Joyful Journey to Ecuador

Indigenous Response to Avatar Movie

2010-02-01T23:42:00.000-07:00

As you may know, Fundacion Pachamama, brought 100 indigenous
people on buses from the jungle and the highlands to a special
showing of the film AVATAR in Spanish in Quito with many press
attending the special showing as well.

For some of the indigenous people, it was the first time they had
ever seen a movie. They wore their feathers and face paint and
donned the 3-D glasses and Bill and Belen and Nati and the Fundacion
Pachamama staff bought them all popcorn and soft drinks and they
entered the magical and mystical world of that extraordinary film
experience about their own struggle with the modern world.

There was a reception afterwards and lots of press.

Below is coverage from public radio, the BBC and another blog
article about AVATAR and Pachamama by Tom Atlee.

Whether you liked the film or not, the indigenous people saw their
own epic struggle powerfully displayed on the screen and it was very
impactful for them. They had truly fascinating comments afterwards.

The movie AVATAR really puts what we are all involved in in an
historic and truly epic perspective and makes it ever clearer how
important it is to Change the Dream.

___________________________________________________
Here is the extraordinary coverage of the film event in Quito:
You can listen on the radio story online
at http://www.theworld.org/2010/01/29/avatar-in-the-amazon/. The
video is already available on the BBC world's website, and on Youtube, and
you'll also find wonderful photos and the radio script there. For
a list of station and air times nation-wide go to: http://www.theworld.org/stations/

Here is Tom Atlee's fabulous blog about AVATAR and The Pachamama Alliance
http://bit.ly/AvatarJuicy

The Shift

2010-02-01T21:43:00.002-07:00

I just learned about this new documentary and wanted to share it!! THE SHIFT is a transcending movement that stems from an uncompromising longing for cultural reform all across the globe...it can be felt as a fundamental desire throughout humanity for peace, social justice and sustainability...and it is manifesting through a swell of activity at the most grass-roots levels of our society!

For more information about this movie, go to http://www.theshiftmovie.com.

Love is All You Need

2009-12-31T15:36:00.002-07:00

I can't think of a more appropriate message to begin 2010 with! Click on the title to listen to a wonderful video of Love is All You Need.

Relax, Restore, and Renew during this season

2009-12-22T17:20:00.001-07:00

The Winter Solstice is a time when our body and spirit focus inward in a time of rest, relaxation, and self-exploration. I'm sure many of you have been pulled in this direction lately and I encourage you to take the cue from your body and sleep more, spend more time in meditation, and examine your intentions for 2010. Many indigenous cultures believe the Winter Solstice and the winter months are a time to be quiet and self-reflect, which allows us to fully engage our new intentions and ideas during the spring. This time of rest gives us the strength and focus we need to create our future, new ideas and projects that will need to be watered and grown into their full potential this spring.

I really enjoyed reading this section of Women's Quest newsletter and wanted to share it. You can find out more about them at www.womensquest.com.

In ancient Greece, the Winter Solstice was called Lenaea, or the Festival of the Wild Women. Yee Haw! Whatever your beliefs, the winter solstice is a powerful time of the year, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Use this time to revisit your life and your heart to better understand what is important to you at your core. This is a powerful time of change and rebirth. Use it help you become a radiant light force throughout the winter.

Restore! December is a month when cheerfulness is pushed on us in commercial doses, but it isn't really the mood of the season. The "natural" mood of the month is introspection, self-doubt, questioning, and withdrawal. The elements are turning us inward for our resting season. Animals know this is the season to hibernate so take their cue and retreat inside for some self-analysis and de-stressing. Be gentle with yourself. This is the time of the year for restoration and rejuvenation. Take time out from pushing your body, striving for success, and mental noise. If you have not learned to meditate give yourself the gift of a lifetime and dedicate some in-time to your mental, physical and spiritual well-being.

Sleep! *Solstice derives from an ancient Latin word meaning "stop," or "to stand still." Make sure you take time for yourself during the Holy-Daze, especially on the solstice. Luxuriate in a warm bath by candlelight to honor your inner being and go to bed early for some extra ZZZ's. Being the shortest day, nature intends for us to get some extra sleep. Here is the key to staying healthy:
Stop
Calm
Rest
Restore

“Soul Spark” Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T21:58:00.000-07:00

Happy deepest darkest, longest blackest night  

May your dreams be rich, your healing arrive  

On velvet wings

May the brilliance of your light  

Sparkle like stars,  

Like reflections in the surface  

Of slowly rolling waves

May the blackness of this night  

Be a womb for your light,  

May we see with clearer sight  

And may we own, with delight  

The darkness within

Poem by Chris Prim

Day Two

2009-12-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke to join several women, who would be traveling with me to the jungle, for breakfast. We had all arrived the day before and our private breakfast table nestled in a closed restaurant across the street was buzzing with our joy and excitement of finally meeting each other. The table was adorned with locally grown coffee and a colorful array of freshly squeezed juices and hand woven linens. A very sacred way to start your day! My excitement in meeting everyone was equally met with a pounding headache and queasiness, probably from the altitude adjustment of climbing Pinchincha. These women already felt like my family as they poured me Coco tea and offered herbal remedies to ease the aching. They became my Pachamama mothers within minutes! Sitting at the table listening to everyone’s stories, spiritual quests that landed them in Quito sitting next to each other, and deep listening to their inner wisdom – I was attune to how each woman in the room held their power with care and compassion in a way that allowed their spirits to glow. I sensed, even this morning, that these women would soon become my Council of Sisterhood, Sha-mazing mothers, and Divine Feminine Alliance.

It wasn’t long after breakfast that we all gathered down the street at the infamous Magic Bean for lunch and to join the rest of our gathering of women. We would encompass a Council of 17 Women in total, including two powerful leaders, Kathleen and Robin, and our Ecuadorian guide, Cuqui. Fully surrounded by so many feminine leaders was a bit intimidating and beckoned the question of if I was really worthy to belong to this recently convened council of women. They each held their power with such grace, had fully developed their intuition and were following their Divine paths, and spoke eloquently of their beliefs and awareness of their spiritual connection to the world. I felt like such a newbie! I just knew if I opened my mouth, they would realize I was much less “enlightened” than them and, yet, I knew I too had a deep connection to the Universe and Dreams.

Much of the day I blended into the background, listening to and observing the unique wisdom and medicine each woman had to offer. We strolled through downtown Quito, with streets full of ornately decorated Catholic Cathedrals built on top of ancient Inca ruins. Quito boasts of its historically significant architecture, comprised of towering stone walls that tell the stories of repeated conquering and of being conquered. I was overwhelmed by feelings of sadness and heartbreak by the stark fact that for centuries our ideals of progress, dominance, and higher civilization had resulted in this concrete city, at the sacrifice of Mother Earth and people of conquered cultures.

How long would it be before Quito’s current inhabitants are conquered again, the architecture once again rebuilt to reflect the new religious beliefs of the dominant culture? How long before the United States will fall as the world leader? When my nieces are grandmothers, will the Chinese have taken over the United States and established Chinese as the universal language? If the U.S. economy fades and jobs are not to be found, will we know how to grow our own food and sustain ourselves? Will we have maintained our cultural talents to be able to sell pottery, weavings, jewelry, and food to sustain our families?

Tired and confused, I fell asleep at our hotel until we were gathered to listen to the instructions for leaving for the jungle early the next morning. I could feel this trip was going to be big and change the course of my whole life. Whew! First, sleep.

Joyful Journey to Ecuador - DAY ONE

2009-12-15T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here is what you've all been waiting for! I'll be posting a blog about each of my days in Ecuador. Thanks for all of your personal interest in my journey and amazing insights and support so far!

Day One:

Leaving New Mexico for the Houston airport, my phone was buzzing, my head was spinning with all of the tasks I still needed to accomplish for my business, I was checking email on my phone up until the last boarding call, and I had an aura of nervous energy flickering all around me. I had been so busy living my all-important life, it felt ions ago that I had been surrounded in nature and her divine silence. Was I really ready to go live in a remote village in the Amazon Rainforest with women I didn’t even know?

Boarding for Ecuador, I stopped just shy of my isle seat, 24C, and overheard two grandmothers in the row bickering with each other. One woman stopped complaining briefly, to take a breath, and shot a look of bitterness at me. Suspended in the isle, I wondered how I was going to survive five hours next to these women and new my peaceful journey had been ruined. Two guys sitting just behind the women broke my stunned silence and one asked if I wanted to sit with them. My bag was nestled in an overhead compartment and I was sitting between them before he finished his question. What Divine Perfection!

The next five hours were filled with stories of their mountaineering adventures, rock climbing excursions, kayaking tournaments, and gut wrenching stories of being caught in avalanches, climbing down mountains with broken legs, and their daily lives protecting the Alaskan wilderness. They had both recently left their fiancés, and were on their way to Ecuador to climb the volcano, Cotopaxi, kayak to the sea and spend their days surfing. In their world, pushing the limits of huan body to conquer the natural wonders of Mother Earth, evoked a joy comparable to the enlightenment of Buddha – and could mend any broken heart. We parted at the Quito International Airport and, given they didn’t know where they were staying and had no way of contacting me, doubted we would ever see each other again.

You can imagine the amazement on my face when I saw them walking towards me at a local indigenous market the next morning about five blocks from my hotel. They were staying at a hostel less than a block from my hotel! They were going to have breakfast and invited me to hike Pinchincha with them, the magnificent mountain that towers over Quito. After a short taxi ride, we arrived at the Teleferico – a tram that takes tourists from Quito at 9,000 feet up to 11,000 feet. The severe drought in Ecuador contributed to alarming low levels at a lake that generates the majority of hydropower for the entire country. As a result, Quito was experiencing planned blackouts with various sections of the city without power for 5 hours at a time. Unfortunately, the Teleferico was without power and we had to wait over an hour for it to run again. Even when we finally loaded into our tramcar, it moved so slowly I wondered if a few guys on a bicycle were pedaling away to keep a generator running.

At the top, we found the trail and began our journey to the top of Pinchincha – 15,500 feet and higher than any mountain in the United States. The path straddled a ridge line the revealed a patchwork of agricultural fields in golden, green, and brown hues on either side. The higher we climbed, the more the sounds of Quito and a bustling life fell away to the gentle wind caressing our face like a long-lost friend, the whir of hummingbirds, and the vast silence of the majestic mountain. The air thinned near the top as did the trail, which became a paper-thin, rocky edge only to be climbed by an expert climber with very little fear of falling to their death. Needless to say, they went to the top and I was content at 15,000 feet with my feet on solid ground. The sun began to set behind Pinchincha as we started a fast decent back to the tram to beat the darkness. As the air grew colder with the setting sun, a sea of clouds washed over the hillsides, filling the valleys and washing down into Quito. We barely made it to the Teleferico before it went totally dark. I thanked the Universe for providing me exactly what I needed, when I needed it, and felt blessed to have spent the day unwinding in the beautiful vastness of raw nature. We spent the evening enjoying traditional Ecuadorian cuisine, fresh mojitos, and nightlife thankful for the opportunity to have seen and experienced the enchantment of Mother Earth.

Faith

2009-12-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

For all of you who are embarking on a new journey, exploring a new passion or dream that reaches you beyond your comfort zone, recognizing the power of your own intuition and learning to trust that the Universe really does provide you exactly what you need right when you need it....have FAITH and KEEP GOING!

Faith

When we walk to the edge of all the light we have
And take that step into the darkness unknown
We must believe that one of two things will happen.
There will be something solid to stand on
Or, we will be taught how to fly.
-Patrick Overton

WINGS: Creating the Life of Our Dreams

2009-12-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share with you something that has come into my life since returning from the Amazon Rainforest. Please know that I also want to be respectful for any and all of your own personal beliefs, so feel free to only read this WINGS post if you find it appropriate for yourself. This post talks about how we, especially women, need to begin owning our own power that exists in each one of us to create the world and future that we envision. Whether you call it "the power of creation" or "the power of positive thought" or "The Secret", I truly believe we all create the future with our focused intention, dreams, and thoughts. Even on a small scale, have you ever noticed yourself making something come true in your life? This past month, on the last day of a conference that had seemed a waste of time and money, I woke up and told myself I would meet two people that day that would make the whole conference worthwhile. Sure enough, by the end of the day I had met two people that were significant to my business! Karen Bishop talks about this power to create that each one of holds in her latest WINGS post.

WINGS: OWNING OUR NEW POWER...CREATING THE LIFE OF OUR DREAMS
********************************************************************

In this WINGS post, find out how we grabbed onto our new power
this week, creating strange separations as we held on so tightly,
how we are now rapidly manifesting our beliefs, what some of
the manifestations are as we progress through this stage, and
how the separation of the worlds is still affecting us.
To access the newest WINGS post, kindly click on the link below:

http://www.emergingearthangels.com/2009/wings12.5.2009.html

CRUDE: The Real Price of Oil

2009-12-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

I have only seen the trailer for this documentary and am so moved by its portrayal of how oil companies have engaged in genocide, killing thousands of innocent Indigenous People in the Amazon Rainforest along with the rivers, trees, and animals that call the Rainforest home.

Do we realize the price we are paying to continue our Dream of "development" and "progress"? Do we know that to continue "developing" our world with more buildings, roads, cars, and the limitless use of resources we are promoting the extinction of thousands of cultures, spiritual wisdom, healing wisdom, languages, plants, and animals along with polluting our drinking water. We must REMEMBER that our future is not one of our own, but is linked with the future of the natural world and people living all around the world. Their extinction is our own. To destroy their land and people is to destroy our own homes and family.

Survival International

2009-11-29T22:31:00.001-07:00

While I have not thoroughly checked out the background of the organization, you will inevitably be moved when you see the stories of Indigenous Tribes around the world that are being slaughtered for their land and teetering on the brink of extinction as a result of "development" - highways, cattle ranches, logging, and oil drilling. I encourage you to see and hear the stories of these tribes and how we can be a part of the solution so their language, arts, medicine, spiritual healing, and ancient wisdom is not lost forever. [Hint: Title is a link to their website]

Living from a Perspective of True Love and Gratitude

2009-11-29T20:35:00.002-07:00

Here is a little bit of the spiritual wisdom coming to me since the trip...This really speaks to the perspective from which we live our lives and how shifting that perspective from one of fear to one of true love and gratitude can transform our world!! For more on Emerging Earth Angels, click the title above.

From "The Ascension Companion":

ILLUSIONS

"WHEN WE BEGIN TO raise our vibration through the ascension
process, we are then finally able to really see what is actually
going on. Raising our vibration allows us to see beyond the veil of
all the illusions. It is as if some cloud cover has been cleared
away and now we can see what was really going on all the time.
We are no longer, then, viewing things from the mis-perception
and filter of our dis-connect selves.

When the illusions are finally revealed, it can cause what I call
"ascension shock." It is as if we just found out that the two
people we thought were our parents for our entire lives, were
really our grandparents or perhaps our adoptive parents. When it
becomes clear that things were not what we thought they were, it
can throw us into a tizzy. But in a very short time, we seem to be
able to adjust and move forward, only this time, we are in a very
New space of enlightenment.

Breaking the illusions, frequently occurs in regard to our
personal relationships. We may come to realize, and usually very
suddenly, that our most cherished relationships with others were
not what we thought they were. In the higher realms,
relationships are based upon a mutual love and respect;very
simply. If we are having relationships for other reasons, they will
blow up in our faces in the higher realms.

When the illusions are revealed, we may come to see that we were in one
relationship because we were lonely, or another because
someone was a good listener. Or perhaps one of us was a good
supporter, and we needed our needs met and were using another
person for this purpose. Or maybe, we even enjoyed feeling
important and needed ourselves. The list can be endless, but in
the higher realms, we are complete and whole within ourselves
and all our needs are met. Therefore, our relationships are based
upon love and respect, and a wonderful and special equal
purpose of companionship. When we come together as soul
teams, another component is added that involves a mutual
contribution to the planet, so things get even better!

Illusions can also be revealed in regard to how we thought
things worked. At 3D levels, we were only able to explain things
and offer stories according to what we could wrap our minds
around at a 3D level. As we begin to expand and move into the
higher realms, things get moved up a notch or two. We can find
through our own personal experiences, that energy and
spirituality was not what we had been told it was. Generally
speaking, it is much more simple and loving. No lessons to be
learned, karma to experience, or any other kind of harsh and
consequential "rules." It simply involves learning how energy
works and responds. And also knowing that there are higher and
lower vibratory levels of energy. The rest is just a game that we
made up in order to place meaning and a story on energy
movement and manifestations.

Once many of the illusions are revealed, we are greatly freed
up. No more boxes to fit into or be stuck in, and no more roads
that we are forced to travel upon. Without the illusions, we can
then live the way we were intended to live. The earth was
originally created as a playground for experiencing and creating.
We can then create whatever we choose when we are free from
the illusions that were created from a lower level mentality and
belief system.

Part of the ascension process involves restoring the earth to this
original blueprint; the original blueprint of creating freely from a
mindset of no restrictions or lower vibrating beliefs. So then, by
suddenly being able to really "see" what was real and what was
not, we are following along with the perfect plan of ascension.

If you have chosen this page, you are being asked to realize that
illusions keep us in a box. By being able to take the plunge of
being willing to see that things are not what they seemed, you
will be greatly supporting your ascension process. Although it
can be difficult to let go of the illusions, as they help us to feel
secure, there is really more security in the higher realms through
our increased connection to Source. Finally being able to "see"
can be scary, but as you adjust and go higher, things really get
better."

Thanks Cassidy!

View the 2009 Pachamama Luncheon!

2009-11-25T21:42:00.000-07:00

I invite you to watch this inspiring video that highlights the Achuar and the work of the Pachamama Alliance. 2009 Pachamama Luncheon

We need YOUR help!

2009-11-25T19:38:00.002-07:00

Greetings! I'm back in the states and can't wait to share all of the stories and photos from my life transforming trip. However, right now we need your help.

The Shuar, which is an indigenous tribe that lives close to the Achuar near the Peru / Ecuador border, is being attacked by the Peruvian police. Violent attacks on peaceful indigenous blockades in the Amazon Rainforest in Peru left 25 civilians and 9 police dead and hundreds injured. There are several easy things you can do to stop the violence and ensure indigenous people can maintain their basic human rights, receive justice, and maintain their traditional lifestyles.

Please share this link with everyone you know: http://www.johnperkins.org/?p=249

Join us on Nov. 11th: Meditation for the Divine Feminine

2009-11-03T16:00:00.003-07:00

Just one more day before I leave! Oh my. I wanted to share this with everyone about our trip. We'll be staying with an Achuar Shaman the night of Nov. 11th and participating in a traditional healing ceremony. The two woman who are leading this trip have set up an 8 minute guided meditation for going into a place of pure love for everyone who cannot be on the trip. The purpose of the meditation is to send love to the core of the Earth and give gratitude for all of her gifts and blessings to us. On Nov. 11th at 11:11 p.m. in Ecuador it will be 9:11 p.m. MST. You can tune in to this meditation then or at any time during the day. You can join in on the guided meditation by clicking here: Meditation for the Divine Feminine. How fun that we can all be focused on giving love that day!

Oh the mystery of the Amazon Rainforest!

2009-10-30T19:20:00.002-06:00

Since I signed up for this trip, people have expressed their own fears about traveling to this region of the world...referring to this region as a third world country, a tribe of people that are "uncivilized", a region full of war and disease, a place where not a single modern amenity exists - not even roads. It's been really funny the things people think when I tell them I'm going into the Amazon Rainforest. My mother (I don't think she'll mind me saying this) was shocked and said "isn't that where people go and never return!" Needless to say, she is very worried I'm not coming back. My sister's small group is praying for me since this they believe this region is where people wake up one morning and find they are missing a kidney. One woman I met who has actually lived in Quito said the bugs are larger and scarier in the Amazon than anywhere else in the world. She warned me about all of the man-eating bugs and mammals.

Well, I'm pretty sure I'm going to return and with all of my internal organs. Frankly, knowing that we'll be guided by a local Achuar woman (Cocqui [pronounced Cookie]), I'm feeling quite safe from guerrilla warfare or organ harvesters. I'm also feeling quite prepared with all of my magic mushroom potions (they are homeopathic pills - but I like calling them magic mushroompotions) that should prevent malaria and yellow fever in the rainforest. I've even got magic mushroom potions to prevent me from getting sick from the food in Quito or Chicha (fermented beer that is a staple food among the Achuar). However, there is one thing that I am feeling nervous about. Since there are no roads in the rainforest, we will be traveling by canoe. Apparently there are gigantic (30 feet) anacondas that live throughout this river system and eat people every now and then. You better believe if our canoe tips over I'll be the first one scrambling back into it - who cares if my luggage floats away! Even the spirits of the rainforest can't save me from a hungry anaconda!

We Are All Connected

2009-10-24T13:53:00.003-06:00

I just finished reading another book by John Perkins, "Spirit of the Shuar" that journeys deeper into the wisdom, shamanic healings, and teachings of the Shuar people. There are so many places in this book that speak directly to my life and journey - even experiences and dreams from my childhood! One of the primary themes in this book, as well as a new dream emerging in the United States, is the understanding that we are all connected by nature and with nature. "We Shuar know that we are inseparable from nature, strands in the same spider's web. We believe in the power of the ancestors - they're everything to us, comforting and protecting us."

If we are to survive on this planet and leave a home for our children and their children, we must begin to change our dream that we are somehow separate from nature and separate from each other. How you choose to live in the United States directly affects the Shuar way of life as well as many other people around the globe. It's the same in nature. The oxygen we breathe in New Mexico was likely produced by the rain forest in Brazil.

As spoken by a Shuar Shaman: "You believe that your civilization has developed for many thousands of years, that you can look back to ancient cultures in Asia and the Middle East and trace this development through Europe and into the United States. You say you've made great progress - and this is true in many ways. You also look at us, the Shuar and other indigenous people, and you say that we haven't developed, that we've been static and that our lives are primitive. The idea of being primitive has begun to appeal to some of your people in recent years - but it simply isn't true that we're primitive.

We don't live like the Shuar of a thousand years ago or even of my parents generation. We've always developed. Every generation of Shuar since the beginning have progressed. We've developed too - but the difference is in the way it has happened. Our way has always taken into account all other life forms and the lives of our children's children. For us the word 'progress' does not apply if it threatens other species or could possibly harm future generations. How could that be progress?"

I grew up with some very useful values of a hard work ethic, honesty, giving back to the community. But I also believe we must begin to incorporate other values into our daily lifestyle choices and that are the foundation for business. Values that change our relationship to nature from one of conqueror to nurturer. Values that break down hierarchalorganizations to models that have worked for thousands of years. We must, because we know if we do not, we will continue to destroy the natural earth and we will all die with her. We are not separate - so why do we live like we are?

Letting go of Fear

2009-10-19T19:47:00.005-06:00

As I prepare for this trip, I continue to realize that one of the intentions of this trip is to let go of the fear in our lives and replace it with love. There are so many times when fear runs our lives - the fear of getting hurt, fear of losing a job, fear of not living up to our potential. Even as children, we develop behaviors based on a fear rather than simply overcoming that fear and moving on with our lives. Since signing up for this trip, I've been dealing with the fear of the unknown. I had no idea what to expect going deep into the Amazon Rainforest or interacting with the Achuar, especially since we will be participating in traditional ceremonies. It feels like walking into a nearby Pueblo and asking to live with a family and participate in a closed ceremony. I began preparing the only way I knew how - reading books about the Shuar / Achuar written by Americans who had traveled to the Amazon and lived among these people. With every page, my fear has dissolved and I finally feel I know enough about their customs to be respectful.

The topic of fear also continues to come up in the spiritual beliefs of these people, the purpose of being a man or a woman, and the healing that we need as a society. In reading about why the Shuar conduct warfare and how men become warriors, John Perkins says: "So you see why we fight. As I told you, to dominate our fears." It is through the initiation of young men becoming warriors and killing their enemies that they faced their fear of death and could live the rest of lives without being afraid of dying. The Shuar methodology about a great warrior who killed an enormous anaconda and became the fiercest warrior who faced his fear of death is mirrored by our legend of Beowulf. In fact, many of the Shuar legends about facing fear rather than being controlled by it can be found in legends told to children in the United States. One of the largest differences is the Shuar actually provide their people with traditions that help them live up to their potential - men becoming warriors, women becoming good gardeners and mothers, and each gender has opportunities and understands the ways to access the ancient power within them.

I'm continually struck by one major difference. The Shuar have many legends that tell them how humans are no different than the plants and animals - that we are all connected. Legends remind them of how they must keep their populations in check or the plants and animals and therefore, themselves, will suffer. They learn how consumption leads to suffering by all. They have tales that remind them to only kill the animals they need to eat and to ensure a plant is planted for each plant taken from the earth. These legends have taught the Shuar to build their homes not to be permanent, but to last only a while. They then leave their clearing and home and move to another location and let the earth re-take their previous clearing and their homes goes back to dirt. Imagine how different the United States would look if our childhood stories embodied these values! Rather, our dream in the U.S. is actually to consume as much as possible and build and own things that are permanent. Our values include controlling nature - through construction, agriculture, manufacturing of goods - because we are separate from the natural world. Our dreams include consuming more and owning more things that we can keep forever and pass down to our children. We give little thought to how the ideal of owning more things impacts the natural world or the destruction involved in so many people owning so many things. At the root of our value system is that we are above and separate from the natural world and have a right to control it - plants and animals have less rights than humans and we are somehow unaffected from their destruction. What we are beginning to wake up to is the reality that if we continue living with this value system - we will not have a planet to pass down to our children. Our dreams must change and our values must shift if we are to continue living on this Earth. We have so much to learn from indigenous cultures on this note. We also have much to share, but when it comes to our relationship with nature and the planet, we must begin to listen rather than talk.

A Journey of Self-Discovery

2009-10-10T13:30:00.002-06:00

The exhilaration I felt in the moment I signed up for this trip was immediately followed by a deep panic of "What in the world have I done." I woke up the other night drenched in cold sweat and fixed in fear of the potential impact this trip could have on my life. There will be mosquitoes that carry malaria and yellow fever. I could easily get disease from the food. What if my sinuses cause misery the whole time, as they have on most trips this year to humid places? What if the plane goes down in the ocean or the Andes mountains? These questions were still in my mind as I started reading John Perkins "The World is as You Dream It" that would slowly unravel all of my fear and replace it with great awe for the journey I am about to embark on. The book describes an understanding about the power of our dreams that I have not quite learned to articulate as well as his journey to the same places and shamans I will be visiting. What I'm learning is this trip will be a journey of self-discovery and one I've been dreaming about since I was child. While I am coming to understand why I am going on this journey, I also recognize it is not necessary to travel to Ecuador to gain the same insights and knowledge about how the world really is how we dream it. As Perkins states: "It is important to keep in mind, however, that you do not have to visit these shamans personally in order to empower yourself and make your own dreams come true. The knowledge is within you; it was there at birth and stayed with you through much of your childhood. If you fear you have lost it, turn that fear around. This wisdom is in everyone, but many in our culture have forgotten it. The world is indeed as we dream it." In this way, anyone can go on this journey to discover how we are all connected with the world and how it is our dreams the energy we put behind those dreams that have created the present and how by simply changing the dream can change the future.

Health and Food Tips

2009-10-06T20:37:00.002-06:00

You all are amazing! Thanks for all of the wonderful tips on how to fully prepare for going into the rainforest and Ecuador. This is really a part of international travel that I had not given too much attention, until now! Apparently there are many people who have gotten parasites when traveling in Ecuador. A friend recommended that I eat papaya every day as a preventative measure and even eat papaya seeds. Not a problem since I'm guessing the papaya is wonderfully fresh there. Other potential health issues for traveling to this area of the world are Yellow Fever and Malaria. The Pachamama Alliance will be providing us with mosquito nets for our trip as a preventative measure. To prevent Malaria, there is a series of pills you can take called malarone. To prevent Yellow Fever, there is something called lemon / eucalyptus repel that you spray on your clothes and it lasts for 6 weeks. In Santa Fe, we are lucky to have a Pharmaca and they are well versed on homeopathic remedies for international travel so I'm going to ask them what they recommend as well. If anyone has some tips, feel free to share!

Discovering the Public Library

2009-10-06T20:17:00.002-06:00

We were provided a recommended reading list to prepare for the trip to the Amazon, but instead of looking for used books on the internet I decided I would go to the public library. It was, I must admit, the first time I had been to the public library since moving to Santa Fe and we always buy our books online or at a bookstore. In face, I can't really remember ever checking out a book from a library since I was a child - other than research journals in college. I was not expecting the library to have any of the recommended books since they are not mainstream, especially since one was described as really hard to find. To my surprise, our public library had ALL of the books I was looking for and they are FREE! Call me crazy, but why are we all spending a bunch of money purchasing books when our public library gives them to us for free, which saves us money and saves the environment? Whoever invested the public library is a genius. What a great concept that anyone in America can access pretty much all the books they would ever want to read - with no regard to their race, income, religion, or gender. For anyone watching the PBS specials about the National Parks, its a similar concept "For the benefit and enjoyment of the people". I was so inspired by going to the library, I asked if they accepted book donations and they do! I'm going to go through all of the those books I've purchased over the years that I've only read once and donate them to the library so lots of other people can read them. If you're wondering what books I checked out - they are Amazon Beaming and The World is What You Dream It. They should be great reads and I recommend them for anyone traveling to South America or the rainforest. You'll get an update soon!

It's Feeling More Real

2009-10-04T11:03:00.002-06:00

Well, up until this point this whole trip has felt very surreal. This morning I booked my flight to Quito, Ecuador and made hotel reservations at Cafe Cultura since I'll be flying in a few days early. Now it is feeling very real! I spent some time this morning watching a video of Quito on the Cafe Cultura website and it was a great introduction to the city. Quito seems like a wonderful city and I'm really excited to have a day to explore some of its rich history. There are huge plaza's where the Inca rulers lived. The more I read about the history of Quito and Ecuador, I'm struck by how much can be aligned with the history of people here in New Mexico and 1500 - 1600 Spanish conquests. We truly are all connected. I'm glad to be going into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest where humans have had little impact on the ecosystem and I really wish I had more time to explore the beaches and islands off Ecuador that are basically untouched ecosystems and environments. Thank god humans have not totally invaded every nook of the world - but really isn't it just a matter of time unless we are proactive about protecting nature?

I really wish I were fluent Spanish. My husband and I may be at some point since we love traveling to Latin America. In the meantime, I'll be studying Rosetta Stone until I leave. For those of you interested in the local Achuar language, here are some wonderful words I'll be studying :

WIÑA JAI = Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening - greetings
WEA JAI = Good bye
MAKETAI = Thank you
WETAI = Let´s go
NAKARSATA = Wait!
WINITIA = Come on
JA AI = Yes ATSA = No
WIYAIT JAI = my name is...
YAITIAM = what is your name?
YUMI = Water
YURUMAK = Food
NIJIAMANCH (also Chicha) = Manioc beer
KINTIA = Day
NANTU = Month
MUSACH = Year

Kathleen McIntire's email Announcing the Trip

2009-10-02T12:35:00.002-06:00

I thought I would share the newsletter that Kathleen McIntire sent out to announce the trip. Kathleen and her friend Robin will be facilitating the trip in November. I'm really excited to meet them!

Dear Kathleen,

Welcome to Soaring In Light!

Unleashing the Divine Feminine at the Womb of the Mother

What better place to unleash the Divine Feminine than in the place where she is so fully alive and potent – the Amazon rainforest! I am co-leading a women's journey to the remote rainforest of Ecuador November 7-16. This is a journey of the heart to listen deeply to the Divine Feminine and to unleash what wants to come through. I invite women who share this desire to join us.

Through my journeys to Ecuador, I feel that this remote pristine rainforest is the womb of our planet. The womb is a safe and protected place. A journey to the rainforest is a return to the womb for healing, grounding, spiritual growth and direction.

Our world is starving for love, starving for the gifts of the Mother. On this journey, we will create sacred space for consciously setting an intention in alignment with the Divine Feminine for her power to be unleashed upon the world. Now is the time – time for powerful women to gather and dream a world of love that works for all life. The Achuar, the Indigenous people of the Ecuadorian rainforest we visit, are a dream culture. What more potent place to dream than in the rainforest with them.

This trip is an initiation more fully into our Divine Selves. As Divine beings we are Creatrices. What do you desire with all of your heart to create? What are the breakthroughs you are ready for? What is the biggest fear you are ready to let go of?

Who this trip is for?

This journey is for those of you who are ready to fully move into a new paradigm, to get in touch with your deepest truth, your own unique call. It is for those who are ready for a breakthrough; ready to let what is no longer serving you be released.

Who this trip is not for?

Anyone attached to staying in denial, status quo, keeping things as they are.

Questions to explore:

Where in your life are you living from that place of TRUST in the Divine?

Where do you stop trusting and feel YOU have to make something happen?

I had that experience with this journey. Somewhere I stopped trusting everything I had seen and had been shown. I went back into that little “me” – the one who believes she has to do it all by herself; the one who forgets there are forces larger than herself who are directing things; the one who forgets to just surrender, open and align to the will of the Divine! The the Divine voice from deep within nudged me. Ahhh, how sweet that place of remembering once again is.

What dream do you want to bring to plant in the rainforest? What is it that you are most ready to grow in your life right now?

As we move out of the old paradigm and to the shores of the new paradigm, what are YOU being called to be or do? How are you being called to show up?

The voice of the Divine Feminine within is your intuition. Mother Mary has said "Intuition is the voice of love, therefore it is truth."

Our invitation:

Will you join us on our journey to awaken the Divine Feminine and reconnect more fully to the Divine Feminine voice of love and truth?

My dear friend Robin Milam and I are co-leading A Women’s Journey Embodying the Divine Feminine to the rainforests of Ecuador November 7-16, 2009. We travel in partnership with The Pachamama Alliance and at the invitation of the Achuar people. Our intention is to anchor ourselves in love and to reignite the Divine Feminine to bring about a transformation of consciousness on our planet. Join us on a magical 10 day journey as we delight in the joy of traveling as a circle of women.

If you hear this call please join us, Robin and I would love to talk with you personally. Please contact me at (530) 478-9577 or email Kathleen or Robin at (530) 272-4322 oremail Robin.

For more on Intuition visit How do you connect with your intuition? on Kathleen's website.

2009-10-02T12:31:00.004-06:00

Well, most of the arrangements have been made for Quito!! I'll be staying at Casa Foch for a few nights before the rest of the women arrive for our trip. It looks like a wonderful hotel and the manager is really nice. Lots of people rave about the food in Quito. The more recipes I've found, the more the food seems similar to dishes found in New Mexico. Like empanadas! The Tesuque Village Market just north of Santa Fe has some of the best empanadas around. There appears to be a ton of fruit juice bars in Quito - something like 300 fruits only found in Ecuador can be found there! Yum! I'm sure we all experience this, but I keep running into more people who have family living in Ecuador or have traveled there. Lots of great stories. The one hear the most is that people really don't bring enough types of clothes - especially when you're going from 15,000 feet in the Andes to sea level in the middle of the Rain forest. I've never had this hard of time packing light!

My Journey to the Rainforest in Ecuador

2009-10-02T12:06:00.002-06:00

Welcome everyone! I am not a blogger and actually have trouble just keeping up with my Facebook page. The reason I'm starting this blog is to invite you to share with me on a new journey to the "Lungs of the World" or the "Womb of Mother Earth" - this place would be a remote village in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador to visit the Achuar people. This journey, for me, is a commitment to lighting a fire in me about how inter-connected we are as people, our connection to the natural world, and how we can begin to learn from cultures that have not lost their ability to truly live in a sustainable community. As individuals, we are faced with a reality that includes a climate crisis, economic crisis, health care crisis, and, I believe, social crisis which leaves many of us in despair. Whether we are mainly affected by plummeting stock portfolio's, the loss of stable income for our family, or wondering where our next meal might come from - our daily lives have been shaken. We must begin to find hope and inspiration within ourselves and start making small changes to build a better future - for ourselves, our children and families, our neighbors and community, and the world. We must awaken the dream that we can make a difference even when the crisis' affecting us our so large. I'll be traveling to Ecuador for 10 days in November and hope, through this blog, to spread the experience to anyone else who wants to listen. Enjoy, and I look forward to hearing from you too.