It would take much more than a quick post to tell you about myself. I guarantee that I am quite unique. I am relaxed, easy going, love to laugh, open minded and always young at heart, active, healthy, & energetic, deeply Spiritual and contemplatively philosophical, while being very passionate about the things I enjoy and have interest in. I'm well traveled, educated and intelligent with a quick wit. I relish making deep connections with people and I am always happy to hold non-judgmental space for whoever is in need. I am plant based for the last 32 years and I meditate daily for long periods.

I have two daughters, 13 and 19. Older one is off at college at UC Santa Cruz. My younger one is here and I am very involved in her life. I split with their mom in 2011 after being together 16 years. I share 50-50 custody but my younger one is living at her mom's now full time.

As far as work, I am a private exercise trainer, nutritionist, body worker and healer, as well as a documentary filmmaker and spiritual life/relationship counselor. My counseling site, Saccidananda.com is under construction currently. You can view my training/nutrition websites at www.wohlistic.com and www.beachstairworkout.com (BadAssWorkout.com under construction) and the site for the last film/video project I did at the 2010 Maha Kumbh Mela in India at www.dhunicast.com I also buy and sell rare paper money on Ebay as my investment hobby. "Fancycashcom" is my Ebay handle. www.shmashan.com is another site of mine giving some insight into some of my meditational experiences in the cremation grounds of India.

I spend about 3 months a year (June/July and two weeks around Thanksgiving) volunteering my time to and traveling with my Spiritual Teacher from India, Mata Amritanandamayi, commonly just called Amma or The Hugging Saint, to serve at Her programs in the West and help to raise money to fund Her numerous charitable projects. Info on Her is at www.amma.org, www.amritapuri.org and the projects at www.embracingtheworld.org

I relish interesting conversation on a variety of topics, from raw veggie food and nutrient dense superfoods to miraculous experiences with the Yogis of the Himalayas and other religious/philosophical discourse, True Tantra, the wonders of Facebook, YouTube and other social media, film and storytelling, high intensity exercise, fine wine and humanitarian/charitable projects, amongst many other things. Love to meet interesting, creative like-minded souls. I enjoy brain stimulating games as well. But I am also quite happy and content just staying in my own quiet space and not talking at all. I love the beach, the ocean, the sun and hiking! Love Nature!

Look forward to meeting you!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Finally wanting to actively use this site....February 2017! I enjoy meeting new people and having varied stimulating conversation. Couch surfed when I traveled when younger long before this site existed. Pre-internet! HA! Seems like a fun thing to engage in.

Once I am back in my own house, I will host others. For now I am amazingly still getting resettled and in a transformation phase figuring out how best to serve the World and myself with my gifts and experience. It has been quite an interesting journey.

Interests

Incredibly varied. Meditation, Beach, Sun, Ocean, Hiking, Chanting Sanskrit, Leading Kirtan/Bhajans/Devotional Singing, HIIT Exercise Training of various types, Various types of Bodywork/Massage, Energy Work, Puja/Ritual Worship, Films of all types, Music jams, Drumming, Native American Flute, Investing, Buying/Selling Coins and Paper Money, Writing, True Tantra, Himalayan Yoga, Ethnobotany, Religion of all kinds--specifically esoteric forms, Humanitarian/Charitable Project Funding, Volunteer Work, Organizing and leading beach clean ups, feeding the poor and needy, traveling in India--especially with Sadhus, Life/Relationship/Spiritual Counseling. That's a start...

• writing
• singing
• design
• documentaries
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• exercise
• yoga
• meditation
• gardening
• movies
• traveling
• volunteer work
• investing
• music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• communications
• teaching
• law
• religion
• volunteering
• tours
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: LOTR Trilogy, Matrix Trilogy, 300, 300-2, Gladiator, Avengers, Thor, Conan the Barbarian (Original), Dark Knight films, (Pretty much all epic and super hero flicks), Highlander, Rocky films, When Harry met Sally, Wings of Desire, All Charlie Chaplin films, Aghora: Living With The Dead, Holy Men and Fools, Monty Python films, Planet of the Apes, Ted, Anchorman, Heavy Metal

Waaaay too many to list. Love many types as long as they are well done

Least fave of all time: Aguirre the wrath of god

Music: Vedic and Scriptural Sanskrit Chanting and other devotional music, Sufi Ghazaals, Qawaali, Varied World Tribal Cultural Music, Reggae, Classic Rock--esp Zeppelin, Hendrix, Doors, Beatles, Cream, Ex Dead Head, Flute of all type, Epic Movie Soundtracks (Especially Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore and a few others)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Traveled with and served AMMA Amritanandamayi, often called the Hugging Saint, for last 26 years on HER N. American and one S. American Tours...about 3 months a year.

Was one of the first initiated by Dalai Lama in the US in the Kalachakra Teachings at Madison Square Garden. Got to meet Him personally. He has the softest hands.

Traveled with Sadhu monks way off the beaten path on a Yatra from Hardwar to Gangotri and back.

Hiked up Twin Buttes and Bell Rock in Sedona on a full moon nights and camped up on mountains.

Designed and led 14 hour, dusk to dawn chanting/worship events

Teach, Learn, Share

Life/Relationship/Spiritual Counseling
Private Exercise Training (Outdoor, At Beach, At Park, At Gym, In home)
Exercise Program Design
Veggie Cooking
Nutritional Counseling/Program Design
Healing Bodywork--from Light to Deep Tissue
My own form of Energy Work/Healing Termed Energy Flow Realignment
Sanskrit Chanting
Meditation
Yogic Asana
Vedic Worship

What I Can Share with Hosts

All that I teach/share above

Countries I’ve Visited

Aruba, Bahamas, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Netherlands, Switzerland, Virgin Islands, U.S.