This weekend at Esalen has been packed with amazing speakers; their presence so powerful, it feels that they are talking directly to me, as if in a private conversation. I happen to be at Esalen during its annual fund-raiser. The speakers this year have more to do with social engagement than ever before (at least … Continue reading
Blackberry Jam
The ultimate urban forage experience for me in San Francisco is to go blackberry picking. And, this is my fourth year in a row to harvest those tangy, wild blackberries in the city. Blackberry season in this area runs from about early July to early October. I normally go to Glen Park or the Presidio … Continue reading
Finding the Heart Throne
Sometime in March of this year, a friend of mine came over for dinner to talk about his break-up. And, of course I was reminded about my own break-ups (both peaceful and not-so-peaceful, depending), my parent’s messy divorce, and my mother’s quite harmonious second marriage. A slurry of possible outcomes and scenarios of relationships swirled … Continue reading
Them’s Kissin’ Words
We crave sound waves… Words mingling, tongues tingling with fresh thoughts not store bought. Words kissing air as vowels stop and stare. An interjection’s connection — an afternoon’s verbal reflection. September 2006
Live Alcohol for Liver Lovin’
Stephen Buhner’s book “Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers” is such a fascinating read. I wish I could have read this book years ago upon my discovery of conventional, distilled or pasteurized alcohol. This book would have been an excellent tool to navigate inebriating substances. He covers many traditional ways of fermenting various plant substances to … Continue reading
Visualization on Family Lineage
I was just discussing family and the role of children in family with a friend. During our discussion I came up with an interesting metaphor for the way that families pass down energetic “packages” to their children. Of course, many spiritual practices and religions have something akin to this concept — like ancestral karma in … Continue reading
Migration
A trail of wood, brick and mortar, mud, bamboo, animal hide… What remains of our homes echo in forgotten forests, and in fragments beneath the earth. Some parts are carefully salvaged and become part of new homes, and of the postcard memories of our pasts; walls giving way to windows, roofs giving way to the … Continue reading
Senses in Southern India
the sun rises bringing tropical heat: turmeric smiles show coconut, white teeth a papaya tongue shapes rounded words neem breezes sway termite trunks as motorcycles wind down dirt paths ageless brown bodies move underneath cotton ageless brown fingers weave palm thatched roofs ageless brown feet jingle with small bells the sun sets bringing a desert … Continue reading
Tenderloin Streets
Fires, flares, warnings and blares… These cities raise hairs and increase bus fares. Catastrophe — jeopardy — streets sweet with burglary… The cops run a nursery. The mind does intertwine with this crime and finds that it pines for the divine. It is and always will be — uncontrollable mystery, drinking our history, stirring our … Continue reading
Aphrodite
She waits for you as she normally does with her mind open, with her heart open and her eyes closed. As always your path to her is winding. A different path you take each time — though you know you will find her resting in her palace of oyster and clam shells with their dark, … Continue reading
Lindsay Kolasa 