Imagine...

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You have been walking through the desert for miles on a sun-seared pioneer trail.

This trail is walked when searching for a deeper meaning behind one's existential passivity or even spiteful sabotage. When one has reached the end of their proverbial rope and has nothing to do but let go and seek the unknown.

 

Often, at this time, answers to the questions you didn't know to ask tend to present themselves in places you didn't know existed. It is as if portals in the fabric open up these unique spaces for you to experience growth and adversity and see the value of each segment of your life. You embarked on this vision quest in desire of divine guidance with only ambition in your heart and a few shreds of your past to support you. Your knowledge has brought you this far, and your curiosity will bring you to the altar of enlightenment within yourself. It will teach you the art of presence and how that vehicle will take you to your highest timeline. It will lend you foresight and discernment, Truth, and valor. But ultimately, and most importantly, inner peace and contentment.

 

Each step forward on this arduous path unveils more of the vast landscape, drawing the mirage out endlessly into the horizon. A deafening silence consumes the valleys by day, and the canyons taunt you with echoing shrills from the fictitious water by night. There is no running from your path or escape from what lies before you. The isolation can be paralyzing at moments, asking you to remember why you began and mirroring the lacuna of your heart. The Joshua trees have villages here and there. These and the coyotes that slink through shadows are your only companions. It is a relentless voyage, but accepting the struggle fuels another day of pursuit toward your highest purpose.

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In a daydream, you saunter up the next hill, losing count of how many have passed before it.

However, you slow your gate this time, realizing it is more than a small dune in the landscape. Its walls begin forming into great towering spires of purple and blue boulders, showing the hues of its eruptive past. You become more alert and confidently traverse the mountain toward its peak. The sloped walls on either side of you are covered in buxom cacti blooms and chiseled caves that bellow tales of promise and perseverance when the winds pass through. Tiny wildflowers turn up, beaming bright colors you didn't even think existed in the desert. The scattered yucca trees burst with green blossoms that turn white as they wriggle out of their bladed shells. The lizards are out to sunbathe, and the dragonflies appear to be showing you the way.

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Eagerly reaching the summit in awe of how drastically the landscape has changed with the blink of an eye, a strong gust of wind lifts the weight of your pack for a slivered moment, and you take the deepest breath that has found you since the walk began. A sense of change in the air has brought your spirits up through this passageway, and a waterfall of relief washes over you. As your eyes adjust to the valley ahead, you see meadows of mesquite and sage grazing the land. The layered mountain vista in the distance is picturesque. This panoramic view allows a stillness that captures a full-body snapshot of this moment. Lighter and lighter, you feel as you cascade your eyes towards what looks like the edge.

 

Suddenly, you notice a dark spot in the distance. Something is different about this apparition; it's larger than a bush but separate from the mountain range. Its structure has a unique depth that you can't quite identify. A sharp bolt flies through your abdomen. Could this be your desperation acting out some play on the mind? Or is it genuine? Without hesitation, you break away from the summit. Your heart beats faster and faster as you scale down the rocky terrain. Your stride lengthens with each step, motivated by the possibility of some semblance of Truth in this voided journey.

 

Your descent reveals the thickets of mesquite you saw from the ridge, but they are now more of an obstacle than they seemed, what feels like, just a few steps back. They are riddled with brush and nests of all shapes and sizes that you're best to avoid trodding through on your most agile day. The space feels "lived-in." Although devoid of any human life form thus far, you don't feel wholly alone now. A few steps ahead, you notice a gap in the wall of thorns. You investigate to find a perfectly hollowed game trail that shows almost no obstructions to the other side. A clear-cut tunnel with light at the end that feels akin to the stories you've heard about the entrance to the afterlife. Affirmatively, though, your heart is beating, and long streams of sweat run down your core as you hunch over into the crevice. You move with slow precision, nearly crawling and using your pack to shield your spine from the needle-point daggers of the aged mesquite forest.

 

Emerging out the other side, blasted again by the furnace in the sky, you rear your head and search for the apparition that instigated your hasty departure from the portal peak. Still undulating behind the vapors of the mirage, your dark spot that was once in the distance begins to take shape; you see palm silhouettes. As you move closer, more and more foliage emerges from the light. Suddenly, a whole grove of palm trees graces your vision. In disbelief, you rub the sweat from your eyes and begin walking more intently as you wonder, am I hallucinating?

 

It seems to move toward you at the same pace you are moving toward it. Getting closer and closer, a stone-lined path forms, gathered from the volcanic rocks that stud the hillsides, and it begins twisting you into the grove. Those endless shrills of desolation slowly start to break on your approach, and the setting demystifies. Quails faintly chirp as they scurry between the deep green creosote bush lines. Cicadas hum the sweet tune of warm summer delight. They speckle the mesquite and willow trees stuffed in between palms whose roots extend into the slow-trickling creek that has formed alongside the pathway. As you round the corner on the first cluster of trees, the sun is instantly filtered, and your skin feels the infusion of moisture in the air. Your belly realizes these palms bear fruit that will provide sustenance for the rest of your trek. You can hardly believe what you are witnessing. You have stumbled upon an Oasis. A miracle. A marquee confirmation that you have been going the right way all along.

 

Like a full symphony orchestra, the landscape ushers in the smooth sound of flowing liquid pattering on rounded rocks and breezy winds lacing themselves through the fronds and fingers that dangle above. Your eyes perk up, now seeking the source of this majestic melody. You feel yourself filling up with excitement and gratitude. The winding path through the grove has brought you to a small wooden deck. You take the stone steps up to its platform and lean in to peer over its railing. To your wonderment, you find a cascading maze of mineral-rich pools of water. Effortlessly flowing through the labyrinth of giant palms, they tickle the sedge grasses along their brims, nourishing the habitat for their existence. Tiny frogs and butterflies flitter and bop through the spurts of water, landing on the warm rocks beside the river. Suddenly, you can feel the thriving ecosystem magically arising before you.

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The Oasis is true- no more illusions, and she lies just on the other side of the foreboding desert mirage.

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Your gaze is now broadening to notice the surrounding rim of this vortex outlined with various weather-worn caravans and earthen dwellings bridged together by colorful canvas. Each vessel is uniquely ornate in essence and aesthetic. They reek of herbal resins and whisper songs of liberation and perilous adventure. There is so much to explore here. You step down from the viewing deck and continue along the path, and as your delight and curiosity begin to peak, the spiral staircase of crystalline pools unfolds even further. You now notice other humans lounging under the shade of these palms near the water's edges, each with a personal stone trough for soaking their sun-wrought bones. The sensation of tranquility here is mesmerizing, if not all-consuming. Instantly, your shoulders feel lighter under your pack, and your body becomes flooded with the most welcoming sensory embrace—an invitation to join in this collective arrival to the space. Your head drops back, and you can't help but take a huge sigh of relief.

 

Again, gratitude washes over you with your gaze now high in the sky toward the sun. A tear rises in your eyelids and escapes down your cheek, a liquid offering to the abundant land. You have made it this far with no more than yourself to offer, but you have kept your faith in the chosen path. A decision that has led you here, to a place that feels mysterious yet embodies the sense of abundance and clarity you have been seeking. It's a place where the flow of giving and receiving seems effortless, where you feel liberated from the burden of a system out of tune. Your curiosity is ravenous to explore the endless possibilities you sense in this place.

 

As you lift your head back up, exhausted by adrenaline, a glowing blue light begins to materialize and extends toward you, supporting your presence.

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"Allow me to guide you in," a voice says.

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With trust, you take your time gracefully proceeding down each step as this light motions toward a pool curated just for you.

 

"Here you are," the voice continues. "I am always present if you ever feel lost. And remember. This place is FOR YOU."

 

Offering a smile and a nod of acknowledgment, you thank the Light and proceed into your alcove.

 

Setting your pack down and letting your mind, body, and spirit arrive in the space, you take a deep breath.

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Removing your scarf and remembering how much protection from the elements it has provided along the way, you quiver a smile of gratitude. Let it continue to serve you; use it as a cradle for rest, lay it below you, and take a seat.

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Breathe.

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Now, your boots, oh your boots, how they have irreplaceably aided your travels. Give them thanks, take them off, and allow them to rest as well.

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Look around you and take it all in. There is something magical happening that is still barely describable.

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Try to feel it; breathe it in. Smile.

 

You know you have arrived somewhere integral for your progression and growth.

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Stare into the glimmering water before you.

Notice its gentle movement and shallow ripples. Its fluid motion into each new moment without resistance.

Slowly, come up to your knees and scoop your hands together.

Submerge them under the water, splash your face, and offer yourself a drink.

You deserve it; the road has been long and arduous.

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Revive yourself.

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Let the water soothe your eyes of all the dust and tears you've collected, and when you're ready,

prepare to slip into the healing pool that awaits you.

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Breathe.

 

Small steps lead you into a moon-carved seat that cradles you and rests the water like a pillow around your neck. It feels like it was made just for you.

Allow yourself to be received by the space. Feeling the light tickle of the grass's roots beneath the surface brushing the back of your arms and ribcage, you open your heart to its sweet embrace to be nourished by its offerings.

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In all directions, the landscape is awe-inspiring. You are comfortable in your vulnerability. You feel safe and at peace. The water is more refreshing than you ever hoped, and your bones are deeply grateful for the buoyant rest.

You know there is much around you to discover, yet you feel soft and patient, slow and present, being right here and now.

 

You are beginning to relax deeply.

Stay here in this moment as long as you need to.

There is no rush to be anywhere.

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Letting the water envelop you, you become deeply connected to the energy here.

The space feels you. You feel It. It knows your needs. Your desires. Your dreams.

It will provide you with everything necessary to continue forward on your quest.

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Trust.

Trust in Love.

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You have arrived at The Oasis.

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...Now that you have surveyed your surroundings and settled from your walk, when you are ready, slowly gather your energy back inward to reflect on what, in the space, is calling out to your curiosity. Open your heart even further and feel what is most enlivening. Are you being nudged toward the landscape, the trees, and the wildlife? To retreat to the nooks and caverns? Or are you drawn to the other people occupying the areas around you? Are you lured by the faint whispers from the caravans of stories and secret treasures? Use this compass of curiosity to steer you around this space.

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Your expedition is far from over, but many gems of wisdom can be collected here. Some are hidden in plain sight, and others you will have to dig a little deeper to get to. The Oasis is yours to explore, but be mindful of how you interact during your stay. Everyone is invited to express themselves compassionately and freely as we build a loving foundation for healing and expansion, with respect and trust being exchanged in the space.

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Are you ready to explore?