11/11/12 - Part 1 - According to the GPS it's 231 miles to Santa Fe.  Driving thru the Texas Panhandle my eyes are dropping tears of joy onto my face, realizing once again that my long awaited dream of traveling is being fulfilled.  My soul is content.  I wonder.... is this state of being I am experiencing NIRVANA?!

Thanks to my son, "Mister Music Man," I have a lot of wonderful music to listen to on my journey.  Thanks again babe for all the CDs, especially the series you labelled "A New Home: On the Road."  There's a particular song on Part II that I find myself listening to over and over again.  It's got a Native American tone to it and that's probably why I love it so.  I resonate deeply with the lyrics:

When I die 
let the wolves enjoy my bones
When I die let me go.

When I die 
you can push me out to sea
When I die set me free. 

Let the sharks come around to feed
When I die set me free

When I die 
let the flames devour me
When I die set me free

When I die
throw my ashes to the breeze
Let me Be
Let Me Be
Let Me Be

Daylight is waiting for You
Daylight is waiting for You
Daylight is waiting for You

This song is not one of doom for me, it is of kinship in my heart and soul with the reminder to live unconditionally and bless every moment gratefully.   One never knows when the beating breath will change.  This universal law of reality has always been important to me and like a close friend I keep ever mindful of it as it motivates and inspires the choices I make. 

This feeling is coming over me and to translate it as best I can into language:  I am experiencing a deep inner fulfillment as I travel like a nomad, trusting the unknown and remaining open to Divine Order/Divine Timing and the listening of Inner Spirit Guidance.  I am experiencing a body/mind/spirit sensation that when One is at Peace living their soul's path it is not angst of what lies ahead for there is such an expansive love, joy, open willingness and inner peace that prevails.  This deep contentment is new for me.

With three hours more to go on the highway toward New Mexico, gusts of 50 mph winds are all around me and I'm navigating the debris (flying brush) blowing from the fields onto the highway. It looks like Wizard of Oz weather here.  Contemplating what to do, I am thankful that I'm approaching a gas station exit.  I pull in to hear buzzing in the air from fellow travelers surprised and questioning what to do as I am.  The locals on the other hand are used to these sudden onsets and welcome us tourists to Texas weather.  Within 10 minutes the wind has died down and I'm back on the highway again. About 15 minutes later high winds return with pelting rain.  Yikes!  Do I pull over again or press on.  Taking a few moments to contemplate my next move, the wind suddenly decreases, rain stops and sunshine appears. Wow!  Believe it or not this happened one more time. What an illustration of constant change!  I'm following my instinct to pursue forward with the understanding that this is the nature of my drive - watchful and alert with the uncertainty of nature's elements.  Here are a couple pics:

 I've arrived in New Mexico.  Heeha!

 The winds are strong here too which you can see by the flags flapping in the wind.

Here's a pic of me surrendered to the wind in front of the Visitors Center

A little further down the highway, the skies are clear, the sun is shining, terrain is changing and I'm getting closer to my next visiting spot, Santa Fe.

  I've made it! Perhaps you can hear me WOOOOHOOOOing!!!!!!!!!!! I'm yelping at the top of my lungs! Ecstatic me is in the Southwest where I've long awaited to be. My spirit is at home here and now my body is here too. The open land, the red earth, and the adobe dwellings.  I am in love!
Through the years, I've had many bleed through memories from past lives as ancient nomadic people  in various parts of the Southwest and my longing to return is here and now.  Synchronicity footnote:
A local car flashing the license plate ALOHA just went by.  Affirmative -Yes, I am home!

Continuing with the drive, a surreal feeling washes over me.  I suppose dreams coming true can feel that way.  Yet I remind myself in bold letters.....BE HERE NOW! -and SO I AM!

In my ecstactic state, a tune I've never heard before plays on the radio:

  "She's Dancing in the Street"

 Even though I'm sitting in this driver's seat,

 I imagine myself dancing in the street
in Pure Joy!
Let us ALL break out

 and dance in the street

spontaneous and free

all over the Earth

What a sight that would be!

I've arrived in Santa Fe in perfect timing to check in at the downtown Santa Fe hostel where I'm spending the night.

 What wonderful artwork to be greeted by.

 The folks running this 30 yr. establishment are wonderful too. 

 I just LUV staying in hostels!

I've struck it rich!  There's a Trader Joe's AND a Whole Foods just 3 blocks away!  WOW! What a treat!  I'll eat like a Queen tonight!  I'm off to shop for dinner!  Entering Trader Joe's and standing by the sushi and wishing they had miso soup to go, I notice a woman shopping next to me and decide to ask her if she knows of a Japanese Restaurant nearby.  Following her response, "yes", a connection unfolds.  After learning that I'm driving across country and just arrived in town she asks, "do you like to meditate?" to which I respond, "yes."  Kim then hands me her business card with an added note, "I have a key to the oldest Buddhist Temple in town.  I will take you there." 

My heart is once again most humbled and awed by the workings of Spirit leading me from one glorious connection to the next. Thank you Kim for extending such a blessed invitation!  I will certainly be back in touch!  

The feeling of Being Touched by an Angel sweeps over me.  In retrospect, I realize there's nothing more to do at Trader Joe's for this connection with Kim was why I came in. Walking out of Trader Joe's, I am feeling so rich! As I'm about to get into my car, my consciousness follows my eyes directly across the street to find another synchronicity for my affirmative truth and enjoyment!

 I'm back in my car and driving one block to Whole Foods to purchase a Queenly dinner in quiet thanks remembering that song I love:  "Just Breathe".... In the eating and breathing, I am recognizing the breadth of how I have chosen to travel this souljourn I'm on.  It takes a lot of courage to trust the unknown of who I will meet and where I will sleep.  The Rainbow Connector in me believes all is well and that everything will happen in the highest accordance.  I practice constantly in yielding to that extent of faith and trust.  No wonder why I keep the one and only bible quote from my Catholic upbringing close to my heart: "Have the Faith of a Mustard Seed."

  

After checking in and settling into a room, I'm off again!  A week or so ago, I was on facebook and noticed a post that someone had added to my timeline about a Santa Fe event.  It took one quick glance for me to know that I wanted to be there and purchase an online ticket lickity-split! So, that's where I'm off to!

It's a full house event at the Santa Fe Scottish Rite Temple - an amazing building of  Spanish California Mission design style.  Entering this sacred structure honed home that I am here in the midst of the Santa Fe community.  Highly artistic and free-spirited collaborative energy inhabits this palace of a place.  A great rich feeling empowers me and I am elated to be part of this important collective evening!  Here's what's happening:  Sacred Sensuous Dance & Music - 40 of Santa Fe's exquisite dancers and musicians ages 12-76, Silent Auction, Items for Sale, hors d' oeuvres, and slide show of orphans of the world.  All proceeds benefiting orphaned children in Burma, Nepal and Tibetan refugee towns.

My immediacy in knowing at first sight that I must attend this event was triggered by my connnection to it.  In addition to being a lover of dance, my dream has always been to travel the world. Among the many places I envisioned contributing my time and caring heart to was orphanages, and Tibet especially has always been dear to my heart and a desired pilgrimage. 

The benefit was beyond amazing! 

Because of the lighting and my current non-professional camera and technical ability, 

here are the few best pics I can offer to give you a taste.

At one point I was so spellbound in watching

that I forgot I had a camera. 

The entire cast is shown in the last two pics.

 

As is the case with African dance performances, folks are invited on stage for the closing dance.

I'd like to say that I was on the stage, although where I was seated was not to my advantage for that.  Although...., I was dancing by my balcony seat to the African drumbeat!

 WHAT A NIGHT!

Returning to the hostel was smooth and easy. It appears that I'm growing accustomed to driving in unfamiliar territory at night. Before setting out on this journey  I was apprehensive about my night vision. I'm choosing to turn around that presupposed thought form in order to strengthen and practice that renewed ability.

Back at the ranch (hostel), it's after midnight.  A desire and what has become my daily routine to blog is beckoning me.  My commitment to write has taken a hold of me.  Sometimes I stay up into the wee hours to revisit and weed through my experiences and plethera of photographs in order to empty myself of accumulation and clear the way for the next day.

Someone in the hostel room a couple doors down is playing divine harmonic chants and I am swaying to the sweet vibrations.  Even though I blogged until 2:00 a.m. and have continued blogging since 8:00 a.m., I am not complete and my reward is the feeling of commitment, completion and accomplishment.