Happy Holidays....

Greetings again from the southern shore of Sri Lanka. It's wild being on exactly the opposite side of the planet from most of you.....but still just a second away within the digital world. Things here are super. More guests are arriving.....last night we had 17 people at the table. This year we have a new yoga teacher who has been practicing Ashtanga for 33 years. She's amazing! I've also been teaching partner classes in the afternoons and flying lots of people.

I hope that my friends in Portland are making the best of being snowed in, and that all of you are happy and healthy. Lots of love and blessings to all.

Just like I left it....

Hi Everyone.......

It's amazing how fast the time passes. It's been about 9 months since I left Sri Lanka and now I have found my way back. Rocky Point is just as beautiful as when I left and I am happy to be here again. This year there is a new yoga teacher and the energy here is very high. I've also been sharing my love of AcroYoga with people daily. Lots of flying on the beach. There is also a new website if you're curious about this center....www.ashtangalanka.com I hope that you're all healthy and have a wonerful holiday. Jacob

Muslim Engagement Party

Hello,

It's hard to believe but my time here in Sri Lanka is coming to a close. It's been wonderful and I look forward to returning. Last weekend I had a unique cultural experience. I went to an engagement party for a young Muslim woman. She is a relative of the family that I have become friends with. Here's an explanation of the day.

After yoga in the morning I was picked up by Hafeel in a van with his relatives. At that point there was about 12 people in the van spanning at least three generations. We cruised down the road towards Galle which is about 2 hours away. Along the way we stopped at a relative in Matara and picked up two more folks. When we arrived at our destination we went to the brides house and all the women went to get dressed. The saris that they wear have 9 square meters of cloth that is intricately wrapped around the body.

All the relatives welcomed me and I felt very comfortable. Several spoke English because they too had worked in the Middle East. Eventually we made it to the banquet hall where the party/ceremony was. The engagement "party" is really an opportunity for the women of both families to acknowledge the bride. At this party the bride basically sat in a chair surrounded with flowers in the front of the room and all the women were seated in front of her. They took turns having pictures with the bride and exchanging gifts. It is crucial that the bride's family gives a gift to every woman in the husband's family....if someone is left out they will not be happy. While this is happening the men are just hanging out.

At some point food came out and we all shared rice and curry from a communal bowl in the center, of course with the right hand. As usual it was delicious. After the photos and meal things winded down.....but not before a little three year old kid locked himself in his parents car with the keys and kept pushing the alarm button because of the cool sound it made. The father went home to fetch a spare key.

On our way home we stopped at another relative and had tea. He was reading an English paper and asked me about Obama. All the adults here know about the Obama-Clinton race and it is typically the first topic of conversation. They are all really excited about having a black man as president of America. It was nice to get back to Rocky Point after a full day. Off to bed and yoga in the morning.

P.S.

The photo of the frog is a 1500 piece puzzle that I gave to Hafeel's family and they completed during the past month with the help of his extended family......and I guess several Aunts and Uncles really loved it.

Hope you are all well and I leave a week from today. Cheers, Jacob

Mountain High.....Sri Lankan Style

Hello again,

Up until this point I have only explored a relatively short stretch of the Southern Sri Lankan coast. Last Friday after yoga, myself and two friends decided to go inland and see the mountains of this exotic island. A local friend of ours was the driver and as the midday heat settled on the coastal plain we cruised up into the hills along narrow bumpy roads littered with screaming buses, tuk-tuks, bicycles, and an occasional cow sauntering down the center of the road. Our destination was Ella, elevation 3500 feet.

The place we stayed was amazing. It had a commanding view of the valley. Looking out you could see through the Ella Gap and down to the hot humid coastal plain below. The next day we took a sweet hike up to Ella rock. When we were on the summit a swarm of thousands of bees passed overhead and we all had to lay on the ground and just let them pass over. Joining us on the summit for a while was a group of young accountants from Colombo. They were on a work outing for the weekend. On the hike we passed over a giant waterfall, walked through terraced rice fields, and cruised the train tracks for a while too.

The next day we took a train through the mountains for an hour and a half to the next town, Haputale. From there we visited a nearby tea factory that Sir Thomas Lipton opened in 1890. The hill country of Sri Lanka is pretty much a massive tea plantation. Like cotton in the south, the every available acre here was turned into tea plantations by the British. Also, since there was no work force in the hills, they imported Tamil people from Southern India to pick tea....i.e. slave labor basically. On the coast where I've been it is all Sinhalese Buddhist people. In the hills it is mostly Hindu Tamils who speak a completely different language and have totally different customs. The Tamils are also the most strikingly beautiful people I have seen here......without a doubt.

Riding the train through the mountains was exhilarating. Last month I read The Great Railway Bazaar, and I completely agree with the author's sentiment that upon hearing the whislte of a train my spirit always yearns to be on it with my body hanging out of a window watching the world roll by. On the train we passed waterfalls, terraced rice fields, mountain people, tunnels, and grand vistas.

After three nights in the hills it was time to head back to Rocky Point. We didn't rush out of Ella however. We spent pretty much the whole day there and didn't get home till late that evening. Before leaving the hills I bought some of the most delicious wild bee honey that I've ever tasted...hands down. Everyone else agreed. We also got a bottle of the local "maple syrup." It has the most sweet smokey delicous flavor. It was a wonderful trip to a completely different world within Sri Lanka and I look forward to returning soon.

Many blessings to all of you. Love, Jacob

Rice and Curry Feast

Greetings,

Last Friday myself and a couple friends went to a local family for dinner. We had 13 different dishes and each one was better than the next. Pineapple curry, Okra, sweet peppers, pumpkin, roti, two types of rice, and more. We put out a beautiful spread on the living room floor and all ate together.

I have met some wonderful people here and they are all very kind and generous. Attached are some more photos of that night. One picture is the entire family and then some of the food preperation. I went over to the house early and helped them chop veggies. All the food was cooked over an open flame in the house with cinnamon wood.....it gives a great flavor to the food. Three generations of women in the family prepared the meal. I arrived at 5:30 and they were already cooking. We didn't eat until like 9 PM. I have also taught the family how to play backgammon and dominos. It is so refreshing and educational to be connecting with people outside of the States.

People often refer to places like Sri Lanka as the "3rd World." I prefer to not use this term because I feel that it is a language convention that perpertuates a hierarchical structure. It is that mindset that has historically allowed people in the "1st world" to feel okay about how people and resources of the "3rd world" have been utilized and exploited. Instead I like to think about where I am living as the "real world." More than 2/3 of the global population lives in conditions similar to Sri Lanka or worse.

The days continue to pass here as do yoga and meditation. Some nights it is so easy to sit for an hour, while others drag on. The other night I woke up and had a tick sucking blood out of my neck....later that day I got a spider bite and my elbow swelled up for a day. Ah the tropics....such ecological diversity :)

The weather is definitely heating up here and getting more humid. I guess that it just cranks up for the next couple months and finally explodes into the monsoon season. Hope you are all well. Cheers, Jake

Sri Lanka Salon

Hi Folks,

I just left the local Muslim salon. A very kind older man gave me a great cut and a shave. It was a tiny hole in the wall, literally. He didn't speak a word of English, and he gave me the best cut and shave I've ever had. He was meticulous and all I heard for half an hour was the chop chop of the sissors around my head and ears. I swear that he examined each and every hair on my head. Then he shaved me with an old traditional straight razor. He was super smooth and got it baby soft. When you get a haircut here it includes a vigorous head massage. Very pleasant.

It's Friday afternoon and another week of yoga has come and gone. The time just keeps passing and things at Rocky Point are continually evolving. This is really only the second year that the yoga center has been in full operation and it is a work in progress. Everyone seems interested in helping out and yesterday we did a bunch of cleaning around the place and outfitted the kitchen with lots of new stuff. They loved it.

I am off now to go have diner with a local family I've gotten to know. Three of us from Rocky Point are going to have a meal with them. It's nice being in one place and getting to know people and the local pulse.

Photos:

First me at the barbur shop. Next a Peace Pagoda in a town nearby. The Japanese donated it after the tsunami. The view of the coast from the Pagoda. The wall along the old fort in Galle at sunset. Several of us went last weekend for a night to Unawatuna. It was nice to leave Rocky Point and check out some other spots. We cruised around the old walled city and watched the sunset that night.

Yogis go on a Fieldtrip

People arrive at Rocky Point and settle into life here very quickly. The yoga, meditation, spontaneous class or workshop, swims, fruit salad, etc. all lure people into a simple life. People intend to visit for a week or two and often stay for a month or two. I've been here about 7 weeks or so already and I've seen it happen multiple times.
Once they've become adjusted to life here people just dig in. So, during the past week I have broken out of the mold and actually left Rocky Point. First I went to a town about 2 hours away with a few folks. More snorkeling and a beautiful secluded beach that you hiked down to. Also had the best food yet.......amazing pineapple curry. Sri Lanka is currently empty of tourists. The violence is keeping people away for sure! I hardly see any other whites...especially where we are.
Also, last night was a big event because we actually go like 14 people to go turtle watching nearby. We saw some big Green Sea Turtles. It was beautiful to watch her crawl up the beach and then listen to her digging a hole for the 100-150 eggs. People were excited and the refuge where we went was on an incredible stretchof beach. They had about 2.5 km of wide sandy beach that had absolutely no development or residential light. It was the nicest stretch I've seen. Five different species of turtle nest here and we saw the most common.
Many blessings to all of you!

Rocky Point's Revenge

Who remembers the movie Airplane with Chevy Chase? Did you have the chicken or the fish? Then the shit hits the fan and people start getting really sick on the plane...pilot included. If you haven't seen it check it out sometime.

Here at Rocky Point the question is who ate the salad?......and the answer is everyone. Last Friday night we had a going away party for two people who have been part of our family here since the middle of December. We planned a special meal followed by an evening of dancing that included Sufi, Bhangra, Bollywood etc. Several guests volunteered to prepare dishes so the whole meal was cooked by foreigners. It was primarily Indian and we had chick peas, potatoes, some steamed beets with their greens, a yogurt cucumber dish and a grated salad that was made with mixed veggies. We set the table beautifully and several people shared some blessings. The food was served and we were all excited for the evening.

I am not kidding when I say that it took less than 30 minutes for all of us to start dropping out of sight and crawl back to our rooms. Everyone who ate got sick. It was amazing how virulent the bacteria was. Explosive Diarrhea for 24 hours. Saturday was like a time warp. By Sunday most people felt okay but my energy is still lagging today (Monday) . I think that I lost like 10 pounds of water weight in no time.

After some investigative work it has been determined that the salad was the problem. Apparently it was made in the afternoon and left out. Whatever was in the salad had time to multiply exponentially until it hit our stomachs. An honest novice mistake that we will all remember for a long time. Just follow the local example and you'll stay healthy....but let the foreigners in the kitchen and watch out.

I think by tomorrow all will be be back to normal. Life in Sri Lanka continues with the No Problem pace and outlook. Thanks for reading the blog and I'll send more soon.

Cheers, Jake

Photos:

The first two shots are of Rocky Point. The next shot is our nice table before the onslaught and finally a local temple.

Tea and Crackers....

Hello all,

Life here continues and I am actually finding myself settling into life in Sri Lanka more and more as the weeks pass. I especially feel that way when I find myself bumping into local people that I have meet. Today is a market day.....and what a spread. Veggies, clothes, every type of plastic item you can think of, colorful spices, mysterious fruits etc.

I have also become friends with a local Muslim family here. A week ago I got a ride back to Rocky Point in a tuk-tuk (three wheeled taxi) and the driver spoke great English. He had lived in Saudi Arabia for 13 years. He went there for 10 months each year to work so that he could support his family here. He would come home for 2 months and then return.

So, yesterday a friend and I can to town on poya day....aka full moon day. Everything is closed and it was cool to see the town center quiet. You could actually walk across the street and not have to dodge various moving objects following completely random trajectories. As we walked around we suddenly heard our names being yelled. It was Haafeel, the tuk-tuk driver. We started chatting and then a tremendous rain storm began. So we cruised with him in the tuk-tuk and did a few things and then went to his house. We spent several hours having tea and teaching them how to play dominos and backgammon....he had games that other visitors had given him as gifts.

The pictures....first a shot in a National Park....then my outdoor bedroom in the men's dorm, third a river shot with some people bathing, and lastly the jeef in the national park.

More stories soon......

Jacob

Civil War in Sri Lanka

Hi folks,

It is crazy to think that on this tropical island there is a civil war. The people I am with and the locals that I have gotten to know are all kind beautiful people but not too far away people are killing one another. The violence has sparked in the last month or so and we will definitely keep a watch on things. I am very happy that I am living at this yoga center and not just wondering around the country. Life here for the local people is difficult too. Inflation has gone up a lot because of the war......the price of goods has risen more than 30% in the past couple weeks. There is tremendous poverty and most families are living on less than $2 a day I was told. Very sobering. This is the exactly where I am supposed to be at this point in time. May you and all the Sri Lanka people have a peaceful day. Much Love, Jacob

Tossing the Disc

Hello faithful readers......

Despite what you might have heard in the news I am safe and sound here in Sri Lanka. As of the 16th the Scandinavian peacekeepers all left the country and the government of Sri Lanka has withdrawn from the ceasefire agreement but don't worry we are still doing out practice daily and sitting in meditation every night. Last night in particular was a very good sit for me. I had one of the deeper meditative experiences yet.
Last week I also went to a national park nearby called Yala. Seven of us went for the day and we took a jeep safari into the jungle. Beautiful landscape with....water buffalo, spotted deer, mongoose, green tailed beecatcher, blue tailed beecatcher, wild boar, asian flycatcher, elephants, and much more...just no leopards. The flycatcher has very long tail feathers that look like a black and white streamer blowing in the wind when it flies.
Other than that trip we pretty much just hang around rocky point and stay within a couple miles of the yoga center. A trip to town once and a while and maybe a meal out sometimes but if you don't want to leave the center you don't have too.
The crew of folks who are here are wonderful and we all have seemed to been sucked into the lifestyle here. Most people are here long term and if they are not they change their plans to make it that way. I've been practicing my flick on the beach too with a guy from SF and I am looking forward to playing some ultimate this spring in Portland.
Yesterday we also had a nice workshop with Prem. (the yoga teacher) He shared his life experiences with Ashtanga yoga, Ayurveda, and Tantra. He has been practicing for over 30 years.
I hope you are all well and the next time I write I'll include some pictures. Many blessings. Jacob

Italian Bodies

Hello folks.....

If you'll recall I was heading to a Sri Lankan movie the other day. Myself and four other people from the yoga center all decided to go see a fun movie with lots of singing and dancing etc. We were two men and three woman. We walked in the movie joint and I have to say that it was a spectacular auditorium. We got balcony seats front row. I also have to mention that we were the only patrons except for two separate Sri Lankan men.
The movie started and the title was Italian Bodies (?) . The scene opens with a view of a European castle and the camera pans across and then zooms in on an upper story window. The scene is a woman in a large bed with lots of silk etc. Then another dark haired Italian woman enters the scene. Instantly they are embracing and kissing passionately. One woman steps back and drops the nightgown she is wearing......that's when the yogis looked at eachother and burst into laughter.........we decided to leave at that point.

So apparently they had switched films a day or two earlier. Instead of the singing and dancing we walked in on a porn. Very funny indeed. I guess we just didn't pay attention to the posters outside and no one bothered to ask what was playing. A couple other folks had seen the other movie a few days earlier and we just assumed it was still playing.
It was a great laugh and makes for a very good story.
Blessings to all. Jacob

Pictures of Rocky Point Sri Lanka

Me in the jungle on a rock outcropping.

Body surfing on a neighboring beach.

This bay is a short walk from Rocky Point. This is the bay we swim across after practice and before breakfast.

A typical meal of rice and curried veggies.

So my computer skills are improving and I figured out how to compress the pictures on my camera so that it only takes a few seconds to upload. Stay tuned for more photos.

Cheers, Jake

Some Pictures of Sri Lanka....

Here's a headstand on the beach....next time I'll rotate it ahead of time...it took forever to upload this photos so I'll do more later...I am off to see a Sri Lankan movie..cheers, Jake

Nuts over Coconuts....

Hi again,

Life here continues as we move into 2008. All is well here and some new people arrived the other day so that is always nice to get some new energy into the mix. The other night we went into town and had another amazing meal with the family that Prem helped out after the tsunami. It was a feast of rice and curry....all eaten with our hands. Most of the meals I eat are with my hands....I like touching the food I consume. After the meal we pushed the table aside and some of their friends came over with instruments and played some traditional Sri Lankan music. We all danced and laughed and I got some great pics. I promise that I will post some soon.
Everything here is related in one way or another to the coconut. It makes it's appearance in many food dishes either in the flesh or as milk. I also am eating one just plain every day. It is very delicious meat and extremely nourishing. I have also been getting into these little handmade dough pockets that are stuffed with potatoes and spice and then fried up....very good. Tomorrow several of us are off to see a Bollywood film called No Problem Darling...more details soon. Blessings to all....jake

Sunshine Coast

Howdy folks.......

Life here got hot today.....I think that we are having a little heat wave within an already hot climate. When the sun comes out and shines on you directly it is just plain hot.....the sweat comes out pretty quickly and soaks everything....therefore I wear as little clothing as possible. Usually just some flip flops and shorts. Otherwise all is well here and the practice continues to change. The other folks here are wonderful and I am learning lots. THe teacher who is here (Prem) has been studying for 30+ years and this winter his teacher (Gary Lopedota spelling? ) is actually here too. There are lots of stories about Ashtanga yoga floating around....especially stories from those first trips to India in the 70's.
TOnight we are heading to Prem Restaurant. After the tsunami Prem helped a bunch of families here. He emailed people in his network for help and the $ poured in.....he just passed it along to lots of familes. One family in particular that he really got to know had a restaurant before the flood. He was able to give them enough $ to rebuild their home/restaurant. We go there several times a week to eat.,....it's delicious and just like a home cooked meal. This afternoon I am going a couple hours early and helping prepare the meal. The restaurant is in town which is a short ride from ROcky Point.
I am definitely settling into life here and I am excited to really dive into everything during the next couple months. Maybe tomorrow we'll go to a Bollywood film that is in Sinhalese.....it's always fun to watch movies in another language.
Have a great day and much love from Sunny Sri Lanka. Jacob