Over the past week we've been seeing glorious sunsets like this one. Interestingly, many have held resemblance to volcanic activity, some recent sunsets even looked like red smoke, rising from Waialele's long-dormant center.

Recently three of the monks and Tirtadeva went for a hike on the Northern coast of the Island. The trail takes you along the coastal cliffs, and stretches 11 miles before reaching Kalalau Valley, a place held sacred by the Hawaiians. The group of course didn't go the full 11 miles, but was content to go two miles in and out which leads you to a wonderful beach at the two mile mark.

Each year the monks take three days during the Full Moon to do nothing on our lovely little island. Over the last retreat, six of the monks headed up to the mountains for three nights at Kokee's Camp Sloggett. They hiked through the beautiful mountain forests, meditated to the silence of nature, and sat together around the camp fire to talk about deep things. The monks live busy lives of service, often filled to the brim with their seva. These few days at the rural lodge were a great chance to practice the art of being rather then doing, which Gururdeva felt was so necessary to our lives. 

Over the retreat Saravananathaswami, Sadhaka Jayanatha and Cody traveled to the other side of the island for a hike in Waimea. Waimea Canyon is known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific and is quite extraordinary to behold. The group hiked along a cliffside trail which follows the rim of the canyon and leads to the top of a massive waterfall.

A wedding party from Tennessee visited us several times while on Kauai for a wedding, first to join the weekly grounds tour and then again to have darshan blessings from Satguru Bodhinatha. Suvarna and Nilesh got married on May 25th. The priest who performed their wedding on the ocean at Marriott hotel in Lihue also participated with enthusiasm in our Vaikasi Visakam evening puja.

As was mentioned two days back, Bodhinatha and Sadasivanathaswami were invited to join a prestigious group of island leaders the other day, made more precious by the spectacular setting in the remote Limahuli Valley...so remote this was Bodhinatha's second visit to that area. And his first visit to the creative home of the Haas family.

The mayor of our island was there, the head of our hospital and our little college, educators and administrators of some of the islands most strategic institutions, incluiding the Visitors' Bureau.

Over breakfast the leaders shared their current work, their challenges and solicited input from their peers. It was such a success they opted to meet every three months instead of four.

The monastery was invigted by the organizers of a plan for the future development of land and infrastructure between Wailua and Puhi. We took about 120 collectors' quality plants for those attending, a small gift to the community. To our surprise, we were asked to "Offer the puli (Hawaiian for blessing, usually a chant). The threat of heavy rains kept many away, but it was a success.

Yesterday Sadasivanathaswami took the Param family, Sivanadiyar Jaya and Forrest Miller on an excursion to a local cycad collector. Greg Holzman owns the Pacific Cycad Nursery, and has spent the last 25 years collecting these ancient botanical creatures from all corners of the world.

It all came at an interesting time, just weeks after Martin Mosco, our garden designer, suggested we need cycads in Siva's Sacred Gardens. So, naturally we stumble on a man who has spent his life bringing them to the island.

We saw thousands. Small and giant. Greg is a passionate collector and made our wanderings through his greenhouses fascinating. We will return to select which of these gems is destined for the monastery.

Over the three-day retreat Sadasivanathaswami and Sadhaka Mayurnathan took the taskforcers on a tour of the Princeville Botanical Gardens. The owners and designers (Bill, Lucinda and Michael) took us through their amazing 8-acre paradise complete with trails and stream, bridges and many thousands of plants.

Here and there Michael would say "that one's from the monastery, and that one and the palm over there…) We have been sharing with them over the years and they invited us to come. Lucinda gave a tasty chocolate tutorial, complete with 10 or 12 artisan chocolates, including her own home-made (yes, from their own cacao trees).

They are devotees of Anandamayima, the "hugging guru."

With days of continued rain Wailua river is flowing strong, flooding many logs and sticks downriver.

"Running water will run faster if you remove an obstruction here and there. You need not do much more." - Siva Yogaswami