One minute, I’d never considered living in Ohio, and the next, I am. At the end of July, I moved myself and the ashram 2,000 miles across country to the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland. What adventures await!

I decided I needed to live in a place near a large body of fresh water in a temperate climate. Hello, Lake Erie! The wealthy climate refugees have priced me and many others out of the PNW, and the cost of living in Cleveland is so much less. The weather here is almost perfect, (says he who has never lived in a place with real winter before).

There is an AMAZING Hindu community here, and I have had the pleasure of connecting with lovely practitioners. My first community kirtan is scheduled for October 22 on a beach, with the hopes that it will still be warm enough to gather and chant. I’m still not comfortable with chanting indoors yet. There are still vulnerable people among us, and they are being ignored or forgotten. That’s not cool.

The ashram is small, but mighty. Tonight I led a Siri Jyoti puja for a group of Sri Vidya devotees in California. My last event in the PNW was a Siri Jyoti puja, and I’ve already heard from locals that they want me to offer Siri Jyoti puja here, too. I am beyond delighted to serve people and the Ma in this way. I still can’t quite wrap my brain around my good fortune to have gone so deeply into these practices and made them the centerpiece of my life.

Moving across country and going back into fulltime employment after 17 years has been hard. I don’t think I could have done it without the unwavering support of the Goddess. I have felt her holding me up when I didn’t think I could go another minute. My gratitude knows no bounds.

The fabric of society is breaking apart. These are intense times. We simply must grow and adapt. Tough times are coming. We need to be in a position where we can take care of ourselves and each other. I feel like I’ve been on an intense training course to do just that.

Adventure awaits, indeed!

Sri Matre Namaha!