CURRENT MISSION

train in, practice, and realize compassion

ABOUT ME

Equal amounts of time spent as a bartender and a zen monk, a vegetarian who has eaten bear. I think people are most beautiful when they're helping other people. Would love to trade stories over tea. Spent as much time in the wilderness as in civilization over the past 9 years, most recently working in the wilderness of Yosemite with a trail crew. I am a sensitive person. I've been in a long passionate love affair with the High Sierra that never seems to lose its spark.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Subverting the money system through human kindness.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

People helping people is a beautiful thing. One of my hosts years ago was this beautiful, vibrant, peaceful couple out in the hills of Texas, who encouraged me to sit a 10-day Vipassana retreat. I remember they had zero references at the time and were way out in the country off of a gravel road. I arrived at night, alone, honestly a little nervous, until I saw a Dalai Lama quote hanging in the front entrance. The couple was so kind, and their quality of presence encouraged me to follow through and meditate for 10 intensive days, which significantly altered the flow of my life. Gratitude and blessings to the couchsurfers.

Interests

Connecting deeply with nature, tarot, hot springs, zen, humility, wonder, joy, experimental fiction, mind-body connection, Gestalt Awareness Practice, living wholeheartedly, including everything, cooking, moving, new ways of seeing, yoga, growing food, creating our own art/music, meditation

• arts
• cooking
• yoga
• meditation
• music
• mountains
• biketouring

Music, Movies, and Books

Ingmar Bergman, Michel Gondry, Alfonso Cuarón
I'm into neurotic existentialism: I Heart Huckabees is hillarious to me, Darjeeling Limited, too
I used to love Woody Allen, but find him difficult to watch now

Books: The Abortion by Richard Brautigan, Narcissus and Goldman by Hesse, Zen Mind Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki, anything by Trungpa, Ikkyu

I love a good poem.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Winter caretaker at Goldmyer Hotsprings: six months living "off the grid" miles and miles away from any road with 700-year-old trees in a one room cedar cabin with a woodstove. Living near water so pure I could kneel down on my hands and knees and drink directly from the creek. There's nothing like a hillside covered in snowy evergreen trees, using water to give light.

Teach, Learn, Share

basic bike repair, dutch oven cooking, dry stone masonry, how to make coconut curry, mushroom hunting, where to find free food, free wine

What I Can Share with Hosts

Meditation, yoga practice, wilderness glow, cooking skills, lightfootprint, bring my own sleeping bag

Countries I’ve Visited

Belize, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, France, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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