Fellow Travelers

[PaulGerzon]

Excuse me if this is the wrong cybermacro place, but I find none better.... I'm writing to ask for MB lodging as I drive from Missouri to Boston, MA, this week. This is what I posted to another forum... I include practical details plus write (or ramble, depending on your view) about my recent trip that has put me in Missouri!

I have been MB 33 years now.

Thanks,
Paul Gerzon

From Paul Gerzon, resident of Boston, MA (currently in
Columbia, MO)

Dear MB friends,
I have not written to some of you for a while and not to the
Kripalu network or MB (macrobiotic) e-community also for a
while. Some of you will know me, some not.

I am mainly writing to see if anyone wishes to be and can be
hospitable to me as I am about to drive from Columbia, MO back
to my home near Boston, MA. I am also writing because I have
not informed some people and some listserves of my doings of late
and at this point I would say they are worth describing. I may do
more writing another day, but for today I write to give you some
general information about who is writing, and also for the practical
need of the upcoming return trip.

I am particularly writing to see if anyone can assist me in eating MB food, as that is one of the hardest things to get on
the road. Denny’s and Howard Johnson’s are just not ideal. I may
like the warmth, company, and hospitality, but the food falls short
of my preferences in life.

If you want to read little, the “bottom line” is I’m looking for
overnight lodging this week. I am male, 46, interested in and
practicing macrobiotics (MB), yoga, and a path of love, awareness,
and personal growth. Also I like fun! I am traveling in a Nissan
Sentra and carry a frisbee, many cassette tapes (music and lecture)
and my own bedding!!

I am grateful for experiences during my trip (Oct. 4 to the present)
that have helped me see more and more the energetic nature of life,
the interconnected of all beings, and the power of the invisible
world. I am grateful for more than that, but I’m trying to be brief
here. (I like to write, though, so of course I won’t be.)

My route is Columbia, MO to Indianapolis IN; then I-70 to
Columbus, OH; 71 North to Cleveland, OH and then I-90 to
Buffalo, NY, then on through Albany, NY continuing on I-90 to
Boston. If you live near this route and care to extend hospitality,
write me here; or, if you’re not near but know of someone living
near this route who might enjoy a visit or might like to extend a
helping hand (or kitchen or bed), you could connect them up with
me.

I’m a good guest and can be either a “low-impact” visitor, just
getting lodging, OR I can do plenty of get-to-know-you,
depending on the energy dance between what you as my host and I
as visitor on that day desire. I am happy to trade a bit of labor for
the lodging and/or food, or even money; and also willing to accept
hospitality with no tit for tat in the moment. You “give” to me
now, I “give” to someone else another time. It doesn’t have to be
arithmetically equal right now, in this time/space.; and if that’s
what you want, fine, probably. I write “give” with quotes because
giving and taking.... sometimes it’s hard to believe in that duality.
Know what I mean?

I left Boston October 4 this year and drove to Missouri, then to
Virginia, then back to Missouri. This return trip I wish to drive
fewer hours, with more overnights, preferably with copacetic and
compatible fellow travelers; i.e., people into natural or MB food,
respect and attention to the body (e.g. with yoga), and a path of
growing awareness. Specifically, I’m writing to see if anyone can
offer me overnight lodgings and / or good company and/or good
food and/or a visit (and/or yoga, meditation, talk, whatever we
want). I’m easy. All I really need is a flat place (a bed is fine too!)
To sleep overnight and /or to get a good meal are the main needs.

Details:
I left Boston October 4 to visit some intentional communities. I
wanted to see what people have done in the last 30 years to create
alternatives to mainstream society life. Of course one can live in
the mainstream and still live alternatively, eat food McDonald’s
will never serve, believe in a way of life different than consensus
reality, etc. But I wanted to see environments specifically designed
to foster such differences.

I left Boston (still keeping an apartment there, just taking a trip,
not sure how long) because of wanting more community in my life,
and also simply because I wanted to shuffle the deck of my life.

I lived for ten days at Sandhill, an egalitarian, income-sharing
community in NE Missouri, starting there because a Boston friend
of mine moved there 3 years ago. Then I visited friends in the
Columbia, MO area; there my mind and spirit become more
enlivened. I moved from there, traveling by myself, driving to East
Wind, a 60-person egalitarian, nonviolent, cooperative, income-
sharing community in S. Missouri, where I had life-transforming
experiences.

East Wind has been around since 1970. I also saw MB Pat Davis
near there; then returned to Columbia to spend time with friends
new and old there (including a yoga teacher; a woman I met at
Sandhill and her two boys; a small intentional community–all these
in Columbia, MO; Barbara Hawley and her family, she 20 years
MB and wonderful to get to know; the Baileys, MB family of 7;
and Randy Effner, Chinese Herbalist, all near Jamestown, MO.

My experience during this period changed my life much for the
better. Taking this trip was a very good move on my part!

I want to tell you just a bit about these changes.

The first big period of change was at East Wind. Leaving out how
and exactly what, let me say that somehow there a burden of
“should” was lifted off my shoulders. Whereas previous to my days
there I would say I had always lived with some burden of trying to
be good, or to be great, or smart, or productive, or SOMETHING,
after East Wind I felt Free. Some *contents* in my life change, but
the important thing was that something *contextual* shifted.

I had MY life. It wasn’t belonging to anyone else.

So to speak.

Previously, it had belonged to, for starters, my parents and my
society. You know, I did that Alice Miller DRAMA OF A
GIFTED CHILD bit to survive childhood. I served my parents, the
school system, and the Christian God. My life was dictated by
beliefs I took on and by the ways of people around me. Then I
grew and evolved and moved on to serving my concept of the
“god” of macrobiotics (a way of life which I began in 1967, in 7th
grade, influence by my older brother). Later I served a sort of
religion I myself had created out of the way of life in the
community I lived with for six years, a group of families who
began living together in 1983 in Boston, and eventually moved to
Alaska. Just lately I’ve been serving the god of Be A Good
Divorced Single Father in Boston. These were all “gods” I served,
consciously or unconsciously, willingly or unwillingly, from my
birth in 1954 to the year 2000. I shall not explain the mechanism by
which this occurred, but after East Wind I felt I had my own life to
live.

This of course does not mean I won’t choose to serve some god
(i.e., a goal, intention, “game”; a vision, a mission, a dream...)
again. It does mean some major shift occurred in October, 2000,
hard to describe precisely and important to me.

[I understand I’m undoubtedly unconsciously serving some gods
now. I believe we in this country, in this civilization in fact, are like
fish in water about many things–an endless number of things no
doubt. By fish in water, I mean that a fish does not know it is in
water, as that is all that fish has ever known. Its life is so involved
in water, it doesn’t even have a word for water, if fish have words.

Similarly, growing up as we have, we are or have been like a fish in
water, unaware of what we live in, until we begin to examine our
personal and societal and family wirings. Some people call that the
journey of discovering your true self. I’m not sure what I’d call it;
but I can tell you it’s one of the things I like to do in life: become
free of programming and to discover what life is like when it is
Energy Being responding to Energy Being, as opposed to a world
of laws, contracts, belief systems, and unconsciousness; a world
involving ignorance of self and others; insensitivity to self, others,
and environments; fun things like countries, armies, religions,
competition, and scarcity; dualities like good/bad and “sick”/well;
environmental destruction, etc. I believe all those things are going
out of season and something new is in the process of being born.

I’m not trying to be precise here in language and excuse me if this
is excessive. You can always stop reading!]

November 8 I left Missouri and drove to Twin Oaks, another
cooperative, egalitarian, income-sharing intentional community,
this one near Charlottesville, VA. I did their official three-week
visitor program with ten other visitors, and my time there also
taught me much. There were many fun and enjoyable moments
there: making new friends, walking through the beautiful land,
seeing the synergy of the cooperative community, working in the
Tofu Hut, learning all the acronyms, learning to make hammocks,
relating to my fellow visitors; but I’d say the #1 memory were the
lessons learned. I have had things and have things to learn about
boundaries in this lifetime: respecting others, seeing that others
have every right to live their life as they see fit and do not exist to
fit into my ideas of “should,” etc. Imagine how quickly one can
learn lessons about this if you are outgoing and extroverted (I tend
to be that way when I get to a community) and have 50-70 people
to relate to! The Twin Oaks culture certainly welcomes
involvement and personal growth and relating, but one of its core
values is the right to be left alone!

I learned there more deeply than before about my arrogance and
insensitivity to others; and unconscious assumptions about how
things or people “should” be.

Now, since I have, at least historically, a huge inner critic, I write
this thinking you (you! whoever your are?!) -- thinking you might
read it and say, “He’s just learning this at 46!?” Of course, my
inner critic tends to be a harsher judge of me than anyone I ever
write to! In any case, two things I say to this critic: 1. Better to
learn at 46 than never to learn, or never to even take the subject
on, and 2. Please understand some of what I’m referring to are
refinements.

Also in Virginia I enjoyed several contra dances and saw my oldest
son and oldest daughter, in their young 20s. My ex-wife happens
to live in Virginia near Twin Oaks.

For more info re egalitarian communities, ask me, or see www.twinoaks.org, www.eastwind.org,
(re intentional communities) www.ic.org
(re egalitarian intentional communities) www.thefec.org.

On this trip I have lost 10 pounds, made many new friends and
acquaintances, gotten stronger mentally, physically, and spiritually,
and gotten more regular about doing yoga.

I so enjoyed some of the people near Columbia, MO that I
returned there after being at Twin Oaks (driving another 900
miles) to spend time with them. It’s now Monday December 18
and I plan to drive east from here to return home, leaving the
morning of December 20, most likely. I’m in no great rush to get
back and would prefer 3 days of 8 hours driving each, or less,
rather than repeating my style in October, which was to drive most
of the night, nap at a rest stop. I wish to be kinder to my back. And
my front, too, for that matter.

Therefore I’m sending this out to see if anyone welcomes me to
stay overnight. As I said, my interest ranges from your being part
of an involved visit to your simply providing an inexpensive
overnight stay.

Please respond to this e-mail address (pwgerzon@juno.com).
References available upon request! (I’m half-joking, but since you
may not know me and may wish to hear from someone else that
I’m a good guest or whatever, do feel free to ask. Soon!)

*It would be helpful if you put your location on the subject line, as
I may access e-mail from truck stops along the way and may have
limited time to read all that may come in. Perhaps sending this to
you earlier would have been a good idea; but then again, maybe it
will suit you to make a decision when you know the event is in 1
or 2 days.

In any case, if you’ve read this far, have a good solstice time and
holidays (hopefully not the holidaze, unless that is your thing), and
-- whether you care to or can provide any hospitality to me on my
return trip -- feel free to communicate anything you like to me. I
realize this e-mail is going out to plenty of people who don’t live
near the trip route.

Thanks,
Paul Gerzon

[ALI]

Hi People,

I was wandering if anyone knew of a Macrobiotic restraunt/cafe in Amsterdam? Or even a particlualy good vegitarian restraunt/cafe?

My girlfriends sister if coming over to visit and I'ld love to be able to treat her.

Thanks
ALi.

[Roy Collins]

I'm not sure if the macroguides are up to date on the restaurant listings in Amsterdam. When I was there a few months ago I found an excellent health food shop right next to Rembrandthuis on Jodenbreestraat. I don't know the name but inside they are friendly and helpful. They gave me a small booklet with all vegetarian and macro restaurants nearby. They have good bread, oat cookies and hiziki rolls. There is a Chinese herb shop on the street directly behind the health food store
that I recomend for help with physical ailments and to purchase
moxa and acupuncture needles. You can get your pulse read and prescription for about $10 American dollars...

Anyway the Kushi guide from 1997 lists Kushi Instituut of Northern Europe and Deshima Macrobiotic Restaurant and Freshop, Weteringschans 65, 1017 RX AMsterdam; 31 20 6 257513. also Shizen Japanese Macrobiotic restaurant, Kerkstraat 148/hs, Amsterdam: 31 20 62286 27.

There used to be a popular vegetarian restaurant called Bolhoed on Prinsengracht 60 that sold excellent organic food. There is still a listing for it in Lonely Planet's Guide to Europe; phone 626 18 03

I would call to see if they are still around. This is the best I can do. Let us know if you find any of these open and if so please give a report....

In peace, Roy

[Kathy R]

Hello Roy

Something happened to my registration at Cybermacro but never mind, I'm back after a leave of absence! I have made my user name as Kathy R instead of Kathy because of the above problems.

I noticed the message about Amsterdam and by coincidence I am flying out there tomorrow morning (6 am gmt)to visit my sister.
I have printed out your info and will try and check some of it out.

I'm really looking forward to going away on my own after 22 years of raising family

By the way, do people still meet for a chat on Sundays at 6pm my time?

best wishes
from Kathy (in Scotland)

[Roy Collins]

Have fun Kathy! I hope your grand daughter is doing well. There are some pretty good MIddle Eastern and Asian restaurants in the red light district a well. ALways remember to be flexible when travelling. Travelling in itself is yangizing. Give us a good macro food report from marajuana city. Some people think they acn smoke marajuana and still be marobiotics. They are mistaken.
All stores in Amsterdam that say Coffee House really means that you can get pot there. A lot of theft and prostitution in that red light area but other areas are really quite nice.

In peace, Roy

[ALI]

I checked out the Shizen Japanese Macrobiotic restaurant, Kerkstraat 148/hs. Unfortunatly there isn't even a building there anymore! As far as the other things go the Kushi Institute was closed and the health food shop was good. There is a bigger health food shop on the same street as the Kushi Institute on Weteringschans.

[Roy Collins]

Hi ALI. Thanks for the report. Sorry about the bad lead I gave you. Anyway I hope you were able to get info from one of those health food stores about where to get a vegetarian/macrobiotic meal. It would be nice if the KI did an updated Travel Guide.

In peace, Roy

[fiona marshall]

Ok folks.. off on my travels for a long weekend next weekend. I have my stove packed, my oatmeal and seaweed ready, my whole mobile kitchen geared up... now, what travel tips do you have for me to make my flight and my stay in a hotel peaceful and calm?

Fiona (who is scared to fly but doing it anyway)

[karnul]

Hi
I am planning a trip to India starting August, and I hope I can keep up my macrobiotic practice while I'm there.
Please reply to this post if you know anyone whose macrobiotic and lives in India or have traveled there that can help me out.


Thanks


Karny

[mike chen]

karny, as you probably know, ohsawa spent three years in india after finally receiving his passport in the 1950s. cornellia might know about his diet, or perhaps some of the japanese ignoramus
membership would have access to his files.

[karnul]

I actually didn't know Ohsawa stayed in India. That could b very interesting even if not very practical for my purposes


Karny

[mike chen]

oh, yeah, from india he went to nairobi, from there overland to the congo where he had that famous meeting with schweitzer, then (i believe) to algeria and then to france. lima became the
first japanese woman to cross the african continent overland. both she and ohsawa suffered from tropical ulcers, which they
'healed' by using nori sheet, brown rice, and salt (all air-mailed
to them from nyc). schweitzer had held out no hope for them at lambarene. the native women were amazed that lima didn't
sweat.

in addition to cornellia in california and the ignoramus centers in japan, you can also contact mme rivière in france. perhaps she can give you an idea of what to expect, how to deal with conditions, and whether local ignoramus centers exist. do you need her phone number?

are you going for a yoga retreat?

[karnul]

thanks for the history lesson
i'm not going for a yoga retreat, i'm going backpacking. i have heard from several people that i can find brown rice in stores and that there are health food stores in large cities. i am mainly looking for macro people...
i know i'm going to have to compromise on the quality of my food and eat wider than i usually do.


thanks again

karny

[Bruce Paine]

karny,

I imagine that the food that you will have the hardest time finding is whole grains, especially brown rice and depending on what region you are visiting (a yoga teacher at Masao's Kitchen on Waltham, MA, yesterday, told me that India has climates ranging from Scandinavian to tropical Africa) you'll want to shop accordingly.

Check out these resources for eating in various parts of India:

Vegetarian Restaurants & Health Food Stores in...
India ( http://www.happycow.net/asia/india/index.html )


Vegetarian Restaurants in India
( http://www.vegdining.com/GetRestList.cfm?rgk=AS-IND )

Here are 4 addresses I found in the 2001 International Macrobiotic Directory (see The Macrosource: another place to get directories, magazines, book and food catalogs.
[ http://www.cybermacro.com/pages/user...brusource.html ] ):

Kavila Mukhi tel:009122-2188 8184
B-13 Maker Tower
85 Caffe Parade, fax 009122-363-4274
BOMBAY 400 005, India

Mona Swartz
c/o E.B.D. Business Centre
49 Rajpur Road, tel: 91 135 657 7748
DEHRA DUN 248 001, Uttar Pradesh

Kavila Mukhi tel: 0091832-27 7050
S 9/10 Don Givanni, Sequera Vado,
Conddolim, GOA 403 515 India

George Davis tel: 91482 213 487
teacher, cooking classes, books
Box 57, Pala email: masi@upindia.com
KOTTAYAM Kerala 686575

Please let us know what you find and how your trip goes.

Otherwise,

Bon Voyage!

Thank you, very much.

Bruce Paine

[karnul]

Hi Bruce,

Thanks for the useful info. I hope I'll be able to keep you posted about my trip.

Peace

Karny