February 1, 2010 Monday
Land Search
Last week we traveled the chapada to visit the Vale Dourado where we knew of some land for sale. On the road that leads from Alto Paraiso to Sao Jorge we left the road which travels the top of the mountain to descend into the valley. Since arriving here on the central plateau, this seems to always be the case. How different from the landscape I was accustomed to where the highways and even the minor routes are located in the valleys and one climbs to the tops of the mountains. Here it is almost as if you don’t notice you are so high in altitude; it would seem so often you are on level ground, more or less. But I suppose that is the illusion of this land form, the plateau. None the less, I am always surprised when traveling anywhere, to turn off the main road and descend for miles into these lush, exotic valleys, one so different from the next. This particular valley was entirely in preservation status; a place where not only the flora is protected from harm or change but also the fauna. This was evident when we saw a deer cross our path. We have not seen many of the larger animals, as the parklands are vast and they have no need to be in populated areas. Turning off the road, we saw a large conical mound and knew that we would drive around to the other side where the land we were going to see was located on the far side of the Couros River. I expected the landscape to be relatively level but sloping on the other side but was amazed to find that we entered a range of rolling hills as we descended into a landscape more exotic than any I’d visited in the chapada before. There were several different parcels of land with different owners, but one after another they were posted with signs declaring them protected lands. At the very end of the road was a private reserve open to visitors along a section of the Rio dos Couros where there were sand beaches along a very broad and fast moving river. The only way to the land which is for sale was through the river holding a rope strung between trees on each side. This day after many rains, the river was very wide and deep with a strong current and we decided not to attempt the crossing. A substantial bridge needs to be constructed to access this land, which is being offered at a good price for this very reason. In a week or two we will return to explore it further.
Yesterday we traveled to a place where there are several thermal hot springs and spent the day lounging in pools of warm water. Not as hot as the hot springs I was familiar with, but invitingly warm, so much so I spent hours enjoying them. That morning at the gas station we spoke with the attendant about some land near there that is for sale and were given an invitation to visit on Wednesday. The thing we are encountering now as we narrow our search for the perfect spot is the difference in temperature with the various altitudes. Here on the 14th parallel, we are fairly close to the equator which makes the lower altitudes very hot. However at the altitude where Alto Paraiso is located, we have cool mornings and nights while the day time temperatures even when hot on sunny days are bearable. I believe we are somewhere between 1300 and 1500 meters. Here in the chapada the altitudes range from 500 meters to 1600 or 1800 meters. We are determined not to live below the 1300 range as the temperatures can get unbearable.
Last week we encountered another opportunity. We took a drive to a place nearby where we were told about some land. There was a field of chuverinhos which was more magical than any plant I’ve ever seen. Looking across the field, these blooming flowers look like sparklers, with their umbrella of tiny white flowers showering the ground beneath them. They grow up a twisted stalk, spiraling as they prepare to bloom, before exploding into an umbrella shaped sparkler. Wow! After walking through the field and along the river that passed through it we stopped at a pousada which is located near the end of the long valley to enquire if they knew the location of the land for sale. Turns out the pousada itself was for sale and we were given a tour of its 16 rooms. Many of the rooms were located inside a round building and were uniquely shaped into the vortex of the building. Included was a therapy room for massage with a woodstove for heating stones and oils and a small individual hot tub. There was also a small ecumenical temple, perfect for meditations or small group seminars. The pousada was set up with a very nice restaurant, swimming pool, dance floor and so much more. There was a time when I considered owning a pousada, but these days I don’t think it’s really what I want. It’s a great opportunity for the right person, should any of you, my readers, be interested… Could be a good investment and a really great lifestyle.
Meanwhile this morning we went to start a yoga class with a new teacher. It was a small class today with just one other student who we stopped to chat with after the class. She too is an American woman who has been living here for many years. Once a well known fashion model living in Rio, she left her profession for a different kind of life and has been a strong force in the development of this town. It was interesting to hear her talk about some new developments that are happening here. She believes new life is coming to this place which has lain somewhat dormant for the last ten to twelve years. She spoke of some projects in the works which sound like a positive change to this sleepy town which at first seems almost like a ghost town until you get to know it. I can feel it being on the brink of change, but unlike the so called change of progress I’ve witnessed in places like Boulder, I think the changes that will come here will make this a better place. I see so much opportunity here for the right people with the right vision and values.
Tuesday February 2, 2010
Lazy days of summer here. Sometimes it’s so hot, you only want to sit in the shade and not do much. Yesterday’s yoga class wore me out. Actually, not sleeping through the night is probably more the cause; the aching back is just contributing to the laid back rhythm of today’s mood. Later I’ll visit the museum where there is an ongoing class until March, where we are learning to make paper. I’m looking forward to learning how to make it from the fiber of the banana tree. Paul chopped down a twenty foot banana tree in the yard with his machete last week. Each tree only produces one bunch of bananas (although quite a large bunch) in its lifetime. After, were told, it’s better to take the tree down to give more energy to the new shoots. So we have a bunch of bananas hanging in the house waiting to be eaten and a lot of banana fiber standing outside drying to create art. There is a group of artisans who get together every week to create all kinds of different products from the banana fibers. They are called bananeiros. I’ve seen them produce book covers, placemats, wallets and purses and so much more…
I’ve been a lot more interested in artistic endeavors since coming here. Everywhere I look I find interesting plants and seeds and flowers and feathers and stones, which inspire me to create something from these found objects. Dream catchers are big here. I always thought they were kind of dorky or too magenta pixie to take much interest in them, but maybe now that I’ve allowed myself to be the hippie I always was, I’m appreciating them again. And I’ve seen some here that are very unique. So I asked Uta one day to show me how to make them when she produced a huge box full of vines and yarns. It was quite fun to fashion, but the best part was having a structure from which I could hang a collection of spiraling vines and feathers.
Speaking of found objects, one only has to walk down the road almost anywhere here to find crystals. The sun reflects something sparkly, you reach down and scrape aside a little dirt with a stick and uncover sometimes perfectly formed multi sided crystals. We are sitting upon a huge underground crystal. NASA once photographed by satellite a huge light emanating from the ground very close to here. My new friend Jato just said to me last week to keep my thoughts high, only positive because everything here is amplified on top of this crystal. When thoughts are negative, these too will be magnified.
This place does have a special energy. Many people say, and I believe this is true because I can feel it, that this place calls people to it. Not only that but it strips people of their material things and sometimes it sends people away who don’t belong here. It’s a fluid place. Even in the short time I am here I can see this. People come and go, so it is always changing. I suppose this is also because this is a tourist town, being a national park. But more than that because so many people come and then stay- sometimes for a long time and then leave.
So what my friends do you see happening out there in your world? We still follow all our news sources on the internet and we hear more talk of upcoming staged terrorist attacks. Likely the date will be significant, because the Illuminati always operates symbolically. Astrologically events could transpire mid June through August, but I can’t say with any certainty. Can you feel any change economically or otherwise? We still have concerns that more freedoms will disappear and that martial law be imposed. The disastrous earth changes, like the earthquake in Haiti, which has been proclaimed to be caused by explosives, so that the US could send in more strategic military placements. Their moves are becoming more bold and transparent. We do hope that you are taking the time and initiative to stay informed with reliable sources other than the mainstream media whom we hope you are not still trusting. Alex Jones continues to be a reliable source and though he covers only a part of the whole story, we’ve yet to find anything he’s covered to be erroneous. For some his style can be a bit abrasive, but one can hardly find fault with the intensity and indignation with which he pursues to disclose these atrocities happening with more velocity daily. We continue to appreciate the voice of David Icke though he is busy in the completion of his current book and has not released any video taped interviews lately. It may not be long before we lose the access we currently have to the internet and its resources, as laws have already been passed allowing Obama to shut it down at will, should he deem it necessary. Australia has been fire walled off like China. Last I heard, New Zealand as well. The US could be next. When this happens, our best source of information could disappear or we could be simply limited to a set number of sites we’re allowed to access or charged per our usage. As far as we can tell, Brazil is not in danger of being shut down yet.
As for Brazil, it’s a good place for a person who wishes to live a more spiritual life. Not because there are more spiritual groups or activities to be involved with, but simply because the material life seems less important and is less available. When I said this place takes things away from you – I meant it literally. If you have stuff, it’s likely to be stolen. Unless you want to construct high walls, hire a security person or have ferocious dogs to keep thieves away. The simpler solution for me is to have less stuff. And I think another tact is to live far away from the cities. The farther you go, the more difficult it is for thieves (who are usually teenagers without cars) to take your stuff. Paul thinks it’s a small price to pay for the absence of police enforcement. Of course one can continue to live like we all did (or do) with fine things and many comforts. Many people ship huge containers with their furniture and electronics and then live in communities with security and dogs. It’s a lifestyle choice, certainly, but not really mine at the moment.
Last week we heard about an eco village which is in its initial stages of forming. It sounded intriguing and we almost went to visit it. It’s in a beautiful place up against high cliffs, surrounded by virgin forests. The plan is to have a large community horta (garden) to feed all the residents, a holistic health center and homes for about 30 residents. All this for only R$30,000 which is about $16,000 at today’s exchange rate, including the construction of your house. We might have gone to see but it’s quite a bit lower in altitude there and we suspect too hot for us. But I share this with you just as an illustration of one possibility that might perhaps replace a life of struggle to work to provide an income that supports expenses upwards of $5,000 a month and a 40 year mortgage to a bank to live in a home that may not even be to your liking, let alone fulfill your dreams….. In this place there are so many opportunities to create small businesses that could provide the kind of income that one needs to live a great life doing work that can be limited to less hours in the day, leaving enough time for bathing in the river on a hot day. It’s not my intention to persuade, only to provide a window of alternative possibilities for you to consider.
February 4, 2010
The moon was full this past Saturday night. It was a good weekend for a trance party which was held at a pousada in the valley of the moon. Never having been to a trance party, I wanted to go to see what it was like. I was surprised at how mellow and laid back it was – not so many people or even high energy. The grounds were open for camping. A kitchen prepared meals and a series of different DJ’s played music for chilling during the day and dancing at night. Of course these kind of parties really get good long after I’ve headed off to my bed for the night and I was not interested in ingesting mind altering entheogens which make it possible to do those all nighters, so I contented myself with a late afternoon and evening to check it out, leaving around eleven before I imagine the party really got going, but not before I spent a little time on the dance floor with my not quite two year old friend Olivia.
A couple nights later, we found ourselves sitting on the back porch late into the evening watching the stars. The night time sky is amazing here. There are more stars than I’ve ever seen anywhere in the northern hemisphere and brighter too, here in this place with less city lights. There’s a constellation that looks similar to Orion’s belt with a row of three stars, but my friend Uta tells me they are called the three Marias. They are easy to pick out so I notice myself watching them change position in the sky so quickly that I can see the movement of the earth spinning in the sky. It really makes you aware of your insignificance on the planet when you are reminded of what a tiny speck of consciousness you represent in such a grand design. We watch the sky a lot here on clear moonlit evenings. There are so many shooting stars; never in my lifetime have any of us seen anything like this! We lost count the night before last as one after another had us catching our breath in awe. They were so bright and traveled long distances across the sky; one in particular traversing an almost horizontal path. We’d rented a video to watch but no one wanted to leave the porch, the star gazing was too compelling. So there we were and someone started humming the tune “When you wish upon a star, makes no difference where are; anything your heart desires will come to you.” Thinking about that I decided to test it out. After all, here we are on top of this giant crystal. Everyone knows that whatever you think and feel here gets amplified, so why wouldn’t your dreams come true? I like to keep my wishes open ended so I don’t limit my requests to only what I can think of, so I ask for something better than I am even able to imagine. And this wish was directed to finding the perfect land to begin to create our new homestead.
Meanwhile, Paul is continuing to have what I consider to be prophetic dreams and the other night he had another of these with a strong and repetitive message about the third one, the third place…Anyway, yesterday we picked up the guy who works pumping gas and rode with him back to Agua Quente (Hot Water) to visit his Uncle’s land which is for sale. This ride takes you from Alto Paraiso over 50 kilometers of stunningly beautiful landscape, past deep lush crater-like valleys, hills shaped like whales, the garden of Maytreya, the little village of Sao Jorge, climbing and descending maybe 1000 feet through the mountains ending in a place where thermal waters spring from the ground. Turning from the main dirt road off onto a smaller one, we descended into the valley past a place called Eden to the home of the Uncle before continuing on to visit the land. I loved the fact that this place was nestled into the surrounding hills creating a circular area of 60 acres hidden behind hills in every direction. We walked a well made trail to see every border of the land which was filled with mature native trees producing fruits of several varieties, medicinal properties, unusual pods and seeds for making useful artisanal products and more. I’ve been thinking about it since then, wondering if it will be our next home though we have a couple more places we are waiting to see before we decide.
Tomorrow we have accepted an invitation to spend the weekend in a remote valley where a small group of people have a retreat center. This valley which I’ve only seen in photographs is over 9 kilometers long and must be reached by an hour long hike and a short passage by boat. However once there, the lodge looks spectacular and it is surrounded by sandy beaches and high canyon walls. A small group of friends which include many Europeans and some other Americans will be the weekend guests. I’m told we’ll be opening the place for the season and may need to sweep away some creepy crawly critters from the rooms before we sleep the first night. We’ll catch a ride with an entourage of four wheel drive vehicles and explore this place which sounds to be fantastic. I’ve heard many stories and seen dozens of pictures including some on their website but now I will have a chance to experience it for myself. I’ll say more next week…they are hosting an ayahuasca retreat in May if anyone is interested in coming to it, you can check out the invitation on their website:
Monday, February 8, 2010
Hello again. Seems a long time since writing as I re-read what I’d previously written. Life changes so quickly here and the changes of heart are so dramatic, I wonder if I’ll ever continue very far down any path I begin…..
Our visit to the valley of Osho’s Lua didn’t happen this time as the crowd grew quite large and the vehicles filled up without us. Just as well, as neither of us was really up for a large weekend party. As we were leaving the house Friday morning to walk over to the bank, our friend Niarco dropped by, so we returned to the porch where we spent the rest of the day visiting and exploring a myriad of fascinating topics in the course of which we spoke of pursuing some travels together. We are both very interested in meeting a teacher who has a community south of here where many people are working together and learning from him. As well there is another location not so far where we understand there is an entrance to an underground community. It’s more bizarre than I can even begin to explain in this letter. Perhaps more on that later on… In addition to these areas of common interest we learned that Niarco teaches yoga and practices Shiatsu and he gave me some asanas that can help me in my practice and then demonstrated his abilities with Shiatsu which helped me more than I ever thought possible.
Meanwhile we are ……..
Wednesday February 17, 2010
My friends and loved ones, it seems I have let life’s adventures take precedence over my writing and left off in the middle of a thought last week. I’ve decided to wrap this up and begin anew so I can keep you posted a bit more regularly than I’ve been. More coming soon………..