yolla bolly

WOW...life these days. Amazing and wonderous. I spent the last week in a half emerged in nature's beauty. Captivated by the magical divine presence that seeps through every crevice of this adoring planet we call earth. I spent the first part of this July attending a flower essence course for 5 days in the beautiful gold country of Nevada City. I was joined with a very dear friend of mine as we went deeper into our selves through the course and came out in full bloom just like a flower. I had no expectations on arrival and it took me on an amazing journey indeed. From learning about the different gestures that flowers and plants project as well as the emotional healing properties they have to offer us. So insightful and chalked full of beauty and love. By the last day I was feeling so "high" I thought the love I held within my soul was going to whisk me away like a kite. I was surrounded by butterflies and sweet smelling flowers. Trickling sounds of water pouring out of flow forms, listening to my inner guidance and developing my intuition to a higher level. I drank the beautiful nectar of the redwood flowers and felt each sip go down into the depths of my body and soul. Feeling strong and straight like a tree. I shared my story with my dear friend and she shared me hers. We allowed ourselves to grow deeper into our healing. Terra Flora was all I could have ever hoped and dreamed for and more. I stayed each evening at a beautiful place called the Peaceful Pines Zen Center. It was such a compliment to the environment I was surrounded by at Terra Flora. I slept each night in an little tipi right on the creek. This place was fantastic because of all the conscious intention that has been put into it. Composting toilets, a solar sauna and even a non-chlorinated pool! If only I had more time to enjoy it, for the flower essence course was very deep and enriching. We spent a full 9 1/2 hours in our course study. I left there on the last day with the sunset. Feeling the moon beginning to shine and my soul fulfilled.

Then I joined 7 other womyn in the Yolla Bolly Wilderness back in Mendocino county for an epic 7 day hike in the woods. I literally had just a few hours in between these two worlds. Just barely having enough time to kiss my sweetheart hello and then goodbye. I awoke that tuesday morning at around 5 am and drove out to the trail head. I met our beautiful crew of womyn and we started out on our journey. We encountered bears and baby cubs, rattlesnakes and so many wildflowers. My heart was filled with love that whole week. I went inward and absorbed all the greatness that the woods and mountains had to reflect upon me. We swam in the creeks and rivers and drank mate in the afternoons. We did poetry improv and told our stories. I was supported by each womyn and we were all strong and unified in our journey together. It was beautiful. I had never been in nature like that before, except for my short visits with my girl scout troop when I was a young girl. It was fantastic to shed all the layers, leaving behind so many necessaties of society and freeing myself to be simple. I got down with the dirtyness and through that I felt cleansed. Not thinking to my life back at home, but rather to be present in the moments of that now in the woods. We huddled by campfires at night and slept under the stars. I felt a sense of community with those womyn as well as a feeling of solitude at times. The great woods can offer so much to us. There were butterflies along our path. Symbolizing a transformation that was taking place. We camped with many wildflowers and even saw a few I studied at the course. We ate delicious meals each day with lots of veggies. The womyn who pioneered this journey baked each womyn a loaf of bread for the trip. It was all so amazing. I left those woods feeling renewed. It was almost hard to leave nature but I knew I had to come back. For after all, life is but a balance. I am feeling so inspired by this journey I just returned from. Ready to take on new things. 

I am alive in my soul and beautiful like a butterfly on a wildflower.