March 7-13

Springtime signs continue to emerge from the fertile soil of Indralaya. Daffodils and Crocuses have arisen from the ground and the first beds have been planted in the garden. Registrations continue to arrive at an impressive clip. On Thursday, we left for a few days in Seattle. As a consequence we were not here when the wave created by the powerful earthquake just off the coast of Japan arrived. In Friday Harbor, there was a measurable effect as buoys in the harbor rose approximately 0.3 feet.

This Old Stove
Last November, we were reminded that those who regularly visit Indralaya in the summer are not necessarily acquainted with the wood burning stove that heats the dining room during fall, winter and spring programs. We felt renewed appreciation for the dining hall stove during last week's Sea Temple Retreat. While there were challenges in heating some of the cabins for the weekend, the dining hall was warm and cozy the entire time. The stove was donated by Chris Senn in the late 1990's. The stove usually makes its annual migration to the basement at the end of the therapeutic touch programs in June and returns during the Plum Pickin' work party over Labor Day Weekend.


Waking up the Garden
Leonie was joined by Chelsea Cates and Mark House in planting the first starts (lettuce, arugula, cilantro, & parsley) of the 2011 season on Wednesday. We were introduced to Chelsea through longtime Indralaya friends Bill and Barbara Humes. Mark is the assistant garden manager at John Jeavon's Ecology Action Garden in Willits, CA, where Chelsea was an intern in 2009. The raised beds in the Indralaya garden were inspired by Jeavon's sustainable mini-farming biointensive methods.

Mark & Chelsea

We are excited that Chelsea has agreed to serve as Indralaya's garden coordinator for the coming year. Chelsea will be working in the garden for 10-12 hours a week through the fall. She is an Orcas Island resident and also the garden keeper for the Orcas Island School District.

Inner Administration
We were in Seattle to attend a weekend satsang with Adyashanti. Adya is a 48 year old Californian who teaches a form of non-dual awareness. He is a remarkable teacher, with a capacity to lead one right to the awareness of the deeper reality that is always present just behind the veil of everyday life. The time was composed of meditation, discourse and interactive dialogue between Adya and participants.

The weekend provided a timely opportunity to step back slightly from the busyness of our responsibilities at Indralaya and to re-connect with the sense of calling and desire to be of service that informs our work here. Among other things, we recognized once again how important it is to assure that there is also time for stillness and reflection in the midst of everything else that happens.

Heading home, we met a pod of Orca in the channel between Orcas and Shaw Island.
(click any photo to see it full size)