I received an email this morning from Amy Zerner & Monty Farber that they have a new book…
Amy Zerner & Monte Farber present:
THE ENCHANTED BIRTHDAY BOOK
Discover the Meaning and Magic of Your Birthday
i love their work…especially the ‘Mystic Messenger’, and ‘The True Love Tarot’, and ‘Love, Light, Laughter’…the list goes on.
and there is a contest!
write and tell them about your best birthday ever and you will be entered to win a reading from Monte…he charges $500 an hour so trust it is worth it. A few years ago I had the pleasure of having tea with these two in their studio and they are two very dynamic, peaceful and beautiful people. Go to their FB page and ‘like’ it.
In the meantime, I have been looking for a reason to post this blog about my BEST BIRTHDAY, EVER. I wrote this a few months ago for a point of reference for my mom, who is writing a novel. Part of it takes place on Mt. Bugarach…
Monte and Amy, this blog post is for you (and awesome congrats on your new book! )
by Kelli Bickman
June, 2008. We set off early in the afternoon to climb Mt Bugarach in South France. A small group of local villagers had already assembled at the bottom of the mountain and they led the way up the rocky terrain as we followed behind. The climb was long and challenging, but I figured if the 70 year old woman and the barefoot peasant in our group could do it (effortlessly as far as I could tell), we could too.
The tree covering opened at the top of the mountain to reveal a fairly large plateau with shrubbery scattered around the periphery. People had already started gathering and a circle was forming where the gatherers were placing food items in the center for a group meal. There were beautiful fresh baked breads and cheeses, fruits, dates, cous cous…everyone brought something. And wine, there were bottles of wine that Someone had carried up the mountain.
Jenn and I decided to explore further while the group was forming. The trail led up to another section of the mountain. It was rocky here and the trail narrowed as we climbed higher. The wind was fierce but the temperature hadn’t’ dropped yet and our body heat was high from the exercise. We climbed to the highest point and there was a small flat surface where we stood and did yoga for about 30 min. This was amazing because I was standing behind jenn and changing postures before her and as soon as I would change, she would follow (she couldn’t see me). It was beautiful with the wind in our hair and the fresh mountain air. We said prayers and took the path back down.
As we walked down, another path joined ours. There were three travelers with small backpacks that had come up from the other side of the mountain. We asked them if they were there for the world peace meditation. They said they knew nothing about it but were happy to join. Their names were Christo, Marie, a.
The group (approx 45 ppl) finished setting up their tents, gathered firewood, and then broke bread. The sun had set and a circle formed around the fire that was growing larger and larger…it was massive by the time it was fully fed. Everyone was holding hands and saying prayers in their native language…people from all different tribes were there and prayers were sung and called out in many tongues. The energy was very high and full of joy and light. The prayer circle was guided by an elder (I didn’t particularly care for him, he was with his wife and daughter and hitting on jenn…ahh, the French).
After a while people began dispersing to sleep in their tents or to find their way back down the mountain. The fire was still roaring but coaxed into a smaller more manageable flame while a group of about 15 moved into lotus posture to meditate for world peace for the rest of the night. It was getting very late, very cold and a fog set in. Moussa, the barefoot gypsy, set off into the fog to get more firewood. People were still chanting and singing within the circle. Jenn and I were sitting next to Christo, Marie and John. I asked Christo who they were and where they came from. He said they were the key and that if I had any questions to ask, now was the time.
I said if they were the key I wanted to go thru the door.
It suddenly got colder. Jenn was wrapped in her burgundy fleece blanket meditating and working to raise ‘tummo’ or heat in her body so she could easily bare the cold. The light of the flames danced a warm glow on the faces of the peace keepers.
I sat.
I don’t know for how long. I was able to generate the heat for small time and then opened my eyes. Everyone was meditating (or sleeping). The group was very small by this time….perhaps there were six people still sitting. Moussa appeared from the darkness with firewood and the chill was thwarted.
Behind us our shadows were cast onto the wall of fog by the fire. It was my shadow self, larger than life, looming at a distance and dancing along side while we tried to stay in the light.
I heard Christo’s voice in my mind. He told me I couldn’t go thru the door at this time because my mind was too clouded and there was still work that I needed to do.
The message was heard loud and clear. The three of them sat in peaceful meditation wrapped in their blankets by the fire, eyes closed, perfect posture. I relented into the night and wrapped myself into the blankets with jenn behind me. The ground was cold, damp, hard and fierce.
We awoke in the early morning covered in soot and moisture. Someone threw a piece of cheese and some dates onto a blanket near us. We were famished. Everyone shared their food and we warmed as the sun began to rise.
A small group of us made our way down the mountain and drove to a nearby beach on a lake to spend another night camping and being in nature. Christo, Marie, John, Moussa, Jenn, me and a few others. Everyone we encountered was so generous…giving us necklaces, food, stones with prayers. It was a very special day and we met many travelers. Christo and Marie were doing yoga exercises and meditating most of the day. It was obvious they were very much in love and happy together…there was a peaceful harmony between them that is rare and beautiful to see.
That night we slept on the sandy beach at the bottom of the mountain. The lights of the chateau across the water cast a long glow reading 11 11 onto the water that stretched out to us while we slept. It was perfection.
In the morning I rose feeling refreshed. I sat up in meditation to join the rest of the group who was already in posture. John came over to me and corrected my alignment, stretching my spine and pulling my shoulders back and head up. Christo’s voice cheerfully guided me…he said that since it was the anniversary of my birth I must throw my eyes into the water, and then throw my body into the water, and then throw my mind into the water. I must release attachment to this world.
It was clear what i needed to do. I sat. I felt myself guided by something bigger then me and felt the energy being held by these strong spiritual beings, there to guide and assist me in any way they could.
I threw my eyes, my ears, my hands, my body, my mind, my everything into the water while I sat there on the beach in south france. And for the first time I felt my being dissolve into pure nothingness. Emptiness. My particles vibrated into pure light and I became one with all there is. It was extraordinary and perfect. It was pure peaceful energy and nothing at the same time…to describe it on paper makes it seem small. It is as if a light was turned on in my head the size of the entire universe.
I don’t know how long it lasted but when I came back to my body, I looked over at Jenn, smiled and said…’it’s my birthday!’ someone opened a bottle of champaigne and the bubbles were flowing in everyone’s cup while everyone sang happy birthday in French.
And then we ran down into the water and swam out into the center of the lake. We laughed and enjoyed every breath we took enveloped in the cool water and while we looked back at the beach from a new perspective, a new day had dawned.
____________
fin.
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