Hello Beauties,
I know it has been a long time since I last posted and this will be a short one since I've got only a minute. I just want to let everyone know I'm doing wonderfully. The cleanse was a very intense experience, far more challenging than the meditation retreat, but deeply rewarding. I feel my entire instrument is so clean and singing! We are slowly integrating whole, raw foods into our diet which is such a delight to enjoy. We are all awaiting the arrival of Sean and Dirk with open arms.
Love you all - I will write more soon...

I am in the process of integrating the revelations and peace I experienced during the retreat. The warm and fuzzy feelings have died down, but the inner space is just as available. I am commited to cultivating it by meditating twice a day for the next 40 days even if it is only for 10 minutes. We went into the biggest city on Koh Phangan, Thongsala, today to restock on fresh produce and I was shocked by how overwhelming it was. I found myself not wanting to barter for food anymore yet frustrated because I thought I was getting ripped off. My perception of a rip off has drastically changed since arriving to Thailand. 15 cents for a lime - you have got to be kidding me! God, I've got to laugh at myself! Obviously, what are pennies to me are substantial for a hard working Thai woman. I aspire to be more graceful and compassionate and interactions like this one bring up a couple red flags on a more subtle level. It really feels good to give and thats all there is to it! It's my choice moment to moment to feel frustrated or peaceful. :)
Tomorrow is a really big day for Logan and myself. We are moving to a new home, starting level two at Agama and beginning a 9 day cleanse. I am truly thrilled about all of it! The place we found is so gorgeous. It is tucked away up in the mountains, away from the road which has become relentlessly noisy and smelly at our beach bungalow. It overlooks the ocean and on a clear day you can see Koh Samui. There was actually thought and taste put into designing it which is very rare in Thailand. The whole structure is make of this beautiful dark wood, the ceilings are high and even some nice artwork hangs on the walls. There is only one room, but it is spacious with big windows and a mosquitoe net - very key. There is a massive deck that serves as a gorgeous place for yoga, mediation, dance, entertaining and of course cooking. The kitchen is also on the deck, but we have a hot water shower! (Even if it is heated by electricity.)
Next exciting thing on my list is the cleanse which starts with a 2 day light liver flush and then a 7 day colon flush. I will spare you all the gory details. ;) Im a little timid about doing yoga while cleansing because from past experience it can be quite an exhausting, emotional thing, but I feel optimisitic. Level 2 is very different from the first month since it is only 3 days a week during the afternoon. We are expected and encouraged to create our own daily practice and we can still join the level 1 practice for free. That brings me to some really cool things that I have learned about the school. First of all none of the teachers are paid - they do it for the love of it. And secondly, a student can repeat the levels, classes and lectures that they have already done as many times as they want free of charge. Sounds good, huh. You Ojai folks would love it here.

Today is my first day out of silence and I feel transformed. I feel like my whole being has been pulled apart piece by piece and recreated. Silence was surprisingly easy and even blissful. I see that there is little need for words so much of the time. More importantly how powerful our words are and how I have no desire to utter ones that do not serve a helpful, expanding purpose. In my heart I feel all of you loved ones so close and I pray that we continue to awaken to the depth of our own beauty. Love is where we come from and where we are going and I know we all "know" that, but to experience it is incredible! I am very much in a process of cleaning house. I see the power of my beliefs and I am ready to let go of the ones that aren't empowering. At same time I have this wonderful opprotunity to re-affirm my beliefs about myself and the world at large.
I have fallen in love with Agama Yoga. I want to stay here perhaps for my entire trip. Logan, Russel and I are having a mutual experience of finding another home here. We are all signing up for month 2 of the program and taking it one month at a time.
During the night of New Year's Eve (last day of retreat) we stayed up all night long in meditation blessing each country as it came into the new year. It is the most powerful moment of the whole year to make intentions since there is so much global energy and enthusiasm. I hope you all had wonderful celebrations!

So this will be my last post til the new year. I am going into a 10 day silent retreat starting tomorrow with both Logan and Russel. I am very excited to drop in with myself and spend time being still. This is a new experience for me and I am sure it will be a challenge to sit in mediation all day, but thank goodness there is a daily yoga practice to break up the long hours of stillness. I will be in spirit with all of you during the holidays and I wish you a beautiful transition into the new year. May we all set aside what no longer serves us and welcome in our dreams! Now is a time to empty our cups so they can fill with the spontaneous magic and aliveness of each moment. Just believe....

Two weeks of classes completed yesterday and now today we have off! I love the yoga philosophy here so much that I will stay for the 2nd month of classes and go deeper. The alignment of my whole skeletal structure has transformed in only half a month! Im astonished!
I have been very naughty today and just ate a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, drank a latte and ate a couple bites of chocolate cake. It surprisingly exciting to eat western food! We are headed to the other side of the island to check out these herbal saunas. I will see how my stomach copes after the heavy food. I feel my entire system growing more sensitive and at the same time strong.
I love our little island life. A hammock over the water, a good book and fresh smoothies. Oh and spicy food, I never thought I would handle the extremes that I now crave! I can barely get enough of these Thai chiles!

Just entered week 2 of the 1 month yoga intensive here in Koh Phangan. I feel my whole being expanding into its fullness and the first step in that process is letting go of all emotional, mental, physical and spiritual constucts that confine. Its an unraveling - the work of a lifetime that I am just beginning. My perceptions of the subtle qualities in life are deeply growing and I find myself between impatience and awareness, boredom and exhaltation. What a journey!
I have been practicing awareness of the many mirrors this life creates. My experience of reality is a direct reflection of who I am to myself as are the many relationships that are present. We each have our place in this intricate experience of oneness. I find it difficult to give voice to these feelings and experiences. I hope I am making sense...

Its been a few days since my last post and it feels like much longer. So much has happened! We have finally sunk into the island pace here on Koh Phangan. It took us a couple days to find the right spot to rent for the month, but now we have and it is wonderful. Logan and I have a bungalow that sits about 10 feet above the ocean on stilts. We have a massive deck where I spend my afternoons enchanted by the rolling ripples and changing light. There are mosquitoes that come up through the open floor boards and torment me, but hey, it's a small price to pay. Russel has a smaller bungalow adjacent to us, which is perfect for him.
The three of us have enrolled in the first month intensive at Agama Yoga (walking distance from our beachy home) and are currently on day 4. Put shortly - it is amazing! I feel I have already learned so much and I know it is just building up. My day starts around 7 with a cold shower (no water heater) and class starts at 8:30 with a morning lecture and then 1 hour practice. We then have 11 to 4 off to eat, relax, ride our motorbikes into town for killer pad thai and drool over the ocean. Then we are back at school from 4 to 8 starting with lecture, sun salutations, building asana practice and followed by yet another lecture. The emphasis this school takes is on subtle energetics and the powerful healing nature of yoga with concentration. As the days progress we have less lecture time and more practice time. Each day we learn a new asana that is added to the practice. (Asanas are held for 3 to 10 minutes and the amount of time is also building.) Tomorrow we are going to learn about music meditation which will be a part of the daily practice.
Life is so good and I am very grateful to all the beautiful people at home reading this and supporting me in all the ways you do.