TOSA WORKSHOP REPORT:
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a two day workshop in Boise, hosted by Spirit at Work Books & Beyond. Sri Ram Kaa and Kira Raa, founders of the Temple of Self-Ascension in New Mexico, and authors of Sacred Union: The Journey Home, taught on the basics of rediscovering your true self, living and being in total joy, and living a multidimensional existence. There were exercises, deep mediations, sacred yoga, and channeling. It was truly an amazing experience that has profoundly touched and changed me.

Sri Ram Kaa & Kira Raa

[photo]

Sri Ram and Kira have been working together for a few years, but there center and their vision is still relatively new. Kira, whose background includes being an intuitive counselor among other things, began channeling an entity called Archangel Zadkiel, and Sri Ram became the recorder and interactor. Kira has no recollection of what happens during a channeled session. When these visits began, they both thought that she might be insane, and struggled with the messages and intuitive feelings they were both having about the work they were called to do.

They moved from Colorado to New Mexico, and settled on a 27 acre parcel of land in Tijeras, New Mexico, where TOSA is housed, and where the Temple of Self-Ascension has been built. They teach and lecture all over the country, have a wide following with their live and telecast classes, and have recently returned from Peru and Russia for special events at sacred locations.

This workshop was an introduction to what they have discovered, and a taste of what is possible. I have to admit that when I walked into the room, my defenses and ego went up, telling me that this was all full of crap, but I stayed to listen and experience. In my roll as writer and editor of Spirit, I have come into contact with so many ways of viewing the world, and have learned that when my defenses go up that it’s time to listen, because my reaction is showing me where I fear going, where my comfort zone ends, and where the boundaries are in my life that I might not even be aware of.

I’m so glad I stayed and began to open my heart to their teachings, which are non-dogmatic, all – inclusive, and totally and completely based on love, joy, and being at peace with the world. Their mantra, as taught to them by Zadkiel, is “if it is not bringing you joy, why are you doing it?”

In addition to my first reaction, my feelings over the weekend changed drastically. Halfway through the first day I realized that part of the joy I was feeling was due to the fact that I was discussing and listening to people talking about things, in a matter of fact manner, that I have felt deep inside my heart my entire life. Things that most of the world would see as crazy or wave away, but things that I know at my core level, that resonate with my soul. It was like breathing a sigh of relief, and letting go of some constraints I didn’t realized I wore in everyday life. It felt a little scary to just let my mind be and not chastise it, but it also felt wonderful!

The following is the first in a series of reports that I will offer to the public of the experiences I am so fortunate to partake in. I attend not only for my own benefit, but also to educate myself to be able to share new thoughts and ideas, and to broaden understanding.

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INTRODUCTION:

“We exist as energy dancing with consciousness.” ~ Sri Ram Kaa

Key points to understanding who we really are:
- Being in a body is an expression of an intention made long ago.
- For rockets and space ships – 90% of the energy they use is required to escape earth’s atmosphere, and then they cruise. Self-ascension is the same way.

Beyond learning what we learned that weekend, we were taught that being present was about way more than the lessons, that energy was shifting and transforming in ways that we couldn’t imagine, on a cellular, genetic, and consciousness level. Both Sri Ram and Kira are masters, great teachers, and hold an expanded consciousness that allows them to operate on more levels than one at once.

Much of the work, I would find, would strike me, and take days to more fully integrate, and when it had, I found that habitual patterns and unknown assumptions, long held beliefs, and perspectives were shaken or shifted. Though, in such a wonderful freeing way! For so long I felt that I had searched for something more, that the path I was on was limited, or that there was something more, and in these two days I was introduced to concepts and ideas, people, that both challenged and excited me, and most of all, gave me hope for human potential on this planet.


CONTAINER EXERCISE:

We were actively encouraged to teach the following practice to as many people as possible:

-As light bearers, we have to acknowledge our power to transform energy put out into the world.
-Get a container – a dish, a deep bowl, and place it ideally on or in the earth (the elements and seasons don’t matter) and infuse it with your energy, holding the love of the entire universe in your consciousness. Consciousness localizes – it is what we have done as humans.
-We were then taught how to cleanse our energy field by standing by the container, left hands out and gently open skyward, right hand over our heads, vertically. We either said or thought the words of the negative aspects we wanted to be rid of (fear, jealousy, self-hatred, etc) said, “I love you,” and then combed with our fingers in front of us, pointed towards us, down the front of our body (not touching) and after we reached our root chakra (tailbone area) we sent the energy towards the container. We then raised our hand up again, and repeated until we felt cleansed, after which we would do one more, to get rid of things we might not be aware of that we were carrying. WE then repeated this process for the entire world, with our combing hand pointed out for the same ideas, not in a place of judgment, but in a place of healing. After we were done, we combed ourselves once more.

We then cleared the container, raising up the energy to the spirits and beings who are capable of recycling, transforming the energy back into something useful and positive. This is done once a week on Sundays at sundown at TOSA, and Sri Ram calls in all of the containers around the world to be cleared at that time.

It is like taking out the trash – when you take out the trash, you go outside and keep rummaging through it and inspecting it.


It was a beautiful exercise based on love, and freedom, and the effect was electrifying and empowering.

THE EVENT-RESPONSE LOOP:

There are events, and then there are the responses to the events. Both need to be released. Are your responses feeding harmony or disharmony? Anything that takes you away from pure love and joy is illusion.

Pyramid of Spiritual Awakening:


Most of the energy on the planet is in Density Awareness and Spiritual Activism. These take many forms. Where the line between the two occurs, there is no difference between the energy of fundamentalism and other forces. Only judgment says there is. They are all vibrating at the same level. In order to move up, you must break free from the Spiritual Activist, judgment energy. It is a strata you have to go through. It is the first level of being awake and you have to get past it.

Ascension Awareness: line between this and Spiritual Activism is where most people stop. There is no support from the system you are unplugging from. They will tell you why you should not do it.

New Mantra: “If it does not look like love, it should not be done.”

Breaking free from Spiritual Activism:
- We are being bombarded with EMF energy and ideas constantly, from our TV’s, computers and other frequencies. We must be aware of this, and limit or neutralize our exposure.
- Soul Nourishment Program: Nourishing vs. eating.
- Remove yourself from traditional grocery store for one week. “Mass processed consciousness” on many levels.

“The purpose of a question is to open the ego. The soul has no questions.”

The only way out of Spiritual Activism is to recognize love within yourself. The container is safe place to release without doing or adding damage to the planet. She is full. No more “giving it to the earth.”

Ascension Awareness is being on a bigger canvas, beyond judgment, in love.

Millennial Shift: at the end of the last millennia there was a karmic release – all that is left is the HABIT of karma. It is no longer there and you can clear it in an instant. The ego loves to manage events and habits feed it – stop feeding it energy and it will die.

It takes Peace to notice Love which leads to Joy – which is a vibration.


AURA STRETCHING:

We then did a guided meditation in which we focused on the energy immediately surrounding us, and then slowly and gradually expanded our energy outward from that point, until we encompassed the Universe.

I found this exercise very informative. It helps reinforce for me that size and perspective are all relative and subjective and I can move beyond my limited body perception into a more cosmic one – until I see the Universe as God must see it.

TELEPATHY:

We then went into the Spirit at Work Books & Beyond Sanctuary to work together and explore telepathic thought. We teamed up with a partner, relaxed, with our backs against each other, using each the other to stabilize ourselves, who was using us to stabilize herself. Very comfortable. We then thought words and images to each other. We took turns being the sender and the receiver. Very interesting what images run through your mind, and how challenging it is to keep focus.

Sri Ram and Kira both noted that, with regular practice, they could literally read each others minds.

I found that I was received more vivid images from one of the men across the room than from the woman who I was working with!

Another point of the exercise was to revisit and experience the reality of all of the images that we are being bombarded with energetically – how all of the things appearing and going through our mind are not our own, but originate elsewhere. When we are aware of this, we can filter out what we don’t want or need more clearly.

The idea of EMF frequencies bombarding us and entering our minds first struck me as a little out there, but when I thought more about it, I had to admit, it’s all just energy. It is interpreted by a TV or radio one way, and by my body another. At any rate, it was energy that I was being exposed to, and given the fact that our bodies operate on a delicate, low level electrical frequency, these outside factors must have an effect on us. I have since done research and found a spectrum of types of resources that agree.


PERIOD OF RELEASE:

The earth recently entered a 3 year cycle of release. The planet is a crystal grid and if all of these forces are releasing (earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.) there are these forces holding it together.

Besides what is already apparent, there will be more animal extinctions (described as “mass ascensions” of species). Animals are more aware of what is going on, and a lot less attached to their physical bodies.

After this period, there will be a culminating point in 2012, in which we will have to make a choice about how we are going to deal with the world and where we are going. Our bodies will want to hold on to the three dimensional world.

SACRED YOGA:

We were then shown some sacred yoga postures that Kira Raa had “downloaded” from Zadkiel, some of which were available on a DVD they’ve made and others that had been channeled since then.

The practice is based on the idea of loving, acknowledging, and nourishing the body, which is even more important now than ever before because of how fast we are ascending. If we do not do this, then the body will become fearful and hold on, fearing that we will get rid of it. Our bodies run from pain – a density alignment. If you hold consciousness with the body, it will raise vibration with us. What we need to do is let it know that we love it, honor it, and will support its own development and growth. Conscious connection and appreciation.

“Thank you for your loving service. What do you need? What can I give you?”

The yoga practice was described as : Archangelic Galactic yoga tradition. Yoga as a prayer. The postures are gentle and can be done on the floor or in a chair and by anyone.

I have since incorporated the 7 postures done 7 times into my daily practice and have felt such love and support during and after. The intention behind it is so beautiful and so gentle, and in a time when we are so critical and harsh with our bodies, it feels so good to just do something that is meant to send it love and attention. It takes about 20 minutes, including a 7 minute free mediation.


HISTORY:

Kira and Sri Ram then related what Zadkiel and the Ascended Masters had revealed to them about the truth of our history. The full discourse will be the subject of their second book, which is expected to arrive in Spring 2006.

Overall, they spoke of the idea that there has been a lot more human activity than what we are aware of or what we are told about here on this planet.

They spoke of this earth plane as the third time we all (as spiritual beings) had agreed to come together and have an adventure. The first was on Tu’laya, which existed on another planet, the next was on Atlantis, also another planet, and then earth. She said that while the theories of Lemuria and Atlantis are correct in that they were societies that once existed, they did not do so here on earth (though she did say that there was a civilization called Atlantis on earth, but it was not the developed one that so many have memories of).

The origin of the pyramid structure stems from Tu’laya, though the proportions have shifted.

They then spoke of the Divine Galactic Blueprint, an image available on their website: www.selfascension.org that was channeled over a number of sessions, that demonstrates the ascended chakra state. The DGB has not been available to us since Tu’laya. The DGB is the way home. Not the only road map, but the fastest.

All of this information is in your DNA already – it just needs to be reactivated.

CHANNELING:

Kira then channeled Zadkiel for us. He held a discourse with us and answered our personal questions. The experience went way beyond the words that were being spoken. It was an energetic experience like I had never experienced before in this lifetime. It was truly amazing, and my ego was just as disbelieving as yours probably is right now.

The message of Zadkiel, and the whole day was so wonderful that getting hung up on barriers and fighting with myself over what I was resonating with, was a natural reaction from my conditioned thinking. I did not allow it to stop me from learning and participating.

I came back the next day for the 5th dimensional DNA reactivation which was a ceremony and another wonderful learning experience.

After this experience, I felt so moved and energized that I was compelled to being a teleclass they offered that began last Sunday and is already proving to be incredibly amazing. I am so grateful to have participated, and the energy, thoughts, and releases I have moved through are staggering, at times very uncomfortable and tiring, but so unbelievably freeing and full of joy that it just seems to simple. But it’s not.

This work isn’t for everyone, but it is for those of us who have felt things all of our life, who are preparing for a large cosmic shift, and are thirsty to know about what is really going on.

Update on Drew, Earthquakes Keep Coming
I was driving down the street today in Hailey, in a rush, thinking about all of the errands I have to do, when a feeling came over me of such abundance.

I had also been thinking about whether or not to take my travel trailer to Emmett in a couple of weeks for a Reiki workshop. Would it be too cold to have water that might freeze at night and burst the pipes?

Whatever we feel we do or don't have, we are truly living in the lap of luxury. We have access to a virtually unlimited supply of water to which the rest of the world envies us completely. We turn a faucet handle, like we turn on the electric lights, and without doing anything else, we have water, heat, and fire at our fingertips. Millenia of ancestors weep in their graves out of sheer jealousy. Our supermarkets are full of a variety of products, many of which we literally do not need, with such selection it literally blows our minds. Wow.

It's not like we all don't know this intellectually, but today for some reason, it truly entered my heart. How could we bitch about anything when we have all of the water we need?!

As I was watching images of the earthquake victims, I just couldn't stop thinking about where it had occurred - in the ever-disputed Kashimiri region of India & Pakistan. Having just finished Salman Rushdie's new novel: Shalimar the Clown, set largely in this area, I couldn't help but think how this location was forcing the two opposing governments to work together, to accept help from each other, and has the potential for the same negative fallout as our own hurricane experience has had. People were already getting frustrated with the lack of timely government response in the Kashmir, increasing animosities that have been brewing for decades. I thought about how some viewed the birth of HH the 14th Dalai Lama on the edge of Tibet to be a symbol of the issue of territorial control and integrity that would become so important as he grew older.

Is the earth taunting us, not allowing us to keep hidden these crucial issues. We are seeing a lot of the underbelly of the world right now. Not in small doses, but in heaping portions that are causing us to not be able to turn away. Everywhere we look we see. Everywhere we look, we cannot help but feel...We all, in our own ways, have a history of overcoming, somewhere, maybe way far back in time, we have all played all of the roles. We all can relate to one another if we look back from the hyper-present and take in the larger view of time and essence.

It's made me think a lot, and increased my feelings that we are definitely at a crucial point in our time as human beings. I believe in the collective unconscious. I believe in a Great Spirit. I believe I am one with all of this. What are we, consciously and/or unconsciously, calling forth from ourselves? What is it that we are preparing for? And, will we be ready?

Sounds like catastrophic thinking, I know, but I don't necessariy think it will have to be so dire. I do think, though, given our past and current actions as a species, that we will be forced to face the ramifications of the seeds we have sown.

***

Update on Beloved Drew:

He is still in the ICU at St. Alphonsus in Boise. After stabilizing last week, he has since developed an infection in his lungs. He is not allowed visitors right now due to his unstable blood pressure.

Whatever you want to do, Drew
we support you and love you!

Beloved Starman
Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to our beloved Starman, Drew Chittenden. Drew was in a car accident early this week and is critical, but stable, condition in Boise.




We love you DREW!!!!!!!!!!

Burning the Midnight Oil
It's midnight the day before deadline, and I couldn't be having more fun. I truly love this part of the process, of putting it all together. It's like a big puzzle. The hardest part is stopping - or, better, of knowing when to stop, knowing when it's done.

This, of course, is a wonderful metaphor for life, as most art is.

Heera, amazing Advertising Goddess Girl, has a hard time with this too. She sees graphics the way I see words. We have cut and paste sessions and she reminds me of those scenes in A Beautiful Mind when he puts all of the tabloids around him and numbers start jumping out at him and order is found in chaos.

I do this with words. I don't know how, anymore than beloved Heera knows how she does it with pictures and ads. Some people really get math, and I just don't. I like the idea of karma, of how we come into this life with predispositions for somethings and ways of being. We carry things from far away, from long ago, that don't matter except for their effect on our lives and choices today, in this moment.

I sometimes think that I was born into the wrong line of being. That there were two women giving birth or conceiving at the same time and I messed up. All the people in my family are in the medical profession, talk about body fluids all the time, and think about the peanut butter sandwich they're going to have for lunch during open heart surgery - my sister. I almost fainted hearing about it. I was born a writer, and then entered the international affairs and politics realm. I used to watch ER, but not for the medicine, for the story, the dialogue.

At any rate, things sometimes look a little bit out of whack, or clearer in perspective, depending on how long I've been staring at this screen.

Back to loving this: This is a great job. I get to interview great people, come into contact with great people, and learn amazing things while having amazing discussions. I've fallen in love with a whole new group of people doing the environment & harvest issue, and am still pining over all of the wonderful people all over the world who came together for the Dalai Lama issue.

I get to write about things I believe, present a gift to the state about wellness and higher consciousness, and occasionally I get a really great massage or reading or an assortment of new modalities. It's feels good to do good work. It feels good to be in my passion. I think that it shows in the end product, and I hope it will continue that way, and all of it will grow and evolve and all of that juicy stuff.

I've found I like being a little controversial too. I like to get to the heart of the matter, dig beyond the surface, take the time to find out what's really going on, become interested, and then dive in. I love to learn. Learning about the beef industry for this issue was very enlightening, scary, but enlightening. Thank God for Daily Blessings Foods!

I'm going to bed now. I thank the universe for this wonderful day, look forward to lying down in my bed with my warm and snuggly husband and dogs, and waking up wrapped in bliss.

Everything Matters
Do you ever wonder if all of your hard work is really making a difference? I do. I sometimes wonder if the mission I was called to do - to provide a forum to help raise the consciousness of the world - is even having any kind of impact whatsoever.

I know I'm not alone in this. Very few people really realize the amount of hard work that goes into even the smallest things in their life - the food on their table - how many people were employed to bring that here, how many miles of road were necessary to keep drivable, the grocery store owner who stays in business and doesn't raise prices maybe as high as he could. Bars of soap, dog food, you name it, to the gas in our car. We ourselves aren't really all that aware of the hard work going on around us.

I think the acme in this category is road workers. We not only don't give them their do, we never say thank you, and in fact, do just the exact opposite - we bitch and complain and glare as we pass construction zones on the highway, get mad if we have to wait 5 extra minutes, and resent the money being spent out of our own tax dollars. Yuck, what a job, to be at the brunt of all of that negative energy. We see only the particular projects they do, with no concept of the big picture they are working under. Out in the sun and elements all day to make sure we can get to work.

How many other people help us everyday that we pay no heed to? What if we said thank you, sincerely, to just one person every day?!

Revelations and Ramblings of a Sick Woman......
I've been sick for days now, and I think I reached the turning point last night. I laid down to go to bed, and I couldn't stop sneezing, my eyes were puffy, all of the energy had drained from my body. I couldn't keep a happy front up anymore - I was miserable. I was also depressed about it - I had missed the National Norba championships at Mammoth and I was feeling poor, alone, and hopeless.

Funny how no matter how many times I've been there and come back, I always think that this time, there's no hope, there's no way that anything is going to change. Here I am, and I feel like crap, my thinking is crap, and right now everything I see is crap. Why fight it?

There's a fine line between not giving into the negative and denial. There was a Dzogchen Rinpoche in town on Friday night and he had a lot to say about such things. First we must recognize and admit how we feel, realize the real cause, and then proceed to increase our postiive thinking and not get swept away by the negative, as if it were the truth, as if we were under the control of our emotions and feelings.

Why haven't we learned that in the West?!

I also had a big realization today about "enough." I realized that, for our culture and way of living and economy to survive, we can never reach enoughness. If we did, we would cease to want, we would cease to respond to the need for every increasing demand. It is impossible to find joy in that system as it is not geared towards joy - it is geared towards lack. We must realize this first and foremost if we are ever going to change anything, about ourselves or the world, and ever try to instigate a new way of thinking or being. We must first realize that we are surrounded by this thought feild - this cloud - at all times. It truly is amazing how pervasive it is, and how difficult it can be to really really see.

Silent House
My husband left for a trip today. I am too sick to join him, and sad that I can't go on an adventure with him. The doggies are very sad too. They so love to travel with us, even if they end up staying in the camper all day, they just love to be with their pack.

Every September we take a trip together, celebrating our anniversary - the 23rd of this month - with new adventures, looking back on the previous year, and hardly being able to fathom that we continue to love each other more and more. We still have so much fun together, like two little kids exploring the world, and each other, finding new things around every bend, seeing everything with new eyes. I know his trip won't be as magical because I'm not there to share it with him.

He'll be competing at Mammoth, CA in a national downhill race that he's been working all season to compete in. I'm so proud of him. I also know that my not going was the best decision for me, and he totally understood that.

Silence fills the house, the dogs go lay down in the sun, realizing they're not going with dad. Everything seems to settle, and adjust to his energy not being here. When he's here, he seems to fill the house, with sound, love and of course, whining. It's all part of who he is.

I wonder what the house feels like without me, when I leave him behind. I don't whine as much, but my energy sure is strong, emotional, and at times, very very needy.

I guess I'll have my own adventure here, getting over the flu, reflecting on this past weekend, and putting the next issue together.

HH Children's Address
What an amazing sight it was to see thousands of kids, a lot of teens, and adults, hooting and hollering for compassion. The children who received blessings from the Dalai Lama were amazing and inspiring, especially those when, faced with remarkable hardship, has bore up under the load and used the experience to further their understand and love for the world - to turn their tragedies into acts of love. The 6 year old girl who is obviously a reincarnated master.

The entire day had a lighter air about it than Sunday, and was just fun to be a part of. Kids raising their hands and supported by their friends to share random acts of compassion and ideas to take HH ideas out into their everyday lives. My favorite - the first participant - who waved her hands over the crowd while saying "I love you all" without embarrassment or hesitation. It was just a lot of fun.

Unlike on Sunday, HH approached the crowd and shook hands with many people. I briefly touched his hand, but was pushed aside by a very enthusiastic Tibetan man. He obviously wanted it more than me.....

Again, there were special silver ticket people, very few of them children. Again, a lovely message of exclusion.

HH Compassion & Healing Address
What an amazing experience to see, hear, and be a part of HH the Dalai Lama's visit to Sun Valley. His address on the 11th was so beautiful. As he stepped onto the podium, a peace fell over the crowd. His words were so soft and gently, yet powerful, and full of love. His energy was amazing. I can't wait to see the Children's Address today!

One thing that I love about HH is that he doesn't have a speel. He doesn't have a signature line or message or anything like that. He speaks from the heart, and while his message is always compassion, he always addresses it anew in each moment, for each situation, for the right here and now. He, in short, is a very real person. He spoke at the press conference about this, describing his outlook, whether it be a huge crowd or one person, that he always sees people as long time friends, and treats them as such. He also said that he thought people really liked his informality. We do. We do. In a world of talking heads, he is such a breath of fresh air!

About 20 minutes into his talk, I had an energetic experience. He was talking, and underneath his words I started to sense a deeper intention, as if his words were only one level of what he was doing, and of what he was here to do. I felt as if I was in a trance, or a very deep meditation. I felt pressure in my third eye. I felt as if he were sending that energy that Kiril has spoken so much about in his vision.

After preparing for this day for more than 6 months, it almost seemed surreal to have it happen, to have HH the Dalai Lama here, and to have his talk be over. I kept waiting for him to say something that would drastically alter the world, to reveal some new truth that would change the course of humanity. But, of course that didn't happen. I remembered the scene in “Kundun” in which Mao Tse-Tung was telling the teenage Dalai Lama that China was going to save Tibet, and HH from the course they were on. HH replied, “only I can save myself.” In Hailey he spoke of compassion, of its absolute power, and how it must come from individuals first before it can be shared all over the world. What an amazing experience to simply be in the presence of such a compassionate, loving, and REAL person.

I was surprised and saddened to enter the football field, however, and see the separation of “regular” people sitting on the grass and bleachers, and the VIPs who were cordoned off and sitting in chairs. They arrived through a separate entrance, as did the media. HH was on stage expounding on the need to decrease the gap between the rich and poor, between ourselves, and in front of him was this concrete example of separateness. It sent an alternative message to the crowd of exclusivity, privilege, and better-than-ness that often is seen and felt in this Valley, and in the world. It was very sad.

The Real Problem 'Out There'
I read with sadness today about the removal, or downgrading of Michael Brown as head of FEMA for the hurricane disaster. It's not that I thought he was such a great guy or truly qualified (or not qualified) for that job. What I did feel was the pressure of the witch hunt that had been underway and people's need to blame the situation on someone. I don't think anyone felt better after it was all over. We are such a ruthless society sometimes, in the way we treat each other, and ultimately ourselves. All of that hatred and anger could have been used in such better ways. What must it feel like to be the brunt of that kind of action? To turn on the TV and be faced with national criticism? It must be overwhelming.

In other news about people trying to cure their internal issues with badmouthing other people, we have the pastor of the Bellevue Community Church who has been handing out pamphlets to young children about the evils of the Dalai Lama and how he is pushing for disarmament in order to take over the world. He, I'm sure, and the other exiled Tibetan refugees, who were such a powerful military force to be reckoned with against China....What kind of hatred must be brewing in that man's heart? How sad that is. To be able to twist such words of love (both HH's and Jesus') into venom and exclusion. Kind of how Jesus was treated isn't it??? The only thing we can do is have compassion for him and his kind. Their hearts are so closed, their beliefs are so fragile that they can be threatened so easily. What fear he must operate under!

In happier news, I just got back from the first night of the Spiritual Film Festival. What an amazing group of people, films, and energy. The showing was great for the first night, and will probably just expand as the weekend goes on. I can't wait to see more films - especially Zen Noir - which is supposed to be really good. It seems so surreal, to have this weekend finally be here!!!! He's really going to be here on Sunday. Though, I must say, after all of there research I did for the articles I wrote, I no longer regard him as anything but human - an amazing and accomplished human, but no longer a "god-king" as it were. Seeing the movies was good to also remind me about his past and his heritage. He is such a man of the world now, it's good to remember that his mythical story actually did start out in a small village in the middle of nowhere. Wow, what a story.

The adventure continues.........

Oh, and if you get a chance, make sure you check out Chasing Buddha this weekend at the Film Festival. It's about a buddhist nun - Ven. Robina Courtin - who used to be a radical feminist. Spirit of the Valley is honored to sponsor this film.