by Charles McAlpine | Apr 19, 2015 | Blog
One morning this week, as I was enjoying my morning coffee outside, I realized I was contemplating a large tree that holds court in the back corner of our yard. As I thought about it, I realized that it wasn’t even here when we moved in 13 years ago! Instead, in its place, there was a beautiful, gigantic ocotillo! It was the biggest ocotillo I have ever seen, about 20ft tall and thick! It would have taken 10 people with arms spread wide to surround this beautiful desert plant! And when it was in bloom, with its intense orange tops it looked like the whole thing was on fire! It was gorgeous! After we had lived here for about a year, I noticed a small branch with a few leaves on it, sticking out of the ocotillo at eye level. Because of the thickness of the ocotillo, I couldn’t see where it was coming from… So I asked our landscape guy about it. He said a small tree had taken root in the center of the gigantic plant. I asked him if he could take it out? He indicated that they would have to destroy such a big piece of the ocotillo to get it out, that the ocotillo would never look the same. Apparently, if you cut away part of one of these plants, it doesn’t grow back the same as it was before. I decided to let nature take its course. The desert can be harsh on plants. I assumed that the tree, which is deciduous, would probably never survive. I imagined that the ocotillo was so...
by Paul (Site Admin) | Aug 31, 2014 | Blog
Community is on my mind. This past Friday, Phil Blank was leading our weekly meditation, playing the didgeridoo. It is always an amazing experience, but there was something special about this evening. There were over a dozen of us there for this meditation experience, many who I knew, a few who were new to me. Yet the predominant feeling was we were all connected. The didgeridoo, being an ancient instrument with a very primal sound, sends waves of vibrational energies across and throughout your body. Sometimes you feel it pulsing along your thighs or legs. Another time, arms or shoulders. It moves around. Yet regardless of where you are sensing and experiencing these sensations, you know you are being bathed in healing sounds. Phil usually brings the groups focus to the breath. As he says, “not only is it part of our life force, it is also something we continuously share”. And that was the feeling coming out of this meditation.., we were all sharing in the same experience. More than just this one meditation.., we were sharing our journeys. On this Friday evening, we all aligned, and came together in this space, at the same time. In the aftermath of the meditation, the sense of this sharing or being part of community was palpable! There was commonality, yet for many of us, we only knew a bit of the story of those who were gathered. It was not about where we work, how many kids we have, or any struggles or accomplishments we were experiencing. We simply showed up and allowed ourselves to unite energetically. To be a...
by Charles McAlpine | Aug 31, 2014 | Blog
Community is on my mind. This past Friday, Phil Blank was leading our weekly meditation, playing the didgeridoo. It is always an amazing experience, but there was something special about this evening. There were over a dozen of us there for this meditation experience, many who I knew, a few who were new to me. Yet the predominant feeling was we were all connected. The didgeridoo, being an ancient instrument with a very primal sound, sends waves of vibrational energies across and throughout your body. Sometimes you feel it pulsing along your thighs or legs. Another time, arms or shoulders. It moves around. Yet regardless of where you are sensing and experiencing these sensations, you know you are being bathed in healing sounds. Phil usually brings the groups focus to the breath. As he says, “not only is it part of our life force, it is also something we continuously share”. And that was the feeling coming out of this meditation.., we were all sharing in the same experience. More than just this one meditation.., we were sharing our journeys. On this Friday evening, we all aligned, and came together in this space, at the same time. In the aftermath of the meditation, the sense of this sharing or being part of community was palpable! There was commonality, yet for many of us, we only knew a bit of the story of those who were gathered. It was not about where we work, how many kids we have, or any struggles or accomplishments we were experiencing. We simply showed up and allowed ourselves to unite energetically. To be a...
by Charles McAlpine | Dec 29, 2013 | Blog
There is nothing like a new year to get me thinking about making changes and shifts in my life. It is a momentous occasion. One that is recognized around the world as a time of transformation; even if for some it is just a numerical shift. These days, we seem to be going through so many shifts and changes all the time. I even wrote in an earlier post about how changes that use to take months are taking days, etc. It makes you wonder, if we are going through constant shifts and changes all the time, is the transition to a new year still a big deal? As I contemplate this, there are two things that standout. First, this is the one time each year when so many people around the world are focused on creating change. And second, Imagine with all those intentions being set, how much extra support our own intentions have during the crossing of the threshold into the new year! Powerful stuff! So what are the changes you are intending for yourself in the new year? What are you creating, releasing, setting down or moving? Are any of these new? How many are repeats? How many of the changes you want to make are things you’ve tried before, yet somehow they have not quite come to fruition? I only ask because personally.., I have a stack of those!! 🙂 I bring up this stack of old resolutions that are still hanging around and unfulfilled, because maybe there is a slightly new way to approach them. If you are anything like me, these have become...
by Charles McAlpine | Dec 8, 2013 | Blog
How do we change the world? How does one person make a difference? How do we shift the energy of “stalemate” that seems so pervasive around us? I guess the first question should have been “do we think the world needs changing?”. When I stop and ponder these questions, I realize that “duality” is on loudspeaker! Duality meaning that our most common way of viewing the events around us is to see them as good or bad, right or wrong, black or white, light or dark, left or right. It seems that no matter where I look, there is a line drawn in the sand, and we are expected to make a decision. Which side of this line are you standing on? Once we decide which side of the line, issue, or topic we are on; we are equipped with battle gear! We are given the weapons (usually words) to defend ourselves. Sound bites that can deflect the majority of what is projected at us and that can also be hurled at the other side! We are ready, willing and able. As long as we are on “our side”. I am battle-weary. I am exhausted from constantly defending and protecting my position, my side of the line.., my half of duality! Even when we are not doing this out loud, our thoughts are oftentimes doing this dance. Choosing sides, staking a position. Even when the position is to stay “outside” the fray. Choosing not to participate is making a choice. So how do we shift this stalemate? I need to say right here and now: I don’t know the...
