Leaving Monkey Valley
September 29, 2009 – 2:41 pm
As I mentioned in August, I have put Monkey Valley on the market. I was going to give you a virtual tour of my house today, but Wordpress is not cooperating with uploading photos. A final disruption from Mercury, who went direct this morning at 6:30 AM Pacific time?
So instead I’ll direct you to some other links that have photos. (Photos are now loading; I guess this was the post I was supposed to write today!)
Pictures of Monkey Valley
This is from my excellent realtor, Darch Oborne, on his web site:
http://www.movingrealestate.ca/listing-details.asp?id=1075
And this is the MLS listing:
The main picture is one I took from across the valley, using the zoom feature on the great digital camera that Darch lent me! A magnificent view of the house.
Offering nature-based teachings in new places
The original intention of this web site was to promote the retreats that I offer here on the land. There are two kinds: the vision fast, and the teaching of the four directions. When I made the decision to sell Monkey Valley, I realized that the offering of these retreats, which is a gift I want to give to my people, has become intertwined with the land here at Monkey Valley. Of course, it is a great place to do these things! But it is not the only place where I can offer these gifts.
On Saturday I am leaving for Big Pine, California, to apprentice once again with the School of Lost Borders. This time, I am apprenticing on the California Fall Vision Fast, guided by Ruth Wharton and Larry Hobbs. This is the third year I am apprenticing with experienced guides to build on the training I have received with the school. I have also guided fasts twice at Monkey Valley.
Next year I am guiding a vision fast retreat group fast in the vicinity of Monkey Valley, and have added a new customized vision fast option to my offerings. There are some magical places on the land surrounding Monkey Valley, near Missezula Lake, and this is where I intend to hold these fasts once Monkey Valley passes on to her new owners.
The other type of retreat that I have developed and taught is the teaching of the four directions. It is based on the four shields teaching that Stephen Foster and Meredith Little shaped at the School of Lost Borders. I also incorporate teachings of the medicine wheel, which I received from my teacher Joyce Lyke and others, and ecopsychology practices that I learned while pursuing my master’s degree at Naropa University. These are all wonderful ways of connecting with nature to access the guidance and healing that lie within ourselves and the natural world. My intention is to adapt the two- or three-day retreat format to a day trip format that I can offer in Vancouver. This will have the advantage of making the teaching much more accessible to more people. And Vancouver is nestled in the bosom of many beautiful places in nature that will support this teaching.
The choice to sell Monkey Valley
It was a difficult decision to sell Monkey Valley, but that seems to be where the flow of my life is taking me. I have been here for nine years now. I bought this land within a few weeks of my father’s death. It has held much healing, learning, and growth for me. And a fair share of frustrations, too, which I think is part of the territory with any major undertaking. I have enjoyed most of the learning, and many fine times with family, friends, and co-journeyers on the path of inner realization, both with the Diamond Approach and with the nature-based spiritual practices.
At this stage in my life journey I find myself wanting to put down deeper roots in one place. Keeping two homes for all these years—Monkey Valley and an apartment I rented in Vancouver for a pied-à-terre—has required a lot of energy. I realize that I don’t want to spend my energy that way, and on the travelling back and forth. Yet if I have to choose only one place to be, I am sad to say that I can’t choose Monkey Valley. I feel too isolated there when I live there full-time. It has taken me a while to realize (and admit) that I am a social creature, and I like to be around people! So if I am going to choose a place to put down roots, I need to choose a place where there are people. I have noticed over the years how returning from Monkey Valley to Vancouver always feels like a home-coming. My appreciation for and love of this city have grown. (Though like most of us, I could do with less traffic!) This morning I spent som
e time reading the Georgia Straight’s annual “Best of Vancouver” issue, and love for this city swelled in my heart.
So these are some of the factors in my decision to sell Monkey Valley and move back to Vancouver full-time. I want to put down roots and weave into the fabric of community here. I want to spend more of my time offering my gifts to my people, and enjoying the company of friends and family, and less time driving on the Coquihalla and cursing because I don’t have the right tool for a job at Monkey Valley!
But, in case you are wondering, I am very happy with how the installation of my power booster turned out! May the new owners be very happy with their most excellent cell phone service!
Tags: BC vision fast, Four Directions, Georgia Straight, selling Monkey Valley, Vancouver