Chapter 14 – El Yunque – 2005

We were exhausted but we needed to go to El Yunque, even if for a short while.

Mom insisted on going.  I wasn’t sure if she really wanted to go or if she was concerned for my safety.  I hadn’t slept in days and driving down from Cayey and then back up the steep mountains of El Yunque would definitely be a challenge.  Either way, I was glad that Mom was coming.

Again,  we seemed to be guided right to the mountain.  We mistakenly took a wrong turn but upon closer examination we realized that we found ourselves on a new highway that would bring us to El Yunque faster than otherwise possible by the old roads.

As we started our ascent to the mountain,  I could feel the energy change in the car. The view of the rainforest was an awesome sight.  We passed beautiful waterfalls and awesome views of the vastness of the mountain preserve. All sorts of plants and flowering trees greeted us….flamboyan trees, bamboo trees,  etc…

When we finally arrived at the Palo Colorado stop (Red Tree Stop),  we went into the tourist bungalow to check on the guided tours. It was hard not to notice the strange looks I was getting from the people who also came to visit El Yunque.  I was dressed in this green and white Hawaiian floral pants, a white tank top embellished with coral and turquoise beads, a long mother of pearl necklace hung from my neck, a Native American totem pouch also graced my neck,  and a burgundy and gold tiara was tied around the circumference of my head. Now, wouldn’t you take a second look? I ignored the stares.. This is what I was supposed to wear. So there.

We went up to the man at the guided tour desk.  This is when we met Frank. He was very kind and told us about the next tour.  We decided against it since we were so tired and Mom wouldn’t be able to make the trek.  So instead we  walked up the stairs that were directly in front of the stop in the hopes of finding a bench to sit on.

Not only did we find a whole bunch of benches but also we found a small body of fresh spring water that was converted into a pool.  We decided to sit in this spot and meditate. Before we knew it, we saw faces carved into the stones around us. One huge stone was ominous and Mom said it looked like a totem pole…..just like the reading said we would find.  As we sat down and quietly looked upon the still waters, bubbles started to travel from the bottom of the lake to the surface. These bubbles created a ripple on the surface of the mirror like lake. It reminded me of Vilma. The ripples expanded from its initial circle growing wider and wider as it merged with other circles.  Then it hit me. This was in the reading. Nancy had stated something about “circles, many of them, getting bigger and bigger and bigger.”

Since Mom decided to go back down to the tourist area,  Nancy and I proceeded to conduct a quick meditation. As we meditated,  I stared into the lake. I was in a trance. I started to see the water vibrating and an energy starting to lift above the water….almost like a hologram.  There were several of them but I couldn’t concentrate and they faded.

Suddenly,  Frank came up to say hello.  We thought it was interesting that he came to see us.  He said that Mom told him that we were up here meditating.  He went on to say how beautiful Mom was and that he would feel privileged to give us a tour when we return to the rainforest.  He said there is much about the rainforest that most people don’t know….stories that would raise the hairs on my arms.

We ended up not meeting with him on this trip.  Maybe when we return in August, we will look for him and see if he can enlighten us on the Taino and their spiritual beliefs.

Everything has a rhyme and a reason. We just don’t always know in the moment the true meaning of why things happen. Many times, if we are patient, and don’t lose sight of it, it will reveal itself in unexpected ways.