wander world wonder

America North

2009-06-10T04:43:00.004+09:00

i cant believe that i am back in the usa. 5 months flew by at the most relaxed and contented cadence. so much happened and i feel like my brain downloaded a lot of new data. south america is a wonderful continent and has everything any adventure seeker could want. from culture to ecology, mountains to big cities, amazon to desert and plenty of smiling faces in between. i am already scheming on how to get back here in the future and keep learning from this place and all its history and people.
and last but not least, after 6 years no cut, new hair:

:) my mom was happy

Jama-Coaqua Reserve

2009-05-05T23:39:00.004+09:00

The Third Millennium Alliance is an organization that i heard about from a friend, erinn, in fort collins. two years ago her brother, another american and an ecuadorian started buying formally deforested land in the cloud and rainforests of western Ecuador via donations and fund rasing efforts. this area was one of heaviest deforestation zones in the world and all but began to cripple the local ecology. in rainforrests moisture is not held in the ground or soil or weather, but rather in the forest itself. once trees and plants begin to be cleared, the water of the overall system leaves with it and the surrounding areas come into risk as well. the coastal forests drive moisture into the air and directly bring weather patters deep into the interior of continents. without coastal vegetation the whole country is at great risk of turning to desert. in western ecuador there is only 3% of the coastal forrest that once were, making this area incredible important and a perfect example of the problems we face. without coastal forests the amazon is in dire distress of losing out on the moist winds from the ocean.

The idea of the farm that i am at currently is to work on viable and sustainable methods of reforestation and community involvement with surround farmers to be good stewards of their land in order conserve the precious forest. as globalization and materialism moved to south america, US companies saw no intrinsic value in rainforrest. in a capitalistic system things only have value when commidified and turned into a product. here that meant clear cutting for timber, slash and burn for cash crops like corn and deforestation for cattle raising. as people lost their land and habitats that used to sustain life, they increasingly needed to follow suit with their land, sell it off to companies and take jobs in the growing cities. this rapid change crippled local economies and destroyed thousands of acres of important forest.
Using the ideas of permaculture the Third Millinium Allience is farming with what is called agroforesty. in this system plants like banana, cacao, coffee, orange, nuts, vegetables and endimic tree spiecies are planted together in a cohesive system. the forest is replanted with trees that are native and farming still takes place in a balanced way. this system allows for forest to begin to flourish while subsistence farming allows for abundant life to thrive.

With those goals in mind our usual days are involved in cataloging local plants, working in the garden, talking with the surrounding communities, experimenting with new ideas in growing and enjoying the howler monkeys. in working with the local community the alliance is learning form their knowledge of the area and helping develop ways to strengthen true wealth, education, take care of the river basin, revive the forest and insure this area is protected for life. locals are really open to our ideas and they have taught us so much about the intense jungle that surrounds us with puma, jaguars, vipers, hummingbirds, monkeys, butterflies and countless others in the most ecologically diverse country on earth. its a group effort.

our kitchen that just added a "wetlands" filtration system fro the waste water leaving the sink. we pipe the drain into a 55 gallon drum filled with a gravel and sand mixture with long rooted wet plants growing in it to clean the water to use in watering the veggie garden below.

this is an oven that i designed with the help of the internet. i salvaged the materials from in town and am currently making a mix of clay and sand from the area into a super strong material called cob. the mud mix will cover the top and sides of the drum and a fire will burn below to heat the drum for pizza and bread. ummmm, baking.
literally cloud forest
this is agroforestry in process. in this section of earth their is reforestation while cacoa, papaya peas and bananas are grown for eating. as the forest replenishes itself the farmer still has enough food to feed his family and trade in town.

our wall-free locally harvested bamboo home tucked into the forest.

bird of paradise

the living room
in only 2 short years the alliance has already done so much. they have a great connection to the community and personally protect hundreds of acres of rainforest. there are tons of plans for the future including carbon trading, in town community center, education workshops, eco tourism and more integration with what the locals envision for their lives. up to now all the money has been raised grassroots style and soon the reserve will be self-sustaining with its heaps of programs. unlike many other projects, this one is truly whole-istic and grounded firmly in working together with nature in order to find the balance between what mother nature knows and what humans need to survive on an earth that has begun to truly reach its current carrying capacity. not only is the project oriented in really positive and mindful ways, but life is awesome here. we have no power, no communication, no fridge, composting toilets, fresh fruit and peaceful days. we are free to play with any ideas we have and try to create cheap and appropriate technologies to share with others in the area. days pass slowly and i find myself feeling truly connected to all the work i do throughout the day. without the distractions of modern life i truly know where my energy comes from and where it goes... plus there has only been two huge tarantulas on my bed at night so far....
for more info on this sweet organization check their website and the links it hosts:
http://www.3malliance.org/

love to you all!
i am headed back to the good ole colorado in three weeks and excited to see everyone again. on a side note, i just was accepted to humboldt state university in arcata, CA for a masters in social work this coming summer. i am excited to continue learning and explore the redwoods of northern california starting in july. my time in colo will be short this go round, but lets get together and share and play.
rather than hoping all is well, i encourage us all to make things well. we control our lives and fate of this planet. every moment is one to turn it all around and open ourselves to unlimited bliss that flows in each of us constantly.
in love and light
namaste

krishna round 2

2009-05-05T22:56:00.005+09:00

Eco-Truly Park Peru

i had the chance to stay at another hare krishna intentional farm and yoga community just a few hours outside lima, peru for a few weeks. the basic premise of the site was to both be a space for spiritual study for monks from around the world as well as provide a setting for agricultural and societal education to day vistors from the city and long time international volunteers alike. the area was amazing and located right on the beach. all surrounding the farm were massive sand hills and dry harsh desert. the farm itself was literally on sandy soil but over time and with the correct rotaion of crops enough nutrients have been injecting organically in the soil to allow for growing numerous plants.
when tourists came to the farm they were treated to fresh local organic vegetarian food and given information on diet, composting, alternative energy, ayurvedic medicine, meditation, yoga, self-composting toilets and off-the-grid living. i really enjoyed the balance of giving information and not pushing their religious beliefs too hard. it seem that the main goal was to present ideas about a more sustainable future and opening the door to spirituality if people were interested. there is a huge and growing network of hare krishna communities all over south america and they are really, in my opinion, doing some amazing work. in a time where many south american countries are on the verge of moving towards becoming fully "developed" counties there is a huge push to join full force into the consumer materialism of the West. while americans and europeans enjoy a seemingly high standard of living its important to realize how detached and unhealthy our societies have become and the extreme natural resource exploitation that has been a necessity to reach this point. the Krishnas are reminding people not far removed from smaller community living, that being self-sufficient is a REAL measure of wealth and allows for ownership over one's life. peru is experiencing a huge boom in credit card use and millions are falling into debt that will control their lives for years to come. as people struggle to follow the west and enjoy the pleasures of abundance, now is a critical time to explore new ways of reaching that level without making the same ecological and spiritual sacrifices that we have made in the USA.
what better way to convince and expose others to forward thinking ideas than to live what you preach fully and invite others to experience it for themselves.

windmill water pump from the well. the park also had solar dryers, solar water heaters and examples of water distillers.
this castle like space was the male ashram, or spiritual sleeping space

misty mornig of the community surrounded by tree and vegitation emerging as if by magic from the sandy beach.

as soon as anyone walked onto the property they always remarked at the sense of peace they felt just by being surrounded by spiritually minded people and carefully constructed buildings in the midst of trees, veggies and peacocks. i loved being here and days filled with yoga, crafts, farming and smiles were a joy. there were volunteers from all over the world present: austrailia, finland, slovokia, ireland, other boulderites, swisserland, argentina, germany and of course peru. what a place perfect for the crystallization of ideas and community involvement. after seeing the way that the spanish catholics ravigaed south america centuries ago and reading about US oil companies drainig resources and corporations fighting to control the leaders, its incredibly refreshing to see and outside institution offering true help in such a way that it is only offered and provided as an alternative. nothing forced only love being openly shared.
hare krishna!

Pics from the road

2009-03-31T09:11:00.004+09:00

lots of fun times have happened in the last month on my new favorite continent. from cruising valparaiso scoping graffeti to spending time in the dryest place on earth to floating the amazon with my family to perusing machu pichu to seeing condors fly canyon twice as deep as the grand and finally climbing a 20,000 foot mountain. its been quite the adventure and i have spent many an hour on overnight buses, quick flights and hecktic taxi rides. i have been stomache sick, altitude drunk and upside down alot. i could go on and on but i will let the images and captions speak for themselves. click the following link to reach my picasa album and view my sometimes shotty photography mixed with a few stunners:
PHOTO PHUN
hope all is well.
in love and light.

permaculture

2009-03-07T02:36:00.011+09:00

through a heap of synchnicities including power outages, chance encounters and smiles, i was able to find a permaculutre farm near El Bolson, Argentina at which to donate my time and energy towards while learning about sustainible living. i spent two weeks sharing on this four-year old farm near the rio azul and gained more practical knowledge than i could have read in dozens of books. what is permaculture one might ask? here is a brief descrption, from a book :)
¨Permaculture is about designing ecological human habitats and food production systems. It is a land use and community building movement which strives for the harmonious integration of human dwellings, microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, and water into stable, productive communities. The focus is not on these elements themselves, but rather on the relationships created among them by the way we place them in the landscape. This synergy is further enhanced by mimicking patterns found in nature. ¨ -Introduction to Permaculture: Concepts and Resources. By Steve Diver, ATTRA Publication #CT083. 2002

i was glad to have been able to find a place such as this farm. it is operated by an awesome young man named alex who is an american that grew up in indosesia, studied in the usa and has been living in argentina for 5 years. he is very involved with the local community both as a farmer and a teacher at a waldorf school, and has a steady stream of volunteers from all over the world as well as locals who help keep the farm going. the main theme was experimentation. we were constanly trying out new ideas and imporoving upon old ones. new planiting ideas, new ways to regulate the chickens, new kinds of cheese, new mud for the walls, new kinds of foods and new ways of interacting with one another. there was no electricity on the farm and we relied on a wood burning stove and earthen oven for cooking, a nearby spring for water, a solar dryer for dehydration, composting toilets eggs form the chickens and a cow for yoghert, cheese and milk. i felt totally connected to everything on the farm, all my work and all the food. it was a wonderfully freeing feeling to be close to total self-sufecietcy and know that if all else failed there was food in the earth to eat and good company to relax in candle light with.
most of my time was spent building a kitchen and community center. we built in a totally natural way using wood from the surrounding area, straw from the farm, glass form recycled bottles, mud and clay from the earth and love from our hearts. the foundation was river rocks, followed by home made pallets of wood filled with straw and covered with a mud mixture that hardend as if it was concrete. i was also involved in chicken rangering, cooking, bamboo curing, plant seeding, seed saving, harvesting, jam making, weed eating (literally), wheat and rye threshing, wood chopping, foundation laying, sanding and just about anything life related. my time was apparently short, but i feel as though i experienced so much. i am very greatful to have had the chance to learn and so happy to have met all the wonderful people that take part in the farm.

permaculture, and this farm in general, are not methods of returing to times past. they are not soley for an escape from technology or the world at large, but they are rather well thought out designs for living in harmony with nature and our true selves while existing simply and abundatly by ones own means. the methodology may seem to hint to days past, but really it is a leap forward while using time tested practices and nature as a true teacher and provider.it is a (re)evolution of how we look at our lives and our connection to food and the world around us. the farm is down in the valley to the right.
the growing areas which are divided into allyes, mandalas and regions is situated in order to provided the most benifit to all plants. everything is planted in rotation, near to other natural helpers and cover-crops of ryes are used after each cycle to repelntish the nitrogen to the earth. cereals and grains are grown further to the right along with a few different species of maize.

night time dinner of farm goodies

door to the kitchen with re-used wine bottles for decoration above it. the sign reads: dance with roots in the ground, energy of the wind, flow of the water, and the joyful spirit of the fire. lets dance together!

home-made and self-invented wheat-thresher with the lovely girls from oregon workin it. truly an amazing inverntion that may end up revoltionizing small farm abilities in the area and abroad as small portable threshers are not today readily avalible. the creator used an old lawn-mower engine and welded this amazing invertion to life. it produced perfect seeds and saved much time and energy.

fish caught via harpoon in the river running next to the farm. the fish was over a meter long and weighed at least 50 pounds! the fisherman above, pastore, was a wiz with both his harpoon and a chaisaw which he used for everything from sanding to trimming to precision building to standing with one leg on the second story creating a notch for the roof while upside-down....

inside of alexs house, hand built and perfeced.

outside view of the house which is in perfect ratio geometry of the human body, seven sided and has a living roof for temp control and shelter.

farm with kitchen in the background.

bio-intensive mandala garden for transplatable veggies and fragile plants.

me making jam from wild blackberries and apples i harvested from the forrest surrounding the farm. sooo delicious.

community work day. some fellow permaculturists from a nearby center come on sudays to help and share a feast of fresh food.

community. communities build upon everything. from relgion to gangs, for support or on facebook, sports, schooling and work, art and music, on the internet and for everything in between. community is what humans do to feel connected and it is how we organize and find meaning. its really powerful to be a part of a community that surrounds something as vital as food and shares everything in order to survive. communities unite us. food sustains us. our homes we create define us. spirituality insipires us. any combination is a whirlwind of creativity, love and warmth. thanks for being in a community with me, no matter how far apart we may be. love and blessings.

namaste

patagonia

2009-03-01T06:44:00.005+09:00

mountains again. as the bus sped along on a 24 hour long ride accros the heart of argentina, we passed from cities quickly to grassland, then steadily to a desert with red stone and mesas, through a lake district and then, boom, mountains surge to the sky. the peaks of the range were jagged and full of growth still as they slowly creep trying to join the large blue sky above. it always feels good to return to the mountains after being in flat land and these peaks did not disapoint. i spent a few nights in a wonderful town called El Bolson. it sits in a valley with towering peaks all around and called to me due to its flourishing movement of permaculutre farms (more on this later), artists, microbrewerys and hiking terrain. the town felt like a music festival should feel with colorful people everywhere, street vending, impromptu concerts and plenty of well-worn travelers sharing stories over a beer in the park. about nine years ago argentina suffered an economic collapse which saw multiple presidents in a month, huge infaltaion and loss of bank security. to shield themselves from the market, the hype and to find a solution, El Bolson decided to stop using pesos. they instead had meetings at the local school once a week and set out whatever goods they had to share. a barter system emerged and sustained the town, increased its cohesiveness and openned its doors to a new way interaction. money returned to the town a while after the crisis settled, but the vibe is still one of sharing, community and freedom. beautiful.
after soaking in the town for a few days i set off for the mountains above it. i hiked along the rio raqhel and rio azul up towards their source looming overhead. the forrest was lush and the trail steep. as i climbed upwards, solo through the forrest my legs slowly remembered hiking, my lungs adjusted to altitude and my mind felt free to roam the thoughts that seems to always to be ever more peaceful the higher i climb. after a long hike filled with many relaxation breaks and yerba mate sessions, i reached a rufugio (literally: refuge). these wonderful encampments are houses scatterd through the mountains in patagonia and have a family or group operating shelter, camp sites, homecooked food and kitchen space, often with cervesa casera (home brew) and rest for weary legs. these little shelters are a welcome sight to trekkers and facilitate a great place to kick back and chat with fellows mountaineers. it was a perfect balance for me to hike alone with my thoughts during the day and share a warm meal with new friends after the sun had set.
someone told me pictures are worth a thousand words.....

valley of the rio raqchel below.

there is something quite satifying about following a river from its place of use in a city all the way to its roots above. the water grew ever cleaner, colder until the snowcone in the sky became visable with a pristine lake trickeling away. my first glacer up close. wow.

headwaters forming

rufugio hielo azul offed smile and cider-like home brew

rugugio natacion with a lake on its toes and a large grey backbone behind.

refugio cajon azul had its own organic garden to select diner from as well as some sheep, cows and a horse or two... fresh beets in the mounts, ummmm

my little week long trek cleared my head and slowed my pace. after 8 hour days in hare krishna farm land, its was nice to unwind with some cool mountain air.

along the way i met a guy from seattle at one of the refugios. we were talking about the usa and i brought up the wahhhh wahhh economy (just for jason). we quicky skirted the issue to avoid falling in the void of sorrow that the conversation often brings these days. later i asked him what he did back home. his reply ¨well, the wahh wahh economy got me laid off...¨ before i could offer condolences i realized, he was in patagonia! he was smiling! he was living! its real when you lose your job. its not just absract economy talk. but its even more real to take your chance and live it up in patagonia. this guy turned wahhh wahh into hooooraaaaayyyy! its always how you slice the situation that creates reality. things ¨happen¨ to us all the time, but it is how we that react which makes it what it is. it is us who chooses what the outcome is. nothing happens, we make it, we manifest it. what do we want to make today.....? do we want to transform society back to one with mutuality and fair trading el bolson style? do we want to sieze our freedom and follow our hearts intution? if there is a bleak situation, its often the best chance to turnit all around. there is always light to be found when you look hard enough.....
make it a great day.

wishing love and bliss to all.
ananda
namaste

hare krishna, hare krishna

2009-02-08T00:03:00.008+09:00

For the last few weeks i have been staying at an organic eco village just outside of buenos aires, argentina. the space is owned by a group of hare krishna monks and familes. the land has been dubed "nuevo vrindavan" as in, new vrindivan, as in paying homage to the city in india where hare krishnas make pilgramiage. its a little slice of peace here, and there is plenty of smiles and work to be done. we wake just as dawn rises and begin the day with fresh fruit, chapati (unlevend indian style bread), some date jam and non-caffinated tea. then its out to the farm to work the land and mostly weed. my first new word in spanish: desushando - i am weeding, becasue that is pretty much my life. after a solid 5 hours of bending and chating and handstands and stretching and laughing, the hot sun becomes too much to handle and siesta time insues. a large meal nececitates a larger nap and a good book in my newly aquired hammock. after a nice 4 hour relaxation its off to water the plants, harvest and sow some seeds of joy for later.
after using my hands mostly for typing on computers and juggling in the states, it took some new calluses and some yerba mate to keep me going at first, but i soon remebered my roots and my past laboring jobs... the work in the afternoon is only 3 hoursish and night time allows for sunsets, reading, yoga and some meditation. it really is the simple life, and i am feeling pure and refreshed after the tangled web of buenos aires and packed hostels.
i am here as part of an org called wwoof which is an international organization of organic farms with palcements for workers/volunteers. you trade 30-40 hours of work a week for food and lodging. as of now, at this farm, there is one other volunteer, just so happens he is from good ole boulder colorado as well... super wierd.
the monks have been a pleasure and have given me some good practice with spanish as well as in depth conversations about their views on the world. the farm work is rewarding and feels good to have bare feet in the soil, move compost, save plants form weeds and use practical intuative knowledge to solve problems. the cooking has been phenomenal, especially since arginitina as a whole is known for its steak and not its vegitarian dishes. gotta love the hindu relgion´s reverence for cows!! we eat super fresh simple dishes packed with veggies from the farm and near by neighbors. the food is blessed by a series of mudras, chants and meditations and is free of spiciness, garlic and onions (casue they stir the sense too much). all said and done, its delicious.

the farm is to the left of the under construction "truly templeo" which is to be a shrine and place of worship for krishna. the building is built of earthen bricks, cement and old glass bottles for a pattern and light.

dawn rises. so do i.

desushando. weeding. i am weeding. it reminds me of when i was at the zen buddhist center in japan, my mantra was then as it is now, "i am weeding." :)

a peek at the grounds.

sharing yerba mate with farm jeffe Bocha. not a hare krishna, but a local that come to help out on the farm. he left boliva on foot when he was 15 and came down here to find work. good man.

FOOOOOOD!!!!!!! such delightful dishes delicately dashed with drops of love....

hare krishnas are devotees to lord krishna an earthly encarnation of the unmanifest all pervading God of the universe. he is often likened to jesus christ. through singing, chanting, meditation and dedicated work, they have divine communine with their lord, now and for all eternity. krishna is the rain cloud that puts out the fires of earth material pain. joyful hearts have they, open eyes have they, inward focus to that which connects us all have they, enchanting songs have they:
hare krishna, hare krishna,
krishna krishna, hare hare,
hare rama, hare rama,
rama rama,
hare hare!

peace be to thee
aum, shanti shanti
ananda

Cataratas del Iguazú

2009-02-01T01:36:00.005+09:00

the wonderous waterfalls of Iguazu took my breath and deaf´ed my ears.
such a sight to behold, such a power to feel.
the falls stretch almost as far as the eye can see and
the rush can be heard long before the eyes take hold.
the grace of the spendor is almost dwarfed by the seemingly motionless -frozen in time- single drop that is alone one, apart from the whole, as it free falls from the top only to soon rejoin its kind again beneith.
what magic, what bliss.

buenas dias, buenos aires

2009-02-01T00:35:00.003+09:00

as my plane decended into "la ciudad", fire burned the night sky back and day reared its glorious head onto my wing and journey. a bright star rising to greet me on my freshy begun expedition is surely a good omen for days to come....

thailand is....

2008-08-15T14:37:00.005+09:00

an awesome place. we arrived in the crazy and polluted city of bankok straight from india. its a fun place to get lost in, but a bit overwhelming when all is said and done. after a few days in the capital we mounted a train bound north for the chang mai valley. getting out of the cities in thailand makes everything change dramatically. there are smiles everywhere and people, both thais and tourists, move really really slow. no one is in a hurry to get anywhere and are content to meander around and take in the jungle air and mountain vistas. post chang mai we moved up to a wonderful little village called pai (although its pronounced bye) and stayed in a bungalow for 3 bucks night. our views were of rice paddies and hills and we rented scooters to peruse the country side. end talk, start pics:

the north was amazing, but we were aching for some beach time so we put in a lot of "work" to make a 36 hour trip complete with buses, taxis, overnight trains, ferries and a little walking to make it to the blissful island of koh phanghan. the island moved even slower, if possible, that life in the north. our days were full of sunshine, great food and tons of great people to talk with. we were taken care of by the owner of our huts with tones of love by mamma bela (fisrt pic below). the time was paradise and as we left we were already scheming on how to get back here soon. after doing work and moving through the hectic life that is india, coming to thailand was the perfect way to cool down. from intensity and making calculations on travel, how to work with kids, dealing with lessons plans and expending energy, this wonderful country took me in and filled me with energy once again.

the games begin

2008-08-08T16:08:00.000+09:00

the Olympics come to china in under two weeks (the above graphic is old, but from right up the street from my flat). its kinda a big deal. i dont know what the atmosphere has been like in the states of late, but i can tell you that it is a hot topic in the Tibetan section of dharamsala, india, home to the dali lama. i have met quite a few monks, Tibetans, Indians, fellow travelers and others who gravitate towards sharing their view on the issue. things have ranged from utter hatred for china, all the way to feelings of insult from the world community for what the Olympics stand for: peace and global participation.

every corner in dharamsala is covered in posters condemning the Chinese and encouraging a boycott of the upcoming games. and why not? china has killed thousands, ruined the culture of one of our most preserved spiritual nations, displaced thousands, turned Lhasa into Disneyland China, and spread misinformation about the dali lama and culture in general. Tibetans in exile have been away from home longer than they were there. the traditions are dying, the youth have no sense of roots and the Maoist communist machine is preaching its "religion is poison" rhetoric till the water Buffalo come home. its sad.

on the other hand, china is so poised to look good on the global stage that the games have made them reconsider some of their environmental policies and attempt to try to 'green' Beijing. this may be mostly a farce in attempt to con the world into thinking that they have altruistic intentions about environmental code, but none the less it has produced results including the removal of millions of cars from the streets of the capital city. it wont last most likely, but its a step.

these games come at a crucial time in the history of our modern world. there are real forces in conflict right now and many of the old ways seem to be dying. there is a revitalization in knowledge and understating, there is a grassroots effort on many fronts pushing for a better tomorrow, there are policies in the mix that could change our world. but as unenlightened creatures die, they always struggle the hardest to hold on. we are witnessing that with oil companies, the record industry, the bush administration and forces of evil everywhere. they are losing ground and are fighting back with a vengeance as often as they can.

when i look to china, i see them on the offensive so hard that there is no system to check them. the world at large fears china, and they own so much of the US's economic interests that we would never say anything directly to them. they are in danger of leaping ahead and yet learning nothing from the mistakes of the industrialized nations that came before. they are beginning to consume culture, even destroy other's cultures, on a rapid and uncontrolled pace like never before.

then the Olympics come. the spotlights turn on china and people begin talking. people protest the torch. leaders say that will skip opening ceremonies. Tibetans envision a return home after china breaks under the pressure.
and yet, i see nothing changing. all the countries of the world attempt to hide from their own mistakes by pointing the country that has made more than them. China have become the scapegoat for climate change and seemingly absolve us from our responsibility. they pretend to have talks with the dali lama's envoy, but nothing seems to be changing.

so what do we do? (besides not shopping at wal-mart)

i was talking to a tibetan buddhist monk about this very situation. he became quite heated as the discussion began and i played devils advocate to extract his entire view. he was borderline angry when we discussed him fleeing the country 40 years ago through the mountains, or his family being killed, or friends being jailed, or the fact that he cant travel to any other country because of his refugee status, or his sentiments for monks that get beaten in the streets, or that young Tibetans will not know their heritage, or that.... and yet when i asked him how he FELT about it, he said: "well actually, i am HAPPY!!" smiling and laughing as if to shake away the contempt that was ALMOST present in his voice during our previous dialogue. he giggled i understood that no matter what anyone does, this monk can always retreat to the place where we are all one, nothing is undone and bliss penetrates every pore. it was a powerful moment.

we cant change the past. we cant control the present. we cant predict the future. but we can always change the way we relate to everything and we can always find shelter somewhere.
as we move forward trying create and manifest a culture and world that plays by rules that are fair, loving, creative and just, always remember there is a place to go when the going gets tough. i will see you there. love to you all from india.

Himalayan vistas

2008-07-22T18:24:00.007+09:00

while the views are spectacular from my flat in dhramsala, nothing quite took my breath away like this 9 hour round-trip hike to a saddle in the sky known as triund. we arose early and began hiking around 8 am. the trail was oft steep and slippery, while other times it was just a soft meander through thick forests and heavy fog. the day was filled with moments where we could see 10 feet, were getting soaked, and surrounded by a cloud, then in a flash the sky would open up and we could see peaks ahead of us and the very villaged valleys below. it was a nice way to hike. we never quite knew the destination above nor where we had been before. we were stuck in the moment and had no choice but to remain in the NOW and see what was near us at the time. the fog allowed each curve to be noted, each tree to glisten with dew and the views to be all important when it was their turn. as we trudged and navigated, the heavens would momentarily reveal their jewels and we would have grand visions of the entire mystery around us. it was magikal.

(click pics for full vision)

view back towards dharamsala. my flat is at about 6000 feet and the hike brought us to 10,000.

at the very top there was a guy who had carried a tea shop up. nice place to relax and grab a creamy chai, but a weird sight to see none-the-less...

the golden temple

2008-07-09T21:16:00.002+09:00

the golden temple is a Sikh temple in Amritsar, India. the religion is fairly new as it was founded in the 1400's by a man who was fed up with both Islam and Hindu dogma. he refined the teachings of both religions and met somewhere in the middle of the two. there are no dietary restrictions, ascetisim or extreme fundamentals. the sikh wear turbans and do not cut their beards or hair. they are aligned most often with the warrior caste and most carry a small sword they receive when they are young. the original guru, called guru nanak, wrote hymns and text while stressing living well and meditating in GOD daily. i have met a few sikhs and they are a peaceful and accepting bunch. there are around 20 million sikhs in India and 100,000 in the US as well.

we arrived at the temple around 3:30 AM and as we approached there were sikhs leaving ready to start their day after participating with their GOD. as we entered barefoot, we washed our feet and passed into a huge building surrounding an even larger seeming courtyard. the golden temple was ablaze with light reflecting from is gold plated surface as it sat on an island surrounded by water known as the "pool of nectar." i almost fell over. there were people still sleeping, bathing and wrapping their turbans. the vibe was peaceful and still. anyone is allowed to sleep in the outer temple area and free food is served at dawn and dusk. there were thousands present we we arrived.

the golden temple houses the original book of hymns in the religion. each morning at 4:30am it is "woken up" by bringing it down the long and skinny path that connects the temple island to the main courtyard. it is "put to bed" at about 10:15pm each night. both ceremonies are full of ritual and are attended by those that live in the area as well as pilgrims from around the world.
my friends and i were the only westerners in sight and few seemed to notice or care. we walked the path through the 'pool of nectar' while ebbing and flowing with the crowd seeking the glowing building in the center. the energy was so think in the air i could almost grab it. people were focused, very close and yet calm and collected. no one was rushing and any pushing seemed to lack any ill-intent.
the building was as stunning inside as it was out. there were tons of bright colors and intricate patterns. the floor and base of the building was inlaid white marble with depictions of flowers tracing all over. i felt as though i was not processing any of the surroundings but was rather tuned into the whole experience on a different level. i could FEEL what was around me. i could feel the chants and hymms that came as the book was opened and all the people turned to face it it. i could feel the calmness as i meditated on the roof of the temple. i could FEEL. it was one of the the most magical experience of my life.

dawn rises on the temple.

the path leading from the right is the narrow passage from the outside walkway. the building in the distance is the outer ring of courtyard and is mirrored on the other side. the place is entirely different from the bustling and dirty city outside it. it is a whole new reality with an entirely different ambiance, flavor, felling and character than any place i have been.

"i climbed to dharamsala"

2008-07-09T20:33:00.004+09:00

these are some views form my neck of the woods. most of the days have cloud cover and rain for at least part of the time. some days the viability is 10 feet and others we can see a few hundred miles to another range in the distance far from the hill we are perched on. as with all the pictures on this blog, you can click for a larger high-resolution image.

my flat has a huge balcony on it and quite the expansive views. great place for stretching and sitting in the mornings with a little breakfast and the "Hindustan times" newspaper. the area below is the kangra valley.

view from backside of my flat.

it took a few days after my arrival to see the gray peaks of the Himalayas behind dharamsala and above the plush green hills that protect them. most days they poke their head out for just an instant and often they sleep behind the soft comfy curtain of cloudy cover.

a hiking trail a few minutes beyond upper dharamsala and 10 mins from my flat, offers glorious views. since it is monsoon season there are big rivers, little streams and water flowing downhill anywhere it finds a seam.

ummmmm.... glorious. meadow with Pegasus chillin for the evening chow down. glorious.

after a month in this wondrous place, the beauty still never escapes me. every morning i am still awed by the nature that i am engulfed in. every afternoon as the clouds rush up the hill beside me on their search for a slow ascent towards the peaks above, i am floored. each night the stars in their bright clarity give me hours of stare time. i feel as though i can understand why everyone whom i have met here, rich and poor, young and old, able-bodied or not, always have a calm and pleasant nature to them. how can one not be at peace when this is what the know of the world...?

a day in the life... or something

2008-07-04T17:49:00.004+09:00

i can't believe that 3 weeks have already passed here in dharamsala. its been quite the experience. a majority of the volunteers left yesterday as the most popular duration is 3 weeks (mine is 6 weeks). of the original 27, there are only seven of us here for the weekend as we await the new group due on tuesday. it was sad to see people leave as we had all become surprisingly close in such a short amount of time. good memories and people to visit in future to come.

as mentioned previously, my volute er time at the special school is quite exciting as we are in the final preparations for moving to the new school. i have been busy doing regular classes while also trying to help out with the new place. the opening party is scheduled for the 14th of july and we are expecting around 50 people to show. its great to watch the project move towards fruition. the school looks amazing and is equipped with hand painted stars, clouds, fruits, veggies, numbers and the alphabet. we just got a computer, curtains, new lights and there is mini-garden in the works. these kids are getting an amazing facility, great staff and fully deserve this blessing.

my days are long but move swiftly and are often quite stimulating. as of now, the special school is only in session in the mornings. i have been running the class of 4 lately as the teacher and other staff are trying to crunch out the final details on the new space. we usually start the day with some simple yoga poses and exercises to get the blood flowing. all of the kids have some form of physical difficulties so we do a wide range of things from stretches to jumping to wrist and head rolls. its one of my favorite parts of the morning. we usually move into sign language next. there is a set of like 30 signs that use a modified form american standard and are geared at helping us all communicate about basic things. the kids like to test me on my ability and laugh hysterically if i mess up a little. we are also working on hindi, math and english with three of the students both in notebooks and on the computer. they are all at different levels and it took me a few days to figure out what sorts of exercises and homework were both challenging and possible. one of the hardest things to communicate has been the concept of carrying when adding larger numbers. using beads, fingers and tick marks have been the fail safes. the end of the morning always involves bananas, cookies, parachutes, balls and fun matching games. we also do the india version of chutes and ladders, which manifests as snakes and stairs... fun times. i loving the challenge and smiles that each day brings and i have a HUGE respect for those that teach special ed on the regular, it is both a skill and an art.

since school is over in the afternoons i have experimented with a few different activities. some afternoons involve painting aforementioned walls at the school and others are for reading, naps and wandering/wondering. i also have spent some time volunteering in the tibetan section of town, called Mcloud Ganj, teaching conversational english to exiled monks and students at a place called the hope center. the stories of escape from china are always the intro and its great to hear first hand about Buddhism and life as a refugee. also, earlier this week i had a chance to listen to a lecture by the head of the national tibetan library, which is located a few minutes from my flat. the monk was amazing and had the most gentle and sincere candor of anyone i have ever met. his previous job was accompanying the dali lama on his foreign trips and serving in his cabinet, so he had quite the inside scoop on the man, his plans for tibet, talks with china and what enlightenment means/feels like. he uploaded tons of data into our brains and did it with the jolliest of smiles. i got the ask the final question of the session and had my mind blown by his explanation of "emptiness." woa.

while i am at the halfway point in volunteer time, it is still new everyday and india always has surprises. i am interested to meet the new volunteers and take some more weekend trips around the area. on a side note: a yogi just opened a studio next door to me this morning and rocked my world with new-to-me postures and a segment of laughter yoga along with tons of breathing techniques. his eyes are bright and full of playful joy as they dance in the candle light of early morning. holy moly.

life has been good and i feel very privileged to be on this adventure. it is so rewarding to give and receive on such a visceral yet somehow still mystical level with the kids, other volunteers and the culture. i feel that i am learning sooo much and absorbing information all the time. my voice has also become strong and i have ended up in some pretty interesting conversations with anyone that will listen and share with the kid who has an octopus on his head :)

it is really powerful to wake to a disastrous newspaper headline from the world at-large and then bear witness to those in the trenches finding the pure beauty that always accompanies its negative opposite half. it is sometimes hard to see the light in the midst of despair and fear, but it is always there, it just takes a correctly focused set of eye-minds....

wishing bliss everywhere to all.
i love india.
i love you.
namaste.

many little solutions add up...

2008-06-30T21:20:00.003+09:00

the special school that i have been working at in dharamsala is only a temporary solution to the need for a school that supplies specific educational resources to a vastly under-represented population. a few years ago a former CCS volunteer (my program) was involved in the special school program and fell in love with the kids. upon ending his volunteer time he found out that the program was temporary and was to be terminated shortly due to lack of organization and funding. when he returned to the states he felt his calling and started his NGO "harmony through education." his idea was to set up schools for the mentally and physically differently-abled populations in developing countries and provide a jump off for these kids and their families. over the last few years he has been raising money and planning to start his first school in dharamsala, india. the money has been raised through donations and fundraising events thus and grant money is in the works. the vison for the future includes opening schools all over the globe and providing viable and sustainble help accross many levels in the community.
his website is located here:
http://harmonythrougheducation.org/

the kids in the pictures at the website are the ones that i am currently working with and we will be moving to the new school on its own land in the next few weeks! i have spent some extra time painting and cleaning the house, that is HUGE, and is the former residence of the dali lama's sister. the new space will boost legitamacy and will hopefully increase awareness and participation within the community for this population. it is really powerful to be around a truly grassroots orginization that is full of promise and vision.

hopefully this project goes well and adds another piece to the puzzle of over-turning the current global-mainstream-dominator-paradigm that leaves certin groups out, does not plan ahead and is not mindful of all its actions. as we move into the future and are surrounded by seemingly boundless infomation, communication and technology, we need to take stock of all members of this earth and consider how we can serve the world as we serve ourselves. there is no doubt that the world is changing and new ideas are rising to battle the widespread issuses facing our world, but there is no one solution and no save all approach that can deeply fix our globe and transform our thinking. it is about creativly finding many solutions to push back the ills and failures of the past and collectively modifing behavior to piece-by-piece unite this world and create one that will last and encourage us all to strive for and achieve true peace, bliss and love..... its all about baby steps. lets walk together.

volunteer time

2008-06-18T21:30:00.004+09:00

me and the new crew of volunteers uniting at a cafe for chats and plans:

after cruising the city in slums and posh spots in delhi for a week i was ready to move on. last saturday my volunteer program met up in some rented flats in a nice section of delhi. there is 21 of us in total. the range is huge as there is a family of 4, a father-daughter team, a mother-son duo, and college age kids ranging from engineering majors to broadcast communications and a few teachers and social workers mixed in. everyone seems to add something unique and the group is bonding fast. it is really really nice to get to start doing some work after seeing all the need and division between rich and poor.

we had a few days of orientation that included a little language, lots of chai (chai tea translates to tea tea, like table mesa...), lectures from local professors and great food. everyone began getting to know one another and prepare for placements upon arrival in dharamsala. there are a few different things that the volunteers are split between. each place is its own NGO and my overall program Cross-Cultural Solutions, acts almost as a broker to align locally established facilities with the volunteers needed to operate. some in my group are placed in day care, others in schools for english, computer skills, womens empowerment, youth centers and my placement is with a special school for developmental "differently-abled" kids from 6-18. currently there are five students at the special school (as it is called), three volunteers and a teacher that helps the kids with sign language, numbers, english, hindi and fun times. in two weeks the school is moving to a new house and will expand to have a speech therapist, physical therapist and a special education teacher. its really exciting because it is just getting off the ground and there are lots of preparations for the expected added attendance to rise to 15. it is really awesome to work with the kids and i will post later with more pictures and info about what is going on with my placement.

as for dharamsala, it is beautiful. we arrived into the city as it was literally wrapped in a cloud. it gave the place a real sense of mystery and excitement. the rout from the airport was filled with little villages, monkeys, rolling hills and lovely valleys as we climbed to the city on a mountain top. the city itself is beautiful and i have had a few custom made shirts and pants created for 10 bucks total. everyone is really friendly and the houses, meals and staff are terrific. it is really peaceful and i am excited to get a chance to live here for a while and be invested in the place that i am enjoying.

on the first day, me and few ohter woke before dawn and hiked up to a hindu temple for the god shiva perched above us just outside of town. we climbed as the sun rose and illuminated the land below. it was a tremendous way to get to know the place that is home. the views were spectacular and the feelings at the top were soaring with the receeding clouds. i am so happy to be here and feel very blessed to have been propelled upon this journey by so many wonderful souls back in the states. thank you all. hoorray life!!

Lotus temple

2008-06-18T21:18:00.002+09:00

this temple was in southern delhi and is a key structure of the Bahá'í faith. the faith is based on a few tenants:
Bahá'í teachings emphasize the spiritual oneness of humanity and the underlying unity of the major world religions. Religious history is seen to have unfolded through the influence of a series of divinely-sent messengers, each of whom established a religion that was suited to the needs of the time. These messengers have included Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, the Buddha, Krishna, Jesus, Muhammad and, most recently, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh.

it seems like a pretty cool idea to me but also proclaims the last profit, for whom the religion is named, as the incarnation of all of the previous teachers. his words were found all over the building inside and out. i have no pics from the inside as when i tried to snap one quickly, a lady chastised immediately and watched as i deleted it from my camera. woa. the building is sweet, the ideas seem neat to me, but underlying the whole thing was a sense that this was in some way the eastern version of Scientology. i wonder if baha was a science fiction writer....?
good stuff, met some nice people who claim this as their practice. whatever floats your boat i guess. awesome building.

india begins

2008-06-13T16:20:00.006+09:00

india is intense. i have been told so many times that it will flip your world around. well there is no amount of prep that can come which will ready me for delhi in the middle of the day. it is hot, crowded and everything is multiplied by a billion people. it is wonderful. i transported myself to the city center as soon as i awoke the first day. i took an auto rickshaw from my hotel in the far north of the city in a Tibetan enclave/colony where i am staying. the ride blew my mind. no traffic rules obeyed. huge trucks everywhere. so many horns. so many people.

it has taken a few days for me to really SEE what is going on in this country. the first few days were just a blur of information overload. it was almost as if i could not discern different things and was just wide eyed the whole time. i have seen crowds, i have seen poverty, i have experienced heat all before, but never on this scale. it is wonderful.

as time passed and i started to walk the alleys, streets, bazaars and stations i have begun to pick up on the subtleties of this place. i have seen through the desolation and despair, i have seen the beauty and love, i have seen the horror and fear, i have seen the tradition and peace. never have i experience so many polarities juxtaposed so snugly. things are extreme here. i feel almost catatonic when i sit and think about what is going on in this place. it is wonderful.

i went far of the beaten path yesterday and wandered through a street. people almost stopped what they were doing in the hustle and bustle to stare at this strange kid with weird hair. i smiled. they smiled. i met locals. i ate really REALLY hot food. to find my way back i went through the most impoverished trash filled shanty town i could imagine. people were tired. kids were playing in waste. people were joking. there were smiles. my heart pained and swelled. things are extreme here.

later in the night i met up with some people that i encountered at a museum a few days ago. we went out with a friend of a friend from the area. after spending my day in trash piles i suddenly found myself in a car being chauffeured around. we went to someones house that had an armed guard at the gate. there were street kids wandering around barefoot aimlessly outside the walls as we entered the A/C of a 60 degree house. where am i? we went out to a hipster bar and had delicious food and a pint or two. what i am doing? i struggled all night to understand how this was happening. how can i or anyone else do ANYTHING when there are so many needy people everywhere. how can this happen?
i always thought there was a huge divide in the USA between rich and poor, but everything is extreme here.... all in all it was a fun night and i saw yet another side of this place. i get the feeling i could spend and eternity here and never really understand what was going on.

amidst all of polarizing experiences i have found moments of extreme solace in this land. i can make out distinct smells, rich colors, individual souls and beauty in everything. i have never been anywhere like this before. i am excited to keep exploring and move out of the city and into 'the hills.' my cousin nate was right when he said, "india is gonna F you up!" thanks cuz.

Neon Tokyo

2008-06-13T16:04:00.004+09:00

i only spent one night in the big and crowded city. it was great but i am i glad i spent my time in the wonderful countryside of this place rather than in megapolis land. they really wanted people to BUY STUFF here!!! i ended up meeting a kid from fort collins that graduated from CSU last year and we had some mutual friends, name is will and major was construction management.... weird.

peace out land of the rising sun, its been great.

8 waterfalls hike

2008-06-08T12:11:00.009+09:00

my friend kristin from fairvew high school in boulder moved to japan a year ago to teach english to middle schoolers. we hadn't seen one another in three years, so why not meet up in japan? she took me out for a night of fun which included too much beer, food and plenty of new faces from americans, to japanese, irish, austrians, kiwis and aussies. quite the evening of fun. the other teachers on the program were awesome and all had many tales of the trials and tribulations of living in a strange new culture. i found out that if you just yell and lift your beer glass, the japanese just assume that you are cheersing them. smile.

we awoke the next morning and went on an incredible hike through the mountains, up a canon and past 8 huge waterfalls. it was one of the most beautiful places i have ever been and ended up being a 6plus hour voyage.

woa. glorious.

along the hike there were bridges and ladders constructed to assist. someplaces had chains that were bolted into the sides of rocks, across rapids and around rocks. i couldnt help but hope that i could fully trust whatever person created the helpers.

after a long day of hiking, sushi was in dire need.

this restaurant had $1 a plate sushi that came around on a conveyor belt and you just grabbed whatever looked good. note to self: fermented soy bean curd wrapped in sea weed has a gnasty after taste.....

kyoto tour

2008-06-08T12:05:00.004+09:00

i was sitting beside the river in kyoto relaxing after wandering around the city for a few hours. as i sat, a man came up and asked me what i was doing in the city. we got to chatting and he insisted on taking me for a three hour tour of some of his favorite spots. we walked through the flower districts that house some of the most famous gesha houses and then went to the above zen temple which is the oldest of its kind. he gave me the history and tons of neat facts!

the temple was such a place that i did not even feel as if i was still in the city. i was fully transported away to a land of tranquility and peace. i could just imagine the space brimming with monks walking slowly and contemplating each event as it traspired.

Zen Center outside Kyoto

2008-06-08T01:05:00.008+09:00

I spent four nights at Hosenji Zazen center outside of Kyoto, Japan on top of a hill nestled nicely in a bamboo forest. The days were peaceful and slowly long. Many japanese people (when i was here there was only one other westerner present) at some point go to a center like this in order to seek training, healing, relaxation and deeper learning. Zazen is seen by many, including some monks i spoke with, as more of a skill rather than as religion. the whole point is to learn how to be fully present in the moment and be accountable to all of one's actions. the whole structure of the day is based around facilitating an environment conducive to the fruition of such goals
Daily sched:
5:20am Wake-up
-tai-chi
-meditation and group chanting
-daily cleaning
-breakfast
-tea
-daily work (one day was 2 hours of weeding a 2 square meter moss patch)
-tea (so much tea)
-work
11:30 lunch
-free time: for me this included napping, reading about zen and quatum physics, yoga and juggling
4:30 dinner
-tea
-reading form buddha's teachings (dharma), chanting, sitting meditation, walking meditation
9:00 tea
10:00 lights out (i was already sleeping)

Dinner and breakfast were formal affairs. each part of the meal had a ritual and there was no talking.

each morning during dawn and evening for dusk we spent a total of four hours in this room meditating together. it was really interesting to sit with eyes slightly open and notice the subtle changes in light as time passed during the beginning and end of each earth rotation. it was also really intense to sit in a room with 15 people and be totally still, yet fully connected with one another via each breath.

running water could be heard from this garden in all rooms of the center. such a cleansing and centering noise to be with always. during meditation the sound of the rush and splash was the best tool for me remaining present in the moment.

Organic Farm Treehouse Stay

2008-06-08T00:54:00.005+09:00

the farm, called the earth embassy, was near the base of the infamous mt fuji. the mountain is around 12,000 feet and is quite dramatic as it rises well above anything in the country. it is a dormant volcano that created the rich soil of the region. the farm that i stayed at was a model eco-conscious teaching facilty, restaurant, guest house and co-operative place. the breakfast each morning was delicious and usually consisted of fresh salad, hard boiled egg, home made bread and lovely rice pudding.

the treehouse was all mine and tucked into a large tree. it was a great place to wake up in and do some private yoga.

view from bed.

i didn't get a chance to climb fuji (this time) but there was excellent hiking all around. the scenery was immaculate and the views of nearby lakes and hill were breath taking. the forests were incredibly dense, moist and full of moss, ferns and a million different kinds of trees. i could totally picture samurais battling it out in the woods with leaves flying everywhere....