June 30, 2014

Somewhere in Ecuador.......

Well, it’s winter in the southern hemisphere and you’d hardly notice, being as close to the equator as we are, this high up in the Andes mountains, but there are some tell tale signs. Just yesterday on the way down the mountain to town I noticed orange leaves. You can’t imagine how that made my heart sing! I adore autumn and the changing of the leaves before they drop. Now we’ll never see snow here or get much colder than about 62 degrees Farenheit, but the days and nights have been cool and we’ve wanted to light the fire in our fireplace. What we do get here is Wind...very strong gusts of wind. It’s kind of cool to hear the ringing of our wind chimes fairly constantly these days...coupled with the steady stream of bird song, it’s a lovely back drop to the recording we’re doing on our radio show.

Some of you may know that we’ve recently agreed to do a weekly 2 hour show for BlogTalkRadio. Well this has been an amazing process. The depth of our research has increased exponentially and the topics we’re exploring are simply fascinating as we go yet further and further into the rabbit hole. So Paul definitely takes the lead on the research and writing the outline and sometimes scripts for the shows while I am the techie and sound editor. Then we lay in the sound tracks and sound effects just like an old time radio show from the 40’s before there was television and radio was the only source of entertainment and news. It’s perfect for our delivery. And in the process we are discovering all this awesome music, which absolutely can be mind altering. It seems to be a format which encompasses all our talents including expressing the depths and nuances of emotional states.

So we’re having a blast. Our studio takes up the bulk of our living room which has windows on all sides overlooking the mountain range which separates us from the rainforest and so as we work (or play, if you like) we watch the changing weather patterns roll across the top of the range bringing rain clouds or rolling banks of clouds, rainbows galore, changing light which highlights the series of ranges that often look like just one mountain but occasionally turn into 4 or 5 stacked one behind the other. We can’t believe the good fortune we’re blessed with to live with such incredible views.

I’m delighted too that the Way brought us to a place once again where our neighbors are mostly indigenous folks, as I have a special place in my heart for these lovely people. Yet here, unlike in northern Ecuador where the indigenous outnumbered the Mestizzos, by 85% to 15%, here the indigenous folks are at most 10 to 15% of the local population. They are a  special race and I admire so much the simplicity with which they have been positioned to live their life. Just as an example, the other day my friend and neighbor was here helping me out with some work around the house and remarked on the washing machine, obviously never having seen one or used one before as she asked me where she could find the soap to wash a dirty cloth. That took me right back to my Argentinian friend from Brazil who used a single bar of soap to wash everything from hair to bathing to dishes to diapers! It may sound strange to you but I grew up in a culture that has a different manufactured type of soap for every possible use. As an American, I quite naturally fell into a very pampered and spoiled lifestyle. But the coolest thing about living and visiting various cultures around the planet is to see the depths of extravagance that we in the US took for granted as our birthright. I love the simplicity of life, uncomplicated by millions of gadgets and conveniences. But that’s not to say I am roughing it in any way. As an American living abroad, I’ve been blessed to live in places that only the wealthiest of the wealthy can afford to live in the US, with the most magnificent of views and most of the conveniences to which I was raised with. That’s not to say it’’s always been like this, but quite often it has. Once you’re able to give up trying to match what once was and give into going with what there is, life becomes more simple and increasingly more lovely.

So my friend and neighbor, who happens to be the gardener’s wife comes to visit and bring me vegetables from the garden they tend together, both for the owners of the house we live in and for their own family. A lovely arrangement I think. She tells me that they are so pleased so many foreigners have settled here because there is not enough work for the people and so they are so pleased that the foreigners have given them the little work they have. And so it was only right that I could ask her to come and work with me a half day each week. She helps me weed and care for my own little garden and helps me clean my house on days when my back is sore or I have so much work to do on our shows or other projects that there isn’t enough time to keep up with housework. It’s a lovely situation for us both.

This week she brought me some beautiful beaded necklaces she made to show me her work and offered to make me one. What a lovely way I can send some money her way to buy some new things for her children.

Life continues to unfold for us here in our new home (since April) and little by little we are feeling more at home in our new community. They have here something quite different than any other place I’ve lived. Because of the landscape of mountains, there are many different neighborhoods, what they call here, Barrios. Each one has a president and they regularly meet to discuss various topics of concern. Because there are so many foreigners living here in the area, and they are spread out amongst the various barrios, it was agreed that the foreigners could have their own “virtual” barrio with a representative “president” like the others. This comes complete with an email list, advising the rest of us of what’s going on, for example different workshops or events, fund raisers, new business ventures, things for sale or things being sought. It’s a great way to have an instant community of like minded folks supporting each other even when so many of us live in remote places throughout the hills surrounding the village. I really appreciate this and know that even though I don’t know many folks here (and likely never really will because I don’t get out much, being as involved as I am with all our projects) I know that should I need help or support in any way, my community will likely be there for me in that regard.

Sadly, I must say that my old friend and neighbor from our former home, just recently died unexpectedly. There too, they have a newsletter that goes out to all who care to be involved. Upon hearing the news, so many of the folks in the community rise to the occasion and give support in whatever way is needed. It is one of the benefits of living in a foreign land as an expat, this coming together in whatever is called for.

Well I suppose that is all I have to say for the moment. I’m happy to be corresponding once again through this blog to all who happen to check in with it from time to time. And in this way I can share my life and send my love and regards and wishes for all good things to come your way too.

Until next time........

June 2, 2014

Southern Ecuador

We were blessed this afternoon to see a whole flock of cranes drifting on the air currents in the space above the valley just over our house.  As they flew overhead with the sun reflecting on their black tipped wings we marveled at our good fortune to see such a magical sight.

Last month I wrote about our recent move and about the home we left behind in Northern Ecuador and the incredible Kichwa Indians we lived amongst. Today I will write a little about the new home we’ve been divinely privileged to come to. For almost five months I waited for just the right place to become available here after visiting a second time after two years of living in Northern Ecuador. My friends living here in the area posted a flyer for me, detailing the vision I had of the home I was searching for and one day, just out of the blue, long after I’d given up hope that the right place would come, I got an email, followed up with a phone call saying they had what we were looking for. The man who had built this lovely house up on top of a mountain over looking the valley, surrounded by lush flower and vegetable gardens which were his pride and joy, had unexpectedly died, leaving the home to his two daughters who could not leave their respective homes in the states and so they called me in response to my post. And now here we are.

As I mentioned, the home sits way up high on a mountain top, well not precisely at the top, but very close to the top. We can see down into the valley overlooking both the town itself and the extension which meanders along the river on the far edge of town. We can also look out our windows and see the national park at the edge of town which divides us from the rain forest, what’s referred to here in Ecuador as the Oriente to the one side, but if we walk out the door to the other side of the house we can look into another valley and see the winding road, rarely travelled which leads south to Peru. It’s the most amazing view we’ve ever seen, let alone had the privilege of living with. Every day it changes with the light and with the weather drifting past. I must grab my camera several times a day to hurry outside to photograph the different light on the mountains around us and the dew drops on the flowers surrounding my house. How could I be this lucky, I ask myself almost daily?

No answer comes, but I continue to acknowledge my good fortune and feel gratitude.

Now six months away from turning sixty and seventy respectively, Paul and I spend our days in our home studio, creating art, recording an Internet radio show, writing books and articles and making the occasional web post. We walk outside every so often just to marvel at the scenery although we can see it equally as well through the windows that encircle the house. I take time occasionally to rest in my hammock and Paul relishes his afternoon naps many days. And most days unless we’re feeling under the weather we take a late afternoon walk with our two dogs, Rocket and Chuang Tzu (Tzuey) up or down the mountain.....it’s a blessed life. We devote our time and attention to learning all we can to what’s going on in the world so that we can do what we can to further the expansion of human consciousness and put an end to the tyranny from our oppressors.

At times we are struck with the sadness and loss we feel that our children and grandchildren, our friends and loved ones have never come to join us and share in the joy and peacefulness of this place and this life we’ve chosen for ourselves. But we live in a different reality than most of them and likely most of you reading this. We see a battle between evil and goodness that has been going on for a very long time and we are all about changing things.

I’ve been compiling my memories aided by my old blog posts to write a book about our time in Brazil as that was a very special time in my life in which I was exposed to such an interesting array of esoteric disciplines.

It’s a full life for us in the Andes, one which mostly brings joy and well being and the occasional illness, like it would anywhere, although I’m venturing to guess much less so here (the illness that is.) You see one of the many reasons we are here is for the quality of life that continues to remain fairly healthful here. For example there currently is no geo-engineering going on in our skies (no chem-trails,) our water remains un-fluoridated and comes to us from the high mountain springs out of the nearby national park. There is no col-sein gas mining (fracking) or any other mining near to where we live and as yet (although it may be coming soon) no gmos (genetically modified (food) organisms. There is word Correa might allow them in soon, but we’re hoping the local activists will have some effect at educating the local farmers before it’s too late. Apparently Monsanto has been starting to hand out free seeds to some of the local farmers..... Now we do have our fair share of towers of all sorts providing cell service and Internet, which as you know is such a mixed blessing...so dangerous for our health and such scary potential and very harmful (even fatal) consequences which could issue forth, but like you, we depend on our Internet and cell phone communications to stay in touch and do our work. But for the time being we are living in a mostly healthful environment and at our age, we need the best of conditions to maintain a state of well being. We have good alternative health care providers and good local wholesome foods year round, even in our own garden as well as all the shops and weekly local farmers markets.

This is a strange little village and doesn’t offer much commercially, but it’s less than an hour to the capitol city of the province where I’m guessing most of what one might need is available. Now I didn’t say want (only need.) For that it might occasionally be necessary to place an online order and have something shipped in from another country. You see Ecuador has very tight import regulations and taxes very highly anything that comes from anywhere but China who provides almost everything that is manufactured (and at that we get the rejected seconds that no other country will accept) or so it seems. Anything else available here might cost triple what we’d pay in the states.

But as I was saying, it’s not much of a town center here, it’s more of a rural mountain area with a small village geared towards tourism. We do have a number of really great hotel accommodations and several restaurants of various sorts in addition to the local fare which is found in any Ecuadorian town. But if you love the mountains, and I do, then this is as good a place as any to hang your hat for a while. and if you’re a lover of horses and picturesque landscapes to go riding in, this is your place.

Anyway, for what it’s worth, that’s all I have to report for the moment. To know more about what we’re up to and what we’re creating, be sure to read Paul’s new book, Belief Magic: Decoding the Belief Matrix and listen to our weekly radio show The World Beyond Belief which is currently airing on Going Beyond Radio and soon to be on BlogTalkRadio as well as posted to YouTube and our own blog: http://pineconeutopia.yolasite.com If you haven’t visited our blog yet, please do to see our Un-University page where we list all the new information we discover and our  Entertainment page where we post new music and comedy we find from some of the most delightfully creative and inspiring artists, old and new.

Thanks for visiting the blog. I have no idea who actually does, but I can see from the page visit counter that many of you are, so do me a favor and post a comment or send an email sometime and tell me who you are and why you dropped in.

Until next time, be nice to each other...................