Let's all remember the beauty of this world, and be grateful.
I will be listing work here, soon. A new handwoven necklace is awaiting its photography, and I am working on an unusual amulet pouch that honors our winter residents, the sandhill cranes. Our old computer appears to be past help, and so we'll have to be bringing a new one in this weekend. I am not at ease with tech and the integration period usually takes a while, so bear with me. Eventually all should be running smoothly again!
The saguaro cactus embodies strength in a challenging environment.
Now that the dust has begun to settle, we are all asking "now what?". Where do we go from here as we move forward into the more hostile territory of the near future? Because we know it will be tough. The harder path was taken. But this harder path gives us the opportunity to accelerate growth and transformation if we can negotiate it skillfully, and with wisdom.
We want to do something, to act somehow to promote and protect our values in this changed landscape, but are often unsure of how to proceed. On social media, groups for social justice and change are promoting themselves heavily, while countless individuals are writing blog posts or bringing forth ideas for action. Many, myself included, have resolved to do what we can to help others who are being bullied or having their rights threatened. There are countless ways in the outer world we can help.
This is well and good, but we also need to realize that simply pushing back against a pendulum will only keep it swinging. We live in a heavily polarized world and as long as we continue to act exclusively at that level, the situation will not resolve itself. My closest inner colleague and partner in spirit has reminded me that if a problem is intractable on the level at which it occurs, then it can only truly be resolved from a higher level. In other words, if we limit our actions to a ground game only, meaning if we only act and react within the physical world, nothing essential will change. Real change must begin with the spiritual level.
For many months now I have been seeing a vast network of light spread across the planet. It is formed of infinitely complex threads and corridors of light, breathtakingly beautiful. It looks like the networks of veins and nerves in the human body, intersecting in countless points of light like the stars in the sky. It is alive and I interact with it, for I am one of those points of light. We are all within it and informed by it. It is made up of a staggering variety of beings, energies, and levels of consciousness, levels upon levels, systems within systems. It exists within the body of the planet, and extends far beyond its surface. Energy arrives from the cosmos and informs it, and it flows outward from the Earth in turn. Music helps me see it. It is both dance and dialogue.
Over time I have been introduced to a group of nonphysical workers who oversee and manage this network of light. As I have joined them in their work, I have learned that we can all participate in this living system of light, and that the system is supporting and informing the expression and evolution of the planet, us included. Right now a foundation is being built within it, to ground a way of being that can be characterized by unity in diversity, and strength through soul expression. The web of light holds these ideal patterns like a reservoir, and we can draw upon it for strength. Through this network, this energy is available now to all who wish to ground those ideals through their physical actions.
Unity in diversity means that we are stronger when we honor and support one another's differences: different talents, perspectives and expressions. Stronger than if we compel one another to conform to a universal system of what is allowed and what is not, which has been the overarching paradigm for thousands of years. Strength through soul expression means we draw our strength not from a one-up/one-down model of competition, but through bypassing that entirely by aligning with, and expressing from, our souls.
I believe soul alignment is key if we are to act with wisdom. This is a message I have heard over and over again from my inner colleagues (another David Spangler term) every time I talk to them about how to proceed: "Align your incarnational self with your soul. If your waking awareness is aligned within your authentic center, your soul, then no matter what you do it will carry the soul's energy into the world." (Once I got this, I stopped worrying about whether or not I was doing the "right" kind of creative work: it all was.) So I think that the more of us that there are who can do that, the better off we will be.
The soul carries our innermost nature, our most authentic selves. From the soul's perspective we have a more expanded view of a situation and its context, as well the wisest course of action. We don't have to go on a spiritual quest to find our soul. We are held within our soul, always. All we have to do is find a quiet time and place to invite our soul's energy to speak with us. It is the "still, small voice", and it carries wisdom, and a great deal more. My friend in spirit told me that the soul is a vast field of experience. It is not limited, but limitless. It is the deepest, truest, most nourishing home we can imagine.
Everyone's soul is different, with different flavors, trajectories, genealogies. All of this makes up a very unique constellation of energy which is you. The most radical thing we can do in our current world is live from, embody, and express what is in our souls, the truth that is in our souls, the light. Our personal style. What we care about and gravitate toward. As souls we have intentions that we put into play when we incarnate. When we explore and contemplate all of these aspects, we will begin to find where our strengths are, what types of action we are most suited for, what area of life will support the fullest expression of our gifts. Some may find they are drawn to very public, outward forms of action, such as fighting for women's reproductive rights or working for political change. Some may want to help with minorities issues and the bullying epidemic. Some may take on the culture of the idolization of the rich, or the gun culture, or the culture of violence we are immersed in. Others will direct their efforts to the planet's health and protecting other species and the environment. These can all be powerful outer expressions of soul energy if we do them because we want to, deep down inside, and not out of reactivity, anger, or fear. If we act from the latter, we are not acting from the soul.
Frankly I am terrible at all of these things, although I feel strongly about them. I am a dyed-in-the-wool introvert and practically break out in hives at the very thought of involving myself with a group effort (the nonphysical planes don't count, apparently). But there are many other ways one can express from the soul on a private level and still make a positive contribution. One very powerful way is to create. A very large part of my own soul expression, and soul energy, goes out into the world through my art, not only to those who buy it, but also to those who see it online.
Creativity can take unlimited forms, including writing, the living environment we create, how we interact with others, and so on. Everything in life can be a creative endeavor when we unplug from the status quo and conditioning and plug into our souls instead. We can also make a great impression on people by the way we choose to present ourselves in the world. I ask women "How would you dress, how would you look, if you only did it to please yourself? How would you look if you expressed what is in your soul?" These small avenues of soul-expression can have large ripple effects. By empowering ourselves with our soul light, we can inspire and empower others to do the same. And every time we choose to act or express from our own individuality and not from the dominant paradigm, we stop feeding the cultural paradigm the energy which has kept it going.
Still others will choose to work primarily on the nonphysical levels, through meditation and energy work, ceremony, ritual, and work with inner coworkers. While this type of work will go unnoticed and unseen on the outer levels, it can be extremely far-reaching and powerful, and have concrete effects on the physical level. The numbers who do this work are growing steadily.
So there are as many avenues of soul expression as there are people. As we develop our soul connections and express from our souls, we will each have a unique way of doing so. The important thing is to honor one another's path of expression. We might find ourselves judging someone because we think they should be doing something else. Or we might compare our path to someone else's and believe our work isn't as important. Be careful of that. If we want to be fully accepted and supported, we have to honor one another's choices of action.
Standing in the authenticity of our souls, we express with wisdom, from a greater perspective. The soul is not domesticated. It is not conditioned. It is not afraid. It is not nice. The soul is powerful and filled with an undiluted wild beauty. It radiates. It knows what is, and is not, supportive of life. It does not see the world in black and white, but is able to respond with wisdom to the unique circumstances in each situation. It does not look to an outside authority to tell it what to do: it is connected to Source, and knows.
We are meant to be connected into the light of our souls. This is our destiny and birthright as human beings. When we can direct our gaze first to that light and align ourselves with it, rather than orienting our gaze outward to the problems of the world and our reaction to them, we will be given all the strength, protection, understanding, empowerment and wisdom to act in the most effective, transformative way possible.
And then we will see real change.
Blessings,
Dawn
Detail from The Lightning Ring, an original mixed media work on paper, 5 1/2" x 11/1/2", available in my shop.
Day 3 in a changed world, and once again I am writing about survival and how to continue from here. I may be making this a more regular activity, if my inner promptings are correct. The image above is of a little piece I did two weeks ago, but it seems even more significant today. (The original is for sale in the shop, but at some point I will also be making prints.) This figure is about two things: protection, and the ability to stand firm in our own power and convictions.
"Protection" here means energetic protection. We live in a world of interacting energies and they have been very turbulent lately. Everything, included the physical world around us, is made up of energy, and beyond that are many other levels of energy that cannot be perceived with our ordinary senses. The emotional energy I've been discussing for the past two days is part of that. David Spangler, a spiritual teacher I greatly admire, refers to the energetic world and the different levels of being as "ecosystems". I love that term, because it describes an environment that is alive and which functions in a natural, synergistic way.
We are always picking up on these energies, either consciously or unconsciously. But even if we are unaware of energies, we are still affected by them. Mostly we are troubled when we encounter emotional energy. It moves through the world like dye through water, and can be transmitted through a place, object or even a Facebook post. One of the best ways to know if you've picked up some unhelpful energy is that you suddenly feel different. Your mood may change for no reason, or you might feel "off", or tired, or sick, or that something is "wrong".
You can prevent this from happening in many ways. One is avoidance: you simply don't go to places that are distressing, don't turn on the news, go on Facebook, read those books or engage with people who feel threatening. That's good, and critical if you have been traumatized before and are concerned about triggers. It's self preservation. But we all still have to live in the world; we have to go to work, buy groceries, interact with friends and loved ones, and so on.
So another way is to work with your own energy to create a protective environment around yourself, like the girl in the drawing. This is done through your intention, and by asking for help. Intention is a very powerful thing. For example, if I go out somewhere to run errands or to relax, I like to set my intention as I set out. Usually I say that I want to stay safe, and I ask my colleagues and co-workers on the nonphysical to help with this. I will ask to meet the right people, find the right things, or have the best experience I can, depending on what I am doing, and I state my intention that I will be a beneficial presence in the world. I've found that when I do this I have a radically different experience than if I leave the house in a harried or irritable state. It is because I have created a different energetic environment within myself, and the greater ecosystem responds to that, because that's the way it works. Go out and try it sometime.
It's also possible to imbue an object like a piece of jewelry or clothing, or even your car, with intentions for protection. Folks have been doing it for thousands of years, and shamanic tools and regalia are a classic example of that. It's simply because those things are energy, and--yes--alive, and you're programming them with your intention. They become helpers and supports. This is where superstitions came about: the original, conscious and interactive intention devolved into mere belief. I would caution you, though, not to be overly reliant on things like this. They can help, but you should do your own work. It isn't wise to become overly reliant on things outside yourself.
The most important element of personal protection involves your own energetic field. Mainly you have to pay attention to it through how you feel and constantly check in with that, every day, and sometimes several times a day depending on the circumstances. Use your intention to create a shield around yourself which is also anchored firmly into the Earth and connected to Source, however you conceive of that. Visualize it however you want to. The idea is to set up a boundary that negative or heavy energy will not penetrate; it will simply slide down the exterior and be absorbed into the Earth. Never send negative energy back to where it came from. Likewise, any negative or heavy energy you generate, and we all do, should simply go down into the earth as well and not leave your system. This is called "energy hygiene", and if I had a say it would be taught in schools.
Speaking of energy hygiene, try to be aware of those times when you feel a little thin-skinned, a little vulnerable. Don't go into difficult situations if you are sick, or too tired, or in a bad mood if you can help it. You're more energetically vulnerable then. Drugs, including alcohol, which affect your energy will make you vulnerable. More than once I have gone out and had a drink or two with dinner, only to discover later that I had picked up some nasty energy in the process.
In addition, there are a great many beings we can call upon in the non-physical worlds to assist, starting with the Source energy. By that I mean a "higher power", however you see it. Some folks like to call on angels, or their spiritual helpers and guides, or spiritual teachers, animal allies, etc. Regardless of who or what you call upon, know that the help is there. More than you possibly can imagine.
There is so, so much more to this subject. Entire books have been written on it. I've only skimmed the surface, but I want to leave you with two crucial points:
Nothing will make you invulnerable. The best offense is a good defense. If you are mindful, tend to your own system regularly and set clear intentions, you will create a strong and helpful boundary that will serve you well.
And what you send out will come back to you. If you send out love, anger, hate, joyful good humor, or whatever, these are what you will encounter in the world. It's just the way it works.
Take care of yourselves. Stick together and support one another. Stay safe.
Blessings,
Dawn
++Two books I recommend: Psychic Protection by William Bloom, and Psychic Shield by Caitlin Matthews. If you are interested in some great writing on understanding and relating to the spiritual and nonphysical worlds, check out the work of David Spangler.
Kofa Mountains bajada, western Arizona.
I have been watching the continued fallout from the election on Facebook since I wrote my last post a day ago. But I was also deeply heartened by the encouragement and support I shared and received from my small circle of friends. Thank you. It made one of the worst days I've lived through into one of the best as well.
After mulling over what I wrote here yesterday, I find I would like to add some thoughts about emotions and emotional energy. Right now there is more rage, despair and grief roiling to the collective surface than I have ever seen. It is toxic, it is explosive, and it is all too easy to be swept up in its riptide. Anger takes over and starts to run people, and before they know it they've gone unconscious--reacting, lashing out, rather than responding. I see people close to me, friends and family members that I love, who do not act this way normally, swept up in this tidal wave of rage. This is extremely dangerous.
The other thing I'm seeing is a horrified withdrawl from the expression of all "negative" emotion as people turn to love, compassion and forgiveness to ease the terrible pain they are in. It is very interesting to see these responses.
There is another way. I said yesterday that it's important to feel your feelings, then not to hang onto them, to let them go. While that's still true, it's possible to work with that emotional energy and use it to fuel constructive action. Anger turned outward into the collective in a scattershot way will only draw more of it to you. But if you take that raw energy and redirect it into creative or constructive action, you've transformed it. That rage becomes rocket fuel for positive change. I think anger, and the rage that especially women have built up over the millennia, can become a tremendous resource if we channel it wisely and do not try to push it away.
There is something called Hucha Mikhuy in the Andean spiritual tradition. It is an advanced energy technique wherein one literally takes negative energy in and digests it. The energy is transformed into light and heavy streams; the heavy is released to the Earth as food to her--yes, she loves it--and the light is retained and circulated through your system, energizing you. Learning this was a huge revelation to me and completely transformed how I view and work with energy. The point I'm making here is that there is no "good" or "bad" energy except in terms of how it affects us, or rather, how we allow it to affect us. It's all just energy, and potential fuel for us to use in any manner we wish, if we are able to work with it consciously.
By the same token, sending love and kind thoughts to people we dislike in hope of changing them into better people may not have the effect we think it has. I encountered this back in the 80s and 90s during the New Age movement and have come to call it the Pink Light Syndrome: just surround yourself and/or anyone you find vexing with it and All Shall Be Well. In truth what this does is send more energy, more fuel, more food, to that person or group. It's like money in the bank for them; they can use it however they please, including to carry on exactly as they have been before and do more damage. By doing this we're enabling them to continue, in the same way a dysfunctional family enables an addict or abuser in their midst. Women are especially prone to this kind of behavior, because many are still under the spell of having to act nice, at any cost, no matter how brutal the behavior they are confronted with. If anything, what is called for here is tough love, a topic for another day.
What I do, and recommend to you, is to not send any energy at all to others you dislike. Cut off that flow completely, and redirect it into what you wish to create. Right now I am not sending our political system or politicians any energy; I am working the situation in another way, to defend and strengthen and create.
I was also going to talk about the need for protection, which is very important right now, very important. But this has gone on long enough, and I'll save it for later. Just call in all the protection you can. Retreat and take care of yourself when you have to. You are valuable and needed.
Love to you all...share this all you want.
Blessings,
Dawn
I had intended to be listing new work right now, but the turmoil surrounding the election changed those plans and instead I have spent the day communicating with friends and doing spiritual work. This was a gut-wrenching shock to so many of us. Just when we expected the nightmare to be over, it turned out that it was only beginning. I'm appalled, but I am also sorry to say I am not surprised. As much as we would like to think that we can create a better world for everyone, we simply cannot do so until the old one has broken down. And I won't mince words with you: that process is going to be ugly, and it is going to be hard.
The good news is that we can use the energy of this event to galvanize us, to fuel our own convictions and clarify where we want our journey to take us. But first, we have to acknowledge our feelings: our grief, our rage, our despair, or whatever else we may be experiencing. Feel them, express them in a way that does not attack others, and release them. Don't hang onto them and worry them like a dog worries a bone.
I want to share something here about that. I have an extremely sensitive nature. If something happens with someone close to me, I know, because I can feel it. I can often tell when someone is thinking about me, or how they are feeling about me, or something else. And in an ambient way I can feel everything that is happening in the world. It doesn't matter if I am cloistered away in the studio, I still feel it: all the rage, all the hate, all the fear, not only from humanity but much, much more. Everything. So I know that if I allow myself to focus on that, and engage with it, I will literally go insane. As it is, just getting through the day can be a struggle. I have to find a way to live with the toxic energy that surround me--and all of us. That's why I decided to write this post.
A lot of you are probably in the same boat, to some extent, so the first thing I want to say is that the emotions you are feeling overwhelmed by are not entirely your own. You are picking up on the collective emotional energy out there through resonance with your own feelings. You deal with this by working through your own feelings and letting them go, and by acknowledging that much of it did not originate with you in the first place. Flower essences are a great support for this, by the way. You can find them in most natural grocery stores or online. The Bach Rescue Remedy is invaluable. I also highly recommend and use the Desert Alchemy essences which are made in Tucson and available online.
Second, stay in a supportive environment as much as you can, especially if you are feeling fragile. If you have to go to work outside the home this environment may have to be limited to the space between your ears, but do try to enhance your surroundings to reflect what nourishes your soul as much as you can. Small things that are beautiful and inspiring can make a big difference. Limit or ban altogether any media, person or object that feels "heavy" or negative to you. Establish your sacred space to reflect your own soul and your truth. Yes, be aware of the world. But do not let it draw you into its drama.
Third, be mindful of where you direct your own attention and energy. Pay close attention to your thoughts. If they start going down a rabbit hole of negativity, stop, and turn your focus to something else. Find something to make you laugh: laughter is very effective at breaking up heavy energy. Spend time with a like-minded soul. Watch a movie. Get outdoors into nature, the great healer. Create something. Use your energy to build the world and the life that you want. In every moment, you can choose to remain embroiled in the collective or pull out of it and express on a different level. Do you want to use it to focus on what you don't like out there, or use it to weave a vision of spirit, beauty, strength and grace?
Mind you, I am not saying to turn a blind eye if you see someone being bullied, put down, or abused. Stand your ground with courage and speak up for those who can't, or are too afraid to do so. Many, many people will need our support in the times to come, especially--especially--from those of us who are women elders. The young are looking to us to model strength, integrity and conviction in the face of loss and despair, and to show them that we can be strong, and we can create a better world, one person and moment at a time.
The main point I want to make here is that you decide what kind of energy is let into your field and how it affects you. This happens unconsciously for most people, but there is another way, and you have a choice.
I need to go start dinner, and take care of the laundry now. Life goes on. I love you all, and send you all the blessings and encouragement that I can. If you want to talk, please contact me. I'll be happy to hear from you.
Blessings,
Dawn
The computer is beginning to behave again, and I am getting to those new listings...more pieces are on the way, both here and on Etsy! Including two more drawings!
I'm back from Colorado and have decided to have a surprise sale in my Etsy shop! It's time to clear out the old items and clear the energy, so everything has been marked down significantly. Some of the older pieces have been reduced a great deal. If you have had your eye on something, now is the time to claim it as your own, because some of the items will be going away after this. The sale will run to the end of November. Have fun!
180+ degree panorama, taken from my ceremonial site in the Mt. Taylor caldera. The 11, 305' summit is on the center right. Click on this and all subsequent images to enlarge.
Last week I spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday visiting three spectacular mountains in succession, to do ceremony and reconnect with these great Beings. The mountains are ones I've been working with spiritually and shamanically for a few years now: in New Mexico, the Sandia Mountains above Albuquerque and Mt. Taylor near Grants; and in Arizona, the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff. These three are aligned in a straight line that runs east to west, a fact that I discovered only after I began our work. In the Andean tradition in which I was initiated, the spirits of nature are central and mountains and their spirits, known as Apukuna, figure very strongly. The process I've been led to use is probably much less formalized, as I work directly with the nature intelligences, or Devas, that overlight the mountains, although I suspect that what we call Devas and what Peruvians call Apukuna are one and the same. I make offerings and share and move energy with the mountains themselves, and help maintain a conduit of energy that connects them, which in Peru is called a ceque.
Why work with mountains when I am such a "desert person"? The Devas that overlight the mountains watch over entire regions, as the influence of the mountains' energy extends well beyond the mountain itself. In this way these intelligences help manage the energy flows on the Earth, as well as those coming to the planet from elsewhere. They also help the evolution and quality of life, including the human, so what they do affects us very directly. My spiritual/shamanic work is centered around working with these energies as they arrive on the planet and are distributed around it, and it is in this capacity that I work with the mountains. And...these mountains are in the desert, after all.
Here is my view from 10,600 feet up, atop the Sandia Crest overlooking Albuquerque and the Rio Grande. Far out on the western horizon, the San Mateos float like a vision.
I started with our mountain, the Sandias, a magnificent wedge of upthrust granite and limestone towering above the Rio Grande Valley. I see and connect to the Sandias every day from my studio, and have come to know this mountain as a benign guardian presence. From my secluded perch on the crest I looked westward, directly along the ceque connecting the peaks. For each mountain ceremony, I opened my mesa, or shaman's bundle, along with three sets of stones from Peru, each of which has been attuned to one of the mountains.
The igneous spine in the Mt. Taylor caldera.
The next day I packed a bag and headed out on I-40 to Mt. Taylor. It was another warm, brilliant day, but I still needed a jacket in the wind up there. I only saw one other person up there on the jeep trail. Mt. Taylor is an ancient stratovolcano, and I returned to a spot high in a spine-like outcrop in the caldera for my work. Like the Sandias and San Francisco Peaks, Mt. Taylor is a sacred mountain to the tribes in the region. To the Navajo it is Tsoodzil, the sacred mountain of the South.
I find the Deva of Mt. Taylor to be a distinctly feminine being, whose vast, calm presence holds the land around in balance and beauty. I have come to associate this lovely mountain with the stars and the color blue. It is also a mediating influence along the corridor of energy. The quality of energy here is stronger than in the Sandias, more intense...it may have something to do with it being a volcano.
After completing our work, I bumped back down the very rough track and continued on towards Flagstaff. The Navajo sacred mountain of the West, the San Francisco Peaks are much farther out along the line, and I always love watching them appear on the horizon on approach from the east. Alas, when I got to Flagstaff (hoping to quickly find a room and then dinner at Beaver Street Brewery), it was sheer pandemonium. The streets were full of traffic and when I tried to check into a hotel I learned it was Homecoming weekend and there were no rooms left in town. So...I got back in the car and drove down to Sedona for the night. That little detour turned out to be full of very serendipitous happenings and it was made clear to me that I was meant to be there...at this point I've just learned to go with it. The next morning I watched the sun rise on Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte, and then drove up Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff and the mountain.
The 12,633' San Francisco Peaks seen from the west at the Arizona Snowbowl.
Another spectacular day. The circumstances were very different here, though, as the heights are closed to vehicular traffic and the closest I could get without a long hike (which I was in no shape to do) was the Snowbowl at the end of the road on the western flank. This is a gorgeous area, at about 9500', and as you can see the aspens were at their peak, and I think everyone in the state had come to see them. Privacy was a major concern, so I walked out across the meadow and considered where to go, as I did want to be able to see the peaks while we were working. As I stood there a large hawk, which had been circling over the trees, flew straight out to me, did a U-turn, and then flew back over to the forest: Follow me. So I did, and found a cathedral-like grove of aspens that framed a view of the peak. Exquisitely beautiful.
Again, this mountain was quite different. My first encounter with it was challenging, almost austere, but this time I felt truly welcomed and at home. Also volcanic, the San Francisco mountain is a tremendously powerful receiver of energy coming onto the planet, and overlights a huge area in service to all life. This exchange felt more like an initiation than work, and I came away feeling greatly blessed.
The aspen cathedral from my seat, with Humphreys Peak to the east.
Not a human soul came in sight during the entire time I was there. When all was complete, I packed up my mesa and the mountain's stones for the last time and made the long drive home with much to think about. This work will continue as I learn and remember and grow along the path. It was a great privilege to be able to visit these magnificent beings.
By the way, if you are curious about learning more about Devas and working with the subtle realms in general, I highly recommend David Spangler's excellent, clear, and very grounded books, in particular Subtle Worlds: An Explorer's Field Notes, and the sequel Working With Subtle Energies. David was a founding member of the renowned Findhorn Garden. If you want to explore the Andean shamanic tradition, I recommend Masters of the Living Energy by Joan Parisi Wilcox. It's the best overall book on the subject I've found.
Something warm as an autumn sunset in the high desert, this one is new for you today. Tomorrow I will post some photos of my journey of mountain ceremonies from the last three days.
The Journey bag is here...
Cabezon Peak
The last week has been a busy one, with much new work on the way. I just finished a beautiful elk hide journey bag that I began last Monday, and plan to list it here tomorrow. It's a functional bag, all handstitched and beaded, perfect for holding your treasures on walkabouts or outings. I also took a couple of days to create a set of copper metal clay elements, which should be appearing in new pieces soon as well. Between all that and dealing with some family matters that have arisen, my days have been very full.
Last Wednesday was a spectacular fall day and my son, Max, and I went hiking on Cabezon Peak. Cabezon is 45 miles to our northwest--I can see the top of it beyond the west mesa from where I'm sitting in the home office. Cabezon is a massive volcanic plug, the core of an ancient volcano that rises almost 2000' above the Rio Puerco valley, to a height of 7785'. You can climb all the way to the top, but the trail up to the area just below the basalt tower was plenty for me! I brought some copper metal clay and mold making compound with me, and some great pieces came of it. Other than Max nearly stepping on a rattlesnake, it was a great day. Here's a slideshow from our hike...hover over the images and the captions will appear.
Check back tomorrow for the new journey bag!
On the way up, the view of the Puerco Valley expands to the south.
The trail was a lot steeper than I remembered...Max taking photos of the monolith looming over us.
The basalt core displays those wonderful columns of crystallized basalt.
Around the base of the basalt core, the slope levels out into a desert garden of boulders, juniper and cholla cactus.
Weathered juniper...perfect for clay impressions.
...so I got to work.
The first copper clay element from the juniper, drying on a boulder in the sun.
Molding compound curing on a section of weathered juniper trunk.
A second mold cures on a basalt boulder, with the tree in the previous photo in the background.
I made several copper clay impressions on this lichen-encrusted boulder on the east side of the monolith.
Max, looking heroically photogenic...it skipped a generation with me.
The basalt and lava boulders were covered in sage and acid green lichen.
A sprawling, ancient juniper, me seated in front. This tree may have been living before the arrival of the Europeans.
Volcanic plugs can be seen out in the blue haze of the Rio Puerco valley. This is about where Max nearly stepped on the rattlesnake.
I simply love these.
My new pieces follow the tracks of desert sojourns...enjoy!
...and here is the wand!
The new amber talismans are here! I also have a ceremonial wand adorned with amber, which will be listed soon...Happy Fall Equinox everyone...here's to cooler weather!
This little one took a while to manifest, but it's a delightful piece!
One of the best pieces I've made this year. Enjoy...
Here's a new talisman for you today, and I have another one ready for tomorrow...
Here they are, those luscious Spirit Beads I've been promising. This is a marvelously earthy set. I almost kept it because I love the amber so much.
I have this wonderfully earthy and organic pendant necklace for you today. There is also a great new set of Spirit Beads waiting, but I won't be able to get it listed for a few days.
There was a strong storm here last night, water leaked in, and we have three rooms with soaked carpets (including my new studio carpet), and are dealing with the cleanup today. This weekend I have a class to attend, so look for them early next week.