CURRENT MISSION

To find a meaningful, joyful life, fulfill my spirit, and have a lot of fun!

ABOUT ME

Hello! My name is Jay!
I am fairly open minded with how I enjoy spending my time. I like to hang out and chill, I'm down to explore nature, take a walk, play a game or sports and so on.

I got my Associates degree and then decided to put off school for awhile so that I could explore life more. I realized that I knew little about the world or about spirit, but that spirit, and learning to live in a good way was and is utmost important to me. Now I looking to explore! And searching for a balance in my life between spirit, work, play, excess, responsibility, etc.

I would like to do something in my life spirit related, be a teacher, a counselor or maybe just be a happy, helpful person. I am also thinking about returning to school for psychology perhaps in a year or two.

I spent 5 weeks at a Sivananda Ashram, 3 weeks at Thich Nhat Han's Blue Cliff Monastery, 3 days during a silent retreat at the Dharma Drum Chan Buddhism Monastery, and countless days going to sweat lodges.

note: Thich Nhat Han teaches his Monks to be Joyful, and his Monasteries are really fun, because the monks love to play and have a good time, it's really great!

I worked and lived in a tent for 3 years on and off at the Omega Retreat Center in NY, and met so many teachers, seekers, yogis, artists, dancers, singers etc.

I spent last year in Hawaii. I lived predominantly under tarps at an Eco Village called Cinderland, which was a man made Permaculture food jungle. I worked at the local food Co-op in the meantime. I hitch hiked by myself to the Rainbow Gathering for a week, but got jumped, lost my things, my violin and broke my wrist, but I went anyway, and had an amazing experience. However, that put the Kaibosh on me trying to learn the Violin.

After healing up at Cinderland I went to Mark and Nancy's property, a lovely older couple, to WOOF, they lived in a beautiful old growth Mango forest/jungle and had a very untamed jungly property (that was swarming with mosquitoes). I did landscaping work with Mark there, and we became good friends.

I am kind of bummed about America, suburbs lacking good community and consumer based society, but I am trying to come to peace with it. At the same time being driven away in search of something else.

PHILOSOPHY

I believe thoroughly in silliness. Also, I believe that the closer you live your life in accord with spirit, the more blissful, fulfilling and easy life will be. I believe in the physical experience too, so I eat, drink and love. I place great importance on laughing, humor and play. Not taking life too seriously, while at the same time knowing that everything in life and everything you do matters. I have experienced a lot of crazy, amazing things in my life, and believe in infinite possibility and endless wonder.

Like Thich Nhat Han, I believe the secrete lies in Peace and that Joy is a crucial part of it.

note: Thich Nhat Han teaches his Monks to be Joyful, and his Monasteries are really fun, because the monks love to play and have a good time, it's really great!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I participate by spreading the energy and consciousness of a free flowing, friendly, fun, trusting life, seeking freedom from borders and stagnation.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have slept on many a couch of friends and family, but I only happened to sleep at an official Couch Surfer Host's abode once before I knew he was a Couch Surfer. I am new, but I am ready! I have lived harmoniously in many different communities, and have lived under many different conditions.

Interests

I love pingpong! Food, dancing, spending time in nature, playing sports, hanging out, meditating, water, art, singing, circle songs, toning, drums, campfires, adventure, trying new things, music: Cat Stevens, Nora Jones, Adele, classical, old school hip-hop, dance music like dubstep, psy-step, folk, Alt-rock etc.

• cats
• arts
• singing
• dancing
• dining
• walking
• drinking
• music
• violin
• drums
• dance music
• buddhist
• sports
• teaching
• law
• psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

Lord of the Rings, Tao Te Ching, The Bible, Dhammapada, A New Earth, Aesop's Fables, Siddhartha, The Hunger Games and let us not forget Harry Potter!

Though I have not read them much myself except maybe snippets, I am sure that snippets of the Vedas or Upanishads have been paraphrased (liberally) to me many many times.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I hitchhiked by myself overnight across the Big Island to get to the Rainbow Gathering that I didn't know the location of, which was also hours of walking through a desert where I got jumped and lost all my things, but ran away and made it!