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.