A week at the Hippie Art Farm passes faster than I realize and soon Todd is driving me to town to meet Rachel, the girl I am to move in with in Mountain View. Long curly brown hair and captivating eyes, Rachel is a ball of energy. Completely vibrant and alive. We sit together and have hot tea and eggs while Todd floats around and connects with other people of the community. Right before we load my bags into Rachel’s Subaru, I turn and say see you soon. Todd hugs me tightly and I climb in the front, excited to have Rachel’s company, excited at whatever awaits at her property.
Tonight I am hosting a goddess new moon ceremony, Rachel begins to say when we settle in. Her white rescue pup, Hena, sits patiently in the back seat before crawling onto my lap. She is named after the Hawaiian word for moon, Mahena. I have invited over some gorgeous women and I’ll be teaching a yin class, Rachel finishes. Immediately I feel at peace. I have grown into the routine of celebrating the new moon for the last couple of months with friends in the city. It is fitting that my first night with Rachel would be met in this way.
The gathering is a pot luck style dinner and I make a purple sweet potato-onion dish to contribute to the feast. After a tour of the property, where I meet Rachel’s husband Kelly and his good friend from college Bobby who is helping with building projects, the ladies come over and we gather around in a circle on the floor. We joke and laugh, and talk turns quickly to divine goddess nature. In an instant I am teleported to a simpler time when women would share knowledge to the younger generations of women. I am the youngest woman by far and I open myself up like a sponge to absorb all of the wisdom that floats around the air within and around the enclosed circle. After some time Rachel asks if we would all like to have the yin class before filling up on food. We all make our way through the darkness to the just finished yoga hale in the back with our mats.
That night, tired from all the talk and from such vibrant company, full from delicious vegetarian dishes and too much vegan cheesecake, I drift into sleep easily. On a mattress on the floor of Rachel’s healing room, under the watchful eye of her crystals, I dream about Todd and wake up with a message on my phone that says happy new moon, beautiful.
We Bend So We Don't Break 