Loving the Love!

Here I am so happy, and so comfortable! It's been really easy to find things to do. What a shift for me, from living at home where I had lots of free time over the summer when I wasn't traveling, to now where there's stuff to do and people to see every day and night!

I am still in training as an beginning intern. I do a lot of observing, and a lot of reading and music practice. Learning the ropes has been mostly fun, other that the super long staff orientation meeting. When I observe Anne and Lauren (my supervisors) at work, I am so inspired! Just today, I witnessed Anne sing for a family and a patient in Solace. The music helped them get to healing stages of grief. Tears and meaningful moments happened freely with the support of the music the patient loves. I have been down to Solace twice to play piano as a form of environmental music therapy. I was skeptical of it at first, thinking I wouldn't do much good. In fact, the staff and family benefit greatly from the music. I've had many people come up to me to thank me and tell me how nice it is to hear. Hopefully this service will help to ease the stress of staff and caregivers.

At home I continue to get along with my roomates. I've been cooking healthy things and recently learned how to use the juicer. I go to a kirtan every Tuesday. Kirtan is a form of bhakti (devotional) yoga that involves call-and-response singing of ancient sanskrit chants with accompaniment from harmonium, sitar, tablas, and some Western instruments. It has been a great way to meet others in the music and yoga community. 

This weekend I'm off to Black Mountain where I'll attend a Women's Herbal Conference, catch up with some friends from Boone, and meet some women from around here, too.