We spent the day at a retreat center called La Perfetta, which is in Arzo, near the border with Italy.
Something like forty or fifty devotees from Switzerland and Italy gathered there for Ananda’s traditional 8-hour Christmas meditation. It happens every year at all Ananda communities, but since we knew we would miss the one at Ananda Village, we reached out to see if one was scheduled for here in Ticino.
Of course, the powerhouse leaders of the Ticino meditation group (Triveni, Amrita, and Monica) quickly organized and magnetized this wonderful event.
Today we drove to Bellinzona to visit our niece, Nicole, and her new husband, Antonio, and to meet the newest member of the family — Aron, who’s only one month old.
Not sure how I missed getting a photo of the beautiful mama, but here’s the rest of us with the baby.
I’m taking the easy way out tonight and using what Ramesha already wrote for Facebook…
“We’re in Lugano, Switzerland visiting family for Christmas. The day after we arrived we were invited to sing a few songs during a small Christmas party* for a group of people who are a part of a special governmental probation program; they all did some time for small crimes, and they’re now being helped to transition back into society. We sang some Ananda songs, and they experienced the power this music has to uplift consciousness and open hearts. We were really grateful to be able to meet them and be part of this very important program!”
I have to add, however, that we were pretty exhausted and still quite jetlagged. To make things even more interesting, on the way to the party we missed a turn due to the rain and ended up on the autostrada, completely stopped in traffic due to an accident.
So, we arrived really late…but of course it was the perfect timing. And it was a total joy to share with these lovely and receptive souls.
* In Lugano this type of informal Christmas party with friends and colleagues is called a “panettonate,” because you eat — that’s right! — panettone.
Our last three visits to Lugano we stayed mostly on hillsides, up winding roads with some pretty stunning views.
Well, we have a view of the lake where we are now, but the getting here is completely different.
Basically, while the apartment is quite elegant and refined, as well as being in a beautiful area (not that we’ve had a chance to explore yet; more about that tomorrow), we have to drive a heavily traveled road past probably the largest shopping center in the Lugano region to get from here to Ramesha’s family home.
This list of shops gives you some idea. And we’re just days away from Christmas!
Pretty much our first sight in the airport was this shop. Too perfect, with cuckoo clocks, cows, and St Bernard dog toys all in the frame!
And here are a few random pics taken before we landed in Zurich.
Flying over the typical grey weather of the Swiss interior.Our first glimpse of Switzerland this time around.In Switzerland even the farms and fields are neat and precise.
Here at SF international Airport there are not one, not two, but three choices of dispenser when you go to refill your water — hot, cold, and just right (I mean, room temperature).
I feel like I wandered into “Goldilocks and the Three Bears!” 😅
I can’t quite believe the moment is already here. Well, the truth is I can believe it, but I’m not ready for it! I’m close to finished with my packing, but I’ve got to get back to it.
It’s extremely rare for us to be away from our spiritual home at Christmas.
First of all, because it’s such a powerfully meaningful time that we love being a part of.
But also because — duh! — it’s probably the busiest time of the year for church music directors!
At any rate, I felt inspired to take a few photos of the beautiful Christmas altar, holding this sacred place and our beloved spiritual family in our hearts as we travel.
It was indeed an honor and a blessing to spend a delightful evening with Jyotish and Devi, eating delicious pizza and watching a classic holiday movie I’d never seen before, “The Christmas Story.”
The perfect corrective to recent days of overwhelm and stress; I feel ever more grateful for the friendship of these great souls. 💖
