Bend, Oregon

Sunday 1/4/09 - Karuna

Is it Bend, or is it me, or is it the time, or is it all of the above?  This trip, this vacation...a retreat...a coming home...a re-trusting, discovery of sorts.  Synchronicity and dreams.  Peeking badgers from unusual places, while owl looks right through me.  Splendor as I face my fears high above the world, grounded right here.  Falling, sinking and releasing to the wonderland of roaring possibilities, we hold each other and smile.  Water, flowing, cleansing, soaking, lighting from within.  Twisting, stretching and breathing on this threshold.

It is the new year, and the same.  I am open to all the possibilities, and more.  Gratitude is what I feel in this moment, and hope to keep in my heart all year.

I ventured north to Bend, Oregon to visit my dear cousin, Matt for a week.  No plans, no expectations, just the exploration and connection. 

We visited the High Desert Wildlife Museum and found a Badger walking through the hallway, leashed to a trainer and a bit scared.  Peeking around the corner, his fear got the better of his curiosity.  The owls, majestic and wise, looked through us as we marveled at them.  The beautiful rainbow trout swam in the cold creek, happy to be there, as we watched in chilly amazement.

The Dreamwork group gathered to share dreams and discover ourselves through them.  Themes of "seeing" and home and water tied us together to help us re-member the wisdom we have inside of us, we only need our curiosity.

Shevlin Park walked me, as I discovered paw prints, ice in strange forms, and the philosophy of time - always enough if we slow down enough - ageless wisdom in a new friend.

New years eve we spent with friends, cooking, sharing, laughing, talking.  I was by far the oldest there and began to notice the difference age offers, and the non-difference.  Age is a matter of mind over matter, if you don't mind it doesn't matter. And yet, I am growing older, and that's beautiful.

Smith Rock Park on new years day allowed me to climb through my fears and see myself and the world from a new perspective.  River Otters played and fed as we watched with joy.  Climbing the rocks and the sheer face of history, strained my neck and taught me about how little I need to stand on to steady myself.  Just don't look down.

A Turkish bath in the middle of Bend offered salt water release. Bathing in the warm water, St. Francis gave me the gift of compassion in all things, again. His tiled images on the walls of the bath, seemed to hold all of us while we soaked and breathed.  This was a place we returned to again!

The mountains surrounding Bend captured us, and the snow fell and fell and fell as we ventured into the trail to witness the awesome power of water in many forms.  A commanding waterfall sprayed us and bathed us too.  We sank deep into the snow, trying to get close to the Life force, only to discover the blue of the holes our feet made seem to light from within.  We couldn't figure out this phenomenon, but left it to the mystery of Nature.

And food, how we ate.  The best fish and chips and beer, the best sushi, breakfasts to die for and chocolate and wine, soup and bread shared with new friends.  I was fed body and soul and body again.

Before leaving Bend, I twisted and stretched in new ways.  Ulla's Anusara yoga session left me feeling every cell in my body, tingling and sufficiently open to the 9 hour drive home to California. 

Clear roads, sun and the majestic awesomeness that is Mt. Shasta carried me home to my cottage, my Minke and myself - again and with new life, new awareness, and much more gratitude.

Blessings and great amounts of thanks to Matt and to the Universe!