Rhinebeck - Sunday morning, April 28

Good morning!  Wow - what a breakfast - fruit in a crystal stemmed compote - tea in a lovely porcelain(?) teapot, scone, and French toast like I never tasted before - So many china plates and silverware I had to think about which plate and which tool to use for what.  Finally resorted to what felt natural.  All absolutely delightful!  This building is like going back in time to a more relaxed, carefree, take your time, place!  What a great way to begin intensive training!  Probably should plan on an ending night here, too.  But, it's time now to move on to Omega - hopefully with no serious misturns.  Is that a word?  Must be.  If not, it is now!  My email is totally messed up - even on my MacPro I can't get it to work.  Will try again on the Dell to see if I can get something to work, but don't count on it.  Blogging may be it for the next two weeks!  Or, text me.   I'll see if I can find a nerd at Omega to straighten me out - that'll be something, won't it!  Jaquie getting straightened out?  I don't think I'd like her very much if she did.  OK, so this is enough for now.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know tomorrow what this next leg of the trip was like - can't take more than an hour or so if I'm lucky.

Veranda Inn in Rhinebeck, NY

After a bit of a dramatic trip today, a wonderful time in this beautiful old inn and wandering in and out of the many shops here in Rhinebeck.  The trip got a bit longer than necessary when I missed an exit and had to drive about 40 miles to recover.  But, besides that, I thought I was on the east side of the Hudson River (where Rhinebeck is) and in fact I was on the west side!  Hard to explain how that happened except that I got eager to get off I-84 east and took the first thruway instead of continuing to the second one (river in between)  In any case, eventually I got the picture from a couple of guys at a marina and made it here still in under 3 hours.  THEN, after moving into my room and a quick visit with the English lady who is the proprietor, I had a short rest and then - then off to the shops.  Of course, I found bargains - I always do.  The most exciting - a pair of blue shoes (not navy) marked down from $148 to $30 (the last pair) Allegro, I think is the brand.)  Anyhow, couldn't turn those down.  Never had any medium blue shoes with ribbon laces AND arch supports!!!!  So, now that I know which side of the river I'm on - and have two, not one but two NY maps plus mapquest directions, my computer, AND the warning that I need to THINK about what I'm doing and at least follow some directions - I'm in good shape!  Actually, I think I'm off in lalaland somewhere besides Earth.  What a joy to be away from the usual environment for a bit.  Just finished off a good-sized pistachio gelato that has to be the best frozen dessert I've had since Ireland!  Remember the nightly ice creams, Jim?  Kathy: did you and I do that, too?  All is well here in the tiny town of Rhinebeck at the Veranda Inn.  Tomorrow afternoon I'll head out to Omega and begin my training at 3:00.  From then on, my blog posts will probably be scarce and shorter.

Traveling to Rhinebeck, NY

 Here it is already Thursday - no Friday!   Time flies when I'm having fun.  Am now in a Hampton Inn in Matamoras, PA.   Will drive short distance up to Rhinebeck, NY tomorrow for a night at the Veranda Bed and Breakfast in the Chrysanthemum Room.  If you're interested, google Rhinebeck b&b's and you can find it.  Looks like a fabulous room.  Unfortunately, I still haven't figured out how to get photos onto the blog using my new Macbook Pro and too many other good things to think about to do it now.  Left home Thursday morning at 7 and drove 395 miles to Staunton, VA by 2:30 pm.  Today, another 400 miles to Matamoras - interesting name is why I stopped.  Bob and I once bought 10 acres of New Mexico land in Matamoras, NM.  The drive through Virginia and Maryland and a small piece of W Va was absolutely gorgeous.  The redbud trees were prolific in the forests and in full bloom with their beautiful lavender color.  I have listened to CD's all the way - many of Ram Dass's which are my faves:  Conscious Aging, Pathways to Compassion, etc.  This is the fourth time I've listened to them and each time I get re-inspired to be more and do less.   Also enjoyed re-listening to Elaine Pagels "Gospel of Thomas."  Looking forward tomorrow and Sunday morning to spending time wandering the streets of Rhinebeck - did it last August when I was here and thoroughly enjoyed the tiny town of 2,000 or so with its delightful little shops and quaint b&b's - one for lunch last time.  This time, I'll have longer and will enjoy a whole night's stay in the Veranda Inn.

Yoga class sequence reversed

Had a great yoga class tonight - reversed the entire sequence and it was fun!  For years I've been starting standing and ending sitting - tonight we started sitting and ended standing!  Worked very well - nothing like a little change to keep my interest up!  Time is growing short now.  Tomorrow and Wednesday I'll be home, but leaving Thursday morning for a nice slow drive to Rhinebeck, NY and two weeks of shaman training with The Four Winds at Omega Institute.  In between weeks I'll have a weekend with Ed and Harriet Thomas in Delmar, NY.  How I'm looking forward to seeing them again - been much too long.  Still enjoying all the wonderful happenings for my birthday celebration - maybe I'll just celebrate all year long!

First Post on MacBook Pro

Wow!  I have a brand new MacBook Pro as of yesterday!  And, Luke has me at least able to do my blog - who knows - maybe even email.  But, at least I'm using it!  Stay with me and we'll see what I learn next!  Have to figure out how to get photos in - and then!  The sky's the limit.

Headstand

Did it!  On my 80th birthday - a headstand.
Been practicing lately to be sure I could still do one and lo and behold, I can!







Our second session of Finding Spirit Here Now yesterday afternoon we worked with our Earth Paintings in the woods and gathered for a photo.  We actually found two trees forming a fork in which to prop the camera and using the timer get all of us!  Talk about synchronicity.  Unfortunately Penny was not with us - maybe next week we'll get the whole group.  What a beautifully inspiring day it was  - certainly for me!  We found beech trees with some of the leftover brown leaves still on the trees and new green ones also on the same tree.  Yellow jasmine is blooming.  In just one week the change has been miraculous.  What was gray and brown is now green - the tiny leaves that are peeking out will by next week be much bigger and soon the forest will be so full of green it will be difficult to see our trail marking flags on the trees.  But, by now, we've packed down the leaves and mulch enough we can't lose our way..... No, the 3-holer hasn't been used in many years, but it's still standing.  Actually pretty upscale with lids and even a toilet paper holder on the wall at the upper left in the photo.  But no Sears Roebuck catalog!........other news - first hummingbird has shown up and began using the feeder no more than a half day after I hung it. 

No, I didn't drive, Todd did.  What a beautiful day it was - we left about 9 and returned about 7 after a fantastically beautiful day of riding to The Light Center near Black Mountain, NC and back down Hwy 9 to Heartspace grand opening - so we got in two spiritual retreat center visits in one day!!!  At the Light Center had our first exposure to color treatment where all the chakra colors were fed into us during a 35-minute meditation session.Great mid afternoon meal at Lake Bowen Fish Camp.  Mostly, on the trike all day.  The first stretch of interstate from Clinton to near Asheville was windy to say the least.  70 mph flying down the highway is absolutely exhilarating. The air actually smells and tastes better than usual - wonder what causes that?  There was an angel cloud formation leading us at one point.  Dogwoods and redbuds are blooming and thrift, and the sun was shining all day.

To the Mountains

Good morning!  Off to the NC mountains - Black Mountain - for a visit to a spiritual center.  First time -  don't know what to expect - except a new experience - and that's always exciting for me!  Looking forward to a great day!  Hope yours is too!

Life is Good

Once in a while an awakening is absolutely heavenly.  This morning was one of those.  I slept with my window open beside my bed and when I pulled up the shade I watched a chickadee building her nest in one of the rafters of the porch and listened to two frogs conversing while I watched the sunlight spread across the Pond as it rose higher from behind the trees.  As you can imagine, my morning meditation was good.  Speaking of that, last evening we ended our yoga class with some breathing practice (pranayama) and a meditation session listening to a Robert Gass CD of monks chanting Om.  It doesn't get any better than that.  The day was good too - finally cleaned out my small herb/veggie bed and planted a basil plant and two bell peppers.  Love getting my hands in the earth.  Life doesn't get any better than this! 

Suffering - Separation



Dr.Doolittle and Harry at The Yogatorium

This photo says "togetherness" to me. This morning I reviewed some of my papers and ran across this statement from Deepak Chopra's The Third Jesus - a teacher of enlightenment.  The separate self does not exist.  All suffering comes from feeling separate.  This is one of 14 principles he presented and is one most relevant to me this morning.  Strange that I sometimes do feel separate and suffer.  Then the question is how do we avoid feeling separate?  The obvious answer to me is by "giving back"  - As St. Francis is credited with saying ".....grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive..........."

Rainy Day Ponderings

Perhaps you'll enjoy seeing my home on the Pond, the Yogatorium and finally the cabin in the distance.  Some of you may not have actually been here - at least not for a while.  (Karen Mertens photo).  Today is another beautiful rainy morning!  I cannot believe how many of these days we've had - my favorite kind since I always feel free to stay in, look out the big window and watch the circles forming on the surface of the Pond.  This morning I have two candles burning that lit up the room earlier this morning enough to read by!  Somehow I feel permission to "Just Be" on days like this which, usually, turn out to be some of my most productive thinking, writing, meditating, and contemplating times.  Those activities that make life worth living!  At least for me.  Of course, a day or two of this is enough.  Then it's time to switch gears and be outside.  Just yesterday I bought my first new plants this year - basil, and a couple of bell peppers.  Even before I cleaned out the bed.  So, when the sun shines, I'll get to do that - put my hands in the dirt and add a bit of new life to it, wake it up from its sleep, and stick the new plants in the ground.  In my walk in the woods yesterday I found a whole collection of brightly colored red maple seeds on the ground - I'll plant a few of those also and see what happens, maybe in a pot.  Did you know there is something red on a red maple (acer rubrum sp.) year round?  Seeds, flowers, leaves, and even twigs in the dead of winter!

It Takes a Village

This morning's meditation revealed - "It takes a village."  So, I've spent an hour or so contemplating this.  In my spiritual journey, I am definitely taking advantage of being a part of a village where each member is seeking her or his own truth.  Without these partners - soul sisters and brothers - the journey would be very difficult and certainly more frustrating.  The frustration comes from not knowing.  After all, that is the intention - to know.  Each step is more fruitful with support.  Providing support for other village members is part of the trip, too, and perhaps the most beneficial for my own work.  This morning I am so very grateful for all contributors to my own understanding - people, plants, animals - all of creation.  I've been spending more time outside looking, feeling, hearing, smelling, and breathing - communicating and growing.  Green is showing up in new places every day.  I, too, am gradually, slowly, becoming anew.  13 Thanks to all of my accompanying brothers and sisters - my soul village.