October 21, 2006 Dr. Carmen Frigerio was also in
attendance at the Hawaii seminar, as also Sarada Von Sonn, without
whose indefatigable efforts the event could not have taken place.
Mahalo nui loa, Sarada! It was great fun to lecture, and chant, with
Dr. Lad again, and highly instructive to listen to Dr. Crow's lectures.
Floracopeia, David's company, produces some of the highest quality
essential oils that can be had; and as David works tirelessly to
encourage the development of community-based businesses to act as
his suppliers, Floracopeia well deserves your patronage (phone 530-470-9269,
http://www.floracopeia.com).
After wishing a fond farewell to Dr. Lad, David, Sarada & Carmen,
I set off with two companions for the rain forests of Hawaii's Puna
District, followed by a hike out to the lava flows at the Kilauea Volcano
and then, the next day, a visit to Norman Allen in Milolii. Norman was
one of the first two Westerners ever to study yoga with Sri Pattabhi Jois;
I met him first eighteen years or so ago, just after he had purchased the
land on which I now met him again, land on which he raised three children
in a house without walls or electricity. Though solar panels now supply
enough juice for his wife's computer and for a couple of bulbs, kerosene
lanterns continue to deliver most of the light to be had at night. Norman,
who continues to be a fixture at the local canoe club, provided us with
fresh tender coconuts, ripe red dragon fruits, succulent papayas and mangos,
and excellent South Indian food, cooked by his very own hand. The Allens'
hospitality was most appreciated, and we left with prayers for their
ongoing wellbeing, prayers which may have come in handy three days after
I departed Hawaii, when came the earthquake - one more reminder that
Madam Pele does as she pleases with that island of hers...
After brief stops in CA & TX I made my way to Manhattan to co-teach a
seminar with Dr. Scott Blossom at Sri Eddie Stern's yoga center
(Ashtanga Yoga New York), the first night of which I missed due to bad
weather in the NYC area which delayed my plane. Even the Empire State
Building, which usually dominates the window in my sleeping quarters,
was invisible in the impenetrable nocturnal rain & fog; on the morrow,
though, and later that week it kept me company, resplendent in purple.
I particularly appreciated its apparition at fortnight's end, on the
most auspicious night of Dipavali, India's Festival of Lights. Diwali
Mubarak to you all!
October 6, 2006 First Sonoma, and the ever-hospitable
Bette Timm; then Nevada City, for a weekend at the Blue Sage Sanctuary,
taught in consonance with Sarada & Chandra; then on to Berkeley for a
couple of interim days before proceeding to Estes Park, CO, where I
delivered the opening keynote at this year's autumn Yoga Journal conference,
and then spent my spare time (when not teaching) visiting with various
notable yoga teachers of my acquaintance, monitoring the mating
activities of multiple elk, and setting tongues awag by squiring Perrey
Reeves from event to event. Perrey & I had been hoping to promote gossip
by our sharing a room, and were gratified to find gossip thus promoted.
Her other motive in attending this conference was to pass out business
cards for her new Costa Rica yoga retreat which, inshallah, will be
ready for clients next summer. Take a look for yourselves, at
http://tworiverscostarica.com/
Back in Berkeley I was able to take in three days of yoga with Zhander
Remete & Emma Balnaves out in Walnut Creek, and to enjoy the products
of Café Gratitude, which specializes in raw, vegan food. I prefer their
desserts, in particular the Key Lime pie, and my current personal
favorite, the coconut cream pie. Each product has an affirmation as
well as a name, e.g. "I am Resourceful," or "I am Worthy," printed right
on its wrapper. The general feeling among customers is that one item
should be named "I am Patient," as service in the restaurant portion is
wholly unhurried. Take-out, though, is prompt, and well worth
the excursion.
Oct 4 to HI, to the northwest corner of the Big Island, near Hawi, for
an event co-taught with Dr. David Crow & Dr. Vasant Lad, about which
more in our next installment...
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