About 3 years ago my friend, Oshan Cook, who ran Om Shan Tea, the teahouse in the mission, was charged with ‘Possession of LSD and MDMA with intent to distribute’. About 6 months ago he was convicted of those charges, taken into custody to a detention center in Oakland where he has been awaiting sentencing. Last week he got sentenced. If you want to see the story from the beginning you can here:

Part 1:http://on.fb.me/147eMK7

Part 2:http://on.fb.me/12BI5n0

Part 3:http://on.fb.me/Xp3R9i

When I got to the court building for the hearing everyone was standing outside. There was a fire drill going on so they weren’t letting anyone in. After a few minutes they allowed us to enter and I took off my belt, put my phone and keys in the conveyor belt tray and walked through the metal detector.

I took the elevator to the 19th floor and walked into courtroom 11. A lot of  Oshan’s friends were already in the courtroom and they gave me a look of solidarity as I entered.

Not long after I came in Oshan shuffled out taking baby steps because his feet were shackled. The tension in the room was palpable. A cell phone went off and the judge exclaimed, “Confiscate that phone, it now belongs to the United States government. If anyone else’s phone goes off you will forfeit it and it will become our property.”

Oshan’s lawyer and the prosecutor presented their arguments about whether Oshan should get the minimum sentence of 120 months or more time because of, as the prosecutor called it, “Oshan’s lack of remorse.”

After the two sides finished presenting their cases, Oshan had the opportunity to give his final remarks. He apologized for the harm that he may have caused the community and spoke of his understanding of addiction from his own personal battles with it. He explained the Alcoholics and Marijuana Anonymous groups he had been leading for the past few years in an effort to bring more consciousness and awareness into the community. His voice cracked as he fought back tears before he regrouped to ask for leniency.

When he finished speaking the judge said, “Very well said, but I’m not buying it. I’m going to follow the prosecution’s recommendation and sentence you to 151 months.”

As the judge explained the details about Oshan’s sentencing I felt a squirt of energy in my brain release from my medulla oblongata. It trickled down my brainstem…then down my neck, shoulders, and arms to the rest of my body. My body tingled and pulsated while this energy flowed within me.

There were gasps and whimpers throughout the courtroom and that was the moment when a lot of people broke down and began to cry. I didn’t cry then. I felt the whole thing had already been decided on another plane of reality and we were just watching it materialize. 

I felt a lot of compassion for the judge. Perched above everyone, doling out his judgements on another human being. Seemingly with no awareness of the karmic principle that whatever you do to someone else you do to yourself. The heart knows this, that we are all one. But the mind sees things as separate and offers it’s ideas of good and bad, right and wrong.

As we walked out of the courtroom I went over to hug Oshan’s mom and look her in the eyes. 

There are no words for that exchange.

As I left the courthouse I felt a lot of gratitude for witnessing all that took place. I had been contemplating how much longer I would do Souls of San Francisco. What the end goal of the project is.

I now feel very clear about that. I woke up early the next day full of energy ready to spread the love and joy I feel in my heart to as many people as possible. To do my part in reconnecting the collective mind and heart.

In a way I feel more connected to Oshan than ever. The whole process has deepened my bond to him on a spiritual level. His soul will now have the time to go deep within to face the mis-qualified energy in his field.

The “time” it takes to do that ultimately does not matter because there is no such thing as “time”. There is only intent, intent to evolve into more. Intent to own up to our mistakes. Intent to better the world and contribute in the best way we know how.

Intent, thru unwavering conscious action, evolves into dynamic volition. Volition can not be stopped. It seems this ordeal has awakened many people’s intent…and that is a beautiful thing.

I’m going back to Atlanta soon to spend some time with family and friends, share all the experiences I’ve had. Until then I’ll be hitting the streets laughing, smiling and dancing. Spreading the spirit to whomever I meet. When I do finally head back to Atlanta, I will most certainly be bringing my tea set.