As was mentioned two days back, Bodhinatha and Sadasivanathaswami were invited to join a prestigious group of island leaders the other day, made more precious by the spectacular setting in the remote Limahuli Valley...so remote this was Bodhinatha's second visit to that area. And his first visit to the creative home of the Haas family.

The mayor of our island was there, the head of our hospital and our little college, educators and administrators of some of the islands most strategic institutions, incluiding the Visitors' Bureau.

Over breakfast the leaders shared their current work, their challenges and solicited input from their peers. It was such a success they opted to meet every three months instead of four.

The monastery was invigted by the organizers of a plan for the future development of land and infrastructure between Wailua and Puhi. We took about 120 collectors' quality plants for those attending, a small gift to the community. To our surprise, we were asked to "Offer the puli (Hawaiian for blessing, usually a chant). The threat of heavy rains kept many away, but it was a success.

Yesterday Sadasivanathaswami took the Param family, Sivanadiyar Jaya and Forrest Miller on an excursion to a local cycad collector. Greg Holzman owns the Pacific Cycad Nursery, and has spent the last 25 years collecting these ancient botanical creatures from all corners of the world.

It all came at an interesting time, just weeks after Martin Mosco, our garden designer, suggested we need cycads in Siva's Sacred Gardens. So, naturally we stumble on a man who has spent his life bringing them to the island.

We saw thousands. Small and giant. Greg is a passionate collector and made our wanderings through his greenhouses fascinating. We will return to select which of these gems is destined for the monastery.

Over the three-day retreat Sadasivanathaswami and Sadhaka Mayurnathan took the taskforcers on a tour of the Princeville Botanical Gardens. The owners and designers (Bill, Lucinda and Michael) took us through their amazing 8-acre paradise complete with trails and stream, bridges and many thousands of plants.

Here and there Michael would say "that one's from the monastery, and that one and the palm over there…) We have been sharing with them over the years and they invited us to come. Lucinda gave a tasty chocolate tutorial, complete with 10 or 12 artisan chocolates, including her own home-made (yes, from their own cacao trees).

They are devotees of Anandamayima, the "hugging guru."

With days of continued rain Wailua river is flowing strong, flooding many logs and sticks downriver.

"Running water will run faster if you remove an obstruction here and there. You need not do much more." - Siva Yogaswami