I was sitting on the old wooden steps of the deck, looking out over the lake through the clumps of orange "blossoms", waiting to turn into hundreds - maybe even thousands - of pine cones. (I'm not sure that they're actually blossoms - I'm fairly certain they're full of pollen! The pine tree, I'm realizing, is one of my Plant Friends and Guides - He keeps showing up!)
Back to my story!
The wind is blowing fiercely (weather app says it's just 15 mph - I'm not buying it! - Check out my video and decide for yourself )! Black Lake, who was almost like glass the day prior, has white caps. And two young poplar trees are getting to exercise their core, proving their strength in response to it.
It's May 25, 2021. My 54th birthday. My White Rhythmic Wind year, according to the Dreamspell 13 Moon calendar system I follow. (I'll tell you more about that another time - It's where my newsletter name comes from...) Mother nature is in sync with the White Wind!
Oh - and I'm on an island! Raspberry Island in Black Lake. In upstate New York, not just too far from the Canadian border. I'm there at the invitation of my soul sister, Deb Shine Valentine. We've been friends since high school, and have had a cross-continental friendship that has encouraged, sustained, and loved each other into more and more healing and expansion! This is her island!
They seem to have each other - Raspberry Island and Deb.
I giggle to myself as I'm sitting there, watching the white caps rush by, and hearing the bobbing of our little boat against the dark rocks that are surely what gives the lake her name. Because, every time I've told of my "little adventure" to friends and family, I've described this island as having "No electricity and No running water."
It's true! There's a composting toilet. We brought over our own drinking water (as well as enough for Brodie, Deb's little white poodle-ish dog - he rode in the boat too!) We light candles on a candelabra and oil lanterns at night. We take turns charging our phone on the one battery-operated charger (which runs out of juice after both our phones are charged up once!)
But as I'm watching - actually, I'm much more than an observer - I'm seeing, hearing and feeling the wind blow through, the water rushing by, the sun shining down - I realize the absurdity of my description of this wild and beautiful place. "No electricity and no running water!" Ha! There may not be electricity - but there is plenty of Power!
I feel so proud of Deb and me - for working a little bit harder to take care of our needs. For showing up with Mother Nature. For "opening up" her Raspberry Island! (Especially of Deb and all that she had to organize, prepare, and face to make this happen!) I could feel the power of the island, the power within me, and the power within Deb. On this, my 54th birthday. The start of my White Rhythmic Wind year.
As we talked about it more, the "no electricity, no running water" seemed even more ridiculous! What about all this solar and wind power just right here?! Asking...Begging...to be collected! To be in partnership with us!
Living on, or even spending a considerable amount of time on the island, for Deb, means that there needs to be a way to stay connected to the national and global community that she's a part of. As a student, as a teacher, as a coach and healer. (read her latest blog about Raspberry Island here...) This means she needs a power source for her phone and computer. The Sun and the Wind were asking to be just that!
There are two houses/cabins on the island. One had not been "opened" in many years. We entered it, Deb outfitted with her yellow slicker, headlamp, and hammer to unbolt the shutters, and me with a broom to clear the way of cobwebs, and sweep up all the dead bugs, for her to get to the windows! You see why I was proud!
Deb's hope is that people will want to come and unplug here on Raspberry Island. Watch sunsets, do Qoya and yoga, have meaningful conversations, drink herbal teas and cacao, commune with the lake, have moon and fire ceremonies, receive restoration - deep rest. (We tested out these practices during our stay. They all work really well! Watching the sunsets takes no effort whatsoever!) And especially that it will be a place of healing and reconciliation from racial, religious, and familial trauma and pain.
The rocks, the native grasses, the gaggles of geese who nest on the island, the honeysuckle bushes, the Grandmother tree, the fairy path. The wind, the sun, the rain, and the lake are all full of power! They shared it with us... and they will share it with whoever feels called to come.
The downside is - Raspberry Island is only open from the end of May til the end of August. The weather is just too brutal other times. We dreamed - intended - (May 26 was the full moon/lunar eclipse after all!) for these power sources to be functional for her ASAP. What about the other 9 months of the year? Turns out, there's some intense sun in Austin, TX too!
I'm exploring how to partner with the sun, and the rain, maybe the wind too, as a power source, for my little house in Austin. I'm so grateful for Deb's invitation to adventure into Raspberry Island in upstate New York, on my 54th birthday! And for recognizing my description - "no electricity, and no running water" - as the phenomenal cosmic joke that it is!
Here's to all the power that lives inside of you! To listening for how to Charge it with the Divine Power Source and all the ways She shows up! Sun. Wind. Water. Energy. Love, Friendship. Healing Paths. Pine Trees...
Thank you for entering into my island adventure with me! So much Love and Gratitude!
Alisa