Christina Solstad - Spirit of Chaco Blog

Spring Equinox: Una Vida Spiral Petroglyph - A Marker?

Chaco Canyon is full of possible archaeoastronomical markers and alignments. One is a spiral petroglyph on the rock face high above Una Vida, an unexcavated site accessible via a path behind the Visitor Center.

I accompanied G.B. Cornucopia, park ranger, and Elizabeth and Amy, writing professors from Kansas, to watch the noontime sun's shadow move across the spiral for three consecutive days around spring equinox. Elizabeth is helping do some research regarding the various markers at Chaco and elsewhere, so this was of particular interest to her.

The photo above with G.B., Amy, and Elizabeth shows the petroglyph we were watching, far up and to the right on the cliff face behind them.

We took successive photos to note the movement of the shadow from the lower left, through the spiral, and off to the upper right. To give you some perspective, the time between the two closeup photos of the petroglyph is 11.5 minutes.

Each day it looked a little different in position and sharpness. But we all agreed it certainly could be an equinox marker. The movement through the center of the spiral was unmistakable.

The Chacoans could have tracked the movement and used it to determine time to plant, when the days would begin to be longer than the night, and so on.

We had many questions, too:

• What caused the shadow that moved across the petroglyph?

• What was their process for creating the spiral petroglyph in the rock, and ensuring it related to the movement of the sun?

• How did they create these pecked drawings in the rock, in days when there were no such things as erasers or the delete key?

• What about all the other designs on the rock face? What did they mean?

More on these questions in the next post.

Why Chaco Park Rangers Do What They Do

The equinox full moon walk at Pueblo Bonito inspired several examples of why the Chaco park rangers do what they do.

1. During the evening, Briana, a volunteer ranger at Chaco for several months, exclaimed how wonderful it is to see so many happy people (there were 80!). I understood, because I felt the same way when I volunteered for the day on summer solstice the past couple of years.

How great to be doing something you love, and seeing others happy as a result!

2. G.B. Cornucopia frequently receives little gifts, especially from children. Paloma, an adorable young girl around 4 years old, gave G.B. a thank you note written in crayon, which promptly went on G.B.'s refrigerator.

After the equinox moonrise evening, she presented G.B. with another drawing. She explained, all by herself (no adults involved), that it was a picture of how the sun goes down, and the moon comes up. Another prized piece of art for the refrigerator.

She totally got his kinesthetic astronomy presentation. That, he said, is why I do what I do.

3. John has been a park ranger at several parks over the years. He shared that while watching G.B. at Pueblo Bonito, and the faces of the crowd of visitors hanging on his every word, he remembered (with some emotion) why he became a park ranger in the first place.

As a teenager visiting Mesa Verde with his parents, he was enthralled by a ranger's presentation. He decided then that he wanted to do what the ranger was doing.

The park rangers at Chaco are there because they love what they do. Many thanks to all of them!

Spring Equinox: Moonrise at Pueblo Bonito

Chaco Canyon's magic was in full force again the evening of spring equinox. After a glorious equinox sunrise at Casa Rinconada, then some threatening clouds during the day, the skies cleared, and Pueblo Bonito was opened up for a “moon walk.”

This rare event occurs only a handful of times during the year, and with the full moon on equinox, it was perfect. This was my first time, and I was thrilled! I had butterflies in my stomach as I walked up to the pueblo at this late hour.

Eighty of us (80!) gathered at the southwest corner of the largest Great House in Chaco Canyon to listen to G.B. Cornucopia, park ranger extraordinaire, discuss some of the building alignments with the cardinal directions and the sun, moon, and stars. We tried to imagine the Chacoans living their lives there. 

As he spoke, the “sweet light”--that lingering light before sundown (and after sunrise) that makes everything glow warmly--began to dim. Photographers were in heaven, myself included. Clouds appeared--just enough to catch the sun's rays and spread color across the sky.

The first glimpse of the moonrise took my breath away--a huge white-yellow ball appeared on the eastern horizon, lit by the setting sun. Sweet light made the pueblo walls glow. More photographer's heaven.

Spring Equinox: Sunrise at Casa Rinconada

A brilliant full moon illuminated my 4-hour early morning drive from Santa Fe to Chaco Canyon. I arrived at Casa Rinconada shortly before sunrise on this glorious spring equinox (March 20).

I bundled up, grabbed my camera, and joined 40 others, including several dear friends, gathered on the eastern side of the great kiva in the bitter cold morning air. A hearty crowd, indeed!

G.B., a long-time park ranger, reminded us not to look directly at the bright rising sun for more than a moment - many have damaged their eyes in this way. Did the Chacoan sun watchers damage their eyes? Or did they learn to look away quickly?

We listened as G.B. pointed out the cliff face to the east of Casa Rinconada along which the sun would rise, and explained several of the kiva's apparent alignments, including the two doors of the antechamber on the north side of the kiva that are aligned perfectly east and west.

We moved to the western side of the kiva, where we watched the sun crawl up the cliff face, then shine along the cliff face and through the two aligned doors. This alignment with the rising sun only happens on the fall and spring equinoxes.

The ancient Chacoans had the amazing ability to align their buildings with the cardinal directions. How did they do it? We could not do a better job today with all our modern technology.

As astute observers of their environment, they were intimately aware of the movement of the sun and moon and stars. Closely watching the movements showed them the directions. Their survival depended upon their knowledge of nature's rhythms. We could learn much from their powers of observation, and their connection with nature.

The equinox sunrise was spectacular, with pinks and oranges and yellows in bold strokes across the sky. More Chaco magic.

What a glorious way to welcome spring!

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 4 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 4 of 4)
By Christina Solstad

Perhaps my biggest realization came as I was nearing Chaco. I was in a particularly beautiful area, driving through a pass in the mountains filled with green trees, red cliffs, numerous hawks, and blue sky above.

I was, at that moment, precisely where I was meant to be. I knew it. The Universe knew it. There was nothing else in the world I was supposed to be doing, or wanted to be doing, besides driving on this road.

Sounds simple, but it was monumental for me. I had lived most of my life based on “shoulds” and other people’s expectations, rather than my own desires. I now felt completely at peace.

I took a deep breath and smiled as I turned down the dirt road to Chaco. It seemed an eternity since I left home yesterday morning.

The Universe had already provided, and I had accepted, several valuable lessons.

I entered Chaco a changed woman, for I had paid attention not only to the destination, but to the journey. What lay ahead could only be magic.

(Photo is Pueblo Bonito with fresh snow on Winter Solstice morning of this December trip several years ago. This was some of the magic that awaited me. I had specifically asked to see Chaco with fresh snow on the ruins!)

To read more of the story:

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 1 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 2 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 3 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 3 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 3 of 4)
By Christina Solstad

The second day I chose to drive with no music, no tapes, no distractions. I wanted to use this time to explore me. As the miles ticked by on the odometer, I went back through my life.

As I became acutely aware of the beauty of the wide open plains and the blue sky beyond the windshield, I also saw inwardly with a keen eye what I liked in my life and what I wanted to, and needed to, change.

It all made so much sense out here. I saw that I had choices. And I consciously made some different choices.

I was enjoying the long hours on the road alone. It gave me time to think, to explore, and to simply take in the expansive landscape full of Mother Nature’s wonders. Self-discovery, contemplation—we all need time alone to reflect and we rarely give ourselves that gift.

But how could I do the same at home, when life seemed to just drag me along at times?

I knew I just needed to make time—a walk, a bike ride, some time in nature. Combined with intent, small increments could be just as powerful.

(Photo is lovely rainbow that greeted me in October 2006 upon my arrival at Chaco Canyon, after watching storm clouds moving through as I drove in. Now that's a wonderful welcome!)

To read more of the story:

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 1 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 2 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 2 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 2 of 4)
By Christina Solstad

I breathed a sigh of relief as I got beyond the craziness of Los Angeles and out onto the open road. I pulled out my first tape—one my uncle had sent following his heart attack several years ago. He was full of appreciation for the brilliance of the sun, the green of the trees, the caring people around him, and the simple things.

No longer was life a daily grind or something to be taken for granted; his words were a good reminder of the magic of everyday life. I took note and started thinking about my own life. The open road helped me to unwind and leave my daily cares behind.

It was somewhere between Barstow and Needles, between my uncle’s tape and the relationship tapes, that I had my first big “ah-ha.” It seemed so obvious, why hadn’t I seen this before?

I had spent much of my life feeling like I was doing something “wrong”—like somehow others held the key to the right way to do things.

What if I simply changed my thinking—that I always did something right? What a concept! Driving alone, uninterrupted, was providing a new clarity to my thinking. This was my time, and I was loving it.

For more of the story:
The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 1 of 4)

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 1 of 4)

The long road trip to Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico is always a great opportunity for introspection, letting go of day-to-day cares, and clearing your head before entering the canyon (always a good idea—more on that another time).

I'm heading off on a (long) road trip from San Diego to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and, of course, Chaco—so thought the following account was fitting. I'm posting it in four short parts over the next few days.

The photo is one of many versions I have taken over the years of the amazing and beautiful Pueblo Bonito doors. The ancient Chacoans were gifted architects and masons.

The Road to Chaco—A Journey to Myself (Part 1 of 4)
By Christina Solstad

Little did I know when I set out that mid-December morning what a journey I was embarking on. Oh, I thought I knew. I thought this was about spending a week at Chaco Canyon in the high desert of New Mexico—one of my favorite, magical places to visit.

I had been there many times before, and I always came away knowing more about myself. This would be my first time alone.

I wasn’t thrilled about the long, 15-hour drive without a companion. I had always had someone to talk to and share the driving with. I was the one who could usually manage only two hours at a time—in the daylight.

Night driving and the long stretches were better left to my driving companions. My role was backup. So I came armed with plenty of tapes to keep me company and the resolve to take frequent breaks.

The morning of my departure I was both excited and nervous. I felt this would be a special trip. It was still dark; the cold air was damp in my lungs. I shivered as I packed the final few things, with the help of my husband. I delayed leaving as long as I could.

Something felt different today. He felt it too. His hug goodbye was longer; he pulled me a little closer. I watched him as I drove away, a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach—a feeling of anticipation. What would this trip hold for me?

Resilience of the Human Spirit: World Trade Center Impressions

I am constantly amazed by the resilience of the human spirit. Life happens. Disasters happen. Bad things happen to good people. And we bounce back. We help one another. Life goes on.

World Trade Center Site in New York City

Recently I made my first visit to the World Trade Center site in New York City. The first time I saw it was at rush hour on a weekday. As I approached the site, near the WTC transit station, I began to feel a lump in my throat. I slowed my pace, and felt, and watched.

The events of that day on September 11, 2001 came rushing back in my mind's eye. My eyes teared up.

I sent my silent prayers to all those who lost their lives, all those who lost loved ones, and all those who experienced that day, in some profound way.

I walked around the temporary information and memorial site above the subway entrance. I was the lone visitor in the darkness. Descriptions and a timeline of that day. 3,000 names on a wall. Pictures of the memorial to be built. Looking through holes in the fencing at the construction underway and the massive holes in the ground where the towers stood, and that will hold reverse reflecting pools.

Resilience and Reverence

I watched people rushing to catch the subway, heading home to loved ones, seemingly oblivious to the nearness of the site and all that happened there only 6 1/2 years ago. The word that came to mind was Resilience.

A horrific event happened here. But life must go on. People do what they need to do. I'm sure it is never far from their thoughts, but why dwell on it?

Chaco Wind

Chaco Wind

The raging wind
Strips me of my past
Cleanses my soul
I have no power against it
I surrender ...
The gentle wind
Caresses me
Smoothing the edges
Offering me comfort
On my journey
To myself.

  ~Christina Solstad

Photo is of New Alto, which is always windy, and provides panoramic views in all directions, including the canyon floor, Fajada Butte, South Gap, and canyons and mountains to the north.