Spring in Asheville
Sometimes life is "perfect" simply because life is always perfect, the Tao works this way at times requiring us to put in a good amount of effort to actually perceive the perfection. The larger events in the world are challenging this way right now, from Libya to Japan to right here in the United States. In my personal life however, the trees bud perfect green and the clean scents of life are in the air. The world is flowering for me a perfect manifestation of what I have set out to experience and set out to do. My cup once again overfloweth with goodness and joy. A lot has happened in the past few weeks and it deserves to be recorded as an ode to joy and a remembrance of happiness which I shall do all in my power to continue.
I feel like I've said it a hundred times and I probably actually have, but the welcome that I have received from Asheville has been utterly unprecedented. With no lack of gratitude to New Orleans, Boston, and the Bay Area in particular which provided me with marvels and great goodness upon my arrival, opening the door to Asheville was much like wandering a long and strange path to a door in a hill and finding within it all the splendor of Faerie. If I were able to forget my second-guessing and my rational (over?) caution (which I cast off at the ritual fire for Equinox) I would say, hell, I'll just say it: I feel fully embraced and at home. I have been embraced with love and excitement by a new circus/performance family which shares lineage with same family that first really embraced me in Oakland, Lucid Dream Lounge. The magical spirits of the Landing and it's beautiful extended family have shown me profound love and hospitality. They have re-inspired me to playfulness without letting go of my deeper mission one little bit. This weekend I met yet more fabulous creatures in an endless flow of amazing personalities here. I did a short impromptu performance on the lyra and felt amazingly comfortable and flowing on it. Though shy from a year or more of not practicing I also joined in the fire performance, breathing fire and using my giant fans. Someone in the crowd shouted "welcome to the family!" when my name was called in the bows. I stayed over night (morning really) and helped clean up the next day enjoying the company of my new but close friends. I managed to completely ignore work and relax and enjoy the rest of the day with this wondrous tribe returning home only for sleep.
The serendipities and synchronicities are endless. Walking through downtown before the party on Saturday I am drawn up a brick path through some trees into a tattoo studio where I'm greeted by an artist. Quickly a conversation develops about Christian cooption of pagan symbolism and on to realize that she did a tattoo for one of my Oakland friends and she knows all the Landing folk quite well. She has a full and profound experience of the spiritual aspect of the area and a deep appreciation of the magical and ritual potential of tattooing. I soon realize that I've found the person to do the tattoo for my right arm that I've been trying to figure out for goodness knows how many years and we start to talk about and draw the tattoo. I knew nothing about the place when I walked in, it was just a random tattoo parlor, but this is just an example. I can barely turn around without having another one of these experiences.
Daily living itself is wonderful. I'm at a beautiful house renovated with natural building techniques (and I enjoyed much deeply connecting conversation with one of builder/sculptresses at the Equinox party). Everywhere is the city is easily accessible by car or bicycle and I can feel myself quickly getting stronger biking up the hills. When I return with my things I will move into a deeply connected little neighborhood into which I've received a wonderful welcome as well. The house I'll be living at is the residence connected to a big urban farm with fruit orchards and its own CSA, Green Hill Farm. and the perfect just doesn't stop. I'll have my own big wood paneled room with a private bathroom in a huge house with a fireplace, and dedicated rooms for yoga/exercise, office, and guest bedroom. Plans are well afoot for a hot tub and wood burning pizza oven in the expansive farm/backyard, where they have parties several times a year. And it's not just a great place, it comes with awesome hausmates who are delighted to share their wonderful friends with me. Wow with wow.
So here I am, dare I say finally at home. Asheville really is PERFECT. Like I sat down with a checklist and marked off all of the options that I wanted for a place, all of the experiences that I would want on my arrival and everything is exactly as I desired to manifest. I feel very well loved in all ways and from all angles. I am fully embraced by all aspects of being here. I am happy.
I feel like I've said it a hundred times and I probably actually have, but the welcome that I have received from Asheville has been utterly unprecedented. With no lack of gratitude to New Orleans, Boston, and the Bay Area in particular which provided me with marvels and great goodness upon my arrival, opening the door to Asheville was much like wandering a long and strange path to a door in a hill and finding within it all the splendor of Faerie. If I were able to forget my second-guessing and my rational (over?) caution (which I cast off at the ritual fire for Equinox) I would say, hell, I'll just say it: I feel fully embraced and at home. I have been embraced with love and excitement by a new circus/performance family which shares lineage with same family that first really embraced me in Oakland, Lucid Dream Lounge. The magical spirits of the Landing and it's beautiful extended family have shown me profound love and hospitality. They have re-inspired me to playfulness without letting go of my deeper mission one little bit. This weekend I met yet more fabulous creatures in an endless flow of amazing personalities here. I did a short impromptu performance on the lyra and felt amazingly comfortable and flowing on it. Though shy from a year or more of not practicing I also joined in the fire performance, breathing fire and using my giant fans. Someone in the crowd shouted "welcome to the family!" when my name was called in the bows. I stayed over night (morning really) and helped clean up the next day enjoying the company of my new but close friends. I managed to completely ignore work and relax and enjoy the rest of the day with this wondrous tribe returning home only for sleep.
The serendipities and synchronicities are endless. Walking through downtown before the party on Saturday I am drawn up a brick path through some trees into a tattoo studio where I'm greeted by an artist. Quickly a conversation develops about Christian cooption of pagan symbolism and on to realize that she did a tattoo for one of my Oakland friends and she knows all the Landing folk quite well. She has a full and profound experience of the spiritual aspect of the area and a deep appreciation of the magical and ritual potential of tattooing. I soon realize that I've found the person to do the tattoo for my right arm that I've been trying to figure out for goodness knows how many years and we start to talk about and draw the tattoo. I knew nothing about the place when I walked in, it was just a random tattoo parlor, but this is just an example. I can barely turn around without having another one of these experiences.
Daily living itself is wonderful. I'm at a beautiful house renovated with natural building techniques (and I enjoyed much deeply connecting conversation with one of builder/sculptresses at the Equinox party). Everywhere is the city is easily accessible by car or bicycle and I can feel myself quickly getting stronger biking up the hills. When I return with my things I will move into a deeply connected little neighborhood into which I've received a wonderful welcome as well. The house I'll be living at is the residence connected to a big urban farm with fruit orchards and its own CSA, Green Hill Farm. and the perfect just doesn't stop. I'll have my own big wood paneled room with a private bathroom in a huge house with a fireplace, and dedicated rooms for yoga/exercise, office, and guest bedroom. Plans are well afoot for a hot tub and wood burning pizza oven in the expansive farm/backyard, where they have parties several times a year. And it's not just a great place, it comes with awesome hausmates who are delighted to share their wonderful friends with me. Wow with wow.
So here I am, dare I say finally at home. Asheville really is PERFECT. Like I sat down with a checklist and marked off all of the options that I wanted for a place, all of the experiences that I would want on my arrival and everything is exactly as I desired to manifest. I feel very well loved in all ways and from all angles. I am fully embraced by all aspects of being here. I am happy.