“Labyrinth” according to Merriam-Webster, is defined as a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze.
But the labyrinths in my travels are not mazes, but uni-directional paths that offer a very soulful, and some would say spiritual, experience.
Labyrinths are said to date back to the Greeks in Knossos where designs started to appear in the 5th to third century B.C. Later, in the 12th century they would start to appear in Europe and elsewhere. From Egypt to India, to the Hopi Mesas, to English village greens, the labyrinth became a world wide architectural and artistic phenomena. Perhaps one of the most famous is at Chartres which measures 42 feet in diameter and whose construction dates to 1201.
Labyrinths, often constructed of simple stones, create a path that twists and turns, seemingly doubling back on itself, while always moving forward. The meandering walkway follows a precise path, offering an opportunity to take a journey within and reflect upon whatever arises.
The experience of walking a labyrinth is simultaneously thoughtful and mindless. It is mindless in that you are not required to think, but just to be in the moment and follow the carefully laid out path before you.
It is thoughtful in that it is essentially a silent meditation.
Walking is a chance to pause, to reflect, to not think if you choose.
And in entering this space, time disappears. Here, now, one’s focus is simply on the present.
***
There are many theories about these curious structures. They appear in drawings, mosaics, as imprints in coins and art, in gardens and on land. The Greeks used a labyrinth symbol in their coins on Knossos:
Labyrinth on a Knossos silver coin 400 B.C.
The famous labyrinth in the Chartres Cathedral, 1750
This coin is an example of the seven circuit style, aka the classic labyrinth (versus the Medieval labyrinth). The Medieval pattern was often embedded in church floors such as at the Cathedral at Chartres, and was said to represent the intersection of faith, life and philosophy.
As colonial influences spread, so did the labyrinth. But many labyrinths seem to predate these migration patterns. From Wikipedia:
Equally puzzling are the labyrinths found carved and painted on cave and temple walls in India and on tribal objects from Sumatra and Java – how and when the labyrinth reached these remote areas remains difficult to fully explain. Likewise the occurrence of the symbol amongst rock art in the American Southwest – was this an independent discovery of the design, or a European introduction?
A Trail of Travel Serendipity
Labyrinth at Ghost Ranch, NM
On a recent trip to Ghost Ranch I came upon a labyrinth; and then I met a woman in Santa Fe who was part of the Labyrinth Society. And on this summer day, the Labyrinth Society has a walk at Museum Hill. So I thought I’d attend.
Music accompanies the labyrinth walk outside the Folk Art Museum on Museum Hill
Serendipity seems to unfold before me. I walked up to the table where I was greeted. And I got talking to one of the women at the welcoming desk.
The woman, it turns out, also had cancer some years ago. “It changed my life for the better,” she confided. I knew what she meant. Knowing that one’s time is limited, makes us appreciate the great gift of life.
And labyrinths are part of that gift. They are an opportunity to stop, to reflect and to simply be. It’s a time out in a busy day. This day at Museum Hill, at mid-day, the leaves tussle in the afternoon breeze carrying the soft melody of the guitar, and twenty people or so slowly weave their way through the green and red pavers of the labyrinth in front of the Folk Art Museum.
The Labyrinth Society has an online labyrinth you can “walk” with your mouse. But if at all possible, I suggest you go exploring for a real labyrinth experience. As I got to. My chance conversation led to a morning with Santa Fe Labyrinth Resource Group founder, Marge McCarthy.
Exploring the Labyrinths of Santa Fe
The official list of labyrinths in Santa Fe includes about a dozen different sites. In addition to the public sites, labyrinths can also be found in communities and private yards.
Perhaps the most prominent labyrinth is the one at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, downtown.
The labyrinth at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi lies under the left(eastern) bell tower.
Evening light spreads across the stone labyrinth at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
A bench offers a place to pause at the church’s labyrinth.
This particular labyrinth is set off to the side so the casual visitor might overlook it. It’s a classic Chartres style labyrinth, that is found throughout Europe, Scandinavia, India and North Africa.
Labyrinth historians categorize these circuitous paths based on their shape, the number of circuits and the time period. They can be left handed or right handed; have 7, 9, 11 or more (or fewer) circuits. But all labyrinths have one thing common: the are unicursal, ie. a single path that takes an pre-planned and intricate path into the center and back again.
Labyrinth Construction
Labyrinth construction varies widely. Some labyrinths are more formal, made of carefully laid stone as part of a plaza. Some are casual, rocks in concentric circles in a field or even ridges of earth. Some are cut into turf. They can be permanent or temporary, as in the case of a labyrinth on canvas.
All labyrinths follow basic rules of construction, where the labyrinth is carefully measured and laid out, prior to building.
And, according to Marge McCarthy, a dowser should be employed to determine the location and entrance of the labyrinth.
Dowsing involves not water, but energy. The person or shaman doing the dousing is seeking to align the energetic center of the labyrinth with the energy of the earth. Marge tells an interesting story of having several dowsers out to a particular labyrinth. And each found the exact same location.
Once the center is established, the lines are carefully measured and laid out. Depending on the size of the construction team and location, hours (or even days!) are then spent bringing the labyrinth to life, as the concentric rings are carefully constructed. Exacting measurements at the beginning of the process insure a properly aligned end product.
If you’ve never walked a labyrinth, it’s something to put on your list of things to try. It’s experiential. The emotion of finding oneself “lost” while on the path; the turning points; the arrival at the center and the act of departing can have deep impact. I know that these curious pathways are now on my travel list. Here are a a few of my favorites from the Santa Fe area to date:
Aldea Labyrinth
Aldea is a residential community north of Santa Fe, and the labyrinth here was spearheaded as a community effort some years ago. Marge hadn’t been out recently, so we weren’t sure what we would find. But we found a well cared for labyrinth in a field with views of the distant mountains:
Aldea labyrinth was a community effort.
Aldea Labyrinth
There is something a bit magical about finding a labyrinth where one might not expect it. Who built it? Why here? Every labyrinth has a story.
Frenchy’s Field
The Frenchy’s Field Labyrinth is made of clay and straw. It requires frequent maintenance.
The Santa Fe Interfaith Council sponsored this labyrinth in 1998. This seven circuit labyrinth (there are seven concentric circles, thus a seven circuit labyrinth) is high maintenance. The combination of adobe type materials, hot sun and torrential downpours weathers the ridges that make up the pathways.
It’s located in Frenchy’s Field, on Agua Fria which runs along the river. The park has been owned by a host of owners, starting with the Pueblo people and more recently, many recall Frenchy’s Sunshine Dairy, which lent their name to the park. It’s a gathering place for everything from walks along the river, to laughter yoga, to Tai Chi.
Prayer flags wave from a primitive shelter at the start of the labyrinth.
Public and Hidden Labyrinths
Some of the better know labyrinths around town include the Christ Lutheran Church at 1701 Arroyo Chamiso Road, a modified seven circuit Chartres style; the labyrinth at the Museum of International Folk Art; the Railyard; the Santa Fe Community Yoga Center; Southwestern College and Community Church.
At a busy intersection, surrounded by trees is the labyrinth at Christ Lutheran Church, Santa Fe, NM
But tucked away, just to the north of Santa Fe is my favorite labyrinth. It’s small and nestles near an arroyo. The location I cannot disclose. But the pictures I can share:
The path to the hidden labyrinth
“Those that don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
–Roald Dahl
A small 5 circuit Labyrinth tucked away near Santa Fe
There is something magical about coming across a labyrinth in the middle of nowhere. Mind, body and spirit join the earth in a walk as old as the ages.
May you discover the wonder of labyrinth walking in your travels.
Labyrinth Walks in Santa Fe
Upcoming Labyrinth Walk in Santa Fe
Path of Forgiveness Sunday, August 26, 5:00pm Harp music by Kathleen Cosgrove
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, 131 Cathedral Place
A short Ted talk on the impact of labyrinths on one young woman:
More Reading on Labyrinths
Lauren Artress reintroduces the ancient labyrinth, a walking meditation that trancends the limits of still meditation, and shows us the possibilities it brings for renewal and change.
‘Walking the Labyrinth’ has reemerged today as a metaphor for the spiritual journey and a powerful tool for transformation. This walking meditation is an archetype, a mystical ritual found in all religious traditions. It quiets the mind and opens the soul. Walking a Sacred Path explores the historical origins of this divine imprint and shares the discoveries of modern day seekers. It shows us the potential of the Labyrinth to inspire change and renewal, and serves as a guide to help us develop the higher level of human awareness we need to survive in the twenty-first century.
The first time Helen Curry walked a labyrinth she was moved to tears and then “was filled with peace and possibilities.” Here, she shares her years of experience with labyrinth meditation and shows how others can find serenity and guidance by adopting this increasingly popular practice. Unlike mazes, which force choices and can create fear and confusion, labyrinths are designed to “embrace” and guide individuals through a calming, meditative walk on a single circular path. The Way of the Labyrinth includes meditations, prayers, questions for enhancing labyrinth walks, guidelines for ceremonies, instructions for finger meditations, and extensive resources. This enchanting, practical, and exquisitely packaged guide helps both novice and experienced readers enjoy the benefits of labyrinth meditation, from problem-solving to stress reduction to personal transformation. Includes a foreword by Jean Houston, the renowned author and leader in the field of humanistic psychology, who is considered the grandmother of the current labyrinth revival.
Laybrinths and mazes are found all over the world and have been a source of wonder throughout history. This work explores the many aspects of labyrinths from their architectural, astrological and mythological significance to their iconographical , mathematical and artistic fascination. It is an introduction to such different labyrinth forms as rock engravings on Trojan castles, medieval manuscripts, church labyrinths and Baroque garden mazes. He traces the origins, developments and changing meanings of this mystic form from the Bronze Age to the present day. The labyrinth’s dominant position in Western civilization is supplemented by explorations in other cultures around the globe, including those of Egypt, India and North America. By taking a close look through the centuries at different cultures and across the continents, the cultural and historical significance of the maze takes on a new light.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence.
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=”optin_10″]
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Museum Hill is just outside of town, so the average visitor, often overcome by the seduction of turquoise, woven fibers and art in and around the Plaza, might overlook this site which hosts world class museums ranging from Folk Art to Native American pieces.
My advice: Don’t be average!
Tucked away in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, this elegant ensemble of buildings also sports a cafe (with a Sunday brunch and jazz Friday evenings) and the International Folk Art Festival in July. There are four museums–plus the Botanical Gardens– gathered here.
Each museum is certainly a stand alone entity, but one of the things I find interesting about Museum Hill is that it offers a blend of the history of peoples who have gone into creating such a unique culture in and around Santa Fe.
Though the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art, one gets a sense of how the Spanish sensibilities of art and culture have come to be intertwined with modern day living.
The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture looks at historic and contemporary Indian culture.
The Folk Art Museum is a quirky museum with a quirky gift shop, that hosts the International Folk Art Festival drawing a global audience of artists and collectors each July. It is said to be one of the best parties in Santa Fe!
And the spectacular jewelry displays at the Wheelwright Museum (and in its gift shop) will more than make up for shopping time away from the Plaza.
This cluster of buildings on Museum Hill is arranged around a beautiful courtyard, that includes stunning sculpture, places to sit and a labyrinth just outside the Folk Art Museum. Plus views of the Sangre de Cristo mountains overlooking the museum plaza. Like all of Santa Fe, it combines history, art and spirit with a depth of soul that celebrates a living, evolving heritage.
The labyrinth at Museum Hill. Labyrinth walks are held periodically by the Labyrinth Society. More on the many labyrinths of Santa Fe in an upcoming post!
The Four Museums
Museum of Spanish Colonial Art at Museum Hill
Designed by John Gaw Meem in 1930
This museum is dedicated to the art of the Spanish colonial period, with a focus on Hispanic New Mexico, and it is fascinating. It highlights the impact of Spanish influence on the culture of the region. The Spanish Colonial Arts Society, which runs the museum, also hosts Spanish Market. This year the market will be held July 28-29 on the Santa Fe Plaza.
Spanish Market highlights colonial artists in a display of woodcarving, tinwork, colcha, pottery, ironwork and other traditional Spanish art forms which can be traced back over 400 years. It’s part of a weeklong celebration ¡Viva La Cultura! that includes lectures, culinary events, music and more.
The history of the The Spanish Colonial Arts Society and the Museum goes back to 1913 when author Mary Austin and artist/author Frank G. Applegate officially founded the group. One of their initial efforts was to purchase a church in Chimayo. The church known throughout the world was El Santuario de Chimayo, the Lourdes of America. In 1954, the renovation of the Plaza del Cerro at Chimayo was also spearheaded by this group.
Pilgrims to Chimayo often leave crosses in memory of loved ones
Through the generosity of an anonymous gift of land and financial help from John D. Rockefeller, Jr. the current museum came to life. It’s a wonderful architectural example fo the Spanish Colonial period (designed by renown architect John Gaw Meem in 1930) as well as a spectacular collection of Spanish art. It’s well worth a visit.
Entrance to the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Museum Hill
The late 1800’s saw a rise in interest in western and particularly Indian culture. The railroad, plus a bit of word of mouth, lured visitors to the southwest. Among the visitors was anthropologist Edgar Lee Hewett who had a mission to study and preserve the Native American artistic, cultural and intellectual achievements. He founded the Museum of New Mexico which later merged with John D. Rockefeller’s Laboratory of Anthropology.
To the side of the main entry is a courtyard where several sculptures greet the visitor outside the building:
Museum Hill, like the rest of Santa Fe, is a celebration of art and culture.
Bronze outside of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture at Museum Hill
And in the main concourse, the stunning Warrior Sculpture:
Warrior Sculpture in central Plaza on Museum Hill
Art is an integral part of the culture in Santa Fe, inspired in part by the 19 New Mexican Pueblos, eight of which are located between Santa Fe and Taos. The history and presence of the pueblos is an integral part to understanding the region.
Taos Pueblo
Close up of sculpture at Taos
The mission of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology serves as a center of stewardship, knowledge, and understanding of the artistic, cultural, and intellectual achievements of the diverse peoples of the Native Southwest. It’s a fascinating museum for the visitor willing to step off the beaten path.
Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian at Museum Hill
The Navajo medicine man, Klah, was born in 1867. During this period the U.S. government had started its efforts to annihilate Indian culture through forced imprisonment and later, for the children, placement in Christian boarding schools.
Luck would bring together Klah, who had a deep interest in the preservation of the Navajo culture with Mary Cabot Wheelright, a sympathetic wealthy Bostonian from the Cabot family. This combined force created a permanent record of the vast knowledge of the medicine man and other Navajo rituals. Weavings, medical lore and additional Navajo traditions have been carefully preserved and are available only to others of Navajo descent.
The joint efforts of Klah and Ms. Wheelwright eventually evolved into the Wheelright Museum. And what a museum this is!
Tucked away just down the road from the main museum plaza, this gem showcases beautiful art and in the Martha Hopkins Struever Gallery, a history of native jewelry traditions. Don’t let a bit of distance deter you from visiting this museum. In a town brimming with art and history, this is one stop you want to make.
The Wheelwright Museum was founded in 1937 which makes it the oldest non-profit museum in New Mexico. It offers a stunning display of traditional and contemporary Native American Art, including solo shows by living artists, and it is home to the Jim and Lauris Phillips Center for the Study of Southwestern Jewelry which is one of the most comprehensive collections of Navajo and Pueblo jewelry.
The museum offers a blend of history and contemporary artist culture, keeping alive many of the traditions of the southwest and its people. The jewelry exhibit ranges from old to new; from traditional to contemporary; and each piece has a story to tell. Docent tours are worth seeking out. As is the gift shop downstairs which features a range of old and new jewelry, rugs and other items.
Necklace by Charlene Reano (Santo Domingo Pueblo) 2006 Abalone, Spondylus
The traditional squash blossom design has Moorish roots.
A stunning display of older jewelry fashioned by the regional pueblos.
Museum of International Folk Art at Museum Hill
Folk Art at the Museum of International Folk Art, Museum Hill
What is folk art? From the museum:
Andean hats from the Museum of International Folk Art on Museum Hill
Generally, folk art is ART that:
May be decorative or utilitarian
May be used every day or reserved for high ceremonies
Is handmade; it may include handmade elements, as well as new, synthetic, or recycled components
May be made for use within a community of practice or it may be produced for sale as a form of income and empowerment
May be learned formally or informally; folk art may also be self-taught
May include intangible forms of expressive culture like dance, song, poetry, and foodways
Is traditional; it reflects shared cultural aesthetics and social issues. It is recognized that, as traditions are dynamic, traditional folk art may change over time and may include innovations in tradition.
Is of, by, and for the people; all people, inclusive of class, status, culture, community, ethnicity, gender, and religion
The museum’s core collection was donated by its founder Florence Dibell Bartlett. Today the museum boasts over 130,000 items form more than 100 countries around the world.
Once a year the Museum hosts the International Folk Art Market:
Here are a few pictures from this year’s market:
The festive entry beckons one into the 2018 Folk Art Market in Santa Fe.
All that glitters isn’t gold. Here at this vendor it’s gorgeous silver!
Earrings and much more at the Folk Art Market.
Color galore!
Kites and then some
If you go to the International Folk Art Market, you may want to splurge on early morning tickets. They cost a bit more, but they give you entree to the market starting at 7 am, before the crowds, the heat and the afternoon thunderstorms!
The four museums and the botanical gardens are clustered together, just off Old Santa Fe Trail. Exploring the area takes you through some beautiful residential areas, plus gives you the opportunity to sample the local terrain that the early settlers and traders rode as they crossed the country.
The museums and botanical gardens are all grouped together, just off Old Santa Fe Trail
Museum Hill is outside the old part of town, but easily accessible.
Public buses, private tours, free shuttles and Uber/Lyft all provide transportation. I recommend stopping in one of the tourist offices to get the most recent information on transportation schedules to Museum Hill. And while you’re there, have some fun exploring the incredible number of things to do in northern New Mexico.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=”optin_10″]
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Traveling with cancer presents its challenges but on this day, I tried to see the opportunity. It was Day One of CancerRoadTrip, one year ago.
My first stop was in Sonoma, one of those places I’ve enjoyed for more than 20 years. The rolling hills, the ocean, the lines of grapes wandering over the hillsides all come together to create a small piece of heaven on earth. And don’t forget the oysters and wine!
[rev_slider alias=”summer-in-sonoma”]
Traveling With Cancer: Day One in Sonoma
These pictures are from my first day out on Cancer Road Trip, just about one year ago. My car was packed for four seasons. Winter boots were stashed in the Thule carrier on the car’s roof. Summer clothes in a bag in the back.
I didn’t know how to use my camera yet. I hadn’t had time to consider all the dials, settings and possibilities. It was, for the moment, a task not a companion.
Between cancer and business, fair weather friends were long gone and I found myself traveling with the words of Eric Clapton:
Once I lived the life of a millionaire
Spent all my money, didn’t have any care
Took all my friends out for a mighty good time
Bought bootleg liquor, champagne and wine
Then I began to fall so low
Lost all my good friends, had nowhere to go
I get my hands on a dollar again
I’ll hang on to it till that old eagle grins
‘Cause nobody knows you
When you’re down and out
In your pocket, not one penny
And as for friends, you don’t have many
When you get back on your feet again
Everybody wants to be your long-lost friend
I said it’s strange, without any doubt
Nobody knows you when you’re down and out
Perhaps being down and out had its positive side. I could move along, beholding to no one. I stopped at Cornerstone Garden to stretch my back; I had a bowl of wonderful mussels in Sonoma for lunch.
Artefact, an architectural salvage place in Cornerstone Gardens that I loved to frequent. It was here that I found that perfectly funky piece of teak root that doubled as a piece of natural art for my backyard. This of course required two round trips, one to buy the piece and another to transport it!
Lunch!
Day One of traveling with cancer was one of adventure, possibility and sadness.
I was still in that in between land of attachment to the events and possessions versus the freedom of the road. Over time, less would become more and the adventure would overshadow the past.
But on Day One of my road trip, nothing was clear. Other than heading to Vashon Island to regroup, I had no idea where I was going to go or what I was going to do. I’d ruled out a lawsuit based on cost and stress. Half a million dollars for lawyers just wasn’t in my budget. Nor was wasting three years of my life on a group of grifters.
It was once again time to start over again.
My travels through Sonoma covered familiar territory. It was wistful and a process of relinquishing all that had been. As I drove through winding roads and vineyards, I remembered driving similar passages with Whiskey Oscar in tow. I remembered parties at vineyards and weekends with friends.
A stop at Chalk Hill reminded me of wine dinners and good times. The glass structure to the left of the indoor riding rink housed a French limestone fireplace and opened to a patio overlooking the vineyards.
I remembered being without cancer.
And I remember an unforgettable night, in Sonoma, when I received a message that they had misdiagnosed my cancer.
After months of research, I had applied for a clinical trial at Stanford. It was a vaccine trial, where an individualized vaccine was created and placed into your body. The research made sense to me; it wasn’t chemo; I wanted to try it as a first line offense.
I was sitting at a table at a lovely event in Sonoma, enjoying great food and wine. A phone call came in, but I was too slow to pick up. Instead, I retrieved the message:
Stanford rejected you.
Their biopsy results show you have a different type of cancer.
Call the office on Monday.
I just stared at my phone. A deep, dark pit of doubt and fear opened and threatened to engulf me. It would be a feeling I’d become familiar with as I navigated life with cancer.
The rejection of the clinical trail was devastating. I’d carefully constructed a safety net of data and information to guide me through what lay ahead. I’d researched clinical trials; talked to researchers and doctors; made what I thought was an informed decision.
And it was all for nought.
I was back at the beginning again with no knowledge, no plan, and perhaps no future.
I went through the rest of the three day weekend smiling, chatting, eating and drinking. But it was an out of body experience as the months of research, hope and effort went down the drain. And I still didn’t know what the diagnosis would be on Monday.
As I drive through Sonoma I think about all of this. I think about the comfort that my wonderful bedroom and the wind chimes just outside the window gave me through the various rounds of chemo. I think that it is all gone and I don’t know what to do.
Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations.
Other than just go forward.
In those early days of travel, I was living on an edge of an abyss. Above was life. Below– I didn’t know and I didn’t want to look too closely. I was sure the stress would manifest itself in a re-emergence of cancer, just as it had before.
After the Rituxan (my personal drug from hell and my first unsuccessful offense against the cancer), the 6 infusions of RCVP (a chemo cocktail used to treat non-Hodgkins lymphoma) every three weeks bought me some time.
But the cancer soon came raging back. A tumor wrapped around my aorta was a source of concern. Another at the base of my skull. And tumors too numerous to count throughout my body.
And now, on the road, traveling with cancer, and quite homeless for the moment, I just didn’t want to go there again, yet I was sure that was where I was heading.
When you can’t change the direction the wind, adjust your sails.
–H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
So I battened down the hatches and I drove.
Driving, for me, is simultaneously an act of engagement and disengagement. I drive. The terrain in Sonoma is such that one wears the road, particularly driving a manual transmission. I concentrated on what was immediately ahead. And I entered that wonderful space of now, where nothing exists except the moment.
So started CancerRoadTrip.
Oysters and Wine
Oysters and wine. Trepidation and joy. Not necessarily in that order. A walk on the coast; a visit to beautiful gardens. And a winding road into the country towards an unknown destination.
I find solace and wisdom in metaphor. And on Day One of CancerRoadTrip, traveling with cancer, disappointment and doubt, I definitely needed some solace.
One’s destination is never a place but a new way of seeing things. –Henry Miller
Traveling With Cancer: From chaos comes order, in time.
Life isn’t always easy. There are times when all we know is shattered and unrecognizable and the only option is to somehow move ahead. I’m grateful I was able to trust in the journey, although I had many doubts along the way. But it is paying off, in new places, new experiences and in new perspectives.
And goodness knows I always love a bit of adventure!
My wind chimes may be packed away; my possessions in boxes; but traveling with cancer I find comfort in the words of my ancestors:
May the road rise to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. May the rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again may the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand.
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=”optin_10″]
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
This is Bisti/De-Na-Zen and it is wild. It’s inhospitable, with no water and little to no vegetation. Its combination of mesas, buttes and badlands are intimidating to the uninitiated. It’s untamed except by the winds of time.
The Bisti Wilderness Photo Credit: John Fowler
Hoodoo rocks in Bisti/Se-Na-Zin Wilderness
In its own way it is both soulful and graceful, even in the harshness of mid-day light.
Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon, Utah Photo Credit: Jen Milius
Hoodoos are also found on the Colorado Plateau and in the Badlands of the Great Plains; in the southern Tyrol in Italy; in New Zealand, Taiwan, Canada and France. As well as many other places.
Hoodoos–also called tent rocks, fairy chimneys and earth pyramids– are mainly found in the desert. They are formed through erosion and frost wedging. Frost wedging is a process where melting snow seeps into crevices, and freezes. This action is powerful and bit by bit, weakens and erodes the layers of sedimentary rock. This relentless process of erosion means that hoodoos have a relatively short geological lifespan.
I had visited the South Dakota Badlands back in 1995 with Whiskey Oscar. I left her on the ground while I helicoptered over the terrain. (It was after all an aviation themed adventure!)
The South Dakota Badlands
Looking across the prairie to the South Dakota Badlands
Interestingly, on that trip (pre ubiquitous internet access) I didn’t even know that this National Park existed. Driving along Route 90, the prairie suddenly gave way to this curious set of rock formations. I stopped; met two guys with a helicopter (seriously) and we were off! I like to think of that being just another story of travel serendipity.
Serendipity or not, put Bisti/Da-Na-Zin on your more esoteric list of must visits. It’s a most unusual place, and the photo buffs in the audience will just love it. I look forward to returning when the weather gets cooler. Preferably, not on a camping expedition.
This book by Abiquiu artist Walter Nelson continues Walter’s tradition of venturing into land seldom visited. He once took a thousand mile trek into the Arizona and New Mexican desert following the trail of Coronado. You can read more about my meeting with Walter here.
From Amazon:
“Few people have ventured into the remote, uninhabited badlands of the Navajo Reservation in northwest New Mexico known, by the artist who made it famous, as the Black Place. During the 1930s and 1940s Georgia O’Keeffe and her friend Maria Chabot braved the harsh conditions of baking heat in summer, bitter cold in winter, and ferocious winds to make many camping trips to the area that inspired one of the great outpourings of creativity in O’Keeffe’s artistic life. Photographer Walter W. Nelson, who shares with O’Keeffe what writer Douglas Preston calls “a great affinity for geology” went in search of the Black Place twenty years ago and has returned over thirty times to photograph it, first in black-and-white with a large format 8 x1 0 camera and over the last five years, in color with a digital camera. The two seasons of his title refer to the fact that in this region virtually devoid of vegetation, only the presence of snow visually distinguishes the landscape from the non-winter months. Inexhaustible in scope, with geological complexity dating back some 66 million years, the Black Place must be patiently experienced for its mystery and infinitude and deep secrets of time.”
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence:
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=”optin_10″]
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Chaco Canyon is well off the beaten path. There are no gas stations, no water and no accommodations.
But don’t let that deter you!
I visited Chaco a few weeks ago. It was a camping trip. Now those of you that know me, know that this girl doesn’t camp unless it’s with an RV magically delivered to the site, fully stocked, with clean sheets. Preferably with a nicely stocked wine refrigerator. But, in keeping with my Lessons from the Road, I decided to stretch my comfort zone a bit.
Chaco is located a little over 3 hours north of Santa Fe. Most of the road is paved, and even the unpaved portions are very drivable. Including the twenty one teeth rattling miles from the highway to the park. Expect washboard, lots of dust and the occasional rock. Welcome to the west!
Chaco interested me primarily because it seemed to continue a theme of ancient peoples and migrations in the American Southwest. Unlike many national parks that are very user friendly, Chaco is very rudimentary. Dirt roads, no shower, no water, camping and not much else.
But what one might miss in amenities, one finds in nature:
Sunrise at Chaco Canyon
Wildlife in Chaco Canyon
Sunset in Chaco Canyon
But first one must make camp.
I managed to borrow everything I would need. I had a very nice North Face Tent that slept six, just for myself. An inflatable pad, a sleeping bag and a collapsible chair, and I was in business.
Except of course, for putting it all up.
But it all came together in time for dinner and sunset.
Chaco was once the premier civilization in southwest North America. It was built between 850 and 1150, and comprised of numerous villages and buildings connected by perfectly straight roads that ran for hundreds of miles, all leading to Pueblo Bonita. Along the roadways, fires would provide navigation, much as lighthouses did at sea.
The extent of this network and the importance of Chaco as a scientific, cultural and business center cannot be over emphasized.
This was the single largest Anasazi settlement of its day, with five story sandstone and wood buildings and many kivas for spiritual practices.
The area was hunted, farmed and very much alive.
“The Canyon pulsated with life.”
Some facts about the Anasazi settlement at Chaco Canyon
“One hundred years before the first gothic cathedrals were built in Europe, the master architects and stone masons of th Anasazi were building great kivas that could hold 500 people.”
From the National Park Service Website:
For all the wild beauty of Chaco Canyon’s high-desert landscape, its long winters, short growing seasons, and marginal rainfall create an unlikely place for a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture to take root and flourish. Yet this valley was the center of a thriving culture a thousand years ago. The monumental scale of its architecture, the complexity of its community life, the high level of its community social organization, and its far-reaching commerce created a cultural vision unlike any other seen before or since.
The cultural flowering of the Chacoan people began in the mid 800s and lasted more than 300 years. We can see it clearly in the grand scale of the architecture. Using masonry techniques unique for their time, they constructed massive stone buildings (Great Houses) of multiple stories containing hundreds of rooms much larger than any they had previously built. The buildings were planned from the start, in contrast to the usual practiced of adding rooms to existing structures as needed. Constructions on some of these buildings spanned decades and even centuries. Although each is unique, all great houses share architectural features that make them recognizable as Chacoan.
Chacoan architectural remains at Pueblo Bonita
During the middle and late 800s, the great houses of Pueblo Bonito, Una Vida, and Peñasco Blanco were constructed, followed by Hungo Pavi, Chetro Ketl, Pueblo Alto, and others. These structures were often oriented to solar, lunar, and cardinal directions. Lines of sight between the great houses allowed communication. Sophisticated astronomical markers, communication features, water control devices, and formal earthen mounds surrounded them. The buildings were placed within a landscape surrounded by sacred mountains, mesas, and shrines that still have deep spiritual meaning for their descendants.
…Pueblo descendants say that Chaco was a special gathering place where many peoples and clans converged to share their ceremonies, traditions, and knowledge. Chaco is central to the origins of several Navajo clans and ceremonies. Chaco is also an enduring enigma for researchers. Was Chaco the hub of a turquoise-trading network established to acquire macaws, copper bells, shells, and other commodities from distant lands? Did Chaco distribute food and resources to growing populations when the climate failed them? Was Chaco “the center place,” binding a region together by a shared vision? We may never fully understand Chaco.
Entree to the park is via CR 7900 and 7950. Twenty one miles of dirt road, a few Indian houses, and sandy mesas keep the timid at bay. The last four miles are rather rough, particularly near the Escavada Wash, but once one reaches the park the road is paved, if poorly maintained. An eight mile loop through the site provides access to all the major archaeological sites and petroglyphs.
Detail of the route into Chaco Canyon Source: nps.gov
Map detail of Chaco Canyon and the 8 mile loop that provides national park access. Source: nps.gov
There is one campsite, and reservations are recommended. (It would be a shame to drive all the way out here and be unable to stay. And there are no accommodations for many miles. The closest town is about an hour away.) Plan ahead, check any park restrictions (such as no open fires) and roadway access, and bring lots of water. This is the desert and there is no potable water in the rest facilities at the campsite.
Part of the lure of Chaco is its mystery. Why was the Chaco chosen as a location? Why after 300 years did the Anasazi suddenly pack up and leave this hub of spiritual life, science and commerce and move to Mesa Verde, further north in southwestern Colorado?
Remains of a multi-story sandstone and timber building at Pueblo Bonito, at Chaco Canyon, a UNESCO World Heritage site
This short video gives some perspective the largest city ever built by the Anasazi:
In it’s prime, Pueblo Bonito and the surrounding communities were vibrant hubs of civilization. It’s been speculated that Chaco Canyon was a celestial center for study; it was certainly a major trading post; it had deep spiritual traditions which no doubt traveled with the Anasazi when they departed.
When the Anasazi left for Mesa Verde, the lineage of the people continued, but Chaco did not. The reasons for the disappearance of the Anasazi are not clear. It may have been weather related: as it was for the Santa Clara Pueblo residents who moved from their cave dwellings, east to the Rio Grande as a result of drought. Or their disappearance may have had other reasons.
We may never know the reasons for the demise of this civilization, but the architecture, religion, and ceremonies of the Anasazi have been passed through to subsequent generations. From the adobe buildings that dominate the region, to the traditional Indian dances celebrated at cultural gatherings like the Gathering of Nations, the Anasazi heritage lives on. This history forms a rich tapestry in northern New Mexico that blends native Indian, Spanish and American cultural elements to create a truly unique place, with a deep sense of place that reaches back hundreds of years.
And as for the camping: It was just fine! Cold at night. Relentlessly hot during the day. And a sand storm.
THE MYSTERY OF CHACO CANYON examines the deep enigmas presented by the massive prehistoric remains found in Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico. It is the summation of 20 years of research. The film reveals that between 850 and 1150 AD, the Chacoan people designed and constructed massive ceremonial buildings in a complex celestial pattern throughout a vast desert region. Aerial and time lapse footage, computer modeling, and interviews with scholars show how the Chacoan culture designed, oriented and located its major buildings in relationship to the sun and moon. Pueblo Indians, descendants of the Chacoan people, regard Chaco as a place where their ancestors lived in a sacred past. Pueblo leaders speak of the significance of Chaco to the Pueblo world today.
The film challenges the notion that Chaco Canyon was primarily a trade and redistribution center. Rather it argues that it was a center of astronomy and cosmology and that a primary purpose for the construction of the elaborate Chacoan buildings and certain roads was to express astronomical interests and to be integral parts of a celestial patterning.
While the Chacoans left no written text to help us to understand their culture, their thoughts are preserved in the language of their architecture, roads and light markings. Landscape, directions, sun and moon, and movement of shadow and light were the materials used by the Chacoan architects and builders to express their knowledge of an order in the universe.
From Amazon:
Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico contains a remarkable set of Ancestral Puebloan buildings. Occupied between AD 850 and 1150, Chaco appears to have been the cultural and political center for much of what is now the Four Corners region. Many sites in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park have been continuously studied for more than a century. Vivian and Hilpert wrote this encyclopedic handbook to help organize the extensive amount of information available for Chaco, as well as to stimulate speculation and encourage further exploration. The result is a highly accessible but thorough reference.
The Chaco Handbook includes more than 270 cross-referenced, alphabetical entries, more than 100 illustrations and maps, plus histories of Chaco’s development and ensuing archaeological research. Entries address important Chacoan and related sites, place-names, archaeological and ethnographic terms, objects and architectural features, and institutions and individuals. This second edition includes a new preface, a new chapter on professional explanations for the “Chaco Phenomena,” additional entries, and revisions to existing entries. Useful to anyone with an interest in the Ancestral Puebloans, including specialists, this handbook will guide readers to greater exploration of Chacoan culture and the Chaco world.
From Amazon:
The Anasazi of Chaco Canyon by Kyle Widner.
Perhaps the most fascinating chapter in Southwest history is the tale of the mysterious, “vanished” Anasazi Indians. Their tremendous achievements can be found in many places, including the spectacular cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park. But the crest of the Anasazi wave was in Chaco Canyon, a shallow, windswept wash in northwest New Mexico. Here in Chaco Canyon, 1,000 years ago, strange and unexplained events unfolded; events which continue to intrigue scientists, visitors, and those interested in the Anasazi.
During the years 850-1150 AD, the Anasazi built multi-story buildings comparable in size to the Roman Coliseum in Chaco Canyon. Advanced astronomy, water works, and agriculture flourished. Exotic artifacts from Central America were traded over routes spanning thousands of miles. And after 300 years, the Anasazi carefully sealed everything up, left Chaco Canyon, and never returned.
The Anasazi of Chaco Canyon offers insight into the unknowns of the “Chaco Phenomenon”. In addition, it draws on the latest Anasazi research, personal experiences, and interpretations of oral traditions, leading the reader to a startling conclusion. What happened in Chaco Canyon? Why did the Anasazi choose this foreboding location to construct spectacular Great Houses?
More Posts on the Rich Heritage of the American Southwest:
If you’re interested in learning more about photography (or cooking or film or any number of topics) check out MasterClass All-Access Pass for on-line excellence.
[et_bloom_inline optin_id=”optin_10″]
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Inspiration, joy & discovery through travel. Oh, did I mention with supposedly incurable cancer?
What's on your bucket list?
Thank you for stopping by!
CancerRoadTrip is about making lemonade out of lemons.
As you read my story, you may want to start at the beginning to "grok" how CancerRoadTrip came to be. You can click here to start at the end (which is actually the beginning) and read forward! The posts are chronological, with the most recent posts appearing on the front page.
From Amazon:
From Amazon:
Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico contains a remarkable set of Ancestral Puebloan buildings. Occupied between AD 850 and 1150, Chaco appears to have been the cultural and political center for much of what is now the Four Corners region. Many sites in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park have been continuously studied for more than a century. Vivian and Hilpert wrote this encyclopedic handbook to help organize the extensive amount of information available for Chaco, as well as to stimulate speculation and encourage further exploration. The result is a highly accessible but thorough reference.
