State of the Sole2Soul Enterprise

Flagstaff, Arizona

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

9:35 a.m.

State of the Sole2Soul Enterprise:

Facts and Factoids; Factors and Factions

"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

--Mark Twain after hearing that his obituary had

been published in the New York Journal

A friend e-mailed me recently that she had read that I had “dropped out of the walk.”  I was surprised to learn this and asked her where she had gathered this information.  It turns out that on April 6, Mary Knapp, one of the Sole2Soul walkers had written in her blog, subtitled In Tears and Trouble: “Through the cruel vagaries of unfortunate circumstances and personal situations, Week Three began with the loss of two walkers and ended with losing yet another.  And then there were two: Chandler and I continued to move forward. . .”

I cannot let another day go by without correcting this impression, because although I do not question Mary’s experience of tears and trouble and loss, I do not buy her conclusion that only two walkers remain. I do not agree that what no longer appears on her screen of awareness and acceptance is somehow “lost.”  

*   *   *

  

Fact and Factoid

Mary’s assertion that walkers have been “lost,” is not a fact, except in the sense that something believed to be true, or real, can appear as fact.  But as we all know, things are not always as they appear. . . and her representation that she and Chandler are the only two walkers is not an accurate statement.  It could become a factoid, however -- an invented fact believed to be true because it appears in print. 

Factors

When Mary, Liz and Chandler decided to move on without us -- a unilateral decision made without consulting us, for whatever reasons that seemed compelling to them at the time -- we had been unavoidably delayed, first by the loss of a critical piece of camera equipment, and later by a mechanical breakdown, and therefore had to deal with those realities.  But what happened in my experience, was that we were guided (through our meditations) to see that a new opportunity had been created for us, which we welcomed as a special assignment.  As practitioners of “the art of the possible” we accepted our new assignment with joy and enthusiasm.  

We could happily allow Mary and Chandler to traverse the linear/horizontal miles across America, as they have intended to do, while our role would be to explore the possibility of non-linear/vertical movement onward and upward.  Our pathway would not be linear -- as the crow flies, but more as the bee or hummingbird flies -- sometimes in curves and in spirals, seeking the nourishing nectar that would be evidence that we were on track and on purpose.  Our enterprise -- in keeping with the spirit of our commitment -- became an expression of “sacred activism,” exploring certain locations that we would be guided to visit, and meeting with certain persons with whom we would exchange energy service and information.  That is what we have done.  

That is why we spent time in Needles at the city’s Museum and at the Mohave (Native American) Cultural Center, learning from Joe Barrackman, a venerable living repository of tribal lore, about the Mojave, “the people of the river” -- and especially their burial customs and their language which expresses family relationships in far more intricate terms than we English speakers can imagine.

That is why we took the advice of an old Methodist minister to investigate the “Mystical (Topoc) Maze” which baffles archeologists today as to its age and purpose -- appearing as a large field of mounds in graceful curving formations, like rows prepared for the planting of corn.

That is why our route took a sharp dip southward.

That is why we were led to meet with Rain and Star,  the two female publishers of the “Desert Messenger” in Quartzite who showed us the marvelous documentary film of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers.

That is why we felt drawn to spend time in Yuma for several days and became involved with the lives of some youthful beggars and scavengers who are choosing to test the limits of legality and danger.  The beautiful Raphaella responded so strongly to the call of the divine feminine that our walk represents that she nearly left her group of “lost boys” to join us.

  

That is why we spent several days visiting with Ivory Llewellyn who refreshed my memory on the teachings of Carlos Castenada and the Don Juan series.  She was so aligned with our vision that she even walked with us one day!  She also read to us from the work of Clarissa Pinkola Estes in her book, Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.

That is why we touched our feet on Mexican soil at Algodones, and bought a malachite necklace portraying the Virgin of Guadalupe from Marcelina, a courageous Oaxacan woman who limps through the streets daily offering her trinkets.

Faction

Unfortunately, a separation has occurred between the two teams in terms of physical space and distance as well as in terms of style and manner of approach.  This could be interpreted as creating an “us vs. them,” rivalry or a competition.  It is a very human thing to do, but I sincerely hope that this does not prevail because it is so contrary to the spirit of cooperation and co-creation with which this enterprise has been imbued.  

When I walk, I take my “official” walking stick, and I wear the sign across my back that Mary gave me that announces our “Sole2Soul Walk Across America.”  We are constantly looking for opportunities to spread the word about the walk and the website.  Viveka and I continue to walk a total of 11.1 miles per day, five days per week, as agreed.  What we do not do is walk separately, therefore, we only cover 5.5 miles daily. 

In order respectfully to acknowledge the difference between our two teams, however, I offer this as a helpful clarification or distinction:  Since the separation of the two teams took place, I have altered the way I think of the journey that Viveka and I are on.  It is not a Walk Across America.  Mary and Chandler are doing that in the truest sense.  Ours is a Walk About America, in the same sense that the aboriginals of Australia go on walkabout as their version of the “vision quest.”  I have always held that my walk was a pilgrimage, and its destination is the capstone of the Washington monument in D.C. where the mystical vision of this nation can be imagined to reside.  I hope to sit in that space and, as a woman, experience that vision for myself.  I believe our nation could benefit from a fresh interpretation of that original image and inspiration.

It is my hope that our two teams be reunited once again in Washington on September 21, the International Day of Peace, completely satisfied that we have fulfilled our respective missions and assignments, although we may have taken different paths to the same destination.