• This weekend I was invited to exhibit and present at the Pahrump, NV Wellness Forum by Ancient Secrets Books.  The forum had an expo like feel with the added bonus of, like Durango, hearing from local and not-so-local experts about topics such as Tai Chi, The Secret, Navigating The Sacred (yours truly) and much more.

    Thunder Mountain offered our products, the Transcendence CD, Fudoza Meditation Benches and mini bodywork sessions as well as a mini Spiritual Cartography Reading.  Interestingly, it seems that at these expos, on one day I will  have a full day of bodywork and on the next it will be a full day of readings.  Keeping with tradition, on Saturday I had a full day of readings which prompted me to post this blog.

    THE CAVEATE
    First I should state that even though I work in Sedona, I am not OF Sedona.  There is a predominance of what is referred to as “woo-woo” in and out of the Sedona area and I really attempt to separate myself from that perception and energy.  Since I have been doing this type and level of work for over 28 years, long before I ever came to Sedona (since I was 8 yrs old), my readings and my work have a pragmatic base while still maintaining the integrity of the energetic information.  So read on, if you dare :)

    SPIRITUAL CARTOGRAPHY
    The overwhelming energy / movement of the world today is one of change and transition.  Thus, I created the Spiritual Cartography session.  In a nutshell, the reading takes into account the predominant energetic signature that surrounds the person in that moment and then explores where their energy is moving.  This may be an emphasis that they are focusing on or some other expenditure of some sort.  At the same time, I become aware of the overwhelming influences that are shaping their current situation and, through dialogue, discuss how best the client can approach these issues.

    Usually, there are elements or subconscious energies that we are feeding or moving towards that we are not aware of.  A typical example is when a client asks whether they should  do something, as if they haven’t made up their mind about it and yet the unspoken, unrealized energetic information is that they have ALREADY made the decision.  Inevitably when I sense this and point it out, the client immediately receives clarity on it.

    Once all the information is out on the table, we will address the client’s goals (spoken or unspoken) and where the energy is moving to in the future.  At this point I usually ask the client if they have any questions or need clarification on any point.    Most questions are addressed during the session itself.

    TRANSITION / TRANSFORMATION
    True transition or transformation comes upon you like a thief in the night.  It is gradual and wraps itself around you like a gossamer thread.  Typically, unless one has started on a path with intention, this shift occurs imperceptibly, behind the scenes of typical mile-a-minute lives.  As our sense of time progresses so too does the shift grow and adapt to our circumstances, movements and habits, until one day we wake up and find that something glorious has occurred and we are now transformed.

    The emphasis that I found in Pahrump, NV on my Spiritual Cartography readings is only a small ripple in the larger ocean of our desire to know what is to come, how we are to get there and what we do once we arrive.  A shift is occuring and just like the beating of the butterfly’s wings, it started long ago and is just now being felt everywhere.  Pay attention to the almost imperceptible promptings in your life and listen with the innocence of a child and you too will know what is to come and be prepared for the unexpected.

  • I took this heading from a forum posting on Gaia.com because I felt it was necessary to share with you all.

    Looking over the messages on that forum I noticed that people are becoming overwhelmed by all the problems that are cropping up all over the world.  Whether its the environment, war, starvation, global pollution, etc. they all fall into the problems category.

    From my own perspective, I have noticed interesting correlations between what my clients are experiencing within their bodies and what is happening on a global scale.  I will address this in a later blog.

    One of the main issues that I have noticed is many pulling back from or ignoring the problems because they don’t know what to do or how to do it. The thinking may be that by not participating, one can’t be blamed or that nothing can be done on such a small scale.

    In actuality, I think what Rev. James Parks Morton said in 1990 at the Second Global Forum in Moscow captured the truth of it perfectly:

    “The problems we’re dealing with really can’t be isolated. If we’re talking about the environment, by definition the environment doesn’t respect boundaries. Boundaries are man made.”

    If we look at our society we isolate ourselves from our environment constantly whether by walls, clothing or attitudes.  It has been centuries since we have lived with the land instead of on it.  This can and has naturally caused a rift or separation between us and our environment and its this rift that we widen when we step back from what we see today.

    Understandably, if we look at all the worlds problems as a whole they are overwhelming and unmanageable.  What can one person do, let alone someone who doesn’t have political power or unlimited finances?  I believe the answer is contained in Rev. James Parks Morton’s quote as well.

    If the environment respects no boundaries and we are the ones constructing the walls between what is around us and how we interact with it, then it can be said that by modifying our perspective, actions, habits or some other part of our life’s routine, we can drastically impact our environment.  We are not separate from it after all.  This shift doesn’t have to be profound, in fact its probably going to be more effective if it is a simple, low impact change that is the catalyst from which all other transformation occurs.

    For example, in my own life, I try to help the environment by recycling.  Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be enough based on current environmental statistics.  So, I started paying attention to the moments where I don’t or can’t recycle.  What I noticed was that every time I traveled, I would throw everything away unless the hotel or restaurant, etc. had a recycling program.  If they didn’t it all went to the landfill.  That’s when I started bringing home as much of the recyclables as I could in my luggage, carry on etc.  Mostly this consists of paper and cardboard ( metal doesn’t travel well through security :) ).  It is a small movement towards a larger goal and that is how it starts.

    By creating a habit within our lives, the effects ripple outward from us and begin to impact the environment around us.  Inaction because of frustration, laziness or exasperation only serves to increase the problems we see, not make them go away.  Do something small within your sphere of influence and I believe you will begin to see that action mirrored in a larger way all around you.

  • For those of you who have visited Thunder Mountain’s main page, you might have noticed that I just returned from the WholeExpo held in Durango, CO.  The WholeExpo is an annual gathering that occurs in both Santa Fe, NM and Durango, CO.  The expo’s focus is on health, wellness, spirituality, ecology and sustainable living; all things right up TMWC’s alley.  In fact, we plan on attending from now on.

    One of the key aspects of each expo is the list of nationally recognized speakers who teach classes all day, both days.  For only the price of admission, attendees can get amazing information from experts in their fields – what a bargain!.  I was fortunate to be asked to present this year on Somatic Consciousness: Exploring The Language of The Universe and felt very lucky, there was standing room only for my talk :)

    Thunder Mountain's Director Presenting At Durango WholeExpo

    The people at the conference were warm, wonderful and very helpful and seemed extremely eager and open.  We can’t wait to go back.

    The energy of the area was very nice and reminded me of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada’s where I grew up.  If you are ever in the Colorado area, make sure that you check out Durango.  And be on the lookout for next years WholeExpos in Santa Fe and Durango, we’ll see you there!

  • Just the other day I was listening to the radio and the subject of Olympic events came up, specifically, which events were to be “retired” from the Olympics.  I cant remember which events met their demise but what caught my ear was the news that Yoga had petitioned to become an Olympic sport.

    Well, the images that came to mind were hilarious to say the least.  Loinclothed yogis entering into the arena for pose offs akin to the break dance battles that were popular in the 80’s, mantra matches, partner yoga that would make the most ardent Twister enthusiasts jealous…and the list goes on.

    It’s interesting to me that yoga would even be considered.  The true path of yoga is one of union, to ‘yoke’ or join the mind, the body and the spirit.  In fact, at its highest manifestation yoga is a spiritual endeavor.  The primary function of the physical postures is to prepare the body as a whole for the increased energy that comes from such a spiritual practice.

    In essence, yoga is the farthest you can get from a competitive sport.  The true nature of yoga is one of solitary unification with and understanding of your mind, body and spirit.  You cannot work on one component of this triune model without affecting the others (we are not as compartmentalized as Western society would have us think).

    So, how then, does yoga fit into an Olympic scenario?  A competition consists of one or more competitors moving to the floor and performing a timed routine that consists of strength and balance poses.  The competitors are judged on several criteria and the score are compared.  The key term here is “compared.”  One competitor when interviewed by the Washington Post stated, “I guess what you can say is the competition gives you a way to see where you are in your practice compared to other people.”  Again, true yoga is not about comparison or competition, these two dynamics breed ego, the natural antithesis to liberation brought on by a solid yoga practice.

    I personally can’t see yoga having a place in a competitive arena but by the same token I have to say that anything is possible and the strength of this practice is in its influence on our whole environment.  Perhaps, if yoga is allowed to become an Olympic sport, the soft, calming influence of its energy will bring about a profound shift and example of the true embodiment of “Spirit” of Sportsmanship.

    For those who would like to listen to the full NPR report check out:
    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91975547

    Also, the Washington Post Online had a similar article where they had a question and answer session with a competitive yogi.  For your review:
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/24/AR2008012402134.html