Know-Mi

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:04:00 +0000

Currently offering Medical Qigong classes at the Gatehouse - 9:30am to 11am - Tuesday mornings.

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:15:00 +0000

Currently working on the website....

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 08:15:00 +0000

A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. he simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.”

- Francois Auguste Rene Chateaubriand

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:00:00 +0000

My cabin - -

2010

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 06:45:00 +0000

So I would say I’m living on Salt Spring, though it's taken me some time to land :)

And that lots has changed and is falling into place.

I feel a bit like I am just discovering I have wings - learning to fly slowly. awkwardly.

Studying Medical Qigong – an ancient Chinese shamanic healing work based in 5 elements Chinese medicine. Traditional chinese medicine having 4 aspects: acupuncture, acupressure, herbology and energy work. The prescriptions given are qigong excercises – based on the same physical form that I began practicing in Montreal 3 years ago. It’s potent work, with a huge amount to learn (think chinese medicine meridians, 5 elements, organ systems etc…) There are levels so after each year you can give treatments at your level ei: practitioner, therapist, master and doctor - so I’m in my practitioner year.

Also starting a teacher training for Mantak Chia’s Univeral Tao chi-kung method – to eventually be able to teach the full form of qigong/chi-kung meditation/movement.

Renting a beautiful little A-frame cabin/house on my own. Chopping wood to keep me warm, though lately it has been balmy! The place is owned by a friend who lives in the farmhouse next door – it’s all really the same land – a beautiful farm with 3 ponds, a yoga studio (for warmer weather use), sauna, greenhouse, market garden and orchard. So I’m trying to figure out how I can stay – the condition being to help with the farm… Could be in the cards.

Working for Salt Spring Seeds part time which is keeping me just afloat on the rainy Salt Spring waters.

I just started teaching dance classes – two little kids classes and two adult classes – ballet with a pianist and an exciting experiemental dance-flow class. Inspired by contemporary, chi-kung, yoga, 5Rhythms work, african and flamenco! Fun! I’m getting the sense that I’m onto my own unique style of dance class and feeling stoked for next week...

Life is good. Full. Rich. Forward moving. Inward, outward. Growing. Shifting. Evolving. Reaching in to pull out essence. Reaching out to pull in essence. Finding a balance between Yin and Yang, you know what I’m saying?

“When you cultivate balance and harmony within yourself or in the world, that is Taiji. When you work and play with the essence and the energy of nature and the universe for healing, clarity and inner peace, that is Qigong

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:22:00 +0000

Peace ~ a new discovery from some of my favorites from the 90s - Sweet Honey in the Rock

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:39:00 +0000

Seems to be a message :)

Pride was Proud

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:10:00 +0000

Blessed with a beautiful day on Salt Spring.

Where to begin...
Meditation.
My mother.
Annie Lennox.
Sprouts, Michael Ableman, raw tartelettes (chocolate and vanilla), zuccini, eggs, and Saturday market after labour day in indian summer.
Cafe Talia, Espresso machiatos, Sunshine, beautiful islanders and the dance of two beautiful minds, the dance of mother and daughter, the dance of deep friendship.
Pride Parade, pink-shirted Papa stepping in line, traffic stopping old friends, new times.
Centennial park, downtown Ganges, Sally Sunshine, Gazebo theatre samba band dance-along.
Conversations with strangers, new friends and fellow travelers.
Palu's rain-bow/sun-bow/local-show.

Late afternoon. Late summer. Late summer afternoon. Late afternoon in late summer.
Three generations.

A feather grew.

A first tattoo?

A singing story too.
The puppet-man/sailor prepares the gazebo for the evening's do.

Parading lanterns weaving through.

Dancers in the light and dancers in the dark.

A meteor with two tails.

A Top Model finalist and a dazzled little girl.

Shadow puppetry, youthful wisdom and shared laughter.

Poi et la belle langue avec une danseuse montréalaise.

Barb's Buns' Proud Pride party, body art bonding with sisters.

Patricia the great!

Dancing and more bonding with sisters.
Dancing and more bonding with brothers, mothers, sisters, fathers.
Grandfather dj with hot old tunes and fresh new beats.
Ushered home by fairies.
Time for some long-awaited eats.

and a seat.
and late night a poetry feat.

and a second recipe this week.

I bought this homous at the store (made by Holy Homous), but I'd like to add an easy raw twist.

In a food processor (or blender with some extra water):
Sub zuccini for chick peas
Red Peppers (roasted or not)
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Tahini
Garlic
Spice - suggestions: cayenne, coriander, cilantro or parsley

3/4 of a box of clover sprouts made into a nest in a bowl
half an avo chopped and scooped into the nest
a dollop of homous
dulse if you love it

A new leaf - recipes!

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 03:57:00 +0000

So something has to give. Me! I need to start giving something! This evening I've decided it'll be a recipe that I made today:

Cream of Red Pepper Soup (raw):

Soak a cup of almonds overnight
1/2 a cup of cashews soaked for a few hours prior to prep

In a food processor (or vita-mix) grind up first:
your soaked nuts
a few cloves of garlic (if you like garlic as much as me)
a quarter onion
about 4 tbsp olive oil (optional)
a teaspoon or so of salt

then add and process:
2 cups of red pepper (at least 3 peppers - I used sweet cayenne peppers that were left over from seed saving, so used a few handfulls)
1.5 cups of water or more, depending on how thick or thin you like your soup
spices to taste: hungarian spicy paprika, cayenne and ethiopian berbere spice are what I added

Heat the soup on very low temperature and enjoy!

tip to the wise: try soaking all nuts and seeds with a touch of apple cider vinegar - it helps to break down the seed's natural preservation methods that are undigestible to us.

And a poem for desert! :

So many pullings. People. Rhythms. Ideas. Whispers. Calls. Doubts.

But only one path.

How is this so?

Quiet the mind.
Sing to the heart.
Hold court at her doorstep.
Allow her to reign.

Please.

Step back. Let her unmask you.
Unhinge you.
Melt the illusions with her gentle flame.
Her laughter will spill over you, washing you clean.
Your constant companion.
Her every beat affirming your path.

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Whoah!! My how summertime flies!

And I continue to fly.

The coast was calling and I am surrendered to the pull of saltspringseed-y-ness, family time and sweet ocean breezes. I have arrived on Salt Spring for the fall months to work with my Dad and save some money for travels this winter. Right now it looks like Israel and perhaps Egypt with my mom, but we shall see.

This summer has been full and empty at the same time. So much letting go, grieving and being with not knowing what is next. Lots of ideas but I have just been resting in the present. Meditation and daily movement practice have been key as well as healthy eating and clean water. (of course, somesummer celebration too ;)

So much beautiful and healing retreat time was spent in the Kootenays - as well as two packed trips to visit the west coast. I definitely fell in love with the Kootenays, so left a fair bit of my stuff there and could see myself very easily living there again one day soon.

I'm realizing that my journey through my own health issues has brought me so much knowledge and understanding, and a deeper study of healing arts is very much on-going and on the horizon... Still looking for the specific route, though strong pulls come from the chinese 5 element system, acupuncture, reflexology and nutrition based healing using wild plants especially. . .

Dance is always present - I dance I dance I dance, everywhere I go to, every rhythm, and keep channeling that dancer spirit in me. I hope to get into Vancouver regularly this fall for flamenco classes and continue my own practices that cultivate my connection with the subtle and athletic bodies.

So there it is! Here I am! Back on Salt Spring once again. A place to be seasoned and a place to spring from. I am excited to have landed (I have a home already and am moving in today), and to see what the work with the infamous Dan Jason has in store for me. For tonight I'm going to go shake it at the Beaver Point Hall like a true home-coming.

Here are some pics of the summertime adventures:

The Coast:
The Harvest from our backyard in the Koots:

Family:

The Cake for my Grandfather's 89th:

My New Digs

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:55:00 +0000

So I finally have some pics to share from my new environment. It has been pretty hectic since I got here. Lots of web work, and work to get the cabin ready to move into. Not to mention being in a new place and planting a garden...

In no particular order, here is a little tour of where I am hanging out - up a long driveway in 13mile - just outside Nelson BC...

PREP:

ready to paint

When we arrived - lots of work to do....

Ali oiling the kitchen counter

the 1rst phase of the garden.

little cabin in the woods when we first arrived

Springtime in the kootenays!

Juicing and planting:

Inside our beautiful home:

Garden

in the 'greenhouse' (yet to have plastic)

down the slope

From our deck:

coming in from the driveway

Cabin shots:

View out the kitchen window:

my room:

view from the outhouse :)

Keith's place - (our friend and landlord) beautiful strawbale home where we stayed while we were setting up the cabin and where I work from...

The view from my office

The view from Keith's office:

Tia; the next bjork and Keith's 5 year old daughter:

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:44:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:49:00 +0000

So here it is!!! The rest of the canadian tour - in some sort of order though not much. Some photos would be better much bigger, but hey - next time I'll figure that out :)

Ontario Shots -

Sun peaking thru in Ontario :

The tetley tea mobile gets decked out...

Beware of hitchhiking monsters

My bike is still there!

Silliness on the road:

Beautiful Barns

Springtime -

Talking to ghosts:

Wow - for the love of trucks:

Room 122, Medicine Hat -

Back on the road

Light our way -

What's that in the distance?

Wild BC!

The journey

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:53:00 +0000

Here it is folks; the abridged version of our trip across Canada. I'm working on it in breaks from work, so it will come out a bit at a time...

From a couple days ago: So we're heading out of Swift Current and the current is continuing to swiftly pull us west. What a beautiful journey it has been so far. Truly inspiring to travel across Canada this way.

Our Mascot - ET goes home:

The travelers:

Ontario was long. Desolate. Stunning.

Sudbury: (too bad you can see inside this car - the woman was totally classic)

Breakfast of Champions (recipe to come) in Northern Ontario - Lake Superior:

ET in Ontario:

Today's journey brought to you by the number 4:

And good food!:

Overjoyed to be almost in Sault Ste. Marie

The first night we crashed in Sault Ste. Marie at the Pine Grove Motel too tired to do much but slip into sleep. 5am starts all the way!

This morning after our second long day in Ontario, we woke up in Kenora to snow on the car and dashed out of that province as quick as possible. Manitoba! What a different landscape.

And now ahh... The prairies. Who knew it would be so enjoyable to drive through Saskatchewan? The sky has put on a show of light and water. The feilds stretch out magestic and graceful. Expansion is innate in this landscape. Healing. The pee pit stops totally inspiring.

(Photos to come)

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Oh my goodness! yes. It has been too long.

I am now back in Montreal, but not for long. It's time for this little seed to float to her next home. I'm not sure where that will be; for now I plan to spend the summer in BC, some in Nelson and some on Salt Spring. I've never been to Nelson before and I have been looking forward to checking it out for quite some town now. I get the sense I may just fall in love with it there.

I've also been invited to come back to Costa Rica for more than one exciting project. Ninoska - the owner and soul of 'Estudio los Almendros' and I had a great connection and may end up collaborating more. Also, friends of mine are building a community nearby and Ozlem, the owner of the organic restaurant in town offered to have me care-take the resaurant while she goes away. Hmm. How I love the climate and aliveness of that place! We shall see.

For now I am waiting for my heart to truly say 'yes' to the next thing. Floating is not that appealing to me as a matter of fact - I want to go forwards with direction and meaning. Saturn is returning as is another cycle I have been in my whole life till now. (so says my astrologer friend Eve) So change is in store whatever the case. Life is full of opportunities, but I am waiting for my heart to magnetize the one that makes it sing. The trip to Costa Rica was truly a transformational one and made me realise how important warmth, ease and happiness are to me now. Montreal has been wonderfully fun and full of important lessons and growth. In the past few years, I've discovered parts of myself that I never knew were there. It's also been a struggle here, a glimpse into the weight of things, and I am longing for brighter lighter depths.

In the midst of all this Matthew and I have acknowledge that we need to loosen the reins of our partnership, which has been slowly happening since he came down to Costa Rica. It is a confusing and beautiful process, as the depth of our love rings true to me all-ways. For now we are just living it one day at a time, gracefully, vulnerably and honestly. I have also moved out of our apartment together for the remainder of my time in Montreal, and my space here with my good friend Nadine is a sunny and peaceful sanctuary for transition.

A few pics of our time together in Costa:

Oh Mateo! You are such a bright star in my life!

Then there is work. Then there is dance. The work continues and grows - I'm starting to learn more design stuff which is exciting, but still somewhere I know this work isn't for me.

I continue to dance - flamenco has been incredibly satisfying - authentic movement on my own is also a big part of my sanity. Where am I going with this? I don't know. It's a research into my soul for now and doesn't seem to be leading to big productions, though I did perform on several occasions while I was a way, they were all pretty casual. Voice work and singing seems to be coming more to the forefront and it scares and excites me to think of continuing with that.

So! there it is in a nutshell. I enjoy reflecting on my life in this way, so remind me if you enjoy reading...

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:14:00 +0000

Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Life has been going on within me and without me (or without a record!).

It is truly beautiful here. I have been having beautiful adventures and more recently dancing more and singing more. I am discovering the true potential of several things in my life at the moment.

Firstly the job. Wow. I have a skill! That people need and want! Who knew? I will most likely be working with about 5 new clients - friends and interesting sites. All of a sudden I am inspired to learn more. And also see how I could travel more with this work. Beautiful.

I am living at a dance studio. I have a flamenco platform to practice on behind my cabin! I love flamenco! I love dancing! (I may even come back here and help to look after the place... who knows)

I have a voice! I love to sing!

I can speak spanish! and want to learn more!

Okay. I know, it's a lot of exclamation marks and there you are freezing your ass off in Canada (or where-ever you are) It's not all rosy. Life never is. But today I feel the potential of beauty and am grateful for the gifts I am giving myself.

Although I really don't know what life has in store for me next (my mantra these days has been 'I don't know'), I am here now: the air here is warm and sultry. The beach a hop skip and jump across the road. The fruit is so flavourful. Paradise. And I am grateful.

I'm also very excited to share it all with Mateo, who arrives on Thursday and will be here with me till the end of my stay.

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:31:00 +0000

So it has been a little while since I wrote - I seem to have been swept up by life here in a beautiful way. I am meeting some of the local people as well as hanging with some of the people from the poi workshop who are still around.

Hmm. Where to start?

This week did not include that much work. Astrology readings at the local organic restaurant. Philosophical discussions. Spiritual conversations. Silliness. Tree climbing. Late night poi jams on a deck in the jungle under the stars with video projections on the cabin wall. Tarantula spottings. Bug bites. Serenades by old Costa Rican men on the steps in the middle of town, while eating fried fish with lime. Rides home on scooters. Rides to town in the back seat with the dog drooling all over me. As they say here - 'Pura Vida!'

Yesterday was the opening of 'el centro cultural' - a small outdoor area just off the street where artist folk can hang out. Sell their wares more legally (there are many street vendors here and everyone once in a while the police come and shut them down) It's a place for people to share their art, have a coffee. It's a very cool little spot.

So I volunteered myself to do face-painting for the grand day and discovered a new talent. Later on the drumming began and I danced around flamenco and belly-dancing style on the street and accumulated a captive audience. It was very gypsy and very liberating. Then there was fire dancing into the night. And more silliness at the local bar, where we hung out in the back lawn making human pyramids.

Eve - a taurus sister from North Carolina who was living alone in a treehouse before she came here:
Taurus reflection

Friends off the street :

The lovely Frederica - a huge-hearted italian woman who does tarot readings among other things:

Joseph - graphic designer and staff dancer:

Bene - the lovely Bene, poi spinner extra-ordinaire:

Cello (for lack of the correct spelling) - argentinian sweet-heart:

Danny (who is helping to open the centro cultural), ?, and Miguel (aka 'gypsy boy') - fire-juggler extra-ordinaire who sleeps on the beach - a true gypsy

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:27:00 +0000

Life in paradise - I have to say, it's pretty good...

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:58:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:52:00 +0000

Paradise:
The group checking out ancient poi-geometry

Poi class on tortuga island

Isn't poi fun?!

Erika on the water

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Erika spinning in the ocean:

Part of the crew:

Pirates on our trip to Tortuga Island:

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:48:00 +0000

This week is poi workshop week - photos to come!

What a change of pace from the jungle and mi casa tranquilo to fire-spinning world! And a big party overlooking the whole area and miles of ocean from the swimming pool on the cliff with a woman on the silks (trapeze like aparatus) in the living room and video projections on the ceiling!

I have been walking to the workshop often and even walked home last night. It is about a 35 minute walk along a dirt jungle road next to the sea... Quite beautiful albeit a little dusty.

In the mornings we do a couple hours of poi class over-looking the ocean and then we climb down the hill a bit and jump into a pool under waterfalls. We then break till the afternoon, have another couple hours of class in different beautiful locations and then break again till our evening activity.

I'm starting to settle in to the whole thing and the last couple nights have been more mellow.

Tonight we are supposed to have a bonfire on the beach - And I am supposed to be working, except that I'm blogging and the rain is pouring out of the sky...

Tomorrow we will go to the Isla Tortuga by boat.

I am feeling more settled here in general and although I am really enjoying learning new poi moves, I am looking forward to going back to my much more subdued retreat.

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:23:00 +0000

Full moon dinner -

Yes - there was a big earthquake near the capital, San Jose - Everything is fine here with me, not to worry :)

noreply@blogger.com (Permaculture Group) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:16:00 +0000

So as I wait for my project to update (for those who don't know, I do web marketing/Search Engine Optimiztion for my brother's company - http://www.mastermynde.com and will be working while I am down here) I'll tell you a little about how it's going here.

Ninoska - who is the owner/caretaker/founder of this center for movement research - is a wonderfully crazy, firey, eccentric, Leo of a woman. Last night we did some authentic movement exchange - each of witnessing the other's improvised movement. Eyes closed and tuning into exactly how the body wants to move and express itself in the moment. It was very grounding and allowed me to express some of what is going on. I think that also it was a wonderful way for me to introduce myself to Ninoska. We had an inspiring talk afterwards about the potential of the place and of my stay here and even possible future stays (who knows!) After our talk I felt a lot more tuned into my reasons for coming here.

The place here is quite beautiful and very well kept. We have lime trees (the Costa Rican Variety), bananas, monkeys, lizards of all shapes and sizes, iguanas, beautiful flowers, crazy looking birds, there is even a little stream passes by my cabin. I am only just starting to take it in. We are also across the road from the beach - which is totally gorgeous except that the water is cloudy, to my slight dissappointment. I'm not sure where that comes from... Perhaps rivers and rainy season just past. But the beach itself is quite beautiful. And very few people hang out there as we are some ways away from the town.

It's taking me a while to recover from the extreme change - but things are now starting to settle.

Okay - an abrupt ending - but more soon!