Beinvenidos a Locombia

Fascinating how fast time flies...it has been a minute since I have blogged....life has had some interesting, yet exhilerating happenings in the past year....recap of the last year: I set out on a world journey, as you know if you have been following along...I started out in Costa Rica and steadily made my way to South America....They say God laughs when we make plans....so, of course my path took many pauses and turns...I was magnetized toward Colombia for some reason when I had a stop over on my flight to Peru....I decided to stay and the events following have been life changing...and now I am working of making my dreams come to work with natural medicine and healing in the global health arena. A rough plan has miraculously been coming together to develop and run a non-profit wellness & cultivation center including: organic farming, permaculture, yoga, cleansing, meditation, Mayan Calendar lessons, wellness seminars, Spanish language immersion and native medicinal ceremonies. We hope to reach out to everyone interested in any and all of what we can offer.

Well, after a slight intermission back in Portland, I arrived back to Colombia the middle of December. We decided to spend two weeks in the Alps in a remote farm to spend some time in nature and reconnect. Our destination took about three hours by horse through the mountains as there is no road going the entire trek. The first leg of the journey way by a bus, called a Chiva, meaning goat in Spanish....appropriately named due to its ability to climb anywhere.....so, these are used to drive the roads up into the mountains. The summer has brought a lot of rain in this country. As a result, many of the roads have washed out. We made it through some areas I was skeptical about, but when we could go no further we all piled out with our packs and continued on foot until we reached the point where the horses were waiting for us. I wondered how the Chiva gets back down the one way mountain road we came on. Answer reveals the driving skills of these Chiva drivers....they drive the whole way backwards! Absolutely fascinating. It took some adjusting to get used to living simply, I mean really simply....the farm had no electricity and we cooked our meals by a wood fire stove...makes you appreciate your meals more when you have to put so much preparation into it. It is unfortunate one must travel so far up into the mountains to enjoy clean, pure water...it is so refresing to take a dip in the rivers, even though the water was freezing! While at the farm, we had some unexpexted visitors....two giant tarantulas! Well, they are quite dangerous, that type especially....so, that took some problem solving. We enjoyed some days working in the food....bonus is we also got to enjoy eating some really delicious organiclly grown food! Now, back to civilization in San Agustin, Colombia we are relaxing, but working also toward development of this non-profit I mentioned. I will add pictues soon! In Love & Light....

locisima la vuelta......pero bueno

so.....we left Ecuador about three weeks ago by bus.....24 hours from Vilcabamba in the south of Ecuador to Colombia.....about 24 hours.....all was good past the border into Pasto, Colombia where we met some friends.....there was a beautiful cultural conference there for one week with many spiritual leaders and shamans from around the world.....we participated in an Ayahuasca ceremony with many beautiful people in the backdrop of the stars and two waterfalls.....what a dream. After a week in Pasto, we traveled north back to Cali, Colombia....the highway from Pasto to Popayan is muy caliente.....what I mean is it is hot with police because this road is heavy with trafficking of the devil's white powder....our bus was pulled over and searched twice.....how exciting....we stood back and watched while they took care of their business....one man got taken away because he was in possession of Gold....the political climate is crazy....I don't really understand all the goings on, but the police have the power over the people and whatever they say goes apparently....the key is not to draw attention to oneself and all is good...two glorious weeks in Cali and then we started to travel South again.....about one and a half hours south of Cali on the road to Popayan the traffic came to a stand still....I was dead asleep.....when I awoke we got out of the bus to have a look and find some good eats only to see a massive line of cars stopped for miles....Police, military and the Guerilla were said to be ahead....there was a blockade in the road so no one could pass....some indigenous peoples had started a protest and were rioting, which caused chaos of catastrophic proportions....the road was closed for more than a day and a half......when I say catastrophic I mean we saw the live news footage from a cafe and there were army tanks and people throwing fire and granades......a serious protest.....at any rate we waited about 7 hours then turned the bus around and headed back to Cali......I needed to get to Quito for a flight....seeing as the road was closed I had to travel by air.....and once again I am in Quito....swinging in a hammock on a balcony in the crisp evening air....tomorrow traveling again....destination undeclared.....

The Valley of Rare Fruits

So, after feeling out the energy of Vilcabamba for a few days, Great Spirit let an apartment near the town square fall into our lives....for $100 per month including utilities....not bad I'd say.....if you notice in the photo above, I am standing in the doorway of the bathroom in our apartment....it is very short....which goes along with the simple fact that in Ecuador I am almost a giant.....we all need something to make us laugh :)

I am reading a book called The Valley of Rare Fruits, by a local who has lived here for many years....an immigrant from New Zealand named Gavin Moore....very interesting about the history of Vilcabamba and the people who have passed through and those who are still here.....my favorite quote of the day, " Chane is the Universal law.....and the worst illness of man is to seek stability and/or permanence."

We have been meeting a lot of the locals and doing research on this "Valley of Longevity" and from what I can tell this place has a long history of people coming here to be healed, to live and/or to open up businesses focused in health, nutrition and the like....a few days ago we were walking around and saw a flyer for a place called, "Sacred Valley School of Herbal Medicine", with a course offered by a Master Herbalist....I scribbled down the contact info and went into an internet cafe to write a quick message to inquire about the program....as I am diligently writing an email, a woman next to me is in distress because of technical difficulties with her PC....I take a second to calm her down and lend a hand....we end up in a long conversation....she in fact is the exact woman I was rushing to write an email to.....the Universe is very mysterious indeed....there are no coincidences....after finishing up she invites my Beloved and I to her house so she can show me her inventory and speak with me about the apprenticeship she offers in Herbal Medicine.....and as we are walking the topic of the Maya Calendar comes up....I mention to her that my Beloved is in fact a Master of the Maya Calendar and Shamanism. She gets very excited and tells me that she wrote her Master thesis on the Maya Calendar.....what a small world....again, there are no coincidences....so everytime we visit her we end up in very long and stimulating conversations about the Universe, the Mayas, past experiences and Herbal Medicines of Ecuador....beautiful! So, I have been learning a lot about the magnificent botanical medicine of Ecuador and specifically in this valley.
The first few nights in Vilcabamba we stayed at Hostel Mandango, which is the name of one of the towering monuments of a mountain overlooking this town.....the owner is an older Ecuadorian fellow and his wife....one day my Beloved mentions that I study Naturopathic Medicine and the man is immediately interested in speaking to me about a health problem he is having....after the consultation, it seems clear that it is in fact a kidney/bladder problem....so, I get an amazing herbal tincture from my new friend the Master Herbalist and checked back in with the patient a couple of days later....he says that he is much, much better and he would like me to also see his mother....wow, I already have fans in this small town of Vilcabamba!
Today, we ate at a very good vegetarian restaurant....while we are waiting for a table I notice an American Naturopathic Medical Association certificate on the wall as well as a Diploma of Doctor of Naturopathy from Trinity School of Natural Health in Indiana....I finally ask the guy running the show there, who do these certificates belong to....and he responds, "they belong to me".....so we get into a conversation about National College of Natural Medicine in Portland etc and about the many healers in Vilcabamba who have come here with the dream of opening a clinic....he is the second guy today that tells me they are planning to open an clinic and wants to be on a team with me in some way or another.....very interesting.....there are only two other places in the world with people comparable to Vilcabamba, the Abkhazia of Russia and the Hunzas of Pakistan.....things to consider.....until next time.....in Love and Light

Prayer of the Seven Galactic Directions

Prayer of the Seven Galactic Directions

From the East, House of Light
May wisdom dawn in us
So we may see all things in clarity

From the North, House of Night
May wisdom ripen in us
So we may know all from within

From the West, House of Transformation
May wisdom be transformed into right action
So we may do what must be done

From the South, House of the Eternal Sun
May right action reap the harvest
So we may enjoy the fruits of planetary being

From Above, House of Heaven
Where star people and ancestors gather
May their blessings come to us now

From Below, House of Earth
May the heartbeat of her crystal core
Bless us with harmonies to end all war

From the Center, Galactic Source
Which is everywhere at once
May everything be known
as the light of mutual love

Ah Yum Hunab Ku Evam Maya E Ma Ho!
Ah Yum Hunab Ku Evam Maya E Ma Ho!
Ah Yum Hunab Ku Evam Maya E Ma Ho!
“All Hail the Harmony of Mind and Nature!"

........a prayer we use in ceremony........

"You have been telling people that this is the eleventh hour.
Now you must go back and tell people that this is the hour!
And there are things to be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your Garden.
It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community.
Be good to yourself.
And not look outside of yourself for a leader.
This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing very fast.
It is so great and fast that there are those who will be afraid.
They will hold on to the shore.
They will feel that they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.
Know that the river has its destination.
The elders say that we must let go of the shore,
push off into the middle of the river,
keep our eyes open,
and our heads above the water.
See who is in there with you and celebrate.
At this time we are to take nothing personally,
least of all, ourselves.
For the moment that we do,
our spiritual growth comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!
Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones that we have been waiting for."

- The Elders, Oraibi, Arizona Hopi Nation

Vilcabamba

We spent a week in Ballenita, Ecuador, which is a beach town. We had the opportunity to work in a cultural festival in Valdivia teaching the Mayan Calendar, giving information to the people about Galactic culture and selling the beautiful handcrafts that my beloved makes. We stayed in the Valdivia Aquarium with the people who run it. The festival was to draw attention of the officials of the area to alert them of the importance of moving the animals to a more suitable aquarium than these beautiful sea creatures are currently in. We spent many evenings on the beach and now are back to the mountains. For some reason the mountains feel like home.

We are now in Vilcabamba in the south of Ecuador. A beautiful town with tons of culture and smiling people.
The area has been referred to as the Playground of the Inca.....

The valley is overlooked by a mountain called Mandango, the Sleeping Inca, whose presence is said to protect the area from earthquakes and other natural disasters. This is also called the Valley of Longevity due to the very old age that many of the inhabitants live to. There is a man here believed to be aged 120 years. There has been a lot of investigation done here by curious researchers around the world who want to know the secret of this valley. So far they have come to no definitive conclusions.....however, I think the ancient peoples who inhabited here are smarter than the Westerner thinks. There are valuable and rich resources from the land here in these mountains and in this valley.

New and exciting visions have arisen. I have always wanted to practice international health and run a non-profit clinic to grant access to healthcare for those the most in need in the world. South America is definitely looking like a place I could live and work for a long time. I am finding myself at home in these mountains here....we will see what happens. Lots of opportunity to find a good location around here for a healing center.

Today, we met with a Canadian guy who lives here with his Colombian wife. They have a meditation center with organic garden, medicinal plants and a set-up for sweatlodges, which are an ancient tradition of the American Native Americans. Very inspiring project!

We have made many contacts along the journey from Colombia to the south of Ecuador.....working and giving information to the people....it is nice to see more people awakened....it is also really beautiful to be able to collaborate my area of knowledge of nutrition and natural medicine with the knowledge of my beloved who is a Shaman and master of the Mayan Calendar, meditation and yoga.....In combination with my skills in Nutrition and Natural Medicine we are doing great work and reaching a lot of people. until next time.....Namaste

trampolín de la muerte

So, we (mi Amado y yo) traveled from San Agustin to Mocoa and from Mocoa to Pasto, Colombia. The road from Mocoa to Pasto is called trampolín de la muerte (Trampoline of Death), and for good reason....it took us 10 hours through the night on a one lane, un-paved, bumpy, rocky road in the back of a pick-up truck through the Amazon jungle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7dsi6WIQys I did not realize at the time just how dangerous this endeavor was...with the guerrillas and political conflict in the mountains of Colombia....and with me being the only ¨Mona¨ or ¨white¨ passenger....we thank the Great Spirit that we made the trek safely. Now, we have travelled south and have found ourselves in a place called Banos, Ecuador. Sitting in a valley below towering mountains and jungle. We will be spending some time at Vrindavan Ecological Garden and Farm regaining some energy, meditating, teaching the Mayan Calendar, doing some sweatlodges and experiencing everything Pacha Mama has put in this magical place we are now in. http://www.fincavrindavan.com/yoga.html

Rabbit Hearted girl

These Lyrics are so inspiring to me today so I wanted to share them with you.
"Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)" Florence and the Machine

The looking glass, so shiny and new
How quickly the glamour fades
I start spinning, slipping out of time
Was that the wrong pill to take? (Raise it up)

You made a deal, and now it seems you have to offer up
But will it ever be enough? (Raise it up, raise it up)
It's not enough (Raise it up, raise it up)

Here I am, a rabbit hearted girl
Frozen in the headlights
It seems I've made the final sacrifice

We raise it up, this offering
We raise it up

This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife?
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight

I look around, but I can't find you (raise it up)
If only I could see your face (raise it up)
Instead of rushing towards the skyline (raise it up)
I wish that I could just be brave

I must become a lion hearted girl
Ready for a fight
Before I make the final sacrifice

We raise it up, this offering
We raise it up

This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife?
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight

Raise it up, raise it up
Raise it up, raise it up

And in the spring I shed my skin
And it blows away with the changing wind
The waters turn from blue to red
As towards the sky I offer it

This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife?
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight

This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife?
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight

This is a gift, it comes with a price
Who is the lamb and who is the knife?
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
And turns me to gold in the sunlight

This is a gift 

As I sit here high above the other buildings in this Pueblo of San Agustin I see rolling green mountains and hills, lush with fresh pineapples, platanos, guava....everything. I am overwhelmed by the blessings of Mother Earth and all of her gifts to us. My arrival in Colombia was spontaneous. The most beautiful about this path in life is that we write our own story each day, in whichever way we wish. I decided to stay in Colombia when I arrived in the Bogota airport three weeks ago. I felt a strong force calling me here. I was blessed to spend these weeks with a Shaman learning about the Mayan calendar and the Mayan ancestors. We have spent many nights around the fire alongside the river in Pance (small Pueblo near Cali, Colombia) laughing, singing, chanting, making music and ceremonies thanking Mother Earth and asking for her blessings. This is a very magical place. There are many lessons that have been learned. I must become a lion hearted girl,
Ready for a fight, Before I make the final sacrifice. I am in what the Mayan people would call, warrior training. I feel so blessed to be in this place, in this time, to learn, to love, to grow. I am so blessed to be passing through on my journey. 

During my journey I have encountered many people who ask me what I am doing on my travel. When one tries to explain the complexity of a spiritual journey it can be quite mysterious, but I know in my heart what I am searching and I will continue on to ripen the fruits. Mayan people would call this a spiritual camino or spiritual walk. When you set out you do not fully know what to expect. I have ended up in Colombia, a land known for culture, aguardiente liquor, mama coca, coffee, fiestas, and most of all the loving community sense these people exude. It is so clear that one can be happy while having so little and knowing where to emphasize importance. Things have little importance. This is a material world and humans are consumed in material ways, but as to no surprise, never find happiness. It is such a beautiful experience to live on the land. To respect, the ground we walk on and the ground that gives us food for nourishment. Trees, medicinal plants, animals, rivers and mountains bursting energy to us and us to them. Humans must become aware and responsible for their own energies and understand how all objects are living beings and must be respected. When we all open our eyes and truly awaken we can make leaps and bounds in the direction of managing our energies and our resources of this planet. We, as humans have not evolved to this level yet. We do not realize that we are sending light beams of energy to the universe everytime we speak, think and act. We must become more responsible in the way that we behave. We create our own reality and when we come to this realization many doors will open, beginning with the third eye chakra, which I am currently exploring and is soon to come.....AHO, Ometeo and Namaste