Arroyo Seco, New Mexico

Welcome to Arroyo Seco, New Mexico.  I am at the Abominable Snow Mansion Hostel  at the base of Taos Ski Valley.  I have come for the time being to work in the garden and learn from a woman named Muna. It will be an experience, without a doubt.

I drive up today and am greeted by a lovely and beautiful hippie named Kate.  She takes a moment to find Muna and introduces us.  I am given a tour of the grounds and yet I still felt lost.  It's a Sunday, which in the garden is meant to be a day of rest.  Most people are just hanging out, laying in the sun, painting, whatever.  I have no idea what to do with myself.  I don't know anyone, I don't know what's expected, so I wander around awkwardly and aimlessly for a bit.  I check out the town, which doesn't take long but it's really quite cute.  Artsy and quirky. I'm starting to fall into the rhythm.

The day progresses and I enjoy the energy and attitude of the community.  I'm already learning some of the quirks and personalities that will need to be negotiated around, but that's part of the fun.

Not much is planned around here. You do what you want, when you want to.  But one thing that was planned was a sweat lodge for tonight.  The girls are so kind and welcoming and were so excited for me as a sweat lodge being a great initiation for my first day at the Snow Mansion.  I was excited too.  I wanted to do one in Asheville, but never got a chance.  It was so intense.

This sweat lodge is of the Cheyenne tradition - the door faces North.  Our leader was named Ramone and he learned this tradition from his Aunt.  He started a fire over a bunch of large rocks at 5:30 so the rocks were really hot by 8ish when we started.  We all filed in, in a clock-wise fashion and sat as they brought the rocks in and placed them each with deer antlers and sprinkled cedar on top.  We eat drank water out of a giant wooden ladle and then Ramone started to pray and pour ladle fulls on the rocks to make them exhale a hiss of steam. He prays the nicest prayer, creates a tangible energy and then begins chanting in the language of the Cheyenne.  There are 4 rounds to a sweat lodge- each one getting progressively more intense as they bring in more fresh hot rocks.  Each round a new person prays and sprays water with sage.   It was so incredible. By the time the third and forth rounds came I am in a completely meditative state, hardly listening to the prayer.  I'm swaying back and forth and only trying to breathe. It's so hot that my nostrils burn a little and my lungs are afraid to inhale completely.  Dripping and soaked I give into my yearning for cool air and step out.  Wow, that was intense.  I sit on a bench and feel my pulse return to normal as my body cools.  A hot shower and bed is all that's left for a pretty incredible first day.