Sharing The Gaia Minute with friends here.

Awhhhh….30 years ago today, the angels in heaven looked down at earth
and shouted….

 WATCH OUT BELOW!!!!  ;-)

So happy you are with us here in Gaia~ville, Matthew. We'd be lost without you and your support, humor, good vibes and all round fun.
For 3 years I have counted on you to repair broken links, delete spammers, advise on general problems, and to remind you that no matter how old you are, I'm still 31 years older then you!

Have a fantastic birthday and know we all love and appreciate you!

Much Love Matthew!


We all know Matthew's first love is his pooch, He'kili




He also loves relaxing with him whenever he can drag away from his computer...




Matthew always hangs with the coolest people. Hugs from Ken Wilber...



                             Kisses from The Twisted Mystic, Stuart Davis...



           Enjoying a balancing act with Cassandra in the mountains....


                            Fun lovin Matthew and parties galore to come!



                                   ~C4 playing a mirror tune for you....




                   And CLICK here is a special birthday card just for you, Matthew!

                                  May all obstacles be removed...

Thanks to my wonderful friend ~KES,  the video from August 15, 2009 of the 40th anniversary of Woodstock is up on youtube.

A producer from GMA saw my Woodstock photos on my personal website and asked if the one of me could be used in the photo montage from the original event in 1969.
I had no idea how it would be used for the anniversary show, but was thrilled when it was with Richie Havens singing his classic Woodstock song.

Now I'm thrilled that Kathy took so much of her time and energy to make this happen for me.  I am eternally grateful to her for this gift.

It's an auspicious day for me because it was 3 years ago today that I was invited into Zaadz by my good friend, Renie.
Back in those days it was invitation only to join the group.
I liked that. If you were invited, that meant someone felt you were worthy to be here. That your life energy, your work, would benefit Zaadz in some unique way.

I took to Zaadz like a bear to the woods and immediately felt home here.
I had to choose an icon that I felt represented me and I chose the one I call the Valentine Kid. This is a photo of me at about 4 years old,




ready to take off down the road with my pail and sneakers, all I needed.
 Always itching with wanderlust.

About 10 years ago, my dear friend Bobby created a Valentine gift for me with my photo. It immediately became my favorite icon.
That's me, ready to fill the bucket of life and beam out big hearts.



That is what I wanted to do here in this network of light bearers.

The early days were fun and easy.
I came in with about 16,000 members on August 23, 2006.
We all did know each other on one level or another.
Zaady was the mascot of fun.




We've shared many fun parties, deep discussions, some misunderstanding, Gaia Gatherings, friends here dying, friends here marrying, friends leaving.
But we always know that we have each other's back when the chips are down.
Someone will step in and smooth over a rocky post, or a misunderstanding.
For this I remain grateful. There have been a few people that have gifted me that.

Since the days of corporate take over, we have paid a price.
Much more advertising, not all coming from places like EnlightenNext or Shambala magazines.
Many Zaadzters and now Gaian's have gone to Facebook.
This I don't understand.
Why leave a place most of us still try to nurture and continue on with the mission of Zaadz, to... BE THE CHANGE.

I'm grateful I'm still here.
I'm grateful you're still here.
I'm grateful we can still be ourselves and reach for the stars.
And lead others to do the same...
Thank you Gaia team for all you do here to keep us up and running...



I still believe in our mission.



And Always... Thank You, ~Brian for being the highest inspiration we could
have in cyberspace.

                                     ~~~~~ May All Beings Benefit ~~~~~~

It's the 40th anniversary of The Woodstock Music and Arts Festival.



And I was there.




Satya John suggested I hold the Woodstock Party so put on your party shoes





and off we go...

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL START TO THIS PARTY!  


As for me, I was 22 and my best friend Bonnie and I had left NJ to head to California in early summer of '69.
Once there we found out about the Woodstock Festival. So we hopped back in our VW minivan and hit the road back to NY!
We got there early enough in the week to get into the site, and parked the bus on some local guys property for the weekend.
set up a base camp near the HOG FARM and headed into our future.
in the words of our beloved ARLO GUTHRIE, "MAN, ALOTTA FREAKS!"
it was ~FaR oUt~!

The world has never been the same and neither have we!
We wanted things to change.

I remember sitting in the field waiting for the bands to start
and someone started making peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches
and we'd take a bite and pass it on. food was getting rare,
and the stands that were set up were such a hassle to get to cause you had to walk over so many people, it was hardly worth tryin. when you got up there the line was killer anyway, so we just all shared food!

I have many stories of that weekend.
Fell in love a thousand times with guys who would walk by and we'd lock eye contact and keep walking.
It was constant connecting. walking by and touching or looking deep at each others eyes and moving onto the next person to share with as they walked by.
There was a purity of the spirit there. a genuine sharing of soul. my life changed there,
I quit smoking cigarettes on an acid trip,
we paid $5 to a farmer with a tractor to tow our van out of the mud after Woodstock ended,
and we made it into the movie!
right after SHA NA NA and before Joe Cocker!
We're doing YOGA with Tom Law, I'm the one with the headband on!

This is us in the Woodstock movie. i'm in the yellow top just as the video begins!




Bonnie is still my best friend and she and I return to the site everytime i'm back to NY.




Check out some of my photos from Woodstock '69 HERE

My biggest story on Woodstock is that I was admiring a girl there
for days thinking she was so cool.
(In the movie, she has on the fringed halter and short skirt
that's dancing wildly with Fantuzzi, the guy with the big hair waving his arms around).
Anyway, I thought she was the coolest and at one point,
she entered into a camp I was at.
I offered her one of my Kool cigarettes.
She said 'I don't smoke cigarettes'.
I thought 'WOW! I want to be more cool like her'.
I was on acid at the time and it really made an impact!
So...that's when I quit smoking!!!
On an acid trip at Woodstock!

It's wonderful to hear Bhagavan Das speak of his journey. Where would we have gone back in those early 1970 years, if it were not for BVD and Ram Dass' Be Here Now account of meeting him and Marahaji.

One of the most famous mantras in Tibet is the mantra of Padmasambhava, called the Vajra Guru Mantra, OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM. Like most mantras, it is in Sanskrit, the ancient sacred language of India. The mantra of Padmasambhava is the mantra of all the buddhas, masters, and realized beings, and so uniquely powerful for peace, for healing, for transformation and for protection in this violent, chaotic age.

The Vajra Guru mantra, OM AH HUM VAJRA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUM, is pronounced by Tibetans: Om Ah Hung Benza Guru Pema Siddhi Hung. This exploration of its meaning is based on explanations by
Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.



The essential meaning of the mantra is: "I invoke you, the Vajra Guru, Padmasambhava, by your blessing may you grant us ordinary and supreme siddhis."

.