Growing up in south Philly, I learned some tough lessons from the men that guided me and as an adult I made the decision to learn from nature for guidance. I also had a desire to discover a sacred place for solitude; a place to process emotions and heal old wounds. Through the years I’ve come to acknowledge that spending time in nature by myself is neither an option nor a self-indulgence for me. It’s as important to my well-being as food or sleep. The solitude of backpacking goes a long way to restocking my capacity for sharing with others. Saints, mystics, and prophets have praised the gifts that solitude has to offer. It allows them to gain access to their truest self and to connect more deeply with the rest of the natural world.
Taos Pueblo has been inhabited for at least a thousand years. The adobe architecture seems to spring, organic, from the earth at the foot of Taos Mountain. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site, but a living community, not a museum.
A small stream runs through the heart of the Pueblo, known as Red Willow Creek or Rio Pueblo de Taos. The stream begins high in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, at the tribe’s sacred lake, Blue Lake. A traditional belief among the Taos Pueblo people is that their ancestors originated from the waters of this lake and they refer to themselves as the Red Willow People. The creek flows gently through the Pueblo. It provides the water essential for life here: drinking, cooking, bathing and for religious activities. Even in the depths of winter, which is harsh at this height above sea level, it never completely freezes.
We set out on Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Annual "Art of the State"
A feast for the eyes and the emotions; winners announced.
