Metaphysical Beliefs » Travel

Mt. Shasta – From Golf to Skiing to Spirituality – Part 1

admin — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:44:32 +0000

One visit to the Mt. Shasta area in California will convince you that it is truly a vacation destination that will appeal to almost anyone, from golfers to skiers, and yes, to those seeking a more spiritual path.

Mt. Shasta is home to, well… Mt. Shasta, a 14,179-foot volcano, the second-highest peak in the Cascade Range. Yeah, it’s big. And beautiful. And, some claim, home to a vortex which attracts “New Age” types. A drive down Mt. Shasta Blvd. in Mt. Shasta City reveals a vast array of spiritual shops and assorted healers. You can buy singing bowls and tuning forks, divination tools, yoga supplies, vibrational sprays and magical jewelry. You find can all types of spiritual healers, such as those offering psychic hypnotherapy, reflexology, Reiki and energy work, vibrational healing and massage. If you’re into mineral baths, you can drive a few minutes north of Mt. Shasta City to Weed, where you’ll find therapeutic mineral baths at Stewart Mineral Springs (530-938-2222).

Those of you wishing to take vortex tours are definitely in luck, as there are numerous guided tours to choose from, including Shasta Vortex Adventures, which offers Mt. Shasta Guided Tours all year round. You can choose from guided hikes, healing earth journeys, bus tours and winter outings, such as snowshoe, cross country or telemark ski outings. Call them at 530-926-4326 for more information.

For those seeking outdoor activities and adventure, Mt. Shasta does not disappoint, no matter what season in which you’re visiting. During the warmer months you can hike or visit the many lakes which dot the area, including, of course, Lake Shasta, 10 miles north of Redding, the second largest lake in California, after Lake Tahoe. Shasta Lake is a very popular destination for boating, water-skiing, camping, and fishing. They also claim to be the houseboating and wakeboarding Capital of the World. Lake Shasta is also home to the Lake Shasta Caverns, which is open all year round. In order to view the underground caverns, visitors are taken on a 15-minute catamaran cruise across Lake Shasta, where they then board a bus which carries them up a mountainside, more than 800 feet above the lake, where the caves are accessible. All this for only $20; $12 for those 3 to 15. Call 1-800-795-CAVE for more information.

If the size of Lake Shasta is too overwhelming for you, as it was for me during one visit, you might want to visit a smaller lake near Mt. Shasta City, Lake Siskiyou, a 430 acre recreational and sailing lake, which offers some of the best bass and trout fishing in Northern California. You can purchase a cheap day pass and swim, picnic or rent pedal boats, or you can rent RV or camping space, or a cabin at Lake Siskiyou Resort and Camp (1-888-926-2618). The resort is open April 1st – October 31st and is very family friendly, with a great swimming area, sandy beach, and nightly movies in an outdoor amphitheater. The lake is actually closer to Mt. Shasta than Lake Shasta, and you can swim with the beautiful snow-covered mountain looming in the backdrop.

Close to Lake Siskiyou you’ll find Mount Shasta Resort, home to a championship golf course, as well as luxurious cabins and a day spa.

Skiers will delight in skiing Mt. Shasta at the Mt. Shasta Ski Park, where you’ll find 31 trails on 425 acres of skiable terrain. Night skiing is also provided on 14 trails and 3 lifts. The terrain level of difficulty is 20% beginner, 55% intermediate, and 25% advanced. There is also a cross country ski and snowshoe center for those wishing something other than downhill skiing. And for beginners, the ski park offers ski, snowboarding and telemark lessons.

Whether you’re looking for a place to get pampered, a place to enjoy the outdoors, or a place to explore the metaphysical, Mt. Shasta does truly have it all.

Travel experiences: Traveling to discover yourself

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:46:39 +0000

My church friend jokes with me, saying that I have bicoastal disorder, when I tell her about my most recent solo drive across the country. Sometimes I wonder if I’ve lost my sanity. I’m older, for sure, with lots of aches and pains but I’m not sure if I’m wiser.

My traveling fever all started when I signed up for a psychic reading when I was browsing through a metaphysical bookstore one sunny, autumn afternoon in my hometown, where I had lived for the last thirty two years.

I held my breath with anticipation as I waited for my reading, wondering if I should trust a psychic. I’d always been curious about how they developed their clairvoyant powers but I felt skeptical about their ability to really help people. Weren’t they just intoxicated by their name and fame and the money that clients gave them?

A slender, elegant woman with big, dark eyes and long, shiny hair came walking into the room and sat down at the table across from me. I gripped the chair arms as I sat down across from her and watched her withdraw into a deep, silent meditation for a few minutes.

She came out of her meditation and looked into my eyes directly as she held my hands lightly.

“This is not the place for you”, she said with strong conviction.

My jaw dropped open with disbelief and my heart pounded with anxiety. I was comfortable in my hometown which I had lived in since I was eleven. I needed my parents who lived near by to give me cash now and then, as I couldn’t survive on my government disability check.

Yet, I had to admit that I did not feel at home. While my parents helped me with money, they were not good for my mental and emotional health. Sorrowful scenes of them berating me played through my mind often, sending me into a deep pit of depression.

“You can’t keep coming back here blaming all your failures on us and asking for more and more. We’re not running a store here”, my mother yelled one sad day.

I had asked her for some food because I only had two small cans of soup to get me through three weeks. I stood there in silence, too hurt to speak until I mustered the courage to say what my friend had suggested when I told her how cruel my mother was.

“I don’t deserve to be treated like this”, I replied, breathing deeply and standing up straight in an attempt to restore my shattered pride.

“You do deserve it. You do deserve it. I was having a perfectly nice afternoon until you came in and ruined it. Get

Great bed

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:28:01 +0000

There are over 500 bed and breakfasts in the three states that make up the west coast. Starting with my home state California and my personal favorite bed and breakfast.

MOUNT SHASTA, CALIFORNIA

Mount Shasta Ranch Bed and Breakfast

This two-story ranch has a beautiful view of Mount Shasta, which is well known for its history of metaphysical and healing properties. Springs that run through the mountains are said to bring healing to those who drink from it. While others say if you see, a white wolf a miracle will take place in your life when you need it the most. Over the years, reports of angels and fairies have been reported. While I have not had the honor of any of these experiences, those who have share their magical encounters with great enthusiasm.

In the main house, you have three rooms to choose from all with queen size beds, private baths, separate sitting area and a TV. Outside there are three cottages all with a separate bedroom, living room, bathroom, full kitchen, fireplace and charming little porch to sit on.

Unbelievable the rates start at $45 a night for a room in the main house and the cottages are only $150 a night both include a full fresh made to order breakfast.

At the ranch, you can sit in the large living room by a roaring fire and read a good book, play ping-pong, pool or a board game. Children are more than welcome this B&B takes great pride in being a family place.

Outside activities include climbing Mount Shasta taking a good portion of the day with its highest peek at 14,400 feet. Of course, if you’re searching for the healing springs or a magical encounter you may want to spread your exploring out over a few days. In town, you will find many shops, restaurants, golf and swimming. If you’re looking for more of an adventure, you can try your hand at panning for gold.

Heading north to the beautiful state of Oregon, we have another 100 bed and breakfasts to choose from.

NEWPORT, OREGON

Ocean House Bed and Breakfast

If you love the ocean this is the bed and breakfast for you sitting right on, the beach this charming two-story bed and breakfast offers an ocean view from every room. You have themed rooms to choose from all have a private bath with a hot tub for two, queen size bed, love seat, gas fireplace and a TV.

A full buffet breakfast is offered every morning, coffee, tea is available all day, and an evening snack is provided. Prices range from $149 to $250 depending on the time of year and days of the week.

A few steps from the front door is the Pacific Ocean with a sandy white beach for all your sunning needs. If you’re more adventurous, you can go scuba diva, jet skiing and surfing.

In town you can shop, visit landmarks, museums and of course sample the local menus. Large varieties of seafood restaurants are available.

Moving even further north, we have the wonderful state of Washington with a few hundred bed and breakfasts of there own.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Green Gables Guest House

Located just 10 minutes from downtown Seattle and within walking distance to shops, dining, museums and the performing arts center. This quaint little bed and breakfast has eight rooms all with a queen size bed, private bath, min-bar, and TV. Rates start at $80 and go to $160 depending on the days the week you visit. The price includes a full made to order breakfast. This is a non-smoking bed and breakfast.

For a complete list of bed and breakfasts in the states of California, Oregon and Washington visit the website www.travelassist.com.

Arizona

admin — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:23:55 +0000

Sedona is located in Northern Arizona in Red Rock Country.

Red Rock country is located approximately 90 miles north of Phoenix and 40 miles south of Flagstaff, in Northern Arizona, an area of maybe 10 miles square, very beautiful and as you might guess the rocks and ground are red.

The red color is because there is a high content of iron in the soil and as it is exposed to the air, it oxidizes, thus in reality they are actually “rusty rocks”!

Once you are out of this area, the terrain varies considerably. The terrain becomes more of what you would expect in a desert setting, with mesquite, cactus and all the other vegetation associated with the desert.

Being located in the high desert, the terrain is not unlike southern Indiana, hilly, with trees such as oak, maple, sycamore and others lining Oak Creek.

Sedona is a city of about 11,000 people, it is very small townish,with no industry, most of the people living there are involved in tourism,the arts, or esoteric studies.

Almost all of the artists living there are very high caliber and much art work can be purchased there, much of which is western art ,as well as things of a metaphysical nature.

The area draws many people because of it’s beauty and the mystical qualities of the vortexes.

There are four major energy vortexes in the area. Bell Rock, Airport Mesa, Boynton Canyon, and Cathedral Rock. A vortex is a power spot where large amounts of energy is emitted from the earth, there are many vortexes on the earth, but Indian legend states that there are only four major areas, two positive, Sedona and Kauai, Hawaii, and two negative , the Bermuda Triangle and Sussex County in England. They are not positive and negative as in good and bad, but as in a battery, as there is no good or bad, that is only in the human mind.

The beauty of the area has not been wasted as Sedona has been seen in many old western movies of the 40s and 50s, the area is still used to film videos, commercials, and ads for magazines.

Many of the indian legends say that they came from a land to the west and when that land sank they escaped east to the red rock country.

Some of the legends describe the land sinking and people getting into boats and sailing east to escape, either that or they envision people after arriving in the new land, standing on cliffs and watching the land to the west sink.

Legends state that Lemuria sank four different times, the third of which was 80,000 years ago and the final cataclysm took place 12,000 years ago, which roughly corresponds with many Indian legends from all over the world as the time of a great flood and mass migration of many peoples, our own bible also speaks of a great flood. It also corresponds within the same time frame as the sinking of Atlantis.

All in all it is a very interesting and beautiful place to visit , being within driving distance of the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest, there is plenty to keep someone busy for several days.

Great ideas for weekend vacations

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:42:40 +0000

“Sedona Arizona”

Sedona is a great place to visit and spend time wandering around. Its beautiful landscape and expensive homes can be seen by those that drive through the area. I have made several trips to this place of wonder as I research plants that grow near and around this jewel that lays nestled within the mountains and in the red sandstone area.

Sedona is also one of the great Metaphysical hot spots of Arizona. Its energy vortexes have been talked about for many years and its history goes way back to early Native American. The Yavapai-Apache are believed to be the earliest settlers of this area. Many a story has been told by the ancestors of the earliest settlers surrounding the great flood that covered Mother Earth.

The Yavapai Native American people have told the story of the Lady of the Pearl and it is said that they are the descendants of her daughter.

I have found through my researching of the Sedona area that the earliest accounts by the Yavapai concerning their take on the Creation story to be very accurate. They tell of how the Lady of the Pearl was sealed in a great log with a woodpecker along with a great white stone that is believed to have been a pearl. The Lady of the Pearl was sent from another of Arizona’s great land marks, Montezuma’s Well, at the very beginning of the great flood. She remained sealed in the log for forty days and forty nights. The waters from the rains covered all the land masses and when the water receded, the log came to rest in Sedona. The woodpecker freed the lady from the log and she took with her the Great stone of protection. The woodpecker guided her to the highest peak of Mingus Mountain. She met the sun; they fell in love. She returned to Sedona and bathed in the enchanted waters of Boynton Canyon. Shortly afterwards she gave birth to a daughter, that the Yavapai referred to as the First Lady and mother to its entire people.

Another great point of interest is the many Metaphysical stores that are in the town of Sedona. They carry books, and many different types of semi precious gem stones and it’s also the home of many that walk the path of healing. Yes, Sedona is a very enchanted place and it has much to offer anyone that takes the time to visit her.

Sedona is also the home of a well known author, Angel Lightfeather. She is a Spiritual Counselor to many. Her husband is also an Elvis impersonator singer, actor and entertainer. They have one of the many metaphysical, Spiritual shops that are present and thriving well. The thing that caught my attention first and foremost concerning their shop, is the hand painted mural on the stone wall that faces the road. It’s a must-stop-by-and-see, if you’re traveling through Sedona. You can’t miss it. Its one of the very first things that catches the eye of the passer-by.

To take a picture does not do it justice, and one would be totally in awe of it, if they were to stop by and view it, for it has taken on a living energy of its own.

There is much to write about and showcase in Sedona. It’s fast becoming the vacation hot spot, nestled in the red rock and mountains, with an elevation of 4,326 ft. above sea level. So what you waiting for? Come visit “Beautiful Sedona, Arizona”.

The benefits of travel in your life experiences

admin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:27:26 +0000

Travel is one of those things that everyone says they want to do, though it frequently plays second fiddle to more nugatory preoccupations-like work, or social groups. It’s kind of like being more eco-friendly, really: few people would dismiss the idea with any haste at all, yet equally few manage to put one foot in front of the other.

Traveling is the sum-total of putting one’s foot in front of the other tens of thousands of times. But locomotion itself gets you nowhere-well, yes, it does in fact take you places, but it doesn’t guarantee any return on investment. The kinetic necessarily yields, on occasion, to the aesthetic and the cerebral. In tandem, distance and dialog can make for some serious soulside development.

I always laugh at myself because I feel like to keep myself sane, I have to find myself in situations that the ordinary play-the-life-game drone would find utterly crazy. And there seems to be an inverse relationship between how near I am to daily life and how far I can look within myself; to make any inward progress at all, I must blast outward as much as I can. In this way, travel is rife with irony.

I did my undergraduate study abroad in Japan. I complained quite a lot because I was so broke that I was often subsisting of steamed rice and sencha, and I was jealous of the other students who received some heinously nice stipends only because they had enrolled from a sister university. Now, however, I would give anything to relive it. I powered up my handle on language, life, love and loss in a way I can’t imagine possible otherwise.

I recently sold some of the prime items of my classic video game collection (precisely two items – anyone know what a PC-Engine LT is?) to spend only three days in Reykjavk, Iceland. What that city did to me I’m not yet so sure I can flesh out with any confidence. I do know it was so profound that I am leaving both a full-time and a part-time job to live in Reykjavk for one month, this July. The pecuniary toll it will take is frightening. The exposure to art, music, literature, language, and Brennivn, though, will not only satiate my philomath’s urges but will prove directly applicable to my professional life.

Travel fashions an underexposed being into a learned citizen. Nothing, I think, would foster more peace than a proliferation of trilingualism. Nothing, I think, can turn an ignorant homebody into a cosmopolitan citizen like being lost and starving and exhausted-and elated!-in a strange land on a common planet. Perhaps a few stiff drinks don’t hurt, either. (Be careful with Chartreuse!)

Many an ailment have been cured by travel. I will never groan at airport lines-or perhaps any line-ever again. I will never become frustrated with a person who’s desperately trying to speak English to me-or any other language, for that matter. I will never fearfully ask a waitress what is or isn’t in a certain dish-instead, I will order the first thing on the menu that I don’t recognize. I will never promote war after having met people who forgive me unconditionally for coming from one of the world’s most violent and problematic countries. I will never walk unprepared into daily life.

With the world behind you, it is hard to lack confidence. Whether tangible (items on a resume) or metaphysical (soul-searching under the aegis of nocturne), my travels will never be idle memories. They form the grand context of things in which I continue place one foot in front of the other, with temerity and a flippant smirk.

Sedona is a Beautiful Vacation

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:38:20 +0000

Sedona, Arizona is one of the most beautiful vacation locations in the USA.

It has been revered as a magnificent spiritual haven since prehistoric times. Native Americans have been coming to Sedona for their religious ceremonies, their spiritual awakenings, their rites of passage and their weddings for hundreds of years. The first time you visit this marvellous valley with its awe inspiring beauty, you will understand why it has been venerated for so long.

Red sandstone cliffs rise a thousand feet above the valley floor. Buttes, mesas and pinnacles of rock rise throughout the valley. Everywhere the rocks have been eroded into fantastic shapes resembling giant fortresses, towers, pinnacles and other exotic visages.

The village of Sedona is located in the midst of this scenic splendour surrounded by cascading mountain streams, lush green meadows, and forested hillocks all dominated by the imposing red rock formations.

The Grand Canyon, just a 90 minute drive to the north, is similar to Sedona but on a much larger scale. Other geological attractions like Yosemite Valley are equally magnificent.

The climate is semi arid, so it gets little rain or snow, but it has a plentiful supply of water from the nearby mountains. Summers are a bit milder and winters a bit colder than the low altitude deserts near Phoenix.

Sedona reputedly is the location of several universal vortexes that provide spiritual healing and metaphysical enlightenment. New age advocates come to this beautiful valley seeking spiritual and physical rejuvenation. You can easily visit some of these vortexes and sit on the rocks absorbing the metaphysical energy sources. I personally think a bottle of good wine helps. Shops and boutiques in the village sell power crystals, Indian amulets, copper bracelets and other spiritual appliances. Many of the resorts and spas offer yoga classes and various esoteric spiritual regimens in addition to the usual massages, facials and traditional cures.

A wide selection of accommodations is available in the village of Sedona with some exclusive resorts located in nearby canyons and some tourist cabins and camping along Oak Creek Canyon. There are plenty of restaurants, groceries, gas stations, boutiques and souvenir shops in Sedona. It has a small airfield located atop a mesa overlooking the town. The airport offers some airplane and helicopter tours of the area and a limited number of charter flights to nearby locations.

You can take airplane rides, helicopter tours, balloon adventures, jeep tours, hummer tours or horseback rides in Sedona. There are numerous tourist adventures available from the many tour operators in Sedona. If you are less inclined to adventurous activities, the many resorts and spas will provide you with plenty of pampered luxury. Some of them have golf courses, swimming pools and tennis courts within the very shadows of the spectacular red rock cliffs.

Shopping and dining are also favoured activities in Sedona. It provides plenty of choices in both. Designer shops, boutiques and quality restaurants abound in this little village. Some of them can be rather expensive, but there are plenty of moderately priced alternatives as well.

Destination: Cassadaga, Florida

admin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:36:37 +0000

Everyone knows Florida is a great place to vacation for its theme parks and beautiful beaches, but for those looking for a more unique vacation experience, Florida is also home to the mystical town of Cassadaga. Cassadaga is tucked about twenty miles outside Daytona Beach. The drive doesn’t take visitors too far from the highway but certainly has an “off the beaten path” feel to it. The town of 800 is void of traffic lights and one main road hosts virtually every business establishment in the town. So why swing by Cassadaga? Its distinctive reputation for all things metaphysical will have you talking about this part of your vacation for years.

Visitors can get a psychic reading from one of several clairvoyants who have set up shop in this quiet ghost-town. For a taste of Native American spirituality, The Purple Rose offers dream-catchers and moccasins, as well as tarot cards, pendulums, and witch balls. Here visitors may also have a psychic reading and a picture taken showing the colors of their aura.

Across the street from The Purple Rose is a New Age bookstore. Browse through books by Sylvia Browne and other notorious psychics. Here you may also pick up souvenirs like protective gems, incense, or candles. The staff is tremendously friendly and helpful in whatever you are looking for.

Walk next door to grab a bite to eat at the hotel restaurant. Sleeping here is not for the faint-hearted though, as they claim to be home to several spirits. Skeptics can find pictures of these spirits in the gift shop. For some relaxation stay after lunch for a massage or a psychic reading if you’ve made it this far without getting one!

The Colby Temple down the road is not your traditional place of worship. Attendees participate in spiritual healing ceremonies, seances, and on occasion orb photography tours (bring a camera to capture pictures of spirits around town). Teachers at the temple offer classes on subjects such as Natural Law, becoming a Spiritual Healer, and Medium Skills. For a little extra creepiness, visit the cemetery by the temple and sit on the Devil’s Chair- Satan himself may stop by to chat with anyone brave enough to rest on his seat!

However one feels about the metaphysical world, Cassadaga is an entertaining place to visit. If nothing else, your time in the town will certainly provide a compelling story to friends at home.