It's already March

So much has happened since my last posting...my life has really changed. I am now at the Mount Madonna Center running the landscaping and taking care of the koi pond among other duties. I am even thinking of joining the volunteer firefighting crew here on land. Life has become very nice here, adjusting to the community lifestyle is a constant learning experience. Just as I become comfortable some event or emotion changes my perspective just enough to warrant a complete re-evaluation of my choices and methods of dealing with the complex life I have here.

For those who don't already know, the MMC is a retreat/yoga center on a 360 acre chunk of land in the Santa Cruz Mountains. There is also a private K-12 school here, which keeps thing lively. There is a conference center, various cabin clusters and campgrounds, a new cafe, a community building, a firehouse and various other structures. Aside from hosting retreats and yoga teacher training events there is also a College of Ayurvedic Medicine which further adds to the mix. There are around 60 or so people living up here, some since 1978 or so and some as fresh as two weeks. Most of the long term residents came here to learn from Baba Hari Dass, an Indian yogi whom is still practicing and is currently at the ashram in India.

There is an interesting mix of residents here; hardcore asana junkies to wanderers such as myself. Despite many of our obvious differences, most people here sincerely care about self-development and selfless service and because of this we all coexist beautifully, but not without conflict and tension. I invite anyone to come and visit the Center, and me of course, it is a unique and wonderful place.

My work is satisfying. I have a great level of personal responsibility to create and maintain the physical environment we all share here as well as develop social and managerial skills. I have many crew members I lead, and through collaboration with them, I am able to realize the potential of the land...and this is just the beginning!

I also manage the koi pond which is also a wonderfully rewarding job. I am really learning something new everyday with those little fish, they are so beautiful and growing at an incredible rate. I hope to have some nice pictures soon...

With the help of some friends here, I have undertaken some renovations of our little cabin installing a new roof and a deck with an outdoor shower and sunken bath. Our view is marvelous, looking out over the Monterey Bay and the Santa Lucia Range to the south. I have plenty of time to observe the bird life as well.

Overall, the adjustment from Alaska and Montana back to California was a jarring one and it took some time to get settled. The overwhelming peace wilderness I had so quickly grown accostomed to is just not a reality here, but there are some nice perks to civilization, such as good ethnic food.