Here is the sweet thing herself:
The first thing I need to make absolutely clear is that I agree with virtually nothing that River Wolf says and believes. And I have no doubt that you will be on my team on that. BUT I also need to make sure you understand that this woman is the most loving, welcoming, and sincere lady I've met in a long time... and LOVES to share life and her beliefs with others, and much of the way she lives her life is admirable to me. She loves others unconditionally, forgives readily, gives thanks continually, and is eagerto serve and connect with those around her. The way she arrives at these practices is quite strange, but all in all... her lifestyle is reminiscent of how I feel called to live as a Christian.
You should also keep in mind that the crazy didn't stop. It was about 30 hours straight of nodding and smiling, secret glancing and "oh my gosh"ing, incense headach-ing and treasure hunting, fairy and vibration/energy discussing, question asking and "uh huh"ing, watching and admiring, listening and inwardly giggling... by the end, I was ready for a grown-up conversation.
Anyway. On to the good stuff.
River Wolf's real name is up for debate, it turns out. Legally, it's most likely Diane Weir. At least, that's what she was born as. However, in the time that Leslie has known her, she has taken creative license and has gone from Diane to River Wolf to Michelle to Mari. Mari is the most recent addition to her name repertoire and is what I shall refer to her as from here on out in this tale. I think that name is about 4 years or so old...? A few people we met still called her "Michelle" and we called her "Aunt Diane" but I don't want to make your head spin too badly...
Now, here's the setting:
Mari lives in a gypsy commune, essentially. It's in the backwoods of Northern CA, far beyond the county road line, and tucked away in a stunning gorge. As pretty as it is, if you wanted to murder someone, you'd go here to do it. It's a grouping of trailers, which all have a lot of land and access to the Trinity river in walking distance. We were informed that the lightly-trodden paths to the river were forged by pot growers, seeking water for their thirsty plants.
Upon arrival, we get the grand tour of the house and garden. I am really not exaggerating when I say that every single inch of space of her house and yard is occupied by some sort of meaningful trinket. These came in a array of shapes and sizes. One glance in any direction will immediately confront you with multiples of: garden gnomes, hand-painted rocks and rock formations, glass butterflies, statues of various gods and goddesses, stone sculptures, healing crystals, strategically placed drift wood, compelling arrangements of herbs and flowers, framed descriptions of healing essential oils, cd's hanging from trees, wind chimes, tapestries, fairy wings, candles o' plenty, old pictures, quotes of widsom, hand-made teepee with a red ball cap entitled "hank" on top as her guardian, feral (and sweet) community dogs running around, animal skin blankets and wall art, native american drums, bead curtains -- all the while, your ears are assailed with the ancient chantings of an unknown time, taken from sanskrit, and called "karitans" (i have no idea if that is actually how you spell that). Here are a few pictures. Zoom in and treasure hunt for yourself.
There were several fairly poignant moments with Mari that need to be explained.
The first is the inner vortex:
We went on a "hike" with Mari down to the river with our favorite community dog named Zucchini. On the way, we stopped at a small clearing about 100 yards from her house, and in the center of the clearing was a small mound of earth with a broken down rocking chair in the center. We walk up to the walking chair and Mari begins her explanation. The chair was placed there many years ago and marks the center of an extraordinary event inthe natural world. On the full and new moons, the space with the rocking chair opens up into an inner vortex. In case you aren't aware, according to Mari, we live in the 3rd dimension of the universe. There are 7 (i think? maybe 9) dimensions in the universe and from time to time, the beings of the various dimensions can interact with one another. The inner vortex is one of these times. At the full and new moon, faeries (the 2nd dimension) and big foot (the 4th dimension) can be glimpsed by the rocking chair... So.... we clarified what this all boils down to... and that is that River Wolf has seen Big Foot and, we would come to find out, has quite the extensive relationship with faeries. Here it is!
[nodding and smiling]
In the evening, Mari had a radio program that she was desperate for us to listen to. It's called "Coast to Coast." It reports things that "they" don't want us to hear about and it touches on the areas of life that we are "lied to" about in the media.... So we laid down in a twin bed. All three of us. With the lights out. And one candle lit. Looking up at a ceiling tapestry. And listened to a radio program about UFO sightings and ETs disassembling atomic bombs in the 1960's so that we humans stop blowing one other up and live in harmony so that we can ascend to the next dimension in 2012, when the world ends.
So. There was that.
Our Thanksgiving dinner was actually relatively normal... as we ate at a restaurant with one of Mari's good friends in the area, and they had a bazillion vegetarian options so I was in heaven, of course. Although I pretty much just ate my weight in mashed potatoes. The 75-pound, 3 foot thick buffalo thigh was a bit off-putting, but apparently well seasoned and quite tasty? I actually do love bison. Just don't really love seeing it in its natural shape.
In the morning, Mari likes to listen to the karitans that I mentioned, because it sends out good energy into the earth and "eases the faeries." Naturally, we had to do that. I'm not sure what an uneasy faery is like... but I prefer not to find out.
For income, Mari teaches yoga (no shocker), and house sits for this rich lady who has probably the coolest house in the world. It's wooden and weird and has rooms off to the side everywhere with windows galore, a massive garden, and a rope swing. OH and the 4 most adorable animals in existence. We spent the Friday after thanksgiving hanging out there, playing with our new weiner dog friend "Rodney" and watching yet another program on why we are here, UFOs and 2012, and we learned all kinds of interesting things that some hypnotherapist lady found out from her clients when they were unconscious. There was talk of the gnostic gospels, dead sea scrolls, pistis sofia, energies, vibrations, dimensions, frequencies, all becoming one... and the all-important fact that we were seeded here by aliens to accomplish certain missions on earth. I am part of the "3rd wave" seed and I'm supposed to bring peace and love to all people so that we can move on into the "new earth" in 2012 when the earth splits in 2 - old and new - and apparently we want to be on new. The best part of the day was our new animals friends. Here I am surrounded and here is my new best friend Rodney. I LOVE HIM.
In Mari's own words... the whole experience was "trippy." I felt like I was in an alternate universe for 2 days and Leslie and I used our horribly long and painful drive back to Medford as the time to debrief and come back to reality.
The trip to crazytown was well worth it, I'd say! I decided that she is a mixture of my sweet friend Becky Esch and Ashley Curl -- after they'd smoked peyote for 10 years. Becks and Ash, please don't. :)
may the faeries be with you.
~S
Started off just fine! Peeled. Chopped. Notice Thomas Kemper Ginger Ale in the background.... Mackenzie Mumey, that's for you.
Realization 1 - I don't have a steamer. I didn't want to boil. Solution 1 - Collander. Propped up by 2 measuring cups so the potatoes didn't get soaked.
Realization 2 - Have to cover the collander and trap in the steam. Solution 2 - 3 pots. 1 lid. 1 pan. 30 minutes to steam. Can't say minimalism doesn't breed creativity.
