10 ... Gabriel Morrisdaily struggles, I was certain that I had the strength necessary to sur-
vive this ordeal of spiritual evolution.
I had been accepted to Humboldt State University for that fall,
but wasn’t sure if I could manage the concentration and dedication
necessary for school; and neither was I sure that I was ready to deal
with mainstream society while still immersed in the Kundalini pro-
cess. Instead, I was considering going back to Ananda Village at the
end of the summer, to do work exchange there over the winter. It
was a spiritually focused and supportive environment where I could
wholeheartedly devote myself to my spiritual growth and healing as
well as work on improving my back with daily yoga. This was what
I really needed. It seemed like the perfect plan for winter.
I left Eugene the same day that we arrived and hitched up Inter-
state- to Seattle. I had a flight already reserved from Seattle to Ju-
neau the following morning and planned to surprise my best friend
from college, Erik, who was still living and going to school up there.
I’d mentioned to him sometime in the spring that I was thinking of
coming up for part of the summer but had never told him that I’d ac-
tually reserved a flight. If it turned out that he was gone, then I’d just
camp out and then catch the next ferry north. It was just too much
fun to surprise people, and it seemed like it generally worked out for
the best.
I slept on the hard floor of the airport that night. I got up at a.m.
with just enough time to have a hot breakfast and hop on the plane.
I got a window seat and sat through the flight musing and contem-
plating sleepily, watching the forests and sea rush beneath me far
below.