a California fire ceremony without the fire on the last day of the signing trip

This was the day of the full moon, a day that Virginia has celebrated with a fire ceremony for many years. To be respectful of this land, there could be no fire, but Virginia called the directions in the Incan tradition with a small rattle she had brought for this purpose:

To the Winds of the South: Serpent, Sachamama, Teach us to shed the past the way you shed your skin to become shiny and new, to walk gently on the Earth and to touch everyone with beauty.

To the Winds of the West: Mother-Sister Jaguar, Mountain Lion, Otorongo, Teach us to leap through our greatest fears. Remind us to tap our inner power for strength and courage.

To the Winds of the North: Grandmother, Grandfathers, White Buffalo, Bear, Hummingbird, Ancient Ones, All who have come before us, Teach us the way of stewardship so we may serve the time to come.

To the Winds of the East: Eagle, Condor, Owl, Crow, Teach us to fly wingtip to wingtip with Great Spirit. Share with us your keen eyesight so we may see our divine path.

Mother Earth, Pachamama, You who are mother to all our relations, the two legged, the four legged, the many legged, those that burrow, those that swim, those that crawl, those that run, and those that fly,the stone people, and the plant people. Teach us to walk in harmony with all our relations.

Father Sun, Intititi, Grandmother Moon, the Stars in the Sky, Great Spirit, You who are known by a thousand names but are as yet the unnamed one. Bless us on our journeys, bring healing to our Earth.

This journey had been profound on so many levels, and hearing these comforting words so high above a crashing Pacific ocean through sun and mist on a California hillside beside a canyon meant more to me than I can say. A dream had been realized, a goal met. I was published. Those are important words to a painter.

The night before this wonderful day, after the signing and all the excitement, I had sat for a few minutes to reflect and I wished that I had loving family that I could share this moment with... but the fact was that I didn't. I am surrounded in my life by loving people who mean so much to me, but they cannot fully take the place of people who are supposed to love you unconditionally, no matter what. In so many ways I am alone. There was a great sadness until I pushed it away. There is nothing I can do about it, and I cannot change it.

In the bright light of this day I gathered my circle around me in my mind, thinking of each of the special people that I know who bless my days in all sorts of ways.... and instead of putting a stick or a piece of paper into a fire, we picked up some of the rich dirt of the hillside and sprinkled it on the wind... a symbol of intention.

"The way to achieve
happiness is to try
for perfection that is
impossible to achieve,
and spend the rest
of your life trying
to achieve it." Winston Churchill