Just before Christmas, 85 mph winds from the southwest blew over many 50′ tall spruce trees in our forest. Buildings were spared, but we went without power for a few days. Since we didn’t have water, I found myself back in a familiar daily task: hauling water from the stream at the head of the cove. I didn’t mind it, because I had done it every day during the early years here on the peninsula. In fact, it reinforced all the feelings of gratitude and delight in water moving freely that I have developed over the years. This is a healthy state of mind.

There is a book about this topic, A Message From Water by Masaru Emoto. When unpolluted water freezes, it forms microscopic crystals that resemble the beautiful and unique patterns of snowflakes. Moreover, polluted water is chaotic, and it won’t form into beautiful crystals. And get this: Water in a glass can be influenced by human thought! In one experiment, school children were asked to think thoughts of gratitude toward a glass of water, and upon freezing, the water formed lovely crystals. But when the children shouted, “You fool!” at a glass of water, no crystals would form! Further experiments demonstrate the power of prayer to bring order into chaos, and when plant essences are introduced into water, there is a heightened beauty in the crystals that are formed. I am tempted to say that “Water contains the consciousness of earth, and we are not separate. Freely flowing water inspires feelings of delight and gratitude in our mind and heart, and in turn, water is encouraged to heal itself when we show it our feelings of delight and gratitude.” So let me ask you this: Have you ever sung a happy song to water flowing freely? And would you believe that I have been singing to the water and the seaweeds I harvest for 28 years?

Row, row, row your boat, Gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, Life is but a dream.

When I first came to this forest, I tried to garden but the soil was very thin and acidic. Digging down, I would usually find only six inches of forest loam, then rocky subsoil and bedrock within two feet from the surface. I hauled hay and seaweed, clamshells and lime, and slowly I developed a deep black loam in raised bed gardens that grew lovely greens. I experimented with various greens, and I found greens that like to be here, growing in a cool mineral rich soil.

My life is entering a new phase. I have acquired some skills, and people who know me say that one of my skills is “developing and holding a sense of place upon the earth for the betterment of all”. I’m ready to share those skills with exceptional people who will not waste the opportunity. That means, of course, people who are able to meditate on the preciousness of human life, people who know that life is short, people who are working to become AWAKE in every moment.

These roles and opportunities for spiritual development are available to the right person:

1. The gardener who goes down to the sea, hauls the rockweek up to the compost pile, develops more raised beds, landscapes and plants flowers, develops forest trails, builds more greenhouses, plants and transplants, patiently weeds and sings to the plants, thanks them for their part in the healing of the whole, packs shipments and writes letters of encouragement to greens customers in the Circle of Friends, teaches apprentices, cooks seafood, makes salad. In winter, work shifts to firewood responsibilities, packing seaweeds, helping in the woodworking shop, tending the fires.

2. The woodworker who builds windsor chairs, knowing that each chair will be sold as a “patron’s chair” on behalf of an orphaned child. A children’s book is being written and illustrated on the whole process, emphasizing the idea that no one can sit comfortably for very long in this world until all the children of the world are covered by a shift in human consciousness toward child-centered work. As my woodworking apprentice, you will be given a complete shop, ready to go. You will also learn how to build boats for seaweed work, and real working cradle boats for children. The right person for this work is able to stay focused on maintaining order and sharp edges while holding clear intent in the mind and heart for long periods of time. A love of good music will help you to enjoy the process, and when you need a break, there’s a trampoline, plenty of opportunity for yoga, bodywork, swimming, creative writing, art lessons, dance, and meditation. Could you stand that much success? Do you want to manifest love upon the earth?

Rest in the Light, Abide in the Heart.