Brunch

The Kundalini Cheerleaders

This is us on our last day
Completely beautiful sunny dreamy
Huge brunch lots of love
lounging in the Garden and
Ultimate Frisbee
with a who's who of players
and us
The Misfit Cheerleaders
doing our Kundalini yoga moves as cheers
which got all the players going and stopping
while Andy blasted tunes outta the infamous red Mustang...
So us so perfect so fun such an amazing way to wrap it up...
again around the campfire
telling stores and having it all come around again

Happy Halloweeeeeeen

HalloWEEEEN

Weeening off... so true so true

Here are some of my loves~

Had a huge last staff party
before we all departed
Huge dinner lots of dancing
they are so good to us
it was just one big love fest
funk band fun costumes
and singing round the campfire
till 5am
Skipping home
feeling full...
feeling ready....

Oh yes the new moon...

New Moon Intentions
for the last moon of October 2006

To be able to hold on to all the goodness I have received and created these past few months. To live in my gratefulness for being able to have this opportunity to work on myself and serve at the same time. To be able to articulate and share what it is that I have come into blessing with. To continue to cultivate my strong practice. To be able to incorporate my strong boundaries with my gifts and to be able to share them in a way that does not sacrifice or break spirit down, which in the end does not serve anyway. To remember that love means being open and available to the opportunities of having what it is that I truly desire. To and to be able to identify old patterns of "loving" where I do not receive what I need. To continue to define what it is that I desire and to attract that to me. To not hide from that any longer. To be able to walk strong in my next steps towards what it is that I am to be doing in this universe of ours. To study more into the practices of Spiritual Activism and Integrated living. To continue to shine my light strong. Shine on!

Integrated

Dig if you will, the picture: I am all set to take the juice fast. Yes, yes I know, that it is not the time of the year to cleanse or fast, I am supposed to actually start eating more cause I am an animal and it is becoming winter and all that. What I wanted to do was celebrate my body, really find a ritualistic way to commit to this new regimine I am on. So .... all set. Signed sealed and paid for. Yes I know that the woman who is putting it on is a nasty beotch... yes I know that -I already ordered the enemas and the bed pads (nevermind).. but she wasn't going to distract me, so why wasn't this feeling right? Driving around, all bitter that I can't go to CommonFire's reception that I have been looking forward to, I want to go see Julia B. and play and get outta here. Just had the most amazing morning watching Marianne Williamson, why am I feeling so cranky? Then it hits me: bam whoosh slam. I am not supposed to fast. I am supposed to nuture. Fasting is not feeling very nourishing, nor is the sick woman leading the workshop. The very workshop I am bitching about having to drive into town to buy 75$ worth of candles for, this is where I am supposed to be.... half hour before the workshop. Thank you intuition. Thank you divine messages.

I knew nothing about Ken Wilber, or his Integral Institute. Basically, (thank you wikipedia): "is an American writer who has advanced an integral theory of consciousness which draws on psychology, sociology, philosophy, mysticism, postmodernism, empirical science and systems theory to form a picture of what he calls the 'Kosmos'
A self-described storyteller and mapmaker, Wilber attempts to integrate various perspectives of the cosmos. Although he was at one time a major proponent of the transpersonal school of psychology, he has since disassociated himself from it. In 1998, Wilber founded the Integral Institute, a think tank for studying issues of science and society in an integral, or non-reductive, way. He has been a pioneer in the development of Integral psychology and Integral politics. He is a practicing Buddhist, and the beliefs of Madhyamika Buddhism, "

Ok so that was a good start. I will be continuing to research his work as it facinates me in that it speaks my language. We can't just have this one size fits all mentality, religion, philosphy. Surely, I believe, they are all relevant in some way, no?

What I did know is that I was looking for strong female warrior role models, and the juice beotch and her enema's was just not doing it for me. Watching these three women leading these workshops was like observing angels in motion. The best way to begin to explain this unexplainable other worldly week is to bastardize the excerpt from the catalog: The Women's Integral Life Practice will focus on developing a set of daily practice tools , engaging you intellectually, physically, emotionally, interpersonally, spiritually though group process and experiemental learning activities anchored by theoretical discussion in the following modules: Meditation & contemplation, yoga, movement, music and the sacret feminine arts, the care & nourishment of the body, feelings moods & emotions, relating to others, authentic self expression and creativity and aesthetic practice.

I don't know how it didn' t slam me over the head before. This is just what I have been needing. A container. A way to put it all together. Guidance in the very thing I have needed for so long, One of my biggest goals this summer/fall, the reason why I have done all of this, was to cultivate my practice. What they offered me was thee biggest gift my heart has been praying for. A way to put it all together. And wow did they deliver.

The three teachers all complimented each other so sacredly. Diane held the space of our fearless leader, her skills in mediation and conflict resolution are extrordinary. So peaceful and elegant yet rough and wow, just outta control. Willow is a musician pshyotherapist intellectual chic who is Ken Wilber's fiercest student, and Sophia. Oh Sophia. Wow. Lets just say any woman strong enough to be with David Deida is all I need to know....Hatha yoga and sacred movement teacher, just a power house of a woman who helped us get into our bodies so incredibly and so real with such a fierce dicipline and fierce love.

We went to places we were all afraid to go. We all came together as strangers and left as sisters. We dance, cried, prayed, celebrated, entered into ritual, and created an imprint on this intagible world of the sacred. Manifested our strength, called out and burned away our inadequacies, owned our questioning hearts, acknowledged each other as goddess, as mother, as sister, fellow seeker. Big Mind Big Heart. Big Love.

Just Wow....

This weekend we had the Enlightened Power conference. This includes an amazing assortment of women coming to enjoy a few of the most influential women of our time. They include Maricia Ann Gillespie, former editor in chief of Ms. and Essence magazine, Gail Straub, teacher, activist, writer, empowerment pioneer, Rachel Bagby, musician, Sharon Salzberg, one of the nations leading Buddhist teachers and authors, Yolanda King, daughter of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King, Marianne Williamson, renown writer and founder of the Peace Alliance.

A bundle of power house women were here, stirring it up, sharing their light, telling their stories, offerering their insight on how to live strongly in this crazy world of ours. Yolanda King had an amazing speech/performance and I was left breathless. We think we have high expectations of ourselves. Imagine being the daughter of her parents, phew! She has done, is doing, her good work, and finding her self love, performing, travelling, and living her incredibly vibrant message.

What I will say is that I am left after seeing Marianne Williamson's keynote address just absolutely swirling. NEVER have I seen a women articulate all of the things I feel and believe and know. She covered the political, spiritual, historical, scientific, cultural, and environmental in ways that were so precise and on point I was left with my mouth literally hanging wide open, reeling in this world, grateful I had a woman walking strong that I could use to model my own life from. She covered everything, from how the Witch burnings were the female holocaust to the industrial revolution to current day fear of stepping into our power. I am just reeling.... still reeling.... and so grateful. I will continue to read everything she has ever written, and please look into her efforts to begin a U.S. Department of Peace: www.ThePeaceAlliance.org. .

It was a lot of work to put on this conference for us, but what can I say. It is Fun! Driving Sharon Salzberg around on the golfcart and being the time keeper for Marianne's keynote address are just a few of the ways I contributed. I know that living up to what I am capable of and living in my light while being here are other ways to give back.

So many others, I am having a hard time putting it into words, part of why I haven't written. Also have had no time to get on the computer or phone, so all of those waiting for a message, again, thank you for your patience. The past two weeks have really solidified why it is that I have come here. Really. I sit here reclaiming who I have been, and looking forward to who I am becoming.

Stay Tuned Dear Readers....

Sorry for not checking in...

I've only been witnessing my Female Warrior Idols in Motion

and

Finding form in Carving out a Practice

I'll be back to tell you all soon

I promise it's good

Weekend in New England

Went to Rhode Island with my Gma and Uncle Bob this past weekend.
It was amazing to ride around, see the leaves, and spend some fun time together. The three of us have always been very close, my family in general is close, but three of us just get each other. Have similar interests, believe the same things, spend time the same way. Very nature based, book reading, environment appreciating, culture digesting, healthy living kinda stuff. My Uncle is just the best, he is the youngest of three very strong sisters, and has been very sucessful doing very environment friendly businesses. He is super generous and hysterical as well. He was back for his THIRTY year High School reunion. This is his best friend Tony. They have been friends FOREVER and still are so close. They even speak the same language. Tony is kind of a legend in my family. He is on TV a lot as a personal trainer to the stars, has infomercials, dated Dolly Parton way back when, and that kinda cheezy LA stuff. But his body is so amazing that he must be doing something right. We spent a lot of time with his family who have this gorgeous house and they were having a lot of family in, big lovin Italian Mamas who cooked up a feast. Learned a lot about cooking "gravy" (italian for sauce) from Aunt Sophia, got the secret for her "goodness". Look out world, XT's cookin it up!

Happy Birthday Mike!

You are the best
I remember wanting a brother
I remember you being born two years later
I remember you being little

You used to wear your Superman Underoo's and cowboy boots all around the neighborhood
and I remember you
and jumping off the bed, thinking you were superman and you could fly
you broke your nose, but so what, you still flew!
I remember crying when you had to get the tic burned out of you with Dad's cigarette
(i gave you all my stuffed animals that day)
I remember punching you in the nose cause you picked on Sue, in front of all your friends (sorry by the way)
I remember making castles out of couch cushions and staying in there forever
and climbing trees like we were never gonna fall
and kick ball and playing with tar bubbles and we were thick as theives and I remember
being your best friend

thank you for being the best guy ever
I am so proud of who you are
and who you are becoming
I am so glad you were born!
Happy Birthday you old man!

My own Lucky Juju

juju for the journey

I am so incredibly honored
and thrilled
to have been blessed by my dearest Katia
aka Lucky Juju (she is my joujou sister)
to now have my own lucky juju

I have always been in awe of her art
her gifts her creation
I remember seeing the first one
I felt so connected to it
I found it somewhere on the playa
I believe it was called
Lucky Juju's Burning Man
and it was her (with wings maybe)
so powerful so beautiful
I came home and hung it on my fridge
only to find out later that it was my beautiful new friends creation

And now she had blessed me with my own
It's on it's way to me in the mail, and it is the artistic physical emobodiment
of this powerful summer journey I have been on
Most of this that I have been doing doesn't translate
I say that so often
and now I have something to share that goes beyond words

Thank you my dear Katia
It means more to me than words can say
Love you!



reposted from luckyjuju:

juju for the journey
The ravens around here have been pestering me ceaselessly to get this juju finished and sent off to XT in New York. They remind me everyday. So, it's finished and in the mail and I hope that Christie likes it and that it brings her power and inspiration. She is such an amazing, powerful, deep, kind, funny and generous woman. This woman has major juju. I've never worked on a juju where I felt so much like I was just the channel for the imagery and power to come through. This may sound weird, but that's really how it felt. As the ravens flew by my window! :) She is on this intense journey right now, in transition, recovering from bi-coastal disorder, working at Omega Institute, rediscovering her roots, her dreams. It's been wonderful to follow along with her on her blog, but oh how we miss having her just down the hill. Love you XT!(I had a little trouble with this scan. I couldn't get the colors quite right, but this is pretty close. Plus, the blue is all sparkley, but that never comes through with my scanner. You can click it to see it bigger.)It's a full moon tonight. The Harvest Moon. May we be present to, and grateful for, abundance in our lives. From mooncircles...
With the Moon in Aries and the Sun in Libra, may we all be reminded of the blessings of being ourselves and dancing with others, of charging ahead with courage, while harmonizing with a wider world. May we realize that what is broken or difficult can be changed.
posted by Katia @ 11:23 AM 0 comments

On this Harvest Moon

Froom Mooncircles (thank you again my dear lucky juju):

And now we’ve reached the Harvest Moon, one of the most beautiful moons of the year. With the Sun in harmonious Libra and the Moon in courageous Aries, it’s the perfect moment to regain balance, restore confidence,-and consider the meaning of recent events. Eclipses always reveal a truth that’s been hiding in the shadows.
If the eclipse brought an unexpected crisis, you know exactly what needs healing and repair. Not all eclipse events are jarring. What is unstable can erupt, but eclipses can work positive magic too. A doorway opens to a new way of being, and sometimes this occurs quietly. The universe taps you on the shoulder or winks from across a crowded room. New information appears, but you’re welcome to file it away and forget about it. Don’t. Take this Full Moon to recall your experiences of the past month. Was there something—even a quirky, seemingly insignificant thing—that grabbed your attention, perhaps more than you thought it should? Were you unsettled—or electrified—by something you saw or heard? That was your eclipse message. Find a quiet moment during this Full Moon to let its full impact unfold.

It has been a very powerful week indeed. I realize that I am actually grieving a lot. And by grieving I do mean letting go. Letting go of what was, that I thought it should be, ways of being, ways of loving, ways of being loved, my old body, my old patterns , my old relationships, my old habits, my old fears, stepping strong into my power and on my path in this new incarnation, and being good with that. Being new in that. Happy Harvest!

I really want to thank you...

I really want to thank you

my friends
*my sisters *my brothers*
for giving me this time to be away
for allowing me to live in the woods
for months without any contact
to love me unconditionally and support me in this growth
to understand what it is that I have been doing, and not questioning my choices
for supporting me from miles away and holding me in your thoughts and prayers

Words cannot express how much this means to me
I cannot even begin to explain what jewels you are to me
Your friendship your love
has made all the difference
and this time
has made all the difference

I am looking forward to being there
with you again
very soon very soon
and listen to you
and look at you
and hug you
and be there for you too
I miss you
I love you

Thank you

Spooning....

That is a Spork...




My friend Alix made this T-shirt
isn't it just the best??????