Fantastic Hosts: The Light Fantastic

Spring is calling me out of my winter cave. I have not been to a big social event for many months... however, I felt called to attend the The Light Fantastic event offered by The Fantastic Hosts. 

The party was a “dress in white” event. I was able to put something together that supported this theme and also challenge my own Solar Chakra embodiment. My outfit exposed my abdomen area - not a common look for me. I noticed some self-criticism about my body as I assembled my outfit, however, I also noticed how quickly it passed. This is me; my now, my youth, my light. I may not have the shape of bodies presented in fashion magazines, but I am me and this is all I got, so go for it Raven Shree!

I found a great parking spot at the EXDO Event Center and did my prep car ritual of attuning to the energies of the neighborhood, pulling some tarot cards for guidance, and getting my core aligned and activated for the upcoming adventure. 

When I entered the event and saw all the props, lights and people I was both excited and a bit overwhelmed. I’ve been in my Shamans Cave all winter, and this was a bit of sensory overload for me. I walked the perimeter of the facility to get a layout of the land and noticed myself looking to see if there was anyone I knew. I found this "searching energy" pulling me out of my center, as if I was looking externally for acceptance on some level. Not the practice I wanted to engage in...time for another Raven Shree ritual...

I went to the bathroom, found a stall, and created a grounding and activating ritual for myself. As the bass of the music rocked the stall walls, I called in the directions of the Medicine Wheel. This invocation helped me tremendously, supporting me in attuning to the vibration of the place and people, and also strengthening my authentic core and intention for presence in my practice. 

After my bathroom ritual (which was about 20 min), I deepened my invocation of the Medicine Wheel on the dance floor. I faced East and called in the energy of Innocence and Joy. In this invocation, I noticed cloud props in one of the lounge stations (air is the element of east so clouds were perfect). My East Medicine Wheel landmark was birthed!

I faced South and danced this direction into being. As I looked for an altar anchor in this direction, I noticed the laser light installment in the ceiling. I danced with the light and was reminded to orient myself to the light, both around me and within me. Feeling powerful and alive, I recommitted to my practice of being authentic in my practice - no matter where I am. 

I faced West and danced in the theme of digestion and integration. I was reminded to continually absorb the experience of now, taking in the nutrients of the moment and allowing myself to release what is not needed. Taste the moment Raven Shree, dance the Now into fullness. Honoring this message, I faced North, curious to see what landmark would bring in Elder Medicine.  

Facing north, dancing to my ancestors and honoring the Full Moon of the evening, I noticed a black orb projected on the wall from the light installment. This black orb reminded me of the cosmos and elder wisdom available to me always. I called my ancestors into the dance, and felt so much more held and present now that my directional altars were in place.

.....then I danced.... in the center....hard core...honoring all the directions as they merged in and through me...yes....I had a great time! Thank you Fantastic Hosts for putting on an amazing event, and for having so many props available to inspire my Medicine Wheel invocations. They may not have been intentional in this way, however, our energies aligned and a fun time was had by many. 

It was a magical night for me. It felt great to find the courage to go the event solo. I met some wonderful people and know that I spread some awesome light for others to glow in as well. It was great to see how committed I am to my shamanic practice and how deeply nurturing the Medicine Wheel has become in my daily life. It was also comforting to see that although my spiritual practice is a core part of me, it does not detract me from having fun and being part of community.

• How do you get aligned in your authentic core prior to interacting in social events? 
• How do you recommit to your practice on an on-going basis in social situations? 
• Authenticity vs. Acceptance - how are these solar chakra themes present for you, especially in social situations? 
• What container makes you feel nurtured in social settings?

Since I am in Solar Chakra consciousness this month, governed by the element of fire, here's a video of one of the fire dancers at the event. I so enjoyed this performance. I connected with fire radiating out of my hands and fingers and danced my flames out into the cosmos. 

Want to learn more about the Solar Chakra, check out the tele-session download available form Raven Shree and E3 Alchemy. Click Here. 

Back Road to Taos, NM

My Car Altar 

Living in Denver makes visiting New Mexico easy, even for weekend adventures. In Winter, when it’s cold and snowy in Colorado, southern New Mexico can offer a respite from the snow, which is what this native Southern California girl needs! 

I decided to go to Truth or Consequences, NM for my Winter Initiation Vision Quest. It seemed like a fitting name, and there are hot springs in the area (which aids the cause immensely). I’m a back roads kind of gal, so to get to get to TorC, I drove through Taos, NM, by way of Country Road 64 through Cimarron Canyon State Park and the northern area of Santa Fe National Forest. 

The first set of roads on this route were long and straight, with glitterings of ice crystals floating in the wind. Part of me enjoyed being solo on the road, however the deeper I traveled, another part emerged. A part that yearned for other vehicles to pass by every now and then, to enforce the idea that if something happened, someone would find me. 

When I got to the base of the mountain pass, it was snowing heavily and there was lots of snow on the ground. I put my car in 4 wheel drive and continued forward. There were 4 trucks in front of me. It felt safer doing this journey with others and I was grateful for them. If we got snowed in, we could come together as a group to make it through the evening until rescue came in the morning.

Me...moving through the snowy portal

Together we moved up the side of the dark, snowy mountain, slowly, but together. I was in the rear, holding space for the caravan, like a little caboose. Even though I had a sense of safety being in a group, I was in the rear.  If something happened to me, they may not notice. I thought about how I could flash my brights quickly as I went off the ledge, to get their attention before the snow swallowed me. 

....then someone came up behind me. 

It felt so good to have someone have my back. A huge sigh of emotion moved though me.  This is a feeling I do not often have...the feeling someone has my back. Tears welled in my eyes. Frozen emotions started to thaw, and deep longings started to emerge. I knew this was not the time to process emotions coming up. I could barely see through the snow, let alone through tears. I sent a prayer to the people behind me and felt deep peace at having someones back... and someone having mine. 

Eventually, the caravan worked its way down to 2 vehicles, me and the truck in front of me. We stayed together for a couple hours, snaking our way through the dark, snowy, twisty/turny road. What a powerful connection to have with another. Deeply bonded and aware.  

Eventually we made it to Taos and went our separate ways. As soon as I got into my hotel room I passed out. I was exhausted after that driving experience!!! Although intense, I'm so grateful. Not only did I get an opportunity to practice my winter driving skills, I connected into deep emotions and longings.

Elk herd our caravan drove by as we moved 

up and through the mountains. 

Road trips into the unknown and solo time in nature are powerful opportunities for learning. Here are some Soulful Ponderings to inspire your next wild outing.  

• What lessons does the open road offer you? 
• What insights are available to you from adventuring through mystery? 
• How can you honor your wild independence and also honor your need for community? 
• Who has your back? 
• What fears emerge in you as solo out into the wild? 

Here's one of my SoulCollage creations. Made to honor the magic & medicine 
of setting off into the mountains for my Winter Quest. 

Chocolate Crisis Center

3370 Walnut St.
Denver, CO 80205
866-329-6950 

On an Urban Trek with a girlfriend 

in the warehouse district 

of 5 Points (Downtown Denver).

We see a sign in the distance...

She makes out the word Chocolate...

We're intrigued... 

We get closer...

Chocolate Crisis Center

What?!?!

This calls for further exploration... 

I open the door and step into what feels like a doctor’s office.  

What is this place? 

I peer around the corner and see a pharmacy. 

I step in. 

There's a women behind the counter in a white lab coat. "What is this place" I ask...

“It’s the Chocolate Crisis Center” 

...no wiser....I step deeper in....

Pharmacy shelves are lined with bottles filled with what appears to be chocolate. 
We're handed spoons and lead to a gurney in the middle of the room
Where we are encouraged to sample MANY different kinds of chocolate...
"What just happened here?" 
Feeling like children in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory by way of Alice in Wonderland
We Dive In....

I had about 6 pieces (ok...maybe 10). 
Cleansing my palette at the water station I notice a warehouse space at the back of the building..
I go to investigate. 
I stick my head in...."What you doing back here?" 
A man invites me in. He's a photographer...a professional one...
I'm excited....
The journey deepens...

He has numerous machines...big ones...designed for action shots of products.

Machines that drop products from high distances and shots them as they fall.

Machines that rotate 360 degrees around products. 

My mind was blown....

I'm a hand held kind of photographer, that crawls around in the mud 

shooting bugs and landscapes in the wild. 

It was cool to see another side of the industry. 

The woman in the front (Lisa) and the man in the back (JC) are partners in life and business.

It was a treat to see a couple co-creating and offering something to the world in their own unique way. They have a fun space. 
On First Fridays they have a photo shoot experience open to the public with Dr. Angst. 
I may have to try that out. 

Finding this Place Was a Treat...

A Real Twilight Zone Experience...

I recommend checking it out. 

Get your Daily Dose of chocolate at this fun candy store. 

Excited, with spoons and lots of Chocolate
This place was SO MUCH FUN!!!! 

Chatfield Lake State Park

I've come to know the ecology of Chatfield Lake State Park on a Soul level. I enjoy witnessing the spirit of this place evolve through the seasons, and have special spots I frequent throughout the year.   

It is a State Park, so there is an entrance fee. I buy an annual state park pass every year, which comes in handy since there are six state parks within an hour drive from Denver. There are lots of activities to explore, like boating, kayaking and horse back riding (...none-of-which I've done). 

In Spring, a wetland trail in the east section of the park encourages muddy explorations along the river. I’ve had wonderful interactions with Frog and Beaver on this trail. Summer hikes through wildflowers and waist high grasses is a fun treat. The park sits at the base of the foot hills and is a fabulous location for bird watching. This is where I come to  listen to one of my favorite bird songs, the Western Meadowlark. 

This park is easy to access in Winter, which makes it one of my "go-to-places" when I don’t feel like driving far in snow. It's easy to the get to the lake with my camera gear to shoot ice images and meditate on the season.  

Chatfield Lake is a great place for sunset shots and capturing reflections of the colorful Colorado sky. There is a camp ground at the lake, however if I'm going to camp, there are places further out of town and more remote that appeal to my camping preferences. 

I enjoy watching this land evolve over the seasons. I recommend everyone find a place, a piece of wild land you can visit often and engage with on a deep level. Explore this place through the seasons, watching its evolution, and seeing changes in your own self mirrored through your observations. 

Indian Hot Springs

I’ve been craving a trip to a Hot Springs... pulling this Oracle Card in my morning meditation nudged me forward. 

I have visited several Hot Springs in Colorado, however I've not been to the one closest to me.  I decided to make a personal retreat weekend out of it and booked a package deal at Indian Hot Springs in Idaho Springs. a small mountain community 45 minutes west of Denver. 

The check in staff was nice. I had a few connections with them; they did not give me an arm band when I checked in, then my locker didn't work. It took me 3 trips to the front desk to get settled in. I used to get annoyed at these types of experiences. Now I see them as the chaotic movements of passing through a portal. Engaging with the experience with this mind set brings me more fully into the adventure of the moment, I am less frustrated, and I am better able to adjust to the changing energetics.  

The name “Indian Hot Springs” inspired me to connect to my ancestors before entering the pools. I mediated on tribal blood pulsing through my body and expressed gratitude for being able to immerse myself in the sacred waters of Mama Gaia. I prepared myself for deep ceremony and proceeded to the first pool. 

The main hot springs is a pool in an atrium lined with plants and palm trees. The water is warm, but not so much. There are no seats or ledges along the edge to support peaceful  “soaking”. It feels very much like a community rec center, with lots of kids splashing, playing and making noise. I tried to find the peace in the experience... I lasted 10 minutes.  People with kids may like this place for family gatherings. I, on the other hand found it unfullfilling. 

I went downstairs into the caves, which is why I came here in the first place. There are 2 cave hot springs on site, one for men and one for women, clothing optional. The women's cave had 5 pools of varying HOT water bubbling up from the earth.  Because you are in a cave, the air is hot too. It's a Hot Springs in a Sauna....you warm up quickly. 

The pools were small, and had steps and ledges so you can sit at varying depths. Although the caves are clothing optional, I was the only person naked. I have been the only person in clothes when everyone else was naked. It has never been the other way around. To honor the newness of this experience, I meditated by the entry door, offering my practice as a blessing to the women coming in and out of the cave. 

After an hour in the caves I was done. I felt complete. Although the cave experience is unique and I enjoyed the steam and realizations that emerged in the process, my preference is Hot Springs outside, underneath the sky, stars and moon. Indian Hot Springs has 4 private Jacuzzi's outside, however you need to make reservations for them. It is not as convenient or fun as other Hot Springs where you can easily wander from pool to pool with the cosmos as witness. 

Indian Hot Springs may work well for families due to the kid nature of the main Hot Springs pool. Those looking for a quick day trip for a steam in the caves may enjoy this location as well. However, if you have a weekend and want to stay overnight at a Hot Springs, I recommend driving a bit further and going to other locations such as Cottonwood or Hot Sulfur Springs. 

San Diego to Denver? Why?

Many people ask me why I moved from San Diego to Denver. For many, this does not seem like a logical move. To me it was a no-brainer. There were many feelings, desires, and events that lead to my decision to move, here are a few:  

Space

In San Diego I lived in an 850 sq ft apartment for $1300/month. Although this space served me well for many years, I had outgrown it and wanted to move into a house with a yard. Living in San Diego on a single income would make this dream difficult to manifest, so I explored other options. As I did, old dreams of wanting to live in Colorado surfaced. 
Life is short, and you only get one shot....so I decided to go for it. 

Photography

Living in San Diego, I found myself taking vacations to places where I could immense myself in big nature and the wild soul of forests and mountains. As I considered moving, I knew I wanted to live someplace that would move me into closer relationship with nature. Denver meet this need. I can be in the Rocky Mountains in less then an hour, with access to a new ecology of bugs, birds, mammals, plants and trees. Another great feature of living in this area is a one’s day drive will put me in New Mexico, Utah or Wyoming. 

Adventure 

I lived in San Diego most of my life (excluding a couple years in Oklahoma as a teenager) and after 35+ years there, I was bored. The patterns and routines I had created in my life were keeping me in a holding pattern and I was ready for a change. I had wanted to leave San Diego for years, but there never seemed to be an opening in my life to make it happen. Then the Universe gave me a huge wake up call and broke my foot. So many things in my life stopped while I healed. This timeframe gave me a lot of time and space to be still and listen. As I started to heal, the question was: do I move back into my old life or leap forward into something totally new?  

I leapt. 

...and these are some of the reasons I moved from San Diego to Colorado.