Giving and Receiving

My insight this summer: Nourishment happens when there is balance between giving and receiving. Giving can be a power trip, a way to avoid, a strategy of the ego, a subtle way to feel superior to others. Giving is beautiful, sharing is beautiful. But I’ve discovered it is important I also be open and receptive at the same time. Because what happens when we share, give, but then are not there to receive when it comes back to us? And it certainly does as I’ve also discovered: a thousand-fold. I understand that when I am not watchful of this dynamic, I have a tendency to miss the many blessings on the rebound. As any basketball player knows, rebounds are important. They are game-changers, and in my experience just as relevlant when it comes to the great game of Love.

I wavered this summer between being really into taking pictures and archiving them, to not being interested at all. Many times I was simply enjoying the events so much and just couldn’t bring myself to pull out the camera and play paparazzi. e cosi. it is like this. So in a sense, this tour collage is more a series of impressions than a thorough documentation. Bottom line anyway, it is always difficult to capture the moment, the real magic, with the snap of a shutter. Sometimes one gets lucky, but for the most part, photos are at the most an echo of the reality. Yet, having said this, photos are fun and give a taste, an impression that can be savored and enjoyed.

The tour comprised a series of solo events I facilitated alone (sometimes joined by friends along the way) and the band events which totaled four weeks altogether. Every event was a delight without exception. I guess if I had to describe the summer in one word it would be: FUN. And nourishing. Immensely nourishing.

When I posted the last update in May, not all the USA photos had come in yet. So I want to start by sharing a taste of the Upstate New York event at Shaker Mill Inn which happened beginning of May, then proceeding to Europe at the end of May for the first band event: the Rainbow Spirit Festival in Baden Baden, Germany. From there, the photos will do the rest of the talking. Enjoy!

Shaker Mill Inn, New York – Meditation and Creativity Workshop

Rainbow Spirit Festival – Baden Baden, Germany

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Essence-Human Space – Athens, Greece

Osho RISK Center, Denmark – midsummer

Lisbon, Portugal – Osho Darshan Zen Center

Osho RISK Summer Festival, Denmark

One Sky Band – Swagato, Pratibha, Palash, Salima, Milarepa, Isa, Chandira, Bindu

WOW! – The Humaniversity, The Netherlands

Osho Tao Center – Munich, Germany

Prem Isa – tablas; Rishi – frame drum; Luna – silver flute

Milano & Varazze – Italy

Summer Festival – Zurich, Switzerland

Sugama Summer Festival – Czech Republic

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Love, Devotion, Surrender with Svarup and Premartha – Lesvos, Greece

Soleluna Festival – Umbria, Italy