Spreading Ashes, Spreading Joy ~ Cosmic Encounters & Sacred Connections
Yesterday was our last day, for now, in the U.S. and in East Glacier National Park, Montana, as we journey forward over the border into Canada today to Waterton Park, Alberta. There we’ll be exploring Waterton Lakes National Park at the north end of Glacier and deeper northern region of the Rockies. I couldn’t have asked for a more meaningful and magickal experience to celebrate this last day and my connection with both Joy and Nestor, as the day unfolded divinely with manifestations galore that were in support of our sacred connection and activation ritual they were guiding me to initiate here.
It was so heart and soul rich that it deserved its own blog, alongside a recap blog of this past week that is forthcoming.
Our journey led us to the Many Glacier entrance of the park on the north east side of Glacier where we were feeling drawn to do the hike to Grinnell Lake. It ended up being about a 7 1/2 mile roundtrip hike that took us past two other lakes – Swiftcurrent Lake that gorgeous Many Glacier Hotel sits on and Lake Josephine – as well as wanders through amazing vistas that take your breath away (more of those photos will be in my recap blog).
What we didn’t know was that it also had the opportunity to swing up to Hidden Falls, which proved to be a guiding force for this journey.
I’d been feeling that somewhere in Glacier would be where some of Joy’s ashes would come to rest, as she had led us to Montana (extending her physical body’s presence with us until getting there, as a pointer for me). I had always felt that Montana was an important part of this journey for some reason, and those reasons would unfold once I was there. It also happened to be a place I’d made energetic connection to 20 years ago when I passed through Glacier on the Amtrak train, coming to reconnect with the Blackfeet Indians at my touch down – more on that in the next blog.
I knew it was a place for soul retrieval and activation work, as well as collective empowerment work for the Blackfeet and more.
What I didn’t know was that Nestor would, in partnership with Joy, be a part of this. But that became more clear as the week unfolded.
Interestingly, I hadn’t been led to take Joy’s and Nestor’s ashes with us on our daily hiking adventures, except for this last day in East Glacier.
So we gently packed them up in our backpack and we were off.
I had no idea if I’d actually be spreading their ashes or not, as I would wait for the messages and guidance, and the feeling had to be just right.
This hike was such a stunning journey and I increasingly was feeling the build up of energy that was signifying to me this was going to take place…I just had to wait for the right moment and signs.
Along the way I was soul infused by the beauty that resonated so deeply with my essence and all the things I love.
About a little over half way to Grinnell Lake my first sign appeared, although it hit me with astounding clarity later.
We’d seen a couple of animal friends run across the path like chipmunks and marmots, but suddenly two deer now appeared.
The wild thing is, which seems to happen all the time with instant manifestation after intent or thought, I had literally 1 second before seeing them said in my head, “I wonder where the deer and elk are, as we haven’t seen them since West Glacier.”
Bam! Hello deer!
Two does (female deer) stepped out of the brush, literally 5 feet away from me, as I was leading the way on our hike.
They were so incredibly beautiful, delicate, and otherworldly.
I knew they were not of this world, but in it right now, as they felt and looked so cosmic – extraterrestrial in nature, combined with a human, deer, and magickal quality. Shapeshifters indeed.
Dave and I stopped and just enjoyed connecting with them.
I talked to them, as they looked at me and wandered back and forth across the path, eating and making sure we were aware that they wanted to connect and communicate. They were in no need or rush to leave us.
This lasted for quite some time and then an older couple at the other end of the path approached. They saw the deer with us and so they stopped too – the woman taking photographs, as I was.
The four of us were all peaceful and calm, mirroring these lovely creatures’ energy. And so they remained.
They continued slowly moving down the path, beckoning us to follow and so we did. They were constantly keeping in very close proximity to us, without wandering much farther away than 15 feet, then returning close by again within 5 or so feet.
Eventually we decided to move on and the other couple followed our cue.
As we passed each other, the woman said to me, “how lucky we are.”
But the man said to me, “you’re not done yet.”
The couple left and Dave and I lingered a bit more with the does, then decided to fully continue on, feeling grateful for the time they had shared with us.
They came onto the path ahead of us, as if leading us down the path and wanting us to follow again, which we did.
After a while they wandered further into the brush a bit, still wanting to connect, but then we heard a lot of noise coming up behind us. A family with young kids that were being a bit rambunctious and another couple ahead with loud bells on them to ward off bears.
I looked at the two deer and they looked at me. Their calm energy was about to be disrupted and perhaps even become distressed and scared by this energy, as I heard the family behind say, “Look there’s deer!” and were rushing forward.
I wanted to protect them.
So I said to the two does, “Hurry, go! Go hide!”
And they instantly listened and separated – one to each side of the path and went deeper into the brush so they weren’t as accessible anymore.
I said to Dave, after a while of contemplating what the man said, “I’m still trying to wrap my mind around what he meant. Seems like a message that something more is to come.”
Dave said, “maybe he wasn’t just a man,” in his sort of serious joking voice.
I said, “now you’re catching on,” and I giggled.
We continued on and arrived at Grinnell Lake, crossing rivers, creeks, and passing a sign for Hidden Falls, to which I said, “we’ll go there on the way back.”
Grinnell Lake was stunning.
More of that amazing aqua water that I see all around here in Glacier because of the glacial silt that catches the sun so amazingly, a bunch of cascading waterfalls coming down the snow laced mountains, and amazing colors and textures speaking so vibrantly to all of the senses.
We spent some time connecting there, finding this perfect place to sit away from the people at the opening of the lake. It was a wood plank someone had set in between two trees, creating a little bench framed and cradled by the trees’ branches and facing the lake, mountains, and waterfalls. I loved it!
I tuned in, as I had wondered if this would be where their ashes would go, knowing that it was to be in sacred water. Visually, one would think it would have been here, but because I felt all things would be harmoniously guiding me, having the wind blowing at me so strongly, which would mean the ashes would be blown at me or washed immediately on the shore, this was indication that it was not in alignment here to do this.
I was to flow with nature, not work against it.
So, after a while we decided to head back and went back to where the sign for Hidden Falls was.
Up we climbed, passing another older couple on their way down. The woman says to me, “it’s so beautiful!”
I smiled, and said, “oh good! I’m so glad!” Feeling, hmmmm, this could be the place.
We arrived at the top and Hidden Falls was indeed beautiful and quite magickal.
So gorgeous with the green moss covered dark rocks carved by the cascading water that created an aqua pool below and was surrounded by joyous flowers and a mountain peak extending upwards from the top.
It had rained lightly on and off on this hike, and when we arrived it began to sprinkle.
There was a viewing platform to take in the waterfall, but it was away from the water and so once again, I was wondering how this could work for spreading their ashes.
Dave noted that there was a way down to some overhanging rocks, if we climbed through the wooden railings and hiked down. It seemed slick with mud and rock, so I was contemplating, especially since we weren’t fully sure the edge would drop right off to the water.
But something drew my attention to the ground just on the other side of the wooden railings where my eyes lit up and I said, “Look!! It’s a red heart! A larger version of the little red heart I found a couple of days ago and had just posted about this morning on Facebook!” The rain drops were just starting to fall upon it, revealing its true, deep red color that the water unveiled – matching my stone at home.
I’d shared that the little one had been one of many heart stones along the paths that I’ve been seeing and gifted since Joy transitioned, along with feathers – both feeling like her angelic love and presence guiding and supporting me daily.
So as soon as I saw this large red heart, I instantly said, “That’s the sign I was waiting for! This is it! This is the place!” And my hesitation about going down the cliff completely dissipated and I actually ended up being the one leading the way.
We climbed down to the rock edge above the falls and I peered over with glee seeing that in fact the ashes would go directly into the water below when thrown. Yay!
So we sat at the edge, with lovely yellow flowers between us and the falls, and I gingerly started opening the sacred boxes housing Joy’s and Nestor’s ashes.
I took out Joy’s ashes first, untying the bag that held her white essence.
I pinched a little of her loveliness and with complete joy, some weeeeeeee’s and yay’s I released her above the waters below, watching her merge with the beautiful aqua sacredness. I did this twice and each time filled with “joy” and celebration, as I said, “go beautiful Joy and do your thing!” knowing that her powerful essence would work magickal alchemy beyond what anyone could imagine in coming to rest and merge here.
After Joy’s ashes, I did the same with Nestor’s, which were a gray essence, feeling that they were meant to work and be together, as they always have been and always will. Again, with extreme “joy” I released Nestor to join in the celebration and sacred intention.
Both of their ashes not only merged with the waters below, but with the waters from the sky above as well, as some of their ashes were gently carried by the raindrops to their resting place below.
Such beautiful symbolism and the most perfect, mirroring place for both of them in these Hidden Falls surrounded by Faery magick galore! The water here would journey down and connect with Josephine Lake where we’d be journeying back along.
And it felt so perfect and light, which was a different experience from all of the times I’d spread Nestor’s ashes in other sacred areas across the globe where it was very serious, more drawn out, and included some shedding of tears most of the time.
This was the new way and my new path of harmony, joy, and ease. Not to mention the new way for us all.
Just as potent. Just as magickal. Yet I could get there by means of a different path now.
Thank you my precious partners!
I snapped a photo of this enchanted sacred place to remember it always and then we made our way back up and to the other side of the wooden railings.
Crossing the boundary back into the realm from which we’d left, now returning in renewed harmony.
We made our way down the hiking trail back to the main path and as we were walking I was saying to Dave how perfect all of it was and how meant to be, commenting on the details, the heart, the lightness of it all, and no one being around or coming near while we did this.
I finished this joyous review with a connection that suddenly hit me.
The two does we’d seen were Joy and Nestor!
That’s why they connected so much. That’s why they were so otherworldly.
They had shapeshifted or sent these deer as messengers to me, directly from them.
The second I said that, again instantly, the same two does showed up at the bottom of the trail to Hidden Falls where it meets Grinnell Lake Trail.
They had followed us all that way, or had just manifested in that moment, to confirm what I was saying and to thank me for what I had just done!
I was so excited and felt the beautiful completeness of it all.
We connected a bit, then Dave went on and I lingered slightly, then I thanked them and went on myself.
When I caught up with Dave I said, “Now it makes sense what that man was saying to me.”
The rest of the hike back I was elated and gliding along with my heart in overload.
Near the end of the trail I then looked down and saw a feather. It was a twin to the feather I’d found the day before in terms of being the same kind of feather from the same bird.
Two parts of a whole, each unique, but connected, just like my sweet Joy and Nestor.
Again, another sign and gift from Joy and Nestor together as confirmation of this joyous completion.
We got back to the car and decided to visit Many Glacier Hotel on our way out, which was just lovely (more photos to come in the upcoming recap blog). We enjoyed a refreshment there overlooking the view and I reflected on it all.
Then back in the car we went to head home to the Magick Bus and Cosmo who I was excited to go share the experience with, although I knew he was aware of it.
Just before we leave through this area of the park to get on the highway that’s when our first Black Bear shows up – again another thing we’d just mentioned earlier.
Dave had wondered why a bear hadn’t shown up yet.
I’d said to him, “One will show up when we are in need of its energy and message.”
And so I guess now was that time.
She caught my eye as we were driving and so we got out to connect more, as I was able to snap some photos of this beauty relishing on the abundance of berries in the lushness of the mountain, fully in her “joy”.
Right as we got to the edge of Browning – the town I’d stopped in 20 years ago and was taken in by the Blackfeet family – a small rainbow appeared in the clouds across the fields – the second rainbow we’d seen here in East Glacier.
The first rainbow was on our first day of arrival here when we also saw our moose friend, but now it was book-ending our time here on the last day and after this beautiful and sacred experience.
It’s hard to see it in the photo, but it is at center of the clouds in the background and was quite vibrant in person.
And for the first time, at this end of the park, a huge herd of Bison appeared in the fields in front of the rainbow and I was filled with “joy” watching the little ones running exuberantly, as their mothers playfully joined in.
Posted on July 17, 2016, in Uncategorized and tagged cosmic connections, deer, east glacier national park, grinnell lake, hidden falls, hiking, Joy, lake josephine, many glacier, montana, nature, Nestor. Bookmark the permalink. 11 Comments.
Thank you for sharing this extraordinary, beautiful, soul-filling day with us. Love you so much, sweet spirit!
I should have said, soul(FULL)filling!!!! 🙂 ❤ xo
hehe!! so cute!! ❤ xoox
awww you’re so welcome dear treesa! love you dearly too ❤ ❤ ❤
Perfect on all accounts! As soon as I saw those does in the photo, I thought whoa they are not of this world. ET energy like Nestor, and then I thought of Joy and Nestie. So perfect! ❤️❤️❤️
thank you! yes it was incredible!! i loved it all so much. definitely a portal of cosmic proportions there 😉 hehe ❤
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