This week, the Blue Deer Center welcomes Maria Quintana to the center as support staff. Maria will be helping both Aaron and Ted prepare for programs as well has keeping things beautiful around the center. Maria’s Journey to the Blue Deer Center-
Maria first met Eliot Cowan when the search for the Center was just beginning in California. She always wanted to be a part of what was happening. Then for a while, as we all know life happens and she lost touch. One day while studying in a five elements course, she saw a link for the Blue Deer Center and click on it. She saw video of the river, Saskawhihiwine and felt an immediate emotional connection. With this longing to come to the center, so she did!
Maria was here the last two summers for 3 1/2 weeks as a volunteer working on many projects including painting and helping with some minor carpentry projects. Maria then found that she did not want to leave. Maria found she always wanted to be here at the center or at the Huichol homelands.
Maria will be here this year for our program season from May 1st to September 1st but is looking for work in the area and hoping to move here permanently. She says she is taking things one day at a time and she is looking forward to working with everyone, Ted, Aaron, Jenn, Mark and everyone else visiting and volunteering at the center. She already feels the team spirit and sense of community found at the center. She enjoys the way everyone works together and is inspired by this sacred place.
“I enjoy working in a way that is loving and caring, putting that into everything you do is important”. She has great respect for Eliot Cowan, all of his work and the work of the Markame, all the volunteers and people who come to the center, especially the original peoples, The Haudenosaunee (the people of peace of the longhouse and Two Row Wampum) and Chief Oren Lyons who knew how to live in the right relationship so that it supports the next generations. They make the place and time spent here very rich.
Maria brings many gifts with her. She has worked as a painter, carpenter, landscaper, massage therapist, Tai Chi instructor and was an Olympic Athlete 1986-88 and World Champion Skier.
Maria says “the spirit is really important”, learning from the elders who have kept the teachings of wisdom, and being conscious of your moments in the world around you and how you move in that world. The Blue Deer Center welcomes Maria to the center for 2014 program season!
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