~A Playful Ramble~

My friends.

My time at Hawthorne Valley is at a close.  Passed are the 6 months since returning from the jungle.  The visions of Playful Service that drew me to Hawthorne now draw me on.

I feel more ready, more skilled and sober than 6 months ago, when I began this Playful Ramble.  The underlying impulse and direction is the same: live awake, in awakened service, and be a catalyst for the awakening of others.  The themes of community, youth, and awakened earth stewardship still feel like the main avenues of expression of this awakened service.

Yet all the lessons that have come in so short a time have honed me, tempered me, pushed me beyond my previous limits.  I am pushing through my layers, through my shells...sometimes very uncomfortable, but necessary and rewarding.  And now I find myself on the other side, grateful for grace...and grateful for what comes next.

For now begins another Playful Ramble, across the country.  In the spirit of awakened service, my main aim is to be available for the needs of the situation, wherever and with whomever I find myself.  It is said, 'Love where you are, what you are doing, and who you are with.'  This is the basis of unconditional love.

So I wish for this unconditional service and wakefulness to be my guide, as I visit communities, families, close friends, random people, and eventually, my own blood family.  May I have the strength and courage to walk such a path!

~

Moving from the vague to the precise, my plans are as follows:

August 24th: entraining for La Plata, Missouri...36 hours of train travel

August 25th-30th: in La Plata, meeting up with Shira, staying with the family at Butterfly Hill Farm, exploring land opportunities, visiting with Dancing Rabbit, Possibility Alliance, and other surrounding farm communities/homesteads

August 31st: fly out of Kansas City to Reno, meet up with Mercury Across America for 7 days of Burning Man

September 8th: head out to San Fransisco, reunite with my good friend Kieran

September 8th-22nd: hang with Kieran, sit Zazen across the street (his dad is the abbott), take tai-chi lessons in the park, see Adyashanti in Palo Alto, see my old teacher in Los Altos, visit other friends, play music, give food, dance, celebrate, and generally spread the good vibe through awakened service

September 22nd-30th: doing a work exchange insight retreat up at Spirit Rock meditation center

October 1st: saying goodbye to the bay area, flying down to San Diego

October 1st-12th: hanging with my family in Escondido, Encinitas, and surrounding area.  October 10th is my cousin Brooke's wedding!  Dance, Sing, Celebrate!

October 13th: return to PA, figure out rest of my life.

Done!

~

So, if in reading this itinerary, you want to meet up with me, please let me know.  Things are pretty open and flexible within these basic limits.  I hope to visit with many friends, especially at Burning Man and once I get to Cali.  Please keep in touch!

~

All you that know me and have touched my life, I take you with me in my spacious heart, in deep gratitude.  You are each a part of me, and inform my meaning and purpose in every day and each of my actions.

In family,

one light