Floral Notes and Bardo: The Creative Chronicles of a Shambhala Mountain Resident is a daily feature on the SMC blog in which a member of our staff/community shares his experience of existing as part of Shambhala Mountain Center.

Breath over ridges under a river–
out of my mind
into my bones
a breaking guitar string in slow motion
on display

The first day of the year seems like a good time to start something new. This blog is not new,
but this is a new phase.

I accidentally started it yesterday–on the last day of last year.

Today is Wednesday, which is the day of the week that I’ve been planning on not writing because we have community meetings on Wednesdays.

All the other days in the week we have a nice, long community meditation session in the morning. I like to meditate
as much as possible before I write. This morning, only a short session, and so a sense of clumsy articulation. Okay.

Today in the community meeting, Director Gayner gave an amazing presentation about the land, and SMC. The part about the Feng Shui of the land was particularly amazing. Amazing. We are part of something way bigger than any one of us. There is tremendous energy moving here. I knew that already. I want to learn more, so that I can say more, and so that I can be more deeply connected with this organism–Shambhala Mountain Center.

After the meeting, Steve Seely, one of the senior teachers on the land, said something about how he feels that he is part of something historic–that this thing is huge.

I feel that too.

~~~

Travis Newbill is a curious dude on the path of artistry, meditation, and social engagement who is very glad to be residing at Shambhala Mountain. His roles within the organization include Marketing Associate and Head Dekyong–a position of leadership within the community.