Thursday December 30th - White Rhythmic Worldbridger
The extremely cold temperatures in the past week had the Donau's waters to freeze, so up we go with ice-skate on the river. It is good fun to skate on clean ice, in the wide space, reminds me the times the Dutch canals were frozen. The sunlight offers wonderful colors on the landscape. Unfortunately for you, I have no pictures of that: life is about being here and now.
First phase of kneading the bread, it is a good workout for the deltoids. Reading the yoga book is giving me a purpose for my trip to India: to find a guru.

Friday December 31th - Blue Resonant Hand
We are again ten in the house as Leila's father and his wife have arrived from the USA to celebrate New Year with us. More ice-skating today, with pictures :) but no sun :(. I improved my technique of stopping and I had good sensations on the ice. Some areas felt risky though, by the end of the afternoon, we were frequently hearing cracks in the ice, freaky.

           Skating on the frozen Donau in front of Weitenegg castle

Second phase of kneading the bread daugh and then it is formed into breads. For the last meal of the year, Hartwig cooked a Hungarian Sauerkraut soup. Hungarian dish means with paprika. Then we are getting ready for switching to 2011. First some fire works before gathering by the fire place.

Saturday January 1st - Yellow Overtone Star
In Austria the traditional New Year starts with dancing on Wieners Walzen from Johan Strauss, music that always reminds me the ballets of space chips in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Nice moment, company, stories and a big refill of cookies.

          Silvester in Al Ma Wa: Hartwig -half head-, neighbour, Mascha -dog-, Leila, Tania

In the day, we finally cook the bread in the oven, the complete process lasted a few days.

Sunday January 2nd - Red Solar Moon
My new year in yoga starts with Primary Series. One year ago I didn’t know the full sequence! Through the past year, the influence and input of inspiring teachers made Ashtanga yoga a cornerstone of my path. Almost the full house packs in the car to go to Maria Zell, the kids enjoy winter sports, dogs are crazy in the snow. From a top the view on snowy picks and valleys is deeply calming.

Monday January 3rd - White Planetary Dog
Anja from Berlin left early this morning, she leaves us a list of great movies to watch. The space freed is already taken by Ponta, a Japanese volunteer. More work on the sauna to install the ovens.

Tuesday January 4th - Blue Spectral Monkey
We are heading to the ski station of Anna Berg, and this time I decided to give it a try. It is around 12 years I did not ski at all. I start with a blue track, which goes easy, the skiing reflexes come back. Next will be only black, the blue is too boring It is inspiring to follow Hartwig’s style. I am enjoying to slide again and it feels to short.
We are served delicious salad and soup in the tradition of Irak.

          View from Maria Zell - picture taken by Yannic

           The yogi remains unaffected by fear undear the attack of wild tiger Cleopatra

Wednesday January 5th - Yellow Crystal Human
More work on the sauna, to pose the floor with Yannic. While having the radio on. It seem I did not miss anything in the music that have been produced in the last year, or say the industry made it crap, as it does with food and ultimately with us... Mechanical rhythms, synthesized voices, the music seems to lack even more of quality compared to five years ago. In all this mud flourishes the pure voice of big Israel Kamakawiwo’ole with his small ukulele. Hear again is the question: simplicity or artifices?

Thursday January 6th - Red Cosmic Skywalker
A regular day again. Since yesterday I discovered a super book: Beyond Civilization by Daniel Quinn. Simple to read but mind-blowing:
It explains how civilization is leading humanity to an end. It is the way of the maximum harm in opposition with tribalism. He suggests that people unsatisfied from civilization do not fight the system: simply leave it instead, by forming modern tribes, defined as groups of people making a living together. Read this: it is different from having salary and it does not involve life in the wild. I strongly recommend this reading.

Friday January 7th - White Magnetic Wizard
In my yoga practice, some of my jump through go completely through! I am looking forward for being in Vienna: there are numerous Ashtanga studios offering Mysore classes. I want to be there next week. Yannic and I finish the floor in the sauna, which gets me a beer. And a pleasant French romantic comedy to close the day.

Saturday January 8th - Blue Lunar Eagle
After breakfast, Hartwig drives the kids and I to Maria Laach, one track and a T-bar lift. I had never taken such ski lift before and heard that it was prone to falls. With the explanations of Yannic I have no problems with it. He has good teaching abilities and he’s only 14. He’s also learning me to fly well, jumping off the bumps. Going slowly up and quickly down we enjoy the track being progressively deserted as the closing time approaches. Great day.

          View from Maria Laach -picture taken by Yannic-

Sunday January 9th - Yellow Electric Warrior
Nothing special today, I spend long hours on the computer, it takes my time until late at night. Departure is fixed for Tuesday.

Monday January 10th - Red Self-Existing Earth
After this late sleep, it is hard to wake-up and I am called for breakfast out of meditation. Checking the bicycle which is in perfect state, it is just regular maintenance: oil and pumping. Then I sew my trousers which I am reminding are too long every time I put them on -i.e every day since Dresden-.
At night I learn about the dioxins scandal in German egg and pig food industry, which includes the already seen ingredients of such scenario: delay in making the abnormality public, absence of decision, government minimizing the danger, fear for economy loss, idiotic process in the making of food. Along with the mad cow, the chicken flue and such, this argue in favor of local small and organic productions, and in favor of a vegan diet as well. I am left with a list of organic brands in Austrian supermarkets.
When going down to our rooms, Tania, who is on wheel chair and needs help in the stairs, goes down totally by herself. Great achievement!

I had a very nice time here that the words can’t translate. I could stay longer but still want to make it to India by the end of the year. I worked on various tasks, re-activating some gestures and learning some new ones. I talked to pigs, cats, chicken, dogs, geese, ducks, goats. I learned a few German words and shared many moments of fun. The community of family, volunteers, guests, made me feel at ease as one of their members. They provided me with calm, space and time to be grounded and have regular spiritual practices. They have been inspiring and I wish to come back.