Moonstone Magic

On Sundays, the happening place is the Farmer’s Market at Baja Bean in Pescadero— a small village about ten kilometers south of Todos Santos.   You can get locally roasted coffee that puts Starbucks to shame and a tasty brunch while listening to live music.  Local venders from all over South Baja sell produce, homemade jams and salsas, clothing and jewelry.  Last week, I spotted an exquisite moonstone ring in an elegant silver and copper setting, but I figured I didn’t need another ring and besides, it was too expensive. But all week, I couldn’t stop thinking about the ring.  There was just something about it that called to me.   When I mentioned the ring to Frank, he very generously offered to buy it for me as a belated birthday present.  So we went back this past Sunday and bought the ring. All the way home, as I admired the opaque qualities of the stone—the way it changes colors with the light, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my beautiful ring is more than a shiny bauble.  So I went online to research the significance of moonstone.   Apparently, since ancient times, moonstone has been revered for its connection to the magic of the moon.  It calms and teaches the natural rhythms of Earth.  Hmm, how interesting that the ring came into my possession on the very day when the moon is full.   I went on to read that moonstone is symbolic of an inward journey towards long forgotten pieces of the soul  which need to be brought to light. It's even more interesting that  I just happen to be in the business of helping people to recover their souls, in other words to remind them of the inner resources that will sustain them in the face of heartbreak, loss, and life-threatening illness.  Yet one of the drawbacks of being a chaplain (or anyone in the caregiving profession) is that, in caring for other people, it's really easy to lose pieces of yourself.  Sometimes, I get so caught up on a treadmill of working long shifts and recovering from long shifts, I neglect friends, family, and those simple pleasures that feed my spirit and sustain me.   

Normally,  Frank and I are active people, but down here we have been quite content to spend hours sitting by the sea. I’m not a naturally calm person, but there’s something about the ocean that soothes my often restless spirit.  I don’t think I will ever tire of witnessing its many moods and the stunning diversity of life that it supports.  Every day, we’ve seen the humpback whales as they drift south to Central America.   Sometimes, they slip stealthily past, like submarines on patrol, with only the tell tale spouts to indicate their presence.  Other times, they like to show off by breeching and slapping their gigantic flutes (tails) emphatically, or lazily waving to us like the Queen of England, if you can imagine her Majesty having sixteen foot flippers.  It’s an awe inspiring sight which never fails to delight and uplift us.   We’ve witnessed a couple of baby turtle releases and have signed on to “babysit” turtle hatchlings as they incubate in a greenhouse near our house.

It’s easy to feel connected to the Earth’s natural rhythms with the Pacific Ocean ebbing and flowing at my feet, so generously sharing its abundance.  It’s somewhat more of a challenge being attuned to these rhythms in the rush to meet all of my daily responsibilities at home.  But I have my spiritual practices and the Rocky Mountains to keep me centered and most of all,  I’m fortunate enough to have the kind of work which immerses me in the ebb and flow of life.  Odd as it seems, the hospital where I work is not that different from the ocean because it is so like a unique ecosystem containing the whole glorious mystery of creation.  One minute, a soul exits the planet and in the next,  a lullaby over the loudspeaker announces the arrival of another soul.   I can place all of the human judgments I want on the events that happen in a hospital (and some of them are unspeakably tragic and inexplicable) but in the end, I have to believe that there is an order and symmetry to all of it—just as there is so much more happening beneath the surface of the ocean than what my eye can see. 

I came down here hoping to gain some clarity and perspective on what my next steps should be because I always need to be working towards a goal (or so I tell myself).    I don't believe in coincidence.  Is it possible the moonstone ring came into my life to assure me that I'm right where I need to be, doing what I'm meant to be doing?   I just need to lighten up, restore some balance in my life, and be a little less goal oriented.