| Valley Spirit Summer Journal | ||
| June 2007 |
June |
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By Michael P.
Garofalo Red Bluff, California |
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Pulling onions in the vegetable garden.
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Valley Spirit Websites |
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June 1, Friday, 2007 Goof off all day. Reading, writing, research. Posted webpage on the War Authorization by Public Vote: 28th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Rest. Reading. Watching television. Napping. Wild Sex.
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Publications Cuttings Above the Fog Pulling Onions Valley Spirit Journal Cloud Hands Blog Photographs Green Way Blog History of Gardening Categories
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June 2, Saturday, 2007 Taijiquan practice and walking at dawn. Teach Taijiquan and Yoga at TFFC. Jeanie Stout comes over and helps us learn to use Pro Show Gold. Relax, read, watch televison. Wild Sex. "The secret of happiness
lies in taking a genuine interest in all
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T'ai Chi Ch'uan
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June 3, Sunday, 2007
We stopped working around 1:30 pm. Relaxed indoors, read, wrote, watched movies, e.g., "Edward Sissorhands"
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General Beauty Chan Poetry Cold Mountain Buddhas Concrete Poetry Earth Fitness Flowers Green Wizard Haiku History of Gardening Labyrinths Meditation Seeing Simplicity String Figures Taijiquan Trees Walking Will Power Yoga Zen Poetry |
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June 4, Monday, 2007
Teeth cleaning at 2 p.m.. This was the first time that my physician recommended that I take antibiotics before I had my teeth cleaned. My cardiologist, Dr. Okonski, prescribed the medication because she diagnosed me as having an "aortic artery insufficiency" - a leaky valve. Diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid insufficiency, heart disease, stump feet (neuropathy), aching body, 61 years of age ... GULP!! Kinky Beyond Kinky Inside Kinky .... Wilder Sex. Work on minutes and agenda for Tehama County Commission on Aging meeting.
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Valley Spirit Journal Archives
December 2007
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June 5, Tuesday, 2007 Exercise in the morning: Walking, Taijiquan, watering. Work for CUESD from 8:30 - 4 p.m.. No teaching: I had a case severe upset stomach. A strong thunderstorm took our electrical power away until 8:30 pm tonight.
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Gardening
Air Beauty Clichés Earth Fire Flowers History Humor Green Way Blog Green Wizard History Index Jokes Months Olives Seeing Simplicity Timeline Trees Tree Lore Water Weeding |
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June 6, Wednesday, 2007 Exercise in the morning: Walking, Taijiquan, watering. Work for CUESD from 8:30 - 1 p.m.. TFFC: teach power yoga, teach taijiquan.
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Biographies
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June 7, Thursday, 2007 Typical Morning: Wake up from 4 - 5 a.m.. Make coffee and turn on computer. Check email, post to blog. Read or look at DVD/video on taijiquan, staff, xingyiquan. Research on WWW. Take my medicine. Restroom break. Get ready for exercise. Walking on Kilkenny Lane cul de sac starting around 5:30 a.m.. Taijiquan, qigong, staff, or medicine ball practice between walking laps. Thinking. Waking up. After exercise, put on gardening clothes and starting gardening: watering, weeding, mowing, planting, Sacred Circle. Start painting house. Take breaks and read and drink. Work outdoors until it is too hot to work anymore. Take Karen to the Redding Airport. She and her sister, Betty, are going to enjoy a visit with their sisters Ginger and Barbara. Shop in Redding.
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Mysticism Nature Mysticism Green Way Blog Green Wizard Spirituality Tree Lore Eight Trigrams Taoism Green Way Blog Taiji Classics Valley Spirit Center Bagua Walking Meditation I Ching Religion Sacred Circle |
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June 8, Friday, 2007 Typical Morning: Wake up from 4 - 5 a.m.. Make coffee and turn on computer. Check email, post to blog. Read or look at DVD/video on taijiquan, staff, xingyiquan. Research on WWW. Take my medicine. Restroom break. Get ready for exercise. Walking on Kilkenny Lane cul de sac starting around 5:30 a.m.. Taijiquan, qigong, staff, or medicine ball practice between walking laps. Thinking. Waking up. After exercise, put on gardening clothes and starting gardening: watering, weeding, mowing, planting, Sacred Circle. Start painting house. Take breaks and read and drink. Work outdoors until it is too hot to work anymore and I am too tired to work outdoors anymore. Attend the end of the year CUESD managers party at the home of Steve and Cindy Kelish. I stayed and talked from 5:30 to 9:30 pm. Karen got in Indiana around 9:30 pm CST.
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Indexes Quotes - Gardening Taijiquan Months Zen |
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June 9,
Saturday, 2007
Typical Morning: Up at 5 am, coffee, writing, email, research, morning exercise workout at 5:30 am: walking, qigong, taijiquan, and staff. Watering. Fix riding lawn mower. Teach taijiquan and yoga at TFFC from 10 - 12:15. Trip to Chico.
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Search Amazon Wikipedia |
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June 10,
Sunday, 2007
Typical Morning: Up at 6:30 am, coffee, writing, email, research, morning exercise workout at 8:30 am: walking, qigong, taijiquan, and staff. Irrigation ditch ran all day and night - water from West. Watering, finish Sacred Circle water line, move dirt, horseshoe pit, mowing. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennisart/538214282/in/set-72157600333581362/
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Webmaster Notes PostNuke WordPress CMS: GWR |
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June 11,
Monday, 2007
Typical Morning: Up at 5 am, coffee, writing, email, research, morning exercise workout at 5:30 am: walking, qigong, taijiquan, and staff. Mowing, horseshoe pit and planting eucalyptus trees, watering. Irrigation ditch ran all day and night - water from West. Repair riding lawn mower. Tehama County Commission on Aging meeting at 2 pm in Corning. TFFC Gym- 4:30: Weightlifting, teach spin cycling.
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Qigong Eight Section Brocade Wild Goose Cloud Hands Blog Five Animal Frolics Standing Meditation Breathing Links T'ai Chi Ch'uan Relaxation (Sung) Silk Reeling Bibliography Eight Trigrams Taoism Valley Spirit Center Wudang Qigong Qigong Ruler Valley Spirit Qigong |
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June 12,
Tuesday, 2007
Typical Morning: Up at 5 am, coffee, writing, email, research, morning exercise workout at 5:30 am: walking, qigong, taijiquan, and staff. Finish trenching in the Sacred Circle. Ditch stopped running. Work for CUESD from 12 - 4 pm (Charge to EETT4). Meet with Beckie and Dave. TFFC Gym: Weightlifting, teach Pilates, and teach Yoga class.
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Months Winter January February March Spring April May June Summer July August September Autumn October November December Index |
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June 13,
Wednesday, 2007
Up at 4 am. Rowdy barking too much all night. Morning exercise workout: walking, qigong, taijiquan, staff, dumbells, skip rope. Watering on front and back porch, and in main garden. Start trenching for water lines to north edge of property by blue shed .... about 40 feet left to finish project. Laundry and cleaning up kitchen and washing dishes. Work for CUESD from 8:30 - 4 pm. Meet with Steve Kelish at 9 am. Give a presentation to the CUESD school board at 7:30 p.m..
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Blogs Valley Spirit Journal Photographs Cloud Hands Blog Green Way Blog CUESD Info/Zone Blog |
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June 14,
Thursday, 2007
Up early - typical morning routine. Watering, trenching to north edge, painting trees, garden fence construction, mowing with riding mower. Indoors in heat of afternoon: work on Green Wizard webpage, work on Mick Garofalo's resume, work on TFFC webpage. TFFC Gym at 4:30 pm: Weightlifting, teach yoga.
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Photography Valley Spirit Photos Home Gardens |
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June 15,
Friday, 2007
Up at 4 am. Teach spin class at 5:30 am at TFFC, then weightlifting. Watering, mowing, weeding, Green Room work, clean garage. Indoor work on cleaning house and webpage research. Massage at 2 pm in Corning.
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Michael
P. Garofalo Brief Biography Resume Internal Arts Practices Work Valley Spirit Center Yoga Instructor Home Gardens Websites |
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June 16,
Saturday, 2007
Typical Morning: Up at 5 am, coffee, writing, email, research, morning exercise workout at 5:30 am: walking, qigong, taijiquan, and staff. Teach tai chi and yoga at TFFC. Daily watering of gardens since temperatures in the 90's lately. Finish trenching project, install water lines, fill trenches. Fencing and shed construction. Clean indoors.
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June 17,
Sunday, 2007
Walking and taijiquan in the morning. Work around house on projects: trenching, watering, weeding, trash out, feed animals, laundry, horseshoe pit construction. Set up home altar in Green Room. Figs by Henri Du Monceau http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Figs-Posters_i119803_.htm
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June 18,
Monday, 2007
Walking and taijiquan at 5:30 am. Work for CUESD from 7:30 - 4 pm. Textbook management project. TFFC: Weightlifting then teach spin. Watering and horseshoe pit construction.
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June 19,
Tuesday, 2007
Home projects: Clean house, horseshoe pit construction, watering, mowing, trenching, clean kitchen. TFFC: Teach pilates and yoga.
"The Principles of knowing Creation are seven; those who know these possess the Magic Key to whose touch all locked doors open to Creation: 1. The Principle of Psychokinesis. Summum is Mind, thought; the universe is a mental creation. 2. The Principle of Correspondence. As above, so below; as below, so above. 3. The Principle of Vibration. Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates. 4. The Principle of Opposition. Everything is dual; everything has an opposing point; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes bond; all truths are partial truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled. Seven Summum Principles http://www.summum.us/philosophy/principles.shtml
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June 20,
Wednesday, 2007
Walking and taijiquan at 5:30 am. Clean up house, watering, home improvement projects. Pick up Karen at Redding airport. Dinner at Tokyo Lobby. There is, however, another important source for the Wiccan Rede, which is often attributed as the source of its origins. In the Ostara 1975 (Vol. III. No. 69) issue of Green Egg magazine, in an article called "Wiccan-Pagan Potpourri", was a long (but most will find very familiar) poem called the Rede Of The Wiccae:
Lady Gwen Thomson[6] (1928-1986), a hereditary witch from New Haven, Connecticut (USA), attributed this text to Adriana Porter, her paternal grandmother, who, as she stated "was well into her 90's when she crossed over into the Summerlands in 1946."[7] Thomson was the primary teacher of The New England Coven of the Traditionalist Witches (N.E.C.T.W.), which she founded in 1972, although her teachings were brought to the public in the late 1960's. This tradition was a combination of her family's tradition blended with popular occultism. This was the first time the Rede was publicly referred to as a "rede" (guideline) since Valiente's 1964 speech and subsequent mention in the Pentagram and The Waxing Moon, and although the line numbers never quite took hold, the text itself did, especially the last line. This is also the first time the Rede was introduced in such a visible and easily distributed manner and at a time when the Craft was blossoming in creativity and public interest. The Wiccan Rede: A Historical Journey http://www.waningmoon.com/ethics/rede3.shtml Valiente called the Witches' Creed was introduced.
Hear now the
words of the witches, Mysterious water and fire, The birth and rebirth of all nature, Four times in the year the Great Sabbat When day-time and night-time are equal, Thirteen silver moons in a year are, The power was passed down the ages, When drawn is the magical circle, This world has no right then to know it, For two are the mystical pillars, The dark and the light in succession, By night he's the wild wind's rider, She is youthful or old as she pleases, The master and mistress of magic, So drink the good wine to the Old Gods, An Do What You Will be the challenge,
Actions which are harmful to others are to be avoided. You are fee to act in ways that cause no harm to others. Liberty is of high value to you and others. Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you.
All Beings of the Earth. ©1985 Lynn Stone, Andras C. Arthen, Deirdre P. Arthen, Sherry G. Arthen
Pagan Chant Library http://www.earthspirit.com/mtongue/chtlib/chtlifr.html
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June 21,
Thursday, 2007
Summer Solstice Karen and I enjoy outdoor activities, reading MidSommer poems and lore, gardening, talking. Mowing, finish trenching project, finish first horseshole pit, watering. Reading books on Druidry. TFFC: Teach yoga.
You need chaos in your soul to give birth to a dancing star.
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June 22,
Friday, 2007
Work on horseshoe pit project, weeding, pruning, transplanting, watering, clean off back porch. We purchased two new wood rocking chairs for the back porch. Reading about Druidry. See my notes in The Green Wizard. In the past two weeks I have read four books on Neo-Pagans: Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. By Isaac Bonewits. New York, Kensington Pub. Co., Citadel, 2006. Index, bibliography, appendices, 329 pages. ISBN: 0806527102. MGC. The Solitary Druid: A Practitioner's Guide. By Robert Lee (Skip) Ellison. New York, Kensington Pub. Co,., Citadel Press, 2005. Index, bibliography, appendices, 262 pages. ISBN: 0806526750. MGC. Archdruid of Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF) and Dean of Divination and Beast Mastery - The Grey School of Wizardry. Drawing Down the Moon. Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers and Other Pagans in America Today. By Margot Adler. New York Penguin, Revised and Updated Edition, 2006. Index. First edition by Beacon Press, 1979. 1986. ISBN: 0143038192. MGC. The Voyager Tarot: Way of the Great Oracle. By James Wanless. Carmel, California, Merrill-West Publishing, 1989. 330 pages. ISBN: 0961507934. MGC. I use this book and the Voyager Tarot nearly every day.
I joined a couple of mail lists.
The entire area occupied by the Shasta is thought of as thronged with spiritual, mysterious powers, spoken of as Axè'ki or 'pains.' These are conceived of in human form (rather shorter than the ordinary stature), and as inhabiting rocks, cliffs, lakes, and mountain summits, and the rapids and eddies in streams. Many animals are also regarded as Axè'ki. They are the cause of all disease, death, and trouble, and become the guardians of the shamans, and are often inherited by them.(Dixon 470) Axè'ki were believed to shoot their "pains" into humans; all problems were blamed on the Axè'ki. Shaman (doctors) were purported to receive their powers from Axè'ki and were the only ones who could actually see them. (Silver 219-220) Shasta Indians of Mt. Shasta area. http://www.siskiyous.edu/shasta/nat/sha/wor.htm Trickster stories told in the winter months.
The Earth Is Our MotherThe Earth is our mother, we must take care of her Hopi Pagan Chant Library http://www.earthspirit.com/mtongue/chtlib/chtlifr.html Karen attends Day One of Reiki Two classes in Red Bluff.
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June 23,
Saturday, 2007
Up early to exercise and work on outdoor projects: watering, mulch newly planted trees and shrubs, sacred circle work, fill up all trench lines, shop at Home Depot. Clean up. Karen attends Day Two of Reiki Two classes. /!\ Valley Spirit Wizard
http://www.schooloftheseasons.com/midsummer.html Z Budapest in The Grandmother of Time suggests walking to the nearest body of water, making a wish and then throwing in a rose you have kissed to carry your wish home. She provides the following wishing poem:
http://www.mythinglinks.org/summersolstice2000.html
Our garden is blessed with many ripe apricots and Santa Rosa plums, a few figs, squash, peppers, and tomatoes. All the herbs are lush and tall.
'In lovely harmony the wood has put on its
green mantle, and summer is on its throne, playing its string-music; the willow,
whose harp hung silent when it was withered in winter, now gives forth its
melody — Hush! Listen! The world is alive.'
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June 24,
Sunday, 2007
Deep Tantric Meditation 4 am - 2 pm. Rest all afternoon: reading, TV, napping.
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June 25,
Monday, 2007
Up early to write, read, exercise, watering, projects. Karen and I drive to Redding. We spend a few hours at the California State University at Chico Merriam Library and check out some books. Bookstore and shopping in Chico. Lunch and dinner out.
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June 26,
Tuesday, 2007
Up early to read, exercise, and work outdoors. My feet and ankles were very swollen today. I rested all day with my feet propped up. Scary! Signs of cardio-vascular disease.
Sara Pike, CSU Chico Professor
Butte County Pagans 4pm second Sunday, @ Hammon Park. Info, 632-5607 http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_gr.html?a=usca&id=23180 Butte County Pagans - Yahoo Group http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_gr.html?a=usca&id=23180 Butte County Pagans Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ButteCountyPagans/
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June 27,
Wednesday, 2007
Walking, expanding center pond, watering, horseshoe pit, reading, writing. TFFC: Teach yoga class for 45 minutes.
Personal
Magickal Path: Eclectic Solitary NeoPagan Likes: reading, web publishing, gardening, research, writing; teaching Taijiquan, Qigong, and Yoga, hiking, exercise; philosophy, science, history; Zen, neo-pagan studies, earth religions, mysticism, rituals, tarot, mythology, Taoism; , family life, laughing, good food, friendships, community service; gardening, nature studies, art and music; networking and serious discussions. Dislikes: Laziness, wasting time, unwillingness to improve oneself; angry, hateful, bigoted, and selfish people; "true believers - my way is the only right way;" and boring know-nothings. Profile: Since I am semi-retired, I get to spend a lot of time reading, writing, gardening, practicing Chinese Internal Arts, and creatively exploring the Natural Multi-verse and Mystical World of Mind. My current Neo-Pagan studies include the Grey School of Wizardry curriculum, Pan-European mythology, Druidry, plant lore and magick, tarot, and poetry. I was raised as a Roman Catholic, and went to Catholic schools through the 12th grade. Earned a B.A., M.S., and did graduate studies in philosophy, education, and information sciences. I'm a native Californian, of Italian-German ancestry. I have worked for 41 years as a librarian. My wife and I are solitary and eclectic Neo-Pagans, mystics, and followers of the Green Way. Email: http://www.egreenway.com/mail.htm Green Way Blog: http://www.egreenway.com/weblog/ Gardening: http://www.gardendigest.com/quotes.htm Green Wizard: http://www.egreenway.com/meditation/wizard.htm
Greetings, Thanks to Ms. Sun for working overtime this peaceful Fourth of July. We worked in our large garden starting at daybreak today. Before noon we retreated into our dark cave of a home (swamp cooler working its Cooling Magick), and we are now enjoying reading, writing, music, and Internet wandering. I see that Lilith has been busy posting to the RedBluffPagans Group the last few months. I liked the leads/links to other resources. I'm new to this Group. My name is Mike, AKA "The Valley Spirit Green Wizard." I'm a philosopher (B.A.), gardener, semi-retired librarian, follower of the Green Way, and eclectic Neo Pagan. My interests are easy to follow online: www.egreenway.com. Lately, I've been reading books on Druids. Anyone here done the ADF or OBND home study courses? Have a fine summer
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June 28,
Thursday, 2007
Up at 4 am. Reading and writing. Post to Cloud Hands. Walking and Taijiquan at daybreak. Watering, horseshoe pit work, clean up. Go to CUESD office and follow up. Start writing EETT6 grant, do Mick's resume. TFFC: Weightlifting (pulldowns, reverse leg curls, back hyperextensions, tricep pushdowns, seated rows); teach yoga for 76 minutes.
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June 29,
Friday, 2007
Up at 4 am. Reading and writing. Post to Green Way Blog. Walking and Taijiquan at daybreak. Karen and I take a day trip to Mt. Shasta. We hike to Grey Butte. We visit the springs at the Shasta City Park that are part of the beginning of the Sacramento River. We shop in the stores in Mt. Shasta City: bookshops, metaphysical and magickal, art, crafts. Breakfast, lunch and dinner out.
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June 30,
Saturday, 2007
Up at 4 am. Reading and writing. Post to Cloud Hands Blog. Walking and Taijiquan and staff weapon practice at daybreak. TFFC: Teach Yang style Taijiquan for 60 minutes; teach Hatha Yoga for 75 minutes.
Pulling Onions: - Pulling Onions, by Mike Garofalo
A Theos who is understood is really misunderstood ... actually no Theos at all.
The little choices, day after day, are the biggest issue. Stop looking for the Greenman and He will appear. To always follow the hard, tough and rough way is foolishness. The gardener is a priestess, the garden her temple and followers, gardening her liturgy. Before you swear at the overgrown ivy, beware of Dionysus. If you plant it, they will come. The gardener fights against Chaos, wins a few battles, but always looses the war. A gardener seeks direct experiences, seldom concepts. Things always go downhill, fall apart, wear out ... the arrow of Time pierces everything. Standing naked in my garden, I laughed.
Feedback from Readers in June, 2007:
"I laughed, I cried. I was touched, and inspired. What a wonderful collection of quotes. Thank you." "Dear Mike,
I am fortunate to have accessed your website with great interest while on my
search
for subject matter. I am a Tai Chi practitioner since long and member of
Qigong Forum
based in Canada. I am 58 and resident of Juhu Beach, Mumbai - the financial
capital
of India.
I teach Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi to Senior Citizens of my town everyday
morning
on Juhu beach. One of the forum members has recommended me to teach
Eight Pieces of Brocade also and hence the search.
Your website is apt for all information, I needed, to make head start in
this direction.
I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude for making the
contents of
your research in this field available for public and specially practitioners
like me.
I will be referring to your website for my further study in this subject and
all relevant
information. And I am sure, you won't mind this.
Thanking and wishing you warm regards,
Sam (Sunil Samant)" 6/9/07
+++++++++
"Hi Mike and Karen: My husband and I have just retired from jobs in
southern CA and have been looking for property along the west coast. We
keep coming back to Red Bluff because of the people that we have met and the
pretty land. We have had concerns about the hot weather and questions about
what might grow in the area. Thank you for your web site as it answered
many questions. You guys have done a great job landscaping your property
and documenting the experience." "Thank you, Mike, for all you are doing to coordinate and preserve
all the great resources on your site. I always enjoy going to your site
and learning more from all the great teachers. I appreciate your
weeding out the dross. ... Keep up the great work. Thanks!"
"I have added a link to your site. My users can benefit from the very
helpful information that you have accumulated."
- David Thomson, Chen TaiChi - Belfast, 6/23/07
"Hello Michael,
When searching, spacing out, spacing in...........or whatever, you have
entered my computer screen many times. I have enjoyed many of your entries
re qigong, gardening. Today I somehow wound up with your photo
of Rooster Stands on One Leg with your cat beside you. I smiled all over
and spent the next 15 minutes drifting into various quotes, into the
gardening sections, forwarded your gardening thoughts and poems to a
friend....... Thank you for your time, gentleness, awareness,
humor - the many gifts you put out there for anyone to enjoy. one of
the internet travelers who has enjoyed......................"
- Lois, 6/24/07
"Hi, Mike!
I am just writing to say **thank you** for your wonderful web site. I can't even begin to count how many times I have used it as a resource for my own web stuff, as well as simply a gentle, magical shelter for my sometimes weary spirit. You really have created a treasure, a green oasis of inspiration. I resonate deeply with your own poetry and I so appreciate your artfulness and wizardry. Many, many thanks for being who you are, and sharing yourself in the world in such a lovely way. Blessings" - Beth, 6/27/07
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