“spirtually and passionately alive”
I call her the Ele. She’s a young woman, mother of a three-year-old son, studying law. She has a deep appreciation for elephants. For this, I call her Ele.
We had only briefly exchanged warm, friendly greetings on a couple of occasions in Kaldi – the coffee shop where I come daily to process photos, write and stay connected with the world. (Kaldi seems to draw a different sort of people – open people like me. Hence, why it’s my adopted hub here in Chihuahua.) In one of these very brief exchanges, Ele randomly asked me if I had been to any of the museums around Chihuahua. “You know, I have more than a month and a half here in Chihuahua and I haven’t been to a single one!” I marveled in cheerful self-chastisement. Thus, she suggested we go and I eagerly obliged: “Vamos!”
We met yesterday morning for our excursion downtown. I didn’t know anything about her, outside of her name and her smooth, creamy brown face, but it didn’t take more than an hour for me to realize she’s another that sees the world a bit differently like me.
I can’t remember what sparked it, but the Ele suddenly informed me, “Did you know there are schools where something is written on one side of the wall and children simply put their hands on the opposite side of the wall, and then they know what’s written on the other side? They use their minds and they know. We can do a lot more than what people think we can do.”
I looked at her startled. I had the impression she was a friendly young woman who was being most sincere with me , but, until then, I had no idea she looked at the world the way I did. But my surprise quickly gave way to excitement. I’m getting used to meeting these like-minded people on a more regular basis. ‘Another one!’ I thought.
I quickly jumped in, agreeing and sharing my own versions of the same ideas, though I had yet to hear that example. I want to learn more about these children, this school.
She followed up with another example: “There’s a scientist from Japan that takes macro photos of water molecules and finds words, words like ‘amor’ (love), ‘feliz’ (happy), etc… ”
“What? Really? I’ve never heard of that. But hey, I believe it.” I thought to myself how I have read that while nature, water, air etc… seems purely random to our own eyes, on the molecular level scientists say life is very organized and operates in consistent patterns.
“I’d really like to learn more about this,” I mused.
(A really quick Google search brings up these two links: Masaru Emoto Messages with Water and Conscious Water. I’m not sure if this is the man she is referring to or not. But, a most intriguing start to the investigation. I’ll get more info from her.)
From this exchange we ultimately delved deeper into philosophical and spiritual discussion and shared beliefs in so-called crazy ideas. Ideas such as a belief that people really can, literally, walk on water, heal others and heal themselves… among MANY others. (Read Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East if you think you’re ready to explore these concepts.) There I finally said it on my blog. Yes, I truly believe all that. I’ve even manifested some of that on very small levels in my own life. And, I’ve got a growing community of friends who all believe, more or less, the same thing. Some are further than others in the depth of their belief, but we’re all there, walking the same path of belief. Thinking, feeling, experiencing, seeing the same things. It’s… quite thrilling.
Our conversation became dominated by these ideas and similar ones. Ele commented several times at what a surprise this was for her, to find someone else, finally, who thinks like… this. I assured her, this was just the start and that she’ll begin finding many more. I asked when she started to see the world differently and she responded it was when she had her son. Before, she explained quite frankly, she was extremely superficial, caught up in appearances and money, thinking she had a ton of friends. But when she became pregnant, her boyfriend hit the hills and just three of her “hoards of friends” stuck around to show her true friendship. That’s when, she says, she started asking herself questions and finally started looking at the world differently. She now lives with her parents as she studies, works and cares for her son – whom she considers a true blessing in her life. We talked about that too – how children can be some of the greatest teacher’s. How they remind us to ‘keep our childish enthusiasm’ (Under the Tuscan Sun) and experience all things in life with childish wonder… be it joyously observing the tiniest of ants or truly feeling the calming essence of wood grain.
Then Ele expressed her view of life in a way that I always do… her idea along the lines of: ‘We have our challenges but this life is so full of richness and magic. I am young and I have a child and there are challenges that come with that, but in reality it’s all a blessing and there’s nothing to do but recognize our blessings and truly enjoy them, learn from them.’
It was the first time that someone had said it before me. Usually, I say it and they agree. This time, she beat me to the punch. My eyes welled for a second as I absolutely embraced the pleasure in hearing someone else truly embody such a vision for the world like that. Not that we don’t have our difficult moments where our seemingly unwavering faith in such beliefs will waver. But at the end, this belief is rooted in our hearts. When we waver, the roots cling tight, and we end up right back at the same thought: this world is truly magical!
In the midst of this enchanted encounter, we visited the Museo de Arte Sacro (Sacred Art Museum) found in the basement of the Catedral de Chihuahua. There we encountered paintings of holy men of ancient times and in Biblical scenes, whose eyes and even feet followed you around the room. All the materials used for these century-old paintings are natural: crushed insects, flowers and minerals. At the cathedral’s underground museum, I learned that every Monday of the year is the day St. Nicolas (Santa Clause) and that he’s the saint to petition for work. But, ‘watch out,’ our guide warned, ‘if you ask him, be prepared to receive a TON of work.’ Wink. Wink.
It was noted that Pope John Paul II had visited this cathedral. While I’m admittedly not so big into religion and much of the confused dogma that I feel comes with it, Pope JP2 was unquestionably a major role model of my generation, a most holy man; whose teachings and way of life should, I feel, be revered.
Our guide also noted that in Jesus’ time, children of 12 years of age were considered adults. That of course coincides with the Jewish bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah celebrations. But, until then, I had never really thought about seriously holding any 12-year-old accountable as an adult. What does it mean if, in Biblical days, since the age of 12 we could be more or less responsible adults and now, society does not consider us as adults until the age of 18? I would argue that many in today’s societies around the world, people don’t truly behave more like adults until at least their mid-20s. Does this mean we’ve regressed? Did we learn and adopt crucial life lessons much faster in Biblical times? Are we, as a global society, living in a modern world, yet managing it with the immaturity of a child? The concept of childhood I spoke about above said keep your childish “enthusiasm,” not your childish “immaturity.” Could we, as a collective community, have gotten things I little mixed up?
We also visited the Museo de la Lealtad Repbulicana (Museum of Republican Loyalty) in Casa Juárez (the House of Juarez). Did you know Benito Juárez was “the first full-blooded indigenous national Mexican to serve as President of Mexico and to lead a country in the Western Hemisphere?”
It was after visiting this museum, each of us noted our tatoos. I with my “Que Rico” on my ankle and she with her abstract elephant. My life philosophy is “!Que Rico!” I explained. Again, the concept of truly seeing the world with open eyes and realizing that it’s absolutely an enchanted experience, full of magic everywhere you truly look. An elephant, for her she explained, is a truly majestic creature, one from the ancient world.
I couldn’t agree more. I had seen elephants in zoos and circuses throughout childhood, I commented. I even rode on an elephant through the jungle in Thailand. But, it wasn’t until I simply watched one heavily, yet so gracefully, sauntering down a dirt road in Laos that I truly “saw” an elephant for the first time: Strange and grande. The tough, hide creased from trunk to hoof with deep wrinkles. Adorned, as kings in nature, with their long, sharp, white ivory tusks. This creature is not of this world, I remember marveling to myself. This animal is of the ancient world, an epoch long dead. An ancient creature, stuck in this modern world.
It wasn’t until I recounted all this to Ele Mom though, that it struck me how it might be a very wise thing to study this marvelous wonder, the elephant, more in depth. And in this moment, in Chihuahua, MX, most nearly on the complete opposite side of the world, I marveled again: Just imagine the ancient wisdom this animal, and its molecules must embody!
****
Blogs from Laos:
Laid Back Laos
Paradise on Earth
Local Lao Fishing
Can’t Get Enough of the Tubes ‘n Swings
Moto Pro, Vang Vieng on Repeat
****
The final museum we visited was the Casa de Chihuahua; bright, fresh facility buzzing with creative energy. But, honestly, we were so engrossed in our conversation by then, that I don’t remember much. I remember the stone, cell where somebody kept someone hostage. I remember noting that the energy of that cell was strangely calm, peaceful and even a bit joyful. I’ve been to the horrid memorial of S21 in Cambodia, where you tread on blood stains – some of the only physically remnants left of the hundreds of people unjustly and grotesquely tortured there. The unnerving energy of that memorial left me with a disquieting depression for several days. But, here, I noted to Ele, I feel so much calm. “Must have been because he was religious and had found his peace with God while in here,” she remarked.
I also remember admiring some indigenous symbols. I wanted to take in more about what they meant, but I was simply too caught up in sharing with my new friend.
The museum prohibited photography, and I respected that rule… until the very last exhibit. The Sala de Conclusión (The Conclusion Room) featured a beautiful display of photography. A bare tree stood in the center, lit, with matted photos hanging from its branches. Around this was an orb of metal, also covered in matted photos – all of which depicted various elements of natural Chihuahua. “It’s a metaphor,” one of the employees explained. The tree represents Chihuahua. All the photos are the fruit, which represent the Mexican state’s patrimony. “It’s a message is that we need to care and transmit the natural treasures that we have her in Chihuahua…”
At some point during our downtown wanderings, I had bought a gift for another friend here in Chihuahua: a necklace of Obsidian crafted by street artisans. It was my friend’s birthday and I wanted to give her something specific, something along the lines of “witchery.” It is said that Obsidian absorbs negative energy, redirecting it from reaching a person and locking it into the rock until the rock cracks. This friend, whom I call, the Bruja de Chihuahua (the Witch of Chihuahua) is yet another enchanted soul – a most complex one – that I’ve found here in Chihuahua. The story I share about her will be yet more strange and intriguing, even a bit unsettling. I’m hoping to introduce her properly her in my blog this coming week…
The artisan from whom I bought the necklace, looked up at me strangely, while I also made a special order for a new simple, handcrafted leather wallet (the zipper on my coin purse had just broke the day before), and asked: “You’re a writer, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I replied questioningly. He had no reason to know… I asked why he had asked. He just shrugged.
Afterwards, Ele accompanied me while I got my nose pierced. Because they were friends of the Niño-Hombre (another influential character here in Chihuahua I have yet to officially introduce), I took a series of photos for the skate/piercing/tattoo shop, Chihuahua Pulso, and they offered me a free piercing in exchange. I had wanted a small, delicate nose piercing in my teens but had never gotten one. I figured I might as well try it now…
Last night I went to dinner with the Bruja of Chihuahua and some of her friends from work. “You’ll be bored and perhaps even uncomfortable,” she warned me. “They’re incredibly superficial.” I went, enjoyed the sushi and stayed quiet most of the time. She was right, they had no real interest in me and, accordingly, I had really nothing to share with these women. But, I was there for the Bruja, who is embracing a transformation in her life, I feel…
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Let your mind run free to consider new creative relationships and then have the discipline to put your thoughts down on paper.
— , The Blue Day Notebook
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