A YOOOOGE Party

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on October 31, 2016 in Community, Personal Values, Social, Striving

October 29, 2016, Phoenix- The fact is, I’ve already voted. That’s all I’ll say about that topic. My day kept me in this slowly cooling-off former place of ten years’ residence. It did not go above 93, and my stops were in lovely venues, so the day lifted my spirits.

It helped that the morning was spent discussing spiritual matters. We Baha’is are celebrating the birthdays of both Baha’u’llah and His immediate Predecessor, al-Bab (The Gate, in Arabic), in two contiguous days, this coming week. There will be gatherings during the day, in my home community, while our friends here in Phoenix are planning a Monday evening of prayer and reflection, in lieu of Halloween- as al-Bab’s birthday falls on November 1, this year. Baha’u’llah’s birthday is being commemorated the following day. More on these Holy Days later.

I also visited an old friend, whose wife, unbeknownst to me until today, had passed away in December, 2014. She had been one of Penny’s closest friends, when they were students together, at Arizona State University-West, from 2006-09. The poor soul had also suffered severe physical ailments, for nearly ten years. Her husband is now retired, and is a freelance mechanic, restoring old vehicles, which he loves doing. It did my heart good to spend a few hours catching up with him.

I see Halloween as an excuse to indulge in cosplay, just a bit- I had my wizard’s mask on for all of ten minutes. Mostly, it is another social event, and the people whom I first went to visit, this evening, had canceled their party, preferring to go to a school fair, instead.

Thus, I found myself at a theatrical affair, with the hosts giving a nod to the upcoming election. Their party is always a well-catered, elaborately decorated event, with a large, diverse and multi-generational crowd. This one was especially YOOOGE!

Last Weekend, and This

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on October 9, 2016 in collaborating, Community, Family, Service Activities, Spiritual, Striving

October 8, 2016, Chula Vista- It was a weekend of talk about change, and talk about commitments. On October 1, a Baha’i Unit Convention was held in Flagstaff, and a similar gathering took place the following day, at the Native American Baha’i Institute of Learning, in tiny Burntwater, AZ, about 10 miles north of Sanders, along Interstate 40.

At these gatherings, we choose a person to represent our communities at the U.S. National Convention, in the Chicago area, the following May. This is an important function, yet what is more important is that we are addressing the spiritual condition of our communities. It is not a bland spouting of platitudes, and there are sharp opinions voiced, during the consultation. Yet what we are, regardless of opinions, is respectful of one another’s value. There is no one, among the gathered friends, who is discounted or seen as lacking value. The goal, for each of us, is to extend this valuing to the entire community, not just committed members of the Baha’i Faith.

After an intense week at work, in which these principles of unity were put to the test, and which by the grace of God, I largely maintained progress, I headed out to my son’s place, in this southern suburb of America’s Hometown. He’s a bit laid up, from a fracture of one of his left foot’s metatarsals. So, my entire function, these five days in California is to help with his needs. My usual meanderings up the coast will need to wait until the week after Christmas.

I set out from Prescott, last night, after a particularly strenuous day and a lengthy, soothing dinner at the American Legion Post. The route this time took me to a very restful night at an economical motel in Blythe, then a drive through the Colorado Desert, through Brawley, to El Centro and over the Laguna Mountains to the coast.

A 20th Century cowboy, circa 1992, downtown Brawley, CA

The weekend is off to a fairly restful start, and we can tend to tasks related to Aram’s healing, on Monday and Tuesday.

Souls Passed Through Him

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 11, 2016 in Community, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Spiritual

September 11, 2016, Yarnell- I read, in this morning’s paper, about a Port Authority policeman, his experiences on September 11, 2001 and his wrenching aftermath- a life no one should have to live. He spoke of being knocked to the ground, after the second plane hit, the tower fell, and “souls passed through me.”

I believe the last part, having experienced my wife’s soul filling our bedroom, as she prepared to leave for the next life, 5 1/2 years ago. I know much of the rest: The buildings were physically hit by two airplanes; implosion devices, already in place since the towers were repaired after 1993, were triggered and brought the towers straight down; dozens of people jumped to their deaths, to avoid being immolated; there are over a thousand for whom there has never been any identification or accounting, as to their fates.

Fifteen years does not erase the horror anyone felt that day. Most, like me, watched incredulously, on television, as the engineers’ devices went off, automatically, saving tens of thousands more people from dying- as would have happened, had the buildings EXPLODED outward. Just as those who were alive during the attack on Pearl Harbor still have nightmares, on occasion; just as walking through Gettysburg, Auschwitz, Valley Forge in winter, can still give the average soul and eerie feeling, so I was off to a shaky start, just from reading a post by a friend who was in the first (1993) World Trade Center bombing.

My resolution was to go to this serene town, 25 miles southwest of Prescott, and itself the scene of one of our state’s worst nightmares, on June 30, 2013, when 19 wildland firefighters died in the Yarnell Hill Fire. I went to St. Joseph’s Mission and Retreat, and walked up the Stations of the Cross trail, revisiting another of history’s greatest horrors- the Martyrdom of Jesus the Christ. This place brings peace, because the love I feel for Christ, and for His Father, is primally soothing. As always, the walk brought me to a centered place, as I recited some Baha’i prayers, words which Jesus Himself would have given His followers, had they been ready to receive.

Terrible things will ever plague humanity, in a harsh world. Nonetheless, the Sacred Teachers are with us, and having felt Their presence, along this replica of Via Dolorosa, I am able to return to Prescott, and later, to Chino Valley- observing the birthday of a good friend.

Passages and Markers

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on September 11, 2016 in American Legion, Family, Service Activities, Social, Spiritual

September 10, 2016, Prescott- This was a day of gatherings and of paying attention to “urgent” messages. I have learned that the latter is usually a matter of perception. The former is how we survive and thrive, as a species.

I made my usual visit to the Prescott Farmer’s Market, buying a bit more than usual, so as to bolster the contents of my evening healthy shake. A trip over to a yard sale, organized by Baha’i friends, gave me a chance to pick up some books and other items that should capture the interest of the children in my care.

Then it was off to a memorial service for John A. Mortimer, about whom I wrote, two weeks ago. The chapel service was solemn and done with military honours. I found it touching and lovely. The gathering at our American Legion Post, afterwards, was packed, as befits his memory. One who fully lives, until the age of 96, is unlikely to be bid farewell, without fanfare.

John had the full send-off, and 87 or so people gave him all the love and respect he had earned.

The above was part of the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landing, June 6, 2014.

Today is my mother’s birthday. No one has been, and is, more of an influence as to how I have turned out as an adult than Lila Mae Kusch Boivin. She it was, who kept after me to pay attention to my surroundings, to be proactive, to not use my affliction as a crutch, to not wait for an invitation to be of help to those around me. She it was, who did everything on my behalf- from getting after a hard-edged teacher and a know-it-all school counselor, when she felt they were failing to meet my needs, to seeing that I didn’t wallow in self-pity, on any one of a dozen occasions in my adult life, not the least, when my beloved wife passed to the next plane. On all the occasions when she thought I was tuning her out, it turns out that I was actually storing all that instruction, and have put it to full use, ever since. She it is, who is behind my survival and relative success.

She wants to live on, fully, and no one is more behind her on this, than yours truly. Happy 88th, dearest Mother. (My nephew is conveying our collective sentiments, in this photo of three years ago.)

Whose Truth?

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on August 30, 2016 in Community, Matters of Faith, Service Activities, Spiritual, Striving

August 28, 2016, Prescott- I attended a couple of spiritual gatherings, this weekend. Last night, several faith leaders and community activists gathered at Scottsdale Baha’i Center. The purpose was a delayed Race Unity Day. The weather has cooled, just a tad, from June’s more extreme temperatures, thus making a late August version of “Juneteenth” more palatable to many.

The array of speakers was far more concerned with solving the ongoing problem of race relations, than in any semblance of showmanship or exclusive claim to truth. The gathering of about 100 people were able to engage in well-balanced discourse, without resorting to recrimination.

This evening, I joined a much smaller group, at an observance of Janmashtami,(Krishna’s Birthday), one of the key Hindu religious observances. It had been 32 years since I last attended any kind of Hindu gathering. Prescott’s small community is made up of white Americans- an anomaly, with the South Asian community here seeming to be mainly Christian and Muslim. They are no less fervent, though, than the multitudes of India and Nepal.

The swami, who hails from Sedona, is, like me, a child of the 1960’s. His inspiration to become Hindu came from the Beatles and others who flocked to the feet of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I must say, he has done a fair amount of homework on the body of Hindu Scripture. Anyone who can cite the data of the created Universe that is listed in such detail ,as it is in the Bhagavad Gita, is worthy of profound respect.

There is, though, a common thread woven through all the religious traditions, from time immemorial. Each does build on those before it, as Man becomes more conscious of, and in tune with, his unique station on this Earthly plane. Truth, to me, did not stop with Hinduism, Christianity or Islam. It has not stopped with the Baha’i Faith. There will be other Spiritual Teachers, Avatars, Buddhas or whichever name one sees fit to apply to a Divine Messenger, and They will come when mankind needs them.

Truth, though, remains One- and none can claim a corner on its entirety. I was gratified to see that the swami and his community has sensed this, and dispelled some misgivings I was about to have, about their faith and its possible trend towards fundamentalism. I will be able to maintain the same dialogue with the Hindu community that I am still working to establish with devout Christians.

It was a fine, useful weekend.

Rubicon

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on August 15, 2016 in Community, Education, Family, Personal goals, Personal Values, Spiritual, Striving

August 14, 2016, Prescott- I remarked to some collaborators-in-faith, this morning, that I have scrapped plans for most travel outside North America, until at least 2021. (South Korea, where my son is to be stationed, next year, being an exception.) There were crickets in the room, so our discourse went on to things of more common interest.

Later today, I attended a gathering that was sponsored by Team Rubicon, the disaster recovery organization that is mostly made up of military veterans. The very allusion to making a decisive and irreversible choice defines this group, whose impact is as great, if not greater than that of the Red Cross. These are the people who remain behind, once the news cycle is over and the long-term work begins. They choose to walk the celestial path, with practical feet. (‘Abdu’l-Baha admonished us Baha’is to do just that, in several speeches, when he visited North America, in 1912.)

I have plenty to do around here, during the academic year, and with regard to both my Faith and the needs of the larger community. At 65 years, 8 months, it’s important to consider at least the seeds of legacy. I’m in fine health, and I do want to continue with a full, contributive life. Five years of gainful employment remain. I will insist on actively taking part in the well-being of the Prescott area, both inside and outside my worksite. Summers will still find me visiting friends and family, in various parts of this continent, starting with a second journey northwestward, next June. Christmas and New Year’s will still be marked by the presence of loved ones and good friends, both here and on the East Coast. June, 2021 will still be the beginning of an extended journey to many parts of the globe, the only caveats being the needs of my son, any family he might have by then, and our larger family.

I will remain working to educate people on the Oneness of Mankind, on the need for an inquiring mind, and on the healing properties of Certified, Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils, and the imperative of wellness. My Rubicon was crossed, years ago, when Penny pointed me towards the mountain with a shimmering star above it.

Sensitivity

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on August 10, 2016 in children, Education, Inspiration, Personal Values, Service Activities, Social, Striving

August 9, 2016, Prescott- This is a fine “home stretch”, thus far. I have had dinner with a Young Republican, with a friend of three years and, on a couple of occasions, with several Baha’i friends, at various gatherings. I have started work again, helping special needs children in the schools, here in town- first at the high school, before being transferred to Grades 5 & 6, for the needs of the District. It’s gratifying to know that my skill set is valued at the higher levels. It hasn’t always been that way. I am getting settled financially, as well, and will be fine, especially as Autumn gets into full swing. Physically, my exercise routine is on track, and diet is healthy. The Fall hiking season is about a month away, and lightning will not be a deterrent to being on mountains. Most importantly, I have ditched the occasional tendency to lapse into conjecture and innuendo, when dealing with criticism or opposition. “Say what happened, and no more” has become my mantra.

I am working with troubled children, once again. Their struggles are very much the same as mine, when I was those grades. Like me, they struggle, despite having loving parents. Like me, they need more listening and less “by the book” judgment. So, this I provide, to the best of my ability. I find myself vindicated by their amazing curiosity, awakening intellect and sensitivity to those around them, who are suffering.

It will be a full, energizing and revelatory year.

Heat and Quotidia

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on June 27, 2016 in collaborating, Community, Personal goals, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

June 26, 2016, Prescott- I am back at Home Base, for four days or so, having served others, at a shelter in eastern Arizona and my spirit, at a Baha’i retreat, outside Flagstaff. There is enough heat to go around, across the continent, from the sound of things. It’s toasty here, but my ceiling fan, windows cracked open and plenty of cold water will see me through.

The week ahead will find me finishing the facilitation of a spiritual study group, joining a group of children on an outing to an animal rescue shelter, tending to a couple of quotidian comfort items (returning a sound system that isn’t working with my laptop and getting the zipper to the bottom of my tent’s door put back on track.) and being useful around here, wherever I can.

Come Thursday evening, I will be off again- this time focusing on family and friends, scattered as we are across the Midwest, Northeast and South. The “Garython”, if you will, is likely to be something of a sequel to the journey I took in 2011. That one was a reaction to my grief. This one is more of an in-gathering. Cousins, with whom I haven’t been in touch for several years, are reconnecting. Friends along the way will also be a priority. My mother and two siblings will be at one end of the route, and also a priority, given that the end of this year will find me largely focused on my son and his impending change of scene. Southern brother, and Penny’s family, will be at the lower end, as will a few other special souls. Then, a zip across the nation, to Colorado, and an Essential Oils conference, will end the whole shebang.

I read about fire and water, on opposite ends of the country, continuing to give grief to so many people. A fellow attendee, at the retreat I joined this weekend, is of the opinion that Earth will undergo severe climate and geological events for the next 30,000 years. If that’s the case, we’ll all spend much of our spirit lives responding to the urgent pleas of those who are here. Somehow, I don’t think it’ll be THAT long of a torment, but we surely have to deal with what is going on now.

Speaking of which, a black bear made its way to town today. It was spotted outside the Planet Fitness that I frequent. I haven’t left the house, since I got back from Bellemont, and will just have to keep tabs on the matter, tomorrow.

The Big Hug

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on May 23, 2016 in Inspiration, Spiritual

Lumbee musicians (left) and emcee (right center)

May 21, 2016, Keams Canyon, AZ- I drove here, from Prescott, this morning, after a brief stop to see if people were posting flags in Prescott Valley, for Armed Forces Day. It was windy, so they were delaying the posting.

I did not have the luxury of delay. Today’s Interfaith Devotional in Keams Canyon had been planned several weeks ago. I lived in the area for seven years, and so, I know many people there. A Baha’i couple, doctor and nurse, moved there three months ago, and were hosting the devotional. I want to support their work, as much as possible, and had this time free. So, setting out at 10, I arrived at 1:15 P.M.

Keams Canyon is northeast of Flagstaff. It’s at the eastern end of the Hopi Reservation, past the settled mesas, and is mostly inhabited by medical staff, who work at the Hopi Health Center, which is itself located between First and Second Mesas. The IHS Hospital used to be located in the canyon itself, but the buildings were decaying and were too small to meet the needs of the population. So, the facility moved to a newer complex.

The canyon is a very lush setting, and is one part of the Hopi Reservation where I can take photographs. I will be back there on the afternoon of June 5, so will be able to take photographs then, before going up to a tribal dance, where photography is not allowed.

Hopi ladies, on couch, and nurse, in chair.

We were graced by three Hopi ladies and a teenaged girl, two lad, on couchies from Holbrook and three men from the Lumbee Nation, of North Carolina. The hosts and two of my friends from Holbrook, who also used to live here, were moderating the program. It started with the Lumbee men, professional musicians, singing a bluesy version of “Amazing Grace”, before heading out on more engagements. Those who stayed, prayed- then had a good time eating and socializing, which is what we do very well, at such gatherings.

The meeting ended with a few “Big Hugs”, among those who have known one another for several years, or at least feel comfortable with such. The meeting was, no doubt, blessed from above by Penny and by our long-time friend, Elizabeth, who was the mother of one of the ladies, and great-grandmother to the teen.

These mesas are very special to my heart, though the affairs of life have kept me away from them, until the recent in-gathering that has brought me back, on a few occasions, and will continue in the months to come.

May’s Agenda

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on May 2, 2016 in Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Social, Spiritual, Striving

May 1, 2016, Prescott- Yes, I shall certainly backtrack and tell of my ten-mile round trip in Black Canyon, yesterday. I will do so tomorrow, or Tuesday. Today, though, bear me with me, as May unfolds itself.

I certainly had a good start to the month of amazement- enjoying a breakfast at Zeke’s, where I sat at the counter, surrounded by the constant motion and banter of beautiful women who were working hard, very hard, as I enjoyed my Chorizo Scramble, with sourdough toast and coffee. Zeke’s is always packed in the morning, on Sunday, particularly.

Then, it was off to Montezuma Well, about fifty minutes from here, for a brief meeting with Baha’i friends who were gathered for sacred readings, followed by a picnic lunch. I ate enough to be polite, of course, but the real reason for my being there was to connect with those who have taken up residence in Keams Canyon, where we once lived. There is an in-gathering, of sorts, taking place. I am again connected with some of my former students, now adults with their own families- gladly telling me of their ups and downs. I will go back up there on May 20-21, and join in a devotional meeting.

Back in Prescott, shortly after 2, I was able to attend most of our own community’s Twelfth Day of Ridvan observance, again with sacred readings, commemorating the departure of Baha’u’llah and His entourage from Baghdad, onward to Constantinople (Istanbul).

This month will find me largely at Prescott High School, with four days at Mingus Springs. Travel means a day in Phoenix, for a wellness check; the aforementioned jaunt up to Keams Canyon- and Holbrook; and at the end of the month, a drive up to Reno, to help an old friend move from there to Carson City.

Reading-wise, I continue with “All The Light They Cannot See”, “The Billionaire’s Vinegar”and begin “Moral Tribes”, by Joshua Greene, which explores the concept of Us and Them, as well as “Gravel Ghosts”, a recent anthology of poetry by Megan Merchant, about which, more tomorrow. Those will be my May reads.

Well, work will be beckoning soon, so time to get to sleep. Merry May, all.