Indigenous People Day

AKA Columbus Day is on October 11. 

While living in Santa Fe, New Mexico, both Dwight and I along with Shasta attended the impressive parade on this day. We noticed the native peoples in the area had great influence on the city of Santa Fe. Santa Fe was truly a multicultural city with a long history of Hispanics, Native Americans and whites from many countries; unlike anywhere else either Dwight nor I have lived.

Dwight's female and mal pueblo heads
that sit in my herb garden
in front of the tall hedge.

I had the opportunity to interact with the local "indigenous peoples" many of whom lived in one of the Pueblos in the area. Today there are 19 pueblos in New Mexico presently with each having its own government yet sharing a common prehistory of emerging from beneath the earth, and culture. 

Roxanne Swentzell's
sculpture depicting
the ancestral peoples arrival.

This is Dwight's depiction of
"mother" bringing her first peoples 
into the earthly realm.

I was born part of this earth.

My Grandmother Earth.

I was born part of this earth

My Mother, all living beings.

My Grandfather, the sky.

I was born part of this earth.

My Father, all creatures of the air.

I was born part of this earth.

The eight Grandfathers.

I was born part of this earth.

The four corners of the earth.

I was born part of this earth.

The great wind giant of the North.

I was born part of this earth.

The red road of the dead.

I was born part of this earth.

The blue and black road of destruction.

I was born part of this earth.

The old ones say

the old way’ gone,

the old ones say.

Still,

I was born part of this earth.

                               DANIEL WESTERN

Contemporary Pueblo people are descendants of Ancestral Puebloans who lived in the area where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah all meet at one point. The single point in the United Sates only occurs here and is referred to as the Four Corners region of the Southwest. 

Dwight and I had our first Christmas celebration in New Mexico at the Santo Domingo Pueblo. Dwight had purchased for me greenish colored turquoise earrings and necklace. Erlina Coriz, the creator of them, invited us to spend the holiday with her, her daughter and her granddaughter. First we attended the celebration which involved ceremonial dancing. The dancers practice all day for days to prepare. All in locals in attendance bring chairs and blankets because after all this is December and it is chilly. Then we returned to Erlina's home for a delicious indigenous meal. The granddaughter at the time attended the Santa Fe Indian School which was established in 1890 by the federal government to assimilate the "native child". The Dali Lama use to frequent the school and attendees were invited to visit him in India which Erlina's granddaughter did. We had a lovely Christmas like no other before nor since. 

                               Taos Pueblo is the only living Native American community 

                                  designated both a World Heritage Site by UNESCO 

                                             and a National Historic Landmark. 

                                  The guide who gave the tour was exceptional.

The second November we lived in Santa Fe we went to Taos, New Mexico, to celebrate our anniversary.  We rented a place for several weeks exploring the area including the Taos Pueblo. We drove one route going and another along the Rio Grande River returning to maximize our acquaintance with the area. A word of caution to anyone who is considering a visit to this pueblo. It is not open all of the time . . . remember people live here; it is their home they generously share at only certain times. I mention this because I heard an irate white woman complaining she could not visit on her trip to Taos. Now I reside in Cotati, California, far, far, far away from our Stamm home on San Felipe Circle in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I loved our house depicted above. Now it seems to me that living in Santa Fe was a magical place to live. The new owners are enjoying making this their forever retirement home.  I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reads this blog. I love writing new entries for BE-ing Rooted: a Practice in Essential Living. To paraphrase the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, "Change is the only constant in life". As I continue adjusting to huge change in my life brought about by Dwight's death in July, I frequently

The second November we lived in Santa Fe we went to Taos, New Mexico, to celebrate our anniversary.  We rented a place for several weeks exploring the area including the Taos Pueblo. We drove one route going and another along the Rio Grande River returning to maximize our acquaintance with the area. A word of caution to anyone who is considering a visit to this pueblo. It is not open all of the time . . . remember people live here; it is their home they generously share at only certain times. I mention this because I heard an irate white woman complaining she could not visit on her trip to Taos.

Now I reside in Cotati, California, far, far, far away from our Stamm home on San Felipe Circle in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

I loved our house depicted above. Now it seems to me that living in Santa Fe was a magical place to live. The new owners are enjoying making this their forever retirement home. 

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reads this blog. I love writing new entries for BE-ing Rooted: a Practice in Essential Living.

To paraphrase the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, "Change is the only constant in life". As I continue adjusting to huge change in my life brought about by Dwight's death in July, I frequently

Unlikely

The front yard sheet mulching is now all complete.

As I was finishing up the front yard sheet mulching an Xfinity truck pulled up to the utility pole at the sidewalk to the East. The driver seemed interested in what I was doing. I launched into an explanation of the benefits of sheet mulching. He shared he was going to be putting down landscape cloth and cover it with plastic. EEK! I thought to myself but explained the benefits of regenerating the soil with the sheet mulching. The process of the breakdown of cardboard and woodchips encourages microorganisms in the soil which in turns draws carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Much to my surprise a few days later the same truck drove up to our driveway. The driver stopped by to let me know he was now planning on sheet mulching. He had delivered to his home 4 cubic yards of woodchips from Wheeler Zamaroni. He said it was really expensive so I suggested he call companies that do tree care and get free woodchips as I did. He was so surprised one could do that.

Shasta laying atop the white yarrow.

I must say it is rather satisfying to see an unlikely convert to a Permaculture practice of soil regeneration and carbon sequestration.  Well, lots of people walk by and ask what I am about with the cardboard and woodchips. Unfortunately no one has let me know that they were the least bit interested in duplicating the activity. But an Xfinity employee seems the most unlikely. Once I really thought about it perhaps not so unlikely since he was already planning to remove his lawn. Obviously this man has an open mind in how to accomplish this activity which is ever so exciting to me. 

Since so many just want their previous to the pandemic lives back, this man is aware we all need to move forward differently as we become aware of more healthy practices to combat the climate catastrophe.  Mother Earth depends on each of us doing so AND all of us depend on one another to embrace change with the prevailing evidence of climate catastrophe planet wide. Already the climate catastrophe is becoming way more rapidly destructive than any of the climate scientist had previously thought.

Each of us have the ability to change and change quickly and drastically. Let each and everyone of us set about doing just that and have a frequent good 

 

Change

It is said that the lotus flower will not grow in pure water and can only bloom fed by the mud of decay.  So too our collective trauma, brokenness, delusions, moral suffering, and pain can, ironically, be the very means for our awakening. Each day, let us awaken to transform ourselves, our communities, our nation, and our world with wisdom and compassion. –Roshi Joan Halifax

Below are some thoughts on this time of change from a Taoist perspective:

(10:30 a.m.) NOTE on Non Attachment:  During this “Great Transition,” the Chi is not Flowing Peacefully... but Raging like a River and assertively eroding away anything in its path... and Old Paradigm Thoughts, Beliefs and Behaviors are no exception.

At this time, if we lack the ability to Detach from the affects of this Assertive Influential Chi, the results may not be as Peaceful or as Graceful as we’d prefer.  

How do we manage the Energetics of Yang Assertiveness, is to Skillfully Compensate with relative Yin Expressions.  Slowing Down, Detaching or Letting Go are a few beneficial examples, under these excessively Yang Circumstances.  

If you’re not comfortable with applying the Brakes... you can practice just easing off the Gas or Excellerator and simply Cruise!  

Nobody’s saying you hafta “Stop” doing what you’re doing.  But Change the Way you’re Doing It!  That’s what’s being required for this Next Evolutionary Step.  

The Great Transition is all about “Change!”  Now, How We Choose to Change, is up to us!  But something needs to Change within us.  

With all respects, you don’t hafta do anything you don’t wanna do.  Just consider any consequences you may hafta pay, in order to have it your way!  That consideration may just be the Motivation you need, in order to benefit from this Great Transition.  

Peace & Good Health... Namaste,

~ Uncle Obi ~ 🙏☯️✌️

Both of the above perspectives on change are so wonderful to consider as we discard our masks, some but not all of us, and reenter the outside world, so to speak. While sequestered, our worlds grew small to include just those living with us. Some started gardens for the very first time of their lives, others read vociferously and still others remained bored unable to engage in much other than what was absolutely essential to their daily lives. Some experienced the richness of BEing while others seems to pout and exclaim, "oh poor me".

All of us here in our small home in Cotati, California, made big changes but now are settling into BEing in our lovely space. Cathie is recreating the garden while Dwight is focused on washing and moving our Prius into the cleared out garage . . . finally. 

Shasta is sleeping as she energetically entertained lunch guests yesterday.

No matter the process of our present daily life, may we each have a frequent hardy