The Fullness of the Full Moon

Have you felt it????  This weekend has been really powerful for me.  I find myself at a loss though when trying to describe in words what has moved through me.  I just feel the need mainly to share my gratitude for the grace. . .for the miracles.  .for the Divine present in my life.  Yesterday was the official full moon but they say the energy of it is powerful the day before and after (TODAY!).

Friday was our first official Pacha Mamas performance/sharing in our newest incarnation: myself, Marquetta and Anahata.  When I came home from my travels I was at peace with letting go of Pacha Mamas completely, but what I came to realize relatively quickly is that I was just being called to let go of the previous incarnation not the energy of what Pacha Mamas is and has always been for me- a creative outlet- a place to share my soul in some of the ways that feed my soul the most.  What I have let go of is what I think Pacha Mamas is suppose to look like- any attachment to Pacha Mama outcomes.  But I had to be willing to get past my past baggage around it and I had to have the courage to open up to it again - the courage to continue to move with the energy in whatever way it presents itself- reinventing myself- expanding myself, surrendering to it.  Believe me, before Friday night I really had a sense of dread that came from whatever baggage I had left over. . .but Friday night was simply beautiful and it freed something in me and now I feel I'm in the creative flow again in a way I haven't been in awhile.  Ironically JUST before leaving for our performance my mala broke- I yelled out in despair, Anahata upon hearing me and finding out what was wrong said, "OH, according to the Buddhists that's good luck!  It means a barrier is broken, an obstacle is removed".  So true!!!!  It's amazing how the universe works isn't it???

Saturday was simply joyous- going to the Decatur Arts Festival - connecting with so many beautiful people I know and some who are new to me. .then going to the Pine Lake Memorial Day cookout and beach opening. ..same thing!!!  It was just a glorious day.  Today despite some resistance because I knew I was being inspired to go- I went to the Center for Spiritual Living of Atlanta's 11:30 am service.  And there was a guest speaker- an expert on Aramaic, Hebrew, Coptic- and the original texts of Bible etc.  It's so amazing how much Jesus and his message are distorted through language!!!!  And from taking things out of context- especially the context of the culture . ..and from things literally being taken out and added.  My favorite part of the service was him speaking the Lords Prayer in Aramaic.  It released something in me and I cried- it was so incredibly beautiful.  The timing of this sermon is the most miraculous thing to me though.  I really have been in the process of embracing the fact that Christianity is my religious heritage and that just because I don't agree with many things about Christianity doesn't mean that I need to distance myself from Jesus.  When I got back from India and Nepal, I had a renewed sense of wanting to strengthen my relationship with Jesus and the parts of Christianity I do resonate with- with the New Thought movement- the Gnostics the Christian mystics so to speak.  So it was really amazing that the first "church" service I went to addressed seeing Jesus Christ in a new and more pure light- in seeing the Bible for what it is - separate from the experience of and the relationship with Jesus Christ.  It was a great affirmation for me.  And I am feeling very inspired to learn the song of the Lords Prayer in Aramaic and sharing it as a Pacha Mama.

This Pacha Mama is BACK!!!!!  Hallalujah!  And the Pacha Mama adventure continues in all it's forms

Last of this year's pilgrimage!

This past Sunday Anahata and I had a few friends over and shared slides and shawls from the pilgrimage!  I was reminded when putting together slides how many amazing and beautiful experiences I had some of which I haven't even had the time to really share.  My first priority on the pilgrimage was to make sure Anahata had what she needed to stay as stress free as possible given all the variables at times. AND our days were so full that when I did have down time, I really took it and didn't do much of anything but try and keep up with some emails occasionally.  But believe me the down time was relatively rare and coveted.  I didn't even really shop when I had the chance because it was usually too overwhelming for me!  All that said, I am home and very present as I move into new adventures.  But the time I spent in India and Nepal are forever deeply in my body and very much a part of who I am now.  Someone asked me on Sunday if the pilgrimage felt like a dream. . . . and I said that although my time there was relatively short that it really was deep and intimate and really now feels so much a part of who I am.  This truly was a pilgrimage and wasn't just about running around being a tourist- there were so many great opportunities to really relate, share and connect with people and their spirituality/hearts.  Because I was assisting Anahata I went a week early and got to see some of the inner workings of her life there and her relationships there- this was also the case just simply hanging out with her during the pilgrimage- there was much more association with her point people in each country who were either native or had been there for a very long time.  I consider this association to be a great blessing.

Passang, a Tibetan, was our main help in India and I loved meeting his wife and two children in Dharamasala before the pilgrimage.  What a beautiful family!  And Passang was AMAZING- a true practicing Buddhist with a such a good and light heart.  He really was able to just move through any difficulties that arose with relative grace.  He also like to laugh and have fun and be of service.  He was such a joy to have around.  I look forward to seeing him and his family again next year. . God Willing.

Here is Passang with Sabira Jane discussing one of our vans that was spewing horrible exhaust which later broke down!

Our two main helpers in Nepal were Andrea, an American who has basically been living there for most of her adult life and Pabitra who founded and runs Bright Nepal with Anahata's help and support.
Andrea knew so much about the sacred sights- she was basically our guide most of the time in Nepal.  Pabitra helped alot with the hotel and food logistics and she was present on many of our outings.  Both of these women are extremely generous- but Andrea was the outgoing one and Pabitra the quite force of nature.  Pabitra is the one who decided to name the new girl that had recently joined Bright Nepal, Angela.  I love her especially for that- I felt deeply honored!

Andrea sharing traditional sacred dance with us at a sacred site.  She put her whole heart and soul into her dances.  They were very moving to watch.

Here she is with a monk that showed us around the monastery where her teacher presided before his death.

Pabitra. . .need I say anymore.  This picture epitomizes who she is with all the girls who come to Bright Nepal!!! LOVE

And of course, I would be totally remiss not to make a point in saying how amazing Anahata was. . especially having been privy to all the behind the scenes.  I really know how much of her heart and soul she poured into the success of this pilgrimage. . .how hard and tirelessly she worked.  I really was witness to how huge a heart she has and how incredibly generous she is!!!  I feel a deep gratitude for having been blessed to be a part of her pilgrimage in particular.  BIG thanks and love to Anahata!!!!

One of the first days of our pilgrimage

The last day of the pilgrimage. . .still looking radiant!!!

SO, two weeks have gone by since my arrival home and I've mostly been catching up and doing music therapy gigs.  I think it's time I complete this part of my blog and so I will close with a few more of my favorite pictures/moments from the pilgrimage.  My next blog I will turn my focus to my few days in Europe before coming home and then it's onto my present life which is always full of new adventures!

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The last of India and the first of Nepal!

Okay. ..I just posted. . .but I looked at my blog and realized I need to back track just a little for now.  Next post will have the LAST of my favorite photos of this journey before totally moving on to new territory, adventures and journeys!!!  (Check the blog I did earlier tonight if you want to read more of my thoughts and not just look at pictures!)

Sol Pema (sp?) our last big stop in India.  I slept better here than any where else in India despite a very hard bed.

The view from our hotel window

The dances up on the temple grounds (the one you see in the previous two pictures!)

Yes, this is wild marijuana.  One of the vans broke down by a huge field of it just off the road.  And I actually had to go pee in the middle of it. . .I found this particularly funny. . something I will NEVER forget.

Arriving in Nepal

One of our first trips was way up a hill overlooking Khatmandu valley- to a famous stuppa.

Getting ready to have our prayer flags hung.

Our prayer flags are hung on the hill with hundreds of others

Enjoying a picnic lunch!

Feeling So At Home in the World

Well, I'm home and it feels good after 5 weeks although I've been really wanting to go to sleep all evening due to jet lag.  So I'm at the neighborhood hangout, New Era Cafe (run by a beautiful Ethiopian couple) for an avocado smoothie (dinner) and to do a little "work" on the computer.  The mayor walked in a couple of minutes ago and we had a great conversation about the latest progress in Pine Lake as well as how my trip went and how Aiden is doing.  I do love living in this community!

I  just wanted to sort of complete some of my thoughts on my journey over the past 5 weeks.  In general, I feel this overwhelming sense of grace and gratitude around the whole thing.  It was a leap of faith to leave for as long as I did but I knew in my soul it was the "right" thing for me.  It has been an amazing and transformative journey and, honestly, I don't quite have the words for it.  I'm just so grateful for the beauty of it- for the magic, the miracles, the relationships developed, the huge amount of love felt.  I'm so blessed to walk back into my life here with no problems- and with lots of contract work to make up for the time gone.  I wasn't sure what was going to happen with that when I left.  Thank you God!

Really, I feel this renewed sense of life- a passion for life.  And, I feel like I've found a real tangible way that I can give back some of the abundance that I experience in my life (supporting the girls hostel, Bright Nepal).  I love what this organization is doing.  I love Pabitra, the amazing woman who runs it.  I love the girls.  I love the fact that I now have a personal relationship with this organization which I will continue to nurture.  I know I will be back in Nepal sooner than later!

I love the Tibetans and their beautiful way of life even as refugees.  I love their practice of Buddhism.  I love that the Dalai Lama encourages Westerners to continue following the example of Jesus Christ.  I have felt a profound renewal in my own faith and in my own spiritual practice because of my experience with Hindu and Buddhist practitioners, holy sites and temples.  I was inspired by these experiences in many different ways for many different reasons.

That's it in a nutshell!!!  And to further complete. .  (poo I didn't bring the right memory card so here's just a few of the pictures I was going to post.. .more later!)

Atisha School (sp?) boys getting ready to do a traditional dance for us.  This school is for the Tibetan refugee children in Nepal.  The refugee community lives across the street.  

The school welcomes us as their honored guests.

Performing a traditional dance for us. 

The elder Tibetan women perform traditional songs and dance for us as well.

Dances of Universal Peace with the children

The computer lab at this school is completely outdated.  The school is trying to raise $3500 to upgrade everything.  We were able to give them about $1000 toward this endeavor.  If anyone wants to make a tax deductible donation towards this cause OR if anyone wants to ship laptops to the school, please contact me!! THANKS

In Bhaktapur, Nepal

Same. ..having enjoyed lunch at a roof top cafe.  If it weren't so hazy you would be able to see the snow peaked Himalayans in the distance.  They surrounded the Khatmandu valley of course!

More Bright Nepal

Here are some pictures of the girls at Bright Nepal.  The day we visited they put on a little concert for us and then we danced and sang with them.  It was one of my favorite days of the pilgrimage.

After the girls did a group performance of songs and dance, individual girls got up and shared contemporary Nepali songs with traditional dance.  One girl did a karate demonstration.  It was a beautiful, spontaneous sharing.  And it was fun to see the girls encouraging each other to take turns individually.

Dances of Universal Peace with the girls.

My namesake, 7 year old Angela, who just joined Bright Nepal one week earlier is front and center.  The girls all dressed in their traditional costumes and performed for us.  So unbelievably CUTE!