Episode 2:
2. Native Traditions. Those of you that know me well know how much preserving the Native American ways of life mean to me. I've been attending sweat lodges & ceremonies for awhile now, but most recently I had the honor of attending a Sun Dance and undergoing an intense week of purification & ceremony. I will write about it in more detail on my other blog at some point, but the experience definitely needed to be mentioned here, as I am extremely grateful for the opportunity & experiences that shifted me even further into abundance and freedom.
3. Volume Projects. Volume is an interdisciplinary new media project of sorts that brings together musicians & visual artists to create hybrid works together through exhibitions, performances and events.
4. Green Museum is the place I've always fantasized about but never new already existed. In the last few years, my artwork has shifted to encompass more of the sustainable/environmental/global topics that are such a relevant part of my lifestyle. I've been applying for residencies that deal with these topics and feel like I've finally found the right way for me to combine all the desires of my soul & gift of consciousness into my art so that there is no longer any separation between the worlds in which I live. So I was really excited when I found out about Sam Bower's endeavor, Green Museum, which looks like the perfect home for the work I do, and is full of a multitude of others artists working in this genre. I could spend hours pouring over the site - it's so inspiring.
5. Global Family. I've always known people all over the world due to the fact that I've lived in 2 of the most glorious cities in America (SF & NYC) which are always full of people from all over the planet, I love to travel, and have always ended up networking with artists on other countries through sites that foster creative conversation like fotolog, and host a ton of people in my SF apartment through couchsurfing, but since I have been traveling across the country these last 6 months, I have met even more people from all over the globe and have been fostering even deeper connections than ever before. It's like this whole family of lightworkers connects everywhere I go doing this healing work, and I've never quite experienced anything like this before in all my years of travel. It's truly something special & I am grateful for the many gifts and teachers who keep coming into my life on this journey & in this lifetime.
6. Sukhavati is the best Joseph Campbell exploration I have seen so far. Netflix it if you want your mind blown.
7. Lucid dream adventures. I've had vivid dreams & decent dream recall since I was a child, but have always been curious about nourishing those skills & astral projection. The rewards for keeping a dream journal by my bed, sleeping without electronics on & using other lucid dreaming techniques & dream herbs have really paid off. So now I travel by day & travel by night. I love this.
8. Hobo College in Chicago created by "the Clap doctor", Ben Reitman:
the more things stay the same from marc moscato on Vimeo.
9. Reconnections. I haven't spent more than 3 days in my hometown since I was 18. It's just not for me. But a big part of my journey was coming home to do some healing with my parents, and I've reconnected with some of my dearest old friends from childhood. It's amazing how you can not talk to someone for 5 years, some cases 10, and still come together in a loving, positive space.
10. Bon Iver has been on continuous repeat on my headphones, computer, car stereo, and brainwaves for the last few years. Justin Vernon's voice just penetrates all these places in my soul...sigh...Hearing such beautiful music live in 2008 at Outside Lands helped deepen my appreciation, but man, this a capella version of 'For Emma' just blows my mind to a whole new level:
11. Tiffany twin love. One of the friends I reconnected with, I had not seen since I was a bridesmaid in her wedding 7 years ago. Our lives just went in totally different directions for some time, but of course we were brought back together naturally at a time when we were both in the same place again to share our spirituality, love & gratitude for life. Being back home with this kind of support to remind me of who I really am is priceless. And her twins just light up my life.
12. Manasquan Reservoir is a place I used to go a lot when I was in High School. It's one of the most gorgeous places near here to go out in nature, so I'm able to get in my daily 5 miles & be surrounded by trees & water, totally loving life. It's sticky, humid, and super hot here during the day, so having someplace close by to go walk during sunset when it's a bit cooler is perfect.
13. Herb syncs have taken me everywhere. Back when I was sick, I refused to go on meds for a very long time because I believed that nature can heal us. I just didn't have the resources, which was why I moved to SF - to be surrounded my all I needed. I tried meds anyway, out of desperation, but they only made things worse. When I finally figured out what was really wrong 2 years ago, I refused meds again & have been doing a wonderful job of healing myself naturally. And my trust in plants has been vital to this & has helped me see one of my callings. So many syncs all pointing to the planetary herbal vocation.
14. Cattus Island has been another gorgeous place to spend time back near my birthplace. I love the salt marshy lands here full of herons, egrets and tons of other birds I can't begin to name. So gorgeous.
15. Alysia & Grace. Alysia & I have been friends since 6th grade, but it's so hard to stay in touch 3000 miles away with the time difference, so it's been so good to spend face to face time with her & her gorgeous little bundle of joy and talk about so many things. All children are great, but I swear this one is extra special. There's just something about her...
16. Abby & Tommy Anton host the local raw food potlucks out here & I have to say, these folks are super kind souls. We've had some great conversations & plotted some fantastic spiritual art ideas & I'm glad to know that this kind of community now exists near my hometown.
17. Swans. Each day as I walk through my parents' neighborhood, I'm greeted by a gorgeous swan couple. Monogamous for life, these beauties just balance each other so well...there is such beauty in their stillness, a sense of deep appreciation for each other & everything around them.
18. Ducklings & goslings. While I'm on the topic of birds, I need to give some love for all the little babies around that same lake with the swans...seeing them tut-tut around behind their mamas makes my heart just beam. So many beautiful moments in this life.
19. Family healing. I came home to do a lot of healing work with my dad & it ended up actually being resolved within a few days - so powerful to finally have a healthy relationship with both of my parents for the first time since I was maybe 8. There were times I never thought I'd get here, but I must have known or else I wouldn't have put in all the work it took to get here.
20. Twitterverse synchronicities. I cannot get over how many amazing people I connect with in this lifetime in all forms - face to face, on the phone, on the internet. I don't really gravitate towards the people posting what they're eating, watching, etc and the types of people I follow create a beautiful tribe full of metaphysical conversations, love, healing energy, sage advice & a sharing of many different spiritual paths. The syncs that we all encounter in the stream are a very powerful display of the shifting consciousness. And you thought it was just a marketing tool. :)
21. The Grouch & Eligh because I listen to their new album at least once a day, no lie. The Grouch has always accompanied me on my spiritual journey this last decade & it seems we grow at a similar pace or something - I dunno. I just know that I can always relate to what's changing in his words & in my life. His positive, inspiring hip-hop was part of what drew me to move to the Bay Area in the first place - it resonated so deeply with me, my soul knew - this is the energy for you to nourish yourself. So that's just what I did. Thanks, Grouch.
