United Border of Beauty~

A few days ago I ventured outside of America for my very first time, and while not traveling very far, just on the other side of the border in Tijuana~ there was something very magical taking place. To some Tijuana may be a city of danger, dirtiness, crime, rubble, and an eye sore. To me it was an amazing area of beauty and culture where the shift was felt when stepping foot out of the truck and connecting to the land, feeling the bright hot sun on my face and shoulders, the breeze blow my hair back and welcomed by the locals with bright smiles and LOVE. Our journey started by crossing the border and driving through the city which gets flooded every year during rainy season due to its location at the bottom of the river valley. Tijuana's landscape is extreme with land dipping low and rising high. Houses are built upon poor foundations and the continuous building on these poor foundations leads to crumbling houses in the landslides that claim lives each year. The estuary that you see while driving up the steep hill through the city looks beautiful with densely packed trees and colorful terrain. From afar it looks clean. However, when immersed in the depths the trash that litters it is immense and a huge problem. The Tijuana River flows through Mexico for most of its course and crosses the border at the end of its course where it forms an estuary that empties into the ocean. Here, in this spot are actually the last of undeveloped wetlands in San Diego County. Here, is also a lot of pollution, garbage, and tires. On our descent down  we headed to  Las Playas where the farmer's market took place, a small, bright market newly started and the only one in the area, perched above the deep blue ocean.. A beautiful group of Aztec dancers were performing sacred ceremony, drumming to the heartbeat of the Earth. While smoke from burning Copal sap (a sacred sap used in spiritual ceremonies to connect to the higher spirits) enveloped me I watched and felt the special ritual taking place. There were dolphins playing in the water, pelicans joined them and the day was beautiful! The journey continued on through Tijuana's rugged landscape. While exploring the hills and canyons I observed many tires stacked to form retaining walls to keep from causing further erosion, if not packed properly they will not do much good and the Earth will continue to wash away as the weather whisks through. This is a lot to witness and take in coming from somewhere where we pretty much have everything and anything we could possibly imagine. These people in Tijuana may not even have a stable structure to house them or water readily available, where we have houses that aren't even lived in because of foreclosure and are sitting ducks. But, you know what? Every native I passed there shined a big smile on their face and their family was close by. There were little girls holding hands, skipping down the dirt roads, men with their families driving around in their pick up trucks waving to us as we explored, and our new friend Jorge showing us very proudly, his nursery, Vivero de planta nativa hormiguita. The nursery had native Nopal cacti, Mexquite Trees, Higo (figs), cilantro, chilies, bountiful amounts of the most sweet delicious mini yellow tomatoes, rosemary, an assortment of squashes, and so much more. It was a really beautiful place to be and I am thankful for being able to experience being there.  In the same location as the nursery there was the home 4 Walls International built out of tires, bottles, very little lumber, and a stucco made with the gelatinous slime of the Nopal cactus. Right on! There was also a built-in rain water catchment system along with a tank to recycle grey water. The next step is to create the composting toilet. The bigger vision is to create a community of these homes~using the tires and bottles that litter the city to create sustainable homes where people are sufficient within them. A big garden will be created where the home's grey water will feed into providing a lush garden for the community to nurture and eat from. It's a beautiful plan and one that will happen because the people at 4 Walls are dedicated and driven to making this vision come true. I have heard for years that Coca~Cola was better down in Mexico and while I do not fancy soda I did have to enjoy a nice refreshing glass while peering out into the vast canyons of Tijuana witnessing galloping horses in the dust.  It was all part of the experience, and it was damn good. Despite the 'poor' way of life there I felt a lot of beauty and much happiness.  The realization that really hit harder than ever for me was that in order to survive we must have 4 things~ shelter, food, water, and love. This is it. Everything else is extra. I'm not saying it's not nice to have nice things like raw cacao pudding but it is not essential, unless of course you do have a cacao tree then you are blessed and I would like to live with you. If you don't have it you don't miss it and even when you have it it doesn't mean much. Material possessions are just things. They aren't living or breathing. If everything was taken away from you what would you need? Could you survive on the very simplistic notions of these 4 elements? Life can  be full of abundance poor or rich. Happiness and love lie within each of our hearts. We have the choice to nurture that light inside so we may share it with others. Love drives life, it does indeed. Our focus should be on the food we eat, the people we surround ourselves with, the APPRECIATION of every gift we receive spiritual and tangible, and the openness of our hearts to fully give and receive love. We are all connected and here to help, teach, and share with one another~we must live from compassion and work together. We must know that we are of the Earth and that the beauty of the cycle of life is dependent on one another. Look in nature~everything works together to continue to thrive. The water from the rain feeds the tree, the flower on the tree blossoms, the bee feeds on the flower and pollinates providing sustained life for the tree and oxygen for all. Work together and create beauty! Thank you to 4 Walls for your hearts of gold and drive to change the world! May each of you change the world in your authentic way!


'We have entered a period in history that is prophesied by many cultures as a time to leave behind a colonizing world view and recognize that we are one community, a fragile species living on a tiny planet. These prophesies are consistent with the shifts in policies that we are now witnessing throughout the corporate world and the world at large.' -John Perkins


Mucho Amor,
Earth Mama


Check out 4 Walls International online by going to their website. Please donate to this amazing organization!  http://www.4wallsintl.org/

Love~Unconditionally

Sometimes...sometimes there are many distractions. Sometimes there are moments where I take a breath I close my eyes and I feel how lucky and blessed I am. Today was one of those particular moments of feeling very blessed and full to the brim with happiness. Today I woke up, put on a flowy peach dress, descended down the stairs and strolled through the open door to the beautiful space outside absorbing all its colors, smells, warmth, light, and love. I had no agenda, no sense of time, just a flowing day free to take me wherever it's enchanted spirit decided to. I am very lucky that I have found a nurturing space to call home, that I share with 6 other unique, beautiful friends. Since the idea of this community space was born there has been many stories told and many more to unfold. Many have moved out and on to their life's calling, and new vibrant energy has come in making and sustaining the vision of what Roothaven is all about.
I am really loving my to do lists as of late. Today it went something like this:
-Pick lavender to make bundles to smudge with
-Pick wild fennel to tie in a bunch to hang above my doorway for strength, adversity, and fertility
-Lay in the grass and absorb the sun
-Explore the land
I feel that creating ceremony in our lives is very essential to a fulfilling life. Ceremony, ritual, whatever you may call it~it is necessary. This does not mean you have to paint yourself in a sacrificed animals blood or dance naked under the stars while chanting to Mama Moon (although both I am not opposed to doing if I am so called to do), but rather create something that is special to you, perhaps just you or perhaps it is something to share with loved ones. I suggest having both. My morning ritual or ceremony is to wander out barefoot to the chicken coop, greet the chicks with some breakfast, water, and massages, gather their eggs and thank them gratefully for the beautiful gifts they provide us with. I then make sure the bird bath is full of water and I stroll around the land observing the new growth, the life that has passed on, the smell of the dry pine needles, I feel the heat of the sun and the sweat drip down my back, the Earth underneath my bare feet. I make a lemon, honey, sea salt lemonade tonic and sip on it to refresh my core. I hula hoop with my beloved home-mates, conversing about the beauty we share and our plans to contribute to the world we live in and the Earth we live with.  I make some dinner and feed the chicks before it's dark. I then close up the coop kissing them all goodnight and wishing them sweet dreams. I may climb the roof at sunset and honor the sleeping sun and the subtle glow of mama moon with a yoga practice or simply just let my entire body relax and feel the evening breeze creep across my skin. This home has and is allowing me to create a beautiful, sustainable, real relationship with myself. I feel more beautiful then ever before~the beauty that resides within is shining bright~
The time I have had to spend with myself in this space has been essential and important to my growth. The relationships that have formed, nurtured and stood strong within these walls will forever be in our hearts. I am feeling the pull to get back out in the world. To leave my nest and fly...I was even driving behind someone the other day in midst of discussing traveling plans and their license plate said 'GOFLY'. If this wasn't a sign than I don't know what is! Truth is that there are some really inspirational people that float into my life, deliver a message and leave...every time they leave I may be sad or heart broken but they have all inspired me into the next chapter of my life and I thank them gratefully for that~for there is something to learn from everyone we meet. Now, I will put my energy into volunteering my time and to travel, immersing myself in other cultures~learning and sharing. My hearts desire is to fly, so fly I must. However, I do believe in the importance of rooting oneself and really listening to our heart's calling rather than fleeing from fear. Grow roots and then spread those wings! I'm listening and actively taking initiative of changes that will get me following the yellow brick road I see beckoning~

Let the blossoming love and sustained coupling of our coexistence continue and our love flow through each other freely, strongly, and truthfully. Always and forever~

Love unconditionally~
Earth Mama