I have always been drawn to trees. Trees in the forests, trees lining neighborhoods - dressing the landscape around a home. My favorite as a child were the trees we could climb, steady limbs allowing me to embrace its strength as I was able to reach the next limb. They always gave me proper footing and allowed me to get higher and higher so I could peak up through an opening in the branches to see the view from below in the horizon. Trees made to install rope swings along a river. Memories along a river where I grew up where we would take a long rope to tie off on a large oak or maple along the river. Fond memories were had with trees in my life. I even built a tree house in an ash that we had in my home I grew up in. A place to play pretend in….calling it our “unity fort”! As an adult and I began to travel the world, I would always look to see the trees in the new place I would visit. How do they connect to where I am from? Are they similar species? Are they similar color or height? I would lay my hands on the trees I felt close to and gather their energy. Some of the most amazing trees I have see were in The Pacific Northwest of Seattle and Alaska. The pure beauty they carried with moss often growing on the limbs like green hair hanging down. Obtrusive structures towering like buildings through the natural environment. The Georgia area was also so green and lush with many species of towering giants…I could picture myself in the woods here. The gentle giants of the world providing so much for us to look at, to shade us, to give us pure air to breathe. Recently, I was set to landscape my own homes new backyard setting. Researching trees that would grow in the moderate clay soil of Colorado was a challenge. Many trees at the beginning stages may not make it here unless planted at a very good time in our climate. Spring or Fall is best….not too hot and dry and not too cold to cause a freeze or wet snow to break the limbs. I visited a large tree farm in Longmont - it was like an overwhelming magical maze for me. The yard I was landscaping was not the largest, but we wanted some screening from other homes behind us so we know we wanted something that grows taller but not so wide. We wanted green all year round so we new a pine trees were in the forefront. I came across a tree that had a curved branch and needle that gave dimension - the Bosnian Pine it was called. I had never seen one of these before - the pyramid shape and the way it carried itself was so magical to me. I quickly picked out 4 of these ladies. I wanted diversity, so I also picked out a couple of smaller species with soft needles that also grew upward instead of outward. This was called a vanderwolf - limber pine. The tree had a lighter blue tone to it which called to me. Blues being my favorite color. At the ends of the back corners I chose a flowering plum tree….deep purple leaves, dark trunk and bark, gorgeous pink flowers in the spring. As they were put into my backyard, I spoke to these ladies….asking for the protection, for their ability to provide for yard, giving a place for the birds to fall on, future shelter and screening. Beauty in colors from season to season. My own gentle giants in suburbia…….

Sending rays of light to you all……Geoff

What a magical morning I had. I was empowered during an intuitive reading to find a cave and to embrace my gifts to full capacity. This was brought forth by my great grandmother, her name is Samantha. She has since become my spirit guide. She was a native Algonquin American. Samantha was alive during the mid-1800’s. Her tribe was situated around the Quebec, Canada region of North American. I wish I knew more of here story but my father’s family all passed before we could gather most of these details. All I know is that she found her way down to the Pennsylvania area where she met my great-grandfather. She knew her healing abilities very young and was not ashamed to use them for the sick. Many were children who sought out her gifts. My grandfather suffered a tragic accident where he lost his right arm in his 30’s. She kept him positive in her magical light and love.

With this backstory on my great-gma, let me dive into how I was called to this cave During my intuitive session the reading connected with my great grandmother Samantha and she told me that it is my time within this next year to either accept the gifts of my healing abilities to my fullest or this chapter in my life will move on. I have known for quite some time that my empathic abilities are something that will lead me to something greater. A power that I seek to help others with trauma and life’s struggles. I know that I needed to endure what is called upon me now to take this on fully. The intuitive reading connected to her where she said that I am to find a cave in Colorado this year. A cave to connect to the earth and bring me into nature. A cave that will have a profound change brought upon me if I connect to the energy. I was enlightened by this, blown away by the connection to her in this reading…I knew that I wanted to make this happen. Just a few days later I sought out caves all over Colorado. Checking Redit and Googling trail sites, many were several hours away and were really just tourist trails. Nothing brought forth something that I knew I could just be one with and accept the energy without interruption. a couple weeks went on and one morning I found a blog post about this small cave near Franktown. This cave was only 40 min away from me, how could this be, I asked? I was skeptical to say the least. No photos posted of this cave, just a little photo of a sign in this state park that read ‘cave trail’. Then one night I had a dream… a message came to me, go explore this property - it is good. Two mornings later I was on my way to see this state park which housed what would come to be my magical cave.

It was a beautiful June morning, arriving around 7AM to this state park in Franktown. I skipped the posted maps at the entrance and I let my heart lead the exploration. I found a parking spot, loaded up a small pack with a few essentials and headed for the trail heads. Moments later I ran into a “Y” curve and a small sign on the path said “cave trail”, The same sign I saw posted in the photo online. I knew this was way to go. The trail was fairly easy and had a quick decent upward, passing many sandstone rock formations where I would peak around to see any openings…nothing came about…..I continued upward around this mountain into the trees, taking in the morning smells of dirt and rock and dew from what may have been a rain storm the night before. The sounds of critters in the distance plants and trees surrounded me.

As soon as I decended up another rocky face and wrapped around it I could see the morning sun had started to get brighter…looking upward to the sky I saw the clouds clear out around the sun. The suns rays came out on my face. I looked back forward on the trail to continue my decent and to the right of me the rays lit up a crack in the rock face about 20 feet up the decent away from me. As I came on a slightly elevated hillside, a large boulder stood in front of the trail, the sun beamed this ray through a crack in the stone face light a flashlight in front of me. The presence gave me immediate chills and overwhelming heat on my body and down my spine. This crack was only about 18 inches or so wide but I could see peeking my head over the boulder that the opening lead downward deeper. With anticipation I wondered if this could be it!

I studied this mall crack in the boulder and knew i would not be able to take this gear in with me. I had to take off my pack and left it on the large boulder near me. I also took off my wrap around safari hat. The whole time this ray of light from the sun continued to glisten this opening for me.

I climbed inward, scraping my back and belly along the rock face to get through the small opening. Down I went about a 2 foot slope into this cave. I was inside, a little leary of the darkness beyond what the sun was shinning inward for me. I began to feel an overwhelming presence come upon me and I started to shed tears from my eyes. It had a strong smell of dirt and rock. A smell that I could not get enough of as I took big breaths in and out. I sat in the middle and took my shoes and socks off…feet flat in the damp semi-wet soil. I took my toes and embedded them into the earth. I began to look further around me and then I positioned myself straight at the opening I had just climned into - the sun now directly on my face, the warmth I felt as my feet were cold on the damp earth. I reached up with my hands - I looked over at my left wrist that carried my blue agate prayer beads. I could touch both sides of this caves ceiling with my hands. I could feel the cave breathing - the energy was upon me and taking me in on a journey. I began mediated and breathing in the presence.

With in what felt like 10 minutes time…all of a sudden I heard a noise above me and to the right side of the darker area of the cave. A small crevice of light was noticed and then a small bird flew out of no where and zipped right past my face heading and went out as quickly as it came it heading outward to the forward opening that I had come inside from. I was overtaken by the presence here and I felt that bird coming through was my guide Samantha showing here presence in form to me. In my meditation I was saying out loud that I accept this gift you are giving me to my fullest human potential…that I will use it to do good for people…to heal others…to guide others!! I embrace this ability now……my hands raised above me touching the rocks and then I took them down to my heart overlapping the energy to come to me here into my heart space. With my eyes closed, I could hear another wisk of wind come by me….the same bird came forward from the east and out the same way it came behind and to the right side of the cave!! I began to hear chirps from many species of birds just outside the cave…. hummingbird squeaks and wisps from wings.

I came out of the meditation and wiped the tears from my face. I knew that I had just become activated! I climbed out of the cave to listen to this symphony. My eyes drew upward to the sky and around, I viewed birds all over, up high were large dark hawks, small birds scattered from the trees in front, squeaks and more wisps from hummingbirds in the distance…it became a symphony of sounds from these marvelous winged beings. I was overwhelmed by this joy and presence, I graciously thanked them all for showing me their love today, raising my hands up to them!

I went back inside the cave and found a small ledge on the backside where I propped up my phone to take a selfie. I took a few shots and videos to document this profound time. As I came back out of the cave I went around the tree line and put my shoes back on and pack on. My eyes were drawn up to look at the sky and there I noticed a rainbow cloud next to the sun. It was in a place that was profound…it was rays from the sun drawing this veil of color to the cloud. Then a monarch butterfly passed in front of me and landed on the bush near bye. I snapped a photo of all of these natural occurrences. I found another group of large boulders to climb on. I sat legs crossed to take in the warm sun and looked around me, taking in the sites and view looking down on this mountainside. Everything grabbed my attention now…I listened to what nature had to say to me at this moment. It was a profound vibration setting onto me. Several minutes passed and I took the time now to journal this experience in my phone, taking more photos, collecting some rocks from the area to take with me. I knew this was not the last time I would come visit but I wanted a keepsake anyways to take me on my way. Thank you for reading about this journey!

Sending rays of light to you all……Geoff

Today I visited Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park, CO. This is a about a 1.5 hour drive from my home in Aurora. We took some family there as they wanted to see some majestic peaks. RMNP is one of my favorite spots to hike and take in the energy of the amazing peaks in CO. This year is very different as the state has suffered from record low snow fall in both the high country and the city. So seeing this area in mid-May with almost no snow is unreal to take in. Usually, the park is full of snow capped peaks and snow piles all around the trail heads. The pictures taken here typically would mirror a July image. What I took from this trip was that nature is on its own course and we have to be by her side and along for the ride. She shows us that these steps in life must create big shifts. This big shift in nature will show us water resources baring minimum, warm temperatures opening up to fires and having to pull together and conserve resources. In your own life you can take small steps to create big shifts. In my life right now, shifts of change are happening as I take small steps toward my healing business. I just signed up with a spiritual mentor who is helping to guide me to create the resources I need to succeed on my start up as I open up my practice to the world.

I send you rays of light on the small steps you are taking right now - may they lead you to your next big shift….Geoff

Today I had the opportunity to explore a new trail in Warmsprings which is part of the Navajo national forest in Fairplay, CO. This hidden trail took me to a spot where a tree had fallen over and the uproots formed an amazing piece of nature art. This was a looking glass to me, a heart shaped symbol that took a picture of the backdrop of the valley. Other visitors had placed stones and crystals on its branches. To me it looked like a portal, a portal for nature to see the picture what life truly tells us. Even if life uproots our dreams or passions its never enough to form a new picture of what life is here to bring us. Several times in my life I have seen “uprooting”. But it always brought me back to what truly matters about life - learning this lesson to help me to the next. We can always overcome the negative and strive for our next positive….

Sending rays of light to you all……Geoff