Hiking in the desert yesterday, or as I like to call it, intentional strolling (John Muir beautifully referred to it as sauntering, as you can read below), provided creative inspiration with messages and gifts along the way.

This lovely and nearly perfect heart stone was one of the whispers received in gratitude.

The Coachella Valley Preserve/Thousand Palms Oasis offered another experience different than the days preceding, with a more desolate desert walk and little oasis gems tucked way away.

I really liked the contrast of yesterday’s lush and water abundant trails with today’s more stark journey across the desert with expansive mountain views, until reaching small pockets of hidden green. (as seen in above photo)

The day felt even more purposeful for clarity, flowing of ideas, and for receiving very poignant and timely attention-getters, which would not have happened as they did, had not certain things took place.

The heart stone was actually the last little whisper that appeared while, for some reason, veering off-trail. But four other things came along before this.

The first was a large stone circle pile that had been deliberately put together to create a brick-like layering effect to what would be like an altar or a place to burn something. At the top was a small cairn and wedged in three or four spots were small bouquets of now-dried wild flowers.

The next thing was approaching this very open, high, flat stony terrain, but someone, or something, had created a clear sand path that created a perfectly straight and proportionate cross inside an area that was naturally like a circle. On the way back through it later, I was called to stand center, arms open to my sides, and call upon/invoke energies for the greater good.

The next was a very white, clean and smooth, pure energy-feeling stone (my white symbolism again) I saw immediately after receiving an idea and stating to myself I would do what had come to me in that inspiration.

And the next came after going off-path and wandering way past the destination, which then caused a return to retrace steps.

While retracing, the next appearance came via a Raven. The Raven flew just ahead several feet and landed on the side of the path. He began pecking at something, or placing/moving something on the ground. Then, upon arrival where he was, he flew off and I was able to look at the ground where his attention had kept him busy.

There I discovered a mini stone (about six inches in diameter) circle of black stones that fit perfectly like a puzzle, as if carved that way, and were smooth looking like black wood in a wheel shape with perfect hole at center. They were different than all other stones around them and no one would notice it unless looking for it. At the center of the black wheel were small lighter/whitish stones piled in.

That was definitely not “just” a Raven. He was very intentional and timely, and I instantly remarked that he was trying to message me and direct my attention to what he was up to.

And last, as mentioned, was seeing the large heart stone while making a “new” way back to my car.

After that, things lightened, but pretty much the whole walk was done in silence, although much was flowing through my crown and third eye in inspiration.

As the sun was getting close to setting and the air became chilly, the day then ended with lovely painted vistas, an oasis, and a beautiful light.

And upon return back for the evening to the retreat area, two little rabbits were munching on grass just outside the little hobbit dwelling. They perked up and darted in a bush when I dropped my keys on the ground, but one little brave one returned, as you can see.

I’m going to be integrating all of this further in the days to come.

“There are always some people in the mountains who are known as “hikers”. They rush over the trail at high speed and take great delight in being the first to reach camp and in covering the greatest number of miles in the least possible time. They measure the trail in terms of speed and distance. One day as I was resting in the shade Mr. Muir overtook me on the trail and began to chat in that friendly way in which he delights to talk with everyone he meets. I said to him: “Mr. Muir, someone told me you did not approve of the word ‘hike’. Is that so”? His blue eyes flashed, and with his Scotch accent he replied: “I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains – not hike”! Do you know the origin of that word ‘saunter’? It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, “A la sainte terre’, ‘To the Holy Land’.  And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them”.