Burning Expectations

Hellicopters are zooming back and forth overhead, carrying thousands of gallons of water, still working to extinguish the fire that started almost four days ago. It feels strange starting to relax knowing that we still have many days of burning left, but it seems like we are relatively safe now. Though many of us are moving forward like things are back to normal, they are so obviously not. Trying to put on this meditation retreat as faithfully as we can, while dozens of hopefull attendees are turned away by state officials, has actually put a nice improvisational spin on the weekend. Years of tradition are being blown wide open and there is something refreshingly real about the decisions being made. What would "back to normal" be, anyway? I am remembering the words from a T-shirt that my old yoga teacher used to wear:

"I practice yoga every day, but I try not to make a habbit of it."

Waiting for the meeting to start...

The Personnel Group meeting is wonderfully vital and usually very enjoyable, but the veteran members are masters of not finding each other. In the short time that I have been coming to these meetings, I have learned that when you have to spend all day discussing policy, it's much more tolerable if you don't start right away. If anyone arrives when no one else is there, then there is obviously time to get a cup of tea, and the quest for tea is often a vehicle for numerous necessary distractions. The community building, especially on a Tuesday when Babaji is hanging around, can be a vortex, and trying to make it from one end to the other can turn in to the seemingly endless flow of "stop and chats."

Ah! JD just arrived. Looks like it's almost time to start. He said he would go try to "roust the ladies" and get a cup of tea. Maybe my cup could use some more hot water as well.