We left on the night of a new moon and the lunar eclipse, a day after Thanksgiving, at the initial days of Mercury retrograde. The trip was safe and, thankfully, uneventful. This was after our breakfast of cookies and coffee. The next 3 and a half days will be filled with raw food, reflections and "spartan amenities" away from Manila.
This was an easy trip to plan - budget fare and spur of the moment for Anna's 30th birthday. Anna is a freshly made friend from Govinda's retreat some months back - French speaking, Vipassana sitting, pencil sketching, print making, and immersing in Yoga. By now, her Saturn would have returned and she will be coming home into the paved path of the 30s. The 20s (for many) was a bumpy ride.
This is Anna.
At the airport, I met Anna's friend, Anais, a tall, lovely, curly-haired French lady. I love her name because of the writer, and the sound. This will be a challenge to my crumbling kindergarten French from 8 years ago. Nevertheless, on y va!
When we landed in Puerto Princesa, we were picked up by Bahay Kalipay's green mobile. The lady of the home - Daniw, her son - Sinag, and two residents - Tza and Becky, were there in the jeepney. We were going to Maia Eco village, the community they were building. It was a long drive on a very bumpy road and I felt as if the jeepney was slowly losing its precious parts to the gravel. We got there and met Jhoana briefly (another resident healer), drank coconuts and saw the houses under construction.
Daniw and Sinag
The Green Mobile
Maia scenes
Next stop was Nagtambon beach. It was lovely, rather quiet - a short strip of a beach. It would be perfect for skimming and, I think, maybe even surfing. There were some good waves but they broke too close to the shore. No one else was there except us. It would be good to come back for a private geteaway. At the cottage, we ate jackfruit, saba and dehydrated bananas in grated coconuts and fruit bits. We also brought our own buko and we had a bolo with us. We spent the remainder of the afternoon there because the green jeepney did get some injuries along the dirt road and we had to wait for the blue one. I liked the peace and breaks of very open talks. Oh, what peace. The place could not be reached by the ubiquitous mobile networks.
Scenes from Nagtabon
Sketches of Lovely Tza
Becky and Tza in B & W
It was a long, bumpy road from there to Bahay Kalipay. We passed for Jhoana and Olivier and I held my bandhas in place until we hit the paved streets. The next time my students ask where their bandhas are and how do they engage them, I'll tell them to take a jeepney downhill on a dirt road. Voila! Bandhas engaged!
On the road
It was dark by the time we got to Bahay Kalipay, we had a delicious meal of raw food goodness (I failed to take photos of all of them and get their names but they were all flavorful and sumptuous. I will have to write another post when I get the recipes from Daniw).
Receiving Area at night
We went to our room - Dahon.
It was a simple, small, open room, wooden with 3 beds and mosquito nets, and one Asahi fan. The air was cool and we were exhausted. The toilet and shower are shared but we were the only 3 guests and we could use the men's room. Archimedes does not live there. Flushing is manual and you have a handy tabo and big pail to "fill...while you're at it" :) This was about basic living with (mostly) organic products and our own roll of tissue. So we cleaned up and got ready for bed.
The rooms are not soundproof and we woke up rather sleep deprived the next day. Anna and I practiced at the space on the second floor. I'm not sure how much jumping back the space could withstand but that was my favorite place in the house, wood flooring (reminded me of True Yoga in Boracay) and there were hammocks and dreamcatchers around.
My mom would like this. I had been thinking a lot about her lately. I imagine she could live here but she's busy doing the tour of the Philippines, money-free and guilt-free. I hope she is happy...
Anyway, I enjoyed my Pranayama and Asana practice. By the time I was done, breakfast was ready. I think that was the morning they served lemon and mango muesli - rolled raw oats with mangoes and lemon slices. Instead of cow's or soy milk, it was coconut milk. I enjoyed it. I still, however, felt the residue of the new moon/lunar eclipse immensely, this shifting unsettling feeling plus the lack of sleep.
Our next activity was a session with Jhoana and Olivier on Inner Dance. We lay on the mats for the session. No, what we feared did not happen. Our inner primordial dance was not the awkward chicken dance. We were gently and quietly (no music for this round) moved and settled into the space. My hands and arms did not move on their own but I was pacified and freed from new moon thoughts.
At some point during the session, I thought I could hear someone crying faintly from downstairs. I found out later on that it was Becky losing her mobile phone which she left on the dining table. It contained all the entries for a book she was writing (and her contacts and the sweet messages of her son). She told me she just left it on the table with her medicines and they all just disappeared when she came back. I could hear the shattered heart pieces in her voice. I hope it reappears.
In the afternoon, we had a long inner word journey with Juanita. Although none of us were trying to think too much of our questions at this point (Anna and I were living with the current questions and answers quite amicably for now and Anais wanted to go to the beach), those seeking out their answers from deep within may want to brave the exercise.
That night, we had either a rat or a squirrel scurrying about (I think just above me) and the next day we were visited by a tuko (ghecko). Yes, my love story with the tuko is still ongoing. There must be a sign here somewhere. I had to convince Anna that the tuko was not in her bag. It sounded closer to Anais'. That was mildly comforting. We wanted to be away from Manila and so there we were, so close to nature. No problem, we were the ones invading these lovely creatures' space anyhow.
The following day, I had Pranayama and a short asana practice. My Abhyanga with Tza was just beautiful. Tza is beautiful, with her youthful smile and sun-loved skin. In nothing but a loincloth, I was bathed and nourished in oil from head to toe for an hour and a half. I was glistening and ready for a hot bath after. My first since I got there. I could have done Abhyanga everyday...
On our second dose of Inner Dance (combined with some passive stretching from Olivier), I felt an extra second or two of potentially sustained movements. Ambient renditions of classical music were playing. Although it was not like the videos we've seen on Inner Dance, the session was deeply relaxing and we lay adhered to the mat moments after it was over.
Anais was leaving that day and so we spent the entire afternoon just lounging on the 2nd floor space, eating bananas and having our green smoothies. After Anais left, Anna and I just talked on, preparing her list for her 30th birthday. We moved back to our room and kept talking and talking. Amidst the sounds of the dog scratching on the door downstairs, we finally slept although we woke up for a while to the sound of the creature who peed at the foot of Anna's bed.
In the morning, Anna did her Vipassana. I practiced Pranayama. There were flowers on the breakfast table for the birthday girl - Million Dollar Vines, I think they were called. It was our last installment of fantastic raw food. Flowers not included.
Ikaw Cag Ako
Imas Vegetarian Restaurant
We got ready to leave our little family for three and a half days. I could say it was family. Daniw looks so much like my cousin (and Sophie Marceau). Becky looks like my dad's eldest sister. Tza doesn't look like anyone I'm related to but looks to me like one of the best looking Filipina supermodels. I wouldn't mind being related to her. Anyway, our little family took us to Ikaw Cag Ako for souvenirs and to Imas for delicious (cooked, this time) veggie burritos before we went to the airport to head back home with thoughts of Daniw's delicious raw food, with the possibility of bringing a small group some time in the future, with keeping in touch should they come to Manila, and with more talk on the plane on my shared plans of love and light.
Last Look at Bahay Kalipay
So Bon Anniversaire, Anna. And to my mom, tomorrow.
Merci Beaucoup, Anais, for teaching me to say Regardez la Mustique.
At Salamat, Bahay Kalipay, I am sending more love and light to you.
Now, I am happy to be in mine.
* * *
More info on Bahay Kalipay: http://bahaykalipay.com/
This was an easy trip to plan - budget fare and spur of the moment for Anna's 30th birthday. Anna is a freshly made friend from Govinda's retreat some months back - French speaking, Vipassana sitting, pencil sketching, print making, and immersing in Yoga. By now, her Saturn would have returned and she will be coming home into the paved path of the 30s. The 20s (for many) was a bumpy ride.
This is Anna.
At the airport, I met Anna's friend, Anais, a tall, lovely, curly-haired French lady. I love her name because of the writer, and the sound. This will be a challenge to my crumbling kindergarten French from 8 years ago. Nevertheless, on y va!
When we landed in Puerto Princesa, we were picked up by Bahay Kalipay's green mobile. The lady of the home - Daniw, her son - Sinag, and two residents - Tza and Becky, were there in the jeepney. We were going to Maia Eco village, the community they were building. It was a long drive on a very bumpy road and I felt as if the jeepney was slowly losing its precious parts to the gravel. We got there and met Jhoana briefly (another resident healer), drank coconuts and saw the houses under construction.
Daniw and Sinag
The Green Mobile
Next stop was Nagtambon beach. It was lovely, rather quiet - a short strip of a beach. It would be perfect for skimming and, I think, maybe even surfing. There were some good waves but they broke too close to the shore. No one else was there except us. It would be good to come back for a private geteaway. At the cottage, we ate jackfruit, saba and dehydrated bananas in grated coconuts and fruit bits. We also brought our own buko and we had a bolo with us. We spent the remainder of the afternoon there because the green jeepney did get some injuries along the dirt road and we had to wait for the blue one. I liked the peace and breaks of very open talks. Oh, what peace. The place could not be reached by the ubiquitous mobile networks.
Scenes from Nagtabon
Sketches of Lovely Tza
Becky and Tza in B & W
It was a long, bumpy road from there to Bahay Kalipay. We passed for Jhoana and Olivier and I held my bandhas in place until we hit the paved streets. The next time my students ask where their bandhas are and how do they engage them, I'll tell them to take a jeepney downhill on a dirt road. Voila! Bandhas engaged!
On the road
It was dark by the time we got to Bahay Kalipay, we had a delicious meal of raw food goodness (I failed to take photos of all of them and get their names but they were all flavorful and sumptuous. I will have to write another post when I get the recipes from Daniw).
Receiving Area at night
We went to our room - Dahon.
It was a simple, small, open room, wooden with 3 beds and mosquito nets, and one Asahi fan. The air was cool and we were exhausted. The toilet and shower are shared but we were the only 3 guests and we could use the men's room. Archimedes does not live there. Flushing is manual and you have a handy tabo and big pail to "fill...while you're at it" :) This was about basic living with (mostly) organic products and our own roll of tissue. So we cleaned up and got ready for bed.
The rooms are not soundproof and we woke up rather sleep deprived the next day. Anna and I practiced at the space on the second floor. I'm not sure how much jumping back the space could withstand but that was my favorite place in the house, wood flooring (reminded me of True Yoga in Boracay) and there were hammocks and dreamcatchers around.
My mom would like this. I had been thinking a lot about her lately. I imagine she could live here but she's busy doing the tour of the Philippines, money-free and guilt-free. I hope she is happy...
Our next activity was a session with Jhoana and Olivier on Inner Dance. We lay on the mats for the session. No, what we feared did not happen. Our inner primordial dance was not the awkward chicken dance. We were gently and quietly (no music for this round) moved and settled into the space. My hands and arms did not move on their own but I was pacified and freed from new moon thoughts.
At some point during the session, I thought I could hear someone crying faintly from downstairs. I found out later on that it was Becky losing her mobile phone which she left on the dining table. It contained all the entries for a book she was writing (and her contacts and the sweet messages of her son). She told me she just left it on the table with her medicines and they all just disappeared when she came back. I could hear the shattered heart pieces in her voice. I hope it reappears.
In the afternoon, we had a long inner word journey with Juanita. Although none of us were trying to think too much of our questions at this point (Anna and I were living with the current questions and answers quite amicably for now and Anais wanted to go to the beach), those seeking out their answers from deep within may want to brave the exercise.
That night, we had either a rat or a squirrel scurrying about (I think just above me) and the next day we were visited by a tuko (ghecko). Yes, my love story with the tuko is still ongoing. There must be a sign here somewhere. I had to convince Anna that the tuko was not in her bag. It sounded closer to Anais'. That was mildly comforting. We wanted to be away from Manila and so there we were, so close to nature. No problem, we were the ones invading these lovely creatures' space anyhow.
The following day, I had Pranayama and a short asana practice. My Abhyanga with Tza was just beautiful. Tza is beautiful, with her youthful smile and sun-loved skin. In nothing but a loincloth, I was bathed and nourished in oil from head to toe for an hour and a half. I was glistening and ready for a hot bath after. My first since I got there. I could have done Abhyanga everyday...
On our second dose of Inner Dance (combined with some passive stretching from Olivier), I felt an extra second or two of potentially sustained movements. Ambient renditions of classical music were playing. Although it was not like the videos we've seen on Inner Dance, the session was deeply relaxing and we lay adhered to the mat moments after it was over.
Anais was leaving that day and so we spent the entire afternoon just lounging on the 2nd floor space, eating bananas and having our green smoothies. After Anais left, Anna and I just talked on, preparing her list for her 30th birthday. We moved back to our room and kept talking and talking. Amidst the sounds of the dog scratching on the door downstairs, we finally slept although we woke up for a while to the sound of the creature who peed at the foot of Anna's bed.
In the morning, Anna did her Vipassana. I practiced Pranayama. There were flowers on the breakfast table for the birthday girl - Million Dollar Vines, I think they were called. It was our last installment of fantastic raw food. Flowers not included.
Ikaw Cag Ako
Imas Vegetarian Restaurant
Last Look at Bahay Kalipay
So Bon Anniversaire, Anna. And to my mom, tomorrow.
Merci Beaucoup, Anais, for teaching me to say Regardez la Mustique.
At Salamat, Bahay Kalipay, I am sending more love and light to you.
And to all, may all the homes of your heart be happy always.
Now, I am happy to be in mine.
* * *
More info on Bahay Kalipay: http://bahaykalipay.com/
More photos here
