Memories of Ochoco Past

The first time I laid eyes on the Ochoco National Forest at Indian Prairie was in mid June of 1997. I traveled by motor home when a man I lovingly refer to as "Luke Skywalker" (passed away two years ago)after hitch hiking with my partner Cephas, known in Rainbow circles as "Raven". We set out to attend a Mountain Man rendezvous leaving our mountain camp in Utah. Information passed on by strangers told us to head into Idaho then westward to find one of these gatherings.

In Salt Lake City, we encountered a young man named Seth, who was searching for a better life than the streets could offer. We urged him to first call his mother to share his whereabouts and his intent to travel with us. Seth was 16. Being a mother myself, I know what its like to have a teenager run away so I did not want Seth's mother to worry. Seth's mother was happy to receive a call and sent him on his journey with her blessings.

A long trek ensued with three of us backpacking and hitch-hiking with three large back packs filled with supplies, food stuffs, and wild medicinal plants that we had been harvesting in the Utah mountains. It was our hope to trade these medicines at the Mountain Man Rendezvous and possibly teach some wilderness medicine. After several nights of getting small rides, walking a lot and exploring the areas where we tred, Seth, Raven and I decided to hold up at a small park in northern Utah in an outlying area of town. It was not the wilderness, but close enough. Here we rested two days.

Knowing that we needed to continue our journey, we set off again heading north into Idaho. Rides were short and far in between. Some of our days were almost fully spent hiking the highways and biways of Idaho or sitting along the roadside with our thumbs out. Food became short, so we used our wilderness knowledge and foraged on the plant life growing around us.

A pack of wild burros offered some enjoyable hours as we veered westward across southern Idaho. It was the first time I had seen a herd of wild burros. Raven really got into petting the creatures and talking to them. I enjoyed watching this unique exchange.

When we began to think we would never find a Mountain Man Rendezvous, or a ride for that matter, along came a motorhome already half filled with people. Luke was driving. He pulled over on I 84 to and yelled, "Need a ride?!" Of course, we said "yes" and piled in. Luke later told us that the Spirit told him to pick us up and take us to the Rainbow Gathering. That marked the first moment that we had met our destiny.

more on this story to follow.

Who Are Mountain Spirit People

About ten years ago, I was inspired to scribe some writings which were later posted on a free angelfire website at mt/spirit, which means "mountain spirit". One of the writings and subsequent inspirations for this name is a piece of prose that is actually an inspired writing for me titled "Hanta Yo".

This writing Hanta Yo, came following several years of traveling to places like Mount Shasta, where I met a host of unique, inspiring and interesting people. Rainbow Gatherings also contributed to many of my inspirational writings, the likes of which I would have to write an entire book to do it justice.

Since this tribe, Mountain Spirit People, is an evolution from several rainbow gatherings of people who formed an actual tribe in Oregon last year in the Ochoco National Forest, I will be writing quite a bit about these experiences.

There is a yahoo group specifically for this tribe. It can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mountainspirit. Joining is a condition to reading all the posts here. Currently, it is somewhat inactive but is about to resume with a flood of activities the tribe has planned for late spring, summer and fall. Please join us for sharing communication and fellowship. If you want to experience an event of a lifetime, join us in the Medicine Wheel Gatherings, the second of which is set to take place at the Four Corners in New Mexico late spring.

Mountain Spirit People, in its essence, is a gathering of people from several nations and tribes and belief systems, who have come together in a collective intention to bring healing to people and their lands.



If you are interested in hiring a freelance blogger, email blogging@mountainspiritproductions.org

What Matters the Most to Me?

This morning I had an overwhelming feeling as I watched the news. Weather catastrophes, bombings in Israel and Palestine, possible terrorism in Utah....Then came the concerns over finances for my self and my husband, added to the dilemmas and hardships faced by most of my immediate family....Amidst all of this, I couldn't help but wonder what is most important to me in my life.

And what should I being doing now? What should I be caring about?

One realization came with such profundity, my husband Cephas and I both remarked as we drove into the College parking lot where I am typing this blog, that I have to reiterate it here:
We are OK. In fact, we are doing well.

In spite of our son worrying about us because we just lost our home, we are okay. There are no floods or tornadoes or dangerous chemical weapons or bombs blasting near or around us. We are safe and well living in a 1989 Ford Econoline van, working on our internet business to build a client base and searching for free lance writing opportunities.

This morning we had water and coffee to drink, some food to eat. We were warm and safe and had someone who loves us for company. We are more than fine. Our life is great!

So should I be caring about myself or should I worry about my well being?

Should I put my thoughts and energy towards the needs of my immediate family, many who have a great need?

Should I help out in areas stricken with disasters and war or should I work in lobbying to end these tragedies on our planet?

Should I care about the earth? Should I care about the future, for the sake of the children who will inherit this earth once this generation is gone?

The Great Spirit touched me in such a way with an overcoming warmth in my heart, and tugged at it to let me know first that I am greatly blessed. I wanted to share my good blessings with the world and declare that God has indeed greatly provided for my spiritual and emotional and physical well being.

I am grateful for what I have and for who I am.

That is my greatest realization today.

To answer the questions that I posed above, the answer is clear. Care about all those things. First, care for the ones around you, closest in proximity where you can make a difference in their lives if needed by providing comfort, or food, or shelter, or kind words.

Next, pray for all the people in my life. Then extend that prayer out to encompass all the concerns that God laid on my heart this morning. I am grateful that the Holy Spirit prompted be to be grateful and thankful and to care about both the people in my life and the people of the world. For God cares about each one of us. So should I. And so I do.

I dedicate this blog to love for my fellow mankind/womankind. May we all work together to make life better for each one of us.

Peace be with you.