Just about arriving at the summer solstice, yet here in Southern California you wouldn't know it. We have this traditional cloud covering much of the day called "June gloom," yet often the sun breaks out about mid-afternoon to give a hint of what's to come. Can't wait to wake up to sunshine!

      BIG news is that Jesseca and I are getting married June 19th. Many have offered their blessings and congratulations for this, and I thank you all. We recognize that Spirit has brought us together for a sacred purpose. Marriage is a consecration of what continues to be a deeper partnership.

      Other than going to The Sacred Sundance Ceremony in Pine Ridge, South Dakota in July, I'm planning on mainly doing  ALOT of writing this summer, punctuated by visits to the beach. Just now finishing up on the final proofs for my Earth Magic Oracle Cards, which will be released by November 1st. They look great and I trust they will be of service in further encouraging us to continue to develop a greater respect and appreciation for Mother Earth and all her children.

Love & Blessings,

Steven

(see part one at DrStevenFarmer.com)

         As I'd mentioned in part one, we'd stopped at a lodge in the Cloud Forest over halfway on our journey to the land of the Machiguenga in the Amazon. It was an eight-hour ride over very bumpy roads and at times when I'd look down we'd be so close the edge that I couldn't see the road beneath! Since it had been raining so much, this was an alternate route to the usual way, which would have taken five hours, so all of us were exhausted and ready for a rest. Hot showers, flush toilets, and comfortable beds in the middle of the forest helped sooth our tired bones.

         The next morning it rained as we ate a delicious breakfast cooked by Jenny and her crew. Aside from sharing this journey with Jesseca, it was one of the best features of this trip. After that we loaded up the buses again and continued onward, prepared for an additional four hours on the road. From there we got in boats for a cruise down a river that was to take us into the heart of the Amazon jungle. We arrived at the boats, loaded them up, and headed downstream, cruising along with the help of the river's flow and an outboard motor.

         As we floated along the river there was a distinct feeling of more "aliveness" all around us. Countless trees draped the banks of the river, carpeting their way up the mountainsides. Perhaps it was the richness of the oxygen given out by all these beings that far outweighed the CO² that we meager humans had to offer them. Or maybe their quiet but full presence of being. No matter what, all of us were feeling in awe of the beauty of being here and connecting with the spirits of this part of the Earth. I felt relaxed, trusting that whatever was to happen would happen for a reason whether I understood it or not. I mentioned earlier (in part one) that my mantra for this trip would be, "go with the flow." Now on this river we were literally doing that!

         So I recounted to Jesseca bits and pieces of the previous week's adventures. She had missed the tours to the sacred spots of the Andes, but she and two others were able to join us for the Amazon adventure. At one of the ancient ruins, Saqsaywaman (SAX-e-WA-man), a shaman named José led us in a beautiful ceremony of blessing for Pachamama (Earth Mother). As we sat in circle, he prepared by placing various food items in empty sheaves of corn as we all chewed on the ubiquitous coca leaves that helped oxygenate our blood at this altitude of 10,000 feet.

         He then folded each sheath and gave each of us one, then called us forward one at a time to kneel near a hole that had been dug earlier. We were instructed to place the package in the hole, take a handful of earth, kiss it, and then put the dirt on top of the offering. As I did so, tears came to my eyes-sweet tears of gratitude for all that Earth Mother gives to all her children. In recounting the tale to Jesseca I was again reminded of the power of sacred ceremony, and especially one that provides a dedication to the Earth.

         So the journey along the river continued as we felt the anticipation building. We were soon to be coming to Machiguenga territory, where we would be participating for three nights of plant medicine ceremony using Ayahuasca, a traditional brew used by many tribes in the Amazon basin for shamanic healing.

         After the lengthy journey, we pulled up along the bank of the river, apparently arriving at our destination. However as soon as we all got out of the boat, the guide informed us that because the river had changed, we would now be faced with about a mile hike through the jungle! Fortunately to our great relief, he also said that the men accompanying us would be carrying our packs to our destination, the Traditional Medicine Center of the Machiguenga tribe.

         So we started down the already wet trail to begin the next phase of our adventures, not knowing quite what to expect once we got there. Although we had been given some inexpensive tennis shoes for this part of the hike, I figured my walking shoes I'd purchased specifically for this trip would suffice. They did, but turned out to be the wrong choice. We hiked through mud and across one fairly sizeable stream, feet and shoes getting thoroughly soaked and muddied. So glad I didn't pay all that much for these very cool looking walking shoes.

         After several minutes, we arrived at the lodge. Here in the middle of the jungle, further in than the Cloud Forest Lodge, was a well-constructed facility, open-aired, with a connection to an actual kitchen. It was a welcome sight after our two days of travel and our trek from the river. We were then assigned to individual rooms, and once the guys delivered the packs-which was well after dark-Jesseca and I scurried to our room, where clean sheets and comfortable beds with mosquito netting awaited us. Oh, yeah-and flush toilets and showers too!

         So after a refreshing night's sleep, we awoke to the first day of our stay. That night would be mine and Jesseca's first experience with this plant medicine. I felt both excited and nervous, yet very willing to have a go at it as I'd heard so much about its healing properties and the plant spirit's remarkable ability to provide guidance and insight.

         (to be continued . . . )

JULY 1

FREEDOM FROM FEAR

Fear is a basic instinctual response to a life-threatening situation, yet so many of us have certain conditioned fear responses that it can be difficult to sort through these. The more aware you are of your true instinctual self the better able you are to identify what's truly a threat and what's a product of our conditioning. Steven will offer some suggestions on more effectively managing your fear responses and take caller's questions and comments.

JULY 8

HEALING YOUR ANCESTRAL KARMA

The self-defeating patterns you discover in your life are often maintained through your genetic and soul karma that has been transmitted through your lineage. When we remain unaware of this our soul will continue to act out through us until we make a concerted effort to identify and heal these patterns. When we engage in these patterns with full awareness, there's opportunity to make life-altering decisions. Join Steven for an exploration of this via self-assessment questions that will help outline your particular ancestral karma.

JULY 15

SOUL INTEGRATION

There are soul aspects that can fragment for any number of reasons, but in particular in trauma. Sometimes the fragment returns fairly soon after things settle down, while other times it remains dissociated. With Soul Healing using shamanic and psychospiritual methodologies, the intention is to find these soul fragments and restore and integrate them so the individual can experience a great wholeness and soul integrity. Steven will offer a remote Soul Healing with one or two callers to demonstrate how this can work.

JULY 22

SOUL MATES AND TWIN FLAMES

There's a lot of conversation amongst new age and metaphysical folks about the concepts of soul mates and twin flames. Are there really such things or are they merely idealized romantic notions? Steven will share some of his thoughts on these and will welcome caller's comments and opinions.

JULY 29

THE HARVEST   

July 31 and August 1 in the northern hemisphere is the time of the first harvest, called Lammas or Lughnasad (pronounced LOO-na-sa). Though not typically celebrated, it marks the end of a cycle in spite of the weather still being quite warm. It's a time to reflect on what you have harvested during the past few months.