Offering I

2012 Carla Woody

Spiritual Travel: Destination or Process? By Carla Woody

Some years ago I had an inquiry from someone who was interested in a program I was sponsoring; specifically he was enticed by a destination on the itinerary. Hed done a search and I was the only one offering the opportunity. But, he said. Im not so sure about this spiritual travel stuff. How to explain something so intangible? In one respect, it contains elements of tangibility: sites and interactions. Invisible to the naked eye, perhaps unanticipated by the mind, are myriad ways to be drawn into the deeper journey that define these potentially uncharted waterswithout conscious realization in the moment that youve taken the plunge. Hence, enter aspects that: may have no words or audible sound, cannot be held in your hands, your eye cant get a bead on, can seem ordinary but arent. Yet it produces something akin to a lightning strike that splits the rough outer

covering and creates an opening, a probable pathwayand a tangible result. There appears a fork in the road inviting decision. Its not the territory for a faint-hearted tourist but the traveler of a different sort. I personally welcome those unending layers and outcomes, only bits and pieces of the larger picture solidifying long after closure of the initiation. Ive had the great fortune, maybe even destiny, to create such organic spaces, through many years relationship-building and travel with special intent: being alert to those people and places who offer themselves as powerful conduits. These elements being necessary to push the energy--our energyto catapult us beyond places that have grown familiar. My brand of spiritual travel is physically comprised of sacred sites, ceremonies and those who keep the rituals and stories. The travelers who show up to participate equally act as catalysts. An entrainment occurs and each one gains what they need to further the collective and their own journey. And we find out what its like to be at play in a field of mirrors: coming face-to-face with aspects that call out for healing and simultaneously create beauty. I personally celebrate it all. The question arises: do you have to travel to experience such initiation? You do. We are creatures of habit who tend to cling to a mindset that is familiar, even if not particularly healthy. You must be willing to move outside the container: to be fearless, to be open, to explore. You must embody courage to create a wider life. Thats travel. The fast track requires putting the daily life on pause and dropping yourself into an unfamiliar environment to rediscover what you forgot. When people gather with this common intent, magic happens. They give themselves permission to explore parts of themselves they're not so in touch with. Add exposure to Native peoples who inherit a sense of the sacred as an integral aspect of lifeand a landscape of possibility appears. When that happens it leaves an indelible impression and shifts who you are in the world. I frequently face a challenge finding words to express the profound value of the intangible elements running through the lifework Ive chosen. I currently live in a culture that values the immediate result while ignoring the process thats all-important in creating something of deep meaning that endures. My sense is that if were able to finally find comfort floating in the abyss, it will produce all thats ever neededbeyond

what we could imagine. But it takes travel. Ill leave you with this quote from A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller: And once you live a good story, you get a taste for a kind of meaning in life; and you cant go back to being normal; you cant go back to the meaningless scenes stitched together by the forgettable thread of wasted time. *********** Authors note: Those years ago I must have found the right words. Im happy to report that the man concerned about the spiritual travel stuff has since traveled with me twice. And even more importantly, weve become friends. To learn more about upcoming spiritual travel programs and opportunities to engage with Maya, Quechua and Hopi Spirit Keepers see: http://www.kenosisspiritkeepers.org/events.html or http://www.kenosis.net/programs.htm. To view artwork see: http://carla-woody.artistwebsites.com. *************

Bio
Carla Woody is the author of "Calling Our Spirit Home" and "Standing Stark" plus numerous articles on advocacy of Native cultures that are experiencing decimation, spirituality, and whole health. She founded Kenosis in 1999 to provide spiritually based programs to guide people in life direction and healing. In 2007 Carla founded Kenosis Spirit Keepers, the nonprofit extension of Kenosis, whose mission is to help preserve sacred Indigenous traditions. She sponsors spiritual travel programs and has many years' direct experience with Quechua, Maya and Hopi peoples. She leads retreats internationally sharing an integration of NLP, subtle energy work and world sacred traditions. Carla works with individuals and groups in areas of transition, relationships, spirituality and whole health. For information go to: http://www.kenosis.net and http://www.kenosisspiritkeepers.org.