Once again we found ourselves undertaking pilgrimage to dazzling Alaska at the pagan holy day of Mabon. This Celtic cross-quarter season celebrates the necessary establishing of balance – with self, family, community, relations and the planet.

Passing under the Golden Gate is always thrilling because we know we are traveling to a fantastic realm of healing and beauty. What better way to leave the madness of our current insane world and come back to ourselves as divine aspects of nature.

Our first excursion was Saxman Village’s Totem Park in Ketchikan, which is surrounded by the magnificent Tongass National Forest, the largest rainforest in North America.

The Native people graciously shared their art and allowed us to take pictures. We were lead into a community center where we were served local distilled spirits — at 0800 in the morning. Our confused gang of mostly white tourists were invited to sit down at tables with our drinks and arts and craft supplies. What?!

We took our seats, confused and unsure. This hilarious disruption of our Western comfort zone was a fascinating social experiment. How to mess with us? Give us booze and art. Folks either jumped into the spirit of the moment or they refused, pouting indignant this wasn’t the experience they expected to post on their Instagram.

But it was a gentle lesson in ancestral wisdom – adapt or make life much harder on yourself and much less fun. I mean what a simple choice. Do we make do and come together to adapt as graciously and with as much joy as possible or do we stay rigid and slowly lose our life force?

We were invited to the Native dances in the womb-like clan house. I was beyond honored and thrilled to jump up to join. This beautiful woman let me borrow her clan cloak which depicted the Dog Faced Salmon and I danced to the drum and chant.

When I got home, I looked through these pictures and found this serendipitous one that shows our group making art seemingly supported by the ancestral boat. Go figure.

Blessings and healing to all Ancestors, Relations and Sentient Beings within and without the sacred Earth and throughout all timelines past and future. May we keep the avenues of communication open with those forces that sustain us and make our lives joyful. Blessings from the Blue Dog Temple. Namaste!