The Concert

This post concerns more than one miracle.

In the very small and Catholic city of Huatusco, I produced a Shamanic Sound Healing Concert

performed by a, then unknown, American performer. More than 100 people attended the concert.   I consider that a miracle.

Months before, I concocted the idea with my respected teacher and mentor Nina Umai Spiro.  My plan was to have her come to Mexico to teach. Nina, the founder of a healing technique called Pravada Shamanic Sound Healing, is an incredible person, as well as a very gifted musician. She plays a clay flute known as the ocarina -- an instrument with deep roots in MesoAmerica, some believe dating back more than 12,000 years.  It's deep and earthy sound can haunt the soul.  In addition, she plays a mystical sounding wooden Double Flute. Nina's flute playing takes listeners on a journey deep into the center of one's being.

When Nina agreed to come teach a workshop in Mexico, I thought: "Why not do a concert too? Why not think big?" Once she booked her flight, I booked the Solleiro Theater, Huatusco's largest performing arts theater. Her interactive Pravada Sound Healing Concert would surely be something no one in the region had ever experienced.

But would anyone come? If fewer than 30 people attended I couldn’t even cover my costs. In a theater that seats 500, any fewer than 80 would feel pathetic. At first I tried to recruit at universities, but the odd teaching schedule and my own shyness deterred my progress. Then my friends taught me about the community system for selling tickets. Each friend/neighbor/colleague gets 10 tickets. The one for them is free, then they try to sell the rest. This method might be effective but it leaves the organizers with no idea how many tickets have been sold -- until they are seated in front of you.

At 6:45 on the night of the concert, as I looked out at an empty municipal theater, I panicked. As much as I wanted to be an amazing hostess, I couldn’t keep my cool or hide my anxiety. This would surely be my biggest flop in front of my beloved teacher.  

But in the next 15 minutes something magical happened. My friends and colleagues out front sold tickets and received already purchased tickets. A whole team of people, rallied around me and Nina to serve as ushers, greeters, ticket sellers, organizers. When I looked out at the audience at 7:10 (everything starts a little late here), there were well over 100 people in the audience. It was a miracle!

A second miracle happened during the concert itself. Instead of remaining silent during her interactive concert, (which can easily happen here in large groups) many people shared their powerful and moving experiences during the course of the evening. Nina held the space gracefully and I translated. That night, Nina and I were a team, sharing our hearts and our energy with the audience together.

Her flutes sang out beautifully through the entire auditorium, sometimes haunting, at others soothingly.

The flute has this magical way of entering your body and touching the heart and the spirit. 

It was an honor that people chose to share about their experiences during the concert, without holding back.

We balanced out our visit with a gathering of a smaller scale the following day.

Nina is the founder of The Circle of One, a process in which women around the globe share their native songs with each other, honoring themselves and building peace. We gathered at las Cañadas with a number of women from my community, including multiple mother-daughter pairs. Their songs were beautiful. There were songs from the temascal (the traditional sweat lodge), native healing songs from Mexico, even a song from Spain. There were rap songs that the younger girls sang together with messages of caring for the earth. There were many tears. I think women were surprised at how profoundly they touched each other.

I walk away from my experience with Nina Umai in Mexico remembering how much value is gained from being together and sharing. Even when there is fear or doubt, it is worth taking action to foster community and transform people. 

Tiny House Blog 2

Everyday that I go down to check on the tiny house construction, I feel so excited. It is a dream coming true.  But how does one know when one's dream is complete? When is it time for a new dream?

When I left Mexico for the winter holidays, my tiny house looked like this:

It looked LIKE A REAL HOUSE!!! But just the skeleton and muscles of a house (what here in Mexico they call "obra negra" or "black work").  No polished finger nails, no eye lashes, no details.

Just getting to that stage was a huge accomplishment -- a dream of a lifetime for me.  For some reason, I have always wanted a tiny house.  My spirits felt so full when I boarded the plane for the holidays, knowing that I had embarked on completing an important "bucket list" item.

When I came back, the house was at a completely different level!

The kitchen wall had evolved from this:

to this:

to this:

The bathroom sink went from interesting:

to BEAUTIFUL! So much personality.

Today, the tiny house looks like this:

(including my landscaping efforts!)

It’s beauty is in the details.

When I’m inside, my energy is drawn to all the bright colors throughout the house.

(The kitchen counter and comal with firebox)

(The lively shower wall)

(Another view of the sink and tiled mirror)

(My little nook design turned out simple but stylish)

The house models the eco-technologies we maintain here to keep the planet safe. The electricity comes from solar panels. The composting toilet doesn’t waste any water, while the shower water is filtered by plants before being recycled back to the stream. And the wood fired stove heats the shower and the "comal" (griddle) at the same time!

The house definitely has personality. For example, when the wind blows, particles of dust and leaves creep in through the hand laid roof tiles. Everyday, I find the floor sprinkled with leaves and dirt.

My neighbors -- the geese just had their babies.  On nights when I stay there, they awaken me enthusiastically at dawn.

When I sit on the back patio, I have a perfect view of how the goslings' progress. 

The process of building the Tiny House got me thinking about dreams. How does one fulfill her dreams?  First, she must know what they are! How specific or open ended should a dream be?  What's the next after a dream (like mine to build a tiny house) is done?

I had to ask myself those questions once construction ended. Should I rent it? Should I live in it? I almost rented it, but at the last minute, I changed my mind. It didn’t feel right. The building didn’t feel complete. The bathroom was missing towel hooks. The bedroom was missing a bureau. I decided to wait. The house might wait a month or three before someone lives in it.  But when they do, the house will be ready to receive someone’s new energy and to provide it’s own to them.

Today, I remember to listen to, and trust my own timing. I know there’s no rush to get on to the next dream. There is only the relishing of this dream in this precious moment.

Culture Shock

My mother warned me about culture shock. When I returned home for Christmas, she cautioned: "Things won’t feel the same as they had before."

(Here I am at the airport wearing my dad’s surgical recovery boot that earned me the right to board the plane first with my little harp, ensuring its safe storage in the overhead compartment!)

She was right. Unlike in Huatusco, no one at Walgreens or ShopRite knew me.  That felt strange. And none of the checkout people would ever see me again. Or if they did, they would show no sign of recognition.  That seemed totally wrong. I kept trying to kiss people. I’d move in for a cheek kiss and many would back away. Others, bemused, would just take it, pleasantly surprised! While in Pennsylvania, I bought a puppy dog.  I had to fill out multiple applications, and have a good reference, and have my vet vouch for me. Yes, things were very different from Mexico!

After months living in the US, but longing to be back in the warmth and kindness of the southern hemisphere, I returned to Mexico.  No one warned me of culture shock the other way! By the time my feet touched ground in Mexico in March, it was as if I had already assimilated  to being American again -- after only a few months. I couldn’t understand why my schedule was out of control, or why time was always morphing into something I didn't expect! I felt uncomfortable hugging a group of six people when I only knew one of them. I’m sure I have already offended multiple people this way. I found myself saying “No, I can’t sit down for a snack with you. I’m being a typical American and I am busy and have things I need to attend to.”

Within a few weeks, I had begun again to settle into the Mexican pace of life. What really did it were the three days I spent in Orizaba, teaching at a new yoga studio. My hosts showered me with incredible hospitality, inclusion and spirit. Finally, I was back in the flow. It brought back for me many of the things I love best about living in Mexico!

By coincidence, my visit coincided with their once a year carnival, complete with amusement park rides and performances of the ancient “Danza de los Voladores” in which four men launch themselves off of an extremely high pole while one danced and played the flute on top!

As with everything I eat in Mexico, I doused my “mango-on-a-stick” in chili!

It wasn’t all fun and games! There was also work.  I had been invited to teach Kundalini yoga to an incredible group of people.  In the process I bathed them in harp and flute music.  I have a lot to be grateful for as I ease back into life in Mexico!