Love

I'm doing well, spending a lot of time at the Vipassana center meditating and volunteering in the kitchen/ general maintenance. It is a challenge to stay present when I am constantly thinking about future plans (where/when I will travel, visas, people I miss, etc.) My grandparents come up a lot in my meditation and I send them peace even though I'm not physically around. The possibilities for the future are endless. Thoughts of sailing around the world, going to India, staying in NZ, Sarita, and returning to California all dance around in my head and tickle my imagination. However, we do not exist in the past or future, but only in the present moment. So with that in mind, I continue to observe my breath and remain equanimous with the ups and downs that are life.
With metta, Colby

Update

Living in the north island of new Zealand. I spent the last few weeks in the hokianga with several families. With the land family, I helped build their new house, using clay, gravel, and straw. Being involved in the process of “cobbing” has inspired me to build a house out of natural materials of my own one day. Although there is much physical labor involved in the gathering and mixing of materials and construction, it provides the opportunity to develop and strengthen community. I also spent some time with John and Gail, fencing and gardening. James (a young man from England) and I went on a canoe adventure on the Waima river. I’ve been on several other day journeys (or few days). Such as meeting Anne, who gave me a copy of A Course in Miracles, which has been an insightful and inspiring book. Mainly, I have been spending time with Sarita and her son Dominic. Her and I share an excitement and passion for life that I have not found anywhere else in the world. The company of a child is a constant reminder to stay youthful and practice patience, as well. We dream of all the places we could travel and share the joy of realizing our freedom and privilege. I am open to wherever this journey leads me!

I don't know

Since Ngatimoti, I have traveled north to the Coromandel Peninsula once again. I spent the last two weeks at a Permaculture Design Workshop where I learned all about how to live sustainably and with as little impact as possible. Permaculture is a huge topic, so we only just scratched the surface of possibilities in a two weeks. To put it simply, permaculture is about finding ways for humans and the environments to exist and benefit from one another. I made great friends, Tom and Lein, who I hope to see again. After leaving the workshop, I came to Whitianga where I am now staying at the Freedom Farm. A wonderful group of people who have come together to practice and spread peace. They are truly an embassy of peace and i feel that I have always been a supporter- an ambassador of peace. I met an amazing man named Joshua, who I had heard much about over the last few months, and am inspired just by being around him. In my journal I wrote, "Joshua: intense light, massive presence but effortlessly flowing, navigating with ease. he walked right past the ticket man at an A's game- no questions asked- and tells me that kind of thing is easy. "what's really hard," he says," is mending a broken heart. that's tricky" somewhere i'm scared of him. he reminds me "our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond belief" he reflects the part of me that is pure love, greatness, hard work, and peace. But i don't like to look at that part of me. it demands full dedication, and yet i hesitate.
then this poem:

Who am I?
I am the boy who goes into town to but chips because I like that greasy, full feeling
I am the boy who didnt eat for 10 days and eats fruits and nuts
I am the boy who is shy around great musicians who are willing to share and teach
I am the boy who sings his heart song ont he corner of a city block.
I am the boy who needs a computer with internet to feel connected
I am the boy who plays guitar around a campfire and looks into others eyes and feels connected
I am the boy who needs the jarring stimulation of a hustling, bustling city to feel
I am the boy who sits quietly in the woods and feels at home
I am the boy who shrinks in fear
I am the boy who lives in greatness

it's been a while!

so much has happened in the last few weeks, a lot of ups and downs. I travelled down the west coast of the south island with a wonderful man named Bernie. He lives in sunclubs and nudist colonies, so he and i often got naked and went swimming or dancing or just chillin in the sun- full monty... I stayed with him a few days and he drove me all the way to dunedin where i met up with marshall anderson, a friend from UPS. We celebrated St Patty's day with some college folks in Dunedin. Then I headed dwon to Ivercargill and Stuart Island where I did a week of trail work on the Rakiura Trek. Flying in helicopters and taking water taxis to and from work was really exciting and a nice reward for all the hard work we did on the trail. Three 20-year old guys picked me up while hitching to Queenstown. They invited me to join their birthday celebration and so I partied with them and stayed in a really nice hotel that night. Then I headed further north to Wanaka and along to West Coast all the way up to Golden Bay. Spent a few days in a community called Rainbow Valley. I stayed with another German traveller there with whom I had great conversations and enjoyed discussing sprituality and the universe. Then I randomly met up with some Americans I had met earlier in my travels and we ended up going to a FUll Moon Festival near Motueka. After dancing the whole night and watching the moon set and sun rise, I went to find a family that I had heard about but didn't know much about. I hitched to there house in the eveing and they welcomed me right into their family and I have been here for a week now. This place is magical. The location, the community, and the work (if you can call it work) is inspiring, fulfilling... and I can't begin to justly describe the amazingness of this place. This family is so in-tune with the environment and truly open and mindful of a greater spirit. It is such a relief to be in a place like this, I want to share it with the whole world!

Cosmosis Full Moon Music Festival!

Let my words unwind the mystery
unlock the doors
and set us free
for this is the tale of my adventures
and how i came to be
steadily flowing
not shining, but glowing
this freedom feeling
so ripe as the day breaks to morning
let rythm run deep
and into your soul it will seep
nowhere to be but here with this breath
each moment
in streams of time
bonfire illumination
diamonds in the sky
and the moon!
oh bella luna...
your snake eyes in the night
bring me high to you
rainbows around the world
lets come together and love
far and wide
deep and permeable
eternal in truth.

Island Adventures

South Island

after hitch-hiking down to the south island, i am now staying with Andrew and Melisa who grow/sell flowers and raspberries here in Blenheim. I hope to amke it down to christchurch, dunedin, and then back up to golden bay in the next month. then ill head north again for the winter- where hopefully it will be a little bit warmer! hoping to work for a permaculture workshop in may and then sit another vipassana mediation course and do some more service at the center in helensville