Sacramento

   
Sacramento City Hall

     One of the first things I noticed about Sacramento was the health and happiness of its trees. Gorgeous Oaks, Sycamores, Palms and Maples graced the grid-like avenues with pride and strength. It reminded me of a lovely summer day on the verdant blocks of Wollaston and East Milton back home. You could almost feel the trees smile!

 Saint Paul's Episcopal Church


Elks Club Building (nicknamed the Ghost Busters Building,
                     standing at 226 feet)

    Any reason to escape slick San Francisco was good enough for me. On Friday I finished work early to take a shamanic training (on extraction) in California's capitol city and I couldn't have been more charmed. With the help of Expedia, I landed a sweet deal at the Sheraton Grand and spent most of my two days in Downtown, Midtown and Curtis Park. People were so friendly and inquisitive and everyone I met outside the training beamed at the mention of shamanism. It was almost eerie. Because I had been closeted for so long, I didn't notice the rest of the world was educating themselves on the healing power of the spirits (at least in California!).




 
    This flat city (prone to flooding, I'm afraid) was hopping in the club/bar and restaurant department. I had a yummy Indian meal my first night at Monsoon near the gay district. On Saturday morning, I checked out Jim Denny's Diner where I met a nice couple from San Diego and my quirky angel, an eccentric regular customer named Pinkie. She even wrote me a poem called "Tom's Tomorrow."



Tom, yer on 
at Jim Denny's Diner
They don't come finer

 Cause I can tell, 
you excel 
you ring the bell 
of Heaven Divine
you are a sign
that maybe 
some good 
can still be free

 to exist 
upon this plane
of nature's beauty
But just now
you put down your duty
and rest
get good food
it's the best
at this diner
grand
you give a hand
on the customer side
of the counter

 as we look the
menu over
get a chance to choose
even tho here
there is no booze
But I see
you chose a 
grand burrito to
be
your food filling
for many an hr.
Giving you the go power
for each hr.
of this awesome 
sunshiney day
for soon you'll
pay
o sir- may you
have a wonderful day-

 To you my
momentary friend
This is the end
and I say Amen

PINKIE and her God
on this here sod.
 
 
   Sacramento will be my new destination for all of these shamanic trainings and I was fortunate to connect with a small circle of fellow practitioners from all around California, Oregon and Nevada. Over the next few blog posts, I'll be sharing bits of Shamanism 101 and how this ancient craft can be a source of healing in your life!

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