Blog Entry 19 * 5-20-22
Last night, I stopped at the Three Sisters Mountain Vista and spent the night. The energy of this spot is fascinating—there’s something about it that gives me a sense that the area has a deep connection to Wiccans. I can just feel the essence of the Three Sisters Mountains here, and it’s clear where the name comes from. The three peaks stand like silent guardians, ancient and wise, as if they’ve been watching pilgrims, travelers, and seekers pass through for centuries.
This particular spot was far enough from town to see a multitude of stars at night. The Milky Way stretched across the sky like a river of light, and in the stillness, I felt as though the universe itself was leaning closer. You could even see the faint glow from the nearby towns of Bend and Redmond, Oregon, softly illuminating the horizon, a reminder that even in the quiet wilderness, civilization is never too far away. The contrast only deepened the sense of solitude and sacredness.
On a spiritual level, I realized that over the past little while, I had been pressuring myself with my daily devotional meditation. My practice had slowly shifted into something more rigid, almost like a task I had to complete perfectly, rather than a living conversation with God. Sitting beneath the stars, I recognized that I needed to focus on doing less, making it softer and more relational. Devotion is not about performance—it’s about love, surrender, and presence.
This pattern of pushing myself often sneaks back in, and over time, I have to hit the brakes to reset it. It’s as though my inner compass reminds me: devotion is not measured by effort, but by the sincerity of the heart. A friend of mine helped me reflect on this and reminded me that the time had come once again to soften my devotion. It doesn’t mean abandoning discipline, but rather holding it with gentleness—like cupping water in your hands, not gripping so tightly that it slips away.
Here, with the Three Sisters rising in the distance, I felt that softening begin to return. The mountains seemed to echo the reminder: stand strong, but remain graceful; hold your practice with steadiness, but let your heart stay open, spacious, and free.
So I headed south towards Reno Nevada and I was also feeling a strong pull to stop in and see Lake Tahoe as well (even though I wasn’t sure why). Last night we had to stop off in a rural area named Bieber as we were on our way through Lassen National Forrest.
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