Travel Guide | Chapter One | The Southwest
Craters of The Moon Nat’l Park
Glitter Mountain
PNW -> The SW
A friend sent me this post the other day by MacKenzie W. Kell and it felt so resonant it almost brought me to tears:
“In and out of centuries I have searched for home. I’ve landed in foothills, deserts, ghost towns, and houses by the sea. I’ve built them from brick, timber, and mud, but the sun has never held me long enough in its light to let me root, let me sink into walls that reflect my soul. A nomad, a gypsy, a stranger to the world, I feel as if I am forever seeking a tree, a window, a hollow den that knows me by my name and sings to me as though a siren, beinvenue.”
I have, for as long as I can remember, felt like a lady without land. I’ve moved to places for school, or for work, or for fun, or because I craved the forest but I don’t know that I’ve ever felt a deep connection to my land. I spoke to a lovely woman at the Santa Fe Farmers Market this weekend (I’ll talk more about that in a future travel guide) and she said her family had been on the same land in New Mexico for over 200 years. It took my breath away. What might that feel like to be so connected to land, to your ancestral roots. I know she felt a responsibility, kind of like the kid that has to reluctantly take over the family business, but also a pride, a kinship, a connection that I feel in our current times is quite rare. And I don’t believe we all need to have that level of connection to have some level, to feel rooted, to feel nourished and also a steward, to truly feel home.
I had a reading before I left town and the first thing out of her mouth reverberated a deep inner knowing… “you need to find your land”. There is a lot of land in the world, and in order to listen to my body and not try to logically figure it out with my mind, I kind of have to put my feet on it, listen to the bird songs, feel the wind on my face, smell the trees, to know if it’s for me, and that feels daunting. For now, I just keep taking the next right inspired action and when I run out of those I suppose I’ll pause for a minute and wait to respond.
Here are just a few of the places that inspired and nourished me.
getting started
I started my drive through Idaho. The Boise National Forest is stunning and where I saw the first deer of my trip, who not for the last time, brought me to a complete stop in the middle of the road.
Craters of the Moon lives up to its name and is truly other worldly. I will say, after my third or fourth National Park I realized dogs are pretty much not allowed anywhere. So when traveling in 90 degrees weather, you may be limited on where you can go (pretty much no hiking) when you’ve got your fur friend in tow.
In Ivins UT I had the best lattes I’ve had my entire trip at Xeteva Gardens and the views not so bad either. There are several art studios and shops to explore in Coyote Gulch. I also frequented this salad joint in a gas station, a hidden treasure.
This sweet health shop.
My host knew about this sweet rock shop off the beaten path and I picked up a giant bottle of this. I feel like if you’ve seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding this would be synonymous with Gus’s Windex. She also introduced me to Runes. I drew the blank one. If ya know ya know.
This place was a definite highlight of my time there. It was like Christmas many times over for a rock hound and a lover of Selenite.
Zion, the Grand Canyon + Bryce Canyon all have their own special kind of magic and I enjoyed them all for different reasons. I think I’ve wanted to see the Grand Canyon for so long that it probably inched ahead for sheer want and also because while I love the red rock and majesty of the desert my heart sang at the smell and sight of Ponderosa Pines.
Springdale is not short on charm or rock shops.
Kanab aka “Little Hollywood”
Sand surfing at Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
The Acai Bowl, fluorescent rocks and a bit of history at Moqui Cave.
The Rock Stop was one of my favorite random finds on my way to Bryce Canyon - good coffee + rock shopping while you wait.
The Gluten Free burger at Peekaboo.
Found this amazing line of native plants at this sweet little health food store.
The Deep Dish Veggie Enchiladas at Rocking V Cafe.
For animal lovers like me + I did the sweet hike down to the creek from their parking lot.
finding balance
In my Human Design, I thrive on a structured and stable environment so living out of a suitcase, let’s be honest, multiple suitcases, for an indeterminate amount of time is not necessarily grounding or nourishing for my container. This doesn’t mean I can’t do it, or can’t thrive doing it, but it does mean I have to find ways to get grounded. There are a few things I do and I’ll talk about them throughout this series.
The first is that I get my feet on the ground as soon as possible when I’m in a new place and/or when I’ve been moving all day in the car. This is so healing. When I can, I get my whole body on the ground, but the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands are particularly open to absorbing the Schumann Resonance.
I also travel with all my apothecary staples + a couple of native plant medicines to work with in their natural habitat. This trip that was Ocotillo and Prickly Pear.
Staples that I never leave home without are:
Reishi. And this is a great time to bring Reishi in if you haven’t already as we move into the fall energy and closer to Samhain. This is magic I’m almost never without and if I forget to take it for awhile I will notice I’m feeling off and realize I ran out. It’s a longevity adaptogen, great for stress, and calming to the Spirit, and it expands your consciousness amongst many other benefits.
As we move into the time when the “veil is thin”, you can also use it in meditation to open yourself up to connecting with the other world or simply your higher consciousness.
I alway travel with Colloidal Silver + Oregano Oil in case I feel like I picked something up.
I’m currently drinking a daily infusion of Nettles + Oat Straw and sometimes I add Milky Oat Tops, Burdock or Pau de Arco.
I always have my coffee alternative, Rasa on hand. I’m drinking it now with a mushroom blend, marine collagen + macadamia nut mylk.
I always take Magnesium. It’s very rare not to be deficient. I vary which brands but I like Liquid Ionic and Chelated best for delivery.
I travel with CBD oil and Rescue Remedy just in case.
Marshmallow Root Cold Infusions for added hydration in the desert.
My hot water pad for tension, cramps or Castor Oil Packs.
Arnica for my ass after driving for hours. ;)
Epsom salt or Magnesium Flakes for when I stay at a place with a tub.
listened to:
The book that stuck with me.
This new album.
This talk by one of my favorite authors on being good stewards of the Earth - “we live in a world of gifts”.
One of the practices she mentioned was getting to know the plants around you and I’ve been loving using this app.
Old Abraham Hicks talks on cassette.
Until next time!
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