Yoga/Wwoofing w/ Sam & Mass

The next day we left around 8am and headed to Wanganui. It took all day because first the bus had to go to Hamilton, which is in the opposite direction then along the West Coastline. We got to Mass’ yoga studio around 5:30 and joined in. After class we stayed and meditated for 20 minutes with him and another student. My feet fell asleep, but it was an interesting and calming experience. Sometime between class and meditation someone must have gone into the shoe area and taken one of Chloe’s bags. We found it a flight down, but her purse was missing! So we walked around, looking in the nearby trash bins to see if the culprit had taken the money and tossed it. Unforunately not. We went to the police station and reported the stolen wallet. When we got home, Sam had made us sushi, soup and a dish of green beans and tomatoes. She works is an educated herbalist and works in trauma therapy. She made me a “potion” for the black sand fly bites on my ankles. I haven’t been able to sleep the last few days because they itch so bad. TMI… but just remember to bring bug spray!! Mass is from Italy but is allergic to garlic so had to move out… jk (but he is really allergic to garlic). He moved here years ago and started a yoga studio in town about 3 yrs ago. Their house is about 20 minutes outside of Wanganui on a large property with gardens and plenty of rooms for us WWOOFers. We get to stay in our very own cottage. This is better than any hotel! 

Today we worked on oiling wood in a yoga studio in their backyard and did a little weeding. We checked out their bus that will be fixed up into a place to stay with beds and a kitchen, bathroom, etc.

Everyone so far is very conscious about where their food and water comes from. It is very eye opening because you don’t realize how much water you use every day and how little you really need. I feel so much healthier also because we are eating food straight from their garden or it is organic, sugar free, nuts, or other condiments.

Oh yeah and last night (when I was awake in the middle of the night, itching bug bites) I felt my first earthquake here! The next morning I thought I was dreaming so I asked Mass. They felt it too.

I emailed my parents tonight. It took about 30 minutes to load everything and send one email so I didn’t check any more. It’s actually really nice to have a break from constant connections. It’s so overwhelming sometimes. I don’t feel the need to check Facebook multiple times a day. I don’t feel obligated to check emails. Everything is much simpler this way. It is hard to restrain if it is so accessible, but this way forces me not to constantly log on. 

Sam, Mass, Chloe and I, all went to the beach with Sage, their dog. She is the most playful and biggest cuddler dog I know… Not the craziest though (that is Lady IsabellaJ). Whenever you are sitting down she will walk right into your lap. She thinks she is still a little puppy, but she definitely is NOT! I always find rocks and shells on the beach and keep a few for my collection. I can’t take too many otherwise my backpack will be weighed down more than it is already. Although it wasn’t a particularly warm day I went swimming in the ocean. The ocean is bearable once you’re in. I guess I’m just used to Northern California ocean; freezing!

 Sam played her guitar, serenading us with mantras and songs from around the world. She used to run these groups that incorporated such songs and people would sing along and dance, letting go of inhibitions and reducing separatism. The experience was intended to bring awareness and understanding of other cultures and perspectives. Next she played on the gong. The name “Gong” seems unfit for the beautiful sounds that emanate from the instrument. I sat directly behind it while she played and felt as if I were in a trance. It is hard to describe the experience, but it feels as if the sounds are inside your mind Sometimes it sounded like screaming , wind, war cries, closeness or distance. I couldn’t move. I had no expectations, awareness of time or place. Sam told me that the sounds are those in nature, of creation. Later we traded music. She gave me some gong music and another artist who we had been listening to while weeding (Okra) while I gave her some Morrison Boomer (from Pike’s Place), Fatal Mambo, Beck and Buena Vista Social Club.

Sam taught us how to make “bolsters.” They are oblong, somewhat hard pillows that are used in yoga and for meditating. It helps with posture. We used some old curtains for the lining and the case. She has an embroidery machine so I put “Jules” with a leaf next to it. Once I get to Christchurch I’ll stuff it.

I practiced yoga with Mass in their studio. The wind was blowing really hard and I wasn’t thinking about anything really, just my body and breath. I don’t even know how long we were practicing. Since I’ve been here I’ve lost track of time. I eat when I’m hungry, sleep when I’m tired. Anyways, I learned how to do different back bends, a headstand and other poses. Mass says it is best to practice on your own and only go to class to learn more moves or refine them.

I borrowed a book called The Celestine Vision and read it while I was there. It talks about synchronicity, or the occurrences of coincidences that lead us in a certain direction. The author talks about the world as a finite place where energy is  always moving rather than an infinite place where energy emanates outwards and is lost. In regards to people, energy bounces back and forth when talking to one another. For example, a study was done in which teachers where told which students were going to get high marks in the class (done randomly) and at the end of the year this came true. Since the teachers had expected those kids to do well, perhaps they treated them in a certain way and in response, those children felt the energy and acted accordingly. Another example was that if we thing of the world and people as an intimidating place, then our assuming stance will draw such responses from people because that is what you expect and are looking for. Other’s expressions, thus seem more intimidating than they would if you assumed that everyone is caring and honest. Overall, it is important to go into conversations not with assumptions but openness and willingness. The other person will feel this positive energy and be more likely to respond positively. This all sounds a bit confusing, but trust me it makes a lot more sense in the book. The author also wrote The Celestine Prophesy and The Tenth Insight of which I have yet to read. The whole idea reminds me of the movie, The Secret.

Sam and Mass just dropped us off at the train station at 8:30am. We are headed to Wellington, the capital of New Zealand.