Big Sur Wilderness Experience July 2007

Fluidity

For more photos of the group click here: Workshop Photos

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving safely
in an attractive and well preserved body,
but rather to skid in sideways,
Champagne in one hand –
strawberries in the other,
body thoroughly used up,
totally worn out and screaming
"WAA HOO - What a ride!"
(author unknown)

Grateful to you all for the many special moments on the trail and at Esalen. What a blessing. Wishing us all well growing our essential "seed" qualities all the way to fruition in our "other" lives. May your paths be filled with beauty. Warmly, Steven

Big Sur Wilderness Experience: Springtime

What a week of walks... Such a variety of wild flowers and experiences. From our journey to the "springs" to the condor we were blessed with many moments of magic. I have posted photos and will add others as I can. Click here to take you to the photos: Workshop Photo Gallery. In the meantime, here is the poem I read the last evening. I wish you all an easy transition into your "other" lives... remembering you may come back again saying, "Here." May we all integrate the richness of what we were gifted into our daily lives. May we recognize the moments we are lost and have the wisdom to "stand still."
Gratefully,
Steven

Lost

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have make this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.

David Wagoner
1976

The Art of Pilgrimage

The Art of Pilgrimage
Originally uploaded by surharper.

On Saturday April 21st a group of 20 of us gathered at Green Gulch Zen Center to sit and walk together on a pilgrimage into the Marin hills. We started the day in the Green Gulch Library to introduce ourselves and meditated together. We then started out on a pilgrimage climbing Coyote Ridge to the south of Green Gulch. We had incredible wild flowers, birds, and silence along the way. At the top we enjoyed the diverse views that range from ocean to urban to wild and stood in the middle of this beauty. After lunch we worked our way down to the coast trail and headed north to Muir Beach. A gentle rain joined us for the last part of the day. Hot tea at Green Gulch warmed the body and tasted great. As we returned from out circumambulation of the Marin Hills the words of TS Elliot rang true.
"We shall not cease from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."
Deep Bow to all of you that chose to show up!
Gratefully,
Steven
If you click on the photo it will link you to more photos of our pilgrimage