amma's ashram opening~off to india

i thought it would be appropriate to post a few pictures i took last weeking at the opening for amma's new ashram in potomac, md. it's actually the former house of sargent shriver and eunice kennedy. i felt like my peace corps and spiritual worlds were colliding. and now in a few hours i will leave for india for three weeks. i've wanted to go for so long and now its happening and i can't even figure out how i feel about it~excited and nervous with the feeling like i am about to know a lot more about the world than i do now. i'll have my camera and my journal and some good company to help me process it all.

while i am gone, i want to leave you with a few bits of entertainment.

i just found out that they have an ayahuasca monologues in nyc.
this made me laugh out loud--esp when she professes her love to her space heater.
beautiful music from isreal.
a really interesting interview with liz gilbert about her new book "committed." (this interview made me seriously rethink some of my ideas about marriage)
the new album from vampire weekend is out.
lara shipley's unbelievable pictures of leslie hall in her midwest diva gold stretchy pants that she designed herself.

my three favorite images from the phillips collection today.

man ray, "untitled."

minor white, "frosted window."

pierre bonnard "woman with dog."

take a tour.

it's the night before christmas eve and dc is quiet. other than teaching yoga and hanging out with my family, i've been laying pretty low myself which gives me the time to explore all the bits and pieces of the internet that i am usually too busy writing emails and color toning photos to see.

if you are interested, you too can see what i've been looking at (i recommend viewing everything set to this musician's soundtrack): first go see the pictures of the year at the nytimes~some amazing images in there (one of my favorites is the one of the three tibetan monks) then decompress from all the bloodiness by going here to find out how to make a midwestern cheeseball and learn about a restaurant that demands to be known in portland (is it silly to visit a city just because i want to see these women cooking?). then look at these photographs and cry a bit because you were not alive to be a part of paris in the 1960's. if you want more, see what the ladies at wishstudio are up to--those online creative retreats look pretty inspiring. i esp love hanna's post about her new years ritual. i have done something a bit like that and have decided to do it again in those precious days between xmas and new years, which of course i will post here. a nice way to finish the tour is to peak into the journals of this lady and dream about traveling to somewhere warm next year for the holidays.

many thanks to the ladies at instaboner for the constant supply of hipness and inspiration. happiest days to all of you!!

day seven: sing out

day six: wonderland

day five: rita and hammoud are beautiful together.

like a movie star!

hammoud gets ready.

cake designed by cake love and oh so good.


it was a cloudy day with bits and pieces of light.





paola, from italy, is such an alive person.


this was the lovely union of rita from hungary and hammoud from syria in oakton, va. i already knew rita from our yoga teacher training and just thought she was the coolest lady. then i got the privilege of photographing their small and precious ceremony the day before thanksgiving. i felt like family right away and enjoyed myself so much. on days like these, i really feel like i have the best job ever.

day five: the icaro of the boa.

Icaro of the Boa from Ryan Wylie on Vimeo.

here is a photo montage set to one of the icaros (sacred healing songs) that my friend ryan made. it's sung by a very cool shaman named vladimiro who lives outside of iquitos and used to be a high school teacher. he is the only shaman we met on our recording journey who sings in quechua. his wife also accompanies him for a lot of the songs adding a lot of feminine goodness. he told us that to him the boa was a good symbol, one of purification and not to be afraid.