Christina Solstad - Spirit of Chaco Blog

New York Impressions: What's to Love About the Big Apple?

New York is intriguing. As someone who usually prefers the quiet and beauty of a place like Chaco Canyon, I've been pleasantly surprised by what I've found. Here are some of my impressions about downtown New York.

• Everyone seems really nice and willing to help
• Everyone is really busy and in a rush
• I love all the different accents, and talking to people of many different ethnicities
• I love the food - so much variety, and so yummy! Go to Amish Market on Park Place near the World Trade Center site. It is a "magical wonderland"
• The people here have heart and soul
• The buildings are really big and tall - remember to look up!
• I love the character ... everywhere
• The buildings act like a wind tunnel for the cold winter wind
• Pedestrians don't wait for the walk lights to cross the street
• I have walked all over and felt safe
• The city is alive!
• The Brooklyn Bridge is an amazing engineering feat
• Great theater, and so many options!
• An amazing place to people watch - where else can you see a complete outfit of purple leather?
• Lots of great material here for writers and photographers (and I am both)

I can understand why people love New York! I do love to travel and explore new places, so this is a great place to experience. And I love to strike up conversations and connect with those I meet.

How about you? Any New York stories or impressions to share? Do you stay open to new experiences when you travel?

Coincidence (or Not) in New York City

Coincidences seem to occur more and more in my life. Except, to me, they aren't really coincidences. I've learned to sit up and take notice, even if the reason is often not readily apparent.

I am in New York City this week for business. As I headed to catch a train from Newark airport to Manhattan, a fellow traveler behind me remarked that he knew me from somewhere. Turns out, I attended a screening in San Diego 3 or 4 years back of a poignant movie he wrote and directed, “ The Streetsweeper.“ It is the story of a father's love and sacrifice.

James Hill was in New York for another film screening, and was drumming up investors to help get it distributed in time for Father's Day. I suggested he contact Stephen Simon of Spiritual Cinema Circle, as they like independent films with more depth and heart than the average mainstream movie these days.

What are the chances of running into someone in New York that you met briefly (and 3,000 miles away) several years before?

Would you pay attention if that happened to you?

Here are some suggestions when a “coincidence“ seems to occur for you:

• Pay attention
• Assume there is a reason
• Follow up
• Keep track, so you can see where it may lead

Who knows? You might make connections that are just what you or the other person needs. Besides, it could be fun!

Spread Some Kindness: Loving Kindness Meditation

Pamela Slim, of Escape from Cubicle Nation, writes in her post, "When life gets you down, try a little loving kindness," of a wonderfully simple Buddhist meditation that we can use when we or those around us need some loving kindness. I really like this.

I came across the Loving Kindness Meditation which comes from the Buddhist tradition. Like so many nuggets from faiths around the world, it is not necessary to practice the religion to get a great deal of benefit from it. The meditation is simple:

Loving Kindness Meditation

May you be happy

May you be well

May you be free from suffering

May you be safe

Pamela Slim goes on to list 10 practical ways you can demonstrate loving kindness - a good read.

I've had my own practice of sending kindness and love to others, and it really makes a difference - for me, and perhaps for them. How can it not?

Chaco Astronomy: Anna Sofaer Presentation in Los Alamos, New Mexico

Anna Sofaer, known for discovering the Sun Dagger site on Fajada Butte at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, is giving a presentation on Chaco Astronomy: An Ancient American Cosmology, also the title of her new book.

Thursday, February 21, 2008 - 7:00 pm (free)
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Bradbury Science Museum
Central and 15th Street

She plans to sign copies of her book at the Otowi Station Bookstore next door to the Bradbury Science Museum prior to her talk, from 5 to 7 pm.

Visit Anna Sofaer's website, The Solstice Project, for more information about the event, and about the Sun Dagger on Fajada Butte.

Total Lunar Eclipse February 20/21, 2008

There is a total lunar eclipse tonight, February 20/21, visible in most of North America, weather permitting. It should also be visible from South America, Western Europe, Africa, and western Asia.

During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon's disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red to dark brown and (rarely) very dark gray.

See the NASA total eclipse webpage for more info.

Here are some of the North American times: 

                            PST          MST            EST
begin partial     5:43pm      6:43pm      8:43pm
begin totality    7:01pm      8:01pm     10:01pm
end totality       7:51pm      8:51pm     10:51pm
end partial        9:09pm     10:09pm    12:51pm

Hopefully you will get to see at least part of the eclipse.

Imagine what it must have been like to see a lunar eclipse if you were living at Chaco Canyon 1,000 years ago. What would you have been thinking?

Protecting Chaco Canyon: A Reader Writes ...

A Chaco Canyon visitor recently sent me this email. I am delighted that he shares my concern about protecting Chaco.

Although I live in Tennessee our family is a somewhat frequent visitor to Chaco (3 times in the last 3 years). We really enjoy camping and hiking there and the fact that it's not like the Disneyland atmosphere of Mesa Verde.

I am very concerned about increased access and have written a couple of emails supporting the non-paving of the road. I have limited information on the regular goings on in San Juan County politics and happened to stumble across your blog when looking for something else.

If you would like to keep my email address handy for whenever emails need to be sent to the local authorities, I would be happy to do so.

Thanks for your efforts in all this.

Thanks to all of you who also love Chaco and are willing to take action to help protect this amazing World Heritage Site.

I will continue to keep you updated on any new developments. The Chaco Alliance website is a good place to check back regularly.

See related post: Don't Pave the Chaco Road: What You Can Do To Help

Chaco Magic: Joy on a Stormy Day

Thoughts on the Chaco magic in early December ...

Entering the loop road at Chaco, on Thursday morning, I felt so amazingly happy, and just cried with joy to be there! Just me and the park and a few other visitors.

Then on a stormy Saturday the sun came out (briefly) with a lovely light on everything (top photo is Hungo Pavi, bottom is view from Hungo Pavi), followed by the pouring rain at Pueblo Del Arroyo, and a short time later the snow (yes, snow!) blowing sideways at Casa Rinconada.

I was like a little kid, just twirling around with a big smile on my face, my arms outstretched to catch the snowflakes, and my heart full of joy....

Life is good!

What are your special moments at Chaco?

Chaco Canyon: Reasons Not To Pave the Road

Here are more reasons not to pave the road into Chaco Canyon, in this short film by John Sefick.

"One of the special graces of Chaco is that it offers visitors a certain level of freedom and certain relationship with this incredible environment, both the natural and cultural features we find here."

I completely agree. The unpaved road is one of Chaco Canyon's many charms, and adds to the adventure.

Valentine's Day: Expressing Your Appreciation To Those You Love

With Valentine's Day a couple of days away, here's a simple idea you might like.

It seems I've had far too many reminders the past few years of how precious life is, and how important it is to let those I love know how I feel. This is not something that can wait, for none of us knows how long we have to enjoy life.

At Christmas, I wanted to express to my family what I appreciate about them. So I wrote each of them a letter, including what I love about them, why they are important to me, and what I appreciate about who they are and what they do.

I always tell them I love them, but I don't always say what it is about who they are that I love. And it was easy to find lots to say, completely from my heart. I said what was true for me, and I felt so happy to have done so. Now I know that those thoughts and words are not left unexpressed. How would they know unless I told them?

So what better thing to do for those you love for Valentine's Day? When was the last time someone did that for you? And it can be as long or short as you like. Even a short note can mean the world to someone.

Some ideas to get you started:

1. Be sure it is from your heart.
2. What do you love about them?
3. Why are they important to you?
4. What is it about who they are that you love and appreciate?
5. What do they do that you appreciate?

You may find it makes you just as happy as it makes them!

When the Words Must Be Written: Heartbeat of Africa

Creative insights can be fleeting. Pay attention. Words can sometimes call clearly to be written in the dark of the night, but may have disappeared by the morning.

I wrote one of my favorite poems because the words insisted, and I listened, and acted. It was as if my mother stood next to me, gently shaking my shoulder, telling me to awaken, like she did when I was in grade school. I sat up, and said “what?!” out loud to the darkness.

The thoughts and words continued to insist, so I got up, grabbed pen and paper, stumbled to the next room, and wrote the words exactly as they sit today in "Heartbeat of Africa." Then I went back to bed. Thank goodness I listened … and acted.

It was two weeks after I had learned that my marriage was ending. My emotions and feelings ran deep and with such intensity that it scared me. And I wrote of an experience in Africa nearly a year and a half earlier.

Heartbeat of Africa