19 Hours Ahead

Hi, all,

I'm in New Zealand, where the time is 19 hours ahead of Portland.

Why New Zealand? you may ask.  That's eloquently detailed by Asha Praver in this post.  But the long and the short is:  Asha arrives here this Wednesday to help launch Ananda New Zealand, with a 5.5 week lecture tour in 6 cities.  I'm part of the support team, along with other "American Tour Gang" members Bryan McSweeney, Rachel Ebgi, and Jill Barker.

Before this got arranged, I'd already signed up for an Ananda Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Nov. 7-16.  Divine timing:  that begins a few days after the New Zealand trip ends.  So, it's an around-the-world string of flights courtesy of the very last of our United frequent flier miles, before I come home 2 months hence.

Meanwhile, Manisha is keeping the home fires burning!  This is the longest time we'll have been apart in our 13-year marriage.  Emails and iPhones help a lot.  :-)  Today she gave a fabulous Sunday service talk—check it out!

First Impressions

Green.  Cloudy, cool, rain, then sunny & warm (just like Portland!)

These are the delightful folks hosting us:  Aroon & Kavita Parshotam, and their daughters Veda & Devya—here with Aroon's mom Olga visiting for lunch:

They have a beautiful home right on New Zealand's largest river, the Waikato.

It's kind of a fun story how all this came about:  Olga says that her mom gave her a copy of Autobiography of a Yogi, back when.  Olga later shared it with son Aroon.  He gave it to Kavita—who, since then, has been unstoppable.  3 years ago, she began teaching yoga, meditation, and doing counseling on her own... but felt there was still more to learn & give.  While searching online for teachings on Patanjali to share with her yoga class, she came across Asha's Patanjali class series videos—and was hooked.

Kavita's since been to Ananda Village, and has taken the Meditation Teacher Training there.  Then... well, here are Asha's own words:
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When I was in India last winter, I began to ask, “Where next?” Australia seemed an obvious choice. They speak English (my only language) and it was part of Swamiji’s vision. 

“Should Ananda come to Australia and New Zealand?” was the subject line for an e-mail I sent to some 400 people on our list living in those countries. 

Seconds after it was sent, I got a response. “Yes!” [from Kavita] coupled with an offer to arrange the tour—in New Zealand. 

Several dozen devotees, from both countries, expressed enthusiasm, but no one in Australia could take charge. I had thought to do it myself -- I’ve organized many tours -- but those days are past. Without the right person in Australia, it was impossible. 

“Go where there is energy,” which turns out to be New Zealand.
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So, here we are!

Other first impressions:

The Accent—Here's a fun story from last night, while visiting with 3 members of New Zealand's world-champion Waikato Rivertones Chorus, shown here at a concert they gave today:

Last month, a member who knows Kavita asked whether her quartet could sing some Ananda songs at Asha's first class of the tour this Friday, and requested sample music from me.  Last night, we listened to three of them give an informal preview at her home.  They sang wonderfully!

The three were discussing who could join them to make a quartet this weekend...

She:  We've got at least three Tinas available...
Me:  You have three ladies named Tina?

Hee hee.  I realized she'd been saying "tenors".
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The Driving

Steering wheels and driving lanes are completely mirror-image of what I'm used to.  It's impressive how visceral a habit that becomes!  Turning left—"lift" in Kiwi—you drive straight into what is "usually" the oncoming traffic lane—without looking left first!  Yikes.
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New Stars

OK, this is obscure, but ever since I heard Steven Stills' song "Southern Cross" and realized there were major constellations you could only see from the Southern Hemisphere, I was intrigued.  Last night I saw it:

Another star you only see down under is Canopus, the second-brightest star in the nighttime sky.  (Know what the brightest is?  Answer below.)
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"OK", you say, "what's this got to do with Living at Laurelwood, the name of your blog?"

Well, not much.  But the last post was over 9 months ago—mainly 'cause in January, Manisha and I were asked to manage the Ananda Portland Temple & Teaching Center.  That's been a real engaging, fun, all-consuming challenge, all these months!  Still at it... even though I'm on the other side of the planet at the moment.  Thank God for the great friends we work with, who really carry things on.  :-)

P.S. You'll read a lot more from Manisha on her blog, Llamas and Niyamas, as well as on her Facebook page.  There, I've only mentioned llamas once... well, now, twice.  But that's all.  Sirius!

Love,
Dambara