{"id":828,"date":"2021-03-29T17:43:26","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T00:43:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seventh-way.com\/?p=828"},"modified":"2021-04-05T12:04:59","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T19:04:59","slug":"post-four","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seventh-way.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/29\/post-four\/","title":{"rendered":"spirit rock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

first light departure from our coastal home
mile high wilderness visitation  
fresh mountain air a tall glass of thin november nip<\/strong>
anemic low southern sun offering more light than warmth<\/strong>
hoarfrost underfoot    <\/strong>
four sets of boots crunch potato chip rhythms<\/strong>


raven and vulture our trail guides<\/strong>
we follow their slowly spiraling sky-dance<\/strong>
back and forth along the ridgelines<\/strong>
some kind of magic <\/strong>
conjures condor memories of the future<\/strong>
 <\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

frigid eyes watery      drippy noses red<\/strong>
hairless faces scarfed against chill <\/strong>
hairy-face exhales transform from<\/strong>
warm-breath into mustachioed icicles<\/strong>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

beyond forest open high-country vistas appear<\/strong>
from our highest viewpoint we see<\/strong>


no map boundaries   <\/strong>
no buildings  <\/strong>
no people<\/strong>
no roads<\/strong>
no cars<\/strong>



it\u2019s quiet up here<\/strong>

we sit<\/strong>

conversation ends without notice<\/strong>


sauntering ridge-walk resumes <\/strong>
wide-open track progressively narrows to <\/strong>
a knife\u2019s-edge no-net tightrope with <\/strong>
mortal drops to the east and west<\/strong>

eyes widen   pace slows   every footstep deliberate   <\/strong>
heartbeat aroused   senses electrified <\/strong>

sacred rock appears before us      <\/strong>
relentless winds appear from nowhere<\/strong>
we find stone refuge in wind-shadow <\/strong>
just below the ridgeline   packs off   check-in discussion <\/strong>
maybe we are<\/em> unintentional holy-land interlopers        <\/strong>
we are guests at best<\/strong>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

flatlanders in high country with honest intentions    <\/strong>
seek direct experience with the mystery<\/strong>
no inner-medicine ritualistic training <\/strong>
locals\u2019 no-climb advice rings in a not too-distant echo<\/strong>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

stone grotto talk reaches consensus agreement      <\/strong>
let\u2019s linger but not climb     <\/strong>
let\u2019s lay-back and bask in this <\/strong>
rich global-center of biodiversity<\/strong>


it\u2019s quiet up here<\/strong>

we sit<\/strong>

awestruck by the sacred whole <\/strong>  

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

huge-rock towers before us   <\/strong>
itself thrusted skyward<\/strong>
by unseen forces millennia before<\/strong>
as flawed souls with pure hearts <\/strong>
we shrink into its craggy embrace<\/strong>

arms outstretched in prayer <\/strong>
we voice solemn gratitude <\/strong>
to the seven directions<\/strong>

to this sacred rock before us<\/strong>
to these ancient trees on our left <\/strong>
to the swift river on our right<\/strong>
to the great sea behind us   <\/strong>
to the solid granite and molten core below   <\/strong>
to the open sky above<\/strong>
to the spirit flowing inside <\/strong>
around and through things<\/strong>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

heart floodgates burst open     <\/strong>
decades of apologies overflow      <\/strong>
remorseful tears stream for <\/strong>
generations of irreparable damage <\/strong>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

acknowledge individual and collective <\/strong>
rivers of arrogance and greed<\/strong>
and without reasonable expectation <\/strong>
we seek forgiveness   <\/strong>
sitting quietly we await reply   <\/strong>
   <\/strong>
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a penetratingly silent <\/strong>
spirit-answer <\/strong>
is carried in on the wind     <\/strong>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

it\u2019s quiet up here<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n