...But Not Too Far

Soundtrack:
Of Monsters and Men - Dirty Paws

Shortly before leaving from the Wheaton national headquarters of the Theosophical Society, I was elected to be on the board of directors for Far Horizons Camp in the Sequoias of California.  One of my intentions in coming out to California was to find different avenues of service, especially Theosophical ones.  Then suddenly the opportunity to help a Theosophical camp in California appears before me. My response was something like, "Well played, Universe. Well played."

Firstly, I am not one for drama, or even drama associated with politics.  I should say I don't like to dwell on it- I am beginning to gain some aptitude for the game, even though I am not interested in the game itself.  As such, I don't feel it is productive to describe all the details. But guess what? Drama bombs aplenty!

It is actually all very well and good.  Here's my view on political drama, especially in regards to spiritual or altruistic organizations: It is like any spiritual endeavor in that your flaws will rise and bubble to the surface.  It is your choice if you want to try and remove your impurities in the process or if you want to waste the opportunity.  If service is the goal, you will appreciate that you can refine yourself into a purer vessel.  But we all stumble, and usually a part of that stumbling is a regression into childlike emotion.

I am surrounded by people having childlike emotions. I have a few myself. But I really really want to see it clearly; I really want to just observe those around me who are having their issues triggered so I don't judge anything rashly, and so I can have the energy to observe myself,learn from it, and grow myself. In that sense, I am the happiest man alive right now.

Believe It!

On that note, Far Horizons is magical. This is a tag line I've been hearing people say as I made my way up to see it. And always with the same far off dreamy look in their eyes. I was piqued, but suspicious.

It's magical though. It is. Not because of the mountains or the redwood trees everywhere either. In some places there is manifested, by human devotion and spiritual practice, and by extra-human response to said devotion, a profound serenity. Far Horizons has that, despite that it just looks like a summer camp. And now I find myself working even harder to ensure this place retains its sense of wonder amidst the politics.

Amber and I also had the opportunity to spend some time with our Paracelsian brethren, Ken and Trin.  Ken and Trin are so much fun to be around. It is nice to have that community of people in the same position you are, who just want to grow spiritually and to help.  We got to visit Ken and Trin's Live Oak Monastery in San Luis Obispo, which is also magical.  We got to imbibe many flavors of magic on this trip. We really need to muggle it up for the next few weeks just to re-adjust.

Dirty Paws

As we had an adventure, so too did the Chronicles of Brutus continue.  Before the trip he met Sunny, the dog that just showed up at Madre Grande Monastery a few years ago, and has decided to live up to his name ever since. We visited to Monastery right after a sweat lodge, so that we could visit our friends Luis and Ciarra, so Brutus suddenly had a fan club of young people who wanted to see how soft his fur was. He felt this was well overdue that people should line up to pet him.

When we were on the road, we found him a sitter, but that doesn't quite do it justice. We found him a person who has devoted her life turning her home into a rabbit resort, and she just so happens to live near the beach in the upscale town of La Jolla. We will definitely use her again. Brutus was significantly less angry at us than he usually is when we leave town.