Opening the Path

If you stop on the road above my place on the way out to the ridge road, looking south, you will see this view of Plaskett Ridge. 

Between your vantage point and the ridge are miles of rugged terrain with only the smallest trails along the way.  The deer and other wild animals know their way around here quite well.  Coming around the corner, there may be a deer or a young lion in the road, dashing into what appears to be an impenetrable mass of brush, knowing exactly which way to go.  Some of the trails that do exist are passable by humans, but most are not.  The standing dead trees in the middle of the picture bear witness to what the forest looked like in years past, before the fires of 1996 and of 2008.  Now, the immature growth is so thick that the whole character of the area has changed. 

As spring is now just around the corner, signs of new growth are appearing everywhere.  This year has been wetter than any for at least a decade.  It's been a challenge to handle the many closures of Highway One, the staying indoors with the hammering of the rain and the howling of the wind.  It's been good for creativity, for ingenuity, and for developing a stronger sense of mission.  I am grateful for all of it.  

The beginnings of a new book are making themselves felt.  New ideas are popping up everywhere!  It's time to clear the garden, open up the path, let go of the old so the new can grow.  I am excited about what the new season will be like.  The wildflowers are going to be out of this world!

Now, I am planning to open up my hospitality offerings for the season, and I am reaching out to those who would make the most of it.   

My studio fills up quickly, and before it does, I want to offer you a great opportunity.

Do you have a writing project that you are committed to, and find that making the time to make it a reality is hard to do?  Would you like another set of eyes, another mind, to help you round it up?

I am happy to offer the support that can give you the energy to make your project come to life.  

Join me for an exclusive retreat here on the mountain, where we will focus on what you want to accomplish, nourishing your spirit and putting together the bones of your 

book, short story, blog or newsletter.

Craft a plan, work on your drafts, get feedback that can make your writing have greater depth and be more engaging.  Relax in the country and take time to enjoy yourself.

 I am offering:

 One on one support, focusing on YOU and your project, so that you can reach your writing goals.  

Here's what you can accomplish: 

Learn the best ways to

Capture your audience's attention.

Put together your information so that it makes sense to 

you and your reader.

Tap into your deep creative energy and open the flow

Get resources to get your work out in the best way

Follow through on your promise to yourself!  

Reserve your spot NOW.

Only two of these exclusive retreats will be offered in 2017.

Get in touch with me now, to reserve your spot.  You will be glad you did!

You're as Big As You Think You Are

This conjunction of the planets took place some time ago, during the summer months when life seems easy and times feel relaxing.

Not like how it feels this winter in the mountains!  

It's good to remember, right about now, that winter doesn't last forever.  There has been more rain here in Big Sur than we have seen for a number of years, and the challenges of mountain life are many.  High winds and massive rainfall have downed trees and closed roads.  There is a need to conserve resources, as conditions feel uncertain.  There is no telling what lies around the corner on that mountain road!  It could be a pile of rocks, or a fallen tree, or a wild animal, or possibly just a stretch of open road, with no drama at all.

When going out, I carry with me what I may need in case the unexpected comes up.  It's a time of recognizing the dominance of Nature and the power of allowing for the unknown.  

The voice of the wind, the chill in the air, all contribute to a mental atmosphere that squeezes the mind and emotions like ripened fruit to reveal the creative force that brought it all into being.  The season calls for writing!  As I contemplate the life of the elements which is so expressive at this season, I wonder how this feeling that winter brings, the feeling of being small, is helping me grow.  

I wonder how I used to do this back in the day when there were not the options to communicate that I have now.  
Surely I am a different person from the one I was during those years.   

Even so, as I look back at things I wrote, things I made, earlier in life, there is a common thread of brightness that runs through all the ways I have expressed my truths.  That is the feeling that I want to grow more of in my life, reaching out into the world, and also taking this time, this sacred season of nourishment and rest, into my soul, letting things become what they are meant to be.  

I am only a small human in a vast wilderness, and yet I have a whole Universe that allows me to see and feel as much of it as I can grasp.  How important it is to grow and to become as much as possible in life.  This gift of life that we have is meant to be shared, cherished, communicated.  So as I am feeling the smallness of being, that is so apparent here in the wild, I feel a hugeness around me that whispers, "Be ready when the moment comes, to arise, to become, and go out to meet the bright place, show it, become it.  Tell others what you feel.  Reach out and find the connections, and grow them."

That's what I call the Voice of the Mountains. You can never be alone.  There is no such thing.  There is a story in each life.
Each moment holds a treasure.  Each person is a unique expression of the great love that we call life.  Your life is a gift.  How will you share it with others?  What is your story?

Are you ready to step out and share your wisdom?  

Hit the link above and schedule a time to talk with me about how I can support you in bringing out your story and making it shine. 

Many blessings!

Betty