Salt Lake City and Moab, Utah and Chinle, Arizona.

by: Susannah McCorckle

Special Thanks to my dearest friend Susannah :) Thanks for always sharing joy.

I went to participate in adopt-a-native-elder program which provides a 3 week food/staples run twice a year on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. Many of the elderly live in traditional hogans or in small homes with several generations of their families. They make money buy selling their woven bowls, wool weavings, and jewelry. Needless to say, they are very poor. Sometimes they do not have any indoor plumbing and even electricity.

Photos by crowds are not really suggested of the native people or personal property, but the organization did take a few photos. I’ll forward when I get them, and you might find the “little house on the praire” fall collection to be a real scream.

The weather was pretty much a buffet of all available from 20 mph winds/rain/sun/snow.. which one could experience all in one day.

We (25 volunteers) particpated in a Walk in Beauty ceremony in which we gave offerings of tabacco to the 4 directions, Mother Earth and Father sky. We had to find an item in each direction that meant bigger things to us than just witnessing them. I'd thought i'd share mine with you, so you get the feel of it and maybe put it into use during the next time you find yourself needing centering out in nature:

to the north: Was the beautiful canyon at Spider Rock, it reminded me that life was small.
to the east: was a pebble, it reminded me that life was big.
to the south: was a patch of moss, growing between two bolders. it reminded me that growth can be possible in dark places.
to the west: was a breeze, it reminded me that small actions can still be a sensory experience.

Needless to say, it was amazing countryside and the benefits of providing for such a proud and beautiful people and nation were quite rewarding. here's just a few pics...