Day 1

[Just added these photos --- #1 is the pond outside my room; #2 is the terrace (full of much more foliage than last year) and John and Lucy's house (was a farmhouse); #3 is my feet and our study book; and #4 is Vayu, Bela, Georgie, Sabine, Sarah C, Amanda, Evelyn, and Brigid in the Shala - Sarah P-C and I are missing from the photo.]

PHEW. 

What

a

day!

I'm outside the shala typing in the shade with blue sky and sunshine overhead, and it's 6:20 PM at night?!  And, I hear that Philadelphia is expecting up to 12 inches of snow tonight?!  

Knowing that may just make me feel a tad bit guilty...

no it won't.

: )

Anyway, Sarah (who works here) and Georgie (who is staying in a camper in the parking lot - she's from Nelson) practiced at 5:30 AM with John this morning.  Guess what?  Tomorrow, I and Vayu will practice at that time with him... so I won't be on here long.  Have to eat dinner and get to bed!

The rest of us began practice (LED class by John with Lucy assisting) at 8:15 AM.  Last year, we didn't have a full led practice, so this was AN EXPERIENCE for sure, especially since I was practicing in the full rays of the sun.  Wow.

Everything David Keil has ever taught me is now being solidified - and perhaps embellished more, since we have so much time - through John.  It all feels so right, so connected, so.... what's the word?  

I don't know.

Soooo much gratitude to you, David.

We only had about 30 minutes between practice and class, so all I did was have breakfast.  Had to shower after lunch.

Feel like my body is digesting LOTS of nourishment in the food department as well as the theory and practice departments.  

We discussed sitting practice a lot in the afternoon class and had a short group meditation, which will grow in length over the course of the month.

Afterward, I took a group to Motueka (nearby town) for grocery shopping.  Others went to swim at Rabbit Island beach (over 10K long).

Just had a nice chat on google with my brother-n-law, but have to go do homework before dinner.

Oh - a bit more info about others here... Evelyn was born of Malaysian parents in Australia, moved to Malaysia for a while as a child, also lived in Hongkong, and now lives in Berlin, where her boyfriend is getting a Ph.D. (don't know in what)

Amanda just arrived today from Vancouver, B.C., and she knows Tim and Sara (who Tim and I met last year here).

So there are 10 of us:  Amanda, Evelyn, Vayu, Bela, Brigid, Sabine, Sarah, Sarah (yes, two Sarah's), Georgie and me.

Everyone... come to New Zealand!