Thursday, April 10, 2008

Auspicious or Inauspicious?

The day before yesterday my car suddenly started making a terrible noise while I was cruising around the farmland of the Valley.  I made it into a small town--what was the name of that place?--after hours, and some kind people helped me hook up with a mechanic.  I was surprized to find that my 99 Chevy Tracker with 75,000 miles on it was given a terminal diagnosis.  I limped back to my hotel, and started home the next day, hoping to make it to Oakland on prayer power.

I didn't.  But I did almost make it to auto dealership row in Vacaville.  My old car found a lovely place to die, with plenty of helpful people, and lots of wildflowers.  I got a ride to the local Honda dealership and they agreed to take me out to get all my stuff out of the old car, tow it in at their convenience, in exchange for me buying a new one on the spot.  That's right, I bought a new car that way!  A powder blue Honda 2008 CRV.  Put all my stuff in it, and off I went!

When I got back home, I found I was needed here. Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche and his family are coming back from Asia on Friday, and I need a bigger car and time to get ready.

So, was this all auspicious or inauspicious?  I would say the later.

South Butte



Two views of South Butte

I stayed an extra couple of days at the Hampton Inn in Yuba City, just to enjoy my solitude, quiet, and air conditioning--which gave me some relief from the awful allergy season we've been having.  Later in the day, when the pollen had subsided, and leisurely morning practices were done, I circumambulated the Buttes by car.

The Maidu people of the central valley called the Buttes Histum Yani, and believed that people's spirits (I guess we would say bardo being in Buddha-speak) come to the tallest mountain in the Buttes when they die, as a layover spot.  I can believe it.  If there are any Maidu people reading this blog, I would love to talk with you about that. According to modern calculations, I suppose this would be South Butte.  I feel it is appropriate now, that this is a telecommunications place for antennae and dishes--invisible links from great distances.  Apparently, Homeland Security has some interest in the top of South Butte also.  That's good, keep that place secure!  It's on a private ranch anyway, that doesn't allow visitors.

Just give me a ride up there one day, please.  One way or another.

Shaeffer Ranch

The general landscape
View of North Butte

The Shaeffer Ranch tour took us into the interior of an old family ranch in the Buttes, a rolling landscape studded with Blue Oak Trees and and volcanic rocks.

The interpretive guide from the Middle Mountain Foundation, and Mr. Shaeffer himself, shared lots of information about the history of the ranch, and the geology and spring wildflowers there.  I noticed how much I have changed.  I used to love that stuff, history and labeling objects.  Now, I am more interested in keeping to myself and watching what comes up internally and externally in the present moment.  There is always plenty of that!

It was a lovely day, with goodhearted people.

Sutter Buttes


If you are a regular reader, you may be wondering where I've been.  I've been turning inward for a while, exploring what relative solitude would feel like.  You would think that would be easy for single person with her own house and retreat hut, but actually not.
The first week since my last post I did a little practice intensive here at home, while a band of industrious men replaced the roof on my house.  During breaks between sessions I would go out and look, as well as continuing working with Laurie editing our Shitro text.  It's starting to look good!

Then, I got a spot on a hike at Sutter Buttes, through the Middle Mountain Foundation, and went for it.  The Buttes are a geologic formation of volcanic origin that rise up from the middle of the California's central valley.  They look like an island volcano, and actually they are.  The flat floor of the valley, now the home of industrial agriculture, was once thousands of feet deep and filled with water.  The fertile valley we see now is the result of sediment and debris building up until ot flooded only seasonally, then finally the human system of levees that eliminate even seasonal flooding.

The day long hike took us into a local ranch, which I will write about in the next post.