Friday, January 20, 2006
This evening I’m enjoying the hospitality of the dearest Finnabair. She has graciously permitted Roadie and I a restful retreat at The Cabin in the Woods. We drove up here yesterday from Hope, Arkansas. We enjoyed many places along the way including one special place that was a small rest area with over night campsites. We walked around, played and enjoy the natural beauty there. We spent most of today resting and then enjoying a walk through the grounds where The Cabin in the Woods is located. We’re just outside of Alton, Missouri. Rolling hills, tall trees and incredible sunsets abound. This is indeed a very special place. As we walked around I could sense a peaceful spirit for refreshing the soul, a guiding light for direction of our Life’s Path, and a positive energy for the purposes of staying connected with God.
This afternoon we walked around through the woods, visited the Faerie Glen, enjoyed the peaceful meadows, traveled back in time as we explored the older buildings, and then we enjoyed a drive through the countryside. We drove for some time and eventually stopped on a hilltop where a beautiful yellow house stood. We looked and there before us was the entire land below us. It was such an impressive site for sure. We drove through part of the Mark Twain National Forest where we crossed over a river. My thoughts wandered back in time with tell of the stories of Mark Twain about that river. It wasn’t big, but just big enough that I could envision a small raft taking a boy on many an adventure. Upon our return we were walking about outside and heard loud noises coming from the property near by. Having been informed that Finnabair was staying with her friends Lonnie and Kathleen, we loaded up in the Explorer and went for a four-wheel adventure to see if we could find them. Over yonder, up hill and dale, through mountains green and where rocks abound we finally made it. I’m thankful for the vehicle that God provided Roadie and I to travel in – it can take us anywhere.
Last night I had called Finnabair to let her know that Roadie and I had arrived and my intentions of doing a three-day fast with an added aspect of silence. Silence – not talking – this is so I can learn to hear, to listen, not just with the ears, but also with the heart and soul. Finnabair had informed me that her friend Lonnie (a delightful, handsome, kind-hearted man who values knowledge as a wealth, who enjoys the pleasures of creativity through his beautiful quilts, and who shines with a peaceful ever knowing spirit.) was to have surgery today. I wanted to travel that direction today so we can see how he was doing. Much to our surprise he was doing very well and it was a day surgery for a hernia. He was up, walking and talking although maybe a bit uneasily from the day’s events. Upon our arrival Finnabair greeted us, acknowledged our silence with respect, and invited us in. There we met Kathleen and Lonnie. Roadie also met some new friends – Blossom and two others, however, at the moment I cannot recall their names. They were gracious and kind hosts by providing Roadie with treats, love, and acknowledgement of his incredible loving spirit and beauty. We were shown a few of Lonnie’s quilts, learned of his surgery, and listened as they spoke of things here. I learned that there was a special man – Galen Rose – who once owned this property and Lonnie had become friends with him. I sensed a very special friendship between two special men. As we left Roadie enjoyed some puppy play with the Bassett Hound, who seemed to want to play, so I allowed them this time and enjoyed watching the beauty of free play.
The Cabin in the Woods is just that, a cabin in the woods. Galen Rose’s energy is still here, as I sensed a great protective energy and an appreciation for just being, being alone. While we were exploring, we stopped for some time at a small building sitting just up the hill from the cabin. It has trees all around it and it also has a large lawn area leading up to it. I was drawn up to that place. I didn’t see an old farm building. I saw a beautiful chapel - a place for meditation, worship, and communing with God through nature. There are very large trees surrounding the building and it was built with great care. I saw a building that watched over the grounds, protecting it. The energy of that space is great as it’s centered amongst the large trees – trees that are grounded in the earth and reaching high as if to acknowledge the greatness of God. I saw visions of what that building can be. It will need some loving help to fulfill its desire of becoming a place of meditation. I saw it keeping its simple wood siding, but with a new stone foundation and steps (I discovered some stone steps after removing a pile of leaves at the door.), new windows where simple screens once were, and a new window high above on the other side of the entrance. I saw a beautiful white interior with an empty alter area so people could worship as they please, two small benches in the back for those who like to sit, and pillows for those who like to kneel or meditate with crossed legs. I have in mind as a tentative intention to offer my skills of building and remodeling to Finnabair so that this special building can become an even more special place for those to come. Finnabair shared with me today that when her and her mother purchased the property that it could become an artist and writers retreat. I have been blessed as the first such guest. I was given a thought that I shall share with Finnabair on Monday; however, I’m also going to share it here. I see people coming here for rejuvenation, rest, and to create. I see a book of knowledge where the guests can share their thoughts and experiences while they are here so others may read of it. I see the guests not only keeping the place in order, but also adding to it by showing appreciation by painting, building, gardening, and other such things while they are here. This evening I contributed a little by adjusting the energies by the proper placement of the items in some rooms. Lonnie has been renovated the cabin so not every room is ready, but he’s doing a great job. I sense that he would enjoy having guests here to help him with the various projects around.
There is another building that Finnabair said she might dismantle, however, the more I looked at it I saw a great art space for artists. It might be an old hen house, but like the other buildings it was built with great care and has a great energy. I’ll talk with her about this idea also. The cabin amazingly was set up with regard to aspects of Feng Shui as the rooms correspond to the Bagua map. The Living room is in Knowledge and Self Development, the Kitchen is in Health and Family, the back porch (which needs some gentle guidance) is in Wealth, the front bedroom is in Travel and Helpful People, the middle bedroom (which has bunk beds and a child’s bed) is in Creativity and Children, and the back bedroom is in Love and Romance. You enter through the front door into Career and exit the back door through Fame and Reputation. There is some need of altering the flow of energy from the front door through the back of the cabin, however, I’ll see about the purchase of a purple crystal and send it to Lonnie for him to place at the back door. The back porch is a special place and I see it more as an open sleeping porch, instead of storage, with windows that are hinged for opening outwards to protect from rain. The cabin will one day comfortable sleep nine people with room for more on the floor, however, I sense that this will be a solitary place with only special friends sharing it. I sense that more people will share in this space so that they can concentrate on their careers of art and writing. They will leave this place with much appreciation being rested and uplifted, ready to return to share their renewed spirits with others.
Roadie has been enjoying running freely around the grounds and sleeping curled up with me. He never roams too far away and is always watchful to see where I am. He is growing daily I think and is going to become quite the handsome old man. I see great strength in his body now. I don’t know why he found me, but I’m thankful he did, as I have never felt such love. He’s sleeping next to me as I type.
Silence, I spoke of it earlier, is something new for me. I had intentions of doing a hermitage at the Benedictine Monastery in Pecos, NM, however, it seems I’m doing it here. I am not speaking for three days so that I can learn to hear, to listen, to be more mindful of the power of words. I’ll admit that it does cause one to become more aware of what others are saying when you don’t think about what you are going to say back, but instead just listen. Every now and then I’m tempted to speak and have spoken something only to realize I had spoken. I grab my mouth with my hand in hopes of catching the words before they escape. There is power in silence of speech. I haven’t heard my own voice and I’m sure when this is complete that I will clearly hear my voice, the power it has to reach others, to inspire, to encourage, to guide. Yes, it has all of that power and more, along with the power of the opposites, which is something I don’t believe should be uttered to anyone under any circumstances, not even in thoughts. While being quiet I’ve learned how many of my own thoughts have the power of negative energy and question how to clear my thoughts and inner self of such negative influences so that my heart, my thoughts, and ultimately my words will only be filled with positive energy.
Being alone with oneself is quite the experience. Not speaking makes me more aware of the thoughts that abound.
Thought for today: Do you really listen to others? Are you quiet in your mind while you listen or are you running through the thoughts for a response, a story to share, or something else? Are you at ease with yourself, with a quiet sense of being?
