Presence Matters

As I settle back into life in Virginia I am struck by the gift of diversity that I have in my life. I could not Twitter easily at Esalen with no cell phone service there, so I begin this blog with all the journal entries I could not send from California, and finish up with my re-entry into Virginia last week:

7/9 – My trip began with a visit to New World Library in Novato, CA. We talked through their plans for the second edition of Full Body Presence due out in March of 2010.  I was really impressed  by the quality and thoughtfulness of their team. I felt like they really understood the message of the book. I left there feeling very hopeful and excited.

7/12 – Late afternoon – Coming through the front gate at Esalen Institute! What a joy to be back in this place that feels like my second home. I soak in the late afternoon sun on the ocean, taking a mineral bath  in one of the large stone tubs with my assistants as we catch up with each other before the course starts tonight.

7/13 – Early morning fog has rolled in from the horizon – I zip up my polartec jacket and breathe deeply. The air is exquisite – I can almost feel it feeding and rejuvenating my cells. I feel my heart open as I catch sight of the ocean on the turn in the path approaching the lodge.

7/14 – The smell of lavender and rosemary as I walk down the path to the lodge is so rich. The air is quite cool and crisp, yet it easily carries the scent of these healing plants to my waiting nostrils – ahhh…breathing is such a pleasure!

7/15 – The early morning bird sounds here are different than in Virginia – I am fascinated by the number of birds and their distinct calls.

7/15 – Late night singing in the moonlight sitting around the fire outside the lodge with Cole, J.J., and others. I love to sing almost anything!

7/16 – Soaking in a mineral-bath that I have filled at just the right temperature, looking out over the ocean…someone sights whales and we all turn our eyes to the horizon. Connecting with the whales and dolphins always brings me an expanded sense of who we are in the bigger of picture of all species on the planet. And that is done more easily here – with Daniel Bianchetta’s fabulous photography of whale and dolphin visitations he has made up and down the coast here, that is currently exhibited in the lodge where we eat all our meals.

7/17 – As Healing From the Core: Grounding and Healthy Boundaries comes to a close, I am struck again by the diversity of the participants who have shown up and learned skills to take home – giving them more resilience, more grounding, and better capacity to connect in their worlds with healthy boundaries.

7/17 – Congratulations are in order on two fronts – Lori Chinitz has finished her apprenticeship and is now a full certified Instructor of Healing From the Core: Grounding and Healthy Boundaries. Cheri Bailey is now a full certified Presenter. I am thrilled for both of them. Although I must say, I will miss having Lori team teaching with me!

7/18 – In the morning the garden here at Esalen is magnificent. The fragrance of the different flowers that bathe my senses as I walk through on my way to class lifts my spirits. Isaye Barnwell is here doing her magic – I am learning to write songs! Her gift for bringing us all into song are legendary.

7/18- In the afternoon, different flowers are sending out their scents to fill us all up as we wander through, humming our “would-be songs” under our breaths on our way to lunch. What a gift!

7/19 – I continue to be amazed at how the cool, ocean-charged air energizes me. I am already noticing that the hill walking is much easier, more effortless, even with my back pack on. My joints and legs are actually enjoying the climbing.

7/24 – The entire environment here is delicious. The food is delicious. AND someone else is cooking and cleaning up. The staff is friendly and helpful. The mineral baths are a gathering place for relaxed sharing. And, did I mention that the air is cool, clear and energizing?

7/31 – Being here with the relaxed schedule of “Esalen time”, allows me time to linger over my meals, talking to folks I might not have had time to share with elsewhere. For instance, I have loved getting to know John and Maggie Murphy and their family better this summer.

8/2 – John Murphy  just taught a workshop called “The Miracle of Water” with Peter Zimmerman and it was wonderful by all accounts. His workshop reminds me that all the forms of water on this property are truly miraculous. The fog, the springs, the streams, the ocean – wow!

8/3 – Healing the Pelvic Floor: Reclaiming Your Power, Sexuality and Pleasure Potential has begun and we are housed in the Big House this year. What a wonderful cozy environment this meeting space offers.

8/4 – Sharing is rich in this diverse circle of women, all here learning to heal the deepest parts of themselves.

8/4 – A magical moon fills the night sky as I walk back to my room – almost full, shining off the ocean. It feels like a movie set, it is so beautiful.

8/5 – 8-9 p.m.  Got to share about “Full Body Presence” with the entire community in a Wednesday night program that was very well attended and received. I love what I do!

8/6 – Under the full moon - our women’s nurturing evening at the baths was rich and easy this year.

8/7 – 1o:30 p.m. Singing in the lodge with J.J., Pearl and others – Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” seems to be a favorite this year. The harmonies are endless and we all end smiling.

8/7 -Late afternoon –  two of my favorite co-leaders have arrived: Rachel Abrams and Lisa Carlton. We begin our collaboration tonight with all the participants in Becoming a Vital Healthy Woman.

8/8 – I am amazed by how much information can be transmitted to a group of open, willing participants when Lisa Carlton and Rachel Abrams are on my team! We have had a great time and it seems as though it has gone to a new level of ease this year.

8/9 – My time at Esalen is coming to a close. I am almost running up and down the hills now. I know I keep talking about the air, but there is something very special and healing about the clear, ocean air here that seems to soak into my bones – energizing me in a way nothing else does. I get in one last soak at the baths – again, a unique form of nurturing that I only find here at Esalen.

8/10 – As  Jessica and I drive north on Highway One, I am awed by the coastline once again. The ocean’s light blue into dark blue color, the coves and beaches, the breathtaking views. I will miss you, Big Sur!

8/11 – As I emerge from Dulles Airport into the Virginia night, I am immediately struck by the rich velvet quality of the warm, moist air. It feels like it is hugging me, welcoming me back.

8/12 – I am walking again, around my home lake – Lake Audubon, and it occurs to me that the two environments are very complementary. The Esalen environment feels like to frees up something inside of me – creating a sense of spaciousness in my head. The Virginia environment hugs me close, letting me know that I am home.

8/13 – As I walk in the early morning here, I am struck by the orchestra of nature sounds. I don’t even need my iPod to have a rhythm for walking. The late summer insects are a veritable harmony unto themselves. Every time I think about putting on my iPod, I hear a new group join in as another one fades back. What a gift!

8/14 – Teaching my second Healing From the Core: Grounding and Healthy Boundaries course in a month – this one in my home town of Reston, VA. Again,I am struck by the diversity of participants and the skills they are learning. I am in awe of the deep healing I see people doing in the class.

8/16 – As we complete the course, I realize how wide spread the applications are for all of us in today’s world. I look back over the last six weeks and see how my perception of Full Body Presence has expanded. I know this may sound strange, because I am the author, but I was shown this summer, how universal and valuable the book’s message is. More on that in my next blog – hope you are enjoying your summer as much as I am enjoying mine!

Trackback URI | Comments RSS