“Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking your potential.”    — Sir Winston Churchill

It’s that time again. The first of the year … the time for New Year’s resolutions.

“Oh groan”, did I hear you say? “Please spare us.”

Well yeah, you’re right. New Year’s resolutions have developed, and earned, a bad reputation.

The reason is most people have no intention of actually keeping their resolutions. These are usually no more than a feeble wish list … a wistful drive-by attempt to remedy what isn’t working. It’s the diet, the project(s), the self-improvement endeavor(s) that are doomed to failure as soon as you mention NYR.

My recommendation? Don’t go there. Instead, set some realistic goals for yourself that you can, and will, see through to completion.

“And exactly how do I do that?” Well, I thought you’d never ask.

Setting realistic goals is an integral part of Taking Control of Your Time. That’s one of the seven strategies I present in my new eBook: The 7 Time-Proven Strategies to Reduce Stress: Your Guide To True Wellness & A More Fulfilling Lifestyle™.

As my beginning-of-the-year gift to you, following is a small part of what’s included in that section.

There are basically two secrets to successfully achieving any goal. Setting realistic goals is the first one. Following through, on time, is the second one. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Actually, it is.

Here are the steps that will help make it easier for you, and more effective:

• Select and pursue goals that are consistent with your true values. I show you how to identify your true values in the eBook. But for now, simply sit down and list your values. Write down what’s important to you in each of these key areas of your life: CAREER … FINANCES … HEALTH/ WELL-BEING … FRIENDS … SPOUSE/ SIGNIFICANT OTHER … FAMILY/ CHILDREN … AGING PARENTS … FUN/ RECREATION/ HOBBIES/ TRAVEL … LEARNING/ PERSONAL GROWTH … CREATIVITY … SPIRITUALITY … COMMUNITY … PEACE OF MIND … HAPPINESS/ FULFILLMENT. Be sure to include any other areas of your life that are important to you. If your goals are not consistent with your true values, you’re much less likely to fulfill them.
• Set goals that are actually achievable. Don’t shoot for something that’s an unattainable fantasy. In other words, set realistic goals that you can believe in and see yourself achieving.
• Set positive goals — something you’re working towards, not against. For example, instead of “Stop eating junk food,” make your goal “Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed food.”
  
• Schedule a completion date for each goal. Start with your goals for the year and then break them down into smaller, bite-sized steps for one day, one week, one month, one project. Then, do whatever it takes to complete your goal, on time!
• Write down your goals and list each step. Here’s an example. Clean garage: 1) Throw out unwanted items or set aside for donation. 2) Organize things on storage shelves and in cabinets. 3) Organize tools. 4) Sweep.
• Read your written goals often and stay on track. Do this even as you deal with interruptions and changes/upgrades in your plans.
• Be sure to reward yourself at the completion of each goal, and after completing each major step along the way! This is more important than you might think. You’re less likely to continue striving toward the completion of your goals if your only reward is to be more efficient so that then you can do more work. Yuck! That won’t keep you going for long.

Make your rewards pleasurable and meaningful, even if they’re small. Rewarding yourself for a job well done is a positive way of encouraging yourself to keep setting and achieving your goals.

So don’t waste time this year with wishful NYRs. Instead, set realistic goals throughout the year and complete each one, on time. Then, reward yourself.

Happy New Year. May this coming year be your best one yet!

“The thing the sixties did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn’t the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibility.”
– John Lennon

Do you sense it, too? Can you feel it in the culture? Or rather, the lack of it?

Something is happening that I never thought I would witness. The time of the Boomers may be passing.

The “pig moving through the python” is beginning to dissipate. If not in size, at least in influence and impact. It appears we’re starting to enter the lower entrails of the python. And beyond that … well, you know.

So how did it come to this? In truth, it’s been slow. In bits and pieces. But it’s been relentless and seemingly irrefutable. Or has it?

First of course, there was the music. As my 19-year-old asked me a few years ago, “Dad, did you ever think Rock ‘n Roll would be a thing of the past?”

What? A thing of the past? How and when did THAT happen?

“Ah yes, but it did, Dad.”

And what, pray tell, replaced Rock?

“Oh so many things: Alternative, Hip Hop, Indie … more.”

When I thought about it, I realized he was right. The six primary presets on my car radio are: three Rock stations, NPR, Classical, and our local community eclectic station.

Much of the Rock they play is older stuff with some wimpy Taylor Swift and Sheryl Crow thrown in for good measure. But not a lot of formative, move-you-to-your-roots new stuff. More Pop than Rock. Oh my.

Then, there are the films. Remember when plot and character development used to be important? Unfortunately, many of today’s films consist mostly of CG effects and shock-value sequences.

It’s all Star Wars gone amuck. While the former was a bona fide classic, I’m just not moved by the “graphic novel” versions of comic books and bozo comedies that provide much of our current film fare.

And then, of course, there’s the technology. We Boomers can’t, or won’t, or don’t want to keep up with all the changes. Frankly, we’ve already seen too many.

We’ve gone from “change seeking” to “change adverse”. We’ve gone from a deep hunger for new information and innovation, to today’s information glut and ubiquitous, never-ceasing innovation.

So let’s take a deeper look. Starting on January 1st, 2011 Baby Boomers began to hit retirement age.  From now on, every single day more than 10,000 Boomers will reach age 65. That’s going to keep happening for the next 19 years.

Sobering, isn’t it?

There were approximately 80,000,000 Boomers born in the U.S. between 1946 and 1964. We’ve had two former U.S. presidents who were born in the first year of the Boomer onslaught (Bill and George II). Barack was born in its second-to-last year.

It is estimated that the Boomer generation will hold a plurality in Congress only until 2015, and the White House perhaps until 2021. Boomers also may have a majority in the Supreme Court from 2010 to 2030. But that’s not very much influence for a demographic that’s used to being the trend setter.

As a further sign of the times, Steve Jobs, visionary, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, died today. It was a huge loss. To say that Jobs was a protean shape-shifter of our culture is not hyperbole. He was the epitome of the Boomer’s predisposition toward thinking out of the box in ways that make a social contribution and/or alter our awareness.

A few more Boomer examples who fit that description and readily come to mind are: Bill Gates; Jeff Bezos; Oprah Winfrey; Al Gore; Ken Wilber; Elizabeth Warren; Jon Stewart; and even Robin Williams.

I think it’s significant that Boomers Dave Letterman and Jay Leno are nearing the end of their reign as the kings of late night television. Research shows that this is where we Americans turn in times of national crisis.

The patter on late night television is apparently the means via which we bond as a nation. It’s where contemporary culture is parsed: headline by headline; joke by joke; guest by guest. It’s our collective village fire when we are faced with serious conflict and/or catastrophe. And the position of host for those two pivotal programs soon will pass to the next generation.

So are the Boomers fading in terms of influence? And if so … so what? What’s the big deal? Remember, the only constant in the universe is change.

Well, yeah. But the problem is, this is MY generation. WE are the ones who were going to make a difference and change the world. WE were going to usher in a new world paradigm.

And you know what? We did! We actually did. And we are continuing to change paradigms: from business models to concepts like evolutionary spirituality. From technology to parenting. From styles of communication to lifestyles. And so much more in almost every field of human endeavor.

It’s just that it hasn’t been as much, or as idealistic, or as complete as we all had hoped.

But we did do our part. Just as the so-called “Greatest Generation” made a difference, so too did, and are, we.

The times they may be a-changin’ … again. But we Boomers certainly are not yet done. And who knows, perhaps our finest hour is still ahead.

In fact, I’d keep a look-out for just that. Long live the Boomers …

“Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”
— Arthur Somers Roche, Author & Journalist

I’ve recently been participating in an exercise class where the subject of anxiety came up. Having had a personal history of asthma since childhood, I know something about anxiety and more specifically about the panic associated with loss of breath.

It probably will come as no surprise that anxiety abounds in our contemporary culture. According to the latest research, approximately 18% of Americans suffer from episodic to chronic bouts of anxiety disorder, mainly in reaction to stress. Millions more suffer from everyday, garden variety anxiety on an occasional basis.

Here’s how Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence (1995), describes chronic worry and anxiety: “A close analysis of chronic worry suggests that it has all the attributes of a low-grade emotional hijacking: the worries seem to come from nowhere, are uncontrollable, generate a steady hum of anxiety, are impervious to reason, and lock the worrier into a single, inflexible view of the worrisome topic.” (p.65) Sound familiar?

It appears that the central objectives when dealing with anxiety are to first calm the body’s extreme fight or flight reaction, then work with the mental associations that are triggering the anxiety in the first place. Makes sense, yes?

But here’s a cautionary note before we proceed any further. It’s generally a good idea to address severe or chronic anxiety with your primary health care provider. This is important. Severe or chronic anxiety can be intense and exhausting. Left untreated, it can be dangerous.

However, if your anxiety is mild to moderate, you may find these tips helpful:

1) Stay in the present. Anxiety and panic are often accompanied by urgent thoughts of how a situation might get worse. Practice mindfulness by observing and slowing down your thoughts. Notice what is actually happening now rather than focusing on what you’re afraid might happen in the future.

Don’t resist your uncomfortable feelings or try to wish them away. Instead, simply witness them as if you were an objective outside observer. Be curious about your feelings, along with their ebb and flow. Patiently wait for the worry and anxiety to subside while you do simple, enjoyable tasks.

Sound difficult? It’s not really. It won’t take long for you to get comfortable with and proficient at doing this.

It’s also important to pay attention to your breathing by becoming aware of your breathing cycle. Gently calm your breathing and slow it down.

2) Challenge the worry cycle. Researchers have found that excessive worry is at the heart of most people’s anxiety. To reverse that process in a healthy way, be mindful of the worry cycle as it gets started. Notice what leads to worry and be aware of when your thoughts begin to spin out of control. Then challenge the worry cycle by asking questions designed to dismantle it:

• What is the probability that the catastrophes I fear will actually happen?
• Am I exaggerating the facts?
• Is it actually true that there are no alternatives to this negative outcome, or are there other possible outcomes?
• Does my continual recycling of these worrisome thoughts actually help me?
• What can I do proactively to impact this worry process in positive, healthy ways?

The bigger question we have to ask ourselves is why are so many individuals today overcome with anxiety in the first place? Is this natural? Are we meant to live lives of “quiet desperation”?

Well, in a word … nah!

I believe we have all the awareness and tools we need to live healthy, joyful lives filled with opportunity, meaning, and satisfaction. The main reason there is so much anxiety today has much to do with the out-of-balance lifestyles we live and how out-of-balance our entire, contemporary culture is.

Anxiety, worry, and panic are emotional states that you can learn to work with effectively. Believe me, I know. You even can use them as an impetus to propel you toward improving your overall lifestyle and quality of life.

The next time you find yourself in one of these states, use the techniques described above. For a more comprehensive approach, take a look at the article entitled How To Raise Your Personal Vibration here on our home page.

If or when you again feel yourself caught in the grip of anxiety, worry, and/or panic, keep in mind the wise old axiom that this too will pass … then take appropriate, proactive steps toward upgrading the quality of your lifestyle.

“What the people want is very simple.  They want an America as good as its promise.”  ~Barbara Jordan, U.S. House of Representatives

We Americans just celebrated our 235^th birthday as a nation. Now I’m not terribly nationalistic. And I have several ongoing issues concerning my homeland and what happens here. But you know what? That many years of relative freedom is something of an accomplishment!

If you read or watch the mainstream news (I hope you don’t), you’re all too aware of the many things that are currently troubling us Americans. Ours is not a perfect government, or congress (!), and we seem to be at odds with one another now more than at any other period since perhaps the Civil War. So it seems to me like this might be a good time to recount some of what’s right with us, and worth celebrating.

I’ve come up with 10 things that I think are fairly outstanding about this country of ours. I have to admit that I’ve “borrowed” some of these from the fine folks at GoodNewsNetwork.org who originally came up with a similar list, along with their readers. I kept some of their ideas, deleted or tweaked others, and then added some of my own. Here’s my version:

1.       Our Founding Fathers. Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Madison and several others were seminal thinkers of The Enlightenment. They captured the spirit, exuberance and verve of that time and transformed it into a movement and a force that has stood the test of time. What they thought, said, did, and wrote has inspired and challenged us, as well as billions of others, for these past 235 years. The shot heard round the world truly changed everything! Huzzah for them.

2.       Our Natural Beauty. From sea to shining sea, this land is knock-down gorgeous. We derive much our well-deserved sense of wonder, and yes pride, from our mountain ranges, deserts, forests, glaciers, seashores, beaches, woodlands, canyons, volcanoes, rivers, streams, lakes, bayous, wetlands, valleys, prairies, farmlands, ranches, orchards, and many other wonders of nature. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy (established 1951) and the literally thousands of other organizations, and individuals, who work tirelessly to help preserve our precious, and fragile, natural treasures.

3.       Our Spirit of Innovation. OMG! As a people, do we know how to invent, innovate, and think outside the box, or what? From the light bulb, telephone, and personal computer, to today’s search engines and social networks, we have led the world in many of the innovations that have literally shaped much of the 19^th and 20^th centuries. Along with that are some world-class companies and organizations that have developed progressive business models which treat their employees and the environment just as good as they treat their customers and their bottom-line.

4.       Our Social Consciousness. Okay, there’s the Environmental, Civil Rights, Women’s, Gay and Lesbian movements. There are our visionary leaders like Lincoln, King, FDR, and JFK and our transformative writers such as Emerson, Thoreau, Maslow, Rogers, Zinn, Wilber, and others. There’s Non-Violent Communication, 12-Step programs, and of course, it begins with our right to freedom of speech. I think it’s all about our self-reflexivity, our ability to step back and observe ourselves somewhat objectively. Then it comes down to the fact that we’re willing, and able, to do something about it.

5.       Our Music. We got Ragtime! We got Dixieland! We got jazz! We got Native American! We got Bluegrass! We got Country! We got Gospel! We got Big Band Swing! We got Hawaiian! We got R & B! We got Rock ‘n’ Roll! We got Hip Hop! We got Copland, Gershwin, Porter, and Glass. We got Presley, Dylan, Simon, and Springsteen. Oh, so many more! And we’ve got the whole world tapping their toes with us.

6.       Our Entertainment. The American film and television industries have changed the way we see, and relate to, the world around us. Our sports, from football, baseball, and basketball, to Ultimate Frisbee and Hula Hoops have captured our imagination, and gotten us up off the couch. Our literature, from Whitman, Dickinson, and Twain, to Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, and Hemingway, to Vonnegut, Irving, and Walker, has greatly enriched our lives. Our theater, from O’Neill, Williams, Miller, and Wilson, to Bernstein, Sondheim, Rogers, and Hammerstein has been a delight! So has the choreography of Balanchine, Taylor, Fosse, Graham, and Tharp. And my personal favorite, I’m sorry: Disneyland.

7.       Our Cities. One of the hallmarks in the evolution of contemporary culture is the development of great cities. And it’s no secret. We have some of the best: San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, Chicago, and, yes, Los Angeles. We’ve also got Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, Austin, and Washington D.C. And little charmers like Boulder, Ashland, and, yep, Grass Valley and Nevada City!

8.       Our Sense of Style, Art, and Design. Okay, okay, yes there’s Givenchy and Gucci, but there’s also Klein, Lauren, Blass … and, of course, blue jeans! There’s the Model T, WWII Jeep, Mustang, and the DeLorian. In architecture there’s Wright, Kahn, and Gehry. In the visual arts there’s Pollack, Benton, Hopper, Wyeth, and O’Keefe. There’s also Adams, Leibovitz, and Avedon in photography. And several more!

9.       Our Food, Wine & Beer. Right, I know all about the French, Italians, and Germans. But here’s what I’m talkin’ about: New England cuisine including indigenous “clambake” shellfish and many of our traditional Thanksgiving Day foods; New York pizza; Southern cuisine and “soul food”; Cajun cooking; Midwest barbecue and Chicago-style hot dogs; Tex-Mex and Southwest cooking; upscale California cuisine; traditional Hawaiian food. And while we’re at it let’s not forget Julia Child, Alice Waters, John Ash, and Bobby Flay. I’m also talking about American varietal wines, and especially California’s world-class vintages like those that bested the French at the infamous “Paris Tasting” of 1976. In terms of American beer, please be clear I am NOT talking about the tasteless, mass-market swill touted in football commercials, but rather the fine, handcrafted brews coming out of many of our micro-breweries.

10.   Our People, Ourselves. Last, but certainly not least, well worth celebrating are the fine people of America … us! As a people, we have been described as individualistic, fearless in believing that anything is possible, informal, and realistic. We also exhibit an uncommon degree of concern and empathy for others, particularly globally. We are nothing if not diverse. It has been suggested that our pluralism might be better described as a salad bowl rather than a melting pot. And no, it doesn’t always go smoothly. And yes, there is much healing that needs to occur in respect to many aspects of our diversity. But we still manage to get a lot of it right a lot of the time. Huzzah for us as well!

So America, Happy Birthday! May we continue to aspire toward becoming the nation, and the people, we’ve believed ourselves to be all along.

“Forgive me, I must start by pointing out that three years after our horrific financial crisis caused by financial fraud, not a single financial executive has gone to jail, and that’s wrong.”  — Charles Ferguson, from his Academy Award acceptance speech.

Just in case you’re wanting a refresher as to what this blog is about, The Wellness Blog™ focuses on all aspects of a wellbeing lifestyle variously touching on a wide range of topics related to body, mind, and spirit. Sometimes I present useful tips and wellness information; sometimes relevant personal stories; sometimes what I hope is effective support and motivation.

And sometimes I present related media and film critiques. This post is one of the latter kinds.

But first, on our homepage, just down there in the lower right-hand corner, you’ll find an excellent video, narrated by actress Sigourney Weaver, about what’s happening to our oceans.

Just like you, I’m concerned about the condition of our global environment and I regularly track it’s progress … and demise. To that end, if you haven’t already seen this short 20-minute video, I recommend you take a look at it.

However, this post is not about the environment. It’s about what’s happening to our economy and our political environment. It’s a plea to rent a DVD copy of the film Inside Job. I just watched it and I’m very impressed.

Inside Job won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2010. It’s produced, written, and directed by Charles Ferguson who earned his PhD in Political Science at MIT, is the author of four books and was a consultant to the White House. He also produced the Academy Award nominated film No End in Sight about the ongoing war in Iraq.

Inside Job is an engaging and very accessible film that focuses on the recent economic meltdown: how it came about; who was to blame; and asks the question, “Why has no one on Wall Street been charged with this outrageous crime?”

Yes, crime!

It also points out that many of the key individuals who were responsible for the fraud committed are now in lead positions within the Obama administration.

Wait, what? Our man Barack is a part of this? Or at least he isn’t doing enough to rectify the situation? Aw, Joe. Say it ain’t so!!!

Now I know what you’re going to say. This all sounds too heady and complicated and financial and political. And indeed, part of it is.

But I did mention that this feature-length film is engaging and accessible. Actor Matt Damon does a great job of narrating and weaving an interesting story that is as easy to follow as it is provocative.

So do yourself a favor. Go down to your local video store or put Inside Job on your Netflix queue. Part of leading a wellbeing lifestyle is understanding the world you live in, as well as knowing how that world affects your personal finances and quality of life.

And believe me, this film is a reel eye-opener when it comes to understanding how our quality of life is directly affected by the people and corporations who, in reality, run our economy.

“I never took hallucinogenic drugs because I never wanted my consciousness expanded one unnecessary iota.”
— Fran Lebowitz

The approach to this magical journeying spot is across a dilapidated wooden bridge, past an overhead, wooden gateway, then through an adobe passageway that threads between two haciendas. This entrance felt positively archetypal … like something out of The Lord of the Rings.

Our first through seventh journeys were wonderful experiences. We slowly progressed from one daily cup of Huachuma to four as we increased our tolerance and our ability to navigate the altered states.

Huachuma is credited for being a teacher-healer plant, and I’d have to say that’s correct. I have a handwritten field notebook full of insights and realizations gleaned during these journeys, both personal and cultural.

I also went through a profound physical healing. I’m considering writing in more detail about my insights and healing in the form of a book. We’ll see about that later.

But this I can say now, I deeply valued this time in Peru with Sergio and Huachuma. It is one I’ll never forget. I’ve had many personal growth experiences, and meditated off and on for years. But as far as a full immersion in personal consciousness and awareness, nothing can match my experience with Huachuma.

Oh by the way, did I mention our eighth journey? Sergio, who turned out to be a gifted and insightful shaman and guide, decided we deserved to have a powerful final send off.

So he brewed a special Huachuma cocktail for us, filled with his best strain of Huachuma and plenty of his own high intention. The result was a 12-hour “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride”.

As powerful as it was, I never felt out of control or overpowered by the “medicine”. I had a day, not only filled with powerful insights and understanding, but also completely and blissfully connected with the energy of the earth.

The images and feelings associated with those farmlands: the canal of running water that gushed along one side; the mountains that fell into our valley at a steep 60 degree angle; the trees and the animals and the sounds of nature … all are emblazoned in my memory for the rest of my life.

My experience was highly personal and psychological, as is appropriate for me. Lynn’s experience that day went beyond the personal and veered into an arena that might be called transcendent.

Among other things, she got in touch with a deep, internal soul-level “contract” focused on how she is to be of service in this life. As an RN of over 30 years, that isn’t necessarily surprising. But what was poignantly moving for her was the depth and vibrancy of that commitment. As a result of Lynn’s experience that day, she now knows how she wants to proceed with the rest of her life.

Lynn’s primary intent on this trip was to further awaken. Mine was to affect some deep physical healing and to connect in a more meaningful way with the earth.  I’d have to say we both came away with positive results in all categories.

The potential that is available in working with psychoactive plants is that these substances can move you outside your normal cultural operating system while providing deeply meaningful insights.

Your ordinary, culturally imposed trance state is dispelled for a little while. During that window of time, you have a unique opportunity to see yourself and the world around you from an entirely different perspective: clearer, more comprehensively, and more lovingly.

This is also an extremely healing process: physically, psychologically, and psychically. That is particularly true of the grandfather-energy plants Huachuma and Peyote. By all accounts they provide a slightly more gentle and loving experience than Ayahuasca, their currently in vogue sister.

Very important are your “set and setting” for these experiences: where you are and what are your circumstances. For the most part, these psychoactive plants are best experienced in nature. After all, that’s where we’ve all come from, and where we’ll all return.

Equally important is the guiding hand of an experienced and reputable Huachumero … a Huachuma shaman. I’ve only experienced one Huachumero so far, but I can honestly say that Sergio made a huge difference in our experience.

His understanding of the power of this master teacher-healer plant from a uniquely western point of view, his years of personal experience with Huachuma, as well as comparative experiences with Ayahuasca and Peyote, and his full dedication to living a life that is continually informed by the insights of Huachuma … all these are unquestionable strengths he brings to the mesa.

Add to that his charm, wit, and that wry Russian sense of humor, plus his stereotypical Boris and Natasha accent, and you have the makings of a quintessential, modern-day Huachumero.

So there you have it. Or at least a brief drive-by version of it. There was sooooo much more … some of it funny and quirky, some of it deep and poignantly meaningful, some of it absolutely mystical and magical.

With the exceptions of our time in Machu Picchu and the fetching resort we stayed at for two days in Sacred Valley, this was not so much a vacation as it was an intense workshop. One that I gladly would do again … in a heartbeat!

Note: For the many reasons listed above, Lynn and I are exploring the possibility of bringing a select group of sincere individuals back to experience Huachuma while touring the many Inca sacred sites of Peru. If you are interested in finding out more about these prospective trips, please contact us: troy@wellbeinglifestyles.com. Please put “Peru” in the subject line.

“You are an explorer, and you represent our species, and the greatest good you can do is to bring back a new idea, because our world is endangered by the absence of good ideas. Our world is in crisis because of the absence of consciousness.”  — Terence McKenna

… So we listened to Sergio and we made our decision to go. Within two months we were off to Peru filled with hope, anticipation, and still some unanswered questions.

After 20 hours of travel, we arrived at the airport in Peru where Sergio greeted us and quickly whisked us off to his home town about an hour’s drive away. His is a poor, rustic town not unlike tens of thousands of others throughout Mexico, as well as Central and South America.

I often was reminded of the towns and villages I had seen during a three-month exploration of Mexico in 1969 after completing undergraduate school at U.C. Santa Barbara.

At that time, a friend and I bought and custom fitted an old VW Camper-Bus and lit out for Mexico with no particular itinerary or plan, other than to have the adventure of our young lives. And that we did. But that’s another story.

The only reason I mention it here is by way of comparison. Sergio’s town easily could have been any of the dozens of those off-the-beaten-path towns and villages we encountered nearly 40 years ago.

His town looks almost exactly the same with its worn and faded, cracked adobe buildings and rough, narrow cobblestone streets. One of the only differences I noted was the occasional Internet café.

Because we had been introduced to him by our mutual author friend, Sergio and his beautiful Peruvian wife, along with their four-month-old daughter, invited us to live with them during our stay.

It was a boon to be in such close proximity to Sergio and his wife since we were able to have several casual, off-the-cuff discussions, not only about Huachuma and our own personal experiences with it, but also about life in Peru. That helped to set a context for us that was outside of and somewhat “normalizing” in contrast to our altered experiences with Huachuma.

During our three week sojourn, we underwent eight day-long Huachuma journeys with Sergio. Our time also included several days in between for travel and integration.

We began each journey at Sergio’s “mesa” or altar. Its purpose is to enhance personal healing and empowerment, and to set and hold a field of protection for us while we’re out journeying.

Sergio’s mesa is one of the most intense assemblages of objects and artifacts I’ve ever seen. Among the various elements on it were the full bodies of an eagle and an owl, the skins and heads of a puma and an anaconda, the head and neck of a condor, the open jaws of a shark with its multiple rows of sharp, pointed, intimidating teeth, a stalk of Huachuma cactus, several other sacred objects and three human skulls, one purported to be over 3500 years old.

The anaconda and shark’s jaws were right up front. Sergio said they were to protect the mesa and keep away unwanted energy.

I asked Sergio if we might be able to photograph his mesa. He seemed uneasy with my request and said he’d have to “clean” it first. I didn’t understand. What was there to clean? It was what it was, this gnarly collection of corpses and shamanistic implements, most of which with jaw-dropping back-stories.

The next day we were about to leave for Machu Picchu, and Sergio hadn’t said anything further about the photos. So I suggested to Lynn that she get a couple shots of the mesa before we left. It was going to be several days before we came back to Sergio’s house and I didn’t want to risk forgetting about the photos.

Sergio was out running some errands and it seemed okay. After all, he was apparently going to let us photograph it. I just didn’t think we needed to wait to have the mesa dusted or whatever it was he was intending to do.

Lynn snapped off two pictures before we left. When we got to Machu Picchu, the iconic soul of Peru, where possibly more Kodak moments are captured than anywhere else in South America, I noticed that our camera wasn’t working. The shutter wouldn’t open all the way.

Wait, huh? Was this just a coincidence? Did Lynn’s trusty never-having-broken-before camera wait until exactly this moment to fail? Was this yet another example of God’s omnipresent sense of humor? Well, maybe.

But I have to be honest here. If we had it to do over, I’d never have Lynn take those pictures. We ended up buying some funky throw-away camera to record our time in Machu Picchu and for the rest of the trip.

Drinking the Huachuma liquid itself is not exactly a gourmet experience. Once the cactus has been cut and sun-dried, it’s boiled with water and reduced over a low flame for about 12 hours.

The resulting brown liquid is viscous and bitter to the taste. No, actually bitter is too kind a word. The taste of Huachuma is just plain foul and nasty. If it doesn’t make you gag before you can completely slug it down, you are immediately drawn to reach for a slice of orange or a piece of chocolate to mask the taste in your mouth.

Normally, it takes about an hour or two to “come into the medicine”. So we often had time to venture out to sacred Inca sites as much as an hour away by car. To experience these ancient sites while in an altered state is a rare treat. It brings the entire Inca immersion alive in a very different way.

The first day however, we simply walked to what I thought was a secluded grassy meadow with huge boulders located at the edge of Sergio’s town.

It actually turned out to be some unplowed farmland. I discovered that during our eighth and final journey when we returned there and found that the earth had been freshly turned by oxen and hand-plow.

The approach to this magical journeying spot is across a dilapidated wooden bridge, past an overhead, wooden gateway, then through an adobe passageway that threads between two haciendas. This entrance felt positively archetypal … like something out of The Lord of the Rings.

To be continued …

I grew up in Cupertino, California during the late 1940s and 50s on my grandparents’ eight-acre apricot, prune, apple and cherry orchard. We were completely surrounded by other orchards, as well as vineyards.

Santa Clara valley at that time was a bucolic Eden where tourists from nearby San Francisco would come during the spring to experience the white and pink, fragrant fruit blossoms that festooned and energized the entire valley floor. It was like a scene right out of some post-Depression, Woody Guthrie song.

For a young boy, it was heaven. Plenty of trees to climb, fresh fruit to eat, and a connection with the earth that was direct, visceral, and palpable.

Years later, as a grown man with a young family living in Petaluma, California, about 85 miles north across the Golden Gate Bridge, I longed for that kind of direct connection again with the earth.

For several years I had been having a recurring dream. It was always the same. I was running. Somehow I would become encumbered and weighed down and slowed to a walk, then a crawl. Finally I was slowly groping on all fours along the ground.

It wasn’t until years later that I realized this dream was whispering to me to slow down and bring myself, and my heart, into closer contact with the earth. After 12 years in Petaluma, my former wife and I moved our family to Nevada County, California where we bought a small, solar-powered house in a forest near a stream-trail that I regularly walked with our dog Majik. That’s when the recurring dreams stopped and I felt more at peace.

Whether because of my upbringing in the orchard or just my natural proclivities in that direction, my connection with the earth has always been essential to me. But when my partner Lynn recently proposed a trip to Peru to work with a shaman, earth connection was perhaps the last thing on my mind. All I could think about was the cost, the many unknowns, and all the other places I’d much rather go for a three-week adventure.

Lynn knows a local author who had worked with a shaman in Peru. This friend said the shaman was adept at journeying with Huachuma, also known as San Pedro cactus, one of three master teacher-healer plants. The other two are Peyote and Ayahuasca.

All three plants provide potent psychoactive substances that can, when used correctly, instruct, enlighten, and heal. Lynn was excited.

But this shaman did not turn out to be what I expected. I originally envisioned some old grizzled Peruvian who talked in veiled, laconic, broken sentences … when he talked at all. Our prospective shaman, Sergio, was different. Very different.

For starters, Sergio isn’t an indigenous shaman, or even Peruvian. He’s originally from Russia … the Ukraine, actually.  At 12-years-old, he and his family immigrated to Israel when General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev introduced glasnost and perestroika in the late 1980s.

From Israel, Sergio further immigrated as a young man to the U.S. where he lived for eight years. And Sergio is a talker, a real talker: articulate, animated, engaging, funny, and exceptionally well informed.

That’s all well and good, but by now I was truly worried. The cost of the trip, all the unknowns of travel, not to mention psychoactive substances, and a Russian “shaman”?

Oh, paleeeeze!!!

Before deciding, we spent about an hour talking with Sergio via Skype. Through this interaction, many of my fears were allayed. Actually, I liked him; I liked his energy; I liked what he had to say. And I’m not easily impressed, or duped, by so-called shamans.

About 15 years ago, I worked directly with Malidoma Somé and his wife Sobonfu  producing 22 events for them over a three-year period at various venues throughout northern and southern California.

I worked with them to design a wide variety of workshops and seminars, including two, intense, one-year training programs, on various topics dealing with ritual healing and indigenous African wisdom.

During those three years, I got to know Malidoma and Sobonfu quite well, often staying with them while we were offering workshops. Malidoma is the real deal. He’s a true African shaman and one of the most inspiring individuals I’ve ever met.

He’s written several books about ritual, healing, and shamanism. One of them in particular, Of Water and the Spirit, reads like something from Carlos Castaneda. It tells the story of his life including his six-week, other worldly initiation in the African bush and the alternate realities he’s able to access.

A few years ago, I also studied and worked with American anthropologist, shaman, and best-selling author Hank Wesselman. He’s authored the well-known Spirit Walker trilogy, as well as several other books on healing and shamanism.

Hank provided me with an in-depth understanding of the full arc of shamanic understanding and practice beginning from prehistoric times. He helped to bridge the cultural gap that I often experienced with Malidoma, in translating multicultural shamanic experience into realities I could directly relate to as a westerner.

So we listened to Sergio and we made our decision to go. Within two months we were off to Peru filled with hope, anticipation, and still some unanswered questions.

However, this blog post is already getting too long. So unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until my next post in a few days for more about our adventures in Peru.

I look forward to continuing the story then …

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
— John Lennon

Yes, I know. You’ve heard it before. It’s all about being here now. The big question is of course … how do you do that?

The short answer: it requires a shift … from a predominantly dualistic, “in your head” existence, to one that is non-dualistic, aware, present, grounded and joyous in the now. One of the best ways of making that shift is through allowing yourself to experience more pleasure, more often.

Pleasure? Really?

Yes, to experience pleasure is to be present in the moment, in the now. Though some pleasure may be derived from thinking about special people or pleasant events in the past or future, pleasure is best experienced directly, in the present.

Regretting the past, worrying about the future, or being more goal-oriented than process-oriented can all be major deterrents to experiencing pleasure now! Although it’s healthy to have goals to strive for, be sure to enjoy “the process” — the individual steps of the journey along the way toward attaining your goals.

Another pitfall is that many people tend to hold out for the big pleasures:

• The once-a-year vacation.
• The ideal job.
• The big promotion.
• The better house.
• The new car.
• The ideal mate.

In doing so, they may miss some of the simple, everyday pleasures:

• The nighttime sky.
• The smell of warm laundry.
• Holding a child’s hand.
• A cool glass of water.
• A morning songbird.

Here’s a suggestion. Make a short list of some of life’s simple pleasures that you can enjoy today. Then begin to feel yourself coming more into the present as you savor these simple, daily pleasures.

Remember that pleasure and stress cannot exist simultaneously. It’s up to you to choose which one you want as your focus.

“Inner freedom is not guided by our efforts; it comes from seeing what is true.”    — The Buddha

It’s an experiment that came to me in meditation. I’ve decided to offer myself to five individuals for three months as a life coach.

Why do I think I’m qualified? And furthermore, why would I have the audacity to believe I actually might be of service to someone in this capacity? Well, here are five responses that immediately come to mind:

• I’ve been facilitating personal growth groups for over 30 years and most participants appear to derive great value from the experience.
• I’ve been engaged in my own inner work for over 40 years. During this time I’ve learned and grown from many approaches, including the world’s perennial teachings, and some of the best teachers available.
• I have an in-depth, experiential understanding of how western psychology, integrative health, committed spiritual practice and shamanic tradition can all combine to lead us into a greatly expanded experience of our life.
• I’ve raised two teenagers! (This may be my most important qualification.)
• I’ve earned the love and respect of a discerning woman.

Okay, there’s probably more I could or should tell you. But you get the idea. If you don’t already know me personally, you might also glean a further sense of who I am by reading some of my former blog posts. They’re archived on this site. The “About Us” section may also be helpful.

Beyond that, if you have any questions I’d be happy to respond.

So here’s the plan. I’m only going to accept five people and we’ll work together intensely for three months.

My intention is to help move you to a whole new level in your life during that time. As part of the process we’ll:

• Identify your true values and goals.
• Determine where you’re already making progress and where you need further focus … and what kind of focus.
• Put together a blueprint to get you where you truly want to go.
• Provide support and motivation to have you arrive at your goals.

Yes, I am going to charge for my services, but only nominally. So I highly recommend that you take advantage of this trial experiment of mine. And yes, I have some selection criteria in terms who I want to work with, but it’s relatively painless.

If you’re interested in taking the next step, write me a BRIEF email and we’ll go from there. Tell me why you would want a three-month life coach and why you think we might work well together: troy@wellbeinglifestyles.com.

I only want to work with individuals who are serious about making significant changes in their lives. I think that might be you!