Elemental Camping June 11-12, 2005

Misty Morning; Rainbow Arc; Golden Field; Rain Rythmn; Wind Beat; Sun Ray; Cloud Drift; Rock Slide. This was the symphony of our weekend camping trip - the elemental music that sang to us as we spent time on the land, was varied and untamed.

The day was blue and cloudy with strong gusty winds, we hiked past large rocks that held pictures of the universe, lining the steep rocky road that led up the mountain.

Allowing nature to be natural means being natural

Being natural is not easy!
Being natural is not convenient!
Being natural takes energy!
Being natural takes flexibility!

We ate just before the rain slipped in, just before clouds covered the few bright stars, just before they closed on the brilliant crescent moon's appearance, just before the beginning of the powerful performance of the all night rainstorm.

The rythmn of the rain drove in different cadences, beating on the tent roof, driving me to all kinds of imaginings!

Lions and Bears - Thump Thump!
Prowlers and Menace - Shlurp Shlurp!
Worry and Fret - Pshsst Pshsst!
Fear and Courage - Shlop Shlop!

The sounds of the rain made me wonder about being there, part of me wanting to be home where I belonged! Not there with the howling wind, with the pounding rain, with unknown dark threatening shapes, no water, no comfort, no form!

Then Snap!

My whole energy became focused joining with the rain beat, catching a glimpse of the core, getting in tune, grabbing the rythmn, adding my own spirit, communing my desire to slow and gentle the incessant beating. it slowed, it backed off and right when I thought I had it, it would laugh and dance away from my control and spray and splay happily teasing, doing what came natural. Two or three times this dance occured til finally I gave in and fell asleep, waking at one moment to feel the peace, it had stopped, the quiet so overwhelming, woke me up!

The morning rose up like sweetness and warmth for enough time to heat water for tea then changed into a forboding figure of heavy hung mist that rolled down the mountain, like grey filmy curtains providing a stage for arched rainbows.

The curtains departed to host a morning show containing sun, wind, rain, blue, yellow, grey white and green. Diversity both natural and pure.

The weather so changeable provided many opportunites for us to have conversations with the elements. We asked for some warm calm time it gave us that. We asked for the rain to hold off it did and it didn't.

In holding conversations I became aware that I tried to use my will, to have my way and I wondered if in human communication that is also true, conversation to convince and change the other person, I vowed to be aware of this when I returned home.

I didn't get my way but the constant threats kept us focused and alert.

Sometimes the clouds would pass over us revealing the most brilliant of blues, sometime the grey misty rain would seep down the mountain, sometimes the wind would change so fast that clouds so dark suddenly appeared above you.

Then all at once the dance, the game was over! Heavy clouds ringed our safe space giving us just time enough to pack up and we drove down the mountain in the rain.