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Idaho
November 2009 
Praises for the World
Posted on Oct 19th, 2008
by 
Jayne
Jayne
I just returned from vacation. Getting ready to leave was a whirlwind on top of working and I didn't think to plan for the lack of music for the journey (not much into oldies and top 40 radio which is about all you end up with on the road it seems). So, quick grabbed some CD's and off I went. Most of my music listening these days happens via music subscription and iPod - so CD's are not something I have in large supply. The CD that became the themesong for the journey was Jennefer Berezan's Praises for the World.
My route took me from southeast Idaho to Bend, OR - south to Klamath Falls (the first day) through the Deschutes, Umpqua, and Rogue River National Forests (in a snow storm at night!).
Then from Klamath Falls through the Klamath and Shasta National Forests (one of my favorite spaces) and south on 5 to Petaluma.
* Photo Credit: D.O'Brien, Creative Commons License.
I was in Petaluma for 4 nights visiting the shelter director for C.O.T.S. - learning about the shelter operations in general but more on how he's integrated integral theory into programs (some in partnership with IONS) and moved the shelter from a charitable organization to one that is transformational.
During my 4 days in Petaluma, I drove to Point Reyes National Seashore (beautiful!) and one day drove to Sacramento to meet Liz and Arthur (a great joy!) and have dinner at an In-N-Out Burger with their lovely daughter Emma.
For the journey home, I drove north up 101 to Klamath (just south of Crescent City) and stayed at the Redwoods Hostel. Quite a cool place and the first time at a hostel. Lots of very diverse travelers from around the world. It was like staying at a camp. Spent some time at the beach before heading out the next morning amidst clouds - like driving through clouds!
Stopped at the Jedidiah Smith Redwood Park and hiked around in Stout Grove (Note: I'm from NY where I lived most of my life and haven't traveled or explored much in OR and never in CA, so this was all a gift.) This was magical is about all I can say.
Then drove back into OR to Union Creek (just south of Crater Lake) and the next morning drove around the rim of the Lake. Snow was scattered on the ground and was there as the sun began to shine through the clouds - making the lake visible. Absolutely beautiful.
Many, many praises for the world. In these times when beauty seems hard to come by (or can depending on where our attention is), I was reminded again how opening to the beauty that is all around us nourishes our soul in an essential way. Where I live in Boise, beauty can be found in the sunsets, canyons, forests, rivers... However, when I first arrived from upstate NY/New England area, it took me probably 5 years to be able to see the beauty that was around me. I walked with a friend on the same path by the river weekly for years. He would stop and comment on the beauty. I didn't say anything, but I'd look to try to see what he was seeing and couldn't see it. Then finally after at least a year of listening to him comment about the beauty, I looked again and saw it. I was surprised that I hadn't been able to see it all that time - like one of those hidden pictures in kids books. Then when my eyes opened to the beauty, it was apparent everywhere.
The gift of beauty is all around us and in my view, daily doses of opening and breathing deeply of this beauty is as essential to our souls as food is to our bodies. Praises for the world.
Praises for the World -Jennifer Berezan
My route took me from southeast Idaho to Bend, OR - south to Klamath Falls (the first day) through the Deschutes, Umpqua, and Rogue River National Forests (in a snow storm at night!).
mtshasta
Then from Klamath Falls through the Klamath and Shasta National Forests (one of my favorite spaces) and south on 5 to Petaluma.
* Photo Credit: D.O'Brien, Creative Commons License.
I was in Petaluma for 4 nights visiting the shelter director for C.O.T.S. - learning about the shelter operations in general but more on how he's integrated integral theory into programs (some in partnership with IONS) and moved the shelter from a charitable organization to one that is transformational.
pointreyes
During my 4 days in Petaluma, I drove to Point Reyes National Seashore (beautiful!) and one day drove to Sacramento to meet Liz and Arthur (a great joy!) and have dinner at an In-N-Out Burger with their lovely daughter Emma.
redwoodhostel
For the journey home, I drove north up 101 to Klamath (just south of Crescent City) and stayed at the Redwoods Hostel. Quite a cool place and the first time at a hostel. Lots of very diverse travelers from around the world. It was like staying at a camp. Spent some time at the beach before heading out the next morning amidst clouds - like driving through clouds!
JededidahSmithPark
Stopped at the Jedidiah Smith Redwood Park and hiked around in Stout Grove (Note: I'm from NY where I lived most of my life and haven't traveled or explored much in OR and never in CA, so this was all a gift.) This was magical is about all I can say.
Then drove back into OR to Union Creek (just south of Crater Lake) and the next morning drove around the rim of the Lake. Snow was scattered on the ground and was there as the sun began to shine through the clouds - making the lake visible. Absolutely beautiful.
craterlake
Many, many praises for the world. In these times when beauty seems hard to come by (or can depending on where our attention is), I was reminded again how opening to the beauty that is all around us nourishes our soul in an essential way. Where I live in Boise, beauty can be found in the sunsets, canyons, forests, rivers... However, when I first arrived from upstate NY/New England area, it took me probably 5 years to be able to see the beauty that was around me. I walked with a friend on the same path by the river weekly for years. He would stop and comment on the beauty. I didn't say anything, but I'd look to try to see what he was seeing and couldn't see it. Then finally after at least a year of listening to him comment about the beauty, I looked again and saw it. I was surprised that I hadn't been able to see it all that time - like one of those hidden pictures in kids books. Then when my eyes opened to the beauty, it was apparent everywhere.
The gift of beauty is all around us and in my view, daily doses of opening and breathing deeply of this beauty is as essential to our souls as food is to our bodies. Praises for the world.
Access: PublicTagged with: jennifer berezan, praises for the world, beauty, redwoods, national parks, california, idaho, oregon
it is so, so beautiful. these pictures, this story. the world. glad you had the holiday. well-deserved, methinks!
Magnificent Travelogue! That picture of Crater Lake is breath taking.
Thank you so much Jayne!
z
Oh! What a breath of fresh air you just brought into my heart! And I LOVE walking through the redwoods, and gazing out into the beauty that does surround us – if only we have eyes to see. Yes yes! praises to the abundance of grace that is everywhere around us.
Thank you, bless you.
Thanks for the comments Nicole, Ben, Jeannie -
Crater lake was breathtaking - there was a pure energy about it and the area - untouched in many ways. It was also my first real experience with the winter energy of the season - although i had driven through a snow storm, I didn't really connect as I was mostly trying to just drive and look for a place to stop for coffee!! I love the feel of winter and it was - refreshing really is the best word.
And the redwoods - it was easy to sense the nature spirits in the grove. At one point while I was walking in a very quiet place (and no one else was around for most of the time I was there - just me and the trees, etc.) - I noticed that my hands were burning - my heart had opened so deeply that the healing energy began to flow - I went to the closest tree and gifted it out. I will be back to that area I'm sure.
A good read, Mahajayne. You and I are cut from the same New Yorker cloth. I didn't have too much trouble seeing the beauty in the coastal areas…but moving to the Central Valley, oy! Flat and brown, as far as the eye could see. I thought it was a purgatory from which I needed to be liberated as soon as possible. I told my then-husband I'd give it two years, and then he'd better have me out of here.
It actually took total immersion in it to find the beauty. My sister lived in Chico for a few years, and I traveled there regularly. It was one of those trips where I was looking out the window and finally saw the valley for the first time. Stunning! I couldn't believe that I had somehow missed the achingly beautiful expanse of land before me for several years.
Thanks Liz - just smiled when I read your comment. what an amazing experience to look at the same thing you've been seeing for years and all of a sudden see it so very differently! for me it first took coming to an acceptance of where I was (I never intended to stay here in the beginning) and stopping comparing one place to another. I missed! the history and architecture and diversity and culture. And, as we were mentioning last week - that in NY, you could drive to several states in one day - all with quaint little towns. (Boise and Idaho are just not that way!) One day I just decided that I needed to focus on what was unique about this particular place (nature - wilderness) and bring my attention to the present. I then started spending very very regular time in nature for extended periods. This changed many things - one of the gifts was opening my eyes to the beauty.