LIZ HOLLOWAY, ND

What I've Learned from Brewing Kombucha

7/27/2016

If I could go back in time and tell myself to stop drinking kombucha at the time of this photo....

I just made my first 3 batches of kombucha. When the level of ferment was perfect and it was time to bottle, I had far, far, FAR too much kombucha on my hands. The thing about kombucha is the carbonation WILL dissipate completely without the proper bottles for storage. Which I didn't have. So here I am. Three huge multi-liter jugs deep of kombucha and no bottles to maintain carbonation.

Alas, following my kombucha de-scoby-fying, I was in a pickle. And what does any great thinker do in a kombucha pickle!? Drink as much kombucha as possible of course!!! Warnings to start small on your kombucha consumption aside! I have been a regular kombucha aficionado! I drink bottles of Kombucha like it's my job. So, two pints down, and oh, Mom wants to try some! Great, let's both have a glass!, it is not long until the symptoms begin to creep in. The probiotics (healthy bacteria & yeast colonies) in my kombucha took up residence in my gut, shocking the toxins in my body to 'Hail Mary' on outta there! In theory that may sound good, or at least not terrible. However, when it all gets going at once, the body witnesses symptoms so unpleasant and omnipresent that even my go-to vipassana meditation technique that helps me through all sorts of healing cannot stand up to such a toxic purge! Additionally, kombucha raises the alkalinity in your body. I once drank highly alkalized water with similar nauseating effect.

Moral of the story folks--when they say start small with your intake of kombucha, they mean it! This ain't no health food store diluted kombucha... This is the real deal! and believe you me when I say it is like an electroshock to your toxins. And I consider myself a human who eats a nutrient-rich, pesticide-free diet and leads a healthy lifestyle. But the stuff coming up and out may have been from years and years ago! yuck.

So what are the symptoms? Nausea, defecation, insane headache primarily on frontal and temporal lobes, body aches--bone, muscle, connective tissue--fever, extreme body temperature fluctuation, slight insomnia (though that may have had to do with my nerves regarding teaching my first 6am yoga class the following morning), loss of appetite, low energy/exhaustion... And yes I was experiencing it all at once.

After trying to sleep it off--no dice--teaching my 6 am yoga class while feeling like garbage, and still feeling the effects the following day, I decided it is time to find a cure! And what exactly is the suggested cure? Well according to the trusty internet, if overdose does occur, it will take time for the probiotics to run its course. Ah, sit and do nothing while upheaval takes root in every fiber of my being!? Alas, reading on, another option prevails... The kombucha people suggest drinking more kombucha! You have GOT to be kidding me! Drink more of the stuff that is trying to kill me!? But, really, what did I have to lose at this point? So I poured a SMALL cup. Lo & behold, my headache immediately dissipated. My muscles felt a little more themselves. Tummy nausea still prevalent but I will take that over the pounding headache and achy body, Wooo! It was short-lived relief, however, as the symptoms resumed in their toxic withdrawal only moments later.

Folks, what I'm trying to say: Don't be a hero. Start small on the kombucha life. (That includes not brewing 3 jugs at once)...Unless of course you are adequately prepared to bottle in the carbonation & being prepared for such an undertaking is a mighty fine idea.

And with that, I present you... How to brew kombucha!!

I used 3 separate recipes and they all turned out just fine so it seems to be a forgiving process yielding good results.

Ingredients:
4 quarts of water
5tbsp organic black loose leaf tea + tea sachet (can use a tied up cloth, also 5 tea bags can be used in lieu of loose tea)
3/4c sugar
1 scoby + ~1cup starter tea from previous 'booch batch
Jar (glass is a good option, food-grade ceramic is good too. Do not use plastic or metal.)
Tightly woven cloth (dish towel or cloth napkin), coffee filter, or paper towels, to cover the jar + 1 rubberband to secure cloth
funnel
swing-top bottles with rubber stopper to maintain carbonation *this is where I went wrong!!!
pH test strips

I used 3 different processes for my 3 batches of kombucha. Here is my favorite process:

Boil 1 quart (4 cups) of water.
Brew 4-5 tbsp loose organic black tea when water comes to a boil. Helpful to have a little sack to keep the tea together and not loose in the pot. Pull out tea bag.
Add sugar to concentrated tea mixture. Stir until dissolved.
Use funnel to pour carefully into kombucha brewing jar.
Add 3 quarts (12 more cups) of water or until 4 inches remain from liquid level to top of jar.
Allow mixture to cool to room temperature (using 12c chilled water will speed this process up)
Add 1 scoby with clean hands and pour in ~1 cup of kombucha starter tea
Without disturbing scoby, lightly stir jar.
Check pH--if you're below 4.5, you are where you want to be. If above 4.5, add a small amount of vinegar (~1TBSP) until pH drops to acceptable level.

Let that kombucha brew for 7 days. On the 7th day, give the booch a stir without disturbing the scoby and sample the taste. If you like what you taste, wash your hands, remove the scoby along with ~1 cup of kombucha into a clean glass container and begin bottling your kombucha! Also, if you run a pH test at this point, you should find that the pH level has dropped between 2.5-3.5 pH, this is a good level! Begin the bottling process and remember, if this is your first real kombucha, start small. Drink a tiny amount and increase little by little each day. Enjoy the healing benefits of kombucha... at a more manageable degree than I managed!! :)

NOW if you're itchin' your noggin, asking yourself,
Where the heck do I find a scoby? And what is a scoby for that matter?
Allow me to clear that up for you.
A 'SCOBY' is a Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast, or a colony of bacteria and yeast. They multiply as you brew each batch which is pretty cool! So contact a friend or fellow brewer and begin the great scoby exchange. Because sharing is caring. Especially when you have over 10 scobies (helpppppp) :)

Happy brewing. Stay healthy. And for the love of Kombucha, drink no more than half a glass to successfully begin the 'booch life!

Check out that scoby!!

Not the bottles you want to use for your finished product... wah wah.

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A Trail Tale

7/5/2016

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The account of a first-timer’s backpacking extravaganza
Ice Age Trail, Kettle Moraine State Forest, Wisconsin

This was to be my first REAL backpacking, camping trip! Naturally, I spent the the entire week prior at REI. I got to buy all sorts of super expensive backpacking goodies. Boots, air mattress, a cocoon(!) for my sleeping bag. Who knew that you can get socks to line your socks! or how many vegan, gluten-free freeze-dried camping meals exist—score! And forget breaking in the boots, I ain’t got time for that!

Day 1: Friday morning we hit the trail & saw 5 horses, a wombat, and a few unripe raspberries. We made camp beyond the Mauthe Lake campsites—our mission: the further we camp away from people the better! Hiked 8 miles. Had one blister forming on my right heel, one curious bulging bruise on the top of my left foot. I said tomorrow we will find fields of ripe raspberries.

Day 2: Saw fish, a painted turtle, so many toads on the path, and bushels upon bushels of ripe raspberries. yum. Hiked 13 miles. Blister on right foot fully formed, questionable bruise on left foot seems more ballooned and swollen. I said today I will see a snake! And I did. Just not the kind of snake I was expecting to see. Note to self: be specific when talking to the universe.

The Last Aloha featuring the Snake
Setting: day 2, midway through our 4-day backpacking trip

As daylight began to fade we arrived at last to the Parnell Tower. After 12 miles, we were pretty dead, but thankfully the lookout tower was only a staircase away. Still needed to make camp so we had our packs with us.

The trail we came in on bisected the very long stairway: to the left, stairs led up to the lookout tower & to the right, stairs led to the parking lot & toilets. We planned to head up the tower, but first, to the toilets!

Since we were coming right back up, I decided to leave my pack at this mid-way point by a bench and go use the bathroom. Marcus, my hiking companion, said he was not about to leave his pack because he didn’t want his stuff stolen. I replied, “No one will steal my backpack!” For good measure, he had me “hide” the bag behind a fallen tree behind the bench. I didn’t put much effort into hiding it as I was under the belief no one in their right mind would take a backpacker’s pack! I left my sweaty aloha hat on top of my bag.

After using the toilet, I waited on a picnic bench outside the facility for my hiking companion. While sitting there, I watched as a girl came running down the stairs, squealing that she nearly stepped on a chipmunk. A boy came running off the stairs behind her and then came a woman. They were all sprinting through the parking lot toward their car. While running in her miniskirt and ballet flats toward the car, the woman was puffing on a cigarette. She yelled for the kids to hurry up.

I felt like something sketchy was underfoot. Am I witnessing some kind of heist? I wondered whether I should take down their license plate number. But it was an Illinois plate and those have all weird letters and numbers jumbled together; so I said the heck with it, I can’t remember all that. After they scrambled into a white 4-door sedan (kids in the back, no passenger in the front), the woman sped toward the base of the stairway—not toward the exit of the parking lot and parked. Hmmmm. The woman hopped out and started rearranging the trunk.

I went into detective mode. No one was sitting in the passenger seat. This woman is moving things to make room in the trunk. She is in a full-blown frenzy. I see her glancing up the stairs. She appears to be expecting someone. An accomplice?

I slid off the picnic table and started walking toward the car. I arrived at the foot of the stairs and positioned myself between the car and the base of the steps. I looked up the stairs. What timing! Lo & behold, I see a man hurrying down the last couple steps with my backpack on his back!! With a straight face, I look him dead in the eye and ask, “What are you doing with my backpack?" Without missing a beat, he hands me the bag. I ask him if he has my aloha hat or if he left that by the bench. He said he didn’t see a hat. He jumps in the car & the family from Illinois high-tails it away.

Heist aborted!

So much going through my head at this point. a) what kind of EXAMPLE are you setting for your kids!? b) REALLLY!!??!? c) not to make generalizations but people wonder why Illinois doesn’t have a good reputation in Wisconsin… d) I hope my hat is still up there! e) If I had been as constipated as Marcus I would have lost my bag!

At this time my hiking buddy comes out of the toilet, and I tell him a man brought down my bag for me! We quickly hike up the steps & look around for my hat. Gone. The last aloha.

Afterthoughts--

This family from IL probably figured a hiker left the bag in order to climb up the tower (the opposite direction from their getaway car). Little did they know, I had unintentionally set them up in a trap!
What would have happened had he not given up the bag!? gah, I don’t know… I did not get their license plate number—I don’t even know what kind of car they were driving, so I had really nothing to go off of to turn in any reports…
My first backpacking adventure nearly thwarted! I was midway through my backpacking trip—a 2-day hike away from our car. Such a heist could have been a doozy for me ! and just think of my newly purchased cocoon!
And finally, I found myself chuckling. The snake. I had told the universe today I would see a snake. And a snake I did see—it may not have been reptilian, but by our deeds, we choose our creature form!

So what did I learn from this experience? People tell me I tempt others when I leave something valuable unattended, unlocked, etc. Well I disagree! There is always a choice. If someone wants something badly enough, they will go for it. And maybe his/her need is greater than mine. There was a time I was eating lunch--an overpriced thali set--outside a restaurant in Nepal. Before I could react, a man swiped the curd (yogurt dish) from my plate, ran a few steps and slurped it down. The restaurant worker who witnessed the whole exchange ran after him, yelled, and hit him. The man curled up in fetal position and took the abuse. In the meantime, a server quickly replaced the curd on my plate. I felt condolence & compassion for the man who clearly needed the nourishment much more than I!

And as for this family from IL, when I got over the shock of their attempted heist, I realized I was the one who learned the valuable lesson. It’s a matter of perspective, isn’t it? When we say 'me, my, mine'…what are we doing? We are both harboring attachment & creating separation… If we are connected through one collective consciousness, there is no need for this possessive line of thought. And if I get upset because someone took something that "belonged to me” I allow attachment to lead me toward misery. However, if we release attachment, truly just let it go, with the idea 'hey maybe s/he needed that more than me,' what kind of paradigm shift would we experience? The backpack is not ‘mine.' Nothing belongs to me. I both forgive & thank the family for enlightening me this Independence Day weekend—thank you for teaching me independence from the ego-driven world, from our grasping and attachment of material possessions; thank you for enlightening me with the true meaning of non-attachment and bringing awareness back to our interconnection.

Day 2 (continued): ate dinner on the top of the tower, watched the sunset over Kettle Moraine State Forest. Camped in a swarm of mosquitoes.

Day 3: saw a family of turkeys (parent turkeys and 2 chicks awkward in flight). Blister on right heel popped and began healing. Left foot still swollen. Bathed in Mauthe Lake with rose-scented Dr. Bronner's. Watched the sunset in the hammock while eating ginger dark chocolate & maple-flavored almond butter. Hiked 14 miles.

Day 4, Independence Day: the first morning waking up before 8:30am(!) Saw 2 dead mice on the path (the snake did not eat its prey...), a salamander, and many dogs. Hiked 7 miles to arrive back at our starting point. Feet survived!

Hiked: 42 miles. Lost: 1 aloha hat. Gained: a sense of compassion for all humankind.

Note to self: Keep spreading that aloha Lizzie Bear, because the world thrives on LOVE.

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And on the Fifth Day, I Reached Enlightenment

6/30/2016

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Before the course...

The Tale of a First Time Vipassana Meditator

I first heard of Vipassana when I lived in South Korea. I remember my friend Tyler talking about his experience with some 10-day silent meditation course. I had caught myself thinking, “What!—why would anyone DO that? Ten days of SILENCE!? I could NEVER do that! I would never WANT to do that! What in tarnation?”

And yet, over the next four years, my ‘what in tarnation’ feelings dissipated and I felt drawn on an increasingly spiritual & soul-searching path. Wishing to elevate my consciousness, raise my vibrations, and ultimately, awaken(!), I hoped to transcend the rat race—this modern day consumer-driven, promotion-seeking, living for the weekends type of life. There has got to be more to life than wishing away the work week while paying off the mortgage eeee it’s not the life I’m dreaming of! And so, ten days of silent meditation, an experience that at one time seemed beyond daunting, suddenly seemed like an imperative stepping-stone on my pathway to enlightenment.

While living in Hawaii it appeared as though all my friends had already participated in the 10-day Vipassana course. They encouraged me to give it a go. I eagerly searched the website to sign up on the Big Island. But between limited space and a heck of a lot of like-minded island-dwellers, there appeared to be quite the demand for such an experience. The course was full, drat!

Fortunately at that time I was also planning a trip through Asia. My friend Lianne who I would be visiting in Japan asked me if I had considered taking the Vipassana course while traveling. I had listed Vipassana on my new moon manifestation wish list a day or two prior to our conversation. I searched for a Vipassana center in Asia—not only were there two in Japan, but one was in my favorite city—Kyoto. I signed up that day. Another wish fulfilled.

Fast forward to June 7, 2016. I sat on a local Japanese bus full of high-vibrating, yet energetically nervous individuals. I had a hunch we were all going to the same place. We cruised through beautiful country land and groves of bamboo. We exited the bus with our small suitcases, or in my case, a huge traveling backpack full of tea and tea paraphernalia (I stocked up in China, ok!? :-p). We loaded into the Vipassana center’s vans and drove to the place we would call home for the next 10 days—a place that would ultimately witness my transformation. Our driver recommended we take a photo of ourselves before and after the course…

The Vipassana Experience

The Beginning

We were given a lot of rules. We were told we could not exercise (not even yoga—too distracting apparently!)—though we could stretch. We were not allowed to read, write or have access to the outside world. We were not to speak, make eye contact or gesture to one another. Females were segregated from the males—there was a curtain dividing our living quarters from theirs. They sat on one half of the meditation hall and we sat on the other. They ate upstairs, we ate downstairs. We each had an outdoor area, roped off to maintain our separation throughout the course.

I looked at the daily schedule posted on the wall and counted the hours we would be sitting in meditation. Over 10. Each day. Wait a minute, this is what we are doing? Oh wow. I really didn’t look into this ahead of time. I don’t know about this. I can barely sit for 20 minutes in meditation. 10½ hours seems a little much. Anyone else with me? Oh we can’t talk—observe the “noble silence.” Shoot. I already told them I would stay for the full ten days. That was the agreement. Well then, no turning back now, let’s do this. Gulp.

And so I sat. On my cushion. Four rows back. Five seats to the right, on the edge, near the door. Good location. I can get up and leave the hall at any time without disturbing anyone.

We were given daily instructions in English via tape recording by our teacher, Goenka. This Indian man, a former successful businessman, learned the original Vipassana technique from his teacher in Burma (present-day Myanmar) passed on by Buddha himself. Each instruction he gave was translated into Japanese. And every day Goenka told me I was ‘bound to be successful.’

The first day I was instructed to notice my in-breath and out-breath through my nostrils. And for the first few days we practiced this method called anapana—observing the breath.

In addition to noticing my breath (slash not really), I also planned a few trips, rearranged the furniture in my room in Wisconsin, created a vegan baked ziti recipe, got engaged, planned my wedding, named my children, bought property in Hawaii and built a house, created a community, planned my career, started a business, organized a detailed business plan, and worked diligently with clients in said business. Man was I busy.

Besides the noticing my breath part, I was getting really good at this sitting thing—at least good at passing the time.

I couldn’t sit still though. From pushing one leg back to the other leg back to hugging my knees, I was all over the place. But so were all the others around me. Not that I was opening my eyes! (ok, ya caught me :-p) Basically, I was—without question—failing at this course from the get go.

During our break times, I walked outside. Soaked up the sunshine, listened to the birds, noticed the spiders forming tunnels and caves with their webs—never seen that before. They had told us to wear shoes outside because of “snakes” and I thought oh sure, they just don’t want us dirty hippies going barefoot and tracking mud inside the meditation hall. But sure enough, on day four I nearly stepped on a huge snake in the path! Maybe 5 ft long. I saw him days later up in a little tree. I also witnessed skinks in a scuffle, fat frogs, colorful caterpillars, and a broken butterfly.

The Broken Butterfly
He had lost part of his wing and maybe two of his feet (they’re supposed to have 6, yeah?) Well anyway, this butterfly could not fly. And he crawled on to my hand. He vibrated violently at first and eventually calmed down. When the gong sounded for our next meditation, I left him by the flowers.

I came back afterward and he was just where I’d left him. He hopped back on my hand and used his long tongue to cover my hand in his saliva—how nice of him to share! I let him down once more when it was again time to meditate.

Upon my return, he allowed me to witness something quite spectacular. Through some intense wing flapping, he purposefully broke off part of his intact wing to have symmetry with the missing piece. Immediately after, he began ambling toward me at a brisk pace. He looked up in my eye and we both knew this was it for him. By breaking off his wing he accepted that he would no longer fly—and would therefore be an easy meal for another critter.

I told him I’m sorry he was on his way out like this. But he responded to me: our physical life is impermanent. My body is physical and will pass away but my soul will live on. He said he was grateful for losing part of his wing for had he not, he would never have shared time and had this connection with me. And because of our time together, he is the happiest butterfly in the world.

I was amazed because I had not viewed his situation in that way. What a wise butterfly. He gifted me the partial wing he had flapped off. We knew it would be the last time we saw one another.

When I returned during our next break, he was nowhere to be seen. Picking up a flower he had sat upon, I performed a ceremony for the butterfly. I thanked him for his lesson on nonattachment, the inevitability of change and impermanence, and the wisdom he bestowed upon me. The acquiescence of the butterfly—what a gift to behold!

Going Deeper

When I wasn’t walking laps around the garden or conversing with butterflies, I spent a good amount of time “stretching” while actually practicing yoga—shhhhh…. I’m pretty sure others were doing some yoga too, even the guys (not that I was looking, sheesh!) … Because gosh golly, my body was in an interesting state from all that sitting…

On Day 4 we moved beyond noticing our breath and learned the Vipassana meditation technique. Vipassana translates to “seeing things as they truly are.” We were instructed to notice the sensations of the entire body from top to bottom. They even closed the doors on us (no 20 minute bathroom breaks this time, Liz!) and so I knew things were getting serious. By Day 5, I was experiencing full body vibrations, like energy waves coursing up and down my body. I’d done it! I was convinced I'd reached enlightenment!!

During our evening meditation before bed, the vibrations were even more intense. I noticed my heart rate speeding up and my hands sweating profusely. Understandably I was unnerved by such intense sensation, and I felt obligated to speak to the assistant teacher about this. (Imagine at just 4-ft tall the cutest elderly Japanese woman ever and that was our assistant teacher.) Upon hearing my plight, she said, “Good, just observe.” She noticed the concern on my face and added, “Or return to anapana meditation if it feels like too much.”

As proud as I was for reaching enlightenment—and in half the time of the course!—I was also pretty sure I was about to have a heart attack. I could not get my heart rate down and spent an hour wide-awake following the evening meditation. (Whereas the previous nights I fell asleep within seconds of lying down.)

The following day I was trying for the same vibrational experience I had on Day 5. The more I strived for it, the more it seemed to elude me. Day 6 was my lowest day. I felt like I had cracked the code on Day 5, and now I couldn’t do a darn thing. What was going on! I was so bothered. I spent the day feeling like a failure. Goenka lied—I am not bound to be successful!

Each evening we listened to Goenka’s hour-long discourse. And during the evening dialogue, a filmed recording of Goenka’s lectures, he somehow managed to address exactly what I was going through each day. Day 6 was no different—he explained that my attachment to the feeling I experienced led to my inability to experience it. Fine, I’ll let it go, I decided. That night, I released the craving for the full body vibration and voila, there it was. Thanks for the lesson, G!

On Day 7 our instructions shifted. We were directed to notice the “gross sensations” (like the super uncomfortable feeling in my knee or hip). From there, we were told to practice “anicca” (a-nee-cha), or the idea of impermanence, or that everything is constantly changing and cycling through; although something may feel like a grossly uncomfortable or painful sensation, it is in fact passing by, so just observe. Do not label it good or bad, for it is only our reaction that gives it such meaning. Just observe. Anicca, anicca, anicca…

I tried out the method of observation. Rather than shifting my body around every time I felt discomfort, I observed the sensation. Lo and behold, the sensations did not last! I could actually feel it cycling through! I imagined there was a faucet or drain, and the sensations were liquid, draining from my physical body.

And so began the process of release.

A Little Backstory

I’ve had chronic tension in my back, neck, and shoulders for as long as I can remember. My shoulders always seemed to close off my chest and I could not ‘open my heart’ as they like to say in yoga classes. I spent hundreds of dollars at massage therapists, acupuncturists, and chiropractors—‘the quick fix’—but always for an all too short-lived amount of relief. And after the massage, etc., within a day, the tension reestablished itself, taking up prime real estate in my body.

I had a deep conviction there was an emotional connection to my tension. I believed my physical body manifested the emotional turbulence I could not or would not work through. But I could not figure out how to address it! I wanted to get to the root but I just didn’t know how. The stress had manifested deep within my body and it seemed pretty well established. And so I held on to it. I held on tight.

Well, not any longer.

Letting Go

After each meditation I got up feeling lighter, looser, like jelly. The tension was melting away, and this time, it wasn’t just temporary relief.

I strayed from the directions. (Something we were not supposed to do…classic Liz.) In addition to observing as I was instructed, during the meditations, I also found myself asking my body what emotional memory was stored in each spot of tension. My body would respond, and sometimes I’d be surprised by the response—a lot of it seemed rooted in early childhood, some in adolescence, and a lot of feelings surrounding the idea of “not being good enough.” I found a deep wound relating to a childhood best friend who at some point in our lives got ‘too cool’ to hang out with me. I never dealt with the accompanying emotions and they’d been manifesting in my body for years. My last romantic relationship poured out of my right hip—for three days. I did everything I could not to cry out in agony as it passed through me.

Releasing emotions through noticing sensations in my body was groundbreaking, life-changing. Finally! A solution to years of pain—both emotional and physical.

As ecstatic as I was to be reaping the relief, I also became angry. Why hadn’t anyone told me about the effects of Vipassana years ago!?! Didn’t anyone know the extent I’d been suffering!? Rage washed over me. How have people experienced this and not shared their experiences!!?

Anicca, anicca, anicca… I let the thoughts pass. I cannot go back in time to take an earlier course (to be honest, I probably would not have been ready for it, ie circa Tyler 2012), but I can appreciate the 10 days I spent learning the Vipassana technique. And going forward, I can live a life free of misery if I choose to. It’s always a choice.

My life has changed subtly yet dramatically. You may have noticed I changed my name—yes, that’s right, I’m letting go of Liz for a while. I meditate each morning and evening. It feels amazing. In daily life, I am not nearly as fidgety as I had been. My thoughts don’t race. I have stopped future tripping—I must say the thoughts on marriage, etc. came as a surprise to me as marriage had not been on my radar—not something I was consciously interested in(!) alas, I am not going to think about it. I’m allowing the universal flow to continue guiding me on my path. &I will choose nonattachment to be my daily motto. Anicca, anicca, anicca… let it go, let it flow <3

To close I would like to give a BIG shout out to Goenka for disseminating this information & making the meditation practice accessible to the world. Thank you Buddha for figuring it out and sharing it! And thank you reader, for not only reading my experience, but also hopefully gaining valuable insight on how you, too, can live a life free of misery. The choice is and will always be in your hands. May all beings find real peace, real harmony, real happiness.

Curious to learn more? Check out https://www.dhamma.org

After the course

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life in hawaii

10/7/2015

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aloha y'all! as the weather turns cooler back in the mainland, it sure is nice to be in paradise year round! so what am i doing out here anyway, you may wonder. ever since i applied for teach for america 3 years back with my #1 choice as hawaii and really no interest in teaching anywhere else stateside (yeahhh, didn't get that teaching position! ha ha!), i have been itching to live in hawaii. because why not! it seemed to me the most cultural, non-american place to live and still have the benefits that come with being in the u.s. and utilizing that american citizenship. i feel like it is important to keep a safe distance from things like donald trump and scott walker and gun laws and gmos...

so i've been doing this crazy work schedule of 8 days working approximately 15 hour days followed by 6 days straight chillin'. this schedule has allowed me to explore a good part of the big island, and what a beautiful, big island it is! i am so blessed to call it home and i remind myself that every sunrise, sunset, rainbow, tropical storm, drive around the island, sighting of colorful geckoes, flowers, fruits... ahhh i could go on. so who wouldn't want to live out here, amiright!? :)

the work is a mixed bag. it has its moments, and it can be incredibly draining and isolating with its crazy schedule--forget trying to become a part of a community outside of work, they will wonder why you fall off the map every other week. for the most part, it is wonderful--working day in day out outside, having the resources available to play and experiment in the garden, being available for young people, creating the space for them to cope with and heal whatever they came into the program to work on, and allowing them to foster peaceful, healthy ways to carry on in their lives. it's also helped me understand ways to live more peacefully and healthily, too. cooL!

though when all is said and done, i realize what i truly want is a piece of land to cultivate. i want to grow my own food, foster a vibrant, healthy community, and be a healer, teacher, and bright light in the world. i must say, i see this type of shared farmspace livelihood transpiring in many places on the big island. now i wonder whether to join something already in existence or to cultivate something on my own...

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Himalayan Yoga Academy

1/1/2015

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As part of my long way home from Korea to Wisconsin, I decided I’d like to make a stop in India. I wasn’t sure for what exactly—maybe stay at an ashram where I could find a guru and learn about the meaning of life or learn how to meditate for hours on end and eventually get in touch with my own inner guru. I began looking up possible ashrams when an exciting though occurred to me—why not take a yoga instructor course? It had been something I’d thought about for years, but it was always financially out of reach. Not so in India… since I planned to be there anyway, the airfare was already covered. Furthermore, the cost of a 4 or 5-week yoga teacher program is a fraction of the price compared to what I'd find in the U.S. What's more, unlike the programs in the U.S., yoga teacher training programs in India include room and board! Ultimately, taking a yoga teacher training course seemed like the best option to not only fill my time in India, but also delve deeper into my spiritual side and deepen my yoga practice. Alas, my online search for an ashram shifted to a search for the perfect yoga school.

Immediately I knew the location of this yoga academy had to be Rishikesh. This city was thought to be the birthplace of yoga and currently considered the yoga capital of the world. Rishikesh is situated along the sacred Ganga River and at the foothills of the Himalayan mountains. It is a place brimming with forehead-painted swamis dressed in orange and a myriad of ashrams for yoga and meditation.

The next criteria on my list were A) a small class size and B) a school that offered only a few classes per year. I hoped to get to know all the individuals in my program. For this reason, I sought a class size of 25 people or less. Also, I didn’t want a yoga teacher training (YTT) program that spewed out yoga teachers like some kind of factory production. There are plenty of these types in Rishikesh—they offer a new YTT course beginning every month. I felt that the drawback of this model is twofold: (1) teachers become tired and lose steam from the repetition (trust me, as a teacher myself, I know this to be all too true) and (2) the factory model is great for making money, but when that’s your goal, how much are you willing to invest in your students?

Since I knew what I was looking for, my search was easily narrowed down to one YTT in particular: Himalayan Yoga Academy (HYA). This program is 5 weeks, unlike the more common 4-week model (in my opinion, 4 weeks seemed like a very crammed schedule). Additionally, at the time, the YTT program was offered only 1-2 times per year. The course had breadth which appealed to me—an introductory, broad scope would allow me to delve deeper into anything of particular interest following the course. Lastly, unlike other YTTs with a “guru system” where one guru, or teacher, teaches all classes in the program, HYA used the academy model—like an academy, the school provides a teacher who specializes in what he or she is teaching for each class. Basically, I was sold.

Upon my arrival, I was amazed to find the website may have in fact undersold the YTT program! I was in awe of my surroundings—the turquoise Ganga, the soft, fine, white, sparkling sand of the beach in front of my home, the pure, fresh air from the mountains, the footpath along the river connecting me to a nearby area filled with vegetarian restaurants, shopping, and live music. I was taken aback by the incredible individuals from all over the world in the yoga program, by the teachers who were so genuine, kind, and open, and by the staff—cooking for us, preparing our halls, putting on concerts of traditional Indian instruments and kirtan (devotional chanting)… it all seemed too good to be true. I had been traveling for 3 months prior to settling into Rishikesh, so it was wonderful to finally have a place to call home, roommates to befriend, and 3 wholesome meals to eat each day.

We quickly fell into the HYA routine—waking up before the sun to rinse our nostrils and sinuses with the neti pot, learning the breathing practices of pranayama, purifying our body through shatkarma techniques, and hitting the mat for an asana class—all before our first chapatti of the day! Following breakfast, the rest of the day was filled with any combination of yoga philosophy, methodology of teaching yoga, teaching yoga practice, anatomy, meditation, ayuerveda, zen classes, and more asana classes—occasionally mixing it up with kundalini, acro, and yin yoga. On Sundays we had the day off--either a day of rest or a day of adventure with HYA (white water rafting on the Ganga, hiking a waterfall, exploring spiritual caves, teambuilding activities at Mystic Beach, etc.) There were other highlights during the 5 weeks—like the neem-green mud bath, prakshalana cleanse (look it up, haha), watching the sunrise over Rishikesh, and movie nights.

Over the five weeks, my classmates and I formed astoundingly strong bonds and we began to feel like a large, multicultural family. Because the course was demanding physically, mentally, and even emotionally, it was crucial to have the support from classmates. That familial atmosphere kept everyone afloat through the end of the course—you could count on others to offer you help or encouragement when in need. It was an incredible feeling to be a part of this family and to all learn so much during such a brief timespan.

As an individual who practiced westernized yoga for many years, I was amazed to realize how very little I knew about yoga! The seven limbs aside, asana (what westerners think of as yoga) was reintroduced to us in a way we all learned a great deal. Thanks to our structural yoga instructor, Ashish, my classmates and I were tested daily on our preconceived notions of poses and postures, which were fortunately replaced by proper technique. Ashish’s class had me wondering what I’d been doing all these previous years in yoga classes... clearly not proper asana!

On the teaching side of things, HYA offered us a methodology of teaching class and also teaching yoga practice. In the methodology of teaching class, we learned about elements to be aware of when sequencing a class and which factors to consider when creating an asana class. The class had beneficial aspects to it, though much of the time it was difficult to follow or too much information given too fast to process. Our instructor was certainly knowledgeable but sometimes the information wasn’t conveyed in the clearest fashion. Fortunately, we were able to hone our individual teaching methods over a series of practice classes where we taught asana classes to our fellow classmates. These practices were always followed up by feedback from our instructors and classmates. This practice was incredibly useful and helped prepare us for our final exam where we taught our classmates a 10-minute segment of an individually-made, full class plan.

Although five weeks of structural alignment, other asana classes, and teaching practice were certainly beneficial to me, they in no way situated me to be an amazing yoga instructor. Yes, I passed the exam and now hold a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certificate (woohoo!), but to be the best teacher I can be, I realize I must further my self-practice. I view HYA as the gateway to a long yoga journey. I've only just passed through the threshold and taken my first glimpse at the true essence of yoga. Now I will take it upon myself to continue my practice and strive to be the best yoga practitioner and teacher I can possibly be.

Our last few days at HYA consisted of passing our final exams, breathing a collective sigh of relief, and celebrating with our yoga family. Saying “until next time”—never goodbye—some of us parted ways after the five weeks and a few of us traveled together to see the Taj Mahal, visit Varanasi, and chill beachside in Goa. It was an incredible adventure—one I’m so glad I embarked on. We’re already planning our return to India for the 300-hour course so we can become Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) 500 Yoga Alliance certified! :)

So, until next time,

Namaste.

Opening ceremony with my lovely, international roommates

6am neti pot mornings

yoga in the hall led by william and his six-pack

yoga in the tent

green neem mud bath (afterward, we washed in the Ganga :)

Following 5 weeks of hard work, happy to be certified!

My yoga family, the graduating class

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Independent Trekking in Nepal

10/27/2014

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Two friends and I independently trekked to Poon Hill and then Tatopani in the Annapurna Mountain Range (independent trekking means no guide, no porter—and guess what, it’s easy…if you pack light ; ) In general, the hiking isn’t all that difficult and the path is straightforward. The best time to do this hike is October-November. The weather should be sunny, clear, dry, and warm during the day, getting slightly chillier at night. We hiked in mid-October, and the weather was great besides the freak storm that hit on Day 3 of our trek. Fortunately we were safe (and dry) in our guesthouse in Ghorepani. Many others higher up in the Annapurna circuit got caught by the sudden blizzard. It is advisable to check the weather forecast before setting out. In our case, I don’t know that this storm was on anyone’s radar.

I will lay out for you a record of our trek in addition to tips, tricks, and packing advice at the end.

Poon Hill - Tatopani Trek (4-5 days)

Day 1: Nayapul -> Ulleri (4-6 hours)
Day 2: Ulleri -> Ghorepani (4-6 hours)
Day 3: Ghorepani -> Poon Hill (45 min - 1hour, go at sunrise, can also be done at sunset on day 2 or whenever you wish!) -> Ghorepani -> Tatopani
Day 4: Jeep/Bus back to Pokhara (Tatopani -> Beni -> Pokhara)

So before you set off for Pokhara, get your permits in Kathmandu. (This is something a guide would do for you if you hire one, but it is easy enough to do on your own!) We just walked to the Office of Tourism (not far from Thamel), filled out the forms, attached a few passport-sized photos (4 photos are necessary and can be taken there for a fee if you don’t have any on you), and paid the necessary fees (about 4000 rupees or $40).

From Kathmandu, take the tourist bus to Pokhara (~700 or $7). It picks up in the early morning outside of Thamel and will be about 7 hours with stops along the way for food and bathroom. You can buy this bus ticket at your hotel or any tour agency. Be sure to get the bus ticket a day in advance.

Day 1: Set out early in the morning the day of your trek for Nayapul. You can split a cab with others (~1500 rupees or $15 total) or take the local bus for much cheaper. We took a cab, split 3 ways. You really can’t fit more than 3 people plus your gear in the tiny cabs! The ride to Nayapur will be about 1-1.5 hours.

In Nyapul you can get a bite to eat and some tea before setting off on your trek. Start your hike early! We spent most of Day 1 in the hot, hot sun… whoops.

We arrived in Ulleri and found a guesthouse very easily. There were many options, and because we were quick hikers, we had our pick (yea for beating the crowds!) We stayed at Hilltop Guesthouse. We got a lovely room on the top floor for just 500 rupees ($5). You can get even cheaper than that, but we were pleased with our comfy bed and attached bathroom. Guesthouses along the way are cheap because they expect you to eat at their guesthouse restaurant for dinner and breakfast. Place your dinner order at least 1 hour ahead of time because it will take that long to prepare! Also, place your breakfast order the night before.

Day 2: We set off early the next morning to Ghorepani. This time the trek was not so sunny, spent most of the time on a lush, jungly path with waterfalls and moss-covered trees. Again, we hiked quickly and made it to Ghorepani in just 4 hours. If you want a room with a view, when you arrive in Ghorepani, walk past the first set of guesthouses, follow the steps straight (up a small hill) to where you can see the whitecap Annapurna mountain range. We stayed at Tukuche Peak View. It had a nice common area with a fire in the center—it was great to have during the 24-hour storm we got stuck in while there (the same freak storm that claimed many lives further up in the Annapurna range). We paid 500 for a 3-bed with attached bathroom and lovely mountain view.

Day 3: We were too lazy to catch the sunrise on Poon Hill (3193 meters), but made it up there by 8am or so. It is a bit steep and so many stairs. We made it to the peak in 45 minutes from Ghorepani. It’s a nice view and there is an observation deck and a little tea shack at the top. The nice thing about Poon Hill is you can hike it without any gear since you need to return to Ghorepani anyway.

We returned to Ghorepani and checked out of our hotel. We ventured onward to Tatopani. This was a 7-8 hour downhill hike. Not too difficult, but, man, will you feel it in your calves for the next few days! Tatopani is a cute village with several guesthouses to stay at. Ours was called Hotel Himalaya I think, and we paid 200 for a room with a shared bathroom.

Tatopani (not to be confused with Tadapani) has hot springs and our reason for going! It is a natural hot spring, though there are man-made, outdoor pools that are emptied and cleaned out regularly. There are also hot showers available there, so bring your own shampoo and a towel ; ) You must pay a fee to enter the hot springs but it isn’t much. You can also see parts of the river are steaming from the hot spring.

Day 4: Catch the early bus to Beni and then to Pokhara. We missed this bus and had to do some hard bargaining for a jeep to get us to Beni (got it down to 1500 rupees split between 3 people and spent several hours on incredibly bumpy roads with constant stops for additional passengers) and then transfer to a local bus to Pokhara for 220 rupees. You could also hike back but you could not have paid me to hike back up to Ghorepani had we decided to return the way we came, iyy! (The people we passed going in that direction looked miserable!)

Packing List (rule of thumb, PACK LIGHT)

Essentials
-cash money! (there aren’t ATMs along the way so bring what you think you will need.. and then some! you will be paying for inexpensive guesthouses and slightly more expensive than big city food prices in the guesthouses so budget accordingly)
-sunscreen and a hat (it is very sunny on some parts of the trail so protect yourself! also, the sunscreen is expensive on the path)
-headlamp (you may find yourself hiking in the dark or experience frequent power outages while at your guesthouse)
-playing cards (food wait time will decrease dramatically! look up some games before setting out. i was kicking myself for forgetting the rules to some games…because you can only play B.S. so many times…!)
-a book (you will be disconnected from the internet for much of this trip. don’t expect wi-fi or outlets everywhere you go!)
-earplugs (because walls are thin and people are loud!)
-warm clothes (dress in layers—I didn’t need a heavy jacket, just a few layers kept me warm: underarmor, fleece/polyester jacket, and rain jacket/windbreaker, though we didn’t get so high up in the mountains but hat & gloves also came in handy for Poon Hill and cold evenings/mornings)
-1 hiking outfit and 1 loungewear outfit for the guesthouse (I wore the same outfit every day for hiking—shorts and tank top because the weather was hot—and the same outfit every evening when I wanted to change into something warm/clean—long underwear, underarmor, fleece jacket)—also, 3 pair underwear + 2 pair socks (hiking pair and lounge pair) this clothing plan really keeps packing to a minimum :P
-tennis shoes for hiking & a pair of flip flops for the guesthouse
-toothpaste, toothbrush, soap (basic toiletry kit! who needs a razor, makeup, or shampoo ? apparently not me… you can shower when you get back to pokhara : )
-swimsuit + towel (if you plan to go to the hot springs in Tatopani)
-camera (+ extra charged battery… it is such a breath-takingly beautiful hike.. you will probably want to take many photos)
-water bottle (go green, refill along the way at free, natural springs… no need to buy plastic water bottles!)
-granola bars/nut mixes (you can buy this at the grocery store in Pokhara or the German Bakery has some delicious peanut biscuits/museli biscuits which were great trail snacks)
-TP (often comes in handy ; )

NOT Essential (ie in my opinion, DO NOT BRING!)
-hiking boots (I just wore tennis shoes, no problem. The path is mostly dry with a few wet spots here and there… my ancient, falling apart Nikes were troopers ;)
-multiple changes of clothes (see my note above in essential items)
-sleeping bag/tent (the guesthouses are cheap and comfortable, offering extra blankets so you stay warm at night)
-bug spray (we did not encounter any bugs! maybe if you go at a different time of the year there are bugs? I don’t know)
-shampoo, razor, makeup, etc (as i said, stick to the basics because these things are not necessary… your hat will cover your greasy mop and who are you trying to impress anyway? ;)
-umbrella (a rain jacket will suffice, but hopefully you won’t get caught in any rain!)
-computers, iPads, etc… (leave ‘em behind. it’s your chance to unplug and connect with nature!)
-music player (listen to nature! or make a friend while hiking : )

**Day 3 & 4 listed above were actually Day 4 and 5 for us as we were stuck in the freak storm on Day 3, but this is what you could do if you had 4 days. Also, if you like a place enough, stay there longer! Additionally, there are more villages and guesthouses between the places we stopped so you could really stretch out your hiking.

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What I've Learned from Brewing Kombucha

A Trail Tale

And on the Fifth Day, I Reached Enlightenment

life in hawaii

Himalayan Yoga Academy

Independent Trekking in Nepal

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What I've Learned from Brewing Kombucha

A Trail Tale

And on the Fifth Day, I Reached Enlightenment

life in hawaii﻿

Himalayan Yoga Academy

Independent Trekking in Nepal

Author

Categories

Archives

life in hawaii