For the first time in today’s moccasins, I had the honor and the privilege to venture out to Salem, Massachusetts with a bunch of kids and a handful of adults. I can’t imagine a more Spirited time to visit, being as close to Halloween and subsequent holidays that appreciate the ‘thinning of the veils’ honoring Our ancestors that have passed on. It was a bit surreal, visiting Old Salem and seeing how the Pilgrims lived in conservative quarters, mixed with liberal doses of paranoia. I can imagine why it might be enticing to be a Witch and fly away on a broom for a spell, especially back then with little time for fun to be had and skeletons in the closet were swept under the rug. Besides, I love working with stray cats and in the spirit of that, the Universe presented a moment to yours truly, where a Bat mask was calling out my name. I wonder if they have Witches in China, where my new mask was made? “Sacred Bat . . . Fly to me, from the darkness of the cave. Womb-like reflections, answers it gave. Birth, death, rebirth, cycles of the whole . . . never-ending just eclipsed, the journey of the Soul.”

I remember an adventure in the desert some years back (although I wasn’t on a ‘horse with no name’) when I traveled off the beaten path to a mysterious Batcave deep within the Earth. Prior to ‘Batman Begins’, I look back and empathize with Bruce Wayne when I shut off my headlamp and meditated in the damp underground cavern with hundreds of Bats hanging around and flitting about. Admittedly, the Joker in me couldn’t resist teasing my Bat comrades a bit vis-a-vis flashing my headlamp onto some of them just to watch in awe to see them fly . . . “will someone please tell me what kind of town we live in when a man dressed up as a bat, gets all of my press . . . this town (Old World) needs an enema.” Moreover, I have had other significant encounters with Bats and I am inspired by Bat medicine and the power of wearing masks to facilitate the alchemy process in becoming something greater. It is somewhat akin to Buddhism’s Idea of Reincarnation in breaking out Our fast in allowing Our old selves to die, so that We may clear space for rebirth–particularly in the Aztec, Toltec, Tolucan and Mayan traditions. Soaring backward to last Sunday, I put on my new mask and Native feather-necklace after playing morning football with some menfolk from around the way and saged myself to loosen up and lick my wounds. Part of the reason I keep up with my Shamanic-Taoist martial arts training is so that I can keep playing football without hurting myself or anyone else, so I’m learning new ways to play. What’s more, an Eagle in flight soared above to confirm my inner transmutation, as a Blue Jay on the ground gently reminded me of the Kingdom of Heaven within, a la ‘as above, so below’. Some moments thereafter, some Crows used their communicative magic in chasing away Hawk, while a red Squirrel chimed in and a flock of Geese reminded me of ‘High Fidelity’, though I heard the Boss but didn’t see John Cusack. But I’m pretty sure I glimpsed a Shrew before She scurried away, though I’m unsure if Shakespeare helped tame Her Nervous Woodland Creature energy.

Finally, I know the ‘powers that were’ and the properly indoctrinated ‘sheeple’ whom have towed the Coke and Pepsi party line, by pledging unconscious allegiance to the ‘Corporatocracy’, may hardly bat an eye at the Law of Impermanence. But it will not always be like this, as the only constant is change. Besides, Bats eat pests and help fruit a New Earth by spreading the manna, I mean mantra, ‘shit happens’. In my experience, it is more empowering and less work in the long run to face Our fears head on, rather than hide from them through skillful avoidance tactics. This Fall, as I Leave behind my old self, like Han Solo in Star Wars, I assert, “never tell me the odds”. Given that I took probability and statistics three times in College, hung out in the energy field of manipulation and intervention way too long, I now understand that the field of infinite possibilities is way more exciting and fruitful. Moreover, living Life as if it were a hedge fund might seem like a sure bet and a safety net. However, I’d rather fly into the zone of the Unknown (like the Bats that died from human wind power towers) with my trusted inner voice as my navigation device. While Divine Will is beyond the realm of predictability and comprehension, walking in alignment with It is a knowable experience. As I meditate on Bat, I hope it’s in the cards that I don’t get hung up on the man I am, but welcome who I am becoming. What a breath of fresh air in creating everything anew from the Ground Up . . . So long as I use my psychic abilities to read defenses and stay calm in the pocket like Tom Brady–even through I didn’t play at the Big House or grow up in California. Can you dig it?

I Hopi You are well,

Ari