I've been in Fredericton now two full weeks, and it's only now that I feel like I am arriving; that is to say, it's been a whirlwind since myself, Kira and Andres arrived on train from Ontario, that only now, since I've left the Otesha team of volunteers, is my emotional self reflecting on and realizing the life shift that has just happened for me!
Since a quick train trip, I have been fully scooped up and held in an Otesha storm of silliness, challenge, community, passion, facilitation, theatre, bike skills. It's been a journey - and I've had the pleasure of intimately getting to know another group of 14 passionate Otesha changemakers. Folks who come from across the country and beyond, who are interested in social change, who are interested in contributing to the wellness of communities, to humanity, who 'level-3' everything they do. The team did such an amazing job of their first few performances to a healthy variety of audience types, and I parted ways from them after a group of at least 20 puppets, pulled from a tickle trunk, sang me a song about Kayla in the "Otesha Jungle" (a weeeeoooooahahahweeoooummbawayyyyy!).
Onward they cycle, to experience moments of joy, moments of beautiful human generosity, moments of utter frustration and challenge. Having been on four (!) Otesha tours myself at this point - it will likely be a transformation experience for this team... One that will shape this group in small or in very large ways. And as I felt in the fall at the West coat Tour's training week as well, I somewhat strangely don't have an impeding desire to ride along with them this time. I'm fulfilled transferring knowledge and skills to them, and facilitating their group storming, forming and norming.
Instead, what I crave, are certain qualities from the Otesha experience. Journey. Meaning. Purpose. Transformation. Development. Moments of consciousness.
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For as long as I can remember, I've been a person who likes to see the end of something. Who appreciates seeing a project from start to finish, who likes to work and live in places with the knowledge that it will eventually shift me, propel me, into something different. I have also had moments in my life where I have had a glimpse of timlessness - a state of total presence, where love and joy is all that I feel. Times where I've been "speechless" - moments where I've experienced great natural beauty, while ecstatically dancing, during moments of group cohesion, in my sleeping dreams, during intimate moments with lovers, during yoga practice - these momentary gaps where the acknowledgement easily flows: Now, is all that I truly have. I know the peace, the joy, the love that this can bring, and so, I want to have more experiences just like that.
So I will follow a path that I hope will take me there.
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Onwards I go from here. To Carleton County in New Brunswick to WOOF on a friends farm for a while, with the dynamic duo Kira and Andres, on bicycle. Then, on my own, over to PEI and Nova Scotia. Here goes!
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Below is a photo at the end of Otesha's East Coast Tour's Training week, you can follow their adventures on Twitter, Facebook, or their blog, Notes from the Road.
Instead, what I crave, are certain qualities from the Otesha experience. Journey. Meaning. Purpose. Transformation. Development. Moments of consciousness.
____
For as long as I can remember, I've been a person who likes to see the end of something. Who appreciates seeing a project from start to finish, who likes to work and live in places with the knowledge that it will eventually shift me, propel me, into something different. I have also had moments in my life where I have had a glimpse of timlessness - a state of total presence, where love and joy is all that I feel. Times where I've been "speechless" - moments where I've experienced great natural beauty, while ecstatically dancing, during moments of group cohesion, in my sleeping dreams, during intimate moments with lovers, during yoga practice - these momentary gaps where the acknowledgement easily flows: Now, is all that I truly have. I know the peace, the joy, the love that this can bring, and so, I want to have more experiences just like that.
So I will follow a path that I hope will take me there.
___
Onwards I go from here. To Carleton County in New Brunswick to WOOF on a friends farm for a while, with the dynamic duo Kira and Andres, on bicycle. Then, on my own, over to PEI and Nova Scotia. Here goes!
___
Below is a photo at the end of Otesha's East Coast Tour's Training week, you can follow their adventures on Twitter, Facebook, or their blog, Notes from the Road.
