Good morning folks! I am currently in Pleasant Bay, Cape Breton, NS. It is 8:45 here and we are soon to be heading into Gampo Abbey for a tour. It's been quite the adventure getting here.
After Montreal Amber and I headed to Old Montreal. We walked around for a brief period, but the main body of time was spent in the Notre Dame. This place was absolutely beautiful! For $5 we were able to get in and walk around for the entire day. We only stayed for a short while. We managed to walk around and look at everything, get a guided tour, and get a view of the chapel. I'll be posting a few pictures of the chapel. It was probably the most breathtaking chapel I have ever seen in my entire life. It looked as though it were showered in a brilliant gold light. Though it was carved mostly out of wood. Someone purposely set fire to this chapel awhile back, so there was a unique blend between modern and older themes.
From there we drove through to St.-Jean-Port-Jali. I was told of this place many times. At first, I figured I wouldn't have to remember it and could just find it on the map. When I did look at a map I noticed that there are a TON of places beginning with the name Saint...so I figured I was out of luck. It just so happens that the small city was on our route to Quebec City. The city is the city of infamous woodcarvers. We spent a night there along the port after walking through the museum.
The French-Canadian country is quite a rare treat. At many points along the road there are rock formations that remind me of the small, tall mountains in the seas of China...except these were still on the land. We stopped along the way to pick up a map and instead found a beautiful little apple tree. We are in Nova Scotia and still have not managed to gobble them all up.
This part of the trip has been mostly scenery and little stopping. We blasted through Quebec and New Brunswick. We found out later that New Brunswick is known as the pass through province. People always skip over New Brunswick in order to get to PEI and Nova Scotia. In our defense....it was raining a lot. ; )
NB wasn't one of the more beautiful scenic drives. But it did have a charm that lies elsewhere. All the small towns. These were much more homey feeling than any other provinces I have been in. The first night we stayed in a small town called Woodstock. Our intent was to pitch a tent up in the woods somewhere. I had the feeling that this was going to be a very restful night. It didn't happen quite like we planned...
We went on a quest to the Salvation Army to pick up another blanket or two. This led us on a quest to a Presbyterian church that ended up putting us up in a motel for the night. The preacher was an Asian man by the name of Justin. He didn't ask us much about who we were or what we were doing. He just knew we needed a place to stay and found us one.
Our next stop was the Village of Gagetown. Earlier in the day I had the random thought of stopping and picking up some local eggs from a farm. I wrote it off as a good idea, but more of a passing thought. After driving for a little while I decided to get off the highway and stop at a gas station to use the restroom. Right in front me, in plain view, was a flyer for a hostel/farm called the Lazy Farmer Hostel. This was perfect for me, since I also wanted to come across a hostel.
We walked down to the only pub in town and went on a hunt to find them. The funny thing is that I actually knew exactly who they were when I walked in. Just in case, I walked to the bartender and asked where I could find them. The pub had a Jeopardy game going on and we caught them at the very last round. We made arrangements and came to a decision, then talked for some time before going to bed. If you are in the area and need a place to stay I recommend checking them out. The next morning they took us down to the river for a nice swim and recommended a nice route for us to drive on to see the back-roads of the province. We stopped at a 100 year old well and gathered up some water on the way to New Glasglow.
A really good friend of Ambers is currently living in New Glasglow. So we had no trouble finding a place to stay. I would say this was pretty chill. It was good to rest up after driving for so many hours. We drank wine out on their patio, cooked gluten free spaghetti, and just hung out. I was introduced to something that the county is absolutely famous for. Pictou County Pizza! They use a different sauce for making pizzas that make them a hot commodity elsewhere. It is a mix between BBQ sauce and regular pizza sauce. Quite delicious if you ask me.
After we said our good-byes we headed onwards. For some reason the city of Antigonish was calling my name. So I stopped there and we intended to walk about the town. Instead, we met a nice man who was grieving over the loss of his best friend. He showed us the way to a beautiful scenic drive. So we took to the drive and ended up in a small lighthouse park that was dedicated by a small family (whom we met. The were spreading their sisters ashes on the land.) After picking up some food to make a delicious salad, we decided to set up a tent up there. The area was sparsely populated, so I didn't foresee any problems as we probably wouldn't encounter any park ranger. Instead, we found ourselves a lovely older couple to share the space with for the night. These two live in Quebec and own a Maple Farm. They were traveling around in a Westphalia Euro-van. As we were making breakfast they gave us a can of their very own maple syrup. I thought it was a wonderful gift. Next time I drive through Quebec I would like to visit them and their farm. We also met a awkwardly cute German family.
Cape Breton, it seems, is a very popular place to travel for tourists. It doesn't surprise me either. We have been taking the scenic coastal drives the whole way to Gampo Abbey and have been amazed by the beautiful simplicity of these small villages. I think we spent the night in Cheticamp. We managed to find a small little coffee/art shop that had some gluten-free cookies (Amber is gluten-free) and found out about two local musicians that play Cape Breton traditional folk-fiddle music. We couldn't pass this opportunity up. So last night we drank wine and watched live music.
This morning we awoke having to pee...so we broke camp quickly and headed into town. These towns all have a backdrop of lush green mountains. I basically want to live in Canada. I find the place to be, on the whole, way more beautiful than the states. In order to get to the Gampo Abbey we had to drive through the Highland National Park. Along the way we came across three Moose. One male, one female, and one young'un. All three were along the roadside and had very dark coats that were quite different from the ones I encountered in the Algonquin.
Our tour through Gampo is at 1:30 pm. So we have some time to kill. Right now we are sitting at a small café drinking coffee. Our host is a charming older lady that has a soft motherly tenderness to her as she takes care of the customers. Amber is reading one of the books I brought (The Truth of Suffering and the Path of Liberation) while I am sitting here writing to you. We will probably head to the monastery early and hang out in the grounds surrounding the building.
Cheers!
Justin
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Onwards we go!
Howdy!
I left Barrie a few days ago and began to make my way to Montreal. Instead of taking the highways, I acted as any good traveler would and I took the back-roads. With the music turned up high and the windows rolled down, my thoughts flowed as naturally as the landscape around me. If I haven't told you already I will tell you again: I live for those moments.
Inspiration, awe, and splendor exist all around us. A traveler with a fresh eye to old land can invoke such things with little ease.
As I was driving I came across a small city on the seven called Perch. I was immediately captivated by the place. So I parked my car and went for a stroll. It didn't take long before I hit the main park. This park was magnificent! It was one of those places where people automatically think "This is heaven on earth!" I walked about and took a few pictures, then walked around the town to see the historical buildings. The park was donated by a family who used to run the local distillery.
I walked into a fancy looking bar and sat down, ordered a glass of wine, and began sipping. They had some very gorgeous wine. The bartender took a liking to me enough to share a story about Chilean Carmenere wine.
Not long after I sat down two gentleman strode in. I had the feeling that they were going to ask me to hang out with them. This was ok because I actually wanted it to happen. Sure enough, they did. I took my wine glass out on the back patio and joined four people drinking pitchers of beer. They talked mostly politics. Everyone is amazed when they find out that I am from Flint and have never seen a Michael Moore film. One of the guys offered me his couch to sleep on for the night so I didn't have to think about where I was going to sleep for the night.
I woke up early in the morning, showered, said my good-byes, and headed for Montreal.
I arrived around 6 or 7 pm and found the apartment I am currently staying in. It is in the Southwest portion in a small district called St.-Henri and inhabited by two very friendly people that I met randomly in Ottawa. They are traveling all throughout the states right now. Last I read they were in Wyoming.
The first night of sleep had an interesting occurrence. As soon as I laid my head down to sleep a spirit came to the door. I had earlier noticed that the feeling quality of the apartment was out of sorts...so this just confirmed what I was feeling. I asked for permission to do some shamanic work in exchange for letting me stay. They agreed and, with curiosity, asked what a malevolent spirit can do. I listed off some of the things that I thought was relevant. I believe I could see their jaws drop through email! The things that I wrote down were indeed happening to them and had been since day one.
Whether you think spirits exist or not, they exist. This is important to understand because they can influence your life in very, very negative ways and you will have absolutely no idea why you are doing what you are doing nor is it likely that you will be able to stop. Keep in mind that we are only talking about one type of spirit: Malevolent ones. I will be excited to see the changes that come about in their lives as a result of this work.
These lovely folk were also kind enough to introduce me to a friend of theirs. She invited me over for a nice vegetarian cooked meal, conversation, and a walk through one of Montreal's most beautiful parks. I could tell right away that she was a humanitarian. She also told me that she works in the realms of politics. So I was able to ask her a few questions. Not being versed at all in the world of economy or politics...I couldn't ask much.
Within walking distance is the train station to get around the city, a nice canal to walk along, and one of the most beautiful markets I have come across in my days on this earth. Not so much with the aesthetics...but the food! I believe it is the closest thing I have come to that is French. I droolingly looked at all the delicious breads, meats, and deserts for awhile before deciding what I wanted. Finally, I settled on some delicious olive bread and a blueberry almond tart and spent some time watching people. I went there the following day and bought a couple fresh sausages to cook.
So I have talked a little bit here and there (mostly on facebook) about whether I will be moving on to Maine afterwards or if I will head North and visit New Brunswick, Prince Edward Islands, and Nova Scotia before I head to ME. I made my decision.
I am staying in Canada for a little while longer! Partly because I want to make my way to Nova Scotia. I wanted to travel out that way from the get go but decided not to. I should've listened a little better eh? One of the things I want to do is visit Gampo Abbey in Pleasant Bay. It is a Buddhist monastic community in the Shambhala tradition. Should they allow me to visit, I am going to try and get in on living the monastic life for a day or two in their tradition. The contrast between that and the Soto tradition will probably prove to be quite valuable.
I have been waiting for quite awhile to introduce one of the bigger changes on my trip...but here it goes:
I have a travel partner! For at least a few weeks. Her name is Amber. I won't write too much about Amber yet. She has an aptitude for this work and she hasn't had much of an opportunity to work with someone.
Yesterday I had my last Canadian ceremony. The ceremony took place at Equilibrium yoga. This is a very beautiful space with three separate rooms, a kitchen, a long hallway, private rooms for practice, among other things.
Today, amber and I ran across the Chihuly exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. We had a splendid time looking at all of the beautiful blown glass. If you have never heard of him, I recommend looking up his artwork online. If you get the chance to see his art, do it.
Tomorrow we will wake up early and make our way to Old Montreal for a few hours. I'm not sure what we will do, but we have to at least try and visit Notre Dame. This is a city where I will be taking pictures. : )
After that we will be heading through Quebec city and onto New Brunswick. There is a small city outside of Quebec city that I would like to visit if I am able to. This city is known for woodcarving. Generations upon generations of woodcarvers and their beautiful craftsmanship.
So I am going to rest for the night and get ready for our big adventure that awaits us.
Cheers,
Justin
I left Barrie a few days ago and began to make my way to Montreal. Instead of taking the highways, I acted as any good traveler would and I took the back-roads. With the music turned up high and the windows rolled down, my thoughts flowed as naturally as the landscape around me. If I haven't told you already I will tell you again: I live for those moments.
Inspiration, awe, and splendor exist all around us. A traveler with a fresh eye to old land can invoke such things with little ease.
As I was driving I came across a small city on the seven called Perch. I was immediately captivated by the place. So I parked my car and went for a stroll. It didn't take long before I hit the main park. This park was magnificent! It was one of those places where people automatically think "This is heaven on earth!" I walked about and took a few pictures, then walked around the town to see the historical buildings. The park was donated by a family who used to run the local distillery.
I walked into a fancy looking bar and sat down, ordered a glass of wine, and began sipping. They had some very gorgeous wine. The bartender took a liking to me enough to share a story about Chilean Carmenere wine.
Not long after I sat down two gentleman strode in. I had the feeling that they were going to ask me to hang out with them. This was ok because I actually wanted it to happen. Sure enough, they did. I took my wine glass out on the back patio and joined four people drinking pitchers of beer. They talked mostly politics. Everyone is amazed when they find out that I am from Flint and have never seen a Michael Moore film. One of the guys offered me his couch to sleep on for the night so I didn't have to think about where I was going to sleep for the night.
I woke up early in the morning, showered, said my good-byes, and headed for Montreal.
I arrived around 6 or 7 pm and found the apartment I am currently staying in. It is in the Southwest portion in a small district called St.-Henri and inhabited by two very friendly people that I met randomly in Ottawa. They are traveling all throughout the states right now. Last I read they were in Wyoming.
The first night of sleep had an interesting occurrence. As soon as I laid my head down to sleep a spirit came to the door. I had earlier noticed that the feeling quality of the apartment was out of sorts...so this just confirmed what I was feeling. I asked for permission to do some shamanic work in exchange for letting me stay. They agreed and, with curiosity, asked what a malevolent spirit can do. I listed off some of the things that I thought was relevant. I believe I could see their jaws drop through email! The things that I wrote down were indeed happening to them and had been since day one.
Whether you think spirits exist or not, they exist. This is important to understand because they can influence your life in very, very negative ways and you will have absolutely no idea why you are doing what you are doing nor is it likely that you will be able to stop. Keep in mind that we are only talking about one type of spirit: Malevolent ones. I will be excited to see the changes that come about in their lives as a result of this work.
These lovely folk were also kind enough to introduce me to a friend of theirs. She invited me over for a nice vegetarian cooked meal, conversation, and a walk through one of Montreal's most beautiful parks. I could tell right away that she was a humanitarian. She also told me that she works in the realms of politics. So I was able to ask her a few questions. Not being versed at all in the world of economy or politics...I couldn't ask much.
Within walking distance is the train station to get around the city, a nice canal to walk along, and one of the most beautiful markets I have come across in my days on this earth. Not so much with the aesthetics...but the food! I believe it is the closest thing I have come to that is French. I droolingly looked at all the delicious breads, meats, and deserts for awhile before deciding what I wanted. Finally, I settled on some delicious olive bread and a blueberry almond tart and spent some time watching people. I went there the following day and bought a couple fresh sausages to cook.
So I have talked a little bit here and there (mostly on facebook) about whether I will be moving on to Maine afterwards or if I will head North and visit New Brunswick, Prince Edward Islands, and Nova Scotia before I head to ME. I made my decision.
I am staying in Canada for a little while longer! Partly because I want to make my way to Nova Scotia. I wanted to travel out that way from the get go but decided not to. I should've listened a little better eh? One of the things I want to do is visit Gampo Abbey in Pleasant Bay. It is a Buddhist monastic community in the Shambhala tradition. Should they allow me to visit, I am going to try and get in on living the monastic life for a day or two in their tradition. The contrast between that and the Soto tradition will probably prove to be quite valuable.
I have been waiting for quite awhile to introduce one of the bigger changes on my trip...but here it goes:
I have a travel partner! For at least a few weeks. Her name is Amber. I won't write too much about Amber yet. She has an aptitude for this work and she hasn't had much of an opportunity to work with someone.
Yesterday I had my last Canadian ceremony. The ceremony took place at Equilibrium yoga. This is a very beautiful space with three separate rooms, a kitchen, a long hallway, private rooms for practice, among other things.
Today, amber and I ran across the Chihuly exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. We had a splendid time looking at all of the beautiful blown glass. If you have never heard of him, I recommend looking up his artwork online. If you get the chance to see his art, do it.
Tomorrow we will wake up early and make our way to Old Montreal for a few hours. I'm not sure what we will do, but we have to at least try and visit Notre Dame. This is a city where I will be taking pictures. : )
After that we will be heading through Quebec city and onto New Brunswick. There is a small city outside of Quebec city that I would like to visit if I am able to. This city is known for woodcarving. Generations upon generations of woodcarvers and their beautiful craftsmanship.
So I am going to rest for the night and get ready for our big adventure that awaits us.
Cheers,
Justin
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Always something new
Every week has some new adventure that I never really thought would transpire. Ahh, the magic of traveling... : )
It hasn't even been a full week here in Barrie and I feel like I know half the towns young'un population.
Not even twenty minutes into my first exploration of the downtown area I struck up a conversation with a guy who goes by the name "Kidd." Kidd is about 36 years old and has a kid or two that he really loves. He doesn't seem them often. He is currently homeless and may have been that way for awhile. Many years ago he fell off the side of a mountain and was put into a coma. When he awoke, he wasn't able to walk and it took him two years to be able to walk again. He also has some type of cancer (lymphoma I believe) under his left arm in the armpit region. Aside from all of that, he was probably the most giving homeless guy I met. He didn't seem to be the panhandler type...I think this is because he is on disability. However, he shared anything he had with another, including his time. He walked me all around the downtown area and showed me everywhere I should go to meet people that are like me. One of these places is the DIY art collective.
The DIY has a "food not bombs" event every now and then where they support the distribution of food over items that are used to harm another being. Food is a right, not a privilege. This event wasn't for a few days, so I walked about the town. They have two beaches located within a short walk from the main downtown area, a path that parallels the major lake, and a beautiful park/landscape garden. The parking is cheap too, so I bought some tickets and camped out downtown.
My first run-in with people aside from my friendly tour guide happened while I was at a coffee shop sipping on espresso and using the internet. They pulled up outside in a van similar to the one I want. On the dash was a cool blanket-like item and they looked like they were traveling. So I struck up a conversation with them. The guy shoots music videos for hip-hop artists. His latest work was an Aesop Rock video. I checked it out and he does a fantastic job! Later on I laid down on the grass next to the lake with the other traveler, Aniko, and soaked up some sun.
At first I was nervous to go to the DIY event, since there were probably going to be a lot of people. It wasn't all so bad. I struck up a conversation with an extremely intelligent kid who loved to talk about economics. We had many similar correlations about...things...through studying different knowledge realms. It was pretty fascinating. We talked for awhile until I slowly made my way around introducing myself to others. In a strange way I feel a little like family with some of the people at the collective (as a guy is playing a reminiscing tune on the piano in the coffee shop.) I think this is because they remind me of many of the kids I grew up with. So I have been walking a beautiful line between a new adventure and a familiar memory that puts a smile in my heart.
Oh! Last night, while at one of the LCBO's in Barrie, I ran into the woman who hosted my ceremony in Toronto. In Barrie! That literally blew my mind and I think I had to take a few to recover. Out of all the crazy things I have been experiencing while on the road, that one probably struck me as one of the more curious. Think of the chances of that happening!
So I have my next ceremony in a few hours. This is at the Yoga room just down the street. I met a girl at the DIY that is extremely interested in going to the ceremony, so we agreed to a seat in exchange for a lunch and some wine. I haven't run in to her yet today, so I am not sure if it will happen. She also invited me to a small social gathering that she is going to where the people speaking have some sort of affiliation with shamanism. So I am interested to see what, if anything, transpires.
After that I will be on my merry way to Montreal. The couple I met in Ottawa put me in contact with a good friend of theirs whom I will be meeting once I arrive. : )
It seems as though leaving Barrie will be somewhat difficult emotionally. I don't exactly know why, but this place has captured my heart...as if it stirred something deep in me that I can't really touch upon with my mind yet.
Stay tuned for more! : )
Cheers!
Justin
It hasn't even been a full week here in Barrie and I feel like I know half the towns young'un population.
Not even twenty minutes into my first exploration of the downtown area I struck up a conversation with a guy who goes by the name "Kidd." Kidd is about 36 years old and has a kid or two that he really loves. He doesn't seem them often. He is currently homeless and may have been that way for awhile. Many years ago he fell off the side of a mountain and was put into a coma. When he awoke, he wasn't able to walk and it took him two years to be able to walk again. He also has some type of cancer (lymphoma I believe) under his left arm in the armpit region. Aside from all of that, he was probably the most giving homeless guy I met. He didn't seem to be the panhandler type...I think this is because he is on disability. However, he shared anything he had with another, including his time. He walked me all around the downtown area and showed me everywhere I should go to meet people that are like me. One of these places is the DIY art collective.
The DIY has a "food not bombs" event every now and then where they support the distribution of food over items that are used to harm another being. Food is a right, not a privilege. This event wasn't for a few days, so I walked about the town. They have two beaches located within a short walk from the main downtown area, a path that parallels the major lake, and a beautiful park/landscape garden. The parking is cheap too, so I bought some tickets and camped out downtown.
My first run-in with people aside from my friendly tour guide happened while I was at a coffee shop sipping on espresso and using the internet. They pulled up outside in a van similar to the one I want. On the dash was a cool blanket-like item and they looked like they were traveling. So I struck up a conversation with them. The guy shoots music videos for hip-hop artists. His latest work was an Aesop Rock video. I checked it out and he does a fantastic job! Later on I laid down on the grass next to the lake with the other traveler, Aniko, and soaked up some sun.
At first I was nervous to go to the DIY event, since there were probably going to be a lot of people. It wasn't all so bad. I struck up a conversation with an extremely intelligent kid who loved to talk about economics. We had many similar correlations about...things...through studying different knowledge realms. It was pretty fascinating. We talked for awhile until I slowly made my way around introducing myself to others. In a strange way I feel a little like family with some of the people at the collective (as a guy is playing a reminiscing tune on the piano in the coffee shop.) I think this is because they remind me of many of the kids I grew up with. So I have been walking a beautiful line between a new adventure and a familiar memory that puts a smile in my heart.
Oh! Last night, while at one of the LCBO's in Barrie, I ran into the woman who hosted my ceremony in Toronto. In Barrie! That literally blew my mind and I think I had to take a few to recover. Out of all the crazy things I have been experiencing while on the road, that one probably struck me as one of the more curious. Think of the chances of that happening!
So I have my next ceremony in a few hours. This is at the Yoga room just down the street. I met a girl at the DIY that is extremely interested in going to the ceremony, so we agreed to a seat in exchange for a lunch and some wine. I haven't run in to her yet today, so I am not sure if it will happen. She also invited me to a small social gathering that she is going to where the people speaking have some sort of affiliation with shamanism. So I am interested to see what, if anything, transpires.
After that I will be on my merry way to Montreal. The couple I met in Ottawa put me in contact with a good friend of theirs whom I will be meeting once I arrive. : )
It seems as though leaving Barrie will be somewhat difficult emotionally. I don't exactly know why, but this place has captured my heart...as if it stirred something deep in me that I can't really touch upon with my mind yet.
Stay tuned for more! : )
Cheers!
Justin
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Connections
Good morning!
It's been awhile hasn't it? Well...that is because I have been in good company. ; )
I don't quite remember where I last wrote from, but I just spent the last week in the Hamilton/Toronto region with Mile and his new roommate Edward. We spent the majority of the week together and I was able to see and do many exciting things!
A little bit of background for all of you. Mile is a fellow graduate of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies three-year program. Early on in the program we connected and even talked about meeting up to practice together since he is not so far away from my hometown, Flint, MI.
He is currently working on his Master's in Globalization studies and works at the Hamilton University for conflict resolution. Although his ever-inquisitive mind brings him interest with many traditions, it would be safe to say his strongest pull is to the Central/South American cultural shamanic practices.
Edward is a young gentleman from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He arrived shortly before I did, giving Mile a full house (which he enjoys.) Edward is interested in pursuing something within the Horror film industry. He has the distinct feel of someone who would be perfect for being on film. Like an actor or something. It will be nice to see where he ends up, as he shows an untapped intelligence.
We spent a lot of time together throughout the week doing many things. I was invited to a Buddhist lecture given by Dzogchen teachers on getting unstuck. They taught various awareness practices that one engages in to help see and understand how we prevent ourselves from moving forward in our practice. We also ate at several delicious restaurants and even drank fine wine and sake. I particularly fell in love with sake. Mile used to work in the wine industry here in Canada. So as we drank delicious wine, including the bottles I brought from Leelanau County, he shared some funny stories about his younger years and the vast underground wine collection...caves?...that the extremely wealthy people would use to store their wine casks.
This week has brought me plenty of surprises when it comes to connections with spirit.
First off, Mile surprised me by showing me his personal mask collection. He didn't want to tell me about it over email or phone. Rather, he thought it pleasant to surprise me. Surprise me he did! He also has a growing interest in masks and their use through shamanic ritual/ceremony. Most of his collection stemmed from South America, while others came from places like Africa.
Since the very beginning of our relationship I have been intrigued by his connection to S.American practice and, more specifically, his experiences with a plant medicine that shamans often use for spiritual purposes in that region.
By the end of our time together I decided to travel with him to Peru next April to visit remote tribes and learn from the shamans who use this medicine. This will take place just before my next tour begins! There are a lot of correlations that go along with this decision that I will talk about when the time comes.
On the last night I was there he pulled out some items to give to me as gifts. The first was a medicine bag with medicine, while the second was a beautiful rattle. I'll edit more specifics about these gifts as soon as he sends me the information on them (I want to make sure it is right.)
Over the course of our time together we spoke about many things. In particular I am interested in his interest in shamanic research into the lower left quadrant of the AQAL (of course, he doesn't categorize it like this since he doesn't know much about AQAL.) The lower left quadrant is the quadrant of culture, or WE. All subjective I experiences have, as their context, shared cultural values and interpretations.
During my stay I felt compelled to give him my copy of Integral Spirituality. It has fast become one of the "must haves" in my collection. I'm looking forward to what he has to say about it.
As far as ceremony goes...
We ended up going back to having just one ceremony. Instead of the University in Toronto, it was moved to Miles friends house. All-together there were...5 participants (dog included) and each one came out of the ceremony with a valuable experience.
Just outside of the ceremony on Saturday night I found a single book inside a box that was being given away. The book was written by the American Psychological Association, so I quickly scooped it up. When I looked at it later, it was a book teaching people all about writing non-fiction research material. Which happens to be exactly what I am planning to do!
Yesterday I spent my time driving through the backcountry in between Hamilton and Barrie. I stopped in Guelph at the siting of a magnificent church structure lying atop a hill as you drive in. It was a Catholic church that was being renovated. I tried snooping around the place, but everywhere besides the Chapel was locked up. So I sat down and just looked at the history that the church revealed and the people sitting inside in prayer and contemplation. I've stopped in a few beautiful churches but have refrained from taking pictures of them.
I also stopped in a beautiful little city and walked about the streets, even entering a few shops. I don't remember the name of the city...but the lady in the bookstore I went in was telling me about her plot to rule the world with compassion! Then we discovered that floods follow me, since Toronto had a major flood while I was there (the other being Grand Rapids.) Apparently the town had their 150 year celebration and had a gigantic party in the streets of downtown. At some point an interesting guy stopped me and beckoned me to come hang out with him. He was very friendly and had some sort of mental instability. He invited me to his bible study, told me about some of his travels with the town hockey team, talked to me about his friends and the town, and even randomly slug-bugged me while I wasn't looking (though that happened before we talked a lot.) Eventually I left both him and the town behind and headed to Barrie.
I have a few days until my next ceremony, so I don't quite know what I will do with my time yet. I am looking into taking a detour in my pre-planned route after Montreal and heading up to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Islands, and Nova Scotia. In particular I want to visit Halifax, as they have a Buddhist Monastic community that I am interested in. I'd also like to do a bit of hiking/backpacking around that region. This even enables me to enter into Maine in the region that I really wanted to while I was planning my trip earlier in the year. We will see what transpires closer to the Montreal ceremony.
Cheers!
Justin
It's been awhile hasn't it? Well...that is because I have been in good company. ; )
I don't quite remember where I last wrote from, but I just spent the last week in the Hamilton/Toronto region with Mile and his new roommate Edward. We spent the majority of the week together and I was able to see and do many exciting things!
A little bit of background for all of you. Mile is a fellow graduate of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies three-year program. Early on in the program we connected and even talked about meeting up to practice together since he is not so far away from my hometown, Flint, MI.
He is currently working on his Master's in Globalization studies and works at the Hamilton University for conflict resolution. Although his ever-inquisitive mind brings him interest with many traditions, it would be safe to say his strongest pull is to the Central/South American cultural shamanic practices.
Edward is a young gentleman from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He arrived shortly before I did, giving Mile a full house (which he enjoys.) Edward is interested in pursuing something within the Horror film industry. He has the distinct feel of someone who would be perfect for being on film. Like an actor or something. It will be nice to see where he ends up, as he shows an untapped intelligence.
We spent a lot of time together throughout the week doing many things. I was invited to a Buddhist lecture given by Dzogchen teachers on getting unstuck. They taught various awareness practices that one engages in to help see and understand how we prevent ourselves from moving forward in our practice. We also ate at several delicious restaurants and even drank fine wine and sake. I particularly fell in love with sake. Mile used to work in the wine industry here in Canada. So as we drank delicious wine, including the bottles I brought from Leelanau County, he shared some funny stories about his younger years and the vast underground wine collection...caves?...that the extremely wealthy people would use to store their wine casks.
This week has brought me plenty of surprises when it comes to connections with spirit.
First off, Mile surprised me by showing me his personal mask collection. He didn't want to tell me about it over email or phone. Rather, he thought it pleasant to surprise me. Surprise me he did! He also has a growing interest in masks and their use through shamanic ritual/ceremony. Most of his collection stemmed from South America, while others came from places like Africa.
Since the very beginning of our relationship I have been intrigued by his connection to S.American practice and, more specifically, his experiences with a plant medicine that shamans often use for spiritual purposes in that region.
By the end of our time together I decided to travel with him to Peru next April to visit remote tribes and learn from the shamans who use this medicine. This will take place just before my next tour begins! There are a lot of correlations that go along with this decision that I will talk about when the time comes.
On the last night I was there he pulled out some items to give to me as gifts. The first was a medicine bag with medicine, while the second was a beautiful rattle. I'll edit more specifics about these gifts as soon as he sends me the information on them (I want to make sure it is right.)
Over the course of our time together we spoke about many things. In particular I am interested in his interest in shamanic research into the lower left quadrant of the AQAL (of course, he doesn't categorize it like this since he doesn't know much about AQAL.) The lower left quadrant is the quadrant of culture, or WE. All subjective I experiences have, as their context, shared cultural values and interpretations.
During my stay I felt compelled to give him my copy of Integral Spirituality. It has fast become one of the "must haves" in my collection. I'm looking forward to what he has to say about it.
As far as ceremony goes...
We ended up going back to having just one ceremony. Instead of the University in Toronto, it was moved to Miles friends house. All-together there were...5 participants (dog included) and each one came out of the ceremony with a valuable experience.
Just outside of the ceremony on Saturday night I found a single book inside a box that was being given away. The book was written by the American Psychological Association, so I quickly scooped it up. When I looked at it later, it was a book teaching people all about writing non-fiction research material. Which happens to be exactly what I am planning to do!
Yesterday I spent my time driving through the backcountry in between Hamilton and Barrie. I stopped in Guelph at the siting of a magnificent church structure lying atop a hill as you drive in. It was a Catholic church that was being renovated. I tried snooping around the place, but everywhere besides the Chapel was locked up. So I sat down and just looked at the history that the church revealed and the people sitting inside in prayer and contemplation. I've stopped in a few beautiful churches but have refrained from taking pictures of them.
I also stopped in a beautiful little city and walked about the streets, even entering a few shops. I don't remember the name of the city...but the lady in the bookstore I went in was telling me about her plot to rule the world with compassion! Then we discovered that floods follow me, since Toronto had a major flood while I was there (the other being Grand Rapids.) Apparently the town had their 150 year celebration and had a gigantic party in the streets of downtown. At some point an interesting guy stopped me and beckoned me to come hang out with him. He was very friendly and had some sort of mental instability. He invited me to his bible study, told me about some of his travels with the town hockey team, talked to me about his friends and the town, and even randomly slug-bugged me while I wasn't looking (though that happened before we talked a lot.) Eventually I left both him and the town behind and headed to Barrie.
I have a few days until my next ceremony, so I don't quite know what I will do with my time yet. I am looking into taking a detour in my pre-planned route after Montreal and heading up to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Islands, and Nova Scotia. In particular I want to visit Halifax, as they have a Buddhist Monastic community that I am interested in. I'd also like to do a bit of hiking/backpacking around that region. This even enables me to enter into Maine in the region that I really wanted to while I was planning my trip earlier in the year. We will see what transpires closer to the Montreal ceremony.
Cheers!
Justin
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