Tonight, for our class, I read a passage which was also featured in my blog awhile back when I was upset over the hospitalization of Thich Nhat Hanh. Then later tonight, timely for it it Easter holiday, I did catch the last 30 minutes of that Japanese documentary of faith in Nepal that I referred to yesterday. It was a very on-hand, on-sight gritty* look at how people deal with human-ness in Nepal – believing in resurrection, Renewal, Resurgence … prayers of Hope and Faith play a large part in the day to day living there – it was about something universal, whether Buddhist, Hindu, Christian – whatever the faith, whatever we believe, it’s that innocence and purity of being able to BELIEVE – that’s probably what sets us, humans, apart from other species of life on this earth… Our ability to “believe” in something and find what’s sacred… and take solace from suffering. So once again, sharing when I get attached to the idea of sadness in saying “good bye”s. I hate saying good byes and not being able to see someone anymore so …sharing the sentiment again:
“This body is not me; I am not caught in this body, I am life without boundaries, I have never been born and I have never died. Over there the wide ocean and the sky with many galaxies All manifests from the basis of consciousness. Since beginningless (stuttering…) time I have always been free. Birth and death are only a door through which we go in and out. Birth and death are only a game of hide-and-seek.
So smile to me and take my hand and wave good-bye. Tomorrow we shall meet again or even before. We shall always be meeting again at the true source, Always meeting again on the myriad paths of life.”
― Thích Nhất Hạnh, No Death, No Fear – Believe this to be true:)
ox
With under-aged little people, so just passing by to get to Cheese Board…
Making a lot of detours …because we are lucky:)
A solution for the California drought problem – I love Berkeley:)
A bubble bath?! ha ha ha – it’s the tub:)
What’s on the outside can be deceiving… step in.
This is what you see… inside the building … No, it’s not Napa, it’s Berkeley for you.
It’s the best pizza I ever had…freshest pesto – flavors are just so SO vibrant!
This area is called Goumet Ghetto for a reason… 
Gourmet Ghetto street scene during lunch with yoga-mat slinging passer-by…wish I had brought mine… I have to get my “yoga” in or …iUNHAPPY…
a lively band playing inside and right outside alfresco dining on the street.We were actually seated right in front of the drummer on that bench but scooted out to take this photo during their break
But actually my favorite is this hole in the wall Juice Bar from the 70’s(!) where line forms for their vegetarian scrumptious lunch that reminds me of Wolf House Coop kitchen manager days… loved cooking for some 30 people back then – don’t know how I did it. Guess anything is possible if you have a commercial kitchen. Was a good training ground to deal with any kind of chaos? Then run over to Shattuck YMCA for yoga…to find the nature of the beast…
Polenta with black beans and salsa option for vegans, or with cheese otherwise. Reminds me of my college years whenever I drop in this area… Nostalgia:) Memories come flooding back – for me – through sights, sounds and … scents of … food. Ha ha. Um, so who was trying to lose 10lbs to get back to that college-days body mass ? It’s all plant based; no meat so there’s hope?
Haahhh a big sigh … some day:)
Beautiful wisteria blooming framing their menu… a bit in awe – birthplace of California cuisine.
Snow quietly falling outside – it’s so cozy:)
The studio looked up happened to be by my favorite grocery store…
with the best veggie wrap I ever had – so fresh! Trying to recreate at home:)
No cell phones in the cafe – nice:)Here’s the inviting entrance…
Again and again, Kindness Matters – really.
adults and children, mixed-level community class taught by a lovely teacher who modified the poses for a child and a very expectant mother and others at various levels of experience and needs – very kind indeed. Fascinating talk on bone density and alignment – Iyengar school trained… should have known. My stiff tight shoulders from 5+ hours of non-stop driving just melted away…it was a right amount of movement vs. rest, that balance. Loved that floating sensation – is it just me?
Snow covered walkways – snow no longer falling…
Blessed water …
Clear and pure water to wash away whatever needs cleansing emotionally and spiritually… icy coollldd to awaken you:)
