The Cosmic Highway

While on the Yucatan peninsula, we had read a spectacular book titled A Shaman's Tale. It found us in the UFO museum shop in Roswell, New Mexico. This was back in December on our way to the Mexican border. We enjoyed all of the unique stories and the realness of the writing. We laughed and we cried. When we finished the book we both agreed that it would be amazing to meet the author and/or to possibly listen to him speak at an event or workshop in 2015. 

So, three weeks ago, on the night we crossed back into the USA, we emailed the author, Richard L. Alaniz. We knew that he was in the southwest somewhere, but we weren't sure exactly where.  We had lent the book to three other people and the last time, we passed it on just before we departed from Guatemala. We knew we likely wouldn't get it back, but wanted to spread the wonderful messages that the book contained. Richard emailed us back promptly the next morning inviting us to come and visit him at his ranch in New Mexico. It sounded nice, but it was 5 hours in the opposite direction from which we thought we needed to drive. We had already planned a loose itinerary that would take us west to California and then north up the west coast, eventually back to Vancouver Island.

Well, funnily enough, not one person that we contacted through Couchsurfing or any of the venues that we attempted to organize cacao ceremonies at had responded to us. This was not common for us. So we decided instead to go through the western part of Cali through the mountains for a scenic change. We drove from Tucson north toward Phoenix, then took a wrong turn and ended up heading straight for San Diego afterall. What happened here? We pulled over and reevaluated what we were doing. After realizing that we were being crazy for not heading to New Mexico, we contacted Richard and asked him if the invitation was still open, and he said we were welcome to come on down. So now we were 6 hours in the opposite direction. Jeepers! We drove until sunset and enjoyed the mountains and expansive desert terrain in the pink and orange evening glow. We arrived at the ranch and received a warm southern welcome. 

Richard has had such a diverse and interesting life so far, and so telling his story in the form of a book was a natural fit. From martial arts mastery to Hollywood stunts to a degree in psychology. He's also a hair stylist...and a shaman. His Native American roots shine through his silvery braids and his cowboy lifestyle is mirrored in his shiny belt buckles. His musical and artistic skills reflect his connection with nature and all of it's creations. 

We shared a late supper and lots of wonderful conversation late into the first night. Richard seemed as happy to have us there as we were to be there. We felt so at home.

The next morning, after a coffee and some breakfast, we trekked out to the nearby mountains and Richard showed us some beautiful caves where indigenous remains were dated to around roughly 900AD. Stunning. We enjoyed some of his drumming and singing to the spirits. He blessed us and the cave with sage and prayers and we enjoyed a fruit snack, out of the heat of the midday sun. 

Holes just outside the caves which were once used for collecting water and grinding food. 

He told us about his newest project breeding mustangs. He had four of them on the ranch and they were small and sturdy with wavy flowing manes and tails. Truly, living spirits of the wild west. 

We enjoyed an evening meditation lesson of his Balík yoga style which he developed through his knowledge of various martial sciences and yoga techniques combined. It uses the channeling of chi combined with breath work to create a state of focus and mindful being. 

Richard also took us on a plant tour of the desert. He showed us which plants we could eat for survival there. They were actually very tasty. Many varieties of cacti are nutritious (after the spines are removed). There are edible flowers and roots and even wild bananas on a certain variety of yucca. There are also many medicinal herbs growing in the arid desert climate. He cut up a nopal cactus pad and made us some agua de nopal. It was so refreshing in the dry, hot climate.

We shared several more meals with the group, which included his wonderful wife, his comical cousin and her fun friend who were both visiting from out of state. The conversations we had were profound and expansive. Each one seemed to top the previous ones. We said we wished that we could speak freely about these topics everywhere that we go, but that not everyone we spend our time with is as open to such spiritual, esoteric and shamanic topics. 

We stayed for several days and would have loved to stay even longer, but we knew that we needed to move on. We are currently nomadic people on a long journey across many places to connect with many spirits on their own journeys. The chapter in A Shaman's Tale called Spiritual Webbing describes the way that we all come into each other's consciousness for different reasons. I know that we each have something to learn and something to teach in every interaction every day. We just have to open up our heart's intuitions and our mind's eye to realize when these gift exchanges are taking place. 

We have been invited to return to Comanche Creek Ranch in the future. We can hardly wait. What a magical place. Muchas gracias amigos.

Home is Where the Heart Is

We have made so many wonderful connections in Mexico in our first two months. The time has flown by and it already feels like one of our many homes. Especially the lovely hostel. We knew we wouldn't stay forever and as the universe began to send us subtle (and then some not-so-subtle) signs, we knew we would be departing soon. Where, we didn't yet know. However, the yoga instructor training begins on March 21, so we have that much figured out. A deadline to meet...for a change.

One man that we enjoyed getting to know at the hostel asked how things seem to flow so smoothly for us. I said that we simply do what feels right and when something feels difficult or unpleasant or forced, we step back to reevaluate and change direction. It's a fairly simple system. Intuition guides us when we listen.

While at the hostel, we enjoyed reading Discovering Your Soul Signature: a 33-day path to purpose, passion and joy by Panache Desai. It's a brilliantly written spiritual instruction manual to guide us through our thoughts and beliefs about ourselves and to peel away the layers of old dense energy to become our true selves. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to heal old patterns and beliefs and to move upward and onward in their spiritual journey. We have just started to read it a second time to dig a bit deeper.

We ended up hosting four Saturday night Cacao Ceremonies for peace and healing. They were so wonderful and the connection and heart opening that comes through the cacao plant medicine was profound for many of us. This has lead us to feel inspired to go meet the cacao shaman who inspired our cacao teacher. He resides in the mountains of Guatemala in San Marcos la Laguna on Lake Atitlan. It is a remote, two day trek from Progreso. We should have about 10 days at the lake. Then we will make a two to three day trek back up through Chiapas and Oaxaca to the Om Shanti Comunidad in Mazunte, Oaxaca, Mexico. We set our intentions and made arrangements to journey onward.

We said our goodbyes to all of our new friends at each of the mercados where we sold our vegan energy balls. What an outstanding bunch of people. We said adios to the vendors that we got to know at the local mercados where we shopped for fruits and veggies. A local couple made me a beautiful ring with a stone that was given to me back in September on the day of my Canadian citizenship ceremony. What a lovely creation with lots of beautiful memories inside!

It was bittersweet to say goodbye to our new family and yet exciting to welcome new adventures. After almost six weeks at the beach in Progreso, Yucatan, we packed up our little blue car, with a new Canadian friend in tow, and headed south for Guatemala.  A dear friend has been there for a month, and awaited our arrival.  Tonight another sweet amiga will be meeting us here, arriving via bus, shuttle van and then boat.

We made it to the lake! It was the most amazing two days that I have ever spent in a car. I will write about those two days in my next post. I'm feeling like it will be very difficult to express that experience in words and photos. I will do my best. 

PS. This little neighborhood perrita is playfully tugging on my towel as I lay in the yard enjoying the sunshine, breeze and birdsong at San Marcos. Hasta luego amigos.