Since I was a child, I have heard the call of the Redwoods…loud and clear within their deafening silence.
Since I have been able to drive, and take vacations from work, I have been visiting Humboldt County to silence my head, strengthen my heart and soothe my soul.
My trips have mostly been about silence and solitude, while losing myself within the velvety moss covered woods sprinkled with ferns and clover, or the grey sand beaches pulsating with power, littered with seashells, live sea life and agates as far as the eye can see.
Agate Beach…Patrick’s Point National Forest
I could easily lose myself within the womb of Nature, and be fine with not speaking to another human being for the whole week I was here, except for my beautiful Aunt who has lived here my whole life and longer. Of course, throughout the years, and through the band…I met DJ’s, shop owners and students in the area, and had a few friends here and there that I would see for a day during my trip, just to have some sort of human interaction…but never did I really get to know the people of the land as a whole.
This trip…I was able to stay longer than I have ever been here, and successfully balanced people time, work time and womb of Nature time…and sometimes…they were alchemically combined to pure gold such as taking walks within Nature getting to know new friends who have lived in the city for decades, doing Reiki Fire Cupping in the beautiful Trinidad Massage and Day spa, which I have been coming to receive healing from for years and getting to know people of the area while writing my new Reiki 3 class, my Her Story speech, and yes…even my book. I even had days where I just picked a direction to drive, and drove until something caught my eye from the freeway that I wanted to explore. I have found my best hideaways that way.
The 101 in this area is a Mecca of adventure with tiny towns up and down it, Marshes, Rivers, Beaches, Forests and Ancient Indian grounds all along the way.
I met a man named Aquamarine my first full day here. I was posting up flyers in the surrounding cities, and I was at Arcata Square posting my flyer at Moonrise Herbs…the local healing/New Age/Witchy shop.
He read my post, and we got to talking. The Full Moon was going to happen in a few days, and we were talking about how there wasn’t really anything going on locally for it. We chatted for a while, and upon parting…he gave me a full heart to heart hug…and we parted ways…only to bump into each other in another shop in the Square right after.
A week later…I was writing in a coffee shop in Arcata, and I bumped into Aquamarine…and again we hugged, and downloaded to each other everything energetically that has been happening since the Full Moon. I told him that I had come upon an amazing tribe of women in the Trinidad area, and attended a sweat lodge with them for the Full Moon…his eyes got huge, and said, “I’ve heard of them…wow…Trinidad must really love you for you to happen upon that magic”…
Yes…Trinidad loves me…and I love it. I love all of Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte County…but a true diamond hidden within all of these lush areas, for me…is Trinidad.
Trinidad, CA Population 350ish
With all of the years I have been visiting and staying here…I still learn new things about it every time. Either on my own exploring…or with the help of an awesome local who opens a secret hidden door for me, and I fall down the rabbit hole of discovery.
Sea Caves, Ocean Shamans, Karaoke hot spots, Silent Discos, Indian Burial Grounds, Sneaker Waves…all of these things I have discovered this trip, and have added into the “most favorite places ever” in my treasure chest.
My new Tree I promised to go visit every time I was up here.
Also this trip…I have really gotten to know the people…the salt of the earth of Trinidad…the elders…as well as some of the new energy springing forth new business, new ideas and new energy into this Ancient town.
This trip was truly the gateway trip to me being able to pursue my passion of starting The Healing Woods North for real. I tried to do it in the Bay Area last year…and thought that I was supposed to be there…partly because I had more friends in that area, and started dating a guy up there that I stayed with when I went up there monthly…but it never felt right. Doors appeared open to The Bay…but when really pursued…the doors proved to be but mirages
Trinidad Massage and Day Spa
The time I spent working in Trinidad either in my house I rented, the beautiful Trinidad Day Spa or going to a businesses to do blessings really showed me what doors flying open really looks like.
Everyone I worked on, I totally connected to, and they either offered me a place to stay for free for my next visit, rebooked me for another session or took my info and wanted to spread my name far and wide.
I met so many amazing people this trip through my healing work, through the Sweat Lodge which was pretty game changing for me in a beautiful way and through just saying “yes” to meeting people I ran into in town who ended up giving me a message I needed to hear…
I was offering a Reiki session as a thank you to the beautiful Crone woman who owns the property that the sweat lodge built by Native Americans is on, and after our session…we were talking about Trinidad’s history, her beginnings with it 40 years ago, and she was asking me when I would be here again because it felt like I belonged there.
I immediately started crying…and had a heart to heart with her about my intense longing to be up here more, and all of the messages I have received this trip from rivers, trees, ravens, oceans, marshlands, dragonflies sea caves and hummingbirds.
She remarked that someone so connected to the earth as I, has work yet to do in the South, and that I was a brave light worker who has been called to be so connected to the healing land here…to bring it back with me to try to spread its message to people who desire to connect to the earth down South…but may not know how.
To hear her say that was like hearing my reflection in the mirror speak from the future…to let me know that yes…I am on the right path…it may not be now…I may not know how…and I may not know anything other than THAT I will be here more than I have in the past. I realize now that I don’t need to know anymore today. The big lesson here is not knowing HOW…but just knowing THAT it will unfold just as it should.
I still have roots in Southern California…and those roots are not easily extracted…nor do they have to be. It doesn’t have to be so black or white…live North or live South…it is live North AND live South. The Universe is showing me that I can do both…and the offers given to me without me asking are a huge thumbs up for me that I am on the right path…even though this is a path that may not be for everyone…it is definitely the path for me. That is truly all that matters in life…finding the right path for you.
So I leave Trinidad tomorrow morning to start my next adventure in The Bay Area…usually I would head South on the 101 from Trinidad ripped apart inside and literally wailing as I drove…knowing that I had to return to a boring grey desk in a stressful office within a soulless corporation, and wait another year or longer to recharge my soul in Humboldt.
Tomorrow…I will leave Trinidad after many hugs and “see you laters” (not goodbyes) from people knowing full well that I will be back in a mere 5 months to read tarot at an art walk, read tarot at a Glass Blowing event, do healing sessions within an amazing spa and to recharge my soul within the oceans, forests, marshes and silence.
Moss covered bridge just South of Oregon
This trip has been the bridge that I needed to answer once and for all if I was meant to be out here for more than just hiding within Nature to lick my City Wounds.
The bridge has spoken…and it is wide open with so many beautiful souls who have opened their hearts, homes, businesses and washing machines to me.
Almost a decade ago, I wrote within the sand of Trinidad, “Use me as your tool” for Mother Ocean to take away, and that was a signed contract which the Universe only knew when the start date would be.
Years later…now that I am set on this path of doing healing work full time…it is now time to speak to the humans of the land, and not just the starfish, sea otters and seals.
I have spoken to the people…they have responded…and my soul is singing the praises of taking a leap, trying my best when it comes to my passions and releasing the “how and when” to the flow of the Universe, the Land and the people of the land.
Beautiful Mirror within the healing room of Trinidad Massage and Day Spa
My heart is so happy right now.
My mind is so clear.
My soul is at peace within it all.