Day Four of my 30 Day Vow of Silence – Independence Day!

Wow, what an amazing day to be Free!

I opened my eyes this morning, to such a beautiful morning light coming through the high windows and filling the vaulted ceilings of the place I am now staying at for a few nights.  This place is amazingly serence, alive, and beautiful.  There are plants, fruit trees and life everywhere. After waking up, I enjoyed a private dip in the ozone filtered pool.  Not only was it great to float around in a pool that needs no chlorine to remain clean, but the surroundings were the icing on the cake.  The pool is inside a large greenhouse filled with even more plants, and the water is heated.  Oh, it was heaven. 

Eventually, I brought myself away from the arduous meditation of floating around on a pool raft, took a shower and began my day.  As I stepped outside to my car to rearrange some things, the neighbor (and landlord of the property I'm staying at) approached me with a friendly smile and said hello.  We hadn't met yet, and I responded to his hello by bringing my hands together in prayer position and bowing to him.  He asked if I was visiting and stood waiting for an introduction.  I looked at him blankly for a moment, then signaled that I couldn't speak and impulsively step forward, taking him into a warm embrace.

When we separated, he looked at me kindly, said thank you, and proceeded to go into the house to talk with the actual tenants.  When I returned they were deep in discussion about my practice.  My friends had filled him in on what I was doing.  It was a cool way to meet a new person - no false words of introduction, or titles to get in the way.

I completed some design work and online marketing, and then loaded up my backpack, grabbed my bicycle, and started to ride down toward the beach.  I am so happy to have a working bicycle again.  The difference of being able to travel somewhere, free from the confines of a large metal box, fueled by my own exertion and not the oily agenda of a abusive industry, is so liberating.  I love feeling the wind in my face, burn of my muscles working, and the occasional bug that smacks you in the forehead as you ride.  Ok, maybe that last part, I don't like so much.

I arrived down at Swami's Beach in Encinitas to a wonderful scene of Acro-yogis, slack liners (like tight roping), hula hoopers, and musicians.  I have such awesome friends.  This was the first annual Fly and Pie 4th of July Acro-Yoga Kula.  I was greeted with such love and warmth, everyone so supportive of my vow and attentive to my communications without speech.  I did yoga, hula hooped, danced, a little sword fighting, played the drums, took a swim in the water, surfed a little, and gave many hugs throughout the day and evening.

While climbing a tree (I get very monkey-like at these gatherings), I twisted my right wrist and strained it.  Suddenly, my ability to write things down became very painful.  My practice was forced to go deeper.  No speaking, and very little writing.  The rest of the night continued very nicely.  I even got to make a group announcement via pantomime, a few words written, and my friend Meeshi reading and interpreting.  Several people did energy work on my wrist and warmed my heart with their dedicated love.  My friend Andrew gave me and my bicycle a ride home to end the night.  The final comment from Andrew, as I got out of the car, was an expression of his gratitude for the inspiration my silence gave him to move into his own silent place...deep within the love of his heart.