Christina Solstad - Spirit of Chaco Blog

Chaco's Amazing Night Sky

One of the things I love about Chaco is the incredibly dark night sky, the kind that absolutely takes your breath away. I was willing to bundle up and brave temperatures in the low 20's on a night in early December, just to look through telescopes at a sky that magically cleared after days of stormy weather. Our handful of hearty souls was gifted with views of Jupiter and its moons, the Andromeda Galaxy, several nebulae (often looking like beautiful and whimsical creatures), Comet Holmes, and, of course, a brilliant Milky Way.

The Chaco Observatory is pictured to the right (photo from the NPS Chaco Night Sky Program website - do check it out).

I love the story my friend, Park Ranger G.B. Cornucopia, tells of one visitor's amazement at the Chaco night sky:

Chaco Walls

Chaco Walls

These walls speak to me,
Not in voices
But in feelings,
Not to my ears
But to my heart.
I am listening.

~Christina Solstad

The photo is of one of the great houses at Chaco Canyon, Pueblo Del Arroyo (© 2004 Christina Solstad).

Chaco Resources: Friends of Chaco, Chaco Alliance

More Chaco resources: Both Friends of Chaco and Chaco Alliance are organizations dedicated to preserving and supporting Chaco Canyon.

Friends of Chaco. A 501(c)(3) corporation to help and support Chaco. Anyone can become a member. Federal budgets are slim these days, and membership helps to support programs and volunteers that are essential to the park's wellbeing.

Check out the photos of Chaco in the snow and the flowing wash and flowers from the rains!

Chaco Alliance. "The Chaco Alliance is a grass roots citizens' group dedicated to preserving and protecting Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Although our primary focus at this time is to stop the paving of the road into Chaco, we are interested in all threats posed to the canyon, including those posed by energy exploration in the area."

More about the efforts to pave the road in future posts. See the photo to get an idea of what both roads look like. In short, the wonderful character and accessibility of Chaco sites would change drastically if the 20-mile dirt road coming in from the north is paved.

And that would make many of us very sad.

So I encourage you to get involved in preserving Chaco, if you feel moved to do so.

Connecting to Your Truest Self

Recently I attended an amazing 3-day retreat, lead by Greg Clowminzer of Zen Coach, where I got to connect with my truest and most real self - that part of me beyond all the ideas I have (and others have) about myself (both true and not true).

I was able to experience and remember the part of me that is pure unconditional Love, and the deep well of Calm I always have within me. From here, life simply works better.

The personal growth work I have done over the years certainly helped set the stage, and allowed me to reach an even deeper sense of self during the weekend, so I can now more fully bring who I am to my daily life. And Greg and his staff create a warm and sacred and safe environment for this unfolding to occur.

So what are some tangible ways that this learning has affected my daily life so far?

Chaco Resources: Chaco NHP website

I will be providing useful resources related to Chaco in periodic posts, all filed under the category "Useful Resources."

I highly recommend you begin here, at the national park service's Chaco website (Chaco Culture National Historical Park), which is full of great information. Browse around, spend a little time. Be sure to check out the photo gallery. This will show you some of the beauty and character that draws so many of us back.

In brief, "Chaco Canyon was a major center of Puebloan culture between AD 850 and 1250. The Chacoan sites are part of the homeland of Pueblo Indian peoples of New Mexico, the Hopi Indians of Arizona, and the Navajo Indians of the Southwest."

Chaco is located in the northwest corner of New Mexico, about 150 miles northwest of Albuquerque, in the high desert at an elevation of 6200 feet. Access from either the north or south is via ~20-mile dirt roads, and visitors stay in Gallo Campground (tent or RV), which (thankfully) has flush toilets. The tent sites are in a beautiful rincon (click on the photo of my campsite to the left, taken in October 2007).
   
Those who come really want to be there. Believe me, it is worth it.

Chaco Feels Like Home

The muse often finds me at Chaco. I wrote this in May 2003, on one of my many visits. I always feel like I am coming home when I enter the canyon.

Earth Mother

Oh, Earth Mother
How I love you
You are the source
Of my strength
My balance
You cleanse my soul
And fill it up again
With love
And knowing
You are tough
And you are kind
My feet on your soil
Feel warm
Grounded
Home.

~Christina Solstad 

The photo is of Fajada Butte and Chacra Mesa, in October 2007 (© 2007 Christina Solstad). Fajada is visible as you enter Chaco, from either the north or south road, always a welcoming sight.

Connecting With Your Creative Self

Nature (and that includes Chaco) allows me to connect with that deepest part of myself beyond words.

Sometimes it comes pouring out of me and I must grab it before it is gone. Sometimes I struggle to find it and must work to entice it, then ride the wave for as long as I can.

I have learned that I must create a space where my creative self feels welcomed and nurtured.

Life, the mundane, and the (sometimes) necessary bits of getting along in this world – creating income to pay bills, email, commuting, groceries – tend to eat up my time, leaving precious little for what I most want to do, which is to create – in all the wondrous ways that I can.

Or is that simply an excuse, and a delay tactic, because I am afraid – what if I’m no good, have nothing to say that others want to hear, there is no room for my creations in an already crowded world?

Yet, more and more as I get older, I find that another fear drives me harder - what if I die without expressing, without sharing, all that is within me, feeling at times that it will all burst out, like those lovely dandelion seeds when you blow on them.

My job is to release them. My job is to become myself.

What do you have within you wanting to be released? And how do you connect with that part of yourself? I'd love to hear...

Chaco Friends and Volunteers

I never know where I might run into Chaco friends these days – the world has become so small.  I was at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and visited their fabulous visitor center. (You really should check it out if you are out there, as it is a wealth of information.) As I explored the life-size exhibits depicting the desert flora and fauna, I saw familiar faces out of the corner of my eye, and thought nothing of it – at first.

My mind whirled to place them – Chaco! What are they doing here? Chaco ... October ... Doug and Willie, campground hosts, amateur astronomers, and Chaco friends ... in San Diego? We hugged and laughed at the wonder of finding each other here. They were enjoying traveling in their fifth-wheel, seeing the country and scattered friends, and southern California was their latest stop. 

And here we were, reunited, in a Chaco-like desert landscape. We had such fun at Chaco. They were volunteering there for 3 months, while I was making one of my much-loved visits.

Chaco depends on volunteers to do everything from hosting the campground to running the Chaco observatory and night sky program, to doing special research or construction projects. With the limited budget of the NPS these days, volunteers keep things running – the NPS benefits, and the volunteers get to spend time in, and contribute to, a place they love.

So volunteers like Willie and Doug are important to Chaco. Some other amazing volunteers I’ve had the pleasure of spending Chaco time with are Ava (campground host, etc.), Kathryn and Dave (astronomers and special project gurus), John (astronomer who donated the observatory and most equipment), and Anson (campground host and head of Chaco Alliance).

Then, of course, there are the staff and rangers (many dear friends!), and other regular visitors. Chaco regulars are part of a wonderful family – one that I am proud and happy to be a part of.

How about you? When will you be there next (or perhaps for the first time)?

Related post: Chaco's Amazing Night Sky

Remembering to Connect

I’ve been working up a storm lately. But sleep has been suffering. Meditation – what meditation? Maybe you can relate?

My big ah-ha came when I took the time, on a glorious warm day in San Diego, to take a sunset walk on the beach – something I used to love to do as often as possible, to clear my head, move my body, and get reinspired. I arrived to see the golden sun dropping into the ocean, and stood with many others, eyes to the sea, fully appreciating the gift, and hoping to see the green flash (too hazy). I breathed in the salt air, felt the cooling air and breeze on my face, felt myself relaxing as I started to walk north along the edge of the water.

Something stirred deep within me. Calm and connection crept in. I stopped and felt the sand in my fingers, then lingered over a pile of stones and small shells washed up on shore, listened to the waves with my eyes closed, and walked again, more slowly now, as the light continued to dim.

I realized how important this was, taking the time, which I didn’t think I had, to come to the beach tonight. My body and mind needed this break, this chance to connect with something deep within. My tagline for Spirit of Chaco is to “deepen your connection with the divine…” and I had not been allowing myself to stop long enough for that much-needed connection. How could I hope to help others do the same?

I silently thanked Spirit for this wakeup call, and for the calm and joy I felt in this gift.  Indeed, this reminder of what I have been missing, and of what I crave in my life, has reinspired me to stay more closely connected to what speaks to my heart.

What are you doing to connect with yourself today?

Spirit of Chaco Is Here

Spirit of Chaco is finally here - both exciting and scary for me... Exciting because I have so much great stuff to share with you, and it's a new beginning, part of creating my dream. Scary because now I'm putting myself out there for all to see, and there is no going back.

Have you ever had something that had you feeling both excited and scared at the same time? Seems like a regular thing these days for me, as I work on creating my dream. Finally, that burning desire within has overcome (well, mostly) those pesky fears. 

OK, so what is this Spirit of Chaco about? It's about deepening your connection to Spirit, to the Divine, to your Inner Self, to that great Universal Source - whatever you call that sense of something that guides you. That voice that's been calling to you, or maybe whispering, or maybe even yelling. Have you been listening?

And the magnificant place I'd love to share with you - and you may already know and love it yourself - is Chaco Canyon in northwest New Mexico. I call this blog Spirit of Chaco because Chaco does, indeed, have a spirit all its own.

It is a place where I, and many others, have had the opportunity to learn and grow and connect with the deepest part of ourselves. It is a place of exquisite, high-desert beauty, where you can spend time alone (and with others of like mind) in nature, where you can hike, photograph, write, and learn about the Chacoans who lived there 1,000 years ago.

Time in nature, and in places such as Chaco, is what keeps me sane in this sometimes crazy world. It's a bit of peace, helping me to listen, and to connect with myself. It's what fuels my muse much of the time.

Here's to deepening our connection to ourselves. Won't you come along and join me?   

Spirit of Chaco is finally here - both exciting and scary for me... Exciting because I have so much great stuff to share with you, and it's a new beginning, part of creating my dream. Scary because now I'm putting myself out there for all to see, and there is no going back.

Have you ever had something that had you feeling both excited and scared at the same time? Seems like a regular thing these days for me, as I work on creating my dream. Finally, that burning desire within has overcome (well, mostly) those pesky fears. 

OK, so what is this Spirit of Chaco about? It's about deepening your connection to Spirit, to the Divine, to your Inner Self, to that great Universal Source - whatever you call that sense of something that guides you. That voice that's been calling to you, or maybe whispering, or maybe even yelling. Have you been listening?

And the magnificant place I'd love to share with you - and you may already know and love it yourself - is Chaco Canyon in northwest New Mexico. I call this blog Spirit of Chaco because Chaco does, indeed, have a spirit all its own.

It is a place where I, and many others, have had the opportunity to learn and grow and connect with the deepest part of ourselves. It is a place of exquisite, high-desert beauty, where you can spend time alone (and with others of like mind) in nature, where you can hike, photograph, write, and learn about the Chacoans who lived there 1,000 years ago.

Time in nature, and in places such as Chaco, is what keeps me sane in this sometimes crazy world. It's a bit of peace, helping me to listen, and to connect with myself. It's what fuels my muse much of the time.

Here's to deepening our connection to ourselves. Won't you come along and join me?