The Baja Sun - Thank you for your purchase from My Astro Chris

The Baja Sun
Special Edition
www.thebajasun.com
The wonders of a sunset, taken from the Bajamar community in Baja Norte.
January 2012
Photo by Martina
It came as quite a surprise when I realized that The Baja Sun was approaching its final issue. It has
been two years since the idea for The Baja Sun was literally “down loaded” into my conscious
awareness fully formed. And it seems that it is being completed in the same mysterious way. It was
clear from the beginning that it was to fulfill a personal need in reporting a truer picture of life here
on the peninsula. The publication provided a more authentic viewpoint for readers. Over the past
two years it has been read in countries around the world. The Baja Sun has been a voice for those
that truly know life in this extraordinary land.
The change that is happening to The Baja Sun, and its editor, is not fully understood at this time.
It is a change in form only. So, instead of a massive undertaking with a deadline to collect stories, it
appears to be moving into a more gentle production which will include “stories from the road”
without a deadline. These stories, or my personal musing, will appear under a new heading on the
website, which will remain a viable source for readers. Mary Iza will continue to write for her
Holistic Corner, as the spirit moves her. Your stories are very welcomed as well. It is my knowing
that 2012 will offer great changes, needed changes in human consciousness that will lead individuals
into their hearts. Writing is an important contribution to new thought, and a sustainable life
experience.
It is my sense that 2012 is about individual awakening with no “charismatic leader.” Author Paul
Hawken, Blessed Unrest, clearly points out there is a quiet movement already happening. We are
leaving behind the old “authoritarian power” model,
and turning to our inner wisdom. Or another way
that we have been thinking of this has been to see it
as a need for balance, allowing for the feminine
expression to penetrate a very old crusty and
outdated paradigm, so that rebirth can happen. No
matter how it is perceived, it is certain that change
must happen, and we can no longer wait for the
“leader.” We are the change agents that we have
been waiting for. The Baja Sun is full of these stories.
The stories in this special 2012 edition are thought
provoking and are meant to inspire deeper
investigation.
Finally, the volunteers made this happen by showing
up, and creating a unique publication that can now
be read for years to come. My deepest gratitude to
Moisés Sánchez, for his deadline production and
hearty laughs along the way; Mary Iza for her
commitment to perfection and translations into
Spanish; Dr. Robert Saltzman for maintaining a
balanced view of the project and holding me steady
during spiritual transitions; Lisa McCarthy for the
gorgeous website that will keep the form of The Baja
Sun alive. Last but not least my deep gratitude for all
the writers and photographers that shared their gifts
in service to others. This has been a project of heart.
Martina
Contents
Vision
Contents
Letters
Thoughts to Ponder
Magic Requires Doership – John Troy
Holistic Corner – Mary Iza, Tijuana, Baja Norte
Rebirthing Therapy
Tamazcal – Ancient Medicine
Earth News
Solistalgia, Beyond Denial by Georgia Tanner, Baja Norte
From the Road
Seafaring Inventor - by Martina, Baja Sur
Astrology for 2012 – Christopher Robert Taylor
What the Bleep??!@#*!
Sand Trap!
The Last Panga
Full Moon Eclipse
Life in Baja
Tantra – by Moisés Sánchez, Tijuana, Baja Norte
Welcome Them Home, Baja Sur
Healing Arts Center in Todos Santos, Baja Sur
Peace in Our Hearts for All Our Relations
Art by Robert Pace Kidd, Rosarito Beach, Baja Norte
Letters to the Editor
Love it, I'm reading the Wild Coast article and just had to say, that I hope Mexico one day realizes
that its natural resources are the ones that will attract money in the future, not fancy enormous
hotels, but wilderness and pristine land which host so many different types of animals. Mexico
should take a look at Costa Rica and other countries that preserve the Land and see what Tourism
wants and demands in the future. As people become more conscious around the planet the old ways
won't work anymore, young people thankfully are into preservation. Power and control won't work
anymore.
Ahbeeshu, Encinitas, Alta California
Editor Notes: Thank you for your words of passion for Mother Earth. Mexico has many advocates, as do other
countries around the world. It is just the fault of mainstream media and the biased reporting of what they call “news”
that we don’t hear of it daily. In the November 2010 issue of The Baja Sun I ran an article, “We Are Not Alone.”
I will send this along to you. In his book, Blessed Unrest, author and activist Paul Hawken reveals “How the
largest movement in the world came into being and why no one saw it coming.” The author says
there are over 200-million people in every country around the world getting up each morning and
working toward changing the planetary suffering; spiritual, socially, ecologically. The Amazing
difference in this huge social/spiritual movement is that there is no charismatic leader. We are all
part of a huge grass roots movement with one goal in our collective consciousness that our personal
lives matter, and that we are the new change agents we have been waiting for.” Take heart Ahbeeshu,
200-million strong, we are waking up, and we aren’t alone.
Lots of important, simple yet complicated, things to ponder. I liked very much the Mayan calendar's
explanation of, if you will, spacial development. I've wondered for a succinct explanation, and as
with the dissection of Physics, makes simple and profound sense.
Crystal, Bajamar, Baja Norte
Hey Martina ~
I really enjoyed THE VISION it is so what I am learning in my Interfaith International here in
Palm Springs, I had this Baja feeling when I first came with friends to their casa at Campo Lopez in
'72. Thanks for making my day. Nameste, Bob Larsen
Martina!!
This is a great issue - so love the quote from Rumi, the articles on Wildcoast, Donkay, the Rancho
Delicias celebration, all of it. It just looks great. Am forwarding to friends.
Hugs, MaryAnn
Hey Martina Girl,
LOVED it. I am very proud of you for putting such a classy paper together......really enjoyed it. I
am not getting down to Baja much since giving up my place at Cantamar. But I love, love, the wine
country and hopefully will continue to go there,
Elena, Alta California
Wow, it's brilliant!!! I just love it. I see Chris did an article for you and I am so happy it worked out :)
Nora
Hi there. My name is Beverly and I am splitting my time between Long Beach and La Fonda, south
of Rosarito. I read your front page of the website BajaSun and I wholeheartedly concur. I work with
plant medicine, this is my calling. I am actively seeking community in Baja. I would be happy to hear
back from you.
I have had time to read some of the publications. You make room for everyone, at every point they
are at. Please accept my gratitude for your ability to listen and to do what needed doing. Perhaps like
me, it has not been a choice so much as a (mostly!) joyful necessity! Wonderful and necessary.
Thank you for your site.
Warm regards,
Beverly
Thoughts to Ponder
________________________________________________________________
Venus chasing the moon across the southern Baja sky_
_Photo by Brian Mcmahon_
“We are taught to be caught in the spell of matter.” Georgia Tanner
"When we allow our thinking minds to come to silence there is peace. Not a peace that we have to
make. It is a peace that is here. It is here naturally. We do all kinds of things to try to get this peace,
but if we are willing, for a few minutes, just to allow the thinking to stop, we discover it is here.”
Richard Young
“Truth revealed is passion’s death.” Martina
“If we can get into higher states, we won’t have to wait for catastrophe or extraterrestrial influence
to solve the problem of planetary destruction.” John Lily
“On the Human Potential Movement, “I think we have the Potential to be human.”
SwamiBeyondAnanda
“When you are chained….
All you can see is freedom,
but feeling only chains.
Once you break the chains
All there is IS freedom and
how can you feel anything else?”
Alisabeth Dobesh
In Loving Memory, October 10, 1959 to September 28, 2007
Time lapse photo creates the illusion that the fire in dancing.
Photo by BajaWild, Doug Gould
"When the veils that we have created are burned away by the flames of our spirit, the Truth of our
existence shines through and like a beacon showing us the path of eternal Peace, Harmony, and
Communion with Spirit." - Raven
“Those doing soul work, who want the searing truth more than solace or applause, know each other
right away. Those who want something else turn and take a seat in another room. Soul-makers find
each other’s company.”
Coleman Barks, The Soul of Rumi
“Work in the invisible world at least as hard as you do in the visible.”
“Existential-man-woman is wiser limiting existentialism, no?”
Rumi
Aubry
“Society is a machine run by money, and you either hook on to that wagon or you don’t. And if you
don’t, you are so far outside the box there is no turning back, nor will friends and relatives want to
follow you. You’ve chosen the way of the buffalo hunter, packing up and finding sustenance in the
Unknown.” Martina
Magic Requires Doership
Miracles Don’t
By John Troy
Seers, Sages and Wizards don’t do magic. Magicians,
Conjurers, Yogis, Warlocks, Necromancers, Messiahs,
Avatars, Sorcerers and the like take credit for doing magic.
Sages do not do magic; magic from doership is for attention
and entertainment. Sages simply abide in innocence as the
synchronicity naturally happens. The Wisdom of the sage is
in recognizing the current mysterious quality of
synchronicity and going with what wants to happen; seeing
the miracle continuously unfolding, that every action is
perfect. A sage has a very light hand and does little. Life
happens of its own accord. The whole seen/scene is already
a miracle for a sage. No doership required.
Be forewarned by another point of view where an “I” thought notices extraordinary coincidences
and calls it magic and assumes mortal doership in the apparent other and assigns that person’s name
the role of master, guru, avatar, yogi or magician. They say that such and such a person does magic
or miracles because coincidences are commonplace in their presence. It is often projected into socalled messiahs and holy people. It is a power projection. It is not true. Absolutely not true! No
one’s doing anything. It is your own Faith.
It is simply synchronicity. The common denominator of all synchronicity is non-doership, not
doership. Everyone has already experienced it. It is a sign of graceful living; of letting go. It is
miraculous. It is in the eye of the beholder. Keep the Faith. Renounce doership. Allow synchronicity
to enjoin you. Synchronicity fosters ever more trust and establishes one in peace and magic
blossoms naturally in your life.
Sent in by Robert Saltzman, Baja Sur
REBIRTHING
Sometimes it is necessary to go back in order to move forward
By Mary Iza
Kailo Peterson and
Ronny Trigo Rodríguez
[email protected]
[email protected]
Certified Rebirthing Instructors
According to the Maya, the Zuvuya is the memory circuit by which all things return to
themselves. Under that precept, eventually all that exists on the planet will be transformed and
“rebirthed.”
Even we can be “rebirthed” and there are several ways to do this, I have experienced 3 forms of
rebirthing myself. The first was during a craniosacral therapy session, the therapist told me that
he would conduct a rebirthing and proceeded to place his finger in my navel and performed a
guided meditation that sent me back to the womb.
The second experience of rebirthing happened at a NLP therapy session, the process was
similar to the first one, the therapist rubbed my stomach with baby oil and performed a kind of
regression to the womb, that experience was a bit different from the first, but neither had a
significant impact in my life; therefore, every time I heard about the “rebirthing therapy” I
dismissed it.
It was until I spoke with Ronny and Kailo that I learned there was yet another form of rebirthing,
very different from what I had experienced before and I became interested. This cute couple
of healers/shamans (Kailo and Ronny) belong to the Native American Church which certified
them as instructors of various forms of healing, including lodge pouring (temazcal) medicine.
When I spoke of the rebirthing therapy with Kailo, I mentioned my previous rebirthing
experiences and she just looked at me and told me that was not the therapy that they practice and
invited me to participate in a rebirthing workshop that would take place the following weekend.
I accepted the invitation and attended the workshop; during the 2 day workshop I had several
WONDERFUL experiences!
It was amazing from the beginning; a woman could not find her place, that is to say, she did not
know where to sit, so Ronny motioned her to sit next to me, we worked together on several
occasions and it was like working in front of a mirror as both of us needed to work on similar
issues.
The rebirthing experience is individual and unique, granted there may be similarities, but at the
end each birth is unique. In my case, I felt the benefits of the therapy from the first day.
One of my fears stem from a myriad of allergies and respiratory complications that overwhelmed
me since childhood, I was used to “rationing” my breath, I know it sounds weird but I could not
breathe as most people do, my breaths were short and shallow. Deep breathing generated a
tremendous anxiety and my breathing would quickly turn into sobbing that caused dizziness and
anguish.
Another fear I had was breathing through the mouth, I am aware that both fears may seem
ridiculous, but for me they were almost a phobia, I felt that breathing through the mouth would
distribute the oxygen in my body from the throat downward only, leaving me mortified that my
head could lack the oxygen it required. This also caused me great agitation, anxiety, dizziness
and the threat of rendering myself unconscious would immediately make me breathe through the
nose with short shallow breaths.
Fortunately, the first day of my rebirthing I had to face and overcome my two fears…deep
breathing through the mouth. The truth is that my instinct was to obey my fears and flee, but
my warrior spirit prevailed and forced me to stay and take on the challenge. My fears were
petrifying but my desires for personal growth and advancement were stronger, so I stayed and
the results gave a positive spin to my life.
My first attempt at “rebirth” was very difficult, so much that I was not able to do it; according
to Ronny (one of the instructors), I was a cat’s whisker away from completing the process, but it
did not matter to me, I was still very happy! Because even if I did not manage to complete the
rebirthing process on my first attempt, I still managed to overcome two great fears that were
limiting me, and it felt as if I had shed 100 kilos in a few hours. Of course it was an emotional
burden that nevertheless weighed me down heavily.
Ronny's comment about falling a cat’s whisker short of completing the rebirthing process did not
mean a defeat for me; nobody knew the magnitude of my achievement and the impact it would
have in my life. Only I knew everything that was happening to me inside and that is the reason
why I want to share this with you, because perhaps my testimony will help someone.
Since childhood I felt a kind of “phobia and anxiety” associated with my birth and I always
felt that it must have been a difficult birth, but my mother insisted it was a normal delivery, easy,
fast, and that everything went very well. However, the fact that my mother remembered my birth
in a way that was far different from my perception confused me deeply. It was the rebirthing
therapy that helped me understand it all and also helped clarify several things for me; it also
helped me overcome my two dreaded fears right then and there!
First Day of Rebirthing
My first attempt at rebirth was blocked by a cough attack, I felt I was being suffocated and as I
coughed, I felt a sensation of choking on my own phlegm, I was trying to spit it all out when
suddenly I felt the content of my stomach shooting up through my esophagus and my first
thought was “my pasta, my chocolate cake!” (which I had just eaten), but even though it felt as if
my stomach had been emptied, no food came out! Only a semi bitter-acid liquid with phlegm
came out of my mouth. It was a lot of liquid, so much that I was concerned about it drowning
me. This prevented me from completing my rebirthing process. However, when I was “taken
out” of the process by the instructors I noticed I could breathe deeply through my nose or
mouth, the fear was gone! As if by magic, as if that problem never existed.
Second Day of Rebirthing
On the second day I went in predisposed to complete my rebirth process and I was determined to
overcome all obstacles standing in my way, not even my phlegm could stop me!
I felt like a boxer inside a ring throwing right hooks, eagerly waiting for the opponent, expecting
to achieve victory and that was how I began my second attempt at rebirth. On that occasion I
managed to get into my process very quickly and my rebirth was (as my mother remembered)
quick and easy!
When I finally completed my rebirthing process and I opened my eyes, I began to see the
newly reborn all around me and I felt like I newborn baby must feel in the nursery, observing the
surroundings with new eyes and contemplating the other new born companions, silently
congratulating each other for their courage to come into this world to share the adventure of
living.
Everything made sense then, I understood that my mother and I were right; she did not even
know that I must have swallowed some liquid at birth and therefore felt that I was choking and
gasping for air, which probably caused my breathing fear. I remembered that part (more like my
cellular memory remembered it), and my mother only recalled her part, that part of my birth that
was quick, easy and beautiful. Until then I was able to reconcile those two parts of my birth that
did not make sense before, each piece came into place completing and reveling the puzzle that
used to confound me but now had set me free!
TEMAZCAL
(Sweat Lodge)
Ancient medicine to heal body and soul
By Mary Iza
My first temazcal experience took place in Tecate B.C., on 2007 during the Dance for Mother
Earth celebration. At that time I had heard of temazcal but did not really know anything about
it, I only knew what some of my friends had mentioned, according to them, it was a wonderful
experience where one is purified and connects with one’s inner self.
All this sounded great, I imagined a kind of herbal sauna where one can connect with the inner
self, so how could I refuse the opportunity to go into that little belly-like cave? Since it would
provide such beautiful relaxation and spiritual experience that many of us are looking for, and I
would also be purified! But the reality was different than what I was lead to believe and so I
entered that inverted nest cavity called temazcal, not knowing what I was really in for.
There were so many participants that particular time and only two sweat lodges (temazcales)
available, so they decided to separate the group into males and females, but even then we were
so crowded that despite adopting the fetal position we hardly fit in there; from there on my
discomfort began, and it kept escalating to the point of desperation as the ceremony continued.
I do not know how high the temperature reached inside the temazcal that day, I can only say that
the heat was equal to (or perhaps higher) to the heat felt when you touch actual fire, I felt I was
burning on the inside and the outside and between the relentless heat, the numbing fetal position,
the unforgiving terrain surface that brutally pushed pebbles and twigs into my behind, my
survival instinct had been activated and was responding to the many indicators of “imminent
danger”, so I wanted to run out of there, but I was sitting deep inside the temazcal and could
hardly move let alone run out!
Kailo Peterson,
Sweat Lodge Pouring
Certified
[email protected]
Although it would not have been easy to get out of
there, I have no doubt that I would have found a way
to do so, but thanks to the wise guidance of Kailo, the
woman pouring the temazcal that day, instead of
succumbing to my fear of dying, I listened to her
every word, I trusted her, her message, the temazcal
medicine, and I am so glad that I did because it
enabled me to bring out the warrior in me and I
stayed until the end.
When the ceremony ended I felt so proud of myself, I
overcame a great barrier, I dismissed my mind that was telling me “FLEE, SAVE YOURSELF!”
and I had heard my heart saying “TRUST, STAY.” I had placed my faith and my trust in the
supreme power I call God and the reward was amazing!
I realized that true courage does not reside in not being afraid of anything, but in being so
afraid that paralyzes you and yet you still face it and overcome it.
Surviving a small outside inferno (not to mention the internal inferno) provided a point of
reference for the future, a true reminder that I am much stronger than the sum of all my fears.
I have learned much more about the Temazcal and its medicine since then, starting with the
meaning of the word “temazcal or temascal” (sweat lodge) which means “house of heat” and is
one of the oldest traditional pre-Hispanic ceremonies known. The Temazcal purifies the body
and soul, so its benefits are physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Also, it reminds us that we
come from the sacred womb of Mother Earth, hence the womb-like shape of the temazcal; the
sound of the drum represents our heartbeat.
This sacred ceremony allows us to celebrate life and connect with Mother Earth, as the four
doors of the temazcal represent the four times repeated in natural harmony, for example, the
four elements, four seasons, four phases of the moon, four stages of mankind (child, youth, adult,
elder) and each door brings us closer to our center through each stage.
The Temazcal is always different; it addresses the necessary issues, because in there you
can work on all aspects of life. One purpose of the Temazcal is to cause the experience of
intimate communion with the elements Earth, Water, Air and Fire, these elements along with our
consciousness allow the alchemy to take place. The reaction caused by the heat, darkness and the
songs chanted also provides a magnificent experience.
The Temazcal in the Physical Level
The health benefits of temazcal medicine in the physical body are vast, so I’ll only mention a
few below:
Helps regulate the digestive system
Cleanses the airways
Regulates all thermal processes
One temazcal session is equivalent to three days’ work of the kidneys
Eliminates toxins
Helps eliminate addictions
Regulates women’s menstrual cycle and can eliminate ovarian cysts
Regulates infertility in women
Eliminates stress and insomnia
Bronchitis
Arthritis
Gland disorders (thyroid for example)
The Temazcal in the Spiritual Level
The Temazcal experience can induce a deep meditation, this is known as spiritual Temazcal, it
integrates man's relationship with nature and the experience ranges from physical feelings to
emotional sensations, mental clarity and deep perception, this promotes the work of self-healing
and self-knowledge, when this is achieved disease and sufferings disappear.
Ronny Trigo Rodríguez,
Sweat Lodge Pouring Certified
[email protected]
Sweat Lodge (Temazcal) Pouring
The person in charge of pouring the temazcal
bears am enormous responsibility and commitment
towards the participants, because this work is not
just about generating steam, but it’s about knowing
how to work with the energy and control the high
temperature to ensure the safety of the participants,
as the temazcal heat can reach very high
temperatures.
Furthermore, the person pouring the temazcal has to
guide the participant throughout this experience to
receive the benefits of the temazcal safely. So it
is essential that the temazcal pourer has
considerable experience and certified knowledge to
pour the temazcal without risking the safety of the participant. The sacred ceremony of Temazcal
incorporates hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, geotherapy, music therapy and herbal therapy in
a single session.
Solistalgia
Beyond Denial
by
Georgia Tanner
“I don’t believe in climate change,” said a Baja California resident in reply to my comment
that weather conditions have changed on the northern Gulf of California. I pointed out how seven
years of drought have killed dune grass and made the annual bloom of spring wildflowers
increasingly rare, but he only gave a dismissive shrug. Oh well, I thought, people will believe what
they want to believe. There is still a Flat Earth Society, and it took 359 years for the Church to
formally absolve Galileo for daring to suggest that Planet Earth is not the center of the universe.
So I didn’t mention that during the two decades since Warren Washington’s lecture at
Scripps Institute of Oceanography on the effects of what was then called “global warming,” all the
predicted changes have occurred in different parts of the planet: extremes of climate such as
lingering drought, flooding rains, record snowfalls, periods of intense heat, vast wildfires, stronger
winds and hurricanes, melting glaciers and collapsing ice shelves, sea level rise affecting low-lying
islands such as Tuvalu and Kiribati. Many may deny the human causes of disaster, but not even
“positive thinking” can deny the existence of the tsunami in Japan and Hurricane Irene.
Positive thinking, no matter how comforting it may be, is still a form of dualism and has a
negative side called denial. Joanna Macy, whose focus is emotional recovery work, said “The greatest
danger to human survival is not nuclear holocaust or destruction of the biosphere, but our massive
denial of these threats, our blind immersion in business-as-usual, and our culture’s taboo against
expressions of despair.” Or of anger against injustice; one of her Tibetan teachers said to her, “Such
great anger--it comes straight from the heart of compassion.”
In the 1980s Macy began giving workshops around the world to help people release and
validate feelings of rage and grief, which then empowers them to act. She recognized that these
feelings are universal and go beyond the concerns of our individual egos to reveal our
interconnectedness. I attended a later version of her work in 1989, on the island of Hawaii, called
“The Council of All Beings.” This Council is a powerful ritual that extends our identification beyond
the human species to empathy for and kinship with all forms of life.
Joanna Macy and people like John Perkins (Shapeshifting) and Bill Mollison, the founder of
Permaculture, take action based on their belief that we are in a transition from an industrial growthand-consumption society to a life-sustaining society. They and others like them are “ecocentric”
rather than “anthropocentric,” honoring the value of nature, recognizing that humans need the rest
of the planet and its inhabitants more than they need humans. By contrast, a human-centered ethic
encourages short-term thinking, destroying a forest or coastal habitat for the sake of “progress” or
temporary jobs. How intelligent can it be to measure wealth only in terms of gross domestic
product, failing to consider the health and happiness of the earth community and the people within
it, or the world of future generations? As an early Earth Day slogan put it, “Growth for the sake of
growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.”
But the transition is increasingly painful as seven billion humans and fossil-fuel-based
projects continue to devastate habitats. Solistalgia is a word that expresses the deep longing and grief
that people experience when their home territory or a sacred site is ravaged by industry or
development. The word was coined in 2004 by Glenn Albright, a professor of sustainable living in
Western Australia, after witnessing the despair of Australians who saw their beautiful environments
ruined by strip mining for coal. All over the world, more and more people are homesick while still at
home because nothing looks the same; as Albright put it, their places have “packed up and gone.”
There are long-term cures for solistalgia. We can “pack up and go,” too, by means of
nonviolent civil disobedience. We don’t have to participate in a society that fails to honor the earth.
We can be like fish that become aware that the water they swim in is toxic. Consumerism, industrial
tourism, the military, governments, the distortions of mainstream media, the money system, and
even overpopulation are all based on collective agreements. By withdrawing energy from those
agreements, the dominating culture of insatiable resource and land depletion will cease to be able to
function.
Healing actions can range from radical to simple: living in smaller houses; refusing to fly (the
most polluting form of transportation); using feet, swim fins, sails, oars, paddles, bikes (fun, healthy,
and satisfying forms of locomotion); using the sun for power; planting a garden for food, trees for
beauty, shade, and the stability of climate and soil; practicing indigenous economics, taking only
what is needed and relating to nature as partner rather than slave; becoming an artist, being a maker
of things that are beautiful and useful instead a passive consumer of factory-made objects.
But the first cure for solistalgia is acknowledging and expressing the deep emotions resulting
from loss of beauty and habitat. Denying or repressing grief not only limits compassion and joy but
the motivation to protect and care for the places we love and choose to call home.
Editor’s Note: Georgia Tanner has traveled the Baja for over 30 years. She is the author of Sunrise : Living Off the Grid in
Two California’s, and several of her chapters can be read on the Baja Sun website, January 2010 – Plague of Plastic;
June 2010 – Living of the Grid; Spring 2011 – Que le Vaya Bien; Summer 2011 – Tending Two Shops and Gifts from the
Sun.
From the Road
Inventor, Artist, Seafarer
By Martina
Photo looking south towards the opening of the Mulege River in Baja Sur. The lighthouse is seen on the peak
of the hill in the background. During Hurricane John the flood waters were so high an island was created. On
the right tucked into the shoreline, a man is living out his dream.
Photos by Martina
Aubry Westly has a story that would require volumes to do justice, but here is a story with pictures
to show the reality and joy of following one’s bliss. Inventor, artist, writer, seafarer, Aubry found his
home on the Gulf of California near the little town of Mulege where he built what he calls his
“Casapanga.” Looking very much like a scaled down Noah’s Ark with solar panels, he now lives
aboard in dry dock, while he furthers his vision of a “wind mill” boat that can sail without a crew.
His idea of the Casapanga came out of pure inventor’s imagination and started with two fiber glass
fishing pangas as the double hull. Little by little he constructed with local labor and materials a living
dream. What is quite amazing, and is a testimony in trusting his work, he has yet to see if it will float.
However, with good humor he says that he is prepared for the next hurricane season that might hit
the gulf region creating major flooding. On Casapanga, there are only two animals gathered
aboard, Einstein and Rasta; both his four legged friends are
quite comfortable living aboard.
Aubry is up at sunrise and committed to writing his 500
words of reflection each day. He is often joined by fishermen
passing-by for a cup of coffee, or neighbors stopping in for a
gossip, but most of his time is spent in creating all manner of
things, from drum making and painting, to a continuing
design for the Wind Mill boat schematics that will replace
standard sails. The first prototype was built in the 70s,
admittedly with some problems, but the need to actually set “sail” to prove that it can be done is a
driving force in his life. He laughs and suggested that people made fun of the Wright Brothers too.
At this time he is looking for funding and connections with like minded seafarers who might be
interested in supporting the project.
He claims this boat has a “360 degree sail ability,” and when finished could sail without a crew.
To the left is his wind generator for charging batteries while
sailing, (see website January 2010 for full story). He took his idea
to the secondary school in Mulege. The students decided they
would to take it on as their science fair project, and ultimately won
second prize in the science fair state wide. The Wind Mill boat
take this idea of the use of wind as power to its next level.
“Finding safe haven in a world of giants is no small things,” muses
the inventor quoting an unknown source. And certainly anyone
who has tried to leave convention behind to follow a heart call can
agree. Yet this is exactly what Aubry’s example shows. Was it easy?
No. Were difficult decision made? Yes. Would there be any other
way to live? Well, yes, he says as he is seeking summer anchorage
on the Pacific side to avoid the fierce gulf heat this year. To listen
to him talk, one must also add philosopher and wise one to the list
of that which makes up this existential man.
Contact Aubry through The Baja Sun, [email protected]
2012 Astrological Forecast
By Christopher Robert Taylor
After all the hype and build-up, can you believe that 2012 is actually HERE? Astrologically speaking,
there is plenty to discuss so I have broken down the coming year into three general time frames
below to give you a better sense of the timing of the energy flow. Enjoy!
Early 2012
The early part of 2012 features some lingering energies that first developed in 2011 in addition to
some new developments. Jupiter in Taurus initiated a trine with Pluto in Capricorn in early July
2011 and Mars in Virgo formed a ‘grand trine’ with both planets in mid-November 2011. This
smooth flow of energy between the earth signs finalizes in mid-March 2012 when the configuration
becomes exact for the last time. Also, Neptune first entered its home in Pisces from early April
through early August 2011 and will re-enter Pisces again in early February 2012 where it will
reside until 2026!
As we start this New Year, we are greeted immediately with a new long-term trine configuration
between Saturn and Neptune. This trine will last from early 2012 through most of 2013 as well and
will mostly involve Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces. Finally, the planet Mars will retrograde
in the sign of Virgo during much of the early part of 2012 (late January through mid-April) which
is something it does approximately once every two years for approximately 3 months.
Interpretation:
With Neptune in Aquarius since the mid-late 1990’s, the world developed ways of connecting
through ‘disconnection’ via mediums such as reality TV and social networking. As Neptune enters
its home sign of Pisces for a long stay (starting in early February), we will witness a world that will
find ‘true’ connection and ‘oneness’ again. The ‘occupy’ movement is a great example of what
Neptune in Aquarius represents and the next phase of honoring our totality and oneness will be
where the movement goes from here. Mid-late summer 2011 saw this movement blossom right
alongside the Jupiter/Pluto trine (rapid expansion/growth). So, I expect the period from midMarch through mid-April to be a significant time of concrete action being implemented echoing
back to what was being initiated in mid-November 2011. The Saturn/Neptune trine speaks to the
gradual merging of ‘dreams’ with ‘reality’ over the next two years, starting in early 2012. The
Mars retrograde represents the behind the scenes (pre-action) efforts that need to be figured out
both personally and collectively.
Mid-2012
On the heels of the Mars retrograde will be a Venus retrograde in Gemini from mid-May through
late June 2012. As part of this retrograde, Venus will ‘occult’ (i.e. eclipse) the Sun in early June as it
did in early June 2004, completing this once in ~121 year cycle. Also, Jupiter will enter Gemini in
mid-June where it will square Neptune in Pisces in late June and begin a sextile to Uranus in Aries
in late July that will last through early 2013. Finally, a long-term square between Uranus in Aries
and Pluto in Capricorn makes its first of seven exact aspects in late June echoing themes set forth
in the mid-late 1960’s when these planets formed a conjunction and initiated the current cycle. This
square will last through early 2015.
Interpretation:
With respect to the aforementioned ‘occupy’ movement, I would expect to see a lot of behind the
scenes efforts that do not bear fruit until the March/April time frame followed by a
reorganization of our values on a societal level (mid-May through late June). Will the markets
be challenged to change in a direction that better reflects our oneness? You bet.
June 2012 looks to me to be the most significant month of the year. The Venus occultation to the
Sun along with Jupiter entering Gemini and the first Uranus/Pluto square all point to the beginning
of a major shift in human consciousness based on new information that is revealed. Will it be
regarding aliens, free energy, and the secrets of healing? It could be any and all of the above. The
new consciousness related to our interconnectivity (civil rights, environment, etc.) that was seeded
and fertilized in the mid-late 1960’s is now ready to be cultivated but it’s up to us to choose which
directions we want to take it over the next several years. Also, don’t expect protesters to go away any
time soon.
Late 2012
As we approach the end of 2012, Saturn will enter Scorpio (early October) and begin a long-term
sextile to Pluto in Capricorn. Saturn will also begin a long-term quincunx to Uranus in Aries in midNovember further emphasizing the long-term Uranus/Pluto square that initiates in late June.
Finally, Jupiter will move into a general position (between July and December) that will form a
Yod (i.e. finger of God) configuration as Jupiter quincunxes both ends of the Saturn/Pluto sextile.
Interpretation:
The end of the year sees the beginning of a gradual period of actual restructuring of the ‘powers
that be’ starting to take place (i.e. the relationship between governments and corporations). The
adjustments will not be easy but it looks as though this time period coinciding with the 2012 election
in the US just may be a period when those in power recognize the true ‘power of the people’ as
they cannot hide the ‘truth’ any longer. Whatever truths are revealed, it will make it nearly
impossible to carry on business as usual.
Happy New Year!
Christopher Robert Taylor
www.SovereignHarmony.com
www.MyAstroWedding.com
www.twitter.com/SovHarmony
www.twitter.com/MyAstroChris
(877) 202-2664 (Toll Free)
What the Bleep!!??@*?!
Sand Trap!!
Bajamar Golf Course has installed a one of a kind sand trap for the really courageous golfer!
The Last Panga
The shrimping trawlers have been
banished from the shores of the
Gulf of California by the Mexican
government as a way of
protecting the diminishing sea life.
Most applaud this move, yet for
others there is ambivalence. It is a
loss of a way of life for the
Mexican fisherman and their
families. Local economies are impacted as they no longer have easy access to fresh shrimp brought
in daily by panga. And a picturesque presence on the sea is gone forever, leaving behind only
nostalgia for a vanishing way of life.
Photo: Mulege Trawler by Martina
Full Moon Eclipse of a Very Special Kind
December 10th very early morning the Pacific
coast of Baja will enjoy this special event. “The
delicate layer of dusty air surrounding the
planet reddens and redirects the light of the
sun, filling the dark behind Earth with a
sunset-red glow," NASA officials said. This
then causes the moon to glow red in earths
shadow. There will not be another full lunar
eclipse until 2012.
TANTRA
Makes two into one
Moisés Sánchez,
Tantra is a spiritual discipline that
came into being based on the life
experiences of the earliest observers
of life around 5,000 to 10,000 years
ago (Vikas Malkani; Tantra Demystified,
2008 ). It originated in India as a
quiet rebellion against a male
priesthood which had decided that
sexuality must be repressed for an
individual to reach enlightenment.
The first Tantrics were men and
women teachers who felt that
sexuality was a gift of the Divine and
should be celebrated. They also
believed that the experience of good sex offered ordinary people glimpses of love that could
be explored as part of their spiritual development (Val Sampson; Tantra between the Sheets, 2003).
Tantra gradually developed sacred sex tradition that encouraged the intentional cultivation of
sexual energy for spiritual growth, longevity and creativity, as well as enhanced pleasure.
Tantra was designed to lead the practitioner to wholeness, and was about all aspects of life, not
just the sexual one. Sex was simply another means to spiritual awareness for the Tantric
Master. Sexuality could be used to see the Divinity within, in yourself and in your partner.
Tantra accepts the fact that we are all essentially sexual beings because we come to this life
through the very act of sex. Sexual energy and its expressions will always be a part of our life
expressions from the larger perspective. Tantra is not simply about the physical act of sex. It
understands that sex begins in the mind far earlier than in the body. Tantra is about the
understanding of the mind, and its nature and expression, one of which happens through the
act of making love to another.
Why should one be interested in Tantra? The answer to this question could be found when
answering yes to any one of the following questions: While making love or just afterward, have
you ever wondered, Isn’t there more to sex than this? Most of us have. Have you ever felt
incomplete during sex because your partner has already “landed” before you have even had a
chance to “take off”? Have you ever felt bored with sex in a long-term relationship and found
yourself wishing you could recapture the passion that used to make sex between you so
exciting? Have you ever wished to be touched at the core of your being, yet felt afraid to open
yourself up and be vulnerable? Have you ever glimpsed an ecstatic moment in love and later
felt that you didn’t know the way back?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you sense intuitively the value of peak
experiences in lovemaking – those special moments or peak moments, either preceding or
during orgasm, when you feel transported beyond the limitations of your personal problems
and preoccupations. Suddenly you are flying: You feel gloriously alive, filled with light and
laughter, at home in a moment that seems to go on forever, in a space that fills you with awe.
It is this rare, intense, often unexpected experience that awakens fresh energies, and inspires
feelings of closeness and gratitude between you and your partner. Such peak moments leave
unforgettable memories and most of us yearn to find this ecstatic state again. Yet normally we
are unable to do so because we lack the cultural context in which to understand it and the
personal skills with which to cultivate it (Margo Anand, The Art of Sexual Ecstasy, 1989).
Do not look for ecstasy outside yourself. It is already within you. Your true nature is blissful.
The true source of your pleasure lies not in your partner but within yourself.
From the Tantra perspective, each man is both male and female. Each woman is both female
and male. However each of us has a dominant polarity.
Loving relationships between men and women require an understanding that a balance, an
inner partnership, must be achieved within each
of us, between the male and the female aspects of
our nature. When the feminine and masculine
qualities are developed and understood, the union
of the two polarities can happen within each
person. This is what is meant in Tantra by
“ecstatic awareness.” It is a state of consciousness
that embraces both sexes in one body and then
rises above the inner duality to a state of oneness.
The union of Shiva and Shakti symbolizes the
ecstatic union of male and female energies within
one body, not in two bodies as superficial
appearances suggest.
Editor’s Note: You may get in touch with Moises in care of [email protected]
Welcome them Home!
Stock photo
Mexican by Birth
Like floating planets the gray whales come back to give birth to their calves in the warm
waters of southern Baja. We plan trips each year to meet them and renew our connection
with a world we will never really fully know. If we are lucky, they will look us in the eye,
stopping our thoughts for a moment. In the quiet without thought, it is possible to realize
our interconnectedness with all things.
Healing Arts Center of Todos Santos
Centro de Terapias Alternativas
More people every year are seeking out vacation destinations that offer healthful amenities such
as day spas, hot springs, yoga and massage. The Baja California Sur area has all of that and more
with the healing practitioners and teachers of Todos Santos & Pescadero coming together to form
the new Healing Arts Center.
The center is being called forth into reality by Jane Sipe, Licensed Acupuncturist. Jane has served
the community with acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatments for 6 years, and is now enlisting
practitioners of other modalities and disciplines to join her in offering a diverse and comprehensive
set of treatment options as well as some fascinating classes. Those who have visited her office on
Cerro La Poza will know exactly where to find the newly expanded clinic. If you haven’t been
there, any of the teachers and practitioners can provide directions and a map.
The new Healing Arts Center of Todos Santos starts off this month offering the following:
Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine
Jane Sipe, L. Ac.: [email protected] www.nccaomdiplomates.com/janesipe 612-151-7026 and
Barbara Elsner [email protected]
T’ai Chi & Qi Gong Classes
Rhoda Jacobs: [email protected] 612-157-6088
Reiki Treatments & Chakra Balancing
Allison Eaton: [email protected] www.allisoneaton.com 612-152-3896
Massage
Odile “Deedee” Muller: [email protected] 612-119-4158 and
Kurtis Parsons: [email protected] 612-169-2095
Healing with Acutonics (Sound Healing)
Lynn Wedekind: [email protected]
Kinan (Ancient form of Mayan-Toltec Yoga)
Daniel Camargo: [email protected] www.ancestralmessenger.com
Transformational Breathwork, Yoga, & Biomagnetism
Genevieve Laquerre: [email protected] or www.mahalayavida.com
Counseling & Psychotherapy (Individuals & Couples)
Shawna Owen: [email protected] 612-151-7728
Feldenkrais
Dinah Hornung: [email protected] 612-136-9075
Some of these teachers and practitioners are full time residents of Todos Santos and will be here
throughout the season, if not the whole year. There are others who are here for a shorter time.
Be sure to take advantage of their services right away so you don’t miss out. Also, watch for who
and what kind of support will come in next. There will be an ever-changing flow of resources
available as we go along.
Visitors and residents alike are encouraged to contact any of the teachers and practitioners with
their questions about: particular health challenges, the treatments and classes that are offered,
and for scheduling sessions.
Let’s put Todos Santos on the map for health and healing, right along with our incredible artists
and surfing !
Peace in Our Hearts for All Our Relations
Robert Pace Kidd
Northern Baja
For more of Robert’s amazing work and how to contact him, see the Sun links on the Baja Sun website, or email
directly to [email protected]