We’re back, evinced by our new Wetlands Wooded Practice Platform, one of several recently wrapped Winter projects. We’re considering starting a deep woods, sweatlodge-rock-laden Labyrinth this spring. These cool new additions to The Higher Haven’s ever-expanding offerings lie on some of the prettiest — and previously inaccessible — parts of our property. You can see the deck lines the banks of what we like to call the little Mekong, the crystal clear creek that runs from the backwoods through the wetlands to the banks of the Black River, here bending around our bamboo spirit house from the faraway land of Kampuchea, the ancient kingdom behind modern-day Cambodia. While we’re happy to return from our Winter Break with a little art and good energy, inspired by time spent traveling in Southeast Asia, our notable two month absence from this blog, last reporting from Hanoi in February, indicates our recent gains but also losses. In the heartbreaking development that every Gia đình (family) faces but can’t quite prepare for, ours bid adieu to our great matriarch Louise Teresa Wrobel Tootalian on Valentines Day, February 14th, 2024, when my Mom passed into the world of the spirit. While initially strengthened by our well of spiritual work and understanding, releasing the past and letting go of Louise hit the dimmer switch on our off-season, turning it into a bit of a long, cold, lonely Winter.
Good memories of the forever loved and lovely Lulu considered, that ice is slowly melting, and with the return of spring and the sun, the smile’s indeed returning to our faces. In fact, the sun’s encouraging light — or lack thereof — brought a special blessing our way with the recent Total Solar Eclipse, occurring on April 8th, marking my date of birth and end of my 57th year around the G-type, yellow dwarf whose gravity holds our solar system together as a great time of personal transformation. My dog RoZie and I enjoyed a life-changing Walkie through downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, on the path of totality for over 3 1/2 minutes, the intense experience making us official Umbraphile eclipse chasers and skywatchers for life. While I’m not sure RoZie will be by my side reporting from western Iceland in 2026, she will most certainly be sniffing about our new practice platform on the partial Lunar Eclipse occurring September 17th-18th, as we’ll be acquiring a Higher Haven telescope for dark sky events and some new, high-aiming offerings.
For now, we were happy to be back in Ceremony this weekend as we will be monthly, having just enjoyed the great April crew that came through.. You can also consider easing into some deeper inner work by joining our first 2024 Noble Silence Meditation Retreat Weekend from this Friday, May 3rd to Sunday May 5th. Knowing just how challenging it currently is out there, we’ll then be offering our signature Meditation + Mindfulness 101 class on Saturday, May 11th, and in honor of my Mom and Mother’s Day weekend, anyone who registers can bring their Mom as our very special guest. And a registered Mom can bring her kids. So come on out and pound the planks pictured above with RoZie Grrl, walk our magical, wild woods, and watch for some new, summer retreat gatherings specifically for men and women, plans we’re currently finalizing. More information in this healing space soon, Until Then, Toksha