Thursday, January 31, 2013

1/31/13 - For years, my strongest yearning has been to travel near and far ~ a high priority on my 'must do*live it up list' that I let procrastinate far too long. When I looked at myself in the mirror last July on my 58th birthday, I communed deeply with the eyes of my soul realizing it was now or never.  'Do it or let it go.' I am still amazed and extremely proud of myself that I took the plunge.

In retrospect, living on the road these last 5+ months has filled me with great joy and contentment.... challenges of course too.  Every now and then, I come to a place where I do wonder if I am ready to settle down again.  Such a moment occurred when I visited Ojai recently on the central pacific coast of California.  Ojai was the motivator that initiated this trip.  (More about that story another time).  Who wouldn't want to live in a Shangri-La feminine vortex town beaming with consciousness, spirituality and creativity?  After delving for days into the well of my deepest longings, I discovered that even though I feel a sense of home in Ojai, I am not yet ready to set down roots.  Perhaps when I do, it will be Ojai.  On the other hand, I love the redlands of the southwest, always have, and know that I must return there to continue exploring.

I've been offered a good deal of emotional support on this journey from my sister tribe that know me well.  One of those sisters over Christmas holiday reminded me to stretch myself bigger.  To empower myself to manifest all that I desire, not just some of what I desire. I've been made aware that I've been carrying around this belief system of this or that instead of this and that. WOW!  I can have a home, partner and travel!  What a great ahha!  In that light bulb moment I changed my default thought pattern and asked for it all.  WOOHOO ~ I conquered that hurdle and realigned myself.

Another opportunity arrived last week when a dear sister*friend invited me to meet her in Kauai in a couple weeks. So I delved deeply again.... head to Kauai or not, that is the question..... I've always wanted to travel there and this friend has invited me numerous times. For a couple days I got swept off my feet at the notion of joining my mermaiden sister on that luscious island.  Meanwhile, I am reconsidering that "chess move."  Surely feels like I'm playing a game of chess with myself here.
Scoping out the moment and the big picture, ~ it's all about choices and timing. 

Having postponed my yearning to travel for many years, I have built up a lifetime of longing to explore many places on this beloved planet. DejaVu ~ I am remembering that I was told years ago in an Akashic Record session that my spirit resonates deeply with the matrix of many people and places on this planet and I feel it everyday. Sometimes I find the dance of choice and direction oh so challenging.  Other times, things are so crystal clear there is no room for questioning and it is in these moments that I celebrate the clarity with which I step. 

My spirit in this moment whispers:  Step by Step ~ Breath by Breath, patience and steadfastness is the key.  There are many places that I am to open up to and in the same breath unattach to a fixed outcome. Although I have the ability to "makes things happen" the truth of my being is reminding me to "remain open and allow things to happen."  These are very different energy vibrations.  My journey is the latter.

Marya ~Thank you for your glorious invitation.  Having my home on the road presents a consideration of leaving it behind somewhere if I were to fly away in addition to the finance consideration.  All in all, I'm not feeling a whole lot of energy toward proactively pursuing shifting tracks.  I feel quite content with the vision set before me the next few weeks.  I still feel that one day I shall be there with you in Kauai.  Until then, I remain your mermaiden sister.  Envisioning a beautiful Aloha basket of wonderful experiences for you and look forward to hearing about your journey.  The island aspect of my heart is surely with you.

Dear Tribe Sisters  ~ thank you so much for responding to my email.  I deeply appreciate your encouraging support.  

Christine C~ Resting in the resonance,  I am abiding in the words you emailed to me this morning....
You will always get to where you want to go when the stars and moon line up for a safe journey. Your calling, at this time, is the direction in which you are heading. 





Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The new year is brewing
the new world churning
I feel changing currents in the air.

The new year's chapter of January
comes to a close as I visit my son.
Our time together as always is golden
despite several cold rainy days.




It's been several months since I pulled my hair back.
My son informs me that from the back
it looks like I have a fox tail.
Well then...
i'd say that I'm a foxy lady ~



         
Night time cool air arrives
Sunset begins to shine its glory
wait wait....
a quick pitstop at Malibu Beach
feels strange wearing shoes
this gypsy prefers barefeet on sand
Even still, I'm up for playing 
with this beachside moment ~






Thursday, January 24, 2013


1/21-1/24 - Following the Dances of Universal Peace Retreat, I was invited to stay at Matilija Canyon ~ a remote canyon area that is approximately 10 miles from downtown Ojai, California.  A lovely hide-away, amazing views, and fabulous natural Hot Spring pools.

Lyn, Thank you once again for your generous invitation to stay in the canyon. I am moving on most grateful!  It was a pleasure meeting you and your family tribe ~ partner Robert, son Dbn (thanks again for the mini-massage), daughter Rose who dances with snakes and pitbull mix, sweet Mister Dog, 3rd generation African Savannah/Siamese cat "Shiya", (translation - snow at dawn - one of 200 Inuit words for snow), Australian Carpet Python "Manawa" (translation - strike when the iron is hot) and 2 Albino Corn Snakes "Milkyway" and "Andromeda."

 Lyn - surely will miss this lovely heaven on earth spot
called Matilija Canyon

Guess what Robert is carrying in the basket?
 Pet Python Manawa



Rose the Snake Dancer


Dusk in Matilija Canyon
Misty Mountains & Peacock Visitation





 Many more photos in my facebook album ~ Matilija Canyon
1/18 -1/21/13 -  In deep joy and spiritual ecstasy, I attended the Dances of Universal Peace Winter Quarterly Retreat in Padres National Forest near Lake Cachuma, located 20 min. northwest of Santa Barbara, CA.


These sacred dances evoke & emit
the depth of Unconditional Love
with heart open to ecstatic spiritual embodiment
and body beating every breath
into the truth
~ I AM home ~



Dances of Universal Peace

Spiritual practice brings us face to face with Life and Truth, prior to the concepts and beliefs of the person, opening to our true nature - authentic, unguarded, beyond form and imbued with the spaciousness and love that connects all.

The Dances of Universal Peace and Walking Concentrations are spiritual practice in motion. Drawing on the sacred phrases, scripture, and poetry of the many spiritual traditions of the earth, the Dances blend chant, live music and evocative movement into a living experience of unity, peace and integration. This taste of our true nature - as Universal Peace - opens to the possibility of a deep spiritual revolution within the person.

From the beginning of time, sacred movement, song and story have brought people together - at times of seasonal ceremony and celebration, as part of everyday life and life passages, in daily renewal and meditation. The Dances of Universal Peace are part of this timeless tradition of Sacred Dance.
The crowning life achievement of Sufi teacher and Zen master Samuel L. Lewis, the Dances set scriptures and sacred phrases from the world's spiritual traditions to music and movement. The Dances are transformative spiritual practice, invoking an embodied sense of unity, presence and compassion and touching the spiritual essence within ourselves. Offered in an atmosphere of safety, authenticity and mindfulness, the Dances evoke a unified experience of movement, sound, breath and sacred phrase.
Murshid Sam, as he was known to his Sufi students in the 1960's, brought forward the Dances, meditative walks and other esoteric practices to awaken the hearts and minds of his Sufi students and create an ecstatic experience of unity. The Dances today remain an integral practice of many who seek to hold to their true nature and rest in the Unity of all.

ABOUT THE DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE
From the beginning of time, sacred movement, song and story have brought people together - at times of seasonal ceremony and celebration, as part of everyday life and life passages, in daily renewal and meditation. The Dances of Universal Peace are part of this timeless tradition of Sacred Dance.
The crowning life achievement of Sufi teacher and Zen master Samuel L. Lewis, the Dances set scriptures and sacred phrases from the world's spiritual traditions to music and movement. The Dances are transformative spiritual practice, invoking an embodied sense of unity, presence and compassion and touching the spiritual essence within ourselves. Offered in an atmosphere of safety, authenticity and mindfulness, the Dances evoke a unified experience of movement, sound, breath and sacred phrase.
Murshid Sam, as he was known to his Sufi students in the 1960's, brought forward the Dances, meditative walks and other esoteric practices to awaken the hearts and minds of his Sufi students and create an ecstatic experience of unity. The Dances today remain an integral practice of many who seek to hold to their true nature and rest in the Unity of all.

A Visit to the Dances

The Dances are taught today in much the same way as Samuel Lewis presented them. No musical or dance experience of any kind is required and everyone is welcomed to join in. Participation, not presentation, is the focus. No special attire is required and dancers need not bring a partner.
Participants join hands forming a circle with the Dance leader, and possibly musicians, in the center. The leader teaches the sacred phrase, melody, and movements for each Dance and perhaps some context about that particular Dance. The teaching is always brought from a compassionate heart in a comfortable, quiet, and often sacred setting. When Dance lyrics include sacred phrases in native languages, attention is given to ensure that all have ample opportunity to pronounce the unfamiliar words comfortably and correctly. Most Dances are only four lines long and repeated many times, so learning is usually quick and easy - within ten minutes dancers are moving, singing, and sharing together.
The more than 400 Dances include themes of peace (both inner and outer), healing (the Earth, individuals, and the global family), and the celebration of life's great mystery. Dancers focus on the truth contained in the sacred phrase or other text set to music and movement in the Dance. Dancers commonly experience a collective peace, harmony, a sense of solidarity and community, and insight into the underlying universality of all the spiritual traditions of the Earth. A greater understanding and appreciation of other cultures, as well as one's own path or religion, is often gained.
The mood of the Dances is infinitely variable, evoking feelings of love, joy, peace, compassion and ecstasy. The focus is on the sacred phrase, which often points to truths about Life which cannot be put into words.  The dancers' experience flows out in the context of sacred presence to one another and to the group as a whole. An experience of the Unity of the human family with all of Life and a taste of one's essential nature are among the gifts the Dances bring to so many who come in contact with them.

A Worldwide Family, A Grassroots Movement

Since the late 1960's, the Dances have spread throughout the world, touching more than a half million people in North and South America, eastern and western Europe, Russia and the Baltic countries, India, the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan, Australia, and New Zealand. (Click on Worldwide Network to learn more.) Further networking and citizen diplomacy through the Dances have occurred in South Africa, Bosnia and the Middle East. New grassroots Dance circles are continually springing up around the globe, with over two hundred dance circles meeting weekly or monthly in the United States alone. (See North America for more information.)  The Dances are also shared in schools, therapy groups, prisons, hospice houses, drug rehabilitation centers, homes for the developmentally disabled, retirement villages, holistic health centers, and ecumenical worship celebrations.
The stream of blessing and vision of human liberation behind the Dances is carried forward today by the Sufi Ruhaniat International, the Sufi order established by Murshid Sam before his passing, and by the Mentors Guild which oversees training and certification of the Leaders Guild.
People worldwide yearning for Unity have found in the Dances of Universal Peace a renewing and inspiring practice, based in religious truth and an embodied spirituality. The Dances open us to remembrance of the natural human state - unguarded, authentic and free. They continue to be, as Samuel Lewis envisioned them, a way to make liberating life-energy and the "peace that passes all understanding" a reality for all who come in contact with them. 

Eat, Dance & Pray Together

With footage of Murshid Samuel Lewis, Ruth St. Denis and Hazrat Inayat Khan, this excerpt from Anahata Iradah's video "Eat, Dance & Pray Together" about the Dances of Universal Peace captures the spirit of this worldwide movement of joy and love. The voice of Ruth St. Denis is heard saying, "Those who are ever moved in the rhythm of inward joy, let’s dance now, let us mark a date for the world to be better, let us help to make it better.” To order the complete "Eat, Dance & Pray Together" video on DVD or VC visit Anahata's web store at www.traveling-light.net/emporium-DUP.shtml.


Wednesday, January 16, 2013

1/16/13 - Today marks 5 months that I've been On the Road.  Daily blogging has become occasional blogging inspired in the moment instead of  a preset should be routine.  At this moment, I'm sitting in a comfy coffee shop in Ojai called "Full of Beans"....

 

...sipping a Chai Tea Latte, listening to the Beatles song, "LET IT BE."  ~ Great words of wisdom permeating my life ~ an invitation that rests as an ongoing invitation for all beings. I pause from writing to close my eyes and breathing consciously "being this moment."

Thanks to Lyn and Helen, friends through a friend, I have been extended generous overnight accommodations through Thursday night.  This way of living, trusting each moment, collaborating with the unknown, feels like I'm a Wren bird following and picking up breadcrumbs from one person and one place to another.  I sometimes feel into the life of  the Peace Pilgrim and sense a glimpse of her challenges of trusting each step as she followed her spirit throughout her extensive walking pilgrimage.  She totally surrendered her life and ate and drank when offered it through the generosity of people she met along her way.  I remember that from the moment I picked up her book knowing that she was a mentor for my life in some way.  My souljourn adventure is also a way of trust and I continue to pray my way.  If you blog readers, are not familiar with the inspirational story of the Peace Pilgrim, I invite you to learn more.  See link below.
From 1953 to 1981 a silver haired woman calling herself only "Peace Pilgrim" walked more than 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace. She vowed to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food." In the course of her 28 year pilgrimage she touched the hearts, minds, and lives of thousands of individuals all across North America. Her message was both simple and profound. It continues to inspire people all over the world.     Like us on Facebook - Facebook Logo
Friends of Peace Pilgrim
Shelton, CT 06484-1841

Ojai has clearly embraced me.  This small magical Shangri-La town is a feminine vortex area, which means that if you are meant to be here things will fall into place and if not, you can try and try to no avail.  Such is the way with vortex areas.  This area was settled way back by the Chumash Indians.  It is a spiritual location and because it's one of the few places on earth where the mountains run in both directions, creates a geographical vortex, a gateway to the spirit world (much like Sedona and Kathmandu.  

Everyone I've met in Ojai thus far, living a deeply spiritual path, feels that they were lured here because they were meant to be here. I do not know if it is my time to set roots as of yet.  Time will tell as I allow my higher good to unfold.  In the meantime, through winter at least, i am seeking a quiet inspiring space to anchor myself. This is as far as I can see right now.  I would ideally love to stay close to Ojai a little longer so that I can continue to immerse, connect and explore this magical place.  I also continue to pray for and open up to the continued freedom, flexiblility and resources to continue traveling.  I know that with God All Things are Possible with clarity of vision and trust in the Greater Good of all Concerned.  It is into this centered space of OM NAMA SHIVAYA that I surrender, focus and collaborate.

Before I move on now..... here are a few lovely pics from yesterday's excursion with sister*friend Randee.  We spent the day together eating our way through Ojai .... a shared breakfast, lunch and dinner.  

 Randee ~ you're a great Ojai spiritual tour guide!


This mural at Rainbow Bridge health food store
calls me home to a time of the Chumash Indian days
that my cellular memory recalls.

 ~ The skies of Ojai and I bid goodnight ~

Saturday, January 12, 2013

1/12/13 - Early this morning I delivered my sister*friend visiting from Charlottesville, VA to the Santa Barbara Airport.

Chistine Dolphin Dancer, it's been a wonderful visit, enjoyed immensely our mutually supportive sharing.  Aloha ~ until we see one another again ~ hopefully in Santa Cruz!

THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP
During a tad of time today I wasn't feel well
Slight headache and queasy stomach 
Then all of a sudden my son instant messages
Christine emails me an image of dolphin play


and new friend Miguel shows up
prior to racing the hills
to pass on a recommended book
Here's to the Healing Power of Resonant Connection
and the Joy of Friendship!

 









Today is my last day pet sitting on the mesa.  What a gift it has been to be here for a week.  This neighborhood is so sweet and what a treat to walk to the beach and health food store. I suspect I'll be back to visit this lovely mesa.  Late this afternoon, I'm heading to Ojai for the Dances of Universal Peace. To  my delight, I've been offered a small dwelling for the night.  Yay! I get to head back to Ojai!


Thursday, January 10, 2013

1/10/13 - Today was fall in love with Ojai day.

Sister*friend Christine, visiting from Virginia, accompanied me on today's excursion.  Some of you reading this blog know that my envisioned journey to California began with a  connection to this sweet small town via a children's book called "Rainbow Bridge."  This precious story is based on a Chumash Indian Tale that speaks deeply to my soul.  This area along the pacific coast stretches far back to a time when the Chumash Indians resided here. 

Ojai is a mere 30 minute drive along the coast from Santa Barbara.  Welcoming signs and symbols of resonant connection popped out to meet us as we meandered about. 
The vibration in the air was so incredibly friendly that I instantly felt like I had lived there for a long time. Two different woman approached me from the back thinking that I was someone local they knew. I was drawn to shops displaying Welcome Home mats and Art for the Home. 

A beautiful black cat racing out in front of me ignited my memory to a time back in 2000 when I considered having a black catI decided at that time that I would wait until my gypsy self was ready to set roots in a permanent feeling place.  So....... am I ready to settle down?  Is Ojai the place? I shall see what unfolds. 
 first sign posted to a tree eight miles prior to entering the town of Ojai.
 Ojai happy face logo - (pronounced oh~hi!)
 1st stop - Rainbow Bridge (of course!)
Great health food store! 
 Getting to know the town ~ getting to know the trees
Of course I had to do my vocal crow impersonation for the shop owner
calling forth Renya Creations!
Thank you 
Universal One 
Ojai
& Christine Dolphin Dancer
for co*creating with me this extraordinary day!
Wait... Wait....what's that i see in the distance
A mermaid!
Pool Store / Bike Shop!  
what a fun combo! 
Creation's skydance of possibility
in this moment
 pointing us back to Santa Barbara
sweetly singing to and from my heart
"until we meet again"....

ABOUT OJAI:  Ojai (pronounced oh~hi) is a city in Ventura County, CA situated in the Ojai Valley, northwest of Los Angeles and southeast of Santa Barbara (10 miles long by 3 miles wide, surrounded by hills and mountains. Population well under 10,000.  The town is known mostly for its hotels and services catering to tourism, recreation including strong hiking and spiritual retreats, as well as for a strong farmer's marketon Sundays and an abundance of local organic agriculture.  It also has an abundance of small businesswes specializing in local and ecologically friendly art, design and home improvement such as galleries and a solar power company.  Chain stores, other than a few gas stationsn) are forbidden by Ojai city law to encourage local small business development, keeping the town unique.The city's self-styled nickname is "The Shangri-La of Southern California, referring to the similarities between the health-and-spirituality-focused region and the mystical sanctuary of James Hilton's novel Lost Horizon.  Chumash Indians were the early inhabitants of the valley.  They called it Ojai, which derives from the VentureƱo Chumash word Ź¼awhaĆ½ meaning "moon."

I experienced a palpable unique air in Ojai. A feeling of being in an altered state.  A happy peaceful place out of time in a manner of speaking.  Seems to me it is a community living the art of mindfulness, slow, steady, and graceful. My being adapted easily and readily to the tone of ahhhhhhhh.  I definitely look forward to visiting the precious town of Ojai again!
 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

1/8 & 1/9/13 -  Had to tow my car back to the repair shop last evening
when I discovered a puddle of liquid under my car...yikes!
promptly called the repair shop that worked on my car the day before
who suggested I have it towed there lickity-split
AAA arrived in a flash!
It turned out to be a defective installation part. 
All is well...my car is ready for the road
Meinike Car Care folks in Santa Barbara are wonderful!
Thank you Jon & Joe!

This morning a kind neighbor extended an invitation to take me to brunch at the harbor.
Miguel, thank you for the stimulating visits, your generous spirit and gracious words belowLet me know how salsa dancing goes!  Keep on telling storiesPerhaps we'll be sharing memoirs some day!   

I am pleased to know your SerendipityMobile is in ship shape to travel to Ojai and beyond. It has been a delight spending time with such an honest, lovely, compassionate, intelligent, courageous and spiritual seeking and aware woman/soul  - i will check your blog regularly to keep tabs on Your incredible wanderings.

Monday, January 7, 2013

1/7/13 - GRATEFUL NEWS!  sitting in Starbucks while my car is receiving needed repair - new brakes and axles... oh my...

Feeling into the deep gratitude for the generosity of my dad and sister*friend Mira who have very generously helped me with getting my car back on the road. Thank YOU both so very much!!!  I am beyond words appreciative!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SURPRISE NEWS! A dear friend from Charlottesville, Virgina is visiting me where I'm pet sitting this week  - a special treat!

BIG NEWS! 
my son, Eitra Kennedy
is in Keene, New Hampshire
 acting in a student film
entitled ENDEAVOR
 Here are some pics of him! 

More info and behind the scene pics
at


 Lookin' good babe!  
So proud of you!
Looking forward to hearing about your experience
and seeing the preview of the film!

Sunday, January 6, 2013

1/6/13  -In this Moment
walking as a mild rain falls
cleansing and blessing
the earth and me.

Stronger rain ensues
and I return to a warm abode
quietly sitting in a comfy chair
pausing in awareness
to  the sounds around me
dog snoring
clock ticking
tires gliding through wet streets
tv talking from the apartment next door

no judgment
simply listening.

after a while
i pick up my flute
to contribute stillness
flowing into sound
offering my breath
through this reed
as a prayer.

RC


Saturday, January 5, 2013

1/5/13 - gorgeous weather here in California
warm and sunny during the day
when the sun goes down, cold pops up.
Leisurely enjoying myself
pet sitting pooch Pica
presently snoring by my side.

Is that a lawn mower I hear?
good gosh it is!
How weird is that
a lawn mower in winter!
My default mechanism is still attuned to
New England winters
just the thought gives me shivers
even as my body
soaks up the mid day sun.

Thinking of my son in Keene, NH
in brutally cold temperatures
acting in a student film.

I'm a concerned "mamalama"
Praying for his safety,
health and well-being.


Friday, January 4, 2013

1/4/13 - This morning I said aloha to the staff at the wonderful San Luis Obispo hostel and headed South on the 101 along the glorious coast back to Santa Barbara.

 ~ Jared, Francis, Kurt and Todd ~
It's been a pleasure meeting you!

For all you blog readers, 
if you find yourself traveling to California's Central Coast
check out the San Luis Obispo hostel.
It's a great place to stay!

San Luis Obispo -- a lively college town halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
San Luis Obispo (pronounced SLO) is a place to play a little louder, smile a little more and delight in simpler things that life has to offer.  Features many cafes, theatres and coffeehouses offering live entertainment almost every night. Don't miss the Thursday Night Farmers Market -- an outdoor street fair exploding with locally grown produce, tasty barbecued treats and live music.
While staying at Hostel Obispo, you can explore tidepools at MontaƱa de Oro , birdwatch at Morro Bay, rent kayaks at Shell Beach, hike the many hills and canyons surrounding the hostel, go surfing at one of the four beaches in the county, or bike along the coastline. An outdoor lover's paradise!
For an indoor experience, you might attend a concert at the Performing Arts Center, explore the state's fifth oldest mission, or visit Hearst Castle.






Cozy, Comfortable and Convenient
  • Short walk to downtown and Amtrak
  • Fully-equipped kitchen
  • Cozy lounge with fireplace, piano, guitar, board games
  • Inexpensive bicycle rentals
  • Free on-site parking
  • Outdoor garden patio
  • Laundry facilities
  • Only 12 miles to the beach
  • Private rooms or shared dormitories
  • Sourdough pancake breakfast 
  • 45 minutes from the world-famous Hearst Castle
  • Quiet residential neighborhood
  • BBQ 
  • No curfew!
This afternoon I arrived in Santa Barbara to pet sit from the 4th til the 12th. What a blessing it is to be here in Jeannie's sweet space on the mesa just a few walking blocks from the beach. 

Jeannie and Pica

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Inspirational Poem by author John Donahue
 
For a New Beginning 
by John O'Donahue
In out-of-the-way places of the heart,
Where your thoughts never think to wander,
This beginning has been quietly forming,
Waiting until you were ready to emerge.

For a long time it has watched your desire,
Feeling the emptiness growing inside you,
Noticing how you willed yourself on,
Still unable to leave what you had outgrown.

It watched you play with the seduction of safety
And the gray promises that sameness whispered,
Heard the waves of turmoil rise and relent,
Wondered would you always live like this.

Then the delight, when your courage kindled,
And out you stepped onto new ground,
Your eyes young again with energy and dream,
A path of plenitude opening before you.

Though your destination is not yet clear
You can trust the promise of this opening;
Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning
That is at one with your life's desire.

Awaken your spirit to adventure;
Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk;
Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,
For your soul senses the world that awaits you.