Boston

Because of the last-minute trip to Quebec, I had to do a bit of shuffling of flights for my long-planned trip to Riga, Latvia, where I will be attending a great gathering of most of the teachers in the lineage of Kalari to which I belong. Our Indian Gurukal, Sherifka will be leading workshops and teaching the teachers, and I am so looking forward to being there.

So in order to catch my regularly scheduled flight without traveling all the way back to SLC, I drove with Michael's Uncle Guntram & Aunt Edie, their daughter, Ari & her wife Tina- to their home in Boston, where I will meet up with Aubri on the plane to Paris, Hamburg and ultimately, Riga.

I remembered that one of my favorite friends,  Roberto (who also travels with and assists my yoga teacher, Shiva Rea) lives in Boston, too. So a quick text & lo and behold, he was taching a class last night.  With a quick tutorial on the workings of the Boston Ungerground from Edie, I was on my way.

Roberto was delightful as always, and his class was just what the Dr. ordered, after all the traveling, the buzz of the family gathering and a long car ride. The yoga class was such an affirmation, to realize that each time I step into practice, no matter where I am on the earth, I am home. After class, we shared some snacks & chat, then a luxury: Roberto drove me back to Guntram & Edies,another long and satisfying day complete.

This morning has been an affirmation in a different way. More along the lines of yoga 'off the mat'. Guntram is German Catholic & Edie is American Jewish. They are both activists & powerful advocates of humanity & the earth. Guntram is working on a ballot initiative to end the production of Nuclear weapons & get rid of the ones we have, Edie is a poet (among many other things) who is preparing for her reading this evening.

To watch their life rhythm, and hear Edie's poetry has been a lesson in living to the fullest, following passion and ideals, and loving. Although neither practices 'yoga', they live the principles of authenticity, expansion, seeing the divine in all, and service every day-although to ask them, they just do what they do. Inspiring.

Prayer

 by Edie Aronowitz Mueller

The Sinai sun

white-washes the sky,

bleaches the sand,

wraps you in such heat

you can finally breathe.

Eyes scrunched against the light

you learn to smell rain

days before a cloud

nuzzles the horizon.

Every bush burns

a name for God.