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Dear Friend, Greetings from the world-wandering pilgrim at the wonderful festival time of Samhain. Early in November I begin another of my journeys, this time to several countries in the Arabian Peninsula, more countries in northern and western Africa, and then even more countries in Europe. I'm really excited about this journey because it will complete my thirty-five year project of visiting all the world's major sacred sites and also complete my explorations of all the major geographic regions of the world. During these upcoming travels I will continue to follow global media several hours each week, ever broadening my knowledge of contemporary events. If you would like to read some of the articles I have found most intriguing and informative over the past six months, look at this listing of links to them: Cool, interesting, important things to know about and see. Here is a short quote by Tony Smyth that gives insight into one of the (several) reasons I travel so widely around the planet: Have you ever heard of tunnel reality? Basically it's like this: Imagine there is a huge pipe in front of you and all you can see of what's in front of you is what's down that pipe. All else is excluded. That's as much as you know. All else is excluded.Well, that's what its like when you only live in one country (and note that traveling for a couple of weeks to a 'safe' pre-packaged destination doesn't count. You need to travel independently and for a good period of time. You need to take some chances. You need to see the country the way the natives do). So if all you know is what you see down the pipe (the known, the familiar) then you have no point of comparison. You can't place your own culture because you have no alternative experience to compare it to. To some extent adventurous travel will give you a point of comparison. And the more you do it the more you realize you don't know that much! You lose the certainty you naively once had. That's the beginning of a little wisdom (maybe). Some other things I'd like to share with you:
Visiting beautiful Sedona, Arizona with two good friends who are superb guides to the area. I have lived in Sedona, Arizona for the past twenty-five years and know the red-rock canyons very, very well. I also know two guys who are excellent guides if you would ever like to visit Sedona yourself. These guys are smart, spiritual, deeply connected to the earth, as well as being very knowledgeable about Native American cultures, shamanism and ceremony. They are Todd Winant at Earth Walk and Clint Frakes at Sedona Sacred Earth. There are a lot of fake guides in Sedona (similar to fake news) but Todd and Clint are the real thing. You will love them.  Martin Gray and Sedona guide Todd Winant in the Red Rocks, 2017. Peace to you, Martin Gray |
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