Three days before Christmas I was with clients at a sacred place here in Sedona that has adopted me which I call "The Family of Trees..." I have been wanting to continue to show my heart to this special place and keep building a relationship with the Tree People. As I stood amidst the beautiful little fir trees, it dawned on me that it would be wonderful plan to hike back up here by myself on Christmas day and read them a few chapters of my book, The Woodstock Bridge! I have never done this. So I told the trees (out loud, as always) that I would be back on Christmas to read to them! What better way to show my heart.
Christmas came and that morning I was a little woozy. I figured out I was dehydrated; well, I was a lot woozy! So, I hydrated with some electrolytes and waited until the late afternoon to go. I wanted to keep my promise to the Tree People but I also wanted to be careful not endanger myself because this is a tough uphill hike.
By 3:30 I figured if I didn't leave, I would lose the light and I made a quick assessment: Yes, I was still swaying around a little but I was getting better. Anyone who has been hiking with me will know how overly-cautious I am, especially about dehydration. I decided to give it a try and if at any moment I was making a wrong choice, I would turn around. And I also, checked with my spiritual guides: they said go for it.
The hike up was fine and I went slowly, taking the safer route, continuing to drink water with electrolytes. I got to the Family of Trees and greeted them, "A Ho, Family of Trees, A Ho Brothers and Sisters, A Ho. I greet you on this special day. I offer you these humble words on the day of my brother's birthday..." (I consider Jesus to be my brother and this not in the catholic context. He is big part of my work; this is another story!)
So I started from the beginning of my book. First, I began with the Acknowledgements of the special people who supported me. To hear their names spoken out loud and my words traveling across the Sedona red rocks - wow - it was unbelievable! To honor them in this way meant everything to me. I read the first two chapters and with each sentence was so grateful I could share this with the Tree People. I hoped that my words would reflect my mission to encourage people to know that everything is alive: trees rocks, plants... everything; we are all connected. I sat there among trees which always seem to be glowing and felt part of them. I could feel them smiling! I felt a stillness and a peace in the moment, again so grateful to have come to this place in my life.
I finished and thanked them and made a tobacco offerings to all those that support me. I knew I would lose the light soon and remembered to not cut it too close so I headed down. As I was coming out of the woods, I felt my heart go warm and thirty seconds later as I came around a corner, a beautiful deer was standing in front of me!
"A Ho, Grandfather, A Ho. Thank you, Thank you..."
Blessings to you,
Greg (the guide)
Gregory Drambour is the author of The Woodstock Bridge,the well-acclaimed book about Native American Spirituality. He is the owner of Sedona Sacred Journeys, a spiritual retreat center in Sedona, Arizona
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❤
How true, also, that we are all connected.