The journey below is from an e-mail I sent out years ago to the group you can join with updates and stories... please e-mail me if you are interested in being on the list! ; )
Greetings Loved Ones,
I returned around one o'clock Sunday morning August 27, 2006 from my wonderful Birth Mountain Journey. Most of you know that I am in the North direction with my Shamanic School and one piece of homework was to visit the tallest mountain near your place of birth and leave a despacho (offering) to honor it. I was born in Virginia Beach, VA and my birth mountain is called Hawksbill in the heart of the Shenandoah National Park. When I first learned this was my Apu (sacred mountain) I found quite a few coincidences. I have always loved Hawks and even named one of our cats, Hawk, some years ago. I hadn't seen one in quite a while and recently Hawks paid me a visit at the farm and I even caught a photo! Hawks wisdom includes courage, messages from spirit, seeing the larger picture, wisdom, guardianship, being observant, illumination, & truth.
Shenandoah means "Daughter of the Stars" and Tara also means "Star". There are also very famous Caverns there, which are the largest on the East coast. They are located near my mountain, which is special since I love crystals. I knew that with all these connections my bond to Hawksbill and Virginia Beach would be powerful and beautiful. My intention going there was to honor, show my love & gratitude, as well as plant or nurture the seeds to grow a strong connection with these personal power places.
I am very fortunate that my Father was willing to go with me. How perfect to visit these places with one of the two people that helped me to be born into this world. I am very thankful for his support, love, and encouragement always (as well as my Mom who was at home taking care of the farm). We had a great trip together into the blue ridge mountains in his comfortable & beautiful chariot ~ which was a synchronistically blue Corvette!
Shenandoah delights your eyes with waves of sapphire-emerald mountains in-between curtains of enchanting trees and wildlife. It was a shining memory in our 600+ miles of driving on this journey. Having the top open allowed us to let Inti (The Sun) warm our skin and Wayra (The Wind) caress our faces. I felt my heart open to receive what ever was held for me in these sacred places. First stop was Luray Caverns where you can travel under the surface near 200 feet where a different beauty resides. The formations in this cave are massive in their number, size, and uniqueness. Some movies/TV and even National Geographic have been here to film such an amazing natural creation. The tour lasts over an hour, but you could spend a month looking at all the flowing curves and angles. They even sing to you as a hymn is delicately tapped from a handful of the stalactites programed by an organ. It was a wonderful way to connect within the earth before starting our hike to the top of a mountain.
My feet feel as if they are stepping on angelic wisps of clouds instead of the worn grains of tightly packed dirt. I immediately felt the energy of the mountain all around me leaving a sweet taste on my tongue. I felt her welcome me as I walked the trail to her summit. As you near the top a space opens in front of you revealing a sublime view of neighboring mountains. It looks as if the trees have stepped back, parting the way so you can glimpse those breathtaking mountains. Then they tease you by standing in a cluster again blocking your view before you finally reach the summit. Letting the backpack roll off to the ground I step up to a platform created by the hands of men who have come before me. I see a large compass set in a bronze colored tile and feel a tingle of joy as I look straight out from a large N and realize I am looking right out to the North. Thank you, I say silently, as I allow the breath of exertion to calm from the climb and breathe spirit in, filling my lungs. I step off the constructed platform to a small field of large sharply angled boulders. We spend time enjoying the view and chatting with another adventurer. Then I was called to a quiet corner to perform ceremony in honor of Hawksbill.
I straddled a piece of a huge boulder that fits under my legs with a familiar feeling of a saddle. I lay out the despacho, my mesa, turkey feathers made to replicate hawks marking, rattle, singing bowl, and spirit water to be energized by the mountains gentle energy. I followed my heart speaking with intention in ways the words I spoke never came close to expressing. Using sound, tone, and breath I allowed my newly sprouting love to touch the heart of Pachamama through this mountain. I sang internally to Hawksbill and felt her call back. I left the despacho hidden in an invisible crevice that led to a small cave to feed her with sweetness and love. As I walked down the curving path I felt her weave a unique connection between us, allowing our hearts to merge. I looked up to see a glow around a turquoise dusty rock along her path that I hadn't noticed on the way up. I excitedly reach for this precious gift of stone. I will work with this and the feathers as a tangible connection and reminder of Hawksbill.
As we continue our descent down the mountain, reaching the end of the trail near the parking lot, we hear sticks breaking to our right. Dad begins to film as a deer reveals herself in the woods. She was so close for a wild deer, less then two Corvette lengths away, what a blessing. After watching her lay down we decide to move on not to disturb her. We see a large crow waiting for us on the asphalt below. As we walk towards the bird the deer gets up and follows us slowly inching closer. Suddenly a baby fawn calls and runs towards her and then after they circle near one another the baby runs out to the parking lot. We see her mother grazing on the grass. We come down and after watching the three for a long while we head to the Corvette passing a family that hopped out of their van to see them. When I was changing from my hiking boots to my sandals the Mother deer came over and touched her nose on my arm which utterly surprised me. It felt like a very wet dogs nose. I turned and looked deep into the chocolate pools of her eyes with gratitude. I was thrilled to be kissed by the deer's sweet energy, much like my birth mountain we just descended from. I felt it was a gift and a way for Hawksbill to say she received the despacho's energy.
We enjoyed the rest of the four hour ride to the end of Skyline Drive seeing Turkeys, Turkey Vultures, & more Deer on the way. I watched the glowing orange of Inti winking at me through the trees as it faded into the raspberry sherbet colored sunset. It was dark and we had to still drive down to Virginia Beach some 3 1/2 hours away. Our dinner consisted of 3 trail nut bars and Dad stopping at a gas station to fill up the car as well as on some coffee for a caffeine kick. I was sitting in the car with my legs out, which is almost like sitting on the ground, when Dad yelled to get into the car. I felt like a cat when its hair stands on end with fright because I couldn't remember the last time he sounded so urgent. He got in the Corvette and we left in a hurry because at the pump next to us a car pulled in with its engine on fire! No need for the coffee with adrenaline running, but as time crawls by our bodies feel the excitement and sweat of the day and I guess Spirit thought we needed another jolt for good measure. We were cruising along at 65 mph when the car in front of us flung itself into the lane to the right revealing a large stark white mattress sitting in the lane in front of us as Dad expertly swerved the car into left lane just in time. If we had been in any other car we could have been in a lot of trouble. We passed a van on the side of the road who looked like they were heading back for the mattress they dropped. Okay ~ we are awake!
We arrived into Virginia Beach at the home of my Dads close friends. They graciously welcomed us in when we arrived near midnight. My Father has known them for around thirty years and it was the first time I had met them in person and found them warm, caring, and kind beings. I could see why they had been friends for so long. We all sat around chatting for a while until I felt myself falling asleep before I had even laid my head on a pillow.
I woke up early and we were treated to a great breakfast from the Lady of the house. We had a wonderful chat for hours and I even ended up doing some shamanic tracking on real-estate for her. I had been doing a lot with houses since we were looking at homes of our own hoping to return to New Hampshire. I remembered back over 4 years ago when our house was on the market for a year without any movement and a very good friend and I went to perform a ceremony there and it sold within three weeks. Energy work is so powerful!
We all decided it was time to head out in their car because I wanted to see the hospital I was born in and also go to the beach to leave a despacho giving thanks to the land and water here. I left Virginia Beach when I was two months old and had only returned once when I was still very young. I had forgotten how wonderful the energy was here and was pleased this was the place I had been born, where the ocean and land meet. After seeing the hospital we had sushi, went to a holistic center, visited Edgar Cayces center (which has an amazing library!), went near the boardwalk, and finally found a secluded stretch of beach for a ceremony.
My feet melted into the warm pearls of golden sand as I took each step. The wind blew softly on my skin and reminded me of the day before in the Corvette. The water was beckoning me to stand at its edge and I restrained myself shifting my focus to the huge pile of rocks before me to see if they seemed safe to climb on. "Dolphins!" our hostess exclaimed with joy in her voice "They are putting on a show for you". I looked out into the rolling azure waves and was thrilled to see the beautiful majestic Dolphins swimming together. One even jumped up to spin around putting on a little show, I was honored. I had been saying to my Dad how much I looked forward to seeing dolphins this October when I am in Hawaii for Lomi Lomi Massage Training. Here they were present for the offering I was about to make.
Skirts and climbing never go together, I repeat to myself as Dad's friends help me climb up the rocks. I have worn this skirt all over the world and each step climbing up hundreds of stairs to a monastery in Tibet or climbing down a ramp into an ancient Egyptian pyramid I repeat that same thought. Something about the flowing freedom of movement around your legs lends a freedom in your energy. I hop over on a few more rocks so I am closer to the spot I will place the despacho. I pull out my rattle, Despacho (made with sushi sea weed wraps and everything safe for the water), Mesa, singing bowl, and spirit water. I begin by calling out honoring the directions, Pachamama, Great Spirit, The Sun, Moon, Stars, & Apu's including Hawksbill Mountain. The wind picks up and I feel my hair and clothes being drawn in every direction at once, just like my soul. My Dad told me later that a lemon colored butterfly flew up and touched my back, which is rare just off the ocean.
I feel a deep peace come over me as I sit to play the singing bowl for the land and ocean. I sing a lullaby internally and close my eyes and smile after seeing the same group of dolphins again straight out from me. They had turned around and swam back offering their blessings. Nature really does align with you when you align with the Universe. These moments are glimpses of that connection I want to realize all the time. The more I delve into my studies and my soul journey the more I am aware of it going on all the time. Miracles happen all around us and it is whether we chose to see it. Humans define a miracle as a burning bush, but each moment we breathe including death as well as birth is a profound event. We often forget just how amazing our bodies, these temple, really are. We all are unique as the stars shining in the night sky.
I begin my meditation sending appreciation and love to my birth place. The sound of the waves fill my heart and my pulse seems to be rushing in time with the waves breaking against the rock below me. I expand until I cannot feel myself anymore, but instead become a part of the air, the rock, the sea. I feel unity with all that is around me. Slowly I come back in and bow to the experience and this place. I get up and toss the despacho deep in the crevice where the water still reaches and say my thanks. I now feel the call again to walk along the waters edge and as I stand on the edge of the rocks to climb down I see a dozen crabs on the shore below us. This beach honored us with life just as the water blessed us with the dolphins. I climb down and run to the water and allow the cool tender rush to engulf my feet. I laugh at the beauty of this short journey which I will remember for the rest of this life. May we all feel whole and connected as I did on my birth mountain journey!
Mountain Blessings to All!
Tara Tylicki
