Day One 2012

Glen Ellen, California


Time is such a tricky topic. Philosophers still can't define time's exact nature. We can measure it, track it, but seem to struggle to explain why it speeds up or slows down. Yes yes, tis all in the mind. Another year has slipped on by. 


I found this video below, and thought it looks compelling. The filming is really good capturing well what the sea looks like from the deck of a small boat. I find it interesting that more than a few people in their early 20's who decide to sail on rickety sailboats on a shoestring budget consider entering college or getting a job as "selling out." How did this come to be? If a young person wants to undertake an adventure, that is wonderful. If a young person instead enters college, and subsequently slays in the business world that's great to. Neither is a sell out and each path comes at a personal cost. Off me soap box!


Between Home: Odyssey of an unusual sea bandit - OFFICIAL TRAILER from Jack Rath on Vimeo.

2011 was the year I traded in my boat for my house as permanent living arrangements. That is big news. I lived aboard Christa for 12 years. Spurred by the fact my renters had gutted portions of my house and were growing dope to sell for the medical marijuana industry here in California. Oh, did I mention they failed to pay rent? Last spring was a tough time. I never did write about any of that in this here blog, as the monetary hemorrhage was to grand for me to continue to revisit in blog form. As with most things in life, bad experience illuminates the path to good and renewal. Turns out I love living in a house. Situated in the Sonoma wine country, I've been chipping away at fixing this 1930's ugly home into a small little oasis. I think I'm nesting, readying my life for the moment when a women appears for me to settle with. Here are some random things that occurred in 2011:

I discovered I love to garden. 
I acquired a chicken, and now plan on raising the little critters. 
I became a yoga teacher. Gasp! A Job! 
I built raised garden beds, and began to refurbish an existing one. 
I find AT&T more revolting than ever. 
I installed two bamboo floors. 
I read thousands of pages of text. 
I increased my GPA to 3.94 percent.
Inducted into the Gamma Sigma Honor Society of Dominican University of California. 
Began to write a Memoir. 
Learned a great deal about the Roman Empire. Lessons abound. Wrote numerous essays, totaling hundreds of pages. 
Completed a wonderful internship at a library. 
Helped organize and write a play. 
Basked in the California sunshine. 
Hiked many of California's hills and valley's.
Made new friends, and deepened existing friendships. 

  All in all, I've no complaints concerning my life position. Surely I have disappointments, am left flummoxed with certain things, have real concerns about our counties path, but ultimately am optimistic about my future. My future can substantially be directed by my discipline and effort. Maybe some luck to! Lets all have a great 2012! 

Capt C

Ernest Shackelton and Endurance

Glen Ellen, California


Some stories should be read, reread, and fully absorbed by all hands. Sir Ernest Shackleton's life should be part of any amateur historians short list of epics. His book, South : The Endurance Expedition is a well thumbed volume sitting upon the physical and electronic shelf of my life. It can be turned to for inspiration during times of difficulty and tumult.

During my Coast Guard career leadership was a constant topic. What is it? Is it innate or developed, or maybe a latent gene activated during times of stress? What does it mean to "take care of your people?" What is the correct mix of nurturing and Bligh like discipline? The story of the rush to the South Pole is a terrific study in different leadership styles. Since I have been to the Antarctic while serving aboard a Polar Class icebreaker, The Polar Sea, I've always found all things Polar to be fascinating. Pictured below is Endurance's Lifeboat, the James Caired. Shackleton used this lifeboat to make one of the most treacherous journeys ever in the history of the nautical. He and a small crew crossed the Weddell Sea at the onset of winter in the JC, a 22 foot open lifeboat, navigating his way to South Georgia Island, and then mountaineering his way across the island to a whaling station. He continued to push to save his 28 man crew, and was successful. This unbelievable story took place from 1914-1917.

More than ten years ago, while on one of my numerous walkabouts around New York City, I stood at the chiseled marble steps of the The New York Metropolitan Museum staring wide eyed with my jam dangling. A huge banner read "The Shackleton Exhibit." Holy Ice Floes Batman!!! Within five I was running my fingers along the gunwhale of the James Caird, the actual boat pictured above. My heart thumping, nose pressing against the glass as I looked at Shackleton's journal, ships log, and the sextant used to navigate to South Georgia Island. 

A Chapter From My Memoir

Glen Ellen, California 

I've been working somewhat diligently on my book, likely named Land & Sea A Memoir. I was spurred to write by a senior project I must complete for my graduation from Dominican University in May. Once I learned how easy it is to publish, I thought, why not? I've got a story to tell. Below is a little sample of what I've been up to.

Photo Credit Jim Patterson Photography

 

Chapter XX It’s Turn Key

Boats are a funny thing. Men especially become neurotically attached to these floating affairs. Many become enamored with the dream of sailing around the world. Stroll the docks of any marina and you will see beautiful sailing boats, tricked out with every offshore amenity known to mankind. This is why sailors are fond of saying “You know what boat stands for? Break Out Another Thousand.” Everyone gets a good belly roll out of that well trammeled joke. Like all popular jokes and stereotypes they have a modicum of truth. Once the intention is set to head offshore for a long world-wide sojourn, a low-grade mental illness can set it. The lure of the sea is indeed powerful, and may be imbedded in the male human DNA.

Yoga Independent Study Paper

Glen Ellen, CA


 I used my yoga teacher training I attended in October 2011 as an independent study for one credit hour at Dominican University of California. Because I am a philosophy major, I was able to parlay a little bit with the school. I was required to write a research paper on the experience, and the result is below! I hope you enjoy reading. To reveal the entire post, please click on the "read more" button at the bottom.

Photo Credit yogaschoolofindia.com

 

            In October of 2011, I took a significant leap forward in personal transformation by attending a yoga teacher training in Austin, Texas. I’ve subsequently started teaching classes at a local yoga studio. This step, the training and teaching, was the culmination of an incremental swallowing up of my life, and a new way of being, by a consistent yoga practice I’d taken up a couple of year prior. This paper details my yoga journey, some historical research about Indian philosophy, the origins of yoga, the nature of charisma, and a powerful yoga master named Baron Baptiste.

            During my inquiry of self via the ancient practice of yoga, and in concert with my academic pursuits at the Dominican University of California, I’ve come to a deeper understanding of the crossroads of philosophic thought. Including, Indian and Greek philosophy, Hinduism, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, modern day yoga masters such as B.K.S. Iyengar, and one of his famous students, Baron Baptiste whom I recently trained under. I was transformed during my week of Level 1 Teaching Training in Austin, and an honor to learn from Baron. Baron Baptiste is world renown, successful yoga teacher, and it’s no stretch to claim he has created a yoga empire via his Baptiste Power Vinyasa Flow yoga. I say empire in a respectful yogic way, as I found Baron to be impressive, charismatic, and possessing leadership qualities I admire. I find the development of personal magnetism to the degree that Baptiste has achieved to be fascinating, and worth a serious inquiry. In this essay, I will lay out the evolution of Baron Baptiste, his style of yoga, and to whom he takes his philosophic cues. A “cult of personality” somewhat surrounds him, much to his chagrin I surmise. I discuss some scholarly research in the field of charisma that feeds such cults.  

My Rooster the Squater

Glen Ellen, California,

I've never written a blog post regarding how I came to own, and now live in my little house in the California wine country. I came to own my house in 2003, purchased while I was stationed here in California. I kept it rented out during the duration of my service time, and subsequent sailing adventure. Painfully, my management company rented the house to some dirt bags who gutted the place, and started to grow pot inside, and outside the house to fuel the burgeoning medical marijuana industry. I got them out of the house, and just did not have the stomach to be a land lord again, especially in a down economy which attracts economically in stable people. It is an old house to begin with making it even harder for me to find good renters. The laws are stacked against landlords, California is the worst, especially in Sonoma county.  It is a shame, because affordable rentals are few. But, more and more people like me become freaked out because the laws become so complicated, resulting in the need for lawyers for the smallest of issues, because a mistake can send you reeling into the 7th circle of hell. I will spare the details of my 7th circle of hell getting my renters out. I feel lucky as my experience could have been much worse than it was. 

Shot with my Canon G11

Thus, I found myself moving off of Christa after living aboard her for 12 years. Surprise surprise, I found I loved living in my house. Even at 1000 square feet I marveled at all the room. I fired up a garden for the first time, and enjoyed that experience. In fact, just this morning I plucked tomato's, and fresh spinach from my garden.

Onward. About a month a go, a Rooster simply showed up in my driveway. No idea where the fella came from. Sonoma county has a fair amount of farming going on, but I know of none that is with-in a mile or two of my house. Maybe someone has a small operation going in the backyard. He showed up on a weekend, I feed him some bird seed, thinking I'll just call animal control on Monday, and they will come by and scoop him up. No joy. They won't come pick him up until I catch and cage him. Thanks for nothing. Another ding against Sonoma county. Now, I've actually taken to the guy. He greets me in my driving and then runs in front of my car down the driveway squawking as I pull up. It is pretty funny. He knows me now, and will eat out of my hand. He never crows, but makes little noises when I emerge in the morning as if to say "good morning." 

Manifestation of Power Via Art In the Roman Empire

San Rafael, CA

ancandid.com

 I took an Art History class this semester that is now coming to an end. A theme in my life has developed over the past couple of years of being astonished at some of the things I've become interested in. Yoga is a total no brainer on the astonishment scale. I mean who would have ever predicted that? If you had told me I'd be teaching yoga in the near future when I was anchored not long ago in Bequia, I would have accused you of shopping for fruit as a cover at the Rasta Man Stand. He sold more than fruit. As an aside 
I am teaching class after class now, and loving it so.

Another pleasant surprise has been my Art History of the Greek & Roman World class. I give substantial credit to my professor, Heidi who is so dog gone passionate about the subject, that you just can't help but get swept up into her historical narrative. Art boring? NOT! I really learned a ton, and would have worn a Toga to class, but Dominican University has a Convent on the campus, and that would have been weird.

I wrote a paper about Roman power in Art after learning that the Saddam Hussein statue that was yanked down in Baghdad after the U.S. invasion in 2003 was inspired directly by the Romans. I started to do some more research, and I've come to learn almost all art is used to project messaging in some fashion. Anyway, below is the paper. Read it if you will or not. Maybe you'll see some connections. Jefferson's Monticello anyone?


CC

Manifestation of Power Via Art In the Roman Empire

            Today the Roman Empire is discussed in the context of a once great empire, its spectacular fall spurred by unchecked pride. The inevitable comparison between contemporary America, and her apparent hubris leading to over reach. The breath, scope, achievements, and length of the Roman Empire are truly amazing. Like all giants, the Romans stood upon the shoulders of those who came before. This famous metaphor, “Standing on the shoulder of giants,” was propelled into our modern lexicon by Sir Isaac Newton in 1676. However, the first usage of this metaphor stretches back to ancient mythological Greece when Orion, the blind giant god carries his servant Cedalion on his shoulders. Indeed, the Roman ruler Hadrian highlights his respect for his much admired predecessor Trajan, by inserting himself in panels on TheArch of Trajan at Benevento; thereby communicating to the Roman citizenry whose shoulders he stands atop.

Happiness on the Otherside of Success

Glen Ellen, California


Another awesome video from Teds.com. This chat is from Shawn Achor who wrote the book The Happiness Advantage. This a great video. Please take the time to view, and comment if you will.


CC

Quest Entry. Meet Yael of Houston Texas

Ahoy! Below is the lovely Yael, who is the leader, and core of the six person team dubbed the Transformers, or maybe it was Transformation In Motion. I don't remember. We named the team, and I subsequently started to call us the Transformers. Anyway, we bonded, as did our entire team. We did a whole lot of laughing. You can see a picture of the entire team by clicking here. The experience has left a rather permanent mark on me, as it did on most who put their heart into the experience. Here is Yael's experience in her own words. If you like, leave a comment or sent her and email.

Houston, Texas

Had to Cut Ray Out. Sorry Buddy!

 

So, I’m new to this whole blog thing.  I don’t have one of my own and honestly, before Christian, didn’t know anyone personally who had one.  I don’t even know how I got roped into this.  One minute we’re talking about acne (?) and the next, I’m being invited to write a guest blog. At first, I think our dear friend is soliciting gratuitous self endorsement, but he assures me otherwise and tells me I can write about whatever I want.  I think an appropriate topic to share on someone else’s blog is my viewpoint on our shared experience: Baptiste Yoga teacher training boot-camp!  It’s nice and G-rated!

Post Bootcamp, Operation Fixa-Flat Near Austin

I’ve had a couple weeks to sit and reflect on the experience- not to mention several dozen conversations- I always have my deepest moments of clarity after I verbally articulate my thoughts, which I have to say really came in handy at boot-camp- since there is no way you’re going to get out of talking and sharing during that experience—EVER. 

When I arrived at boot-camp, I had no idea what to expect.  Despite the many opinions I solicited from my various yoga teachers, no one really shared with me what teacher training is about.

I think in my head, I assumed it would be yoga practice, followed by intense yoga lecture and finish with practice teaching.  While all of those pieces certainly had a place in the program, they were not the sole focal point. 

Teacher training can best be described as part teacher training/ part group therapy (and I use that term lovingly- I assure you!).  I would say that would have been good information to share with a rookie, no?? Apparently it’s “common knowledge” and not that important to be so “forthcoming” about.  Whatever.  While I’d like to say I wish I had known upfront, in hindsight, I really don’t.  I’m quite pleased that I didn’t have the opportunity to over think (or set expectations) ahead of time and feel pretty confident saying that it made for a richer experience.

So, on we go.  I show up on day 1 and find there are about 130 participants and that the chef is preparing a low fat, low mucus, gluten free, “life giving” menu.  I don’t even really know what most of those words mean, but I’m an open minded girl (and starving), so I eat.  [As an aside, I think it’s important to note that I thought I had been focusing my entire life on a low mucus diet- isn’t that really the main reason to be nice to the waiter?  (yes, yes, of course, treat others as you wish to be treated, blah, blah, blah, but really??)  We all know what happens to the token jerk before his food leaves the kitchen, right? Come on, work with me here.]

After dinner we are treated to Baptiste’s signature “journey into power” sequence.  It’s challenging and hot, but you can’t imagine how amazing it is to be in a room with 130 other people, whose mats are no more than 1” apart, and whose excitement and enthusiasm are palpable!  I left feeling energized and ready to start the week!  Oh and sweaty.  Very sweaty.  This becomes a theme, by the way. 

Day 2 starts out with an hour long, excruciating meditation followed by 5 hours of yoga.  Why excruciating, you ask?  Have you ever sat in the same position on the floor for an hour and tried to clear your head of the chatter?  Trust me when I tell you it’s harder than it looks.  My feet fell asleep, my hips starting aching and my back was screaming! Unlike the owner of this blog, I was far less successful. The rest of the day is filled with therapy and more yoga.  All in all, they set the precedent for the 16 hour days which will fill the rest of the week. 

We get very regular intermissions to reflect and discuss what is going on in our heads and our hearts and we start to get to know each other- one on one and then, if you chose, one on 130.  At first, I’ll be honest.  It freaked me out!  The first time someone openly cried in front of the group (which was on Day 1), I thought to myself: “Sweet Jesus What on EARTH is happening?!?!”

I came to learn that I was one of very few who did not know what the program was about and the overwhelming majority was more than ready to dive in.  They NEEDED this.  So did I.  I needed it just as much as everyone else. If not more. 

For me specifically, it was a huge challenge.  I needed it, but that certainly did not mean I was ready to receive it.  I think the people who know me best would use the word “strong” to describe me (of course among other things, like smart, funny, and really pretty).  And I would agree – about the strong part.  This means however, that it’s extremely hard for me to show vulnerability- especially with people who don’t know me. 

They did an amazing job however creating a very safe place for people to share, break down and be built back up.  I feel like the program was designed to create a “crisis” of sorts.  You are repeatedly and constantly fatigued to the point of exhaustion- physically, mentally and emotionally, so that you can no longer fight back, repress, or avoid the feelings you’re having.  You have no option in the matter, really. 

NOW, picture sharing that with 130 people – your deepest insecurities and fears.  It’s amazing.  Added bonus: they found 130 truly REMARKABLE people (which I’m still baffled by- Every. Single. Person. Amazing.) You build pretty deep, very rich relationships and friendships—quickly!  It’s not like anything I have ever experienced before.  It’s hard to believe that I’ve only known these people for 30 days.  I feel like I’ve known them for years.  And I feel I am a better person for having known them. 

If you’re out there reading, THANK YOU.  From the bottom of my heart.  You changed my life.  Namaste.

---

Yael Iffergan
yiffergan@alumni.utexas.net

Yoga Instructor. Yup I Have a Job!

Glen Ellen, California


 Last week, on a Tuesday morning before the sun had risen, I stepped in front of a room full of yoga students for the first time as a teacher. The back of the bicycle seat had been let go by my instructors, and I was on my own. It was awesome, and humbling all at the same time!

4th Street San Rafael, Shot with Canon G11

I think that being a teacher is a real calling. Most people who end up in a yoga room for the first time, and subsequently stick with the practice become amazed at the impact in short order. Some, me included, get so jazzed with the whole thing that they want to teach. When I decided to stop sailing (you can read about why I stopped sailing by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom) and go to college, my initial thought was to become a high school teacher. I love to teach, and instruct, but getting involved with the another bureaucratic organization turned me off huge. I've backed off on the high school teaching idea since. 

Pearl Jam 20

Glen Ellen, California


I downloaded and watched Pearl Jam 20, the documentary by Cameron Crowe about the bands first 20 years. Apple TV rocks! I wrote a blog post regarding my time living in Seattle during the grunge explosion. Please read that post by clicking here. It did not disappoint in the least. PJ fans obviously will love the film.  I love a good story, especially captured in a documentary. This is in keeping with my latest theme of odd ducks. My respect for people who may do things a little different. Pearl Jam clearly followed the road less traveled, and still does. The first thing that popped into my head as the credits rolled is this is a band with a lot of heart. Not the fake kind, but true believers in their craft. Kind of in the vain of what I wrote in my last post about Sterling Hayden. Neither Sterling nor Pearl Jam were/are conformists. Not that I advocate

PJ20 Promo Shot. Pearl Jam: Matt Cameron, Eddie Vedder, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard

necessarily how any of the people I write about live, but having a massive population consistently going along with societal flow breeds a boring society. One that is just not exceptional in any way shape or form. People who are in a constant state of protest over every conceivable injustice is fatiguing. But, they are the ones to agitate pushing back against those (me included) who like consistency.