Posts Tagged ‘Dexter R. Richards’
26/02/2010
By D. R. Richards
Telltale signs of "joie de vive"
What is it, that makes Quebec, Canada a breath of fresh air for those of us who often escape there from the northeastern U.S.? It’s interesting to experience this question through the eyes of my wife, who’s from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. She’s new to the U.S, and to New England, and is not afraid to share her observations. I always felt more comfortable when I lived in Europe, South America and New Zealand, but, honestly, still struggle to put into words exactly why an ex-pat life could still be my destiny. I had my “Euro-epiphany” at 21, after having a chance meeting with Erga Rehns in Portugal. It took two years to sink in, and I almost didn’t return stateside. I still have that ex-pat perspective. I still look at the U.S. with the eyes of an foreigner.
My wife just got her Green Card a few days ago, on the 22nd, and the next day we were outa here, off to Magog, Canada. Partly because my birthday was on the 23rd, and partly because she was on the wait list for a Vipassana course for which she was accepted and started the following day.
Mt. Orford with "Visitor's Center"*
As we walked the streets of the little Quebec towns, and went for a walk at Mt. Orford Provincial Park, we discussed what exactly is it that makes us feel more relaxed away from the U.S.? Here’s what our conversation yielded: For one, the people take care, and pay attention of their food and time. They are not as stressed. Immediately it’s obvious that there isn’t an anxiety in the air – in fact, there’s a calmness. Kids are smiling, people are quietly enjoying their week-day afternoon. We also concluded it takes a lot more effort in the U.S. to relax because of the nervousness of the collective consciousness. Today’s Health Care Summit in Washington illustrates the deep crisis Americans are experiencing about such basics as going to the doctor. In other countries, people are incredulous that there’s even a debate in the U.S. about profit over people. The idea that someone could lose their house should they become sick is a foriegn concept. It would simply not happen in France or New Zealand, or in Canada. (See the movie Sicko)
Meditation: The Ripple Effect
As I write this, my wife is sitting peacefully in the mountains of Quebec at a Vipassna retreat center. I feel the ripple effect, and I hope you do as well. Janice Vien, in her Iyengar yoga classes always closes with the phrase, “May the benefits of this practice be extended to others”. It’s clear Americans face difficult roads ahead because of the greed of the “corporatracy”. And yes, of course, one can keep their center no matter where one is, as put forth by Eckhart Tolle. But for those that are sensitive, the difference in energy between the U.S. and Quebec is striking.
Maison Verte's B&B = Quality and Care
*The reason I put quotes around the Mt. Orford Visitor’s Center is the sense of scale in Quebec, and other countries is more realistic than in the U.S. When one thinks of “Visitor’s Centers” in the U.S., usually the image of the Denali National Park, Arches National Park, or the Smithsonian most likely comes to mine. The Center is Quebec however, is a small lodge, (with fireplace, bathrooms and picnic tables), despite it being a popular national park.
Tags:Amanda Richards, Anxiety, Arches National Park, Corporatracy, Cultural Differences, Denali national Park, Dexter R. Richards, Eckhart Tolle, Erga Rehns, Green Card, Iyengar Yoga, Janice Vien, Magog, Quebec, Smithsonian, South Africa, Sunapee NH, Vipassana
Posted in Focus on MSI People, Health, Holistic Living, Inner Work, Spiritual, Sustainable Living/Communities, Traveling | 1 Comment »
23/02/2010
By D.R. Richards,
Learning to live with an Open Heart, Part I
Martha and Don Rosenthal
I first met Don and Martha Rosenthal about 10 years ago when I enrolled in a monthly meeting of “Awakening Together” sessions here in New Hampshire, where couples meet to witness, listen, talk and learn vital life skills in relating to one’s partner. The group was started 18 years ago and a few of the original couples are still continuing today. Other couples have naturally come and gone. Indeed, the gathering is more about becoming a more fully realized human being, about living in the present, than how to only relate better to one’s partner. It’s about learning to love unconditionally with all who come across one’s path. At least this has been my experience of the meetings and the work.
Amanda and I just completed the Rosenthal’s Awakening Together couples retreat” at their country farmhouse in central Vermont, as a proactive approach to building a good foundation for our marriage. We’re so glad we committed to going to the Rosenthal’s for the weekend. We are also enrolled in the once monthly group mentioned above, but the weekend was a “full on” laboratory for personal disarmament.
The Rosenthal's "Learning to Love"
Six couples of various ages and socio-economic backgrounds attended the weekend retreat. Amanda and I were blown away not only with the wonderful format and top quality information covered, but with how both Don and Martha walk their talk, not to mention their well versed articulation and perceptions of participant’s situations. In fact, if you haven’t heard of Don Rosenthal, I expect you will as his reputation will most likely grow . His book and his way of being in the world is direct and heart felt. In short, he walks his talk.
We suggest this as one of the best, if not the best, couples workshops a couple can attend. It is mostly advertised by word of mouth, so I thought I’d post this today. I will write more about our weekend in Part II.
From their website:
Don and Martha began their 31-year journey together in Alaska, where they lived in a remote cabin and explored the quiet life together. Emerging after some years, they moved to the coast of California where they began what has now been more than two decades of counseling couples and individuals. Don received training in psychotherapy and began a career as a counselor. Martha studied mind/body/spirit connection with various teachers and developed a private healing practice. They have a son, now grown, whom they home-schooled.
Don's Second Book
In 1989 Don and Martha moved to rural northern Vermont, and shortly thereafter began offering weekend workshops for couples. Through word-of-mouth these soon expanded to a wide circle, becoming the core of their work. In addition, Martha leads meditation retreats for women and works with couples and individuals privately; Don offers consulting to individuals and couples, fundamentally as a form of spiritual guidance. Don and Martha view their own relationship, with all its trials and wonders, as the testing ground and measure of their teaching. They are co-authors of Learning to Love: From Conflict to Lasting Harmony.
For more information on their work, or the weekend workshops see their website.
Editor’s Note: Another book “The Unquiet Journey” is a book of reflections, written by Rosenthal that provides the philosophical and spiritual context for his later publications. Many readers have found it valuable.
To Be Continued in Part II
Tags:Amanda Richards, Awakening Together, Corinth, Counseling, couples workshop, Dexter R. Richards, Don and Martha Rosenthal, Inner Work, Learning to Love, Open Hearted Listening, Randy Richards, The Uncharted Journey, Vermont, Weekend for Couples
Posted in Experiential Education, Focus on MSI People, Holistic Living, Inner Work, Inspirational People, Leadership, MSI News | 2 Comments »
16/02/2010
Specialists in Peru & Holistic Education Since 1998
Mountain Spirit Institute announces June 18th Holistic Learning Program in Peru
By R. Richards
Mountain Spirit first started leading programs to Peru in 1998. I guided high altitude mountains for Alpine Ascents International, such as Mt. Huascaran in Peru, Aconcagua in Argentina and other volcanoes in Ecuador prior to that for a number of years , but then decided holistic experiential education was more for me.
Hiking on Amantani Island, Lake Titicaca
Readers may have heard of the term “nature deficit disorder”, coined by Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods. MSI also addresses “cultural deficit disorder” by taking people to Peru. We were doing Peru before it was fashionable, and know the country well. We focus on education, service, hiking, music and mountains. We’ll be headed to the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, and Lake Titicaca.
Our program is limited to 8 participants and will start on June 18th and last for 14 days. We will be staying with long time friends and educational partners. Our logistics is well organized after leading many trips to Peru.
MSI Peru'09 with Cari Family, Amantani
Description of Curriculum:
MSI’s Cultural immersion focuses on learning rather than touristing, giving back through service, hiking in the Andes, weaving, agriculture, community building, learning music, language and indigenous shamanism and socioeconomic issues. Some hotels and lodges, but also family stays and off-the-beaten track. Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Cusco. Oh, and great time too.
Testimonials from two Peru’09 particpants:
Machu Picchu
Thank you for a wonderful time in Peru!! You offered us such a diverse opportunity to really connect with the people, customs and languages. Your continued kindness, constant patience and
positive attitude really helped. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a job well done, an unforgettable time..
G. B.
Peru 2009 Cultural Immersion
I liked meeting the real people of Peru. Randy’s example of energetic interaction with the people worked well and set a good tone for the program.
T. Y.
Peru 2009 Cultural Immersion
More Tesimonials
Stay tuned for more posts about more details, and what we’ll be doing on this year’s 2010 Cultural Immersion Program in Peru. We hope you’ll consider joining us for a learning of a lifetime. See our detailed itinerary. Learn more about who’s leading the program. Also see posts on Peru to the right.
Tags:Aconcogua, Alpine Ascents International, Argentina, cultural immersion, Cusco, Dexter R. Richards, Ecuador, Experiential Education, Huascaran, local culture of Peru, Machu Picchu, Mountain Spirit, Peru 2010, Understanding Peru, Volcanoes
Posted in Inner Work, MSI News, Peru, Power of Place, Service, South America, Sustainable Travel, Traveling | 1 Comment »
17/01/2010
Robi Brendon in Zürs backcountry, Austria
A Ski Mountaineering Adventure
By Randall Richards
Mountaineering, and ski mountaineering mishaps that don’t kill you are chalked up to experience – a learning experience. I had one such experience in Lech and Zürs Austria when working for Strolz Boots G.m.B.H. I was still a greenhorn in the Alps. The Alps was a whole other ball game than the mountains of the western U.S. This was my first year in the Alps
I was just graduated from the University of Utah where I’d spent three years getting a basic, but great mountaineering education through the U of U recreation department with such climbers and teachers as Harold Goodro and Dennis Turville. It’s here where I cut my teeth, the Wasatch Range, in beginning rock climbing and mountaineering, snow shelter building and backcountry emergency medicine classes. Harold was the consummate old mountain man.
The author getting "mountain experience", Austria
In the late seventies, he was involved in teaching all the classes, and would observe other instructors manage the top rope sites. But he was always hands-on. On another day in my education there, I remember ascending Stairs Gulch with other Utah students under the tutilage of Dennis Turville. Our little group of neophytes were wide-eyed at one point on the ascent, when a few auto-sized blocks of snow and ice came tumbling down the slabs, bowling for students. Two in the group, by running this way and that, managed to avoid being mowed over. Dennis seemed somewhat nonplussed by the event, but that might have just been my perception at the time. Later on the narrow ridge which divides Big and Little Cottonwood, we carefully picked our way up to the summit of Dromedary Peak. Our eyes were still bugging out of our heads for the rest of the day due to exposed terrain and our lack of experience. We were quickly getting our mountain legs.
Fast forward to the Lectaler Alps in Western Austria. I usually had most of the day to explore the wild mountains above and around Zürs, St. Christophe and Lech on skis and out of bounds, having to report at the Strolz ski boot shop in Lech around 3pm. It was my first experience where the ski area trails and the high backcountry merged into one big ski experience. I went nuts, cutting it up, (more…)
Tags:Alps, Austria, Avalanches, BackCountry skiing, Big Cottonwood, Big mountain skiiing, Couloir, Dennis Turville, Dexter R. Richards, Dromedary Peak, Harold Goodro, Haute Route, JHStrass, Lech, Little Cottonwood, Madloch, Mountain Spirit, Omeshorn, Panoramio, Randy Richards, Rock Climbing, Stairs Gulch, Strolz, Switzerland, University of Utah, Valuga, Wasatch Range, Zurs
Posted in Alps, Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Experiential Education, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
07/01/2010
by Stephen Messenger,
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Difficult to see from the ground,geoglyphs go unnoticed by locals
With the aid of satellite imagery from Google Earth, soon archeologists in Brazil will be finding more and more large geometric designs carved into the ground in the Amazon rainforest. The geoglyphs are believed to have been sculpted by ancient people from the Amazon region around 700 years ago, though their purpose is still unknown. So far, nearly 300 geoglyphs have been identified, but with advances in satellite imaging–and increased clearing of the jungle coverage–scientists are hoping to discover many more of these strange, geometric designs. Read the rest of this story
Photo via Diego Gurgel
Tags:Amazon, Brazil, Clearcut forest, Dexter R. Richards, Diego Gurgel, geoglyphs, Mountain Spirit, Porto Alegre, Stephen Messenger, TreeHugger
Posted in Archeology, South America, Spiritual, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
24/12/2009
A Plastic Soup That Stretches from Hawaii to Japan
From: The Independent
Image: The Independent
By Kathy Marks, Asia-Pacific Correspondent, and Daniel Howden
A “plastic soup” of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice the size of the continental United States, scientists have said.
The vast expanse of debris – in effect the world’s largest rubbish dump – is held in place by swirling underwater currents. This drifting “soup” stretches from about 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast, across the northern Pacific, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan.
Charles Moore, an American oceanographer who discovered the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” or “trash vortex”, believes that about 100 million tons of flotsam are circulating in the region. Read the rest of this story
Tags:Dexter R. Richards, Garbage in Ocean, Mountain Spirit, Ocean pollution, Plastic Soup, Rubbage Dump
Posted in Environment, Sustainable Living/Communities | Leave a Comment »
21/12/2009
Interactive Avalanche Education Online
From Backcountry Magazine,
By Lance Riek
Fracture Zone- Avalanche
Whether you’re just beginning to learn about avalanches, or you want to clean out the summer cobwebs, the American Avalanche Association online tutorial is the place to start,” says Doug Abromeit, director of the National Avalanche Center.
The interactive avalanche awareness tutorial, developed by the Sawtooth Avalanche Center forecaster Chris Lundy, is now online at avalanche.org The click-through, online tutorial covers the basics of indentifying unstable snow and avy terrain, how to travel safely, and how to perform a rescue. There are guidelines for avalanche class organization and progression, and a list of course providers and locations.
Care to dig deeper? The U.S. Forest Service website fsavalanche.org, provides information on analyzing stability, performing stability tests, and decision-making to stay safe in avalanche country.
Editor’s Note: Backcountry Magazine is a long-standing publication which we recommend because of its focus on human-powered skiing rather than lift-served, the latter which is…way passé. I’ve been reading the magazine for years.
Mountain Spirit Institute Founder R. Richards is certified Avalanche Level II training and a certified Level II backcountry ski guide with PSIA-I. Some of his training was under the legendary Alan Bard, in Bishop California, and Richards has taken the AMGA Ski Guides Course among other trainings. He’s a 20+ year “individual member” of the American Mountain Guides Association.
Image: From How Stuff Works, courtesy NOAA
Tags:American Avalanche Association, American Mountain Guides Association, Backcountry Magazine, Chris Lundy, Dexter R. Richards, Doug Abromeit, fsavalanche.org, Interactive Avalanche Education Online, Mountain Spirit, National Avalanche Center, R. Richards, Randy Richards, Sawtooth Avalanche Center, U.S. Forest Service, USFS
Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering | Leave a Comment »
03/12/2009
Three Guys from the Andes putting up a Tipi in New Hampshire?
By Randall Richards
G. Seminario placing a pole
It’s not every day you see three Peruvians at a New Hampshire State Park setting up a tipi. But this is what happened at Mountain Spirit Institute’s SunFest, a holistic health and sustainability event held at Mount Sunapee last year.
Band leaders Guillermo Seminario, Wachi Taype and Mario Montalvo had just arrived from Peru the week before, for their first visit to the U.S.
The three were in the U.S under invitation from Mountain Spirit Institute to teach and perform Andean folklore music throughout Vermont and New Hampshire.
Three Peruvians lacing up a Tipi
I decided to press them into action to help me erect our tipi for the SunFest. The tipi would be used for classroom space and presentations by vendors and speakers invited to come to the SunFest.
I took the opportunity to get some shots of Guillermo, Wachi and Mario as they happily worked on putting up the tipi poles, fabric and the lacing pins. I kept asking them if they didn’t mind helping out, and they kept saying they were glad to learn about tipis. “It’s not something we ever thought we’d be doing,” said band director Guillermo Seminario, of Trujillo and Cusco, Peru.
Project complete
The group ended up playing Peruvian music at the SunFest as well as at other venues throughout New Hampshire and Vermont. While their tour was successful, (and they helped take the Tipi down after the SunFest), this turned out being their most unusual project during their stay, aside from playing in a few offbeat bars.
Tags:Chimu Inka, Dexter R. Richards, Mountain Spirit, Mt. Sunapee State Park, Peruvians in New Hampshire, Sunapee, Sunapee SunFest, Tipi
Posted in Focus on MSI People, MSI News | Leave a Comment »
14/11/2009
By Randall Richards
Barrick's Pierina Gold Mine, Peru
I know relatively little about the issues that surround open pit gold mining, but my instincts tell me, aside from what I’ve read over the years, that it’s not a good thing, something similar to nuclear testing – not the best for the planet, nor the surrounding communities. There are certainly the headlines about gold mining, about toxic tailings and the havoc wreaked on local rivers and communities. I debated whether to do more research before writing this post, and decided to simply point you in the direction of two websites, and tell an anecdote of my observations in Peru over the past 12 twelve years.
Barrick Mine viewed from our land near Huaraz
We’ve just purchased some land in Huaraz Peru, and within 10 or 15 miles, line of sight, to the north is the Canadian company Barrick Gold open pit gold mining operation. It just looks wrong. A whole mountain on the Corillera Negra side of the Cayllon de Huaylas (Huaylas Valley), has been transformed into a mammoth sand pit/mound. Aside from the blight it produces, all natural grasslands and campasino’s (country farmers), pastures/farms have been eradicated. I hear consistently that the Japanese are, or are about to run mines in the Cordillera Huayhuash, (scene of Joe Simpson’s Touching the Void).
Barrick's Planned Community - employee housing, Peru
On the east side of the valley, sits Barrick’s planned employee community. It’s relatively well hidden from the center of Huaraz, over a hill with newly planted pines. But the whole thing seems abusive, elitist, and completely out of place, in a country where there are stark differences between classes of the “haves and have nots”. This “suburb looking for a city”, looks like something outside of Toronto, or a development near Montreal, rather than a village in the Andes.
Then, there’s the taking of Peru’s natural resources, for the price paid from the highest bidder. If that’s what the goverments mean by “free trade”, they can have it. (As you may know, Peru and the U.S. have a “free trade” agreement as of a few years ago.) For more information on third world exploitation, be sure to read John Perkins‘ Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, or see his website, which also has a good bit on Free Trade with Columbia, which might shed some light on free trade agreements. More on John Perkins in another entry.
As promised, here is the link for Barrick Mines and, one for Mining Watch Canada, with an interesting page entitled, Transnational Mining Tribunal: The Case of Barrick Gold Corporation in Latin America (Chile, Argentina and Peru). Barrick has multiple pages on “Environmental Responsibility, Biodiversity, Rock and waste management”, etc etc.. However, are we being hoodwinked?
For those up to speed on these issues, forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, but take my observations at face value, especially if you’ve not been to Peru. If you agree with my take, please forward this blog to friends, and get the word out about the abuse in Peru and other Latin American countries, its people and resources.
Tags:Barrick Gold, Dexter R. Richards, enviromental degredation, Huaraz, indigenous rights, Joe Simpson, John Perkins, mine tailings, Mining Watch Canada, Mountain Spirit, Open Pit Gold mining, Peru Free Trade, Pierina Mine, Randall Richards, supporting farmers, Touching the Void
Posted in Books, Environment, Peru, Room For Improvement | 9 Comments »
21/09/2009
MSI’s First Peruvian Trade Goods Market, A Success
Amanda Richards at SOWA, Boston
Director Randy Richards, and Chief Operating Manager Amanda Richards traveled to Boston, a few days after having arrived back in the U.S. with tons of goods purchased in Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Huaraz and Lima, Peru. The goods were sold to raise funds for liability insurance and other costs associated with running Mountain Spirit. Although they didn’t sell everything, they re-cooped their costs of goods purchased in Peru.
MSI's Booth: SOWA'09
“Although we’ve been running programs since the late ’90’s,” says Richards, “in many ways we’re still a start-up organization.” He adds, ” We still don’t have the funding quite yet to earn a salary from MSI, but we feel we’re over the hump. We’ve been around long enough, that some people are recognizing the name, plus we’ve got more experience in what we do.”
If you would like to make a donation to help fund operating costs for worthwhile programs that help children, families and adults get into nature, please contact us or send a check now to:
Mountain Spirit Institute
POB 626
Sunapee, NH 03782
Tags:Amanda Richards, Boston, Dexter R. Richards, Fundraising for MSI, Mountain Spirit, SOWA Market
Posted in Fair Trade, MSI News, Supporting MSI | Leave a Comment »
Mountain Spirit's Blog 