Who has walked this path before me?
How many through the ages have covered this very ground where I now journey – have stood here from this exact point in space – watching the storm move in, waiting for the boats to return, contemplating how they would possibly feed their family, professing their undying love in eloquent rehearsal, enjoying the heat of a bonfire, wondering how they would ever get back to the main land, enjoying the pure rush of it all – embracing the scenery, the salt on their lips – the wind kicking up their hair that makes their eyes water, grasping the last flicker of courage to plunge into the cold, not being able to endure another day- moving ferociously, alarmingly underneath and then acquiescently transporting beyond, reaching finally the new land where they will begin again, frolicking in the waves at the water’s edge carelessly watching their castles get leveled, dying for their heartfelt beliefs after a nameless battle…What were they doing.. what were they thinking, what did they look like, how did they feel? Who did they love, who were they fighting, what were they in the process of creating, or what did they live to destroy. What brought them inexplicable joy, and filled their souls with unsurmountable fear?

So many memories stored in the earth. If I take my shoes off and stand very still, I can feel their thoughts and uttered words swirling within and around me. I feel what they feel, I become one with their fibers, their waves, moving in, spiraling around and fluttering out of their being, I see what they see – what lay before them, and what they could be running from, I hear what they hear, the loudest shrillest sirens, the deepest core wrenching horns, the softest most uplifting lilting hum. Some beckon me to move away from the painful spot and some encourage me to stay and revel for as long as possible, all dependent on the quality of the memory that that space in time held for them.

Sometimes when taking long drives through the desert, I find myself wondering if there is a spot out there on the side of the road that has never been touched by a human sole – completely free of any imprint whatsoever. I asked Louis what he thought, his reply, “of course, there are many”.
Maybe if I stood out there in the wilderness of the desert, instead of human stories I would feel tumbleweed stories, or scorpion stories, or sidewinders weaving their tales, or coyotes calling from one end of the horizon to the other, and I would then know the many reasons for their howl.
But I usually don’t get out of the car at these desolate looking points along the highway.

Things can change significantly from one moment to the next, as we know nothing is more constant than change.
Now my mind wanders to how many trillions of experiences happen during one moment in time. These moments, these seconds-long patches of life have such full and rich histories, and while one moment can be the absolute most blessed of someone’s entire life, that very same moment could be ripping someone else’s completely to shreds.

It fascinates me. I want to feel the moments of that spot I am standing. I want to feel the joy, the pain, hear the thoughts, absorb the lives, get a full education, learn real history…and then I want to leave un-turbulently, in peace, a gentle, respectful, and unassuming and inviting imprint of my own.

With over 120 varieties of top-rated chocolates from all over the world,
it certainly wouldn’t be difficult to fill this bag up a few times over!
Proprietors Steve and Pam Jennings couldn’t have been more welcoming,
and gave us the fascinating backgrounds of each of the artisans
whose delectable work they showcase – a very tasty tour indeed!
Whether you are a lover of milk or dark, fruited or plain, crunchy or smooth, sugar free or regular, there surely will be something there to
tease the taste buds and please the palate.
Bars, blocks, boxes, bags, bricks, bits – chocolate in all shapes and sizes, to enjoy solitarily or as the perfect accompaniment
to a rich deep cab or tall glass of milk.

Go in and say hello, but make sure you have about fifteen minutes or so to receive sufficient lay of the land.
There will most likely be some sumptuous samples for you to savor as well!

Chocolota
20202 Anza Avenue
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 793-7793

www.chocolota.net

Nestled under the Eucalyptus, carved into the side of a hill is a magical land
where imaginations have converged.
Saunter over pathways of wood chips (breathe in the earthiness – it’s heavenly)
and you will find an eclectic array of artistic offerings
sprawled across expanses of wall, and shelved within newly individually fabricated booths.
Nosh on tasty lunch type fare and enjoy a cool drink
while listening to local musicians play anything from
folk, honky tonk, rock, reggae, world, blues and jazz.

Need to unleash your creative side?
Participate and enjoy a wide variety of workshops for folks of all ages
from ceramics to print making – check their site for schedule of events.

One of our favorite things to watch though is the Glass Blowing Demonstration
Such an amazing art to observe, and a fascinating process to behold.
The results are just stunning and it is interesting to see the unique style of handling and working with the glass that each individual artist imparts.

I think best of show for me this year would have to be
an artist named Isaac Anderson.
As if his painted photographs weren’t captivating enough,
his frames were incredible.
Plaster over wood so he told me, but gave the presence of solid stone.
Check his site out and see if it doesn’t move you too.

The Sawdust Art Festival is on daily from 10 to 10 until August 30th.
Fourth of July hours – 10 to 6

Go check out their site for more details, and do plan on visiting before the summer is out, being amongst tall trees is certainly reason enough to visit, but there is just so much more…

Bluff Cove, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Claudia from Feel The Bliss of Yoga is having a
Yoga Stretch and Reiki Circle this Friday, June 26
Yak and Yeti in Hermosa Beach.

Visit her site here for more information.
She sent the following along with the announcement.
Talk about positive pattern making – if this were our intent each day, life would be golden.
Thanks for sharing Claudia!

5 Principles of Reiki:
* Just for today do not worry
* Just for today do not anger
* Just for today earn your living honestly
* Just for today show gratitude to everything
* Just for today respect all your neighbors and all living beings

Join me for fun times with Foot Reflexology during one of two new Reflexology classes beginning this week -

Restoring Vitality with Foot Reflexology
at South Bay Adult School, Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach
(4) Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30 pm, June 23 to July 13, 2009
For more info and to register, go to southbayadult.org

Reflexology
at South Bay Massage College in Manhattan Beach
(5) Thursdays from 2 to 6 pm, June 25 to July 23, 200
For full description of this class, click here.

Take your breath away don’t they?

Random Rock Arrangement
Bluff Cove, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

When we insist and persist in fighting against the current – that is when we become fixed. All shades of gray get blocked out from our vantage point and there is no allowing for anything other than black and white. If we release and relinquish the fight and let the natural order of things move within and around us, that is when we will be able to see the opportunities for change we wish to realize. 

Go with the flow – yes, Thank You, I get it, but as of late seem to need periodic reminders to stay on track.

There couldn’t have been a sweeter, more pleasurable reminder then this visit last week to Bluff Cove. Just a short, sandy hike, downwards from the side of the road to the side of the ocean, but a remarkably different landscape below. So many rocks, loose and in formation, so many crabs – small, black and scampering sideways as they do, in and out of crevices – kind of comical to see so many doing the same movement at the same time – synchronized scampering – doing their crab dance…Then there were a couple of long lanky egrets, a few non-lounging lizards, several hundreds of flies and other water dwelling insects, and one lone tanned, untethered surfer surveying the scene of his long held domain. Gray and overcast but completely vibrant, this was a place to feel deeply. Monuments to surfers passed adorned the hillside amidst the wildflowers. A rustic bench inscribed with open hearted remembrances of love. Then as we moved along the stretch of rocky coastline, we heard what initially was thought to be the sound of handfuls of fire crackers being propelled over the edge of the cliff above us. A loud, deep rumbling, that we soon figured out was from the earth itself. As the waves broke vigorously over the shore they simultaneously retreated upon impact, and as they did the thousands of ostrich egg sized rocks were tumbled in succession over the terrain beneath them, sending out a ripple of sound that cascaded along the full expanse of the beach – a wave of sound created by the waves, causing an intense, visceral wave within us. In all my years and on all the many beaches I have visited, I have never heard or felt anything quite like that. It brought such clarity. One couldn’t help but be completely present…not to mention thoroughly impressed.

Musical, Literary, Design, Textural, Traffic, Weather, Plants, Planetary, Behavioral, Personality, Binary, Numerical, Electrical, Sewing, Snow, Brainwave, Fingerprint, Architectural…

They’re within us, they surround us, they can captivate us, and sometimes overtake us.

They create sound, reinforce structure, enhance memory, develop esthetically pleasing design, maintain balance, formulate equations, compose melodies, harmonies, symphonies… they build words, they shield us from view or allow us to blend in, they keep us on task, help us knit sweaters, do puzzles, play bingo, chess, crossword puzzles…

But sometimes they can bring disorganization or complete chaos to our lives.

Occasionally we create some not so appealing patterns that eat up our time, zap our energy, and prevent us from creating the inspired life of happiness, love and fulfillment we were meant to live. Repetitive stress injuries, negative mind chatter, chronic substance abuse, to name a few, are all perpetuating patterns that often times keep us fixed and unable to move forward.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are many different ways of extracting oneself from the quagmire. Over the next several posts I would like to discuss some ideas with you, and I invite you to participate in the discussion by letting the rest of us know how you eradicate negative patterns in your life, and how you have been able to replace them with more positive behaviors and practices. So, come on and get the ball rolling!

Thanks in advance, and I will be back soon to follow up –

Donna

Bonsai Garden - Huntington Library, San Marino, CA

Some things take extreme care and patience.
Their progress cannot be pushed ahead perfunctorily, on the contrary, they must be nourished lovingly daily,
and maintained with the utmost precision in execution.
There is no room for haphazardness or imprudence, or one might be required to begin the whole process all over again. Daily diligence is what is required. Be steadfast and true.
Falling in love with the process
rather than just reaching recklessly and repeatedly for resplendent rings…

Plant Cell Model Courtesy of Adam

selectively permeable membrane – A membrane that allows the passage of only certain substances, selected on the basis of the size and usefulness of molecules. (According to encyclopedia.com)

Not Selectively Permeable – closer to Completely Permeable – that was more my constitution for many of my younger years. Boundaries? hmmm….doesn’t ring a bell…absorbent, spongelike and porous was more my M.O. Attitudes, opinions, anger, fear, irrational behavior, addictions, natural disasters and unnatural disasters happening both half way around the world and in my back yard but usually completely not my own- all had the ability at any given moment to blast through my pathetic first defense line and completely run am0k through my entire being. My lack of selectability, caused me to appear as quite a “fragile” girl, and at times an utter train wreck. Appearances can be quite deceiving though, even to oneself. I never felt particularly fragile, just knew I was extremely sensitive to the world around me, and often had difficulty seeing where you ended and where I began.

Times have changed though (Can I hear a Hallelujah!) – amazing what twenty years can do, and I have worked with much diligence to remember to honor and respect myself on a daily basis. Have gotten a lot better at drawing clearer, bolder, cleaner lines between me and my surroundings and am much better for it. Also learning to take things that come up less personally, with a loving detachment, which has proven to be a very strong tool to get through some days with. I’ve come to the conclusion (so glad I am realizing this now rather than years from now), that it is all one big lesson. Be a duck (let it roll off your back, remember?) Let it go…take what you can from it…move on….it is all good….it really is you know…think on it…feel it…