Wandering Wonderland

03/05/2010

“One pill makes you larger

And one pill makes you small

And the ones that mother gives you

Don't do anything at all

Go ask Alice

When she's ten feet tall

And if you go chasing rabbits

And you know you're going to fall

Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar

Has given you the call

Call Alice

When she was just small

When men on the chessboard

Get up and tell you where to go

And you've just had some kind of mushroom

And your mind is moving low

Go ask Alice

I think she'll know

When logic and proportion

Have fallen sloppy dead

And the White Knight is talking backwards

And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"

Remember what the dormouse said:

"Feed your head

Feed your head

Feed your head"

From "White Rabbit" by The Jefferson Airplane

I’ve fallen down the Rabbit Hole many times in my life. Turning 50 was the ultimate awakening into the awareness that perhaps I should just accept that I’ve spent most of my life either living in or trying to avoid living in Wonderland. I’ve since decided to follow my bliss, making one of my homes in a very green and sunny spot of Southern California! And…anyone who has spent any time here knows that its not one of the most envied of lifestyles without good reason. The strawberries that live here are mutants that grow to the size of tennis balls yet are as sweet as candy. There are oranges, lemons and avocados growing in the smallest front yards and orchards everywhere. Cooking herbs that I buy back East are the size of shrubs and if I want fresh rosemary all that I do is walk down the street and grab a handful! There is tie dye in the shades of the brightest butterflies in sold in every shop and flowers so fragrant that you can smell them for blocks. There are Hot Yoga studios where you can break free from your cocoon and stretch your wings and artisan coffee houses on every corner, filled with hookah pipes and fabulous French pastry.

Here in Southern California great wine practically flows from the public fountains and best of all for an old hippy chick like me, marijuana is virtually legal in this state and worshipped by young and old with a Dionysian abandon. A walk on the beach here is a delightful aromatherapy treatment, packed with all of the emotional benefits and none of the legal traumas. Medical Marijuana is used here liberally, safely and wisely. Believe me….It’s a very happy place to be because it seems that everyone’s always smiling!

Although I haven’t used them for many years, I’m still fascinated by psychedelic drugs and their effects. I thoroughly appreciate and respect the natural Hallucinogens. It’s the Shaman’s way and I can’t help but embrace that part of myself that still loves to play in the various and vast realms of the unknown. I’m an herbalist and although LSD was fun in my youth I consider myself lucky to have escaped their clutches unscathed because synthesized drugs and their potential for creating uncontrollable emotional mayhem completely scare the hell out of me.

On the other hand Cannabis, Opium, Peyote and Psilocybin mushrooms are natural tools that can open you up to all of the possibilities of the world as an individual and community all at once. Be careful though…. they work with YOUR consciousness and they are brilliant interpreters of YOUR particular brand of truth. If you approach them with respect they will generously share their amazing secrets and if you abuse them they will be more than happy to teach you a very potent lesson. They are very generous little plants.

Trust me on this.

When taken wisely and in the company of one who understands their natural gifts, these plant allies can be potent tools to promote incredible self -awareness. They will shrink the boundaries of your self- imposed limitations and allow you to move through the cracks of your ego with surprising swiftness. They will also bring you visions from the depths of your being that will scare you into consciousness and allow you to choose to be present in your life powerfully. Allowing yourself to be present to the deepest, dankest inner trembling of your psyche can be incredibly empowering and terrifying at the same time. It’s not always pretty and quite often its very impolite. To be sure, it’s been a long strange journey down the rabbit hole but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I know who I am and that’s why I can finally live peacefully here in Wonderland………

So who am I? To be entered into our drawing for a sample of our Roxana’s fabulous new perfume “Smell me” you’ll need to take your very best guess. But for me the most fascinating question of the day is “Who are you?”

Roxana Villa has created a trial version of a green fragrance with rose at the heart titled "Smell Me".

She will be giving away five samples of the fragrance as part of this blogging collective. To be entered to win a sample of "Smell Me" please visit each participating blog and determine which character from the story each blogger has assumed. E-mail your guess to Roxana (at) IlluminatedPerfume.com. Five winners will be chosen to receive a sample of the first edition trial of the fragrance.

Participating Blogs:

Illuminated Perfume Journal http://journal.illuminatedperfume.com/

Perfume Shrine:

http://www.perfumeshrine.com/

Indie Perfumes:

http://indieperfumes.blogspot.com/

Tom at PerfumeSmellin' Things:

http://perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com

Authors disclaimer: I’m very aware that I’m talking about some plants that are very illegal in this country. If you’re ever going to try them, please do so safely and only in the company of one who knows and understands their power. And….the legalities of getting caught with them are still incredibly frightening. I think that the marijuana laws in this country are ridiculous, but they’re still here…..at least for now! With boomers of all stripes in political power the collective consciousness surrounding cannabis law in this country is changing. Here in California, marijuana is the single largest cash crop and if taxed has the potential to bring this state out of its appalling deficit. For more information go to:

http://www.canorml.org/

Drawing of Alice courtesy of Roxana Villa

Posted at 03:54 AM in Current Affairs | Permalink | Comments (1)