When I spoke to my brother about the big changes in my life and my upcoming journey, he suggested that I set an intention for this time and for my life moving forward. He lives in upstate NY on sacred grounds with a small spiritual community. There is a sweat lodge on the property and I had the honor of calling a sweat for myself. What’s a sweat lodge and why would you want to do something like that? Check this site out for more info: https://www.pachamama.com/sweatlodge/
I asked one of the sisters in the community if she would pour the sweat for me and shared my intentions for my life and journey with her. She was kind enough to accept.
I traveled to Accord, NY on Wednesday to the new (ish) home of my brother and his partner, Miguel. They live in a beautiful home in the woods of the Hudson Valley on Mohonk Mountain. Upon arriving, we had the blessing of seeing a beautiful bard owl in the woods while we were leaving a sweet swimming hole where we took a brief dip to cool off from the sticky heat of the Northeast summer.
Friday morning, the guys woke up at 5 AM to start the fire for my sweat. My brother told me that there was a snake and a pregnant spider on the wood pile-2 good omens for me! And that a pair of blue herons flew overhead-I later learned that water birds are a sacred sign in the Native American tradition. An auspicious start to my day and to laying down my prayer for the spirit and the universe to help me to manifest.
The sweat was beautiful, purifying, healing and HOT! I was accompanied by my brother, his partner, Alison who poured the sweat and another new sister friend, Jill. I felt so much love and support.
The rest of the week was spent enjoying nature with hikes in the vast, green, beautiful woods, dips in cool, purifying lakes and swimming holes and quality time on the beautiful land where my brother lives.
Just before I departed to return to my parents home in Massachusetts on Sunday morning, I had the honor of being invited to witness the end of a tepee ceremony (a Native American tradition) on the land where my brother lives.
It was a wonderful experience to see a community of people loving and supporting each other whole heartedly. I cannot remember the last time that I experienced meeting so many strangers that immediately looked me in the eye and embraced me (and each other) with no judgement or questioning-just love.
My spirit is restored to know that there are communities in our world like this and that my brother lives in one of them. And someday I will too.
The message that I really received here is how important that these two things are: community and love. We cannot live in this world and be well, supported and happy with a limited community and a lack of love-it really does take a village, a loving one.
My take aways-love and accept each other fiercely. And community is so important. Going this world alone is lonely and limiting. Having a large community village to support you leads to the ability to build beautiful things-both tangible and intangible.
Thanks for being part of my community, beautiful spirits! xoxo
Where in the world is Ko? 