Hello from Diamond Mountain!

Tuesday 10/6

I'm here at Diamond Mountain. The rest of the drive to Arizona was phenomenal. When I got to Texas the sky just opened up HUGE and it was so beautiful. And I cannot even describe to you how gorgeous driving in New Mexico and Arizona is. The hills and mountains are all around you and the sky is so huge and blue. It made the drive that turned me into a zombie totally worth it.

Perhaps you can see all of the bug juice on the windshield. RIP little guys... RIP.

My first day/night was totally overwhelming and a little hectic. The tent I bought was way too big for here because of the high winds we get. Now, you might be thinking, oh, ok, its windy. No. It's not just windy - it is INSANE wind. It's died down a little big today but the first night was CRAZY. Luckily my teachers had an extra tent that I can use from when they camped. But for the first night it was too late to go to their storage place and get it out so I had to find other arrangements for sleeping just for the night. I had options. I could have either slept in my car (but there was too much stuff in it) or slept on a couch in one of the rooms where classes are held, or sleep on the trampoline outside of the house my teachers sleep in. I know the smart choice would be to sleep on the couch. But it was my first night here and I was sooo tired and just wanted to sleep and people were still awake in the house. Also, it was my first night in Arizona and the moon was huge and there weren't any bugs that would bite me, etc. So I chose trampoline. It was nice and peaceful and beautiful.... Then the wind started. Again, a smart person would have just gone in the house when the crazy wind that almost blew me off the trampoline started but apparently folks, I am not a smart person. Therefore I stuck it out and stayed outside in the windstorm. I don't know exactly what I was trying to prove or why but I stayed out there. I just pulled the sleeping bag over my head and tried to sleep as much as I could. I survived. Then I ate some oatmeal.

A lot of the people on the campground here keep silence until 10am and its really nice. Not everyone does it and if you talk its no big deal. I've been doing it the past couple days though and I like it a lot. It's just nice to ease your way into the day peacefully. I noticed how quiet it was when I first got here. I parked the car, got out, and just stood there for a minute. Not everyone was here yet so there werent as many people as there are now or there will be at the end of the week - but still. The quiet is seriously amazing. Right now in the Nectar Lounge (a big tent where people eat and hang out and go on their laptops) theres music playing and people talking and hanging out so its not all quiet all the time but you can walk a few feet away if you need to clear your head. Anyway - its just really great.

Today I woke up and showered and then went back to my new home (aka tent) and meditated. Then ate some more oatmeal peacefully in silence. Then I went to yoga which was really great. I did a supported handstand on my first try so that was a little bit awesome. Thank you teachers :-)

Wednesday 10/7

I'm much busier than I thought I would be, which is why I started this post on Tuesday and I'm finishing it on Wednesday. There are just classes to go to and yoga to do and projects to work on. My teacher from New York is also very close with the main teachers here and lets me come hang out with all them so that takes up a lot of time too. But its really the most awesome thing I could be doing here so its totally worth it. I'm actually pretty luck to be new and hanging out with all the teachers eating Mexican food.

I went to pick Molly up from the aiport today. We had some lunch in Tucson and now we're hanging out in the Nectar Lounge which is a big tent set up with couches and chairs and wirless internet and power with which to charge things. They also have food, juice, and soda in here that you can buy. Its a very chill place. Very nice.

I'll stop now so people have some sort of update. Picture will come soon - I promise! I just have to charge the camera and then I'll post again soon. I love you all!

p.s. Welcome to Diamond Mountain Molly!!!!!!!