2013 finished a bit like a hurricane for me. In November there was the great Enlightenment Circle over 4 days, then later an intense 5-day X-Run over in Austria, then at the end of the year our rather wonderful 5-day Winter Festival; and just before and squeezed in between these events there was the 4-day Belgium Group, the days at the Rainbow Festival in Munich, and the Berlin Group too.
So early in January I was feeling a bit rocky. So I drove a few hundred kilos north to an Ayurvedic Treatment Hotel in Traban-Trarbach, where I had been two or three times before. Each time with benefits.
No special program, lots of massages in oils, real treats for the body,
some ‘interior’ attention, provided by therapists now, there, from all over the world; for me, a Kosovan, a man from Ecuador (Ecuadorian?), a Sri Lankan, a Spanish guy – so many different origins that though this was Germany, the common language was – English! Which of course suited me fine…
Nice walks every day, even in the cold and mud – and a visit to the Buddha Museum – 2000 Buddha statues in one building, all collected – from all around – by one guy. Big ones, huge ones, small ones, tiny ones. Well I was round it all in 10/15 mins, no hits really; when you ‘know’ the Buddha you don’t get off much on statues, even the giant ones. But I did buy a CD of the music they were playing there: The Gayatri Mantra by Hein Braat. So look out for it, maybe, when I next come your way – or you mine…
The food was consistently fantastic. All veggie of course, but sometimes sources were unrecognizable, really tasty every time, creative and often unique; I could live on such a diet indefinitely (maybe!)
Then at the end another stroke of good fortune: a meeting with a terrific doctor, whom I took to immediately, and who really rounded off my stay – a Swissie, used to work in Vienna a lot, but now back home again near St Gallen. I won’t tell you his name as I’ve not asked him if I may. But I’ve got him up my sleeve for when I feel I need what he has to offer…
So I felt much better after my week there, and ready to face our new Energy Work Education group PHEW! (Personal Healing and Energy Work). 24 candidates for multiplying the Energy Work – maybe! – that we all know so well. The feedback afterwards was so positive that I’ve had to schedule another later in the year…
Now here, since a few days, Shintai has come to spend some days with us, with his wife Mayadevi, from Denmark. Shintai has been in the background of our promotional activity for a while: website, facebook, blogs, bookshop – and now with skilled help from Akali (a local) together they revolutionize our website, and also add new features like Podcast and Twitter.
In fact, just a short time ago, I posted my first ever Twitter! And I’m very proud to be keeping ahead with the times! (Check it out!)
In the meantime we have polished off the new 2014 Newsletter, and it should be coming – in an old-fashioned way – through your letterbox before too long.
Soon Tiago & Abava will be arriving and then with Mishka and me we 4 are off soon on to the next leg of the OPT, our new Training, which the participants are really in love with, judging by the feedback they give us.
If our yesterday is anything to go by – coffee outside, me sitting in light clothes on my balcony here checking some music for the groups for an hour or two – then though only February, perhaps ‘the cruelest month,’ Spring cannot be far behind.
LOVE
Michael
