Cool and warm

Amazing how chilly it was this morning/last night. Kadri and I even turned the space heater on for a little while.

Of course, once we got to practice (everyone bundled up in sweatshirts, etc.), the heat from practice warmed us up, as did the rising sun.

Before beginning practice, John talked about how the spine, relaxing, the breath, and mantra all feed the practice. He then counted us through (ie., counting vinyasas) sun salutations and up until triangle. What's amazing is, as every one then progressed through his/her individual practice, he could always count their vinyasa, wherever they were in Primary or Intermediate series. That is, he'd come up to adjust/help them, and he'd know exactly which vinyasa he/she was on.
The energy in the room was very uplifting, and the sounds of breath just took you deeper in to meditation as you practiced.
Found out today that the building that houses the yoga room, the lounge, and the kitchen, was the former sheep farm`s shearing house.

Must say a big thank-you to Tim and Sarah from Vancouver for letting me use their computer to do this blog.

Back to today... after practice, just relaxed, and watched part of Lino Miele and Gwendolyn Hunt`s 2nd and 3rd Series DVD. For those who don`t know Ashtanga Yoga, these include very difficult postures, and what makes this DVD incredible is that Gwendolyn began to learn Ashtanga yoga at the age of 60, and the DVD was recorded when she`d just turned 70.
So, for those persons out there who say that they`re too old to learn Ashtanga, you might have to think again.
: )
After lunch, Kadri and I went to Rabbit Island beach... WOW. As the tide was out, there was a huge stretch of beach fro the picnic area out to the breaking waves, and the beach itself extends 10 kilometers (about 6 miles). We saw someone powering across the sand on a scooter while using a windsurfing sail. Also saw someone on a go-cart being powered by a parasail.
The water was cool but soothing.
We stopped at a farm for fresh berries (they had pick-your-own raspberries, but I just got blackberries that were already picked... maybe will go back to pick some raspberries later), melons, avocados, and corn...

There are several road-side hutches set up with produce for people to buy... and no one mans them. That is, prices are listed, you select what you want, and leave the money in an ``honest box.`` Pretty cool that people have that kind of trust here.

Seems like most are going to use the hot tub here tonight to ease sore muscles. Guess I`d better wash off the sand from the beach.

Oh - a few more things about this place: all of the water here is recycled rainwater. Occasionally in the summer they have to buy water, but we all try to conserve so that won`t happen.
They also have what could be called a composting sewage system, in which all of the sewage goes to one area in which they have a tank of thousands of tiger worms that digest it and break it down. Then, the resulting manure is distributed out around the property. Amazing.
Eventually, all of the power (or most) will be solar.

Let`s hope more humans start thinking and doing things in these ways. Oh - and while driving home through Richmond, there was an advertisement for grass you don`t have to mow --- saving energy by not having to use a lawnmower. Seems New Zealanders are more aware than most about conservation, etc.

Now the sun is beginning to near the horizon, and the cool, fresh evening air is coming in. The crickets are starting their chorus (soft now, will grow louder as the twilight comes, and then disappear... in the middle of the night, it`s absolutely still here). These things will be forever in my memory. Feeling so fortunate and grateful to be here.