Vincenzo's Valentine

This is one of my favorite shots from my time at Kalani. Valentine wishes are often commercial and replicated in factories of consumerism. Sometimes, they can be hand drawn with lines and inks of intimacy and shared experience.

Vincenzo's Valentine was the intimate and vulnerable sort.

Shot on Feb. 24, 2007 by yours truly in the loft

BEACH BABY: BLANKET BINGO

Today was pure fun, and I got some GREAT shots of friends. I was in the moment, and it felt divine. Squashing six people into a Mustang convertible, ricardO (capitalized correctly) being well, well over six feet tall, was pure mayhem and adrenaline.

Side Note:

I love my starlet sunglasses because I feel so glam-girl when I smile for the camera. Shot by Vincenzo, February 24, 2007

"It's not about the earth suit and the costumes that adorn it. It's about the soul that twirls and dances in the interior temple."

ricardO (yes, his first name is capitalized correctly) verbally juggling concepts of identity on February 24, 2007. I enjoy meeting people who transcend their earth suits (outer shells) and the fit/price/designer of their costumes.

Tricycle's Daily Dharma Sat. 24 Feb 2007

I like the dharma for today. I want to remember it.
Remember that your thoughts are transformed into speech and action in order to bring the expected result. Thought translated into action is capable of producing a tangible result. You should always speak and do things with mindfulness of loving kindness.... For all practical purposes, if all of your enemies are well, happy and peaceful, they would not be your enemies. If they are free from problems, pain, suffering, affliction, neurosis, psychosis, paranoia, fear, tension, anxiety, etc., they would not be your enemies. Your practical solution toward your enemies is to help them to overcome their problems, so you can live in peace and happiness. In fact, if you can, you should fill the minds of all your enemies with loving kindness and make all of them realize the true meaning of peace, so you can live in peace and happiness. The more they are in neurosis, psychosis, fear, tension, anxiety, etc., the more trouble, pain, and suffering they can bring to the world. If you could convert a vicious and wicked person into a holy and saintly individual you would perform a miracle. Let us cultivate adequate wisdom and loving kindness within ourselves to convert evil minds to saintly minds.

-Henepola Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English

ps from Lori: I continue to work on self [converting my own mind into a mind that embraces loving kindness most of the time.] It would be arrogant of me to take on a role of "the missionary of loving kindness" because I am still learning myself; however, I appreciated the overall direction of the dharma for today. The message opened my eyes to our interdependence with our brothers and sisters in the world around us.

Taking Down Trees

In the photo above, you can see a sword fern. I pulled a number of these ferns out of the ground around the sweat lodge at Kalani. The fern is the home to mosquitoes and nothing stops them from attacking.

Bringing down trees with a chain saw is an exciting part of the landscaping job I do at Kalani.

I can't use a chain saw myself, but I watch my well-built crew member cut a notch in one side of the trunk and then cut cleanly through the other side, placing the entire tree exactly where we want it- three feet away and parallel to the sweat lodge. The chain saw is buzzing and the wood chips are flying. The woodsman is adorned in his red Mickey Mouse headgear to protect his ears from the noise.

When the tree begins its slow decent to the ground, I wait to hear the paradox of its harsh and gentle splash to earth.

Plop, its branches and leaves no longer reach for the sunlight.

It is my job to clear away the heavy logs that will be used for firewood on Thursday night during the women's sweat.

I am excited about attending the women's sweat. I plan to bring slips of paper containing experiences I want to leave behind in my life, scraps of paper, pain and longing for what never materialized or unfolded in a pattern of maladaptive behaviors.

I plan to let go with the help of the flames and the sweat dripping from my own body.

I am letting go here at Kalani.

Steamy Hiking

Hiking at Volcano National Park on Feb. 3, 2007

Watch out for the steamy vents and red hot magma!

Hula in Pahoa

Yoshiko has a lovely skirt and her feet are doing the hula.

Nathan is Hard at Work

I love my neighbors!