Mauna Kea and Hualalai in Winter

Hawaiian Christmas Trees

A couple more pictures of Christmas in Hawaii. Poinsettia grow wild here and magically coordinate their red bloom right on time! May your palm trees be Merry and Bright.

The School Year Comes to a Close ...

Bananas covered in lights, palm trees glittering, and snow-sprayed trees in people's houses best conveys the thriving spirit of Christmas in Hawaii.



Its over. 14 classes passed. I am ready to come home to Maryland for a well deserved rest. I have neglected my body, heart, and spirit, dominated and subjugating them in chains of unimportance while exercising only my intellect for the past 6 months with school and work. The result has left me with no physical, or emotional energy with which to enjoy the result. I enter this season with an anticlimactic fizzling sputter of my last energy reserves, rather than a big celebratory bang, and with tears of body pains as my reward, and a slow release of tension I've born during this time.

This Christmas, despite taking several acupuncture periodicals and books along for light reading, my mind will be on vacation and my spirit and body will once again reassert their hold until the pendulum swings back into balance, whereby I can begin my next trimester with a resolution to never let school get in the way of my emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

Self care has left the building. Physician, heal thyself.

Kohala on Horseback

Today I fell in love.. his name is Kohala, and he is a gorgeous stallion who took me on a journey to see the Kohala mountains and the sea beyond.

Given that I will no longer be working for my company starting in February I will have free time to dedicate to other things. I would love to find some way of coming to the ranch and spending time with horses. If shoveling manure is the price of getting a chance to work with them, then so be it :)



The School needs more Patients...

Most-likely I will also dedicate some time to work with the school's administration on raising the profile of our college through creating a brand for the college and raising awareness of the clinical services within the community if the school will welcome such an idea and have me work with the staff on doing so.

There are many people who have lived in this small town all their lives and still have no idea that there's a Chinese Medical college here. The school has been complaining of a low number of patients in the teaching clinic, and unfortunately has not had the staff to dedicate time to raising the school's profile. Part of the problem is that the school is somewhat afraid of its own potential success in so far as the possibility of the school having to relocate given growth and the lack of space and money to rent a larger space in Kamuela.

More on that subject will be said another time as I think over these fledgling thoughts.

Today part of our class got the chance to go riding together at a ranch where one of our classmates, Amber, works. My full flickr album from the trip can be found here.

I've included a few of my favorites. Alas, no pictures of Kohala.

A Self Portrait:

Life is Change

Today my best friend Suzy returned home to DC, I found out that my tenure with my company back in DC will be ending in February, and that my parents wish to retire to Cape Town.

Though I expected my job to end, it was not news I was expecting to hear so soon, nor news that I was prepared to react to. Knowing that I had work allowed me to not dwell on the inevitable financial implications I will almost certainly encounter in the future - regardless of how much prior planning I had done. Further, the news of my parents wishing to move so far away from the reality I had become used to made me feel that much more isolated here than before.

Present reality had Suzy leave me today, upcoming reality will have me severing my ties to the people I've worked with for 8 years in the near future, and the possible reality of my parents moving from the current place which I call home to a new and unknown destiny had a triple compounding effect on an existing feeling of isolation on this island which I'll be calling home for 4 years while I study. A ticket to Cape Town from Kona would be a 31 hour of travel and $2,300.

It seems ludicrously funny to consider the potential reality that to see each other we will have to meet in odd places around the world like Amsterdam, London, or even New Delhi.

Who knows where we will all be with each school break and thereafter. Present reality has me fearing for my financial future with a house that I must pay for, a precarious tenant situation, and a housing market which precludes the sale of my house without my owing money to the bank.

I'm so glad that Suzy could visit - her trip here meant more to me than I can express. It felt so strange to show her around this place - this small rock in the middle of nowhere brimming with life and energetic turmoil.

The only thing one can rely on is that life is change. Stasis is the end. While there is movement, it isn't the end. The Yang interchanges into the Yin, and the Yin interchanges into the Yang in a constant interplay. The cyclical game of life continues its play while we humans settle into new routines and seek to control our environments, taking for granted the people, places, and things that define our lives. We continue to plot our lives in terms of making small carefully measured adjustments we call 'improvements', 'betterments', or 'differences'. All along, our illusion of a controlled life with expectations of how things will be can change into any alternate phantasmagoric fable at any second.

Attachment to any reality in particular will always result in pain. This same theory is expressed in Chinese Medicine wherein any pain in the body results from the stasis of blood, or Qi.

Pictures will follow.

Mana Road

I've not written for a while, but wanted to post some pictures from a trip up Mana road with my roommates from two weeks ago :)



We took the jeep down the dirt road that runs from Waimea to Hilo along Mauna Kea's North-eastern side. We got out of the truck several times - once to hike up the slopes and moo at the cows in the pasture.

The second stop, after opening and closing a gate behind us was to hike up a volcanic canyon. I startled a wild pig who was sleeping. She screeched and ran up the mountain slope. I was about four feet from her bower. I was glad it wasn't a boar with an appetite.

The drive was magical and the sunset was beautiful.

The First Day of Chinese Medical School

Reality...

I woke up this morning, and after some Qi Kung practice, found myself being very awake for the start of class. 14 hours later, I'm very tired and in need of rest. I have to get up at 7:15 tomorrow to make it to the next class.

The classes today were deceptively easy except one which is the Theory class which I expect will be very challenging. We have this professor for two classes and she is pure genius. I will tremendously enjoy every single one of her lectures I'm sure. She also happens to live two houses down from us. :)

Tomorrow's Medical Chinese Terminology, and Point Location class will no doubt complete my understanding of why the first year is as difficult as it is.

While feeling very gratified to be in the program, reality of the fact that studying this for the next four years has started to set in today. My walk to school, my walk back for lunch, and my walks back to school and home again were accompanied with the scenery I will be seeing, the temperature I will be feeling, and the community I will be living in for the next four years.

A certain reality for the predictable future has me feeling the gravity of my decision to become immersed in this. My former ways of life are not those of a student. Adjustment will be interesting. After being immersed in work for so long, and not having a mental vacation for a while, I feel the weight of this more heavily than I thought I would.

I don't feel healthy - I need to start my acupuncture treatment to get me back to the energy level and fortitude of spirit I will need to sustain myself at the level this trimester will require.

Today confirmed that I have the background that makes a lot of these concepts very at home for me. The next four years will fill in the depth I have wanted. Others in the class are seeing this fresh, and are as yet unaware of the depth that I know will be coming based on my interaction with acupuncturists on these topics, and my personal private study of Oriental Medicine and Herbology which foreshadows the immersion to come. In many ways it feels daunting because my brain seems full from work-related concerns.

Five Element Theory v.s. The 8 Principles...

Today, through questioning my professor I got to understand the nature of various schools of acupuncture - most notably, the distinction between TCM and Five Element Theory schools. I have intuitively known that the Five Element School is the subtle art which I wanted to pursue. The 8 Principles method aka Traditional Chinese Medicine, on the other hand is the Yang to the Yin of the Five Element School.

TCM & The 8 Principles...

The Principles are primarily concerned with:

• Yang & Yin
• Hot & Cold
• Excess & Deficiency
• Exterior & Interior

In this school, we go in depth with the 8 Principles, while schools like Tai Sophia go in depth with the Five Elements which are primarily concerned with the Generative & Control cycles of:

• Fire
• Earth
• Metal
• Water
• Wood

I do not regret my decision, because I now understand the implications and merits of each.

The Application of the Two Schools...

As confirmed by the prior article I found on Stir-fry v.s. Sushi, the analogy is contiguous. Japanese Traditional Acupuncture is Five Element based, but not as concerned with the depth of the Five Element School. Japanese Traditional Acupuncture is primarily concerned with excess and deficiency in each of the 5 phases, but does not contain the subtleties of the Five Element School which deal with Reduction/Control cycles - its schooling is different, and as yet not fully understood to me. I've been exposed to Five Element acupuncture with Tai Sophia, however.

Five Element School is more elegant in its approach and gets to the source of an elemental imbalance in the body - seeking to correct the imbalance. Once balance is restored, disease is eradicated. This school of thought is also best equipped to handle psycho-emotional conditions are is extremely effective at this level of healing.

The TCM school is more like a sledge hammer and is most effective in musculoskeletal disorders and deals with specific remedies based on the theories of the 8 Principles. While TCM will be able to address your back problems, for example, Five Element School will not be as effective. You will find tremendous healing with the Five Element School, but your back problems may persist for a decade without the specific approaches which lend themselves to immediate resolution with the TCM school.

The two schools are the specific concentrations of study into the same medical knowledge. There is a teacher here who also integrates a lot of the Five Element theory, but I will have to go to an intensive program or supplement my education with another degree program if I'm to get a well rounded education in Oriental Medicine. This seems to be analogous to why TCM schools offer a Masters of Science degree whereas Five Element schools offer Masters of Arts.

My understanding of these differences is cursory, and I'm sure once I've had a year under my belt, I will be able to speak more intelligently on the differences.

Regardless, this field offers so much to learn, that a lifetime will not be enough to attain mastery of these topics. At best, I will have to be aware and receptive to discover what my path in this field will be. The best metaphor for this from western medicine is one of a Doctor who works within a Speciality and becomes an '-ologist' of one type or another.

The Last Weekend before Classes

It has been a long and stressful week. I've had work responsibilities which have kept me busy with applying lots of intellectual effort to completing the major deliverable necessary to conclude a chapter of my current work responsibilities. The deliverable seeks to describe my company's business in terms of abstractions that define the parameters and linguistics of the company's business processes in terms of distinctions which can be leveraged by our software to facilitate conducting of our business processes in a generalized manner associated with the growing range of services the company contemplates as necessary for the expected growth and scalability challenges of our business. If you've been able to thoroughly enjoy my run-on-sentence, then you would fully appreciate the nature of the deliverables I've had to write! :)

Luckily, my responsibilities are changing as school commences next week. Applying this much intellectual effort has been taxing on me mentally, and has robbed me of much needed mental energy to enjoy portions of my personal life which require intellectual effort - portions such as reading, writing, and artistic expression. Turning down some of the volume and redirecting it to my school work will be a welcome change.

School Orientation...

Thursday's first year student orientation for my Traditional Chinese Medicine program left our class of 11 individuals filled with excitement and numerous questions as to the nature of what the next 4 years will be like. There are 7 guys, and 4 women. This apparently is very new for the school, as most prior years have been mostly female. The staff is also mostly female. The students represent individuals from many walks of life. Two of the students have lived on the islands for 12 years an have had schooling in other health sciences. One a massage therapists. One who who have studied other modalities of acupuncture but did not finish and so is starting a new program. One ex-military guy, and former police man who wants to find more direct ways of helping people. An individual who come from apprenticeship in chiropracty. One an international student who lived in Japan, while teaching English for two years and who brings with him much experience in Qi Gong meditation. All are dotted around the island with some living as far as Hilo while most live within 20 minutes of the school around Honoka'a and Waipio, and some in town.

While we got all of our questions answered - at least those we were able to think of - it became apparent that some things are just not to be known until the program starts, and the nature of the coursework reveals itself.

The school is indeed small. Presently it has 37 students in total. Our class is 11. There are 3 classrooms, 3 treatment rooms, the herbal dispensary, and an office. The administrative staff are really great people. We met with the president, the academic dean, head of operations, and the registrar/office manager. The physical presence of our teachers is quite remarkable. They exude a sense of confidence, and quiet peaceful power supported by years of experience in practicing these sciences and arts. Additionally several instructors came and went to briefly visit with us and see our faces.

Seitai Shimpo...

One major point of discussion amongst the students is whether they wish to take the 4 year Seitai Shinpo elective - a specialized form of Japanese acupuncture which deals with the structural realignment of the spine and pelvis so as to bring the body into proper alignment, thus alleviating the constriction on blood and Qi supply to all of the 5 major organs which in turn relieves conditions associated with imbalances of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. In addition to structural realignment, Sentai Shimpo leaves one with the most startling and measurable physical and physiological results even after one treatment. Its needling technique is usually deep, and occasionally quite painful, where the needle is never left in the body, but upon insertion is immediately removed. Where most Traditional Chinese Acupuncture forms rely heavily of semi-deep subcutaneous needle insertion, and prolonged stimulation, as well as supplementation with herbology, Seitai Shinpo relies primarily on moxibustion, deep tissue needling, and no herbology.

While the elective is tremendously appealing, the apprenticeship style of this elective requires a commitment to the practice of this single form of acupuncture for a 10 year period by the sensei - a direct lineage holder of only 5 people who were taught by the master and originator of this technique back in Japan. The master comes to Hawaii to teach for a week intensive class every July based on his latest research and experience. Our sensei herself is 72 years old. She is fierce, demands commitment, and is direct like a laser beam at any questions. With her age, you apparently can understand her urgency in wanting to pass this knowledge on to future generations of students who can further this technique around the world.

In respect to the lineage, graduates of the programs are to keep faith with their one sensei and are not to learn, or participate in learning of any other forms of acupuncture from other senseis for a 10 year period until sufficient mastery has been attained to where one is released from the obligation for the single concentration.

Such questions arise as - if we're learning Seitai Shinpo and cannot practice anything else for 10 years, then why are we learning TCM? Also - if you can get a certification from Sensei Sorimachi - the founder of this discipline - in a 3 day certification program which takes place at various places around the world (something I discovered through googling) - then why is it that we have to study this for 4 years, and practice for 6 additional years for a total of 10? Also - to borrow a phrase from Corinne - does one not become a one trick pony? Lastly - if a patient comes in to you with one set of symptoms which would be best served by another modality, would one have to turn them away?

No doubt commitment has to do with mastery. One is free to study other modalities after the tenure is over. The sensei describes this course of study as 'digging one well'; students normally dabble in many modalities - they dig many wells which yield access to shallow pools of sandy water - whereas, were one to dig one well, one reaches the clear pool of pristine water of knowledge that all the other wells also individually dig to find. It speaks to dedication and mastership of following one course of study to the end, rather than the spreading oneself too thing. In one way its appealing, in another it occurs as terribly constraining.

It appeals conceptually on so many levels - where one knows that if you study T'ai Chi, you must study one single T'ai Chi form for many many years in order to attain 'mastery'. And even so - mastery is an elusive concept.

This is, in some ways not different than committing to a Reiki mastership which comes with responsibilities of life practice, but not of closure to other modalities of Reiki - as the art is building of intuitive toolkits of energetic healing through integration of additional Reiki forms and techniques.

Regardless, our first class is in October - an all day class on a Thursday. After the class we decide on our commitment.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Sometimes referred to as Traditional Communist Medicine - many schools of thought have been standardized for common practice in China where acupuncture is mostly used for musculoskeletal disorders, trauma, and various pain complaints, while about 80% of patients electing to have TCM invariably go to an herbalist rather than an acupuncturist. In such standardization, TCM is documented to be more accomplished in its use of herbology. Many acupuncturists are schooled in the 5 element theory, while few apply it. I'm glad that TCMCH seems to aspire to a more well rounded education, while it was evident that Tai Sophia institute in Maryland was certainly more concerned with ensuring acupuncturists were well educated in the 5 element theory and not reliant upon herbology as a supplement. If students wished to learn herbology - the additional line of study was a 2 year elective after the completion of a 3 year acupuncture program.

What's interesting with TCMCH is that it begins to introduce and teach about 300 herbs in the first year, and clinical observation starts at the end of the first year as well while the program runs for a totality of 4 years.

Japanese Acupuncture / Meridian Therapy

There are so many other modalities of acupuncture at our disposal. Among them the Japanese Traditional Acupuncture technique - most commonly referred to as Meridian Therapy - a form of acupuncture so refined and finessed that it deals primarily with 5 element balance through insertion techniques that do not penetrate more than 2 mm below the skin surface. One interesting article compares Japanese Acupuncture to Chinese Acupuncture with the analogy of Sushi v.s. Stir-fry:

"I can compare Japanese and Chinese styles by referring to cooking, looking at Japanese sushi versus a Chinese stir-fried rice dish. Both are very nutritious; both are delicious. But sushi is exquisite in its design, execution, and taste. It is delicate, thoughtful, and subtle. Stir-fry is tasty and satisfying, but it lacks finesse and sophistication. Ingredients are cut quickly, tossed without much thought, and served efficiently. If one is to pursue acupuncture as an art, one that requires a lifetime of study, practice, and effort, one should apply oneself to the more refined Japanese style. In this way, one will move beyond medical application, towards a cultivation of feeling, sensing, and affecting the patient’s energetic network. The ultimate achievement is not only enhanced health for the patient, but as important, personal development through self cultivation of a very ancient and spiritual art."

There is one teacher at TCMCH who performs Meridian Therapy and who is being encouraged by many students to consider teaching Meridian Therapy as an elective. My roommate Corinne experienced her technique and was extremely impressed. As of this time, there are no firm plans on adding this modality to the curriculum, but we will no doubt be asking many questions.

Post-orientation Field-trip...

After the orientation, which was accompanied by a full spread of potluck food brought by teachers and administration, most students dispersed to their lives and only the three of us and Dan, a student from England were left without plans and a desire to do something together. We ended up coming back to our place, making some sandwiches and driving to Waipio valley - as noone other than myself had been there yet, and its a place I feel very peaceful and grounded in. Jake had the roof, windows and door stripped off, and the drive over and back was very cold. With us wrapped in towels we made the trek back home, while Dan was hugging the hot air vents in the front.

The valley was bristling with magic, and after covering the back roads of the valley and fording streams we made our way to the ocean side. We waded through the fast moving currents of the river as it exited into the ocean - each of us equipped with good shoes which prevented slippage on the rocks under the rushing water. We walked and talked the half mile crescent and touched the sides of the mountain bordering the other side of the valley. The sunset was spectacular and a rainbow glistened over the ocean as it fell in to the fiery flames of the crests of the red waves. Fording the stream and returning home for hot chocolate and a hot meal made up of food accessories we found in the fridge, we went to bed exhausted.

Hawi Town & Local Shenanigans...

The following pictures are taken from a trip from last weekend to Hawi, and to the end of Akoni Pule Hwy.



Included are pictures of my roommates Corinne, Randy, and Corinne's mom who's visiting until the start of school.







The End of Akoni Pule Hwy...

You can see Maui from across the sound in all its glory as its peak tumbles into the ocean.


Though the trail to this valley is well warn and available, much of the trails inside are closed due to earthquake damage.




The evening brought with it a light show like none other...

The Cloud Demons

The warm winds howl today, seeking to chase out the cloud demons that traverse the sky prowling to engulfing their languid pray - the mountains which darken and cower before the wrath of the rains that seek to break down their resistant up-turned bellies. The cows quietly lay down to await the assault.

Once the drops start to fall the mountains languish a while to examine the nature of the threat, and upon discovering its hidden plenty, bristle their grassy coverings - blades stretching out their arms in a chorus of thankful joy to the life-giving grace bestowed by the mountain shepherds.

As the soils soak up the restitution the cows arise in to once again resume the tending of their pastures' complexion.

The winds finally succeed and chase the cloud demons away. For a while they lose their way in the seas and wander unsure of themselves until the cool of the night conceals their colluding for a repeated assault on the mountains in the next day to come.

These elementals observe not the meanderings of my little life, with its small errands while the sun laughs jubilantly at the entire spectacle.

Like a Gecko on the wire...

When coming back into the house this evening, I noticed a gecko walking a phone line swaying in the wind - slowly and measuredly he made each wary new step towards his goal - a branch 10 feet away. Oh brave gecko - aren't you just the best metaphor for life at times?

I've not blogged for a while. Mostly due to work, and an acute toothache that had me in misery for most of the weekend. After spending Sunday morning at the ER, most of the day drugged up, and root canal on Monday, I feel I'm slowly returning to myself today. Preoccupation with the pain has left me very unproductive and unresponsive to life. Friend's offers to come over with pliers, or tying a string to my tooth and the holding the other end while pushing me off during cliff diving kept me fairly reassured that waiting for the Dentist's appointment was a good thing.

My classmate's comments about her noticing of a common theme amongst new comers forced her to conclude the existence of the "Earn Your Spot on the Islands Test".

Quoting Whitney:

"I don't mention it to people before they start having difficulties, in order not to create a self-fulfilling prophesy. So what I've noticed is that everyone seems to undergo a testing phase when they move here. I don't know why... if it is just a culture shock thing, or a Pele's moods thing, or what... but everyone has a story. We are talking "car broken into - all my stuff stolen" (I know of three of those), to "just bought a car, and the engine just exploded (two of those), "lost my ID or wedding ring at the beach" (three of those), "went skinny dipping and someone took all my clothes/hat/belt/wallet/Ipod", "got into a car wreck" (two of those), "can't find a job to save my soul", "broke my toe", "broke my collar bone", "my first place is insect infested," "my car got stuck in the sugarcane field and lost one shoe trying to get it out," "customs won't let my seizure medication come through from my mom in Canada, and I'm having seizures," I've been living in a tent in the jungle and now I have a body-wide fungus." You also aren't the first dental emergency I've heard about. My friend Naya (who lives upstairs), had her front tooth break in half, and couldn't get in to see a dentist for TWO WEEKS...she just kept supergluing it back on.

The good news is, it doesn't last forever. Smooth sailing does set in after a bit. And then the islands even start looking after you."

Thank you for your encouraging words, Whitney :)

I can add to that list from Chris' experience. After he moved to his new plot of land, he had the generator stolen. He has now been living by candle light for several weeks and doesn't seem to miss the electricity. He drives into town to eat, and charge his cell phone at the grocery store.

First Day of Productivity after Several Days down...

Through the weekend, I did manage to finish my Chemistry coursework. I'm so thankful this class is over. I take my final on Thursday. Still despite some residual pain, today I did a lot of work today, and also managed to trim the hedges, edge the lawn, drive the trash to the solid waste transfer station, water the garden, and sweep the garage.

Neighbours...

To quote the theme of my favorite Australian Soap Opera with former stars such as Natalie Imbruglia, and Kylie Minogue..

"Neeeeeeeighbours, Everybody needs good neeeeeeeighbours
With a little understaaaaaaanding
You can find the perfect bleeeeeeeeeeeeend
Neeeeeeighbours...should be there for one anooooother
That's when good neeeighbours becoooome goooood frieeeeends
Ooh Neeeeeighbours, should be there for one anoooooother
That's when good neeeighbours becoooome goooood frieeeeends."

While outside I met a kid who stopped by to ask if I was the new tenant. After introducing myself and telling him about myself and my roommates he said that his mom's a teacher at TCMCH and that they live in a green house two houses up the road. He then proceeded to tell me about the names of all the other neighbors on the street since he was surprised I hadn't met them yet :)

One of my roommates arrived in Kona today. She's staying at a hotel with her mom, as they had rented a place before they knew we had a place. My other roommate arrives tomorrow afternoon. All three of them will drive up to the house tomorrow afternoon. It will be great to finally meet everyone :)

Arrival at Home with Handle's Suites for Keyboard

This evening, I relax to my first night at my new home. What is missing is some candle light, but that may be fixed prior to the evening concluding.

I'm exhausted. I went to bed last night at 10 and was wide awake from 3 to 6:30. I had all sorts of things running through my head - surprisingly my Biology final was not one of them. I packed my things, cleaned up the place, signed the guest book and left. I arrived at my new place at 11:30. I made a few calls to transfer over utilities, did some last minute cramming - which turned out to be of no use, and walked to the library.

It turned out that the multiple choice questions were harder than my four essay questions. I finished in just over an hour and a half, and headed out - pleased with myself that the class is over - not so much by the potential grade. Fate and belief in a good grade will decide.

I put up the only decoration of my own I brought with me - a 3 x 8 ft scroll of bamboo. I can't wait for my houseware boxes to arrive so that I can make this place feel a little more like my home.

For now I've unpacked in the master bedroom, set up my wireless router, bought two recycle bins, and watered the garden. Tomorrow I must work. In the evening I'll spend some more time doing an inventory of the house, and making a list of anything else I need. The landlady left a fridge full of food. There are small flotsam and jetsam of daily life throughout the house, and random school supplies like rulers and protractors - from her daughter's days no doubt. She planted several small bushes before she left. She plans to retire here after her work concludes in Boston. The home is immaculate.

Tomorrow night I'm attending an a capella concert of medieval, renaissance, and baroque music at 7:00 pm at performed by the Waimea Consort (http://waimeaconsort.org/) - a group of 12 (though their picture belies the roster which seems to be several years old). The performance is also walking distance from the house.

I found out about them by reading the notices on the library cork board. They are fairly heavily loaded with altos per their roster, so I'm not sure whether adding my counter-tenor voice would throw off of the balance - but if time, schedule, and their recruitment permits, I will consider joining them.

Oddly enough, the director of the Consort is also the Director of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope - the headquarters of which held the last meeting of West Hawaii Astronomy Club which I attended this week.

I also received a small brochure of local community classes in town. They range from T'ai Chi, to Yoga, professional photography, automotive, Hula, and Hawaiian language and culture courses. This small community seems to offer a vast array of services. I heart was warmed by reading about all the community possibilities.

Thank you Handel for your evening serenade.

Immersion into a new World

My morning started off with packing my car with most of my belongings save for one suitcase. I wanted to move most of my stuff to my new home today as I was to meet with my landlady for a walkthrough of the house. I drove to Waimea, picked up my mail (several huge tomes which I surveyed in abject horror), visited the library to change my Biology final proctor time for Thursday afternoon, and drove to my new home.

With two more keys on my keychain - my pockets are regaining their familiar weight, bulk, and consistency. I feel better.

My New Classmates...

I met a fellow new student and her boyfriend today at Huli Sue's in Waimea for dinner. He's a professional chef, and she a Massage therapist and Reiki practitioner. They met each other while working on a cruise ship several years ago. They live in a house of former and current TCMCH students. Her husband and I were geeking out on our love of Anime, and she and I discussed our plans for what to do with our degrees. She'd like to work with the terminally ill - those dying of cancer and AIDS. She mentioned hearing someone say in her Massage class - "Just when they are in the most severe need of healing - noone wants to touch them". This awoke a passion in her for wanting to be of service for some organization such as Doctors without Borders. As an acupuncturist, you're equipped with a very light and reusable set of tools - especially if the needles are made of silver or gold, as they can be easily disinfected, thus making your toolkit light and reusable.

He spoke of how he was immediately accosted by his new roommates when he came down with bronchitis - with pulse reading, acupuncture and cupping. Its great that they have such a rich support network where they live. We exchanged laughs and jokes about many topics - including the lady who owns the crystal shop in Honoka'a - stories of whom will have to be reserved for another time.

He excused himself during dinner as he had to go to a job interview. Upon his successful returning I was invited to make plans with them for the weekend. Apparently they're going cliff diving. Something which certainly scares both her and I - in which case, we'll have to do it :) We spoke about the possibility of doing some weekend hiking and camping together and our upcoming birthdays. Mine on the 17th of August, and her's on the the 2nd of September.

It was great to meet some new friends.

The West Hawaii Astronomy Club...

Ever since the dawn of man, our race has been fascinated by the splendor of the skies. Before the light and air pollution obscured the wonders of the cosmos - the sky was alit with manifested magic to guide man's travel, decision making, and spiritual contemplation through observation of the night sky. This is one of the most ancient of practices - modernized by the technology our race has created.

Cultures observed the recurring patterns of planetary movements affecting the course of human events on earth. Many arts of divination were formed across all cultures - the planets were the eyes of God watching over the earth. Our bodies are between 50-70% water. If the oceans react by way of tide patterns to the movement of the moon, why not our bodies - let alone the subtle energies evoked by the planets themselves.

These arts and the education they carried splintered into many shards. Pangea separated into today's continents, splitting the 12 tribes of our race and its combined knowledge apart - knowledge that only the advancement of science is beginning to bring back together through global integration.

The adoration of the wonders of the universe was present when I arrived at the West Hawaii Astronomy Club. After brief introductions for new visitors (i.e., me) I gave my brief story about what I have come to Hawaii to do, my interest in learning more about the wonders of the cosmos, and my intention to pursue Acupuncture. I was warmly welcomed by the group.

These individuals are the part of the rich intelligentsia of Hawaii. The club is attended by many scientists, physicists, mathematicians, and hobby astronomers. A few of its members work for, administer, or are in some way responsible for the great arrays atop Mauna Kea. The laughter, joy, and excitement exhibited by the group was palpable. Their fascination with, love, and knowledge of celestial objects and events was bewildering. There is so much to learn on this rock we call home about the universe within which we exist.

The person who invited me is, among other things which I have yet to learn, is an expert in optics and photography - having designed some of the camera technology used in astrophotography.

I way also impressed by the 81 year old retired physicist and mathematician who gave a talk on relativity - a talk which I actively choose not to talk about for sake of appearing completely imbecilic. He brought three books - one of physics used to teach new students, one on astronomy, and the third, a best seller on the subject of physics. He proceeded to utterly refute the stated theories (as taught), demonstrating the true interpretations of special relativity in context of various facets of the behaviors of time, theoretically examined in the context of inter-stellar travel. His sharpness of mind, wit, and mastery of his subject were awe-inspiring to watch - including the amusement of the audience at times.

After receiving advice on how to get started - with a basic set of good binoculars, I placed a note in my calendar for a star gazing party on the 30th where I'll be able to survey the heavens' glory for myself.

Of Pele, Kava, and Naked Hand Stands

I learned a lot from Chris today. I met him through an email exchange and decided to go out and meet a new friend. He's 28. He had moved from Iowa to Oahu in 2002 and spent a brief time in California before returning to Oahu again. He moved to the Big Island just over a month ago, and decided to buy a plot of land around Pahoa. He's been clearing the plot in the rain forest to build a house. He owns several pieces of real estate around the US including in Colorado, Texas, and now several plots of land in Hawaii. He paid only 25K for his 14,000 sq ft plot (roughly 120 ft by 120 ft) less than a mile from downtown Pahoa, and also went in on a deal for a 7,500 sq ft plot with a friend of his. All purchases were on terms. I'm tempted to make the same investment and buy land here.

He made some money in finance and accounting and decided to start a new life. I don't know what he does for a living now. We never got around to it. "What do you do" is almost the first question that people ask when they meet you back on the East Coast. One's identity is often linked to one's occupation. Here, people really couldn't care less.

Right now, he's clearing his land and writing a book - a comedy - about his many life experiences. He thinks he not only has a good shot at getting it published, but that it will bring him quite a bit of revenue.

He's made makeshift living quarters on his newly cleared land from several large tents, and is slowly expanding his life in Pahoa, along with his cat.

He took me to a 100 x 100 ft hot water pool warmed by the lava to near hot-tub temperature along the shores of the ocean. About 30 locals and tourists were lounging around in the mildly sulfurous brackish water. Mixed from sea water and warmed fresh water aquifer percolated through Pele's maze of corridors and passages - the water ia very soft, warm and soothing.

After reclining in the bath and getting thoroughly relaxed we got out, showered off in the outside showers and got in the car as the sun was setting. We drove down towards Kahena black sand beach. Hidden and off-the-road, we walked down by the light of the moon and the light from our cell phones (finally a good use for my crackberry) down the cliff onto the most gorgeous beach I've been. A serene setting by the light of the moon and wide expanse of stars - the waves crashing, on the sides of the circular cove.

After him recounting many stories, one of encountering a chubby naked man doing hand stands in the middle of the night, the odd drum circle and chanting, and once losing his white cat on the beach for 11 hours, we proceeded back to the top of the cliff and into my car.

We drove to the western end of highway 137 to see Pele's fires by night. Though not near the flow, you can see the glow of the fires of Mordor at the lava's entry point into the ocean and the fires originating from the current caldera high up the mountain. On a clear night he said that you can see the fingers of lava running down the mountain in dramatic streams. Today, however, the middle of the mountain was hidden by a storm system.

We walked across a moon-lit lava field onto another black sand beach where we sat down and stared at the stars and told stories about abandoning society's games and impositions to pursue life's wonders. The game of life - created for the survival of our species - the perpetuation of life - raising of a family - and working most of your life to enjoy brief respite of weekends and perhaps a week or two off a year to go and enjoy lands like this at great expense for a couple of days or so, before turning to 'normal life'. Both gay, both not planning on raising a family, both not willing to be confined to others' rues - what an affront to the agreement-reality of society.

I told him about what I had learned about the caste system of India and how it was fashioned after the knowledge imparted to its constituents that the made up societal structure is a game - and not reality - a game that each member gets to play for the survival of the community, and which they get to exit at a certain age in order to also exit the entire game of life, forget what they've learned and invent their own rules - at which point they are regarded as superior to the caste system.

We talked about the power of agreement - the group-think which uses the power of 'we' over the individual to keep the 'nail that sticks out hammered down'. Truth is invented with agreement and not objectivity. The assertion being that 'we' is smarter than 'me'.

It is, of course sadly ironic that through our discourse against the 'we' agreement of society - the two of us were in effect creating agreement for each other's rejection of conformity. The trap forever ensnares people. People will always seek agreement with their opinions in order to abate fear of the unknown nature of what it is to be alive. As long as someone else agrees with you, there's more chance you got it right. To no longer desire agreement must be the truest of freedoms. The key is to not desire to no longer desire agreement, as that traps you in the same trap of desire.

I suppose the nail always seeks a plank to be nailed down in. The universe abhors a vacuum.

Kava...

After many further musings, he told me what Iowa stands for - "Idiots Out Wandering About". We shared a good laugh and then proceeded to a local Kava bar - or Awa as the Hawaiian's call it. This was his second time sampling Kava, and my first.

Kava root taste like dirt - a similar taste to Acorus root which I've tasted from my Chinese herb collection - and which has a related effect. It is a legal and mild psychoactive substance with analgesic effects which are mainly localized to the tongue and mouth - but which provide relaxation and simplification to thought processes.

"Kava (Piper methysticum) is an age-old herbal drink that was the beverage of choice for the royal families of the South Pacific. Believed to originate from Melanesia, kava grows abundantly in the sun-drenched islands of Polynesia. Although drank for centuries by the islanders, it was only during Captain Cook’s voyage to the Pacific in 1768-1771 when white man first encountered the plant and its consumption in sacred ceremonies. According to Cook’s account, natives chewed or pounded the root and mixed it with water to produce a brownish, often bitter brew which they then consumed for its psychoactive properties. A soothing drink with proven medicinal effects, kava is now available to anyone seeking to calm nerves or ease stress as well as anxiety while combating fatigue the natural way. Its special anti-depressant components fight the "blues" and bring on a happy, tranquil state. Kava is amazing for treating ailments like migraine headaches and cramps but best of all, it keeps the mind alert as the body relaxes. This traditional drink still plays a key role in Fijian, Samoan, and Tongan societies where it is drank in ceremonies meant to honor visitors, unite participants and validate their social identities. A member of the black pepper family, kava’s active properties stems from the kavalactones found in its roots."

Traditional Purposes of kava ceremony:

• Kava can be found in recreational and social gatherings. It has been used as a social drink for high-ranking chiefs and elders, drank as a form of welcome for honored guests, consumed for preparation and completion of an event or of work, to validate status, observe births, marriages and deaths, to relieve stress, remedy illnesses etc.
• In Hawaii, kava is drank during divination ceremonies, naming of children aged one years old, the consecrating of a male child, or initiating of young girls into traditional hula and chanting. In Tikopia, it affirms sacred symbols and can be used as a religious libation and poured onto the ground instead of drunk.
• It is drank in kinship and chiefship rituals, for public atonement of misdeeds. Many people were pardoned for their crimes after a kava ceremony.
• Sharing a kava bowl allows for socialization and friendship to occur. Fears are allayed and friendships cemented.
• On Wallis Island, official decisions are made during the kava ceremony, and enemies are reconciled and goodwill is restored. Those who committed crime are often allowed to go free, thanks to the kava ceremony.
• Kava has a key role in social ceremonies. It is usually the only way to welcome honored visitors. Former First Lady Mrs. Johnson drank it as well Pope John Paul II upon their visit to the Pacific.
• But drinking kava is not the only way for relationships to be cemented. Sometimes, presenting others with a kava root is a sign of welcome and peace.

Source: Kava Kauai - The Drink of Peace - http://kavaroot.com/aboutkava.htm

"Your head is affected most pleasantly. Thoughts come cleanly.
You feel friendly...never cross...You cannot hate with kava in you."
- Tom Harrison, Savage Civilization, 1937

After being offered weed and alcohol we declined, stayed a while to watch and listen to the bizarre conversations across both sides of this outdoor small tiki-bar, one side filled with native Hawaiians waxing poetic about the spirit of Aloha, and seeking to translate many English phrases into Hawaiian - the other side - a bunch of high-seeking tourists ruminating on their numerous run-ins with the Police.

Puna is a place where rules are suggestions - and those are few at best. If you're naked, or on fire, people barely notice you. The laws here are ones you make up and destroy at a moment's notice. Puna is like Pele herself - creator and destroyer - a child's playground for anything and everything.

We left, and drove back to where we had left his car in Pahoa, said our thanks and goodbyes and parted ways. We may see eachother again to maybe go on a hike in Volcano National Forest some time this week or the next.

I'm so happy to have met someone so willing to just hang out, have some fun, and introduce me to some amazing sights with no expectations other than to spend time with another human being and enjoy this land together. Thanks Chris.

The Man Named John...

I decided to take my Chemistry homework with me to a Starbucks in Hilo. I sat across from this thin white bearded gentleman in his late 40s who was reading the comics of a local newspaper. Its still hard to determine who's native who's not, and with his backpack, Hawaiian shirt, and hiking boots, seemed like he could be a tourist. He and I struck up a conversation. I don't know how it started, but he proceeded to tell me about his many adventures...

He travels between Hawaii and Alaska - his home of over 14 years. He left home after his father died in his late teens and traveled the country. He would call himself a recluse - someone who's comfortable being by himself in God's country.

He bought a couple of acres of semi-arid land near one of Pele's lava flows and farms fruit trees. He used to be a captain of a boat, and also held a pilots license. For many years he worked in many capacities on board fishing vessels, and early on research vessels which were taking topographical readings of the Chilean trench. His many adventures took him all over South America and to the Arctic.

He told me of his vivid hiking adventures on this island - his foibles, accidents, and adventures with nature, and of chance encounters with other hikers, some of whom he became great friends with. He told me where to go to get equipment in town - an army surplus store in Hilo. He shared his adventures with acupuncture and with western medicine. We had many laughs on innumerable subjects including the problems with fitting in he's having with his native born Hawaiian neighbor who will always consider anyone non-Hawaiian with disdain - a Haole - white foreigner. His other neighbors he has a great time with, and mentioned a couple who are enjoying their retirement and growing medicinal plants in their back yard for person use. He waxed painfully about his new neighbors in the neighborhood who bulldozed a three-ace lot, to proudly build a Mc Mansion.

He told me about a place to visit while in Hilo - Health Works Under the Banyan - run by a couple who have undertaken to start a vegan restaurant and to start culinary classes on training people to grow their own food, and to cook vegan meals. He went on to say "They are such a wonderful couple, but they're quirky... well, you see.. er-hrm.. they're Seventh-day Adventists" he said with cautious trepidation. I knew immediately what he meant and professed to have been brought up one, and proceeded to tell him that I'd now call myself a Seventh-day Adventist Buddhist. He then in recognition proceeded to profess himself as a Seventh-day Adventist Taoist. The hubris of the universe is unmatchable by the best of comedians.

After telling me more stories of his experiences living in cultures such as in New Zealand, Tasmania, an in Alaska - he told me that no other places has he experienced such true hospitality to complete strangers as in those places and lamented that neighborly bartering and trading no longer taking place in many places around the world. Tourism and the lure of westernization is crippling people's communities, traditions, hospitality and friendliness.

Of the two basic needs of a human being we agreed: love of nature, and love of other human beings.

After nearly 4 hours of talks, I was getting extremely hungry, and we both excused each other with a handshake and parting words for thanks for the great conversation.

His stories definitely inspire me to really take on hiking and reading in the absolute wilderness of nature - to let my thoughts settle and to restore some peace and tranquility before I begin my schooling.

My time to do this is running out. If I'm to do it for more than 3 days, I will need to do it soon - before school starts. I'm doubtful that work will let me disappear for a week again, so I'll have to discover what I should attempt to do, where, and for how long.
John recommended a whole series of paths along Volcano National Forest upper trail, as well as the coastal route - where he mentioned his favorite fishing holes, fresh water tide pools, and Hawaii camping cuisine - which mostly consist of hunting for fish and other creatures using a Hawaiian spear, cooking and seasoning appropriately :)

Apparently the basic ingredients require limes (for preservation disinfection and flavor), garlic (for the obvious), salt, cyan pepper, and dill.

"Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee and just as hard to sleep after."
--Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Quotes...

I found a pretty large collection of quotes today linked from an ex-coworker's page. I picked out my favorites and decided to include them here as a personal reminder of things to not forget:

"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."
--Henry Ford

"Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
--William Jennings Bryan

"Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length."
--Robert Frost

"I dream, therefore I become."
--Cheryl Grossman

"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."
--Will Rogers

"Remember that happiness is a way of travel - not a destination."
--Roy M. Goodman

"Be life long or short, its completeness depends on what it was lived for."
--David Starr Jordan

"Make sure you have finished speaking before your audience has finished listening."
--Dorothy Sarnoff

"The greatest conflicts are not between two people but between one person and himself."
--Garth Brooks

"Worry is a misuse of imagination."
--Dan Zadra

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one."
--Elbert Hubbard

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
--Bill Cosby

"He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever."
--Chinese Proverb

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."
--Henry David Thoreau

"I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief."
--Gerry Spence

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."
--Walter Bagehot

"Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem."
--Henry Kissinger

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'WOW What a Ride!'"
--Unknown

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
--Mark Twain

Waipio Valley & Old Mamalahoa Hwy

Breathtaking is the only word that can do this valley any justice. Time has forgotten this place. Its valley floor was once richly farmed, with residents as great in number as 10,000 in centuries past. The tsunami originating from the coast of Alaska in 1979 covered the valley from side to side with over 4 feet of water. Many lives and lively-hoods were lost. Nearly all survivors rebuilt their homes top-side. Now there are only about 50 people who live here with no electricity, radio, or cell reception, save for the majesty of the land around them.

The history of this valley is rich and steeped with mystery and cultural significance. There is so much written about this place that I won't attempt to duplicate what I've learned. Instead I'll provide this link to those interested in reading about its enchanted past.

The 900 foot descent into the valley was nothing for Jake. I was so happy I had bought a worthy Jeep - and one whom I grew to admire with bewildered pride at his spryness. Upon the descent I was greeted with the semi-sweet and dry perfume of wild jasmine (my favorite scent) weaving richly along the valley floor - like the seductive and bewildering aroma of an enchantress who's scent lulls you into a spell of bliss while she beckons you to come. "Come deeper... come further... I have turkish delight". Not the same as the call of the Starbucks Siren.



After rounding the bend of the Jasmine Grove of Seduction, I was greeted by a view of Waipio's great Hi'ilawe waterfall. It was as if I were hit in the gut by its astounding majesty. My eyes were filled with tears and my breath was taken away by the majestic free-fall of over 1,200 ft (about the hight of the empire state building.

Touring this place required placing faith in Jake and fording many streams along the valley floor where the taro patch runoffs and the main river weave the veins of this valley's old irrigation system. Some of the water was nearly a foot deep, and I was glad that Jake scoffed and laughed at it with great jest!

I was ill-equipped today to cross the mouth of the river on foot as it enters the sea to get to the other side of the dark sand beech. I was fearful for my camera equipment, and after attempting to ford the river several times at various places, I concluded that I'll need to return with booties. This is a favorite spot for some advanced surfers, and in the winter the seas provide a formidable opponent.

There were many shots throughout the day, including this surfer, which will require I invest in a telescopic lens once I start taking the time to take on professional quality challenges. So far its been great to travel around the island and get familiar with some of the great photographic opportunities. Now that I know a few, I'll be able to come back in the early morning and evening and set up with a tripod for some great shots.



Wonders of Waimea...

I was once again struck by how incredibly lucky I am to have found affordable housing in Waimea. This place is so enchanting that each second of time gives you a different look at reality. I was lucky enough to witness a rainbow, and with my polarizer I was able to detect the full arch.





Waimea will be a great base of photographic operation. Early morning and early evening escapades will provide me with access to the most wondrous vistas including Waipio valley, Old Mamalahoa highway, Saddle Road, and Kohala Mountain Road along the spine to Hawi.

Old Mamalahoa Highway...

Rarely used except by the residents - this highway was the predecessor of the highway that leads from Waimea to Honoka'a and which continues around the island. Galloping horses, and grazing cattle greet you on your way through. It passes through the rich farm land and offers images of rolling hills against a backdrop of Mauna Kea. The asphalt on this road is excellent for Biking. I'm sure that this will be a road I'll be taking often.




A Song from the Universe...

I've been pining for some of my music to listen to while driving. I don't have an iPod hook in the car, nor a tape deck, so I decided to stop for blank CD-Rs in Waikoloa earlier in the day, and made a CD of some of my favorites.

Over the past several days I've been very unhappy with my living situation as I cannot wait to get home to Waimea. I've been worried about my work productivity, as the work is mentally very hard and often headache inspiring leaving me feeling very mentally tapped and always wondering whether I've done enough, while praying that the tap won't run dry, and that I'll be able to regain the context of where I left off with my narrative of the company's business processes to where I can fulfill my obligations. Never have I been in a position with my work that leaves me feeling like a starving artist living from one moment of inspiration to the next. What I am doing requires consistent inspiration and concentration. I really feel that I need it in order to design these concepts. When I cannot concentrate, or when the ideas seem vacant from my head - I feel that don't have what I need to make it happen, and feel very afraid that I'll never have it back fully. While my boss is very understanding, he also needs to see results, and at times I feel that what I'm able to accomplish is nowhere near that which I aspire towards.

My feelings of inadequacy, solitariness, and fear of my ability to pay the bills in the future have been heavy on me. It is so difficult to take my own advise and not worry about such things, and trust :)

Today's full day with gorgeous vistas, friendly locals, and the gift of rainbows and sunsets could not have been any more healing to the worries I'd had. For the day they were all displaced in favor of gratitude for where I am, and for the experiences I get to have here.

Ale Jestem (But, I am)...

Anna Maria Jopek, a Polish artist has a song which have always brought tears to my eyes based on its lyrical and auditory magic. In today's context it felt more real and personal based on what I have been able to accomplish over the past few years, but particularly the past few months.

The Polish lyrics and an English version of the song (not a direct translation, but a rewrite) can be found by following the link. I'm translated the original words as follows:

My eyes open and the world comes into being
Above me - heaven, an orchard in front
with the smell and the taste of green apples
and all is so... simple

You must truly live, if you wish to fool time
You must live most beautifully, as you live only once
You must live in admiration - imagine, love and dream
You must fool time, if you're truly to live.

I'm a grain of sand in a sand-glass
a stray boat among the reefs
a rain drop, a conscious grass blade amongst the grasses
But... I AM!

I'm a spark, a gasp of wind
a trail of light running up to the stars
I'm but a instant, which wishes to outrun time
But... I AM!

I strain my ears, I hear the play
Music's in me and in music am I
Before I'm engulfed in the great silence
I want to sing out and sing..

You must truly live, if you wish to fool time
You must live most beautifully, as you live only once

I'm a grain of sand in a sand-glass
a stray boat among the reefs
a rain drop, a conscious grass blade amongst the grasses
But... I AM!

I AM...

Life's a road and life's s a dream
What will be later - I don't know, and know
Don't question it, you will know when
an ends comes to the road, of life and of dreams

I'm a grain of sand in a sand-glass
a stray boat among the reefs
a rain drop, a conscious grass blase amongst grass
But... I AM!

I'm a spark, a gasp of wind
a trail of light running up to the stars
I'm but a instant, which wishes to outrun time
But... I AM!

The second song is appropriately called 'TAO', and my translation is as follows:

Hold still for a moment and stop the world
To where are you rushing? You'll never make it on time

Yesterday and tomorrow mean nothing at all
Stop rushing and learn how to be

Its the TAO leading you down the simplest of paths
Seek neither good nor evil, and you'll discover more
Than if you do.

Swim with the tide, don't fight against it
Succumb to the water, take a breath - and swim

Be nothing, but a blade of grass, which leans with the wind
Weakness is the strength which guards your world

Its the TAO leading you
Stand still for a moment and stop the world
To where are you rushing? You'll never make it on time

Yesterday and tomorrow mean nothing at all
Stop rushing and learn how to be

Stand still for a moment, and stop the world
To where are you rushing? You'll never make it on time