She had won the 2-night stay at Avalon in a silent auction. The proceeds were supporting an organization called YES, or Youth Enrichment Services in Boston, which offers youth the opportunity to have outdoor experiences that build confidence and gives those who might not be able to afford a ski pass or ski lesson the chance to participate in winter sports. My old friend, Gene, who lives and works in Dorchester, was helping organize the fundraiser, telling me his own kids had benefitted from many programs YES offered. He also asked me if I would donate a healing session on top of the “get-away” to the Sweet Suite. SURE! YES seemed like a great cause, and I’m always looking for places to promote the wild and wondrous lands of Avalon…
When Louisa showed up for her Maine week-end at Avalon, I’m sure she really did not know what to expect. As this was my first time hosting the “solo immersion retreat” neither did I! But I came up with a few things I thought might move her out of the active mind and busy pace of her CPA job and into some rest and relaxation at the farm.
On Friday, after arrival around 1 pm, I encouraged her to settle in, explore the trails, and roam the property. I also asked her to fill out the form, “Stating an Intention,” that I would be picking up at 8 PM that evening. Her healing session was scheduled for Saturday at 11 AM, followed by an afternoon of integration, where she could nap, read, go to the beach or whatever she wanted. Then, our ceremonial fire would be around 7 PM, after dinner.
One of the questions on the “Stating an Intention” worksheet was:
“A common icebreaker to introduce to a group of people who don’t know one another very well is to ask the group “Who would you invite to dinner?” Famous or not, alive or dead, you get to invite 5 people over for dinner. As someone who regularly communicates with nature and all of her beings, tell me the 5 aspects/spirits of nature you would like to have an enchanting night with. Are they all plants, birds, beasts, insects? Maybe there are trees and star constellations in attendance. Who would be your treasured guests, and why? List at least five.”
This was so awesome! I actively called in the nature beings, ie. “dinner guests” she wrote down for her healing session and throughout the week-end. I also loved hearing about her “why” as to the 5 she named. What did they mean to her? Was it a new curiosity, or childhood favorite?
Although I have stopped seeing one-on-one clients, I haven’t stopped doing energy work, and her healing session was very therapeutic for her. It also reminded me that I do LOVE the work! ( I just really needed a break in the WAY I was doing it). Because I knew she was getting extra juice from Avalon’s healing vibe, I was really excited she was only traveling by foot back to the Sweet Suite, not hoping in her car to drive!
Despatcho Caddy!
Speaking of the Sweet Suite, I had created a Despatcho caddy for her in the unit. A Despatcho is a ceremony where you make a prayer bundle (Despatcho) and either burn it or bury it. Items traditionally used are tobacco, cornmeal, dried flower petals, herbs, and the like. I found these “snack caddies” at Wal-Mart (!) and meticulously labeled all of the items in the little bins. I also included a ‘decoder’ for what the items represented, their healing qualities, and possible prayers one may say with them. Instructions for making the prayer bundle and how to prepare your mind for prayerful engagement were also included.
I asked Louisa to make the bundle prior to Saturday’s fire ceremony, where we would place the bundle in the sacred flames together. She loved it so much, she made two, and took one home to place on her new altar. Our fire ceremony was sweet and soulful, and the energy of the evening felt settled, safe and nourishing.
In the morning, my plan was to have a final council: sit with a story of her week-end, then reflect it back to her using the images, discoveries, and insights we had been exploring all week-end. But, she had tickets for a musical down in Portsmouth with her boyfriend and his family, so she got on the road pretty early.
After some reflection about how I would do this next time (and what I would charge), I realized that part of our mission here at Avalon (and Nine Pillars’ mission, too-) is to help pull the veil back, away from the mundane, away from the busy monkey-mindedness in order to help people re-capture their best selves, and to maybe glimpse something of what the soul is truly longing for. I know my work in the world is stitched into this kind of immersive experience–and that is one reason why I really did not want to offer the 2-hr sessions anymore. I want people to have an experience that will linger with them; some of you may say that my healing sessions have lingered but facilitating the power of ritual (Despatcho), of ceremony (fire), of the Spirit BATH one receives from just being at Avalon is where my calling is now. This was a multi-layered immersion, something my high-self has been trying to put into motion at Avalon for a while. I did it!
I also had a very willing guest! She even wanted to join me in my Saturday morning “powering up” by dancing the Medicine Wheel with me. She was a great hula-hooper! I did provide coffee, tea, two lite breakfasts and snacks for her in the Sweet Suite. She was on her own for other meals.
What has your YES brought to your shores? For me, saying YES to YES (the organization!) brought me a wonderful, willing sojourner who gave me the invaluable gift of feedback. Relishing my own experience, what I learned, and the gift of true connection with Lousia not only enriched my week-end and blessed Avalon, but this will inform next steps for how I’d like to offer this experience in the future.
I am so proud of the work I do. Lughnasa is an excellent time to remind ourselves of our strengths, our ‘best selves’ that we can offer the world. Although not encouraged in our world these days, the ancient Celts took boasting to an artform at Lughnasa. Part levity, part competition, it was celebrated and encouraged to boast, maybe even embellish your greatest gifts.
What we focus on, expands. So why not focus on the best parts of you?
Shine On,
PS. If you’d like to book a week-end retreat at Avalon to experience the immersion I’ve described here, I have one week-end left in September and two in October. The energetic exchange is $350 (or, $300 without the guided fire ceremony).
FEATURED EVENT:
“Embodied and Emboldened: Becoming an Intentional Human”
Saturday, September 27th and Oct 18th
Nature Wander Immersion and WORKSHOP:
Intention: To become an emboldened, embodied, intentional adult who understands her medicine and is ready to give it to the community by reclaiming the contours of self and soul and who has a curiosity about how to show up in a world which has dominated and distorted the soul’s energetics for way too long
ENGAGE WITH SOUL 8:30 AM–11:30 AM
Wander the land of Avalon to re-discover what story your soul is holding and how you might engage with it throughout the day. As you walk with the wild world, make inquiries as to how you, too, can become your most awakened self; fasting encouraged but not required
~Pls enjoy your bagged lunch from 11:30–12:30~
REFLECT WITH SELF 12:30 PM–1:30 PM
Honor the voices of soul you heard on the land by calling up the MAKER of you. Reflect in your journal through poetry, drawing or other forms of creation. Make a mandala on the earth, collage the story of your morning with images. Paint, sing or even dance the wisdom you received. Some art supplies will be provided but feel free to bring your own
~break 1:30 PM– 1:45 PM~
CONNECT IN COMMUNITY 1:45 PM-4 PM
Discover how the distilled pieces of soul and self dance together and are best served in the community. Here’s where we carry the “emboldened” self and soul into the world. You will be guided to make a covenant with yourself in service to your discoveries of truth and share with the group in council the ways you intend to apply your medicine
*THIS IS AN ALL-DAY EVENT. We will be sharing, revealing, honoring the TRUTH that arises in each of us. If you have been wondering where your passion or purpose has gone, this event is for you! But please do recognize it is crafted with the integrity to go deeply into the authentic places of self and soul that need (and deserve) tending.
*SLIDING SCALE: $50–$65; Venmo, PayPal cash or check by 09/12 (for 09/27) and 10/03 (for 10/18)
PILLAR #7: Knowledge. “Teach the children, even the adult children. Lean in, listen, process. Be patient with what you can’t quite figure out. Don’t get your news from only one or two sources. READ! Seek counsel from your elders, your mentors. Appreciate the wisdom of experience, yours and others’–everyone has something to teach you. Light the way for others by representing the wisdom of the Feminine. Technology is winning out over other forms of intelligence, over ways of noticing but it is only a vehicle for information. Information is not wisdom. Wisdom should be a verb. Women inherently know how to make it a verb.” ~ AthenaDear Shining Ones,
PROCESS OVER PRODUCT.
That’s what I used to tell the freshmen in the English Composition class I used to teach at UNE. Oh, I’d hammer that one into them! Because, well, most of them did not enjoy writing, and writing IS a process. So I tried to convey that it was never about a “great paper;” it was about what struggle did you allow yourself in the many phases of writing, re-writing, revision, peer review, final draft that actually informed your writing but also brought about clearer, more critical thinking.
What struggle can you allow yourself? What would be better to experience through trial and error, in order to be better in the end? The hard thing you are struggling through is also your intellect’s inner yearning. It gets you this great gift called concentration, it builds brain matter (especially in those 18 year olds-) and it fights the all-too-common thing called distraction.
YES! YOUR INTELLECT YEARNS TO STRUGGLE!
I just read a really depressing article in my Atlantic today (Jan 20th) about how lonely and antisocial everyone (young and old) is getting, and I can’t help but wonder how or if the ‘faster-quicker’ mindset might be contributing to the need to isolate. It takes vulnerability to actually go out to an event, take a class, invite a friend for a walk, and it takes vulnerability to accept, and perhaps even desire (!) process, or the act of struggling through something difficult.
What do I mean by ‘desiring process’? I think our world is set up these days to make ‘faster-quicker’ superior to other forms of engagement. It’s so easy to click away, behind a screen, mindlessly scrolling or posting something amusing. Takes a lot more work, brain power and even mental exposure to EXPERIENCE SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. We get drawn into our screens, and there’s no patience or space for actual contact and connection.
I’m reminded of some wisdom my father shared with me about 2-3 years ago (in Spirit, he passed away over 30 years ago) when I was being very impatient about something, thinking my own struggle would never end: “Change that lasts takes time. Be patient as well as brave.”
Isn’t this the truth? Things that are easily achieved seem to deteriorate quickly, do they not? And then there’s my favorite quote from a right-decent Republican, President Coolidge: “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
Let’s encourage process, patience and persistence in one another. When you see it in yourself, celebrate! When something is hard, do not give up. Step away, go for a walk, come back to it. This is the work of a great life: you will not have all of the answers, and your mind wants to be challenged. As we continue to outsource our brains (and creativity) to AI, this may be the last chance at being a sovereign human being!
Let the natural urge to commune with real things, real people, and real experiences engulf your tired, weary heart. I guarantee you it will serve your highest good!
Shine On, Mary Katherine FEATURED PRACTITIONER and EVENT Natasha Deminey of Pursoma Self-Care Studio At Wellnest Alfred, Maine Do you live in Waterboro, Alfred, Dayton, Limerick, Shapleigh, Hollis, or Buxton? If you do, there is a new Women’s Wellness studio that is absolutely gorgeous located in what was once the Alfred jail. I met the owner, Natasha, over a FB messenger exchange when she was looking for someone to perform some shamanic clearing and blessing of this new space. Yoga, sound healing, teen girls’ circles, reiki shares and ceremony are just a few of the wonderful, nourishing offerings Pursoma is serving up!
A bit about Natasha, in her own words: “While managing a yoga studio, I endured a laundry list of symptoms chalking it up to burnout—until I found myself in the hospital. That moment unraveled a deeper journey of healing, self-care, and rediscovery, as I sought affordable, nurturing practices to reclaim my health and spirit.
Through my journey, I realized a profound void: a community that honored the wild, rich contradictions of being a woman, celebrating every facet of our lives without judgment infused with a place where self-care was a way of life.
Weaving together diverse findings & interests led to forming a community grounded in holistic self-care, connection, and self-discovery. PurSoma Sanctuary is a place where every woman is empowered to take up space and bloom alongside her sisters.”
Just a few of the upcoming offerings: IMBOLC ceremony (with me!): SAT, FEB 1st, 1 – 3 PM [Register HERE] Variety of YOGA classes (Mon-Sat!) SOUND HEALING with Jensyn on Tuesdays, 5:15 PM
NEW CLASS! with Nine Pillars! LET ME SEE THAT ARE YOUR HEALING GIFTS “COMING ONLINE”? We’re living in some interesting times, are we not? Of course I could have used more descriptive adjectives than ‘interesting’ but it does cover all shifts and pivots of emotional and psychological experience: scary, inspiring, hopeful, distrustful, confusing, exciting, fearful. There is a discourse in spiritual circles about the incoming energies, the ‘upgrades’ we are getting to our energetic bodies, our DNA and our fields of experience. The word ‘ascension’ has been thrown around for a few years now, as well as the New Earth, the Great Turning, and a host of other metaphors for this global and cosmic shift. BUT HOW are YOU TAKING IT? Have you OWNED it, My Sister? I don’t actually claim to know much about it, although I do read a lot about it as well as follow a few wise-talkers on YouTube and greatly enjoy my friends who are astrologers who seem to understand what’s happening–at least from that perspective. I am also very aware of my own experience, and try to accept the changes as they come. It started with not being able to attend anything with a “big crowd,” where the energy of the room was just too much. I went through a phase in 2022 of unwinding all preconceived notions of myself, ego-identifiers that felt paltry, untrue and in some cases, not-mine. I have gone through some external shifts: moving out to the country, becoming part-owner of an organic farm, getting a full-time gig at UNE, opening up the tiny home known as the Sweet Suite to solo travelers, building my practice out and beyond what I dreamed of…the list goes on! But the changes I’m talking about now are different. I’m at a place where my healing abilities feel like they are on the ‘fast track’ and my intuitive skill set is on steroids. I welcome these changes, but they are coming fast. And as my dear friend Kat said, they are poignant. Lately, I have been fielding a lot of questions from other people who are also experiencing these shifts in consciousness, abilities, ways of perceiving, and ways of being. As my beloved teacher Barbara recently said when I asked her about this, “The Spirits are busy.” [She gave me A LOT of other great advice too!] Are you suddenly speaking light language? Are you becoming ultra-perceptive, intuitive? Do you have angels “sitting on your shoulder”? Do you dream prophetic dreams? Are you tapped into the energy of Gaia, able to feel certain “zings” at certain times, or in sacred places? Do you see things others don’t? Do you feel like you were born special but can’t exactly figure out how to embody that? Do you see Spirits, talk to the dead? Are the intuitive ‘hits’ multiplying in frequency and accuracy? If you answered ‘yes’ to even one of these questions, I want to invite you to a class I will be offering every other Wednesday night from 6:30-7:30 PM, EST, starting on Jan. 29th, the new moon in Aquarius, naturally! We will gather on ZOOM, set sacred space together and simply talk about our experiences. Additionally, I will lead you through a guided journey to gain insight or retrieve messages from your High Self AND give you some simple “spirit homework” that I will ask about in the following class. This is to help you get even more familiar with your gifts. It is not the time to hide these qualities under a bush! Quite the opposite… Imagine this as devotional time to hone, honor and cultivate your “upgrades.” Spirit is urging Light Workers to get focused; this is a message I’ve received more than once, and it is upon my heart to help lead those who are experiencing these quick changes. Are you craving community? Are you wishing there was maybe a little more time spent with other people on spiritual paths? Making sense of our journeys is often best done with caring witnesses. The energetic exchange I will ask for is $20 per month ($10 per class). This needs to be EASY and AFFORDABLE so as to not leave anyone out. I do not claim to have all of the answers, but I yearn to step more deeply into one of my gifts: thoughtful, insightful communication through leadership and space holding.
If you’d like to register, simply Venmo your 1st month’s installment of $20; as an added incentive, I will be offering the 1st class on January 29th for free. (If you come on the 29th and find out the class is not for you, you won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t return!)
Need a little more detail? Have a question? I’m happy to chat about this! Just email me! ninepillarshealing@gmail.com
CLASS WILL MEET in 2025 on WED evenings from 6:30-7:30 PM via ZOOM on the following days: Jan 29th (FREE! Curious? Join me!) Feb 12th Feb 26th March 5th**(I have a previous commitment on March 12th) March 19th April 2nd (our final class will be pay-what-you-can as my thank you to YOU!)
ONCE YOU REGISTER (by emailing me or sending your Venmo payment), I will send you the ZOOM link.Stars do not belong in the dirt. They are meant to SHINE in a dark, expansive sky…LET ME SEE THAT star of yours!! (to share with a friend, send the webpage I created for this event)
WISE WOMEN TALKING Avalon Acres Next Circle: Sunday, February 9th 12:45-3:30 PM
The Wise Women of Avalon are going strong! We had 15 (!) women circling up in my office space last Sunday to reflect on a few interesting topics, some of which we didn’t even get to. It doesn’t matter! Women who come together to share their stories, to listen with their hearts and to experience soulful exchanges with like-minded other women is really the point. We all leave feeling free, light, thankful, and full of joy… Nancy and I will be holding a “partially-outside” circle next month, as it is our traditional month of the year (Feb) to honor water and sing the water song, Neebeewabow. There is a wonderful video of this beautiful song on Youtube, and if you plan on coming to next month’s circle, I strongly encourage you to start practicing the song.
Additionally, we will have a group healing circle after we honor the water; my two massage tables will be set up in the office and, if you joined us on 12/15/24, you know that healing together is a POWERFUL EXPERIENCE!
PLEASE don’t let the cold walk down to the creek (featured below) scare you from coming to this circle. If you are unable to walk the terrain or are not a big fan of cold weather, you are welcome to pray, sing, hold space from the circle in my office. It is always good to have a few people “tending the flame” at the house.
In fact, we will sing NeebeeWahBow to the waters of our bodies, once we are back inside. To find out more, what to bring, what to expect, check out the web page for Wise Women Talking here or email me! SPRING EQUINOX SOUL IMMERSION At Avalon Acres
Thursday, March 20th, 2025 9 AM- 1 PM
Spring is a powerful time. The Celts called this awakening the “Green Fire.” Something is wrestling and rumbling throughout the land: Mother Earth is waking up! In Maine, winter is a long one…although I enjoy the cold (and love snow!), I want to offer an outdoor, active ceremony to welcome Spring into our hearts and into the lines of energy which run through Avalon (and beyond). We will meet and greet the energetically vital land of Avalon as we take a tour together of the “power spots,” singing up the land spirits in each, building an altar to the benevolent guardians of Avalon, and making a “wishing well” blessing at the sacred waters. There will also be one full hour spent in silence (and at your own ‘power spot’) for you to fully immerse yourself into the wisdom of Gaia.
(If you have participated in one of my Nature Immersion Wanders, this is similar, but with more together time-)
Once our welcoming songs and ritual have come to their natural close, we will gather in the barn (or my healing space, depending on the weather), to have council, a few poems, and share our experiences. In closing, we will share a meal together before you depart. This event is an “active ceremony”–walking, singing, communing with nature, crying, dancing, letting Mother Earth know how happy you are to see her. Those interested will be experiencing 3-4 hours outside, and will need to plan/ dress accordingly. Investment: $45 and a small offering to the land of Avalon To register, Venmo your $45 to this link or email me and I’ll hold your spot! *Attendance is limited to 6 participants YOU HONOR US GREATLY By communing with the land here Don’t forget Avalon is a great place to snowshoe! Or simply be away from noise, traffic, other people… A sanctuary of nature will always feed you Come visit! See what’s happening in these woods of ours…
I downloaded this image many moons ago from the internet. If you zoom in, you can read the artist’s name. This image reminds me of the woman I am INSIDE, on her best day. It’s a good thing to have a “high self” you’re always striving towards…and never forgetting about.
Hello and Happy Samhain to You!
As we enter the “Dark Half of the Year” [OCT 31-MAY 1st], or simply ‘winter,’ we are called at this time to slow down. We relish, maybe even take pride in the full sentence of “No, thank you” [I need to rest, be by myself, do nothing]. We tug and then gently pull the threads of gratitude and thinking-about-what-matters through our prayer shawl.
What prayers are you muttering over the wool? Is it for community, for love to prevail? Maybe you are calling in your tribe to weather the change…maybe you just want things to settle down.
As I tee-up this most profound essay written by my dear friend and teacher, Lucille Meltz, I want to invite everyone who reads this newsletter to know that ultimately, we are all responsible for the quality of our relationships, the health of the planet, the cleanliness of our water, and the mental, intellectual and physical health of our children. Prayers for a brighter world are great but it takes action, too. Calls to action can be found anywhere, if you’re looking and listening. For this newsletter, I am gladly handing over my usual space to Lucille who, indeed, is calling out to each of us.
A brief introduction: Lucille is an author, an intuitive guide and the owner of Touch The Soul Life Coaching. She also performs hand analysis and is a dedicated protector of the natural world. Her writing over the years has brought me much joy, inspiration and a few tears and that is why I am so thrilled to offer you her insights this month.
In the essay below, she shares but a small snippet albeit a powerful one of her experience living through the recent hurricane that ravaged the Western Mountains of North Carolina. This area of my beloved home state is a soul home if there ever was one. It took me about 5 times to get through this essay, so you’ve been forewarned: Get your box of tissues and read on.
From Lucille:
Hurricane Helene has been a powerful teacher.
Living in the aftermath of a natural disaster in the mountains of Western North Carolina brings me to a deep reflection of all that was, all that is yet to be, and all that we may still need to learn.
The first hit of this unprecedented storm with torrential rainfalls of up to 30 inches and gale force 90 plus mph winds, causing thousands of ancient towering trees to crash over roadways, cars and homes, was all a devastatingly sudden shock. Buildings, streets, houses, steel and concrete bridges, interstates and all manner of roads and driveways washed out in a flash destroying lives, homes, businesses and all security for untold numbers of residents in mountain towns. And then there were the hundreds of terrifying monstrous landslides whose sound and roar alone traumatized so many, if they were fortunate enough to survive.
The power and terrorizing drama of this epic event has been dubbed by many as one of Biblical proportions.
Now, weeks later, as life resumes and each of us attempts to rebuild “normal”, the process of recovery begins. But what does that look like?
How do we learn from our experience on the most profound level?
The days immediately after the storm with virtually no or little cell communication, with all power and internet out, no refrigeration for perishable food, no hot water or no water at all, none of us could count on outside help. Fire and police rescue were already overloaded, barely able to handle life and death emergencies. We could not reach family in or out of the state.
Without our neighbors, many of whom, pre-storm, were almost strangers, life would have been impossible.
In my small condo complex, as the storm ended, people wandered hesitantly outdoors to survey the now almost unrecognizable landscape and immediately reached out to one another. “Are you OK?” “What do you need?” were the questions I heard over and over during those first post storm days.
One neighbor with an outdoor grill bringing a cooked breakfast to another who had no food in the house. Another chasing down and dragging back all the lost recycling and trash bins dangerously close to floating away in the nearby creek. Several of us mopping up the flooded living room of a single neighbor. Many of us checking on the slightly disabled elder resident whose doorway was blocked by an enormous downed tree. A new resident who I had never met knocking on my door to offer me a spare phone charger because she had heard I did not have one. Those with any extra cash giving or loaning it to others without funds, as we all struggled in a new cash only society, with all banks closed.
Simple, kind, helping deeds and reminders that we were not alone.
We shared meals, rides, checking in on one another about family missing or trapped in other parts of the mountains. Tears were frequent, but so were hugs, and surprisingly enough, at times, even laughter.
In the midst of a total lack of security, many of us forged a new community without regard for age, political values, lifestyle or religious beliefs. It was a terrifying time of uncertainty and yet, also, of saving connections that still lives in my heart as we all seek to return to a more settled life.
And as I now walk my once beautifully tree lined neighborhood, I am deeply saddened by the sight of the gigantic corpses and chopped up remnants of dozens of majestic gigantic oaks and pines that had graced our walkways. The vacuum created by their destruction fills me with a sorrow for their hundreds of years of life, gone in a whiplash, and destroying, with their lives, the habitats of countless birds and land based creatures.
My grief is not only for our human habitat. We share a planet with a bountiful number of beings who also now feel the tragic impact of this unprecedented event.
As human neighbors we came together to survive and assist one another in that survival. Now, individually and collectively, as we look to rebuild, what and how are we rebuilding? What qualities and provisions do we cultivate and store within and without, to create a more complete, prepared future for what may yet come for all of us, every living being?
None of what Hurricane Helene brought us should have been a surprise. On varied levels, through estimates and warnings by countless scientists, we have been told for decades of the process of climate change, what it means, and how it will increase and intensify hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, all manner of natural disasters. And for those of us tuned into it, astrological, psychic predictions and Biblical prophecies have been forewarning us of these times.
We are no longer living in the times of warnings.The future is now; it has arrived.
As our outer landscape has been ravaged, we are being called to cultivate the awareness of our inner landscape, our emotional and spiritual patterns needed to guide us forward.
Almost three weeks after the storm I continually hear of the strength of WNC communities who put aside all differences to help one another. This alone may be one of the most important lessons of our lives. It is the essence of who we are, the primal need to help and support one another. It is the basic power of love that we have been taught in various faiths and beliefs systems, a universal truth. And it may be what saves our world.
While I stood in three hour long grocery lines and waited in mile-long gas lines, a quality which I immediately observed was patience. No one rushed anyone. No one rushed at all. Customers leaving the market routinely walked up and down the long waiting lines to offer their now empty carts to strangers. Store employees cruised the same lines offering bottled water at a time when it was a precious commodity. Phones were barely working, so interpersonal communication surged, smiles happened and all the waiting times felt infinitely shorter.
One of the most delightful events I witnessed was seeing so many children playing outside, biking, running, laughing, engaging in free form physical activity. Schools were closed, phones pretty much useless and kids became kids again. Never had I known that there were so many children in my neighborhood! Nor had I ever seen so many hikers, bike riders, dog walkers, and joggers.
The outdoors, decimated as it felt, called to all of us and we felt not just the refreshing calming peace of sunshine, but the common experience of being together, of all of us having survived a singular disaster.
Patience during a common shared catastrophe built kinder, more united communities in the wake of Helene. Also, compassionate understanding for the fears we all faced. Empathy for those who suffered with us. These are the qualities that reside deep within each of us and surface when we allow ourselves to let go of differences.
Helene is asking us: Why did you have to wait for me to come along to actually exhibit those qualities wholeheartedly, without restraint?
Do we have to keep reliving our fears to remember a basic spiritual tenet, that we are all one?
How and when do we universally acknowledge that patience, compassionate understanding and empathy also are needed by those who do not belong to the human race, but suffer along with us on our shared planet?
In the midst of survival tasks of finding food, caring for another and seeking safety, there is no thought of yesterday’s sorrows or tomorrow’s agenda. The spiritual concept of being present, living in the now is all there is. It becomes essential to focus on only the task at hand, and in doing so, a sense of peace and calm prevails.
Like so many Helene survivors,I am already gathering physical supplies for future possible disasters. My own consciousness has shifted dramatically in truly recognizing that the scientific predictions and prophecies are playing out right now. That is all important but my greatest, most valuable preparation is from within.
Here in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Helene has come to teach us that the tools of survival are not confined to the physical plane.
Finding peace in the midst of the storm requires first tapping into the peace reserve within our hearts and spirits. All the spiritual practices I have practiced and used for over 45 years served me in more profoundly effective ways than my ice cooler or my flashlights. My decades of meditation, practicing gratitude, positive affirmations, daily prayers, utilizing and expanding my intuition, tuning into nature and offerings of unconditional love are what kept me centered as the chaos swirled around me. And when the almost paralyzing fear arose, as it did for each of us in differing ways, I was usually able to separate out from my ego and seek a place of quiet inner contemplation to recharge and continue on.
My intention post-Helene is not just to stock up on solar lanterns. It is to plunge deeper into my own reserve of spiritual development, to explore and increase my own light within.
Helene has forged an awareness of the strength of my inner landscape, as it has for all who have come together in community, sharing resources, ingenuity, support, helping hands, supplies, sorrow, hopes, and especially, love.
Is it conceivable, in a world of ever increasing catastrophes, that if we actually learn and embrace the lessons that Helene has offered us, we may not need the teachings of more catastrophes? Is it possible that we can defy all the predictions and as an inner and outer connected species, uniting in love and acceptance, we might create a universal conscious energy of light instead of more darkness?
Might we redefine our survival?
~Lucille Meltz, October, 2024
FEATURED PRACTITIONER: MARSHA STULTZ and the HEART LOTUS EVOLUTION
The Heart Lotus Evolution certification program is a deep and powerful transformational process that will change your life. HLE is the original work of Marsha Stultz, having mined her 30-year career of being an energy healer in order to develop it. She works closely with her guides, and they have taught and advised her well. This 12-day program is offered in 6 weekends over 6 months January-June for healers, artists, parents and anyone ready to transform. It begins in January of 2025.
Based in quantum science, this training is for women and provides techniques to over-ride past programming and let go of old unhealthy patterns. In a safe and nurturing environment, you will learn to: shift to 5th dimensional energy, heal wounded inner child aspects, create paradigm shifts in thinking and living, release thought forms others project on to you, shed limiting belief systems, learn soul retrieval, heal past life trauma, evolve your energy systems, manifest consciously, channel, as well as learn practical hands-on healing techniques, and so much more.
In this time of the Divine Feminine rising, and as the Earth herself is going through a great shift, these tools are essential.
Read this testimony from my dear friend Martha:
“I initially resisted enrolling in the Heart Lotus Evolution program; I’ve taken a number of trainings over the years and felt like my toolbox was pretty full. Then I remembered what my private session with Marsha was like: such a broad offering of channelling, healing, releasing, reframing and even connecting with my dad who had passed away a year before.
The training offered guidance in all those practices but also healing and clearing for myself, an amazing upleveling of my own vibration, and a tremendous sense of community and safety in our circle. Marsha is a gifted and skilled teacher and healer; she met each of our needs with a generous and loving spirit along with her years of experience as a teacher and practitioner.
It was a profound, uplifting and inspiring experience.”
~Martha Williams, Founder of Soulfire Associates, Shamanic Practitioner, Yoga Instructor and Heart Lotus Evolution certified practitioner
Intrigued? Interested? For more information go to Marsha’s website marshastultz.com or email at marshas@maine.rr.com (you may also text at 207-653-8284)
WISE WOMEN (NOT*) TALKING Honoring the Women (and Men) Who Came Before Sunday, November 24th, 2024 Avalon Acres, 12:30-3:30 PM
Join us on Sunday, 11/24 for a very Special WWT as we build an Ancestor Altar, learn about the old tradition of a dumb supper, and take a guided journey to gather the wisdom of our lines
November. Ah, sweet Samhain. On November 1st, we enter the ‘dark half of the year.’ This heralds a time of slowing down, inner reflection and counting our blessings.
The leaves are now barely hanging on to their branches as if to ask: What are you clutching that holds no purpose for you now?
As wise women, we know we must LET GO for things to settle into their rich darkness, compost themselves and grow again come Spring.
November, then, seems like a perfect time to honor the Dead. In fact, I’m very much looking forward to my annual viewing of Coco on Friday night (11/01). “Dia de los Muertos” is a beloved holiday in Mexico and the Latin American countries. How often do you remember the stories your grandmother told you or the hymns your grandfather sang? What special “family tradition” do you recall with pride that your family incorporated into the upcoming holidays?
On Sunday, November 24th, we will have a slightly more formal circle so that we can take a “time out of time” moment and celebrate the blood and bone ancestors we came from. We will also create a table of our “gratitude” replete with family recipes, favorite dishes your family is fond of, or any other “special treat” that brings to mind family and home.
WHEN: Sunday, November 24th at Avalon Acres
TIME: 12:30-3:30 PM* [a little longer than usual]
WHAT TO BRING:
A dish to share that is somehow special to you: A family favorite, or a dish that was beloved by an ancestor.
Something that one of your ancestorsmade OR something that they gave you OR something that represents them (in your eyes)
A picture of an ancestor
Comfortable clothes for sitting in the barn and a camp chair that is comfortable
Your travel mug for hot tea or coffee, which I will provide
The farm table will be set with REAL CHINA–I am not messing around! In this vein, feel free to dress up a little, as if you were welcoming a dear family member to supper.
WATER HONORING RITUAL PINE POINT BEACH, SCARBORO SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 10th at 1 PM
Join my dear friend and fellow shamanic practitioner, Amylia Jayne, to honor water, one of the four sacred elements!
We will create a medicine mandala on the beach with shells, driftwood and whatever we find. A brief discussion about the elements and their associated direction will follow, as well as the importance of doing ceremony outside and engaging in ritual with GAIA. Lastly, we will dance! And Sing! Welcoming the changing tides of the ocean and all her beings.
Amylia is a talented shamanic practitioner and newly accredited Journey Dance Facilitator. I have longed for a partner to conduct ceremony in public space, so that all may witness and “feel the vibe.” Come to witness or participate!
(BELOW: Although you can’t see the ocean, this is me drumming up seals at Biddeford Pool. They came! Katy McLaren can attest! She was there!)
A PERFECT GIFT FOR THAT PERFECT INTROVERT: The SWEET SUITE!
(what a deal!!!)
Are you looking to give that special someone “an experience,” something that you just can’t find on Amazon? Great! Avalon Acres has the perfect gift!
WINTER GETAWAY at the SWEET SUITE! For $275! (normally $400!)
2-night stay
Enlightened Energy Healing Session with Mary Katherine
Breakfast (Both Mornings!)
(Other sundries are optional: snow shoes, ceremonial fire, a bottle of wine waiting for you! Offer good for December of 2024, January of 2025, and February of 2025)
WOW! Book it now! This deal will fill up for week-end slots and the winter school vaca week!
FEATURED PRACTITIONER and EVENT 
ARE YOUR HEALING GIFTS “COMING ONLINE”? 
Embodying the Divine Feminine 