Heaven Rushing In

Many of us seem to be out of balance A lot of the time with too much pressure in our jobs, our schooling, and in the way we take things too personally. Instead of always wondering what you want to have next inyour life consider a new way to relax by watching nature as it blossoms and the way the birds sing and serenade each other outdoors. My recent rip to Bishop's Ranch gave me a new appreciation for the different pitches that I heard the finches, larks, jays, peregrin falcon, and flickers sing.

On another note I would like to share a relaxing energy balancing treatment that is in Donna Eden's book "Energy Medicine" (1998:21). It is titled Heaven Rushing In appropriately since it balances and harmonizes your body's energy when things seem too be chronically out of order. It is best that you do this outdoors as the natural effects of the fresh air will energize you that much more and connect you to the spiritual elements.

1. Stand with you hands on your thighs and feel your feet grounded on the earth. Prepare yourself to make a sacred connection by letting your energy pour out of your fingers.

2.Deeply breathe and let your arms open in a prayer position over your chest.

3. Deep breathe again and open your arms with wide uplifting position reaching up toward the heavens. Release your breath and realize that you are being blessed by the heavens and are truely connected with all living beings. A tingle you may feel as you are receiving healing from the universe.

4. Scoop up the energy and bring it to your chest which receives a vortex that heals the place you put your hands. If their is a particular spot that you want healed scoop your arms up and back down to that place ion your body. I would love to hear how this exercise works for you. I have done this with cancer and other patients I've worked with and they seem to find it very beneficial. TAKE GOOD CARE AND ENJOY THE BLESSING OF LONGER DAYLIGHT AS WE BEGIN THE NEXT SEASON.

Acorns As Spiritual Food

We are here on this earth to heal ourselves and become more connected to the earth - I guess that as a Native Ameican we can become much more spiritual and become much more loving as individuals. My excursions that I've taken around the US have made me wonder what types of foods we have regionally that have brought us good fortune and live in harmony with one another. It is best to consider the local crops that have been in our localities and have been traditionally harvested by the local tribes. As John Harrington (1932) once wrote acorns were considered Spirit People who came down from the heavens and had nice hats to wear. They were considered great resources that spilled down from the heavens and continued to be used as the North Coast Range tribes's staple for over 5,000 years. It is my quest to understand the native plants of this county and realize that we all can benefit from eating the aboriginal foods that ripen at different seasons from our local area. Soups, bread, and of course pinole was prepared using acorns and an abundance of other seeds. I look forward to taking you out on the trails to show you our abundant greens and seeds that can be harvested. Keep a look out for the new blossoms this winter and check out the miner's lettuce which is rich in Vitamin C.

A Day at Wappo Springs and Spring Lake

I SPENT A DAY IN WAPPO LAND IN THE HEALING SPRINGS OF CALISTOGA LOOKING AND MEETING ALL KINDS OF EUROPEANS WHO HAD PAINTED TATTOOS ON THEIR FACES FOR BEAUTIFYING THEIR APPEARANCE. i ALSO TOUCHED THE MUD BATHES AND PAINTED SOME VOLCANIC ASH AND LOOKED AT THE FULL MOON. VERY RARELY HAVE i EVER SEEN THE MOON SO BRIGHT, AND POLARIS WAS A BEACON DIRECTING ALL THE GODDESSES TO STARE IN THE HEAVENS ABOVE.

I DID A CLEAN SWEEP IN THE CAR, MY HOUSE, AND IN MY REFRIGERATOR. i FOUND AND GATHERED MANY SEEDS THAT I PLAN TO SPRINKLE ALONG MY PATHS. pLANTING SEEDS AS THE BIRDS DO ASSURES A GOOD CROP IN THE SPING--I'M DROPPING CRUMBS ALONG THE WAY AS WELL.

I SAT IN AN IRON HORSE AND RODE SIDE SADDLE ON A BRONCO

THE NEXT DAY I WATCHED THE PILEATED WOODPECKERS DRILL THEIR HOLES IN OAKS FOR STORING ACORNS AT SPRING LAKE PARK.

ALL FOR NOW - WATCH AS THE DAYS BECOME LONGER AND I WILL SOON BE PLAYING MY DULCIMER AND DRAWING PETROGLYPHS AT SPRING LAKE PARK...

VISIT TO SAN FRANCISCO

This week I visited my brother in San Francisco and decide to sight see at Fisherman's Wharf to watch the swimmers and to talk to all the people who were reenacting the 19th century on the 5 schooners docked at the bay. I even met a couple of very nice men who had sailed from China and had replicated and built a Chinese junk - a total of eight men sailing the storms and keeping their goal in sight and enjoying each others company. One Chinese man served me tea, but it was a black tea I didn't care for. They had a nice hands on and experiential boat where anyone could be involved in stepping upon the vessel and having a tea party.They said their next port stop was in San Diego and then to Hawaii I believe. What braveness I thought to sail all the way around the world on those rough seas and the cold waves, wind and whales - I was remembering the movie the Whalewatcher which had a young girl riding the whales on the sea to save the life of some whales in New Zealand. One young American told me his story of being self educated in nature and living his entire life on the sea and docking at various ports - free of charge - a sort of living museum interpretive display. He spoke fluent Chinese and had never been to formal school. Their sering tea is a welcoming gesture , as it is for many oriental cultures. God has provided for them as they have of course many adventures on the sea, and have encountered many storms.

They live their entire life on the ocean and it reminded me of my life as an archaeologist - being free in nature and letting nature speak to me. I can't imagine living my entire life at sea - I SURE KNOW THEY DO NOT HAVE NATURE DEFICIT DISORDER I love the land and you may say that I am a land lubber havingf hiked over 1000 miles some months as an archaeologist.

They reminded me of the ancient tribes in Hawaii or those folks who came across from Russian across the Bering Strait that made their catch of the day using dugout canoes from KOA wood
or Redwood as the Yurok use in northern California.

It was quite an exploration for me as I have been trying my best to collect local friuts and nuts locally in Sonoma County and haven't left the county much in the past eight months.

Till next time - have a safe trick or treat.

Being in Peace with Nature

I have never seen a more unusual summer - for the most part the acorns still have their caps on and the are minuscule compared to last year. What's happening - any biologists out their on the web - please let us know? I believe very strongly that their are shamans controlling all of us and the weather - and because this is a very cool summer that the harvest of acorns - the BIG TIMES will be delayed. Have you ever seen the Pomo as they danced with their bird feathered costumes at Point Reyes, or at Anderson March - wouldn't it be wonderful to attend their dances this year and ask them what they may know about the weather or to speak to a shaman as some anthropologists I know must have by now. Have you seen a much more perfect place to have a hike than at Bishop's Ranch or Spring Lake Park? Come join me in celebrating a BIG TIME this year and keep those replies coming in. I love to hear from all my past clients.

I have been enjoying the unusually cool weather this summer - I hope it is an Indian summer and that all those acorns without their caps on become full grown - has anyone else noticed how small the acorns are this year on the Valley Oaks? It is a strange mystery of nature how the shamans controlled the weather and made the acorns spirit people - keep reading my blog to find out; or better yet join me on an eco-adventure. I was on TV and radio "The Morning Show" on Monday KSVY 91.3 AM which is in Sonoma, CA. That was quite fun as my mom was also on radio and TV and I remember her telling me how much she wanted to be an actress during the Depression.

A Day on the Russian River

I thoroughly enjoyed canoeing on a stretch of the Russian River for the annual CleanUp with a group of wonderful Sonoma State University students. Several boats tipped over minutes after trying to navigate some rapids and had a wet but exciting adventure. I love spending time in nature listening to the ripples of water spashes and wondering where my next turn may take me. Avifauna along the river is wonderful this time of year and the weather was hot but enjoyable. We saw white herons, a peregrin falcon, and numerous teals and sand birds. The stretch between Geyserville to Healdsburg remains very much undeveloped. The canoes we used were from River's Edge and were quite stable - all in all such a relaxing and enjoyable trip. Thank you to the team who organizes this great efffort! I'm sure to be back agin.