We just completed our Summer Noble Silence Meditation Retreat (NSMR), leaving RoZie and I dog-tired, but a country-mile from feeling depleted. “I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear,” per legendary coach of the Pack Vince Lombardi, “is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle — victorious." It always feels like it rained in our hearts after running a great retreat, as a bright, rainbow afterglow colors our personal practice. The summer of self-love and healing continues, touched upon in previous posts, and brought full-circle on our new Wetlands Outdoor Practice Platform during the Solstice Men’s gathering pictured above.
Earlier in July, the mighty Anthony Michael Blowers, our local mycologist and knowledgable naturalist, made his triumphant return, appearing out of the Southwest Michigan woodlands to lead us on a private nature walk and wild forage. We didn’t get far beyond the vibrant green moss fields of our front lawn before Tony’s Northern Harrier hawk’s eye spotted a number of what he proclaimed to be incredible finds, including Crown-Tip Coral, Fairy Goblets, and the Purple Coral Fungus (Clavaria Zollingeri) also pictured above. According to an internet source, “this beautiful, violet coral-like fungus is found only very occasionally” (love that), sending Anthony home to get his good camera. Texting notes on my phone, “Get his good” auto-corrected to “God is good”, which I suppose is true, in the light of the beauty of life’s great, eternal, creative expression, of which both we and Purple Coral are a part. This harkens to our not-so diabolical plan to know every single plant, tree and piece of flora on our land, a life-long endeavor, but one we’ll be forwarding on Anthony’s Nature Walk and Wild, Fall Foraging Workshop on Saturday, September 14th, with registration up shortly.
In September, we’ll also be offering our first Dark Sky Event, a celebration of the Lunar Eclipse that maximizes in the Americas on September 17th 10:44:18 pm Kalamazoo, Michigan time. While we can’t control whether (weather?) the skies will be clear that evening, hopefully our minds will be, with an outdoor yoga class, a guided meditation surrounded by wetlands and stars, and a telescoped take on the eclipse, one in which a dark shadow partially covers the moon. But before fantasizing and perhaps even fretting over an imagined future, let’s return to this present moment, the eternal, always illuminated now, outside space and time, and enjoy July 31st, with the virid back-nine of Summer ‘24 stretched out before us. We’re embracing August and Everything After with a special Signature Meditation + Mindfulness 101 class Saturday, August 10th, during South Haven’s Blueberry Festival, opportunities still open for private sessions and personal visits, and closing out the rocky, retrograded month with our Way of The Contrary Ceremonial Purification Weekend Saturday, August 31st — Sunday, September 1st, more late summer heat ironically providing some sweet, soulful relief.
We’ll wake that Sunday to a September morn, after traveling halfway 'round the world to find ourselves again, we’ll look how far we've come, so far from where we used to be, but not so far that we've forgotten how it was before… moving into our favorite season of Fall, with a September Class, Anthony’s Workshop, September Ceremony, and our early Fall Yoga + Meditation Practice Weekend from Friday, September 27th to Sunday, September 29th. All attending yogis will be called to elevate their practice by doing it in its original intent: to keep one’s body supple and energized for lengthy periods of sitting meditation. Speaking of, our Fall NSMR happens mid-October, and watch for a special 10-year anniversary event to mark our first night spent at 494 63rd Street, South Haven, Michigan, USA, on October, 31st, 2014 (Boo!) Until then, we’ll close with the kind words of John from Ann Arbor, one of the men seated above in our healing circle, with the hope that you, too, come out and join us soon.
Testimonial: 5 Gold Stars for Higher Haven Retreat Center: “I highly recommend The Higher Haven to any one or any group seeking a stunningly beautiful, deeply relaxing getaway. Paul Sarkes Tootalian is an amazing healer who's created a magical space, all within a beautiful, nature-filled landscape, where even the accommodations were simple yet perfect. This retreat center is 'The Real Deal,' as we worked with Paul, who lead our clan of thirteen men in an indigenous, spiritual purification Ceremony, teaching us traditional songs, sacred gestures and language; it was quite the experience, and one that I'm very much looking forward to enjoying again this Fall!" ~ with a sincere Pilamaye to The Shepherding Bison.
Good Morning` from South Haven. Michigan, USA, a very… hmmm… how shall we say it…(?) interesting place to currently reside in our world, interesting defined as a state of curiosity or serious concern. To quote my Native American Teacher Chief Philip Aaron Crazybull around the time of the assault of Iraq, a war beginning March 20, 2003, “I don’t do politics”, a lead I’ll follow here. With a solid N/C regarding Thursday’s debate, we are all clearly facing the rapid revolutionizing of our world, what today’s Sunday NY Times calls “worldwide disruptions”, but here at The Higher Haven we recognize as a massive spiritual transformation of our modern world. As our outer, illusory reality tanks, the ability to possess and practice internal skills that calm, center and balance us, providing a toehold into what used to be called the world to come but appears to be very quickly arriving, will prove to be invaluable. Of course there are those waiting to be raptured. And although we honor and uphold Jesus Christ’s most difficult task, that of proving one can live on earth as if in heaven, here we lean into taking full responsibility for our own spiritual work to help make it so.
With that, let’s not panic or lose the ability to laugh out loud and confidently just yet. My college roommate commented that Biden and Trump both looked like the old men from The Muppets. I liked John Stewart’s attempt to lighten the terrible mood saying he was so stressed, he needed to “call a real estate agent in New Zealand.” Speaking of old, good friends, and reaching out, I was prompted to call my buddy, my bån and main man Phuc in Vietnam (more on that below). The truth is that given the reality of impermanence, all of our lives on planet earth will soon be coming to an end, but with true spiritual work, hopefully a very fulfilling one.
Chatting up Phuc, I eagerly inquired, “how do you say, not just: ‘I’m sorry’ (Xin loi, pronounced Sin Loy), but rather a bigger apology, an “I’m so very sorry”, (apparently rất xin lỗi). Rất Xin Lỗi, (pronounced Zut Sin Loy) was this post’s alternative title, a sincere ask for an understanding pardon from the many currently contacting The Higher Haven. Almost back on my feet after the previously discussed loss of my sweet Louise, I was sent back down my personal loss rabbit hole for several weeks with the late-May death of my Uncle Z, my sole and favorite Armenian Uncle, and my Dad Sark’s little brother. So behind the scenes my own heart took another hit, but I’m very happy to report that it’s turning out to be a Summer of much needed, much deserved Healing. And if you’re in need, we got some we got some if ya need it, turn it up, turn it up, before we're gone… the situation, which side are you on? Are you getting out or are you dropping bombs? Have you heard of diplomatic resolve? (Yeah!). Although most of our August private visit opportunities are filled by current students, we will offer a class with overnight stay possibilities, so watch for that and then contact us .
One last backward look down the rabbit hole, I navigated some of my grief by taking part in a Butterfly Release Memorial. The event provided an opportunity for children, teens, adults, and seniors in our community to come together and celebrate the lives of lost loved ones. The symbolic act of releasing a butterfly served as a poignant metaphor for transformation, renewal, and the natural, endless cycle of life, also representing the release of grief and setting the departed loved one’s spirit free. This serene, simple reflection and remembrance also took me back to Vietnam in 2022, when Phuc and I released birds at Båo Tháp Xá Loi Temple in Saigon.
It’s pretty clear upon viewing that we didn’t exactly script this video. I cut Phuc off hi hi (Vietnamese Lol), he cries out “the bag, the bag(!)”, meaning my orange/yellow Patagonia backpack he was a little obsessed with, informing me “the orange represents Buddhism in Cambodia, the yellow in Thailand”. Then we do our level best to pray the good Vietnamese way. As we prepare to celebrate the independence of Mÿ, or America, it occurred to me that the freedom we enjoy at The Higher Haven flows from spiritual practices that provided peace to earth’s people, from Asia to the Americas, long before the founding fathers’ little buckled shoes even set foot on this land. Here, despite outer appearances, the true spirit and destiny of Turtle Island, aka North America, remains alive and well. Come experience our take on the many-sided jewel that is the true spiritual path at our July Ceremonial Way of the Contrary weekend, followed by our Summer Noble Silence Meditation Retreat. God bless you and God bless America (Mỹ).