Arriving again

you arrive again
the smells are real
the smiles are true
the colors once again
vibrant.
I fall in love with this place.
I arrive.
to see each day before serving this moment now.
Illness seemed to cleanse me
of something profound
deep.
now, i feel that i have fully
arrived.

Silence
stillness
steady pace
breathe

the rain falls.
sigh

today we rest
and arrive.

----molly

Don't drink the water

DON'T DRINK THE WATER
THEY SAY, BACTERIA LIVES THERE.
SWEET WATER!
OUR NOURISHMENT.
TAINTED?
OH, HUMANS WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
OR IS IT NATURES WAY OF GETTING INSIDE US
TO REMIND US
THAT SHE IS FAR MORE POWERFUL THAN US.
SURRENDER.
SO THAT YOU CAN BE ONE
FEELING THE WORLD INSIDE AS THE WORLD OUTSIDE
THIS IS WHAT THE AMOEBAS HAVE TOLD ME.
DO NOT CURSE US.
REALIZE
THIS IS WHAT IS.
EMBRACE.
THIS IS ALL APART OF THE ADVENTURE
AND AT ITS ROOT ADVENTURE MEANS:
"WHATEVER COMES."

SO BE IT.
------Molly

June 10, 2008

A vigil for tibet.
humans walking
faces lit by candle light
we walk as one to the tibetan Buddhist temple
I sit and I these words arise...

June 10,2008
an auspicious evening
a stuggle for a culture
as way
a greater consciousness
Their struggle is our struggle as it
looks to China as a destructive force that is not
in line with nature.
As a human race, we all are in this struggle together.
Save our place on this earth.
Join Tibet.
As a human race.
We must return to the ways of such peoples as the tibetans.
the native americans.
the indigenous wisdom.
NOt duplicating their culture, or totally changing ours, but
slowing down our pace.
so that we can hear the rhythm of our own beat.
heart beat.
and connect to this powerful feeling of compassion.
for all.
To return to a way, where you are encourage to slow down and create.
rather than speed up and progress.
May we learn to reconnect to our place and make life
our practice
our art form
our style.
May peace prevail within each of you.
And there for reverberate across this great blue planet.
EARTH.
----Molly

words to live by

I Got Kin: a poem by Hafiz

Plant
So that your own heart
will grow
Love
So God will think,
"Ahhhhhhh, I got kin in that body!
I should start inviting that soul over
for coffee and rolls."
Sing
Because this is a food
Our starving world needs.
Laugh
Because that is the purest
Sound.

In flight i write

Words to guide your mind back into the body
inside the heart

as life unfolds before you
allow it to inspire a smile
walking with grace
laugh often
greatest advice ever given
let laughter guide you
through lifes transitions.
ponder. contemplate.
laugh often.

----Molly

healthy and happy

After being in the small mountain village of Mcleod Ganji for four days, Moly and I had plans to travel further north to get a closer look at the beautiful Himalayas. We had planned to travel over the coarse of three days up and over the worlds highest mountain pass to the town of Leh.
One hour before we were supposed to board our bus and embark on the first leg of the trip, Molly became very sick. She had a red hot feaver that was later replaced by dhiareah. She was sick in bed for two day. We were so luck to have still been in MCleod Ganji and not on the bus heading north when this happened. So our plans for the north country have been put on hold for now.
Molly is up and healthy again. We start out volenteer project tomorrow. We will be working at the Tibetan handicapped childerens craft home. We will be assisting children with arts and crafts projects, using art as theraphy. Molly and I bought a big bag in Ca. and filled it with art supplies. I brought the bag by the center yesterday. The little Tebetan woman who is in charge of the center was so excited. Tears filled her eyes. I am so excited to have the opportunity to take something that I love and use it to help these childeren.
Everyday in India is an adventure. My senses are so overwhelmed by all the busteling activity, smells, color and life that is present here. We have been finding balance in the chaios through yoga and art. We just stumbled onto this beautiful brand new yoga studio. The teacher is amazing. I have never seen a body move in such a flexible and athletic way. Yesterday we took a Tonka painting class with this Tibetan man by the name of Labsong which means wisdom. It takes great wisdom to be a master of Tonka painting. It is an ancient form of painting which is taken very serously. It is a very percise and mathematical way to paint the gods and goddesses in the Buddist religion. If the artist fails to follow certain guidelines and use the exact colors to depict these dieties it is considered a great sin. For those of you who have seen me create art you can imagine how hard this was for me. It tested my patience a great deal. I learned a lot about the importance of a straight line and percise measurement for without these the entire image is incorrect. I had to redo my drawing several time before I got it right. Tonka painting is a meditation in itself.
I hope that you are well and enjoying the summer months.
sending you much love.
Namaste Tashi Delek, Abby

words to begin with...

To begin I reflect on a long journey...
exhaustion, but once you reach a place of such wonder, you do not want to sleep, but rather walk around and absorb such chaotic grace.
India...a place where chaos reveals truth and becomes harmonic.
Where you are constantly tested, and asked to reveal your whole self.
Each moment encourged to let go into the flow.

We arrive finally in Mcleod Ganj, we sip chai, smile at the confluence of cultures--east meets west---tibet meets india. These people are beautiful, there cultures inspiring, their struggles heartbreaking. With each face I pass, a reflection of their divine light appears and I feel my own light brighten. At the foothills of the himalayas we are reminded of lifes delicacy, strength, and vibrancy. The strength of the tibetan people at this time is incredible, their dedication and faith in their culture is amazing, and i am humbled and honored to be in their presence.
With this I am reminded of the words from Thomas Merton:
"Then suddenly I saw the secret of beauty of their hearts depths where neither sin nor desire nor self knowledge can reach, the core of their reality, the person that each of one is in the eyes of the divine. If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see eachother that way all the time! There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed...I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other."
May you all feel this, and carry it with you in your day to day.