The exquisite, rose-pink flowers had seemingly popped up overnight at the nature preserve near our home. They danced in clusters of lily-like blooms on long stalks, standing out like blushing brides against the browns and beiges of southern California’s typical summer wardrobe. I immediately accepted their invitation to breathe in their intoxicating scent (carefully choosing a bloom uninhabited by the bees, who were equally enthralled). The flowers transmitted the Pink Ray of Divine Love, and the Divine Feminine, like a heady wine. They carried the energy of the bodhisattva Kuan Yin, and I could also feel my Venusian galactic family in their embrace. (Side note: a few months before, I’d received a Divine download for a Love of Venus alchemical blend but knew I didn’t have all the ingredients yet… well I’d found one.)
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“What are they?” I wondered aloud to Marlon, who as usual had held space patiently with the dogs while I stepped (literally and figuratively) off the trail. Within minutes of posing this question, we ran into an acquaintance who said, “Did you see the Naked Ladies?” After a brief, comical moment where we both glanced surreptitiously around for female streakers, we realized she was talking about the flowers!

The botanical name I later learned is Amaryllis belladonna. While referred to as a “lily” by its common monikers Naked Lady Lily, Amaryllis Lily, and Jersey Lily, it is in fact the only true member of the Amaryllis genus. (The winter-blooming flowers with big extravagant blooms we typically refer to as “Amaryllis” are Hippeastrum, go figure.)

I knew the Amaryllis Lilies were calling to co-create an essence. However, despite continuing my love affair with them on regular walks around the preserve and earmarking a few different days as possibilities for making an essence, it never seemed to line up. I would feel sapped of energy on those days, or else unforeseen things would come up needing my attention. Maybe it will happen next summer, I thought. Without attachment, I surrendered the idea and decided to enjoy the Naked Lady Lilies on my walks without trying to plan for an essence.

It was several weeks after I first spotted the Amaryllis Lilies that I went as usual to open the window in my office for an evening breeze and, to my happy astonishment, was met with an enchanting floral scent. Immediately I pressed my nose to the screen to see into the bed of succulents below, wondering what exotic enchantress had magicked herself among their uniform ranks.

There right below my window, glowing in the light of the recently full moon like the skinny dipping temptress her name implied, was a newly-bloomed Naked Lady Lily.

I laughed aloud. I was giddy with the unexpected delight of her being there, giddy with the feeling that always comes when the magic- and sense of humor- of the Universe is revealed to us: the feeling of being immensely loved. (I was also even more in love with our new home and its proximity to Nature.)

The day to make the essence ended up being the day after the autumn equinox (and a few days before my birthday). I knew and trusted that the Amaryllis Lily outside my window had chosen me, had specifically volunteered for this essence. All of the previous essences I had made, however, had been in natural, wild locations. Even though the nature preserve was just 500 feet down the street and I could see it from my house, my front yard seemed like an oddly suburban and public setting. I couldn’t help feeling self-conscious as I sat before the flower bed under my window and started preparing the bowl and water.

Then, as I tuned into the Amaryllis Lily, she said loud and clear,

We are blessed to live in a time of Awakening. Though its opposite can sometimes feel like the more prevalent force, more and more of us are becoming aware everyday of our interconnectedness, and the fact that there is more to this world- and to us- than meets the eye.

There are many beautiful tools to assist us on our journey of Awakening, including flower and gemstone essences. Traditionally, these vibrational remedies have been used for personal healing, well-being and development- and as our individual consciousness impacts the collective consciousness, this in and of itself is an act of service to the world. But what if we were to take it a step further? What if we were to take essences for the world, or for others?

What if we were to use essences holographically?

Skylark B&B 
Hounslow, London - England 

Sleepy and disoriented, we peered blearily through the coach windows at the all-too-familiar florescent faces of Burger King, KFC and that syrupy siren, Starbucks. What? Had we driven through some strange portal and ended up at an Omaha rest stop? Nope— here we were in the English countryside somewhere outside Birmingham at 10pm, about a quarter of the way through our epic, 12 hour coach-and-ferry journey from London to Dublin… and here was Colonel Sanders, inviting us in for a lovely cuppa and some fried wings with chips! (We had blueberries and water from Waitrose Market.) ​
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Lynch's Cafe
Galway - Ireland 

According to legend, the healing properties of the natural thermal springs at Bath were “discovered” by King Bladud around 863BC, when his skin disease was cured after bathing in the waters (or possibly when his pigs were cured of leprosy after a romp in the mud, depending who you ask). Today, the springs can be enjoyed in two ways: by touring the 2,000 year old Roman Baths, and by experiencing the mineral waters firsthand at the nearby, state-of-the-art “Thermae Spa.” 

We arrived after a fairly harrowing time negotiating the trains, during which we were rerouted out of our way to Didcot Parkway (however as soon as we pulled in and saw the nuclear power plant situated less than a mile from the station, we knew we were there on a Divine Mission and happily sat on the platform playing guitar, singing and dropping flower essences until our train arrived). We were also suffering from a mild case of PRD (Post Reunion Depression), so we decided it would be in our best interest to start at the Thermae Spa, a futuristic building of glass and stone appearing like an alien mother ship that’s landed among its historical honey-stoned neighbors. There, we were tempted to use the provided foam noodles at the Minerva Bath as light sabers- or alternatively, laser controls for our rocket ships- but we figured that wouldn’t be appropriate in a spa setting. Instead we enjoyed floating in the built-in current and ogling the city views from the rooftop pool, followed by a visit to the Steam Room, where each chamber had a different aromatherapy scent! 

Juice Restaurant
Dublin - Ireland 

I am counting on at least a few of our days in Ireland being exceedingly dull so I can catch up with myself! And thank you to all of you as always for your kind comments about the Logs- I'm glad to be entertaining others besides myself and Marlon with these epics. 

Before we continue with the Reunion, I need to mention that I am writing you from the mecca of vegetarians and vegans (and those that are neither but consider there to be more than two food groups on the planet and like to partake in them once and awhile), "Juice" Restaurant / Juice Bar / Free Wi-fi Spot! We washed up here like 2 castaways on the shore of a tropical treasure island, exhausted and nearly drowned by Dublin's roiling sea of grunge and grime, and goblins in the form of confrontational street Weirdos. (And me with a chest cold after our nightmare experience on the over-nite ferry, surrounded by unfortunate individuals hacking and coughing moistly.) I nearly fainted away in the street when reading their menu: fresh squeezed juices, smoothies, dishes and dishes of vegan options, and- what do you know!- there actually are other teas in this part of the world besides English Breakfast! And Bob Marley on the stereo. Thank you Lonely Planet. :) 

On with the Reunion: 

The Crown (Glastonbury Backpackers)
Glastonbury, Somerset - England 

Once upon a time (in 2005), two new young lovers embarked on a journey. It was a journey so epic, so ambitious, so entirely without hotel reservations, that few couples come out the other side without having invoked the dreaded Silent Treatment (or worse): they backpacked across Europe for two months with only one another for company. It was a journey with only one stipulation: get from Athens to Amsterdam in 8 weeks, though as those of you who read the Logs know, it was soon to become an epic beach safari, the Quest for Laundry, the Quest for the Perfect Salad, an ode to gelato, and many other things, most of them involving tomatoes and nearly all of them being in the same elbow space as Everybody Else and their mother, cousin, sister, and aunt. 

Now, six years later, it is time once again for one of the renowned, if notorious, Kessler Family Reunions, this time to be held in Broadway, England, and which this time- after much successive hoop-jumping and a urine test (kidding…about the urine part)- the heroine will also be permitted to attend. Thus, our young lovers find themselves back in Europe, older and, surely, infinitely wiser… ​
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Cafe Club
Mérida, Yucatan - Mexico

Our flight home leaves in a little over four hours. Until then we are "kick'n it" here at Cafe Club, the first actual Internet Cafe- as in Internet and food- we've come across the whole trip. It makes for a much more enjoyable experience for Marlon, as he can enjoy snacks and work on his custom guitar design while I Log.

Yesterday we rented a car and drove south- roughly an hour- to the site of Uxmal. Based on what I'd read in Lonely Planet, I'd had a poetic vision of cruisin' the Yucatan in a funky old VW bug, however we got a new white VW Pointer, which I confess was much better in the end as it had AC!

Uxmal (pronounced "oosh-mahl") is considered one of the most beautific and harmonious sites due to its well-preserved pink-hued limestone structures and Puuc ("hills") setting. It has fascinating and extensive mosaics, including geometric designs ("Xs" are a big theme) and intricate carvings of everything from Chac-Mool to thatch huts to owls to serpents and turtles to representations of the planet Venus.

Cafe Internet Santa Lucia
Mérida, Yucatan - Mexico

What a whirlwind! We've been to three sites in as many days, and we're not stopping there. Each of them has been profoundly moving in distinctly different ways... I feel as if I carry a piece of each of them with me.

As my last Log had to be cut short due to bus departure time concerns, I will continue with the ruins at Tulum:

I found the energy of Tulum to be very similar to that of Delphi, in Greece- there was an impression of grace and harmony, and of people walking peacefully along flora-lined paths, with a real emphasis on spirituality. Granted, all Maya sites could be said to have an emphasis on spirituality, though this was more contemplative, less "My temple is bigger than your temple!" More... feminine, if you will. (Of course, this could be due to the fact that I was female in an incarnation there.) I felt like a wanted to walk with utmost reverence on the Earth.
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Cyber Planet
Tulum, Quintana Roo - Mexico

When we left off, we were waiting for the over-nite bus to Chetumal. That was another interesting experience in nocturnal travel. I don’t know whether it was because we were in the very back of the bus or because all Mexican drivers share a certain affinity with Speedy Gonzalez, but there was an alarming amount of swaying and lurching. It was so severe that ultimately, Marlon concluded the only way to prevent involuntary body propulsion would be shoulder straps! In fact, the more we discussed it, the more we wondered why shoulder harnesses should be limited to baby car seats and astronauts, when there are so many scenarios in life where one might desire a little extra torso support...

As our main objective for coming to Chetumal was to catch another bus, we were pleasantly surprised by its charm and a laid-back attitude we attributed to the Caribbean. (Although, as the city was largely devoid of residents- we assumed for Semana Santa, the Mexican spring break- that may have contributed, as well.) One thing we were really excited about in Chetumal was checking out Museo de la Cultura Maya, which is organized into three levels, mirroring Maya cosmology: the main floor representing this world, the upper floor the heavens and the lower floor the underworld.