Category Archives: Music
Sailing Home
Once again, the line marking the year that was and the the year that is, blurs. I worked right up through December 27 and spent New Year’s Eve on a transatlantic flight from Tokyo to Washington, D.C. I will remember 2008 as a year of travel. Also one of completion, as many projects came to their fruition, most-notably the Stepping Stones Meditation Series. I had an opportunity visit the Far East twice in one year and during my favorite seasons to be there: Spring and Fall. The following pictures are from the latter of these visits.
I started the autumn tour landing in cold and windy Osaka City, then traveled over-night by ferry to Kyushu. Japan has four main islands and thousands of lesser ones. Kyushu is the southern-most of the main four. Shikoku, where I traveled next, is the eastern-most and has a beautiful coastline facing the Pacific Ocean. Honshu to the west is often considered the main island of Japan and includes all the major cities: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Kyoto to name a few. The fourth is Hokkaido to the north, which I have visited several times, but not on this trip.
Every event in Japan and Taiwan was a delight. I met many old friends and enjoyed making new ones. All along the way, musician friends joined bringing light and joy to the celebrations. Many events this time were evening and one-day gatherings, but in Taiwan I had the opportunity to facilitate a three-day workshop. The extra days gave people time to relax, open up, and dive deeper into the meditations. I allowed myself the rare luxury of being a participant, so the group was like a retreat for me – very nice after such a busy year.
My visits to the Far East are infinitely inspiring, not to mention intriguing. I always try to capture something of its essence with my camera lens, but I find its qualities fleeting and ephemeral at best. I wrote some small poems this time, so perhaps together with the photos I will come a little closer to sharing its essence.
I write these words from the aloneness of my rural retreat in USA, where the tide of year 2008 has washed me up on the shores of 2009. Slipping into the New Year, like one would into the warm waters of a Japanese hotspring, nice and easy, I’ve made my resolution to invite more laughter, love, and light into my life. Browsing back through the previous year’s photos and the ones for this update, I am reminded how every moment captured by my camera represents an experience lived and all these moments taken together has brought me to the place I am today. With this understanding and all gratitude for the wonderful year that was, I embrace the moment and turn my gaze to the horizon, stepping forward into an unknown year waiting to unfold and be discovered. I wish everyone enjoying this page a happy and creative New Year. May your visions unfold and your deepest longings be realized.
Japan
Down the back streets of an unfamiliar town
One step at a time
Home wherever I am
Kyushu
Shikoku
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Katsuo is a specialty of Shikoku. Fresh slabs of tuna are rubbed with salt, then seared over a hot fire made from straw.
It is usually eaten with fresh ginger and garlic. Delicious!
Honshu
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Okayama and Kurashiki
Sunset
Paints the leaves of kaki trees
Heavy with the sweetness of
Autumn’s longing
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This is kakioka. It a kind of okonomiyaki, a vegetable pancake made with either cabbage, soba noodles, or sometimes both depending on the region. Every place has its own style. Here it is being prepared with fresh oysters(‘kaki’ in japanese), which are a local speciality of this area. There are several sauces to go along side and it is prepared on hot plates everyone sits around. Okonomiyaki goes very well with cold beer and the company of good friends.
Morning.
Road through the market
Ends at the temple gates
Always open
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Nagoya
Tokyo
Matsumoto
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Autumn leaves
Scattered on the frosty ground
In winter’s silence
The promise of Spring
Lies hidden
Taiwan
Evening breeze
Ripples on flooded rice fields
Old Lao Tzu stirring in his sleep
Maebashi (Japan) – end of tour
The last few days of 2008, I passed back through Japan after Taiwan and had a short visit with my friends Vimal, Mukti, daughter Aineh, and Snowy before continuing my onward journey to America. After all the year’s travels and adventures, it was the moment to relax and let-go. We enjoyed easy days together, hotspring, good food, and ALOT of laughter – perfect ending to a wonderful year.
2009? I predict a year of miracles.
The USA Events
Something felt different at this year’s events. I can’t exactly say what it was. Something like a fresh breeze, a letting go of the old, a making space for new things yet to unfold. One thing I can say for sure, the network of friends in Chicago and New York has a distinct buddhafield energy and this is a nice thing to feel happening in America. The music was divine because I am a lucky guy. I am blessed to have talented, loving friends to play with. There was a good mix of young and old energy this time. Some participants had been around Osho for a long time, while others where experiencing things for the first time. Those familiar with this crazy love-affair found themselves peppered with questions from new, enthusiastic seekers asking things like: “who is Osho” and “what was it like”, etc. Everyone played their roles well: sound, rational answers from the one side, good attentive listening from the other. But what to say, really? This phenomenon called ‘Osho’ is a conundrum, so impossible to define and put into words. And yet? Let’s just say it made for many a lively conversation during mealtimes and breaks. Perhaps this little anecdote describes it best: One participant from NYC approached me at the start of the weekend saying he would like to get me aside at some point because he had a LOT of questions for me. We never seemed to find time to sit down, but our paths crossed at lunchtime the last day. His face by this time was soft and changed. Tears in eyes, he looked at me and shrugged, “All my questions have answered themselves.” I had to smile. I think his experience reflects most everyone’s this year. Questions evaporate, leaving behind a golden nugget of truth: The real answers come from within.
Chicago
New York
Sun & Moon
New photos just arrived from two wonderful recent events: the Soleluna Festival in Italy which concluded the Europe summer tour and Opening to the Mystery in Bimini, The Bahamas. I would also like to share a new song from Sudhananda he wrote during our days in Bimini. I feel it reflects not only his own experience but perhaps that of every participant, myself included. It is an inspiring tribute to a truly divine week with the dolphins, ocean, music, meditation, laughter, joy, tears, and heartful communion with fellow travelers.
Soleluna Festival – Citta di Castello (Umbria), Italy
Opening to the Mystery – Bimini, The Bahamas
OCEAN ANGELS by Sudhananda
Ocean angels, come swim with me
I long to see you in the deep blue sea
How I honor and wish you good
Will you come closer?
Come closer to me
Ocean angels in the heavens below
Let me come near you, teach me all you know
Of this life and the deep mysteries
Share your ancient wisdom with me
Ocean angels with the buddha smile
Ocean angels, playful like a child
Ocean angels, I love your spirit
Pure and wild
Ocean angels, how different we are
You have fins and tails, but you know
That our hearts beat in time to the same song of love
Below and above the sea
Ocean angels, in the deep blue ocean
Under infinite sky there’s a radiant joy
I see, shining in your eyes
Ocean angels
Europe Summer Tour
It was a busy summer with both tour and cd projects running concurrently. Events with the band started in early May with the Rainbow Spirit Festival in Baden Baden. The next event in Oslo I facilitated without the band. It was also my first visit to Norway. During gaps between events, I continued work on the cd projects: the new Yin Yang Dance and Five Senses meditations; also re-editing of Chakra Healing, Circle of Love, and Lotus Paradise.
The band reconvened mid-June for the Zurich and Czech events, followed by the Osho RISK Summer Festival. Afterwards, I traveled to Greece, again without the band, to facilitate the Love, Devotion, and Surrender group with Svarup and Premartha. It was an especially beautiful group and represented another first visit: the island of Lesbos where the Osho Afroz Center is located. The following weekend I traveled to Latvia, another first time visit. The event was a few hours northeast of Riga in the direction of the Russian border. The weather was pristine, and the countryside and its people wonderful. Singing is a specialty of the Latvians, so I felt very-much at home with them!
After Latvia, the band came together again in a different configuration for the rest of the summer events which included Osho RISK (Denmark), UTA (Koln), Parimal, Munich, and finishing in Italy with Sommacampagna, Arihant, and the Miasto and Soleluna festivals. It was a lot of traveling, yes. But also a LOT of fun!
The following selection of photos gives a taste of the great summer it’s been.
Rainbow Spirit Festival – Baden Baden, Germany
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Oslo, Norway
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Zurich, Switzerland
Sugama Summer Festival, Czech Republic
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Osho RISK Summer Festival, Denmark
 Rishi, Atmo, Harisharan, Palash, Swagato, Jaldhara
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“Love, Devotion, Surrender” – Osho Afroz Center, Lesbos, Greece
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Denmark – Germany – Italy
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Taiwan & Japan Spring Tour
Since almost two months, I have been traveling in Taiwan and Japan. The new meditation series was well-received and every event was a delight. I am especially happy with the new 45-minute format which I think suits meditation in the 21st century marketplace. People also enjoyed the Yin Yang Dance Meditation. I experienced it differently everytime I did it. For the most part, I found the first stage (hara breathing) and second stage (dancing the negative principle) were the most easy for me. I seemed to have the most difficulty with the third stage, dancing the positive principle, for some reason. It seemed to require more inward searching to access this space in myself, but by the last event I was able to find it more easily, dancing my inner-child from a space of wonder, celebrating my light.
Unfortunatly, my camera broke in Taiwan near the start of the tour, so I wasn’t able to take my own photos. However, especially in Japan, many people took photos at the events and I was able to compile them.
At the time of this typing I am passing through the USA for just six days. The europe tour and summer projects come into focus now, more stepping stones along the way.
Stepping Stones
I am happy to announce a new meditation series called Stepping Stones. I have just finished work on the Yin Yang Dance Meditation, third in the series which also includes Chakra Healing and Circle of Love completed last year. I will be sharing the Yin Yang for the first time in Taiwan and Japan this coming March and April.
All the meditations in this series are in a forty-five minute format: thirty minutes technique and fifteen minutes silence. They are designed for those of us who like to meditate on a more regular basis, perhaps during the work-week, but have only limited time available. The meditations are short, yet powerful and effective, and can be useful in the morning, for example, before going to work or starting one’s daily routine.
The Yin Yang Dance Meditation starts with three minutes of hara breathing, followed by two high-energy dance stages.
The music is great for dancing, the meditation fun and I am excited to be sharing it at this year’s events.
Meanwhile, I celebrated my birthday in Virginia on the twenty-third which makes me a Pisces. And while my inner woman advises me not to reveal my age, suffice it to say I’m an Old Fish. My brother, Isa, visited me from New York City during this time.
On February 20, there was a total eclipse of the full moon and snow. Magic!
My upcoming Far East tour starts in Taiwan, March 7, and will continue on in Japan through April.
Looking ahead to the summer months, the Europe tour will again include a wonderful band of musicians. Treat yourself to one of the events and come enjoy with us. Click the tour schedule for details.
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A Bridge in Time
Rather than draw a line where one year stops and the next begins, I present this update as a bridge, a bridge of time, connecting a series of events that started last October and continue into the New Year. Truth is: There are no full stops in existence, only semi-colons.
At the beginning of October after the last USA events, I took a break from everything. After being continuously on the move for more than two years, I felt a need to take some space for myself and from the many responsibilities the tours and projects demand. Experience has taught me that for my creativity to stay fresh, I sometimes need to do this. During this time, even my guitar sat like a neglected lover in the corner, (although I am happy to report we re-discovered each other again just before New Years). I enjoyed the divine luxury of sleeping in my own bed, unpacking my suitcase and properly hanging up my clothes; also taking long walks in the countryside and wonderful nature that surrounds the little house-in-the-woods in Virginia where I occasionally stay. I completely let go the reins of my life and the weeks went by. Slowly, I began to unwind and relax until one day realizing I was fresh again, renewed, and ready to look ahead to the next steps.
In the middle of December, I traveled to Zurich, Switzerland to tidy up some old projects in the studio, while at the same time began working on a new dance meditation which I hope to have ready for the spring when the tours start again.
From there, I traveled to Osho RISK in Denmark where I played for a winter festival and welcomed in the New Year in a nourishing atmosphere of love, friendship, meditation, music, and some very good food.
On January 4, I traveled back to America and started in immediately on a different kind of project: the very basic work of locating a broken water pipe outside my house. It’s a different kind of work one might expect of a musician, but one I have been enjoying nontheless. It brings up memories of wonderful days on the pipe crew at Rajneeshpuram. I wish I had the backhoe I used to drive at my disposal now, but I am amazed how much one can accomplish with a simple shovel and pick. Plus, I like the exercise.
I enjoy the seasons and watching them change. We had an exceptionally long and colorful autumn in Virginia this year that stretched out over two months. I notice the seasons can be a mirror for changes happening within myself. Just as my travels came to a peak in September and October, so did nature also peak, splashing the forest with myriad shades of color. Then the season changed. Just as I was shedding all that was old in me, so did the trees let go and dropped their old leaves. It was as if everything – both inside and out – was finally coming to a place of rest.
I take my present lesson from the bare trees of winter outside my window as I write these words, trusting like them one day the spring will come, bringing with it new flowers, fresh leaves, and a sense of renewal.
On this note, I wish you Happy New Year!
Reflections of Autumn
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Sound Development Studio – Zurich, Switzerland
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Osho Risk Center – Denmark
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Here and Now
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Alchemy of Celebration
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I was speaking with Aneesha after the New York event. She was searching for a word to describe the experience, then paused. Suddenly she exclaimed, “Alchemical!” I nodded yes, knowing deep inside it was exactly the right word. Truth is, it is always difficult to say exactly what does go on at the events. Usually what happens when people ask, I end up shrugging my shoulders. I don’t know how to put it precisely into words. It is such a mystery andso much bigger than me. But at least I have a new word for it now – alchemical!
Alchemy. The ancient longing of science to change baser metal into gold. In the context of meditation, one could say: the science of changing darkness into light, unconsciouness into consciousness; changing basic life-energy into something higher, purer, more refined; from our small individuality to the universal, the oceanic; coming home to that ephemeral something inside each one of us that is always here-now; realising what we already know to be the case, but have a tendency to forget. Perhaps it is this same longing the dewdrop has for the ocean, or as Kabir would say, the ocean has for the dewdrop.
So it is a kind of alchemy that happens when a group of people from all walks of life, races, and nationalities assembles on a Friday evening in Upstate New York and Wisconsin on two consecutive weekends in late September and begins to dance, sing, and meditate together. Faces soften, worry lines disappear from foreheads; the volume level of conversation increases in the diningroom at mealtimes as hearts open and love starts flowing. Laughter is suddenly noticed coming from every nook and corner; eyes are seen shining with strangely mysterious light. And a distinct, tangible silence pervades the atmosphere, a silence that hangs almost heavy in the air, becoming deeper, stronger, with each new meditation, each new peak of celebration. In no time at all, it seems alchemy, the magic, is happening. One cannot avoid seeing it, feeling it, experiencing it.
I have heard Osho say religion is the ultimate alchemy because it is the effort to give birth to yourself, to be reborn through meditation, through awareness. I experience the events as such: like a womb where we give alot of energy and nourishment to ourselves inside – with the meditations, the celebration, music, the dancing and songs, laughter, sweat, tears, not to mention love. And in the short space of a few days, a miracle happens: We give birth to ourselves. Then, in a flash, time inevitably is upon us to separate and say goodbye. But not from a space of sadness, but of absolute joy, overflow, renewed, rejuvenated from the inside-out, ready to move on, back into the world and our daily lives with new eyes and a fresh perspective, deeply grateful for having remembered once again something so priceless, so very precious: the knowing to our very bones who we are. And if this isn’t alchemical, I don’t know what is.
New York Event
Chicago Event
Opening To The Mystery
A day, even a single moment, on the Island of Bimini, The Bahamas can be an eternity. I cannot imagine a more ideal venue for meditation, healing, celebration, and supportive fellowship with others. If you missed this magical week this time around, no worries. Mark your calendar for next year September 21-27, 2008 and contact reservations@wildquest.com. I guarantee it will be the experience of a lifetime. If you need more convincing, just scroll through the beautiful photos of this year’s group.
Rainbow Spirit Summer Tour – Europe and Russia
It has been a busy time since end of May: many adventures, many kilometers, lots of beautiful events and people, celebrations, laughter … and great music! The band played at the highest level this summer. I am grateful to all the musicians and my organizers – to everything and everyone along the way – who helped make this tour a wonderful reality.
Parimal Concert – Germany
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Zurich Summer Festival – Switzerland
Angsbaka No Mind Festival – Sweden
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Copenhagen and Osho RISK Summer Festival – Denmark
The Humaniversity – The Netherlands
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Slovenia
Manjusha Summer Festival – Dresden
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St. Petersburg – Russia
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| Milarepa | Chandira |
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| Palash | Rishi |
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| Swagato |