20 years ago, I was one of 3 lead vocalists in a big 10 piece funk dance band. Big management got us a three night gig to play at the Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa , the last night ending on New Years Eve. The tickets were sold out months before the event. I had never been up there before. It's beautiful country up there in Lake county.
I was burning the candle on both ends working my corporate day job and then singing full time evenings and weekends. I ended up getting a really sick and right before the big show weekend. I did the show Thursday fine, and on Friday after that show, I lost my voice completely. This was bad. Our band came on after Chris Isaak and we had a producer coming for the weekend to check us out for a bigger tour. I was really sick, so we called another vocalist to come up to sub for me. This was no easy gig, I was the MCee, I sang the high parts on harmony, did costume changes and had choreography for each set she had to learn.
A friend of ours who came for the show was a hypnotherapist and did a session with me. My unconscious mind said as long as I promised to sleep for 48 hours, it would let me have my voice back for the NYE show. It was way too much for the vocal sub to learn on short notice. The night arrived, and I still could not speak. We ended up having me all dressed and ready to go for the show, as normal, doing all the moves, just not have my microphone on for the first couple songs.
All of a sudden, MY VOICE POPPED BACK IN. I was able to sing, just not speak. It was amazing. After we finished the show, a local Indian woman recommended I go up to a place called Harbin Hot Springs near by. So, on new years day, my boyfriend and I found the place and we stayed for days, and I finally slept 48 hours and got well. It's clothing optional, and an amazingly well cared for place. Soaking in natural hot springs of pure Calistoga water will fix anyone. I have been going up there ever since.
It has changed so much in the last 20 years. The beautiful metal and wood work all around the pools. The new huge structures, the gardens, community and food options have grown. It has become a popular hipster resort. It used to be sort of a secret Marin-county-ite elder hippie hang, now you will see homeless young hairy freeloader types with backpacks filled with all of there belongings lined up along the curb and find them raiding your bags for food in the communal kitchen.
It is now way too popular and over crowed even during the weekdays. I just spent a few days there this week. This week must have been "Baby Week" at Harbin. There were more screaming crying babies and kids than ever before. There was no quiet sanctuary until after baby bedtime. Weekends, it's a Gay meat market, and I am not complaining - THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO BEHOLD, but the energy there is just not like it used to be. I only go during the week when I do go.
It's nice to share in the healing waters in a pool, but not so nice when the person next to you is Really Over-expressively enjoying the water by moaning, grunting, chanting and blowing there snot into the water when they go under in extreme ecstasy. It's good, BUT NOT THAT GOOD. There was a guy in the steam room who was obsessively exfoliating his feet with some kind of scrub while we were all just trying to sit and rest. He was so oblivious to the others around him, it drove us out of there. I was hoping for quiet time at Harbin.
I got up at 4:30am to get quiet time in the pools to meditate, it was amazing. The stars and the Perseid meteor shower, were out bigger than ever up there. Harbin is still a sacred place to some of us. So much love has gone into the gardens and the new water features there. I usually camp in my VW Bus, but I got a nice room with a shared bath this visit. Here is the video of the waterfall fountain I enjoyed at sunset that was right next to my room:
I finally finished the book: The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. Being around such beauty in nature it made it easy to be IN THE NOW. I had a hard time leaving, but as soon as I walked by the woman laying out on the deck with her legs spread wide for the sun to shine deep into her birth canal for us all to see, and then heard the kids fighting in the heart pool, I WAS FUCKING OUT OF THERE.
Maybe I need to read the book again. : )
The beautiful drive along Silverado Trail was wonderful. I grabbed lunch at one of my favorite little French Bistros on the way home, Bistro Jeanty. It's a lovely spot, great menu and service. I am grateful to be a native in the San Francisco bay area and so close to so much natural beauty, everywhere you go. I do enjoy my solitude and did find some in the wee hours at Harbin. Now to practice that solitude, Now..and now...and now.
9/21/15 HORRIBLE UPDATE:
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Harbin-Hot-Springs-ravaged-by-Valley-Fire-6503417.php#photo-8629679
I was burning the candle on both ends working my corporate day job and then singing full time evenings and weekends. I ended up getting a really sick and right before the big show weekend. I did the show Thursday fine, and on Friday after that show, I lost my voice completely. This was bad. Our band came on after Chris Isaak and we had a producer coming for the weekend to check us out for a bigger tour. I was really sick, so we called another vocalist to come up to sub for me. This was no easy gig, I was the MCee, I sang the high parts on harmony, did costume changes and had choreography for each set she had to learn.
A friend of ours who came for the show was a hypnotherapist and did a session with me. My unconscious mind said as long as I promised to sleep for 48 hours, it would let me have my voice back for the NYE show. It was way too much for the vocal sub to learn on short notice. The night arrived, and I still could not speak. We ended up having me all dressed and ready to go for the show, as normal, doing all the moves, just not have my microphone on for the first couple songs.
All of a sudden, MY VOICE POPPED BACK IN. I was able to sing, just not speak. It was amazing. After we finished the show, a local Indian woman recommended I go up to a place called Harbin Hot Springs near by. So, on new years day, my boyfriend and I found the place and we stayed for days, and I finally slept 48 hours and got well. It's clothing optional, and an amazingly well cared for place. Soaking in natural hot springs of pure Calistoga water will fix anyone. I have been going up there ever since.
It has changed so much in the last 20 years. The beautiful metal and wood work all around the pools. The new huge structures, the gardens, community and food options have grown. It has become a popular hipster resort. It used to be sort of a secret Marin-county-ite elder hippie hang, now you will see homeless young hairy freeloader types with backpacks filled with all of there belongings lined up along the curb and find them raiding your bags for food in the communal kitchen.
It is now way too popular and over crowed even during the weekdays. I just spent a few days there this week. This week must have been "Baby Week" at Harbin. There were more screaming crying babies and kids than ever before. There was no quiet sanctuary until after baby bedtime. Weekends, it's a Gay meat market, and I am not complaining - THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO BEHOLD, but the energy there is just not like it used to be. I only go during the week when I do go.
It's nice to share in the healing waters in a pool, but not so nice when the person next to you is Really Over-expressively enjoying the water by moaning, grunting, chanting and blowing there snot into the water when they go under in extreme ecstasy. It's good, BUT NOT THAT GOOD. There was a guy in the steam room who was obsessively exfoliating his feet with some kind of scrub while we were all just trying to sit and rest. He was so oblivious to the others around him, it drove us out of there. I was hoping for quiet time at Harbin.
I got up at 4:30am to get quiet time in the pools to meditate, it was amazing. The stars and the Perseid meteor shower, were out bigger than ever up there. Harbin is still a sacred place to some of us. So much love has gone into the gardens and the new water features there. I usually camp in my VW Bus, but I got a nice room with a shared bath this visit. Here is the video of the waterfall fountain I enjoyed at sunset that was right next to my room:
I finally finished the book: The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. Being around such beauty in nature it made it easy to be IN THE NOW. I had a hard time leaving, but as soon as I walked by the woman laying out on the deck with her legs spread wide for the sun to shine deep into her birth canal for us all to see, and then heard the kids fighting in the heart pool, I WAS FUCKING OUT OF THERE.
Maybe I need to read the book again. : )
The beautiful drive along Silverado Trail was wonderful. I grabbed lunch at one of my favorite little French Bistros on the way home, Bistro Jeanty. It's a lovely spot, great menu and service. I am grateful to be a native in the San Francisco bay area and so close to so much natural beauty, everywhere you go. I do enjoy my solitude and did find some in the wee hours at Harbin. Now to practice that solitude, Now..and now...and now.
9/21/15 HORRIBLE UPDATE:
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Harbin-Hot-Springs-ravaged-by-Valley-Fire-6503417.php#photo-8629679
