauty and love.

Blessings to Boulder and Welcome to the Bay area

The Harmonium filled the air with tunes accompanying Richards beautiful chant in Sanskrit.
We were brought back to life with the sound s of a singing bowl, deep, smooth and vibrating. Slowly coming out Savasana (the corpse pose, or final relaxation) we sat up, and stayed still for a moment, then, bowing with gratitude, to the teacher, fellow practitioners, to us for showing up, and to all beings.

The class seems to float out of the room. I look into friend’s eyes and realize, this is one of those moments where the whole class experienced something beyond words. A glow, a softness, seems like everyone was on drugs, a kind of joy that makes one want to smile for no reason, to do nothing and just appreciate the moment.

The following day, we met in the park to celebrate the end of the teacher’s intensive.
40 beautiful people from around the world, a moment ago strangers, now feeling a sweet connection, a knowing, a shared experience. Richard and Mary, our teachers for the month are now standing together, with two sweet smiles they have set a beautiful example.
Richard Freeman is a long time student of Yoga, a long time teacher, a dedicated practitioner, an amazing chanter, a source of inspiration and beautiful example of a true teacher.
Mary the compassionate bodhisattva, the one that ran the show behind the scene, the mother of us all, the care taker and the teacher, humble and shining, was there as the complimentary piece to Richard.
Beyond them as teachers it is an inspiration to see them as a couple. Like Fi said (more or less) “makes me want to grow old with someone”.

Apart from the Yoga, meditation and philosophy this past month was more than anything a month of gratitude towards people. Sharing the house with Fiona, Tony, Ross, and Marcus, with whom I’ve shared the same room, was such a unique experience. Each person filled with an amazing life story, many in transition (lots of ex high tech in the air), generous beings that are truly open to see what else is out there.
The evening walks to get food, the endless exploration of a pose and its alignment, philosophical discussions, traditionalism, food, nutrition, music, Californication (the TV series) nights, Fi’s famous south walnut Banana bread…

Boulder itself, the beautiful town that shared with me it’s running waters everywhere, its green, the nice little homes and the quaint city center has become a real home for this time.
Instead of skyscrapers as a backdrop, the mountains surrounding it let huge rock formations reach up in a beautiful carving. The parks, the outdoorsy feel, the bronze sculptures around town, the small rock gardens for children to play, fountains and live music on the promenade, lively bars next door to family restaurant, healthy café’s next to the Prana shop or Billabong, make the unique setting for this pretty homogenous town.
A mostly white town surrounded by cowboy country out side.

Denise the performer, the contortionist, the heart Yoga teacher, a dear friend (which one are you Denise?) drove me to the nice Denver airport, where after a coffee (for nostalgic NY reasons), I departed on my return flight to San Jose where Kelly picked me up. There is nothing like a loving familiar face when coming out of the airport. We drove to downtown Palo Alto and entered the fabulous Stanford theatre (showing movies since 1925), watched The Animal Crackers with the Marx Brothers from 1930, ate old-fashioned popcorn, and laughed out loud.
I shall be staying at Gil and Debbie’s place for a few days till the calming news about the Big Sur fire arrives. Seems like it's getting closer to closure.
So sweet to have family around, makes all the difference in the world.

Big Sur Fire

“We took your art, your hard drive…motorcycle, California is on fire!”, the message was cut off. Michael my roommate is telling me what he is saving of my stuff, his tone of voice excited, as the area where we live in is being evacuated.
I am in Boulder hearing about the raging fires through media and friends. Visualizing the power, beauty and destruction of this great force through info I read on a digital screen.
Thousand of acres are burnt, homes gone, people working hard to try and keep it tamed. Helicopters, engines, human force and water team up. Fire, as part of nature does not seem to like to be told what to do, especially if the wind is on its side. It’s a cycle of nature, yet it feels different when it hits the area where one lives.

Esalen is now closed for visitors, and the road to it is blocked. Within this roadblock, Spirit Garden is hosting an art show of mine, which is still up (or maybe not?). Photos from Cuba with wooden frames and the (e)motion series printed on canvas, all yummy food for the fire.

Some weeks ago I was sitting with Jeremy, my friend at Esalen and we were talking about loosing all our possessions and how that would feel. I was visualizing a fire, and seeing that nothing is left. As real and good as my visual powers are, it is still very different than the real threat, of knowing that this could be it.
It’s a good reminder that things are exactly what they are - things. No more no less.

My heart goes to all those that are suffering in Big Sur, that are breathing the smoky air and helping calm down the fire. Blessings.

Cadavers, Meditation, Anatomy and the Body

Sitting still, following the breath, the grass grows by itself. The stream outside flows softly, fish swimming with no direction. Art ideas flow to my mind, scrolls, bodies, and life stories, Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, Buddha, my breath.
In and out it goes, softening the mind, softening the gaze, eyes open looking at nothing, gravity below, my sense of perception fades away, no eye or ear, no cushion no back no knee. Some time later the bell rings, and people get up to walk. I am back to my senses, filled with energy, clear, I find myself still sitting, another hour goes by timelessly, another bell rings, instructions for another type of meditation, I can’t hear, just watch softly, like a quiet, slow silent movie, I drop again, feeling myself dissolve, where do I go?
Last weekend was an intensive meditation weekend at Marpa house, a beautiful residential Shambala center. This followed some meditation classes we had at the huge and well-kept Shambala center in Boulder.

Is there a soul to this body? Are we just flesh and bones?
As we arrived to studio 50 in a commercial area outside Boulder, the smell of formaldehyde was in the air. The room, or big warehouse space rather, was very clean, high ceilings, and some black boards. In the far end I could spot two large metal tables with a top that looked like a shiny silver coffin.
Tod, the anatomy specialist gives us a long intro in preparation for the experience. We then put on white coats and gloves, almost like we were a bunch of doctors about to enter the surgery room.
We roll over the metal tables and some other tables that have blue or yellow plastic bags to the center of the room. These could easily be identified as containing bodies.
We start with Frank, then we look at William, the bodies have names, after death names. The bodies are real, but lying lifeless, somewhat dissected, there is something less human about them. The “life”, the energy is missing. Someone said the soul is missing. This body, 80 years old when it stopped functioning on its own, before it donated itself to science, was alive, moving, digesting, seeing, thinking, where is the thinker now? What happened to the memories? Are they stored in the non-functioning hard drive called brain? Were the feelings a matter of the sense organs only? What was the force that kept it going, and where is that force now?

Muscles, tendons, and bones, each cadaver is dissected to different layers. Digestive system comes out, I hold the pancreas, stretch the small (but long) intestine, hold a brain split in two, move the jaw as I look at the gold sitting on the teeth, touch the ribs and observe the pelvis.
The first moment at the cadaver lab, reminds me of identifying my dad at the morgue in the hospital in Be’er Sheva Israel, but there he was still in one piece. Back then I still had memories to tag to the freshly dead body. Sounds and touch I could still feel through my mind.
Then I let this memory go. The bodies in front of me, with all their history, are now just bodies. History behind they can almost seem like animal parts that I recognized at a hustling kitchen or a whole foods store.

Richard Freeman, our Yoga Guru (teacher) bends the bones of the leg to place them in Padmasana, the lotus sitting position, and a crack sounds, the meniscus was torn. Ouch, good thing there is no one to feel the pain anymore.
It’s another reminder that this body is not really ours. I remember walking into the super sanitized room where Eran, my dear friend was laying, Cancer swimming in his blood, tubes in his veins, and a look in his eyes so different than a few months earlier when we were traveling in the north east of the US.
Eran’s body was so different, was it still him? A week later Eran’s body stopped functioning. Where did Eran go? Did he stop functioning? Was there an essence, a “Purusha”, an ever-prevailing energy that slipped out of the tired body and kept going, formless. This body of ours, changes so easily all the time. So many of its functions happen without consulting with us. The breath flows in and out, the heart beats and we don’t need to think of it. At times our body weakens, and we feel sick. If this is our body, how can it be doing things we don’t want it to?
If we loose an organ or an arm, is it still our body? We can take another organ away, and another, at what point does it cease to be our body? We sure are the caretakers of this body, this functioning machine that hosts our sense organs, our brain and all the tools to function in this material world, but is this all we are?

Looking at my fingers as they type away, I smile with gratitude.

Yoga with Richard Freeman

June 8th, Sunday morning, my birthday, sitting at the Yoga Workshop, Richards’s shala (practice room). The simple room, one large space is full of new faces sitting on Yoga mats awaiting the beginning of this month long teacher intensive.

Mary, Richard’s wife, gives a briefing on this coming month and before we know it Richard walks in. The room fills with a feeling of something great that just happened. Richard enters, great and simple, starts without too much talking.
Our mornings, which consist of some Asana (poses) practice, learning about alignment, adjustments, breathe and gaze, are followed by chanting and philosophy.
In the afternoons I take a Mysore style class, optional to the program.

The group is very international. Students from Greater China, Japan, Europe, NY, CA, Mexico, Canada and locals from boulder all unified with a set sequence of poses practiced daily around the globe. (The Ashtanga sequence)

Richard, calmly sits on his cushion, with clear eyes, guides us through the
Sanskrit pronunciation. Richard seems to have child like qualities, of love and excitement toward the little details.

Yesterday afternoon we walked over to the Shamabhala center to practice meditation.
I manage to walk everywhere here, such a wonderful feeling. Just take Pearl Street down one direction, and you hit a beautiful promenade, of downtown Boulder. The other direction will take you to a big shopping area including Whole Foods and the Mac store.
Walking along perfect sidewalks with green patches, brooks follow aside or cross under, and the Flat Irons, the famous Boulder Mountains rise up with pride, and together with the dramatic sky, frame the small population of Boulder (100,000 or so). A population that seems healthy and active for the most part. A very outdoorsy feeling, a college town, a town of yoga, massage, Rolfing, meditation and centers and Universities of alternative lifestyles.

I continue my tradition of constant summer that has been flowing through my life for over a year now. Here, the sun shines most of the time. Occasional winds or some threat of rain appear, but in general, it’s dry and beautiful, and my tan is still chocolaty or olive skin (is it really olive? Where does that come from?).
Happy to be here, to keep on studying and living life to it’s fullest. New ideas for workshops arise, and I hope to present them soon.

Experiencing God

After talking about God, and how we connect from an existential place, I felt the need to share a bit of what my meditation world looks like.

I was first introduced to some active meditations at Osho’s Ashram in 1992.
The idea was that westerners have a hard time sitting still, and so as a first step of the meditation, we can learn how to be present with the movement we are doing, and then sitting and lying down in stillness becomes easier.

Other systems offer concentration techniques to train the mind into finding centeredness. A candle flame, a vision, a word or sound that repeats within the mind (mantra), or the breath are some points of attention to keep the mind from wandering.

After practicing in different ways, I found that the breath worked best for me. I have it with me always, and do not need the use of the mind or senses in order to be with it. At first my Zen teacher told me to count inhales and exhales up to ten. Start by inhaling – one, exhaling – two, inhaling – three, till I reach ten. If I loose my count, I just return to one.
After some time and practice, when this became comfortable, I was told to count each inhale and exhale as one, inhale and exhale two…This still uses the mind but helps it stay in one place.
Eventually letting go of the counting all together, and just dropping the awareness to the belly. Eyes opened, looking down towards the floor with a soft gaze. Sitting with a straight and relaxed spine, not doing anything.

Sitting still, and just observing, the mind, the eyes, the ears, all drop on their own, the separation of me and things I see and hear disappears, I, as I know it disappears, and a new state of consciousness is there.

Since sitting was never easy for me, doing nothing, a great task for me, I have learned to practice preparations for this in the functioning life.
My first practice was when I used to sit on my balcony in Tel Aviv while being an art student. A very big tree lived right in front of it, and I found myself many times sitting and watching it. Just looking at it. The feeling of no boundaries would arise, the tree would appear more dimensional than before, and time lost its meaning.
This first step in this kind of being is the art of non-labeling. Once I would recognize what I was doing, it was lost. The moment I thought,” the leaves are big”, or “this is awesome” it was gone. I’ve created a separation between the tree and me. It is only through the state of complete surrender, of Just Being, that this happens.
There used to be posters that looked like some unknown messy drawing. When one could stare at it, without focusing, without the mind and without trying to see anything, an amazing 3 dimensional image would appear. I find this to be somewhat similar in the way of letting go.
There is an intention involved, but there is no trying. The harder I try the further away I get, the more separation I create.
Who is trying? Who is there when no effort is involved?
Sitting still doing nothing the river flows on its own, the waves come and go and the earth spins.
Can we let go of controlling, of being in charge; can we just be an awareness, acceptance, leaving no footprint behind? Then we achieve it all. We have all that we could ever need.

God, why should I trust you?

A friend wrote to me:

“I've been acting like there's no god and it's my job to fix everything and be in charge of everything and worry about everything and I know the next step is to take a leap of faith and trust in something bigger than myself so that I can give up all that futile control and actually feel alive. I feel like in choosing to trust in a higher power, I'm about to jump out of a plane and just hope that my parachute will open, but right now I don't really believe that it will. I've been living this story of if I don't hold everything together, I will die, but I see now that what's happening is that if I DO try to hold everything together, I will die. Because I've been clinging to everything pretty tightly and I feel pretty dead.

So that's the ugly spiritual dead zone I've stumbled into. I guess I am telling you this because sometimes I tell you things and I feel like I'm talking into a very clear lake and my problems just dissolve in you and then they don't seem so sharp and painful anymore. And also, I'd really love for you to help me understand what God even is or why I should trust something that I don't know about.“

God, spirit, matter.
How can one know God? What is God? Shall we ask, who is God?
We all agree there is matter. Even energy is pretty much a consensus these days.
Many have asked and wondered, could it be that we are only this? Only this body we see and feel, is the world only what we know from our sense organs?
Science will agree that beyond the senses there is energy. Energy is formless and moves in all direction.

Most spiritual systems, and religious streams, have agreed that there is something beyond matter. This something can be called God, this something might be more abstract than we can comprehend with our mind.

When we manage to know who we are beyond the mind, to go beyond our senses (including the mind), “realize” and know the true self, we discover a boundless source, we dissolve and merge with a field that is beyond time and space, an energy, God.

Does something happen when we discover God? Can we ask God for help?
Discovering God is discovering the true nature of things. It is seeing clear beyond the fog of the mind.
When seeing clearly, we find that we are not limited to the worries of the moment, that our being is more than the body we live in, that we are more than our profession or our relationships. Knowing that physically we all break down to cells that break down to energy, which flows throughout everything and everywhere, lets us understand (at least through the mind) that there is a connection, a part of “sameness” between us all (Some might call this the quantum field).
So how do we discover this GOD? This God is within us, it is part of us, and it is beyond us. Trusting oneself and the flow of energy that keeps moving into harmony by creating balance. Letting trust be part of us is not actively done. It happens when fear drops, when we no longer hold on to our perceptions, we can find liberation, a formless form of bliss.

I remember a Tibetan Meditation of “letting go”. Sitting down, closing the eyes, I visualize giving away all that I own; first physical things like clothes, furniture, car, house and yes, laptop. It took me some time to really be able to see all my life’s work on my computer disappear and be ok with it. Then, I started giving away my legs, arms, eyes (ouch), head, brain and mind. This took a while too. It did not happen in one sit.
What is left? What is it that exists in and beyond this matter? What is this force that is left. Who is the Witness?
Consciousness. What is this consciousness? Well, sit down and find out for yourself.

This is not a God that I ask forgiveness from. Not a God I worship, nor a God I fear.
This is a true power that is part of me, part of you, part of this floor I sit on, of the flower outside my window, and the moon reflecting on the ocean surface.

Knowing that we are this power, and that this power works here and now, from us and to us, we can be in a place of surrender with Power. No need to control anything or to force anything.
Intention is important, surrendering and allowing life take its course is important too.
I have an idea of what I want to do next, but I am accepting life as it comes, even if it does not meet my ideas of how I thought things might turn out.

Traditionally knowing God, or realizing oneself, ones true nature, is done by learning how to let the mind be still, be at rest when there is no need for it to work. It’s like learning how to let the legs be still when not walking.
In most eastern cultures, sitting with a straight spine, concentrating on one point is the first step. This is to train the mind to not wonder, to concentrate. Later we learn how to let go of the concentrating mind as well, as we drop into existence, into just being.

Holding on leads us nowhere. To live life fully we must embrace death as part of it, to understand that on a physical level we are dying every moment, and regenerating at the same time. If we realize who we are beyond this body, we can live life fully within this body, we can celebrate every moment of our existence, laugh and love fully and know that the power (God) is within each and every one of us.

Lets talk food...

(As asked by Jen, with my reply below )

Are you a must be organic guy? Do you have anything you don't eat?
Likes…dislikes etc. Favorite food… favorite dessert…favorite
drink…


I am a man of no rules.

I try to eat mostly organic, local, sustainable and from small farms.
I eat mostly vegan, some fish and goat cheese.
If dairy, would rather it be raw, but if you made cheesecake for desert, I would surely have a small piece.
Water is my main drink with some herbal tea, or juice at times.
Just finished a week of raw food including lots of fresh vegetable juice, yum!

I like most things healthy, chocolate, nuts, sushi, live food, kale, cherries and the whole rainbow of fruits and vegetables.

Like to have some crunch in my meal, prefer "clean food" like Japanese, but enjoy Indian and Mexican too. Mediterranean food is close to my heart as it reminds me of home. I make a fabulous tahini dip.
My body does not seem to digest legumes, so on occasion I eat chicken as well.

In summery - A flexeterian
;)

Esalen, America and the religion of non-religion

A weekend with Michael Murphy and Jeff Kripalu

A few impressions from this workshop, skipping many topics, no accuracy guaranteed and I haven’t read Kripalu’s book yet…but some history, some more understanding about Esalen and its people.

Michael Murphy invited Dick Price to go down to Esalen with him in th early 60's. The place, owned by Michael’s family had different people living there, from evangelists to weekend gay community. Things were not super great between these groups, and Michael’s grandma gave them the authority to take over.
In the early years, it was mostly intellectuals like Maslow and other prominent scholars that came by and started teaching. Around 1967 came the experimental period, a time where things were taken to extremes, from drugs to sexuality. Workshops where people experimented if they can pee in their pans, or a group of men playing nude volleyball are just two examples.
The Beatles came by with their Indian Guru and played music on the front lawn, Henry Miller came by every weekend…
Different teachers and leaders were invited, but if their teachings seemed over the top, Esalen did not invite them back. There was great openness to everything, but also a responsible mind to monitor things.
Both Michael Murphy and Dick Price (the two founders of Esalen) were anti cults. Price was also seeing the Guru problem in his eyes. Watching out for the Mystics that are power driven.

If it were not for those liberal times that followed the tense times of the 50’s Esalen could not have developed to where it is today. It is a process of experimenting and learning, where different modalities are tried. This also includes most of the best professors that America has had to offer.
Fritz Pearls was a big part of Esalen. He started his Gestalt work here and taught for some years.
Fritz was also the one who brought Ida Rolf to Esalen, where she would develop Rolfing, a unique tissue work practiced worldwide.

About the people that come to Esalen (from the home page of the Esalen website)
“They come for the intellectual freedom to consider systems of thought and feeling that lie beyond the current constraints of mainstream academia. They come to discover ancient wisdom in the motion of the body, poetry in the pulsing of the blood. They come to rediscover the miracle of self-aware consciousness. At best, they come away inspired by the precision of a desire to learn and keep on learning through all of life, and beyond.”

“I was very influenced by Sri Aurobindo. I was meditating 8 hours a day” Michael was telling us.
In Sri Aurobindo's view, Man, at present, lives mostly in his surface mind, life and body. “There is an inner being within which pushes him to a constant pursuit of a greater beauty, harmony, power and knowledge. He has to awake to the greater possibilities of this inner being and purify and orientate by its drive towards the Truth the rest of the nature. There can follow afterwards an opening upward to the several ranges of consciousness between the ordinary human mind and the Supramental Truth-Consciousness and their power brought down into the mind life and body. This will enable the full power of the Truth-Consciousness to work in the nature.” http://www.infobuddhism.com/infobuddhism/institute%20for%20wholistic%20education/design/teaching.htm


Esalen is concerned with the spirit, but very much observes the body in its functioning. The Esalen massage is a huge attraction these days. Somatic work has developed here, and now very much a big part of Esalen.
Holistic health was first coined here at Esalen and then brought to legislation.

Human Potential is the main focus of Esalen. A very broad concept allowing for a great deal of teachings in many diverse individual ways. An emphasis is made on both social and personal transformation. (Esalen was very much a part of Yeltzin’s first visit to the US which had a great deal with Russia’s social and political change)
The techniques to actualize the human potential exist in everyone equally, and Esalen has always been an open place to host all races and genders.

It’s important to be in the present and take baby steps, yet we need to see the big picture. Have the grand idea in mind, Murphy kept telling us.

This workshop was fantastic both because of its leaders as well as the people attending’ professors, MD’s, health care people, owner of organic carrots business…and myself.

Life before Life and quantum physics

This Wednesday’s eve program at Esalen was talking about life after death with Michael Murphy and friends.
What I remember from it is more about life before life.
Researches have interviewed young children that had memories of previous lives. These description (very accurate at times) lead to a search to find if the description matches a specific being that has died. It was truly amazing to hear about the details that match, including scars that had “passed” on.
It seemed though that most memories were related to a person that had died young or not a natural death. This could lead to either thought; that reincarnation does not happen always, or that these certain instances are more likely to stay vivid in the child remembering.
There are around 2600 case studies done, and now Esalen is supporting further research.

I can understand existence beyond our brain, beyond this body, a total connectedness, a primal energy force, yet to realize that a separate consciousness can keep its cycle of life after life for whatever reason that maybe, is indeed of great curiosity to me.
Does it even matter? What can we learn from this? Is there such a thing as an old soul?
Does a soul really free itself, or is it just a realization of a different state of consciousness?

Last weekend, I was participating in a workshop titled “Do we need spirituality in the age of science?” Atoms are constructed of two elementary particles known today, the electrons and the quarks. But what lies behind this?
Mani Bhaumik, the person who invented eye laser surgery, was sharing with us scientific research leading towards the idea that the 4 main energies known today (including gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force and the week force) connect at extreme high temperatures.
This idea leads to the concept of a quantum field; an energy field that is connected to all, this field exists beyond time and space. Quantum physics describes the subatomic world as one that cannot be depicted in diagrams -- particles are not dots in space, but are more like "dancing points of energy."
Can you understand? My Zen master would ask.
To truly understand, I feel that it is necessary to go beyond the mind, to actually experience this and own it.

Time to sit on the meditation cushion…

A living student

It’s the end of May, and I’m almost a month into my ES (extended student) program.
A year is expected ahead of me, being on this wonderful land of Esalen, studying, working in the kitchen, teaching Yoga and meditation, and watching whales.

“Mindful silence”, said the sign outside the Fritz room, where the cleanse week is happening. I walked up there from “Rolf”, the room where I taught yoga, to get my raw food breakfast. Opening a fresh young coconut, sipping its juice just like in India a few months back. Inside the round room, near the fire place fresh ginger tea was awaiting. A live Granola with soaked Goji berries, fresh fruit, bee pollen, hemp seed and watermelon juice, all live happily on the table awaiting for our long chewing motion.
Outside, on the balcony sitting on the cliff over looking the ocean, a white whale cruises by. The morning light, going through the clear water and reflecting a turquoise glow off the calm moving whale, a baby perhaps.

Esalen has wonderful food, mostly fresh from our garden, but also meat and dairy options that are hard to resist working in the kitchen.
Now eating only live food, food that still has its enzymes alive, a lot of veggies, nuts and seeds, my stomach is adjusting. Even emotionally there is a release. Reminds me of when I was writing a book years back, “He chose sadness. An existential sadness”…
But then I come back to this paradise and smile with gratitude.
A few more days left of eating Liam’s live food, and drinking fresh veggie juice out of wine bottles. It even looks red thanks to the beets.

This Friday some friends will join the big gathering at Spirit Garden in Big Sur ( the near by town) to see some Aztec dancing and view some of my photography from Cuba as well as some of my work with “Bodies”, a dance and culture event.
I realize now, that I have so many dear friends around the globe that I wish could join. Well, it might have been even harder if we were traveling throughout the galaxies…

So for all you around this beautiful planet, it is a wonderful time for some cleaning, welcoming new vital energies into our bodies and soul.
Eating a bit more raw food is a great start. Now that stone fruit is arriving (like apricots, peaches and plums), the melon family is showing off, it couldn’t be easier.
If possible, eating raw veggies as well. Blending some beets with celery, munching on lettuce or a carrot, making a fresh Kale salad, some radishes with herbs and lemon, or dipping celery into tahini.
Nuts for Nuts…soak em first, soak some seeds and enjoy.

With Gratitude to this abundant land, to the air, the water, the bees, farmers, drivers, cooks, and everything that helps provide us with such beauty and nourishment.

I thank you all for reading this, and for being who you are.

Esalen, to be or not be?

Esalen, to be or not be?

The Biodanza program has finished, and on the last Thursday of the month I got notice that I shall stay as an ES (extended student) candidate for the month of April.
That means a month at Esalen working in the Kitchen to give both Esalen and myself the opportunity to see if it’s a good match, Ok, and soaking in the hot spring baths too…

What is an ES and why do I want to do it?
An ES is a person that works and studies at Esalen Institute for a year. Works in a specific department (kitchen for me), and has something they are working on/studying/developing while here.
If I get to stay at Esalen I hope to achieve a few things:
- Live in a fantastic setting with some great people from all over the world.
- Learn and improve my kitchen skills (cooking for 300+ every meal)
- Teach yoga and meditation on the regular schedule classes
- Develop workshops related to Blissful Living
- Develop a unique photography workshop
- Learn about ways an institute and community such as Esalen functions
- Keep learning and realizing myself, learning to better myself as to be better for others.

At the moment I work 4 days a week in the kitchen. Each day I have a different title.
One day I am a sous chef, one day a rover (do whatever is needed), one day create the salad bar (last week made stuffed peppers as one dish), and one day I am in charge of the pond – the dishwashing area. So the question that remains is WHO AM I? : )
The work is hard but fun. It’s a healthy environment to work in. Most people are very kind and helpful. Not your usual commercial kitchen.
Twice a week we have group process. (An alternative group shrinking…) We meet as a work group, sit in a circle on pillows, and share what we are going through. There is a process leader (a trained person), that helps open and guide the person that is talking/working through something.
It is not unlikely to have tears in the room, to hear intimate stories, and learn more that what we might normally know about our colleges.

Early morning Thursday (and Sunday too) I walk into the round hut over the waterfall, always surprised that the river never stops, even when we sleep the water keeps flowing, same river, but different every morning. I sit quietly waiting for those that manage to crawl out of bed when the sun is still sleeping and join for Zazen (Zen meditation).
Wednesdays, crossing the river, I open the big dance dome and set up to teach my Blissful Yoga class.

I am now sitting on the carpet on my loft room in a cute little house (a motel room really) that has views of the ocean. A big skylight above me lets the stars and moon watch over me as I sleep. Esalen has purchased this old Motel as a sleeping place for the longer-term residents. Some people here say it reminds them of college days, living so close to each other…
The motel is a mile down the road along the ocean. Seems like everything here is along the ocean and under the mountains, along a stream or a waterfall, covered by a huge starry sky. Nature is very powerful here. Monarch butterflies dancing around the millions of flowers, seea utters playing nearby, birds fly over the great ocean while dolphins and whales pass by on their migration route.
Susie invites Craig and myself to the beach for sunset watching. We head down the steep steps descending the cliff, skipping over some rocks to find our perfect sitting rock. One where we can see the drama of the waves crashing over the dark rocks, seaweed hanging on as the salty water rolls over, and birds diving off the cliff behind in what might seem as the jump of a glider off the cliff in Rio.

While at Esalen, I hope to participate in some of the workshops that happen here on a regular basis. Esalen attracts some of the best teachers out there, in a wide array of disciplines, from dance, psychology, writing, massage, yoga, mediation and what not?
Anything that has to do with developing the human potential goes.
Next week I shall do a pottery workshop, making bowls the native Indian way. I love the art barn; a place open 24 hours a day for everyone to come and play, express and enjoy.

At the end of this month I shall know if I get another month of candidacy at Esalen, if they accept or decline me. Then the question remains about dates, when will I be able to start.
I only know that in June I am planned to go to Boulder, Colorado to participate in Richard Freeman’s Ashtanga intensive for a month. This shall be second Yoga teacher training, a place to round up more knowledge and experience about my practice and teaching others.

Esalen is a place that can only be experienced. Hard to explain what really happens here. I guess that much of it has to do with human interactions on daily bases, working, living, and bathing with the same people. Dancing and practicing yoga, eating and going for walks, hugging and opening the heart, a community, a place of sharing.

Feeling gratitude for the time I’m spending here. All you beautiful people around the world, I miss you and feel you close. We shall meet again when the conditions are right. Every one of you has created a new part within me. Helped me realize a moment more of our interconnectedness.

Thank You. Sharing the Love.

Back to the land of Plenty

After chewing slowly my last bit of palak paneer and nan, sipped every drop of the Pineapple, ginger, mint juice, shared hugs and kisses with many good friends, I headed off to return my 100cc black and orange Honda. I rented it for $2.5 a day including insurance. A taxi driver and a small car awaited me to take me to the airport.
Mysore, Bangalore, Bombay, Frankfurt and directly heading north towards the pole to SF. Passing Iceland to the left, the water appears like a desert, cracks and formation of something that later reviled itself as ice. As we head north, the cracks seem to connect creating and ice layer, till reaching over northern Canada where dunes of snow flowed for endless miles, where not even a white bear, or a crazy explorer wearing a red suit, appeared.
My journey home (where is home?) would last close to 40 hours, where at the SF airport I would meet my brother Gil and a sunny sky. “The rains have just stopped”, he told me in Hebrew, and I smiled, realizing I missed winter all together this year.
Clean wide roads, SUV’s and convertibles, big homes and a crazy huge motorcycle (mine) were slight different scenery. People however, are still people. Stripping off the façade, the masks, the make up, all that remains is the same thing.
The trees and the grass don’t seem to mind if the land is called India or California. The birds sing indifferently, palm trees rise up and the waves of the ocean always seem to head towards shore.
Two nights at Debbie and Gils house, playing with the always happy Maya, I find myself packing again, this time my motorcycle, getting ready for my trip down the coast, Past Big Sur to Esalen (http://www.esalen.org/)
I have 5 weeks here as a works scholar, Participating in the Biodanza program and working in the kitchen.
Typing on my laptop on the large deck outside the dining room, the sound of birds singing tingle the ocean down below. Esalen is in Big Sur, a cliffy area where green hills roll down to rocky beaches.
In a moment I will head down to the natural hot springs that flow into beautifully designed baths hanging over the crashing waves.
A river flows down through its land passing by the meditation hut, uniting with the ocean where dolphins and whales come to visit, organic gardens surrounded with flowers, butterflies and the community. Esalen brings to its land of Native Indians people from all over the world, of all ages, to come and live beautiful moments, to explore their potential as humans, to study and have fun. It’s a community that consists of many that are here for a weekly program, some come to study for a month (like myself), of course a core group that lives here, and many short term workshop visitors.

Esalen is known for so many things, that I just want to send you to their website to read more…think of Abraham Maslow developing his theories here, of Joseph Campbell, Ida Rolf, the gestalt therapist Fritz Perlsand and many more…
Visitors included the Beatles, Moby, Gurbachev…and now me.
Off for a soak as the sun is playing hide and seek with some clouds, and a special Indian feast will be served soon…

Thoughts about Sex

“ I wasn’t expecting this,” she said. Of course it wasn’t planned, just happened. Somehow we were kissing, and then getting naked, and then becoming self-conscious, start talking and loose the connection. We transfer to our minds and leave the energy field alone.

“I didn’t even bring condoms with me, I though I’ll only do Yoga on my trip to India.”
“And what is Yoga?” I asked. “Union” she says, as she realizes the word, and then a smile comes to her mind, manifesting on her lips.

It has been easy to be here and just practice Yoga. Study philosophy and while practicing just being, the creative mind of desire had no need in union with another. At times, when a temptation appeared, just seeing the person for what they are, kept the ego from developing a fantasy. At moments there was a crave for touch, for connection, but the joy of being, of just doing things as they come, led me to not try and manifest it.

I assume that if it was possible to just go up to someone and ask them if they want to spend the night together, and more so, if there was a possibility that they would give a total honest reply, without considering what there conditioning thinks is appropriate, then maybe things would be different.

I wonder why this topic is always so big, so secret and so appealing to all. Indeed, it is one of the things that mankind struggles with the most. There are some things we have to do, like eat and sleep, use the restroom and blink. Sex is one of the basic needs that feel like we must have, but is not a true necessity. Still, as much as we become open, study ourselves, learn the path to realization, this seems to be one of the most primal conditioning. A basic instinct we have in us to keep our species alive.

From Priests to Rabies, in Islam and even in the Hindu culture, we are always taught about the right way to dress, to hide our bodies, not to talk about sex.
It is not that sex should be a big topic, nor should we go around naked or dressed like sluts, but at the same time we need not hide this natural thing.
Once we accept things as they are, we can realize that this body, even though moving at our demand, and recognizable by others as “who we are”, is not a true or complete representation of “who we are”. In the functioning world, it indeed is part of us, we take care of it, enjoy through our senses and move with it as a carrier for who we really are. Since it gets sick without asking us first, since we can loose a limb and still think its our body, since most of the functions happen without us even knowing that they happen, it really is interesting we identify with it so much.
Beyond this layer of functionality, where our limitless self exists, the body is just a body. Not something we identify with. It is condensed energy, becoming into form.

While we are here, in our bodies, eating and sleeping, may we also be able to be open and free about our body’s appearance, about our needs and wants, may we have the courage to speak truthfully of what we want without fear of judgment, may we be able to respect each other without forcing so many rules of behavior and act, may we know what is appropriate by placing ourselves where the other is, may we know joy that is beyond the pleasures of our senses.

An art photography installation show in India

Sipping a glass of fresh coconut water on the porch of India song house, Joao tells me what he thinks of my photography, which ones he likes more, and how we can make a show happen.
It’s late afternoon and the mosquitoes have arrived. The females come to suck our blood as we protect ourselves with Himalayan brand repellent; the Indian Dr. Hauschka.
Joao and Patricia are from Portugal, living in India. They created India Song house as an art space and restaurant. An old house, Indian style, with lots of land around it, feels almost like a Goan house.
“I would like to hang the photos like laundry, a thin transparent wire and some clips”, I tell Joao. “ We can hang sheets out here to project on” he tells me after I tell him about the projections. Then we decide to have a large long fabric that will have the poem about the body elements painted on.
Cecile took me to the market to a tiny store, more like a tent that sells amazing used saris for a dollar or two. As we are choosing plain white or black Parisian chic, the little Hindu man brought us little cups of sweet chai. We pack the three saris, hop on the 100cc black and orange Honda I have here and head out on the dirt bumpy road.
Back on the porch, Patricia helps crating lines on the fabric by folding and ironing it, and Janine, an artist of her own right, talks about the font, as she and Cecile will be the ones creating this beautiful piece with Persian blue paint on a white sari..

A few weeks of organizing the prints, going to the printer back and forth, buying rope, climbing the trees to tie the ropes and stretch the white bed sheets, creating the play list with Patricia, and fine tuning little details.
Waiting for Sharat to declare when the moon day is going to be, so we can announce the opening the eve before. On moon days (full and new moon) there is no practice, so the night before the yogis can stay late and party. (As practice is usually very early in the morning.
Patricia made a wonderful dinner for 25 guests that Wednesday eve, that included fantastic vegan lasagna and fresh pineapple juice. At 7:00pm the crowd started pouring in. at 7:15 just after the projections have managed to go through one round of photos, the power went away and darkness showed its form. Not an unusual occasion in Mysore, yet less pretty when more and more guests arrived. Keeping good spirits with almost no alcohol, power returned an hour later, and with it many more smiley guests.
The event turned to be somewhat of a NY gallery opening with great, relaxed energies, and a fun combo of indoor prints and outdoor projections. With people hanging out barefoot discussing art yoga and dance.

The moon day arrived with great pleasure, and after washing some laundry in my bucket I head over to the swimming pool to have some doing nothing.

Most of the work at the show is on my website: www.doronhanoch.com
Update of the site is in progress.
Thank you all that made this happen and all that came by to share their energies, and thank you all who have been part of me, working with me on these projects and help them come to life.

Living Mysore style

3:30am, my eyes open after six and a half hours of sleep. I still have an hour till my alarm will go, but I get up.
I want to type a few words while I have my neighbor’s power cord. Mine smoked yesterday as I plugged it to the socket at the Internet café. Electricity here fluctuates…

Normally getting up at 4:00 or 4:30 I have an hour to get ready, meditate and walk over to the shala for morning Mysore practice.
The shala holds around 60-70 students practicing with Sharat and Saraswati, the grandson and the daughter of Pattabhi Jois. The students here seem to be mostly teachers when not here. The level of practice here is very high, at least from the Asana (posture) perspective. Some pretty amazing things happening in that large room, twisting and bending, that involves also strength and concentration. The room is filled with strong energies.
As I finish my practice and walk out of the shala which is on the first floor of their house, the street is quiet and the sound of student talking about their Kapotasana (a crazy backbend) while sipping on coconut water fills the morning air. It is already 7:30 and the sun is out. Like going to the movies but reversed. You enter in the dark and leave when light is out.
Sip my first coconut and ask for the second with ganji, meaning coconut meat. He cracks the green nut open and hands it to me with fresh white coconut flesh sitting on a spoon made from a chopped piece of my coconut.

Off to my room to refresh and then breakfast, either at home with some curd, banana and muesli or at one of the nice places around. We are surely spoiled here. I love Tina’s place with steamed spinach and sesame seeds, her fenugreek leaf (fresh leaves) rotis (flat bread, like a thin pita), that are served with splendid tomato chutney, along with boiled eggs and a papaya mint juice. At any one of the few “westernized” breakfast places you can find many other yogis, talking about their lives or the meaning of life. Discussing a book or making plans for the day. (Swimming pool anyone?)

I hop on my motorcycle and head downtown. Driving through India madness I reach the home where Narasima teaches philosophy, the yoga sutras and much more. Narasima has vast knowledge, from science to philosophy, form the sutras to the Vedas.
Narasima is a medium sized man with white hair jumping around, a white cloth around his waist and a white undershirt to cover his chest and belly. A red line is drawn on his forehead from the hair towards his third eye. He sits on a small bed crossed legged, as we cover the straw mats placed on the floor in the small room. All around us are books. It can almost remind one of the little study rooms that the orthodox Jews in Jerusalem study in, maybe even more simple and basic.
He is surely a manifestation of his teachings. It’s beautiful to see someone who lives his own dogma.

Returning home To Gokulam the neighborhood of the shala, I give Lisa and Stephanie a ride. Motorcycles here and even scooters have amazing capabilities. Small engines, tiny bikes, yet a whole family of 5 can easily fit on. Sometimes it can be many sacks of potatoes; so much as you can’t really see the scooter or driver. A huge part of a banana tree a passenger holding a TV box or anything else that might need to be shipped.
Well, it was my last threesome on a bike as we did get stopped. After bargaining with the police, we agreed on 300 rupees fine (about $7).
They asked for 700, and the real fine is probably around 40.

"Civediamo a green leaf?" Asks me Elena, and I set to meet her for lunch at the huge restaurant where mostly you find Indians eating a classic tali; a large stainless steel plate with many little bowls that contain heavily cooked veggies, dhal, curd and sauces, a bowl of rice, some bread like a chapatti or roti and if its fancy, even a small desert.
Elena orders noodles (she is Italian after all), and paneer 555, a fantastic Indian cheese fried in a way that I would rather not know to transform it to become Chinese, but has some what of a tikka flavor, a yummy satisfying dish that is not swimming in a curry like most other Indian dishes. Recognizing your veggies as separate pieces, or having them not so cooked and with no sauce is rare. Raw salads are not common either.

Lunch and dinner many times merge into one meal, as we tend to go to sleep pretty early. Dinner is usually light, maybe a rav idly (a nice light cutlet made of fermented rice/dhal flour with hint of veggies), a dosa (large, thin paper like dough rolled with a potato curry in its center), or if I’m at the internet cafe, then maybe one of Anu’s famous’ smoothie, a bowl of frozen banana yogurt with optional dates and nuts, real yummy.

A stop at the coconut stand for another fresh heavenly sip, chopped open with a machete right there, while saying hello to beautiful yogis from at least 6 different nations. Canadians and Brazilians win this round…

Evenings I try to keep quiet, read, and meditate, take a walk in the park in front of my house and maybe some body cleaning (with a bucket and cup, very economical and ecological too).

I am working on a photography show I’ll open next month here in Mysore at India song house. It will include two outdoor large screen projections, and some prints hanging like laundry in the main gallery space.
For those that never saw my work, some can be viewed at www.doronhanoch.com

The opening shall be at the night of the new moon, candlelight and images floating through space. Say hello if you’re in the area…

The Patabhi express

An easy flight to Bangalore, landing and searching for another ATM to fill up the amount needed to pay the Patabhi Jois Yoga Shala fees.
The Spice Jet flight was filled with Ashtagis (Ashtanga Yoga practitioners) that are heading to practice in the main shala (Yoga studio) of Patabhi Jois. A group of Italians, including a famous teacher from Milan and her hilarious son of 14 that is in India with his mom for the year as she practices her Yoga, Kate a teacher from the US, Avi, an Israeli from Maui with his famous dreadlocks, and some others from around the world.

We pick up the luggage including Kate’s new missing wheel on her suitcase, and Avi gets us the taxi. Two hours of roundabouts in Bangalore as the driver doesn’t really know the way to Mysore. It is already 11:30 at night and I am grateful for Yoga as I manage to curl up in weird shapes in the back of the tiny car to try and get some rest.

The Shala reopens its doors this weekend and considering the great weather here, and the 3 week time off students had, the place is expected to be packed. Many warnings about never finding a place, and not being able to even practice in the shala have planted minimum fear in me, and somehow I’ve decided to go with no plans or reservations and see what happens.
I landed at Lisa’s place on my first night, as she arrived that morning with a 20-hour train.

The next morning, I get a tour in the really nice neighborhood of Gokulam; beautiful houses and even nice cars around, very calm.
I meet the great Shiiva, the man that can take care of any of your needs here in Mysore, and even he doesn’t seem to have much to offer as for where to live. After wandering around and asking quite a bit, a find a beautiful little room across from a park, and settle in.
Indeed the yoga here is the most expensive one can find, but everything else is very inexpensive, even compared to Goa.

4:30pm registration to the shala opens, and at 12:30 there are already a few lining up outside. By 3:30 the road is filled with Yogis greeting each other, hugging and sharing stories, catching up from the last time they all met here.
Climbing up the stairs to the shala, filling out my form and counting my money. From the outside a few Japanese were organizing and guiding the eager students to the shala.
In the inside room, Sharat (Patabhis grandson and the one that pretty much runs the show now) is behind one table, with a beard, concentrating at his task. At the table next to him sits the great and famous Patabhi Jois also known as Guruji. He is wearing a brown wool hat that covers his head, ears and neck. He seems different than when I’ve seen him in NY some years back. His hands that have adjusted so many students, that have guided many to become great Ashtangis and devotees, are now resting on the table, adorned with gold and diamond rings, his eyes gazing over towards his grandson as he is doing hid tasks. Guruji seems only half present, yet he still wears a kind face as he sees so many of his long time students.
Across from him sits his daughter, Saraswati. She gets up, moves around and makes sure we all know what the new rate is.
Next, calls Sharat. I enter, place my stack on the table and await my faith; at what time will I need to show up for practice? He puts the money through an automatic money counter like in the bank then turns back to me, pulls out a card. The first shift is at 5:00. They have the advantage of not waiting. Sharat tells me 6:15 and then changes it to 5:45. The ones before and after me are at 5:00, not sure why. I think I was even hoping to be later, like 6:30. I admit that getting up before 5:00 has never been exciting for me unless it was to catch a plane for a great vacation once in many years.
The line is still long when I exit. To the coconut stand or home?
After celebrating my last night in Goa with a swim in the ocean followed by a delicious tandoori Pom frit at Shore Bar, my stomach is a bit sensitive, and I head home to rest. Curd and 12 hours of rest put me back on my feet, for a free day before the practice begins.