Hello and vanakum. Our third full week here is coming to a close. It has been a weekend of celebration as this time is a sacred date for shiva worship. Many attended temple discourses and meditation, while some pierced their skin with sharp hooks as an offering to shiva. Tonight, in Auroville, there is a full-moon meditation and walk around the gigantic banyan tree near the Matramandir. Above is a picture of this magnificent tree.

I settle more and more here each day, but with settling comes habits, routines, and the inevitable closing off from new experience. This has been my self-put challenge; to remain vulnerable to this place and what it has to offer.

Every week I meet incredible people; highly spiritual and pious people. Just this morning, as I was cycling into town hall, a random older man and I struck up a conversation. He said his name was 'Arjun', and i said, 'like Arjuna from Bhagavad-Gita?', and he said 'yes, the same'. And from there we got into a discussion about the three types of yoga taught in the Gita: bhakti-yoga (liberation through devotional), jnana-yoga (liberation through wisdom), and karma-yoga (liberation through work). It blew me away that I was having this conversation with a total stranger like we were talking about the weather. Yet I was not blow away because I have become accustomed to these types of things happening here. Truly amazing.

My health is staying strong, and my mind and body are vital--thanks to daily yoga and meditation built into the practice. I have begun my service-learning, which consists of Monday and Tuesday morning and Wednesday all day at Solitude Farm. This farm stresses community and spiritual practice as integral to farming and land stewartship...right up my alley. It is so wonderful getting back to the land, to good hard labor, to repitition and quietude. The community at Solitude is very solid, with 6 or 7 peers and a few older ones, all showing up and working because something internal drives them to do good, simple work. I will get some good pictures of this community for you all to see.

Take care all,
justin