IN THE MOUNTAINS

Here is a short video of what I have just
spent 6 days looking at - all day until it got
dark and the moon appeared. 
Go to full screen, and turn the volume up
so you can hear the cowbells.
It was heavenly.

6,300 FEET UP

Well, I'm back in Kusnacht after my 2-week course.
It was rich and intense, demanding as usual, with 
some great lectures on alchemy, the old gods and
goddesses in Swiss agriculture, the face of the 
feminine in the Kabbaleh - an esoteric branch of
Judaism - and other weird and wonderful goodies:
a seminar on dreams, an interpretation of the fairy
tale The Firebird, including a DVD showing of 
either the Bolshoi Ballet or the Ballet Russe 
production, and a lecture on the new "Mary bell" 
that has finally been replaced in Notre Dame 
cathedral in Paris after a 200+ year absence.  
During the French revolution, all the church bells 
were taken and melted down to make ammunition,
leaving only one bell of the original 10 in Notre 
Dame.  Now all 10 are replaced, and to hear them 
ringing for the first time after so many years is 
quite something - if you're interested, here's a link:
http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/spip.php?article1613
The number of people who turned up and waited for 
hours to hear the bells was really something.  Our 
instructor was there, and she said the moment the 
bells began to ring, there was a deep hush in this 
crowd of several thousand people. 

The bell was on
display in Notre
Dame, and 
hundreds of 
people came to 
see it and to 
touch it.  It
was remade
and blessed in
a sacred
ceremony 
before it
was ready to
be rung.





Also, on the suggestion of my "landlady" (but
really, my friend) Irene, I initiated a brand 
new practice for the Zentrum- a morning 
warmup!!  I offered a 30-minute movement 
and voice warmup to anyone who was 
interested, and had between 10 and 15 people 
show up every morning.  They were so 
appreciative, and it was such a delight to get
bodies moving, and to chant and sing and and laugh.

We have one day off during the course, and this
time, I went with my Swiss friend Susanne to a 
valley high up in the mountains.  We took a bus
and then a cable car, and then walked for hours. I
have some photos….of course!

This is the cable car - a strange little space-age
capsule, with room for about 10 people, and space
for skiis and boots, etc, for winter mountain access.

These are lodges - the newer ones - which are rented out, I think by the room, in the ski season.
They are close to where the cable car lets you off, and from there the skier would have to ski
over to where there are many more lifts up to the slopes.  Luke, it would be AMAZING
to ski here!! Maybe one year…..

This weird looking thing - I think it's supposed to look like
a candle - is an elevator.  You can get on at the top, which
is where the path from the cable car leads, and take it down
to the level of the little road.  Which we did.

This is one of the views from the elevator.  Isn't it just beautiful?  That little cabin is also probably
a rental place, though Susanne said it might also be privately owned.  There were people there
on this gorgeous day, lounging in the sun.  The lake was like glass.

When we started walking, on our left there were these fair-sized
cliffs, and I suddenly realized that there were many people
climbing the rocks.  Brrrr!  Not my idea of a good time!

An alpine flower - there were lots of late-summer blooms
peeking out from between the rocks.

More of these brave little alpine blooms….

Walking, walking, walking.  There were all kinds of people up there with us, but the landscape
is so vast, and there are so many paths, that it was very quiet and unbothered.

So, this is the first lake, the Melchsee - which, literally translated, means
something like Milk Lake.  

Walking up here was spectacular.  For one thing, time seemed
to stop - or it became irrelevant.  We just walked and
walked, with the view constantly changing, and the
sun constantly shining - and before we knew it the
whole day had gone by.

This was a glimpse of the second lake, called the Tannensee.  It's a manmade lake, as you
can probably tell from the dike-like green wall - but it blends in so beautifully, you
wouldn't know it was not natural.  Tannen translates as "a few scrawny fir trees".
Remember that Christmas song "O Tannenbaum"?  (which doesn't mean
O Scrawny Fir Tree - it mean O Christmas Tree, of course)

This is the lake, once you get up and over the edge.  We sat here in the bright sunshine - actually
by this time we were getting tired, so we lay there for a while - I forgot sunscreen, and
got quite a sunburn on my face.

There's something very special about how the Swiss build these little rest stops - complete with
firepit and benches - for anyone who wants to stop and cook their lunch.  They
are everywhere, these little places - up in the woods here where I walk, and scattered
along these paths - really encouraging folks to get out and to spend the whole day
walking.  Everyone here wears some form of hiking shoes or boots - even the
smallest children.  I felt very North American in my running shoes.

We were heading for the restaurant to which we'd seen a sign pointing, climbing and puffing,
when suddenly this is what came into view.  It nestles there like a fairy tale lake, or like a
secret jewel - it took my breath away.  It is called Little Angel Lake.

We stopped at the restaurant, because we were starving
by then!  It was a roughly built wooden place, typically
Swiss looking, with a big balcony and large picnic
style tables.  Everyone was very friendly and happy to
be out on such a magnificent day.  I had really good
soup, and always the delicious Swiss bread…then we
started the hike back, and I was too tired to take any 
more pictures!  It was an amazing day out - and when
I looked at the map, I realized we were 6,300 feet up
in the mountains.

Tomorrow I head back into the mountains for 5 or 6
days.  I am vacating my apartment so that Irene's 
son from San Francisco and his girlfriend can stay
here while they celebrate the wedding of her other
son.  She offered to drive me up to their mountain
home, where I could stay on my own, and then to
come and pick me up again afterward.  I am looking
forward to being back in the mountains, and as the
sun has been shining brilliantly all day, I am hoping
the weather will be good.  It is really fall here, with
cool fresh air, and that beautiful deep blue sky.  The
leaves on the chestnut tree outside my window are
definitely turning, and starting to fall.  I have five
more weeks here, exactly.  It continues to be 
rejuvenating and nourishing on a very deep level.
I am taking several books with me tomorrow, as
well as all my notes from the lectures, and music,
and walking shoes, and sunscreen!  
Talk to you later…..

Newborn Lamb with Mama

This lamb was born while I was at my course, in the 
field just outside the door!  I shot this video just hours 
after the baby was born - hope it comes across clearly.  

ANOTHER DAY IN ZURICH, FROM 3 WEEKS AGO!

Here are some more sights of Zurich, taken before
I went up into the mountains for my 2-week course.

The Opera House

Einsideln

I have had these photos waiting to be posted from
a day in Einsiedeln.  This is a small village in 
Switzerland, not far from Zurich, with an enormous
cathedral, in which is a smaller chapel dedicated
to the Black Madonna.  She is literally a black
Madonna, with a black child in her arms.  There 
are many stories about why and how she is black,
but she is truly worshipped here.  It is a Benedictine
Abbey, and has been a sacred site of worship since
the 10th century, with a long history.  We arrived in
time for vespers and for the Salve Regina, when the
old monks process to the small chapel and light the
candles to the Madonna, and they sing to her.  It is
very beautiful, and deeply moving, to see these old
men singing to the Divine Feminine, with what 
feels to be genuine love and devotion.

I didn't take photos in the church, but some from 
outside, and from the walk which we took to the
centre where we taught for three consecutive years
with Marion.  

Here we are, Vernessa, me, Dale and Ursula.  

On our way home from Einsiedeln, we stopped at a 
hotel/spa/restaurant up high on the hill, and had a
drink.  On the way into the place, this is what we 
saw at the entrance….

I love the shiny redness of these apples, greeting you at the door!

This is what we faced, as we had our tea….just below we had a wedding party going
on, with beautiful people all dressed up and a Swiss accordion player, and we didn't feel
we could leave until the bride and groom showed up…and no, I didn't take a photo of them!

And just to finish off, and as an immediate Here I am,
this is what I'm looking at as I sit here, this very moment.

OK, I have so many photos to share!  More to follow, 
on another day.  But today is my day off, and I am
going on a hike further up into the mountains, to get
some exercise and take a break from the concentration
of the past week, and to refresh myself before we head
into another intense week tomorrow.
I am learning so much, and it's great to be back in
lectures and seminars, with like-minded people, and 
friends who I have shared time with over the last two
years.  And now….the sun is shining and off I go!!

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was
more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin

TODAY...

I'm just back from a gorgeous hour and a half at
the lake.  If I walk fast it takes about 7 1/2 minutes
to get there….on the way back, it usually takes 
twice as long because I'm so mellow from the sun
and the water…

Because today is Sunday, there were lots of families
there.  One of the things I love about being at the
water here is that it is such a natural part of life -
that is, people don't go to see and be seen, they go
to swim and to hang out, and to sunbathe and to
snooze.  Many women take their bikini tops off,
whether they are 17 or 70.  And no one blinks an
eye.  Well…not at the family lakeside, but at a 
slightly more private place where I went yesterday 
with Irene.

Two days in a row of sunshine and weather hot 
enough to swim - the Swiss have all been complaining
about the terrible summer they have had - but these
last couple of days have been perfectly beautiful.

Here is a little photo journey of a couple of things
on the way to the water.

This is the graveyard which I walk through on my way.  I love the way the graves are
tended so lovingly.  Always fresh flowers blooming, and rose bushes and fresh potted plants.
There is a great respect for the dead, and for family, and for remembrance.
And this is the graveyard where Jung is buried.  I usually walk by his grave and say Hello.

Because of the railway tracks, there are a couple of tunnels which go
underneath to get down to the lakeside, and the road which runs alongside the lake.
This particular tunnel is bizarrely decorated, with a turbaned (I think) blue-suited
man inviting one to walk through, and then some really bad paintings of ballerinas
and orchestras… I don't understand the connection, but this guy always makes me smile.

Just a little further, across a busy street, and along a 
narrow lane way - past the Jung Institute, the original
training centre for Jungian analysts - and past some
beautiful homes and gardens, to THE LAKE!!

This is what was at my feet today.

Looking to my right, toward Zurich…..

And this is for you, Cath - this is the ferry boat that takes you into Zurich, or further south on the
lake down to Rapperswil, or if you want you can get on in Zurich and go all the way to Rapperswil
and back again.  Today and yesterday the boat was really full.  It goes every half hour or so, and
is a great alternative to the train.  Or, you can go one way on the train, and then take the boat back, which is what I did last week.

And this is a common sight - though I didn't see him
today, but on Friday, on his way home for lunch.  The
kids all ride these scooters - they are fancier and faster
than the ones my kids and their friends used to ride.

He is very cool - giving some little blond-haired girl
the "peace" sign...

PLAYING….

When I was walking with a Swiss friend on Wednesday
evening, we passed this field where these goats were
playing - they ran around and around the shed, leaping
and butting heads - and they made us laugh with their
silly, carefree, instinct to PLAY!!