Amazing Austin

I'm here in Austin, and have already been hosted by
John Green and Bridgette Reece, out in Sunset Valley,

warm and happy people,
who home schooled their kids
and love the Earth.

My first night in Austin, October 16, and I'm off to a musical revue at the Berkeley United Methodist Church, which isn't in Berkeley, but on Berkeley road out in south Austin. At least 20 numbers sung with charm, skill and humor by a batch of irregularly regular fun people, reminding me of Orcas Island, and Berkeley the "real" Berkeley.

My idea that Austin has got to be grand since it is called the Berkeley of Texas starts to come true right away. The next day in church, a passage from the Bible is enacted as a humorous "Judge Judy" bit, before the actual sermon.

The sermon isn't as amazing as those of Dick Staub back on Orcas, but almost none are. Check out podcasts of his sermons for a lot of fun, "even" with straightahead Christianity.

I helped with their garden, shown here weeded of an almost totally coverage with grasses and other weeds.

The lessons I gave Bridgette from the Anat Baniel Method, she found intriguing and relaxing and "fun."


My next host was Ted Norris, MD, PhD,  raconteur extraordinaire, in both the entertaining and the blarney senses of the word, a fellow permaculture enthusiast, and a great lover of people.


He introduced me to, among others,
Athena Jelik, master cranio sacral worker,


Leah LaChapelle, guide in Unzipping Reality and
creating the new community order
instead of the New World Order


and Sonora Lee,
who is my present host,
a fine music teacher,
a Waldorf enthusiast,
and a great person.




Here's a blurb I'm sending out via email about lessons
at her place:

Hello

My name is Chris Elms.

I'm setting up a winter time practice in Austin.

My summer home will remain Orcas Island, Washington,

a place a lot like Austin in its heady mix of creative and intelligent people,

though a lot colder and darker in the winter, and with a wintertime population

of only 4000.

I have certification in the Feldenkrais Method (http://feldenkrais.com) and

the Anat Baniel Method (http://anatbanielmethod.com).

These methods are brain improvement systems that look like "body work."

Extremely gentle, and with the aim and result of

upgrading the whole organization

and use of YOU

(not just shoulder or flute playing or running),

Not treatments.

Lessons, and you'll feel younger, taller, breathe easier, make music or run in easier and more pleasurable and effective ways.

My flyer mentions "high performing musicians" but anyone at

any level will find ease, delight and improvement.

(In any skill: dance, run, yoga, accident recovery, golf, tennis, walking, running, etc.

Amazingly, this also helps "thinking" and a child or adult's 

school and learning abilities will sharpen and improve)

And creativity will increase.

While I am staying with Sonora Lee, music teacher and amazing person, I'll be offering lessons at her place.

Directions are via: http://www.sonoralee.com/directions/

For these lessons, which some call Functional Integration

and I call "Neurological Upgrading", the costs are

Adults: $120 for one or two lessons a week; $100 per lesson for 3 or more per week

Lessons for adults are an hour, 45 minutes is working time… .

For children, the rates drop $30 in each category and are shorter.

If I come to your house, please double the cost. Though for special needs kids just starting,
the cost is only incrementally raised for coming to your house in the beginning.

If you know any special needs children, these lessons can make a huge difference 

in creating a life of dignity and lifelong improvement.

You don't have to have any aches and pains to get a huge amount out of this,

just a sneaking suspicion you could feel even more wonderful,

and many, once they have had lessons, continue for years, at a more

spread out rate, because they love the continued improvement, from poor to good to great

to even greater.