It was at “Magical Mount Shasta”, (please see post with the same title as my links are not working) that something had awakened in me. It was something I couldn’t explain at first, all I knew was that things had changed, and my awareness grew. There was a hunger for more, a yearning to know, yet I didn’t know what I was searching for, nor did I have a clue to what changed. There was a different feel. I felt transformed over night, and life seemed simple and so wonderful all of a sudden. I was about to knock on another door, a door that was holding magic and wonder to be discovered. The time was right, and the teacher would appear once more with another lesson of personal growth, that the student (me) was eagerly awaiting. I was so fueled by all of it, there was so much curiosity, so much eagerness and anticipation, that I felt as if the information, along with the timing of when it reached me was perfect. I needed something, a focus I could hold on to, something that brought new meaning. Life had become mundane, rut like, and it was passing me with no special significances. In fact there was always some problem waiting to be sorted, and I grew tired of it. It was eating away at me, disturbing my potential I thought, although these days I would say that those times were essential events that shaped me into who I am today. But at that time, I felt as if it was disrupting my delicate balance and my inner peace. It appeared that things never went too smoothly, at least I don’t remember prolonged times of feeling carefree bliss. There was always something that needed my attention, always something waiting to be worked out. Things could never be without some sort of headache. Mom always said that life is not meant to be easy, and that something bad would occur to put you back into your place, in case you were doing too well. Just to remind you of your place in life, as if you weren’t deserving of happiness. Of course I never believed in this old wife’s tale, but understood that she had a total different set of experiences then I had. Perhaps I shouldn’t boil it down to experiences, and God knows I had my own share of it, but what became apparent was that Mom was a pessimist, often in areas where I had managed to stay optimistic. Mom had been dealt so many bad hands that she lost faith, and it was up to her what she made out of those challenges. Somehow she couldn’t choose the positives and never learned. Perhaps Moms soul is a young one, making some it’s first experiences. Whatever it might be, how we react is a conscious choice we all have to make one time or another, and I have yet to meet a person that didn’t have their own story and challenges to tell.
Back to the subject, we often refer to the trip to Shasta as “ The trip where something happened and changed within me”. Although I haven’t been back, ever so often I feel the urge that draws me back to that place, a need to chase that feeling. A want to explore it over and over, and a choice of not wanting to spend life without it. There is a yearning to emerge in the fountain of bliss, to be reborn lighter, having shed the troubles in exchange of being in alignment with my higher self. I know Shasta can balance the turmoil within, as can others of these healing, holy sites. Millions of people feel something and come to those sights each year. Feeling drawn across the continents, for no explainable reason, just like Sedona.
Doing random searches on the web, trying to pinpoint what I was feeling, I was searching for a rational explanation. A perspective that I could articulate, the feeling was so intense and real, it had to be shared. I just couldn’t hold it in. I was like child in the candy store, trying to take whoever was listening with me to experience the same magic. It wasn’t so much that I needed confirmation, what I was feeling was very real to me, but it was more of a matter of sharing, as if I had stumbled upon some great treasure. Eventually with the click of a button and more research, I discovered why others flocked to these areas, and felt even more drawn. What had I embarked upon? Something told me that this was only the tip of the iceberg, and that it was only the beginning of research that would follow this staring point. I was right, and I had discovered the healing powers of vortexes. Slowly, but surely it all began to make sense.
Vortexes are energy fields, felt by those able to be still, to be aware, and in tune with what is going on. Some are bigger and some are smaller, but they are all over the world. It is said that certain individuals can pick up the vibrations of those energy fields. Could it be? Have you ever had a round, lush circle in your lawn? A perfect round shape that seems to grow faster, looking healthier and greener then the rest of your grass? Well, you got yourself a Vortex, maybe too small for you to feel the actual energy from, but your greens have definitely felt something and are thriving as a result of it. I soon put two and two together, and knew that I was thriving because of the way these energy fields made me feel.
It was later on that I connected the dots further, and answered a few mysteries that occasionally crossed my mind. It had been years that I started hiking, that I was introduced to the wilderness. I could never be more grateful for that day, and all the magic that would unfold for years to come. It was a life changer, and early on I recognized a smaller version of that feeling which I had discovered at Mount Shasta. Little did I know that it would take ten years from the time I started hiking, to the time of my Aha-moment where I pinpointed what was going on. I merely accepted it as miraculous, like I had been dormant for so many years, stumbled onto something magical, was bestowed a most precious gift, and finally awakened to life. I fell in love with hiking and with Mother Nature. I fell in love with how it made me feel.
Eventually we had to leave Shasta and it was a real downer. I didn’t want to let go, I wanted to stay in my dreamlike state. Reality had little that drew me back, and definitely couldn’t hold a candle to what I had found in this special little town, at the base of Mount Shasta. Back at home the research continued about vortexes, and I read about the feelings people described, and the mountains healing powers. I knew with certainty that I had picked up on the energy of that place, despite of having no facts to prove anything. To me it was logical, but to someone else it could easily feel like hocus pocus, a theory, something made up, something unsupported. I knew what it was, and that’s all that mattered.
I started to make a connection between Shasta and places in my immediate surroundings. I loved all of the wilderness, and being so close to a variety of scenic wonders such as Yosemite and Lassen volcanic park. All of them held their own unique beauty and always made my heart sing. Still, there remains a place near my house, an area that draws me like no other. I have visited millions of times, and yet my heart lifts as feelings of bliss flood through me, each time that I see it again. It’s my go to place, my little Shasta away from Shasta. There is something about it, and it was during my time of research that I adopted the belief that there has to be a Vortex there. Again, the thought crossed my mind that maybe I was more sensitive, able to pick up the vibrations. Perhaps I will never know what the reason is, but I see it as a wonderful gift. No matter what it is, that special little area near my house has become “The Vortex” ever since. It’s how I refer to that magical place, and it is where I go to balance life and the hectic it throws my way. I recognized the feeling of that magical place back to how I had felt at Mount Shasta, but it didn’t become the Vortex until I showed this picture to my dear coworker “White Wizard”. I lovingly call her so, and gave her that nickname due to her life wisdom, and maybe her gray hair she is not ready for and continues to color. She looked at the picture, a fan of my photography and knew the story about my Mount Shasta post. She glanced at me, pointing at the photograph and said “You do see the T. V. don’t you? What do you think it stands for? I had never noticed until then, and still didn’t make the connection. She left me with my own thoughts, and didn’t say anything else. I had to find out for myself, after all the meaning was meant for me, it was my picture and I had taken it. Another person could have come up with a total different interpretation, but the divine had a message for me that came across in my photograph. It was later that day that I looked at the photo again, and when it hit me smack dab in the face. Oh my goodness, chills ran down my spine and my heart was pounding faster. I recalled the feelings this place gave me, feeling drawn and connected, the peace I would experience while grounding on it’s soil, in touch with the earth, feeling it’s heartbeat. I remembered what it felt like when stress was exiting my body to leave nothing but comfort and love behind. How rejuvenated I felt, ready to tackle more of life’s obstacles, that would surely come my way. I remembered the glow on my face, how happy I was, and how much I looked forward to going each time. This place never got old or boring, and I realized that it wasn’t only the scenic beauty I was drawn to, but also the way it made me feel. I was chasing a feeling of which hunger was never satisfied until I was in the middle of it. I starred at the photo and the T. V. in the upper frame and then it hit me. The universe was telling me a secret and I knew that the T. V. stood for “The Vortex”.
