PHILOSOPHY

Life is amazing and totally surprising and very humbling if you take the lessons to heart.
Living in the moment while being responsible and compassionate is a delicate balance to dance with, but possible if I hold Metta as my touchstone.
I like to find compassion for every being. I'm learning to have discernment within that, so as to gift myself with a gentle, loving atmosphere.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm a great networker. I'm usually matching people to couches all over the world. It's nice to see there's now a world-wide community doing this. I'm off the hook now! I'll just refer people to this site.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have travelled mainly in Latin America on a shoestring. I have been welcomed by people with very little in their life materially, and when I slept in their huts or simple mud houses and felt their big hearts infusing the whole place, I could feel how truly rich they were. I'd like to experience more giving and receiving of generosity like that in my own country. I have taken people into my home for decades. Now I'd like to have safe, kind places to stay when I travel in the U.S.

Interests

Buddhism studies and yoga practice.
Healthy food and atmosphere, the natural world, hiking, swimming, horseback riding.
Poetry and good music from a plethora of genres.
Hot springs and cool conversations.
Massage therapy.
Travel, of course!
Biodiesel-friendly vehicles. Natural building and permaculture. Can lend a hand with gardening and farming and taking care of animals.

• animals
• poetry
• dancing
• dining
• yoga
• massage therapy
• gardening
• traveling
• cars
• music
• equestrian
• hiking
• buddhist
• swimming
• medicine

Music, Movies, and Books

My taste runs the gamut from Hafiz to Hank Williams.
Morcheeba, Jennifer Berezan, Patsy Cline, Dar Williams, Violeta Parra and Tish Hinajosa. Bruce Cockburn expresses the human condition so painfully, juicily and eloquently.

Alice Walker, Grace and Grit by Ken Wilber, Dorothy Bryant who wrote The Kin Of Ata Are Waiting For You, anything by Louise Erdrich. Starhawk. Bill Mollison.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Every day is amazing!
But if you want to get into stories, that will have to be in person as they are long and numerous.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd like to learn more about how Buddhism is practiced across the world. I also have things to share based on my upbringing and present life, which is steeped in Native American Medicine practices from North, Central, and South America.
I know a lot about herbalism and healing practices based on whole foods nutrition.