Regeneration, Rebirth, Renewal

Though these words may conjure candle light, mood music, and a sure-handed masseuse, these are not just characteristic terms to describe a luxurious spa experience. Indeed they represent life’s ultimate leitmotif. And the earth’s cycles could not be more apparent than in the rainforest/jungle/bosque -- where the jetsam of Mother Earth’s organic matter is in constant flux with its flotsam. Plants, flowers, trees and all of their relative particles and parasites grow, seed, spread, decay, and are born again in a great contemporaneous, verdant chorus. All of the stages of life’s process and progression are apparent at any one time in the jungle, where shades of life and death vary from emerald greens and fertile browns to exotic oranges and toxic reds. The earth is a metaphor for the most miniscule of existence; equally, it’s supposed vastness often pales in comparison to the actual experience of those setting down their treads onto the hard-packed crags of the land. We embody the earth and it embodies us. We are parodies (or parasites) of each other; humankind imitating life and life imitating humans. Round and round. Ebb and flow. Terra firma, mother ocean, and ever-expanding sky. We wax … and we wane.

En serio, the (re)growth here is phenomenal. Except for the unfortunate hillsides forced into toxic shock by Round Up (like the long stretch of brown, dead grassy lakeside property ironically baptized “Eco-Verde”), for the most part, everything stays emerald green year-round and grows like, well, your proverbial weed. Something about the lush volcanic soil, cleansing daily rains, moist air filled with the breath of trees, and bursts of hot bright sun have an affect on our life forces as well as those of the jungle – be it Wilder’s physical growth and mental awareness, the intensification of our connection as a family, or our general development as human beings, we cannot help but be affected by this environment, this climate, and the general energy of the tropics that lends itself to the composting of our spirits.

I am becoming more aware of the importance of our connection to nature; and on the flipside, of the dis-ease of humankind’s disconnection from nature. What started for us in Guerneville, while living amongst the redwoods, is continuing here with more intense focus. Underscoring my perceptions is a book I’m reading by a Western-trained psychologist who took a shaman’s journey through the Amazon in the 1970s. His experiences illuminated the grounding difference between contemporary Western society’s predominantly Christian beliefs and the ancient, historically grounded spiritual practices of indigenous cultures – Christianity is primarily based upon a harsh separation from nature, the banishment from Eden, humankind’s exile from paradise, while indigenous spiritual practices are based upon a symbiotic relationship with nature, a respect for our connection to the earth, and a reverence for its basic elements. Indeed, God or no God, who are we without earth, air, water, and fire? Earth is the greatest mystery and, as our creator, nature is it's grandest religion.

Speaking of religion…

Dios mio. I’ve been tricked into attending a Bible study group this Saturday evening. I say “tricked” because I thought we were being invited to Ester and Nago’s son’s birthday party (I guess I was misled by talk of Kevin’s birthday and cake), until further dialogue revealed glances skyward, and words in Spanish like “Dios” and “Biblia” and “estudia.” Huh? I smiled by best extranjero, don’t-quite-understand-everything smile, and caught the gist of Ester’s impromptu blurb about the importance of accord with God for the good of one’s self, children, and family. Well, I already promised to make the cake, so I couldn’t back out… I fretted about it a bit because previously I had kindly explained to Ester and Gina (who I believe to be the mastermind behind the whole plan) that while I respect their beliefs, I believe something different. So, I was feeling a little ambushed. (My mom’s always said that I’d get religion one day – oh, I get it all right.) Ultimately, I’m looking forward to the experience. I get to hang out with several Tica ladies, making tortillas, eating picadillo, and having coffee and cake. I probably won’t understand a whole lot of what they have to say about the Bible anyway, but I’m always open to dialogue and sharing thoughts and generally engaging in human discourse. If we cannot all believe the same thing, we can at least try to realize that we have something to learn from one another, even through our differences. That is the spirit in which I’m going, and hopefully the spirit in which they accept me, despite their intentions for inviting me! As long as they don’t try to perform an exorcism on me, I think I’ll be all right. I can always escape to nature afterwards and heal my heathen’s soul.