EXPERIENCE MAGIC ON THE HOLY MOUNTAIN
One of the great things about this retreat is getting to Mt. Shasta. Unless you are taking the Amtrak into Dunsmuir, you will be driving either up the mountain from the south or over the Siskiyous from Oregon. On a clear day, she is visible from over a hundred miles to the south - and August is usually clear as a bell. From the north, she winks at you from the downside of Siskiyou Pass then blooms before your eyes as you come down over Yreka. Awesome is the only fitting word. From the south she will come into view three or four times coming up I-5 then she begins opening fully to you around Dunsmuir. I say all this because she is a presence, a great lady, who dominates this bit of Mother Earth and gives it power. We invite you to experience this for yourself as we explore the many facets of the landscape she has created.
We meet at Jessie's house, just down the street from our opening photo. In the foreground is a llama farm - what a surprise!
Our first full day is spent working with Earth energies at two medicine wheels where Jessie will deliver the teachings. We will visit panther meadow and a fabulous wall of climbing rocks. Perched on these rocks we seek the counsel of Beloved St. Germain whose amethyst temple awaits us within the mountain in meditation. From this rocky spine of Shasta, we can see south to Mount Lassen, the furthest south of the Cascade volcanic peaks. This is a reminder about volcanos - they do bring things up, so often our work emerges along with great opportunities for transformation. In the late afternoon, we pitch tents and set up camp on the mountain.
On our second day, we work with water, hiking to Moss Brae Falls on the Sacramento River. I will not say much about the falls since they are best met as a surprise, but the experience is one of cleansing and renewal. We will meditate, work together and generally be in pure ionic bliss. We will also stop at a natural soda springs and a place of water sprites and fairies. It is a pretty magical day, all in all. I have no good photos (just as well) but you get the idea. The group in the photo above has just arrived in Squaw Meadow on our third day together. We are working with wind and there is usually plenty of it in Squaw. It is an hour and a half hike for most folks across three ridges to the south side of the mountain at around 9,000'. It is our hardest hike but well worth it. We have come through valleys of enormous boulders, places of seeming desolation to arrive at this meadow through a mossy forest.
In August, we find wildflowers covering the green meadow and hugging the gushing falls that cascade through Squaw Meadow. Close to the water we can find Arnica Mollis which only grows at this elevation. It feels to me that all of the plants reach out to us with healing through their vibration. We can fill our water bottles most anywhere in Squaw but I usually advise climbing higher since some folks like to soak their feet in the streams. We are climbing higher anyway. The water is a treasure of high frequency and many bring extra bottles to have a good supply on hand.
Once we have rested our "dogs", we can complete the last leg of our hike -a fairly steep ascent of the waterfalls. We will finish our journey at a place where pure water gushes forth from the mountain higher than most folks care to go. Many a care-free young person will pitch his or her tent up there for the summer though and hitch into town for supplies. It is purely what you would call God's country and you can see for quite some distance to the south -- And it is quiet, peaceful and serene. I truly feel the energies of Sananda in this place so we enter a meditation to make that connection. As you can see, the summit looks like a short hike, but think again. For one, that is not really the true summit in our photo for there are 4 volcanic cones on Shasta, and for another, the summit is around 14,124 feet and we are flirting with 10,000 feet at this point. Sometimes, there is still snow on the sides of the ridges and as hot as it is, a good romp in the snow is fun. We end our time in this Ascended spot with our meditation - or if you are more inclined to nap, why not? Then our walk back begins with the steep descent and saying our goodbyes to Squaw Meadow at the pool where we entered. For some reason the trek back seems much shorter than the one into Squaw, even though some of us can be pretty fatigued by a long day of hiking. This give you a hint about the kind of energy awaiting us in Squaw. After my first visit - barely thought I would make it - I was jumping boulders coming back!
On our fourth day, we move our camp to the wilderness alongside this peaceful pond. The pond is surrounded with pitcher plants, a carnivorous species that are rare and beautiful. Though we are just half an hour from Shasta City, we are as remote as you need to be for our purposes. Usually we don't see other humans our whole time out there. Closeby, there is a delighteful creek to play in, wash in or meditate alongside. We spread out to camp where spirit wants us to be and to find our vision quest site. We are fasting for the quest that night and spend our day setting up our campsite, our quest site with altar and grids, and in contemplation of our quest.
We are in a magical fairy forest where cell phones don't work - yeh! It is time to go within and to really elevate frequency. That night, we come to a fire ceremony ready to release all that is holding us back, then we trek off alone to quest our vision. The quest might last all night or 5 minutes, depending on how vision comes to you. Most folks like to take their sleeping gear and spend a night under the stars.
Next morning, we share vision after a much anticipated breakfast feast. That day is spent hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to a very sacred spot. Not only do I feel the Master's in this place and on this part of the trail, it is the most engaging and unobstructed view of Shasta you photographers will have. One understands why the indigenous people call her the Creator Mother Mountain. We spend a long time in meditation at this site. Then we return to camp, say our goodbyes and travel back to Mt. Shasta City ending the retreat.
No travelogue of Mount Shasta would be complete without a sunset photo. Her sunsets are miracles, every night in the summer -shades of pink, blue and mostly a misty violet which spreads out over the rounded peaks of the Sierra Nevadas and the coastal mountains which converge here.
To the west, it is mountainous wilderness all the way to the ocean. To the East it is wilderness to the other side of the Sierras, and to the south the winding canyons and forests that rise up from the Sacramento Valley. The north is ranch land and the rising mountains that separate us from Oregon. God's country and Shasta, she is some awesome goddess right in the middle of it all. We will witness sunsets every night from wherever we might be. What a lady she is!
I hope you have enjoyed our time on Shasta together. Most of these photos were taken at the 2000 retreat by Alessandra da Pra from Melbourne. The sunset and the llama farm are two of my own. I hold this retreat in August for a number of good reasons. It is not too hot (July can be quite hot). The snow has melted (except one year we could not get to Squaw). Of course it never rains here in the summer (except 4 out of 5 times on the first day of this retreat). Finally, isn't August a great time to reassess our spiritual lives? I think it is. Anytime is a good time for the frequency of Shasta which maintains 5th dimension with ease. Hope you decide to join us and make 2007 another magical year of growth!
Jessie
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