Reflecting on Thanksgiving

Back in the land of red rocks after time away in L.A. Thanksgiving is always a special time for me, I can definitely appreciate a day devoted to gratitude. Even if its origins are less than noble. I gave thanks for being able to see another such day, I gave thanks for my family, my friends, near and far. I am grateful for the beauty of nature in this place. The hills, the canyons, the trees, the beach, the birds, the flowers, the dogs. The blissfully clear sky.

Fun and reflection in the California sun. I gave thanks for a year full of blessings. This Thanksgiving period was novel in that I got to prep my belly for the day of feasting by visiting the fabled food trucks of L.A. Beyond the beauty of dumplings, we discovered a truck with sartorial savories. William B's truck is a very cute idea. Too bad they don't have clothes for men yet.

But shopping is not the reason for this journey. It was a good time to be with family, to reflect on our shared experiences. Especially, the down-home flavors and inherited challenges that have made us the strong people we are today. Surprisingly, I learned the value of dancing around this holiday. We danced for gratitude and we danced to work off our food. From now on, I will do my best to keep this new tradition in years to come. Maybe it should be a part of every holiday for me.

This life is a gift and I hope you all enjoyed time with family, friends or even your favorite football team. I hope you spent some time outside, despite the weather conditions. May we all grow together in love and gratitude. Ashe!

Beauty and Service

After all these months of hiking in Sedona I have finally hit the Soldier's Pass Trail. Maybe it was the influence of my last post. Maybe a weekend day in the fall is the only time that it is really accessible for me (limited hours for entry). Either way, Sunday was a good day to go. For the most part, I was on my own and when I ran into people later, I made some good connections. This place is famous for a pass that connects to other trails, a series of seven small natural pools, a set of caves and an arch. I didn't expect that the trail had so many offshoots, so I did not see everything. I enjoyed the cool air, the magnificent views and the plant life.

Unlike my trek to the burnt out forest, many of the plants on the Soldiers Pass Trail are pretty common to this area. It was the abundance that surprised me. Especially, the Century plants, a species of Agave that blooms once in 100 years. There were so many here that I lost count. Because it is deep autumn, they were all in various stages of death or decay. I took many photos and shared a few here. When they are in their prime, they are a beautiful shade of golden yellow with red piping. Early in the summer, they were surrounded by bees and birds and sometimes dripping with nectar. But I had not visited this trail in the Summer, so I had not seen this many Century plants in one place. I could only imagine what they looked like in the Summer.

Because I was on the Soldier's Pass Trail, and these trees stood up like guards at attention, I started thinking of them as Sentry plants. I couldn't resist the word play, and they inspired many creative thoughts.It was a beautiful climb. And then, there were some other surprise plant life. I have a photo here with an Arizona Cypress. I am told they only grow in this valley. This one looks pretty old and it was growing right out of the rock. I see that a lot with the plants here. I guess they have to take advantage of what little shade, soil or moisture wherever it is provided. I long to be that creative. I have said it before and will probably say it many times, that the beauty here inspires me. Beyond the aesthetic appeal. It's the inspiration of possibility.

And I walk on in gratitude to this beauty. I open my hands, my arms, my heart and I receive this beauty. This is my temple; the perfect place for meditation and contemplation. In this space, you don't have to believe in God or spirits or energy. You will feel something essential that renders discussions on belief moot.

On that note, this was a day when many people in this community transcended the boundaries of their own beliefs and worked together to help many local charities. It was called Mitzvah Day. Mitzvah is a good deed, also a commandment because it is the action that forms the basis of healthy society. I was touched by the hundreds of people generously donating their time. I was happy with the opportunity to meet some of my "neighbors." I was impressed by the way the people were reflecting the beauty of their surroundings. People of various ages and abilities. I chose to work at the "Peace Garden" and learned a lot about gardening in a short time. I took a photo of the medicine wheel some of us weeded, seeded and watered. I am grateful for yet another inspirational lesson in creativity.

Another Remembrance

Yesterday was Veterans Day in the US. It is not a holiday I have taken much notice of before. I think I have been like many Americans who may have seen it as another "free" day; a chance at a long weekend. This year I picked up a new awareness. Maybe it's the economy, the election, the general state of the world. Or maybe, just maybe, I am getting a little wiser with age.

In the morning, I stopped by one of my local favorite hang outs. A coffee shop that always has a nice buzz, even if you don't drink the coffee. I affectionately refer to it as the "Slow Zone" because no matter how small or large the order, everyone who enters must hang out and wait a while. Life in Sedona. Coming from New York, this was a bewildering culture shock at first. Now, it has become one of the charming aspects of this place.

I hope you enjoyed that digression; I am now getting back to the heart of the matter. I was prepared to sit quietly responding to emails while waiting for my small, hot beverage. When I overheard another patron address one of the departing victors who had finally earned what he had ordered. It sounded like she said "[garble, garble] did you serve?" While I was trying to figure out what she was saying he started talking about his time in Iraq. She politely thanked him for his service and wished him a nice day. This is not an abnormal conversation in this town or even in the Slow Zone. However, I was sensitive to it because it was Veterans Day. I asked myself, why couldn't I offer this kind of appreciation. Now that I heard their conversation, I realized his jacket had a military slogan or insignia. Hmmmm. What channel was I tuned into?

Yes, I have been a person of peace for much of my life. Yes, I have not wanted our nation to go into war. Yes, I have expressed my disagreement with some of the decisions and views of our political leaders. But, shouldn't I have room in my heart for the young men and women putting their lives on the line? Am I not a person who has extolled the virtues of public service?

Well, I had a greater opportunity to check myself today. I attended an appreciation service for Korean War Veterans. My maternal grandfather served in that "conflict." But I did not know much about it or what the service of those men and women meant. I heard some stories and speeches that really touched my heart and showed me how human souls can grow, even from something as distasteful as war. I heard about the courage shown for the benefit of strangers. I heard about soldiers who hid away food to feed starving children in a country of strangers. I also heard deep heartfelt statements of gratitude. This is not the first time I heard Korean people express their gratitude and admiration for the service of American citizens on their behalf. It had greater resonance today with some of those servicemen being present to hear the gratitude.

It's amazing how much we complain. Many Americans can take the opportunities, choices and freedoms for granted. We often feel entitled to better and more than we have now. It's amazing because I heard letters and presentations from Koreans who say that they owe their economic success and political choices to the sacrifices made by these strangers 60 years ago. Hmph! I couldn't even recognize how the service of my own grandfather, father or brothers has contributed to my educational, career and political choices. I really felt that I had to repent for not fully acknowledging the contributions of service men and women. My mindfulness was missing something vital: an element of compassion.

If my highest aspiration includes the improvement of the collective health of my people, I have to recognize this. I have to learn to value a fuller spectrum of service and contribution to society. So, I say thank you to all of you who have served, are serving or will serve. Thank you. I promise you that Veterans Day will never be the same for me again. It will be a "free" day to appreciate and celebrate the sacrifice.

Ascension on Sterling Pass Trail

Ascension

I woke this morning from a dream
a dream of ascension
a dream of time with Mother Earth
observing the grace and patience,
the loving care and compassion
focused on me in a single ray
of light, of love
the lesson that love is not bounded
by time, nor hindered by space
I saw the need for me to express
and acknowledge the gifts of love
I walked through a burnt out forest
and saw life rebounding in dazzling color
climbing to the clef in the mountains
rising with the wind
I hear the echoes of my heart
the sighs of trees
the call of ravens and larks
I rise to the occasion of
the triumph of beauty
I meditate and chant
the songs of heaven
my body is one with the earth
my ascension occurs within

A Time for Soul Searching

Many things to to reflect on during this time. Mid-term Elections, Dia de Los Muertos, All Souls Day, Halloween, Samhain. And last, but not least, National Diabetes month. As I was hiking on Sunday, I wondered if there was a conscious decision to have Diabetes month right after a national sugar fest. Because it is a time of Celtic New Year and time for remembering and honoring ancestors, Diabetes stayed with me. How many of my family members have been touched by this disease. Both maternal and paternal family members are prone to it.

Without consciously knowing it, I developed an odd relationship with sugar. As I became an adult, I noticed how certain "foods" made me feel and I didn't like it. I began to treat sugar with the same aversion some people have for alcohol or tobacco. Maybe somewhere deep down inside I knew that I was carrying this genetic time bomb, that would be detonated with a significant amount of sugar. Maybe I carried terrible memories of my paternal grandmother's amputation or the stories of how my maternal great grandmother had cuts that would not heal. Maybe, I was stifling the worry for my siblings, trying not to imagine them in Diabetic comas. These thoughts all flowed back to me like the little skulls and scary masks that are emblematic of this time of year.

Thankfully, I crossed the river of my fourth decade in pretty good health. Thankfully, my ancestors had given me hope and courage, despite the genetic time bomb. Thankfully, I made peace with my own mortality and I found a practice that helped me know and accept myself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I took a series of deep breaths and really began to live.

Each one of us carries some frailty or sensitivity that we inherit. Truly a lot of our personal healing involves doing the healing work our parents or grandparents didn't finish. So this time for remembering is also a time for accepting my responsibility, my part in the weaving a great cloth. And I breathe again.

It's been years since I gathered candy for Halloween. It's been years since I put on a costume. But I think this year I got to see the fun in it again. In lovely Sedona, not only is the weather pleasant, but everyone around town seemed to be dressed up on Sunday. At the grocery store, at the gym, at the coffee shop and on the streets. All sorts of costumes. It caused me to reflect on what, why or how I stopped celebrating life in this way, how I became so serious. I did a long hike on a new trail. Quite appropriate. I can start to take a different approach. I am seeing new ways for integrating my internal growth with connections to others.

I sat down to meditate in a cool spot. My spine charged with energy, my hands charged with energy, my lungs filled with the fresh scents of pine and juniper. My eyes filled with the bright light reflected on new flowers and leaves. My feet were tired from the rough rocky path, but my heart was full and grateful peace. I was happy to get back into town, to experience the energy of this time of year.

As I voted today, I marveled at how crowded the place was. I do not always agree with the politics of some of my new neighbors, but I do like their sense of civic involvement. I also appreciate their easy-going style. I have mentioned again and again how beautiful this place is and how blessed I feel to be with these red stone hills. But I am beginning to appreciate the beauty of the people here, too. Maybe the red rocks have softened my heart. I hope so.

By the way, two of these photos are from NYC. I couldn't resist sharing them.

Blessings and light,

Joseph