I love airports. No scratch that. I love airport security. I understand that it is a different world, one where plastic knives and semiautomatic weapons are relegated to the same category, where more than 3 ounces of liquid could lead to a national disaster, where going anything but barefoot on a plane endangers the lives of everyone on board. But come on folks, let's get some consistency here. I have been flying for 3 weeks now and depending it seems, upon the country, day, mood, tide, moon and stars, each airport (regardless of country it seems) has different standards of safety. Yes, hold onto your passport/ID every 10 steps - no put it away after they check it once. Wear your shoes - take off your shoes. Take out your plastic baggie of 3 oz products - no leave it in your bag. Oh, you're wearing a dress, step aside so we can personally search you in case you are smuggling munchins on the plane - oh jeans, oh please step aside so we can pat you down in case somewhere in those form fitting overpriced pieces of fabric you have stashed things in your pocket that our millions of dollars worth of high tech equipment cannot detect. And please, have the NERVE to get agitated with me when I am totally unclear to what your particular airport's rules du jour are. Sigh. Pretty soon, we're going to be traveling naked, having to ship all of our luggage to our intended destination, for a ticket that once cost $200 that now is $2000 for no service, no meal and no dignity. Did I mention I love airports?
Well, THANK GOD I am landing in Sedona - the land of serenity now. Oh, and 183 degree days (actually 110 when I landed). During a 2 hour shuttle from Phoenix, I watched my stresses slowly melt away as I entered my own personal happy place the desert. I know many of you probably think June in the desert is an insane proposition, but frankly who asked you - its MY happy place.
When I arrived in Sedona, I was met by Gary Larson my host. Your typical Southwestern Cowboy complete with mustache, white hat, western shirt and wranglers. He greeted me with a smile as he loaded my things into his F150 extended cab and we set off into the high desert hills to his "ranch". As we drove we chatted about what brought him there (20 years ago he moved from St. Louis), how long he had been running retreats (7 years after he and Marian met) and about the property (a lovely home set on about 20 acres on a hill that is more of a ranch-style B&B with horses and dogs than a working ranch). As we unloaded my luggage and were greeted by their Australian Shepard (and my new bff) Dylan, I asked how many people were to be joining us this week. He looked me squarely in the eyes, smiled and said "Well, it's just you..."
Ok, so this is the point in the program where many of you would have maniacally laughed, mumbled some sort of "oh really, isn't that nice..." and your mind would have started spinning mercilessly and plotting HOW THE HELL YOU WOULD MAKE YOUR ESCAPE! Me? Well, I just laughed honestly, paused for a moment and said "Well, it seems that the universe thinks I need A LOT of help". Relieved themselves at my reaction, we went inside to have dinner and discuss the week ahead.
Marion is a quiet woman, fair of features and intense (did I mention she is a psychic), but very welcoming into her home. The accommodations are cool and southwestern and I have an amazing suite with a queen bed, a couch and a deluxe shower and soaking tub all to my own. The best part are the views...no money in the world can buy these views. Or it seems maybe it can, the reason they can afford to have this lifestyle - Gary used to be an investment banker in Scottsdale and one day they decided that "spirit" called to them to do more.
Food is not going to be an issue this week - dinner was a great green salad (which I had missed from my trip abroad) freshly baked bread and homemade vegetarian chili. MY PEOPLE! Then, they have set out a "snack bar" for my 24/7 access - brownies, fruit, cookies, chocolate. YIPPEE! The only house rule is that I cannot enter the kitchen, they take care of all meals and handle all clean up. Um, no need to repeat that twice.
As for my week, well, everyday I will list out my activities for they day and run through my experiences the best I can for you. Sunday was open time to get to know them, but we decided to start off our journey by working with a deck of angel cards. One simply lays out all of the cards face down, and blindly chooses a card that would be their "theme". I chose a card with a purple orchid and the term "relaxation". Hmm, interesting. Simple, but not really what I came here for...or so I thought.
I will leave you with a snippet of the books interpretation behind my card and let you judge for yourself the serendipity of my being here, at this place, with these people - alone. The one thing I will say, is that as years go on that I am quickly learning, that everything happens exactly as it should:
RELAXATION
Present Challenge: Rediscovering your inner nature through observation of physical nature. You have drawn this card to give yourself permission to take time for yourself in a natural environment in order to refill your inner reservoirs and to reacquaint yourself with your inner nature. You are being guided to build confidence in your ability to make the right choices for yourself, your family and friends, and your life work.
Angelic Message: Relaxation is half the equation for a meaningful life and is the complement to focused attention and constriction. When either half of the relaxation/constriction life-supportive equation is eroded, the human body and psyche suffers. You have incarnated into a exquisitely beautiful natural environment. You might ask "In what ways can I learn from Nature?". Nature is your shadow and your teacher, reflect back to you the opposite sides of your own personality and spirit. Seeking nature's truths for your life through quiet appreciation offers you an important view of your own life as tied to Nature's support systems and in turn to the spiritual support system of the universe.
Spiritual Opportunity/Application: Select one specific aspect of nature to teach you something important today. Follow this aspect throughout the day, paying attention to the different stages of contraction or relaxation in experiences. Because of the elements of Natures are alive, and you are alive, you share a common bond and can come to "hear" each other through your hears and your perception. Do you understand what the trees are saying as the forest whispers through the wind blowing in its branches?
The most interesting thing about all of this assessment - when I was in college I had a communications professor ask us to write an essay about the exact question listed above "do you understand what the trees are saying...". In all my 20-something wisdom, I wrote a beautiful and articulate essay about the beauty and grandness of nature and gods creation. Two days later, I got my paper back. F. WHAT?!? Despite numerous meetings with my teacher I could never understand what he was asking of me, so much so that he ended up giving me another assignment. I just wasn't ready to understand.
It seems 15 years later, someone thinks I am.
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